Royal Capital Elsas Academy.
The building was old and carried a strong sense of history.
Noble children gathered here from all over the country, and young commoners whose talents were recognized also came to pursue a better education. It was a traditional academy known as a place that nurtured elites aiming for greater heights.
In the Noble Department, all students were heirs who would inherit their family’s titles. After that came the Knight Department, the Magic Department, and the Adventure Department, which had the most students. Other Departments, such as the Alchemy Department and the Commerce Department, existed in smaller numbers.
The Noble Department alone studied in a separate building and even ate their meals there while learning proper etiquette. I was told I would not have much to do with them.
Among the many Departments, the one I would be teaching this time was, of course, the Alchemy Department.
「Ah… you may have already heard, but I am Shinomiya Itsuki. I will be teaching alchemy skills to everyone in the Second Alchemy Department in Eliodart’s place」
I wanted to ask why there was even a “second” in the name, but before that, something else bothered me.
This classroom.
There were about ten students, and they were all girls.
Every one of them looked like they were from noble families.
Although, apparently being a noble or a commoner did not matter in this academy.
Once you passed through the gates, using your noble status for advantage or bringing internal disputes outside was forbidden.
This rule had been in place since the academy’s founding, and not even royalty or the king could change it.
It was established to avoid repeating the mistake the Empire made when they created a noble-centered academy that eventually suffered from a severe lack of capable people.
With such a clear failure next door, they had no reason to repeat the same foolishness.
「Well, anyway. Sorry if you were expecting Eliodart, but please take care of me」
As soon as I finished speaking, I received a round of loud applause.
It did not seem like they were disappointed that Eliodart was not here.
If anything, the atmosphere felt welcoming.
Maybe I was imagining it, but it felt like that.
「Senseiii you don’t have to be so stiffff Just relaxxx」
「Yeah yeahh. Even if Eliodart-sama came, he would be too good for usss. We would feel bad taking up his precious timeee.」
Two students spoke in stretched, carefree voices that suited their age.
Twins… right?
Let me check the roster… there it is.
The first one who spoke, the one with bigger breasts, was the older sister, Raz Belsen.
The second one, the flat-chested one, was the younger sister, Cran Belsen.
Both were daughters of the Belsen Marquis family.
Marquis family… that rank is pretty high, right? I think it is above Hayato’s and Eliodart’s Count families.
The two girls, who I would never have crossed paths with if I had not come here, talk to me in a friendly way. They sit in the front row, leaning close together, radiating a lively aura that grows stronger between them.
It seems the other students were thinking the same thing, since they nod along. It does not look like they are just being polite.
I see… I heard they had no motivation, but it is not like they look bored or rebellious at first glance. I was worried they might skip class, but that does not seem to be the case.
「Is that so? Then I will take you up on that. But I still plan to do my job properly」
「Oooh. Senseii, you have a good vibee. Most teachers are stiff and seriouss. You are younger, so we figured you would get uss」
「Teachers tend to be like that. Still, you might feel grateful for that someday. I am only a temporary instructor, so if you say I can relax, I will take the chance」
「Sensei is just right for uss」
Even so, once I accept a job I intend to do it well.
The request was meant for Eliodart, after all, and if I do not produce results it will not count as a proper thank-you.
「Alright, for today I want to start with a Q&A session. Ask me what you want, and I will also ask what I want to know」
「Eh, no lesson todayy? Is that okayy?」
「Yeah. You do not know what kind of person I am, and I do not know what kind of students you are. Rather than pushing forward like that, it is more efficient to start by understanding each other」
To put it simply, I need to know whether they do better with praise or if they grow faster when pushed a bit.
Although if it were that simple, they would not have bothered calling in an outside instructor.
「Hmm, a question… Yes yes, me! Sensei, how old are youu?」
「My age? I am twenty-six」
「Then then, Sensei, do you have a loverr?」
Ah, the classics never change.
「Yeah. I have about six important people」
「Waaah, he is more of a flirt than I expectedd」
「Six people… amazingg…」
A small stir runs through the room.
A student sitting toward the back raises her hand, and when I say go ahead, she stands with the graceful movements of a noble.
「Is your financial situation alright?」
「Hm? Well, I make money through alchemy」
「Through alchemy… Is it mainly accessories and magic tools rather than potions?」
「Yeah. Accessories bring in more income. But I deliver potions to the Adventurers Guild every time too, so it is not only accessories」
Lately, almost all the potions being sold are Mizera’s.
Married customers and familiar faces buy mine out of pity so the master does not lose to his apprentice.
「Sensei, what level is your alchemyy? We are all level one or twoo」
「Me? I am level nine」
「Ooh! Sensei, you are nine at your agee?」
「That is seriously amazingg. Maybe you are not far off from Eliodart-samaa?」
「No no, he is a born genius…」
Being compared to that monster of talent makes me uncomfortable.
「So everyone here already learned the alchemy skill」
「Of coursee. We are the Alchemy Departmentt」
「Even the Second Department requires the skill to enrolll」
「Speaking of which, what exactly is the Second Department…?」
「Huh? You were not told anythingg?」
「Yeah. Eliodart only told me to teach the Alchemy Department」
He also asked me to motivate them if possible.
