Volume 3 Chapter 7 Peace
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The two months spanning September and October, ever since I took up my position as an Associate Professor at the Magic Academy, have probably been the first stretch of time in which I’ve been able to live something resembling a stable life.
That isn’t to say everything has been smooth. During the fixed-wing drone course, Tura—the most enthusiastic Elf Mage among the ten students—failed to grasp the lessons and ended up causing a commotion, declaring she would leave the Academy altogether. Meanwhile, at the opposite extreme, Rosa, our dwarf-like prodigy, demonstrated such uncanny skill at piloting that Major Sonya, commander of the Magic Armored Division, personally came to scout her. Watching a first-year student get targeted for recruitment created a different kind of headache.
Aside from that, I was caught by the Arsenal Bureau Chief after secretly constructing a magic capacitor for the water pump at my house while helping out there. As punishment, I’ve been ordered to assist the Bureau every Saturday. And, if I had to mention one other change, it would be that one of the maids assigned to my new residence appears capable of using mana.
There are five maids working at the house in the Royal Capital. The one who leaves the strongest impression is Ardia, the head maid. Then there is Kacha, the fox-faced girl from Loukai, and Rahedda, the youngest of the group, who is a year younger than me. The remaining two are Mar-Gunte, who is quiet and observant, and Carla, who is somewhat absent-minded. Both are in their early twenties, and I often see them working side by side.
On Sunday evening, Pamela approached me with a peculiar request. She wanted permission to pay a “night-visit”1 to Carla, the maid whose presence was weakest within the household.
”A night-visit?” I asked. “You’re an Elf Mage. Why would you visit another woman’s room?”
”I’ve sensed something from Carla,” Pamela replied. “A scent that reminds me of Henrietta.”
”So you’ve grown fond of her?”
”I won’t deny that. But haven’t you noticed it yourself?”
Noticed what, exactly?
Carla is somewhat slow-witted in appearance, and I’ve noticed that she almost never uses a spoon when eating. Since spoons and forks still haven’t become common in ordinary rural households, I simply assumed she came from that sort of background. It isn’t as though she’s stupid. Despite her vacant expression, she complains when she has something to complain about and handles her duties well enough. In fact, Ardia once reported that she has a rebellious side and occasionally sneaks into the kitchen at night to drink ale.
A similarity to Henrietta-san, perhaps?
”You mean her naturally absent-minded personality?”
”Haven’t you realized?” Pamela said. “She has the potential to use mana.”
People with mana aptitude often go unnoticed when there are no Mages around them. Even Larry’s ability was only discovered because his sister-in-law possessed level-one mana capacity. Louise would never have become a Mage—or a lieutenant in the Royal Army—if she had not encountered the Fourth Sage.
Pamela suspected that Carla’s difficulty using a spoon stemmed from mana leaking uncontrollably from her hands and interfering with fine movements. She wanted to confirm it.
”She’s twenty-two years old, isn’t she?”
”True. She can’t attend school at this age. But there are still useful things I could teach her for daily life. Besides, she ought to learn how to handle tools properly.”
”If that’s all, you don’t need a night-visit. A little Kumite would settle the matter immediately. I can do it myself if you’d like.”
”You’re a remarkably dull man,” Pamela said with a sigh. “Don’t go ruining my fun.”
Right.
I’d forgotten.
This one was an erotic-loli Elf Mage.
Both the Magic School and the Academy enforce strict age restrictions for enrollment. People say that unless magical senses are trained while one is still young, it becomes difficult to earn a living as a professional Mage later on.
That night, Kenze, who normally shared Pamela’s bed, came looking for her.
”Is Pamela not here?”
”She’s gone to visit a maid named Carla,” I replied. “Apparently she suspects the girl can use mana.”
”Carla?” Kenze tilted her head. “The slightly… plump one? The clumsy maid who can’t even use a spoon?”
That was a rather merciless description.
I wouldn’t call Carla plump. But compared to the lean, athletic Kenze, perhaps that was how she appeared.
”You’ve been getting lazy lately.”
For some reason, Kenze pinched the flesh around my stomach.
”It can’t be helped.”
”Then I’ll help you get some exercise.”
Exercise?
Before I could even finish the thought, my lips were occupied.
The following morning, while riding in the carriage toward the Academy, I asked Pamela about Carla.
