I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chris thought that it had finally come. He had offered to bet with Rudger and the loser will hand over one of the magic research papers to the winner.

It was Chris himself, no one else, who suggested this. Since he declared in front of many students that he would bet on it, he couldn't even say no.

“Did you know that commoner student possess anti-magic?”

"Yes. That's right."

Chris cried out with tears in his eyes at the answer that seemed to come in as if it was natural.

“Did you make this bet knowing that?”

"I don't understand why Mr. Chris is so angry.”

“You say that now…….”

“Mr. Chris, didn’t you know that Aidan was the possessor of anti-magic?”

“…….”

At those words, Chris was stunned. It was as Rudger said, he did not know that Aidan possessed anti-magic.

“I heard that Mr. Chris is in charge of the first year, but didn’t you check the first-year students who were admitted this time?”

“…….”

“Above all, Aidan never used anti-magic during the match. Did you see that his mastery of anti-magic had an effect on the victory or defeat of the match?”

Chris shut his mouth.

As Rudger said, Chris was not in a position to dare to argue with the result of the match. The fact that he didn’t know was his fault since he didn’t check the students.

Because Aidan was a trivial commoner he was unimportant. The narrow-minded thought he always had turned into a boomerang, and hit him in the back.

Who is to blame for that? Rudger who knew but didn't say it? Aidan who learned anti-magic even though he is a commoner?

It was his fault because he made no thorough preparations, and without even thinking of gathering information beforehand, he just assumed that he was going to win. His arrogance was the cause of his defeat.

“If you had checked the students, something like today would not have happened.”

“…….”

Chris didn't answer. Yes. It was obviously his mistake for not taking the duel seriously.

However, what hurts his pride more than that is that the outcome of this match was not determined by the anti-magic. Aidan didn't even use the anti-magic during the duel. He used only what he had after he came to Theon and defeated Jevan.

Seeing Chris trembling and not saying anything, Rudger continued.

“I remember that we bet on an academic thesis on magic.”

“……We did. What can I give you?”

"Nothing."

Chris was perplexed at that.

“What the heck……?”

“I am not taking anything.”

"Why all of a sudden…….”

“Not all of a sudden. This is what I was thinking from the beginning.”

Chris couldn't understand Rudger’s words. No, he actually understood but wanted to deny it.

“It is inferior to extort other people’s teachings in bets.”

After saying those words, Rudger turned his back and left.

At that sight, Chris turned into a bewildered person.

He wasn't even this annoyed when he was ignored by him, or when he lost the bet. But even though Rudger won the bet, he did not receive anything from him, but when he said that the act of betting itself was inferior Chris felt more than annoyed, he also felt a sense of disappointment.

The mirror of the heart that reflects the ugly side of the man, the more he stared at him with hostility and hatred, the more disgusting he was, and the more it reflected on him.

‘Me, this Chris Benimore……Are you saying I'm inferior?' Chris bit his lip. A stream of blood ran down the corner of his mouth. He didn't even think to clean it. He was just staring at Rudger's back with a blood-soaked look in his eyes.

‘Rudger Chelici.'

How much longer do you have to trample on my pride? Next time, for sure, I will pay back the disgrace I suffered this time.

“Mr. Chris.”

Hugo approached and called him, but Chris didn't respond. Now he didn't want to show anyone this ugly figure, so he hurriedly ran away from his seat.

Hugo contorted his face at the sight, but then saw the president looking over and smiling softly, and he couldn't help but swallow his annoyance. This event will be remembered as a shameful day for the aristocrats.

‘Rudger Chelici.'

Thinking of the man who caused all this Hugo Burtag grimaced inwardly.

* * *

Aidan, drunk with the joy of victory with his friends, suddenly remembered the promise he had made with Jevan. He staggered his gaze and turned to Jevan, who stood up from.

The three of them looked into each other's eyes and then nodded their heads towards Jevan.

"What?"

Jevan looked at Aidan and his friends coming towards him and asked with a weak voice.

“You came to laugh at me?”

“Jevan, have you forgotten the promise you made before the duel?”

At the word of promise, Jevan's face wrinkled. He couldn't even think about it because he couldn't break free from the shock of defeat.

“Jevan Pellio politely apologize right now for being harsh to my friends.”

“Now, you dare……Make me apologize?”

“You were the first to place a bet and apply for a duel Jevan. I'm just telling you to keep it. Come on, apologize respectfully.”

“…….”

Jevan clenched his fists tightly, but that was all. He was completely defeated by Aidan and even his surprise attack was unsuccessful. He didn't just lose, he was totally defeated. There was no place for him to stand in Theon any longer.

“Damn it. All because of you! Because of you I……!”

“Jevan.”

"Shut up! Don't call my name! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have gone through such an ugly thing in front of everyone! Yes! It's all your fault!"

“…….”

Seeing Jevan talking half-dazed, Tracy wanted to say something but Aidan raised his hand and stopped her.

“Aidan. Why?"

“Because there’s no use going on.”

Aidan knew that no matter what Tracy said, Jevan wouldn't listen. Aidan realized something when he saw the behavior that Jevan was showing.

He believed that people fight because they don't know each other, and once they get to know each other, the story will be different.

