The Teacher of Budding Villains Suffers Today, Too - Chapter 94

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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 94
Rachel sank into deep contemplation.
‘By what right do I choose who to send to their deaths?’
Barely recovered from her illness, she’d been assigned a single task: personally selecting which Commoner Apprentices would be redeployed to the Battlefield.
By the regulations as written, she simply needed to send those adults whose Mana-Channeling Ability was most stable. Drawing the line by grades wouldn’t be difficult at all.
‘But….’
Rachel exhaled slowly. The Battlefield was a brutal place where carelessness could cost lives—a veritable hell. To select people with her own hands and send them there filled her with a guilt that pressed down on her entire body.
‘There will definitely be those dragged away simply because they possess Mana, against their will.’
She wanted to prevent that situation by any means necessary.
Lottery, ranking by grades, whatever method she tried—victims would inevitably result. It was in this moment of complete despair that she heard it.
Knock, knock.
The sound of knuckles on the firmly shut door pulled Rachel back to awareness.
“Yes, come in.”
Rachel forced brightness into her voice. The door opened.
“…Oh?”
Standing in the doorway were none other than the Commoner Apprentices. They gazed at Rachel with visibly tense expressions.
“Is there something I can help you all with?”
“Teacher, we’ve come together because we have something we’d like to tell you.”
Something to tell her? Rachel gestured them toward the wide sofa, puzzled.
Thirty-three people settled on the sofa. Every adult apprentice had gathered.
“Teacher.”
Michael, the eldest among them, spoke with grave solemnity.
“We’ve come to speak with you about our participation in this war.”
“About participation…?”
Rachel’s heart sank. Fear that something terrible was about to break loose swept over her—but Michael continued firmly.
“All thirty-three of us Commoner Apprentices wish to volunteer for deployment to this Battlefield.”
“What?!”
Shocked beyond belief, Rachel cried out. As if he’d anticipated this reaction, Michael offered her a gentle smile.
“As you know, despite possessing excellent Mana-Channeling Ability, we have not been properly recognized by the Empire simply because we are commoners.”
“If we serve with distinction in this war, surely the nobles’ perception of us will change. We wish to earn recognition of our worth with our own hands.”
“So we humbly ask that you permit all of us to participate.”
Every single one of the thirty-three apprentices’ eyes burned with steadfast resolve. Rachel found her mouth going dry. She didn’t know how to respond to this.
“All of you…. You know as well as I do how dangerous the Battlefield is.”
“We do know. Precisely because we understand, this decision has been made with careful deliberation. Please do not worry.”
Instead, they reassured Rachel with warmth.
The Commoner Apprentices pressed their case further. Their words carried a profound Patriotism toward the Tirnes Empire. After a standoff lasting some ten minutes, Rachel found herself nodding.
“…Very well. I will take personal responsibility in conveying your wishes to the Crown Prince.”
“We are most grateful, teacher.”
“Thank you for believing in our resolve.”
The Commoner Apprentices departed the room with brilliant smiles.
“Ah….”
Alone in the empty space, Rachel let out an unconscious sigh.
She’d never imagined the situation would unfold like this. The fervent sincerity the apprentices had left behind still seemed to fill the room.
‘I need to tell Lucas about this.’
Rachel rose at once and made her way to the Crown Prince’s Palace where Lucas was staying.
“Teacher!”
When the outer walls of the Crown Prince’s Palace came into view, Rachel turned at the sound of a voice calling from behind her.
“Are you going to see your brother?”
Theo and Noah approached Rachel with bright, beaming smiles.
“Yes, I was heading to see the Crown Prince.”
“Perfect! We were heading that way too.”
“You were?”
“Yes. We have something we really want to show him. And we wanted to show you too, teacher. How fortunate. Let’s go together!”
Theo, brimming with excitement, grasped one of Rachel’s hands and drew her into the Crown Prince’s Palace. Noah firmly took hold of her other hand. Pulled along by the two princes, Rachel found herself crossing the threshold of the Crown Prince’s Palace in an instant.
“The Crown Prince, the two Imperial Princes, and Lady Rachel Swan have arrived.”
The chamberlain’s voice echoed, and shortly after, the firmly closed door opened to reveal Lucas.
“Rachel.”
“Lucas.”
