Chapter 15: Prophecy of the weather

“Housemaster… you say?”

“It’s a school tradition. It’s a kind of custom for a professor of a certain subject to also serve as a housemaster.”

When I asked back in bewilderment at the news I had heard for the first time, she replied in a nonchalant tone.

“I’ve been managing the Obsidian dormitory until now, but since I’m retiring from my professorship, I’ll be stepping down as housemaster as well. From now on, it’s a position that you, the new professor, will have to take.”

There are a total of four student dormitories at the academy.

Red Carnelian, teal Jade, yellow Topaz, and jet-black Obsidian.

According to the school rules, academy students would live in one of the four in an orderly manner.

And now she’s telling me to manage such a place?

“Hehe, don’t think too hard about it. Most of the academic affairs will be handled by the staff. You just have to manage the students, literally.”

Perhaps my expression was not good, as Kamala burst into a hearty laugh and patted me.

“As the former housemaster, I was too strict with the students… so you, as my successor, can be a little more lenient. Follow your own principles and create the academic atmosphere you want. It won’t be a bad experience.”

“…I see.”

‘Is this a good thing or not?’

Housemaster. My head started to get complicated with the unexpected story.

What if the prince happens to enter Obsidian? Then I would have the optimal conditions for revenge.

If not, then it would only tie my feet and make me follow the students around.

Honestly, if I had the right to choose the freshmen I wanted, maybe.

Otherwise, there would be too many variables.

“By the way, this year’s list of new students is quite impressive. Aren’t you nervous as the next housemaster?”

Kamala added, as I was quietly contemplating.

“The competition to recruit outstanding freshmen will start to get fierce.”

“Competition?”

“Of course. You know that freshmen take a placement test before entering the dorm, right? At that time, some of those who get excellent scores are given the privilege to choose the dormitory they want.”

She explained with a light nod at my question.

“So, at the beginning of the semester, the competition among housemasters who are looking for talent becomes fierce. The more outstanding graduates a dormitory produces, the more the housemaster’s reputation rises. And isn’t the next Hero also scheduled to enter this year?”

The next Hero.

‘It’s true that this year is an exceptional semester, right?’

The simultaneous admission of the prince and princess. And even the next Hero is entering as an academy student.

And on top of that, the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom, who will be staying as an observer under the pretext of assisting the Hero.

It was a day that attracted the attention of the whole world, so it was understandable that they were putting so much effort into the entrance ceremony.

“How about it? Aren’t you interested as the next housemaster?”

Kamala Bishop playfully prodded.

Looking at her, I shook my head.

“I’m not interested in competition. I don’t want to fight over a student on the first day of school. Those who come will come, and those who go will go.”

At my nonchalant response, Kamala covered her mouth and laughed cheerfully.

“That’s an answer befitting an educator. I feel even more strongly that I made the right choice in appointing you.”

An answer befitting an educator.

Professor Bishop seemed to have understood it in a good way, but my true feelings were the opposite.

In the first place, I didn’t want the Hero to come to Obsidian.

The reason was simple.

‘If the Hero comes, the Saintess will follow, right?’

She says she’s protecting the students, but in the end, the Saintess’s range of action will be narrowed down to the Hero’s surroundings.

Even a regular nun would be annoying, but I had no intention of getting involved with a woman who was practically the symbol of the church.

I didn’t want to give even the slightest chance of my being a witch being revealed.

“Oh dear, I’ve been rambling on and holding up a busy person.”

Kamala said, checking the time on her pocket watch.

“I’ll be going now, Miss Anastasia. And after you’re done with your work, please come to my laboratory. I’ll give you a proper handover.”

“Understood, Professor.”

“Ah, one more thing. Even if you have an unavoidable matter today, do not enter the dean’s office.”

“The dean’s office? Is something wrong?”

Bardon Wolfred van Roakan, the dean of the Klomes Academy.

The affable old professor who, along with Professor Bishop, had pushed for my appointment.

He was the grandfather who had told me to come to the dean’s office anytime I had a question.

If Professor Bishop was giving such a warning, it seemed he had something very busy to do today.

Sure enough, she told me, fiddling with her monocle.

“A distinguished guest from the Holy See has visited. So, all schedules have been canceled for today. I trust you’ll understand what I mean by this.”

“…Of course.”

A distinguished guest from the Holy See?

In this current situation, there is only one such person.

‘The Saintess has arrived.’

She is the one who will be observing the academy lectures by the side of the next Hero.

