Chapter 84: Pink Bear and the First Lesson
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 84: Pink Bear and the First Lesson
After his morning run, Muen returned to the dormitory.
By then, the entire residential area seemed to have finally jolted awake, filled with the rising clamor of voices.
Muen went back to his room and took a cold shower. The icy water stung his skin, washing away the sweat while simultaneously invigorating his spirit.
After drying off, Muen looked at his refreshed reflection in the mirror, rubbing his chin in self-admiration.
"Mm, perfect."
"Still as dashingly rogue-ish as ever."
While it was difficult to change one's physical appearance in a short time, Muen felt that a change in mental state could subtly alter how others perceived him. He had to change his public image as quickly as possible; otherwise, he’d had quite enough of everyone looking at him as if he’d been possessed by an Evil God.
...
The opening ceremony was about to begin.
Muen arrived at the auditorium a few minutes early and followed the signs to the second-year seating area. About half the students had already arrived. He found a relatively empty spot and sat down.
In the original novel, Muen Campbell—due to his status and personality—had virtually no friends at the academy outside of his few "lackeys." Consequently, no one came over to greet him now.
However, Muen could feel countless gazes lingering on him. Those curious eyes watched him as if he were a rare panda in a zoo.
"Strange."
Muen looked around. Many students quickly averted their eyes when he turned his head, yet he still felt those gazes sticking to him like stubborn taffy that wouldn't shake off.
"I know I'm a celebrity of sorts at the academy, but I shouldn't be this eye-catching."
"Could it be... my apology yesterday actually worked?"
Muen struck his palm with his fist, a look of realization dawning on him. It seemed the news of his apology to Ariel had already spread.
"So that's it... they're staring because they're curious if I've truly turned over a new leaf."
"In that case, I need to show them what I'm made of."
"This is a golden opportunity to improve my image. I can't let it slip away."
Secretly pleased, Muen straightened his back and wore what he considered a perfect smile. Combined with his exceptionally handsome face, his charm was dialed to the max. Several young girls in the first-year section noticed him and let out small, fangirl squeals.
But in the other sections...
"Oh no, Muen Campbell is looking this way. Quick, look away..."
"Wait, he’s smiling! He’s smiling at me! It’s over—he couldn't have taken a liking to me, could he?"
"No way, no way! I don't want to be one of the thirteen girls he's juggling. I'll be sunk by a Dreadnought-class battleship!"
Such whispers circulated constantly among the girls. Unfortunately, they were too far away for Muen to hear.
Closer to those girls, however...
"Dammit! Those gossiping hags! Who are they calling a Dreadnought-class battleship?!"
Ariel, having overheard them, was practically baring her claws, looking like she wanted to rush over and tear the mouths off those gossip-mongers.
"No, Ariel, stay calm! This is the auditorium. If you start a fight here, there will be big trouble."
Liya grabbed Ariel’s slender waist, desperately holding her back. "And even if your chest is a bit flat and hard, and your combat power is a bit high, they aren't necessarily talking about you when they say 'Dreadnought'!"
"Liya."
"Yes? What is it?"
"Whose side are you on, you little gossip?!"
"Waaah! No, Ariel, don't tickle me! The ceremony is starting, haha, it's starting!"
Whine—
The sharp feedback from a magical megaphone interrupted the girls' play.
On the wide podium of the auditorium, a pink bear-shaped plushie patted the magical megaphone in its hand and said tentatively:
"Testing, testing—can you hear me? Can you hear me? Good, looks like it works."
"Huh?"
Muen looked up at the ridiculous pink bear on the stage, which looked entirely out of place in the formal atmosphere of the auditorium.
"Did they hire someone to liven up the mood for the opening?"
To specifically hire someone in a mascot suit for an opening ceremony... it seemed the academy's top brass weren't as stuffy as he had imagined.
"Now then... could the students please return to their assigned seats and sit quietly?"
The Pink Bear spoke in the lazy voice of an unemployed middle-aged man. Yet, as his voice echoed through the auditorium, it was as if an invisible rule took effect. Every student simultaneously returned to their seats and sat properly. The massive hall, capable of holding a thousand people, became so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
"Mm, it seems the students are very well-behaved."
