Research Life of a New Professor at Magic University - Chapter 23

TN: If you’re reading this daily and find this chapter familiar, skip to the Translator’s Corner.

During the Friday practical class, Arien was in confusion.
She assisted the undergraduates in alchemy, observing from the side, and gradually became more curious about Professor Roger Atwell.

“Oh! Assistant, thank you for helping earlier! If it weren’t for you, everything would have gone in smoke.”

“No, it’s my job to assist students during experiments. We have time while this boils, so may I ask you something?”

“Yes, anything!”

Arien then asked about a concern that had been on her mind for a while: Professor Atwell’s research in alchemy.
She had discovered that Atwell’s achievements so far had mainly been focused on the field of spellcraft.

“Professor Atwell?”

“Yes?”

“Has he conducted any research in alchemy?”

Arien’s question was entirely unexpected.

“Have you heard anything?”

“I haven’t.”

Two female students from the alchemy department seemed clueless about Atwell’s research.
Even asking a male student from the same department gave no satisfying answers.

“Professor? I heard he’s an authority in the field of spellcraft.”

“What about alchemy?”

“Are you talking about Professor Atwell? He wouldn’t be an alchemist, would he?”

The students’ gazes towards Arien started to become a bit peculiar.
It’s understandable; she was inquiring about her assigned professor’s research.
Pushing further might attract Atwell’s attention.

“But… how did this happen?”

Arien didn’t enter Atwell’s research lab to learn potion brewing techniques, nor was it for spellcraft research.
She had no idea why Atwell held such a high position in spellcraft.

She simply chose him as her professor based on his expertise in potion alchemy.
So, she naturally assumed he would also have a high reputation in alchemy.
Still, it seemed like others didn’t even know about it.

Arien couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

Even after listening to the students’ remarks, Arien reviewed all of Atwell’s papers.

Nothing.

Not a single one in the field of alchemy, even after postponing her experiment until yesterday to search through Atwell’s list of authored papers.

Not a single one.

“This can’t be right?”

Surely she hadn’t mistaken him for someone else.
Was her assumption too careless, assuming that he must have pursued research in that field just because he excelled in potion-making?
But what he could do was beyond something that could be achieved as a mere hobby or a sideline study.

“It definitely adds up.”

No matter how many times she double-checked, the result remained the same.
Since it had already been confirmed that she would enter his research lab, she thought she could take her time to look into the professor’s past authored papers.

Perhaps it was a luxury of being a graduate student.
Arien tried her best to soothe her increasingly anxious mind.

“I never thought of it as a short-term goal anyway.”

Even if he didn’t publish a paper, if Atwell himself was skilled enough, there was no problem.
She had to find a way to make a connection somehow.

Arien resolved to revisit and delve deeper into this matter later.

Regarding Professor Atwell’s research,
And about Roger Atwell himself.

***

I should have mentioned it earlier if I knew it would come to this.
Bringing up such a topic out of the blue in front of Arien…

“Yes! Professor Atwell mentioned last time…”

“Sister Prudence!”

I quickly interrupted before the conversation could veer off into unnecessary topics.
My voice might have been too loud, but Prudence showed no surprise and just smiled at me.

“Yes, Professor Atwell?”

Arien’s expression did not change discernibly as she looked at me, so I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

“Oh, I was just wondering what you were doing here today. Are you here because of church duties?”

“That’s not it. Today’s Sunday, isn’t it? If you believe in God, you should only work six days a week. Otherwise, you’ll be punished.”

Of course, it was a joke.
I wouldn’t dare to disrespect those who work five days a week.

But upon hearing Prudence’s words, Arien’s expression briefly soured before returning to a blank slate.

“Then why are you wearing priest’s robes? Do you have to wear them even on holidays?”

“I have somewhere to go for a little while today. I planned to go to Hardhill Monastery to look after the children.”

“Even on holidays, you’re working hard. It must be tough.”

“I find it enjoyable. Sure, it can be tough at times, but I do it because I love it.”

Impressive. Finding joy even amid hardships while looking after children.
Perhaps monastery work suits her quite well.

Surely Prudence didn’t start as an inquisitor from the beginning, right?
She probably started with regular training and got reassigned later.
Perhaps she had worked in churches or monasteries before.

“Do you go to Hardhill every week then?”

“No, there are other places where I can help. I rotate around a few.”

“How many places?”

“Last week, I went to the monastery in Honlake, and next week, I plan to visit another church in Hardhill. Sometimes, I even leave Rainflan for a change.”

“Are there requests for assistance from various churches?”

I asked Prudence the question that popped into my head, but she denied it.

“It’s just a hobby. The abbots actually discourage it. Plus, if they prepare for my visit in advance, it’s quite burdensome. So I just go without saying anything.”

This lady seems to be quite oblivious in a subtle way.
I can’t even imagine any clerical misconduct around the Trapeion University area…

I felt a bit of sympathy for the priests and abbots in Rainflan.
To receive unexpected visits from an inquisitor regularly…

“Would you like to come along sometime, Professor? If it’s okay with you, Arienael too! It’ll surely be a rewarding experience!”

“…That might be a bit challenging. I’m quite prone to bee stings.”

“The places with children are well isolated from the apiaries. So, Professor, you don’t have to worry about getting stung.”

