The Perfect Soundproofing and the Uninvited Guests

Lady Rayven's words did little to ease Ella's doubts. "Hmm… I suppose showing you would be better than just telling you."

Logan pulled a crystal orb used for swordsmanship textbooks from one side of the bookshelf. When he activated it, the orb glowed and began playing a training video. The sharp clash of blades and the instructor's shouts filled the dean's office. Logan turned the volume up even louder.

"Go outside and listen."

He opened the door and stepped out into the hallway with Ella. The moment the door closed, the corridor fell completely silent. Not a single sound from the crystal orb leaked out.

Ella pressed her ear against the door. "…I really can't hear anything."

Relief colored her voice. Logan crossed his arms.

"I told you. The soundproofing is perfect."

Ella smiled silently.

At the same time, in Molga Carden's research lab in the Magic Department.

Since that day, Molga had installed a mana detection spell of her own design on the staircase leading to the third-floor dean's office. The magic was designed to detect a woman's mana signature and send a red warning light to the crystal orb in her lab.

"That woman again."

Ever since the woman Logan had recently brought in started handling chores in the dean's office, the alarm had been going off more frequently. Because of that, Molga had made far too many wasted trips. Just the other day, the light had gone off during daylight hours, and when she went to check, it turned out to be an academy staff member running an errand.

The light had just flashed again. 'Probably a servant or staff member,' Molga thought dismissively and continued her paperwork.

Then she suddenly thought about the time. 'It's lunchtime. Why would staff be heading to the dean's office? If it was urgent, they'd go to the dining hall. What could it be?'

Molga stood up. She cast an invisibility spell and quietly made her way to the third floor. The moment she saw the dean's office door, she froze.

Ella was standing right beside Logan, smiling brightly. Her long hair still looked disheveled, as if it hadn't been properly fixed, and a lingering, suggestive atmosphere clung to both their faces.

'Again…'

The sight before her caused her mana concentration to waver for a split second. Her eyes met Logan's.

"Ella, go inside the dean's office."

"Pardon?"

"It'll only take a moment."

Logan pushed Ella into the office and closed the door. The instant the door shut, he moved to Molga's location in the blink of an eye. His hand sliced through the air and precisely grabbed the nape of her neck.

"Who is it?"

Molga, completely restrained, couldn't even scream. Logan held her like that for a long moment before slightly loosening his grip. Her body crumpled powerlessly into his arms.

"Kgh!"

With a short groan, the invisibility spell dissolved. Molga's figure was revealed.

"…Logan, it hurts…"

Logan asked with a bewildered expression. "…What are you doing here?"

Molga's face turned bright red. She was so embarrassed about getting caught while invisible that she couldn't speak. After a moment of her eyes darting around, she suddenly lifted her head and snapped at him defiantly.

"What does it look like? I came to see if you were fooling around with another woman again."

"…What?"

Logan's face hardened. 'I let it slide last time when she secretly used invisibility…'

He was irritated by Molga's blatant spying, but he couldn't treat her roughly. They'd known each other for a long time, and she was the one who had left the Magic Tower to come work in the academy's Magic Department because she loved him.

Logan took a deep breath and swallowed his anger.

"Go back for now. We'll talk later."

Molga pouted. She looked like she wanted to say more. When she hesitated, Logan let out a heavy sigh and gently pushed her back.

"Let's go down together."

They didn't speak a word as they descended the stairs. When they reached the first floor, Logan spoke firmly.

"No more invisibility spells. If you use it again, you're going back to the Magic Tower."

Molga looked ready to argue, but knowing she was in the wrong, she simply nodded silently and returned to the Magic Department.

The night was quiet. The dormitories and buildings of Lumen Academy had long since gone dark. Only the moonlight brushing against the windows and the occasional sound of wind rustling leaves could be heard.

Logan sat at the desk in his office, organizing documents and rubbing his eyes.

"I should get some rest tomorrow."

As he muttered to himself and prepared to leave, the emergency crystal orb on his desk began ringing. Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! The magically linked alarm system had activated.

'Who the hell is it?'

He grabbed the communication crystal with his right hand.

"Everyone to your positions and stand guard. Subdue the intruder the moment they're spotted."

Without hesitation, Logan leaped from the third-floor window and landed cleanly. The first person who came to mind was Isabel. It was the perfect timing for the Marquisate to make a move.

When he arrived at her quarters, the door was already open. The faint presence of people inside made him step in without delay.

Two men in black masks were in the process of stuffing a limp Isabel into a burlap sack and attempting to flee through the window. Judging by her condition, she had clearly been drugged with a sleeping agent.

"You sons of bitches."

Logan spat out a short curse and charged at the kidnappers. One of the men turned and swung a dagger, but Logan's kick was already aimed at his leg. The sound of bones shattering rang out as the man screamed and collapsed. The other tried to drop his pouch and run, but Logan grabbed him by the nape of his neck and slammed him to the floor in an instant. Both men groaned in defeat.

Logan called for an instructor through his crystal orb and gave an order.

"Tie these bastards up and take them away. To the Magic Department."

He untied the sack and pulled Isabel out. She had fainted from the sleeping drug, but she wasn't injured. Logan carried her in his arms back to the dean's office, just in case there were more attackers.

Once there, he laid her down on the sofa.

"Bella… Molga will take care of her."

With that thought, Logan headed to the Magic Department. When he arrived, Molga—as expected—was already interrogating the two bound intruders.

"Logan, you're here? These guys say they're from the Rayven Marquisate. They were ordered to kidnap Isabel and her daughter. They claim they don't know anything else."

