How to Protect My Sub Male Lead Dad

Clenching my fists I cheered her on.

“One day, Miss Richter will be a great professor”

Miss Richter paused and smiled sweetly.

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes, I would love to learn from someone like you”

“I wish I could be a professor too and teach a cute student like you.”

A blush spread across Miss Richter’s cheeks.

‘Now, I wanted to start on the pendant’s topic..’

Just then-

“Princess?”

Professor Frank walked into the room. He gave me an uncharacteristically affectionate look, then turned to Miss Richter.

“Richter, what do you think you’re doing? Why are you meeting the princess?”

“Professor, I’m…”

“You don’t even know the basics! Do you think you could be a professor?”

Richter’s face flushed with shame.

“My Lady, if Richter has offended you, I apologise on her behalf.”

Professor Frank, who had humiliated Richter, spoke with a smug face.

‘He’s so servile to Ulrich. On the contrary, he treats Miss Richter so harshly.’

I felt sorry for Miss Richter.

I shook my head innocently, hiding my true feelings.

“I really like Miss Richter.”

“What?”

“She’s smart, sweet, and good at magic.”

That’s right.. Magic that you can’t do! I grinned, and Professor Frank’s face hardened.

“Does Professor Frank really teach Miss Richter magic?”

“Well? Yes, thanks to my guidance…”

“Then I suppose Miss Richter will soon become a professor and teach alongside.”

I asked with a twinkle in my eye.

Professor Frank laughed embarrassingly, then added shamelessly,

“Princess, Richter still has a lot to learn. Perhaps she will never be able to be a professor.”

“But doesn’t the Academy hire new professors when in need?”

“Yes. As it happens, we have a new recruitment soon. Someone other than Richter has been shortlisted. A young man named Gunther Pals.”

“…Gunther Pals?”

Richter, who hadn’t said anything up to this point, asked, her voice shaking.

Professor Frank smirked at Richter as if he’d been waiting for her reaction.

“Yes, the one you know. Gunther Pals is a vessel of Marquis Fork. The difference between you two are like heaven and earth.”

“But he’s inexperienced. He caused an accident while teaching a few days ago.”

“Why do you care? I’ve already recommended Gunther Pals. He’ll get the job because of my recommendation.”

“You’ve already recommended him?”

Richter bit her lip, feeling betrayed.

“You told me that I needed more experience than I have now to become a professor. So much that 10 years would not suffice, and on the drop of a hat you recommended Gunther Pals…”

“Did you really imagine yourself becoming a professor?”

Professor Frank sneered at Richter outright.

“Otherwise, why would I be working under you…”

Richter caught herself mid-sentence.

But Professor Franck’s face had already twisted into a vicious grimace.

“You should be grateful to me for taking in a beggar like you. I even ignored you conducting private lessons. Is this how you plan to repay me?”

Richter’s face paled.

“P-Professor, how could you… But Professor, you’ve been giving me such a low salary that I had no choice.”

“Don’t make excuses! You know the academy prohibits side jobs, don’t you? If you get disciplined and expelled from the academy, you won’t even be able to give private lessons.”

“P-Professor…!”

“If you don’t want to get expelled, it’s best not to talk nonsense about wanting to become a professor from now on!”

Richter bit her lips again.

“But…!”

She opened her mouth to argue, but was silenced.

She locked eyes with me, who was staring at her in surprise.

With an angry expression, she lowered her head.

“Professor, I apologize. With the Young Lady present, please lower your voice.”

“Being exposed in front of the Lady is quite embarrassing, isn’t it? You should think about it thoroughly. If you’re expelled from here, considering your lowly origin, you’ll have no place to go.”

Unlike Richter, who seemed worried about how I might react, Professor Frank shamelessly continued to jab at her.

“Are you trying to stop the conversation lest your background gets exposed?”

It was a story I had heard many times.

‘Why do they talk about social status without considering abilities?’

Social status has nothing to do with one’s aptitude as a professor.

I’m the daughter of my father, yet I’m constantly criticized as a ‘bastard.’

Why do people always attack others with the facts they have no hand in?

It felt unfair and frustrating.

‘Professor Frank has zero abilities and he constantly takes bribes. Isn’t he the one lacking professional ethics! Coward!’

“If you don’t want to give Miss Richter the position. Give her to me!”

“What?”

Professor Frank looked dumbfounded at my outburst.

I said it again, just to be sure he heard me.

“Give Miss Richter to me. I’ll hire her as my teacher and give her the best treatment.”

“I-I can’t Princess. Richter has worked as my assistant so far…..”

“But it’s so unfair to keep making her work and not let her be a professor. I like Miss Richter! I’ll ask my Dad to hire her at the duchy.

Professor Frank was deep in thought.

Despite all his attempts to belittle Richter, in reality, he was incompetent without her.

“I-It’s not possible! Richter still lacks so much learning. If she goes out without me, she’ll only bring shame to the academy’s honor. Don’t say such things! Richter, you don’t want to go, right?”

Anxious, Professor Frank asked.

His arrogant attitude from a moment ago had vanished.

Because if the Prince were to step in, even Professor Frank couldn’t do anything. However, Richter didn’t answer.

