Why Did It Have to Be the S-Class?

"It looks like this story is going to take a while, so why don't you take off that mask and sit down to talk?"

Lucy touched my mask as she spoke, then pointed to a chair and table tucked in the corner of the room and added, "Of course, I've prepared all sorts of refreshments as well."

Hmm. As expected of my former private tutor. Her preparation was impeccable.

I nodded and took a seat. Lucy followed, settling into the chair across from me. I removed my mask and set it on the table. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she looked at me.

"You've changed quite a bit from before."

I answered in a flat tone. "Why bring that up now, after all this time? Anyway, what did you mean by 'thanks to me'? What's that about?"

She gave a faint smile and laughed softly. "Hehe, you really have no idea, do you? Just how much you've helped me. If you'll indulge me with a little trip down memory lane—at the time, I was completely obsessed with magic. This is a bit embarrassing to admit, but back then I was the type who'd do anything to raise my rank. After graduating at the top of the magic academy and becoming a 9th Class Mage, I began growing at an incredible pace. Almost frighteningly fast. But that phase didn't last long. By the time you and I met, when I was stuck at 5th Class Mage, I'd hit a wall. I wandered in confusion for a long time after that. I bought grimoires from the black market, visited mages from the Tower—nothing worked. That's when I met you. You shattered the wall blocking me and showed me how to move forward. I'm still grateful for that, even now."

The story seemed to be wandering off course, so I cut in. "Okay, so what's the actual point?"

Lucy paused for a few seconds before speaking. "How did you come up with the idea of infusing objects with mana to manifest spells?"

Huh?

"What? Infusing objects with mana? What are you talking about?"

"And yet you don't even realize it yourself. Hehe, you really are something."

Lucy cleared her throat a few times, composed herself, and continued in a serious voice.

"Kaltz, starting today, the moment the entrance exam ends, you must begin your duties as a teacher."

Her sudden shift to seriousness caught me off guard for a moment, but I quickly regained my composure. "Right, I figured as much. So which class am I in charge of?"

That was the most important part to me. If I got assigned to a high-ranking class, even half-assing the lessons would put me in the crosshairs of every noble house. Peaceful academy life would go right out the window. So I silently prayed to Lucy to please, please give me a low-ranking class full of commoners and waited for her answer.

"Kaltz, the class you'll be responsible for is... the S-Class."

-Pffft!

The shocking news made me spit out the coffee in my mouth. The expression on Lucy's face after getting splashed was... huh? Why doesn't she look bothered at all?

"Oh dear, are you all right? Let me clean that up for you."

I roughly wiped her face with the robe I was wearing.

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine. No problem at all."

Lucy pushed me away, stood up, and began murmuring something.

As soon as her lips stopped moving, a breeze swirled around her and her clothes became spotless. Not a single stain remained.

"There, all clean. In any case, Sir Kaltz, from now on you will teach diligently at the academy as Teacher Kyle."

Just then, the deep sound of a large bell rang from outside the closed window.

-Dong—

"Ah, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seems the entrance exam is about to begin. If you head over and watch the students who'll be in your class fighting, it could serve as useful reference material."

As she spoke, the same bright light from earlier began glowing in Lucy's hand again. I hurriedly grabbed the mask I'd left on the table, put it on, and shouted desperately.

"Wait, why the hell am I in charge of the S-Class—!"

My vision was swallowed by light.

After Kaltz had been transported to the arena, Lucy, now alone in the room, thought to herself.

Lucy, who had been fidgeting restlessly in the empty room, stopped and conjured a magical screen in the air. She stared intently at the image of the arena—specifically at Kaltz—and nodded to herself.

"Good. The tracking spell on the mask is working, and the dedicated Kaltz monitor is functioning perfectly."

She sat down in the chair Kaltz had occupied moments ago, took a sip of the half-finished coffee in front of her, and made a firm resolution.

The look in Lucy's eyes as she made that vow burned a deeper red than usual.

The light faded and I opened my eyes in the middle of a crowd. It was the arena where the entrance exam was being held. All sorts of voices bombarded me at once, nearly snatching my soul away.

Ugh, way too many people.

I'd never been fond of crowded places, so I headed to a secluded corner of the stands with the fewest students and leaned against the wall. From there, I watched the entrance exam taking place on the sandy floor below.

My long conversation with Lucy meant we were already at the final matches.

"Ien, Darian, step forward."

The referee's voice boomed from below. This was probably the last match. True to form, the audience's cheers had reached a fever pitch.

"Whoa! I wonder what kind of monster the top new student is this year? Poor bastard who's up against them."

Those words reached my ears.

"The top student's match, huh..."

