Assistant Professor (4)
The first problem was solved.
I had successfully followed Grace to become the assistant professor of Springwind, and I also took on the role of explaining in order to compensate for her lacking teaching ability.
However, there was still a vague issue lingering.
“How am I supposed to solve this…….”
I was in a hurry right now, but the problem before me wasn’t something I could fix just by being rushed.
“I’m short 3 points.”
Currently, I have 22 instances of 「Plausibility」.
If I could just gather 3 more, I’d be able to unlock the 「Setting Shop」.
“Ahem, ahem.”
I cleared my throat for now.
There was one more method of gaining points beyond following or altering developments.
And that was.
“Today’s lecture from My Lady was stiff. Perhaps because she’d been trapped in her own world for too long.”
Surely ‘Rohan’ would have said that.
No, Rohan did say exactly that.
That was part of his ‘setting’.
「“……The students are afraid of you, Professor. They were all as tense as if they’d picked up a sword for the first time. This won’t do.”」
Honestly, I wanted to recite it just like that, but those were words directed at Grace to her face.
Rohan’s setting made him a blunt person.
But that personality didn’t suit me.
He didn’t know how to speak in a roundabout way.
Probably a habit formed from a reporting system that valued clarity and precision.
Because of that, Rohan would occasionally receive discreet glares from Grace.
Grace rarely showed it, but she, too, was someone who got hurt.
“Then why…….”
Why hasn't anything happened yet?
No points had gone up.
If my expectation was correct, then saying and acting consistently should’ve gained me points.
……Wait.
Now that I think about it, what exactly was this “Understanding” of Rohan?
I’d put off thinking about it since there was so much to deal with, but occasionally I’d get messages like ‘Understanding has increased.’
Only two or three times at most, but still, not something to be brushed off.
I had no choice but to check it now.
This could be as important a setting as plausibility.
「Understanding」 ⸺ Rohan
✵Description
Represents your understanding of Rohan.
As understanding accumulates, you’ll come to know the target more clearly.
✵Current Understanding: 0.1%
……No matter how many times I read it, I didn’t get it.
I understood that it represented how well I knew Rohan.
But so what?
What’s the benefit of understanding more?
I already knew all the important characters in this novel—no, this world.
Maybe it wasn’t that important after all……
“……Haah.”
First, I had to face reality.
The next lecture was in two days.
Until then, I had to find a way to study the introduction of 『Four Seasons』 by any means necessary.
Though I’d boldly declared I’d handle it, now I was the one in trouble.
It was my first time teaching students too, and as an assistant professor, I had to at least possess some basic qualifications.
I was Rohan, but I wasn’t Rohan.
What I mean is, the body was complete, but the skills were unfinished.
Left alone in the office Grace had just vacated, I faced the man reflected in the glass of the bookshelf.
An ordinary-looking face. But one that could be handsome with some grooming.
Well-built shoulders and a body that obviously showed long-term training.
From a real-world perspective, he looked like an athlete. In this world, a knight—not above or below.
Still, the Rohan I knew was a strong man.
Not a Weapon Master like Grace, but at least a Sword Master.
But ‘Weapon Master,’ ‘Sword Master,’ and ‘Archmage’ were nothing more than ‘titles.’
This world had five universal tiers that applied regardless of whether one was a knight or a mage.
The highest tier, same as Grace—Alpha (α).
Alpha-tier individuals had enough influence to interfere in imperial affairs, and their presence could mobilize hundreds of thousands of people.
As the name implies, Alpha meant the foremost, the highest-priority existence in the world.
Grace was truly an exceptional being, but only because she didn’t want to be.
Next were Beta (β), Gamma (γ), Delta (δ), and Epsilon (ε).
Most students entering Springwind were Epsilon-tier, and Rohan—me—was at about the Gamma-tier.
That was probably the highest tier Rohan could reach.
The same applied to any average person.
Rohan was a commoner.
A commoner without even a surname.
Worse, he had been a junkie.
The details were vague, but when Rohan recalled his past (only a few lines when I read it), he mentioned rolling around in an opium den or something.
……It was Grace who saved Rohan.
Thinking back, I could understand Rohan a bit more.
Why he never gave up on Grace, why he remained utterly loyal to her until the end.
Grace……You were Rohan’s savior.
[「Understanding」 of ‘Rohan’ has greatly increased.]
At that moment, a familiar kind of memory surged toward me through the message.
「“……Rohan…….”」
It wasn’t a mere coincidence.
「“……I will never give up on you…….”」
Within some memory, Grace was speaking to me.
「“……So you, too……”」
In that moment, I was Rohan, and Rohan was me.
It was a delusion.
「“……don’t give up……”」
A delusion so vivid, I could no longer tell real from fiction.
The most basic way to protect Grace—Was for me to grow stronger.
But I didn’t even know the theory of swordsmanship, let alone how to wield one.
Anyone else in my position would be the same.
The most I’d held a blade was when cooking with a kitchen knife. The peaceful world I came from was nothing like this one.
Still, the author wouldn’t have thrown me into this world without any countermeasure.
“There’s no other way but to unlock it.”
