Ch.563I Should Work as Much as I’m Paid.

I threw away the dignity of a Grand Duchess as Frider practically sprawled across my sofa while recounting recent events.

She complained about how the northern wall reconstruction costs were draining Faelrun’s treasury, and how my newly built northern mansion had been completed with such anti-werebeast features. Just trivial chatter like that.

From her description, it sounded like the place was practically upholstered with werebeast hides. Curtains made of werebeast skin, carpets of werebeast skin, even the sofas and beds made of werebeast skin.

At this rate, my mansion probably had a higher concentration of werebeasts than their own settlements. It seemed like the place would reek of werebeast the moment you stepped inside.

Apparently, they had even selected the better-preserved werebeast taxidermies and arranged them like statues, with a stuffed Rurik placed in my bedroom.

“Why would you put something like that there? It’ll give me nightmares…”

I might end up destroying my bed in my sleep if that thing appeared in my dreams.

“Isn’t it natural to display valuable game in your bedroom?”

“That’s usually limited to mounting deer, wolf, or bear heads, not displaying entire stuffed werewolves…”

“Well, my late mother did.”

Are you playing the mother card here?

How underhanded to bring up deceased family members. Is this even allowed?

“…Come to think of it, I suppose that makes sense. Northern knights wouldn’t consider bears worthy game. Right. Werebeasts are at least decoration-worthy.”

I quickly corrected myself while breaking into a cold sweat. One had to be careful not to instantly become trash in her eyes.

—-

After enthusiastically describing the mansion’s structure, Frider finally returned to the Special Dormitory after lunch.

She used to eat alone just fine before, but I guess it wasn’t by choice—she simply had no friends. Even now, it seemed she had no friends besides us.

Perhaps people kept their distance after she reached the Master level.

The already small number of Special Dormitory residents had drastically decreased. Lacy, Perneisia, Asha and I had left, and Evian was the kind of person better off not existing in the first place.

I thought at least Kalix would be there, but he’d gone back to participate in the Four Nations War.

With the political situation in turmoil due to war, other races weren’t sending new special admission students either, so the Special Dormitory had essentially become Frider’s private mansion.

I heard Agnes was moving in though… Since she’s a saint of the Church of Menes, which specializes in werebeast slaughter, she might get along well with Frider. They might even turn the Special Dormitory into a werebeast corpse exhibition.

Anyway, I refined my lecture content with Leonore and Nigel’s help. Since I was teaching game tricks and tips, there might be differences from actual combat.

“Miss, where on earth did you learn all this?”

“It’s an unusual approach… but seems practical.”

Fortunately, both gave positive feedback, though they questioned whether some tricks were actually possible.

And so, two days later, my lecture day finally arrived.

—-

For this special occasion, I wore the professor’s formal uniform provided by the academy instead of my usual Ka’har attire.

It was an elegant yet splendid outfit—a long black uniform reaching my ankles with gold buttons and belt, topped with a black cape coat decorated with gold thread.

It felt a bit confining after getting used to Hersella’s clothes, but unlike the overtly barbaric Ka’har attire, it had a refined military elegance that I found quite satisfactory.

“You look amazing, sis!”

Lena was absolutely delighted.

“You really do look like a professor dressed like that. They say clothes make the person, but this isn’t just taking flight—it’s full ascension.”

Leonore also expressed admiration, placing her hand on her chin and nodding while looking me up and down. I couldn’t tell if she was complimenting or teasing me.

She should learn from Nigel. He showered me with pure praise, saying it suited me perfectly. Whether it was loyalty-driven flattery or genuine appreciation, I couldn’t tell.

—-

With lecture materials in one hand and a cigarette in the other, I headed toward the academy’s main hall.

“Professor, could it be…!”

As always, I could feel all eyes focusing on me.

“The Sword of the Starry Sky. The Empire’s strongest swordsman, Baron Median…!”

“So cool…!”

The difference from before was that fearful and wary gazes had been replaced with admiration and reverence. Especially the new students, regardless of gender, looked at me with the same eyes as Lena.

This was all the result of my efforts.

I couldn’t help but smile with newfound satisfaction. I fluttered my coat dramatically and walked down the academy path with the coolest expression I could manage, cigarette in mouth.

[What are you doing?]

Hersella seemed unable to appreciate this coolness and mocked me with a tone of disdain, but I didn’t care.

A child who shamelessly spouts embarrassing lines about celestial horses wouldn’t understand style. Students that age admire this kind of atmosphere.

Beast women might only appeal to certain tastes, but a cool, mature, sophisticated beauty is universally appealing in any era. Just listen to the squealing female students all around.

