I Broke Off My Engagement and Got a Job at the Academy

Chapter 34

34 – 34. Serendipitous Encounter

Finally, after spending a few days, I completed my preparations to head to the academy.

Seris embraced me and spoke.

“Well then, take care. Don’t get hurt.”

Perhaps because she knew we wouldn’t see each other for another few months. Seris was smiling, but somehow, she seemed a bit lonely.

I forced a smile at her, trying to reassure.

“Don’t worry. I’m a high expert now too. Even if I’m only half, I can use up to 5th circle magic. So… you don’t need to worry too much.”

Seris, having heard my words, had a hint of tears at the corners of her eyes, but she gave me a bright smile.

“I believe you.”

Having bid farewell to Seris like that, I looked at the ship anchored in the harbor.

Yes, it was time to leave.

“Those heading to the academy, please board the ship!”

Hearing the guide’s booming voice, I climbed the stairs onto the ship.

Once seated, I placed my luggage and staff in my designated spot.

“…”

I looked at the staff. This time, the staff I had decided to carry with me wasn’t the one Ariel had given me.

Of course, it was a high-quality item, but it was far different from what Ariel had given me in the past.

The reason I made that choice was that I couldn’t bring myself to use the gift Ariel had given me after meeting her again.

…So, I ended up with a different staff.

I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away, so I packed it in my luggage.

“Phew… I need some rest.”

Getting up early in the morning to come to the harbor was quite a task. Well, luckily, there was magic on the ship to eliminate motion sickness, so at least I wouldn’t feel nauseous.

I decided to take a short nap. Since we’d probably arrive in the evening, it wouldn’t matter if I rested now.

In an instant, my mind plunged into deep unconsciousness.

…

I opened my eyes. Before me was a splendid mansion.

On the table in front of me, a teacup was placed.

I already know. This scenery.

I already know. This moment.

With my head bowed, I simply remained still. I couldn’t muster the courage to lift my head and confirm the person in front of me.

“Why… aren’t you saying anything?”

A voice echoed. Damn it. Just because I stayed silent, it seemed the other person had no intention of staying silent as well.

This… is a nightmare. And not just any nightmare but the worst nightmare.

The voice continued to speak to me.

“Say something.”

“What changes if I speak?”

Even if I speak, what difference does it make?

I already know this moment. Right now, this is nothing more than a damn dream my subconscious is showing me.

I can’t change the past.

No, even if I were to go back to the past, I wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Knowing that, I sealed my lips in the dream.

Why is he asking me about the past now? What does he expect from me?

“…Sorry.”

Ariel’s voice reached me. I lifted my head.

…Ariel’s expression looked so sad.

Seeing that, my consciousness began to fade.

“Ah….”

I’m waking up from the dream. The dream world is collapsing so easily.

But for some reason, I was staring at Ariel as if spellbound.

As if that painful expression was my fault.

…

“…Damn.”

As soon as I opened my eyes, curses escaped my lips. Damn it, I wasn’t supposed to sleep on a ship like this. Sitting uncomfortably made the bedroll all tangled up like this.

I rubbed my face, slapped my cheeks to snap out of it.

And, once I gathered my wits… for some reason, I realized the ship was rocking.

“…What the hell.”

I shook off the haze and went up to the deck.

And on the deck… the crew members were bustling around, trying to cut off the tentacles clinging to the deck.

“…What is this?”

If my eyes weren’t deceiving me, the owner of those legs would be a Kraken.

But, that couldn’t be. Krakens usually prefer attacking smaller ships, swallowing them whole, or devouring sea creatures.

Did a Kraken have a reason to suddenly attack such a large ship?

…No matter how much I thought about it, unless there was a special reason, this shouldn’t be happening.

As I pondered, a crew member rushed towards me and spoke.

“Please return to the cabin. The situation is not good, as you can see. Please go back as quickly as possible to avoid danger.”

I glanced around with a side-eye and said, “…Is that person over there not a crew member?”

To which the crew member, sweating, replied, “Um, that person is a wizard. She offered to help deal with the Kraken… probably a student aiming to enroll in the academy.”

Looking at the woman wrapped in a robe from head to toe, I furrowed my brow. Judging by the security guards around, she’s probably from a prestigious household.

If she isn’t the daughter of a noble house preparing to enter the academy just a few days before the entrance exam, then what else could she be?

“…Hey.”

I snapped back to the crew member’s words.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m a wizard too. And a professor at that. I’ll probably be much more helpful than a student.”

“R-really?”

The crew member’s eyes widened. He shouted loudly, “We have a professor from the academy here!”

The sailors looked at me upon hearing those words. I walked towards the tentacles of the kraken.

The woman, covered from head to toe in a robe, observed me. Her attitude seemed to suggest, “Let’s see what you’re made of,” and my mood soured.

“…A student, reporting to the professor.”

Well, until just two years ago, I was a student too.

I focused my mind and formulated the spell.

“TwiLight Eyes.”

Yes, where was it… now that I’ve become a high expert, how strong have I become?

My eyes tinged with the color of twilight. The flows of magic surrounding me felt vivid.

Using lightning magic is not advisable. The kraken’s body is soaked with seawater, and a misused lightning spell could lead to a catastrophe.

So, for now… I must use a different kind of magic.

“Ice Lance.”

Thud! The lance blossomed on the kraken’s leg. And the surroundings froze in an instant.

As a monster that moves underwater, it probably has little resistance to cold. Even though the sea’s average temperature is lower than the land, the constant temperature makes experiencing below-freezing cold rare.

And, as if reflecting my thoughts, the kraken began to thrash wildly. When the vibrations resonated strongly, I gripped the railing and withstood it.

“This bastard…”

I conjured a fireball. The target: the spot where the ice lance had bloomed.

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I shot the fireball towards the kraken.

Boom! Crimson flames erupted. The explosive sound pierced my ears.

And the kraken’s leg… some parts of it had already disappeared without a trace.

It’s a simple principle. When the cold from the ice lance permeates deep into the leg, and the part that was frozen by intense heat melts away in an instant… steam is produced.

Even if the leg was in a ragged state to begin with, facing steam on top of that, could it endure? No matter how sturdy a monster the kraken might be, that hasn’t changed.

The kraken instantly concealed its body. Though the feeling of a somewhat anticlimactic ending lingered, it probably sensed a threat to its survival and fled.

I sensed that the kraken had completely disappeared nearby, descended from the deck, and headed back to my spot.

Then, a sailor rushed towards me and said,

“Master Mage, thank you so much! The student also wanted to help, but the attacks weren’t effective, and it was a tough situation… Thanks to you, we survived.”

I lightly shook his hand.

“Alright. Well, I guess I need to take a break now. Casting magic right after getting up, there should be a limit to exhausting things.”

As I sat, contemplating such thoughts, someone approached abruptly.

…It was the woman who was on the deck just a moment ago.

“…Who are you?”

I asked her.

She sat in front of me and removed her robe.

“I’m Jizel Irucali. Can you spare a moment?”

Upon hearing those words, I gritted my teeth.

…It seems like it’s going to be tiresome.

As I stared at her, Jizel looked back at me and spoke.

“I saw you dealing with the kraken earlier… Are you a professor of magic or something?”