The Teacher of Budding Villains Suffers Today, Too - Chapter 59
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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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Episode 59
“Hey, where are you going right now?”
Theo asked Noah. Noah grinned and gestured toward him.
“Brother, the teacher has been incredibly busy lately. Let’s prepare something to lift her spirits and give it to her.”
“Something to lift her spirits?”
“Yeah.”
No matter how he looked at it, Noah seemed to be plotting something. Yet Theo didn’t stop him. Rather, he chose to go along with it.
“What could possibly lift the teacher’s spirits?”
“Magic Stones, obviously!”
Theo brought up Magic Stones as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“You know the teacher needs Magic Stones when performing Mana Propulsion, right?”
“I know that well.”
“But Magic Stones are hard to come by. Even here in the Imperial Palace.”
Theo was right. No matter how grand the Imperial Palace might be, the supply of Magic Stones was finite. In such circumstances, Rachel—not being of the Imperial Family—had access to only a limited number.
“So how are you planning to get Magic Stones?”
Noah asked. Theo’s lips curved into a smile as he opened his mouth.
“There are plenty of Magic Stones at the temple. Let’s go together.”
“The temple?”
“The Temple of the Sun God has so many Magic Stones that we could take as many as we want.”
Theo’s plan was methodical enough. The worshippers of the Sun God had offered up countless Magic Stones, so they could simply borrow a few. In reality, it was theft, but that was a technicality.
“Won’t we get caught?”
“Why do you always think so negatively? If we don’t get caught, that’s all that matters.”
Despite his audacity in laying hands on sacred objects, Theo spoke with absolute confidence. Seeing his brother like that, Noah found himself thinking: maybe this isn’t such a bad idea after all.
In the end, the two brothers made their way secretly toward the Temple of the Sun God.
‘Is this really okay…?’
Noah scratched his head as he watched his brother ahead of him. Theo carried himself with such confidence, even while committing wrongdoing.
“The Sun God is merciful, so he’ll understand our circumstances.”
“Right…? I suppose he would?”
Having rationalized their actions, the two brothers’ footsteps came to a halt before the Temple of the Sun God.
…….
Now that they were actually at the temple, fear began to take hold. Yet Theo stepped forward with courage.
“Still, taking the Magic Stone embedded in the Sun God statue itself would be too much… Let’s take the ones from the other statues instead.”
“Good idea. I think that’s the better choice.”
They had reached a compromise of sorts. Then, affecting confidence, they began climbing the temple steps.
“Your Highness.”
A soldier who recognized them bowed respectfully.
“I’ve come to make a petition to the Sun God. Don’t trouble yourself.”
The two princes, who clearly had much to trouble themselves about, deliberately dismissed their escort. Then they stepped inside the Temple of the Sun God.
…….
The temple was silent. Not a soul was visible, and the emptiness felt cold. Theo and Noah held their breath as they gazed at the statues lining the temple walls.
“I’ll start from over there, so you start from here.”
Theo drew out a Short Dagger. Then he began to scrape away the Magic Stone that had been set as a decorative inlay in a bird-shaped statue.
“Why won’t this come out?!”
Theo exclaimed quietly. Of course there was—a protective mechanism existed to safeguard the Magic Stone. Unaware of this, Theo and Noah applied brute force, scraping at the stone desperately.
How much time had passed?
“Brother, I can’t do this.”
Noah was the first to surrender.
“I can’t manage it either.”
Theo, too, had to admit defeat.
The two boys furrowed their brows and heaved sighs.
“Why won’t this work?”
“Beats me. I have no idea.”
Unaware of the protective mechanism’s existence, the boys eventually gave up and sprawled across the temple floor.
“Should we just give up?”
“I really wanted to give the teacher lots of Magic Stones…”
The two boys’ hopes crumbled in that moment.
“Should we try giving her something else instead…?”
Noah ventured to speak first. Theo slowly turned his head to look at him.
