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“You all did great. Thanks to you, I was able to smoothly conduct the class.”

“Oh, don’t mention it. But your atmosphere was completely different.”

Yerica recalled Ethan’s demeanor during the class.

The sharp and icy atmosphere he exuded made it difficult to approach or deal with him casually. He was the very embodiment of a teacher whom one should treat with respect when addressing him.

“When you do something, you should do it properly. If you underestimate these students, they’ll just end up looking down on you.”

“That does seem to be the case.”

Yerica observed Ivecar’s students quite closely. They were all quite advanced, to the point where it was hard to believe they were just students. 

They had exceptional potential and intelligent minds to comprehend things, to the extent that if a teacher was even slightly lazy or inadequate, they would notice.

As Ethan had mentioned, there was no room for complacency.

“It was truly exciting, Young Master. This is the first time I’ve had an experience like this.”

Schudlen shared his impression.

However, there was something strange in his gaze.

“Is this how the senior knights felt when I, the youngest, joined the Order of Knights?”

“… It seems a bit different.”

Yerica gestured to Schudlen that his gaze seemed unusual.

“Anyway, I felt the same way as Yerica. You are indeed Young Master.”

In no time, Schudlen’s gaze of reverence returned, as if he was back to his usual state.

“But is it okay to teach the students your unique skills, Ethan?”

During this class, Yerica had realized that Ethan was teaching the students more than she initially thought. Even though this was an academy, teachers didn’t often share their core skills, as that was the essence of their strength.

“What I’m teaching isn’t all that impressive. It’s quite fundamental. Besides, even if I teach them exactly, not all of them will be able to follow. It’s not easy.”

Ethan shrugged his shoulders.

And it was meaningful for Ethan himself to teach.

“And when the students become stronger, it benefits me. Their evaluations will improve.”

So, the more he invested in teaching, the more he would get in return. It was a kind of investment.

Ethan’s ultimate goal was to become a Master.

Once he became a Master, he could move on to the next step.

“But these are basic things?”

“Basic for me, at least.”

‘Because the data I gather from teaching the students accumulates within me.’

It wasn’t just about teaching.

“I’m still lacking. There’s a lot more to teach.”

Looking at Ethan’s expression, Yerica thought of the students.

75 students.

They were struggling to properly digest even the fundamental concepts Ethan was explaining.

In this situation, if Ethan were to teach them something more challenging, it would be a mixture of enthusiasm and screams.

But on second thought, this was a teaching method that other teachers couldn’t possibly provide.

“It’s unfortunate.”

“About what?”

“They’ve tasted Ethan’s class. Now, how dull will other classes feel?”

At Yerica’s words, Ethan chuckled lightly.

“Then they should only take my class. Even if they’ve had something tasteless, they can eat something delicious, but the reverse doesn’t work.”

* * *

“Teacher Claudie, isn’t this getting out of hand? A newly hired teacher is blatantly disregarding the academy’s basic rules. Moreover, isn’t Teacher Claudie a senior in the Swordsmanship Department? Instead of visiting separately, he’s ignoring you to the point of not even acknowledging your presence!”

Claudie’s office.

Except for the newly hired teachers, all the instructors had their own offices. The size varied according to seniority, and Claudie’s office was already comparable in size to a department head’s office.

One teacher had come to his office.

It was Martynas Lane, a mid-level instructor in the Swordsmanship Department and Claudie’s junior by a year.

As a member of the Lane family, he was a veteran teacher who had been working at the academy for several years.

“Keep it down. This isn’t a neighborhood gossip session. Even if silence magic was cast on this room, a teacher’s voice would still be audible.”

“No, Teacher Claudie. Doesn’t he seem too audacious?” 

“What in the world is wrong with you?”

“He’s ignoring the rules! Isn’t he being too cocky?”

“Hmm.”

Claudie nodded, as if to say go ahead.

“Talking as if he’s going to teach something amazing, but in reality, he’s just doing some stamina training, showing off his sword skills. Isn’t that something that should only be done as a private instructor?”

