The Graduate Student Wants to Assassinate the Professor - Chapter 25

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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 25

Part 4: The Deadly Sports Festival

After several days, Zigzagel appeared at Khalid’s Research Office looking refreshed, as if he’d never been ill, and handed Leoryna a small paper box.
“This is my thanks for nursing me back to health.”
Inside were several varieties of tarts.
“Oh, no. I didn’t nurse you hoping for anything like this.”
Leoryna scratched her head awkwardly.
“And I have one more favor to ask. I was hoping you might spare some time.”
“Yes? A favor?”
But the answer came first from Khalid’s direction, where he was scribbling something on paper in one corner of the Research Laboratory.
“Leoryna needs to help with my experiments, so she doesn’t have time for——”
“I don’t know what it is, but I’ll help.”
Leoryna ignored Khalid’s protest and quickly nodded, turning away from the mountain of research materials he’d accumulated. Spending the day being pestered by Khalid while organizing research notes was far less appealing than sticking with Zigzagel. Zigzagel beamed and led Leoryna toward his Professor’s Office.
“What are you doing? Leoryna and I are busy. Do you know how many experiments need data extraction?”
Khalid grumbled and followed along with Pongko, but Zigzagel ignored him.
When they entered Zigzagel’s Professor’s Office, Shebril was sitting on the sofa eating tarts.
“Ah, Professor.”
Shebril brushed tart crumbs from her hands and stood to greet him. Zigzagel gave her a slight nod before heading toward the cabinet.
“You called Shebril too?”
“Since I’m still on leave before returning to my post, there aren’t many students I can call upon. I was troubled by this, but Shebril kindly offered to assist me.”
“I see…”
Leoryna, seeing Zigzagel’s Professor’s Office for the first time, looked around curiously. Unlike Khalid’s office, where books were stacked like mountains everywhere, Zigzagel’s office was cluttered with magical artifacts and various magical devices.
‘Why do professors never learn the meaning of organization?’
Leoryna mused on a thought that would make other professors feel wronged, watching a top-like device spinning lazily by itself. Then Zigzagel asked.
“Anyway, what are your shoe sizes?”
“Mine is 240.”
“Mine is 235.”
At Leoryna and Shebril’s answers, Zigzagel nodded and retrieved two pairs of shoes from the cabinet.
“Then these should fit each of you perfectly.”
“These are… boots?”
Leoryna, who found herself holding them, asked. At first glance, they appeared to be ordinary mid-calf boots, but a metallic device was attached to the heels.
“They are boots, but not just ordinary boots. These are flying shoes.”
“Flying…”
Leoryna regarded the boots with a dubious expression.
Flying magical artifacts were widely commercialized. However, they were only used in vehicle form. Flying motorcycles, or old-fashioned broomsticks, for instance.
Wearable types had been developed, but they hadn’t yet been commercialized enough for ordinary people to use. The reason was…
“Ahhhhh!”
Shebril, who had been trying to stand on both feet in her boots, tumbled backward and struck her head against the ground.
“Ugh….”
Pongko’s long ears folded back in sympathy, as if he could feel her pain just by watching. Shebril groaned and slowly pushed her upper body upright.
“I’m sorry—I suddenly lost my balance and fell.”
“No, it’s fine. This is still in the development stage, and there are a few issues to work out. But since I had no trouble using it, I wanted to see how other people would fare with it.”
That was the truth. All wearable flying devices had the same critical flaw: they were difficult to balance in and hard to control speed-wise. For ordinary people, they were genuinely dangerous.
“You used us as test subjects?”
Leoryna spoke with exasperation.
“I apologize for that, but as I mentioned, it’s been difficult finding people to assist with my research….”
Zigzagel turned toward Leoryna while making his excuse, then his eyes widened. Leoryna was standing perfectly upright, hovering roughly thirty centimeters above the ground.
“You’re standing? And floating, no less?”
Leoryna asked, hands planted firmly on her hips.
“Isn’t this how you’re supposed to use it?”
“No, well, yes—but usually people can’t maintain balance like Shebril did.”
Zigzagel gazed admiringly at Leoryna, who was hovering stably in the air.
“You have excellent core strength!”
Those words struck a nerve with Leoryna. Among research mages, there were few who exercised consistently, and muscular physiques were equally rare. But Leoryna, blessed with the unique demands of her profession as an assassin, possessed a lean appearance that concealed a body of taut, well-developed muscle beneath her clothes. She moved with practiced efficiency.
“Ha, haha! I do exercise quite a bit! So something like this is… well, it’s nothing special!”
“Excellent! Perfect!”
“That’s wonderful!”
Zigzagel exclaimed with delight, and for some reason, Shebril’s eyes sparkled as she spoke as well. When others turned to look at her with confusion, she flushed and waved her hands frantically.
“Oh, there’s something I’ve been thinking about, and I thought Leoryna might be able to help me with it….”
“What is it?”
Leoryna tilted her head curiously, and Shebril shook her head vigorously.
“It’s not urgent right now. Since Zigzagel’s work takes priority over my concerns, I’ll tell you about it later….”
“Well, I’m not sure what it is, but suit yourself.”
“Then you’re saying I can use Leoryna right now?”
“No, Leoryna should be helping with my experiment….”
But Zigzagel ignored Khalid’s protest once again, seized Leoryna’s hand as she hovered in midair, and whisked her outside. Khalid grumbled in complaint while dragging Pongko and Shebril along in his wake, following after them.

* * *

The moment Zigzagel arrived at the Outdoor Practice Grounds, his face lit up with anticipation.
“Now then, let’s see if you can increase altitude, move in a straight line, or change direction—that sort of thing.”
“Um… Professor, actually I… No, I’ll give it a try.”
Leoryna realized too late that she’d misspoken. Having claimed this was nothing difficult, she couldn’t very well refuse to perform the movements Zigzagel wanted to see.
Leoryna resigned herself to her fate and began executing the maneuvers he commanded.
Straight-line flight while maintaining posture in mid-air, sharp turns left and right, altitude increases, and then—accelerating into tumbling motions.
After completing every movement, she landed softly on the ground, and Zigzagel burst into enthusiastic applause.
“Excellent! This is far from useless! With just a few adjustments to the control mechanism, even people like Shebril who can’t exercise will be able to use it without difficulty!”
He then seized Leoryna’s hand and shook it vigorously up and down.
“Thank you, truly thank you!”
“Haha, I’m glad I could be of help, Professor.”
“Yes, yes. As a token of my gratitude, I’ll give you that as a gift. Take it.”
“These shoes? For me?”
“Yes, yes. I noticed before that you seemed unable to perform levitation magic. These shoes will be useful for you.”
‘I’m sorry, Zigzagel. I can actually fly quite well.’
Leoryna apologized silently to herself and smiled softly.
“Wow… Thank you so much, Professor.”
‘Well, having them won’t hurt. I’m sure they’ll come in handy someday.’
Khalid wedged himself between Leoryna and Zigzagel, grumbling.
“So you’re done with Leoryna now? Then…”
“Oh, but Shebril—what was it you were trying to say earlier?”
Ignoring Khalid, Leoryna turned to Shebril, who was gazing at her with reverent eyes. Shebril’s eyes widened as she spoke.
“Well… actually, there’s a sports festival in a week…”
“A sports festival?”
“Ah, is it that season already? How bothersome.”
Khalid muttered as if questioning what the problem was. Shebril clasped her hands together and continued.
“I was hoping you might help us with it, Instructor Leoryna.”
“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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