Chapter 13 - Making a Name (1)
The world is inherently selfish. Karen had never once doubted this fact.
Growing up in a wealthy, prestigious family, she'd encountered countless instances where people's self-interest overshadowed everything else.
She'd seen her closest friend sell her out to a criminal organization for a handful of silver coins, and her half-sister attempt to poison her out of jealousy.
People—even friends and family—could betray and discard others so easily for personal gain.
If those closest to her were like this, then what could she expect from others?
"It's easier not to trust anyone at all."
Karen had tried distancing herself from people to avoid getting hurt. Yet, she still couldn't control her anger when she heard racial slurs, as if defending that one friend who'd betrayed her.
She knew that her warm-hearted nature was hard to suppress, but she resolved to never let anyone close.
The world runs on calculations of self-interest, doesn't it?
Everyone acts in their own interest, hiding ulterior motives behind sweet words. Trusting those words only invited betrayal.
People are selfish, and selfless kindness doesn't exist.
Or at least, it shouldn't…
"It's because you are my students."
But now, here was this man. He'd told her that he brought them to this place simply because they were his students.
Karen couldn't believe it. Who would give such a valuable gift to people they barely knew just because they were students? It didn't make any sense.
Yet, Professor Lian looked at her with calm, genuine eyes, as if confused by her reaction.
"You are my students, so I brought you here. Do I need any other reason?"
…He was sincere.
There was no way he could have faked such an expression. He truly believed it was his duty to do this for his students, as if it was only natural.
Her vision blurred, and her legs gave out as tears began to flow. She couldn't bear the shame of having doubted someone like him.
"I-I hated you, Professor. I made assumptions about you and despised you, but you…"
Overwhelmed by guilt, her voice trailed off. This time, she wasn't the one being betrayed. She was the one who had betrayed someone who believed in her.
Surely he'd be angry, she thought, looking up at Lian, expecting him to rebuke her for her mistrust.
But…his face was serene.
Knowing she had hated him, he simply smiled as if he'd been waiting for her to realize.
"Even if you don't like me, I'm still your teacher. That fact won't change."
Lian held out his hand, helping her to her feet, his eyes meeting hers as he declared, "I won't give up on my students."
He was telling her that, even if she resented him, she was still his student. And as long as that was true, he'd never abandon her.
With a kind smile, he placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Let's work hard together this year."
His gentle encouragement melted away her fears. Tears flowed down her cheeks once more, this time for a different reason.
But she quickly brushed them away.
There was something she had to do, a message she couldn't leave unspoken.
After thanking Professor Lian, she returned to the temple, where she shared his genuine words and kindness with the other students.
Most of them, like Karen, were heirs to noble families, brought up in a world ruled by calculated self-interest.
The professor's genuine dedication struck a chord with each of them. His selfless support brought tears to their eyes.
They exchanged silent glances, no words needed, knowing exactly what each other was thinking.
How could they not honor his kindness? To be indifferent after such a gesture would be unthinkable.
Though their individual strengths might be small compared to their professor's, they decided they would do everything they could to protect him, leveraging their influence and connections to support him.
A guard, loyal only to Professor Lian, had unknowingly been formed.
What are the odds of randomly selecting twenty students, and all of them enjoying a forced hike up a mountain?
I'd never studied statistics, but I was fairly certain those odds were close to zero. If the world had turned upside down, maybe then it'd be possible.
And yet, the world had indeed flipped.
"Professor Lian's lecture? I can't say much, but…it was the best class of my life."
When I went to check the reviews, expecting to see my reputation hitting rock bottom, I found nothing but praise. Somehow, my approval ratings were soaring.
It didn't make any sense.
Hiking up a rough mountain trail with a grumpy supervisor—no normal person would enjoy that.
Trying to understand what went wrong, I did some digging and…found out about the leyline.
Not just any leyline, but the largest ever recorded.
"How in the world did this happen?"
It was like digging in your backyard to plant flowers and stumbling upon an oil field. I was absolutely dumbfounded by this bizarre situation.
A seemingly abandoned temple in Mount Fuyuki, Ryuudosa, of all places, turned out to be sitting on a leyline. How could anyone have seen that coming? The world seemed to be conspiring against me.
But there was no turning back.
Even if I tried to tell everyone it was a coincidence, no one would believe me. In fact, they'd probably think I was modest and raise my evaluation even further.
Top marks on class evaluations. Hailed as the greatest lecture in Imperial history, my contribution would be formally recognized, leading to a promotion.
That was the only outcome left for me.
Fate was grabbing me by the throat, trapping me here forever.
"I should have never stepped foot in this place."
I'd always considered myself pretty lucky, both in my past and current lives.
An 80% win rate at rock-paper-scissors, a few second-place lottery wins—my luck was something to be proud of. But ever since arriving at the academy, nothing had gone my way.
It was almost as if I was haunted.
And not just metaphorically. I'd started feeling like someone was watching me through the window whenever I tried to sleep.
The last time I went outside the academy, I came across five corpses, sliced in half.
They were all carrying badges from a thieves' guild, likely assassins who had failed their mission. Still, it was disturbing.
"…Maybe I really have no choice but to accept my fate."
The ancestral dragon headmistress had already promised me, "A reward beyond anything you could dream of as academy head awaits."
The chance of getting fired from this academy was rapidly approaching zero. I might have to start accepting the possibility that I was stuck here.
As I considered this dismal thought, I reflected on my short time at the academy.
First, the demon during the entrance exams. If it had struck a few inches off, I'd be dead.
Then, the mythical beast during the entrance ceremony. If Scott had arrived a moment later, I'd be dead.
My colleague turned out to be a spy. If I hadn't uncovered his identity, I'd be dead.
Two weeks. It's only been two weeks since my first day, and I've nearly died three times.
…No.
I couldn't stay here. To remain in this place was nothing short of signing my own death warrant.
Tears blurred my vision, and before I knew it, my hands were clasped together in desperate prayer.
"Please, anyone—let me escape from here." I wasn't truly expecting my prayers to be answered; it was more an act of seeking solace.
But then, out of nowhere, I heard a faint fluttering.
Through the open window, a pigeon flew in, dropping a letter at my feet. Almost entranced, I opened it.
[Would you consider transferring to Lyon Academy?]
The moment I read those words, my mind went blank.
It seemed, perhaps, that the heavens were finally offering me a lifeline.