Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1053

Chapter 1053

'Oops!'

Gainando immediately came to his senses.

Unlike the skull principal, Gainando could be kicked out of the villa (and the tower once semester started).

"Principal, why are you mocking Yi-Han!"

-Have you finally lost your mind?-

When Gainando suddenly turned serious and blamed him, the skull principal was dumbfounded.

-What kind of person is this?-

"Yi-Han! I just laughed because the Principal laughed! I was just flattering!"

"Didn't you laugh slightly earlier?"

"No! It's a misunderstanding!"

"Enough, come along."

Yi-Han decided to take Gainando with him.

It wasn't just to hold him accountable for the recent mockery. It was in case Professor Boladi found something suspicious.

'If Gainando shows interest in bounty hunting and comes along, he won't be suspicious.'

Though others said he could just go and wouldn't be suspected, Yi-Han thought differently.

How awkward would it look if someone like him suddenly showed interest in bounty hunting?

"Sniff."

Gainando's shoulders slumped, suddenly having to go along for dirty work like bounty hunting. Seeing this, the skull principal cackled gleefully.

"Yi-Han. Can't we take the Principal too?"

"...Gainando. Sometimes I wonder about the source of your courage."

Yi-Han was shocked seeing his friend dare suggest bringing the skull principal along.

Who on earth could bring the skull principal along?

"Ah!"

Jijel coming down the stairs quickly cast invisibility magic and hid behind a pillar when she discovered a floating skeleton.

Seeing this, the skull principal called out to Jijel.

-Moradi. Good timing. Please guard here.-

"...What?"

Jijel poked her head out with eyes full of suspicion.

She couldn't understand what the skull principal was plotting.

Guarding Wardanaz?

"I don't understand what you mean by guarding Wardanaz. He can certainly take care of himself..."

-Not Wardanaz. This prince fellow here.-

The skull principal spoke indifferently.

If Yi-Han had gone alone he wouldn't have worried much, but if he was taking lugg... no, Gainando along, that was different.

A dark mage weak in close combat needed at least one guard.

The White Tiger Tower's top student would be more than sufficient as a guard.

"Ah."

Jijel understood immediately.

'But if he needs a guard, why take the prince along in the first place?'

Not knowing why Gainando was being dragged along, Jijel could only tilt her head from her position.

-Send a paper bird if anything happens, use the ring if urgent. You haven't lost the summoning ring?-

"Yes. It should be somewhere in my backpack."

-...At least remember its location.-

The skull principal was bewildered by his safety-unconscious disciple's answer.

To have such a lax attitude even after experiencing those things.

It was confusing whether this was guts or stupidity.

"After receiving it again last time I hurriedly put it... Ah. Here it is."

"Wardanaz. Wardanaz."

When Jijel called in a low voice, Yi-Han confirmed the ring's location then turned his head.

"I know what you're wondering, Moradi. Actually Professor Bagrak went to get new wanted posters now, and we need to quietly follow and check..."

"No. That's not what I'm curious about."

Jijel cut him off.

She wasn't particularly curious where Wardanaz was going with the prince.

At most it would be a toy store or mage card store.

"Then what are you curious about?"

"Why are you wearing handcuffs on your wrist?"

"Oh. They're finally off now. Thanks for letting me know."

Yi-Han expressed thanks at the sight of the finally removed dragon shackles.

He had missed them coming off while talking as the magic took effect.

'...No, I'm asking why you were wearing them...!'

Jijel shouted inwardly.

Though the handcuffs were removed, her questions weren't resolved at all.

  *

"Bounty hunting?"

Jijel's eyes flashed at hearing they were going to get wanted posters rather than to a toy store or mage card store.

"That's quite interesting, Wardanaz. Are you already looking for commissions in preparation for second semester?"

"No. I hadn't thought about that."

Yi-Han was slightly flustered.

Taking all schools from the start, Yi-Han could take the widest range of commissions among current Einroguard students.

For such a Yi-Han, bounty hunting wasn't that attractive an option.

'The cost-effectiveness isn't very good.'

Above all, among various commissions it was fatal that you couldn't get a single coin if you failed.

There was a reason enchantment school mages had higher average gold coin income when thinking about Einroguard's professors and graduates.

"Wardanaz. Think carefully. Breaking out of the stuffy school to pursue criminals. Engaging in fierce battles using all the magic and swordsmanship you've learned. Isn't that what you want?"

'It's not though?'

Yi-Han wondered if Jijel had perhaps met some fake Yi-Han and talked while he was away.

However, Jijel continued persuading with rare persistence.

Bounty hunting was basically a high-risk high-return commission and the permits were quite strict. If it seemed too difficult for students alone, permission wouldn't be given at all.

But going after wanted criminals with small rewards would be a loss in reverse...

"If you participate, the list of possible permits would greatly increase. Don't you want to taste freedom during semester?"

"A professor will come along anyway so it doesn't seem particularly free..."

Having already felt how troublesome school-permitted outings were during club activities, Yi-Han didn't expect much.

