Chapter 248

Epilogue (1)

The man sits quietly on a tree stump and looks up at the blue sky.

Dressed neatly in a shirt, silk vest, linen pants, a bluish coat, and a thin wizard’s robe.

It was a stuffy outfit, but I had no choice but to stay neat. Still, since I couldn’t see anything else now, I sat with a somewhat relaxed attitude.

Light up the tobacco. It was a bad habit I learned while hanging out with a senior professor, but there is nothing like it to organize my thoughts.

Then, I absentmindedly listen to the birds chirping, look at the sky, and think. Past, present, future and cliff point. All kinds of thoughts were fluctuating, but I decided on one thing that needed to be done.

The man survived.

And there are questions that inevitably follow those who survive.

It was a question about how to live.

*It has been two years since Tracyana Bloomriver came to Sylvania Academy.

“Even after I graduate, I end up coming here again...” After

paying the driver, packing up my luggage, and getting off, Aken Island across the sea came into view.

The Maxes Bridge collapsed due to a disaster that occurred two years ago, but the newly constructed Bloom River Bridge has since taken its place.

It is a much more spacious and clean bridge than the older Maxes Bridge. Since it was a bridge built with support from the Bloom River family, its name was Bloom River Bridge.

Following Traceiana, an elderly woman got out of the carriage.

Senir Bloomriver, head of the Bloomriver family.

After getting off the carriage while being attended to by servants, she looked at the bridge leading to Sylvania Academy and spoke.

“The construction itself seems to have gone quite well. “It’s been a while since it was completed, but I’ve been so busy that I’m only now checking it out.”

“Mother... no, the head of the family was busy with work at home. “It doesn’t matter that I can’t come and check it in person.”

“Still, I wanted to see it with my own eyes since it was a business that invested so much of the family’s money. Well... I guess I’ll see you more often now.”

Senir put on a leather coat and tidied up his clothes.

She was the newly appointed alchemy professor at Sylvania Academy.

Sylvania Academy lost more than half of its teaching staff due to the disaster the year before last. So, in order to create as many new faculty members as possible, all kinds of people were brought in.

Among them, those who were interested in teaching responded to the call, but most refused.

As Sylvania Academy suffered a great deal of damage, it felt like an unstable position as it was unclear how the situation would unfold in the future.

However, because of the name value that had been accumulated over the years, new positions were filled by presidents of various academic societies, a retired knight leader of a famous magic tower knight order, a mercenary captain, and an authority on alchemy.

Senir Bloomriver also had a lot of work to do as the head of the Bloomriver family, but he was confident that his daughters were taking over and handling the family’s affairs well, so he decided to take up teaching.

Those who survived the disaster where Seong Chang-ryong Velbroke went on a rampage seemed to have gone through all the hardships to somehow run the academy.

And now, two years and several months later, the damage can be said to have been restored to some extent.

Among the new faculty members, Senir was almost the last one to join. In a way, he is the first faculty member to teach after the restoration of the academy was completed.

More than 70% of the buildings that had been destroyed were rebuilt with support from the imperial family and the upper church.

Thanks to the buildings shining as if they were brand new, it seems like a new heyday has arrived.

But the scars also remained.

There is a large monument erected near the end of the Bloom River Bridge.

It was a monument with the names of victims from the disaster the year before last.

The monument erected to commemorate and not forget them appears to be well over several meters in size.

Tracyana sighed heavily as she looked at the names filled with the large tombstone.

“Those are very heavy names, considering you were there at the time.”

Traceiana was a student at Sylvania when the disaster occurred two years ago. Since I was about to graduate and was the top student in my grade, I ran around trying to help my juniors as much as possible.

I tried my best to save a lot of lives, but I also lost a lot of lives.

Tracyana looked up at the tombstone for a moment and then shook her head calmly.

*“Oh my...! Oh my! I didn’t hear that Senior Professor Sinir was taking office today...! sorry! You’ve come a long way! Currently, there is a shortage of academic personnel and the schedule is full...! No, he’s someone who shouldn’t be treated like this... I... I’ll apologize...!”

A person of Seinir’s rank has been appointed as a professor, but there is no one to greet him.

Normally, this might have been a situation where he would have shouted, but after seeing the situation in the newly built Trix building, Senir kept his mouth shut.

There was no one who didn’t look busy.

It was only natural that this huge school was run with only a little more than half of the manpower it had in its heyday.

Claire, who had been promoted to full professor sooner than expected, was crossing the Trix building with wide eyes, holding a bunch of documents in her arms.

It was Professor Clare’s job to guide Professor Sinir as he was also responsible for personnel affairs.

“You look very distracted. “I also need to be put into practical work quickly.”

Senir responded politely.

Seeing that seemingly dignified appearance, Professor Claire suddenly burst into tears.

“Senior Professor Sinir... you are a person of common sense...” “

...yes? “Did I do something?”

“no. “When you respond to a polite apology with polite encouragement... I feel like crying...”

What kind of treatment does this person receive despite holding the title of full professor?

Senir felt that asking for details would only open the wound, so he kept his mouth shut for now.

“Then that one... Ah... I see. Tracyana student. It’s really become more reliable. Compared to when I was a student, I was so grown up that I almost didn’t recognize me. “It’s only been two years... but people really change quickly.”

“Assistant Professor Claire... no, Professor. “How have you been?”

“I’m doing well... I can’t even say empty words. Normally, during this transition period, there is a lot of work to do. Still, it’s worth doing because it’s all roughly organized. Thank you for your concern, Tracyana. Oh, look at my mind. I’m not a student anymore.

Claire placed a large pile of documents on her work desk and corrected her words.

“Assistant Professor Tracyana.”

While Sinir went to check on his private laboratory, Tracyana followed Professor Claire to receive work instructions.

