Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1098

Chapter 1098

The banquet ended. The students walked out laughing.

Yi-Han wasn't hallucinating. The students were truly laughing.

Uman had forced them to laugh.

-Students of Einroguard. The meal has ended. But your bodies are not yet fully relieved of fatigue. Now, everyone laugh.-

-...What?-

-Quickly! Laughter makes both soul and body healthy.-

The students tried to protest that they couldn't possibly laugh after eating such a meal, but before they could, Uman pulled out his booklet <Wholesome Jokes for Mages>.

When the first joke majestically revealed itself, the students began laughing to survive.

They didn't want to hear any more!

"Haha, hahaha. Hahahaha."

"We're out now, you can stop laughing, Gainando."

"Huhaha. Haha. ...Huhueng!"

"Don't cry while laughing... It's scary."

Not just Gainando but several seniors were also whimpering.

"How could this place get even worse? The ones who graduated earlier didn't suffer like this. Why just us?"

"If we'd entered just one year earlier, we wouldn't have had to see this..."

-There are instructions for the students.-

The death knights waiting in the corridors and stairs called the students.

"What is it?"

-As you already heard in the banquet hall, cooking food within the territory as usual is forbidden. Rather than unhygienic and unbalanced meals, you shall receive His Highness's healthy food every meal.-

"......"

Not only being forcibly served meals every time, but other cooking was forbidden too.

The students wore expressions like they would suffocate to death from the dragon's love.

"Th-this goes against the spirit of Einroguard!"

When someone shouted, everyone nodded as if agreeing. Yi-Han thought inwardly.

'What is the spirit of Einroguard?'

Though he had talked with seniors and professors, Yi-Han still wasn't quite sure what exactly the Einroguard spirit was.

It seemed roughly about sleeping outdoors and making do with whatever ingredients were available...

The knights revealed their annoyance even with faces devoid of flesh.

Already sufficiently tired because of the external inspector, these knights had no intention of persuading the students.

-The following acts are also forbidden. Making meals to serve friends, selling at low prices, bartering...-

"??"

"Does anyone even do that?"

The seniors were bewildered, wondering what this meant.

It sounded as absurd as a rule saying 'being kind to Baldurguard students is forbidden.'

Even without rules, who would be this kind?

"......"

"......"

However, the second-year students, including Yi-Han, looked deeply struck.

'No. His Highness Uman should be an outsider, so how could he know?'

This was clearly a rule precisely targeting Yi-Han.

Indeed, the knights were staring directly at Yi-Han.

...Surely the skull principal hadn't tattled?!

'High possibility.'

Yi-Han shuddered.

The inspector came because of his poor management, yet he was being this petty.

Such pettiness!

-Anyway, War... no, students who usually do such things should be careful.-

"......"

Did they just stop themselves from saying someone's family name?

Yi-Han became even more certain. This was definitely aimed at him.

-Additionally, the following acts are forbidden. Receiving excessive help from friends, receiving magic instruction...-

"Why are those forbidden?"

Though Yi-Han had meant to stay quiet, his mouth opened without him realizing.

Why on earth were those being forbidden?

The knights answered in voices full of weariness.

-Probably because some great mage whose identity cannot be revealed advised so. Receiving excessive help from one classmate would be unfortunate for both that student and other students.-

"......"

"......"

Gradually not just Yi-Han but other second-year students seemed to realize the danger of these new rules.

If the new rules were implemented, other seniors would be moderately troubled.

They had already adapted somewhat since they were troubled normally.

But the second-year students were likely to suffer as if thrown into hell.

All the more because they had lived relatively comfortably until now!

"Why are the knights making such rules?"

"Don't know. Did they drink bad undead wine?"

Indeed, the seniors just listened blankly to the rules just now. Except for a few sharp seniors, they didn't seem to know why these rules came about.

'Why make such rules when there's no reason to help excessively anyway?'

"This is absurd!"

-What's absurd is how you've lived happily just because you chose your enrollment year well. Honestly, that's more Baldurguard than Einroguard.-

One spiteful knight answered.

Though they knew the skull principal found the second-year students annoying, to think he would use the external inspector's visit to handle it like this.

As underlings, they admired the cunning maneuver. Indeed, not just anyone could be a great mage.

-It would be better not to think about secretly helping by deceiving others' eyes. His Highness Uman is more thorough and persistent than you'd expect.-

One of the knights whispered to Yi-Han.

Usually the skull principal generously overlooked students gathering supplies and cooking for themselves, but Uman was different.

Uman was exactly the type to persistently monitor, chase after, and lecture endlessly.

Yi-Han answered with a bitter attitude.

"But why are you telling only me separately...?"

-…Just a feeling? Haha-

The death knight winked, blue soul light flickering. Yi-Han could fully understand the meaning in that gesture.

'I'm the prime suspect.'

Seeing how a relatively friendly knight whispered like this, Yi-Han must have been properly marked.

Well, among second-year students, he was the only one who would help other students...

'No matter what, don't you have any pride?'

Yi-Han felt bewildered by the skull principal's instigation.

Someone who had grumbled so much when Uman came, yet immediately turned face and used him.

