Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

Chapter 589

"It's a difficult task. Actually, I was going to try to burn them with fire..."

When Nigisor spoke seriously, the friends next to him were startled.

"Isn't burning them with fire a bit much?"

"Right. I think other torture would be better."

-What an interesting opinion!-

"Huh?"

At Orifulas's exclamation, the students were slightly swayed.

If it was the opinion of a demon who had been serving as an imperial legal officer for 131 years, it was worth listening to.

"What about drowning them in water?"

-A clever opinion!-

"What about hanging them upside down?"

-A polite opinion!-

Thanks to Orifulas's encouragement, the students freely presented creative ideas.

Yi-Han, who was listening next to them, asked in puzzlement.

"It's all good, but is it okay to do that to an innocent person?"

"Wardanaz is right. If there's no way to distinguish them in the end, it will become a meaningless method."

Gainando, who was listening to the conversation, raised his hand and said.

"If you drown both of them in water, the fake one might confess!"

"Sheesh, prince. Saying such a thing... Oh, is it okay?"

"As if it would be okay."

Yi-Han smacked the back of the White Tiger Tower student who was intrigued.

***

"You want us to deceive the students?"

-Yes. Join forces with the good citizens of the empire here and hide your suspiciousness.-

The death knight informed the criminals he had brought about what they had to do today.

Deceiving the students by mixing with the good citizens of the empire.

That was what the criminals had to do today.

"...??"

"?????"

Of course, from the perspective of the criminals who were dragged here, it was an absurd thing to say.

Did they kidnap and drag them all this way just for that??

The good citizens next to them were also startled and asked questions.

"Ah, did you really bring real criminals? Is that allowed?"

-Haha. Of course it's allowed. All the actions that took place today are permitted under imperial law.-

"What kind of nonsense is this! You dragged us here just for that?!"

-Do you lack learning ability?-

The death knight sneered at the complaint of the pale young mercenary, as if it was ridiculous, and gestured.

Then the back door opened and the death knights dragged away the mercenary who had just shouted.

"No! No... Aargh! Aaaaargh!"

A terrible scream came from the direction of the back door.

How much time had passed?

The mercenary who returned was completely pale, trembling and muttering.

"I'm sorry. I'll do my best. I'm sorry. I'll do my best."

-Yes. Everyone do your best. Those who deceive well will have their sentences reduced, but those who get caught will have their sentences increased.-

At the death knights' words, the criminals swallowed their saliva.

The task they had to do seemed light and ridiculous, but the consequences of failing it were not light at all.

They couldn't even imagine what would happen if they failed!

'Still, it might be fortunate.'

Once the fear and confusion disappeared, the criminals who were seasoned in mercenary or adventurer work quickly used their brains.

Separate from the fear, this task wasn't the worst.

Wasn't deceiving naive students much better than becoming an experimental subject for dark mages?

-Now. Wait here. The students are over there, so don't make any unnecessary noise.-

As soon as the death knight finished speaking, the sound of students chattering could be heard from the other side.

-Isn't burning them with fire a bit much?-

-What about drowning them in water?-

"..."

The faces of the criminals turned ashen.

The terrifying rumors about mages suddenly came to mind again.

***

-Don't be too anxious, mage. Actually, this exam is much safer than the last one.-

"That's true, but..."

Professor Rosine crossed her arms and gave a look.

"It's not an easy exam either."

-That's also true.-

Orifulas answered coldly.

Earlier, he had cheered on the methods presented by the students, but in fact, those methods were very limited and difficult to use.

Such interrogation methods close to torture could only be used when the suspect was clearly known, and could not be used recklessly when there was no information.

If they shouted, "Sir! Please drown in water for a bit to find out the truth!" to a decent imperial citizen, even an Einroguard student could get slapped in the face.

"Now, start the exam!"

Gainando walked over with a tense expression.

Then, two imperial citizens entered through the opposite door.

"Hello. Mage. I am Ubal, who runs a used bookstore in Illeinas City."

"Hello. Mage. I am Kilvedek, who runs a general store in the Deep Alley Town."

Seeing that, Orifulas clicked his tongue.

Kilvedek's mistake caught his eye.

It was good that he boldly threw out the truth rather than clumsily changing his identity, but he stuttered because he was nervous.

Fortunately, the student didn't seem to notice.

"Used bookstore, general store. Used bookstore, general store..."

Gainando, who was thinking carefully, spoke to Professor Rosine.

"I think Ubal is suspicious."

"Why do you think so?"

"Uh, don't people who sell books all have twisted and evil souls?"

"..."

"..."

Ubal and Professor Rosine were both at a loss for words at the same time. The professor apologized with her eyes.

-I'm sorry.-

-It's okay. Hoho.-

Kilvedek, thinking it might be a trap, cautiously came to the defense.

"Well, I don't think people who sell books are like that. There are many good people."

"Oh... defending a competitor... a criminal wouldn't do that..."

"Ah, no."

Ubal was flustered.

'Should I defend more actively?'

Swish swish-

Gainando sat in a detective-like posture and took notes with a detective-like face.

Orifulas, who was watching from the side, asked a question.

-What about using magic?-

"Shh. Mr. Orifulas. Please don't interfere with my deduction."

-Uh... okay.-

"And on second thought, drowning both of them in water seems a bit cruel."

