Exactly 25 years ago, after dying in an apartment arson set by some madman, I was reborn into this world.
At first, I thought I had simply arrived in some nameless world.
‘And how could I not?’ When I first opened my eyes, all I saw was a crumbling shack of a house.
“Waaah!”
“My, look how strong this one is.”
“He might grow up to be a fine man.”
My birth parents in this world smiled at me, a newborn who could do nothing but cry.
They were, to put it bluntly, from a poor family, barely scraping by day after day in a small village.
And like most small villages in fantasy worlds, the security was rotten to the point of nausea—robbers and thieves breaking into homes were commonplace.
“Wh-who are you?!”
“Tch, someone’s home…?!”
“Honey!”
Before I could even babble, my birth parents were killed one day by sudden intruders.
Whether they didn’t see me or assumed a crying brat would die on its own, they left me behind and fled.
From my perspective, there was nothing to celebrate.
I couldn’t even crawl properly—if left alone, I’d have died anyway.
‘What was there to be relieved about?’
Just as I resigned myself to death and began wailing again, a red-haired woman entered the house.
“Waaah! Waaah!”
“…How dreadful.”
After taking in the sight of my parents’ corpses on the floor and me on the blanket, she quickly understood the situation, picked me up, and left.
“Sorry I’m late. I can’t be your mother, but I’ll make sure you never suffer something so horrible again.”
Her name was Aiperia, a woman who would later be celebrated as the greatest swordswoman in the empire’s history.
Only then did I realize this was the world of ‘The Sword Saint’s Disciple Goes to the Academy’, a novel I’d briefly skimmed and dropped.
Raised by her, I came to call her Master and followed her.
She always said, like a mantra, that she could never be anyone’s mother, so I should call her that instead.
‘The funny thing?’ She was a swordswoman, but I was born with the talent of a mage—so the only things I learned from her were drinking and smoking.
***
Then, the year I turned seventeen, disaster struck.
Vorgan, the worst criminal in the empire’s history, a dark mage who waged war against not just the empire but the entire continent with his followers.
The battle against him left the country in ruins, and my master and I wandered the war-torn land, saving people.
Finally, in the last battle, my master sacrificed her life to seal Vorgan away forever, and peace returned to the land.
What followed was the only time in my life I felt truly broken.
Even though I cursed her in my heart, her absence left a gaping hole inside me.
After that, I slaughtered Vorgan’s remaining followers like a madman.
It wasn’t until much later that the flames of hatred subsided enough for me to see clearly again.
After the war, while hunting down the remnants, I was approached by the head of the Rudius family—my now-father—who asked if I’d consider being adopted.
The trigger was me saving his “precious jewel” of a daughter.
***
Three more years of grueling work later, I’d earned enough recognition to stand where I am today.
“Son, congratulations. Today, His Majesty will grant you a position worthy of your achievements.”
“Yes, Father. I believe so too.”
I nodded as my father patted my shoulder, though internally, I was already chugging a full bowl of hope soup about the position I’d get.
‘And why not? I’d overheard things.’
When people praised my accomplishments, they’d whisper about what title the Emperor might give me.
Each time, my lips twitched skyward, and I’d obsess over which position would be best—like a beggar dreaming of a feast.
‘Our family wasn’t a prestigious ducal house, but given my merits, aiming for a decent rank wasn’t too shameless, right?’
As I indulged in these cautious delusions, a booming voice echoed from beside the Emperor’s throne.
“Sir Abel Rudius, step forward!”
“Yes!”
I moved as the herald commanded, aware of the crowd watching to see where I’d be placed.
Among them was Anis, my adjutant who’d fought alongside me through hell.
I smiled at her—white hair nervously tousled, silver eyes fixed on me—as I walked.
‘Watch closely, Anis. If I land a good position, your life gets easier. I’ll make sure your suffering under this shitty superior wasn’t for nothing.’
Exchanging that silent look, I bowed before the throne.
The Emperor finally spoke.
“Sir Rudius, welcome. Your contributions to the empire have reached even my ears—so much so that it’d be presumptuous to list them all here.”
“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”
I bowed as he stroked his thick white beard, though inside, I chanted ‘Good position, good position.’ like the petty man I was.
‘But so what? Wanting a good position isn’t evil—it’s human nature.’
