Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1096

Chapter 1096

"Aren't those right words?"

Friends uninterested in mage cards spoke as if nothing special.

Weren't they actually right words?

Though ballgame or chess or magic yut game called madochuksa might be different, there was no reason to become so fixated on mage cards…

"What nonsense!"

“What kind of nonsense is that!”

“Seriously, this is why those who know nothing spout such drivel!”

The students who were mage card enthusiasts, including Gainando, naturally flared up in anger.

To respond like that, just because it didn’t concern them, was utterly disgraceful for an Einroguard mage.

“Why don’t you just stop buying mage cards this time?”

“I told you, I can always resell them later!”

“But Your Highness, you never actually sell them.”

“…That’s true, but… Hey, if you all heard such things about something you enjoy, wouldn’t you react the same way?!”

Refusing to die alone, Gainando called out again to Uman, who was walking off in the distance.

"Your Highness!"

"What is it?"

"What do you think about ballgame or chess or other games!"

"Hmm."

Uman fell briefly into thought.

“If you are a student of Einroguard, you wouldn’t have the leisure to spend time on ballgames. Just like mage cards, wouldn’t it be better to leave that to those outside?”

“……”

“……”

The students (mainly from White Tiger Tower) turned pale. Jijel almost clapped in admiration before stopping herself.

‘Ah, I almost did something Wardanaz might do.’

“Other pastimes are the same! If one is an Einroguard mage, one should focus on magic as is proper.”

Only then did the friends who had been teasing Gainando realize the situation.

This dragon who was of royal blood and inspector believed in even more severe iron-blooded rules than Wardanaz in some ways!

Dolgyu cautiously opened his mouth.

"B-but Your Highness. Mages also need physical training, do they not? Ballgames help with that.”

The students from White Tiger Tower looked at their orc friend as if they adored him to bits.

It was a perfectly accurate point.

“Hmm! That’s true. Mages do need physical training.”

“Then ballgames are an excep…”

“But ballgames are not very efficient for physical training. The risk of injury is too high, and because so much depends on one’s mount, you end up fixating on that. Here, take this.”

Uman took out a booklet he had personally written and handed it to the White Tiger Tower students.

On that booklet was written <Physical Training Exercises for Mages>.

Slightly embarrassed, Uman continued explaining.

“This is a book I wrote myself, after careful consideration for the Einroguard mages. I believe this book will make Einroguard mages healthier instead of ballgames!”

"..."

The White Tiger Tower students who skimmed through the booklet looked as though their faces were rotting away.

If one had to choose the most boring sport in the Empire, its contents would definitely be a contender.

Watching from the side, Asan swallowed and asked,

"Your Highness, doesn't chess help rest tired mind and develop thinking?"

"Hmm! Agree."

"Then chess is excep...?"

“But chess can also lead to excessive immersion due to competitiveness, and it can easily escalate into gambling or other forms of vice.”

The Black Tortoise Tower students wore somewhat guilty expressions.

They were the ones who had amassed the most silver coins from their classmates in illicit underground chess betting.

"Here. Take this!"

Uman took out another booklet. This too was personally written.

It read <Puzzles for Developing a Mage’s Thinking>.

Asan and his friends, looking at the booklet, grew grim.

“By solving these puzzles during break time instead of playing chess, Einroguard mages will become much healthier!”

“Wow… Wow…”

“Sh-Shouldn’t we call Wardanaz or something?”

The students had never before experienced the fierce approach of the inspector and were thoroughly at a loss.

They wanted to call Yi-Han for advice, but upon reflection…

“But wouldn’t Wardanaz actually like this sort of thing?”

“…No way. Actually, he just might.”

“I told you before to stop buying so many mage cards!”

“That’s my line! I know you skipped studying last time to go play ballgames!”

As soon as Uman left, the students began to argue over whose fault this was. All their previously hidden transgressions came spilling out one by one.

‘What a truly shameful fight,’ thought Jijel inwardly.

If an outsider came into this villa and asked, she would have pretended they were Baldurguard students to avoid embarrassment.

‘But where did Wardanaz go?’

A moment ago, Wardanaz had been among them, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

Could it be that the skull principal had summoned him again?

“…”

As she looked around, Jijel was startled.

A friend who had quietly finished taking notes released his invisibility magic and appeared beside her.

“Ah. Moradi. Do you have anything you want to report too?”

"...Alpha and Dulak lied about being sick then went to play ballgame last time."

"Thanks."

Yi-Han expressed his gratitude and added more notes. Jijel nodded slightly.

Regardless of how shameful their quarrel was, those who deserved punishment should be punished.

  *

In the Empire, dragons were among the rarest of species, and most people only ever heard of them in legends or folktales, rarely seeing them in person.

They said that when a dragon spread its wings, it shaded the sky like a giant cloud, or that with a single flap it could travel from one end of the continent to the other…

Yi-Han had heard such stories many times, but he had never taken them seriously. No matter how powerful a species might be, there had to be limits.

Meeting Jourin had not drastically changed his mind. Honestly, Jourin’s demeanor was rather far from that of a dragon boasting transcendental strength.

But when he soared straight from Uman’s back and flew to Einroguard in an instant, Yi-Han began to reconsider the power of dragons.

For them to manage such an impossible feat with nothing but their innate physical strength…

‘That means Jourin too could do such a thing once she grows stronger.’

