The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 45
Exactly, it was the Assassin Clan.
“Could it be that you received the Curse of the Abyss?”
“I had some secret business with the demons, so I went to the Abyss and ended up getting cursed.”
The secret business was actually an assassination contract, which could have put my newly acquired dragon daughter at risk.
“Please! Our clan must repay! Please allow me to become your servant!”
Seeing her kneel down and almost bang her head on the floor, I was stunned.
‘Conscripting the mightiest Assassin Clan as servants. Absolutely not…’
In an instant, I blinked.
‘…Is there anything wrong with it?’
Amanda’s insistence was due to the clan’s law, so I had no fear of betrayal.
Instead, it meant gaining the most reliable subordinates.
‘…They’ll be much more trustworthy than Hans or Lindon.’
The problem lay in the discomfort.
‘If I make a mistake, I could end up entangled with the Sun Moon Clan for no reason.’
The Sun Moon Clan was also a force involved in the storyline.
One of the 16 protagonists was also from the Sun and Moon Clan.
‘Fine, I give up. Anyway, I already have enough with Hans and Lindon… It’s not like they’ve done me any good. Damn it.’
I fell silent for a moment.
Recalling their pathetic appearances, I suddenly felt incredibly reluctant to give up on Amanda.
In the end, I came up with a cunning plan.
“I refuse. Making someone like you my servant would only cause trouble.”
“Ah…!”
Disappointment filled Amanda’s eyes.
Of course, my story wasn’t over yet.
I hastily continued speaking.
“However, if you truly wish to repay the favor, I suppose I can’t force you to stop there. Since we’re both colleagues, let’s agree that you’ll help me when needed.”
While I’m hesitant about forming a deep relationship, I’ll take the assistance!
“Thank you, angel! Is there anything you need right now? Please, tell me!”
I hesitated for a moment under Amanda’s loyal gaze.
In truth, there was something I needed right now.
“…Can you retrieve the bodies of demons for me?”
“Of course. You intend to use them as materials for magical research, correct? Just say the word. Whether it’s a Manticores, Hydra, Griffin, or any high-level demon, I’ll retrieve it for you.”
“…That’s settled then. They should be tender. Chewable, if you will.”
“……??”
“And, where is your house? Do you have a yard?”
“I have one in Zone 1. There’s a yard too. Why do you ask?”
Of course, the wealthy Assassin Clan.
Even in the Free City, they managed to acquire a house in the most expensive Zone 1.
‘While I’m stuck in Zone 5 next to the slums. And that’s just a single room.’
Envy will get you nowhere.
“Well, it’s because…”
I struggled to explain the reason, but suddenly, a tiny face popped out from my pocket.
Kyu!
“!!”
Seeing Amanda’s startled eyes, I let out a sigh.
“…Just take care of this little one for a while. Only until I get a new place.”
Where I currently live is too sensitive to noise between floors, not an environment suitable for a baby dragon.
“Thankfully, dragons are solitary animals, so she’ll grow up on her own without specifically seeking out her parents.”
When dragons raise their young, they provide a nest and then leave them be.
They only protect from afar, allowing them to grow up on their own.
‘Guiding them to realize and grow on their own in solitude? It’s hard to understand with human logic.’
It was fortunate for me.
But then,
Kyuo?
As I tried to leave, the baby dragon tilted its head and let out a whimper.
“…I have to go.”
Kyuu?
“…Our house is too small for you to come.”
…Kyuuu.
The whimper sounded somehow mournful.
“…The floorboards are all rotten, so every step you take would make a loud noise. The mercenaries living below have dirty temperaments and won’t tolerate it.”
Dump!
Surprisingly, the baby dragon seemed to understand my words. As soon as I spoke, it jumped down and stealthily walked away.
Kyuu kyuu.
A whimper that seemed to plead for me to be careful and not abandon it.
In the end, I uttered words I would later regret.
“…I’m canceling the arrangement to leave the little thing with you.”
“My angel?”
“Instead, please find some soundproofing magic tools for me.”
Amanda nodded.
“As expected, you’re a kind person, angel.”
“…No, I am not.”
“As a descendant of the Sun and Moon Clan, I’ve had several opportunities to interact with baby dragons while on duty, but this is the first time I’ve seen one so happy.”
Hyuu!
As Amanda said, the baby dragon was looking up at me with an excited expression, almost like a puppy.
I made a complicated face.
‘Can’t help it. It would be troublesome if it grew up crooked and turned into a dragon of destruction just because I left it.’
So, it was a choice made out of concern for the world’s future, not because I recalled my past self being left by my parents and growing up.
‘Anyway, the new semester is starting soon.’
I turned my gaze.
The academy grounds were quiet without any students.
But that would change in a few days.
It was the beginning of the new semester.
Finally, it was time for the protagonists to take the stage.
* * *
The time for the protagonists.
It wasn’t a wrong expression.
More accurately, it could be seen as the time for the students.
After all, no matter what anyone said, the main actors of the academy were the students.
Indeed, as the new semester approached, people were paying attention to the students.
“At any academy, there seem to be quite a few remarkable newcomers this time.”
“Yes, even the Ruby Academy has some outstanding candidates.”
“The direct descendants of the prestigious families of magic and swordsmanship, as well as the disciples of the Azure Dragon and the son of the North Sea Lord, choosing to attend the Ruby Academy—impossible, isn’t it?”
