Sincerity is the Way! - 1
The class was about to begin.
Warm light streamed in through the windows, and the sky was clear of any clouds. The world shone in vibrant colors, just as the poet had described.
Yet the mood in the F-Class remained far from cheerful.
“He still hasn’t shown up today.”
“He’s still in the infirmary.”
“If only someone could visit him…”
“Visiting is restricted to healing mages above the ninth floor.”
“Yeah, right… who doesn’t know that…”
With heavy sighs, each student pulled out the materials on their desks and spread them open.
No student remained who hadn’t memorized the thirty pages of material. Everyone had perfectly memorized it.
Of course, they might not have fully understood it, but they had memorized it perfectly in the literal sense.
So then…
“What should we do next? Us.”
Isabel muttered loudly.
What should they do? Only one person could give them the answer. The students’ minds immediately turned to her.
“Adrian.”
The time Adrian had spent with them wasn’t long at all. So saying they missed him so much it hurt would be a lie.
But even so.
Adrian’s absence meant the F-Class had returned to its old way of life.
And that old way of life was nothing more than endless self-study without any dreams or visions.
The students knew that well enough, which was why they felt so hopeless.
“Something feels off.”
Michelle let her lips part. Isabel immediately bit into her words.
“What?”
“The lower-class professor who died this time had his information released right away. The story spread all over.”
“Right?”
“They’re not releasing any information about Adrian from Rahal Academy. That means…”
Even the great Michelle struggled to continue this time, pressing a finger to her temple for a moment.
“…They might not be able to provide the information the reporters want. All the reporters are praying right now that Adrian is still alive.”
The other students listening to Michelle and Isabel’s conversation also showed subtle expressions on their faces.
Since the conversation had gone this far, the unspoken rule that had been in place finally broke.
“So the rumor is true?”
Isabel asked again. Michelle stayed silent. Isabel asked once more.
“The rumor that Professor Adrian is dead… Is it real?”
The students’ faces turned ashen in an instant.
Was the learning they had just begun to end here?
Of course, Adrian had demanded an absurd amount of study material and had always told them to say “I don’t like it,” so some students had mentally rebelled.
But even those students had completely vanished after memorizing the thirty pages of material.
Once they had tried memorizing it, they realized they could do it. Naturally, they wanted to move on to the next step. They wanted to apply it in real life.
It was the first academic passion they had felt in a very long time… no, the first they had felt in their lives. The first sense of achievement and the first hope they had ever felt.
Whether it was because Adrian was good or because his studies were good, the students all reached the same conclusion.
“Please, let him be okay.”
In the silent lecture hall, the students’ murmurs began to rise. It would never stop. It soon grew loud enough to be noisy.
As F-Class students and Adrian’s students, it was only natural.
“Speaking of which, the president said she would visit the F-Class today.”
“If something really bad happened, then…”
“What should we do? Are they going to disband the F-Class?”
Everyone let out a sound of “Huh?” at someone’s words.
It was a perfectly plausible story.
The lower, middle, and upper classes would get a new professor if their teacher died. Don’t worry too much. They would come to announce that. But this was the F-Class.
If they made the decision to disband the F-Class here, these students would be forcibly expelled starting today.
They would instantly become unemployed mages with no magic skills.
But just then, the front door of the lecture hall opened.
The murmurs died down instantly. Everyone’s gaze turned toward the front.
Reporters could not enter the academy’s lecture halls. In other words, the president had opened the door herself.
And as expected.
“Everyone, welcome~”
Long purple hair and a beret. The president appeared with a cheerful greeting.
One could not be careless just because she had appeared happily. She always greeted everything with joy.
Everyone imagined the worst-case scenario in their heads and desperately prayed that the worst-case scenario would not come from the president’s mouth.
But suddenly, Violet placed a black card on the podium.
“Please, give the F-Class students a good environment.”
And then she muttered something. The students blinked in confusion, unable to understand what she was saying.
That’s a Master Card. Violet’s Master Card.
“Adrian said that. So I’ll put this here.”
Rahal Academy had many high-end facilities, but as long as Violet’s Master Card was available, anyone could use them freely.
Of course, there were exceptions, like female students entering male-only facilities.
“It’s over.”
“It seems he really passed away.”
They had no choice but to think that.
Since the professor had died, they should use this for at least a day or two. The students’ faces turned from pale to deathly.
Someone even began to sniffle. Of course, it was Charlotte.
“Hmmm. Everyone, listen carefully.”
Violet cleared her throat and spoke in a somewhat serious tone. The students held their breath to hear her words clearly.
“Everyone must be very curious about the condition of your assigned professor, Adrian. I understand that feeling well~ However, I would like you to make one promise to me.”
Every student listened to the story without moving a muscle. It was an unspoken agreement to promise anything.
“You must not tell the reporters. I’m fine with it~ But the president really dislikes it when articles about Rahal Academy are published.”
They were at their wit’s end. The students nodded vigorously.
Violet’s characteristically soft and leisurely voice was especially unbearable today.
“First, Professor Adrian is alive. His life was saved.”
The students’ mouths fell open.
