ACADEMY'S UNDERCOVER PROFESSOR
I gave Sedina Rochen two days.
Until then, I told her that she could slowly submit the application form to become a Professor's Assistant.
But to overshadow my words, Sedina neatly finished the application form an hour later and came back to me.
She was gasping for breath from running so quickly.
"…"
I accepted it with a blank face because I didn't expect her to want to be my assistant that much, and Sedina was appointed as my assistant through a formal process.
And the next day in my class…
I handed Sedina the class material and told her to go first and put it on the podium, and then she went slowly on her way to the classroom.
'First of all, I need to show my students who my assistant is.'
Sedina was very thorough and smart with others, even if she looked weak and delicate.
Rather, she often showed her vigilance against others, and I guessed it might be related to the reason why she entered the Black Dawn Society.
She was only acting weird in front of me, as she had mistaken me for the First Order.
I didn't know if I should like that part or not, but it made it easy for me to order her around.
'I guess I should go in now.'
Sraaak.
When I opened the door of the classroom and entered, Sedina, who was standing on the podium, saw me and hurriedly bowed to me.
"Good job."
"Yes, yes."
With only one word spoken by me, Sedina's body shuddered with emotion, and she left the classroom.
I naturally climbed onto the platform and glanced at the students.
'Their reaction is somewhat strange, huh?'
Flora Lumos's gaze in particular was most noticeable amongst the students.
She clenched her teeth and stared at me with a sharp gaze to avoid showing her feelings, but for a moment, I thought I had become a sinner.
I ignored her gaze and looked at the other students' reactions.
'Maybe because it's been a while since the school started, but some students' gazes are starting to change.'
Some students had spied on each other and hid themselves at the beginning of the semester.
Was it the end of their investigation?
The spirit of some students had changed considerably compared to the beginning of the class.
The reason for that was probably Aidan.
"Oh, huh?"
Aidan's body shuddered as he felt my gaze.
The open duel between Aidan and Jevan Felio had been enough to stir up the calm atmosphere in Sören.
There was also a werewolf case before, but the blatant confrontation between commoners and aristocratic students must have been the decisive factor.
It was not necessarily Aidan's fault.
That was bound to happen one day, and Aidan just happened to take the lead in making it happen.
It was not a lucky occurrence for him in some ways.
Whatever one would call it, it was true that there was a new wind blowing in Sören.
It was about time for the students affected by the wind to start showing their true colors.
If there was a problem, no one knew whether the wind would flow in a good direction or not.
'That's probably why the classroom is so noisy right now.'
Whether they were surprised or amazed by the fact that the professor had picked an assistant, they were glaring at me.
Looking at their various reactions, I thought that they were students after all.
"Quiet."
The students who were talking among themselves became silent at my word.
In the end, all the fuss was a matter between the students.
It meant that I didn't have to care about it.
"Let's start the lesson."
A professor should just do good in their class.
***
"That's all. What you learned today will be in the next exam, so be sure to review it when you get back."
After a two-hour class ended…
Having given a simple assignment to the students, I organized the teaching materials and was about to leave the classroom.
"Professor Ludger, I have a question."
At that time, one of the students raised her hand and spoke up.
It was a principle that a professor shouldn't refuse personal questions, even after class, but it was the first time that someone asked me questions like that.
'Why?'
Until then, everyone had just looked at me and couldn't even think about approaching me.
"What are you curious about?"
First of all, since there was nothing I couldn't answer, I asked the student who raised her hand.
The first thing I saw was white hair that resembled the snow.
It was the same color as the perpetual snow that I saw in the Northern Arette Mountains before I reached the Exileon Empire.
The moment I saw the distinctive hair color, I remembered her name.
"Julia Plumheart."
"Oh, my. So you remember my name."
"Because you are a student who attends my class."
Julia Plumheart…
A woman with white hair, pale skin, and a strange atmosphere that made people feel like they would freeze just by getting closer to her.
But she had a captivating yet subtle smile all the time.
To put it bluntly, it was a somewhat dark smile.
However, If I had to pick the most memorable reason for why I remembered her, it was because she was the top first-year student who had been first ranked in Sören's entrance exam.
