The Eve of the Practical Evaluation
The day before the practical evaluation finally arrived. To explain what had happened in the meantime, there really wasn't much to say. As usual, I'd simply given the kids a thorough education with my bamboo spear—ahem. I'd just sparred with them. Nothing more than that had occurred.
Maybe that was why.
I have a bad feeling about this.
Suddenly?
Unexpected variables always show up out of nowhere.
Had anything ever gone smoothly up until now? Every single time, some minor variable had popped up. Just look at the practical combat class, the auction house, and the arena. Wasn't that proof enough?
This is ominous. There's no way my life could flow this easily.
Master. How pitiful.
"Shut up."
As I snapped back at Jukchang-i's sympathy, Sai called out to me in the most aggrieved voice imaginable.
"Demon King... I mean, Professor."
"Yeah, what?"
"Just when exactly is my turn going to end?!"
Even as he said that, the kid was nimbly dodging my attacks. He must really hate getting hit, because he'd even activated body reinforcement.
"It ends when you pass out."
"Where's the logic in that?!"
"Then land a hit on me."
"......"
Apparently at a loss for words, Sai clamped his mouth shut. From the look on his face, he really did want to smack me just once. But reality was a different story.
"Uwaaaaagh!"
He was just running away in a frantic panic. I beat the living daylights out of him with my bamboo spear, which treats everyone equally.
"Uwooooooh! Just kill me instead!"
"Life is precious. You shouldn't say things like that."
"Sometimes it feels like there are moments when you really need to stop valuing life, Professor."
The rest of the students nodded in agreement with Sai's retort, their faces showing they felt exactly the same. They're acting like this after just taking a few hits. Watching their dramatics, I let out a deep sigh.
"Sigh. We've still got a long way to go."
"I really wish the Demon King could experience this just once."
"What was that?"
"I said our respected professor is truly magnificent."
Sai immediately switched his attitude the moment my sharp gaze landed on him. At this point I was starting to have reasonable doubts about whether this kid was actually the hero, but anyway, there was something more important I needed to say.
"Right. Setting that aside, you all know tomorrow is the practical evaluation, right?"
"Yes!"
The students suddenly bellowed like brand-new recruits who'd just been transferred in. I pointed at Sai and asked,
"Sai. There's something I say every day. What is it?"
"You said a fight doesn't begin the moment it starts, but from before that!"
It seemed my after-school lessons had been pretty effective. His answer was satisfying enough. I nodded and continued.
"Good. So what about the details of this practical evaluation?"
"According to our squad's intelligence officer Kai, it's a competition between classes!"
Wow, he's saying 'squad' like it's the most natural thing in the world now.
Exactly, Master. How hard did you have to roll them for that pure, innocent kid to start talking like that?
Hey now. How hard could I have possibly rolled them?
It was only eight in the morning until ten at night, and they didn't even have to come in on weekends. Back in my old world, they would've had morning classes on Saturdays too. I nodded at Sai's report and said,
"That's correct from a professor's perspective. Your initiative passes with flying colors. Anyway, what I wanted to say is this. If you beat the other class, I'll cancel after-school classes and adjust school hours back to normal for five days. How about it? Think you can win?"
At my question, the Class A students grinned like people who'd just sold their souls to the devil. Then Sai raised his wooden sword high and shouted,
"To us, defeat is—!"
"Nonexistent!!"
"Victory against those who've never fought the Demon King—!"
"Is impossible!!"
"We shall achieve victory!!"
Wait, what the hell are these kids? When did they even rehearse that?
The next day. The day of the practical evaluation had finally arrived. I arrived at school a little later than usual.
Ugh... Even coming in late doesn't make me any less tired.
That's not it. It's because Master stayed up late last night knowing the evaluation was today.
I wanted to argue with Jukchang-i's brutal honesty, but I had nothing to say, so I just kept my mouth shut. Honestly, I couldn't even remember the last time I hadn't shown up for work at eight!
What? People are allowed to sleep in sometimes! What would a kid like you know?!
I'd rather not know, Master.
Hmm. Looks like Jukchang-i is going through puberty again.
Worrying about her second puberty, I carefully gripped her tightly. Then—
Aaaaaaaaagh! Master, I'm sorry!
It sounded like Jukchang-i was apologizing, but I figured it was just my imagination. Ignoring the screams ringing in my ears, I kept walking until I finally reached my destination.
"You've arrived, Professor Elric."
Eve naturally approached and greeted me. I nodded in response.
"Yes. By the way, when are we departing?"
