The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 71

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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 71
‘…He was always like this, wasn’t he.’
I felt a twinge of embarrassment wash over me.
A man who lived and breathed nothing but Magic and students.
That was Bernstein.
His decision to side with the former Chancellor Randolph wasn’t born of selfish ambition—only of the conviction that it was right.
This time too, he was helping me out of genuine goodwill, not political calculation.
‘…And I was only thinking of my own gain.’
Professor Bernstein seemed to sense my thoughts and let out a soft chuckle.
“Moved by that? If you felt touched enough to join our faction, I wouldn’t stop you.”
“…You can joke, I see.”
“The truth is, it doesn’t matter which faction you belong to. You’ll still be a professor at Rubinesse Academy.”
I realized then that Bernstein would treat me fairly, faction or no faction, from this day forward.
‘I do feel a bit sorry. But I can’t stand on the same side as him—not completely. I need to repay him properly.’
There was only one way to repay Bernstein at his best.
“Thank you. I’ll repay your kindness through the results of my lectures.”
I lifted the corners of my mouth as the Black Flame Dragon urged me to do.
“You’ll soon see miracles unfold before your students’ eyes, Professor.”
The students would come to ‘understand’ what Magic truly was.
* * *
“Ugh, is it that half-rate professor’s class again today? How many times this week?”
“It’s a required common course, so we can’t avoid it. Ugh, what a waste of time. Should we just skip and go listen in on Baron Aiden’s class in Class 1?”
The first two months for new students was the Welcome Period.
All students attended classes regardless of department.
Since the common required courses had to finish within two months, lectures were packed back-to-back.
“Oh, by the way—isn’t today the combined short test for both sections of Foundational Understanding of Magic? Did you study?”
“What would we have studied?”
“Man, Class 2 is going to bomb this thing. Even if it doesn’t count toward actual grades….”
“But, didn’t the test material seem easy? Was Linear Theory always this simple?”
At someone’s sudden remark, the students fell quiet for a moment.
‘Now that you mention it…’
‘I gave up on Linear Theory, but…why am I understanding this section?’
Foundational Understanding of Magic split into two major categories.
First was the foundational knowledge of Magic itself.
The section Class 2 wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.
Second was Linear Theory, the foundation of Star Rank Magic.
Unless you were in the Magic Department, it was notoriously hard to grasp—so most students gave up and threw everything into background knowledge.
‘Did the lectures actually work?’
‘No, that can’t be. I literally just drew diagrams.’
‘This section’s material must just be unusually straightforward.’
Class time arrived, and I entered.
“After today’s lecture, we’ll have a combined short test. Has everyone studied?”
“Yes, we have.”
“Forget it all. That knowledge is garbage.”
“!!”
Every face in the room went slack with shock.
Ignoring their bewilderment, I glanced toward the door, and shortly a young man with a reluctant expression appeared.
“Today’s demonstration instructor is Professor Balas.”
“…Pleased to meet you all.”
As confused looks rippled through the students, I spoke again.
“What is the scope of Linear Theory for today’s short test?”
“‘How does a line become a star?'”
“So then—how does a line become a star? Does anyone have an answer?”
“…The ordained combination of lines grants magical power to the star.”
It was the textbook answer, the orthodox response.
But.
“That’s precisely why I called your studied knowledge garbage.”
“!!”
“Ordained combination? Then what of irregular combinations? Do they fail to grant magical effect?”
Every student sat there silent, utterly dumbfounded.
Students from other departments who had merely memorized the exam content, and even Magic Department students who had actually learned the foundational principles, found themselves unable to answer.
“Professor Balas, please draw the Ice Star. Using the orthodox method from the textbook.”
“…Understood.”
Snap!
A solid ice crystal materialized in the air.
Balas was an expert in Fractal Theory.
His star’s form was correspondingly flawless—as if copied directly from the textbook itself.
In contrast,
“Everyone, watch my star closely.”
The star that Bahn drew was crude beyond measure.
Some lines were misaligned, others jagged and uneven.
It was barely worthy of the name star.
“Whose star is more correct?”
“…Professor Balas’s star, sir.”
“By what standard did you judge? Because the lines that compose the star were precisely combined? Look here.”
Crash!
Bahn’s ice shattered Balas’s ice into fragments.
“!!”
Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.
A sight that defied the logic they knew.
“By the standard you just stated, my star shouldn’t be magic at all. But what of the result?”
“Isn’t it because you arbitrarily applied the Formalization of Irregular Patterns to grant magical effect?”
A Magic Department student ventured this explanation, repeating something they’d heard before.
Star modification was a common practice among advanced mages.
The magical term for it was Formalization of Irregular Patterns.
But Balas, standing beside Bahn, spoke with a bitter expression.
“That’s not formalization at all. It would be impossible for anyone to formalize such a mangled pattern.”
“!!”
“Professor Bahn manifested magical effect through lines of pure irregularity—scribbles with no discernible pattern whatsoever.”
The room fell silent.
Everyone present possessed at least some magical knowledge.
They all understood how absurd Balas’s words sounded.
“If you truly understand what meaning lines and points—the linear form—hold, you can draw a star in any shape.”
“…….”
“Of course, I’m not asking you to reach that level. The purpose of this course is, ultimately, to ‘understand’ the foundations of magic. Now, open your practice sheets.”
Rustle.
A familiar routine.
Throughout the previous lectures, Bahn had made students open their practice sheets to draw lines and points.
But this time, there was a difference.
