The Graduate Student Wants to Assassinate the Professor - Chapter 2

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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 2

The Halderion Magic Academy, named after the great mage Halderion, was located in the small nation of the Rompel Kingdom and stood as the most prestigious institution across the entire Kuchiki Continent.
It was renowned for gathering only the most gifted mages among the diverse races and peoples, but this posed no problem for Leoryna. She had already ascended to the seventh circle of magic long ago.
Without even completing an undergraduate degree, she had no difficulty keeping pace with the master’s curriculum alongside the academy’s most brilliant students.
‘But I cannot reveal my true abilities here. I must live as an ordinary graduate student….’
It was precisely when Leoryna was forcing down a sigh.
“It’s truly unexpected. Someone actually applied to Professor Huaderica’s Research Laboratory.”
The department administrator, who introduced herself as Meryl, chattered away while helping Leoryna carry her luggage.
“I’ve been here for over ten years, and you’re the first person to volunteer for Professor Huaderica’s Research Laboratory, Miss Leoryna Yuren.”
Leoryna laughed awkwardly in response.
“Haha, I read the professor’s papers and found the research quite fascinating. That’s why I was curious.”
“Hmm… I suppose it might appear that way if you only look at the research itself?”
Meryl’s lips trembled before she whispered carefully.
“It’s a bit awkward to tell a newly arrived graduate student this, but, well… there are rumors about the professor.”
“Rumors?”
“That he massacred his entire clan….”
“Ah, that.”
From the atmosphere, Caladniel’s reputation at this academy did not appear favorable.
Leoryna shrugged as if she paid it no mind.
Over the past two weeks, she had tracked Caladniel’s movements as a preliminary investigation.
Yet all that emerged were various papers. Dig here and find papers, dig there and find papers—nothing but papers, papers, papers….
She had also investigated whether he had perhaps killed anyone outside his own clan or committed any heinous acts, but found no evidence of involvement in even minor crimes.
‘His movements were limited to his home, the academy, a restaurant, and a bar.’
One unsettling detail was that his teaching evaluations had been consistently abysmal for years.
His lectures were unpopular, typically attracting only a handful of elite students or being cancelled altogether—it was remarkable that he hadn’t been dismissed.
What kind of life was this man living, anyway….
It was while Leoryna was lost in these thoughts.
“Here we are.”
Meryl stopped before a door.

[Professor’s Office 304]
[Kaladniel Sigelo Huaderica]

