5
Chapter 5
"Don't get involved needlessly. That kid's dad is Marquis Heinz."
I wondered what gave him the nerve to act like that, but it turns out his father is Marquis Heinz.
If it's Marquis Heinz, it makes sense why those two couldn't step in.
William Heinz. He is the Minister of Finance in charge of the Empire's entire budget, and his sister is none other than the Second Empress.
He is the ultimate power broker in the Empire, rumored to be the most likely candidate to be the first Civil Official to be granted the title of Duke.
If it were the past, I would have turned a blind eye just like Misha and Raining.
A Black Agent shouldn't get involved in anything that could expose their identity.
But now, I'm not a Black Agent; I'm an instructor at this academy.
Now, I can intervene as much as I want.
If anything, as an instructor, I shouldn't just stand by and watch this happen.
"I... I see."
With a clumsy answer, I pulled a small needle from my pocket and scanned my surroundings.
If I made a move, students wouldn't notice, but there was a chance other instructors might.
I briefly considered that getting caught intervening here might immediately achieve my goal of getting fired, but I didn't want to make unnecessary enemies on top of just being fired.
Fortunately, one of the gang members had yelled at them to go eat, so everyone had turned their attention away.
Thud—
I dropped my fork, and pretending to pick it up, I gathered magic power in my hand and swiftly flicked the needle.
Whoosh—
I didn't look where I threw the needle and just picked up my fork, but I could tell from the sound alone.
Thud— Thud— Thud—
The needles that left my hand had hit their marks on the guys causing trouble.
"Huh? Raining, look over there."
"Why... Huh? What the?"
"What's wrong?"
When I asked, feigning ignorance, Raining told me to look behind me.
Just as I expected, the guys who were causing a scene were all lying unconscious on the floor like the dead, and the commoner kids who were being bullied looked completely bewildered.
"What are they doing? Did the kids getting bullied use magic?"
"They're commoners, so they must be in the Ranger Class, so what magic? Besides, the magic power in the air was completely still just a moment ago."
I was slightly surprised by Raining's words.
To think she could detect the ambient magic power despite being in the Knight Department; that's an incredible talent.
If I hadn't used the Intelligence Agency's technique to conceal the flow of magic power, bearing the other instructors in mind, my actions might have been discovered.
Well, I wasn't caught in the end.
Seeing no signs of the kids waking up, a man and a woman who looked like instructors approached the collapsed group.
"Da... Trainee Damian?"
"His heart is beating. It looks like he just fainted."
They approached Damian and carefully shook him, seemingly checking his condition.
Naturally, it was a futile effort.
The needles I just threw were a special product made by refining and solidifying the sleeping powder of a monster called Rafflesia through a special process.
They weren't throwing needles provided by the Intelligence Agency, but ones I had developed independently and used on my own.
The moment they pierce the skin and touch the blood, they melt and are absorbed, leaving absolutely no trace of impact behind.
The instructors examining the fallen guys must not have found any signs of an attack, as they both walked over to the commoners.
"Hey, you two! What the hell did you do!"
"No, I didn't do anything. These people just suddenly collapsed..."
"Nonsense! You didn't do anything, so why would perfectly fine kids collapse in a group like that!"
"We don't know. We really didn't do anything."
"Are you talking back to me right now?"
"It's not like that..."
"You both look like new student commoners, but do you have any idea whose family Trainee Damian here belongs to?"
"Both of you, come with me. If you can't explain yourselves properly, you're both expelled."
Ugh. They say there's no end to taking out the trash.
Just as I cleaned up one piece of trash, another appears.
Is that really something an instructor should be saying right now?
Honestly, I could understand them turning a blind eye earlier because of Damian's background.
But blaming the victims in this kind of situation makes me want to vomit.
A classic case of bullying the weak and fearing the strong.
The type of behavior I hate the most.
"We really didn't do anything."
"Don't lie! Did you use some kind of magic?"
"We... we're new students in the Ranger Class. We don't know anything about magic."
"Then did you use a hidden weapon instead? It'll all come out if we search your bodies, so come along quietly while we're still asking nicely!"
"If you refuse, we'll search you right here!"
Sigh. I didn't want to stand out since the semester hasn't even started yet, so I tried to wrap this up quietly, but if it's come to this, there's no helping it.
Besides, if they're in the Ranger Class, I couldn't just pretend I didn't see it.
My goal is to get fired by doing a half-hearted job, but they're still the trainees I'll be teaching.
I pushed my chair back and stood up.
