Ch.189Second Year (3)

Originally, first-year classes are held in a single classroom. In that one location, professors for each subject come and go to conduct classes while students listen.

However, this applies when there are around 50 students like last year. This year’s literature department has a whopping 150 new students. Dividing them into groups of 50 creates three classes, requiring three classrooms.

Of course, no academy in this world has only one classroom. The Empire of Minerva had anticipated eventual growth in student numbers and designed accordingly. Thanks to this foresight, the disaster of cramming all students into one place was avoided.

The class schedule also avoids confusion. The students are divided into three classes, each with their own separate lessons.

What if a student from Class A comes to attend a history class for Class B? That’s fine too. There aren’t any extra credit points anyway, so they’d just be wasting their own time.

Exams will also be held at designated times, so there’s no opportunity for cheating. However, with the student population tripling in just one year, there are bound to be oversights in many areas.

Since immediate measures can’t be taken, classes will proceed on a trial basis for now.

“Class A meets Monday at 1 PM, Class B on Wednesday at 1 PM, and finally Class C on Friday at 1 PM. Just to note, this is for first-years; second-years have a different schedule.”

We arrived at the lecture building for the first class and orientation. Elena explained the general schedule as we walked toward the classroom where lessons would be held.

The second-year schedule is quite tight since it includes both literature and martial arts students. There’s only one class for second-year literature students, but there are three classes for martial arts students.

The schedule is extremely packed. Fortunately, another history professor handles the third and fourth years; otherwise, there wouldn’t be time to write the Biography of Xenon.

I became a teaching assistant thinking I’d have plenty of free time, but somehow I feel even busier. At least I can still graduate without issues, so that’s some consolation.

“By the way, if you become a teaching assistant from second year, can you graduate earlier?”

“That’s generally the case. If the professor likes you, you can graduate within a year. Provided, of course, that you write a graduation thesis. With your writing skills, it might be possible.”

“Will you really let me graduate?”

“If I like what I see. If your thesis topic is interesting, I might help you. Or you could work with Cindy.”

“Hmm…”

I’m not sure whether to be happy or sad. Given Elena’s straightforward personality, she would certainly let me graduate if I write a satisfactory thesis.

But a thesis isn’t something simple, and I haven’t yet mastered how to write one. I’ll have to learn step by step from Elena.

While I’ll also be working on the Biography of Xenon, I strongly sense that I’ll be quite busy.

“Have you read all the books in the research room yet?”

“No, not yet.”

As we talked with Elena, we arrived at the classroom door. It’s a different classroom from the one I attended in my first year.

Though it looks no different from the outside, it hasn’t been properly renovated yet, as evidenced by the distinctive smell of wood. Still, it’s a natural scent—fragrant rather than musty.

Eventually, Elena slid open the door and entered, and I followed. As soon as we entered, the somewhat noisy classroom fell silent.

‘Huh? What’s this? An elf? There’s an elf professor too?’

‘And who’s the redhead next to her? An assistant?’

‘Looks like an assistant, but her hair is so long. Longer than mine, I think.’

Occasional whispers broke through the silence. I felt a strange tension I hadn’t experienced before. This is my first time working as a teaching assistant, so it’s natural.

While my heart was beating slightly faster, Elena stood at the center of the platform and slowly looked around at the students. The students showed expressions full of interest and curiosity as an elf, not a human, appeared as their professor.

During the brief silence, Elena pushed up her glasses and opened her mouth in a clear voice.

“Hello, new students. I am Professor Elena Heavensinger, who will be teaching you history from now on. I look forward to working with you.”

Just as she had shown me when I was a new student, Elena introduced herself with a respectful bow. The students responded with enthusiastic applause.

As the applause began to subside, she pointed to me and spoke.

“And this redhead is my teaching assistant. Say hello.”

“I’m Issac Dukar Mayshall.”

After I greeted them with a slightly trembling voice, the students welcomed me with another round of enthusiastic applause. I took a deep breath from nervousness and looked around at the students.

Hair and eyes of various colors. Students with distinctive appearances caught my eye.

I carefully scanned to see if there was anyone with red hair like mine, but there wasn’t. The same goes for pure white hair like Marie’s.

But there was one color that particularly stood out.

