Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: 8. Just Do It, and It Works. (6)
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"Feels refreshing to move around after so long!"
"Right? As expected of my master! You get the same vibes as me!"
The iron bat always picks the words I want to deny most, but since I'm in a good mood today, I'll let it slide.
I'd been diligently training my disciples with my body back at the Evil Organization, but as a professor, I'd just been stuck with classes and paperwork, so my body had gotten stiff.
Not exactly the frail beauty type. Not even a frail mid-level beauty.
I'd slacked off on the daily sword training and physical conditioning I used to do in the organization just to maintain the sickly middle-aged guy concept.
Harian Professor had given me the perfect excuse to finally cut loose and move my body freely.
Still, maybe you can't beat the passage of time. I feel like I've slowed down a lot compared to a year ago.
"No, Master. You're not dead yet! That old rhythm of thrashing your former disciples is still alive!"
Maybe because Aris had become a Swordmaster and hadn't been as active lately, the iron bat seemed in high spirits today too.
"Yeah, yeah! It's been forever since I felt this thrill!"
"But starting tomorrow, vacation's over, and so is your fun!"
"Eeeek! That's too much! Too much!"
Too bad, but nothing I can do about it.
The Imperial Tournament isn't far off, so I need to manage the kids' bodies... well, more like their minds.
Back when I trained disciples in the organization, we'd always skip sparring before big events like ranking battles.
We focused on a small elite group, so even one injury would've been a huge hit for me!
The kids knew that well, so they'd hold back before important events.
"Or maybe you knew you'd just beat us senseless to heal us up?"
"That too. But back then, it was unavoidable."
"Unavoidable my foot! Your training was all so brutal, the organization had to send healers every day! You think I didn't know?"
"Tch, sharp as ever."
"Hah! Me and Master are inseparable! I know pretty much everything you do!"
Sticking out her flat chest and puffing up like that, she looks kinda cute if you ignore the outward appearance.
"I'm cute inside too, Goddess!"
"Who said otherwise."
Me and her both.
Just this one day of indulgence had melted away all the stress I'd built up.
"Master, Master! One more time before the Imperial Tournament ends. Just once more, can we play like this again?"
"Hmm... I might have to think about it a bit."
It relieved my stress, and she'll probably stop whining for a while, so not too often, but occasionally wouldn't hurt.
"But Aris being a Swordmaster makes her dangerous."
Out of my former disciples, how many wanted to stab me in the gut?
No idea, but easy to say more than five.
Based on that experience, some of these students might wanna do the same to the guy who invented night self-study and all that hassle.
And the most dangerous among them is obviously Swordmaster Aris.
"But Master? You've already beaten a Sword Saint and an obsessively clingy disciple! You've taken down Swordmasters twice now—aren't you being too cautious?"
Well, true, my track record says that.
"Still, she's a Swordmaster."
The realm that's said to be both the end and beginning of the sword.
To normal swordsmen, it looks like the pinnacle, but once you reach it, you realize.
That's when you finally start understanding the sword.
Of course, the guy who said that seriously was the royal family's official punching bag, Princess of the Sword, so credibility's a bit low. But she was once the empire's youngest Swordmaster.
Actually, since Aris becoming one hasn't been officially announced, she still technically is.
Anyway, those are the words of the esteemed Princess of the Sword herself.
Meaning Aris is rapidly building strength in yet another realm!
Today she got jumped and blindsided, but next time, she'll probably shoot sword auras at me just for walking by.
"That's why our chances are only when we can aim for the back of Aris's head!"
"So you're not even thinking of quitting, huh, Master! As expected of my master! Incarnation of desire!"
Ugh... Now that I've tasted this thrill, giving it up would be tough.
"Stuff you start late is always more fun! You're lucky, Master. Having a pro beater like me as your partner!"
"You're really making me realize I've lived my life all wrong!"
A soul partner for beating people well!
Less useful than a master of bottom-dealing or the soul of an ancient pharaoh!
"Pharaoh's a king, right? Kings are super useful!"
"Nah, just a fool who staked his life on card games and lost to himself in the end."
And in this fantasy world, being good at card games doesn't count for much.
Sure, a bottom-dealing pro might make bank gambling.
But unlike that place where you duke it out with cards, here it's all about raw power. Go broke in a casino with no backing, and the Evil Organizations tied to it will come collecting.
Casinos are prime income for Evil Organizations!
"So you're saying I'm useless? Fine, next time those scary big sisters chase you, I won't help!"
"Sorry."
"Quick apology! I like it!"
Might look servile, but no choice.
If those scary girls chasing me catch up without this one?
Each has at least one Swordmaster attached.
What the hell? What kind of life did I live?
"Master? You said even countries only have Swordmasters if they have decent military power, right?"
