Chapter 44
Chapter 44
This incident did not send shock waves… through the world.
‘It happened in such a remote place, after all. And we contained it early on.’
Perhaps that was why the professors in charge of the training were busy downplaying my achievement.
“Haha, it seems we must have been mistaken about something.”
“We thought there was a chance Evil Dragon Ashtart was on the move, so we were about to report it to the Magic Tower in a hurry. It’s a relief that it turned out to be nothing.”
Well, it wasn’t bad for me, either.
There was nothing to gain from drawing unnecessary attention.
‘Being a hero is not for me.’
My training results had already been confirmed as top of the class, so this was just right.
But, contrary to my wishes, something happened to ruin it all.
“It wasn’t nothing.”
“Professor Kansir?”
“Didn’t everyone see with their own eyes that something was wrong? Professor Ballas and I, in particular, went into the Evil Dragon’s Lair and confirmed firsthand that there was a problem.”
My heart began to pound with anxiety.
‘What’s gotten into him all of a sudden? Just shut up and stay quiet!’
But things took a strange turn.
“Oh, then could it be that you, Professor Kansir, resolved the situation?”
“…It wasn’t me.”
“Then was it Professor Ballas?”
Ballas, singled out, grimaced.
“It wasn’t me, either.”
“Then who was it?”
The two of them clamped their mouths shut for a moment, then dropped a bombshell.
“Professor Ban.”
“!!”
Everyone was astonished, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
I’d been trying to let this pass quietly, but now it was ruined!
“Professor Ban?! Is what the two of you are saying true?!”
“You stopped the Evil Dragon from stirring—would you give us a word about how you feel?”
The reporters swarmed around me, and I considered what to say.
‘I have to choose my words carefully here. Make it sound like it was nothing.’
“Didn’t I tell you not to make a fuss over something so trivial? An insignificant incident like this is hardly worth mentioning to me.”
…The adorable Black Flame Dragon had caused another incident, and the next day, my name was plastered all over the Magic Daily Newspaper.
-Young Master Ban Causes Trouble Again!
-Young Master Ban Says the Evil Dragon’s Uprising Is Nothing Compared to His Greatness.
-For Some Reason, Young Master Ban’s Arrogance Is Captivating. Delusions of Grandeur? Or Truly the Beginning of a Legend?
‘…Ah, I’m screwed.’
When I returned to my one-room apartment, I tore at my hair.
‘No. It’s fine. Everyone still has their doubts about me. I can just keep a low profile from now on.’
But I was beginning to wonder.
Was it even possible for me to keep a low profile?
‘…Don’t lose heart. The new school year is about to begin, and once the protagonists step into the spotlight, there won’t be any reason for me to get involved. They’ll be the ones getting all the attention.’
As it happened, I had a different, serious problem on my hands.
‘What am I supposed to do with this egg?’
I let out a deep sigh as I looked at the enormous egg.
Ashtat, you damn lizard.
The curse came naturally.
‘It’s not like I can sell it.’
In fact, if I sold it on the black market, I could get an enormous price for it.
But that was impossible.
‘This is the egg of the Dark Dragon of Ruin. If I leave it alone and something goes wrong, a terrible catastrophe will happen.’
One of the scenario branches involved this egg falling into the hands of greedy humans.
The baby dragon, made to suffer unbearably because of human greed, sells its soul to a demon and takes bloody revenge on humanity.
‘One of the Academies is randomly swept up in it and wiped out. Clearing the scenario becomes impossible, too.’
There was only one answer.
‘Hand it over to someone I can trust.’
I didn’t have much time.
I had to find a suitable person before it hatched and imprinted on me as its “daddy.”
‘It has to be someone righteous and trustworthy, with the ability to handle this egg.’
Professor Bernstein came to mind, but somehow, he felt two percent short of what I needed.
‘It’d be better if it were someone even more impressive.’
In an instant, the perfect person came to mind.
Former President Randolf.
‘…He is someone I should avoid getting involved with if possible. I’ll just drop off the egg and make a quick escape.’
But something about his reaction was strange.
“Come in! Well, well, who do we have here? Isn’t that our Professor Ban? I’ve been wanting to have a cup of tea with you for some time. What are you standing there for? Sit down!”
What a fuss!
A chill crept down my spine.
‘That’s the kind of fuss he makes over the protagonists. Why is he acting like that with me?’
I had a bad feeling about this.
I resolved once more to take care of my business and get out of there as quickly as possible.
“I have something to ask of you. Please take care of this dragon egg.”
Former President Randolf looked even more surprised.
“Good heavens! It really is an egg—and not just any dragon’s, but that of a Great Elder Dragon, the highest species! Ban, how did you come by this egg?”
“I obtained it while resolving the incident at the Ranchel Plateau.”
“As expected of our Professor Ban! Incredible! I always thought you would get into some sort of trouble one day.”
‘…And how long ago was it that you were calling me Ban the Trash?’
Former President Randolf kept saying “our Professor Ban,” “our Professor Ban,” and it made me very uneasy.
“I thought you would be better suited to becoming this egg’s owner than I would, Director.”
“Hmm.”
It was an offer no mage would refuse, but Former President Randolf made a bombshell statement I hadn’t expected.
“No, I think you, Ban, would be a better choice to take care of that egg than I would.”
“What did you say?”
“You’re more suited than I am to be the egg’s owner.”
“Me?”
You’re joking, right?
…I gave him a look that said as much, but Former President Randolf’s expression was serious.