In the past, I would have been embarrassed by such attention and wouldn’t have intentionally emphasized my appearance, but now that I was used to it, I welcomed it as long as people didn’t become annoying.

The human heart is greatly influenced by appearance. That’s an absolute truth applicable to any relationship.

In other words, even if the lecture is a bit clumsy, if the professor is beautiful, people will think “that’s understandable” and let it slide!

Wasn’t it the same in my previous life? The same foolish action would be considered endearing if backed by good looks, but would be treated with contempt otherwise.

Except in extreme situations where bullets and lives are at stake, there’s hardly any asset better than appearance.

—-

And so, I stood before four hundred students as a professor. When I flung open the front doors of the hall, the noisy auditorium instantly fell silent.

I heard that students from all departments and years had signed up, and the spacious hall seemed completely packed. Some familiar faces from my year were present, as was Frider.

…If I messed up this lecture, I’d be ridiculed for a decade.

I took a deep drag from my cigarette to calm my nerves and walked to the center of the stage.

A small podium stood at the center, with a massive blackboard hanging on the wall behind it.

I wonder why they made it so large when they don’t even have technology like PowerPoint. It seems impossible for anyone but a giant to reach the top of that blackboard.

“Phew…”

As I exhaled smoke and placed my lecture materials on the podium, the students began murmuring again, though much more quietly than before.

Hearing reactions about how different I was from rumors and expressions of anticipation, it seemed my appearance had passed the test.

I cleared my throat, looked at them directly, and announced the beginning of the lecture.

“Ah, ah. Pleased to meet you, cadets. I am Honorary Professor Haschal, in charge of the newly established ‘Introduction to Hostile Species Response.'”

My tongue felt like it would go numb from speaking politely to these weaklings who were much younger than me, but it was a respectful self-introduction befitting a first lecture.

“Though it’s a brief four-day lecture, I look forward to working with you.”

Cheers and applause followed.

—-

I waited for the applause to die down while smoking my cigarette, then spoke again when their reaction quieted.

“The purpose of this lecture is to teach you, who are taking your first steps as combat personnel of the Empire, the techniques to easily slaughter all beings that threaten humanity.”

“Isn’t that duplicating the content of regular lectures?”

A question flew at me as soon as I stated the purpose.

Kids these days are bold. I don’t remember giving anyone permission to question me. I glanced over to see who it was—a female student who clearly looked like she had just enrolled.

She wore the Magic Department uniform with pigtails and glasses, giving off a strict honor student vibe. She didn’t seem to be nobility, and judging by her glasses, perhaps the child of a wealthy merchant.

As expected of a freshman, she didn’t look particularly skilled. Just a flick of my finger could make her head explode along with her mana barrier.

Anyway, since I received a question, I should at least answer it.

“As you pointed out, there may be some overlap with regular lectures, but there will also be content you won’t hear in those classes. What you gain from my lecture depends on you.”

“Is it true that you cut the sky with your sword?”

“Could you show us just once?”

“How do we surpass the Master level?”

…Was answering a mistake?

Since I responded willingly, they seemed to think it was okay to ask all sorts of questions, and student inquiries poured down like a waterfall.

“What’s your relationship with Sir Ceylon from the Holy State—”

Someone was even trying to pry into my personal life. What kind of bastard is that?

I clicked my tongue without answering and chewed on my cigarette.

I thought the commotion would die down if I remained silent, but perhaps due to their youthful vigor, they showed no signs of quieting down.

My peers who knew my temperament well were keeping their mouths shut while watching my expression, but the freshmen who had just entered the academy full of pride, and the third-years who had only heard tales of my exploits, continued to shower me with questions.

“Silence.”

“Why did you abandon Ka’har and defect to the Empire—”

…These bastards can’t take a hint.

“I said silence.”

I raised my right hand like a blade and swung it behind me, imbuing it with the principle of vacuum blade, the art of cutting through air.

– CRACK!

The invisible slash extending from my fingertips struck the blackboard hanging on the wall. The blackboard split in half and crashed to the stage floor with a heavy thud.

“……”

The audience fell silent at once.

The Knight Department, Magic Department, even the professors—all blinked in surprise at the technique I had demonstrated, staring only at the shattered blackboard.

Finally, some peace and quiet.

“I came here to lecture, not to attend a hearing. Therefore, I will only permit questions from those who understand the principle behind the technique I just demonstrated. If you don’t understand it, keep your mouth shut and listen.”

I lowered my right hand, which was tingling and numb, while giving the students a cold look.

This technique—while it was good to demonstrate it barehanded to establish dominance, I had forgotten that using it with any sword other than Durandal would shatter the blade.

…I almost had all my finger bones crushed. Saved by divine protection.