Chapter 80
Chapter 80
Episode 80
EP21 - Head Professor Kain (1)
That day was a busy one for Dante Hiacapo.
First, Department Head Ezekiel summoned him.
That refined, aristocratic magician was quite fond of efficiency. The moment Dante entered, He opened the door with 『Telekinesis』, took off Dante's coat, and pulled out a chair.
"I hear you're accompanying Gray on his trip to the Empire tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"So, you're determined to go. Do you know how far the Great King Rat's snout is sticking out?"
He then explained that Shaman had refused a donut in the morning, saying he had no appetite. Dante recalled that plump double chin and understood.
There was no helping it if the hundred-year-old geezer was sulking.
"Next month. Can you prepare a special lecture during the vacation?"
"...A special lecture, you say?"
Why would the Department Head call him in to ask him to prepare a lecture for the Professors? Dante felt that what was coming, was coming.
"You mean for the Magic Professors."
"Indeed. In Kain's capacity."
"I can. However, would those people be willing to listen to a lecture from an assassin?"
Assassins follow money.
Warriors follow conviction.
Magicians follow pride.
Pride.
"Do you have such human concerns too?"
"I have no intention of teaching those who do not respect my classes."
"......Indeed."
Ezekiel laughed, as if to say, 'For a young whippersnapper, He sure says a lot.'
"The greatest act of rebellion among magicians was committed by Head Professor Gloomy of Illusion Magic. That brat caused 30% of the Illusion Magic Professors to quit their jobs."
"......"
"Those who remain are those who have at least some intention to work for Hiaka and the Academy. Even if their pride cannot be helped, their willingness to learn should be abundant."
Dante nodded. There shouldn't be any problems since the Department Head had personally arranged the schedule.
He could prepare slowly.
"But you know."
At that moment, Ezekiel frowned.
"Even if you were going to create a vessel, why make it a young boy?"
He was talking about Head Professor Kain.
Dante retorted with a blank expression.
"Do you prefer girls?"
"No! Man, that's not it. Regardless of gender, isn't He too young? Even if you were going to make a child, why make such a babe?"
"Would there be a problem?"
"There is."
"If you tell me what the problem is, I will correct it immediately."
"He's too cute."
"......?"
Ezekiel wore a strict and solemn expression.
"How can He be so cute as a Professor?"
Dante was momentarily stunned before answering.
"......I will put a mask on Him."
"That would be better. You could even put a mask on Him altogether. If possible, please put it on right away."
"Is there a reason?"
Ezekiel gestured.
"A urgent schedule has been set. Actually, that's why I wanted to see you."
"An urgent schedule, you say?"
"In a couple of hours, Imperial Illusion Magic Professors will come to the District 9 tourist area to put a large decoration on the Christmas tree. In the name of the Empire."
Dante narrowed his eyes.
Jackpot.
This was very, very good news.
Even now, Illusion Magic magicians and assassins from various countries were coming to Kain's Christmas tree to decorate it with [Ultra-Large Illusion Magic].
Among the famous ones was 'Gyulgyul', a [Challenger]-level Illusion Magic magician and ranker from the Hitahita Kingdom.
She had placed a large symbol of 「Eternity∞」, the national star (the star believed in by the nation) of Hitahita, in the middle of Kain's Christmas tree.
「 ∞ 」
Her symbol had become a major topic of conversation in communities across the continent.
< Wow, that Eternity star, Gyulgyul made it? The scale is really different from other Illusions.... >
< The shining feeling, the size, it's totally awesome.... It seems like she came to attach it after making it with determination. >
< Gyulgyul ← This human is a legend. She hasn't shown her face for years, and then she came to make this? >
< Hey, but this reaction is funny lol. There are so many people getting angry from the Horanche Principality right now. >
└ Why?
└ The Horanche Principality also has 「Eternity∞」 as their national star lol. They say they can make the symbol bigger ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
And the next day, an Illusion Magic magician from the Horanche Principality actually came and placed an Eternity symbol that was slightly larger than that one.
< Here it comes lol >
< This one's bigger lol >
< Gyulgyul is cut off!! >
But what is the center of a magician?
Pride.
A few days later, Gyulgyul came again......
< Kek lol Gyulgyul covered the Horanche Principality's symbol with her own lol >
< Ah, that's so funny lol. A battle of pride has begun lol >
In the end, only thirteen Eternity symbols were hung on one side of the tree before they were all removed by 'Head Professor Kain' and only two remained...... but that's beside the point. (For the record, the winner was Gyulgyul.)
Among all these decorations, there was not a single one from an Illusion Magic magician from the Empire.
This was for political reasons.
This tree clearly had a meaning of 'remembrance'.
With Hiaka vs Kreutz already in a fierce emotional battle, if the Empire took one side, wouldn't it receive tremendous backlash from the other?
The continental alliance of nations was divided into the south, to which Hiaka belonged, and the north, to which Kreutz belonged.
The Empire had to appease both sides.
"So, what's with those guys, what's going on?"
"The Professors from the Imperial Hattengrad Academy said in advance that they were coming for sightseeing purposes. Putting aside national conflicts, they are purely interested in 'Kain'."
Ezekiel raised his chin and pointed at Dante.
"......They want to see His face."
"That's right. I'll go with you."
Dante nodded.
"I understand."
Even if He was from a collateral line, He was still a member of the royal family.
It was reassuring that Ezekiel would be present.
*
Next, Dante attended a senior faculty meeting.
While agendas regarding the operation of the Department came and went, Dante didn't have much to say and wasn't interested, so He was just thinking about Professor Kain's mask with a blank expression.
"Sorry to interrupt the meeting. Is it okay if I urgently tell Professor Dante something?"
