Chapter 216 - Afterward [Apology]
After returning to Fiddiq Academy, I was back to my normal routine by the following week. The only difference was that the number of students attending my lectures had clearly increased.
Furthermore, about a month later, Langus arrived from the Elven Kingdom as well.
"Oh, my beloved wife!"
He shouted that the moment he arrived at the academy, and a strange rumor spread through the school in an instant.
"Ah, ahhh, Aoi got married!?"
"...Is that true?"
Even Rox and Felter apparently heard the rumor and came all the way to ask me about it.
"It is not true. Please tell everyone that as well."
I said that every time someone asked, but the rumor would not die down easily.
"Aoi-sensei, you getting married?"
"Is it true, big sis!?"
"Marriage! Congratulations!"
Before I knew it, the rumor had even reached the thugs who ruled the back alleys of the city.
"No, that is not true. I have no intention of getting married."
"Oh, so it's a common-law husband, then."
"Certainly, if you consider hostages and such, making it public might be a bad idea, huh?"
Even when I denied it, the conversation sometimes veered off in strange directions. Each time something like that happened, my anger toward Langus grew, but the trouble was that he meant no harm.
As I fretted with a headache, even representatives from various countries started sending me letters. As I opened and read the letters that arrived, several people approached and called out to me.
"Sensei, you're making a really scary face—what are you reading?"
When Ayle asked, I briefly told her the contents of the letter.
"...Middleton is asking whether the marriage rumors are true."
After summarizing the contents simply, Ayle, Liz, and Bell burst out laughing.
"Everyone knows that rumor by now~"
"Really now, how did it ever come to this..."
As I sat on a bench in the academy courtyard holding my head, Ayle and the others laughed even more. Whether drawn by the sound or not, the members who had been attending my lectures from the beginning gradually gathered around.
"S-Sensei? Are you alright?"
Shenley asked with concern. Behind her stood Dean as well.
"The lecture is about to start, but if you're not feeling well, perhaps you could take a break?"
Cote also offered kind words. However, I could hardly say that I was suffering from mental fatigue due to gossip.
"...If necessary, I'll go challenge that elf instructor."
"Mm. In that case, I'll go too. There are many things I need to say to him..."
Rox agreed with Felter's dangerous words. I needed to stop them, but I did feel somewhat tempted to give them permission.
No, no—Langus meant no harm. As proof, after I told him to stop, he has not brought up marriage at all.
"Well, we'll sort it out as adults, so don't worry."
"Th-That's right! Aoi-sensei will stay at the academy even if she gets married!"
Strass and Eliza offered support that was not very supportive at all. Still, everyone seemed concerned about me, and I felt a little lighter.
"...U-Um, if you push yourself too hard, it might get tough later..."
Solare called out to me from the shade of a tree in a voice so quiet it was almost inaudible. Solare had become able to walk through parts of the academy now. That said, he was not trying to talk to students, so he seemed to mostly walk through the courtyard while trying not to be seen by anyone.
In any case, the current atmosphere at Fiddiq Academy was extremely good. If anything, I was the only one worn down from taking damage from the rumors. More and more people kept coming to my lectures, and the severe discrimination and bullying based on status and race that I had occasionally heard about had also become less frequent.
Well, one problem was that because I properly punished every major case of discrimination and bullying I discovered, the nickname "Academy Witch" had started to spread even among the townspeople.
"Sensei, it's almost time for the lecture."
"Will you take the day off?"
"If you're taking the day off, let's all go to a café!"
Ayle and the others chattered noisily at me, interrupting my thoughts.
"...No, let's go to the lecture. I thought of an interesting spell, so I'd like to try it out with everyone."
"What kind of spell is it?"
"An airship... no, should I call it a magical airship? I was thinking of making a ship float in the sky."
"Wow, that sounds so interesting!"
"I want to ride it!"
"I'm sure Headmaster Glenn will be overjoyed again."
Hearing the students' cheers, I laughed and stood up.
The sunlight filtering through the gaps in the trees sparkled brilliantly before my eyes.