Chapter 34

EP.34 It seems to work if you just do it? (2)

Rosel van Trias.

He has one worry these days.

This worry is something that is beneath Rosel, an elder of the Ashen Tower and a sage. It is a worry of an educator, a professor who has taken on the role of a teacher to a child.

‘What should I do with this unworthy disciple?’

Moreover, it was a worry that had resurfaced.

“Sigh...”

Rosel sighed.

When he raised his head, he saw his disciple blinking. Looking at her, Rosel slowly opened his mouth.

“So, you see.”

“Yes.”

“Explanation means teaching something to others, describing a phenomenon in a way that others can understand.”

“Oh... So, if I describe it, it would be like this?”

Rania wiggled her fingers.

Suddenly, a balance scale appeared in the air. Mana filled the completed scale, and it tilted.

Flick.

She pulled her finger. The word 'constraint' was placed on the opposite side of the scale. Thus, the scale returned to a level position.

Soon, the transaction was established.

Tick, tick.

The completed spell shimmered at the tip of the girl's fingers. It burned with the light of the stars.

‘...That's correct, but...’

The process itself was perfect, without a flaw.

The problem was that she was explaining it as if it were a simple matter.

‘How is this considered describing it in detail?’

In the blink of an eye, the completed result was shining.

It was hard to even guess how much of the process had been skipped. It was as if she was showing only the answer.

‘If I show this to the students...’

Rosel imagined the scene.

The students, filled with anticipation from the previous lecture, would see Rania demonstrating this process.

In the blink of an eye, the process would be over.

The students would be bewildered and would ask questions.

- How do you do it?

And, to that question, this disciple would surely answer, ‘Just do it, it works.’

- Why can't you do it?

Surprisingly, this was not a line Rosel had just thought of. Rania had actually said these words in the past.

- Well, even if you ask me that...

How did she come to such a conclusion?

How did she solve such a difficult problem?

Facing the mages of the tower who asked these questions, Rania tilted her head and said,

- It just works when I do it.

...There was no malice in her words.

No intention to deceive. Surprisingly, there was none. From Rania's perspective, it was only natural.

Of course, Rosel understood this.

But, he understood because he had been teaching Rania for over ten years.

Naturally, the mages did not understand.

As a result, Rania had to struggle for a while in the tower. Rosel remembered that period.

‘If the students hear this...’

The image of a competent and mysterious professor would be ruined. There was a high chance they would treat her as an arrogant and deceptive professor.

And.

Rosel knew that the process of dispelling that misunderstanding would be extremely troublesome. It had taken nearly half a year to clear up the misunderstanding in the tower.

“Sigh...”

Rosel sighed again, pressing his temples.

“That's wrong. If you show it like that, no one will understand.”

“Huh? Then like this?”

“No, that's not what I'm saying.”

“Is it wrong? I thought I did it correctly.”

“It is correct, but what I'm saying is not that... Hands! Keep those hands still!”

“Yes...”

Rania lowered her head, looking dejected.

Looking at her, Rosel leaned back. Sighs kept escaping him. It felt like everything was going dark.

‘How on earth should I explain this?’

The previous public lecture was a demonstration, so no detailed explanation was required.

Thanks to that, it could be hidden.

The major flaw of Rania as an educator.

It could be overlooked.

However, if she were to give a proper class, that flaw would be exposed immediately.

‘Inability to understand others.’

Rania cannot understand the level of others.

Her standards are set based on herself.

‘They are too high.’

Too high, indeed.

Because her standards were based on herself, the level she expected from others was impossibly high.

She had somewhat improved by rolling through the battlefield, but those standards didn't change.

Rosel thought that if left as is, she would likely demand the level of knowledge of a tower mage from her students.

‘This is my responsibility.’

It was Rosel's decision to give Rania a professorship, even though she was not yet a fully developed educator. Although Aaron had recommended her, it was Rosel who had allowed it.

‘I thought she would learn quickly...’

Seeing her like this, it was inevitable to think she was still lacking.

“Sigh.”

Rosel took a deep breath.

After clearing his mind, he calmly assessed the situation.

‘I'm thinking too hastily.’

Problems that could be easily solved if approached calmly often become unsolvable when rushed.

Recalling the sage's teaching that haste makes waste, Rosel spoke.

“Rania.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Let's change the approach.”

Then, he said softly,

“Let's try to go a bit slower.”

“Slower?”

