I Ended up Doing Too Well as a Professor of the Enemy Nation - Chapter 58
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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 58. The Principal’s Dilemma
Ruin was deep in thought.
Because of Echo?
No, it was because of the Principal he had gone to use in order to find Echo’s whereabouts.
“Professor Ruins. Do you perhaps dislike the Chairman?”
“….”
He hadn’t expected such a direct question to come at him like this.
Ruin furrowed his brow.
‘Well, it was about time to ask.’
Honestly, it was strange for someone who wanted to become Head Professor to run away whenever he saw the Hero.
‘So that’s why she’s suspicious?’
As Ruin’s gaze turned cold, the Principal cleared her throat with a cough.
“It’s not that, I want to become friends with Professor Ruins.”
…Excuse me? What do you mean?
“So please don’t feel too burdened, and I’d appreciate it if you could share what’s on your mind.”
Burdened?
Come to think of it, the Principal who had called him out was much more modest than usual. Normally she would have been quite glamorous.
Then Ginseng Superior made a fuss and sparkled his eyes.
「Did she perhaps hear that you dislike her because she’s pretty? She’s interested in you!」
‘….’
That was just something he had casually made up to Charlotte. In the first place, if she’s a peerless beauty like the Principal, she’d only become more beautiful no matter what she did.
That’s why the spy’s eyes became fierce.
‘Could it be that the Principal is actually a Union spy? A colleague? No, there was no such information. Maybe she’s a high-level spy that even Pride didn’t notice?’
「This occupational hazard…」
As the suspicious Ruin stared even more intently at the Principal’s face, the Principal for some reason fanned herself with a hand fan and cleared her throat to change the subject.
“So, do you dislike Uncle?”
“Yes.”
If possible, I’d like you to throw him away with recycling separation.
But since he couldn’t say that.
“I don’t like people in general.”
“Ah.”
Charlotte immediately understood.
“Actually, the Chairman was worried. He said it seemed like Professor Ruins was avoiding him.”
You’re just realizing that now? You idiot bastard?
“He said there’s no way someone he likes would dislike him.”
Hopeless. Like a patient with axe disease.
“He wondered if you might be a spy.”
Ruin almost choked.
She’s hitting right on target. Uselessly sharp Luck Power.
Ruin quickly moved his mouth.
“Having been treated like a monster for a long time, I’ve come to distance myself from people, so my social skills aren’t very good. It’s embarrassing, but this small plant is the only one I can open my heart to and spend time with.”
「Right? You only have me, right?」
“Ah.”
Charlotte immediately understood. So that’s why he always carried that flower pot by his side?
Ruin shoved the ranting Ginseng Superior into the ground and said.
“To be honest, the Chairman is like the sun, so I find him very burdensome.”
Sun my ass, he just drains my energy. That extrovert bastard.
“My desire to teach students is sincere, but if I’ve been bothersome, I’ll step down from my professor position.”
“Ah… Ah!”
Charlotte waved her hands as if that wasn’t it.
“It must have been a sensitive question, I’m the one who should be sorry. I naturally thought it would be like that.”
Charlotte was rather flustered, but Ruin immediately seized that as an opportunity to press forward.
“I thought raising students who could catch Fire Butterfly was also part of the Head Professor’s job.”
So give me the Head Professor salary.
“I thought the Head Professor’s job shouldn’t simply end with assistance. So I’m making efforts in my own way, but-”
Since you’re not going to fire me, give me the salary.
No, since I’m going to make it so you can’t fire me, give it to me.
“Then you also conducted classes in that torrential downpour?”
“Yes. To catch Fire Butterfly, one must be able to fight even in extreme environmental changes.”
“It absolutely wasn’t because you were avoiding the Chairman?”
“Yes. When a strong person at the Chairman’s level is backing them, students become complacent and settle into comfort. So please, I hope you won’t even show a hair in my classes from now on.”
“Then making the Chaser Family Heir scoop out the Sacred Pond was also?”
“Yes. Arrogance is the worst enemy when hunting Fire Butterfly.”
