Ansu looked at Professor Duncan helplessly, feeling that the misunderstanding was only growing larger.
Freya suddenly pulled Ansu aside and leaned in, whispering gloomily, "Student Ansu... the professor thinks your cultist 'boss' is your girlfriend, doesn't he..."
Ansu paused for a moment and could only nod.
"Yeah..."
Though she really had made him play the role of an acting boyfriend that day...
Freya pursed her lips; she naturally knew the nature of their relationship. That Ash Witch seemed to trust Lord Ansu quite a bit... but no matter what, it had absolutely nothing to do with being a girlfriend!
So how could the professor mistake it for that kind of relationship?
Freya silently observed Ansu's expression, her heart growing more and more suspicious...
Could it be that during the time she was away, they...
No! Impossible. Freya instinctively dismissed the thought. Lord Ansu would never harbor any feelings for a cultist!
Even if he did, it must be part of his disguise! Because Lord Ansu needed to obtain information through her; he was merely using her.
Thinking this, Freya finally felt a bit better...
"That woman... is actually just Student Ansu's boss," Freya said, looking at Professor Duncan and explaining seriously for him.
Even though there was definitely a misunderstanding, for some reason, she really didn't want the professor to keep letting his imagination run wild...
"Boss?" Professor Duncan's gaze shifted to Ansu, his expression becoming even more peculiar.
Anyone with eyes could see that his relationship with that girl from the other day was anything but normal.
So... this kid Ansu had gotten involved with his female boss?
Professor Duncan's expression suddenly shifted from earnest advice to something much more suggestive.
He patted Ansu's shoulder with admiration, giving him a look that said, "You're a legend, kid!"
"Professor, let's just get back to business!" Ansu couldn't help but massage his temples. He had no idea what these two were imagining, but it was incredibly awkward...
Professor Duncan's expression finally became a bit more serious.
"It's like this. The Church's Inquisition of Heresy is planning to organize an expedition squad soon to find that lost ancient demon ruins."
"Since you can't get the school to cooperate, Professor, why don't we join the Church's team? I believe you are fully qualified to serve as the expert consultant for this operation."
"Oh?" Professor Duncan was somewhat surprised. He pondered for a moment. "Using the Church's official status would indeed bypass the need for an archaeological certification from the school, but..."
He said helplessly, "You're still thinking too simply. Why would the Church hire me as a consultant? How could I possibly have the qualifications?"
"How could you not be qualified, Professor?" Ansu smiled as he looked at the person beside him. "Do you know what Student Freya's identity is?"
Professor Duncan scratched the thinning hair on his head, observing the pink-haired girl with confusion. "Hmm? So who is she?"
Ansu smiled slightly and gave a grand introduction of Freya's identity.
"She is the current Holy Maiden of the Church of Holy Light! She is a person of divine revelation, certified by the gods themselves! She is the spiritual icon in the hearts of thousands of believers!"
"The Church's Holy Maiden?" Professor Duncan froze for a moment, then looked her up and down again.
He then muttered to himself, "I thought so... that name sounded so familiar."
Being introduced like that by Ansu made Freya feel a bit embarrassed. She gave a shy smile and said:
"Yes, Professor Duncan. My status in the Church is... indeed a bit special, so I can recommend you to the Inquisition."
Ansu followed with a nod. The new commander of the Inquisition wouldn't refuse to give Freya this face, especially since Duncan truly possessed genuine talent and learning.
"Sigh... I really didn't expect a young girl like you to have such a noble status..."
Professor Duncan sighed. As a dwarf, although he didn't worship the Goddess of Light, he knew the status of a God-Awakened within the major righteous churches.
However, what made him even more emotional was that the archaeological certification he had tried everything to get was actually just a matter of a single word from someone else...
"If the little Holy Maiden can recommend me, that would indeed be wonderful. I'll be in your care..." Professor Duncan finally nodded to her in gratitude.
"If this investigation mission can be successfully completed, I might even be able to save my job when we get back."
Freya gave a soft smile. "There's no need to be polite, Professor Duncan."
"Not just my job..." Professor Duncan pondered further. "With the Church's backing, we can save a lot of money on this business trip."
Ansu didn't quite agree. It was unlikely they would save any money, because his plan was to ditch the Church personnel later, find an excuse like 'getting lost' or 'losing contact,' and then enter the underground ruins privately...