-That's right!-

Orifulas gave the boy in front of him a slightly higher score.

"So I'm going to have a conversation. If we talk, their weaknesses will be exposed!"

-It seems more likely to succeed if you just use magic...-

The only weapon that Einroguard students, who had overwhelmingly less experience than their opponents, had was magic.

Preemptively identifying the suspiciousness of the opponent that could be encountered in daily life through creative use of magic.

That was the goal of today's exam.

"Mr. Kilvedek, who defended the competitor."

'Is it a trap??'

Kilvedek answered nervously.

"Yes."

"What kind of general store do you run?"

"Uh... this and that, I sell everything that comes in. It's a small town, so I can't be picky about the goods."

"Do you also sell imperial magazines?"

"Yes, sometimes...?"

"Do you also sell the Toveris series?"

"Oh, yes. There's someone in the town who reads it."

"How much is it per book?"

"Fi-five copper coins... right?"

"Hmm."

Gainando wrote 'Kilvedek, +50 points' on his memo.

"Now. Mr. Ubal, who runs an evil used bookstore."

"It's not an evil used bookstore..."

"Tell me about the used bookstore."

"My used bookstore is located in the most beautiful city in the empire. In the evening, you can see the sunset and afterglow spreading over the western sea, and when the songs of the returning sailors spread along with the bell sounds of the temples..."

Gainando wrote 'Ubal, -50 points. Excessively appealing to emotions' on his memo.

Then he suddenly realized and asked.

"Wait. Mr. Ubal. Isn't Illeinas City the city near Baldurguard?"

"That's right. Hoho. Students from Baldurguard often come to visit."

"..."

Swish swish swish swish swish swish!

Gainando's quill moved like crazy.

Ubal, -5000 points (Baldurguard spy!)

***

"I thought you might be thirsty while waiting, so I brewed some tea."

Priestess Siana entered with a teapot and teacups.

Ubal and Kilvedek, who were waiting, were touched by the kindness of the student wearing priest robes.

"Thank you for this."

"I'm truly grateful. Priestess."

Kilvedek, who had to be several times more nervous than Ubal, was especially more relieved.

There was still a ray of light even in this hellish and ominous magic academy. It was none other than the priests who served God.

Kilvedek thought that he should have visited the temple a little more often when he was in the town, and sipped the tea.

"Are you all done?"

"Yes." "Yes."

"Now. Who is the criminal?"

Priestess Siana asked arrogantly with her arms crossed.

The two were startled by the completely changed attitude and just blinked their eyes.

Uh…

Huh?

"Speak quickly. Mr. Ubal. Answer. If you don't answer, you're the culprit."

"I, I'm not."

"Next. Mr. Kilvedek."

"I... grrrrr."

Kilvedek's tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. It was as if his body had changed to prevent him from lying.

Seeing that, Priestess Siana kicked the chair, stood up, and shouted while hopping.

"You were fooled! You were fooled!"

"Well, student Siana...?"

When Professor Rosine asked in a shocked voice, Priestess Siana hopped one more time, landed, and straightened her clothes.

"I'm sorry. Professor. I got too excited."

-Uh... is she really a priest?-

Priestess Siana lightly passed over Orifulas's question.

"As expected of a demon, denying a priest?"

-No, that's not it...-

"Professor. I put a truth-telling potion in the teapot in advance. It has a strong astringent taste, so I couldn't deceive them without disguising it as tea."

"...Excellent! Student Siana."

Professor Rosine, who came to her senses belatedly, shouted, and Siana bowed with a very satisfied expression.

After that, student Siana, who solved all the remaining problems, left the exam room with light steps.

Only then did Orifulas open his mouth.

-Uh, mage. Is it okay for a priest to be like that? It's a bit different from the priests I know?-

"I always support and cheer for the changes in students."

-That's not a level of change... it's a drastic change... no...-

Orifulas was very startled.

He didn't know that priests would use tricks so actively and even be excited about it.

'Is it because I'm a demon summoned too long ago that I'm falling behind in change?'

While pondering like that, Bartreck entered with a teapot.

-If you put a confession-type potion in it, it's a good idea, but the previous student already used it, so it won't work.-

"Damn it! It's that Wardanaz guy, right!?"

***

After the guests and criminals were exhausted by all sorts of various methods (one criminal was attacked with a red-hot iron bar), it was finally Yi-Han's turn.

Orifulas, who was in a good mood because of the criminal who had just been grilled with a red-hot iron bar, said.

-He's a student I have high expectations for, but it will be difficult since his turn is last.-

Professor Rosine nodded in agreement.

The more tired people became, the harder it was to find the truth.

Even with magic that sensed emotions, it was difficult to distinguish whether it was due to tension or simple fatigue when both people were exhausted, and even when trying to use divination magic, mistakes became frequent, so if the information was contaminated, the accuracy decreased.

Moreover, the numerous methods attempted by the students who entered first were unlikely to work anymore.

The criminals were also very desperate.

"Hello. Professor."

"Come in!"

As Yi-Han walked in, two people entered from the opposite side.

Seeing that, Yi-Han immediately pointed his finger.

"Isn't that person a criminal?"

-Amazing! How on earth!?-

Both Orifulas and Professor Rosine were startled and jumped up.

How did he notice as soon as he entered?

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