"Yeah."
"So basically, I'm being hunted by national-level forces?"
"The world's strongest empire is after me. Countries are a joke."
"And you're living right in the heart of that world's strongest empire without a care! Hilarious!"
Yeah, even I think it's funny.
"Then listen well to this great goddess!"
"Yes, yes."
Normally it'd annoy me, but after today, playing with her doesn't tire me out.
Nothing beats exercise for stress relief, huh?
Body strong, mind strong!
Everyone, should we all exercise...? But fine dust might be an issue?
#8 Their Side: A Certain Professor's Situation.
'Niserwin Professor is the problem aaaah!'
My back stings, but I can't turn around.
I know why it stings!
"Uh, w-well... umm...."
"Professor, please speak clearly."
"Y-yes! Got it! So today's lesson is!"
I started stuttering, and a student jumped right in.
Might be too harsh on a professor, but I created this situation with my own mouth, so no complaining.
Of course! The secondary and tertiary causes are all Niserwin Professor!
So all I can do is curse Niserwin Professor in my head!
"Professor, class has stopped."
"S-sorrrry!"
Last day of break... sounds ancient, but it was just yesterday.
Niserwin Professor showed up, swept through all the students, and looked refreshed.
Fine up to there.
'Why... why did Niserwin Professor suddenly appear?'
'It was Harian Professor's request. He invited me to join in....'
One student, on the brink of death, asked his final question, and Niserwin casually answered.
That student engraved those words in his heart before dying....
And upon revival, spread it to the others. Now I'm branded the culprit who summoned the demon Niserwin.
They blame the easy target me over cursing Niserwin directly.
Thanks to that, I'm under their icy glares!
Even I'd find this a bit—no, very painful!
"Professor, your writing's a mess. Can't read it."
"S-sorrrrrry! I'll write neatly!"
My hands are shaking, so the writing's off, and they nitpick that.
Scary. The students are too scary!
"For advanced summons, mana is..."
"You already covered that part."
"S-sorrrrrry!"
All because of Niserwin Professor aaaah! Their eyes are so cold, class won't progress.
No progress, eyes get colder.
I panic, class stalls more, eyes get even colder....
How do I break this vicious cycle!
After several classes like that, hurrying to the faculty lounge past stares in the halls, sighing in relief countless times.
"I... I really don't wanna do this...."
Night self-study time rolls around again.
"Hahaha, didn't you used to love it?"
"Muam, if even you say that, I'll really cry? Back then, they weren't this scary!"
"You bully them when they're not scary, then run when they are? Not very professorial."
"You don't get it, Muam! You have no idea how rough today was!"
"Then you should've watched your mouth."
"I didn't think Niserwin would actually show up!"
If I'd known this would happen, I never would've said that nonsense!
But too late.
Reality is their cold stares and pressure.
"I won't die today, right?"
From how it felt today, I'd die ten more times, but they won't kill me.
Students wouldn't kill a professor, right?
"...That's the answer I wanted, so why the silence? What'd I do to you too, Muam?"
"Not that. It's just Harian Professor's words feel all too real...."
"Don't say that! Why are you seriously pondering with that face!"
"No need for me to say..."
"Don't!"
Muam's seriousness makes it scarier.
Life's already serious, and Muam with a serious face amps it up.
And that fear became reality.
"There he is!"
"Harian Professor's there!"
"Get him!"
"Eek!"
Students descended to the first floor at ridiculous speed and charged when they saw me.
"Get him!"? I'm a professor!
Even if professor-student relations here are weird, teachers are like the sky!
They say don't even step on a teacher's shadow, but these kids wanna trample the teacher!
"Muam, help... Muam? What are you doing?"
I pitifully looked back amid the menacing aura, but.
"The boreal spirit contracted to Harian Professor and my Water Spirit King don't have great synergy."
"What's that got to do with you putting up a water barrier behind me? I'm really curious."
"An ancient strategy, right?"
That feeling I know what he's talking about.
"Is what I'm thinking the same as what you're thinking, Muam?"
"Yes, the drowning formation you're imagining is correct."
"Muuuaaaam!"
I pounded the water barrier, but Muam didn't flinch, looking like a judge pronouncing a death sentence.
"The ancients said: Untie the ropes you tied yourself."
"This anger's from Niserwin Professor, not me!"
"Even so, it started with Harian Professor's words."
"I'm reflecting! Really, truly reflecting!"
"The ones to accept that aren't me—they're the students over there."
The students had reached the second-floor stairs, berserk-like, charging at me.
"Kids, sorry! I really messed up!"
I swatted away swarms of summons, blocked sword strikes.
Kept apologizing desperately, but whether they'd accept it was far in the future.