“Something else? Like what?”
“I’ll have to think about that now.”
In the end, there was no real countermeasure to be had. Theo let out a long, heavy sigh. At this rate, they’d be leaving empty-handed.
“Your Highness.”
And that was the moment the Nursemaid’s voice reached them.
Theo and Noah quickly concealed their short daggers beneath their robes, then broke into perfectly innocent smiles.
“Your Highness, you’re here, aren’t you?”
The Nursemaid entered the temple and bowed respectfully before the image of the Sun God. She turned her head several times before spotting Theo and Noah.
“Your Highness, your teacher Rachel is looking for both of you.”
“Our teacher is looking for us?”
“Yes, she hopes to see you right away.”
He’d heard that the teacher had been terribly busy lately. He couldn’t fathom what reason she might have for summoning them. Theo and Noah stood before the Nursemaid with wide eyes.
“Shall we go?”
“Yes, let’s.”
The two boys followed in the Nursemaid’s footsteps, wondering what possible reason their teacher had for calling them.
Rachel’s Palace was eerily silent. There was a time when attendants and servants had moved through these halls constantly, yet none were to be seen now—as though something secretive were taking place.
Theo and Noah found the silence somewhat peculiar as they entered Rachel’s Palace.
“Teacher, Your Highness has arrived.”
The Nursemaid’s voice echoed briefly before the door. Moments later, the door swung open and Rachel emerged.
“Children.”
“Teacher!”
Rachel spread her arms wide, and the boys rushed into her embrace.
“Have you been well?”
“Has anything unusual happened lately?”
Words of such proper courtesy tumbled out—language they could scarcely have imagined using before. Rachel nodded to herself with quiet satisfaction, reassured once again that her education had borne true fruit.
“Have you two been well?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“We have been well.”
After the brief pleasantries, Rachel ushered the children into the room.
The space that would once have been spotless was now quite cluttered with papers bearing all manner of writing. Even the walls were covered with papers inscribed with various text.
“Teacher, what is all this?”
“Well, actually, it’s because of all this that I called you here.”
Rachel spoke to the children with a gentle smile.
“You called us because of this?”
“What exactly is it?”
Rachel pulled out two chairs and helped the children sit down.
“I need your help. Quite desperately, in fact.”
“Our help?”
The two boys exchanged glances before turning their gaze to Rachel. She handed them several sheets of written paper.
“There’s something I’m doing in secret.”
“Something in secret?”
“Yes. If you can keep the secret, I’ll tell you what it is.”
Rachel held out her pinky finger to the princes, and both boys immediately linked their fingers with hers.
“Since you’ve promised to keep the secret, I’ll tell you.”
Rachel opened her mouth slowly.
“I’m creating a textbook so that Commoner children can learn to read and write.”
“What?”
“A textbook for Commoner children?”
These were children who had lived their entire lives as members of the Imperial Family. Rachel hadn’t expected them to easily grasp the significance of what she was attempting. She felt a flutter of nervous tension.
“Wow! That’s amazing!”
“So all the Empire Citizens will be able to read and write?! That’s wonderful!”
Her worries proved unfounded. Both princes voiced their enthusiastic approval.
“Thank you for being so positive. I mean that sincerely.”
“I think anything you do is wonderful, teacher.”
“Me too.”
“So here’s the thing…”
Rachel’s voice trailed off slightly.
“I need someone to tell me which parts were difficult and why when they were learning to read. Adults learned so long ago that they don’t remember the hard parts.”
“So if we recall what was difficult when we were learning to read and tell you, that would help?”
“Exactly. I’ll pay special attention to those difficult parts when making the textbook.”
“I can do that right now.”
“So can I.”
The two boys immediately began reading the paper laid before them. Their eyes gleamed with brightness.
‘What a relief.’
She couldn’t say how reassuring it was to have these children on her side. Rachel smiled warmly as she watched them.
She had no idea what consequences this small favor would bring.
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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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