Chapter 332 - The Reality of a Noble Academy
The noble ladies lounging on the rooftop were visibly startled by my sudden appearance.
To be so surprised at being caught slacking off—this school is in worse shape than I thought. There’s no time for talk of prestigious lineages and traditions.
"Come now, clean up and return to class."
I start off gentle. If they respond well, there’s no need to get rough.
My audience is the Lady, the Lady, not some street urchin. I must be as polite and elegant as possible.
I, Yukareed Evilbanshee, am not like Nijouoohashi Shinogami of the Three Great Families of Exembra.
"Who are you, appearing so suddenly? How rude!"
"Surely you don’t expect us to obey your orders? Who do you think you are?"
"I don’t recognize you. Why don’t you introduce yourself?"
Ah, typical delinquent behavior from noble daughters. Their insolent remarks are delivered with impeccable politeness, which is oddly amusing.
But these are the daughters of Berliza’s nobility. I haven’t had a chance to review the student roster yet, so I have no idea who’s who. I approached them on a whim, but there might be a big catch among them, so I’ll try to handle this as smoothly as possible.
"Very well, then. I am Yukareed Evilbanshee, the newly appointed temporary instructor."
I speak with grace and refinement, embodying elegance to guide the inexperienced.
"Hah! A mere temporary instructor has no right to speak to us so casually!"
"Evilbanshee? I’ve never heard of that name. Hehe, where did you come from, some backwater village?"
"Even a third-rate baron is still nobility. Perhaps you should learn some manners?"
Bah, they get cocky when I show restraint. I have to suppress the urge to punch them.
Calm down. Always elegant, always refined. I mustn’t let their childish taunts get to me.
Every faculty member at Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy is of noble blood. They assume I am too, interpreting my Evilbanshee surname as that of a minor rural noble. This prestigious school, attended even by royalty, should have only verified and excellent staff. To dismiss me as a minor noble is a hasty assumption. Though, to be fair, I’m not even a minor noble.
Still, understanding every noble’s background is a challenge. The number of Berliza’s nobles is staggering. The vast territory of Berliza, including its scattered islands, requires a significant number of nobles for effective administration, not just for historical reasons.
The delinquents seem to interpret my silence as weakness and continue their taunts. They’re annoying, frustrating, and almost endearing in their stupidity.
"Since you’re new, I’ll enlighten you. This is Edith-sama of House Ribbonstrat."
"You have no right to speak to her as an equal!"
Ah, a familiar name. House Ribbonstrat is a marquess family. A marquess’s daughter would naturally have several followers.
While there are many noble families, only a few are marquesses or higher. It’s amusing to see her followers acting so smug, but they’re just kids. I’ll keep that in mind.
Still, a marquess family is significant. Even a rough count of Berliza’s nobility is impressive:
- Sixteen ducal families.
- Twenty-two marquess families.
- One hundred and fifty-one earl families.
- Seventy-nine viscount families.
- Four hundred and twenty-two baron families.
There might be slight variations, but that’s the number I recall.
The heads of hereditary noble families alone number nearly seven hundred, and their families add up to a considerable number. Memorizing their crests is already a challenge, let alone their faces and names. It’s a task for a dedicated position.
There are also one-generation nobles, who receive titles based on their roles, further increasing the number. It’s normal not to know every noble, especially those who aren’t influential or directly related to you. The world of nobility is complex and demanding.
The leader of the delinquent group is a curly-haired girl. This must be Edith Ribbonstrat.
House Ribbonstrat, while not among the most powerful, is a respected marquess family with a long history in Berliza. They have significant influence, and appearances can be deceiving. I know next to nothing about them.
But that’s about the family, not the girl herself. Here at the Academy, I’m responsible for student discipline, appointed by the Headmistress. Regardless of their family’s power, students should not defy faculty. I intend to use the nobility, not fear them. If they think I’m like the others, bound by connections, they’re sorely mistaken.
The followers have been noisy, but the curly-haired girl remains quiet. I hoped she might be the sensible one, but I doubt it. Her clouded eyes suggest a twisted character. She might be more trouble than I expected.
"Stop being silent and say something!"
"Get out of here, you’re in the way! Leave now!"
Ah, they’ve noticed my observation. The followers’ hostility isn’t just about bullying a new teacher. They’re trying to hide something.
I can guess what they’re up to, but exposing their misdeeds too quickly could complicate things.
As I’m pondering, the bell rings, signaling the end of class and the start of lunch. I’m hungry too.
