NOVPUBAt Selina’s question, I calmly set my utensils down on the table and replied.
“I haven’t felt the need for one yet.”
A lie.
Truthfully, I hadn’t even known assistant instructors were a thing.
‘Now that I think about it, I don’t think I ever saw the other professors walking around alone.’
Most teachers always had people following them.
Back then, I just assumed those were students tagging along to ask questions or something.
Or maybe errand boys.
So those were assistants?
Then... don’t tell me—everyone else had assistants except me? And I just didn’t know?
Selina’s reaction to my answer was one of genuine shock.
“Whaaat? Th-Then... things like organizing homework, keeping class rosters, and preparing lecture materials...”
“I’ve done all of it myself.”
“W-Wasn’t that... exhausting?”
Exhausting?
Well, yes. Dealing with nearly 80 students all on my own, organizing materials, preparing lectures—it was a bit of a hassle.
Especially checking off assignments one by one against the roster. That was the worst part.
But I never felt especially tired from it, so I shook my head.
“It wasn’t particularly difficult.”
“I-I see... Professor Ludger, how many students do you have in your class again?”
“Eighty. Full capacity.”
At those words, I heard several gasps from the other teachers seated at the table.
“W-Wait. So since the start of the semester, you’ve been handling all eighty students by yourself?!”
“Isn’t that normal?”
“That’s not normal.”
“It’s not?”
“No.”
...Huh.
Well, I wouldn’t know. I never paid close attention to the other teachers in the first place. How was I supposed to realize I was doing things differently?
“Then, Professor Selina, did you hire assistants as well?”
“Yes! Though I don’t need too much °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° help, so I only hired three.”
Only three?
If that’s not much, then what—are others walking around with ten?
I glanced around and happened to spot a familiar face outside the cafeteria window.
It was Chris Bennimore—the uptight, perpetually grumpy noble instructor who’s been in a foul mood ever since losing our little wager.
Trailing anxiously behind him were eight students.
...That’s a lot.
“You really should get some assistants too, Professor Ludger. Especially if you’ve got a full class of eighty! You’ll probably need at least five.”
“I agree.”
Even Professor Merilda chimed in.
“It might be fine for now, but over time it’ll definitely wear you down.”
“Is this something I need to do right away?”
“You don’t have to recruit them all at once. You can add more gradually.”
“I see.”
Hmm. They’re pushing it pretty strongly. I’m starting to think they may have a point.
Besides, judging by everyone’s reaction, not having a single assistant might actually draw more attention to me.
At the very least, it seemed like I should hire someone relatively soon.
“Understood. In that case, I’ll make it a priority to find an assistant as soon as I can.”
“Since you’re popular with the students, Professor Ludger, once you post the notice, I’m sure you’ll get a ton of applicants.”
“Even as flattery, I appreciate the compliment.”
“It’s not flattery though...”
“Well then, I’ve finished my meal. If you’ll excuse me.”
I rose from my seat, offered a polite nod, and exited the cafeteria.
* * *
“Hm.”
Back in the faculty office, I sat reading over the assistant recruitment handbook, one hand stroking my chin.
‘Even newly hired instructors can recruit assistants, and most have at least six. So this is something I should be doing.’
It made sense. Even among magicians, the tradition of master and disciple was strong.
The Mage Towers operated on that model too—each school had its masters, and under them, dozens of disciples.
Granted, in most cases “disciple” was just a polite way to say “indentured laborer,” but officially it was a teacher-student relationship.
This kind of structure had become customary, and Seorn Academy was no exception.
To my surprise, Seorn even had a graduate trainee system.
Instead of graduating after the fifth year, students could remain under the guidance of a professor to conduct magical research and write a thesis...
So basically, graduate school. 21st-century-style.
What a revolutionary academy.
For better or worse.
Anyway, putting that aside—
‘I don’t feel overwhelmed yet, so I didn’t see the need to hire an assistant... but it wouldn’t hurt to have someone to handle the grunt work.’
This wasn’t a Mage Tower. It was an academy. I didn’t need to worry about sensitive materials or someone leaking my secret techniques.
I’d only need them to organize lecture notes and paperwork.
‘An assistant usually gets bonus credit or personal instruction from the professor—that’s the extent of it.’
There was no obligation to pass on secret knowledge or spells.
If such a clause did exist, the faculty would probably riot.
I skimmed the rest of the document, crossed my legs, and laced my fingers together.
‘If I’m going to hire someone, I’d prefer someone competent.’
The simplest way to recruit was to post an announcement.
