The Exchange Teacher - Welcome to Dyntril Academy

Basque - Bad Lunch

Basque sat at his desk and stared at it for a second. What was he going to do? In his mind, he repeated the three mandates he had as an ambassador:

Observe

Evaluate

Do not get involved.

He picked up one of the books Ashkar had given him. He observed it:

Noble Table Etiquette. It was a book on how to eat and behave at dinner parties. A quick flip-through showed it to be a bullet list of dos and don'ts.

He evaluated it:

It was garbage. It was worse than garbage. He wouldn't even use it as kindling because it might give off a pungent smell.

He didn't get involved:

Tossing it back on his desk. He wouldn't teach it. That would prevent him from being involved with it.

A giant hand was placed on Basque's shoulder. "Cheer up, Basky. Let's just do our best."

Basque nodded. He gathered up all the less-than-kindling on his desk and tossed it into his personal space. Even though it was an odorless void, he still worried that the stench of the books would rub off on something. Up to that point in his life, he'd never considered a book useless or bad. He had to thank this Yani-hole of a school for teaching him that such things did exist.

Standing up, Basque left the teacher's room with Harnel. All the teachers filed upstairs, the teachers in the higher grades kept going up, while Basque and Harnel exited on the third floor.

"Sorry, I didn't say anything about the kids. Please remember, I graduated as one of them. If I'd said something—"

"No, I don't blame you for anything. You did more than enough playing doorkeeper while Sophia set up the locks to work only with the keys for the students staying there. At least there's one place I know they'll be safe."

"You're a good man, Basque. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Harnel continued down the hall.

Basque stopped in front of the classroom door. He took a breath and checked the time: 7:59. He rolled his neck, working out some kinks, and stepped into the classroom.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Gerenet-Shr!"

There was a lectern in the front of the room, and Basque walked over to stand behind it. Gripping the side, he looked at how the students were sitting. The room was set up in a six-by-four grid. The six pod leaders sat in the front, and their pod members sat in a column behind them. While it was good as it didn't put anyone too far from the front, Basque felt it made the room cramped. He also wanted the pod members to be able to speak with each other more easily.

He nodded. "Not bad. You all are doing a wonderful job keeping in your pods. However, I don't want you in front and behind each other, I want you side by side. Let's rearrange the room so you're sitting four-by-six." He paused and looked at the groups.

"Let me have Kyre's pod front row. Kolt, then Dmi and Emilisa. After that, Saevi, then Cayelyn. Pod leaders, please sit on the door-side of the room, to my left."

Without a word, the students stood and rearranged the room. While they did so, Basque emptied the bound scraps of paper that Ashkar somehow considered textbooks out of his personal space and left them on the lectern. After that, he wrote the Ashkar assigned plan on the board, and to the right, he wrote his.

When he turned back around, the students were sitting as he instructed. "Well done."

Basque scanned them once again as he gripped the lectern. Most were looking at him, a few were looking at what he'd written on the board. "We have a problem. The list on the left is what I have been told to teach you. The list on the right is what I planned to teach you.

"As I am an outsider, I will leave it up to you all. Please discuss which you would like to learn. I will proceed with your wishes."

Straightening himself, Basque crossed his arms. None of the students did anything. They all just sat and looked at him. "Have…have you all decided?"

The students looked at those sitting around them. Still, none of them said anything.

Reianna looked around. She tentatively raised her hand.

"Yes, Reianna?"

"Gerenet-Shr, I don't think most of us can read."

Basque blinked. The possibility had never crossed his mind. "How many of you can read?"

Fawna, Jardan, Saevi, Cayelyn, and the twins, Maecy and Malcalm, raised their hands. Six of them? That was it? He gave a questioning look to Reianna, whose hand was down by her side.

"My neighbor used to read that book to me. I have every page memorized, but I can't read it for myself. Oh, and these glasses," she took them off. "Someone gave them to me before I left for the academy. They said they would make me look smart. I can see fine without them."

"Okay," Basque said. He was too shocked by her revelation to say anything else. His whole lesson plan was thrown out the window. "How many of you can access the interface?"

Cayelyn raised her hand.

Basque stumbled back to the board. He turned around and erased everything. This was bad. Only one of the students had ever used the interface. The interface was something children in Hainbru were proficient in by the time they started school and were masters with when they graduated.

"Okay, new curriculum, then. All of you will be able to read and write at your age level by the end of this month. I will have you masters of the interface by the end of the next. Today, we're going to start off with reading, since I don't have any materials to teach writing, yet."

Emilisa raised her hand.

"Yes, Emilisa?"

"Will you teach us Hianbruian instead of Kruamian?"

"Pardon? You want to learn Hianb?"

She nodded.

"But wouldn't it be better to learn your native language?"

Reianna turned to look at the plum-haired girl. "Emilisa, Gerenet-Shr probably can't teach it to us because of ambassador-type stuff. I bet he's not allowed to."

Basque nodded. "Reianna is correct. Unfortunately, I can't."

