#1293 Junior’s Adventure – Liars are Sore Losers 

The crowd starts to buzz with noise. 

“Huh? What does that mean?” 
“So the headmaster isn’t really a headmaster...?” 
“Then what happens to us who studied here?” 
“Does that mean we’ve been total idiots this whole time?!” 

Uneasy voices rise all around. 
It’s hard to blame them. Every one of these students came to the Magic Academy with a dream, no matter how big or small. 
To become a renowned mage someday. To get famous. To get rich. 
They’ve been giving it their all for those dreams. 

Now, all that effort might have been for nothing. 

“Ha, ha, hahaha… Don’t say such nonsense. Are you trying to blackmail the Magic Academy? I could sue you for slander, you know?” 
“Threats won’t work on me. I’m sure you’re lying, and if you want, we can take this to court.” 
“Eek!” 

Belena's steady gaze pierces the headmaster like a spear. 
Looking away now would be as good as admitting guilt. Just holding that stare takes some serious guts. 

“Th-This Magic Academy was built with the approval of many distinguished figures from the Human Kingdom! To slander me is to insult them as well!” 
“Do you mean former central councilmen Ochemeid and Botslark? Both of them retired from office long ago and are now just private citizens. They still have some influence because of their past fame, yes, but not enough to sway national politics anymore.” 
“Ngh?!” 
“So an academy built on such a flimsy foundation doesn’t exactly have a solid reason to exist, does it?” 

As expected of Belena. 
She came here ready for battle. 

She’s plugging every escape route before he can even try to use it. 

“And when we questioned both Ochemeid and Botslark, they each said, and I quote, ‘We have nothing to do with the founding of the Magic Academy.’” 
“Guh!” 
“Looks like they just pulled the rug out from under you.” 

Those men must’ve sensed the danger and cut ties immediately. 
Clever in the art of self-preservation, I suppose. 

Still, once the academy’s scam is exposed, they won’t be able to completely dodge the fallout. 
Their reputation’s already hanging by a thread and this will shred what’s left of it. 

“If you have no objections, you’ll come with us. I happen to know someone in the Human Kingdom’s judiciary. You can tell them your story in an interrogation room... Or in a torture chamber, if that’s more your speed.” 

Apparently, the Human Kingdom hasn’t outlawed torture yet. 
Terrifying. 

“Dufufufufufu...! Dufufufufufufufufufufufufu...!!!” 

Huh? 
The headmaster suddenly bursts into this disgusting laugh. 

“My apologies, my apologies. It seems my vague résumé has caused you some confusion.” 
“You’re still trying to talk your way out of this?” 

Belena sighs in disbelief. 

“Listen carefully. The Demon King’s Army’s registration system doesn’t allow for a mage background to go missing. For that to happen is impossible. Claiming the impossible is the same as lying. You understand that, don’t you?” 
“That may be true within Demon Kingdom territory. But outside it?” 

What is this guy saying? 
He’s the one who said there’s no magic outside the Demon Kingdom. 

“The truth is, I didn’t train in the Demon Kingdom. Circumstances forced me to study abroad, as it were.” 
“What circumstances?” 
“Personal matters. I’d rather not say.” 

This guy...! 

“So your magic is self-taught? That’s as good as admitting your credentials are fake. A self-taught mage could never hold public office.” 
“Not at all! I trained in a legitimate place and received proper certification!” 
“And yet the Demon Kingd's Army doesn’t recognize your existence...” 
“Do you think the army is the only place to study magic? The world is evolving! You’ll be left behind if you don’t broaden your horizons!” 
“You...!” 

You...! 
Everyone’s thinking the same thing. 

“I studied magic in the Farm Kingdom!” 

...What? 

“The new student said it himself! There are other institutions teaching magic now, like the Farm School in the Farm Kingdom! That’s where I learned! So it’s perfectly natural the Demon King's Army has no record of me!!!” 

As far as desperate lies go, that one’s not bad... 

“You’re quick on your feet, I’ll give you that. But all we have to do is contact the Farm School and check their records.” 
“Go ahead! But that’ll take time, won’t it? And until it’s confirmed, you have no grounds to detain me!” 

So, he’s stalling for time. 
He’ll use it to find another way to cover his tracks. 
If we don’t end this here and now, things are going to get messy. 

He’s a truly stubborn piece of work. 

But.  
Will that little last-ditch move of his work on us? 

...Not a chance. 

“Of all the lies you could’ve told, you chose farm-related ones. That’s about the worst possible move you could’ve made.” 

Big Sis Belena sighs. 

“Young Master, if you would?” 

As you command, Aunt Belena. 
...Wait, no! You called me Young Master first, so you started it! 
Dad always said, “Don’t do to others what you don’t want done to you!” 

“Haa... If you would, Master Junior.” 

Much better. 
All right, time to call that person. 

Give me just a moment… Nyam nyam nyam… 

“O sovereign of endless wisdom and virtue! O undying king, appear before me by our ancient pact!” 

My incantation flares to life, a summoning circle glowing beneath my feet. 
A tremendous wave of miasma surges out, filling the air. 

Whoa, even the presentation’s over the top. Is Sensei putting extra effort into this appearance? 

“Thanks for coming, Sensei.” 
“Think nothing of it.” 

It’s Sensei the Lifeless King. 

A mummified figure, yet brimming with overwhelming vitality. 
And not just that, he radiates holy and luminous energy. 
An undead who emanates holy light... That’s something only he can do. 

“I’m happy to see you, Junior. Lord Saint, Lady Platy, and even Veil have all missed you since your departure.” 

Ahahahahaha...! 
Please tell them I’m doing fine upon your return. 

“Gyaaaahhhh! Hiiiieeeeeeeeeeeee!” 

And there goes the headmaster, screaming and collapsing in terror. 
Fair enough. A Lifeless King is a top-tier monster. 
Normally, you’d never see one unless you delved deep into some ancient dungeon. 

Sensei usually suppresses all his miasma for everyday life, but today? He’s going full power. 
It’s probably for dramatic effect. 
And really, who else in the world could mix holy light and miasma like this? 

The students of the Magic Academy are frozen stiff, their teeth chattering. 

It’s the perfect time for introductions. 

“This is Sensei, a Lifeless King. He’s one of the World’s Two Greatest Calamities.” 
“Greetings. I am one of the Two Greatest Calamities.” 

He bows politely. 

"A Lifeless King represents the ultimate pinnacle of magic. A mage or priest who perfects their craft, ventures into a dungeon, absorbs mana from another realm, and willingly becomes undead...that’s what he is.” 

In doing so, they gain infinite life, infinite time to devote to research. 
They truly are the ultimate scholars of the arcane. 

“Though I wouldn’t recommend that path, myself.” 

Sensei's tone is calm and instructive as always. 

“No one achieves much alone, even immortals. Progress comes faster when people work together, sharing ideas and learning from each other.” 

And because of that belief, he accomplished something extraordinary. 

He founded the Farm School. 

Yes, Sensei is the one who started it. 
Over time, many others joined, but the origin remains unchanged. 

From the first batch of students like Big Bro Ritheseus to those of today, Sensei has always watched over them all. 

Now then, a question for Sensei. 

“Sensei, do you recognize this man?” 
“Hmm?” 

I point to the headmaster, who’s still slumped on the floor. 

“He claims to be a graduate of the Farm School. You’d remember him, right?” 
“No. I do not recall ever seeing this man at the Farm School.” 

Sensei’s answer is firm. 
And with that, the headmaster’s fate is sealed.