I Became the Teacher of the Academy's Spinster Class

On March 1st, at Eisenwald Castle.

Whether in my past life or this one, there was nothing sweeter than sleep after finishing every last task I had to do. It was that crisp, refreshing feeling you could only experience after oversleeping and completely missing work or school.

I surrendered my whole body to the warmer-than-usual sunlight and stretched, only for my heart to clench from the tips of my toes all the way to the top of my skull. Someone was gripping my heart and spoke.

"Huk!"

I was so startled by the sound of my own heartbeat that I let out a choking gasp the moment I sat up. Where the hell was I? And where were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my two little sisters?

"So you've finally woken up."

"Ugh?"

When I turned toward the voice, a man backlit by the golden sunset was staring at me from where I lay sprawled on the sofa. I'd been certain my sisters had kidnapped and locked me up, so the completely unexpected sight left me making a dumb noise.

"...Gustav?"

"You insane bastard. Are you still half-asleep, or are you sleeping with your eyes wide open?"

Oops. I'd accidentally called my father by his first name.

"I'm sorry."

I shot up and bowed my head immediately. He looked annoyed for a second, then sighed and let it go.

"It's ridiculous. My own blood, exhausted to the point of rolling around on the floor from a mere mission. Do you have any idea what the servants who saw you like that were saying?"

Gustav folded his thick arms and looked at his son with pure disdain. His eyes were practically shouting, Why do you have talent but still amount to so little?

"Huh? Wait a minute. I was on the floor?"

"Yes. From what I hear, you called for a servant the moment you returned and ate. Then, overcome by fatigue, you collapsed and rolled across the dining room floor. To think you'd pass out face-first into your meal. After receiving three times the etiquette training of other children, how on earth did you grow up this careless? Your father cannot understand it at all."

This is weird.

It was true I'd passed out during the meal. But that was only because I'd fallen into my two sisters' trap, right?

"Um, Father. Did you happen to see Sabine and Line in the dining hall?"

"Our little troublemakers? Those girls have been outside all day."

"Eh?"

"Why do you look so surprised?"

This is strange~? What on earth was Father talking about?

"Why?"

"No, it's just... the reason I passed out was because of my little sisters. This might sound weird, but they tricked me, drugged me, and forced me to sleep. That's why I collapsed on the dining room floor."

"Has this boy finally lost his mind?"

Gustav clearly thought I was spouting nonsense. Even I felt like an idiot saying it out loud—my own sisters tricking their older brother, drugging him, and putting him to sleep. Honestly, even as I said it, it didn't make much...

"Wait. Why would they trick me? What could they possibly gain from it? Was I really having a daydream?"

"Look at you, doubting your own words. Are you still not fully awake after sleeping that long?"

"Uh... maybe?"

"Ha, forget it. It's not like this is the first or second time you've done something like this. I'm not even angry anymore, so stop pretending to apologize."

Father turned around, closed the window he'd left open for ventilation, and pulled out a document. The fact that he bothered to close the window and check outside told me it wasn't an ordinary piece of paper.

"We don't have time to argue. Read this immediately."

The document he handed over had a golden seal that caught the eye before the text even registered. It featured a unique stamp where the scales symbolizing justice and the sword symbolizing power overlapped.

I knew exactly what that crest represented and where it came from.

"Concordia Academy!!"

Just as I thought—the symbol of the Academy! The very place I'd wanted to set foot in at least once in my life, no matter the cost!

The main setting that appears in so many academy stories. I don't know if this is inside a novel or a webtoon, but it's definitely a place I've always wanted to visit~!

How much brutal training had I done in the mountains behind our house just to make a name for myself there?

Father immediately noticed what I was fantasizing about. I couldn't hide my excitement and leaned forward.

"It's even a recommendation letter! Where did you get this?!"

"Good heavens, you startled me. I think my eardrums burst."

I'd thrust my upper body forward like I was going to bite his neck. He stepped back, looking slightly alarmed, and explained.

"Ahem. Ludo. Are you aware that an esteemed guest visited our family today?"

"I heard we were entertaining someone who came from far away."

"It was that very person."

He pushed the recommendation letter toward me again. And it wasn't just one. There were several, some with familiar seals and others I'd never seen before.

Strange. I've definitely never seen these before, so why do they feel familiar?

I recalled the etiquette lessons from my childhood and finally remembered.

"Guhk!"

My throat closed up. My breath stopped. It felt like someone was strangling me.

"The royal crests! And all three of them!"

Real royal families with zero connection to a backwater noble like us! If anyone even pretended to forge something from the Stalose Kingdom—our own kingdom—heads would roll!

"F-Father. What is this?"

"As you can see, it's a trial given to us by the three royal families. Especially to you."

"Pardon?"

What the hell did that...

"Do not worry. They are all genuine."

"!?"

At that moment, a voice I'd never heard before pierced my eardrums.

"Who's there!"

It was a woman's voice. Had a thief slipped into the study? I instinctively looked for something to use as a weapon, but Father stopped me.

"Enough. This is a guest who has come to visit the Eisenwald family."

As I put the dagger back into my coat, someone appeared right beside Father. It was so natural it seemed like she'd been standing there the entire time.

"Hoo. Gustav. Did you see that? For all the bad things you said about him, your son's skill isn't half bad!"

