Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 987

Chapter 987

"That's impossible. Our realm is vast and the number of mages is endless. How could we find such a mage?"

Caten argued as if it was absurd.

He surely couldn't have imagined that the culprit was among the juniors behind him.

The Frost Giant didn't immediately draw his weapon despite Caten's arrogant attitude.

An extraordinary warrior deserved respect.

-No one said to search your entire realm. That mage must surely still be in this realm. This realm is relatively narrow compared to other realms, so it should be quite possible to find them.-

"I don't understand. How do you know that mage is still in the realm?"

Caten asked again.

If they had found the location, the Frost Giants would have moved directly.

The fact that they were giving orders like this instead meant they didn't know the other's location yet.

But they were confident the mage was still in this realm.

-Warrior, think carefully. What reason would a challenger acknowledged by the king have to visit the realm?-

Jijel muttered from behind.

"Because the professor ordered it."

"Shh. Be quiet."

Fortunately, the two didn't hear them. The Frost Giant continued speaking with confidence in his conjecture.

-That challenger must also covet the relic we seek. And since they haven't obtained the relic, they must still remain in this realm. I can feel it. That one is hiding somewhere in this realm, watching us!-

"..."

Yi-Han wanted to tell the other to go see a healing mage.

Where on earth did they sense the presence of a non-existent enemy?

However, Caten seemed to fall for the Frost Giant's words.

"Indeed... If warriors of your caliber sensed it, that makes sense."

'It makes no sense.'

-Exactly. Not just me, but other giants keep sensing it too. The presence of that one somewhere in the realm.-

'They seem to need group counseling with healing mages.'

Apart from the two juniors' pessimistic thoughts, Caten seemed to have made his decision.

"I understand. I'll look for them myself. But remember this. If that one coveted the relic for greedy and evil reasons, I'll tell you their location, but if their reason was just, I'll remain silent."

-Ha! Truly befitting a warrior.-

"I'm a mage."

-...What? You are a mage!?-

"I said earlier too, didn't I? Three mages."

-I thought you meant there was another mage behind.-

The Frost Giant was confused.

Anyone would see him as a warrior??

The two behind were definitely mages. Apart from their trained postures, they exuded the unique atmosphere of mages.

However, not a hint of magic could be sensed from Caten. That was purely a warrior's bearing.

Caten rebuked the Frost Giant.

"For such a powerful race to fall for preconceptions. Reflect on yourselves!"

-Th-that... Really a mage? Was I wrong?-

Leaving the Frost Giant muttering in shock, Caten returned with his juniors.

"Frost Giants are strong but pride blinds their eyes. Juniors. If you face them, you must target this point."

'It doesn't seem like they mistook him out of pride.'

While the two juniors exchanged subtle glances, Caten continued speaking.

"First, we need to find that mage to gain the Frost Giants' acknowledgment. Hmm... I wonder what kind of mage they are. To be acknowledged by their king, and even coveting their relic. I worry they might be an evil mage."

Caten's worry had a point.

Basically, the King of Frost Giant was a violent and mighty being.

A good mage would have little reason to deliberately meet and challenge such a being.

Moreover, since they were trying to obtain the Frost Giants' relic on top of that...

"...Senior. That's actually me."

"?"

Caten perked up his ears.

His junior's words didn't immediately register, as if cursed.

"Junior. I must have misheard. What did you just say?"

"The one the Frost Giants are looking for is me..."

Yi-Han explained in a gloomy voice.

Last year he had really unluckily faced the Frost Giant King, and since then the Frost Giants had been acting unluckily...

His appearance was so pitiful that even Jijel, who couldn't bear watching, stepped up to defend him.

"It's not Wardanaz's fault, Senior. The Frost Giants unilaterally chase..."

"I'm not saying it's wrong, Junior. Wait, then why the relic?"

"Because it's a relic the Frost Giants stole too."

Yi-Han explained the mission given by Arsil, his family's older brother.

The relic the Frost Giants were looking for wasn't originally theirs.

Since they had also stolen it, Yi-Han had the right and duty as a Wardanaz family mage to rightfully retrieve it...

'Well. This sounds a bit like nonsense.'

Yi-Han was cautious even as he spoke.

Though Arsil could talk nonsense and other spirits would act like sycophants agreeing with him, Yi-Han was different.

If he talked nonsense, he might get hit.

If Caten said that if it was a stolen relic, the original owner should step up, why was a Wardanaz family mage stepping in?

"Indeed. Then Junior has rightful qualification."

"...Senior!"

Yi-Han was moved.

Perhaps because they were both from Einroguard, Caten had taken Yi-Han's side.

"Then only one thing remains, Juniors."

"What is it?"

"Cut down the Frost Giants and with power..."

"I'll report to Master first."

Yi-Han quickly stopped Caten.

It was easy to be mistaken because of his cute appearance, but one shouldn't forget why the <Animal Mixed-Blood Personality-Cuteness Inverse Proportion Hypothesis> was created.

This senior too was an Einroguard madman who could draw his sword at any moment!

  *

"You say the Frost Giants turned away guests?"

