Chapter 35: Slime punch (3)

“I said I don’t want to submit my resignation, Miss Vivian from the board of directors.”

I frowned, flatly rejecting the ‘proposal’.

‘It’s one thing after another on the first day.’

From that idiot Beruz to Silvia, this annoying little brat.
I had smelled a rat when she started talking about a new job, but I didn’t think she would have already run to her mother and tattled.

I sighed deeply, feeling a twinge in my temples.

First of all, asking me to give up my professorship at the academy was absurd.
And before that, it wasn’t even a logically sound proposal.

“I am a warlock from the Northeast, Vivian. In other words, I am a recluse who has studied black magic, not white magic, my entire life.”

I said, taking a sip of my warm caramel macchiato.
The sweet hazelnut syrup allowed me to point out the contradictions in the letter more calmly.

“So what kind of job are you proposing to arrange for me? As far as I know, there are no places outside the Grand Duchy of Hriulia that welcome black magic.”

“Well, the chairman will take care of that. I’m just here to deliver a message…”

“You can’t even confirm what kind of job you’ll give me, but you want me to just trust your promise and leave? And think about the rest later? Do you take me for a fool, Vivian?”

“…”

Vivian flinched and closed her mouth at my sneer, her anger momentarily flaring.
It might not be as bad as when I was dealing with the shameless Beruz, but I was still angry.

‘A much more comfortable place than the housemaster position?’

The expression might be nice, but in the end, it meant banishing me to a much worse, remote place.
It was clear that they intended to prevent me from ever setting foot in the academy again.
That would be the natural course of action if they didn’t want me ‘hanging around’ Silvia.

Therefore, it was a proposal that did not appeal to me at all, as staying at the academy was essential for me.

“…Even if there isn’t a suitable job.”

She soon pointed to the words written on the letter and spoke calmly.

“It promises a generous financial compensation, doesn’t it? As a consolation for leaving the academy. So…”

“How much are you planning to give me, specifically?”

I cut her off again, pointing out the loophole.

“An academy professor is a stable profession where one can live comfortably. Are you saying you’ll give me a large sum of money that can cover all the money I would have earned as a professor, and the pension I would receive from the Magic Tower after retirement?”

“Ah, that… well…”

“The amount is also undecided. I can see how flimsy your promise is.”

I had experienced similar schemes countless times before.
A despicable trick where they push through with a verbal agreement and then completely wipe their hands of it.

It was an obvious trap, but those who were desperate and at a disadvantage had no choice but to fall for it, crying.
I, too, had once had to endure the same humiliation for my terminally ill younger sister.

But unlike the ‘Crowley’ of the past, who had no other choice.

“And you’re not very good at embellishing your words, Vivian.”

The current ‘Anastasia’ had nothing to be sorry for, and nothing to be at a disadvantage.

“It’s not that you don’t want to take the form of chasing me out, but honestly, you can’t, can you? Because the dean would never accept a unilateral interference in personnel matters.”

If they could fire me at will, they wouldn’t have to bother persuading me. They could just hand me a dismissal notice.
There was no reason for them to come all this way and throw such obvious bait.

‘It must be because it’s realistically impossible that they’re talking so much.’

Warlock Anastasia’s appointment as a professor was the result of the dean using his authority to push it through.
And on top of that, she had the full support of the former professor, Kamala Bishop.

No matter how powerful the chairman was, it would be very difficult for her to fire me on her own.

And since I had seen through it.

“I understand a mother’s heart for her daughter, Vivian.”

Vivian and the board of directors’ cards were all laid out on the table.

“But a chairman should know how to separate public and private matters. I don’t know what Silvia said, but to fire a professor who has just started a new semester because of a student’s tantrum. Isn’t that not only unprincipled but also not a sensible way of management?”

“…What did you just say?”

Vivian’s face flushed with anger.
She touched her glasses frame and retorted in a sharp tone.

“You seem to be mistaken, but you are a rookie professor who has just been appointed. As a mere faculty member, do you think you can get away with speaking ill of the chairman…”

“No, you’re the one who’s mistaken.”

I put away the caramel macchiato and unwrapped a new candy.
My tongue was still coated from the coffee, but I couldn’t help but bite into one after encountering so many annoying people in a row.

“Didn’t you come here to advise me to resign discreetly? Then I don’t think I need to be polite as a ‘faculty member’ either. Especially to someone who expects me to maintain the company hierarchy even after throwing a dismissal notice at me.”

“…Tsk.”

Vivian clicked her tongue, unable to refute even though she was angry.

Judging by her expression, she seemed to be thinking, “Just take what’s given and leave, why are you being so difficult?”

But despite her anger, she didn’t recklessly cause a scene.

It might be because it was a facility frequently used by students, but the decisive reason was probably…

“So if you want to get rid of me, tell the chairman to come herself.”

“What did you say?”

Vivian’s eyes widened at the notice I threw while licking the watermelon-flavored candy.
Not only her, but the board of directors’ members surrounding her also began to murmur, looking at each other.

“Are you insane? Or are you a warlock who lacks basic social common sense?”

