The Academy’s Undercover Professor – 137



◈ Episode 137 The Great Roteng Fire (1)

The light of the sunset scattered through the gaps in the thin clouds in the sky.

Red and warm light was cast at an angle leaving a long shadow next to Ludger.

Shoot ahhh.

Grass bugs cried loudly along with the sound of grass gently swaying in the wind.

The painter stared at Ludger as if trying to see something even though he was blind.

“Seeing as how you’ve come this far you must know a lot after all.”

It was the painter who spoke first in the long silence.

He stood up gathering the painting tools in one hand.

“Let’s go down. This is going to be a bit of a long story so we’ll do it as we go. “Oh by the way we don’t say anything to each other.”

“It’s Ludger Chelicida.”

“My name is Pierre. “He’s just an ordinary angry person.”

After exclaiming lightly the two slowly walked down the hill to the ruins.

Hans noticed and stepped back widening the distance between the two to make it easier for them to talk.

Pierre who was leading down the hill ran his fingertips through the waist-high grass.

“Now it is a ruin and no one lives but in the past Roteng was a very beautiful place.

“They say it’s a village as beautiful as a painting. “I heard it a lot.”

“It actually was like that. But everything was lost in the great fire that happened that day.”

Pierre had a bitter smile on his lips.

His invisible eyes seemed to be looking at the scene at that time.

“As Mr. Ludger said I am a wizard. no. To be exact he was a wizard. I had some talent so my noble teacher took me in but I couldn’t adapt. “I am a timid person who likes to draw both then and now.”

As the story about the past suddenly started Ludger listened to him in silence.

“Unlike a wizard I was overly sentimental and not very intelligent so I got scolded by my teacher a lot. He even broke my brush asking what kind of painting that was. At first I held on to it but as it continued I couldn’t bear it anymore. So I ran away at night. “I liked drawing better than using magic.”

I want to draw a picture.

Pierre who had been running away and wandering with such thoughts ended up in a village.

To a beautiful and peaceful village called Loteng like something out of a fairy tale.

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“I thought it was a really nice place. They say you can really draw properly here. But what can you do if a little boy who doesn’t know anything about the world suddenly settles down in the village? It was difficult for me to just move around and adapt to the village. “Then… she helped me.”

“Her?”

The two soon came down the hill and arrived at the entrance of the ruins.

Instead of answering Pierre took out a brush.

Before I could even ask myself why I suddenly took out the brush Pierre moved the hand holding the brush.

Point into space as if drawing a picture.

Seuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

Something amazing happened.

Color formed where Pierre’s brush passed and a line was drawn in the air.

Although it was similar to the implementation of a magic technique Ludger immediately saw that it was completely different.

With a few strokes of Pierre’s brush the surroundings were instantly filled with color.

red. Blue. abstract. yellow.

All kinds of colorful lights spread around.

Suddenly the sun disappeared behind the western hills and it became dark. Darkness descended like night fog over the ruins filled with silence.

Among them Pierre’s painting was the only one that shined clearly.

Ludger watched it in silence.

The magic of paint that Pierre poured into the air drew a line or spread widely eventually drawing a landscape around him.

Eventually what Ludger saw was not a ruin in the middle of the night but a beautiful village in broad daylight.

I could clearly see the carriages moving around and people going about their lives.

‘Is it magic using pictures….’

Painting magic.

It was a new form of magic that had never been seen before.

Before I could even be surprised by that the people in the landscape began to move.

As if alive.

The world of paintings clearly showed the scenes of that time.

Pierre started walking and Ludger quietly followed him.

“Roteng is a village where many wanderers come. It is also a place that people without connections or who are traveling often stop by. Then we settle down. A village where even the wind takes a break. That’s Roteng. Even a village like that had something to be proud of.”

Pierre who was slowly walking through the center of the painting world stopped.

Ludger also stopped next to him.

At the center of the world of painting there was a woman who caught his attention.

She was a beautiful woman with long black hair. Although I could only see her back I could easily tell that her off-white color was not normal.

At first glance her appearance seemed strangely familiar yet unfamiliar.

It was probably because the corners of her eyes were shadowed and her face could not be seen properly.

“I can’t see you.”

“I couldn’t fully depict her beauty with my poor drawing skills.”

It is said that there are limits to what painting magic can show that cannot be drawn.

When Ludger was told that painting magic was not all-purpose he had no choice but to say yes.

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“She was like something out of a fairy tale. He always had a bright smile and was kind to everyone. Everyone in the village loved her. In addition the spirits liked her perhaps because she had an excellent affinity for nature.”

Every time a black-haired woman walks down the street people smile say hello and wave.

Every time that happened she also waved and greeted me.

