Chapter 208
Chapter 208
The Rebellion of the Professor
“Explain in more detail.”
— Yes, sir. Professor Marks has caused an incident.
According to Oparn, Professor Marks led the members of Jeahn Dormitory to seize control of the academy’s academic building.
— Of course, Georg and I, being part of the Student Council, didn’t receive the offer… But I assume most of the commoner-born students joined him.
A spiritual leader and hero to the commoners who delighted in breaking the nobles’ arrogance—That was who Professor Marks was.
For those who saw him as their advocate, refusing his call to “improve their treatment” would not have been easy.
— But why already…?— Who knows? Just like the Western incident, nothing’s following the original storyline.
Just as his sister had told him through telepathy.Originally, Professor Marks’s protest within the academy was supposed to happen in their second year.
“Of all times, he pulls this stunt right after Luciana becomes Student Council President…”
Gripping his aching head, he spoke into the crystal sphere.
“So? You did suppress it successfully, right? Commoner students may be the core, but it shouldn’t be too serious.”
— Of course. Most were small fry, after all.
No matter how much the commoners squirmed like worms underfoot, the difference in birth was absolute.
Their numbers within the academy were small to begin with, and their abilities inevitably inferior to those of the noble students.
The only exceptions were Georg and Oparn—and even they belonged to the Student Council.
— We did struggle a bit with Professor Marks himself, but we succeeded in suppressing the situation. The other faculty members helped as well.
Even if Marks was formidable, he wasn’t the only professor in the academy.
“That’s a relief, but… what about the soldiers?”
— …Professor Marks threw out a handful of scrolls and magic stones—and then, fully armed knights and soldiers began flooding in.
“A Teleportation spell was embedded in them, huh.”
Just like the ring he had given Luciana.
“To move an army of that scale… that must’ve cost an astronomical amount.”
Even teleporting one person required an absurdly expensive ring.
“To move an entire army… that’d cost thousands of times more.”
Truly a duke-level operation.He must’ve invested heavily in preparing for rebellion.
“So even the academy’s security wards are useless now.”
— It’s Professor Marks we’re talking about. We were completely caught off guard.
Even with the wards strengthened after the Cult of Calamity’s terrorist attack—
To an insider who knew their structure intimately, like Professor Marks, they were nothing more than paper walls.
“This is completely different from the original storyline.”
The original plot was supposed to be a student protest where the protagonist fought through commoners to face Professor Marks as the final boss.But now it had morphed into a rebellion—Professor Marks leading troops of unknown origin.
“Father, be quiet. You’re no longer a duke or anything of the sort. You’re just a prisoner awaiting judgment.”
“Haha, Camilla… the die has already been cast. You, too, bear the name of Roberc.”
That vile scheme—it was clear now that it had been conceived by none other than Duke Roberc, who now laughed maniacally before her.
“What’s there to fret over? The table’s already set. You only need to pick up the fork and knife.”
After a round of booming laughter, Duke Roberc softened his tone, coaxing his daughter.
“When the noble houses see their heirs taken hostage, they’ll fall in line. All you need to do is ascend the prepared throne. Empress Camilla Roberc! Doesn’t that sound splendid?”
“What an elaborate load of nonsense.”
The duke’s words were pure delusion.Even if she seized the throne through hostages, the real problem came afterward.
“Do you think the nobles would ever forget being taken hostage?”
They who prized honor above all—an invisible value that upheld their pride.
“I can already imagine what the Roberc Empire’s reign would look like.”
Her mocking tone didn’t faze him in the least.
“That’s something to worry about after we claim the throne!”
“Hah. To push such a burden onto Lady Roberc—can you still call yourself a father?”
Unlike Baron Byron, who had once sought to ensure his child’s survival, Duke Roberc’s attitude was despicably self-serving.Everyone around him looked upon him with disgust.
“Of course! This isn’t just for House Roberc—it’s for the West!”
He ignored Hans’s rebuke entirely.
“You know it well, being from the West yourself. Do we have fertile lands like the East? Or dense jungles like the South? I’m simply finding a way for Western nobles to survive!”
Bullshit.
He conveniently left out that the West was rich in mana stones—this world’s equivalent of oil.And this from a man who legalized forced labor among prisoners.
It was nothing but self-justification—a feeble excuse to mask his ambition.
The truly absurd part was how he puffed out his chest, showing not a shred of remorse.
“Ugh!”“Hans?!”
How could anyone not strike such a shameless man?Hans kicked him squarely in the stomach.
“The interrogation can wait. We should return to the academy first.”
“……”
“Lady Roberc, I know you have many questions—but for now, you must secure your position.”
Camilla surely had countless doubts—Why had her mother been driven to death?Why had she herself been kept alive until now?
But if she lingered too long on them, she’d lose the chance to defend herself.
“If you delay, people will start seeing you as no different from this traitor.”
