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“I’m not leaving right away.”

At those words, the students’ expressions brightened. Of course, it was only for a brief moment.

Titania’s face, glistening with unshed tears, broke into a radiant smile, but soon her brows furrowed in confusion as she grasped the underlying meaning of my words.

“Right away? Does that mean… you will leave?”

“……”

It was hard to explain.

If it weren’t for the meeting with Headmaster Heinkel, I would surely have given her a definitive answer, but now the situation had become rather delicate.

If I said I was leaving and then found Ella, I would have no reason to go.

If I said I wasn’t leaving but couldn’t find Ella, I would ultimately have to leave.

If I had known it would turn out like this, I wouldn’t have spoken up in front of Batar or Elizabeth. Of course, it was unavoidable since I had never expected the headmaster to make such a proposal.

Marian, nervously biting her nails, spoke up. Her thumb was already ragged like a saw blade.

“W-What should we do…? Are you leaving or not? I mean, why are you leaving in the first place?”

That question was not just Marian’s; the same doubt lingered on the faces of all the students, big and small.

It would have been better had they not known, but given the circumstances, a minimal explanation seemed necessary.

“The fact that I’m not leaving right away is quite literal. It means… there is a possibility that I might leave.”

“A possibility?”

“I’m sorry for not saying it earlier, but something important has come up, and it couldn’t be helped. I hope to finish early, but I can’t promise when that will be. That’s why I mentioned leaving.”

I let out a short sigh and continued.

“However, Headmaster Heinkel has decided to grant me a temporary reprieve.”

“A reprieve… until when?”

“I’ll remain as your instructor until the special practical training. After that, I can’t say for sure what will happen.”

At my words, the students’ faces displayed a mixture of relief and anxiety.

While it was a relief that I wasn’t leaving right away, it seemed they didn’t know how to respond to the uncertainty of what would eventually happen.

The atmosphere among the students was one of confusion over whether to be happy or disappointed.

Titania cautiously opened her mouth.

“Excuse me, Instructor… can I ask what this important matter is?”

I hesitated for a moment, pondering how much I should reveal to the students.

Ultimately, I felt it was inappropriate to drag them too deep into my personal issues.

In the silence, it seemed like I could read the answer in Titania’s expression, which grew darker.

“Is it something you can’t tell us?”

“…It’s a matter of utmost personal importance.”

“Is it really that important? Enough that you would leave us suddenly?”

The pause in my response was likely due to the frustration welling up inside me.

However, it would also be pointless to mouth a lie that would soon be discovered.

I nodded heavily and replied, “Yes.”

“Ah…”

Titania’s expression turned to shock. Her eyes reflected a tumult of disappointment and confusion, waves of emotion that were hard to express in words.

I couldn’t tell if what I was about to say would serve as comfort, but I felt the need to say it anyway.

“Even if I have to leave, Headmaster Heinkel has promised to bring in a new instructor before then. So, the Opal Black Class won’t be disbanding or anything. You can continue your classes as usual after the practical training.”

Yet Titania’s stern expression remained unchanged. The other students felt the same way. It seemed my words weren’t comforting at all.

Gwen spoke up with a trembling voice, “Is there anything we can do to help? If it’s such an important matter, wouldn’t it be better if you weren’t alone?”

I shook my head firmly. “No. It’s a dangerous matter.”

“I can fight too! Thanks to you teaching me swordsmanship, I can do so much more than before! I’ve even learned body techniques…!”

Gwen was the only one who had known body techniques since the start of the term.

But…

“You’re still a novice. You’ve only just taken your first steps into body techniques. Don’t go saying you can use them elsewhere at that level.”

“Ugh…!”

Gwen’s body techniques weren’t even at the level where she could manifest sword energy; they were merely a means of physical enhancement. And due to lack of mana, sustaining them long-term was a challenge.

While I acknowledged that collaborating could be more efficient, to navigate those lands filled with vile traps and undead, at the very least, swordsmanship skills on par with the Royal Guard were a must.

Even the Royal Guard couldn’t guarantee survival, let alone students with their novice skills.

Gwen bit her lip in frustration, her pale lips almost bleeding.

“……”

The atmosphere around us had turned heavy.

Perhaps we had been dwelling on the grim topic for too long. Since I had explained everything necessary, it was time to dismiss the students.

They all seemed to be lost in thought. Of course, I was the same.

“This is already settled. Let’s end the discussion here. Regular classes resume tomorrow. I know you’ve missed classes for the festival, so try to rest a bit earlier today to prepare.”

