“…There hasn’t been anyone in this academy who could handle close combat properly. Even those good at physical enhancement fight by keeping their distance and using magic.”
He muttered, clenching his fist and bringing it in front of my face.
“I hope you’re strong.”
Felter showed a fierce smile as he said that, then left with a brisk stride.
The sight of him leaving while swaying his tail, which looked rather cute for his large build, was amusing and age-appropriate.
“Aoi! Why did you do such a thing!?”
As soon as Felter was gone, Eliza approached me with teary eyes.
Then, Shenley, who couldn’t come out of the classroom, timidly emerged.
“W-Will it be okay…? I hear Felter is the next heir to a marquis family in the Bushmills Empire, and Rocks…”
Eliza nodded repeatedly at Shenley’s worried words.
“Rocks Kilbeggan… He’s from the royal family of the Verted Kingdom, which has the closest relationship with this academy! Moreover, he’s the second prince…!”
Eliza held her head with both hands and started headbanging, causing Shenley to back away in fear.
It seems they were a high-ranking nobleman and a prince from two of the six great countries.
“…To think a prince and a future marquis would show such attitude in public. Perhaps I should have disciplined them more strictly…”
“It’s the opposite!”
“I-It’s better not to get involved…”
Eliza and Shenley objected to my monologue, but I couldn’t yield on this point.
“School should be equal. Regardless of birth, everyone should learn equally and enjoy their time as students equally. Also, teachers, who should be role models for students, should treat everyone equally without distinction.”
“…Didn’t you just say you should be strict because they’re royalty?”
“That’s that. This is this.”
Brushing off Eliza’s point, I looked at Shenley.
“Shenley, if anyone acts arrogant towards you, let me know, okay? Neither I nor Ms. Eliza care about status.”
“Me too!?”
For some reason, Eliza confirmed with a scream-like tone.
“…Ms. Eliza, don’t you want to help troubled students?”
When I asked that, Eliza pulled her chin down, still on the verge of tears.
Seeing Eliza’s face, Shenley anxiously opened her mouth.
“U-Um… Please don’t worry about me… Just the fact that Ms. Eliza cared about me is…”
As Shenley said such self-deprecating words with tears in her eyes, Eliza writhed in agony, seemingly stricken by her conscience.
“…After hearing that, I can’t not try my best…”
And so, Eliza finally decided to help Shenley.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
“Well done.”
That was the first thing Strauss said as he repeatedly patted my shoulder. Despite his usual expressionless face, I could somehow tell he was very pleased.
“Hey, Mr. Strauss! Why are you praising her!?”
Eliza raised both hands to express her anger, to which Strauss tilted his head.
“She scolded those idiots who were acting selfishly and often disrupting classes. What’s wrong with that?”
When Strauss asked this with a serious face, Eliza held her head and rested both elbows on the table. Glancing at Eliza, who was hanging her head, I looked around the restaurant.
It’s a slightly dim but spacious eatery. Wooden tables and leather-covered sofas are lined up, with potted plants placed along the walls and around pillars.
Both the staff and clientele seem refined, and it’s clearly a high-class establishment at first glance.
“…Will the payment be alright?”
I have money I earned during my travels, but these two don’t seem to have much financial leeway. I remember Eliza saying something like that to the dormitory head.
When I voiced this thought, both of them looked at me with straight faces.
“In this town, Fidic Academy teachers are high earners! We can manage a meal at least!”
“…Come to think of it, Aoi, you haven’t received your salary yet, have you?”
At Strauss’s words, Eliza also had a sudden realization. I had been misunderstood.
“No, I can manage my own payment, but… Earlier, Eliza was worried about the price of inns in town, so…”
As I said this, Strauss also looked at Eliza’s face. Eliza furrowed her brows and averted her gaze.
“…My research funds are tight… The occasional meal cost is like pocket change so I don’t mind, but if it’s a regular expense… I’ve heard rumors that senior teachers get three times the salary of regular teachers…”
As Eliza looked at us with a covetous expression, Strauss narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t mooch, Eliza. Aoi is a younger, new teacher.”
Strauss naturally addressed her without honorifics, to which Eliza gave him a reproachful look.
“…I’m older than you, Mr. Strauss. You could show some respect to your elders and contribute to my research funds…”
“…Don’t become like this, Aoi.”
As the two engaged in this amusing conversation, I voiced a question.
“I have one question, but I think any mage capable of becoming a teacher at Fidic Academy could earn plenty of money through other means. Why choose this academy?”
