Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 64 (Patreon)

Chapter 64

"I think I've chosen everything," Yi-Han declared, concluding his frenzied shopping spree.

His purchases weren't confined to the grocery and haberdashery. He also visited the stationery shop and bookstore (Please fill them with cheap and sturdy papers! Do you have any magic books of illusion that might deceive a professor's eye?), and the crop store (Where can I find edible seeds and saplings?), among others.

The staff members were astounded. 'He wouldn't starve even if stranded on a deserted island!' they thought.

"Where is the stable?" Yi-Han inquired.

"The stable... You mean for horses?" Arian wondered, puzzled.

As he had mentioned earlier, it was impossible to bring a vehicle near the academy. However, Arian didn't press the matter further. He knew the Young Master of the Wardanaz family must have his reasons.

—

The Amur stable bustled with people coming and going. Consequently, Amur, the stable owner, was incredibly busy. He consulted with a group of adventurers wanting to buy a new mount, hurriedly opened the specialized flying mount area at the top of the tower for a client wanting to leave a lightning eagle...

Running a stable in a town frequented by adventurers wasn't easy. It required not just horse-handling skills but also familiarity with various mounts from across the empire.

As the busy period finally ended, an unusual customer appeared. 'A student from the magic academy?' Amur wondered.

"Hello," greeted the student.

"Good day. What are you looking for?" Amur responded.

"Do people ever go directly from here to the academy?" the student asked.

Amur was surprised. The student was right. The magic academy, located near the mountains, was a place of dread, yet it wasn't without visitors. There were merchants contracted to supply the academy, adventurers completing tasks set by the mages, and occasionally, the Emperor's messengers would fly in furiously if there was trouble.

However, those in the know were aware of the magic academy's notorious main gate. 'Old before you get through,' they said...

So, the urgent ones either went underground or flew. It was relatively easy to pass if one's identity was confirmed.

"Indeed. Why do you ask?"

"I'll pay. Can you help me escape on a specific date?"

Yi-Han had only one reason for being there. 'I must prepare the next escape method.' It was remarkable determination, even the skull principal would admire. On a good day out, instead of wandering the town and enjoying desserts, this student was earnestly planning his next escape.

And his burning sincerity reached Amur. 'Impressive!' Amur thought, astonished as he stared at Yi-Han.

He knew the rumors about the magic academy - a place of harsh education prompting students to attempt escape.

And here was a fledgling magic student, daring to concoct such a bold plan. Even among the roughest tribes of the empire, few boys possessed such courage.

'I want to help him,' Amur thought, admiring Yi-Han's guts.

But there was a problem.

"That's... difficult," he admitted.

"May I ask why?"

"I've taken clients to the magic academy a few times. Their identity verification is incredibly thorough," Amur explained.

It was easier than the main gate, but the air route was still not easy. Guests approaching the magic academy by flying had to first stop at a designated location. Once a signal was sent, someone from the magic academy would fly over to verify their identity. If the visitor was someone who had an appointment, they were allowed entry.

"However, since you've been inside before... couldn't you come up with a reasonable excuse to enter?" asked Yi-Han.

"True. Getting in isn't the problem. The issue is leaving. The academy checks the identity of everyone leaving," Amur replied.

When Amur flew in on his eagle, they made sure he was alone on the eagle when he left. They even used various magic to ensure no one was hiding, making deception nearly impossible.

Yi-Han's expression darkened upon hearing this. 'Damn. Do I really have to go through all this?' He thought the academy's motto should be changed to 'Do we really have to go to such lengths?'

"But there's not no way," said Amur, lighting a thick cigarette.

"What is the method?" Yi-Han inquired.

"Find an ownerless mount inside. When I come, just ride the mount you found and follow me out," Amur explained.

Yi-Han was confused. 'Wouldn't that still be caught during the check when leaving?'

"Won't we get caught during the check anyway?" he asked.

"It's different. I learned this by chance... People entering from outside are thoroughly checked when leaving, including their mounts. But those who stay inside the academy aren’t checked as rigorously when they leave," Amur clarified.

Even the professors often went out, so they weren't checked as thoroughly. Amur recalled how he had been repeatedly inspected while leaving with one of the professors, who hadn't been given a second glance.

"Of course, leaving alone would raise the risk of being caught. But if I come in and we leave together, the attention will be on me. That's the best plan we have."

'Damn. Can I even find an ownerless mount in the academy?' Yi-Han thought. He wanted to steal a mount with an owner...

"Don't even think about stealing a mount with an owner," Amur warned.

"Of course. I had no intention of doing that," Yi-Han assured him, to which Amur nodded satisfactorily.