”Indeed,” Pamela said. “That girl is a pervert very much in the mold of Henrietta.”
”You actually carried out a night-visit?”
”Of course not.”
According to Pamela, Carla was a genuine talent. If she had received proper training from childhood, she could have reached level four.
”She’s similar to you,” Pamela explained. “Simple magic. Large mana reserves, but terrible control. It leaks constantly and interferes with delicate work such as sewing.”
”So that’s why she avoids using spoons?”
”Most likely. Silver disrupts mana, after all.”
So possessing a large mana capacity could create inconveniences as well.
”I might spend some time sleeping in Carla’s room.”
”Oh, that’s right,” Pamela added. “I forgot to mention something.”
A bad feeling came over me.
Had she taught Carla something strange?
”Mar-Gunte, who is close friends with Carla, can also manipulate mana to a small degree.”
”So two out of the five maids can use mana?”
”Setting Carla aside, someone at Mar-Gunte’s level isn’t unusual. Roughly one in ten human women possess that much aptitude.”
Is that so?
Back in Balshe Village, where Marie lived, there were girls who seemed capable of handling mana despite their low capacity, but I don’t remember them being that common.
Well, whatever.
”So what are you planning to do now?” I asked. “Develop them through Kumite?”
”Hmm.” Pamela smiled. “What would you like me to do?”
”What would I like you to do?”
It’s not as though we can enroll them in school at this point. Still, if they truly have aptitude, it could provide a path toward becoming free citizens. If they themselves desired it, I had no objection.
”Both of them have strong libidos precisely because they can handle mana,” Pamela said. “I’ll make sure they’re developed according to your tastes.”
I don’t need them developed that way.
More importantly, how did you discover that Mar-Gunte could use mana?
What exactly were you doing last night?
It wasn’t only Carla, was it?
”Training them to suit his tastes? That sounds entertaining.”
Kenze, please don’t start encouraging her.
Ever since I began living at the Academy, Pamela has helped charge the Amber in the classroom and has often provided advice regarding magical theory. Kenze, who initially only assisted with caring for the children, has also become surprisingly useful. She helps with fabrication work, and since she can write, she records experimental results as well. Compared to Romy, she is vastly more capable as an assistant.
As a result, despite having purchased a house, I still bring both of them to the Academy every day.
Upon arriving, the two of them head straight for the professor’s office.
I collect the mail, carry it to the laboratory, and review it at the conference table. Then I conduct the morning assembly with the Research Students and the pupils as they gradually gather. Afterward, I meet Assistant Professor Eida in the office, where my two slaves are usually sprawled across the sofa.
When we first began these meetings, they were quite refined affairs. Eida and I would sit at my desk, drinking coffee and tea while enjoying expensive sweets, and a chair would be prepared for her.
That elegance disappeared within a week.
”Associate Professor, have you finished next year’s lecture text?” Eida asked.
”No. Not yet.”
”Please hurry. Also, have you completed the recommendation letters for the Research Students? The deadline is the end of October. Their futures depend upon them. After that comes the departmental research presentation in mid-November, graduation matters, entrance examination preparations, and then December brings post-examination selections and the graduation ceremony. There will also be preparations for the academic conference in the thirteenth month. If you’re not careful, the New Year will arrive before you know it. And starting next year, you’ll be responsible for teaching the standard curriculum properly. I have research of my own to conduct, you know.”
It was still only October, yet she was already listing events all the way into the new year while tapping the desk and urging me onward.
Recommendation letters certainly are important. They affect the students’ futures.
Unfortunately, managing relationships with outside parties has always been one of my greatest weaknesses, even in my previous life. Progress comes slowly.
As for the conference and departmental presentations, I could probably leave most of the practical work to someone capable like Katarina or a genius like Rosa. The entrance examinations should proceed as they always do.
The real problem is next year’s coursework.
Both the Dean and the Academy President have instructed me to create something entirely new that makes use of the unique nature of my work.
Which means I need to write a textbook.
In a world without movable-type printing, every copy must be transcribed by hand before it can be distributed to students. Worse, the content must first receive the Dean’s approval. Naturally, the earlier I finish it, the better.
Unfortunately, creating a course is not as simple as being told to create one.
”What if we reused this year’s materials?” I suggested.
