Magic Academy's Bastard Instructor

“Hm?”

Vanitas had been intending to find Margaret and Franz, but when he turned around, he noticed a small Cthulhu huddled behind him, looking up at him as if waiting for something.

Its shape resembled a penguin, though the grotesque nature of its body made that resemblance feel misplaced.

“How the hell do you turn this off?”

Ever since consuming the Iron Lotus and integrating it into his mana veins, Cthulhus had been following him nonstop, as if he had become their point of origin.

Even when he left the Eiseinreich, he had crossed the sea riding one of them, a massive Cthulhu shaped like a rotting whale.

The small Cthulhu tilted its head. For a moment, it resembled a pouting dog.

——Chuu?

“…Did it just make a sound?”

Vanitas narrowed his eyes.

“…No. That’s probably just in my head.”

Vanitas bent down and examined it more closely. Once again, the penguin-shaped Cthulhu tilted its head.

“How do I make you go away?”

It was not that he disliked them. It was simply that having Cthulhus follow him around everywhere would become a nuisance sooner or later.

Then Vanitas looked up.

A large silhouette loomed over him.

“…?”

It was a wave of Cthulhus.

By instinct, Vanitas immediately took a battle stance. The only mana he could use now, dark mana, spread from his body at once. At the same time, slithering petals began to emerge around him, ready to move according to his will.

But then, they stopped. Just before crossing the threshold, the entire wave came to a halt.

“….”

Vanitas remained where he was, waiting for a response, thinking there might be a follow-up or some kind of reaction. But nothing came.

When he thought about it, that made sense. Cthulhus were not capable of thought to begin with.

They simply stood there. Like an army awaiting orders.

“…What the hell is this?”

He could practically imagine them giving him a salute.

“…Go?”

The moment the word left his mouth, the penguin-shaped Cthulhu in front of him lowered its head, as if it had just been scolded. Then it turned around.

The others followed.

One by one, they turned in the same manner, their heads slightly lowered as they began walking back toward the ocean.

“…?”

Vanitas was left dumbfounded.

* * *

Escape Zyphran.

That was the only thing on Margaret’s mind.

But even that was not something she could act on immediately. Her body had already reached its limit. She found an abandoned workshop and slipped inside, huddling down to catch her breath.

Zyphran was no longer a place she could navigate freely. Everyone was an enemy.

It was obvious what had happened. Admiral Julius had already issued a hunt, and the targets were clear: Margaret, Franz, and Vanitas.

Margaret’s thoughts returned to Admiral Julius.

She hated him.

That had not changed.

And yet, she had spared him.

Not out of mercy, and certainly not out of sentiment. The reason was simply that he was the only person left who had any real connection to her father, and the only one who could still give her an answer she had yet to receive.

That was all.

Even as an enemy, she did not want him dead. Not until he told her why he had abandoned her father.

Just as Margaret was about to get up, already thinking of leaving since this place would not remain hidden for long if Admiral Julius tracked her down, a voice echoed from behind.

“Why are you just hiding here?”

Margaret turned.

Standing there, as if appearing out of nowhere, was Vanitas.

Her eyes widened for a moment, surprise flashing across them before it settled into relief. The tension in her chest loosened. She almost moved toward him without thinking, but something made her stop.

“Margaret?”

“What happened to you?”

Her brows drew together as she took him in. His condition was not something she could ignore. His skin had lost its color, his figure looked thinner, and there was something off in his posture.

He looked like a corpse that had yet to fall.

Margaret stepped closer. She reached out and placed her hand against his cheek, as if confirming he was still there.

Vanitas raised his hand and held hers in place.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“How could I not?”

Her voice softened, but the concern remained.

“I made you a promise, didn’t I?” Vanitas said. “Once all of this is over, we’ll get married and settle down somewhere.”

“….”

That promise was the only thing keeping her grounded.

Vanitas had never broken his word. He did not bend, and he did not waver. Once he decided on something, he followed through until the very end.

That was the kind of man he was.

And that was why she believed him.

Because without that promise… she would have forced him to stop.

Locked him away somewhere, surrounded by people who could treat him, no matter how long it took. She would have done whatever was necessary to keep him alive, even if it meant going against him.

Because the truth was… Margaret was not entirely at ease with what Vanitas was about to do.

“Do you know where Franz is?” he asked.

