Research Life of a New Professor at Magic University

TN: I only noticed now I skipped a day, so this is opened earlier. My bad.

The Dean of Magic University was of noble descent,
He identifies more as a noble than a wizard.
It’s rumored he was born as the third or fourth son of a minor noble somewhere in the Rainflan region.

“What’s the matter?”

I’m sitting at the reception table in the Dean’s office, waiting for his words.
When I press him, he steers the conversation towards research.

“Your research was approved. Congratulations.”

“That’s good news.”

The research fund for that research is 30 silver coins.
After deducting the share for the undergraduate program and the department, about 25 coins remain.
Well, that should ease things a bit.

However, I doubt the Dean waited for me outside the lecture hall because of this.
Was he the type of person to do something like this?

Just as there is a Chancellor in the university and a Dean in the undergraduate program, there is a Dean in the department.
However, the status of the Dean is entirely different from the previous two.
It’s not just a matter of hierarchy.

“Did you personally come here because of this?”

“Yes.”

The Chancellor is practically an emperor within the school.
I actually want to call him a ‘deity,’ but I don’t want to face religious trials, so I refrain.
I can’t treat the lord of Trapeion lightly either, and they have extraterritorial rights within the university grounds.

Because it’s Trapeion, this much is expected.
Heck, the Chancellor of the Royal University is almost on par with the King.

Of course, only regarding magical education.
There’s no comparison on other matters.

And the Chancellor has no reason to oppose the monarch, so they won’t unnecessarily provoke them.
Even if the King were to come in person, they couldn’t be treated like any other servant, giving orders left and right.

“It would have been sufficient to convey it through a letter.”

The Dean is also akin to the King of the undergraduate program.
He oversees the professors of the program, their teaching, and even research under their control.
Personnel and financial matters are also entirely within the Dean’s authority.

The reason I could confront the Dean last time was because it’s a position that bears the expectations of the entire school.
Usually, newly appointed assistant professors don’t even see the Dean for several years after their appointment.

“It seems you didn’t think a letter would be enough, so I came in person.”

Then, what about the Dean?
Is the position of a Dean something like a duke or marquis governing the department?
At least, that wasn’t the case at Trapeion University.

The Dean is just a rotating seat for tenured professors.
Once you’ve served as a Dean, you’re treated as a senior professor, and that’s all there is to it.

‘Personally, I’d decline.’

During a Dean’s term, the salary increases, and they gain some authority in practice.
But fundamentally, it’s a position with much more responsibility than authority.
They still have to teach the same amount but end up with more administrative duties, leaving less time for research.
There are several rotating Deans, so asserting authority as a Dean would only invite ridicule.

So, the title of Dean doesn’t carry much weight.
No one thinks of the Dean as the leader of the department.

“But that would be plenty?”

Moreover, I’m not even a tenured professor, just a new assistant professor.

“Do you read your mail well? You’re always absent from faculty gatherings and events.”

“Well…”

Caught red-handed. It’s true, I don’t read them at all.
But how can they say ‘always’ when the semester has just begun?

“Now that I’ve mentioned it, why didn’t you attend the welcome party for new assistant professors?”

“Um…”

“…”

“Oops.”

*

“Surely, attendance wasn’t mandatory….”

“That’s what I’d say to other attendees! You’re the protagonist here! It was a celebration of your appointment! How does it make sense for you not to show up?”

I was left speechless.
I vaguely remember skimming through and feeling relieved when I saw the phrase ‘attendance is not mandatory, but please try to attend’ in the mail.
And then I completely forgot about it.

“Consider my dignity too! It was a gathering held for your sake! But if the person concerned doesn’t show up, what does that make the other professors?”

“I’m sorry… But, still… there were other new assistant professors besides me, right?”

“That’s right! Thankfully!”

I tried to take comfort in those words, but the Dean wasn’t having it.

“Judging by your response, you didn’t know! It’s a relief there were others! What would we have done if it had been just the old professors? And shouldn’t you normally check to see if any colleagues are joining you?”

“…I apologize.”

Wait, what’s going on?
I thought he was here to congratulate me on my research, but why am I getting scolded?

“So while I’m at it, I came to see your face too.”

“I see. Thank you….”

The Dean seemed to have unleashed what he wanted to say all along.
While I was entertaining the thought that perhaps the Dean wanted to personally greet me, he got straight to the point when I let my guard down.

“The research fund from within the university for the project might not be sufficient.
You must have had a tough time settling in, right?”

Considering the recent scolding, is it okay to voice my grievances?
Since I’m not particularly known for restraint, I spoke up immediately.

“Yes. There’s much to pay attention to at the beginning and many expenses to cover. Honestly, no matter how much the research fund is, it always seems insufficient.”

“In that case, it’s good news. There’s an opportunity for you. You’ve been requested for a special task.”

“From the department?”

“No, I have one.”

Typically, when initiating research, there’s a call for proposals. However, in cases where a specific individual is desired, it’s common to directly request their participation.

I’m somewhat renowned, and given my position as a professor at the Magic University, it’s plausible to receive such requests.

But the way it’s being conveyed now is peculiar.

Usually, requests for individuals go through the undergraduate program or the department.
From the department’s perspective, it’s advantageous since the affiliated professor covers the research expenses, and the department can also take a commission for facilitating the request.

However, “I have one?”

The department is not conveying it after review; the Dean claims to have brought it.

What kind of request is this, anyway?

“Who’s the requester? The Tower?”

“No, it’s personal.”

