[] [] []
Chapter 52: Classes and Professors III
While walking to my next class, I couldn’t help but become a bit frustrated in myself. I was impatient back there, only wanting to overpower Professor Geist to end it fast. Using only my wind and earth attribute, I couldn’t end it as easily as I wanted to. I guess being blessed with too many gifts have made me become a bit too impertinent. I know I’ve yet to reach the pinnacle of strength in this Continent but I definitely had enough advantages that would allow me to reach the top. With that mindset, I needed to stop comparing myself to students my age and think bigger. My only hope was that the upper division classes would offer insight in mana manipulation that I couldn’t receive on my own.
I was rather interested in my next class, Basics of Artificing. Artificing was something that never existed in my old world. I’m sure there were relevant ties to technology that was used in my old world but the premise of manipulating and coding mana to have specific uses designated into an object would be new to me.
Upon entering the classroom, I’m pleasantly surprised to see that the layout of the room was that of a laboratory. Beakers, containers, different types of ores and various gadgets filled the room, making it all the more authentic.
I was somewhat relieved to see that there was no one I knew in this class, giving me a peace of mind. As students started filing in and sitting next to acquaintances and friends, a girl that looked to be about my age walked by and stood next to the stool besides mine.
“I-Is this seat taken? If it is I’ll move somewhere else!” I don’t know why she looked so panicked but I couldn’t help chuckle at her innocent personality.
“Pff~ no the seat isn’t taken. You’re free to sit there if you wish.” I say as I take a seat myself. The girl was ordinary to say the least. Her thick round glasses magnified her eyes and the freckles underneath them. Her curly hair looked like it had a life of its own as it was forcibly tied into a ponytail down her back.
Compared to girls like Tess and Kathyln whom everyone fawned over, and for good reason, she was rather plain. But for some reason, I felt comfortable around her, which made me chuckle when she asked if the seat was taken.
“Th-thank you…” She muttered with her head faced down. “…mily”
“What was that?” I leaned in closer to hear her last sentence.
“Emily! My name is Emily Watsken! Please be my friend!” She looked at me with her eyes sparkling and her hand out.
Utterly baffled by her sudden enthusiasm, I manage a slight nod.
“S-sure. My name is Arthur Leywin.” I grasped her hands and couldn’t help but become surprised by how coarse her palm was.
“O-oh! I’m sorry! It must feel gross right?” She retracts her callused hand while her face turns a bit red, accentuating the freckles on her cheeks.
“No, it’s quite fine. I have calluses too. See?” I hold my sword hand out to reveal the hardened lumps on my palms
“Wow…you’re right! You must practice a lot! It’s no wonder you’re in the Discipline Committee. I really admire that! For me, I really love Artificing so I end up fiddling around with a lot gadgets, making my hands get this rough.” She scratches her head, her sentences becoming faster as she gets more comfortable with me
“Really? I rather admire people like you. I’m jealous that you have such a passion for Artificing. The only thing you get better at when fighting is how to destroy and kill, but the better you get at Artificing, the more things you can create.” I look down at my own, callused hands.
“Woah… that’s deep.” I see Emily readjust her thick glasses while she ponders in her head, what I just said.
“Haha, I ended up saying something unpleasant. I apologize.” The class was getting pretty loud as room filled up with eager students, most of which were here as a Scholar Mage.
“No no no! It wasn’t unpleasant at all! Just, it’s not something you hear everyday from a 12-year-old.” She desperately shakes her hands to gesture that it was okay.
“Pfft. You say that as if you aren’t a 12-year-old yourself.” I snicker as I look at her.
Slumping in her chair, she lets out a sigh. “True… It’s because I’m apparently a genius of some sorts. I don’t really get why people say that but people don’t really treat me as a child anymore after I created the projection display artifact.”
“Wait what? You’re the one that invented the display used to show the Kings’ and Queens’ announcement?” I stood up from my stool.
“Mhmm, well only a part of it… I tinkered around with some of the things in my parent’s lab and I made the basic designs of it a couple of years back.” She scratches her curly hair again.
Sinking back into my stool, I let out a deep breath. Holy crap. She built something like that when she wasn’t even 10!
“Well I must say that it is an honor to be in the presence of a genius such as yourself.” I give her a smirk, bowing my head in mock fealty.
“Oh please. Don’t you start now too! Besides, you’re quite famous too, you know!” She gives me a smirk as her glasses reflect the classroom light, making her look like an evil scientist.
