Chapter 1~The Unmotivated Part-Time Instructor~ Alzano Empire:
On the northwest edge of the North Selford Continent there was a country that had been established under the ocean’s temperate climate; it had wet winters and dry summers.
At a southern part of the empire, in the province of Yorks.h.i.+re, was a city called Fejite.
The most prominent feature of Fejite was the national inst.i.tution known as the Alzano Empire Magic Academy. Fejite had long since become the leading academic city in the North Selford Continent. The town of Fejite had originally been built because of the establishment of the magic academy, so it had developed alongside the academy. The roofs of the buildings, lined up one after another, were pointy and had an ancient, profound style. These houses created a very deep and vast cityscape. In another area, materials and goods related to magic were sold, and a booming economy was developing thanks to the active foreign trade and a huge demand for goods from the magic academy. As such, this area had quite a few people going in and out, and it was certainly at the forefront of domestic fas.h.i.+onー As a whole, Fejite was a city filled with inspiration from not only the old, but also the new.
In a corner of the city where a faint morning haze gathered, a girl was standing still under one of the street lamps that was aligned on the sides of the cobbled street.
The girl was about 15 or 16 years old; her medium-length blonde hair was as soft as cotton wool, and her sapphire eyes gave an especially distinct impression. Her skin was as smooth as fine silk. Her appearance was radiant, while simultaneously giving the appearance of a neat and gentle disposition; her neat and well featured looks were like a picture of a sweet angel painted by a master painter. At first glance she gave off a fickle impression to those who saw her, but, upon closer examination, could also make those same people feel she was extremely resoluteー that kind of girl.
Contrary to her beautiful features, which could make pa.s.sersby turn their heads, the girl’s outfit was a little bit strange. A sleek looking vest and pleated skirt with a caped robe worn over it. . . Even though it was summer in Fejite, it was still chilly during the night. For some reason, she was lightly dressed. And, for some reason, she was wearing a glove on her left hand.
“～♪”
The girl seemed to be waiting for someone. She was in a good mood, and was holding onto the belt of the leather bag she was wearing over her shoulder as she killed time by humming.
And at that time:
“. . . Ouch!”
The girl looked back when she heard a pained voice behind her.
She saw an old man holding his finger and grimacing in pain. A metal bucket packed with leaf litter and twigs was near his foot. Then, a flint fell down.
“Wha- what happened grandpa?”
Although the old man was a stranger, the girl still had a worried expression and rushed to the old man without hesitating.
“Oh? Oh man, hahaha. . . It seems I have shown you my clumsy side, young lady.” In front of the kind-hearted girl, the old man was bursting with joy while bitterly and awkwardly smiling. “Actually, I was trying to burn this rubbish that I cleaned up. I, of all people, slipped and hurt my finger with the flint. . . Oh man, I don’t want to get old.”
When she looked at it, the old man’s finger was bleeding and swelling a little bit. It seemed to have been hit pretty hard. It didn’t seem to be a really serious injury, but it still looked reasonably painful.
“Good grief, I don’t have my wife back at home to take out the herb and. . .”
The girl checked the condition of the old man’s finger, then looked around restlessly. She made sure no one was near, and, as she smiled impishly at the old man, placed her index finger on her mouth.
“Grandpa, this is a secret, ok?”
“. . . Huh?”
The girl softly took the hand of the puzzled old man, and cast a spell in runic words. “《That angel’s charity》”
Then the girl’s hand emitted a faint light, and the injury on the old man’s hand was covered by the light and instantly healed.
White magic [Life Up]. It was a white magic which raised the regenerative ability of the target to heal a wound.
“. . . Yo- yo- you. . .!?” The old man stared with widened eyes.
“Yeah, all right. So then. . . 《Pups of fire ・Small flame on my fingertips ・ You shall light up 》 .” The girl then cast the black magic spell [Fire Torch]. A small flame lit up at her fingertips. The trash inside the metal bucket began to burn
“Young lady. . . That mysterious power you used just now. . . Did I just hear you speak magic?”
“Yes. The truth is, I would be punished for using magic outside the academy.”
The old man wore an expression of admiration even though he was surprised. The girl, on the other hand, stuck out her tongue as she slyly grinned.
“Come to think of it, that uniform. . . that’s the uniform of that strange academy. Do all the friends of the young lady use the mysterious art you used just now?”
“Yes. Everyone can do a lot of things better than me, you know?”
“Whoa. . . that is really convenient. When you can use such strange techniques, a lot of things can be easily. . .”
“Ahaha, you could say that. By the way grandpa, as for me using magic, that. . . If you can. . .”
“Oooh, you want me to keep it secret? Gotcha.”
“Yes, thank you very much.”
“I should be the one saying that. Thank you young lady. You really helped me out.”
The girl and the old man exchanged smiles.
“Lumiaaaaaa! I’m sorry I’m laaaaaate!”
The sound of someone running grew louder as he or she closed the distance. Another girl, who was wearing the same clothes as the young lady, could be seen running up from the other side of the street.
“Oh? That girl. . .young lady, is that your friend ?”
“Yes. Right now I’m indebted to that girl’s family , and she is a close friend of mine. Well then, grandpa, I think it’s about time for me to go, right? It was nice meeting you.”
“Yeah, farewell young lady, do your best.”
The girl finally said goodbye to the old man with a bow, and headed to her friend who was rus.h.i.+ng over.
It was early morning in Fejite, so the main street was deserted.
The two girls walked side by side gracefully along the granite paved road.
“Hmmp, Lumia is really faithful. . . I already told you to go ahead. . .”
“Uuuu, but, but. . . I was appointed to care for you, My Lady. And I’m just a humble freeloader, I would be scolded by the master and madam. . .”
“Idiot, don’t joke about it. You are already part of the family.”
“Ahaha, I’m sorry Sisti.”
The two girls had such a friendly and silly conversation.
“Even so, it’s unusual, isn’t it? To think that Sisti left something behind.”
Parting with the old man, Lumia joined her friendー she stared at her friend who was walking beside her wonderingly.
“Because I had to go back to the residence, I made you wait. . . I’m truly sorry.”
Beside Lumia, Sistina got a little depressed as she trudged along and sighed in gloom.