“Richter!”

“Professor Frank, it’s time for the lecture. Let’s leave. His Majesty is coming today.”

Although Professor Frank was furious, Richter didn’t bat an eye.

Professor Frank gritted his teeth.

“Do you really think you’re going to be anything by listening to what the little Princess says?”

“I dream of becoming a professor, and if I can fulfil that dream, I will stay at the Academy.”

But if she can’t fulfil that dream, she might leave.

When he finished, Richter took my hand with a gentle smile.

“Let’s go to the lecture hall, Princess. Since His Majesty is coming to observe today, you do know that there will be only magic lectures instead of regular lectures, right?”

“Yes!”

I chirped like a chick, then squeezed Richter’s hand in return.

‘So you’re not going to follow me after all.’

Richter is stubborn, but not reckless enough to jump at a child’s suggestion.

She’s realistic, and has a clear sense of purpose.

‘I like her even more.’

I’m glad I recommended Richter for ‘that child’.

As I walked into the classroom, I felt a heavy weight on my shoulders.

‘Everyone was so nervous.’

It must be because the Emperor is coming today.

Even the knights, wearing their helmets, stood behind the classroom in advance.

“His Majesty will be a bit late. Until his arrival, let’s practice the assignment that you’ll present to him”, Professor Frank spoke.

The assignment for the Emperor’s observation was elemental magic.

Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind.

It involved using these four elements in harmony to perform magic.

‘It’s more complex than regular magic since you have to handle mana and interact with the elements.’

In other words, Professor Frank can’t do it.

As expected, Miss Richter demonstrated first. Flames blossomed at her fingertips.

Flames continuously rose like a long thread and formed a round ring.

It was the most basic elemental magic, the ‘Elemental Ring.’

“Wow…”

The children exclaimed in admiration at the ring of fire Richter created.

Even though it should have been easy, she blushed like a girl.

Next were the rings of water, earth, and wind.

Rings wide enough to the circumference of an adult body were created and disappeared one by one. This was the assignment that would be presented in front of the Emperor today.

“You don’t need to do all four. Achieving even one of them convincingly is remarkable.”

Richter encouraged the children.

Professor Frank, who didn’t like that sight, spoke.

“What nonsense? This is a lecture that His Majesty is attending. It’s my chance to show how well I’ve taught, Ah.. I mean how well you’ve learnt. If you don’t succeed, it’s because you didn’t study properly in class, and you should reflect on that.”

Professor Frank was shamelessly praising himself.

Then someone responded to his greed.

“Of course, I’m going to show His Majesty what I’m made of!”

“Only Young Master Ulrich is capable!”

“As the top student of the academy, His Majesty will surely have high expectations for me. I can’t afford to disappoint.”

“Well then, shall we start with Wuli to present the practiced assignment?”

Ulrich stepped forward enthusiastically.

And he immediately created elemental rings one by one.

‘That easily?!’

Since using multiple complex magics at once was high-level magic, he created them one by one, but it was still impressive.

Ulrich is said to be good at magic, but this was too effortlessly done.

Even Richter was surprised, her eyes widening.

“To be this excellent. As expected of Young Mastre Ulrich.”

“This level of performance should please His Majesty.”

“Since it’s turned out like this, would you help other students along with me?”

“Of course! Since I’m the top student, I’ll help other friends too. I’ll keep helping even after His Majesty observes, so don’t worry.”

Ulrich eagerly accepted Professor Frank’s proposal.

It was all a ruse.

Thud!

The child who had started the spell stopped, startled by the sound.

The wind rings he’d barely managed to create scattered.

“Hey! What are you doing, can’t you do it properly?”

“B-But Young Master Ulrich suddenly stomped…”

“His Majesty is coming soon, are you trying to humiliate me too?”

Ulrich kept interjecting and humiliating the students like that.

“Is that a ring, too? If you’re going to do this, stop. At least you won’t be humiliated.”

‘Wh-What..!’

‘He was interrupting and discouraging others to make himself appear the best in front of the Emperor.’

Professor Frank just stood there watching.

It was clear that words had been exchanged between the two men.

Richter fidgeted behind him.

Soon it was my turn. Ulrich sneered with a condescending look.

“Try it.”

He looked convinced that I would fail.

I was bewildered.

“Ulrich have you forgotten who is the number one here?”

“That’s..!”

Ulrich was furious.

‘I purposely whispered it to Wuli instead of saying it out loud for fear of embarrassing him.’

I decided to ignore him and concentrate on starting the spell.

“You just got the position once. I…!”

‘I am trying creating a moderately small ring, I can’t waste the mana in my heart.’

“You think something like you can do it? No way!”

‘Let’s not make the same mistake as last time. If it doesn’t work, let’s quit. I won’t try too hard.’

I tried to release just the right amount of mana.

“?!”

But this time, a huge amount of mana suddenly escaped.

‘No!’

I made the same mistake last time, and had to go home and take a lot of healing pills.

Thankfully, I didn’t get sick, but I knew that if I lost mana again, I’d be in real trouble this time.

But this time, it was even more out of control than the last time.

“What’s going on?”

Why was so much of my mana being sucked out? Was there really a curse on that ominous pendant?