Chapter 18: The Proposal(2)
Chapter 18: The Proposal(2)
Following Professor Elena’s instructions, I headed to her office once all my classes were over. Her office was located in a building called the 'History Hall.'
As Professor Virus had mentioned, students at Halo Academy take general education courses until their second year, after which they must choose a career path. Perhaps because of this, each major had its own dedicated building, giving the campus a highly specialized feel.
It’s just like a university.
The first two years were like high school, and from then on, it became a university where you had to wander from building to building for lectures. I navigated my way toward the History Hall using the rough map Professor Elena had given me.
Halo Academy was the size of a small city, so just walking around took a considerable amount of time. If I had known it would take this long, I would have grabbed a quick bite to eat first.
Well, I got a book out of it, so it doesn't matter.
During my breaks today, I had been reading the Elf history book Professor Elena gave me.
True to the nature of Elves, who consider themselves the chosen descendants of God, the book was filled with many difficult terms. However, thanks to my habit of constant reading, I didn't face much trouble.
Though, I couldn't help but have to flip through a dictionary occasionally to look up specific meanings.
Still, the progress was rewarding. I hadn't even finished a tenth of it, but I already had a general grasp of what kind of race the Elves were. If Demons were variants created by devils, Elves were closer to being descendants of 'Angels.'
This was a fact never mentioned in history books written from a human perspective. It seemed possible only because Elves were a long-lived species with almost no lost records—or perhaps they simply had a strong habit of prioritizing documentation.
Regardless, the fact that Elves were descendants of angels was crucial information for me. It instantly resolved the question I’d had: If there are devils in this world, why are there no angels?
The fact that Elven mana is white, unlike the black mana of the Demon race, was proof enough.
The other races have only seen devils, so they probably didn't know angels existed.
Because I had memories of my past life, I naturally assumed that if there were devils, there must be angels. Others wouldn't think that way. They likely believed that the only thing completely opposite to a devil was a God.
From the middle of Volume 9 to the end of Volume 10, I should focus the story on establishing relations with the Elves. That’s also when the Demon executives should start moving in earnest.
On my way to the History Hall, I jotted down a brief outline of the plot for Xenon Biography in my notebook. Since the manuscript for Volume 8 was already finished, all I had to do was mail it to my parents.
"Is this the place?"
After walking for quite a while, I arrived at the building indicated on the map. Despite being called the History Hall, it wasn't particularly grand; it had a simple, highly functional structure.
It was likely because the building was only for professors and teaching assistants, and unlike Martial Studies, it didn't require training halls.
Martial Studies needs training halls, after all. And they have way more people.
To reiterate, this was a fantasy world where monsters and mana existed. Even at Halo Academy, Martial Studies—which focused on developing combat power—was bound to be the priority. I’d heard that the humanities departments often complained about budget issues because of this.
I looked back and forth between the map and the building once more, confirmed the name 'History Hall' written at the entrance, and stepped inside. The main entrance was a wooden door that looked polished and well-maintained.
"Oh..."
As soon as I passed through the main doors and entered the hallway, I couldn't help but marvel. The atmosphere was deeply classical, and there was even a waterwheel in the center of the corridor.
Furthermore, portraits of great figures who had left their mark on history hung on the walls. There were many figures I had read about in books but was seeing depicted in art for the first time. Beneath each portrait were their names and brief historical records.
Every race has its own heroes.
The heroes were categorized by race along the walls. Naturally, the portraits of humans—who had short lifespans but the largest population—were the most numerous. Other races were few and far between, and there wasn't a single portrait of a Demon.
I looked around the hallway with a fascinated expression before snapping out of it and heading toward Professor Elena’s office. Her office was Room 104.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Professor Elena. It’s Isaac. Are you inside?"
I found the office thanks to the nameplate hanging between the door and the room number. When I knocked and identified myself, I heard a rustling sound from behind the door.
Since the sign on the nameplate said 'In,' it seemed Professor Elena was coming to open the door herself.
Creeeeak—
"...Who is it?"
No. I take that back.
When the door opened, a literal zombie greeted me. Well, not a real zombie, but a person so haggard they could pass for one.
The dark circles under her eyes were so deep she could have used them as jump ropes, her black eyes were as lifeless as a rotten fish's, and her skin was beyond pale—it looked sickly.
