8
Chapter 8
Enoch returned to the Academy, bringing Sancta and Morse along.
His first stop was to visit Benny with Sancta.
As soon as he opened the infirmary door, he saw Benny greeting him cheerfully. She was half-sitting up in bed.
"Teacher! Where were you yesterday? I didn't see you anywhere."
"You were in the infirmary the whole time. How would you know?"
"Edelyn was looking for you!"
'Why was she looking for me? Did she have a question about the Mana Storage?'
But that thing is finished once it's created. It was designed for immediate use, meaning it's complete as soon as it's engraved.
'I'll ask her during the next class.'
Benny spotted Sancta, who was hiding and clutching Enoch's pants. Benny's eyes immediately sparkled.
"Teacher, who is she?"
"She's a student who will be transferring in."
Enoch tried to nudge Sancta forward, but for some reason, she only hid further behind him.
Sancta tightly gripped Enoch's robe with both hands.
"Does that mean she'll be in the same class as us?"
'For that to happen, she has way too much mana.'
"No, she'll likely be placed in S Class."
"Aw... I thought I'd be able to make a new friend..."
Benny lowered her head with a look of disappointment.
No matter how sad she looked, how could I possibly put a child whose entire body is overflowing with mana into F Class?
'But this is strange. Giving up just because the classes are different? Normally, Benny would have rushed over to be friends.'
What's going on? Did something happen while I was away? She seems a bit timid.
"Is there a rule that says you can't be friends if you're in different classes? You can just be friends anyway."
Benny's face brightened up again.
"Right? Right? Class doesn't matter when it comes to making friends, does it?"
"Of course not."
Benny looked at Sancta with eyes full of anticipation. The girl remained half-hidden behind Enoch's robe.
"Let's take our time getting to know each other. For now, hold out your hand."
"My hand? I've rested for a day, so I'm all better now!"
Enoch pressed firmly on Benny's bandage with his finger.
— Press.
"Ouch!"
"And you call this being all better?"
Benny began to make excuses, looking embarrassed that her lie had been caught.
"Hehehe. I just didn't want to make you worry, Teacher."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but prioritize your health. Health comes first."
Right after mana...
'Ugh.'
I miss my vanished mana so much. Even now, the output is so weak every time I use a rune that I feel a sense of self-loathing.
'Where did it all go!!!! My love (mana)!!!!'
"Anyway, hold out your hand."
Enoch slowly unwrapped Benny's bandage and looked at Sancta.
"Could you heal her?"
The Saintess nodded quietly. Expecting a flash, Enoch closed his eyes.
Benny, curious about the girl Enoch brought, stared at her with sparkling eyes.
— Whoosh.
Light struck the room, flooding in through the infirmary windows.
"Aaaaagh!!!!! My eyes!! My eyes!!!! Teacher, I can't... I can't see anything!!!"
Benny screamed, covering her eyes with her hands. The Saintess covered her ears, seemingly annoyed by the noise.
"You'll be able to see once you open your eyes."
"What do you mean?!!! I'm telling you, I can't see a thing because of the light!"
"Just open your eyes!!!! This isn't just light, it's healing mana!!!!!"
After some bickering, Benny finally opened her eyes.
"Ohhh. Teacher! I can see now."
"Sorry. Next time something like this happens, I'll let you know first."
'Thank goodness no one else is in the infirmary. The old man would have kicked us out for making such a racket.'
"Come to think of it, where did Teacher Oswin go?"
"He said he was going to give B Class a warning because their training has been too brutal lately!"
They suddenly increased the training intensity?
'Why? Was there something happening at the Academy around this time? An exam or an event?'
"Yesterday alone, eight people came in the morning and over ten in the afternoon."
'Seriously, what kind of training are they doing?'
"But there aren't any patients here right now?"
"Teacher Oswin was treating the patients, then he suddenly snapped. He took them all with him, saying he'd use them as witnesses."
'Aha. The old man finally hit his limit.'
Well, his mana isn't infinite. Even with the Healing Type students helping, he must have struggled with the lack of manpower.
"Your hand is all healed now, right?"
"Huh?! It really is!! It doesn't hurt at all!"
Seeing her hand was fine, Benny beamed and opened and closed her fist.
"This girl is the one who healed you."
Benny hopped off the bed to get eye-level with Sancta.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, it doesn't hurt anymore. Oh! My name is Benny Finch. What's yours?"
Sancta looked up at Enoch for a moment. Once Enoch nodded, she spoke cautiously.
"Sancta..."
"So your name is Sancta. Nice to meet you!"
Perhaps embarrassed about sharing her name, Sancta hid behind Enoch. Her face, partially visible, showed clear signs of joy.
Enoch gently patted the girl's head.
"I'll see you in the next class then. Give my regards to Teacher Oswin."
"Okay~ Take care, Teacher. Bye, Sancta!"