"The dogs barking are so loud I can't even enjoy my meal."
"Bi... Bio?"
Raining and Misha were horrified, but I didn't care.
I had already made up my mind.
"Dogs barking? Who are you?"
"Are you crazy? How dare you speak to an instructor..."
"Did you say instructor, not a dog?"
"Bio. You really... I'm so sorry. He's a new student, so Bio, you apologize right now too."
"Why should I? The trainees were being yelled at and could only lower their eyes without making a sound."
"Stop it?"
"Stop what? Since your master collapsed like this, you came running and started barking like a dog. Seeing that, isn't it natural for me to mistake you for a dog instead of an instructor?"
My provocation hit the mark, because instead of an answer, a fist came flying at me.
He's the type to throw a punch faster than words.
Unfortunately for him, he picked the wrong opponent.
I caught his outstretched fist and snapped his joint.
Crack—
"Arghhh!"
"Ryan! How dare a mere trainee lay a hand on an instructor who is like the heavens!"
This is ridiculous.
"Wasn't it you who threw the first punch without even going through the proper duel request procedures?"
If he were an instructor 'like the heavens,' he would have stopped the kids when they were causing trouble in the first place. Tsk tsk.
I felt countless gazes directed at me due to the sudden commotion, but I didn't care.
Since I stepped up like this, avoiding attention was impossible anyway.
"You were the ones who threw away your manners and acted up first. And who said I'm a trainee?"
"Of course, you are..."
"My name is Bio Rain, and starting this semester, I'm in charge of the Ranger Class."
Seeing that I revealed my identity, they must have been flustered, because they couldn't speak.
"Bio?"
"Wait, no, the instructor said so, so you're not a trainee..."
Actually, the ones who spoke to me first were Misha and Raining, who were standing behind me.
"Were you really an instruc... no, are you an instructor?"
"I apologize. I didn't mean to deceive you, but you didn't exactly give me a chance to speak, did you?"
"Hmph, you think all instructors are the same? How dare a nameless rookie like you lay a hand on Instructor Ryan?"
"Is the man who just collapsed the Chief Instructor? As far as I know, all instructors are equal, except for the Dean and the Chief Instructor."
"..."
"Even if he is the Chief Instructor, I can't just sit back and take it if he attacks without a word. Besides, I was simply defending myself."
I shrugged nonchalantly, causing him to glare at me with a face flushed deep red.
"I'll let it slide today since students suddenly collapsed, but just you wait."
There's never anyone actually scary among those who say "just you wait."
After giving that completely toothless warning, he gathered the students and helped the collapsed instructor and the troublemakers leave.
It wouldn't be hard to take care of that guy too, but there's no need to make a bigger scene.
It was convenient that he took the collapsed brats with him, saving me the trouble.
Otherwise, cleaning up the rest would have been entirely my responsibility.
As someone who doesn't know a single student here... wait, I know two.
Misha and Raining.
But if I had ordered those two to take care of the troublemakers, they likely wouldn't have listened.
While they didn't look at me with hostility like that instructor did, they certainly didn't look fond of me.
It seems I've really earned their dislike; well, even if I apologized, I still deceived them.
Then again, they seemed to dislike that Damian fellow from the start anyway.
"Thank you, Instructor."
The two trainees who had been bullied approached me and bowed their heads politely.
"Forget the thanks. Are you two hurt anywhere?"
"Oh, no. Thanks to your help."
"Thank you so much."
"I said forget the thanks; I only stepped in because you were ruining my meal. You both look a mess. Go get cleaned up."
"Yes, sir."
'If those are the kids you're teaching, that makes you their master. Why didn't you step in sooner?'
Ark, who had been silent, chimed in.
'I did step in eventually.'
'Aren't you going to apologize?'
I felt bad, but apologizing was overkill.
'No noble apologizes to a commoner.'
Even if I did, those receiving the apology wouldn't believe it was sincere.
They'd likely just think I was a hypocrite.
It would have been different if I had stepped in openly from the start, but that would have been far riskier than doing it now.
Not that the current situation is particularly great, though.
Having snapped a fellow instructor's arm, I might become an outcast among the staff or even face disciplinary action.
Of course, since it was self-defense and no one knows I was the one who hit the son of Marquis Heinz, it shouldn't be a big deal.
My goal was to get fired in the first place.
In fact, it would be perfect if I got fired due to disciplinary action from this incident.
****
I had to come to Belliard Academy because experience as a Dean is essential for promotion to Chief Magician, but it's actually quite nice.