Her dull blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun, and with the corners of her eyes drooping, she looked like she might collapse at any moment.
I instinctively flinched back the moment I faced her. As I stepped back, I was finally able to properly see who had opened the door.
...An Elf?
The person who greeted me was an Elf. A female Elf, just like Professor Elena.
Her beauty was overshadowed by an appearance that would make a zombie want to be friends, but even that couldn't entirely hide her natural grace. If anything, she exuded a strange, decadent aura.
"...Hello?"
As I stared at her blankly, the Elf tilted her head and called out again, blinking slowly.
I quickly snapped out of it and asked her in a very cautious tone.
"Um... is this Professor Elena’s office?"
"It issss..."
Her slurred, drawn-out response made me check the nameplate again. It was definitely Professor Elena’s office.
I assumed the Elf in front of me was Professor Elena’s teaching assistant.
"Is someone here?"
Right on cue, a familiar voice drifted out from inside the office. At the question, the Elf I assumed was the TA turned around and answered in a voice thick with exhaustion.
"Yesss... someone named Isaac..."
"Ah! Let him in quickly."
"Come innn..."
"...Excuse me."
I felt strangely uneasy, but I stepped inside regardless. I made sure to keep eye contact with the Elf who opened the door as I walked past.
Being stared at with those 'dead fish eyes' was a bit creepy, but it was bearable. Upon entering the office, I was met with the musty smell characteristic of old books, along with various volumes and piles of paper stacked high.
Even a quick glance told me that most of them were history-related. It was exactly what you'd expect from a history research office.
"You're here. Have a seat."
Professor Elena, who was sitting at her desk, welcomed me with a bright smile. Feeling a bit awkward, I sat down on the guest sofa she pointed to.
Once I was settled, Professor Elena sat on the sofa opposite me. A table was positioned between us.
"Here are some cookies and tea..."
"Ah, thank you."
Not long after I sat down, the TA placed some refreshments on the table. When I thanked her, she spun around as if to return to her own desk.
"Where are you going, Cindy? Sit next to me."
"But I want to ressst..."
"I know you're tired from writing your thesis, but this is important for you too."
"Fineee..."
The Elf named Cindy sat down sluggishly at Professor Elena’s command. Thus, I found myself sitting across from two Elves who were polar opposites of each other.
"A bit startling, isn't it?"
Startling is an understatement. Anyone would be taken aback if a living corpse greeted them the moment a door opened.
However, I couldn't say that out loud, so I just gave an awkward laugh. Professor Elena seemed to sense my feelings and placed a hand on Cindy’s shoulder.
"She’s been pulling all-nighters for days because of her thesis. She’s not in her best state right now."
"If you know that, let me sleeeep..."
"Once you finish that thesis."
"So unfairrr..."
Looking at the two of them... I was reminded of professors and graduate students from my past life. I was never a grad student myself, but there were plenty of memes about them on the internet.
The most prominent one was that grad students aren't treated like humans. Most said they acted as the professor's servant just to get their doctorate. I’d even heard rumors of them being made to run personal errands.
Perhaps because of those memes, I also had the perception that a graduate student was just a slave that was easy to exploit.
Wait, am I next?
Just as I was starting to worry, Professor Elena, who had been scolding Cindy, looked at me and spoke.
"First, let me introduce her. Her name is Cindy. Full name, Cindy Skywalker. She’s been my assistant for twenty-five years."
"Assistant? You mean ssslave..."
"Would you please be quiet? You're giving him the wrong idea."
"It’s not a wrong idea, it’s the truthhh..."
"Then get out."
"I'm sorryyy..."
Rather than a professor and an assistant, they seemed more like sisters who got along well. If Elena really treated Cindy like a slave, they wouldn't be joking around like that.
I watched them with a curious gaze, then a question suddenly occurred to me.
"She’s been an assistant for twenty-five years?"
"Yes. Even for humans, to become a professor, don't you have to work as an assistant for a certain period while earning a doctorate? Most assistants in the humanities are in that position."
This is news to me. I didn't know there were concepts like Master's or Doctoral degrees here. Then again, with academies and professors existing, it might be stranger if they didn't.
While I looked skeptical, Professor Elena continued her explanation.
"It’s the same for us Elves. We have to earn a degree while working as an assistant under a professor. But as you know, Elves learn significantly slower than humans, so it takes a long time."
