Abandoned by my Childhood Friend, I Became a War Hero - Chapter 106



106 – Temporary Respite

“… Are you quitting?”

“Yes.”

President Heinkel raised his glasses with his trembling hands.

It’s the first time I’ve seen that person wear glasses. However, there was no change in the contents of the leave of absence documents that were in hand.

Well, it’s a situation where I feel a sense of déjà vu.

“Are you sure? Instructor Ion?”

“This has already been decided.”

President Heinkel swallowed his saliva and said.

“Was the pay a problem? Or a work environment? Are there students who are giving you a hard time, or are other instructors bothering you? If there’s any problem at work, I’ll try my best to-“

“That’s not a problem.”

“Then can you tell me what the problem is?”

President Heinkel is one of the few people who knows that I am a malefic, but the matter with Ella is very personal to me.

But he is also my boss at work. He also entered the position on the recommendation of the Marquis Karlstein, to whom he was indebted, so leaving without any explanation would be a nuisance to both of them.

I omitted details such as the immortal corps leader and the ceremony using the Ionian royal lineage, and briefly explained only the necessary parts.

President Heinkel listened to the story for a long time before replying with a small nod.

“I see. There is something to be found in the now-disappeared former Ionian kingdom… If Instructor Ion says so, it must be a very important item.”

To be precise, it is not a thing, but a person. However, he did not bother to correct President Heinkel’s misunderstanding.

Looking at President Heinkel’s serious expression, he assumed that it must be something important considering my status, and didn’t seem to have any intention of asking in detail.

“Is it very dangerous?”

“I don’t think so.”

It is true that the land of the Ionian Kingdom is currently the lair of the undead. I heard that even if only lower undead such as zombies and skeletons roam around the outskirts of the kingdom, higher level undead still swarm in the center of the kingdom.

However, that was a standard for ordinary people, and it did not apply to me, who fought alone there even when the Immortal Corps commander was still alive.

If the commander of the immortal corps was resurrected and returned like the commander of the beast corps, he wouldn’t be in danger with just a group of undead. It’ll be annoying to some degree, though.

“… Heh heh, that’s right. What kind of monsters could harm Instructor Ion on this continent unless the two surviving corps commanders or the demon king directly crossed over to the demon continent? It seems I was worrying for nothing.”

Actually, it’s a bit ambiguous to see the demon king as alive.

Of course, I didn’t mean to say that here.

“Yes. But it will take some time.”

“How long do you estimate it will take?”

“I don’t know. First, I plan to explore the Ionian palace, and if not there, I will search the entire capital, Caria. If you still can’t find it, you’ll have to go all over the kingdom.”

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I was prepared to take a long time. Even if I received it back as a resignation letter rather than a leave of absence, I was ready to calmly sign it.

However, President Heinkel rather fell into silence for a long time, as if thinking deeply about something. He even muttered to himself halfway through.

“Umm, even if you take a wagon from the islands to the Ionian border, it will take a month on foot… Even if you ride the fastest horse, it will take about two weeks… Considering the round trip time… Hmm, then I’d rather change the schedule….”

“… President?”

“Oops, sorry. I’ve been thinking too long.”

“It’s okay. So, could you approve the leave of absence I submitted?”

“Hmm, actually, that’s it….”

At those words, President Heinkel put on a troubled expression. However, that expression felt a little awkward, as if it was intentionally made.

“If Instructor Ion has something important to do, I would like to do it as the president. However, there is a procedure called the academy. I am in a very difficult situation as I have to find someone to fill the vacancy of Instructor Ion right away.”

“That….”

“A month has already passed since the semester started. I’m not sure how much support I’ll be able to apply if I recruit additional instructors at this ambiguous time, and I’m not sure if anyone meets my criteria. And what about the students? They must have adapted to life at the academy now, but how surprised would the children be if their homeroom instructor suddenly changed?”

“Um….”

I have nothing to refute.

No matter how difficult it may be, it is only my personal circumstances. It would be true that it would be difficult for the president if he said he would quit his job and leave.

I had to worry about what to do with the class if one instructor suddenly left, and the biggest problem was the students in Opal Black class.

President Heinkel continued.

“These are very individualistic students. I am worried that the new instructor will be able to teach well without any handover, and if things do not go well, the class itself may disappear.”

“… Class disappearing?”

“Isn’t that a new class? If there is no homeroom instructor, it will be said that it is better to transfer students to the existing class than to select a new instructor. At Diamond White, that kind of story has been around for a long time.”

I remember. Anyway, at the beginning of the semester, Instructor Acheron had a small fight about that. He said that if it weren’t for the Opal Black class, high-ranking students like the princess and the son of the prime minister would have entered Diamond White.

If the class is disbanded, the students of Opal Black will be scattered to the class they should have been to.

Titania and Oznia, who were so close, will have to part ways, and Marianne’s efforts to establish the student council will all be in vain.

I don’t know if that will actually happen. It wouldn’t be easy to dismantle a class that had already been created, and it was questionable whether it would go that far just because one instructor was gone.

However, the possibility certainly existed, and just thinking about it made me feel a sense of heaviness in a corner of my heart.

“… ….”

I have no intention of missing this moment, which may be the last chance to save Ella.

But it is also true that leaving students alone is something that bothers them.

Is there any way? Or ask Instructor Lilya… No, I couldn’t put more pressure on someone who already had a class in charge.

Would you rather recommend a new instructor to replace me? For example, Sylvia… But would she, who is wanted by her, try to become an instructor for the imperial princess or the son of the prime minister? Of course, she was terrified and would definitely refuse, but she didn’t have a suitable person because of her lack of relationships when she tried to find someone else.

At that time when I was silently immersed in my thoughts, President Heinkel quietly opened his mouth.

“So, Instructor Ion. Why don’t you give it a break?”

“Grace… You mean?”

“Instructor Ion probably knows that a special field training is scheduled starting this month.”

Special field training. Of course I know.

The students of Fillion are talented people who will become the pillars of the empire in the future, and the founder of the academy, Fillion the Great, wanted students to grow through various experiences, not just being educated within the academy.

Therefore, the students of the academy were obliged to carry out various missions in various parts of the empire twice a year in order to serve the country and gain experience. It was also an opportunity for students to demonstrate their abilities in practice.

President Heinkel brushed his long beard down.

“It just went well. To be honest, I was contemplating where to decide where to practice, but I think it would be okay to go to Schwarzheim for this practice.”

Schwarzheim is a border city of the Empire bordering the Ionian border.

And after the fall of the kingdom, countless adventurers flocked to it from all over the continent, making it widely known as the ‘City of Adventurers’.

It was not difficult to see what President Heinkel’s intention was.

“… President.”

“This is my suggestion, Instructor Ion. Anyway, if you want to go to the Ionian Kingdom, you must pass through Schwarzheim. The final destination was the capital, Caria, right? If we start from Schwarzheim, we should be able to arrive in one day at the speed of Instructor Ion.”

President Heinkel nodded and said.

“If you find what you want in the palace, you can return with the students. If not… Well, I can’t help it. Before practice is over, it’s plenty of time to find a new instructor. Let’s make this the transition period for Instructor Ion. How about this?”

“… ….”

If you can find Ella in the palace, you don’t have to quit your job as an instructor.

It’s okay if you can’t. In the meantime, President Heinkel must have found a new instructor to replace me.

It was an offer that I had no justification or reason to refuse.

***

After the meeting with President Heinkel.

I returned to the dormitory right away.

And immediately, I was surrounded by Opal Black students.