The Academy is Doomed

Chapter 21

The villagers are in the midst of cleaning up the devastated potato fields, and my father has stepped away to talk to an old acquaintance, Caselag.

Amon was also talking to Anar’el.

“He comes over every now and then to discuss magic with my father, and we talk about this and that. He’s like a neighborhood grandfather I’ve known since I was a kid.”

Anar’el listened in silence, then spoke up.

“But he’s a dragon.”

“Yes, he is.”

Amon’s nonchalant answer puzzled Anar’el.

What is a dragon?

Rulers of Middle-earth, protectors, and all sorts of other terrifying labels!

“Besides, isn’t he……a Black Dragon?”

“As far as I know, yes.”

“Oh my…….”

To the Elves, the word dragon was nothing more than a word of horror.

A green dragon was better, loving the forest, but a black dragon symbolizes destruction!

That’s why she fainted as soon as she saw Caselag.

“Uh, how did you come to be acquainted with such a person?”

“Well……I’ve known him naturally since I was a child…….”

At that, Anar’el felt a twinge of unease.

Amon liked to present himself as a man of common sense, but there were certain things that sometimes defied it.

“You don’t know much about dragons, do you? They can be very angry if you mess with them.”

Amon frowned at the question.

“Who’s an idiot to not know that dragons are dangerous?”

“Well, then why would…….”

“But not all dragons are dangerous.”

“You mean……?”

“Well, Mr. Caselag says he’s an old, sickly dragon, and he doesn’t get out much, and he doesn’t know any other dragons, so he comes to our estate once in a while to socialize, and he’s a lonely old man.”

Amon clicked his tongue as if he was imagining Caselag, old, sick, and lonely, scratching at the floor of his room, alone.

‘An old, sickly dragon,’ Anar’el thought.

Dragons are so transcendent that they only grow stronger with age.

They don’t call them Ancient Dragons for nothing.

‘This man believes what the dragon told him when he was younger.’

It was clear that he thought of dragons as old dogs that had been kicked out of the pack.

So Anar’el decided not to think about the matter any further.

“I see!”

“Yes, that’s what it is.”

Thankfully done explaining Caselag, Amon cut to the chase.

“So, Headmaster, I assume you’re familiar with the situation on our estate?”

“……Yes, of course.”

Caselag’s appearance had forced it to back off, but the Elder Drake’s attack had wiped out half of the estate’s potato fields!

“The manor is in a mess, so I don’t think we can continue the field trip.”

The original plan was to explore the Arma Mountains, learn about monsters, and study manor management.

But that wasn’t possible right now.

“So you’re asking me to return to the academy.”

“Yes, they could use an extra pair of hands, so I’ll help out, but it’s my personal business, so please treat it as a vacation.”

Anar’el nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, I see.”

Amon narrowed his eyes as he watched her in silence.

“You sound like you’ve been waiting for this.”

“It’s ……that can’t be right.”

Anar’el said, ears perked up in disbelief.

“You told me to go back, so I did, but what does that mean all of a sudden?”

“I’ve been watching the principal for a while and I’ve felt that if she’s the type of person who would say, ‘I won’t go since I came all this way! I’ll stay and help!’”

Amon’s suspicions have grown during his time at the Academy!

“……You’re afraid of dragons.”

Anar’el’s ears twitched at Amon’s sharp reasoning.

“You said he’s a close old man? If he’s close to Amon, he’s close to me. I can’t be scared, can I?”

“Then you can stay, Headmaster.”

“Why ……?”

“I’ve heard that elves have their own magic that helps crops grow.”

Anar’el’s ears perked up.

“How does that…….”

Amon pulled out the letter.

“The King of Mango Farmers wrote in the letter that you went there on your day off and cast a spell.”

“……They promised to keep it a secret!”

Grinding her teeth in exasperation, Anar’el flicked her ears.

“Ha, but the effect of that magic is minimal! It’s called a unique magic, but it’s actually a traditional dance of the elf village……”

“With half the potato field blown away, we need every bit of help we can get.”

“…….”

“Please.”

Amon’s earnestness finally made Anar’el’s ears perk up.

“I have to confess, you’re right.”

“What?”

“I’m afraid of dragons, and I heard that once they come, they stay for a few days.”

“That’s right.”

“If I stay here for those few days, I’ll go crazy with fear. Look, I’m shaking even now.”

Indeed, as soon as she made eye contact with Caselag, she fainted with fear.

“So please let me go back.”

Her voice was almost pleading.

Amon considered the desperation in her voice and sighed heavily before answering.

“No.”

The answer was like a knife, and Anar’el screamed.

“Why, why!”

“Are you going to drag everyone from the Academy with you, and then run away as soon as things get bad?”

“That, that’s……!”

“That’s not possible, Headmaster.”

True enough, but it seemed unreasonable to Anar’el.

“Huh! Do you think I can’t go if you tell me not to?!”

She shouted, preparing her warp magic.

“Lead me where you want me to go! Whoa……!”

Amon shouted, pointing behind her.

“Master Caselag, have you come!”

He didn’t.

But Anar’el was so terrified at the thought of a dragon behind her that she failed to cast her warp spell.

“Keeeeeeeeee!”

Anar’el screams as she is torn apart by the impact of her mana!

Amon paled as he watched her collapse and pass out.

