Academy’s Undercover Professor-Chapter 5: Cold Steel

I saw it.

Knights clad in snow-white armor charging across the snowfield, leaping onto the train one by one.

Movements beyond human.

Beings powerful enough to catch up to galloping horses on foot and shatter boulders with sheer leg strength.

That is what a knight is.

And those very knights were the ones belonging to the order in charge of the most treacherous region of the Exilion Empire.

“Aaaaah!”

“It’s the Empire’s Border Guard! Everyone run!”

“Spare me!”

Screams from the terrorists rang out from all directions.

If the Imperial Border Guard—each and every one of them an elite—had entered the scene, then what happened beyond that point didn’t even need to be seen to be known.

It took less than a minute after the Border Guard appeared.

The train hijacking incident ended just like that.

* * *

‘So it’s over.’

The Cold Steel Order, operating under the Imperial Border Guard.

The name might not sound like much, but being composed of knights who operate in the harsh and frigid Arret Mountains, their individual prowess was formidable.

I returned to compartment 403, which was still relatively intact.

I dropped down into the seat I had first taken.

Inside the train, traces of the fierce battle were everywhere—sword marks, scorch marks, and signs of destruction.

It was only thanks to the protective magic circles engraved throughout that the damage was kept to this level. If it had been a normal train, it would’ve derailed and plunged off the cliff by now.

“The bandits have all been subdued. Please rest assured. The train will be arriving soon, so please wait a little longer.”

Knights moved through the train, calming down the survivors.

Though, in truth, the only survivors were those in first class—the safest area, where passengers had been protected.

As for the other compartments, survivors were nearly impossible to find. No, practically none remained.

Even considering the train hadn’t been that full, it was a tragic outcome.

‘Still, it’s a relief the terrorists were all eliminated.’

Every one of the attackers who ambushed the train had been killed by the knights.

Considering they’d brought so many mages, the ending felt pathetically anticlimactic.

‘Oh. I was the one who killed that mage.’

Now’s not the time to be thinking about that.

The train would be arriving at its destination soon.

As we passed through the snow-covered mountains, patches of lush greenery began to appear in the distance.

The sheer icy cliffs vanished, giving way to a broad plain.

And far beyond the horizon, I could see <Rederbelk>, one of the great cities of the Exilion Empire.

‘Massive.’

Even from a distance, the city’s grandeur was apparent at a glance.

Skyscraper-like buildings soared into the sky. Factory chimneys spewed endless plumes of white smoke. Massive airships glided among clouds painted with the colors of light.

Along the river cutting through the city, mechanical boats made of gears and brass lined the water, and steamships zipped between them.

Magical engineering—born from the union of developed mechanical science and magic.

The civilization it had created was nearly indistinguishable from what people called "Steam Punk."

‘Not that it surprises me much anymore.’

And yet, thanks to memories of my previous life, the sense of disconnect always lingered in the back of my mind, impossible to shake.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

How shocked I had been when, after dying in an accident in my past life, I came to my senses only to realize I had been reborn as a baby in this world.

That was already 27 years ago.

Time sure flies.

This world is a strange blend—one where magic intertwines with what’s often referred to as the Victorian era and the Belle Époque, and where demi-humans and monsters also exist.

If I had ended up in a world from a game I liked, or a novel I used to enjoy, that would’ve been one thing... but this world doesn’t exist anywhere in my memories. It’s a completely foreign place with no connection to me whatsoever.

“Are you all right?”

As I sat silently in my seat, gazing toward our approaching destination, someone spoke to me.

When I turned my head, I saw neatly kept black hair standing in the doorway of the half-destroyed compartment.

Was it that same female knight who had saved me earlier?

She looked at me with a worried expression.

“Did the terrorists harm you in any way just now...?”

I shook my head immediately.

“No. Thanks to the help of you and your fellow knights, I’m perfectly fine. I just had a few things on my mind, that’s all.”

“Ah. Then I’m relieved.”

