C268: An Unexpected Gift (1)
Rudger was reading documents in his office.
Since the field trips were just around the corner his task would be finished as long as he sorted the documents.
'I think this is enough for the mentors.'
After checking the list of mentors, Rudger decided that it would be okay to proceed as it was.
Although he should have been busy since he became the planning director, Rudger has not been very busy since the first inspection.
Most of the work was done by the people below and Rudger just signed the approved files that came up.
'There are a lot of great mentors this year.'
Originally, several famous wizards often participated as mentors during Theon's field trip.
Theon is the number one magic academy in the Empire.
Among the famous wizards, there were many high-ranking graduates, and there were plenty of people who would step up for their alma mater.
'In addition, just being a mentor to the students is a sign that they have been recognized among wizards.'
It was natural for wizards to apply. However, competition was particularly fierce this year.
There were many familiar names on the list from the Old and New Towers to the School Association.
Although their wizards always applied, this year the ratio has more than tripled compared to last year.
'Maybe it's because of me.'
Most of them must have been his presentation in the Arcane Chamber.
It was clear that it was an act to somehow contact him or make a connection to him.
'They managed to pick up a list of outstanding applicants.'
Rudger admired the staff's ability to handle tasks.
It was a pretty perfect selection to take someone out or put someone in here.
'Isn't that a reason to work in the planning department? It's a waste of manpower to rot this ability in many ways, so I'll have to make them work more often in the future.'
If they had heard the news, the staff of the planning office would have had a bubble in their mouths.
Recently, they have had hectic days because of Rudger. They lived with coffee in their mouth and were buried in a pile of papers every day.
Seeing their souls walking out of their mouths and stumbling around, people thought that the planning department staff looked like the graduate students.
Perhaps because of that, rumors have circulated that zombies have appeared near the planning office for the past week.
"Mr. Rudger."
Just in time, Sedina came from the assistant's office with a pile of final approval documents.
"Here's the last approval form."
"Good job. Did anything else happen?"
"Oh, I have an issue to report to you. A teacher came to the planning office."
At such a sudden report, Rudger lowered his rimless glasses slightly and looked at Sedina.
"Why?"
"He thought a graduate student who escaped the lab room ran away here. I think he was mistaken because of rumors that zombies appear every night."
"……."
Rudger thought he heard something wrong for a moment, but after confirming that he heard it right in the serious Sedina's expression, he put on his glasses again.
"……I should give some time off to the people in the Planning Office after this."
Come to think of it, it was all because of Rudger himself that employees of the Planning Office became busy.
He had a lot of things to do since he just became the Planning Director, but this mentor list tended to attract a lot of applicants because of Rudger.
For that reason, the planning office had been working non-stop for more than a week.
"But since the arrangement is over, there won't be any more work…."
At that moment, the door opened without anyone knocking.
Rudger thought it was a rude guest but felt a strange sense of strangeness in this situation.
There have been similar cases in the past, especially three years ago, when he was working at the Ordo University in the Delica Kingdom.
"Excuse me."
A woman walked into the teacher's office with a dignified step.
'Yeah, it was like this then, too.'
Her clear blue-colored hair shakes as she moves.
Rudger stared silently at Casey Selmore, who came to him. Usually, everyone avoided eye contact, but Casey didn't lose and stared at Rudger.
"I hope you can knock on the door when you come in. That's the basic courtesy."
"You're not surprised anymore, are you?"
Rudger winked at Sedina instead of answering her.
Since this happened often, Sedina naturally put the documents and stepped down to the assistant teacher's office.
"Now I know everything."
"Thanks to whom?"
"That is my business Planning Director Rudger."
Casey said so and held out a document.
Rudger looked up and stared at Casey while looking at the documents she handed out.
"……A mentor application?"
What Casey presented was a mentor application to guide students during this field trip.
Rudger squinted his eyes. He looked as if he was wondering what this bold detective lady was up to this time.
"This bold detective lady looks like she's up to something this time."
"……I never thought of that."
"I can tell without having to look. Well, I understand it looks suspicious. To be honest, I would have done the same. So what, are you going to do it for me?"
"You always make unreasonable demands."
Rudger, who was shaking his head and talking, hesitated unknowingly that he used an old way of speaking for a moment.
It's been a long time since the two of them had such a silly conversation, so the habit of that time came out without realizing it.
'I thought it was just acting, but wasn't it just that?'
Maybe he really enjoyed the conversations he shared with her then, but those days can never come back. The relationship at that time ended badly.
Now they had a hostile relationship with each other but strangely enough, Casey, contrary to Rudger's concerns, did not express anger at the use of Moriarty's accent. On the contrary, she revealed an emotion that was not expected.
"What is this?"
A reaction that seems somber and full of regrets.
Of course, it was for an instant, then Casey came back to her original form as if she had never done so.
Rudger immediately realized something had happened to Casey.
'Is it because of the assassins? Was the warning letter I sent late?'
This was the only thing that came to mind right away.
"……Anyway, I'm going to apply for this."
"I refuse."
Casey was furious at Rudger's words.
"Why!?"
"The application period is already over. I can't help it because you're late."
