Surviving the Assassin Academy as a Genius Professor - Chapter 88

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 88
[Main Story] No. 2 Betting Table (4)

“……This Trashy Forbtime. Section Chief of Assassination Daily. Seven years with the organization. Twelve Career Monthly Journalist awards. One candidacy for the Pulitchev Prize. Fifth-hundredth-and-twenty-fifth place in This Year’s Best Journalist vote as selected by subscribers. A man destined to become the world’s greatest journalist…… I apologize, staking my grandfather’s honor.”

We were outside.
With snow crusted over his eyes, Trashy spoke.
I held out the Crystal Orb to him.

“Put in your number.”
“Pardon?”
“Enter your number.”
“Yes. From now on, whenever an awkward article is about to run and needs to go through Department Three, contact me at once and I’ll handle it immediately.”
“Once you’ve entered your number, apply for location-tracking terminal synchronization.”
“…….”
“You’re not going to?”
“I already have, before you asked. I also applied for synchronization so automatic texts are sent whenever the number changes.”

I checked. It was true.
Was this guy really insane with response speed at an all-time high?
There he was, sprawled flat on his belly, showing his stomach and wagging his tail, making cute noises.

With him like this, my own guard softened.

“Let’s help each other and get by.”
“It’s an honor!”

And so Trashy Forbtime’s phone number was saved in my Crystal Orb.
This too was a good beginning for the Betting Table.
Every assassin’s news flows through Assassination Daily, after all.
It’s useful to have one person on your side.

“Please go inside, Professor Dante Hiaka! Cheer! On!”

I returned to the set.

* * *

Grey’s shoot was proceeding splendidly.
Of course, there were some minor frictions in Part Two, the Illusion Battle. Her opponent was aggressive, and Grey was rude.
Amulet suddenly flung a shuriken. Then Grey flicked it apart with her finger.
Clang!
And “shattering with a finger” was a highly disrespectful move in Illusion Battle. It’s a gesture that dismisses the opponent’s Illusion Magic entirely.

“Hey.”
“Hm?”

When Amulet’s expression hardened, Grey blinked.

“Oh, sorry.”

Soon Amulet conjured a blue flame from her fingertips. Spectacularly. But this couldn’t be broken with a finger. It was a Phenomenon, after all.
Yet that blue flame soon transformed into bright silver. Grey had layered one Phenomenon over another.

“Hey, that’s not cool, is it? You just covered Croitz’s symbolic color with Hiaka’s symbolic color?”
“Oh, really? I just did it in my hair color….”
“Don’t lie and just apologize! Everyone knows it’s Hiaka’s color! Where do you get off trampling national symbols so brazenly?”
“Ugh, sorry.”

Grey grabbed the hem of her skirt and bowed her head, but Amulet’s eyes twitched.

What came next was spectacular—when Grey conjured a butterfly, Amulet sent a bird that pecked it to death. The bird’s neck was severed and it plummeted, its corpse hurtling toward Grey.
It shattered as it caught on her finger.

“Hey!! I thought only you could do that!?”
“Oh, sorry. But honestly, this is kind of your fault too.”
“What?”
“You keep firing your Illusion Magic toward my fingers.”
“When did I ever!? Don’t lie!!”
“Well, maybe not…”

Such effortless rudeness, flowing as naturally as breathing!
Amulet’s eyes trembled as she clenched her jaw.

‘Yes! Well done, Grey!’
‘Just use your feet! Those fingers are wasted on them!’

Our seconds erupted in cheers.
By contrast, Croitz’s corner fell silent, their expressions darkening.

‘Amulet. Show her what you’re really made of…!’
‘Damn it…! That rude little…!’

Everyone was scandalized by Grey’s insolence, but for me it was entertaining for a different reason.
What others couldn’t see, I could: Grey’s mastery was nearly identical to Amulet’s.
The other girl was a prodigy—a product of imperial overseas training, elite coursework, state sponsorship.
Yet our girl, whose family had fallen and who’d lived like a pauper, tinkering away alone, had reached nearly the same level.
To put it in mundane terms:
A street girl who’d taught herself from library problem sets in some rural backwater was now performing at nearly the same level as a genius who’d earned dual master’s degrees from the top university by her teenage years.
A Potential rating of 2.7 was precisely such a thing.

“Part Two of the Illusion Battle concludes here. Let us move to Part Three—the interview!”

The interview, moreover, was an overwhelming victory for Grey.
It was strange that she’d been nervous at the start—the girl spoke brilliantly.

Q. How does it feel to represent Hiaka’s assassins?
A. It feels a bit heavy, you know (laughs). But whoever stood here would carry the same weight. I don’t want to get too caught up in the idea of being a representative though. In a marathon, they call the person running at the front the Pacemaker—someone who actually helps the runners behind. I hope to be that kind of person.