Vivian sneered, looking at me with a look of disbelief.

“The person in question is the head of the Klomes Academy Board of Directors. Chairman Forte de Garcia, who holds full authority over the academy’s management along with Dean Roakan. With all due respect, who do you think you are to dare…”

“I am a faculty member personally appointed by that same Dean Roakan. And you want me to resign, even bypassing the dean’s authority? Then the chairman should also show due respect.”

So saying, I turned my head to a cozy and antique seat on the other side of the cafe, bathed in bright sunlight, where a lady was savoring a cappuccino alone.

“Am I wrong, Chairman Forte de Garcia?”

“…As expected.”

Clink. The lady slowly put down her cappuccino and stood up with a graceful movement.
Then, she looked at me with her purple eyes, which resembled Silvia’s, and said coldly.

“So there was a reason for that child, Silvia, to make such a fuss.”

“Chairman Garcia. I…”

“That’s enough, Vivian. It seems she noticed as soon as she entered the cafe. I seem to have underestimated the talent that Dean Roakan acknowledged.”

No, I didn’t notice from the very beginning.
I just gradually picked up on the suspicious clues as I listened to the story.

A doting mother who would push for a dismissal just because of her daughter’s tantrum.
There was no way such a woman wouldn’t come to such a scene herself.

“I apologize for my rudeness earlier. This is the first time we’ve met in person.”

Vivian bowed her head and stood up from her seat.
As she vacated the seat, a beautiful woman who looked exactly like Silvia sat down in her place with a calm posture.

“Nice to meet you, Professor Anastasia.”

She introduced herself, looking at me coldly from the other side.

“I am Forte de Garcia, the chairman of the Klomes Academy, and Silvia de Garcia’s mother.”

Meanwhile, at the same time Anastasia and Forte were having their face-to-face meeting at the cafe.

Gurgle-! Slosh, slosh!

“…”

A strange gurgling sound from beyond the corridor.

Listening to it, Eve, who was hiding in an empty classroom in the Coral Hall, tensed up.
Then, she quietly covered the mouth of the trembling Silvia next to her.

Unlike her, a former investigator, Silvia was a student who had no tolerance for extreme situations.
If she even let out a breath, the monster might immediately detect them.

How long had they waited like that?

Gurgle…

Gradually, the eerie presence of the monster began to recede.
Fortunately, it seemed that it had not detected Eve and Silvia hiding in the empty room.

Finally, when the monster’s sound had completely disappeared.

“Phew.”

Eve let out a sigh of relief and let go of Silvia.
Then, gasp, Silvia also let out the breath she had been holding and wiped away her cold sweat.

“I’m sorry, Miss Silvia. I think I held on too tight.”

“N-no. You saved my life, S… Eve.”

Silvia bit her lip, suppressing the ‘sister’ that was about to come out.
She was grateful for being saved, but for some reason, she felt a little hurt in her pride, as if she had voluntarily placed herself in a younger sibling role.

Wasn’t she already feeling jealous of this person because of the professor?
And up close, she was tall and slender, and her body and basic style were also very attractive.

‘Is she really my age?’

“Hmm, come to think of it. This is the first time we’ve met formally, isn’t it?”

Just then, Eve, who was looking out the dusty window, smiled brightly.
It was a pure, innocent smile, the complete opposite of when she had bravely rescued Silvia.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Eve Vellam, a freshman at Obsidian. My final rank in the placement test was 7th.”

“I-I’m Silvia de Garcia. I ranked 2nd in the placement test.”

“Hehe, I know. I saw you at the celebration banquet.”

Eve smiled brightly and checked the condition of her gun.

“You’re the genius who even received the alias of a constellation, right? To have awakened your unique spell at such a young age.”

“Ah, yes… that’s right, but…”

“And you’re also the only daughter of Chairman Forte de Garcia. Chairman Forte, I hear she’s a veteran who even participated in the ‘Flame Witch’ subjugation.”

Clink, clack!
Eve, skillfully handling the complex clockwork mechanisms, praised Silvia in a somewhat subtle tone.

To boost the spirits of the girl who was still sullen.
And to rekindle her fighting spirit and motivation.

Of course, mentioning the witch subjugation made her feel guilty, thinking of Crowley, but now was not the time.

“To be the daughter of the great Forte, and to have bloomed a unique spell that even the late court magician Nathaniel only learned after he was thirty. You’re really amazing, Miss Silvia. I want to learn from you too.”

“U-uhm! That’s right. I am a bit amazing. Of course, you’re also amazing for ranking 7th, S… Eve.”

Was it because she had received a compliment while she was feeling a little down?

Suddenly, her mood brightened, and her unique pride soared.
It seemed she was even more triumphant because it was a compliment from a woman she considered a rival.

And as her subsided emotions rose to their original level.

“So from now on, just trust me, Eve.”

The confidence and vast knowledge she had lost in her fear returned.

“I have a feeling about how to deal with that monster. Even if we’re unlucky and run into it, I’ll be able to defeat it this time.”

“Oh? Is that really true?”

“Hehe, of course.”

