……Excerpt omitted.

Mage ranks are divided by proficiency into < Major >, < General >, < Expert >, and < Master >, culminating in the title of grand mage at the < Legend > level.

Ruspell O El is a Master-level Mage.

He possesses a genius talent for fire-attribute magic and was already evaluated as having reached Legend-level in offensive magic by the age of fifteen.

After focusing on researching and experimenting with destructive power, he entered a long period of rest following the Demon King’s retreat.

It was a complete disappearance—there were no research achievements, no records of experiments, nothing at all.

And five years later. He resumed his activities by participating in the Grand Plaza construction project.

From that point onward, he focused his research on practical magic, particularly in the field of construction, and succeeded in commercializing roughly half of his inventions.

Master Ruspell holds a total of 117 patents. The profits earned from them are enough for three generations to live on for a thousand years, and his most famous invention is the < Sprinkler >.

Excerpt from < I’ve Ended Up As the World-Saving Saint >.

***

Her voice trembled slightly.

“Don’t tell me, Ruspell……”

“Oh, you know of him, Your Grace. That’s right. Master Ruspell is in charge of the Basic Magic Class.”

“……!”

No, Ruspell is teaching children? That ‘Mad Dog’ Ruspell?

“I heard his personality doesn’t suit the teaching profession…… That’s unexpected.”

“Hoho, Professor Ruspell may be a genius, but he isn’t particularly gifted at teaching others.”

“Did Master Ruspell volunteer to become a professor?”

“I wish that were the case, but in truth, I couldn’t leave him alone, so I forcibly dragged him here.”

“……?”

Before I could voice my question, Oswald quietly opened the classroom door and whispered.

“Now, please come in.”

I entered the lecture hall.

My meeting with Leonhart was a mess, but Ruspell should be fine.

My heart pounded with excitement.

“……?”

The classroom was filled only with children; Ruspell was nowhere to be seen.

Oswald asked the children with a serious expression.

“Chase, where has Professor Ruspell gone?”

“The professor hasn’t arrived yet.”

“What? Again?”

Oswald, who had raised his voice in anger, glanced at me and forced a smile.

“Ah, perhaps he’s still in his laboratory? Well, when you’re engrossed in research, you often lose track of time, hahaha!”

“Huh?”

“Ahem, ahem! I’ll go check the laboratory, so wait quietly and don’t make a fuss.”

Grandpa, your acting is terrible.

Why was he trying so hard to hide the fact that a mage was late?

‘Is he in the middle of an experiment?’

Ruspell’s concentration was terrifying.

Mages are generally like that, but Ruspell was on a whole other level.

Once he started an experiment, he completely forgot about reality.

He wouldn’t eat or sleep. He didn’t even realize he was hungry. He wouldn’t notice if someone was dying right beside him.

But no one took it seriously.

Even though he’d emerge from his experiments looking like a skeleton, no one questioned if that was okay.

Mages are human too.

So, I dragged Ruspell out of his laboratory.

So he wouldn’t starve to death. So he could wash at least once a day. So he could get the bare minimum of sleep.

“Pel, let’s go have a beer with the guys.”

“Can’t you see I’m in the middle of an experiment? And I told you not to call me that!”

“Rus, want to go for a beer?”

“Just don’t call me. Please, don’t talk to me!”

“Hey, you like talking to me.”

“……Are you insane?”

“You haven’t eaten a single meal today, have you? Want me to buy you a lunchbox?”

“You eat it!”

“Can’t you speak a little nicer? It’s such a waste on that handsome face.”

“Hmph. What nonsense.”

“Can I watch your experiment later?”

“No! Do you think I don’t know you’re just going to nag me to sleep again?”

“Pell, were you that embarrassed to let me see you sleeping? Don’t worry. You don’t even snore and sleep very quietly.”

“……Let’s settle this today. You wait right there.”

“Then we’ll go ahead to the tavern. Take your time washing up and come out.”

“Get back here! Hey!!!”