It’s not suspicious that she visited to discuss with the dean before the official entrance ceremony.

Thanks to that, I, who had avoided a landmine, breathed a sigh of relief and expressed my gratitude.

“Thank you for letting me know in advance, Professor. I will not go near the dean’s office today.”

“Hehe, yes. Work hard from now on, our Professor Anastasia.”

Kamala Bishop, emphasizing the word ‘professor’ playfully.

After that conversation, I parted ways with Professor Bishop.
And I went back to assisting with the preparations for the entrance ceremony.

‘Recruiting outstanding students.’

It sounded plausible, but there was no merit in it for me.

Frankly, I didn’t think the mischievous Ferdinand would have such good grades as to get the right to choose his dormitory.
And as a newcomer to the academy, there was no one I particularly wanted.

‘Besides, who would want to come under my management?’

It’s the same for students who want to gain the most from their studies at the academy.
It’s only natural to befriend the highest-ranking people and weave a web of connections like a spiderweb.

They would rather go to a dormitory managed by a veteran professor, and wouldn’t want to be supervised by a rookie housemaster who hasn’t even memorized the layout of the campus yet.

Above all…

‘I’m also refusing any troublesome things this year.’

I don’t want to be embroiled in unnecessary trouble by taking on a self-proclaimed outstanding student.
Even though I became the last witch on earth, it doesn’t mean my self-preservation instinct has disappeared.

Adapting to my new role as the professor of black magic defense.
And my revenge against Prince Ferdinand.
I want to focus only on these two things until I’m firmly settled in the academy.

I would absolutely refuse to be involved in any other incidents.

A peaceful and ‘happy’ life that I couldn’t live before my gender change.
Quietly enjoying it is my ultimate goal.

‘…But.’

Why do I feel so chilly?

It was a day when an inexplicable sense of foreboding kept creeping up on me.

“…You appointed a warlock as the new professor?”

“Heh heh, that’s right. If you doubt his skills, then here. Take a look at this. Isn’t it amazing?”

In the luxurious academy dean’s office, bathed in the early spring sunlight.
Dean Bardon Roakan, sitting in the middle, quietly showed a crystal ball.

The recorded video that had been playing on repeat.
The scene of the new professor, Anastasia, neutralizing the combat golem from the Irminsul workshop in a single blow.

“To have such skills at a young age, it feels like my entire worldview as a dean is being turned upside down.”

Dean Roakan joked, smiling brightly.
As an old man who pursued the same path of magic, he was genuinely happy to witness the emergence of a young genius.

“But for such a warlock to come voluntarily? What is this if not a blessing from heaven? This will further raise the prestige of Klomes.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about, Dean Roakan.”

The dean’s attitude, which was just carefree.

At this, the blue-haired nun who was talking to him let out a sigh.
She pointed out the real problem, touching her throbbing forehead.

“You must be aware of the dangers of a warlock. Yet, you readily accepted one as a member of the academy. Isn’t that a rather hasty action for an educator?”

Crunch, crunch. Roakan replied in a nonchalant tone, rolling the striped hard candy in his mouth.
His gaze then moved to the attire of the nun standing with her hands behind her back.

An all-in-one armor, unbecoming of a peaceful religious person.
And the sacred greatsword with beautiful decorations on her back.

Roakan’s lips, behind his beard, curled up as he scanned her.

“The current Sword Saint, and the Saintess Antiopea Zarq, who is said to have the most divine power among all the Saintesses in history.”

“…”

Saintess Antiopea did not respond to the dean’s praise.
The hidden intention in his words was all too transparent.

‘If any trouble arises, it’s a shared responsibility?’

Antiopea was dispatched under the pretext of controlling the next Hero and protecting the students.

Of course, it was just a pretext. In reality, it was no different from placing surveillance on the movements of the Magic Tower.
For Roakan, who pursues a free academic atmosphere, it was an uncomfortable position.

She understood his feelings, but it was sour to be teased like this.

…By the way.

‘I can’t believe that person was Professor Bishop’s successor.’

A thought that came to her as she looked at Professor Anastasia’s image in the crystal ball.
Suddenly, her hand, which had shaken hands with her, began to tingle.

A fleeting contact that lasted less than a few seconds.
Even with that, she could fully feel her opponent’s skills.

The problem was that even that was just the tip of the iceberg.

“Do you remember, Dean?”

Squeeze. She changed the subject, shaking off her tension by clenching her fist.
The things she really needed to discuss with him were not such trivial matters.

