The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 240
I returned to the academy.
It felt like I hadn’t been here in ages.
‘Well, I’ve been running around like crazy.’
With the start of the second semester, there was the Noble House dispute, the Durandal incident, the battle with the Demon Duke Roshran, and now the epidemic crisis.
An overwhelming series of events had unfolded in a short period.
‘Maybe it wasn’t such a short period? It’s already mid-second semester.’
The flow of seasons here is similar to Earth’s. The second semester began in slightly warm weather, and now the cold was approaching.
‘Still, it’s peaceful after a long time.’
It was the calm between storms, no?
Although the Emperor had returned to politics, nothing major had happened immediately.
Even troublemaking takes time, so it would be quiet for a while.
‘Is this a brief rest period?’
I wondered.
Maybe it was because of all the intense hard work?
I wanted to rest. Nicely!
The problem was that even while resting, a part of me felt uneasy.
‘Knowing that the end could be approaching soon, how can I rest easy?’
It felt like having an exam right around the corner and wasting time.
It seemed like I should be doing something.
‘…There is one way. A way to rest without feeling guilty.’
I looked at the academy schedule.
As I mentioned earlier, it was already mid-semester.
A big event, the midterm exams, was approaching.
‘I’ll make the midterms as difficult as possible for the students.’
To prepare for the impending end, preventing various calamities was important, but the growth of the protagonists was paramount.
Before the end of this semester, it was crucial that the key protagonists reached Level 5.
‘Reaching Level 5 is vital because, from that point on, they can experience rapid growth given the right triggers, just as I was able to use Level 7 spells as soon as I touched my own Path of Magic.’
Of course, this doesn’t mean the protagonists can achieve the same as I did.
But with the ‘protagonist buff,’ they could achieve miracles beyond common sense.
‘Level 5 during the second semester. It’s not impossible.’
All the main and sub-main protagonists were already on the verge of reaching Level 4.
They were progressing much faster than the scenario.
With a little help from me as a professor, they could reach Level 5 within the semester.
Helping as a professor meant making the exams difficult.
When does a student’s ability improve the most?
When they listen to a good lecture? Not at all.
It’s when they face a challenging exam.
‘…And, since I won’t be the one studying for the exams, I can relax and take it easy in the background.’
In other words, it was a plan to enjoy some leisure time without a guilty conscience.
With this in mind, I attended the exam preparation committee meeting.
“Oh, Professor Van, you’re here?”
“We’ve been waiting for you.”
“Please, have a seat!”
“Respect, respect, respect!”
The professors already in the meeting room stood up to greet me enthusiastically.
Hmm, my status at the academy has skyrocketed recently.
It wasn’t low before, but now it’s almost at the level of the highest authority.
‘Being considered one of the Ten Seats does that.’
The term ‘Ten Seats’ isn’t commonly used, but it’s similar to the concept of the Ten Demons.
It’s an honorary title given to the ten most powerful and renowned individuals, excluding the Ascendants.
Duke Alfonso, the Sword King, the Dark Lord, Chancellor Schneizer of Sapphire Academy, and my father, Duke Huan, are among them.
Incidentally, my father is a Level 7 Master in terms of power, but he is considered one of the Ten Seats due to his immense influence in the empire’s society.
‘Come to think of it, Duke Alfonso, my father, and Schneider are part of both the Ten Demons and the Ten Seats.’
But that’s not the important part.
The Ten Seats also include individuals like:
Chancellor Karl Gritton of Amethyst.
The late Chancellor/President Lupus of Peridot.
Former Chancellor Rudolph of Ruby.
Among these, Chancellor Lupus and former Chancellor Rudolph have stepped down from their positions within the Ten Seats. However, the noteworthy point is this:
The chancellors of the Four Great Academies often hold positions within the Ten Seats.
‘The title isn’t given solely based on martial prowess but also on the accumulated fame and achievements. Since chancellors of the Four Great Academies typically amass significant renown, it makes sense.’
There’s also a trend or rule:
When a professor from the Four Great Academies ascends to the Ten Seats, they often become the chancellor shortly thereafter.
Of course, from my perspective, I’d decline such a bothersome position if offered, but other professors likely see me ascending to the pinnacle of the academy soon.
There’s a strong basis for this speculation.
“Ho ho ho. Professor Van, welcome. You’ve accomplished such remarkable feats. It’s as if you have an aura shining behind you.”
This is due to Chancellor Karak’s credentials.
Chancellor Karak is a highly distinguished individual.
A Level 7 Master and a war hero who played a significant role in the wars against the Seven Kingdoms.
However, compared to former Chancellor Rudolph and the other chancellors of the Four Great Academies, he falls short.
Was he exceptional as a chancellor?
Not at all.