"How many years does it usually take?"
"Years? At the very least, it takes thirty years. In human terms, that would be about three to four years. Furthermore, to become a doctor—that is, a professor—one must undergo a strict evaluation within 'Yggdrasil.' You have to submit a doctoral thesis, and the standards are incredibly demanding."
Yggdrasil was the capital of Alfheim, the land of the Elves. As you can see, the name was identical to the one in Norse mythology.
Anyway, seeing as one had to pass an evaluation in Yggdrasil to become a professor, the standards must be brutal.
"I'm jealousss... Humans only take five years at mossst..."
"You're slow even by Elven standards, so five years wouldn't be nearly enough for you. Regardless, there’s only one reason I called you here."
"What is it?"
I waited with a bit of tension to hear what kind of favor Professor Elena would ask. If it was an absurd request, I would naturally refuse. I barely had enough time to write my manuscripts as it was; I couldn't afford to spend time on other things.
Professor Elena placed her hand on the shoulder of Cindy, who was munching on a cookie, and spoke.
"Teach her how to write."
"Pardon?"
"Huhhh...?"
Not only me, but even the idle Cindy looked at Professor Elena with a bewildered expression. Professor Elena lightly pinched Cindy’s cheek with the hand that had been on her shoulder.
"She’s good at everything else, but she’s a terrible writer. It took her at least five years just to write one Master's thesis. And even then, it was nowhere near good enough in my eyes."
"That hurtsss..."
Even as Cindy mumbled, Professor Elena didn't let go of her cheek.
"So, I need to teach her composition, but I'm busy with my own work."
"Couldn't you call another student?"
"I was going to, but you were the one who caught my eye. Actually, she only recently started writing her thesis in earnest."
Then what on earth was she doing for twenty years? Even if Elves learn slowly by human standards, this seemed a bit extreme.
Of course, being slow to learn didn't mean they had poor memories. Since Elves lived longer than Demons, they would remember everything that happened decades ago.
Simply put, it meant they had good memories but poor application skills. Of course, that would change once they perfectly understood a concept.
I chewed over her words slowly before voicing my questions one by one.
"Are there no other assistants? It seems a bit strange that there’s only one."
"They’ve all graduated and are professors now. Cindy is the first new Elf assistant. Besides, most of the professors in the History Hall are my former students. I couldn't bring myself to take up their busy time by asking them."
"But surely there are students with better writing skills than me, a freshman?"
"In my eyes, you are the most outstanding. I’ve been a professor for a hundred years; do you think I wouldn't recognize talent when I see it?"
Professor Elena answered each of my questions kindly. Most of her reasons were rational and convincing, leaving me with nothing left to say. I was particularly dumbfounded to hear that my writing was the best she’d seen in a hundred years.
After a moment, when no more questions came from me, Professor Elena pushed up her sliding glasses and spoke in a slightly disappointed tone.
"If you don't want to, you don't have to. I have no authority to force you. Then, how about this?"
She trailed off for a moment and spread her arms wide. It was an exaggerated gesture, as if saying, 'Look at this.'
Just as I was wondering what she meant, Professor Elena spoke in a proud voice, her arms still outstretched.
"Most of the books and theses here are things I’ve collected or written during my time as a professor. There’s history written from both human and Elven perspectives, as well as Dwarven, Beastkin, and even Demon records."
"De-Demons? How did you...?"
"I happened to cross paths with a Demon once. I squeezed as much information out of him as I could. Unfortunately, he’s returned to his homeland now."
She then leaned forward slightly and made her offer again in a suggestive voice. I could see a glint of greed behind her round glasses.
"If you help Cindy, I can lend you any book in this room. I’ll even let you come and go from this office as you please."
"..."
"What do you say? For the record, you only need to help her when you have the time. Our concept of time is much longer than you humans think. Even once a month would be fine."
What more was there to say? The answer was already decided.
"I look forward to working with you."
But at that moment, I had no idea.
I didn't truly understand what it meant for an Elf's learning speed to be extremely slow by human standards.
"I look forward to it tooo..."
I had no idea just how much of a blockhead this Elf named Cindy would be compared to me.
"Then, shall we go grab a meal to celebrate? Have you had dinner yet?"
"No, not yet."
I really had no idea.