[Twin_dragon13773: I can't wait to see how you torture him. >:)]
"What a dangerous thing to say... How could you say I'm going to torture him? I'm just going to 'tease' him a little bit," Theo responded to the comment, shaking his head in amusement as he walked alone. Mia had already rushed off to the classroom.
On his way, he heard someone calling his name. "Teacher Theo!"
Theo glanced to the side and saw Maya Emberwood, a student from the Post-Apocalyptic World, approaching him. She had a human appearance but with slightly larger green eyes and long dark brown hair tied in a ponytail.
"Maya Emberwood from the Post-Apocalyptic World," Theo said with a frown. "Is there something you need from me?"
"I actually just came to the school and found you, Teacher. I wondered if we could walk together to class..."
Theo studied Maya's face, sensing a hidden loneliness beneath her energetic and easy-going demeanor.
"I don't mind. You look energetic the whole time. What? you're excited to go to school instead of lazing around at home?" Theo remarked.
Maya chuckled. "That's true. I love going to school."
"Just so you know, declaring your love for school won't earn you any special treatment or bonus points," Theo teased.
Maya laughed, seemingly trying to impress her teacher.
"What's the real reason you're here?" Theo asked nonchalantly.
Maya hesitated before speaking, "Actually, I wanted to tell you about what happened in the last few days. Teacher Gareth from Class B has been visiting us and teaching us about basic knowledge."
"Oh? Isn't that great? I got someone to do my labor for free," Theo shrugged.
"Aren't you angry, Teacher? I feel like that guy is trying to steal your spot..." Maya expressed her concern.
"Then, are his teachings difficult to understand?" Theo inquired.
"No, we can understand his lessons just fine. However..." Maya tilted her head in confusion. "How do I say this... It feels like his teaching strictly follows a textbook. But, of course, there's no textbook in this school since it's the purpose of the academy. I'm just talking about the feeling I get from his teaching."
"There's nothing wrong with following a textbook. That method has been proven," Theo remarked.
"But he was talking badly about you, you know," Maya revealed.
"That's even better," Theo chuckled. "If he has a proven method that works better for the students, I don't mind if he badmouths me. As a teacher, my priority is the students' best interests."
Maya was momentarily speechless, observing something different in Theo's response. It seemed he was being more passive after everything he had done in the past. She wondered if he had something up his sleeve.
"Teacher! Li Wei, Avalon, and Haruka have been convinced by his lessons, thinking he's better than you. However, there's something I don't like about him... Unlike you, who believes in us, he only sees us based on our talent. He underestimates students who are less talented," Maya expressed her frustration.
"Now you're finally answering my question," Theo smiled, reminding Maya of his initial question about why she wanted to walk with him.
Maya's eyebrows twitched, realizing that Theo had been playing with her all along.
"What do you think about that, Teacher? Are you looking down on students who are less talented?" Maya asked with a serious expression.
Theo responded with a question of his own. "And what do you think about yourself? Do you consider yourself less talented and believe you're not as good as your teammates?"
"I..." Maya wanted to deny it, but Gareth's words had influenced her over the past few days.
"Have you found the limits of your abilities?" Theo posed another question.
Maya looked down, contemplating her own limitations. As someone from the post-apocalyptic world, she had used strengthening liquid and fought with various equipment, including robots. However, her physical abilities were likely inferior to Li Wei's, and she couldn't use magic like Haruka.
However, Theo shifted her perspective. "Even though your technique, body, and mentality aren't complete?"
"Huh?" Maya was taken aback.
Theo smirked. "Geniuses, people who are better than you... You can say whatever you want. No matter how hard you work, you won't catch up to them. Even with different teammates or numerous methods."
Maya felt a sense of sadness, thinking Theo was agreeing with Teacher Gareth. However, Theo hadn't finished speaking.
"You can say all that once you've exhausted every method available. Have you explored all possibilities? Have you searched for alternative approaches? You might discover a method that allows you to advance faster or stumble upon something that propels you to a higher level. Instead of dwelling on useless feelings of inferiority, believe that this is not your limit. You might find something that enables you to rival or even surpass those geniuses."