Martynas spoke fervently.

“He’s disqualified as a teacher at Ivecar Academy. He doesn’t even teach the standard swordsmanship, the Revinade swordsmanship. The word is that he came here just to impress the students and wants to become a private tutor for other noble families!”

After listening to Martynas, Claudie looked at him for a moment.

“Have you ever attended his class?”

“No, I haven’t. But they say he crushed Chen Garcia during his first class. He’s disqualified as a teacher, that guy. Why did they hire such an utterly clueless person as a teacher and even give him the top position?”

Martynas raised his voice as he spoke.

“Furthermore, even the Magic Department’s Dean is like that. What did they see in a newly hired teacher to assign him classes? And that too, assigning classes from the Magic Department to a teacher in the Swordsmanship Department!”

“Magic Department’s Dean isn’t someone who would take on classes lightly. Even if the principal himself asked, he would refuse if the person isn’t qualified.”

“Teacher! Are you taking Teacher Ethan’s side?”

“I’m not on anyone’s side. Pathetic, aren’t you, Martynas? You used to be a bit more perceptive. What is this behavior now?”

Seeing that Claudie’s reaction wasn’t supportive as he had anticipated, Martynas was momentarily at a loss for words.

But he couldn’t back down from this situation.

“But that guy doesn’t seem to be simply aiming to develop the Swordsmanship Department. He might be playing a different kind of teacher’s game.”

“Teacher’s game?”

“You know that problem child, right? Mason Yeld. He clung to Teacher Ethan’s classes. There are even people who say they’ve seen the two of them talking.”

Mason Yeld was a promising student.

That was the assumption based on how well he had followed his teachings.

Mason’s mind was quite twisted, and he didn’t possess the potential to be educated to the extent of untwisting it.

It would be better if he redirected that effort elsewhere.

From that perspective, Mason was a castoff of the Swordsmanship Department.

For Claudie, hearing that Ethan Whiskers was playing with this castoff from the Swordsmanship Department was irksome.

“Your point has validity. But emotionally resolving this issue won’t do. At the moment, Teacher Ethan is certainly benefiting the academy.”

Claudie had heard the constant complaints about the practice room being full and how hard it was to get practice time. And that was because the room was filled with students attending Ethan’s class.

At the very least, Ethan was conducting his class in a positive direction.

Even though it clashed with Claudie’s feelings and with what Martynas had called the teacher’s game.

“But still, are you just going to let it slide?”

“Enough. I’m busy, let’s discuss this another time.”

Claudie waved his hand dismissively.

That was a clear signal to leave. Martynas sighed and left Claudie’s office in that state.

Then, he looked at the door for a moment and muttered to himself while lightly smacking his own face.

“…He’s not falling for it. That Claudie Hyde.”

His demeanor was so expressionless that it almost nullified the fervent tone he had just used. His cold eyes showed no trace of the atmosphere he had displayed earlier.

“Well, then, I should focus on my tasks.”

It would be better to handle Ethan Whiskers, who could potentially become a disturbance.

* * *

“Preparations are all set.”

“Mages, do a final check. These mages are crucial. If the expensive magic we brought from there isn’t cast properly, the business won’t run smoothly.”

“I’ll bring them right away!”

The David Merchant Guild was on the verge of opening a lightweight workshop through collaboration with Ethan.

Etting Hunt, in charge of the project, had reported to the higher-ups shortly after taking on the business and had now embarked on the opening.

‘The growth trend of Whiskers County’s lightweight workshop under Count Whiskers is exceptional.’

It had grown nearly three times the size since she had initially approached him for the contract.

Moreover, thanks to the lightweight workshop, Whiskers County, which was once nearly dead, was now one of the most vibrant areas in the vicinity.

“It’s like it’s developing just as I had expected.”

Whiskers County was rapidly increasing in population, and the city was developing.

Even the previously abandoned land was now under construction, with about half of it already completed.

