Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

Chapter 646

While the kind penguin mixed-blood mage went outside to complete the mission on his behalf (he picked one assistant, and Gainando was chosen), Yi-Han opened the Pseudo-Kingdom era character book and carefully studied the score.

It was certainly much more interesting now that he knew what it was about.

'How fascinating.'

If one had to express imperial magic in a single word, it would be efficiency.

The history of continental magic was longer than the history of the empire, and accordingly, its types and schools were diverse. Even now, one could see this in the discovery of primitive magics or ancient magics that the empire was unaware of.

How could one tie together so many magics that differed by region and were even mixed across eras?

The empire's mages tied them together using efficiency as a standard.

Discard old and inefficient magics.

If there are magics that produce the same result, keep the faster and more concise magic.

This method could be seen as quite effective.

Even if mages from the far west and far east of the empire, with different customs and histories, met and conducted research together, there were no particular problems. ℝἈŊộ฿Ès̈

Just as there were old fairy tales like , it was originally dangerous for different mages to cooperate.

As such, Yi-Han sympathized with this methodology.

However, there are always exceptions to every theory.

There were exceptions that were ignored as old and inefficient but occasionally popped up and demonstrated their power.

That was now the magic of the Pseudo-Kingdom era mages.

This magic, which could be expressed as music magic in current imperial terms, tried to dominate the surroundings in a very inefficient way.

By imbuing sound with mana to control!

While there was no means to control the surrounding medium faster than sound, there was a reason why no one did it.

'Imbuing the spell itself with mana is an enormous difficulty, and even if achieved, it wastes a lot of mana.'

It wasn't for nothing that the skull principal said to challenge command magic instead of doing this.

A mage's spell was originally a kind of self-suggestion, and if one imbues the spell itself with mana, that's just an introduction to command magic.

Naturally, it was impossible with ordinary will and concentration.

Even Yi-Han could only do it limitedly with a few songs...

The Pseudo-Kingdom era mages knew this fact well. Their wisdom to overcome these limitations surprised Yi-Han.

First were the magic circles like the reliefs on the tomb walls. These served to raise the concentration of surrounding mana.

'You'd need a certain amount of mana to use music magic.'

Yi-Han wasn't surprised by this as he already knew it.

And it wasn't very important to Yi-Han. It was a part he could solve with his own mana.

'Next is... artifacts?'

Surprisingly, the Pseudo-Kingdom era mages used instruments like artifacts.

After deciding on one piece, they created an instrument artifact solely for that piece.

This instrument was an artifact with magic cast on it to maximize the melody of that piece, and it resonated with the mage's song to complete the lacking power.

To think they succeeded in music magic this way.

It was an amazing dedication.

'To practice just one piece for 20 to 30 years with a dedicated instrument. It would certainly imbue mana even in songs that didn't have it.'

While efficiency was thrown to the dogs, it was true that it inspired awe.

And in Yi-Han's view, no other method came to mind to properly implement music magic currently.

The seniors trying to research music magic at Einroguard now couldn't all waste mana or imbue spells like Yi-Han, could they?

'It's a good method for me too.'

Although Yi-Han could sing a few songs like music magic now, he didn't really know how he did it himself.

This couldn't be called magic. Proper magic required knowing what one was doing.

If he filled in the lacking elements for completing magic by borrowing the power of instruments, it would be much easier for Yi-Han to practice music magic.

He had the instrument given by the skull principal too...

Zing-

As Yi-Han took out the violin and started playing, his friends turned their gazes towards him.

"This song, it was , right?"

"Yeah."

Yonaire nodded at Ratford's question and rested her chin on one hand.

She wanted to listen for a while as her friend's violin skills were excellent.

It was an old children's song about a Red Dragon coming and breaking the fence, a Black Dragon coming and destroying the house, and a White Dragon coming and trampling the remains.

...The principal came and broke the fence. Ferocious principal! Could there be a more terrible disaster than this?

Then the principal's avatar came and destroyed the house. Terrible principal! ...

As Ratford, Yonaire, and Nillia sang the Einroguard version, Eandurde tilted her head.

"Wasn't it dragons...?"

"...D-dragons. We said dragons."

"You said principal..."

"No! It's dragons!"

The seniors, belatedly realizing their junior's presence, hurriedly changed their words.

Meanwhile, Yi-Han, who had finished practicing, slowly played the score.

'Based on the dark element, spreading mana around, praising and mourning the king's sacrifice...'

A slow song was played. Yi-Han sang along with the lyrics.

"We all praise the king's sacrifice, as the king sacrifices, all enemies..."

As only the song continued to play, Yonaire stood up and extended her hand to Nillia.

The two danced slowly and elegantly.

Imperial dances weren't only for joyful and pleasant times, there were also dances performed during funeral ceremonies.

Ratford thought while clapping,

'Oh. Is it okay to dance when Mr. Gainando isn't here?'

He'll really cry his eyes out if he finds out...

"Hmm."

"Ugh! How could you stop suddenly!"

When Yi-Han stopped the violin and hesitated, Nillia almost lost her balance.

It was fortunate she had been trained in the mountains, otherwise her awkward dance would have become even more of a mess.

"You didn't feel anything particular while listening to the song just now?"

"???"

His friends tilted their heads at Yi-Han's question.

"Each of you say one thing."