"When that opportunity arises, you'll feel like it's your chance to shine. So, make sure to seize it!" Theo encouraged Maya.
Maya was dumbfounded. On one hand, Theo seemed like a caring teacher trying to boost her spirits. On the other hand, he wasn't entirely wrong. There were geniuses in her world who claimed to be nothing in the past. Once they seized their moment, they rapidly improved, standing on equal footing with other geniuses.
It wasn't that they lacked talent; their timing and approach had simply been incorrect.
Maya took a deep breath. "Can I learn more in school?"
"You can ask me anything. I'll do my best to answer. Besides, you should feel lucky..." Theo said.
"Why is that?" Maya asked, perplexed.
"Because you're in the same class as those recognized as geniuses. You can directly compete with them, learn from them, discuss their perspectives, and analyze them. If you can benefit from their presence, you might gain something far more valuable. Ultimately, the one who has the last laugh is the winner, right?"
Maya clenched her fists and nodded with determination. "Yes, I now know what I need to do in this school."
"That's good then," Theo acknowledged.
Theo and Maya continued walking, but they had to separate briefly as Theo needed to retrieve some things from the teacher's room.
When he entered the class, the students who had accompanied him on the mission appeared eager to learn from him. Li Wei, Avalon, and Haruka wore serious expressions, seemingly judging him. Maya was clearly on his side, while the rest of the students didn't show any bias towards either teacher.
"Alright, now that the mission is over, I can teach you again for a while. You should remember the assignment, right? Feel free to ask me anything you want. If I see that you're genuinely committed to self-study, I'll award you a bonus point. Who wants to be the first?" Theo asked the class.
There was a moment of silence as the students observed each other, waiting for someone to volunteer. However, their peaceful atmosphere was soon interrupted as the door swung open.
Clack!
"Hmm?" Theo turned his head towards the door, and the students followed his gaze, curious about the unexpected interruption. The classroom was already full, so there shouldn't be any further disturbances.
To their surprise, Teacher Gareth was the one who opened the door.
Teacher Gareth was a middle-aged man with short black hair, dressed in a white shirt and black pants. He wore an elaborate robe with numerous patterns and decorations, seemingly attempting to display his noble status.
Upon locking eyes with Theo, Gareth appeared taken aback.
"Oh?! You've returned..." Gareth's voice sounded innocent, but underlying it were traces of mockery.
"I've heard that you've been teaching my class during my absence," Theo stated.
"I'm simply covering for my colleague so that you don't neglect your students," Gareth replied.
"Hahaha, indeed. I must thank you for filling in for me," Theo chuckled.
"That's what a noble is expected to do. Perhaps commoners like you wouldn't understand," Gareth retorted, shrugging as if looking down on Theo. "We are here to guide the future generations, unlike commoners who waste their time doing whatever they please."
The more Gareth spoke, the angrier the students who sided with Theo became. They wanted to shout at Gareth, telling him that he didn't understand anything about their teacher.
However, without them saying a word, Theo initiated his counterattack. "Well, that's convenient. I've been teaching them advanced study material. I just hope they haven't been occupied with some random low-level content."
Gareth furrowed his brows and stepped further into the room, approaching Theo. "Are you implying that my teaching is low-level content?"
"With your intellect, you should understand what I mean... If you don't, maybe you shouldn't be teaching. Perhaps you should focus on learning instead," Theo retorted.
Gareth clenched his fists, seething with anger, while Theo remained calm throughout the confrontation.
"You're just a mere illusionist. You're not even that strong! You're useless!" Gareth gritted his teeth.
"And this useless person has taken your place as the teacher of this class... I wonder what that makes you," Theo replied with a shrug.
"You..." Gareth's anger escalated as he clenched his fists tighter. "I don't like beating around the bush, so I'll be direct. I don't think you're qualified to teach the S Class. Many of them are incredibly talented, and having you as their teacher will only stifle their potential. If you understand that, you should step down from this class."
Theo shrugged dismissively. "Whatever you say, it doesn't change the fact that I'm the teacher of this class. And I would have already started my lesson if not for your interference. So, please remove yourself."