Yi-Han suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Now, she did not think too deeply about her strength, content with digging traps and slapping on cuffs. But if she ever realized her own power, who knew what she might do?

Was that why the skull principal was so wary of dragon race?

‘Didn’t the principal mention that he once learned magic under a dragon in his younger days? Now that I think about it, he really managed a feat.’

If there were two dragons like Jourin around, learning magic would surely have been next to impossible.

“What?! What’s going on?!”

“Finally, the skull principal has provoked the dragons! I knew this day would come!”

The students gathered in front of the main gate were shocked at the sight of the enormous black dragon blocking the sky.

They had wondered when the evil lord of Einroguard would be subjugated. At last, that day had arrived!

–Silence! Silence! Do not cause a commotion! That person is new imperial inspector this semester, His Highness Uman.-

"Inspector!?"

"Hurrah! Hurrah! We're free!!"

"Die! You vile undead bastard!"

As rumors spread quickly among gathered students some caused disturbance.

When throwing magic cast at death knights, the knights skillfully dodged then intercepted back.

“Ugh!”

Students hit by a few arrows of dark energy stumbled and fell to their knees. Though their bodies were drained of strength, their mouths continued to babble.

“E-everyone… now’s our chance. If we strike while the inspector is here, we won’t even get sent to the punishment room!”

-How naive. Did you think we wouldn’t prepare for that?-

The knights shook their heads, disappointed by the amateurs’ attempts.

They had already formed a solid siege on the skull principal’s orders.

‘This seems familiar.’

As he dismounted Uman’s back, Yi-Han thought to himself.

It seemed to be tradition at Einroguard that all sorts of uproars occurred in front of the main gate at the start of every semester.

Sensing an opportunity, the students rushed in wildly, disregarding the siege. The death knights adeptly raised magic shields and herded the students in.

-Stop! Stop!-

With tears in his eyes at this unbelievable spectacle, Uman let out a psychic wave.

Commonly known as Dragon Fear, a dragon’s roar was not a mere shout. It was a powerful area-wide attack unleashed through the dragon’s pure mana.

Unless one could endure with raw mana output like Yi-Han or had carefully maintained defensive magic like a professor-level mage, everyone staggered and kneeled.

-These honorable Einroguard students, why were they causing such a commotion!-

“W-who is that?”

"They say it’s the new inspector."

All of you, maintain order. Uman would inspect the admission process personally!

"!"

The quick-witted students exchanged glances.

This meant…

‘Wait, do we not have to smuggle our goods?’

An Einroguard mage must always be sensitive to changes.

Some seasoned third-year students immediately gave up on their smuggling plans and took their goods out into the open.

“With no need to hide, we can bring in even more stuff!”

“Is it just a free pass?”

“Hurry, bring out the goods! If we don’t have to hide them, we should bring in as much as possible!”

The fifth and sixth-year students went first. Yi-Han spotted Direth and nodded politely.

As for Senior Yukbeltire, whether she entered or not, she just stared blankly.

“…”

Direth whispered to the friend beside him.

“Did you feel something just now?”

"You mean the inspector's mana?"

“…No… The respect of a junior… Never mind. If you didn’t notice, forget it.”

The fifth and sixth years finished quickly as before.

Next came the second to fourth-year students.

'Ah. Senior Dhumcha.'

Yi-Han brightened at a familiar face.

This third-year from Black Tortoise Tower, despite having a trustworthy dwarf artisan’s countenance, had once tried to trick a junior as bait for smuggling. It was quite a deplorable mindset.

Though that was average by Einroguard standards, it didn’t make it any less shameful.

‘Huh… Did he give up on smuggling?’

The senior now confidently dragged a huge backpack openly, prompting Yi-Han to feel perplexed.

They knew from before that smuggling wasn’t unknown here, so why make such a mistake now?

“Here it is!”

-Are you crazy?-

The knights were dumbfounded.

Was he protesting that he wanted to go to the punishment room?

“Eh, why?”

"Hmph. Ask His Highness Inspector."

When a commotion broke out at the checkpoint, Uman, now in human form, approached and checked inside the backpack.

“Sugar, tea leaves, canned goods, wine, gold coins…”

“These are supplies to endure Einroguard. Heh heh.”

“I cannot allow these!”

“?!”

When Uman firmly shouted Dhumcha was startled.

Wasn't he inspector?!

"Wh-why?!"

“If students prepare their own meals arbitrarily, not only is there a risk of nutritional imbalance, but in the worst case there could be food poisoning. Do not worry. I, Uman, have prepared a meal plan for Einroguard’s students.”

Uman took out yet another booklet. It read <Healthy Meals for Mages>.

“What about the gold coins?! Gold coins aren’t ingredients!”

“Bringing unnecessary amounts of money into campus can cause disputes. If you need gold coins, you must submit an application. I, Uman, will personally review it and provide assistance!”

The faces of the students waiting behind changed.

Those who had hoped to receive funds from imperial bureaucrats, external investors, or sponsors knew well how fussy they could be!

At least the skull principal, belonging to the same magic school, tried maximally permitting even when they brought strange topics.

Would the inspector really give money for <A Survey on the Gem Preferences of Metal Spirits>?

"Qu-quickly prepare smuggling again!"

-Everyone, maintain order!-

When murmuring arose in the back, Uman swiftly suppressed it. The students, who had prepared to smuggle, now looked utterly dejected.

Yi-Han thought inwardly.

This semester too seemed really wouldn't be easy.