Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: A Thorn in the Side (3)
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The classroom buzzed with commotion. Class Five. It wasn't just an early promotion; he had leaped two levels at once. This was an unprecedented decision, not only for the students but for the academy as well.
“Teacher! I object. How can Shirone skip two whole classes? He can't even use a single spell.”
This was news to Shina. Etella had never mentioned anything of the sort. Perhaps she didn't know either. After all, there was rarely a need to use magic in the lower-level classes.
“Is that true, Shirone?”
His classmates turned to look at Shirone. Their eyes seemed to be saying:
*Please say you can't. Say you can't do it.*
“Yes. I can't use any magic yet.”
“Hmm.”
Even so, it wasn't an issue for an early promotion. Magic was taught in earnest starting from the upper classes; the lower-class curriculum focused entirely on strengthening the Spirit Zone.
Shirone had mastered the fundamentals of the Four-Way Formation, and the size and durability of his Spirit Zone were on par with those of upper-class students. Therefore, Class Five was the appropriate level for him.
Still, being unable to cast magic was unusual. Most students would have tried casting spells in secret, even without being taught. They were, after all, kids who had come to a magic academy because they were desperate to learn magic.
“I find it curious as well. However, there are no evaluation criteria related to magic up to Class Six. Shirone's early promotion will proceed as planned.”
“I absolutely refuse to accept this!”
Mark, the unspoken leader of Class Seven, shot to his feet. He was a large, burly student with a square jaw that matched his physique.
“Why are you showing favoritism? Please provide some acceptable proof. You yourself said that omniscience is as important as omnipotence! Applying special conditions only to Shirone makes no sense!”
“That's right! Honestly, if I had to compete with Shirone on grades right now, I'm confident I'd win! He can't even keep up with the theory lessons!”
“If you promote Shirone, we'll petition the student council for a hearing!”
The students' backlash was far stronger than she had anticipated. Though young, they were all kids who had climbed up from Class Ten through competition. She had hoped Shirone would serve as a stimulus for them again, but they were burning with hostility, treating him like an enemy.
*'There's something I don't know.'*
Seeing the determination on the children's faces, as if they were ready for war, Shina realized the situation was serious. Such strong resistance could have a negative impact on the classroom atmosphere.
“This matter hasn't been officially decided yet. A formal announcement will be made after the faculty meeting. That will be all for today's class.”
Back in the faculty office, Shina rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
Competition was inevitable in a specialized academy like this. The students knew this and had enrolled voluntarily.
*'What is it? That strange look in their eyes?'*
It wasn't simple jealousy. Early promotions had happened before, but the backlash had never been this severe.
“Um, Teacher Shina.”
A female student named Maria came to see Shina.
She was the oldest in Class Seven, a nineteen-year-old girl who had been stuck at the same level for four years.
She wasn't entirely without talent, but her timid and fearful nature had the academy staff watching over her with a sense of pity.
“Yes? What is it, Maria?”
“Actually… there's something I need to tell you.”
After a long hesitation, Maria confessed everything: how Shirone was being treated in class and why the other students had been so angry earlier.
As the story unfolded, Shina's brow furrowed. It was more than a simple squabble; they were tormenting Shirone with malicious methods.
Whenever they crossed paths with Shirone, they would pretend to gag as if on cue. They also frequently gathered around him intentionally, talking amongst themselves while excluding him.
Maria finished her story, her voice thick with tears.
“They don't pay me any mind now since I'm the oldest, but… it happened to me, too. Back then, I couldn't focus on studying or anything. I think Shirone is amazing. I don't know how he can stay so calm in a situation like that.”
Shina now understood the full scope of the situation. A single student was being collectively ostracized. If fair competition couldn't be maintained, the academy had no reason to exist.
“Alright, thank you for telling me. I'll take it from here.”
Shirone arrived at his dorm around midnight. The bullying had intensified since the talk of his early promotion, so he figured it was better to come back early and read.
*Knock, knock.*
Someone was knocking on his door. He checked the time; it was already past one in the morning.
*'Who could it be at this hour?'*
Students weren't allowed out, and the staff had all gone home. Could it be the other kids, coming all the way here to harass him?
He hesitated, feeling anxious, when a familiar voice came from beyond the door.
“Shirone, are you asleep?”
“Teacher Shina?”
Shirone quickly opened the door. It was indeed Shina.
“May I come in?”
“Ah, yes. Please do.”
*Was Teacher Shina on duty tonight?* Her hair was still damp, as if she had just washed up in the dormitory.
The upper-class dorms housed students in their early twenties, so it wasn't a place for a female teacher to be visiting late at night. But Shina had chosen this hour to speak with him without his classmates knowing.
Unlike the rooms of other male students, this one was impeccably organized. Guessing at Shirone's personality, she examined the books laid out on his desk one by one. There were textbooks, but also a pile of books on subjects he didn't need to learn yet.
*'Just as I thought. He really does think differently.'*
It might look like he had opened random books, but to someone who understood the bigger picture, the subjects were all closely related.
