If it seems like the whole world has gone mad, except for yourself, chances are, you’ve actually lost it.
Isn’t it far more likely that you alone have gone out of your mind rather than that thousands of people have simultaneously shown symptoms of insanity?
An utterly obvious logic.
That’s why Deputy Director Karin pondered seriously.
‘Could I really have gone mad?’
Our professor is resigning.
But Professor Riyan would never abandon us, so clearly, someone is threatening him.
Isn’t it perhaps normal to think like this?
Our professor is destined to save the world someday.
No human would target a savior of the world.
The enemy must be an evil demon.
Whatever it takes, no matter how extreme, is justified.
Being so crazed… might actually be the right reaction.
‘That makes no sense! I need to think rationally!’
Karin barely managed to hold onto her sanity.
Even if the world flipped upside down, that kind of thinking couldn’t be considered rational.
Anyone from the extremist sect of the Sacred Kingdom would be appalled if they saw the current state of the academy.
‘Didn’t he get hired just a month ago? What in the world has he done to the students?’
Common sense told her:
One month is far too short a time to build such close bonds.
But reality stated otherwise:
One month was more than enough time to go beyond mere bonding, to the point where any attack on him felt like a personal assault.
As if to reaffirm this twisted reality, an intimidating voice echoed from beyond the window.
“Come out this instant, you demon! Give us back our professor!”
Neither a demon nor a thief of their professor, Karin’s protests would fall on deaf ears with the raging students.
Various items came flying.
From raw eggs and tomatoes to inflated condoms filled with flour, an infuriatingly varied selection of projectiles.
As if that weren’t enough, this was light in comparison to the other issues Karin faced.
Shss.
A saint, crawling on all fours, crept beside the bed.
Without a word, she poked Karin’s leg with a pen, creating a wound.
Out came human-red blood, not demon-blue.
Logically, an apology like, “Oh, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding,” should follow here.
But…
“To even deceive with the color of your own blood… This is the most thorough and cunning demon I’ve ever encountered.”
This one wasn’t in her right mind.
The saint gritted her teeth in frustration.
She had intruded into Karin’s quarters, inflicted a wound, yet judging by her expression, it was as if Karin had committed some unspeakable evil.
“I may retreat for now, but you won’t be able to keep running.”
She added as she disappeared, spider-like, once more.
***
“Eeeek! A ghost! There’s a ghost in here!”
“Please calm down, Director Karin. There’s no way ghosts actually… uh, AAAAAH!”
The four-legged madwoman did succeed in driving out a pair of unexpected guests, but just frightening off a couple of cowards wasn’t enough to improve the situation.
One glance at the elderly white-haired man beside her made that painfully clear.
“I must endure. I need to refrain from reckless actions and focus on monitoring. That youth surely has an ulterior motive. If I misjudge things like last time, I’ll have no face left to show my juniors.”
The Empire’s Iron-Blood Duke muttered to himself, in a quick, almost unintelligible whisper.
Karin barely managed to discern that he was promising himself to restrain his murderous urges.
But despite his words, the old man kept fingering the sword hanging at his waist.
“But… isn’t a problem most easily solved by cutting off its source? It’s always been that way on the battlefield.”
Occasionally, he would mumble in a perfectly rational voice, as if his mind had momentarily cleared.
The old man’s erratic mental state was driving Karin crazy.
She couldn’t relax for even a moment.
Nor could she ask him to leave.
It felt like hugging a ticking time bomb, never knowing when it might explode.
‘This is ridiculous…’
And these were just the incidents of Day 1.
Not even a full day had passed since Riyan’s sudden announcement, yet all of this had already erupted.
What might happen on Day 2?
And after Day 2, on the next day?
And then the day after that?
Just imagining it drenched her back with cold sweat.
She doubted she could survive this intact.
She had dreamed of rising to the top, but not like this.
In the end, after much deliberation, she made a decision.
“Bow down to a mere commoner? I absolutely hate it, but it’s better than actually dying.”
With determination, Karin took resolute steps forward.
She carefully knocked on the door of the staff dormitory.
With a creak, the door opened, and there stood Riyan.
Seeing the man who claimed he was resigning out of guilt now calmly enjoying aroma therapy made her boil with anger, but she swallowed her fury with superhuman patience.
