Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired

177 – Why is This Even Happening

“Right, first, all of these documents…”

“Wait, doesn’t she

no longer need to be here?”

“Exactly! She wasn’t even planning

on becoming a real student anyway…”

“Alright, alright, let’s

organize all this first before we start arguing.”

“Say, why are so

many students gathered over there?”

“How would I know? Hurry up and

move some of this stuff.”

Meanwhile, while Jennison and Isabella

were leading around various packs of jackals,

the academy’s professors

were in a state of turmoil and shock…

The reason for this was a single letter

sent this morning

to the academy’s faculty office.

‘Hmm? There’s no sender listed?’

‘Says the one who… doesn’t have anyone to send him mail?’

‘Hmph, so whose could this be then…?’

‘Why not just open it and see?’

‘Yes, at the very least the letter

will say who it’s for.’

And inside that opened envelope

was a single, still unfurled,

vibrant green leaf,

and sentences that injected

a tension into the professors’

until-now languid routines.

‘I… is this really…’

‘Th… the Elven Princess is

returning to the Academy, are you saying?!’

‘..Summon the other

professors at once.’

‘Sir…?’

‘Quickly!! What are you waiting for?!’

‘Y…yes, sir!!’

And so, the professors, summoned

one after the other, cluelessly,

held the letter in their hands

and each showed the same uniform reaction,

leaving the assistants,

still ignorant of the reason,

to simply watch the professors, now frantically

returning to their posts, working like mad.

‘We need to overhaul

all of these materials…!!’

‘But, weren’t these

added by you yourself, Professor…?’

‘You call these things

materials to teach with?!’

‘N…no, Professor…’

‘Remake them immediately from scratch!!’

And was that all?

The professors, who had hitherto

delegated all lesson preparation to their assistants,

now voluntarily began to produce

teaching materials themselves, and

suddenly the assistants became

the playthings of ill-tempered professors.

To become mere arrow fodder…

That resentment would begin

to creep, ever so slowly, from amongst them,

was, perhaps, only natural.

And soon, that resentment morphed into a single,

lingering curiosity.

“But what in God’s name is in that letter

that they’re going to such lengths over?”

“Exactly! Normally, they’re all

about having fun and taking it easy.”

“Hey, watch your mouth, if you get caught…”

“Come on, it’s not like I’m

saying anything that isn’t true, is it?”

“What are you two finding so amusing?”

On the shoulders of the two teaching assistants,

who had been freely gossiping

about their professors,

landed something of

considerable weight with a thud.

And at that very instant,

a voice, one they both knew well,

echoed out from behind them.

“O… Professor Oliver…?”

Professor Oliver, who was in charge of class B…

no, more recently, class A.

And in that moment,

a flurry of imaginings rushed through the assistants’ minds.

Just to reiterate,

a professorship at the Academy

was not something easily attained.

Skill commensurate with

such a title was absolutely essential,

and the ability to teach students had to be top-notch.

Of course, there were a few who’d forced their way in,

leaning on the power of their worthless families…

No, let’s be honest, quite a lot of them.

But that didn’t mean that getting in here was

ever

easy.

In any case, they too…

Any applicant lacking even the barest qualifications to become a professor faced immediate rejection. And the more of those types that appeared,

the more desperately the Chairman yearned for truly qualified individuals.

“…They wouldn’t sack me, would they?

Surely, he didn’t hear everything?”

“Ah… that’s why I told you not to…”

Was it just a feeling?

His hair, usually shimmering,

felt strangely

menacing today.

“That’s… I didn’t say anything…”

“It’s fine, whatever… Next time,

I’d advise you to speak more quietly.”

“Y-Yes, Sir!!”

“Well then, I’ll be going now…”

“P-Professor!”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Could you perhaps… tell me the content of the letter?”

“Hey…Hey!”

“Haha, my apologies. But I

know nothing about that—”

*Screeeak*

It was then,

the faculty office door cautiously opened.

“I’ll wait outside.

I can’t just waltz into the office.”

“…Just a moment. Then, explaining this matter—”

And then, the black-haired boy,

slowly entering the faculty office,

bowed deeply,

scratched the back of his head vigorously,

let out a long sigh,

and raised his head again.

“…Excuse me, is Professor Oliver here?”

“Hmm? Jennison? What brings

you all the way here… huh?”

“A pleasure to meet you, Professor. I’m Sylvia.”

And at that moment,

Every eye in the faculty room turned.

*

‘Looks amusing, wouldn’t you say?

Perhaps I could accompany you?’

Truth be told, I took it as a jest.

Though she was prone to the occasional

odd pronouncement,

still, I held her in rather

high regard.