"Good. Forcing a mount away from its owner is barbaric and cruel."

Yi-Han didn't point out that he had decided against theft because 'stealing a mage's mount would trigger an alarm and notify the owner,' but he didn't correct Amur since he seemed satisfied.

'There are still uncertainties, but... this seems like the most viable plan for now.'

Yi-Han didn't voice his concerns about 'How do I even find a flying mount inside the academy!' or 'Even if they don’t check thoroughly, could I still get caught just for wearing a hood and cloak!' That sounded like defeatist talk.

'I'll make it work. If that's the only way out!'

"I'm counting on you!" Yi-Han exclaimed.

"Indeed! I knew you weren't an ordinary student when I first saw your eyes. Every two weeks, on Saturday at midnight, I'll come to the academy. If you have a mount ready, meet me at the stable at the top of the academy tower. I'll wait there for an hour each time. If you're prepared, we'll leave together."

Yi-Han nodded, then suddenly wondered why the stable owner was willing to go through so much trouble. It was a lot of effort, especially since Amur couldn't be sure if Yi-Han would show up or not, waiting an hour each time.

"But... forgive me if this question is impertinent. Why are you helping me like this?" Yi-Han asked.

 Amur scratched his beard and chuckled. "The academy torments students like you with absurdly harsh rules. In my homeland, we detest such regulations. Seeing a student stand up against them, I couldn't just sit idly by."

"Thank you!" Yi-Han was moved. Outside the academy, the virtues of righteousness and chivalry were still alive!

—

The time allotted for his outing was nearing its end. Considering the time needed to return, there wasn't much left.

'There's one more place to visit.'

Yi-Han hurried off to his destination, the workshop of the illusion mage Baldoorn.

Not all mages took up imperial posts and lived a bureaucrat's life. Some solved quests like adventurers, while others set up workshops in towns to earn their living through various commissions.

The place Yi-Han was visiting was one such workshop.

"??"

Baldoorn was startled by the student's appearance. The visitor was unmistakably a student from the magic academy.

'Why would a magic academy student come here?'

Baldoorn, a mage capable up to the 3rd circle, had skills equivalent to a second or third-year student in the magic academy. With many great mages inside, it was curious why the student had sought out Baldoorn's workshop. Moreover, the student's demeanor didn't seem ordinary, suggesting nobility. His accent, appearance, and walk were telltale signs that even shabby clothes couldn't conceal.

"What brings you here?" Baldoorn asked.

"I've come for a consultation about magic."

Baldoorn was dumbfounded. 'Is he here to pick a fight? Complaining about my skills?'

"Please, speak your mind."

But since she had received the consultation fee, Baldoorn decided to listen.

"I'm trying to enter a certain tower, but it's protected by anti-intrusion magic. I thought you, being an expert in illusion magic, might know something."

Baldoorn was flabbergasted. It was obvious which tower Yi-Han was referring to.

'The tower in the magic academy...!'

On closer inspection, Yi-Han was wearing a first-year's uniform. Baldoorn was even more astonished. So a first-year student not only managed to sneak out of the academy but was now seeking a way to circumvent the academy's alarm magic?

'...He's destined to become a great mage!'

Baldoorn couldn't help but be impressed. When she was that age, she'd spent her days idly, smoking cigarettes...

"The magic preventing intruders is incredibly diverse. No mage can comprehend all of it. An exceptional mage might recognize the structure of such magic, and an even more exceptional one might be able to counteract it..."

Baldoorn trailed off. This wasn't just about talent; it was a matter of knowledge and experience.

A skilled safecracker keeps thousands of lock designs in their mind, allowing them to quickly deduce the structure of a new lock by comparing it to known designs.

Bypassing intrusion magic was similar. One needed to memorize hundreds of commonly used protective spells in the empire. This way, upon encountering a new spell, one could recognize it as a combination or variant of known spells.

No genius could simply disarm protective magic without knowledge and experience.

"This requires... seasoned experience and extensive knowledge. Even if I were to suggest a few suspicious spells to you, if you're not adept at handling them, you won't be able to disarm them. Rather than disarming the magic, breaking it might be..."

Baldoorn hesitated mid-sentence.

She had inadvertently suggested something absurd. Disarming magic elegantly and quietly was indeed a more challenging and magical task. But breaking the magic was not an easy feat either. In some ways, it could be considered even more difficult. Considering the amount of mana in the spells cast within the magic academy, breaking them would require a colossal force strong enough to shake their robust structure.

Where would one find such power?

"...No. I misspoke. This is an absurd approach."

"No, please. Explain this breaking method in detail."

"?!!" Baldoorn was taken aback.