Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Chasing the Ability Thief #02
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Ever since the academy was founded with the sole purpose of subjugating the Demon King, countless geniuses had passed through its halls.
Among them were many who even left the professors in awe, going on to become figures who either propped up their nations or left an indelible mark for better or worse.
As such, the academy's professors differed in temperament from scholars in magic towers or grand libraries.
For them, their true legacy wasn't their personal achievements but the greatness of the disciples they nurtured.
The problem was that this generation brimmed with far too many exceptional geniuses. One might say that simply having geniuses to teach was a boon, but fully realized geniuses were another story altogether.
"I hear the Crown Prince has devised a new mana calculation formula..."
"Even the academic circles are buzzing that it's far simpler than the old ones."
"Princess Marianne cleared out a red troll colony all by herself, didn't she...?"
"The kingdom's warriors who went with her only handled weapon maintenance, from what I heard."
"And Kaiyen Silversword—by himself again!—contracted a new intermediate spirit!"
"Didn't that kid expand his magic circles on his own last time too? Is someone secretly tutoring him?"
There was nothing to teach them. Or rather, nothing they could be taught. The academy knew that meddling with these self-evolving geniuses using pedestrian knowledge might even ruin them. Providing the right challenges and whatever else they demanded was enough to turn them into heroes.
Of course, there were certainly geniuses still rough around the edges compared to their innate talents. These immature geniuses—unlike the self-sufficient ones—were prime targets for professors under normal circumstances.
"Has Violet Purplecrow's personal tutoring request still not been approved?"
"No chance. Who would dare touch a girl trained personally by the Great Witch Valburga?"
"Jorba seemed promising too. Maybe lure him into history or military command...?"
"That guy's barely attended classes since day one, too busy chasing skirts. And he only seems interested in money-makers anyway..."
Delicious geniuses were everywhere, but not a single one was edible.
A month after the semester began, the professors concluded as much and shifted to teaching promising talents or hardworking average students.
That atmosphere changed with the arrival of Arthin Ludwig.
"That mana control...! How does he face off against an imperial knight with mana at that level?"
"Did you see that? A 1-circle mage casting two 3-circle buffs without overloading the circuits. Artifacts, maybe?"
"Whoa! That sword dodge! His frame's underdeveloped, but he's a born martial prodigy!"
In his brief duel with Sion Idris, Arthin displayed multifaceted brilliance in combat techniques, making many professors' eyes light up.
When word spread through the professor community that his student records listed him as a mere 1-circle mage, their excitement doubled.
"Heard? The kid was practically disowned by his family—no proper tutor ever!"
"Nonsense! Does that mean young Ludwig's an unparalleled genius? He hasn't even attended classes yet! Where'd he learn all that?"
"Didn't you hear? The War God's daughter personally instructed him. In just three weeks, he turned from rough stone to diamond! Or maybe he was always a diamond, and we just didn't see it."
A self-growing genius wouldn't have stagnated this long.
Among the immature ones, this was a rare chance to be the first mentor—and backer.
A new fervor ignited among the professors whose passion had briefly cooled. Finally, a genius they could mold.
"Hey, Professor Elvin, you're in charge of first-years—haven't seen Arthin? Introduce me!"
"Sorry, Chief Professor. We're all on edge waiting for him to show up to class."
"Good grief, what in the world is that boy up to?!"
The issue was he wasn't attending classes. A pretext to summon him forcibly would be ideal, but the academy's free-spirited philosophy offered none for absent students.
Approaching him personally first risked drawing ire from rival faction professors or grizzled old tigers still sharp-toothed. A bizarre standoff ensued.
In that stifling situation, one person stood out glaringly.
"Long time no see, Professor Senia! Remember how much I doted on you back in school?"
"Hey now, Senia was practically my prized disciple—who are you to claim her?"
"Remember that society gathering? Us lady profs banded together for some rah-rah drinks and solidarity?"
"P-Please, one at a time! Take it slow!"
Senia Reeves, the young assistant professor freshly appointed to Arthin's Class 1-B, untouched by faction politics yet well-connected, faced an onslaught of attention and overtures.
When outright offers to promote her to lead professor if she brought Arthin emerged, the faction heads and influential elders proposed a compromise to the heated affair.
**
"Anyway, just get Arthin to show up to class. Let the boy choose who he'll go with."
Senia was sweating more cold bullets than ever before. She was used to perspiring under thick, drab robes to hide her perpetually off-putting figure, but this spine-chilling chill was a rarity.
"Understood, Dean... I'll convince him somehow..."
The man who'd just spoken was the academy dean himself. Arrayed beside him like a panorama were professors—each a legendary hero from their youth or a pioneering genius of academia.
"Oh dear, Dean. Professor Senia's frozen stiff. A young assistant dragged before us fossils must be terrified."
"Quite right. This old man's lacking in consideration. My apologies."
"N-No, sir! If anything, it's an honor to be here!"
Intimidating faces everywhere. How had she ended up here...!!
"Don't be so tense. With Professor Sergei away as usual, we're talking to you as acting head."
At that moment, Senia resented the perpetually absent Professor Sergei. Even embezzling the entire alchemy department budget wouldn't summon this luxury inquisition.
"Forgive us, Professor Senia. To a young one like you, we old folks must seem pathetic, fretting over every scratch on untarnished gems. But we're educators first, scholars second."
Murmurs of agreement rose. Of course, Senia voicing dissent was impossible.
She knew she was just a cute chick before tigers in their eyes—a non-lead professor.
"We've kept you too long, Professor Senia. You've got student assignments to handle. You're free to go."
