Elite Instructor at a Third-Rate Academy

29 – I Can’t Trust the Instructor☆

It was purely voluntary.

Throughout the run, Jeffrey debated giving up at least ten times. While 8.4km might be familiar to those in combat training, it was an entirely new distance for someone aspiring to administrative duties. Having to do this every day, his entire body screamed in protest. Taking a day off didn’t make things better, but the question lingered—what meaning was there in doing this every day without fail?

─What if I can’t do it?

He had mentally prepared himself for the instructor to dismiss him more than Diana would. He understood, intellectually, that the instructor did care in his own way. However, deep wounds festered in his heart. Uncovering his own cowardice, which he had avoided facing until now, fueled his anger.

“Even if I can’t do it, Diana…”

─She won’t even look at me, let alone like me.

Even without intuition, and despite women not being oblivious, they weren’t foolish enough to harbor unreasonable hope. Grace, who gave relationship advice, had confirmed that it wouldn’t work. It was a futile endeavor. However, he continued only for the sake of his pride. His legs became heavier, and he paused for a moment. It felt like his lungs were about to burst. His face turned pale, and sweat poured profusely.

“They’ll mock me for dripping soup.”

He turned his head and looked at the dormitory where Diana was. Whether she sensed his gaze or it was just a coincidence, she seemed startled and went into her room. Wiping the sweat with his forearm and tying his bootlaces, a sense of melancholy crept in, and he sat for a while.

─I’ve become a laughingstock for no reason, just because I’m infatuated.

Originally, he didn’t think this way. Rather than wanting Diana, Jeffrey just wanted to become friends with her. It was true that he felt a liking for the way she tied his bootlaces, but he had no serious intention of dating her. He knew it was impossible, and he had heard that she had rejected advances from several men.

“Why did it turn out like this when I just wanted to be friends and have a crush?”

He stood up and clenched his fists.

─I don’t want to become even more ridiculous.

Coincidentally, he also wanted to lose some weight. A week of running wouldn’t make a significant difference, but he needed to regulate himself as he was on the verge of becoming overweight. Glancing at Diana’s dormitory, he saw no one. Since she wasn’t looking at him, he felt more comfortable running. Jeffery muttered to himself, cursed his homeroom teacher, and continued running.

─Putting me in hot water and scratching my pride, it doesn’t make me feel better.

Although he thought that, he was grateful that it motivated him to move when he was hesitant. Nevertheless, at the moment, the pain from his waist to his back was more significant than any resentment. Without thinking, he kept running; there were about 2km left. Suddenly, he noticed a water bottle placed at his usual resting spot.

“Fool.”

There was only one note attached. Jeffrey couldn’t tell who it was prepared for, so he continued running without stopping to check. By the time he reached the instructor’s dormitory, the instructor was waiting at the door, as always. It was strange how the instructor seemed to know exactly when he would arrive.

─No, it can’t be.

It couldn’t be that the charming female student, like Ochiana Saint, would have already come out to wait. However, there was no instructor waiting in advance for a male student with mediocre grades and an unremarkable family background. At least not in Rielland. Jeffrey, curious about what he saw while running, took a deep breath and asked.

“Instructor, did you put the water bottle out?”

The response was immediate.

“Or not.”

“Jeffrey.”

“Yes.”

“Your performance is deteriorating.”

─Again with the nagging, as if it’s not already hard enough!

“What am I supposed to do with a stamina that’s worse than a pig’s?”

Unintentionally sharp-tongued, Jeffrey received the usual response from his homeroom teacher with an indifferent attitude.

“Slow down, you might get hurt.”

“Yes?”

“If your body is tired, running like usual will lead to injuries.”

The teacher continued, emphasizing that even a twisted ankle could prevent the achievement of next week’s goals, scratching at Jeffrey’s pride.

“If you quit after just two weeks, what will Diana think of you?”

“I won’t give up, so please spare me the lectures.”

“All right, good job.”

It was subtle. Somehow uncomfortable yet, on the other hand, there was a comfort in the presence of Terulic Staind, the man. The homeroom teacher, should I call him Moore? He seemed emotionally detached from everything. The way he dealt with Jeffrey now was matter-of-fact yet caring, making him undeniably unique.

─ Didn’t he treat Selena and Ochia the same way?

If he were a man, or at least himself, he would have shown interest in one of them by now. Jeffrey nodded and turned around. He went to check the water bottle that was at the turning point earlier, but he couldn’t see who had taken it. Fortunately. It would have been embarrassing to be teased as a piglet with no sense, just for mistakenly drinking someone else’s water.

[#29 – Love Story]

Kenneth found Ivon’s confession in Genoa absurd.

“Did you talk to the homeroom teacher?”

“Yes.”

“The instructor still hasn’t fully grasped the rules of this place.”

“No problem at all.”

Adding the phrase “lawful exercise of rights,” it was evident that he had received advanced education. Like his friend, the saint Senite, Genoa’s vocabulary level was clearly different from that of ordinary students.

“What’s the reason for the transfer?”

“This place has a severe s*xual scandal, and Class C-8 is even worse.”

He agreed.

“I think it will improve if I transfer.”

“You can do that even in your current class.”

“But Senite isn’t there.”

─ Didn’t he mention being close to a saint?

“It’s foolish to transfer classes for just one friend.”

“I know.”

“I handle Class C, so I can’t provide lessons suitable for an A-grade student like you.”

