Great Teacher in a Defense Game

#36 Enoch You b*stard

Enoch moved directly to the aerodrome.

It wasn’t long before he faced Lacrimosa descending from the airship.

“Hehe, Teacher… I’m here…”

“…”

Lacrimosa called out to Enoch.

Enoch did not respond.

Instead, he drew closer, scrutinizing her.

“…You.”

“…”

“Are you hurt?”

At Enoch’s question, Lacrimosa lowered her head.

A faint scar was visible on her neck.

Chain Harmony.

He used his skill to ascertain Lacrimosa’s condition.

He recoiled in shock.

Her entire body was covered in welts.

Her figure was covered in injuries.

These hadn’t appeared in a day or two.

“…What in the world happened.”

“…I’m sorry-“

-Thud

Lacrimosa collapsed mid-sentence.

Enoch hurriedly caught her in his arms.

A swift inspection revealed she had already fainted.

Due to exhaustion.

‘…Just causing a whole damn mess, aren’t you.’

Enoch embraced Lacrimosa.

He then lifted his head.

He shielded his face with his hand, slowly smoothing it over.

As if Orban hadn’t already complicated things enough.

A fever bloomed, belatedly.

– *Beep*

– What is the matter?

“…Come to the airport entrance.”

Enoch summoned a private airship without delay.

His destination was already set.

@

Chairman Baltro Ulligan.

His day had been utterly peaceful.

Or rather, it had been, until just moments ago.

“Chairman.”

“E-Enoch. Now, calm yourself. What is this sudden visit?”

A late hour.

Baltro found himself face-to-face with an unexpected guest.

None other than Enoch.

The problem was, this guest was clearly incensed.

And Baltro didn’t even know why.

He asked Enoch, his voice laced with bewildered concern.

“What in the world is going on? At least explain yourself.”

“Didn’t I ask you, last time, to keep a watchful eye on Lacrimna?”

“Yes, you did. Of course, I remember.”

“Then why is the child in such a state? Her entire body covered in wounds. I invested a substantial sum, yet is this the extent of our credibility?”

“W-Wounds…?”

Baltro was aghast.

Wounds, out of the blue?

He distinctly recalled hearing that Alain had handled the incident and successfully covered it up.

He’d even gone so far as to specifically instruct him to take proper follow-up measures.

But the reality was the exact opposite.

‘This is madness.’

Baltro felt a cold sweat break out.

A strange tightness gripped his throat.

Already, he imagined Enoch and the masters of the Magic Tower squeezing the life from him.

“Lis-listen here, Enoch. I distinctly told them to do this properly.”

“Indeed, you did?”

“W-well, I apologize for this incident. Sincerely. And, first, we need to understand the specifics. Alane handles student affairs, so perhaps we should summon him –”

“He is already here.”

Huh?

Valtoro faltered, just for a breath.

At that moment, the reception room door swung open.

A knight in full armor stood framed in the doorway.

Enoch’s summon.

He dragged Alane along, unceremoniously, by one arm.

“Ughhh…”

“He arrives. I shall inquire directly.”

Enoch turned, approaching Alane.

Alane, hauled along so powerlessly.

He looked up at Enoch, his eyes wide with panic.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

“M-Magister. Please, please hear me out.”

“An explanation? Very well. Let us hear it then.”

Enoch acquiesced readily.

Alane prostrated himself on the floor and began.

“F-first of all, Lakrina’s injuries are unrelated to the previous incident. I handled the last matter…satisfactorily.”

“Continue.”

“Lakrina was injured due to an accident during a lesson. Combat training against minor beasts. During which, a… slight incident occurred. During group exercises, the team fractured, leaving Lakrina isolated. The injuries she sustained were from that moment.”

“The team fractured? Don’t tell me it was the same brutes Lakrina beat senseless last time?”

Enoch asked, a premonition chilling him.

Had this madman grouped the aggressors with their victim?

Alane shook his head vehemently.

“No, Magister! It was a separate lesson entirely from those… problematic students! This was merely an unfortunate accident. We would never neglect our students! Believe me! I am truly innocent!”

“……”

Enoch paused, a flicker of hesitation.

The tale they spun, well, it carried a ring of injustice about it.

Though, of course, lies could be woven just as easily.

In the end, only Lachryma knew the complete picture.

‘First, I need to hear the full story from her own lips.’

Enoch sighed.

He inwardly conceded he’d been too hasty.

He then issued a warning.

“Let us withdraw for now. I shall return in the morning. In the meantime, the Director will investigate this matter.”

“Ah, yes, I understand.”

“Thank you. And, I hope this is the last time we encounter each other under such circumstances.”

Enoch said this, then turned his back.

The knight crafted from his ring had vanished by now.

His presence gradually faded into the distance.