"Although we'll have the Church's protection, this trip is still quite dangerous," Professor Duncan said cautiously. "I have some small inventions here that were prepared for previous investigations. I've refined them quite a bit now."
He stood up and walked toward the door. "Come with me!"
Ansu and Freya exchanged a glance and immediately followed Professor Duncan's lead.
The two followed Duncan to the experimental building next door. As they walked through the corridors, almost no teachers greeted him. Professor Duncan seemed used to it. He led the two young people to the first basement level, pulled out a key, and opened a pitch-black basement room.
"This is my workshop. Because I have too many things and don't want to share a laboratory with them, I just took a storage room and modified it."
Professor Duncan lit the gas lamp. Under the stinging bright light, Ansu saw that the surroundings were almost piled high with alchemy materials, and many exquisitely structured magitech mechanical parts were displayed on the tables.
He stepped forward curiously, looking around.
Professor Duncan rummaged through the pile of 'junk-like' parts for a moment before handing Ansu a long-handled instrument that looked like a landmine detector.
As he introduced it, Ansu's expression became more and more surprised. Through the complex magical runes inside, this magitech device could form a tiny magic circle, achieving an effect close to the 2nd Circle elemental magic 【Resonance Perception】 to detect metal element activity deep underground...
Isn't this just a metal detector? Just a magical version...
"Professor, you're amazing!" Ansu put down the magitech device, his anticipation growing. "Is there anything else good?"
Professor Duncan walked proudly to the other side and pulled back a curtain. "Of course there is. Everything I have is go—cough cough cough! Why is there so much dust?"
Dust billowed everywhere. Freya quickly covered her nose and mouth, instinctively casting a Holy Light divine art.
A layer of faint, shimmering light blocked the dust from her and Ansu. Not a single speck of dirt touched either of them.
Professor Duncan, his head covered in dust, couldn't help but glance at the two.
Why didn't this 【Holy Shield】 block any for me?
Once the dust settled, Ansu stepped forward, listening curiously to Professor Duncan's explanation.
This new gadget surprised him even more, as this tractor-like small cart acted as a 'geological survey instrument.' It could transmit vibrations caused by magic deep underground and then receive signals through a 'sensor' composed of complex runes to determine the existence and location of underground hollows.
"Professor, you're simply a great inventor! It's truly a waste of talent for you to stay here!"
Ansu looked down at the unkempt little old man. This minor villain, the Alchemist Doctor, really did have something. Letting him manufacture killing weapons for the demon army would be a waste.
Such a talent should be sent to the Royal Academy of Magitech Sciences as an academician, sitting on equal footing with the principal.
Professor Duncan hadn't been praised like this in years; his beard curled up in delight.
"It's nothing, really. Although these little gadgets are indeed quite useful, they are still far from reaching the vision in my heart..."
"What is the vision in your heart?" Ansu asked curiously.
"It's still because of the Great Magic Collapse," Professor Duncan sighed. "Everything you see today can only reach the level of 2nd Circle magic at most. 3rd Circle is already very taxing. If I could design higher-level rune structures, that would be truly impressive! A pity..."
"Hmm... that's true." Ansu knew from the lore that in those powerful magic nations that had perished, they could easily build magic towers that reached the clouds. Those things were essentially terrifying magic war fortresses. Compared to them, these magitech machines indeed felt like minor toys.
This was also why Professor Duncan insisted on visiting that ancient ruin no matter what; it carried the greatest hopes of his academic career.
Ansu accompanied Professor Duncan on a large tour of his workshop, seeing many novel things. But in the end, what made him stop and stare was a silver revolver engraved with exquisite reliefs.
Beside the silver revolver were large alchemical bullets specially developed by Professor Duncan and a recipe.
Ansu picked up the recipe and looked at the long list of magical materials and effects, clicking his tongue in wonder as he read.
Wouldn't a single shot from this thing blow someone to pieces? It possessed a certain beauty of violence.
"Professor, do you still have a use for this?"
Ansu picked up the pistol and smiled. "If not, why not let me borrow it for a bit?"
"Eh..." Freya leaned in curiously. "Student Ansu, aren't you a mage...?"
"What's wrong with being a mage?" Ansu glanced at her. "Is it really that strange for a mage like me to carry a gun?"
Rate on N.U.
