I Ended up Doing Too Well as a Professor of the Enemy Nation - Chapter 73

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 73. Dissecting Butterfly (4)

 

Ruin’s expression was worth seeing.

 

Hero, this bastard?

 

Ginseng Superior let out a long scream.

 

「Seed! This is terrible! That guy has already figured out your identity!」

 

‘No. It seems like he just went for it and saw what happened.’

 

Everyone looked back and forth between the Hero and Ruin with expressions asking if they were crazy. The students were shocked and watched Ruin’s reaction. Even the Principal who arrived late looked bewildered.

 

Of course, the Principal had also asked the Hero a question before.

 

“What’s the probability that Professor Ruins is Fire Butterfly?”

 

To that question, Uncle had clearly answered like this.

 

“Hmm. 1%?”

 

But he’s using that level of probability as this precious final question?! Why on earth!

 

The professors were also shocked. Kalon had suspected Ruin of being a spy, but hadn’t thought he was Fire Butterfly, so it seemed quite shocking.

 

‘Could it be that the 1% was actually 100%?’

 

It couldn’t be completely ruled out. In reality, the Hero was all-or-nothing due to his Luck Power.

 

‘1% instead of 0% means 100%.’

 

This time too, didn’t he choose Ruins Wayne because some intuition activated? It even seemed like he’d been suspicious for quite a long time.

 

That’s why the professors’ attention focused on the Princess’s corpse. And her following answer was…

 

[No.]

 

“!”

 

The classroom stirred greatly.

 

“She said no…?!”

 

Ginseng Superior also gaped.

 

「Making her tell a lie. How did you do that?」

 

What do you mean how.

 

‘I didn’t do anything.’

 

In other words, she told the truth.

 

‘Well, strictly speaking, it’s correct. Fire Butterfly isn’t Ruins Wayne.’

 

But the professors and students were murmuring.

 

“Doesn’t the answer seem a bit more decisive than before?”

 

“No, but ‘Soul Communication’ can only tell the truth.”

 

“With the Hero present, the magic couldn’t have failed.”

 

“True…”

 

Eventually, around that time, the Hero briefly closed his eyes.

 

He was already using it originally, but just before, he had deliberately used his Luck Power more strongly. In other words.

 

‘That answer means it’s the ‘truth’.’

 

The Hero had no choice but to believe the answer.

 

‘If it were false, at least that corpse’s head would have burst into flames.’

 

That’s why the Hero had mixed feelings.

 

‘I was certain it was right.’

 

Was he happy or disappointed right now?

 

‘Well, can’t be helped. Now I need to plan the next search…’

 

But the moment the suspicion was cleared, an ice-cold voice fell on his ears.

 

“You’re saying I’m Fire Butterfly?”

 

“!”

 

The Hero thought ‘oh no’.

 

Ruins Wayne was looking at the Hero with angry eyes he’d never shown before. Then he spoke with an overbearing attitude.

 

“To use the power of fortune so carelessly like this, I’m disappointed.”

 

“No-”

 

The moment the Hero tried to say something, sharp words poured out, irritated but seemingly forcibly suppressed.

 

“When we barely have enough time to identify Fire Butterfly’s purpose and set investigation directions for various agencies, you throw away that opportunity like this? And you still call yourself Union’s Commander?”

 

“That-”

 

“Or did I look that dangerous in your eyes?”

 

“!”

 

Ruins Wayne was looking at the Hero with disappointed eyes.

 

The Hero immediately bowed, saying “Ah…”

 

“I’m sorry for suspecting you, Professor.”

 

However, Ruin didn’t seem inclined to let go of his anger.

 

“Don’t you know that everyone wants to catch Fire Butterfly? I never expected you to do something so reckless.”

 

“Guh!”

 

Ruin made a hurt expression.

 

“Above all, that question… was personally quite shocking to me.”

 

Several students hung their heads, and the Principal frowned. In that heavy silence, no one could think to ask questions.

 

Ruin silently organized his class materials.

 

“I’m just a professor, Chairman. Unfortunately, your Luck Power has targeted the wrong person.”

 

“But-”

 

Ruin held his breath.

 

“Yes. I’m merely a professor who teaches students, but unlike me, you’re the Commander who leads the Union war.”

 

“!”

 

“But today, this judgment you’ve made is bigger and more fatal than any other mistake. More than the misjudgment of a Defeated General who sent hundreds of thousands of allies to Death Ground.”

