Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: The Life Magic Dean's Intrusion
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“Max!”
Master had returned.
Meiko flung open the shop door, her blue hair swaying.
“Budget cuts? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
The moment she heard the news about the Illusion Magic School's funding being slashed, I'd sent her a letter.
A message saying we needed countermeasures.
It was true that, thanks to her extensive research achievements and contributions, we'd been receiving a disproportionately large amount of funding relative to our small staff.
But this was compensation calculated based on results.
Slashing it abruptly just because we had few members made no sense.
To resolve this, we needed the help of the dean—her—so I'd called in Meiko, who was busy with research.
“Exactly what it sounds like. The executors are cutting our budget by 25%.”
“25% of 80 gold is 20 gold? Just like that?”
“Yes.”
“...Unbelievable. Do you have any idea how many achievements I've racked up with my research?”
“I contacted the dean, but since you were away, Master, they said they didn't notify you separately.”
“You couldn't reach me because I wasn't in my lab? Hah! What a joke! I reported to both the Finance Department and the Magic Department exactly where I was going before I left!”
She spat out her words like pent-up rage, then bit her lip.
“Is this because I skipped basic magic research to focus on giving illusion magic physical force? It's all research to make the Illusion School more useful... This treatment is too much. Are they trying to kill off all the marginalized schools?!”
She was furious.
More than the budget cut itself, she seemed angry that they'd proceeded without even contacting her.
“What's their reason?”
I pointed to the shop.
“They said our revenue is 5 gold a month, so the funding gets cut.”
“What? Over a measly 5 gold?”
“The rule is that if revenue per affiliated mage exceeds 2 gold, funding drops by 20%.”
“We only have two people! How can they apply that rule to us? It's meant to prevent wasteful spending on bloated budgets...”
She trailed off mid-sentence, letting out a deep sigh laced with frustration.
But there was something even more important than the budget cut.
“The executors came to our shop yesterday.”
“What? Why?”
“They suspected us of demon summoning.”
Meiko's brow furrowed at that.
“Those bastards!”
A rough curse burst from Meiko's lips.
It was the first time.
I'd never seen her swear like that.
It was the outburst of long-suffering illusion mages.
“We've explained a hundred times that illusion magic isn't like that, and now this again?”
Illusion magic had long been dismissed as something demon lords or demons used.
To change that perception, not just Master but all previous mages had worked tirelessly on research.
Proving that illusion magic wasn't a skill demons learned.
Master Meiko had even gone to war against the demon lord's army herself.
She'd dismantled traps set by demon lords and monsters to push forward.
Despite all that effort to shift perceptions, being treated as demonic magic again had pushed her rage to the boiling point.
“This is definitely a ploy by the Blaster or Life Magic schools to keep us in check.”
“The major schools called the Empire's Six Great Magics are targeting us?”
“Of course! If we gain physical force, we'll outclass Blaster or Life Magic by a mile.”
I could agree to an extent.
If strong illusion magic gained physical force, it could shatter enemies more efficiently than any other magic.
But even so, Blaster keeping us in check?
That seemed like a bit of a stretch.
“We need countermeasures.”
“You're going to confront them?”
“Naturally. I'll go demand answers. And call an emergency meeting.”
She pulled the Illusion School emblem from her pocket and pinned it to her chest.
A sign that she was officially resuming her duties as dean of the Illusion School.
“It's been a while since I did dean work.”
Meiko said, rolling her shoulders.
“But I handled it roughly. I sent the executors packing and made sure they knew we were innocent.”
Even so, Meiko shook her head at my words.
“That won't cut it. You know how nasty those guys in the Magic Department and the other deans are. Think they'll back off that easily? I need to go in person and settle this properly.”
Her face was filled with distrust toward the Magic Department and the other deans.
“Should I come with you?”
She shook her head at my question.
“Not today. You're my prized disciple and a key officer who could act as dean proxy if needed, but you need to mind the shop. Customers might show up.”
“Understood.”
“And leave this to the dean. That's what deans are for when shit hits the fan, right? Your master will handle everything.”
She pounded her chest confidently.
Her overconfidence made me uneasy instead.
“You sure you'll be okay?”
“Of course. You think I'll go mana berserk in the Magic Department and trash the place? Or kidnap the top mages and admins, trapping them in illusions to relive their worst memories hundreds of times?”
The details only made me more worried.
“I won't do that stuff. I'll just have a peaceful talk and come back.”
Meiko read my expression and smiled.
“You really sure?”
“I said I'm fine. My disciple worries too damn much.”
It's true that illusion magic, lacking physical force, had lost its appeal to many.
Most spells could be dismantled easily with a bit of focus.
But an illusion cast by a mage of Meiko's caliber could inflict mental trauma without physical force.
“I'm not stupid enough to do something dumb at a negotiation.”
She flashed a bright smile and headed to the Magic Department.
I watched her retreating figure with an anxious face.
‘I handled it well, but...’
As she said, they weren't the type to give up after one dismissal.
Mages are persistent.
The kind who'll make thousands of attempts for one truth.
They never quit until they get the result they want.
The word "obsession" fit them perfectly.
‘The problem is not knowing who reported us.’
I'd planned to stay put until we identified the reporter.
Knowing the enemy minimizes risks when you move.
Plus, as not a dean like Meiko, my authority was limited.
But if Dean Meiko called an emergency meeting, we'd know soon enough.
Once we knew who threw the first block, I had no reason to hold back.
Then I'd go and give them a proper thrashing.
