Academy
Academy
"A perfect day for an exam."
A spring day with crisp breezes and drifting flower petals.
A week had passed since my deal with the Empire.
With Flora assisting me with the work, I hadn't even noticed the time slipping by.
And in the meantime, the preparations for entering the academy were complete.
"All set?"
"Of course."
Flora, who had followed me for a final check, stood beside me.
As I stood here like this, the feeling that washed over me felt strangely new.
The roadside was packed with people coming and going from the academy.
I watched the scene and enjoyed the warm sunlight.
There was still time left, so I could afford to take it easy.
"What about the identity cover?"
"I prepared an identity that suits you perfectly, Boss."
"Oh?"
"I can guarantee it's clean enough that even the Empire won't be able to say a word."
While I was resting, Flora had offered me a professorship a few more times, but I had politely declined every single one.
I was confident in my magic, but I came here to hunt Demons, not to teach classes.
So I had reasonably suggested something like a janitor or a facility manager.
Even if the work was a bit physically demanding, going to isolated places would draw far less suspicion.
Even so, it seemed she had come up with a better identity than what I had insisted on.
When Flora showed confidence and gave a definite answer, it usually meant a smooth start.
As expected, there was no one like Flora when it came to looking after me.
So I killed time listening to the list of cafes Flora recommended—no, exactly the list of places we would visit together next.
She even mentioned there would be desserts for me.
Just as a certain sense of anticipation was satisfied, the brief, fleeting moment passed.
Deng, deng, deng.
Before I knew it, the clock tower standing at the very center of the academy struck the hour.
I immediately straightened my clothes and finished my preparations.
Flora, who had been quietly watching me from the side, spoke softly.
"You're not going to end up getting hurt by a Demon because of the Artifact, are you?"
"…Your jokes have really multiplied since I last saw you."
"Saying that to a delicate lady hurts my feelings."
"…"
Instead of answering, I stared blankly at Flora.
A brief silence flowed between us, and Flora was the first to speak.
"It's because I was worried about you, Boss."
"Alright. Thank you for worrying."
Flora, who called herself my protector, was dressed prettily and placed a hand on my shoulder.
As I looked at her like this, she could easily pass for a noble young lady, but her true nature was entirely different.
Because, like me, she was one of the Empire's most prominent masterminds.
The sight of her grinning like any ordinary girl, despite the countless bloodstains on her hands, was truly peculiar.
"I did think of a few precautions, but~ hmm, I'll skip them. It's not like this is your first or second time doing something like this."
"This is just a warm-up."
Now all I had to do was enter the academy and find the traces the Demons left behind.
I would use those to trigger a chain reaction.
If I kept following the trail, I might even find the starting point from which the Demons launched their attack.
There was a high probability it was one of the Four Great Demons.
That was why the position mattered.
It needed to be an identity that guaranteed freedom of movement without drawing suspicion from others.
Just before entering the academy, I casually asked Flora about the new identity that would be my cover.
"So, what's the cover identity you chose?"
"I made you an outside instructor. Only a very small number of people know your name, so we can just use it as is. That's fine, right?"
"Outside instructor?"
"Anyway, you're not a professor."
I had turned down an academy professorship.
And now, as of today, it looked like I was reporting for duty as an outside instructor.
* * *
By referencing the information I had investigated beforehand, I was able to find the building where the chancellor resided with ease.
Comparing it to the exterior Flora had kindly described confirmed it was the right one.
"So he's on the top floor of this building."
I headed toward the chancellor's office with light steps.
The interior definitely matched a building that would house the chancellor's office.
Anyone could tell at a glance that this was an area untouched by students, and that was a simple way to describe it.
I climbed the stairs just as Flora had told me and reached the top floor.
There was only one door nearby, so I gave it a light knock.
Knock, knock.
The moment I knocked, a voice came from inside.
—Come in.
When I opened the door, an elderly man who looked dignified came into view.
If I had to point out the one flaw, it would be his hair, which looked rather barren.
He was absorbed in a document, as if he was handling some work.
I kept a suitable distance and acted as befitted my current identity.
