The Graduate Student Wants to Assassinate the Professor - Chapter 74

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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 74

Leoryna stood dumbfounded for a moment before scratching her head.
“Wow, this worked out perfectly! Khalid will be gone for a whole week right when I decided to take a break. Let’s get some proper rest!”
Pongko laughed brightly as he spoke. Leoryna’s face felt awkward as she forced a smile.
“Y-yes, that’s right? I’m free for a whole week? But is this… actually good? Shouldn’t I know where Khalid is going? No matter what, he’s still my assassination target…”
“What good would knowing do? Weren’t you planning to wipe assassination and everything else from your mind for about a week and just have fun? Besides, if it were the usual Khalid, would he have approved your request to take a break? Yet here you are with a vacation handed to you. Take advantage of this chance to be free. Come on, repeat after me. I am free!”
“I-I am free!”
“Louder!”
“I am free!”
After shouting along with Pongko’s encouragement, Leoryna realized that other students passing through the Corridor were staring at her with vacant expressions.
Embarrassed, Leoryna’s face flushed red as she hurried into the Copy Room, prepared the course materials, and placed them on the desk as Khalid had instructed.
With nothing left to do, Leoryna stepped outside the Building and sat down on the edge of the fountain in the Academy Central Plaza, stretching her body.
“Now that I have free time, I have no idea what to do with it.”
“What about going Downtown? You could go shopping.”
“Shopping… but I don’t even know what to buy…”
Leoryna let out a light sigh, resting her chin in both hands, when a familiar voice called out to her from somewhere.
“Huh? Aren’t you Teaching Assistant Leoryna?”
Leoryna looked up and saw Philiamone standing before her.
“Oh, Philiamone. Hello? What brings you here?”
“The Beast Response Department Building is just across the way, so I’m just passing through.”
“So the Beast Response Department is in this direction.”
Since Leoryna had no reason to go that way, she was only now properly seeing the Beast Response Department Building, and she nodded slowly.
“I’m just passing by, but what about you? What are you doing here alone?”
“Enjoying my freedom.”
“Wow, that sounds nice? Freedom for a graduate student? That’s pure luxury.”
“I think so too.”
The two laughed softly together. As Leoryna was laughing, something occurred to her and she clapped her hands.
“That’s right! I wanted to ask you something!”
“What is it?”
Philiamone tilted her head curiously.
“I asked Professor Khalid and Professor Zigzagel about this too, but since it’s not their field of study, they couldn’t help. So I thought maybe you, being from the Beast Response Department, might know something.”
“Uh… if those two don’t know, how would I? They have far greater knowledge than me and have lived much longer, so they must have picked up all sorts of things…”
“Still. Just listen to what I have to say.”
Leoryna patted the spot beside her. Once Philiamone sat down next to her, Leoryna stroked Pongko’s head and spoke.
“Have you ever heard of an animal that isn’t a Magical Beast but can use magic and speak?”
At those words, Pongko turned sharply to look at Leoryna. And Philiamone’s expression changed subtly. She pointed at Leoryna with her finger, then turned her hand to point at herself as well.
“An animal that isn’t a Magical Beast but can use magic and speak—there’s one right here.”
Neither human nor Demon Race nor Magical Beast, yet capable of using magic and speaking.
“…I see.”
As Leoryna scratched her head awkwardly, Philiamone crossed her legs and leaned back against the bench’s armrest.
“What exactly are you curious about? It seems like you weren’t looking for that kind of answer.”
“Well, I was just wondering if ordinary animals could use magic. Nothing serious, really. Animals can’t use magic unless they’ve formed a Familiar contract with a mage, so I was curious—how are magical beasts able to use magic?”
“Don’t you know much about magical beasts, Instructor Leoryna?”
“I wasn’t interested.”
Leoryna shrugged.
As an assassin, my web of connections was woven solely for assassination targets, and combat against magical beasts differed fundamentally from combat against humans.
Even among humans, vital points varied by race—how much more so when compared to magical beasts?
That’s why I’d killed many humans but never a magical beast. I’d barely even seen one before.
Thanks to Khalid’s antics, I’d encountered Kochalirakes and Poriport in recent months—a rare exception. Since opportunities to observe them were scarce, my interest naturally waned, and consequently, I knew only the most basic information about magical beasts.
“I’d like to learn more detailed information about magical beasts, but it’s difficult for me to understand the specifics on my own, and I don’t even know where to start searching….”
“So that’s how I ended up caught in your web.”
“Aha, yes.”
“But why did you suddenly become curious about that aspect…?”
“W-well, it’s because while helping with Professor Khalid’s research, I found myself needing to understand matters related to magical beasts.”
Leoryna laughed awkwardly, offering a vague excuse while grasping the hem of Philiamone’s garment.
“What should I do first if I want to learn about magical beasts?”
Seeing the scholarly gleam in Leoryna’s eyes, Philiamone nodded and spoke.
“I have my own philosophy on that matter.”
“What is it?”
“There’s no faster way to understand something than to experience it with your own body!”
Leoryna’s eyes widened. Philiamone’s words were identical to what Roabel, my mentor, had told me when teaching me magic.
Leoryna shifted excitedly.
“Then could I see a magical beast directly?”
“You’re quick! I was planning to go on a subjugation practice tomorrow anyway—would you like to come along?”
“If I may accompany you, I’d be grateful!”
“Getting permission from our professor shouldn’t be difficult. However… you’ll need to get approval from Professor Huaderica. It’s about a week-long expedition.”
“A week?”
That matched perfectly with the timeframe I could move freely. Leoryna considered herself fortunate and listened to the rest of Philiamone’s explanation.
“Yes. There’s travel time involved, and we can’t cover the Magical Beast Region in a single day, so it takes about a week. And didn’t Professor Huaderica mention it to you?”
“Mention what?”
Seeing Leoryna’s blank expression, Philiamone tilted her head in confusion.
“What do you mean ‘what’? The place we’re going tomorrow is Huaderica Territory, so Professor Huaderica will be accompanying us. That’s why Professor Huaderica will be away from the Academy for about a week….”
“What?”
Leoryna’s eyes went wide.
“Oh. It seems you really didn’t know….”
“He only told me he was going somewhere for about a week. He didn’t even tell me where.”
“The professor didn’t specifically tell you, and I ended up revealing it—I’m not sure if that was alright.”
Philiamone scratched her temple awkwardly. But Leoryna waved her hand dismissively.
“No, no. Actually, I’m delighted! I’ve been curious about where Professor Khalid was headed, so I might as well follow along and see.”
“Haha! In that case, I’ll inform our professor. Let’s say we meet again tomorrow morning at 6 o’clock in front of our Department Building, Leoryna.”
Leoryna settled on the arrangement and waved her hand cheerfully as Philiamone excused herself, citing her upcoming class. Watching her go, Pongko posed a question.
“Leoryna, are you really sure about this? You were planning to enjoy a whole week without seeing Khalid.”
“But I’m curious. Why would Khalid go to his own territory to subjugate magical beasts without even telling me? What is he planning to do there? This way, I can find out without needing to station someone to watch him separately.”

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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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