Chapter 3 - Wise Academy Life
Chapter 3 - Wise Academy Life
"The simplest way to counter an opponent's magic is to not give them time to accelerate their mana. You could keep them in check from a distance, or drag them into close-quarters combat. However, if you still can't stop the mana acceleration even after doing that, you'll eventually have to face their combat magic. If a fierce battle breaks out one way or another, the outcome will ultimately depend on mana control ability, past experience, and...."
Klaus checked his watch and closed his book as if the timing was just right.
"Class time is up. I will continue the next explanation in the following lecture."
It's not like he gets paid more for doing extra work outside of the scheduled class time.
In a world where 'passion pay' doesn't even exist, wasting even a single minute or second is a waste.
For that reason, Klaus always finished his lectures exactly on time.
It seems the students of the Western Alliance quite liked that part.
Conversely, the Eastern Demons sometimes looked deflated when the lecture, which was going on quite intensely, would just tak! cut off.
"Professor Klaus-nim!"
Eventually, one of the demon students who couldn't hold it in any longer raised their hand and spoke up.
Since they did that just as the lecture was about to end, the other students who were about to stand up stood there awkwardly for a moment, then sat back down because they felt their pride would be hurt if they just left.
"It feels like the lecture cut off at a very important part. I might not remember it by the next class, so couldn't you just make the lecture a little longer?"
Several others showed signs of agreement at the demon student's words.
It goes without saying, but most of them were students from the demon side.
Among them, a few beastkin and elves were visible, but not a single noble student among the human students was to be seen.
'To hell with all humans.'
They were nobles in name only; their actions were all that of idlers, thugs, human trash, and they were hopeless enough to be fully described by those and other trivial words.
The only reason they entered his class was one thing: to find his shortcomings.
It was just to gain bragging rights that they had embarrassed that high-and-mighty war hero.
"I, too, find it truly regrettable that the lecture cut off at such a critical point. But what can I do? The class time is over, and I have no right to take any more of the students' time. If even one student here says they don't want to listen to the rest of the lecture, and says they want to leave, I cannot proceed with the lecture. They might claim they suffered a disadvantage in a later exam, after all."
This was something he had experienced when he accepted the suggestions of the demon students, and a few human noble students left while complaining.
Afterward, whenever they felt they were falling behind in class, they would whine that they had suffered a loss because they had left that day's lecture.
Even though they had left on their own two feet, strictly speaking, they had attended all of the originally scheduled lectures.
If Klaus extended the class time on his own and they left in protest, the logic that he was trying to screw them over by explaining important parts right at that moment would become possible again.
'I can let other guys' tackles slide once, but I absolutely cannot stand those noble bastards.'
The demons, who were so cursed at first, don't seem that bad now, perhaps because some affection has grown out of spite.
He already knew the beastkin were so lively they were practically crazy, and the elves were people who knew how to make deals on their own as long as you took care of their pride a little.
But humans, especially the nobles, were truly hopeless.
If you treat them well, they are the type to think you're doing it because you acknowledge them as your superiors.
Literally, they are the type of bastards who think a favor is a right; even if you don't keep doing them favors, just doing it once makes them drunk on arrogance and throw such a huge fit—that's what nobles are.
"But...."
Just as the demon student was about to speak, the noble students were already standing up from their seats again.
They might think they are acting very noble and elegant, but to others, they were just lunatics having a fit, nothing more, nothing less.
"So that's how it is. Therefore, I will continue the lecture during the next official class time."
"...Understood."
The demon student followed immediately, though their expression wasn't very good, as if they were quite disappointed.
They were far better than the nobles who always tried to stand on equal footing even with a professor.
Of course, our noble students were smiling smugly, as if they thought they had defeated not only the demon students but even that great war hero himself.
'Fucking bastards, what are you grinning at?'
Klaus had absolutely no intention of just taking this lying down.
If they refuse additional lectures, he can do it in other ways as much as he wants.
Plus, there's a very simple way to prevent them from saying that this other method was applied to their disadvantage later on.
"Instead, I felt something while watching the last sparring session. The gap in skill between everyone is so vast that it's a bit difficult to teach by finding an average. So, for students who think they have many shortcomings, or students who think they absolutely cannot keep up with the combat magic lecture, I'm thinking of doing a little supplementary lecture."
At those words, the demon student who first voiced the opinion, and those who agreed with it, brightened up.
Klaus is not saying he will extend or add to the lecture right now.
It's no different from saying he will provide supplementary learning so that those who are lacking can reach the average.
They would have to swallow their pride and admit they have below-average skills, but those who are thirsty for learning will do so without hesitation.
"No, what is that...."
"Don't think too hard about it. It is, after all, just 'supplementary.' It's for lacking and incompetent students to receive my help so they don't hold back the other students. You can consider it as absolutely not learning anything more in-depth or being told anything in advance."
This must be like a bolt from the blue for the human noble students.
They thought they had finally dampened the spirits of Klaus and the other students, but suddenly Klaus started talking about supplementary lessons and ended up accepting the demon students' wishes after all.
But if they protest here again, the picture looks weird.
It's not that he's doing an additional lecture, but that he's specifically bestowing a favor upon the truly 'incompetent and lacking' ones.
If they protested against Klaus's opinion again, they could end up facing all sorts of checks, starting with people asking how someone who is a high-and-mighty noble could have such a rotten heart.