"The bass of the song is rich and delicate?"

"I don't know who the king is, but since he died receiving such a song, there must be a lot to steal at the funeral?"

"When on earth did Wardanaz practice the violin too? Does he live each day twice?"

After answering, the other two except Yonaire felt embarrassed.

They should have appreciated the song, but they said other things.

"Hmm. As expected, mana isn't being imbued in the song."

At Yi-Han's words, Yonaire spoke as if she couldn't believe it.

"You're trying to imbue mana in the song itself? Is that possible?"

"Well, it's like this..."

When he explained what he had just studied while reading the score to Yonaire, she looked intrigued but also worried.

"That's interesting. But I'm a bit worried."

"Why?"

"You'll definitely take classes up to the limit in the second year, but you're trying to do this too?"

"...No. It hasn't been decided yet that I'll take classes up to the limit."

"You'll take them up to the limit."

"You will take them up to the limit, sir."

Nillia and Ratford said coldly.

Unlike Yi-Han who was still denying reality, his friends were cold.

Just the schools of professors who cared for Yi-Han now were close to the limit.

If he added a few more classes opened by those professors, it would immediately exceed the limit.

"In my opinion, this isn't a problem with the melody but with the lyrics."

Yi-Han carefully checked the score and concluded.

"Not a problem with Einroguard...?"

"If the melody creates the magic effect, the lyrics help to contain the mage's mana itself. In other words, the lyrics can be changed. No. They should be changed."

Yi-Han diligently scribbled notes with his quill.

Because he had experience researching music magic while following the skull principal around, he could make decisions more quickly.

Just as spells in magic help a mage's self-suggestion, the lyrics clearly played such a role too.

Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense that Yi-Han succeeded with some songs and failed with others.

'In a way that suits me.'

The Pseudo-Kingdom era mages trained one piece for over decades. It was to change themselves to fit that piece.

Yi-Han thought of compromising that method by adjusting part of the piece to fit himself.

"Lyrics that suit a hymn of praise and a funeral song while I can emotionally immerse myself in... I need your help. It's hard to come up with them alone."

"Hmm!"

"Hmmmm!"

"Hmmmmmm!"

The three felt very burdened by their friend's words.

Nillia regretted that she should have gone gathering instead of Gainando.

"I barely avoided failing Imperial Literature class..."

"I was called separately by the professor when I wrote that theft should be legally permitted by imperial law for a writing assignment."

"..."

Yonaire, who was essentially left alone, felt cold sweat forming.

She had to come up with something and throw it to this struggling friend.

Lyrics that suit a hymn of praise and a funeral song while Yi-Han can immerse himself in them.

"Guys?"

"Uh..."

"Huh?"

"H-how about Einroguard."

"Einroguard? Say more, Yonaire."

"So Einroguard is... um... If you've entered Einroguard, you deserve a funeral song!"

"..."

Nillia and Ratford were dumbfounded, but Yi-Han felt it was plausible.

"Indeed. That's plausible. The hymn of praise would praise the nobility of students who sacrificed themselves to enter on behalf of others in the empire."

"I-I didn't go that far..."

Yonaire was flustered by her friend who was taking it even further.

But Yi-Han seemed to have already gained inspiration.

"Good. A song based on the dark element, mourning and praising students who newly entered Einroguard... It seems good. Isn't this better than Asan's song?"

"Why compare it to Dargard's song of all songs?"

His friends were disgusted when they heard the song that cheated by saying Einroguard, Einroguard is so good.

***

"Mr. Pengerin. I can't go into that thicket!"

"Don't worry. I'll tell you how. First, hold your staff and use a cutting spell at the bottom. Don't use it at the top. It's tough and won't work. Then when a hole forms, go in from below."

"Sob. Why only me..."

Gainando crawled under the thicket while crying. Then he carefully harvested the thorn mushrooms and crawled out.

While he was an adorable penguin mage inside the mansion, once outside, Alcicle transformed into a very strict senior mage.

It was a bolt from the blue for Gainando, who had intended to gather only moderately easy materials and give up on difficult ones.

"Can't we just say this is too hard and go back?"

"Gainando. If you say you couldn't do it like that, how do you think Wardanaz will view you?"

"Won't he think I couldn't do it because it was hard?"

"...Quickly climb up the tree."

Alcicle gestured while creating an ice ladder.

This prince had as much pride as the skull principal had conscience, which was hard to find.

Gainando climbed up while grumbling. As he kept grumbling, Alcicle shouted from below to soothe him.

"Think about it, Gainando. Wouldn't it be better to finish quickly and go back?"

"That's true. But Mr. Pengerin, you seem to want to stay longer."

"That's a misunderstanding. I want to finish quickly and go back too. I want to watch Wardanaz research music magic."

Alcicle spoke sincerely.

Watching a junior mage like Yi-Han research rare and unfamiliar magic was joy itself for a mage.

He could realize and learn many things from it too.

"Oh. Mr. Pengerin."

"What now?"

"If that's the case, shouldn't you go back right now? Yi-Han learns magic quickly, so he might be finished by the time you go back!"

"...Hey, are you treating my intelligence like sardines?"

Alcicle couldn't hold back and started creating snowballs in the air to shoot at Gainando.

Gainando shouted while screaming,

"It-it's true! It's really true!"

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