The Pink Bear nodded in satisfaction.
"In that case, I won't waste your time. I'll give a brief self-introduction."
"My name is Pink Bear."
"I am your new Dean."
Oh, he's the Dean.
The character this Pink Bear was playing was quite funny; he almost had Muen...
Wait, who did he say he was?
Muen’s eyes suddenly widened as he stared at the stage in shock.
The Dean?
This ridiculous Pink Bear was claiming to be the Dean?
That wasn't right!
In the original book, the Dean of St. Maria Academy was a mature woman with a large bust and a great figure, who wore deep-V professional suits that revealed a hint of lace and black garter stockings, patrolling the academy in ten-centimeter high heels.
Because the original book's description was extremely... enticing, Muen had been looking forward to this with great anticipation. After all, the original host had slept through the last opening ceremony and had no idea what the Dean looked like.
But now, not only was the mature woman gone, she had been replaced by a ridiculous Pink Bear that inspired zero desire for exploration?
This wasn't just a case of the product not matching the description; the species was entirely different!
I wanted a life-sized, realistic older sister, and you sent me a plush toy bear?
Plush bears are cute, but they do absolutely nothing for my de—my expectations!
The students below finally reacted as well, letting out a roar of shock that nearly blew the roof off the auditorium. It seemed they weren't too keen on a mature woman suddenly turning into a toy bear either.
"Ahem."
The Pink Bear gave a light cough. It wasn't loud, but it instantly suppressed the clamor of the entire hall.
"I know you're all very dissatisfied. Indeed, the drop-off from a beautiful, mature woman to a cute pink bear like me is quite significant. But I had no choice. Your Dean Hathaway has been temporarily reassigned by the higher-ups for a certain reason to complete other work. Thus, I am filling in as the Acting Dean. I know many of you are extremely unhappy about this, but—"
The Pink Bear’s mouth suddenly opened wide, and from the pitch-black darkness within, a thick, powerful, and hairy arm emerged. The arm slowly straightened and then... flipped everyone off.
"I didn't want to be the damn Dean either, you bastards! It's a pain in the ass!" the Pink Bear roared in a low, gravelly voice.
"If you have a problem, take it up with the higher-ups! I'm just a miserable worker forced to fill in! I was on a beach full of beauties, soaking up the sun and looking at legs, when I was suddenly dragged here to be this 'Dean' and strictly warned by the top brass that I absolutely cannot make a move on the female students! Do you think I want to be here?"
"No! I don't! A Dean who can't make a move on lively, cute female students has no reason to exist!"
"..."
Following the Pink Bear’s roar, the auditorium fell into a dead silence once more.
Even Muen’s mouth hung open, wide enough to swallow a goose egg.
He took back his previous thought. This Pink Bear wasn't cute at all.
"Tch, just a bunch of boring brats after all, huh?"
Having vented enough, the Pink Bear retracted his arm and continued in that listless, lazy voice. "Alright, that's enough talk. I don't have anything else to say; I just wanted to say hello. So... well, I wish you all a happy end-of-term. Yeah, that's it."
With that, the Pink Bear tossed the magical megaphone aside and swaggered off the stage with a gait that screamed total disregard for authority. As he walked, he looked so annoyed that he kicked over a teacup filled with goji berries sitting nearby. A middle-aged teacher standing to the side looked furious but didn't dare say a word.
...
"Aiyaya, it's your turn, little Celicia~"
Backstage, the Pink Bear seemed like a different person, speaking to Celicia in a fawning, high-pitched voice. "Are you nervous? Do you want to rest a bit longer? It's fine to let those useless students wait a while."
"I can't believe the Emperor and the others actually sent you to temporarily manage the academy."
Celicia looked at the Pink Bear, a hint of confusion in her cold eyes. "Aren't they afraid you'll actually cause a disaster?"
"A disaster? Me? Cause a real disaster?" The Pink Bear put on an innocent look as if he had no idea what she was talking about. "I've always been a lover of peace, okay?"
"..." Celicia’s gaze gradually turned cold.