”Are you planning to dump that responsibility on me again?” Eida shot back. “I can’t do that. Your theories are too new. Besides, it becomes troublesome if you continue relying on me forever. The fixed-wing drone course has become so popular that people are requesting additional admissions. Please spare a thought for the person cleaning up after your messes.”
Here it comes again.
Another lengthy lecture.
”No, I don’t think I’ll be pushing the lectures onto you. It should work out somehow. Don’t worry. I fully intend to address the matter.”
”Rather than feeling reassured, I feel absolutely no sincerity from you whatsoever. As I’ve told you repeatedly, I will not be handling your coursework next year.”
She had a point.
Eida already carried her own teaching load—one credit in the first semester and another in the second, inherited from Professor Pauman’s era. My laboratory, meanwhile, was required to provide one credit of lectures every semester from the first through the third.
”The fixed-wing drone course may be added as well, so I might need a little help.”
”No.”
The rejection was immediate.
”Associate Professor Larry, you are still an Associate Professor. There are many responsibilities you need to learn while holding that title. Other Associate Professors spend every spare moment dealing with the Academy’s tedious committee work. Yet all of those duties are currently being pushed onto me, aren’t they?”
”The Dean approved it.”
I couldn’t very well admit that I had deceived the Dean by claiming I needed to deliver urgent materials to the military.
”Even so,” Eida said, “why should an assistant professor be carrying all of it?”
I had no answer.
”For now, obtain the Dean’s approval for next year’s lecture text draft before October ends. Next, regarding the conference preparation committee report that was omitted during the morning assembly, I have heard that lecturer podium materials and abstracts must be submitted by the end of the month. I have already completed my poster presentation. Only the Professors’ submissions remain. Please attend to that. Next, regarding the Management and Conservation Committee…”
Assistant Professor Eida truly was competent.
That was the thought that crossed my mind as I listened to her report.
”Are you listening?”
”Of course. You’re talking about carriage usage, aren’t you?”
Judging by her expression, she probably suspected I wasn’t paying attention.
For the record, I was.
Still, the feeling was strange.
In my previous life, I was often the one standing in Assistant Professor Eida’s position. I’d even been forced onto professional committees more than once, which meant I must have been at least reasonably capable back then.
Yet after coming to this world—or perhaps after becoming an Associate Professor—I felt as though I had become complete and utter trash.
Come to think of it, I once had a trash superior officer. He’d force vendors to wine and dine him, and despite doing barely any work, he’d drone on and on with complaints.
Am I becoming that kind of person?
A shiver ran down my spine, and I felt physically ill.
Right, time to get serious.
And yet, standing behind Assistant Professor Eida as she delivered her report were two “Slavery”2 subordinates just lolling about.
It was all a bit surreal.
”Lastly,” Assistant Professor Eida began, her tone professional yet hushed, “though it hasn’t been officially decided yet, there’s talk that the ceasefire on the Western Front might be coming to an end.”
The Western Front is the battlefield between our country and the Empire of Charle, said to have been sparked by the Religious Reformation led by the Second Sage. Here in the Kingdom of Schuberitz, that Reformation guaranteed freedom of religion with some limitations, while simultaneously placing restrictions on religious organizations—banning land ownership and the keeping of “Slavery,” setting caps on household donations, and prohibiting the entry of unmarried priests, bishops, and monks. The Pope, enraged by policies that seemed to target the Universal Church, commanded the Emperor of Charle—whom he himself had crowned—to invade our country. That is the Western Front.
Because it’s essentially a religious war, people say it won’t end until one side manages to occupy the other.
However, some say that because the war has dragged on without any shifts in the front lines, the soldiers on both sides have grown lax. Lately, the Empire of Charle has been frequently requesting a ceasefire to launch a “Martyr Army” expedition, and our country has been all too happy to oblige, taking the opportunity to let our soldiers rest. But with the battle at Vod Fortress, the rebellion in Straba Province, the standoff in South Bohemia between the Kiridal Army and what appears to be Cossack reinforcements from Rus, and the Haritz Rebellion, the air has started to smell like smoke.
”Well,” she added, “the Academy President did say it wasn’t a certainty yet.”
It’s not exactly good news. While the Western Front is technically in a ceasefire, it isn’t a peace treaty, so it wouldn’t be surprising if hostilities resumed at any moment. Still, it’s not the kind of information you want to hear right now.
”Do you have anything to add, Associate Professor?”