“Even though the parents are coming because of that incident?”
That works out well.
I should extort some bribes.
“Relieving parents’ worries is also a professor’s duty. I’ll go meet them directly.”
「You’ve oiled your tongue. Just how many people have you made cry with that shamelessness?」
Well, for starters, the Chaser Family brat who ended up digging the pond cried quite a bit.
When that hamster-like kid tried to dive to find the family treasure, I told him to properly scoop out the water.
‘That way I can go in.’
I already got permission from the Academy. Surprisingly, the Administrative Office gave permission easily too.
Of course, Superior was very pleased about the story of the new box, but well.
‘It won’t be the box containing the Demon Emperor’s heart.’
Because….
‘No matter what, surely it wouldn’t have gone into the Sacred Pond.’
「Then why did you make the student do the digging?」
‘If there’s even a 1% chance, I try everything.’
「And you make students do it?」
‘The probability is too low for me to do it myself.’
「…Wow, what a bastard. This kind of person is also called a professor.」
Ruin said nonchalantly.
“Currently, students are skipping Demon Hunting Studies for various reasons.”
“!”
And only the 4th and 5th years at that.
“Black Moon is originally the Problem Student Class so that’s understandable, but the absence of the diligent Blue Moon and the curious Silver Moon seems strange.”
So Ruin came to a conclusion.
“The current 4th and 5th years are the problematic grades from a year ago when there was a ‘student death incident.’ Is there any connection?”
The Principal fell silent.
Gold Gate openly expelling the Head Professor had become such a hot topic. But in reality, the entire 4th and 5th years were boycotting.
Because….
“So we heard about how our Gold Gate senior tragically died. But where did our seniors who went out together go?”
“Give us back our friends!”
In fact, it wasn’t just one student who died to Fire Butterfly at that time. Those who were servants to Gold Gate and seniors to Blue Moon also disappeared entirely.
But the Head Professor at the time didn’t even put them on the victim list. Other Professors also treated them as if they never existed. Trust in the professors inevitably declined.
Perhaps that’s why.
“The 4th and 5th years represent the Academy in various competitions, but whether they’re doing it on purpose or not, their academic achievement is low and they deliberately competed without motivation in the recent friendship tournament, resulting in a crushing defeat.”
Well, in short, they want to tarnish Haven’s reputation. Their current absence from classes is probably an extension of that.
“We apologize to Professor Ruins.”
Feeling the many implications contained in those words, Ruin fell silent.
‘I heard that students died to Fire Butterfly.’
「Geez, why did you kill the kids?」
Ruin snapped, his veins bulging.
‘Based on the timing, it couldn’t have been me.’
Besides, what’s there to gain from killing youngsters?
「Then the professors aren’t idiots either. Why do they know it was Fire Butterfly?」
That’s right. That’s what’s bothering me.
But Ruin had a rough idea.
‘It must be the work of a Special-Class Wanted Criminal. There’s a guy among the Special-Class Wanted Criminals who can imitate me.’
「Ah, Echo?」
Ah, is that why they’re avoiding me now?
‘Judging by how they mention the Hero, they seem well-versed in my situation with Haven.’
Now I have a reason to find and crush them.
Charlotte asked cautiously.
“Do you also think the demon race that killed the students was Fire Butterfly, Professor Ruins?”
“No. My guess is that they’re using the already vanished Fire Butterfly’s business card to scheme. Special-Class Wanted Criminals know very well how much chaos can arise from just the words that Fire Butterfly has returned.”
“!”
Charlotte looked at Ruin with surprise. She thought Ruins Wayne, being someone who’s proactive about anything related to Fire Butterfly, would surely be excited like other people?
At the very least….
“It’s the work of Special-Class Wanted Criminals?”
“Yes. They’re major criminals whose wickedness and cruelty cannot be matched.”
“Why do you say it’s the work of another S-class fugitive, not Fire Butterfly?”
“The real Fire Butterfly doesn’t use that name carelessly.”
At those words, the Principal felt a meaningful undercurrent. It was as if Ruins Wayne spoke like someone who knew that fact directly.
