Academy’s Undercover Professor-Chapter 322: A Midsummer Night’s Meeting (2)

Tap.

Flora stepped out, closing the door to Ludger’s hospital room behind her.

For a while, she leaned her back against the door, unable to move.

Her hazy gaze replayed the conversation she’d just had with Ludger like a projected film.

—That girl, Rine... what’s your relationship with her?

Flora had mustered all her courage to ask the question that weighed most heavily on her mind.

She did regret asking it right then and there—was it really necessary in that moment?

But the fear that she might never get an answer from Ludger if not now loomed larger.

Normally, Ludger would’ve responded to such a question with silence or bluntly denied anything was going on.

But perhaps because of what had happened in the mental world, Ludger listened to Flora’s question without interruption—and then fell into deep thought.

That alone made Flora realize that Ludger’s attitude toward her had changed quite a bit.

She was secretly pleased to feel that he cared more about her than before.

—It’s not something I can explain in detail. It’s a personal matter.

—So... you do have some sort of connection with her?

—It’s not a particularly good one.

—But for not being close, you sure seem to care a lot about her.

Flora let the bitterness she had been holding inside slip out.

Something she wouldn’t have done before.

Just as Ludger’s attitude toward her had changed...

Flora’s behavior toward him had also become more sincere.

What happened in the mental world had forged a kind of shared understanding between them.

No one else in the world would ever know what they experienced that day.

Even so, the girl named Rine lingered in Flora’s mind.

Ludger’s behavior toward Rine didn’t seem like anything close to a normal relationship.

—It’s something from the past. Rine doesn’t even remember it.

—You two met before?

Ludger gave a small nod.

Flora didn’t ask how they met or what had happened back then.

She couldn’t bring herself to ask.

Because for that brief moment, the look on Ludger’s face...

It had been steeped in a sorrow so deep, she had never seen anything like it before.

Seeing that expression made Flora’s chest tighten inexplicably.

Ludger had helped her.

But she couldn’t do anything to help him.

For the first time, Flora was struck by the realization of her own inadequacy.

And she wondered—

If something bad were to happen to her, would he make that same expression?

Flora shook her head.

No more negative thoughts. Hadn’t she resolved to change from now on?

She needed to try harder.

This was a chance she had gained only because someone had reached out their hand to her for the first time.

Even this very moment of breathing—she didn’t want to waste a single second of it.

Steeling her resolve, Flora began walking toward her own hospital room.

Step. Step.

“......”

Ludger, sensing Flora’s presence growing distant, remained seated, staring out the window.

Contrary to his earlier concerns, Flora seemed to be doing quite well.

Her tone, her demeanor—less forced than before. It was good to see her expressing her emotions more freely.

He was relieved, but that didn’t stop the thoughts from swirling in his mind.

The incident that had occurred in the capital would bring massive repercussions.

But Ludger wasn’t worried about the aftermath itself.

What bothered him was Rine’s condition.

When he saved her from Basara that day, he’d seen her eyes.

Eyes filled with radiant light—proof that the Judgment Eye had activated.

Basara had called Rine a Saintess.

Ludger knew exactly what that implied.

Rine had the qualities of a Saintess.

The Judgment Eye wasn’t something passed down through bloodline alone.

It was decided by something far greater—by fate itself.

A Judgment Eye that appears only once in a century.

And most of its bearers never even realize they possess such power.

The eye ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) only awakens when something on a global scale occurs.

Yet Rine’s Judgment Eye had awakened.

Not completely—but enough that even she would have sensed something strange.

And more than anything else, the fact that the Zero Order is searching for her bothers me.

If the Zero Order truly was the demon written about in ancient texts, the most likely reason he was looking for Rine was to eliminate her.

Ludger might be hiding it now, pretending not to know.

But eventually, it would all be exposed.

Would he truly be able to protect her, even then?

I just wanted her to live an ordinary life.

He had hoped she would forget everything and grow up peacefully.

But fate wouldn’t allow even that.

Ludger chuckled bitterly at the thought.

Right. Who was he to worry about anyone?

Wasn’t he partly responsible for how Rine ended up like this?

The day he killed her mother with his own bloodstained hands—

Rine’s life had already diverged from any semblance of normalcy.

In a way, even being concerned for Rine now was another kind of wrong.

A selfish act to lighten his own guilt.

That was how Ludger viewed his own concern.

But the damage is done.

Now that things had come this far, he couldn’t keep pretending not to know.

And as if fate were mocking him, there was another person tied to that same day now attending Seorn alongside Rine.

Freuden Ulburk.

That once small wolf pup had grown into a full-fledged adult.

And with it, his hostility had only deepened.

So far, it seemed he hadn’t said anything to Rine about the past.

But who knew when something might happen?

“Haa.”

Ludger recalled his final conversation with Andrei in the underground cavern.

There had been a time when he failed to protect someone—and fell into despair.

Andrei too had failed—and chose the path of a black mage.

‘Don’t fail like I did,’ huh?

Ludger found the words absurd—and yet...

He felt grateful for them.

That single, short sentence had pierced through his life.

And ironically, it had soothed his withered heart like a gentle rain.

I thought I’d live a life of solitude... but here I am, going through this kind of thing.

As he stared out the window, Ludger found it strange.

By now, someone who should’ve arrived before anyone else still hadn’t shown up.

That’s odd. I thought my teacher was in the capital. Isn’t she coming?

Knowing Grander’s personality, if she heard he’d been injured and hospitalized, she would’ve come to mock him at least.

Probably in the middle of the night, avoiding prying eyes.

Then again, she’s always been unpredictable. Wouldn’t be surprising if she just didn’t feel like it.

