Academy’s Undercover Professor-Chapter 19: The Commoner Girl, Rinne (2)

After leaving the training ground, I headed straight for an isolated spot with no people around.

It was well past the end of the school day, and there were no students in sight.

After scanning my surroundings to confirm I was alone, I pulled out a pill from my pocket with trembling fingers.

‘I thought I was going to die trying to hold out.’

I popped the pill into my mouth and bit down hard.

The bitter yet strangely clear taste spread across my tongue, followed immediately by a rush of intense mana flooding through {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} my system.

‘Haa... That’s better.’

As the medicine spread and the mana surged into my brain, the deteriorating state of my body slowly began to normalize.

The subtle ringing that had been humming in my ears faded like someone had switched off a radio.

I collapsed onto a secluded bench and let myself breathe for a moment.

The first signs had come while I was at Training Ground 2.

A faint tremor in my fingertips, a buzzing heaviness in my skull.

It was a kind of chronic condition I’d developed after coming to this world.

‘Would’ve been a disaster without the pill.’

I’d figured I could hold out until I finished checking Training Ground 1 before taking the medicine.

I hadn’t expected a fight to break out among the new first-years there.

No—could that even be called a “fight”? One side had tried to ambush the other. That wasn’t a fight—it was assault.

School violence.

A situation with a very clear victim and aggressor.

So I had intervened, just in time to keep it from escalating further.

When I started talking about discipline, I could feel that wave inside me, the flare-up, shooting right back up again.

My body screamed at me to take the pill before I lost control.

So I had quickly wrapped things up and left.

The real problem was...

Who could’ve predicted she’d boldly call me a “fallen noble” right then?

For a second, I didn’t even realize she was talking about me. I stood there, silently mulling it over for three full seconds.

Maybe she meant it seriously.

Or maybe it was just the only thing her poor communication skills could come up with, after a long and complicated train of thought.

Still, as a teacher, I couldn’t just walk away after hearing that kind of remark.

‘Of all times, she had to say that right then?’

If she’d muttered it to herself with no one around, I could’ve pretended not to hear it.

But there were too many witnesses.

As a teacher, I had to protect my authority somehow. I had to say something.

The problem was—my brain wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders.

“Technically, what you did is a clear act of insubordination against a teacher.”

“This is grounds for disciplinary committee review under school policy.”

“You may receive demerits, or even be reported to the Headmistress.”

That’s the kind of textbook response I should have given.

But nothing came to mind.

‘So I just blurted out whatever popped into my head.’

In the chaos of the moment, I said the first thing that felt like it wouldn’t destroy my image too much.

All while trying not to let my crumbling expression show on my face.

God knows how distorted I must’ve looked. Maybe my eye was twitching. Maybe the blood vessels in my eyes were even starting to show.

‘It won’t be a big deal... probably.’

Anyway, Selina showed up soon after, so I handed things over to her and made a quick exit.

I swallowed the remains of the pill still clinging to my mouth and stood up from the bench.

At least I’d caught it early this time.

If the symptoms had gotten worse here, someone might’ve noticed something strange about me.

‘This... was the last one.’

I let out a long sigh as I stared at the now-empty pill case.

I had packed extras in the bag I sent ahead, but of course, things had gone sideways in the middle of everything.

‘I was supposed to meet him next weekend. But honestly, I don’t think I’ll last that long. I’ll have to send another letter—push for an earlier meeting.’

The alternative would be to rent a private alchemy lab and try to make some myself, but that would leave a record—and that could be dangerous.

Given my current condition, I might be able to hold out for five more days... but I wasn’t confident.

Any situation that forced me to use mana would only shorten that time.

‘Please, let things stay quiet until then...’

With my mind finally clearing again, I inhaled softly and resumed my patrol.

* * *

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”

“No need to thank me. It’s part of my job.”

Though Rinne insisted she was fine, she still bowed politely to Selina, who had escorted her to the infirmary.

Selina waved her hand with a warm smile, but Rinne meant it sincerely.

“Um... Miss Selina.”

“Yes?”

“What’s going to happen to her?”

“You mean Dunema? Hmm... I can’t say for sure. I’m new here myself, after all.”

“Ah, right...”

“Still, based on the school rules we were briefed on... it wasn’t just a fight. She instigated it unprovoked. I don’t think she’ll be expelled, but she’ll definitely face discipline.”

Rinne hoped someone like Dunema—who was so proud and high-nosed—would be hit with a strong punishment.

But both she and Selina had a quiet feeling that wouldn’t happen.

Being a first-year with no real grasp of the rules might earn her leniency, and more importantly... she had the backing of a Count’s household.

They’d probably try to go easy on her.

“Why do you ask? Are you worried?”

“No, not really. I was just curious.”

Rinne didn’t feel sorry for Dunema, who had clearly targeted and attacked her.

She’d brought it all on herself.

In fact, it was almost surprising that she wouldn’t be expelled for going that far.

Rinne had only asked because she was feeling unsettled.

“Are you worried?”

“...Huh?”

“Your face says everything.”

“...Ah.”

Rinne nodded slightly, her gray bob swaying with the motion.

“It’s just... now that I’m actually here, things feel so much more intense than I expected. I thought Seorn would be a place filled with dreams and ideals.”

“...”

“But after that conversation with a noble student, it really didn’t feel that way at all. Sure, she’ll be punished because she was clearly in the wrong, but... there’s no guarantee something like this won’t happen again.”

“...You’re right.”

Selina understood exactly what Rinne meant.

Seorn claimed that nobles and commoners were equals—but that principle had rarely been upheld.

Even though instructors tried to mediate from a neutral position, they couldn’t always control what happened between students behind the scenes.

Some noble-born teachers even showed subtle favoritism toward noble students while looking down on those from commoner backgrounds.

