I Will Try to Save My Dad - Chapter 117

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 117

“You’re here for the interview?”
I nodded vigorously.
My interest spoke for me. Burdbell bobbed his head eagerly in response.
Another person emerged from behind the boy—a girl with pink hair.
She gazed at Burdbell with bright, sparkling eyes and broke into a grin, striking his heart once more.
“Hello!”
“Ah, hello to you as well.”
Even my words came out strangely.
Burdbell followed the children into the Trang Clothing Shop. The closed establishment was quiet. The children guided him to a room marked with a sign reading “VIP Room.”
“Our father is in here!”
“Master, they’ve come for the interview.”
The children kindly opened the door to the VIP Room. Inside sat the source of my anxiety—Reytan Quartz Trabel—watching me from the sofa.
“You came.”
This was my first time seeing him in person. The pressure was overwhelming.
“Sit.”
“Yes.”
Burdbell discovered today just how swift his own movements could be. He sat quickly on the sofa, then placed the document envelope he’d been clutching with stiff formality onto the table.
“Here is my resume.”
My voice trembled from nervousness. Chewing sage leaves worked best in moments like these, but lacking that option, I pressed firmly between my thumb and forefinger—an acupressure point effective for calming anxiety.
As Reytan opened the envelope, a single sheet of paper emerged.
Beyond occasional odd jobs taken for survival, I had never held a proper position. The resume was sparse, and the interviewer’s gaze grew piercing as he reviewed my final educational level.
In truth, Reytan’s blue eyes remained unchanged from their usual state, but intimidated by his aura, Burdbell assumed he was displeased with the resume.
“The reason for my withdrawal was due to an accident that occurred during research.”
“…Research?”
Reytan lifted his gaze from the resume to look at Burdbell. Burdbell averted his eyes and explained the cause of his withdrawal. He had a tendency to become honest even in situations where discretion was necessary.
“During my final semester before graduation, I was conducting research on fire. The topic was: how much oxygen is required for fire to burn continuously?”
“And?”
“The embers caught onto a curtain and burned down the dormitory. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the Academy gave me the choice between voluntary withdrawal or expulsion…”
But this time, even Burdbell thought this wasn’t right. He harbored no regret about honestly recounting his past, yet the tutor position seemed to have slipped away. Who would hire someone to teach after they’d set fire to an Academy dormitory and been dismissed in their final semester?
Yet that boy he’d seen earlier kept flickering through his mind. If his future students were that boy and the girl, he would be willing to impart every scrap of knowledge he possessed.
To become utterly absorbed in a field once captivated by it, elevating it to its pinnacle—that was the reason Burdbell lived.
‘If it’s about nurturing students, I could convey even the minute details that other teachers cannot teach.’
Burdbell subtly appealed to Reytan on his own behalf.
“I will work hard.”
“I haven’t said anything about hiring you yet.”
“That’s true…”
It was biting cold. A sharp wind whipped through the room.
Burdbell shrank into himself like a deflating balloon.
Reytan Quartz Trabel asked Burdbell a question.
“Your grades are quite erratic too. Is there a reason for that as well?”
The resume I was reviewing included Burdbell’s semester-by-semester grade point average. His perfect marks from first year had begun fluctuating wildly starting in second year.
2.83, 4.51, 1.9, 3.82….
“Ah, that is….”
Burdbell fidgeted with his fingers. In that moment, interview tips he’d heard from an acquaintance flashed through his mind. They’d said that consistency in one’s responses was essential.
If he lied with excuses here, he would only invite disdain. Had that acquaintance been present, they would have stopped him from speaking, but there was no one to hold him back.
Another honest answer spilled from Burdbell’s lips.
“It was a hobby of mine. Before each semester began, I would roll three dice and intentionally match my grades for that semester to the number that came up….”
“And this is the result of that?”
“Yes.”
Had Burdbell’s parents witnessed this, they would have beaten his back. A scolding would have rained down—who conducts a tutor interview like this?
“….”
Yet surprisingly, the interview atmosphere remained cordial.
I tapped my index finger against my elbow, thinking.
‘How amusing.’
I had only agreed to this interview because Berry had pestered me, but Burdbell had captured my interest.
Perhaps someone this obtuse was exactly the sort who could commute to the Stone House of the Trabel Estate without losing their mind.
‘Theon won’t pick up this habit, at least.’
My student was a sharp child. Even if the tutor’s social skills were somewhat lacking, he wouldn’t be influenced. And should he be, I or Berry would be there to correct him.
I was concerned about Jeffrey being influenced, but Anne stood above him—she was the sort to properly educate her younger brother and keep him from behaving foolishly.
Suppressing the slight smile tugging at my lips, I retrieved the papers I had prepared. They contained problems of considerable difficulty across various subjects. If the solutions and answers were flawless, the theoretical knowledge would meet my standards.
Every candidate I had interviewed for a tutor position thus far had failed at this stage.
“A mock lecture test, then. Solve these and explain them to me here. And by the way—drop that hobby of intentionally scoring low. You’ll need to be sincere about this. Otherwise….”
“Otherwise…?”
I didn’t finish the sentence.
Burdbell, reading the atmosphere intently, picked up the test paper I’d placed on the table.
“Should I… work on it here?”
“At that blackboard over there. You have thirty minutes to solve the problems.”
“I’ll begin at once.”
Burdbell took out a pen and positioned himself at the table. The problems were quite challenging, but his mind spun faster than ever. Imagining the boy and girl he would be teaching, he felt even more energized. With a clear target in sight, Burdbell feared nothing.

