Chapter 4

Premus Academy.

Its reputation and influence are so high that they can’t even be compared to other academies—truly the first academy of the continent.

It’s almost impossible to find a major royal figure who isn’t from Premus, making its status unshakable. A treasure trove of connections bound by Premus alumni ties, transcending geography and bloodlines alike.

Thus, even the professors are held to an extraordinary standard.

Cultivating talents worthy of the name Premus is no easy feat for just anyone.

So, when Orpheon recommended me as a professor at Premus, Isabel’s eyes sparkled as she bombarded me with questions.

“Didn’t you say you studied under Grandmaster before coming here?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“So how much have you studied? 50 books? 100?”

“…I haven’t counted, so I don’t know.”

“Wow…”

And then came her admiring gaze.

Trusting my words entirely, Isabel added that I must be incredible.

Of course, she’s still young and pure; she doesn’t yet realize what it means for someone who hasn’t published a single proper paper to be nominated as a professor—it’s basically a nepotism landing spot.

Still, there is Orpheon’s recommendation—a force not to be underestimated. Someone like him, who is practically an ancient dragon, wouldn’t recommend just anyone.

‘Still, I should probably at least go through some kind of interview…’

The process or test to become a professor at Premus wasn’t particularly concerning.

After all, I’ve spent most of my life teaching, and I think I’m capable enough to teach students.

Teaching others has never been unfamiliar to me.

But…the results of my teaching…

‘He tried to swindle children, so I just severed his tendons—’

‘While wrestling with the Orc King, he snapped his spine—’

‘His spy kept watching my room, so I just used vision-stealing magic—’

‘This elixir explodes 10 seconds after drinking! Mix it into wine, and it’ll cleanly blow anyone away without leaving evidence—’

To put it bluntly, it’s disastrous.

Maybe I don’t just lack teaching talent—I might actually be in negative territory.

‘All four of them managed to survive somewhere without getting beaten up too badly…’

At this point, a reasonable suspicion arises: maybe the problem wasn’t with my students but with me.

Now, the only way to confirm that seems to be taking on new students at Premus, as Orpheon suggested. It’s truly…

“What are you thinking about?”

“Hmm, just reminiscing. Old memories.”

Anyway, tomorrow I’ll leave this grand mansion and board the train to Premus with Orpheon.

After spending enough time together to relax and chat casually, I bid farewell to Isabel.

“I’ll write letters often once I’m at Premus.”

“Huh? Letters? Why?”

“Um, because we won’t see each other frequently from now on?”

Though our connection won’t completely break,

we won’t meet as often as we did before since we’ll only see each other during academy vacations.

So, I gently explained that as a professor at Premus, I’d be spending all day there…

-GAAAHK!

“…I want to come too.”

“Where?”

“To Premus.”

In her pajamas, Isabel buried her face in my chest and started whining.

She clearly didn’t want to part with me.

Still, I thought I could soothe her like I had done with past students long ago.

Even when the maid tried to take Isabel back to her room, saying it was time for bed, Isabel pleaded to spend one more night together.

However, hours later, when Isabel had quietly fallen asleep in my arms despite slightly puffy eyes,

and just as Orpheon arrived to pick me up as promised yesterday…

“Grandmaster! GRANDMASTER!”

Isabel, trembling and unable to meet Orpheon’s eyes properly, grabbed his sleeve.

Then, glancing briefly at me…

“Please… let me attend the academy too!”

Clearly showing no intention of saying goodbye to me.

Still, I was surprised that she dared to beg Orpheon. She must really care about me?

Curious to see how Orpheon would reject Isabel’s request,

his response was shockingly positive instead of negative.

“Well, sure. If you want to go, you can.”

“?!”

Completely taken aback by this unexpected answer, I questioned Orpheon’s intentions.

Though I had to use honorifics since Isabel was present, stopping whatever strange plan Orpheon was hatching felt more urgent.

“Grandmaster, Isabel isn’t qualified to be a professor—”

“Definitely not.”

“…Then why?”

“She can be a student, no problem.”

You insane lizard!

I barely managed to swallow those words but forced a smile and pulled Orpheon aside into the nearby empty room to confront him.

“If you give her something to look after, you won’t waste time on nonsense, right?”

“Nonsense?”

