Life of a Magic Academy Mage

Chapter 035

“By the way, what riddle did the talking oak tree solve?”

Lightning Step asked curiously.

“Uh… he gave me some weird and bizarre riddles.”

Even if it was a shadow riddle, the dwarf and candle riddle was far-fetched.

“Talking oaks do ask crazy riddles.”

Lightning Walk nodded as if he understood.

Talking oak trees were known for beguiling wizards by giving them strange problems that sounded plausible.

Inexperienced sorcerers, seduced by the splendid appearance of the talking oaks, mistook them for some mystery, but there was none.

The Talking Oaks were just cool spirits who liked cool riddles.

“…Is that so?”

“That’s it. It is meaningless once you know most of the things in the world.”

After hearing the explanation from the lightning steps, Lee Han was dumbfounded.

So, was the problem of the goblins hiding at the orc banquet also a cold mystery?

‘Coming to think of it, there was a hint of that in the candlelight issue.’

“The riddle I heard…”

Lee Han confided the riddle he had heard to the Talking Oak Tree.

-Several Orc tribes gathered and held a party, but an evil goblin intervened and ate and drank. How could that be?

“It is easy. The answer is disguised as an orc.”

“…yes?”

“The riddle of the talking oak trees is not to be taken seriously. Keep it simple. If it was a goblin, it wouldn’t have been that difficult to deceive orcs and disguise itself.”

“……”

Lee Han endured the absurdity and futility and focused.

Of course, it was a ridiculous riddle, but this riddle didn’t just come out of nowhere.

Isn’t it a riddle given by the talking oak tree as a hint to escape school?

At least that would mean something.

‘So… the meaning of the riddle was to disguise?’

It was a very obvious statement, but if you think about it, it was an off-the-cuff remark.

This magic school was not a completely closed space.

Didn’t priests from other denominations come to the school right away?

‘Besides, there are supplies.’

From food to be used at magic school to various reagents and materials.

These things had to be brought in from outside.

And the people who move these things are usually workers who don’t know magic.

There is a way out of this school, even if it’s not magical!

Lee Han clenched his fists.

In the dark darkness laid by the headmaster of the skull.

It felt like a ray of light shone in the darkness.

“…?”

From the side, Professor Lightning Walk was amazed at Lee Han’s face.

Apparently, the boy wizard was wearing an expression of enlightenment.

what?

‘How did you find enlightenment in the chilling riddle of those talking oak trees?’

As well as being better at working in the fields than skilled farmers, this boy from the Wardanaz family was so strange that you wouldn’t get tired of watching it.

* * *

After Lee Han tended the vegetable garden, Professor Lightning Step brought him some chickens from somewhere.

Watching Thunderwalker look sadly, I could tell whose cage the chicken came from.

“Take good care of animals. Wodanaz. Treating animals well always pays off.”

“thank you. thank you for this food.”

Freshly-laid eggs were a dizzying luxury for first-year students who would chew even stones because they were hungry.

If you take those eggs with you, you will be able to become the king of the dormitory.

“Take this too. hmm. This would be nice too.”

Professor Lightning Walk put a lot of things in the basket, as if he wanted to take care of something for his new student.

From eggs to freshly harvested fresh cabbage tomatoes onions and potato butter and cheese thick cuts of venison.

Every time he put it in the basket, the wrinkles on his face deepened and his sadness deepened, but Lee Han pretended not to see it.

“Then see you in the next class.”

‘Looks like I’ve had enough to eat.’

The meal with the two dwarves was hectic, but there was definitely a lot to gain.

The secret of the wand, as well as a hint to get out of school.

And additional food was a bonus. The food was already running out.

‘How did the other first graders before me eat and live?’

I have been working and receiving food like this under Professor Lee Han-ya, but I don’t think other students could have done the same.

Did you just survive starving?

“Wardanaz!”

“Wardanaz is here!”

Blue Dragon Tower students were sitting in the 1st grade common room with tired and hungry faces.

The students, who had been playing chess or playing cards to soothe their worries, were overjoyed when they saw Lee Han.

And when he saw the basket hanging from Lee Han’s arm, he was even more delighted.

“Wardanaz! My honorable friend!”

“The most honorable family in the empire!”

‘I don’t mean to say this, but for a person from a noble family, they all seem very ungrateful.’

But I got it.

Whether a member of the imperial family or a beggar, a person becomes weak when hungry.

As word spread that Lee Han had arrived, the Blue Dragon Tower students each ran out of their rooms and gathered in front of Lee Han.

It was like a baby bird watching its mother bird waiting for food.

“It looks like everyone is hungry. wait.”

Using the vegetables and meat obtained from Lightning Step, it seemed like I could make a decent soup.

Even if the students gathered here eat all at once, it will be a meal that everyone can eat together.

Lee Han placed a pot over the fire in the fireplace, cut up venison and onions, and sautéed them until golden brown.

Then there were vegetables. Lee Han skilfully poured water, added tomatoes and potatoes, and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Seasonings that can be easily obtained outside were also rare seasonings for the first graders.

The reddish soup simmered because of the tomatoes, and the students looked at Lee Han with earnest eyes.

-Can I stop boiling and eat it now?

However, Lee Han firmly blocked it.

‘I guess I can add the cabbage now.’