It was a safe bet that the lightweight workshop venture would be a significant success, and that had been the right call from the beginning.

“He’s using all the money for territory development.”

Etting Hunt knew Count Ron Whiskers was not the kind of person to make such a bold decision.

If he was a person who knew how to seize an opportunity when it came, he should have also known how to create one for himself.

And if that had been the case, Count Whiskers might not have ended up like this.

So, there was only one answer.

It had to be Ethan Whiskers’ idea.

A voice cut through her thoughts.

“We’re coming in!”

With those words, her subordinate, along with the mages, entered the room.

She paused her thoughts for a moment. It was a time to be fully dedicated to this lightweight workshop project.

‘If I can’t make this a success… Ethan Whiskers will never work with our David Merchant Guild again.’

In that case, the project would be handed over to another Merchant Guild.

That was simply not an option.

This opportunity had to be seized definitively.

“Etting.”

Just then, a face she’d rather not see before the mages entered walked in.

As soon as he walked in, the mages and Etting’s subordinates who had come with him went back out.

“Welcome, Mr. Kimmel. You must be busy, what brings you here?”

“Our money-savvy Etting is starting a new venture, so I came to visit. You have the best nose for money in our Merchant Guild, don’t you? But I heard your nose was wrong this time. Is that true?”

Kimmel said with a sneer.

He was one of the three officers in the David Merchant Guild.

“Well, you spent a hefty sum on what seems to be a worthless business.”

“Your words are quite harsh, Mr. Kimmel.”

“Ms. Etting. Do you really think this business will succeed? This pitiful venture?”

Kimmel was well-known even within the guild for being a parachute hire. (+)^[1]TLN: Getting hired with the help of relatives (Nepotism)

Although he wasn’t without skill, he had a reputation for undermining promising merchants within the guild and taking credit for their achievements. This made him quite unpopular.

Etting had also lost several businesses to him and had many public arguments.

But eventually, she had no choice but to submit.

Although both were officers, Kimmel was her superior, and she was just an officer of a subsidiary.

“What’s the problem, Mr. Kimmel?”

“The problem lies in your judgment. The mighty David Merchant Guild, contracting business with a minor noble family in a rural area? How disgraceful.”

“Is it a matter of disgrace? Mr. Kimmel.”

“That’s ancient history, Etting. How long are you going to live like that, like in the past? You’ll live crazily for money. Now David is one of the most respected Merchant Guilds even in the central region. It’s a well-known name across the continent. So, you shouldn’t be pursuing only money anymore.”

Kimmel’s words infuriated Etting.

For a merchant, the most important thing was to make money.

That was everything. Nothing else was worth considering.

The moment you prioritized something other than money, it was hard to call yourself a merchant.

“Do you want to run a Merchant Guild, or do you hope to become something else?”

Kimmel replied to Etting’s words as if he had been waiting.

“This trash-like venture. If it fails, I’m asking you to leave David Merchant Guild, Etting.”

Kimmel stroked his mustache.

“Does Mr. Kimmel have the authority to do that?”

“Just because we both are officers of the guild doesn’t mean we’re in the same position, Etting.”

Kimmel spoke with a stern expression. It was certainly true.

They both might be officers but the relationship between them was strained.

Furthermore, on their side, there was not only the officers’ position but also the position of overseeing external businesses.

This project was also an externally sourced business.

Even if they were both officers, their ranks were different.

“Making a business contract with some local nobility named Ethan something. Ugh, really. Even if you lack insight, you shouldn’t lack it to this extent. You need some integrity.”

Watching Kimmel leave with an arrogant demeanor, Etting’s subordinate, along with the mages, quickly entered the room.

“Heard everything?”

“Yes.”

“Since it’s come to this, if it fails, it’s over.”

“We’ll keep that in mind.”

Etting said with determination in her eyes.

“We must succeed no matter what.”

• 1. TLN: Getting hired with the help of relatives (Nepotism)

Author's Thoughts

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