「I seee. You know, Sensei, did you notice anything when you entered this classroomm?」
「It smelled nice」
「Smell… I do not think that is what she meant. And do not say things like that, it is embarrassingg!」
「Hmm… Then, only girls are here」
「Correct. Andd?」
「Everyone is a noble daughter…?」
「Correct. And from that, what answer do you reachh?」
「…They can live without succeeding in alchemy?」
「「So close」e」
So close, huh…
「We do not have inheritance rights, so we do need to support ourselvess」
「But finding a marriage partner is more realistic than building a life through alchemyy」
「Ah…」
「It is not that we dislike alchemyy. But our parents do not want a noble daughter to scrape by making potions day and night just to survivee」
「Ah…」
「So, they enrolled us in the Alchemy Department to meet the academy’s requirements. If we have talent, we should try. But mostly we are here to find an excellent partner. If we do not, our families will choose one after graduationn」
What is with that strangely half-free situation…
They are allowed to choose a marriage partner while still students, but only within a limited time and only if the partner is exceptional. It feels oddly constrained.
「Ah…… So none of you actually want to become alchemists. In that case, why was I even called here?」
「Hmm, probably because they want a skilled alchemist to teach us enough so that we can at least graduate. The graduation requirement is either reaching alchemy level three or achieving results worthy of graduation. And we still have two more years」
「Ah……」
All I can say is ah…
I really came here ready to put in serious effort.
Yasis said level three is something a talented student reaches in one year….
They have already been studying to some extent, and they still have two whole years left….
Some of them are already level two…
So maybe I am not needed after all?
If they just keep going normally, they will reach level three.
「That is why we felt bad when we heard Eliodart-sama might comee… Ah, but it is not like we think Sensei is fine just because you’re not him!」
「We are sorry too, Sensei. Asking you to deal with something like this makes us feel badd…」
Their drawn-out way of speaking makes it sound unserious, but their expressions show genuine regret.
The same goes for the rest of the students… they are all good kids.
「Hmm…」
What should I do…
Basically, they do not need to desperately learn alchemy.
Someone like me, who believes people should not do what they do not want or do not need to do, does not want to force them.
But doing nothing at all feels wrong too, especially since this was a request meant as thanks.
It is true that making a living from potions requires a fairly high success rate.
Even with an arrangement like Mizera or me, where adventurers gather medicinal plants for us, you still need at least a thirty percent success rate.
And thirty percent is only enough for a bare-minimum lifestyle.
For a noble daughter, that is far from acceptable.
「How about accessory crafting then?」
「Hmm… honestly, I do not think we could make anything that would selll… If it does not have a special ability, it will not fetch a good price, and even if we make something for ourselves, it ends up looking clumsy, so it is better to buy onee」
「And hurting our fingers is a problem tooo. We still get invited to parties. Showing up to high society gatherings with burns or cuts would embarrass our parentss」
「Ah…… I see. That makes sense」
「Sensei, are you mad…? Sorryyy」
「If you want to quit, we will speak up so nobody blames youu… But if possible, we still want sensei to teach uss…」
「I am not mad. Then… do all of you already have marriage partners lined up?」
「Hmm, that is not the case」
「We are the kind of selfish and pitiful beings who hoped we could stay free while also worrying about the realistic future, only to end up having the path to freedom closedd」
…What is with that strangely relatable opinion…
It sounds just like an office worker who let the timing to change careers slip by, only to keep dragging through day-to-day life.
Wanting a better job, but being able to survive as things are… and before realizing it, they can no longer switch.
Ah… nostalgia…
「Do not call yourselves selfish and pitiful… Then, if you could, would you want to succeed through alchemy?」
When I asked, every single one of them nodded.
These girls really are close.
「Yeah. If we could, that would be ideal, but we think it is too difficult」
「We do not have much talent besides alchemy, and it feels too late to catch up to the First Class. I heard some students in the First already have a forty-percent success rate」
Well… that is true.
The First Class students are genuinely aiming to become professional alchemists.
Catching up now is not easy.
「Potion-making is the basic path… but for you, it is probably the most realistic thing to give up. Accessory crafting is out too because of social gatherings…」
「Senseii?」
「Sensei?」
Originally, potion crafting is the foundation and something you should not neglect…
But since they are not going to live as alchemists, it is a minor issue.
And accessories, the most profitable field, are not an option either…
So, what am I supposed to do for them?
「Heeey, Senseii?」
「It is scary if you suddenly go silent, you knoww? We will prank youu?」
What could they sell…?
If possible, it should be something only these girls can make.
Something with little competition, and something that becomes an advantage precisely because they are who they are…
Girls… nobles… the social world… youth… hmm…
「Muu… Ignoring us is not good, you knoww」 poke poke
「He will not notice even if I poke his cheek, you seee?」 fuuu
「Even Raz’s breath did not workk」
「Then let me try next」
「H-he is not dead, right……?」
Something… there has to be something.
I feel like something is about to come to me…
Ahhh, it will not click.
It feels like something is stuck at the back of my throat… hm?
「Ah! What are you doing!?」
「Oh, he noticedd. Who? Who was the deciding blow?」
「Deciding what!?」
Before I knew it, the girls had surrounded me!
And the distance is too close!
Their faces and hands and bodies are close!!
There is a really good smell, that youthful scent of girl students filling the air…
Wait… this is it.
「Alright. Listen just like that. No wait. Move a little. Too close. All of you are too close, okay? Be ladylike, alright?」
If they keep listening while surrounding me like this, it will look like I am enjoying being crowded by girl students.
On the first day, that kind of misunderstanding would be terrible!
Even if I am a temporary teacher, it would damage my dignity.
「Sensei was spacing out thoughh」
「Spacing out and suddenly talking seriouslyy?」
「Ah, sorry. But I thought of a good idea」
「「Good ideaa? 」」
Raz and Cran of the Marquis Belsen family respond, a bit hopeful after seeing the confidence on my face.
The other eight noble girls look at me the same way.
It is precisely because they are noble daughters that they can do it. No, something that cannot be created unless it is them.
I told them my idea.
「All of you… how about creating a ‘brand’?」
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