“Does it matter?” Margaret said. “You could probably find him anywhere on this continent.”

Vanitas chuckled.

“That’s true.”

* * *

“Lower your weapons!”

The command rang out, and the knights and mages surrounding Astrid complied, lowering their weapons in unison. The tension eased, allowing her to release a breath of relief.

A man stepped forward from their ranks with a cape draped over his shoulders. The crest engraved upon it marked the faction he represented.

“I greet Her Imperial Highness.”

He did not bow his head, yet the gesture he gave was enough to convey respect as he faced Astrid.

Still, Astrid was already way past formalities. It did not bother her in the slightest bit.

“Who am I speaking to?” she asked.

“Lancel Marquez,” he replied. “I lead the Third Division of the Sovereign Reclamation Front.”

While multiple groups sought to place their own leader on the throne, the Sovereign Reclamation Front rejected the idea entirely.

Instead of restoring or replacing sovereignty, they pushed for the establishment of a democratic state, a system that had never been implemented before.

Because of that stance, they did not operate under a single head. Each division functioned under its own leadership, with authority distributed among several figures rather than concentrated in one.

“I will make this brief, Sir Marquez,” Astrid said. “I wish to support your faction.”

Gasps echoed through the surrounding ranks. Even Lancel Marquez was taken aback.

“You mean to stand against the First Imperial Princess?” he asked.

“Yes. I will oppose anything that continues to uphold sovereignty. What Aetherion needs is not a singular ruler, but a system that reflects the will of its people.”

Silence followed for a moment.

“That is not a position one takes lightly,” Lancel said. “If you stand with us, there is no return to the throne. And I believe you, the Second Princess, will only be at a loss.”

“I am aware.”

Around her, whispers spread. Doubt was evident in their reactions. They did not believe her. To them, this was nothing more than another attempt to claim power under a different pretense.

Nevertheless, Astrid stood her ground.

“Many of you may not be familiar with me since I am the least influential and the youngest among my siblings. So I will introduce myself properly. I am Astrid Barielle Aetherion, the Second Imperial Princess of Aetherion. While that title may sound intimidating, it is not the only thing that defines me.”

She paused, then continued.

“I am a Doctor. A licensed medical professional. I have treated people who could not afford to stand in the same room as nobility. I have worked with those who were turned away, those who were ignored, and those who were never given a voice to begin with.”

Astrid looked around. It seemed like there were some faces here that recognized her.

“I did not ask for their names, their status, or their origin. I treated them because they needed help. I am not here to claim authority over you. If that were my intention, I would not be standing here to begin with.”

She met their gazes.

“Some of the initiatives that have supported the lower districts, the ones that provided medicine, shelter, and basic relief… I was involved in them.”

There was no pride in her tone.

“No recognition was attached to it, and there was no need for one. It was simply what I believed should be done.”

She let the words hang in the air before speaking again.

“I understand your doubts. You have every reason to question me. But I am not asking you to trust my title.”

Her voice lowered.

“I am asking you to judge me by what I have already done. If Aetherion is to move forward, then it cannot remain as it is. And if your faction truly stands for that change… then I wish to stand with you, not above you.”

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then, a voice rose from the crowd.

——I remember those shipments. The ones that came without a crest and reached the outer districts first. But the princess… she was there in the background.

——…My brother was supposed to die. They turned him away from every official clinic… But someone kept one open for him.

More voices joined.

——That was her?

——Don’t be fooled!

Not all of them were convinced.

There were still doubts, and it was not without reason. Astrid had rarely appeared in public, and because of that, there was little for them to truly base their judgment on.

To most, she was nothing more than a sheltered noble, someone removed far from reality, someone who had never truly seen the world beyond the palace walls.

Astrid sighed and shook her head.

“You may be misunderstanding,” she said. “I am not here to become your leader. You can place me at the lowest rank, or assign me to the most demanding division. I have no objections.”

She took a step forward, placing a hand to her chest.

“I will simply do what I can, and assist in whatever way is needed.”

Later that day, Astrid had officially joined the democratic faction.

When Irene received the news, she couldn’t comprehend the thought process at all.

“I can’t believe it…”

She had assumed Astrid would stand with her, that once Franz and Vanitas were dealt with, they would rule Aetherion together. That had been the direction she believed things would take.

But now, she was left confused.