PMZ 073 – ★My imaginary teacher

Anyway, I spent almost the entire month immersed in my studies.

Thanks to the Duke’s tutoring, I think I was able to make outstanding progress.

The piano took care of my lack of exercise and my mood swings.

As you would expect from the Duke’s piano, it had a clear and deep sound. Its tuts are light. Even though I was playing in the same way as before, the degree of perfection was much higher, making it more exciting, and I got absorbed in it while taking a break from studying.

Just like when I hunt, this puts my concentration at a higher level and keeps my head clear.

When the Duke found out about this, he said, “if Art helps you. You should do it more.” He also gave me a piano teacher, who taught me how to play fast and how to practice fingering effectively.

We learned a variety of songs and had fun playing a duo with Alice’s violin after dinner.

We would play a piece together, matching our breath through eye contact and sound. I felt that this was a good way to communicate.

I’m enjoying my life in the Duke house more than I thought I would.

Right now, I’m trying to play a complex piece that Alice said she liked.

Apparently, she can’t play it perfectly because her fingers can’t reach some parts due to her hands’ size.

As if to prove her statement, the score was packed full with notes and music symbols from top to bottom, even I thought that it was impossible to play at first.

However, when I tried to play it with one hand, I felt like I could do it by utilizing what I learned from my Piano teacher. So I worked on it without hesitation.

Alice had given it a mysterious title, “Almost a Heroic Polonaise” but the melody certainly reminded me of heroes’ battles and triumphs.

It is entirely different from church music in its composition.

The right hand is fast and wide, and the left-hand flies all over the place, making it very busy.

But it’s worth the challenge.

The song’s characteristic rhythms, which I thought were not there at first glance, appeared for the first time when I played it with both hands.

I like it too. I want to finish it perfectly and say to Alice, “Did it do it right?” to Alice. That’s my main goal right now.

The month passed quickly, and I took the entrance exam to the academy before my knighthood.

I had a good score. I heard that after it was delivered to the Duke the next day.

He didn’t tell me how it went, but he just said, “Don’t be conceited and keep improving.”

He is right.

Pride is my number one enemy.

I have always been aware that there is still someone higher than me.

I’m sure that somewhere in a remote cave deep in the mountains, there’s a great man who looks like just an old man but is a legendary sage.

For some reason, he knows everything about the mundane world and calls the king of various countries “that little boy.”

I think he even refers to things that happened about a hundred years ago as “just recently.”

He’s so powerful that he can conquer the world with his amazing magic, sword fighting, and martial arts, but he’s felt that it’s all were too much of a hassle, so he decided to lives a relaxed life while loving nature.

I’ve always wanted to find someone like that, so I’ve always chosen places that look like that for my expeditions.

I haven’t found one yet, but if I do, I’m going to ask him to take me as an apprentice.

If Alice allows me, that is.

Enough about that… the academy was located near the center of the noble district, right next to the royal palace, and it was a gorgeous building that you could say was part of the royal palace.

The school building sits in the middle of the vast grounds with well-kept gardens and woods.

On the first day of school, the Duke’s carriage dropped me off at the academy, and I looked around as I walked behind Jeffrey, who was guiding me to the faculty room.

This is the academy where Alice went to, huh?

I wish I could have gone together with her.

In the red-carpeted corridor, the school maids were cleaning, and when we passed by, they quickly moved to the edge and bowed.

I wondered once again; did I had really become a nobleman?

I just can’t get used to it.

The signet ring that His Majesty had just given me yesterday exuded a strange presence in my left hand.

It’s as if it’s telling me to be aware of myself.

I straightened my back and decided to behave as Alice’s husband without embarrassment.

In the teacher’s office, I met my new homeroom teacher, a man named Lawrence. He said he was the third son of a certain noble family.

He told me that there used to be many teachers teaching in the class, but anyway, should I have some difficulties, I could consult Mr. Lawrence about anything, and then he left.

I heard that many teachers at the school are third or fourth sons. It is common for boys who do not inherit a family to become teachers or officials or to join a knight’s order and make a career as a member of the royal guard.

I wonder what will happen to my children. I wish I could let them live a free life.

