Chapter 513
My last vacation has come to an end. I won’t be hearing the word ‘vacation’ again until First Snow becomes a student at the academy. Thinking about it gives me a bittersweet, empty feeling.
“Are you really okay with this? Wouldn’t it be better to send another magician instead?”
“I can’t turn my back on the students who gathered to see me. Besides, I promised to teach until this year, so I have to take responsibility for my words.”
And right before heading to work, I tried to persuade Trixie, but I failed miserably.
It’s a truly sad situation. My wife is pregnant with triplets, and instead of letting her rest at home, I’m dragging her to work. There’s probably no worse husband in this world.
“Don’t worry too much. I know my body best. If it gets tough, I can just toss out a topic and sit back and watch.”
But since Trixie is so confident, it’s hard to push the issue any further. Ignoring her wishes under the pretext of caring for her would be counterproductive, right?
Of course, now that it’s early in the pregnancy, I can accept it, but if it were mid-pregnancy, I wouldn’t even be trying to reason with her. Once it hits mid-term, it’ll be mansion living for sure.
“Alright, let’s go. If we don’t hurry, we’ll be late for the opening ceremony.”
Reading my expression, Trixie gave a sweet smile and held my hand, as if to say ‘let’s not bring this up anymore.’
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Ultimately, I chuckled softly and held Trixie’s hand.
Thinking back, just as much as I worry about Trixie, she must also be concerned about herself. Her body is no longer just hers; it belongs to me, the future of the Katoban family, and the joy of the elves. Trixie isn’t reckless enough to treat such a treasure carelessly.
The idea that I have to worry about everything and solve all problems is rather arrogant. It’s time to trust Trixie and let it go.
Just until mid-pregnancy, though.
It’s a bit cliché, but if gazes had physical force, my body would already be shattered by now.
‘Yikes.’
Rubbing my arm, which strangely stung, I stealthily looked up at the ceiling.
The entire academy is focused on me. I thought I’d grown accustomed to being the center of attention, but—man, this excessive gazing still makes my heart race.
But since I’d steeled myself for this, I managed to keep a calm demeanor. Trixie’s pregnancy is already well-known throughout the continent, and it’s natural for the academy’s students and staff to have heard about it. So, I braced myself to be a spectacle during the opening ceremony, like a lion in a zoo.
‘Oh dear.’
However, the moment I lowered my gaze from the ceiling, my resolve almost crumbled. I happened to meet the fiery stares of the magicians.
‘Are those even human gazes?’
They were more like the eyes of beasts or zealots.
It’s been a while since I’ve felt this pressure from a person since Kagan’s brat. No matter how many people are around, I never expected I’d feel the heat of someone’s gaze again.
‘At least it’s not the gaze of a rabid fan.’
For now, the frenzied glances from the magicians didn’t seem to carry the sentiment of ‘how dare you do that to our dear lord!’ Instead, it was more like devotion toward the hero who cradled the triplets.
After all, everyone knows Trixie has elven blood running through her veins, and it’s a well-established fact that it’s tough for a human and an elf to have children. Given that Trixie’s father, Duke Tamyeong, is a prime example, no one could be oblivious to it.
Thanks to that, those who congratulated us on our marriage thought it would be a long time before any offspring would appear. They exhaled a sigh of relief, thinking that the bloodline of the greatest magic family in the empire, the Katoban family, would continue.
But voila! We had triplets right after getting hitched.
‘Talk about a hero.’
A child bearing the blood of the Grand Magician, a child who would inherit the name of the Katoban family.
I, who produced such children, am seen as a hero and a dignified figure among the magicians. It’s quite strange…
“The opening ceremony is now concluded.”
Just as the principal’s declaration echoed, I quickly got up from my seat.
Objectively speaking, I totally deserve those fiery gazes from the magicians, but subjectively, I’m pretty scared about when those lunatics will charge at me.
Please don’t let them burst into the clubroom.
*
The atmosphere at the academy was quite chaotic.
“I’ve heard the Katoban family has always treasured their children, each one a gifted talent.”
“The previous Duke Servette was the greatest magician of his time. There’s not a paper written today that isn’t influenced by his theories.”
More precisely, it was a serious discussion centered around the magician students.
How could it be otherwise? Wizards have chosen the path of magic themselves, and they’re filled with respect and reverence for the Grand Magician, who reached the pinnacle of that path. Regardless of nationality, age, gender, or status, any magician is drawn to the Grand Magician’s words and actions.
But now, a child has been born to the figure they admire most. Considering that the character of the Katoban family has always been excellent wizards, this is a momentous occasion for the entire magical community on the continent.
