The encounter with that difficult and rude self-proclaimed senior was the worst.
“What?! Senior or whatever, what are you even talking about?”
I was annoyed. To my question, the man clicked his tongue and replied shamelessly.
“Hey! You little brat, didn’t you feel anything from this great person here? I even went out of my way to show you my diploma, yet you still don’t understand? Pathetic fool…”
He seemed to harbor a lot of grievances against us as he spoke in a grumpy tone.
“To think such fools are Polaris students. The world is truly in decline… Didn’t Vulture tell you anything more?”
“Vulture?”
“Frederick, of course. That one-armed fellow, that’s his nickname.”
Irene asked, “…Excuse me, but what’s your relationship with Instructor Frederick?”
To think Instructor Frederick was actually our senior! I never imagined he was such an impressive person.
“Judging by your surprised reaction, you didn’t know. Well, that guy has always been tight-lipped. That’s probably why he sent burdens like you to me…”
As his story dragged on, I interrupted the bespectacled man.
“So, who are you exactly?”
“Who am I?”
He smirked at Irene’s question, spread his arms theatrically, and declared:
“Idiots, bow down in reverence! I am your first-generation senior, valedictorian, a key player in the Battle of Atlas, conqueror of the Howling Forest Dungeon, the hunter who subdued the Screaming Cutlass… and the professor for life who established Polaris’ magical education system. I am Albert Generico!”
“Ah… I see.”
“Wow~ That’s amazing.”
After his long monologue, I finally understood who he was.
Oh. But I didn’t really get it.
The person we met wasn’t just a super boomer but an egotistical super boomer.
As Albert boasted, Irene chimed in.
“Pardon me, professor. You called yourself our senior? Since you mentioned that…”
“Indeed. Not just any senior. I am a senior of such stature that worms like you shouldn’t even dare to speak to me. Look at that! What do you think all that is?”
When he pointed his hand, I noticed large and small trophies and medals neatly lined up in a corner of the room.
“That’s a medal I received for graduating as valedictorian, a commemorative coin for the third expedition to an otherworldly region, and a plaque of gratitude for defeating the Cutlass…”
Albert’s explanation was so tedious that I cleared my throat to cut him off. I deliberately ignored his glaring eyes.
Thanks to me, Irene finally got a chance to speak.
“Um, Senior… should I call you that?”
“Professor. Call me ‘Professor Albert.’”
“I apologize for being forward, but isn’t it too much to address us as ‘this brat’ or ‘that brat’ even if you’re our senior? We didn’t even know who you were and came here because you agreed to answer our questions…”
“Of course. Nowadays, the brats wandering around with Polaris badges are all low-quality. ‘This brat’ or ‘that brat’ fits, doesn’t it? Hey, you over there!”
He pointed his finger at me.
“You, how did you get in here?”
“Through the special admissions process.”
Something about a special evaluation or some such—though I don’t remember well.
“See! Just as I thought, a low-quality brat! What insane awakened academy admits students like this? Violet-haired girl, you! How did you get in?”
I could see Irene clenching her fists slightly in frustration before letting them go.
“The regular exam.”
“That’s right! Irene was even the top scorer!”
“Pfft, wasn’t the test easier than in the past? Is that even a test? Back in my day, the exams were far more challenging.”
Now I understood why he treated us with such disdain.
He believed he was exceptional and we were inferior, so he didn’t feel the need to be polite.
He slumped onto the sofa.
“…Well, since you’ve come all the way here, I can’t just kick you out. Fine, tell me your names.”
“I’m Irene Solstice.”
“Violet Rugilinn!”
“Solstice? Wait a moment…”
At the mention of Irene’s name, Albert seemed to recall something.
After a moment, his grumpy expression brightened.
“Solstice? Are you perhaps from the family of the Spearman of Radiance? I heard he had a daughter.”
“Yes, that’s my father.”
His face lit up, and his attitude changed completely.
“Haha! I see. You should have said so earlier. Damn, where is my mind? Guests are here, and I didn’t even offer anything to drink…”
Moments later, Albert placed an assortment of cookies and tea on the table in front of the sofa.
The teapot gave off a pleasant aroma.
As I reached for a cookie, I noticed the professor giving me a look.
There were only two teacups on the table.
Irene, sensing my discomfort, subtly slid her teacup toward me when the professor wasn’t looking.
“Professor Albert. Then, may we move on to the main topic now?”
While I savored the tea, Irene brought out the questions we had prepared.
Before taking the taxi, we’d briefly agreed on what to focus on, so I knew what the questions were.
“So, you want to ask about the school’s history? If that Vulture sent you, it must be sensitive. Is this about the Board of Directors?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Professor, was it? Then, I’ll start with the first question we prepared. When did you start working at the school?”
“I’ve worked here for nearly 30 years, even before the Federal Era. Though I left five years ago.”
Albert’s brown eyes looked at us, but it seemed as though he was gazing at fragments of the past rather than our present faces.
