Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1013

Chapter 1013

Jinon was convinced by the other mages' words.

Though the letter contents were certainly a bit strange, they weren't incomprehensible.

"Then I'll gratefully accept the goodwill. Actually, Lady Erindarbell didn't need to go this far..."

"She's one of the few respectable great mages in the empire."

The mages showed their respect while straightening their collars.

In an empire crawling with eccentric great mages, responsible mages like Erindarbell always received respect from later scholars.

"By the way, how's the tracking of that monster going?"

Since the Malachite Magic Tower had many combat mages, there were more mages active outside than those conducting research inside the tower.

Naturally, Jinon was one of those types of mages.

Currently, the Malachite Magic Tower mages were interested in tracking a monster that had crossed over from another realm.

To ordinary people, monsters that crossed over from other realms were just targets to be subjugated, but to ambitious mages, they were walking treasures.

They were full of rules and secrets from other realms.

"Our mages are tracking its escape trail, so results should come soon. Please be careful."

"Yes. I'll keep that in mind."

Jinon nodded.

Though he was a tower combat mage who had experienced many real battles, Jinon never let his guard down.

Who would approach such dangerous work with a light heart?

  *

"...?"

Arriving at the abandoned warehouse district on the outskirts of the capital, Yi-Han was puzzled by the alien energy emanating from underground.

This was the energy of another realm that he had experienced a few times both in and outside Einroguard.

'What is this? Did a realm gate open?'

A mage with outstanding senses could predict the scenery beyond just by looking at a passage connecting realms.

The other-realm energy currently emanating from underground was quite alien and vicious. It clearly wasn't a warm and friendly realm.

'...Something seems strange.'

One of the lessons Yi-Han had learned at Einroguard was that you could get backstabbed by even a trusted staff at any time.

Since his own staff had actually tried to backstab him once, it was an especially painful lesson.

Though the skull principal had vouched for Erindarbell's character, she was still Yukbeltire's mother.

'The principal might have been deceived, or they might have been in cahoots from the start.'

"Wardanaz?"

"!"

Yi-Han was very glad to see the penguin mixed-blood mage waddling up from behind.

"Sir Alcicle!"

"Why are you he... Ah. Well. Not really surprising."

Though startled by Yi-Han's appearance at a request to track a dangerous monster from another realm, Alcicle quickly accepted it.

Come to think of it, his fighting evil god worshippers last time had been quite nonsensical too.

"...??"

Yi-Han sensed something strange, but Alcicle waved his staff first.

"Let's go down quickly. Others will be waiting."

"Um... yes. But why did you come, Sir Alcicle? Did you receive an invitation too?"

"Hm? You could say that."

Alcicle nodded.

Having found a new sponsor thanks to Yi-Han last time, Alcicle had come up to the capital to purchase and prepare some needed magic.

During that time, he received a request from other mages.

-We need help from an outstanding ice mage to chase this monster that appeared.-

-I'm not particularly interested in monster tracking...-

-It's an unidentified monster from an unconfirmed realm. If secured, we'll give you priority investigation rights.-

-Good. I'll join you!-

"???"

Yi-Han tilted his head, unable to understand even after hearing the conversation.

"Which part of that conversation convinced you?"

"What? Wardanaz. It's an unconfirmed monster from an unconfirmed realm. What if that monster has the arcane knowledge of magic I want? Isn't that why you came too?"

"I don't think that's it..."

Even thinking positively, it didn't seem like an unidentified monster would know the arcane knowledge to eliminate the world's suffering.

Even giving it the highest evaluation, it probably wouldn't know how to improve Einroguard...

"And I came here because I received Lady Erindarbell's invitation."

"Lady Erindarbell?"

Alcicle showed a surprised expression for a moment. Then he muttered.

"If Lady Erindarbell invited you, there's no need to worry... Hmm. Indeed, it was needless worry."

He had had a tiny bit of concern that it might be too reckless even for Wardanaz, but hearing the great mage's name, even that worry completely disappeared.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Wardanaz. Capturing an undiscovered realm's monster is as exciting as exploring an undiscovered ruin. It will surely help you too."

"Hmm. I understand."

When even Alcicle spoke confidently after Erindarbell, Yi-Han yielded his stubbornness and agreed.

It must have been his misunderstanding.

Pop!

After finding the stairs leading underground, Alcicle summoned glowing ice atop his staff.

"This is the old underground sewer district. It was abandoned when the empire was established and built new facilities."

Not just the empire, but kingdoms before the empire also installed facilities above a certain scale in locations geographically overflowing with mana.

They had to secure mana needed for the magic being used.

Naturally, this abandoned underground sewer district was also more abundant in mana than other places.

However...

"The mana is quite murky."

"You noticed too? Right. The contamination level is high. We should have purified it quickly originally, but kept putting it off..."

"Why was it delayed?"

Yi-Han tensed slightly.

Though mana itself was just pure power, when its properties changed, it became an unpredictable torrent that could cause anything.

Contaminated mana could summon beings from other realms or attract evil god worshippers...

