Ch.64Academy (3)

I wondered if I had been overthinking things.

Eshtiel was a child who was lovable enough for others to see, and she was much stronger than the level I had anticipated. Of course, I hadn’t even expected her to be physically strong…

‘That’s a relief.’

I never imagined Eshtiel would take control of her class in just one day. As long as what she was doing wasn’t ruling through fear based on her strength, I could send her to the Academy with peace of mind.

Above all, those eyes.

It was both disconcerting and somewhat amusing to see those eyes—which had been so indifferent when I was teaching her—now sparkling with enthusiasm. Because of this, I began conducting the class with complete confidence.

“Now then, would anyone like to name a country located to the west of the Empire?”

“Me! Me!”

Eshtiel raised her hand enthusiastically, waving it around. Like a puppy wagging its tail excitedly after meeting someone it likes.

I stumbled over my words slightly, finding her active attitude somewhat unfamiliar.

“…Um, Miss Eshtiel. Please go ahead.”

“The Carnar Kingdom!”

“Since you answered so confidently, I assume you also know the main exports of the Carnar Kingdom, Miss Eshtiel?”

“Uh, hmm, hmmmmm…”

Eshtiel pondered deeply before answering playfully.

“Butler Grandpa’s candy…?”

“Candy that you’re limited to three pieces a day is not a specialty product.”

“Heeng.”

As punishment for getting the question wrong, I should reduce it to two pieces today.

Eshtiel surprisingly had thick skin, as she easily brushed off the laughter coming from all directions. Since there didn’t seem to be any intention to mock her, I also laughed it off good-naturedly.

“The Carnar Kingdom’s main export is magic stones. While the Bellonin Empire has many mines with potential for magic stones, they’re a drop in the bucket compared to what the Carnar Kingdom possesses. Next, shall I give you another simple quiz? This time, I’ll specially offer a prize.”

“Ooooooh…!”

“A gift from the Grand Duke, I wonder how amazing it will be?”

“I’m excited…!”

When the children showed an unexpectedly intense reaction, one of my eyebrows twitched. How amazing could a prize for a simple quiz possibly be? It was merely bait to increase motivation…

Anyway, since I couldn’t take back what I had already announced, I continued with the class.

“Ahem, what is the most distinctive characteristic of the Carnar Kingdom’s climate?”

“Me! Me! Me! I know!”

Eshtiel raised her hand like lightning while others were still thinking. I was honestly quite surprised.

‘Did she study in advance to impress her friends?’

Impressed, I gladly gave her permission to speak.

“Would you like to answer, Miss Eshtiel?”

“Yes. There, it rains sooo much. Especially, like, like, it rains all the way to the end of the land, and then suddenly the clouds whoosh-! gather over the palace…”

“E-Eshtiel. Wait. Let’s stop there.”

“But I saw it! Oh, but now that I think about it, this is what big brother did…”

“Wrong, wrong! Next person…!!!”

“Heeng.”

I hastily covered Eshtiel’s mouth. This was truly troublesome—I couldn’t scold her for it.

Although my memories had vanished, I had been clearly informed about the things I had done in the Carnar Kingdom. Therefore, Eshtiel wasn’t lying; she was clearly describing scenes she had witnessed firsthand.

I had to cut her off before the children learned unnecessary secrets.

“Would another student like to answer… anyone?”

Swish.

A boy cautiously raised his hand. I already recognized this somewhat dejected boy.

He was the male student who had lost to Eshtiel in arm wrestling before class began.

“Would you like to answer, Mr. Shturn?”

“…!”

Upon hearing my words, Shturn opened his eyes wide and moved his lips for a while. At first, I found Shturn’s reaction puzzling, but soon after, the whispering students explained the reason.

“See that, he already memorized his name.”

“I guess he already knows about the fight with his sister.”

“Scary… Shturn’s already been marked, hasn’t he?”

There’s one fact that children never realize: from the position of standing at the podium and teaching, everything they do and say is visible and audible. Yet when a teacher points out their secret actions, they’re surprised and think to themselves that they were just unlucky.

In reality, everything is visible from the beginning.

“Um… that…”

Shturn trembled as he spoke haltingly.

“Year-round… consistent humidity… and the rest is similar to… the Empire…”

“Hmm.”

I slowly approached Shturn, who had somehow managed to give the correct answer despite his nervousness.

“That’s correct.”

I placed a glass jar tied with colorful ribbons on Shturn’s desk.

It was candy in a new flavor recently released by a famous snack shop. I heard it contained the flavors of five different fruits in a single piece. The shop was extremely popular, and the candy was in high demand.

“You may eat it right away.”

“Ah, yes…!”

Shturn immediately unwrapped one of the candies.

Treats during class time are the best reward for children… as the Emperor himself had advised. And that advice seemed to be working splendidly now.

Separately, I decided to clarify one thing to maintain a studious atmosphere.

“Since you all seem to misunderstand, let me tell you that I have memorized the names of all students in the classes assigned to my schedule.”

For instance, starting with the girl sitting in the front row,

“Roll number 1, Miss Aria Roten.”

“Eek, yes…!”

“Roll number 2, Mr. Derek Moren.”

“…Yes!”

I continued calling each student by name, from roll number 3 and 4, all the way to the last, number 19.

“As someone entrusted with the duty of education, it is my obligation to fulfill this role to the best of my ability. Familiarizing myself with your information in advance is also part of my job. That’s all. If you all create a peaceful learning environment, there will be no need for me to intervene.”

If Eshtiel had been bullied, I would have been angry and upset. Therefore, as someone who must treat all students equally, I have a duty to regard the other students just as I do Eshtiel.

Hence, if anyone seeks my help, I will certainly intervene actively.

