Quit The Hero Party

EP.34 So It Seems to Work? (2)

Rosel van Trias.

He has been grappling with one issue lately.

That concern is rather unremarkable for Rosel, an elder and sage at the Ashen Tower. It’s the dilemma of a teacher and professor, someone who ought to nurture a child.

Sigh… what should I do with this incompetent disciple?

It was, indeed, a fresh thought.

“Huh…”

Rosel let out a sigh.

Raising his head, he saw his disciple blinking at him. As he gazed at her, Rosel slowly opened his mouth.

“So, here’s the thing.”

“Yes.”

“To explain something means to teach another, to articulate phenomena in a way they can comprehend.”

“Um… if I articulate it this way?”

Raniel wiggled her finger.

Suddenly, a scale appeared in the air. Mana flowed into the scale. The scale tilted.

Whoosh!

She pulled her finger. The language filled with ‘constraints’ was placed on the opposite side of the scale. Thus, the scale returned to balance.

Eventually, a deal was made.

Tick, tick!

The spell completed at the girl’s fingertips sparkled.

‘…That’s technically correct.’

The process itself was flawless. There was nothing to critique.

The issue was that she claimed to have articulated it.

‘How on earth is that an articulation?’

As he blinked, the completed result was shining.

Understanding how much of the explanation was omitted was no easy task. It was as if she simply displayed the answer outright.

‘If I showed that in front of the students…’

Rosel imagined that scene.

The students, filled with expectations from last lecture, watching Raniel showcase that process.

In the blink of an eye, a swift process.

The students would be left bewildered, asking questions.

-How do you do that?

And without a doubt, this disciple would respond with something like:

-It works, you know?
-Why can’t you do it?

Surprisingly, that wasn’t a line Rosel had just conjured. Raniel had actually once said something like that before.

-Well, even if you ask like that…

How did she arrive at that conclusion?

How did she solve that difficult problem?

In front of the mages at the tower, Raniel had just tilted her head and said:

-I just did it, and it worked!

That statement isn’t malicious.

There’s no intent to deceive. Incredibly, there was none at all. For Raniel, it was simply a matter of course.

Of course, Rosel understood that.

But that was because he had spent over ten years teaching Raniel.

Naturally, the mages did not understand.

As a result, for a time, Raniel had to remain isolated at the tower. Rosel remembers that period well.

‘If the students hear her say that…’

The image of a competent and mysterious professor he had carefully built would shatter. It was highly likely they would see him as a cocky and deceptive professor.

And.

Rosel keenly knew that clearing up that misunderstanding would be a laborious and tedious process. It had taken nearly half a year to resolve that misunderstanding at the tower.

“Huh…”

Rosel sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time, pressing his temple.

“You’re mistaken. If you present it like that, no one will understand.”

“Eh? Then how about this?”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

“Was it wrong? It seemed correct to me.”

“That’s right, it is correct, but what I’m saying isn’t about that… Hand! Just stay still for a moment!”

“Y-Yes…”

Raniel pouted and lowered her head.

Seeing that, Rosel leaned his head back. Another sigh slipped out. It felt as if the darkness was closing in on him.

How on earth should I explain this?

Last time’s public lecture was kind of a demonstration; it didn’t require detailed explanations.

That allowed him to conceal things.

As an educator, Raniel had a significant flaw.

He could pass it without it being discovered.

However, if they got into an actual class, that flaw would quickly be exposed.

Inability to understand others.

Raniel does not grasp the level of others.

Her basic standards are calibrated around herself.

Was I too hasty?

On the one hand, such thoughts crossed his mind.

He thought since she’s a bright kid, she’d easily understand and correct herself as he taught…

“Isn’t this right…?”

Watching his disciple mumble like that, it seemed challenging to fix things in just a day or two.

He couldn’t just chastise her about that.

There were valid reasons behind it.

The survivor of a village swept away by the Demon Lord’s Army.

The child of serfs who had never received proper education.

Raniel came from such a background.

Nonetheless.

Since meeting Rosel, Raniel’s talent had completely blossomed.

She had already established her magical path.

Where did she gain that realization?

It wasn’t hard to guess.

She must have found it within herself.

When Rosel discovered Raniel, her benchmarks were already firmly established.

So solid that they had become a hindrance.

High.

Too high.

Since she used herself as the standard, the benchmarks Raniel demanded of others were excessively high.

She seemed to have improved somewhat while rolling around the battlefield, but… that standard was relentless.

Rosel thought that if this continued, she would likely demand at least knowledge equivalent to that of mages at the tower from her students.

This falls on me.

Assigning an incomplete child who was not yet finished as an educator a professor’s position was Rosel’s decision. Yet, even though there was a recommendation from Aaron, it was ultimately his approval.

He thought she would learn quickly if entrusted with it.

Seeing this, he couldn’t help but think she was still lacking.

“Huh.”

Rosel took a deep breath.

After clearing his head, he calmly surveyed the situation.