“Today, you’ll draw only the most foundational form—the Mana Star. Reference this visual.”
Snap!
An image projected from the Magic Device.
It was a projection of the Mana Star being drawn.
The most basic form, the shape that anyone in this room should know.
Yet the vital force contained within the star was extraordinary.
So much so that even the rawest students could sense it.
It was the star that Bernstein had drawn himself and inscribed into the magical projection device to aid Bahn.
“Professor Balas will demonstrate slowly how to follow and draw that star. Match your pace to his and copy it.”
Balas’s expression grew serious.
Though the role of demonstration assistant didn’t appeal to him, the opportunity to trace a star of such profound achievement was a tremendous privilege for any mage.
Snap!
Following Balas’s gestures, lines appeared in the air, and the students mirrored them onto their practice sheets.
Was it the countless hours of prior practice?
They followed along without difficulty.
And then, simultaneous with the drawing, came Bahn’s voice.
“The first line signifies the sky.”
“The second line means steadfastness.”
“The vertex connecting these two lines represents connection.”
“As you draw, imagine the meaning I speak of and visualize it concretely. This is the first step of magic—its very foundation. Complex formulas come later.”
Without realizing it, everyone fell into a state of rapt concentration.
Only Balas’s explanation and the scratch of pen on paper filled the lecture hall.
* * *
High floor of the Magic Department building at Rubinesse Academy, a spacious professor’s office.
A refined-looking young professor was frowning.
‘…Damn it, why do I have to teach this basic lecture? What does he take me for?’
Being saddled with teaching a bunch of incompetent freshmen wounded his pride beyond endurance.
‘Still, it’ll be over soon. Once today’s Short Test results come out, the board will expel him, just as we agreed.’
The outcome was already decided.
‘The Linear Theory scores will all be roughly the same anyway, and in terms of foundational magical theory, his class will score far below what I taught.’
Aiden had become an AEProfessor precisely because of his precision-drill teaching style.
In other words, lectures optimized entirely for exams.
He boldly skipped and condensed any section that didn’t matter for the score, and concentrated intensively on what did.
‘What kind of age are we living in? Whether you’re a mage, knight, healer, or central bureaucrat, exam credentials are everything.’
He was waiting at ease for the results when it happened.
“P-Professor?”
“Oh? The test results from both classes came back? What’s the average gap? It must be at least 20 points, surely?”
For reference, as this course had become a matter of pride between Rector Karak’s faction and House Rapelt’s faction, the Short Test had been commissioned to the Magic Tower for grading as well as composition.
The Magic Tower had also conducted the grading.
“A 2-point difference, sir.”
“Hmm? That can’t be right. Only that much? With such a small margin, it’ll be difficult to expel the class….”
“That’s the thing… Professor Balas’s class scored higher.”
“…What did you say?”
“…His students scored higher. On the overall average it’s 2 points. If you look at just the Linear Theory average, it’s far higher.”
“!!”
Aiden snatched the results sheet urgently.
It was real.
‘A 55-point average in Linear Theory? The Magic Tower composed this and made it especially difficult? This can’t be happening!’
For reference, Aiden’s class averaged 35 points in Linear Theory.
It wasn’t that Aiden hadn’t taught Linear Theory at all.
Rather, he’d hit the essentials precisely.
So that even those who didn’t understand could solve the test questions as much as possible.
That was why 35 points even came out, so what about Balas’s students’ scores?
“This is insane! An overall average of 55 points and the Magic Department freshmen averaging 70 points? These scores can’t possibly be real!”
Then it was.
“Oh my. There appears to have been some misconduct here.”
“!!”
At the sudden appearance of a haughty-looking beautiful boy, Aiden’s eyes widened.
“Who is this? Welcome, Senin. We appreciate your long journey from Amethyst. You must be tired.”
The Student Council Auditing Committee from Amethyst had finally arrived!
It wasn’t just Senin.
“Lady Joanna as well? Ha! Delighted to see you. It’s been quite some time since we last met at the Magic Society banquet.”
“I don’t remember you.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
“I said I don’t remember you. You’re annoying me, so stop pretending we know each other, would you?”
“…Ah, yes. I, I sincerely apologize.”
Joanna gave a dismissive snort and walked over to the sofa, crossing her legs as she sat.
Hopelessly rude to everyone without exception.
Aiden restrained the veins that wanted to bulge at his temples and spoke to Senin.
“…So you came to audit Professor Balas’s lecture, did you?”
“Yes. Rubinesse is Amethyst’s sister academy. We cannot turn a blind eye when students’ rights are being violated due to an unqualified professor’s instruction. I hear there’s been cheating on the exam as well?”
“…Whether it constitutes cheating is still….”
As Aiden trailed off, Senin’s eyebrow twitched.
“It must be cheating. Otherwise, such results couldn’t have occurred. Wouldn’t you agree?”
He was suggesting they fabricate charges.
“…Y-Yes, your lordship is surely correct. Only, the problem is we lack evidence….”
“Don’t worry. The eyes and mouths of the students will serve as evidence.”
He meant to spread rumors and drive the narrative.
It was Senin’s favorite tactic.
But then.
“You’re underestimating Professor Balas, aren’t you? You think he’s the same as the hapless brats around you?”
“!!”
Senin’s face hardened.
“Lady Joanna? Then… do you have some method in mind?”
“I’ll prove it directly.”
“…What do you mean?”
Joanna spoke with cold eyes.
“I’ll attend the lecture myself and demonstrate that Professor Ban’s teaching is flawed.”

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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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