"Y-Yes, sir! Thank you!"
Her face brightening, Senia bowed repeatedly to every professor before escaping.
"We have high hopes for you, Professor Senia. Just keep that in mind."
'...You literally just told me not to feel burdened...'
As the door thudded shut, Senia bit her lip to hold back tears.
What now? Drag Arthin to class? Beg on her knees?
"...No, I can't burden a student like that..."
She'd approach gently. She was their bulwark, after all.
Clenching her fists, Senia trudged down the hall, hoping Arthin would attend anyway.
This all happened the day before her counseling session with Arthin.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "So, who wants to come up and try slicing the golem's core?"
It had been exactly one day since I'd started properly attending classes to hunt the ability thief.
"....."
"Come on... If someone demonstrates after my example, that'd be perfect..."
This blatant staring—professors and students alike fixed on me, no one stepping up.
"Yes... I'll give it a try."
"Good man! Arthin, was it? What sword? Arming sword? Longsword?"
No choice but to volunteer, and look at that professor's thrilled grin.
'Back when I begged to be taught, I'd grovel over a month for scraps.'
In my early days, clueless about even gripping a sword, with no talent or aptitude, kind professors were rare. I'd analyzed each one's tastes to butter them up.
Now? Not even arts festival season, yet profs and students watched every class, anticipating my show.
'How am I supposed to find the ability thief like this? I need to observe who shows sudden changes, but everyone's eyes are on me.'
Sighing, I stepped forward from the back, habitually grabbing a longsword.
"Longsword, eh? Blade's a bit long for your build—arming sword better?"
"It's fine. Just slice it, right?"
"Yes, indeed! Clean slice passes you! Not easy, mind you?"
Pass, sure. In a dungeon-focused practical lecture, slicing a golem core was end-of-second-semester material.
A first-year aura blade wouldn't do much anyway. Nicking the core was passing.
'Boring. Wanna ditch and hang with the kids.'
No stray thoughts when manifesting aura blade. Wisdom drilled into me when my swordplay sucked—but irrelevant now.
Shing!
"Whoa! Such a clean aura blade! Who taught you? Shaomei, maybe?"
"...Yeah, sorta. Quick lesson before the duel."
Red aura fully sheathing the longsword drew gasps from students and professor alike.
No thrill. Used to enjoy this reaction before, but now it felt like solving quadratics for elementary kids.
Prefer romancing Shaomei or Agnes. With that thought, I lightly gripped, assuming stance.
Heavy legs, light torso, right arm extended straight—mana flow linear, ready to surge power anytime.
—Imperial Swordsmanship, Dragon Slash stance.
Slice.
The blade arced in a perfect circle, cleaving the core neatly in half to the floor. The professor marveled, inspecting the halves.
"S-So clean on a golem core. That stance—trained with imperial swordsmen?"
"No... Just mimicked your demo. Like this?"
"Nailed it from one demo! Swing by the swordsmanship faculty lounge later! Lunch and chat."
"Sure, sure," I replied casually, sheathing and returning amid shifted stares.
"Saw that? Non-swordsman kid drew 50cm aura?"
"Guy wields like that—why no sword in the duel...?"
"All 'cause he's a virgin pretty-boy maiden—unicorn contract power!"
That damn "Arthin virgin crossdressing maiden" myth lingered.
Grumbling back to my seat, Shaomei beamed "Big Brother!", Jorba gawked in disbelief.
Could grill Jorba on secrecy, but I had reasons—toning down my reveal.
Think: Flunking class all semester, acing finals? Profs grilling you afterward hurts more.
'Better stroke egos moderately. They'll suspect anyway after beating Sion.'
...And delaying Agnes's engagement? If inevitable, show my true colors. At least genius prodigy vibes for buy-in.
"When'd you learn swordsmanship, Arthin? Had no clue."
"Picked up imperial style practicing with Shaomei. Sion uses it, right?"
"...Ah, yeah. Only showing cool sides since academy? Big Bro's impressed."
That skeptical tone screamed otherwise... Time to confide in Jorba? Deep thought.
"Next lectures? Avoid physical ones."
"Basics of Astrology and History of Magic."
Ugh, both Violet bait.
My grimace prompted Shaomei's stern whisper.
"Stop dragging feet, Big Bro. Meet and talk already."
...I'd postponed Violet meetup. Needed the chat, but clueless how—hunting thief excuse to scatter classes.
But anyone would sympathize a bit, I figured.
How do you face a girl friend you hurt, gift her, reconcile, then say "polygamy time"?
"Delaying's pointless—we regroup tomorrow. Just invite her to dinner tonight."
"...Apologize first, take slow?"
"No, Big Bro. You'll drag if alone. Remember: three wives, four concubines."
Shaomei's weird polygamy fixation left me stuck.
Harem's fine, but how? Slap-free would be win.
Irked glance aside—Unicorn slurping carrot juice nearby, head tilted.
"No sharing even if begged! Ordered all that carrot juice for me!"
My "servant" excuse kept Unicorn tagging along—useless. Whining boredom every class; carrot snacks quieted him.
Kaiyen dodging me? Same classes avoided. Last bump-off, he bolted with Claire.
Grab attempt foiled by incoming prof—no talk. Spirit handler's detection gold.
'Ugh, stressed.'
Shiver.
Clutching hair with both hands, odd sensation hit.
Looking down—hair fell too easily. Cold sweat beaded.
"...B-Big... Bro...? Gripped... too hard...?"
Shaomei's quaver ignored, staring at hairs in hand.
Stress was starting to eat me.