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Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 663
🕑 Added 2024-07-16 08:22:19 +0000 UTCChapter 663
"Pro-Professor Bagrak!"
Palga screamed in a shrill voice while still lying on the ground.
It was hard to believe this was the same senior who had been seriously burning with competitive spirit while recalling strategies against duel opponents just moments ago.
Yi-Han was also flustered.
"Senior. I said Professor Bagrak, not Gonadaltes."
It wasn't even the skull principal, so there was no need to be so surprised at Professor Boladi's name.
"Yi-Han. I don't think that's going to help."
As Dolgyu said, it didn't seem to register with Palga. Palga looked around and then curled up his body.
It was like the movement of a herbivore that had heard a predator's roar.
"You... you were walking around with Professor Bagrak? Why on earth?"
"As I said, we met by chance."
"Don't talk nonsense. Even if you met by chance, there's no way Professor Bagrak would have suggested walking around together. There must have been another reason."
'No. This person is sharp.'
Yi-Han felt that his opponent was indeed an Einroguard senior.
People who had spent more than a year at Einroguard basically developed a keen sense for danger.
"We ended up helping the professor with something. Then the professor treated us to a meal."
"I... I see... But why the duel club?"
"It came up during the meal, and the professor said he would give us a tour."
"!"
Palga was surprised.
To think Professor Boladi was such a friendly and sociable person.
He had thought he was a blood-sucking monster created by the skull principal to torment students...
"Ama... amazing. To think Professor Bagrak would say such things?"
"Senior. Did something happen with Professor Bagrak?"
Dolgyu asked as if he couldn't understand.
As far as Dolgyu knew, Professor Boladi wasn't someone with many disciples.
He wasn't someone who taught various lectures, nor was he someone who enjoyed tormenting students like the skull principal, so there was no reason for such an excessive reaction.
"Even my other friends are just a bit afraid of Professor Bagrak. I don't understand why you're acting like this, Senior."
"...I suppose that's possible. Have you heard of the <Repetitive Training of Basic Magic Combat> lecture?"
"I tried to take it, but..."
"Of course you would have, since you're both White Tiger Tower students. We did too."
Palga said with a bitter smile.
While freshmen could choose lectures as they wished, usually each tower had traditionally popular lectures.
For example, in the case of White Tiger Tower, combat-related lectures like swordsmanship were popular.
Especially in the case of <Repetitive Training of Basic Magic Combat>, many freshmen entered the lecture room with excitement thanks to 'magic combat' being in the name.
And they all ran out of the lecture room crying and never came near it again.
"I understand."
"I'm sure you do. When I asked the seniors, they said they did the same. I heard someone even died, but I'm still not sure if that's an exaggeration or not."
"..."
While Yi-Han was at a loss for words in disbelief, Dolgyu answered.
"We all ran away too. Except for Yi-Ha... Ugh."
Dolgyu groaned as his friend stepped on his foot. Yi-Han sent him a look to be quiet.
There was no good in telling the truth that Yi-Han was a disciple in front of a senior who fell backwards just hearing Professor Boladi's name.
'He might have a heart attack.'
"If it had ended there, Professor Bagrak might have remained as a scary rumor floating around Einroguard among us. You know, like those stories. That an Immortal eater lives deep underground in Einroguard..."
'It does live there.'
Yi-Han was about to speak but held back.
The senior seemed quite frail. He might collapse if he knew the Immortal eater was real.
"But it didn't end there."
Palga's face was like that of an old soldier recalling a war from long ago. Dolgyu became curious and asked.
"What on earth happened?"
"As I said earlier, I'm a member of the <Einroguard Duel Club>. And the club has a professor in charge."
"Oh my. So Professor Bagrak was in charge of the club."
Palga denied Yi-Han's words.
Professor Boladi wasn't sociable enough to be in charge of a club.
"Professor Kirmin Ku is in charge."
"??"
"Sigh. This is a bit difficult to talk about since it's an internal club matter... But since I've come this far, I'll just tell you. You're White Tiger Tower students too, after all."
Dolgyu looked at Yi-Han. Yi-Han pretended not to see and ignored him.
"In the past, our duel club had a streak of losses. With no rewards coming in, it was truly maddening. With research and food hard to come by, the morale of the club students was truly..."
"Wait a moment, Senior."
Yi-Han, who had been listening quietly, couldn't hold back and asked a question.
"Didn't you say you don't bet?"
"Ah. You misunderstood. The rewards I'm talking about here are proxy duel rewards. Rewards as substitute duelists."
While people addicted to thrill and honor might duel directly, not everyone in the empire wanted to duel personally.
There were duelists who substituted for such people and received rewards. One of the main sources of income for Einroguard duel club students was such proxy duels.
'Does this make money?'
Yi-Han wondered.
"I'm sorry, but these days duels aren't that common, and trial by combat is even rarer. Does this really make money?"
"Outside of school, everyone uses imperial law for trials, but within Einroguard, duels are usually preferred."
"..."
Yi-Han and Dolgyu were speechless when they heard who the main customers were.
Their seniors preferred to resolve things with fiery duels rather than arguing with rules like imperial law.
'Is this a magic school or a den of barbarians?'
Yi-Han was shocked.
"And there are customers outside of Einroguard too. Mainly students from other magic schools often seek our club members as mercenaries. Our duel win rate is high."
