“Please take care of me, Professor. I’m Jin Chung of Garan Kingdom.”
In most countries of the Ritsa Continent, surnames come at the end. However, Garan Kingdom was the only country where surnames came first. In a continent where calling someone by their name without permission was a great discourtesy, it was fortunate that Garan Kingdom’s clothing was noticeably distinctive. It was because you could recognize the country of origin at a glance.
Jay decided to be even more careful with forms of address. Chung stood straight and smiled shyly as she spoke, and that appearance truly seemed befitting of the virtuous bride that Connubium aimed for.
She’s definitely A-grade no matter how you look at it. I muttered inside with the feeling of watching a drama.
Chung, who had neatly buttoned up all the buttons of the white uniform provided by the school up to the neck, sat obediently in her seat. Starting with Chung’s entrance, students began entering the classroom.
“H-h-hel-hello. P-p-p-pro-fes-sor.”
The student who stammered severely and looked timid barely finished greeting without being able to look at Jay.
The fine silver hair, plump lips, and drooping orange eyes were attractive features, but the pitiful appearance of severe stuttering made me feel pity first rather than finding them attractive.
Jay tried his best to speak as gently as possible and answered.
“Hello. I’m Jay Doe, who will be in charge of classical literature for a while.”
“I-I’m. Vi-to-ri-o. Val-li.”
If Jay hadn’t memorized the students’ profiles in advance, there was a high possibility he wouldn’t have known the name even after hearing that introduction. Fortunately, thanks to being thoroughly prepared, Jay could answer casually even after hearing that introduction.
“Yes, Valli. Please take care of me.”
Vittorio relaxed greatly and walked to his seat to sit obediently. Only after sitting did he let out a small sigh, and even after sighing, he jumped as if greatly startled by his own action. That appearance was like a timid cat.
He even turned his gaze away, greatly frightened even by Jay’s worried look.
“…Hello.”
Then, a small voice was heard. When I turned around at that voice that felt not an ounce of energy, the last student to arrive was looking at Jay.
The white uniform hung loosely with room to spare, and the hand exposed outside was pale and looked sick somewhere. The semi-curly platinum hair was dull as if faded. The turquoise eyes had lost their light so no vitality could be felt.
The ghost-like appearance drew the curiosity of both me and Jay. Jay greeted him with a bright smile as if he had never felt curiosity.
“Hello. I’m Jay Doe, who will be in charge of classical literature for a while.”
“…Ivan Scotilino.”
Ivan spoke quietly and walked to his seat without making a sound like a ghost. Jay, who awkwardly scratched the back of his head, carefully looked around the classroom.
Chung smiling gracefully like a painting. Vittorio trembling finely with his head bowed toward the desk. Ivan sitting listlessly as if in a daze. Not a single one looked ordinary, so Jay broke out in a cold sweat inside.
The fact that each had strong individuality was in line with being students difficult to handle from an educator’s standpoint. Moreover, their status was incomparably higher than Jay’s. Of course, in this school, no matter how high the students’ status was, it meant nothing to the professors, but Jay was inwardly concerned.
The situation seemed more serious than what was seen in the report. The students each flaunted their individuality and were not harmonized at all. In a way, it was natural since it wasn’t a school created for the purpose of harmony in the first place.
Jay unconsciously carefully touched Belly in his pocket. Belly licked and comforted Jay’s hand, which had become damp again from tension. Round eyes sparkled toward Jay through the gap in the pocket. Seeing those eyes, relief welled up from deep in Jay’s heart.
“Did everyone… sleep well?”
An awkward atmosphere flowed at Jay’s awkwardly smiling appearance as he spoke. The heavy atmosphere was almost like an execution ground. But soon Chung’s voice, soft as a spring breeze, dispersed the heavy air.
“Woke at six o’clock. Read textbooks until seven fifteen, then arrived at the classroom at seven thirty.”
Starting with Chung’s report, the students’ reports followed one after another.
“Woke at six o’clock. Labor until seven. Arrived at classroom at seven thirty-five.”
“S-six o’clock, w-woke. L-la-bor un-until s-six fi-fifty. Ar-ar-arrived at c-class… at seven thirty-two.”
Jay was surprised by the students reporting in detail down to the minute, but soon quickly wrote in a small notebook to record in the report. The letters flew around due to haste, but there was no time to grumble to write quickly.
