Chapter 19

“Well then, tomorrow and the day after are going to be enjoyable days off, huh?”

It’s been five days since I started working as a temporary teacher at this academy. Just like in my original world, this academy has five school days followed by two days off. In other words, once I get through today, I’ll have two days of rest waiting for me.

Of course, a teacher’s job doesn’t end there. Even during days off, there’s preparation for next week’s classes, grading tests, supervising club activities—plenty of work to be done despite it being called a “holiday.” It’s worth it in this other world since the salary is quite decent, but back in my original world, teachers deserved much better pay for this level of hard work.

That said, I personally make sure to finish everything by the 5:00 PM end of the day.

“Good morning, Mr. Geek!”

“…Good morning, Mr. Manatee.”

On my way to morning classes, someone called out to me from behind. When I turned around, I saw a short, stout man wearing an expensive-looking dark blue robe.

He is the teacher in charge of basic magic at this academy.

“I heard some news, you know. It seems the dismissal request from the Marquess Marceno’s household was withdrawn. What kind of magic did you use to pull that off?”

“Now, I’m not sure what you mean. Perhaps his father finally understood the gravity of his son’s crimes and decided to drop the petition against me.”

“…Hmm, perhaps that’s the case. Well, that boy has caused a number of problems before. Speaking of which, Mr. Geek, would you care to join me for a drink after class today? I’d like to treat you as a celebration for your appointment.”

“I appreciate the invitation, but I must regretfully decline. Having just moved to this town earlier this week, there are many things I need to take care of this weekend. Perhaps another time?”

“Ah, I see, what a shame. Very well, let’s plan for another occasion then.”

“Thank you for the kind offer.”

With that, Mr. Manatee walked off to his classroom.

“…He’s the very definition of a sly tanuki teacher.”

When I was first appointed as a temporary teacher, he didn’t show the slightest interest in me. But the moment I expelled Gariel, the eldest son of the Marquess Marceno family, and the dismissal petition against me was dropped, he suddenly acted like this.

And worst of all, when I looked into their memories, I learned something disturbing—Manatee had been consulted about Melia being assaulted with magic, yet he chose to do nothing about it.

That said, using the fact that I saw their memories would itself be a violation, so I can’t use it as evidence to get him fired. Besides, Manatee belongs to a famous count family, making it difficult to remove him from his position just like that.

I’d love to deal with incompetent teachers who yield to power, but I’ll need to prepare carefully for that.

“So, what’s the general opinion about me after my first week here?”

It was after class, and the day’s lessons had ended. Just like yesterday, Cyril, Melia, and Bern gathered in my rented research room. They were studying while asking me questions, which I answered in turn.

After their questions subsided, I asked something that had been on my mind.

“Uh, well, I think Mr. Geek’s classes are very easy to understand, and the practical exercises are super helpful!”

“Mr. Geek focuses on real-world applications, so it’s especially useful for those of us aiming to become magic knights or adventurers. I hope you continue with this teaching approach since it’s perfect for my goals!”

“I see, that’s good to hear.”

Based on what Melia and Bern said, it seems there aren’t any major problems so far. I had experience as a teacher in my past life, but since this is a different world, I was slightly worried. Thankfully, it looks like things are going well.

“Also, since Gariel was expelled, everyone’s scared because they think you won’t hesitate to punish someone, even if they’re from a noble family.”

“…So that’s why the attitudes of the students in Classes A to C have changed so drastically.”

During yesterday’s and today’s classes, every student, even outside the S-Class, participated in practical exercises without any pushback. No complaints were filed against me either, according to Anon.

Even though the notice board only mentioned that they were expelled, not that I was the one who expelled them, word seems to have spread incredibly fast. Then again, a few students saw me escorting them to the principal’s office, so that might explain it.

“Also, the female students think you’re a suspicious man with messy hair, an unshaven beard, and a lab coat.”

“Hey, Cyril!”

“……”

That’s feedback I didn’t need to hear.

What’s wrong with lab coats? Shouldn’t researchers and professors in lab coats be seen as cool, even in this world?

“I-I think Mr. Geek is cool!”

…While I appreciate the sentiment, coming from kind-hearted Melia, it feels more like a polite compliment.

“To be honest, if you tidied yourself up, you wouldn’t look so bad.”

Surprisingly, Cyril offered a rare bit of encouragement.

“Well, I’d rather spend that time researching magic or developing magic tools.”

“Ugh, you’re hopeless. Minus five points for that!”

The mysterious Cyril Points dropped again.

“Hmm, what should I do today and tomorrow? I’ve been working on my magic tools as a hobby after finishing my teaching duties every day, so maybe I’ll focus on researching gravity magic.”

Five days of classes had passed, and now the academy was on break for two days.

Ding-dong.

“…There’s only one person who would visit me here.”

As I was pondering how to spend my time, the doorbell to my teacher dorm room rang. Incidentally, the doorbell is a magical tool I created long ago. Having knowledge from my previous life sure comes in handy.

“Good morning, Gill! Today’s a day off, isn’t it? Let’s go on a date!”