"You're a failure as a teacher, Godorfun."
The sudden rude remark that I spat out brought a change in Godorfun's expression.
"For a 12-year-old brat, you sure have gotten quite bold... Try to say it one more time!"
Godorfun grabbed me by my collar and tried to intimidate me with a threatening tone. But I also haven't stepped up just to relent to his paper threats.
On the side, a flustered Mujikka-sensei seemed ready to intervene but I continued regardless.
"Godorfun, you seem to have a grave misunderstanding. You must have thought that the assignment you gave was just for me, right? Hmph. You’re being delusional, and nothing more."
Seemingly not understanding the implication of my words, Godorfun's brow shot up though his menacing expression remained unchanged.
"What are you trying to say, brat?"
"You mentioned during the first orientation that you were ordered by His Majesty to teach in this academy to raise the students' levels, didn't you? But now, you're preaching the exact opposite by saying 'If it is to reach the goal, I would have to abandon those who couldn't catch up'. Can you explain this to His Majesty?
Can you puff your chest out with pride and report to His Majesty that 'Although the majority couldn't catch up even after pushing them to their limits so you gave up on them, but a tiny fraction of them have become elites?’... Now answer that, Godorfun!"
This time, I grabbed Godorfun's collar and cross-questioned him.
Mujjika-sensei on the sideline let out a yelp seeing my lawless behavior toward this old man who seemed to be some bigshot, but I didn't care about anything at this point. I mean, how could I tread on the outlaw path if I didn't have the guts to at least grab my homeroom teacher’s collar, no?
Perhaps because had I hit a nerve, Godorfun wore a bitter expression and defended himself.
"...That's some clever wordplay you're using here. Certainly, as you said, I don't have the option of sacrificing the other students to achieve my goal given my position. But, this assignment, for all intents and purposes, was just to measure your abilities. What I asked from you was to show your determination, don't be naive!"
Of course, he spouted the same generic 'It's not about me! We are currently talking about you!' line that power-harassing bosses usually say.
I despised those who preached arrogantly but would put themselves on the shelf.
My lips curved upward in mockery as I answered Godorfun.
"Determination, you say? Don't make me laugh, Godorfun. Let me ask you in return. How do you perceive the spirit of the Hill Road Club?"
Godorfun didn’t say anything.
But of course, even I was still sorting out the details in my mind as we spoke. My plan would be in shambles if he could actually answer that.
"You must have known we climb the slope as a part of our club activities. But did you know why the name of the club that you are the advisor of is not Running Training Club or Hill Dashes Club, but Hill Road Club?"
I asked Godorfun, emphasizing the nuance of 'You're the advisor, right?'
"...I should have made it clear in the beginning. I’m not going to interfere with the club’s activity or policy..."
‘Oh, so original', I thought. I was so fed up with these cliched phrases already. He was basically the 'I will leave the means to you, just show me results’ type of person. Well, yeah, it was my assignment (work), but Godorfun's thought process was honestly not that different from my previous life’s boss in the end.
As someone who stood above the common masses, he was basically throwing his responsibility to someone else.
"Haha... I really don't have any opinion on your 'non-interference' policy. It's for their own good to let students grope their way around by themselves. But, you can’t say that when you haven't even tried to grasp the details. What you're doing is just weaving your words into a fine excuse. If anything, I dare say you must be thinking a diamond will shine on its own even if left alone. You know what that's called? That's giving up on thinking!"
As Godorfun let go of my collar, so did I. Though, he was still glaring at me with a stern gaze. I further added,
"I know saying anything to you who doesn't have any interest in the process may be just me playing the flute in front of a deaf person, but let me give you a piece of my mind.
I have said it when the club was established as well, 'Road' here represents one's own way of living. I am not nosy enough to go out of my way to consider their names and all if my end goal was to just teach them the techniques.
But what I envisioned in my mind was the tempering of the hearts of the club members through club activities. In simple words, I sought that undefeatable 'spirit' that would never lose against any adversary!
Yes, I could have chosen to take a more decisive approach to clear the assignment, and as you said, corner those who can't catch up to drop out. I, myself, am not a saint to stretch my hand to those who don't have the determination. In fact, I thought it was fine even if they dropped out and so, I chased them every day while throwing in harsher words than ever.
...But, they remained unshakeable. With their hearts set ablaze by their ideals, and their spirits smoldering in the flames of desperation to seek new heights, they have been confronting their own imperfect selves every day. Did you not find it absurd to question my determination to impose an impossible burden on them and to chase them away right after?
Perhaps Godorfun Von Vankyus might be a great knight figure, and possibly an outstanding individual as well. But you are far from a person who can sincerely face the task of nurturing others.
Ask me anytime, and I will still say the same thing, Godorfun. You — who didn't bother to know a single bit about the club’s activities, chose not to think, and threw everything on your student’s shoulders, all the while assessing my determination to discard my friends to reach my goal — are a failure as a teacher!"
Realize your incompetence, you bastard chief! I could feel a refreshing wave washing over me as I finally dumped my pent-up feelings, which I had wanted to do since my previous life, onto Godorfun.
But as soon as I was done, the menacing aura enveloping Godorfun disappeared with a fwoosh as he began to analyze my statement in his usual manner.
"Fumu. I have seen your mentality up close. While I said to pursue clearing the assignment even if it meant pushing the club members to their limits, it seems you saw a different path."
Tsk, truly a veteran geezer...... Well, were my words enough to make him reconsider his decision, or were they nothing but the barking of a loser dog to him, which one was it?
"You said it earlier, didn't you? I have come to this academy under the order of His Majesty to raise the standard of the academy's students. This is as you said. So, shall I take it as you faced the assignment in accordance with 'my true goal'?"
Obviously. Those clowns who attempted to clear away the task with unrealistic means while deviating from budget and timeline themselves only have a fuzzy understanding of 'what they truly needed to achieve' and set a bogus market standard.
Even for the clients, it was of utmost importance to first accurately grasp one's main goal when working with such people. Otherwise, this would lead to a perpetual entanglement with the clients, who finally came back to their senses just when the task was nearing its end, complaining while saying 'That's not what I wanted'.
"Don't say the obvious. Thoroughly examining what the client is seeking is the basic principle of marketing."
I repeated the phrase I had heard from a dubious marketing consultant who had been invited as a trainer for our employee training in my previous life.
"Market...? If that's the case, then this old and senile failure of a teacher is very much interested in hearing what kind of method you used for that. If I’m not wrong, the club you established must be well over 100 members, right? Well, I must say, Schord Bainfause sure raised a capable pupil who can easily supervise and guide so many people.
...Surely, after preaching with such grandiosity, your words shouldn't be ending short with 'All that I did was to just continue calling them out, while internally thinking it's fine even if they drop out'... Right?"
True to his alias, Godorfun asked while putting on a truly amicable smile on his face.
Kukuku. His heart inside must be harboring a tempest after listening to me disparaging him. The pulsing vein on his forehead was proof of that.
I took out the report on the activities of the club members, compiled by Kate and other managers, from my bag and placed it on the table.
EN - “Realize your incompetence, you bastard chief!” I felt that on a spiritual level 😅
T/N - Mc spitting out fact xD.