Sistina had long hair, colored silver like it was fused with pure silver ingots. Her emerald eyes were a little bit droopy She was about the same age as Lumia. Her skin was as white as snow, and her well-featured and firm figure as graceful as a statue, showing a proud and unyielding spirit, awe-inspiring like a fairy, really cute. Although she was a little bit depressed now, her att.i.tude remained cool and dignified. Her demeanor can be collected from the bits and pieces of how she moved and behavedー She was that kind of girl.
Lumia and Sistina. Two girls with different styles, not in the least imitable by a simple city girl. Elegance and natural beautyー best matched together. Wearing Magic Academy uniforms, they created an atmosphere of sophistication like that of high society in an otherwise mundane corner of town.
“Could it be. . . Sisti. . . As I thought. . . Were you still affected by what happened?”
Lumia looked worried at Sistina’s expression. She knew that Sistina was not a person who easily forgot the troubles of others. . . She has always been that kind of person.
“Perhaps. . . I am,” Sistina responded, smiling bravely so as not to make her best friend worry. However, she wasn’t able to fully remove the gloom, and there were hints of it left on her face. “Nonetheless, It’s regrettable. . . Why did Professor Huey resign and leave immediately?”
“It can’t be helped. Even professors have various circ.u.mstances too after all.”
“Aah, It is regrettable. . . Professor Huey’s lecture were easy to understand, he also answered questions properly. . . He was incredibly good. . .”
“He was also very good-looking, right?”
“Bah! What are you saying! Who cares about him being good-looking!?” Sistina was suddenly blus.h.i.+ng from Lumia’s teasing words.
“I, as the next head of the proud magicians from the prestigious Feebell family, go to the academy to study magic! I simply seek quality lessons from the professors!”
But as Sistina kept rambling on, Lumia was giggling and smiling with a look like she knew it all along. “Ah, oh yes, Sisti. Changing the subject, did you know a subst.i.tute will come today as a part-time instructor?”
“. . . I know of it,” Sistina responded as if not really interested. “At the very least I hope that teacher is half as good as Professor Huey.”
“You’re right. I got so used to Professor Huey’s cla.s.s that I felt a little bit unsatisfied with the other professors’ cla.s.ses.”
It was at that that time, as the two of them approached an intersection while chatting away, that…
“Ooooooooooooooo!? I’m late, I’m late uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!”
An extremely suspicious man with bloodshot eyes, an expression like he was out to get someone, and a piece of bread hanging on his mouth, was fiercely running towards the two people on the same side of the street.
“. . .Eh?”
“Kyaaaa!?””
“Wha- Whaaaaaaat!? Wait, you both brats move awaaaaaaaaaaay!”
Anything moving with momentum cannot stop immediately. Following such cla.s.sical law of physics correctly, the man was going to knock over two helpless girlsー but then. . .
“Gre- 《Great Wind》〜〜!” Sistina promptly chanted one verse, and cast the black magic [Gale Blow]. A furious squall burst out from her hand and instantly hit his body, and thenー
“Huuuuh!? I’m flyiiiiiiiiiiiiing!?”
The man’s body flew high up into the sky that they have to tilt their heads up to see him ー the body drew an arc ー and fell inside the pond of the round fountain across the street.
A majestic column of water sprouted from that fountain, the two girls couldn’t do anything but look on with blank surprise.
“Umm, Sisti?. . . You didn’t overdo it, right?”
“Oh, Oh well. . . Ahaha. . . My mistake. What should I do?”
While the two of them were silently gazing at the man, he crawled out of the fountain while shaking off the water. He then went directly to the two girls and said,
‘Whew, are both of you girls ok?”
“Er, are you alright?”
The man was probably forcing himself to show a refres.h.i.+ng smile, as he didn’t have time to be sad.
He was a strange man. He was several years older than Sistina. He had black hair and eyes, and was tall and slim. There was nothing special about his appearance; the issue was his clothes: a well tailored white s.h.i.+rt, cravat, and black slacks. He was dressed quite stylishly. But, it must have been troublesome for the man to wear such clothes, as his clothes were now completely untidy. It was evident even to someone who was not fas.h.i.+onable that that the person who chose the clothes was different than the one wearing them.
“Ahaha, shouldn’t you be more careful when rus.h.i.+ng out of an intersection, since it’s dangerous?”
“No. . . You were the one that suddenly jumped out. . .” Sistina had thought she was going to get run over at that time.
“Yo- You can’t, Sisti!” Lumia b.u.t.ted in between Sistina and the man with swollen cheeks. “You cannot just blame this person! Because Sisti suddenly attacked this man’s face with black magic. . . Isn’t it clear that it was a small mistake to injure him?”
“Hmp. . . I’m sorry.” Sistina cast down her eyes in embarra.s.sment.
“Look, Sisti. Properly apologize to this person.”
“Ok. Umm. . . I’m truly sorry for what I have done. Please pardon my rudeness.”
“Good grief, I really want to meet your parents! Heck, what kind of education did you get? Huh?”
“. . . We are behaving modestly, and your att.i.tude is just. . . what the h.e.l.l? This person.”
“A, ahaha. . . suppress it, suppress it for now.”
Though Sisti was about to grab Lumia, she pulled away and bowed towards the man. “We are really really sorry. Since I’m apologizing, won’t you please forgive us?”
“Ah-, it can’t be help then! After all, I’m not that mad, although it was clear that you guys were in the wrong, since you have already said this much I will give you my super special pardon but. . . huh?” The man who was grumbling and complaining saw Lumia, he then frowned as he noticed something. “Huh? Huh?”
“U, um. . . Is there something on my face?”
Disregarding the confused Lumia, the man moved closer to her face without hesitation.
Suddenly, Lumia was being hit by a rude gaze, and her eyes blinked.
“No. . . You. . . Where did. . .” Confused, the man poked Lumia’s forehead. He then pulled her cheeks, stroked her narrow shoulders and back, flicked her bangs, and peered into her eyes. . .
“YOU! What are you doiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!?” Sistina was so angry that her roundhouse kick magnificently hit the man’s neck and blew him away.
“Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?”
The man was rolling on the ground while screaming pathetically. Probably because the man’s clothes were recently soaked, they became dirty and worn out, and not even a shadow of their original form could be seen.
“Carelessly rus.h.i.+ng towards us and saying everything is good, what is it this time!? Presumptuously touching a girl’s body is unbelievable! You’re the lowest of the low!”
