Chapter 13
Everyone in this world is selfish.
Karen had never once doubted this fact.
Living as a child of a wealthy noble family, she had been burned by people enough times to be sick of them.
Like when her closest friend sold her out to a criminal organization for just a few silver coins, or when her illegitimate half-sister tried to assassinate her by poisoning her.
It was human nature to easily betray and cut off others for one's own benefit, even between the closest relationships.
If even friends and family were like this, what could be expected of others?
'So it's easier to just not trust anyone from the start.'
Rather than crying later upon realizing that a friend had approached only to extort money, or that the kind sister who always smiled brightly and gave piggyback rides actually hated her more than anyone...
It was far better to trust no one at all.
'Otherwise I'll just get hurt again for sure.'
Even after being betrayed by that Asian friend, she still gets angry at any racist remarks, thinking about how that friend was insulted.
Since her caring personality wouldn't change no matter how hard she tried, the only solution was to not let anyone into her heart.
After all, isn't the world driven by calculations of profit and loss?
Everyone acts only for their own benefit.
Sweet-sounding words always hide ulterior motives. If you fall for such words, you'll surely be betrayed.
Because everyone is selfish.
There's no way selfless kindness could exist in this world.
There's no way selfless kindness could exist, and yet...
"It's because you are my students."
The man before her explained.
That he revealed this place to them simply because they were his students.
She couldn't believe it. It was impossible to comprehend by common sense that someone would show such kindness to people they just met today for such a simple reason.
But that man calmly asked her with an expression suggesting he couldn't understand her reaction.
"You are my students, so I brought you here. What other reason would be needed?"
...He was sincere.
There's no way anyone could fake such an expression. That man was speaking from his heart right now.
Saying that it's natural for a teacher to care for their students. That he had simply done what needed to be done.
Her vision blurs. Her legs give out weakly as tears flow down. She couldn't bear the overwhelming guilt of having doubted such a man, even if just for a moment.
"I... I hated you, Professor. I misunderstood and hated you on my own. Yet you..."
Words fail to come out due to the guilt.
This time she wasn't the one being betrayed. She had betrayed the heart of someone who trusted in her.
She looked at Ryan's face, thinking he would surely get angry, saying 'I dedicated myself for you all, how could you do this to me?'
But... the professor's face remained serene.
Learning that a student had hated him, yet speaking calmly as if it was nothing - no, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
"Even if you dislike me. I am still your teacher. That much will never change."
Ryan reached out his hand and helped Karen stand.
The new professor declared while meeting her eyes.
"I will never give up on my students."
Even if you hate me, you are my student, he said. As long as that fact doesn't change, I will never cast you aside, he said. So I forgive you, he said.
Ryan placed his hand on her shoulder.
For the first time, that professor smiled brightly and spoke:
"Let's work hard together for the next year."
That gentle reassurance. Her heart naturally melted at the warmth from the professor who had always seemed so cold. Tears different from before rolled down her cheeks once again.
However, she quickly wiped away those tears.
There was something that had to be conveyed. Feelings that had to be expressed. So she couldn't stop here.
After conveying her gratitude to Professor Ryan, she immediately left.
Returning to the temple, she told the other students about Professor Ryan's sincerity and what had just transpired.
Most of the children gathered here were from noble families. Like Karen, they only knew the cold world driven by strict calculations of profit and loss.
That's why his sincerity reached them.
The unconditional dedication to his students. Everyone couldn't help but shed tears at the profound grace of their teacher.
Everyone looked at each other without a word.
Though no conversation passed between them, they all knew what the others were thinking and what they had resolved to do.
To not repay such kindness - no human could possibly be so shameless.
Though their power was insignificant.
Though it was nothing compared to Professor Ryan's abilities.
If even this insignificant power could be of help to him, they would gladly dedicate themselves. They would mobilize all the power and connections at their disposal to protect him.
Everyone nodded at this resolution.
A personal guard had been formed without the subject's knowledge.
*****
What are the odds that twenty randomly selected students would all happen to enjoy mountain climbing?
Though I never majored in statistics, I knew that probability would be infinitely close to zero. Such a thing shouldn't happen unless the world was turning upside down.
Yet the world was indeed turning upside down.
"Professor Ryan's lecture? ...I can't tell you the details since it's strictly confidential. But it was the best class of my life."
Just how far had my reputation fallen? When I cautiously checked my evaluation, it was somehow soaring high.
It makes absolutely no sense.
Mountain climbing with an unpleasant superior - no normal person would enjoy such a thing.
Thinking this way, I went to investigate how the situation was unfolding... and found a Great Spirit Vein.
And not just any - it was the largest one in recorded history.
'Why the hell would something like this suddenly appear here?'
Like striking oil while digging to plant flowers in the front yard. This absurd situation left me utterly dumbfounded.
The abandoned Ryu Temple on Mount Huyuki.
How could anyone have predicted a Great Spirit Vein would be flowing beneath it of all places? This was bad luck beyond bad luck.
But spilled water can't be gathered back up.
At this point, no one would believe me if I said finding the Great Spirit Vein was just a coincidence. Rather, they'd praise me even more for being so humble.
Perfect lecture evaluation. Promoted for recognized achievements in what would be recorded as the greatest class in Imperial history.
That was the only ending permitted to me.
Fate was strangling my neck, telling me not to escape from this - to get caught up in it and die.
'I shouldn't have set foot here from the start.'
I'd always prided myself on being lucky in both my previous life and this one.
An 80% win rate at rock-paper-scissors. Lucky enough to win second place in the lottery multiple times. Yet since coming to the Academy, nothing had gone according to my wishes.
I'm starting to suspect I might be possessed by a ghost.
And I don't mean that as a joke - lately I keep feeling like someone's watching me through the window while I sleep.
What's more, the last time I went out from the Academy, I even ran into five bisected corpses.
They all had Thieves' Guild emblems on them, so they probably got killed while trying to assassinate some bigshot. But it's still unsettling regardless.
'...Do I really have no choice but to accept my fate?'
Principal Zion had already said she would 'grant a reward incomparable to becoming Director, so just wait.'
The possibility of me getting fired from this Academy keeps shrinking. Perhaps I need to consider the possibility that I won't be able to escape from here.
Looking back on everything that's happened so far with that thought in mind.
Demonkin at the entrance exam.
If it had missed the vital spot by just a bit, I would have died.
Mythical beast at the entrance ceremony.
If the old man had been just a little later, I would have died.
A fellow professor who was actually a spy.
If I hadn't noticed his true identity, I would have died.
It's only my second week since starting work. Just two weeks, yet I've nearly died three times already.
...This won't do.
The premise was wrong from the start. Staying in this hell would be nothing short of an innovative form of suicide.
Tears cloud my vision in this hopeless situation.
Without realizing it, I find myself clasping my hands together.
A desperate prayer for anyone, anyone at all to help me escape from this place. Of course, I don't actually believe praying will make it come true.
It's just an action to find peace of mind.
It was just supposed to be an action to find peace of mind, and yet...
I hear a cooing sound.
Through the open window, a pigeon drops a letter in front of me. As if entranced, I break the wax seal.
[Would you be interested in transferring to Lionne Academy?]
Reading that sentence, my mind went blank for a moment.
So it seems...
The heavens had thrown down a golden rope for me.