"No, Susan, I've never been a teacher, and there are many problems that would come with it if I were." I crossed my arms in an X while shaking my head.

"It'll be a good first-time experience. Problems? There won't be any. If I say so, no one will dare complain — no one's that foolish." She looked at me as if I were an idiot who didn't understand my own position.

"I'm twelve years old… I'd be teaching people who are fifteen. I know I look older, but… they won't want to follow a teacher like me, and I don't even know if I'm any good at teaching or have the qualifications for it." I kept piling up excuses to say no.

"It doesn't matter how old you are; they won't know. You'll be a good teacher — I know it. I trust you. And don't worry about qualifications, I've already spoken to Gase about you, and she's completely convinced of your swordsmanship." I was a bit surprised to hear the name of the herald girl. "She mentioned your skill with the sword. If you've improved since then, you're already close to the pinnacle of swordsmanship. You have everything necessary to be a teacher." Every excuse I gave was crushed instantly.

Her victorious gaze was fixed on mine. I let out a long sigh. "I still think hiring me as a teacher is a terrible idea." She looked a bit disappointed hearing that. "How long do I have to think about it? It's not something to take lightly." Her eyes lit up again the moment I said that.

"In about three days, we'll do a test in front of other teachers to avoid any complaints. You'll spar against one of our best dual-weapon instructors. Only body enhancement magic and pure swordsmanship." That sounded more reasonable. If the teachers accepted me, the students eventually would too.

What am I even thinking? I haven't decided to be a teacher yet. I shouldn't be seeing myself as one already.

"There's something else I should tell you. Since this is an extracurricular course, it can also be taken by second- and third-year students. That's not a problem, right?" I rolled my eyes — I doubted I'd be able to handle the complaints from even more advanced students.

"Is there anything else you're hiding?" I was sure there was. She had to be avoiding something that would make me say no.

"Well…" She avoided my gaze. So she was hiding something. "Alright… I wanted to introduce you during the opening ceremony of the school year as my protégé and assistant instructor." I froze, stopping mid-step. I must have misheard her.

"I'm also thinking about setting up a friendly match between you and my daughter in public — at the end of the new student tournament — to avoid negative rumors." Too much information at once. My brain nearly collapsed trying to process everything.

"First of all, I don't want to be introduced during the ceremony. I'd rather stay unnoticed in front of most students. Just thinking about being a substitute teacher gives me a headache." I saw her click her tongue in disapproval. "I'm happy to be your protégé, Susan, and I truly appreciate the opportunity. Just… let me have a somewhat peaceful student life." My request seemed to touch her heart, because she nodded.

"The presentation is canceled then. What do you think about the match with my daughter at the end of the new student tournament?" Her eyes sparkled with hope.

"Why can't I just participate? I'm a new student too." She bonked me on the head. It didn't hurt physically — only emotionally — like being scolded as a child.

"I already told you, you're overqualified, and that tournament is only for Emerald ranks. You're automatically disqualified for being a Sapphire." I pouted, lowering my lip to make the saddest face possible. I really did want to join that tournament, but it was impossible now.

"I understand. If I'm going to participate, I promise to give a good show." Susan was already giving me so many privileges that I'd feel stingy refusing her entirely. If agreeing to this made her happy, then fine. A friendly match wasn't the end of the world.

"Perfect!" Susan clapped with excitement. "I'll tell Nansi as soon as I see her. I won't say anything about your abilities — only that she'll have a friendly exhibition match before the final round of the tournament."

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She looked radiant with energy now that I had agreed. "By the way, I'd like your final answer in two days about the assistant teacher position. I need time to prepare the arena and invite some trusted professors. Their opinion won't affect my decision; it's just to show them your skill." I nodded slowly. Two days to make my decision.

