Volume 16 - CH 9

「What!? We're all gonna repeat the year!」

「Ehhh? In one exam?」

「That's outrageous!」

「Oi, Alec, what are you going to do!」

「Give me a break. ......」

「No test, no nothing. I haven't learned anything yet.」

「It's unannounced.」

「Ugh, what am I going to do? My father told me not to repeat the year...」

「I've only got three years of tuition.」

My classmates were also surprised and voiced their concerns and complaints.

「Vanilla-sensei, if you didn't like the way this guy and I behaved in class, I apologize for that, and just letting Kaede and I repeat the year in school should be enough. But the rest of them don't have black hair.」

「You idiot, don't drag me into this!」

Kaede gets angry, but it's this female teacher who got you involved. No, black hair is the reason, so it's all Letty's fault, yeah.

「Besides, it's the final exam that determines whether you get credit or not in one sitting. So, if we pass it in one shot, we're all guaranteed credit, right? It's okay to skip the rest of the class, right?」

I go on the offensive with【Speak Lv5】.

「What a crazy thing to say. This is just to see if you are qualified to take my class. That's why I won't give you any credits for passing the class.」

「I've heard that this institute is a prestigious school that has made a name for itself all over the world, but all that's left are incompetent teachers who are basking in the brand name and skimming off the hard work and glory of their predecessors. What a shame.」

「What did you say! You're calling me incompetent, when you're just a new student! You don't even know what I'm capable of!」

「That's the thing. Vanilla-sensei, what do you think a teacher's ability is?」

I asked with a sharp glint in my eye.

「What?　...That is, of course, whether or not you can teach excellent magic. Here at the Academy of Magic, I'm a professor because I'm a top-notch Magician with a thorough knowledge of great magic and a perfect command of both theory and practice.」

「That's not true. It's only the minimum necessary qualification and prerequisite ability for a teacher. If you just know great magic, you can become any Magician you want. If you want to be a teacher worthy of a top-notch school, you must have excellent "teaching skills".」

I assured her.

「Fuhh, What is this nonsense you're chirping about, if you don't mind my saying so? I am a first-rate teacher.」

「A someone who can only teach the best students with a serious attitude? Makes me laugh.」

「Wha! It's not a matter of course for a first-rate teacher to teach first-rate students! It doesn't matter how good a teacher you are, you can't teach if your students are inattentive and stupid.」

「Do you really think so? First-rate students will grow up on their own, even with a third-rate teacher around. It's easy mode. Isn't the ability to get students to take class seriously one of the skills of teaching?」

「Kuhh, that's ......」

「I see, it's true that a teacher who can bring up the unskilled is a higher level than a teacher who gathers and teaches those who are destined to excel from the start.」

Kaede was convinced. Or maybe she pretended to be convinced, but she was supporting my logic.

「Now that you mention it......」

「What Alec said wasn't wrong, was it?」

「It's kind of unfair that the teacher chooses the students, isn't it?」

The other students seemed to think I had a point.

「T-that may be the ideal, but as a practical matter, you can't teach problem children who cause the collapse of schools like "Crusher Letty" or those who have no desire to learn!」

I've got your word.

「You guys are willing to learn, aren't you?」

I look around at my classmates and ask them.

「「「 Of course! 」」」

「Kuhh, If that's the case, then please don't be late or do anything that would fundamentally question your attitude to learning.」

「O'm reflecting on myself there. Even though I'm motivated, I'm at this age. I'm close to urinating.」

「You're lying! You're not that old, and you said earlier that you were lost!」

「Okay, okay, okay. It's a light senior joke. So, what about the test? Are you still going to do it?」

「Of course I will. I'll take your arguments into account, and if you pass, you'll all get credit. However, if you fail, you'll be repeat a year immediately.」

She's got a mean streak.

「Okay, I'll take it.」

「「「 Haah!? 」」」

Some of my classmates shouted in anger, but I had no choice. As a teacher, Vanilla has the authority to administer exams, and the grading process is essentially up to the teacher, not the students. This is the best we can do to negotiate terms.

If you have a problem with it, you'll have to negotiate it yourself.

「Believe in your own abilities. Besides, even if you don't pass, there's nothing to be afraid of if we all repeat the school together. I'll take care of the tuition.」

「That's not the point! Onee-sama, you're not including me in this, right?」

Melissa raised her voice in protest, but Vanilla was also a member of the Jackal family. Well, I guess they have the same haircut with the bangs. Just without the drill option.

「Yeah, that's probably true. You can't be a teacher if you only favor your relatives. It's just the right punishment for a family member of the Jackal family, which has produced many great Magicians, to be shamed for missing out on high school and going to middle school.」

「Kuhh, that was ......」

Melissa clenched her fists and glared at me resentfully, but then again, she was on the same team as me in the entrance exam.

The black slugs summoned by the mysterious black magician interfered and caused me to lose time. I guess that affected our score.

But Melissa didn't even complain, she sighed and fell silent.

「The test is about earth magic. Working in pairs and exchanging magic power, you must grow a three centimeter tree bud to a height of one meter. The time limit is until the end of this class.」

「No way! I don't care if it's a mature tree, growing it out of grass is way too difficult.」

「I've never even used earth magic before. ......」

「Me too...」

「Oh my, you can't even do this, it might be better for you if you voluntarily leave this school and go back to a third-rate magic school. Fufufu」

The teacher, Vanilla, put her hand over her mouth and smiled wickedly.

「You can teach me that earth magic spell, can't you?」

「Yes, of course. I'll show you how to do it. ――Buds rooted in Mother Earth, gather their blessings and grow with their mana! Woodgrow!」

Vanilla lightly waved her red jeweled rod and pointed to the ground, and the sprouts of the plants there quickly grew into magnificent trees about five meters tall.

It seems that this magic is more advanced than I thought. How can you tamper with the growth of a plant?

I touched the tree and found that it was not an illusion. It had substance.

「T-that's amazing! No magic circle, no catalyst, just words and spirits to grow this much!」

「It was an instant ......」

「...... It's impossible. I've been chanting every day for five years, and I've only been able to grow as tall as I am.」

「Everyone, if you have time to be impressed and whine, go ahead and cast your spells! There's no amount of time that will suffice for our abilities!」

Melissa urges me to take the initiative, but well, I guess I don't want to be a stay-at-home mom either, and that's a little different from showing leadership. She doesn't seem like a very cooperative girl.

「Wait a minute, I told you, you had to work in pairs. If you don't take turns casting spells or transferring magic, you will be disqualified immediately!」

Vanilla says. The two of us are one tree, so at first glance it looks like she gave us a handicap, but the premise of cooperation is tricky.

This class had only met yesterday, and their abilities varied.

「You demon ......!」

Melissa grumbled as she gripped her rod, but her sister Vanilla just smiled thinly at her.

She doesn't say anything more, and unlike the entrance exam, it looks like we'll have to decide on the grouping.

「Then, you guys, line up in order of magic power base value. Those with higher values will be paired with those with lower values.」

Since no one else was giving instructions, I decided to take charge.