"I am Karon, the new outside instructor. I came to pay my respects."
"Come in. I apologize for being distracted by this backlog of paperwork."
The chancellor set down his pen and lifted his head.
At first, his expression seemed full of expectation, but then his words trailed off and his face slowly hardened.
"Wh-What are you doing here, you bastard?"
Then he opened his eyes wide in shock.
I also tilted my head as I looked at the chancellor.
Looking closely, I felt like I had met him somewhere before.
Not in the underworld, not in an organization, and not in prison.
I rummaged intently through my memory and finally managed to dig it up.
He had been the Imperial mage who had racked up the most distinguished merit at the time of my arrest.
This was, well, it was a good thing he was an old acquaintance, but…
The situation unfolding was more than enough to cause a misunderstanding.
Because a man who still had over a hundred years left on his sentence had shown up brazenly at the academy.
The chancellor assumed a Defensive Magic stance, looking ready to attack at any moment.
I, too, quietly prepared a Defensive Magic.
"Have you come to take revenge on me?"
"That's not it."
"What do you mean it's not!"
As I was pondering how to resolve this, the chancellor's expression grew even colder.
He raised his voice even louder.
"You'll be in serious trouble if you take even one step from there!"
"Calm down and let's have a conversation."
"How can anyone be calm in a situation like this?"
At this rate, it was obvious one of us would get hurt, or the chancellor's office would be blown away.
I let out a short sigh and glanced at my wrist.
"Hoo."
Showing him this was no different from revealing a weakness I possessed.
But there was no other suitable way to persuade this mage.
"I made a deal with the Empire."
"A deal…?"
I left the chancellor, who didn't understand what I meant, to his confusion.
And openly revealed the Artifact hidden inside my sleeve.
The chancellor's fierce gaze lingered on my wrist for a moment before he sneered.
"Did you think I would believe a man who once broke a Mana-suppression barrier just because you show me that?"
After a long standoff, the chancellor launched a surprise attack.
Even though he had withdrawn from field work, it was an attack that carried a sense of veteran experience.
Kwaang!
I blocked it lightly with my superior Mana Control ability, but the clash of Mana forces shattered one side of the door and made the building tremble faintly.
"He blocks this, and you expect me to believe a deal? There's a limit to how far lies can go!"
"Do you expect me to just stand still and take a spell that would be fatal on a direct hit…?"
Just as he was gritting his teeth, his veins bulging, and preparing a second attack against me.
"W-Wait, please wait a moment!"
A familiar voice came from behind me.
"I was planning to tell you in advance because of this, but I didn't realize I'd be a step too late."
Welton stepped on the scattered debris and rushed headlong into the standoff.
The chancellor looked flustered by the unexpected guest.
"I am Welton, of the Imperial Intelligence Bureau."
"What business does the Imperial Intelligence Bureau have here? Speak quickly."
"Chancellor, please calm down and let me get straight to the point. You must not fight him."
"Don't joke with me."
Welton, as if he had anticipated this, hurriedly handed over a parchment stamped with the Imperial seal.
The chancellor cleared his throat dryly, read it, and then displayed a considerable amount of bewilderment.
"What in the…"
"If you get into any more of a heated argument here, things will get complicated in many ways. Allow me a word in private."
Whatever they needed to discuss was clearly important.
The two of them spoke quietly enough that I couldn't hear.
While they did, I sat on the plush sofa and waited leisurely.
As soon as the chancellor gave a tentative nod, I casually asked.
"Have you decided you're willing to talk?"
"…Let's move this to the reception room."
The chancellor had finally become willing to talk.
We immediately left this place, which had nearly been half-destroyed, and headed to the reception room.
Once I cast a silence spell for security, the chancellor prepared some simple drinks.
After all the preparations were finished, the chancellor sat down limply on the sofa with an expression of disbelief.
"The Imperial Court told me they were sending me a talented individual… I never imagined it would be you."
"What do you mean by that?"
The chancellor held out a document.
I quickly scanned it; it was an identity certificate.