"Ha, don't you know who I am? I am Casey Selmore [Colour] Wizard."
"Even so, you're late."
"It's possible to vacate a seat at your discretion!"
Casey smiled.
"Oh, yes. You haven't signed the approval document yet, have you? Then it's still invalid."
"No, but it won't work."
"What's wrong?"
Rudger quickly scrawled his signature with a pen on the file in his hand.
"The approval just ended."
"Are you going to be mean?"
"What's wrong with me doing this?"
"That's how it's going to be, right?"
Casey opened prepared to use magic.
When Rudger was nervous about what she would do, Casey's subtle magic erased Rudger's signature.
"Look, it's gone now."
The black ink was also liquid, so Casey used his magic to evaporate it.
It was impossible for a normal wizard, but it was possible because it was Casey.
Rudger took the pen again, but the ink didn't come out any more so Rudger glared at Casey.
"You're doing a mean thing."
"What's wrong with me doing this?"
Rudger sighed and took off his glasses.
"Is that all you came for?"
"Yes."
"……."
"I take it that you've accepted."
"Not yet."
Rudger grinned at Casey's words, which openly warned him to do something.
Normally, he'd feel annoyed about this but he had a curiously odd expectation.
"Seeing you say that, something must have happened recently."
"……Yes."
Casey's expression changed as she spoke.
"……."
Rudger glanced at Casey and accepted the application, saying he couldn't help it.
"I'll think you'll do it for me, so I'll go."
As if that was the end of the business, Casey immediately turned her back and left his office like she was running away from something.
It was completely unexpected for Rudger, who thought she would do something more to find a gap.
It was obvious that something really happened.
"She's the same as back then. She opens the door and comes in without knocking and doesn't close it when she leaves."
Rudger murmured so and wrote down his name on the application form Casey handed him.
"Sedina."
"Yes, sir. Did you call me?"
Sedina, who was waiting in the assistant room, answered the call.
"One more person has been added to the mentor list."
"……That wizard just now?"
"Yes. No matter what, her skill is real."
Sedina nodded as if she was convinced.
Casey Selmore is a person she knows well.
How could she not know that Casey is a single attribute element user who received the title [Colour] from the Tower?
And if she said she would participate as a mentor, Theon would welcome her with open hands, let alone refuse.
"Can you make an appropriate vacancy?"
"We can't add more people since I've already picked more than I originally planned."
"Then we'll have to push a person out."
"Yes, I'll have the planning office do it."
"The planning team's vacation will be postponed a little."
At Rudger's words, Sedina expressed her condolences to the people in the planning office who received more work but what could they do?
It is the fate of salaried workers to do what they are told to do.
For a while, there were constant complaints about graduate students appearing near the planning office.
It was then that he saw someone through the door of the teacher's office that was still open.
"Hmm."
Rudger and Sedina's eyes were directed there by a light cough to intentionally inform them.
"President?"
Sedina asked back in surprise, and Rudger opened his eyes wide as if he was surprised.
Elisha asked playfully, standing outside the door.
"Mr. Rudger, are you busy right now?"
"I was just finishing my work."
"If you're not busy, can I come in?"
"Yes, of course. Assistant Sedina, I'll make the president a cup of tea."
"Oh, yes."
"No, no, it's all right. I'm just going to do my business quickly and leave."
Speaking of business, the president expressed an atmosphere that she wanted to talk to Rudger alone.
Sedina knew it, so she looked at Rudger's eyes, and Rudger nodded softly.
When Sedina left for the assistant office, Elisa came inside, closing the door of the office with magic.
"Are you surprised to see me all of a sudden?"
"Well, I wouldn't be surprised to see you here, so what can I do for you?"
Rudger looked at the president, asking so.
Elisa had a different atmosphere than usual.
'What is it?'
The person who was always full of composure was nervous. There was an enormous power radiating from the president that made even Rudger a little nervous.
Rudger had never seen the president react like that before.
'Did I offend her? Or was my gift too much?'
The president walked straight toward Rudger and unsurprisingly, her momentum didn't subside. On the contrary, the closer she got to Rudger, the more the momentum emanating from the president grew, like a spur.
As if he was on the verge of a lifelong enemy, the president made a firm decision and opened her mouth.
"Mr. Rudger."
"…Yes, President."
Rudger had a hunch that something had happened.
Had a new force invaded Theon, or was Hugo Burtag working behind the scenes without his knowledge?
Maybe his identity was exposed?
Rudger tensed and waited for her to answer.
"……."
"……."
The two continued to stare at each other like that for a while, not breaking eye contact.
"Tick, tick, tick."
The ticking of a clock in the corner of the room was the only sound that could be heard.
Just as Rudger was beginning to feel the pressure as they continued to make tense eye contact, President Elisa slammed something behind her back onto Rudger's desk, then stormed out of the room without looking back.
"……?"
Rudger, who was left alone, didn't understand what just happened and looked at the object on the desk without saying a word.
It was a sealed envelope so Rudger decided to examine its contents. Inside, there was a "dining ticket with the president."
From the handwriting it seems to have been written by the President herself.
"……?"
Rudger still couldn't understand the situation.