“Hold on, will you just calm down!? I am just a humble scholar, it’s just pure curiosity and an inquiring mind, you know!? My thoughts were probably only a little perverted!”
“You’re the worst!”
“GOBOHOO!?”
Sistina’s fist struck just at an excellent angle on the man’s side, and he was now in agony.
“Lumia, contact the security office at the station. We’ll hand over this guy. After all, he is just a pervert.”
“Eh!? Wai-, will you please forgive me!? It’s my first day of work, I’ll be killed by Celica! I’m seriously asking for forgiveness! Please forgive me! It was just a spur of the moment thing, I’m sorry!” The pathetic figure of an adult man prostrated without shame or honor at the feet of the younger girl.
“Umm. . . I forgive you, since you seemed to be reflecting.”
“Huh? Are you serious? You are really naive Lumia. . .”
“Thank you very much! I will never forget your kindness! Thank you very much!” Then the man stood up straight and c.o.c.kily said, “Well then, both of you: those uniforms tell me you’re both students of the Magic Academy right? What are you doing in a place like this?”
“As soon you were forgiven, this. . . what the h.e.l.l is this person?”
“A, ahaha. . .”
The two people were no longer amazed.
“What time do you think is it now? If you don’t hurry, you’re going to be late you know? Do you understand? I- I-. . . I just said something really teacher-ish just now. . .” the man seemed to be fascinated by his own words. The girls faced each other in confusion.
“. . . Late, you say?”
“That’s a lie. Isn’t there still time before cla.s.s starts?”
“There’s no way! Really, it’s already past 8:30!” The man took out a pocket watch and shoved it in front of Sistina.
“That watch, perhaps the hands are not moving? Look.” Sistina, undaunted, took out a pocket watch of her own and shoved it in front of the man.
The hour hand of her clock indicated it was 8:00. The day’s cla.s.ses started at 8:45, by the way.
“. . . . . .”
An awkward silence enveloped both girls for a while.
Then:
“Retreat!”
“Running awaaaay!?”
Just like the time when they met, the man ran away from the two of them with forceful vigor.
“d.a.m.n it! That woman, she tampered with the d.a.m.ned watch!?” Such things were included in his nonsensical screaming as he backed away. The two girls had no choice but to watch him run off in blank amazement.
“Wh- Who is that man?”
“. . .Yeah. But, isn’t he somewhat interesting?”
“Beyond interesting, he is too useless.” Sistina sighed at her close friend’s intuition, which was usually off the mark. “I’d never want to meet that sort of douchebag again. Looking at that pathetic loser is so frustrating! In any event, should we have just handed him over to the security officer mercilessly?”
“Ahaha. . .”
Sistina began to walk towards the academy again with Lumia, who was laughing ambiguously. They then sought to forget the strange and perverted man. Memory rearrangement was the most basic foundation of a magician. In fact, Sistina had already magnificently erased the existence of the man from her mind.
Althoughー her memory of his existence would be re-ignited later on.
“Well then, should we do our best today Lumia?”
“Yeah.”
Eventually, ahead of the two pedestrians, as usual, the dignified and majestic Magic Academy emerged, enclosed by an iron fenceー.
Alzano Empire Magic Academy. Everybody knows the people of Alzano Empire. About 400 years ago, the Queen, Alicia III, proposed investing a huge part of the national budget to establish a state-owned magician training vocational school. Today, the school the Alzano Empire built has become a famous inst.i.tution, which spread its name as the major magic power in the continent. Currently, it was an unshakable truth that the most famous magicians in the empire were graduates of this academy. Therefore, the academy had become a holy place that was yearned for by all aspiring magicians in the empire. An inevitable consequence of such fame is that academy students and teachers take pride in being part of the inst.i.tution, and as such are driven to study diligently everyday. They never waver. They earnestly study so that, in the future, they can become the pillar to support the empire, because they perfectly understand the opportunity for status and glory they have.
Therefore, being late or skipping school rarely occurs in this magic academy. Not to mention that it was usually impossible for professors to be late to cla.s.s in front of students with zeal. It should be impossible.
“. . .Slow!”
The cla.s.sroom for soph.o.m.ore magic students was in the deepest part of the hall on the 2nd floor of the east building. There was a blackboard and a podium in the front, and the seats were arranged in a semi-circle surrounding the podium. The long tables were made out of wood. Sistina was sitting in the front row, and, without trying to hide her vexation, she blurted out:
“What kind teacher is he!? Shouldn’t cla.s.s have started a long time ago!?”
“This is certainly a little strange. . .” Lumi,a who was sitting beside Sistina, was also puzzled . “Did something happen?”
Looking around, their cla.s.smates were standing around and talking, wondering whether the instructor would show up at all.
“A part-time instructor acting as Professor Huey’s replacement will be coming today.”
Magicians are ranked from 1 to 7, with 7 as the highest rank. Professor Celica Alfonia, who was the leading magician in the continent at the 7th rank, personally came to this cla.s.s an hour ago before the morning homeroom and made that announcement. The reputation that Celica had created by publicly saying, “Really, he is an exceptional guy,” had most likely been destroyed by now.
“Because he was recommended by professor Alfonia I had some expectations. . . But it seems to have been in vain hasn’t it?”
“Is that really the case? Isn’t it too early to draw conclusions? There might be a good reason he is late. . .”
Sistina turned around to Lumia and protested fiercely. “You’re naive Lumia. A good reason? Even if there was a reason, it was evident that this person wasn’t very punctual. If he was really an excellent person, it would be impossible for him to be late.”
“Is that so. . .?”
“Good grief, this guy sure has some nerve to be late on his first day as an instructor at this academy. I’m going to have a word with him as the cla.s.s representative. . .”
Then…
“Aah, my bad, my bad that I’m late~”
The front door of the cla.s.sroom was opened as the voice came simultaneously from somewhere else.
It seemed the rumored part-time instructor had just arrived. Half of cla.s.s had already left. It was an unprecedented tardiness since the establishment of the magic academy.
“You! You finally came at last! What’s the meaning of this!? You should understand that you’re an instructor of this academyー” As Sistina began giving him a sermon, the man looked back. . . and she became stiff. “It’s y- y- yー youuu!?”
