Ch.163163. Broken Past (5)

The void was much larger.

Aris, who had been teaching most of the Sirah students and preventing their unilateral actions, had left the empty classroom waiting only for her return.

The students showed their firm resolve to stay put without changing classes, consistently keeping their bottoms glued to their chairs.

There were only three days left until the second week’s evaluation.

“…”

-‘Even if I bring them all into my class, it wouldn’t matter. It’s obvious they’re just waiting for Aris.’

That night, Junon had said as much.

This was a problem that only Aris could solve by coming in person.

She added that if she went to meet them herself, the situation would likely worsen.

I guarantee this would have been the first time Junon and Aris had any acquaintance with each other.

But why?

I still can’t comprehend why Aris would avoid Junon.

‘It doesn’t make sense that Aris would react this way when she’s barely had any contact with Junon. I know it doesn’t make sense, but…’

The distance they maintain from each other suggests they know more than they let on.

That’s why.

‘I feel… somehow left out.’

It seemed like there was something only the two of them knew, blocking me out.

The content of this letter is the same.

I sent a letter with the same content to Senia just in case, subtly adding a request for news about Aris.

But the only answer that came back was to please wait.

Senia had essentially decided not to respond to Aris’s opinion.

With this, it was confirmed that it wasn’t just between those two.

‘What are you all hiding from me?’

Perhaps there’s something beyond even that.

Michelle’s doubts continue to grow.

***

“Sigh. As if Sirah wasn’t weak enough, now we’ve lost one of our main forces.”

“What? Wasn’t that just a rumor?”

“It’s been three days already. That’s more than enough time to be discharged from the hospital.”

Now, two days after the incident.

What was thought to be just a rumor about Aris’s absence had become almost a certainty, raising concerns about the upcoming faction battle.

“…What’s going to happen to our grades then?”

“We’re completely screwed, that’s what.”

“Tsk… nothing we can do. Honestly, for individual matches, the Road School students’ skills take precedence so it can’t be helped… but team matches are a different story.”

“I was hoping Aris would participate… now who are we supposed to send instead?”

The reactions were, understandably, trending in a negative direction.

The class with the highest student distribution in the school was now empty, affecting the individual matches that were meant to improve personal skills.

And without the necessary practice for tactics and strategies, they couldn’t expect much from the team matches either.

In this faction battle, Sirah, which had been depending on Aris, was now in a dire situation.

‘What a mess. To think one person’s absence could cause such problems.’

But to me, this scene felt oddly familiar.

It was no different from when the Arkab party couldn’t move. Thanks to that, Tembris received even more attention.

‘…But such expectations aren’t good. When those expectations are broken, chaos always follows.’

I walked past them and headed straight to the classroom.

“…”

For a moment, cheers erupted in the classroom, but quickly fell silent.

Understandable.

This was, coincidentally, the class where Aris’s students had gathered.

It was too easy to tell. From the moment the door opened, their eyes were filled with expectation.

The expectation that perhaps Aris would return to the classroom.

“I’m sorry. It’s me instead of Aris.”

There was no need to add anything else.

The person these kids were hoping to meet wasn’t me, who would nitpick or scold them, but Aris.

That’s precisely why I won’t abandon these kids.

“Everyone gather in the mock battle room.”

“…Why should we?”

“We don’t want to listen to anyone but Teacher Aris.”

They were adamant.

The option of receiving education from someone other than their designated teacher didn’t exist for them.

“If you keep this up, Aris will never be able to return. Are you okay with that?”

They responded with twisted words.

“Come on. Who would fall for such a lie?”

“Aren’t you underestimating us too much?”

“Well, it might be true.”

“As if! Stop talking nonsense!”

This reaction was expected.

I never thought it would be easy anyway.

“Really? Then you’re saying that the skills you learned from Aris amount to only this much, and you don’t care if Aris’s grades drop?”

“What are you talking about?!”

“When the faction battle was announced, we came from Levrant to teach you, not for regional exchange, right? Then why didn’t we participate in the midterm evaluation?”

“Isn’t that obvious? We can’t possibly compete with Levrant Academy students!”

“How could Road School students ever beat Academy students? You’re saying strange things.”

“There’s a difference in level from the start. Here, at best, people are either preparing to enter your academy or are dropouts, so no one has properly learned magic.”

A valid argument.

Levrant is, after all, the representative core institution of the Ardelion Principality.

But there’s something you’re missing.