"Then how will I learn to go back with you?"

Basque tilted his head. "Go back with me?"

"Yeah! I don't want to stay here! Kruami sucks!"

The class burst out into a hubbub of conversations. There were too many for Basque to pick up on any particular one.

Holding up his hand, he said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

The class fell silent.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Emilisa, but we're strictly forbidden from bringing any migrants back with us. As much as I would like to bring anyone who wants to go back with me, I wouldn't even be allowed to bring back a wife were I to get married to a Kruamian woman."

Cayelyn raised her hand.

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"Yes, Cayelyn?"

"Does that mean you aren't going to marry Madam Julvie?"

"What?"

"I heard a rumor that you two are dating."

"What?! No! No. We're not dating. Not even in the slightest." He didn't add the fact that Julvie now hated him. It wasn't something he felt the students should know.

Cayelyn smiled. "That's good to hear."

The class made a wooing noise, and the azure-haired girl blushed.

Basque held up his hand again. "Enough. We're going to start learning how to read in Kruamian."

For the next three class periods, Basque went over the alphabet with them, not only learning the letters, but also starting on the simpler phonics. It was a completely new experience for him. Every student was eager, even Taraia.

So as not to bore the six who could read, he wanted to assign them the task of making flashcards to play games with later in the day, but the twins could only read; they didn't know how to write. Cayelyn solved that for Basque by volunteering to teach them as she wrote. The six writers went to the back of the class to work.

Miraculously, the six readers all happened to be in different pods, so after an hour, Basque was able to split the class into their pods and play a game on the board where he'd partially write a letter, and the first pod to read it correctly received points.

The class was spirited, energetic, and picked up things much faster than he'd expected. At the rate they were absorbing, he felt they'd be ready to take on the interface after the following week, and he wouldn't have to wait until the next month.

The bell chimed for lunch, and the students filed out into the crowded hallway. His students' animated conversations blended in with the chorus of conversations that passed by their room.

Spirits high, Basque waited with a giant smile for the last students to leave. "Come on, Caye!" Maecy said as she pulled the azure-haired girl out of the room.

Cayelyn smiled at Basque and waved as they left. Basaque returned the wave. Turning off the lights and closing the door, he stepped out into the hallway. "Oof!"

"Oh! Master Basque-Shear. I'm terribly sorry, I didn't see you there."

"No worries, Master Tann. I didn't see you either." Basque fell into pace with the shorter teacher. With his height advantage, Basque could see a bald patch starting in the Class B's teacher's kiwi-colored hair.

"How were your morning classes?" Tann asked as he fixed his glasses after his collision with Basque.

"Pretty good. I've got some hard-working students."

"Really?" Tann's tone radiated skepticism. "Well, Class B is pretty high level. I feel that I'll be able to take on Class A this cohort."

While Basque pondered what that meant, Tann's face lit up. "Oh! What are you doing for lunch?"

"I was just going to go back to my room and grab something."

"Oh, no! I insist, come eat with the supplementary teachers. You've not really had a chance to meet them."

"I don't—"

"Come on. I feel like you give all your time to Master Harnel and Madam Julvie. There're more teachers than just those two!"

Tann was right. He didn't know any of the other teachers very well, but until now, only Harnel and Julvie had been interested or responded to Basque's efforts.

"I guess."

"Wonderful! We've got a prime spot in the dining hall. It helps to be a teacher. Ahahaha!"

"Hehe," Basque gave his best effort to laugh.

Tann continued to chat away to Basque as they went through the line and got their lunches. Basque just grabbed some random food and then followed Tann to the "prime spot".

The table was secluded away from the students in its own private little area. A group of four people already sat at the table, and Basque was relieved to see that Julvie wasn't one of them. Though he was saddened to see that Harnel wasn't either.

"Hey guys! Look who I got to join us!"

"Oh ho! Welcome, Master Basque," A man with hair just a tad darker than Cayelyn's said.

"Good day, all."

Tann pulled out a chair. "Sit, Master Basque-Shear. Sit."

Basque did as he was told and sat down. Tann sat next to him.

"These lovely individuals are the supplementary teachers for the first and second years. Have you been introduced to them yet?"

Basque shook his head.

"I kind of thought not. Most of them return to their lands during the breaks, unless they're a fallen, of course."

Someone laughed.

"This gentleman here," Tann pointed with his hand at the man who'd welcomed Basque, "is Baronet Leeroye the Sword. He's the music specialist."

"Music?" Basque asked.

Leeroye nodded. "Yup! We've dug up a lot of historical records that say our ancestors had fighters called 'bards' who increased the fighting spirit during something called 'dungeon campaigns' run by a 'dungeon master'. It's very interesting. We don't think they had the interface then and kept track on pap—"

"Enough with the history lesson, Baronet Leeroye," an older woman with graying orange hair said. "I'm Viscountess Ulivia the Long Staff, Master Basque. I will be seeing the elevators after lunch."

"She's the etiquette teacher, in case you couldn't guess by her interruption," Leeroye said with a churlish tone.

