NOVEL NEXT Chapter 259
I sat down in the chair he offered and asked, “I recall you had something to tell me at the ball.”
“Yes, that’s correct. I called you here today to discuss it. Have you checked your class schedule?”
“Yes, I plan to take <Magical Creatures> and <Alchemy>.”
“
Ah
, alchemy. Perfect timing.”
I tilted my head, puzzled about what he meant, and he continued.
“Actually, we’re adding a new course this semester called <Magical Plants and Alchemy>.”
It wasn’t listed on the schedule.
This course has everything I want. Sounds good.
The chairman then made a subtle request. “We’ve invited a new professor for this course, but we need an assistant, so I called you to ask for your help.”
Hmm.
It wasn’t an appealing offer. Using magical plants for alchemy would undoubtedly consume a lot of time preparing materials for the students. Though it might be shortened with some magic.
Ding!
[Quest: Assistant for <Magical Plants and Alchemy>]
▸
Reward: Guaranteed top grade in <Magical Plants and Alchemy>
▸
Failure: Cannot enroll in <Magical Plants and Alchemy>
※
Declining is considered a failure.
I frowned.
This becomes a quest?
The course <Magical Plants and Alchemy> wasn’t part of the original setting. There were many classes not set in the game, but becoming an assistant suddenly? Why did this appear as a quest?
Feeling something was off, I asked before accepting. “Who is the professor?”
“Marquis Ozworld Vallensia.”
“…
Ah
.”
I almost laughed in front of the chairman. No wonder the quest seemed odd; the professor was Ozworld.
Ding!
[The Constellation ‘Ozworld is Real World’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]
[Ozworld as a professor?! This visual explosion is crazy.]
Seeing my lukewarm reaction, the chairman tried to persuade me more.
“The Vallensia family is renowned for alchemy. Moreover, the marquis runs a well-known potion manufacturing company.”
He meant that owning several magical farms under the company would be beneficial for me.
“And aren’t you two close?”
We appeared together as partners at the ball, and many nobles saw us dancing the first dance. Plus, rumors of us getting engaged spread due to his stay at the Squire estate. However, it was an uncomfortable misunderstanding.
“Not at all. I didn’t even know Marquis Vallensia owned such a company. And he is closer to my father.”
“
Hmm
. Well, either way, you’re acquainted, and he’s a young professor, so it won’t be bad. I’ve asked him to accommodate you as much as possible. What do you think?”
I reviewed the quest again. This quest seemed to merely ask for my consent, offering minimal rewards and penalties. Normally, I’d refuse without hesitation, but things were different now. I was on the verge of reaching 1 billion coins, and Ozworld’s presence always boosted my coin earnings. So, having him around was advantageous.
“I accept it.”
Ding!
[Quest: Assistant for <Magical Plants and Alchemy> completed]
▸
Reward: Guaranteed top grade in <Magical Plants and Alchemy>
“Thank you, Theresa. I was worried about facing the Marquis Vallensia, but you’ve put my mind at ease.”
“It’s my duty as student council president to set an example.”
The real reason I accepted wasn’t just that.
The constellations provided various information about Ozworld becoming a professor.
Ding!
[The Constellation ‘Channel Manager, Please Step Aside’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]
[Ozworld’s actions are impressive
ㅋㅋ
. There’s now proposing a law to ban channel managers from broadcasting.]
Ding!
[The Constellation ‘Open Ozworld’s Account’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]
[But is it okay to keep appearing on the broadcast like this? The atmosphere in the Pantheon is unsettling… I wish Ozworld would stop appearing on the broadcast
ㅠㅠ
.]
Ding!
[The Constellation ‘Gossip Addict’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]
[Worried about the anti-fans? Don’t be. The ones causing trouble will soon be cleaned up in the Pantheon
ㅋ
.]
Pretending not to care about the constellations’ chatter, I asked the chairman for the location of Ozworld’s lab.
