The Graduate Student Wants to Assassinate the Professor - Chapter 39

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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 39

As Khalid rummaged through the Abandoned Factory Site, moving gradually farther from me, I felt the distance growing and crawled out from the massive dumpster.
“I… I almost died.”
My chest still heaved wildly as I wiped the cold sweat from my brow.
I had truly come close to death.
According to Khalid’s notorious reputation, he showed no mercy when it came to eliminating others. Having actually fought him, I could sense the genuine killing intent radiating from him.
‘Khalid said he would keep me alive to search my mind, but he would have killed me after getting what he wanted. No—even if he discovered that I’m the real Leoryna and that I’ve been deceiving him all this time, he would have killed me!’
Direct confrontation had never been my style. My primary assassination technique involved stringing webs of silk in the Confinement Room and slitting the throats of those caught within—I had little experience with this kind of brutal hand-to-hand combat.
I began searching for a suitable location.
From the sounds of Khalid moving about here and there, it seemed he was still searching for the Terrorists.
I found a spot that was appropriately desolate yet not so hidden that it would be difficult to discover with a little attention, and I collapsed there.
“You Terrorist bastards, why won’t you come out?!”
Khalid’s angry voice grew louder. I waited quietly for him to approach. And when I sensed his footsteps drawing near…
“Leoryna!”
I heard Khalid call out my name and rush toward me.
I did my utmost to feign unconsciousness. Khalid arrived quickly and shook my shoulders.
“Leoryna! Wake up, Leoryna!”
“Mm… mmm… what… what happened… Professor…?”
I opened my eyes groggily and looked up at Khalid. As I seemed to regain consciousness, his face brightened dramatically.
“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Um… yes… I don’t think there’s anywhere on my body that feels injured…”
As I blinked my eyes slowly, Khalid asked with a guarded expression.
“You’re really Leoryna, aren’t you? You’re not some other mage in disguise?”
“Another mage?”
“Don’t you know? That… ah, if you don’t know, then never mind. There’s someone like that.”
Unsure of what to say first, Khalid continued the conversation haphazardly as thoughts came to him.
“Can you stand up for now? No, actually, just stay lying down to be safe. But what happened?”
“What do you mean, what happened?”
“Weren’t you kidnapped by the Terrorists?!”
“Ah… Professor, when you speak so loudly, my head rings.”
“Oh, sorry.”
Moved by my earnest performance, Khalid lowered his voice slightly.
“So the Terrorists were threatening me by holding you hostage—were you really kidnapped? Why are you lying here?”
I looked around uncertainly and tilted my head.
“I’m not sure.”
“What?”
“Rather, I’d like to ask you. Where is this place, and why am I here?”
Khalid fell completely for my feigned ignorance.
“Those bastards knocked you unconscious or cast a memory-wiping spell on you!”
Khalid clicked his tongue in disapproval as he lifted me into his arms.
“Ah, Professor. I can stand on my own.”
“No. There could be side effects, so don’t get up just yet. Let’s go to the Hospital first.”
I watched Khalid stride forward with quick, purposeful steps, my expression utterly devoid of guilt. He had already dressed himself in all the clothes he’d removed earlier.
‘Damn it, if only he weren’t wearing those clothes, I could just drive a blade through his heart right now.’
I found his clothing absolutely infuriating.
But then, Khalid suddenly began grinding his teeth and grew angry.
“Ugh! Stop scaring people like that! What exactly are you?! What did you do to end up as a hostage for those kinds of people?! You have Fourth Circle abilities—are you just using them to make soup?!”
“You can say that to me all you want, but… I don’t remember anything at all. My last memory was falling asleep at the Hotel…”
I trailed off vaguely, feigning confusion about the situation.
Khalid chattered incessantly until we reached the Main Road, telling me everything that had happened so far, explaining the magician who had transformed into me, and describing how much effort he’d expended searching for me.
After walking for a while, we came upon a large Road, and Khalid managed to flag down a passing Taxi. After asking the Taxi Driver to take us to the Hospital, Khalid erupted again.
“I thought something terrible had happened to you!”
Khalid’s face looked drained.
“I was truly frightened!”
“I don’t know what you mean, but I’m fine, so don’t worry.”
I, sitting beside Khalid, shrugged my shoulders. But Khalid’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Damn it, how could I not notice anything when I was right in the adjacent room?”
Khalid genuinely looked as though his pride had been wounded. I gazed at him, thinking, ‘You manipulative bastard.’
“Professor, were you very worried about me?”
“Of course I was.”
Khalid grew angry at my question.
“If something happens to my precious lucky slave, who’s going to help me with my research?!”
‘Damn this guy…’
For a moment—just a brief moment—my feelings toward Khalid softened, but his words immediately froze my heart cold again.

* * *

After traversing a treacherous path, Leoryna finally returned home and collapsed sprawled across the floor before the Mirror.
“Did I choose the wrong person for this mission? I faced him in direct combat without magical protection, yet I couldn’t kill Khalid with my own strength….”
At Leoryna’s words, Zeles in the Mirror shook his head.
“Pope Beronas and the Holy Maiden personally designated you. You were chosen as the suitable candidate.”
“What exactly are the criteria for being ‘suitable’?”
Leoryna lifted her upper body slightly as she asked, but Zeles merely shrugged.
“How would I know?”
Leoryna groaned and collapsed back to the floor.
“How am I supposed to kill him like this? My method is to seal the Confinement Room without his knowledge and then slit his throat… I wouldn’t have needed to engage in direct combat at all.”
“You could do it while he’s undressing.”
“That’s the problem—when exactly is Khalid undressing? Should I orchestrate another hostage situation?”
“Couldn’t you just create an opportunity however you can?”
Leoryna washed her face with her hands. Then, with a somewhat melancholic tone, she spoke.
“Zeles. I think I might die the next time we meet.”
“You, who said you didn’t want to die—why are you saying such things?”
“Because he’s an opponent I need to face with absolute commitment. This time, I was too afraid and fled too early. I’m unfit to be an assassin. There won’t be a third chance. Even if I die….”
Leoryna swallowed hard and continued.
“Next time, I will definitely kill him.”
“If you commit yourself fully, are you confident you can kill him?”
“I’m not sure. But somehow it might work out, doesn’t it? If Pope Beronas and the Holy Maiden designated me as suitable.”
“Oh, Leoryna. No matter that you’re an assassin, I hope you cherish your own life. You’re a core asset to us. There might be other ways, so don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Thank you, Zeles.”
“Would you like me to comfort you a bit more?”
Leoryna shook her head. Then Zeles waved his hand and disappeared from the Mirror.
“Sigh….”
Leoryna exhaled deeply.
Though the mission had failed, it wasn’t entirely without gain. I had grasped Khalid’s combat capabilities to some degree, and I had confirmed that if he were undressing, my attacks could at least land.
‘Since I’m doing this kind of work anyway, I’ve always known I’ve put my life on the line. If Khalid kills me, then it’s simply my time to die—nothing strange about it, nothing unexpected.’
Leoryna nodded to herself alone. Yet separate from that, I still didn’t want to die. My mind understood, but my heart did not.
So I had to find a way to survive myself while also killing Khalid….
‘I’m not sure how to do that… Petila, I want to go to your home.’
Today, Leoryna clung to Petila’s pant leg for a different reason.

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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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