Chapter 12

EP.12 An Unexpected Encounter (1)

Aflia Academy.

The premier magic academy and a prestigious institution known for its outstanding graduates.

As the new semester approaches, dozens of academic notices are distributed daily at Aflia. Among them, one notice caught the attention of the teaching assistants.

-Basics of Mana and Trade.

-Professor in Charge: Roselle von Trias.

-Teaching Assistant: Lania von Trias.

The teaching assistant slot, which had always been vacant, now had a name.

"Professor Roselle has taken on a teaching assistant!"

The teaching assistants were shocked by this news.

Most of the teaching assistants at Aflia are graduates of Aflia Academy. And among the graduates, there was no one who did not know Professor Roselle.

The venerable elder of the renowned Ashen Tower.

A sage recognized by ancient dragons.

A true master of this era who trained the "Ashen Mage" Raniel.

Out of curiosity, most students had tried to take Professor Roselle's class at least once, chasing after his reputation.

And those who took his class with a 'light' heart realized something.

What did they realize?

A nightmare.

And hell.

"The nightmare of Aflia, Professor Roselle!"

His ruthless assignments.

The difficulty of his classes that felt malicious.

His meticulousness that missed not even the tiniest speck.

A Spartan-style education that seemed to say, "You must endure this to become such a mage."

Can't do it? Do it until you can.

Can't find the answer? Keep trying until you do.

Can't handle it? Then leave.

Extended classes were the norm, and the insane difficulty of the assignments was an added bonus. In an era that prioritized quality over quantity, Roselle's assignments demanded both.

Even during exam weeks, there was no leniency.

If you managed to survive the nightmare-like assignments somehow?

You were then faced with a hellish grading process.

-Again.

-Pardon?

-I said, do it again.

-Like this?

-Again.

The image of Professor Roselle standing in front of students who had rushed through their assignments, smiling gently and saying "again" with a soft voice, was etched into the minds of countless students as a trauma.

Perhaps due to his notorious reputation.

Professor Roselle's teaching assistant position had always been vacant. There were applicants, but none of them lasted more than two days.

But now, Professor Roselle had taken on a teaching assistant 'personally'?

That meticulous and strict Professor Roselle?

Could there even be someone capable of assisting Professor Roselle?

The rumor spread quickly.

-Professor Roselle has taken on a teaching assistant.

-That professor has a teaching assistant?

-I don't know who it is, but they must be pitiful...

The rumor circled among the teaching assistants and sparked curiosity, which then turned into questions.

Lania von Trias.

The adopted daughter and disciple of Professor Roselle.

Who exactly was she?

With only ten days left until the start of the semester, the rumors about her grew larger each day, despite her not showing up.

There was nothing known about her, but the teaching assistants who knew Professor Roselle speculated.

'She must be going through hellish days.'

It was unimaginable that the fair and meticulous Professor Roselle would treat his adopted daughter any differently.

2.

"Ah, ahahaha!"

"..."

Roselle looked around the room with a cold gaze. His eyes fell on a girl lying limply on the sofa.

His disciple and adopted daughter, Raniel von Trias, now known as Lania von Trias.

Her silky ash-gray hair flowed like a wave over the sofa. Her robe, which had been crumpled and wrinkled, caught his eye.

'Should I say something?'

Roselle pondered for a moment.

He no longer saw Raniel merely as a student to be taught. After all, she was already a mage who had achieved a certain level.

It had been five years.

She had returned to him, fully formed, after leaving his care. Roselle was trying to respect her as an equal mage.

Despite this, he had refrained from nagging her... but...

'This needs a warning.'

As a father, he couldn't just stand by and watch. Roselle cleared his throat and spoke.

"Raniel?"

"Ah, ahaha... Yes? Did you call me?"

Raniel jumped up from the sofa and looked at Roselle. She was so amused that tears were streaming down her face. Curious about what she was reading, Roselle glanced at the book in her hand.

'Wandering Swordsman Adventure Tale?'

The title seemed familiar.

-You should read this novel. It's a masterpiece! A martial artist from the Central Plains...

-...What's a martial artist?

-Ah, a martial artist is someone who venerates martial arts and chivalry...

He remembered that Aaron, who often read and recommended this novel to Roselle.

"...Is it interesting?"

"Yes? It was in your library, didn't you read it?"

"It's a book Aaron lent me. I don't think I've read it."

"Aaron... Ah, the dean we met last time? He has good taste. I should ask him for more recommendations next time."

...I remember the students used to tease him about his old-fashioned taste.

Swallowing the words that had risen to his throat, Roselle approached Raniel and brushed the dust off her robe.

"I understand you want to rest after five years, but... what about the paperwork I assigned you? Didn't you say you would finish it by tomorrow?"

