Clever Assistant Life (3)
“Senior Kyle, um…”
A student approached while I was eating. A first-year taking Senior Ruina's lectures. Looked like he had a question, just like last time.
“Can't you leave me alone while I'm eating?”
“Hehe, it's just too curious…”
“Tch, what is it?”
“Well, you see…”
As a newbie, his thirst for knowledge was strong. I was an assistant too, and no need to discourage him, so I answered his question.
“Thank you! Enjoy your meal! See you tomorrow!”
Once his curiosity was satisfied, the kid bolted off. Seeing that, yeah, freshmen are freshmen.
Then Evan smirked from the side.
“Hyungnim. You're super popular, huh?”
“Shut up and eat.”
But Evan wouldn't quit.
“When you teach them, you curse like a sailor. Guess position makes the man… Ow, hyungnim, stealing my spoon is cheating?!”
I snatched his spoon as a warning, and he yelled.
I told Evan, “Cut it out.”
“Aww~ You're just enjoying the view. Do you know how much they're talking about you at Tianis? Even other departments are buzzing.”
“I know, so shut up.”
“Man, hyungnim, you're so shy.”
“……”
Evan's nonsense left me speechless. Of course, I had ears. I knew exactly what people were saying about me lately.
It made sense—a Saint working as an assistant under a professor. Especially the youngest professor, Senior Ruina.
Some professors were even licking their chops. A few had been thinking of offering me an assistant spot themselves.
But Senior Ruina snatched me up, so they were bound to be disappointed.
Anyway, that's why my first week as an assistant was a bit noisy. Especially with professors swarming me.
But time passed, and things quieted down. Senior Ruina took the lead in blocking them.
Plus, I'd gotten used to assistant work, and the distance with students had shrunk a lot. Aside from these personal visits during breaks, I was having a pretty decent daily life.
“So how about you?”
“Me? Don't even ask.”
Evan sighed deeply and continued.
“Knight department freshmen keep challenging me to spars, magic department ones come asking questions like you. Man… I have no days off these days.”
“Sounds like you're doing well.”
“Hyungnim, don't brush it off like it's not your problem. I'm seriously dying here. How is it that I have fewer rest days than my first year? Look at this.”
Evan pointed under his eyes.
“Can't sleep a wink, got dark circles and everything.”
“You're fine without sleep anyway.”
“Hyungnim, I'm really disappointed. I'm always worried about you, but you treat me so coldly…”
“Cut the bullshit. Makes me feel weird hearing that from another guy.”
Nothing felt worse than that from a dude.
“Oh yeah, there are some holy kingdom folks among the newbies. Makes it even worse. Beastkin have stamina several times stronger, they say…”
“Don't tell me stuff I didn't ask. Not interested.”
“You're too much…”
By the time we finished chatting with Evan, I'd eaten up. We got up from our seats.
“Hyungnim, I'll head out now.”
“Go.”
After sending Evan off, I turned toward the Craft Department building.
For reference, Rana was spending time at the Contract Land lately due to summoner business.
I arrived at Senior Ruina's professor office. Slowly opened the door.
“Not here.”
Looked like she'd stepped out briefly; no sign of her. I sat on the sofa and waited.
Then my eyes caught a document.
“About time, huh.”
It was none other than the joint practical training paperwork. Two weeks from now marked one month since enrollment, so like last year, it was time.
As a professor, Senior Ruina had to participate, naturally.
Next to it was Senior Ruina's joint practical plan. A proposal for what they'd do.
I skimmed it—very much like her.
“Looks good.”
First time as a professor, yet she planned something helpful for students. No wonder, being a student until last year set her apart from typical profs.
The moment I set the plan down on the table.
Creeeak…
The office door opened. The weak sound made me turn.
I approached her as soon as I saw Senior's face.
“Senior.”
“Yeah…”
“Something bad happen?”
“No, nothing…”
“Then why the long face.”
Her expression was blankly emotionless as always, but her mood was utterly deflated. Like she could burst into tears any second.
“It's not that…”
Senior denied my words. She sat at the desk, pulled out paper, and started writing something.
I leaned in to check.
“Business trip?”
“Yeah.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow…”
Her vibe sank even lower at "tomorrow." I asked,
“Want me to come with?”
“No.”
Firm refusal. Her eyes said she absolutely wouldn't let me tag along.
“An assistant following their professor…”
Then she grabbed my sleeve.
“Please… don't.”
A single tear streamed from her eye. My mind blanked for a moment, and a forgotten fact resurfaced.
Tomorrow, huh…
The first day Ruina Lindel acted not as a professor, but as the villain.
These peaceful days had made me forget.
Senior hurriedly wiped the tear from her cheek. Then she said,
“I have a favor.”
“What kind?”
“Tomorrow… cover my lecture. Just the quiz and the rest of the material…”
Even now, she was worrying about her students. Frustrating, but I replied,
“Got it. I'll do it.”
“Thanks.”
“It's an assistant's job to help their professor.”
I smiled back. But that was just the surface.
Haa…
Inside, deep sighs kept coming.
After that, I prepped tomorrow's lecture with her. Once done, she left Tianis immediately.
Stab!
Ruina's small, pale white hand pierced a man's heart.
Blood gushed from the heart, splattering her face. Fresh from a still-beating organ, it was scalding hot.
But Ruina showed no reaction. She just withdrew her hand from the flesh and shifted to the next target.
A woman this time. Around her age, barely of legal adulthood.
“……”
Ruina gazed at the deeply drugged woman. Then raised her hand and stabbed the heart.
Drugged, so death wouldn't hurt.
Blood splashed again, a fishy scent mixing with the blood already on her face.
Still, no reaction from Ruina. She just eyed the remaining sacrifices lined up behind, then continued with blank-faced efficiency.
About halfway done.
The one watching from the side spoke up.
“Your pace is slow. To finish today, you need to speed up…”
“Quiet.”
Ruina cut him off. Her rage-laced voice made the air tremble.
The man pressed on undeterred.
“…Lord Jeras will be disappointed.”
“Threatening me with Dad now?”
“Just stating facts. He's put a lot into this job…”
“Shut up.”
Colder voice now. Ruina radiated intent to kill the man on the spot.
But he was under Dad's orders too. Knowing that, she eased the pressure.
“Don't order me around. Do it once more…”
Ruina gestured to the dozens of slumped corpses behind her.
“And you'll end up the same.”
“…Understood, Lady Ruina.”
The man bowed and vanished into the shadows.
Ruina continued. Killing all 100 pure men and women.
100 bodies sprawled on the ground. The floor circuits soaked in their flowing blood.
Ruina stood. Heading to the magic circle's center.
Standing there, she unleashed alchemy.
Crackle—
Bones, flesh, organs separated. Sorted by type, bundled, placed into each circle.
Careful, so careful. Handling alchemy to minimize damage.
Everything from the 100 bodies was prime sacrifice material.
Yet Ruina felt nothing. Even killing with her own hands.
More precisely, she forced herself not to.
Only by erasing emotions, halting her mind's churn, acting like a doll obeying orders—
“……”
Could she endure this horrific, nauseating scene.
So Ruina suppressed feelings like a corpse. Her survival method to stay sane.
But even after 20 years like that, one thought kept surfacing.
“My disciple… I miss you…”
Kyle Arden. She wanted to see her disciple.
Seeing him might blow away this gloom.
But she knew she couldn't meet him without finishing this.
Ruina drew another power with her free hand. Revealing 100 souls.
They all glared murderously at her. Some even lunged.
Ruina murmured softly to them.
“Sorry… I have to.”
Then black magic activated from her hand.