Ch.33EP.11 – The Knight Hate Spellcasters (1)

Fundamentally, academy faculty members are busy people.

Not only do they need to prepare for classes, but they also have a considerable amount of paperwork to submit.

From lesson plans to budget allocations and work-related reports.

Even courtesy letters to other subject instructors to ensure smooth coordination of future classes.

Some might call it unnecessary, but maintaining these small courtesies is how harmonious relationships are formed.

In reality, academy faculty members typically spend their entire day sitting at their desks handling administrative work.

However.

“Damn it! Blast! Bloody hell!”

A man who wasn’t faculty was sitting at a desk, diligently working through paperwork.

Damian Pollet.

That was the name of Ihan’s three-year limited teaching assistant, who was currently working hard on paperwork in Ihan’s place.

‘That bastard of an instructor!’

Though Damian had lived a life far removed from profanity as a noble young master, after more than a week of nothing but paperwork, he found himself constantly cursing.

The dark circles under his eyes alone revealed how much stress and fatigue he was experiencing.

…In fact, he was genuinely exhausted.

It had been over a week since he’d last used the dormitory.

‘Dormitory? What’s that? Was there such a thing at the academy?’

—That’s how delirious he had become.

Although Damian was originally a dormitory resident, he now found himself using the faculty lounge more frequently.

One might wonder how he couldn’t find time to go to the dormitory despite the paperwork load, but it simply couldn’t be helped.

During the day, he had to attend not only the Swordsmanship Department classes but also liberal arts and mandatory lectures. After that, he had to attend to the instructor’s needs, which weren’t limited to just assistance.

—You need to train too. Why are you acting like this doesn’t concern you?

The instructor tormented him under the pretext of training, bouncing him around like a ball.

Because of this, Damian found himself in a position where he had to both assist and train simultaneously, and even after lectures ended:

—Why should I do this? You’re the assistant, you should do it.

A stack of documents would be thrust before him.

Damian considered rebelling, but after meeting the instructor’s gaze, he cowered.

It felt like he would physically die if he didn’t comply.

Thus, handling the instructor’s paperwork became his daily routine, and between resolving assignments from other lectures, returning to the dormitory seemed like a waste of time.

At some point, Damian began practically living in the faculty lounge, becoming something akin to a resident ghost.

Though some were initially surprised by his presence in the faculty lounge, none of the faculty members paid him any mind anymore.

“Oh my, the Swordsmanship Department instructor is impressive, already having an ‘assistant’.”

“Haha, I see this every year, but it’s still fascinating. I wonder when this assistant will drop out?”

“Hmm, probably before the end of this semester?”

It was already a familiar sight to the faculty—an assistant setting up shop in the lounge and working.

Damian felt a chill.

From what he heard, many senior assistants had successfully escaped (dropped out), but that wasn’t an option for him.

Three years.

He was a lifelong slave—no, an assistant—who had to do this for three years.

“Damn it all…”

Cursing again, Damian’s eyes grew moist.

“—Why has Damian Pollet ended up like that?”

A student with dull gray hair blinked while discreetly observing the faculty room.

This wasn’t a ‘scheduled chapter.’

Damian Pollet shouldn’t have been in this situation.

“Why is he working as an assistant instead of being Irene Windler’s follower?”

The gray-haired student thought.

Something was wrong.

This wasn’t the intended story.

Something had gone awry.

“Why? Where did things go wrong…?”

The gray-haired student continued pondering, and then…

“Student, what are you doing there?”

“Wh-what?!”

“…You were talking to yourself. Is there a problem?”

“N-no, not at all.”

“Really? Oh! Perhaps you’re interested in becoming an assistant! If so, I recommend becoming an assistant in the History Department! It’s a rewarding department with new study materials emerging every year!”

“Ah, no, I—”

“Come along! Let’s discuss the wonderful aspects of the History Department together!”

“Uh…”

The gray-haired student seemed to have some communication difficulties and had unfortunately caught the attention of a History Department professor who was not just enthusiastic but somewhat manic.

That day, the gray-haired student was unwillingly subjected to a five-hour lecture on “Why You Must Become a History Department Assistant.”

* * *

One week into the official start of the semester.

Though a short period, it could be an intensely rich time for some.

In that sense, Ihan was confident that the week he spent in the Swordsmanship Department was more intense than any other department.

‘I never knew teaching kids would be this difficult.’

A moment of newfound respect for the teachers who taught him in his previous life.

Ah, with some exceptions.

Those bastards who didn’t deserve the title of teacher.

“…If I met them now, I’d kill them all.”

