Chapter 123

Professor Winslet spoke in a voice filled with anger, yet he addressed each point precisely.

“The documents submitted to the Academy clearly stated a request for ‘urban infrastructure maintenance and environmental beautification’. Now, which of the locations the students were sent to today qualifies as urban infrastructure, and what part of their work could be called environmental beautification?”

“O-Of course, it may not look ideal from your perspective, Professor. But the field always requires a bit of flexibility…”

“Flexibility?”

A cold smile appeared on Professor Winslet’s lips.

“Sometimes a little discretion can be allowed. But that only applies when reasonable limits are respected. Are you saying that working these students for your own personal gain is what you call flexibility?”

“Ugh…”

Supervisor Stanley couldn’t bring himself to respond.

It felt as if the sweat on his forehead was freezing from the cold.

The professor continued.

“These students are from the Academy, not laborers. They came here to volunteer, not to make up for the labor shortage at your place of business.”

“Then…?”

“I’m withdrawing the students. From now on, volunteer work will proceed strictly by the book.”

“Wh-What? That would be a problem. Please consider our situation too. We’ve already finalized things with the guild masters. If the students are suddenly pulled out, it could disrupt their business schedules.”

“That’s not my concern.”

Stanley looked genuinely aggrieved.

“We’ve been doing things this way last year, and the year before that too. Why are you suddenly taking issue with it now? Was the Academy’s token of appreciation not enough? If that’s the problem, then at least accept this and let’s calm things down…”

As he spoke, Supervisor Stanley reached into his coat to pull out a pouch of money, but froze the moment he saw the look on Professor Winslet’s face.

Professor Winslet pronounced his verdict in a cold voice.

“Cut the crap.”

***

After Professor Winslet tore through the harbor like a storm, chaos erupted between Supervisor Stanley and the three guild masters.

An emergency meeting was called.

“Damn it, what the hell is wrong with that lunatic?”

“I have no idea. At first, I thought he was protesting to get more money, but apparently that wasn’t it.”

“What was the Academy thinking, sending someone like that as the supervising professor? Weren’t we promised they’d send someone easy to handle?”

Most professors at the Academy were commoners.

Even the exceptions were of the lowest-ranking nobility.

And among those, anyone with real influence wouldn’t bother with something as troublesome as public service. They’d delegate it to their underlings.

That’s why, whenever the Academy organized volunteer work, it had long been the custom to sweet-talk the supervising professor and freely use the students however they liked.

It wasn’t just a Bluefields Harbor thing. It was common practice anywhere, even in the royal capital.

But this time, someone like Professor Winslet had come along with the students and shattered that tradition.

A completely unforeseen accident.

Supervisor Stanley and the other two guild masters turned to Dawson with accusatory eyes.

“Well? Say something, Guildmaster Dawson.”

“Yeah. Weren’t you the one who said you had connections at the Academy and would handle everything?”

“Johnny? Jonathan? Whatever his name is…. didn’t you say you knew the dean? Wasn’t this whole volunteer program arranged through him?”

“Everyone, please calm down.”

Dawson calmly replied while stroking his beard.

“I did speak with Dean Jonathan Kingfisher of the Magic Department. He agreed to send someone suitable. And we showed our sincerity generously to make that happen, didn’t we?”

“So? Keep going.”

“I think an unexpected problem arose during the selection of the supervising professor. At least he wouldn’t have sent Winslet here just to screw us over.”

Supervisor Stanley scowled.

“Hmm, even if that’s true, it doesn’t solve the immediate problem we’re facing.”

“Because Winslet took the students away, our guild’s work schedule is now backed up.  What are we supposed to do about that?”

“How about we do this?”

Dawson spoke in a low, confidential voice.

“Actually, I tried to feel Winslet out earlier. It seems there’s some misunderstanding between us; I suggested we at least have dinner together and talk things over.”

“Did the professor accept?”

“No. He said he’d be busy tonight and would be unavailable.”

“Then it’s useless!”

“No. It’s an opening.”

At Dawson’s words, the other three hesitated.

Hayden, head of the fishermen’s guild, brightened.

“You mean we take advantage of the fact Winslet won’t be here and use the students in his absence?”

“Exactly.”

Supervisor Stanley shook his head.

“But if Winslet finds out, he won’t stay quiet about it…”

“Isn’t there a saying? It’s easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission.”

“You weren’t there earlier, so you might not know…. if Winslet truly gets angry, who knows what might happen.”

Marcus, the Transport Guild master, interjected.

