Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

'Maybe I've been underestimating these guys.'

Although the students of the Blue Dragons did look upon Yi-han favorably and owed him a favor, they wouldn't become hot-headed like this over what happened to him.

The reason they reacted so strongly was because of the animosity that originally existed between students of the Blue Dragons and the students of the White Tigers.

Unlike members of the Blue Dragons, those at the White Tigers were all descendants of knights and had big, bulky frames. Normally, they reigned themselves despite their disdain for the knight's students, but they couldn't hold themselves back after being provoked so openly.

Even the students that had never interacted with Yi-han previously were out for blood.

“Bring whatever you can use as a weapon! We're heading to the tower of the White Tigers!”

“Hold on a second!”

Asan of the Dargard Family stopped the agitated students from leaving and climbed on top of one of the resting lounge's tables.

“Calm down everyone!”

'Whew, finally, someone with common sense.'

Yi-han was glad that Asan had spoken up. It seemed not everyone had lost their reason.

“What is it, Dargard? Could it be that you're scared?”

“They've spat on our honor!”

The other students became even more riled up than before. However, Asan calmly explained his reason for stopping them.

“Think about it. Those guys at the White Tigers' have been trained to become knights. If we act rashly, there's a 95% chance of us tasting defeat.”

“So what, we're going to let them walk all over us!?”

“Of course not. That's why we should form groups and lie in ambush, striking them in groups when they least expect it!”

“Ohh...!”

“...”

Yi-han let out a deep sigh.

'It was stupid of me to expect anything of you.'

“Hold up, hold up!”

Yi-han's shout overshadowed that of Asan's, and as the person who started all this, and people's attention turned to him when they heard his voice.

“Let me first make this clear. I'm not here to ask you to take revenge for me! This concerns my honor, and I'm not so weak that I would need others' help in taking my revenge!”

The students began whispering among themselves. Honor was something that students of nobility took very seriously as they all represented their family and their family's honor. Now that Yi-han had brought up his honor, they had nothing they could say against it.

“But Wardanaz, the bastards over at the White Tigers are sly, crafty, dirty, and shameless. If you play fair with them, it won't be easy to get your revenge.”

“...”

One of the students started cursing the other party without rest, which was alarming to Yi-han. Nevertheless, he collected himself and responded to the concern.

“Still, we're dignified individuals born in magnificent households. We shouldn't stoop to their level and dirty ourselves. That would be unbecoming of us!”

Yi-han's speech was rather convincing. His daily actions along with his unwavering confidence gave strength to his arguments, and the students who had been upset until now began to sit down while nodding to themselves.

“Maybe Wardanaz is right...”

“Those vile creatures. I bet they don't even know how honor is spelt.”

Now that they were showing signs of calming down, Yi-han got to his main point, which was also the reason why he brought this up in the first place.

“Instead, I suggest we help each other whenever we see someone from this dorm getting targeted. After all, those cowards from the White Tigers might come at us in groups.”

“Right!”

“Naturally! We'll stand by you, Wardanaz!”

His suggestion managed to pacify the students, and they stomped their feet or clapped their hands to show their support.

'Perfect.'

Inside, Yi-han let out a sigh of relief.

Now, if the students from the Whiter Tigers tried to pick a fight with him, he would be able to rally the students from his own tower.

This would do for now...

“By the way, we're in the same class as them for <Basic Understanding of Magic>, right?”

“Yeah, let's humiliate those ignorant and barbaric brutes there!”

“As if people like them that always roll in the mud and swing hunks of metal can ever learn magic properly...”

“I've mastered <Light>. That will show them.”

“You as well? Me too! Let's cast the spell in front of them. Hehe, I wonder how they'll react? I bet none of them have mastered it yet.”

“Yeah! As nobles, we must use elegant methods to defeat them!”

'...Wait.'

Yi-han's heart suddenly became heavy after listening to the conversations of the students who were sitting down.

'...Am I the only one here that hasn't mastered the spell?'

***

The next day.

Yonaire entered the first year's resting lounge while stretching her arms, but was surprised to see Yi-han in his seat, with bags under his eyes

“Did something happen to you!?”

At first, she thought it was because he hadn't eaten properly. Though the academy gave them meals, it only served to further fuel the students' hunger. That was why they looked half-dead the day after they moved into their dorms.

However, she remembered how Yi-han had been the only one to adapt perfectly to his new environment. Not to mention, while the others were starving, he had smoke-dried some meat and taken some of Uregor's vegetables to give to his fellow classmates (though they came with a price).

He didn't have trouble with food back then, and he certainly wouldn't have trouble with food now.

Gainando, on the other hand...

“I was practising magic.”

“Magic? But you're not allowed to...Ah. Professor Kim gave you permission back then, huh?”

“Yeah. I heard the others already succeeded in casting <Light>, so I had to pull an all-nighter.”

“?”

Yonaire cocked her head. This was her first time hearing about this.

“What do you mean...?”

“Uwaaaaam.”

That was when Gainando walked in, yawning all the way.

He took out a sausage that he had bought from Yi-han the previous day from the shabby clothes he was wearing, which came with pockets.

