I returned to the academy.
Hindrasta fled straight to the dormitory as soon as she got out of the carriage, while I headed home.
As I stepped out of the carriage, Olicia came running to greet me.
"Welcome back, Sir Dian."
"Was everything alright?"
"The Principal came by. She was asking where you had gone."
"Really? Did she say why she was looking for me?"
"She ran off before I could ask."
I tilted my head at Olicia's words.
"Ran off?"
"I invited her inside for tea, but while I was preparing it..."
Olicia hesitated to continue, scratching her cheek with a troubled expression.
"What happened?"
"Well..."
She hesitated before finally speaking.
"She was sniffing your freshly laundered shirt..."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Exactly what I said. She was crouching down, took one of your shirts from the basket, and buried her nose in it. When I asked what she was doing, she ran away."
What on earth is going on? What was Kirrin doing?
Suddenly, I remembered what Celine had told me. She warned me to be careful of Kirrin.
She said Kirrin might be plotting something strange on her own.
What is that dark elf thinking?
"By the way, how was your visit to Lord Linus's home?"
"Good. You should have come too. He's living incredibly well."
As I described Linus's mansion, Olicia's eyes began to sparkle.
"To think such a dreamlike house exists... Wow... Someday, living in a place like that is my life's greatest wish..."
"Then work hard and become a duke. Only high nobles can live in places like that."
"It would be faster for you to become a noble than for me, wouldn't it?"
She's right about that. The title they initially wanted to bestow on me at the Imperial Castle was that of a duke.
But since I had already refused it and left, I couldn't very well ask for it again now. Even if I did, the Emperor would refuse.
Besides, becoming a noble doesn't guarantee happiness.
The higher your rank, the more restrictions come with it.
It's similar to how the wealthy in my previous life received constant attention from the media and public, getting criticized for even the smallest deviation from norms.
Just as mid-sized company CEOs have the highest happiness levels, here too, it's best to earn a decent living without interference.
# # # # #
Monday meant the general meeting.
In the main conference room, everyone gathered under Principal Kirrin's direction—the Theory Department, Combat Department, and Administrative Office.
The first meeting I attended after my appointment was this very general meeting.
When I entered the conference room, laughing and chatting with the Combat Department professors, the Theory Department professors were already seated.
Those people always arrive twenty minutes early to review the meeting content and check their appearance—they're truly diligent.
In contrast, our Combat Department...
"Hey, Brogue! I found a great pub this weekend! They say if you drink an entire barrel of ale on the spot, your drinks are free!"
When the dwarf Kazadar, Professor of Combat Equipment, announced this loudly, a smile bloomed on the face of Brogue, the orc Professor of Unarmed Combat.
"We're going today!"
"Great! Morton! You're coming too!"
"Well... sure."
"Orendi! Waver! You're in, right?"
"Of course!" "Sounds good!"
As the male professors agreed, Kazadar, now in high spirits, turned to Geneve, who wore a gloomy expression.
"Hey! You should join us this time and—"
"I'm not going."
Geneve flatly refused before Kazadar could finish.
"That damn bastard always skips out. Everyone else! Raise your hand if you're not coming!"
As the female professors entered behind us, Kazadar shouted, and Professor Anna hesitantly raised her hand.
"I... I need to look after my children..."
"What? Are they really your kids?! Huh?! Missing one day won't cause problems!"
"I can't drink anyway, and it wouldn't be fun for me... I'd just ruin the mood... I don't want to go..."
"Tsk, tsk. Felimina and Linders! I'll count you both in!"
"I told you to call me Lina, not Linders! But yes, I'm in."
"Me too."
Felimina raised her hand in agreement.
"So everyone's coming except Geneve and Anna? Hey, Dian!"
"I'm in. If there's free alcohol, I'd go all the way to Tiraelen."
The Combat Department professors making drinking plans on Monday morning, the start of the week, not even Friday.
Professor Ismera's face showed utter contempt as she watched us.
"Good morning, Professor Ismera."