After all my (adoptive) parents endured raising someone else’s child, the least I could do was earn a title worthy of their pride.
“The reason I summoned you today is to grant you a position worthy of your achievements and talents. A place where you can fulfill your duties and mission, no matter the role.”
“I shall engrave His Majesty’s command deep in my heart.”
‘What position could it be?’
I’d recently heard that the position of the Magic Knight Captain was vacant.
It’s a role that aligns perfectly with my skills—quite a tantalizing prospect.
Besides, as the Magic Knight Captain, I could delegate the grunt work to the underlings and slack off without breaking a sweat.
Hmm, sounds perfect.
As I continued to speculate inwardly, the Emperor’s voice rang out again, accompanied by a decree handed to me.
“Abel Rudius, hear my command. Starting next year, you shall assume the role of headmaster at Trivia Academy.”
“…Excuse me?”
The utterly unexpected order made me forget all decorum in front of the Emperor, and I blurted out a dumbfounded response.
“Wait, what did this guy just say?”
“As the headmaster of the academy, your task will be to protect the students and elevate it into the empire’s foremost educational institution.”
“……”
‘So, I hadn’t misheard.’
The moment I realized this, it felt like the blood drained from my body—replaced instead by boiling frustration.
Trivia Academy.
The main stage of this world I’d been reincarnated into, and the top educational institution of the Arschen Empire.
Sure, it sounds impressive on paper.
The position itself isn’t terrible.
As the headmaster, I could dump the work on the faculty and enjoy a comfortable life munching popcorn in the background.
But that’s only if you look at the surface.
‘What kind of place is an academy, really?’
A prestigious institution for nobles, yet its security is so lax that terrorists show up like old friends, greeting you with, “Oh, you’re here today too?”
Not to mention, with all the important figures from various nations gathered there, the factional fights and power struggles alone would give me a headache just thinking about them.
Nodding here would be like willingly choosing a dirt road up a mountain instead of a perfectly paved highway.
“Abel Rudius, what is your answer?”
The Emperor pressed for a response, but I clenched my teeth, locked in an internal battle.
‘No, Abel Rudius. Nodding here means signing up for life on hard mode.’
‘Just close your eyes and refuse once. Sure, disobeying an imperial decree won’t earn me any praise, but given how much I’ve slaved for this country, they’ll let it slide just this once.’
‘Then I’ll find a comfortable position and enjoy the rest of my life in peace. Why go out of my way to suffer?’
‘Someday, I want to create a place where anyone—regardless of status—can equally enjoy the right to learn, as long as they have the ability.’
‘Coming from someone who’s always drowning in alcohol and cigarettes, that’s quite the noble sentiment, Master.’
“You damn brat!”
‘Goddammit, why did that cursed conversation with my master have to resurface now?’
It wasn’t exactly her last words, but back when I was young, she’d often mutter it like a mantra while dragging me around.
Hearing it echo in my mind, the words of refusal froze on my lips before finally spilling out.
“…I accept your command, Your Majesty.”
Once the words left my mouth, there was no taking them back.
I knew full well that in six months, I’d be regretting it, thinking, ‘Why did I agree to this?’
But for now, at least, a late-blooming sense of duty as her disciple flickered to life—a desire to fulfill the one wish my master had clung to in her youth.
Fine, watch closely, Master.
I’ll create that utopia you dreamed of—a place where nobles and commoners can laugh together.
Clap clap clap!
As thunderous applause erupted and I rose to my feet, the radiant halo behind the Emperor shone so brightly it stung my eyes.
Perhaps it symbolized the dazzling future ahead—one even I couldn’t yet foresee.
Unconsciously, I smiled.
“A dazzling future, my ass. If not for that damn master’s voice haunting me…!”
“Captain, you shouldn’t speak ill of the deceased. Besides, aren’t you just as much of a mess as she was?”
Anis, sitting beside me, scolded as I wrestled with paperwork in the office.
The injustice only fueled my frustration.
‘Did she think I was an idiot? Did she not know basic manners like not disrespecting the dead? How miserable must this life be for me to say such things?’
And I only turned out this way because I grew up watching her! I didn’t even smoke in my past life, damn it!
***
Slam!
“Headmaster! Riley Tern destroyed Training Hall 1 again!”
“Drag that little bastard here right now!”
‘Will this miserable life ever give me a break?’