Chapter 5: Teacher, am I that strange?
Chapter 5: Teacher, am I that strange?
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: N/A
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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The next morning.
From the crack of dawn, Eugene sat cross-legged, taking a moment to meditate.
"Hoo"
He inhaled the thin mana scattered around the world through his breath and converted it into his own mana, allowing it to circulate within his body.
In this way, a tiny amount of mana would accumulate in his body day after day.
"This should be enough for now."
Two hours had passed when Eugene opened his eyes.
Having meditated properly, he wasn't drenched in sweat like yesterday.
Only a few droplets of formed on his forehead.
Wiping the sweat away, Eugene stood up.
"I need to continue meditating regularly."
Two hours every day.
Without missing a single day.
This was the best path Eugene had envisioned.
In this world, mana was the foundation of everything, be it swordplay or casting magic, and it needed consistent refinement.
"Ah, I don't want to go to school."
After changing into his school uniform, Eugene left the inn.
No matter how reluctant he was, attending the Royal Academy was a must.
Setting aside various reasons, in the end, it was where all the main storylines of the game unfolded.
To utilize his in-game knowledge for survival, he had to stick to the academy.
Walking leisurely, Eugene arrived at the Royal Academy.
This relaxed arrival was a stark contrast to the early timings the body's previous owner maintained.
He was just minutes away from being late.
However, Eugene just strolled along the corridors, absorbing the bustling ambiance of the students, taking his time.
It wasn't because he was afraid to enter the classroom.
Really.
'Why is the classroom door closed?'
I can't even sneak in.
With a slightly uncomfortable expression, Eugene opened the classroom door and stepped inside.
Despite having been absent for two days, no student gave him a second look.
'He's here today?'
'Is he okay now?'
Except for Tina von Elia Florence.
-If we didnt meet at this royal academy, honestly, would we have been able to exchange words face to face?
She had completely dismissed Eugene's feelings two days ago, so she had been slightly worried after his unexcused absences.
It was common for men to be hurt because of her, but she had been somewhat harsh to Eugene, someone who had helped her numerous times in the past.
Indeed, on the second day of his unexplained absence, she even asked amongst the male students, wondering if something had happened to him.
Realizing that not a single male student was close to Eugene, she had no choice but to approach the teachers to get a detailed explanation.
'Eugene isn't the type to get into trouble, right?'
'He's a bit eccentric.'
'Don't worry too much. We'll look into it ourselves.'
The teachers reassured Tina that they would handle the matter.
'Now that he's back in school, he should be fine, right?'
Due to recent events, Tina showed a bit more interest in his well-being than the others.
Having confirmed that he was okay, she soon put him out of her mind.
He's not dead.
On the other hand, Celine glanced at him once, then continued to ignore him.
She had suffered a rather severe insult at the hands of Eugene, a noble, and was hiding it.
She was unlikely to see anything Eugene did in a favorable light.
No one's talking to me. Haha.
Regardless of what the girls thought, Eugene had no interest and simply sat in his place.
'I never thought my broken relationships would come in handy.'
He wasn't the 'Eugene' of the past, nor was he a fool obsessed with women.
When can I go home?
He wanted to swing his sword.
He was just a fool for the sword. He preferred it over the female leads in front of him.
The bell rang, indicating it was time for class, and the teacher entered through the door.
What's this? You came today?
The woman approaching Eugene with her gaze fixed on him was the homeroom teacher of the Blue Flower class, to which Eugene belonged.
The Royal Academy of Lucia assigned up to 16 classes per grade. The names of these classes were determined by famous flowers that bloom in different seasons.
The closer it was to spring, the closer the class was to the first class.
For instance, the White Flower class, representing a flower that blooms in January, was the first class.
While the Dark Flower class, representing a flower that blooms in December, was the last.
Eugene's class, the Blue Flower, represented a blue flower that bloomed in early summer, placing it slightly ahead of the middle.
"Thanks for coming today. If you hadn't shown up, I would have had to report to the security office."
Avel von Syndia Valenberry, or Avel for short, smiled as usual.
Thanks to Eugene's attendance, one of her concerns as a homeroom teacher was eliminated.
But even if I'm grateful...
She would have to ask him why he was absent without notice.
With a somewhat stern face, Avel asked,
So, Eugene, why were you absent without notice for two days? Without a valid reason, it will be recorded negatively on your transcript. Dont lie. Tell me honestly.
Go on.
Avel von Syndia leaned slightly forward on the desk, smiling gently.
Well
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the classroom centered around Eugene.
Eugene was not particularly nervous, nor did he have any thoughts of changing his reputation as a madman.
I joyfully swung my sword all day.
That's why I didn't come. Haha.
Thinking that telling the truth would get him nowhere, he tried to come up with an excuse.
Being hit by a carriage is true, so I'll go with that.
Having decided, Eugene spoke without any change in expression.
Two days ago, I carelessly got hit by a carriage. I severely injured my back, so I couldn't possibly come.
Really?
I have a scar on my back, would you like to see it?
Of course. Come to my office later.
Understood.
But Eugene,
A puzzled look appeared on Avel's face.
Your eyes look a bit different from usual?
What do you mean?
No, I mean... Your gaze always seemed a bit... off, but now it seems normal. So, what Im trying to say is...
Unable to articulate her thoughts, which roughly translated to 'you always seemed crazy', Avel lost her words.
Why is he like that?
"Anyway, I'll go to my private room later."
"Yes... Okay, come after attendance."
With that, their conversation ended.
"Then I'll start attendance."
Avel began, and the classroom's atmosphere returned to its usual state.
"Teacher, will you be coming in for today's swordsmanship theory and basics class?"
"No? I think Professor Fritz might be teaching?"