Imagining a future where Alice and the kids are smiling happily, I walked into class 2-A with Mr. Lawrence and was introduced to the class and briefly greeted.

I was told to use this seat, and I sat down in the front seat by the window.

“Oh, um, ……! I’m Anna! Anna Maple. It’s nice to meet you!”

“Oh, yes, likewise.”

The girl next to me started talking to me.

This may be a short relationship that will only last half-year, but I hope to get along with everyone safely.

“My…! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!”

“Thank you. But don’t worry, I’ll ask the teacher.”

I guess I’m a little too cold.

But I don’t want to get into trouble with a girl if I become friends with her, so I don’t want to approach her carelessly.

So far, the only girl I’ve made friends with who calls me by name is Betty. I hope she’s the same type as her.

I deliberately rest my cheek on my arm and turn my head out the window, emitting off an aura of [please don’t talk to me].

That’s how I got through the first period. The bell rang, and as recess began, all kinds of people started talking to me.

Everyone seems to be interested in my commoner background.

I was challenged by a boy named Maurice, an arm-wrestling match, and I beat him in a second. Then the next challenger appears. When I finally beat the 10th person, a cheer arises from around me.

It seems that this kind of interaction is no different from the commoner society. I felt a little relieved.

When I finally feel relaxed and smiled, some of the girls in the back collapsed.

…Girls is unusually easy to fell sick, don’t they?

You should not eat only vegetables. You should eat meat too.

When I was thinking about such a rude thing, the bell for the next period rang. Everyone immediately goes back to their seats.

The next class was about deciphering and creating codes.

It’s my favorite subject. I was quietly taking the note when I got a poke on my arm from next to me.

… What?

This feels like something troublesome, but I can’t ignore it, so I turn my face.

Miss Anna offered me a note.

I have a feeling it’s going to be more and more troublesome from this point.

When I have this kind of premonition, I should just run away, but I can’t, because sitting here in the class is my job.

I can’t escape.

Sigh… What should I do?

I glanced at the notes [That was great. You’re really strong, aren’t you?] was written there

What’s the right way to answer this? I don’t know.

Master…, please help me.

I consulted my imaginary master I hadn’t meet yet, but even the legendary sage cannot find the answer, and he slunk off into the depths of the cave, pretending to be deaf.

He’s just like me.

Well, It’s my imagination.

Even if I wasn’t, I should have trained properly in the city. But I don’t want to even think about it, so I just kept running away, and now the bill is coming my way.

I decided to leave it alone for now and look out the window.

The warmth of the light soothed my tired mind.

How I missed Alice…

After a while of escaping from reality like this, I felt a little sleepy.

I think I might be loosening up a bit now after a month of studying has come to an end.

I felt a tap on my arm again and turned around without thinking. Miss Anna whispered, “Look, a temporary teacher. She seems like a very mature woman. What do you think of that kind of person, Hayato? What do you think?”

I don’t have to look. I have Alice.

(I think she’s an adult.) I replied in the most appropriate way and turned my head outside again. As I did, I caught a glimpse of the temporary teacher.

I see. A sexy female teacher, just like in the picture. If I had to say whether I liked her or not, I might like her.

What?

I turn around and look at the teacher once more.

She has curly red hair and black-rimmed glasses.

No, no, no, that’s not going to fool me.

No matter how you look at it, she’s Alice, right?

What? What does this mean?

As I stared at her, the male teacher standing beside me began to introduce her.

“Um, this is Ellie, 20 years old, the wife of a distant relative of the Clark family. She is 20 years old and came to Fortuna Kingdom from a certain country to study.”

Ellie.

Twenty years old.

I gently suppressed the laughter that was welling up in me with my hand.

You’re kidding. ….that pushing it too much!

I wonder if Alice thought that setting would work.

I think it’s probably impossible…?

And as if it wasn’t enough, she began to introduce herself.

“my name… Elie. To meet you, Nice…”

Here comes something even more absurd.

What with that grammar!

I couldn’t take it any longer, so I covered my face with my hands and laughed, stifling my voice.

What should I do?

Now, I’m really looking forward to my life at the academy.

I really love Alice.

AN note:

This is the end of Hayato’s pov!

Thank you very much for your patience with this long look back!

I’ll resume the main story next chapter.