I’m thinking too hastily.

Rushing will not solve problems that can be solved if approached with patience.

Remembering the sage’s teaching to slow down when in haste, Rosel opened his mouth.

“Raniel.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Let’s change the method.”

He then spoke softly.

“Let’s take our time a bit.”

“Take it slow?”

“Yes, slowly.”

Rosel smiled kindly.

“Recall how you conducted that transaction process when you first learned magic from me.”

Experiences, and teachings based on those experiences.

Teaching that reflects upon experience can resonate easily, even if it is rough around the edges.

If an old man like me or Aaron did the story-telling method, we’d be called grumpy, outdated elders, but…

This disciple is not old, right?

She’s clearly a blossoming young woman in her twenties.

She should be able to approach the students easily.

While being too close isn’t always good, having an appropriate distance isn’t a bad method. Hmm, Rosel nodded to himself.

Then he stole a glance at Raniel’s face.

She appeared to be deep in thought.

“Hmm…”

Raniel tilted her head with a puzzling expression.

“Um, Master?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve been thinking…”

After a moment of silence, she slowly opened her mouth.

“…It seemed to work just by doing it, you know?”

Thud!

Rosel hit his forehead.

“Of course you’d come to that conclusion…”

This is a tale of a certain spring day before their second lesson.

2.

I wasn’t going to resort to this method.

Ugh, Raniel.

If you don’t understand, the only thing left is rote memorization.

Since I have to start the next class right away, let’s manage this class in a way that we can get through it as smoothly as possible.

What? Can you really get through smoothly?

It’s better than messing things up.

A hundred times a thousand times better.

Show them what I taught during class, just as I did in that public lecture.

I don’t mean hurry up! Slow it down! Make it thorough and let everyone see it clearly.

After this class, from the next session onwards, observe many professors’ classes and see how they teach.

It seems that learning through observation would be the quickest way.

Yes, let’s take our time, Raniel…

And.

I sincerely ask you.

No matter what happens, please, don’t ever say “It just worked when I did it” again!

“Hmm.”

As I recalled my master’s words, I walked through the corridor.

Did I really mess up that much?

I didn’t think I did anything that bad.

While my master suggested I get through class by rote, I had no intention of doing so.

How could I?

This is my responsibility.

Doing a half-hearted job and passing off responsibility? That’s something my pride won’t allow.

But I can’t ignore my master either.

So, I opted for a slightly different approach.

Just once, I had successfully taught someone before.

“…This should do, right?”

I cradled a handout in both hands.

This was a kind of ‘worksheet’ that I created by utilizing my experience in writing reports.

If I can’t explain it verbally, I can do it through writing.

It was a method I thought of, and it seemed pretty effective.

I nodded and continued walking.

Today was the day of my second class.

A little over a week had passed since the public lecture. This time, the class was exclusively for students.

Even though I’m just supplementing what my master taught…

Still, it was a rare opportunity to see the students I had my eye on closely. Oddly, my steps felt lighter. Unbeknownst to me, this profession of teaching seemed to fit me quite well.

You know, didn’t Belnoa and Resti say they learned a lot thanks to my lectures?

Maybe I actually have some talent.

Strolling through the corridor with such airy thoughts, I suddenly spotted a familiar back.

Flowing platinum hair.

Thanks to that distinctive hair, recalling her name was not hard.

“Princess Ayla?”

“Huh? Professor Rania?”

She turned her head.

“Hmm.”

Then she flashed a bright smile.

It was the kind of smile that resembled a predator discovering its prey, making me instinctively take a step back.

“Hello, Professor.”

She approached me with a playful expression.

Her footsteps were light as if she were bouncing along.

“Are you on your way to class? I’m also headed to your lecture.”

“But this isn’t a passage for students?”

I tilted my head.

There should have been a corridor leading directly to her classroom from the Central Academic Hall where she stayed.

Besides, this is a corridor for professors only.

She shouldn’t even be here.

“Um…”

At my question, she gazed at her fingertips.

“It felt a bit strange.”

“Eh?”

“I’d say it struck me out of nowhere! It’s like I sensed something ominous here?”

What kind of nonsense is that?

“Sensed… something?”

“I have good instincts.”

Suddenly, Ayla pointed a finger at me.

“Every time I see you, my index finger gets this tingly feeling, and that’s a good hunch! But…”

She moved her finger toward the window.

A fine dust stuck to her fingertip.

“Right now, the vibe in this corridor feels… ominous? Like something is about to explode.”

“…Ominous?”

“It feels bad in a gut-feeling kind of way.”

She said that while giggling.

It was a laugh dripping with mischief.

“Professor Rania.”

“What is it?”

“Could you accompany me to check out this corridor after class?”

“…Excuse me?”

Ayla squinted her eyes.

“It’s dangerous alone.”

“The stars are whispering to me.”

Author’s Note:
The hero party is striving for growth.
Please watch over the quick-growing rookie professor Rania!

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