Chapter 113
Clael's welcome party continued late into the night before finally dispersing.
The attending teachers returned to their respective rooms, and Clael also headed back to his own, having just moved in.
On the first day of his move, it seemed like he'd already built good relationships with his colleagues... but of course, there are always exceptions.
It's impossible to be liked by everyone. There were also people who harbored excessive hostility toward Clael.
"Hmph... What an insufferable man. That someone like him would become a teacher at the prestigious Royal Academy... The academy's standards have truly fallen."
Once the welcome party ended, that man—Areiji Shawett—returned to his room.
Surrounded by bookshelves, the first thing that came out of his mouth upon returning to his room was a complaint about Clael, the new teacher.
"Only chosen elites like me, a former court magician, should become teachers at the academy in the first place. And yet... these days, young teachers are all overly friendly, sucking up to everyone and succeeding just by doing that. They've got no pride, no substance—just good at pandering to the students..."
Muttering. Muttering...
Shawett spewed venom relentlessly.
Shawett, who taught magical theory at the academy, was quite a competent individual and undeniably possessed top-class ability.
However... unfortunately, it seemed his personality didn't measure up.
Though he was once a court magician, the reason he had to step down was due to his inability to get along with others.
Faced with the choice of being demoted to the countryside or being transferred to the academy as a teacher, he chose the path of becoming a teacher.
'A teacher at the prestigious Royal Academy'
'Only chosen elites should become teachers at the academy'
The way he excessively glorified the position of a Royal Academy teacher was just self-suggestion to convince himself that 'he was chosen because he was excellent.'
Of course, there's no denying that being a teacher at the academy is an honorable profession.
Shawett lacked communication skills, but his abilities in magic were exceptional. That's precisely why, despite everything, this position was prepared for him.
"Becoming a teacher at that age... and what's more, he's the Saint's guardian and has been recognized as a Saint himself? That slow-witted man, a guardian saint of 'education'? Unbelievable, absolutely unacceptable... It's a desecration of the academy, of the sacred profession of teaching... Ah, yes. This must not be allowed. Correcting this mistake is justice. Yes, I am the one who is right...!"
Shawett was a gloomy man.
Being antisocial or bad at communication isn't inherently bad... but in his case, it was a bit more problematic.
Shawett had a deep inferiority complex toward people with many friends, cheerful personalities, or those younger than him who were well-regarded.
If he only harbored that inferiority complex in his mind, it would have been fine.
But he found reasons to attack others in underhanded ways, which made it worse.
"You say he's the Saint's guardian, but I'm sure he used his position as a housemate to do indecent things. Ah, how filthy! I bet now that he's a teacher, he plans to sink his fangs into other female students as well!"
He held a position as a Saint, something only a handful of people at the shrine could attain, and had built close friendships with other teachers.
On top of that, Clael had been living with the Saint—Reina, a beautiful girl—until recently. Shawett held one-sided hostility toward him.
The same could be said for Reina, but... Clael seemed to have poor luck when it came to interpersonal relationships.
It was as if he was born under a star that attracted overly eccentric people and those with ill intentions.
"Ugh, I hate this! To think I have to work alongside someone like that..."
"Kuma kuma"
"Kuma—"
That said... Shawett was no different when it came to bad luck.
Shawett, muttering complaints alone in his room, didn't notice.
That a small shadow was peeking in through the window. That a bodyguard hypersensitive to hostility toward Clael had already marked him as a 'high-risk individual.'
"Kuma kuma—"
If all he did was complain to himself, he might have been overlooked.
But... if Shawett were to take any concrete action, they would show him no mercy.