Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: The Loud Chewer
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There was a brief commotion, but we soon entered the academy and headed for the meeting room.
"Luke... that's not the right way."
"Oh, is it not?"
"It hasn't even been a minute since you looked at the map. How can you be so lost already...?"
"But the maps here are so hard to read."
Honestly, the maps in this world look like they were crudely drawn by some ancient painter.
As a modern person, I'm used to the high-tech maps from my past life that were easy to read and gave automatic directions. A map drawn on a scrap of paper like this is just difficult to follow.
It doesn't even tell you where you are in the first place.
Even now, I still wonder how people in the old days ever managed to use maps.
"Even so, you're exceptionally bad, Luke..."
"Hey, I'm not that bad, all things considered."
I won't deny I'm bad with directions.
I mean, is there some penalty for getting lost? No need to deny it.
But there are people far worse than me. It's not fair to single me out.
"Back where I lived, there were plenty of people who couldn't even find their own homes."
At least I could always find my way home.
Though, I did spend more time at home than outside.
"Besides, this academy is way too big. How is anyone supposed to not get lost?"
I protested, feeling wronged.
I mean, come on. It’s my first time here, and the building is ridiculously huge.
I still haven't even memorized the layout of Jeomineol Academy where I work, and you expect me not to get lost at someone else's workplace? That's asking too much.
The academy grounds were so vast that we couldn't find the meeting room. It's not like they'd mark something like a meeting room on a map anyway.
Normally, when you're lost, you're supposed to ask someone nearby for directions. But thanks to what I'd done, every time I approached a student, they all ran away.
"Hah, rumors sure travel fast, don't they?"
Watching them, I can't help but be impressed.
In this age, there are no smartphones, no anonymous forums or anything, so how do rumors spread so fast?
"If only they were good rumors..."
Luna said, looking utterly fed up.
It's not my fault.
He's the one who started it.
If anything, I'm the victim here. He should be thanking me for letting him off with a simple act of self-defense.
After wandering around the entire academy, we finally managed to find a sign that read 'Meeting Room'.
Standing in front of the door, I didn't bother knocking. I'm probably the last one to arrive anyway, so what's the point?
I swung the door open and walked in. Professors from both sides and the headmasters were seated around a table.
And naturally, all eyes—the spotlight—fell on me, the tardy one.
"What are you looking at?"
A person can be a little late.
Besides, the only reason I'm late is because you people failed to properly educate your students on manners.
"...And who might you be?"
A woman who appeared to be quite old was the first to break the silence.
Lucia was sitting on the opposite side. Assuming people of the same rank sit facing each other, she must be the headmaster of Zwey Academy.
Lucia answered her question on my behalf.
"He is the last professor we were waiting for."
"...I don't believe I've seen him before."
"That's understandable, Headmaster. It hasn't been long since I invited him as a temporary professor."
Of course, the other side wouldn't know me.
It's not like I'm famous, and would a headmaster have enough free time to investigate the faculty of a rival academy all day?
"Is he also participating in today's competition?"
"Yes. He's our ace."
"And the two ladies behind him?"
"No, Luna and Yui will not be participating."
The competition requires an equal number of participants. Lucia had to remove one of the original professors to make room for me. If Luna and Yui were added, the numbers wouldn't match.
"Oh my. We wouldn't mind if they participated. It seems some of your professors haven't fully recovered from their injuries yet."
Indeed, a few of our professors still looked unwell.
They didn't know how to handle the last event, so they fought like mad until they barely escaped with their lives.
Without the protagonist's plot armor, there's no way their serious injuries would have healed in just a week.
'Her tone is so obviously mocking.'
But the opposing headmaster's words were dripping with sarcasm.
Basically, she was taking a jab at us, implying our academy needed a handicap that big.
If you couldn't pick up on that, you'd have to be completely clueless.
I glanced at the other professors. They were all stuck, just nervously watching the situation unfold.
The professors themselves didn't seem to care, but with the two headmasters at odds, all they could do was watch.
When the higher-ups fight, it's always the subordinates who suffer.
"Ugh, what a pathetic loser. If you're going to burn with insecurity, at least don't drag others into it."
"......?"
The opposing headmaster stared at me with a dumbfounded expression, as if she had misheard.
"Luke... are you sure you should be saying that...?"