More precisely, it was a certificate for my new identity, and its quality was good enough that I could use it as is once I became a free man.
"There's nothing to pick fault with."
As I freely voiced my admiration, the chancellor promptly snatched the document back.
"I don't know who made it, but they made it perfectly. Meanwhile, I'm the one who got injured because of you, and now my whole body aches whenever it rains."
"That's just because you're getting old."
In that instant, the chancellor hurled a fireball without a word.
Fwoosh!
The crimson flame, which most mages would find difficult to react to, vanished against my Defensive Magic.
Seeing this, the chancellor waved his hand dismissively as if giving up.
"Good grief, is that Artifact a fake?"
"Hard as it may be to believe, it is genuine, certified by the Magic Tower. My Mana utilization ability is simply outstanding."
"What an obnoxious… What did they see in a bastard like that to bring him out?"
The chancellor clicked his tongue and shook his head.
Then, carefully touching his few remaining strands of hair, he spoke.
"Fine. What could a lowly nobody like me possibly do? I might as well finish the task I was given. I must address two important matters: the outside instructor and the Demons."
The first thing the chancellor brought up was the outside instructor matter.
"Do you have any prior experience teaching anyone? Anything at all would suffice."
"I have experience teaching my subordinates."
"Tell me what method you used."
"What I value is practical experience. Theory is also possible."
"The theory is already more than sufficient. Tell me about the practical experience in detail."
At the word "practical experience," the chancellor immediately showed interest.
Of course he would, since students grew sick of theory at the academy, enough to tip the scales heavily in the other direction.
The chancellor was likely putting great effort into balancing that out.
Even if the field was a little different, the presence of a mage with lifelong practical combat experience right before his eyes left him with no choice but to be expectant.
Secretly looking forward to the chancellor's reaction, I relayed what I had taught my subordinates.
"How about methods for killing people?"
"I will give you time to reconsider."
The chancellor furrowed his brow.
He tapped the table repeatedly, urging me on.
I suitably adjusted the answer to fit the curriculum required by the academy and relayed it again.
"It would be practical training based on theory."
"Acceptable."
His expression and gesture showed he thought it was at least a little better than before, though he was still dissatisfied.
"I should say this in advance, but I have no plans to teach anyone right away. The main purpose of my coming here is not to lecture."
"I also have no intention of entrusting my precious students to you, so we will discuss that gradually."
This was a signal that he wouldn't give up and intended to watch steadily.
The chancellor let out a deep sigh and moved on to the next topic.
"Next would be the Demons, I suppose. Is there anything you need help with on this side?"
"I would prefer it if you simply didn't interfere. If I had to pick something, it would be to pay attention to evacuation should the situation escalate."
"Hmm, understood."
There wasn't much to discuss on this end.
Because I would take care of it secretly on my own.
After that, we exchanged a few unproductive remarks.
Then the chancellor checked the clock and rummaged through his inner pocket.
"Take this."
"What is this?"
The chancellor held out a small card and a key.
Looking closely, it was an academy staff ID.
"These are necessary items if you're going to stay here. It seems the Imperial Court has also arranged lodgings for you."
"The Empire is unexpectedly thoughtful."
Just as I intended, my freedom of entry and exit was guaranteed.
I pocketed the staff ID and the key while feeling anew the desperation of the Empire, which was standing on the brink because of the Demons.
"I will inform you of the lecture schedule at a later date. It would be in your best interest to do things properly from now on."
"Of course I will."
"Don't just say it with words. Prove it through education, in a manner befitting the academy."
I let the chancellor's words go in one ear and out the other and left the reception room.
The result of our reunion after a long time.
The chancellor was suspicious, yet he seemed to be pondering how he could make use of me.
Since I was sent by the Imperial Court, he would probably stuff me into some suitable class and wring every last drop of use out of me, down to my soul.
As long as it wasn't unjust, it would remain a business relationship.
Just as I took out the Empire-approved staff ID from my pocket and was descending the stairs.
"I was wondering when you'd make your move. Was it tonight?"
A faint sensation of Demonic Energy.
The scent of a Demon came from somewhere not far away.