Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1037

Chapter 1037

"What do you mean by basement?"

Professor Garcia asked in puzzlement.

'Could he have already connected to the basement with space magic?'

Though it was magic difficult to implement at Yi-Han's current level, her disciple before her originally had excellent talent in recklessly advancing ahead while making professors let their guard down.

It wouldn't be strange at all if he had tried connecting subspace to the basement without Professor Garcia knowing.

"Ah. About that."

Yi-Han denounced the mad mage Noenchenpf with a voice full of dissatisfaction.

Due to obsessing over some strange magic, even an unrelated junior mage was suffering like this.

After hearing the explanation, Professor Garcia was amazed.

"So it wasn't Yi-Han's intention!"

"...What?"

"Ah, nothing."

When her disciple glared with eyes full of suspicion, Professor Garcia hurriedly changed the subject.

"Then Yi-Han. Perhaps we should destroy the villa basement after all..."

"!"

Yi-Han sent an incredulous look at Professor Garcia's words.

How could Professor Garcia, not Professor Boladi, suggest such a violence-dependent solution?

-Well, disciple. From what I can see, that ghost seems to be staying in the gap between realms.-

The young prince in the painting showed a negative reaction to Professor Garcia's solution.

Looking at Yi-Han's current state, it would be difficult to harass him through methods like possessing his soul or cursing him.

Then the most likely method was drifting in the gaps between realms and flowing out whenever Yi-Han cast space magic.

Since space magic was basically deeply related to multiple realms, such phenomena were quite possible for a ghost wandering between realms.

"B-but Principal. All problems were solved when the basement was destroyed in other mansions."

-However, those mansion owners didn't experience the same problem as this disciple here, did they?-

The young prince calmly persuaded Professor Garcia.

Since other mansion owners weren't chosen by the ghost, all problems were solved just by destroying the basement.

However, in Yi-Han's current case, the ghost was wandering in the gaps between realms and being drawn out.

Even if they destroyed the basement, it likely wouldn't be solved.

"But... Yi-Han didn't do anything to be chosen by the ghost... though I suppose he could be."

"..."

Yi-Han looked at Professor Garcia as if dumbfounded.

What?!

"Ah, n-no. Weren't you supposed to deny it? Why are you suddenly accepting it alone..."

"He could be chosen."

-That's possible.-

When Professor Boladi and the young prince chimed in too, Yi-Han suddenly felt lonely.

Being alone among great mages, an ordinary mage had trouble keeping up.

"Then Principal. What method would be good?"

-I think the basement is fine? Hang me in the basement.-

"What? Uh, shouldn't we solve this?"

-Since it's not a problem that can be solved immediately. If it's an unavoidable disaster, using that power isn't bad either. Come on, hurry.-

The young prince urged Yi-Han.

Yi-Han reluctantly stretched out his arm and hung the painting on the basement wall. The ghost's bewildered voice echoed from inside the backpack.

-What... painting...-

-Ah. So you're that ghost. Nice to meet you. May I borrow this place for a while?-

The ghost's answer wasn't really important.

The prince in the painting moved as he pleased. After grasping the space distortion inside the basement, he seized control with his own power.

-Disciple. Can you hear me?-

"Ah. Yes. I haven't closed it yet."

-You won't need to worry too much while I'm here.-

Originally this mage ghost's plan was to implement a space with infinite possibilities in the basement.

That plan failed and space fell into uncontrollable state, causing it to appear throughout the empire like this.

Though that space labyrinth was difficult to solve at Yi-Han's current level, the phenomenon of moving to the original basement existing inside the labyrinth due to the ghost could be used separately.

Though it was called an uncontrollable curse, if it could be controlled, wasn't it a kind of subspace storage?

-There. Now disciple can visit whenever he wants.-

-No... then. The magic... when...-

The ghost seemed to realize something was wrong even in its irrational state.

Not solving the magic it asked to solve but using this basement as storage?

-Be quiet.-

The young prince folded up the ghost and locked it in a basement box.

At that merciless appearance, Yi-Han could freshly feel whose young days this was.

  *

After the knight disappeared, Bunarjo and the Einroguard students resumed work elsewhere.

When the work was roughly complete, Bunarjo praised quite happily.

These Einroguard students all had more talent than expected.

"Hmm. Quite good."

"Thank you."

"Sister, if you don't mind, how about selling this painting? Nobles will visit on the weekend, I'd like to make an offer then."

When Bunarjo made the suggestion to Tijiling, Gainando's eyes lit up and he asked.

"What about me? How's mine?"

"Ah. Gainando. You..."

Gainando felt his heart pound.

Already in his head he could hear someone shouting at an imperial noble auction 'Noble Prince Gainando's work, <My Awesome Undead Summon Walking Out of Poison Swamp> has been sold for 1,800 imperial gold coins!'

'If it sells for that much, first I'll use 1/3 for mage cards, 1/3 for snacks, 1/3 for Yi-Han's gift. The rest for friends' gifts.'

While Gainando was doing Einroguard-style calculations, Bunarjo's words reached his ears.

"...I don't think we can sell it."

"What!? Why!?! How come!??!"

Bunarjo made a troubled expression for the first time today.

He didn't want to hurt the bud of a young artist.

