I Became The Academy Necromancer
Chapter 342: Side Story - Madness

Findenai was sowing the seeds, the Dark Spiritualist used magic to cover them with soil, and finally, I was watering the soil with a can— if anyone were to see us doing this, they might be a bit taken aback.

Findenai, who once single-handedly held off the continent’s elite army.

The Dark Spiritualist, a necromancer who, despite being a soul, was able to overwhelm the Jerman Kingdom’s dark mage.

And me, who, in my own way, prevented the continent’s destruction and carried that burden.

The sight of us walking in a line, sowing seeds, covering them, and watering it in a small garden felt surprisingly ridiculous.

And the reason I was the one holding the watering can wasn’t anything special. It was just that I was the only one who could fill it with water through magic.

[Here’s some snacks.]

At that moment, Stella came out holding a tray with a smile. Although Findenai was the only one who could have the snack, it was more of a gesture to suggest taking a short break.

On the tray were two boiled eggs but no drinks or water.

Findenai was annoyed, but Stella simply responded with a smile.

It seemed she was still in a bad mood because of what happened yesterday when Findenai tackled me.

[By the way, what are we planting?]

“Potatoes and sweet potatoes.”

They were the easiest to grow, and you could keep harvesting them to eat.

[Eeek, I thought it was strawberries or something.]

The Dark Spiritualist openly showed her disapproval, while Findenai, perhaps having realized something, glared at me.

“Wait, doesn’t that mean I have to eat them?”

“You can share some with Erica too.”

“Her meals are much better in quality. What potatoes and sweet potatoes do I need to share with her? Oh, wait! Just turn the field over again!”

[Findenai should also try my cherry tomatoes.]

“Are you trying to torture me?!”

Findenai began to yell while overturning the garden. And after a little commotion, we continued farming until Erica arrived.

She came here every lunchtime, but starting next year, she would leave the Academy to take on her role as an Archmage candidate at the palace and would hence become busy for a while. And so, she was trying to make time to visit me now.

While we would normally talk and then she’d leave, today was different.

“Are you ready?”

At her call, I dusted off my clothes and nodded.

“I just watered the plants.”

Even though I was working in the garden, my clothes weren’t really messed up or dirty.

Seeing me like that, Erica smiled slightly and reached out her hand.

“You’re a little disheveled.”

“Really?”

I didn’t think I looked disheveled but Erica took a little longer to tidy me up.

Then, looking satisfied, she released her hand.

“Let’s go, Fel is waiting.”

Today, we were heading back to the Loberne Academy after a long time to meet Professor Fel.

It was for the regular check-up of my artificial body, and it was also the perfect time to mention that I broke one yesterday.

Naturally, I would be going alone, and we already had a talk about this.

Findenai was a high-risk criminal with a reputation across the continent, while the Dark Spiritualist and Stella needed to monitor her in case she did something unusual.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Findenai grumbled as she continued working on the garden.

[Bring me a gift on your way back.]

[Please be careful.]

After confirming that the Dark Spiritualist and Stella were following her back to the garden, I stepped through the general store’s door and arrived in Erica’s room.

“I missed this.”

The professor’s dormitory at the academy.

Since I had once stayed in a similar room during my time as a professor, it naturally brought back memories from that time.

Of course, it wasn’t for long.

Since I wasn’t here as Deus but Kim Shinwoo, there weren’t any major issues that would prevent me from wandering around the academy, but staying for too long wouldn’t be good either.

Moreover, if Aria Rias or Princess Eleanor were to catch me, it could cause unnecessary trouble.

Since I had come for a regular check-up today, my plan was to secretly meet only Fel, and Erica was also making sure that no one else would see me by checking outside the window or glancing down the hallway occasionally.

“Since the check-up tools are in the lab, we should head there.”

“Yeah, we should.”

After all, it was my old laboratory.

It would be nice to visit that place again, and considering Professor Fel’s research equipment, it made sense for me to go.

“…Somehow, it feels the same.”

“Hmm?”

I asked, puzzled by her sudden comment, and Erica scratched her cheek awkwardly before replying.

“I heard that when you are Kim Shinwoo, rather than Deus, you are a bit more affectionate.”

Was that so?

I assumed it was probably because of my tone.

“I thought maybe it’d feel different, but… as we kept talking, it was just the tone that got more casual. Your manner of speaking is the same.”

“…That doesn’t really sound like a compliment.”

“Yeah, it’s not a compliment.”

Laughing playfully, Erica subtly grabbed my hand and pulled me along. Those who usually only saw her as a professor would probably scream in shock that she was someone else upon seeing this side of her.

Be it Erica, the Dark Spiritualist, or Stella, they often showed me sides of themselves they didn’t show others.

Meanwhile, Findenai?

She was always the same, grumpy with me and others as well.

The Dark Spiritualist tended to act… well, no, she behaved very childishly around me.

Stella became more open with her desires.

Erica, on the other hand, tended to become playful or show cute behavior.

If she was upset, she’d grumble and call me a fool, or she’d pout in a petty way.

Holding onto my hand without letting go, we eventually arrived at the research lab.

Since it was class time, there were no students wandering in the hallway, so we were able to get there easily.

“Welcome!”

Raising both hands, Professor Fel greeted me enthusiastically. The lab hadn’t changed much from the last time.

I heard that after I left, the lab had become quieter and that she managed to hire an assistant professor, but looking around, it seemed like it was just Fel.

It wasn’t just that there were no signs of people—seeing that there were no assistant professors’ belongings at all, it seemed she had driven them all out.

Professor Fel had a hard time being around people, right?

