I Ended up Doing Too Well as a Professor of the Enemy Nation - Chapter 264
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 264. The Butterfly That Wants to Settle Down (3)
It was Aina, whose senses were beast-like, who opened her mouth.
Aina continued with a trembling voice.
“This is definitely Teacher’s scent.”
Ruin was troubled.
The Hero Candidates had all undergone human experimentation to kill the Demon Race, and their bodies had been modified as a result.
So each had specialized body parts. Among them, those with developed sense of smell were Elaine and Aina.
It wasn’t for nothing that Elaine was good at detecting demon scents. No, he could smell all kinds of scents to the point where it was painful.
On the other hand, Aina, who had an iron stomach from often picking up and eating poisonous snakes and mushrooms, wasn’t troubled by her sense of smell. If Elaine specialized in ‘distinguishing,’ then Aina specialized in finding ‘the same’ things.
As such, he thought she would definitely recognize Ruin, but…
Grab.
Aina seized Ruin’s arm.
“Teacher!”
Ruin’s hand flinched slightly. A minute reaction that an ordinary person would never notice.
However, Ruin immediately shook off Aina’s arm.
“You’re just a commoner. Let go, it’s disgusting.”
Aina had a hurt expression.
“Why are you pretending not to know us. You’re Teacher, so why…”
As Aina muttered, Yuri, who was like a prickly cat, grabbed Aina.
“Aina, stop it. It’s not him.”
Whether he was angry that his friend had been pushed away, Hiren protectively stood by Aina and spoke in a low voice.
“…If it’s really not you, then say it’s not.”
It wasn’t a light tone.
To this, Ruin answered coldly, as if emphasizing each syllable.
“It’s not.”
Hiren’s eyes wavered. Yuri lowered his head. Aina bit her lip until it bled.
However, Ruin didn’t stop. Coldly, sharply, and cruelly.
“I don’t know what you’re mistaken about, but Rabian Crawl is dead. The person you’re waiting for no longer exists.”
Unable to bear watching, Elaine whispered.
“…Master-“
Elaine, shut up.
“I don’t want to be mistaken for that human.”
It became as cold as the Medical Ward, like cold water. Hiren asked with eyes almost on the verge of tears.
“…Really not? Really not Teacher Ravian-“
Ruin smiled coldly.
“I didn’t know the Hero Candidates had fallen to this level.”
A voice cold enough to freeze one’s breath.
“I suppose I had too high expectations.”
The door closed.
* * *
Ruin is a spy.
Therefore, he doesn’t reveal emotions even in his footsteps.
However, the moment the presence from the Medical Ward completely faded away, his toes trembled weakly.
“Ha.”
Neither laughter nor tears, just a breath barely exhaled to himself.
Good. Well done.
Now those children won’t cling to me.
Then they’ll be safe. Then they won’t die again.
It’s okay. It’s okay… it’s ok…
That was the moment.
“Master.”
A title that made even his heart freeze.
Ruin didn’t turn around.
“I told you not to use that title.”
Then this time, the Hero’s voice was heard right behind him.
“…Do you truly believe that what you just did was right, Master?”
Ruin turned his head and sneered, twisting the corner of his lips.
“It doesn’t matter whether I believe it or not. As long as the result is correct.”
However, the Hero’s response was unexpected.
“Then… was it necessary to hurt them to that extent?”
Ruin’s eyes narrowed.
“Those children are weak. And if they’re weak, they die.”
The Hero was incredulous.
“…Is the way to make those children strong ‘killing their teacher’?”
Ruin’s expression twisted for just a brief moment.
The Hero didn’t miss it and continued speaking.
“‘Those children can only grow by completely denying the existence of their teacher.’ Do you truly think that way?”
Ruin answered without moving a muscle.
“Yes.”
“!”
“If those children can forget me and live on, that would be for the best. Rabian Crawl dying… it’s a necessary thing.”
The Hero closed his eyes.
“…When you asked me to stay at the academy, when you said you’d stay together… did it mean this?”
Ruin smiled calmly but coldly.
“Isn’t it obvious? Can human society easily accept children raised by wolves? The world isn’t that lenient.”
A moment of silence.
The Hero looked at the ground.
“…I knew you were someone who would say such things, but I didn’t want to hear it from you, Teacher.”
Ruin cut him off coldly.
“What you hear is your choice.”
The Hero’s gaze wavered. However, he didn’t back down.
“I’ll ask just one thing. Master… I believe there must be another reason for you acting this way. Am I mistaken?”
Ruin smiled very faintly.
Well, it should be fine to tell him this much.
“If I make them hate me, someday the children might be able to kill me.”
The Hero’s eyes widened.
“…!”
Those words didn’t sound like a joke. It was more terrifying because it sounded like calculation rather than resignation.
Ruin added.
“If something happens that would get me executed by the Union, then it’s better to die by your hands.”
A suffocating silence.
The Hero was speechless for a long time.
Ruin shrugged his shoulders lightly as if breaking that silence.
“Well, I’ve been a spy for several years. I have no intention of getting caught easily.”
Though it sounded like a light joke, Elaine’s face completely crumbled.
“…You’ve been thinking such thoughts.”
The Hero’s voice was sad.
“Please continue to stay here.”
Ruin didn’t answer. That silence was rather an answer itself.
* * *
The medical ward was quiet. The children didn’t even have the strength to speak. In that silence, Hiren wordlessly took out a chess board. He spread out the chess board and arranged the pieces mechanically.
Chess was also a training that Ravian always provided for Hiren, who had particularly developed intellect among the disciples.
Click. Click. Click.
