Chapter 127
Chapter 127
Episode 127
Seven days after the start of the second semester, classes continued.
"Today, we'll practice the use of 'Fire Wall' according to its height. So, Student Oz. A demonstration..."
"Couldn't another student do it today, not me?"
Lately, Professor Aira Merlin, with her haggard eyes, keeps trying to make me do things.
And if I successfully demonstrate, she blames me.
Conversely, if I fail?
She still blames me.
She's a difficult person. This situation needs to calm down soon.
"Ha...! Does he mean he's not interested in pointless things now?"
"..."
"Right. That's right. But if his interest was going to cool so quickly, why did he do such a pointless thing..."
The repertoire never changes.
What's even more terrifying is that no matter how I respond, that repertoire comes out.
I'm sick of it now. I'm sick of it, but... she's a pitiful person.
Just taking on two classes would have been hard enough, but she's someone who has to create a new class curriculum.
And it's not simply easy; it involves adjustment work so that the same results can be achieved no matter who teaches it.
It's nothing short of insane.
"Lately, he doesn't even help... Is it because he's not interested anymore, so he doesn't care about me...?"
That's the conclusion. She's upset that I'm not helping her.
But what can I do?
I know that if I go in there, it's hell. I've already understood the situation through Lucia's worn-out appearance.
Right now, the professors are desperately trying to gather as many graduate student candidates (slaves) as possible.
If the candidates are like that, what about the actual graduate students? Lately, I haven't seen any graduate students roaming inside [Scientia].
All of them have vanished.
I'm being careful not to approach that secret. When you stare into the abyss, you must be prepared.
And if you're not prepared, it's best not to stare at all.
"Ah... I'm burning. My life, my soul, everything is burning..."
Professor Aira Merlin started saying something strange, looking up at the [Fire Wall] she herself demonstrated.
Normally, the teaching assistants would have stopped Professor Aira, but today, they aren't there either. They, too, being graduate students, have ultimately vanished.
"When will I do research?"
From Professor Aira's eyes, staring at the rising wall of flames, a tear seemed to fall.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I had come to Discreet Punisher's personal office.
It's also the newly built space for [Tenebris] that was mentioned before.
Although he's new as a professor, it seems this level of treatment is because he was dispatched to collaborate with the Empire.
"Still, it's strange that only you guys use this wide space."
"That's right. We are just the first. Other organizations will probably approach Scientia soon."
"And Tia allowed that?"
"The surveillance system here is abnormally perfect."
I know that too.
From the moment I entered, there were so many magical devices that the landscape seen through [Contemplation] was dizzying.
This is the first time since I saw an 'outer being' surrounded by magic in the past. Considering I've grown since then, it must be an even more horrific level.
"Even with the current situation, Scientia always suffers from a shortage of personnel. That's due to Lady Tiamat's incredibly high standards."
"So, you're saying you'll hire existing skilled individuals on the condition that you leash them."
"Even if we gather information here, it won't be a problem for Lady Tiamat. It's like saying, 'play your tricks where you can be seen, rather than out of sight'."
Even if they gather information here, it won't cause problems for Tia. If they play dirty, she can instantly determine which organization is responsible through surveillance.
The rest is simply to go over the heads of those organizations and cut them down.
"Discreet. How do you view the situation at Scientia right now?"
An unusual atmosphere had begun to permeate [Scientia].
Not a sinister atmosphere, but an unusual one.
Yes, two atmospheres coexisted in [Scientia] right now.
The sinister atmosphere of the faculty, sinking endlessly into the abyss.
And the bright atmosphere of the students, looking forward to the newly revised curriculum.
Those two were intertwined, creating a rather unpleasant air.
"It's good news for the students. There are actually many students who want to learn even more. Most of them are commoners, though."
"Then what about the professors' side? I have a rough idea, but it might be different hearing it directly from a professor."
"For the professors... I can only say it's an environment where stress is bound to accumulate."
Discreet was sorting through mountains of documents quickly and accurately. He didn't even rest.
Lucia said he was a workaholic, and she wasn't wrong.
"This situation can be seen as a combination of several unfortunate events."
"Well, it seems that way."
"It's not simply that the work has increased that's the problem."
"Then what?"
"When a capable person handles a task that everyone was struggling with, with unparalleled results. You probably already know what the outcome of such a case looks like."
"...Prudence Loa."
An unparalleled genius mage.
A man who had incompletely burned through his power by taking over Salem Sudra's [Spellerge].
"But this case is a little different from that."
"Because he accomplished something everyone was ignoring, rather than everyone's fervent wish?"
"That's right. In such cases, rather than emptiness, jealousy and competitiveness arise. And when they realize that they are incapable of it..."
"They'll feel despair."
"Well, they are more scholars than revolutionaries, so it probably won't escalate to an extreme situation."
Well, looking at Professor Aira Merlin's eyes, I wouldn't be so sure.
"Discreet, that one's dozing off."
"...Ah, no, I'm not?!"
Lucia, who had been lying face down, probably overloaded from excessive work, lifted her head and glared at me at my words.
Well, what's she going to do if she glares?
"Lucia, if you're tired, it's okay to stop."
"No, it's fine..."
There's no way she could rest just because she's told to.
Isn't there someone right in front of her working without rest?
More than that, it seems they speak informally when it's family related. Discreet still uses formal speech, but she's a bold one.
"When does the Empire estimate this situation will calm down?"
"There will be three patterns."
Discreet didn't stop his hands even as he spoke. Having finished sorting documents, he began to move.
