Chapter 19

The day after my health check-up, the real training began.

Rod started teaching me how to read and write. Naturally, I didn’t step outside except for mealtimes.

Even outside, Rod kept a close watch on me. It was probably because of that incident with the rock hitting the church bell tower.

I was just throwing a stone out of courtesy, but to others, it must have looked insane. No regrets, though.

I shrugged off the status window indicating my faith had dropped. It didn’t matter since nothing else was decreasing anyway.

‘Normally, penalties come with stat reductions.’

Throw a rock at the church spire for fun? Then your stats might permanently decrease.

Since it was a faith stat, many players throw rocks for fun, provided they aren’t dealing with faith-related jobs.

As for me? I just did it out of frustration.

Given my current state, I needed to insult something at least once.

“Try repeating after me. Apology.”

Rod’s education proceeded normally.

Having received a health check-up, it seemed Rod realized I could communicate to some degree and started teaching me words.

“Shit.”

“Apology.”

“Shit.”

“Ap. o. lo. gy.”

“Shi. t.”

“… …”

Of course, just because I could communicate didn’t mean I could immediately grasp the language.

Language barriers aside, learning to write was even tougher. Words were a bit difficult.

It was a blessing I could understand spoken words; if not, my future would have looked bleak.

‘Grammar is shot to hell, though.’

Words were fine. But what truly drove me to despair was grammar.

I had to struggle almost to the point of madness to understand even a little bit.

Listening was easy, but reading and writing were hard. I could barely pick out a few words.

“Words can be learned through effort. Let’s try again. Do you understand what this is?”

“Shit.”

“… … I’m realizing my lack of teaching talent.”

Still, as Rod sensed that I was starting to grasp writing, he started focusing on my education.

He didn’t neglect his usual tasks either. Apparently, he was the type who does everything he needs to do and then has fun.

He grumbled about how he couldn’t play because of me and the unexpected education.

“Hey, Sivar! What did you learn today?”

“Shit (a lot).”

“Still the same, huh? But I bet you learned a lot, right?”

After class, Eli came to teach me writing. With Porori in tow, of course.

While getting lessons from Eli, I shifted my gaze to Porori, who was munching on an acorn without a clue of where it came from.

As expected of a squirrel, it was eating that acorn quite vigorously. If you just looked at it, you’d think it was a cute little thing, but its temperament was another story.

“Eli, student. Are you bringing that spirit creature to class with you?”

“No, I usually let it out during class. It just comes back to me after class ends.”

“So, it’s a spirit, so no worries.”

I could do the same if I wanted. I was sure it would return when the time was right.

When I looked at Porori with envy, its reaction was quite a sight.

“Caw (dummy).”

Just look at it lifting one corner of its mouth. I wanted to whack it over the head.

But if I did that, who knows what would happen? I might get scolded by Eli.

I swallowed the anger rising in my chest and continued my training.

“Wow. You wrote exactly what I said? Already this much? Sivar’s a genius!”

By the end of the first day, I managed to easily transcribe simple spelling and words.

“Request a candy? That won’t do. You might end up with all your teeth rotting.”

Two days later, I could write words on my own, not just transcribe.

“I think we can have some communication now, right?”

“Sort of. If I just pick words to say, it shouldn’t be impossible.”

On the third day, I managed to communicate, albeit with some struggle.

However, forming sentences remained difficult. Like I said, listening was easy, but reading and writing were burdensome.

Still, just the fact that I could communicate was a tremendous improvement.

Although the language barrier still existed, it would surely get better.

‘Soon, I’ll have to tell him that there’s poison in the cart.’

I didn’t know whether he’d believe it. Rod trusted Dan, the resident physician, enough to make him his main doctor.

I didn’t think a few of my words would make him believe me.

It would be better to instill doubt little by little than to drop it all at once.

If that happened, Rod would naturally catch on that the demon was working behind the scenes.

However, considering that the destruction of the Academy was primarily targeting Rod, I had to proceed slowly for his safety.

Demons, especially those of the highest rank, were tough opponents even for Rod.

The moment Rod starts investigating, the demons would catch on, and the difficulty would spike dramatically.

I had struggled with this subtle tug-of-war even in the game.

“The key isn’t just knowing words. It’s understanding how much we grasp each other’s meaning through actions.”

“That doesn’t sound like a short-term problem.”

“Hmm…”

Learning words was good news, but a more difficult task lay ahead.

That was to teach me the meaning of actions and basic common sense.

Having common sense is essential for normal living. Without it, I would face various troubles.

However, I couldn’t guarantee that learning common sense would help cultivate sociability.

“How about we first teach what not to do before getting into understanding? Sivar is still struggling to make judgments on his own.”

“You mean we should build a temporary fix.”

“Yes. I read in a book that people who grew up in the wilderness…”

No matter what they were blabbering on about, I focused on reading the book. It was a fairy tale book that Elvin had saved for me.

From what Eli said, it was a story of a hero who defeated a demon.