"You flatter me."

Father immediately bowed with perfect courtesy, and I unconsciously dropped to one knee before her dignity.

Who is this woman?

My face was instantly drenched in sweat. I cautiously raised my head for another look. Her appearance alone wasn't particularly frightening.

A lioness mask worn over her head.

Beautiful black hair and smiling lips.

Her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠natural brown skin glistened as if coated in honey.

An exotic beauty.

She wasn't wearing clothes. The only thing covering her upper body was a pair of pasties. Two thin black strips around her neck looked like they'd reveal her areolas with a single gust of wind.

Her lower half was the same—aside from a single precarious black strip between her legs, she was essentially naked.

Her figure was violently curvaceous from chest to hips. Even the simple act of her breathing seemed enough to stir up lust.

Still, she doesn't seem like a mere exhibitionist. There's dignity and majesty in her.

More importantly, I'd seen this appearance somewhere before. Having just seen the Concordia Academy crest, my guess was almost a certainty.

"Um... if I may dare guess your esteemed name... C-Could you possibly be... Principal Sekhmet?!"

"Hoo!"

The nameless woman let out a sound of admiration. That admiration served as both an acknowledgment and a self-introduction.

"Indeed, indeed. Our name is Sekhmet. A long-lived species who has walked this earth for over a thousand years, the current Principal of Concordia Academy, and one of the pillars bearing the peace of the entire continent~!"

As expected!

Despite that outfit, the overwhelming pressure radiating from her entire body was no bluff! Principal Sekhmet...! The great hero who ended the Great War fifty years ago and founded the Academy! There was no way someone like her should be in a remote place like this!

"Hehe. You may raise your head. It seems you possess excellent discernment. Worthless, mediocre fools usually get excited the moment they see Us, but you felt fear first. That is worthy of praise."

"It is an honor!"

To think I'd receive praise from such a legendary hero. The moment I stood up, her sensual figure filled my entire field of vision.

This person is literally a walking sex bomb. Is she doing this on purpose?

...An exhibitionist? Had living so long given her some strange fetish? Afraid my gaze might turn impure, I tried to look anywhere else.

"Father. Why would such an esteemed guest be in a shabby place like this?"

"Do not blame me. I originally planned to discuss this the moment you arrived. But this son of mine was sprawled out sleeping until now... Tsk."

"I keep telling you I didn't sleep because I wanted to!"

"Hehe. Enough of that story. Your foolish sleeping face was rather charming to watch. We also had personal matters to discuss with Gustav, so the time passed without Us noticing. Do not worry too much."

Lady Sekhmet cut in.

"Now then, let us speak of the recommendation. So, Ludo von Eisenwald. Do you understand what it means that We are here and have given you these letters?"

"Yes!"

I immediately put my hands behind my back and pretended to listen attentively. Father narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased with his son's opportunistic attitude. But what could I do? When a big shot like this showed up, you had to suck up even to their toes.

"You say you understand, then tell Us. Why do you think We have come?"

"To recommend me for admission to the Academy!"

"Ohohoho. That is completely wrong."

Huh? That wasn't the flow I expected?

"Ludo."

This time Father stepped in.

"They are recommendation letters, yes, but Lady Sekhmet has come to recruit you not as a student, but as a teacher. The crests from the three royal families mean the same thing. Certain circumstances have arisen, so this is essentially a veiled threat telling us to send you to the Academy as a special instructor."

The incomprehensible answer froze time. Everything in the world seemed to move in slow motion. In that moment, I saw my future. There was only one thing that could come out of my mouth now.

"A... threat?"

Even I thought it was an incredibly stupid reaction. Wait, not enrollment? They wanted me to be a teacher? In what context?

"It is not unreasonable to be surprised. The principal suddenly appears and tells you to become an instructor. We fully understand your bewilderment."

"Lady Sekhmet..."

The great hero whose name was recorded in history books patted my shoulder without hesitation. At first I'd thought she was simply a kind person, but that impression didn't last long.

"Even so, We are sorry. You have no right to refuse."

"Why not?!"

"The continent currently faces a great crisis. Our Academy desperately needs your help to resolve it."

No, what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the fuck? Why me of all people? And what kind of crisis?!

I held back the curse that almost flew out and waited for an answer. Lady Sekhmet declared proudly:

Spinster. By definition, an older unmarried woman. At the same time, it was a derogatory term used to lump together women who "had some flaw that prevented them from getting married."

The Spinsters Class?

Even after hearing it, I couldn't understand what it meant. Was I supposed to give dating coaching to women who still hadn't gotten married?

No, wait. If they're spinsters, that means they're women.

That was when a terrifying truth hit me. Just who exactly were the women I was supposed to teach?

"U-Um, Lady Sekhmet. If ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I may dare ask one thing. Just who are these spinsters you speak of?"

The lioness smiled brightly.

"Glance glance~! Glance glance~!"

She cutely vocalized the sound of eyes darting around as she drew attention to the documents on the desk. There lay the recommendation letter Father had handed me along with the crests representing each royal family.

The eastern Stalose royal family.

The western Bellamore royal family.

The northern Ravenhurst royal family.

............

............

No way.

"If you wish to live a long life, it would be wise not to speak aloud what you are thinking right now~♪"

My life was fucking over.