I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

The man was like a quiet lake with a rising mist at dawn.

—He was cold, chilly, and calm.

Just like an unshakably calm lake's surface, his every action was restrained, calm, and meaningful.

Even when he closed the classroom door…

Even when his shoes stepped up on the podium…

Even when he put the papers on the desk…

There was not a sound.

The stillness engulfed the entire classroom like a ripple on the surface of water.

“Oh…”

Even the noisy aristocratic students were swept away by the atmosphere and closed their mouths.

The students, who were calm, looked at the main character who was standing on the podium with their eyes shining out of curiosity.

The suit that was suitable for his handsomely tall figure did not have the slightest bit of wrinkles; a black frock coat on top of it fit his body even better.

It was classy attire, but it didn't appear to be too flashy.

When the man took off the silk hat on his head and threw it lightly, it gently flew toward the hanger in the corner of the podium and settled down safely.

With the series of gestures that seemed so natural, his face that had been hidden by his hat was finally revealed.

—He had a sharp jawline and a straight nose bridge along with unwavering eyes.

His strong yet charismatic eyes were sharp enough for him to not seem to be a new teacher.

His hair, which was considered long for a man, was neatly tied at the back of his neck.

Gulp.

Some noble students who had been secretly talking behind his back were weighed down by his vigor and gulped down without realizing it.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Ludger Chelysie, and I'm the new teacher at Sören Academy."

The moment he opened his mouth and raised his voice…

It was like pouring water on dreamy smudges of watercolors.

The atmosphere of the classroom, which had been immersed in silence, returned to reality.

***

"I won't start the class right away because it's the first day of school. However, I will make a prior notice before that."

I slowly hung the frock coat that I had taken off on the hanger.

It was not difficult to carry on the conversation. I just had to recite the words that came to my mind at the right time.

It was like some sort of play-acting.

‘I'm an actor on stage, and the students are the audience.’

‘All I have to do is follow the flow in harmony and continue the monologue naturally.’

The script was all in my head.

"My class is about magic casting, but I won't teach you magic casting unsophisticatedly. I'm going to focus on applying magic in real life beyond the principles, a little closer to the actual practice.”

As I skimmed through the audience, I could see several people flinching their shoulders.

That was a good reaction.

Since there were soldiers who had also become teachers in the past, there were no students who thought it was strange for me to maintain that kind of tone and such intense eyes.

"And not only the second years, but the first years can also apply for this class. In other words, it's a joint class for the first and second years."

My words began to create a buzz everywhere.

All the students who had gathered were sophomores, so it was no wonder that they were confused.

However, it was not impossible because there was no school rule that classes should be divided by year.

As soon as the noise died down, I opened my mouth at the most appropriate time.

"Stop."

Silence.

The noise inside the classroom disappeared in an instant.

* * *

* * *

Everyone's eyes were staring at me again.

"As a second-year student, it is natural to complain about having to take classes with a first-year student. But don't worry. I'm not going to teach the first years the basic things to learn just because of my consideration that they're beginners."

The words were welcomed with relieved responses here and there.

Sören Academy's teaching method was more like a university than a high school if compared to Earth's system.

However, it was not completely the same as that of a university, so it can be said that it was vaguely mixed a little bit. The award and penalty points system are typical examples.

The students of Sören choose the lectures they want to take according to their specialties and take credits by completing the subject.

Students there are called prodigies wherever they go.

Even if they are in the first year, there was no significant difference compared to the second year. I decided to focus on that and conduct joint classes for the first and second years.

Why?

Because when the second years get together, it was inevitable that the story about their teacher would spread out.

The curiosity and main topic of the second years, who had already known each other enough for a year, were bound to be me, their newly appointed teacher, instead of their classmates, who were in the same year as them.

But what if freshmen who just entered the school attended the same class?

The concerns of the second years would be focused on their juniors in the first year.

Then the number of people who are talking about me would definitely decrease.

There might be complaints, but they wouldn’t fuss any further.

The existence of the first years was a kind of smokescreen and seawall that made me not doubt my qualifications as a teacher.

"Why do you let freshmen take this class as well?"

Someone raised their hand and spoke.

Looking at her, she was a girl with long wavy blonde hair up to her waist.