Not only that, but she was an unrivaled rookie that the magic tower supported and had expectations for.
'Before this, she was just taking my classes calmly, this is surprising.'
I was just trying not to make it obvious, but I couldn't believe she had a question.
"So, what are you curious about?"
If it was a question from a rookie whom the tower supported, was it something related to magic?
I stood still and waited for Julia's question.
"How did you pick your assistant?"
I was wondering what she was curious about, so it was related to the Professor's Assistant?
There was no reason why I couldn't answer that.
"I looked and picked her by myself."
"Do you have any qualifications, then? For example, they have to be skillful enough at magic for them to be suitable for becoming your assistant."
All the students stared at me curiously after hearing her words.
* * *
* * *
Julia's question seemed to be just out of pure curiosity, but it wasn't.
Her intention was to pierce through Ludger.
He had suddenly picked an assistant, but was he sure that she had the suitable ability?
Her question was implicitly interrogating him.
"Or, well, do they have to be from a famous place where people can tell who they are just by hearing their name?"
When Ludger didn't answer her, Julia asked a more explicit question.
That was the intention of the question, after all.
Did he gain something from his assistant?
Her subtle attack might be offensive to some people, but Ludger just stared at Julia with calm eyes.
Soon, when everyone's attention was focused on him, his mouth opened.
"When I pick someone as my assistant, there is only one thing that I see in them."
"What's that?"
"Personality."
Julia was at a loss for words at his very confident answer.
"I don't see class, status, or honor when I see or pick someone—I only see their personality. I chose my current assistant because she has a suitable personality."
"Then you don't consider anything else at all when you pick your assistant?"
"Yes. I welcome anyone as long as they have a suitable personality. We'll have a basic inquiry session."
Ludger said so and gave Julia a warning.
"However, you don't seem to be suitable for becoming my assistant."
"…"
Julia's face, which had been smiling, changed as she had been criticized.
What he said indirectly meant that she had a bad personality.
Ludger looked around at the other students without looking at Julia's reaction.
"Is there anyone else who wants to ask me a question?"
"Ah, here!"
Ludger's eyes turned to where the sound came from.
It was Aidan, Leo, and Tessie. It seemed that Leo was the one who spoke, but it was Aidan who looked confused.
"What are you curious about, Aidan?"
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"Oh, pardon?"
"Weren't you curious about something and wanted to ask me a question?"
Aidan hesitated to answer Ludger's question.
It was obviously Leo who had raised his hand, but suddenly, the attention passed to him.
Leo slapped Aidan on the shoulder next to him, saying, 'Cheer up' with the movement of his mouth.
But instead of blaming Leo, Aidan thought that it was a chance to ask Ludger a question.
But the question that came out of his mouth was of a way different topic.
"Have you… heard the rumor about a stone that listens to people's wishes?"
Aidan said it himself and he wondered what a silly question it was.
He was so confused that his brain went blank, so he just said anything without thinking.
He had originally been intending to ask about his teacher, though.
Tessie and Leo, who were cheering Aidan from next to him, also stared at Aidan with expressions like, 'What are you doing all of a sudden?'
"I heard it."
"…!"
The students showed disbelief on their faces as if saying, 'He answered this kind of question?'
"That…"
"I heard it, but I want to say that it's a false rumor. Don't tell me that you're a student in my class, yet you really believe in such false rumors?"
No one could answer the question.
Because everyone knew that he didn't really ask the question out of curiosity.
"When you have time to care about such rumors, use it to sharpen your magic, if even a little bit. You know that the first evaluation day is coming soon, right?"
Ludger's voice, which turned even heavier, weighed down the entire classroom.
The first evaluation exam…
The examination hall where all the Sören's students of every year faced the new semester.
"Those who don't produce the right results then will be considered to be distracted by rumors and not faithful to their studies. I'll know once I see the results."
Some students gulped down at Ludger's last words.
"Does anyone else have any questions?"
"…"
"If there's none, I'll be going."
Ludger left the classroom at the end of his sentence.
Sedina, who was waiting for Ludger with her back against the wall next to the door, welcomed him hastily when she saw him come out.
