Breeder's Criminal Record
“Those insolent fools……!”
A deep shadow fell across Professor Benetric’s face. Even the surrounding air seemed to chill and settle heavily. —Slither, slither, slither……
That wasn’t all. An aura rippled around her, a haze of killing intent rising like heat from scorched earth. It was only natural.
“How can the classroom be completely empty at this hour?!”
She had come solely to punish the human servant who had abandoned his post. That was why Benetric had intended to question the fourth-years about the servant’s last known whereabouts. Yet the fourth-year classroom in the main building was now, quite clearly, devoid of even a single ant. Not a soul remained. Truly infuriating.
Abandoning one’s post was already absurd enough, but for the entire fourth-year class to skip together? There were more than enough reasons to be furious.
‘This afternoon’s classes were supposed to be self-study because the assigned professor is away on a business trip……’
Even so, until evening it was still officially class time. On such days, students were expected to study quietly in their classroom.
“Even if they are graduating seniors, how could they all leave together like this……? Or perhaps they’re conducting outdoor training practice?”
No. The fourth-years I know are nothing more than hollow shells worn down by academy life, merely waiting for graduation. Even if their academic zeal suddenly flared, they were not the type to train outdoors.
‘But something feels off. Right after using the rest lounge, they all vanished together? Could they be involved with that human servant somehow?’
Standing in the empty fourth-year classroom, Benetric mulled over the possibilities. I’ve grown far too lax. As vice principal, I’ve neglected the academy. For the fourth-years to collectively break the rules…… Disappointment in the students mingled with self-reproach.
‘I’ve been so absorbed in my research that I’ve shirked my duties as an educator. From now on, I must take a proper interest in the students and the academy again.’
Had the students heard this, they would have been horrified. Excessive interest from a professor meant interference—having a high-ranking officer barge into the dormitory. Half-hearted concern only made everyone miserable.
—Rustle, rustle……!
Nevertheless, Benetric diligently stoked her interest in the academy and its students as she flipped through the records. She was currently examining a thick ledger in the grade administration office archives.
“There it is. Just as I remembered.”
The cover of the document she was turning through read: Staff Personnel Records.
“……I recall opposing his admission because his criminal record was so poor. If not for the principal’s insistence, he would never have been allowed near the academy……”
—Tap, tap……!
Benetric tapped her index finger on Breeder’s personnel file as she read.
Name: Breeder
Race: Human
Age: 26
Assigned Duties: Dormitory Supervisor, Rest Lounge Manager, Barn Manager
Sentence: 50 years of academy labor
Charges: Dragon Race──
Her finger conveniently covered the word that followed “Dragon Race.”
“B-Breeder oppa…… did he do something wrong, desu-yong……?”
A voice ill-suited to the grave atmosphere cut in. It belonged to none other than Derke. She looked up at Benetric and asked the question. Because of her small stature, she couldn’t see the contents of the file Benetric had opened.
Ever since running into Benetric earlier, Derke had been helping her search for Breeder.
“Hmm? Was it Derke?”
“Y-Yes, eeyap……!”
“It would be best if you stopped associating with that human from now on.”
Having resolved to pay more attention to the students, Benetric offered Derke a sincere piece of advice.
“Hueet……? W-Why……?”
“For your own safety. At your age, nothing good can come from staying close to someone of such low character—”
—Flash!
It happened just as Benetric was giving her advice.
‘……Hmm? W-What is this presence?’
An intense, invisible flow of mana pierced Benetric’s mind. To a human’s senses, it would feel like an unexpected chill—goosebumps rising for no apparent reason.
This was the aura one could detect when a fellow dragon nearby greatly released or withdrew the mana within their body.
“Oh? Skipping class yet boldly revealing your power without fear?”
Benetric sniffed with her sharp nose and muttered. What she sensed was not merely a chill. A dragon’s presence reminiscent of rich earth scent stung her nostrils.
“Hueet-? What do you mean all of a sudden, desu-yong……?”
Derke tilted her head in confusion.
“You should return to your classmates at once. And never even think of contacting that servant again.”
“B-But……!”
“Then I’ll be on my way. Until next time.”
—Shhh……!
Having sensed the dragon’s aura and confirmed it belonged to a fourth-year, Benetric immediately cast teleportation.
“Uwaaah-?! S-She disappeared……?!”
Only Benetric’s afterimage remained, shimmering before Derke’s eyes. Curious, Derke reached out and touched the fading silhouette, as if stroking one of the wraiths or spirits she commanded.
“Haat, I get it! Professor must have gone to meet oppa by herself, desu-yong……! I wanted to go too……!”
Derke shouted while touching the afterimage, expressing her disappointment as realization dawned. Soon she was lost in thought alone.
“I-I want to see oppa too, desu-yong……”
Her voice turned wistful as she tightly closed her eyes and pictured Breeder’s face.
“……But if I ignore Professor’s words, it’ll be a huge problem, eeyap-!”
