Becoming a Magic School Mage

Chapter 3

At first, Guynando thought Ehan must be joking. How could a person possibly survive on nothing but hard brown bread and cold rice balls? How could a person be expected to wear such a rough and shabby cloak?

But Ehan didn’t look like he was joking. House Wardanaz... What a terrifying place! Guynando thought in horror.

The empire’s noble houses held immense power, and each had its own customs and family traditions. And among those all imperial nobles, there was especially little known about House Wardanaz. That was actually due to its tendency to focus on magical research instead of getting involved in politics, but it led Guynando to arrive at the wrong conclusion.

House Wardanaz must bring its children up like that! How terrible! Not even slaves would be treated that poorly. Who knew the head of House Wardanaz was so cruel?

Guynando gave Ehan a sympathetic look and a pat on the shoulder. “Come visit my estate sometime. You’ll be treated well, I promise.”

“Uh... Thanks?” Ehan replied.

He had no idea what Guynando was on about, but he nodded all the same.

* * *

Following the headmaster’s turbulent speech, students began to disperse from the hall, giving Ehan a chance to ask Yonehr the question that had occurred to him earlier.

“Why do you associate with Guynando? I understand that you’re cousins, but you come from House Maykin. There’s no need for you to accommodate a minor prince.”
“Oh. It’s because of Guynando’s mother,” Yonehr replied straightforwardly.

At that, Ehan asked with genuine curiosity, “Are you indebted to her?”

In his mind, he envisioned a possible scenario: a Yonehr much younger than now had attended an imperial banquet, only to commit some sort of embarrassing blunder. Just when everyone was looking at her in disdain and Yonehr was on the brink of frightened tears, Guynando’s mother, one of the emperor’s wives, might have approached her and said to her warmly, “It’s all right. Everyone makes mistakes.” A gesture like that would certainly have made a lasting impression, and would explain why Yonehr gave Guynando the royal treatment even though he was just another unremarkable prince.

“What? No. Guynando’s mother is tremendously rich. She paid me a lot of money to be friends with him.”

Ehan was scandalized. That was the secret? I should cozy up to him too!

* * *

Einrogard welcomed anyone from royals to slaves, as long as they showed magical aptitude.

That said, the mages in charge knew well that it wasn’t the best idea to drive a group of young students at the height of their emotional volatility into the same place and hope for the best.

For that reason, Einrogard divided students into four houses based on their background.

The Tower of the Proud Blue Dragon

Only those of noble dragon blood may enter.

The Tower of the Proud Blue Dragon housed royals and those from prominent noble families. Ehan was placed in this tower by default, since he was from House Wardanaz.

“Ugh, priests. They might start preaching at any time.”

“Shh, no need to provoke them without reason.”

Ehan overheard a couple of first-years grumbling next to him, complaining about the students from the Tower of the Eternally Flaming Phoenix.

The Tower of the Eternally Flaming Phoenix

Only those who have devoted themselves wholly to the sacred flames may enter.

The Tower of the Eternally Flaming Phoenix was where priests from the various religious orders within the empire were assigned. Surprisingly, priests had no reservations about using magic, believing their abilities to be a blessing from the gods, and so it wasn’t unusual for the orders to send their priests to the best magic school in the empire.

They do stand out. While those of royal or noble descent were all dressed differently because they hadn’t changed into their uniforms yet, the priests had all arrived in the simple robes of their orders.

The noble students, who had been subject to visits and lengthy sermons from priests since childhood, were scowling at the memory, but their faces scrunched up even further when they saw the group that followed.

Clank, clank.

The Tower of the Thunder-Devouring White Tiger

Only those with the ferocity to sink their teeth into anything may enter.

The Tower of the Thunder-Devouring White Tiger was the house for students from knightly families. It may have seemed strange for such students to attend a magic school in the first place, but even knights found magic indispensable. Magic had many applications ranging from telepathy to healing, and these students were those who’d prepared themselves to walk two paths at once as both knights and mages.

Seeming to take issue with this, Guynando grumbled, “Why do they have to let in those bastards who cheapen the pure and honorable pursuit of magic? They could’ve just hired some random mage off the street to tutor them.”

Ehan’s conscience pricked a bit. Other students might’ve been here for the pure joy of discovering the intricacies of magic, but he was only here to get ahead in life. “They probably thought that if they’re going to learn, they might as well learn from the best.”

“What? Why are you taking their side?”

“Guynando.” Ehan was feeling much more generous toward Guynando now that he’d heard his mother was rich. “The venerable do not scorn those below them.”

“Being venerable comes with too many conditions,” Guynando grumbled. But it seemed he still wanted to be venerable anyway, because he did shut his mouth.

After the students from knightly families passed by, those from the final house made their entrance, dressed in the most varied and unique clothes of all.

The Tower of the All-Seeing Black Tortoise

Only those of infinite patience may enter.

The Tower of the All-Seeing Black Tortoise had the most eclectic mix of students, ranging from commoners and servants to slaves, jesters, paupers, merchants, and newly landed lesser nobility. They all looked cowed, as if they too knew they were at the bottom of the social ladder.