‘…Pink?’

Despite sitting far away, one color caught my eye—hair that was pink like cherry blossoms. I couldn’t see the face properly because it was obscured by the person in front, but it was certainly distinctive.

In this world, there are wigs but no hair dye. So that hair color must be natural, like mine.

Thinking that this is indeed a fantasy world, I turned my gaze away from that student. If I stare too much, I might arouse unnecessary suspicion.

“Today, I’ll explain how my class will proceed. The way to earn extra points in my class is simple. Either answer the questions I pose, or ask me interesting questions. The classes I’ll be conducting for you cover the basics and essence of history.”

Elena explained the upcoming course content to the students in her characteristically precise pronunciation. I also listened carefully to the content, which was both similar to and different from last year’s.

She won’t just leave me standing like a wallflower; she’ll surely use me somehow. Bringing a teaching assistant, who’s treated somewhat like a graduate student, to the classroom means she intends to use me somewhere.

Just as Elena was about to finish her explanation, one of the students raised her hand. It was a female student sitting in the front row.

“Professor, will Issac the teaching assistant just stand there and watch?”

What a bold question. Well, from the outside, it might seem like I’m just standing there doing nothing. Even I was thinking that, so I can imagine what others might think.

At this, both the student and I looked at Elena, expecting an answer. Elena glanced at me once after hearing the student’s question, then smiled and replied.

“Absolutely not. Teaching Assistant Issac will engage in debates with you when interesting topics arise. If he loses in a debate, you’ll receive significant extra points. Of course, it’s up to you students to bring up those debate topics.”

“Oh!”

“…”

So that’s what it was. The female student who asked the question sparkled with excitement, but I could only manage a bitter smile.

While it might seem like an easy way to get through classes, it seems she plans to evaluate me properly through debates under the pretext of awarding points. She may have been charmed by my eloquent writing, but she hasn’t properly gauged the extent of my knowledge.

“In addition, Teaching Assistant Issac will supervise exams and handle various miscellaneous tasks. Speaking of which, Issac?”

“Yes.”

“Please distribute these papers while I explain.”

“Understood.”

Following Elena’s instructions, I began distributing the papers I had prepared in advance. These papers were simply the course plan for upcoming classes.

My hands suffered quite a bit writing these. Unfortunately, Cindy was also away on a business trip, so I had to diligently move the magic pen by myself.

The fortunate thing is that Elena can use copying magic. If she had been human, everything would have been done manually.

“Some say that history has the power to predict the future through dialogue with the past. Like how every effect has a cause, history is no different. Due to specific causes, major events break out…”

Elena’s lecture continued as I distributed the papers. The students focused on her, and when I gave them papers, they received them with both hands.

When I was distributing guidance papers to students sitting in the back, I came face to face with that pink color I had seen earlier. I wasn’t mistaken—the hair that reached down to the shoulders was entirely pink.

But my attention on the hair was brief; as I lowered my gaze slightly, I couldn’t help but flinch. It was because of the chest that seemed to assert its presence.

I had already guessed it was a female student, but seeing a size that was much larger than Marie’s, perhaps comparable to Cecilly’s, I couldn’t help but be surprised. Somehow she had managed to fit into the uniform, but the clothes seemed to be crying for help.

“…”

Perhaps she felt my gaze. For some reason, the female student who had been keeping her head down slowly raised it. Thanks to this, I could properly face her.

Pink eyes matching her cherry blossom-colored hair. With large eyes and a modest appearance that gave her a doll-like image.

However, there was one issue that overshadowed all of this—her eyes.

This is no exaggeration, but there was absolutely no life in her eyes. Like a dead fish, without even a speck of light, they exuded a gloomy and pessimistic atmosphere. It was hard to tell if she was truly alive.

As I mentioned earlier, if her features were cute and doll-like, now she looked literally like a ‘doll’ without any sign of life. A doll that moves as controlled by someone.

At this rate, I fear she might take her own life someday—that’s the kind of ominous feeling I get.

“…?”

The female student tilted her head when I just looked at her without giving her the paper. Yet, she didn’t blink, adding to the eeriness.

I hurriedly came to my senses and carefully handed over the paper. But the female student didn’t take it and just stared intently at my face.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed and creeped out, I carefully opened my mouth.