"Ah. That… you did good work for your class, pr-professor."
"Have you been waiting here?"
"Yes. Somehow."
"Next time, just wait comfortably in the assistant room. Don't uselessly waste your time here."
"Ah, yes!"
Even after Sedina answered so, she nervously fiddled with her hand, as she seemingly had something left to say to Ludger.
"Do you have anything else to say?"
"Oh. Th-that…."
Ludger saw the reaction of Sedina Rochen and recalled Julia, who had asked him questions.
"Is it something related to Julia Plumheart?"
"N-no, that's…!"
"Looking at your reaction, it seems that I'm right. Don't worry. I don't want to pry into your personal matters."
"…Yes."
Sedina nodded with relief at Ludger's reply.
"Take this."
"P-pardon?! Aah?"
When Ludger handed over the pile of assignments he was holding, Sedina hastily reached out and accepted it.
It was so sudden that she stumbled, but she managed to balance herself.
"Sort them out until I get off work for today."
"Yes, yes."
"Just answer once."
"Yes!"
"Alright."
At that moment, the back door of the classroom opened, and a girl with long, blue hair approached Ludger.
Flora Lumos.
Along with her appearance, Sedina stepped back while holding the pile of homework.
"Flora Lumos, do you have any business with me?"
"That… I heard that Professor is picking assistants…"
"As you can see, for now, I picked one person, but why are you asking me that question?"
"That…"
Flora Lumos wanted to ask Ludger about why he hadn't told her when he was picking an assistant.
Then, she belatedly realized what she was thinking.
'Oh, my God. He would ask me why I didn't offer myself to be his assistant. Wouldn't it look like I was jealous?'
Flora thought that it was not her usual behavior.
Looking at Flora, who kept grumbling inwardly and clenching her fists then opening them, Ludger spoke apathetically.
"Or… do you have any intentions of applying as my assistant?"
"N-no?! Why would I?!"
Flora unknowingly raised her voice and shouted.
Belatedly recognizing her indecency, she covered her mouth with her hands.
Her white, jade cheeks flushed red.
"Is that so? If you don't want it, then never mind."
"N-no, well…"
"But the chance is always there. It doesn't matter if you apply after you change your mind. If it's you, then maybe it's possible."
Ludger turned his back after speaking those words.
Flora, who was left alone, stared blankly at Ludger's back as he went further beyond the corridor.
'It was possible if it was me, he said.'
'What on earth did he mean by that?'
Flora clenched her fist tightly and chewed her lips.
'…It's annoying.'
Either it was her caring about something trivial, or it was Ludger, whom she had been focused on since the first class.
Flora was at a loss because she had no idea how it had happened.
"Hmph."
Even so, she didn't reveal it outwardly.
Because she always had to be haughty in Sören.
***
Returning to his private professor's room, Ludger could not rest and had no choice but to get back out of his seat.
[Professor Ludger? Would you mind coming to my room for a moment?]
It was because the principal herself had called Ludger in person.
'Why the hell?'
Ludger had no time to ask about it.
—Because the crystal ball turned off as soon as it was done with its business.
Eventually, Ludger was forced to walk to the principal's office.
He got on the elevator to the principal's office in the main building.
Thus, Ludger reached the door across the corridor and knocked on it with his fingertips in a modest way.
Knock knock.
"It's Ludger Chelysie."
"Please, come in."
The door opened along with the principal's voice.
There was only the principal inside. Ludger naturally sat in an empty seat opposite of the principal.
"Why did you summon me?"
"Professor Ludger, have you heard the rumor?"
It was not an answer but a question in reply to his question.
What did the rumor mean?
"The rumor about the omnipotent stone that makes people's wishes come true?"
"Omnipotent stone, you said?"
Ludger nodded his head.
"I heard a bit of it. It seems that it's very popular among the students."
"I see."
"However, I didn't care much because I thought it was just a false rumor."
"Ah. So Professor Ludger thinks that it's a false rumor?"
The principal shook her head with a mysterious smile.
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Then she spat out a bombshell.
"In fact, an omnipotent stone that makes people's wishes come true really does exist."
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