"Alright, alright! I swear I won't cause trouble! Please rest easy, little Celicia!" The Pink Bear raised his hands in surrender. "Aiyaya, don't look at me like I'm trash. It'll make me exci—I mean, it'll make me sad."
"...So?" Ignoring the Pink Bear’s disturbing slip of the tongue, Celicia asked, "What exactly happened that was significant enough to make Dean Hathaway leave her beloved academy?"
"Haha, it's nothing much." The Pink Bear twisted his thick "slender waist" and said bashfully, "Maybe she just went out for a secret tryst with a little lover."
"A Covenant of Silence?" Celicia’s eyes flickered. "Then I think I have a general idea of what's happening."
For a powerhouse of the Pink Bear’s level to be forced into silence, unable to reveal even a shred of information, it could only be a Covenant of Silence sworn in the name of a deity. Combined with Dean Hathaway’s research focus, it wasn't hard to guess the cause.
"An Evil God?" Celicia murmured softly. She stopped wasting time on the Pink Bear and turned to walk toward the podium. It was time for her speech as the Student Council President.
"Aiyaya, as expected of little Celicia. She really is hard to fool." Watching Celicia’s departing back, the Pink Bear reached a hand out of his "mouth" again and scratched his head helplessly.
"Ah, right." While scratching, the Pink Bear seemed to suddenly remember something. That ridiculous bear face actually became incredibly serious. "I almost forgot my objective!"
"I have to get to Hathaway’s office before those stuffy teachers and professors realize what's happening!"
The Pink Bear looked left and right to ensure no one was watching, then muttered to himself in a heavy tone, "A mature woman's office... there might be some exciting things left behind."
...
"Ah, it's Celicia."
Muen was still reeling from the shock of being flipped off by a pink bear, so when that cold, peerlessly beautiful figure entered his vision, he felt as if his soul had been purified.
"She hasn't changed at all."
Muen rested his cheek on his hand, carefully observing the figure on stage. Her shoulder-length hair cascaded like a falling galaxy, and her thick eyelashes fluttered like the shifting of light and shadow. She was still breathtakingly beautiful, standing there like a snow lotus swaying on a high mountain.
"It feels like... the previous incident didn't affect her at all."
So cold. So captivating.
Even after what had happened, not a single speck of filth could be left on her pure, flawless petals. Instead, it only made the perpetrator feel ashamed of his own unworthiness.
But that was good, wasn't it?
Looking at her, Muen thought silently. Maintaining her noble soul forever—that was the true Celicia.
...
"Golden September, the autumn breeze brings refreshment... in this..."
It was worth noting that Celicia’s speech was unexpectedly ordinary. It was almost exactly like every principal's speech Muen had heard in his previous life. However, perhaps because the shock from the Pink Bear Dean had been so great, the students below listened with extraordinary focus.
After the speech, the applause was thunderous.
Once Celicia stepped down, the heads of various departments spoke about general regulations while advertising their respective tracks to the first-year students, hoping they would choose their courses.
St. Maria Academy’s structure was slightly different from schools in Muen’s previous life. There were no fixed classes; it was more like a university where students could freely choose the courses they wanted to study. There wasn't even a distinction between required and elective courses—as long as you earned enough credits by the end of the year, you could pick whatever you liked.
While this choice was only offered once upon entry, and changing courses later required complex procedures, it was designed to prevent students from being fickle and failing to persevere. For freshmen, this choice could determine their entire future, so they were given three days to audit classes before deciding.
But for returning students, the first class of the new semester began immediately after the opening ceremony.
"The first class... is Magic Basic Theory?" Muen checked his schedule. "Perfect. As my first class, this is very appropriate."
A smile played on Muen’s lips. Since it was called "Magic Basic Theory," it would surely cover the fundamental elements of magic. Compared to Professor Prang’s practical magic class, this would definitely be more suitable for a magic novice like him.
"My first class learning magic, and my first class since my 'debut' after the break. Just you wait—I'll show you all a different Muen Campbell!"
Giving himself a pep talk, Muen walked toward the bright future ahead like a warrior about to step onto the battlefield.
