Episode 153. Outdoor Class (3)
Rubin bowed before Professor Kaizen.
“Hello, Professor. Have you chosen a location for your outdoor class?”
“Yes, I decided yesterday. It’s not far. And it’s a place where you can collect various magical plants. … Sit here, Luden.”
Rubin sat down across from Kaizen. Now it was time for the guy’s real business to come out.
“Assistant Professor Thompson said, you want to read Enzo Lorenzini’s dialogues? That’s not the official version. It’s a workbook. That’s why you have to request it separately.”
Rubin nodded hesitantly. That sight gave Kaizen the confidence that this was none other than Per.
In the past, when his memories had completely faded, he had no idea that Rubin had planted such thoughts in him by giving him a suggestion potion. Kaizen simply believed that he was clever and rational.
“Luden, tell me why you’re interested in that book. I want to know.”
“Professor Kaizen.”
“… … ?”
“Is it true that you spoke with Enzo Lorenzini and wrote down that conversation?”
“what?”
Oh, I guess you misunderstood. It seems that Ruden thought he had written a collection of discourses.
Kaizen rolled his head. He was trying to use that as an opportunity.
“Does it matter?”
“It’s important. It’s important.”
“Why?”
“Why is it important? If I tell you, Professor… Can you keep it a secret?”
Kaizen swallowed hard.
“It’s a secret?”
“Yes, but only you, Professor, should know. I’m revealing it because I trust you.”
“… So, this is a secret related to the Enzo Lorenzini dialogue collection?”
There was no specific answer, but Rubin’s face was tense. Even his every gesture was tinged with tension.
This time too, Kaizen didn’t notice at all that he was being played around by Rubin’s perfect acting. So he couldn’t help but be surprised by Rubin’s next words.
“Actually… Enzo Lorenzini is my father.”
Kaizen let out a breath without realizing it. He was so defenseless that he spoke awkwardly.
“What is that…? You’re Luden Poinen.”
“No. My real name is Per Lorenzini.”
“… … !”
The name that had been tormenting Kaizen so much, Per Lorenzini. Kaizen barely managed to hold back his laughter as he felt the weight of his illness lift away.
‘That’s it! I found it, finally!’
He cheered inwardly, completely unaware that he was one step closer to death.
Barely able to control his emotions, Kaizen offered words of comfort to the gloomy-faced Rubin.
“You’re Enzo’s son? That’s surprising. I didn’t expect that at all. So you came to school undercover? Of course, there must have been a reason for that, right?”
“… … .”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep it a secret.”
“Professor, I’ll tell you that story one by one. But more importantly, when can I receive the book?”
“… Well, it’ll take some time. I guess I’ll be able to see you after the outdoor class.”
At this, Rubin nodded, pretending to be disappointed.
‘Of course, because there would be no such book in the first place.’
It seems that Kaizen is trying hard to hide his joy. He must be rejoicing inside. On the other hand, Rubin’s acting was completely fooling Kaizen. He was fooled so perfectly that Kaizen in front of him had never looked so pitiful.
At that moment, Haneke’s voice began to resonate within Rubin.
-How sad that you don’t even know you’re going to die.
‘That’s right. From now on, I just need to think about the battle with Rosenthaler.’
The showdown with Rosenthaler remained, but it seemed that Haneke still had some unresolved questions.
-Rubin. You said earlier that it would be Rosenthaler’s job to kill Kaizen, right?
‘Yes.’
-Does that mean that the purpose of this fight isn’t to eliminate Rosenthaler?
‘As expected. You noticed.’
This fight was a sort of prelude. However, from Rosenthaler’s perspective, it should have been considered as just an unfortunate incident caused by Kaizen’s mistake.
‘It’s a fight to understand Rosenthaler’s realm, so that we can eliminate him later for sure.’
Even if it is later, it is not a long story. If the preliminary battle is successful, Rosenthaler’s death can be brought forward at any time. This is a good thing for everyone, including Per, Enzo, and Rubin.
-It’s just a preliminary battle… You might be able to defeat Rosenthaler now. If you give it your all.
Rosenthaler is a 5-star unmanned unit. And that’s the minimum. Just because Rosenthaler showed five layers of aura doesn’t mean that’s his maximum.
So Rubin wasn’t sure of victory. Of course, he wasn’t pessimistic about defeat either. As Haneke said, if you are reborn and use all the abilities you’ve accumulated, you never know what will happen.
5-star and 4-star dark magic. And 3-star aura. The recently learned movement magic ‘Pakong’ and ‘Yeonpagong’, and the first unique dark magic created with Kuze, ‘Shadow Force Field’.
If you give it your all, you can raise your odds of winning to 50/50.
But with the days of revenge still far away, I couldn’t gamble on a fight with odds of 50/50. I had to be prepared to kill him whenever I wanted. That was why this fight was a prelude.
‘If there’s even the slightest deviation from my plan, everything will be over. If my identity is discovered by any chance, my plan to kill Telmah will be exposed, and then everything will be over.’
– Of course. The report will be sent to the Emperor, and it will surely affect your family. It will be enough to constitute treason.
The two had already seen with their own eyes during the tour of the ‘Tower of Light and Betrayal’ what the traitor’s words were like. It was possible that a tragedy before the return would occur at any moment.
‘The odds are still not good enough. Even if we think positively and say it’s a fight between two 5-star opponents, that guy has a lot more combat experience than me.’
-I understand.
So, in today’s fight, we must hide as much as possible.
‘First of all, I must never let anyone know that I am Rubin. I must hide the Bloodfrost and Brion Auror. I must also avoid using magic in battle.’