Putting on a friendly smile, she spoke in a gentle tone.
“I understand you’re remorseful. I’ll pardon you just this once, so let’s end this here and return to your duties.”
This was essentially a surrender.
She was asking him to return to his position and promising no further intervention.
With this approach, there was no way he’d refuse.
Riyan was a genius professor famous for caring deeply for his students.
There’s no way a man like him would abandon his duties so irresponsibly.
But contrary to her expectations, Riyan sprinkled salt in her wound.
“It’s not happening. I’m not changing my mind. Go back.”
An utterly incomprehensible reaction.
Karin’s face was naturally painted with shock, but he didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
With a slight smile, Riyan slammed the door shut.
…Something was very, very wrong.
***
The First Dragon had been on edge lately, feeling as though she were on the verge of death.
The situation was already complex, her emotions alone overwhelming, and now this crisis had erupted.
Riyan’s suspension.
The sudden resignation announcement following that.
And the arrival of this meddlesome deputy director who ruined everything.
It was obvious what action Sion should have taken in this situation.
Deliver a well-deserved punishment to the presumptuous human.
Use everything in her power to bring her adversary to her knees.
A solution as simple as it was effective.
But now, she hesitated to wield her authority, for one reason.
“Please, honor my wishes. If I avoid the punishment I deserve, I’ll never be able to hold my head up again.”
One look at his expression made it clear he was dead serious.
If Riyan’s wish was for her to respect his decision, then so be it.
And though it was trivial compared to the previous reasons…
She felt a little, just a little, fear.
What if she trampled on his will and he told her, “I can’t stand you anymore”?
In her mind, a dramatic film began to play out.
Riyan, with teary eyes, would condemn her, saying, ‘You really were no better than that.’
And he’d take their nineteen adorable children, born of their bond, with him.
She’d cling to his pants, sobbing, ‘Please, don’t leave me!’
But his response would be cold.
His eyes, now devoid of any honeymoon warmth, held only disappointment and resignation.
“I was just a plaything to you, wasn’t I? You never loved me, not even for a single moment.”
Sharp words like needles that pierced her heart.
And she’d have no right to refute it.
After all, she’d trampled over his wishes, his desires, with no regard, so how could she possibly claim to have loved him?
In the end, the film would close with Riyan abandoning her and walking away.
The end credits rolled as he faded into the distance.
***
Cold sweat dripped down her spine.
‘It’s not like I actually like him. It’s just… curiosity.’
Still, anything but that ending.
‘But I can’t just let this slide.’
She wanted to respect Riyan’s wishes.
But if he were to truly leave, she’d do everything in her power to stop him.
This contradiction made her hesitate.
So after long contemplation… she recalled something a friend had once said to her.
“No matter how complicated a problem may seem, it can often be resolved with a simple conversation.”
With that in mind, Sion decided to give it a shot.
The girl who had once taken on the Dragon-Slaying request hadn’t even bothered to arm herself; she’d simply brought along some refreshments, and, strangely, it worked.
That bold girl had shared her adventurous tales, which had inspired Sion to leave her cave and join the hero’s party.
‘Maybe I should try having a talk with Riyan too.’
Perhaps, she could convince him.
With that thought, Sion began preparing in earnest.
She experimented with baking, eventually producing some cookies.
She packed them in a wrapper with a bunny character but reconsidered, opting for a plain design.
Then, to fill the empty space, she absentmindedly drew a heart, caught herself, and gave herself a light slap on the cheek.
After spending an entire day perfecting the gift, she felt ready.
Persuading him would be easy after this.
Today would surely be a happy day.
Today had to be a happy day.
***
“What’s the issue here? I’m surrendering, aren’t I? I’ll agree to all the terms, so just show up for work!”
“No matter what you say, Director, I’m not changing my mind.”
“Are you… challenging me right now?”
Riyan’s dormitory was within reach, and there, Karin overheard what sounded like an argument.
Her steps quickened naturally.
She hurried up the stairs, reaching the door and pushing it open.
What she saw inside was—
“Wait… hold on. I swear, I only gave him a light shove….”
The deputy director, startled, and Riyan on the ground, coughing up bright red blood.