I stubbornly dragged Ruspell out of his laboratory, and every time, Ruspell would come along foaming at the mouth in protest.

In the end, we fought so much that we became friends. A pretty ordinary story, really.

Now, without someone like me to bother him, he must have reverted to his old ways.

‘But if he became a professor, he should at least keep to the class schedule.’

Oswald turned to me and scratched the back of his head.

“I apologize, but I’ll go to Professor Ruspell’s laboratory for a moment. Will you wait here, Your Grace?”

[Level 3: (With a look that says, How dare someone like you inconvenience me?) A mere professor is causing trouble. I’ll come with you.]

I sighed as I read the command.

A mere professor is causing trouble. I’ll come with you.

I was planning to follow anyway.

If Ruspell was immersed in an experiment, Oswald alone would have a hard time getting him out.

I made eye contact with Fiache.

“Fiache, stay here in the lecture hall with Luna. It would be good to greet the children you’ll see often from now on.”

Fiache grabbed the hem of my clothes with an anxious expression.

“……C-can’t I g-go with you, Y-your Grace?”

“Why, are you scared of the children?”

“N-no…… It’s just, I’m n-not good at t-talking……”

[Level 1: (Coldly) What a waste of the Ivrante name.]

I hardened my expression coldly.

As the atmosphere changed, Fiache froze stiff.

“What’s your name.”

“Huh?”

“I asked for your name.”

“……It’s F-Fiache.”

“Is that all?”

“N-no, I’m F-Fiache I-I-Ivrante.”

[Level 1: (Sneering) You know that, yet you still act this way?]

“Right, you are Fiache Ivrante. Do you know what that means?”

“I-I’m sorry. I d-don’t really know.”

[Level 2: (Strictly) There is no one in this classroom who can look down on an Ivrante.]

“It means there isn’t a single person in this classroom who would dare look down on you.”

I paused and raised only my eyes.

“I think all the children here know that? If they don’t, I can personally inform them.”

The children who had been glancing this way quickly turned their heads.

Perhaps frightened by my sharp eyes and sinister tone, hiccuping sounds began to be heard here and there.

I scanned the terrified children and then turned my gaze back to Fiache.

“Do you still want to come with me?”

“……No, I’ll s-stay here. H-have a safe trip.”

“Luna, stay by Fiache’s side.”

“Yes, Master.”

Oswald and I left the classroom and went back up to the 5th floor.

Oswald knocked on Ruspell’s laboratory door.

Knock knock.

“Professor Ruspell, are you in there?”

Naturally, no sound came from inside.

Knock knock knock knock knock.

“Did you forget you have a class? Professor Ruspell, I know you’re in there, so answer me!”

The laboratory remained silent.

Oswald knocked rapidly on the door, raising his voice.

BANG BANG BANG!

“Professor Ruspell! Master Ruspell! Ruspell! Hey, you damn bastard! ……Hmm? Is he really not here?”

Oswald, who had been pounding on the door as if to break it and shouting at the top of his lungs, soon tilted his head in confusion.

“I thought he’d be in the laboratory, but it seems he’s stepped out. Phew, I’m truly ashamed to face you like this, Your Grace.”

Just then, Undine’s telepathy pierced through my mind.

[Rianne, should I go in and check?]

I glanced at Oswald and gave a slight nod.

Oswald, who had been thoroughly embarrassed, let out a deep sigh.

“I must be honest with you. Every year around this time, Professor Ruspell gets, um…… a bit depressed. So, he sometimes skips classes or is late.”

The words Ruspell and depression didn’t go together, like oil and water.

Considering the kind of person Ruspell was.

If the phrase I alone am honored above heaven and earth were turned into a human being, it would be Ruspell.

He was always confident. He preferred to eliminate anything bothersome rather than avoid it.

His own mood was his top priority; he never cared about anyone else’s feelings.

If he was angry, he’d rage like fire; if he was happy, he’d laugh loudly. Regardless of time or place.

‘What could have happened to make him like this……’

Hiding my impatience, I asked as if uninterested.

