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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 55
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"Kali?"
"...Huh?"
"Who on earth are you staring at like that?"
"Oh, no. No one."
At the words of Esia, the instructor for Class A4, Kali awkwardly shook her head. As they naturally took their seats in the cafe, Esia calmly sat down opposite Kali.
Rustle.
A woman with pure white, silver hair cascading down to her waist, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Esia suddenly looked at Kali and burst into laughter, as if understanding.
"Kali. Are you still not used to seeing students like this after being on the battlefield?"
"That's not it."
"Oh, come on. For someone who says that, there's been a lot of talk about you lately, you know? I heard you even personally apologized to a C-Class student. I don't know what happened, but I was quite surprised that you, with your personality, would go that far. What on earth was it?"
"Well... I just apologized because I made a mistake."
"If that's the case, you should have called the student separately and apologized. Apologizing in front of all the other students, no matter what, considering your reputation..."
"It just... happened that way. The situation ended up like that. Esia, and frankly, I'm a bit embarrassed right now, so I'd appreciate it if we could stop talking about that."
"Ah, right. Okay."
As Esia then called the waiter and began to order, Kali's gaze drifted around as if surveying her surroundings, only to settle once more on a specific spot.
The window seat.
Her gaze blankly fell upon Han Cheon-seong, who was sitting with an A-Class female student who was conspicuous to anyone.
"So, Kali. How is it? Being an academy instructor, are you getting used to it?"
"...It's not difficult. I just teach as prescribed."
"For someone who says that, you seem a bit distant, don't you? For me, at least, it's much more comfortable than being on the battlefield, which I like. Even though I'm staying at the academy as a concept of rest, I'm even thinking of settling down here entirely."
"You're even thinking of settling down at the academy...?"
"Yeah. Teaching the students is quite rewarding, and seeing these fresh-faced kids, they're kind of cute. And it's not like I can only fulfill my role by being on the battlefield, right?"
As Esia carefully expressed her opinion, Kali slowly nodded.
'Perhaps this path is right for Esia.'
Even as she thought that... her mood felt strange.
Her chest felt strangely ticklish, yet an inexplicable unpleasantness lingered.
She definitely hadn't felt this way when she first entered the cafe with Esia...
Then, her gaze flickered back, and she found herself thinking.
'Her name was Glacia, perhaps?'
The blue-haired female student was familiar to me too. She was a student whose scores I had graded during the entrance exam.
All the other examiners had given her evaluations close to the highest scores, and I too had given her a fairly high score.
Clink.
"Your fruit parfait and chocolate cake. Here you are. Please enjoy your time."
"Thank you."
While her gaze straightened at Esia's light reply, her lips hesitated.
'Certainly... Han Cheon-seong said it was a misunderstanding.'
When Han Cheon-seong explained to me that he had no thoughts about romance. I believed the student's words.
Because I had greatly reproached myself for the rash actions I had taken two days ago.
The moment we conversed was certainly brief, but I had genuinely felt how much Han Cheon-seong valued effort and was dedicated to his studies.
But...
What is that sight now?
"Kali?"
"Hm?"
"You're a bit strange today, aren't you? Why are you so spaced out? Your parfait will melt."
At Esia's words, she awkwardly picked up her spoon, feeling foolish for no reason.
'What on earth am I thinking...'
Today was the weekend.
And although he was a student, his private life was strictly to be respected.
For an instructor to interfere with what a student did on the weekend was excessive. Even if I was strict during lectures, I believed it was right to let them have their freedom outside of those hours.
Slurp.
Even as she took a mouthful of parfait, she barely nodded her head.
'Right. Let's stop thinking about it.'
...Though the sight of Han Cheon-seong with the female student named Glacia left a great question in her heart, she tried hard to suppress that feeling.
"Esia. This parfait is delicious."
"Right?! This cafe is quite a big reason why I want to stay at the academy, you know?"
As Esia smiled as if happy, a laugh escaped me too.
The child who was always gloomy on the battlefield was smiling so happily within the academy, it seemed to put my mind at ease seeing Esia.
...
And so, various conversations continued.