Perhaps the fact that she, with a

visage so reminiscent of my own,

held dominion over countless

Elven souls,

also added weight to

my assessment.

And besides, her character was a

hundred, a thousand times more

agreeable than any other young

noble’s.

What would she find lacking

that she would want to burden

herself with such a bothersome

endeavor?

Besides, judging by her arrival

here when the Great Forest’s

reconstruction wasn’t even

complete,

surely she had returned

with matters of greater

import than this.

Of course, with her assistance,

my task would be made easier,

but I had no intention

of troubling her for the sake

of my own convenience.

‘No, there’s truly no need to

assist, I can manage—’

‘Then shall we inquire of the

Professor if he believes it

acceptable..?’

‘Indeed, let’s.’

Of course, that was *my* opinion,

not necessarily the sentiment

shared by them.

In the end, I was inescapably

caught in their clutches,

I was dragged to the faculty office, and

“Hahaha… Lady Sylvia, what brings you all the way here…”

“You can speak comfortably.

Though I may be older,

I am a student now, after all.”

“Ah… hahahaha, th-then I shall…”

Right then, I was witnessing with my own eyes

the oldest professor at the academy

completely flustered.

…Come to think of it, she was

older than I imagined.

Well, she is an elf, so

it’s difficult to judge age by appearance, I suppose.

Even so, I hadn’t thought she would be

older than the most

notoriously aged professor here.

From her, there was no trace of

that peculiar feeling

one gets from people

who have lived long years.

‘…Is it because, calculated by

elfish years, she’s still underage?’

“Hahaha… what brings the elven princess here…”

“Is there a problem?

I am, without a doubt, a student here.”

“Ah… no, no problem, but… wasn’t it supposed to be… temporary?”

Unlike the professor, all flustered and laughing awkwardly,

her faintly crafted smile

was beautiful to the point of being eerie;

if I had to put it into words, it was like a tranquil lake before a storm.

And in truth, she had effectively been

dispatched to foster relations

between the Empire and the Great Forest.

So, the academy faculty must have thought

she would be returning now.

Indeed, there still lingered

an undeniable feeling that

the elves regarded other races as inferior.

It wasn’t unreasonable to think she wouldn’t be staying much longer.

“Yes, that’s right. It *was* temporary.”

“..’Was’?”

“Something of personal interest has

arisen, quite recently.”

“..That implies─”

“That I will be remaining here a

little longer, for the time being.”

The moment her words ceased,

the expressions on several

professors’ faces shifted to

a state of utter dismay.

From their perspective,

the idea that their lessons and lectures

would be attended by Elves – a race so different –

and their Princess at that,

made such a reaction almost unavoidable.

The Imperial Family was already paying close attention to the relationship with the Elves.

What if even one of them

were to err, and the relationship

become strained?

The repercussions would ripple out uncontrollably.

Perhaps even their family’s

entire fortune would be insufficient to atone.

Naturally, this was cause for a great headache.

Furthermore, what if she found

their classes unsatisfactory and

lodged a formal

complaint with the Academy?

Of course, such a thing was

unimaginable for common folk,

and she didn’t *appear* to be the type of

person… Elf… who would do such a thing,

but the very *possibility* was enough

to place a monumental

burden upon the faculty.

‘What constituted rudeness

in Elven culture again…?’

‘..All lesson materials

containing examples about other races… deleted immediately!!’

‘Nature… perhaps once, just once, we could

venture outdoors for a nature observation class…’

So mused several professors,

already plotting the sweeping

revisions to the lesson plans they’d hastily

cobbled together today.

Just moments before, she, who had

commanded their attention completely,

set her teacup down with a crisp sound.

Earl Grey tea, freshly

and meticulously brewed

by the assistants just prior.

“Professor Oliver,

I have something I’d like to discuss.”

“…With me, you say?”

“Yes.”

Until then, Professor Oliver had been

observing them from the sidelines, arms

crossed. He seemed genuinely surprised

to be addressed, as if he hadn’t

expected to be called upon.

He slowly stepped forward,

disregarding the other professors,

and double-checked.

“Professor Oliver?”

“…Yes, I am he. What is it you wished to say?”

“I heard you’ve entrusted

a task to Jennison this time?”

“….”

“I won’t belabor the point.

Could I perhaps join in?”

‘…Anyone else would be one thing, but

Professor Oliver…no, absolutely not.’

*

“Hmm…humans these days

treat plants in this fashion…”

“Yes, and these as well…”

“There, no daydreaming,

pay attention and keep up. The juniors are this way.”

‘…How is this even happening?!’