I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chris thought that something destined had finally come.

He had made a bet with Ludger.

They had decided who would win the contest among their students and declared that the loser would give one of their magic research papers to the winner for free.

It was Chris himself, and not anyone else, who had suggested it first.

He had declared that he would make the bet in front of many students, so he couldn't even make an excuse and say no.

Chris tried to say something, and he glared at Ludger sharply.

"You… Did you already know that the commoner student is an owner of Anti Magic?"

"Yes. You are right."

Chris shouted out full of rage at the answer that Ludger gave as if it was too obvious.

"Did you make this bet even after you knew it?!"

"Hmm. I don't understand why Professor Chris is so angry."

"What nonsense…"

"So you didn't know that Aidan is an owner of Anti Magic?"

“…”

Chris became tongue-tied at his words.

It was just as Ludger had said.

He hadn’t known that Aidan was an owner of Anti Magic.

Yes. He hadn’t known it, and that was why he had allowed that duel.

"I heard that Professor Chris is in charge of the first year, but didn't you check on the first-years who entered the Academy this time?"

“…”

"Most of all, Aidan never used Anti Magic throughout the whole duel. Did his mastery of Anti Magic affect the outcome of the duel?"

Chris shut his mouth.

Just as Ludger said, Chris was not in a position to argue about the match.

He could have known it, but it was he who didn't want to know about it.

He didn’t pay attention to them because they were commoners and because they were insignificant kids. He didn't think paying attention to them was necessary.

The narrow-minded way of thinking that he usually had eventually turned around and flew toward him like a boomerang.

Who the hell should he blame for that?

Was it Ludger, who knew about it but didn't tell him?

Was it Aidan, who had learned Anti Magic as a mere commoner?

No.

It was him who was wrong, after all.

He didn't even prepare for anything thoroughly and had mistakenly thought that he would definitely win without thinking of gathering any information in advance.

His arrogance was the cause of his defeat.

"If you had checked thoroughly what specialties the students had, an incident like today’s wouldn’t have happened."

“…”

Chris just chewed his lips without being able to answer anything.

Yes. It was obviously his mistake in not realizing the Anti Magic that Aidan had.

But what hurt his pride more than that was that the outcome of the duel was not determined by the Anti Magic.

Aidan didn't even use his Anti Magic in the duel.

He had simply knocked down Jevan using only what he had mastered and learned since coming to Sören.

There was no way he could spit out words such as ‘cowardice’ or ‘foul play’.

The moment he said those words, he would have really lost.

Looking at Chris, who was shaking and couldn't say anything, Ludger took his luck.

"I remember you told me to use a magic academic paper as a price for the bet."

"…I did. Alright, what can I give you?"

"Nothing."

Chris was puzzled by his words.

"Now, what on earth…?"

"I won't take anything."

"Any… thing? Why all of a sudden……?"

"It's not all of a sudden. I was going to say this from the beginning."

Chris couldn't understand his action as he heard Ludger's words.

No. He actually understood it, but it was more like he was trying to deny the reality.

"It's cheap to rob the others’ teaching material as the price of a bet."

At the end of his sentence, Ludger turned his back and left.

—As if he had no intention of continuing the conversation with Chris.

Chris looked stunned at the sight.

'Cheap, he said?'

He wasn't that annoyed when he was ignored by Ludger or when he had lost the bet.

But after Ludger had won the bet and said that the bet itself was cheap while not even taking anything from it…

Chris went beyond feeling irritated and even felt a sense of dejection.

That man was like a mirror… A heart mirror that reflected his ugly side so clearly.

The more Chris glared at him with hostility and growing hatred, the more he felt disgusted by his own appearance that Ludger showed him.

'I… Chris Benimore… Cheap?'

Chris bit his lip; a stream of blood ran down his mouth.

He didn't even think about wiping it, he only glared at Ludger's back with bloodshot eyes.

'Ludger Chelysie…'

How much more did he have to trample on Ludger's pride to get rid of his anger?

He couldn't forgive him. It was unacceptable.

Next time, he would surely repay Ludger with double the amount of humiliation that he had experienced.

"Professor Chris."

Hugo approached and called him, but Chris did not respond.

Not wanting to show his ugly appearance to anyone right then, he hurriedly went away from his seat.