"Ugh, why?"
The attention that had been on Eugene naturally dispersed.
However, among them, there was one person who couldn't take her attention away from him, and that was Tina.
Why does he feel different than usual?
Is it just me? But he really is different, right?
As she listened to the conversation between Eugene and Avel, she naturally observed him.
For some reason, Eugene seemed different from his usual self.
In her memory, Eugene was a person who seemed kind, but a little... no, very strange, and had a slightly scary side.
When he was talking to the teacher just now, he would usually be stealing glances at her and Celine.
But today, that side of him was nowhere to be seen.
The strange look in his eyes was also gone.
Even his previously restless posture was now steady.
In many ways, he felt like a completely changed person.
Whats really going on?
Due to the sudden change in Eugene's demeanor, a question arose in a corner of Tina's mind.
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Raei Translations
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The first period is on the theory and basics of swordsmanship.
Once the morning assembly ended, Eugene was lost in his own thoughts.
If its a swordsmanship class, theres surely something to learn.
After all, I am very much interested in swordsmanship.
The scheduled lessons for the day were:
In the morning, 'Theory and Basics of Swordsmanship II, 'History I, and Theory and Advanced Techniques of Fire Magic.
The afternoon was composed of 'Swordsmanship Practice.
The Royal Academy of Lucia often dealt with theory in the morning and practice in the afternoon.
Fortunately for today, there was a swordsmanship lesson in the morning schedule,
And the entire afternoon was filled with swordsmanship practice.
This is great.
Thanks to his innate talent in swordsmanship, Eugene, who genuinely enjoyed wielding a sword, resolved not to miss a single detail in the classes.
Maybe I should visit her office first
Recalling his conversation with Avel, Eugene rose from his seat and left the classroom.
Although he wasnt particularly concerned about missing classes, there was no point in leaving things unresolved.
As Eugene exited the classroom and a brief moment passed,
Bang.
Celine! Wasnt he acting a bit strange just now?
Who?
Tina stood up abruptly, slamming her desk.
Eugene! Im talking about Eugene!
Why him?
No, didnt you see? He wasnt sneaking glances at us like he usually does! And that unsettling look in his eyes was gone too!
Thats a good thing, isnt it?
It is good, but thats not the point!
Tina got right in Celines face.
He seemed different from usual. I heard he was hit by a carriage; did he hurt his head or something?
Could be.
What the
Tinas cheeks puffed up in frustration.
Why are you so cold today? Youre always cold, but today you're even more so. I feel like Im going to freeze.
Whether you freeze or not
Celine poked Tinas swollen cheek with her finger.
Honestly, whether he changes or not, I couldnt care less.
Why?
Just... I've realized he's not worth it.
Did something happen between you two?
Nothing happened. Absolutely nothing.
Celine turned her head sharply away.
Her obviously reluctant attitude gave away that she was hiding something.
But when Celine was like this, there was no way to get her to talk.
I see. I was just asking~
Knowing this, Tina stood up and returned to her seat.
Her questions remained unanswered.
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Raei Translations
---
The Holy Lucia Empire's top prestigious institution,
'Royal Academy of Lucia'
It was composed of a total of five academic years.
Broadly divided into the 1-2 year courses and 3-5 year courses, the 1-2 year courses functioned similar to a high school, while the 3-5 year courses were like university.
The 1-2 year courses focused on gathering talents from all over the continent, aiming to accurately assess their abilities.
All students were required to take courses in swordsmanship, martial arts, magic, and liberal arts.
Only those who met the standards set by the school could advance to the 3rd-year course.
It was only after that could students specialize and hone their skills in areas like swordsmanship or magic.
As a result, there were countless students repeating a year.
With the number of students per grade being high and the number of repeaters increasing, the Royal Academy, which already had thousands of students, had no choice but to hire many teachers.
There was always a shortage of capable teachers.
The Royal Academy offered lucrative benefits to retain competent teachers, to the point it was more like a basic requirement.
So, the conclusion is,
'The teachers' private rooms are very luxurious.'
Upon arriving at the office of Avel, the homeroom teacher of the Blue Blossom class, Eugene gazed at the opulent door, unable to hide his admiration.
The beautifully decorated lavish door made him wonder about its cost.
Should I become a teacher in the future?
Wouldn't have to worry about going hungry, right?
Eugene, who was trapped in the harsh reality of poverty, entertained this fleeting thought before entering Avel's office.
"You're here? Come over."
"Yes."
Avel, seated at his desk, gestured for Eugene to approach.
"Right. You were hit by a carriage, weren't you?"
"Yes, I was."
"Is your body alright?"
"It's not too bad."
"Good, that's a relief."
Avel smiled gently.
"Well, I'm sorry, but can you show me your injuries? Because of the strict guidelines regarding academic matters. I'm sorry if I seem cold~"
"No, I understand completely."
Eugene turned around and lifted his clothing.
"Oh my! Look at that massive bruise. Alright, I see. You indeed had a valid reason to miss school. I'll handle your attendance record. Is taking sick leave alright with you?"
"Yes, that's fine."
"Okay. Understood. Head back to the classroom."
"Yes."
Eugene nodded slightly and attempted to leave the room.
But as he was about to,
"Wait a moment."
"Yes?"
"Just a moment. Come closer."
As Eugene approached, Avel opened her mouth with a face filled with concern.
"I've been thinking, you seem quite different from usual. By any chance, did you hit your head when you were struck by the carriage? If you can't remember, can you show me the back of your head? There might be an injury there. I'm genuinely worried..."
"..."
Eugene smiled warmly.
Teacher. Do I look that strange?
I act normal and it makes you seriously worry?
Eugene once again felt burdened by the past deeds of his body's former owner.
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