episode_0040

Fortunately, the woman who identified herself as the department head quickly left.

She pointed out that my attitude towards the instructor was disrespectful, and that disrupting the instructor’s lecture was illogical.

A tactical retreat for a greater advance.

After the lecture ended and the cadets began to leave the classroom one by one, she attacked again.

Of course, I don’t mean she literally attacked; I mean she persistently clung to me and started buzzing around me.

I gathered my bag and slung it over my left shoulder, glasses on my right, happily walking out of the classroom.

“Narias Philbrog!!”

The noise pollution began.

“Yes, yes. Hello.”

For me, still with a bit of a headache, it was the most polite greeting I could manage.

I was also still half-asleep.

“You, you… didn’t you hear what I said earlier…?”

“What did you say?”

“I- I… the department head…? Why is your attitude like that!!”

I couldn’t understand what this woman was talking about.

“What attitude?”

“Yo- your tone right now…! Your half-hearted posture, gaze, expression! Everything makes it seem like you’re not respecting me, but looking down on me…!!”

I opened my eyes halfway and looked around.

The cadets walking nearby smiled at me, but their expressions showed they didn’t want to get involved in my situation.

Did I do something wrong…?

After confirming the department head’s negative image from the other cadets’ reactions, and roughly judging her character…

I didn’t want to change my attitude just because she was difficult to deal with.

Even if this department head was someone great, that doesn’t necessarily mean I had to show her respect, does it?

To me, she was nothing more than what I saw before me: young and pretty, yet malicious and obsequious.

So I just lay down.

Of course, I didn’t literally lie on the floor; I just showed that kind of attitude.

“No, I’m not ignoring you. Haaaa—a—a—a—awn.”

“You ARE ignoring me!!!”

When I yawned, covering half my mouth, the department head stomped her foot and started to get angry.

I waved at the passing cadets.

“But… they’re all the same, why are you only doing this to me? Do you have some kind of grudge?”

“Don’t look at me like I’m a foolish person swayed by such petty emotions!!”

“That’s exactly what you’re doing right now.”

“Grrrrrr—!!”

It was a little funny to see a grown adult blushing and unable to control their temper.

On the other hand, her face was somewhat youthful, making her cute.

It was like seeing Yuri as a child, with her rich emotional expressions.

However, the department head seemed to notice the attention of those around her and calmed down a bit.

“Whew… Anyway, falling asleep in class without any reason is something a department head cannot overlook, for the sake of the academy’s reputation!”

“I was resting because my head hurt.”

“Really…?!”

When I touched my forehead, she seemed to forget our previous conversation, approaching me to check my complexion.

“Did you eat properly? How about sleep? Are you resting properly? Are you taking—”

……

Even the cadets watching from afar held their breath as if it were planned. Yuri and I froze in shock.

A red blush reappeared on the department head’s pale face.

“Grr… To elicit sympathy and lower my guard… such a cowardly tactic!!”

“I didn’t do that…”

“Re- regardless… we’ll see about this, Narias Philbrog!!”

Bang! Bang!

Making a mess of the hallway, she hurriedly left with a bright red face.

Yuri and I looked at each other, tilting our heads in confusion. We watched the department head’s retreating figure.

“Ah, there you are! Cadet Narias.”

*Tap!*

The figure stopped abruptly the moment a familiar voice called out from behind.

“Ah, Professor Priest.”

“How have you been? You look unwell.”

“I’m fine. Thanks to the materials you sent, my training is progressing smoothly.”

“That’s good to hear.”

During our usual conversation…

In the distance, the person who had run away turned around and ran towards us.

*Tap tap tap tap!*

“Tea—cher—!”

The department head ran like a child and threw herself into Professor Priest’s arms.

“Teacher…!!”

“Oh my, Ria—no, Amelia, department head… There are people watching…”

“Sniff…”

What…?

Suddenly cute?

The way she ran and clung to him, like a small puppy, reminded me of Yuri.

For a moment, Amelia nuzzled her cheek against the professor’s chest, before regaining her composure.

“Cr- crhm… So, what brings you here? Pr…ofessor Pr…iest?”

I stared intently at her.

Just do what you always do, what was it? Tea-cher…? Teacher…?

“Ah, I also wanted to give you some reference materials and have some tea.”

*Pout*

Amelia puffed out her cheeks.

“Today is our tea day!”

“I see the department head every day… We had tea yesterday too.”