Hugo distorted his face at the sight, and he had no choice but to hold his irritation when looking at the principal, who was smiling softly.

That would be remembered as a day of great shame for the aristocracy.

'Ludger Chelysie…'

He was thinking of the man who was the culprit behind all of it.

Hugo Bourtag gritted his teeth silently.

* * *

* * *

Aidan, who was drunk on the joy of victory with his friends, suddenly remembered the promise he had made with Jevan.

His gaze flitted toward Jevan, who was getting up from his spot.

The three people looked at each other, then nodded and approached Jevan.

"What?"

Jevan looked at Aidan and his friends coming toward him and spoke in a weak voice.

"Was there anything left for you to laugh at me for?"

"Jevan, you didn't forget the promise you made before the duel, did you?"

The word ‘promise ‘made Jevan's face crumple severely.

He couldn't think of it because he couldn't get away from the shock of defeat.

"Jevan Felio, you should respectfully apologize to my friends here right now for saying harsh things to them."

"How dare you… You told me to apologize, now?"

"You were the one who made the bet and participated in the duel, Jevan, I'm just telling you to keep your promise. Hurry and apologize… Respectfully."

“…”

Jevan clenched his fist, but that was all.

He was completely defeated by Aidan; even his surprise attack had failed.

It wasn't a mere defeat, it was an ugly defeat after he desperately tried to win.

There was no place left for him to stand in Sören.

Jevan cried out of frustration.

"Damn it. All of it because of you! Because of you, I—!"

"Jevan."

"Shut up! Don't call my name! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been suffering this ugly appearance in front of everyone! Yes! It's all your fault!"

“…”

Tessie was about to step up, full of rage, when she saw Jevan talking in a frantic state of mind.

But Aidan raised his hand to stop her.

"Aidan… Why?"

Aidan knew it—the fact that no matter what Tessie said there, Jevan wouldn't listen to it.

Aidan realized something when he saw the action that Jevan showed.

* * *

* * *

Two people had fought because they didn't understand each other, and he believed that the story would have been different if they understood each other.

He thought that people could get to know each other while having a conversation with each other, and then they could get closer to each other after that.

But Aidan still couldn't forget Jevan's face that had been full of murderous intent.

Jevan's expression swayed his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Jevan shouted even more desperately.

"Damn it! Fucker! Because of you dirty commoners, I can't even stay in Sören anymore! The Felio family can't raise our heads anywhere in the future! Because of you! Because of all of you!"

Jevan had already erased his foul play and cowardly acts from his memory.

He just couldn't understand why he had to go through this to the point that he felt resentful and cheated about it.

"Why?! Why does someone like you have that ability?! Why don't I have it?!"

"Jevan."

"Damn it. Damn it. I just… wanted to raise the reputation of my family!"

Jevan bowed his head and screamed.

He wouldn't have stopped, even if he knew the method he used was wrong, because he had that objective as his purpose.

Aidan was about to say something while looking at Jevan, but he shut his mouth tightly

In that state, it was difficult for them to continue a proper conversation let alone him receiving an apology from Jevan.

Even Tessie, who would normally have been angry while telling people to act properly, was reticent when she saw Jevan’s ruined state.

She also felt something that was tightening in her chest when she saw Jevan had done that to raise his family's status.

'Maybe I… could have been like that as well.’

She shuddered with fright at such thoughts.

At that moment, a cold voice was heard between them.

"What are you doing here? The duel is over."

"Professor Ludger…"

Ludger, who was dressed in all black, had a strange atmosphere that they could not resist.

He stared at Aidan and his friends, then glared coldly at Jevan, who was sobbing and collapsed in his spot.

"Jevan Felio, what are you doing, showing such an unsightly appearance after you lost in the duel?"

“…”

“It's not enough for you to lose the fight, you didn't accept your defeat and even attempted an ugly surprise attack. What's so unfair about it that made you cry? Do you deserve to cry now?"

"Pr-Professor Ludger."

No matter how bad Jevan's behavior was, Aidan thought that Ludger's words were too harsh, so he stepped up, but Ludger didn't stop.

"You are petty, I see. You are so petty. Your current appearance is far worse than the commoners that you have always hated and despised."

"…What do you know?!"

In the end, Jevan, who couldn't resist Ludger's words, stood from his spot and glared at Ludger.

"What… what do you know about what I'm feeling?!"