As she smiled and pressed a hand to her chest in relief, it was like watching a rose bloom.

It’s only now that I realize—she was quite beautiful. Clear, unblemished skin and shining white armor. Her black hair, in stark contrast, only enhanced her striking image.

And her personality was kind and gentle, without a single rough edge.

If she weren’t, she wouldn’t have sought out someone like me, worried for my well-being, and stayed by my side.

Being a member of the Cold Steel Order must mean she’s highly capable. And she looked young, which suggested she had talent as well.

She truly seemed to live in a world far different from mine.

“My name is Veronica de Ville. And you are?”

De Ville.

I’d heard that name before. A distinguished noble house known for producing many renowned knights in the Empire.

“I’m...”

BWAAAAAAHHHHNN───!!!

Just as I was about to say my name, the train let out a loud horn to announce its arrival.

I naturally closed my mouth, and Veronica turned her head to look outside.

“Ah. We’ve finally arrived in Rederbelk.”

The train gradually slowed and came to a complete stop at the station.

Beyond the glass windows, the platform was packed with people.

It seemed word of the hijacking had gotten out, and people had gathered to gawk. They chattered among themselves as they saw the damaged, broken state of the train.

Police stepped in to keep the crowd from getting too close, setting up barriers. And darting between the gaps were reporters trying to get a scoop no matter what.

As expected of a major city—Rederbelk was bustling from the very beginning.

“There’s quite a crowd, isn’t there? I guess the news spread quickly.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

It had nothing to do with me anyway.

If there was anything bothering me right now, it was that the train, which was supposed to go all the way to the capital, now had to stop in Rederbelk because of the unexpected hijacking.

And of course, there was no way I could get a refund for the fare I’d already paid, so I had no choice but to disembark here.

Clack.

At that moment, the doors—previously shut—were flung open roughly, and uniformed police officers rushed in.

What’s going on all of a sudden?

“All passengers, please remain seated. We need to verify something.”

“What is this about?”

Veronica asked, and one of the officers replied with a question of his own.

“And who might you be?”

“I’m Veronica, of the Cold Steel Order. I’d like to know what’s going on here.”

“Ah, a knight of the Cold Steel Order. An honor to meet you. I’m Officer Remlus of the Rederbelk Metropolitan Police.”

“Nice to meet you, Officer Remlus. So, what’s this about?”

“I heard there was a train hijacking incident at the Arret Mountain border before you arrived.”

“Yes, that’s correct. We took care of all the attackers.”

“We’ve received a report confirming that the Cold Steel Order repelled the group of bandits who hijacked the train. However... something doesn’t sit right.”

Something doesn’t sit right?

Those words made me uneasy, as if things were about to take a strange turn.

Now that I thought about it, there was something bothering me.

“You mentioned there was a mage among the attackers, but even so, a magitech train protected by magic wouldn’t be so easily compromised.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“This terror attack wasn’t just from the outside. It’s clear someone from the inside was involved as well.”

“That’s...”

Veronica’s eyes widened in shock.

But soon, she nodded, agreeing with the officer’s assessment.

That assumption wasn’t a stretch.

After all, I had run into someone disguised as a train employee—someone who disabled the internal magic barriers.

Because of that person, the terrorists were able to storm the train with ease, and passengers inside were killed.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“They’re already verifying identities through the corpses, but we can’t take any chances. It’s possible someone among the survivors inside was colluding with the terrorists. We’re only checking identities—so please don’t worry. Those whose identities are confirmed will be released shortly.”

“Ah, I see.”

Veronica smiled with relief and turned to look at me.

Her smile radiated reassurance, but a cold sweat was already trickling down my back.

Verify identities? Now of all times—when I’m not even wearing the Mimic Mask?

Calmly, I ran my fingers over my face.

Right. The Mimic Mask is definitely off right now.

‘I’m screwed...’

I had boarded this train under the identity of a man named Gerald—a wealthy merchant in his mid-forties.

