SRS 106

But despite the efforts of his friends and Mikael, no one was in the headmaster’s office. Yohan felt despair and pushed the closed door several times.

“…It won’t open.”

“Should we call out?”

“No. If he were inside, he would have heard us trying to open the door and opened it for us.”

The headmaster was the kind who opened doors without lifting a finger. If he had been inside, it wouldn’t have been this quiet. Yohan gave up hope and wrapped his coat around his head like a hood.

“…There’s nothing we can do today. Let’s just go back.”

“You want to come back tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“…Alright.”

Mikael gave him a worried glance before heading up the bell tower. It was just as the two were about to mount their griffin and return.

“What brings you here?”

A cold voice descended from above, authoritative and commanding. Yohan reflexively bowed his head, responding to the ingrained reflex. The angel professor, suspended in the air, descended to meet the eye level of the respectful students.

“This isn’t the first-year section.”

Pressed for an answer, Yohan spoke while still bowing his head.

“I came to see the headmaster.”

“He is at the barrier.”

“Yes. I was just about to leave since the door was closed.”

“What business did you have with him?”

“…….”

Yohan met Mikael’s gaze. Seeing his hesitation, Mikael answered for him.

“We were about to request mediation because upperclassmen came all the way to the first-year lecture hall and caused a disturbance.”

“Upperclassmen?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the reason? They shouldn’t have the time for that with their assignments.”

“……!”

Yohan found himself trembling. The fact that the angel professor, known for his lax grading, could so matter-of-factly suggest seniors wouldn’t have time due to assignments scared Yohan.

What in the world happens when someone becomes an upperclassman?

Feeling his lips dry, Yohan forced his tongue to move.

“…My blessing slightly aids in the recovery of abilities, and it seemed the seniors coveted that.”

“Ah, certainly.”

Just as Mikael knew about his blessing, the angel professor also seemed aware of its effects. Seeing the professor respond without a hint of flustering, Yohan felt a faint pang of betrayal. As a teacher, shouldn’t he at least mention it if a student’s blessing was unusual?

But he didn’t dare press the issue. He knew that even if he did, the indifferent professor would likely respond with something like, ‘It’s stolen contentjust the blessing of a young lamb. Why should I care?’

“How pathetic. It’s simply the blessing of a young lamb, yet it caused enough commotion to draw attention here.”

See?

Yohan decided he was wise not to argue and bowed his head. He had been feeling an inexplicable unease since earlier, and he wanted to wrap up the conversation.

“Is this report sufficient?”

“Yohan Herse.”

“…Yes.”

But the angel professor wouldn’t let Yohan off easily.

“Do you need help?”

“…No, I’m fine.”

Yohan nearly blurted out ‘yes’ without thinking, but he managed to swallow his first answer. Seizing opportunities requires reading your opponent. With the angel professor, you never knew what he might demand in return for help.

“You seemed like you needed help.”

“I’m fine for now.”

“But you came all this way.”

“I did, but after meeting you, Professor, I changed my mind. I believe we should overcome trials like this on our own.”

“Hmm.”

A battle of words ensued, like sword and shield. To others, the conversation between the one trying to help and the one refusing [unauthorized copy]might seem strange, but Yohan was desperate.

Seeing Yohan, who deeply distrusted the professor who had blown up a classroom, stubbornly stand his ground, the angeli professor stroked his chin.

“Serve as a teaching assistant for the first-period Divine Studies during your first year. Then I can help you.”

He’d had a bad feeling about this since earlier, and now the teaching assistant offer had finally come.

Hadn’t he just been refusing so earnestly?

Yohan chewed over his bewilderment at the professor’s nonchalant proposal.

“…It’s fine.”

Once again, he politely declined, bowing his head. After a long silence, the angel professor clicked his tongue. Yohan’s shoulders flinched.

“What’s your reason?”

“As you said, I need to handle this matter myself…”

“Tell me the real reason.”

“……”

He clearly wasn’t going to let an ambiguous answer slide.

Yohan’s head ached as he rolled his tongue around his mouth. Mikael seemed eager to help, but even he didn’t appear to have a clear plan to break the deadlock right now.

After prolonging the silence for a moment, Yohan finally chose to sacrifice a bit of his conscience.

Just that decision alone already made his stomach ache.

“…Actually, Professor Shinbi has shown interest in me, so it’s difficult for me to give you an answer right now.”

“Professor Sinbi?”

“…Yes.”

I’m sorry, Professor Shinbi…!

