NOVEL NEXT C5
C5: Aizawa Sensei, the luggage
It’s been a month since I arrived in the Kingdom of Ostrode. I was lying on the ground with the kingdom-issued one-handed sword hanging from my waist. Currently, I am doing basic training with Nakatsugawa and Ashcroft-sensei. The content was simple, running and strength training to build up my physical strength.
“——Sensei, take a break.”
“Sorry——”
I was already used to Ashcroft-sensei’s tired gaze. And Nakatsugawa, who is training with me, isn’t even sweating.
“Nakatsugawa, as usual.”
“Yes, sir.”
Teacher Ashcroft and Nakatsugawa materialize the unique weapons created from their respective cheats, then, the mock battle begins. I sit down and observe their mock battle.
“———huh?”
Nakatsugawa was like a hero. He’s probably the strongest in the class. He’s going toe-to-toe with Ashcroft-sensei, the strongest person in the kingdom of Ostrode. Well, I heard that both of them are not serious.
It’s not just Nakatsugawa, everyone else has become much stronger as well. The level of cheats has increased and many students have learned new abilities.
As for me———
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[Name] Seiji Aizawa
[Cheat] Repair Level 1
○ Able to repair broken objects.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
It was still the same.
I joined the support group and trained my cheat, but Repair didn’t work. I tried broken vases, broken swords, cracked walls, and many other things, but nothing worked. I was useless as hell.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
Dinner was over and it was free time. The students walked around Ostrode Castle as if it were a school. They went to play in their rooms, sneaked out to the castle town, and talked with the Nekomimi maids they made friends with at the castle. I think they may have forgotten about Japan by now.
“——huh?”
I was sitting in my room drinking ale, the beer of this world. Now, the only thing I enjoy is ale after training. I’ve actually heard the knights call me “baggage” behind my back.
It’s true that basic training is all I can do, and I can’t even learn to use a sword. There’s nothing I can do, to be honest. The gap between me and my students is widening, and I know I said I would rely on them, but this is just too much.
I poured myself a glass of ale from a metal jar and ate a sausage for dessert. I’m starting to feel miserable. Then there was a small knock on the door.
“Who——?”
“Sir, I’m Shion.”
“What do you want?”
“Can I come in?”
“Hmm——okay.”
“Hello.”
It was Shion Mikazuki and two cats who came in.
“You’re drinking, sir.”
“It’s my way of having fun.”
Mikazuki sat on the bed and picked up the cat that was purring at her feet.
“What’s up? Do you need something?”
“No, I just came because I’m free. Akane and the others have already gone to the Order Commander’s.”
“Going to see Mr. Ashcroft? Why?”
“He said he’d teach them a game like chess in this world, and most of the girls joined in.”
“You’re not going?”
“No, it’s not important, because of these girls.”
Cats in other world are no different from cats in Japan. These guys are said to have been brought in by Mikazuki through her “Cat Collector” cheat, and became her friends.
Mikazuki is a cat user, a support cheat. Cats are everywhere, and they’re great for scouting and gathering information. By the way, the two cats here seem to be her first feline friends. The tiger cat is “Torajiro” and the white cat is “Shirosuke.”
“Sir, are you tired?”
“Uh——I don’t know.”
I’m tired——physically, or mentally, or both. I drank my glass and poured myself a refill——Oh, there’s no more.
“Don’t lose, Sensei.”
“Hmm?”
“Everyone loves Sensei more than he knows, you know? I like you too, you’re so kind.”
“Haha, thanks. I’m not going to lose, but what do you mean?”
“The knights——have been saying bad things about you.”
“I’m not trying to get the Order to like me, I’m working hard so that everyone in my class can go home. You want to go home too, right?”
“——Yeah.”
“I see. Just because you think so, I will do my best. I want to bring you back home, and I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen.”
“Sensei—–”
“So——good luck to you too. Please——”
I was a little sleepy, probably because I had drunk too much. As I watched Mikazuki playing with the cat, my consciousness began to slip away. With my cheek resting on the desk, I couldn’t resist my eyelids getting heavier.
“Thank you——”
I thought I heard a voice.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
Another month passed. Each of the students had become what could be called a formidable fighter. The battle groups were beyond the level of the Knights. By this time, the students were no longer flaunting their status. I wonder if they have secret skills.
Today, the battle group and the support group had gathered for a meeting.
“Your growth has exceeded our expectations. No one, including me, expected that you would be able to shorten our original schedule so much and still gain so much strength. So, although it’s a little early, I’d like you to form a party and engage in real battle.”
Real combat, in other words, fighting monsters. It’s not training, it’s an exchange of lives.
“We’re here at last.”
“Heh, monsters are small fry.”
“You know, we’ve gotten pretty strong.”
The students are excited but I don’t know how to feel about that.
“Now, I and Anastasia will announce the party we have put together based on your respective cheats, so those whose names are called, please step forward.”
Professor Ashcroft calls out the names. There are six teams of five people in total and they didn’t call my name——Yeah, I knew that.
“What about me——?”
“I’m afraid you’ll have a tough time fighting the monsters.”
“———”
Indeed, Professor Ashcroft is right. To put it bluntly, I’m the baggage teacher of the class. I’m weaker than the support group, and my useless cheat is still level one. But I’m the teacher and these are my precious students.
“I’m coming with you. Please let me.”
“But——“
“Students are risking their lives. I’m a teacher, I can’t just sit here and wait. I’m begging you.”
I bow my head in front of my students. It doesn’t matter if it’s uncool or pathetic. I’m everyone’s homeroom teacher.
“I’m asking you, too.”
“Shion⁉”
Then Mikazuki lined up next to me and bowed her head.
“He’s our teacher. I want everyone to be together.”
“Mikazuki.”
“I’ll take care of him.”
In addition, Nakatsugawa also stepped forward.
“Aizawa-sensei had been training with me for a long time. It’s true that he was overwhelmed by basic training, but he was able to keep up with my basic training, which was five times as much as——everyone else’s training. You can count on him.”
“Five times more.⁉ I’ve never heard of that before.”
“What, I didn’t know about——?”
I couldn’t help but shout. That training was five times longer than normal?
Everyone laughed at my remark to Nakatsugawa. Professor Ashcroft chuckled and exhaled.
“——Then I’ll assign Sensei to Nakatsugawa group.”
“——Yes.”
All right——I’ll do it.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
We were headed to the ruins near the Kingdom of Ostrode. Apparently, the ruins have been there since ancient times, and there are monsters living underground.
In front of the ruins, Professor Ashcroft said with a serious expression.
“These are ancient ruins from long ago. There are three underground levels, and monsters live on every level. There are three types of monsters: Green Goblins, Green Ants, and Green Worms. All of them are G-class monsters, but you can’t afford to be careless.”
Monsters are divided into grades A to G, and the closer they are to A, the stronger they are.
There are six groups of students, and each group is led by a member of the Order. This time, our goal was to advance to the third level, fight all three types of monsters, and return home.
“Okay, team one. Are you ready?”
The first group is led by Jojima, who is a good-looking guy, probably because he’s been trained in baseball.
After the second and third groups departed, it was my group’s turn to enter——
“Okay, let’s go, everyone.”
Nakatsugawa takes the lead and inspires everyone.
“Sensei, come on.”
“Yeah.”
Mikazuki pulled my sleeve and I walked into the ruins.
This was the beginning of everything.