Chapter 287 : Chapter 287

Chapter 287. I Cannot Cast a Noble One into Hell

“This, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍this, what is this…….”

Armandy was left speechless.

It was not just him.

Anyone would have been, so long as they knew the 8th Prince and the 9th Prince of the Cretian Empire.

Something that should have been utterly impossible was unfolding before his eyes.

“You are removing this menu?”

“Yes. Coating them with sauce before selling takes time, after all.”

Radel spoke as if it were obvious and pointed at someone.

There stood a man wearing a bear mascot head.

With his sleeves rolled up, he was diligently slathering sauce onto the chicken.

Oil gleamed thickly on his well-built arms, and red sauce splattered across his frilled apron, creating an unsettling atmosphere.

He looked suspicious in every conceivable way.

Armandy recognized the suspicious man at once.

There was no doubt he was Pirenzo, concealing his identity.

‘That idiot.’

With him like that, what was the point of infiltrating the Academy as a professor?

Armandy squeezed his eyes shut.

He could not bear to watch such madness with a clear head.

‘Why in the world are you doing something like that?’

Then again, he himself was not much different from Pirenzo.

At the 8th Prince’s words telling him to come behind the dormitory because there was something to do in the afternoon, had he not rushed over immediately?

That bastard and himself alike were both living the life of slaves…….

Radel, paying no attention whatsoever to Pirenzo hidden beneath the bear mascot, focused only on the fried chicken as he spoke.

“See? It takes an extra step. And we are already short on manpower as it is.”

“If you are short on people, can you not just call more over?”

Watching Radel casually converse with Leon, Armandy was once again struck with shock.

‘Just what is going on……?’

Whether Pirenzo was mixing sauce on the side or not was honestly beside the point.

That was something that fool could deal with himself.

What mattered far more to Armandy was that something had changed between Radel and Leon.

‘No way.’

Surely that absurd Secret Friend Operation could not have worked……?

With a vacant expression, Armandy stared at the two of them.

Radel nodded and muttered,

“Calling people over, huh…… The festival support funds from the Academy are nowhere near enough to hire workers. I need to buy other things too. In the end, I guess I will have to ask friends for help.”

“Ask?”

Leon snorted.

“Why ask when you can simply order them? I do not understand why you would bother with requests.”

Without realizing it, Armandy clapped a hand over his mouth.

The regal authority radiating from the 9th Prince made his heart pound.

But Radel was simply dumbfounded.

He had thought they were finally having a normal conversation, but while Leon’s murderous intent toward him had disappeared, his utterly broken sense of social conduct had not changed at all.

“What are you talking about, Leon? We are the ones in need, so of course we have to ask.”

“You are royalty. If there is something you want, you only need to say a word.”

“And what word would that be?”

“Do it.”

‘Ghk!’

At Leon’s dignified, resolute declaration, Armandy clutched his chest.

It was just so, so noble!

If His Highness had spoken those words to him, he would have done it no matter what.

‘I will do it! I will devote this body and see it through!’

But he had to conceal his identity.

Such emotions did not suit an elite agent of the Ability Management Bureau.

His reverence for the 9th Prince, his admiration, all of it had to be suppressed.

Maintaining neutrality toward the imperial family was a fundamental principle of the Ability Management Bureau.

Afraid his inner thoughts might slip out, Armandy bit his lip and barely endured.

Then, after adjusting the glasses that served as an artifact concealing his presence, he stepped forward as if nothing had happened.

“For what reason did you summon me, Your Highness?”

“Oh, you are here?”

Seeing Armandy finally appear, Radel suddenly understood Leon’s point.

There really was someone who would do whatever he was told!

Not only that, he was hardworking, skilled in magic, and reliable.

He complained a little, but his ability was beyond question.

“It is nothing serious. I am thinking of selling a new kind of food at this Academy Autumn Festival, so I called you to ask for help.”

“……Food business again?”

Armandy shuddered.

Memories resurfaced of the Spring Festival, when he had become a cotton candy-making machine, churning them out like a madman.

On top of that, during the Sports Festival, had they not sold iced coffee and butter-grilled squid as well?

Customers had streamed in endlessly, and he remembered gagging from exhaustion while making them.

He had been so sick of the smell of coffee beans that he could not even drink coffee for a while afterward.

And now he was being asked to do it again?

Armandy’s voice turned cold.

“At the Autumn Festival, we are required to participate through our major booths. I apologize, but I do not believe I can assist this time.”

“I see. All right.”

Radel backed down without resistance.

“Then I suppose Leon and I will have to run the booth ourselves this time.”

“……Pardon?”

“I will be fine, but…… will Leon be all right? He has never done any hard labor.”

Radel shook his head and let out a sympathetic sigh.

“This is no easy task. Someone who has never even gotten their hands wet will not find it simple. You know that, right?”

Radel’s gaze shifted to Leon.

Without realizing it, Armandy followed his gaze and looked at Leon as well.

Leon stood there with a lofty expression, as if he did not see the problem.

Looking at him, Radel muttered,

“Well, it cannot be helped. I guess I will teach him somehow and make it work.”