Silvia puffed out her chest and chewed on the humiliation she had suffered before.

‘There are two ways to deal with a fluid magical beast.’

Either boil it with high heat and vaporize it.
Or freeze it with rapid cooling and capture it.
Since it has the properties of a liquid, it also shares the same weaknesses.

‘Just let it appear in front of me again.’

Although she had been helpless when ambushed, now that she had organized her strategy, the situation was different.
Of course, it was best not to encounter it, but she was full of confidence now that she had come up with a way to defeat it.

Should I freeze it solid and give it to the professor as a specimen?
The professor is a scholar, after all, so she would probably be happy if I captured such a unique magical beast and gave it to her as a gift.

Maybe it would be an opportunity to make up for the lost points at once?

“Miss Silvia? Let’s get going.”

Eve urged Silvia, who was lost in her pleasant fantasy.

The only chance to safely escape the Coral Hall was now, when the monster’s presence had completely disappeared.
It would be a disaster if they lingered and the monster reappeared.

Creak…

The eerie sound of an old hinge.
Leaving it behind, Eve and Silvia cautiously stepped out into the corridor of the Coral Hall.

Eve took the lead with her six-shooter aimed, and Silvia followed behind, guarding the rear.
Shuffle, shuffle. Only the sound of their delicate footsteps could be heard as they tried not to be discovered.

‘It’s okay.’

Silvia silently comforted herself, looking at the back of the reliable Eve Vellam.

Now she had a reliable supporter in the form of a gunslinger, and Silvia herself had a grasp of how to defeat the monster.
She was confident that she wouldn’t be foolishly defeated even if the monster appeared.

As she was thinking that and smiling faintly.

“…!!”

Flinch! Eve suddenly stopped, as if sensing something.

Then, push!
She strongly pushed Silvia and shouted.

“Watch out, Miss Silvia!!”

“Kya!”

She was momentarily pushed to the ground.

Gurgle-!!

“Ugh?!”

The monster suddenly burst out from the ceiling and attacked Eve Vellam.
Then, it immediately trapped Eve inside its slimy body, just as it had done to Silvia.

“E-Eve!!”

Panicked, Silvia quickly got up.

Only then did she realize where the monster had been lurking all this time.
After losing Silvia and Eve, it hadn’t gone somewhere else.

‘It was hiding in the vents all this time!’

It had been quietly hiding in the corridor’s vents, waiting for the two girls to show themselves.
Like a wolf crouching in a bush, waiting for a rabbit to pass by.

“Gah-ruk… geh-heuk!”

Eve, struggling inside the liquid monster’s body.
If left like that, she would either suffocate or be dissolved without a trace by the monster’s secretions.

But this time too, Silvia couldn’t deal with it properly.

Whether she boiled it with a high-heat spell or froze it with a freezing spell.
The moment she attacked the monster with magic, Eve Vellam, trapped inside, would also die.

“Kuh!”

This cunning monster!
She gritted her teeth and glared, but it was useless.

Knowing the weakness of the current stalemate, the monster also deliberately pushed Eve to the front and began to approach her.

A triumphant provocation, as if to say, “Attack me if you can.”

‘W-what on earth do I do!’

Watching this, she could only step back in frustration.

“Hey, you there! Move!”

“Huh?!”

A strange voice suddenly came from behind.
At the single command, Silvia reflexively moved back.

Swish-!

A long whip flew in and pierced through the liquid mass in an instant, wrapping around Eve’s waist.

Then, pull!
It was pulled back with a flourish, pulling her out of the liquid.

“Kuh-heuk! Cough, cough!”

Eve, who had been thrown to the ground, coughed.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the person who had wielded the whip shouted at Silvia.

“What are you standing there for? Freeze it now!”

“Ah, yes!”

Startled, Silvia quickly chanted a freezing spell and aimed at the monster.
Then, as soon as the mana gathered, she cast the spell and struck it.

Gurgle?! Gurgle-!!

Crack, crack, the liquid mass rapidly froze with the sound of frost forming.
The panicked monster struggled and tried to escape, but it was too late once the freezing had begun.

After about 10 seconds.

Crack! Crack!

The fluid magical beast was trapped in a prison of ice and couldn’t move.

‘I-I’m saved…!’

Just as Silvia was relieved at having overcome the life-threatening crisis.

“Wow, what on earth is that? Did a magical beast really appear on the academy grounds? This is a total mess.”

Thump, thump. The ‘shadow’ that had saved Eve with a whip slowly approached.

Then, smirk.
She smiled coolly at Eve, who was catching her breath, and Silvia, who was sighing in relief.

“Ah, by the way, no need for thanks. I just happened to get involved because my nap was disturbed.”

A student with a husky voice, with short, black-green bob hair, wearing the Topaz uniform.
She had a mature atmosphere like Eve, but her feeling was the complete opposite, with a very easygoing and cheerful impression.

“Th-thank you for your help. But who are you?”

“Keke, me?”

The other person tilted her head playfully at Silvia’s question.
Then, she shrugged her shoulders and replied in a very nonchalant tone.

“Bianca di Monferrato. A student who ranked 10th.”