Episode 29. A Professor in Both Hands (1)

“What do you think a hero is?”

Every Monday, there’s a Combat Training lecture.

As soon as Professor Lucas entered the classroom, he threw a sudden question at the Candidates.

“…Huh?”

“A hero?”

The Candidates looked bewildered by the sudden question.

“Isn’t a hero someone who has received the blessings of the seven gods and can wield the Holy Mark?”

“If it’s about wielding the Holy Mark, even a Mine can do that.”

“Well…”

“What I want to know is why we started calling humans with the Holy Mark ‘heroes’ in the first place.”

Professor Lucas scrawled the word ‘Hero’ on the blackboard and waited for an answer.

An awkward silence fell over the classroom.

The ticking of the clock echoed like thunder.

“Is it really such a difficult question that you can’t answer?”

“……”

Despite Professor Lucas’s urging, no Candidate stepped forward to answer.

The Candidates attending the ‘Combat Training’ lecture were now third-years, considered upperclassmen.

They had learned from experience that catching the professor’s attention… especially the attention of the ‘Bloodthirsty Hound’… was not a good idea.

“Fine then.”

Professor Lucas scanned the Candidates and then pointed at one of them.

“Candidate Albert.”

“Not again! Why is it always me? Why always me!”

As soon as his name was called, Albert jumped up from his seat as if having a fit.

He shook his head firmly, determined not to let it slide this time.

“I don’t know!”

“You don’t?”

“Yes, I don’t know! No, even if I did, I wouldn’t answer!”

“Oh? Is that so?”

Professor Lucas nodded with interest and pulled out a large bottle of juice from his pocket.

It was Professor Lucas’s special ‘Health Juice,’ which he had shown once before during a Mental Training lecture.

“You know, Albert, this health juice also has the effect of clearing the mind…”

“The reason humans with the Holy Mark are called ‘heroes’ is related to the ‘Five Great Heroes’ who sealed the Devil God 500 years ago. To honor the heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect humanity, those who possess the Holy Mark like them are called ‘heroes.'”

“Right, right. That’s my boy.”

Professor Lucas grinned and patted Albert on the shoulder.

Albert glanced nervously at the juice bottle on the podium.

“But, what I want to hear isn’t some trivial historical background.”

“…Huh?”

Returning to the podium, Professor Lucas looked at the Candidates with deep eyes and spoke.

“In two years, you will graduate from here and receive your official certification. People will call you heroes.”

But.

“Just because people call you heroes doesn’t mean you’ve truly become ‘heroes.'”

It’s just that since 500 years ago, those with the Holy Mark have been called heroes.

In the true sense, they couldn’t be called ‘heroes.’

“I’ll ask again. What do you think a ‘hero’ is?”

“……”

“No one wants to answer this time either?”

As Professor Lucas looked around the Candidates.

Thud.

One Candidate stood up.

He straightened his back and answered in a confident voice.

“A hero is someone who protects the weak who haven’t received the Holy Mark and defends humanity from Mins and Monsters.”

“Someone who protects the weak and defends humanity, huh?”

A bitter smile formed on Professor Lucas’s lips.

“Do you really think so?”

“Huh?”

“Can you willingly throw away your life to defend humanity and protect the world against the remnants of the hateful Devil God?”

“Of course!”

The Candidate nodded with a determined expression.

“Hah.”

Professor Lucas shook his head with a bitter smile.

And then.

Bam!

Professor Lucas’s body disappeared for a moment and instantly shot towards the Candidate.

A fist with a destructive force that could shatter steel was aimed at the Candidate.

“Ahhhhh!”

The Candidate screamed and fell backward.

Professor Lucas looked down at the Candidate and clicked his tongue.

“Someone who flinches at this level can’t sacrifice their life for humanity.”

“Ugh… I, I was just surprised…”

“No need to make excuses. The others would be the same anyway.”

Professor Lucas sighed deeply and walked back up to the podium.

“Anyone can easily talk about protecting humanity or defending the world.”

But.

In reality, only a handful of heroes could sacrifice their lives for it.

“I don’t expect you to protect humanity or defend the world. No, not just you, but even those fools out there who are called heroes.”

Among the many called heroes.

Only a handful can truly be called ‘heroes.’

“But.”

Even so.

“If you want to be called ‘heroes,’ remember one thing.”

Professor Lucas continued with a seriousness never seen before.

“Even if you can’t protect everyone, protect those by your side.”

Whether it’s family, lovers, or friends.

What matters isn’t who you protect.

“Draw your sword for yourself, not for others.”

It’s not about sacrificing your life for strangers.

It’s not about sacrificing for a meaningless world.

Not for ‘others,’ but for ‘yourself.’

Even if you can’t protect the whole world, shouldn’t you at least protect those precious to you?

“That is a hero.”

As Professor Lucas’s speech ended, a quiet silence fell over the classroom.

“Ahem.”

It happens every year, but this awkward silence never gets easier.

Professor Lucas cleared his throat and spoke.

“Well, enough rambling. Today is an outdoor class! Next week, we’ll skip the lecture due to the Sealing Festival, so I’ll work you to the bone today!”

Ignoring the sighs from around the room, Professor Lucas sauntered out of the classroom.

