Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

Chapter 535

After somehow reassuring Ipadour, who was genuinely concerned about the health of a 1st-year student, the skull principal moved on to a more important topic.

"More importantly, that's not what's important right now. I told him to practice music magic, but he's uselessly doing the basics of command magic. Oh my goodness. It's like wielding a dragon-slaying sword to kill a chicken..."

"But didn't he succeed in music magic?"

The old turtle mixed-blood was puzzled by the skull principal's words.

Unlike the skull principal, who valued the principles contained within, Ipadour, who was very interested in music magic, was satisfied as long as music magic succeeded.

Whether he succeeded by singing without much thought or by using the core part of command magic, it wasn't very important...

'This is why non-mages are like this.'

The skull principal inwardly cursed the minstrel.

Those who didn't stake their lives on magic always failed to understand true mages.

If a boy was doing farm work with a golden sword while walking down the road, one should make him find his aptitude even if it meant slapping his cheek, not say, "Well, if you're satisfied with it."

"Wardanaz will understand if he listens. Wardanaz. Come here for a moment. Hmm... No. Let's talk for a moment, just the two of us."

The skull principal, who was about to talk in front of Ipadour, immediately changed his words.

Come to think of it, that Wardanaz guy might stubbornly insist on it because of the insult he heard earlier.

'Narrow-minded guy.'

"Why are you doing that?"

"Do you know what you just did?"

"Music magic?"

"...Listen carefully."

The skull principal explained as kindly as possible.

“What you're doing now is not music magic as it's generally known, stop leaking mana around, and what you did is the basic but core area of a high-level magic called command magic…”

"Uh. But didn't it succeed anyway?"

'It's a good thing the minstrel is out of the way.'

The skull principal thought so and said.

"If you've entered the basics of command magic, you should challenge command magic, so why are you wasting time on useless nonsense like music magic?"

"No. Weren't you the one who supported the seniors who said they would research music magic, Principal..."

The skull principal ignored his disciple who was sharply wielding the truth as if he hadn't heard it.

"And as far as I know, although not well, isn't command magic a fairly high-level magic?"

"That's right."

Just as Yi-Han didn't challenge the principal's unique world magic from the 1st year just because he had a lot of mana, it was the same with command magic.

Even if he had set foot on the basics, it was too difficult to challenge right away.

"But the basic part you just accomplished can be said to be the most important and core part of command magic. Most mages fail at that and drop out."

Basically, a mage's chant was close to a symbol of will and a powerful self-suggestion.

No matter how small and trivial the change, it was an extremely arrogant thing to change the world with an individual's will.

Even for a trained mage, a single falling leaf could shake that will and break concentration, so self-suggestion like chanting was an essential element.

However, if one started to infuse mana into this simple tool called chanting itself, it became an introduction to the higher realm of command magic.

Once this was done, it was considered standing at the starting line of command magic, and most mages were bounced off because they couldn't do this.

This had nothing to do with talent in other magic.

Even those who were born with a large amount of mana, had an excellent sense of mana, or possessed genius-level intelligence simply couldn't do it if they weren't suited for it.

As such, Wardanaz had to be grateful for his fortune and study command magic diligently as well.

He was already studying quite a lot, but what could he do?

"Uh... But no matter what, doesn't it take a long time?"

Yi-Han was also well aware of the notoriety of command magic.

He had heard that there were numerous mages who couldn't master it even after a lifetime of training, so?

"Hmm."

The skull principal, who was pondering, raised one finger.

"If you really work hard from now on, using your spare time..."

"Where do I have spare time?"

"Don't abandon your friends. Anyway, if you pour all your spare time into it..."

"One year?"

"Are you crazy?"

"No... If I spend about a year and don't see any results, it would be too daunting. I might not have the talent. Don't tell me it's ten years?"

Yi-Han pondered a bit about what to do if it took about ten years.

Should I do it in my spare time?

But it takes ten years even if I give it my all?

'The cost-effectiveness seems too low.'

"A hundred years..."

"..."

Yi-Han looked at him sternly.

The skull principal said, feeling slightly wronged.

"I evaluated you highly and gave you a really short estimate!"

"Ah. Yes. Thank you."

Yi-Han cleanly abandoned his lingering attachment to command magic.

No matter how he looked at it, there was nothing good to gain from digging into it.

"Principal. I think music magic would be a bit better."

"Are you doing this because I said one thing about servants? What have I done so wrong to you? I've taken care of you in every way since you entered!"

Yi-Han ignored the skull principal's nonsense.

The moment he refuted such things, he would fall into a trap.

"Music magic also has advantages."

"What advantages? The advantage of extorting research support funds from idiots?"

The skull principal kept grumbling, but Yi-Han didn't waver.

"First of all, the difficulty of mastering command magic is too high. In comparison, music magic is much easier. What if you think of it as low-level command magic?"

"Hmm."

When the topic of magic came up, the skull principal's expression became serious.

"Just studying for a hundred years and mastering command magic..."

"I understand that it doesn't suit the principal's taste, but doesn't low-difficulty magic also have value?"

Low-difficulty magic had its own meaning.

Not only low-level mages but also high-level mages didn't always cast high-difficulty magic every time.

