Chapter 148: Aftermath 2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 148: Aftermath 2
Loki was in a fantastic mood.
The reason was simple: he didn't have to go to the Academy tomorrow.
It wasn't that he actually hated going. Despite the hardships, life at the Academy was quite enjoyable. To be more precise, he liked the people he met there.
But any normal student was bound to feel like skipping school at least once in a while. And to top it off, the terrifying Professor Elicia herself had given him permission to stay away? Even Loki couldn't pass up an opportunity like that.
Honestly, he felt like showing up tomorrow anyway and pretending nothing was out of the ordinary. He’d sit with the Special Class students and complain, "Ugh, how are we going to survive Professor Elicia today?" acting all exhausted, only to stand up and walk out with his head held high the moment she actually appeared.
The look of pure bewilderment on their faces when they asked what he was doing would be priceless. That’s when he’d drop the bombshell: “Oh, I’m taking the day off.”
He really wanted to see their reactions, but he knew that if Professor Elicia caught him pulling a stunt like that, his precious day off would vanish into thin air.
"By the way, Sepia hasn't stirred at all. Is she going to be okay?" Loki asked, looking down at Sepia, who remained in a deep, motionless slumber.
At first, he’d just figured she was exhausted. It was her first time fighting a Necromancer, and she had finally achieved a revenge ten years in the making. It must have been a massive drain on her, both physically and mentally. It was only natural for her to pass out the moment the tension broke.
However, Sepia hadn't shown the slightest reaction even while he stroked her hair, poked her cheek, or chatted loudly with Professor Elicia. Seeing her talk in her sleep earlier had been reassuring, but seeing her out cold for this long made it impossible not to worry.
"I have been monitoring Sepia’s condition from the start. There is nothing wrong. She has simply fallen into a deep sleep due to a combination of physical and mental exhaustion, coupled with the backlash from that technique. So, do not worry."
"Well, that’s a relief."
If anyone else had said it, he might have doubted them, but Professor Elicia’s word was reliable. Besides, it wasn't like he could do anything about it even if he didn't believe her.
Anyway...
"Wow... You’ve been checking on Sepia’s condition this whole time? How sweet of you, Professor."
Elicia let out a scoff at Loki’s remark.
"Hardly as 'sweet' as you, who hid and watched her fight while shaking like a leaf."
"Ahahaha! Come on, don't be like that. I’m already dying of embarrassment because I think Sepia noticed I was hiding."
He had tried to tease the professor, but the tables had been turned on him instead. Seriously, no one in this world ever let him have his 'cool' moment. If he stayed on this topic any longer, he’d just keep losing. In times like this, changing the subject was the best move.
"Anyway, what did you think of that last move Sepia pulled?"
"......What are you referring to?"
"Oh, come on, you know exactly what I mean. That technique. From where I was standing, it looked like she forcibly manifested the Spirit Realm into this dimension. What’s your take, Professor?"
Elicia let out a long, deep sigh. Loki had just perfectly explained Sepia’s technique.
"Sigh... Why do you even ask when you already know everything?"
"Because hearing it from your mouth makes it official. There’s no harm in being certain."
"Fine. What you saw was correct. Tsk. I’m sure you’ll handle yourself, but don't go blabbing about this to anyone."
"Yes, ma'am! Of course! You know me—I’m a man of few words, very stoic. I might get a little chatty every now and then, but I definitely know what should and shouldn't be said."
Elicia gave him a look that clearly said, 'You? Stoic?' but Loki chose to ignore it. Even if she hadn't warned him, he had no intention of spreading rumors about Sepia’s Awakening skill.
Spirit Arts were one of the least understood fields of study. If word got out that Sepia had the ability to forcibly manifest the Spirit Realm?
'It’ll be even more chaotic than when people found out I was the Emperor’s disciple.'
It wouldn't just end with Academy professors coming to visit. Every nation currently researching spirits would come knocking on Sepia’s door. Of course, she had Marquis Rivayden backing her, so most people would know better than to cross her.
