Obsessively Teaching a Newbie
Obsessively Teaching a Newbie
Morning class.
Introduction to Combat Theory.
The classroom was spacious.
Tiered seating.
It was packed from the front.
"Hey, did you go to that new shop on East Gate Street yesterday?"
"Oh, that place? I heard the Meat Pie is delicious!"
"It's so good, seriously. The sauce is insane."
"Whoa, really? Should we go right after class today?"
"Hey, class hasn't even started yet and you're already talking about food?"
"Food is the most important thing!"
I walked through them.
No one looked at me.
Teobeok-
Teobeok-
The very back.
The far left corner.
There wasn't a soul within a 2-meter radius.
'Nice.'
'This quiet space in the corner.'
'It feels like my heart is finally finding peace.'
Kkii-ik-
The door opened.
The classroom went silent in one second.
Professor Bertina walked in.
A middle-aged woman with silver hair.
She stood at the podium.
She scanned the students once.
Slowly.
"3rd row, left. Fix your posture."
The man flinched and straightened his back.
"5th row, right. You didn't bring your textbook, did you?"
The woman rummaged through her bag.
"I know you didn't bring it. Don't bring it next time, and you're out."
The classroom froze.
The kids who were shouting "Count me in!" about Meat Pies just a moment ago.
They didn't even breathe.
"This is the first Practical Evaluation for second-years."
She picked up a piece of chalk.
"In your first year, it was theory-focused. What mana is. What attributes are. What circuits are."
She wrote on the chalkboard.
Fast.
"From your second year, it's different."
She put down the chalk.
She looked at the students.
"It's practical combat."
The classroom was quiet.
It was already quiet, but it became even quieter.
"This Friday. We will hold the first Practical Evaluation."
"Field subjugation. Academy South Forest."
'...Practical combat?'
"4 people per group. The groups have already been formed."
"Hunt the Magic Beasts. Your grades will be based on the number you catch."
'Fuck.'
"Not dying is the top priority. Your grades come after that."
Professor Bertina tapped the podium.
"The group assignment list is posted on the hallway bulletin board. Check it after class."
The professor pointed to the chalkboard.
[Practical Evaluation — Field Subjugation]
[Date: Friday, 10:00 AM]
[Location: Academy South Forest]
[Group Formation: 4 people per group]
[Goal: Subjugate Magic Beasts within the designated area]
Class ended.
The hallway.
Students were gathered in front of the bulletin board.
They were looking for their names.
"I'm in Group 3!"
"With who?"
"Siegfried!!"
"Crazy. Lucky."
It was packed.
Shoulder to shoulder.
'I'll check later.'
I turned around.
I went to the bathroom.
I drank some water.
I looked out the hallway window.
10 minutes.
I came back.
It was still crowded.
'.............'
I turned around.
Another 5 minutes.
I came back.
It had thinned out.
Three people.
'Okay. Three people is fine.'
I approached.
I found my name.
[Group 7]
[Ian Valentine — Druid]
Me.
Same group.
[Camilla von Edelweiss — Magic Department]
[Derrick von Grausen — Chivalry]
[Marion von Herpelt — Magic Department]
Camilla.
Room 205.
'............'
The other two.
Their grades were written next to them.
[Camilla von Edelweiss — Mana Output: 487 / Entrance Exam Score: Top 12%]
[Derrick von Grausen — Mana Output: 534 / Entrance Exam Score: Top 8%]
[Marion von Herpelt — Mana Output: 412 / Entrance Exam Score: Top 15%]
[Ian Valentine — Mana Output: 63 / Entrance Exam Score: Bottom 3%]
'............'
487.
534.
412.
63.
'One of them is noticeably lacking.'
'Who is it?'
487 is Camilla. Top tier.
534 is Derrick. Even higher tier.
412 is Marion. Above average.
63 is.
'.............'
'It's me.'
Afternoon.
Greenhouse Annex.
Druid Department lounge.
I opened the door.
Kkii-ik-
It was quiet.
'Nice. No one's here.'
I sat at a corner table.
I brought an empty flowerpot.
It was filled with soil.
'Let's try it once.'
I had sprouted a seed once before.
Even though it took a really long time.
I placed my hand on the soil.
I concentrated.
1 minute.
It didn't work.
3 minutes.