Of course, it wasn't the case for a grand mage like the skull principal, but...

"I understand what you mean."

"Right?"

"But that's something that idiots from other magic schools should study hard and create, so why is Einroguard doing it? Even if, really really making a concession, idiots from Einroguard do it, why do you have to do it?"

'This is driving me crazy.'

Yi-Han persuaded again without losing patience.

Music magic is much easier than command magic, so it has accessibility, and doesn't it also have its own advantages? This uniqueness of working through hearing regardless of distance will surely have its uses...

As the persistent persuasion continued, the skull principal finally broke his stubbornness and acknowledged it.

"...Okay, fine! The direction you showed just now did have some meaning. I'll allow you to research anew in that direction."

'It worked!'

Yi-Han was relieved.

The skull principal sighed and called Ipadour.

The old minstrel, who had been waiting, was overjoyed at the positive direction of the conversation.

"I'm really happy. Lord Gonadaltes. Thank you! There will be great progress in the students' music magic research from now on!"

"Haha. I didn't do anything. But if you make a song praising Einroguard, I won't refuse."

While Ipadour, who was in a great mood, expressed his gratitude to the choir members, the skull principal grumbled again, looking at Yi-Han.

"Really now. I didn't know you liked music so much, Wardanaz."

"Me? Why do you think that?"

"If you don't like music, there's no reason for you to defend music magic like that. Looking at what just happened, you'll have to participate in the research as an essential member."

The two new directions of music magic shown just now.

Increasing the surrounding mana density and infusing mana into the caster's speech.

Both were things that only Yi-Han could do in the current situation.

"...Uh, can't we use artifacts to increase the mana density?"

"Are you going to contact His Majesty the Emperor directly to get the cost for that?"

When the skull principal asked back as if it was absurd, Yi-Han desperately searched for an escape route.

"We can bring a mage who can cast command magic."

"If we ask a mage who can use command magic to help research something like music magic, they'll say 'get lost' or 'disappear'."

"..."

"Don't tell me you..."

"Thank you, Lord Gonadaltes! Let's head to the next location!"

***

The next location they headed to was a grape farm located downstream from the town along the river.

The owner of this farm, which also ran a winery, was a burly orc who was known for his singing skills in the area.

In particular, he was famous for his incredible skills becoming even more amazing after having a glass of the wine made in his own winery.

"Hmm. His skills are quite good."

The skull principal evaluated, moving his eyebrows very slightly.

Yi-Han was very surprised by those words. If the skull principal said that much, it was already at the level of high praise.

'I should invest in that farm later if I can.'

"May I hear a song?"

"It would be an honor!"

The orc owner downed a glass of alcohol and started singing in a good voice.

"Ah, life is as fleeting as a glass of alcohol! Let's all drink and..."

Yi-Han listened while yawning without much thought.

After the song ended, the orc owner explained awkwardly.

"I think it's because this year's wine isn't very good. Last time when I drank and sang, everyone around me definitely got drunk."

"That can happen."

Ipadour spoke kindly and nodded his head.

It was only natural since songs varied depending on people's emotions.

"Student Wardanaz. If it's alright, could I ask you to do it again this time..."

"Yes."

Yi-Han, who had finished sorting out his thoughts on the way here, cleared his throat and approached.

It was bitter that the number of magic he had to learn increased, but what could he do?

And originally, when it increased from one to two, it felt big, but when it increased from 99 to 100, the shock was a bit less.

He wasn't sure if he should consider this fortunate, but...

"Ah, life is as fleeting as a glass of alcohol! Let's all drink and..."

Just like before, the surrounding mana density increased and a resonance effect occurred with his voice.

The skull principal closely observed whether the workers nearby got drunk just by listening to the voice.

However, nothing happened.

"?"

"...?"

"Uh, I'll try again."

Yi-Han tried again in confusion. However, no matter how many times he tried, no music magic phenomenon occurred.

"I don't know what the problem is. Did I make a mistake?"

"No..."

The skull principal and Ipadour looked at the flustered disciple with even more incomprehension.

"Didn't I tell you? Primitive magic is greatly influenced by emotions. It might not come out."

"Lord Gonadaltes is right. It's amazing that you succeeded earlier, not strange that you failed now."

At their consolation, Yi-Han nodded his head for now.

'It would be dangerous if the other songs fail too.'

If Yi-Han, their only breakthrough, was blocked, they couldn't even begin.

The plan to produce results and impress Ipadour while learning it since he had to anyway, from the very beginning...

***

Next was the knight order.

The old knight, who once raised his fallen comrades with just one song, sang in a husky voice.

"Oh, there goes the knight, dies by an arrow, dies by a mace, dies stabbed by a sword, dies by a spear..."

"Oh, there goes the knight, dies by an arrow, dies by a mace, dies stabbed by a sword, dies by a spear..."

The knights listening next to him were startled by the suddenly circulating vitality.

"Ama... Amazing! Lord Gonadaltes!"

"I really didn't know that just listening to music could have such power! Honestly, I thought you were bluffing..."

Fortunately, when it succeeded this time, Yi-Han let out a sigh of relief.

The skull principal stared at Yi-Han.

"Why are you doing that?"

"No... I just thought it suited your personality well."

"???"

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