Ch. 159 - [Alternate Perspective] Dean Glenn's Anguish
Transferred to Another World and Became a TeacherThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
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[Glenn]
This year's cultural festival could be summed up in one word: spectacular. Despite the short preparation period, the presentations by the instructors were well thought out. Above all, the students' presentations were of such quality that they surpassed those of the senior instructors. Not just at the Fiddiq Academy, but there probably weren't any students at any magical academy in any nation who had given presentations of that caliber.
All of that was thanks to Aoi. An ordinary mage would spend years developing original magic and would never teach it to anyone so readily. That's only natural, as a single spell could, in some cases, qualify one to become a court mage. Having magic that only you could use was one way to prove you were superior to others.
That's precisely why instructors who taught students their own original magic were exceptionally rare. The primary reason Aoi could do this was likely because she lacked any desire for fame. And her pure intention to teach magic to the students was another factor.
As an instructor, she possesses a remarkable spirit, and her abilities were such that others could not follow.
That's probably what everyone who saw Aoi's presentation felt. After all, even I, as the head of this academy, was moved to the point of speechlessness upon seeing that beautiful magic.
Magic could do that? Was there such a way to use it? Embarrassingly, at my age, I'd been made to realize such things.
So, after the presentation, I wanted to go to Aoi, who was surrounded by everyone, and convey my admiration directly.
But for some reason, what reached my ears was the name of my grandson, Solare. Prominent figures from various nations were nearby. Perhaps one of them, having seen the students' presentations, was reminded of Solare.
I don't know why, but I didn't want Aoi to know about Solare. It's not out of shame, but a feeling closer to guilt.
That's why I left the spot immediately. I wanted time to think alone, I thought.
Two or three days after the cultural festival ended, Winter Valley grew quiet. The academy was the same. The people who gathered for the festival returned to their respective lives.
From the window of the dean's office, I watched Winter Valley's streets, still bustling even after sunset. Not a single cloud was in the night sky, stars adorning it. As if competing with them, lights flickered everywhere in Winter Valley at night, creating the image of a beautiful nocturnal city.
It was a festive scene fitting for the final night of the cultural festival.
A slightly chilled breeze touched my skin, but for those making merry amidst those lights, it would likely feel merely pleasant.
But for me, it was too cold.
I closed the window and used the curtain to shut out the night view of Winter Valley. Sinking into the sofa I'd long cherished, I let out a deep sigh. I lightly flicked the index finger of my right hand, activating a fire spell.
A wisp of tiny embers drifted through the room, lighting the fireplace. Using a simple wind spell immediately afterward, the fireplace soon began warming the room.
A single-verse incantation and magic manifestation by spell name.
Normally, this was considered the minimum exertion of magic. Anyone who could do this with magic of an advanced level or higher would be received with treatment equivalent to a court mage in any nation. In a magic academy, they'd be a senior instructor.
But Aoi omitted even that single-verse incantation, activating various spells instantly. And she'd developed original spells in every attribute.
I doubted such a person existed even in the elf nations.
Thinking that far, memories from the elf kingdom were suddenly evoked, and a gloomy mood settled in. No matter how far I moved, no matter how much I've built my skills as a mage or constructed walls of confidence, I could not escape the fact of being a half-elf.
That this is one of the reasons Solare has hidden himself is profoundly saddening and frustrating.
And I, who could not shake off the burden of being a half-elf, was infuriating.
Gazing at the fire crackling and flickering in the fireplace, I narrowed my eyes.
"...Owen. It seems I still haven't changed at all. I haven't grown from the weak half-elf boy I once was."
Muttering this, I closed my eyes.