“But even so, if that incident was actually Fire Butterfly’s doing-”
He raised his gaze and spoke quietly.
“The casualties would have been ‘everyone.’ Without exception, completely clean.”
“…!”
“And there would have been no trace. No one would have known whose doing it was. That’s where the imitators make their biggest mistake. Leaving traces due to their desire to show off.”
At those words, the Principal exhaled in relief while feeling a chill run down his spine.
This professor… what exactly is his identity?
But Ruin sighed.
‘Rather than dealing with immature students, eliminating one hero would be more efficient from a war perspective.’
So he casually let slip.
“Above all, it’s more profitable to kidnap kids and hold them as hostages.”
“…Excuse me?”
Oops.
“No. I mean Fire Butterfly would think that way, not me.”
“Ah!”
“Anyway, I was also caught up in the recent terrorism targeting Haven professors. With demon hunting practicals on top of that, the S-class fugitives are definitely aiming for war. War is profitable. And Haven’s students would make good enough catalysts.”
Then, as if reacting to a specific word, the mana entity climbed onto Ruin’s shoulder.
[♥Master, shall I install explosives~?♥]
Ruin startled and quickly grabbed the mana entity like swatting a fly, crumpling it up. It was instantaneous.
The Principal’s eyes trembled slightly, having seen something.
…D-did I just see a giant watermelon?
Ruin coughed awkwardly.
Damn it. I need to find Echo quickly.
‘Since it’s not my Frix, I can’t control it.’
If he left this insane Frix alone, next time it would probably pull out a bomb.
Ruin was about to subtly ask about Echo’s whereabouts using Union’s technology. But the Principal said something unexpected.
“Recently, S-class fugitives have been forming groups. Like mercenary bands.”
“!”
Groups?
Ruin frowned. Those supremely arrogant loners?
“According to the S-class fugitive who appeared in Rhine, what they want is ‘Fire Butterfly’s legacy.'”
…Fire Butterfly’s legacy? What’s that?
「Did you secretly create something like that?」
I don’t have anything like that.
I don’t, but I’m anxious.
I need to quickly catch someone and ask them about it.
But before that, I need to dispel the Principal’s suspicions.
‘If I can’t explain, I’m dead (fired)!’
Fire Butterfly, who had lived in an environment with frequent extreme situations, was always serious.
“Anyway, in that sense, I thought treating Princess Isles was also part of helping the Chairman as Head Professor.”
“Excuse me? The Princess?”
“Yes. Judith Isles has outstanding combat talent. If she’s treated, she could certainly aim for the S-class the Chairman desires. Seeing how the Five Evils targeted her, she might also be a catalyst Pride is after.”
Charlotte was surprised. When she had told the Grand Duke this story, he had flown into a rage, but there was another person who thought the same way. It felt like meeting a benefactor in the mountains.
“It’s a good idea and you certainly treated her ‘Mana Rigidity Syndrome,’ but it would be difficult to treat the Princess’s chronic illness too. That disease is incurable-”
No, it’s not incurable. Ruin could cure it.
If he became close with the Grand Duke that way, let’s remove the Hero from Haven. No, if he did even better, couldn’t he receive an amount equivalent to severance pay?
‘Then I could ignore the Demon Emperor’s mission to approach the Hero and become free.’
Then, some flock of birds passed by beyond the Principal’s office window.
And that was a coded message…
-Become friends with the Hero.
…Demon Emperor! Where do you think this is, sending telegrams! If the Principal catches on, I’m dead!
Ruin was inwardly shocked, but it was useless.
-Destroy Haven.
This is driving me crazy!
“Professor?”
As the Principal tried to follow Ruin’s gaze to look outside the window, Ruin smoothly placed his hand just above the Principal’s shoulder.
Feeling the firm forearm near her shoulder, the Principal’s face reddened as she became flustered.
“R-Ruins Professor?”
Meanwhile, secretly drawing the curtains by the window, Ruin smiled.
“The room should be dark.”
“Eh, yes?!”
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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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