Chapter 36
Chapter 36
36
EP12 - Who's Better at Illusion Magic? (1)
I mostly train in my free time. I use the machines or do free weights in the mansion's training room. Sometimes, I climb the rock wall on the back mountain of the faculty building.
< [Stamina]+0.1 >
< Overall Combat Power: 132,659 → 132,661 (▲2) >
Today, I was doing a long-distance run for the first time in a while. I could do all the other training at home or in the faculty building, but for long-distance running, I borrowed the Students' track. That's because there's a [Growth Option] on this track.
【 Forte, 1st Year Moon Shadow Scholar: 'Professor Dante….' 】
With Forte running alongside me, I was the first to fall behind.
My stamina is still at the level of a real-world athlete, so I can't run for long.
But it was okay. Because of my usual image.
【 Forte, 1st Year Moon Shadow Scholar: 'Even that monster gets tired…. Just how much heavy restraining equipment is he wearing…?' 】
People around me would automatically misunderstand like that.
But today, something was strange.
'……What are those guys doing?'
Nearly 20 Students were watching me from afar, whispering to each other?
So I carefully scanned the 【Script】 and, after confirming words like 'Western Forest yesterday,' 'pillar of light,' 'rumor,' and 'killed an intruder outside the campus,' I finally realized.
These bastards.
They said they'd keep it a secret?
Dominic said something about the weight of his mouth?
"Professor!"
Sure enough, as I was finishing my training, Adele ran up and said that the rumor that Professor Dante 'assassinated a [Master] level external intruder' had spread throughout the entire Assassination Studies department.
"Did you!? That's why you came in so late!"
Adele asked, horrified.
It seemed the faculty had coordinated their story. They must have decided that emphasizing 'external intruder' was better than saying the professor was a monster…….
"No need to make a fuss."
"No need to make a fuss!? You know how sensitive Zone 0 is to intruders…!"
The Assassination Studies department is an exclusive department. They have a tendency to feel stifled by isolation, but they are also particularly sensitive about 'our space.'
Continental academies, including Hiaka Academy, often sent intruders into each other's Assassination Studies departments to steal information or treasures.
Like this, outsiders are intense enemies. And the rumor was that I had killed one.
"What happened yesterday?"
Adele asked, and I gave a simple answer. Forte, who was next to me, overheard and added in shock.
"……Dominic and Hwaru were there? Professor, they're my friends, but they have leaky mouths. Their mouths are so wide, you could park a truck in them."
So that's how it was…….
And so, that day.
I faced attention wherever I went.
"Professor. Just how strong are you?"
"That pillar of light in the Western Forest yesterday was your work…."
Students and professors alike. Everyone I met asked questions like 'Who was the intruder?', 'How did you kill them?', 'Do you use light Magic too?'…… and I couldn't answer anything.
"……I can't reveal faculty secrets with my own mouth."
So I just told the truth, but I think I made a mistake.
【 Professor Eugene of the White Path: 'Faculty secrets…. So it's true that it was at least an assassin from out of town.' 】
【 Aubrey, 4th Year Assassination Studies: 'If it's Professor Dante……. Did he stop an assassination from an enemy country?' 】
At least the professors were misunderstanding within the bounds of common sense, but the Students were exaggerating as much as they could within their own knowledge.
I had to grit my teeth and pretend I didn't know.
"……."
Meanwhile, this useless fame began to create another problem…….
Adele giggled and showed me something.
"Professor. Look at this."
It was a post on Hiaka Academy's Assassination Studies department's exclusive community, [Assassin Town].
———
< I think I know why people are going crazy for Professor Dante >
What are the professors like these days?
They just talk about being assassins and murderers. Then they hide in their labs, trembling in fear of being attacked by a Student, trying to get research grants.
Professor Dante ← What about this person?
Smashes Student assassinations. Stops Hidden Dragon Society fights. Catches proxy assassinations. Assassins Master-level assassins. Assassins external intruders……. And he keeps trying to hide his achievements.
———
"It has 450 recommendations, that's a lot."
"……."
I'm going crazy. Why would they say it like that?
How am I supposed to face the other professors?
"Do you want to see more?"
"No, thank you."
"Oh, come on, look at this one too."
Adele held out the next post.
———
< Wow. That recommendation post is real lol >
Student Assassination: Doesn't retaliate
Hidden Dragon Society Fight: All the neutral professors are standing by, but he steps in to stop it and doesn't reveal the process
Proxy Assassination: Even though they're victims caught by HoOkin, he doesn't punish the kids who tried to assassinate them
Hakon Assassination: He killed him himself but never acts like he did
External Intruder Assassination: If he revealed the truth, his professor evaluation would skyrocket, but he never does lolololol
Professor Dante ← What is he really?
———
Good heavens. How did my reputation become like this?
"This one has 375 recommendations."
It's all so specifically wrong. There's no way to retaliate against Student assassinations. I didn't have the authority to punish the proxy assassination. The Hakon assassination……. I'm tired of even talking about it now.
No.
At this point, I thought it would be easier to just think that I killed him.
'Hakon was a pushover.'
……I kept thinking to myself as I read. This fame shouldn't get any bigger.
Sure enough. An incident occurred where the number of assassins targeting me increased rapidly.
