Great Teacher in a Defense Game

#40 I’m Seriously Wounded, You Know

It took a little while to explain the situation.

“That’s pretty much how it happened. We inadvertently uncovered some corruption, you see.”

“Gosh…so much has transpired in just one night…”

Lacrina mumbled blankly.

Frankly speaking, she was bewildered.

She hadn’t even realized she’d become a target of the nobles.

Just that classes seemed a little difficult.

That the children seemed overly unfamiliar with her.

She had simply thought of it like that. Never imagining it was a trap.

‘I just came to see the teacher’s face…’

A little outing and the school crumbles.

The aftershocks are no joke, in any case.

Could this be what they call the butterfly effect?

Or perhaps *Saeongjijima*?

She wasn’t quite sure, but her heart felt a little complicated.

“Your expression is rather ambiguous.”

“Huh…? Did you say something?”

“You’re allowed to be a little more joyful. The academy has been normalized thanks to you. There will undoubtedly be quite a few children grateful to you.”

“Oh, is that so…”

“In that vein, I wanted to apologize to you.”

“Pardon? An apology?”

Lacrimosa’s eyes widened considerably.

An apology, out of the blue. For what reason?

“Why? There’s hardly anything I’ve done that warrants you apologiz—”

“Because I was oblivious to the ordeal you were enduring. Had you not sought me out first, realizing the scope of this would have been much further off.”

“Ah… but I’m alright, truly…”

“No. This was my failing. I volunteered to be your guardian, and yet I’ve neglected you too long. I am sorry.”

Enoch dipped his head slightly.

Lacrimosa, flustered, urged him to stop.

“P-please don’t. It only makes me feel… burdened…”

“So my apology isn’t even worth accepting, then?”

“That’s not what I meant, not at all!”

Lacrimosa nearly jumped out of her skin.

It bordered on a fit.

Enoch gave a small, amused smirk, as if it were a jest.

“Calm yourself. It was only a bit of teasing. Your reaction is far too severe.”

“……”

“Are you sulking?”

“……”

“Sulking, indeed. In any case, let’s return to the topic from earlier.”

Enoch unwrapped the packaging from the beverage beside him.

He took out a bottled drink and offered it to Lacrimosa.

“Firstly, the Academy will be closing its doors for the time being.”

“…Closing?”

“Yes. As I mentioned earlier, there’s going to be quite the internal restructuring. And since winter is nearly upon us anyway, they’ve decided to advance the holidays, it seems.”

“Holidays… So, where am I to stay in the meantime?”

Lacrimosa tilted her head, a puzzled expression on her face.

The dormitory had already crumbled to dust.

Meaning she had nowhere to go.

Only then did Enoch broach the real subject at hand.

“That’s precisely the trouble. After giving it some thought, I was wondering if you mightn’t follow me around for a while.”

“Pardon? Follow *you*, Teacher?”

“Yes. Seeing as things have transpired this way, I intend to introduce you to others. And handle a few other matters in the bargain.”

“Ah…”

“What are your thoughts? You’re free to decline.”

Enoch asked, his fingers laced together.

An air of leisure about him.

He already seemed to anticipate her acceptance.

*What should I do? Should I pause a moment, draw it out?*

Lakrina’s mind raced.

A strange rebellious feeling arose at Enoch’s demeanor.

Like just before, when he teased her.

Wasn’t he just treating her like a child?

*Alright. I’ll pause a moment.*

Lakrina came to her decision.

It wouldn’t do to continue being treated like a little one.

She needed to show a more adult side.

Lakrina thought this and maintained her silence.

“…”

“Lakrina?”

“……”

“Lakrina?”

Enoch asked again, one question after another.

Lakrina strained to avoid his gaze.

Just one more time. If he asks just one more time, then–

“I see. It seems you’re disinclined.”

“Pardon?”

“Understood. I shall respect your decision.”

The conversation passed in a flash.

Lakrina asked, a bewildered look on her face.

“Eh? What is it you mean?”

“Worry not. I have no intention of badgering you.”

“Eh??”

“For the time being, you shall dwell alone at the pub. When you desire rest, you must take it.”

Enoch spoke thus, rising to his feet.

He even gathered his garments.

Seemingly ready to depart straightaway.

“Wait! Just a moment!”

“?”

She swiftly seized his lapel.

Enoch peered down, as if questioning her motive.

Lacrina, clinging to the man’s arm, wailed and sobbed.

“Thinking! Did you even give it a thought! Why such haste! I haven’t even answered yet!”

“You averted your gaze, did you not?”

“It was a coincidence, a mere chance! No, from the outset, why do you persist, knowing full well?!”

“What do you mean?”

“If you continue, I shall truly be wounded, you hear?!”

The commotion subsided after a short while.

Only after Enoch uttered his agreement did Lacrina’s frenzy begin to lessen.

-Sniffle, sniffle-

“Calm yourself. It was merely a jest.”

Enoch said with a chuckle.

He even extended his hand as if to soothe her.

In truth, Lacrina, draped in her bedding, had turned her back to him.

Well and truly sulking.

‘Is it adolescence?’

Enoch internally mused such a sentiment, tucked away in a corner of his mind.

At that instant, an unfamiliar sound echoed from the ward’s entrance.

A knocking sound.

-Knock, knock.

-Enoch-sensei? It’s Ban. May I enter for a moment?

“Come in. The door is open.”

-Yes, sir.

