New chapter of World Teacher is out! (1/1 chapter)

 

 

The Frustrated Educator

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

“Haah… what a thoroughly preposterous Jii-san.” (Sirius)

His strength exceeded my expectations not by one step but by two. What was that simultaneous barrage of eight slashes? It felt as though I ought to shout that this was something out of the world of comics. That I managed to evade it was down to my own skill, but to be honest, had I not already become accustomed to ‘Boost’, that would have been the end of me.

Moreover, Jii-san’s performance had already been considerably degraded by age and sloth. If that had been his prime, I could scarcely imagine what might have come to pass.

The reason I managed to best him lay in the weapons. The wooden sword was certainly sturdy and not easily broken, but if one continually parried at the same spot, that point would naturally become brittle. Then, by aiming at that weakened part and striking it with full force, it would shatter. That feat was made possible by the eyesight I had trained in my previous life to evade bullets, together with the lift bestowed by ‘Boost.’ At worst, had only my sword broken, I could merely have declared myself defeated and left it at that. Besides, it had become quite plain that the Jii-san’s temperament was that of a battle fiend; he laughed aloud during the fight and swung his sword with genuine delight. Men of that sort become readable when their emotions peak, so after shattering his weapon I seized the opening to kick his jaw.

The kick I delivered without holding back shook his brain violently He would not rise again for a while. If he has been an ordinary man, he would have been done for.

All the same, as one called the strongest, he is remarkable. I am satisfied as well. It has been long since I have been able to exert my full strength. If possible, I would gladly spar with him again, though given his age that may be difficult. For now, I ought to see to him. I could not leave him sweating outside.

“Nu… uuh. Fu… hah… hahahaha!” (Lior)

He suddenly began to laugh loudly.

Had I kicked him too hard?

“That was splendid! A battle of this degree, it has truly been long since I experienced one. I feel revived.” (Lior)

As he said, he sprang up as if nothing had happened.

No, that cannot be so. Shake the brain and recover at once?

“Forgive me but tell me your name once more.” (Lior)

“I thought you would call me nothing but ‘kid’, so you had not remembered, did you? I am Sirius.” (Sirius)

“There is no need for polite speech. Sirius, call me as you please. After all, you have defeated me.” (Lior)

Jii-san would not stop laughing. Perhaps this meant I had been acknowledged.

“That was a surprise attack, you realise. Had it been a proper fight I would certainly have lost.” (Sirius)

“That was simply my own negligence. If I were to say it did not count as a loss, it would be a disgrace for generations.” (Lior)

“Understood. Then I will accept the victory.” (Sirius)

“Hmm, it is your victory. Ah, that was enjoyable indeed. That my techniques did not connect at all…” (Lior)

“I hate to spoil your excitement but let us tend to our bodies first. We are both in tatters.” (Sirius)

As if to confirm his words, Jii-san was drenched, but even I, who had not taken a direct blow, was soaked in sweat and had clothing torn here and there. We had fought while being nicked by slashes that could rip garments even from wooden swords. Both stamina and spirit had been expended.

“Indeed. For the moment, let us go back inside and rest… nuwaaah!” (Lior)

At the very threshold of the house he tripped and fell, crashing through the door as he went down. The blow had landed on his legs; that proved the damage had come home. I felt some reassurance that he was properly human after all.

Once inside, we finished tending our wounds and sat across from one another at the table drinking tea.

“Haah… delicious.” (Sirius/ Lior)

Inside, I am nearly Jii-san’s age in appearance. It was not strange that the same phrase would come from us both after such exertion.

“Fuu, what a pleasant fatigue. Now then, Sirius, first allow me to offer you my thanks.” (Lior)

Jii-san bowed his head as if to prostrate himself, with such force I felt it might be excessive; still, I understood why and thought such depth unnecessary.

“Raise your head. On the contrary, I owe you thanks for such a rare experience.” (Sirius)

“Nevertheless, I have been waiting all this time for someone like you. Had you not come, I would have rotted away and quietly faded. That is why I give you my thanks. Thank you!” (Lior)

In place of the sullen countenance he wore when we first met, there now sat a truly bright smile; he seemed ten years younger. Being thanked in such a way did not displease me. I had intended to fight him, so in short it was mutually beneficial.