Naturally, the passenger list would have someone named Gerald recorded on it.

That much was fine. The problem was my face right now.

No beard, no wrinkles—how could this face pass for someone in his forties?

‘...What do I do.’

I wasn’t one of the terrorists. I was an innocent passenger caught up in it all. But that didn’t mean I could act completely at ease.

Gerald was a forged identity—a cover I used to hide who I really was.

A false identity is a serious crime in any nation.

If I was lucky, I’d be executed. But given the current situation, where suspicion of terrorism loomed large, I could very well be subjected to severe torture.

A normal person wouldn’t be using a fake identity to begin with.

What do I do? Should I make a run for it?

‘Like hell that’ll work.’

The Cold Steel Order was on this train. And outside, Imperial soldiers were likely stationed in case anything went wrong.

The moment I tried to flee, I wouldn’t last a full minute before my head was taken clean off.

Escape was the worst possible option. But sitting still meant my identity would be exposed.

I did my best not to show the anxiety brewing inside me.

In the meantime, a police officer had returned with a passenger manifest and was flipping through the pages.

He was cross-checking each name with the people onboard.

Then he asked me:

“What compartment were you in, sir?”

“...Compartment 403. I have the ticket here.”

Staying composed, I pulled the train ticket from my inner pocket and showed it to the officer.

He checked it to confirm it wasn’t forged, then swiftly flipped through the manifest.

“Let’s see... 403. Ah, here it is. There were two passengers in that compartment. Ludger Cherish. Male, mid-twenties. And a man in his forties, Gerald.”

He looked up and gave me a sidelong glance.

As if to ask, If there were two of you, where’s the other guy?

“What happened to the other passenger?”

“...He was caught in the explosion when the attack started. Fell into the deep ravine of the Arret Mountains.”

Falling off the cliffside of that treacherous range meant there was no way the body would be found.

But the officer’s gaze only grew more suspicious in response to my explanation.

I clenched my fists under my coat, doing everything I could to maintain a neutral expression.

They’re going to find out. At this rate, my identity will be exposed.

But I couldn’t think of a single good way to get out of this.

Outside, the police and soldiers were swarming the station. The encirclement was tight and unbreakable.

‘Escape? Not a chance.’

And then there was the other problem standing right in front of me—the woman in the white cloak: Veronica.

Just a moment ago, she’d split a terrorist’s head in two with a single stroke.

She showed zero hesitation when it came to killing people.

Sure, she was smiling at me now, but the moment she discovered I was suspicious, she’d be the first to draw her blade.

Considering her talent—getting into the Cold Steel Order at her age—she was more dangerous than any of the officers outside.

Just as my mind was spiraling in every direction—

Veronica, who had been quietly observing, suddenly stepped forward to defend me.

“Wait a moment. This man isn’t a suspect.”

“...Excuse me?”

“Because before the Cold Steel Order even arrived, he was already fighting against the terrorists. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“You... fought them?”

The officer muttered in disbelief and scanned the manifest more carefully.

Then, as if something clicked, he nodded and looked back at me with a suddenly changed expression.

“So Ludger Cherish is the one who survived, and Gerald was caught in the explosion?”

...What?

Wait, hold on. What did he just say?

As the officer double-checked the details on the list, his face twisted in shock.

“Wait—you're the new instructor assigned to Seorn Academy?!”

“What? A teacher at Seorn? Seriously?”

At Officer Remlus’s exclamation, Veronica’s eyes widened as well.

The two of them reacted as if it were a scene straight out of a comedy play, and that’s when I finally understood what was happening.

As unbelievable as it ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) was... they genuinely believed I was Ludger.

It was all so sudden, but I quickly made my decision.

Regaining my composure, I gave a small nod.

“Yes. That’s correct.”

And with that, I picked up the suitcase Ludger had dropped before he died.

Good thing I thought to grab it just in case.

“I’m Ludger Cherish.”