Add cabbage, add some butter, season again…

The seriousness of cooking with a solemn expression was like a skilled alchemist.

The Blue Dragon Tower students unknowingly adjusted their clothes and corrected their posture politely.

“It is done. Bring a bowl.”

“yes!”

‘Why honorifics?’

Lee Han was puzzled, but instead of asking, he took a ladle and scooped it up into a bowl.

Yoner, who had heard the news, also helped write the ledger, smearing ink on his quill.

“Eight silver coins of the Killenen family… Eleven silver coins of the Guinan Islands…”

“Wodanaz. A piece of silver isn’t too much money, is it?”

“Can I take a little more? That’s too little money for your dedication.”

Boys and girls from aristocratic families lacked a sense of money.

Yihan and Yoner lamented at that appearance.

‘I don’t know how I’m going to live like that when I become independent later!’

“That Wordanaz.”

“?”

“Can I bring some to the princess?”

Two or three Blue Dragon Tower students spoke cautiously. He was probably a follower of Adenart.

At those words, Lee Han’s face darkened slightly.

“That is it. Wodanaz. I’m not necessarily forcing you…”

“I know you’re close with Prince Kainando, but it’s not like the two of you have to fight. It’s just because I want the princess to eat something that she can eat.”

‘huh?’

Lee Han realized that his friends were misunderstanding something.

The reason Lee Han was reluctant to bring food to the princess was not because he supported Gainando.

It was just because it was a waste to give food for free.

“I think you’re misunderstanding, but I have no intention of not giving food to the princess because of Gainando. You can’t do something so childish.”

“Wardanaz…!”

“also!”

At Lee Han’s words, the faces of the students brightened.

I think I’ll feel better,” Lee Han asked softly.

“By the way, who pays the silver coins? Is it right for the princess to pay?”

“We will pay for it! We each pay double.”

“Thanks Wodanaz!”

“No… can I do something like that (rotting money)?”

“Compared to what you do, this is a pittance. Wodanaz.”

“thank you so much. You must be worried about the prince.”

The students were truly grateful. Lee Han was surprised to see that.

He was surprised that he was using his own money for the princess, and he was surprised that he was able to increase his money even when bargaining was not enough, and he was surprised that he valued Kainan Island so highly.

‘Guinando, as an imperial family, has almost zero political power to create and run its own faction.’

There were a lot of misunderstandings between each other, but the other person seemed to have a good opinion of Lee Han, so there was no need to explain.

“I want all members of the imperial family to be friendly. For the Empire.”

“Wardanaz…!”

“A guy like you…!”

* * *

Lee Han knocked on the door of the princess’ private room with a bowl of soup. After a while, Adenart appeared.

“?”

Adenart raised his eyebrows slightly and asked why he had come.

Lee Han held out a hot bowl and said.

“I cooked in the break room. Let’s eat some.”

Instead of receiving it right away, Adenart hesitated a little. He seemed to hesitate because he didn’t know what Lee Han was thinking.

Having already heard misunderstandings about Kainan Island from below, Lee Han decided to clear up the misunderstanding.

“All the other students took it. It’s okay to eat.”

Actually, he received the silver coin, but Lee Han didn’t bother to say it.

Adenart hesitated as much as he had just hesitated before finally accepting the bowl carefully with both hands.

Hunger seemed to have overcome his hesitation.

Adenart slightly bowed his head in gratitude, took a spoon and poured the soup into his mouth.

After taking one spoonful or two spoonfuls, the speed gradually increased. It seemed to suit my taste.

“You can come in and eat.”

At Lee Han’s words, Adenart stopped holding the spoon.

“……”

Then he bowed his head once more, closed the door, and went inside.

‘Did I just say that?’

When Lee Han came down to the break room, the waiting students expressed their gratitude.

“Wardanaz. The princess…”

“Ah. You seemed to like it.”

“amazing! You are truly an excellent alchemist!”

‘If I just starve, I think I’ll eat well no matter what I give…’

“Can I continue to ask? We’ll give you silver coins, so if you have any food, I’d like you to bring some to the princess.”

“…Devotion to the imperial family is equal to honor as a nobleman.”

Words flowed out of Lee Han’s mouth. Even Lee Han himself was surprised.

‘Anyway, the royal family is really amazing.’

It’s just that there are so many followers just based on lineage.

Suddenly, I felt the power of bloodlines.

Of course, Kainando is an exception…

* * *

< Repetitive learning of basic magic battles > is held on the 1st basement floor of the main building.

Vampire Professor Voladi Baegrek was troubled. Of course, it didn’t show on his face.

I am the only student left now.

How can I get that student to continue taking this lecture?

‘It’s really difficult.’

Originally, Professor Voladi had little interest in making students listen to lectures.

Professor Voladi’s contract was to teach here, not to gather students.

But now the situation was a bit exceptional.

A boy from the Wardanaz family with a considerable amount of magic power.

Can we find another talent like that boy?

If you miss it this time, you might have to wait another few years to move on to the next part of the lecture.

Besides, there was no guarantee that the next student would have the qualities of that boy.

After thinking about it, Professor Boladi opened his mouth.

“Do you have any questions?”

“…yes?”

Lee Han, who was concentrating on spinning the marbles, raised his head in surprise.

Why are you asking all of a sudden?

Could it be that Lee Han’s black heart to eat raw was caught?