“Then how are our scores calculated in this faction battle?”

“…What?”

“In this faction battle, our classes will be reorganized after the beginning-of-term evaluation. Wouldn’t we need statistics or indicators to measure this?”

If we just came to teach, it would be meaningless.

Like before the introduction of rankings on request pages for grades, it would just be community service.

If that were the case, no one would participate in the faction battle.

“So… you’re looking at us…?”

“Yes. Your growth will be evaluated across various categories and converted into scores for the educators. It’s not about winning or losing, but about how much you’ve grown that determines the scores of the faction battle participants.”

That’s also why inspectors were dispatched here.

Therefore, if this class remains in this state…

These kids will undoubtedly rank at the bottom. Just waiting for Aris all the while.

‘Make your own judgment.’

I clearly gave them a chance.

No matter how much commotion there is within the class, from that point on, you won’t be able to bring Aris back.

BANG!!

After closing the door and walking a few steps down the corridor, someone dramatically flung the door open and rushed out.

“What should we do?”

The class president and.

“We don’t want to tarnish Teacher Aris’s reputation.”

The vice president.

“Follow me.”

I walked without looking back.

But the footsteps following me were so loud that I didn’t need to count how many had come.

The mock battle room seemed to have been unused for a long time and was quite worn down.

It took time to clean it up.

A good two hours were spent taking care of the exhausted kids’ break time and snacks.

By lecture time standards, it should already be over, but no one showed any sign of quitting.

‘The Talbert Arc seems to be working properly. That’s good enough.’

The rest depends on these kids.

Opinions are still divided. Some think I’m lying to persuade them, while others want to hear me out.

Just like right after the mid-term evaluation.

I sighed and carefully spread my palms apart before clapping them together.

Zzzaak!

And simultaneously, the Talbert Arc activated.

The interior of the mock battle room was instantly plunged into darkness.

“W-what’s going on!”

“What happened…? Did the lights go out?”

“…No. I don’t think that’s it.”

“Wait a minute! What is this all of a sudden…”

Chigrak, chigrak.

An unpleasant noise, like PTSD to them, echoed.

Everyone froze in place at the sight that seemed to recreate that moment exactly.

“You all said you wouldn’t listen to my teaching, right?”

I recreate the situation as identically as possible to that time.

“Then try doing what Aris taught you.”

That’s the best method I can offer.

***

It had been three whole days, but half of that time had been wasted.

‘I suppose it’s fortunate. That she’s come to her senses now.’

Even Senia didn’t know if Aris, who had been wrapped up in her blankets, had regained her senses.

She didn’t bring up any related topics.

Aris said that this time she was really okay and would appreciate some time.

Though Senia thought about stopping her in case she regressed, Aris ate her meals on time and even went outside briefly.

The fact that she always held paper and pen made Senia tilt her head in confusion.

“…I’ll go to Sirah tomorrow.”

Aris seemed to have made her preparations.

“It’s still daytime. Wouldn’t it be better to go right now? If you want to teach even one more day considering the faction battle.”

“I don’t think it’s possible yet. Because it wouldn’t have been delivered.”

Aris emptied the trash can full of crumpled papers herself.

Why the trash can was full of paper… it must have been countless repetitions.

Perhaps Aris had been writing letters to express her feelings in writing when she couldn’t express them verbally.

That was Senia’s guess.

“Hey, Senia.”

“Yes. Tell me.”

“After I take out the trash… could you teach me how to study?”

Study.

To think the word “study” would come from none other than Aris.

“It’s difficult to do in a short time, isn’t it?”

“I need to teach the kids… and I’m not good at it.”

The kids.

I see.

Michelle follows her so well, and another motivation was the kids.

Senia smiled slightly.

“I don’t think that’s possible.”

“Huh? Why?”

“It’s like a test in a way. If I tell you everything, there’s no point, is there?”

“J-just give me feedback! I’m not asking you to tell me everything!”

“Well. I’ve been through so much trouble.”

“…Huh?”

“Who could have predicted it? That someone would suddenly appear and interfere during the duel. Oh, this part aches so much.”

“Oh my. Is that so? I’ll massage it for you later. Wait!”

Aris, seemingly panicked, grabbed the trash can and ran off.

“Still, though I’m anxious, it doesn’t seem like she’ll collapse.”

The past has shattered.

What remains is the ongoing present and the future that has yet to come.

After that letter is delivered, I hope news comes from Michelle that the relationship between the two has improved.