"Why shouldn't I?"
Is their headmaster a god or something? Does she get to take away my right to speak?
Even if a god showed up, they couldn't take away my right to speak.
Even in that ninja anime, they could seal the nine-tailed fox, but they couldn't seal the protagonist's mouth.
Their headmaster isn't my employer, nor is she anyone important to me. If she wants to be hostile, then let her.
We came here to crush them today, not to do anything else.
""......""
Into the silence that had fallen over the meeting room due to my remark, a single flower of laughter bloomed.
"...Pfft."
While all the professors were breaking out in a cold sweat, the one clueless enough to laugh was, surprisingly, Lucia.
Given their relationship, they probably never directly mocked or ridiculed each other.
They likely always used indirect expressions like the one just now. But it seemed Lucia had a lot of pent-up frustration, as she couldn't help but laugh in a situation where she shouldn't have.
"...Ahem."
Lucia, belatedly coming to her senses, cleared her throat to restore the atmosphere.
"In any case, since everyone seems to be here, please have a seat. We will now discuss the rules for the upcoming competition."
It was plain to see she was holding back. She's really going to endure that?
But holding it in won't do her any good.
She's probably enduring it with the belief that she can get back at me soon, but honey, you're about to get completely crushed.
Well, if that's what she wants, I don't mind. Though I was late, I confidently took a seat.
For some reason, the empty chair was next to Lucia. As I sat down, she leaned in and whispered, her voice too low for others to hear.
"You have a very refreshing way with words, Luke."
"You think so?"
I'm not so sure.
As far as I'm concerned, I just stated the facts. If she were up against the netizens from my old world, she'd have probably hanged herself by now.
The mindless hate comments and insults of those netizens are perfectly optimized to drive a person mad with stress and depression.
Lucia chuckled at my response, then changed the subject.
"By the way, why were you late? Professor Dmitri said he saw you on the way here."
"Ah. One of their students was getting on my nerves, so I killed him and came."
To be precise, I almost killed him, but either way, I did kill that punk.
He was just lucky Angela showed up.
"Haha, what a morbid joke. If you have a reason you can't tell me, I won't press the matter."
She seems to think I'm joking. Right, as if anyone would believe me if I suddenly said I killed someone. Especially since that someone was a student from the opposing academy.
There's no way the rumors circulating outside would have reached the professors gathered in this meeting room so quickly.
Still, she'll find out the truth of my words later when we move for the competition.
I chatted with Lucia for a short while.
Then, at the opposing headmaster's prompting, the main topic for which the professors had been gathered was brought to the table.
"The reason I have gathered you all here today is to decide on the rules for the upcoming competition."
Seriously, why are you explaining something so important on the day of the event?
For an academy headmaster, she has absolutely no planning skills.
"First, I must apologize for only addressing such an important matter today. This meeting was originally scheduled for an earlier date, but we were unable to proceed due to the busy schedules of our professors and the recent incident at Jeomineol Academy."
Or so I thought she'd say.
Guess you really have to hear people out.
"Before we begin, the basic rules will be based on previous competitions, but Jeomineol Academy will be given priority in adding new rules. This is your rightful privilege for accepting our request to hold this competition, and we thank you for your graciousness."
Afterward, the opposing headmaster gave a brief explanation of how the competition would be conducted.
Five representative professors, a final boss-style match, blah, blah, blah.
Then, the discussion began in earnest. Someone would propose an idea, opinions for and against would be exchanged, and one by one, the rules were established.
But do I really need to be here for this? I have nothing to say.
I only came because I was told to. Stiff, boring meetings like this don't suit my personality.
'My mouth is bored.'
Smack. I licked my lips.
Then, I took out some snacks from my inventory and popped them into my mouth.
"How about we permit the use of magic tools in the competition? Instead of the crude method of simply clashing strength, we could showcase a variety of strategies..."
"Smack, smack, smack."
"I oppose that. It deviates from the competition's purpose of fostering improvement by testing one another's martial prowess. It would also mean the outcome could be decided by the grade of the magic tools..."
"Smack, smack, smack."
""......""
I was eating my snacks with a bored expression when the room suddenly went quiet. I looked around to see everyone staring at me as if they had something to say.
"Oh. Don't mind me. Please, continue."