“Cough, cough!”
As the cookie I was munching on got stuck in my throat, the Nameless immediately started patting my back.
“…Master, are you okay?”
“W-Water…”
I then took the teacup from the Nameless and downed it.
Gulp, gulp.
– Thud!
“Phew…”
Wiping the moisture from my lips with the back of my hand, I mulled over Camilla’s words.
…An Academy? Me?
I looked at Camilla with eyes shaking like there’d been an earthquake.
“…Did I hear wrong? An invitation to be a teacher at the Academy?”
“You heard right.”
Unlike me, who was shaking my fists in disbelief, I felt my head pounding at how calm Camilla was.
Does she even realize what she’s saying?
“Me, of all people, a teacher?”
I pointed at myself, frowning.
It’s kind of sad to say that, but…
I find interactions with others so uncomfortable that it’s hard to even talk to people. I mean, I throw everything to the Nameless when it’s time to shop or book an inn!
Well, it’s okay if I’ve built some relationship like I have with Camilla, and I can hold back like with Elia or Lucius…
Gasp…! What am I thinking.
Surprised at myself almost getting tempted, I shook my head violently.
No, I can’t do it.
Going to the Academy and teaching students?
Even though I have the Nameless as my disciple… this is a bit different.
While I enjoyed and felt proud to teach the Nameless, I’ve always been anxious.
“Am I teaching well enough? Am I even qualified to call myself a master?”
Ugh, I have no confidence.
Seeing me shake my head like that, Camilla clicked her tongue.
“You’re sticking to your guns.”
Wondering what she was so concerned about, Camilla sighed deeply and spoke up again.
“I’ll make sure to pay you well, how about it?”
“It’s not about the pay…”
It’s my personality that’s the problem, but I couldn’t bring myself to say that due to my pride.
Seeing my response, Camilla sighed and muttered something before glancing at me and mumbling quietly.
“—It’s because I have no one to ask…”
“…What did you say? Speak up.”
She said it so quietly that even I, who pride myself on my hearing, couldn’t catch it, so I asked again.
Camilla’s face turned slightly red as she spoke up.
“I have no one to ask for help like this…”
“What do you mean by that?”
What is she rambling about?
Someone like Camilla surely has acquaintances who are strong enough, if not stronger than her.
I tilted my head in confusion, and Camilla, realizing I hadn’t said anything, turned even redder as she explained.
“…I have no one, except for the old hag. What am I supposed to do?”
“Wait, what?”
Could it be that Camilla has no friends, just like me?
The corners of my mouth started to twitch.
I’ve never thought of such a thing…
Or maybe I could tell from her cocky tone?
Looking at Lucius and Elia with an awkward expression, I asked,
“…What about Lucius or Elia?”
“How can I send those useless ones as teachers? They’re still at the student level.”
“What?”
Lucius is still just a student?
So, that means the Nameless isn’t even at that level. This doesn’t make sense!
I looked at Lucius with wide eyes.
“It’s not true…”
He shook his head angrily, frowning as if his pride had been hurt.
Just as Lucius was about to say something else, Camilla cut in.
“Well, obviously, they’d be stronger than the Academy students.”
“…”
That seemed to silence Lucius, and watching him, Camilla chuckled and shrugged.
“He’s a Hero, right? If he were weak, that’d be strange. But what I mean is he isn’t at the level to teach.”
“…That’s true.”
Fair enough from Camilla’s perspective; Lucius could only nod in agreement.
Watching them, Camilla turned her gaze back to me and suddenly lowered her head in a pitiful manner.
“And the Academy asked me to invite you to teach, right?”
“That’s true, which is why I can’t go.”
I responded sarcastically, and Camilla furrowed her brow in frustration.
“Come on, listen to an old hag for a sec.”
Camilla explained that there weren’t any crucial tasks to handle in Ellen right now, and that old Sebastian had been managing the administrative tasks for a while. So she’d accepted the Academy’s invitation.
But doesn’t destiny strike unexpectedly?
Meeting me, they said they gained some sort of enlightenment by witnessing my Heavenly Punishment technique.
But until now, they’ve been too busy preparing for the festival and dealing with the monsters to even think about a retreat.
As time passes, it feels like that moment of enlightenment fades, so they wanted to retreat sooner rather than later.
And it seems they’ve found a suitable person now.
Okay, I understand what Camilla is trying to say.
And I also agree with her.
For a warrior, enlightenment doesn’t come at a set time; it rushes in unexpectedly, so they’d want to capture it as soon as possible.
Memories fade and distort over time, after all.
Hearing Camilla’s words started to make me genuinely consider it.
As a friend and fellow warrior, it seemed only right to help Camilla out.
Mumbling to myself, I sighed deeply.
Normally, I’d reject such requests outright.
But…
I looked up into Camilla’s eyes.
A truly serious warrior’s gaze.
I sighed deeply again.
It’s hard to refuse her like this…
As I pondered Camilla’s earnest request, I rolled my eyes around.
Maybe she still had something to say, as she pointed at the Nameless beside me and spoke.
“Isn’t it okay to show the Nameless around the Academy just once?”
“Hmm…”
That’s definitely an appealing suggestion; giving the Nameless a variety of experiences was quite enticing.
Noticing my interest, Camilla grinned and continued.
“If you show interest in the Academy, it’s possible to enroll the Nameless.”
“…Hmm.”
The Nameless at the Academy.
Sure, my initial goal was to send the Nameless there.
But…
Given we’ve already met the Hero and the Saint, is it really necessary to go?
After all, the original purpose was to avoid disrupting the flow of this world.
…Now that I think about it, I’ve been a bit selfish.
I can’t help but reflect on this.
For some reason, guilt began to rise within me, and I looked at the Nameless.
“…”
“Master?”
Thinking about a future where I might disappear, going to the Academy with the Nameless for an observation trip doesn’t sound so bad.
“Haah…”
After a long deliberation, I finally nodded in acceptance of Camilla’s proposal.
“Sure, I’ll accept.”
“Thank you, old hag! I’ll make sure to pay you well.”
But… do they know I’m the one actually going, not Camilla?
I tilted my head, holding this question in mind.
Camilla smiled mischievously and waved her hands.
“Don’t worry about that, I’ve explained everything.”
“Wait, you didn’t expect me to say yes, did you?”
Has she already taken matters into her own hands?
I felt a strong desire to complain, but since it’s not such a big deal, I nodded.
Since I’ve already accepted, and they know it’s me, what does it matter?
Letting out a small sigh of resignation, I nodded.
Well, thinking about it positively, the Academy will be full of people, and with that comes plenty of information.
If I can find even a tiny clue about the Nameless’s body or my next level there, that would be more than satisfying.
With a slight smile, I turned to Camilla and asked,
“So when do we leave?”
If she’s telling me this now, then I assume there’s no rush.
We could stop by the cabin to pack or take a brief break before heading out.
Just as I was getting excited at the thought of spending time alone with the Nameless in the cabin for the first time in a while, Camilla dropped a shocking statement.
“Um… Leaving tomorrow would be perfect.”
“What?!”
Camilla smiled sheepishly, and my brow furrowed.
“Haah…”
This girl doesn’t even give me time to gather my thoughts.
It was a moment I truly regretted my last choice.
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