...
The Great Clock Tower.
The Magic Basic Theory classroom.
It was a massive lecture hall, similar to a university classroom from his previous life, capable of holding nearly a hundred people. However, when Muen arrived, he was the only one there.
"I'm the first one here?"
Muen glanced at the time; there were less than fifteen minutes until class started. As expected, freedom bred a certain degree of laziness. The university culture of sliding into class at the very last second was no exception at St. Maria. Of course, this world wasn't hyper-competitive, so the opposite culture of arriving early to claim a seat hadn't found fertile soil yet.
"I'll just wait, then."
Muen placed his textbook neatly in front of him and sat with his back straight, waiting for time to pass.
"I shouldn't waste this time either." With that thought, Muen closed his eyes.
...
"Dammit! That move actually had a variation like that!"
Muen snapped his eyes open, an inadvertent burst of sharp, chilling aura releasing from him.
"Ah!"
Muen heard a startled cry. He turned his head and saw a young girl clutching her books, staring at him in shock, completely unaware that she had dropped one of them.
Crap. My expression was too fierce in combat mode; I scared her.
Muen realized his mistake and quickly rubbed his face to put on a gentle expression. He looked at the girl and smiled. "Sorry, did I scare you?"
"N-no..." The girl looked like she was about to cry.
"Then... let me help you pick up your books."
"No need, no need! I'll do it myself!"
The girl scrambled to pick up her books as if she were terrified that if Muen touched them, they would be infected with something terrible. She was clearly very nervous; it was only a few books, but her trembling hands took forever to gather them. Once she finally had them, she hurried past Muen to the third row... then thought better of it and sat in the fifth row.
"Strange. Am I really that scary?" Muen scratched his cheek in confusion.
Why did that girl look at him like he was a top-tier scumbag juggling a dozen girls, terrified that if he got too close, he’d ruin her life too?
No. It must have just been my fierce expression earlier. Smile. I must keep smiling.
Muen checked the time. Five minutes left. Class was about to start. People should be arriving soon.
Just as he thought that, as if a switch had been flipped, students began to file in. Judging by the thick notebooks and reference materials most of them carried, Muen concluded they were mostly high-achieving students who studied hard.
When these top students saw Muen sitting in the very center of the first row, they all froze for a moment. Then, they quickly pulled their companions toward the back. They sat at least five rows away from him.
Consequently, the students who arrived later followed suit, sitting further and further back. Before long, a massive semi-circular gap had formed around Muen. No one sat near him.
"You've got to be kidding me."
At this point, even Muen, who was forcing himself to maintain a smile, was starting to crack. Am I some kind of ultimate pathogen? Why are they staying so far away?
But Muen wasn't the only one struggling.
Just before the bell rang, a group of "delinquent" students—uniforms disheveled, hair dyed in messy colors, and sporting various piercings—sneaked in through the back door.
The moment they entered, they were stunned.
Where are my seats? Where are all those comfortable, warm back-row seats where I don't have to worry about the teacher calling on me and can sleep until the end of class? Why are they all taken by these goody-two-shoes?
Scanning the room, they saw Muen in the first row... and the empty seats around him.
But in the end... they chose not to go over. While they didn't mind sitting with Muen, those were the front seats. Have you ever seen a delinquent sit in the front row? It was fundamentally impossible. They would rather stand until their legs went numb and they couldn't sleep than go to the front!
"What the hell is going on?"
Ariel, who was nearly late, dragged Liya through the crowd with difficulty. Seeing the unusually crowded back rows, she was also dumbfounded.
Where is my seat? Where is my 'King of the Back Row by the Window' spot? Why is it gone? And why are all these people blocking the way?
"What do we do?" Liya grabbed Ariel’s arm and pointed at Muen in the first row. "Should we sit there?"
"No way!" Ariel’s eyes widened in anger. "Did you forget? The rumors about what happened before are already out of control. If I sit with Muen Campbell now, who knows what kind of nightmare-inducing version those rumors will evolve into."
"True. So now..."
"We stand," Ariel gritted her teeth. "It's just standing for a lecture. It's no big deal."
...
...
