The Academy’s Ankle Reaper – Chapter 2

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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The family estate, after such a long absence, appeared unchanged on the surface. The mansion, steeped in silence and cold memories, was as monstrously large as I remembered. I hadn’t set foot inside for six years, not since I was seventeen.

I returned upon news of my parents’ deaths, yet I was the only one in mourning clothes. By the time I received word, the funeral, the aftermath, even the mourning period were over. Everyone had moved on from their grief, while I, the tardy, unfilial son, donned mourning clothes to honor them.

Walking down the long hallway, I tugged at the constricting collar, loosening it with my fingers. Even this mourning attire, tailored eight years ago, still fit perfectly. Familiar sights evoked memories, mostly unpleasant ones.

Being scolded by my father.

The sharp criticisms from my mother.

The whispers of the retainers, their gossiping behind my back.

They weren’t exactly good parents.

The mourning clothes felt suffocating. I pulled at the collar again, trying to ease the discomfort, but the feeling persisted. I returned out of obligation, but this mansion remained an uncomfortable place. I’d feel more at ease in the heart of a monster-infested dungeon.

I needed to leave as soon as I finished my business here. Perhaps return to the Knights? Turning myself in for desertion and rotting in a dungeon cell might be more appealing.

I reached the end of the long hallway, facing a massive door that dwarfed my small frame. The handle, easily within reach for anyone of average height in my family, required me to stretch my arm above my shoulder. I threw the door open without knocking.

The room that greeted me was decorated with understated elegance. This was the head of the family’s office. Normally, Atlas Titan’s father, with his broad, imposing back, would have been seated here, conducting business with an air of authority, his back to the three large, sunlit windows. But he was no longer of this world.

The office, reserved solely for the head of the family, now had a new occupant. The only sound was the gentle scratching of a pen against paper. She didn’t seem surprised by my abrupt entrance, continuing her work in silence.

“The seat suits you.”

“Oh my…”

At my words, she stopped writing and looked up.

The new occupant of Titan’s office was a slender woman. She lacked the imposing physique of the late Chronos, but her firmly set mouth and slightly upturned eyes mirrored the unwavering resolve of the previous head of the family, a resemblance I shared.

Her vibrant golden hair, tied back for convenience, shimmered in the sunlight streaming through the windows, and sapphire-blue eyes met mine.

The same hair, the same eyes. My sister, Metis Titan.

It wasn’t Atlas, the eldest son, who inherited the Titan title and estate, but his younger sister.

“It’s you, brother. I didn’t see you come in.”

“Starting with a jab the moment we meet? Wonderful. Let’s have a good old sibling squabble, shall we?”

“A jab? I was having a staring contest with the documents. How could I see you?”

Her immediate shift into hostile territory irked me, but knowing her personality, I let it slide. If it were a stranger, I might have thrown a punch.

“Congratulations. A woman, the second-born no less, becoming the head of the family. You’ll be in the history books.”

“The view from here is quite nice… but the workload is immense. I haven’t slept in three days. I’d gladly relinquish the position.”

Exhaustion was evident in Metis’s eyes. With both parents dying suddenly, the amount of work must have been overwhelming. Knowing her stubbornness, inherited from our father, she likely hadn’t left her seat except for emergencies.

“And… I’m fine, but I worry about the others gossiping about you again.”

“I’m fine. They probably don’t even know I’m alive. Worry about yourself.”

Our parents died suddenly, and as a result, the second-born, a woman, inherited the title of Count. The gossipmongers of high society would undoubtedly use this to attack her. The suspicious circumstances—both parents dying at the same time, the title passing to the second-born despite the existence of a male heir—would fuel the rumors.

“This seat was originally yours, brother. Are you truly alright with me taking over?”

“You’ll do a better job than I would.”

My sister’s slender, aristocratic hands bore calluses that came not from embroidery needles, but from gripping a pen.

The moment I ran away to join the Knights, my place in this house vanished. Metis picked up what I discarded and fled from. Therefore, it was right that she occupied this seat.

She pouted, dissatisfied with my answer.

“Let me rephrase. I may have to give you orders. Are you comfortable with that?”

“I’ve accepted you holding the reins, so I’ll offer you the appropriate respect. But you know, if it gets too bothersome, I’ll run away again.”

I’d fulfill reasonable requests from family, unless it was something truly outrageous.

“Then, I’m glad. I thought you might have changed your mind… In that case, I can speak freely. As the head of the family, I will give you your first order. Brother, enroll in the Academy.”

“…Why would I?”

My face fell at the unexpected command. Should I just run away now?

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This world I’d been reincarnated into was based on the web novel, “Devil Slayer of the Academy.” As the title suggested, the story centered around the Academy.

