Chapter 56: Echoes of the [Redacted], a Date, and an Exam (4)

A Reporter asked Cole what on earth had happened.

But Cole was the one who wanted to ask that question.

A monster suddenly appeared. *We had to uphold the Professor's example and do good. Therefore, the Weak must be protected.* For that reason, I was forcibly made to join their journey.

*Please, just let me go home.* But they were too terrifying for me to utter those words.

I vaguely went along with their journey until we reached the Ancient Fortress. When we met Paimon, I wondered what would happen, but then a monster immediately underwent a Second-Stage Transformation and swept away all the Demonic Beasts and Demons.

Those who had swept everything away like the wind, once again vanished like the wind, leaving only Cole behind.

They said something about reporting to Professor Rian and preparing various things. They definitely babbled something, but I was too scared to properly understand.

Paimon's death. And the contaminated land being purified as a result.

Seeing that, people swarmed in, which is the current situation.

Everyone was asking Cole questions, as if Cole were the Hero who had accomplished all of this.

*If I just kept my mouth shut here, I could surely succeed. I could even let his parents live in luxury.*

“I was not the one who defeated Paimon.”

However, Cole quickly opened his mouth to correct the facts.

If he had been cunning enough to steal the credit, he wouldn't have been abandoned by his companions in the first place, and turning such a mad monster into an enemy was something he'd refuse even if it meant death.

*Honor or not, shouldn't survival come first?*

“His name was definitely... Rian. Professor Rian. A group of monstrous creatures, whether they were familiars or Bio-weapons, who served him as their master, conquered the Demonic Realm.”

Thus, Cole relayed the facts exactly as he had witnessed them. Logically, it couldn't have been a Human.

As soon as Rian's name was uttered, a commotion arose. There wasn't a single Reporter among them who didn't know that name.

The story from Cole that the Professor had conquered the Demonic Realm was already astonishing, but even more so was that he hadn't even personally intervened this time.

“Their number was probably... around twenty.”

Just twenty, at that. Hearing this, everyone's faces were clouded with doubt.

A Human who was a Genius Mage and a Genius Swordsman. It was plausible for such a Superhuman to also be a Genius Summoner or Engineer.

But that number made no sense. Demonic Beasts that multiplied endlessly no matter how many were killed. Paimon, the mighty Lord who ruled the vast Demonic Realm.

To break through all that with just twenty? There's a limit to what's unbelievable. Even if twenty Imperial Sword Masters were gathered, they clearly wouldn't be able to Clear the Demonic Realm.

And Rian's familiars did it? Each Summoned Creature overwhelming a Sword Master?

This was utterly nonsensical. The Reporters, having come to that conclusion, questioned Cole if he was truly certain.

Sure enough. Cole apologized, saying he had made a mistake due to the circumstances. He corrected his statement in front of everyone.

“Not twenty, but one.”

However, what came out was an even more bizarre statement than before. Naturally, everyone's faces were tinged with bewilderment.

The Reporters doubted their ears, wondering what they had just heard. Yet, Cole didn't hesitate at all.

Very calmly, Cole delivered the shocking truth in front of everyone.

“Paimon was defeated by just one of his familiars.”

...For a moment, the entire assembly was steeped in silence.

---

\-We look forward to your next visit.

\-We have enclosed a souvenir along with a brochure in the envelope, so please read it carefully, make up your mind, and visit us again.

A strangely stubborn and persistent attitude. Was it for soliciting customers? The persistent and clingy request for a return visit at the end was a bit uncomfortable, but...

Aside from that, my daily life recently had been very satisfying.

The Fluffy Club. Originally, it was a suspicious massage shop run by Fox Beastkin that I had called to be treated like a good-for-nothing Teacher by my students.

A paradise where I could feel both softness and coolness simultaneously. Instead of calling someone, I visited the shop directly to receive the service, and the quality improved, making all the stress accumulated from various unfair situations feel like it had completely vanished.

*It really was a good idea to just take a Self-declared Holiday.*

Healing and aiming for dismissal. “Killing two birds with one stone” must be a phrase used for times like these.

If I had needlessly gritted my teeth and tried hard to get fired, I would surely have met a miserable end by now. You can tell just by looking at the plan I intended to use for this exam.

\[Write down what 1+1 is. (100 points)\]

An exam paper with only one question written on it.

Making them solve such a thing as a Midterm Exam. Thus making them doubt the Teacher's intellectual level.

The original plan was that if I received a complaint to stop fooling around, I would claim it was a sufficiently difficult problem for me, and then act like a *complete idiot* to make everyone lose all affection for me.