While Leoryna was reading the nameplate on the door, Meryl knocked.
“Professor, are you in?”
But there was no answer from beyond the door. Meryl knocked once more, yet again received no response.
Leoryna scratched her head and looked at Meryl.
“Perhaps he’s not here…”
“No. He’s definitely inside.”
Meryl shook her head firmly, then turned the doorknob and opened the door. At that very moment, a tower of books stacked higher than a person’s height came crashing down from inside.
“Ah!”
Leoryna quickly stepped back and dodged, but Meryl took several books to the crown of her head.
Thanks to that, Meryl, now sporting a bump, raised her voice and shouted.
“Professor Huaderica!”
Then, over the back of the three-person sofa in front of Leoryna, a head slowly rose into view.
“If someone doesn’t respond, shouldn’t you have the sense not to come in?”
Caladniel grumbled thus, leaning his back against the sofa’s backrest, his neck bent backward as he gazed at Leoryna and Meryl upside down. Meryl replied in exasperation.
“Professor, I told you that Leoryna Yuren would be coming today.”
“Leoryna Yuren?”
Caladniel’s left eyebrow rose slightly. His gaze turned toward Leoryna.
“She’s the student who’s starting her master’s degree today under you, sir.”
“…Huh?”
Caladniel made a vacant sound.
“What are you talking about? My student?”
At his bewildered tone, Leoryna and Meryl exchanged glances for a moment.
“The Graduate School application and recommendation letter were properly submitted and you were definitely accepted. You sent a positive response, sir…”
“That’s right. I personally received the acceptance letter from you.”
Leoryna held out the acceptance letter addressed to her under Caladniel’s name. Caladniel sprang up from the sofa, snatched the paper from Leoryna’s hands, and read through it quickly.
As Caladniel read the documents, his long hair loosely braided and draped over one shoulder, his mysterious cyan eyes slightly narrowed, Leoryna stared at him intently.
‘He’s even more handsome in person than in photographs.’
His towering frame, his muscular build, his chocolate-brown skin, and his silver hair that seemed drawn from moonlight itself.
‘I heard he’s over 350 years old, but he looks much younger than I expected.’
Caladniel’s appearance made him seem no older than his mid-twenties in human terms.
Leoryna gazed at the cloth he wore wrapped around his head like a turban.
A large horn protruded from between the cloth above his right ear, but there was nothing on the left. It was exactly as she had already known.
If there was any difference from what she had investigated beforehand, it was Caladniel’s clothing.
‘Those patterns—each one contains magical power, so they must be embroidered magic circles. The style is unique, so I’m not sure what magic it is…’
While Leoryna pondered the nature of the magic circles, he suddenly lifted his head.
“Ah! That’s what this was about? I thought it was nothing serious when they asked me to sign, so I just signed carelessly!”
Leoryna was equally taken aback.
“Then… what happens to me? Is my admission cancelled?”
If that were the case, it would be quite troublesome. She absolutely had to stay by Caladniel’s side no matter what.
But Caladniel looked back and forth between the acceptance letter and Leoryna, then narrowed his eyes into crescents.
“Cancel?”
An inexplicable sense of foreboding crept up her spine.
He approached Leoryna and grasped both her shoulders, seeking confirmation as he spoke.
“So you’re saying right now you’ll voluntarily help me prepare my lectures, handle miscellaneous tasks, and even conduct research in my stead—in other words, become my graduate student?”
“Yes… that’s right? Isn’t that what graduate students do?”
Since his words weren’t incorrect, Leoryna nodded and answered.
“And, Meryl—if I have a graduate student, the research funding increases by the student allocation, doesn’t it?”
“That’s correct.”
As Meryl nodded in agreement, Kaladniel broke into an exceptionally radiant smile and extended his hand to Leoryna.
“Welcome to our Research Laboratory. I’m your advisor, Kaladniel Sigelo Huaderica. You can simply call me Khalid.”
At those words, Leoryna grasped the hand Khalid offered without hesitation.
‘Never mind the foreboding—I can stay close to my target now!’
Leoryna squeezed his hand with the resolve never to let go, her smile radiant.
“Thank you so much, Professor! I’ll make sure to contribute meaningfully to your research!”
Leoryna and Khalid grinned at each other, each harboring their own hidden agenda.

* * *

Graduate school life alongside Khalid proved far more monotonous than I’d anticipated. His days rarely deviated from the routine of arriving, researching, teaching, and leaving.
Over the past few days, I’d trailed behind Khalid, handling whatever tasks he assigned.
Fortunately, despite his notorious reputation, he wasn’t particularly demanding. Yet there was one problem…
‘This man is incredibly high-maintenance!’
While Khalid never burdened me with personal errands, he dumped every single chore related to his lectures and research squarely onto my shoulders.
On my second day meeting Khalid, I entered the Research Laboratory in his wake and was appalled.
Dust that seemed to have accumulated for ages, expired reagents scattered everywhere, experimental apparatus rolling about in all directions…
‘I should have suspected this from the moment I saw his Professor’s Office.’
Indeed, the very first task assigned to me on my first day was a complete overhaul of the Research Laboratory.
“I simply couldn’t muster the courage to clean it alone.”
Khalid laughed cheerfully as he thrust cleaning supplies into my hands.
“Where on earth do I even start with this…?”
“Hmm? What did you say?”
“…Nothing, Professor.”
I’d been muttering without thinking, but Khalid’s question snapped me back to attention, and I began moving.
After all, I was this wretched professor’s graduate student.

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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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