WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Surviving the Assassin Academy as a Professor

Translator: Touch

Editor: Grass

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Chapter 73: Glass Butterfly (1)

"Hey! You punk! What are you, some kind of thug extorting from local businesses?!"

Chief Professor Galois shouted angrily inside his residence.

He was furious because I had chosen to take a single high-quality elixir instead of 90 mediocre ones as the wager of our bet.

"What's the matter?" I asked him nonchalantly.

"Don’t act like you don’t know! Now that you’ve robbed me of the good stuff, get out of my house already!"

He burst with fury and kicked me out—rightfully so.

Because I had taken this from him.

＊ Mana Elixir (MP +451) [Legendary Ⅰ]

"Hmph! You should count yourself lucky, Professor Dante! If only our dear Farhan… if only Farhan didn’t have a mental breakdown, victory would’ve been mine…!"

"But he did end up having a breakdown, didn’t he?"

"Shut your mouth, you punk! You… you lucky son of a gun!"

There was a reason I had chosen a single high-grade elixir over 90 mid-grade ones.

If I were to distribute the 90 elixirs to 90 different people, the total mana gain would be greater.

However, as an individual’s mana capacity grows, the absorption efficiency of elixirs gradually drops.

For example, there was the elixir I’d received from Kaiser before. Back then, its details were:

＊ Mana Elixir (MP +37) [Rare]

But if I were to inspect it now, this is how it would show up:

＊ Mana Elixir (MP +21) [Rare]

Its effectiveness would have significantly decreased.

That was because my mana had increased, and my body could no longer absorb low-tier elixirs as efficiently.

So if I guzzled ten mediocre elixirs right now, the boost to my mana stat would exponentially drop—starting at +21, then gradually decreasing to +17, +8, +5...

The maximum mana capacity of humans is 10,000. And even then, only a chosen few ever reach that level.

That was why I needed high-grade elixirs.

And I had just obtained one that offered a whopping +451 to my mana.

Outstanding.

"By the way, is this thing expensive?" I asked, glancing back and purposefully playing dumb.

"Zip it! Get out of my sight!"

"Alright, alright. No need to raise your voice."

I slowly made my way out.

"But if it’s expensive, can I sell it?" I added, turning back one last time.

Leaving the trembling, spasming Galois behind, I returned to my office and popped the elixir into my mouth.

It came in the form of a coin-sized pill.

Honestly, it tasted disgusting.

"...Ugh."

Did they make this by grinding up some decayed mummy or something?

The revolting flavor hit my nose, and a few waves of nausea swept over me.

Once the nausea passed, a surge of euphoria flooded my body.

< Overall Combat Power: 165,837 → 170,573 (▲4,736) >

< [MP]: 1,751 / 1,751 (▲451) >

I had finally broken through 170,000 in combat power.

Now, I could cast Kaleidoscope at full power twice and still have mana left over.

I was becoming more and more of a monster.

Next on my schedule is training time…

I conjured an illusion on my palm.

A blue butterfly gently fluttered into the air, dancing with perfect grace.

Its form and structure were flawless by any standard.

And yet...

< 『World Forgery』 Proficiency: 89.99% >

After steadily increasing my proficiency in 『World Forgery』, I was now right on the cusp of reaching 90%.

But this pesky proficiency percentage just wouldn’t gain the last 0.01%. It didn’t budge, no matter what I did to train.

Even when I locked myself in my office all day, crafting the most intricate illusions imaginable, the percentage didn’t change.

I nearly completed the giant puzzle… but just can’t find the final, crucial corner piece.

In terms of forging the world, I could already replicate almost anything—matter, phenomena, space, even perception.

If something was complex, I simply needed more time to complete the illusion. As long as I could comprehend it, I could recreate it.

And yet, my [Proficiency] insisted I wasn’t there yet. That there was still something I couldn’t replicate.

Even after I created a tree so massive it blotted out the sky—an illusion that had never existed in human history—what more did it want?

I don’t know.

To be completely honest, I had hit a wall blocking my way—an obstacle I couldn’t overcome. From this point on, no amount of clever tricks or repetitive training would help.

What I needed was enlightenment. Not some thunderbolt-from-the-heavens kind of realization, but a slow, creeping awareness.

Even the faintest, weakest thread would suffice, as long as it was something I had never grasped or understood before.

Of course, I could just use some Star Shards and instantly gain insight to reach 90%…

< 53 Star Shards are required to reach 90.00% proficiency. Would you like to spend 53 Star Shards? >

But they expected me to give up 53 shards just to boost my proficiency by a measly 0.01%.

I now had exactly 400 shards in total, thanks to the recent gift from the 「Peaceful Star☮」.

< Star Shards in Possession: 400 >

And I had hoarded those 400 shards with the frugality of a penny-pincher. 

Imagine someone living entirely off free handouts, scavenging clothes from donation bins, and sleeping on cardboard at a subway station. 

That was how stingy I’d been, scraping the bottom of the barrel for every shard. There was no way I could waste them on this.

