The Graduate Student Wants to Assassinate the Professor - Chapter 40

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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 40

Part 6: The Festival

“Teaching Assistant, I’ve come to submit the report…”
Four students with dark circles under their eyes and traces of nosebleeds held out a stack of papers to Leoryna. She raised one eyebrow and asked.
“I wasn’t aware that Professor Khalid assigned any homework. So what’s the reason for this batch of reports?”
The fact that these were individual assignments rather than a general one meant the students had caught Khalid’s attention—and not in a good way.
Among those who came to Leoryna was one student named Isto Chesroy, the Department Student Council president. She was quite diligent and possessed excellent academic abilities. Leoryna found herself puzzled as to what Isto could have possibly done to incur Khalid’s displeasure.
“We missed class because of festival preparations.”
Another student spoke with a haggard expression.
“Festival preparations?”
“We had to secure the venue allocated to our department, select suppliers for food ingredients, discuss what events our department would hold… things like that. We ended up missing class, and the professor told those of us who were absent to submit a report…”
“A festival… now that you mention it, isn’t that tomorrow?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
‘Why does this Academy hold so many events?’
I found the constant stream of events at the Academy rather tedious.
I had experienced festivals at the High Academy before, but I wasn’t the type to enjoy such things.
Large crowds and chaos only interfered with assassination work. The University Academy’s festival probably wouldn’t be much different from the High Academy’s.
The only difference might be the addition of alcohol.
“We’ve finished most of the supplies, so now we just need to build the booths, which should be done by today.”
“I see.”
“Oh, Teaching Assistant Leoryna. I have one request—would you be willing to help?”
“What is it? But I’m warning you now—if it’s something annoying like the Sports Competition, I’m not doing it.”
“No! It’s absolutely not annoying!”
Isto shook her head quickly, then clasped her hands together respectfully.
“I was hoping to go to Professor Huaderica and ask if tomorrow’s class could be cancelled… Would you be willing to come with me, Teaching Assistant Leoryna?”
“Me?”
“Yes! You don’t need to persuade the professor or add your voice to our request! You just need to come with us!”
“So what am I supposed to do while I’m there…?”
“Professor Huaderica is scary!”
Good grief.
“We’re too frightened to go alone. But if you’re beside us, the professor might be less angry… We just need you to stand with us while we make our request…!”
Unable to ignore the students’ desperate gazes, I reluctantly agreed.
“…Fine.”
“Thank you so much!”

* * *

Leoryna arrived at the Professor’s Office with Isto and three other students in tow, and Khalid simply extended his hand without looking up from his paper, as if it didn’t matter who entered. Leoryna handed over the students’ reports first. Khalid carelessly tossed them onto a corner of his desk and asked.
“By the way, why did you drag those annoying people here?”
His eyes never left the paper, yet Khalid’s finger pointed with perfect accuracy at the students behind Leoryna. Then Isto stepped forward and spoke desperately.
“Professor, would it be possible to cancel class tomorrow?”
“No.”
Khalid turned the page of his paper without sparing the students a single glance.
He didn’t even ask why they wanted to cancel class. As if the reason wasn’t worth hearing, Khalid clicked his tongue softly.
“Say something that makes sense.”
The students, including Isto, wore expressions of deep disappointment.
Though she’d anticipated his response, Leoryna found Khalid’s attitude utterly unreasonable and couldn’t help but intervene.
“At least ask them why they want to cancel class.”
Khalid sighed quietly before speaking.
“I don’t need to ask. It’s obvious. It’s because of the festival, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right. Since there’s a festival, surely one day off wouldn’t….”
“No.”
“But if we fall behind, we can always make up the class….”
“No.”
“Then at the very least, couldn’t you overlook absences due to unavoidable festival preparations….”
“That’s not happening either.”
Faced with his relentless refusals, Leoryna found herself growing irritated.
“It’s a festival. The Department Student Council has work to do, and they’re not skipping class for fun—they’re doing departmental duties. If you assign work mercilessly on top of that, what are they supposed to do? You should be reasonable about these things.”
“Midterms are in two weeks. If they start preparing now, it’ll be tight enough without preparing for a festival. How are they supposed to study with their minds on the festival?”
“They’re young. They should enjoy their youth.”
“Did you enjoy your youth?”
Leoryna paused, reflecting on her own history.
Since adulthood, she had lived years stained with blood. There had been no time to savor youth.
As Leoryna fell silent, Khalid’s expression said “see?”
Left with no choice, Leoryna played her final card.
“If you don’t let the students go to the festival, I won’t help you prepare for class.”
“Hah.”
Khalid let out a hollow laugh, but Leoryna stood her ground with her chest out and unwavering confidence. Finally, Khalid raised both hands.
“Fine.”
“Huh? Really? I was just trying blackmail as a last resort, but you’re actually… canceling class?”
“But if anyone has to retake the midterm, you’re all going down with them as joint responsibility.”
At Khalid’s harsh words, Isto grew frightened and his eyes began to glisten with tears again, but at least permission had been granted. The students bowed deeply at the waist.
“Thank you so much, Professor Huaderica!”
“Yeah.”
“Thank you too, Assistant Leoryna!”
The students who left the Professor’s Office hummed things like “Festival, festival, festival!” as they walked briskly away.
“So young….”
Leoryna muttered without realizing it.
At her words, Khalid paused to search his memory before speaking.
“Aren’t you twenty-four?”
“Yes.”
“If I recall correctly, you and Isto should be only two years apart?”
“I’m a graduate student who’s grown worn and exhausted in those two years, Professor.”
Leoryna touched her roughened skin and let out a whimpering sound.
“The Demon Race wouldn’t understand, but for humans with such brief lifespans, two years feels like an eternity.”
Khalid, unfamiliar with that sensation, furrowed his brow.
“Humans seem to die far too quickly.”
He muttered as if complaining.
“That’s why I don’t grow attached to humans. Just when I think I’ve developed some affection, they’re gone.”
Was this really something to say in front of a human graduate student?
‘I’m not growing attached to you either, you bastard.’
“Ah~ so that’s why you treat me so coldly because you won’t grow attached~”
“What?”
“It’s nothing. I’ve completed all my tasks, so may I leave now?”
Leoryna watched Khalid’s eyes narrow and recognized that he was racking his brain for more work to dump on her.
Leoryna quickly nodded before Khalid could pile more tasks onto her.
“Take care, and don’t look for me until tomorrow! I’m going to enjoy my youth!”
With that, she hastily fled from Khalid’s office.

* * *

“How does one enjoy youth?”
Pongko asked while crunching on a dried apple. Leoryna handed him pieces one by one while resting her chin in her hand.
“I don’t know either. I should have tried enjoying it.”
She sighed as she watched people passing by, chattering merrily.
Since she’d declared she would enjoy the festival, she’d left home on the day of the event and wandered the Academy Grounds. But unsure of what to do alone, she’d brought Pongko out from the Laboratory and was now sitting on one of the benches.
“Why couldn’t you enjoy it?”
Leoryna paused at Pongko’s question, recalling her childhood for a moment.

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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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