The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 44

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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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Chapter 44
The incident didn’t send shockwaves through the world.
‘It happened so far from the beaten path, after all. We contained it in the early stages anyway.’
Because of this, the professors overseeing the training exercise were busy downplaying my achievements.
“Haha, I suppose we were simply mistaken.”
“We thought the evil dragon Ashtat might be stirring and were about to report it urgently to the Magic Tower, but fortunately it turned out to be nothing at all.”
Well, that suited me fine.
There was no point in drawing unnecessary attention.
‘I’d rather not become a hero.’
My top ranking in the training exercise was already confirmed, so this outcome was perfect.
But contrary to my hopes, something unexpected happened.
“That’s not quite accurate.”
“Professor Kansir?”
“Didn’t everyone clearly witness the anomaly? Especially Professor Balas and I entered the dragon’s nest and saw the problem firsthand.”
My heart sank.
‘Why is this bastard suddenly saying anything? Just shut your mouth and sit tight!’
But then the situation took an odd turn.
“Oh, then surely it was Professor Kansir who resolved the matter?”
“…No, it wasn’t.”
“Then it was Professor Balas?”
Balas, now singled out, frowned deeply.
“It wasn’t me either.”
“Then who?”
Both of them clamped their mouths shut before dropping the bomb.
“It was Professor Ban.”
!!
Everyone gasped in shock, and I went pale.
I’d tried to slip quietly through, but I’d failed spectacularly!
“Professor Ban?! Is what these two gentlemen are saying really true?!”
“You stopped the evil dragon’s stirring — tell us your thoughts!”
Reporters swarmed around me, and I scrambled for the right thing to say.
‘I need to handle this carefully. Make it seem like nothing much happened.’
“I told you not to make a fuss over something so trivial. Such a petty incident is beneath my notice — I wouldn’t even deign to mention it.”
…The cute black flame dragon caused another uproar, and the next day my name was plastered across every magical newspaper.
-Young Master Ban Causes Trouble Again!
-Young Master Ban: Stopping Evil Dragons Is Nothing Compared to My Greatness.
-Is Young Master Ban’s Arrogance Charming or Delusional? The Beginning of a Legend?
‘…Damn it.’
Back in my cramped room, I tore at my hair.
‘No, it’s fine. It’s fine. They still doubt me anyway. As long as I keep my head down from now on, it’ll be okay.’
But suspicion began creeping in.
Was it even possible to keep my head down?
‘…Don’t lose heart now. Once the new term starts and the protagonists take center stage, I won’t need to do anything. They’ll be the ones in the spotlight.’
The real problem, though, was something else entirely.
‘What am I going to do with this egg?’
I let out a long sigh, staring at the enormous egg.
Ashtat. That cursed dragon.
A curse escaped my lips unbidden.
‘I can’t even sell it.’
If I sold it on the black market, I could fetch a fortune.
But it was impossible.
It wasn’t a matter of conscience.
‘This is the egg of the Dragon of Apocalyptic Darkness. If I’m careless, it will bring unspeakable catastrophe.’
There was a story branch in the scenario where this egg fell into the hands of greedy humans.
Tormented by human greed, the young dragon would sell its soul to a demon and exact bloody vengeance upon mankind.
‘One of the Academies gets randomly swept away and wiped out. The scenario becomes uncleared.’
There was only one answer.
‘I need to entrust it to someone reliable.’
Time was running out.
I had to find the right person before the egg hatched and imprinted me as its ‘parent.’
‘Someone righteous and trustworthy, but also capable enough to handle this egg.’
Professor Bernstein came to mind, though something felt two percent off.
‘Ideally, I’d want someone even more impressive.’
Then, in an instant, the perfect person occurred to me.
Randolph, the former Rector.
‘…Though preferably someone I’d avoid entanglement with. Best to just toss the egg and run.’
But something about the response felt strange.
“Ah, welcome! Who do we have here? Isn’t this our very own professor? I’ve been wanting to have tea with you anyway. Why are you standing there like a stick? Sit down!”
Overly effusive!
A chill ran down my spine.
‘That enthusiasm—isn’t that the kind he shows to the protagonists? Why on me?’
The feeling was deeply unsettling.
I resolved once more to handle this business quickly and escape.
“There’s something I need to discuss with you. I’d like you to take custody of this dragon egg.”
The former Rector’s expression grew even more startled.
“My word! You’re serious? And not just any dragon—but a Great Elder Dragon egg? How did you come by such a thing?”
“I obtained it while resolving the incident on the Lancel Plateau.”
“Remarkable! Our professor truly is something else! I’ve always sensed you’d cause quite a stir someday.”
‘…And when did he stop calling me a “troublemaker”?’
The way the former Rector kept saying “our professor” over and over was deeply unsettling.
“I thought you would be far more suited to becoming this egg’s keeper than I.”
“Hmm.”
It was an offer no mage would refuse, yet the former Rector dropped a bombshell I hadn’t anticipated.
“On the contrary, I think it’s you who should keep the egg.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You’re far better suited to be its master than I am.”
“You mean me?”
You’re joking.
I sent him a look that said as much, but the former Rector’s expression remained grave.
“Just from the fact that you brought me this dragon egg out of concern—I can see the measure of your character. How I’ve misunderstood you all this time! I’m truly sorry. From now on, I promise never to doubt you again.”