When I asked this, the two looked at each other.
“There are various reasons, but broadly speaking, there are two… no, three.”
Strauss said this, and Eliza nodded and continued.
“One is to demonstrate presence at the academy for the sake of their country. For example, Sensei Famous Grouse. Sensei Famous teaches to elevate the status of his count family and to make known the high level of mages in the Carvan Kingdom.”
She said this while holding up her index finger, then raised her middle finger to mention the second reason.
“The second reason is for the sake of their family. For example, those from families that were once noble but have fallen on hard times have extremely few chances to rise again within the country. Well, it’s easier for up-and-coming nobles with momentum to gain recognition than those who have failed once. Such people come to Fidic Academy where they can be evaluated fairly and show their presence.”
After saying this, she raised her ring finger last.
“The third reason is for themselves. People who have dedicated their lives to magic. Those who want to develop their target magic somehow. Some are even looking for marriage partners.”
Nodding at the two who had given me this explanation, I said, “I see.”
“So, what about you two?”
“For myself.”
“For myself.”
They answered immediately without hesitation.
“For yourselves?”
When I confirmed this, Strauss nodded vigorously.
“The Kingdom of Verted already has one senior instructor. My family is a baronial house. Just becoming an instructor should have been enough to make a name for myself. So, I want to test how far I can go as a magician.”
Strauss said something like a protagonist from a shounen manga and quietly took a sip of his drink.
Laughing at this, Eliza also nodded.
“I’m similar. It would be good for my family if we could produce many magicians, but we already have many more instructors and students than before. So, I’m developing new magic for my own purposes as well.”
Eliza said this while clenching both hands into fists in front of her chest.
“New magic?”
“Yes! Earth magic can be used in various places, from road construction to castle wall building! However, the moment the magical power is lost, everything turns back into soil clumps. This is true for both advanced and special-grade magic. Even if you change its properties to stone, it apparently crumbles apart… So, I want to develop earth magic with lasting effects! If I can do that, it should be possible to construct buildings and bridges too!”
As Eliza spoke passionately, Strauss let out a groan.
“I ask this every time, but is lasting magic even possible? Wouldn’t it just continually release magical power?”
“The possibilities of magic are limitless! Personally, I think there’s potential in the lost magic circles of ancient times! To begin with, among ancient ruins, there are buildings that clearly don’t seem to be artificial…”
Before I knew it, the two of them had become engrossed in a magical debate.
“What do you think, Aoi-san!?”
“Be honest. It would be a pity if she wastes time on impossible research.”
“Don’t be so cruel! “
Cornered by the two of them, I, who had been eating a chicken bar, answered with a wry smile.
“I don’t think Eliza-san’s research is wrong. In fact, weapons, armor, and buildings made using magic circles do remain. Magic circles lose their effect if the lines are broken, so they’re protected by covering the surface with the same material, making them invisible.”
When I answered like this, Eliza and Strauss’s eyes widened.
“Y-you know about magic circles!?”
“…Don’t tell me, Aoi is also researching magic circles…”
As the two were each shocked, I suddenly sensed someone standing beside us.
When I looked up, to my surprise, it was Speyside.
Speyside looked at each of our faces in turn, then frowned and let out a deep sigh.
“…Couldn’t you be a bit quieter? This is a public restaurant. Please act with consideration for those around you.”
Hearing this, Eliza immediately looked startled and bowed her head.
“I-I’m sorry! We just got a bit carried away… I apologize!”
Ignoring Eliza’s apology, Speyside snorted and turned on his heel.
Strauss seemed slightly annoyed by this attitude, but we were in the wrong. There was no way we could complain.
However, there was one thing I was curious about.
“Excuse me.”
When I said this, Speyside stopped and turned his profile towards us.
“I apologize for being noisy. By the way, is Sensei Speyside here alone?”
When I asked, Speyside made an unpleasant face and hesitated for a moment, but soon answered.
“…I’m with Mr. Foar-Pernot-Roses. I sincerely hope you won’t cause any more disturbances.”
After answering this, Speyside returned to his seat. It seems they were eating in a private room in the back.
“Is this Foar person an instructor?”
As I voiced my question while turning back, Strauss made a sour face, and Eliza nodded with a wry smile.
“He’s one of the senior instructors. Um… he’s someone with a strong sense of nobility, so Strauss-san and I don’t have many opportunities to talk with him…”
Hearing this, I somehow understood Strauss’s expression.
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