Chapter 30
If it seems like everyone in the world except you has gone mad, there's an 80% chance that you're the one who's lost your mind.
After all, isn't it far more likely that you've gone crazy yourself rather than thousands of people simultaneously experiencing delusions?
Such obvious logic.
That's why the Acting Director seriously pondered.
'Could I really have gone insane?'
Our professor says he's quitting his teaching position.
But Professor Ryan would never abandon us.
Therefore, someone must be forcing him through blackmail.
Could this kind of thinking actually be normal?
Our professor is destined to save the world someday.
No human would target a righteous person meant to save the world.
The enemy must be an evil demon. Any action against them is justified.
That kind of frenzied thinking would be the natural response...
'That's impossible! I need to think rationally!'
She barely managed to hold onto her sanity.
No matter how upside down the world becomes, that kind of thinking could never be normal. Even the radical zealots of the Holy Empire would shake their heads at the current state of the Academy.
'Hasn't that professor only been employed for a month? What on earth did he do to these students?'
Her common sense was telling her.
One month is too short to build such close relationships.
But reality was screaming at her.
One month is more than enough time to not just build relationships but become one with another person, to the point where an attack on them is considered an attack on oneself.
As if to remind her once again of this abnormal reality, another vicious voice carried through the window.
"Come out right now, you demon! Give us back our professor!"
She's neither a demon nor has she stolen their professor.
But explanations won't work on these enraged students.
Various objects come flying through the air.
From food items like raw eggs and tomatoes to condoms inflated with flour. The variety of projectiles was enough to drive one mad.
And if that wasn't bad enough, this was actually one of the lighter problems.
*Swish- Swish- Swish-*
The Saintess crawled on all fours near the bedside.
Without any explanation, she stabbed the Director's leg with a pen, drawing blood. Of course, what flowed out was red human blood, not the blue blood of demons.
Common sense would dictate a response like "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding" at this point, but...
"To even disguise the color of your blood. I've never seen such a thorough and cunning demon before."
The other party was not sane.
The Saintess grinded her teeth in frustration.
She was the one who crawled into someone's quarters uninvited and wounded them, yet her expression suggested the Director was the one who had committed some terrible atrocity.
"I'll withdraw for now, but you can't run forever."
Be careful, really.
Adding that warning, the Saintess disappeared like a spider.
"Kyaaaah! A ghost! There's a ghost!"
"Calm down, Director Karin. There's no way ghosts could actually exis... Uwaaaah!"
While the four-legged madwoman unexpectedly drove away a pair of unwanted visitors, the situation wasn't improving enough to be solved by merely scaring off two cowards.
One need only look at the white-haired old man beside her to understand.
"Must.endure.Don't.act.rashly.Focus.on.surveillance.That.young.man's.actions.surely.hide.some.intent.Cannot.misjudge.like.before.Would.have.no.face.to.show.junior."
The Empire's Iron-Blood Duke muttered something to himself.
His speech so rapid that it was hard to understand.
Though she somehow figured out he was telling himself to suppress his murderous intent, contrary to his words, the old man kept fidgeting with the sword at his waist.
"But... aren't problems easily solved by cutting away their cause? That's how it always worked on the battlefield."
Occasionally speaking in a clear voice as if his head had cleared. The old man's constantly shifting mental state was driving the Acting Director crazy.
She couldn't let her guard down for a moment.
But she couldn't ask him to leave either.
It felt like embracing a time bomb that could go off at any moment.
'This is completely absurd...'
And this was just day one.
If this much had happened in less than a day after Ryan's sudden announcement, what would happen on day two?
And after day two passed, what about the next day?
And after that day passed, what about the day after that?
Just imagining it made cold sweat soak her back.
She wasn't confident she'd survive this intact.
While she dreamed of rising higher than anyone else, this wasn't exactly how she wanted to ascend.
Finally, after much deliberation, she made her decision.
To bow her head to a mere commoner. Though she hated it to death, it was better than actually dying.
Steeling her resolve, she walks step by step.
Carefully knocks on the door of the faculty quarters.
Creeeeak, the door opens to reveal Ryan.
