Chapter 30: Provocation 4
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 30: Provocation 4
As I scanned the students who had stepped forward, they quickly lowered their heads, desperately avoiding my gaze.
"Hmm."
When I let out a small hum, as if wondering why they wouldn't look at me, one student actually began to tremble as if paralyzed by fear.
"Professor, why are they acting like that?" I leaned in and whispered to Professor Idra, feigning curiosity.
Hearing my whisper, Professor Idra stared at me for a moment before turning her gaze toward the students, who were now practically cowering on the floor.
"…!"
Suddenly, her eyes flashed as if a brilliant idea had struck her.
"What? Student Loki, no matter the circumstances, you can't do that!" Professor Idra shouted, her voice booming so the entire room could hear.
To an outsider, it looked as though she was reacting in horror to some gruesome suggestion I’d whispered. The problem was, even I didn't understand what was happening.
"Even if the students here mocked you, it's not right to handle it in such a manner!"
Handle what?
Professor Idra didn't stop, regardless of my confusion.
"If you actually carry out that 'plan' of yours, I'm sure no student would ever dare mock you again, but you’d likely be dragged away by the Disciplinary Committee!"
I really wanted to ask what exactly I had supposedly suggested.
I wasn't sure why, but the more Professor Idra spoke, the more the students in front of me began to shake like leaves. They couldn't see it with their heads bowed, but standing right in front of her, I could see the truth: Professor Idra was thoroughly enjoying this.
"So, Student Loki? I'll make sure no one mocks you from now on, so let's just scrap that plan of yours. Alright?"
She nudged my side with her elbow, signaling me to play along. I wasn't entirely sure what the "plan" was supposed to be, but the situation was entertaining enough that I decided to follow her lead.
"Since my esteemed Professor Idra insists, I shall consider the plan scrapped."
"Hmm~? Since when did Student Loki respect me so much?"
"How could I not respect Professor Idra, who possesses both stunning beauty and magnificent magical skill?"
At my words, Professor Idra burst into a fit of giggles. She had such great reactions that I found myself wanting to compliment her more.
"Ahahaha! Student Loki, surely you don't go around saying that to every woman you meet?"
"Oh, please. I only say things like that to people I find truly beautiful."
"Heehee, it makes me happy to be recognized by Student Loki. Now, class is about to start, so please return to your seat."
"Yes, ma'am!"
As I walked back to my seat, I leaned over and whispered to the students who were still shivering.
"Let's all try to get along from now on, okay~?"
The students flinched, but I ignored them and took the seat next to Clara.
"Miss Clara, is something wrong?" I asked, noticing her remarkably grim expression.
"……"
Clara stared at me without a word. I realized her gaze was fixed on my mouth.
"Ah! Is it because I bit my tongue earlier? I'm fine now, thanks to that purple liquid Professor Idra gave me."
"It's not that," Clara snapped, turning her head away petulantly.
"Now then, shall we resume the lesson?"
And so, the class began again. Until the very end of the lecture, not a single student spoke a word about me or dared to mock me.
"Alright, that's it for today. See you next time."
Professor Idra's class flew by in an instant. Contrary to her playful personality, her teaching was incredibly serious and professional.
""""Thank you for the lesson!""""
With a chorus of farewells, the students swarmed out of the classroom. I decided to wait a bit before leaving, thinking it would be a hassle to get caught in that crowd. Clara, sitting next to me, seemed to have the same idea.
Once the room had cleared, only Clara and I remained. Just as I was about to ask her if she wanted to head back together—
"U-um."
Someone spoke to me. At first, I thought it was just another person trying to flatter Clara, but the student was looking directly at me. It was the sorcerer, one of our fellow Special Class students. Given his timid personality, it was surprising that he would initiate a conversation.
"S-seniors from the Archen Kingdom are w-waiting outside, so b-be careful."
Leaving only those words, he fled the room as if running for his life. Seeing his flushed face, I could tell it had taken a great deal of courage for him to speak up.