“The time foretold by the heavenly prophecy is approaching. The time when the blood-red full moon rises and the boundary between the demonic realm and the human world becomes blurred.”

The celestial bodies that adorn the sky are purer than anything else.
Therefore, the heavenly signs never lie.
Whether it is about an individual’s fate or the future of mortals.

And long ago, the heavenly signs, woven with constellations, left an ominous prophecy for posterity.

“The day when the pure white moon is dyed with the radiance of blood, and the legions of the demonic realm, thirsting for revenge, come rushing in.”

“The long-cherished wish of the ancient witch, Altra, will be fulfilled. Although no one knows what that wish is, it will be fulfilled unconditionally.”

Roakan finished Antiopea’s sentence and picked up a new candy.

If the one he ate before was ginseng-flavored, the one he chose now was a cinnamon-flavored hard candy.
It was truly a wretched item, optimized only for the taste of the elderly.

“I know that old prophecy well. I also know why the Saintess is so sensitive to the academy’s personnel affairs.”

“…”

“Oh dear, crunch, crunch! To increase unnecessary variables at such a crucial time, crunch, crunch! You wouldn’t want that. I can fully empathize, crunch! The Holy Kingdom must have its own worries, crunch!”

“…I’m sorry, but why do you keep eating candy? You don’t even like it.”

“Ah, because Professor Anastasia keeps eating it. I’m trying it out to see if it’s that good. It’s quite addictive.”

The dean joked with the bewildered Saintess.
He threw the candy wrapper in the trash can and shrugged.

“Anyway, I don’t regret this selection. And the academy’s personnel affairs are an internal matter. The church can’t put pressure on us.”

“This year, the next Hero is entering this academy. As the Saintess, I also have a duty to protect the students. Is that not enough justification?”

“Heh heh, I knew you’d say that. As expected of the Maiden of the Battlefield, a firm conviction.”

The dean smiled brightly, unwrapping another candy.

Watching his sly expression, Antiopea secretly frowned.
The rustling of the wrapper was also very annoying.
The unpleasant feeling of being subtly ignored was an added bonus.

However, when a tempting proposal came out of the dean’s mouth, all those unpleasant feelings disappeared.

“What did you just say?”

Blink, blink. The Saintess with the greatsword stood blankly, opening and closing her eyelids.
Looking at her, Roakan repeated what he had just said in a cheerful tone.

“It’s a literal proposal. How about the Saintess directly monitoring Professor Anastasia?”

“I don’t understand. Are you saying you’ll give me the authority of inspection? To a servant of the Holy Kingdom, which is at odds with the Magic Tower?”

The inspection of academy personnel is an authority that is only valid within the dean and the board of directors.
To give it to an external power, and moreover to a person from the church, which is an enemy of the Magic Tower, is absurd.

But Dean Roakan didn’t seem to have said it as a joke.

“It’s only limited to the new professor, Anastasia, Your Highness.”

Roakan’s eyes flashed as he firmly set the boundary.

“As I said before, I empathize with Your Highness’s anxiety. I am fully aware of the risks involved in appointing a warlock as a professor. Therefore, I am giving you this opportunity as a consideration.”

Raising his arm and pointing at Antiopea, he said in a much more serious voice.

“An opportunity to personally test the new professor’s qualities with your own eyes. An opportunity to carefully observe her during the semester and weigh the risks.”

“…”

If he was serious, it wasn’t an unappealing proposal.
She had been wary of her since she met her in Lapland Town.

She is Alber’s guardian and the Saintess of the greatsword who must protect the students.

Since Anastasia’s identity was revealed as a warlock, and since she had received such authority from the dean.
The decision that ‘Saintess’ Antiopea Zarq had to make was as clear as day.

“So? What will you do, Your Highness?”

“I accept your proposal, Dean. Thank you for the opportunity.”

Antiopea bowed politely and bit her lower lip.

‘I will uncover every aspect of you, Professor Anastasia.’

What kind of person you are, what kind of mindset you have to deal with the students.

And whether you are truly worthy of staying at the academy.

“Hngh…”

“Professor Anastasia? What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“It’s nothing. I’m just a little cold.”

I shivered and replied to the staff member who was passing by.

Why have I been feeling so chilly? Is it because I drank the iced coffee with a lot of ice?

‘Coffee is best when it’s steaming hot.’

I muttered to myself, finishing the remaining iced coffee.