The Academy’s Undercover Professor – 160



◈ Episode 160: Children and Adults (2)

“…I am indeed.”

After hearing everything Ludger said Hans made a blank expression but soon relaxed his shoulders and laughed.

“It seems like you really like children.”

“Me?”

“Are you really going to deny that? “Even though you say you shouldn’t reveal your true identity what you do always attracts people’s attention.”

Hans didn’t know either.

The various actions that Ludger has shown so far sometimes seem different from his purpose.

A person whose identity is hidden reveals his or her abilities takes on a dangerous task or teaches important magic at will.

It was all mainly when I was involved with students.

“Isn’t being a teacher just a calling even though it’s forced upon you? “Well I’ve known for a long time that you care very much about children.”

“I don’t do it because I like children. “It is only my duty to act like this.”

Ludger couldn’t do what he wanted to do in his past life.

This is because his mother’s teachings and the path he wanted to follow were completely different.

Nevertheless he remained stubborn until the end but the end was not good.

It was the same in this life that was difficult.

I couldn’t even imagine enjoying something in this life as much as I couldn’t achieve in my previous life.

At an age when he should have been at peace like other children he had to contend with death.

I’ve lived that kind of life.

I have walked that path.

Ludger just hoped no one else would follow in his footsteps.

Hans who knew some part of Ludger’s past looked at him with a sad look and said

“…You may not know this but it’s great that you think of it as a duty and know how to think of others. “Because there are more people in the world who can’t do that.”

“Isn’t it funny to look at people who can’t do that and settle down and feel relieved that they are better than those people?”

“But everyone says that.”

“okay. Everyone does that. But I don’t do that.”

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“In my opinion you are just a teacher by nature. “If I had lived without hiding my identity I would have gone somewhere to teach children.”

Hans shook his head thinking that Ludger was stubborn in this regard.

Then as if he suddenly realized one thing he lifted his head up.

“No but isn’t it a bit absurd to call the students here children?”

“What do you mean?”

“Honestly if you look at the students who attend here based on their age it wouldn’t be surprising if they were already treated as adults.”

Hans’ point was valid.

The average age of Seorn’s students is 18.

Considering that in this world anyone over the age of 17 is considered an adult I couldn’t really just view them as children.

There were definitely students younger than him but considering that they were almost 20 years old after 3rd grade it might have been rude to treat them like children.

“Still he’s younger than us.”

“older brother. “Don’t you know that there isn’t much of a difference in age between me and the 5th graders here?”

“what? “Hans how old were you?”

In response to Ludger’s question Hans laughed as if it was absurd.

“Didn’t I tell you? “I’m 24 years old this year.”

“….”

Ludger’s eyes widened as if he was shocked for the first time.

“Oh really?”

“Why are you so surprised? older brother. “Do you know that the expression on my face right now is like that of someone who saw something he couldn’t see?”

“No I just… um.”

“Don’t apologize.”

“sorry.”

“I told you not to apologize!”

Ludger looked at Hans with a sad gaze.

Honestly when I saw Hans I thought he was in his mid-30s if not in his 40s.

But he was younger than me.

‘When I think about it I’ve been calling him ‘hyungnim hyungnim’ ever since we first met.’

At that time I thought he was just calling me older brother out of courtesy because he was stronger than me.

If you live on this floor you will be divided into older and younger siblings according to ability regardless of age.

I thought so but he was really young so I called him brother.

Ludger offered words of comfort to Hans.

“I understand. “If a person lives a rough life he or she may lose a lot.”

“Do you know that it makes me even more angry when you say that? “I didn’t die!”

If you think about it it was like that.

In terms of rough life Ludger lived more than 10 times more rough than Hans but isn’t there a significant difference in appearance?

From Hans’s perspective it was just a feeling of unfairness that made him want to die.

As difficult as it is Ludger should already be in a coffin when he gets old but that person still has good skin and a cute face.

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Did you say that noble ladies take good care of their skin to prevent the passage of time?

Hans realized how meaningless those words were.