Perhaps because Esia had arrived at the academy a few months earlier, she told me various things about instructor life, and there were quite a few good pieces of advice worth listening to.
Like how to adjust the intensity of lectures, or how important it is to create opportunities for students to strive voluntarily. Or not to give students too much attention.
There were quite a few things said.
And many of those words resonated deeply within me.
...As if they perfectly fit my current situation.
'Even if I were to favor Han Cheon-seong, my attention is definitely excessive.'
It seemed I needed to lessen my attention a bit.
Even if I thought about Han Cheon-seong, being conscious of him even outside of lecture hours felt a bit strange.
He and I clearly had the positions of instructor and student. Therefore, it was necessary to maintain an appropriate distance.
"Ah. And Kali. Regarding romance between students..."
"...Huh."
"Knowing you, Kali, I figured you'd view romance quite negatively, so I wanted to tell you beforehand. You might not know it now, but as time passes, you won't be able to stop students from dating each other. When they like each other, their attitudes clearly become lax, you see? Remember when we were at the academy, there were kids who fell in love. But... I heard from senior instructors that there's nothing you can do about it. If dating students manage well on their own, that's good, otherwise, just leave them be."
She paused inadvertently as Esia spoke with particular emphasis.
She had accepted all other words well until now, but Esia's current words were something she couldn't accept favorably.
"Esia. Why should we let students date?"
"Why? I just explained it, didn't I? No matter what you do, you can't stop romance, you know? They're twenty years old, at the peak of their passionate age, and they like each other, so do you think we can stop them by trying? It's just inevitable."
Esia spoke as if she wanted to brush it off lightly, but no matter how she thought about it, those words felt... wrong.
Something felt off.
An instructor, as I saw it, was someone who should help and care for students so they could go down the right path.
Especially students with brilliant characteristics or talents, like raw gems, should be given even more attention by instructors.
"Esia. I don't think that's right."
"...Hm?"
"If a student has neither characteristics nor talent, it might be inevitable for them to be weeded out. But what if a student excels in at least one of those? Shouldn't we properly guide them and show them the way forward?"
"Uh... well. You have a point, Kali. If they're outstanding students, we also wish for them to do better."
"Right, isn't it? So, I believe we should prevent romance between students as much as possible. Not by simply accepting it as inevitable. But even if it's inevitable, during that period, we should guide them to prioritize their own development and effort over romance, and to look forward."
As she calmly continued speaking, her own head nodded at her words.
Why should an instructor simply stand by and watch a student go astray?
Of course, students can like each other. It's a natural emotion. But I believed that even such natural emotions needed to be 'overcome'.
The age when characteristics are bestowed and settle is the most crucial period. They should put in the most effort then, because after that, there's no chance for their characteristics to grow.
Because characteristics also have their own separate period of growth.
Once they leave the academy, there are no instructors to directly guide them, and no one to tell them what to do.
The majority of students become independent after graduation, and their dispositions solidify as they are.
"Um... Kali?"
"Huh."
"I'm just saying this just in case, but even if students date, don't react so excessively like this. I know you're right. It's heartbreaking for an instructor if a talented student becomes lazy and stops trying because of romance. But it won't be as easy as you think. No matter how much you try to persuade them with words, how can you deceive the feeling of liking someone? It would be too hard for the students too, wouldn't it?"
...Even as she quietly listened to Esia's words. She found herself understanding even less.
"Are you saying students can't overcome their own feelings?"
"...Well, they're twenty years old, aren't they? It's practically the age of a child, so do you think they'll manage well if they try to restrain themselves?"
"Then we should make them restrain themselves."
Esia, who had been gaping blankly at my words, suddenly let out a deep sigh.
"Kali."
"...Speak."
At her voice, which had turned calm, I knew I couldn't yield on this.
"I'm just asking, just in case, but it's not like you've never dated yourself, so you're telling students not to date... you don't have any ill will like that, do you?"
She suddenly said something unexpected, and for a moment, I was dumbfounded.
It was so absurd that she almost let out a hollow laugh.
"Esia. What on earth kind of nonsense is that...?"