She began to vaguely understand why Shirone couldn't use magic yet. It wasn't that he *couldn't*, but that he *wasn't*.
*'He's been weak in omniscience since he enrolled. He's desperately searching for a way to overcome his weakness. This boy doesn't just want to learn magic. He wants to become a mage.'*
Shina supported Shirone's method. Connecting knowledge to knowledge was a difficult process, but it bore great fruit. Interconnected knowledge was never forgotten.
“Um, Teacher. Would you like a cup of tea?”
“No, that's alright. I came because there's something I wanted to ask you.”
As Shina sat on the edge of the bed, Shirone pulled over his desk chair. It was the first time he had seen her face this close. In her casual clothes and with her hair down, she looked much younger than she did at the academy. He felt inexplicably shy and lowered his head slightly.
Shina watched him with a calm expression.
*'He's quite shy. Is this his usual personality?'*
During class, Shirone would focus so intently it felt like he was trying to bore a hole through her face with his gaze, so this side of him was unfamiliar.
“Is life at the academy difficult for you?”
“No, it's fun. I enjoy studying.”
“Why didn't you say anything? I heard the other students have been bullying you.”
Shirone had already guessed. In fact, it would have been strange if she didn't know. The other kids had been tormenting him openly lately.
“It's fine. You don't have to worry.”
Having heard every detail of the students' cruelty from Maria, Shina didn't believe him.
“It's okay to be honest about this. It's nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I'm really okay. It's a shame I couldn't make any friends, but if they dislike me, there's nothing I can do.”
“Ostracizing a fellow student is wrong.”
“You can't force feelings. Of course, it was hard at first, but I'm fine now. If the kids in Class Seven hate me, then so be it. It's not like the whole world hates me.”
Shina could understand. To some, the group they belonged to was their entire world. But to one who looked ever upward, such a group was merely a temporary stopover.
“I want to meet more people. I believe there must be someone out there who will listen to me more seriously.”
Shirone was making his stance on the early promotion clear. She agreed; in Class Five or higher, there would surely be friends who could accept him without feeling inferior.
“Shirone, I've heard your resolve loud and clear. I'll take it into consideration at the faculty meeting.”
Teleportation (1)
“And that concludes my statement regarding Shirone's early promotion.”
With Headmaster Alpheas and the upper-class teachers in attendance, Shina submitted the documents regarding the collective ostracism in Class Seven and took her seat.
The teachers who read the contents frowned. The details of the persistent bullying, which used Shirone's inability to cast magic as a pretext, were laid bare.
“Is this for real? Bullying a classmate for a reason like this?”
“It's plausible enough in the lower classes. There are many young children, and also students who are older but lack the talent to advance. The class itself lacks a certain level of discernment.”
“In that case, it would be best to promote Shirone quickly. A boy like him could graduate in four years, minimum. With neighboring academies challenging Alpheas Magic Academy, the more early graduates we have, the better.”
The age of graduates was one of the metrics that proved an academy's excellence. Credibility would drop if they failed to perform well in society, but rumors were spreading that other academies were competitively producing early graduates.
It was a standard method used to elevate an academy to prestigious status. First, you earn the title of a top institution to attract talented individuals, and only then do you improve the quality of education.
Amidst intense rivalry from other schools, Alpheas Magic Academy's strategy was not only to promote students early but to produce graduates of exceptional quality. In that sense, the teachers had high hopes for Shirone.
“I'm somewhat against it.”
Thadd raised his hand, casting a dissenting vote. Shina's expression soured. With the early promotion all but confirmed, his objection was infuriating. However, Alpheas showed interest in the first opposing opinion.
“Against it, you say. Why is that?”
“I'm aware of Shirone's talent. However, the core of this incident is his inability to use magic. The students' backlash stems from that as well. Shouldn't we address that point clearly?”
Shina said.
“I believe I've already explained. Shirone is in the process of learning the broad fundamentals of knowledge, so he is not in a position to focus on a single discipline. Furthermore, I am personally convinced this is the optimal method for his growth.”
“I'm not questioning the method. The problem is that you, Teacher Shina, are showing too much favoritism toward Shirone.”
“What did you say?”
“Regardless, the students of Class Seven also enrolled in this academy and are studying hard. Whether Shirone had time to acquire knowledge or not, that too should be part of the evaluation criteria. Otherwise, is there any reason not to promote other students early? Even if their Spirit Zones are weaker than Shirone's, they are theoretically superior.”
“Don't twist things with sophistry! I didn't make this judgment based on emotion. It's a conclusion based purely on academy rules. The main evaluation criterion for the lower classes is clearly the Spirit Zone.”
“The problem is the students' backlash. Their motivation could drop because of this. A teacher's job isn't to pour everything into a single genius, is it?”
“And it's not a teacher's job to neglect a talented student because of the others' misplaced jealousy!”
The two of them slammed their hands on the table and stood up simultaneously. It was a familiar scene that unfolded without fail whenever there was a meeting.