The Transmigrated Professor

Near the Hero League Headquarters, on the roof of a corporate building.

“It’s already been a week and there’s still no contact. Just where did Amara go?” Ophelia scanned the organisation building from the outside to check for any clues.

“Do we really need to spend so much time looking for her? We have already missed so many classes and Miyu keeps asking me where we keep disappearing off to. I don’t think we can keep lying to her for long.” Kyla complained, leaning against the wall, ready to take a nap.

“Well, we wouldn’t have to keep doing this if a certain someone didn’t try to solo a rescue mission.” Ophelia snapped back, seeing someone’s carefree attitude.

“Hey, I did my job. We were told to get her out of prison, I saw it through. It has nothing to do with us anymore, whether humans capture her or monsters kill her.

“Listen, you idiot.” Ophelia grabbed Kyla’s collar, lifting her to the tip of her feet. “Our orders were to send Amara back to the Fae Forest. If Nyra asks us about this, what are we going to do? Tell her, we lost the Elf because you were too proud to ask for help.”

“First of all, we wouldn’t even be in this mess if our immature princess didn’t fuck up her stupid plans to infiltrate the Human Continent. WE are the ones cleaning HER mess. She has no right to be angry.”

“She is still the princess. Show her some respect. Now go use those tracking skills of yours and find Amara.” Ophelia gave her order, pointing to the League entrance.

“Fine! But this is the last time. Otherwise, go tell that happy-go-lucky princess to come out of her candy castle and do some actual fieldwork in the mud rather than just scheming impractical missions.” Saying her piece, she hopped down the roof, briefly strolling on the glass windows before landing on the street as gently as a cat.

The pedestrians did not even glance at this inhumane feat and just walked by, minding their own business. 

In this society full of Awakened - where every one in one hundred humans gained abilities when they turned eighteen, it was just an everyday occurrence to see someone swimming through the earth, walking on air, or breathing fire. 

Walking on walls was as simple as they came.

As long as nobody caused any collateral damage or anything dangerous like that, nobody would even bat an eye towards the Awakened using simple Skills and mana for personal convenience. 

It is a free country, of course!

“You are not allowed to pass through.” The guards stopped her at the entrance.

“What! Why? I lost my Awakened ID card. I need to get it renewed.”

“You are welcome to use our online services, ma’am. We boast a swift overnight delivery.” The guards adequately guided her.

“But I need it right now. I am a student at Star Academy. My teacher needs my ID card right now for an application.” She decided to beg as a last-ditch effort.

The two guards looked at each other, contemplating what to do.

Yes. Yes. You can’t deny a student of the greatest Hero Academy.

“That’s great. We have a small administrative office on the Academy grounds itself. They will whip you a new ID card, right away.” 

Instead, the guards clapped their hands in delight and smiled at the student, happy with being able to provide the necessary help.

Defeated by the unwanted kindness, Kyla walked away from the entrance.

“What did you get?” Ophelia materialised next to her on the street.

“It doesn’t look like they have her. I couldn’t tell much from that faint Aura at the entrance, but there’s a high chance she’s not being held captive here.” Kyla informed her.

“That’s weird. Do you feel her aura anywhere else?”

“To be honest…Yeah! From there…” Kyla pointed to the crossing next to the Headquarters.

“Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

The two walked along the path through the crossing, soon reaching an abandoned street. The only ones roaming this deserted street were delinquents smoking cigarettes in hiding and ghosts hiding in the corners.

“Hmm. That’s weird.” Kyla sniffed at the air around them like a bloodhound looking for prey. “Amara’s aura here seems kind of burned away...”

“Burned?” Ophelia was puzzled at this weird development, glancing at the cigarette butts littering the ground.

“Not that kind of burnt… I meant the magical kind. There’s also this weird flowery scent too, not like the ones Elves are usually covered with. More delicate, not like the wildflowers that bloom in the wilderness of our Forest…What was the name…Ah! Cherry blossoms! Yeah, I smell cherry blossoms burning away with Amara’s aura.”

Kyla finally remembered the nostalgic smell.

“Where did she go after this?” Ophelia asked impatiently.

“I don’t know. The scent burns away from here.” Kyla explained. “You are lucky we were even able to track her till here. A few more days and her scent would have disappeared completely.”

“But this doesn’t help us find her!” Ophelia finally snapped at her friend's meek attitude.

Kyla on the other hand sighed at her stubborn nature. “Listen, I am sorry. But from the looks of it, she’s in the hands of a powerful Hero with great anti-tracking abilities. We may be A-Ranks but this is clearly outside our expertise. We need to leave and go back to the Academy.”

“But we need to send Amara back.” 

