‘He’s asking me to become their supervising professor.’
Let’s get straight to the point.
I refuse.
The reason is simple.
I’m still not free from their attempts at assassination. Becoming the supervising professor of cadets I can’t control is like digging my own grave with a backhoe.
“......”
Even so, I stood with my arms crossed, staring at Kaiser. Because I had nothing to say.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kwan: ‘Huh! Even after such an outrageous offer, he keeps that high-and-mighty attitude?’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Elize: ‘Please do it.’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Gray: ‘Why isn’t the professor saying anything? Come on, Kaiser, keep talking.’ 】
Receiving the cadets’ stares, Kaiser leaned back against the sofa.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Is this silence... him trying to test us...?’ 】
I just don’t have anything to say.
“There’s no need to find it strange.”
“......”
“If it’s displeasing to you, then I’ll briefly explain our plan. If we are to be guided by you, our first step is to form an assassination unit. With that, we intend to upend the assassination world.”
An assassination unit.
That storyline doesn’t even begin until the fourth year, and he’s already planning it?
But more than that, it was his thought that struck me harder.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘...Furthermore, in time, we will assassinate the emperor of the corrupt empire.’ 】
Assassinate the emperor?
That was dangerous thinking in every sense.
The Imperial Family defines the rules of the continent.
And those rules apply to players too.
In other words, this wasn’t even part of the main story.
“You kids sure are puffed up.”
“...Yes. I suppose it seems that way now.”
These young geniuses were harboring an outrageous dream.
A dream to kill the emperor of the Central Empire.
Whether they’ll succeed, I don’t know.
“To achieve that... we need your help, Professor.”
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘There. We’ve revealed our secret. Now you must give a meaningful response.’ 】
This was troublesome.
Kaiser had just made it harder to say no—by revealing a secret of theirs.
“Well. Whatever you do has nothing to do with me.”
“Excuse me?”
“I have no intention of controlling cadet activities. My position is not bound by White Path or Black Path.”
“......”
“I simply do the work assigned to me as a professor. I see no reason why I must become your supervising professor.”
Which meant, of course, I was refusing.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘...Truly an assassin. Calculating profit and loss even now.’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Are you saying: make me a monetary offer right now?’ 】
Why is he misunderstanding it like that?
“If we just—”
“Stop.”
I cut Kaiser off.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear this conversation.”
If a monetary condition came out of his mouth—
Then rejecting the offer would look way worse.
Because assassins follow the money.
“Anything else you’d like to say?”
Kaiser and I looked straight at each other.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘So it’s a no.’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘But why does his face look so damn scary...’ 】
From where I’m standing, Kaiser—who looks way more like the final boss—is the one tensing up, even though he’s keeping a straight face.
Is it now?
Just as I was slowly starting to get up—
“Ah, I can’t stand this anymore.”
The big cadet, Kendreik, stood up first.
“Kendreik.”
“Team leader. Why do we have to grovel like this? We don’t even know if this professor’s qualified to teach us.”
“He’s more than qualified. What are you saying?”
“What do you think I’m saying!”
Kendreik turned to look at me.
“Professor. Look at me. Are you even qualified to teach us? After one semester here, I’ve realized even the senior professors aren’t fit to teach me. If you’re fine with it, let’s throw down right now.”
He pulled a massive axe from his subspace.
A battle axe glowing red with imbued mana.
“Let’s have an assassin duel.”
This was bad.
I hadn’t leveled up at all yet.
The cadets tensed and glanced at one another.
And I opened my mouth.
“...Pathetic. Did you call me here to put on this kind of clown show?”
Just something to say.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kwan: ‘...!’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Elize: ‘Whoa.’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Balmung: ‘The mood just shifted...’ 】
The cadets flinched at my words.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kendreik: ‘What’s with this tough act? You think you’re something? I said let’s fight.’ 】
The bluff didn’t work on him—he started preparing to charge.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Gray: ‘I’m curious too. Let’s prod him a bit...’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kwan: ‘I’ll help, Kendreik.’ 】
And once the first trial against me was initiated, other cadets also began drawing weapons from their cloaks and aiming at me.
