Green light, my ass.
“Oh my, I was just joking. If it bothered you, I’ll apologize.”
Yeah, right. Some joke.
It was practically dripping with sincerity.
Still, that was unexpected.
I thought she’d come at me the same way she usually does, all twisted.
“Why are you apologizing to me, Mage Ariel? The one you wronged isn’t me, it’s our instructor right here.”
I was going to just let it slide since she apologized, but now that I think about it, she’s right.
Though calling me “our instructor” feels a bit much.
Hey, I’m telling you, this time it’s real!
Shut it.
“R-Right. I’m sorry. That joke was out of line for a first meeting.”
“I’ll accept your apology. Be more careful next time.”
After I shut her down, Ariel nodded awkwardly with her face flushed bright red and hurried out of the room.
“I’m sorry.”
Now she’s apologizing again?
This is confusing.
Of course, I’m not about to believe that nonsense Ark was spouting about a “green light”.
There’s no way anything like that could develop between me and student Mei.
If anything, she probably dislikes me.
So what is this?
The Mei I had in mind was a model student. Maybe a bit lacking in practical skills, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Actually, it’s more accurate to say I’d never really given her much thought at all…
“Instructor, I’m sorry.”
“What exactly are you apologizing for?”
“I thought you might be upset because you were about to step in, and I interrupted….”
If I had stepped in, the outcome definitely would’ve been better.
I was planning to push her until she gave a sincere apology, not some half-hearted one like that.
Surprisingly, most mages don’t have strong mental fortitude.
Their pride is the only thing that’s high.
“I’m not upset. Do you take me for someone that narrow-minded?”
“N-No, that’s not what I meant….”
“More importantly, sit down first. You were told the effects of the herbs haven’t fully worn off yet.”
“Yes.”
The bold woman who had just demanded an apology earlier was nowhere to be seen. Now she just looked completely tense.
“Why did you do it?”
“Huh?”
“I clearly told you that if you couldn’t keep up, you should give up and go back. Did you not hear me?”
“No, I heard you.”
“You heard me and still did that? Then it was intentional. Were you trying to make things difficult for your instructor?”
“What? No, absolutely not.”
She shook her head and denied it firmly, and I already knew that.
Compared to the other students, Mei hadn’t shown me much hostility.
Even if she disliked me on the inside, no one but a fool would push themselves to the point of collapse just to make an instructor’s life difficult.
“Then why?”
“You might already know this, but… my practical scores are actually pretty bad.”
“I know.”
“You did… I see. That’s why I didn’t want to give up. In the end, I was the last one left. Even if my body can’t keep up, I’m confident in my mental strength.”
She said it with a bright smile, but the reason felt too superficial.
It seemed like there was something more behind it.
“I’m sorry for making you worry.”
“If you’re sorry, then don’t do things you’ll have to apologize for.”
I should get going now.
I was curious about her reasons, but there was no need to pry if she didn’t want to share.
“Well then….”
“Um, Instructor….should I come at the same time as yesterday for today’s supplementary class?”
…What is she talking about?
“I told you yesterday. The purpose of the supplementary class is to prepare for the Grita competition. I have no intention of teaching students who can’t even handle basic physical training.”
“You might not believe me, but I actually finished everything yesterday. So…”
“I also said this yesterday. Basic physical training isn’t just for one day. It’ll be part of every session.”
“Yes. I’ll work hard.”
What does she mean she’ll work hard?
Isn’t it obvious she won’t be able to keep up? Doesn’t she realize I’m telling her not to come?
This is frustrating.
“If you collapse again, it puts your instructor in a difficult position. Just today, the way the other students looked at me was something else.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Because of me…”
“I’m not blaming you. It was also my fault for leaving in the middle yesterday.”
“No, it’s not. I overdid it, and now you’re the one…”
“Ahem. Anyway, once the headmaster returns from leave, I plan to recommend that the Ranger class not participate in Grita this year. So there’s no need for you to attend the supplementary sessions.”
“I can do it.”
“You collapsed after just one day. Don’t be reckless.”
“I really can. Please trust me.”
…This is exhausting.
Was she always this type?
I don’t understand why she’s being so stubborn.
