I quietly waited for the students inside the lecture room.
Though, for the class I desire to teach, an outdoor space is necessary…
“Outdoor classes on the first day aren’t allowed. It’s been decided that even other outdoor courses start indoors for the first lesson.”
Heinze’s firm words left me at a loss for what to say.
If the headmaster brings up the school rules, what can even a special professor do?
Still, why was he still standing beside me…
“Are you really sure this curriculum is alright?”
His worried tone made it clear.
Didn’t you already sign off on my submitted syllabus?
Hiding my grumbling inner thoughts, I nodded obediently.
“Yes. The entirety of what I can teach after spending my whole life on the battlefield is right there.”
“But isn’t it still too dangerous…”
Why was he so concerned?
Did he doubt my teaching ability?
Was the curriculum itself absurd to begin with?
If he truly thought it was unacceptable, he wouldn’t have signed it in the first place.
So I cut straight to the chase.
“What exactly are you worried about? Stop making excuses about the students and ask what you’re really curious about. If it’s something I can answer, I’ll respond.”
“Hmm…”
While stroking his white beard in thought, Heinze snapped his fingers.
A certain ‘energy’ enveloped the lecture room.
From experience, I knew this was the activation of ‘magic.’
“…It’s a soundproofing spell. A magic that blocks sound transmission. I’m not trying to threaten you, so please remove that ‘hand’ from my throat.”
My fingertips were pressed against his Adam’s apple.
Had I sensed even a hint of hostility from Heinze,
had I realized even a second late that this wasn’t the battlefield,
my hand would’ve already pierced through his neck.
This was a kind of PTSD.
When thought moves first, I die; when the body moves first, the opponent dies.
That’s the tightrope one walks every second on the battlefield.
Calmly noting Heinze’s composed words and the bead of sweat rolling down his face, I slowly withdrew my hand.
“I apologize. I haven’t fully adjusted yet. Please avoid silently casting magic within my ‘range’ if possible.”
The grand high priest of arrogance, Alba, infiltrating as a professor.
Even seeing his demonic energy and reacting with thought first felt uncomfortable…
Apparently, I still have a long way to go before I can stop walking this tightrope.
“Ho ho, it’s been quite a while since someone directly threatened me like that.”
“Once again, I sincerely apologize.”
“No, it’s my mistake. How threatening must magic feel to a soldier who hasn’t been off the battlefield for a month?”
With a chuckle, Heinze glanced at the clock hanging above the blackboard.
“Time is short, so I’ll ask quickly.”
“Go ahead.”
“Is… the war truly over?”
Asking this, Heinze seemed to carry some certainty.
Meeting his serious gaze, I carefully chose my words,
hiding my inner anxiety behind a poker face.
Why is he asking this?
Does he know something?
I… don’t know anything, right?
Unless it’s a sage of the Golden Way Zodiacs, why is he asking me such a thing?
“…The war has ended.”
I replied with what I knew.
Even if there’s something unknown remaining, I can’t claim ignorance as knowledge, can I?
“Whom else would I believe over someone who was at the forefront of the battlefield?”
Carefully observing my face, Heinze nodded.
Hiding my true feelings, I asked him.
“Have you heard something somewhere?”
“Not at all. What could this old man hear? I merely asked out of concern regarding your curriculum.”
“I see…”
Chuckling warmly, Heinze said as he exited the lecture room,
“I hope many students attend your lectures. It’s a rare opportunity.”
Bang-
Only after hearing the door close did I recall an important fact.
At the Academy, just like university in my past life, you can choose which classes to take.
Especially for special professors’ courses, they aren’t mandatory for any major and offer low credits.
“Surely… at least one person will come, right?”
According to school regulations, a minimum number of students must register for each class.
For Royal Ban students, it’s five; for regular students, ten.
If these conditions aren’t met, then the class…
“Would be… canceled…”
Of course, as a special professor, if a class is canceled, I could simply open another.
The problem is submitting the same syllabus isn’t allowed.
Thus, if this class gets canceled, I’d have nothing else to teach.
“…”
Cold sweat trickled down my back for the first time in ages.
***
“Amy, are you really going to take this class? Have you reconsidered?”
Ariana, with her navy blue hair flowing wildly, clung to the fiery red-haired girl like flames.
Amy furrowed her brows and pushed her away.
“If you don’t want to listen, leave. Stop annoying me.”
“That’s harsh. Are we not friends?”
Ariana feigned tears, making Amy wrinkle her nose even more.
“Don’t make me throw up and shut your mouth.”
“Why are you taking such a class? You never take these kinds of classes.”
Competition for grades among the Royal Ban students is incredibly fierce, where rankings often differ by just one point.
Choosing a low-credit class whose content is completely unknown isn’t something grade-obsessed Amy would normally do.
“Hmph…”
Truthfully, it wasn’t a class Ariana particularly wanted to take either.
But the reason she was attending was because of her brother.
“Professor Allen was Earl’s superior, they say.”
“Earl? Your brother? The one who spent 10 years on the battlefield? You’re still calling him by his name? Ah, that’s not the point.”
Her sapphire-like eyes widened.
