The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 70
…
The atmosphere shifted dramatically.
The majesty of the black dragon enveloped the room.
‘Classic Van, always with the grand entrance.’
Even Catherine, who was familiar with Van, couldn’t help but be impressed, let alone the other students.
Caught off guard by Van’s unexpected demeanor, all the students focused intently, waiting for his next words.
Then,
“Did everyone bring their textbooks? Hand them over to Hans and Lindon, my teaching assistants. I’ll be keeping them for now.”
“You’re taking our textbooks? Why?”
“That’s because the material is full of sh… I mean, it’s too basic for you to grasp if I’m to teach that.”
“Basic? But we already know this stuff.”
The students looked bewildered.
This course was called <Understanding the Fundamentals of Magic>.
It was, as the name suggests, fundamental, and most students had studied it in preparation for their entrance exams.
“You think you ‘know’? Merely memorizing facts for the exam?”
“!!”
“What I intend to teach isn’t just surface-level knowledge. I’ll truly make you ‘understand’ what magic is.”
Indeed.
What Van aimed to do was exactly like the course’s title: to provide the understanding of magic.
He planned to show all the students what magic truly was.
And then,
The students’ eyes widened in astonishment.
The lecture they were about to experience was unlike anything they had encountered before.
A groundbreaking lecture, the likes of which they had never heard or seen.
* * *
The Mirror Tablet.
A remote magical device that allowed connection to the academy’s Philosopher’s Stone through a small mirror.
Students used this mirror for various purposes, including research, one of which was the ‘Anonymous Board.’
Writing a message using a specific code on the mirror would leave the same message inscribed in a corner of the Philosopher’s Stone, turning it into a sort of graffiti wall.
This was also referred to as the Mirror Board.
And today, that board exploded.
Is today’s lecture by Professor Van for real?
Why? How was it? Spill the details.
As if Van’s lecture wouldn’t be a disaster lol.
No need to attend to know it was pitiful. Poor Section 2. Their exam scores will hit rock bottom.
Are you all deaf? I’m in Section 2, and Professor Van’s lecture was amazing?
The comments on the Mirror Board came to a sudden halt.
But only for a moment.
An explosive number of replies surged in.
Amazing my foot. Are you out of your mind?
Ugh. That’s what you call a lecture? I didn’t pay tuition to listen to crap like that!
It was a great lecture, though. Maybe it’s just that you’re not up to par?
Ah, perhaps you’re one of those teaching assistants? That shiny bald head dude? Tough job, condolences!
Or maybe you’re Professor Van himself? Since the faculty would have access codes, right?
No, really, it was good! What’s wrong with you rotten folks?
Professor, pretending to be a student and leaving insults is against the school rules.
Fervently typing away on the Mirror Board, Catherine scowled.
‘It was actually pretty good? Are everyone’s eyes messed up? Sure, it was a bit unconventional.’
No, “unconventional” might not have been the right word.
It was groundbreaking.
Or more accurately, “insane” was the correct term.
Catherine recalled the lecture.
Try drawing a star on a blank sheet.
…The constellation for celestial magic? We’re not from the magic department, that would be impossible?
As repeatedly stated, this was a general education course.
Most attendees couldn’t perform magic.
Who asked for a constellation? Just draw a star.
…Just a star? Why do something like that?
If you can’t even understand a star, or rather, lines and dots, you want to learn about celestial magic? That’s arrogant.
!!
And with that, Van continuously gave bizarre instructions.
Draw a triangle. Draw a pentagon.
Place dots at regular intervals.
Connect the lines.
And so on.
Content that could make one mistake this for an art class, not magic.
When students couldn’t bear it anymore and protested,
If you desire magical knowledge as a form of humanities, I can explain as much as you want. But what does that leave you with? You could get that sort of trash from skimming through a textbook.
…
As I said before, I want you to truly understand magic through the essence of this course. Regardless of your department or the path you take in the future, it will be of great benefit to you.
Despite following Van’s instructions, the dissatisfaction among the students didn’t dissipate.
No one could grasp the connection between understanding magic and drawing dots and lines.
Any unnecessary explanations at your current level will only be harmful. Just keep drawing. Don’t think, don’t try to feel anything.
As they mindlessly followed Van’s directive to draw geometric shapes, the first lecture ended, and the students were seething.
Insane! Is he making us draw because he has nothing to teach?
What’s the homework? Draw the same shapes we did today 100 times? No way!
Judging by the way he lectures, he’ll probably be kicked out soon.
‘…This is actually a very beneficial practice. I don’t know about other departments, but why can’t the magic department students catch on?’
Catherine scoffed.
In fact, she had done the same exercise in the past.
It was instructed by the now-deceased head of the renowned magical family, who said to her:
You lack talent in magic. Hmm. Despite being born with the destiny of a hero, why is your talent like this? Just do this for now. If you keep repeating it, you will start to feel something.
For context, the former head was a Level 9 Ascendant.
Following the teachings, Catherine, once the utmost dullard, barely managed to make her way into the world of magic.
‘…But this requires a lot of repetition to be effective. He can’t possibly continue like this, can he? The students won’t stand for it.’
Her concerns were valid.
The second lecture was exactly the same.
The only difference was this addition:
“Draw with concentration.”
“…Concentration?”
“Yes. Don’t let any unnecessary thoughts in. Anyway, trying to think won’t help since you know nothing of this. Just look at the lines and dots you are drawing.”
