I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 742 - Side Story 15: Companion (3)

Rudger recalled the distant past. Looking at the numbers alone, it wasn't that distant a past. If he had to say, it had been about 4 years.

For Rudger, 4 years was very long. He had lived far too busily. There was no rest, and he always faced major incidents.

Time is absolute, but the density of life experienced within that time was second to none.

And then came the 3-year void. As if it were compensation for running non-stop through the past years, he spent 3 years alone in a place with nothing.

They say ordinary criminals go insane when locked in solitary confinement with nothing. Solitary confinement even had a maximum period set at 30 days.

Rudger endured 3 years in a place perhaps worse than solitary confinement. He was able to look back on his life and put his mind in order.

Violetta's question stirred the lingering attachment remaining in a corner of Rudger's heart.

"That's a question that strikes at the core."

Did he miss it? Of course he missed it. If asked to name the most rewarding moment among the paths he had walked, he could confidently say it was when he worked as a teacher at Theon.

He met various people there and awakened the few rewards in life. He also realized that he could show such passion in teaching others.

If he hadn't been born into such a life. If he could have lived openly without running and hiding from the Holy Kingdom.

Perhaps he would have continued working at Theon.

But that's a meaningless supposition. In the end, it's the past that has passed because Rudger made his choice. The holy war broke out, and he became the Demon King. He had things he had to do.

"Well, still, if I get another chance... I don't think it would be bad." 

"Huhu. I knew you'd say that. You know what? Owner, you were strangely emotional about matters related to students." 

"Ah. Brother definitely had that side to him."

Hans also nodded while crossing his arms as if in agreement. Since Rudger acknowledged it too, he didn't bother pointing it out.

"So. What's the reason for asking me such a question? It's not just to test the waters, right?" 

"I told you, didn't I? That I became close with Elisa, the chancellor of Theon."

Leathervelk was a city adjacent to Theon. There was nothing surprising about Violetta, who might become the next mayor of Leathervelk, being acquainted with Elisa.

Over the course of 3 years, the two would have built more friendship than others might think. That would be enough to have such conversations.

"What did she say?" 

"Elisa knows too that the Demon King has returned, and that the execution ceremony was essentially just a facade. Well, she was one of the key figures who participated in the holy war after all."

Elisa Willow's position at Theon is overwhelming. She officially participated in the holy war. How much her reputation soared after the war ended was obvious without saying.

She, who was already a 6th-tier Lexer grade, apparently had crossed some wall of her own after the holy war and was on the verge of reaching the 7th tier.

With just that, Elisa, who already had powerful authority at Theon, had now become the overwhelming number one.

To the point where teachers from the noble faction or gentlemen like Hugo Burtag couldn't even dare to make eye contact with her.

"When you work from a high position, you can see the flow without even looking at the situation. Elisa has also roughly caught on that Owner will receive a new identity and gain freedom." 

"Well, that could be."

Elisa didn't reach the position of Theon's chancellor simply because she was good at magic.

She was skilled at politics and knew how to manage people. That characteristic smile of hers and the power of her golden magic eye had raised her to that position.

"So I'm looking forward to it. Wondering if the legend of Rudger Chelici might return to Theon again." 

"That's too generous an expectation." 

"But Owner, you're vaguely hoping for it too, aren't you?"

Rudger smiled wryly and nodded.

"Yes. I won't deny it. If you ask what I'll do going forward, I'll probably start teaching at Theon again."

Of course, there were regrets. The students he taught would have already graduated and gone their separate ways.

But if he could meet new children and give them guidance so they could properly move forward. Wouldn't that alone be enough?

"Elisa would be very happy to hear that. Will you do it right away?" 

"No. It's not that I don't want to, but there are things I need to do first." 

"Things you need to do?" 

"There are people I haven't met yet. This is freedom I've come to enjoy, isn't it? I'd like to travel the world a bit and meet old connections."

Rudger was curious how those people were living now and how they had changed.

Finding that out seemed like it would be quite interesting.

Even though her proposal was rejected, Violetta wasn't disappointed. Rather, as if she had vaguely expected Rudger to say such things, she merely smiled.

"Huhu. Elisa will be a bit disappointed. No, actually, maybe she'll be happy since she heard you'll come later."

Just then, a noisy sound was heard from outside. It was the sound of a spirited and clear loud voice having some conversation.

Since it was a voice Rudger was familiar with, a smile naturally flowed out.

"Good grief. So much time has passed, yet she's still the same."

Hans jumped up from his seat and ran to the door. When he opened the door, the person who had been waiting in front of the door came inside.

"I'm here!"

Sheridan Ironfeet was wearing the same outfit as before. The only difference would be that there was no oil or gunpowder stains on it.

"Sir! Long time no see!"

Sheridan greeted him cheerfully. Just looking at that reaction, it was as natural as dealing with someone she'd met just yesterday. Well, if she suddenly burst into tears when they met, that would have been stranger.

"Yes. It's been a while. Have you been well?" 

"I'm always doing well. Money's overflowing too, I'm living my life making whatever I want." 

"I'm glad you seem happy." 

"Hm? But what, why are you looking back and forth between me and Hans?"

The quite perceptive Sheridan seemed to have read the strange current in Rudger's gaze. When Sheridan whipped around to look at Hans, Hans flinched his shoulders and avoided her gaze.

Sheridan thought for a moment, then soon wore a deep smile on her lips.

"Aha? Sir, you heard everything, didn't you?"

