Reprimand

“Teacher, hurry up! We’re going to be late!”

“Huff, huff… J-just let me rest a bit…”

“There’s no time! We’re almost there, just endure a little longer!”

“I’m… dying…”

In comics or novels, protagonists always arrive at incident locations super fast.

Why am I like this? Should’ve exercised more.

Since I don’t need to fight like students, I didn’t exercise – never imagined this karma would come back to bite me.

No, seriously, who’d think a counseling teacher needs to rush to the scene?

I’m not the weird one here.

The world’s messed up.

I… I just wanted to help the students I care about…

“C-can’t… go on…”

“Teacher?!”

I couldn’t even walk anymore, let alone run.

Even when I walked 20km carrying heavy luggage before, my legs never trembled like a newborn fawn like this.

Maybe it’s because my body changed.

Finally grabbing my disobedient legs, I collapsed.

Can’t walk. Won’t. Giving up.

“T-teacher?! Don’t we need to stop Orca?! You’re the only one who can…”

“Don’t know… She’ll calm down soon… Really can’t walk anymore…”

It’s not like Orca won’t stop until she destroys everything when angry.

I panicked hearing Leo was consistently being pushed back and hurried out with Class President, but…

Thinking about it, do I really have any reason to go out?

Though Orca’s violent, she’s not thoughtless enough to kill people.

She’ll get disciplined but probably only hit them enough to avoid major trouble.

Then she’ll return to the counseling room like nothing happened.

Because she always comes to the counseling room to sleep well.

“Let’s just go back… Can’t move anymore. Look at my legs – they’re shaking even when still.”

“…Excuse me.”

“Huh? Wh-what suddenly… Whoa?!”

Class President looked at me with a stern expression as I suggested returning.

She approached and lifted me like a sack of rice.

“We really just need to go a bit further. You’re quite fragile, Teacher.”

“Ugh, agh…! I-it hurts… It hurts…!”

“Please endure a little. As I said earlier, you’re the only one I know who can stop Orca.”

“N-no. If carrying me, posture…! My posture…!”

Did she not hear my pleas about posture?

Class President started running again.

“You’re quite light. Should exercise more.”

“Ugh, eck… S-save me…”

I missed myself from a few hours ago enjoying games.

Damn. This hurts like hell.

What kind of mess is this?

“…Look. We’ve arrived.”

“Huh? Already?”

“I told you it was close.”

After minutes of complaining about my chest shaking from vibration and abdomen hurting from shoulder blades pressing down while carried…

It felt like less than five minutes when Class President put me down.

Looking ahead through dust, I saw Orca and Leo.

…We really arrived quickly. We were almost there.

No, I thought she was lying…

How many times have personal trainers said “just a bit more” while making you exercise over ten minutes? Or dentists ignoring you when you raise your hand in pain?

I resented my past self for believing those empty words earlier.

Should’ve endured and walked more.

Just threw a tantrum and got battered for nothing.

“…Wow, cool.”

But the pain soon stopped.

My attention was stolen by the spectacular fight.

Just Orca unilaterally swinging fists while Leo blocked with his sword, but…

Still spectacular.

Ominous black arm swinging, leaving mist trails.

Thought it was game effects, but real mist actually shows trajectories.

So cool…

This is why I liked Orca more than other playable characters.

That heart-thumping coolness.

Never showed it fearing people would mock me for chuunibyou, but…

Still cool though. Isn’t that enough?

A Demon Possessor with sad past, housing a demon inside.

Seeing it firsthand was way cooler.

Hnngh…

“Teacher. Admiring the fight is fine, but first please stop them…”

“Ah… *cough*. Sorry.”

But admiring the fight was brief.

Urged by Class President, I decided to stop Orca.

“Pretty fun, brat.”

“Kgh…”

“Don’t act up next time. Might really kill you.”

As Leo finally dropped his sword and Orca prepared the final strike, I urgently shouted.

“No bad language allowed!”