Though her blood boiled at seeing him peacefully enjoying aromatherapy after claiming he'd resign out of guilt, she suppressed it with superhuman patience.
With a kindly smile.
She spoke in a benevolent tone.
"I understand you're reflecting on your actions. I'll specially forgive your sins this time. Now return to your duties."
It was essentially a declaration of surrender. A plea saying she won't interfere anymore, so please just return to his original work.
There's no way he could refuse such an offer.
A genius professor famous for deeply caring about his students. How could such a person irresponsibly abandon his duties?
But contrary to expectations, Ryan threw salt in her wounds.
"No. I won't change my mind. Please leave."
An action she simply couldn't comprehend.
Though her face naturally filled with bewilderment, the man paid such reactions no mind at all.
Ryan flashed a smile, then slammed the door shut.
...Something was going very, very wrong.
*****
The Primordial Dragon had been feeling terribly anxious lately.
The situation was complicated enough with her own emotions. While she was already struggling to handle her feelings, now this happened.
Ryan's suspension from duties.
His sudden resignation announcement that followed.
That Acting Director woman who suddenly appeared had ruined everything. What Zion should have decided in this situation was crystal clear.
Punish the presumptuous human appropriately.
Use everything at her disposal to make the enemy submit.
An incredibly simple solution.
But now she hesitated to use her authority. There was a reason she had no choice but to hesitate.
-Please respect my will. If I avoid the punishment I deserve, I'll never be able to hold my head high again.
The man's sincerity was clear from his expression alone.
If that was Ryan's wish, she should respect it.
And while this reason was trivial and insignificant compared to the previous two, more of an afterthought really...
She was a little, just a tiny bit scared.
Scared of what would happen if she trampled his will and he said "I don't like you anymore."
A movie started playing unbidden in her mind.
Ryan, tears welling up, condemning her, saying she was nothing but that kind of person after all. Taking custody of all nineteen of their adorable children.
Though she clung to his pants leg crying and begging "Please don't leave me!", his response was cold.
Eyes containing only disappointment and resignation toward her, all passion from their newlywed days long gone.
-Was I just a plaything to you? In the end, you never truly loved me for even a moment.
Sharp words that pierced her heart like an awl.
But she couldn't make excuses. After trampling both his will and wishes as she pleased, she had no right to claim she truly loved him.
The image of the man calmly leaving Zion behind.
The ending credits roll as the movie ends.
...Cold sweat ran down her back.
While she didn't actually like Ryan and was merely curious about him. Still, this ending absolutely couldn't happen.
'But I can't just leave this alone either.'
She wanted to respect Ryan's will as much as possible.
But if Ryan tried to leave, she'd definitely stop him.
That contradiction made the Primordial Dragon hesitate. So after much contemplation... she finally remembered.
The words her friend spoke when they first met.
-You know, even problems that seem really complicated... They often get solved just by having a conversation.
So let's try talking things out.
When the girl received a request to subjugate a great dragon, she brought snacks instead of weapons, and that foolish idea worked.
Drawn in by the bold girl's tales of adventure, Zion left her cave and became the warrior's companion.
'I should try talking with Ryan too.'
If she tries persuading him, it might just work.
With that thought, Zion threw herself into preparations.
After trial and error, she baked cookies herself.
She put them in wrapping paper with rabbit characters, then decided that's too childish and picked something plain instead.
She unconsciously drew hearts to decorate the empty spaces, then slapped her own cheeks telling herself to get it together.
A gift completed after a full day's work.
With perfect preparations complete, persuasion will be a piece of cake.
Today will surely be a happy day.
Today absolutely needs to be a happy day, but.
"What's the problem?! I said I surrender! I'll meet all your conditions, just come back to work!"
"No matter what you say, Director, my mind won't change."
"You... are you picking a fight with me?"
She heard the sound of the man arguing with someone else from Ryan's quarters which had grown closer without her noticing.
Her footsteps naturally quickened.
She climbed the stairs so rapidly she was out of breath. When Zion threw open the door to the quarters, she saw.
"W-wait. I'm sure I only pushed him lightly..."
The Acting Director looking bewildered, and Ryan collapsed on the floor coughing up bright red blood.