༺ Intimidation ༻
“W-we’ve sent all reporters and civilians outside.”
“Now… you can come out.”
A somber stillness prevailed in the silent waiting room, and two knights entered and said.
– Ssrrk…
The student glaring at me rose from their seats and calmly left the waiting room.
‘Indeed, the elites are a bit different.’
I was seeing them for the first time, and I noticed something. Unlike my classmates among the nobles, who moved disorderly, they moved in an orderly fashion, like an army.
They made Frey think that the abilities of that year’s freshmen seemed remarkably outstanding.
Even if the Youngest Paladin—the God’s Vessel—and Aishi—the Demon Princess—were… Honestly, they weren’t as skilled as heroines, but they were undoubtedly the empire’s top talents.
“Frey.”
As I watched the students with a satisfied expression, I heard a familiar voice beside me.
“What, my dear little sister?”
“Shut up. I’m not your little sister anymore.”
My ever-cute and charming little sister stayed behind in the waiting room and talked to me for some reason.
“What did you do to the advisory committee?”
“I didn’t do anything. I just revealed a talent I didn’t know I had.”
“Nonsense. A ‘unanimous decision’ isn’t easy to get, you know?
She skillfully found the gap in my sly retort. Indeed, my sister was truly remarkable.
“Even if others could be bribed, how did you buy someone like Vener…”
“I just did it, that’s all.”
I interrupted her sharp questioning and then calmly turned around to speak.
“Come here.”
“…Yes.”
Vener approached me with a shameful expression.
“Hand.”
– Thud…!
I said that indifferently, and she blushed hard as she placed her hand on mine.
“Good girl.”
I patted her head with a bright smile, and Vener, who had lowered her head, quietly accepted my touch.
“….. Disgusting jerk.”
Aria, who had been watching me, became even colder.
She probably recalled the rumors circulating in the empire.
“Prepare yourself for next year’s judgment. I’ll make sure you pay for your crimes.”
She turned away as if she couldn’t stand me anymore and headed toward the exit of the waiting room.
“Hm…”
As I silently watched her, a sound came from the side.
– Relief, concern, joy, love, affection, relief… Only positive emotions gathered?
Turning my gaze, I saw Ruby propping her chin on her hand and looking at me.
– Do you cherish your sister a lot? But I can’t believe this. There is ‘obsession’ at the end, so your mental state isn’t stable either, huh?
It seemed she was scanning me with the ‘Mind Reading’ skill.
Now that it’s come to this, should I also try to probe her emotions?
No, there’s probably no need.
Looking at that smiling face, I could guess her emotions.
– By the way, do you know your sister was also on the advisory committee?
“Shut up.”
I whispered as I looked down at her with a cold expression. Ruby then added calmly.
– If I touch your sister… What kind of reaction will you show?
“You can’t attack my sister, can you?”
– Fufu… Just now, ‘wrath’ appeared in your emotions.
I didn’t think responding to her was worth it, so I ignored her and turned away. Ruby also got up while wearing a sickening smile.
“Well then, Professor, I’ll leave it to you for a…”
– Flick!
“…..!”
Ruby was about to go out after saying that, but when she suddenly heard the sound of snapping fingers from somewhere, she flinched and put her hand on her head.
“… “
Then, a brief silence ensued.
– Drrrkk…
“Phew.”
With her hand on her head, she scratched her head and went outside. My expressionless facade fell, and I sighed.
‘Whatever happens… I must protect my sister.’
My sister, Aria, is the only family I have left.
So, even if the world falls apart, I must protect her.
As an unfilial son who couldn’t protect his parents, it was my duty to save my sister at any cost.
“Excuse me.”
As such thoughts ran through my mind, I balled my fists and tried to control my emotions. Someone suddenly grabbed my sleeve and shook me.
“Hehe.”
“….?”
It turned out to be someone I had given a ring—the cute little girl.
“Hello, Professor?”
As I slightly loosened up my guard and cautiously looked at her, she spoke while wearing smiling eyes.
“You were really cool earlier!”
“……”
She was the third disciple of the Magic Tower Master and also her current disciple. For some reason, this girl always frowned whenever she saw Ruby.
She was an irregular, someone going against the norm.
Surprisingly, such a prominent figure wasn’t recorded in the prophecy. I had read the prophecy several times, but the name ‘Glare’ was nowhere to be found.
