episode_0023
by fnovelpia“Sigh… .”
Laura got out of the bathtub and finished her bath. As she came out of the bathroom, steam began to rise from her whole body.
Whew—.
A breeze came in through the open window, brushing Laura’s wet body. The cold made her shiver.
“Ugh, it’s cold… .”
Laura hurriedly put on her gown and closed the window. It was getting chilly in the evenings, and if she didn’t dry herself off quickly, she would most likely catch a cold.
Wheeing—.
Dry your hair like that.
“… … .”
Change into your pajamas.
“Hwaaam… .”
Until I lay down in bed.
In Laura’s mind, only one thing was on the line.
‘You laughed. No one else, only me… .’
Professor Antonelli, that face with a faint smile. It was a light smile that didn’t even show his teeth, but for some reason, that image stayed in my mind all day.
– Let me say this. Among the assignments we looked at today, the one submitted by Adelheid is… .
“Ugh… . Hehehe… .”
– Absolutely, it’s the best.
“Eekiyaaaak—!”
Thud! Thud!
Laura started beating the poor pillow. She felt her face burning hot.
Laura jumped out of bed and desperately fanned herself with her hand. Still, the heat didn’t go away, so she opened the window that had been closed.
It was so strange that I was so happy just because I was acknowledged by that man.
A man who was always cool, calm, and had no change in expression. On the first day of class, he was a cold-blooded man who gave her 10 demerits because she was a little rude. That’s why, until yesterday, Laura thought he was a man who was stingy with praise.
But, it wasn’t.
‘The best… .’
You are the best.
For Laura, who had a great talent for magic, it was something she had heard countless times throughout her life. However, when the person who said it changed to Professor Antonelli, it became more than just a compliment.
It was a recognition of Laura, of Laura von Adelheid herself.
In addition to taking Laura to the next level, it also gave her a refreshing recognition of her skills.
It was the kind of praise Laura desperately needed, as she had been stuck in a wall of growth for the past three years.
“Sigh… . I should go to sleep now… .”
Laura lay back down in bed and closed her eyes.
Tomorrow is the weekend. Since there are many people using the training grounds on the weekend, I should wake up early and secure a spot in the training grounds. Since I broke the wall today, I also wanted to quickly proceed with my research on magic.
‘There are also grade-specific competitions in the summer…’
To prepare for it, you have to train repeatedly.
however….
‘Euuuu…!’
The smile that came to her mind was unforgettable. Laura raised her upper body again.
It was a really weak smile. It was a really small smile that might have seemed expressionless at first glance. Other students might not have seen it as a smile.
But, Laura saw Professor Antonelli from the front. Only she could see him.
He had messy hair and a gloomy appearance. The glasses on his nose gave him an intellectual look, but that was it.
Yeah, that should be it.
‘If you decorate it, it might be a little better.’
The original isn’t bad, so I think it’ll be okay if I just decorate it…
“… I think I’m crazy.”
Laura muttered blankly. It was hard to believe that just a faint smile could change someone’s evaluation of her so much.
It was only a slight raise in the corners of the mouth, but that alone was enough to create a magic effect that made people look different. That was magic.
“Ah, really… !”
Laura suddenly looked at the desk clock. Seeing the hands of the clock approaching twelve o’clock, she felt impatient.
“I have to wake up by seven o’clock… .”
She closed her eyes again to try to sleep, and began to breathe evenly.
“… … .”
It was three in the morning when Laura finally fell asleep.
* * * * *
Friday’s class ended successfully. It wasn’t just a success, but I would even cautiously call it a great success.
The students have grown up a level. Not only the main character, but also Laura von Adelheid, a prodigy with extraordinary talent for magic, seemed to have gained great enlightenment. I was very happy about that fact.
The students I teach have grown, and it was because the lessons were conducted as I intended. What educator would not be happy about this fact?
But there was something else that really made me happy.
“Laura von Adelheid… .”
An assignment written by Laura. The unexpected answer contained within it.
It was clearly not something I had taught in class. Laura had learned it on her own without any instruction.
This was not a one-step growth, but a growth that leapt two steps.
“It is impossible for everyone to be able to use divine powers. Is it… .”
It was a conclusion I liked. I didn’t have to take the time to understand and accept that sentence. It was already deeply embedded in me, exactly what Laura had said.
Everyone wants salvation. I did too, and it was even more evident on the battlefield.
But there was no salvation anywhere. Salvation was a vain hope. The salvation I wanted at that time was a simple salvation that I just wished the war would end right now.