Tiny nature spirits floated around the woman and chirping birds sat on her shoulders and picked her feathers.

The sight was like something out of a fairy tale so even Ludger lost his gaze for a moment.

It’s warm and cozy and I feel like I’ve returned to my childhood.

“She was the one who helped me when I couldn’t adapt to this village. She was as beautiful as a jewel and showed a smile that was warmer than the sunlight. Esmeralda.”

‘That woman…’

There were endless smiles in the village. It was such a peaceful place.

Warm and peaceful.

Looking at that scene Ludger also thought that he wanted to live here.

But that peace didn’t last that long.

One day a noble wizard happened to visit Loteng Village and everything changed.

The watercolor-like landscape was instantly distorted and the appearance of the painting world changed.

The wizard who led his men was a tall handsome man with blond hair. He whispered all kinds of sweet things to Esmeralda.

It was love at first sight. Ask him to be with you.

Even Ludger could easily see that it was not pure love.

What the noble man wanted was not the woman named Esmeralda herself. Her spirit-friendly ability was a new power that could be added to her bloodline.

Those who seek out talented women and force them to leave offspring.

It was still common for nobles to deliberately marry talented women for a better lineage.

“But she was naive and ended up believing what that nobleman told her. “Because he was so pure he could not doubt the words of others who were hiding their true feelings.”

Before I knew it the scenery had changed and I could see Esmeralda asleep with anticipation and the village people worried about her.

If Esmeralda ends up with someone it will definitely be a blessing.

However if that person had a purpose other than truly loving her he had to stop it even if it meant he would be hated by Esmeralda.

Everyone got help from her.

I felt saved by her warmth and innocence.

He could not be taken away by a wicked nobleman and made to live in misery for the rest of his life.

“But no one dared to come forward and stop it. To be exact I didn’t have the courage to do that. That’s because the opponent is a noble.”

“okay. “The old Kingdom of Durmang was that kind of place.”

Ludger nodded in understanding.

There is still a class system in society now but it was much more serious than this in the past and the Kingdom of Durman in particular was at the peak in that regard.

Ludger recalled a familiar word from his past life.

‘Ancien Régime.’

It refers to the old system and refers to a society in which the feudal system that has continued for a long time has gradually accumulated and become corrupted overall.

The Kingdom of Durmang was a clear example.

Excessive conflict between nobility and royalty. The lower classes are exploited as a result. People starving to death. Citizens who cannot stand it and stand up. And even the nobles who brutally oppressed them.

At that time commoners opposing nobles was treated almost as treason.

It was common for a whole family to be exterminated if just one person made a mistake and in severe cases all the people in the vicinity were hanged.

“So you just let people abandon her?”

Did the abandoned woman finally harbor a grudge and take revenge on the village?

But Pierre didn’t answer.

Since the world of painting is already rushing toward a predetermined conclusion I did not feel the need to recall the tragedy of that day with my own words.

“You’ll see.”

Pierre stood as if nailed to his seat as if swallowing his pain.

Before we knew it the scenery changed and it became the day when the nobleman decided to take Esmeralda.

The once beautiful atmosphere of Roteng had become dark and subdued. The village which used to have a warm and soft light even at night was heavy and gloomy as if it had guessed its future.

It may not be a simple illusion that even the air that touches your skin feels cold.

The nobleman came to get Esmeralda as promised. Leading the family’s soldiers.

-ruler. Esmeralda. Come with me.

-I am….

The sound of a conversation between two people could be heard beyond the blurry scenery.

Esmeralda who was naive hesitated to answer perhaps because she sensed something strange.

However since she couldn’t refuse after coming this far Esmeralda tried to take the hand the man held out.

-No!

At that time a boy from the village stepped forward and shouted.

-miss! Don’t believe what he says! That guy is a guy who tricks people with his tongue! All your words of love towards the young lady are lies!

-How dare this guy! Are you making fun of your mouth because you know who this is?

The soldier holding the spear threatened the boy.

But it wasn’t just the boy who stepped forward.

-No matter how noble he is he won’t be able to take that young lady away!

-Get out of our town right now!

-miss! You shouldn’t go with a guy like that!

A kind baker’s grandfather a lady who opens a general store a farmer etc.

Everyone in the village supported Esmeralda and protested against the nobles and their soldiers.

If it had been like a fairy tale the nobleman would have gritted his teeth and walked away waiting to see what happened.

However the world shown by this painting magic was not such a hopeful story of encouragement and punishment.

It was so dark and terrible that it overflowed with despair.

It’s reality.

-Are these lowly things trying to fight against me?

The nobleman’s face which was visible when he whispered his love to Esmeralda was distorted like the devil.

As he raised his hand the soldiers lined up behind him moved.