Although my workload increased slightly, nothing is overly difficult, and the vacations give me more time for research.
When I worked as a Deputy Chief Magician at the Imperial Palace, I was summoned day and night, weekdays and weekends, whenever work popped up.
Since simply filling the tenure at the academy doesn't guarantee a promotion to Chief Magician, I'm tempted to just settle down here.
Jingle―
The door opened, and a lanky man burst into the office with a frantic expression; it was Berman Dietrich.
He is the instructor for the third-year Swordsmanship Class and the Chief Instructor, but he is severely lacking in manners and refinement.
His family is a fairly prestigious Count's house, but I suppose ignorant swordsmen are all the same.
"Berman, I believe I told you to always knock before entering my office."
"Dean, that's not what's important right now. We have a huge problem."
"What is this emergency?"
"I'm told there was a commotion in the academy dining hall during dinner yesterday."
"A commotion? Tell me more."
"It was between a group of third-year trainees from the Magic Class and new students in the Ranger Class..."
"Wait, third-year Magic Class? Is it Damian again?"
A sigh escaped me, and my head began to throb.
Two incidents ago, he beat up three trainees from a barony, and during the last closing ceremony, he thrashed a trainee from a viscountcy, which caused me a great deal of trouble.
I had personally asked Marquis Heinz to please keep him quiet and stop him from causing accidents, and it seemed he had finally settled down.
"Which family does the victim belong to?"
"Well, about that..."
Oho. Seeing that ignorant Chief Instructor hesitate to speak, it seems the trainee he targeted this time doesn't come from a powerless family like the previous ones.
Yes. I knew a day like this would come.
No matter if the Marquis's sister is the Second Empress, that doesn't make the Marquis's child a member of the Imperial Family.
Yet both the Marquis and that brat Damian acted as if they were royalty, behaving with utter recklessness.
I'll use this opportunity to back the victim and firmly correct his behavior.
Perhaps a forced transfer to another academy... no, wait, could it be...
"Berman, did Damian and his band of brats lay a hand on a member of the Imperial Family?"
"That can't be. No matter how much of a brat he is, would he really go that far?"
"Then why on earth are you hesitating? Was the damage severe?"
Surely it wasn't a fatal accident?
I felt a surge of anxiety.
"The victimized student is fine, but the problem is Damian and his group. They suddenly collapsed in the dining hall and still haven't regained consciousness."
"Instructor Berman? What do you mean? That brat Damian was taken down?"
Damian may act like a delinquent, but in terms of skill, he's at a level that few other trainees can even compare to.
Of course, there are students superior to Damian, but only a handful.
Ah! Did an instructor who happened to be there intervene?
But Damian is notorious throughout the academy; there shouldn't be any instructor who isn't aware of his background...
I was about to ask for a more detailed explanation when the door opened and a heavyset man stormed in.
"Marquis Banks! How on earth are you managing this academy?"
I expected this the moment I heard Damian was hurt, but he arrived much faster than I thought.
"Marquis Heinz, please calm down and take a seat."
"Calm down? Do I look like I can be calm? My youngest son is unconscious!"
...He screamed so loudly that the office seemed to shake, making me frown involuntarily.
I knew he acted arrogant because his sister is the Second Empress, but I am a Marquis as well, and Damian has caused far too many accidents in the past.
"I won't be using words the third time. Calm down and sit. I was just receiving the report myself."
Marquis Heinz glared at me with an offended expression, but perhaps because of the authority in my voice, he shut his mouth and took a seat.
"Instructor Berman, is there anything else to explain? If not..."
"Dean, I'm told that not only Instructor Theres, but Instructor Ryan was also present. He tried to investigate because it seemed the bullied student had done something, but then another problem arose..."
"What problem?"
"There was a clash with another instructor. In the process, Instructor Ryan's arm was broken and is currently being treated."
"They aren't children, yet instructors are fighting and breaking arms? This academy is really running smoothly, isn't it?"
Marquis Heinz sneered from the side, and I really wanted to sew that man's mouth shut.
"Who did this?"
"It's Bio Rain, the Baronet who was recently appointed as a Ranger Instructor through the Imperial recommendation."
I remembered seeing that name in the documents.
He was recommended by the Imperial Family, but as a Baronet, he is a low-ranking noble with no territory.
The evaluations in his personnel report were quite positive, so for him to suddenly break a fellow instructor's arm... does he have a bad personality?
Regardless, he wouldn't have done it for no reason; there must be a story behind it.
"Berman, bring both Instructors Theres and Bio here immediately."