“Besides, the harbor’s been pretty tense lately. If we let the students wander around at night without a supervisor and an accident happens, that would be disastrous.”

“Then we can use that too.”

“You mean use it?”

“If anything happens to the students, Professor Winslet, as their supervisor, won’t be free from blame either. Isn’t it a better look when two people share the guilt rather than just one? If we frame it as a problem caused by his absence in the first place, we can muddy the waters around who’s truly responsible. Honestly, we might as well hope something does go wrong with the students.”

“……”

The other three frowned at Dawson’s malicious remark, but it was clear they were tempted by the idea itself.

After all, standing by and letting Professor Winslet run wild would lead to financial loss.

“Fine. Let’s give it a try.”

“Then we’re all in agreement?”

As he said this, Dawson gave a sly smile.

The shadows cast by the lantern twisted crookedly across his lips.

“Don’t worry. Whatever happens tonight… will just be a coincidence.”

***

After Professor Winslet’s stern warning, the students focused strictly on the official volunteer tasks.

They roamed the rainy harbor, recharging magic in the streetlamps, and when puddles collected on the roadsides, they filled them with earth magic.

It wasn’t anything too difficult. It was simple enough for even first-year students from the Magic Department.

Most of all, unlike the disgusting work at the fish processing facility, this felt much more manageable, and the students were relieved.

“Honestly, if Professor Winslet hadn’t stopped us from cleaning up fish guts earlier, I was ready to blow the place up.”

“Or just run for it.”

“Even the noble kids should’ve come here and seen that mess.”

The noble-born students, who were in the minority at the academy, hadn’t joined this round of volunteer work, nor did they face any consequences for skipping it.

It was an exemption granted by their social status.

“When the new student council president gets elected, this is the first thing I’m bringing up.”

“You’re going to push for making the nobles do volunteer work too?”

“Either everyone does it, or no one does. Simple as that.”

“Well, it’s true. We’re all students…why are we the only ones suffering?”

Another major topic among the students was Professor Winslet.

During lunch and again during the volunteer work—

After saving them twice from unfair treatment, the students had started to warm up to him.

“Don’t you think the upperclassmen were exaggerating? He’s not that scary.”

“Right? He’s a bit blunt, sure, but not a total sociopath or anything.”

“He looked so cool when he stood up for us earlier.”

Meanwhile, Jacqueline who had been quietly listening to her classmates was feeling a complicated mix of emotions.

Muttering under her breath with a twisted frown, Jacqueline drew Rita’s concern.

“What’s wrong, Jacqueline?”

“It’s nothing. I guess… it just feels like I lost my own little professor…”

“What?”

“No, I mean… metaphorically. Just metaphorically.”

Kicking at the ground with the toe of her shoe, Jacqueline continued.

“I was the special one… I was the first to notice he wasn’t that bad… He helped me before, too… But now they’re all acting like they know him…when they don’t even take his class…”

“Ahaha.”

As always, Rita just laughed it off, thinking Jacqueline was talking nonsense again.

They were on their way back after finishing the streetlamp inspection.

The students quickened their pace to avoid the rain.

“Ugh, we’re all gonna catch a cold at this rate.”

“Even with raincoats, everything’s still damp.”

“Huh? Look over there. Someone’s…?”

Off to the side of the road the students were walking along, an old woman sat crouched in the rain.

Her back was hunched like a bow, and she looked frail, dressed in shabby clothes.

There was no one around who looked like family or a caretaker.

“She’s going to get sick like that.”

“What can we do? Let’s just go.”

One by one, the students passed her by.

Jacqueline hesitated for a moment but soon turned back.

“Grandma, are you alright? Here, take my hand and let me help you up.”

“Oh, thank you, young lady.”

The old woman slowly lifted her head.

Her wrinkled face peeked through damp strands of hair.

“What were you doing sitting out here on the ground?”

“I was on my way to mail a letter, but my legs were hurting, so I had to rest a bit.”

Though she spoke politely, her speech was slow and slurred. Jacqueline listened patiently and replied.

“In this pouring rain? Why would you come out to send a letter on a day like this? You’re soaked.”

“I’ve got such a bad memory, dear. If I don’t go the moment I remember something, I forget again.”

“What kind of letter is it that it can’t wait?”

“My son joined the military and was sent far away… and it’s been over a year without a single word from him. That’s why I just have to send this letter.”

Jacqueline hesitated.

Technically, she was out here as part of an academy-run volunteer activity, so it wasn’t ideal for her to break formation.

But she couldn’t bring herself to ignore a worn-out old woman alone in the rain.

“I’ll help you.”

Jacqueline said.