Seeing Vittorio trying to explain somehow while stuttering made me feel sorry. But complaining was futile as this would be Jay’s main task from now on. If reality couldn’t be changed, there was no choice but to get used to it. Jay bit the inside of his lips.
“Were there any other problems?”
“No.”
“N-no.”
“……”
Ivan finished his answer with a nod. In the continuing silence, Jay awkwardly smiled and scribbled in the notebook. Jay asked other things again, but there were no particularly important matters, and he finished the questions that way.
After finishing everything, Jay pulled a string on one side of the wall. It was the string to ring the bell requesting meals. After waiting a bit, a slave came to the guidance room pulling a tray with food.
There were exactly 4 meals on the tray, and each plate had a name tag on it. Jay called out names in order and handed them over.
“Jin Chung.”
“Yes.”
Chung’s food had bird’s nest soup in luxurious porcelain. Not only that, but there was also beautifully shaped flower bread and japchae. It was a high-class and substantial composition. There was even fragrant tea alongside for cleansing the palate.
Jay was surprised by the luxurious menu for a school meal, but soon remembered that this school was a place only people with titles could attend. Moreover, Jin Chung was a princess of Garan Kingdom. It wasn’t strange for someone of such status to eat such a menu.
“Ivan Scotilino.”
“……”
On the other hand, Ivan’s meal was ordinary. The somewhat modest sandwich consisted of eggs, cheese, and lettuce. Even so, it was a prince’s meal but Jay thought it was inadequate without a single piece of meat. Having seen Chung’s meal earlier made it compare even more.
“Vittorio Valli.”
“Y-yes.”
Vittorio came forward trembling pitifully. He received his meal tray with mercilessly shaking eyes, and the moment he confirmed the contents, he trembled greatly as if everything until now had been a joke. His face, seized with extreme fear, was excessively pale to the point of looking sick.
Why is he like that? Jay and I stared intently at Vittorio. Unlike me, whose curiosity was boiling over, Jay’s emotions surged with worry.
Jay looked at the meal tray questioningly. On Vittorio’s tray was appetizingly sliced boiled octopus. It was a bit strange as a breakfast menu, but it shouldn’t be enough to be that terrified. At the appearance of some story behind it, all my interest was directed at Vittorio.
Vittorio’s home country, Ripinum Kingdom, was a maritime nation where seafood often appeared on the menu. However, even for a maritime nation, it was strange that only boiled octopus like that came up for breakfast. Nevertheless, Vittorio’s such reaction was somehow excessive.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, um… Y-yes. Yes.”
Vittorio was startled at Jay’s worried question and returned to his seat. Jay watched that appearance and soon picked up his own meal tray. The slave who brought the tray quietly went outside.
On Jay’s tray were several bite-sized club sandwiches. It seemed convenience was considered so that observing the students wouldn’t interfere with eating. Jay spoke to the students while holding one sandwich in his hand.
“Everyone eat well.”
With the hollow greeting, mealtime quietly began. Jay roughly ate his meal while observing the students.
Chung displayed etiquette close to a textbook. It was somewhat heterogeneous to Jay’s eyes because Chung was using Garan Kingdom’s etiquette. The appearance displaying beauty like a painting was like a lotus flower.
“…Hah.”
Ivan quietly exhaled and bit into the sandwich. It was as small an amount as a bird eating feed. He chewed for a long time even the small amount he ate, and his pale face didn’t look very healthy.
He looked like he had no appetite at all and was an appearance that made the appetite of the person watching also drop, but he seemed to be trying somehow to swallow the food. His drooping body had no vitality, let alone etiquette.
“Hah… Ugh… U-uh.”
Among them, the one showing the most peculiar reaction was Vittorio. He couldn’t properly control his trembling body. It seemed he couldn’t even blink his eyes as intended. The appearance of dripping cold sweat was abnormal no matter who looked at it.
With a worried heart, Jay quietly stared at Vittorio. Vittorio only glared at the octopus in front of him without even feeling that blatant gaze. No, to be precise, it seemed he couldn’t take his eyes off it. Strangely, none of the students cared about that strange appearance.
“Valli?”
He didn’t even hear Jay’s worried voice.
Eventually Jay stood up from his seat and approached him. As he got closer, he could see the octopus in more detail.
The octopus was plump with flesh in a mouth-watering appearance. Although it was said to be food not particularly preferred inland, Vittorio was from Ripinum Kingdom, a maritime nation. If not others, at least Vittorio should have been accustomed to seafood.
Jay kept questioning and placed his hand on Vittorio’s shoulder.
