Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: 7. Is Your Back of the Head Safe? (9)
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“As expected, it’s the student council officers.”
“No, we were just lucky.”
The student council president calmly shook his head, along with a few officers.
No, there’s no need to be so stiff about it?
They were standing there as rigid as people at a job interview before getting hired.
Anyone would think I was about to eat them. Loosen up a bit!
“Are the others not here yet?”
“Yes, we were planning to scout ahead as the vanguard and have them follow after…”
Why drag it out like that? They’re not implying the kids won’t come down because of me, are they?
I really put in the effort to personally guide those delinquent students who were trying to skip school without permission!
And this is the treatment I get?
Isn’t that too much? Usually, professors would just sit back in a situation like this.
But I went out there myself, dragged the students back to the academy, and even taught them the importance of going to school afterward.
Where else are you going to find a professor like that?
Of course, I’m not saying it out loud. I’d probably get stabbed!
“Then it’d be best to gather everyone quickly.”
“Pardon? Could you tell us why?”
It was just a casual remark, but the student council president tensed up completely. What on earth does he think I am?
No, even before that, the other officers getting ready for battle were looking at me like I was some apocalyptic demon king.
That’s just too much.
“It’s because it’s past 1 p.m. now.”
Good-natured me has to hold back.
As I turned my head toward the clock, every face in the room followed.
1:02 p.m.
Even though I recently told Scrap Iron to take it slow for the students’ sake, they should’ve had plenty of time to come down seven floors.
“1 p.m.? No way… don’t tell me!”
At my words, the student council president’s eyes, lost in thought, widened in shock.
“P-President?”
“What’s wrong!”
The other officers who hadn’t caught on grabbed the trembling president—whether from shock or anger, I couldn’t tell—and demanded answers, but he didn’t respond.
“Is it what I think it is…?”
I gave a gentle smile to the guy asking with the serious face of a prophet foretelling the world’s end.
“Yes, exactly.”
“Run!”
“What are you talking about, President?”
“Please explain, President!”
“You idiots! It’s past 1 p.m.—what else could it be? We need to link up with the students before the Silver Devil gets them and escape the academy!”
That’s right.
I had stripped these guys of their “right to attend school.”
So if they want to go back to school?
First, they have to get dismissed.
If hearing [Let the game begin] in my video from the rooftop was the prologue, then the escape room part is less than 100 pages in a 300-page novel!
To see the epilogue of safely returning to the dorms, they have to break through Scrap Iron and get out of the academy!
“What about the guys up top?”
“No time to worry about that! This is our chance! If we miss it, we might never get another!”
Perhaps swayed by the student council president’s desperate expression.
The other officers, who had initially wanted to check on their comrades on the rooftop, started nodding along one by one. And the moment the president kicked open the door, not a single one stayed behind as they all followed.
“Why does one of the Empire’s venerable Four Great Academies reek of an evil organization?”
If Scrap Iron had been here, it probably would’ve yelled, “That’s all because of you, Master!”
Of course, it doesn’t bother me. It’s a venerable evil organization, so maybe venerable things just have similarities.
“The rest will figure it out and come on their own if they notice something’s off, right?”
I considered closing the open ceiling but decided to leave it since the others would come down anyway.
And exactly one hour later.
“R-Really?”
“Yes.”
The female vice president, Karen, who had peeked her head through the open door, turned pale with betrayal.
“Idiot, think about it.”
Calming Karen down was the other vice president—the source of the insane idea of skipping school.
Lisent smiled gently and reassured her.
“Those idiots probably panicked and forgot.”
“Huh?”
“We gave them 30 minutes, and even with all of us together, we couldn’t beat that Silver Devil. You think it’s possible they escaped later than her?”
“R-Right?”
“Exactly. All we have to do is prepare to step over the stupid president and his gang when they come back as corpses.”
As far as I knew, this guy was the first to smash through a wall and run alone, but that was for the student council to judge, so I let it slide.
And shortly after.
Just as Lisent predicted, the other professors and small summons appeared, shoulders laden with the student council officers who had left before the president. They dumped them off wordlessly and departed.
“Well, looks like all the key personnel are gathered, so I’ll explain the escape conditions.”
“This isn’t the escape?”
“No, of course not. If you want to attend school, you have to get dismissed first.”
At my words, Karen’s face filled with despair, and Lisent hung his head.
Running over and stabbing me with a knife…
“Heh… heh heh heh heh…”
Yep, he’s lost it. Time to call Scrap Iron…
“Hahaha! We already expected that much!”
Huh?
“We’d have been too anxious to sleep if you’d told us to just go like this, but since it’s what we predicted, we can escape comfortably now!”
“W-What… Lisent, have you gone mad?”
Now Karen was the flustered one, grabbing Lisent to stop him.
“Mad? No, I’m perfectly sane! This world’s the crazy one, not me!”
“Right, Master’s great at denying reality!”
Scrap Iron, who had returned unnoticed, nodded at Lisent.
Me? Like that?