Because of that, there were nobles who scoffed at instructors from commoner or fallen noble bloodlines.

Dunema’s insult toward Ludger had been a prime example.

“You’re right. Honestly... I think what she said to Professor Ludger was way out of line.”

Selina puffed her cheeks in frustration and put her hands on her hips, as if trying to prove how angry she was.

When Rinne blinked in surprise—probably not expecting a teacher to express her feelings so openly—Selina gave her a soft smile.

“But Professor Ludger let it go, so there’s nothing more we can do.”

“You’re not angry?”

“Of course I’m angry. I’m just trying not to show it. But honestly, no one had more on their mind in that moment than Professor Ludger.”

“Ah...”

Rinne recalled the look on Ludger’s face during that moment.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

His face had been cast in shadow, so she hadn’t seen it clearly—but it must have been terrifying.

After all, Dunema’s face had gone completely pale the moment she met his gaze.

Professor Ludger was already intimidating when he was calm. If he were truly angry... Rinne didn’t even want to imagine how frightening he might become.

Even so, he had chosen to let Dunema off the hook just this once.

Even though he had every right to be the angriest person in that room.

He held it in.

And it wasn’t because he had yielded to the authority of her family.

No, it was something else—something more akin to mercy. A genuine intent to guide a student who didn’t know better.

Because from start to finish, Ludger had looked down at Dunema with nothing but cold, unimpressed eyes.

Someone like that wasn’t about to back down just because of a noble title.

Honestly, when he had admitted to being a fallen noble himself and gone on to reprimand Dunema—

Rinne hadn’t expected it at all.

And... she had thought it was kind of amazing.

“So I want to try believing, too. Yes, she did something wrong—but they’re still young. I think people can change.”

“Ah...”

Selina scratched her head sheepishly.

“Ehehe. Sorry. I’m starting to sound like some old lady, aren’t I?”

“No, not at all. You’re still really young, Miss Selina. Honestly, if we met outside of Seorn, I probably would’ve just called you ‘onnie’ instead.”

“Oh my~ What a sweet talker. You’re such a good girl, Rinne.”

No, but seriously.

Selina might’ve thought of herself as older, but to Rinne, she looked young enough to pass for an upperclassman in a school uniform.

Beautiful and always smiling, Selina had already become a secret crush for several male students—though she didn’t seem to notice.

Honestly, calling someone in their mid-twenties “old” felt like a stretch.

“Onnie, huh~ I like the sound of that. It’d be nice to have a little sister like you.”

“I think it’d be nice to have a big sister like you, too, Miss Selina.”

“Really? Oh, you’re just too cute~!”

“Hehe. In that case, could I maybe get some bonus points in Spirit Arts class?”

“We’ll see how hard you work~”

Selina chuckled and played along with Rinne’s teasing.

“Wow, time really flew. I should go check the rest of my patrol area. If you feel even the slightest bit off, you must let someone know, okay?”

“Yes, I will.”

Waving warmly, Selina left the infirmary.

Left alone, Rinne checked her condition and, feeling okay, rose from the bed.

‘Come to think of it, Professor Ludger called me by my name.’

She had worn casual clothes to the training grounds, not wanting to get her uniform dirty.

Of course, without a name tag, no one should’ve known her name.

And yet, Ludger Cherish had naturally called her “Rinne.”

‘Did he remember from class?’

To someone like Ludger, she was just one of eighty students in his lecture—barely worth remembering. Just another commoner.

And yet... he remembered her name.

Suddenly, she recalled what he’d said to Dunema.

“At Seorn, everyone is equal.”

Like a stone dropped into still water, his words echoed within her.

If he had only said the words, she might not have believed him—might’ve even felt disappointed.

But he hadn’t stopped there.

His actions, his unshaken conviction, his voice—

They had planted a small hope in Rinne’s heart for what Seorn could be.

‘My first impression was that he was a scary teacher...’

When she’d first taken his class, she hadn’t expected much. He was a newly appointed instructor, after all.

But then came the shock of his source code demonstration—an innovation that proved he hadn’t come to Seorn through mere words alone.

Even so, she had thought he was arrogant and inconsiderate when he’d publicly criticized Flora.

He just seemed like a difficult person to deal with.

‘But he wasn’t like that at all.’

He had mediated the situation, received a personal insult, and still let it go with only a warning.

He had even asked if she was hurt—though he was the one who saved her.

In that tense moment, when he appeared out of nowhere and protected her...

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For just a fleeting second, it felt like a prince on a white horse had stepped out of a fairy tale.

Her heart had skipped a beat without her meaning it to.

‘No, that’s not it. Professor Ludger probably didn’t think anything of it at all.’

Right. Getting swept up in her own imagination was the most embarrassing thing she could do.

She was here to study magic—not to chase some dramatic fantasy.

* * *

After the incident at Training Ground 1, nothing else unusual happened during patrol, so I was able to return to my lodging in peace.

Once back, I immediately sent a letter to him.

I wrote that waiting until the weekend was proving too difficult—and urged him to come sooner.

The next morning, a reply arrived.

The contents were simple.

His previous task had wrapped up earlier than expected, so he was setting out immediately.

The meeting would be tomorrow—Saturday—in the industrial district beyond Rederbelk’s eastern commercial zone.

It was the perfect place: out of sight, away from watchful eyes.

I burned the letter once I’d read it.

‘Today’s Friday. Tomorrow’s Saturday. I should be able to manage at least one more day.’

It was the first weekend since the semester began, and the students would probably be full of energy—but surely nothing like yesterday would happen again.

That’s what I thought.

Until, over lunch, Selina told me something strange.

“...Werewolves?”

“Yes, werewolves.”

Rumors about werewolves had begun to spread at Seorn.