Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Young Curmudgeon (1)
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"Hm."
Jamie stood in front of the mirror.
He wore a white dress shirt with a brown jacket over it, and a bow tie around his neck.
His pants were matching brown cotton shorts, and he had on white socks that reached up to his shins.
"Isn't this something you wear for a school performance?"
He frowned as he said it.
Siegfried had brought the full outfit, insisting that a student teacher was still a teacher and needed a dignified appearance.
The top and bottom were fine. The bow tie was a bit annoying, but not unwearable.
But the long white socks covering his shins made him look too childish.
He might actually be a child right now, but starting today, he was a student teacher at Phoenix Academy.
He was in a position to teach students.
'Mother would love this.'
If Sears were here, she'd squeal and smother him in hugs and kisses for sure.
Just thinking about it gave him chills.
Thank goodness he was alone.
"I'll take off the socks."
No matter how he looked at it, this was the fashion of a kid heading to a school play. He didn't care much about fashion, but this was his debut as a teacher. He couldn't afford to lose authority over something like this.
Jamie removed the socks and slipped on his shoes.
First day as a student teacher at the academy. He wasn't nervous or anything. It would be a joke that even a stray dog would laugh at if a great black sorcerer who had once clashed with the 12 Gods got worked up over this.
That said, he did have some expectations.
According to Siegfried, the class he'd be handling was Alpha Class, an elite group even within the elementary division.
He didn't know if there would be unpolished gems there or just mediocre talents that would disappoint him.
'I hope it's the former.'
It was only a month, but since he was teaching, he planned to give it his all. If they were all lacking, it wouldn't be any fun to teach.
With those thoughts in mind, Jamie headed to the staff room.
* * *
Phoenix Academy.
A magic academy founded in his later years by Amel Fast, a founding merit of Seldam Kingdom and renowned as a great mage.
It boasted a long history second only to the Royal Magic Academy of the Magic Kingdom Clione and was the most famous of the three academies in the magic world.
True to its centuries-old legacy, it exuded an antique atmosphere that clashed with the near-futuristic vibe of the modern magic world.
It was also the only place that enforced school uniforms on its students.
Orthodox, or whatever.
At any rate, most of the mages making a name for themselves these days were Phoenix Academy graduates.
And this year, a young—no, a child—teacher of barely eight years old had been assigned there.
"This way, please."
A middle-aged man with short gray hair neatly combed back smiled as he spoke.
His name was Javelin Cutter, the homeroom teacher for Alpha Class, the advanced elementary division at Phoenix Academy.
The person following him was...
"Not nervous?"
"Pardon? Oh, I'm fine."
...Jamie Welton.
He had just arrived at the academy and met his assigned mentor, Javelin, and they were now heading to the staff room.
"You're taller than I expected."
"Am I?"
"Yes. My son just turned thirteen, and he's only a bit taller than you, Teacher Jamie."
Javelin could have spoken casually, but he didn't. It might be due to Jamie's status, but after a few exchanges, it was clear he was considerate of others.
That gave a good first impression.
"This is the staff room."
"It looks worn."
"Haha. The whole building is. It's over 500 years old."
Seldam Kingdom's history went back that far, so Phoenix Academy's did too.
Still, the doors and windows seemed recently replaced with new ones, keeping it fairly clean. Opening the door revealed a state-of-the-art interior unlike the exterior.
Jamie let out a small gasp of admiration, and Javelin smiled.
"Oh."
"Different inside, right?"
"Yeah. Impressive."
"It is one of the top academies in the magic world, after all."
Javelin gestured for him to follow and walked ahead.
In the meantime, Jamie looked around and exchanged greetings with other teachers whose eyes he met.
"Whoa! It's the superstar!"
Suddenly, someone shouted in astonishment.
To his side stood a glamorous woman with wavy blue hair cascading to her waist.
She looked about mid-twenties, her eyes sparkling as she approached Jamie.
"Sign this, please!"
She thrust out a piece of paper and a pen, leaving Jamie wide-eyed at the sudden situation.
"Teacher Sophia. It looks like Teacher Jamie is startled."
Javelin stepped in front of Jamie with a smile, blocking her. Only then did the blue-haired woman, Sophia, let out a small "Oh" as she realized her mistake.