The Academy, responsible for nurturing the future leaders of the glorious Empire, attracted applicants not only from across the continent, but even from overseas. Full of immature yet ambitious young humans, it was the perfect hunting ground for demons. The protagonist, whose parents were murdered by demons in his childhood, burned with hatred, hunting down the demons lurking within the Academy.

The Academy, the heart of the story, was a hotbed of incidents. While I had reached a high level of skill as a human, getting entangled in the main plot, with its non-human entities, could easily lead to my demise. I’d rather avoid the Academy altogether. I’d been running for so long, it would be incredibly frustrating to have my head explode at the hands of a demon before I could experience any peace.

“We’ve received a recommendation letter, as expected.”

“Just to be clear… you want me to go there as a student? I wouldn’t mind being an instructor or professor, but I have nothing to learn there…”

Reincarnated or not, I’d lived quite diligently. Starting as a trainee in a renowned Knight order, I had become more than competent. Unless the Academy instructors were true masters, they couldn’t teach me anything.

Coincidentally, the masters I knew within the Empire weren’t the type to leisurely teach at the Academy.

Though I couldn’t use magic effectively, I had studied the theory. Part of Knight training involved learning how to combat mages, and the best way was to understand how their magic worked. I had also received a standard education in general subjects and etiquette since childhood. What I learned in my previous life applied here as well. I was confident I wouldn’t be labeled an ignoramus, yet the idea of returning to a place of learning was disconcerting.

“You may not have anything to learn, but there’s something to gain. Since when was the Academy truly a place of learning? It’ll be easy for you, knowing everything already. Some might not notice because they’re off gallivanting, but our territory isn’t doing well since our parents’ sudden deaths. Just think of it as a vacation, and gather some useful information while you’re there.”

“How is that a vacation?”

Metis’s words held truth. Most people knew that the glamorous Academy was actually a social gathering for the privileged, where connections, not competence, secured admission through readily available ‘recommendation letters.’ While neighboring nations clamored to send their youth to the Academy, hoping to forge ties with future imperial leaders, other races like elves, dwarves, halflings, and beastkin, disillusioned by the Academy’s reality, only sent representatives for appearances.

“As you know, I’m a deserter. I’d rather not do anything that could get me caught.”

“Enroll under our mother’s maiden name. Hiding your Titan identity will be a great help.”

“But still… it’s embarrassing… being among those youngsters… My comrades would laugh their heads off.”

“As if you have close comrades in the Knights. Even if you did, you’re not officially enrolling, so there’s no problem.”

Metis’s words were sharp and relentless. She was determined to send me to the Academy.

“Still… it feels…”

“Here’s a copy of a research paper by a professor at the Academy.”

Seeing my continued resistance, Metis pulled a document from a drawer and handed it to me.

“On the Promotion of Physical Growth Using Orc Bone Marrow…? What’s this?”

“It’s a study by a professor our family sponsors. We’ve continued to support it, hoping it might help you with your height concerns…”

The paper detailed methods for promoting human growth. Though currently focused on orc bone marrow, subsequent papers hinted at in-depth research into various factors influencing growth. Skimming through the thick document, I pieced together the common keywords and understood the professor’s goal.

‘It doesn’t have a name yet… but these characteristics definitely point to the Elixir of Growth.’

The Elixir of Growth definitely existed. But perhaps it hadn’t been created yet? What if it wasn’t something from the past, but something yet to be made, explaining why I couldn’t find it?

Though I couldn’t be certain this research would lead to the Elixir of Growth, I saw potential.

“If you absolutely refuse to go, I’ll have no choice but to cut funding for this research. Our territory is struggling, after all.”

“You know how to negotiate with me.”

“I’m your sister.”

In the end, I relented and agreed to attend the Academy. Thus, my unexpected enrollment in the Academy, a place I thought I’d never be associated with in this life, was decided.

He was tugging at his collar again. The third time already. Perhaps he wasn’t aware of it, but Atlas couldn’t stand constricting clothing within the mansion. My brother, whom I hadn’t seen in so long, stood tall despite his small stature, yet I sensed his unease. His mind was resolute, but his body betrayed his discomfort. This mansion held no fond memories for him.

Atlas was a good brother. He never took out his frustration over his height on me, despite me being weaker. He bore the brunt of the unfair hatred and ridicule directed at him. In the end, he abandoned the family and ran away.

He could have moved on, embraced a new life, free from the obsession with his height… but even after escaping our parents, he continued his quest to grow taller.

I wish he would just rest…

Watching his discomfort, I decided on his enrollment in the Academy. It was a place where he wouldn’t need to strive so hard. Our father, Chronos, with his harsh training regime, had pushed him far beyond what the Academy could offer. Besides, he would be entering with a recommendation letter. Even with a different surname, no one would dare bother someone with such powerful backing. I hoped this would give my brother a chance to finally relax.

Why do I feel so uneasy…?

I was sending him there to rest, yet I had a nagging feeling he would get dragged into some trouble.

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