Chapter 59
“You… are the headmaster of the Magic Academy?”
“That is correct.”
Her sharp gaze stabbed through me from behind a pair of large glasses. Even at a glance, she was clearly a formidable mage—someone with power rivaling the Tower Master.
Duke Rufellin chuckled and tapped my shoulder.
“You always said you wanted to meet the Academy Headmaster someday. Take the opportunity and talk.”
“Ah…”
But I froze on the spot, unable to speak to her.
A question shot through my mind like lightning.
Wasn’t the Academy Headmaster supposed to be a man?
I frantically searched my memory.
When the dragon living in the Dragon Seas began growing more violent, the major leaders of various countries gathered for a meeting.
At that time, the Empire’s Academy Headmaster said something I remembered distinctly—because I wrote that line.
“With my strength alone, I absolutely cannot defeat a dragon. As a man, it pains my pride to say so, but there is only one mage stronger than I in this world: the Tower Master.”
He swore on his pride as a man. There’s no way the Headmaster was supposed to be a woman!
This makes no sense.
While I stood there in shock, Headmaster Melina gave me a curious look and asked again:
“Are you alright? Are you feeling ill?”
“N–no. I’m fine.”
I quickly schooled my expression.
“The air felt a bit stuffy, and I suddenly felt tipsy. I thought I should get some fresh air.”
I needed time to process this before talking to her again.
Melina was suspicious as hell.
Actually—forget Melina. The entire original storyline was becoming suspicious. At this point, the plot was diverging so much it felt wrong to even call it the “original story”.
I can’t rely on the original anymore. Plot, characters… now even genders are changing?! At this rate, the reference guidebook matches better than the original!
I nodded politely and tried to slip away.
Just then, cheers rose from one side of the room and Emperor Eveline shot to her feet, waving at me.
“Hero! Show them your power! They don’t believe me—I feel like some raving clown!”
She was drunk—slurring her words, face flushed.
I abandoned the balcony plan and approached her. Nobles gathered around tsk’d and fussed.
“We never meant to doubt the great Hero’s abilityyy. But it is a Hero’s appointment ceremony, yes?”
“Ahem. We only wished to confirm with our own eyes. Ahem.”
If they had complaints, they should have said so before the ceremony. I’d already been appointed, made my speech, and received my stipend. And now they wanted to nitpick?
I glanced at Eveline. Her drunken-looking eyes were sharp—frighteningly so.
Duke Rufellin’s warning echoed in my head: The Emperor is very dangerous.
So this is how Emperor Eveline works.
She had overwhelming presence, but she didn’t rule through fear alone. Sometimes she lowered her guard and acted familiar to disarm people—that was her specialty.
She only seemed drunk. That gleam in her eye made everything clear.
These nobles must have been meeting the Emperor for the first time. Trying to curry favor, they thought belittling me would impress her.
She called me over to crush them in one move.
So you doubt me. Fine. I won’t go easy either.
I casually raised my hand and summoned several strands of glowing force—then flicked them straight at those fools’ heads.
CRACK!
Like walnuts splitting open, they clutched their heads and toppled over.
“Gah—!”
“Owww!!”
Silence flooded the hall.
“Oh dear, I must’ve used too much force trying to convince you all. My mistake.”
I smiled sweetly—completely at odds with my tone of fake worry.
Eveline burst into applause, laughing with delight.
“Oh ho! The Hero’s power is truly magnificent! Now, does anyone still dare doubt the Hero’s strength?”
“You flatter me.”
I bowed and stood. Eveline winked—friendly yet terrifying at once.
Definitely don’t make Eveline an enemy.
Just as I was thinking that—
Headmaster Melina came chasing after me again.
“Hero—please wait!”
Despite her age, she moved startlingly fast, grabbing my arm.
“That magic light earlier—could you show me again?”
My light? Why?
Suspicious, I stared at her. But I’d already displayed it publicly—refusing now would look bad.
Reluctantly, I summoned the energy again. She examined it closely, eyes widening.
“This… did you know this isn’t magic?”
“Yes. The Tower Master of Tyan Kingdom said the same.”
Melina inhaled sharply, then spoke with awe:
“What a pure, benevolent force—I’ve never seen anything like it. If it isn’t too rude… may we research your power at the Academy?”
I shook my head at once. I didn’t trust her.
“Maybe someday. For now, circumstances won’t allow it.”
“Ah… what a pity.”
She lingered, clearly unwilling to give up, but I repeatedly refused.
The exhausting Hero appointment ceremony finally ended.
So tired.
Back in my room late that night, I collapsed on the bed and opened a crystal for video communication.
Arenes was a troublesome little chaos gremlin, but she was the only one I could talk to freely about the original story.
— The Academy Headmaster was a woman?
“Told you. Did you mess with the setting book again?”
— Ugh, why do you always blame the setting book? I didn’t touch it!
“You have a record. What do you expect me to think?”
Arenes pouted but didn’t argue.
I sighed.
“I can’t trust the original anymore. Everything keeps changing! What’s next—Duke Rufellin revealing he’s actually a woman too? Terrifying thought.”
— Pfft! You talk so funny!
“I’m serious! I’m going crazy. I wrote this story, yet nothing is going according to plan! Where’s my author buff? At this point the story is just beating me senseless!”
— Author buff?
“Think about it! Most reincarnated authors use their story knowledge to get rich and succeed! I thought I’d do that too—clearly not.”
— Stop whining and why don’t you join the hunting festival?
“Hunting festival?”
— Father—uh, the King—said the Empire will host one next week.
“Oh right, that event!”
It only got a brief mention in the original. Huge festival, massive prizes—seems it’s still happening.
— Since the original broke anyway, the Hero swooping in and winning shouldn’t matter. Go show off!
“…Arenes, you’re a genius.”
A golden opportunity to get rich!
I hugged the crystal sphere instead of Arenes and rolled around the bed in glee.
Breakfast.
I casually asked the Duke as he elegantly sipped his soup:
“Aren’t you going to the hunting festival, Your Grace?”
“Huh? The hunting festival?”
He paused and stared.
“Who told you?”
“I overheard the servants. It’s next week, right?”
“Why, planning to let me go?”
“Do you need my permission to attend?”
“Of course. You’re supposed to return straight to my duchy—no detours.”
Wow. Responsible much?
So he wasn’t going because of me, huh?
“Oh please. You never cared about festivals anyway.”
“If you cheer for me, I could win easily.”
“Oh? Such confidence~?”
“Well, I am the Empire’s sole Sword Master.”
“So you could beat me too?”
His eyes flickered for a split second.
“…What do you mean? You plan to participate too?”