"Lucia, we're moving."
"Okay."
At those words, Discreet stopped working and stared blankly at me.
Does he want me to follow if I want to hear?
Well, he's busy anyway, so it's fine if I accommodate that much.
"The first is for Lady Tiamat to return and resolve the situation. Given the professors' condition, she'll probably put Professor En Drode's proposal on hold immediately."
"Is it that easy?"
"The reason Professor En Drode isn't being stopped right now is because his authority is that high."
"So, campus politics, huh."
"Exactly. At first, they probably thought they could do it too, seeing Professor En Drode, who simply created a new curriculum."
"Simply put, it's a matter of pride."
Since they are also renowned scholars, admitting their inadequacy would be a blow to their pride.
"Well, there were some who weren't like that... but they, conversely, had such low self-esteem that it became a problem."
"You don't have to beat around the bush; you can just say Professor Aira Merlin."
"Professor Aira gave up and turned away after a few words."
I knew it.
Professor Aira Merlin is the type who doesn't know how to refuse if pushed hard.
She must have been swept up in the situation that flowed like water.
Yet, her mental state is the most unstable, making her extremely precarious.
"And the biggest problem is that this revised plan is receiving good reviews from the students."
"In that situation, it would be a loss of face to criticize or reject someone with authority and achievements like Professor En. I understand."
That's why Tia's return is the most certain method.
Her authority is higher than anyone else's, and even if she acts somewhat recklessly, it won't matter.
"Well, that's assuming Lady Tiamat judges the current situation to be inappropriate, though."
The place Discreet and Lucia arrived at was a training ground.
I'd forgotten due to the paperwork, but come to think of it, he's a martial arts professor. He's probably planning to move his body and conduct some kind of test.
"What's the second?"
I asked Discreet, who slowly began to warm up.
"All professors completing the new curriculum."
"That would be the longest method. Even if other professors can manage, Professor Aira Merlin won't last until then."
"That's right. In fact, it's not a realistic direction."
Indifference. And the resulting prolongation of the situation. They wouldn't be able to endure it.
Lately, the glares directed at me have increased by nearly three times.
If there are a few more professors like Professor Aira Merlin, whose mental state is at its extreme, my personal safety will be at risk.
Despite everything, many of the professors at [Scientia] are monsters.
"What's the third?"
Discreet, holding a stack of documents in one hand, slowly assumed a stance and created a curriculum, answered calmly, as if it were nothing.
"It would be the case where professors can't endure the accumulating stress and explode. That's the worst situation."
"..."
"In this case, professors are highly likely to feel self-loathing due to feelings of defeat and humiliation."
"Would the Headmaster's selection method be a problem?"
"It would."
Tia chooses people who are not only capable but also fundamentally dedicated to others.
Of course, there will be those who aren't. Among them, there will be professors who only lecture for research purposes.
But they too are fundamentally those who meet Tia's standards.
They are people who conduct research for the benefit of an unspecified many, even if it's also for themselves. They have pride.
They would have the self-esteem that their research will change the world.
"If they explode, does that mean they'd kill Professor En?"
"That's unrealistic. They are scholars. Well, in this case..."
Discreet checked his posture several times, then finally nodded.
Considering that all the documents he had worked on until now were for that one movement, he probably still had a long way to go.
"Professors could resign en masse."
"...Do you think that's possible?"
Having pride means having stubbornness.
Would such professors resign just because they felt despair?
"Currently, various situations are intertwined. Humiliation and inferiority complex, simultaneously the growing distance from students' understanding, and research blocked by being overwhelmed with work."
"...There's a possibility."
Discreet's assumption gradually began to gain realism.
It was originally an absurd idea, but with the professors pushed to their limits and misfortunes piling up, it turned into something plausible.
"It's ironic to think that the very foundation of Scientia could crumble due to something like this."
"I feel the same way."
Discreet, having finished checking a movement, began to tidy up the documents and his surroundings.
Lucia, who had been watching all this time, left her seat upon seeing Discreet.
Is she going to get something? Perhaps she's going to make some tea.
"Do you have any other questions?"
"Well..."
Discreet had started cooperating with me to the fullest after the events of that night.
It seems that causing a ruckus directly left a deep impression.
Perhaps it's also a repayment for helping with his choice... Whatever it is, it's good that it's good.
"You said you had them gather information about En Drode. Are you really planning to kill him?"
"How could that be? However, I know there will be many professors trying to grasp Professor En's weaknesses."
"Ah, I see."
With those words, I understood that the [Tenebris] side also wanted to end this situation.
They must be looking for a way to damage Professor En Drode's authority, which is the first problem.
Perhaps it's simply because he's tired, but since Stacia has transferred in, he probably wouldn't think highly of Scientia's collapse either.
"Brother."
While I was organizing my thoughts, Lucia, who had left, returned.
She appeared, pulling a bicycle with one hand.
"...What I said then wasn't meant that way."
The bicycle was merely a metaphor. But how did it end up like this?
Well, it probably doesn't matter.
The relationship between an older brother teaching his younger sister how to ride a bicycle. How insignificant and ordinary a life this is.
If there's an effort to understand each other, that's enough.
"Then let's go."
"Okay..."
With that, Discreet got on the bicycle, and Lucia held onto the back.
"No..."
Discreet, looking nervous as if his balance was off, cautiously began to pedal the bicycle forward.
"You mustn't let go yet."
"Yeah, I know."
"...Were you the one learning?"
Well, it was a bit of an unexpected sight, but in any case, good is good.