Q. Were you not afraid when you stopped the falling airship?
A. Hmm… when faced with crisis, people don’t think—they react. I was lacking in many ways, but I had to do what I could. And I wasn’t the only one struggling there. So I’d feel ashamed if I took all the credit myself.

Q. Do you have anything to say as a member of the Habanero family?
A. I do! (laughs) But since I’m here representing Hiaka right now, I’d like to save that for later.

She was incredible.

‘Aaaahhhhh!!’
‘You’re crushing it!!’

Our seconds were bouncing in their seats.
Even my fists clenched tight with energy.
Because she was that good.

Moreover, her raw, unfiltered manner of speaking shone even brighter during the paired interview—a stark contrast to Amulet’s composed, elegant, formal tone.

Q. In the Illusion Battle, who do you think performed better?
A. It was a strong match, but I think I was slightly ahead.
A. If there’d been no camera, she would’ve lost for sure… lol

Q. You’re both quite beautiful—how would you evaluate each other’s attire?
A. Pretty enough, but rather provincial and inelegant. At a party, I doubt anyone would approach her.
A. I thought she was a golden goblin… lol

It went on like this the whole time,
and Amulet’s mind began to slip into fury.

【 Amulet is trembling with barely contained rage. 】

Watching it unfold, a sense of peace settled over me. The shoot had gone smoothly. I had the distinct feeling Grey would be the main feature. Part One and Part Two alike—Grey looked far superior both times.
Yet beneath that composed exterior, she didn’t seem entirely at ease.
Once, I caught her mouth moving, asking something without sound.

【 Grey: ‘Am I doing okay…?’ 】

I nodded.
Keep going exactly like that.

【 Grey: ‘Huh? How did you know…?’ 】
【 Grey: ‘…….’ 】

But then.
Up to that point, I would’ve wagered Grey had it in the bag, yet the director seemed to have a different opinion altogether.

【 Assassination Daily Director Bamur: ‘It’s half and half….’ 】

What? Half and half? Did his eyes go bad?

【 Assassination Daily Director Bamur: ‘Grey’s better than I expected, certainly…. But her Illusion Magic lacks the impact Amulet has.’ 】
【 Assassination Daily Director Bamur: ‘And what is that pale blue butterfly transformation anyway? Never seen anything like it.’ 】

Hell. It was a bias against the unfamiliar.
People claim to love what’s fresh and new.
But those who say so are always a minority.
Hipsters like me.
Everyone gravitates toward the taste they know. It held true in this world within the game.

【 Assassination Daily Director Bamur: ‘Hmm. Or not? Grey’s a bit better, isn’t she? Hmm. Still, I should watch more.’ 】

Then, near the end of the interview, an unexpected turn of events unfolded.

Q. Recently, many cadets from the Empire have been seeking to study at Croitz to learn unique Illusion Magic. What do you think is the reason?
A. The faculty, undoubtedly.

Amulet cast an elegant glance toward Grey as she spoke.

A. Unlike some places without proper instructors, we have many esteemed Illusion Magic professors of Grand Master rank and above.

It was a jab at Hiaka’s wound.
Perhaps that’s why Grey’s lips twisted, and her buckteeth suddenly jutted out.

【 Grey is fighting back tears. 】

Q. Then let me ask you this, Grey—if you had the opportunity to study abroad, would you be interested in coming to Hatengraju?
A. Hey. Don’t be ridiculous. What do you even—!

Grey suddenly stepped outside the camera’s frame.
She was speaking to Amulet, not the interviewer.

“Grey, you’re a cadet…?”

Wait, what? Why is she acting like that all of a sudden? The seconds from both sides began to panic. Amulet furrowed her brow in disbelief.

“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t be ridiculous…! A proper Illusion Magic instructor doesn’t exist? What do you think you know, spouting nonsense like that? I find it absolutely revolting!”

Amulet let out a scornful laugh.

“What’s so offensive? Everyone in the world knows that numerous Illusion Magic instructors, including Senior Professor Battalion, came over due to unfair treatment. The worse the treatment, the lower the standards — you didn’t know that?”
“Go to hell.”

Grey raised her middle finger.
‘Good grief.’ ‘Lord have mercy!’ The seconds recoiled in shock.

“We toss out garbage, and you pick it up and brag about it…! Interviewer, don’t listen to that fool. What does someone who knows nothing think they understand……!”

Grey was livid.
Anyone would have been, in truth.
Amulet sneered as if the whole thing were absurd.