“Um… Well… Anyway, I’m quite busy right now, so it might be tough. I’ll let you know if I have time later.”

To be urged to come to church even as a professor…

If I have the time, I’ll read another paper.
Lately, I’ve been so caught up preparing for classes and assisting Arien with her research that I’ve barely had time for my own.

Research is why I came to this university.
Even if it sounds a bit grandiose to call it my life’s work, it’s still my most important goal.

“Too bad. Maybe later?”

“…It might be difficult for a while.”

Whether it’s now or later, I’m definitely not going.
I’m about to bid farewell and hastily leave when Prudence calls out to me again.

“Oh, Professor! I forgot to mention. The issue we discussed last time with the dean, the report has already been submitted.”

“How did it turn out?”

“We haven’t received a response from the Holy See yet.”

Well, it’s not like we’d get a response this quickly.
For a report to reach that level, I can’t even fathom how many approvals it would need.

“But there is some good news. You know how the church had issued a warning, Professor?”

“…Yes, of course.”

What’s this about? A warning?

While I’m pondering how to inquire, Arien steps in and asks instead.

“A warning?”

“The church was quite concerned about Professor Atwell too. He’s a valuable talent, so there was an agreement to send a warning before crossing the line, you know, to encourage self-restraint. That’s why he’s participated in ten religious trials.”

“Ten religious trials…?”

Arien’s voice carried a tone of disbelief.

No, is this what you intended?
Is it some kind of intervention?

I’ve never asked for such consideration!

“I’ve submitted the report this time, so it should be fine. The church should understand your true intentions now. There won’t be any unnecessary sanctions imposed, so you can rest assured.”

Damn these religious zealots!
Handling things like this?

…

Sigh… Let it go. There’s no use getting angry.

The past may have been unfair, but things have changed now.
It means I can cross the line a bit more than usual without too much concern.

After calming myself down, Prudence hurriedly finished saying goodbye and left, citing being late as the reason.
The abbots would probably prefer it if she didn’t come at all.

“Professor?”

As she moved further away to the point where I couldn’t hear her, Arien called me.
I have a feeling I know what she’s going to say.

“Professor, you’ve been a part of ten religious trials?”

“No!”

It was eleven times, not ten.
Well, if you count the number of times I’ve been on trial as the defendant, it’s actually less than ten.
But Arien didn’t seem to believe me at all.

She’s already starting to underestimate me more and more.
It’s troublesome.

Even though I’ve never been found guilty, it’s hard for people to see someone who frequents courtrooms in a positive light.
I felt the need to correct her misunderstanding to uphold my dignity.

“I may have been somewhat reckless in my younger days, but that’s all in the past.”

“But, Professor, you’re still young.”

“I’ve found a new life in the Lord’s embrace! I am now a faithful servant of the almighty Lord.”

I spoke softly with the most faithful and holy expression I could muster.
The reaction was apparent. She was thoroughly disgusted.

“Uh…”

“Don’t you believe in religion? It could help bring peace to your soul if you convert.”

“Please don’t lie to me like that.”

“What do you mean? Why would you say that?”

“Whether you believe it or not, Professor, I don’t attend church. I’m not particularly interested in the God of light.”

Since Arien disliked the topic, I decided to drive the wedge further.
I uttered the words that cynics despise the most.
These are words that I, too, would hate to hear if the roles were reversed.

“I understand! But still, the Lord loves you.”

“No, Professor! Please… Can you just stop?”

“I’ll pray for you.”

After admitting Arien to the lab, I’ve become accustomed to seeing a particular sight more often: an elf turning away and retching.
The frequency seems to be increasing almost every day now.
It hasn’t even been a month since we started working together.
How did it come to this?

“Professor, I was there during the first theory lecture, you know?”

“So?”

Oh, right. I remember. Why is she suddenly bringing this up?

“Professor, you said even hearing pre-dinner prayers ruins your appetite?”

“…Yes.”

“Yet you said that without batting an eye in front of so many people.”

“That’s…”

“If you keep saying weird things, I’ll pass it all on to that nun from earlier. Every word you said that day.”

Elves have good memories of useless things.
And here we are, a graduate student threatening a professor. Truly the end times.

“Please, hold your tongue.”

“We’ll see.”

“Prudence isn’t just a nun. She’s an inquisitor! If you keep saying things like that, it might not end in mutual embarrassment.”

“An inquisitor?”

Arien’s expression changed.
The laughter vanished, and her gaze sharpened a bit.
I broke into a cold sweat, scrambling for an escape route in my mind.

‘Was it actually good to let her know she’s an inquisitor?’

But something’s odd. Arien isn’t reacting at all.
There is not even a twitch. Her body isn’t moving, and her gaze is fixed, too.

And at the end of that gaze, it’s not me.

It’s Prudence.
The already distant figure of the inquisitor.

She muttered to herself as she gazed at that figure.

“Inquisitor…”

Her voice was colder than ever.

Translator’s Corner

Yeah… I somehow missed a whole chapter. Now, chapter 16 has been updated to what it should be, so read that if you haven’t already. (16/04/24)

Also, if someone can help pick the novelupdate tags, that would be helpful. My mind can’t process that many words.

-Ruminas