It will be a frustrating fight, but the more you hide, the more advantageous it will be in future battles. It is a strategic concealment for a decisive victory at a critical moment.
This fight is a preliminary battle, and the goal is ‘exploration’. What kind of power does his Noble Phantasm have, how strong is the secret sword technique he uses from the Imperial Order, and does he have a method of destruction?
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-That day, you’ll have to cover your face first.
‘If that’s the case, I have thought about it in advance.’
-As expected. I thought so.
That’s Rubin, Haneke said nonchalantly, brushing his beard away.
Subtlety and cunning. I had seen this side of Rubin enough up until now, and he had never once left me in doubt. Now I had no choice but to admit it.
Haneke guessed that Rubin’s abilities outside of his martial arts skills may have played a part in his being treated as the next head of the household despite being only a 5-star player before his return.
-Anyway, if this succeeds, the Imperial Department will be in more trouble.
‘That’s not enough. I’ll destroy it someday. Someday.’
* * *
“… So, we decided to combine the morning and afternoon hours next week and hold outdoor classes on the same day. Each class will take turns on one day, and our class C will be on the third day.”
Closing time.
Benitez was explaining the outdoor Potions class that had been approved by the school principal.
Professor Kaizen stood next to him with a serious expression. As he had explained, he planned to hold outdoor classes on separate days for each class.
If everything goes according to plan, classes A and B will take place first on two days. Of course, no accidents will occur then.
He knew that if the previous classes had gone well, then even if problems arose during the C class turn, the charges against Kaizen would be much lighter.
“Professor Kaizen, I have a question.”
“what?”
“Is there anything like a hidden treasure?”
Oscar raised his hand and asked playfully. But in return, he was met with Kaizen’s cold gaze. Then, Oscar’s voice became even more timid.
“Or… will we face a monster that will train us in offensive magic?”
This time it was a joke, but in fact the cadets also had similar curiosity. Since the gathering place was a remote cave in the suburbs, it was natural for them to be anxious.
“The safety check has already been completed, so there’s no need to worry about the monster.”
Kaizen’s voice became stronger. Then he added.
“However, the cadets’ individual actions will be strictly restricted, and they will all move in groups. Just like the groups we formed in the previous class.”
At the news that they would be moving in groups, the C class students became confused again. In this case, it was obvious which group would have the greatest advantage. As expected, most of the children’s eyes were focused on one side.
Dahlia’s group, which included Luden, Chloe, and Oscar. No matter what anyone says, Dahlia’s group was a perfect, untouchable group.
“Will Dahlia Cho win first place this time too?”
“What kind of first place is that? This isn’t some kind of competitive class, it’s literally just an outdoor class.”
“You idiot! Then why would we move in groups? Surely you don’t think this is some kind of trivial class where we just gather things and stuff?”
“That’s right. There must be a monster living in that cave. Like a cave troll or a giant! Otherwise, why would they have gotten the principal’s approval?”
There were whispers here and there. There was a reason why the children looked up to Dahlia Joe so much.
First of all, Chloe and Oscar showed overwhelming skills in the offensive magic class.
Dahlia, although not as good as the previous two, still possesses top-notch mana. In addition, she is on the reserve list for the Jang Education Committee.
In addition, there was the Madouin Luden Poinen, who received all the attention during the selection test for the Jang Education Committee.
It was natural for everyone to look at me with eyes that wished they were in that group. Even if a monster were to appear, the cadets thought that Dahlia Group would be fine.
“Huh. What’s with those envious eyes? Have they finally recognized the genius of this body?”
“Be quiet, Oscar.”
“Dahlia, my lord? No matter what, jealousy is a no-no.”
Unfortunately, Oscar didn’t realize that Professor Kaizen’s pitiful gaze was directed at him. Kaizen snapped his fingers with a displeased expression.
Phew.
“Eww!”
White flour exploded before Oscar’s eyes. Kaizen’s magic had hit the mark.
“No small talk, Oscar. And during outdoor classes, no magic.”
“Huh? Are you saying that attack magic is prohibited, Professor?”
“No, I’m sure you said ‘no magic’?”
“Huh? Magic is banned? It’s completely banned?”
This was a fact that some noble cadets already knew, but it was often unknown to commoners like Oscar.
“Really? But it’s class time, right? This isn’t some kind of a Jang Education Committee exam, and… … .”
Then Professor Benitez intervened.
“Well, I’ll tell you that, Oscar. Up until now, the cadets have been using magic freely within the city.”
“That was the case, but isn’t it not the case from now on?”
“Not from now on, but from when you leave Capotini. Capotini is a city of wizards, so you were given that much freedom. But outside is different.”
He continued talking.
“Think back carefully to the cities you have visited before you entered. To the general public, wizards are very exceptional beings. Furthermore, the Ministry of Magic of the Empire is particularly wary of unskilled magic students causing chaos.”
“but…….”
This time, Kaizen spoke sternly to Oscar, his eyes focused on him.
“Oscar Tunio! Remember that Professor Benitez and other magic professors like me are in the same situation. But how can you freshmen do it?”
“… … .”
“Of course, it’s not like it’s prohibited in times of emergency. There’s no mechanism to force it like the Jang Education Committee’s selection test. However, if you use magic improperly… please keep in mind that there may be severe disciplinary action afterward.”
It was a severe punishment. In the end, the cadets could not say anything more. Oscar, although dissatisfied, could not argue any further, so he just scratched his chin.
“Then I will go.”
Kaizen, whose business was over, left Class C. Rubin carefully observed his back with both eyes.
‘It won’t work to scare you like that, Kaizen. Your fate is already decided.’
This also applied to Rosenthaler, who was hiding in plain sight and exerting his influence.