"Um... Professor Prang, I'm a bit nervous."
Outside the classroom, the new teacher, Fran, spoke timidly to Professor Prang. "What if I run into a problem during class? I'm so afraid I won't teach well and the students will hate me."
"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous. There won't be any problems." Facing Fran, Professor Prang offered a rare, kindly consolation. "The first class is something every teacher has to go through. During this first session, students are usually very forgiving. Trust me, they won't hate you."
"R-really?"
"Yes. As long as you perform like you did during your trial lecture, everything will be fine." Professor Prang smiled. "While there are a few mischievous ones among them, they are all very lovely children."
"I see. Then I'm relieved." Fran patted her ample chest. At the same time, she felt a bit of anticipation. Lovely students, huh... I wonder how lovely they are.
As she thought this, Professor Prang led her into the classroom. Fran looked forward with an expectant gaze. For a teacher, the 'lovely' ones must be the good students sitting in the front row. I must make sure to...
Huh? Where are the good students in the front? Why are the first few rows completely empty, except for one dazzlingly handsome blonde nobleman?
Fran looked up and saw that all the students were sitting from the fifth row back. Many would rather stand than sit in the front.
This look... this atmosphere...
Wasn't it exactly like... they hated the teacher?
I haven't even started the class, and I'm already hated?
"Professor Prang..." Fran looked at him with tears welling in her eyes. Didn't you say I wouldn't be hated?
"Wait, let me process the situation." Professor Prang also looked confused. But after a moment of bewilderment, his hawk-like eyes accurately locked onto the individual who definitely shouldn't be in that seat.
Regardless of what had happened, it was definitely linked to this guy!
"Muen Camp—bell! What on earth are you doing?"
"Me?" Suddenly called out, Muen looked bewildered. He spread his hands. "I didn't do anything."
"You didn't do anything? Then why are you sitting there?" A guy who usually slept in the very last row suddenly moving to the first row—there was definitely something wrong.
"Why can't I sit in the first row? I just wanted to be a bit closer (to the blackboard)." Muen was shocked. "Does seating now depend on grades?"
"Well, no. You can sit wherever you like." Suspicion still flickered in Professor Prang’s eyes. "But you sitting there makes everything feel... off."
"There's nothing 'off' about it! I just want to study hard!" Muen couldn't help but puff out his chest, looking pained. I just want to be a good student. Why is it so hard?
"You—" Professor Prang wanted to say more, but then he thought of Muen Campbell’s recent behavior. Perhaps... he was sincere?
With that thought, Professor Prang took a deep breath and looked at the delinquents crowded at the back, roaring, "What are you all doing? Get into your seats immediately!"
"But..."
"No 'buts'! Sit!" Professor Prang’s authoritative gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Ariel. Seeing his prized student Ariel mingling with the delinquents, he frowned. He slapped the desk next to Muen and said, "Ariel Bugard, sit here!"
"Eh? Why?"
"No 'why'! I'm giving you the best seat in the house. Are you going to refuse?"
The best...
Looking at Muen Campbell next to that seat, Ariel’s cheek twitched. But given Professor Prang’s usual intimidation, even though she was extremely unwilling... she dragged Liya over and sat next to Muen.
"Hello. We meet again, Miss Ariel," Muen greeted with a smile.
"You..." Looking at the smiling Muen, Ariel was so angry her face nearly contorted. She simply turned her head away, deciding that out of sight was out of mind.
"Eh?" Muen was stunned. Did I say something wrong?
"It seems she still hates me." Muen scratched his head, then turned to look the other way.
On his other side was a delinquent Professor Prang had forced to sit there. Muen thought he looked familiar; he had likely hung around the original host for a while.
"Hello," Muen greeted with a smile.
"..." The delinquent’s cheek twitched. He also let out a cold snort and turned his head away arrogantly.
Muen: ???
"Hmph. Every single one of them... do they have to be so difficult?" Seeing the seats finally filled, Professor Prang tapped his cane irritably and looked at Fran. "Begin the class, Teacher Fran."