Ludger gave up trying to predict Grander’s behavior.

If she didn’t come—well, that was fine too.

***

“Tch. I could’ve chatted a little longer. He was actually a pretty interesting guy.”

Helia grumbled as she twirled the parasol in her hand.

The Zero Order said nothing in response, simply walking ahead of her.

The streets of the capital were bleak and desolate under the night sky.

The aftermath of the terror attack still lingered—no people in sight, and debris still scattered all over.

Helia found the scene oddly pleasing.

It looked as if the world had ended and no one had noticed.

Of course, the world hadn’t ended. By tomorrow, the streets would be cleaned up and restored to their former polished state.

“Still, better to enjoy it while it lasts...”

Just as she muttered that—

The Zero Order, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Helia, walking behind, also came to a halt.

“What, what? What’s going on?”

She craned her head over his shoulder to see what lay ahead.

And then her face twisted in discomfort.

In the middle of the wide street stood a young girl.

Bathed in the moonlight pouring down like a curtain, her golden hair shone with brilliance, and her crimson eyes glowed vividly despite the darkness.

She looked like a doll in a red dress—fragile, childlike.

But Helia knew exactly who she was. That’s why her face wouldn’t stop contorting. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

“Oh, why her, of all people...”

“Out for a moonlit stroll?”

Grander was the one who spoke up first.

“What a rare sight. Not one but two of your kind walking around together. No, if we count what happened earlier today, I suppose that makes three?”

Grander’s crimson eyes gleamed with chilling light.

Like ripples spreading from a drop falling into a pool of blood.

Helia instinctively gripped her parasol tighter.

The Zero Order, who was facing Grander head-on, showed no signs of agitation as he spoke.

“What brings you here?”

“Do I need a reason? Am I not allowed to be here?”

“I thought you preferred quiet. Didn’t you avoid crowded places?”

“That was a long time ago. My mood’s changed.”

Grander smiled playfully as she spoke.

“And now I’m annoyed. I came all the way here for a little sightseeing, and ran into not one, but two people I find unpleasant.”

“You’re the one who came looking for us. Or are you saying you want to fight here and now?”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

A crimson aura began to shimmer like a mirage around Grander.

Not to be outdone, Helia summoned black mana, preparing to cast illusions.

Grander curled her lip mockingly.

“You really think you can take me on with those cheap illusions? If I recall, I punished you quite severely the last time. Seems you’ve forgotten.”

“I can at least buy time to escape.”

“Still the same as ever. Always looking to flee from someone stronger than you.”

“No one wants to fight a monster like you.”

Grander’s eyebrows arched at the insult.

“Monster, is it?”

“...Uh, I take that back.”

Helia quickly backpedaled—at least in words.

But her actions said otherwise.

Around her, the illusions began to take form.

Ancient beasts—grotesque amalgamations of wild animals and insects—loomed in the air, waiting only for her command to lunge at Grander with suicidal fury.

But then, the one to intervene was the Zero Order, who had remained silent until now.

“I have no intention of fighting. Let’s leave it at that.”

“...What?”

Grander frowned, glaring at him as if to ask what the hell he meant.

But the Zero Order didn’t avert his gaze.

Their eyes clashed in the empty air.

Eventually, it was Grander who backed down first.

“Hmph. The thrill is gone.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“It hasn’t been that long since I last saw you, but you’re still different from the other so-called Apostles.”

“And you’re no different yourself.”

“True. A death-seeking immortal and an Apostle who refuses to search for God... what a joke. It’s laughable, really.”

The murderous intent radiating from Grander dissipated as if it had never existed, and Helia was left dumbfounded.

What the hell. I thought they were going to fight the moment they met?

She had been lying low the entire time she knew Grander was in the capital.

Even during her encounter with Ludger, she’d kept her illusion barrier brief to avoid drawing Grander’s attention.

But Grander had sharper instincts than expected.

She’d appeared before them just as they were about to quietly leave the capital—and even displayed hostility.

But now, bizarrely, it seemed like she wasn’t going to fight after all.

Did that old hag go senile? If it were the old days, she would’ve lunged at us in a blood frenzy.

Helia still felt a phantom chill crawl down her spine at the memory of it.

In contrast, the Zero Order looked like he’d anticipated all of this.

“You found it.”

Grander responded to his certainty with a scoffing laugh.

“‘Found’? Hardly. I just postponed my goal for a little while.”

“I see.”

“And what about you? Have you found what you were looking for?”

“Not yet. But I saw the traces. It won’t take long now.”

“You’re quicker than I thought.”

“What the heck. What are you two talking about without me?”

Helia cut in, but neither the Zero Order nor Grander answered her.

She might have been standing right there, but they were treating her like she didn’t exist.

Helia pouted.

“Ugh. Fine. I guess I’m not allowed to know. Whatever.”

With a petulant huff, she vanished like an illusion.

The spectral beasts she had summoned also melted into the air like mirages.

“I’ll be on my way as well. I trust you’ll keep the pact.”

Leaving those words behind, the Zero Order disappeared like black smoke.

“...The pact, huh.”

Grander repeated the word under her breath, then turned her jewel-like eyes toward a particular place.

The hospital where her foolish disciple was staying.

She’d thought about visiting just to mock him while he was bedridden.

But—

“Not tonight.”

Grander shook her head, disappointed, and turned toward her lodging.

In that case, I’ll go tease that kid Hans instead.

“Still... that disciple of mine really did pick up an amusing little one.”

***

Brrrr.

“...What the?”

Hans, who had been tending to Bellaruna in their room, suddenly shivered.

The incident in the capital should’ve been over.

So why did he feel so uneasy?

Just my imagination... right?