"Well you see. The nobles who come to buy works are conservative and traditional people..."

Most people who came to buy works at Petroguard preferred ordinarily good works.

While Petroguard mages might say 'Finally opened your eyes to a new realm!' and like fantastically and brilliantly good works, people reacted like 'Hang this in a mansion? I wouldn't even hang it in a stable.'

"This sister's painting naturally belongs to the Presinga Order, and even those not belonging would feel pious."

Befitting someone from a priesthood background, Tijiling's painting conveyed piety and faith.

Of course, befitting someone from Einroguard, the depiction of hungry people somewhat resembled Einroguard students but no one would notice that.

"Isn't my painting cool too!?"

"It-it's cool but I don't think anyone would want to hang an evil undead summon on their wall... not even dark mages..."

Raphael listening beside them recoiled in disgust.

"Dark mages don't hang such paintings either. Do you think dark mages are madmen?"

Dark mages also drink warm tea and enjoy beautiful paintings at home, they don't drink poison and blood.

Yonaire subtly asked.

"Can't we sell it with a changed title? As <Beautiful Moon Spirit Swimming in Night Pond>..."

"How could you say that!? A-are you even an artist!?"

"I'm not an artist though."

Yonaire was about to hit her cousin but remembered they were at different schools and endured.

He was acting like some master when he had just picked up a brush for the first time today.

"Gainando. I understand your feelings."

Bunarjo grabbed Gainando's shoulders and comforted him.

"Even if the empire's fools don't recognize you, you don't need to waver. Yes. I'll recommend this painting to people who visit here."

"Bu... Bunarjo!"

"It's nothing. There must be at least one person who will recognize this painting's value."

'Probably not.'

'What madman would buy that?'

'Even Professor Mortum probably wouldn't buy it.'

Though all the Einroguard students had similar thoughts, they didn't voice them.

Meanwhile, Yi-Han, the professors, and the red-haired knight walked out from the opposite side.

Bunarjo was startled and tried to run away but the Einroguard students gestured that it was fine.

"No. That's okay."

"What do you mean okay?! That's the knight who went wild earlier!"

"There are professors behind him."

"Ah."

Bunarjo let out a sigh of relief.

Seeing Professor Garcia standing behind the knight certainly made him feel at ease.

"Truly reassuring. Was that professor's name Professor Garcia Kim?"

"Huh? No. I meant Professor Bagrak beside her. Professor Garcia couldn't kill even a bug."

"...Are you mocking me?!"

While they were chattering, Yi-Han's group arrived.

Ram of the Garihi family apologized honestly.

"I'm sorry. I lost my reason for a moment and caused trouble."

"!"

At the knight's attitude being so different than expected, the Einroguard students whispered.

"Could Professor Garcia have used her fists too?"

"Maybe..."

Though they expected Professor Boladi had subdued him, they wondered if Professor Garcia must have stepped in too for his attitude to change like that.

"Hmph. No matter what, to cause such trouble in a sacred magic school's territory. And you call yourself a knight?"

Bunarjo wouldn't let it go easily.

An outsider, and a knight at that, causing trouble. This wasn't something a Petroguard student could easily overlook.

The Einroguard friends who had become somewhat closer in the meantime also expressed agreement.

"That's right. For a knight, not even a mage, to cause trouble here..."

"This knight asked for a portrait of a deceased person but came looking because a Petroguard mage broke their promise and ran away."

Yi-Han quickly explained before his friends fell into an irreversible situation.

The friends immediately changed their attitude.

"How could someone do that?"

"Bunarjo! I'm disappointed!"

"Even Professor Verduus wouldn't... well he would, but are you at Professor Verduus's level?!"

"Ah, no... strictly speaking they weren't a Petroguard mage..."

Backed into a corner, Bunarjo stammered excuses.

He hadn't known the Great Artist had such circumstances.

"...I'm sorry. I was rude not knowing such things..."

"No. I was wrong. To cause trouble to mages who must be responsible for the empire's future. Was there any damage to the works? If so, I'll compensate."

"It's fine. They're perfectly fine! Would you like to take one?"

Ram smiled gently and spoke.

"When they're complete, I'll purchase them at proper price."

After finishing speaking, the knight looked carefully at Gainando's painting once more.

"It's still an intense painting looking again."

"...Gasp. Are you perhaps interested? Want to buy it?"

Gainando was prepared to sell for even one gold coin. The market price had dropped a lot in the meantime.

"No. It's fine. The servants would be scared."

"...Even if you hang it in the stable..."

"The horses would be scared too."

"At the main gate..."

"Stop it. You fool."

Friends who couldn't watch anymore pulled Gainando away.

Yi-Han slightly regretted not insisting they were Baldurguard students until the end.

"Still it's good the knight's anger seems resolved. I had many more things to ask the Artist."

"...Huh?"

Yi-Han paused at Bunarjo's words.

Could he still not know the Great Artist had run away?

Yi-Han panicked and whispered looking at Professor Garcia.

"Do you think they'll return?"

"No... They got all the inspiration they needed from Yi-Han so they probably went elsewhere..."

That's right!

Yi-Han nodded in understanding.

'Must keep the reason for disappearing absolutely secret.'

He didn't want to be listed alongside Professor Verduus on Petroguard students' list of hated mages.