His hand movements were so stable that it didn’t even show he was crying right now. However, after arranging all the pieces, Hiren couldn’t make the next move.
“…I feel sick.”
His voice cracked.
“We insulted Teacher… We denied him… said he was dead… it’s an insult… How much Teacher… how much…”
He couldn’t finish his words. Because the medical ward door opened violently. Other professors and teaching assistants were standing there.
“Did you hear the rumors? This place is dangerous!”
“The children who died to Cobra… right? But how does it make sense that they’re alive and well like this?”
“Why did they bring in such dangerous things?”
The professors’ faces were mixed with fear and suspicion.
“What if this is what the Demon Race intended?”
“What if they sent them as spies? What if it’s mind control from the enemy nation?”
“It might be a plan to collapse Haven…”
At those words, Hiren, Yuri, and Aina all stiffened.
‘W-we’re… spies?’
With faces closer to children than students.
Just as that commotion was growing louder—
Thud.
A tall shadow fell across the doorway.
Ruin.
“…Noisy.”
With that single word, the entire medical ward stopped.
Ruin looked over the professors and spoke.
“These kids are spies?”
Ruin let out a sneer.
“I don’t know who taught you, but where are there spies this emotional and stupid?”
“…!”
The disciples’ eyes turned red.
At that moment, Ruin’s gaze fell on the chessboard. Those were the pieces Hiren had laid out. Seeing it, Ruin said nothing and picked up a white knight.
“Understood?”
And moved it one square.
Clack.
“On my board, pieces that move without permission are the first to be cut down.”
He subdued the professors with his gaze alone.
“So leave. Whose neck will be cut first… shall we find out starting now?”
All the professors understood that those words meant ‘this is my territory, so get lost.’
However.
“The recent demon attack was also suspicious, wasn’t it?”
“Even if you’re the Head Professor, when it comes to student safety…”
Then Ruin strode forward with heavy steps.
“If those children are spies, I’ll handle them myself. Whether it’s arms or necks, I can just cut them right off.”
The medical ward froze. Those who knew that look wasn’t a joke had no choice but to keep their mouths shut.
In that silence, Ruin smiled coldly.
“But what if they’re not spies?”
Ruin swept over the professors’ faces and whispered in their ears.
“You’d better be prepared.”
The professors’ breath stopped. Before him, neither the bold professors nor the suspicious ones could say another word.
Eventually the professors left the medical ward, and only when the door closed did the heightened tension finally ease. Ruin also left with a parting comment.
“Ravian raised disciples who aren’t helpful.”
Bang.
Finally, only Hiren, Yuri, and Aina remained.
Hiren gritted his teeth.
“…To the very end… he insulted Teacher Ravian again…”
Yuri said nothing. He simply pointed at the chessboard.
“Hiren.”
“…?”
“That.”
Hiren looked.
The white knight.
‘That was definitely moved by Professor Ruins…’
The position where the white piece was placed was the distinctive opening move that shook Hiren the most in chess, one that only Teacher Ravian used.
Hiren’s hands trembled as if his breath was caught. Soon Hiren, Yuri, and Aina rushed out of the medical ward. Their purpose was singular.
Ruin.
They practically burst through the door into the Head Professor’s office.
“Apologize.”
“Apologize for insulting Teacher Ravian.”
Their faces showed no compromise whatsoever.
Elaine came running belatedly.
“S-stop! Don’t do that to Teacher!”
However, what came back was unexpected.
“Get lost, Elaine. We have only one teacher.”
The voice was low.
Elaine was flustered. These kids were really angry. But Elaine hoped they wouldn’t go astray.
“Don’t, don’t be like that. You’ll keep seeing Professor Ruins, so it would be good if you got along…”
“Elaine!”
Under his friends’ gazes that seemed to brand him as a traitor, Elaine didn’t know what to do and just broke out in a cold sweat.
‘What should I do? Should I tell them the truth? No, Master told me not to say anything. I’d rather be a traitor.’
As if choosing to become a traitor, Elaine squeezed his eyes shut, and Ruin could only sigh at the sight. No matter what, he couldn’t let their friendship crack because of him.
“Step aside.”
“Huh?”
A moment later, when Ruin crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and manifested his power, something amazing happened. With a gentle breeze, flames flickered and blazed, and Ruin’s face changed.
What finally appeared under the firelight was exactly the face they remembered. A thin frame with pale skin, sharp eyes, purple irises, and ash-gray long hair tied down to one side.
The disciples’ eyes visibly wavered.
“…Teacher?”
Elaine’s eyes widened at seeing his teacher’s appearance after so long, and the disciples burst into tears. Hiren spoke with an expression that was unclear whether he was laughing or crying.
“I knew it. I knew you’d come out like this if we touched Elaine.”
“?”
Realizing from those words that this had all been Hiren’s scheme, Ruin’s eyebrows twitched.
“…Don’t tell me you guys were pretending to fight on purpose…”
Just as Ruin was about to get angry.
One, two, three… Soon everyone rushed toward their teacher, who was no different from their first love. Ruin froze in place as if he hadn’t expected this.
“Teacher… don’t go anywhere.”
“This time… don’t abandon us.”
Ruin fell silent.
Finally, Ruin slowly raised his hands as if he had no choice and patted their heads. Just like Rabian Crawl had done.
“…Alright. I’ll stay here.”
At those words, the disciples’ crying grew louder. Their body warmth and tears stirred something deep within his heart. However, Elaine looked at Ruin with a hurt expression.
“When I…! When I begged you to stay like that, you completely ignored me…! But you solve it with one word for my friends?!”
“Are you the same as these kids?”
“What’s different?!”
…Let’s not go there.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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