His clothes were still soaked and disarrayed. Scratched, bruised and dirty from being kicked and knocked down.
An unpleasant memory resurfaced. That person over there was the pervert Sistina had met on the way to school this morning.
“. . . You’ve got the wrong person. It’s just a case of mistaken ident.i.ty,” he brazenly said. He was set to ignore her remarks as soon as he recognized it was Sistina pointing a finger at him.
“It can’t be a case of mistaken ident.i.ty! You are the same man I had to endure earlier!”
“Hey hey, miss. Didn’t your parents teach you that it’s bad manners to point fingers at people?” the man responded to Sistina in a gentlemanly way.
“I mean, you, why are you ostentatiously late!? What are the circ.u.mstances that made you late!?”
“That’s. . . Just when I got desperate, as I thought I was about to be late, I was relieved to know there was still some time, so I took a little rest at the park, and I guess I actually dozed off?”
“That’s more than a guess! Isn’t that reason useless!? ”
The man gave objections and retorts, still unwilling to take the blame for being late.
Everyone had the same reaction. The students stood up and made some commotion about the strange appearance of the bizarre instructor who had just appeared.
The man just ignored them and stood behind the teacher’s table, writing his name on the blackboard with chalk.
“Um, I’m Glen Redas. Ladies and gentlemen, for about a month, I have the privilege of helping you in your studies. While it’s short, I will do my very best to-”
“Since you’ve already said your greetings, won’t you start today’s lesson quickly?”
Sistina declared coldly as she didn’t even hide her irritation.
“Oh, well, that is so. . . Although it’s irritating to start like this . . . This is still my job after all. . .”
Thereupon they wondered where his previous att.i.tude and tone went. He had immediately gone back to his original att.i.tude.
“Ok, Let’s get started immediately. . .The first cla.s.s would be Basic Magic Theory II. . . *yawn*.” Glen was standing in front of the blackboard and was yawning when he took up the chalk.
The students began to focus immediately. Sistina also abandoned her ill feelings she had a while ago towards Glen and began to watch his every move.
(Now then, I wonder how good he is. . .)
Although her first impression was the worst, Glen was declared to be “very excellent” by Celica Alfonia who was one of the best magicians in the continent. The man was starting to teach, and it would be a lie if she said she didn’t expect something.
On the other hand, Sistina hadn’t completely bought into Celica’s evaluation of him. She wanted to evaluate him herself. Until now, this was how it had been: she would ask many confusing questions of new professors whenever possible. If the new professor gave her some ambiguous answer, it wouldn’t be easy to fool her. Before she knew it, she had earned a nickname that she didn’t liked within the academy, “Sistina the Teacher-Badgerer”. This was only because she was sincere on the n.o.ble path called magic. She hated compromising. In fact she was proud of being stubborn.
(Now then, shall we take a look at the ability of Mr. Part-Time Instructor we have our hopes on?)
The entire cla.s.s, including Sistina, watched intently as Glen wrote some words on the blackboard.
‘Self Study.’
The words were written in large letters on the blackboard, and the cla.s.s was silent.
“Eh? Self study. . . eh? Self study. . . Really? Eh?. . . Eh?” Sistina tried to interpret other meanings of those words in an attempt to find some answer from the beginning. However, she had failed entirely. It was reasonable. She should know the meaning of those words just from that.
“Umー, for today’s first lesson, you will do self study.” Glen declared like it was a matter of fact. “. . . because I’m sleepy,” he murmured the worst possible reason nonchalantly.
“. . . . . . . . . . . . .”
Overwhelming silence dominated the cla.s.s.
Glen looked at all the students in the cla.s.s with an att.i.tude as if he was saying, “I’m not in the wrong, it’s the world that’s wrong.” And slept on top of the teacher’s table.
Snoring sounds could be heard in less than 10 seconds.
“. . . . . . . . . .”
The silence dominated. Overwhelming silence dominated the cla.s.s.
And then.
“Waaaiiitt aaaa miiiinnnuuuuute!?” Sistina brandished a thick textbook and rushed fiercely towards Glen.
“Headmaster, please reconsider!” an angry voice resounded in the headmaster’s chamber.
The plea came from a man in his mid-twenties who looked uptight and wore gla.s.ses. He wore an Owl Emblem on his robe, proof that he was an official professor of the academy. His name was Harley. In this world where numerous magicians were only able to reach the 4th rank during their lifetime, he was a genius magician who had already reach the 5th rank at a young age.
“I don’t know where Glen Redas came from. I absolutely oppose entrusting him with the position of part-time instructor for this academy!” He was pounding the desk with both hands, and scowled at an elderly man sitting in front of him.
“Mr. Harley, I employed him because he was earnestly recommended by Miss Celica, you know?” When pressured by the furious menacing look, the elderly man just brushed it off.
“Headmaster Rick, that’s impossible! You approved the proposal from that witch!?”
“Nothing is impossible. I accepted Mr. Glen as a part-time instructor at the last minute. Although he certainly doesn’t have a teaching license, if he has a letter of recommendation from a professor and the apt.i.tude for it, there won’t be any problems since he was only accepted as part-time. . .”
“His apt.i.tude is the problem! Please read this and reconsider it one more time!” With a bang, Harley slammed a stack of doc.u.ments on the desk of Headmaster Rick. “These, these are the results of Glen’s magic apt.i.tude test a few days ago! Do you know what they are? The results were appalling!”
“Hmm? I see, how should I say it? There are no peculiarities. Magic power capacity and cognizance capacity are normal, system apt.i.tude is normal, one way or another he is just a normal magician. . . No, if you only look at the basic abilities, he is far from anything.” Rick picked up the stack of doc.u.ments that Harley gave him and skimmed through them.
“Besides, his magician ranking is at most 3rd rank! Please look at all of it, including his personal history!”
“Huh? . . . Oh, was he a graduate of this academy?”
“Saying he graduated is a bit misleading. That person didn’t submit a graduation magic thesis.” Harley snorted, showing arrogance on his face.
“Glen Redas. Entered the magic academy at the age of 11. . . 11 years old!?” Rick, who was reading through the doc.u.ments, raised his voice in surprise.
“Aren’t they usually 14 or 15 years old when they enter the academy!? And he was only 11!?”