I relayed my words to the students, waiting for no response before leaving the lounge.

Titania’s lingering gaze, filled with reluctance, followed my back.

But I purposely ignored it and didn’t look back even once.

*

“This is ridiculous.”

In the lounge where the students had gathered.

Marian fumed, voicing her dissatisfaction.

“What’s this ‘you can continue having classes as usual after the practical training’? Doesn’t that sound a bit too detached?!”

Her imitation of Ion’s low voice and stern expression was impressively well done, but no student laughed or reacted.

Only Schurz sighed softly, adjusting his glasses before responding.

“What can we do? He has personal matters, doesn’t he? It’s not like we can change things just because we don’t like it.”

“That may be true… but this is just unacceptable…”

Marian grumbled, her face sour.

Schurz had no grounds to argue against her—he felt the same surprise and confusion over the situation.

Batar wore a disinterested expression as he headed upstairs, while Elizabeth didn’t even show her face.

However, the other students seemed to share a sentiment more in line with Schurz than not.

Gwen spoke in a gloomy tone, “Is there really nothing we can do? The instructor said no, but… I really don’t want to just sit by and do nothing.”

Saladin was the one who responded to her words. He crossed his arms and replied bluntly.

“What are we supposed to do? We don’t even know where he’s going or what he’s planning. How could we even help with that important matter?”

“That may be true now… but later we might find a way!”

A month could be a short span or a long duration.

At least, it felt that way to Gwen. Ion had awakened her deficiencies with her sword and shown her a different path than what her master had. Daily sparring sessions with him were anything but ordinary.

Ion was no longer just an instructor to her; she had emotionally become dependent on him. Admiring his strength, she often fantasized about becoming like him one day.

But now, that very Ion was suddenly leaving without any warning.

The realization sparked both anxiety and a change of heart for Gwen.

Of course, the other students felt the same.

Ozania, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. Unlike her usual lethargic demeanor, she spoke with an unusual seriousness.

“…I agree. If there’s something we can do, we should.”

“Looks like it’s 2:1 now.”

Gwen shot Saladin a sidelong glance.

Marian jumped in, adding, “About that—Ion said he’d remain as an instructor until the practical training, right? That implies that he has something significant planned for that time, doesn’t it? If it goes well, he could continue as our instructor; otherwise, he would leave.”

The logical deduction drew nods from all around.

“Then it seems our first priority should be to find out what’s going on with Instructor Ion. Who’s in favor?”

Starting with Marian who made the suggestion, she raised her hand. Gwen and Ozania followed suit.

Schurz spoke up, looking worried. “Isn’t that a bit risky? What if he finds out we were looking into it…?”

“What does it matter? We have nothing to lose. Are we going to just sit back and watch him leave? If we wait until then, it’ll be too late to regret it.”

At that moment, Titania, who had been curled up on the sofa, slightly raised her head.

“Regret…?”

A spark began to light in her previously contemplative green eyes.

“Yes! I don’t want to regret this. If I let the instructor go like this, I’ll definitely regret not doing anything, just like I did with my brother. Can I join too?”

At Titania’s declaration, Marian nodded eagerly. “So, that’s 4 votes? It seems we’ve already reached half…”

“No, since when did this turn into a vote?”

“I just decided that. If you don’t like it, go be the student council president.”

Schurz raised a hand in resignation. “Honestly, I’ve never really talked to the instructor much, and I can’t say I really empathize with your reasons for doing this, but if this is the class’s opinion, I guess it can’t be helped. I’m part of this group too, and I don’t want Instructor Ion to leave.”

Ultimately, every gaze turned to Saladin, who had been the only one not to raise his hand.

As all eyes focused on him, Saladin flinched, his shoulders shuddering. “What? I’m not exactly opposing this, you know?”

He reluctantly uncrossed his arms and half-heartedly raised his hand.

Marian grinned with satisfaction. “That’s 6 votes out of 8. I can persuade Batar and Elizabeth personally—”

“You don’t need to.”

A slender, gentle voice rang out softly in the lounge.

Elizabeth, looking pale and haggard, was leaning against the entrance of the lounge.

“Elizabeth? Are you… okay?”

“Yeah.”

Her complexion was ghostly pale, and her eyes were brimming with undeniable fatigue, as if she hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for two days.

But despite the concerned gazes from her classmates, Elizabeth straightened her back, feigning nonchalance.

“I’ve been listening.”

Her crimson eyes scanned over everyone.

“What you all want to do, I want to help too.”

 

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