‘In that case… as expected…’
“……?”
As I stared at her, she looked up at me with wide-open eyes and soon tilted her head.
‘Is this kiddo the “one coincidence?”’
Only one thing could explain such a huge variable like her: DLC.
So, was this kiddo the key to a happy ending?
‘She seems too young for that… Nevertheless, she has already enrolled in the academy.’
The gazes concentrated on me from the front brought me out of my thoughts.
“……….”
When I turned my head, I saw some students who had remained in their seats, staring at me.
“Hmm.”
Most of these students had noticed that I hadn’t used up all my strength earlier.
– Ssrk…
Watching them silently, my eyes lit up, and I stepped forward.
‘Shall I use this opportunity to explore a bit?’
It’s time to verify how useful these guys are.
.
.
.
.
.
“Professor~! Where are you going?”
“…Stay away from me.”
“Ack.”
As I moved toward the students, I gently pushed aside the kiddo trailing behind me and spoke in a low voice.
“Why did you stay behind?”
“I’m trying to see what Professor is doing.”
Staring at me with wide eyes, Glare stuck close to me.
“Sigh…”
I’m not accustomed to unwarranted kindness from strangers.
I thought I could endure it to some extent since Serena had always shown me such kindness, but I was mistaken.
Ever since that kiddo grabbed my sleeve, I had been feeling this strange tingling all over my body.
“So… all of you won’t leave and will stay here, right?”
Turning my gaze away from her forcibly, I quietly asked the Horizon family twins, who had stayed at their desks until now.
“I doubt you can teach me anything.”
The younger sister gave an unexpectedly bold answer.
“I am not a fool. After experiencing your strength firsthand, I admit that you are strong.”
As I frowned a bit, she added with a rather displeased look.
“But do you have the academic knowledge to be called ‘Professor?’”
“Academic knowledge?”
“Yeah, are you proficient in academic and magic theories? Swordsmanship theories? Proficient enough to teach me?”
She sneered at me as she asked.
“All the professors at the academy are well-versed in those things. You just suppressed us with some power you acquired from who knows where, didn’t you?”
“Ask me anything; I’ll answer.”
“…What?”
She immediately broke into mocking laughter; soon, she adopted a cold expression again.
“The position of a professor is not a joke, Mr. Frey.”
“Hurry.”
“…Sigh.”
Finally, she sighed and asked in a low voice.
“Explain the difference between the mana circuits of humans and that of the demon race.”
“Quite a simple one.”
“Huh, simple, you say. As expected, it was just a bluff. The difference between the mana circuits of the two races was presented a few weeks ag—”
I just smirked; suddenly, she stopped speaking and stared blankly at my hands.
“Wait, is that… no way it could be…”
“On this hand, I’ve materialized the mana circuits of humans, and on the other, I have the demon race’s mana circuits. Why don’t you compare them directly?”
Mana circuits should be inside human bodies, but I had manifested them on my hands with Stellar Mana. Staring intently at the mana circuit, she soon spoke with a pale expression.
“Th-this is impossible. How can you artificially materialize mana circuits? I-if you release mana there, then…
– Crackle…
“….!”
She looked astounded as I activated the miniaturized mana circuits and let mana flow inside them.
“Wait, this is a groundbreaking… I-if we publish a paper on this, it will shake the academic community… Wait, does that mean you can manipulate its size and shape…?”
Her gaze shifted, and she began to reach out to the mana circuits.
‘Is this fascinating…?’
I felt sympathy for her passion for academic and theoretical research, but my private tutor was none other than Serena.
Moreover, with the memories of the previous cycles, my knowledge and theories were likely much more advanced than anyone else’s in the current world.
To Serena, manifesting mana circuits of different races was like a cakewalk. How in the world did she succeed at that age?
It took me a year just to follow along.
– Syuukk…!
A sharp blade struck my heart as I realized Serena’s greatness again.
– Crush!!
However, it was well within my expectations. I calmly blocked the knife with my left arm, letting the dagger penetrate it deeply.
“What are you trying to do?”
The attacker was the eldest daughter of the Horizon family.
“Don’t you tell us to defeat you, Professor?”
Unlike her sister, she was quite well-built with a proportionate physique. She also had short green hair and green eyes.
“So, I just tried that.”
She glared at me and quietly twisted the dagger.
“Uh, sister…?”