“I know you’re busy taking care of the new student selection test, but I hope you’ll still make time to do it.”

“I see...”

Tracyana opened the first document.

“Pulan...?”

“Oh, that’s it. Do you know Pulan, the land of pastoralism? “The dairy farm area is spread out widely.”

“Yes...”

“I recently received a call from the undergraduate research team. “The record about ‘Tirkalax,’ the highest-ranking wind spirit who was famous in the past, was cut off there.”

“If it’s Tyrkalax... it’s a giant bear-shaped spirit the size of a mountain ridge... right?”

“yes. that’s right. In fact, academic research is a task of low importance, but if academic work is not handled on time, the imperial family will inspect it. “We must continue to do the bare minimum of research.”

Professor Claire continued speaking while signing various documents.

“Recently, literature about Tirkalax’s records was discovered in the Pulan region. This is a great discovery in the field of elemental science. “Currently, among the professors of elemental studies, the only one who could use his help is Professor Ed, so I’m asking at the academic level if he can go to the Pulan region and look into it if there’s any spare work left.”

“Is that so...”

“Well, it’s not particularly dangerous, but just in case, someone with the minimum combat skills should go.”

Tracyana nodded and then took out the other documents that followed.

This time, the documents were more realistic and practical.

“Is this... the commercial city of Old Deck...?”

“yes. That too is probably a business trip request. It’s not academic research, but practical work related to logistics distribution. “It is time to renew distribution negotiations with Elte Trading Company, which is currently in charge of academic logistics.”

“Why is Professor Ed handling this...?”

“Professor Ed has extensive connections at the top. In addition, I often hear rumors that the situation at Old Deck is unusual these days... I think the academy hopes that a trustworthy person will appear if possible.”

“Are you saying it’s not that unusual?”

Claire was signing a document with a quill pen and tilted her head as if thinking for a moment.

“Do you know who the current owner of Elte Trading Company is? “That old merchant called Slog Keldlux.”

“Wasn’t it Lortel?”

“The Lortel student’s official title was ‘Assistant Manager.’ Lortel needed a face to sit at the table while he was attending Sylvania. “To manage the Elte Trading Company head office in Old Deck, an assistant manager position is not enough.”

He joined Lortel in overthrowing the Golden King Elte and held the position of leader until Lortel returned to Sangdo.

“But there is a rumor that Lortel has been making various evasive plans to avoid giving up his position even after graduating. “Perhaps he harbors ambitions to reorganize the balance of power in Oldeck.”

“Stories of such shady merchants... I’m not familiar with them...”

“Me too.” What is certain is that the situation at Old Deck is unusual... so it would be better for Professor Ed, who has extensive local contacts, to go in person.”

It was definitely an understandable decision. It would be okay to assign another person in charge, but from the perspective of leading the academic department, it would be better to have someone who can clearly handle the work.

“Then the last document is...”

“Oh, it’s a request for a business trip to the Rameln Mountains.”

“Why do you have so many places to go on business trips?”

“People who are inherently capable tend to be asked a lot of things. “That’s Scout’s job.”

Tracyana swallowed dry saliva and skimmed through the documents.

“You know the wizard named Zelan the Cutter? He is a wizard who participated in the demi-human war with Professor Glast and Professor Kaleid... Recently, it is said that he has been appearing in the Rameln Mountains following the traces of the archmage Glokt... They are looking at the traces of his life or something. ...”

“Are you thinking of recruiting this person for a professorship?”

“He is a man of outstanding ability. However, there have been rumors recently that he is very interested in research on aspect magic... so I thought the most likely option would be to ask Professor Ed, the best expert on aspect magic in the academy, for some persuasion. “The bachelor’s department is experiencing a manpower shortage right now, so you’ll definitely want to bring them in.”

“okay. But should you come and persuade me...”

“Well, I don’t know. In fact, it would be most certain that Principal Obel, who is currently lying in a hospital bed, would go in person, but he is unable to move due to his mobility problems...”

Professor Claire continued in a regretful voice.

“Another student, Lucy, who is proficient in Aspect magic, left school and stayed at the Ross Taylor Mansion while she recovered her magic... So, in the end, Professor Ed is the right person.”

Seeker Glast Outlaw Kaleid Cutter Zelan.

Zelan is one of the three wizards who lived during the war era with Obel and is said to have achieved the most remarkable achievements. He is also the party who entrusted the demihuman children to Abbot Austin’s Cleric Monastery.

“Obviously... it’s too tight to handle all three at once. “They are all important, but...”

“So, when you find Professor Ed, be sure to pick one and tell him to deal with it.”

“Yes, I understand... But how do I actually find Professor Ed...” When

Tracyana asked that question, Professor Claire smiled and answered.

“It would be quickest to visit the private laboratory in the northern forest. If you’re not there, check out all the other facilities on campus... If you’re not on Aken Island... it’s also vacation time...” “

...?”

The smile that Professor Claire put on with difficulty was somehow ominous.

She quickly took out a piece of paper stuck between the documents and spread it out on the desk.

It was a map that showed the entire empire at a glance.

At that point, Tracyana felt an ominous sensation.

“Ho, by any chance...”

“Start from here.”

Professor Claire picked the center rim of the empire. The northern end of the Rosstaylor estate managed by matriarch Tanya Rosstaylor.

“So far.”

And all the way to the Barony of Failover, which is attached to the southern end.

“If you stop by, you’ll probably find one here somewhere.”

Tracyana’s face turned pale. If Professor Claire couldn’t find him on Aken Island in the first place, there’s no way Traceiana could have come up with a clever solution.

As soon as I took office, my first mission was to ride a carriage to the center of the continent for a few days. I wondered what was going on, but I had no choice.

It was the youngest professor’s fate.