”I received a letter from the Meinshatt Magic School asking if we could spare one of our Research Students for a new assistant professorship,” I replied, keeping my tone level.
”Oh, perhaps I should go.”
If you leave me now, I’m dead. Besides, the position is for a Research Student.
”I’m sure it’s a much more comfortable workplace than this one,” Eida countered.
”Spare me, I’ll hit my deadlines, I promise.”
”You better.”
Yeah, yeah. I have every intention of doing my best to make that happen.
”Then,” I asked, gesturing toward the papers on my desk, “how about Katarina?”
”I’d have to ask her, but it seems they require the candidate to have a firm grasp of my theories.”
I showed her the letter I received at the office this morning.
”If that’s the case,” Eida noted, “then there isn’t anyone qualified for it, is there?”
Katarina, who is currently the lead Research Student in my laboratory, is twenty-nine years old. You can only remain a Research Student until you turn thirty, meaning she has less than a year left. If she misses this opportunity, she’ll be expelled from the Academy, which means she won’t be able to become the researcher she dreamed of being.
”If only she hadn’t fallen under the thumb3 of Professor Pauman,” I muttered, “she’s actually quite bright.”
By “under the thumb,” I meant being used as a sexual outlet for the man. But since women who can manipulate mana tend to have high libidos, it’s actually kind of… I felt Assistant Professor Eida glaring at me.
”Say, Assistant Professor Eida,” I pivoted, “from your perspective, can Katarina write blueprints? I don’t mean coming up with ideas, just the technical execution.”
The blueprints here are like a hybrid of the academic papers and patents from my past life. Back then, I remember I couldn’t even apply for anything as a working professional without help from a professor I knew—to translate the abstracts into English or to select which journals to submit to.
”She hasn’t been hired for it,” Eida admitted, “but she has written up Professor Pauman’s research several times.”
”Then, if we let her share the credit, would they hire her?”
”Credit” here means putting her name on the blueprint as an author. It’s said to give her prestige as a researcher, and because these are essentially patents, unlike the papers in my past life, they actually pay money.
The person in front of me is pointing at herself repeatedly. Come to think of it, she doesn’t have a track record of having her name on any blueprints either.
”If I give the credit to you, Assistant Professor Eida, you’ll probably just disappear somewhere.”
”If you don’t give me the credit, I’ll disappear anyway,” she shot back.
”I’ll think about it.”
She looked disgusted for a split second before returning to a straight face.
”Shall I go get Katarina?”
I had another letter, but I kept it tucked away and gave a nod.
Assistant Professor Eida brought Katarina in, looking a bit apologetic. When I first arrived at the Academy, Katarina treated me quite arrogantly, but she had changed significantly since then.
Still, having been Professor Pauman’s mistress, even wearing a stark white lab coat, she had a figure she couldn’t hide. Perhaps sensing my gaze, Assistant Professor Eida, who had brought her in, shook her head slightly from side to side. Telepathy? That kind of magic shouldn’t exist in this world.
”Come in.”
I had Katarina sit on the three-seater sofa, while Assistant Professor Eida and I took the individual chairs opposite her.
”I still need to get permission from the Academy President and the Dean,” I began, “but I’m planning on recommending Research Student Katarina for this.”
I said as I handed over the letter from Meinshatt Magic School.
Katarina took it, began reading with her head bowed, and didn’t move for a while. I looked to Assistant Professor Eida for guidance, but she just tilted her head in return. Does she really want to stay at this Magic Academy after all?
As I waited for her to react, something wet the paper. Could it be?
Her hair was hanging down, obscuring her face, but tears were dripping down one after another.
”Thank you,” she whispered.
”E-eh, no, well,” I stammered, “but this means you wouldn’t be able to remain at the Academy. Are you sure?”
During our first interview, she had said she wanted to remain at the Academy. When I asked her for her final answer, she said she wanted to be a researcher, and if possible, at the Academy.
”I’ll let you have your name on the blueprints we discussed earlier, but are you still okay with it?”
This was the path that offered a possibility of staying at the Academy. It was only a possibility, and with the head of the laboratory being an Associate Professor, it was apparently a very difficult proposition.
”I thought it was impossible,” she said, lifting her face, which was a mess of tears and snot.
”Can I have that letter back? I need to show it to the Academy President and the Dean.”