“…………..”
As the sound of something breaking rang from my left arm, her sister, who was beside her, turned pale. The others had mixed expressions.
“Is that so? Very well done.”
“…Ugh?”
As I praised her nonchalantly, she looked bewildered. Her expression turned contemptuous as a black aura began to seep from my arm and quickly wrapped around her arm.
– Kwakwang!!
“Kugh!!”
Coldly looking down at her, I grabbed her head and forcefully slammed it onto the desk.
“Sister!!”
Her sister jumped from the desk, and the remaining students widened their eyes.
“However… remember this from now on.”
Her arm was still enveloped in my dark aura, and I spoke in a low voice.
“Feel free to attack me anytime. But you have to stake your life on it.”
“……..”
“The intention to kill someone is no different from putting your own life at risk. Surely, no novice will try to take someone else’s life without risking their own, right?”
Silence filled the waiting room.
– Nods, nods…
‘…Ah, so cute.’
I almost failed to manage my expression as Glare nodded seriously from my side, her eyes sparkling. After regaining my composure, I continued.
“So, any student attempting and failing to kill me in the future… I’ll stigmatize them, signifying their end by my hands.”
– Srrrr…
As soon as I finished, a black stigma was engraved on the arm of the Horizon family’s eldest daughter.
“This is… sorcery…! It’s cheating!”
“…Ah.”
Her sister shouted in shock, and the eldest daughter glared at the stigma on her arm with disgust.
“So, is there anything wrong with that?”
“This is the forbidden stigma of slavery!! Of course, a teacher shouldn’t use…”
“The adversaries you’ll be facing would be part of the Demon King’s Army like me, the Demon King, demonic monsters, or warlocks. What’s stopping them from using sorcery?”
“………”
“And did I just hear you wrong?”
“Hegeuk!””
Making my voice sound even colder, I looked at her with a sharp gaze, catching her chin. She seemed frightened and slightly backed away. Then, I spoke in a low tone.
“Cheating?”
“……..”
“Do you think this is a prank?”
The atmosphere among the students became tense.
“Listen, the word ‘cheating’ doesn’t exist in an all-out battle.”
“Ugh… Ugh…”
Still holding her chin, I continued to advise the kids. I lowered my gaze and whispered.
“By the way, your chin is quite soft.”
“Ugh…”
“In the basement of my mansion, there were a few half-elf slaves like you.”
“……!”
“Well, is it just because elven blood flows in you? I don’t care either way.”
Killing intent returned in the sisters’ eyes.
‘Indeed, they are just naive kids who have only developed their brains.’
I knew some half-elves were unaware of the secret dealings between the elven and human realms, but I didn’t expect them to be so oblivious.
It had been several centuries since elves immigrated to the Western continent and established families in the Empire. Communication could have been disrupted during that time.
“Anyway, keep that in your mind.”
After provoking the two sisters’ morale, I calmly addressed the students behind them.
“If you want to attack me, be prepared to stake your life. At the very least, be willing to become my slave.”
The students’ expressions changed.
The Count’s beloved daughter, the girl wearing glasses who would become Ruby’s aide, resembled her father, the ruler of the back alleys. She exuded a dark aura as she rested her hands on her chin.
She was a blood relative of the Moonlight family from the collateral line, as Serena had mentioned she would pick as the future scarecrow lord. Talismans hung on her desk, and her eyes were covered by her hair, giving off an eerie vibe.
Everyone silently began to engage their minds for the remaining students in their seats, and the scene vividly caught my eye.
“Well, then let’s end…”
“Pr-Professor! Please wait! There’s something I need to say…”
Feeling awkward about staying in the front, I stepped away from the room with Glare sticking close by my side.
– Creak…
The moment I opened the entrance and stepped outside, I couldn’t help but freeze.
“I came here first to talk, you know, Saintess?”
“I got here first! Please yield! I don’t want a head-on collision!!”
“You know it’s a head-on collision. You can’t trick my eyes.”
Outside the waiting room, Serena and Ferloche were laughing while conversing.
“I-I was the first to come and wait… why is it… again, why only me…”
Behind them, Clana was muttering something inaudible while slumping down.
“Don’t be like this. How about you talk after me?”
“I came here first!”
“Oh, my. Saintess, it seems like you know something is wrong here.”
“…Really?”
First, I needed to stop these two quickly.
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