Sheridan jumped from her seat and pulled Hans' neck down with those slender arms of hers.

"This guy told you everything, right?"

Sheridan poked Hans's cheek with her other hand. Hans could do neither this nor that, just quietly following along with what Sheridan did.

"You're really completely under her thumb, Hans." 

"No, brother, that's..." 

"Shh. Can't you be quiet? I was planning to surprise Sir when I met him later, but you spilled it already?"

Hans glared at Alex with aggrieved eyes. Alex looked away and whistled, acting as if he knew nothing at all.

Whatever he said here would probably only sound like excuses to Sheridan anyway.

"Still, it looks good. Well, if you both like it, that's a good thing." 

"Well, it's true there's no time to be bored. Though Hans did get gloomy often because Sir wasn't around." 

"When did I ever do that!" 

"Look at him getting embarrassed and acting like this again. Oh right, Bellaruna should be coming soon too." 

"Really? Come to think of it, what is she doing now?" 

"She's also living doing what she wants to do. For the details, you'll have to see for yourself."

When Bellaruna’s story came up, Alex and Hans coughed. It happened almost simultaneously, and Rudger felt a strange sense of incongruity from it.

But before he could even unravel that sense of incongruity, through the door that hadn't yet closed, an elf woman revealed herself.

"Hm?"

Rudger's initial reaction was one of puzzlement.

Naturally, given the flow, it should be Bellaruna entering now. But the woman who just revealed herself didn't look like Bellaruna at all no matter how he looked.

She wasn't gloomy, wasn't soaked in medicinal smells, wasn't laughing eerily, and wasn't hunched over.

Rather, she was neat and noble, and each step contained the etiquette she had been taught.

If he had to name one thing similar to Bellaruna, it would be that orange hair. But well, orange hair wasn't that rare among elves, and there would be quite a few similar elves if you looked.

"Who is this?"

When Rudger asked that, the elf woman drew a soft arc with her lips instead of answering. That smile alone exuded elegance like a young lady from some noble household. Hmm. No matter how I look at it, this is definitely not Bellaruna.

When Rudger was convinced of that, Alex next to him let out a "pft" and laughed.

Rudger looked at Alex questioningly. Just in case, when he looked at Hans, Sheridan, and Violetta, their reactions were similar to Alex's.

Desperately trying to hold back laughter at Rudger's reaction, while simultaneously completely empathizing that thinking that way was natural. It was a reaction mixed with such complexity.

If everyone was showing such reactions, Rudger had no choice but to arrive at one conclusion.

"...You. Are you really Bellaruna?"

Even as Rudger asked that, he didn't completely erase his doubts. That elf is really Bellaruna? That Bellaruna Petana?

The elf who always made suspicious drugs, laughed gloomily, and said things that made you lose affection?

Wearing such a gorgeous dress, keeping her back straight, and handling her gaze haughtily like a noble young lady?

His head was saying that it had to be Bellaruna given the situation, but his heart was stubbornly denying it saying it couldn't be.

When had reason and emotion ever collided this much? That it had unfolded like this was something so distant to recall now.

"It's been a while. Mr. Rudger." 

"...!"

The moment he heard the voice, his certainty that it was Bellaruna rose from 50% to 70%.

The balance that had been maintained tensely tilting to one side was a shock great enough that it felt like the sky was falling.

"Just what happened?"

Rudger asked, desperately trying to maintain his reason. He still couldn't be certain. Because there was a possibility that although using Bellaruna’s name, having similar appearance to her, and similar voice, it might not be Bellaruna.

For instance, they say there are things like doppelgangers among cryptids that mimic the appearance of others, but it couldn't be something like that, could it?

Regardless of what Rudger was thinking inside, Bellaruna nodded her head demurely.

"Yes. That's right. Bellaruna Petana. The elf who made mana medicine together with Mr. Rudger. Huhu. It was quite a turbulent period."

His certainty rose from 70% to 90%. Rudger felt the universe in his head contract to a single point, then cause the primordial big bang once again.

Though Rudger wasn't shocked by most things, the reality unfolding before his eyes right now was clearly different.

"Just what..."

Since the words couldn't quite continue, Rudger had to close his eyes for a moment and take time to breathe deeply.

"...What happened?" 

"Nothing." 

"Nothing? You're saying nothing happened but you changed like this?"

He wanted to argue that that didn't make sense. As if the others understood Rudger's feelings just as well, everyone was nodding with their eyes closed, deeply empathizing.

They too, as seniors who had already gone through the same process as Rudger, couldn't pass off this situation as someone else's business.

"Oh my, what's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

Bellaruna asked, covering her lips with her hand as if startled. The moment Rudger saw that, he felt his internal organs twisting.

Even when he saw the main body of the goddess whose name had disappeared. Even when he fought the Beast of Gevaudan that spewed out countless beasts. He had never felt such disgust.

When Rudger couldn't quite continue speaking, Bellaruna answered with a clear laugh.

"They say a woman's transformation is not guilty, right?"

No. For that degree, you should get life imprisonment, no, the death penalty. You should be hanged on the gallows together next to the Demon King Heathcliff.

Whether she knew Rudger's feelings or not, Bellaruna raised her hand and showed a ring.

Like Alex, she was wearing a diamond ring on the ring finger of her left hand.

"Oh, and I don't use the surname Petana anymore. From now on, when you call me, please call me Bellaruna Benimore. Huhu."