“Yeah, Master’s always like that. Acts all serious around others, but when alone or just with me, turns into a total nutjob.”
“No way.”
Even if he tends to go off the rails more when alone, he shouldn’t look that insane.
“See? Denying reality already. Just like you and me, huh?”
“Kyahahahaha!”
“L-Lisent! Hey, come quick and rein in this lunatic!”
Karen, clutching his arm in panic, pleaded with the other officers for help, but they kept their distance.
Looking like approaching a rabid dog would be foolish.
Lots of people around me? I’m not like that?
-But the people around you are princesses and disciples?
-What’s this sudden convincing feeling!
Oh, speaking of disciples, one of those monster disciples is at Marsis.
Her opponent is the lady of the Nermia family, famed for magic and wielder of the great demon Surtr.
The usual angle in Marsis is exploiting the royal court faction versus magic tower faction power struggles.
Her family’s a big shot among the imperial mages.
Her grandfather’s one of the current magic tower masters.
No faction in Marsis can bully her; she’s untouchable.
So she’s getting tons of support.
Unlike Yuglasia, which went all-in on nonexistent resources!
Even the current strongest student council president and vice presidents—can they beat her 1v1?
-Good, time to up the difficulty!
-Evil idea, but more chance for me to shine? Awesome! How?
To face a former evil organization trainee, just throw them in under the same conditions.
-Do what the organization always did!
-I never knew an evil organization would be this useful for academy life! Amazing!
Scrap Iron endorses the efficiency of evil organizations!
Folks, evil organizations are great if they don’t fall apart!
“Glad you’re taking it positively. I’m happy too.”
“Ugh… uwaa…”
I ignored Karen, who was mumbling with a grudge-filled face as she tried to restrain Lisent.
Back to the old ways. Evil organization style!
“Then, as a fitting reward, I’ll give you a hint.”
“A hint?”
“Yes, a hint. You just need to get dismissed. And it’s vacation time now.”
“What does that…”
“Dismissal time isn’t fixed.”
“Ah…”
Karen’s eyes widened in realization before settling back.
There, I’ve even allowed nighttime escapes. That should be carrot enough!
And of course, carrots come with sticks!
This stick’s one that showed great results even in the evil organization.
“And for meals. We’ll provide rations for exactly 10 people per meal.”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
Humans always hear the carrot but miss the stick coming.
That’s why the military hears “Did you not hear me?” the most.
It’s the place that whips the hardest, so they pretend not to hear!
“Just what I said. The student cafeteria isn’t operating during break, so rations are limited.”
“N-No, Professor! Rations? Not meals, but rations?!”
Oh, as expected of the student council vice president—quick on the uptake.
Right, I said rations, not meals. Because this is war!
A great holy war for Yuglasia to reclaim supremacy among the Imperial Four Great Academies!
To toughen the warriors of this holy war, I’m providing rations, not meals!
“Because I have no reason to provide you meals.”
“Professor!”
“Every morning at 7 a.m., afternoon at 1 p.m., and 5:30 p.m., ten rations will appear somewhere in this academy. You just find and handle them.”
“Ugh…”
Ignoring her desperate calls, I finished explaining. Karen bit her lip hard, trembling and glaring at me.
-Now there’s one more who might slit your throat while you sleep!
Whatever, at this point.
My neck’s not safe from the one or two already, so we proceed.
“One moment, Professor!”
“Something to say, Lisent?”
The guy who’d been laughing like a maniac moments ago suddenly turned serious.
And he nailed the key point.
“We find them and handle them?”
“Yes. Find and handle them.”
I answered firmly, pausing like he did.
“Got it.”
For a moment, No. 1000’s smile overlapped with Lisent’s.
This guy’ll survive anywhere and come back too.
-Master, you two were talking all dramatic—what’s the deal?
-Nothing much. Just means claim the rations and deal with them yourselves.
-What’s that mean?
-Think. Ten rations prepared. Twenty student council members. What’s the most efficient way?
-Share them?
-Exactly. I’ll put a bit more than one serving per ration. Even if they get a little hungry, some eat less anyway.
-What’s that got to do with your convo?
-He straight-up asked if he could hog one alone.
Birds of a feather.
Piecing together my casual hints to that conclusion.
Their fights from now on will be brutal endurance battles.
In that case, those lunchboxes might become crucial.
Starving lasts a day or two, but long-term stamina drain could hinder escape.
-The most effective thing from the evil organization was not feeding them… A training method most masters in this world would deny?
-The best training is the one with the best results.
I had a systematic plan, but not feeding them made them fight and get stronger among themselves.
No need for other training, right?
Just tossed it lightly, and one’s already reacting.
So, unavoidable.
“Oh, and I forgot one more thing. Every time one person leaves, the number of rations decreases by one.”
-Master, you devil!
Yeah, for Yuglasia’s victory, I’ll be the devil!
That day, the ultimate training method of the Empire’s (former) worst evil organization was implemented at the Empire’s top prestigious academy.