One of the intruders muttered fearfully.

"W-we're just employees of the Marquisate… Please ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spare us…"

Logan snorted and spoke to the instructor beside him.

"Pick out some third-years with adventurer experience and have one instructor prepare with them. Send these bastards to the front lines."

The intruders' faces turned deathly pale.

"The front lines? We're people of the Marquisate. They'll definitely pay a ransom. Please spare us. Anything but the front lines…"

Logan looked at them and spoke in a low voice.

"Not my problem."

He gestured to the instructor. "Send them off immediately. Before dawn."

The instructor dragged the intruders away. Their pleas for mercy echoed behind them, but Logan ignored them completely.

The next morning, Lumen Academy was as lively as ever. Students gathered at the training grounds, and the instructors' shouts rang out.

Logan was sipping coffee while looking out the window when his communication crystal lit up. It was the voice of the gate guard instructor.

"Dean, at the main gate… there's a lavish carriage and eight knights. They bear the Rayven Marquisate crest. They say they wish to see you…"

Logan's eyebrows twitched.

"Tell them to wait. I'm on my way."

He strapped on his sword and headed for the main gate. A carriage adorned with gleaming gold decorations stood before the academy entrance, with eight knights holding spears at the ready.

The knight at the very front stepped forward and unfurled a sheet of parchment. He raised his voice dramatically and began to read.

Logan didn't bother listening to the end. A one-handed sword slid smoothly from its sheath. With a single swing through the air—slash!—the parchment was sliced cleanly in half. The severed pieces fluttered down to the ground in the wind.

The knights all flinched at once. They thrust their spears forward, hands moving to their sword hilts.

At that moment, the carriage door opened. Yvette Rayven, the first wife of the Rayven Marquisate, descended gracefully.

"Stop."

At her single word, all eight knights simultaneously lowered their weapons. Lady Yvette looked directly at Logan and gave a slight bow.

"Our knights were too hasty. They have been rude to you, Dean."

She added softly, "Shall we go inside and speak calmly? There are… far too many eyes here."

Logan stared at her for a moment. He slowly sheathed his sword and muttered in a low voice.

"…Follow me."

He turned around. Lady Yvette smiled and gave the knights a meaningful look. They remained by the carriage while she followed Logan alone.

Logan led Lady Rayven to the dean's office. Once they were seated facing each other, she maintained her elegant smile without losing it for a second.

"Dean. It is an honor to speak with you in such a prestigious space."

She greeted him politely, but her eyes held a cold calculation, trying to read Logan's intentions.

"I wish to build a good relationship with the Dean."

The lady continued. "My second son will turn fifteen next year. We would like to enroll him in Lumen Academy."

She placed a pouch filled with silver coins on the table, openly showing her goodwill.

"That said, I apologize for provoking you through the knights outside. This is a donation to the academy. Please do not refuse…"

When Logan didn't reject the pouch of silver, she smiled brightly at him.

"I simply wanted to see with my own eyes what kind of person the Dean of Lumen Academy truly is."

Logan crossed his arms, thinking about her sly attitude. 'So the kidnappers were already disposable pieces.'

"I'd prefer we get to the main point."

"There is only one thing we want. For Isabel and Bella to abandon the 'Rayven' surname. We will no longer permit them to use the name 'Rayven.'"

Logan remained silent for a moment. Then he activated the communication crystal and spoke briefly.

"Bring Lady Isabel to the dean's office."

A short while later, the door opened and Isabel entered. Her eyes were slightly swollen from the lingering effects of last night's sleeping drug, but her gaze was clear. After ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hearing Logan's explanation, she nodded.

"…Understood. Bella will agree as well. The name Rayven… we no longer need it."

"A wise choice, Isabel."

Lady Yvette smiled brightly with a satisfied expression. "I am glad we can maintain a friendly relationship with the Dean. I hope my son will be able to attend classes at this esteemed academy next year."

With all negotiations ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠concluded, Lady Rayven left the dean's office with a smile. Logan escorted her through the reception room all the way to the main gate.

Before boarding her carriage, Lady Rayven bowed to Logan one last time.

Once back in the dean's office, Logan collapsed onto the sofa the moment he stepped inside, overwhelmed by a wave of exhaustion. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked at Isabel, who was still there.

"Now… it's all settled."

He hesitated slightly, as if still awkward, before calling her name.

"Um… Miss Isabel."

Isabel felt a subtle emotion at his form of address, but she didn't miss the deep fatigue shadowing his face. Without a word, she moved behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Dean, you look very tired…"

Isabel gathered what little strength she had and began massaging him earnestly. It wasn't particularly skillful, but her touch was gentle.

Soon, Isabel's face began to flush bright red. She felt an intense urge to devote herself and serve Logan. Hesitantly, almost in a whisper, she murmured.

"My… my late husband really liked it when I did this for him."

Isabel pressed her body tightly against Logan's back. Her voluptuous breasts touched the nape of his neck. She gently rocked her body from side to side and up and down, softly rubbing his neck with them. Her face, now moving up and down his neck as if giving a paizuri with her breasts, had turned completely crimson.

At first, Logan didn't realize it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was her breasts. But the soft, heavy sensation pressing against his nape and the firm elasticity made him realize what it was, and he was greatly startled.

When Logan hurriedly tried to pull his neck away, Isabel desperately grabbed his arm and pressed herself even closer.

"My lady. You don't have to go this far."

With an even redder face, Isabel whispered into Logan's ear.

"This is… the only thing I can do for you."