I need to save them for a more definite purpose.

Still, without an answer, there was nothing else I could do for now.

Eventually, I stood up from my seat. It was time to meet someone.

The top scorer of my final exam.

* * *

The meeting place was supposed to be the Battalion Building… or at least, that’s what it used to be called.

The original Battalion Building had burned down, replaced by a new indoor gymnasium that the administration decided to name after my alias.

Thus, the building was reborn as the Cain Building.

…It’s somewhat embarrassing.

I arrived earlier than the scheduled time, but the cadet was already there, waiting for me.

“Hi, Professor,” greeted the gray-haired cadet.

Sure enough, it was Gray Habanero.

As always, she wore her rather revealing cadet uniform, proudly showcasing her signature tattoos. But today, her usual mischievous air was gone.

Even her trademark cheeky fang wasn’t showing.

“Gray Habanero. Congratulations on placing first in the final exams,” I said.

“Congratulations to you as well, Professor.”

“For what?”

“For getting to teach a genius like me.”

She flashed a V-sign against her cheek and threw a wink my way.

But her usual playfulness felt muted. If anything, she seemed… solemn.

“Starting today, we begin personal tutoring. All sessions will be one-on-one, held in the Cain Building. I’ll be teaching you a secret technique across up to three sessions.”

“Okay.”

“So, what do you want to learn?”

Gray looked at me, then down at her feet, then back up again. That earlier shadow in her expression deepened.

She hesitated, glancing down and back up several times, before finally speaking in a quiet voice.

“…Um, to be honest, there’s something I need to say.”

“I’m listening.”

Even then, Gray hesitated.

“…”

As I waited, she scratched her neck awkwardly and averted her eyes.

“…What do I do...?” she muttered under her breath, barely audible. 

“What?” I asked more bluntly.

“…I don’t think I can say it.”

“You can say it.”

“I know I can say it… I’m just worried you’ll think I’m too arrogant or something…”

“I won’t think that.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Gray fiddled with her hair, then carefully spoke.

“…Honestly, I know you’re good at Illusion Arts, Professor. You’re probably as good… No, probably better than me.”

“And?”

“But, uh, um…”

She stole a quick glance at me.

“Speak freely. I won’t take offense. Wasn’t it you who once barged into the administration building wearing a bomb vest because you didn’t like the professor assigned to the Black Dragon Division?”

“Eh…?? I mean, that’s because I didn’t have to impress those professors…”

There are some things in life that simply take time to say aloud. I understood that. So I waited, letting her find the courage.

Eventually, in a voice so soft it barely echoed through the vast gym, she said,

“…I don’t know if I should learn from you.”

Her words rippled through the silence.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked.

“…Are you angry?”

“No. I just don’t understand what you’re implying.”

Gray scratched her head.

“Um, well… I’ve never learned Illusion Arts from anyone outside my family. Not even once.”

“Not even once?”

“Yeah. Not from anyone outside House Habanero. Our illusions are… really special. But my family…”

She paused again, uncertain.

“…Do you know about us?” she asked.

“I do.”

The House of Habanero had been nearly wiped out during the Habanero Incident. As far as I knew, most of the adults in the family had died.

Which meant Gray had no one left to teach her.

“Someone once told me that if I ever learned other formulas or styles of Illusion Arts, I might pick up bad habits. That it could even damage the skills I already have.”

“That’s true. It has happened before,” I said.

“During the first semester, I had a chance to learn from Gloomy, but I turned her down. I’m the last person who has inherited my family’s Illusion Arts. If I mess up my Illusion Arts even once, everything that’s been passed down for over 200 years in the family could vanish with me…”

Gray looked away as she spoke.

“I have a responsibility to preserve what remains of Habanero’s Illusion Arts… That’s why I’m not sure if I should learn from you.”

I understood now.

Gray had a vague idea that I was Cain. From her perspective, I was likely the most qualified person in the academy to teach her.

In fact, the chance to get one-on-one instruction from me was a remarkable opportunity, even for a Black Dragon cadet.

And yet, because of her family’s legacy, she was hesitating. And that only made her feel more guilty, and maybe even ashamed.

“…Do you understand what I’m trying to say?” she asked softly.

“Yes. I completely understand.”

Gray’s Illusion Arts and ordinary Illusion Arts were fundamentally different.

To give an easy analogy, all other Illusion Arts practitioners—myself included—used computers.

Habanero’s Illusion Arts, however, felt more like using a magic mirror.

What was the point of teaching her programming when there was no keyboard in front of that mirror?

Thus, Gray’s concerns were justified. And sadly, there was no simple fix for this issue.

Still, for the sake of our [Bond] level and the future events of 「Betting Table」, Gray has to grow by learning from me.

So what could be done?

We both fell into a brief silence. I let my thoughts drift, analyzing the connection and compatibility between my Illusion Arts and the Habanero family’s unique style, 『Glass Butterfly』.

But no matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with a solution.

No matter how well I could code a script on a computer, I wasn’t yet an expert in handling a magic mirror.

