Nigel could not hide her nervousness the entire way to Professor Nuvilus’ laboratory.
She still couldn’t believe that cracks had appeared on the egg she had almost forgotten about.
Even in her anxious state, Nigel firmly shooed away her friends who tried to follow her. It would be a big problem if the hatchling imprinted on others as its parents when it hatched.
“It’s right here.”
Nuvilus stopped walking and gestured for Nigel to enter first, waving his hand toward the inside of the door.
In the corner of the small room, next to a high-grade mana stone, sat the familiar egg. A clear crack was visible in the middle of the small, pure white, and round egg without a single spot.
“It’s true……”
Nigel gently tapped the egg with her fingertip. She could feel the egg’s vitality from the warm sensation on her fingertip.
“Professor, what exactly is this egg?”
“Hmm…… Well……”
“Pardon?”
Nigel furrowed her brow at the ambiguous answer.
“Judging by its response to mana, it’s likely a magical creature, but the hatching method seems to be the issue. Usually, when magical creature eggs crack, they hatch immediately if there’s a high-quality mana stone like that nearby, but our little egg here responds to the mana stone but shows no signs of hatching.”
“Could there be something wrong with its health?”
“No, far from it, it’s very healthy. The high-grade mana stone loses its light after just a week next to our little egg, so my salary is disappearing.”
“I’m sorry, the cost of the mana stones……”
“No, no. As an educator, I cannot stoop to relying on an immature human child.”
Nuvilus muttered that it was admirable and ruffled Nigel’s hair.
“No.”
At that moment, piercing purple eyes stared at Nuvilus through the disheveled black hair.
“That’s not what I meant. I meant that from now on, I’ll pay for the mana stones. We agreed that I would take care of the egg if it cracked, didn’t we?”
“…Ah, oh my. You remembered.”
Nuvilus quickly pushed past Nigel and carefully grasped the egg. He raised his hand holding the egg high towards the ceiling, out of Nigel’s reach.
“Are you going to be so petty as a professor? If you don’t want to have a legal battle with a student, put it down quickly.”
“I, I was coerced into signing the contract by student Bodle!”
“So, the contract you signed has already been notarized. Just give up, Professor.”
Nuvilus lowered his arm at a snail’s pace. And with eyes dripping with lingering attachment, he stared at the egg in Nigel’s palm.
“It… It might be a divine beast.”
“A divine beast?”
Divine beasts are sacred beings at the opposite end of magical creatures that crave and steal mana from other living things.
Born with vast amounts of mana, divine beasts look to and protect only one master for their entire life. They are cautious in choosing their master, and once chosen, they bestow blessings upon the master’s descendants as well.
A prime example of a divine beast was the golden dragon in the imperial crest.
‘…A divine beast, this thing?’
No way, that couldn’t be. It had been hundreds of years since divine beasts had disappeared.
“Anyway, a contract is a contract, so I’ll be taking this egg.”
Nigel tucked the egg deep into her robe pocket. It was about time to start packing for the trip.
“When you should be treating that egg more preciously than anything, how could you put it in your robe pocket where it might break…!”
A sound close to a scream burst from Nuvilus’ mouth. And in the end, Nigel was only able to leave the annex after listening to Nuvilus lecture for nearly three hours on how to care for the egg.
[This is the timeline separator]“…Understood? The most important points in caring for the divine beast’s egg are stability first, and stability second.”
“Professor, it might not be a divine beast, but a magical creature.”
“On the contrary, it might not be a magical creature, but a divine beast.”
Nigel sighed at the voice whispering in her ear.
Nuvilus had followed Nigel around all weekend, nagging, but she hadn’t expected this level on the day of the trip.
Moreover, Nuvilus, who didn’t have a department to oversee, didn’t need to go on the second-year trip, but he volunteered to participate as an assistant professor.
“…I’ll be watching you constantly throughout the trip.”
Nuvilus whispered close to Nigel for over 10 minutes before leaving with a satisfied smile.
Thanks to this, Nigel alone had a gloomy expression among her classmates who were excited about the week-long trip.
The trip destination was decided by vote, reflecting the students’ opinions.
The mountainous north had already been eliminated from the candidates, and the south, with its adjacent sea and delicious food, was a good resort but was eliminated second because it wasn’t yet the season for water activities.