“Did something bad happen to Professor Ruspell?”

“Adella Helsington died around this time, you know. It seems the shock was significant.”

“……What?”

“He blamed himself so much, saying it was his fault he couldn’t save her even though he was right there, that he couldn’t get over it. I dragged him to the Academy because I was too worried to leave him alone.”

What, it was because of me?

You idiot……

That’s not your fault! You couldn’t save me because of the author’s intent, not because of any mistake of yours!

“It might be inconvenient, but perhaps you could observe another class today. There’s a Swordsmanship Class…… Ah, and an Architecture Class shortly after.”

[Rianne, Ruspell has sealed the interior with a barrier. I could probably break through using mana…… but then that old human would notice. What should I do?]

‘Is he really in the middle of an experiment?’

Ruspell had a habit of setting up barriers before experiments to maintain a perfect environment.

‘……But sound should still be audible?’

Was it because I heard that Ruspell was tormented by guilt? My heart beat unpleasantly.

In the past, whenever something like this happened, someone always got hurt or something bad occurred……

Just then, a command appeared.

[Level 3: (Looking exasperated) Then let’s do Architecture.]

The reason I chose the magic class in the first place was due to the lousy author’s command.

It was also the lousy author who led me to Ruspell’s laboratory.

‘And now it’s suddenly telling me to change course?’

The sense of foreboding grew until it was impossible to ignore.

I didn’t know the why

I just suddenly wondered if a character from Part 1 was even necessary in Part 2.

The command appeared again, as if warning me.

[Level 3: (Looking exasperated) Then let’s do Architecture.]

I hastily grabbed Oswald’s arm as he was about to turn away.

The penalty began immediately.

A vicious pain stole my breath.

“Ugh!”

I barely managed to steady my fading consciousness.

If I fainted here, Ruspell would be in danger. It was no longer a premonition but a certainty.

“The door…… open it.”

“Huh?”

“Break this door down right now!!”

Pushed by my urgency, Oswald instinctively cast a spell.

“Fireball!”

Kaboom!

The door shattered into pieces with a loud explosion.

I rushed inside, waving away the acrid smoke.

“……!”

Ruspell was hanging from a rope.

He hadn’t set up a barrier to control the experimental environment.

This crazy bastard.

“Pell!”

Ruspell opened his tightly shut eyes.

His pitch-black, lifeless pupils shifted between me and Oswald.

“P-Professor Ruspell! Why on earth would you do such a thing……”

Oswald hurriedly ran over and lifted Ruspell’s legs.

Soon, his wrinkled face turned bright red, and veins bulged on his forehead.

Swallowing the blood surging up my throat, I shouted.

“What are you doing! Cut the rope!”

“Ah, r-right!”

Oswald hastily cast another spell.

The next moment, the rope Ruspell was hanging from snapped.

Thud!

Crash!

“Ouch!”

Ruspell and Oswald tumbled to the floor in a tangled heap.

“Cough! Hah, hah! Gag!”

“Y-you brat, my stomach’s going to burst…… Get off me quickly……”

My legs felt weak, as if I might collapse any moment.

I bit my tongue and straightened my back.

Then, I approached Ruspell, who was sitting on Oswald’s stomach.

Ruspell, breathing heavily, looked up at me.

The moment our eyes met, I swung my hand with all my might.

Slap!

Ruspell’s pale cheek instantly swelled red.

Slap!

This time, a handprint appeared on the other cheek.

Only Oswald fidgeted anxiously in the middle.

“T-this is outrageous! Your Grace, please calm down. Professor Ruspell, are you alright?”

Ruspell slowly touched his cheek without answering.

He wasn’t the type to endure being slapped.

He’d more likely hurl curses and Magic Missiles at the other person.

But now, his face showed no trace of anger; even his former unrestrained self was hard to find.

His sharply upturned brown eyes were lifeless, and his lips were covered with white, chapped skin.

His cheeks were hollow. The healthy glow of his skin was gone, leaving it dry and rough like sand.