"Well, with one less problem to worry about, let's head back to the office. Follow me." Susan clapped again before resuming her walk. I'd seen very few students, teachers, or people in general, and everyone tried to avoid us. Those who couldn't simply waited to bow deeply toward Susan. It honestly made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

On the way, we talked about my first impressions of the city and the academy. I must have spoken with too much excitement, because Susan wouldn't stop laughing at me. She kept teasing me, calling me a country boy who'd just stepped into civilization for the first time. I couldn't argue — she was completely right.

As we walked to her office, she introduced me to most of the people in the administrative department. They were very kind and offered to help me whenever I needed it or faced any issues. I thanked them and followed Susan into her office — which was enormous, easily around two hundred square meters turned into a workspace.

This city so far is the perfect example of one that has successfully merged science, technology, and magic into one. Every part of the infrastructure shows an impressive level of architecture and innovation. I never thought I'd see such a perfect blend of magic and science. Primaver City leans much more toward the magical side — they're only now starting to adopt modern technology bit by bit.

"Do you like my office?" I felt embarrassed — I'd been standing still for several minutes, admiring the beautiful decorations, the fine details, and all the luxurious furniture. One painting in particular caught my eye: a person floating in the sky, surrounded by a raging storm. It was magnificent — truly worthy of being framed.

"You like that painting? Of course you do. I'm the model, and it was painted by the best artist in the city." She's the model? I stepped closer to take a better look, and yes — it really was her. Susan, standing amidst the storm, exuding incomparable strength.

"Yes, this painting is worth its weight in gold." I heard a soft chuckle from her. "Your office is stunning." It was a sincere compliment — my impression came straight from the heart.

When I turned to look at her, she was already pouring wine into two glasses. A chill ran down my spine as I saw her holding the bottle. "Susan… Grandma… isn't it a bit early to drink?" I tried reasoning with her carefully.

"Early? That doesn't matter. We haven't seen each other in weeks, and I want to hear everything you've been through. I'm sure you have plenty of stories." She looked straight at me — or rather, at my Cube. "That emblem is quite something. I want to hear about that too. There's no better way to keep a conversation flowing than with a little wine." I suppressed the urge to argue and sat down. She nodded, pleased with my "wise" decision.

The sweet flavor of the wine lingered in my mouth. I'd missed this taste… it felt refreshing. "Where should I start…" I told her everything from the tournament onward, skipping over the dull moments and summarizing them briefly, until I reached the direct elimination rounds. She already knew about the final — that news had reached even here.

I even told her some stories involving the girls. She seemed to enjoy those the most, laughing nonstop and making playful remarks. By the time I looked at her desk, there were two empty bottles and a third already half-finished. Time flies when you're talking to someone like her.

I went on to tell her about the hero's dungeon. According to Susan, there's also one here in this city — but the issue lies in jurisdiction. It's not entirely under her authority, and one must earn a ridiculous amount of merits to gain access. Even then, the waiting list for usage extends nearly two years since all the slots are already taken.

She promised to pull some strings and see if she could secure me an early turn within that period. Time flies, and if everything goes well, by then I should be graduating from the academy — ending my stay in this city with a hero's dungeon challenge. Hopefully, things will go as planned.

I told her about how my family's territory has been expanding little by little, how I advanced in rank despite my damaged Cube, and how I've been trying to heal every fracture. Then it was her turn to talk about her own life — though she hadn't experienced anything too exciting lately. Most of her days were spent sitting at her desk, handling matters related to the academy and the city.

She did mention fighting a Grade 5 monster that had wandered far from its natural habitat. When it realized it was losing, it fled — and she let it go. I wish I could have seen that fight: an Obsidian-rank combat against a powerful beast. The most impressive part was that it happened in the air — the creature was a bird-type descendant of dragons.

Hours passed, and the bottles on the table piled up. My brain eventually stopped processing information correctly. When I finally felt tired enough, I decided to go to my room. A secretary had left the keys in the middle of our conversation and had shaken her head disapprovingly at the growing pile of empty bottles. "I just hope I don't get lost on my way…"She only gave me brief directions and wished me good luck. Apparently, we'd continue talking tomorrow.

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