But the world was vast, and there was no shortage of lunatics.
The craziest of them all was Death Heaven, but they weren't the only ones. Compared to Death Heaven, other groups might be small fry, but groups of madmen existed everywhere. He couldn't ignore the possibility that someone might try to kidnap Sepia to experiment on her.
The real problem, however, was that this wasn't something that could be solved just by Loki keeping his mouth shut.
"But won't it be a matter of time before she’s found out anyway? If she uses it even once at the Academy, the secret's out."
The Academy was large, but rumors traveled fast. One person knowing was as good as everyone knowing.
"Very few people actually know anything about the Spirit Realm. Even fewer know its exact composition. Even if someone sees it, as long as we deny it’s the Spirit Realm, what can they do?"
"Wow... as expected of the Professor! Such a brazen idea! I’m far too kind, timid, and honest to ever come up with something like that."
"Knock it off."
"Yes, ma'am!"
If that was the case, then Sepia using Spirit Realm Manifestation at the Academy wouldn't be an issue. This, in turn, piqued his curiosity.
'I wonder how far Sepia can go in the Academy right now.'
For starters, until the other Special Class students awakened, she was guaranteed to be the top of the first year. She could probably even beat most of the high-ranking second and third-year students.
But she probably still wasn't a match for Johanna.
'Or is she? With Chirpy helping, maybe she has a chance?'
Hmm. It was hard to say. Loki rubbed his chin in thought. He knew Sepia’s strength exactly, but he wasn't sure about Johanna’s true ceiling. Even though they trained together every morning, Johanna spent most of her time just swinging her sword at the air.
Loki, who had been mentally pitting Johanna against Sepia for a while, was snapped back to reality by Elicia’s voice.
"By the way, for someone who claims there are so few people who know about the Spirit Realm, you recognized it the moment Sepia used it. And that was clearly her first time using that technique."
This was the trouble with being a possessor or a regressor. People around you were always asking, 'How do you know that?'
Of course, the solution was simple. Just be shameless.
"Oh, Professor. There’s nothing in this world I don't know."
"Sigh... fine. Why don't you just become a professor then?"
Fortunately, Elicia didn't dig any deeper. But an Academy professor, huh...
"Now that you mention it, I noticed most of the professors at the Academy address each other formally. If I ever became a professor, would you have to call me 'Professor Loki' too?"
Elicia looked at him with a face full of exhaustion.
"You sound exactly like Idra."
"Professor Idra said that?"
Now that was news to him.
"Yes. She said she became a professor specifically because she wanted to be called 'Professor' by the people who were her own professors when she was a student."
That sounded exactly like the eccentric Professor Idra from the game. How did she even come up with that?
"But seriously, Loki. Have you ever considered becoming an Academy professor?"
"Wait, seriously?"
He hadn't expected that at all.
"Idra mentioned it. She said if you became a professor, life would never be boring."
"Isn't she just saying that because she wants to stop being the youngest faculty member as soon as possible?"
There were professors who had joined after Professor Idra, but in terms of age, Idra was still the baby of the group.
"That is a possibility."
"Besides, don't you have to be smart to be a professor? I don't think I'm cut out for all that studying..."
"You don't necessarily need to be a scholar. While knowledge is important, a professor's specialty comes first. Idra was hired based solely on her skill in crafting magic tools, bypassing the other exams."
Wait, Professor Elicia seemed surprisingly serious about this. But there was one minor problem.
"I got a zero on my midterm written exam, though. Would they still take me?"
Elicia looked at him with an expression that said, 'Well, maybe not.'
"There are plenty of other jobs in the world besides being a professor. Think about your future seriously."
"That’s cold, Professor."
"What’s 'cold' is your test score. If you get another zero, you’re on your own."
"Oh, come on. It was just one zero. You’re being too harsh. Do you really think I’d get another zero on the finals?"
The only reason he’d gotten a zero on the midterms was that he hadn't studied and had just guessed randomly. But the finals would be different.
Because this time, he was going to mark every single answer in a straight line.