The mage with a fierce appearance and an even fiercer temper was gone.

Only a lifeless corpse remained.

The depression emanating from him was suffocating.

He looked as fragile as a thread stretched to its breaking point.

I bit my tongue.

Betrayal? Disappointment? Anger? I didn’t know what this feeling was.

My insides boiled furiously, feeling like they might burst at any moment.

Heat surged through me, enough to withstand the penalty without fainting.

I forced down the rising blood again and spoke.

“To do such a thing where children are present. Professor Ruspell, are you in your right mind?”

“Your Grace! Professor Ruspell isn’t that kind of person! There must be some misunderstanding……”

“Misunderstanding? So, am I seeing things now?”

As the situation became difficult to salvage with excuses, Oswald pressed Ruspell.

“Professor Ruspell! Apologize to Her Grace! Hurry!”

“Why…… Cough! Cough! Hack!”

Ruspell started coughing mid-sentence. After what just happened, it was no wonder his voice wasn’t working properly.

“Hah! My disciple! Are you alright? Let me see. Hmm?”

Oswald’s complexion suddenly changed drastically, and he made a fuss.

His face was full of concern, despite his earlier anger.

Ruspell pushed Oswald’s hand away with a ragged voice.

“Move aside, Master.”

“No, you damn brat, I’m now…… Ahem! Professor Ruspell, you don’t seem well, so the Headmaster will personally check on you. Now, lift your head.”

So they were master and disciple.

No wonder Oswald seemed to dote on Ruspell unusually.

“Let me see how hurt you are, you brat!”

“Stop it.”

Ruspell avoided Oswald and moved his lips slightly.

An ordinary person might not have noticed, but I knew what he had just done.

Upon closer look, the rope marks on his neck had disappeared.

He hadn’t healed them; he had used magic to transfer the wounds somewhere else on his body.

‘Must have moved them to his forearm.’

Ruspell, who had been rubbing his perfectly fine arm, suddenly inhaled sharply.

“Where’s that smell of blood coming from?”

“……!”

Did he smell blood on me? I pursed my lips and subtly turned my body.

“Huh? Smell of blood? Are you hurt somewhere?”

“No.”

“What do you mean? Who else here could be bleeding besides you?”

“That woman is here too.”

“W-woman! Watch your tongue. This is Duchess Adrianne Ivrante!”

“Adrianne?”

“Gasp! You mustn’t address Her Grace so casually!”

“…….”

I had expected that Ruspell wouldn’t recognize Adrianne.

He was the type who paid no attention to anything outside his interests.

‘It seems that part hasn’t changed.’

As I smiled bitterly to myself, Oswald roared angrily.

“Professor Ruspell! What’s with your attitude from earlier! Think of how shocked Her Grace must have been because of you! And you continue to be rude?”

Even as he said that, he was busy winking at Ruspell.

It seemed he was trying to defuse the situation by acting more furious than my angered self, before I could do anything to Ruspell.

“As Headmaster, I order you. Apologize to Her Grace at once!”

Despite his stern voice, the affection and worry in Oswald’s eyes toward Ruspell were palpable.

It was understandable to cherish a disciple who had grown into a Master-level Mage and became a hero who defeated the Demon King.

And it was only natural to worry when such a disciple fell into depression and abandoned his life.

No wonder he worried.

That was probably why he’d brought Ruspell to the Academy.

To keep him close and watch over him.

‘With a master like this, why would you do something like that, Ruspell?’

I could understand mourning my death.

I could even tolerate the guilt he felt. Though it made my blood boil.

‘But this is too much! What did I say about throwing your life away! You stupid brat!’

The guy who acted like he owned the world!

I was about to retort but turned my head sharply, thinking it would only make the smell of blood more noticeable.

My fingertips trembled. It was the first time I had hit a friend.

But if this would make Ruspell come to his senses, I was willing to beat him to a pulp.

‘Sigh……’

As my agitated heart gradually calmed, a question arose.

‘Lousy author, what on earth are you thinking?’