‘Why is management so important? In the end it’s all innate.’

People who are strong in themselves do not age easily even when they get older or go through difficult times.

The world was full of such unfair absurdity.

Hans could not help but lament inwardly.

“Hans. “Is things going well outside?”

“I didn’t do it because I wanted to… What did you just say?”

Hans who was muttering to himself belatedly realized that Ludger had called him.

“I asked if things were going well outside.”

“ah. That’s pretty smooth. “First of all the magazine is becoming more and more popular and has a bright future and the first preview of the musical was held and the response was enthusiastic.”

That day.

Ludger planted several seeds in dark damp back alleys that people didn’t visit.

A seed of possibility that is not yet in this world but is bound to emerge someday.

Circus which mainly performed in circuses had a successful first performance through a musical and received a positive response from people.

Old Kids’ magazine business was progressing smoothly and sales were gradually increasing.

“What about the others?”

“Led by the Black Rose Women we completely renovated an entire street and turned it into a street for artists. “We removed all the trash and sewage and completely leveled the building.”

“I’m glad everything seems to be going well.”

“The only thing we need to be careful of is that other commercial districts that were closely watching our movements have started to keep us in check.”

At first people in the surrounding commercial districts were busy snorting at the behavior of the lower-class people in the back alleys.

They thought that even if they tried to do something it would ultimately be a waste of money and time.

But it didn’t take long for the sneers on their faces to turn into anxiety.

The poor people’s business which they had ignored began to expand at an unusual rate and they felt a sense of crisis.

The magazine began to sell out quickly and become popular and the musical which was laughed at as a failure became a huge hit from the first performance.

It was clear that the Fashion People’s Street that would be held later would also be successful if things continued this way.

“They are slowly trying to keep us in check by bribing the city and police. “Anything is fine so I’m just asking you to shake it off for now.”

“Did you respond well?”

“Of course. Because I expected it to be like this from the beginning. When I showed him the permit he fell silent. “It was a good thing we spent a lot of money lobbying in advance.”

But Hans continued.

“Seeing as it has become a bit quiet since then it seems like they are planning something more. “They’re not the kind of guys who will sit still after just stabbing them once.”

“Just in case warn others to be careful.”

“I know. Ah brother. And lastly this one.”

Hans took a bottle of bright red reagent out of his pocket and handed it to Ludger.

Ludger naturally accepted it.

No one around noticed the intimate exchange.

“This is.”

“The medicine my brother brought back during the werewolf incident. “The analysis is complete.”

An experimental drug obtained by wiping out the entire underground factory of the Shamsus School during the werewolf incident.

This drug which turns humans into monsters even when diluted and administered in small doses was the product of a collaboration between the Black Dawn and the Shamsus School.

“Bella Luna had a hard time finding out. Still it was a success in the end.”

“What are the results of the analysis?”

“Among all the magic reagents mixed with black magic there was one that stood out. “They used a narcotic hallucinogen extracted from the Peluma plant.”

Peluma is a plant that was used as medicine in the past because it has the characteristic of showing a strong pain-relieving effect.

Nowadays it is a material that has been virtually banned from use because it is highly addictive and dangerous due to its hallucinogenic effects.

“As you know this Peluma has one famous feature that everyone knows about.”

“The places to grow are very limited.”

“That’s right. And there is only one place in the Exilion Empire where this Peluma can be harvested. A thorn forest adjacent to the city of Baltanung. “It’s a plant that only grows there.”

Baltanung was a nearby city adjacent to Lederbelk.

Ludger nodded.

“If we investigate there we might be able to find out about the secret branch of the Black Dawn Society. If you’re lucky you might find a hidden base nearby.”

“Once the current project reaches a stable level I will go check it out.”

“okay. “It’s not busy work.”

Above all there was an urgent fire nearby that needed to be put out immediately.

“I heard that you have discovered the identity of First Order Esmeralda.”

“okay. I figured it out. “Even though I didn’t mean to.”

“I have to ask you how it is but looking at your expression I don’t think you’re very happy about it.”

Ludger nodded.