‘…What good is a promise like that?’
I was horrified.
I denied it, tried to deny it, but the truth was clear.
The former Rector had marked me—sized me up.
‘This won’t do! I need to disappoint him.’
“I think there’s a misunderstanding. I’m not offering this egg out of pure goodwill. I fully intend to receive compensation.”
“What compensation do you want? Just say it.”
His expression suggested he’d grant anything.
But he won’t maintain that composure once he hears what I say next.
“Give me the Amulet of Hollow Wood.”
“!!”
The former Rector’s eyes widened.
‘It’s a legendary item that boosts the conductive capacity of internal mana, reducing mana consumption when casting spells.’
It was precisely the effect I needed.
The problem was that it was something the former Rector treasured greatly.
He would surely show anger….
“Ha! Truly magnificent! Asking for the very thing you need most. A younger version of you would have demanded some flashy treasure with nothing but rumors behind it.”
“…….”
“Of course, it’s something I hold dear, but for our professor, I’ll give it gladly. Take it.”
“…No. Then perhaps you should just keep the dragon egg instead.”
This wouldn’t work.
Since words weren’t getting through, I was about to hand over the dragon egg regardless.
Then something entirely unexpected occurred.
-Crack!
The dragon egg began to hatch!
‘Thank goodness. If it hatches here, it’ll imprint on the former Rector as its father.’
A baby dragon, upon emerging from its egg, imprints on the strongest presence before it as its parent.
At this rate, even if the former Rector refused, the hatchling would be forced to follow him as its father.
-Crack-crack!
The shell shattered completely, and a palm-sized hatchling dragon tumbled out.
Coooo?
The young dragon tilted its head.
It was impossibly cute and endearing—the sort of creature anyone would fall for at first sight.
‘According to the setting, this one’s supposed to be female? Congratulations on your late-in-life daughter, former Rector Randolph.’
I watched their first father-and-daughter(?) reunion with a satisfied gaze.
Now, if the baby dragon waddled over to former Rector Randolph and touched its lips to his, the imprinting would be complete.
Except.
The baby dragon toddled forward on unsteady feet.
…Toward me.
‘…What?’
I stared blankly for a moment before belated panic sent me scrambling backward.
‘Why’s it coming at me? You’ve got the wrong person!’
Former Rector Randolph cried out in shock.
“Ban, it recognizes you as its parent! Ah, just as I suspected!!”
“That’s not it. There must be some misunderstanding.”
But the baby dragon kept waddling after me.
I tried dodging toward where Randolph was standing, but it didn’t even glance in that direction.
So I really was the one it had imprinted on!
-Coooo!
It cried out like a chick calling for its father.
Flap-flap-flap!
Spreading its diminutive wings, it launched itself into my arms and licked my face with its tiny tongue.
‘…I’m done for.’
My face went blank.
I’d just somehow acquired a dragon daughter.
* * *
I walked out of former Rector Randolph’s study in a daze.
Inside the Magical Pouch I held, the baby dragon slept soundly, its breathing soft and even.
‘…It is cute, I’ll admit. But that’s not the real issue.’
Objectively speaking, this wasn’t bad news at all.
Dragons were the highest-tier pet anyone could hope to obtain, let alone actually get.
Once it grew a little, it would be a more reliable asset than anyone.
‘Dragons are a solitary species, so even as hatchlings they supposedly grow on their own without much parental effort.’
The real problem was always the same: unwanted attention.
A professor wielding a dragon as a pet? The news would spread across the entire Empire.
‘Damn it, Randolph’s definitely made an impression of me now too.’
-To be chosen by a dragon! And of the highest order, the Great Elder Dragon bloodline no less. Now I’m truly confident my eye for talent hasn’t failed me.
That wasn’t reassuring at all.
‘…Heroes, please just enroll already. Come here and absorb all this unwanted attention for me.’
I was walking through the back paths of the Academy with that desperate hope in mind when—
An unexpected person called out to me.
“Would you have a moment to speak with me, Professor Ban?”
“You are?”
It was Amanda!
‘She looks perfectly fine. The curse has completely disappeared.’
For the record, no one else knew that she’d ever been transformed into a creature of chaos.
Both Kansir and Balas had lost consciousness before they could even process what happened.
“What is it?”
Amanda blinked slowly.
Even without the curse, she still looked vacant—this must have been her natural demeanor.
“I have a request for you, sir.”
“A request?”
“Please take me under your wing.”
“…What?”
I was doubting my own ears when—
Amanda dropped to her knees before me.
“Master of magic. You are my benefactor. I will dedicate everything to you—please, will you accept me?”
“!!”
It was a bombshell I never saw coming.
I felt as if I’d been blindsided, but I managed to ask with forced composure:
“…what do you mean all of a sudden?”
“I know that you dispelled the curse of chaos that dwelt within my body. It’s fair to say you saved not merely my life, but my very soul. Among our clan, it is law that we repay both kindness and grievance without fail. I would offer you everything I have.”
“…no.”
I felt a strange unease settle over me.
A clan that repays debts without exception.
The words struck something familiar.
“…are you perhaps from the Ilwol Clan?”
Amanda’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“As expected of the Master of Magic. You know of our clan. Yes, I carry the blood of the Moon clan, blessed by the Sun.”
A chill ran through me.
‘Sun and moon and whatever else—they’re a clan of murderers.’

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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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