Chapter 12: Poking one’s nose into other people’s business (2/2)

Tonight, he cross referenced “The Foundations of Magic” alongside the “A Magical Dictionary”, and gradually lost himself in the books. However, despite the aid of “A Magical Dictionary” in this process, he was still unable to understand some of the technical terms within their covers.

He gave a long sigh and put down the two books in his hand, thinking to himself that he’d only started building his understanding of magic over the past ten days. If he could fully comprehend all the material in the books, then there was no point in the continued existence of the Babylon Academy of Magic and Force. After some thought, he decided to take full advantage of the convenience of his position and eavesdrop on the necromancy classrooms that were currently in session.

Han Shuo settled back into meditation after he had calmed and cleared his mind. He wanted to make the best use of any scrap of spare time to meditate and increase his mental strength. Before he knew it, he had meditated well into the night and then went to sleep peacefully.

Han Shuo was full of vitality when he got up the next day at daybreak, as if his body was full of boundless energy. The little skeleton in the wooden tub next to his bed was still and showed no signs of life. There were seven small swirls next to the seven broken pieces of bone, with subtle hints of black light flowing in the water.

Upon closer inspection, he saw that unbeknownst to anyone, the scattered rib cage bones had reordered themselves. The skeleton’s two empty eye hollows also seemed to have black light sparkling in them and appeared quite eerie.

Han Shuo contacted the skeleton with his magical yuan and immediately sensed that the skeleton seemed to be delighting in its newfound life. Also feeling the same, Han Shuo gave a slight smile and said to himself, “Oh little skeleton, you’re extremely lucky to be following me. I can keep refining you as long as I have enough magical yuan, and you’ll become stronger as a result. One of these days, that Claude will get what’s coming to him.”

Because the little skeleton was still being refined in the wooden bucket, Han Shuo had to get up himself and dispose of yesterday’s trash. Once he had washed his face with briskly cold water, Han Shuo vigorously dusted off all the statues. He completed his duties afterwards, received a piece of black bread, and ran off towards the necromancy classrooms in high spirits, a broom in hand.

“In order to perfectly release magic, both incantations and hand seals are key. If the chant is incorrect, or the gesture incorrect, then you will be unable to perform magic. Magic is a mysterious power, the art of borrowing strength from the elements found on earth and in the heavens by employing mental strength, along with mysterious incantations. Magic then finds its target through hand seals…”

The necromancy students were either attentively or lackadaisically listening to Master Gene. A few windows down, Han Shuo listened with all his concentration and unconsciously waved the broom in his hand.

Gene was the same as Fanny, a necromancy adept mage, as well as a teacher for the major. Gene mainly instructed the basics and foundations of magic, and was in charge of helping students through the more difficult parts of the material. Fanny on the other hand, taught students how to supplement attacks with necromancy magics and led the students in experimenting with necromancy magic.

For all the other majors at the academy, not only did they have adept mages for teachers, but they also had even more knowledgeable, more powerful magi (plural of magus) holding down the fort. But due to the lack of students in the necromancy major, Gene and Fanny were the only two teachers, and only adept class at that. On one hand, it was true that there was no need to dedicate too many resources to the tiny necromancy major; but on the other, it was also due to the fact that necromancy had become unpopular, resulting in a corresponding decrease in the number of necromancy magi.

At the Babylon Academy of Magic and Force, students could graduate as long as they passed through a gauntlet of exams. Of course, if students wanted to continue their journey with the academy, they were free to stay and study within the school grounds. Many majors would separate students according to apprentice, novice, and journeyman classes, but because there were too few necromancy students, all the students were lumped into one class.

At this moment, Han Shuo was concentrating with all his might, and a trace of joyous glee could be seen in the smile on his lowered head. It had been just a few moments, but Han Shuo had already thought through some of the theories that had perplexed him endlessly, thanks to Gene’s explanations. His tepid, old-fashioned tone was the soothing music of angels to Han Shuo’s ears, and he lost himself in it.

Bam sounded out as a student, wearing magician’s robes, suddenly fell down in front of Han Shuo. His butt stuck up in the air as his face became intimately acquainted with the white marble floors. He grimaced in pain as he picked himself up, turned to glare at Han Shuo, and said angrily, “Bryan, how dare you trip me with the broom handle.”

“Ah… I was only sweeping!” Han Shuo immediately responded with a panicked, upraised voice when he saw that the person was Fitch.

Fitch was 176 cm tall and had light blue hair. His thin frame combined with a billowy magician’s robe, made him look like a wrapped up wooden stick. He was a journeyman mage in the necromancy major, and had long wanted to pass the tests to be promoted to adept mage. Unfortunately, he had failed multiple times, and rumor had it that he’d made another attempt. It would seem that he’d just returned.

Han Shuo had been enthralled by Gene’s lecture on foundational magic and had paid no heed to the broom in his hand. No wonder Fitch had been tripped.

“Eh? Fitch has come back. Heh heh, did you fail again? Looks like you need to try much harder if you want to become an adept mage. I welcome your return. Bryan must not have done it on purpose just now, don’t mind him!” Gene have a light laugh in the classroom, and spoke with concealed banter.

Han Shuo was not in the least grateful for Gene speaking up for him, but rather cursed him for poking his nose in other people’s business.

Fitch had a bad temper to begin with, but wasn’t really a bad sort. Even though he had failed on countless occasions to pass the adept mage exams, he still experimented tirelessly due to his great love for necromancy. Fitch was the leader of Bach and a few others, but normally wouldn’t pick on Bryan and other errand boys.

However, both Fitch and Gene had a crush on Fanny. Fitch tried so hard to advance to adept class in large part due to something Fanny had said before,“I will only consider you if you become an adept mage.”

Because of this, this teacher and student pair disliked each other intensely. If it wasn’t for Gene’s words, Han Shuo might have escaped further retribution, but now that Gene had spoken, it was bound to have the opposite effect.