'Plus, they won't be able to tackle me. It's just supplementary, so if they say they suffered a loss because of it, it would be the same as admitting that they are even more incompetent and lacking than the students who are incompetent and lacking. Anyway, those bastards who love to nitpick should all have their tailbones pulled out and killed.'
Klaus opened his mouth, asking if they couldn't even accept this much.
At that, not only the demon students but also the other students who had been quiet until now, the beastkin and elves, began to stare at the human noble students.
As if they were wearing expressions that said, "If it's as Klaus says, there's no problem at all, so isn't it a bit much to say no?"
"...Understood, Professor Klaus-nim."
"Please take good care of those lacking ones in that supplementary thing or whatever it is."
It seems they don't want to be that lacking and incompetent person even if they die.
So, none of them said they would take the supplementary lecture.
The other students didn't stay much either, perhaps because of pride issues.
The packed lecture hall gradually emptied, and soon there were not even twenty people left in their seats.
The ones taking up the largest number were, as expected, the demons.
Since they were the ones who voiced the opinion in the first place, it would have been a blow to their pride if fewer of them remained than the other races.
Besides that, there were a few beastkin, a few elves, and unexpectedly, two human students.
'Commoners, I see.'
Because of that pathetic pride or whatever it is, the nobles would never stay in this seat even if they died.
They are idiots who think that if they call themselves lacking, their authority will fall because of it.
A truly authoritative person, even if they bow themselves, has everyone follow suit and bow with them, eventually ensuring they stand the straightest, but in this world, there are almost no human nobles like that.
'And in the midst of that, they're all here as expected.'
Yulia was sitting in front of the demon students.
Behind Yulia was Cecily, and at the very back of that line was Rir, disguised as a male student.
Finally, there was Natasha, who was mixed in with the elves.
The two had a greater thirst for learning than pride, the other had been completely crushed by Klaus so she stayed because she didn't want to be suspected of doing anything else, and finally, Natasha could be seen as having stayed to keep Yulia in check.
"Have all the students who are leaving left?"
"...."
"It seems they have all left. In that case, a short supplementary lecture that won't be long. To our 'incompetent and lacking' students who said they would listen to it, I welcome you once again, sincerely."
It goes without saying, but he didn't say that to provoke or mock the remaining students.
He is giving a kind of legitimacy to their presence here right now.
They called themselves lacking and requested a supplementary lecture, and the professor accepted it.
Who could say anything more about that, and furthermore, who could argue that that part is unreasonable or unfair?
"For the sake of you students, I will go over it slowly one more time. First of all, combat magic is, in various battles, magic assisting to cover blind spots...."
At first, the content flowed as if he were teaching from the very basics again.
The students seemed worried, wondering if he was really only going to teach such parts.
However, as they were smart, they were soon able to realize that Klaus was intentionally breaking down and teaching parts that were originally quite difficult in great detail, as if he were teaching the basics.
'What if there's a spy in here? Do you think I'd do something like this without knowing that?'
It was something he had already repeated several times.
Leaving aside the extras whose faces he couldn't even remember properly, Klaus was someone who definitely remembered the faces of those who had helped him, and conversely, the bastards and bitches who had harmed him.
It was partly thanks to his skill, but the iron rule of always repaying both favors and grudges was also one of the reasons.
Klaus, having finished the lecture for the students who could become clear allies under the pretext of a supplementary lecture for about 30 to 40 minutes, ended it with the words that they were welcome to request a supplementary lecture if there were any more lacking parts.
"Thank you for your hard work, Professor-nim."
Starting with the demon student who had first voiced the opinion to Klaus, most of the students left the lecture hall, and those remaining inside were Yulia, Natasha, Cecily, and Rir.
Among them, Rir nodded slightly when Klaus gestured with his head, and then left first.
Immediately after, Cecily started talking about sparring again, saying, "How about another sparring session this afternoon!", got hit on the head with a knuckle one more time, and exited while grumbling, "Usshing!"
"...."
"...."
Now, the only ones left in the lecture hall were Yulia and Natasha, just the two of them.
In fact, the two of them having a rivalry is only within the academy.
Once they leave this place, the paths they take are far too different.
Above all, Yulia later becomes a monster that neither Natasha nor even Klaus can surpass.
This, too, was unfortunately a result brought about by a creator who was incredibly stupid.
"Professor Klaus-nim."
As expected, the one to open her mouth first was Yulia.
She ignored Natasha, who kept glancing at her, and continued speaking while looking only at Klaus.
"If you have some time after lunch, I'd like to have a cup of coffee and talk."
"...?!"
Yulia doesn't know it yet, but from Natasha's perspective, it was no different from an act of openly provoking her.
A demon, not just any other race, a demon who had been tormented so much by Klaus, is asking for a private meeting?
And not just anyone, but the Demon King, the ruler of the demons?
"I'd like to ask for the reason, Student Yulia."
"You can think of it as me wanting to personally ask the Professor questions and get advice regarding the sparring session from yesterday."
Just as Klaus was about to answer that he would, Natasha hurriedly raised her hand from beside Yulia and shouted.
"M-me too!!"
"Student Natasha?"
"I also have something I want to ask for your opinion on regarding the sparring session from yesterday!"
"...Student Natasha. I'm sorry, but I asked the Professor first. You...."
"We were each other's opponents, weren't we? So let's ask together and listen together fairly. How about it?"
"I don't want to."
A war of nerves already.
Ah, as expected, watching a fight is the most fun thing in the world.