EDPEN 17

Chapter 17

The entire Haven was in an uproar.

“Chief professor?!”
“A rookie?”

What is this supposed to mean?
The professors felt as if a lightning bolt had struck them all at once. They were so shocked that, as soon as they left the president’s office, they rushed straight to the Demon Hunting Studies department.
The teaching assistant was breaking a sweat because it almost felt like a sit-in protest by the professors.

“Are you sure the president really said that?”
“Yes. Unlike before, the students aren’t refusing classes… so they said we should recognize the new professor as a full-time Demon Hunting Studies professor.”
“Then why the chief professor position?”
“Well—since Demon Hunting Studies professors traditionally also serve as chief professors, it wouldn’t be unusual…”

The professors couldn’t stop themselves from gaping.
Well, technically, that wasn’t wrong…

“Of course, they said it with a smile, so it might just be a joke, right?”
“Even if it’s a joke, this is too much…!”

It felt as if the message was: “If you’re going to complain, why didn’t you fight the students as actively as Professor Wayne did?”

“So don’t worry. Officially, Professor Wayne is a Demon Hunting Studies professor, but he hasn’t actually taken the chief professor seat yet…”
“So that alone is a problem now!”

The assistant was startled by the professors’ complaints.
And rightly so…

“The Demon Hunting Studies professor seat is practically the representative position of all Haven professors.”
“If we stay idle, he might actually become the chief professor.”

No, the real culprit was elsewhere. If only the students withdrew their approval, they could reclaim the Demon Hunting Studies professor seat.
And, sure enough…

“The students won’t just accept a Demon Hunting Studies professor quietly.”
“Right. I know their personalities. They’re definitely planning revenge—”
“Crucially, the students are writing reflection essays.”

…What?
Three words that should never appear left the professors even more stunned.

“Reflection essays? They’re writing them?”

The rascals who only knew apology as fruit juice?
And not just any rascals.

“Wasn’t today’s class the ‘Goldmoon’ students?”
“Yes. All nobles, who usually treat professors like servants…”

What did they even do on the rooftop for those annoying students to be writing reflection essays?
The professors couldn’t help but be suspicious.

“Are those really reflection essays?”
“Yes, I picked some up from the trash…”
“What do they say?”

The assistant brought out a piece of parchment that seemed to have been discarded midway through writing and read aloud:

“‘I don’t want to return to the soil just yet.’”

…Return to the soil?
Did the way they subdued the students on the rooftop involve transformation magic?

“‘The sight you showed in person, Professor, I will never forget even in death…’?”

…What did they transform into that terrified them so much?

‘Could it be something beyond what a Transfiguration professor could do?’
‘Did he really have that level of skill?’

No, that wasn’t the important part.

“A rookie, and he’s already chief professor! Do you know what kind of seat that is?”

No wonder Haven was a workplace all professors aspired to.

“The chief advisor to the army’s top hero! Essentially, the commander of the entire headquarters!”
“Calm down. He hasn’t been confirmed as chief professor yet.”

Then someone said:

“…Well, it’s not impossible. Demon Hunting Studies is that kind of department. Honestly, I’m relieved he taught that gatekeeper a lesson…”
“No! That’s unrelated! The chief professor isn’t a person’s name! How could the board allow that?”
“Well, fortunately, the board members aren’t in Haven right now.”

From the army’s top hero to the rest of the board, they were usually away commanding land, sea, and air forces.

‘I heard they’re tracking fireflies…’

When they occasionally returned, they always asked if any capable students had passed through the front gate. This time, one had.

“He may be a rookie, so chief professor might be a stretch, but he’s definitely confirmed as department head.”

At that, professors preparing evaluations grabbed their heads.
Being department head alone was a major responsibility. It was surprising that a rookie was immediately hired as an associate professor, let alone department head.
The department head represented the pillars of Haven professors.

“Wow… Professor Carlon, who’s the other department head, must feel stung.”
“He’s the one who brought the rookie into Demon Hunting Studies, right?”
“Hasn’t he been eyeing this seat for years?”
“Oh dear…”

Sighs echoed throughout.

“Was it blackmail by Lucius Wayne?”

The Goldmoon students were flustered.
They knew the professors would be furious, but they hadn’t expected Professor Carlon to appear.
Students eating in the cafeteria felt like choking at the sight of the professors.
And not just any professor—a department head, specifically Carlon, notorious for harsh punishment.
Ice-cold expression and an overbearing personality were the basics. Add taking students’ abilities as punishment, and no one dared protest. Luckily, the instigator was a royal descendant; otherwise, they wouldn’t have survived.

“Just tell the truth.”

At Carlon’s interrogation, the third-year students, including the class president, just rolled their eyes.
The professors were frustrated.

‘The class president isn’t someone to be easily intimidated.’

Haven had six class presidents, all top students. Yet, they submitted willingly… Wayne must have used some serious trick.

“Did Lucius Wayne threaten you in the name of his family?”

The class president was from a noble family but of lower rank than the great Duke Wayne. Maybe the name ‘Wayne’ scared them.

“If your tiny families were threatened—”

Class president Noah’s expression was priceless. Threatened by a family? Ha. That wouldn’t even scare him.
Instead, thinking of Lucius Wayne made Noah recoil. While the magic breaking was one thing, the reason he didn’t retaliate against Wayne was another.

‘He was about to turn us into plants.’