Rachel smiled brightly at Lucas.
“Brother, I have something to show you and teacher.”
“Me too.”
Theo and Noah approached the table. Theo set down the box he’d been holding and began unwrapping it.
Inside emerged dozens of hand-drawn cards and a large map.
“What is all this?”
Lucas stepped forward, curiosity evident in his expression.
“I’ve traveled throughout the Tiernus Empire since I was small, but I heard that many of my friends haven’t had that opportunity. I wanted to create a map that would let them learn, through play, where things are located, what exists in different places, and which products are famous—all without having to venture far from home.”
What Theo had brought was, remarkably, a sort of board game.
‘Good heavens. How did he even conceive of something like this on his own?’
Rachel’s eyes widened in admiration.
“Theo, this is absolutely brilliant! Did you really design all of this yourself?”
“Yes. I designed it so that several people can roll dice together and naturally learn the empire’s geography.”
Theo puffed out his chest with pride.
“I never knew my younger brother harbored such remarkable talent.”
Lucas gently ruffled Theo’s hair in genuine admiration. Theo’s face lit up at the praise from his idol of an older brother, and he broke into a delighted smile.
“Noah has something prepared too.”
“Noah does?”
Rachel and Lucas both turned their attention to Noah. His ears flushed with embarrassment as he placed a worn book on the table.
“It’s nothing much… I wrote a novel. It’s about a certain ‘teacher’ who travels through a world completely different from this empire.”
A teacher who travels through another world?
Something familiar about the premise captivated Rachel, and she reached for the book. The moment she opened it to the first page, an illustration caught her eye—a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Rachel herself.
“That person is the protagonist. She was an ordinary teacher in the Tiernus Empire, but one day she opens her eyes to find herself awakening in a completely unfamiliar world—that’s where the adventure begins.”
The narrative was remarkably similar to Rachel’s own circumstances. With trembling hands, she read through the novel quickly.
‘The prose style and narrative structure are quite sophisticated.’
She knew that Noah possessed tremendous focus when writing, and that he preferred reading books to socializing with his peers.
All those countless seeds of inner cultivation had finally blossomed into glorious flowers.
“Noah… this is too precious to read alone. Every child in the Tiernus Empire should read this without fail.”
It was genuine praise, not empty flattery. Rachel squeezed Noah’s small hand tightly, moved to tears. Noah, looking flustered, averted his gaze and mumbled.
“I-I don’t think it’s quite that good…”
“It absolutely is! It’s truly wonderful!”
Rachel showered both children with enthusiastic praise, her eyes shining with affection.
“I’m so incredibly happy seeing you both grow into such magnificent people. I could cry tears of joy.”
It was a sentiment of absolute sincerity. There was no greater joy for an educator than witnessing lost children find their place and shine.
“When schools are officially established throughout the Tiernus Empire, I’ll place your creations in them.”
“Really?”
“When students study the map of the Tiernus Empire, Theo’s game will be the finest teaching material available. And Noah’s novel will plant new dreams and imagination in countless children’s hearts.”
Rachel looked into the children’s eyes as she made this solemn promise.
“So from now on, don’t be lazy. Keep studying and practicing diligently. Can you promise me that?”
Rachel extended her pinky finger first. The children, as if they’d been waiting for this moment, smiled with confidence and linked their fingers with hers.
“Brother, brother, hurry and link hands with us!”
“That’s right! Big brother, join us too!”
Theo and Noah called to Lucas. He let out a bemused laugh at first, then extended his large finger to complete the bond.
Four fingers became one.
Rachel took in the intertwined fingers, the two princes, and Lucas in turn, committing them all to memory.
How had our beginning been? The uncontrollable, wayward princes had wandered in cynical detachment from the world, and Lucas, the Crown Prince, had been nothing but rigid and businesslike.
Yet through countless ordeals endured together, the children had grown brilliantly, and Lucas had become the tender companion who now stood by her side.
‘The world refuses to be predicted even a single step ahead…’
But together with these people, she could face anything that lay before them.
Rachel thought of the impending war and tightened her grip on their joined hands.
* * *
News from the Front Lines arrived day after day.
Intelligence that the Crown Prince of the Anareо Empire had personally led a legion of mages down to the front positions was more than sufficient to push the Tiernus leadership to the brink of tension.

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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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