Kya placed her hand on Ophy’s shoulder, sighing in defeat. “Our job is done. We need to go.”

“Ding Dong! Ding Dong!”

The bell rang at the front door of a mansion on Indigo Street. It was the one belonging to Ray Laxon.

“You are back early, brot-” Izzy greeted, opening the door.

Unexpectedly, the guest was someone Lizzy had never thought to meet in a thousand years.

“Hello, my dear daughter!” Liliana Laxon greeted her at the front door.

The smile on her face was unrealistically sincere - like a mom giving her child a surprise visit in the college dorms.

On the other hand, Izzy had a look similar to said college boy hiding a girl in the room at his mother’s unexpected visit.

Shocked and unappreciative.

“You know, you could show a little more happiness. We haven’t seen each other in weeks.” Liliana advised her ill-manned daughter, slipping into the house.

“Gee, I wonder what happens to my facial muscles whenever I see you. I just can’t seem to smile.” The sarcasm was oozing from Izzy’s mouth like honey.

Not ignoring her daughter’s blatant tone of disrespect, Liliana commented. “Looks like living so carefreely with your brother has made you forget your etiquette lessons. I will be sending your etiquette instructor the address of this place. Make sure to resume your classes again. You will need them when you step into high society.”

“What!? You can't do that. Or are you forgetting that you gave up your right to meddle in my life? WILLINGLY!” Izzy looked in disbelief at her mother.

“Oh please. As if a single piece can ever separate from her daughter.”

If a stranger had heard her, they would have thought that the cruel one in this relationship was the rebellious teenage daughter. Izzy scoffed in disbelief.

“Anyway, where’s your brother? I need to borrow some money from him.” She asked, looking around the small, ill-furnished house.

“Haa. What is this dump? If he was asking his father for a house, he should have gotten one that looked better.”

Hmm. Even a stranger might gain enlightenment from the comment.

Izzy let out an inner breath of relief seeing her mother's turn back to her usual judgemental tone.

“Wait, money? Why do you need money from him?” Her brother had not told her much about the specifics but it wasn't that hard to realise that the deal between her brother and her mother involved quite a hefty sum.

“My funds are still frozen after the Edward…incident. Ray seems to be receiving quite a lot of Rufus’ mercy recently, so I just thought your brother would be kind enough to share some.” Liliana gave an innocent and sweet smile but Izzy stayed untouched. She was way too familiar with her mother's antiques.

“He will do no such thing. It will be best if you take your leave from our house.” Izzy decided to put her foot down once and for all.

But instead of leaving, Liliana’s eyebrows wrinkled in an unpleasant expression. “I think you have forgotten a lot more about your etiquette lessons than I thought. Need I remind you again what happens when you do something I don't approve of?”

As Liliana raised her voice, mana seemed to slowly be pulled towards her like air in a hurricane, ready to use her “discipline” at any moment.

“Keiu?” A sound came from beside her. Sensing the fluctuations of mana in the house, the two canine residents of the house stood up to find the source of the noise.

“Ugh!” Disgusted, Liliana released her mana, moving away from the sofa. “I can’t believe you have these animals in your house. How filthy!”

Izzy quickly moved between the sofa and her mother, protecting the Spirits from looking at filth. “They are not animals; they are fennec foxes! And their names are Ryu and Yuna.”

She was long used to her mother's discipline but she could never bear it if these two babies got injured because of her.

“Foxes. Animals. Same thing. The point is, there will be no…pets in our house.” Liliana scoffed as if she couldn’t believe her daughter could ever name such disgusting creatures. Her fingers again began to condense mana, as she pointed the spell in their direction.

“OUR!? This is Ray’s house, not yours!” Izzy tried to draw her mother's attention away from the Spirits as much as possible.

“Well, dear. This house was technically bought with the Guild’s money by your father. I am soon going to be the Chairman, so I do think I can claim rights to my properties. That filth will have to go.” Liliana’s spell was ready to be fired at the moment’s notice.

“N-No! THIS is Ray’s house. And until you are truly appointed as Chairman, EVERYTHING stays the same.’

“You are really testing my patience now.”

As Izzy moved closer to protect the unsuspecting foxes, unaware of the danger looming towards them, the ball of fire crimson mana shot out of Liliana's hand.

“It seems we have guests.” An ancient voice on the upper floor of the two-storey mansion interrupted Liliana. 

Luckily, the attack swung a few degrees away, hitting the wall instead of the three defenceless children.

“Oh dear, that's gonna leave a mark. Ray wouldn't like that.” Father Jacob frowned, seeing the black spot burned into the wall.

“And you are?” Liliana questioned the frail old man slowly walking down the stairs. “I never knew Ray was…charitable to the homeless.”

