Chapter 67: The Missing Professor

Through my conversation with Professor Radvisin, it became clear that my worries were not baseless illusions.

However, I couldn’t take immediate action.

I needed time to think about what to say that would help Skadi pull herself together and try to break free from the torment on her own.

The biggest obstacle was still the fact that the body I had possessed belonged to Karvald Austri.

Knowing his personality, there was no way he would offer warm comfort along with encouraging words.

What’s more, since Karvald was one of the perpetrators of the bullying, it was absolutely impossible for him to empathize with the pain the victim endured.

Another problem was that I had no idea where Skadi usually spent her time.

The Combat Wing building, which housed the private rooms and exclusive training halls of the combat professors, was open to students even during exam periods.

But ‘there’s no way Skadi would be in a place like that, right?’

The person harboring ill will against Skadi was definitely a combat professor.

The scholarly professors were always absorbed in their own research and, since their fields were entirely different, they had no reason to see Skadi as a competitor or feel the need to keep her in check.

Besides, the process they had gone through to become professors was different from that of the combat professors.

In any case, from the scholars’ perspective, whether it was Skadi or another combat professor, they were all recognized for their martial prowess when hired as professors.

So they wouldn’t have resented them as ‘parachute’ appointments or anything like that.

‘Who would want to spend time in a space full only of people who bear grudges against them?’

For that reason, I didn’t waste time going to the Combat Wing.

I wasn’t sure whether Reysir Daudabina had gone there or not.

If he had met Skadi and read her skill window, he would have told me something.

But since he hadn’t said a word until now, it was certain he hadn’t crossed paths with her either.

With that, the midterm exam week arrived, and today was Wednesday—the day of the Dagger Arts practical test.

Once this test was over, I planned to ask Skadi for a conversation.

“Alrighty~ I’m going to explain the test method from now on~ Everyone listen carefully, okay~?”

The practical Dagger Arts exam Skadi prepared involved passing through obstacles and throwing daggers to hit targets.

There were ten targets in total.

Half were fixed in place, but the other half kept moving.

It was clearly a test to be taken one by one in sequence.

In such cases, the first person has the disadvantage, and those who follow tend to gain an advantage.

By observing the movements of those who went before, you could improve and get better results.

Skadi seemed aware of this problem, because instead of calling the name at the top of the attendance list, she went first as a demonstration.

She wanted to show a perfect example so that everyone could take the exam as fairly as possible.

She leapt over or dodged various obstacles she had set up, throwing daggers at the targets as she moved.

At the very end, to hit a target hanging high up, she used an obstacle as a foothold and made a high leap.

All her movements were imbued with the techniques she had taught during the lectures, almost like a performance of acrobatics.

“Each person has two chances, and the better score will count toward your grade~ But not just the time it takes to hit all the targets, the number of daggers thrown is also part of the scoring~! So don’t just throw wildly—be careful and deliberate~ Got it~?”

Pulling the daggers stuck right in the center of the targets, Skadi finished her explanation.

Both the test process and the grading method were designed so that the professor couldn’t manipulate the results at will.

My worry that Skadi might give me a stingy grade alone was completely unfounded.

Students came forward in attendance order to take the test.

There were only ten students enrolled in the Dagger Arts class, including me, so it should have been quick.

Yet, it took quite a while before my turn arrived.

‘Am I really the only one who practiced the moves learned in class or the throwing of daggers to hit targets? If that’s the case, why even take this class? Just because it looks fun? Or is this pathetic result due to practice?’

It seemed I was the only one taking this course seriously.

After all, the others didn’t yet know that demon realms would soon start appearing all over the world.

They probably didn’t think about the need to hone various survival skills.

Even those aspiring knights intending to improve their combat abilities would prioritize training with their main weapon over auxiliary weapons like daggers.

Most likely, they signed up for this class simply wanting to look cool playing a dart game.

‘Most students here are scions of noble houses, so it can’t be helped!’

Passing obstacles while throwing daggers to hit targets?

Everyone had tried it at least once.

But only one student succeeded—and that was a miracle that happened just once.

In the end, the students repeatedly stopped after clearing one obstacle and threw daggers at the targets from a fixed position.

They typically hit one or two targets, on average around four to six.

In some extreme cases, students threw over ten daggers at a single target.

And that was only for stationary targets.

For moving targets, the number of daggers thrown doubled.

