The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 46

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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 46
I hastily suppressed the thought that had surfaced unbidden.
Granted, the two of them were in the Liberal Arts and Support Faculty respectively, but it was almost certainly not that.
‘The well-behaved protagonists might have simply happened to oversleep today, after all.’
…Even I knew it was a threadbare possibility, but clinging to that sliver of hope, I made my way toward the President’s office.
There was a full briefing for the newly hired Temporary Professors.
‘A notice from the Ministry of Education? What’s this about?’
Kansir and Balas, who had arrived first, greeted me with undisguised hostility.
“…Tch, the semester barely starts and I have to look at your unlucky face.”
“Professor Ban, your smugness is finished as of now. The new semester has begun, so prepare yourself.”
Yet unlike before, I sensed something other than contempt—not the usual look-down from above, but a different emotion entirely.
-I won’t lose, no matter what.
Just then, Message Magic reached my ears.
-How dare you be disrespectful to your benefactor. Shall I kill them both?
It was Amanda.
‘…Could you not say terrifying things with that blank expression? It makes it sound like you actually mean it.’
No, she probably does mean it. She’s from an assassin clan, after all.
I shook my head to stop her and turned my gaze elsewhere—only to lock eyes with someone else.
It was Rune.
‘Rune, now that I think about it—who exactly is she? A prodigy of Cheonkong Island?’
Cheonkong Island was the holy land of magic.
A place where eccentrics gathered, caring nothing for worldly affairs and devoted exclusively to the pursuit of magic.
I myself didn’t know exactly who inhabited Cheonkong Island.
‘For some reason, I feel like I’ve encountered Rune in the scenario before.’
My instinct as a veteran was telling me something.
Rune was absolutely not an ordinary new hire.
But then,
‘…Did she smile?’
I wondered if I’d seen wrong, but I hadn’t.
Rune had offered me a subtle smile.
Only it wasn’t a pleasant smile.
I couldn’t explain it precisely, but something about it felt off.
I was about to open my mouth when—
“Ah, welcome, esteemed new professors!”
President Karak appeared, bedecked from head to toe in jewels like a peacock in a ridiculous display.
“Seeing your dignified figures, my heart swells with pride. Especially you, Professor Ban—I’ve heard fine things about your performance at the recent Faculty of Magic training.”
The moment Karak singled me out by name, murmurs rippled through the assembled crowd.
For reference, this gathering included not just new professors from the Faculty of Magic, but from every faculty, making for quite a substantial crowd.
“It was nothing remarkable.”
“Hehe, even your false modesty carries such pride—it sets my heart racing perfectly. I look forward to seeing how brilliantly you’ll perform going forward. Especially in the assignment I’m about to announce.”
At the word “assignment,” everyone in the hall exchanged puzzled glances.
I frowned as well.
‘An assignment, all of a sudden? And for professors, no less?’
Karak wore an expression of difficulty.
“An official notice has come down from the Ministry of Education. For this new semester, they’re instructing that new Temporary Professors also be assigned to teach a Welcome Class.”
At this unexpected announcement, the hall filled with chatter.
“Everyone should know that for the next two months is the Adaptation Period for students. During this time, they attend common classes without Faculty distinction, and if they wish, they can take an exam and transfer to a different Major.”
A Welcome Class was a temporary class assignment for students during this Adaptation Period, usually handled by junior junior professors.
‘But they’re assigning them to Temporary Professors too? This has never happened before. Could it be—?’
A foreboding chill crept down my spine.
The Ministry of Education was under the influence of Renius, the Second Prince and apostle of Ouroboros.
Indeed,
“However, since new Temporary Professors aren’t yet official faculty, the Welcome Classes you oversee will be student-elected. Only students who volunteer will enter a new Temporary Professor’s Welcome Class.”
“!!”
I grasped the intent of the Ministry of Education—more precisely, Renius, the Second Prince and apostle of Ouroboros.
‘My reputation is still anti-Ban. No student will choose me, so I’ll fail this assignment and get expelled from the academy.’
“Hehe, though it’s the Ministry’s directive, I think it’s an excellent idea. After all, having students select their professor is itself a measure of a professor’s ability.”
“…….”
“The outcomes of Welcome Class instruction will be reflected in your evaluation, so please do your utmost. I have particularly high expectations for you, Professor Ban, hehe.”
Karak smiled at me with a sickening grin, as if to say he’d be watching, and then disappeared—while I let my expression darken.
The official memo from the Ministry of Education contained detailed evaluation criteria, which read as follows.
—If the class fails to meet a minimum of 6 students, the Temporary Professor designation shall be revoked.
It was obviously aimed at me.
Linden and Hans threw a fit.
“Bran, is this really okay? There’s no way six idiots would apply to your class, right?”
“Hah! Linden, you fool! What do you take Bran for?! Even if he’s kicked out of the academy, there are plenty of places for him to go! Should I ask the Duke to prepare a position for you in advance?”
“You know you’re more insufferable than me, right?”
The notice went out immediately, and the first-year students grew restless.
“We can enroll in the Temporary Professors’ Welcome Classes too?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to just take classes from the official professors?”