“Anyone can say they can do it.”
Determination matters, sure. But determination alone doesn’t make everything possible.
“So you think I can’t do it either, Instructor…?”
Her expression fell completely.
“It’s not just you. None of the students in the Ranger class have any chance of placing in this competition.”
Forget placing. They’d be lucky if they didn’t embarrass themselves.
“You won’t know that unless we try.”
“When you’re at my level, you can tell just by looking.”
“Even so, I still want to do it. Even if I can’t win anything, it’ll still be good experience…”
“That ‘experience’ could just as easily turn into trauma.”
At this point, she should’ve gotten the message, but the way she bit her lip made it clear she had no intention of backing down.
“Why are you so fixated on Grita?”
“I want to succeed.”
Succeed? That’s unexpected.
The word “success” doesn’t really go hand in hand with being a Ranger…
It’s not like the treatment is bad or the social status is low, but it’s a stretch to call it a path to success.
Rangers are indeed a specialized branch and a respected position in their own right, but most high-ranking officials come from knight or mage backgrounds.
Has there ever even been a Ranger who truly made it big?
As far as I know, there’s never been a case of a Ranger earning a title through merit.
Even those who serve for a long time usually just become team leaders, or at best, a corps strategist.
“If success is your goal, the administrative track would be faster.”
“Without strength, you can’t be recognized…”
For a moment, I didn’t quite get it, but thinking it over, she wasn’t wrong.
The Beluga Empire has always valued military strength.
Even the dukes are all Swordmasters, and most high-ranking nobles come from knight or mage backgrounds.
“That’s not entirely wrong, but people are born with different talents. There’s no need to insist on just one path.”
While strength is valued, it’s not like civil officials are looked down on.
There are even prime ministers who rose to that position purely through administrative ability.
“I know I’m not talented. But talent isn’t everything. I think hard work can change things.”
There was a firm determination in Mei’s expression as she looked at me.
“I think we’ve said everything that needs to be said. I’ll be going now.”
“Instructor…”
Maybe she thought I was brushing her off, because she looked like she was about to cry.
As I pulled back the curtain, I spoke.
“If you’re that determined, come at the same time as yesterday.”
“Th-Thank you. I’ll really do my best.”
I gave a small wave and left the infirmary.
You’re ruthless. If you don’t want to deal with it, you could’ve just talked her out of it nicely. Why call back someone who already collapsed?
Who said I’m tormenting her?
You’re not?
Even Ark is starting to see me as trash…
Then again, he originally wanted to explore ancient ruins from his era, so it makes sense he doesn’t like that I’m trying to get myself fired from the academy.
Why aren’t you answering? I know you’re planning to call her back and nitpick her into quitting.
Nitpick? What does that mean?
It means harassing someone by making absurd excuses and picking at them like you did yesterday, you idiot.
Harassing? I have no intention of doing that.
Then what, you’re actually going to try teaching her properly?
She said she completed everything she was told to do. And since she wants to continue, I should let her.
Did you eat something weird? The guy who used to have zero motivation and only cared about getting fired is actually thinking like this now?
Ark is seriously overreacting.
There are a number of reasons, but what Mei said at the end is what moved me.
More precisely, hearing her reminded me of someone I had long forgotten.
That person was like Mei…no, far worse.
They were smart, but their mana affinity was so low they couldn’t even use basic magic.
When people told them to give up because they had no talent, they said something similar…though not exactly the same.
– If I don’t have talent, then I’ll just work that much harder, right? I can overcome it, so please believe in me.
Everyone around them said it was hopeless and told them to quit, but I went against that and gave them a chance.
Because I saw the determination in their eyes.
Fortunately, just as I had hoped, they proved themselves.
And just now, I felt that same thing from Mei.
Of course, just because it feels the same doesn’t mean it’ll lead to the same result. But I’m willing to believe in it once.
“I don’t do that kind of petty nitpicking in the first place.”
Come to think of it, what I did yesterday wasn’t really nitpicking anyway.
I may have been strict, but it’s also true that the students’ form was off.
What are you even talking about? Are you sick or something? You haven’t had lunch yet, and I don’t think anything you ate this morning was poisoned.