"Thank you for letting me know!" I called out. He paused mid-run to look back, gave a quick bow, and then bolted again.
"Seniors from the Archen Kingdom... I wonder why they're waiting for me?"
"You're asking because you don't know?" Clara said, looking at me as if I were pathetic.
Actually, I knew exactly why. It was probably Vermin's doing. He had likely ordered the other Archen Kingdom students to harass me. Among those waiting, there might be some who genuinely disliked me, but others were probably just there because they had no choice but to follow Vermin's orders.
"Shall we head out for now?"
"Sigh."
Clara let out a deep sigh at my reckless attitude, but she followed me out of the classroom anyway.
"They're all huddled together over there."
As soon as we stepped into the hallway, I saw a group gathered at the far end. Noticing me, they began walking toward us in unison.
"I don't think they're coming over to be friends, do you?"
"Tsk."
As I continued to spout nonchalant nonsense, Clara clicked her tongue and stepped in front of me as if to protect me. Of course, if Clara stood in their way, they wouldn't be able to openly bully me, but I had a better idea.
"Miss Clara, it's alright. Please leave this to me."
With this method, I could deal with them and prevent Clara from being caught in the crossfire. Unless they were insane, they wouldn't touch her, but there were plenty of crazy people in this world, so it didn't hurt to be careful.
"What are you going to do? It doesn't look like they'll just let you pass."
"Hehe, don't worry. Isn't there one more person here that they wouldn't dare touch?"
"Don't tell me...?"
The 'don't tell me' Clara was thinking of was exactly right. I turned around and walked back into the classroom.
"Student Loki, what is it?" Inside, Professor Idra was tidying up her lecture materials.
"I have something to tell you, Professor Idra."
Hearing my words, Professor Idra gave a mischievous grin. "Could it be? A confession? I'm sorry, but I'm a professor and you're a student."
I matched her playful tone and smiled back. "I'm the type who likes to be romantic when I confess. Unfortunately, this isn't a confession."
"That's a shame. If it's not a confession, then what is it?"
I pulled the threads I frequently used from my Pocket Dimension. Professor Idra's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the storage space.
"A Pocket Dimension artifact... Student Loki, you certainly carry many interesting things."
"The important thing is this thread. I made it myself. What do you think?"
"This is the thread you used during the entrance ceremony, right? May I touch it?"
"Of course."
Professor Idra examined the thread, touching it and giving it a firm tug.
"It's a thread made using Kezad."
She figured out the material in a single glance.
"I have many other things here as well."
I began pulling other items I had crafted from my Pocket Dimension. A pile of my creations spilled out onto the lectern. Seeing the sheer number of magic tools, Professor Idra looked at me with genuine astonishment.
"You made all of these yourself, Student Loki?"
She examined each tool on the desk in detail. In truth, making them wasn't that difficult. I had memorized many of the crafting recipes while playing Croaka, and for the actual construction, I had the Creator’s Hand trait.
"To make all of this at your age is incredible. But if there's something even more surprising than the fact that you made them yourself..."
"Is it that all these magic tools possess enhanced performance?" I finished the sentence for her.
Professor Idra looked at me with a serious expression. Under her intense gaze, I said the words she was waiting to hear.
"I possess a means to enhance any magic tool."
"Really!?"
This time, Professor Idra went beyond mere surprise; she was visibly excited. It made sense—a method to enhance any magic tool was something anyone in her position would covet.
"Could we perhaps talk somewhere quiet?"
"Of course! Let's go to my lab!"
I followed Professor Idra out of the classroom. In the hallway, the Archen Kingdom students who had been waiting for me watched with blank stares as I emerged alongside the professor.
"Come, come, Student Loki, let's hurry."
Professor Idra urged me forward, seemingly unable to wait another second to learn about the enhancement method. I walked right past the group, following her. They had no choice but to let me pass without saying a word.
As I passed them, I raised one hand high so they could see and flipped them the middle finger.
'Ah, right. Clara is here too.'
Remembering Clara's presence, I quickly raised my index finger as well, turning the gesture into a V-sign.