Chapter Twenty-One: Weapons
Zenith returned to class after his meal, he figured out later that even after the language class, the students would have another teacher with them to teach health.
He understood that his role was basically being a homeroom teacher and had few subjects to teach, mainly focusing on studying magic and learning skills.
However, that's not all the students had to learn so other teachers handled that. Zenith didn't even have the passion to teach anything that would be redundant.
Things like learning about the government, geography of Gaden and other realms, technology and science as well as other things required to be a versatile mage, couldn't be taught by him.
He reached the class just when the health teacher walked out. She paused in front of him with widened eyes. "Sir Mage?"
Zenith tilted his head. That's what the workers at his agency called him. He moved away from the class and she followed. "Yo! Are you from—"
She shook her head vehemently before he finished. "I have been working here for almost two years. How do you find the place? I didn't know Boss was serious when he said you were…"
Zenith walked past her and his eyes went to his wristwatch. "I work here as you can see. Take care."
Somehow he knew her presence was setup by his Manager who couldn't trust him to fit in with society after living ten years away from it.
Zenith had no arguments about that, after all, he'd been having nothing but impulsive thoughts since he came yesterday, impulsive thoughts that he's doing his best not to act on.
The health teacher watched him leave before exhaling and hurrying to the exit. Actually, she had planned to leave the job of a health teacher and concentrate on being a Healing Mage since the demand was Hugh.
But the Boss, and Manager of the only SSSSS-Rank Mage in their realm, Zenith Ichiban, was a scary man who bribed and coerced her into staying in the school to keep an eye on the Mage.
Everyone had been worried that he wouldn't find it interesting and they'd be hell to pay since they suggested it. Or he could causally burn a student who disgusted him. There was no telling what went on in his head as he's usually chill yet unpredictable.
The health teacher wiped off the sweat on her forehead. "It must be his first day today, right? And an incident happened too. I hope it wouldn't bother him."
If anything, she'd liked him to stay at the school so the Boss would keep sending exclusive paychecks to keep an eye on him, not that she could actually pull off monitoring him.
The Class 11-B students were quiet as their teacher wrote on the whiteboard, a new topic about weapons.
Zenith stared at the textbook and wondered why the curriculum wanted the class to learn about weapons, after learning health. They learn about long ranged weapons by morning and weapons hours later? "This is quite messed up. I guess I'd spread these two topics for the next week."
He dropped the textbook and sat on his chair. "So, it's not uncommon for Mages to have weapons that they channel their essence into to create magical attacks and skills. This is an interactive session, so tell me which weapons interest you."
The students glanced at each other. They knew they should act normal since the Mage's earlier presence was to protect them from a villain but the way he acted like nothing happened, scared them.
Alexandria frowned at the rest who acted strange. They agreed to act like nothing happened and even repaired the gate so why did they stay quiet?
If Sir Zenith seemed not to know what happened then wasn't that best? He did a good thing for them, didn't he? The boy raised his hand. "I like halberds, Sir."
Zenith's eyes shifted to him. He had expected him to speak first in his usual fashion. "Hmm. Can you use them? They're typically really heavy to use."
Alexandria nodded proudly. "I have one already—"
"It's a cheap fake, Sir." Kawaya interrupted. "I like claymores, light and effective. I had good use of them and can bring it to school if you want. A real deal."
Alexandria glared at Kawaya and the Class Captain smirked. Zenith wondered why they seemed to be tension between them all the time when they didn't even have similar elements.
"Anyone else? I am not an expert with weapons but I can call a good teacher." He instantly thought of the experts he knew.
"Boomerang!" Lilian jumped from her seat. "I like it but I've never used it before. Will it be good for—"
"No!" Alexandria waved his hand in dismissal. "The rebound from the boomerang will throw you away!"
The class erupted with laughter and Lilian turned red. "Huh! Wh-What do you mean by that!" she climbed her desk to show how big she was but barely being five feet, she didn't convince anyone. "I-I can use it!"
Zenith smiled at their antics. Weapons should be used in consideration with their physical strength and well, height too.
The scythe the assassin used looked heavy but she swung it easily, that showed how much physical strength she had. She had even smashed the S-Rank giant he created so she definitely packed a punch.
"Will it be possible to reanimate that interaction with the blood assassin as a training to these students?" he looked at the time and the bands on his hand.
To reanimate that, he'd need to be at SSS-Rank again so that'd be at evening when everyone had gone home. Seeing someone use the weapon as heavy as that might give them a more practical experience.
Layla sighed in relief. With Alexandria's joke, the tension in the class vanished. She didn't know how to act around a Mage that powerful and once again, she had been put in place without him trying.
About weapons, she knew Healing Mages didn't need one but some used it if they had another element that was combatant.
Layla didn't think she might have one as it took her a while to get the hang of Healing Magic, but if she could, she'd probably rely on her father's trusty old krises.
They were daggers with wavy blades and the serpentine style just appealed to her. They were rough around the edges and felt like her sometimes.
"What weapons do you like?" she asked Nephis, seated at her left. "I think I'd go with krises."
Nero, at her right, replied. "A javelin will do."
Nephis looked up to think, then shrugged. "Yeah, a javelin will do, or a spear, in case we get lost and I need to fish all of a sudden."
Layla stared at the twins questioningly. They really had the same thinking process because there's no difference between a javelin and a spear. And it really impressed her how Nephis wanted a weapon for any multipurpose.
"W-Well, good for you, I guess." She stared at her palms, feeling out of place again. "It'd help your combatant element, at least."