“Yes, slower.”

Rosel smiled kindly.

“Remember how you went through the trading process when you first learned magic from me?”

Experience, and teaching based on that experience.

Even if the teaching is crude, it can easily resonate with others.

‘If I teach like an old story, I might be called an old man or a stick-in-the-mud...’

But this disciple is young.

Clearly, a blossoming young woman in her twenties.

‘She can approach the students easily.’

While it's not good to have no distance at all, it's not a bad method to approach them appropriately. Rosel nodded.

Then, he glanced at Rania's face.

She seemed to be deep in thought.

“Hmm...”

Rania tilted her head in confusion.

“Master?”

“Yes.”

“I thought about it...”

After a moment of silence, she slowly spoke.

“...It just worked when I did it, didn't it?”

Thud.

Rosel slapped his forehead.

“You really are...”

This was the story of a spring day before her second class.

2.

I didn't want to resort to this method.

Rania, it won't work.

If you can't explain it, the only option left is rote memorization.

We need to start the next class, so let's try to get through this one as smoothly as possible.

What? Can you just gloss over it?

Better than failing.

A hundred, a thousand times better.

Show an example of the content I taught, just like in the public lecture.

I'm not telling you to do it that fast! Show it as slowly as possible, so everyone can follow.

After this class, from the next session onwards, observe as many other professors' classes as possible and see how they teach.

It seems the best way to learn is by observation.

Yes, let's try to go a bit slower, Rania...

And.

Please, I implore you.

Absolutely, under no circumstances, say something like, ‘It just works when I do it,’ please!

“Hmm.”

Recalling Master's words, I walked down the corridor.

‘Did I really do that badly?’

It doesn't seem that bad to me.

Master said to gloss over the class with memorization, but I don't want to do that.

‘How can I do that?’

This is my responsibility.

Skimping on my work? My pride wouldn't allow it.

‘Still, I can't ignore Master's advice.’

So, I chose a slightly different approach.

I had successfully taught someone once, after all.

“...Will this do?”

The handouts I was holding in both hands.

I had created these ‘learning sheets’ based on my experience writing reports.

‘If I can't explain it verbally, I can do it in writing.’

It seemed like a good method to me.

I nodded and continued walking.

Today was the day of my second class.

A class for students, about a week after the public lecture.

‘It's just a supplement to Master's class, but...’

Still, it was an opportunity to closely observe the students I had been keeping an eye on. My steps felt lighter. I hadn't realized it, but being a professor seemed to suit me.

After all, didn't Bellnoa and Rasti say they had gained a lot from my lecture?

‘Maybe I have a hidden talent.’

While walking down the corridor with such idle thoughts, a familiar back of the head caught my eye.

The shimmering platinum hair.

Thanks to that distinctive hair, it was easy to recall her name.

“Princess Ayla?”

“Huh? Professor Rania?”

She turned her head.

“Hmm.”

Then, she smiled brightly.

It was a smile that seemed like a predator spotting its prey, so I instinctively took a step back.

“Hello, Professor.”

She approached me with a playful smile.

Her steps were light and bouncy.

“Are you going to your class? I'm on my way to attend your class too.”

“But this isn't the student corridor?”

I tilted my head.

There was a corridor that led directly from the central academy where she stayed to the lecture room.

‘Besides, this is just the professors' corridor.’

It was essentially a corridor for professors.

There was no reason for her to be here.

“Hmm...”

In response to my question, she looked at her fingertips.

“It feels a bit strange.”

“What?”

“Just, a gut feeling, I guess? I feel something bad is going to happen here.”

What kind of vague talk is this?

“A gut... feeling?”

“I have good intuition.”

Ayla suddenly extended her finger towards me.

“Every time I see you, my index finger tingles, but it's a good intuition? However...”

She swept her finger along the window.

Pollen stuck to her fingertips.

“The feeling I'm getting from this corridor right now... is really ominous? It feels like something is about to explode.”

“...Ominous?”

“A bad feeling, you know.”

She smiled faintly as she spoke.

It was a playful smile.

“Professor Rania.”

“What is it?”

“After your class, can you help me check this corridor?”

“...What?”

Ayla narrowed her eyes.

“It's dangerous to do it alone.”

“The stars whisper that to me.”

Author's Note (Author's Postscript)

The Hero Party aims to be a coming-of-age story.

Please watch Rania, the new professor, grow quickly!