I hope I get the chance to make friends there. Unlike the others casting disdainful glances at them, Ehan was hoping to get acquainted with the students from this final tower. After all, the best way to make money was through business, and it wasn’t people like Guynando who made good business partners, but those with practical hands-on knowledge and experience in the field.

“They’re looking this way.”

“Don’t make eye contact. It won’t end well.”

“Arrogant snobs...”

The students of the Black Tortoise Tower were fully aware that the students from the Blue Dragon Tower were looking down on them. Not wanting to start a fight here and now, they averted their eyes and walked past.

“Do they really have to accept low-class riffraff like that? It’s ridiculous.”

One voice stood out more clearly among the whispers, the Black Tortoise Tower’s faces darkening at the sound.

Perfect. Ehan realized this was his opening—an opportunity to befriend that tower!

Time to make my move.

* * *

The first-years of the Black Tortoise Tower couldn’t help but feel intimidated. Not even the fiercer types among them could pluck up the courage to speak up in an unfamiliar setting, surrounded by so many unfriendly whispers.

At that moment, it was Ehan from the Blue Dragon Tower who stepped forward. The boy with strong features and an imposing demeanor slowly opened his mouth to speak. “It’s you who has no class. Did we not leave everything of ours behind when we entered the gates of Einrogard? Yet you forget your vow in favor of your petty pride.”

A powerful, commanding presence radiated from the boy, the kind of aristocratic aura displayed by the highest nobles with pride as great as their blood was blue.

His words seemed to resonate with the other first-years of the Blue Dragon Tower as well.

“He’s right.”

“He’s from House Wardanaz, isn’t he? I expected no less from a Wardanaz.”

The one who’d been mocking the Black Tortoise Tower earlier fell silent out of embarrassment, and the students from the Black Tortoise Tower began whispering among themselves as well.

“House Wardanaz??”

“That mage house...?!”

“Don’t look him in the eyes, idiot! That family’s dangerous!”

“That’s the house whose head is a dragon! Is he descended from one?”

“I heard they were descended from an elemental from ancient times, not a dragon...”

Ehan was speechless.

* * *

At first, he’d thought that everything had worked out, since he’d won over all the other students with his speech. That went well! Now if the students from the Black Tortoise Tower thanked him, he could count his plan a success.

“House Wardanaz??”

“That mage house...?!”

“Don’t look him in the eyes, idiot! That family’s dangerous!”

“That’s the house whose head is a dragon! Is he descended from one?”

“I heard they were descended from an elemental from ancient times, not a dragon...”

But their reaction wasn’t quite what he’d been expecting. It seemed he hadn’t managed to endear himself to the other students so much as to instill fear in them. Clearly something had gone wrong—this wasn’t the thanks he’d been hoping for.

Next to him, Yonehr said admiringly, “You were amazing just now. You’re right! That’s just how a noble ought to conduct themself in Einrogard.”

“Yonehr. Am I... scary-looking?”

“Hm? No. You have the commanding presence of a true noble. Why?”

Yonehr was puzzled by the question. Ehan was handsome in a distinctly aristocratic way: chiseled features, a strong jaw, an uncompromising set to his mouth, and a piercing gaze. His imposing air that made him completely unapproachable to commoners was held in high regard among nobles, and in fact he’d made a good impression on all the first-years of the Blue Dragon Tower.

Ehan sighed at Yonehr’s response. I’ll never be able to blend in at this rate.

* * *

The towers were set far apart from one another in a large square, spread out in the four cardinal directions with the main hall at the center. Ehan and his fellow students followed the path leading to the blue tower in the distance.

This place really is enormous. He marveled at the view from the inside. What other school could boast lakes, forests, rivers, and mountains, all on its campus? The sight brought to mind the headmaster’s words. We’re expected to fend for ourselves here.

The headmaster had said that anyone could find whatever they wanted in this school if they were determined enough, and as he regarded Einrogard’s sprawling campus, Ehan found that easy to believe. He could hunt game in the forest, or fish in the lake...

“You must be thinking the same thing I am.”

“Hm?”

“You’re thinking about how blessed we are to be able to see this beautiful scene, aren’t you?”

“No. I was thinking about what kinds of animals I could hunt in the woods.”

“House Wardanaz even trains you to do that??”

* * *

The Tower of the Proud Blue Dragon was a tall tower built from blue stone. It was deceptively small from the outside, but it had a nearly infinite amount of space on the inside, thanks to the expansion magic cast by Einrogard’s mages.

Ehan was surprised to find that, as he walked through the tower’s doors, the other students who had been with him all disappeared, leaving him alone in the darkness.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Hm?”

“Where would you like to go?”

Oh. Ehan realized that the tower itself was talking to him. “Where... can I go?”

“You catch on quickly.”

Though he couldn’t see the tower, he somehow got the sense that it was smiling.

“The destinations currently available to you are your personal room and the first-years’ Steel common room.”

“Can I go anywhere else?”

“You can. Though some areas you can access as long as you know their names, while others have additional requirements.”

“Can I go to the common room for second-years, or the one for all levels?”

“You can. But not now.”

“Why not?”

“The headmaster forbade it.”

Ehan cursed the headmaster’s thoroughness. He was certainly scrupulous about things like this. “Then please send me to my personal room.”

“Certainly. Welcome to Einrogard, young mage.”