What? I saw you yesterday?

I thought it was a teacher-student reunion after years of separation.

Ignoring the pouting Amelia, Professor Priest asked me.

“Do you have time?”

“Yes, of course. Yuri, are you free as well?”

“Yes, I’d like to.”

She looked at Yuri with a gentle gaze.

“I believe she’s your sister? I’ll take you to a nice tea house. Follow me.”

The three of us headed towards the main street.

.

.

.

But one more followed.

“Grrrr…”

What is she doing…?

Professor Priest and I were sitting opposite each other at a large round table, exchanging documents, discussing how we’ve been, and various information. Next to us, a fierce-looking dog was sitting, glaring at me.

“You seem very close?”

“Yes, well. Ria’s mother was my teacher, so naturally, I also came to teach Ria. Since she was very young.”

“Mother?”

Mother? Mother… Now that I think about it, that woman looks like someone I know.

Her face is very familiar.

Who is it… who was it…?

Before I could find the answer, Professor Priest gave me the answer first.

“Didn’t you know? Amelia Freid.”

“Freid… Ah!”

“She’s Dean Natalya Freid’s daughter.”

Ah, that’s right!

It began to click.

The round glasses and silvery gray hair. The clean skin and slender face were exactly like the Dean I saw then.

“What are you looking at?”

……

Though the content was completely opposite.

Amelia just kept growling at me.

“My mother and teacher are kind enough to overlook you, but I, Department Head Amelia, will not offer you any unnecessary favors—”

*Thwack!*

“Ow, wh—why, Teacher!”

“What nonsense is this, Ria. You don’t provide unnecessary favors.”

She grabbed her smacked head and pointed to the documents scattered on the table.

“Then what is this! Why are you giving your old research documents to this person so easily!”

“That’s because… Cadet Narias provided the final piece to this research.”

The professor earnestly scolded the dog beside her.

“No way…! You said that was gone from this world! It’s a lie…?”

The professor shook her head.

Amelia looked at me with a dumbfounded expression, and I shrugged.

Then, tears welled up in her eyes.

“No, it can’t be… someone like him…”

Even if you deny it, the truth won’t change~

With that thought on my face, I smirked.

“Anyway, I finished the verification using the equipment brought from the magic tower. It made my paper almost perfect. Thank you so much, Cadet Narias.”

“My pleasure. It was just something I happened to obtain.”

Professor Priest, who had finally finished her long research, looked tearful with emotion.

I didn’t overstep any boundaries.

It was all her work, and I merely put the final period to her long journey.

We shared our joy as companions who had shared that final moment.

However, her dog seemed to be upset again.

“Teacher is making such an expression…”

“Oh my, I’m crying…”

Beside Professor Priest, who couldn’t control her tears of joy, Amelia, regaining composure of her crumbling heart. stared at me.

“Give back our teacher!!”

“What is it, Ria?”

“Don’t call me Ria!!”

Give back my teacher…? Did I take something from you?

But finally, I seem to have figured out why Ria kept clinging to me.

“You’re jealous, aren’t you?”

“Hmph… No!! That’s not it!!”

Yuri grabbed the hem of her skirt from beside me.

“Jealousy? I’m an expert when it comes to—”

“No, that’s not it, Yuri.”

“How about a bout of jealousy tonight?”

“You’re impossible… I give up. What should we eat for dinner?”

Since the time was ripe, I started to tidy up with Yuri.

“We should be going now. If anything else comes up, please contact us.”

“Okay. When next we meet, I’ll offer you some good wine so please look forward to it.”

“Thank you kindly. We’ll go now.”

After a brief farewell, we turned and left the cafe.

“Hey, you—! You’re ignoring me?! Stop right there?!”

.

.

.

That happened a few days ago.

The person with the motive, the reason, and, crucially, the authority, to mess with my exam questions.

That’s Department Head Amelia, and her alone.

“Two hours remaining.”

Swish—Swish—

While the cadets diligently worked on their exam papers, I pondered over this extremely difficult, special exam paper.

Should I object, saying it’s biased?

No, Amelia might have come up with something else.

Should I just give up?

No… if I did, completing chapter 2 would be impossible.

I smirked.

It was because Amelia’s contorted face flashed through my mind.

To forgive her underhanded tricks, I came up with two ways to act as humbly as possible.

But those were both rejected.

So, I chose the final method.

It was difficult, but I was never said it was impossible to solve.