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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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Chapter 152 - Head Theoretical Professor Kaiden (4)
Headmaster’s Office.
"Uh, um… er…."
Kirrin stammered with a dumbfounded expression as she looked at Kaiden.
"So, uh… Mage Kaiden…?"
"Hello, Headmaster."
"Ah, yes…."
Even with Kaiden’s greeting, Kirrin was still visibly confused.
Then, suddenly, she leaned towards me and whispered.
"A woman…? But I heard he was a man…?"
"He just looks like a woman."
"R-really…? No, he doesn’t just look like a woman; he is a woman, isn’t he…? Have you confirmed it…?"
"Confirm what? You can’t say stuff like that with the person right in front of you."
"Ahem."
Clearing her throat, Kirrin tried to cover her embarrassment with a smile.
"Thank you so much for coming to our Academy. I’ve heard a lot about your reputation, Mage. Honestly, having someone as extraordinary as you here feels a bit overwhelming."
"You don’t need to worry. I will conduct myself according to the duties of my position as Head Professor."
"Well, if I may be so bold…."
Kirrin carefully glanced at me, Ismera, and Kaiden before hesitantly asking.
"Would it be possible for you to show us a simple bit of magic…?"
"Headmaster. That’s a very rude request."
Ismera cut in firmly.
"The new Head Theoretical Professor is not here to perform a magic show!"
"Th-that’s true, but… it’s just that you’re so famous…."
"It’s fine. I’ll show you."
Kaiden said with a gentle smile, extending both hands.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!"
"Huh!"
Kirrin screamed, and Ismera gasped.
I couldn’t see anything.
"Uuuugh! What is this?!"
"I can’t believe it. My goodness…."
Seeing the two elves’ intense reactions, Kaiden smiled and lowered his hands.
"Wh-what was that…. What did I just see…."
"Sigh…. Suddenly, everything went dark…."
As the illusion disappeared, the elves turned to Kaiden, their faces filled with bewilderment.
"That was really impressive…. Was that illusion magic?"
"Yes."
"So, it wasn’t actually real?"
"It only distorts the senses, making it seem as if something is there."
"Amazing…."
Kirrin muttered in a daze. I wondered what on earth she had seen.
# # # # #
News of Kaiden’s arrival quickly spread through the Academy, and people flocked to catch a glimpse of him.
A former member of the Demon King Slaying Special Force, Kaiden was a living legend who attracted attention wherever he went. Especially so, as he was known as the reclusive prodigy mage.
No one could stay indifferent when a mysterious mage who had been out of sight for ten years suddenly appeared at the Academy.
For a while, wherever Kaiden went, crowds gathered.
Even students peered out of their classrooms during lessons, and not just the staff—some of the Academy guards even abandoned their posts just to see him, leading to disciplinary action.
And when people gather, rumors start to spread.
A peculiar rumor began to circulate within the Academy.
It was about Kaiden's gender.
Everyone on the continent knew that Kaiden was a man.
But the Kaiden who showed up in person looked nothing like a man; instead, he had the appearance of a pretty girl.
Thus, people began to entertain plausible theories that Kaiden had been disguising his gender for some reason.
There were several variations of this rumor, some claiming that Kaiden was actually intersex, possessing both male and female traits, while others suggested that he was genderless due to some kind of magical alteration.
I really hate this kind of excessive attention.
Looking back, running off to Brunswell ten years ago was the best decision I ever made.
But Kaiden didn’t seem to care at all about the fuss around him.
He simply went about his business, always with that subtle smile on his face.
Kaiden has always been the type who thinks only of himself.
Not so much selfish, as an extreme individualist.
That’s why he was reclusive even before joining the Demon King Slaying Special Force, and why he remained shut up in the magic tower afterwards.
With Kaiden taking over the Theory Department, Ismera could finally focus solely on her duties as the Vice-Headmaster.
She had prepared extensively for the transition, but Kaiden, being as sharp as he was, managed to understand everything within two days of taking over.
I heard he even finished reviewing the end-of-semester exams and was already reorganizing the curriculum for the next term.
He really is incredible, truly.
"Sir Dian. Let’s go get lunch."
Whenever it was lunchtime, Kaiden would always come to find me.
No matter where I was, Kaiden would come and find me.
If I was at my desk, I’d look up and there he’d be. If I was patrolling, I’d turn my head and he’d be right beside me.
No sound, no shift in the air, no footsteps.
"Let’s go get lunch."
"Alright. But that… is magic, right?"
"Yes. Being able to use magic makes daily life a lot more convenient. I don’t have to wander around looking for Sir Dian."
Kaiden smiled.
The fact that Kaiden came to have lunch with me every day put Kirrin in a bit of a bind.
Kirrin often had dessert with me at a cafe, eating cake, but now she was too hesitant to even approach me because of Kaiden.
So, sometimes I’d ask Kirrin to join me for a meal, but she’d wave her hands frantically, clearly flustered.
"N-no, I’m fine! You should eat with Sir Kaiden, or, I mean, the Head Professor! You two eat together all the time!"