“Is that all? Unofficial as it may be, even ‘that person’ from the Imperial Palace has decided to enroll at Ruby Academy.”
“Wow, ‘that person’ from the Imperial Palace? Is it true? The Second Prince must be uncomfortable.”
The weight that academies hold in imperial society is immense.
Countless connections are made through academies, and various cultural and social activities are closely related to them.
It’s not for nothing that academies are called the flowers of the Empire.
As such, everyone’s interest was piqued by who would enroll as a new student and who would stand out.
It could be seen as entertainment.
There were many media outlets specialized in covering only academy gossip.
However, it wasn’t just the new students that people were paying attention to.
“I heard that even the new professors at Ruby Academy are quite illustrious this time, right?”
“It’s what I heard, but surprisingly, he doesn’t seem to stand out much. Can you believe that Professor Banregi is leading the training as the top scholar?”
“Can’t believe they’re worse than Young Van. Everyone was making a big deal out of nothing, it seems.”
The assessment of Van’s performance was still poor among people.
However, not everyone shared that sentiment.
“Maybe Young Van has really changed.”
“Nah, really?”
“Of course, I don’t believe it either, but similar rumors keep coming up.”
Of course, these reactions were only from a minority.
The majority’s reaction was more like this:
“Could it be that the Ecclesia Duke manipulated the media to break the family’s tradition?”
“Yeah, you have to take it with a grain of salt. Just because you hear rumors doesn’t mean that Young Van suddenly becomes some legendary genius.”
It couldn’t be helped.
It had been over 10 years since Van had been considered trash. The roots of prejudice ran deep.
However, there were those who viewed Van from a completely different perspective.
“…As expected, Young Van seems to fit the description of the Unknown Star of the Prophecy.”
It was Renius, the Apostle of Ouroboros!
“It’s troublesome. We can’t predict what the Young Duke Van will become. We can’t just leave it alone.”
“Will you take matters into your own hands?”
At the question from his subordinate, the Second Prince shook his head.
“I cannot. There’s no need for that. I intend to exploit Van’s weaknesses.”
“I ask what of this weakness you say?”
“It’s his character.”
“!!”
The Second Prince, Renius, smirked.
“Even if Van is indeed a prodigy, there’s an insurmountable flaw: his twisted character. It’s something he simply can’t overcome.”
The subordinate nodded in agreement.
It wasn’t for nothing that he was called ‘Van’.
“Van isn’t a student; he’s a professor. What professors need isn’t just outstanding skills but also temperament. There’s no way someone like Van could properly fulfill the role of a professor. Please instruct the Minister of Education, Marquis Maxim, accordingly.”
Upon hearing the Second Prince’s instructions, the subordinate nodded in admiration.
It was a stratagem that Van’s character could never overcome.
“This time, Van will surely be expelled from the Ruby Academy.”
With the Second Prince’s confident tone, a single official letter from the Ministry of Education was dispatched to the Ruby Academy.
* * *
Finally, the day of the entrance ceremony had arrived.
‘The entrance of the protagonists.’
Soon, the gates of the auditorium would open, and the students attending the ceremony would enter.
With a heart filled with excitement and anxiety, I eagerly awaited the sight of the students.
‘I wonder what kind of protagonists have enrolled?’
Aside from Catherine and Libel, there would be one protagonist each in the Swordsmanship, Humanities, and Support departments.
‘Please, don’t have Yodo.’
Just the thought of Yodo sent shivers down my spine.
‘We must also avoid the villainous protagonists. Especially the ‘Slaughterer’.’
Just for reference, if we classify the 16 protagonists, they would be as follows:
4 Main Protagonists
4 Sub-Main Protagonists
4 Supporting Protagonists
4 Villainous Protagonists
What I hope for are from the 4 Supporting Protagonists.
Their roles in the storyline are minor, and they go through relatively smooth paths.
‘Or perhaps, the Sub-Main Protagonists would be acceptable too.’
The worst-case scenario would involve the Main Protagonists and the Villainous Protagonists.
Especially the villainous protagonists.
As the name suggests, their default setting in the scenario is as villains.
If not “regenerated,” they act as antagonists. And not just any, but terrifyingly overpowered villains.
‘Especially someone like ‘Slaughterer.’ That’s the worst. With their background, regeneration is nearly impossible, and stopping their villainous deeds is extremely challenging.’
“Students, please take your seats!”
Finally, the students began to enter, and soon enough, I spotted a familiar face.
A finely handsome youth, almost like a sculpted figure.
‘Theren, from the Swordsmanship Clan.’
He was the Sub-Main Protagonist of the Swordsmanship Department.
While Theren possessed a rigid personality that felt too idealized for my taste, I couldn’t deny that he was tolerable as a protagonist.
Next, the “Named Students” caught my eye.
‘They play significant roles in the Ruby Storyline.’
The problem lay with the other protagonists.
‘…Why aren’t the remaining two showing up?’
There should be one each from the Humanities Department and the Support Department, but they were nowhere to be seen.
‘There should be one assigned to each department. Why aren’t they here?’
Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.
‘…Could it be that they skipped the entrance ceremony? Both of the remaining protagonists?’
Skipping the entrance ceremony.
It was an unusual notion to entertain, but entirely plausible when it came to protagonists.
‘There are plenty with negligent personalities.’
Just thinking about potential candidates for skipping made me think of over five.
The issue was that most of these candidates were ticking time bombs.
‘…Even Yodo and the Slaughterer were incredibly negligent in their personalities.’