“Since I have given thanks, I must ask a favour, will you fight me again?” (Lior)

“Do you mean right now?” (Sirius)

“That would be my wish… but my body is at its limit. To face you in such a dull state would be discourteous.” (Lior)

“You must be careful given your age. Will you be all right?” (Sirius)

“No problem! For this sense of fulfilment, I would not mind returning to my prime. Besides, I believe that is also what you desire, is it not?” (Lior)

“…You can tell?” (Sirius)

“Of course I can. Your fighting is unusual. You favour ambushes and exploiting openings. Yet you engaged me head-on. That indicates you wish to be trained.” (Lior)

He had watched closely despite fighting on instinct.

As he said, my method is suited for ambush and mêlée. In my previous life my work often required single-handed infiltration, assassination, and inner disruption. If anything were permitted, it would have been easy to fire a ‘Magnum’ at close range. But there may be times when ambush is impossible, and magic cannot be used. One must cultivate the skill to fight openly. Further, though not to his degree, I also know the pleasure of training. Those were the reasons I fought him outright.

“You will train to strengthen yourself and I shall train to fight you. See, none shall lose. How about it?” (Lior)

“You need not say it so plainly. I will take you up on it.” (Sirius)

“Very well! Then the bargain stands.” (Lior)

We clasped hands firmly.

I am a child destined to grow further, but Jii-san ‘s years will only wane. To restore his weakened stamina will be a pain beyond imagining.

“To find the joy of chasing someone at this age… however much I pursue you, it seems I shall never catch up. That is delightful.” (Lior)

Honestly, he might achieve it. Battle maniacs with a target can produce fearsome results. I could not be idle. After Fia, I had found another friend and a rival capable of meeting me in earnest.

Thereafter, until my stamina recovered, I spoke with Lior.

I explained the circumstances of my life and listened to Lior’s past. It was truly valuable. Along the way I demonstrated several magic, but as I suspected, my magic was so odd that even the elderly Lior had never seen most of it.

“Someday I wish to fight you with all your magic active. Merely thinking how to fight that stirs me!” (Lior)

“You are beyond cure.” (Sirius)

“An incurable sickness! Hahahaha!” (Lior)

When I took my leave, he gave me some tea leaves. Lior had newly discovered them, and they had no name, so I named them Japanese tea. I planned to visit regularly and marked the spot clearly on my handmade map. From here it should take about an hour to return home directly.

“Next time you come, I shall have recovered enough to swing my beloved sword.” (Lior)

“Do not overdo it for your age.” (Sirius)

“Nonsense, I am still active.” (Lior)

Lior’s beloved sword was a huge greatsword as tall as he, and I was sure it weighted on the order of a hundred kilograms.

Chilled by his declaration that he would swing it again, I parted from Lior and returned home.

 

—

 

“Ah, welcome home, Sirius-sama!” (Noel)

When I arrived, Noel, who had been wiping the windows, waved and greeted me. Incidentally, although this world has glass, it lacks the transparency of my previous life, so the windows were made of transparent monsters’ material.

“Thank you, Noel. Did anything happen?” (Sirius)

“Nothing in particular. Oh, by the way, Dee said he had something to report.” (Noel)

“I see. At this hour he will be in the warehouse, could you fetch him?” (Sirius)

“All right!” (Noel)

The warehouse was a structure at the edge of the courtyard where many experiments were conducted. Dee was usually there. After seeing Noel off, I moved toward the entrance, and before I could extend my hand the door opened, and Erina greeted me.

“Welcome home, Sirius-sama.” (Erina)

“Thank you, Erina.” (Sirius)

She offered an elegant bow while checking me over for injuries. I had forgotten my clothes were tattered from fighting Lior. I thought Noel might have mentioned it, but she seems to have been accustomed to my oddities and let it pass. Sweat beading on my face, Erina’s gaze grew sharp and she seized my shoulder.

“You are in tatters! Are you hurt?” (Erina)

“I-I am fine. It is only the clothes that are torn. I am uninjured.” (Sirius)

“Truly? I shall check when you change.” (Erina)

“No, really, I said I am fine.” (Sirius)

“I shall check!” (Erina)

“…Very well.” (Sirius)

Though she was like a mother, changing while being scrutinised felt like ordeal. It was for her concern that she behaved so, and it was hard to refuse. In the end I could not stop her and changed before Elina’s eyes. Midway she murmured, “You have grown splendid”, which I hoped referred to muscle.

When I returned to the sitting room after changing, Dee was waiting with a wooden container in his arms.

“Welcome home, Sirius-sama.” (Dee)

“Thank you, Dee. I heard you had news?” (Sirius)

“Yes. Please look at this.” (Dee)

Dee held out a container brimful of water with something white immersed within it. I tasted it lightly and was confident of the result.