In real history, heroes did defeat demons, so it could be seen as a history book in a way.

I couldn’t really do much other than combine known words to infer context, but I read with a mindset to study.

“Sivar.”

While I was engrossed in reading, Eli called out to me. I turned my head in her direction.

I met her gently glowing golden eyes. Her bright smile was delightful.

“I’m going to tell you things you must not do from now on. You’ll follow along, right?”

She emphasized by raising her index finger. Unlike Rod, who was all about duty, she looked happy about it.

I wondered if I should pretend I didn’t know everything or just obediently follow along.

But becoming closer to Eli wouldn’t hurt. Even if she was a bit of a sea cucumber, she was still a walking potion.

Besides, with Porori around, my safety should be assured.

I decided to turn my body as if I was ready to take it all in.

“First, you must not hit people for no reason. Especially since Sivar is strong, you need to control your strength well. Got it?”

I nodded my head as a sign that I understood her explanation.

Unless someone insulted or touched me first, I had no reason to use my strength.

Even if I did use my strength freely, Rod would immediately suppress me. He was keeping that in mind while taking care of me.

“Nice! Also… yes! You must not commit theft. Do you know what theft is?”

Eli then diligently listed out one by one what I should not do.

I shouldn’t throw hurtful words carelessly. I shouldn’t act however I please, and so on.

Most of it was related to morals, so I didn’t need to listen too closely, but I still did.

She explained with a lot of enthusiasm. For some reason, she seemed to have a sense of responsibility.

And naturally so, since she brought me here. Even persuading Luna, who was hesitant.

Thanks to her, I escaped from the infuriating woods, so it was only fair that I gave back in some way.

“Hmm… is there anything else we need right now? Chancellor?”

“Speak up.”

“Have you perhaps given Sivar sex education?”

“… …”

In her overenthusiasm, she even caught Rod off guard. He decided that sex education should be taught slowly.

After that, they started with basic morals and straightforward common sense. I listened intently to facilitate a quicker adaptation and narrative involvement.

Since I already knew everything, pretending to understand made everyone happy.

And so, about a week passed since I began my education with them.

“Repeat after me, Eli.”

“Shit.”

“Eli.”

“Shi. t.”

“… …”

While I steadily learned new words, my language barrier showed no signs of improving. I was trying my best, but it wasn’t working out.

Eli seemed puzzled by my stagnant vocabulary.

“That’s strange. The book said consistent conversation would improve it.”

“What book was that? I’m curious about the content.”

“It’s about a man raised by monkeys who meets an explorer from civilization later in life.”

If you just heard it out loud, it sounded like a Tarzan story. But judging from Rod’s reaction, it seemed there was no Tarzan in this world.

“Maybe it differs from person to person, though. Still, since you can understand words, if we teach you well, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“Is admission still impossible?”

“Admission will still be challenging, but… if you can just listen well, it should be fine…”

Rod trailed off, looking at me. I met his gaze as well.

What could I do to give them confidence? It seemed they were hesitant about my admission due to my language issues.

In that case, I’ll have to write it down on paper to express myself. It’d also be a good time to make requests.

With that, I began carefully writing each letter on a piece of paper with a pen.

Once I was done, I showed Rod the completed sentence. What I had written was this:

[Give candy. Quietly follow.]

“… … Hehe.”

Rod let out a chuckle after reading what I wrote. He looked astonished, but also a bit proud.

My goal was to engage in the story, not specifically for candy. I was just directing him to think that way.

“That’s what it says? So now it’s fine, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Shit?”

Why not? Didn’t you say if I get candy, I’ll listen well?

Eli also looked taken aback by Rod’s rejection, mirroring my surprise.

Rod pulled on his neatly trimmed mustache and explained his many reasons.

“Sivar’s adaptation is crucial. If we force admission and you struggle to adapt afterward? That’d be troublesome in many ways. For the time being, you’ll go through an experiential phase.”

“Experiential phase? Is there such a thing?”

“The Tartar princess went through it once. Official admission was just this year.”

Oh, right. I forgot about that setup.

Kara was about two years older than the other characters. Rod mentioned that for a reason.

An experiential phase is merely supposed to last a month, and since Kara passed through it without issue, she was able to enroll.

Still, she caused all sorts of trouble after admission, though her nature was kind—if you know how to handle her.

“Originally, the Tartar princess was supposed to enroll last year. However, she postponed it due to matters in her homeland.”

“So if Sivar successfully goes through this phase, does that mean he can enroll?”

“There will be more discussions than with the Tartar princess. But if it’s said that giving candy makes you listen well, it should be fine.”

“I thought if the professor recommended me, everything would be fine…”

“There’s an experiential phase only for special cases. Sivar is indeed one such case.”

Does this mean I need to manage myself well for a whole month? Honestly, that’s ambiguous.

I don’t know what criteria they’ll use to judge my adaptation. I’m planning to carry out acts that could be termed misbehavior in the interim.

To clear the first critical point, the collapse of the Academy, smoothly, it’s unavoidable.