They’re paying pretty generous extra compensation. Handling one more person shouldn’t be a problem, right?
Explaining it to Ark would take too long, so I brushed it off.
You’ve got plenty of money already. Figures. People with money always want more.
***
After finishing the afternoon class, I headed straight to the cafeteria instead of the faculty office.
I usually go after work, but I missed lunch because I was talking with Mei.
I was going to head back to the faculty office anyway to teach the supplementary class.
After dinner, I stopped by the faculty office to take care of some paperwork. I was about to get up when Ark said it was about time, and then…huh?
Amelia was standing next to me.
“Instructor Amelia, what can I do for you?”
“You got me with that sophistry yesterday, but after thinking it over, I realized something. You just don’t want to teach the supplementary class, do you, Instructor Vio?”
Oh, so she’s not a complete fool after all.
“Is there anyone who actually likes extra work?”
“Of course not.”
Instructor Nordic, who was sitting beside me, chimed in.
“Then stop taking away the students’ opportunity with that nonsense argument and step aside. I’ll do it.”
…Now that’s a variable I didn’t expect.
I’d just made up my mind to give it a proper shot, and now she’s telling me not to do it….
I hesitated for a moment, but no…this won’t do.
“That’s going to be difficult.”
There’s more reason for me to trust Mei than just old memories.
When I was being humiliated, she stepped in before I could, and then there’s how she addressed me.
Our instructor.
Even at Sainty Academy, where I had a decent reputation for doing my job fairly well, if not giving it my all…not a single student ever called me something that embarrassingly earnest.
Let alone here, where I’d been unmotivated and mostly left them to self-study, I never expected a student to stand up for me and call me that.
At first, it was moving to see someone like me, who had been half-assing everything just to get fired, still be treated like an instructor. And then, before I knew it, I felt guilty.
“Even if it’s a hassle, I made the decision to do it, so I’ll see it through.”
“What do you mean by that now? I heard you sent all the students away yesterday.”
“Looks like your information is a bit outdated. I didn’t send them all away. There’s still one left.”
“One left? Are you saying someone actually completed that absurd physical training?”
“I didn’t see it myself, so I wasn’t sure, but from what I heard today, that seems to be the case.”
“Who is it?”
It seems like she doesn’t know Mei collapsed yesterday.
Ah! Come to think of it, Mei’s class had its practical session in the afternoon today.
If she only attended the afternoon session, it makes sense she wouldn’t know.
“It’s student Mei.”
“Mei, as in Mei Levi?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Instructor Amelia looked genuinely shocked.
“Is that really true? During practical class, she’s always lagging behind, barely managing to finish five laps around the training grounds. How could she possibly…?”
“Guess she overcame a body that wouldn’t cooperate through sheer effort.”
It was about time to leave, so I got up from my seat.
“Well then, I assume that answers all your questions? I’ll be on my way.”
“Wait a moment. Then what are you going to do about the others?”
“Haven’t they already given up?”
I don’t see any reason for me to teach them.
“I looked at the supplementary class list. There are students more skilled and more driven than Mei. If you’re going to do this, do it properly.”
I was about to brush it off since I was short on time, but that crossed a serious line.
How can an instructor who claims to care about the students say something like that?
“Are the students even at a level where they can be comparing skill differences?”
“I know they’re all still lacking. What I mean is, there are students who have more talent than Mei and a better chance of making it to the main round. Let them take the class too—”
She still doesn’t get it.
“You keep talking about skill and talent, comparing them…what gives you the right to make that call, Instructor Amelia?”
“What do you mean? When you teach them regularly… even just looking at their grades, it’s obvious—”
“So if someone doesn’t have talent, they should just die?”
“When did I ever say that? Don’t twist my words like that. I’m just saying I want to give more students a chance.”
“If they really had skill and drive, would they have given up yesterday? I can’t agree with you.”
“……”
She refuses to admit she was wrong to the very end.
Fine. There’s no point in arguing further. I’ll just wear myself out.
I started to leave, but figured I should at least make things clear, so I added one last thing.
“If there are students you want to give a chance to, that’s up to you, Instructor Amelia. As for me, the only student I’ll be teaching is Mei.”
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