Chapter 24 : Give and Take (2)

Knights and students had often sought Hildegard’s personal instruction. She possessed the skill to warrant it. She was one of the academy’s most renowned young professors. While Professor Olivier Lovegood was praised for her individual skill and achievements, Hildegard had reached her position solely through her teaching ability.

She had received offers to serve as a general in the military and to be the head tutor for the eldest son of a ducal family. Hildegard had turned down all those offers and come to the academy.

She thought she had seen all sorts of people while working as a professor at the academy.

However…

“You’re the first mage to ask me to teach you swordsmanship.”

Hildegard looked up at Ziek. His physique certainly suited a knight better than a mage. But that didn’t mean Ziek had an aptitude for knighthood.

Hildegard first asked why he wanted to learn.

“You’re a mage. Do you need to learn swordsmanship from me?”
“…”

Ziek remained silent for a moment upon hearing her words. After a brief pause for thought, Ziek spoke, having organized his thoughts.

“I have someone precious to me.”
“…Huh?”
“I believe I need strength to protect that person.”
“Oooooh…!!!”

She had asked for a reason, expecting anything, but this was far more intriguing than she’d anticipated. Needing strength to protect a loved one. No one who had sought Hildegard’s tutelage had ever given such a reason.

Hildegard, who had been indifferent until a moment ago, asked with a look of interest, “You need strength? But why do you want to learn swordsmanship? You’re a mage. Shouldn’t you go to the Mage Tower like other mages?”
“Because I have no talent for magic.”
“…”
“For the first time in my life, I felt the desire to protect someone. But I have no talent for magic. I came to you, Professor, hoping to make up for it with my body.”

It was a more realistic reason than she’d expected. His intentions might have been romantic, but he had come to Hildegard after hitting the wall of reality.

Hildegard closed her eyes after hearing Ziek’s reason for seeking her out.

“…”
“…”

Ziek fell silent, as if he had said all he needed to.
Hildegard remained silent, her eyes closed.

The first to break the silence was Hildegard, her expression somewhat cold.

“…Do you think swordsmanship is a substitute for magic?”

The bright expression and interested gaze she had shown just moments ago were gone. Hildegard’s demeanor turned icy, setting a chilly atmosphere.

“Answer me, Substitute Professor Ziek. You want to learn from me because you have no talent for magic?”

Hildegard said, looking incredulous.

“Hey, do you think swordsmanship is that easy? Everyone who enters this field risks their lives to master it.”
“I know.”

Ziek said, looking down at Hildegard, fully aware. His expression was utterly calm, as if he had expected this reaction. Hildegard crossed her arms, as if to say, Let’s hear what he has to say.

“I didn’t come to you, Professor, with the lighthearted thought of learning swordsmanship instead of magic because it’s easy.”
“Then what is it?”
“As I said before, I want to protect someone precious to me. I am desperate enough to want to learn anything for her sake.”
“…”

He wasn’t belittling swordsmanship. He simply wanted to learn anything to become stronger. Since Ziek had no talent for magic, he turned to swordsmanship. As far as he knew, Lilia was the best sword wielder, but being skilled with a sword didn’t necessarily mean being a good teacher.

So, he had sought out the best swordsmanship instructor and bowed his head.

“…”

After confirming Ziek’s sincerity, Hildegard fell silent again. This silence wasn’t as long as the previous one. Hildegard, her expression somewhat softened, asked Ziek a question.

“May I ask a rather personal question?”
“That’s fine.”
“You and I are from different departments, but I hear things, you know? I heard you haven’t been lecturing your students since last week and have only been making them run. Why is that?”

Ziek, though wondering why she was suddenly curious about that, explained calmly.

“Stamina isn’t just important for knights. From my own experience exercising, once my muscles developed and my stamina increased, casting spells became easier. My calculations became faster, and the overall efficiency of my magic improved significantly. That’s why I’m starting the students with running.”