"Oh, it's right there."

Raniel pointed to a stack of neatly organized files on the table.

"...You didn't even touch it?"

"What? I finished it."

"What? There's no way you could finish that much so quickly."

He had given her a lot of work to keep her busy, so there was no way she could have finished it so quickly.

"Raniel."

Roselle's doubtful eyes met Raniel's smile.

"I was the next head of the Ashen Tower before I left, wasn't I?"

"...That's right."

"What do you think I did in that position?"

Paperwork.

Organizing the endless stream of research materials and consolidating the quarterly research results.

Raniel, who didn't even have a secretary, had handled everything herself. It was an environment where her paperwork skills couldn't help but improve.

'And I didn't mention... '

Roselle didn't know, but Raniel had taken on all sorts of paperwork while in the hero party.

She rarely wrote personal letters or replied to fan letters from her followers, but she had done paperwork to the point of exhaustion.

Kail had never done paperwork.

Sara and Remia had always dumped it on Raniel because they found it bothersome.

'Summarizing the situation in each battlefield, deciding where our party should go, how much it would cost, and what we should do... '

Raniel had always organized and reported these details. Compared to that, the academy's paperwork assigned by her mentor was nothing.

"Still, why don't you go to the academy instead of just staying in your room?"

"I'll be going there every day once the semester starts, right?"

"Even if not the academy, why don't you go outside a bit? It's suffocating to see you just cooped up in here."

Although it seemed she had finished her work and could play around in her room, Roselle felt it wasn't right.

'What might interest this child... '

What could he use as bait to get her to go outside? Roselle thought for a moment about what might pique Raniel's interest.

'...Books?'

His eyes fell on the stack of books next to Raniel. The moment he saw them, an idea flashed in his mind.

"Raniel."

"Yes, Master?"

"Would you like to visit the royal library?"

3.

-Continuous retreats on the front lines.

-A series of defeats.

-The Four Kings, the ancient lich 'Skewball,' forming a wide barrier, isolating the knights.

-The absence of the heroes on the battlefield.

"..."

-The 'Carn' gorge, which was successfully recaptured with a great victory, has been taken by the demons again.

-Crisis on the battlefield.

-The black knights' advance north.

Squeak.

-To the Fourth Princess, Ayla.

-Princess, please consider the withdrawal of the Second Prince from the front lines...

Squeak.

-The retreat of the front lines is continuing.

-This is a crisis.

-To be honest, I cannot guarantee the safety of the prince.

Squeak.

-Princess.

-Knight Commander Heinzel.

Hesitation.

-The Second Prince's position on the Fourth Front is under continuous pressure. Although we have deployed troops, we cannot hold out for long.

-I am speaking bluntly, risking impoliteness.

-By investing troops in the Fourth Front, all other fronts are being pushed back.

Ayla read the letter, narrowing her eyes.

While other letters might contain plots or political intentions, Heinzel's did not.

-I humbly request.

-Can you ask the Second Prince to withdraw from the front lines?

"Will he listen to me, my brother?"

Ayla pressed her temples.

She understood Heinzel's heart. No matter how urgent the front lines were, she couldn't just let the prince die. Therefore, she had deployed troops... but...

'It's a nuisance.'

Even though she was speaking indirectly, the point was clear. A nuisance, asking him to leave the battlefield.

'I wish I could, but... '

Ayla knew her brother, the Second Prince, very well. He was more righteous than anyone, almost to the point of not fitting into the royal family.

A brother who was always enthusiastic, a bit foolish.

'He must be trying to fill Raniel's void... '

A sigh escaped her lips.

With so much to think about already, her brother was causing chaos. Ayla felt a wave of dizziness.

"Sigh..."

The retirement of the Ashen Mage Raniel.

The loss of just one mage was causing the front lines to crumble. This was only the beginning.

More front lines would collapse.

More knights would die.

There was no law that could prevent her brother from joining that procession of death.

"..."

Ayla bit her lip hard.

Just imagining that future made her feel suffocated.

-Ayla, look at this! I found the records of the first hero! He hunted the primordial beast...

-It's a fairy tale, brother.

-What's wrong with a fairy tale! Fairy tales are often filled with the essence of bards. Don't you want to read it with me?

Her brother, who always read fairy tales to her when she was troubled, a bit of a fool. Today, his image seemed especially vivid in her mind.

"Maybe I should let him rest a bit..."

Whether she sent a letter or did something else, it didn't seem like it would make a difference. Just as she was about to stand up, something happened.

-Pain.

Her index finger tingled.

It felt as if hot wax had dripped on it. Recognizing this unique signal, Ayla narrowed her eyes.

A starlight appeared on her index finger.

She read the meaning behind the starlight.

"An expected encounter?"

Ayla tilted her head in confusion.