It didn't work.
'.............'
'If the standard way doesn't work.'
I looked around.
The door is closed, right?
The curtains are drawn well, too.
'No one's here, right?'
I checked one more time.
No one.
I got into position.
I stretched my right hand forward.
My left hand was on my chest.
The pose for casting a Druid ultimate in the game.
A pose I'd done thousands of times over 5,000 hours.
I took a deep breath.
"Mother of Earth."
Low and majestic.
"Bless the roots where the source of life dwells."
I put power into my voice.
In the game, when you do this chant, the whole screen turns green and a giant tree rises up.
"Gather the energy of all things into one—"
I looked at the soil.
'.............'
Nothing happened.
'.............'
'I knew it.'
'But just one more time.'
I looked around again.
'No one, right?'
This time, I stretched both hands forward.
The pose for the Druid awakening skill in the game.
This is a skill that only unlocks after 3,000 hours in the game.
"Sleeping earth!! Awaken!!"
I shouted.
At the top of my lungs.
It echoed in the greenhouse.
'.............'
The soil was still there.
Just like before.
'Ah.'
'Fuck.'
I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my sleeve.
'So embarrassing.'
Let's go back to the standard way.
I raised my hand again.
At that moment.
Kkii-ik-
The door opened.
"Oh?"
Thor-seonbae.
He walked in carrying a watering can.
Looks like he came to water the plants.
"Ian? What are you doing here?"
'How long has he been there?'
'He just walked in, right?'
'.............'
'Because the door was closed.'
'Because the greenhouse soundproofing is good.'
'The greenhouse soundproofing is good, right?'
'It has to be.'
"............I'm training."
"Training?"
Thor-seonbae approached.
His expression was the same as usual.
'Guess he didn't hear it.'
I let out a sigh of relief.
Thor-seonbae looked.
At my soil-covered palm.
"How much have you practiced?"
"............About 30 minutes."
"30 minutes?"
Thor's eyes changed.
It wasn't pity.
It wasn't sympathy either.
They were sparkling.
'Why is he making that face?'
"Right. I heard the second-years have their first group evaluation. Is it because of that?"
"......Yes."
"So you were training alone?"
"...........Yes."
Thor put down the watering can.
He sat next to me.
"Should I show you?"
"............Yes?"
"Druid mana manipulation. From the basics."
Thor's voice was different.
It was different from his usual playful tone.
He was serious.
"Swordsmanship or magic is about gathering mana and firing it. Focusing. Explosively."
"............Yes."
"Druids are the opposite. You let the mana flow. Into the ground. Into the trees. Into the grass."
"Let it flow?"
"Relax. What you were doing for the last 30 minutes was trying to fire the mana. Focusing. Gathering it. Druids actually can't do it that way."
'Ah. Is that why it didn't work?'
Thor-seonbae placed his hand in front of the flowerpot.
3 seconds.
The sprout shook slightly.
"See? I didn't fire it. I let it flow."
"............."
"Just keep your hand on it. Relax."
"Even if I'm a 63?"
"Even if you're a 63."
"Try it."
I placed my hand on the soil.
'Relax.'
'Don't fire it.'
'Just let it flow.'
Kkii-ik-
The door opened.
"Oh? Thor-seonbae, were you here? Did you take the watering can......"
She stopped.
Sera.
3rd year.
She had her brown hair tied back in a ponytail.
Her bangs were parted over her forehead.
She looked at me.
Me, sitting in front of the flowerpot.
Thor-seonbae teaching me from the side.
Sera's eyes changed.
The same sparkle as Thor-seonbae.
"Ian-hubae, are you training on Friday?"
"............Yes."
"Is Thor-seonbae teaching you?"
"Yeah. I'm teaching him."
Thor shrugged.
Sera sat down next to us.
She looked at me, then the flowerpot, then Thor.
"Seonbae."
"Yeah."
"You're 1st place in the exams, but you lack wisdom."
"............."
"I'm better at practicals, aren't I? Shouldn't I be the one teaching him?"
Thor's expression hardened.
"What did you say?"
"What! Did I say something wrong?"
Sera opened her eyes wide.
"I'm 1st place in the exams, you know?"
"So what if you're 1st. Teaching and exams are different."
"How are they different? You teach as much as you know."
