I Broke Off My Engagement and Got a Job at the Academy

60 – Onboard Terrorism

After meeting Giselle, I returned to the academy after devising a plan for artifact production.

While at the harbor, boarding the ship bound for the academy, I looked at Professor Cordelia and Cerise.

“Oh, by the way, I have something to give. For both of you.”

Upon hearing this, they both looked at me in surprise.

I took out two necklaces from my pocket.

“What is this…?”

Cerise asked with a voice filled with doubt. I casually opened my mouth.

“…Artifacts. Ones that I made. Still, I thought it would be a good gesture to give them to the two of you as a token of gratitude, since they’re the first artifacts I’ve ever made.”

Cerise provided me with shelter when I had fallen into despair. Thanks to her, I was able to survive the storm.

Professor Cordelia gave me light when I was engulfed in darkness. Thanks to her, I was able to find a path to continue living.

So, if I were to show my gratitude, there would only be these two. That was the meaning behind the artifacts I presented.

Just as I used these artifacts to announce the existence of artifacts at the matap, these were the first artifacts I made using the devourer.

…The first artifacts I made while still alive were different, though.

Anyway, as Cerise looked wide-eyed at the object I handed her, she smiled brightly and said,

“Thank you. I’m really… truly grateful, to the point where it’s hard to put into words.”

Professor Cordelia, who held the other one, had a not unfavorable expression. To be precise, it was a dignified expression that she was trying to maintain but couldn’t quite achieve.

Seeing the corners of her mouth twitch, I let out a small laugh.

Professor Cordelia, showing such a happy demeanor, put her arm around my shoulder and said,

“Well, then we received presents… Now it’s time to board the ship. We should get ready to leave.”

I nodded my head at her words. The ship docked at the harbor would soon be departing.

Cerise smiled at me and said,

“Take care. I will cherish this necklace… dearly.”

I nodded my head. Cerise seemed to feel even greater joy in the fact that it was a necklace rather than an artifact, but well, it didn’t matter.

Now it was time to board the ship. Professor Cordelia and I followed the crew’s guidance and boarded the ship bound for the academy.

And gradually, the ship departed from the harbor and began its journey across the Mediterranean Sea.

Since the voyage would continue like this anyway, it would be better to just sleep rather than being bored. With that thought, I closed my eyes.

However, Professor Cordelia didn’t leave me alone.

She poked my side with her elbow and said, “Hey, wouldn’t you become popular if you went back to the academy?”

I shrugged in response to her words and said, “Oh, come on…”

“Why? Even the students returning to the academy now should be quite popular. It’s likely many visited for the conference held at Matap.”

“Enough. What’s the point of being popular among the young ones? The age gap between me and the freshmen is even greater than with you, Professor.”

“Well, there are still third and fourth-year students.”

“They are the juniors who were freshmen when I attended the academy. What…”

Professor Cordelia chuckled at my words.

“So, if you go back to the academy, what will you do?”

I hesitated and then said, “Well, I’ll probably think about how to teach the kids, maybe make some artifacts.”

Upon hearing this, Professor Cordelia sighed, smirked, and shook her head.

“Boring.”

“Am I supposed to be the one who entertains you, Professor? I’m not a jester.”

“It seems your respect for the teacher is lacking.”

“Any respect I had would disappear.”

“Well, then. Let me show you someday just how amazing I am…”

I chuckled at her words.

“I’ve had that experience; I gave it to you. It’s hanging around your neck.”

At this, Professor Cordelia blushed and cleared her throat, saying, “…Well, I’ll give you that. You have a way with words.”

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With that, she fanned herself with her hand, and I smirked.

“What’s so amusing?”

I looked at her in response to Professor Cordelia’s words.

“You can find it amusing, why not?”

“Oh dear, at first, we couldn’t even make eye contact when we first met. Look how much you’ve grown.”

“Well, I have. Does it not seem that way at all?”

I straightened my back and spoke. In response, Professor Cordelia let out a sigh.

“Well, this is unexpected.”

“Yeah. Take a look at my physique.”

As I spoke confidently, Professor Cordelia felt my body.

“…Where are you touching?”

It was the chest area. Professor Cordelia patted my chest and said,

“Oh, firm and bouncy? You surprisingly have some muscles.”