“…Why are you here?”

“That doesn’t matter. You used bad language just now, right?”

“So what?”

“Wasn’t ‘no bad language’ one of the counseling room conditions?”

Orca’s complexion rapidly worsened.

Right. The incense I tricked her into believing was an artifact.

To get its effects, she promised me:

No bad language and attending every class.

She consistently attended classes – enough to become gossip.

As a teacher, it’s easy to check her attendance.

But language?

Hard to verify. Didn’t plan to withhold incense over it anyway.

Orca knew this too, so she wasn’t careful.

But look – I witnessed it firsthand now. Orca using bad language.

Well, it wasn’t exactly Profanity, but whatever.

Only proper language allowed from now on. Yeah.

Just decided that.

“N-no, this is different…! I mean…”

“…”

Leo sat on the ground, wide-eyed while looking between me and Orca.

Probably can’t believe this sight.

Honestly me neither. Orca being cornered by someone.

“*Sigh*…”

As I sighed softly, Orca trembled violently.

Eyes tightly shut like fearing what’s coming – pitiful enough to evoke sympathy.

Scolding Orca now would be easy but…

I didn’t want to.

How infuriating were teachers who scolded without hearing why I messed up as a kid?

I didn’t want to be remembered as that kind of teacher.

“You hit someone again, Orca.”

“N-no! This is the first…”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t know about fights when I’m not looking?”

“H-how…?!”

Wait, really? I just bluffed.

…Did she actually get into fights these past few days?

That’s shocking.

“N-no! Listen! They started it! Really!”

“Hmm, I see. Then this fight? Did you provoke it?”

“…You believe me?”

“Do you want me not to?”

“N-no, not that…”

Orca looked at me with confused eyes, unable to believe I trusted her excuse.

Probably never had adults believe her before.

But I knew her well. Better than the family that abandoned her long ago.

She’s not the type to lie about this.

“Tell me, Orca. Did you start the fight?”

“I was walking…”

Orca began explaining resentfully what happened.

People staring strangely while she walked.

Leo suddenly approaching to lecture her when she glared back.

Already irritated by the stares, she exploded when some stranger lectured her.

“Is this true, Leo?”

“Ah, yes… Though I didn’t expect such a reaction…”

“Good. You may leave now.”

“But…”

I looked at Class President.

Fortunately understanding my intent, she dragged Leo away from our sight.

“W-wait…! I have things to say too…!”

“Say them later. Now’s not the time.”

Pointing out faults before others is terrible behavior.

Even if they’re wrong.

Humiliation worsens fixable situations.

After waiting until they completely disappeared, I spoke softly to the bowing Orca.

To show I wasn’t angry.

“I understand you were very angry, Orca. Must’ve been hard to endure.”

“…”

“But Orca, does hitting them change anything?”

Sure, you might vent immediate anger.

But acting on rage often worsens things.

Bad rumors increase, creating an endless cycle of anger.

“What remains after hurting those who hurt you? Brief satisfaction? Or emptiness?”

Orca kept her head bowed.

Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes.

What emotion caused those tears?

I couldn’t tell.

One thing certain – no more reprimanding possible.

Orca, don’t cry… My heart aches…

Patting her bowed head regretfully, I spoke.

“Orca. Let’s become model students from now. How about trying to endure just once more?”

“…Okay.”

“Good, let’s go back. Any favorite foods? I’ll cook. Teacher’s surprisingly good at cooking.”

“…Gambas.”

“Great! Teacher will make the most luxurious Gambas possible!”

Walking ahead with exaggerated gestures to prevent Orca’s mood worsening, I immediately tripped.

“?!”

“M-my legs hurt…”

Ah, embarrassing…

Covering my flushed face while fallen, I missed it.

Orca smiling.

“…Dummy, Teacher.”

“Ah! You said ‘Teacher’ just now! Say it again!”

“What? Didn’t say anything.”

“Liar! I definitely heard it!”