If I published a notice under my name saying I was recruiting assistants, students would apply, and I could screen them afterward.
Typically, assistants were graduating seniors—but there were no real restrictions on age or grade.
In fact, most new instructors selected from among their own first- and second-year students.
‘Should I pick someone from my own class?’
An assistant from my own lecture would essentially act as class representative.
In that case, I’d want someone who could lead and coordinate the students well.
I had a few candidates in mind.
The most obvious being Flora Lumos and Erendir von Exilion.
Both were high-ranking nobles—one a ducal heir, the other royalty. Both had the charisma to command any room.
‘But neither of them would ever agree to be an assistant.’
Besides, Flora... I’ve already scolded her a bit too harshly, and the princess, Erendir, is a bit too complicated to handle.
Making a royal princess my assistant?
Even in Seorn, where status equality is supposedly a principle, that’d be a step too far.
Even if she raised both hands and volunteered, I’d have to turn her down.
‘So, no clear choice for now. I suppose I can just post the notice and wait for applicants. Still, I don’t want to pick someone untested.’
If I was going to hire someone, I’d prefer someone easy to work with—maybe even manipulate.
No point dwelling on it right now. I decided to return to my quarters for the time being.
As I stepped out of the office with my coat and started down the corridor, I suddenly sensed a familiar presence and paused.
“Sedina.”
“Y-Yes!”
Sedina Roschen sprang out from around the corner, startled by my voice.
She looked at me with that same reverent gaze as always. It seemed she’d been waiting for me, hiding quietly.
Does this girl have nothing else to do?
“Do you need something?”
“Ah, no! It’s not that, I just—”
She squirmed nervously, clearly worried I’d scold her.
I was about to dismiss her, but then paused, considering her timing and presence.
“Actually, this works out.”
“Y-Yes?”
“You. Become my assistant.”
“Okay. Yes—”
Sedina nodded reflexively.
And then, five seconds later—
“...Wait, WHAT?!”
She yelped in shock.
All I did was say one sentence. The range of reactions is incredible.
“Do you not want to? I won’t force you if you don’t.”
“N-No! That’s not—ow!”
As she hurried to say no, she bit her tongue.
She cupped her mouth with both hands. Honestly, she looked exactly like a startled squirrel.
“So that’s a yes, then?”
Nod nod.
Sedina couldn’t even speak and just nodded furiously.
“Good. I’m glad. There’s still time, so prepare the application paperwork and bring it to my office.”
“D-Do you mean it? I really can be your assistant?”
“Why not? It’s not like I’d lie about something like this.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“You’ve got two days. Don’t forget.”
Leaving her with that, I turned and walked off.
As a member of the Black Dawn Order, Sedina had already proven herself capable when it came to gathering information.
Having her by my side would give me more opportunities to investigate the Order from the inside.
Instead of arranging secret meetings every time, it’d be much easier to stay in contact as professor and assistant.
And most importantly—it would reduce suspicion from third parties.
Choosing her wasn’t a bad move at all.
‘Well, Sedina is confirmed. I can expand the team gradually from here.’
Looks like I managed to pick up a useful little servant much faster than expected.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
* * *
A few days after the public duel between Aidan and Jeban Pellio.
Though the events of that day were still a topic of conversation among the students, as was typical, they quickly began to seek new gossip once the old news burned out like a spent log.
And this time, the topic everyone was buzzing about was more than worthy of setting the whole academy abuzz.
“Huh? It’s noisier than usual today, isn’t it?”
Rine asked casually, addressing the Third Princess, Erendir, who sat beside her.
There was a vast difference in status between a princess and a commoner, but since neither of them had close friends, they’d grown comfortable around each other faster than anyone might have expected.
Neither of them cared much for such trivial matters, anyway.
“Ah, junior Rine, you’re here. Lately, it seems there’s a peculiar rumor going around among the students.”
“A peculiar rumor?”
“Yeah. Something about Professor Ludger recruiting an assistant.”
“Wow. That is kind of exciting.”
The fact that Ludger Cherish hadn’t appointed a single assistant until now was already a small legend among the student body.
Considering how most teachers made it a point to have at least one assistant, the fact that a newly appointed instructor had gone this long without one was unusually rare.
There was even a running joke that Ludger might not even know he was supposed to have one.
‘Although... there’s no way Professor Ludger would be that clueless.’
He was far too meticulous a man to overlook something like that.
The joke was made in jest, of course.
If Ludger did announce he was looking for an assistant, the hallway outside his office would surely be flooded with students scrambling to be chosen.