-The guys here insulted the nobles. That is an act of daring to rebel against the kingdom! Wipe it all out!

The soldiers moved as if they were familiar with the order.

This is how the massacre in Roteng village began.

It’s not that the villagers didn’t resist but the gap between them and their opponents was too wide.

The opponents are trained elite troops from a noble family. Although there were only a few there were knight-level forces and magicians.

On the other hand the villagers are mostly retired mercenaries or wandering adventurers.

There was no way we could be opponents in the first place.

A person who was stabbed by a spear thrown by a soldier screamed and fell down.

Red paint spread.

Torches thrown by soldiers burned down the house.

Yellow and orange spread like an explosion.

The embers flew around and the person inside who could not escape was burned to death.

Black paint spread on the ground.

Hell was unleashed on royalties.

“No way is this….”

“Yes that’s right.”

Pierre nodded as if he knew what Ludger was trying to say.

“This is the truth about the Great Roteng Fire that is not known to the world.”

The Great Roteng Fire was not just a natural disaster.

It was an artificial disaster created by humans. The Kingdom of Durman has hidden that ugly truth until now.

-Please stop! please! The village people have no sin. I will follow you please…

At the center of the terrible massacre Esmeralda wept.

She begged the nobleman to stop. He shouted that he would follow stop killing any more and stop the senseless massacre.

However the nobleman who had been whispering love to her responded with a completely cold voice.

-That’s foolish. It’s already too late. Look clearly with your own eyes what happens to those who rebel against the nobles.

The man who whispered love in the past was no longer there. Instead all you see is a monster with ugly desires.

iced coffee. I see. This was this person’s true appearance.

Esmeralda sat down. Her empty eyes captured images of dying people.

-no.

Life is disappearing from a collapsing house. The embers scattered in all directions and eventually disappeared as if melting.

That spark is someone’s life. It was someone’s scream.

-no.

Esmeralda who was shedding tears endlessly fell down and lowered her head.

The noble man clicked his tongue at the sight.

-Is it broken? No this might be better. It would be easier to deal with if you behaved like a doll rather than not listening.

He had no intention of hiding his true feelings anymore.

-I can’t do it because the smell of burning trash makes me dizzy. I’ll go first so you guys stay behind and don’t leave a single rat behind.

-yes.

-Leave that woman alone for now and bring her to me when the situation is over.

-All right.

The noble left the burning village behind and took his immediate guards with him.

There was no trace of guilt on his face for having committed a massacre.

-It will all be over soon.

-okay. They say that those who were running away were all killed by those waiting outside.

-Tsk. So why are you bringing trouble to yourself by resisting the nobles? Let’s take the girl first. One way or another I am destined to become the master’s concubine.

The remaining soldiers followed the given orders and approached Esmeralda and stretched out their hands.

At that moment flames suddenly started burning around her.

The fireballs that rose one by one like wisps of the devil hovered around Esmeralda as if they were protecting her.

-What is this?

-Is this a spirit?

The soldiers who judged that they were the lowest-level spirits without proper strength waved their spears and tried to push the spirits away.

That careless behavior brought disaster upon itself.

The flames that spread through the spear engulfed the soldier. The soldier tried to shout something to the fire on his body but even his screams were swept away by the flames.

In an instant the two soldiers turned to ashes and disappeared.

The flame which was a spirit grew in size by using corpses as fuel.

It was now too foreign to be called a spirit.

The flame responded to Esmeralda’s despair. Flames rose all over the burning village.

The flames sucked up the red paint on the floor.

Ludger had no choice but to watch the scene.

Was it the grudges of those who had died?

The flames that absorbed the black and red paint on the floor began to coalesce around Esmeralda.

-What the hell! What have you done! Answer me girl!

The soldiers who saw that scene were filled with indescribable fear.

Esmeralda slowly raised her lowered head.

Her wide empty eyes looked beyond the soldiers to the place where the nobleman had completely left the village.

-I hate you.

What came out of my lips were the words of a deafening curse.

Eventually the flames gathered behind Esmeralda conceived a being.

The giant rose up his whole body engulfed in hot flames.

A stooped body with a fat ugly appearance. The face which seemed to be boiling with magma was distorted with anger.

Ludger remembered that spirit. This is the spirit that attacked the banquet hall at that time.

-I hate everything about you.

The soldiers panicked and raised their spears.

Esmeralda looking at the messy scene held her hands together and muttered as if she were praying.

-So please. <Quasimodo>.

Vengeful spirits of dead people and small spirits. And there a being created by Esmeralda’s despair and hatred tangled together in one place.

An artificially created incarnation of revenge.

-Burn everything.

Quasimodo opened his mouth and spewed out flames.

The new life born from death gave rise to death again.