Chapter 171 – Those with Twisted Memories

1

The Academy had officially entered midterm preparation season.

Manus once again teamed up with Elena and Aden for a league match today.

The result? A clean victory.

With the addition of three new skills, Manus had clearly surpassed the level of a typical third-year student.

Professor Kaiser watched Manus’s match with an emotionless gaze.

Since she still hadn’t appointed a teaching assistant, it was about time she chose one.

The thought of other professors already nagging her to hurry up crossed her mind, and for a moment, irritation flared up.

It felt like she was forgetting something, but… well, it didn’t seem particularly important.

“That was a good fight.”

Perfect victories.

That was the league record for Aden and Elena.

Would those two have achieved this miraculous streak of wins without Manus?

The more she watched, the more she coveted this promising talent.

He was only in his second year, but… could it hurt to start nurturing him a little earlier?

The magic Kaiser herself specialized in was a rather peculiar type.

Magic that occupied space and benefited allies.

It was a newly developing field of magic.

The truth was, she needed a student who could research alongside her and accumulate knowledge.

‘But I can’t just pass this knowledge to anyone.’

Her bored expression had now become a sort of trademark for her.

Up until just a few days ago, she had been expressionless, but after the incident with Black Rum, she appeared somewhat unmotivated.

There were even rumors that she was growing disillusioned with the Academy.

Of course, only Professor Kaiser herself knew the real truth.

“Professor, the sparring is over.”

“Huh? Oh, right. All of you are dismissed~. You’ll be up against the teaching assistants during midterms, so make sure you practice a lot.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Professor Kaiser rolled her eyes and looked over at Manus, who was tidying up the area.

Still only in his second year.

At an age where there was much to learn and much to accumulate.

Tying him down with teaching assistant work felt like a waste of his valuable time, so she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

Fine, forget Manus. She’d have to find some talented fourth-year student instead.

Yet, a lingering regret remained. She couldn’t stop herself from stealing glances at Manus again and again.

To an outsider, it might have seemed like she was a schoolgirl secretly admiring a crush.

Perhaps noticing her gaze, Manus slowly approached the professor.

“Huh? Manus. Is something the matter?”

“I’m returning the paper you gave me last time.”

“A paper? Oh… that’s right. I’d forgotten about that.”

There was something off about their conversation.

Manus tried to focus on what Professor Kaiser was saying.

In the original story, there wasn’t even time for such conversations because the schedule was so tightly packed.

It had been a straightforward progression, relentlessly aiming upward.

Stories that never looked around at what was happening caused gaps in the flow of information.

Come to think of it, there were quite a few plot holes in the setup.

The battles and core entertainment value were solid enough to earn recognition as a masterpiece, but every game had its flaws.

‘Or maybe it’s because it was a game.’

Now that this was reality, he had to care about all sorts of things, but back then, it was better to focus and make choices efficiently.

As Manus sorted out his thoughts, he pulled the paper from his personal subspace and handed it to her.

In a calm voice, he spoke to the professor.

“I read through the paper thoroughly. I added my own annotations—hopefully, they’ll be of some use to you.”

“Annotations? Thanks. I’ll have to repay you somehow.”

“Being able to share in your knowledge, even a little, is repayment enough for me.”

How was he always so sharp with his words?

Professor Kaiser barely suppressed a smile trying to creep onto her face and spoke up.

There had to be something she could offer him in return.

“This might be a bit premature, but… as you know, I don’t have a teaching assistant right now.”

“…I’m aware.”

“I haven’t found a student who meets my standards yet. So I was wondering…”

Manus sensed that fate was veering off in a new direction.

How does the world change when someone triggers a memory, and how do people who die within the Erosion Zone vanish from memory?

He was intensely curious about what might happen if he nudged certain memories here and now, but he held back from stirring things up unnecessarily.

For now, it was best to let things flow as they were meant to.

He still lacked the strength to challenge the great fate ahead of him.

Manus waited for the professor to continue speaking.

Right now, it was best to simply follow the natural order of things.

“Would you help me with my research until I find a new assistant?”

“Are you referring to the upcoming academic conference? Or…?”

“Just until I find a new assistant. I’m also preparing new papers, and I’m at a point where sharing knowledge is critical.”

Manus took a moment to consider.

Back on Earth, he’d heard that being a graduate student was akin to being a slave.

He had never experienced it himself, but one of his friends, who kept in touch through a group chat, always complained about it.

Even on holidays, this friend would drag himself to the professor’s lab, working on papers, research, and even cleaning up after the professor. He remembered reading that text in the chat.

Maybe that was why he was feeling anxious about it now.

At least in his previous life, he had no thirst for knowledge.

Honestly, he couldn’t understand why people were so obsessed with studying to the point of becoming graduate students.

‘But it’s different now.’

Now, he understood their mindset.

The hunger for knowledge.

The obsessive greed, the desire to climb higher.