I just kept my mouth shut, reading books and only spoke when I needed to answer Professor Fel’s questions, so there wasn’t any trouble between us.

“Did you run here? Your cheeks are red.”

We didn’t run here.

I couldn’t tell since I could only see her back, but it seemed like just holding hands was somewhat stimulating for Erica.

“I know the way to the lab too.”

When I mentioned that, Erica turned her head slightly and pouted her lips, glaring at me.

Upon seeing her like this, with her cheeks flushed a rosy hue, I couldn’t help but find her adorable.

And considering how far our relationship had progressed, we had already kissed, so merely holding hands while walking around the academy felt a bit…

“So it was because we’re at the academy.”

It wasn’t just because we were holding hands; it was the place itself that mattered. It seemed the fact that we were holding hands and walking around a place she usually walked wearing a cold expression was why it felt different.

“Ugh!”

Seeing that I hit the mark, Erica bit her lip as if to keep quiet, but only a hollow laugh escaped her lips.

“So even though it’s the same action, it can still produce different reactions depending on the place?”

“D-Don’t say it like you’re researching!”

Erica started punching me lightly in the chest. It seemed like her embarrassment had filled her whole face, and though she was punching me desperately, it didn’t hurt at all.

“Oh, wow.”

Professor Fel gasped with her mouth open, having never seen something like Erica’s reaction before. And realizing Professor Fel’s presence after momentarily forgetting about her, Erica quickly straightened up and cleared her throat several times.

“Let’s get started.”

“Ah, yes!”

Under the silent pressure to forget the previous exchange, Professor Fel hurriedly started preparing the tools.

As I stared at the back of Erica’s head, perhaps feeling my gaze, she glanced at me and then crossed her arms.

“L-look away.”

“Do I have to?”

“Hurry up.”

Not wanting to show her flushed face, Erica pouted. Even though she craved affection, she was acting like it was too much to handle with even the smallest gesture.

I felt like we were in a romance story, like something with a school setting.

Well, this is indeed a school setting.

After a while, Professor Fel confirmed various things for me. It didn’t take as long as I had expected, and it wasn’t painful either.

“Hm, so there’s no issue?”

I guess it was because I had only started using this body since yesterday.

When I mentioned that one of my artificial bodies had broken and I was using a spare, Professor Fel didn’t get angry but seemed more curious instead.

“Huh? It shouldn’t have broken due to mana at this time. What happened?”

“…”

Professor Fel blinked behind her glasses, waiting for an answer, while Erica clicked her tongue and spun around.

That meant that she wouldn’t help me explain this at all.

She probably knows what happened yesterday.

I thought she might not know since she had left first, but it seemed she had a rough idea of what the Dark Spiritualist and I did in the forest.

“I got a little… emotional, and that’s why it happened.”

“Oh? That’s interesting. Could you elaborate a bit more?”

“…It sort of just happened.”

Seeing me avoid the question for the first time, Professor Fel stared at me with curiosity while Erica let out a small laugh.

The situation was more awkward than I had anticipated.

“It seems the situation is not clear enough. If something like that happens again, make sure to remember all the details and inform me later! I need to know about any new variables for sure.”

“Alright…”

“And I’ve got you a new artificial body ready!”

Bubbling with excitement, Professor Fel dashed over to the corner and pulled out an artificial body wrapped in white cloth.

It was an artificial body that looked just like mine.

The one I was currently using was a body that mimicked the user’s appearance through the mana contained in the soul.

That one, however, could be considered as a mannequin of Kim Shinwoo.

“…”

I was a little uncomfortable thinking about the Deus Mannequin from the past, but Professor Fel didn’t seem to care and brought it to me right away.

“It seems like you’re having troubles related to the durability of the body, right? So I removed all the options! I just made sure to match the appearance and made it as sturdy as possible! This one should be able to withstand a few magic spells without any problems!”

I wasn’t sure if I would ever be in a situation where I’d be hit by magic. Regardless, the fact that the body wouldn’t break easily was good news.

Why was that?

A sense of unease still wouldn’t go away.

Honestly, I didn’t want to use an artificial body like that.

“Of course, there might be some awkward parts. The expressions might not change as well, or there might be a sense of dissonance in the body. But I’ll fix those things gradually!”

Professor Fel spoke like a salesperson, growing very talkative when she was speaking about the artificial body.

While I knew she was trustworthy, her usual shy personality disappeared when it came to research. At this sort of moment, she was more of a researcher than a woman.

“And also!”

Drreeeek.

Professor Fel brought in a cart with wheels. The entire cart was wrapped in a white cloth again, but she uncovered it confidently.

“…?!”

“Eh?”

There were various types of male genitalia on display.

Also known as dildos, typically used by women for self-pleasure, it was truly a bizarre sight to see she had so many of these items.

“Ta-da! It’s detachable! Since there’s no way I could know everything about you, like what your genitals look like, I prepared a variety of options! I just grabbed all of them from an adult store in the city!”

“…”

“With these, you won’t get tired! And… oh, dear.”

Watching me silently standing there with my mouth open in shock, Professor Fel scratched the back of her head.

“It seems like I have made a mistake.”

I wondered if she even realized what she was doing, the madness in her eyes as a researcher was yet to fade.

Drreeeek!

Professor Fel quickly pushed the cart to pass me and headed toward Erica.

“I should’ve asked Professor Erica about this!”

As I heard Fel’s bold suggestion…

“So, which one is your preference?!”

Erica’s eyes spun in panic as she became flustered and her ears turned red.

“H-huh?!”

She was utterly broken.

***

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