On one side of the room, Izzy was boiling with anger, wanting nothing more than to throw this witch out for burning their living room and attacking them. And now she was even calling the kind Father, a homeless.

Her mother had never fallen lower in Izzy’s eyes than she did today. But there was a right time for everything, and it wasn’t now. 

Right now, she needed to manage the collateral damage Liliana will undoubtedly bring about.

Thankfully, with the scandal of the Guild still fresh, it was doubtful how far her mother would go with the Hero League looking for any excuse to bring her back into custody. All she needed to wait for was Ray to come back and he will perfectly handle their mother.

Izzy quickly shooed the Spirits into the garden, far from the danger which was her mother. 

“Father Jacob, you should go back and rest in your room.” She kindly expressed her idea to the Father.

Her mother may act as a charitable woman to maintain her public appearance but she was anything but. She was absolutely repulsed by anything that wasn’t “high-class”, so much so that even her servants were sons and daughters of well-reputed families.

She didn’t want a kind-hearted man like Father to hear her mother’s sharp insults.

“Nonsense. This woman seems to be discussing the future of our house. As a resident, it is my right to hear what she has to say.” 

‘FATHER!!!’ Izzy screamed in her mind at the grandpa’s stubbornness.

“She is my mother! It will be fine-”

“My daughter keeps calling you ‘Father’. You are some sort of priest, I gather?” Liliana interrupted, not bothering about Izzy talking with the old man.

“I am the retired Father Jacob of Venezia Island Church of Christianity.” Jacob perfectly introduced himself with a light and elegant bow. Even Liliana felt flustered, not expecting to see such perfect etiquette from someone who looked like he preached in forgotten slums.

“Heh! I suppose the religious groups have been faring well now that proof of your gods appeared along with the Dungeons and the Artifacts they bring.” Liliana used a final attempt to bring down the priest acting above his class.

“I suppose they have grown in status. Unfortunately, I don't know much about these affairs. I am just a lowly priest who housed and looked after a few orphans.” Jacob calmly answered her, without so much as a single flinch.

‘Bravo, Father! Let her have it.’ Izzy silently clapped on the sidelines. This was her first time seeing her mother speechless when it came to cutting others with honey-coated words. 

Seeing that the lady was at a loss for words, Jacob continued.

“I have to say, Miss Laxon, you have raised a wonderful son. Ray saved the island I was living in from a Dungeon Rampage. He also helped me and the boy I am fostering and brought us here. I suppose he takes after his father?”

A snicker escaped Izzy’s lips. 

Right now, Father definitely meant, ‘There’s no way that child’s kind nature came from you.’

Being fluent in high society, there’s no way Liliana would have missed that snide remark.

“Oh dear. I can’t believe that my daughter is being raised among such disrespectful people and filthy animals. I am taking you back home.” Humiliated in her game, Liliana grabbed Izzy’s hand, attempting to drag her out the door. She even forgot the main reason why she had come here in the first place.

“What? NO! I am not going back.” Izzy tried to free herself, but Liliana’s grip was too tight.

“Shut up, you! You have forgotten all your lessons as a lady of high society. This time I am going to teach you everything myself and make sure you never forget a single thing.” Liliana hissed at her daughter, yelling her into submission.

“Do you think I will just let you waste your youth among these old priests and that useless brother of yours.?”

“Mrs. Laxon, I think you are becoming too emotional right now.” However, his words had no reason for the woman lost in anger and humiliation. ‘Maybe I went too far.’

But there was no time to regret past mistakes. He had to make sure that Izzy was not taken away because of this. 

“Wow, I never thought that I would run in on a kidnapping at my house. Should I call the police? Or perhaps the League’s Heroes?” A familiar voice came from the door, making all of them stop in their tracks.

“What are you doing here, Liliana?” Ray asked the woman who was dragging his sister away.

“Oh, look. Who’s finally here? The guy who ruined my perfect daughter.” Liliana finally released Izzy’s arm, who sunk to the floor, clutching her wrist in pain.

“Izzy!” Mike rushed to help her up.

“Ruined? I believe liberated is a more appropriate word.” Ray smugly replied at the woman who was shamelessly releasing blood lust towards him.

“Liberated?! HAH! Her etiquette is in shambles and you are having her live with boys and pets. Do you know how difficult it will be to get her married if society finds out that a young girl like her is living with members of the opposite sex?”

“I doubt much will happen, but even if it does, what does it have to do with you? You are no longer legally able to interfere with her business. So, I think it will be best if you leave OUR house.

“Isabella, are you looking at this? Your brother doesn’t even care about your future-” Since it was evident much earlier that Ray had escaped her grasp; she turned her attention to the still impressionable Izzy.

