Chapter 54
Chapter 54
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: I Became the Academy's Mad Professor -1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Time until the first class── one day.
After the succubus coming-out, Pingbalrez's attitude shifted just a little.
"Coffee?"
"Yeah, with milk."
It felt like she was quietly looking out for me a bit more. Like the wall between Pingbalrez and me had thinned out some.
Pingbalrez's fashion had also loosened up when it was just the two of us. She still insisted on full suit and all buttons done up when heading out, but indoors, she'd undo a couple buttons and ditch the suit jacket.
I took those actions as a sign of trust.
Her efforts to break free from the racial limitations of being a succubus must have been frustrating. I'd seen her sleep in full suit before and thought it was madness, but it was conviction and effort, not insanity.
And conveniently, thanks to Yuna, I had that solid safety net called libido suppression magic.
I hoped Pingbalrez could at least relax around me. Like anyone else, in light, casual clothes.
"Here."
"Thanks... hold on."
"Yes? Something wrong?"
"Where are your suit pants?"
Pingbalrez's lower half was bare.
The suit pants had vanished, leaving only sheer black stockings. Through them, her white panties were perfectly visible.
"Oh, they were uncomfortable."
Pingbalrez said it casually.
I'd hoped she'd dress comfortably, but not this comfortable.
As I sat there stunned like I'd been whacked in the back of the head with a hammer, Pingbalrez flopped face-down on the sofa in that outfit. She stretched out her long legs, showing off their beauty, and wiggled her feet.
"Did I forget to deactivate the magic circle...?"
No. The magic circle was fully upgraded. It wouldn't affect the academy until I activated it, and even then, Pingbalrez was whitelisted.
Unless some unknown force had figured out the NTR magic circle and whipped up a new one in a single day to activate it. No way. Even a grand archmage would struggle with that.
As I racked my brain to figure out the situation, Pingbalrez landed a follow-up blow.
"Don't you want to spank it?"
"Spank what?"
"My butt."
"What the hell? You've been spouting nonsense every time we're alone since then?!"
I jumped back in horror, and Pingbalrez flashed a sly grin. Eyes narrowed slyly, corners of her mouth quirked up. Still face-down, she said it.
"Because you see me as a friend."
"........."
It was trolling!
Like playful teasing among friends, Pingbalrez seemed to have caught the mischief bug. Fair enough── up till now, whenever she pulled moves like this, I'd roll forward, backward, everywhere to escape.
The tense balance of our mutual standoff... had crumbled. Pingbalrez was now mounting me and unleashing a barrage.
I got that she'd lived friendless as a succubus and was thrilled to find one who knew libido suppression magic. But getting one-sidedly trolled like this wasn't fun.
What wasn't fun? My mood.
I wasn't going to just take it.
"?"
If facing off with seduction was her wish, I'd oblige.
I swept back my side-swept hair. Long black locks cascaded. I'd long known Pingbalrez was weak to absolute territory.
Just as I started the seduction war by teasingly sliding down the stockings from under her skirt── where panties teasingly peeked── a sharp cat yowl cut in from the side.
"Nyaaaaang!!"
The yellow cat had puffed up every hair on its body in irritation. Purple eyes welled with grievance. I dropped the transformation and rushed over.
"What's wrong, Keruk? Why do you keep calling for Dad?"
"......What's with the cat?"
"Oh, picked it up yesterday on the way back. Felt oddly attached."
I soothed Keruk, petting it all over. Being a stray, it flinched at first, then purred and rubbed against my hand.
The seduction war was postponed, but grudges don't fade. Just you wait, Pingbalrez.
The time had come.
Tomorrow was the first lecture on Countering Illusion Magic. And I was the professor, not a student. Trying something I'd never done before made me a bit nervous.
But it was fine. I had a magic spell to melt away all tension.
This was... TRPG.
Even in my past life job interviews, it worked. Thinking of the situation as a TRPG and myself as the character made words flow. Proven method.
I was role-playing as a professor character. What kind? Something a bit mysterious might work.
Suspiciously squinting eyes, the shady type.
This archetype had perks. Pulling out a map with a buried magic sword from nowhere, or spouting baseless rumors like "Did you know? The academy hides the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon..."── it'd all seem plausible.
Surprisingly... I was already suspicious. Enough that the sword-bearing saint was tailing me. If I was already shady, better to go full unhinged shady.
Good. Next.
How to run the first class... Let's outline the goals simply.
1) Boost Violet Magic Tower's prestige via Illusion Magic viral spread
2) Spark curiosity for the Otherworld Exploration course
3) Instill wariness of Illusion Magic in students and teach countermeasures
4) Supplement practical experience
Hm.
Something... I saw it. A sharp move satisfying all conditions. I called over Pingbalrez, who was lounging idly nearby.
"Hey, Pingbalrez."
"Yes, sis?"
"Yeah, honey. As a succubus, you can enter people's dreams, right? How's the mechanism work?"
"My lord. Slipping into dreams is possible due to succubi racial traits. We wield power to shift between real and illusory, converting our body to an info clump and parasitizing the target."
"Thanks for explaining, dear."
"My pleasure, bro."
Refusing to lose even one exchange.
Anyway, I got the gist. Not so different from Illusion Magic. The magic circle could serve various uses, but this time, as battery and amplifier.
With its academy-wide influence, one mouse-click would spread the cast spell everywhere.