“. . . Yes. During that time, that boy was the youngest to pa.s.s the barrier and entrance exam in the history of this famous academy. It seems it made a lot of ruckus.” Harley was bitterly frowning.
“But that guy’s glory is only that much. After entering the school, his results became extremely ordinary. He then graduated at the age of 15 after going through 4 years of baccalaureate magic courses. . . or I should say he dropped out. His final grades were ordinary too. There was nothing to look out for particularly.”
“Hmm. . .Somehow, it doesn’t feel like. . .”
“The next problem is his career afterwards! Though that guy once styled himself as a magician seeking the truth of the supreme mystery, inthe 4 years since his graduation , he has just wasted his time, doing nothing! If, during that time, he had kept pursuing the way of magic, he should have been able to contribute so much to the development of magic!”
If you look at Glen’s personal history section, it was certainly blank.
“Really. . . unemployed for 4 years. . . What the heck happened to him?”
“Shouldn’t you already understand it from what I’ve said!? He is an unrefined magician. A low-level guy like him doesn’t deserve to be an instructor at this academy!”
“Hmmm, in order to recruit a instructor for our magic academy, there aren’t any background or rank restrictions, remember?”
“Those kinds of things should be implicit requirements even if it’s not stipulated!” Harley slammed his hands on the desk once again. “Please remember, we have prominent professors registered in this school! 4th ranked are the common ones, and we already have a 5th ranked; there is even a person who has reached the 6th rank! Only people who have mastered advanced magics are bequeathing research results to the school! Why should a man like Glen be standing shoulder to shoulder with them!?”
“Hmmm. . .”
“You too! You are also the headmaster! Without looking at the doc.u.ments seriously, why did you accept him so easily!?”
“That is, because. . . look here. He was the man recommended by Ms. Celica, you know? It’s like. . . something like that is interesting, don’t you agree?” Rick smiled like a mischievous boy.
“I do not! You overestimate that witch too much! That witch is clinging to her past glory and brandishes her selfishness, a problem caused by the aging leaders.h.i.+p from bygone times, which is destroying a system that must be followed!”
Then:
“You shouldn’t say that, Harley.”
Harley instantly froze upon hearing the casual remark that echoed suddenly in the headmaster’s room.
“Hehehe, well well, the snot-nosed kid I knew has become very excellent. I’m happy, you know?”
When Harley turned around, Celica was standing there in the corner of the room with an evil smile on her face.
“Wha. . . Since when? Celica Alfonia. . .”
“Hmm, I wonder when? The real question, professor, is who has been a b～ad student? Try to guess.”
“Transfer technique. . . No, it’s Time Manipulation. . . I’m so stupid. . . I did not even felt the surge of magic power or the fluctuation in the world law. . .”
“Well, it’s the wrong answer. You are just a third rate magician yourself then; you still have a long way to go so show me a good effort. While we are on that subject: summarize this mysterious phenomenon in less than 300 pages as a research report. Ah, this, this is a professor’s order.”
“Ugh. . .!”
Disregarding Harley, who was shaking in humiliation, Celica bowed towards Rick gracefully.
“How are you doing headmaster.”
“Oh, Ms. Celica. You’re young and beautiful as usual, I’m so jealous.”
“Hehehe, isn’t Headmaster still young and cool too?”
“Ho ho ho, really! If it’s you Ms. Celica, how about getting along together? Tonight, around the neighborhood. . . How about it?”
“Ahaha, No thank you. Heck, Headmaster is as energetic as ever. Don’t be irresponsibly careless.”
“Hahahahaha! I have been energetic throughout my life!”
Harley slammed the desk and dispelled the warm atmosphere between the two. “I won’t allow it, Celica Alfonia! To a.s.sign that fool as an instructor… I will never recognize it! I will have you take responsibility if anything happens!”
“. . . Take it back.” The temperature of the room plummeted as she leaked out a low mumble. “I don’t care whether you slander me, or whether your slander him behind my back. However, I won’t allow you to slander him in front of me. Take it back. Apologize.”
Harley was very quickly imprisoned by Celica’s overwhelming presence.
“Wha-, what in the. . . I think. . . Glen. . . Is just a worthless 3rd ranked magician. . . !” Dripping in cold sweat, Harley squeezed his voice out of his throat.
Celica was squinting at Harley cold heartedly. “I wonder if you will be able to take this?” Looking at Celica, she took off her left glove.
“ー!?” Harley was obviously panicked, and blood drained from his face as he recognized the implication of Celica’s movements. “I, I understand. . . I take it back. . . I. . . I was wrong. . .”
The moment he pledged, Celica sweetly smiled and sneered as she put the glove back on.
“s.h.i.+t. . . I’ll remember this!” Harvey left the Headmaster’s room with a parting threat.
It took a while for the silence to be broken.
“Whew. You are, as usual, the tomboy. That was so scary that even I wanted to leave the room,” Rick sighed in amazement.
“However, Ms. Celica. This one suggestion of yours right now is still excessive.”
“. . . I know. I think that I’m really sorry.”
“There would be a protest if we force a magician without any achievements as an instructor. It is not only Mr. Harley. The consensus everyone in the academy has reached is probably similar to Harley’s reaction. . .”
Celica was silent for awhile, then said, without hesitation. “I will take responsibility. I will take all responsibility for whatever that guy does in this academy.”
“To recommend him that much. . . What is he to you?. . . Will you tell me?”
“Hahaha, there is nothing special about that story, there is not even a special fate. It’s just. . .”
“It’s just?”
“That guy is simple, he lives how he wants to. Well, I’m just concerned.”
“Oh my, Rod, look, that instructor. . .”
“Oh, unbelievable. . . His eyes are dead. . .”
“It’s the first time I have seen a person so lacking in vitality. . .”
Whispering could be heard everywhere in the cla.s.sroom.
“So～～ probably, because it’s this way～～I’m sure that this feeling～～And so～～ It’s generally this way～”
The students’ contempt was visibly pointed towards to the man with a magnificent b.u.mp at the top of his head. . . Glen was teaching in a very sluggish way like a zombie.
“Ah, Professor Huey was really great. . .”
“I wonder why Professor Huey retired. . .”
Frankly speaking, the way Glen was teaching was the worst of the worst they had seen.
At any rate, they couldn’t understand the content of the lesson even though they had heard it. It wasn’t explained properly. He was just reading aloud the lecture for the magic theory in a sluggish and dull voice without getting to the point.