"Professor Veil said we'll have to wait a bit. Apparently there's been a sudden increase in people trying to use the gate."
Like the practical combat class, the evaluation wasn't held at the academy but on another island. The reason was simple—if they held a competition at the academy, the training grounds themselves might get destroyed. So they had no choice but to do it on an uninhabited island.
But Master. Haven't the yanderes been way too quiet lately?
Jukchang-i suddenly asked in an extremely serious voice. I listened to her and rolled my eyes toward Eve. The moment our eyes met—
Whoosh!
Eve quickly turned her head away. Then—
"Ugh..."
She turned bright red all the way to her ears, looking utterly embarrassed as she cupped her own cheeks with both hands. Looking at her now, it was hard to believe this was the same person who'd fought me in the arena. She just looked like a shy, pretty woman.
Master. Snap out of it. You'll get the sword dance again!
I know. But you're right, it's too quiet.
If they were the women I knew, it wouldn't be strange if they'd already caused some kind of incident. They knew I was a regressor, and normally they would've jumped me without hesitation. Yet for some reason, they were being strangely quiet. Even Sena just watched the students getting hit by the bamboo spear with envious eyes during after-school classes. She hadn't done anything more than that.
And I still haven't used the favor yet.
By the way, Master. What were you thinking when you said you'd grant her request? How do you know what she'll ask for?
I understood what Jukchang-i was worried about. She probably thought I'd agreed without thinking. But—
Don't worry. I'll reject anything unreasonable. Like asking me to hit her with you or something.
But that's something you can actually do. How would you reject that?
Obviously I'd say no because of the rumors.
After the last practical combat class incident, the rumors had spread quite a bit and caused me trouble. If I brought that up, even she wouldn't be able to argue back.
In conclusion, I'll reject anything weird!
Hmm. From what I can see, Master is going to regret this.
I was about to argue with Jukchang-i for suddenly raising a death flag when—
"Professor Elric. It looks like we can depart now."
Eve, who had still been acting shy, spoke up. I nodded and led the Class A squad(?) with Sai at the front into the gate.
A lush forest that instantly brought to mind a jungle. And two grand, imposing castles that looked completely out of place. I'd seen them several times in the previous round, but I still couldn't get used to them.
A forest. Having castles like that right in the middle of it is honestly ridiculous.
It felt like finding a Disney castle in the middle of the Amazon. As I stared at the castles in awe—
"That place is the battlefield where our vacation is on the line..."
"We have to win no matter what."
"We can't lose."
The students muttered with incredibly solemn expressions. Just from their words, you'd think they were heading off to a real war.
Well, when you think about the terrorist attack that's about to happen, maybe they're not entirely wrong.
Still, with these kids' current skills, they should be able to handle most demons unless they were on the level of an executive. Especially Sai, the hero. No doubt about him.
I led the students to the neutral zone between the two castles. Once we arrived, I turned to explain the rules for this practical evaluation.
"As Sai mentioned yesterday, this practical evaluation is a class-versus-class competition."
"As expected..."
Kai pushed up his glasses in understanding. Ignoring his reaction, I continued.
"As for the rules of this competition, you win by capturing the flag inside the opponent's base—specifically inside the castle on the opposite side—or by capturing the opposing team's flag bearer."
"Professor."
At that moment, Sai raised his hand with a serious expression. When I nodded for him to speak, he asked with burning eyes,
"Which class are we up against?"
"Well, that'll be decided shortly."
The moment I finished speaking, the other classes started heading our way. I turned to look and saw—
"Professor Veil?"
"Professor Elric?"
Veil was leading the Class B students over. It looked like our opponents were Class B.
At the same time.
There was a group from the Demon King's army that had secretly infiltrated with the help of the Succubus Queen. And that group was none other than—
"Lord Zan, roughly half of the Demon King's forces have successfully infiltrated."
It was Zan, one of the executives ordered by the Demon King this time. With a muscular body that didn't suit infiltration at all, he stopped his workout and turned his head.
"I see. We owe Lilis for this."
The reason half of them had been able to infiltrate was because the Succubus Queen Lilis had seduced the gate guards. Without her temptation, infiltrating this place would've been impossible. He'd have to kidnap a human man for her later as thanks.
"Lord Zan. When do you plan to carry out the terrorist attack?"
"Hmm. Didn't they say the hero would be at the academy?"
"Yes. That is what the Demon King said."
"Then we'll strike in the middle of the first match. By then, everyone should have finished infiltrating."
With those words, Zan and the rest of the Demon King's forces waited for the next match to end.
Completely unaware that the match would finish in less than thirty minutes.