「Setting Shop」
I didn’t know exactly what this function did, but it consumed 「Plausibility」 as cost.
Plausibility meant a solid chance of something happening.
At least, that’s how I understood it.
So this 「Plausibility」 was something that artificially increased that chance.
Viewed this way, it wasn’t plausibility—it was a straight-up deus ex machina.
“Hello, Professor.”
While walking through the hallway lost in thought, an unfamiliar student bowed politely and passed by.
It felt unfamiliar and awkward, and I didn’t manage to return the greeting.
Well, I can greet them next time……
“Wait.”
I called the student back.
The student turned to me, eyes wide, while clutching a major textbook titled 「Advanced Mana Understanding」 to their chest.
“Yes?”
“I have a question.”
Wow, the habits were setting in.
My tone and phrasing—at this point, I really was Rohan.
“Do you know a student named Ellis Éclat?”
“Ellie? Of course!”
The student beamed brightly.
Fortunately, they seemed to know Ellie.
“Where is Ellie…… Éclat right now?”
“Since class is over, she’s probably in the college district?”
“The college district?”
Ah.
If it was Springwind’s college district, it would be ‘Little Heath.’
I remembered that characters occasionally went to that street to eat or enjoy leisure time.
There’s no way the social butterfly Ellie would be holed up in the dorms at this hour.
Good. I’d find her quickly.
“You were helpful. You may go.”
“Okayyy…….”
First, I needed to find Ellie.
If I built up favor with her, she’d help me one day. Plus, she was cute.
She was also hopelessly devoted to Grace, so using Grace might make things easier. Also, cute.
I might even gain plausibility by interacting with other characters. Again, cute.
The problem was, she was romantically obsessed with Grace—but whatever, she was cute.
“Professor.”
Just then, another student called out.
I turned to the student who had addressed me this time.
Without speaking, I waited in silence as the student hesitantly asked,
“Um, are you the new professor?”
“I’m the assistant professor. For the Department of Swordsmanship.”
“Oh! So you’re the assistant professor……”
“Get to the point. I’m busy.”
I had to move quickly.
Before Ellie got drunk and entered ‘that state’—I had to find her as soon as possible.
“Um……”
“That’s the third time you’ve said ‘um.’”
“It’s just, your name…… what was it?”
“Rohan.”
“Ah, I see…… Sorry. Then goodbye. Or wait, is it ‘see you later’? Uh, which is right? Hehe……”
Was this kid a little slow?
How did they even get into Springwind?
Ah, right. Anyone could get in if they paid the tuition.
If only that damn Human-Demon War hadn’t happened……
“I’m leaving.”
Any more talking and I’d become the weird one.
***
A freshly appointed assistant professor personally going to find a student might sound unsettling, but it wasn’t without justification.
Before being an assistant professor of the Department of Swordsmanship, I was the vice-captain of the Éclat Knights.
Even if that was in the past, Dennis had insisted he was only holding the position temporarily.
So now I was visiting Ellie not as an assistant professor, but as a vice-captain.
But where was she?
Where the hell was she getting drunk?
The sun hadn’t even set yet.
“Phone.”
Watching people walk around in medieval-style clothes in this modern-looking city, I’d briefly forgotten the era.
I had a smartphone.
And since Ellie was the vice-captain’s daughter, her number was definitely saved.
“Which one was Ellis……”
Lady Grace Euclid
Captain Dennis Éclat
Ellis Éclat
……?
Why were there only three contacts saved?
Rohan, you really lived a lonely life.
I only had seven saved myself.
Still, I was better off than you.
Anyway, I immediately called Ellie.
She answered after quite a while.
“Ellie⸺”
[No one’s leaving tonight! We’re drinking no matter what! Noooooo matter whaaaat⸺ Hello, this is Ellis Éclat.]
What was that just now?
“Miss Ellis. It’s me.”
[Who is this? Ugh, be quiet! I can’t hear! Hello?]
“Miss Ellis, it’s me, Rohan……”
[Yeaaaaargh⸺! Drunken Susan the Black Rose⸺!]
I was losing my mind.
“……I’m currently with Captain Éclat.”
Click.
She hung up immediately.
Just as I was about to call again, a call came in from Ellie.
I took a deep breath and answered.
[Hello? Rohan? Are you with my dad right now?]
The call had calmed down considerably.
Hearing Ellie’s now-clear voice, I gave a wry smile.
“Where are you? I’ll come to⸺”
[No! No! No! I’ll come to you! Where, where should we meet?!]
Of course—even Dennis, the doting father, would cough up blood if he saw the daughter he sent here with a massive donation getting drunk in the afternoon.
Ellie probably knew that too, which was why she instantly sobered up.
Looking around, my eyes settled on a restaurant.
“Then I’ll wait at ‘10-Circle Archmage Granny’s Stew.’”
Let’s eat first. I’ll treat this hopeless girl to some hangover food while I’m at it.
[Got it! I’ll be there soon! Please don’t tell my dad. Promise me?!]
“I shall do my utmost, Miss Ellis.”
[…….]
〔 ‘1P’ Acquired 〕