068

After Ganemia left, a meeting presided over by the Chairman began.

On the surface, it was a meeting to hear Teacher Berlis's side of the story for disturbing the academy and to decide on disciplinary action.

"If it was during the educational process, then it can't be helped. Hahahaha."

There was no way the Chairman would abandon or reprimand Berlis, a 4th-circle mage.

However, this incident involved the Holy Kingdom, and a Saintess at that.

The scale of the incident was too large to just let it pass with a "what's done is done" attitude, and even if it ended up being a mere formality, a procedure was necessary.

"Ahaha, haha."

Berlis just laughed throughout the meeting.

However, I felt that Berlis's laughter had become a bit dry.

Perhaps it was because I had heard her genuine laughter that one time when she spoke of the Holy Kingdom's incompetence.

"Well then, let's adjourn."

The teachers all left their seats, and in the meantime, I approached the Chairman and asked for a moment of his time.

"Teacher Cassian? If it's Teacher Cassian, the star of our academy, then of course I must make time. Hahaha."

After everyone had left, I faced the Chairman.

"Chairman. Don't you think our academy is a bit strange right now?"

"Oh, do you think so?"

"Advisor Avril has invested, and my textbook was gratefully chosen. The Empire sent many students... all in a good direction, but it seems that the core of our Akarind Academy is disappearing."

At my words, the Chairman had an interested expression.

At his gesture to continue, I went on.

"It's an efficient and excellent system. But in our attempt to accept it without any thought, we almost had a major accident."

"We were safe, weren't we? The security chiefs showed their excellent skills and chased away the Harpy Queen..."

"That's a result-oriented argument. What if I hadn't led the Beholders? Or if security guards like Hati or Rozalin hadn't entered in time..."

A terrible accident would have surely occurred.

"I believe all of this is because the instructors are becoming lazy, trusting only in the system of good education. And that."

"Is not education. Is that what you mean?"

The Chairman smiled faintly, and I closed my mouth.

The Chairman sometimes showed a strange obsession when it came to the word "education."

So it was a line I had prepared on purpose.

I wonder if it worked.

"Hmm. What kind of education is true education? I have a great desire to discuss educational theory with the excellent Teacher Cassian. But I have a question too. Teacher Cassian, why were you there at that time?"

"I wanted to talk about the flaws in the system."

A system that doesn't think can easily break down at any time.

That was the reason I went to get the Beholders.

"We need time to change calmly, rather than abruptly. It's not just the students who learn, but the teachers must also learn the new changes."

"Teacher Cassian. Do you happen to know what Akarind's original educational philosophy is?"

The question about the original educational philosophy suddenly made my throat tighten.

He probably wasn't asking about the educational system I had seen for the past few years since I came here.

It was a story from a much longer time ago, a story I didn't know, but the Chairman did.

The Chairman's eyes were on me.

"They treat us as third-rate on the outside, and we're in the countryside of a kingdom, but we were originally the most prestigious academy in the Belmein Kingdom."

That was a story I had never heard, a story I didn't know.

"Even without going to the Imperial Capital, those from Belmain considered it an honor to come to this Akarind Academy. That's how traditional, prestigious, and excellent an academy it was."

Perhaps 20 years ago?

No, even earlier, 40 years ago?

After the Empire began its wars of conquest, the standard for everything on the continent became the Empire.

From the calendar to taxes, currency, etiquette, script... and education.

The Empire said that only its system was the best, and all the countries that had suffered from the Empire had adopted the Empire's system to catch up.

"Now, the system for the honorable Belmein Kingdom and our Akarind! Akarind Academy is taking its place again. If you need more time to think, then think. But. You must think in accordance with the speed of the system. That's why we hired you all at our academy."

For just a moment, the Chairman's pupils gleamed and flickered with a strange desire.

But that look was brief.

The Chairman soon looked at me with a calm expression and smiled sweetly.

"Of course! Teacher Cassian is competent, so I'm sure you know well even if I don't say anything more!"

The Chairman got up from his seat first.

"Now, the students must be waiting. Let's go to class!"

It was a dismissal.

I remained in the meeting room for a while.

I had to organize my complicated thoughts and move.

If I entered the classroom with personal feelings and conducted the class, the students would notice it immediately.

Personal feelings should not affect the students' classes.

As I was composing my breathing.

Creeak—.

With the sound of the door, a person entered the meeting room.

It was Avril.

He glanced at me, then walked over and sat down in front of me.

Then he looked at me intently.

"What is it?"

Avril seemed to be getting more tired with each passing day.

The dark circles and blemishes under his eyes had worsened, and I could feel that his clothes were slightly disheveled, unlike usual.

Above all, the focus of his eyes.

