Elite Instructor at a Third-Rate Academy

44 – Like the Taste of Green Grapes (End) ★

Her hands trembled.

Since taking office here, Haelon had never received such substantial support. The presence of the military administrator for a mere pre-inspection of the sports event was shocking, but the generous amount of silver presented in the family name was truly astounding.

“Feel free to accept it without hesitation.”

“Hao-na!”

Without realizing it, Haelon, realizing his rank was barely a major, stopped himself from speaking. He had spent his entire life in a provincial position. While his career in academics and research was fairly respectable, compared to the man before him, he felt insignificant. Accepting the transfer to Lailand was practically a recommendation for honorary retirement, and he had never encountered such a powerful figure in his life.

─This is an opportunity.

Despite being the academy’s director, embedded in the wallpaper, he possessed a gentle and warm heart. While lacking in perspective and unable to see the bigger picture, at least he always wished for the happiness and success of the current students.

In a place where capable teachers were rare, everyone was trapped in disappointment. Anyone would be. Even if you get good grades, there’s no guarantee of success, so how can you work hard?

“If we donate everything, it won’t be fun. How about using half for the sports event prize money?”

“This is a preposterous proposal… Anyway, I’ll gratefully accept it.”

He barely preserved his dignity.

“By the way, what is Lieutenant Staind doing right now?”

“hahahaha, our Temulic Army is busy teaching students day and night.”

Warren squinted slightly at the title ‘Army.’

“When we call him Lieutenant Staind, it seems awkward. Among ourselves, we’ve decided to call him Temulic Army.”

As they spoke lies as they pleased, Ochia revealed himself like a ghost.

“Yeah, Ochia. Isn’t your class advisor Temulic Staind, too?”

In response, he only nodded. Why is he so indifferent at such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Warren Lemelts possessed power rivaling the commander of the army and was a wealthy man who could donate 1,000 ducats on a whim. If he momentarily aligned himself and adapted to the situation, he could even receive 50 ducats as spending money. Why is he so stubborn?

“Let me tell you who he is directly.”

“Our teacher… well.”

Ochia placed a wet cloth on his lower abdomen and mumbled.

“He’s diligent but seems a bit unruly.”

“No, this is outrageous…!”

As Halon trembled in unexpected embarrassment, Warren chuckled as if he found it amusing.

“This is quite interesting.”

“Just… there are so many girls around… It’s not the teacher’s fault… Now, I don’t even know what’s what anymore.”

With these words, Ochia picked up his cleaning cloth and declared he would continue cleaning. A clear mark of water stains was visible on his abdomen. When Warren turned his head slightly, Halon tried to make a bland joke to ease the tension. It was a humor so old that it made him feel like he was in a museum he had visited long ago.

“I wonder what Lieutenant is up to these days.”

Halon replied, somewhat hesitantly, that he was in the process of re-enrolling the students who had refused to attend class in C-8 division.

“Is that some kind of useless task?”

When Warren spoke dismissively, Halon was taken aback and spoke seriously.

“Administrator, getting students to attend classes is a major issue, not a useless task.”

It was a genuine outburst just now. As the head of the school, Halon supported what Temulic Stine did. Although there was no enthusiasm for learning, and it was uncertain whether their abilities would improve, taking care of his students was a meaningful task.

“There are more important matters than that.”

However, the stern administrator coldly denied it for now.

“Is there any more significant task than ensuring the identity of the students and enabling them to study, Instructor?”

At this moment, Halon also found the courage to challenge authority. Until Temulic Stine arrived, C-8 division was like a shipwreck that was sinking in all directions. Only now, like a sailing ship, they were finally progressing, and he was doing the right thing. As an educator before he became the head of the school, he could not belittle Lieutenant’s efforts.

“Of course, there may be more important tasks.”

Nevertheless, his inner instinct prompted him to add.

“In any case, is Lieutenant Stine busy persuading the students who refuse to attend classes?”

Halon nodded, and once again, Ochia appeared somewhere. Since the segregation of students had already ended, he ordered them to clean up the homeroom as soon as the cleaning was done. In other words, it was a polite eviction, saying, “Don’t dawdle, just leave this place.”

“I heard that Temulic Army is in a state of disarray.”

“Then, can we withdraw him once the issue of students refusing to attend classes is resolved?”

-Strange things.

It was common for those who served in the military to become educators, but it was rare for someone in this position to be taken back into the military. Halon, relying on the instincts he had honed over the years, felt that he should not oppose this order. However…

“That is not possible.”

For the first time, he muttered an expletive.

“C-8 division can’t do without Lieutenant Temulic Army.”

With a stroke of repentance and trembling, the administrator quietly sipped his tea and replied.

“Well, in that case, I’ll take care of the homeroom.”

While Lieutenant was being withdrawn, Warren promised to take charge of C-8 division and re-enroll the students who refused to attend class.

[#44 – Students Refusing to Attend Class]

The consultation between Kennith and Chesa was quickly finished. It wasn’t a refusal to attend school, but rather the reason for admission that was mismatched.

“Senet.”

He called her unexpectedly, as they sat down for a meal together for the first time in a while.

“I didn’t plan to eat all of this.”

─ Is it because you’ve been controlled with your weight since you were young?

Although rare, there are worshippers who consider eating itself as a sin. Although not well-known, Senet seems to have been constantly instilled with the obsession that she must not gain weight. As her homeroom teacher, as long as her physique doesn’t deteriorate, she could pretend she didn’t know and let her eat as much as she wanted.