As I greeted her while taking my seat, Professor Ismera across from me forced a smile and replied, "Welcome, Professor Dian. Everyone's so energetic this morning. How typical of the Combat Department."
The large room had long tables facing each other, with the Theory Department on one side and the Combat Department on the other.
The seat at the center end was Kirrin's place. To her left and right sat Ismera and I. The Administrative Director sat at the far end.
So whether she liked it or not, Ismera had to face me every Monday morning, separated by just two meters.
"By the way, Professor Dian. What did you mean by that just now?"
Professor Ismera asked as I was shuffling through my reports for the meeting.
"By what?"
"That you'd go all the way to Tiraelen for free alcohol."
"Oh, that. Tiraelen is very far from here. I just meant that free alcohol is worth traveling for."
"I see. Quite an apt metaphor. Though there's no alcohol in Tiraelen, since it's an elven forest."
"You're absolutely right. The noble elves keep their distance from mind-altering beverages."
Just then, Kirrin opened the door and entered the conference room.
"Good morning, Principal."
"Ah, yes..."
The professors greeted her, but Kirrin barely acknowledged them.
I noticed she kept glancing at me nervously.
She's probably acting this way because of yesterday, when she came to my house and did something strange with my shirt.
The meeting began as Kirrin took her seat.
Our Combat Department reported on the progress of the outdoor training ground improvement project.
All construction would be completed by next week, providing students with adequate practice facilities before the summer heat arrived.
The Theory Department presented their draft plan for a historical site visit.
"We believe Ivronik Castle would be suitable for this semester's field trip," Ismera explained while reviewing the draft report.
"This castle was occupied by the Demon King's army during the Four-Year War four years ago, and was recaptured by Lord Linus, who was serving in the special task force at the time. It has significant historical value."
"That's a good idea. Ivronik Castle would certainly motivate our academy students who will become future imperial task force members," Kirrin nodded.
"For transportation, we'd like to use dimensional gates if possible. Professor of Magic Countermeasures, would that be feasible?"
"Yes, it would be," Orendi answered Ismera's question confidently.
"Administrative Director, since the trip will awkwardly overlap with lunch time, could the cafeteria prepare boxed lunches?"
"Of course."
"Excellent. The scenery around Ivronik Castle is beautiful, so we can have lunch there and return in the afternoon. It would make for a perfect day trip."
Ismera skillfully coordinated all the related matters.
But I had different thoughts...
"Does the Head of Combat have any other opinions?"
When Ismera asked me, I raised the concern I'd been harboring.
"I'm wondering if we can properly tour the place. Is it safe?"
"What do you mean, Professor?"
"As I recall, half the castle walls had collapsed, and the entrance bridge was extremely precarious... We can't be sure if the miasma covering the approach has completely dissipated. There's also a minefield of unknown size... I'm concerned it might be too dangerous, even for Special Mission Academy students."
The professors looked at each other in confusion.
"What miasma? What minefield? Is there such a thing?"
What's with this atmosphere? Did I say something wrong?
Professor Ismera smiled charmingly and replied, "I believe the Head Professor of Combat is mistaken. Ivronik Castle is not that kind of place."
"What? Not that kind of place? Is there another castle with the same name?"
"Of course, there's only one Ivronik Castle. And it's perfectly safe for academy students to visit. Do you have any other concerns?"
"Ah, no..."
I scratched my chin briefly, then nudged Felimina beside me.
"Explain, please."
"Ivronik Castle is a tourist attraction, Professor."
"What? A tourist attraction? That's absurd."
"It's true. It's a very famous place that tens of thousands visit annually. I went there last year myself."
"Really?"
"Yes. They've even installed elevators for easy access."
"Elevators...?"
Has Ivronik Castle really become a tourist destination?
That hellish mountain fortress Ivronik, where blood washed away blood?
They say ten years can change mountains and rivers, but this is truly hard to believe.
No matter how I tried, I couldn't imagine Ivronik Castle as a tourist spot.
The memory of climbing that cliff with Linus was still so vivid...