Considering the Dean’s background, the answer is simple.
He is a noble.
As I heard before, the Dean is the son of a minor noble from somewhere in the Rainflan region.

It’s not necessarily expected that someone pushed into learning magic due to family circumstances would become a professor.
Holding the position of a full professor at the Magic University entitles one to be treated publicly according to the standards of a baron.
It’s not a position one would lament, considering it’s a far cry from the position of a rural lord’s family head.

“Are you a noble?”

“Yes.”

However, he’s acting more as a minor noble than a professor at the Magic University.
Unlike me, who lived as a commoner, the Dean couldn’t ignore his family background.

I don’t know if the current lord is the Dean’s father or uncle.
But one thing is certain: regardless of the relationship, he holds positions that cannot be commanded by ‘mere’ Deans.

Whether it’s due to strong family bonds or simply being born into nobility, if it’s the latter, being of noble descent seems more like shackles to him.

“Please be more specific. Even if you don’t mention the name, I just want to know who this person is and why they’ve singled me out. But I won’t mind too much if you refuse.”

“The person who requested your service is a lady of a baron’s house. I don’t know why she singled you out.”

Ugh. No wonder I had a bad feeling about this.
Nobles who know little about magic aren’t particularly pleasant to deal with.
I find it easier to deal with wizards or scholars.

Among nobles, the worst are unmarried young women.
Even from the start, their tasks are far from my interests.
It’s unbearable to watch them proudly display their bizarre imagination without any understanding of magic.

The biggest problem, however, is that they continue to contact me personally even after the job is done.
Even after all the payments have been settled, they keep making additional demands, which is annoying.

“A noble lady?”

“Yes.”

“Suddenly, I’m not interested anymore. I’d better look for project proposals.”

Despite the Dean supposedly lacking power, it doesn’t mean he can’t make things difficult for a new assistant professor.
The reason I can openly show my dislike is that the Dean himself is disregarding norms.

This is something the department should handle.
It’s absurd for the Dean himself to act in a manner that goes against common sense.

Indeed, that noblewoman must be from a higher-ranking noble family than the Dean’s.
She probably requested that the information be kept private with as few people knowing as possible.
It’s likely the Dean came to me in a manner completely opposite to how he was probing earlier, possibly stung by my rejection.

“There’s no need to refuse outright like that. You haven’t even heard the details?”

“If it’s a lady’s request, it’s likely something mundane. Like enchanting her clothes or jewelry, right? Or perhaps designing some fancy invention that’s impractical.”

She could easily find cheaper and quicker services at a workshop if she wanted something like that.
I simply can’t fathom why she would entrust such tasks to me in the first place.
But the Dean shook his head.

“If you’re refusing because you dislike such tasks, that’s fortunate. But it’s not that. It’s not good to cut off without properly listening and acting based on prejudices, Professor Atwell.”

“Then let’s hear it. What exactly is this lady’s request?”

I was prepared not to be disappointed, even if the request related to dolls, crafts, or cooking.
But the Dean’s answer was far beyond my expectations.

In a bad way.

“She wants a sword. She’s different from those girls who only learn household chores and read romance novels. She’s been on the path of the sword since childhood, with expectations of becoming a swordmaster within a few years. And now, she’s the heir to the family.”

“A swordmaster?”

“Yes, Atwell.”

I’m even more inclined to decline if she’s just an ignorant swordswoman.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Do I have a master’s degree in swords? I don’t have anything like that. Tell her to go find a swordmaster.”

“Roger, please! I’m being serious here. Please spare me from your unfunny jokes!”

Noblewomen and swordsmen are both categories I’d rather not get involved with.
But a swordswoman? Is there such a ridiculous term in this world?
Sorry, but I don’t even want to indulge in politeness.

It’s not just that.
Approaching me through such an informal route raises the possibility of something unsavory.

“You should consider my dignity too! The fact that she’s here at the university right now! Can’t you at least meet her once? I’m not saying you have to accept!”

I was about to say there’s no need to meet her, but hearing about “dignity” reminded me of our previous conversation.
Remembering my absence from the welcome reception, a slight feeling of guilt crept up, making it difficult for me to refuse.

I really am too weak-minded.

“Sigh… So, what’s this lady’s name? No, forget about her name. What family is she from?”

“Well, thank you… You’ve probably heard her name before.”

“Is she from such a high-ranking noble family?”

“No. It’s quite close by. She’s from the Lacton family of the Duchy of Honlake.”

Lacton?

Stella Lacton’s enigmatic smile filled my mind.

*

Accepting the face-to-face meeting, I received the location from the Dean.
On my way to the café, my mind was fully focused, preparing all the words I wanted to say to Stella Lacton.

Challenging the authority of the professor, sharply criticizing the interference of secular power in academia, and planning to question the rudeness of coming without giving any prior notice…

When someone becomes too arrogant, they can overlook even the most obvious facts.
Upon reflection, it was clear that Stella Lacton, who had not a single callus on her hands, could not possibly be a candidate for Swordmaster.

“Pleased to meet you, Professor Atwell. I am Claire of the Lacton family.”

The person waiting for me was not Stella.
Instead, a beautiful blonde woman resembling her greeted me courteously.

I had to erase all the words I had prepared to address Stella.

‘Who is this person?’

Translator’s Corner

For anyone who’s read the other novel I translate, I really hate translating peerage titles. How do they always change? Then I have to go back and fix everything while verifying if it was ever right to begin with. Instead of a corner, this should be my ranting zone.

-Ruminas