In the early evening, with less than a day left until the group trip, the students were excitedly looking forward to the adventure ahead. Meanwhile, the professors were not in a celebratory mood.
“There’s been rumors that the prices in the southern country have skyrocketed. Should we adjust the budget a bit more?”
“Sigh…! We need to have visited the place to come up with tailored lessons!”
“Honestly, there’s just too much overtime work!”
“Why isn’t the guild contacting us? Why isn’t the guild contacting us? Why isn’t the guild contacting us?”
Budget planning, lesson designing, remaining tasks, communication with the guild, and so on. All the professors were busy with extra work that needed to be completed before the trip.
I thought it would be just a regular school trip, but I never expected the professors had shed tears over all their efforts behind the scenes.
The problem was, I was one of those professors, diligently working away.
Especially since I was leading two classes, my workload was even greater than others.
“Professor Daniel! You ordered a large transport carriage, right?”
“Yes, I requested a large one since I need to transport two classes at once.”
“Professor Daniel? I received a modification plan for our classes from Florence Academy. Where should I put it?”
“Just hand it over to me! I need to review it and send it right away.”
“Professor Daniel! There’s way too much material that Professor Masker dumped on me. Can you help me organize it?”
“I’m busy too!”
“Ugh…! I’m going crazy with anxiety!”
“Professor Sam, I’ll give you the direct contact number for the Broju Guild, so if you’re really worried, just reach out through this line.”
“Really? Thanks, Professor Daniel!”
The day of the professors at the Academy was quite the chaotic affair. Thankfully, we managed to finish all our work before the sun completely set.
“Done!”
I ended up being the last one finished because I helped other professors along the way.
I just had to lock up and leave. I needed to conserve my energy for the trip tomorrow.
Just as I was about to grab my teaching materials and leave, someone suddenly burst through the door.
I thought maybe one of the professors who had stayed late had forgotten something, but that wasn’t the case.
“Oh? Professor Pernelson?”
“Still hanging around working late, huh?”
“I just finished. I’m about to head back.”
“Wasting time to take care of incompetent fools, I see.”
Despite the years that had passed, Professor Pernelson still treated the students ruthlessly. One could see that his perspective and attitude weren’t likely to change in the future.
“They’re students in need of learning, regardless of their talents.”
“It’s pointless to water a weed that won’t bloom, you know.”
“What if we have papers we don’t know about, and they may end up blossoming?”
“Quite an incomprehensible statement. Still, since you’ve taken care of the F-class duties in my stead, I suppose I should reward you.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Successful work deserves a reward; it boosts morale. Excessive modesty isn’t good.”
Professor Pernelson shot me a sharp look as though to say I should just take it. I had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Thus, I received a black rod from Professor Pernelson.
“What is this?”
“It’s a wand I used to favor back in the day.”
“Eh? It looks brand new for something like that?”
“To be precise, I had a spare. But since I switched to a completely different wand, it’s no longer needed, so I’m giving it to you.”
“You could easily sell this for a few thousand gold….”
“Hmph! It’s better to hand it over to a fellow professor than have it fall into the hands of some clueless fool who doesn’t recognize its worth.”
“But there are plenty of other great professors besides me, right?”
“……”
Professor Pernelson was staring at me silently.
He snorted as if my words didn’t merit a response.
“I thought you were finally coming to your senses, but you’re still stuck in that foolish habit.”
“Habit?”
“Professor Daniel, I won’t say much more. Don’t think you can deceive me or the Chancellor.”
Professor Pernelson, having handed me the expensive wand, coolly left.
As I reflected on what he had just said, his warnings about being foolish and not trying to deceive anyone began to make some sense.
It wasn’t far-fetched to think that both Professor Pernelson and the Chancellor had known about my abilities from the start. The fact that the Chancellor assigned me to the demanding special class and Pernelson’s subtle concern for me made it all connect.
If those two were aware of my capabilities, it certainly made sense.
“……It’s gotten complicated.”
The efforts I had made to become stronger than Daniel before coming to the Academy were likely the roots of this butterfly effect.
