<div> Dragging her exhausted body, Rine returned to her dorm room.
 The moment she collapsed onto the bed, the events of the day came flooding back to her.
 Maybe it was thanks to Ludger’s warning.
 No one had approached her to ask about the research results anymore.
 But still, she could feel countless eyes on her.
 ‘Is that why? I feel way more tired than usual.’
 Just walking through the halls was enough to make # Nоvеlight # her feel mentally worn down from all the complex, probing gazes thrown her way.
 Some students, unable to approach her directly, sent jealous glances instead—and the stares from the noble students were downright chilling.
 She’d already made enemies because of her past clash with Dunema Romli.
 And now, on top of that, a commoner like her had received the benefits of Ludger’s research. It was only natural they’d be envious.
 ‘Ugh. I’m totally being hated now, huh.’
 Even just this morning, on her way to class, someone had picked a fight with her.
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 </div> Nothing serious happened, but if Ludger hadn’t stepped in, it definitely would’ve turned dangerous.
 The injustice of it all frustrated her.
 ‘Come to think of it... everything has been thanks to Professor Ludger.’
 Her increased mana output—that was Ludger’s doing. When she was in danger—Ludger helped her. Even after that, he issued a warning that got everyone to back off.
 From start to finish, it was all thanks to him.
 Rine pictured Ludger in her mind.
 ‘He was... so cool.’
 The way Ludger saved her in that critical moment—it was like something out of a fairy tale. A prince on a white horse.
 Well, he hadn’t actually been riding a white horse, and he wasn’t a prince either.
 But at least to Rine, that’s how it looked.
 ‘Even at the banquet, he saved me.’
 Just closing her eyes brought back the vivid memory of Ludger holding her like a princess.
 Unconsciously, the corners of her lips lifted into a silly smile.
 Then suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.
 ‘Whenever I look at Professor Ludger... I get this strange nostalgic feeling. Why is that? Could we have met a long time ago?’
 Now that she thought about it, Ludger had always treated her kindly.
 Though he seemed cold and emotionless on the outside, he always answered her questions and patiently explained things she didn’t understand.
 His tone and expression often gave the wrong impression, but in truth, he was one of the few instructors who truly cared about his students.
 ‘Could it be that Professor Ludger... likes me...?’
 That thought briefly entered her mind—but Rine immediately shook her head.
 No way. That can’t be.
 ‘A plain, insignificant commoner like me... there’s no way someone as amazing as Professor Ludger would like me.’
 He was just being considerate because she was his student. Or maybe it was because she had non-attributed mana—a rare trait.
 ‘Besides, someone like him could easily be with someone far prettier and more impressive than me.’
 People should live within their means.
 Be with someone who suits them. Dream only the dreams that fit.
 That was how things should be.
 She decided to forget about it—for now.
 ‘More importantly... what now?’
 With her previous problems resolved, a new issue had unexpectedly taken shape in her mind.
 Recently, more and more classes were requiring group work in pairs.
 At the beginning of the semester, they hadn’t done much of that since everyone was still unfamiliar with each other. But now that the second test and festival had passed, the pair-based lessons were starting in earnest.
 The problem was, Rine still hadn’t grown close to anyone.
 Because of the various incidents she’d been involved in since the semester began, most students avoided getting friendly with her.
 The only people she talked to now were Erendir and Freuden.
 Aside from them, she hadn’t even exchanged greetings with anyone else.
 ‘I can’t keep relying on Erendir-sunbae forever.’
 She was a first-year, and Erendir was a second-year. There were only a few overlapping classes, so it wasn’t realistic to stick by her side all the time.
 If she was going to make friends, they’d have to be fellow first-years.
 Besides, making friends at Seorn wasn’t just about companionship—it could prove valuable in the future.
 After graduating and entering society, the connections built here would be a great asset.
 That’s why Rine understood just how important it was to form relationships.
 ‘But... I don’t even know where to start.’
 And that was the hardest part.
 The noble students already hated her, and the other commoners were keeping their distance too, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.
 If things went on like this, she feared she’d never make a real friend in her life.
 She knew what happened to people who ended up isolated.
 After all, someone walking beside her now was living proof.
 ‘...I’m sorry, Erendir-sunbae.’
 Even just thinking of her brought a pang of guilt Rine struggled to suppress.
 But what else could she do?
 Some people had to survive.