"It’s lunchtime. Attend your afternoon classes properly. I’m a temporary instructor, but I’m also responsible for discipline. I won’t overlook anything. Good day."
I leave without further ado. This is the best way to avoid any lingering issues.
I ignore the followers and address the curly-haired girl. She doesn’t react, but I’ve said my piece and turn to leave.
"How dare you speak to Edith-sama like that! Who do you think you are, a mere temporary instructor?"
"We can’t tolerate this. We must fight back!"
"That’s right, we can’t let such a person get away with it!"
Let them rant. No matter how clever they are, these delinquents can’t do much to me.
Even if they use their family’s influence, my backing comes from the Headmistress, who has ties to the ducal families and other powerful figures. The Academy’s primary sponsor, the Berliza Royal Family, must have been consulted about my appointment. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.
The Headmistress can’t make such decisions without the approval of the royal family and other influential nobles. Most of the powerful figures’ spouses are graduates of this Academy, so it’s a reasonable assumption.
I’m the wildcard.
Unbound by connections, I’m a formidable force, well-equipped and free. I value honor in my line of work, as trust is crucial. I keep my promises.
As the wildcard, I’ll disrupt the delinquents’ easy life.
"Hehehe, this is interesting. Very interesting."
Mission one: Restore discipline.
Generally, this means enforcing school rules and maintaining order. I’ll see what happens as a result, or during the process. I’ll enjoy the show from the front row. To me, it’s just another job. I’ll discipline the delinquents without overthinking it.
After leaving the rooftop, I quickly eat lunch in the faculty dining room. I maintain perfect posture and table manners, as expected of Yukareed Evilbanshee.
The other faculty members either avoid me due to my special position or are unwelcoming. I eat in silence.
Since I’ll be here for a while, I should try to communicate more, but I’ll think about it later.
After lunch, I return to the rooftop. The delinquents are gone, but I have unfinished business.
I head to a hidden pavilion in the garden, and beyond it, a secluded area behind a hedge.
"Stop hiding and come out."
Someone has been hiding since the delinquents were here. Why are they still here?
Confidently, I wait. Eventually, a girl emerges.
Her gray uniform is neat, but her red, tear-streaked eyes and unusual hairstyle reveal the truth. The delinquents must have cut her hair. It’s a particularly cruel form of bullying, but not typical.
Bullying is usually done in secret, not openly. This suggests the delinquents are reckless. Still, hiding this girl means they don’t want to be caught. I need to investigate the curly-haired marquess’s daughter further.
"Class is starting soon. Go back."
There’s no need to ask what happened. It was obviously the delinquents.
This girl is quite cute, but her timid demeanor makes her an easy target. She’s the perfect victim for bullies.
I show no mercy to the victim.
"Go quickly. If you can’t attend class, go home. Are you a boarding student?"
"B-but..."
She hesitates, looking down.
The delinquents probably ordered her to stay here. Otherwise, there’s no reason to linger. She might be planning to hide her haircut with a wig.
"Are you asking me to look the other way? Go now."
I don’t consider the consequences of defying the bullies. With me here, things will change. The bullies will be the ones to fear.
Weakness invites exploitation. Whether in school or the world, the weak are always at a disadvantage. I’m on the side of the exploiters. I won’t offer easy salvation. The weak must change and rise on their own. No one will help them. If they want peace, they must change. Relying on divine intervention is futile. If they’re unhappy, they must change themselves. That’s part of education.
After a stern warning, the girl starts to cry and walk away.
"Wait. That hairstyle is unsightly."
I stop her and smooth her hair. I’m particular about women’s beauty. Her messy hair is unacceptable. Correcting her hairstyle is part of my duty. My magic can restore lost hair under certain conditions. She doesn’t notice the subtle use of advanced magic.
After fixing her hair, I send her off. As long as I’m here, I’ll crush the fools’ foolish acts.
Taking advantage of my rooftop vantage, I observe the surroundings.
Using my heightened senses and vision, I scan the club building and the forest. I notice...
"Wow, even in a rich kid’s school, there’s extortion. Oh, a fight over there? They’re using magic, which could be deadly. And that—could it be drugs? No, this is worse than I imagined."
This is a prestigious school? Don’t make me laugh.
It’s a bottom-of-the-barrel delinquent school.
The problems are mounting. A peaceful teaching life is out of the question...
I’ll discuss Mission Two in the next chapter.
Next chapter: "The Demon Instructor of the Maiden’s Garden."