I sketched it vaguely. A cool friend slipping into minds, showing sweet dreams. Slight intelligence, low autonomy. Info clump obeying my commands. Classically named.
Could call it an artificial spirit.
I deliberately toned down the Illusion Magic intensity Sandman showed. Sensitive folks could spot it as illusion. That's what made it a lesson.
I recalled past life semester starts. First day at middle school, teacher gauging levels with a pop quiz. Hated it then, but sensible now.
Sandman would be the pop quiz. Time to check students' defenses against Illusion Magic. I activated the magic circle.
Gray mist sucked into the circle's center. Soon, replicated Sandmen would spread through the academy. Find preset students, show their desired dreams.
Now, a ghost haunted the academy──.
Bennett opened his eyes.
"........."
He threw off the blanket and sat up. Opened the back door, drew a basin of well water. Splashed his face lightly, shook out wet hair. But the dazed feeling lingered.
What day was it? Today... right, Countering Illusion Magic lecture. School's back. Academy life resumes.
Bennett had done well so far. Infiltrated the academy, became Alexon's disciple, two years without exposure. Patience's end neared.
No more pretense. Last time begging Alexon for teachings, chatting with academy acquaintances. Execution day: early July, right before finals.
Build max fear and anxiety by then.
Once Fear-Eating Corpse Flower cast Nightmare Summon... new world. Black mages achieve goals, Bennett gets promised reward.
Dressed properly. Academy uniform, two daggers, one longsword. Left dorm. Countering Illusion Magic in auditorium sized for all enrollees.
Walked. Students passed. Their faces blurrier today. Odd dissonance.
Blink.
Closed and opened eyes── auditorium. Time flies like an arrow. Zoning out while walking sometimes felt like teleporting.
Sat in a corner spot. Not too front, not too back, near exit. Bennett was always cautious.
Mage ascended podium. Hooded. Right, group formed to track him. Saint Tara, Niore. They'd attend too. Nowhere in sight.
Mage talked spaghetti boiling. Half-listened, tuned out. Voice faded to background noise.
Muffled, submerged feeling.
Then someone sat beside Bennett. Dark green hair fluttered. Like vivid poison blooming in rotting marsh── ominous hue that intoxicated on sight.
Bennett knew her. Intimately. She was Fear-Eating Corpse Flower. Executed black mage, revived.
Why here? As Bennett wondered, she spoke softly, kindly.
"The plan succeeded, Bennett."
"...What're you talking about?"
"Literal. Thanks to your hard work, we gathered enough fear. Honestly... wasn't gonna honor the promise. But you tried so hard, so I will."
Relief. Bennett figured odds of her complying were nil. But miracle. His efforts mattered.
Years deceiving, killing innocents, tearing soul for spells── not meaningless. Rewarded. Overwhelmed.
"Returning it now."
"Yes, hurry. How long I've waited for this..."
Heart pounded. Finally reunited.
Green drained slowly from Fear-Eating Corpse Flower's hair. Reverted to original── slightly paler ash-gray silk than Bennett's. At last.
Fear-Eating Corpse Flower, who stole little sister's body to revive, departed.
Bennett suppressed elation, softly called her name.
"...Verda."
"........."
"...It's me. Bennett. Long time, huh? Bro's been good. Yeah..."
"........."
No reply. Close inspection: blank face. Natural. Five years since seeing her. Plenty for memory to fade.
Bennett lowered eyes.
"...It was a dream after all."
Not first time. This was a dream. Mental attack. Succubus in academy?
Bennett desperately longed for sister's return. Sole remaining kin. Succubus read it. Gripped by disappointment, self-loathing, rage, he drew blade.
"...Get out."
The thing wearing sister's form tilted head creakily, incomprehending. Mouth split grotesquely.
[HoW DiD YoU KnoW.]
Bennett woke from the dream.
Succubus victims struggle distinguishing dream from reality. Bennett clutched head, sat up. Eyes damp. Dream or real here?
Opened drawer, flipped diary. Succubus dreams can't replicate details. Scanned entries. Logical, consistent. Reality.
Dressed, armed, headed out. To Countering Illusion Magic.
Shook off foul déjà vu. Walking main road, murmurs everywhere. Holy knights bustled streets.
"...Hunting succubus?"
"That's part... mostly black mage arrests."
Turned at response. Saint Tara, in her usual embarrassing outfit, looked haggard today. Eyes stained with grief. Her too?
"Black mage arrests?"
"Group claiming plans succeeded, causing ruckus. Dunno what they ate, but lucky. Great day minus damn nightmares."
"........."
Headache. Allies stirring at crucial time?
Dododo.
Niore joined, hoisting whiteboard high. Unlike nightmare-plagued pair, she beamed joyfully.
"...You look way too happy. Something happen?"
"........."
"Leave the fuss to holy knights for now. Let's hit class. Just small fry kicking up; no need for more."
Saint waved dismissively.
"To repeat..."
Saint Tara and Niore chatted toward auditorium. Bennett trailed a step behind.
Students trickled into auditorium. Some grinned happily, others wore Bennett and Tara's gloom. This eerie commonality swelled suspicion in Bennett.
"...No way."
The uproar since morning...
Thud. Thud.
Hooded mage mounted podium. Jet-black hair spilled from hood, red eyes gleamed from shadow.
Mage stood at podium, greeted lightly.
"Sweet dreams last night?"
".........?"
Silence. Auditorium froze instantly.