"Hmph. Both His Highness Uman and the Principal seem to have forgotten one fact."

-What fact?-

"The fact that I too can send secret letters outside the academy."

As the skull principal's heir spoke meaningfully, the knights tilted their heads.

-What are you planning to write?-

"That His Highness Uman and the Principal wickedly conspired to stop me from helping with friends' assignments and making meals..."

Yi-Han felt something off as he spoke.

Huh?

'Strange. Why does it sound weird when I say it out loud?’

The knights seemed to think similarly.

-Heir.-

"Please don't call me heir."

Even in this situation, Yi-Han immediately turned serious.

-Understood. Sir Wardanaz. That... though we are minions following our master, objectively speaking, the contents of that secret letter don't seem very effective.-

"......"

Yi-Han had to admit he had been logically defeated by the death knights.

Even the emperor wouldn't read such a letter and say 'This skeleton has finally gone mad! Let Wardanaz help friends with assignments and make meals immediately!'

-Honestly, though the master probably did this to torment second-year students, isn't this quite good for you, Sir Wardanaz? Even to us, you seemed to be overworking.-

"Honestly I won't completely deny being busy, but this goes against the spirit of Einroguard!"

Though defeated logically, Yi-Han clung on somehow feeling indignant.

And as one tends to force things, naturally the spirit of Einroguard flowed from his mouth.

Instead of answering, the knights exchanged glances.

'The new rules seem well made, don't they?'

'Indeed. Without something like this, the heir would never rest.'

"Are you listening? The spirit of Einroguard is..."

-Yes yes. Yes.-

-I too think it goes against the spirit of Einroguard.-

Though we don't quite know what that is!

  *

The Blue Dragon Tower second-year students gathered in the common lounge, emanating a gloomier atmosphere than a funeral.

It was to hear advice from other seniors (and to incite them to join forces together).

“Anyway, come and get what you entrusted to me.”

Yi-Han spoke up first, not wanting to forget.

Currently the young prince's basement was piled full of smuggled goods entrusted by friends.

Given that no one knew what His Highness Uman might do next, they needed to distribute to owners as quickly as possible.

'It's scary not being able to gauge the extent of dragon magic. Surely he can't detect all shared meals?’

Considering the knights' warning earlier, it seemed they absolutely shouldn't underestimate it.

Still, returning people’s own belongings should be allowed. He was just returning what had been entrusted, not distributing food.

"Y-Yi-Han."

"What?"

"I... didn't bring much food this time..."

Gainando muttered with a pale face.

"What? What do you mean?"

"M-me too."

"Actually me too..."

Surprisingly, not just Gainando but quite a number of students hadn't brought much food.

Since Yi-Han usually kept such ample stores, they had judged 'No need for me to bring too much; I’ll bring other stuff instead.'

Gainando stared dejectedly at his chocolate box inside a chocolate box inside a chocolate box.

He had to endure a whole semester with just this?

"Th-this book! Because of this book! I'll burn it all!"

Yi-Han quickly stopped his friend who had fallen into a frenzy trying to burn dark magic books.

“Calm down. I’ll find a way. There must be some method to deliver food without being detected. There has to be some loophole.”

“No, no such loophole exists.”

"......"

Yi-Han turned at the familiar voice ruining the mood.

Senior Yukbeltire was walking over.

"What is it, Senior. If you won't help, please go away."

"Didn't you want to know about dragon magic?"

"!"

At those words, not just Yi-Han but even the second-year students widened their eyes.

"Do you know how His Highness detects things?"

The senior nodded.

Yi-Han sighed lightly at that sight. Adenart beside him asked as if puzzled.

"Why are you like that?"

"How much more will she annoy people with that? Hah. If only Senior Direth were in the same tower."

"...Sh-she's not that kind of..."

Adenart timidly tried to defend her as family. Yi-Han ignored her and grumbled.

"She'll probably make me participate in research and block dangerous magic with my body again."

"His Highness Uman has the <Soul Scale>."

However, unexpectedly, Yukbeltire began explaining right away.

Though Adenart stared blankly, Yi-Han didn't yield.

"She'll demand something in return later."

"......"

Regardless of the two juniors' chatter, Yukbeltire continued her explanation.

This <Soul Scale>, passed down among dragons, was a powerful relic appearing in various fairy tales and legends.

Its effect was nothing less than binding the opponent's soul, placing it on a scale, and making them confess their crimes.

"What nonsense... There's a relic capable of that?"

Yi-Han was shocked at the effect.

It was unbelievable even hearing about it. Yukbeltire nodded.

"According to legend, it's one of the relics inherited along with all rights to mage cards."

"What does mage card rights have to do with... no. Never mind. Let's say it exists, does he really have it? And he uses such a relic for trivial matters like this?"

"I just went to observe it."

Whether a dragon came to overturn the school or not, Yukbeltire moved for her own purposes.

Since he might have the <Soul Scale> she had only heard rumors about, she went directly to request observation.

Uman naturally accepted readily. This righteous dragon wouldn't refuse something that would help students.

"And he said he would use it to correct the students' corruption."

"......"

"...Send me to Baldurguard!! Send me to Baldurguard right now!!!"