The Department of Botany, the faction of the Yumina, was buzzing with activity.
Students loitering near the entrance were the first to spot the flashy vehicle pulling into the reserved lot. When a tall, elegant figure stepped out, they immediately recognized their Lord.
But it was the second figure, the one stepping out of the passenger side, significantly shorter than the car door, that grabbed their attention.
Whispers erupted instantly.
"Eh? Has Professor May taken a new student?"
"Student? No, look closely. That's Lecturer Rimuru, isn't it? The 'Fairy Tale Lord'?"
"Eeeh?! No way! He's so... tiny! He looks adorable!"
SNAP.
A metaphorical vein popped on Rimuru's forehead.
He glared at the students, then turned his dark aura toward May, who was visibly struggling to hold back a laugh.
"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" he hissed.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," May denied quickly, shaking her head. But the smirk tugging at the corner of her lips betrayed her completely.
"Hmph."
Rimuru turned away, surveying the parking lot.
It was less a parking lot and more of a barren courtyard in front of the British Museum, the public face of the Clock Tower. While the streets outside were jammed with traffic, this inner sanctum was sparse.
There were hundreds of professors and high-ranking mages in this institution, yet there were fewer than five cars parked here.
It seemed that while most Professors didn't mind riding in cars, actually driving one was still considered beneath them. Or, more likely, beyond their capability.
"Teacher!"
A young girl with short, curly blonde hair came jogging over. She was about the same height as Rimuru, which made for a rare eye-to-eye interaction. She eagerly took a stack of magical materials from May's hands.
"Lecturer Asta is covering today's class, as requested."
"Good." May nodded.
As a Lord, she had the authority to commandeer any lecturer or professor in her department to cover for her. It was essentially the power of a Dean. She rarely used it, preferring to teach her own students, but the emergency meeting regarding Rimuru's assassination attempt conflicted with her schedule.
"Um..."
The blonde girl didn't leave immediately. She hesitated, her eyes drifting toward the blue-haired boy standing next to the Lamborghini.
"Hello... Teacher Rimuru."
After the shy greeting, she hugged the materials to her chest and scurried away.
Rimuru watched her go, searching his memory palace. It didn't take long.
Lina Lyrico.
One of May's nominal students. A girl with a trace of witch's blood in her lineage.
"What's wrong?"
May took a few steps toward the entrance before realizing Rimuru wasn't following. She turned back to find him staring at the retreating student.
A teasing smile curled her lips.
"Thinking it's about time you took a student of your own?"
"Hah?"
Rimuru blinked, completely thrown off. He felt like May's train of thought was less of a track and more of a kangaroo, constantly jumping to conclusions he hadn't even seen coming.
Seeing Rimuru's bewildered expression, May realized she was getting ahead of herself.
It was just... habit. In the Clock Tower, becoming a Professor and taking on students went hand in hand. It was a tradition, much like a Professor taking on graduate students in a normal university. Seeing Rimuru finally step out of his decade-long depression had made her eager. Perhaps a little too eager.
"How about I introduce you to one?"
But since she had already started, she decided to double down. "I've already got four students under my wing. Honestly, I don't have the energy for another."
"Absolutely not," Rimuru shot back without a second thought. "Your 'students' are practically taller than me. Don't even dream about it!"
The Clock Tower wasn't a kindergarten. It was an elite institution for higher learning. While young geniuses were occasionally admitted, the vast majority of students were adults, either scions of mage lineages polishing their craft or talented commoners fighting for scraps of knowledge.
Finding a student who looked younger than Rimuru's thirteen-year-old appearance? That was a tall order.
And even if they found one, Rimuru had no desire to become a babysitter.
May, however, wasn't ready to give up. Her eyes twinkled with a sly, witchy light before she suddenly shifted gears, adopting a pitiful, pleading expression.
"But now that you mention it... I actually do know a child who would be perfect for you. You really can't refuse..."
"..."
Rimuru massaged his temples, staring at the fickle woman in front of him. He knew she was acting. He knew it was a trap. And yet, he couldn't quite bring himself to shut her down completely.
He sighed. "Let's wait a bit. I haven't even sorted out my own life yet. I'd just be leading a kid astray."
May frowned, opening her mouth to argue that he was being ridiculous.
But before she could speak, a light chuckle drifted from behind them.
"That is overly humble of you, Lord Rimuru."
The voice was calm, unhurried, and carried an air of absolute, unshakeable arrogance.
A man walked past them, his stride purposeful and rhythmic. He wore a crisp blue windbreaker that accentuated his tall, rigid posture. His hands were clasped behind his back, and though his tone was haughty, his manners were impeccable.
He paused, offering a slight, aristocratic nod.
"Good day to you as well, Lady Riddell."
May's expression shifted instantly. The playfulness vanished, replaced by a sharp, dangerous glint in her eyes.
"You're here early," she noted, her voice cooling. "Lord Kayneth..."
….
Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald ignored May's frosty attitude.
It was expected. While both the Archelots and the El-Mellois were pillars of the Aristocratic Faction, they were hardly friends.
The El-Mellois were thick as thieves with the Eulyphis family, May's biggest political rivals. Infighting and power struggles were just part of the daily routine.
But unlike May, who wore her emotions on her sleeve and did whatever she pleased, Kayneth was a traditionalist. He valued the maintenance of a perfect image.
Whether in social etiquette or magical achievement, he demanded perfection.
"The new intake of students is arriving soon," Kayneth replied smoothly, brushing off the tension. "One must prepare early if one wishes to maintain standards."
Unlike May, who ruled her department with a loose hand, Kayneth was a workaholic.
Not only was he the Lord of the Department of Mineralogy, but he also held a position as a First-Class Lecturer in the Department of Spiritual Evocation.
He had mandatory classes every week, and he took them seriously.
Rimuru watched the man, his eyes narrowing slightly.
A strange feeling washed over him.
Up until this moment, Rimuru had been entirely focused on his own survival, how to navigate the politics, how to hide his identity, how to get home.
But seeing Kayneth changed that. It shifted his focus from "Survival" to "Plot."
….
6 more to go…