So Allen was also a soldier?
Ariana muttered nervously.
“A soldier as a special professor…?”
“I’m curious about that too, which is why I’m going.”
“I can guess why you’re conducting such a class. He must have been a real expert, right?”
Finally, Ariana became interested.
Survival techniques taught by a veteran of actual combat.
Content that could easily become a bestseller if written into a book.
“If he was Earl’s superior, he must know Earl well. What’s he like?”
“Hmm…”
Recalling Earl, who had returned home after being discharged from the hospital recently.
“A person worthy of happiness, they say.”
“…What does that mean?”
Furrowing her brows and tilting her head, Ariana looked puzzled, but Amy only shrugged.
“I said the same thing. So he just laughed. Laughed for quite a while… and called him a ‘hero.'”
“I think I understand why you insist on taking this class.”
“Right?”
Even she would want to meet him directly.
A young lord who unhesitatingly calls someone a ‘hero.’
Curiosity about what kind of person he might be soared in Ariana as well.
“If you don’t like it, you can just stop attending next time.”
“Well, that’s a fair point.”
Thus, the two girls opened the door to the lecture hall where Allen was waiting.
“Please take a seat wherever you like. We have about three minutes before class starts.”
For some reason, Allen looked relieved as he gazed at us.
Amy curiously scanned the lecture hall.
“Here! There’s a seat here~!”
Sena Eos waved cheerfully to call them over.
“…”
And other students scattered around.
Amy and Ariana quietly sat near Sena.
As soon as they sat down, Sena began whispering.
“I didn’t expect you two to take this class.”
“And why are you taking it?” Ariana quickly responded.
Why would a Holy Maiden need to learn ‘Survival Against Barbarians’?
Even if participating in war, she’d be treated most preciously in the rear lines.
Sena smiled brightly as usual.
“It’s just curiosity. Curious about the person, curious about what kind of class it’ll be, curious about what survival methods actually are! And above all, he’s handsome!”
“…Ah, this is the type.”
Realizing she asked something unnecessary, Ariana pinched her forehead.
She had forgotten how much of a weirdo Sena was with her pure and endlessly curious nature.
Of course, among the classes she attended once, very few continued beyond her major subjects.
“Phew”
Watching the comedic duo, Amy shook her head with an expression of disdain.
“Then… since time is almost up, shall we begin the class?”
As the clock struck noon, Allen stepped forward to the lectern.
After glancing once at the students in front of him, Allen took a short breath and began speaking.
“The subject I will teach is…”
At that moment,
“I’m sorry for being late.”
A composed-looking girl entered the lecture hall.
“If you haven’t started the class yet…”
Her silver hair shimmered softly.
Her crimson eyes shone like a blood moon.
Her porcelain skin, as pure as snow and as beautiful as flowers, suited the term perfectly.
Her name is Lux Stella Sirius.
“Would it be okay to join?”
The imperial princess appeared.
***
‘The class won’t be canceled after all.’
Seeing the students trickle in, I could finally relax.
From ordinary students not on the VIP list to those from the Royal Ban.
Among them, the ones I recognized immediately were from the Royal Ban.
Reinhardt and Sena, and later arrivals Amy and Ariana.
Their commonality was being both Royal Ban students and listed on the VIP roster.
Thinking about it, why was Reinhardt on the VIP list?
If it’s because he’s from the Royal Ban, why weren’t the other Royal Ban members listed?
‘Well, whatever.’
Whether VIP or not, as long as they’re students in my class, I’ll teach them to the best of my ability.
Just slightly disappointing that we’re only at nine students as time runs out.
Still, with four from the Royal Ban, missing one shouldn’t be a big issue, right?
Glancing at the clock, I stepped forward onto the podium in perfect timing.
“Then… since it’s time, let’s begin, shall we?”
For the first day, I’ll just briefly introduce myself and explain the upcoming teaching method.
First lectures are always orientation, after all.
“The subject I will teach is…”
Just as I was about to speak slowly, the lecture hall door opened.
“I’m sorry for being late.”
The protagonist-like last arrival.
The forbidden gem of the empire, Lux Stella Sirius, whom I’d rather not encounter.
“If you haven’t started the class yet…”
She walked in gracefully, capturing everyone’s attention.
“Would it be okay to join?”
Approaching me, Lux asked.
Her voice carried an ethereal mana.
Though I’d never heard it before, it felt oddly familiar.
Where had I possibly heard the voice of the imperial princess…
“Professor?”
Shaken from my thoughts, I noticed Lux tilting her head at me.
Ruby-like sparkling eyes and peach-like light blush.
Her crimson lips made me snap back to reality quickly.
“Ah, yes. That’s correct. Thank you for coming to attend the lecture. Please take a seat wherever you’re comfortable.”
To let my guard down like this despite having faced countless battles…
“Thank you.”
She chose a seat in the middle of the very back row.
Selecting the highest central position, indeed different from others.
“Then now it seems no one else will come…”
Waiting a bit longer in case more students arrived, but there was no further movement.
Smiling faintly, I surveyed the students I’d be responsible for.
“Let’s begin the class, shall we?”
