Chapter 312: Fay, Oh Fay... (4)
Chapter 312: Fay, Oh Fay... (4)
I remember clearly the time I went to the Chairman’s Office under Iona’s guidance.
Without even needing Iona’s help, I wandered through the Academy following those memories, and before long, my vision shifted.
As soon as I reached a secluded spot, she had teleported me deep underground to where her true body resided.
The atmosphere was as desolate as before. Even the water tank in the center felt just as strangely out of place.
It was a scene I had seen before and knew well, yet it felt different now.
Perhaps it was because I had become more sensitive to mana, allowing me to feel the slight distortion of spatial movement that I hadn't noticed before.
Or maybe it was because I could faintly sense the dozens of layers of magic surrounding this small space.
One thing was certain: Rebecca, the master of this room, was still well-disposed toward me.
-You’ve come.
“Ah, yes. I have to return what I borrowed. And since you helped me with this matter, I should let you know what happened.”
-That is a very commendable attitude. I already know the general situation, but hearing it from the person involved is a different matter entirely.
It was a bizarre voice, filled with static, making it impossible to guess the speaker's gender or age.
I smiled lightly and pulled out Rebecca’s staff.
“It was only possible because you helped me, Chairman.”
-My, my. To think the hero who saved Solari from the brink of fall and exposed the Faceless One posing as the Empire’s Moon would think so highly of me. I’m flattered.
“…It’s a bit embarrassing to hear that from you, Chairman, since you’re one of the most famous and powerful heroes yourself.”
I scratched the back of my head and held out the staff. Rebecca retrieved it naturally using telekinesis, as if picking it up with her own hand.
-I was joking. It’s just that it’s been a while since anyone has achieved such great feats against the Cult, so I suppose I got a bit excited.
“This is only the beginning.”
-So, the Cult is indeed starting to stir again.
“You guessed it. Yes. At least, that’s what I believe.”
-I suppose so. Seeing as they’ve gone so far as to openly send assassins into the Academy, they must be getting desperate.
It felt like I’d received an answer before I even asked. I tilted my head, feeling a bit dazed.
“By any chance, were you the one who took away the bastards loitering near Fay’s workshop?”
-Iona must have told you. That’s right. As I mentioned, I’d heard a few things, so I was keeping a close eye on your lover, Miss Fay… and I happened to catch them red-handed.
“Thank you.”
When I bowed my head, the sound of her chuckling grew louder.
-Don’t mention it. As long as you are all my students, it is my duty.
“Um… if they’re still alive, would it be alright if I had a look at them?”
-Hmm. I’ve kept them breathing, but for the sake of your mental health, it might be better if you didn’t.
“……”
I don’t know exactly how she interrogated them, but it sounds like she did a thorough job. I guess I don’t need to worry about them anymore.
-More importantly, aren't you going to tell me what happened? From the looks of it, you’ve changed so much in just a few days, as if you’ve reached some kind of enlightenment… As an educator, I’m quite curious.
“I don’t mind telling you. However, it might be difficult to apply my case to the Academy’s curriculum.”
Since rumors about my Dragonization were already spreading, there was no point in hiding it. Above all, Rebecca was one of the people who had once roamed the battlefield alongside Fafnir.
Crack.
The sound of something breaking and reassembling echoed from within my body.
I smiled at Rebecca, my pupils likely slit vertically by now.
“Do you happen to remember Fafnir?”
*
Blah, blah, yadda, yadda, platypus.
-I see… So Fafnir did that….
Rebecca nodded as if she understood. She then spoke while staring intently at my horns.
-They say a dragon’s horn is so hard it will never break unless the dragon snaps it themselves. It must have been a fierce battle for such a horn to break.
“Ahaha… Well, I won, so that’s all that matters, right?”
I could never tell her that I used it as a material for the Giant Golem’s master key.
“Come to think of it, you have experience fighting alongside Fafnir, don’t you, Chairman? Could you tell me what Fafnir was like when he was alive?”
-That’s not difficult. You weren't born through ordinary means, but the fact remains that you are Fafnir’s successor. I can tell you as much as you want.
“Ooh….”
I felt this when I was with Iris and Iona, too—there’s something strangely fun about hearing old stories from people who lived through them.
