I Became an Academy Counselor

After that lunchtime, for several days, it was incredibly peaceful.

Orca came to the counseling room to sleep as usual, and Leo started visiting periodically.

And other students coming for counseling.

It was so peaceful that it was hard to believe Leo and Orca had fought just a few days ago.

However, my mind was not at ease.

Although it was peaceful, that didn’t mean nothing was happening.

Rumors started to spread.

“Even so, that’s an exaggeration…”

“Haha…”

Of course, rumors had been spreading before too.

Rumors like how I had rehabilitated Orca.

…But, should these even be called rumors?

It seems the story has been severely distorted as it spread among students who didn’t miss this huge issue.

“Even so, it’s gone too far, hasn’t it?”

It seems ridiculous rumors are spreading, like how I might actually be a distant relative of a demon possessor, or that I’m actually trying to rule the world.

The imagination of students…

“Well, won’t it die down soon? They must know it’s nonsense too.”

“I hope so.”

They must all be interested in the fact that a new teacher has appeared.

Especially since I appeared with the title of counselor, which didn’t exist before.

I wasn’t too bothered by various rumors spreading.

They’ll die down soon anyway.

…Still, I was a bit surprised by the rumor that I was controlling Orca through hypnosis.

When that story came out of Leo’s mouth, who had been telling me that most rumors died down quickly because they were nonsense, I almost reacted without realizing it.

Orca doesn’t have friends to tell her about these things. It was a bit sad that she didn’t have anyone to tell her about her rumors.

“What, why are you looking at me like that?”

“No, it’s nothing…”

Still, now that she’s made a friend, which was Leo, it would be nice if she went out to play a bit.

Is it because she’s lived her whole life without friends?

She seemed more comfortable alone.

Well, if that’s what she likes, I guess that’s fine… This teacher is just happy that she has a friend at all…

“Teacher, if there’s a chance, maybe we could have another meal sometime…”

“Ah, yes. Next time. I’m a bit busy these days.

“I-Is that so…”

It’s a lie.

Of course, I was much busier than in those nostalgic days of being a salary thief when I had just arrived at the academy a few days ago.

More students were bringing more serious concerns than I had expected.

I can’t just brush those off, can I? Not when their expressions are so desperate.

In the end, I became busier than expected, looking up relevant books and materials on how to handle these issues, and counseling students based on that information.

Naturally, since counseling rarely ends in just one session, my workload increased every time students came.

…Of course, I wasn’t so busy that I couldn’t eat.

So why did I refuse?

Because Leo’s intentions were too obvious…

It seems he’s still concerned about that time when I secretly paid and ran away.

Perhaps because he understood that the cost of the food that day was no joke, he kept trying to give me something.

‘…As a student, you should be getting treated by your teacher!’

Well, anyway.

Of course, if I had blatantly lied, I might have been subjected to Leo’s attempts to repay the favor, but fortunately, I had an appointment already set for today.

There’s no chance of the lie being exposed!

“Well then, I have to go now…”

“What do you have to do?”

“It’s nothing much. I have something to discuss with the other teachers.”

That’s right.

What’s there to hide?

The first event that starts after the prologue.

It was time to prepare for the practice match.

…I never thought I’d be in a position to prepare for such a thing.

***

“Ah, hello, Teacher Ophelia.”

“Hello.”

This feels a bit awkward.

It’s a different feeling from the cozy and luxurious atmosphere of the counseling room and the lively atmosphere of the academy classrooms I occasionally enter.

It’s like another side of the school that I’ve never experienced before.

“…Why are you so nervous?”

“Ah, hahaha…”

I could only laugh at the teachers looking at me as if I was strange.

No, it’s just… When you say teacher’s office, it feels like that…huh?

It feels like a place you go when you’ve done something wrong, right?

Even though I’ve become a counselor, my only experience of entering the teacher’s office is from my student days.