“Really? I’ve tried very hard to lay low. I guess that didn’t work.” I lean my head on my hand.
“Pfft. Well joining the Disciplinary Committee as a first year sure didn’t help.”
“There are other first year students in the Committee as well.” I refute.
“But not humans! You and Princess Kathyln are the only ones, and the Princess has been hailed as a prodigy as soon as she awakened. That leaves you, a mysterious human freshman that has a bond with a white foxlike mana beast and no background, also able to overwhelm and completely demolish a professor that is a veteran Adventurer at the light yellow core stage.” By this time, she was leaning closer and closer to me.
“What? How do you already know about what happened with Professor Geist?! That literally happened 15 minutes ago!” “kyu!” Sylvie echoes in protest being called foxlike, although that’s essentially what she was.
“Don’t be so surprised! This is a Magic Academy after all. News travels fast and gossip travels even faster. I bet you some people in the class already know what happened.” She smirks while wagging her finger.
“Oh God… You know, I noticed you’re awfully talkative now compared to when you stuttered your greeting when you first came in.” I couldn’t help but realize the change in her personality.
“Shut up! I s-suck with strangers okay? Besides, I don’t get along with new people this easily. You’re different though! It was easy to get comfortable with you since we’re really similar.” She harrumphs, crossing her arms over her undeveloped chest.
“Similar in what way?” I raise a brow.
She grins broadly, “We’re both freaks!”
I roll my eyes at her conjecture but realized that, because of how high her intelligence was, I was more comfortable with her than other kids my age.
As I was about to respond to her statement, the classroom door swings open and I see a familiar face.
“Greetings plebeians! Please feel honored to have me, Professor Gideon, as your teacher for this class!” The crazy scientist skedaddled his way onto the podium while the pair of goggles that was hanging from his neck bounced up and down.
As he gazed through the classroom with a condescending eye, he eventually reached where Emily and I were sitting.
“AH! Well if it isn’t Arthur, I had no~ idea that you would be in my class!” He clasps his cheeks in an obviously fake way, making me shake my head.
“And my oh my, getting along with Miss Watsken! I must say you two would make quite the team! Good good! Let’s begin the first day of classes by a little introduction of myself!” He smiles, writing his name in big letters behind him.
The lecture continued on with Gideon rambling on about how remarkable he was for the following hour and a half. Most students, myself included, were half asleep but Emily’s eyes sparkled as she absorbed every bit of information that came out of Gideon’s thin lips. I guess even a genius like her respects Gideon in the field of Artificing. Makes me almost want to admire him.
Sylvie was curled up on the desk in front of me, using my arm as a pillow, when an olive green owl suddenly flies in from the window, landing on my shoulder.
“Kyu!” Sylv jumps up in surprise and growls while the owl just calmly grooms itself.
“Well it seems like Director Goodsky is beckoning you, brat!” Gideon walks up to, massaging his hunched shoulders.
“You shouldn’t keep her waiting. Shoo! Off you go!” He slaps my back as he continues on talking about how great he is.
Emily leans in, not surprised. “I told you not to underestimate how fast news travelled!”
“Yeah yeah…” I walk out of the classroom, hearing some of my classmates begin their discussion about what happened.
“Now… where was Director Cynthia’s office again?” I scratch my head.
As if he understood, the owl flies off of my shoulder and begins flying towards a certain direction, gesturing us to follow.
“kyu!” ‘Papa, he’s dangerous!’ Sylvie warns me, her fur on its end.
The campus was fairly empty as most of the students were either in class, training on their own, or in their dorms. Getting caught up in the beautiful scenery of this campus, I realized a little late that the owl had landed on a statue in front of a building that I assumed was the Director’s office, waiting for me to enter.
Opening the door, I head inside while the horned owl perches itself on my shoulder again, making Sylvie hiss and throw paws at it in warning.
“I see that Avier has personally guided you here. Odd… I have never seen him get so comfortable with a stranger before.” Professor Goodsky, who was sitting behind her desk, rested her head on her hands as she looked at me but studied Sylvie in particular.
“Is there something you needed from me, Director?” I take a seat in front of her desk as Avier, the green owl, flies off of my shoulder and onto the window ledge behind Cynthia.
“Yes. I called you here regarding the little ‘demonstration’ in Professor Geist’s class.” Her expression remains unfazed as she mentions the trouble I must’ve caused her.