“…Won’t you take it?”

“…”

At my cautious question, the female student finally shifted her gaze to the paper. Then she slowly extended her hand and took it.

I felt relieved inside when she took the paper and moved on.

“…Red.”

I deliberately ignored the voice from behind. It gives me the creeps.

‘But the characteristic of the Roseberry family…’

I heard from Marie before the school year started. Cherry Blossom Roseberry, who always delivers fan letters to me—her family is characterized by pink hair.

If the Mayshall family is known for red hair, and Marie’s family, the Reckyless, for white hair, then the Roseberry family is known for pink hair.

Also, in the last fan letter I saw, Cherry mentioned that she would soon be enrolling in the academy. So I thought I might meet her soon.

But she’s far from the atmosphere I had expected. In the fan letters, Cherry was lively, passionate, and full of vitality.

But that female student I just met is not like that. With a gloomy atmosphere and dead black eyes, she’s literally like a doll, not a person.

‘…It can’t be.’

I returned to Elena’s side after distributing all the papers. As I returned, I didn’t forget to glance at that female student.

The female student was staring directly at me with her lifeless eyes. As if she were truly a doll, she was gazing at me without blinking even once.

I felt somewhat fearful and tried my best not to make eye contact. Though her face is pretty, the complete lack of vitality makes it difficult to look at her.

“…So, what do you think history is? I will award extra points based on your answers.”

In the meantime, Elena’s long explanation ended, and the question time followed. As is typical for the first class, students hesitated at first but gradually began to raise their hands and answer.

Some answers satisfied Elena, some were somewhat absurd, but just answering was enough. Even commoners who were being cautious gathered courage and expressed their thoughts.

However, throughout all this, the pink-haired female student continued to stare at me without wavering. Elena seemed to notice this too but didn’t point it out to avoid embarrassing her.

Of course, not concentrating and spacing out from the first class is hard to tolerate. After all the students’ answers were finished, Elena cleared her throat and brought up a different topic.

“Thank you for your good answers. Now, before I explain about causality, which is most important in history… I’ll ask a question that might interest you. Until last year, the number of literature students was 50, and now it’s 150. The number of literature students has tripled in just one year. Does anyone know why?”

“…”

It seemed like a difficult question, as no student stepped forward. Well, I was also puzzled before hearing the reason, so it’s a natural reaction.

Elena seemed to have anticipated this response and, after looking around, provided a hint.

“As a hint, there’s a book currently making the biggest cultural impact. If you connect it to that, it will be very easy.”

“…Is it referring to the Biography of Xenon?”

“It seems so.”

“What does the Biography of Xenon have to do with this?”

Even with the hint, students just murmured among themselves, and no one bravely raised their hand. While the students were discussing with each other, I glanced at that female student from earlier.

She was still looking at me, but perhaps because the Biography of Xenon was mentioned, there seemed to be a slight spark of life in her eyes. However, it was such a faint light that there wasn’t much difference.

Is that female student really Cherry? The discrepancy is so severe that it’s very difficult to determine.

“Since no answer is forthcoming, I’ll designate someone. First…”

Elena paused briefly and shifted her gaze to the back. To the pink-haired female student who had been staring at me intently.

Then Elena looked directly at that female student and quietly called her name.

“You there, with the pink hair?”

“…?”

“Would you like to answer?”

When she was designated, the pink-haired female student finally turned her gaze to Elena. I breathed a sigh of relief inside and waited for the pink-haired female student’s answer.

“…Me?”

The pink-haired female student tilted her head and quietly replied. It seems she didn’t even realize she had been designated because she was busy staring at me.

Elena, instinctively sensing that something was off about her, asked in a somewhat disgruntled voice.

“…Yes. May I ask your name?”

“…”

Even with the continued questioning, the pink-haired female student didn’t immediately answer. She didn’t blink once, which made it increasingly scary.

Then the pink-haired female student turned her head slightly and shifted her gaze back to me. And quietly, in a voice devoid of any vitality, she uttered word by word.

“Cherry…”

“…”

If Cindy’s tone was sluggish from fatigue…

“Cherry Blossom Roseberry…”

Hers was completely devoid of energy, like someone about to die.