Chapter 335

The news that I was elected as a teaching assistant surprisingly spread far and wide.

I swear, people passing by were whispering about me. They looked like first-year students from what I could tell.

It’s bizarre that a single student becoming a teaching assistant causes such rumors, but I am a celebrity in the Academy.

Whether that’s for good or bad reasons, my name is widely recognized. Naturally, it garners attention.

After all, the incidents I’ve been involved in haven’t been trivial. I assaulted a professor, and then I cut a classmate’s tongue.

It’s only natural given I’m still seen as a person who came from the wilderness that serious discussions happen around me.

“But I’m curious. Why did you decide to become a teaching assistant?”

This question reached Rod’s ears as well. To him, it was a perfectly reasonable query.

For a moment, I paused before answering, staring blankly. What was I even looking at?

“Chirp!”

“Slow down eating, or you’ll choke.”

“Chirp!”

Pijon-tu was pecking earnestly at Rod’s palm. Rod gently petted it, indicating it should eat slowly.

There was feed in the palm, but with its size, that amount wouldn’t even be a morsel.

It’s just a ‘snack’ made from herbs I collected in the forest. In other words, it’s health food.

‘And I didn’t get any?’

I felt a twinge of disappointment. Had Rod ever given me such healthy food?

“I’m curious about the first-year students.”

“Curious about the first-year students?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm.”

I answered Rod’s question, and he tugged at his mustache, pondering.

Yet he didn’t forget to feed Pijon-tu, who seemed to adjust its pecking strength carefully so as not to hurt Rod’s hand.

Honestly, Pijon-tu had probably grown closer to Rod since it was living in his residence.

“Since you’re curious, I guess I can’t help it. Curiosity can’t be suppressed too easily.”

“Then can I?”

“It’s fine, but… I can’t help but worry. This year’s first-year class has an unusually high ratio of nobles.”

That’s something I heard often. This year’s newcomers, particularly those from the Eastern Empire, are mostly aristocrats.

In the Eastern Empire, to be precise, signs of rebellion have started showing.

Strictly speaking, it’s not a rebellion but an ‘independence movement,’ but the Hwan Empire has cleverly labeled it as a rebellion.

It shows how well the Hwan Empire can manipulate public opinion. By now, Lee Yeon-joo is probably fuming.

“Are you worried that the first-year students will bully Sivar?”

Luna, Pijon-tu’s true owner, asked. Coincidentally, she was also one of those hoping to become a teaching assistant.

The semester and school opening fell on a Friday, followed by the weekend. That’s why everyone could gather at Rod’s residence.

Of course, this is true only for those with free time, and nobles like Grace and Kara had their own busy schedules.

“That, plus I worry Sivar might act violently towards the new students. There’re plenty of people who speak carelessly.”

“Doesn’t Sivar just rip out their tongues?”

“Many people tread the line, speaking in a way that’s almost crossing it. It’s ambiguous to ignore, but using violence is also tricky.”

I think I get what Rod is worried about. He’s talking about those who mix rudeness with a bit of cleverness to provoke others.

There’s a strange power in people’s words that can easily escalate into serious fights.

That’s why it’s common to see diplomats use phrases like ‘regrettable’ frequently.

On the surface, it looks like they’re laughing and having fun, but in reality, they’re viciously stabbing each other.

‘I’ve heard that etiquette includes diplomatic language.’

This is why nobles teach etiquette. It’s all about the art of backhanded insults, as open humiliation is not an option.

Of course, at times they speak directly with rudeness, which is basically the same as ignoring someone right to their face.

But the moment they get angry, they risk being labeled small-minded. That’s just how it goes.

“Um… Chancellour.”

“Speak.”

“Are the nobles you mentioned not a minority? Just looking at my circle, it seems like it.”

Luna made a valid point. Even my circle is mostly composed of ‘reasonable’ nobles.

First, there’s Grace. A noble who harbors a small fairy tale in her heart while working hard. And she’s a duke’s daughter.

Next, we have Kara. Perhaps because she’s a princess from a newly established nation, she’s quite approachable and easy to converse with.

In fact, she tends to scold those who discriminate against her. At least, she has never been the one to initiate conflict.

Third is Danyerin. Arguably the scariest yet most noble one.

Even when exiled to the Academy, she clutched onto her claim to the throne until the very end.

Lastly, there’s Karas.

‘Let’s just skip him; he’s a lunatic.’

At any rate, everyone in my circle has wonderful character. It’s only natural for Luna to question this.

However, Rod seems to think otherwise. He shook his head and shared his seasoned perspective.

“In the East, there’s a saying: birds of a feather flock together.”

“Oh, I’ve heard that one a lot.”

“Right. Good people gather around good people, but bad ones tend to flock with bad folks.”

That’s true. People naturally distance themselves from those who don’t align with their nature.

Conversely, being around the wrong crowd can lead to unexpected darkening of one’s heart. Just then, Rod explained.

“That’s why I think it’s a blessing that Sivar is hanging out with you all. Those with dark hearts can easily taint those around them.”

