Chapter 26: Long time no see, Professor?

Chirp, chirp, chirp, the sparrows sang in the morning on the academy grounds.

A full day had passed since the freshman celebration banquet.

The academy was a four-year institution of higher learning that basically required dormitory life.
Daily routines had no choice but to be adapted to the academic schedule.
On top of that, the joyous encounters unique to communal living caused the freshmen’s bodies and minds to relax.

However, even amidst all this, there were those who did not waste even a single spare moment.

“Hoo, hoo, haak…”

Early morning, just as the sun rose.
Princess Krimhild jogged along the garden path, dripping with sweat.

It was a time of free lectures when no classes were being held.
Others would be sleeping in or going out to see the spring flowers, but she was different.

“Hey, look! It’s the princess of the Vǫlsunga Empire!”

“She’s running in the morning? They say she’s a woman of iron and blood, and she’s really diligent.”

The voices of students who had just spotted her.
They all paid attention to her and whispered among themselves.

“My gosh, look at her clothes, they’re soaked. Did she run alone since dawn?”

“The chairman’s daughter is one thing, but the princess is also so beautiful she makes my eyes pop out. She could be the Obsidian representative at the summer festival.”

“Wow… isn’t her body amazing? I’ve never seen anything shake like that in my life.”

Her red hair tied up for exercise.
A casual sleeveless top to sweat in.
And black shorts that revealed the curves of her lower body.

The students exclaimed in admiration, looking at the body filled with what could be called healthy beauty.

Especially the gazes of the virile male students were particularly intense.
They all drooled over her, regardless of whether they were classmates or seniors.

However, no one dared to step forward and talk to her.

She was Krimhild von Hohenlaufen, the next Sword Saint, famous for her iron-blooded spirit.
One could kneel before her, but never approach her in a friendly manner.

The thorns of a rose forged from blood and iron were that sharp.

“Haah, haah…”

How long had she been jogging?

As she neared the central library, Krimhild stopped.
Then, gulp, gulp. She drank the cold water she had brought and wiped away her sweat.

‘Refreshing.’

Bathing after sweating profusely at dawn was her greatest hobby.
Since inheriting the famous sword Gramr, she had not missed a single day of pre-meal physical training.

There was nothing better for starting the day with a more fulfilling and rewarding feeling.

However, that ‘fulfillment’ and ‘rewarding’ feeling was soon ruined by a presence approaching from afar.

“Kyaa, Your Highness the Prince!”

“Where are you going this morning? Let’s go to a cafe together!”

“We’re your seniors, so we’ll treat you to breakfast! How about it?”

“Haha, thank you. Unfortunately, I’m a bit busy right now.”

Empty-headed girls who followed the prince just for his good looks.
And a fool who went along with their adulation and flirted.

‘To run into that guy first thing in the morning.’

“Oh, who is this? Isn’t it my dear sister?”

Ferdinand beat her to it as she was clenching her water bottle in annoyance.
The female students who were following him widened their eyes at his bright, playful greeting.

“Oh my! Is this Her Highness the Princess?”

“Ah, hello? Hehe.”

“…It’s a pleasure to meet you, Topaz seniors.”

The yellow emblem attached to Ferdinand’s and the female students’ chests.
It was a mark proving they were students of the Topaz dormitory, under the charge of Professor Georgios.

As she was glaring at the emblem, Ferdinand launched a preemptive strike with a sneer.

“You’re as diligent as ever today, sister. Running around like a dog off its leash in such embarrassing attire.”

“And you’re as dissolute as ever, brother. Starting a love affair even at the academy. If Father saw you, he would have fainted, wouldn’t he?”

“Uh, um… we’ll be going now.”

“We-we’ll see you in class later, Your Highness the Prince!”

The female students quickly retreated as the atmosphere rapidly cooled.
Of course, even then, they tried to score points by fawning over Ferdinand.

And the playboy prince, accepting all their advances, just made pleasantries.

‘Disgusting.’

She was about to turn her back, throwing the empty water bottle into the trash can.

“I saw you chose the Obsidian dormitory quite conspicuously.”

Ferdinand’s words stopped the princess in her tracks.

“I’m curious as to what made you choose it. I heard the housemaster didn’t even try to contact you.”

“Hmph, what?”

Krimhild’s eyes flashed as she scoffed.

“Are you suddenly feeling competitive, my wonderful brother? Afraid I’ll get my spit on the professor you have in your pocket?”

“What?”

Ferdinand frowned at Krimhild’s sarcasm.
Not because he was offended, but simply because he didn’t understand what she meant.

But it didn’t take more than a few seconds for him to grasp the meaning of her words.

“Hmph.”