If it got any wetter, I wouldn’t be able to take it to them. A surprised Katarina wiped the tears on her lab coat, but the text had blurred a little.
”You’re going to have to work hard from here on out. No coming crawling back, understood?”
Assistant Professor Eida slapped my arm. “Don’t say such stupid things, Professor.”
”Um, Associate Professor,” Katarina spoke up, “I have a request.”
Katarina, who usually seemed quite proud, pressed her forehead against the table.
”W-what is it?”
I felt completely overwhelmed by her intensity.
”Please let me be your assistant.”
”Huh?”
”I’m not as smart as Assistant Professor Eida. I can’t grasp what the Professors say after just one explanation. So, please, let me accompany you at all hours, and if you have even a spare moment, please teach me.”
Looking next to me, even Assistant Professor Eida looked troubled.
”I’ll do anything. If I don’t have a place to sleep, the hallway is fine.”
”You are the lead Research Student,” Eida interjected, “you have an obligation to look after the other Research Students.”
So that’s what being the lead Research Student meant?
”I don’t need to look after the current Research Students. I’ll make them keep their own management charts. Please, this is my only chance.”
It was all too heavy; I didn’t know what to do.
”I’ll include that request when I ask for permission,” I finally settled on. “Let’s talk after that.”
It’s better to leave these things to others. Whenever I make a decision on my own, nothing good ever comes of it.
I stood up and was just sliding the letter into my breast pocket when another troublesome person walked in.
”Please, let me be your assistant, too.”
It seems the students and Research Students had been eavesdropping outside the door. One of them, the Elf Mage Research Student Tura, came in and actually prostrated herself in a deep kowtow4.
She had participated in a two-week training course for fixed-wing drones, and because she was the only one who couldn’t fly one, she had shrieked that she had no talent and that there was no point in staying at the Magic Academy, that she was quitting. It took me so long to calm her down that I almost started crying myself. She was the one who initially offered fifteen million Yen if I would teach her about fixed-wing drones. Usually she was quiet and docile, but when she got an idea in her head, she seemed capable of erratic behavior.
”Tura-san,” Eida sighed, “for heaven’s sake, the Associate Professor is a married man with a family. And he’s young. What if there were a misunderstanding?”
Assistant Professor Eida, nice save.
”I don’t care if there is,” Tura countered. “Besides, I’m an Elf Mage, so even if there’s a mistake with the Associate Professor, I won’t have any children. It’s not a problem.”
”That’s not what I’m talking about.”
”It’s strange, isn’t it?”
”What is so strange about it? Do you not think it’s inappropriate to have that kind of relationship within a single laboratory?”
”I only said I wanted to be an assistant. And Assistant Professor Eida, you knew about the relationship between Professor Pauman and Head Student Katarina, and yet you said nothing, didn’t you?”
Assistant Professor Eida was left speechless. This is my chance.
”Assistant Professor,” I whispered, “I’m going to go see the Dean and the Academy President about this matter. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
I was already standing, so I whispered into Assistant Professor Eida’s ear and, with a grace that surprised even me, I slipped past Tura, who was still kneeling on the floor, and left the room.
”I can’t take this anymore—!”
I heard a pained voice behind me, but I had successfully escaped the laboratory. When I went to the first-floor office to make an appointment with the Academy President, he just happened to be arriving for work.
”Good morning, Academy President.”
The businessman’s golden rule: a refreshing greeting. The Academy President was a tall man, easily over one hundred and ninety centimeters, and his impeccable attire radiated the aura of a sophisticated older gentleman, for better or for worse.
”Professors, would you mind hearing me out while we walk?”
”Very well.”
The Academy President walked straight down the hallway past the office. Seeing this, the office staff followed behind with documents in hand.
”I received this letter from Meinshatt Magic School.”
The letter, still faintly wrinkled from Katarina’s tears, had barely left my hand before he stopped in his tracks.
”I see. The Principal of Meinshatt Magic School really does know what’s going on. Quite the clever move, setting his sights on one of my subordinates.”
After returning the letter to him, he started walking again as though nothing had happened.
”About that…”
”That principal knows exactly what he’s doing. He intends to leave you owing him a favor5. Well, that’s your business. Do whatever you like.”
”A favor?”
”Don’t concern yourself with it. He’s not the sort of man who’d make you take the short end of the deal.”