"Ah. S-sorry. It's my first time seeing you in person, so I got carried away... Hehe."
As she apologized, Jamie responded in a dazed voice.
"No, it's fine. But... superstar?"
"You didn't know?!"
Seeing Jamie's puzzled look, Sophia's eyes lit up again as she tried to approach, but Javelin couldn't hold her back this time.
"Teacher Sophia?"
"Eek! I did it again without thinking... You're a national star right now, and you didn't even know!"
"...Pardon?"
"The young master of the Welton family! A genius mage who reached 6th class at eight! Hero of Uptown! Saint of the Pyro Goddess! You're already the top idol among the girls!"
Jamie couldn't hide his bewilderment.
What nonsense was this?
He knew rumors about him had spread far and wide. Given what he'd accomplished, it was only natural.
But a superstar?
"You really didn't know. Well, let this big sis kindly fill you in, so come over here for a sec..."
"Teacher Sophia, we have business to attend to, so we'll be going."
"...Ah, sorry."
Sophia bowed her head dejectedly and went on her way, glancing back with lingering regret.
Jamie looked around with a baffled expression.
'Oh no.'
The other young female teachers were gazing at him with faces similar to Sophia's.
"Haha. Let's get out of here quick."
"Y-yeah."
Javelin and Jamie quickened their pace.
* * *
"Phew."
Entering the consultation room, Jamie let out a long sigh.
Javelin chuckled as if it were hilarious.
"Have a seat first. I'll explain what you'll be doing."
Javelin placed two cups of tea on the table.
Jamie, feeling a bit parched, cooled his with a touch of frost and downed it in one go.
"Thirsty?"
"Guess I was a bit startled."
Sophia's sudden superstar assault replayed in his mind.
There was no malice, but it was his first time being treated that way, so it caught him off guard.
Jamie took another sip, and Javelin rubbed his teacup as he spoke.
"You're pretty hot among the kids these days, Teacher Jamie. Especially the girls and women in their twenties—there's a full-blown Jamie fever."
"...Fever? Why?"
"Well, because you're the young master of the Welton family, a magic genius who hit 6th class at eight, the hero of Uptown, saint of the Pyro Goddess, and all that."
"Isn't that what Teacher Sophia said?"
"Hahaha. Yes, it is."
This guy had a kind face but knew how to tease.
Jamie cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Ahem. Anyway, what should I be doing starting today?"
Student teachers weren't full teachers.
Short for 'education practicum student,' they were aspiring teachers doing their internship as provisional instructors at the academy.
So their duties weren't numerous or difficult.
But that applied to ordinary student teachers. Jamie was anything but ordinary.
"First, you need to choose your subject. At 6th class, you could handle anything, but I'd appreciate if you took a higher-level one. It'd be good for the students too."
Javelin showed him a list of subjects.
They were indeed advanced ones.
"Pick the one you're most confident in."
Subject, huh...
Jamie stroked his chin. As Javelin said, he could teach anything. But academies didn't have one teacher covering all fields.
Specialized magic teachers delved deeply into their subjects.
'The field I'm most confident in.'
Truth be told, there was no need to even think about his strongest magic.
Jamie was a black sorcerer—one who had once wielded immense power. No one could argue that black magic wasn't the field he knew best and understood most deeply.
But teaching black magic here would mean a death without peace.
'Next to black magic... nothing else really.'
He hadn't touched it much since reincarnating, but before learning black magic in his past life, Jamie had been known as this.
'Time to return as the Mage of Infinity after all these years.'
Having decided, Jamie told Javelin.
"I'll take..."
* * *
Phoenix Academy, like others, was divided into elementary, middle, and high divisions.
But there was one difference: age.
The elementary division didn't exclusively have young students, nor did the high division have only older ones.
The only requirement was magic skill.
Exceptional? Straight to high division, young or not. Lacking? Stay in elementary, old or not.
That was Phoenix Academy.
Each division split into three classes: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.
Alpha for the gifted, Beta for the average, Gamma for the struggling.
"Ugh... I'm beat."
Ann Mayer was in the elementary Alpha Class.
Ann slumped over her desk, looking exhausted.
Her neighbor Finn tilted his chair back halfway before steadying it and asked.
"Studied all night again?"
"Nah. Got like three hours."