Because of the lack of any sound in the lecture hall and the frozen reactions of the students, Violet tilted her head in confusion.
“Huh? Should I just change the assigned professor?”
She had wanted to change Adrian to a higher-class professor anyway?
But the atmosphere was strange. Suddenly, the students slammed their desks.
“Professor Adrian!!! He’s alive?!?!”
“Thank goodness!!!!”
“Thank goodness!!!!!!”
Cheers erupted from all around, but none of them lacked joy. The lecture hall became so noisy that it was hard to believe it had been quiet moments ago.
“Quiet, quiet~”
Violet placed her index finger on her lips. These kids better not let the reporters hear this!
And then she floated something with mana in front of the blackboard.
“This is a short message from Adrian to the F-Class~ His condition is quite critical, so he can only do this much for now. I’ll leave this here and go~”
Violet left the lecture hall. Everyone’s gaze turned toward the words written on the blackboard.
You really hate us.
Whether you’re worried about me or hoping I don’t return, you don’t realize that you’re wasting time right now.
Since you’ve mastered all thirty pages, it’s not a waste of time. You weren’t going to say something like that, were you?
There’s about a hundred pages of material in the office. Memorize it right away.
There are more materials after that, so memorize them all and come to the report immediately.
When I visited the 13th floor of the infirmary, the facilities were quite nice.
If you haven’t finished studying by the time I return, you won’t enjoy this facility. I’m serious.
Violet left the lecture hall. Everyone’s gaze turned toward the words written on the blackboard.
=== You really hate us. Whether you’re worried about me or hoping I don’t return, you don’t realize that you’re wasting time right now. Since you’ve mastered all thirty pages, it’s not a waste of time. You weren’t going to say something like that, were you? There’s about a hundred pages of material in the office. Memorize it right away. There are more materials after that, so memorize them all and come to the report immediately. When I visited the 13th floor of the infirmary, the facilities were quite nice. If you haven’t finished studying by the time I return, you won’t enjoy this facility. I’m serious. ===
Now the F-Class students who had been cursed at in letters were the only ones who didn’t welcome this message.
Thankfully he was alive. It was also good that the F-Class was maintained.
But…
“A hundred pages…? Can we even do that…?”
Isabel tilted her head. The other students were just as worried about that part.
“It might take a long time to finish. That’s what she meant by memorize them by then.”
“I guess so. Thinking about it that way makes sense.”
The students whispered among themselves.
However.
A student limped onto the podium. The green undertones peeking from within her white hair were quite attractive.
Michelle Maynans.
She stood on the podium. The students’ gazes were drawn to her as if they had never imagined such an impulsive action.
“Listen carefully.”
The girl’s expression was more serious than ever.
“I’ve only met people I like throughout my life.”
What was she trying to say? The students tilted their heads slightly.
“They were all kind. But those people were kind because they wanted something from me. Right? There’s no such thing as kindness without wanting something.”
That was true.
To a girl who might become the head of the Maynans family, who wouldn’t be unkind? It would become a great asset later just by appearing good.
“But what about Adrian, that professor? He tells us… no, you every day that he hates you.”
The word “us” was still difficult for Michelle. The girl stuttered slightly.
“That professor doesn’t want anything from us. Therefore, he isn’t kind. But.”
Even Michelle didn’t understand why she was doing this.
It should have been nothing more than a farewell to the F-Class kids. She was surprised at herself for continuing to speak.
“Kindness and usefulness are different things. That professor is more useful than anyone else. He’s devoted himself to helping the students of this lecture hall thoroughly. He’s even given his body.”
No student thought Michelle’s words were wrong.
But a hundred pages was still a bit… memorizing thirty pages had nearly made their heads explode.
Hoo, the girl let out a sigh.
“You know what the Demon said to me.”
The students’ eyes sparkled.
Thinking about it, that was right. Michelle’s group had actually faced the Demon they had only heard about in stories and returned alive.
“When killing humans, humans are like fleas. Fleas so miserable. I’ll do anything, so please spare me.”
Michelle raised her voice even more at the students who looked dazed.
“You just have to choose. Will you learn another hundred pages and survive, or will you just beg and die?”
The students’ faces looked deeply moved by something.
“Look, I don’t like saying the same things as that professor, but I don’t like you guys either.”
Looking at those faces, Michelle very slightly lifted the corner of her mouth.
“So let’s part ways as quickly as possible. But even if we part, let’s not die stupidly facing the Demon. Don’t get discouraged in front of the other guys.”
Using telekinesis, she lifted the Master Card and slammed it into the gap between the ceiling and the floor. No one could take it.
“What do you need with this card? A student ID is enough.”
Clang-!
Clang-!
Michelle snapped her fingers and opened the front and back doors of the lecture hall as well as the windows.
“If you don’t like it, leave. I won’t stop you. We’re the kind of people who hate each other.”
But no student stood up from their seat.
None of them.
The students’ faces looked deeply moved, as if impressed by something. A strange spark shone in their eyes.
“But if we’re doing this, let’s show them properly too.”
At that moment, the most pleasant wind blew in through the open doors and windows.
“How much we hate that professor.”
The students’ eyes burned.