Of course, I understand that there are quite a few cases where you visit the teacher’s office for other reasons, not just to get scolded, and I know that I, as a teacher, didn’t come here to be scolded…

Should I say it’s engraved in my soul? I couldn’t help but flinch at the sight of the teacher’s office. You know, like when they call your name specifically over the school broadcast and tell you to come to the teacher’s office. It usually turned out to be nothing when I went, but that indescribable fear that never became familiar…

Fortunately, it seemed I wasn’t the only one with such a reaction, as the teachers soon smiled bitterly.

“Ah, this must be Teacher Ophelia’s first time in the teacher’s office. It’s a bit stiff, isn’t it?”

“Well, yes…”

“Please understand. After all, this is a place where students from various backgrounds gather, so we need to be careful not to be looked down upon.”

“I understand well.”

I understand indeed.

Even just reading the backgrounds of the playable characters, you’d know that the academy attracts all sorts of people. The church’s observer, the empire’s princess, an unnamed orphan boy, and a demon possessor who is rumored to be dangerous because you never know when she might explode.

I’ve only mentioned the ones I can think of, and it’s already this much. If there was an atmosphere where students’ stories were well-listened, it would have already turned into a playground for noble and royal students. Yet, the reason why so many classes can mix in the academy is because of the distance between teachers and students.

…It’s also because the law protects teachers well, and because the teachers’ reputations are so excellent. Students show respect to teachers because the principal only brings in verified people. If their authority were to be diminished even a little, they would soon be looked down upon. This stiff atmosphere is probably because they need to show it to them.

“I’m glad you understand. Actually, we feela bit sorry for the students too.”

“We really do. We have to push them even when we can see they’re struggling.”

“There are many students who give up in the middle because it’s too hard… We’d like to guide each one individually, but there are just so many students.”

Indeed.

There aren’t many people who would come to be a teacher at the academy.

Teachers come with the sole purpose of nurturing future talent.

Of course, it’s true that the principal tries her best to take care of the teachers’ welfare and give them high salaries…

But it’s also true that people who have already achieved great success in their fields don’t need to become teachers. They’ve established themselves to the point where they can earn much more than working as a teacher at the academy.

But it’s also difficult to fill the teacher positions with just anyone.

Why do you think nobles and royals bother to send their children to the academy?

It’s all with the intention of them receiving high-quality education. Social experience is just a bonus.

If the quality of teachers were to drop, they’d hire private tutors to educate their children.

That’s why the principal goes around personally recruiting teachers.

Who would want to do a job where they have to watch out for both a princess and an orphan while getting paid less?

There aren’t many capable people who would leave everything they’ve built behind to do that.

And the people in front of me are those who left their established positions to come to teach students.

“It seems the atmosphere among students has brightened a bit since Teacher Ophelia arrived. It feels like the stiff atmosphere is loosening up a bit?”

“I heard the other day that the young lady of the Ober family confessed to a commoner boy.”

“Oh my, really?”

“Yes. I heard she received counseling from Teacher Ophelia.”

“…And the result? What happened?”

“What do you think? That boy, he’s going to climb the social ladder. He was absolutely dripping with honey. Tsk. Even during class time…”

Ah.

Is that the child they’re talking about? So the confession was successful after all.

As I was momentarily surprised to hear about an unexpected student’s recent situation from an unexpected place, the teachers expressed their gratitude to me.

“Please continue to take care of the students. It’s always heartbreaking to see children falling behind.”

“Seeing the hearts of kids with potential for growth being crushed… *sigh* You don’t know how hard it is.”

“We know we’re putting a burden on you, Teacher Ophelia. Please take good care of the students on our behalf.”

They understand their position well. They understand that the moment they treat students too softly, the moment they’re swayed by them, the situation becomes uncontrollable. That’s why they asked me.

To help the struggling students.

To give the students a sweet carrot while they become the stick.

It wasn’t too difficult to answer their request.

“Don’t worry. That’s why I came to the academy.”

“…That’s a relief.”

By now, the stiff atmosphere of the teacher’s office was no longer scary.

I realized that this atmosphere was artificially created for the students, and in fact, they were thinking about the students more than anyone else.

“Well then… shall we move on to business talk?”

The meeting began in an atmosphere that had become a bit softer.