Chapter 378: The Taboo Word, Storehouse

After receiving just enough to wet my lips, I arrived at the Rotsgard Academy.

I am not drunk at all.

Uhm…what’s this?

But even when I rub my eyes, the scenery isn’t changing.

Shiki and Jin’s group were at the lecture location, there’s Daena doing a seiza in front of Shiki.

Our lecture style is mainly on practical skill, but it doesn’t look like anyone is doing anything right now.

What’s going on here?

“I don’t think I am late… Just what’s happening here?” (Makoto)

I was being a merchant just a while ago, so I hesitated for a bit when switching to teacher tone.

If I talk normally, I would be mistaken for a classmate, and it wouldn’t look good on the students, so I am using the same speaking style as when I was talking to them with writing. As a result, it has become a burden on me though.

“Ah, Waka-sama, there’s still time before the class starts. About this, I gave them some homework since Waka-sama would be coming today, but…” (Shiki)

“Daena forgot about it?” (Makoto)

That’s rare.

The students of the Rotsgard Academy are by nature really diligent, and especially so since after that incident.

Since the time my classes have become popular for showing high results, it has a tendency of gathering students with high desire to improve.

That’s why they put a lot of passion in the classes themselves, but they also covet teachings outside classes like homeworks or tasks.

There would be times when they themselves would request for homeworks as if it were a dessert.

Even when they have eaten their meal, people who have a lot of appetite never forget to eat dessert.

It is rare to leave food.

It would have to be because it just didn’t fit them that much or it wasn’t to their taste.

In other words, it is a rare occurrence for students of the Rotsgard Academy to forget their homeworks.

“No, everyone has finished their homework and the preparations are done, however, Daena had a thought that’s slightly bad to have for a student and as a person who holds strong interest in the lectures, so I am giving him a light sermon.” (Shiki)

“Bad thought?” (Makoto)

“Yes. Daena has gained the objective of becoming a teacher recently, and has shown brilliant growth.” (Shiki)

“Yeah, uhm…right.” (Makoto)

He is improving without relying on his Job or others after all.

It reminds me that the Rotsgard Academy is a den of geniuses and prodigies.

Aside from a part of the nobles and merchants that are just aiming for the title; youngsters overflowing with the talent to stand at the top of the world were gathered here, no exaggeration.

“This time around, I gave them the homework of what kind of development they would show from a certain truth that a thesis made clear.” (Shiki)

“…”

I’m just gonna nod.

It is probably something like reading comprehension of an article, and to think about how to use it for your own future.

Whether that is something to do in a class that’s mainly centered on battles would depend on the thesis.

I feel like I am off here though.

“There wasn’t a failing mark for the answer of everyone, and it settled in the expected manner, so we were chatting for a while. There, we touched the topic of the library and the librarian through our talk about theses.” (Shiki)

“Fumu…” (Makoto)

Library and librarian.

Well, that thesis must have been brought from there, so it wouldn’t be strange.

It would be pretty shocking if there were theses from the researches of Shiki.

“Daena called libraries as book storehouses, and the librarians as storehouse numbers…” (Shiki)

“Aah…” (Makoto)

“I was correcting his perception by telling him about the meaning of libraries, the search for wisdom, and the role of librarians.” (Shiki)

Shiki was originally a researcher, and even now he is a scholar and mage researching many topics in Asora.

Right, Shiki is a mage that can fight well, but he is originally the type that would hole himself up and immerse himself in research.

Within my followers, he is the only indoor…no, the only bookworm.

The type that brings out the worth from magic and knowledge itself.

It is close to Tomoe, but she is the type that simply does a variety of things for the sake of her objective.

Mages that specialize in how to best utilize magic in battle is a mainline in the world, and the ones who distinguish themselves in this are the adventurers.

In the case of Shiki who loves research and inquiry, his understanding and respect towards libraries is deeper than that of the mage adventurers.

So Daena is being scolded for accidentally using words that could be taken as undermining libraries, huh.