“Just the fact that you brought it to me, concerned for the dragon egg, shows what kind of person you are. Ah, to think I’ve misunderstood you all this time. I’m truly sorry. I promise I’ll never doubt you again.”
“…What promise? Yeah, right.”
I was horrified.
I’d denied it, thinking, Surely not—but there was no doubt.
Former President Randolf had taken a liking to me!
‘No! I have to make him disappointed in me.’
“It seems you’ve misunderstood something. I’m not handing over this egg out of pure goodwill. Naturally, I expect something in return.”
“What sort of payment are you asking for? Just say the word.”
He looked as though he’d grant me anything.
But he wouldn’t stay so composed after hearing what I had to say next.
“Give me the Oak Tree Amulet.”
“!!”
Former President Randolf’s eyes widened.
‘It’s a legendary item that increases the mana conductivity in your body and reduces the amount of mana you use when casting spells.’
It was exactly what I needed.
The problem was that this was an item Former President Randolf treasured dearly.
Surely he’d show his anger…
“Haha! You really are something. Asking for the very thing you need most. The old you would have asked for some flashy treasure with nothing but a good reputation.”
“……”
“Of course, it’s an item I’m fond of, but I’d gladly give it to one of our professors. Take it.”
“…No. Then, President, why don’t you take this dragon egg, at least—”
This wouldn’t do.
Just as I was about to hand over the dragon egg, since there was no getting through to him, an unexpected turn of events suddenly took place.
-Crack!
The dragon egg began to hatch!
‘Thank goodness. If it hatches here, it’ll imprint on Former President Randolf as its father.’
After a baby dragon hatches, it imprints on the strongest being in front of it as its parent.
At this rate, even if Former President Randolf refused, the baby dragon would be forced to follow him around as its father.
-Crack, crack!
The egg broke apart completely, and a palm-sized baby dragon popped out.
[Kyu?]
The baby dragon tilted its head.
It was so cute and lovable that anyone would be smitten with it.
‘Wasn’t the baby supposed to be a girl in the setting? Congratulations on gaining a daughter so late in life, Former President Randolf.’
I watched the first father-daughter(?) reunion with a pleased smile.
All that was left was for the baby dragon to approach Former President Randolf and kiss him, and the imprinting would be complete.
But then—
The baby dragon took a few unsteady steps.
…Toward me.
‘…What?’
I stared blankly for a moment, then belatedly panicked and took a step backward.
‘Why are you coming to me? He’s over there!’
Former President Randolf cried out in astonishment.
“Ban, it recognizes you as its parent. Just as I thought!”
“No. There must be some kind of misunderstanding.”
But the baby dragon kept toddling after me.
I even tried to dodge toward Former President Randolf on purpose, but it didn’t so much as glance at him.
It really had imprinted on me!
-Kyu!
It let out a cry as if chasing after its father, then—
Flap-flap-flap!
It spread its tiny wings, flew into my arms, and licked me with its tongue.
‘…I’m screwed.’
I stared ahead in dismay.
Just like that, I’d gained a dragon daughter.
I left Former President Randolf’s research lab in a daze.
The baby dragon was fast asleep inside the magic pouch in my arms.
‘…It is cute, I’ll give it that. No, that’s not the point.’
Objectively speaking, it wasn’t actually a bad thing.
A dragon was the highest-tier pet there was, something you couldn’t obtain even if you wanted one.
Once it grew a little, it would be a more dependable asset than anyone else.
‘They say dragons are a solitary race, so even when they’re young, they grow up on their own without needing anyone to raise them.’
The problem, as always, was the attention it would attract.
A professor who kept a dragon as a pet. News like that would spread throughout the Empire in no time.
‘Damn it, now Former President Randolf has his eye on me, too.’
“To think you’ve been chosen by a dragon—and one of the highest-ranking Great Elder kind, no less. I’m certain now that I wasn’t mistaken about you.”
I couldn’t have been less pleased.
‘…Protagonists, hurry up and enroll. Come here and draw the attention of the whole world to yourselves.’
I was walking along a back path in the Academy, clinging desperately to that hope, when an unexpected person called out to me.
“Could I speak with you for a moment, Professor Ban?”
“You?”
It was Black Bird Amanda!
‘She looks fine. The Curse is completely gone, too.’
For the record, no one ever found out that she had become a Chaos Monster at the time.
Kansir and Ballas had lost consciousness before they could even realize what was going on.
“What is it?”
Amanda blinked several times.
Even with the Curse gone, she still looked dazed. It seemed that was just her usual manner.
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
“A favor?”
“Please take me in.”
“…What?”
It was the moment I wondered if I’d heard her right.
Amanda dropped to her knees in front of me!
“Master of Magic. You are my benefactor. I will give you everything I have, so please, accept me.”
“!!”
It was an out-of-the-blue bombshell.
I felt as if I’d suddenly been smacked in the face with a piece of kimchi, but I forced myself to remain calm as I asked,
“…What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“I know that you extinguished the Curse of Chaos that had taken root in my body. You didn’t merely save my life—you saved my very soul. My clan’s law requires us to repay both kindness and grudges, so I will give you everything I have.”
“…No.”
I felt at a loss.
A clan that repaid both kindness and grudges without fail.
Somewhere, that sounded familiar.
“…Are you, by any chance, from the Sun-Moon Clan?”
Amanda looked a little surprised.
“As expected of the Master of Magic. You know of our people. That’s right. I was born with the blood of the Moon Clan, blessed by the Sun.”
I felt dizzy.
The Sun and the Moon, my ass. They’re a clan of murderers.