Maybe it’s because it feels like a prequel story that never appeared in H&A.
-First, to describe my first impression of that fellow Fafnir… he was a son of a bitch.
“…Pardon?”
-Oh dear. That was a bit harsh. What I mean is… he was a stubborn blockhead who wouldn't listen to reason.
“???”
Aren't those basically the same thing?
As I blinked stupidly, Rebecca shared a few anecdotes.
Like how he’d disappear to his lair, claiming someone had broken into his treasury, only to return injured the day before a major battle.
Or how, when the priests were setting up barriers and told him to just fire his Breath from a distance, he’d charge in, rambling about dragon pride, only to be nearly lynched by several Apostles of the Evil God and rescued at the last second.
Or how he’d constantly cause rifts in the alliance by making disparaging remarks about the short-lived species, even though most of the Allied Forces were exactly that.
“…He sounds like he really was just a powerful son of a bitch.”
-Fufu. That was only the first impression. As the battles continued and we spent more time together, Fafnir changed.
He opened his treasury to arm knights with powerful artifacts and distributed spellbooks to mages.
When the fortress walls were about to crumble, he used his own body to shield them and hold the line. Because of that, his hard dragon scales were always a mess.
And after making comments about short-lived species, he would fight at the very front, claiming he was fulfilling the duty of a transcendent species.
-In the final battle, he even stayed behind alone to face the horde of cultists and monsters, telling us to go on ahead. Thanks to him, we were able to fight Noble Reign without any interference.
“……”
-To summarize… Fafnir was a son of a bitch… but he was our son of a bitch.
A mosaic-processed silhouette was still floating in the tank, making it impossible to recognize anything, but…
-I see. Fafnir was preparing for the future in his own way. To think his successor is now a student at my Academy. I’ve truly lived long enough to see everything.
I got the feeling that Rebecca was smiling.
After that, we discussed various things regarding the Academy’s defenses against the upcoming stirrings of the Cult, before I subtly brought up my main point.
“Speaking of which, I think the Cultists are going to start targeting me in earnest. I’m worried about the companions I left outside. Would it be alright if I brought them here?”
-Hmm. Normally that wouldn't be allowed, but you are an exception. You’ve accomplished great things back-to-back, so no one will object. Even if they do, I’ll handle it personally, so don’t worry.
The Academy was, after all, an educational institution meant to uproot the forces of the Evil God. Given what I’d done so far, this was a justifiable request.
Yes. Up to this point.
“Ah, and also, could you grant Fay and me an exemption from classes? It’s a bit awkward to say this in front of the Chairman, but I feel like it’s better for us to go out and fight or focus on personal research rather than sitting in lectures.”
-Hooh.
To put it simply: I want the Academy’s facilities and benefits, but I don’t want to attend classes!
Even Rebecca couldn't answer that immediately, but after a moment of thought, she eventually nodded.
-Very well. However, only the classes are exempted; you must still take the exams. And if you don’t pass, you will, of course, be held back… How does that sound?
“That’s more than enough.”
I might be weak in theory, but I wasn't at the level of failing.
This was basically her saying she’d give me what I wanted as long as I let her save face.
I was already grateful for this much, but Rebecca’s consideration didn't end there.
-Take this.
“This is…?”
A large key dropped into my hand. Of course, it wasn't just a simple key; it was an artifact. I could feel a faint trace of mana from it.
-It’s the key to the Old Dormitory, which is currently unused. If you’re worried about your companions and want to be with them, it’s better for you all to live together rather than being apart. The current dorms might be a bit cramped, anyway.
“Ah.”
So, she’s saying I can bring Fay and everyone else to live together, and since the current dorms would be too small, she’s giving us an entire unused building?
“Thank… you?”
I bowed my head in a daze at Rebecca’s unexpectedly generous offer.
But since things had already come to this, I decided to be a bit more greedy.
“Then, could you let me know immediately whenever information regarding the Cult comes in?”
-…The Academy isn't an information guild, so that’s a bit…
“I want to go and subjugate the most important locations first.”
-I shall let you know through Professor Iona.
Rebecca Grimfield. 350 years old (estimated).
She was at an age where she absolutely loathed the Cult.