Hildegard listened to Ziek and examined his physique. She had thought he had a well-trained body, comparable to a knight, even when she first saw him. But after hearing his words and looking more closely, she noticed something she hadn’t before.

Muscles, clearly defined even under his suit and robe. His arm muscles, in particular, were impressive.

Is he actually not a mage?

“…So you weren’t just making them run without any thought?”
“I am an inexperienced educator. I was put in this position without any preparation. Rather than teaching students knowledge that isn’t perfectly organized in my head, I judged it better to teach them what I’ve experienced firsthand.”
“Rather than giving a lecture you might not even be able to deliver properly, you’re teaching them what you’ve personally confirmed to be effective…”

Hildegard’s expression softened considerably upon hearing Ziek’s answer.

“Well, it’s not very professor-like, but considering you were appointed as a substitute professor so suddenly, that’s not bad. I thought you were just tormenting the kids for no reason.”
“Why would I do that?”

Hildegard chuckled at his words.

“You said it yourself before I asked. That you have no talent for magic. Didn’t you?”

Ouch! Ziek recoiled as if he’d been hit in a sore spot. Hildegard had struck a nerve.

Regardless, Hildegard continued the conversation.

“On the other hand, the students admitted to the academy are some of the most talented children in the Empire, regardless of whether they’re nobles or commoners. See? Doesn’t that seem like enough reason to torment them?”
“That’s a misunderstanding.”
“I suppose so. My head must have gotten a bit stiff from standing at the podium.”

Hildegard was now smiling brightly, just as she had when they first met in front of the classroom. However, her smile seemed more mature than before. Considering her position as a professor in the Practical Studies Department, this might be her true self.

“Well, alright. You don’t seem like a lost cause as an educator, and your reason for wanting to learn swordsmanship is sound.”

Hearing that, it sounded like she was going to teach him swordsmanship.

If he hadn’t heard the rest.

“However… that doesn’t become a reason for me to teach you.”

You’re not a student, are you? Right?

Ziek affirmed Hildegard’s words with silence. Hildegard had no reason to teach him swordsmanship.

So, Ziek played the card he had prepared.

“If that’s all you have to say, I’ll go home.”
“Let’s make a deal.”
“A deal? You want to make a deal? You, with me?”

Hildegard gestured between Ziek and herself with her finger, as if she had heard something absurd. And rightly so, as they weren’t on equal footing for a deal. Hildegard was a professor in the top department of the Knight Department, while Ziek was a substitute professor who would likely be gone next year. Hildegard even had more money.

In such a situation, what Ziek offered as a condition for the deal was…

“Professor Hildegard. Do you feel an invisible wall between you and the senior professors?”
“!!!”
“I will help you with that.”

It was something she couldn’t obtain no matter how much money or fame she had. Hildegard, hearing Ziek’s words, stammered in surprise.

“H-How did you! No, wait… Can you tell just by observing my usual interactions? Even so, how?!”

Hildegard, initially surprised, calmed down a bit after a while and cleared her throat before speaking.

“Ahem, I’m not on the best terms with the senior professors… but can you really help me with that?”
“Do you know what Professor Silud, Professor Willens, and Professor Beryl have in common?”
“What is it… They’re all in their fifties?”
“All three of them are from high noble families or have served as knights in the Imperial family.”
“…!”

Hildegard, on the other hand, was a commoner. The reason Ziek brought up her origin wasn’t to say she shouldn’t try to befriend nobles because she was a commoner. He was referring to the inevitable wall between nobles and commoners.

Although there were factional disputes among professors, most of them had achieved significant accomplishments in their prime, so they didn’t discriminate against young professors for being commoners. True to the academy’s principle of treating everyone based on talent and skill, regardless of their noble or commoner status, the professors were largely the same.

“There’s an unavoidable cultural difference between nobles and commoners. They grew up in different environments.”
“…So, what exactly are you going to teach me?”
“The latest trends and culture of the nobility. I will tell you everything.”

