CH 57

C57: Recruiting an Assistant Teacher (2) In response to Selina’s question, I quietly put the dishes I was holding on the table and said, “I haven’t felt the need yet.” That’s a lie. In fact, I didn’t even know I could hire an assistant teacher. ‘If I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen other teachers alone.’ Most of the teachers had people around them. At the time I thought it was just a student asking questions to the teacher or a user who does chores. So, I guess, except for me right now, all the teachers hired assistants? Am I the only one who didn’t know that? Selina’s was that she was quite surprised by my answer. “Yes? Then, until now, things like organizing assignments, student lists, and class preparation materials…….” “I did it all with my own hands.” “Aren’t you tired?” Am I having a hard time? Hmm….It was a bit cumbersome to guide close to 80 students one by one, organize materials, and prepare the contents of the class by myself. In particular, the most difficult thing is to check the list of submitted assignments one by one. Still, I shook my head because I didn’t feel tired. “There is nothing difficult about it.” “How many students did Mr. Rudger have in the classroom?” “80 people. The class is full.” At those words, I heard gasps of breath from the other teachers who were eating with us. “So, have you been taking charge of all 80 students by yourself since the beginning of the semester?” “Isn’t this usually the case?” “Not usually.” “Is that right?” “Yeah.” I have looked closely at the other teachers, so I should be able to figure out what I’m doing wrong. “Then did Selena also hire assistants?” “Yeah. I still don’t need a lot of hands, so I only hired three people.” You hired 3 people because you don’t really need help? Well, do other people hire 10 at a time? I glanced around and suddenly saw a teacher passing by outside the dining room, it was Chris Benimore. There were eight fidgety students chasing behind him, who has always been low-key since he lost the bet with me. “Since there are 80 students in your class you’ll need at least 5 assistants.” “I think so.” Ms. Merylda also intervened in the conversation. “You may be fine now, but as time goes on, you will become more and more frustrated, right?” “Do I need them right now?” “You don’t have to hire them all at once, it doesn’t matter if you increase the number little by little.” “Okay.” Hmm…When you say it like that it sounds tempting. Besides, looking at the reactions of the people around me, if I don’t have any assistants, it seems like I’ll draw too much attention from other people. First of all, it seemed necessary to hire a suitable person in the near future. “All right. Then I will try to hire an assistant as soon as possible.” “Ms. Rudger is very popular, so if you post an official letter, you will have a lot of students applying.” “Thank you for the compliment, even if it’s empty words.” “It’s not empty words…….” “I’m done eating, so I’ll leave now.” I got up from my seat, said goodbye, and left the restaurant. * * * “Hmm.” Returning to the office, I stroked my chin as I read a book about recruiting assistant teachers. ‘Even a new teacher can hire an assistant, and there are usually six or more. I mean, I have to pull it out.’ After all, even among wizards, there are teachers and pupils, but the magic academy isn’t that serious. Even in the Tower, there are teachers for each school, with dozens of disciples under them of course they’re close to slaves that are used as labor force but they’re still apprentices in name. It has become a kind of tradition, and Theon, who teaches magic, has not escaped this influence. Surprisingly, there was also a similar system in Theon. After their last year students can research magic and produce a thesis under their advisor…… Yes, to be honest, they were like graduate students of the 21st century. Theon was very innovative in both, a good and bad sense. ‘I don’t feel the need to hire an assistant because I don’t have any work to do right now, but it wouldn’t be a bad thing if there was at least one person who took care of the chores.’ After all, this isn’t a real tower, and since it’s an academy, I didn’t have to worry about the security issue of the assistant stealing my arcane magic data. They just need to organize the materials related to the class. ‘If someone becomes a teaching assistant, I can basically give them more credits or more personal guidance.’ There is no obligation to pass on arcane magic. If there was such a clause in the first place, the teachers would have opposed it. ‘If I had to choose, it would be better to choose a competent person.’ The simplest way to select an assistant is to post an advertisement. If I promise to recruit a few teaching assistants under my name, there will be applicants, and I will choose from among them. Basically, it is said that a lot of people who are about to graduate are teaching assistants, but there is no particular age limit. Rather, they said that new teachers mainly select first- and second-year students who take their own classes. ‘Should I choose from the students who take my class?’ If I select an assistant from among the students taking my class it has to be someone who can direct and lead the students well and not hold them back. The first people that come to mind are Flora Lumos and Erendir von Exilion. The two are high-ranking nobles and royalty, and they have natural charisma, so they are good at controlling the atmosphere. ‘It’s just that these two aren’t going to be my assistants.’ First of all, Flora Lumos is hard to pick because I have given her a lot of points to be honest, and in the case of Princess Erendir, no matter how much Theon insists on equality of status, this is too much. She was the one I had to turn down, even if she said yes to her. ‘I know that if I post an official, they will come on their own, but it will take a while and choosing an untested person has too many drawbacks.’ Even if I think about it right now, the answer does not come out, so I decided to go back to the dorm for now. After putting on my coat and leaving the office, I stopped walking when I suddenly felt a familiar presence while walking down the hallway. “Sedina.” “Yes, yes!” At my call, Sedina Rosen, who had been hiding in the corner of the hallway, popped out in amazement. Still looking at me with awe-inspiring eyes, she seems to have been secretly waiting for me. “What do you want?” “Oh, no. It’s not like that…….” She looked restless for fear that I would get angry with her. I was about to tell her to leave when I thought about the assistant position and opened my mouth. “Good timing.” “Yes?” “You, be my assistant.” “Yeah. Ah yes.” Sedina nodded her head reflexively and after 5 seconds. “……Yeah?!” Sedina exclaimed in amazement. She only said one word, but her reaction was so varied. “Do you not like it? If you don’t like it, I won’t force you to do it.” “Oh, no! Great!” To my words, Sedina bit her tongue in haste to say no. The way she covered her mouth with her two hands felt like a real squirrel. “Then do you agree?” Sedina shook her head violently up and down, unable to open her mouth. “I’m glad you agree. There is still time left, so fill out the assistant teacher application form and come to my office.” “Is it really okay for me to be your assistant?” “There is no reason not to. Or do I have any reason to lie?” “Oh no!” “The duration is two days, remember.” I left the room after speaking with Sedina. As a member of the Black Dawn, she specializes in gathering information, given what she has shown so far. If I leave her like that, I’ll have a better chance of finding out about Black Dawn. If I make her my assistant it will be easier for us to talk than setting up a place and time to meet. Above all, it will be able to erase the suspicious gaze of a third party. ‘For now, one Sedina is confirmed. The rest can be recruited slowly later.’ I got a loyal slave sooner than I thought. * * * A few days after the duel between Aidan and Jevan Pellio ended. The story of the duel from that day still lingered among the students, but, as is the case with students, they wanted to find new gossip rather than burnt firewood. And this time, what the students were talking about was a topic enough to get everyone on their feet. “What happened?” Rene asked the 3rd princess, Erendir, who sat next to her at ease. Although the two were far apart from each other in terms of ranks they were able to get to know each other faster than anyone else because they had no close friends. They’re also the kind of people who don’t care about small things. “Ah, junior Rene is here. It seems that strange rumors are circulating among the classmates these days.” “Strange rumors?” “Mr. Rudger is recruiting assistants.” “Wow. That’s kind of tempting.” The fact that Rudger Chelici did not hire an assistant so far was a well-known issue among students. Considering that most teachers always select assistants, it was quite unusual for a new teacher to not select a single one so far. There was even a joke among students that Mr. Rudger might not have known that he could hire an assistant. ‘Of course, Mr. Rudger cannot do that.’ She didn’t think that such a thorough man would have a loophole in that area. Even the students were just joking around. If Rudger would hire an assistant perhaps the front of Rudger’s office would be filled with students. Maybe he didn’t hire an assistant because he didn’t like loud and annoying things. “Still, the hottest rumor is probably something else.” “Something else? What is it?” “Have you ever heard of the 7th generation legend of Theon?” “I haven’t heard about it.” Rene was ignorant in that area, so she couldn’t answer properly. “Ah. You don’t know either.” “Uh, yes. I don’t know about that…….” “Well, it’s natural. In the first place, it’s just a rumor.” However, it was a topic that the students were more excited about. The Seventh Legend of Theon says that somewhere in this school, the dungeon of the founder and first president of Theon is hidden. Another famous legend is about a stone that can make wishes come true. “That’s probably the most upsetting thing right now.” “What?” “A stone that can make wishes come true.” At Erendir’s words, Line thought for a moment that she heard something wrong. How could there be a stone that grants wishes? “It is rumored to be somewhere in Theon.” “Really?” Rene was puzzled by that. Does the wish granting stone really exist? Erendir, seeing such a reaction from Rene, shook her left and right. “Junior Rene.” “Huh……What?” “How many undiscovered mysteries are there in the world? Monsters and demons that were said to have existed in ancient times and cryptids still scattered all over the world. Even secret ruins and unknown gods exist somewhere in this world.” Erendir’s eyes were burning with curiosity towards the unknown. “In such a world it is not impossible for the stone to exist. Of course it would be unreasonable to grant any wits but an Artifact with the corresponding power exists!” “Uh, yes.” Rene was taken aback by the unusual appearance of Erendir. She wouldn’t have thought that Erendir would have such a hobby. “Senior……Do you know about the legend?” “I’m kind of interested so I know a little.” Rene looked at Erendir with a fresh look. Outside of Theon Erendir was a being so high that Rene couldn’t even make eye contact with her. She is always a lofty and dignified princess who must show off her charisma in front of all her people but she is also a person with her own hobbies just like everyone else. “Because of the Almighty Stone, Theon has become noisy.” “Really?” Except for Rene and Erendir, all the students were talking about the Almighty Stone. ‘The Almighty Stone…so childish.’ Flora Lumos overheard these students and snorted inwardly. ‘If there were such a stone in the world, adults would have already taken it before it even reached the students’ ears.’ If such a thing existed in the first place, wouldn’t it be a matter of national security? ‘ You believe in such a legend, yet you are still trying to become wizards?’ Seeing the students chattering about searching for the stone after school later made her feel ashamed that they were learning in the same school. ‘I’ll just do my own thing and that’s it.’ For Flora the occasional news about Rudger were more concerning. ‘Are you hiring an assistant, Mr. Rudger?’ Flora was wondering who Rudger would choose as his assistant. ‘In the case of a normal assistant, it would not be done by someone who lacks because it represents the image of the teacher.’ For a teacher like Rudger, his assistant must have the skills he needs. ‘Oh my. What am I thinking?’ Flora shook her head. ‘There’s nothing I can do if I keep worrying about it.’ As she thought about that, the front door of the classroom swung open and a female student entered. ‘What?’ All eyes were focused on her. She had a small stature and voluminous brown hair. Then, regardless of the gazes of the other students, she placed the material, which she had fully embraced in her arms, on the pulpit. “The teacher is coming soon, so please be quiet.” Flora’s face  became blank at the soft voice she spoke boldly. ‘Have you already hired an assistant?’