Chapter 18:
Chapter 18:
It was Friday, and the week was winding down after the completion of exchange training, ushering in the much-awaited weekend.
With no classes scheduled for the day, Phillip wasted no time and found himself stuck in the faculty room right after arriving at work. He aimed to wrap up his tasks before calling it a day.
Being neither a professor nor holding any major administrative position, Phillip’s duties as a mere teaching assistant were a breeze.
His responsibilities mostly revolved around routine tasks like checking the status of training materials or compiling peculiarities related to the students.
With focus, he could get them done within a couple of hours.
Unfolding the trusty notebook he always carried around, Phillip began transferring his handwritten notes to official documents. After a while, he heard someone calling out to him.
“Instructor Oswald. What are you doing here? Weren’t you told to come to the office?”
It was Professor Felicia Oswald. After verifying that Phillip was the only one in the faculty room, she approached him.
“I asked another colleague to summon you. Didn’t you see them?”
Phillip shrugged. No one had approached him.
“No one showed up.”
“Really?”
“Why would I lie? I didn’t have much else to do, so if someone had called me, I would have gone to see what they wanted right away.”
As Felicia listened to Phillip’s explanation, her expression tightened slightly.
“Why’s that?”
“Haron Beibeu. That guy is just impossible. I’m sure he specifically asked you to call me, but…”
Haron Beibeu was a faculty member who had clashed with Phillip before. While others might have brushed it off as a coincidence, it seemed there was a definite reason behind his actions.
Felicia pointed her finger and lightly jabbed Philip’s shoulder.
“It’s your fault, Philip. You should have given him a few smacks back then, even if you knew I might scold you. Indulging him like that led to this situation, didn’t it?”
Philip replied, “Well, saying that makes it sound like it’s all my fault. But why did you come looking for me?”
“We need a swordsmanship instructor to accompany us for the third-year outdoor training, and we are the only year without classes today.”
“Outdoor training? Ah, you mean the newly discovered dungeon, right?”
If it was the outdoor training mentioned in the magical academy, it could only be a dungeon exploration.
“Yeah, it’s the place beyond the lake that was recently found. Professor Evelyn from the Magic Department went on an expedition there last week. There’s not much danger, just a few simple traps, and it seems to have some guardian demons like goblins or skeletons.”
“So, I just need to follow you there?”
Felicia nodded.
“Yes. The other instructors will guide us, and you should only intervene if it seems dangerous while watching the students.”
“Sounds straightforward. Where do we go?”
“If you head to the Magic Department, everyone should be getting ready by now.”
“Alright, I’ll get prepared.”
Philip stood up from his seat and readied himself. Since it was a low-level dungeon, he didn’t need armor.
As he was about to leave the department, Felicia grabbed his hand.
“Why?”
“Just take care and come back safely. Don’t get into any trouble, okay?”
Philip smiled at her affectionate concern and replied, “It’s just a simple trip to a low-level dungeon. I’ll be back before you know it.”
With that assurance, Philip left the room.
The Magic Department was bustling with preparations for the practical training.
Unlike the neat and minimal interior of the Swordsmanship Department, the Magic Department was cluttered with all sorts of magical tools and half-read books, making it hard to know where to start.
“Oh, Instructor Philip… I heard that you’ll be joining us for the training.”
Philip’s face brightened when he spotted a familiar face—it was Instructor Perak, with whom he had stood guard before.
“Long time no see, right?”
“That’s right. Please take care of things today. Wait a moment, Instructor Priscilla. Why are you carrying Explosive Scrolls for the dungeon training? If you use those inside the dungeon, the students could end up dead! Put them away immediately!”
“Oh… I’m sorry!”
Instructor Priscilla was dressed in a robe, and appeared distressed with tears welling up in her eyes. She had a strikingly beautiful face, but an air of sternness could be sensed from her appearance.
‘She seems different somehow.’
Philip knew Instructor Perak to be somewhat timid, but witnessing him scolding a junior instructor suggested there was more to him than met the eye.
“I apologize for raising my voice. Instructor Priscilla is new here, and she’s still getting used to her duties. Honestly, I can’t take my eyes off her… No, please ensure you have what you need. If you have any grievances, just tell me…”
Instructor Perak pressed his temple with his finger as if trying to alleviate a headache.
“I’m truly sorry, Instructor. I’ll get things ready right away!”
Observing the scene, Philip came to a realization. The issue wasn’t Instructor Perak’s personality, but rather the inexperience of the junior instructor.
“It won’t do. I’ll help out and get things prepared quickly, so please wait a moment, Instructor.”
Philip said, standing patiently.
* * *
Outdoor magic training for the students in the Magic Department typically involved organizing small groups of about six at a time.
This was necessary because in cramped dungeons or challenging ruins, it wasn’t feasible for thirty students to move together.
Philip packed the backpack filled with magic items into the carriage that had arrived at the main square. Instructor Perak let out a deep sigh, seemingly relieved to have a moment to himself.
“Thank you for your assistance, Instructor.”
“Why do you carry these things? Anyway, when will the kids arrive?”
“I asked Instructor Priscilla to bring them, so they should be here soon.”