“Um…”

Luna stared intently at me after that comment. Her eyes glimmered with a shade of blue as she contemplated.

Then, she nodded and spoke in an understanding tone.

“That’s true. I can’t even imagine what would happen if Sivar were to associate with bad people…”

“Education is important, but it’s Sivar’s kind nature that helps too. More importantly, I wonder if the nobles will genuinely follow Sivar.”

“Don’t teaching assistants basically have no job to do?”

“That’s only if the students are following the professors well. Teaching assistants also take on some leadership roles.”

So in military terms, professors are like captains or platoon leaders, while teaching assistants are like sergeants or corporals.

You might be asking what that means. I’ve probably explained this before. Professors aren’t exactly free from political pressure.

If there are lots of commoners, it’s somewhat manageable, but if the nobles increase, things get really troublesome.

Whenever something happens, students usually channel it through golden boys and report it up the chain. Not to the Academy, but to their families.

It sounds immature, but many people behave like infants. This is when teaching assistants step in.

While it may sting emotionally, it’s less impactful than the professors, and they can cover it well.

“Do you think they’ll look down on Sivar? Besides, Sivar doesn’t really have anything that’s troubling him.”

“Oh, there was that time Kara almost got expelled due to discipline issues. We should consider malicious reports as well.”

Kara had indeed faced a similar situation. She had been wrongly reported, causing her trouble.

Fortunately, she only got a community service sentence for 100 hours, but it’s still worth noting.

“But other than Sivar, there are other assistants; it should be fine, right?”

“That’s not a bad observation. That’s why I willingly approved it. After all, it’s not my place to meddle.”

“Chirp!”

Was Pijon-tu done eating? It spread its wings wide. Rod shrugged off the crumbs and got up from his seat.

“I think we should wrap it up for today. I’ll take Pijon-tu for a walk now.”

“Uh… a walk?”

“Right. Isn’t it better than cramped up in this tiny room? The backyard isn’t that large, so we’ll head into the forest.”

That’s actually a valid point. Pijon-tu is way bigger than a large dog.

To put it roughly, it can be compared to an ostrich. There’d be plenty of discomfort keeping it inside.

Still, that doesn’t mean they can just walk around openly; hence, the choice of the forest is appropriate. It’s not dangerous either.

“Well then, we’ll take our leave. Thank you for the consultation.”

“Consultation, my foot. If a student ever harasses Sivar, let me know. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“Okay. Sivar, let’s go.”

“Yeah. Bye for now.”

I waved goodbye to Rod and stepped outside with Luna. With nothing left to do, I figured I’d head back to the lodging.

“Oh, Sivar.”

“?”

“Are you really going to hit the first years?”

What kind of talk is that? Anyone hearing it would think I’m the resident violence enthusiast.

Yet, aside from the absurdity, I couldn’t completely dismiss the thought. Didn’t they say beasts are ruled by lashes?

After pondering seriously for a moment, I shrugged and replied.

“What if they cross the line?”

“Um… alright. I’ll help you out.”

“You mean, help me hit?”

Is she originally like this? I was surprised enough to question it again.

Luna seemed to realize she spoke out of turn and shook her head vigorously. Then, she spoke in a slightly panicked tone.

“No. No. That’s not it. Just… help you maintain yourself?”

“Maintain myself? What does that even mean?”

“Um… there’s something like that.”

Luna made a wry smile and spouted ambiguous words.

“You came from the wilderness, so you’ll probably understand most of it, right?”

“…”

I had no idea what she was talking about.

******

When Sivar and Luna returned to their respective residences.

Rod headed to the forest entrance with Pijon-tu. Just to be safe, he took care to stay out of sight.

“Sivar as a teaching assistant… I wonder if he’ll manage well. I just hope he doesn’t cause any accidents.”

Once he reached the forest, Rod smoothly settled onto Pijon-tu’s back.

Having ridden horses during his wandering days, this felt simple enough. Even if Pijon-tu wasn’t exactly a horse.

‘Wait. It might actually be better if Sivar caused some trouble.’

He felt a pang of excitement. The prospect of Sivar executing his assistant duties and the events that would unfold.

Does Sivar even have what it takes to lead someone? If so, he could become an excellent commander.

Moreover, others around him would surely take notice. A person with immense strength wielding powerful leadership and charisma.

‘If Sivar breaks free from the demon, he’ll need a job… what would be good for him?’

-Tock. Tock. Tock. Tock.

Pijon-tu began to move its legs slowly. Rod, perched on Pijon-tu’s back, continued his deep thoughts.

Pijon-tu didn’t look too strained either. In fact, its expression seemed quite familiar.

‘This is something to think about gradually.’

Rod stopped his thinking, looking ahead. Pijon-tu’s head came into view.

“Okay. Let’s practice flapping those wings today too. Got that?”

“Chirp!”

“You don’t need to be scared. Grandpa will protect you. Now…”

Rod was filled with anticipation.

“Go!”

“Chirp!”

He gave Pijon-tu a gentle kick in the side.

After herb gathering, Rod had found a new hobby.

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