The mad doppelganger's reaction to the report was different from Yi-Han's expectation.

He had thought he would react indifferently or cynically, but he showed a much more intense reaction.

"To dare send back an envoy who came bearing royalty's name. These giant fellows must have gone mad with time. I must show them who holds their leash. Prepare!"

At the thunderous command, Yi-Han answered in confusion.

"Master. We didn't particularly reveal your identity..."

"...?"

The mad doppelganger paused at his disciple's words.

To have conversed with Frost Giants without revealing his master's identity.

"Then with what qualification did you speak with the Frost Giants?"

"...Well, I previously had a confrontation with the King of Frost Giant..."

"..."

Though feeling dumbfounded at his disciple suddenly saying something different, the mad doppelganger waited patiently.

The friendship built with his disciple had brought patience even to the mad doppelganger.

"...That's how I was semi-forcibly made to challenge, and whether rumors spread among the Frost Giants..."

"I see."

The mad doppelganger nodded slightly as if finally understanding.

"You received a proposal as a challenger before even revealing royalty's name. Then I understand."

Since Frost Giants were a violent and bellicose race, it made sense if there were such circumstances.

His disciple must have received the proposal before even revealing his identity as royalty.

As a challenger acknowledged by the Frost Giant King, to duel bearing honor!

"I hid it..."

"What?"

"Well... I hid that I was the challenger."

"...Why?"

"I thought an outstanding mage shouldn't hastily reveal their identity..."

The mad doppelganger reached out his hand to stop his disciple's nonsense. Listening further would just be a waste of time.

"Go, reveal your identity, and win proudly in battle. Don't return until then."

The great mage was truly wise.

Even after giving the order, expecting his disciple might grumble or make excuses, he immediately waved his hand to push away the ground.

By the time Yi-Han tried to object, he had already arrived at the distant cliff below.

-...Isn't this too harsh!-

Though his disciple's cry returned like an echo from afar, the mad doppelganger paid it no mind.

  *

-Can they really find the challenger? Mere weak mortals?-

-I believe in that warrior. Though of a weak race, he had eyes resembling our giant souls.-

-To think you'd say that much! I'm really curious.-

The Frost Giants were chattering, discussing the beast mixed-blood warrior who had visited earlier.

Meanwhile, a new guest arrived from far away.

It was a mage with the stone bestowed by the king embedded in the tip of his staff, recognizable to any Frost Giant.

-!!!!-

-Could it be!-

"I heard you were looking for me..."

Yi-Han tried to shout as confidently as possible.

There seemed to be nothing good about saying he had been secretly hiding or avoiding them.

He had to appear like a challenger who came directly of his own accord, by all means proudly!

Thwack!

The Frost Giant warrior threw a punch at his companion's face beside him.

The companion reached for the club leaning against the wall but was slightly too late. As the price, the companion fell flat on his back.

"??!"

Jijel asked Caten in surprise.

"Why are they doing that?"

"Don't Einroguard students often do the same?"

"What do you..."

Puzzled by the cryptic answer, Jijel belatedly realized.

The Frost Giant who had knocked down his companion cheered.

-With this, the challenger's honor is mine alone!-

"..."

He had knocked down his companion first because he wanted to monopolize the honor of facing Yi-Han.

Though shocked at the sight, Jijel also felt it was familiar. It was indeed something often seen at Einroguard too.

-Finally you appear, challenger! I've been looking for you!-

"There seems to have been a misunderstanding. I wasn't hiding while coveting the relic. I was just training alone to hone my magic!"

-Is that so? That's not important.-

'These bastards.'

After brazenly insisting that Yi-Han was hiding somewhere watching them, for the Frost Giants to now say 'that's not very important' was absurd.

As expected of fellow giants, they were similar in their brazenness.

-Challenger. I want the honor of defeating a challenger acknowledged by the king!-

"...I want acknowledgment. If I win, please stop requesting duels. You must guarantee my honor to other giants, staking your name."

-Good!-

The Frost Giant readily accepted.

It wasn't the giant's business anyway if others couldn't duel. Such honor was first come, first served.

If they wanted the challenger's honor, they should have been here, shouldn't they?

From behind, Caten spoke quietly.

"When exactly should I step in, Junior?"

"I think We'll have to hear what it is first. That is, when it seems too difficult for Wardanaz's strength..."

Even if the mad doppelganger ordered it, Yi-Han wasn't enough of a giant-like mage to recklessly charge in.

Naturally he had prepared minimal safety measures, and those safety measures were the two behind him.

Depending on the type of duel, if it seemed impossible, they would step in and cause trouble!

-Challenger. I'll propose duels for you to choose from. First, look at that glacier!

Yi-Han turned his gaze.

The glacier beside the valley where the Frost Giants stayed was ice entangled with the realm's mana, so it wouldn't melt naturally.

Such ice had to be dissolved with magic or melted by disrupting its internal structure with massive mana.

-There's a white flower inside the glacier. The match is who brings that white flower first.-

"I must step in."

Thinking this wouldn't do, Caten immediately reached for his sword.

However, Jijel showed a slightly subtle reaction.

"That level... might be okay..."

"?!!"