Teach the 9th Prince?

Knowing exactly what Radel’s methods were like, Armandy’s face stiffened.

The 8th Prince was a merciless taskmaster who would force people to work while feeding them recovery potions whenever their Magic Power ran low.

Labor so brutal it would make even demons weep…… and he dared to teach it to such a noble figure?

He could not allow someone so exalted to be cast into hell.

Armandy clenched his teeth.

His resolve spilled out between them.

“……Geunyang jega hagetseumnida. (I will just do it.)”

Radel smiled with satisfaction.

Just as he had expected.

***

Transmutation Magic major class.

First-year Transmutation Magic majors had gathered in the workshop beneath the Academy lake.

Radel was waiting for the professor alongside the other first-years.

Beside him, Armandy was speaking in a grave tone.

“I am not saying I will do everything. I am saying I will help to an appropriate extent. Understood?”

Armandy emphasized the word help.

He did not want to give Radel any room for misunderstanding.

If things went wrong, he might end up working nonstop until the festival ended.

‘My major is Transmutation Magic anyway.’

If necessary, he could use the excuse that he needed to attend his major booth to escape.

It pained him that he could not remain by the 9th Prince’s side the entire time, but working all day was out of the question.

Radel nodded, looking as though he understood everything.

“I know. Even so, the fact that you are coming to help is plenty. Thank you.”

When Radel thanked him, Armandy felt a bit awkward.

“I, I did not help just to be thanked.”

He was an elite agent from a noble family who understood proper decorum.

Though he had distanced himself from his family after joining the Ability Management Bureau, he still possessed enough refinement to accept sincere gratitude.

‘Why are you making me weak like this.’

It was the moment Armandy’s ears turned red.

“Your Highness, I have heard.”

Edward approached Radel and whispered,

“I heard you are opening an Integrated Major Booth. It has not been long since you recovered from the injuries you suffered in Combat Magic class. That is impressive.”

Edward glanced around, then lowered his voice even further.

“Please let me know anytime. I will bring people with me. There are many who want to help you, Your Highness.”

Was he talking about the friends who always clustered around Edward?

Radel, never imagining that he had followers within the Academy, patted Edward on the shoulder.

“Even just hearing that helps. Thank you.”

Edward promptly lifted his chin toward Armandy, as if boasting that the prince was not grateful only to him.

‘No, I am not the 8th Prince’s follower, you know?’

Before the flustered Armandy could offer any excuse, the professor appeared.

In his hands was a large basket.

After surveying the first-years, he began taking items out of the basket.

Glasses, shoes, bags, hats, scarves.

Though the types varied, they were all common items people wore or used.

Finally, after pulling out a doll, Professor Thomas looked over the students and spoke.

“Today’s spell will be size transformation magic. While it can be used to make things larger, today we will focus exclusively on making them smaller.”

What they would learn in this class was magic that reduced the size of objects.

The students’ expressions brightened.

They had already changed colors and properties, so altering size did not feel particularly difficult.

Moreover, they were inside the Transmutation Magic workshop.

Even complex transmutation spells were easier to cast here.

Professor Thomas took out his staff.

“I will demonstrate briefly.”

He swung the staff and recited a spell.

“Shrink.”

BANG!

The shoe in Professor Thomas’s hand shrank to the size of a finger.

He picked up the tiny shoe, fitted it onto the doll beside him, and continued,

“Compared to the transmutation magic you have learned so far, this may seem easy.”

As he spoke, Professor Thomas gestured toward the items placed before the students.

“From now on, you will transform these items to fit the doll I am holding. I would like the effect to last until tomorrow.”

Only then did the students realize this was a tricky spell.

Transmutation magic was not easy to maintain for long periods, and on top of that, they had to precisely adjust the size to match the doll.

They could not simply chant the spell blindly.

“Oh, and this is a spell you must master. Every year, the first-year Transmutation Magic booth shortens clothes brought by children and turns them into doll outfits.”

Professor Thomas added calmly,

“The dolls children bring are more diverse than you might expect. The more you practice, the better you will be at protecting their innocent hearts.”

So this was all preparation for the Academy Autumn Festival.

Radel nodded inwardly and lifted a single sock.

At least Transmutation Magic already had a clear role for the festival.

Unlike other majors, whose professors sent subtle, suggestive looks…….

Just as that thought crossed his mind, Radel noticed Professor Thomas looking directly at him.

‘Why is he coming this way?’

Professor Thomas approached Radel and cleared his throat softly.

“Ahem. I heard about the beverage you sold during the recent Sports Festival.”

Then he gave Radel a meaningful look.

“For this festival, perhaps at the Transmutation Magic booth, for the parents who come with their children…… would you consider selling that beverage?”

Another crisis descended upon Radel.

Left with no choice, he recommended someone.

“In that case, Professor, I have someone I would like to recommend. He happens to be a Transmutation Magic major as well, and he worked hard during the Sports Festival while I was competing.”

The expression of the person standing beside Radel gradually twisted.

‘You are selling me out?!’

The talent sold off twice in a single day was Armandy.