As for the students, n.o.body was able to understand the content of the lesson, everyone could clearly see that Glen, the part-time instructor, was tremendously unmotivated. This lesson was a waste of time to pay attention to, and opening a textbook during that time and studying by themselves was much better.
Still, there was a brave and diligent student who wanted to learn at least something from this worst lesson.
“Umm. . . Sir. . . I have a question, but. . .” A certain pet.i.te female student raised her hand timidly.
Her name was Lynn. She was a little timid. She was girl who carries the atmosphere of some kind of small animal.
“What is it you want to ask?”
“Umm. . . Some time ago, you introduced an example of a spell of runic language which was written on the third line of page 56 but. . . I don’t know what the translation for this is. . .”
“Hah, I don’t know either.”
“Eh?”
“I’m sorry. Please research it by yourself.”
Replying to her question in such a brazen way dumbfounded Lynn. .
Sistina, who was angry to being with, got angrier at Glen’s response and she stood up. “Please wait a moment, Sir. How can you be an instructor if you reply to the student’s question that way?”
Glen sighed heavily from the bottom of his heart at the sharp denunciation from Sistina. “Look here. How can I tell you that I don’t really know? How can I teach you something I don’t know?”
“If you can’t answer the question of the student, as an instructor, shouldn’t you research it later and answer the question again during the next cla.s.s?”
“Ugh. . . If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be faster for the students themselves to research it?”
“That isn’t the case here! What I wanted to say wasー”
“. . .Ah, perhaps you can learn by consulting the runic language dictionary. In that case, you can research it. . . Don’t you think? It’s so troublesome if I research it. Oh boy, unnecessary work has increased. . .”
“Guh. . . I know how to consult a dictionary! That’s it, I’m done!”
Glen wouldn’t change, as he doesn’t have any motivation at all.
Sistina took her seat furiously,her shoulders shaking in anger.
Lumia grew nervous as she watched the situation.
The atmosphere in the cla.s.sroom got worse. The cla.s.s got more irritated as time went idly by.
In what should have been a memorable first cla.s.s for Glen, ended in a very unproductive waste of time.
Inside the women’s changing room of the academy after Glen’s first cla.s.s, .
Sistina stripped off her uniform, cape and robe, leaving only in her underwear. She threw those clothes into a wooden locker and complained.
“Good grief, what is wrong with that guy!?”
“Ahahaha. . . now, now.” Lumia laughed as she placated Sistina, whose anger hadn’t settled yet.
“Don’t you think he’s lacking motivation!? How was he able to fill in as an instructor of this academy, even if it is just a part-time position!?”
“That’s right. . . perhaps you wanted Mr. Glen to work a little bit harder.”
The next cla.s.s that Sistina and the rest would be taking was alchemical experimentation.
Certainly, the uniform and robe that Sistina and the rest usually wore had temperature and humidity control magic enveloping their bodiesー the black magic [Air Conditioning] was made as a permanent status effect: it would warm them in the winter and cool them in the summer. It was a very convenient item. Unlike men, women are recommended to be lightly dressed during their initial stage of mastering magic in order to develop a high affinity with the natural mana of the world. The uniform was their strongest ally.
However, the students practically process magic materials by hand during alchemical experimentation and operate instruments. It was a cla.s.s where they handle catalysts and reagents. Their clothes might be terribly stained depending on the contents of the experiment. There are cases in which the smell of the chemical sticks to the clothes at the end of the experiment.
That is why all the girls in Sistina’s cla.s.s goes to this changing room. They are now in the middle of putting on a hooded robe for experimentation.
The young, half-naked girls had l.u.s.trous skin. The neat and clean body lines were charming features for these p.u.b.escent girls transforming from child to adult. Everyone exposes the proof of their youth liberally. That place was an utopia of bare skin that shouldn’t be seen by adolescent male students.
“Haa. . . If I’m not mistaken, isn’t that guy also supervising the following alchemy experiment?”
“Yup, he will. Mr. Glen is the subst.i.tute for Professor Huey.”
“Uuu. . .I feel like my stomach has been stabbed.” Sistina was frowning at that time, but then suddenly chuckled as if she had thought of something. Beside her, Lumia’s clothes slid smoothly off her skin, and only her figure in underwear was left to be seen. “This is. . . my needed therapy.”
“Sisti?”
Sistina approached Lumia, who was confused, and suddenly hugged her from behind. “Gotcha!”
“Kyaaaa!?”
Sistina glued herself to Lumia’s smooth back with all her might and shoved her hands to the two bulging breast of Lumia, which were wrapped by her underwear. “Ah, feeling Lumia’s body is really good after all, your skin is so white and lovely, so smooth.”
“Wai-, Sisti, sto-, stop it!” Blus.h.i.+ng, Lumia resisted, trying to escape from Sistina’s arms which were cuddling her like a kitten, but Sistina’s arms ran all over Lumia like a snake, and she wasn’t able to escape.
“Kyaa! Sisti, Ah! Stop!”
“Hmmmm. . . Lumia. You, you have been growing well I see. . .”
Sistina furrowed her eyebrows at the soft, delicately changing sensation transmitted to her palms. Lumia’s b.r.e.a.s.t.s weren’t too big or too small. It was as though they were precisely calculated to be proportional to Lumia’s height and physique. They were hills maintaining the golden ratio of an ideal shape.
“Haa. . . This is so pleasant. For some reason I can’t move away from these b.r.e.a.s.t.s of nourishment. . . Ooh. . . But instead of healing me, they’re making me somewhat depressed. . .”
“Wait. . . Will you stop it already, Sisti. You’re doing it too hard. . . Ah, Ahn!”
“Ahh, really, I’m jealous! Look here, does this feel goodー? Huh? Huh?”
“Hyaan! N-, Noo! Stop. . .”
Somehow, all the nubile teenage girls in that place did a similar thing.
“You-, you’re sneaky, Theresa! You, since when─”
“Hehehe, you’re still growing.”
“Please leave me alone, this is inexcusable! Nooo! Doing it this way─!”
“Kyaaa! We-, Wendy!?”
Similar seductive scene had developed in all corners of the locker room.
All female students were boisterously and cheerfully making a racket.