“T-Turtle, sir.”

“Yes?”

“…Your muttering is a bit too loud.”

“…Oh.”

Only then did Ihan remember he was at a faculty meeting.

Some people were looking at him with trembling pupils, having apparently heard his muttering.

‘…Definitely getting ostracized now.’

Humbly acknowledging his mistake, Ihan sighed.

It wasn’t intentional.

Ihan decided to try explaining.

“…When I said ‘kill,’ I didn’t mean it like that. Just remembering some things that weren’t quite human.”

“I-I see.”

“It’s true.”

“Y-yes…”

“…”

Their faces showed complete disbelief.

The meeting room was quite large, packed with lecturers, professors, and instructors.

A total of 112 people.

Including the headmaster who was passionately delivering a speech, that made 113.

“—Esteemed faculty members. I am grateful for your presence. It is because of excellent resources like yourselves that excellent students are produced. Excellent students must become great treasures that contribute to the nation. Ah, speaking of treasures, when I was in the Ministry of State Affairs…”

He seemed to be in a world of his own.

He said he would just give a greeting, but he’d been going on for an hour already.

‘Didn’t he just say that line a moment ago?’

Feeling like he was listening to a loop recording, Ihan turned his attention to the faculty member who had spoken to him earlier.

“Excuse me, are meetings always like this?”

“…Well, it’s basically just listening to the headmaster speak. Any suggestions or concerns are usually directed to the vice-headmaster.”

Though still visibly afraid, the unnamed faculty member was fortunately a good person who answered his questions sincerely.

“So can I just leave?”

“Hmm, professors of a certain rank can skip these. The headmaster understands they have much research to do. But for everyone else, attendance is generally expected.”

“Why is that?”

“The headmaster is a former state councilor. He’s still an active Duke in his prime.”

“…Ah.”

That made sense.

Who would dare offend someone who, former position or not, had been among the top five most powerful figures in the kingdom?

…But someone had offended him during the entrance ceremony.

‘That was me?’

Hmm…

“Haha, don’t worry too much. The headmaster doesn’t really care about trivial matters.”

“I threw a lectern at him.”

“…Well, this is awkward to say, but incidents happen about once every three years. So, these are just occasional minor incidents.”

“…”

…So there were seniors before me.

A strange sense of kinship brought an involuntary smile to his face.

Apparently, throwing things when angry was universal regardless of where you were.

I’m not the only one.

“…Still, please be more careful next time. I rebuilt that lectern myself.”

“Ah, you did? Thank you. May I ask your name?”

“Hans Schmidt. I’m an instructor in the Metallurgy Department and also the vice-head of the Metallurgy Guild.”

“Impressive.”

“Haha, it’s nothing special.”

Nothing special, indeed.

Just because Hans is a common name doesn’t mean he should be underestimated.

Being the vice-head of the Metallurgy Guild means he’s at least a top-tier craftsman.

For someone who uses blades, this is a valuable connection to establish.

This academy is truly interesting.

‘To think my neighbor is a top-tier blacksmith, amazing.’

It’s like having Jang Yeong-sil as a colleague.

Amused by the situation, Ihan smiled slightly and asked:

“Do you happen to know any glassmakers? I’m running out of tableware at home and need something sturdy.”

“…You’re an unusual one. When knights meet me, they immediately ask me to forge swords.”

“A sword is a sword. As long as it cuts well and is durable, that’s all that matters. It would be a shame to lose or break an expensive one.”

“…You really are unusual, haha.”

He’s different from those who constantly demand swords.

This left a good impression on Hans, who began to think Ihan wasn’t as violent as he seemed.

“So, will you introduce me to a glassmaker or not?”

“…Buy me a meal sometime. Then I’ll introduce you.”

“Gladly.”

Ihan and Hans bumped fists lightly.

Ihan had successfully made a connection.

Then:

“By the way, Instructor Hans. There’s something I’m curious about right now. May I ask one question?”

“Ask away.”

“Someone has been glaring at me for a while now. Who is that person?”

Ihan asked politely, still maintaining his smile.

Hans gave a bitter smile in response.

He must have recognized the face Ihan was referring to.

“…Hmm. Did you perhaps make a mistake with that person?”

“Not at all. This is my first time seeing them.”

“…Then it would be best to avoid them.”

“Why is that?”

“That person is…”

After Hans’s explanation:

“…I see.”

A cold sneer formed on Ihan’s lips, and he made a gesture of covering his nose.

‘No wonder I kept smelling that nauseating stench nearby…’

—Ha.

So there was a spellcaster here.