“…Well?” (Dee)

“Yes, it is complete. This is precisely as I imagined.” (Sirius)

“…That is good.” (Dee)

What Dee had made was tofu. In this world there was a bean similar to soybean, and from my inquiries I had discovered one nearly identical to the bean I knew before, the people began to call it ‘daizu’ when I named it as such, so I now used that name. I had intended to use it in various dishes, and Dee finally succeeded at making tofu after repeated trials in the warehouse. I had provided the knowledge and procured materials, but Dee had done the bulk of the hands-on work. I felt somewhat guilty for leaving the tedious parts to him. Tofu requires long soaking of the beans, careful handling at boil, squeezing and other tedious processes.

“Sorry for always making you do the troublesome tasks.” (Sirius)

“It is not troublesome. I learn and I enjoy it.” (Dee)

“Very well. Next time I will plan something else, so look forward to it.” (Sirius)

“Leave it to me.” (Dee)

“Is this tofu? It is so soft.” (Noel)

Noel, having finished the windows, poked the tofu and commented. One would not expect hardened beans to become something like this. My familiarity with cooking and tofu-making stems from a hobby in my previous life.

“What does it taste like?” (Erina)

“As it happens… it has little flavour.” (Sirius)

“Huh? Sirius-sama, is it complete then?” (Noel)

“Yes. It is used more often in combination with other ingredients than eaten alone. The texture is unique, but it is simply one kind of food.” (Sirius)

“I see. Cooking is not only about delicious things then. It is deep.” (Noel)

“How fortunate. What I planned to make today is near completion.” (Sirius)

“Eh!? Then you mean, Sirius-sama–…” (Noel)

“A new dish.” (Sirius)

“Yes. I went to the sea and gathered this.” (Sirius)

At the mention of a new dish, the two brightened. I let them taste every time I devised a dish unknown to this world. Though tastes varied, they generally liked what I made, and it secured their stomachs.

For the record, Noel favours mayonnaise and pudding, Dee likes tempura and fried chicken, and Elina loves French toast, she had been given it the time I saved her and could not forget it.

The two raised both hands in glee, but when I produced the item they stiffened, it would be strange to brandish dried seaweed suddenly.

“What is that black stuff? It wriggles and is a little gross.” (Noel)

“This is a kind of sea grass. Its name is konbu.” (Sirius)

Before crossing the continent, I picked it up at the seashore and dried it. I returned to collect it on the way back. It had been dried for about half a day, so it was just right.

“Can one eat it?” (Erina)

“If it matches my expectations, yes. For today I shall use it to make dashi rather than eating it directly.” (Sirius)

I was about to go to the kitchen to begin cooking when Erina offered tea and gently put a hand on my arm.

“Sirius-sama, you have but just returned. Perhaps you should rest a little.” (Erina)

“Hmm, that is true.” (Sirius)

“Come, you two also rest. Sirius-sama, we would like you to explain why your clothes are so torn.” (Erina)

She smiled, but her manner permitted no refusal. I could not help but comply. Her concern was genuine and it was hard to refuse. Thus, I briefly explained my meeting with Lior.

“Eh! You met the Strongest Sword?” (Noel)

“Is that so astonishing?” (Sirius)

His strength had been enormous, yet his appearance was only that of a retiree.

“No, I have not met him, but I have heard of him. He is so famous that books portray him as a protagonist.” (Elina)

“He is called a living legend.” (Noel)

“I have heard tales as well, that he once charged an enemy camp alone and forced capitulation within a single day, and that his martial exploits are countless.” (Erina)

“Did you happen to be challenged…? Oh, that would be impossible, right?” (Noel)

“You understand me well. He truly was strong. I must admit the victory was narrow.” (Sirius)

“Ha… haha. It sounds like a joke, but if it is Sirius-sama I will accept it.” (Noel)

If one were to be astonished by each of my deeds, it would be endless. Noel and Erina both nodded as if satisfied.

“So, if you fight the Strongest Sword your clothes shall be in tatters but, Sirius-sama, please do not overexert yourself.” (Erina)

“But without pushing oneself one cannot grow strong.” (Sirius)

“Even so. I will overlook some things, but I will say it again and again. Please, do not overdo it.” (Erina)

“…Understood.” (Sirius)

Although she was annoyingly persistent, it came from genuine concern. No matter how I argued, she would not relent, so I nodded. It was fine that she allowed my actions in the end, but I did not want to cause her worry each time. If they knew I was safe they would calm down, so I would give thought to that.