However, in front of these girls, the door of the locker room was suddenly and violently opened.
“Aahー, this is so troublesome! Why is it necessary to change clothes? That b.i.t.c.h Celica. . . Huh?”
Outside the door that was fully opened, a suspicious man was standing in the doorway holding a borrowed robe for doing experiments.
It was Glen.
Glen, Sistina and Lumia, who were closest to the door, were now eye to eye.
All three froze.
The paradise of half naked girls playing like fairies suddenly turned into a freezing h.e.l.l. Everyone froze up and became silent.
“. . . Ahー” Glen slowly and thoroughly looked around the room. When he confirmed that there were only female students in there, he scratched his head in a way that showed he was troubled and looked at the plate outside the locker room. “It was different in my time, the locker room for boys and girls has switched places. . . Good grief, I did something uncalled for.”
Inside that room, a tremendous thirst for blood was gradually swirling.
Instead of running away from that place that he can’t oppose, Glen sighed like he gave up already.
“Oooh my,s this the so called lucky lecher development of a guy from the popular novel aimed at young people these days in the imperial capital? Haha, I had never thought that I would be able to experience this.”
With Sistina at the lead, all the girls slowly began to move.
Glen majestically held up his hand to hold them off. “Ahー, wait. You gals calm down. I always wanted to speak out about this clichéd development that is happening. Well, will you listen? Let me do this instead of my last meal.”
All the girls stopped their movement. Having a criminal in death row to have his last words was allowed after all.
“I, I think. . . Aren’t the protagonists of that kind of novel such stupid people? At some point in time, when the lucky lecher like event was triggered, it had already been decided that they would be beaten up by the heroine. Why would they then frantically avert their eyes and try to retract their hands away from her? Beating the s.h.i.+t out of him just for glancing a bit on a woman’s naked body is not really fair, right? That’s what I think anyway.” After delivering the worst speech he could, Glen bared his soul. “Therefore, Iー will burn this scene into my memory!”
At that taunt, he folded his arms and opened his eyes so wide they became bloodshot. His imposing stance and expression were those of someone at a scene of carnage. He stared at the expanse of bare skin spread out before his eyesー
“”””THISー PERVERTー!””””
On that day, according to the female soph.o.m.ore students of the academy, a gruesome school violence had broken out because a certain part-time instructor hadn’t averted his eyes.
Incidentally, the alchemy experiment for that day had been postponed because the instructor in charge fell into a temporary coma.
“Ouch. . . This is seriously painful. . . Was it necessary to beat me up that much?. . .”
It was already past noon, so it was time for a lunch break.
Glen’s clothes had become tattered, and his whole body was covered with scratches and bruises. He wandered around the halls of the academy unsteadily like a zombie with teary eyes. The students Glen pa.s.sed were startled by his unsightly appearance. He didn’t care anymore about the gazes of these people.
“However, kids these days sure have excellent development. . . Ouch, what were they eating to grow that much?. . . But there was one who hasn’t developed well. Ah, oh well, I need food, food.” And so, while murmuring that terrible remark that can get himself killed if she heard, Glen went to visit the cafeteria of the magic academy.
The cafeteria of Alzano Empire Magic Academy was located on the first floor of the academy’s main school building, which was like a huge aristocratic mansion. It provided dishes that are cheap and tasty. It was traditionally popular with the students.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been hereー”
Inside the cafeteria the walls were covered with white clothes, and there were several lines of long and wide tables decorated with candle holders.
Basically, the customers of the cafeteria order food at the kitchen counter at the back, where they also pay for and receive their food. Each of them then sit at a any table they choose and eat their meal. That was the system.
Glen went to the counter at the back and ordered his food from the cook.
“Umm, grilled chicken with herbs with a side of fried potatoes. Largo sheep cheese and Elisha’s sprout salad. Stir-fried Kirua beans in tomato sauce. Potato soup. Rye bread. Make them large servings.”
Glen was a big-eater-who-stays-thin type of person. Thanks to his unemployment, which forced him to sponge off Celia, Celica didn’t know how many times she told him that.
He waited for his lunch to cook for a while. Glen took out several Celt copper coins from his leather wallet and handed them to the server, then received his food on a wooden tray.
“Now then, to look for a vacant seat. . .”
The cafeteria was crowded with eating students , and most seats were already taken. He saw two vacant seats next to each other towards the corner of the rightmost table.
He can’t bear to have both seats stolen by somebody, so Glen walked towards them in haste.
But… he suddenly saw someone familiar.
“The thesis regarding the Theory of Magic Archeology that Professor Fouzelle published last year was so funny, don’t you think, Lumia?”
In front of the seat that Glen intended sit, he saw two familiar faces.
“According to that man’s theory, [Megalius Sky Castle] was built around 4500 years BHC (Before Holy Calendar). Certainly, I can say with confidence that the ancient civilization had genuinely established the technique regarding the dimensional phase during the mid-ancient period, but judging from the excavated relics and the many murals that were discovered at the archeological site around Fejite, the [Megalius Sky Castle] seems to have been floating already by around 5000 years BHC. If we ignore this fact, I don’t think it is a good idea to push this 4500 years theory because that magic was technically impossible. That man developed a new magic of determining age, but I cannot help but feel there is a technicality that misrepresented it,causing a 500 years gap! There is too much emphasis on just thinking at a desk with research doc.u.ments, and it is my opinion that the current magicians too often neglect fieldwork, right? To begin with, if the dimension phase technique of the the mid-ancient period can really conceal the sky castle, shouldn’t it have expired a long time ago? Judging from the atmospheric mana density, the extension limit -blah blah blah- there was also the 2nd mana winter, which caused the ancient civilization to collapse -blah blah blah- even the mana half-life level contradicts it -blah blah blah- It’s evident that there are three basic cla.s.ses in the branch system that evolved over time from the manifestation of ancient language in the first place -blah blah blah- In short, it was the opposition of the academic crest symbol that signifies G.o.d and religion -blah blah blah- there was even an argument on the myths of the Telex civilization, even though the ancient civilization was a unified culture -blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah-”
‘Yea-, yeah, you’re right. . .”
The silver haired girl had already forgotten her lunch, and was just talking incessantly. the blonde haired girl, who was devotedly listening, Lumia, was smiling bitterly as a few cold beads of sweat dripped down her face.