As I thought that and tidied the shop—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Someone pounded roughly on the door.
Who is it?
At this hour.
“Who is it?”
“Open the door. We know you're in there.”
A familiar voice.
But not one of our regular customers.
I opened the door, and there stood a woman with long green hair, glaring at me with furrowed brows.
“Aurora Dean, isn't it?”
It was Aurora, dean of the Life Magic School.
Before opening the shop, we'd crossed paths several times at the magic school.
Among the deans, she was from the same cohort as our dean Meiko and the youngest after her.
Like Meiko, she'd been hailed as a genius mage.
Now just turning thirty, she harbored a strange inferiority complex toward Meiko.
“Long time no see, Max.”
“Was it you, Dean? The one who reported us to the executors and guards for the absurd claim of summoning demons?”
She didn't answer.
But that silence was answer enough, and I knew it.
“You hate Master that much?”
“Me? Hate Meiko? What's there to hate? That she awakened to magic a bit earlier than me?”
She smirked, crossing her arms.
“Jealous that she became dean of the worthless Illusion School no one wants?”
Her words insulted not just our school but Master Meiko—I clenched my fist.
“Is being dean of Life Magic School more valuable, or dean of the nameless Illusion School?”
“I can't just let that slide.”
“Is a mere regular mage challenging a dean right now?”
She wagged her finger with a laugh.
Confident she could end me with a flick.
“Fine by me. Life Magic gets misunderstood as weak in combat too often. Good chance to change that perception.”
“...I'm sorry.”
I needed to back off now.
A combat-weak mage dueling the Life Magic dean was absurd.
Even against thinner-mana mages, you could crush with mana mass, but not against dean-level.
“Whatever. Young blood can lead to rash mistakes. I'm here because the executors might've missed something—I came personally.”
“......”
“You know I'm thorough about this stuff, right, Max? You helped with my research once, didn't you?”
“Never happened.”
“Oh, my mistake. There are so many mages like you—bootlickers trying to impress deans.”
“Is that so?”
“Anyway, mind if I come in? You won't refuse, right? Seems Meiko's not here.”
“...Come in.”
I stepped aside to let her enter.
“Ew, dusty. Clean up if you wanna live. Smells awful. Or maybe you're going for this vibe on purpose. Demons like gloomy spots, they say.”
“Is that so?”
“Life Magic mages are meticulous—we don't miss details like this. Didn't Meiko teach you? Guess not.”
“......”
She scanned the shop.
Passing the lounge slowly, she grabbed the veil to the massage—or recovery—room with its magic circle, turning to me with a mischievous smile.
“Curious why I reported you?”
“......”
“Not even a beggar would come to this rundown dump—why report it?”
“I was. We'd heard whispers calling Illusion School demonic magic, but no fellow mage ever reported us directly before.”
“That's because you're encroaching on our turf.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look at you, playing dumb. Think I don't know?”
Aurora smirked, whispering a name.
“Yuris. And Niki.”
“......”
“The 1st Knight Order wants to cancel their service contract with us? We Life Magic handled their fatigue recovery.”
Rage rose in her gritted-teeth voice.
“Some bastard thinks he can swoop in and steal the pipeline I built, splitting my research time to fight alongside them on battlefields?”
“You filed this false report because Yuris-nim visited our shop?”
“Of course. No way cheap illusion magic recovered Yuris's fatigue. You faked it with illusions.”
“Yuris-nim wouldn't fall for a trick like...”
“That's why it's demon sorcery. Sophisticated enough to fool even the Goddess of Victory.”
Absurd speculation.
Aurora was forcing excuses out of anger over losing a client.
“Am I wrong?”
“You are. We used real illusion magic, not a demon pact...”
“Doesn't matter what's true. This shop closes after today anyway.”
“What?”
“Told you—damn competitor nearly stole my clients. What's the fix?”
“You'll kill the competition?”
“Bingo. I'll wipe this place out. Don't worry—fabricating guilt is easier than you think.”
Aurora laughed and swept the veil aside.
Swish!
A massive magic circle revealed.
It filled the room, etched densely even into the walls.
“A windowless room, circle on walls, floor, ceiling. To magic newbies, it'd look just like a real demon summoning circle. Right?”
“Aurora-nim, you...”
She wasn't like this before.
Not this greedy.
How did this happen?
Probably her inferiority complex—Life Magic always overshadowed by divine power.
She'd always suffered for it.
Not just her.
Most Life Magic mages obsessed over surpassing the divine church, branded as its offshoot.
That was why I'd never chosen Life Magic—seen as inferior to divine.
‘What's Yuris mean to her?’
To change her this drastically.
“Impressive circle. You're skilled—such a waste. You could've surpassed divine in Life Magic if you'd joined us.”
“Aurora-nim.”
“It's fine. I won't hurt Meiko—hate doing dirty to a peer. You sacrifice a bit. Shop closes for good.”
“Sorry, but no.”
“What?”
I'd not planned to go this far.
I eyed Aurora's feet inside the magic circle.
Admiring it unprotected, fully exposed to illusion magic.
If I cast now, she'd be trapped.
In a fair fight, I might lose.
But in perfect conditions, even Master Meiko couldn't break my illusions.
Same for the hero, saintess, victory knight, high elf.
“Guess I can't let you leave, Dean.”
“What are you—”
“See you in the illusion.”
“Hey! You crazy—”
She couldn't finish.
Snap!
I snapped my fingers, activating the illusion magic circle.
The massive illusion circle perfectly ensnared Aurora.
[Executing in Administrator Mode.]