“…You’re right.”
The former duke, now cuffed, was dragged away by the sand soldiers.
“For now, I’ll entrust the governance of the West temporarily to Baron Byron. We must first cleanse our family’s disgrace.”
“An admirable resolve.”
If anyone could be trusted, it was Baron Byron.After all, among all ties—academic, regional, and blood—blood was the strongest.
“…But are you sure? Traveling from the West to the academy will take time. By the time we arrive, the situation might already be over.”
“Lady Frontal, you’re half right and half wrong.”
“What? I didn’t say anything wrong!”
Perhaps thinking her point sound, the slightly clueless fiancée tilted her head.Hans explained patiently.
“The enemy used Teleportation magic. There’s no rule saying we can’t do the same.”
This was the West, the land of mana stones.And the Roberc Ducal family’s labor facility—filled with magic-rich resources—was now in their hands.
“Well then, Lady Roberc, if you please. Think of it as payment for your lawyer’s fee.”
“…You really are shameless. Though I suppose that’s part of your charm.”
Camilla smiled faintly.Hans, feeling awkward at her gentle tone, averted his gaze.
“Hold the line! Reinforcements will arrive from outside the academy soon!”
All night, Oparn had been shouting hoarsely as he led the students in defense.
“…But can we be sure that army will even be on our side?”
The students around him spoke with doubt.
“What do you mean—”
“You know as well as I do. This is one of the few buildings still under our control.”
The Student Council Hall—Normally, only council members were allowed inside, but now it was different.
Noble students, pursued and captured by rebels, had few safe places to hide.They had no choice but to open the council building to all.
We also need people who can fight, after all.
But of course, even useless ones slipped in among them.
Oparn clicked his tongue.
For a mercenary, nothing was more dangerous than incompetent allies—and that was painfully clear here.The students’ morale was dropping fast.
“We’re still in contact with Kerenia Dormitory and the Headmaster’s Office. The enemy hasn’t breached this area yet. Don’t lose heart.”
Even his warning failed to shake the panic.
“The Headmaster’s Office, sure! They’ve got golems, and the headmaster’s a bit eccentric but strong enough! But us? We’re done for!”
The boy’s muttering escalated into a full-blown rant.
“I heard Kerenia Dormitory only has one maid defending it! It’s only a matter of time before it’s breached! And even here, some Student Council members got captured a few days ago!”
This is bad…
Oparn grimaced. Even the students who had fought bravely until now were beginning to waver.
“Damn it, I should’ve gone to the Headmaster’s Office instead. Why did I trust this incompetent Council to protect me—”
“That’s enough…!”
Oparn couldn’t take it anymore and was about to lash out when—
“Then you can spend your life relying on others.”
The icy voice froze everyone.
“P-President…!”
“The enemy hasn’t even reached this building, yet your panic surpasses that of those who’ve already suffered casualties. Are you sure you’re of noble blood?”
Luciana’s cold rebuke silenced the hall. Her gaze swept the students.
“Listen well. Honor is not something granted by others—it’s something you build yourself.”
“……”
“If you let yourselves be captured and your houses become puppets of the rebels, all your so-called honor will vanish into nothing.”
As if resonating with her words, the pure-white sword in her hand flared with aura.
“So prove it yourselves. Take up your weapons, fight, and protect your rightful place. I will be the witness to your honor.”
“…And why should we trust you?”
“On the honor of the House of Speda—and on my honor—I swear it. Unlike your petty pride, ours carries real weight.”
The tension in the room turned into heat.
As expected of someone my brother personally chose.
Even Oparn couldn’t help but nod.In crisis, her commanding presence radiated charisma—the kind only true leaders possessed.
“Today’s offensive seems to have ended. Assign a few for watch duty; the rest, get some rest.”
“…You should rest too, President.”
She’d been fighting and leading for days without pause.But she only shook her head firmly.
“As the Student Council President, I cannot rest until this chaos is settled.”
As strong-willed as she was charismatic.Oparn sighed and began to turn away.
But then—
“Adequate rest is the warrior’s greatest asset. Please don’t overexert yourself.”
A new voice interrupted, freezing Oparn on the spot.
Was it because someone had dared to contradict the President?
No.It was because he recognized the voice—someone who shouldn’t have arrived so soon.
“Hans…?”
Luciana, too, looked stunned. Her blue eyes widened.
“From this moment, I’ll take over the duties of the Student Council President. Please, take a proper rest.”
“…Haha. Now that’s good news. If it’s my aide, I can trust him. Could I leave things to you, then?”
“Of course. As the Vice President, it’s the least I can do.”
The Western expedition group—Hans, the Vice President, and several other Student Council members had returned.
“Well then, shall we tidy up these pathetic rebels?”
The young man in a butler’s uniform lifted his half-lidded eyes, his hidden pupils glinting as the atmosphere in the room shifted under his control.