It truly sounded like nonsense.
Today’s class was truly legendary.
Concentrate, my foot! A dot is a dot, a line is a line!
Ugh. Typical Trash Van.
You’re all ignorant, not to see the value of this exercise. I think it’s going to be really helpful? I have a friend from a magic family who did similar exercises?
…I-I also… really like Professor Van’s classes. Everyone else… please shut up.
Van’s teaching assistants, your hard work is appreciated. Spreading false information and cursing is against school rules.
Catherine and Libel silently observed the Mirror Board.
They tried to support with defensive comments, but were overwhelmed by the opposing fire.
Even to Catherine, the students’ complaints were understandable.
While it was undoubtedly a good method, it seemed more suited to diligent, solitary practice rather than as lecture material.
‘…What exactly is Professor Van thinking?’
* * *
The fac… rather, the lab was in chaos.
“Ah, Van. I told you it was too much! Do you have any idea how many student complaints have been filed? Look at these papers! Ah, Mari, don’t chew on the complaint forms just because you’re defending the professor!”
Chomp! Chomp!
“Alas, do they not understand the grand intention of the Master? The Master is enacting a blood revenge on those students who slandered him. From the next lecture, he will truly show his greatness, right, Master?”
The expected commotion ensued.
I sipped my coffee gracefully, unfazed.
“Don’t worry. Everything is going according to plan.”
“Plan? Nonsense! Are you out of your mind?”
It wasn’t Lindon or Hans.
Turning my head, I saw a man with a stern look on his face, scowling at me.
“You are…?”
“…Don’t tell me you don’t remember? The former foster child of the magic nobility, the prodigy of the magical world, and the most anticipated among the temporary professors this term, Balas?”
“…Balas, right. I know you. State your business. Why are you here?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know? Because of you, I’m also at risk of being expelled from the academy.”
His statement was unexpected.
“The <Understanding the Basics of Magic> you’re teaching. I’m the assistant professor.”
I hummed and nodded.
Typically, temporary professors were involved in main courses as assistants, and as luck would have it, Balas was assigned to mine.
“I won’t say this twice. Even now, proceed with the lecture according to the curriculum standards set by the Department of Education.”
“I am already aligning with those standards. Isn’t the objective of the course to make the students understand magic?”
“If we continue like this, both of us will be expelled!”
“What’s all the fuss about? Whether I do it this way or that, you seem destined for expulsion anyway.”
“…What did you say?”
Balas’s face hardened.
‘Perfect timing. I needed someone to make use of. Let’s handle this carefully.’
“Isn’t it true? Without the shadow of the magical nobility, who would care for you? Surely, you’re not deluded into thinking you’re something significant?”
“…Watch your words.”
Though his face flushed, he couldn’t deny it.
“I’ll give you a chance.”
“…What do you mean?”
“If you support my lecture with all your effort, I’ll ensure you receive full marks in the lecture evaluation. The choice is yours.”
“……”
Balas fell silent for a while.
Truthfully, I suspected Balas would not likely accept my offer.
‘He harbors deep resentment towards me, after all.’
Yet,
“I accept. I’ll follow your proposal.”
“…Truly?”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s merely a gamble on my part, hoping to ride on whatever luck you might bring.”
Balas growled his agreement.
“Remember, this is only a temporary alliance. Ultimately, I will be the victor.”
He then vanished, and I shrugged my shoulders.
Regardless of Balas’s intentions, it was fortunate to have secured a pawn to utilize.
“Van, is recruiting Professor Balas meant to introduce changes to the lecture content?”
“Yes.”
Comparatively, everything up to now was merely a warm-up before the main event.
To make the students ready for my ‘real’ lecture.
‘But, the final lecture preparation isn’t complete yet.’
I pondered for a moment.
While I could rely on Hans and Lindon, it wouldn’t be perfect.
‘I need the help of someone deeply versed in magic. Someone far beyond the likes of Balas.’
It was a challenging criterion to meet.
To the casual observer, Balas might seem unimpressive, but he was actually a 5-star Supreme Mage.
Finding someone with deeper expertise meant looking for at least a 6-star Mage.
‘I do have someone in mind.’
But I quickly shook my head.
“No.”
The person I had thought of was Professor Burnstein.
The head professor of the Department of Magic Theory.
‘I’ve already sided with Chancellor Karak. I’ve parted ways with Professor Burnstein.’
That’s what I was thinking when I heard a knock on the door. Lindon, pale-faced, stuttered as he opened it.
“S-Senior Van. Professor Tiger… Ah, no, Professor Burnstein is here.”
“!!”
Indeed, it was Professor Burnstein.
‘Is he here to persuade me to join the group of the former Chancellor Rudolph?’
But then, Professor Burnstein said something entirely unexpected.
“Do you need help?”
“How did you know?”
“Because I, too, have contemplated giving a lecture like yours. Of course, I never dared to proceed and gave it up. But I’ll help you.”
The very assistance I needed!
With Professor Burnstein’s support, everything would be perfect.
‘…But, doesn’t accepting his help mean I’m getting roped into something?’
I was wearing a troubled expression when Professor Burnstein looked straight at me and said,
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not interested in whatever faction you belong to. My expectations for you were as a mage, not for any political nonsense.”
“……”
“As a scholar of magic and a professor committed to teaching, I’m offering my help merely because I’m curious about the outcome of your lecture.”
Professor Burnstein’s gaze as he spoke was earnest, devoid of any personal agenda.