Goddamn it. I’m screwed.
You lunatics!
Just before everything exploded—
I spotted a surprising script.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Shit...! If we fight inside the building, I’ll get caught up in it too...’ 】
Huh. What?
Why does this team leader—who looks like a final boss—have a script that reads so... weak?
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Look at his eyes. He’s totally a serial killer...’ 】
What is this? He looks more like the villain himself.
Could this guy be a key?
So I stared him down.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Stop. Stop looking at me...! Damn it...!’ 】
I stared a bit longer.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Ghh...!’ 】
A little longer...
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Gahhh...! I—I can’t take it anymore...!!’ 】
A current ran through my brain. Outwardly, he still looked calm, but his script was steadily becoming more and more terrified.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Shit, I’m scared...!! How the hell am I supposed to keep negotiating with this monster professor...!?’ 】
With a composed face, he turned to Kendreik.
But he was avoiding my gaze.
This guy. Could it be...?
“Gray. Kwan. Kendreik. If any of you take one more step, you die by my hand.”
I called out the three who were about to move, without even turning my head.
All three flinched and looked around at each other. They must’ve felt like I had read their bloodlust completely.
“Kaiser.”
“Please speak.”
I stared directly at Team Leader Kaiser’s face.
Black long hair. Vertical slit pupils. Limping leg with a cane. Anyone could see he looked more evil and terrifying than me. According to the records, he was the one responsible for four professors’ deaths.
“Was it your idea to test me?”
“What if it was?”
“You’re a presumptuous child.”
My words made the other cadets tense.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kwan: ‘It’s best not to mess with that guy...! He’s way crueler than Kendreik! There’s a reason he killed three more professors even after getting his graduation certificate. He’s just a blood-hungry monster...’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Elize: ‘Are they gonna fight...?’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Balmung: ‘Even for a professor, this is reckless. He’s not our team leader for nothing. But if it goes on like this, Dormant Dragon Hall will be in ruins...’ 】
Even Kendreik sounded slightly subdued now.
“Um... Professor. Let’s fight?”
Leaving aside the freak-out around me, Team Leader Kaiser answered with extreme calm.
“How could one achieve greatness while trapped within another’s framework?”
So calm.
So composed.
Still radiating that unfathomable depth.
But the script said otherwise.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Shit... Please don’t stare straight at me... It’s terrifying.’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Please, just fight Kendreik already!!!’ 】
Now I was absolutely certain. This guy is my kind.
He’s weak—but somehow ended up as team leader!
“So those four professors you killed?”
“Strange, is it? It’s a tradition in the Department of Assassination.”
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘I didn’t actually kill them...! I can’t even assassinate properly with this limp, they just happened to be dead somehow...!’ 】
“No. That’s not it.”
“Pardon?”
“Kaiser. You dare think /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ you can deceive me? How long did you think your little act would work in front of me?”
“......”
“You need to be disciplined.”
Then the guy let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re saying... you’ll discipline me? You, me?”
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kwan: ‘That thing? Is it Formless Poison again?’ 】
My words were layered.
The other cadets took it to mean 『Formless Poison』.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Ack!! I’m screwed. He must’ve noticed I’m weak...!’ 】
Only Kaiser understood the real meaning.
And with that, I was sure.
That bastard is the exact same type as me.
I don’t know what path led him to end up like this, but it’s clear—he’s definitely as much of a weakling as I am.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kwan: ‘Oh my god... Kaiser, the strongest among us, is getting overwhelmed...!’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Gray: ‘Whoa, what the hell??’ 】
The cadets were losing it.
I’d found it.
My one and only escape route was right here.
“Everyone, leave Dormant Dragon Hall. Except Kaiser.”
But Kaiser wasn’t an ordinary guy either.
He immediately leaned on his cane and said,
“You don’t have the authority to command us, do you?”
He meant to resist.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Guys, don’t leave!!! I’m fucked if you do!!!’ 】
But once you’ve seen someone’s true nature, exploiting it becomes easy.
“If you don’t send them out as team leader, Kaiser—you’ll face the one ending you fear most.”
