Ch.119119. Artist

The summer vacation at Robern Academy had ended, and it was time for students to return.

The academy, which had experienced much controversy and trouble at the beginning of this year, had finally found stability again.

Moreover, as news of the Spiritmaster’s good deeds during the summer vacation began to spread, interest in Robern Academy where he worked grew even stronger.

Since it had become the only place in the Griffin Kingdom where one could learn about Black Magic, requests were pouring in from renowned Mages who wanted to attend Deus Verdi’s lectures under the pretext of giving special seminars.

Now, with the Spiritmaster as bait, numerous high-profile figures were scheduled to give special lectures.

Parents were generously sponsoring the academy after hearing about the brilliant lineup, and students’ expectations continued to grow.

And the plump headmaster’s belly was swelling even more.

“Hohoho! Deus Verdi is the best!”

The headmaster cackled with such enthusiasm that he seemed ready to bow toward Norsweden if asked.

Despite only having lectures three days a week, the largest auditorium had been prepared for him.

Beyond students, many Mages who came to give lectures would be watching carefully, hoping to attend his classes.

“Heheheh.”

Additionally, everything he had requested during the contract had been prepared. Using his authority as headmaster, he had obtained permission to access the restricted book list in the Millennium Library and had created a separate form for research equipment requests.

These gifts should satisfy him to some extent.

Eager to see Deus, the headmaster was grinning while looking out the window with his hands behind his back, but—

Clunk.

The health professor Karen, who now entered without even knocking, said with candy in her mouth:

“Headmaster, Professor Deus will be arriving a bit late.”

“What?!”

The headmaster immediately made a fuss, opening his eyes wide.

* * *

Students gathered in front of a huge bulletin board. Everyone’s attention was focused on a relatively small notice compared to the size of the board—its small size stemming from the headmaster’s petty wish that people wouldn’t notice it.

“The Spiritmaster is coming late?”

“Ah, I was looking forward to it.”

“Didn’t he solve the unsolved Scolia serial murder case? I wanted to hear about that.”

“I was planning to write a paper about that bizarre case where the corpse was scattered in all directions, and wanted to ask him about it.”

“But was it really all done by ghosts? Honestly, I didn’t really believe in such things.”

“After experiencing it this year, everyone now realizes that ghosts truly have influence.”

The students, who had previously despised Black Mages and were ignorant about evil spirits, were all chattering away. Yet they all intended to attend Deus Verdi’s lectures.

The traumatic first semester this year.

In an academy where evil spirits had run rampant, everyone deeply felt the need to seek knowledge from the Spiritmaster to protect themselves.

In the midst of this, everyone was naturally concerned when they heard the Spiritmaster’s arrival was delayed and lectures would be postponed.

“Surely he’s not canceling, right?”

“Come on, the lecture schedule and plans are all set.”

“It’s impressive that he’s both affiliated with the royal family and holds a professorship.”

While various comments were being exchanged, Elenoa subtly turned her body to slip away from the crowd.

‘Tsk.’

Originally, she had planned to come to the academy with Deus, but his maid had temporarily disappeared, and he said he would wait for her, so Elenoa had no choice but to come ahead.

Even when she offered to wait with him, she was practically pushed out with the admonition that a student should act like one.

‘And yet he’s the one who’s late!’

Though quite annoyed, she couldn’t help it. Her considerate self would have to endure!

Returning to the classroom, Elenoa quickly ran to the seat she had occupied since the first semester, then promptly took out her notebook and pen.

Others looked at Elenoa with admiration, thinking the princess was preparing for class on the first day of the semester, but—

In reality, Elenoa was just doodling, sticking her tongue out slightly as she scribbled away with her pen.

Not only had she developed an interest in drawing, but she had also received permission from her subject.

Elenoa was currently drawing Shinwoo Kim wearing clothes from the Griffin Kingdom.

‘Formal noble attire suits him, but a carelessly draped robe like a Mage wears suits him even better.’

Having drawn Shinwoo Kim many times, Elenoa was playing dress-up, drawing clothes that would suit him.

Whether Deus would like that as well was questionable, but anyway, she had received permission to draw.

Today too, with the feeling of shopping, Elenoa was drawing Shinwoo Kim and imagining clothes that would suit him, when—

“What are you drawing?”