With that, he strode off. His pace was so quick that the office worker chasing after him was practically left behind. Along the way, he kept going on about something called “village society.”
I didn’t really understand what he meant, but at least he had given his approval.
After that, I headed straight for the second floor. A Research Student I recognized from the seminar met me there and led me to Professor Dean’s office.
”Katarina, was it? If that girl hadn’t been studying under Professor Pauman (he/him), she probably would’ve become an assistant professor already. In that case, there shouldn’t be any problem, should there?”
I had no objections regarding the assistant professor position itself.
”Attendants? I have two myself. Is there some issue with that? Or is your residence simply too small?”
”No. I still have around five empty rooms.”
”Then there’s nothing to worry about. Especially at your age, having people around you is important. It’ll keep you focused and prevent you from wandering off track. Besides, it’ll keep those probing bugs away.”
Probing bugs… Was she talking about Professor Lizabel (she/her)? The two of them really didn’t get along.
I had expected there to be various conditions attached, but the letter from Meinshatt Magic School turned out to be perfectly ordinary. Since even Elga Dean had attendants, I supposed there was no reason to refuse. Even so, the thought of having people following me around day and night sounded more than a little bothersome.
When I returned to the Laboratory, Assistant Professor Eida gestured for me to enter the professor’s office.
It was intimidating. Still, if I ran now, I had a feeling I’d regret it later.
Inside, Katarina and Tura were still waiting.
”These two are completely serious about this, so they’ve already filled out the attendant applications. If you’re granting permission, sign them. Right now.”
There were applications for this?
I accepted the documents they handed me, skimmed through them, and signed where required.
”Associate Professor, both of them?”
”Yeah. If I only take one, I might end up losing to my own desires.”
I had meant it as a joke.
Apparently, the assistant professor didn’t take it that way.
She looked at me with undisguised contempt. Well, that didn’t particularly bother me.
From that point onward, Katarina and Tura began eating and living together with Kenze (she/her) and Pamela.
At first, I thought having women around whom I couldn’t touch would only be frustrating. As it turned out, there were benefits I hadn’t expected.
The first involved recommendation letters for the graduating students who would be advancing to Research Student status this year. The two of them provided all sorts of information about the students in question, which made it possible for me to write recommendation letters that were far more convincing.
Then there were the lectures.
They carefully recorded everything I taught, organized the material according to the order of instruction, and even divided it into proper chapters. Using those notes, I was able to begin drafting a study manual. Whatever else could be said about the students of the Magic Academy, they were excellent when it came to studying.
As a result, despite the various inconveniences, life was proceeding quite comfortably.
Then, on the fateful first day of November, news arrived from the Western Front.
Even though it was a holiday.
The war had finally begun.
According to the report, the Empire of Charle had launched a major offensive, and the defensive line that had endured for so long had finally collapsed.
I had intended to spend the day pretending to be sick, skipping my duties at the Arsenal Bureau, and sleeping at home instead.
However, I was awakened by a commotion downstairs.
Ardia, the head maid, came to inform me that a messenger from the Academy had arrived. The faculty had called an emergency meeting at noon, and my attendance was mandatory.
I hurried toward the Academy, but traffic at the checkpoint along the inner wall had ground to a complete halt.
In the end, I abandoned the carriage altogether and made my way through on foot.
By the time I reached the conference room, I had arrived with only moments to spare.
—
Summary:
Larry settles into his role as an Associate Professor, navigating the complexities of academy bureaucracy and his peculiar domestic life. Pamela and Kenze involve themselves in the potential of the household staff, sparking intrigue regarding the mana sensitivity of the maids. Meanwhile, Eida pressures Larry to finalize academic preparations, highlighting the mounting administrative burden of his position.
The protagonist, an Associate Professor who feels his professional competence has waned since arriving in this world, attempts to navigate the administrative burden of his position. He manages to secure a potential research opportunity for his lead student, Katarina, despite the complex and often toxic power dynamics within his laboratory. After dealing with a dramatic scene involving student assistants, he finally approaches the Academy President to discuss the offer.
The protagonist receives a cryptic warning regarding the intentions of the Principal of the Meinshatt Magic School. He secures the services of two Research Students, Katarina and Tura, as attendants despite his personal reservations. The academic routine is interrupted by the sudden outbreak of war on the Western Front, leading to an emergency faculty meeting.