A hoarse sigh with a bitter smile.
Did she really decide to go to Obsidian for such a petty reason? He had mentioned that he wasn’t approaching her with that intention.

After gathering information about the warlock in question, he had completely lost interest in her.
It was all too clear that she was a variable he couldn’t control.

It was better not to get involved and to carry out his plans independently.

‘But there’s no need to tell her that.’

He looked at Krimhild with the cunning smile characteristic of a troublemaker.
He thought it would be fun to tease his foolish sister a little.

“It’s been like this since we were kids. You’re always desperate to beat me, sister.”

“Isn’t that obvious? I have no intention of bowing down to a fool like you, not even a little bit. Whether it’s in terms of rank or succession.”

Fool. Ferdinand clicked his tongue at the unfiltered, harsh expression.

In fact, even objectively, Krimhild was clearly superior to him.

Her learning attitude, foresight, charisma, and martial prowess.
She was a genius who had been born with most of the qualities a leader should have.

But there was just one thing.
His foolish sister had one fatal flaw.

“Do you remember, sister? That the late Nathaniel was someone who was straddling the line between you and me.”

“…”

She remembered. How could she forget?
On the day she lost the 5th-rank magician to Ferdinand, she couldn’t even sleep from anger.

Thanks to that, she was even secretly delighted when he died, wasn’t she?

“Then have you ever wondered?”

Frowning at the painful memory, Ferdinand slowly approached Krimhild.
As the distance between the two siblings gradually narrowed, and finally, when their breaths could be heard.

“Why a smart and calculating court magician who had reached the 5th rank…”

Smirk. With a supremely arrogant smile, Ferdinand delivered the final blow.

“Decided to take the hand of this foolish older brother, not you, who is objectively ‘superior’.”

“…”

Krimhild, with a cold face, did not say a word.
But it was clear that his words had shaken her.

Finding this somewhat satisfying, Ferdinand leisurely turned and headed towards the central library.

He would soon be going to class according to his schedule.
Before that, he wanted to gather the materials he had been searching for at the central library.

Clench. Ferdinand muttered to himself, clenching his teeth.

‘It won’t be long now. Please wait a little longer, Beatrice.’

Even without a useful collaborator like a professor.
I will definitely do what I have to do.

Ferdinand, the prince of Vǫlsunga, walked away, leaving behind a short monologue.

Glaring at his back, Krimhild gritted her teeth.

“…Bastard.”

To his sister, who didn’t know his true intentions, his words just now sounded like a clear provocation.

A declaration that he would snatch Professor Anastasia just as he had snatched Nathaniel in the past.
Like a vulgar mockery that he would preemptively take what she was aiming for.

‘Don’t make me laugh, you fool.’

Do you think I’ll just hand over Professor Anastasia?

With a stronger determination, Krimhild clenched her fists.
Then, she recalled the directive she had given to the agent ‘Golden Fallen Leaf’ who had come to the same dormitory last night.

‘Approach the Obsidian housemaster and befriend her. And find out everything about her.’

She was already putting in this much effort.
Therefore, it was extremely clear that she would not lose to her brother.

‘Get ready, Ferdinand.’

Because I will definitely win this match.

“Ugh, my head.”

A throbbing skull due to a hangover.
I muttered, gently rubbing it with ice made from cold magic.
The side effects were severe after recklessly downing hard liquor I had never enjoyed before.

‘I wish it was a nightmare that would disappear if I just slept it off.’

I sighed deeply and looked up at the clear blue morning sky.

I was now strolling in the middle of the academy garden, filled with blooming flowers, sucking on a caramel candy for my hangover.

‘At least it’s not a morning class.’

Besides, since it was the first class, it would probably end after a brief explanation of the syllabus.
So, I was taking a walk to calm my mind and body.

The tremendous disaster that had been decided the day before. Just thinking about it gave me a throbbing headache.

‘It would have been bearable if at least the prince had come to Obsidian.’

But Ferdinand ended up in the Topaz dormitory through a lottery.
While I was stuck with the troublemakers, he had hidden himself under Georgios’s protection.

Naturally, it became more difficult to approach the prince.
On top of that, the self-proclaimed golden generation, as well as the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom, made the problem even more complicated.

Just this morning, the half-dragon Alber had been pounding on the door of the faculty dormitory.

‘I challenge you to a duel, Silkie Sausage! Come out and fight me now!’
‘Alber! What are you doing while the professor is sleeping!’

The enthusiastic next Hero, and the Saintess who was trying to stop her, dying of embarrassment.
Their high-pitched voices still seemed to be ringing in my head.

Didn’t she only leave after I promised to schedule a match on Friday?

“Sigh.”