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘!!! No way...’ 】
At that moment, I had to admire him again.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ 】
Even cornered, Kaiser remained composed. Though his inner thoughts were drowning in tears, he didn’t waver on the outside.
“...Would you all wait outside?”
The cadets began rising and leaving one by one.
And then Kaiser’s script exploded.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘I’m screwed.’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘I’m fucking screwed...!’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘I’ve worked so hard to fake my way through life... And it’s all over today...!’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘How did my life end up like this? I just wanted to live quietly, normally...’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Not stand out too much. But not be a total loner either. Just hang out with a few friends, maybe get a government job or something stable...’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Marry a normal girl, raise one kid, die peacefully in my sleep without any pain...’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Assassination? Assassination my ass! I’ve never even stepped on a worm in my life!’ 】
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘Oh heavens... Why are you so cruel to me? Today’s my birthday, and it’s turning into my death day...!!’ 】
Eventually, all the cadets left the hall.
I confirmed it via the [Minimap].
Then I gently said to the lone remaining Kaiser:
“It’s alright.”
“......”
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘??????????’ 】
Amazingly, he didn’t show a hint of shock.
Kaiser still looked at me with that arrogant gaze.
“I don’t know what you’ve been saying from earlier.”
“You don’t have to keep acting so hard. Even if the rest of the world doesn’t know, I can see your situation clearly.”
“......”
“You don’t need to worry. As someone who’s become a professor, I respect you as you are. I have no intention of ruining your life.”
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘??? He knows everything about me? And he’s pretending not to?’ 】
His script looked like it had taken a hit.
I knew exactly what to do now.
Even if he was weak inside, if he held real authority, then that deserved respect.
“To get straight to the point. I don’t intend to teach you all. There are two reasons for that. First, I don’t have the leeway to devote myself to personally guiding anyone.”
“......”
“Second, if you were to be trained by me, at least one of you would definitely end up dead. Because the higher the level of instruction, the more your lives would be on the line.”
“And why would you be concerned about something like that...?”
Kaiser trailed off mid-sentence.
Then frowned.
“Don’t tell me, you’re....”
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘...worried about us?’ 】
It was just something I said, and that’s how he interpreted it?
Still... it kind of worked.
“As a professor, I don’t want my cadets getting hurt.”
“...!!”
His eyes trembled, as if shaken.
It worked. Time to go one step further.
“I’ll say it again—I respect you all. As long as you don’t cross the line.”
“And if we do...?”
“Then I’ll refuse. However, I’d like to help you personally. I’ll give you my crystal comm number. Contact me anytime if you need to talk.”
“...Ah, yes. Then I—”
“Stay there, you’ve got a bad leg.”
I got up from my seat and approached him. His eyes widened in real time.
I knelt in front of him and matched the crystals on our wrists.
< Registering [Kaiser]’s number. >
Even now, he kept his expression unreadable.
But his script just... died on the spot.
【 Dormant Dragon Institute Year 1 Kaiser: ‘.......’ 】
“But there’s one thing you still need to explain.”
“What is it?”
“That deadly poison in the Five-Colored Black Tea—what was that?”
“...I wanted to pretend to poison the tea in front of the others, so I added a harmlessly diluted toxin.”
He tugged the teacup closer with his cane and drank it right in front of me.
Ah. So this is a loophole in the system. Even diluted to be harmless, it still counted as “poison” because the intent was there.
“I apologize... But for you to detect that...”
The guy had totally misunderstood me as someone amazing.
Honestly, I was just putting on a show to survive—but hey, if we’re in the same boat, we might as well help each other.
So I got his number. And finally—
“Happy birthday.”
“......”
His expression cracked—just a little.
That was it.
I silently exited Dormant Dragon Hall.
And when cadets tried to follow, Kaiser waved them off with, “Let him go.”
After returning to the mansion—
I slumped down, leaning against the door to my room.
“I’m alive...”
It really was one hell of a goddamn day.
┃ Main Quest [First Day of Appointment]
┃ Reward: Star Fragment ×1,000 (Special reward for DLC purchase)
At last, the 1,000x reward surfaced.
And that evening, a message came to my crystal comm.