But Jijel, who had become unusually persistent, didn't back down this time either.

"Wardanaz. In our family's territory, we go hunting when winter comes."

"?"

"??"

Both Yi-Han and Gainando tilted their heads.

Why was such a story suddenly coming up?

"Is that so?"

"Sometimes we chase mountain beasts, sometimes go bird hunting, sometimes chase monsters."

"Ah. Like when Lady Jicklin took you hunting before."

"Be quiet. That was an exception."

Jijel turned serious.

Her sister Jicklin's hunting was 'hunting' in name only but not hunting at all.

What kind of hunting was wandering alone through winter mountains looking for and charging at monsters stronger than oneself? That was closer to a trial.

Though Jijel unconditionally defended Jicklin, this was really a bit much.

"Proper hunting is a much more enjoyable and enriching experience. And among those hunts, what excites knights most is hunting criminals with bounties."

"..."

"..."

Yi-Han and Gainando exchanged glances.

Gainando asked with his eyes 'Can I say it's barbaric?', but Yi-Han shook his head.

Making such provocations within Jijel's attack range wasn't a good idea. Especially when attending as Gainando's guard.

"I-indeed..."

Instead of pointing out northern knight family customs, Yi-Han exercised restraint respecting the cultural relativity of imperial regions. And waited for Jijel's next words.

However, no next words came.

"Is that it?"

"That's it. ...Aren't you interested?"

Jijel asked, slightly flustered.

She had just told a very exciting story about bounty hunting, so why was the response so calm?

Gainando sent another look. A signal asking permission to speak.

Yi-Han quickly waved his hand telling his friend to shut up.

"Truly interesting. I am interested."

"Right? I knew you would be, Wardanaz. I still remember hunting with my sister when young."

"Like when she took you out before?"

"I said that was an exception. Normal hunting besides that. You fool."

Jijel answered sharply.

At that response, Yi-Han thought he should stop mentioning Jicklin's hunting. Thinking carefully, that time hadn't felt much like hunting either.

'So that was strange even by Moradi family standards. I thought their family customs were strange.'

He had wondered if the Moradi family had such customs like the Wardanaz family had strange customs...

"Anyway it's interesting, right?"

"Of course. Very interesting. As interesting as... right, ballgames that knights like."

Though it was an awkward lie that she would have noticed immediately normally, Jijel didn't realize.

People's intelligence tends to drop slightly when talking about subjects they like.

Yi-Han just silently nodded. It was consideration for his usually clever friend.

"If it's a party of five then in cities, if about ten then in fields or forests..."

"Y-Yi-Han. How long do I have to listen?"

"Since it might save your life someday, listen with a smiling face as much as possible, Gainando."

Gainando listened with a crying face to stories about bounty hunting that he didn't want to know about.

How those hiding in northern towns were, how those hiding in rivers were, how those hiding in forests were...

While listening, Gainando suddenly became worried and whispered again.

"Yi-Han. We're just going to check Professor getting wanted posters right? Not going bounty hunting?"

"Of course, Gainando. Just watching the Professor, I tell you."

Yi-Han soothed his friend.

Though he couldn't explain why they needed to monitor Professor Boladi, having come along this far he needed to comfort him.

And it wasn't exactly a lie. They just had to watch while Professor Boladi got wanted posters and returned...

  *

"You're going to catch them now?!"

Yi-Han shouted in horror upon running into Professor Boladi coming out of the imperial palace.

When he asked if the professor was returning to the villa mansion, the answer had come back no.

"Yes."

"Why?!"

"?"

Professor Boladi showed slight puzzlement at his disciple's question.

It was such a stupid question it was hard to believe it came from his usually clever disciple. Jijel beside him nodded as if agreeing.

'What a stupid question. Did he catch it from the prince beside him?'

"Because I can catch them?"

"I-indeed, Professor. Um... could we come along and watch? Actually Gainando and I..."

Yi-Han was about to give his prepared speech on 'Why I became interested in bounty hunting and am not suspicious.'

However, Professor Boladi gave permission without even listening to the end.

"Go ahead."

"Thank you..."

"But strange."

"!"

At Professor Boladi's words, Yi-Han was startled inwardly.

Could the professor have realized why Yi-Han came here?

'How terrifying. Is this combat mage intuition!'

"Wh-what is?"

To his disciple's question, Professor Boladi pointed at Gainando with his still indifferent attitude.

"I didn't expect the prince to show interest."

"..."

Though not particularly surprising to Yi-Han or Jijel, it was quite surprising that Gainando showed interest in bounty hunting.

"...Gainando also wants to grow further as a dark magic school mage. Right?"

"Sob... sob sob. Yes..."

"More positively."

"I'm so happy to participate in bounty hunting. Sob."

At Gainando's answer, Jijel poked Yi-Han's waist.

"Wardanaz."

"?"

"Originally I was planning to form the rest with White Tiger Tower except for you, but I'll make an exception for the prince. It's okay to bring him."

"...R-right. Really thanks."

Yi-Han answered while glancing at Gainando. It was truly fortunate he hadn't heard this.