As the group made their way back, Professor Duncan could hardly contain his excitement.
"Ansu, Hailey, it’s really thanks to the two of you this time!"
Recalling this trip to the ancient ruins, although there had been several twists and turns, they had finally made it through safely.
Having just been hunted by so many mercenaries and demons, Duncan had truly thought he was dead. He hadn't expected the situation to take such a dramatic turn, and that everything had actually fallen within Ansu’s calculations...
Those vicious thugs had actually been wiped out by him in a single stroke?
"That was incredible, Ansu! That sacrifice move was brutal. How did you think of it?"
Seeing Professor Duncan’s face full of praise, Ansu gave a humble smile.
"It was nothing. I was just pushed to that point, so my mind worked a bit faster..."
Having already cleared this dungeon once in the simulation, it would have been too embarrassing to fail now.
"But speaking of which..." After the excitement faded, Professor Duncan’s expression clouded with deep doubt. "How did those guys target our group? Ansu, how did you provoke those people?"
Although Duncan wasn't a powerful transcendent himself, he could tell that those black mages from earlier were almost all top-tier experts...
"Ansu, Hailey..." Professor Duncan watched them suspiciously. "You’re hiding something from me, aren't you?"
"Um..." Ansu and Celia silently shared a glance.
It wasn't just that they were hiding things; he hadn't even called Celia by her real name once...
"It’s a long story." Ansu explained with a smile. "I didn't tell you at first for the sake of confidentiality, but now..."
There was actually no need to hide it from Professor Duncan anymore. After all, they had already gone through two rounds of life-and-death adventures together on this trip; Professor Duncan could be considered one of their own.
Furthermore, the professor was a minor villain boss he had poached; he would need to rely on this genius magitech scholar for many things in the future.
Thus, Ansu explained the origins of the two factions that had been hunting them. As Professor Duncan listened, his face suddenly changed.
"Huh? Wait..."
"The Echoes of Truth! The demon resistance army?"
Professor Duncan’s eyes widened as he stared in shock at the two young people before him. What on earth had they done to get two such massive and evil secret organizations... to hunt them down simultaneously?
"The remnants of the demon army were actually forced into it. As for the Echoes of Truth..." Ansu chuckled, not minding revealing one of his identities to the professor.
"The two of us are actually traitors to that organization. Well... before the betrayal, we were even core members. Not long ago, we played a trick on Acting Cult Leader Samantha, which is why she’s so angry and sent people after us."
Professor Duncan was suddenly speechless...
He stared blankly at Ansu, who had just casually outed himself as a cultist.
Meanwhile, the two students following behind didn't even dare to breathe loudly...
Is this something we should be hearing? Is this cultist junior going to silence us later...?
"Actually, we can't really be called traitors~" Celia looked at Ansu with a smile, suddenly remembering how he had been urging her to take the next step.
At first, she hadn't taken the matter to heart because power wasn't what she wanted.
But after experiencing so much with Ansu, and knowing the hidden dangers of his identity... Celia began to realize the importance of power. If she and Ansu could hold the reins of the cult, it would indeed reduce many unnecessary troubles...
"Of course!" Ansu narrowed his eyes, a calculating glint flashing in his gaze. "After the events at the Royal Capital and these ancient ruins, Samantha’s confidants have suffered heavy losses. These two major failures will cause her prestige to plummet..."
"Samantha is going to lose her power." Celia sneered. "Once those old foxes in the Council of Elders hear the news that Samantha’s inner circle was wiped out in the ancient ruins, they will definitely start having ideas."
Ansu nodded. The Council of Elders, especially the Restorationist faction within it, had been dissatisfied with Samantha for a long time. This time, they would surely find every way to sideline her and push forward a more easily controlled acting cult leader.
And that would give him and Celia their chance...
After all, there cannot be two suns in the sky. Since Samantha could no longer lead the cult forward, letting someone more excellent and undeniably powerful take the throne...
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
A tacit smile appeared on both their faces; everything was understood without words...
"Wait, wait, wait..." Professor Duncan finally couldn't help but speak up. "How did we get to sidelining a cult leader and plotting a coup? Is this... something I should be hearing!?"
"Also, you guys made such a big mess! You’re not afraid, but what about me? Either of those factions could crush a minor academy professor like me like a bug, right?"
"You're an assistant professor now," Eddie said abruptly from behind.
"No, no!" Leon corrected him. "Professor Duncan has been demoted to a lecturer."
Professor Duncan turned back to them, speechless and annoyed. "Is now the time for that? Shut up! This is no place for you to chime in!"
What was wrong with these two stupid students? Weren't they quite smart back when they were in school?
