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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: The Hero Professor
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“...Let’s go with the magic class.”
“Excellent. You can have a cup of tea before the class begins. I will show you to my office. Piache, would you like to hold Grandpa's hand? I'm afraid I might fall.”
I gave a slight nod to the child, who was looking up at me again, as a sign of permission.
Only then did Piache's cheeks turn a rosy red as she tightly gripped Oswald's finger.
At that moment, Undine, hidden in the air, sent me a telepathic message.
[Rian, that old human is moving his mana. I think he's scanning Piache?]
He's checking to see if she has mana.
[He doesn't seem like he's going to attack. Should we just let him be?]
Pretending to look elsewhere, I gave a small nod.
There was no reason to stop Oswald. Piache has no mana.
“Good girl. Our dear Piache, shall we go in with Grandpa?”
“Yes…”
The interior of the building was both beautiful and comfortable.
Gothic architecture usually sacrifices some practicality, but the academy was not like that at all.
For one, the temperature was perfect.
*Is it controlled by magic?*
I couldn't feel the heat from outside at all.
Not a single fingerprint could be seen on the ornate, grand interior walls and stained-glass windows.
Even the frescoes that filled the high ceilings were undamaged.
It was clear that every facility was meticulously maintained.
*The old man has a right to be proud.*
I was admiring the ceiling frescoes, marveling inwardly, when another one of Undine's irritated telepathic messages came through.
[Rian, why are those young humans staring only at you?]
*Huh?*
When I lowered my gaze, I saw that more than half the children on the first floor were looking at me.
Every one of them with their mouths agape.
Even the children who hadn't noticed me at first were beginning to turn their attention my way.
*Wow. She's dazzling!*
*Who is that?*
*Could she be a new professor?*
*Gasp! They say she looks like the Duchess!*
*It's the Duchess Ivrante!*
*The new professor is Duchess Ivrante!*
*Waaah!*
My identity spread among the children in an instant. The first floor fell silent.
[Hmph! They know beauty when they see it. Humans, I swear.]
*Look at that crying kid. That's definitely not it.*
…I wanted to say, but since I don't have the ability to send telepathic messages like Undine, I could only think it.
The children weren't looking at me because I was pretty.
At first, they must have instinctively looked over when something glittering walked in.
It was understandable. Frankly, the dress I was wearing was arguably more ornate than the building itself.
After that, they must have been frightened by my identity.
*But why are even the children scared of me? I've never seen any of them before.*
Don't tell me their parents have been bad-mouthing me.
All the children here were from noble families, so it was entirely possible.
Oswald, noticing the frozen atmosphere, laughed awkwardly.
“It seems there are still children who remember the Duchess's special lecture. Hahaha.”
Adrian gave a special lecture? But what on earth did she do to make the kids lose their minds?
“Ahem! Let's head up. Piache, let's go to Grandpa's office for a snack, and then we can come back down. I'll give you a proper tour then.”
“Yes…”
Even as she climbed the stairs, Piache was too busy looking around to pay attention.
Her blue eyes sparkled with curiosity and admiration.
She's going to fall at this rate.
“Piache, watch where you're going.”
“Ah! Yes!”
When we entered the headmaster's office on the fifth floor, Oswald personally brewed some tea.
The office was quickly filled with a fragrant aroma.
“Please, have some.”
I drank the tea with impeccable posture.
Arrogantly, yet elegantly. With an expression that said, *I suppose this is drinkable.*
Meanwhile, Oswald was eagerly trying to win Piache over.
“Piache, you saw earlier, right? The first floor has the dining hall and various amenities, and the second through fourth floors are classrooms.”
“Yes…”
“The headmaster's office and the professors' studies are on the fifth floor. This is Grandpa's office, so if you miss me while you're studying, you can come visit anytime.”
“Uh…”
“The swordsmanship training grounds and the magic practice hall are in a separate building behind the main hall. It's dangerous to go alone, so if you want to see them, let's go together later with Grandpa. Alright?”
“...G-Grandpa, can Piache c-come again?”
“Of course! Grandpa would like it if Piache came not just once, but every day. What do you think, Piache? Do you want to attend the academy?”
“I…”
Piache looked completely smitten with the academy, yet she didn't answer easily.
She thought she needed to get my permission first.
Oswald, instantly grasping the child's hesitation, feigned surprise.
“But the Duchess said you could do whatever you want. Didn't you know?”
“R-Really?”
The child whipped her head around to look at me.
Her wide eyes were filled with questions.
*Will you really let me? Can I really attend the academy like Grandpa said?*
*She's completely fallen for it.*
Oswald wasn't trying to recruit Piache right now; he was trying to recruit me through Piache.
The moment Piache enrolled, the academy would gain the powerful backing of the Ivrante name.
But it was obvious that trying to persuade me directly would be fruitless, so he was targeting Piache instead.
Of course, he must have also taken a genuine liking to Piache.
*I thought it was a little strange for an Expert-class mage to be serving as headmaster...*
But watching him, I saw he was more than qualified.
Oswald was surprisingly resourceful.
Unlike a typical mage—the epitome of poor communication—his speech was smooth.
Even though he was openly showing his intention to use me, it wasn't unpleasant.
It was probably because his goal wasn't to satisfy his own greed.
*I like this old man. I think I can entrust Piache to him.*
I had already anticipated that Piache would attend the academy, according to the story.
I was just worried about what to do if I didn't like the academy…
*Is it a relief for me that I don't have to worry about that anymore?*
[Step 2: (Sighing) Do you not understand, even after I brought you all the way to the academy? Of course you should attend!]
I looked down at Piache with a cool gaze.
“Do you not understand why I brought you all the way to the academy? It was to give you a choice.”
“Ah…”
Piache thought it over seriously before asking cautiously.
“I, I w-want to come here e-every day. D-Duchess, is that okay?”
“You may.”
Piache sat there blankly for a moment before jumping to her feet.
“...Huh? R-Really?”
“If you don't want to, then don't.”
“N-No! No! That's not it! Uh… Th-Thank you, Duchess. I-I mean it!”
I nonchalantly raised my teacup to hide my face.
Piache's face was so red I thought I was going to burst out laughing.
Oswald's expression became one of utter satisfaction.
He personally unwrapped a piece of candy and gave it to Piache, saying,
“It's about time for class to start. Piache, let's go listen in on the class with Grandpa.”
“Yes!”
As we headed down to the third floor where the basic magic class was held, Oswald began to boast.
“The popularity of the basic magic class has soared recently. Even students with no aptitude for mana are taking it.”
Is the instructor that good? That can't be right.
Mages are a race of people who are inherently bad at teaching.
Having been born geniuses, they can't comprehend the fact that not everyone can grasp a principle just by seeing it once.
*At least, the only mage I know is like that... I guess there are normal mages out there too?*
“Is his teaching skill that good?”
“It's less about skill… We recently hired a new professor, and he's a Master.”
“Ah…”
There are only three Master-class mages in the Philio Empire.
Though I've only ever met one of them.
A Master-class mage could be a terrible teacher and it wouldn't matter.
The prestige of being called his student is enough.
*No wonder there are so many students.*
Basic magic is easy enough for even a commoner to take, and it's a golden opportunity to build a connection with a Master-class mage.
“I'm sure the Duchess will recognize the name. He's quite famous.”
“Of course he's famous. He's a Master.”
“That's true, but he is also one of the three heroes who defeated the Demon King alongside Adela Helsington.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. My voice trembled slightly.
“Don't tell me… Luspell…?”