“…I’ve decided,” I said.

Gray looked up at me nervously. Her eyes glinted with a hint of guilt once more, knowing that while she had brought up the problem, there seemed to be no real solution.

And my answer wasn’t much different. Currently, there was no safe way for me to teach her my Illusion Arts without risking affecting her family’s arts.

“I will not teach you,” I said flatly.

She looked down, dejected.

Perhaps she had hoped that I would pull out some clever workaround. My answer clearly disappointed her. 

“…I’m sorry. I said I wanted to learn from you, but I can’t even do that properly…”

“Instead,” I said, “I’ll contact the administration and ask for two more sessions. That’ll bring us to a total of five.”

“…Huh?”

She blinked, her brows furrowing.

The suggestion must have confused her. I had just said I couldn’t teach her, so why was I requesting more sessions?

“For now, I have no way to teach you. That much is true. But I’ve decided not to avoid this problem.”

“…Then?”

Life is full of dilemmas—some big, some small.

Our current problem was clear: I had no way to teach Gray… yet.

The answer I arrived at, in the end, was this:

“You will teach me.”

Gray stared blankly, and at last, her signature fang peeked out.

“…Eh?”

“Exactly what I said. I’ll learn your family’s special Illusion Art, 『Glass Butterfly』. Once I understand it—once I truly grasp its nature—I’ll be able to teach you back in a way that won’t compromise your legacy. That’s the conclusion I’ve reached.”

“……Eh??”

Gray’s brows scrunched up.

“What kind of nonsense is that…? I mean, have you ever learned 『Glass Butterfly』 before, Professor?”

“No.”

A sigh slipped from her cat-like mouth.

“…Aren’t you taking this way too lightly?” Gray asked.

“I am not. I understand what kind of Illusion Art 『Glass Butterfly』 is.”

“But I’m going to assume you don’t know how difficult it really is… 『Glass Butterfly』 is hard. During an interdepartmental exchange, I tried teaching it to some Symphony-class illusion mages, and they couldn’t get the hang of it at all.”

She crossed her arms in disapproval, as if I’d just said something absurd.

Her reaction was understandable. After all, even Symphony mages—the Black Dragon Division’s equivalent in the Mage Department—had failed to grasp it.

“You probably think 『Glass Butterfly』 is easy just because I use it so well at my age. But that’s only because I’m a genius. Apparently, the adults in my family took thirty to fifty years to reach my level.”

That, I already knew. In fact, the average practitioner wouldn’t reach her current mastery even if they trained for a lifetime.

“I appreciate the effort you’re willing to make for my sake… but maybe I should just learn something else from you later,” she said, already halfway to giving up.

I had no intention of trying to convince her otherwise.

But—

“I understand. In that case, let’s do this.”

“Hm?”

“I know about Embroidery, the third form of 『Glass Butterfly』. Teach me just that during the next hour.”

Gray blinked in disbelief, more confused than before. 

Maybe she was surprised I knew about the Third Form: Embroidery. Or maybe it was because I suggested skipping the first and second forms and going straight to the third.

“Where did you even hear about…? It usually takes about a year to learn Embroidery. Even I needed a month.”

“I know.”

“You really talk like you know everything, huh… and you’re more stubborn than I expected…”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. So, shall we move to a more suitable place?”

“Where?”

“Here.”

Snap—

At the snap of my fingers, the entire gymnasium transformed into a vivid spring field of dandelions.

『 World Forgery: Spatial Forgery [Flower Field] 』

Gray’s eyes widened.

The best place to learn Embroidery was in nature, especially where butterflies might be found.

“…How do you even know stuff like this?” she muttered, her tone softening despite her grumbling.

She had likely realized by now just how much I knew about House Habanero.

“Haa… don’t say I didn’t warn you… Are we really doing this?”

“…Fine then. Come over here.”

And so, we sat side by side in the forest.

“First of all,” she began, “『Glass Butterfly』 is an Illusion Art that relies heavily on imagination and mental imagery. Now, Embroidery is…”

Her tone was a little sulky, but she started explaining nonetheless.

“No, no. You’ve got to take it step-by-step… You can’t just rush through it…”

She occasionally grew frustrated.

“Mm. That’s good, but still too artificial. It flies too well. Real butterflies flutter more unsteadily than people imagine. A bit more like this… like thiiis…”

Even so, she taught me with sincere effort.

“…Seriously, I’m telling you there’s no way you’re pulling this off in a day…”

For the average person: a year.

For a genius: a month.

For me: an hour.

An hour and a few minutes after we started, countless blue butterflies were embroidered across the yellow flower field and the sky, fluttering through the air.

The gray cat-like girl looked around in a daze. She brought a fist up near her mouth, a butterfly resting lightly on her knuckles. 

Once the butterflies finally vanished, her eyes—lost in wonder—drifted until they settled on me.

She stared in silence for a long while... as if she were staring at a monster.

Her signature fang never peeked out and was nowhere to be seen.

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