Meanwhile, Jevan cried even more desperately.

"Damn it! Damn it! Because of you filthy commoners, I can't stay in Theon anymore! We, the Pellio family, can't raise their heads no matter where we go! Because of you! Because of you!”

Jevan had already erased the foul or cowardly act he had committed from his memory. He simply couldn't bear it because he was so angry that he had to go through this.

"Why! Why do people like you have such powers? Why don't I have it?"

“Jevan.”

“Damn it. Damn it I just……I just wanted to increase the reputation of the family!”

Jevan bowed his head and screamed. He wouldn't have stopped if he knew it was the wrong way because he only aimed for that purpose.

Aidan looked at Jevan like that and tried to say something, but then shut his mouth. Far from receiving an apology from Jevan in that state, it was difficult to continue a proper conversation.

Even Tracy, who would normally be angry, was silent as she saw Jevan that was ruined.

To raise the status of the family, she also felt a sensation as if her chest was tightening at the appearance of Jevan acting like that.

‘Maybe I, too, might have become like that.’

When she thought of that, she trembled in fear but at that moment, a cold voice fell between them.

“The match is over, what are you still doing here?”

“Mr. Rudger.”

Dressed in an all-black outfit, Rudger exuded a strange atmosphere that could not be resisted. He stared at Aidan and his friends, then slumped down in his seat and fired a cold shot at the crying Jevan.

“Jevan Pellio, after losing the duel, what are you acting in an unsightly way?”

“…….”

“You didn’t accept your defeat and even made an ugly surprise attack and then shed tears because it was so unfair? Do you deserve it now?”

“Mr. Rudger.”

Aidan called but Rudger continued.

“The way you are now, isn't it much worse than the commoners you used to hate and despise so much?"

“……What do you know?”

In the end, Jevan, unable to bear it, jumped up and looked at Rudger.

“You don’t know how I feel!”

“Should I know?”

“……What?”

“Do I really need to know that?”

"This person……!”

Jevan was about to shout something, but when he met Rudger's eyes, the burning anger was quickly extinguished, and fear took its place.

Rudger's cold gaze staring at him was like he faced a nightmare in the pitch black darkness.

“You fought at will, and lost at your own bet. You didn't accept even that but you want others to measure your feelings. Why do I need to know how you feel?”

“That, that…….”

“Do you think this is still your family? Do I look like a nanny who listens to your complaints?”

“I, I…….”

“You, who do not know how shameful your actions are, are disqualified as a wizard. What is a noble and what is a wizard?”

Unlike the usual Rudger, Jevan couldn't keep his sanity at the almost violent words.

“I, I…….”

"Noisy. I don't even want to listen to your excuses. What you did a while ago will be referred to the disciplinary committee, so know that and get out of my sight right now.”

Jevan, whose complexion had turned pale, backtracked and then fled out of the arena.

“Aidan.”

"Yes, teacher."

“You have successfully used the [Moving-Magus]. Well done."

“It’s all thanks to teacher.”

“But it didn’t look too good.”

"That…….”

Aidan couldn't understand why he was feeling so down. Obviously, in front of everyone, he won the duel brilliantly.

"Well……I do not know."

"You do not know?"

“At first, obviously, there was a sense of exhilaration. Jevan insulted my friends and argued with me. My desire to defeat all of those things has definitely not changed. But……After that, it was a problem.”

“Did you get swayed by that nonsense?”

“Obviously I didn't have to listen to that. Yes. It ignored it.”

Aidan smiled bitterly and spoke frankly.

Rudger looked at Aidan without a word. He knew from before that Aidan was overly just and had the right values, but he didn't expect his heart to be this weak.

He had sympathy for even Jevan, who had been ignoring and looking down on him. Aidan is a young student who is part of the brilliant world called Theon. He was young he couldn't blame him for being stupid or stuffy because that was the way a child looked at the world.

“Aidan.”

"Teacher."

“As you go through life, you will run into various people.”

"Yeah?"

“Not everyone is like you. Some people will hate you and even be hostile to you. In the end, that's it. Your world is different from others.”

“……Is that so."

“But it depends on how you behave.”

At those words, Aidan, Tracy, and Leo looked at Rudger slightly surprised.

“There is nothing wrong with trying to take care of yourself and it's not stupid to give up everything you have but in the end, all you need to live in this world is moderation.”

“Appropriate…….”

“Aidan's selfishness and altruism are about half and half. If I yield half instead of taking half to someone the day will come when we will understand each other to some extent.”

With that said, Aidan turned to Tracy. He clearly remembers his first meeting with her and that she wasn't all that good. Tracy was like a rose full of thorns; however, from a certain moment, the two became attached to each other.

“I will not tell you not to yield to anyone or not to be considerate because that is impossible. I'm saying that it’s okay to be at least half selfish.”

At those words, Aidan felt as if he was about to catch something.

“I talked too much. I’ll go now.”

“Mr. Rudger!”

"What?"

“I will definitely remember what  you said.”

Rudger glanced back at Aidan, who answered with a determined face, and then left the arena with a light nod of his head.

The three of them stared at Rudger's back without saying a word until he disappeared.