Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Like Master, Like Disciple (2)
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"Hey, didn't you hear me? No answer?"
Thwack!
Yuria kicked the guy sprawled on the floor.
"I told you not to play with fire in my territory. My eyes hurt."
"Ugh... I'm sorry."
Unfiltered curses and violence spilled from her lips. There was no trace of the pitiful, sniveling girl Erendel had imagined.
She glanced at us standing by the door, then turned back to berate the students. She couldn't have cared less who we were.
"Huh? Those people...?"
One of the male students pinned to the floor spotted us, his eyes lighting up with hope.
"Save us! This crazy bitch is...!"
"Shut your trap?"
Vmmm—!
With a flick of her finger, an invisible force slammed the boy's mouth into the ground.
"Guhk...!"
"Can't you hear me talking? Did you learn manners from a book?"
She irritably swept her bangs aside and turned toward us. Arms crossed, leg cocked, her insolent gaze raking us from head to toe—it was a masterpiece.
The classic villainess. In our terms, no phrase fit better than "crazy bitch with a foul temper."
"What do you want?"
Yuria's cold eyes fixed on Erendel.
"You look just like those imperial inspectors who showed up recently... If you don't have business here, get out. No outsiders allowed."
"......"
"Deaf? I said get out. You're tracking in dust."
Thud.
A menacing wave of mana erupted from her body. Inspector or not, it was a clear declaration of hostility: interfere and pay the price.
Well... what was it Erendel had taught her as basics again?
Chantless casting and multi-casting, right? To a northerner who took those insane feats—even the current Magic Tower Lord struggled with—as fundamentals, this academy must look like greenhouse flowers.
How could it look anything but? Professors and students alike probably seemed like sluggish worms crawling at her feet. And that was after four years.
"Hahaha..."
Beside me, Erendel's lips trembled. Cognitive dissonance was inevitable when your cherished disciple turned that attitude on you.
"Um... student?"
Erendel finally managed to speak in a quavering voice.
"May I ask what you're doing with your... friends? You're not fighting, right? Just sparring friendly-like?"
"Friends?"
Yuria scoffed.
"Lady, are your eyes okay?"
"L-Lady?"
"Yeah, you. Standing there all gloomy in that robe—you scream stuck-up bureaucratic boomer. Friends? Can't you see I'm just sorting the trash?"
"Boo... boomer... trash...?"
Erendel clutched her neck and staggered. Hearing words she'd never gotten even from the Emperor—from her prized disciple.
"Isn't that a bit harsh...? I'm an adult, you know. As someone with more life experience, I just wanted to advise..."
"Ha, adult?"
Yuria sneered.
"Want adult respect? Act like one. Don't barge into someone's class to backseat drive. And to me, there's only one real adult."
Her eyes turned serious for a moment.
"Oh? And who's that?"
Erendel's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"That old coot holed up at the top of the freezing northern Magic Tower. Antisocial, personality wreck, zero social skills—not even a friend to his name. My poor master."
"Pfft...!"
I barely stifled the laughter. I bit my lip so hard it nearly bled. Antisocial shut-in personality disaster... She'd nailed the disciple education perfectly.
"......"
Erendel stood there blankly, soul departed. Her disciple's fact-bombing praise-or-insult blurred her senses.
"And know what I hate most? Nobles who strut around with no skills to back it up. Jealous? Come at me. I'll politely lay you out in ten seconds flat."
A red orb hummed at her fingertips. She meant it. She was gearing up to punch first—even against her own master.
"......"
"Can't? This ain't a playground, so go knit or something. Don't break bones and whine."
"Wh-What?! Hey! Yuria! Where'd you learn to talk like th—!"
"Ugh, seriously chatty."
Yuria scowled fiercely.
"Don't know where you boomers crawled from, but save the lectures for your kids. I'm busy—scram."
Without a backward glance, she stepped over the fallen students, muttering.
"Fucking bad luck running into a boomer first thing. Cursed. Gotta sprinkle some salt."
Bang!
With that, she slammed the door and left. All that remained: the students' groans crawling on the floor and Erendel's scorched-white psyche.
"Let's go."
I pushed her rigid back, holding back a grin.
"She's excellent, isn't she? Bright future—yellow-bright, straight gold."
"My... my sweet Yuria... called me boomer... told me to scram... knit..."