Given the advanced course, the students in Kenneth’s C-8 class were dismal. The only intelligent ones were Ochia and Brandelaine, and the rest were mediocre, with troublemakers like Selenah. The bigger issue was that out of a total of twenty students, nine were absent, a chaotic situation. It wasn’t the right time to accept new students.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Unexpectedly, Genoa’s intention was firm.

“Since Senith isn’t coming, I’ll go.”

“I cannot permit that.”

“If you let me handle it, I’ll organize the students and set the atmosphere, even without Senith.”

─ It’s a good idea, but it could create discomfort.

Kennis doesn’t know Genoa well. All he knows is that she belongs to Class A-1 and is quite popular among many classmates. If viewed not as a student but as an individual, being the eldest daughter of the Cliff family in the class bodes well for her future. Both her abilities and background make her stand out in this unique environment, so she might have been desired as a homeroom teacher by others.

However, the class she was assigned to was filled with rumors and many students with wounds. Considering the inferiority complex about oneself and distrust of the homeroom teacher, it would be challenging for Genoa to make her way here, barely attending school. Kennis couldn’t help but wonder if her self-esteem would be hurt. He wouldn’t have thought about such concerns himself, but his perspective changed after taking Prayde Vendelin’s class.

─ The class atmosphere also affects learning efficiency.

If harmony is the foundation of growth, now was the time to create a culture unique to Class C-8. Starting with the correction of Selana, who shamelessly shows her underwear, and then the formation of blind faith centered around the saint. To turn recruits into elites, absolute trust in the commander was necessary.

“Refuse.”

“Why?”

With a challenging gaze, Kennis paused for a moment, waiting. There was no need for emotional dialogue since they didn’t have to exchange emotions. Like someone who has been involved in negotiations for years, he had a habit of controlling the tempo of any situation. He realized that what remained in the end was not the heart but the result.

“You’re an excellent student, but you’re not suitable for our class.”

“I still don’t understand.”

Rather than a direct explanation, it seemed better to ask a question that would make her realize.

“Genoa Van Cliff, is honey a good ingredient?”

Genoa nodded silently.

“What if you sprinkle honey on apple pie and eat it?”

After a moment of silence, an unexpected answer came.

“It would taste even better.”

─ They really are unique friends.

“What about putting it in stew?”

“No.”

“Even excellent ingredients can be good or bad depending on the situation.”

“But I’m not honey.”

“It means that, despite being an outstanding student, you can harm the class atmosphere.”

Genoa remained silent. Suddenly, Kennis realized how this woman knew how to suffocate others. After negotiating for a long time, you learn that each person uses different strategies. Senith’s method of prayer is similar to ultimately getting what you want. These two, strangely alike, will inevitably drift apart at some point.

“As an instructor, I appreciate you, but I cannot accept you as a homeroom teacher.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if I’m here?”

“If a class is determined solely by one student, it means that the homeroom teacher lacks competence.”

Kenneth firmly opposed the idea that he was an incompetent teacher and argued against the class assignment.

“To be honest.”

He tried to end the conversation, but hesitated and sat back down.

“If you mean that I have been lying, then apologize later.”

“I can’t trust you as an instructor.”

“If grammar and pronunciation lessons are not exceptional, it is because they are tailored to meet the average level of all students.”

“No, I can’t handle Senith.”

-What are you talking about?

Kenneth couldn’t be sure he heard correctly. Having worked in the military for a long time, he naturally considered same-s*x relationships as well. However, since there had never been such an occurrence between female comrades, he decided to be cautious with his choice of words.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m not confident that Commander is different from Ivan Dikio.”

“That could be possible.”

Kenneth did not specifically mention that he did not dislike Senith. That was not true. The image of the woman he was fond of was generally quiet and passive, so the Saintess was appealing. However, he could definitively deny having any feelings for his student.

“I have no intention of dating a student, the gym storage room has burned down, and there have been no unfortunate incidents with Celana.”

“There is no guarantee that Senith will be the same, right?”

-Aren’t you interfering too much?

“What difference would it make if I guarantee it with my words?”

“If it doesn’t bother me, there is no reason not to accept me, right?”

“I believe I have explained enough reasons for rejecting the class assignment.”

Kenneth reiterated the reasons he had just mentioned. He thought more deeply about the possibility of same-s*x relationships. No, then what was this misplaced possessiveness? There was only one person who could give the correct answer at times like this.

-Rotelon, what did you say?

“Bro, women can be like that. If their close friend likes someone, they badmouth the person and interfere in the relationship for no reason. I don’t know what that bullsh*t psychology is, but maybe it’s just the desire not to lose any connections around them. I don’t understand it, but if you’re going to impress a woman you like, you also have to show off to your friends. Anyway, it’s better not to start anything with a woman who gives you such a headache.”

It seemed that this explained why Senith found Genoa burdensome and difficult. Whether it was affection, immature jealousy, or distorted possessiveness, it definitely didn’t seem like normal emotions.

“If you really want to transfer.”

Genoa’s expression quickly brightened.

“Write a letter instead.”

“To whom?”

Kenneth asked in a low voice.

“Send words of comfort to Amy’s family and apologize for what happened before. You didn’t treat that kid as a friend, so you need to reflect on it now. Doing errands and giving money is not a relationship between peers. If you admit that and regret it, and if you sincerely do the class assignment, then I will seriously consider it.”

Genoa promised to do so. Kennis completed the assistance to Amy, who died unfairly.