"O-okay." Fran nodded vigorously, then looked at the students and forced a smile. "Um... hello everyone. I am Fran Fudo. From now on, I will be your Magic Basic Theory teacher for the second year. I hope we can all get along."
"..."
The room was silent.
Fran looked to her left. A strangely dressed delinquent sat there, chewing on something, occasionally flashing a cold smirk. She looked to her right. A girl with a face as dark as the bottom of a pot was staring out the window, seemingly ignoring the teacher entirely.
Fran felt a wave of sorrow. Professor Prang, are these children really 'lovely'? Why is this completely different from what I imagined?
"Great!" Only the handsome blonde nobleman in the middle clapped loudly. "Hello, Teacher!"
"Hello, student." Fran couldn't help but be moved. So there are good students after all. Look at this blonde nobleman—handsome, polite... though his name sounded a bit familiar.
Wait. His name? He seemed to be called Muen Campbell. That name... where had she heard it? Where...
It seemed to be from a previous teacher, or perhaps in a newspaper.
Yes, the newspaper! Muen Campbell, the legendary son of a Duke—the ultimate scumbag who juggled thirteen girls and forced his ex-girlfriend to get an abortion!
Fran’s vision went dark. She instinctively looked to the side. Professor Prang, save me...
But Professor Prang had suddenly received a call. He picked up his Voice Transmission Stone and listened to the message.
"What?" Professor Prang was furious. "Those fifth-year brats blew up the teaching building during an experiment? And the floor they blew up had the Magical Beast Club's animals? Now the beasts are all loose? Dammit, I knew keeping magical beasts next to the lab would cause trouble sooner or later! Wait there, I'm coming right now!"
Hanging up, Professor Prang spoke to Fran with a hint of apology. "Sorry, I have to leave for a moment. I'll have to leave the rest to you, Teacher Fran."
"Eh? Wait!"
"I believe in you!" Professor Prang gave her a thumbs-up, forced a bowl of "chicken soup for the soul" on her, and vanished on the spot.
"..."
Don't cry, don't cry. A small setback like this won't defeat me. Fran blinked hard, forcing back the tears. She turned back and smiled through her teeth. "Well then, students, let's begin the class."
Here it comes!
Muen immediately perked up. He had prepared for so long just for this moment! No matter the subject, the first class was vital; he couldn't miss a single word. For a student with zero foundation like him, the best way was to follow the teacher's pace exactly.
"Please take out your textbooks."
Mm-hmm, take out the textbook.
"Turn to page one."
Mm-hmm, turn to page one.
"Use the table of contents to find the chapter on 'Introduction to the Multi-segment Continuous Chanting Method'."
Mm-hmm, find... wait? Something feels wrong. Muen frowned.
"Today's lesson will cover the basic knowledge of the Multi-segment Continuous Chanting Method. If you have any questions, please raise your hand."
"Teacher, I have a question."
"Um... Student Muen Campbell, yes? Please speak."
"Um... why are we starting with something as profound as the Multi-segment Continuous Chanting Method?" Muen asked curiously, his eyes wide and innocent. "Why can't we start with something a bit more... basic?"
"Basic?" Fran tilted her head in confusion. "But this is the most basic part."
"Nonsense!" Muen patted the thick textbook. "What about the stuff before this? All those thick pages? The Multi-segment Continuous Chanting Method starts on page one hundred."
"The stuff before?" Fran looked even more confused. "Wasn't the stuff before this covered in the first year?"
"...Ah."
Muen froze. Then he realized. Then he felt a whirlwind of emotions.
How could he have forgotten something so important? He was currently... in the second year!
The second year wouldn't teach first-year material all over again! No matter how much he wanted to follow the teacher's pace, he couldn't, because there was a pathetic, thick barrier between them. It was the chasm between the first and second years...
Muen lowered his head silently and quickly flipped through the earlier pages of the textbook, hoping it might trigger some lingering memories in his brain. But after a few flips, he gave up.
Forget "lingering"—there was absolutely nothing in his head! The original host had clearly learned nothing at all. Was this the true weight of someone who had studied for a year and only knew the Illumination Spell?
What should he do... should he just be blunt and repeat a grade?
"..."