"Knowing and conveying are different, Seonbae."
"Hey."
"What."
"Do you know what score I got on the last practical?"
"I know. 92 points. I got 94 points, remember?"
"............."
"See~"
Sera turned her body toward me.
"Ian-hubae. I'll teach you. Thor-seonbae is good at theory, but his practical sense is a bit......"
"Hey. You saying that in front of me?"
"I'm saying it because you're here. Isn't it worse if I say it behind your back?"
".............That's true, I guess."
Thor scratched his head.
"Right? I'm being honest with you, Seonbae."
"That honesty is a knife, a knife."
"So what if it's a knife? It helps you, Seonbae."
"Who gives help so violently like this?"
"It's not violence. It's affection."
"............Hey."
"What~"
I was sitting in front of the flowerpot, watching the two of them bicker.
'I was just training.'
Kkii-ik-
The door opened again.
Hana.
4th year.
Graduating class.
"You guys were here? The flowerpot behind the greenhouse......"
She stopped.
She saw the situation.
Ian in front of the flowerpot.
Thor next to him.
Sera next to him.
The two of them were fighting.
Hana's eyes sparkled.
The same kind of sparkle as Thor-seonbae.
"Ian, are you training?"
"........Yes."
"Because of the evaluation on Friday?"
"............Yes."
Hana approached.
She crossed her arms.
"Should I teach you? I'm in the graduating class."
Thor stepped in.
"Seonbae. I started first."
"You're only good at theory."
Sera sparkled.
"Hana-seonbae! I just said the same thing!"
"Right? Thor is the theory type."
"Exactly! I'm better at practicals!"
Thor looked between the two of them.
"Why are you teaming up?"
Hana looked at Thor.
"Thor. I acknowledge that you're 1st in the exams."
"Thank you."
"But there's the experience of a graduating student."
"Experience? You got the name of a herb wrong last month, Seonbae."
"That was just a mix-up!!"
Sera chimed in.
I was sitting in front of the flowerpot, watching the three of them fight.
Kkii-ik-
The door opened again.
Teaching Assistant.
Three leaves on his head.
"So this is where you were. Thor-haksaeng, the watering can......".
He stopped.
He saw the situation.
Ian in front of the flowerpot.
Three seniors around him.
The three of them were fighting.
The Teaching Assistant smiled.
"Ian-haksaeng, are you training?"
"............Yes."
"Then I will......"
"No, Teaching Assistant!"
Thor stepped in.
"I'm doing it."
"You weren't doing it, you were fighting."
Sera said.
"Sera."
"It's the truth."
The Teaching Assistant clapped his hands.
"Let's do this. You can take turns teaching."
It went quiet.
"Today, Thor. Since you already started."
"Tomorrow, Hana."
Hana nodded.
"Friday morning, Sera."
Sera clenched her fist.
"Great! If it's Friday morning, it's right before the practical, so I can sharpen his practical sense."
The Teaching Assistant brewed some Herb Tea.
"Here. Drink some tea and take it slow."
The four of them drank tea.
I drank some too.
It was warm.
Thor suddenly clapped his hands.
"Hey, what should we teach first?"
Hana uncrossed her arms.
"We should start with basic mana manipulation."
Sera chimed in.
"No. Herb identification comes first."
"Seonbae, that's for later. First, he needs to get the sense of letting mana flow."
"No. It's meaningless if he can't distinguish herbs in the field."
"The debate about whether sense comes first or knowledge comes first has been going on forever."
"That's because sense comes first."
"No, it doesn't? You need to know the theory for your sense to find the direction."
"Hey Sera. Are you starting again?"
"It's not starting, it's the truth."
"What do you think, Hana-seonbae?"
"I think both at the same time."
"That's not an answer!"
The three pairs of eyes were sparkling.
It looked like they were fighting, but they weren't.
They were all excited.
I sat in front of the flowerpot and watched.
'.............'
'Everyone is super excited about obsessively teaching a newbie.'
The Teaching Assistant poured me some Herb Tea.
I bowed my head.
One sip.
Sip-
It was warm.
'............It's good.'
The three of them were still talking.
"I'm telling you, sense comes first!"
"Theory comes first!"
"We can just do both at the same time!"
"That's not an answer!"
Sip.
I took another sip.
It was warm.