“Wah!”

Startled by the ghostly, chilling voice from behind, Elenoa covered her drawing with both hands.

Long black hair fell onto Elenoa’s shoulders as its owner, Aria Rius, glared at her with an eerie expression.

“Don’t tell me you’re drawing me again?”

“N-No, I’m not!”

Having been together in Norsweden, the two had come to Robern Academy in the same carriage. During the ride, Elenoa had been drawing, and Aria had caught a glimpse of what she was drawing.

She hadn’t been drawing Shinwoo Kim.

Elenoa had no intention of showing Shinwoo’s face to anyone.

What Elenoa had been drawing was Aria.

And she was wearing the flashy, ostentatious outfit of a magical girl.

Aria had been furious when she saw it and tore the drawing to pieces, but anyway—

“You’re not putting me in some weird outfit again, are you?”

“I told you I’m not! And that outfit was something the professor taught me about!”

Being completely obsessed with magical girls, Elenoa shouted, causing Aria’s eyes to widen.

“An outfit the professor taught you about? You mean that magical girl from before?”

“Yes! He told me about it directly!”

Seeing no deception in Elenoa’s expression, Aria tilted her head in confusion.

“He likes that?”

“…Maybe?”

“Hmm, then show me.”

“You tore it all up, so I don’t have it anymore!”

“You can just draw it again.”

Aria naturally sat down next to Elenoa. Stealthily covering the drawing of Shinwoo Kim, Elenoa turned to the next page in her notebook.

Placing her pen on the pure white notebook, Elenoa said:

“Then you be the model again. I’ll draw you if you pose as I say.”

“…Really? You can just draw the outfit.”

“I don’t want to! This is my artistic integrity!”

“What artist? You’re a princess.”

Sighing in disbelief, Aria pondered for a moment. Though the flamboyant outfit was quite embarrassing, it wasn’t like she would actually wear it.

And there was a possibility of glimpsing a fragment of Deus’s impenetrable preferences.

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

“Great! I’ll draw you right now, so pose with your chin resting on your hand.”

Not expecting it to start immediately, Aria awkwardly assumed the pose.

Resting her chin on her right hand while looking at the blackboard. Though slightly unnatural, Elenoa didn’t mind at all.

Scratch scratch scratch scratch.

Elenoa drew enthusiastically. Her pen moved quite rapidly, as if she intended to finish before the lecture began.

“Didn’t the professor tell you anything else?”

Aria asked probingly. Elenoa naturally didn’t fall for the tactic.

The conversations and knowledge she shared with Deus Verdi were like a treasure chest to her.

“Be quiet.”

“I’ll be quiet if you tell me just one more thing.”

“…”

Glaring primly at Aria, Elenoa sighed deeply before answering.

“You know magical girls?”

“Yes.”

“He said people who really love such things are called ‘otaku.'”

“Otaku?”

Something about the sound of it felt off-putting, and Aria frowned briefly, but Elenoa seemed to have the opposite reaction.

“It just clicked with me. Plus, he said the original meaning is someone who’s intensely focused on something.”

“Really?”

Elenoa snorted and smiled brightly.

“Yes! So I decided to be an otaku! Since I quite like magical girls.”

“That doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

Aria muttered, scratching her cheek with the hand that was resting her chin. At that reaction, Elenoa pouted.

“What? I barely found this out after pestering him to tell me more about magical girls.”

“I see… The professor wouldn’t have taught you anything strange.”

But could he have just said anything to get rid of the annoying Elenoa?

No matter how many times Aria heard it, the pronunciation of “otaku” didn’t feel right to her.

“Ta-da!”

Having finished the drawing, Elenoa flipped the notebook around to show it.

There was magical girl Aria, lost in thought with her chin resting on her hand.

A splendid dress and a magic wand placed on the desk.

And below, even Elenoa’s signature.

– by. Otaku Elenoa Luden Griffin

“Don’t you think it would be good to use it like a title? Otaku Elenoa! Doesn’t it have a nice ring to it? Like a master artist?”

“…I don’t know about that.”

Aria made a mental note to ask the professor later if it was really appropriate for a princess of a nation to openly adopt such a title.