‘I have to act as normal as possible.’

While I was making that mental commitment, Rod looked me up and down and nodded before speaking.

“First, it’s decided you’ll go into combat roles. We need someone to keep an eye on you as well…”

Soon, a familiar face was summoned.

“Even if he’s ranked first, why am I…?”

Elvin, who would become my superb shuttle, was also tagged along.

He wore a face that said he had no idea why he was there. He probably thought Luna would be in charge of this kind of thing.

“Out of everyone, you know Sivar best. I figured Luna alone might struggle with handling Sivar. Don’t you think?”

“… …”

The first to arrive, Luna, only offered an awkward smile without answering.

Unlike Elvin, she didn’t have a dazed look, suggesting she might have foreseen this.

She shot me a glance, then replied with a bittersweet smile.

“I will do my best.”

“Great, great. And Elvin?”

“I… will follow orders.”

Rod beamed at both Luna and Elvin in turn.

It was a sight akin to the principal of a military academy having a friendly chat with the dull soldiers. Quite the charming scene.

“If you successfully finish your adaptation, I’ll personally teach you two some great techniques. How does that sound?”

“Is there anything else you need from me?”

“I will follow just as instructed.”

Even then, they couldn’t hold back.

Rod’s suggestion was met with both of them responding in serious tones.

I almost burst out laughing at their utterly comical demeanor.

“Well, the guardians who will be watching over you are taken care of… now, we need a professor to report to…”

“You can report to the Chancellor, right?”

“Just because I’m busy doesn’t mean I’m available twenty-four seven. I need to consider when I’m absent too. Who would be good…”

Rod looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought. It seemed he couldn’t think of a suitable professor.

“How about asking Sivar?”

“Hmm?”

“It’s easier if someone who knows Sivar even a little bit handles it. Professor Malboro has even helped bathe Sivar.”

Just then, Eli offered a reasonable opinion. It seemed like a decent compromise.

Rod, likely seeing the merit in the idea, immediately turned to look at me, and everyone else’s eyes followed suit.

“Did you hear? Who would you pick as your professor?”

“But Sivar doesn’t know the professors’ names, does he?”

“Even if he doesn’t, he’ll remember their faces.”

I certainly did know. Each one had such distinct features that it was hard to forget.

Upon being told to choose a professor, I pondered for a moment. This was an opportunity to get closer to one of them.

‘Of course, it has to be Godin, not some push-over.’

A professor who rewards you with a better return for even a small act of kindness. I started to write down the name on paper before hesitating.

As Eli said, did I ever catch all the professors’ names? I couldn’t be too sure.

With different professors, I might have trouble explaining. But with Godin, he had unmistakable characteristics.

I put down the paper and pen, then lifted my fingers to my eyes.

Fwwwhhh—

And to express Godin’s characteristic, ‘half-squinting eyes,’ I pulled at them. By now, they must have looked rather closed.

“Um…”

“Uhh…”

“… …”

However, the reactions were kinda odd. Rod and the others all wore the same horrified expressions.

I read the atmosphere and lowered my hands. What on earth was the issue?

In the weirdly flowing atmosphere, the first to speak was Elvin.

“… … Luckily, there’s no Eastern being here.”

Next was Eli.

“… … Sivar also seems like he might be an Eastern being, so is it really fine? Although his skin is light, his features are quite Eastern.”

Finally, Luna chided Eli.

“Eli. No matter the race, you must not do such things. There’s no doubt that racism is something we need to teach properly.”

Oh. Right, there was racism here.

In the game, they were careful not to implement it, but I knew it had been expressed at least in text.

If you were to squint your eyes at an Eastern person? It’d be bizarre if that didn’t lead to a life-or-death decision immediately.

Not to mention, there are also specific racist gestures directed toward Westerners.

“Sivar. You can never do such things to people like us. Now, look here.”

Eli raised both hands to her cheeks and pulled them down. Her adorable face twisted into a silly expression.

Unlike Easterners, whose aging was relatively slow and whose facial changes were minimal, Westerners aged rapidly.

That action is a gesture that mocks that characteristic. Quite a ridiculous thing.

I quietly listened to Eli’s admonition before showing her what I wanted to say on paper.

[Fake racism. Hit. Possible?]

Racism was a new term for me, so I couldn’t spell it out correctly, but as long as she understood, that was enough.

Eli looked at what I wrote, nodded her head, and replied vigorously.

“Of course! That kind should be hit!”

“Elie.”

“Why? Those uneducated people don’t deserve to attend the Academy. The Chancellor thinks so too, right?”

Rod shrugged while replying to Eli’s question.

“I don’t know if Sivar will understand, but I can accept that much. After all, those engaging in racism don’t get to stay in school.”

“Did you hear that?”

“Haah…”

Luna let out a deep sigh. She must have intuitively figured something would go wrong.

I wouldn’t cause a scene unless someone provoked me first, anyway.

As long as they didn’t mess with me first.

‘… … This is going to be tough.’

That’s what I thought too.

---