Leaving Alain frozen stiff, the Director released a deep sigh.

‘…Maybe it’s time to find a new line of work.’

@

Enoch emerged from the building and walked through the Academy gardens.

His mind grappled with the truth of the matter.

‘Lachryma is scorned within the Academy. Yet, with my presence, the source of that scorn should have diminished. Why, then, does the situation remain unchanged?’

Surely there was a reason.

Deep down, he held a suspicion towards this Alain fellow.

But lacking any concrete evidence…

“Excuse me.”

“?”

At that moment, someone called out to Enoch.

“Are you the guardian of a student named Lachryma?”

“You are…”

“I am Van Richter. A fifth-year student at the Academy.”

What emerged was a student of the Academy.

Surprisingly, it was a face known to Enoch.

The so-called Divine Spear, Van Richter.

He, too, like Lakrina, was one of the heroes who appeared in the original work.

“Greetings. But, what business brings you here?”

“I have something to say regarding Lakrina. By chance, is a man named Allein involved in this affair?”

“…Yes. And if so?”

“Don’t trust him. That b*stard’s a swindler.”

“A swindler?”

The moment Enoch echoed the question, Van displayed both his hands.

“Here, I have these large scars, you see? They’re the result of getting involved with Allein. That fellow subtly encourages students to voluntarily withdraw, bit by bit.”

“…Withdrawal, you say. The reason?”

“That man, he takes bribes from nobles and arranges admissions. He deliberately creates vacancies, and then sticks students into them. That student Lakrina, wasn’t her entrance sudden as well? He likely received some pressure from the nobles because of that. Why is it that other houses had a smooth admission, but only their child was left out, they would ask.”

“…”

Enoch fell silent.

He was speechless, dumbfounded.

To think he stepped forward to deal with the nobles…

So that was the reason?

“Hah…”

He let out a breath suddenly.

Heat slowly rose to his head.

Van Richter, driving the point home, continued to speak.

“That fellow, he’s probably frantically contacting the nobles right now. That way, before the problem grows, he can slip away and escape cleanly. The responsibility will fall on someone else, though.”

“…Because he’s merely administrative staff, not a homeroom teacher. The responsibility will fall to the teacher in charge. In the end, it will be treated as bullying or a quarrel between students. Is that right?”

“Yes. You understand well?”

“Thank you. Is he the only culprit?”

“No. There are a few students in the same gang. All of them are people who got into the Academy because of him.”

“Are those the ones involved with Lakrina?”

“For now, yes. To be precise, they often give instructions to other students.”

“I see. And the reason for telling me this?”

Enoch pressed, voice even.

Ban responded with a look half-serious, half-something else.

“First, vengeance for a friend.”

“A friend?”

“A friend who dropped out because of that b*stard. Even suffered a nasty injury. Never saw him again, but at least I want to get some payback.”

“…I see.”

Enoch quietly conceded.

In his mind, he already knew the friend Ban spoke of.

“And?”

“You seem pretty strong, Magician-nim. I’ve told others, but they didn’t have the strength to change the situation.”

The combined power of the nobles is too much to handle.

But Enoch, for some reason, seemed like he could do it.

Ban added this, with a shrug.

His part was done.

“Does the Chairman know about this?”

“No. The Chairman doesn’t manage the inner workings of the school. The Headmaster probably knows, though…”

“That’s enough. Thank you. For telling me.”

Enoch spoke frankly.

Then he quietly took a breath.

It was hardly effective.

He was already furious, from the top of his head to his toes.

‘…They were treating me like dirt.’

Enoch was forced to admit it.

He had underestimated the Academy.

A place where incidents and accidents were unceasing, wherever one went.

Somewhere in this school, there could be any number of magicians with names you can’t call to their faces, or treasures hidden by the mastermind.

He should have taken action sooner.

This failure was Enoch’s own fault, for not reading enough Academy novels.

‘I need to clean house this time, I suppose.’

Enoch unclenched his hand.

He took off his watch, too.

“Ban.”

“Yes?”

“Those students… the ones cozying up with that Alain b*stard. Can you tell me their location?”

“Location?”

“Yes.”

Enoch added a single word.

“Just come with. I’ll show you some fun.”

@

Chairman Baltro Ooligan.

His day had been relentlessly tiring.

And it was about to get much, much worse.

-BANG! KABOOM!!!

Barely twenty minutes had passed since Enoch left.

A sudden explosion ripped through the air.

“What, what is it?!”

Baltro hurried to the window.

And stared in horror.

The academy dormitory was being crushed beneath a gigantic, steel dragon.

“God damn it! My dormitory!!!”

Baltro’s jaw went slack.

Then he cursed.

The culprit was obvious, as clear as the sun in the sky.

“Enoch!”

You son of a b*tch…!

You said you were coming in the morning…!!!