“To meet a rare elf and then the legendary Strongest Sword in quick succession. It’s quite a tale.” (Noel)

“It was by chance.” (Sirius)

“I would like to meet her as well. They say Elves are beautiful. Sirius-sama, was that person pretty? Have you perhaps fallen for them?” (Noel)

“That will not do. Whether beauty or an Elf, I will not allow anyone who has not properly greeted me and matched my standards.” (Erina)

Erina’s expression had become exactly that of a stern mother-in-law.

I cannot picture Fia being scolded for slacking off cleaning. I could not confess that the other party had kissed me in thanks, for Erina would surely explode.

“You did say we will not see her for at least ten years, right? I am tired. That is all for today.” (Sirius)

“Please be careful.” (Elina)

“Understood. Now then, let us begin. Dee, bring two blocks of tofu from the warehouse later; we shall use them in cooking.” (Sirius)

“I understand.” (Dee)

What I planned to make was a hotpot.

This world offers few seasonings and lacked a dashi that suited both vegetables and meats. I recalled konbu from the sea, whose shape and appearance were similar. Having checked for toxins, none appeared, so the dish would serve as both experiment and cuisine.

First, wipe the surface with a wrung cloth, place the konbu in the pot with water, and bring to a gentle boil; just before boiling take out the konbu and the dashi is complete. Cut the vegetables and meats Dee had prepared into appropriate sizes and place the ingredients that take longest to cook first into the dashi, simmering together. With no soy sauce available, adjust seasoning with salt and sugar. After a slow simmer, the flavours of the ingredients will have seeped forth and the yosenabe will be complete.

“A simple method but it looks very tasty. But will the portion per person be hard to judge?” (Erina)

“This is not served as individual portions. It is a dish to eat communally. I will explain when everyone gathers. Let us make it tonight.” (Sirius)

Dee set a small table while taking notes, and we gathered around a single pot. As there was no gas stove, we placed a low-power fire magic circle beneath it. Erina and Noel peered into the finished pot with puzzled looks.

“Is this the pot? What happened to the black grass?” (Noel)

“You also have tofu in it. Is there a certain etiquette for how to eat this?” (Erina)

“I had placed the konbu at the bottom, but its flavour may be unsuitable for Noel. There is no special etiquette. Scoop with a ladle into a small bowl, or take directly. Do as you prefer.” (Sirius)

“Directly?” (Erina)

Elina’s face soured. Perhaps she thought it improper for servants to eat from the same pot as their master. That concern mattered not to me.

“A hotpot is a dish for family gatherings that warms both body and heart. It suits us well, does it not?” (Sirius)

I smiled and plucked vegetables directly from the pot. The flavours were plainer than in my previous life and a little slight, yet still pleasant.

“Family… family gatherings, indeed. If it is for family, then it is unavoidable.” (Erina)

“Indeed. This is a dish for us, as you say. Now then… hot!” (Noel)

We had spoons, but since I had crafted chopsticks days before they had all begun to use chopsticks. Erina and Dee adapted quickly. Noel was still unpractised and missed pieces, suffering a splash of broth.

“If you are unaccustomed, scoop onto a small plate.” (Sirius)

“Ugh, thank you, Dee.” (Noel)

Dee promptly aided her.

May you two end up together quickly, I will give my full blessing.

“The dashi and tofu pair wonderfully. I could eat this forever.” (Erina)

“Tofu is healthy and even helps with dieting.” (Dee)

“Truly? Dee, load up the tofu please.” (Noel)

“Understood.” (Dee)

“The hotpot will not run away, calm down. Also, it is very hot. Be careful.” (Sirius)

“Of course. After cooling it a bit… hot!” (Noel)

Noel, being a feline beastkin, had a sensitive tongue. Tofu’s interior remained hot even when the surface cools. She was reliably predictable.

Satisfied in both body and mind, the meal ended, and I then helped with Dee’s and Noel’s training. Dee’s training was developing new recipes. Noel practised imaging the magic I had taught her. I mostly observed and offered occasional advice. That was sufficient for them. For me, who once sought to be an educator, it was a little lonely not to intervene more. These two received only guidance, so I could not even call them my disciples.

When I told Lior’s story earlier that day, it had made me sad but also had stirred something old within me.

Ah… I wish to raise disciples.

In a muddle of feelings, I went to sleep. Tiredness came quickly, helped by having exchanged full-strength blows with Lior.

Thereafter my daily regimen became as follows:

• Training of stamina and mana.
• Study of the world’s knowledge.
• Exploration of the neighbouring continent.
• Money-raising to enter school.
• And newly added, mock battles with Lior.

I carried out these things day by day and continued to grow greatly.

And one year later, the encounter that would change his destiny was just around the corner.

 

—

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)