 ‘I just... don’t want to end up like her. Maybe I should check the &lt;Akashic Record&gt; and look into some clubs or something.’
 Seorn had plenty of student clubs.
 And joining one was known to be a good way to meet people—so much so that it was almost common sense among the students.
 Rine was just about to browse the clubs in the Akashic Record when she stumbled upon something interesting.
 ‘Random Matching? What’s this?’
 The Akashic Record was a unified magical network used only within Seorn.
 Both students and instructors could access it, and it guaranteed anonymity, making it a common platform for information exchange.
 Of course, that also meant there was a lot of false info—and pointless arguments were rampant.
 But at the very least, every Seorn student used it regularly.
 ‘I’ve been so busy lately I haven’t logged in much. I didn’t know they added something like this.’
 Random Matching probably meant she could talk to a random user one-on-one.
 Rine’s curiosity was piqued.
 ‘Back when I was living with my master, I used to write letters to people and do that whole penpal thing.’
 Though she’d gotten scolded when her master found out, it was still a fond memory.
 Maybe this could help her, she thought—and without hesitation, she tried Random Matching.
 With a soft ding, she was matched.
 Using mana, Rine wrote her greeting.
 [Hello.]
 A moment later, a reply came.
 [Hi.]
 Oh, neat.
 They responded right away.
 [What brings you here?]
 [I finally finished some busy work and got a bit of free time, so I came in out of curiosity. I didn’t even know this existed—it’s kind of cool.]
 [Oh? Same here. That’s exactly why I’m here too.]
 From the replies, the other person didn’t seem strange or suspicious.
 And judging by how they spoke, they seemed to enjoy conversation just like she did.
 [What classes are you taking? Or... is it rude to ask that here?]
 [Probably. I think anonymity’s one of the main features of this space.]
 [Hmm... then what should I call you? I don’t know your name.]
 After a short pause, a response appeared.
 [Just call me John Smith.]
 [Oh come on. If you’re going to use a fake name, at least make it a nice one.]
 [Then what about you?]
 [Oh, me?]
 Rine thought for a moment, then giggled as she typed.
 [This is my first time doing something like this, so I’m not really sure. Would you mind giving me a name?]
 [Judy.]
 [Judy?]
 [Yeah. Judy sounds good.]
 Judy. Judy.
 Rine repeated the name a few times aloud and found she really liked the way it sounded.
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 </div> [I like it! Judy it is.]
 And so, without realizing how much time had passed, Rine continued chatting away with the stranger.
 [Oh wow, it’s already this late. I should go now.]
 [Yeah. Time flew.]
 [Mr. Smith, could we talk again sometime?]
 [I don’t mind.]
 [Then... how about around the same time as today?]
 [Sure.]
 And with that, Rine ended the Random Matching session.
 Suddenly, she grew curious.
 Who was the person she spoke with today?
 From how they wrote, they seemed older—maybe an upperclassman. Surely they weren’t a professor?
 ...No way. Right?
 * * *
 Ludger ended the random matching session and set the Akashic Record terminal down on the table.
 He had only tried it out of idle curiosity, having heard that even instructors used it—but before he knew it, he’d gotten drawn in.
 ‘Well, I didn’t mind it.’
 It felt a bit like using a messaging app back on Earth. There was a sense of nostalgia that wasn’t unpleasant.
 And the person he had spoken with... was oddly cheerful and polite, which made the exchange enjoyable. Before he knew it, the conversation had gone on longer than expected.
 His typically curt tone came naturally to him, but through messaging like this, it was easier to write in a smoother, more casual style—like in his previous life.
 In that way, it had been a worthwhile experience. A brief reminder of the parts of himself he hadn’t yet lost.
 ‘It’s not so bad, taking a moment to refresh like this now and then.’
 The issues that had been clogging up his mind had settled—for now.
 At least within Seorn, although unofficially, he had successfully closed the deal with the Headmaster.
 The same went for the Black Dawn Society.
 While the other First Orders might still be uncertain, the Zero Order had agreed to tolerate his existence.
 ‘It’s only a temporary bandage over a deeper wound, but compared to when just being discovered meant risking death, it’s a world of difference.’
 That’s why he could now afford to indulge in small amusements like this.
 But he knew.
 There were still many things he had to do.
 ‘The academic presentation is right around the corner.’
 His deal with the Headmaster wasn’t over yet.
 He had to present his research results—the increase in mana output—and be acknowledged for his achievement, securing the position of Director of Planning.
 ‘I’m looking forward to it.’
 How would the audience react tomorrow?
 Even though he knew better, the thought excited him.
 * * *
 The Arcane Chamber.
 A massive Grand Hall where mages gathered to present the results of their research.
 The enormous, coliseum-like space was filled to the brim with mages.