Usually, his gaze seemed to be calculating the value of everything in the world, but within it, his wisdom and intelligence shone.

But now, his eyes seemed somewhat confused, a little out of focus.

"What can ideals change?"

"...Pardon?"

"Without fighting, what can be changed with just talk?"

"..."

"That empty story that only you insist on, what can it possibly change?"

"That's not a question that suits you."

The original Avril would have just proceeded with what he thought was right without asking such questions.

But to ask what ideals can change.

It was a question that didn't suit him at all.

So I answered him honestly too.

"It may not change anything. But it is necessary to change everything."

"If it doesn't change anything, isn't it just a waste of time?"

"Before you regressed to the present, did you only invest in items that were guaranteed to succeed? Didn't you weigh the possibilities and sometimes invest in reckless gambles?"

At my words, Avril let out a sigh and looked up at the ceiling.

"Teacher Cassian. Looking at you makes a person strange."

"I'm glad. It seems that my actions are giving you some small resonance."

This time, I was the one to get up from my seat first.

Seeing Avril's change, I felt a sense of relief that my actions were not meaningless.

I felt that I could conduct the class now.

As I was about to leave the meeting room.

I heard Avril's muttering voice from behind me.

"The change you spoke of had better be the right one."

It was a tone that seemed to hint that something in this academy would soon change.

Is he preparing something again?

"I'll keep trying."

There's no such thing as a definitively good or bad thing.

I have to keep trying to make it a good thing.

After finishing my reply, I headed to my classroom.

* * *

I didn't know exactly what was discussed between Avril and the Chairman after that day.

But one thing.

The changes at Akarind Academy had stopped.

The evaluation match for class assignments had disappeared as if it had never happened.

The students continued to take classes in the classes they were assigned to when they first enrolled, and they could freely take the classes they wanted by applying for them.

People who wanted to learn strategy, tactics, and military drills went to Qantaii.

Students who preferred a close and friendly relationship between teacher and student went to Gwen.

Students who failed to register for lectures mainly took classes in Class D and E.

And our class.

"W-woah!"

A student who was sparring with a sword rolled on the ground.

"Your foothold is weak! Get up!"

"Yes!"

"When you swing, don't lose focus until the moment the tip of your sword touches your opponent!"

"Understood!"

Training that was reminiscent of a knightly order was unfolding everywhere.

Students who were a bit bigger and more skilled with the sword sparred with smaller students and pointed out their shortcomings.

That's right.

Our class was filled with students who focused on swordsmanship itself, reminiscent of a real battle.

The advanced students in other classes, that is, the students who had enrolled last year, all applied for Class F's classes.

These students took charge of the freshmen, which reduced my burden in many ways.

The students' enthusiasm was remarkable; the returning students were full of passion to teach these freshmen well, and the freshmen trusted and followed those returning students like senior knights.

They listened to their teachings, respected them, and hung on their every word.

Thanks to that, did I have it easier...

"L-like this?"

Not really.

An instructor who had to check the students' activities, improve their basic physical strength, and correct their posture.

That is, my colleague seemed to be constantly frightened, watching my every move, and even sneakily asking about swordsmanship.

"Instructor Jessie?"

"Ah, aaah, was it not this stance but another one? Is the foothold the problem? Or, or is it because I'm swinging a stupid swordsmanship..."

"No, just a moment."

How did things end up like this?

Was it because I told her to swing her sword last time and then she suddenly fainted?

Or was Berlis's magic right after that too stimulating?

'There are so many possible reasons that it's actually hard to choose one.'

The classes with Jessie weren't all bad.

"Before you swing the sword, breathe a little deeper. You must convince your body of your intention."

"C-convince, you say?"

"You have to think of it as erasing the sword's thoughts and overwriting them with your own."

"Erase the sword? Uh, yes, yes."

"From your fingertips to your toes, it's important to make your intention clear."

I don't know if she was listening to me properly or not.

Jessie took a high stance with an expression that was hard to read.

On the other side stood Pan, ready to receive her sword.

It seemed that among the students, he was the only one who could receive the instructor's sword.

It was then.

'Huh?'

My body moved unconsciously.

It felt like I was swinging a sword, and a sudden neuralgia and pain shot through my body.

On the verge of collapsing, I barely reached out and grabbed Pan's arm.

As if falling, I pulled him back.

Clang.

Pan's sword broke in half.

Thud.

The sound of half of the wooden sword falling to the ground echoed unusually loudly in the training ground.

Everyone's eyes were on Jessie.

"Eh? Eh?"

Holding a sword that was emitting an unstable blue light, Jessie stood there with a bewildered expression.

Her gaze turned to the sword.

"Gah?! What is this!?"

She screamed.

The aura surrounding the sword disappeared.

What is, this?