Do you know when people become the ugliest?
It is not when we are greedy for material wealth, when we are gluttonous, or when our sexual desires boil over.
A human being on the brink of death.
When humanity, which has been cut down countless times, finally reaches its limit and reaches out, crying out for a vain and futile miracle and salvation.
That’s when people become the ugliest.
And I personally experienced the ugliest time for humans. They wanted things that were impossible, and so they gradually moved away from reality, and eventually brought about disastrous results.
After the war ended. That is, when the youth and future seeds of this country were being mercilessly torn apart, when the damn old people who were just pretending to be safe and doing nothing, signed a few pieces of paper.
I realized.
Not everyone can be good. That such a paradise does not exist, at least not in this earthly world where these insignificant humans live.
It was a belated realization, but at the same time it was an early experience, after all, I was only in my twenties.
Where there is light, there is also shadow. The two were inseparable, even if they were to be separated.
I couldn’t bring myself to cover this fact in class. I thought I would have to wait until next semester to cover it.
But Laura still found the answer on her own. She explored and found enlightenment on her own, without me teaching her.
This is something I’ve really been hoping for. And after reading Laura’s assignment, I thought,
How much effort must have gone into finding the answer? How desperately must one have searched for the answer?
Her hard work is right before my eyes, how can I not praise it?
That’s why I told you.
A compliment that might be common to Laura, that she was the best.
“Your Excellency!”
I snapped out of my thoughts. Deacon Sophia was tilting her head right before my eyes.
“What do you think?”
“I was reminiscing about the class I had on Friday.”
“Ah… That class?”
Deacon Sophia nodded, then gave a thumbs up.
“That class was really the best. I haven’t seen anything like it in our priest academy.”
“Doesn’t that place only have boring theory classes?”
“I didn’t know the head priest would say something like that. Don’t you think theory is the most important?”
I slowly shook my head. I spoke to the deaconess Sophia in front of me.
“Theory is important, but it is even more important to have the ability to interpret the theory.”
“Aha. I see. I see… .”
“By the way, what was the reaction to the Sunday service we had last week?”
“Um… .”
Last Sunday. So, I think the Sunday service that was held yesterday was a success. For some reason, more students than usual showed up.
Since most of them were first-year class A students, I think my class may have had an influence.
Deacon Sophia thought deeply, then snapped her fingers and said:
“Everyone said it was okay… . Ah! Many people said they wished the priest in charge of the service had been a little more formal.”
“… … .”
“Chief Priest?”
“Nothing.”
Still, I had decorated it in my own way. It seems that the people attending the service didn’t notice it. I nodded heavily.
“I see. A little more neatly…. What does Deacon Sophia think?”
“Huh? Me, me?”
“Yes, you can be honest.”
“Um… . So… .”
Deacon Sophia, who had been looking at me with her eyes half-open for a moment, smiled brightly and said:
“It looks like it needs some organizing!”
“… I should get a haircut this weekend.”
“Shall I go with you?”
Deacon Sophia approached me with sparkling eyes. I looked at her with a slightly subtle expression.
“Is it okay? It’s okay to rest on the weekends… .”
“Hey, right…! You have to show up in style for this Sunday’s service! I’ll help you!”
“… Then, I will take care of it.”
Deacon Sophia nodded, smiling brightly, wondering what was so good about it. I took out my wristwatch and looked at it.
The current time is 9:10 AM. It has already been about thirty minutes since I started waiting at the main gate of the Academy.
“Hmm. I think it’s about time we got there.”
“That’s right… . My legs are starting to hurt… .”
Even though the weekend was over and it was Monday, we weren’t here in the professor’s office to dodge work.
Deacon Sophia and I were currently standing at the main entrance of the Academy, waiting for someone.
“Hasn’t the main church cleaning been neatly finished?”
“Yes. We cleaned together all day yesterday, right?”
“That’s true, but… .”
I might be a little nervous. I really hate welcoming VIPs.
“Aren’t they them?”
At that moment, Deacon Sophia pointed somewhere with her hand. I turned my gaze there.
A middle-aged man in priest’s garb and a young woman with a sharp expression were walking toward me. I stared at their faces.
“Deacon Sophia. Is that the priest Peter?”
“Uh… . Yes. That scary priest Peter is right. Haa… . Now that it’s come to this, I have to hide behind the authority of the head priest.”
“… … .”
Before we knew it, two priests had arrived at the main gate and were slowly walking towards us.
It was a nerve-wracking first meeting.
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