* * *

After the unusually intense ‘Combat Training’ lecture.

“Your speech today was impressive.”

“…Why are you here again?”

“The cafeteria was too crowded for dinner, so I came here to eat.”

I shrugged as I placed the sandwich and coffee I bought from the convenience store on the table.

Originally, Iris and I had a standing Monday dinner date, but today’s class was so intense that she was nearly unconscious, so we postponed it to tomorrow.

“I brought something for you too, Professor. Want to join me?”

“You really… Sigh. Never mind.”

Professor Lucas sighed deeply and shook his head.

“What kind of sandwich did you get?”

“Ham and egg.”

“You know the basics.”

The professor grinned and picked up the sandwich from the table.

Though it was a regular-sized sandwich, it looked like a child’s toy in Professor Lucas’s large hands.

“Your skills have grown impressively lately.”

“Didn’t you say that last time we sparred?”

“No, it’s even more now.”

The professor took a big bite of the sandwich and continued.

“Before, your techniques were good, but your basic stamina and magic power were lacking… But today, I saw you’ve improved a lot in a short time. Especially your magic power.”

“Thanks to you, Professor.”

“Thanks to me? Nonsense.”

Professor Lucas snorted and shook his head.

“I spent the last two years trying to make something out of you, and you were still hopeless.”

“……”

As he said.

Professor Lucas was the one who had taught me the most diligently during my first and second years, even when everyone else had given up on me.

‘He said he couldn’t accept having a hopeless Candidate under his care.’

Though his words were harsh, Professor Lucas must have wanted to pull me up somehow.

If even the professor in charge gave up on me.

He knew well that there would be no one left in this school to protect me.

‘Draw your sword for yourself, not for others, huh.’

I smiled wryly and spoke.

In that sense, Professor Lucas is someone who truly deserves to be called a ‘hero.’

“No. It really is thanks to you, Professor.”

“You…”

Professor Lucas, who was about to say something, sighed and shook his head.

“So, why are you here?”

“Didn’t I say earlier? The cafeteria was too crowded, so I came…”

“Stop lying.”

Professor Lucas clicked his tongue and glared at me with fierce eyes.

“Class is over, and you came all the way to my office. What do you want?”

“Well… I don’t have any special business.”

Just as he had tried to guide me without giving up in my past life.

In this life, I should guide him a little too.

“The Sealing Festival is next week, right?”

“So?”

“A friend in the Magic Department told me that Professor Bianca won’t be able to participate because of other work.”

“What?”

Professor Lucas’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘Well, he wouldn’t know.’

The reason Professor Bianca couldn’t participate in the Sealing Festival was that a Candidate in the Magic Department had caused a major accident during research.

Worried that the Candidate would face repercussions if it became public, Professor Bianca decided to handle it quietly without informing anyone.

“Really? Well… that has nothing to do with me.”

Professor Lucas slumped his shoulders with a disappointed expression.

‘Nothing to do with you? Come on, old man.’

He was probably looking forward to asking Professor Bianca out during the Sealing Festival next week.

“In that case, how about you step up and help Professor Bianca, who will be lonely during the Sealing Festival?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Even if I step up, I know nothing about magic…”

“Who said anything about helping Professor Bianca with her work? She probably doesn’t want to be stuck in the lab alone during the festival, so go keep her company.”

“Well…”

Professor Lucas hesitated and avoided eye contact.

“Even so, she’s busy with work, and if I show up, it might be…”

“Someone who looks like they could eat a person alive without a second thought, why are you being so shy?”

“What the hell, kid?”

“Here, take this, and Professor Bianca won’t turn you away.”

I handed Professor Lucas a paper bag I had prepared earlier.

“What’s this?”

“Professor Bianca’s favorite wine.”

I had bought it when Iris and I visited Valhalla City over the weekend.

“Since drinking during work might be inappropriate, maybe drop by in the evening.”

“You, you…”

“Ah, and I heard she likes salads made with Empire salmon for snacks… You can handle that, right?”

“You brat!”

Professor Lucas jumped up from his seat and grabbed my hand with a fiery gaze.

He looked so moved, tears welling up in his eyes.

‘Well, I guess this counts as repaying some of the debt.’

With that thought, I stood up.

“Then, I’ll be going now.”

“Alright. Thank you.”

With Professor Lucas seeing me off, I headed to the dorm.

* * *

After Dale left, the professor’s office was left alone.

Lucas hugged the wine bottle in the paper bag as if it were a treasure, smiling contentedly.

“That kid.”

Professor Lucas grinned as he thought of Dale.

Though he had caused the most trouble over the past two years, lately, he had become so impressive that the past struggles seemed forgotten.

“Where did he learn it, but his swordsmanship is excellent… and his martial arts are top-notch.”

Though his magic power was still lacking compared to others, it had increased significantly recently.

“A bit cocky… but seeing how he takes care of things like this, he’s deep down a good kid.”

Professor Lucas grinned as he looked through Dale’s Candidate records.

“Let’s see… orphanage background, Republic scholarship, no other sponsors… hmm.”

The hunter’s eyes sharpened as he scanned the records.

“Should I recommend this kid as my assistant?”