 

“…”

 

“The act of turning my class, the class of someone who gave their best with their honor on the line, into merely an ‘interrogation tool.’ Is that a decision to make as the Commander of the military?”

 

Ruin continued his harsh words without giving the Hero time to answer.

 

“What if I really were Fire Butterfly? Yes, even if I deceived you and the students and quietly infiltrated the Heart of this Haven, causing harm to the students, you would have moved relying on just one ‘sense’ called ‘Fortune’ like today.”

 

“…”

 

“That’s not a Commander, but merely a Gambler who stakes their life on probability.”

 

“!”

 

“Intuition alone cannot change the tide of war. The qualification of a true Commander is given to those who contemplate ‘who to trust,’ not ‘who to suspect.'”

 

The Hero closed his eyes and hung his head slightly.

 

“…I’m sorry. My question was… excessive.”

 

However, the Hero didn’t break his will.

 

“But I really wanted to confirm. If Professor were Fire Butterfly, it would be the greatest wound among my connections.”

 

Ruin didn’t answer. He just quietly put on his coat. It was cold. Cold enough that no human aspect could be felt. Everyone thought so.

 

“Today’s class ends here. From next time, please judge by the ‘content’ of the class, not the professor’s ‘identity.'”

 

He disappeared outside the classroom just like that.

 

The students quietly swallowed their breath, and Lily flinched and tried to chase after him but only left a look that said now wasn’t the time. Only Ginseng Superior said a word.

 

「That acting was killer.」

 

* * *

 

Shit!

 

‘I really thought I was going to die!’

 

Ruin, who came outside, was gasping for breath.

 

Ruin, who was suspected by the Hero, still had his heart trembling. Even though he said it himself, ‘Intuition alone cannot change the Battlefield’ was bullshit.

 

‘That bastard is beyond specifications!’

 

He’s someone who can dominate the world and destroy Pride with intuition alone! Honestly, he’s allowed to do that!

 

Moreover, everyone knew this, so they followed the Hero’s actions without any objection.

 

‘Do they think the Special Grade Heroes are idiots!’

 

But he had broken that head-on. From the Hero’s and Heroes’ perspective, it might be absurd, but it couldn’t be helped.

 

‘This was the only way to survive.’

 

「Your Acting Ability was amazing. You should have cried while you were at it.」

 

Shut up.

 

「Still, the Hero’s last question was a bit stupid.」

 

‘No. Honestly, that question was the most dangerous.’

 

「What?」

 

Ruin let out a small sigh.

 

‘Honestly, if the question had changed just a little bit, I don’t know what would have happened.’

 

Why?

 

-Is Ruins Wayne Fire Butterfly?

 

-Is Fire Butterfly Ruins Wayne?

 

These questions seem like the same question, but the focus was different. Just that alone could completely change the branches of the answer.

 

One side only asks whether Ruins Wayne is Fire Butterfly, but the other side is a question that includes whether Fire Butterfly is Acting as Ruins Wayne or in Disguise.

 

That’s why it gave him chills. Even after pouring out that much Misfortune, he could get this close to the truth.

 

‘Truly frightening Luck Power.’

 

「More than that, he was suspecting you. Isn’t that dangerous?」

 

‘No. That bastard would put even his own Nephew on the Executioner’s list if necessary. To that extent, he trusts Dice more than people.’

 

Although the Luck Power that allows him to do that is scary, Ruin judged this situation to be actually very good.

 

Why?

 

‘With this, I can receive the Head Professor’s salary while not having to be with the Hero!’

 

Hooray!

 

「You crazy bastard! Still going on about salary!」

 

However, Ruin’s eyes blazed fiercely.

 

‘You’re saying that even after seeing that amount.’

 

Anyway, this gave him a ‘very legitimate justification’ to avoid the Hero for the time being. In other words, achieving the goal that had been the biggest problem from the beginning – ‘shaking off the Hero’!

 

And after pouring out such harsh words, would anyone in their right mind keep him close? Usually, people in such high positions have tremendous pride. Which means.

 

‘Now, I just need to help the Princess escape.’

 

Then the reward will come in too! Since I saved a Princess, they’ll shake out every last penny.

 

Just as Ruin was about to leave Haven.

 

“Professor Wayne?”

 

“!”