At that time. Lord Cheongru, Rebecca's old Guardian Knight, suddenly came in.
"Did you find out?"
Dante asked. While borrowing Rebecca's hand, she also lent Dante the right to use the royal family's name. Dante specifically inquired about the Assassination Daily's filming schedule, borrowing the mouth of the royal family.
And the result was shocking.
"I have confirmed. You are right, Hiacapo."
While the watching Professors glanced at each other.
A bombshell came out of Cheongru's mouth.
"I heard that a female Student from Kreutz's prestigious Illusion Magic family is also coming on the day of the Assassination Daily shoot."
Dante closed his mouth and nodded. The scouting star's forged future was the same as that. However, the reactions of those around him were different.
"Huh?? What are you saying right now?!"
"Lord Cheongru! What are you talking about?!"
Cheongru gritted his teeth and said.
"It's exactly as I said. Whether the Assassination Daily proposed it or Kreutz proposed it, it seems that a Student from Kreutz will be with Gray for the monthly model shoot or interview."
If He hadn't asked in the name of the royal family.
The Empire, the Assassination Daily would have pushed ahead.
That was the Empire.
"No, what kind of crazy situation is this?"
At that, the senior Professors went berserk.
"The Assassination Daily, those bastards must be really crazy."
"They know Hiaka is in this state, but they're trying to put our child and Kreutz's child together?"
"If you have the Empire behind you, is it okay to be so rude? This is not sane!"
They really jumped up and down for a long time.
It was understandable.
Hadn't Kreutz and Hiaka just been swinging their swords at each other, threatening to kill each other?
However, in this situation, Professor Dante seemed calm.
In Dante's opinion, the Assassination Daily was a money-grubbing, sales-crazed bunch.
Currently, the relationship between Hiaka and Kreutz was the biggest point of attention in the world.
The two countries had only fought wars with assassins, and were denying each other's terrorism.
So, they also showed their faces in external positions. Because neither of them had done it.
A situation that everyone knew, but no one acknowledged.
The Assassination Daily poked at that subtle gap. In the midst of all this, they put two Illusion Magic prestigious families of the same age from both countries on the monthly cover model? Since neither of them had done it, there was no reason to pull out, and since everyone knew about the conflict, the sales for that month would be very intense.
"This. Do you think we should push ahead with it?"
At the question from the senior Professor belonging to the Department, Dante nodded.
"I think we should go."
A shout immediately erupted.
"P, Professor Dante!"
"What if there's a trap in that place?!"
"You can't trust the Empire guys! Especially since Kreutz is involved...!"
Dante nodded.
"I fully understand your anger. But we have to go. The Department probably has the same opinion as me."
He would have to get used to it. The Betting Table was originally this kind of story.
All opportunities were in the Empire.
All the rules were also with the Empire.
To put it in perspective, the Empire was a casino. Other countries had to jump into gambling under the rules they set and increase their chips.
Even if the day came when they set fire to the casino, that was a distant future story. Not yet.
"But, how did you know all this?"
Cheongru asked when they came out after the meeting.
"I happened to receive related intelligence."
"......"
Distrust formed in the old man's eyes.
"Well, fine. But listen here. Professor Dante. If, as a result of this situation, the Princess is hurt even by a hair, I will never forgive you."
It was a warning from the Guardian Knight, who had come to handle external schedules along with the Princess.
Dante stared straight into his eyes and remained silent for a moment.
Then, He suddenly brought up these words.
"Lord Cheongru, you really cherish the Princess."
"What on earth are you talking about? Of course, I have to protect her with my life. That is the mission of a Guardian Knight."
Dante Hiacapo drew a smile that had no meaning.
"......You're trustworthy."
The meeting ended there.
* * *
"It's almost time."
"That's right."
The Professors of Imperial Illusion Magic swallowed dryly and waited for someone.
They were both Head Professors of the Empire. Grandmasters. People who received the best treatment anywhere on the continent. But now, they were waiting for a Professor from a mere kingdom.
"......Ah, there He comes."
A crowd was coming. Hiaka's great Archmage Ezekiel was walking over, and there were several others in the group.
In the center of them was a very heterogeneous being—a 'child' wearing a stupid-looking elephant mask.
The way He walked, toddling along. But the formation of the crowd surrounding the child was strange.
"Could that child be Him?"
Head Professor Kain was such a young child?
"I don't believe it."
"Me neither."
There was still suspicion in the world that 'Kain Tree' was made by someone else's hand, so it was far-fetched that such a genius of that scale could be born from Hiaka's talent pool.
Also, there was a fact that ordinary people wouldn't know, but Illusion Magic Professors knew, that the tree couldn't be made just by being good at 'skill'.
If that were the case, Agion of the Bright Star of Light⁺₊⋆ would have already made several of those, but He hadn't been able to.
The Empire's classification for such a thing was [Sculptural Illusion], which was like a kind of artistic creation.
In order to create a sculpture of that scale, it was necessary to have intense inspiration, as well as to consume the pain that had been built up by forcibly enduring the bottom of the Illusion Magic magician's life.
If not, even if the same formulas and circuits were used, [Sculptural Illusion] would not work. It would not be created, and even if it looked flashy at first glance, its essence would soon be revealed and it would break.
That's why they were suspicious. Could that kind of child really create that 'great Illusion Magic'?
"......Well, we'll know if we test Him."
The Imperial Professors would now confirm. Who Head Professor Kain was, how great His ability was, and whether any of His known abilities were exaggerated or deceptive......
"We have a duty to understand accurately."
"That's what the Department said too, what's the reason?"
"The reason is simple."
Because His Majesty the Emperor is curious.