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Riyan, the professor, had changed.
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Everyone at the Imperial Academy whispered those words.
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Of course, it wasn’t because of rumors that success had drastically changed him or that his true colors were finally showing.
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Among the Imperial Guard, there was even a media management department specifically tasked with handling external views and reputation concerning Professor Riyan.
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Such rumors couldn’t possibly arise in the first place.
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An extraordinary talent, a white crane among the clouds.
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Not only was his capability impeccable, but his character also surpassed even the highest of standards, reaching an almost superhuman level.
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He was a person of whom one could say, “You could search him from top to bottom, and not find a speck of dust.”
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Thus, when people said Professor Riyan had changed, they didn’t mean it in a bad way.
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It was simply an acknowledgment of undeniable facts that the students themselves were discussing.
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Professor Riyan had indeed changed.
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***
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Even just looking at the current scene in Class A, it was clear.
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The students’ faces were painted with astonishment.
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As this was the class of the professor who always accomplished feats beyond common sense, the students normally wouldn’t even blink at most events.
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But this situation was an exception.
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Though no one dared to voice it for fear of being rude, they all had the same thought in their minds with mouths slightly agape:
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‘The professor… arrived ten minutes early?’
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Typically, he would be at least five minutes late.
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Sometimes, he even skipped lectures altogether without prior notice.
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Yet, here he was, arriving before the class even began for the first time ever.
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Of course, he was a diligent person.
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When he was late, it wasn’t because he lacked professional responsibility—it was usually because he had been helping someone in need on his way.
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Today, it might have just been a peaceful day, allowing him to arrive early by chance.
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But the abnormalities didn’t stop there.
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“Good morning. Did everyone have breakfast?”
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At those words, everyone froze as if they had been struck.
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If one were to describe the emotions on their faces in simple terms, it would be: ‘The professor… gave us a morning greeting?’
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Nobody disliked the professor.
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A kind greeting from him was a rare blessing.
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However, his tone and behavior were so unlike him that it threw everyone off.
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“Studying is important, but don’t forget that health matters too. Make sure to get proper sleep and maintain a regular eating schedule. If you neglect those things, it’ll cause trouble later, so take care of yourselves.”
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He added with a smile, “I didn’t take care of myself, and now my body aches all over.”
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The sight of Professor Riyan making light small talk and cracking a joke was utterly surreal.
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The combination of those two words—Professor Riyan and jokes—was unthinkable.
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The professor’s previous behavior only added to the confusion.
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***
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[Five years of dating ended in a breakup? What does that have to do with me? Seeing you waste my time crying like this makes it obvious why you were dumped. Leave immediately.]
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[When’s my birthday? I don’t know. Ask the parents who abandoned me. Ah, now I understand—you wanted to remind me that I’m an orphan, didn’t you? This oppression makes me wonder why I’m still here. I’ll submit my resignation at once…]
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The first response, while harsh, was essentially warm advice: “Stop wallowing in sadness and focus on improving yourself.”
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The second was his way of awkwardly deflecting embarrassment when students prepared a birthday party for him, as he felt shy about expressing gratitude outright.
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Both examples made his personality crystal clear.
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A warm-hearted person at his core, but one prone to misunderstandings.
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Not someone adept at communication.
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The professor was not one to display such friendliness openly.
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***
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The sight before them defied logic.
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Though everyone struggled to adapt to this sudden change, life moved forward, and more peculiar events unfolded.
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“Since no one is absent, let’s begin the lesson.”
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Professor Riyan picked up a piece of chalk and started writing on the board.
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Humans naturally fear the incomprehensible.
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The students trembled as they witnessed something unimaginable.
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‘Th-The chalkboard… has something other than “Self-study today—do not disturb the professor” written on it?’
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The chalkboard, previously thought useful only for students sneaking sketches of the professor’s portrait, now displayed a clear, concise explanation and summary of the day’s lesson.
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It was a useful tool to aid learning—who would have guessed?