Her unwavering eyes that were staring at me had a strong sense of righteousness.

People around her recognized her and they were talking to each other afterwards. ‘What? Is she a popular kid?’

Looking closely, she looked familiar.

‘That face... I've seen it somewhere.’

'Someone who makes me uneasy when I think of her....'

Since I was asked a question, I decided to answer it.

"Because I thought they needed an opportunity as well.”

"What do you mean by “opportunity”?"

"I think it's very unfortunate that only a selected year can take my class. It's never the right attitude as a teacher. Giving equal instruction to everyone regardless of their year… That's what I think."

Well, she would ask me why I didn't mention the third year and higher afterwards.

Of course they could take my class if they wanted to. However, it would be difficult for third-years to digest the essential subjects that they had already learned right away.

Actually, I could only afford up to the second year.

"Of course, that means that my classes are not year-restricted. I'm confident that it's definitely different from the existing system."

Well, it's not like I was just saying it without thinking.

I'd made sure I was ready for the class.

For a peaceful future, I was referring to a few tips that I had, so there's nothing I couldn’t do.

"It's hard to understand unless you explain exactly what class it is."

“If you are curious, just come to my class. It's not fun if I tell you in advance."

—As I spoke while intentionally piquing her curiosities, small wrinkles formed on her forehead beneath her blonde hair.

‘I'm sorry, but I don't intend to tell you what I'm about to teach right away.’

‘On the contrary, I’m going to make you feel impatient and more curious.’

If there weren't any unknown classes in which no one knew what would be taught, the students in the academy wouldn't feel wary of anything.

"However, let me warn you of one thing: if there's anyone who wants to take my class with such an absurd idea that I'm a new teacher and that they will easily get credit…"

After deliberately catching my breath and taking a break…

I said the last words in a strong tone.

"At that time, I will personally engrave what real education is into your bones."

If they interpreted my last words, then it meant…

“Please don't come to my class.”

If they had to take classes with the freshmen, it would quite hurt their pride as sophomores.

I even warned that the class would not be easy, so those with high self-esteem were likely to pass it by saying, "That class. I won't take it!"

I scattered landmines in such a way so that if they stepped on one and exploded, it'd honestly be the fault of the person who stepped on it.

Of course, I would be disqualified as a teacher if I just spouted that out.

I made a deep hole in the process by wrapping it as a reasonable cause.

‘There's a reason for everything. You'll know when you take the class.’

It was different than throwing irresponsible, empty promises, but what could I do?

Of course, that was the only way I could do it since I had never lived by standards.

"That's all. Any questions?" I was directing the question to students who might have prepared to raise their hands and argue with me.

***

It was quiet inside the classroom.

When Ludger asked if anyone had any questions, none of the students raised their hands.

Everyone was just rolling their eyes and looking around.

It's not that there were no questions. Small questions about how to do the assignments, what the exact curriculum of the class is, or what was going to be taught that had all been asked before were also pretty good.

But no one ever brought those questions out of their mouths.

Everyone was overwhelmed by the spirit of Ludger Chelysie.

'That's the new teacher?'

'They said he was a soldier, his atmosphere is no joke."

'There's a rumor that he's at least a 4th rank. Is it real?'

The incredible pressure from a young man… It was not mere imagination that they feel suffocated just by making eye contact with him.

Even the aristocratic students, who looked down on him for being a fallen aristocrat, avoided Ludger's eyes and dryly swallowed their saliva.

If the upper classes were like that, how could the other students dare to come forward?

That was what everyone unconsciously felt as they listened to Ludger's speech.

That man never spouted out anything carelessly…

His eyes, way of speaking, and even his confident tone of voice…

He could never show that kind of gesture unless he was truly proud of his class.

What on earth was he going to teach them? If it wasn’t based on theory, was it practical? How would he teach the practices?

Such complex thoughts formed and disappeared like bubbles in everyone's heads.

But there was only one thing for sure:

A class taught by the teacher named Ludger Chelysie would never be easy.

"No questions?"

He repeated the question.

He seemed like someone who wanted a question, but the students weren't fooled.

The moment they raised their hands and opened their mouths, they'd get stamped out by Ludger.

Just seeing the look in his eyes that seemed to be glaring at them wanting to get some prey… His willingness to not allow any questions was conveyed well.