“So, conversely, if you encounter any difficulties, please feel free to come to me. Regardless of who you are, I will certainly work with you to find the best solution.”

“Yes! We understand!”

Eshtiel cheerfully exclaimed, taking the lead. Then the other students also nodded or gave small affirmative responses with more relaxed expressions.

Afterward, I was able to complete the geography class for the elementary division’s third year in a much more relaxed atmosphere.

◇

Right after finishing the elementary division’s third-year geography class, I left the classroom while receiving brief greetings.

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘It seems Eshtiel has adapted well.’

I thought she would follow me closely as soon as class ended, but she started chatting with her classmates without even glancing at me. As a bonus, she was eyeing the candy gift I had given to Shturn.

‘I bought the whole jar for them to share, but I hope Eshtiel shows some restraint.’

While harboring this vain hope that would never come true, I moved on to prepare for my next class.

The next class I would be teaching was the middle division’s second year.

It was the class that Serin’s younger brother, Tesser, had specially enrolled in this year.

‘Teaching… isn’t so bad after all.’

Although I was reluctant when it was first suggested—almost forced upon me—it seemed to suit me unexpectedly well. Perhaps it was the feeling of being surrounded by normalcy and becoming immersed in it myself.

Teaching also gave me a strange sense of fulfillment.

As I was crossing the corridor, a group of girls approached me with sparkling eyes. Then one of them greeted me energetically.

“Hello, Grand Duke!”

“Professor or teacher is sufficient. You know it’s not appropriate to be addressed by rank at the Academy, don’t you?”

“Ah, I’m sorry, Professor!”

“There’s no need to apologize… Do you have business with me?”

“Wow…”

When I asked quietly, the female students made excited noises. Then they chatted among themselves and smiled broadly.

“See? I told you he’s super kind!”

“He’s not scary at all!”

“If you find that dignified face scary, there’s something wrong with you!”

“This is what Academy welfare is all about…!”

“What should I do, the Grand Du… I mean, Professor is so funny. Just looking at him makes me laugh.”

While facing this awkward feeling, I was also greatly relieved. At least I didn’t seem to be perceived as threatening by the students.

However, it was still uncomfortable to be standing in the corridor like this.

“Excuse me, but I’d like to ask again what business you have.”

“Ah, right!”

“Professor, will you be coming to our class too? We’re first-year high division students!”

“If you’re not scheduled to come, could you come anyway?”

The students gazed at me with desperate eyes.

It was quite burdensome, but at the same time, I understood their feelings.

They must find me special as a child of the deposed emperor who had received the title of Grand Duke. So these students were definitely seeing me as something akin to an unusual creature.

‘…Like a mountain rabbit, perhaps.’

I suddenly recalled when Serin had compared me to an innocent, pitiful mountain rabbit. Then, by conditioned reflex, as Serin’s soft skin and dizzying visual stimulation came to mind, I found myself touching my heating cheeks.

‘I’m being too dramatic.’

Previously, I might have been perplexed but never had my desires ignited like this… how had I become such a weak man?

This wasn’t normal.

At least, that’s what I judged.

While I was lost in these foolish fantasies, the female students asked me again.

“Professor? Will you be coming to our class too?”

“Ah…”

I answered hurriedly, like someone who had just awakened from a daydream.

“If you’re first-year high division… a history class is scheduled for tomorrow morning.”

“Wow!”

“I’ll thoroughly prepare with preview and review.”

“From today, history is my favorite subject!”

Their burning academic enthusiasm created a warm feeling around me. It was truly a rewarding response for becoming a professor.

“Then I’ll take my leave. Roll number 4, Miss Lily, roll number 7, Miss Selena, roll number 12, Miss Nadia, roll number 13, Miss Jena.”

“Gasp… All our names…”

“My goodness… It must be your first day here…”

“At this rate, do I have a chance too…!?”

I don’t know what kind of chance they meant, but if it was about academic performance, they certainly had more than enough. Judging by the enthusiasm they just showed for the history class, that’s what I concluded.

After briefly greeting the excited students, I moved on to my next destination.

◇

Gulp.

Tension dominated his entire body.

Although he had endured countless strict lessons due to his position, Tesser had never experienced such thrilling tension that dried his throat as he did today.

What was being a prince? What were imperial etiquettes?

The tension devoted to such classes was like a firefly under a full moon compared to the tension accompanying today’s mathematics subject.

The only prince of the Bellonin Empire—Tesser wiped the cold sweat from the back of his hand as he focused on the still-empty podium.

‘Lord Rihart… no, Grand Duke Rahilt’s class!’

He was so honored and happy that he wanted to jump for joy.

He couldn’t express how happy he was.

The person he admired was not only close to his sister but had also legally created time for them to meet face-to-face like this.

At first, he had admired the “Lord Rihart” who seemed like a master of darkness. And “Lord Rihart” had shown tremendous achievements just as expected at that time. A masked knight who overwhelmed even the Imperial Knight Commander. It was impossible not to admire him.

Also, according to Eshtiel, he possessed the power of the Black Plague Dragon. He was an X-tremely cool person.

…Of course.

It was unexpected that it wasn’t the Black Plague Dragon but the Black Dragon, but that made him even cooler.

A human with the power of the Black Dragon, which only appeared in founding myths. Moreover, a hero who saved the Carnar Kingdom with that power!

‘I want to be like the Grand Duke too…’

Why didn’t his right arm have the power of the Black Plague Dragon?

Sometimes when no one was around, he practiced cool poses, but nothing ever happened.

He was disappointed each time… but where else could he get vicarious satisfaction than by meeting the Grand Duke like this?

‘I wish class would start soon…’

Tesser savored the sensation of his middle division second-year blood boiling as he eagerly awaited the appearance of the man he admired.