Chapter 5 - 5. A Sword Suits You Better Than a Bow (1)
The start of the term was just around the corner.
With the academic calendar set to kick off, incidents and issues were bound to follow. But for me, that was irrelevant—I was living a happy, carefree life.
The workload dumped on me by that old professor?
The fact that I was now essentially the homeroom teacher for the protagonist's class?
None of that could disturb the calm I'd achieved from realizing a great truth.
Once again, I flashed a bright smile and chanted my magic mantra.
'It's fine; I'll just get myself fired anyway!'
When I was abruptly assigned to Class A, I was a bit shocked and flustered. But after a moment's reflection, I remembered that the headmaster was already set on firing me.
No matter what authority Scott delegated to me, one thing hadn't changed: in a few days, I'd be out of here.
That meant I didn't need to stress over academy matters. Instead, I could focus on planning what to do once I was free of this place.
'What a delightfully happy dilemma to have.'
Considering the generous salary, my severance package would be substantial. If I lived modestly, I could probably live out the rest of my life without working again.
And if things ever got rough, I could always reach out to Professor Scott.
Once I'm outside the academy, all the respect Scott has for me—something that was only a headache here—will be a huge advantage and a reliable safety net.
With solid insurance and the cheat code of modern knowledge, I was sure to lead a happy life.
Ding-dong!
Just as I was daydreaming about my future, the doorbell rang. When I opened the staff dorm door, I was greeted by a man holding a letter.
A grin spread across my face.
It seemed today was about to become the best day of my life.
After offering the messenger a cold drink from the fridge, I held the letter close to my chest.
'At last, the day I've been waiting for has arrived.'
I retrieved the champagne I'd been saving for this day, ready to toast my success as I opened the letter's seal.
With excitement in my heart, I opened the envelope, eagerly anticipating the dismissal letter I'd long awaited.
It was supposed to be a dismissal letter.
It had to be a dismissal letter.
Anything but a dismissal letter would be unacceptable.
[Promotion Notice]
Had my eyes deceived me?
I rubbed them in denial, but the contents of the document stubbornly refused to change.
[In recognition of your exceptional performance and dedication, we are pleased to announce your promotion to associate professor. We look forward to your continued contributions.]
The cruel piece of paper handed me a sentence of promotion—a punishment in disguise. My vision began to blur with tears of frustration.
Where in the world was there an injustice more absurd than this?
Even in an ordinary university, it would take at least five years to earn a promotion to associate professor.
And this was the renowned Imperial Academy.
Here, the standards were so high that even after meeting the years of service requirement, most never advanced past assistant professor before retirement.
Yet here I was, in my first week on the job, being promoted to associate professor?
One more step and I'd be on the same level as Professor Scott?
That's not how the system's supposed to work. But attached to the promotion notice was a handwritten note from a dragon who made the impossible possible.
[A small reward to make up for my earlier misjudgment. Try not to be too disappointed. I'll soon arrange a position more fitting for you by persuading those old board members.
-Headmaster Sion, Imperial Academy]
There, in ink, was the signature of the dragon ancestor.
I had no idea what absurd thought process had led her to promote me despite my insolence. But now that she'd made up her mind, there was no going back.
As of this moment, I was an associate professor.
Now, my already substantial salary would multiply thirtyfold to an astronomical figure, with additional funding for research and the privilege to hire my own assistants.
On top of that, I had been granted the role of Class A homeroom teacher, rocketing me along a golden career path.
…The only problem was that, while my chances of success had risen, my odds of survival had plummeted.
'This is absolutely insane.'
I'd spent a whole week trying to remember any details of the original story, but I still had no clue.
Maybe I'd dropped it after just reading the prologue, or maybe I'd never read it at all. Either way, there was no obvious way to recall the plot.
'I even tried the option of training myself to avoid getting caught in the storyline. That was a bust, too.'
Finding some mystical elixir hidden in the academy's forest would have been a standard trope, but all I found out there was the old professor himself.
-Professor Lian? To run into you in such a place… Could it be you're here to patrol the forbidden woods, just as concerned as I am about the students encountering dark creatures?
You're just as thoughtful as I'd hoped. I respect that.
Since fate has brought us together, why don't we grab a meal?
So on the third day of my employment, I ended up dragged along to a fancy restaurant.
I did enjoy a meal worth a few gold coins and learned about a great spot for mouthwatering steak that melts in your mouth, which was a win in its own way.
But in terms of strengthening my powers, I'd gained nothing.
I could keep trying, but I'd rather avoid risking my life on such an uncertain plan.
If I charge into the final battle with only mediocre skills, I'd end up as ashes when the Demon King or some evil dragon inevitably shows up to burn the academy to the ground.
'In the end, I'll just have to get myself fired, no matter what.'
I quickly regained my resolve.
The difficulty level might have spiked, but that didn't mean my options were gone.
If my attempts to offend the headmaster and other professors hadn't worked, I'd simply have to target the students.
'No matter how much Sion or Scott defend me, there's no way they'd keep me on if the entire student body calls for my dismissal.'
This isn't just any school; it's the Imperial Academy.
With the Empire's brightest gathered here, each student has powerful connections and, of course, a strong influence.
If I managed to thoroughly ruin my reputation among the students, I was sure dismissal would follow smoothly.
And I'd already thought of a way to do just that.
-"A sword suits you better than a bow."
Recognizing hidden talents and suggesting a better path—an academy trope where the teacher and student bond over the advice.
…I'd just flip it on its head.
I'd take away the weapon they were comfortable with and force them to use something completely useless.
And if I added a threat that they'd be banned from my class if they refused?
I could almost guarantee the entire class would stage a protest. Even the Saintess who just enrolled might come to me asking if I'd lost my mind.
"…Heh heh heh."
I smiled wickedly, imagining my impending exit from academia. There was no way this perfect plan could fail.
Tomorrow, I would become the most hated teacher in Imperial history.
In her lavish office, the headmaster Sion was enjoying her usual tea and refreshments while handling the paperwork before her.
It was a simple task of reviewing and approving items requested by professors for their classes.
However, Sion's hand suddenly stopped flipping through the documents. It had to stop.
Amid the ordinary items was an unusual request submitted by an unusual professor.
"A…gun? Why on earth would he need that?"
An extremely uncommon choice.
If it were for civilian self-defense, maybe, but it was hardly the sort of weapon for academy students.
And yet, Professor Lian had requested enough guns to match the number of students in his charge.
It was an incomprehensible situation.
Under normal circumstances, she'd assume it was a mistake, but the document was a well-thought-out proposal personally prepared by Lian.
There had to be some intention behind it.
As Sion rubbed her chin, carefully examining the document, she finally understood his intent when she read his request for "the lowest-quality guns available."
"…Of course! Such an application had never crossed my mind."
Using guns not as weapons but as tools for some sort of training exercise.
It was highly unconventional but did make sense in a way.
If executed well, it might even introduce a novel training method. She was intrigued by how he'd come up with such a creative approach.
"Well then. I can't just sit idly by."
The professor might see it as interference, but her interest was piqued. Her incurable curiosity was something even centuries hadn't been able to cure.
Sion smiled playfully as she conjured the form of a gun with her magic.
"Let's lend him a little help, shall we?"