Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: A New Curriculum
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Arthur said,
"I don't think you need to worry about that."
"So they're not sick?"
"That's right. We can assure you of that."
When Arthur looked around, the others nodded in unison, expressing their agreement.
Hearing this from such brilliant and powerful figures, some of Loan's unease dissipated.
"That's a relief. I feel much better now."
Loan seemed to genuinely mean it.
Seeing his slightly brightened expression, the adults watching couldn't help but smile.
Director Lazarus erased his expression and asked Loan,
"Loan, why are you so eager to teach the other children magic?"
"It's not just about magic... I just think it would be good if they became stronger."
"Not you, but your friends?"
"Yes."
Everyone tilted their heads at the unexpected answer.
"An interesting response. Why do you think that would be good for them?"
"Well..."
Loan hesitated for a moment.
He had decided to keep the visions a secret. He believed the future he had seen should be kept within a scope he could control.
So, he had no choice but to give a different answer.
He met the eyes of each person looking at him.
"Teacher Arthur, who must know all magic; Director Lazarus, who freely wields his unique magic; Teacher Diego, a master of the sword..."
"Oh, well, I wouldn't say I know *all* magic..."
"I'm not that incredible..."
"To call me a master is..."
Humble replies quickly followed, but Loan paid them no mind.
"The teachers I'm meeting for the first time must be incredibly strong as well. I can't even begin to imagine how deeply you've all studied and trained."
"Hmm..."
Faced with his sincere tone and a gaze full of respect, everyone couldn't help but feel a bit awkward.
"The standards to become a Union member must be just as high. That's why I thought my friends and I all need to become stronger so we can become members together."
He wasn't wrong. His line of thinking was flawless.
This was not a child whose character could be questioned.
His upright and warm-hearted nature was easily discernible just by the way he respected and honored his elders.
It was just that he hadn't had the opportunity to experience and understand the vast gap between himself and the other children, so he couldn't empathize.
Of course, his words and actions were certainly enough to cause misunderstanding.
The Dean of Academic Affairs, Daphne, looked around at the attendees, asking if they had any more questions.
They all nodded or shook their heads, indicating that they were finished.
Daphne said,
"Loan, thank you for sharing. This wasn't a meeting to reprimand you, so don't worry. You may return to your dormitory and rest."
All eyes naturally turned to Sienna.
Tasked with the role of his guardian, she wore a slightly wronged expression before leading Loan out of the conference room.
Waiting for the door to close, Daphne tapped the table with her pen and said,
"Ultimately, the new educational direction for the Union Academy's first-years will be to strike a balance."
As all eyes gathered on her, she continued her explanation.
"We will balance the geniuses and the average students. The improvement of individual academic abilities will be benchmarked against the geniuses, while social skills and empathy will be based on the average students."
Everyone nodded as if in agreement.
Having established this framework, the attendees moved on to a full-scale practical discussion.
There was self-reflection on the sort of mannerisms they might have fallen into.
Based on this, they conducted a comprehensive audit and analysis of the academic curriculum, followed by proposals for improvement for the new generation.
The meeting continued late into the night, and through it, the academy resolved to embrace a new transition centered on the first-years, with the Union pledging its full cooperation.
* * *
"Swordsmanship and Magical Studies are now mandatory classes."
Loan was surprised but delighted by the school's policy change, which had happened in just one day.
Regardless of the quality of the instruction, the mere fact that the opportunity was being given was more than welcome.
The swordsmanship class had also changed.
While the Union's inherent limitation of being unable to pass down secret techniques and ultimate skills was not overcome, the curriculum was adjusted to be more practical and combat-oriented.
As part of this, some active Union members were brought in as assistant instructors.
They shared their experiences from the field and focused on providing intensive guidance to students who were falling behind, aiming to raise the overall skill level.
This primarily applied to children who disliked physical exertion or were unskilled at mana manipulation.
Students who had already achieved a level of skill beyond their peers through long training, or those like Loan who overwhelmed them without any formal training, conducted self-directed training under the observation of the swordsmanship teacher, Diego.
"Sophie, Lucas, Loan. Spar with each other, taking turns."
The three of them were evenly matched.
Sophie's attacks, which Loan could read by sensing the flow of mana, rarely landed. However, when her exquisite combination techniques surpassed the amount of mana Loan could draw upon, he was unable to block them.
Lucas's simple and brutish attacks repeatedly shattered Loan's Convection, but they also left many openings, allowing Loan to counterattack.
Victories and defeats were distributed fairly among them, and Diego, who was watching, didn't bother to step in and teach them anything specific.
There was no need.
"Loan, what's my problem?"
Sophie asked, panting, and Loan replied.
"The flow of your mana seems a bit unnatural and misaligned. If you just tweaked the interaction between your mana and your body, you'd be much better than you are now. Right, Teacher Diego?"
"Uh, yes..."
As Diego affirmed with some reluctance, Lucas tapped his own neck with his large wooden sword and offered his advice.
"He's saying you shouldn't just swing hard and clumsily. You need to be precise and decisive, like me. Maybe it's because your lower body is weak."
"What did you say?"
"Well... Lucas isn't exactly precise and decisive with his sword, but he's not entirely wrong."
"See? Even Loan agrees with me... Wait, or does he?"
"Quiet, Lucas! Loan, what should I do?"