"Do I have to know?"

"…Wh-what?"

"Do I really need to know that?"

"You, you…!"

Jevan was about to shout something, but when he saw Ludger's eyes, he swallowed back his words.

His burning anger quickly blew out, and fear dominated his emotions instead.

—Ludger's eyes, and the cold gaze that was directed at him.

It was like facing a nightmare in the dark.

"You picked a fight, and you lost the bet. It's all your own fault that you didn't even accept your defeat and collapsed. But after that, you want others to understand how you feel. Why should we know how you feel?"

"Th-that's…"

"You think this place is still your home? Do I look like a babysitter who listens to your complaints?"

"I, I…"

"You're such a bad kid who can't even take care of himself, and now you're screaming your anger like a baby bird. You, who doesn’t know how shameful your actions are, have been disqualified as a wizard. Aristocrat and wizard, my ass."

Jevan couldn't maintain his right mind as he listened to Ludger's nearly violent words that were unlike his usual self.

"I, I…"

"Shut up. I don't even want to listen to your excuse. I'll refer you to the disciplinary committee for your behavior that I saw a moment ago, so get out of my sight now."

At Ludger's warning, which was close to threatening, Jevan, whose face turned pale, stepped back with a shaky step and then fled the stadium.

The three musketeers, who watched the scene silently from beginning to end, all had the same thoughts.

‘He definitely served Jevan right, but wasn't it too much?’

Aidan's expression was especially not very good.

"Aidan."

"Yes, Professor."

"You've practiced the Maneuver Technique properly. Good job."

"It's all thanks to you, Professor."

"But you don't look that happy about winning the duel, I see."

"That's…"

Aidan could not understand why his mood was so low.

Obviously, he had won the duel in front of everyone in a cool way. He could not disagree if someone said he had to be happy about it.

Maybe it was because he had heard Jevan's scream afterwards.

"I… don't really know why."

"You don't really know, huh?"

"I obviously felt delighted at first. Jevan humiliated my friends and started a quarrel with me. I'm sure my intention to defeat Jevan remains unchanged. But… the problem is after that."

"Did you just get swayed by Jevan's whining?"

"I definitely didn't have to listen to his words. Yes, it would be enough if I just ignored him, but… I couldn't do that."

Aidan showed a bitter smile and spoke frankly.

Ludger looked at Aidan in silence.

He had already known that Aidan had been overly righteous and possessed righteous values since before, but he didn't know that Aidan would have a heart so weak like that.

He even had sympathy for Jevan, who had ignored and looked down on him.

But if someone asked Ludger if it was a bad appearance, he would say no.

Aidan was still young and a student who studied in that shining world called Sören.

Because he was a student and still young…

That was quite possible. That was okay. Ludger couldn't blame him while saying that Aidan was stupid and that it frustrated him.

—Because that was how he looked at the world.

"Aidan…"

"Yes. Professor."

"As you live in this world, one day you will run into various types of people."

"Pardon?"

"Keep it in your mind. It means that not everyone is like you. Someone will hate you, dislike you, and be hostile toward you. In the end, it's going to be like that because your world and the others' worlds are different."

"…Is that so?"

"But it changes depending on how people behave."

Aidan, Tessie, and Leo looked at Ludger as they were slightly surprised at those words.

"It's not a bad thing to take care of your own things. And your deed that sacrificed your everything is not stupid either. But in the end, what you need to live in this world is moderation."

"Moderation…"

"Only half of them. Aidan. You can just pick half of selfishness and selflessness. If I give half to someone instead of taking half from them, then there will be a day when both of us understand each other."

Aidan looked back at Tessie at Ludger's words.

He obviously remembered that his first time meeting her wasn't so good.

Tessie was like a rose full of thorns.

But at some point, the two became close and hung around together often.

"I'm not telling you not to yield and not to be considerate to others because it seems impossible to you. That's why I said this. It's okay to not be fully considerate of others, but it's also alright for you to be at least half selfish."

Half…

Aidan felt anxious, as he was catching something from those words.

"I spoke too much. I will leave now."

"Uh, Professor Ludger!"

"What?"

"Those words… I will definitely keep them in mind."

Looking back at Aidan, who answered with a determined face, Ludger left the stadium with a light nod.

The three stared silently at Ludger's back until he disappeared.