Life of a Magic Academy Mage – 12



Chapter 12 

“Regardless I’m glad you ironheads have finally caught on!”

Silence followed the Lich Principal’s praise; no one seemed pleased. Yi-Han thought he heard someone cursing.

‘Usually the Blue Dragon has always been the slowest to adapt.’

Yet unexpectedly the Lich Principal’s praise was sincere.

Each year new students entered the dormitories and among them the Blue Dragon students were the slowest to adapt. The Black Tortoise students adapted the fastest including those from merchant commoner or slum backgrounds displaying remarkable adaptability. Next were the students of the White Tiger primarily from a knight family known for their physical prowess and resilience.

In contrast the Blue Dragon students were mostly from high noble families inexperienced in harsh conditions hence their slow adaptation. But to find their own food and take care of themselves in just a few days was commendable.

‘Could he be the culprit?’

The Lich Principal’s blue gaze fixed on Yi-Han. A grand mage’s intuition is rarely wrong and if it ever is it must be corrected by force if necessary. Fortunately Yi-Han was as the Principal had first perceived.

‘Being a good mage isn’t just about the amount of mana…’

The Lich Principal didn’t just value Yi-Han for his mana. Though it was a factor there was something else more impressive. That someone so unrestrained could come from the rigid Wardanaz family.

“Being open-minded and able to think independently. That’s the companion that opens the path for a mage.”

The Lich Principal wished to impart this to the students. Even serving hard bread and cold rice was meant to nurture such kind of thinking albeit with a bit of enjoyment on his part. The original purpose nonetheless was just that.

‘Why do I suddenly feel a chill down my spine?’

Yi-Han felt an ominous chill uncharacteristic of spring weather.

—

“Principal. We understand that we must find a way to feed ourselves to grow as mages. But why must we undergo this character education?”

The Blue Dragon students hailing from high nobility were fearless even before the Lich Principal.

The Lich Principal rattling his skeletal form replied softly “Well said. Why do you think character education is necessary? Tell me.”

“…We don’t know.”

“It’s because if the mages from here cause trouble outside that damned Emperor will hold me responsible!!!” 

The Principal’s voice boomed causing the freshmen to cover their ears.

“It’s because of your seniors! If they hadn’t caused trouble outside this wouldn’t be necessary you damned ironheads!!”

Silence.

“Why character education?! So when the Emperor’s high officials come asking I can at least claim we’re teaching you character to prevent you all from being collectively punished! Does that answer your question you ironheads!?!”

“Yes… Yes!!”

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The student who asked was overwhelmed by the Lich Principal’s presence nodding vigorously in agreement.

“Mages fundamentally are unpredictable in their mischief. Don’t deny it; such lies only infuriate me. Once you’re allowed outside you’ll see how much trouble your kind causes! Open your books! Read page 1!!”

“’I will not threaten civilians with magic!’”

Once more!

“’I will not threaten civilians with magic!’”

Yi-Han repeating the sentence wondered to himself.

‘Does this really work?’

This kind of education seemed more likely to encourage mages to cause trouble…

—

All students anticipated the character education lecture to be dull.

However their expectations fell short. It was far more tedious than anticipated.

“This… this is a mandatory lecture…”

“My throat’s sore from all the reading.”

“Hopefully today’s lecture instilled some goodness in your empty ironheads.”

“Yes…”

“It really seems like it…”

“Now I need two volunteers for the next lecture. Any takers?”

The Lich Principal asked in a deceptively gentle tone sending shivers down their spines.

“…”

“…”

The students just rolled their eyes avoiding his gaze. The Principal chuckled contently.

“Won’t someone step forward? Or will you let the suffering continue?”

“I’ll do it.”

It was Yi-Han who raised his hand causing the Principal to look almost disappointed.

“A Wardanaz ironhead huh? Do you enjoy working?”

“If it’s to assist a respected professor what greater honor could there be?”

“Wardanaz…!”

“You really are something…”

The Blue Dragon students looked at Yi-Han with deep admiration.

Just yesterday he had satiated their hunger with a twilight barbecue party and now he was stepping forward for his dorm mates. The Wardanaz family wasn’t reputed as a pillar of the empire for nothing.

Look at that responsibility!

“I despise insincerity but well done. Opportunity always finds the proactive.”

Yi-Han realized his ulterior motive was transparent to the Lich Principal.

A lesson learned from Professor Uregor. Assisting a professor often reaped unexpected rewards. Especially in a confined space like this it was always beneficial to receive anything from a professor. Even if that professor was a mad skeletal lich.

“I will do my best.”

‘And probably earn good grades too.’

“Yi… Yi-Han are you crazy?” Gainando whispered in shock. Another student responded to Gainando “If no one had volunteered we all would have suffered. Wardanaz isn’t crazy; he stepped up for us.”

