Chapter 17 – Hey, You Too? Hey, Me Too (1)
“If you don’t like that idea, then let’s find another way. Either way, you cannot keep using methods that might get you or other students hurt. If you keep going like this, I’ll make absolutely sure you never get expelled. I’ll pile on remedial classes, personal counseling, max out your credit load, and even write a recommendation letter to the Magic Tower.”
That was the strongest threat she could make toward this irresponsible genius—whose career goal was literally “running away from the Magic Tower.”
“…….”
Noel stared quietly at Lucien, then lowered his head.
I thought she’d come up with something impressive.
What a ridiculous person. Her threats were so absurd that they almost felt… warm.
“Do you really think it’s okay if I don’t become the Tower Lord?”
“It’s not even a matter of ‘okay’ or not. These days, mages get scouted everywhere. Should I bring it up when your guardians come for their meeting?”
Talk to those people? Sure, in your dreams.
It was an easy thing to say because she didn’t know anything.
But up until now, no one had ever acknowledged Noel’s other possibilities—or even the right to choose anything else.
After all, he had been given a future before he was given a name.
“No. Don’t tell them.”
He didn’t really like Lucien’s idea—but he didn’t want the only person who acknowledged his hopes to get hurt.
Besides, from what Noel could see, Lucien’s body looked like it could fall apart any moment.
What kind of mana flow is that?
It was so backward that her body would break before any spell could even activate—
Just then, someone climbing the hill in the distance shouted:
“HEY!!! NOEL!! Who told you to cause trouble on the first day of the semester!!!”
“…Is that Noel’s guardian?” Lucien asked, switching back into teacher mode.
“I guess that guy is the one in charge this time.”
“In charge?”
“It changes every time.”
A position with constant turnover was never a good one.
But the fact that the frequently changing position was “guardian” gave Lucien mixed feelings.
“Huff… This inflexible academy… They act like opening a portal would kill them.”
He was quite young for the guardian of a teenage boy. A young man with short, chopped red hair he habitually ruffled.
“Nice to meet you, teacher. I’m Noel Efron’s guardia—huh?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
The two adults widened their eyes at each other. Noel blinked in confusion.
“Lucien Philonia?”
“Felix Vito?”
“What, you two know each other?”
Lucien responded with a flat tone.
“We were academy classmates. Like Estelle or Beatrice are to you.”
“You were Noel’s homeroom teacher?”
“And you were his guardian?”
“…….”
“…….”
Two former classmates—now essentially corporate slaves—stared at each other in solemn silence.
Lucien broke it first.
“I heard you were still in the Magic Tower, but I didn’t think you’d be Noel’s guardian.”
Felix Vito. Heir of the Vito Marquisate, a long-standing knight family—yet he had awakened as a mage, flipping the academy upside down.
Then at graduation, he suddenly marched straight into the Magic Tower, flipping his father’s stomach a second time.
“My eldest son turned out like THIS?!”
The marquis’ scream still echoed in her ears.
Felix rubbed his chin awkwardly.
“It just kind of happened…”
Meaning: he had a lot to say but wouldn’t say any of it.
“I heard you started teaching at Noctua, but I didn’t think you’d be a homeroom teacher.”
“It just kind of happened…”
Same meaning.
After this short exchange, the two exchanged looks of weary sympathy—social life solidarity.
“So, what kind of trouble did our future Tower Lord cause this time, teacher?”
Lucien smiled benignly at his “prepared-to-hear-anything” expression.
“He broke into the North Tower, knocked out the guards, and tried to disable the barrier stones.”
“…….”
“He also tried to jump off the tower roof. With some of his classmates.”
“…….”
“Oh, and for reference, those classmates happened to be Her Highness Princess Estelle and a Saintess candidate.”
Felix’s face turned as red as his hair. He glared at Noel, who shrugged.
“You little…!! I told you I don’t care what you do to me, but not to mess with the imperial family or the temple!”
“I wasn’t messing with them. I was helping them.”
He wouldn’t win this argument. Impossible.
Felix quickly gave up and grabbed Noel’s head, bowing both their heads deeply.
“I’m sorry, teacher. Whatever the imperial family or the temple says, we’ll handle it on our end… Just please avoid expulsion. As long as he’s not expelled, we’re fine with any punishment.”
“I’m okay with expulsion.”
“SHHhh! (You be quiet…!)”
Lucien watched the glaring youth and boy—sparks nearly visible—and sighed.
“Noel, I’ll talk with your guardian. Go back and write your incident report and reflection letter.”
“Don’t talk about useless stuff.”
He eyed her warily—meaning the “career discussion” earlier. Lucien nodded.
“If you write the reflection poorly, I’ll make you take my composition class.”
“Ugh—! Fine, fine, I’ll write it!”
He nearly swore, but when Lucien mouthed “manners,” he fled immediately.
Felix clapped quietly beside her.
He found one hell of a weakness.
Lucien watched Noel grumbling his way back to class.
“The disciplinary notice will be issued.”
“As long as it’s not expulsion, anything is fine. Though I doubt he’ll reflect on anything.”
“He will.”
She remembered the look in Noel’s eyes when he saw Beatrice defending him.
He couldn’t keep acting recklessly forever in front of a girl he liked.
And he’d hate having to continue counseling with his annoying homeroom teacher.
“Anyway, are you going to keep talking that stiffly?”
“Please keep things professional, heir of House Vito.”
“Oh? In that case, Lady Philonia?”
Felix reached for her hand as if to kiss it. Lucien recoiled, yanking her hand away.
“Did the Magic Tower run weird experiments on you?! What’s wrong with you?!”
“Haha! Now you sound like the real Lucien Philonia. You actually looked like a proper academy teacher earlier.”
His gray eyes curved mischievously.
He’s a mage, not a knight. I could probably punch him at least once, right?
Lucien clenched her fist.
“Why is the heir of House Vito doing this instead of inheriting your title?”
Unlike the other classmates, he wasn’t a second or third son who needed to carve out a path. He was the eldest—his title and family were guaranteed. Staying in the Magic Tower made no sense.
Felix shrugged.
“My father is still perfectly healthy and energetic. Besides, I have an older sister who’s much more talented than me.”
“The marquis really was cursed to have only useless sons.”
He just laughed cheerfully—but then suddenly asked:
“By the way, I heard the Duke of Rosanaht was recruited?”
“That rumor spread that far?”
“Of course it did. It’s that Duke Rosanaht.”
“…What are people saying?”
Lucien’s tone sharpened slightly. Felix shook his head.
“I don’t know. I’ve been stuck in the tower for three weeks until they summoned Noel’s guardian today. But you’ve always been weirdly sensitive when it comes to the duke. Even back then.”
“Back then?”
“Yeah, back in the academy. Everyone knew you liked the duke—well, he was only the young duke at the time—but still—”
“W–wait! What?!”
Lucien choked. What the hell was this idiot saying?!
Glancing around in panic, she saw no one nearby and grabbed Felix’s robe, shaking him.
“Don’t say dangerous things like that! Are you insane?!”
“…Was I wrong?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?! When did I—I mean—What?! I didn’t even know that senior existed!”
Felix’s expression twisted, as if she were the strange one.
“But the whole empire was going crazy because of the prophecy back then. The academy too. And you’re saying you didn’t know?”
Lucien’s expression dimmed slightly. Thinking about it… it was strange.
“And you yelled at us so much back then. Told us not to spread unconfirmed rumors. …Do you really not remember?”
“Me?”
Lucien slowly let go of his robe, looking genuinely lost.