I couldn’t tell if they had tried to save Ruspell or kill him.

Or perhaps they wanted to see if I would follow the instructions even in an urgent situation?

‘Anyway, I saved him, so that’s enough. Now I just need to make sure he snaps out of it.’

I clenched my fingertips, which wouldn’t stop trembling, and looked around.

‘What a mess.’

Ruspell, who had obsessive tendencies, couldn’t tolerate disorder.

Especially with magic experiments, where a single speck of dust could change the result, he obsessively maintained a state of cleanliness.

But this place was far too cluttered.

Documents were scattered all over the floor, and not a single book was properly shelved.

It wasn’t filthy, perhaps because someone came to clean, but it was so chaotic that there was hardly any place to stand.

‘Why is it so dark?’

Large windows were covered by blackout curtains, blocking out every trace of sunlight.

The lighting wasn’t bright either.

It wasn’t a cozy dimness; it was suffocating and bleak.

‘Even a perfectly sane person would be prone to depression staying in a place like this.’

It truly upset me.

The fact that Ruspell had neglected his laboratory to this extent.

The fact that he had let himself go to the point where he could calmly accept such an environment…

Above all, the fact that this was all because of me was the most heartbreaking.

[Level 3: (Covering your nose with a handkerchief) Does Professor Ruspell always use his laboratory like this?]

Perfect. The smell of blood had been bothering me. I pulled a handkerchief from my clutch and covered my nose and mouth.

“Does Professor Ruspell always use his laboratory like this?”

Instead of Ruspell, Oswald broke into a cold sweat and made excuses.

“T-that is… P-Professor Ruspell has been so busy lately that I believe he hasn’t had time to organize.”

“Was he busy experimenting?”

“W-well, most likely. He is a mage, after all…”

“I thought a clean environment was the basic requirement for magic experiments. I must have been mistaken.”

“…”

Oswald, whose lie had been exposed instantly, flinched.

I had no intention of reprimanding Oswald.

Like most ordinary people, he probably assumed I knew nothing about magic.

“Dean, when did Professor Ruspell start teaching?”

“A little over a year ago.”

“Has Professor Ruspell succeeded in any experiments during that time? No, has he even been researching anything?”

“…”

Oswald fell silent.

Of course there were none.

Unless a mage was desperate to die, they wouldn’t try to experiment in a place like this.

Well, from the looks of it, Ruspell seemed to have given up on experimenting entirely.

“Why do you keep researching so endlessly? Is it still not enough?”

“It isn’t a matter of satisfaction. The moment a mage stops researching, they begin to regress. And a mage who does not progress is as good as dead.”

And he was the one who had said that…

“I don’t understand why the laboratory is so dark. Does he never see the sun? Even a corpse would have more life than the professor.”

“P-Professor Ruspell is only like this today; usually, he is perfectly fine.”

“When was the last time he bathed? Does he even eat? Does he sleep?”

“He eats and sleeps, he does everything he’s supposed to…”

“He looks like he doesn’t even have the strength to stand. How is he supposed to teach the children?”

“Ah! Please do not worry about that. Professor Ruspell teaches quite well when he is actually teaching.”

“Is the Dean Professor Ruspell’s spokesperson?”

“T-that is, because Professor Ruspell is naturally so taciturn… My apologies.”

Ruspell is taciturn?

The kid who used to complain from the moment he woke up until the moment he closed his eyes at night?

What nonsense was that?

If I had pushed him like this in the past, Ruspell would have already unleashed a barrage of magic.

He would have snapped at me for daring to lecture him.

But now, Ruspell just stayed still.

‘What is he thinking… is he even listening to me?’

His eyes were covered by his hair, so I couldn’t tell what expression he was wearing.

‘Talking to a wall would be less frustrating than this.’

Then, a gloomy and slow voice leaked from Ruspell’s lips.

“Experiments… I was doing them until a moment ago.”

“…”

“I was.”

He spoke too slowly. Like someone who found talking a chore but was forcing himself to do it.

