Faculty Meeting (1)
A week had already passed since I arrived at the Old School Building.
For reference, I worked hard on that cleaning session last time, but the kids' reactions were pretty much nonexistent.
"Hoo. Indeed, you have this much sense. I shall praise you."
"...Hehe, cool."
At best, Serath had given me some praise, and Iruka had been napping in the increasingly clean classroom every day.
If that counted as progress, then it was progress. I had to think positively.
As I mulled over slowly cleaning the remaining classrooms, a slightly special guest visited the Old School Building today.
"Good morning! Teacher."
A man smiling as brightly as sunshine, just like always.
It was the Guide, practically my lifeline.
"Long time no see, Guide."
"It's been a week! How have you been?"
How have I been?
I recalled the past week's events.
Ignored by the kids, beaten up by Iruka, spent a ton of money on gifts, nearly brainwashed by Abel, cleaned all night alone...
"I've been great."
Come to think of it, being alive meant I'd been great. What was a little beating and some blood?
"That doesn't look like a lying face, so you really have been okay?"
"They're all good kids, so no real problems."
"...If you're being threatened, just tap my shoulder."
"It's really not that, so let's go already."
I hurriedly grabbed the Guide's shoulder and dragged him along.
Passing the Old School Building, we headed into the dense forest.
It looked peaceful at a glance, but true to its name as the Trap Forest, no animals or birdsong could be heard in this area—no matter how eerie the silence.
"This forest still feels ominous. You really need to be careful, Teacher."
"I can't even leave without you anyway."
"Fair enough. How about I visit once a week from now on? You must have things you want to do outside."
"I'd appreciate that."
The Guide was the best.
I didn't like depending on a guy, but in this situation, there was no choice.
"By the way, what's the kids' reputation like in the academy?"
"Ah, the kids?"
"The Old School Building kids."
I'd felt a sense of unease earlier when the Guide asked if I was being threatened.
The Guide was basically kind and friendly by nature, but even he seemed scared of the kids.
If someone like him asked right away if I was being threatened, just how bad was their reputation?
"Uh, um..."
The Guide looked troubled.
With his personality, he probably didn't want to badmouth the kids behind their backs.
This was a moment to push a little.
"It's for proper guidance. I can't teach if I don't know the real situation."
"If you put it that way... Of course, this is all just rumors, okay? I haven't seen anything myself."
"Rumors get exaggerated, naturally. I'll keep that in mind."
The Guide still seemed reluctant, but since I'd pressed this far, he finally spoke up.
"First, with Iruka... there's no particular rumors. She just skips all exams and classes, so not many people have even seen her face."
"I see."
As expected of the Old School Building's last shred of conscience, the one and only good student, Iruka.
She'd ditched me with the cleaning yesterday, which was annoying, but it was basically like she'd helped.
The info on the other students matched what I already knew.
Serath's "verbal abuse."
Rise's "violence."
Hakan's "persecution of heretics."
Riko's "theft."
They were the representative sins defining the kids in the original story, their symbolic traits.
What I was most curious about was Abel.
"What about Abel?"
"Abel... um, honestly, I don't know. She had a great reputation normally, popular enough to be called the academy's idol. Even among the faculty, opinions are divided."
"Nothing major, but her student record says 'unfit for classes.'"
"Her? With her excellent grades?"
Even the Guide didn't know much about Abel.
I hadn't gained new info, but this was enough.
I'd gained the info that there was no info to gain. As expected, even at this point, Abel was thoroughly hiding herself, operating as the mastermind from the shadows.
Just then, the forest ended, and the majestic white towers of Mershu Academy welcomed me.
"Haa..."
"Huh? A sigh? Something wrong?"
Of course, it wasn't a welcome sight for me, so I couldn't help sighing at the New School Building.
"...It feels like things are about to get annoying."
I recalled why I'd left the Old School Building for the New School Building today and gave a wry smile.
A teacher's main duty is teaching students—that's their reason for being—but that interaction doesn't happen only with students.
"Long time no see, Raju Teacher."
"Long time no see, Astella Teacher."
The academy was called a microcosm of society for students, but it was no exception for teachers.
