The Conspiracy That Will Befall the Students

Principal Albert chewed a mouthful of chicken and exploded with rage.

"The Rosengart Duchy! Hmph! To think I let myself be deceived… No, when I first took a teaching post at Tartaros Academy, that current duke must have still been ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a blood-soaked infant! Yet not even the duke himself, but a mere archduchess dares commit such an outrage against student Kael! I will make the entire Rosengart family pay the price for daring to take my warning lightly!"

Kael smiled as if to soothe the old man’s fury and spoke in a teasing tone.

"Principal, the current Duke Rosengart is in his late forties. When you first became a professor here, he hadn’t even been born yet."

Albert paused at Kael’s words, then took a long swig of beer. The cold carbonation slid down his throat, leaving the crisp, bitter aftertaste of hops. Only then did his voice calm.

"Hoho, is that so? Then all the more reason! That greenhorn duke must answer for failing to educate his daughter properly! When vacation comes, I shall storm the Rosengart estate and give them a thorough lecture!"

Having served as a professor at Tartaros Academy for five hundred years and risen to the position of principal, his martial prowess was worthy of being called the strongest of the current generation.

Even if every archmage in the Caldria Empire gathered together, they probably couldn’t defeat Principal Albert.

The other professors at the academy were all archmages as well, yet Albert’s accumulated years set him apart. At best, Professor Egil might be able to put up a decent fight. No matter how prestigious the Rosengart Duchy was, they would never be able to withstand him. To even obstruct his path would require the Empire’s greatest powers to be fully mobilized by imperial decree.

The reason this terrifying principal had never exerted any influence outside the academy was simple: he had been trapped inside Tartaros Academy all this time. Even when he did leave for vacation, the time granted was merely a few days. In that short window he had always been too preoccupied with eating to do anything else.

But now things are different.

The fact that Albert could openly declare he would discipline the Rosengart family was all thanks to Kael’s ability. The food Kael provided came from the modern world; it was incomparably more delicious than anything available outside. There was no longer any need to waste vacation time on mere meals. The fury of the era’s strongest archmage would now be directed squarely at the Rosengart Duchy.

On top of that, the other professors were also visibly furious with Irina. Had Albert not erupted first, they would have all voiced their anger ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at once.

Kael asked the principal softly, "When will you be able to take your vacation, sir?"

Albert tore into a drumstick as he answered. "Mmm~ *munch*… In one month. After a month passes, I’ll have three days… *munch*… of vacation. Just wait until then!"

Kael nodded with a smile. "I’ll look forward to it. There’s also something I’d like to ask of you then. There’s something I want to wring out of the Rosengart family through pressure."

When Albert finished the Pilsner beer in his hand, the can was empty. Kael quickly offered him one of the spares he had bought in advance.

"Hoho, thank you! So, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what is it? Tell me!"

Kael smiled gently. "There’s still a whole month left, so I’ll tell you later. For now, please keep enjoying the chicken and beer."

At those words Albert threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Yes! That’s the spirit! How can student Kael be so wonderful! Hahaha!"

Albert now moved on to tearing apart the chicken breast and asked, "By the way, student Kael. Isn’t your current dormitory rather cramped?"

Kael realized the principal was about to bestow him with a favor and nodded. "It’s still manageable for now… but yes, it does feel a little small."

Albert took another swig of beer. "Exactly. You will be embracing far more beautiful women in the future. You ought to have a larger, more majestic residence."

"Is that even possible? I was told the dormitories have existed since the academy’s founding."

The dormitories of Tartaros Academy were not recent constructions. They had stood since time immemorial, from an era so distant no one could pinpoint when they first appeared.

"Of course it’s possible!" Albert declared confidently. "Among the powers granted to me by Tartaros Academy is the authority to erect new buildings. I’ve had no reason to use it for five hundred years, but constructing one more building is hardly difficult."

Hearing those words, Kael couldn’t help thinking how much it resembled a game.

I’m genuinely curious who created Tartaros Academy.

Yet no one knew the answer. Not even Principal Albert. No records existed of the academy’s birth; only the knowledge that it had stood since long before the Caldria Empire.

"Then, Principal, I would like you to build it with multiple floors. Make it so we can move between floors easily with an elevator, and turn every level into living quarters. Create a residence that only I and my women can enter. It would be perfect if we could all live there together."

"A simple matter! Leave it to me! Hahaha~"

Albert returned to savoring ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his chicken and beer. Beside Kael, Professor Michaela spoke up.

"Lord Kael, about the students still in the classroom… They ended up brawling over the sausage. Princess Eleonora and Lady Irina barely managed to calm them, but the atmosphere is still incredibly hostile."

She was monitoring the classroom through surveillance magic.

"They’re still glaring and growling at each other."

Kael nodded with a gentle smile. "Leave them be for now. Whether they fight or not, resentment, conflict, and hatred will only pile up in their current state."

A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.

"Something very entertaining is waiting for them at lunchtime. Hehe, it will be quite the spectacle."

Having said that, Kael purchased twenty more cans of Pilsner beer and stacked them nearby.

"Here, drink as much as you like."

After stacking the beer, Kael turned his gaze toward Professor Egil. The man was just as engrossed in the chicken and beer.

"Professor Egil, could you cast the Curse of Hunger on the students in the classroom?"

Egil nodded at the request. "Of course, student Kael. As long as I know the location, distance is irrelevant. Shall I apply it to every last one of them?"

"Yes, please do."

"Hehe, leave it to me!"

And so the Curse of Hunger was unleashed. From their current position the students were not visible, yet every student in the Department of Magic now afflicted by Professor Egil’s curse would be feeling the pangs of starvation.

No need to ask to see it.

Kael did not request the professors to show him. The plan would have proceeded even without the curse. The students of the Department of Swordsmanship had not received the curse, but they too would show interesting reactions once lunchtime arrived.

Before the Department of Magic students, driven to the brink of starvation, would be placed only coarse black bread and water. And to them, Kael’s little conspiracy would soon arrive.

"When lunchtime comes they’ll already be ravenous, and with nothing but coarse black bread they’ll feel like they’re going insane. But soon they’ll learn what it truly means to suffer until they lose their minds."

Professor Lucia, having realized Kael was plotting something, asked with open curiosity.

"Lord Kael, what exactly is your plan?"

Kael smiled as he answered, "It’s this."

Principal Albert’s eyes widened. The other professors reacted the same.

"Hah! How truly cruel!"

"It’s horrifying!"

"I’d rather have my limbs crushed."

"Just thinking about it is terrifying!"

The professors trembled in fear after hearing Kael’s scheme. Even Albert shook his head.

"Hoho, what a truly cruel and terrifying plan! Just hearing it gives me goosebumps. In five hundred years at Tartaros Academy, this is the most frightening story I’ve ever encountered."

Kael responded to the principal’s words, "In any case, it doesn’t concern you or the other professors enjoying chicken and beer, does it? I was originally going to ask Lucia, Michaela, or Anna to do it… but would you consider carrying it out yourself, Principal?"

At Kael’s suggestion, Albert nodded.

"Understood, student Kael. I shall give it a try. Hoho! To think I would be the one using such a wicked spell!"