The blonde girl, who raised her hand beforehand, sat still as well.

"No questions… then the first day of school has finished."

The first day of school.

—That's how the breathtaking orientation ended.

***

When the orientation was over, the students got up one by one and left the classroom.

I watched the scene carefully from the podium.

I'd said everything I wanted to say, so everyone understood everything, right?

But it was honestly shocking that no one raised their hands when I asked them to ask some questions.

Until the night before, I had prepared to take all kinds of questions and even prepared the answers, but all of them were useless.

‘If it's an academy like this, aren't there only children with strong ego here?’

I thought they'd think that I was ridiculous and ask me a lot of questions, but did I think too much?

'No. Wait a minute.'

It could be the other way around.

‘What if they intentionally chewed on my words?’

I'd heard of it. That is often the case in Korea in the 21st century.

When a new teacher arrived, the students would purposely not give them any attention and look down on them.

Such was often the case with female teachers in particular.

It was mainly the way of the school bullies to take the lead in the class instead of the teacher.

They would quietly throw a mutter like 'Ah, he's hella loud', and if the teacher got mad, they would respond with 'I didn't talk about you, though?'—they had that undeniable technique of bullying.

‘Maybe it's a similar case since no one has responded to me.’

‘Hmm.’

I had tried to be as serious as I could to look scary, but had it given the opposite effect?

Perhaps my oppressive remarks and actions have disturbed the pride of students who thought they were geniuses.

'Then it's a big problem.'

The way juniors looked down on their seniors in the military, subordinates looked down on their superiors in the workplace, and students looked down on their teachers in school.

—It was often described as being eaten.

It was obvious that if someone lost their leadership in the beginning, they would have setbacks in their future classes.

‘Then should I treat them in a more gentle manner?’

'No, if I do it all of a sudden after what happened, they'll think I'm weird. I'm just going to push it to the end since it has already become like this.'

It was rather not my cup of tea to smile and be friendly.

That was my nature, and the identities that I acted out mostly had that kind of personality.

…And it'd been three weeks since I arrived.

Everyone already knew what kind of person Ludger was. It would be ridiculous to change my personality at that point when I was obviously a soldier with a military record.

I put on my hat and walked away with the frock coat that had been on the hanger.

In the meantime, the remaining students in the classroom did not approach me.

It's not that they didn’t have any interests because I felt the way they were trying to analyze me.

I thought they'd ask me common questions such as how old I was or if I had a girlfriend, but I didn't know that they wouldn't say a single word.

‘It's scary. Kids these days.’

***

Step. Step.

I walked slowly down the hallway, leaving the classroom at a leisurely pace.

It was the first day of school anyway, so it was the end of today's work.

Since the course registration correction period had not yet ended, those who wanted to change their course could change it, and those who didn't could settle with it.

The first class would properly start in three days.

‘Until then, let's seriously think about how I can take the lead of the class from the students.’

‘I should at least avoid being told that I'm not qualified as a teacher.’

Thinking so, I looked at the front, and I saw all the students who were walking in the hallway looking at me and avoiding my path.

When both the boy and girl students spotted me walking, they were surprised and stuck themselves to the wall or window.

‘What? Why are they being like that?’

Had the rumor of a new teacher, who already seemed like easy prey, spread throughout the academy?

I had heard that there was a community in that Academy like the university community called ‘Everytime’ where you could exchange opinions with each other inside the Academy, was that why?

When I felt like my future class was going to be pretty rough, someone talked to me.

"Hello."

I stopped and stared at the woman who was smiling as she was talking to me.

"You're the new teacher, Ludger Chelysie, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

She was an attractive woman with pink color and a slight curl at the tip of her hair with a warm smile that resembled sunshine.

‘I don't think she's a student since she's not wearing a uniform.’

‘Maybe?’

She spoke with a great fuss before I was able to find out about anything.

"Oh, as expected! Nice to meet you. My name is Selena. You're a new teacher at Sören academy, right? I'm your colleague, Mr. Ludger."

"I see. Nice to meet you."

When I looked at her as if asking what business she had with me, Selena looked around a little embarrassedly and spoke quietly in a low voice.

"Well... Have you eaten yet?"

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