– *Kiiiik*

The sickroom door creaked open.

A male student stepped inside.

It was Ban Richter who appeared.

The academy student who’d passed information to Enoch last night, and one of the heroes from the original work.

“What brings you here?”

“I heard you were here, so I came to find you. To offer my thanks.”

Ban extended the fruit basket he was carrying.

“It’s a small gift. Please accept it.”

“You shouldn’t have gone to the trouble. But thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“Not at all. It’s only right.”

Empty courtesies were exchanged.

Belatedly, Lacrina stirred.

Just moments ago, she had been buried beneath the covers.

She was now sitting upright, her expression stiff.

“A pleasure to meet you, Ban-senpai. I am Lacrina.”

“Ah, right. I’m Ban Richter. Is this our first time meeting in person? I’ve heard the rumors often enough. That a monster-like freshman had appeared; the buzz around her is quite something.”

“An overestimation.”

Lacrina nodded, her expression frozen.

A rigid, ice-like demeanor.

Entirely unlike her usual self.

“Lacrina?”

“Yes.”

“What’s with that attitude all of a sudden? Why are you using that tone of voice?”

Enoch finally asked.

“I asked because I was truly curious.”

Yet, for some reason, Lacrimna maintained the same demeanor even with Enoch.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“Truly?”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps… did you perhaps invoke some Ice Magic?”

“I couldn’t possibly say.”

Lacrimna shook her head.

An attitude as if to say there was nothing at all amiss.

A demeanor that insisted she was always like this.

‘She’s already used magic.’

Enoch had grasped the situation ages ago.

Lacrimna had deliberately allowed herself to be consumed by the magic.

He didn’t know why, but she seemed to be performing the act of a mature adult before the academy crowd.

‘A charade? I don’t know the details, but this could be amusing.’

Enoch licked his lips.

A sweet scent lingered.

The very sweet scent of being able to tease a pubescent child.

“Bahn.”

“Yes?”

“Could you perhaps tell me about the rumors or reputation surrounding Lacrimna?”

“Rumors? In front of her, you mean?”

“Yes. In as much detail as possible.”

Enoch asked it openly.

His gaze remained fixed on Lacrimna.

Before he knew it, Lacrimna, too, was staring back at Enoch.

Her expression remained unchanged.

But her eyes spoke more than her lips ever could.

‘Please, don’t do this.’

‘…’

“Please.”

A shift rippled across her stoic face.

Her pupils began to tremble, a frantic dance.

Enoch dismissed it with a flick of his attention.

His curiosity demanded precedence.

“Ban, speak plainly.”

“Ah… yes. But, there’s not much of note to tell, really. Just the usual sort of things?”

“Irrelevant. Speak.”

Enoch pressed again.

As if suggesting a quicker route, and urging the driver to turn that way.

Ban hesitated, then parted his lips.

“Just… that she’s awfully quiet, and composed, rarely shows a shift in expression, you see?”

“And?”

“And… well, there were whispers that she’s rather frightening.”

Belatedly, Ban flicked a glance towards Lacrina.

She remained, eyes fixed solely upon Enoch.

Was it alright to speak of this?

Ban edged closer to Enoch, cautiously.

Like a hesitant merchant, he opened his mouth just so.

“To tell the truth, most rumors paint her as cold and fearsome.”

“Cold and fearsome?”

“Yes. Whether a classmate or a senior, they say she ignores almost everyone who tries to speak to her. They even gave her some childish nickname, something about an Ice Witch or an Ice Pick, or the like.”

Enoch could scarcely believe his ears.

‘So, Lacrina at the Academy was *that* sort of character, was she?’

That his dim-witted pupil had such a persona within the school…

It was truly nothing short of astonishing.

“I see… so that’s how it was… Is this the general consensus amongst the students?”

“Wouldn’t you say so?”

“The majority of students view her this way, then?”

“Well, of course, wouldn’t they?”

Bane nodded.

His attitude suggested, *Why ask the obvious?*

Belatedly, Enoch turned his gaze back to Lacrimosa.

Her expression had shifted slightly.

If her earlier gaze held pleading, now it was bordering on outright resentment.

“…”

“…Lacrimosa.”

“…Is there something you require?”

Lacrimosa asked softly.

Enoch gave a dry chuckle.

He nodded, eyes closed.

“I understand everything.”

“!”

“There are times when anyone would want to act so.”

“!!”

“However, I feel I must offer some counsel. To maintain a cold persona simply because you possess ice abilities? It’s… terribly pedestrian.”

Enoch advised earnestly.

Half jest, half genuine concern.

Because. Enoch himself was now consumed by his persona.

The act he put on to appear formidable had, somewhere along the line, become reality.

Only Enoch, as the man himself, could know it.

Maintaining a persona is difficult work.

Frankly, he’d found it wasn’t easy at all.

So much so that now, even turning back was impossible.

He hoped Lacrimosa wouldn’t tread down such a treacherous path.

“Do you comprehend? If possible, maintaining a superior character is…”

At that instant, tears welled in Lacrimosa’s eyes.

-Glistening.

“Very well, let us leave it there.”

Enoch swiftly cut his sermon short.

– *Sob sob*

“Forgive us. We were too harsh, it seems.”

He approached her, hastily wiping away her tears.

He didn’t forget to give Van a word as well.

“Why did you make the child cry?”

“?!!”

Van’s eyes widened, utter astonishment gripping him.

No.

Are you saying this is somehow my fault?