He treated the sausage like treasure and looked around to make sure no one would steal from him. Then, he made a skewer out of it and placed it inside the fireplace.

The sausage was slowly getting cooked, accompanied by a melodious sound. The meat from the boar was of high quality, and the smell that permeated the air stimulated his empty stomach.

“Heheheh...”

“...”

“...”

He didn't realize that Yi-han and Yonaire were watching him like some pitiful creature. He took out a potato from his other pocket. This too had been something he purchased from Yi-han. Carefully, he placed it beneath the fireplace.

“Heheheheh...”

“...Gainando. Nobody's going to steal from you, so just eat like a normal person, will you?”

“?!??”

Gainando jumped up, realizing for the first time that Yi-han and Yonaire were there.

“W-when did you guys come in!?”

“We were watching as you cautiously skewered the sausage.”

“D-did not!”

“Hey, the sausage is going to burn at this rate. You should take it out.”

“My precious!”

Gainando quickly took it out in a panic before staring at them with vigilant eyes.

“Gainando, you really think Yonaire and I are going to steal your sausage?”

“C-course not.”

However, he didn't lower his guard. Giving up, Yi-han turned to Yonaire instead.

“It's quite serious.”

“Everyone's getting hungry again.”

Gainando hadn't turned crazy or anything. Everyone was having trouble getting food.

The only saving grace was that Yi-han brought back some food every once in a while from Uregor's hut. Otherwise, they would've been in an even worse position.

“The meat's going to run out by the end of the week...We might need to hunt again on the weekend.”

“Will we be okay?”

“We'll have Nilia accompany us.”

Yonaire nodded at his words. Nilia, the dark elf, was a veteran huntress. She was indeed a reliable companion to have, though the person in question might scream “Why me!?” later on when she was notified of this decision...

“Professor Uregor's quite petty,” Yi-han complained.

The professor was a rather stingy dwarf.

He had told Yi-han that he could have free access to the hut, but he acted miserly whenever Yi-han tried to bring food back. He was okay with Yi-han cooking and eating right there and there, but he would nag him about bringing anything back.

- Stop right there. That's the bread I baked to have in the evening! And when did you even hide a jar of jam in your pocket? You don't need it!

- Sir, I've tended your farm for you. It's just a jar of jam!

- You've had your fill! Why do you need more!? You ransack the place every time you visit!

“Now that he has his guard up, smuggling food out won't be easy.”

“I wonder if there'll be an opportunity to-”

Yonaire gasped when she realized what she had been about to say. The academy was starting to influence her in a bad way.

***

Garsia, also known as Professor Troll, gave a wry smile seeing the students enter the classroom.

As someone that cared a lot about the students, he was quick to notice even the most minute changes.

First, the first week at the academy was nearing its end, and the students were all in a hungry state. He didn't fully agree with the principal's ideology, but it was true that nothing was as effective at getting students to move as hunger.

The hungry students would do everything in their power to acquire food.

'Good luck, everyone.'

Second, tension was already beginning to form between students of different towers. Since they all came from different backgrounds, it was natural that they would see each other as competitors.

In particular, <The Tower of the Fearless White Tigers> and <The Tower of the Prideful Blue Dragons> have historically always been at odds against each other.

The reason couldn't be more obvious. On one side, there were students that grew up in powerful families that valued tradition. On the other, there were students that were raised as knights near the Empire's borders.

According to the principal, it was apparently to have the students on their toes.

Only competition would lead to growth!

“Now, settle down everyone.”

Though they weren't as shocked as when they first met the professor, the pressure that came from Garsia was still as powerful as ever due to the troll blood running in his veins.

Students of both towers sat down quietly.

“Last time, we learned the spell known as <Light>. Though none of you were able to successfully cast it, there's no need to feel down. Magic isn't something you can learn quickly, and while you might have some trouble in the beginning, you'll improve rapidly once you get the hang of it. Having said that, was anyone able to cast successfully?”

Yi-han raised his hand while yawning.

'It took all night.'

He had felt pressured after seeing everyone from the Blue Dragons say they mastered the spell.

As a true-blue Korean, he refused to be pushed out of the competition without putting up a struggle, and as a result, he spent the entire night practicing <Light>.

Though it didn't take a massive amount of mana for each attempt, anyone else would've fainted in the middle. Yi-han, on the other hand, was completely fine, only slightly tired.

“...?”

Yi-han quickly felt something was weird. No one around him had their hands raised.

'The hell's going on!?'

“Ohhh...”

“He's a Wardanaz alright.”

“As expected...”

The students of the Blue Dragons clapped lightly, feeling both envious and proud.

'Take that, White Tigers! We have Wardanaz!'

...was what passed through their minds.

“Hey, you.”

Yi-han, still confused about what was going on, asked the student who sat beside him.

He was the guy that claimed he had mastered <Light>.

“I thought you mastered the spell?”

“Oh, you heard that? Well...I actually wasn't able to pull it off in the end. But I was close, so I thought it'd be fine if I said I mastered it.”

“...”

He had been tricked!

'These freaking showoff nobles...!!'