"No. Just in case... I just thought you were reacting too excessively. This is your first time teaching students, isn't it? Before, when our peers were dating, you didn't seem to care much, but now you're reacting too strictly to students."
Esia was trying to gently lighten the mood, but even though I understood her intention, I suddenly felt like I'd been struck.
"Esia... we're twenty-five now."
"Right."
"If we wanted to date, we could date anyone, right? We're just choosing not to date voluntarily. Why are you suddenly saying things like that? It's making the listener flustered..."
Even as she spoke, she was truly flustered.
Are you asking if I'm negative about student romance just because I haven't dated? What on earth is Esia talking about?
I wasn't opposing her words with such feelings right now.
She could assert that she was doing so purely out of concern for the students.
"I'm sorry if I upset you... But recently, I've been feeling a bit strange. It's true that our marriage is delayed because we were on the battlefield and then returned. Twenty-five is still a bright age, as you said, and..."
"...And?"
"Even so, you know, sometimes I have this strange thought? That I should have tried dating back in my student days. Even though I've returned to the academy and am an instructor, honestly, I don't see any men I like... Is it like romance also has its shining moments, just like characteristics? I'm starting to regret that belatedly."
Even at Esia's words, her eyes instinctively narrowed.
It was fine that Esia was showing such a bright demeanor at the academy now. But she didn't understand why Esia was expressing such curiosity about private feelings, about romance.
If she had truly experienced the weight of the battlefield, she wouldn't even feel such emotions, given the immediate uncertainty of the Empire's future.
"Esia. I understand what you're trying to say. But it's absolutely not what you're thinking. I'm just doing this purely out of concern for the students. Please don't misunderstand."
"Really? Then I'm sorry... I said something unpleasant for no reason. So, Kali. Who is it, exactly?"
"...Huh?"
"There's clearly a student you're currently interested in, isn't there? Who exactly is that student?"
As Esia asked with a strange glint in her eyes, Kali was momentarily flustered.
...
And she didn't know why on earth she was flustered.
Esia's question wasn't strange at all, and she could have simply answered calmly.
But... she found herself unconsciously hesitating, her lips faltering, and for a moment, no words came out.
"Huh? Kali~ Who on earth is it that you're getting so worked up and interested in? I'm really curious. You can tell me, between us, right? Hm?"
As Esia repeatedly asked with eyes full of curiosity, I was finally able to open my mouth.
"...There's a student named Han Cheon-seong."
"Han Cheon-seong... a student. Ah! The student who ended up in a draw with Leonhardt in a spar?"
"That's right. That student."
"No wonder. I was wondering why you suddenly got so worked up, Kali. Indeed, I can acknowledge a student of that caliber. He's a common characteristic who was the only one to draw with the legendary Leonhardt, how much effort must he have put in?"
Even as she slowly nodded at Esia's words, a corner of her heart swelled with pride for no reason.
...Of course, I couldn't directly help with the outcome of Han Cheon-seong's spar. But he is still a student I'm teaching.
Hearing praise for Han Cheon-seong from her friend's lips, her heart felt ticklish yet proud.
'Right, even if it was just for a day, we trained together... and I did help him in my own way.'
Han Cheon-seong was definitely worth it.
So, she unconsciously glanced back again.
At the window seat where Han Cheon-seong was sitting...
Clatter.
The spoon she was inadvertently holding slipped from her grasp.
She had only just looked, but her heart felt as if it had plummeted coldly.
"Kali. What's wrong all of a sudden?"
"...No. Nothing. It's nothing. Nothing at all."
Even as she turned her head stiffly... the image of the student she had just seen seemed to linger in her eyes.
Holding hands with the female student named Glacia.
The sight of Han Cheon-seong smiling faintly...
"Esia."
"Hm?"
"As I thought, I believe romance between students is not right."
"Oh, really? If you say so... then I guess it is. I also... think it's quite possible."
Looking at Esia, who was flustered by my resolute words, my mind was made up.
After tomorrow's lecture, I needed to properly guide Han Cheon-seong separately.
No matter how much she thought about it, seeing him like that already...
It didn't seem right.