“…I see. It is true that if Daena is thinking about involving himself in teaching in some way, a dislike for libraries would be problematic.” (Makoto)

Shiki, Sif, Amelia, and Izumo nodded satisfied.

On the other hand, there’s Jin and Daena who looked as if they didn’t expect me to say that.

Why?

“…What is it, Daena?” (Makoto)

Daena raised his hand hesitantly while still sitting on his knees.

“Uhm, you read books, Raidou-sensei?” (Daena)

“What do you take me for?” (Makoto)

I am a teacher…in outline.

“Cause you know…Sensei is like the embodiment of instinct. The incarnation of a prodigy. Not only can you do anything you strive to do, everything you do is outside common sense…” (Daena)

“Don’t call someone a monster while still tied down by your narrow view of the world and your limited knowledge.” (Makoto)

That’s rude.

“…Sensei.” (Daena)

“Hm?” (Makoto)

“The first time we met, you told us to not fixate ourselves over just one element, right?” (Daena)

“Yeah.” (Makoto)

It doesn’t need to reach the point of your best element, but if you can use the element, it would be better to increase your choices by increasing the cards in your hand, and that would also connect to more possible growth.

Leaving aside the common sense of students, that’s how adventurers have been doing normally.

I agree with that thought.

“That’s written as the standard in all the books of the Academy.” (Daena)

“…”

“Also, even though you likened battles to turn board games, you told us to train our real combat mindset rather than our level. That’s a way of thinking that’s not in any book of the library or textbooks from the teachers… It has all been beneficial for us, so I have no complaints about that. It is just that…I have the impression that books are in the end just old knowledge, and in a situation of life and death where the best technique is demanded from you at all times, would something like that be of any use? …Those are my honest thoughts.” (Daena)

He may have awoken his desire for teaching, but it was the result of overcoming a life or death situation in Lorel.

It might be understandable since he has ended up going here and there, making contact with both extremes.

“Haah, Daena—” (Shiki)

I stopped the words of Shiki who sighed, and decided to continue.

“My classes are completely different from what the books say and the knowledge you have had until now, and my teachings have been useful for you, which is something that I am proud of as a teacher. But the real question is, were these techniques really not in the books of the library?” (Makoto)

“? But that way of doing things and knowledge…” (Daena)

I can understand that Daena didn’t find them.

But that doesn’t equal them not existing.

“A huge library, and a huge collection of books. Having a grasp of all of them would be impossible. For example…Shiki…” (Makoto)

“Yes?” (Shiki)

“Can you show me the thesis for the homework?” (Makoto)

This must also be from the library.

“…Yes, here it is.” (Shiki)

?

The movements of Shiki dulled for a moment there.

Could it be that there’s a bit of a problem with the homework?

I make eye contact with him to tell me if there’s any problems, and then turn back to Daena.

And so, what is it about I wonder…?

Pffft?!

T-This is…?!

“…This thesis is something that I had a librarian find in the book collection of Rotsgard. Did you know about the existence of this, Daena?” (Makoto)

The last summer vacation in the variant incident.

It was the thesis that I had the librarian Eva find for me…the one that led me to the creation of the Magic Armor.

Thanks to that, I just had to skim through it and I could remember its contents.

I did read through it a whole ton that summer after all.

“No. It is quite the old one, it is outside of the mainline common knowledge, and the thesis doesn’t have a title or an author written on it.” (Daena)

“But it certainly did exist. There are old articles and books that may have been gathered from around the world, but easily end up buried.” (Makoto)

“Yes.” (Daena)

“Not allowing that to happen is one of the jobs of librarians. They are not just storehouse numbers like you said. About libraries as well…” (Makoto)

Wait.

In the first place, he considers books as just a pile of papers, making him think of libraries as storehouses for books.

Aah, since we are using the preamble of having read that thesis, I should just show a precedent.

“Sensei?” (Daena)

“Daena, what did you think when you read this thesis? What did you think you could put to use with it?” (Makoto)

That Shiki gave them this homework and called me must mean that.

Let’s hear his answer first before showing it.

The way I use magic power that my current self relies on.