Chapter 80 : Chapter 80
Volume 2
Chapter 4 : Him? Muen Campbell?
“Heh, as expected of Professor Prang. You really are strict.”
Professor Gran praised him, then suddenly let out a soft sound of surprise, as if he had just noticed something.
“Hm? Look over there. Is that not that little girl who caused quite a stir in the first year before? Ah, no, I suppose I should say the second year now. I heard she is somebody’s illegitimate child?”
“Our academy does not judge students by their birth, and she has attended your class before, has she not? Yet you do not even remember her name!” Professor Prang rebuked sternly.
“Hehe, there are so many students. Who can remember them all?” Gran scratched his head and played dumb.
“Her name is Ariel. She truly is a very outstanding student.”
Professor Prang had naturally also seen Ariel just after she stepped down from the carriage.
The moment his gaze passed over her face, his mood immediately settled, and he could not help smiling.
“Very good. It seems she had a fulfilling vacation.”
“You really do think highly of her,” Gran said.
“Of course. To raise her magic level to the second rank, golden tier, within a single year is rare even in my decades of teaching. Calling her a genius would not be excessive in the least.”
A trace of gratification tinged Professor Prang’s voice.
If not for the obvious traces of other excellent teachers in the way Ariel cast her magic, he might have been tempted to take her in as his true disciple.
“I see.”
Gran expressed his admiration, then promptly lost interest.
He had seen too many geniuses.
Most of them were not very interesting.
“Come to think of it, there should be another rather talked-about student in the second year, should there not? What was his name again? I think he was the Duke’s son or something.”
Gran asked whatever came to mind as always.
“Professor Prang, do you know... hm?”
“Muen! Campbell!”
Professor Prang ground the name out through clenched teeth, like a volcano on the verge of erupting.
Of course he knew that name, because it had practically been carved into his very bones!
Deeply, incomparably deeply.
Not because of his status as the Duke’s son, nor because of the ridiculous things he had done.
But because he was humiliated!
That was right, a colossal humiliation in the fifty-year teaching career of him, Prang Ronier!
One year!
A whole entire year!
Three hundred and sixty-five days!
Eight thousand seven hundred and sixty hours!
Ariel had already stepped into the golden tier and could now be considered capable of standing on her own.
Even the ordinary students had at least managed to grasp the basics and could cast a few offensive spells without issue.
But that Muen Campbell, damn it all, had spent an entire year learning only a single Light spell!
Light spell!
A spell my cat could learn in three days!
He took a whole year!
And because of that, during this vacation, when Professor Prang attended the usual gatherings of top educators—The moment he walked through the door, someone pointed at him and laughed.
“Professor Prang, I heard you produced another marvel. A student who learned only one spell in a year.”
And he, one of the towering pillars of magical education, had actually been forced to reply while blushing and trembling,
“N-Nonsense. How can Light spell be counted as just one spell?
Light spell... Light spell is practical and energy-saving. No matter what, it ought to count as at least one and a half.”
And immediately, the room was filled with cheerful laughter.
Cheerful my foot.
He had wanted to smash his head to death on the spot, all right?!
In the past, whenever he attended such gatherings, he would go there to enjoy the reverent gazes of his fellow educators.
And while he was at it, put on a bit of airs and offer some guidance to the younger generation.
But ever since Muen Campbell had burst onto the scene with his brilliant achievement of mastering one Light spell in a year, Professor Prang felt that no matter where he went, people were pointing at him behind his back!
For a self-proclaimed perfect educator like him, this was utterly intolerable!
And yet, he could do absolutely nothing about Muen Campbell.
After all, poor grades did not violate school rules.
And the Campbell family was also one of the academy’s major shareholders, so there was no way he could deliberately go out of his way to trouble a student.
“It seems you really dislike Muen Campbell.”
Gran shrank his neck back a little.
He rarely saw Professor Prang this angry.
Just standing beside him made Gran feel as if he might be swallowed whole alive.
So he hurriedly changed the subject.
“Hm? Look, your prized student seems to have been stopped by someone.”
Gran pointed toward the academy gates.
“Oh? That looks like Aemon from the fourth year. I remember him somewhat. He has decent talent.”
Professor Prang was indeed distracted, and his mood calmed a little.
“What are they trying to do? Start a group fight?”
“It seems like... a challenge?”
Professor Prang narrowed his eyes.
Though the distance was great, he could still vaguely make out Aemon throwing his glove at Ariel’s feet.
Among nobles, that gesture meant issuing a challenge.
“Oh ho, a fourth-year student publicly challenged a second-year student in front of so many people. Now that is a rare sight indeed.”
Professor Gran let out a whistle, clearly enjoying the spectacle and wishing for the commotion to grow even larger.
“How strange. Why would Aemon suddenly challenge Ariel? Did they have some previous conflict?”
Professor Prang frowned in confusion.
He thought about it.
Then he remembered that the fact Muen Campbell and Ariel were at odds was common knowledge throughout the entire second year.
And Aemon... seemed to be rather close to Muen Campbell...
Muen Campbell, it is you again!
Was it not enough for you to torment me?
Now you have come to torment my prized student as well?
“It does not look like they have started fighting.”
Professor Gran continued enjoying the show, then suddenly exclaimed:
“Hm? Look, is that not that what’s-his-name, Muen something-or-other?”
“Muen Camp—bell!”
Professor Prang also spotted Muen within the crowd. His eyes widened, and he growled:
“He still has the nerve to come to the academy!”
Professor Prang gripped his cane tightly, wishing he could rush downstairs that very instant and smash it over Muen Campbell’s head.
You ran off quickly enough at the end of term, but otherwise I would definitely have made sure you got no good fruit juice to drink!
“Do not be angry, do not be angry. He is only a student, after all. Why keep getting angry at a student?” Gran tried to console him.
“Is it not perfectly normal for a student’s grades to be good or bad?”
“Normal?”
Professor Prang looked at Professor Gran and sneered.
“If one of the students in your potions class still could not tell the difference between a drug and an aphrodisiac after a whole year, or worse, was even dosed with either one, what would you think?”
“...”
This is bad. That image is far too vivid. My blood pressure shot up instantly.
“Ahem, let us not talk about that. Let us see what is happening over there first. Hm? That Muen Campbell seems to be saying something, and judging from everyone’s expressions, it must be something quite remarkable.”
Gran stroked his chin and smiled.
“Luckily, I know a little lip-reading.
Let me see what he is saying...
I... have already... turned over a new leaf... Hm? I have already turned over a new leaf?”
After deciphering the words, Professor Gran froze for a moment, then turned to Professor Prang.
“That Muen Campbell said he has already turned over a new leaf.”
“Turned over a new leaf?”
At that, Professor Prang immediately sneered.
“And you believe such an obvious lie, as absurd as claiming a toad can turn into a swan?
If Muen Campbell truly can turn over a new leaf and from now on study hard and improve every day, then I, I will...”
Professor Prang looked around, then suddenly slammed his hand onto the desk and shouted:
“I will eat this desk!”