I thought that wasn't a bad idea either, but...

*I realized it this time. If I proactively try to do something strange, it always goes wrong.*

Considering all the past cases, some absurd, unfair situation would surely have arisen midway and ruined everything.

What on earth is 1+1? The Students who wouldn't take that question at face value, believing it held some profound meaning.

One of them would be inspired by my question. And somehow make an incredible discovery that would change the world.

The world would be turned upside down in an instant, and my ugly appearance, acting like a newborn baby, would be treated as an act of mockery towards those who couldn't even grasp the meaning embedded in the question.

Such a future was already being drawn in my mind.

*It's much better to do nothing at all than this.*

What on earth can you do? If I say I won't do anything, and won't give you anything to praise, what can you possibly do?

Will you create an exam that I didn't even give and praise it?

There's nothing you can do. The only way is to curse my Dereliction of Duty and negligence, and protest to kick out the malicious Teacher.

*I should have done this from the start. Then I'd be enjoying a happy retirement life by now.*

It's a shame, but let's think positively. Isn't it fortunate that I thought of this method, even if it's a bit late?

The most realistic and plausible plan so far.

The success rate is almost 100 percent.

...Of course, it's still too early to feel relieved. Not only has my luck been unusually bad recently, but there were also a few worrying scenarios.

Stealthily. I cautiously headed towards the A-Class Classroom.

*We knew this was the Professor's exam! You were testing our patience, weren't you? We could have waited another month, but you came quickly!*

A hallucination of Students uttering eerie words in the dark.

The terrible image of madmen who hadn't slept, waiting for me, their eyes glowing, rushing at me, flickered before my eyes.

I knew the plan had a high chance of success.

But the memories of defeat etched into me. The countless unfair situations that had befallen me so far. They were making me incredibly anxious right now.

I swallowed hard and opened the door...

Phew, I let out a sigh of relief. Contrary to my worries, not a single Student was visible.

Indeed, no matter how insane a Human, waiting for me for several days straight without sleep makes no sense. It seems I was worrying too much after all.

This level of paranoia is severe. Stress was, after all, the root of all illness.

I should revisit the Fluffy Club as soon as I have time. Thinking that, I turned on the Classroom lights.

But as the lights came on, a strange sight appeared.

Soon, two changes were reflected in my vision. I walked forward with a very bewildered expression.

On the Lectern was a stack of papers. I had certainly never given an exam, so what on earth was this stack of papers? When I looked at the contents, what I saw was a bizarre arrangement of incomprehensible numbers and letters.

\[Silvia Leonhardt\] \[Midterm Exam Score: 301 points\]

\[Siel\] \[Midterm Exam Score: 1009 points\]

\[Christiana Roland\] \[Midterm Exam Score: 19450815 points\]

*Did these bastards eat something weird as a group?*

Surely they didn't just write the score they wanted on a blank paper? And expect me to just shut up and give them the grades as written?

*...Well, if it's like this, it's to my advantage.*

Granting this absurd request. If I actually submitted these grades as they were, other Professors would grab me by the collar and ask if I'd gone completely mad.

It was practically a guaranteed dismissal. Even though it was clearly a good thing, my bewilderment wouldn't disappear.

Students wanting to get easy grades. That was a very natural thing, but my Students were all people for whom common sense didn't apply.

Something was strange. My gaze, sensing that fact, moved on its own.

A bundle meticulously wrapped with a ribbon. A gift revealing its presence next to the stack of papers.

I swiftly unwrapped the package without hesitation.

Then, rolling out, was a head.

A rose stuck near the eye. Glitter scattered all over. A single head adorned with a butterfly-shaped ribbon.

But the problem wasn't the grotesque decoration.

A corpse desecrated even in death.

I had seen that face before, sometime.

The Master of Demonic Beasts. The mighty Demon who ruled the vast Demonic Realm.

It was the Lord of Despair, Paimon. What the hell happened for that guy's head to be delivered like a gift? My face was bewildered, but the world was too cruel to me.

I wasn't even given time to process the situation.

From afar, heavy footsteps approached. Soon, figures appeared that I had only ever seen in newspapers — Influential Figures.

The Golden Magic Tower Lord, who handled mechanical devices. The Black Magic Tower Lord, who researched Summoning Arts and familiars.

And even the current Adventurer's Guild President.

Everyone looked at me, licking their lips. Their expressions were like they were looking at the top-tier beauty in the region.

Middle-aged Men rolled their eyes back and rushed at me.

...The world was going completely insane.