“I think you are forgetting that you were the one who gave up your parental rights.” Ray gently reminded her.

“I clearly care more about her than you do. I AM HER MOTHER!” Liliana yelled at him, refusing to back off.

“Then, I suppose you know what today is?” 

If Ray was being honest with himself, he didn’t like Liliana at all, considering how she treated the previous owner of this body, and his newly found sister, Izzy.

But he also knew that despite the severe actions parents sometimes might take, their intentions might be good and just misguided. 

Therefore, Ray wanted to give Izzy at least some connection to her biological family, considering he took away the only loving family this sweet girl ever had. 

Although the mistake wasn’t his, the guilt always stayed at the back of his mind. 

So…he decided to give this woman in front of him a chance. 

One. Single. Chance. 

To prove that she truly wished the best for her daughter, despite how abusive her previous actions were.

“Tell me, Liliana. Do you know what day it is today?” He repeated his question one last time.

“I don’t know…Wednesday, I think…” Liliana was confused at the sudden Q&A irrelevant to their current situation.

Unaware, she had blown off the last chance she was given to make amends.

“Wrong answer.” 

With a single swipe of his hand, winds strengthened by mana covered her entire body, pushing her away. Liliana tried to struggle, but the winds were too strong. Her screams went unheard, as the winds blew them away.

With a final thrust, she was thrown out of the mansion and onto the streets, landing on her rear, every last semblance of her high status now gone.

“By the way, the money I got was part of the deal we made. I am not giving you a single penny back. And don’t even think of coming near Izzy or Ray again. You lost your right to be a mother long ago.”

“Argh!” Liliana slammed her fists on the front gates, but Ray simply shut the main door.

The thuds vanished not too long after. Liliana cared too much about appearances to throw a tantrum in a high-class residential area such as Indigo Road.

“Are you doing fine?” He turned his attention to the girl sobbing on the sofa.

“I-I am s-sorry I couldn’t say anything to her.” stuttering words came out, as tears trailed down Izzy’s eyes.

Ray got down on his knees, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Parents will always have high regard in one’s heart, whether we like it or not. So there’s no need for you to be sorry about anything.”

“Let’s stand up. It’s not good to cry on your birthday.” Ray carefully guided her to the dining table.

Jacob quickly brewed everyone some hot chocolate to elevate the tense atmosphere the wicked witch had left behind.

The first to address the elephant in the room was Jacob. “I guess families are hard everywhere.”

“High society is a different level of tough, though.” Ray replied, casually sipping the chocolate.

Jacob carefully glanced at Izzy before whispering. “I didn’t expect your mother to try and drag dear Izzy so suddenly.” 

“I suppose she was getting anxious regarding the Guild problem. Though Liliana’s pride must have been really hurt by what you said, Father. She didn’t even ask me for money and directly tried to take Izzy with her. What DID you say to her?”

“The truth. Nothing else. It’s not my fault she couldn’t handle it.” Jacob replied with clear confidence.

A snicker escaped Ray’s mouth. He had heard everything happening inside from behind the door. He was never happier with his decision to bring Jacob with him than today on seeing Liliana lose her cool.

“Um, Mr. Ray and I are finally getting our weapons made.” Not wanting Izzy to be uncomfortable, Mike casually changed the topic.

“Yes, we have. The weapons will be completed in a week, so everyone should begin to pack their things.” Ray added his instructions.

“Pack our things? Why?” Lizzy, who had finally wiped away her tears, asked about her brother’s motives.

“I told you before, didn’t I? The Human Continent is going to change soon because of the Second Catastrophe. We will be leaving.”

“But you still haven’t told us where we will be going…”

“The Sanskriti Archipelago!”

Hearing the familiar and unexpected name coming out of Ray’s mouth, Jacob and Mike turned towards him, their mouths agape.

Before they could say anything, Ray put a pause on them. “I know I promised you both a life on The Continent, but it is imperative that we go back to the Archipelago. I promise to make it up to you later.”

Hearing the excuse, Jacob and Mike looked at each other, exchanging an indecipherable conversation with certain nods and expressions on their faces.

After a full minute of silent discussion, Jacob opened his mouth. “Sir Ray, I have always told you that you will forever be a saviour of our home, Venezia Island. Mike and I will always go with you because you are a kind man and I know you will not deceive us.”

“And you did say that we will be going to the Archipelago to get stronger. I think that will be worth leaving the Continent for some time.” Mike added.

“Thank you, both of you, for trusting me. I will not disappoint you, and always protect you.” Ray promised them. “Everyone, get your things packed in your dimensional rings. It is going to be a long journey.”