“Just stay at Premus. Don’t go around seeking trouble with kids.”

Orpheon admitted that allowing Isabel to come along was simply to tie me down to Premus.

Feeling somewhat pricked by guilt, I averted my eyes while denying his claim.

“…I wasn’t planning to do that.”

“You’re lying. Your mana is shaking.”

“Don’t use your Insight on things like this!”

“Why should I stop using my own eyes?”

“…Damn lizard…”

Once again, I fell into Orpheon’s trap.

There was no denying that someday I’d end up appearing before my students. Absolutely none.

Thus, Isabel’s luggage ended up loaded onto the carriage as well.

My adoptive father and Isabel’s biological father, Duben Yurt, raised no objections this time either.

Thanks to that, after Isabel and Duben exchanged their goodbyes, I sighed deeply as Isabel finally climbed aboard the carriage “with” me.

No matter what Orpheon said, shouldn’t he at least worry about Isabel? He’s basically telling me to die if he says so.

“Haa…”

“…Lether, do you not want to be with me?”

“No, it’s just that I’m worried about you. You get carsick easily, remember?”

When I noticed Isabel’s slightly hurt expression, I scrambled to come up with excuses.

Regardless, it’s already decided that this girl will become an academy student.

And then, sitting across from me, the ill-tempered Grandmaster stared intently at me.

-GAAAHK!

“This is why I brought Isabel along. Honestly, you’re such a coward.”

While pretending to pinch my cheeks like rice cakes, he acted as if he were genuinely concerned for me.

I barely resisted the urge to punch his smug face.

By the time we reached halfway to the station where the Premus-bound train departs,

I was deep in thought about the subject I’ll be teaching—”Design of Mana”—when I noticed Isabel had suddenly grown quiet.

Looking at her cautiously, suspecting something was wrong…

“…Ugh.”

“…Are you feeling very dizzy?”

“I-I can endure it!”

Clearly, she was suffering from motion sickness.

Exactly as I feared.

Due to protective measures preventing teleportation magic near the academy’s coordinates,

Isabel would have to endure motion sickness both in this carriage and on the Premus-bound train.

So, I eventually asked Isabel to lie down gently on my lap.

Then, summoning mana softly…

“『Sleep』”

I half-forced her to sleep as her complexion turned pale.

At least she wouldn’t feel dizzy while resting on my lap.

Only, Orpheon silently watched me once again, causing me to snap.

“What now?”

Speaking curtly, but this lizard seemed off somehow.

“You two really remind me of my sisters. They were the same.”

A family story long lost to time thanks to Revivification spells.

Until we reached the station, I could only stroke Isabel’s sleeping head in silence.

…How dare he bring up family matters.

***

Behaving unusually cautious.

The sight of the silent girl caused the ancient dragon to muse over these thoughts.

Asher Astoria.

No, Lether Yurt. To her, the current Orpheon was undoubtedly an irritating existence, yet she never crossed certain lines.

This was common among those who encountered sages.

As long as the sage wasn’t hostile, they wouldn’t show enmity or distance themselves first.

Such selflessness irritated Orpheon greatly.

It seemed foolish and pitiful.

Still, precisely because of this foolishness being uniquely tied to the sage Orpheon knew…

“Grandmaster. Hurry.”

Upon boarding the academy-bound train, moments later it was attacked.

Despite acting unnaturally polite with respectful speech, Orpheon reluctantly gave in to her youthful gaze.

“Hmph…”

Soon, the heavy aura of the ancient dragon spread throughout the chaotic train interior.

An oppressive presence that made anyone who sensed it instinctively shiver took hold.

「■─!──!!!」

-Crack.

Transforming into his true draconic pride, splitting cracks appeared everywhere, forcing both attackers and passengers to kneel.

Masses of mana began enveloping the exterior of the train as the commotion subsided.

“『Gravity』”

“『Reverse』”

From the young girl’s lips, two incantations rang out, and vast clusters of mana lit up.

Moments later, the massive train began slowly ascending into the air.

Minutes earlier, the train had derailed due to an unknown attack, but now it floated freely in the sky.

Replacing the useless tracks, a path through the skies guided the train toward the academy.

“…I’ll need to explain this to the Dean first.”

“At least we’ve made quite the impression.”