Yet the stern face of Vice Principal Benetric suddenly overlaid Breeder’s gentle one.
“Uuuut…… My head hurts-!”
*
2.
“Seniors? We don’t have time to waste! If we stay here any longer, the third-years will all be punished too……!”
A clear, ringing voice echoed through the cave. Tina, the girl with the ponytail, appeared. She had been keeping watch outside as instructed by Diora and now rushed in, her voice urgent.
“Why would the vice principal—who’s never shown any interest in the academy—suddenly……?”
Sofia murmured to herself, visibly flustered by the unbelievable news. Worry was written all over her face.
‘Weren’t we supposed to be safe here? And we even climbed all the way up ourselves to avoid detection…… Was the Earth Barrier and Silence magic all a lie?’
I, too, found it absurd. After all that confident boasting, this was the result? It was obvious I would be punished as well.
“What should we do? What are we supposed to do……? And of all people, it had to be Vice Principal Benetric……?”
“Lady Sofia……?”
Sofia muttered anxiously, her face ashen. But in truth, there was only one best course of action.
“E-Everyone, let’s get outside first! If Diora’s personal space is discovered, the punishment will be even worse……!”
In a situation like this, the best solution was obviously to run.
“Excellent idea! For now, please follow me and—huh?”
Tina had brightened at Sofia’s decision and was approaching us when she suddenly looked down and gasped in shock.
“……D-Diora senior?! What on earth……?!”
She had only now noticed Diora collapsed on the floor after tasting the mint chocolate. And it wasn’t merely the fact that she had collapsed that startled Tina.
“W-What is that appearance……?!”
I couldn’t help but cry out in surprise as well. It was only natural. Where Diora had fallen lay a massive lizard—a brownish-yellow reptile resembling a Komodo dragon. Its size was roughly that of a crocodile.
“Oh dear…… The shock from earlier must have partially undone her polymorph.”
“So that’s her true form?”
“Her true form is far larger and more ferocious than this. In any case, to not understand the true taste of mint…… how unfortunate.”
Sofia clasped her hands together as if in mourning. It was my first time seeing a dragon’s true form. Since the polymorph was only half-released, once it fully came undone she would indeed become enormous, just as Sofia said.
“N-Now is not the time for this! I’ll take care of Senior Diora!”
“Ah, yes……! Breeder, please follow me!”
Tina reminded everyone of the urgency and moved toward Diora.
“If the student council president exits through the hole right now—”
“Everyone, stop.”
““……?!””
A low, cold voice cut through Tina’s words. It was so heavy and sinking that even the echo inside the cave seemed to vanish.
—Click! Click! Click!
Instead, the sound of heels rang out loudly. The footsteps drew steadily closer. At that moment, the silhouette of a woman appeared at the entrance of the cliffside cave. A woman with her hair tied up in a bun. A rather tall shadow approached, accompanied by the distinct clicking of heels.
“V-Vice Principal……?”
“Sofia? I didn’t expect to find you here. I thought you were an excellent student…… I’m truly disappointed.”
The vice principal, Benetric, emerged while reciting lines befitting a strict commander. The woman who stepped into the cave had a dignified appearance. She looked to be in her early thirties by human standards—much younger than I had imagined. I might have mistaken her for a new teacher rather than the vice principal.
Of course, that was only in appearance. Right now, Benetric’s expression was unmistakably that of a tiger-like teacher.
“P-Professor? That’s not what I—”
“Silence! Spare me your excuses! If not for Diora, it would have been difficult to find this place. Setting up an Earth Barrier on academy grounds……”
Benetric glanced around the cave with a displeased look. As her gaze slowly swept the area, it suddenly fixed on one corner of the floor.
“Hmm? And that one…… shamelessly lounging about in her original form, taking a nap?”
It seemed the vice principal had detected the ripple caused by Diora’s polymorph partially releasing. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for us to be discovered.
“Vice Principal Benetric……? I’ll tell you everything exactly as it happened, so please show mercy……”
“Sofia, you’ve become quite shameless yourself. Telling the truth is only natural. Now, step away from that servant at once.”
“What……? Breeder has done nothing wrong!”
“Breeder ‘has’? Don’t tell me you’re still showing respect to that short-lived species and criminal?!”
Benetric suddenly scolded Sofia, her voice so sharp that even the previously silent cave echoed. Moreover, her gaze had already locked onto me. She stared as though I were a repulsive insect. Her golden-yellow eyes held a chilling glint that sent shivers down my spine. If I kept looking, it felt as though her eyelids might blink vertically.
“I’m well aware that Breeder was brought here as a slave and is a criminal. But as a short-lived species who will only remain for a brief time, treating him so harshly……”
“Enough with the kind words, Sofia! You speak that way only because you don’t know his charges!”
“Pardon? Professor……?”
“Stop talking and get away from that Dragon Race Hater right now!”