“Ah… There were some situations regarding that actually…” Before I explain, Director Goodsky lifts up her hand to interrupt.
“We’ve just dismissed Professor Geist from our academy. Princess Kathyln personally came up and explained, telling me what exactly happened. Of course I had to get some people to verify with her testimony but everyone agreed that the Professor was putting the students in harm’s way.” She nodded, placing a couple of documents in front of me.
Wow, she worked fast. This incident happened less than two hours ago, but she already managed to handle and fire that Professor.
As if she knew what I was thinking, she smiles and answers, “It helps move things along when you get the final say in all matters regarding this Academy.”
“I have to say, though, that I have never seen the Princess so worked up as she was today. When she came in, she had a slightly angry expression on her face, which, by her standards, is quite serious. You must understand how surprised I was. Hoho!” Director Goodsky covers her mouth with a hand as she chuckles softly.
“Really now? I didn’t think that princess could even show emotions.” I grin as well.
“Yes. You must’ve made quite an impression on her because she defended you quite fervently, leaving Professor Geist no room to defend himself.” She gives me a wink.
When I shake my head helplessly, Director Goodsky just laughs, responding, “You’re quite the ladies’ man, Arthur. It’s going to be a problem if you steal the hearts of both Princesses! Who knows, you might be the cause of our next civil war! Hahaha!”
She seemed quite amused by something that could devastate the thin balance that this continent had. I wanted to just dismiss the thought, but when I imagine the two princesses fighting it out, I get shudders. I don’t think I have the mental capacity to handle one of the two princesses, let alone both of them.
“You know, it’s not really considered young to get married at the age of 14-15. I’m sure Tessia will have developed quite a bit by then.” She teases me even further.
“No thank you. I don’t see myself becoming romantically involved anytime soon. Besides, they’re still just kids. Maybe I’ll start thinking about it when the girls my age become a bit more mature.” I shrug.
Leaning forward, the Director studies me. “Hoho, the way you say it makes me think that you’ve already matured, Arthur.”
“Well, even you must admit that I happen to be a lot more mature than people my age.” Leaning back into the chair, I respond.
“True, but women do tend to mature faster than men.” Director Goodsky states matter-of-factly.
“I’m still wondering why I got called in here. I’m sure you didn’t just bring me here to tell me that everything was settled, and to tell me to get married.” Sylvie hopped off of my head and chased after Avier, who was grooming itself on the window.
“Arthur! I feel like you’re becoming to see me as someone who always has an ulterior plan at hand.” She gives me an offended look.
“Haha! I do because we’re awfully similar in that way, Director.” I give her a wink, making her smile as well.
“Dear me. If that is the case, then I believe that I’ve made the right decision.” She responds.
“What do you mean?”
“Arthur, what do you think about being the professor for your class, Practical Mana Manipulation?” She clasps her hand, studying my expression.
My eyes widen at this. “What? You’re not serious right?”
“Oh I’m quite serious, Arthur.” She says, her expression unfaltering.
“Is that even allowed? I’m a student. Can I be a student and a Professor at the same time? What about my other classes?” I begin shooting out arguments as to how this wouldn’t work.
“Please, no need to get so worked up. It’s quite simple actually. Is it allowed? Yes, as long as I say it is. Although this specific situation has never occurred, there are cases of highly qualified upperclassmen that teach basic courses. As for your other classes, your schedule wouldn’t really change. You would just be teaching that one class, for that period.” She gives me a business-like smile.
I begin thinking. Director Goodsky wasn’t doing this for her benefit. She would be sure to get a lot of complaints from noble parents protesting why a first year was teaching a class. I, on the other hand, would have a lot more time on my hand because teaching the course would require a lot less outside of class.
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this, Director.”
“Well, a spot just opened up and you were the one that defeated the previous professor. Doesn’t that give you enough qualifications to enter? Besides, I’m really not doing this for some ulterior motive, Arthur. You don’t have to be too suspicious. This is up to you. I won’t push you into this, but I believe that it would be a good opportunity to build a sort of standing for yourself without having to go around conquering Professors. If you wish to enjoy teaching after this semester, I can give you more classes to teach! I’m sure there are a very limited of classes that would be of use to you anyways.” She chuckles.
She stands up, gently patting my shoulder. “The choice is yours.”
[] [] []