The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 70

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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 70
A sharp hiss cut through the air.
The atmosphere shifted entirely.
The Black Flame Dragon’s presence engulfed the lecture hall.
‘Genuine star quality, that one.’
Even Katrine, accustomed to Ban, found herself impressed—the other students barely registered their own shock.
Confronted with something wholly unexpected, every eye in the room snapped toward Ban, waiting for his next word.
But then.
“Everyone brought their textbooks? Hand them over to Hans and Linden here. I’ll be keeping them for now.”
“You’re taking our textbooks? Why?”
“Because the material is… well, frankly, more than you’re ready to absorb right now.”
“More than we can absorb? We already know all this.”
The students exchanged bewildered looks.
This course was titled Foundational Understanding of Magic.
Being foundational, most students here had already studied it as preparation—some of them extensively.
“Know it? You’ve simply memorized content for entrance exams, nothing more.”
Silence fell like a blade.
“What I mean to teach you isn’t superficial skimming. I’ll make you truly ‘understand’ what magic is.”
That was it.
What Ban intended was, quite literally, understanding magic—exactly as the course title promised.
He meant to show every student in this room what magic truly was.
And then.
Their eyes widened to breaking point.
A lecture unlike anything they’d heard before.
Something unprecedented, something mad, had begun.
* * *
The Mirror Tablet.
A remote magical tool that used a small mirror as a medium to connect to the academy’s Sage’s Stone database.
Students used these mirrors for various purposes—research, data collection—and one particularly popular use was the anonymous message board.
By using a special code to write on the mirror, identical text would appear in a corner of the Sage’s Stone; over time, it had become a kind of digital scrawl wall.
It was also called the Mirror Board, and today, that Mirror Board exploded with activity.
-Is Ban’s lecture today actually real?
-What do you mean? How was it? Spill.
-Ban’s garbage lecture was garbage, as expected lol.
-Bet without even hearing it. Poor Class 2. Their test scores are gonna tank.
-Are you all deaf? I’m in Class 2, and Ban’s lecture was actually incredible?
The posts on the Mirror Board came to an abrupt halt.
For a moment only.
Then an avalanche of replies cascaded down.
-Incredible? Are you insane?
-Seriously. That was a lecture? I didn’t pay tuition for this garbage.
-It was a brilliant lecture. Why are you questioning it? Maybe you’re just not smart enough.
-Wait, is this the shiny-haired assistant? You work hard!
-No, isn’t this Ban himself? He’s a graduate, so he’d have access codes.
-No, seriously, it was actually good! You degenerates!
-Professor, impersonating a student to post insults is a violation of school conduct code.
Katrine, who’d been furiously typing responses on the Mirror Board, scowled.
‘It really was pretty good, wasn’t it? Are all these people blind? It was different, sure, but—’
Actually, “different” might not be the right word.
It had been radical.
To be precise: “insane” fit better.
Katrine recalled the lecture.
-Try drawing a star on a blank page.
-…A star from Sacred Circle Magic, you mean? We’re not in the Magic Department, so that’s impossible.
This was, as had been said repeatedly, a general education course.
Most students couldn’t manifest magic at all.
-Who asked you to draw a Sacred Circle star? Just draw a star.
-…Just a regular star? What’s the point of that?
-If you can’t even understand a line, a dot—how do you expect to comprehend Sacred Circle Magic? Arrogance.
Stunned silence.
And while doing so, he issued only the most absurd instructions imaginable.
Draw a triangle. Draw a pentagon.
Mark points at regular intervals.
Connect the lines.
And so on.
Content that could easily be mistaken for an art class rather than a Magic lecture.
When students finally protested,
—If you want Magic knowledge as mere cultural refinement, I can explain it readily enough. But what will that leave you with? Garbage like that Textbook will teach you all of it with a quick skim.
……
—As I said before, I want you to truly understand Magic through this course. Whatever department you’re in, whatever path you walk in the future, it will be of great benefit to you.
Reluctantly, students followed his instructions, but their dissatisfaction had not subsided.
No one understood what drawing points and lines had to do with understanding Magic.
—At your current level, useless explanations will only poison you. For now, keep drawing. Don’t think. Don’t try to feel anything.
By the time the first lecture ended, the students had drawn geometric figures mindlessly, and they erupted.
—This is insane! He has nothing to teach, so he’s making us draw pictures for no reason?
—What’s the homework? Repeat the drawings from today a hundred times? No way!
—The way he’s teaching, he’ll be kicked out soon anyway.
‘…This is actually really helpful practice. I don’t know about other departments, but why can’t the Magic department students even see it?’
Katrine clicked her tongue.
In fact, she had done the same exercise once before.
It was a task given by the former household head of the Magic Family, who had since passed away.
—You have no talent for Magic, I see. Hmm. Clearly you were born with the Hero’s Destiny, yet why is your talent like this? For now, try it this way. Keep repeating, and eventually you’ll feel something.
For reference, the former household head had been a Level 9 Ascendant.
Following those teachings, Katrine, who had been hopeless in Magic, barely managed to enter the field.
‘…But this takes a really long time to see results with repetition. He’s not going to keep going like this the whole way, is he? The students don’t seem like they’ll have the patience for it.’
Her concern proved accurate.
The second lecture was identical.
The only difference was that he added this remark:
“Draw with concentration.”
“…Concentrate, sir?”
“Yes. Don’t entertain useless thoughts at all. Thinking won’t get you anywhere anyway. Focus only on the lines and points you’re drawing.”
It was nonsense—like a ghost bursting through the side of a roll cake.
—Today’s class was truly legendary.