Since Chancellor Karak’s appointment, Ruby has been in decline.
Chancellor Karak has deliberately fostered this decline.
Because of this, there have been calls for Chancellor Karak’s removal. Recently, with my name being mentioned as a candidate for the Ten Seats, the atmosphere has become rather peculiar.
“Ho ho. I wonder if I should vacate my position for you, Professor Van,”
Chancellor Karak said meaningfully.
I suddenly found myself pondering, ‘Should I really just get rid of him?’
At this point in the original timeline, Chancellor Karak was an untouchable, absolute force lurking in the shadows.
However, due to the escalating scale of the incidents, his influence had somewhat dimmed.
Honestly, if I pushed myself, it seemed entirely possible to oust Chancellor Karak.
‘…No, I can’t do that. Chancellor Karak might resort to self-destruction.’
Chancellor Karak’s family name, Braus, is well-known to those familiar with the academic circles of the academy.
The Braus family played a significant role in founding Ruby Academy.
They produced the first chancellor and, over generations, many professors and chancellors for Ruby.
Chancellor Karak’s relatively weak credentials were outweighed by this formidable background.
As a result, he knows the most secrets about Ruby’ seals.
If cornered, he might tamper with the seals and cause significant trouble.
‘For now, let’s keep an eye on him. Whatever moves Chancellor Karak tries to make, I should be able to preempt them.’
Above all,
‘Chancellor Karak has changed.’
Karak’s goal was the downfall of Ruby.
Originally, by now, he should have been scheming all sorts of sinister plans, but he had been rather quiet.
Of course, he didn’t completely refrain from mischief, as seen when he involved the demons during the Noble House incident, but this was much quieter compared to his original self.
‘Could he be conflicted?’
He had shown faint signs of this before.
I know. My behavior is disgusting…
Professor Van is directly under my jurisdiction. I can’t just let him die.
There were unexpected glimpses of Chancellor Karak’s intentions.
The most decisive was when we maintained the holy attribute barrier this time.
Professors and students worked together, and leading the faculty was Professor Burnstein.
However, I later heard that Chancellor Karak had subtly helped as well.
‘Of course, this alone doesn’t confirm that Chancellor Karak has changed.’
Karak didn’t want Ruby to be annihilated by an external force.
Karak’s goal was for Ruby to fall ‘disgracefully.’
It might be a yandere-like mindset of, ‘Only I can bring down Ruby,’ that drove him to assist, but I decided to observe him a bit longer.
‘If I can truly change Chancellor Karak, he could be a major asset when the end comes.’
Ouroboros targeting the Four Great Academies is because they play a crucial role in the end times.
Especially central to this is Ruby.
If Chancellor Karak were to side with us, he would become one of the strongest gatekeepers.
However, that will be a matter for later.
For now, I had other business to attend to.
“I have a proposal.”
Instantly, everyone focused on my voice.
There was even a hint of respect in their eyes.
Compared to when I was disparaged and called “Van the Trash,” the world had completely changed.
For reference, most of the professors who had belittled me in the past had left the academy. The ones who remained were all respectable in their own right.
This meant that:
“How long must we endure being called the weakest of the Four Great Academies?”
“!!”
“I want our Ruby Academy to become the best among the Four Great Academies. Is there anyone here who disagrees with me?”
Everyone present was someone who would listen earnestly to such a statement.
Gulp.
Everyone wore serious expressions, and with enough groundwork laid, I began to outline my plan.
“I propose that we conduct the ‘Top of Ruby’ exam during the upcoming midterms.”
* * *
Top of Ruby.
Although the name sounds grandiose, it simply means adding an extraordinarily difficult exam.
Of course, just making it difficult isn’t enough.
My goal is to help the protagonists gain the insights necessary to reach Level 5.
“What’s this Top of Ruby? Is it a common exam for all grades?”
“How can freshmen compete with the upperclassmen?”
“Actually, it might be doable. The problems are posted on the Mirror Board, and they aren’t necessarily easier for the upperclassmen.”
The students’ faces changed as they checked the Mirror Board.
“Isn’t this problem set by Professor Vangre?”
“Definitely. No one else would come up with such problems.”
There were three problems in total.
A painting, a poem, and the lyrics to a song were posted, and the task was to analyze the meanings of swordsmanship and magic within these three artworks.
“This might actually be fun?”
“Yeah, it’s like solving puzzles bit by bit while studying for exams.”
However, this was the reaction of the average students.
Ignorance is bliss, they say?
Professor Burnstein clicked his tongue.
“…How can you set exam questions that even I can’t solve? Plus, they have the cruel trap of seeming solvable at first glance.”
And that wasn’t all.
“More importantly, won’t solving these problems inevitably lead them to confront their inner magic?”