When Benny waved from behind, Sancta timidly waved back.
Benny began waving even faster.
#
The next day, he took Morse to the Administration Office.
After completing the paperwork, he returned to his laboratory. It had been a battle with a mountain of documents. He felt like he'd been told "no" at least three times.
Exhausted, Enoch threw himself into his chair.
'I didn't expect the process to be this complicated. I was sweating bullets fearing they'd reject it.'
Morse approached Enoch and suddenly leaned in close. Her face was right there.
"Are you very tired? I'm sorry for being a nuisance."
'What is this? Why is she so close? And why is her hand on my thigh?'
"Don't worry about it. It wasn't that difficult."
They were close enough to feel each other's breath.
"I feel so bad; is there anything I can do to help? Just tell me, no matter what it is."
He could tell she was sincere. Enoch thought it over.
'Something to help with? I need to find Benny's teacher, gather materials for magic tools, and earn some money.'
But none of those felt like tasks he should entrust to an assistant.
'Ah! That's it! Since Curse Types are rare, I should teach Morse Rune Reading.'
Rune Reading.
This refers to the ability of Curse Type Awakened to use their tattoos as incantations.
Those who can use Rune Reading are extremely rare because it requires accurately identifying the incantation and its effect from the tattoo.
'I only did a quick check at the inn. I want to examine it more closely.'
"Can you show me your tattoo?"
"Oh."
For a moment, her golden eyes wavered, and her cheeks flushed red.
'Wait, did I choose the wrong words?'
— Snap.
She undid the buttons of her robe.
— Rustle.
— Thud.
She climbed onto Enoch's desk and spread her legs.
Grabbing one edge of her skirt, she slowly began to lift it.
— Slide.
Now it was Enoch's eyes that began to waver.
'Is this really okay... I mean, this is the right way to see the tattoo, but the atmosphere is just...'
"Please, touch me as much as you like."
'I never said touch! What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind? I feel like my own sanity is about to escape.'
Perhaps due to the suggestive atmosphere and his own agitation, Enoch's brain wasn't functioning properly.
Her eyes gleaming, Morse lifted the other side of her skirt as if urging him. Her golden gaze never left him.
Enoch steeled himself and reached out. For academic purposes. For research purposes. He decided to think of it that way.
His fingers gripped both of her thighs, exposing the tattoos clearly.
Enoch pressed against the soft thigh and observed the tattoo. A vivid pattern. It had the complex structure characteristic of the Curse Type.
It's denser than I thought... If I decode this pattern as an incantation—
"Haaah..."
Startled by her breathy voice, Enoch quickly withdrew his hand.
"I... I'm sorry, Morse."
She murmured with an ecstatic expression.
"Haaa... that felt so good..."
'Good? What's good about it!!!! I'm terrified!!! Get off the desk now!!! I'm even more scared because I don't know what you're capable of!!!!'
"I'm sorry, but could you please get down now?"
She looked disappointed. She began to get down obediently, but then she stopped, as if a mischievous thought had occurred to her. She then tilted her head slightly toward Enoch.
Her messy silver hair elegantly revealed the line of her neck.
Those seductive golden eyes stared directly at him. She licked her lips and gave a suggestive smile.
As Morse stepped boldly closer, Enoch's face flushed deep red.
"Stop trying to seduce me!"
He had a feeling that his academy life with her was going to be very dangerous.
#
Enoch sent Morse out and prepared for the next class.
Only after being alone could he breathe a sigh of relief. He organized his thoughts as he poured water into a teacup.
"Sancta needs to take the test during the next transfer period, and Edelyn's guidance is fine... Benny is the key."
I need to find a Martial Arts Type teacher and help her increase her mana... Is there any good way?
'Real combat is essential for growth, but it's too early for my students. They haven't even built their foundations yet. In that case...'
Then, there was a knock.
Knock, knock.
"It's me. May I come in?"
Two men entered the laboratory without waiting for an answer.
The Vice-Principal and the B Class teacher.
Enoch slowly set down his teacup and looked at the two. It was a combination he didn't welcome at all.
"What brings you here?"
"The Vice-Principal is here, yet you don't even stand up. Do you have no common sense?"
Teacher Saphent snapped, glaring at Enoch. His voice was low and sharp.
"Now, now. Teacher Enoch is probably just exhausted from managing F Class."
Vice-Principal Vincent dismissed it while pretending to be considerate. He was smiling slyly.
"As expected, you are very considerate, Vice-Principal."
'What a load of nonsense. Why are they coming here just to pick a fight?'
Especially Teacher Saphent. Between the training ground and now, I wonder what he's plotting.
The Vice-Principal didn't even sit down, wearing a grim expression. It was a sign that he hadn't come for a friendly conversation.
"We intend to abolish F Class this time."
"What??? Abolish... abolish it??????"
Enoch's left eyebrow twitched slightly.