 It was time for the regularly held Academic Thesis Presentation.
 All those assembled had come to witness it.
 But unlike usual—when the venue was rarely even half full—today, every seat was occupied.
 All of them had heard a particular rumor.
 “Is it true? That someone’s going to present research on increasing mana output?”
 “I don’t know for sure. But the rumor says yes. Just look at how many people are here.”
 It was obvious from the crowd alone: everyone had heard the same thing.
 “And look over there.”
 One of the mages pointed upward into the air.
 The Arcane Chamber was shaped like a colossal dome, akin to a gladiatorial arena.
 Seats surrounded the entire perimeter in a massive circle.
 But even so, there were always special areas prepared for “exceptional” individuals.
 That included the enormous floating platforms suspended in midair.
 They hovered above the chamber via levistones refined from magic ore, shaped into giant octagonal metal plates.
 Atop one of them sat the seats of honor.
 And today—unlike usual—those seats weren’t empty.
 “Is that... could it be Auguste? One of the Three Elders of the Old Mage Tower?”
 “Yeah. And over there—the head of the New Mage Tower is here too. They say he’s made quite a name for himself despite his young age.”
 “And the Headmaster of Seorn’s here as well. Figures—she’s the one who organized all this, after all.”
 Mages renowned across the continent.
 Every person in those seats of honor held the rank of at least 6th-Circle and above, and their reputations were legendary.
 Then murmurs rippled through the crowd again.
 “Look! That’s Sir Clinton, the Archmage of the Imperial Court!”
 “No way... A 7th-Circle mage is actually here?”
 Clinton Rothschild.
 One of the very few existing 7th-Circle archmages—of the &lt;Impera&gt; rank.
 Though he was quite old, he looked healthy and vigorous enough that no one would suspect his age.
 With a sweep of his long white beard, which reached down past his chest, he took his seat, utterly indifferent to the attention.
 Even mages known for their elemental titles had shown up in person.
 ‘What am I even doing here?’
 Casey Selmore felt the same.
 Though she’d been assigned a seat of honor, she had declined and sat quietly in a back corner.
 Normally, she wouldn’t have come at all—but Seorn had sent her a personal invitation, so here she was.
 Still, she wasn’t feeling great.
 ‘I need to read that man’s memories. And soon.’
 Ever since she’d been kicked out of Ludger’s office that day, she’d been waiting for another opportunity—but hadn’t yet had the chance to attempt Memory Storming.
 Too many things had come up. There was always something.
 True to her title as a detective, the Rederbelk police constantly sought her help whenever an investigation made progress.
 And helping with all that left her with no free time.
 But really, that was just an excuse.
 She hadn’t been working late every night. There had been chances.
 The real reason she’d put it off was hesitation.
 The weight of uncovering a truth no one else knew.
 The fear of whether she could accept it—handle it—if she saw it.
 So she’d hesitated, delayed... and ended up here.
 ‘The thesis presentation, huh.’
 She hadn’t expected the research she saw back in his office to come this far.
 Presenting it publicly meant the research had been completed successfully.
 And if that was true—then this was no ordinary event.
 ‘I really don’t know what his game is.’
 Still deep in thought, Casey sighed and folded her arms.
 There was no point overthinking it now.
 For the moment, she would just have to watch.
 Just as that thought crossed her mind, the lights began to dim.
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 </div> The Arcane Chamber—true to its name—was structured like a vast magical dome.
 Simply dimming the lighting could create the illusion of nightfall, even in the middle of the day.
 And just as the rest of the chamber darkened, one place grew brighter.
 The center of the Arcane Chamber.
 The stage where those presenting would stand to prove their results and value.
 The buzzing of the crowd ceased.
 Thousands of mages fell into absolute silence—so quiet not even a breath could be heard.
 It was a remarkable sight.
 Everyone knew.
 This presentation—regardless of its size or scope—was going to shake the magical world.
 ‘It begins.’
 The 136th Arcane Thesis Presentation had begun.</div>
 

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Chapter 222: The Presentation (1)

Dragging her exhausted body, Rine returned to her dorm room. The moment she collapsed onto the bed, the events of the day came flooding back to her. Maybe it was thanks to Ludger’s warning. No one had approached her to ask about the research results anymore. But still, she could feel countless eyes on her. ‘Is that why? I feel way more tired than usual.’ Just walking through the halls was enough to make # Nоvеlight # her feel mentally worn down from all the complex, probing gazes thrown her...

Academy’s Undercover Professor

Chapter 222: The Presentation (1)

Academy’s Undercover Professor - Chapter 222: The Presentation (1)