———
[Is Professor Dante's class open for auditing this semester? ]
I'm going to audit the next class right away lol
-
Huh? Can 2nd years go too?
-
No lol Hiaka Academy is based on year, don't you know that?
-
Ah, that sucks.
-
Wow, I'm a 1st year, so I can go? Sweet.
-
(Dragon) thx ♥
———
What. Was my class open for auditing?
I had no idea.
'……I didn't even register for the class.'
I was possessed by the game with it already registered.
In the meantime, the (Dragon) phrase caught my eye.
"What is this?"
"Assassin Town is a community where everyone communicates anonymously. The (Dragon) mark means Hidden Dragon Society. I guess the Hidden Dragon Society is coming to audit your class too, Professor."
That's troublesome.
Because it's a Student whose identity I can't figure out at all.
"Professor. It's time for your next class~"
I left the lab for now. When I got to the classroom, the situation was bad from the hallway.
"Oh? It's Professor Dante."
"Wow. He's here…!"
Nearly 100 Students were blocking the hallway, and I had to go to the classroom through the crowded throng.
"……Auditing is free, but anyone who interferes with the class will be expelled immediately."
I hoped someone would interfere. I needed a reason to kick them all out.
But the auditors who gathered listened to my [Illusion Magic] class as quietly as mice. The only good thing was that there were no assassination attempts……. So I somehow managed to teach the class.
I soon realized who the Student who wrote 'thx♥' in the community was.
The Student sitting right next to Elise. The Student who smiled and waved as soon as he saw me.
● Gray, 1st Year Hidden Dragon Society
It was Gray, who happened to be there that night.
【 Gray, 1st Year Hidden Dragon Society: 'Let's see how well he teaches…….' 】
I had a feeling he was going to try to assassinate me.
I had no choice but to grit my teeth and teach the class.
"Wow. He turned the classroom into space with [Illusion Magic]. I didn't know such a level existed."
"There was no gravity either, it felt so real……. These guys are so lucky. They get to take classes like this every day."
The Students' reactions were good, but Gray's reaction was somehow subtle.
【 Gray, 1st Year Hidden Dragon Society: '…….' 】
Then, in the evening, Adele came running up again, saying 'Professor~' and held out the crystal ball.
Posts saying that Dante's class was good were pouring into the community.
'……This is a headache.'
I was trapped in a vicious cycle.
* * *
It seemed the commotion wasn't enough.
There are often people who stick to places that are becoming an issue. That was the [Assassination Daily].
As I finished class and was breaking through the Students to get outside, a man in a faculty member's uniform appeared and bowed.
"Hello, Professor. I'm Trash from the Assassination Daily."
[Assassination Daily]—A continental media company that informs the public about assassins' information once internally and then a month later externally.
"……What business does the media have with me?"
"It's just that you've been gaining a lot of fame in the Assassination Studies department these days, Professor? I was wondering if I could get a few words from you about that."
"……."
But assassination, which hides information, and the media, which reveals it, are very conflicting concepts, aren't they?
There's a reason why that's possible. It's thanks to the style of these [Assassination Daily] bastards.
They're beyond yellow journalism, they're black journalism.
They're not very interested in truth, the right to know, or ethics.
What they want is only fun.
Stimulation.
Gossip.
Trash.
Sales!
Exaggerating rumors!
Stirring up conflict between easy targets!
That was one of the reasons why the headquarters was still intact even though they openly revealed assassins' information. Because half of what's written is bullshit anyway.
"I refuse."
"Ah, P, Professor…!"
I shouldn't get involved. So I ignored him and turned around, but the reporter diligently followed me and continued to ask for an interview.
Of course, I continued to ignore him.
"Do you have anything to say about the external intrusion?"
"……."
"May I ask why you're refusing the interview?"
"……."
"Is it because of the intruders? Because those bastards might be targeting you?"
"……."
"Or is it because the rumor that you assassinated the intruder is false? Or was the intruder not threatening even if there was one? Some faculty members have said that the faculty is creating a false rumor to make a star professor. As the person involved, do you have anything to say……?"
"……."
I kept refusing. Constantly.
Whether he was scratching at me or not.
"I understand. So that's how you're going to be."
"……."
"You want to ignore me, Professor. I'm doing my best to cover the story with all my heart…."
"……."
"There are a lot of people like you these days…. We always live in cold ignorance…."
Just before the interview completely fell apart, the reporter's condition suddenly started to become strange.
Even so, when I ignored him, he laughed.
"It's okay. I'm Trash Fobtime. Deputy of the Assassination Daily. 6 years of service. 11-time winner of the Reporter of the Month Award. 1-time Pulitzer Prize nominee. 7th place with 488 votes in the Reader's Choice for Reporter of the Year. A man who will become the strongest reporter in the world in the future……. This time of humiliation and oppression is nothing to me."
A strange muttering that suddenly popped out. The guy looked at me with determined eyes.
"……I'll show you."
Show me what.
Is he crazy?
* * *
"Professor Dante did an interview with the Assassination Daily."
"Oh, really?"
Kaiser's eyes, which had been holding weight in one corner of the classroom, flashed open!
As soon as class was over, he subscribed to the Assassination Daily, received the newspaper, and checked the interview.
As soon as he saw the contents, his heart sank.
-
(Breaking News) Professor Dante Suffers Partial Loss of Language Function Due to Intruder Attack
What???