Looking at the dejected Muen, Fran decided it was best not to ask what was wrong. Class must go on.
"Alright, let's begin our study of this chapter. If there's anything you don't understand, be sure to tell me."
"Regarding the Multi-segment Continuous Chanting Method, we must first start with the Origin-Tier Grand Magister Mela Domir from a thousand years ago. The method she pioneered..."
"Wait, Teacher Fran!" Muen raised his hand again. "I don't understand."
"Eh?" Fran was stunned. "But I just started."
"Exactly!" Muen said through gritted teeth. "I don't understand a single word. What the hell even is the Multi-segment Continuous Chanting Method?"
"..."
Is this person really not here just to cause trouble?
"Then..." Fran forced a smile. "Student Muen, what exactly do you want?"
"Teacher, how about this: start from the very beginning," Muen said seriously, flipping the textbook back to page one. "Start from here. It's fine if you go slow."
"Eh? Why?"
"Because I want to hear it!" Muen leaned forward and grabbed Fran’s hands, saying earnestly, "I want to hear Teacher Fran explain this entire book to me, from start to finish."
"Eeeek?!"
The scent of a man hit her full force, and with her hands enveloped by his large, warm ones, Fran—who had never even had a boyfriend—instantly panicked.
"W-w-why do I have to explain the whole thing?" Fran asked, trembling.
“That would take a very long time, wouldn't it? And we're in the middle of class; we can't disturb the other students.”
“Because I want to understand. I want to understand everything. It doesn't matter how long it takes. We can do it after class—I’ll even pay you specifically for it. But no matter what, I just want to hear you explain the entire textbook from start to finish, Professor Fran.” Muen’s expression was one of absolute sincerity.
“This... this, this...”
As Muen drew closer, Professor Fran’s cheeks burned. Steam practically billowed from her head, and dizzying spirals spun in her eyes.
Calm down, Fran Fudo! You’re a teacher! You can’t lose your head now! Calm down and figure out what this student is actually after.
→ First, one thing must be made clear: Muen Campbell is a certified academic disaster. The previous professor who taught Magic Basic Theory mentioned that Muen’s score for this course last semester was an unprecedented three points!
Three points! In the words of Professor Prang, if you just stepped on the exam paper, the dirt from your boot would probably fill in more correct answers than that.
And as a bottom-tier student, his defining trait is a hatred for studying. Therefore, Muen Campbell definitely isn't doing this for the sake of learning.
→ Second, he mentioned earlier that he sat in this seat to be “closer.” Closer to whom? Is there anyone else in front of him?
→ Third, while the rest of the class has been cold toward me as the new teacher, he is the only one being enthusiastic. This abnormal behavior clearly hides an ulterior motive.
→ Finally, he wants me to go through the whole textbook with him, no matter how long it takes, and even after class... After class means being alone together.
In other words... he wants to spend all his time with me?
Based on the above, and combined with the premise that he is a "scum man" juggling thirteen different girls...
The conclusion is clear:
Muen Campbell! He’s trying to pick me up!
“No! It’s out of the question!”
Professor Fran’s face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. She forcefully shook off Muen’s hand and cried out, “This is not allowed!”
“Huh?” Muen was stunned. “What’s not allowed?”
Paying for private tutoring—isn't that perfectly normal?
Did I pick the wrong time to ask? But I specifically proposed it in front of everyone to avoid any misunderstandings. After all, my reputation is what it is, so I thought being open about it was the right move, didn't I?
But why...
“You can’t pursue me! It’s forbidden!”
Professor Fran closed her eyes, shouting with every ounce of her strength. “Even though the position of Duchess is very tempting, a student-teacher romance is absolutely forbidden! Even if being a Duchess is really, really tempting...”
“Wh-what?”
Muen’s eyes widened, his entire body stiffening. He had no idea what the teacher was talking about.
Duchess... did I even mention the word 'Duchess'?
However, before he could say anything, the classroom door was suddenly knocked upon and pushed open.
“Pardon the interruption. It’s the first period, and the Student Council is conducting an attendance check.”
Celicia walked in, followed by her secretary, Wei'er.