"Because there was no budget?"

"Ah."

Yi-Han immediately understood.

If it was budget shortage rather than evil bureaucrats' or mages' schemes, he could understand.

"The monster probably used this district's mana as a passage to cross over."

"Are there any known characteristics of the monster?"

"Hmm. Not many yet. Just that it's stealthy, agile, and extremely gluttonous."

The stealthy and agile parts were obvious without asking.

A monster that crossed over from another realm had escaped without being caught by wide-eyed mages, so it had to be stealthy and agile.

But extremely gluttonous?

"Did it steal food? Like an Einroguard student?"

"Why make such a comparison... It seems to devour everything indiscriminately, not just food but inorganic and organic matter. Places it passed through were devastated."

'Like Gainando.'

Yi-Han moved forward while inwardly making a very rude comparison.

Walking along the musty sewer tunnel, a whitish light could be seen in the distance. It was the exploration team that had arrived first.

"You've come. ...Wait, who is this mage?"

An exploration team member pointed at Yi-Han in surprise.

Though they weren't surprised by Alcicle since they had met him several times, the unfamiliar mage beside him was a problem.

'Isn't that an Einroguard student?'

"This is Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family. Lady Erindarbell recommended him."

At Alcicle's introduction, the other team members stirred.

"Lady Erindarbell? She did say she would introduce a mage but..."

"What year are you? 5th year?"

Though Alcicle was always confident and arrogant as a mage, he hesitated slightly at that question.

He still had a bit of conscience left.

"Um... a bit lower than that."

"Must be 4th year then. No, we know Einroguard mages are outstanding, but isn't this too dangerous? Not even 5th year but 4th year."

"Still, Lady Erindarbell recommended him."

"Hmm. That's true but..."

The team members discussed among themselves.

They had trusted and accepted because a great mage recommended him, but an Einroguard 4th year student who hadn't even graduated yet.

Wasn't the exploration they were preparing quite dangerous?

Though they knew Einroguard graduate mages' magic abilities were outstanding, they questioned if he could join such a perilous exploration.

"I heard Lord Boladi guaranteed his abilities too..."

"Right! This Wardanaz is Professor Bagrak's star disciple."

Alcicle quickly answered upon hearing the team members' whispered conversation.

At those words, the team members' expressions changed slightly.

"Is that so?"

"Then I can accept... Wait, Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family? Then isn't he 2nd year??"

One team member who was about to accept belatedly recalled rumors he had heard before and shouted.

Alcicle looked at Yi-Han with slightly resentful eyes. Yi-Han felt wronged.

'This isn't my fault.'

  *

Though there was even greater confusion and shock than before, the team members eventually accepted.

With recommendations from Erindarbell and Professor Boladi, it was hard not to trust him even if he was an Einroguard 2nd year student.

"If everyone's ready, I'll reveal it."

"Reveal?"

At Yi-Han's question, the mages who had arrived first grinned.

Their expressions were as if they had been waiting for that question.

"Young Wardanaz probably thought we would open a realm gate and chase after the escaped one."

"Wasn't that it?"

Even Alcicle was surprised.

Basically, chasing monsters with the ability to traverse realms was similar to a game of tag.

One had to be prepared to track across various realms.

He had naturally thought this monster would require such tracking too...

"Ah. Could it be that instead of escaping beyond realms, it's hiding underground causing realm erosion? Wait. Then it would have been detected faster... So it must have disguise abilities too. You prepared magic like this to strip away that disguise."

Yi-Han made deductions based on his knowledge and experience.

Sometimes beings that crossed over from other realms would cause erosion phenomena.

Like how winter season came when the King of Frost Giants came to Einroguard, they spread their realm to the continent.

Come to think of it, the other-realm energy Yi-Han had felt above was quite powerful for energy coming from a realm gate. It was more likely to be space that had undergone realm erosion rather than a realm gate.

Then it meant the monster hadn't escaped to another realm but was hiding underground.

Since it hadn't been discovered until now, it must also have disguise abilities that made it look normal from the outside...

"...That's right..."

The mages who had been about to explain became slightly dejected.

Having prepared to surprise him, they couldn't help but feel deflated when he immediately figured it out.

"I-I was surprised!"

"Thanks, Pengerin. ...Wait. Didn't you explain it to him?"

"I didn't know either..."

As he spoke, Pengerin felt his face grow hot with slight shame.

If he had judged coldly, he should have noticed from the amount of realm energy felt from below and the structure of magic the exploration team mages had prepared!

"I received a separate invitation from Lady Erindarbell."

Yi-Han spoke as if comforting Alcicle.

"Ah. Did Lady Erindarbell tell you?"

"That's not it."

"...You keep your mouth shut."

Alcicle wanted to hit Yi-Han's beak- no, mouth once.

Though he had received much jealousy from other mages while living as a mage, finding himself in such a situation made him deeply reflect.

'I should have acted less annoying.'

Alcicle thought he should send greeting letters to old friends after this exploration ended.