Academy's Undercover Professor

 C68: Magical Synesthesia (1)

I was sick so I couldn’t post until today.

“Flora Lumos, what the hell is going on here?”

Flora hesitated to answer Rudger’s question.

Actually, she wanted to ask Rudger if he used unusual magic without anyone else’s knowledge.

‘But, how do you say that?’

Smell was the only proof that he had used magic and only someone with a special constitution like Flora could sense that unique fragrance.

“Ah, that, so…….”

Why was Rudger there that night in the first place? And what was the medicine box he was carrying? She had several questions she wanted to ask, but at the same time she couldn’t.

‘Hmmm.’

Come to think of it, she wasn’t particularly good with Rudger. Although Rudger himself says he does not understand at all, Flora still has not forgotten the humiliation she suffered on the first day of class.

All of them were defeats caused by her shortcomings, and even the battle of insults that followed did not end nicely. To her, Rudger Chelici, was nothing more than a man worthy of her challenge.

Flora was fiddling with the hem of her own uniform skirt.

‘Yeah, that’s right. Calm down Flora Lumos. Even Mr. Rudger is sick, that’s not my business.’

Until Flora had put her thoughts together, Rudger just stood still and stared at her.

Flora coughed a little, and she looked at Rudger.

“…….”

And she unwittingly turned her eyes to the side. She felt ashamed when she finally made up her mind and met Rudger’s eyes.

‘What? Those eyes.’

Rudger was just staring normally, but not at all in his predicament. Rudger is a man who turns into a picture just by keeping his mouth shut. His impression is sharp and charisma is felt just by looking at him. Those who receive such a gaze from him will automatically feel embarrassed.

That intense, unshakable gaze had something that was difficult to face for more than 3 seconds. It was as if she was dealing with beings higher than the nobility.

“Is there nothing to say?”

Rudger was not at all embarrassed as he was going to work early in the morning and a student was standing in front of the door, especially a student who may have witnessed his secret.

‘Have you seen it? So you want to threaten me with it?’

Flora, unaware of his thoughts, panicked at Rudger’s gaze. In the end, Flora had no choice but to bring out her purpose after hesitating.

“I heard that you are hiring assistants.”

Actually, she didn’t come here for anything related to teaching. She tried to ask what she had seen in the forest, but she dared not speak so she switched the topic.

In fact, when Rudger hired an assistant, she was intrigued.

“Obviously.”

Rudger nodded her head and agreed with her.

Flora clenched her tiny fist tightly and spoke with courage.

“I, I……Can I help you with your work?”

“…….”

Raise one of his hands and put it on his chest. For a moment, Rudger wondered if he had heard something wrong.

“……What did you just say?”

“I said that I could help you with your assistants.”

“So, did you say that you want to be my assistant now?”

“No. Not that!”

Flora pursed her lips.

Still, she said that he would come and help with the work, as she is a senior in the second year. If it were another teacher, they would thank her immediately and hold her hand but Rudger’s reaction was blunt.

“Hey, even though I look like this, I’m very talented at magic.”

“I know.”

“If you know why are you reacting like that?”

“Because I no longer need an assistant right now.”

“Yeah?”

Flora’s eyes widened as if she had heard something wrong. Her long dark blue hair shook due to her emotions.

“That, what now…….”

“It’s as you say. I’ve already hired one assistant, and I don’t need another assistant right now. Above all else, I look at things other than magical skills when I hire an assistant. I’ve already explained this in class.”

“Yes…….”

Rudger does not hire assistants simply because of their magical abilities or their background but because of how diligent and faithful they are to their role. That was the condition Rudger put forward.

Flora was a little shocked because what she said with courage was so harshly rejected. She slightly bit her lip and lowered her head. At that moment, Rudger’s voice rang in her ear.

“But, I appreciate your kindness.”

“Yeah?”

Flora shook her head.

“That…”

“Weren’t you just here to help?”

“Oh, wasn’t I?! That, didn’t you misunderstand me?!”

“…….”

Rudger couldn’t understand her and decided to act like an adult.

“Then do that.”

“Well, it’s not like that.”

“If there is nothing else to do, I will go in first.”

“No! I have one more question!”

“One more?”

Rudger hoped that the last question would not waste his time or he would be really bitter. As he stared at Flora, she roused her magical powers even though she was pouting.

“Isn’t that what Mr. Rudger said back then? If there is anyone who understands my magic, please come and find me.”

In the last class, Rudger showed his students the coordinate designation magic and said that if there is a student who can imitate it he will give them extra points accordingly.