“No way. How many famous people came in as new Temporary Professors this time? Honestly, they’re better than the junior professors.”
“I’m going to apply for the class of Balas, the genius of magical theory.”
“I’m applying for Kansir’s class—he comes from a renowned swordsmanship family.”
“I’m interested in the War Mage path, so I’m going to apply for Amanda’s class.”
It wasn’t only them.
The new Temporary Professor lineup at Rubines Academy was unusually stellar this term.
Students flocked to the renowned figures regardless of faculty.
Of course, none of that concerned me.
“But, there’s a name here—Bran Ecclesia. Is that the Bran Trash I know? The same Bran Trash actually took a position as a Temporary Professor at our academy?”
“He must have been appointed through some back-channel arrangement. The Ecclesia family speaks of integrity and justice, but they’re pulling stunts like this. I’m disappointed.”
“By the way, I heard some strange rumors lately. They say Bran Trash has changed.”
“You believe that? Bran Trash changed. My family’s hunting hound evolving into Cerberus is more likely.”
“I heard a different rumor. Bran Trash went mad with delusions of grandeur. Apparently he goes around claiming he’s the protagonist of a legend or something.”
My reputation among the first-year students was actually worse than among ordinary people.
It seemed that the younger students encountered news of me through hearsay and gossip among themselves rather than reliable sources.
Thanks to that, Kansir and Balas were in high spirits.
“Bran, apply yourself. If you, who once defeated me in a duel, get expelled for failing to gather even six students, my honor suffers. Well, no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to reach six.”
“I’m actually worried so many students will apply to my class. Should I yield a few of the interested students to you? Of course, there’s no chance any of them would accept.”
Amanda, unable to bear it, said this much.
“Shall I kidnap, coerce, and torture students into joining Professor Bran’s class?”
“…Refrain yourself.”
For reference, Amanda too—that eccentric assassin from the screw-loose clan—and Rune from the dark Cheonkong Island both had over ten students applying.
Among all the Temporary Professors across every faculty, I was overwhelmingly dead last.
‘Though it’s not as if I have zero applicants.’
There were two.
Specifically,
“Here, these are the class enrollment application forms. Sign them. What’s with that expression? I’m not applying because I like you, Professor Bran. I’m only submitting this because I feel sorry for you—no one else seems to be applying for your class.”
“I, I’m applying because I actually like you, Professor. Please accept me into your class.”
…Two people I was anything but happy to see.
Katrine and Rivel.
“I don’t need you.”
I promptly tore up their applications.
“What?! What are you doing?! I only applied out of concern! Don’t you realize you’re about to be expelled?”
“I wasn’t worried—I just applied because I genuinely like you as a professor.”
“That’s right, Bran. Now is not the time to be picky. We need to welcome anyone, anyone at all!”
“Professor Bran, if you’re doing this out of pride, I’ll bring students instead—or rather, Linden will! Linden, you fool! What are you doing? Bow to these precious students!”
Even Linden and Hans threw another fit.
But,
“I said clearly I don’t need you.”
“When you keep saying things like that—!”
“What crisis are you talking about?”
Everyone fell silent.
I spoke calmly.
“You’re all laboring under a misunderstanding. This isn’t a crisis. I am Bran Ecclesia. Something like this means nothing to me.”
They all looked taken aback.
They seemed to think I was bluffing.
‘The situation certainly isn’t good, though.’
Only a week remained.
Gathering six students in that time would be difficult, and even if I miraculously managed to assemble six, that was far from the end.
‘Six students is merely the bare minimum to avoid failing. To actually remain as a professor at the academy, I must rank first among all the Temporary Professors.’
In other words, to secure first place, I had to recruit at least thirty new students—the bare minimum.
The number crowding around Balas, who currently led, was roughly that size.
Daunting as it seemed.
‘I’m a former sales king, aren’t I? I’ve faced far more hopeless situations than this.’
I’d always delivered peak results even in the worst circumstances.
This time would be no different.
“You needn’t worry about me. So take this application and go.”
……
“Find professors who can actually help you both.”
In truth, I was grateful to them.
They’d shown me genuine consideration.
Still, business and personal matters had to remain separate.
‘…No matter how much I appreciate it, I can’t become the class instructor for the two leads, no matter what.’
More than anything, they needed to meet with real professors who could truly benefit them—not a fraud like me.
“Katrine, Professor Karl from the Knight Faculty would suit you well. During the Adaptation Period, you can apply for classes regardless of your current faculty. Or among the junior professors in the Magic Faculty, Ian, who specializes in Sword Mage, would be a fine match.”
“…That’s not it.”
“…What do you mean?”
“I don’t need anyone!”
Katrine’s voice shot out sharp as a crack.
Her face flushed crimson, she glared at me.
“I didn’t apply because I was worried about you, Professor. I applied because I wanted to learn from you. Do I really have to spell this out? It’s infuriating.”
……
My words died in my throat.
Beside her, Rivel murmured something low, her dark eyes unwavering.
“As I’ve said all along, I applied simply because I favor you, Professor. So… please don’t abandon me.”

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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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