Naturally, the number of daggers they brought before the exam was insufficient.

Anticipating this, Skadi stood by the students and immediately supplied them with more daggers.

***

After each round, the daggers scattered around had to be collected, causing delays.

At first, students behind would complain about why others couldn’t finish faster or say waiting was boring.

But their attitude gradually changed.

Everyone grew tense and silent, realizing there was a high chance they too would look as pathetic as the students ahead of them.

“This turn goes to… Karvald Austri?”

“Yes.”

I was seventh out of ten.

Recalling Skadi’s demonstration in my mind, I strapped on a belt holding fifteen daggers at my waist.

Then, after taking a deep breath and looking at Skadi, the starting signal sounded.

‘First, jump over the waist-high hurdles and throw daggers at the side targets. Then lower my stance… and that obstacle is…!’

Though I missed three moving targets along the way, I hit the rest on the first try.

And I wasn’t standing still—I was hitting them while moving through obstacles.

I even corrected the missed targets with a second throw right away, using thirteen daggers in total.

Of course, the time taken was short.

Having practiced hard, even asking Yor to throw target discs for me, it felt worthwhile.

‘If I keep this up, I might be able to hit them all next time…’

Feeling slightly uplifted, I looked at Skadi.

It was a reflexive action.

She was a professor who never withheld praise from good students and knew how to encourage those who struggled.

Having received praise several times during her lectures, I subconsciously expected the same this time.

But…

“……”

That was not to be.

Skadi didn’t even look at me and silently recorded my score on the grading sheet.

I wasn’t some child craving adult attention, so I felt embarrassed wondering what I had expected.

“Sounds like someone’s outside~? I’ll check for a moment, so everyone wait here~.”

***

As I quietly gathered the daggers I had thrown, Skadi suddenly said this and walked out into the hallway.

‘Was someone really there? Or did she deliberately interrupt to prevent me from doing better on my second attempt?’

Such a negative thought crossed my mind, but…

‘No way. Considering the level of the other students, she had to give me at least an A based on that result.’

Looking at the expressions of the students behind me, I could see surprise and admiration.

It was as if they were saying, “So this test isn’t impossible even at our level.”

Judging by their reactions, I doubted any of them could beat my result.

***

About five minutes later, Skadi returned to the classroom and signaled me to start my second attempt.

Because the momentum had been broken, I felt strangely unmotivated.

As a result, I not only failed to hit all targets but actually performed worse, using fourteen daggers this time.

“Nyaaang~”

After returning all the daggers to Skadi and stepping back to my place, the baby dragon gave me a double thumbs-up.

That gesture was so cute and heartwarming.

Not only did my mood soften instantly, but I nearly burst out laughing, forcing myself to maintain a neutral expression.

While petting the affectionate Yor clinging to me, the remaining three students finished their tests.

As expected, none of them did better than me.

“Great job, everyone~! Do well on the remaining tests, and I’ll see you next week~?”

As always, Skadi greeted the students with a bright expression and cheerful tone.

She sometimes left first and sometimes stayed in the classroom, but today she stayed behind.

Probably to clean up the obstacles set up for the test.

Students gradually started leaving, but I stood still with my purpose in mind.

Skadi ignored me and began clearing the obstacles one by one.

After the last student left the classroom, I silently counted to sixty in my head, feeling this was the right time to start the conversation.

Just as I was about to speak…

“Karvald? What are you doing not coming out?”

A student not even enrolled in the Dagger Arts class stood at the door and said that.

Naturally, my brows furrowed at the sudden disruption.

“Reysir… Why are you here?”

“The exam ended early. So I thought I’d hang out with you until dinner?”

Nonsense.

No doubt he had come to check Skadi’s skill window.

‘Could it be that Skadi went out to the hallway earlier because she sensed Reysir’s presence?’

If so, then Reysir had already read Skadi’s skill window.

I would have to talk to him about that content sometime, but that could be done at any time.

If I didn’t talk to Skadi today, I’d have to wait a whole week.

What a wasted trip. “I have something to discuss with the professor, so go have fun on your own.”

I waved my hand to tell him to get lost.

Reysir looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Where is the professor anyway?”

“Are you serious…”

My first thought was, ‘Is he refusing to acknowledge a former assassin as a professor?’

But then I realized that wasn’t what Reysir meant.

Because Skadi’s figure was nowhere to be found in the classroom.