Like a miner digging deeper into the earth in search of precious minerals, his thirst for knowledge about magic never ceased.

Professor Kaiser’s barrier magic.

It reminded him of a mage in his own family.

Learning it would undoubtedly prove useful.

Perhaps, he could even create magic that would replace certain items.

With those thoughts in mind, Manus nodded.

“I won’t be able to help much.”

“Oh… really? You’ll really help with my research?”

“Rather than helping, I see this as an opportunity to learn. I’m not afraid of gaining new knowledge.”

“As expected, you’re a true Caesar. There was once a student like you… though I can’t recall their name.”

Professor Kaiser’s face lit up as if sunlight had suddenly poured over her.

Her expression reflected the nostalgia of seeing a past assistant, now long gone.

Suddenly, an unknown emotion welled up inside her, making it hard for her to meet his eyes.

Could the absence of someone be so easily filled?

‘Someday… will all the memories return?’

If the people he remembered started acting strangely, as if their memories had been tampered with, could he bear it?

What kind of fate did those chosen by the Tower carry on their shoulders?

Ever since the Chesthip incident, the worries in Manus’s heart had only grown heavier.

Especially when he saw Professor Kaiser, who could be called a victim, it felt even more painful.

Surely, none of this had happened because of him.

It was simply the result of someone consumed by their own inferiority complex.

Still, Manus wanted to fill even a little bit of the void left in Professor Kaiser’s altered memories.

It was a pitiful sentiment, and he had no excuse if anyone called him out for it.

He just wanted to follow his heart.

“If you ever need help, just call me.”

“Alright. Thank you. Let’s talk more while preparing for class.”

“I’ll do that. Then, I’ll take my leave.”

“And thank you for the paper.”

Manus nodded slightly and turned to leave.

Professor Kaiser also turned and quickly made her way back to her research lab.

Caesar’s knowledge far surpassed her own.

No matter how young he was, age meant nothing when it came to learning.

That had been the driving force behind her rise to this point.

She always sought to integrate whatever might be useful, to grow more efficiently.

That was Professor Kaiser’s philosophy.

She couldn’t hide the excitement bubbling up inside her.

“I need to go read this right away.”

Forgetting what she had lost, and not remembering the life she had lived, she quickened her steps, a serene smile on her face.

Looking forward to the academic conference just around the corner.

2

As Manus headed back to the dormitory, Professor Trail called out to him.

Perhaps it was because of the harsh words he’d said to him before.

The professor’s face had softened quite a bit.

What had changed his attitude, Manus didn’t know.

Still, it seemed like the professor’s pride, once rigid and unyielding, had mellowed somewhat.

“Manus. The Chairman is looking for you.”

“Should I head there now?”

“Yes. And… I apologize for doubting you last time.”

Manus simply shook his head as if it were nothing.

The situation had been suspicious, and anyone would have reacted the same.

For a professor to neglect their duty would have been a more serious issue.

Manus harbored no ill feelings toward him.

On the other hand, Professor Trail had learned much from his mistake.

He had lived his days in the Academy as if he held limitless authority.

The delivery of difficult theories, the overwhelming volume of assignments, and yet, students always filled his classes to capacity.

All these signs had led him to believe that his methods and direction in life were correct.

But that belief had been shattered.

The result was someone’s injury.

An injury that had nearly cost them their life.

So…

“I never expected a mere maid would harm Professor Trevor. In a way, I should be grateful.”

“…It’s nothing. I was just doing what I always do.”

“Haha, hearing you say that does put my mind at ease. Well then, you should hurry along.”

As Manus walked away from the professor, he was engulfed by a deep sense of incongruity.

Still, it was a relief that the statements from those who had lost their memories remained consistent.

Trying to shake off the uneasy feeling, he quickened his pace toward the Chairman’s office, where Aden stood waiting in front of the door with her head respectfully bowed.

He couldn’t see her expression behind her mask, but it seemed like she, too, was dealing with a sense of dissonance.

As he stood in front of her, Aden spoke in a small voice.

There was sorrow in her tone.

It was the sadness of mourning those whose memories would never return, mixed with the longing for someone lost.

“They’ve all changed so much. It was… shocking for me personally.”

“There will be much more of this to come.”

More distortions, more tragedies awaited in the coming days.

If they crumbled now, they would never be able to handle what was to come.

That’s why he had to make sure he kept his own mind sharp.

Manus gently patted Aden’s shoulder before knocking on the Chairman’s door.

“Chairman. Manus has arrived.”

Aden’s voice trembled slightly as she called out.

When the Chairman’s approval came, Manus entered the room, where the Chairman awaited him with a serious expression.

Manus greeted him briefly and asked why he had been summoned.

“What is the reason you called for me?”

“A letter from your family has arrived. You are to return to the Caesar family before midterms.”

“A summons from my family?”

The Chairman’s expression grew heavy.

A dark cloud seemed to loom over Manus’s head as well.

–TL Notes–
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