Noah remembered Wayne carefully carrying flowerpots in class. So he had asked out of curiosity if this crazy guy was secretly a cute plant butler.

“Professor? What’s that plant?”
“Ginseng.”

Ginseng?
…Ginseng?
…Human…?

‘…Could that really be a person?!’

It really looked like a person.

“It just moved!”

And when the ginseng received attention from the students, it wriggled excitedly. They were terrified.
Not only that, Lucius quickly shoved the ginseng back into the pot and—

“Better return to your original form quickly.”

—coldly threatened them. The students were petrified.

‘Damn… this crazy professor actually turns people into plants and carries them around?’

No, no. He specialized in healing, so the plant might be a cursed patient or something with a deeper story…

“If you escape here, you’ll immediately be ground into medicine.”

…Story my foot! He was clearly going to make them into medicine!
The students were terrified in a completely different sense.

‘The family doesn’t matter now!’
‘A person… a person into medicine…’

Even imagining using a branding mask, he was the kind to make someone jump off the rooftop.

‘Plausible enough…’
‘The old saying goes: just avoid a madman.’
‘Even professors should probably steer clear of this new professor…’

But the professors, unaware, kindly reached out.

“We want to help you.”
“If the new professor has wronged you, tell us. We’ll punish him instead.”

The third-year students looked at the professors with disgust. When they tried to speak up, the professors ignored them.

“We have nothing to say!”

As the students rushed off to eat, the professors watched Carlon closely.
Carlon coldly muttered:

“Prepare for the professor test you were supposed to conduct.”
“Yes.”
“And contact the princess.”

The assistant who accompanied him was shocked. Test aside, contact the instigator?

“But the magic is broken… without a mark, we can’t harm Professor Wayne.”
“Do you really believe that? There’s no way the princess’s mark isn’t there.”

This was a true ‘unsolvable problem’ even for the professors.

Ginseng burst out laughing.

“Causing trouble while I’m away! And demanding 100x compensation for clothes? Planning to claim retirement pay? Calm down, ha ha ha!”
“…Quiet, please.”

Lucius, sitting in the professor lounge, rubbed his forehead.

“So what. Haven paid the toll upfront anyway.”
“If we don’t get the professor’s office, it’s meaningless.”

Originally…

‘The toll was already mostly spent on scholarships. Even half of it isn’t much.’

Ginseng agreed and skimmed the check contents.

“True. Toll money is tiny… huh!”

For some reason, Ginseng boss was surprised by the toll amount. Lucius clicked his tongue.

‘Even if you asked for drinks, couldn’t afford it…’

But seeing the check, Lucius stiffened.

“Can’t buy it even now?”

…Crazy.
Union kids, how rich are they?
They said they almost spent it all on scholarships? And this is what ‘almost all’ looks like?

“…Why don’t you just keep being a Haven professor?”

Lucius rubbed his forehead.

‘Amount is high, but it’s not enough to pay debts. Maybe a bit of interest.’
“Who said to pay debts with this? If you also claim retirement pay, this money is purely yours!”

Ah. Such a good plan…?
Lucius was now even more conflicted. He needed to claim his retirement pay but ruined the class, so couldn’t get the professor’s office.

‘Got angry at the students’ childish words and… lost my composure…’

Should he try another entrance?

“Pfft. Targeting the military’s top-secret area?”

Lucius rubbed his forehead.
True, that place had the house’s trap devices.

‘Well, it was a temple, so there might be something special, but going alone is dangerous.’

Anyway, this blocked his chance to claim retirement pay…
Then,

“Professor.”

Two women quietly entered the lounge. Lucius frowned.

“What is it?”
“They requested the Demon Hunting Studies syllabus be uploaded.”
“Syllabus?”

Lucius looked puzzled.

“So they want me to continue teaching the class?”

The assistants flinched as if begging him not to.

“There were many inquiries at the assistant office! Asking what textbook Professor Wayne would use!”
“So, they want me to take the class?”
“Ah! Professor, please reconsider! They even asked if you had authored a textbook! All the department assistants were shocked!”

The assistants were frantic, but Lucius’s mind felt clear.
So… this means he can get the professor’s office? Not ruined?
Can he claim his retirement pay safely?
Why the students suddenly want to attend the class is curious, but is it really important?

‘Yes, the professor’s office… finally…!’

“But, Professor…”

Again with the interruptions! Why do these Union rascals keep toying around?
The assistants exchanged worried glances.

“Uh… that is…”
“Keep it short and simple.”

The assistants panicked under Lucius’s gaze.

“S-Sorry! Was everything okay after breaking the princess’s magic?”
“If there were a problem, the president said you’d be in danger, so it must be removed…”
“Ah.”

Problem, meaning the mark.
And the culprit was the princess?

“If that’s the case, no worries.”
“Ah, but that’s impossible…”

Lucius sighed, tired, and extended a hand.

“Check it yourself.”

The assistants carefully searched for the mark.
But their expressions grew strange.

“Why can’t I sense the mark? That’s impossible.”
“Professor… please remove your clothes!”
“…”

Fireflies… really. All this for a single safe.
In the end, the young assistants undressed Lucius, who stared at the ceiling emptily.
Moments later, the assistant inspecting Lucius was shocked.

“Gah, Professor… your body is… no, really, it’s gone?!”
“I said it’s gone.”

Lucius sighed.

“Do you understand now? No mark.”
“And if you remove the lower garments too…”
“…”

Snap!

Lucius flicked the assistant on the forehead.