“Professor Vallensia starts in two days, so you can coordinate your schedule then. If you need anything, just let me know.”
“Understood.”
After the chairman left, I looked around the lab. It was similar to other professors’ spaces, except for the large table and specialized tools for preparing magical plants for alchemy.
“It really doesn’t suit him.”
Ozworld and alchemy. It was like pairing romance with an incompatible combination.
Seems like a course designed to capture my interest.
How dedicated is he to his role as a male lead that he even became a professor at Valhalla?
I was curious about the content he prepared.
“I’ll find out in two days.”
Hopefully, he prepared something interesting. So I could keep him close for a long time in this potentially dangerous world.
I hoped Hardy and the man in the black butterfly mask would achieve their goals.
* * *
Three days had passed.
Ding!
[The Constellation ‘Boarding on Ozthere Ship’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]
[Ozworld not showing up? Is he insane? Can you still call yourself a male lead?]
As the constellation said, Ozworld didn’t come to see me. I checked, and he did show up for work. But he just didn’t call for me.
“What is he doing?”
Should I go to him first?
Confused, I packed my bag and left the dormitory. Classes started today.
“Hello, Senior!”
“Good morning, Senior!”
“I respect you, Senior!”
Entering the main building early as usual, every student I passed greeted me.
“
Uh
, hello.”
Waving them back made them almost squeal. What’s with them…? The old Clybe and now the Therdang were enough to fuss over me.
“
Kyaaaa
~! Lady Theresaaaaa!”
“Our student council president is here~!”
Just in time, members of Therdang appeared and noisily filled the lobby. Now, I realize how badly I treated Clyde.
“Lady Theresa, where are you going? We have something for you!”
“You must accept our masterpiece, the Demon God set, which we made with great effort over the break!”
Wearing fluttering black dresses, the Therdang members ran towards me, and I fled to the second floor. Just a glance showed the Demon God set was an embarrassingly revealing dress. No way I’d ever wear that!
Ding!
[The Constellation ‘Therdang’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]
[Think about the effort they put into making it; please wear it
ㅠ
.]
“If only it’s wearable. Move!”
In an instant, I moved from the central staircase to the student council room on the second floor.
Ah
, I should’ve gone to Ozworld’s lab instead… Clicking my tongue, I left the student council room and headed towards Ozworld’s lab.
No one should be there, so it should be okay… What’s that?
The corridor to the lab, which I thought would be deserted, was crowded with students. It was easy to find the reason. Ozworld, taller than everyone, with his bright blond hair and beautiful face, stood out.
Ding!
[The Constellation ‘Face Inspector’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]
[His face is seriously stunning.]
All the students were girls, chatting around Ozworld with adoring faces.
“Professor, are you engaged? Do you have a lover?”
“I signed up for your class this time! The competition was so fierce I almost couldn’t register!”
“Please teach again next year! Please?”
Ozworld, always popular at the Squire estate, was behaving like a top star, showing consistent kindness to everyone despite his haughty appearance. Well, he must be used to it from his experiences in the Pantheon.
I should come back later when there are no people.
I tried to leave quietly, but Ozworld’s eyes met mine. Then, the students turned their heads to see who he was looking at. They eyed me warily.
“…Greetings, Professor.”
Instead of responding to my greeting, Ozworld addressed the students. “I need to prepare for my lecture. If you have questions, please come later.”
“
Aww
.” The students reluctantly left, casting glances at me.
Freed from the students, Ozworld opened the lab door and looked at me. “Will you come in?”
Knowing I was the assistant, he didn’t invite me in but asked if I wanted to. A subtle difference, but it changed entering the lab from an obligation to a choice. Like the quest asking if I’d be an assistant with minimal rewards and penalties. It was hard to explain, but it felt like falling into a trap, making me uneasy. But I stepped forward.
“Yes, Professor.”
Whether it was a trap or not, he was my worst adversary.