For teachers, the academy wasn't a microcosm of society—it was society.
Looking at the teachers gathered in the huge circular conference hall, I chose the most inconspicuous corner seat.
Please, just ignore me.
Today was the monthly faculty meeting.
"One of my class students this time—"
"Oh my, one of ours..."
The teachers were chatting and laughing among themselves.
Enviable. They could talk about their students with smiles.
I was literally risking my life to do this job.
I'm still alive!
Saying that in the middle would just get me labeled crazy.
Still, it's weird how absolutely no one's paying attention.
No matter how much I wanted to be ignored in the corner, this was too much.
A new teacher in this closed-off academy, and zero reaction?
"...!!"
"Aha."
Only after seeing teachers who met my eyes hurriedly look away did I understand.
The academy staff had decided to ignore the empire's forced parachute teacher.
If you looked closely, there were plenty of empty seats near me, but they deliberately sat in clumps, leaving space around me.
Childish.
Teachers or students, same antics.
Kids were one thing, but grown adults acting like this was just pathetic.
Of course, I was grateful.
As I enjoyed the leisure, someone sat next to me.
"First time meeting. You're Otto Teacher, assigned from the empire, right?"
"...First time meeting."
If Abel had pure white silver hair, this was a duller, grayish silver.
Half-lidded eyes and a handsome face that screamed "good-looking" at first glance, like the Guide.
But knowing his identity and personality, it wasn't a pleasant encounter for me.
"Hello. I'm Astar Arenrise."
"...Otto Becker."
"Nice to meet you, Otto Teacher. Must be tough since it's your first time at the academy."
"Not really."
"Haha, you're a fine man."
The man who introduced himself as Astar chattered on.
"By the way, you went straight to the Old School Building, right?"
"Yeah."
"Too bad. There was a huge event at the shopping district the day before yesterday—"
"I see."
He kept talking next to me, but I wasn't really listening.
I was exhausted—why kept talking to me?
Just leave me alone.
"Then, since it's time, let's begin the regular faculty meeting."
Astar, who had been prattling, finally shut up as the meeting started.
"First agenda: the upcoming second-year practical training. Proposer, please come forward."
"Yes!"
So this is how it works.
The original story focused on students, so teachers' lives weren't deeply explored.
Mershu Academy's faculty meetings seemed to involve teachers proposing numerous agendas and explaining them themselves.
"The front gate's been getting dirty lately. How about hiring a cleaning service?"
"Student discipline is lax! Even mages need basic training—mandatory three hours of exercise daily!"
"Isn't the cafeteria food quality dropping? Time for a total overhaul."
"Um, excuse me... the club budgets were too low this time..."
"Kids have been dozing off in class a lot. How about distributing my magic tool academy-wide? It wakes you up..."
"Trying to profit off untested magic tools? How tacky."
The faculty meeting was literally a place to say whatever you wanted.
In my past life, meetings meant reading prepared materials and getting lectured by seniors—this was different, a true free-for-all for teachers' wishes.
"Yawn..."
Of course, none of it related to my life in the Old School Building, so it just made me sleepy.
Living tense with the kids every day, relaxing here made drowsiness hit harder.
"Haha, bored, huh?"
"...Doesn't concern me."
"True, you live in the Old School Building."
Why was this guy acting so chummy?
Based on his actions in the original, this wasn't his style at all.
"Looks like it's our turn soon. Time to entertain the teachers with something fun."
"...No need to mind me."
"No, it'll definitely be interesting."
Astar flashed an ominous smile.
At that moment, the moderator in the center said,
"Next topic: the qualifications of the teacher assigned to the newly entered Special Class."
I snapped awake at the agenda pinpointing me.
The teachers were sneakily glancing my way while pretending not to.
"Proposer, please come forward."
"Yes."
"...Aha."
So that's what this was.
Astar Teacher, sitting next to me, gracefully stood and looked down at me.
"Heh, hope you enjoy the show."
Huh? Wait, if they deem me unqualified here, what happens?
Forced expulsion from the academy?
"...Looking forward to it."
No joke—this really felt like it might get interesting, just like Astar said.
Forcing down my rising smirk, I straightened my posture.