“Look at this.”

Flora said and created a tiny drop of water in the empty space between her and Rudger. She didn’t stop there as small pieces of ice formed on the ceiling and the wind blew from the other side of the hallway.

Rudger’s eyes widened as he watched the scene. That was obviously the <coordinate designation method> he showed in class the other day.

It wasn’t as sophisticated and neat as he showed and even the effect is only at a weak level but the basis is definitely the same as what he showed.

“You were successful.”

“Because I am a genius.”

As Rudger graciously admitted, Flora naturally raised her nose.

“What do you want? Do you want to get the extra points as I said then?”

“At first, I thought I would just get the points.”

Flora didn’t think it would be fun then and halfway through, she changed her mind.

“I want another reward that is equal to the points.”

“Another reward?”

“Yeah.”

Flora’s request was bold, but she deserved it. Rudger pondered for a moment and then nodded his head.

“Good.”

“Really?”

She didn’t expect that Rudger would agree to her request. Of course, she also had her own inner intentions.

She can’t openly ask him to show her another magic and can’t ask him to tell her a secret either. But what if she left that judgment to Rudger? She was sure that he would give her a suitable reward.

‘Because Mr. Rudger is surprisingly knowledgeable.’

Rudger Chelici is blunt, hard-headed, and sometimes rude, but he is confident in his words.

“Come in.”

Rudger said and opened the door to the office.

“Yes?”

“I told you to come in.”

“…….”

Flora swallowed her saliva. Is he saying that the two of them are going into the office alone now? Flora had a strange thought without her knowing, but then she shook her head.

‘Yes. He just told me to come in. Let’s not think strange things!’

She said yes and followed Rudger into the office.

The office was just like Rudger neat and tidy. It was well-organized and there was a strange sense of stability thanks to the pleasant smell of wood and the scent of ink and paper and even the light that softly illuminates the interior space.

“This is it.”

Rudger guided Flora through a door on one wall of the office. It was a private laboratory dedicated to teachers, where the assistants stayed and Rudger himself used to do magic experiments and research.

Rudger opened the door and went in first, and Flora followed.

‘Wide.’

Flora had such a sentiment as she looked at Rudger’s laboratory. Usually teachers are all supported with similarly sized labs, but Rudger felt particularly large compared to other teachers because there was hardly any clutter that took up space.

‘Is he really from the military?’

He didn’t put anything aside, except for the bare minimum of books, documents, and materials he needed.

On a long blackboard on one wall, dense magic circles and theories drawn with magic chalk were visible.

‘What the hell did you study?’

Most of the writings were merely copying passages from papers or books, which Flora also knew. However, seeing a pattern drawn on one end of the magic board, Flora had no choice but to stop without her knowing.

‘This is……?’

Rudger researched the starting point for various magics. She didn’t feel much inspiration there, but the pattern she’s seeing now is different.

‘Pattern? No. Is that alcohol?’

But for a drink, the shape is a bit strange. Basically, the magic technique takes on a three-dimensional form as if drawing a picture through lines and planes with magic in the air.

Its appearance varies greatly depending on the magic, but there are many things that are basically splendid or create elegant beauty. However, that one painted by Rudger was strange, it looked like an ordinary cube.

When asked to draw, she could draw even with her eyes closed. However, if there is another small cube inside the cube, and each edge is connected by a line, the story is different.

‘Did he just draw it? No. It’s not just a drawing.’

As she approached and tried to study it, Rudger opened his mouth.

“I was thinking about what to give you.”

Flora turned to Rudger, who looked like he had already decided.

“The coordinate designation formula I showed. As you feel and use it, it is to set mathematical formulas and coordinates centered on the user, and to manifest magic from distance, controlling the mana used as much as possible, fixing it in the air, and manifesting another technique at the coordinates.”

Of course, students who can’t understand even if I say this won’t be able to do it. In fact, Flora Lumos was the same. She could only imitate Rudger thanks to her talent.

“If it’s you, it’s okay if I show you this.”

Rudger said and began to draw a magic circle in front of him. However, it was very different from the usual magic circle.

‘What is that?’

Flora unknowingly shook her shoulder.

The basic technique is to draw a line of magic in the air to create a three-dimensional picture but what Rudger showed her now was entirely different. It was a technique and magic that showed the possibility of another dimension beyond three dimensions.

“……!”

At the same time, Flora’s ‘synesthesia’ was activated, a transcendent sense that it’s beyond the limits of the human senses. The moment she felt it with her senses of sight and smell, Flora could not stand the shock and passed out.