I wondered if I had made a mistake, but I didn’t have any regrets. If I hadn’t grown stronger, I wouldn’t have been able to save Nina and Rynelle.
Of course, without the butterfly effect, it’s possible that Nina and Rynelle wouldn’t have been in danger in the first place.
But Rynelle would have likely been unable to communicate with her father, and Nina’s ability might have awakened much later.
Not to mention, Paul would probably have developed a witch phobia, and Skarl and Undertaker would have been running rampant.
Thinking about it that way, it seems things have been flowing in a relatively positive direction.
“If there’s a variable…”
It’s just the fact that my rivals are having a hard time getting involved with Nina, I suppose?
But Nina ignoring them is their lack of effort, so it’s not my responsibility.
I’ve come to understand the mindset of that blond, tanned, punk I didn’t want to know about.
By the way, was it right for Professor Pernelson to leave without explaining the wand’s function?
As I looked over the pitch-black wand in my hand, I had no idea how to use it.
Even if I wanted to ask, I wouldn’t have time to meet Professor Pernelson since the group trip was starting tomorrow.
In the end, I had no choice but to take it with me, not knowing its uses.
It should be fine, right?
*
In the deep sea stood the Underwater Temple.
Surrounded by a blue aura, it maintained consistently clean water quality, and there gathered a group of different races.
The mermaids, who had human-like upper bodies but fish-like lower bodies, were gathered there.
They were clasping their hands together in prayer, bowing towards the blue crystal on the altar.
At the front stood a beautiful mermaid, a pearl ornament resting atop her head symbolizing her authority.
The delicate mermaid princess, Meridin.
As the princess of the Underwater Kingdom and a prophetess of the mermaids, she prayed to the deity with a devout heart.
Meridin’s wish was always the same.
She prayed and prayed for peace and safety to endure in the Underwater Kingdom.
“Ah…! The sight of our princess praying is always enchanting. How can such a beautiful person exist!”
“Shh! What are you doing during prayer time…!”
“It’s fine. What will happen if I miss one prayer?”
“You’re too optimistic. What if something bad happens because of it?”
“Hey! That definitely won’t happen!”
Outside the temple, the mermaid villagers continued their conversation while peering inside.
While gazing at Meridin, the only one shining among the praying crowd, they couldn’t hide their admiration.
Meanwhile, they firmly believed that as long as Meridin was there, the kingdom would face no crisis.
However, nothing in this world was absolute.
“Gyaaa!”
Crack!
Suddenly, a crack formed in the blue crystal on the altar, causing it to lose its color.
As portions of the crystal shattered, its fragments spread towards Meridin, who happened to be nearby.
She swiftly crossed her arms to block it, but she was pushed back by the ensuing shockwaves.
“Princess!”
Fortunately, countless worshippers behind her managed to shield Meridin, so she didn’t suffer severe injuries.
But she wore a dazed expression, as if she’d just seen a flash of light.
When she regained her senses, she curled up, hugging her arms, and started shaking.
The Guardian Knights of the kingdom rapidly approached Meridin and formed a protective formation around her.
Pushing the worshippers aside, the knights encircled her to guard against danger.
Among them, one Guardian Knight, close to Meridin, spoke to her.
“Princess, are you alright?”
“Auphe…?”
“Yes! Your knight is here!”
“What are we going to do now?”
Tears glimmering in Meridin’s eyes.
Her Guardian Knight appeared startled and blinked rapidly.
“Why are you like this?”
“The prophecy has come!”
“The prophecy…! Can you tell us what it said?”
“Our father and deity foretold that a gentle saint will soon arrive in the kingdom.”
“Oh, isn’t that a good thing?”
“The problem is afterwards. It warned that a dark calamity will follow, and we must not act recklessly, or the kingdom will vanish from history!”
“……Are we doomed?”
“Yes, we are doomed!”
In the blink of an eye, Meridin’s prophecy spread throughout the entire kingdom, plunging it into a state of emergency.
Meanwhile, on the surface of the ocean, unaware of this fact.
On the carriage led by Pegasus, the students cheered in unison, while one professor clutched his stomach, groaning.
“Ugh!”
The source of his pain? Overeating.