“Those were good times. Only carefully vetted, outstanding students were admitted. It was fulfilling as an educator. Miss Irene, was it? I even taught your parents directly. They weren’t the most obedient students, but… Do you have any questions about them?”
A brief curiosity flickered across Irene’s face before disappearing.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll ask about that later. For now, may I ask why you left?”
“Of course. It’s because that accursed Chairman ruined the school completely.”
Ah, so the Chairman really did something.
“Do you mean Chairman Valefor?”
“Who else? More precisely, he started destroying the school back when he was Vice Chairman.”
It was time to proceed to the next stage.
“What exactly happened at the school while the current Chairman was in office?”
“First, let me explain the issues of overall consolidation and departmental expansion…”
“That’s okay. We already know about that. Could you explain something else?”
“You’re smart, just like your mother. I see you inherited her brains.”
Albert smiled in satisfaction, but Irene flatly refuted his words.
“No, Violet next to me found that information for me.”
“Ahem… Anyway, since you already know that, I’ll skip the explanation. But you probably don’t know the details.”
After grumbling for a moment, Albert exhaled slowly and clasped his hands together, resting them on his lap.
“Polaris has always been an academy based on the principle of nurturing a select few elite students.
To cultivate the finest talent, we rigorously assessed everything—family background, character, awakening abilities, unique talents, and even non-awakened traits like academic performance and social skills.
We admitted only those who passed this stringent selection process and provided them with the best education under strict rules, refining them like steel.”
But one day, disaster struck. Someone with neither interest in nor knowledge of education abandoned their position as the head of a clan and joined the Board of Directors.
Their excuse sounded noble.
They claimed they wanted to help cultivate excellent human resources and contribute their utmost before retiring…
However, who among the board members could voice opposition to an S-rank mass destruction weapon? How could they stand against a former leader of the Four Great Clans?”
“They’d probably just keep quiet.”
When I responded, Albert frowned but nodded before continuing.
“…You’re right. A loud-mouthed non-expert silenced the professionals and reasonable voices.
The Chairman took control of the Board and, as you know, began merging subpar awakening academies under the pretense of ‘expanding educational opportunities and increasing profitability.’
Suddenly, the school was inundated with vulgar individuals and the unsavory cultures they brought.
Some were tied to gangs, while others had abysmal academic standards.
All faculty, including myself, struggled to adapt to the school’s abrupt change in atmosphere.
But the real problem lay elsewhere.”
Suddenly, everything in the room vibrated. It was like a poltergeist scene from a horror movie.
“Professor?”
“Damn, I got too worked up. My apologies. Let me continue. …When I and the other professors and instructors tried to resolve the chaos, the Chairman issued one outrageous directive after another. He replaced members of the Board one by one, lowered the passing criteria for entrance exams by half, eliminated character assessments, and simplified interviews. He recklessly expanded ridiculous admission policies.”
At first, I thought he was simply obsessed with money, like a degree factory. But that wasn’t the case.
Even wealthy and prestigious families who offered to pay exorbitant fees to enroll were turned away with flimsy excuses.
Instead, only dubious individuals with no pedigree were admitted.
When I confronted him directly, the Chairman said, ‘What we need is an education with a more common touch.’
At that point, I couldn’t help but feel the school harbored some malevolent intent.”
To put it another way, it was like a prestigious university deliberately flipping its entrance standards—rejecting top scorers and only admitting the bottom ranks.
It was absurd upon reflection.
But one curious question arose.
If they deliberately filtered out certain people, how did someone like Irene, the daughter of a famous figure, get admitted? Was there a loophole somewhere?
“The board even went as far as to create a separate foundation, provide funding, and admit students through it. I’m not talking about the scholarship program. They would fully cover tuition as a loan, and then allow the students to repay it slowly after graduation. They provided that benefit to nearly every student. For those who couldn’t meet the grade or skill requirements, they brought in so-called admission brokers and trained them. Do you think that makes any sense?”
“And everyone else just stood by and let it happen?”
“Of course not, we protested. We reached out to media outlets, posted about it online, and tried to bring it to public attention. But it all quieted down soon enough.
One friend of mine who had been working in administration for ten years was fired for criticizing the disastrous financial state. Professors who opposed departmental restructuring were pushed out one by one, even losing their tenure.
It was a clear message: leave if you don’t like it.
Over time, long-serving faculty and staff left, and their positions were filled by incompetent lecturers or outright frauds. At some point, even the procedures for managing and supervising students were simplified and then abandoned. Naturally, the school fell into chaos.
When I left, senior students were subjecting juniors to bizarre forms of discipline. Does that still happen?”
“Yes! I’ve experienced it myself. They’d pile up a mountain of food and threaten us if we didn’t finish it.”
“Exactly. Seniors force juniors into all sorts of irrational practices and even commit violence, and the student council just turns a blind eye!”
“Just as I expected.”
He accepted the current state of the school as if it were a given.
