A Death Row Convict Teaches at a School of Magic

As rumored, a gigantic fountain stood in a park centrally positioned in the Carousse district of Erwin, the royal capital.

As if it were a living creature, the undulating fountain with family members and lovers admiring it was a spectacle that symbolized genuine serenity, and I could sense the significance of this time in my life. These commonplace moments of peace and tranquility served as a reminder that we must continue to treasure such moments in our day-to-day lives.

I wished I could somehow incorporate such a scenario into the topic of conversation during my upcoming homeroom.

The thought of such an idea spontaneously struck me, followed by a wry smile forming on my features. Come to think of it, I had been living as a teacher in that city for roughly two and a half years. It would not be out of place if such a habit had taken root in me without me even registering it. The job itself was one that I enjoyed fairly well, and this incident was indeed a bitter blow. Had this been a lesson, I could have posed a question to the lecturer regarding areas for improvement. Being able to repeat the process of trial and error was perhaps one of the privileges of being a student.

“…Ah.”

When I eventually gazed at the fountain, two figures approaching me were noticeable.

These two people had been waiting for me at this time but I had been so preoccupied with the fountain that their presence had entirely slipped my mind.

“Excuse me, were you waiting for me?”

“N-No! We just got here!”

“…Your first word when meeting someone is that same old line, huh.”

Felt, “Viper,” and Sasha, “Cannibal Merchant,” who were waiting for me, reacted to me with contrasting intensity. Since they would be in Erwin for a while after this, these two had been made to accompany me this time.

“I mean, both of you are wearing remarkably conventional attire.”

“Your outfit is far too overdone.”

While Sasha was sporting a summery one-piece dress and straw hat, Felt was donning a wide-brimmed shirt and denim shorts—hardly the garb of a wanted criminal stepping out in the public eye. I, on the other hand, was decked up with a hat, spectacles, and even a pair of magic shoes.

“Um… I don’t think you have to be that self-conscious about it since the number of people in the royal capital is incomparably greater than in other places. If anything, the fear is that you will stand out from the crowd by putting on too much of a disguise. Even the Royal Military Police are wary of people like that.”

I concurred with Sasha’s statement by nodding.

“I see… this is a great learning experience. Thank you, Ms. Sasha.”

“Not at all…! I am glad I could be of service to you!”

When my smile was directed at her, Sasha’s eyes were moistened as if she was deeply touched. Since being away from school, I have been spending more time with Sasha and company as the number of mundane tasks has drastically shrunk, but owing to this, I have been successful in the development of a cordial connection with Sasha. For the record, it will take a little more time for Felt, who was watching this scene with an awestruck look on her face.

To bring the conversation back on track, Felt cleared her throat once.

“Nn! …Then we are looking for someone, right? Let’s begin with that. Kanaki, do you have a general idea of where the person you are searching for is located?”

“Yes, I have figured that out… but the problem is what comes after meeting them.”

The place I was going to meet them was also problematic in its own way, though.

After saying so, Sasha tilted her head in curiosity.

“Um… does that mean that person isn’t cooperating with you, Master Taiga?”

“I wonder… if either case, it’s more of a subtlety that they are plainly moody, so I can’t be sure unless I actually meet them. Also, as I have said many times, please refrain from addressing me as Master. You can be more casual.”

“N-No way! I-I am in awe of your openness… and in fact, I am in wonder why you can be so frank with him, Felt!”

“No, well, considering the things that were done to us, it is indeed a mystery in a different sense…”

Sasha was met by Felt’s stunned look. Then, after appeasing Sasha, she returned to her story.

“So where is this person? You said something earlier about it being in a complicated place.”

To her question, I gave a mysterious nod.

“That’s right. Unlike the time at the library, this time we are going into full undercover, so it is necessary for us not to be recognized by anyone, and that is a little tricky. Well, I can deal with that on my end.”

“…Somehow, I have a deeply unsettling feeling about this.”

Felt pressed her forehead, but her assumption was not wrong. Sasha, who had not worked with me much, stared up at me with a pair of innocence-filled eyes.

“So, Master Taiga, where is this person?”

“Yeah, actually―it’s the internment camp for criminals.”

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Even though I did claim that infiltration was doable, the planning phase demanded a fair amount of time.

Since we intended to sneak in under the guise of an employee of the facility, we first set our sights on employees who commuted to the facility. But despite monitoring the camp, finding anyone that resembled the employees was proving to be a struggle. Since the camp was not a prison, but only a facility for incarcerating criminals, the site was not so spacious, but it was tough to keep a continuous surveillance due to the occasional patrol by Military Police, who were undoubtedly highly trained. I was preparing myself for the worst that this was going to be a long process, but since my job was non-existent and I was virtually destitute, I opted to let Sasha take care of all my financial issues, such as accommodation and food expenses.

“Ms. Sasha, I am truly apologetic. Once this matter is settled, I will repay all the money to you…”

“N-No, that’s all right!”

“…Or rather, why are you apologizing for something like that now, after putting us through so much?”

“No, I apologize when I cause people trouble, and I think it is only natural to try to repay that debt. That is what I taught my students.”

“Why do you simply exhibit such fair judgment in that aspect of your life… Forget it, it’s giving me a headache.”

Felt was not convinced with my point of view, but after six days of surveillance of the camp, I finally succeeded in identifying an employee who matched the requirements.

The rest was up to my expertise.

When the employee returned to his house, exhaled, and turned on the lights, I, who had already intruded on his house, simply stated a brief message to him.

“I have a favor to ask you.”

By the next morning, he had transformed into an instant marionette willing to comply with any “favor” I made.

Sasha was so blown away by my skill that she said, “That was brilliant!” while Felt regarded him with a pitiful view. No problem, you will be joining us in a little while.

I have already started inquiring about working hours. On the night of the day on which I have made the employee nostalgic, I will carry out the long-awaited infiltration of the camp. The day of Eto’s execution was less than a month away at that time, while the SKT finals were merely a few days away.