Hans and Ludger stood side by side and stared at the children who were talking and playing with the mini golem.

In that state Ludger told Hans the truth he had discovered.

Everything about Esmeralda and how she ended up like that.

“her.”

Hans sighed after hearing the whole story.

“I never thought he would hide his identity in such a way. “Are you glad you found out now?”

“Because it’s better to know than not to know.”

“So what about you brother?”

“What do you think?”

“I asked if you were prepared.”

Ludger was unable to hastily respond to Hans’s point.

“…older brother. “I’m just asking this out of curiosity but are you seriously thinking about it?”

“….”

“Whew. I fully understand your position. You probably don’t feel like it. “I might have to kill a fellow teacher with whom I have been close.”

Hans turned his head and saw the scene of a peaceful festival in his field of vision.

Hans looked up at the sky as he saw people happily enjoying the festival under the lights.

The sky was so fucking bright that it seemed as if it didn’t recognize their situation.

“But you know. “Otherwise my brother could die.”

“yes.”

“Innocent victims are always bound to come forward. Of course I’m not trying to justify that. That’s a shame. But you’ve experienced it too. “Even if we are careful about cancer there will be victims.”

And even if you try hard you can’t save everyone.

At Hans’ words a scene from the past was overlaid on Ludger’s retina.

Beneath the children playing I saw a boy bleeding to death.

He slowly approached and lifted the boy’s upper body up with both hands.

The boy’s body almost lifeless was as cold as ice.

-Mr. Moriarty. Please take care of my younger brother.

After saying those words the child closed his eyes.

The dream of believing in myself following myself and becoming a great scholar one day was blown away by the wind.

Only the red blood that proved that he had once been alive was dripping from his hands.

“older brother?”

Hans’ voice called Ludger back to reality.

Ludger looked at his hands. The hands were not red and there was no blood on them.

“older brother. Are you okay?”

“…okay.”

“Anyway what I’m trying to say is this. If it’s something you have to do don’t hesitate. You know it too. “It’s like an unwritten rule for the people living on this floor.”

“As we live in a world of violence we always keep in mind that something like this will happen.”

“It’s bittersweet but that’s reality. If you don’t kill it you die. “Then I have no choice but to kill you.”

Hans was about to say something to Ludger but stopped.

Although this man always seemed strong on the outside he was actually a more sensitive person than anyone else.

He is a man who acts like a human butcher when dealing with bad guys but cares too much about innocent people.

‘what. All of our organization members including myself see that kind of human side of you and follow you.’

Still it wasn’t comfortable to see Ludger so lost in worry.

Hans gave him words of encouragement to cheer him up.

“haha! What are you afraid of? “I’m sure you’ll do just as well as you have done so far!”

Was it too much to be excited?

Hans hit Ludger on the shoulder with his palm.

Patting someone on the shoulder takes too much force.

“ah.”

The atmosphere suddenly became cold.

“….”

“Uh um. “I didn’t mean to do that on purpose I just tried to help my brother because he seemed to be feeling down.”

Hans trailed off.

Ludger ended up bursting into laughter at the sight of Hans who was always so frightened that he couldn’t speak properly.

“I know.”

“ha ha ha. Isn’t that true too? “I believed that my brother would not keep something like this inside!”

“More than that Hans.”

“yes?”

“There is a small animal sanctuary here in Seorn that collects endangered species. Why not stop by there?”

Hans broke into a cold sweat at those words.

It’s a shame not to keep it inside.

* * *

The third day of the festival has arrived.

Although it was normally time for Ludger to go on patrol he was unable to do so.

‘How did I end up here?’

Tables and chairs with pure white tablecloths are placed outdoors in a large area.

A fully prepared dinner.

Even people of noble status chatting here and there over drinks.

The place he was at was an outdoor banquet hall where only authorized people could enter during the festival.

“Hehehe. “I also like drinking alcohol during the day.”

Heyback Kadatushan chuckled next to Ludgar.

‘And why does this person keep clinging to me?’

This is why I don’t really like festivals.