"If you're currently distributing the mana from your dantian fifty-fifty between your upper and lower body, try shifting the proportion more to your lower body, with the feeling of creating a more solid foundation..."
"That's what I'm saying. You're just putting too much force into your shoulders and arms trying to swing harder. That's why you're getting tangled up."
"Lucas!"
The children grew together, exchanging opinions like this.
However, the Magical Studies class remained largely unchanged.
The barrier to entry was simply that high and thick.
It was impossible without learning the ancient language, and that was something even Loan couldn't do anything about.
Watching the children struggle just to memorize vocabulary, Loan thought,
'Are they all really going to be okay...?'
He had now fully accepted that Magical Studies could only be a liberal arts subject and that proper mages were only trained at the Magic Tower in Schwerin, one of the autonomous duchies.
But he didn't give up.
He would often help Arthur by reciting incantations to make the ancient language easier to understand, which proved to be effective for both himself and the other children.
Trying to easily convey what he had intuitively understood led him to a deeper understanding himself.
Loan was pleased to be able to solidify his framework, and the children were happy to have a kind, handsome, and young teacher.
If these new classes were for the average students—
Then the new classes created for human relations and social interaction were, in a sense, made for Loan.
, <learning comedic="" banter="" for="" effective="" communication="" skills="">, <group ball="" games="" to="" improve="" teamwork="">, .
And so on.
In addition, Loan was given a counseling session once a month to check the results of his special education.
Dean Daphne was Loan's counselor.
"Loan, how is school life these days?"
"It's great."
"It seems you're getting along well with the other children. Have you managed to shake off the burdens on your mind?"
"After spending time with them, I've come to understand my friends. I was the one who failed to consider their individual talents, characteristics, circumstances, and personalities."
Daphne felt a slight sense of relief at Loan's answer.
"So you've come to understand that we are all different beings."
"That's right. Everyone has eyes, a nose, a mouth, and ears, but they aren't all as harmonious as mine. Similarly, everyone has a brain to think with, but its use and capacity vary widely."
"..."
The direction of his understanding seemed slightly off, but he wasn't wrong.
Having missed her chance to speak, Daphne decided to ask about his friendships.
"How are you getting along with your friends?"
"They're all great. They cheer me on and often give me tasty snacks. But sometimes... it's not exactly annoying, but a few of the girls make requests that are hard to understand."
A spark of curiosity lit up in Daphne, and she leaned forward slightly to ask.
"For example?"
"Things like asking me to go look at flowers with them after class, or if I would help them pick out clothes at a shop. Actions that show a slight lack of interest in studying or training."
"I see. What do you do in those situations?"
"I explain it to them in a way they can understand. I suggest that we'd be better off studying together. I tell them they'd look better if they focused a little more on their studies."
Daphne barely managed to suppress a smile as she asked back.
"Hmm, and how do they react? Do they dislike it?"
"Some of them thank me for showing interest, or say they didn't realize I was paying that much attention to them, but none of my friends have disliked it."
"I see. Then, among your female friends, is there anyone you feel a particular connection with? Someone you've taken an interest in."
"Well... Sophie is a little different. Her swordsmanship is excellent, and she's the only first-year who has managed to create a flame with magic."
Daphne wrote down the name Sophie, circled it, and asked gently.
"Are you close with Sophie?"
"We talk more than I do with other friends. And knowing her circumstances, I feel more of a connection with her."
"What circumstances?"
"Sophie is an illegitimate child of the Pobel family, famous for their swordsmanship. Her father sent her here to maintain his relationship with the Union."
It was a situation known to anyone who was anyone. Daphne nodded and replied.
"Sophie must be under a lot of pressure."
"Yes. She was studying and training so hard to avoid bringing shame to her family's name. She's a friend with a lot to learn from. And she doesn't ask strange questions like the other girls."
"Strange questions? For example?"
"Like what I do for fun when I'm alone, what my favorite color is, what I think of their new haircut, or if I prefer girls with drooping eyes or upturned eyes, things like that?"
Seeing that he couldn't understand the signals of affection, Daphne was reminded that Loan was, after all, still a child.
"What about Lucas, your roommate? Have you two grown distant since the Magical Studies class?"
"After getting to know him, I realized Lucas isn't just lacking. Strictly speaking, he's quite outstanding. Especially when it comes to strength."
"Ah... yes. He causes a bit of trouble, but that's true."
Loan nodded with a deliberately serious expression.
"Once I started thinking of it as his brain being filled with muscle, making him a little lacking in intellect, I began to accept whatever he says naturally."
"His brain is filled with muscle... I see."
"Still, I can't let him fail anymore, so I'm trying to guide him a little more. That's what a person with proper character does, right?"
"Ah, yes. Proper character. Yes. That's right. A very, hmm. A good mindset."
After the counseling session.
[...Full of self-esteem and confidence, but not to an excessive degree. Rather than looking down on others, he tries to understand them in his own way and works to maintain amicable relationships...]
Daphne felt a slight sense of bewilderment as she wrote the report.
It was because Loan's answers were all subtly off from her common sense and expectations.
But a genius must have a genius's way, and that too could not be swayed by the will of average people.
With that thought, Daphne had no choice but to write 'Peer relations: Excellent' in the overall assessment section of the report.