A sour memory surfaced, and I found myself staring at the face of the top student called Ien. She had pure white silver hair and crimson eyes. In her hand she held a staff that perfectly matched her coloring—white and red blended together.

"Top students really do all have distinctive looks."

I thought her appearance somehow resembled a rabbit as the starting bell rang. I left the stands and waited blankly on a nearby bench until the match ended.

It didn't take long. Soon students and spectators began pouring out of the arena like a flood.

There she is.

I spotted the top student—Ien—walking out from a distance and began tailing her. Why? Simple. I didn't know the way. Lucy had said S-Class, so if I just followed the top student, I figured I'd eventually reach it.

After about ten minutes of walking, it became clear we weren't heading toward any classrooms. The path led into the mountains. I was starting to regret following her and wondering if I should just find Lucy or ask a nearby student for directions when Ien suddenly stopped.

"What gives you the nerve to follow me?"

She turned around and spoke in a voice dripping with murderous intent. Luckily I'd quickly hidden behind a tree, so she hadn't spotted me. As expected of the top student—she'd noticed me even though I'd completely concealed my presence.

Wait a second, I didn't have to follow her at all. I could've just asked someone.

Having realized that, I stepped out from behind the tree with my hands raised to show I meant no harm.

"Ah, I'm Kyle. I'll be starting work as a teacher at the academy today. Truth is, I'm terrible with directions, so I thought if I followed you—the top student—I might find the classroom. Looks like I've caused a misunderstanding."

Ien tilted her head, then said, "From the look of you, I'd say you're a teacher assigned to one of the lower classes. So why follow me, the top student? And when speaking to someone, take off that mask."

I could see her expression souring in real time, so I answered quickly.

"No, I've been assigned as homeroom teacher for the S-Class. Just overlook the mask this once, okay? If we head to the S-Class together, it's a win-win and a happy ending for everyone. So how about showing me the way?"

For a moment it seemed like things would resolve peacefully.

-BOOM!

"Keuk! What the hell are you doing?"

The instant I finished speaking, Ien hurled a massive chunk of ice at me. I barely dodged it, but the impact shattered every tree nearby. Judging by the size of that ice, getting hit would've been disastrous.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Ien replied coldly, "Someone like you is the S-Class homeroom teacher? Don't make me laugh. If it's true, I'll verify your skills myself."

She gripped her staff again and began firing magical crystals at me.

This is the top student? What the hell is wrong with her personality?!

With no other choice, I drew my sword, sliced through the incoming crystals in a single swing, and charged toward Ien at high speed.

"...!"

The opponent she'd judged as weak was suddenly closing in fast. Startled, Ien swung her staff in a wide arc, freezing the entire ground around us.

-Tap—

I leaped into the air to avoid the frozen surface. The inevitable vulnerability that appears when one is airborne.

He won't be able to dodge now...

Or so Ien thought as she launched an ice blade at me with her staff.

Impressive skill. As expected of the top student. But—in the end, fights are decided by experience.

I poured mana into the sword in my right hand and swung it lightly through the air, aiming not at the ground but directly at Ien as she fired the ice blade. The mana rippling along the blade shot forward like sword energy, deflecting her attack and continuing on to lightly graze the right hand holding her staff. She dropped it.

"What kind of... magic is that?"

While she was still flustered, I landed lightly beside her, stepped in close, and snatched the staff away.

"Is it acceptable for a student to use force against a teacher? Isn't this a violation of academic authority, Miss Top Student?"

Disarmed, Ien clenched her fists and rushed me, but she was subdued in moments. Still pinned, she looked up at me.

"That claim about you being the S-Class homeroom teacher... it doesn't seem to be a lie after all."

I answered in a slightly indignant voice, "Of course not! I haven't told a single lie from beginning to end!"

Ien, still face-down with both wrists held by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me, twisted her head around to look at me. The moment our eyes met—her crimson gaze sent a strangely chilling feeling down my spine.

"Fine, I'll believe you. But are you all right?"

"With what?"

"Class is about to start."

At that moment, the bell signaling the start of lessons rang ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from far away.

-Ding-dong-dang-dong—

"Crap, I'm screwed."

Hearing that, Ien gave a small laugh and made me an offer.

"If you keep what happened here a secret from the other students, I'll guide you. It's not far. If you run at the same speed you charged me with earlier, you'll arrive in under a minute."

Since it wouldn't do any good for rumors to spread among the students or faculty that a teacher had fought a student, I gladly accepted. I moved to help her up.

But she didn't stand.

"Ah, sorry. My legs went weak. Could you carry me on your back?"

Just what kind of person was this girl?