"I told him I’d eat with you today."
"Eek! Don’t do that! I’ll eat with Ismera! I won’t interfere, I swear!"
What’s wrong with her?
Well, it’s natural for someone as timid and gentle as Kirrin to feel uneasy around someone as remarkable as Kaiden.
She probably thinks, ‘How could I dare intrude on Dian’s meals with Kaiden….’
"Sir Dian. What do you do after work?"
And every single afternoon, without fail, Kaiden would ask me this.
"Well, nothing special. Why?"
"Please show me around the city. I don’t really know what there is in the capital."
And so, since he arrived, I’ve taken Kaiden out to explore every single day.
The imperial capital, Calvasar, is one of the largest cities on the continent and the birthplace of all things trendy and cultural.
It’s a highly developed place, so much so that people from other rural areas might see it as a different world.
But Kaiden didn’t seem particularly impressed.
Given that he had recreated the streets of a major city on Earth within the Tower of Illusions, places like this probably didn’t satisfy him.
Even the tallest buildings here were only eight stories high, and the population was nothing compared to a modern metropolis.
"It was an interesting and enjoyable time."
Nevertheless, every time we returned to the Academy, Kaiden would always say this.
"Being with you, Sir Dian, is always a joy for me."
"Glad to hear it."
"So, what will you do now?"
"I’m going home. Olysia is waiting for me."
Kaiden asked as we passed through the Academy’s main gate, and I answered as usual.
"Miss Olysia always seems to be waiting for you, Sir Dian."
"Of course. She’s family."
"Family, I see. Understood. By the way."
Kaiden changed the subject.
"I’ve been here for a while, but I’ve never seen your home, Sir Dian."
"Oh, that’s true. Want to come over today? It’s not much, but you’re welcome."
"Gladly."
When Kaiden arrived, Olysia gave me a somewhat puzzled and wary look.
"Sir Dian. I’m sorry, but this is a bit of a problem."
"What do you mean, a problem?"
"If you’re going to bring over a woman, she should be someone of an appropriate age. I really don’t like this."
"What are you talking about? This is the new Head Theoretical Professor. Mage Kaiden."
"Eek?!"
Startled, Olysia bowed deeply, her forehead nearly touching her knees.
"I apologize! I’m so sorry! Please forgive my rudeness!"
"It’s alright. I’m not offended at all."
I showed Kaiden around the house.
The first floor had the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and Olysia’s room. The second floor was where I had my bedroom, along with a few other guest rooms.
"This is your bedroom, Sir Dian? It seems quite cozy."
Kaiden looked around the room and commented.
"But it feels a bit large for just one person. Do you not get lonely?"
"Not really? I haven’t felt that way."
"I see. Understood."
After the tour, Kaiden left, having enjoyed a cool drink Olysia had prepared.
"Whew, that really gave me a scare."
As she folded laundry in the living room, Olysia began to speak.
"I thought you’d lost your mind, bringing over a young girl all of a sudden."
"Hey! What do you take me for?"
"You should give me some advance notice. I was under the impression you’d be marrying Vice-Headmaster Ismera, but then a different woman shows up, so I was surprised."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Huh? Why are you pretending not to know?"
Olysia tilted her head, puzzled.
"I mean, you slept in the same room with Vice-Headmaster Ismera the other night."
"What?! How did you know that?!"
"I heard everything."
Wait, what…?
"If it’s Vice-Headmaster Ismera, I think I’d be happy to serve her as my lady."
"What?"
"She’s unexpectedly kind, she’s beautiful, and she always enjoys what I cook. She’s diligent, tidy, and she’s the Vice-Headmaster, which is a prestigious position."
Olysia listed Ismera’s merits, counting them off on her fingers.
"If you marry her, Sir Dian, you’d be able to secure a position as a tenured professor, wouldn’t you?"
"Well… I suppose?"
"Of course. So, do your best. I fully support Vice-Headmaster Ismera."
It seemed both Lormane and Olysia had a favorable opinion of Ismera.
Well, it’s not like Ismera had any shortcomings.
"By the way, Sir Dian. You need to hand over your laundry on time."
"I’ve given you everything."
"Really? Then why is there so little? Go check under the bed. Maybe you stashed some socks there or something."
"Fine, I’ll look."
I searched the room but found nothing.
In the end, the whereabouts of the missing clothes remained a mystery, and Olysia said she’d head into town to buy more.
It’s truly baffling. How could clothes go missing in such a small house?
No matter how I thought about it, nothing made sense.
I hadn’t experienced anything like this since Lormane stole a bunch of my underwear under the guise of laundry ten years ago.
# # # # #
Meanwhile, at the dormitory, in Kaiden’s room.
Back in his room, Kaiden reached out into the empty air.
His hand, which slipped into a dimensional pocket, emerged holding a pile of men’s underwear and socks.
These were the items he’d taken earlier from Dian’s house.
Kaiden buried his face in the clothes and took a deep breath.
Unfortunately, they’d just been washed, so there was no lingering scent.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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