“Are there many poor students like Chesa?”

“Yes, there are many in our class.”

Upon closer listening, the reasons for the students who enrolled in Lailand varied greatly.

For example, Jeffrey and Mercady enrolled here because they were relatively poor. On the other hand, Selenah and Galetius, although nobles, couldn’t study and had no choice but to come here. Lastly, Ochiana Brandila gave up attending a top academy because of the tuition. In addition, Zenohana Senet had her own beliefs, and she enrolled here due to problems in her parish. Similarly, Chesa had different reasons than them.

“You accumulated debt during your school years?”

“Yes, I heard that our family’s business went wrong.”

Senet hesitated slightly and then covered her mouth with a piece of pancake.

─ So, Chesa enrolled because she had a purpose, like Amy?

The saint couldn’t say it because she didn’t know their true intentions, and she couldn’t voice her doubts. In her view, Chesa came to Lailand Academy to work. She literally enrolled with the purpose of labor. Therefore, her family shouldn’t have any major issues, and it seemed like she was determined to work here and make money by any means necessary.

“Are there many places to work here?”

“Yes… but, Chesa doesn’t do anything bad or illegal.”

─ I see.

Although it was an apology to Chesa, she didn’t seem like the type to accept a proposal like Ochiana, especially with her pale freckles.

“It’s a sad thing that you can’t study because of money.”

“I want to help too, but I don’t know what to do in a situation like this.”

Seeing Senet’s defeated expression, Kennith simply smiled and handed her a piece of candy.

“It’s a reward.”

“What flavor is this?”

─ I don’t know.

“It’s not fun if I tell you.”

“Oh, right!”

Senet’s bashful smile was so cute that Kennith realized once again that a woman’s charm is not only based on her appearance. Perhaps that was also the reason why he loved Tetradya. No, it was probably because she looked pitiful and melancholy. It was a confession reason that he had to keep as a secret for his entire life. To confess one’s feelings to someone, lingering debt in one’s heart would leave a sense of guilt.

“By the way, since we’re talking about candy…”

As he casually brought up a topic, he ended up eating all the pancakes without even asking.

“Should I order something for a friend too?”

In response to Kenneth’s question, Senit tightly shut his eyes and refused, “No more for me.”

Despite the longing expression that seemed to say, ‘I’m dying to eat,’ he left it alone, thinking it might be part of Senia’s spiritual training.

Chesha had no reason to attend classes since she paid her tuition, and making such an offer could only raise suspicions. Money brought her to the academy, and to ensure she focused on her studies, she needed the assurance that studying hard here would lead to even greater financial gains.

─ It’s complicated.

Even when he was the strategist for the Northern Army, dealing with the interests of various nobles was challenging. Whether adults or children, reading their desires and guiding them in the right direction was no easy task, with the only difference being the scale of the task.

“Oh, right, candy.”

He knew who Ochia was referring to when he mentioned someone complaining, so on the way back, they stopped by a confectionery shop.

“I’d like to buy candies wrapped in this paper.”

Upon inquiry, it turned out to be high-end candy. The price was exorbitant, and it was puzzling why they spent money on such things.

“I’ll take ten of each color.”

“Then, won’t the price be considerable?”

With a total of 60 candies, the cost was indeed substantial.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Since each person had a different eye color, this amount was necessary. Ochia, Senit, Selana, Jeffrey, Gresnok, and Galterius. Dividing ten candies equally among these six wouldn’t be an issue.

He wondered if it was necessary to include male students, but he had to be cautious to avoid any misunderstandings among the female students. After receiving candies packaged by color and returning, they coincidentally encountered Ochia finishing cleaning.

“Ochia.”

He only silently stepped aside.

“I was going to point out the cleaning condition, but could you wait a moment?”

“Yes…Teacher.”

With a weary voice, she leaned against the wall and went inside after he gestured. As he inspected places she hadn’t cleaned, it was clear that although she excelled at maintaining personal hygiene, her dormitory was somewhat messy. Kenith secretly imagined her maintaining her body’s cleanliness superbly but wondered if her room was untidy.

“You didn’t wipe the shelf where you put your clothes.”

Pointing it out when they came out, she shrugged with a dry cloth on her shoulders.

“Yes…I’ll clean it now.”

Kenith leaned against the railing, looking into the distance. While waiting silently, a very small sigh could be heard. It was the kind of cheer that women commonly make, like a ‘Kyaa’ or ‘Ahaa.’ Simultaneously, there was a discreet approach from behind. Her temperature was high, and a warm aura radiated.

“This…maybe.”

Kenith spoke without turning around.

“Ochia isn’t very talented in treasure hunting.”

In the disciple’s hand was an emerald-colored candy bag. It was the one he had placed under the clothing rack. With a delighted expression, she, who had been playing with her bangs, leaned against the railing without permission. Her unique scent wafted, causing him to hesitate a bit before stepping back.

“Um… Can I eat it now?”

“Yes.”

A soft chuckle was heard, and she picked up a candy and handed it to him. Wondering if it meant for him to eat it, he hesitantly looked at her, only to find her looking back with self-assured eyes as if she knew everything about him.

“You also… like grape flavor like me, Professor?”

– No, I don’t like candy at all.

Kenneth accepted it silently and put it in his mouth. Far away, the guy who looked like Warren was coming out of the principal’s office, but there was no way he would care.