Q. Ah, then from what you’re saying, it seems there are many remarkable Illusion Magic instructors at Hiaka?
A. Remarkable doesn’t even cover it. Just as my level was higher than hers, our faculty is far, far superior to theirs! Much, much higher——!”

Oh no.
And with that, Grey stormed off-screen again.
She pointed at the opposing second and lobbed a bombshell statement at the interviewer.

“Frankly! Our senior instructor would run circles around that old man’s Illusion Magic!”
“Excuse me??”

At those words, everyone — Amulet, Croitz, the director, the cameraman — turned to look at our second.
Then Grey glanced back at me and asked.

“Right, Professor? Honestly, you’re stronger than he is, aren’t you…!?”

Good grief.
I had to disappear.
For reasons I couldn’t quite name, it felt necessary.
With that thought, I crouched down behind Wilhelm’s broad back.
Grey, however, drove the wedge deeper.

“Hey, don’t hide…! Dante Hiaka——!”

In that instant, a spotlight blazed down on my head.

Flash!

‘Damn it.’

My head grew warm. The camera crew had switched it on.
All eyes locked onto me.

I was taken aback.
None of this had been part of the plan.

To begin with, I couldn’t afford to expose my true abilities. Wasn’t that precisely why I’d constructed the puppet of Senior Professor Cain?
But Grey, unaware of that fact, had felt Hiaka’s slight keenly and dragged me into the fray.

“…….”

I waved my hand dismissively, but suddenly an assistant director approached and thrust a microphone at me.

Q. A word from you, please, Professor Dante.
A. …….

What do I do?
How on earth did things come to this?
I held up my palm briefly and flashed an SOS signal with my eyes toward Wilhelm.

【 Chief Professor Wilhelm: ‘Hm?’ 】
【 Chief Professor Wilhelm: ‘Are you asking for help?’ 】

Right. He’d been in the conference room during that meeting with Chief Professor Kain, so he understood the context perfectly.

【 Chief Professor Wilhelm: ‘OK.’ 】

Then Wilhelm seized the microphone and spoke loudly.

“That’s correct.”

Wait, no. That’s not it. I should’ve said no.
This is insane.
Why is a man who knows my position perfectly well doing this to me?
He flinched belatedly.

【 Chief Professor Wilhelm: ‘Oh no.’ 】

What’s done is done. The damage is already out there.
Wilhelm’s confirmation was like a bomb going off.
The assistant director jolted in surprise and pressed back.

“You’re certain?! That Senior Professor Dante is confident he uses Illusion Magic better than Chief Professor Horup?!”
“Yes, I mean, well…. That’s right.”

Wilhelm, stammering his agreement, looked at me and whispered, ‘Let’s do it.’ I whispered back, ‘What are we doing? Just try to stop this.’ ‘Come on! Let’s go for it, Professor Dante. We just say you were trained by Chief Kain.’ ‘…….’ I’d considered that angle too, but if there was a way to avoid this, avoidance was the right move. ‘…….’ So I gave him a hard look, watching his spirits sink. ‘Fine, fine… I’ll straighten up. I’ll try to kill this whole thing.’ Good.
That’s when it happened.

“Hey, old man! Want a straight-up fight? With our professor?!”

Grey suddenly shouted that.
Why is she like this?
At that, everyone’s eyes shifted to the other side—to Croitz’s chief professor.

● Chief Professor Horup†

Horup, chief professor of Illusion Magic Assassination Studies at Croitz.
Continental ranking: 711th.
The 900s and 800s are in different tiers.
And the 800s and 700s are different again.
In other words, he was a true master among the Grand Masters.
That monstrous professor fixed me with a sinister gaze.
And Assassination Daily News never missed the scent of drama like this.

“Professors, might we arrange a venue? Hiaka versus Croitz! An Illusion Battle between the professors!”

This can’t happen.
Win or lose, apart from the outcome itself, this could become a real mess.
From the start, a senior professor defeating a chief professor doesn’t paint a natural picture.
It’s difficult for even several senior professors working together to overcome a Chief Professor.
‘Wilhelm, Chief Professor!’ I called out urgently to our elder, pouring all that desperation into my voice. Right now, he was our only lifeline.

【 Chief Professor Wilhelm: ‘Hmm?’ 】
【 Chief Professor Wilhelm: ‘Ah! This won’t do, will it?’ 】

Wilhelm, now snapping to attention, nodded grimly.
I prayed he wouldn’t spout nonsense this time.
He lurched to his feet and shouted.

“This is unacceptable!”
“I beg your pardon?”
“An Illusion Battle between a Chief Professor and senior professors!? This cannot be!”

Yes! That’s it!
Perfect! If he puts a stop to it, we have grounds to stand on!

“…Not with bare words, it cannot!!”

This is getting absurd.

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