Thus, the west with its many historical sites and the east with its exotic scenery bordering many countries became the final candidates, maintaining a tight race until the end.
Then, when one student mentioned that they might have to listen to professors’ lectures at the western historical sites, the votes shifted to the east.
Nigel, finally free from Nuvilus, boarded the train belatedly.
Although Nuvilus had earnestly insisted not to put the egg in her robe in case she might lose it, Nigel could feel the egg’s warm temperature inside her robe.
“Ah, finally here.”
“Nigel!”
In the compartment structured for four people facing each other, Allen, Yenika, and Noah were seated.
And the only remaining seat was next to Noah.
Nigel hesitated for a moment before sitting down, pretending to be nonchalant.
“So, what did you talk about with Professor Nuvilus? Is your egg that precious?”
Nigel took the egg out of her robe and placed it in the center of the table. When Allen gently touched the egg, it emitted a faint light.
“Well, to my eyes it’s just a common magical creature egg, but the professor says it might be a divine beast.”
“Di-divine…!”
Nigel jumped up and covered Allen’s mouth. The sudden movement caused the egg on the table to roll vigorously towards the edge.
“I-I got it!”
Fortunately, before it could fall to the floor, the egg slipped neatly into Yenika’s delicate hand.
“Whew, that was close.”
Allen let out a long sigh.
Noah stared intently at the egg before speaking.
“Anyway, it’s clear that this egg is important, Nigel.”
“…Well, I guess so.”
Nigel answered, avoiding Noah’s gaze.
Allen and Yenika observed Nigel’s behavior, clearly conscious of Noah, then smiled innocently when they met her purple eyes.
“Anyway, let’s enjoy the trip without fighting.”
“Yes.”
“Alright!”
“Sure.”
The four smiled at each other. At the same time, the train blew a loud whistle and departed.
“…But Allen, is it okay for you to sit in such a humble place? You said you couldn’t sit in places like this because they’re uncomfortable.”
“Nigel, I just said we should get along, and you’re already trying to cause discord with old stories?”
Allen frowned and slammed the table.
“Oh no, the egg! The egg is rolling!”
The rapidly rolling egg was caught by Noah’s hand just before it fell. Everyone let out a sigh of relief at the same time.
“…Let’s get along.”
“Uh, sure.”
When Nigel extended her hand first, Allen grasped it tightly.
The train began to speed away.
[This is the timeline separator]Black robe tails fluttered roughly at the central station in the east, which took half a day to reach.
“…It’s the Sienna uniform.”
“It’s the Imperial Academy, right?”
Those who recognized the uniform and emblem whispered with blushing faces.
However, the faces of the second-year students, whose pride in attending the Imperial Academy had long since disappeared, were all sour.
“You all know, right? Throughout the trip, you must wear only your uniforms, not casual clothes.”
The students’ worries deepened at Roneh’s final confirmation. What’s the point of coming to a place with good water and air if they can’t wear pretty clothes and have to wear these tiresome uniforms?
“Come now, cheer up. This rule was created because of your seniors.”
Heres, who had been quiet beside Roneh, spoke up.
“The shock when we encountered children we thought were young and innocent at the pub where the professors had gone for a drink…!”
“We never imagined that just because they had become legal adults, they would boldly go to a pub during an academy-sponsored trip.”
Heres and Cledian said with stern faces.
“Now, you’ve heard the professors’ vivid experiences? We wear the title of professor to protect and teach you, not to cure your hangovers after you get drunk.”
Some students who had dreamed of breaking loose after turning 18 gulped.
“Don’t even think about drinking behind my back. Ah, students who want to taste the Sword of Firma bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor, please do so by all means.”
As Roneh drew out an elegant silver sword, all the students’ faces turned pale.
“Well then, I believe all our second-year students will conduct themselves exemplarily during this trip, befitting the name of the Imperial Academy! Understood?”
“Yes!”
The students shouted solemnly, like warriors going to war.
Meanwhile, Nuvilus mouthed words while looking at Nigel.
“Beselion, what is the professor saying?”
Noah slightly hunched his shoulders before speaking.
“He says, ‘I’ll be… watching you closely.'”
That leech-like person.
Feeling the vivid warmth inside her robe, Nigel furrowed her brow.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