—Concentrate, my foot! A point is a point, and a line is a line!
—Ugh. When trash like him teaches, of course it turns out like this.
—You’re all so ignorant, not recognizing the true value of this exercise. I think it’ll be incredibly helpful? I have a friend from a Magic Family, and she said they do similar practice?
—…I… really love Professor Hans’s class too. Everyone… please shut up.
—Thank you for your hard work, teaching assistants. Spreading false information and abusive language violates school regulations.
Katrine and Libel sat in silence, watching the Mirror Board.
Both tried posting supportive comments, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of criticism.
To Katrine’s eyes, the students’ complaints were understandable.
It was certainly a good method, but it was the kind of thing to practice alone at length, not something suited for a lecture.
‘…What on earth is Professor Hans thinking?’
* * *
The cramped office—or rather, research room—was in chaos.
“Ah. Hans, I told you it was impossible! Do you know how many student complaints we’ve received?! Look at these papers! Ah, Mari, don’t chew up the complaint forms just because you’re defending the professor!”
—Pap! Pap!
“Ahem, do you not understand the great will of the Master? The Master is taking his revenge on the students who slandered him. Starting next time, he’ll display his true greatness! Isn’t that right, Master?”
The theatrical commotion I’d expected.
I sipped my coffee with elegant composure.
“Don’t worry. Everything is according to plan.”
“Plan, what nonsense! Are you out of your mind?”
It wasn’t Linden or Hans.
Turning my head, a man with a stern expression appeared, his face deeply furrowed.
“Who are you…?”
“…You really don’t remember? The former adopted son of the Magic Family, the unicorn of the Magic world, and the most promising of the temporary professors this term—Balas?”
“…Balas, yes. I know. State your business. Why are you here?”
“You don’t know? Because of you, I’m facing expulsion from the Academy as well!”
It was an unexpected claim.
“I’m the assistant professor for your <Foundational Understanding of Magic> course.”
I nodded, humming softly.
Typically, adjunct professors assisted the main lecturer in foundational courses, and it just happened that Balas had been assigned to my class.
“I won’t repeat myself. Conduct your lectures according to the Department of Education’s prescribed curriculum, effective immediately.”
“I’m already aligned with the standards. Isn’t the course objective to help students understand Magic?”
“If this continues, we’ll both be dismissed!”
“What’s all this fussing about? Either way, it seems you’re already locked in for dismissal regardless of what I do.”
“…Excuse me?”
Balas’s face hardened.
‘Perfect timing—I needed someone to manipulate. Let me work him properly.’
“Isn’t it true? The prestige of the Magic Family doesn’t shield you anymore. Who’s going to treat you with respect? Surely you’re not so deluded as to think you’re actually a remarkable figure?”
“…Mind your words, sir.”
His face flushed, but he didn’t deny it.
“I’ll offer you a way out.”
“…What do you mean?”
“If you assist my course with full commitment, I’ll guarantee you a perfect score on your teaching evaluation. The choice is yours.”
……
Balas fell silent for a long time.
I suspected the odds of him accepting my proposal weren’t high.
‘He’s always harbored such ill will toward me, after all.’
And yet—
“Very well. I’ll accept your proposal.”
“…You’re serious?”
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m merely gambling that I can ride on the fortune following you—nothing more.”
Balas growled the words.
“This handshake is temporary. Remember, I will be the final victor.”
Then he vanished in a swirl, and I shrugged.
Regardless of Balas’s inner thoughts, I’d acquired someone useful to manipulate—no small blessing.
“Senior Ban, do you mean to shift the lecture content now that you’ve brought Professor Balas into the fold?”
“That’s right.”
What we’ve done until now is merely like a warm-up before the main event.
Getting the students to accept my ‘real’ lecture.
‘The only problem is, I haven’t finished preparing the final lecture yet.’
I paused to think.
I could ask Hans and Linden for their strength, but that wouldn’t be perfect.
‘I need someone with deep expertise in Magic. Someone even better than a mediocrity like Balas.’
It was a difficult condition to meet.
That foolish-seeming Balas had attained the rank of 5-Star Supreme Mage.
Anyone deeper in expertise than that would need to be at least a Level 6-Star Mage-Scholar or higher.
‘There is one person who comes to mind.’
But then I shook my head.
‘It won’t work.’
The person I’d thought of was Professor Bernstein.
The department chair of Magical Theory.
‘I’ve already sided with Chancellor Karak. I’ve broken with Professor Bernstein.’
I was lost in that thought when—
A knock sounded. Linden opened the door, his face drained of color, and stammered.
“S-Senior Ban. Professor… no, Professor Bernstein is here.”
!!
It really was Professor Bernstein.
‘Did he come to persuade me to join the former Chancellor Randolph’s faction?’
But Professor Bernstein uttered something I hadn’t anticipated at all.
“Don’t you need help?”
“Professor, how did you…?”
“I’ve thought about giving a lecture like yours before. Of course, I didn’t have the nerve to attempt it and abandoned the idea. But I’ll help you.”
The very help I’d been hoping for!
With Professor Bernstein’s support, everything would be flawless.
‘…But if I accept this help, won’t my nose be twisted by obligation?’
I must have looked troubled, because—
Professor Bernstein looked at me straight and said:
“Don’t harbor foolish misgivings. I don’t care what faction you belong to. From the start, I’ve had faith in you as a Mage-Scholar—not as some player in political games.”
“…….”
“My help this time stems from nothing more than curiosity—as a Magical Scholar and a professor devoted to my craft—about what your lectures might yield.”
Bernstein’s gaze held no trace of ulterior motive; it was direct and unwavering.

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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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