—
Trivia:
The Academy restricts mana-sensitive students due to age limits.
Silver acts as a catalyst or disturber for mana control in individuals.
Larry previously lied to the Dean to secure permissions for his experiments.
Eida has managed specific coursework duties since the tenure of Professor Pauman.
Mana sensitivity is estimated to exist in about one in ten humans.
The war between the Kingdom of Schuberitz and the Empire of Charle is driven by a religious reformation.
Research Students have an age limit of thirty before they are expelled from the Academy.
The blueprints mentioned in the story function like patents that include financial compensation.
The protagonist holds the position of Associate Professor.
Katarina failed to secure an assistant professorship due to Professor Pauman’s mentorship.
Professor Lizabel and Elga Dean share an antagonistic history.
The protagonist has five spare rooms in his residence.
The war was triggered by the Empire of Charle’s offensive against the defensive line.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Major – A commanding military officer with a sadistic inclination toward interrogation. She orchestrates the sessions and utilizes Telepathy to coordinate with her subordinates.
• Sonya – Major Sonya is a petite, muscular, sharp-eared elf heading the Schuberitz Kingdom’s Magic Armored Division. Formerly a 101st Golem Battalion commander who fought the Amazoness, she scouts talented students. Behind this cheerful, formal facade lies a cruel, sadistic “gal” personality who uses mind-reading and painful mana injections to toy with and stunt the protagonist’s growth.
• Rosa – A 14-year-old first-year academy student from the Marquis Sabaski territory who resembles a Dwarf. This cynical fisherman’s daughter is a headset-wearing “boku-girl” with a genius mind for drone piloting, motor tech, and combat coordination. While her talent attracts the Magic Armored Division, she is held by a “hag” and is a young subordinate struggling with the harsh realities of war.
• Tura – Nineteen but physically resembling a five-year-old, this dramatic, highly emotional Elf Mage from a mining family is a Royal Magic Academy research student. Passionate about Earnest’s flying devices, she serves as his field assistant and attendant alongside Katarina, operating fixed-wing drones. Escorted to safety with Katrina, she is deeply impacted by others’ sacrifices for her protection.
• Mar-Gunte – A quiet, sharp-eyed maid in her early twenties who demonstrates potential for mana manipulation.
• Loukai – A household servant who displays a defiant attitude and was found to be misappropriating estate funds. A male servant in his early twenties who wears only an unbuttoned leather vest with no undershirt, exposing his bare skin, and exhibits an aggressive, confrontational delinquent demeanor.
• Ardia – An older woman wearing a maid outfit who serves as the head maid of the estate and strictly follows traditional servant protocols. The head maid of the estate with a fox-like face and a voluptuous figure who previously served the former master. The head maid of the protagonist’s household who delivers urgent messages from the academy.
• Carla – An air-headed but capable maid in her early twenties who struggles with mana leakage affecting her daily tasks.
• Kacha – A fox-faced maid from Rukai who serves in the household. A sharp-featured, fox-faced maid in her thirties who demonstrates a protective attitude toward her fellow domestic staff.
• Mar – A battle‑hardened veteran, clad in worn armor, uses door panels as shields and captures enemy crossbows; Larry’s comrade who teases him about his sister‑in‑law’s pampering, known as Martin to his companion Edmond.
• Pamela – An arrogant, long-lived Elven Mage of unknown age who wears white Gothic Lolita fashion. Formerly Henrietta’s slave, she is now Larry’s loyal, protective companion, assistant, and mentor on his military expedition. A sharp-tongued, stubborn academy student and Arsenal Bureau resident, she handles logistical equipment, confirms payments, and fiercely defends the protagonist, who must bring her home safely.
• Henrietta – Late wife of Larry and deceased Royal Magic Academy research student whose displaced consciousness became a parasite inside her daughter’s body. Eager for Larry’s return, she was the former owner of the slave Pamela, who uses her distinct scent and traits to identify mana sensitivity. Known for her degenerate or perverted nature, she died post-rebellion but remains a central point of reference.
• Fourth – A mysterious and cunning sage who seeks advice from Larry.
• Louise – A Magic Armored Division member who provides information on war exemptions for the Poll Tax. Reminiscent of Elga, she is expecting a child by the protagonist and taught him a military salute.