As a magician, I consistently exercised to avoid looking awkward. But more importantly…

“…Watch your choice of words.”

“Why? Am I making you embarrassed? There’s no one around to see.”

Poke. Poke. While saying that, Professor Cordelia felt various parts of my body.

“This is sexual harassment.”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“…Does it matter if the professor doesn’t think so?”

“Not really. So what can you do about it?”

“This darn—”

In the moment I was about to swear, I felt something strange in the air.

I looked at Professor Cordelia.

“…Professor.”

“Yeah. This… the flow of magic feels strange.”

Professor Cordelia and I stood up from our seats and headed toward the center of the strange disturbance.

“You shouldn’t come this way.”

The crew members tried to stop us, and Professor Cordelia said firmly,

“I’m sorry, but the flow of magic seems off here. We need to check it.”

“…Sorry. This is the engine room. As the most critical part of the ship with the power unit, it cannot be opened to anyone.”

Upon hearing that, Professor Cordelia bit her lip.

“We felt an unusual flow in the engine room. We are academy professors; surely there must be a way?”

At that moment, the gaze of the crew members shifted slightly.

“…If there is a way to prove that you are academy professors, then we will believe you.”

I looked at Professor Cordelia in response to that statement. She took out something like a card from her pocket and said, “

“Level 1 access pass to the Magus Tower. Is this enough? Do we need anything else?”

Upon hearing that, the flight attendants obediently let us in.

Professor Cordelia and I felt a peculiar current of magic.

In the heart of the power chamber lay the source of this odd sensation.

“…Let’s go.”

I nodded, and before long, the two of us could discern where this peculiarity originated.

“There are inscriptions on the power device.”

“Pardon?”

The flight attendant spoke dazedly. Professor Cordelia immediately activated the inscriptions.

“Eye of the Firmament.”

Her eyes took on the hue of the azure sky. As Cordelia examined the inscriptions, she furrowed her brow.

“…A time bomb inscription. Moreover, it absorbs magic to increase its potency.”

I shuddered at her words. We were on the verge of potentially sinking with the students in the middle of the Mediterranean.

Absorbing magic meant that, due to the nature of this vessel powered by magic, the inscription placed in the power chamber could wield tremendous power by harnessing magic.

…Enough power to completely obliterate the entire ship.

And then, Professor Cordelia delivered even more alarming news.

“We have five minutes left. Tinkering recklessly with the inscription will result in an immediate explosion.”

I widened my eyes at her words. No, it wasn’t just me. Others had the same reaction.

In essence, it meant we could become victims of an unavoidable disaster in just five minutes.

However, Professor Cordelia chuckled softly, almost wryly.

“Enough. That’s sufficient.”

She began to dismantle the inscription structure. One by one, the links forming the inscription vanished.

“Did you know that Anti-Mages have no specialty except fighting magicians?”

Surprisingly easily, the inscription was being dismantled.

And then, at that moment, a flight attendant rushed toward Professor Cordelia, attempting to push her away.

I was horrified. If her focus on reversing the inscription was disrupted, it would mean instant death for all of us.

However, very simply, the attendant couldn’t touch Professor Cordelia, blocked by a protective shield surrounding her.

“Hah, I memorized a protective shield against those approaching with malice. Seems like this chap was related after all.”

Professor Cordelia said with a bitter laugh.

“Bind them.”

I rushed towards the flight attendant, just as Professor Cordelia said, and subdued him.

“Ugh, ugh!”

With a slight noise, the time bomb cocktail was completely disarmed.

Then, Professor Cordelia glared at the subdued flight attendant with cold eyes.

“Where did you send it from?”

Cordelia asked coldly, but the flight attendant didn’t answer.

“Well, never mind. Once we make him confess, it’ll be over.”

After saying that, Professor Cordelia took out a confession inducer from her pocket and forced it into his mouth.

“Now, speak. Who sent you?”

At that moment, the flight attendant began to make groaning sounds.

“Uh, ugh, ugh. Th-that’s…”

I felt a sense of déjà vu at the sight. It seemed like something I had seen before.

“…!”

I quickly knocked him out.

And then, I said, “These guys are the same ones who terrorized the entrance exam.”