“This isn’t just a blessing for one family; it’s a great fortune for the nation. It’s a continent-wide celebration!”
“Triplets? Then we should prepare gifts three times over!”
Yes, it’s a continental celebration. That’s why the council members of the Magic Council raised their voices upon hearing the news of the Grand Magician’s pregnancy.
On top of that, they’ve been casting glances at me with envy as the semester approaches.
‘No matter how unpredictable life may be…’
Isn’t this a bit excessive?
It felt absurd enough to make me chuckle. I had chosen to enroll in the imperial academy as a means of exile to avoid threatening my brother’s claim, but before I knew it, it became a wise decision that earned the envy of prestigious council members.
Thankfully, that wisdom came from a magician’s perspective, not a politician’s. If it had been the latter, I’d wonder what I’d wasted three years for.
‘Three years wasted.’
Of course, that’s just talk. I’ve experienced genuine love, made good friends, and received the Grand Magician’s teachings, so it’s not time wasted. In fact, I doubt I’ll ever have a time in my life that’s as fulfilling and enjoyable as this.
‘It’s the last semester.’
What once felt like a smirk turned into a bittersweet smile.
If I had my way, I’d love to stay at the academy as a teaching assistant, but the enjoyable school life I had was because I shared it with others. Staying in the empire alone would have no significance, and that just wouldn’t be right.
‘Who will win this class rivalry?’
Suddenly, I thought of the class rivalry, which is the only event of the second semester.
If I could take the victory in the last rivalry, it would be something I’d remember for decades. This time, I’ll really give it my all.
“Just like how the Grand Magician surpassed Duke Tamyeong, isn’t it time the next Duke Servette surpassed our dear lord?”
“It’s hard to imagine any magician better than Grand Magician dear lord.”
Amidst all that, magician students were having a remarkably intriguing conversation.
It’s definitely an interesting topic. If someone superior to the Grand Magician were to appear, what title would they bear?
‘The current and future emperors will have quite the headache.’
I’m not sure about the current emperor or future emperors, but they’ll probably have to think hard about this.
As I neared the clubroom, I could hear loud voices.
I couldn’t see their faces, but I could figure out whose voices they were. I hoped they’d returned from vacation a bit weathered, but instead, they’ve come back even stronger.
“Congratulations on the triplets! Your children are already eagerly waiting to meet the professor and his wife!”
As soon as I opened the door, there was Luitis bursting with laughter. No one else could produce such a booming voice.
“Oh, and here’s a little present.”
“Every time I turn around, I’m getting something. Thanks.”
Luitis then promptly handed a small box to the professor as if he just remembered something.
‘Oh no.’
I was already one step late for the gift again. I had prepared something light as well—
“…Tofu cake?”
The hand that was reaching to pull out my present froze at the professor’s voice.
‘What the heck.’
I quickly looked back and forth between the professor and Luitis. The professor’s face was naturally scrunched slightly, while Luitis was grinning as always.
I couldn’t believe it. He’d give a gift like that to someone with bad memories related to tofu? I thought he’d come back stronger over the break, but was he actually broken and lost it?
“In Armeain, we use tofu cake for various occasions! It’s a healthy food, and since its flavor is mild, pregnant women can eat it without hassle, representing our hopes for the babies to be born pure and spotless!”
But the subsequent explanation from Luitis was surprisingly convincing. It seemed like a genuinely good-natured gift that I couldn’t get mad about, yet I also couldn’t overlook the haunting memories tied to it.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
In a choice between horrifically grotesque options, the professor chose the former.
It’s a sight that elicits pity from anyone watching.
*
I peered down at the tofu cake, trembling with agitation.
‘You coward.’
Silently cursing a certain red-haired punk from my mind, I quietly closed the lid. After all, I can’t get mad given the justification of ‘it’s a healthy dish for the pregnant woman.’
What drives me crazy is that I was half persuaded by Luitis’s reasoning. It seems likely that tofu-based food would be good for pregnant women and the fetus.
“Um, Professor.”
“Uh, what’s up?”
While I was in shock from this mental assault, I lifted my head to hear Lather’s voice.
“I prepared a gift, too. The official gift from Yuben is still being arranged, so this is just a little something—”
“It’s fine. It’s the thought that counts for gifts.”
I quickly scanned what Lather handed me and smiled faintly.
Unlike the grotesque tofu cake, it was an elegant rattle with a soft bluish hue.
‘Of course, he’s more normal than Luitis.’
Sure, when it comes to wizards, their highs of madness are immense, but on average, they tend to be better than knighthood.
From today onward, that’s what I’ll be telling myself.
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