“That’s not all. During the entrance ceremony, real monsters showed up!”
Albert listened to Irene’s words and responded nonchalantly.
“So what? That happened occasionally when I was there too. Monsters crashing the entrance ceremony was practically a tradition. A little scare is no big deal…”
“People died or got injured because of it!”
Albert hesitated and adjusted his glasses.
“No way… Are you sure you’re not mistaken? There were always people fainting from the illusion of monsters…”
“No, it wasn’t an illusion. They were real monsters. I confirmed it myself.”
“She’s right. I saw Irene take them down firsthand.”
Albert’s expression hardened.
“Damn it, what the hell has been happening at this school…”
He was at a loss for words, murmuring in denial of reality.
“Did Vulture not know about this? What’s been going on…”
“Professor, it was clearly orchestrated. And then everything was swept under the rug as if nothing had happened.”
“Enough! Let’s drop this for now. I’m too confused as it is.”
Albert gripped his head in frustration, frowning deeply.
“Fine. I don’t know what’s been going on, but from the state of things, it’s clear the chairman is involved.”
“But professor, wasn’t there any other way to protest against the board?”
I raised my hand and asked, prompting Albert to shout in frustration, as if overwhelmed by emotion.
“What? Another way? What do you know, being one of the students admitted through those shady methods?
Do you think I, or anyone else, just sat back and did nothing? There was a massive clan backing the chairman.
And damn it, should I have dueled that old bastard myself?
We tried everything. We filed complaints, and one of the more idealistic instructors even handed over incriminating documents to a journalist.
But one day, he was found hanged in his own home. That’s how things went.”
He paused to catch his breath, his voice weakening as he continued.
“I was powerless. The opposition was too enormous, and I was just a professor. What could I have done?
As an educator, I did everything I could. Seeing the school in that state… it made me lose all attachment to the place. That’s all there is to it.”
He stopped his long explanation.
“That’s all I can tell you. I don’t know anything beyond this. Is that enough for you, little juniors?”
“…Yes, this has been immensely helpful. Thank you for taking the time to explain, Professor.”
“Helpful, huh? I’m just a pathetic old man with nothing to do but stay at home these days. Thanks for listening to my complaints.”
He slowly turned to look at me.
“So, Violet, was it? I apologize for snapping earlier. If Irene’s bringing you around, you probably aren’t as bad as you seem.”
“Yes, understood.”
His apology didn’t feel like much of one. But expecting kindness from the start would’ve been asking too much.
I decided to ask one last question before leaving.
“How did you know we’d be asking about changes to the school under the chairman’s influence?”
“When I left, Vulture made me promise something. He told me to speak to anyone—reporters, whoever—asking about the last five years of this school. Someone had to know. By the way, how is that one-armed fool doing?”
“The instructor is doing fine! He’s scary because he loves giving us drills and yelling at us, though.”
Hearing my explanation, Albert chuckled lightly.
“That’s just like him. He was always so stubborn. Even when I left, he stayed, saying he couldn’t abandon the students. Alright, we’re done here. Off you go! Don’t skip class tomorrow, got it?”
Albert, our distant senior and former educator, now reduced to an unemployed man, seemed somewhat pitiful.
He quietly, weakly saw us off, his earlier prickly demeanor nowhere to be found.
As we stepped out, Irene seemed to recall something and turned back.
“Professor, what do you think of a student named Crosell Torrence?”
“Crosell? You mean the student council president?”
Albert’s expression grew serious.
“Skill-wise, he was top-notch when I last saw him. But he’s narrow-minded and rotten to the core. Stay far away from him.”
He continued.
“Young juniors, here’s some advice from a senior: stop meddling in dangerous matters and get out of that wretched place as soon as you can. Got it?”
“I’ll try.”
“And tell that idiot Frederick this: ‘I’ll be coming for him soon, so get out of that hellhole ASAP!’”
We took a taxi back to school. Or rather, we parted ways midway since Irene was a commuter.
“Thanks for coming with me. Honestly, he was a bit much, but I think we learned some useful things. See you tomorrow!”
“Yeah, see you.”
As I rode the taxi through the darkened streets, I reflected.
We learned a lot.
But it still felt like we were just scratching the surface.
-Damn it! This is all stuff we already knew! The school’s downfall was because of the chairman! Who doesn’t know that?-
-We’re still far from the core of the issue. We’re just circling around it!-
The other Violets who heard Albert’s conversation whispered amongst themselves.
-Let’s investigate that suspicious school building right away.-
-Then let’s start tonight. I’ve got the equipment ready. Remember that second-hand weapon shop I mentioned? The weapons were junk, but they had some interesting stuff.-
What Irene and I uncovered was merely a narrative of how the school fell apart.
What I truly wanted to know was why it happened.
Ultimately, we came to the conclusion that to find the core truth, we’d have to enter the tiger’s den.
-Get your gear ready. See you later!-
And as the rest of the world slept, the Violets quietly moved across the shadowy campus.