 

Ruin stopped. Looking back, he saw a man of indeterminate age standing there.

 

Silver hair and a neat suit. On his collar was a badge reading ‘Information Department Chief Professor’.

 

“Excuse me, but do you remember me?”

 

Ruin narrowed his eyes.

 

“It clearly says Information Department Chief Professor, so how could I not know?”

 

“So you don’t remember me.”

 

No, actually there was no way he wouldn’t know.

 

‘Matthias Chief Professor. The person who was the real Ruins Wayne’s homeroom teacher.’

 

The five Chief Professors were the most dangerous ones because they were the heads of the professors. Especially the ‘Information Department’ was a department that produced spies like Ruin, needless to say.

 

If the Combat Department had many Red Moon graduates, the Information Department had many Blue Moon graduates. The half-elf before him was a former Blue Moon dormitory supervisor and former AEGIS agent.

 

Honestly, he was one of the people Ruin had nothing good to gain from confronting.

 

‘He asked sharp questions in class earlier, and now he’s finally come after me.’

 

He must have followed, trusting the Hero’s Luck Power that suspected ‘Ruins Wayne was Fire Butterfly’.

 

Sure enough.

 

“It’s strange that you don’t recognize me. I was your homeroom teacher for three whole years.”

 

The corners of Ruin’s mouth slowly rose.

 

“Well… I caused you so much trouble, Professor. I felt so sorry that I wanted to avoid you.”

 

Matthias narrowed his eyes. He thought Ruin’s way of speaking was subtly different from ‘Ruins Wayne’s’.

 

“The Wayne I knew… was a child who couldn’t even speak properly, let alone keep up with classes.”

 

Ruin smiled lightly.

 

“Are you complimenting me for changing so much?”

 

“Can a person change so drastically?”

 

“How amusing. You’re the one who taught me that ’emotions, personality, beliefs – all of these are formed by external influences’.”

 

Not easy to deal with.

 

Matthias frowned and said.

 

“Ardel Prim, who was from Blue Moon like you. Do you remember him?”

 

How could he remember?

 

“He was quiet and sickly but had top grades. You were often grouped together with him.”

 

“So?”

 

“…He died a few days ago. Killed by Fire Butterfly, they say.”

 

Ruin blinked very briefly.

 

Then he nodded and spoke calmly.

 

“I see.”

 

A low, dry voice.

 

At this, Matthias frowned.

 

“Really no emotion at all? He was your close friend, wasn’t he?”

 

At those words, Ruin laughed very dryly.

 

“Blue Moon Rule Article 9, Emotio Clausa est. Seal your emotions. Uncontrolled emotions are flaws.”

 

As he turned away, he added.

 

“In Blue Moon, showing emotions meant penalty points. Even this conversation is risky. Should I be arrested?”

 

At that sneer, Matthias fell into deep thought. Because more than 50 years ago, he had encountered Fire Butterfly as a child.

 

Yes. Fire Butterfly had appeared like a shadow in the middle of the night during his childhood. It was too dark to see his appearance, but those burning twilight eyes were definitely not human.

 

Inside the burning dormitory, he had sent brilliant fire butterflies to him when he was on the verge of death, saying.

 

“Follow them. If you follow, you’ll survive.”

 

His tone was strangely kind, but… it was a kindness devoid of any emotion. At that time, despite his young age, Matthias thought.

 

‘This person… will never remember me.’

 

But Matthias remembered. That warmth, and that shadow too.

 

Time passed, Fire Butterfly disappeared, and when Matthias became an AEGIS agent, he met Fire Butterfly again.

 

“Kneel if you want to live.”

 

His words felt awkward somehow. Even though this was a situation where he should feel fear, he wasn’t afraid at all.

 

It was strange. As if he was a completely different person from the Fire Butterfly who had saved him in childhood.

 

Matthias realized.

 

‘Right. That was just an imitation.’

 

The being he had seen as a child was a true nightmare, and the one who appeared after that was merely an imitation by those who didn’t understand that nightmare. Honestly, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Matthias admired Fire Butterfly.

 

That’s why his eyes became serious.

 

“I met Fire Butterfly when I was young. All the ones I encountered after that were nothing but imitators.”

 

“!”

 

“And I ask you. Are you the ‘real Fire Butterfly’?”

 

“What if I am?”

 

“?!”

 

With blazing eyes, Ruin took a step forward.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————