Yohan closed his eyes, silently apologizing. It wasn’t a lie. In fact, it was entirely true, but Yohan had cleverly twisted it to make it seem like Professor Shinbi wanted him as a teaching assistant.

Using Professor Shinbi to get himself out of this situation felt like betraying his conscience, and as he felt the pang of guilt, the angel professor nodded.

“Understood. Go talk with Professor Shinbi first.”

“…Yes, thank you, Professor.”

Yohan answered and waited only for the angel professor to leave. The professor, his business concluded, lingered no longer Read onin the air and vanished in an instant.

As the angel departed, the pressure lifted. Only then did Yohan feel his throat open up. He exhaled and slumped his body in exhaustion. His mind was a jumbled mess of thoughts.

“…What do I do now?”

Mikael comforted Yohan when he saw him looking lost, as if he’d caused a major disaster.

“It’s alright. The battle for teaching assistants is a common thing. …Though it doesn’t usually start in first year.”

“You could’ve skipped that last part.”

“Sorry.”

“Ha…”

Yohan headed back to the dormitory, his mind heavy [unauthorized copy]with worry. When he met Suhyeok and Kylus again and confessed everything about the incident with the angel professor, Kylus, unusually, pressed his hand to his forehead.

“…What were you thinking?”

“…There was no other way.”

Yohan muttered gloomily under his friend’s scolding. He wasn’t worried about the upperclassmen who’d swarm him in the next class. He was more concerned about what the angel professor and Professor Shinbi might be up to. Suhyeok, who seemed lost in his own thoughts, snapped his fingers.

“No, Yohan. There is a way.”

“Huh?”

“Your idea of using the professor to oppose the professor is definitely brilliant. So, let’s take this chance and make it a big show.”

“……?”

Suhyeok began to laugh wickedly, as if possessed by a demon. Yohan stared at the student, feeling ​stolen content​bewildered. Then, as Suhyeok leaned in and whispered in his ear, Yohan jumped in surprise.

“You really mean that?”

“Trust me and give it a try. You’ll definitely gain either time to defeat the seniors or time to escape the professors.”

Suhyeok spoke with considerable conviction.

Suhyeok was clever. He wasn’t sage-level wise or exceptionally insightful, but he knew how to find the best solution in any given situation and how to utilize everything at his disposal. Knowing this, Yohan couldn’t rashly reject his proposal and pondered.

Struggling so much he even groaned, Yohan finally managed to give an answer just 10 minutes before break ended.

“…I’ll give it a try.”

Suhyeok grinned at the solemn reply. Kylus and Mikael, who hadn’t heard the plan whispered to Yohan, could only look confused or worried.

***

Perhaps unaware of Yohan’s schedule, the fourth-years hadn’t staked out the Herbology classroom before class. Thanks to this, Yohan once again slipped into the classroom unnoticed, blending in among the cloaked students. He nervously listened to Professor Will’s lecture. The fact that today’s lecture was held indoors only amplified his worry.

“That concludes today’s lecture.”

With the ringing of the bell, Professor Will conscientiously concluded the class.

“Yohan, get out before the upperclassmen arrive!”

Having helped him several times before, his friends were now more earnest about avoiding the upperclassmen than Yohan himself. They opened a window, preparing an escape route. They were friends who embodied the educational principle of Fantasiademia—if there’s no path, make one—more thoroughly than anyone.

“Yohan?”

But Yohan didn’t move. The first-years, seeing the student still sitting in his seat, panicked.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“If you don’t get out now, the upperclassmen will catch you soon!”

“Save me! Without you, my grades are ruined!”

“…Huh?”

Just as he was about to question the oddity mixed in with their concern,

“It’s the Herbology classroom! The tracking scent is reacting over there!”

“Get in through the window!”

“Block the building entrance!”

Only a few minutes after the bell rang, the upperclassmen began surrounding the building.

“Ugh! We’re screwed, the seniors already control the area!”

“No, Yohan!”

“Since it’s come to this, don’t run, fight back! Everyone, draw your swords!”

“I’m not a swordsman!”

Amidst the panicking friends, Yohan clenched his fist as he saw the fourth-years, now far more numerous than during first period.

‘Remember, Yohan. The more confidently you say it, the more effective it is.’

Suhyeok’s warning echoed in his head like a mantra. Yohan took a deep breath and stood up. He watched the upperclassmen who had finally broken through his friends’ stubborn defense and stormed into the classroom. Then, with the most nonchalant expression, he executed Suhyeok’s plan.

“…The Divine Studies professor wants me as his teaching assistant.”

The upperclassmen, who had been charging forward, screeched to a halt.