"Kids who sleep that little don't grow tall."
Finn was a sixteen-year-old boy, six years older than Ann, but being in the same class, they spoke casually.
"Genetically, I'll grow plenty, so no worries."
"Spoken like a true nerd. Even talks like one."
"If you're about to get lapped by this nerd, you might wanna step it up~"
"Urk."
Finn shuddered with annoyance.
"I'll promote to middle division this year somehow."
"You should've gone ages ago, big bro Finn."
"Don't call me big bro, it's creepy. Damn it. Time to study."
Ann knew Finn had some inferiority complex, so she poked at it occasionally like this.
It got him fired up to study. He couldn't stay in elementary forever.
Ann smirked and reached into her bag for her magic book to self-study, when she spotted a familiar face diagonally behind her.
"Huh?!"
She shot up and pointed at the red-haired boy.
"You're in our class too?"
At her shout, the red-haired boy, Lennon, frowned at her.
He didn't recognize her at first, but then remembered orientation day—the unpleasant day he'd met Jamie Welton again.
'Oh, that girl.'
The one who'd mistaken Jamie for a new student.
Lennon tried to ignore her and turn away, but Ann rushed over with a delighted face.
"Nice seeing you here! You're good enough for Alpha already?"
But Lennon overlooked one thing.
Ann was incredibly nosy.
"No, I..."
"Ask me if you don't know something. I'll tell you everything except the stuff I don't know!"
'What the hell?'
Lennon stared at her oddly, but Ann, oblivious, kept talking.
"What's your name, by the way?"
Lennon sighed shortly, brushed his hair back, and answered.
"Lennon Simon."
"S-Simon family?"
"Yes."
At that, the whole class, buzzing with new semester excitement, froze.
Lennon was very satisfied with the atmosphere.
This was the influence of Seldam Kingdom's famed magic family, the Simons.
Yes. Look up to me in awe. This is the gap between you and me.
As Lennon basked alone...
"Whoa! No way! You're Elder Simon's son! Nice to meet you!"
Undeterred, Ann grabbed Lennon's hand and shook it vigorously with pure joy.
His face flushed with panic at the aggressive handshake.
Now that she knew he was Simon Count's son, shouldn't she be scared?
Why was she grinning so innocently?
Lennon couldn't comprehend.
"S-stop!"
His arm felt like it might come off.
Lennon shook her off forcefully. His shoulder tingled from the shaking.
"Ah, I got too excited... Sorry. Heehee."
"...Whatever. Go back to your seat."
"Okay, okay. Oh right. I'm Ann. Ann Mayer. Ask me or the kids next to you if you need anything."
"Hi~"
"Nice to meet you."
The students beside her greeted Lennon at her introduction.
Did the prestige of his family not impress them?
Maybe because they were elementary kids.
'Fine. I'm heading up anyway. No need to mind these guys.'
Lennon's level had surpassed mid-3rd class.
He could graduate early, but Simon Count told him to learn about small societies at the academy.
He'd stay a month here, then skip to high division. So in a month, he'd leave elementary.
No reason to befriend or subordinate them.
Even with the annoying Ann, he just had to endure a month.
'I promised not to cause more trouble.'
Yes. That was enough.
As Lennon glared at the back of Ann's head returning to her seat...
"Teacher's here!"
One student shouted.
Almost simultaneously, the middle-aged man with neatly combed-back gray hair entered with a smile.
Javelin Cutter, homeroom for elementary Alpha Class.
He waved and greeted the students.
"Hey, everyone. Long time no see~"
"Hello, Teacher!"
"How have you been?"
"What'd you do on break?!"
The students greeted him enthusiastically.
As the class grew rowdy in the morning, Javelin smiled awkwardly and calmed them.
"Okay, okay, settle down. Teacher had a great break. But I have someone to introduce."
Javelin called toward the door.
"Student teacher, come on in."
Someone entered Alpha Class.
Ann's eyes widened in shock.
Lennon shot up from his seat with an even more extreme expression, pointing a trembling finger at the 'boy' and shouting.
"Wh-what are you doing here?!"
"Oh? You're in this class too?"
Jamie Welton waved at Lennon with a smile.
"Let's have fun for the month."
'Nothing's going right!!'
Lennon screamed silently inside.