The two students closed their mouths awkwardly, while Ansu and Celia couldn't help but laugh.
"You don't need to worry about that, Professor." Ansu had already decided to bring Professor Duncan onto his side. He pulled out his notebook and began writing something seriously.
"I see that the professor is quite satisfied with an employer like me. In that case, I have a new employment contract here..."
"An employment contract?" Professor Duncan frowned and thought for a moment. Indeed, after working for others for so many years, these two were probably the best employers of his career.
After all, they were generous, didn't interfere with his research, and even provided powerful and mysterious protection. If they weren't cultists... he would indeed be more than happy to have such employers.
But it was that cultist identity...
Professor Duncan studied Ansu carefully, feeling more puzzled the more he thought about it. How could such a sincere and kind young man be a cultist captain?
Although that move of sacrificing all the pursuers was quite ruthless, it was aimed at those villainous cultists and remnants of the demon army. Even if he had been a bit frightened at first, he didn't feel that what Ansu did was wrong; villains deserved the most miserable end!
While Professor Duncan was lost in his conflicted thoughts, Ansu tore off the piece of paper and handed it to him with a smile.
"Professor Duncan, you still have a chance to regret it, because this is a permanent employment contract!"
"Permanent?" Professor Duncan took the simple 'contract' in surprise. He found that it had everything it should, except the content was extremely brief—just one sentence:
"Help you realize your academic dreams, and then, change the world with me."
"Party A: Ansu Morris"
"Party B: "
"Ansu, you..." Professor Duncan looked at him in shock, even joy. "What do you mean by this? You want to support my academic ambitions, fund me, and then..."
"It’s exactly what it says!" Ansu blinked with a smile. "A grand magitech professor, a magitech mechanical genius of the Benalu Royal Academy—no, of the entire Empire and the whole world—surely you aren't afraid to have a dream like changing the world?"
Professor Duncan was so moved by this flattery that his beard practically fluttered. His entire face turned bright red, and all sorts of impulsive thoughts suddenly flooded his mind.
That's right! Of course he had such a dream!
Otherwise, why would he have left his hometown to travel to the center of magitech academia, the bustling Benalu City, to pursue his dream?
Professor Duncan threw all his prejudices against cultists to the back of his mind. After all, what was more important than having one’s academic ideals recognized?
"Good, good..." Professor Duncan hurriedly prepared to sign his name. "It’s wonderful that you can fund me, even permanently! Ansu, I really don't know how to thank you..."
"Wait..." Ansu glanced at the simple 'contract' again. Although it had no legal force without notarization and was more like a simple agreement filled with a 'sense of ritual,' it should still have the essentials. "I think I forgot to fill in the salary, Professor..."
Professor Duncan froze and looked up. "Ah? That's right..."
He had been so caught up in Ansu’s words and hot-blooded excitement that he hadn't even thought of that...
Ansu wasn't going to make him work for free, was he?
The more Professor Duncan thought about it, the more worried he became. After all, he was a cultist! Could a cultist’s word be trusted?
Seeing Professor Duncan’s expression, Ansu burst out laughing and took the 'contract' back to add more details.
"How about this... I had a concept before that we can realize once we return to Benalu City. I plan to start a research company for magitech and the like. Professor Duncan, you can be one of the shareholders and enjoy equity sharing..."
Professor Duncan nodded repeatedly in delight. "Good, good..."
"Oh, right." Ansu looked at the two students who no longer dared to speak. "You two seniors should come with me as well. You'll continue to be the professor's assistants. The whole team will work for me and Celia. The benefits are generous, and room and board are free. This is a dream job!"
"But..." Leon hesitated for a moment. "I have a job. I only came back to help my mentor this time. Though I suppose I could pick up the research I did back in school..."
"Um... Junior Ansu." Although Eddie was grateful, he also had a reason to refuse. "I don't have a job, but I have to go back and inherit the family estate... As you know, my father is a noble in the Royal Capital..."
"Inheriting a noble estate and assisting the professor with research aren't mutually exclusive, are they?" Ansu shook his head and laughed. "I happen to know that the nobles in the Royal Capital are usually very idle. Watching a horse race and attending social gatherings are their busiest tasks."
"That’s true..." Eddie couldn't help but think it over.
"Why is it so complicated?" Celia frowned slightly, her gaze suddenly turning cold. "The two of you already know so much. If you dare to be disobedient, I'll kill you to silence you!"
When that cold, murderous gaze swept over them, Eddie and Leon felt a chill through their entire bodies and immediately shuddered.
"Okay, okay, I agree..."
"I agree too..."
Ansu couldn't help but curl his lips. It seemed this method was still the most effective.
Rate on N.U.