This was the card Ziek had prepared for the deal.

Hildegard, hearing the terms of the deal laid out on the scales. She blushed, embarrassed, and said, “I-I can get help from other people for that, you know?!”
“From whom?”
“Uh… well… I mean…”

Hildegard, after a moment of thought, exclaimed loudly, “I can learn from the students!”
“…”
“…Okay, even I think that statement was a bit much. A professor asking students to teach her about social trends and culture. I have my pride.”

It was a bit much for a professor to be learning from students instead of teaching them. Hildegard, looking as ashamed as someone whose secret had been exposed, suddenly snapped to attention.

Thinking about it with a cooler head, it didn’t seem like a bad offer. Teaching each other. That way, she would also be giving something, so Ziek wouldn’t be able to go around saying, ‘Hildegard from Practical Studies is so friendless she learns social etiquette and culture from me.’

Of course, he wouldn’t dare say such things if he valued his life.

“Hmm…”

After a moment of thought, Hildegard spoke.

“…Hey.”
“Yes.”
“You, you’re confident you can teach well, right?”

What? There was no need to ask again. The moment she uttered those words, she had essentially accepted Ziek’s deal.

Ziek nodded affirmatively.

“Of course. I may have been disowned by my family, but there wasn’t a ball I wasn’t invited to.”
“Yeah, you do look the part.”

Tall stature and thick arms. Yet, he exuded an aura of a young nobleman rather than the ruggedness of a knight. Plus, he was handsome, so any ball would want to invite him.

Somehow, Ziek’s words didn’t feel entirely trustworthy. Wasn’t he invited to balls because of his face, not his social skills?

Hildegard shook her head, thinking it was a needless worry.

“Just so you know, I won’t be teaching you my secret sword techniques. What I’ll be teaching you is strictly Imperial Swordsmanship.”
“The same as what you teach the students.”
“That’s right. The 1st-year curriculum.”

Hildegard looked at him as if asking if he had a problem with that.

“I can’t teach a professor something more valuable than what I teach the students. If I’m going to teach, I have to teach the students first.”
“You’re right.”
“Instead, remember that this is a 1:1 lesson between you and me. Count yourself lucky. I’ve never given personal lessons to anyone before.”

Ziek reluctantly agreed. Actually, she didn’t even need to say “instead.” Ziek was satisfied with Imperial Swordsmanship from the beginning. He needed to build his foundation from scratch anyway.

Of course, he didn’t show it. The basis of a deal started with not revealing your satisfaction with the current situation. If Ziek looked dissatisfied, Hildegard would think, Were my conditions too harsh? I don’t think they were that bad.

Indeed, Hildegard showed a hint of apology and muttered, ‘Should I teach him a bit more diligently?’

Ziek’s social etiquette lessons had unknowingly begun.

Just as Ziek inwardly assessed the situation with satisfaction…

“Alright, shall we begin?”

Hildegard said, slowly stretching her body.

Ziek stared at her with a blank expression.

“…Excuse me?”
“I thought about it for a moment, and my conditions seemed a bit lacking. Instead, I’ll teach you really diligently! What are you doing? Hurry up and stretch.”

It seemed that stimulating her guilt had been overly effective.

Oh dear, this was a big problem. Being so clueless about social cues. Now I understand why she wasn’t close with the senior professors.

“First, I need to assess your level.”
“W-Wait a moment… Can’t we just start tomorrow…”
“Don’t use any magic, just come at me with your pure physical strength!”

Hildegard urged him to attack, raising her mana throughout her body.

Eventually.

I arrived home at 9 p.m., hands raised in surrender.

If my hands even slightly drooped…

“You, aren’t you going to keep your hands up properly?”

I had no choice but to raise them again.

I glanced back and forth between the cold dinner, the kitchen knife, and Lilia, who was looking down at me with an equally cold expression.

“…I’m sorry.”

Please spare me.