Erendel muttered like a broken radio, still in shock. Like a parent hearing "Mom doesn't get it!" from the child they poured their life into.
I sidestepped the sprawled students and approached the Dean.
"Dean."
"Yes! Inspector...!"
"Why'd she turn out like that?"
I nodded at the closed door.
"Her attitude reminds me of an old colleague. Always like that? Or did the academy screw up her education?"
"No! It's not like that! I swear!"
The Dean waved his hands frantically.
"Wh-When Yuria first enrolled... she was truly sweet and kind. From the rural north, she even worked on her accent, bowed politely to seniors... even volunteered for cleaning duties."
Makes sense. Ten-plus years under foul-tempered Erendel would've maxed out her survival skills and social savvy. Coping mechanism for survival.
"So? How'd the lamb turn rabid dog?"
"Well... what is this academy? A nest of noble brats."
The Dean wiped cold sweat uncomfortably.
"Orphan, penniless, no background—a commoner to boot, picking an unpopular major like magic no one uses anymore... She became a target."
"Bullied her?"
"Yes... Seniors insulted her."
"And Yuria charged right back?"
"How'd you know? She levitated them, slammed them repeatedly till they apologized. Professors intervened, but no use."
How'd I know? The elf muttering with a shattered mind beside me taught her. Probably said to charge anyone who talked smack.
Anyway, she was following teachings to a T.
Beans from beans planted, red beans from red— no worries needed. Far from cowed; thriving.
"Inspector... please don't report to the palace. I'll talk her down somehow..."
"Nah. Not the talking-down type."
I waved off the Dean.
"Dean."
"Yes!"
"Schedule ends here today. This one's in shock—needs rest."
I supported the dazed Erendel.
"Prep full 4th-year rosters and transcripts to my room by tomorrow. Quietest room available."
"Right away! To the VIP suite!"
"And tell everyone inspections ramp up tomorrow. Get tense."
"Of course! Announcing immediately!"
I dragged Erendel along, glancing at Yuria's door.
'Fun.'
Tomorrow suddenly exciting.
And that evening, in the academy's VIP guest room.
"......"
Erendel slumped on the sofa, face buried, soulless corpse-like. Beside her sat the forlorn cake box she'd brought so carefully.
"Chin up, huh? Someone'd think your disciple died. She's doing great, kinda? Better than getting beat around."
I chuckled, adding,
"Way better manners than you—cursing me 'short-lived scum' to my face on sight. She even used polite speech."
"Don't talk to me."
Erendel mumbled into the cushion.
"Self-reflecting right now."
"Reflecting on what? True education's value?"
"Tracing where my philosophy went wrong. I taught noble mage etiquette and grace, yet..."
She shot up, clawing her messy hair.
"Why's the result an orc's temper?! I don't get it! Why!!"
"......"
"She was sweet! Trembled at killing an ant! Hid behind me from spiders—why's she choking folks and pile-driving them?!"
"You taught her."
I stated the fact calmly.
"Only you to learn from. Kids mirror parents."
"No! I said solve elegantly with magic—not fists!"
"Sure. Forgot cracking demon skulls with your staff to save mana?"
"Th-That was wartime! Potions depleted—no choice!"
Erendel huffed, opening the cake box. She shoveled mangled cake into her mouth with a spoon. Stress-eating sugars.
"All this rotten academy's fault. Those noble scum turned my pure Yuria into a monster!"
"Easy. Slow down."
I tossed her a napkin, clicking my tongue. Great mage dignity? Dog food.
"Hey, Kasian."
"Yeah?"
"Any way to mellow her temper? You tamed those brutal demons into lambs before. Share the know-how."
"Oh, that? Physical therapy?"
I cracked my knuckles.
"Beat 'em till barely breathing, then etch the hierarchy into their bones: defy me, die."
"........."
Erendel's face twisted oddly. Guilty conscience vibe.
"Don't wanna? I can do it."
"No, no need."
"Why? Heart softening?"
"Something like that already done."
"Already?"
"Back when puberty hit... Gave her gravity acceleration therapy. Made friends with the floor..."
She muttered, averting eyes.
So the original was here. Beans from beans indeed. Violence begets violence—terrifying legacy.
"Wayward disciples are master's duty. Dare let a third party interfere? Touch my disciple—I'll bury you."
Both already derailed—who's schooling who...
I shrugged, popping cake into my mouth.
Better prep popcorn for tomorrow.