Instructor Perak looked genuinely exhausted.
“… Honestly, I never thought I’d be the type to get annoyed with anyone. But I suppose there’s no such thing as absolute certainty in this world. I must admit that I’ve made mistakes too. The more I push her, the more Priscilla, the instructor, seems to become increasingly frustrated.”
“It’s not like anyone is naturally good at everything from the beginning. With time, even Instructor Priscilla will grow more accustomed to it,” Philip offered some reassurance. However, Instructor Perak shook his head.
“Before that happens, I fear I’ll fall ill first. Perhaps a stroke or epilepsy… something dreadful.”
As they continued talking, they spotted a group of students approaching from a distance—three male students and two female students.
Philip rarely had encounters with third-year students from the Magic Department, but he recognized a familiar face among them.
“That’s… Cheryl?”
The curly-haired girl with round glasses blushed and quickly averted her gaze when she noticed Philip.
Instructor Perak glanced at the students to ensure everything was alright, but one person he expected to see was missing.
“Everyone, where is Instructor Priscilla?”
A male student responded, “She said she had something to attend to and asked us to go ahead.”
“I see. Let’s wait for her for a moment, then. Oh, since the carriage ride will take over an hour, be careful not to get motion sickness.”
Instructor Perak managed a forced smile, making sure the students could sit comfortably on the benches in the plaza.
His handling of the situation was skillful and considerate. Displaying annoyance here would undoubtedly have undermined Instructor Priscilla’s authority as an instructor.
Fortunately, after a few minutes, Instructor Priscilla arrived at the plaza.
“Alright, everyone. Let’s get going.”
Instructor Perak declared the start of their journey. He joined the students on the carriage and approached Philip to whisper something.
“I’ll be riding in the same carriage as the students. I kindly request that you, as an instructor, ride with Instructor Priscilla on the carriage carrying our luggage. If you end up facing her directly, it might provoke her again…”
“Understood. Take care,” Philip replied.
“Thank you so much. You’re a truly wonderful instructor.”
Perak expressed his gratitude.
Though it didn’t matter to Phillip either way. After all, Priscilla was a junior to Instructor Perak, and not his own junior.
The carriage they boarded wasn’t for passengers but for luggage. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but it was just an hour’s journey, so Philip figured he could endure it.
Extending his hand to Priscilla, he invited her, “Come on in.”
“Um… Well, thank you,” Priscilla responded, unsure of what to do, and eventually took his hand, and stepped into the carriage. Shortly after, the carriage carrying the other students and Instructor Perak departed, with Philip’s carriage following behind.
An awkward silence settled in.
With no seats available, Philip and Priscilla had to sit on top of some boxes, and whenever the carriage jolted, Philip had to listen to Priscilla’s occasional screams.
“Ah!”
“Are you alright?” Philip asked.
“Uh… Yes, I’m… fine,” she replied, her voice hesitant.
Deciding to break the silence and engage in conversation, Philip asked, “By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you, Instructor? You seem to be around the same age as me.”
“I’m… twenty-two years old this year.”
“You’re the same age as me,” Philip acknowledged.
“Are you… also twenty-two years old?” Priscilla inquired cautiously.
Philip nodded and smiled. “In that case, let’s get along well from now on. We’re both new instructors, so we have a lot in common. In fact, since we’ve ended up like this, let’s be friends from now on. Friends who can share worries and support each other through tough times. How does that sound?”
“Yes… yes?” Priscilla seemed uncertain.
“That’s great. It all worked out well.”
Since he had to have some sort of information network on the Magic Department side anyway, there was nothing wrong with becoming friends with her.
Besides, she seemed like the type who would tell him anything if he nudged her a little.
Philip knew from experience that with people like Priscilla, he had to push without giving them time to think.
As she hesitated, Phillip asked with a slightly disappointed expression, “Do you dislike it, by any chance?”
“Oh, no! It’s not that… It’s just that it’s so sudden…”
Priscilla eventually took Philip’s hand. He felt a strong sense of discomfort at that moment.
“… Huh?”
It was an indescribable feeling, and the discomfort quickly faded away. However, it felt like she was missing something crucial that he couldn’t simply overlook.
“Um, Instructor?”
At the sound of Priscilla calling him, Philip snapped back to attention and released her hand.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
‘What was that just now?’
Philip examined her again, but he couldn’t detect any particular signs.
Her restless pupils and quivering lips, as if wanting to say something, didn’t seem like an act at all.
‘Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding?’
If there was something hidden from him, the probability of Philip being aware of it was low. After all, Priscilla was a person not present in his database from the beginning.
“… I was actually contemplating whether it was okay to let go of the conversation. If it’s impolite to ask…,” he thought as he continued the conversation to increase intimacy.
Perhaps he should use the Dragon Horn’s Flute(also called ‘Horn of Revelation’) on her first.
‘It could be something unexpected. Honestly, it’s a bit suspicious that as an instructor at the academy, she has never revealed herself in the game.’
The ‘Horn of Revelation’ was an artifact that revealed the true nature of all objects and people. If she was hiding something, it was highly likely that it was her true identity.
———
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