The Graduate Student Wants to Assassinate the Professor - Chapter 69

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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 69

“There are too many people here. I’ll explain later when we’re alone.”
Leoryna left the Conference Hall and made her way toward the quiet Lodging.
As they walked, Pongko asked a question.
“By the way, what happens if a mana rampage occurs?”
“Well, if it persists for too long, the Circle can be destroyed. That’s why another mage has to forcibly redirect the mana to reconstruct the Circle… but if they don’t have enough mana compared to the opponent, it fails.”
“So there’s no one who can stop that Dragon’s mana rampage?”
Pongko’s eyes widened in shock.
“Multiple people working together could manage it, but the problem is… cooperation.”
“Ah.”
Pongko recalled the vicious battle between Khalid and Yoprim.
Could those two truly cooperate in earnest?
“Still… don’t you think Khalid and Professor Yoprim need to work together…?”
“Well, the High Circle doesn’t have only those two mages anyway. The others will figure things out on their own. But right now, that’s not what matters to me.”
Upon arriving at the Lodging, Leoryna pushed the door open energetically and immediately opened her luggage. She stripped off her clothes and changed into black assassin’s garb as she spoke.
“I’m going to use this chaos to kill Khalid!”
“Wh… how?”
Pongko’s expression was skeptical.
“You’re going to assassinate him while the Conference Hall is in that mess?”
“That’s exactly why it’s the perfect timing for assassination. I’ll exploit the moment when everyone’s attention is scattered, and then—swift execution!”
“What about Khalid’s outer garment?”
“I can break it!”
Leoryna made a rare boast.
“The Greenhouse Manager broke through Khalid’s defensive magic before. His outer garment isn’t invincible. Though I’m only a 7th Circle mage, I have my own methods for dealing with those ranked higher than me.”
Pongko’s eyes narrowed.
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Right, right. You timid herbivore—just wait here quietly. You don’t seem like you’d be much help anyway.”
At Leoryna’s words, Pongko sighed deeply and flopped onto the bed.
Leoryna draped a large mage’s cloak over herself, gathered her hair into a knot, and pulled the hood attached to the cloak deep over her head.
“Then I’ll be going!”
“I hope it succeeds.”
With Pongko’s farewell, Leoryna crept stealthily back toward the Conference Hall to find Khalid.

* * *

Meanwhile, Khalid found himself in quite a predicament.
He was embroiled in a heated argument with several other mages.
“What I’m saying is, if we don’t go in now, that Dragon won’t be able to form a Circle anymore!”
“That Dragon is 11th Circle—who in their right mind would go in? There’s no other Dragon here!”
“I’ll do it. I’ll go in myself!”
“Professor Huaderica, what Circle are you? Now that I think about it, I don’t believe anyone in society actually knows your Circle level.”
At someone’s question, Khalid smiled faintly and flicked his fingers.
“That’s a secret.”
“Why does he have to make such an annoying gesture?”
Yoprim seized on the trivial provocation and started an argument, but Khalid ignored him. Then someone spoke up.
“Looking at the research Professor Huaderica has conducted thus far, you’re clearly at least 9th Circle or higher. If even you were to experience mana runaway, there would truly be no one left who could stop it! That’s why I want to dissuade you from going in!”
The logic was sound. The others lacked the courage to confront a Dragon of higher Circle than themselves, and if Khalid too were to experience mana runaway, it would be a catastrophe of the highest order.
That’s why they all wanted to stop him, even though he had volunteered.
“I’m not the type to volunteer for these things either, but there’s simply no mage of my caliber here, so I have no choice. I understand your concerns, but at my level, mana runaway won’t occur, so please stop your incessant fretting.”
The way Khalid spoke made it abundantly clear how much he found this tiresome.
But what could be done? Khalid was the only one who could resolve this situation, so for him too, it was an unavoidable choice.
While Khalid spoke, Yoprim’s eyes grew anxious and his legs trembled uncontrollably.
The root cause of this accident was none other than himself, so it seemed only logical that he should be the one to resolve it. Yet he lacked the courage to approach an 11th Circle Dragon experiencing mana runaway.
“B-but you said you’d do it yourself, so let me just…”
Yoprim tried to subtly push Khalid forward, but Khalid grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and spoke.
“I know Yoprim is 7th Circle, and if just one more mage of a similar Circle comes forward, we should be able to suppress that Dragon’s mana runaway.”
“I have to go in too?”
As Yoprim’s face turned nearly ashen while staring at Khalid, Khalid pinched his cheek and spoke in a low voice.
“You’re the one who caused this incident in the first place. You’re not going to take responsibility? At the very least, you should make a show of it, right? You need to make a good impression on that investor patron you’re after.”
At those words, Yoprim’s eyes darted about before he reluctantly nodded his head.
“Even with lower Circles, if multiple mages work together, there are ways to suppress mana runaway. So please, anyone will do—help us.”
At Khalid’s words, Yoprim also pleaded with the gathered mages.
“C-could you please help us? We can’t just leave these people to have their mana completely depleted… Three mages’ entire careers are on the line!”
At Yoprim’s appeal, the other mages swallowed hard.
For someone who had lived their entire life as a mage, there could be no greater tragedy than losing their mana.
“Since three people have collapsed, we only need three of us. Just one more person…!”
At Khalid’s words, someone pushed through the crowd and stepped forward, raising their hand. The mage wore a black cloak with the hood pulled deep over their head, obscuring their face.
However, Khalid found nothing strange about it. There were plenty of eccentrics among mages, and what mattered now wasn’t this person’s face but the fact that someone had stepped forward.
“Oh, I’m not sure who you are, but you’re willing to help? I’m truly grateful!”
The hooded mage gave a slight nod.
“Good, then we have three. Shall we go in?”
When Khalid asked Yoprim and the hooded mage if they were ready, Yoprim’s eyes widened and he clenched his teeth at Khalid.
“I won’t get caught up in this, right?”
“If you do get caught up in it, that just means your abilities are only at that level. Why are you asking me to confirm that?”
“Ahhhhh!”
Yoprim tore at his hair in indignation.
Leoryna, her hood pulled low, clicked her tongue silently at the sight.
‘As if those two could ever work together. Cooperation? That’s a joke.’
Then Khalid turned to Leoryna with a question.
“What circle is your companion’s magical power?”
Leoryna held up seven fingers. Khalid let out an impressed whistle.
“Excellent, excellent. I think we can manage this charge without too much difficulty.”
Khalid addressed the mages who had erected the barrier.
“Open the barrier just enough for us to enter. Once we’re inside, seal it immediately. And the rest of you—reinforce the barrier further as a precaution. If we fail, six people’s magical power will run rampant, and that would be catastrophic.”
The mages grimaced at those words. It was truly the worst-case scenario, one they would be utterly powerless to handle.
Yet they could not dissuade Khalid and the other two who had stepped forward so courageously.
“Are you truly certain about this?”
At someone’s worried question, all three nodded in affirmation.
“Then we wish you fortune.”
The mages opened a passage for the three of them.
Before entering the barrier, Khalid pulled both of them close in a firm embrace around their shoulders. The two instinctively convulsed at being suddenly pressed against him, but Khalid did not loosen his grip.
“You’ll find it rather pleasant being held this close to me, won’t you? Well, you’ll see for yourselves soon enough.”
With that, he dragged the other two forward and strode boldly into the barrier.

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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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