"Stuff it, geek," she said with a smile.

"Don't mind those two," a petite and lithe woman with lilac hair said. "I'm Baronetess Alestra the Dagger. I teach dance."

"Baronet Davith the Bow, weapon repair," said the last man. He was plump with a thick terracotta beard and hair.

"Dance?" Basque asked.

"Yes, there are numerous balls in high society, and dance is essential for them."

"I see. It's very nice to officially meet you all."

"So it is," Alestra said.

"Madam Ulivia—"

"Oh, Master Basque, since you're an outwaller, you probably don't know, but we aren't masters and madams. Only class leaders are referred to as such. Please call us by our titles."

Basque nodded. "Understood, Viscountess Ulivia."

"It was rude of me to interrupt. You were saying?"

"Thank you. I have—"

"Oh, Master Basque," she overrode him again, "Don't worry about this morning. Headmaster Yasher may seem harsh, but he's just got the best interests of the students in his heart. I've been a teacher here for decades now, and the skill level of graduates has gone up so much since he's taken over. If you pay attention to what he says, I'm sure you'll learn a lot to improve the quality of graduates you have back in…your home country."

There was no doubt in Basque's mind that she hesitated at the end because she couldn't remember "Hianbru". At least she had the decency not to say something wrong.

"What are schools like in Hee-haa-bu?" she asked.

Basque opened his mouth to speak.

"Oh, Viscountess Ulivia," Tann said. "Does it really matter? It's obviously not as good as here. Otherwise, why else would he be here to learn? Isn't that right, Master Basque?"

Again, Basque opened his mouth to reply.

"Don't put words in his mouth, Master Tann. I taught you better than that. Now, you were about to say, Master Basque?"

Once more, he opened his mouth.

"Come on, Viscountess. How long are you going to hold it over my head that you were my teacher? You also taught half the teachers at this school! Sorry, Master Basque. She always does this."

"Not a—"

"Master Tann," Ulivia said, and placed her fork down. She folded her hands together on the table. "You interrupted our guest here as he was about to speak, just to mock me for my age? Maybe you should come to my lessons for a refresher? Now, Master Basque, if you would, please."

Basque looked at the others. He didn't try to speak, he just looked around the table. No one spoke. "Well—"

"You know, now that you mention it," Baronetess Alestra said, "I do feel that your lessons were the most valuable to me post-graduation. I mean, we're so secure here behind the Wall, how often do we actually need to go out and fight Yani? Once? Twice a year?"

"Well, fighting Yani is an important part of our jobs," Leeroye said.

"I understand that, Baronet," Alestra responded. "However, I just want to point out to our visiting teacher here that etiquette is so much more valuable to our daily lives than it may seem on the surface. My class is much more useful than all the fighting. If one wanted to, one could attend a ball monthly."

The table fell silent.

"How about in…what was the name of your country again?"

"Tsk, Baronetess," Ulivia said. "How rude of you to admit that you don't remember where he is from. You know, there are more graceful ways to inquire. Perhaps Master Tann isn't the only one who needs a refresher course in etiquette."

All of them but Davith laughed. He just sat there quietly eating his salad.

"Very right, my teacher. I'm sorry, Master Basque. How about in your home country? How often do Yani attack your…fortifications? Hovels? I'm sorry, I don't think any of us know what it's really like there."

Leeroye spoke up again, "Well, I'm sure it has to be fairly frequent considering they've sent so many of them here to spy on us, even as far as sneaking into our top academy to spy on how we train to combat the Yani scourge."

"Spy?!" Alestra said.

"Yes, I'm not sure we should be showing them so much of the workings of our great nation."

Ulivia thumped the table. "Baronet Leeroy. You insult both countries with that statement. First, you imply ill intentions of our illustrious guests, then you imply that there would be some way to undo our great empire. I demand an apology to all here."

Leeroye bowed his head. "You are correct, Baronetess. I'm sorry for the slights that I have levied upon our nation."

"Don't worry about it," Alestra said. "I'm sure there's not a noble in Kruami who's not entertained the same thoughts regarding our recent…guests, but trust is a two-way street, isn't it, Master Basque? But, I really am curious. How often do the Yani strike your fortifications?"

All the heads at the table swiveled to look at Basque.

He wondered if they would interrupt him on purpose again or if they were all curious as to the answer of the question Alestra had asked twice. None of them spoke. His response was easy enough that he could answer it in one uninterruptible word, "never", but he also didn't know how much he wanted to tell them, not to mention how much he was allowed to tell them. Their joking about him being a spy felt more pointed than it should have.

However, he was still responsible for a class of students, and in this conversation, these people had shown themselves to be an extreme form of petty. And for periods of time, these same people would be in charge of the students he wanted to protect.

As his silence stretched out, the others began to squirm. It wasn't anything major, but they no longer sat perfectly still, a readjustment in a chair here, the fiddling with the end of a utensil there.

Basque cleared his throat. "Viscountess Ulivia, I have a favor to ask of you."