• Larry – A 14-year-old Japanese reincarnated protagonist and cynical Royal Magic Academy associate professor who balances tactical engineering with intense administrative duties. Equally aged to Rosa, this debt-ridden, abrasive dueling champion designs advanced coilguns and drones. Currently recovering from injuries post-ambush, he is arrested while leading students to safety and interacting with the coven.
• Sage – An elderly instructor and mentor who acts as a schemer behind the scenes. He is responsible for recommending Larry for various academic and safety-related positions.
• Kenze – An exceptionally powerful, muscular Amazoness slave from Tashkurgan and former deputy general under Earnest, she is a short-haired companion to the protagonist and Larry. Blunt, stoic, and foul-mouthed, she uses a dagger and bow. She shares a bed with Pamela, protects Larry—whom she once tried to kill—on his expedition to raise her offspring, and deeply dislikes Southern Continent Amazonesses.
• Marie – Larry’s blunt, sharp-tongued wife is a Magic Academy student and lab employee from the protagonist’s hometown. Currently on maternity leave at the postpartum rest facility she manages, she is Ange’s mother and keeps her hair in an inner pocket as a talisman. Despite marriage, she shares a close, affectionate bond with the protagonist, who previously loved her and gave her a separate task.
• Romy – A student researcher at the Academy under Larry’s care, she lacks raw ability but is brought along by the protagonist for a research task, appearing as their companion at a funeral. Within the laboratory group, her name is on blueprints for Mana-charging designs. She noticeably reacts to Larry’s stutter, reflecting her relationships with her mentor and peers.
• Eida – A 28-year-old Assistant Professor from Ulm Village with short dark brown hair, she is a mother of two who wears civilian clothes off-duty. At the Magic Academy, she serves under the Associate Professor, manages the lab and finances, supports Larry, and handles administrative and academic scheduling. She oversees research and uses a tough-love approach, frequently scolding the protagonist.
• Al – Alberto (Al), a massive red‑haired man recently wed to Mary, lives near the Dish Basin. He’s a companion of Hans, helping intimidate and rally elders as a villager and leader.
• Katarina – A 29-year-old human female, Chief Researcher at the Royal Magic Academy, and lead Research Student in the Magic Laboratory. Diligent and nearing her thirties, she serves as Earnest’s attendant, manages the protagonist’s personal needs, handles expedition rosters, and assists with technical operations. Escorted to safety during a skirmish, she faces expulsion after being used as Professor Pauman’s sexual outlet. She is fascinated by drone piloting.
• Academy President – The tall, imposing, and gray-haired Head of Bizan Magic School commands authority with a cynical demeanor. Beyond their strict leadership role and sharp interactions with others, they possess an impeccable, sophisticated sense of style that enhances their formidable presence.
• Dean – A professor whose office serves as a central hub for academic administration.
• Pauman – A deceased Academy professor and former Magic Tool Lab head whose course load was inherited by Larry, Eida, and the protagonist. Known for questionable research, an exploitative nature, and a controversial history with female students, he previously mentored Katrina. His past magic ship project stands in stark contrast to the protagonist’s design, and he once renamed his lab to avoid conflicts.
• Ho – Ho, a comrade of the protagonist. A member of the military unit that defended Garao Village and was slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Principal – The mother of Line and the administrative head of the institution. She exercises authoritative control over research assignments and seeks to trade Larry for Ilse Klein due to interpersonal conflicts in her laboratories. The mother of Sabrina and Rhein who intervenes during Rhein’s violent corridor assault to break up the confrontation.
• Lizabel – A newly appointed Magic Academy professor in her late thirties, this dignified, flirtatious, and manipulative noblewoman boasts a striking, voluptuous physique and wears revealing silk dresses. Sharp-witted and confident, she lives next door to the protagonist, eager to investigate their inventions. Known for a scandalous private life, she has a fierce rivalry with Professor Elga Dean, connections to Larry and Katarina, and deep knowledge of the Academy’s inner workings. She recently left her Resonance Systems Laboratory in unrest following property sales of fallen nobles.
• Elga – An imposing, stern, and direct Magic Academy professor who serves as Dean and department head of the Simple-type faculty. A former battalion deputy commander, she runs a laboratory with authority over research students, golems, and the protagonist’s staffing, while maintaining personal attendants. As a prominent academic managing administrative affairs, she frequently finds herself at odds with Lizabel.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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