‘An impatient person would have a heart attack.’

Oswald looked greatly relieved and grabbed Ruspell’s shoulder.

“Professor Ruspell! Is that true? Well done, well done! Yes, what were you experimenting on?”

“The success rate of spells and the delay in magical activation time…”

“…”

“…in a situation where one’s life is on the line.”

“W-was that so?”

“I was doing it until the Duchess interfered.”

To think he could come up with such a blatant lie in this situation.

The atmosphere had changed a lot, but his mind was still working sharp.

I let out a loud, pointed sigh.

“Dean, how long must I listen to this nonsense? I’m starting to find this unpleasant.”

Oswald, who had been uncertain about Ruspell’s excuse, cleared his throat and admonished him sternly.

“Professor Ruspell, this is your final warning. Show proper courtesy to Her Grace and apologize sincerely. Otherwise, you will be expelled from the Academy… well, not expelled, but something very unpleasant might… happen.”

Ruspell seemed indifferent to Oswald’s warning.

His brown eyes watched me from beneath his shaggy hair.

“Have we… met before?”

[Level 1: (Snorting as if it’s absurd) Hmph! Are you daring to make a move on me? At least you have eyes.]

…Lousy author, now is not the time.

How can you write a novel when you’re this bad at reading the room?

Just quit now. A cliffhanger ending is fine.

I ignored the command.

“Didn’t you say with your own mouth just now that this was the first time you’ve seen me?”

“I did. I never forget someone once I’ve seen them. But…”

Ruspell tilted his head to the side and muttered as if talking to himself.

“But why did you call me that?”

Hadn’t I called him Professor Ruspell this whole time?

I remained silent, not knowing what he meant.

Then, brown eyes with a sharp glint pierced my face.

“You called me ‘Pell’.”

“…!”

I did? I really did? That’s impossible.

I had no memory of it, nor did it make sense.

After all, throughout the entire expedition, I had been the only person reckless enough to call Ruspel “Pell.”

Others had been disgusted by Ruspell’s erratic personality and avoided him.

There was no way I would have called him that.

‘Unless I want to be suspected of being Adella…’

Could Ruspell have lost his mind and heard hallucinations? Just as I was getting worried.

[Rianne, Ruspell is right. I heard you call him ‘Pell’ too.]

…The one who had lost her mind was me.

I barely managed to move my frozen lips.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re not denying it…”

“Would you believe me if I did? It seems Professor Ruspell is already convinced.”

“I’m not convinced. It’s a fact. I heard it clearly.”

“Then there’s even less need for me to answer. Think whatever you want. It has nothing to do with me.”

His brown eyes gleamed sharply from beneath his hair.

He clearly didn’t believe me.

‘No, why on earth does he remember words he heard while he was hanging by his neck so accurately!’

I thought an indifferent attitude would be better than strong denial, but it didn’t work on Ruspell.

My heart beat wildly.

The longer I stayed around Ruspel, the more disadvantageous things would become for me.

Ruspell was a genius who could derive the answer from even the most trivial clue… and I was a fool who made fatal mistakes the moment I got startled!

Let’s put the strategy of beating Ruspell into submission so he’d never do this again on hold for now.

I was on the verge of fainting anyway.

‘I need to go back quickly.’

I quickly wiped away any sign of panic.

“Dean, that’s enough for today.”

“W-will you be leaving? But there are other classes…”

“I had high expectations, so my disappointment is all the greater. If this is the sort of professor teaching here, the Academy’s standards are obvious. I’ll put the donation on hold.”

“Y-Your Grace! This man has nothing to do with the Academy’s standards-”

“Are you saying he doesn’t?”

“Of course he does, which is why I’m trying to apologize on his behalf, isn’t it? Hahaha. So if you could grant us just one more chance… Y-Your Grace? Your Grace!”

I turned away coldly as if he wasn’t worth listening to and walked out.

I couldn’t tell if the cold sweat running down my spine was due to the pain or Ruspell’s persistent gaze.