It was apparent that they were in the midst of an argument regarding magic archeology (although it was one-sided).
Magic Archeology is the study of the history of the super magic civilization built before the Holy Calendar had been established. Among magic archaeologists, there was a group focusing primarily on [Megalius Sky Castle] called Megalians.
Apparently that silver-haired girl was a typical Megalian.
“Excuse me.” For once, Glen gave the blonde girl in front of him a greeting and sat down quickly, the silver haired girl sitting across the table diagonally.
The silver haired girl was finally pulled back to reality and noticed Glen. “ー!? Yo-, yo-, youー”
“You’re mistaken. You just mistook me for someone else.” Ignoring them magnificently, Glen began to eat his lunch.
He sliced the grilled chicken with herb suitably thin and chowed down on it between bites of shredded fried potato, rye bread and sprout cheese salad. The bitterness of the sprout salad matched the fragrant fat of the grilled chicken, and he ate it all. The smell of the herbs tickling their nostrils really whet their appet.i.tes.
“Delicious! How should I say? This is indeed roughly the style of the empire. . .” He scooped a spoonful of Kirua beans in tomato sauce and shoved it into his mouth. The red pepper and garlic really bring out a good taste in the tomato sauce.
Although not enough time had pa.s.sed since the event a while ago, Glen’s was impudent again. Seeing the situation in front of her, Sistina could only open and close her mouth in shock.
The clattering sound of the tableware reverberated.
Surprisingly enough, heavy silence just continued on. It was an awkward lunch scene.
“Umm. . . Mr. Glen surprisingly eats a lot huh? Perhaps you love to eat?”
“Huh? Well, eating is one of my few pleasures in life.”
“Hehehe, that fried food looks really delicious. It somehow smells really good.”
Due to Glen’s intrusion, Sistina became quiet and stayed quiet while completely displeased, so Lumia, for some reason, talked to Glen actively as Sistina’s subst.i.tute.
Unlike Sistina, who was baring her hostility openly, Lumia didn’t seem to think the incident a while ago was really that bad. Speaking of which, it seems that Lumia didn’t partic.i.p.ate during the chastising of Glen.
“Hey, did you know? It’s just the right time for some new beans to arrive at school. The new Kirua beans have a really good smell. You have to eat it now when it’s in season.” Glen wasn’t the type to willingly talk to people, but he was the type to respond properly if spoken to. Apparently Lumia’s conversation seemed to have good chemistry with Glen.
“Is that so? I want to try eating some stir-fried Kirua beans.”
“Yeah, I highly recommend it. If you like, do you want to eat a bite to judge it?”
“Eh? Is that ok? Wouldn’t that be an indirect kiss to me?” While laughing a little bit, Lumia impishly tilted her head to the side and placed a finger on her lips.
“Hmp. . . you’re not a kid anymore.” Shrugging his shoulders in amazement, Glen gave her a plate of stir-fried beans.
Lumia happily scooped a spoonful for herself and ate it.
Lumia’s relaxed and friendly nature always helps soften the atmosphere and will keep you smiling. Before Glen noticed it, his lips had slackened and formed a smile.
“. . . . . . . . .”
However, there was one girl on that table who was giving off an oppressive atmosphere.
It was Sistina. She didn’t partic.i.p.ate in the friendly chat of Lumia and Glen, she merely continued to stingingly gaze at Glen.
“. . . By the way, you over there. Is that amount enough for you?”
It was indeed hard to eat and be stared at, so Glen spoke to Sistina with a sigh. When Sistina was suddenly spoken to, she seemed upset for a moment, but immediately regained composure and responded with a harsh remark.
“Is there a reason an Instructor is complaining about my lunch?”
“How could you say it. . .”
Glen looked at the lunches of the two girls.
Lumia’s menu consisted of wheat porridge, spicy pigeon stew, and salad. . . While Lumia was eating relatively well, Sistina’s menu was just only two scones with thin coats of red berry jam.
“You, you’re still growing up right? You won’t develop properly if you don’t eat.” Glen wasn’t able to say that she wasn’t actually growing in that particular situation.
“That’s none of your business. I will get sleepy during the afternoon cla.s.s unless I only eat this much during lunchtime. I’m serious. And you,Sir, on the other hand, can not be related to the word ‘Serious’ at all.” Sistina glanced at the large quant.i.ty of food lined up in front of Glen.
With such provocative words, the atmosphere between Glen and Sistina became heavy at once.
“. . . That’s rather indirect.” Glen was continuing to eat as his voice dropped by half an octave. He was sensitive enough to sense the tension running through Sistina’s expression. “If there is anything you want to say, why don’t you say it clearly?”
“. . . I understand. I know we don’t have a good relations.h.i.+p to begin with. In that case, I’m going to say this clearly. Iー”
Sistina was undoubtedly scowling in front of Glen. He then interjected. . .
“I know, I know. I give up. Having such a frantic expression is unbecoming of you.”
“. . . Eh?”
Glen raised both of his hands suddenly. “Even I didn’t expect you to torment yourself so much. . . I concede.”
Sistina was dumbfounded in front of Glen, who scooped up a spoonful of Kirua beans and silently placed it on her plate.
“Come on, I know you want to eat it right? You want to say that, since I have so much, you want me to share, right?. . . Good grief, such a glutton.”
Sistina looked on in amazement as Glen resumed eating.
“. . . It’s, it’s, it’s different! That’s not what I meant to sayー”
Glen had had a terrible misunderstanding. Sistina was trembling so much in humiliation that she banged on the table as she stood up.
However, it didn’t matter to Glen at allー
“In exchange, why don’t you give me some of this.” Reaching out with his fork, he pierced Sistina’s scone with a splitting sound and nabbed it in a blink of an eye.
“Mmmm, eating scones occasionally is indeed delicious. . .”
“Aaaaahhh!? Hey, why did you took it without permission!?”
“No, isn’t this just fair exchange?”
“Where is the fairness!? Where!? That’s right, because I didn’t give you permission! Get back to the infirmaryー!”
“Aargh!? Oi, isn’t this dangerous!? Will, will you please be quiet during mealtimeー!”
Glen and Sistina began to fight each other using knife and fork over the table.
Everyone nearby gazed at them.
Lumia couldn’t do anything aside from looking at them while bitterly smiling.