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“But then I should also…” Gainando hesitated trying to stand but his legs wouldn’t move. ‘Move legs!’

To rise in stature one must stand up in such moments. Besides Yi-Han wasn’t just waiting for Gainando.

‘I should help…’

“A Dargard ironhead huh? Well the Dargard family has always been adept at paperwork.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

While Gainando pondered a second volunteer stepped forward.

Asan Dargard. A Dargard family member the boy who was flung away by the violent mana-enhanced pig in the last alchemy class.

Yi-Han looked at Asan with a puzzled expression. He hadn’t expected Asan to step forward.

‘Is he aiming for something similar to what I’m doing?’

Asan with a dignified air slightly adjusted his glasses and said “Of course you Wardanaz would understand why I volunteered.”

“…I don’t really see why?” Yi-Han responded utterly baffled. How could he possibly know what Asan was thinking?

“What? Why?! Isn’t it obvious? I’m repaying the favor from last time!”

Asan seemed even more bewildered as if to say ‘What else could it be?’

“Oh… Ah that. Well you didn’t have to go that far.”

“Nonsense. The Dargard family always repays its debts.”

“The warm conversation between the two ironheads is pleasing but there is immediate work to be done.”

“?”

“You need to copy these safety rules enough times for each student to have one by the next lecture.”

“…”

“…”

At the Lich Principal’s words Asan seemed to snap back to reality.

“Principal.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t understand… With just one spell from you couldn’t these words be copied onto all these papers easily? Isn’t manually copying them inefficient?”

“I know. That’s why I’m asking you to do it.”

“…”

Yi-Han clearly saw it.

Murderous intent flickered in Asan’s eyes!

—

“Sorry Yi-Han.”

“I wish I could help…”

Yonaire Gainando and the other students left apologizing. They wanted to help but the Lich Principal had forbidden it.

“Two’s enough! The rest of you scram!”

As a result Yi-Han and Asan Dargard ended up alone in the empty classroom copying by hand.

“This is intolerable… intolerable… to make us do such inefficient work…!” Asan muttered in anger his pen moving furiously.

‘Is he going to break down doing this?’

Hearing this Yi-Han began to worry. He thought he understood why the Principal had assigned this task.

‘He’s saying if we don’t like it use magic to do it.’

The Principal’s mad actions were surprisingly easy to understand once you knew his intentions. …The problem was it was practically impossible. He couldn’t even properly cast a simple ‘Light’ spell let alone one to write text.

‘Isn’t there some kind of hint?’

Yi-Han trusting in the last shred of conscience the Lich Principal might have began rummaging through the empty classroom.

“Wardanaz? What are you doing?” Asan asked tilting his head. Wardanaz was searching every corner of the classroom.

“I’m seeing if there’s anything worth taking.”

“Should we be doing that?”

“There’s no rule against it.”

“That sounds like theft…”

“This is the Lich Principal’s classroom.”

“…I guess sometimes theft doesn’t seem so bad.”

Asan sprang up to help Yi-Han.

‘People really break down quickly here.’

Noble family or not once someone enters this academy they change a bit…

“Find anything?”

“Not sure. Here’s some paper. Might as well take it never know when it’ll be useful. Wait. There’s a key.”

The jingling sound announced the appearance of a key. Yi-Han wasn’t sure what it was for but decided to keep it. 

Asan asked curiosity evident in his voice “Do you know what this key is for?”

“No. But it’s better to have it now for later use.”

“Indeed… That’s logical.”

Asan was impressed. It was certainly a logical approach.

Thud-

Upon opening the last drawer a voice accompanied by a surge of mana echoed forth.

“Opening this drawer means you’ve decided to stop the mindless task of writing until your wrists break and start thinking instead. I sincerely hope you’ve come to this realization sooner rather than later! The longer you persist in this foolish labor the more pitiable and pathetic you are.”

“…”

“…”

“Here lies a 1st Circle spell <Lesser Control>. Take it and learn it. It’s in your best interest to learn quickly. Otherwise you’ll spend the entire semester writing by hand.”

The hidden intent of the Principal.

The students having realized this intention were… not impressed.

“Wardanaz. I just can’t understand. Why teach magic this way? There are far more rational methods than this!” Asan spoke with an expression of utter frustration. In his mind magic was something taught gently and carefully by a great mentor not thrown at them as a means of survival.

What kind of method was this!

Asan continued passionately “Wardanaz. You must understand. Let’s protest to the Principal together. If we both earnestly protest perhaps he’ll reconsider. …Wardanaz??”

“Hmm?”

Yi-Han turned around. He had already started preparing to learn the magic.

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