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Professor Riyan, who had always emphasized self-directed learning, suddenly shifted from his usual method of leaving students to their own devices.
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‘Why the change in teaching style?’
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Some students even whispered wild theories about twins or disguises.
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But such ideas were, of course, unreasonable.
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“This is the fundamental structure of the five prime elements. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask without hesitation.”
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Understanding something and teaching it are vastly different skills.
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The latter is exponentially more difficult, requiring the ability to clearly convey concepts.
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Yet, Professor Riyan managed to do so effortlessly.
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Knowledge that would take four years of study to grasp, he taught and had his students master within just forty minutes.
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No grand mage could achieve such a feat.
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He was a human who had mastered the study of magic.
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A being standing at the apex of all mages—a peerless existence.
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Only Professor Riyan could accomplish such a task.
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This alone confirmed his identity.
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***
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Professor Riyan had undeniably changed.
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Although the situation defied logic, the students grew accustomed to it within days.
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After all, he was still their professor.
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He had always been kind—he simply refrained from showing it outwardly.
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In crucial moments, he always sided with his students and supported them quietly behind the scenes.
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Perhaps it was the recent kidnapping incident that spurred this change.
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It seemed he had decided to be more honest with his emotions.
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But this wasn’t a flaw—it was something to celebrate.
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While the Crows who tortured him deserved condemnation, the matter had already been resolved by the Saint herself.
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The Imperial Academy remained peaceful as always.
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This, too, was thanks to the great Professor Riyan’s grace.
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I think I now understand how the protagonist of a “trash noble” story feels.
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“A-are you saying Master didn’t beat me senseless like a dog on Chobok Day and just lay there breathing?” cried a teary-eyed maid.
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All I did was go for a light jog, yet the knights were making a huge fuss, exclaiming, “The young master has changed!” with admiration.
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“Our child ate a meal? Instead of flipping the table and demanding pocket money to gamble with?” The head of the family wept uncontrollably, overwhelmed with genuine emotion.
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Surely, they must have been as dumbfounded as I was.
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‘This is just the bare minimum of what I should have been doing all along.’
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Receiving a salary yet skipping lectures, pushing self-study sessions to kill time, and showing up late whenever possible—that was the odd behavior.
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I had merely normalized my previously abnormal work habits.
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Yet the uproar over such a small adjustment was so excessive that I felt bewildered.
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My reputation seemed to be skyrocketing to unimaginable heights.
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‘Am I just bad at getting fired? Is it my own fault for doing something weird that keeps holding me back?’
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I had pondered those questions countless times, but it wasn’t that.
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The effort I had put into trying to get fired had at least curbed the madness.
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Now that I had stopped trying, the results were plain to see.
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I could hear cheerful greetings directed my way from every corner.
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Students I had deliberately alienated and those who once avoided me were now approaching without hesitation after hearing the rumors.
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From light small talk to expressions of gratitude for past favors, and even little gifts—they had me stuck in the hallway for over thirty minutes despite it being a short corridor.
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The difficulty of getting fired seemed to be soaring, but…
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Well, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
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‘It’s not like getting fired is the only path forward.’
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I do have a certain talent for theory.
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Although I lack knowledge of the original work, I could still use my abilities to help nurture the students.
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That was another way forward.
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After all, I’m human too.
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I can’t help but feel attached to people who care for me and go out of their way to support me.
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If everyone could end up happy, that would be the best outcome.
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I still had plenty of time.
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The protagonist was in their third year.
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Even in the shortest timeline, the story wouldn’t reach its conclusion until after the first year.
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If I could make the academy stronger in the meantime—if I could reach the point where I was sure I wouldn’t die—there would be no need to desperately try to escape from here.
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So, I made up my mind.
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I decided to stop running and face it head-on.
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To act according to what my heart told me.
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That was why I had recently felt happy…
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And it was also why I now felt more despair than ever.
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***
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My ears were ringing.
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A loud explosion echoed in the air.
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A grotesque demon smiled at me.
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As always, the world had ignored my wishes.
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