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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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“Did you hear? A new professor is coming today.”
“I heard he’s a soldier… Really?”
A female student cut through the whispers, parting the crowd like the Red Sea.
The bustling atmosphere instantly quieted.
“…Ah.”
“That’s…”
Flaming red hair.
Calm, shimmering emerald eyes.
A large bust accentuated by, or perhaps because of, the neatly buttoned, oversized owl robe.
The surrounding students watched her confident stride with dazed expressions.
Noticing their gazes, she offered a small wave.
“Good morning, everyone.”
“Good morning!”
“Good morning!”
Her bright smile and greeting sent the students into a frenzy.
Their reaction was understandable.
She was Amy Helios, the only daughter of the Helios Dukedom, one of the two leading families of the Empire, known as the ‘Empire’s Guiding Light’.
“Make sure you’re not late for assembly.”
With those words, Amy hurried towards the auditorium.
Cheers erupted behind her. She was consistently at the top of the Royal Class, a group comprised of the most elite students admitted to Minerva.
Her academic excellence, combined with her beauty, which was renowned throughout the Empire, made her the object of admiration.
“Phew… This is exhausting every morning.”
Amy muttered to herself as she entered the auditorium. Truthfully, the popularity was a burden.
“…I should have listened to Father.”
She had been hiding her true nature, complying with her father’s earnest plea to behave modestly at the academy. Thanks to this facade, few knew her real personality.
“You’ve been busy this morning, Amy.”
One of the few who knew the real Amy was a girl with deep, ocean-blue hair. Ariana Selene, daughter of the Selene Dukedom, known as the ‘Empire’s Protecting Moonlight’. Blinking her amethyst eyes, Ariana placed a hand on Amy’s shoulder.
“Get off. You’re hot.”
Amy snapped, brushing Ariana’s hand away. Their shared status as daughters of ducal families, along with their same age, had led to a close relationship since childhood, allowing for such casual interactions. Ariana simply shrugged off Amy’s coldness.
“You’re amazing. It must be tiring to suppress your personality like that.”
“It won’t be much longer. Just a little more.”
“Hmm, well, your choice.”
Ariana laced her fingers behind her head, feigning disinterest. As other students began to fill the auditorium, the two made their way to their designated seats. The front row, closest to the stage, was reserved for the Royal Class.
As soon as they sat down, another female student joined them.
“My, you’re early today.”
This girl, with her checkered cardigan and round glasses, was Sena Eos, the Saintess of the Eos Church.
Ariana chuckled and replied.
“And it seems the Saintess overslept again?”
“Hey~ Don’t call me that~”
“Fine, but fix that bird’s nest on your head first.”
“Oh, thanks~”
While Sena tidied her hair, Amy’s gaze drifted to the other side of the auditorium. Following her line of sight, Ariana whispered, “Looking at the Princess again? Still bothered by her?”
Silver hair, a rarity in the Empire, and crimson eyes. Lux Stella Sirius, the first princess of Sirius.
“…No.”
Amy shook her head.
“Yes, you are.”
Knowing her friend’s feelings, Ariana clicked her tongue. “I keep telling you…”
Just as she was about to continue, a voice boomed through the auditorium.
“Quiet everyone! Assembly will now begin.”
Hines had appeared on stage.
“Tsk, we’ll talk later.”
Ariana reluctantly turned her attention to the front. Hines surveyed the now silent auditorium, nodded, and began to announce the day’s notices.
“First, Professor Alba, who was in charge of Basic Alchemy, has returned to his hometown for personal reasons. Basic Alchemy will be suspended until a new professor is appointed.”
This had been decided at last night’s meeting. They couldn’t exactly tell the students that Professor Alba was, in fact, the ‘Archbishop of Pride’. Only a few professors, Hines, and Allen knew the truth.
“For every departure, there is an arrival. Please give a warm welcome to Professor Allen, appointed as a special professor starting today!”
Clap clap clap
Amidst thunderous applause, a man stepped onto the stage. His dark, almost black hair framed eyes that shone like the night sky, reflecting an unwavering resolve. The students stared at Allen with curiosity, captivated by his enigmatic aura.
“A commoner…?”
“A commoner as a professor?”
Not everyone was swept away by Allen’s presence. Some students, particularly those proud of their lineage, noted that Hines hadn’t mentioned Allen’s surname. The absence of a surname implied the absence of a family. In other words, a commoner.
“My, I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”
Among the many students, only Sena, who had met him before, widened her eyes in surprise. Intrigued, Ariana asked, “What? Do you know him?”
“Ah, I met him yesterday at the Witch’s Haven. He’s the kind person who gave me his Dunkinch. We said we’d definitely meet again, and here we are! Maybe it’s fate?”
“…What?”
“I thought he was handsome then, but~ he looks even more dashing in a suit! Isn’t he incredibly good-looking?”
Ariana frowned, unable to keep up with Sena’s rapid-fire, cheerful chatter. She thought she was used to Sena’s innocent nature, but this was overwhelming. While Ariana agreed that the professor was handsome…
“Wait, slow down…”
Once again, Ariana was cut off.
“Ah, greetings everyone.”
Allen’s voice, amplified by magic, resonated through the auditorium.
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‘This is rather nerve-wracking.’
How often had he stood before so many people and spoken? He could count the instances on one hand, including both his past and present lives.
“Alright, you may begin.”
He nodded at Hines’s prompt. So, how should he start…? After a moment of contemplation, he slowly began.
“Ah, greetings everyone.”
He offered a brief greeting and glanced at Hines, who smiled and nodded encouragingly. That meant he was on the right track.
“My name is Allen, and I’ve been appointed as a special professor at Minerva Academy.”
Before he’d taken the stage, Hines had told him to just speak casually. So, there was no need to drag things out. Long-winded speeches only bored the students.
“The subject I’ll be teaching you is ‘Survival Techniques Against Savages’.”
No matter how he thought about it, that was the only thing he could teach.
“……”
The temperature in the auditorium seemed to drop by at least five degrees. Perhaps he should have phrased it more delicately?
Just as he was about to elaborate, a voice rang out.
“Hasn’t the war already ended?”
The question came from a blond male student. Reinhardt, whose name was on the VIP list.
Special Note: The only commoner in the Royal Class.
Recalling his profile, he quietly replied.
“The war may have ended with the Empire’s victory, but eternal peace is an illusion.”
The Emperor could restart the war with a snap of his fingers.
Countless people would be dragged back to the battlefield, and no one could guarantee that the academy’s students wouldn’t be among them.
“Even if the Empire achieves continental unification, no one can guarantee the absence of war. Just because it’s peaceful now doesn’t mean it will always be. That’s a naive assumption.”
Had his words been too harsh?
Reinhardt’s face paled slightly. He’d seen those with such naive thoughts die first on the battlefield, so perhaps that was why he was a bit sensitive.
He calmed himself and continued.
“Through my classes, you will gain the skills to survive, no matter when, where, or what situation you find yourselves in.”
He finished with a faint smile.
“So, don’t worry too much and just participate actively in class. The quality of the lessons will improve in proportion to your enthusiasm.”
He bowed slightly and retreated backstage.
The unexpected question had made him speak longer than intended, but it was a decent enough speech, wasn’t it?
“…Madman.”
“He’s insane.”
“What is the Imperial family thinking…?”
He felt like the professors were cursing him behind his back… but it must have been his imagination.
Where else could one find a speech that explained the course content in such a short time? And the content itself was incredibly valuable.
Nothing was more important than ‘survival’.
One had to be alive to do anything.
“So, what should the first lesson be?”
Perhaps how to survive a Shadow Serpent ambush?
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