What a mess this all is.
I was sighing in annoyance, rubbing the ice, when…

“Ah, Professor!”

Speak of the devil, the source of my hangover was approaching from a distance.

“…It’s a pleasure to see you, Miss Silvia.”

“Hehe, just call me Silvia. I’m your housemaster from today, after all.”

The freshman of Obsidian, with her light purple bob hair fluttering.
Silvia spoke with the same cheerful smile she had at the Group A test site.

“Where are you going? Are you going for a walk before class?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Wow, that’s great! Then I’ll walk with you! I really like walking and talking with people.”

Without even waiting for my answer, Silvia sidled up to me and started chattering.
Then, she even volunteered to be my guide.

“Let’s go this way, Professor! This is where the prettiest flowers are! I know because I used to come here often with my mom when I was little!”

“Is that so?”

“Hehe, you don’t have to use honorifics. I’m an Obsidian student in your charge, after all.”

Silvia de Garcia, approaching me with a friendly and unreserved attitude.
She had a captivating freshness that would make any unsuspecting man melt.

But I, who knew her true nature, only felt wary.

‘Why is she suddenly acting so friendly?’

After calling me Silkie Professor and all sorts of other strange nicknames.

‘…Wait.’

Could this also be a trick to get me into trouble?
Pretending to be friendly on the outside, while keeping a close eye on any actions she could find fault with as a professor and housemaster?

It was a plausible guess.
Silvia was the one who had been scolded by me and humiliated in front of her classmates.

Honestly, it wouldn’t be strange if she was determined to get revenge.
Her pride as a genius who even played with her teachers had been hurt.

‘Is she trying to get me to use informal language to create an opportunity?’

To tattle that the thoughtless housemaster had been rude and disrespectful to a student?
It was a plausible idea for a cunning child like Silvia de Garcia.
And with her mother being the academy chairman…

“Um, Professor Anastasia?”

As I was having these unpleasant thoughts, Silvia cautiously approached me.
Hesitating for a moment, she looked at me and asked.

“Are you planning to stay as an academy professor for a long time? Do you have no intention of looking for another job?”

“…What do you mean, Silvia?”

Is she pressuring me to step down from the podium because she doesn’t like me?
As I frowned in disbelief, she realized she had been too blunt and quickly started to backpedal.

“Ah, no! I didn’t mean anything by it… It’s just that someone of your caliber has many other opportunities, right? You could go to the Magic Tower and aim to become its master, or you could achieve great things and become a court magician…”

Glance. Silvia muttered, looking at me with her purple eyes.

“Or you could become a private tutor for a rich young lady.”

…What on earth is she talking about?
Is her head so full of flowers that she forgot I’m a warlock?

“I’m a black mage, Silvia. If not for the academy, I can’t get a normal job.”

Crunch. I bit into the caramel candy and glared at her.
Then, in a calm tone, I pointed out the problems with her suggestions one by one.

“The Magic Tower, which is centered on white magic, wouldn’t welcome me, and there are no kings or emperors who would take a warlock under their wing. And what rich family would entrust their daughter’s education to a black mage?”

“Ah, hehe. That’s right. You’re right.”

A voice filled with disappointment. Silvia, who had replied with a sullen face, pouted.
Fidgeting with her fingers, she muttered to herself in a subtle tone.

“Still, still, you could do something else. If you just talk to my mom, it could work.”

…Does my presence at the academy bother her that much?
To think she would even use the chairman’s card to drop hints.

At this point, it was getting frustrating beyond a headache.

‘I’m so tired.’

A half-dragon who whines for a duel, and a Sword Saint who always follows her.
And on top of that, the chairman’s daughter who is determined to get rid of me.

‘Can’t they just leave me alone?’

I was biting the lollipop stick with my front teeth, touching my temples, when…

“Oh my!”

Suddenly, a voice came from the other side of the campus.
The owner of that voice was staring at me, standing still.

She was a freshman from my dormitory, wearing the black emblem of Obsidian.

But her voice wasn’t unfamiliar.
No, it was a beautiful voice that was all too familiar.

“Hehe, honestly, I thought it was just someone with the same name. Have you been well?”

The Obsidian freshman greeted me cheerfully with a friendly smile.

Bright, golden updo and a white lily hairpin.
Blue eyes that sparkled like the summer sea.
And a positive and cheerful expression like the spring sun.

“It’s been a really long time, Professor Anastasia.”

A woman in the center of the flower bed, smiling brightly and greeting me.
At the appearance of such an unexpected person, I could only blink my eyes repeatedly.

Then, a name escaped my lips.
A word I never thought I’d say again, came out in a daze.

“Eve… Investigator Vellam?”