I Didn’t Help, I Gave You a Chance

After the series of events ended.

The baseball club members resumed their practice, but their actions lacked energy, unbecoming of sports club members.

As if today’s game had driven a wedge into the anxiety they were feeling.

“Seniors! Come here and try this! The teacher said to drink it when it’s cool!”

Dale moved forward to inject vitality into them.

His hands were full of drink bottles I had made.

“Thanks, Dale.”

“Do you want to try throwing the ball with us?”

“Is, is that okay?”

“Of course it is. Honestly, you seem to be better at baseball than us.”

“…Hehe.”

Dale throwing and hitting the ball, mingling with the club members far away.

Thinking how good it is to see that smiling face, I approached Gillette sitting on the bench.

“Here, take this.”

“…What’s this?”

“It’s something the teacher made herself.”

I made it thinking of sports drinks from my original world.

The water absorption rate is higher than water, and I added caffeine, so it also has a slight mental awakening effect.

Looking at the ingredients, there’s a lot that matches with drugs, but well… In a world where cola and ice cream are distributed on the battlefield, this much should be fine.

“…Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Sitting next to Gillette like that, I looked at Dale mingling with the club members from afar.

The atmosphere brightening up with Dale at the center.

The scene of them practicing by passing the ball to each other contained the concepts of equality and fairness.

For a moment, there was peacefulness unbound by origin, be it noble or commoner, as well as the skills each possessed.

“This must be the scene the former president wanted to see.”

Everyone getting along well.

Gillette drew a faint smile as if he found that sight pleasing, but it was only for a moment.

“…It has its drawbacks.”

It’s very common for something with good intentions to end up tarnishing those very intentions.

This applies not only to Eric who barged in aggressively, but also to Gillette.

In an international society rife with discrimination, trying to openly conduct a movement to liberate from discrimination. Isn’t it natural for there to be backlash?

“Still, I don’t think the president was wrong.”

Nevertheless, Gillette spoke firmly.

That what they were doing wasn’t wrong.

“…In the family I belonged to. And in the order I belonged to, they always said we should pursue equality and fairness. That people deserve respect regardless of class.”

Of course.

Being from a holy knight family, they would revere nobility.

“I think the president who tried to implement change with the same ideals as me was clearly a righteous person. As much as I respect and honor him, I thought I too should carry on the president’s will. Even if there was opposition from those around…”

“If you think that’s right, why are you suffering like this?”

“……”

Gillette closed his mouth at my words.

He too has something that pricks his conscience.

No matter how much they say it’s right, the whole world was saying they were wrong.

“Yes, you must have seen things too. Because various students gather at this academy.”

Righteousness, greater cause, fairness…

These are concepts very easy to misunderstand.

There are as many viewpoints on the world as there are people, and that many worlds exist.

Conflict arises where such righteousnesses collide, so everyone living in the world must abide by the rules.

If they don’t want events that overturn even the environment they’ve gone through to occur.

“Children from different places each have their own righteousness. Having seen such diverse righteousness, you must have gradually realized. That the greater cause claimed in a place where different people gather is a more cowardly and cold concept than you think.”

Even in the world I lived in, didn’t we go through two wars that engulfed the entire world to change existing perceptions?

Even that was only on the surface.

In an era where even democracy that considers everyone equal is divided into implicit classes, it would be nonsensical for immature students to change the perceptions of this world with an even poorer social structure.

“Honestly, teacher wants to lend more support to Eric’s opinion. That child is a bit extreme, but he caused trouble while following the system established in this academy.”

“…Then why did you help us?”

“I didn’t help, I gave you a chance.”

“A chance?”

“You’re still young. Rather than judging who’s wrong or right, it’s more important at this time to realize that you lack experience.”

Yes, the important thing is that sudden changes always cause problems.

What’s needed in this kind of conflict is not purging by driving someone to be a bastard, but the leisure for everyone to think long-term.

If they were adults, they should take responsibility for what they’ve done, but aren’t they still children?

“So think leisurely until Eric comes back, and try to accept the results that come out. Then, even if it’s not the best, a better result than now might come out.”

And this kind of advice is probably the best I can do for the two students as a teacher.

Having finished my business, I handed the bottle with remaining drink to Gillette, and called out to Dale who was mingling with students far away.

“Dale! Let’s head back soon!”

The unfortunate genius who was driven out of the honors class due to his commoner status.

“Yes~! See you next time, seniors~!!”

Dale, bidding farewell to those he had mingled with, as if his experience was meaningless.

When Dale was leaving, the faces of the sports club members were all filled with regret.

Was it purely because they wanted to play more?

Or was it because they sensed a future where they might not be here the next time they see him?

“Hehehe.”

As if unaware of such an atmosphere, Dale’s face was dyed with a bright light.

It was a time when the sunset light was gradually falling on the sky.

It’s usually the time when normal students start heading home.

“Are you that happy?”

“Yes! The sports club brothers said I can come anytime I want!”

“…That’s good.”

I gave a bitter smile as I watched Dale rejoicing sincerely.

A child who enjoys the process itself regardless of winning or losing, and tries to analyze everything with curiosity.

Although that purity stems from ignorance, even that felt very enviable to me.

I, who was just lecturing immature students as an adult until a moment ago.

When I face this child, I forget for a moment that I’m an adult who has seen a lot of dirty things.

“Dale.”

Stroking Dale’s head, I quietly asked.

“How did you feel when you hit the ball earlier?”

“It felt really refreshing! If I practice more, do you think I could send the ball flying far like you, teacher?”

Dale looked up at me with expectant eyes.

What drew on my lips when I heard those words was a bitter smile.

Wanting to be like me.

Coincidentally, I’m not a person who can be an adult worthy of respect either.

“…I’m glad you felt good.”

Avoiding such an answer, I continued walking while saying what I wanted to say to Dale lastly.

“Don’t forget how you feel now. That will surely become a great asset for you in the future.”

An attitude of feeling triumph in one success and growing aspiration for the future.

In a world full of people who get frustrated by failure, that would be called talent.

---

And, about a week after teaching a child with such talent.

“Dale, are you ready?”

“Ugh, I’m nervous.”

“Take it easy. Even if you fail now, it doesn’t undo the teachings so far.”

On the morning of the day regular classes start.

Dale, facing the desk in the infirmary, trembled as he looked at the items scattered in front of him.

Candles, along with pens, glass marbles, and so on… Tools mainly used to verify if one can manipulate mana.

It’s an obstacle that must be overcome as regular classes also deal with the practical application of mana.

But Dale’s back facing it was stiff with tension.

With anxiety that all his efforts so far might be in vain, even if by some chance.

“It’s okay, Dale.”

Seine whispered softly while placing her hand on Dale’s shoulder.

“You’ve worked hard until now, so it’ll surely be fine. So quietly, regulate your breathing… and slowly concentrate strength on your fingertips.”

“……”

Dale looked down at both his hands silently. He reflexively tried to turn his head back, but in the end, he didn’t face her.

Even without facing her, he could guess what expression she was making.

She must be smiling.

Because she had always taken care of him kindly like that.

-Crackle.

The moment he read that sincerity, calm came to his mind, and the controlled will began to turn the sensation stirring inside his body into a flow.

At this moment, something is flowing in his body.

Power, or what would be called energy.

-Woong.

As if to show that it wasn’t an illusion.

At the tips of Dale’s hands, soon a faint vibration sound began to ring.