Perhaps the reason he hadn’t hired one until now was because he hated that sort of noisy commotion.
“But that’s not even the hottest rumor right now.”
“There’s something even bigger? What else?”
“Mm-hmm. Rine, have you ever heard of the Seven Legends of Seorn?”
“The Seven Legends? No, I’ve never heard of them...”
Rine, unfamiliar with such things, didn’t quite know how to respond. 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
“Ah, as I expected.”
“Sorry... I’m not really into that kind of stuff...”
“That’s perfectly normal. The Seven Legends are mostly just rumors, after all.”
Which, of course, was exactly why students obsessed over them so much.
The Seven Legends of Seorn.
The most famous of them claimed that hidden somewhere within the academy grounds was a dungeon left behind by Seorn’s founder and first Headmaster.
It was known as the Room of the First.
Another famous legend spoke of a mystical tree that would grant your wish if you confessed beneath it.
“But the one people are really fixated on right now is this.”
“What is it?”
“The all-powerful wish-granting stone.”
For a moment, Rine thought she’d misheard.
A stone that grants wishes?
“There’s a rumor that it’s hidden somewhere within Seorn.”
“Wha—? Seriously?”
Rine tilted her head, clearly puzzled.
A stone that grants wishes? Could such a thing really exist?
Seeing her confusion, Erendir grabbed Rine’s cheeks and shook her head left and right.
“Junior Rine, you really don’t know anything, do you?”
“Uh... about what?”
“Don’t you realize how many unexplained mysteries are still out there in the world? Ancient monsters and demons, cryptids still scattered across the land, secret ruins, unknown deities...”
Erendir’s eyes gleamed with the light of wonder and curiosity.
“In a world like that, and in Seorn, the heart of all magical knowledge, how couldn’t there be something like that? Okay, maybe it doesn’t literally grant any wish, but it’s definitely an artifact with some equivalent power!”
“Uh, sure...”
Rine was slightly taken aback by Erendir’s tone.
As a princess, Erendir was always regal and composed, but this side of her—utterly passionate about occult rumors—was unexpected.
And judging by how she didn’t even notice how others might perceive her right now, it was clear this obsession went deep.
“Y-You really know a lot about this stuff, huh?”
“Oh! Sorry, I get kind of into it... Was it too much?”
“N-No! Honestly, it’s kind of nice to see.”
To Rine, this side of Erendir felt refreshingly human.
Outside of Seorn, she would’ve never even dared make eye contact with someone of such stature.
Always composed and charismatic before the crowd, the princess had interests and hobbies just like anyone else.
There was no reason to see that in a negative light.
“Anyway, the academy’s been in an uproar over this wish stone.”
“Ah, so that’s what all the noise was.”
It wasn’t just Rine and Erendir—every student around them was talking about the wish-granting stone.
Hmph. The ‘wish stone’? I can’t even pretend to take that seriously.
Flora Lumos scoffed inwardly as she listened in on the chatter.
If such a thing really existed, adults would’ve claimed it before it ever reached student ears.
If something like that was real, it would’ve been a matter for the state.
In the end, this “wish stone” was just another baseless legend that had bloomed from gossip and crowd hysteria.
To think people aspiring to be mages could believe such nonsense. It was disgraceful.
Watching students whispering excitedly about searching for it after class made her embarrassed to share the same school crest.
Whatever. I’ll just focus on my own work.
What Flora was paying attention to, though, were the occasional rumors about Ludger.
He’s recruiting an assistant? Professor Ludger?
The ever-thorough, seemingly inhuman man was recruiting someone?
Well, sure, a professor can recruit assistants. But to actually do it? Now that raised questions about who he would choose.
An assistant reflects the image of the professor, after all. They wouldn't pick someone incompetent.
A professor like Ludger would need an assistant who matched him in ability.
Someone like... herself.
Oh, for heaven’s sake. What am I thinking?
Flora shook her head.
The idea of volunteering to be Ludger’s assistant was ridiculous.
Unless he personally asked her.
Well... if he did... I suppose I wouldn’t completely rule it out.
There was no rush anyway. He might have announced it, but surely he wouldn’t choose someone right away.
Just as she was lost in thought, the front door of the classroom slid open—and a girl walked in.
Huh?
All eyes turned toward her.
Petite, with soft, voluminous chestnut-brown hair cut in a bob. The girl ignored everyone’s stares and confidently set a large bundle of documents onto the podium.
“Professor will arrive shortly, so I ask that everyone remain quiet.”
That delicate but assertive voice left Flora momentarily stunned.
Wait. He already picked one?