"Ah... yes..."
Dolgyu squeezed his eyes shut at the ugly money-making of his seniors that he didn't want to know about.
'This is just being a mercenary!'
"To get back to the point, there was a time when our club had a streak of losses. When the club's income decreases, the atmosphere becomes grim."
'Aren't normal clubs social gatherings for friendship...?'
"At that time, we were really anxious. So we begged Professor Ku. We said we wanted to become stronger. Professor Ku said it was just a streak of bad luck and we'd be fine if we calmly recovered our condition, but we didn't back down."
Fear was evident in Palga's voice.
"In the end, Professor Ku gave in. He asked us this. Do you really want to become stronger?"
"Surely not..."
Yi-Han, who was starting to sense the conclusion, felt an ominous feeling.
"We answered yes. And Professor Ku brought in Professor Bagrak. And he blocked the door for three days."
"Oh no!"
Yi-Han exclaimed. Dolgyu, not understanding, asked.
"Why did he block the door...?"
"To prevent us from escaping."
"S-surely it wasn't that bad?"
Palga slowly shook his head.
These foolish and inexperienced juniors saying such things was just laughable.
They said such things because they hadn't experienced it!
"My story ends here. I don't want to talk about what happened inside. You should be careful too. While all Einroguard professors are dangerous, there are some who are especially dangerous. If you take the lecture next semester just because he treated you to a meal and showed you around the club..."
Palga shuddered as if just imagining it was scary. Dolgyu calmed him down as if to say not to worry.
"I won't take it. Yi-Han here is already Professor Bagrak's disciple, so he's fine."
BANG!
Palga fell over again.
"Are you alright?!"
But Palga's eyes were already filled with shock, fear, and wariness as if seeing a monster from another dimension.
"Pro... Professor Bagrak's disciple. Wh-what did you say your name was?"
'Oh no.'
Yi-Han realized his mistake.
The senior's gaze was like that of friends looking at Gainando who had fallen into a pit of dark magic filth.
A cold gaze that felt determined to never get close!
"...Gainan..."
"Yi-Han. He said his name was Yi-Han."
"Yes."
Yi-Han inwardly resolved to use aliases more thoroughly from now on.
***
While Palga wanted to make an excuse and leave as soon as possible, Yi-Han was no pushover.
He desperately held on, not wanting to let the senior go with a bad impression.
"...Oh, come to think of it, I should bring something to drink..."
"Dolgyu. The senior is thirsty. Quickly bring something!"
"Yi-Yi-Han."
Yi-Han looked at Dolgyu with eyes that said 'You revealed that I'm Professor Boladi's disciple'.
Dolgyu was about to complain but closed his mouth and quietly went to get drinks.
'Ugh. I said it without thinking.'
"I... I can go get it myself."
"No. Please sit, Senior. You seem to have a misunderstanding, I actually don't just take Professor Bagrak's lecture."
"If there was someone who only took Professor Bagrak's lecture, that would be even stranger."
Ignoring Palga's muttering, Yi-Han spoke again.
"Actually, I..."
Yi-Han paused as he was about to speak.
Come to think of it, saying he took lectures from all schools didn't seem like it would help in this situation.
"Somehow I ended up taking a few additional lectures and Professor Bagrak's lecture happened to be among them, so I reluctantly ended up taking it..."
"There you are."
Professor Boladi appeared with the other friends. Yi-Han squeezed his eyes shut.
'You're not helping!'
Palga's face had turned deathly pale, and he was gripping the table as if to squeeze it with his fingers.
"He-he-he-he-he-hello, Professor."
"Are you cold?"
"N-n-n-n-n-no, Professor."
"That's good."
Yi-Han's friends, not knowing the situation, wondered at Palga who was shaking as if he had the flu.
Why was that senior acting like that?
"Everyone this way. The duel will start soon."
Professor Boladi pointed to the seats where they could watch the duel closest.
While distant and comfortable seats were better for dignity, they had to watch from as close as possible if there was to be something to learn.
The students were about to walk to the spectator seats following the professor's instructions...
"Wardanaz."
Professor Boladi gestured for Yi-Han to come to his side.
"What is it, Professor?"
"You're number 6."
"?"
Number 6?
'Is he talking about the number of times he ambushed me? Isn't it much more than 6?'
"I mean the duel order."
Professor Boladi confirmed his own order. It was number 5.
"If I left you alone, you seemed like you'd sign up recklessly. I found an appropriate opponent and signed you up."
While introducing the duel club to the other students, Professor Boladi didn't forget his thoughtful consideration.
Worried about his disciple who would challenge anyone recklessly if left alone, he had arranged for him to face an appropriate opponent.
"Professor..."
Yi-Han clenched his teeth tightly.
He just naturally ended up clenching his teeth.
"I am truly fortunate to have a teacher like you, Professor...!"
"Hmm."
Professor Boladi patted Yi-Han's shoulder and walked away.
Then Yi-Han saw the senior looking at him with shocked eyes from behind.
It was surprising enough that Professor Boladi was participating in a duel, but to so confidently enter a junior who had just finished his first year.
Anyone could see this was a prized disciple!
Yi-Han let out a deep sigh.
'I guess I'll have to give up on becoming friends with that senior.'
