The Graduate Student Wants to Assassinate the Professor - Chapter 45

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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 45

Unaware of what Pongko was thinking, Khalid spent the entire walk to Leoryna’s House lecturing me relentlessly.
“I should have verified this myself! You were going to drink with someone you barely know? From now on, don’t eat anything anyone gives you.”
“But no matter what, it’s difficult to function in society if you follow that rule….”
When Khalid’s expression darkened menacingly, Leoryna had no choice but to change her response.
“I’ll be careful.”
“Don’t meet any men either! And if you do, you need my permission first… No, actually, just don’t meet them at all! How can you trust men?!”
“But Professor Khalid and Professor Zigzagel are men too.”
“Are we strangers? We’re different!”
‘Please, just call us strangers.’
Leoryna was inwardly appalled, but she spoke with outward composure.
“I’ll do my best to try.”
“And learn self-defense too.”
‘I’m already a master at that.’
“I’ll learn it when I have time.”
“Should I teach you?”
“I’d rather decline that, if possible.”
“Still.”
“Are you worried?”
“Of course I am! How could I not worry after you nearly fell victim to that?!”
Khalid’s expression was far more serious than I had imagined.
“You were even kidnapped not long ago! This won’t do. For now, you’re coming with me. If I’m busy, you can go with Zigzagel. What good is being a 4th Circle? You can’t even protect yourself, and yet you’re so reckless…!”
Khalid grumbled on and on.
“I can’t sit still when I’m anxious like this. So I’ll protect you. If my precious lucky charm of a slave gets damaged, who’s going to help with my research?”
He used the words “precious” and “lucky charm,” but did he really have to attach “slave” at the end?
‘That’s just how Khalid is.’
I was foolish for my heart wavering for a moment, thinking he genuinely cared about me.
I really should kill this man who sees me as nothing more than a Research Laboratory slave and go to heaven.
As we walked, we soon arrived at Leoryna’s House. She tried to say goodbye to the two men who had escorted her and head inside, but….
“The security here seems far too lax. Don’t you think it would be good to install some anti-intrusion magical artifacts around the perimeter?”
In fact, Leoryna had already set up a system to detect intruders in her home. Since using magic would leave traces, she had employed an analog method instead.
Unaware of this, Khalid began pestering Zigzagel.
“Don’t you have something like that among your magical artifacts? Don’t you have anything decent?”
“Sigh… Professor, please. If you could just be reasonable… Never mind, I give up. I’m going in.”
Leoryna held her head and pushed past both of them, opening the entrance door.
“Wait, Leoryna! Let me check inside too….”
“Please, just go!”
Leoryna, still restless, pushed Khalid away as he tried to enter her home.
“Thank you for today. Please keep Pongko in the Research Laboratory and just refill his hay and water.”
With nothing more than that brief farewell, Leoryna slammed the entrance door shut right in front of Khalid’s face.
As she stood with her arms crossed on the other side of the door, she could hear Khalid shuffling about awkwardly outside.
Leoryna remained there for a while longer, and only after hearing the footsteps of the two people and one creature fade away did she release a deep sigh.
“Ugh, seriously… What a mess Zeles caused.”
With a slightly irritated expression, she stood before the Mirror.
“Zeles?”
At her call, Zeles—now wearing a priest’s robe and mask—quietly emerged from the corner of the Mirror.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
The moment Leoryna saw Zeles’s face, she erupted in exasperation.
“Why did you suddenly cause such a commotion?”
Whether Leoryna was angry or not, Zeles had his reasons, and he answered with a shrug.
“If I’d parted with them on good terms, they probably would’ve tailed me.”
“What?”
“People like that always do the obvious thing. Didn’t you see earlier? They were desperate to get information about me. They definitely would’ve followed me. Shaking them off isn’t really a problem, but it’s not the kind of ability an ordinary student would use, right? And going to Las’s house while borrowing his identity isn’t ideal either—if I ran into the real Las, that would be awkward too.”
“But because of that, Khalid got caught up in some weird anxiety!”
“Still, it was fun, wasn’t it?”
“Sigh…”
As Zeles chuckled, Leoryna had nothing to say and simply exhaled.
“I’ll write today’s report myself. You just rest.”
“Much appreciated.”
When Leoryna pouted, Zeles chuckled again before vanishing back into the Mirror. Leoryna flopped onto her bed.
“Now this matter is settled!”
The troublesome business would end today. Tomorrow was the Festival too, but since Khalid had no classes, would I just end up being exploited in the Research Laboratory again…?
Today’s escape to enjoy youth had been quite entertaining in its own way. Though I’d been half-dragged into it, the Festival was fun, and playing with Zeles after so long wasn’t bad either.
But I really didn’t want to experience such chaos twice. Yet if someone asked whether I preferred being cooped up in the Research Laboratory getting thoroughly worked over by Khalid, I’d have to say no…
‘Wait! Now that I think about it, would elixirs work on Khalid too? Even if he’s immune to poisons, he might react to elixir-type substances!’
Thinking it was a good idea, Leoryna clapped her hands together.
For the record, the poisons Zeles had sent were all ineffective, just as Khalid had previously revealed his immunity to toxins. He’d eaten the poison without even getting an upset stomach.
But that didn’t mean she could simply give up and do nothing.
‘He said elixir-type substances were effective before, so let me try giving him one of those! I don’t know what will happen, but let’s just try it first and see!’
Leoryna burrowed into her blankets. Yet even lying down, a wild grin spread across her face as a secret plan took shape in her mind.

* * *

I had stuffed my wallet particularly full today. I’d nearly emptied out the Special Mission Unit activity allowance I’d received upon enrolling as a graduate student.
‘Rare potions are usually expensive, so buying different varieties would rack up quite a bill. So….’
When I finished preparing to leave and opened the Entrance door, wiping my hands briskly, I nearly stumbled backward in shock.
“Whoa, damn! You scared me!”
Someone was crouching on the low steps in front of the Entrance.
I checked the person’s face and was utterly bewildered.
“Professor Khalid? What are you doing here?”
As I stepped out, Khalid brushed himself off and stood, greeting me with a cheerful expression.
“Hello, Leoryna. Good morning.”
“Good morning and all that aside, what are you doing here?”
“Well, while I was installing the security magical artifacts I received from Zigzagel around the area….”
‘This shameless bastard, don’t install things like that without my permission!’
If automatons kept coming and going, they might trigger the security system and cause a headache. I decided to dismantle that magical artifact the moment I returned home today.
“And I came to pick you up.”
“Me? You came to pick me up?”
“Something might happen, after all.”
“…Wasn’t that settled yesterday?”
“What are you talking about? You need to be careful for a few more days!”
“Hmm… but Professor… he didn’t seem like the type to be that persistent.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m worried, so it’s not happening.”
“Sigh….”
I had no idea how to resolve Khalid’s anxiety.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“Uh… yes.”
Following Khalid as he led the way, I gently bit my lower lip.
‘I feel a bit guilty about this.’
Until just moments ago, I’d been deliberating how to kill him. If I kept accumulating debts to him, wouldn’t the guilt only grow?
Khalid chattered away as he kept me in tow.
“Don’t leave the Research Laboratory for a while, alright?”
“I’m already unable to leave because of all the work you keep throwing at me!”
“Have I really given you that much work?”
“If you’re not aware of it, then that’s a problem on your end, Professor.”
I covered my ears to escape Khalid’s nagging and quickened my pace.

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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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