A short while later.
“…that concludes my explanation.”
My expression was peculiar as I observed the blackboard densely covered with solutions and listened to Burdbell’s explanation, which had now stretched into its second hour.
Burdbell studied the complexion of the man before him.
I slowly opened my mouth.

***

“He’s starting next week.”
“Really?!”
This was after Burdbell had finished his interview and left the Trang Clothing Shop.
At Father’s words, I grabbed Theon’s hand and cheered in triumph.
‘I’ve secured Burdbell Ratna!’
The hidden genius eccentric of the Heishal Empire had become Theon’s private tutor. It would definitely be helpful for him.
“That’s wonderful, Theon! You’ve got a genius teacher now!”
“Mm.”
Theon nodded with a smile as our eyes met. I hadn’t mentioned to Theon that Burdbell’s lessons would help with the Crown Prince’s capabilities—after all, he’d only recently learned he was the Emperor’s son. If I brought up the Crown Prince part, it would burden him.
“Did Teacher Burdbell pass the test Father gave? How was it?”
“Well… barely.”
“Huh? Then why did you hire him?”
“He didn’t seem like he’d run away.”
Father chuckled and ruffled my hair.
“Just because someone’s a genius doesn’t mean they teach well. Still, Theon will understand just fine. His comprehension is excellent.”
“That’s right!”
“Jeffrey might struggle a bit though…”
“I’ll help Jeffrey with his studies~”
Since the interview had taken so long, evening was already approaching. Father, Theon, and I exited the Trang Clothing Shop and hailed a carriage on the street.
The carriage didn’t head directly to the Trabel Estate, but instead turned toward the shopping district of Hisport Town. This was because I had pestered them to buy candy.
Our destination was Zena’s candy shop, Sweet Sweety. I’d ordered honey bear jellies, which meant I had a reason to summon Jack Jack.
‘Camilla, wasn’t it?’
The place Uncle Lucian had mentioned last time—where they dealt with potions that changed one’s appearance!
‘I should ask Zena to look into it.’
And I also needed to find out how the iron information from Crest Mine had leaked. Uncle Lucian had the iron information from Crest Mine—
“Berry. Look there.”
Theon, who had been gazing out the carriage window, grabbed my arm and pointed to a spot.
“Huh? Diplomat Lucian?”
Uncle Lucian was standing near the candy shop. Though he wore a hat as if trying to conceal his identity, the beauty flowing out from beneath it couldn’t be hidden.
‘…What is he doing?’
Whenever people entered or exited the candy shop, he would turn his head away, then repeatedly shift his gaze back.
“Like a dog who’s lost his master.”
Father muttered under his breath.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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