“I’m……f*ed.”

* * *

Amon’s room.

Since she had nowhere else to stay, Amon offered her his bed in his room.

And Amon was bowing his head before Anar’el, who was lying on the bed.

“I’m sorry.”

“……hhhh!”

“Hmph!”

Amon squirmed as Anar’el’s snorting grew stronger and stronger.

‘Her ears are standing up like never before, so she must be pretty angry.’

After all, Anar’el had failed her warp magic and was unable to use magic for the time being!

That means that the scum of the academy, other than the students, can’t go back either.

‘I can’t imagine them helping rebuild the potato fields.’

We’ll be lucky if they don’t destroy what’s left of the potato patch.

‘Vice Principal Brestle will definitely try to steal the remaining potatoes, and Senior Marion and Senior Sloth……’

Marion is a viscount and Sloth is a marquis.

Since they are both nobles of considerable rank, it would not be strange if they thought that potatoes were hanging from trees until yesterday.

‘They’d never dream of helping the laborers.’

He was crushed by the disaster he had brought upon himself.

“Ehhh…….”

“What was that sigh?”

“I’m sorry. I was thinking of something else.”

Amon, who had gingerly pushed himself to his feet, said from his knees.

“Well, then, my esteemed headmaster. What are you going to do from here on out?”

“What can I do, I’m stuck here!”

“……Yes, we’ll make sure you’re as comfortable as possible during your stay, and we’ll keep Mr. Caselag out of here as much as possible.”

“Hmph, of course…….”

The door swung open and Caselag entered.

“Amon, are you there?”

“Kaaaah!”

Caselag shook his head as he entered the room to find Anar’el fluttering about on the bedroll.

“Were you mating?”

Amon gasped at Caselag’s ridiculousness.

“Old man, what a terrible thing to say!”

“No, it is not, and by the way, I came to see your superior, the elf, who has been ill since a failed spell.”

“It’s all right, I’m much better.”

“Yeah, well, an elf can handle a spell failure or two.”

Amon said, seeing Caselag stroking his chin as he spoke.

“Phew, you don’t need to bother with that. Thank you.”

“Yes……ah, when do you plan to return to the manor again?”

“Well, I don’t know……I’ll have to accumulate vacation time, so it will be a few months, I suppose?”

Caselag nodded approvingly.

“Good timing. I’ll be ready by then.”

“Ready for what?”

“Preparing a gift, should I say?”

Amon’s eyes lit up.

“Is it gold?”

“No.”

When Amon’s shoulders drooped in disappointment, Caselag added.

“Something more precious than that.”

Amon’s sagging shoulders straightened.

“I’ll come as soon as I have time off.”

“Heh, heh, heh, and know that I have something important to tell you then.”

“Something important?”

“I’ll tell you about it then.”

“Mmm…….”

Well, if he was going to talk about it while giving a gift, he was going to ask for a pretty important favor.

‘But he’s going to give me something more precious than gold…….’

I’ll do him a favor, any favor.

Amon replied readily.

“Okay!”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll see you later.”

Caselag left the room and a moment later Anar’el peeked out of the covers, her face pale.

“He’s gone?”

“Yes.”

“……hulp!”

Amon sat up when he saw Anar’el pinching her nose.

“Anyway, get some rest. The old man won’t be around much longer.”

“…… Okay.”

As he walked out, Marion approached him.

“How is the principal?”

“She’s fine, by the way, everyone.”

Amon explained the situation.

“We’re stuck, so we need your help here!”

Fortunately, there was no pushback.

“I see. As a vice principal, it’s my duty to help teachers in their time of need.”

“Vice Principal, what is in that pocket?”

“……It’s just a pocket.”

“Give it to me!”

“Ack!”

After subduing the brazen potato-stealing Brestle, I looked at Marion and Sloth with uneasy eyes.

“You two are…….”

“Huh?”

“You do know what a potato is, right?”

Marion said with a wry smile.

“I’ve been in the army before, back in the Great War, overseeing the soldiers. I even helped out a bit with the labor.”

“Oh, oh, oh……!”

“It was mostly radishes and beans back then, but I suppose it’s not much different.”

“Of course, Mr. Marion, good luck!”

“Hehe, okay. Leave it to me.”

I turned my head.

“And you, senior Sloth, are you……?”

Sloth replied bluntly.

“I had a few potato trees in my yard, too.”

“Ms. Sloth, you should just take a break.”

“Huh? Okay.”

Sloth is out!

“Well, then, Chloe and Boris, I guess…….”

Chloe said honestly.

“I’ve never farmed before, but I’ll try my best.”

“Chloe! You never cease to impress me!”

I patted her on the head and Chloe let her head fall back.

And then.

“Sir.”

“Eh? Yes, Boris!”

“You see, I’m from a mountain village.”

Amon’s eyes widened.

“Well, then…….”

“I’ve been helping on the farm since I was a kid.”

“……!”

“Spreading compost and fertilizer, plowing fields, digging grooves, catching pests! You name it!”

Amon hugged Boris, the farming ace.

“Please take care of me, Boris!”

“Yes, sir!”

Chloe, who had been watching Boris being spun around in his arms, clicked her tongue and turned her head away.

“Boris, that pig bastard…….”

But no one heard the muttering.

Whether that should be considered a good thing or not, no one knows.