By Zephyria 
August arrived.
I had thought about this last semester too, but at the Academy, doing set tasks at set times each day made it possible to spend each day very fulfilling, which was nice.
Whether professor or student, everyone carried a round pocket watch. What to do at this time, what to do at the next time – it was all pre-arranged.
Because of this, simply arriving at the designated location allowed one to accomplish multiple tasks for the day.
In my past life, everyone would spend their time looking up at the sky, equally. No matter when we agreed to meet, it was natural to wait for three to four days in the same spot.
I would spend quiet hours idly letting time flow by, training and circulating Qi, and if the other party didn’t show up, I’d think, “I’ll see them next month,” and go about my own business.
I had considered meticulously counting the days to be the work of officials or merchants, and had never deeply considered the time wasted in between.
However, in this land, Sierren, such a thing did not happen.
Not being present at the designated place, at the designated time, on the designated date was considered a great discourtesy.
I completed my rounds of the Martial arts training ground, trained for the allotted time, then returned, washed, and finished my Breathing and regulating energy.
Afterward, I had meals at the same time every day with Shayden, who visited as scheduled. It was a satisfying start to the day.
Most of all, I was pleased that the first class of the new semester was Maelo Sanson’s introductory Swordsmanship class.
As it was a class taken by all the students in the Swordsmanship Department, Maelo Sanson, their homeroom professor, briefly called the roll before the class began, carefully observing each student.
“I’d like to say hello, as it’s been a while, but most of you have been stuck in the capital, so I don’t even feel that happy to see you. Still, I’m relieved that everyone seems to have enjoyed their break without any major issues. Welcome back.”
“Hahaha.”
“…But, did you all just rest and have fun during the break? Did you meet someone nice?”
I heard the laughter and jeers from students who hadn’t found a partner and those who hid their shy faces.
It had nothing to do with me, so I just laughed along.
Sanson’s eyes lit up as he looked in my direction, then he quickly shifted his gaze and raised his voice.
“Why are you all laughing like that? I’m saying your shoulders and waists are so limp, you look like you’ve forgotten how to swing a sword. You’ve worked hard eating and playing comfortably. Now it’s time to regain the muscles you’ve lost over the past two months! Forward, launch your battle cry!”
“Ack!”
“Alright, let’s go!”
It was a stern command that we needed to rebuild our basic stamina, as we had slacked off on our training. I, too, agreed with the thought as I looked at the children, and we began to run.
They are all children with excellent ambition. The reason they hadn’t trained during the break was not because there was no one to constantly look after them, nor was it due to a lack of will.
It was likely because they had been busy with social activities, eating more than usual and sleeping late.
Therefore, it was inevitable that their muscles would have loosened and become flabby.
It was instantaneous. Thanks to the sufficient bond built with Professor Sanson over the past four months, the children, though they might whine, ran without hesitation.
Everyone knew that after running laps around the Martial arts training ground until Professor Sanson was satisfied, we would proceed to train basic swordplay.
Since Professor Maelo Sanson was watching, there was no need to worry about who was doing more or less. They exerted themselves as much as they could, managing their stamina.
After spending the three hours allocated for class time sweating, everyone was busy panting with their faces down.
When class ended, everyone dragged their exhausted bodies to the cafeteria.
“Let’s eat first, then wash,” the children, still smelling of sweat, gathered in the cafeteria, which naturally brought thoughts of the Central Plains to mind.
After exercising to my heart’s content, I felt refreshed and had a good appetite.
“Ugh… I ran too much, I can’t eat.”
“Wow… can you see my arm shaking? Holding a fork feels awkward, holding a fork.”
“Let’s eat. We have to live… we have to live.”
There were a few children whining, but seeing that they had completely cleared their plates piled high with food, it was clear they were just exaggerating.
It was truly heartwarming to see them eating and running well.
With the children’s chatter as a side dish, I also ate two bowls.
❖ ❖ ❖
I headed to the management department classroom to teach the Artifact class, walking alongside Shayden Rose.
Despite hurrying, many students had already filled the classroom.
Damian Christopher, who didn’t need time to wash his body after a less active class, had already reserved seats for me and Shayden, so we could sit somewhere in the middle.
The faces I saw after two months felt somewhat unfamiliar, so I examined them closely. It was only after looking for a while that I realized. Their gray hair, which had originally been a lighter shade, had become slightly darker.
He also seemed to have grown a bit taller, and when I asked, he was delighted, saying, “Does it show a lot?” so I complimented him, saying he looked like he had grown a lot.
While filling the time with idle chatter, the door creaked open. Seeing the man entering, I blinked in surprise for a moment.
An old man, dressed in attire I couldn’t place – perhaps a Taoist from the Qingcheng Sect or the Kunlun Sect – shuffled in and stood beside the podium.
“Good morning, everyone. Some of you may know me, but since there are many new faces, I will start by introducing myself. My name is Jurgen Kaiser. I was the former head of the Kaiser Merchant Group, and now I run a few small businesses.”
Professor Kaiser, the professor for the Artifact class, was a short man, barely exceeding four feet (*120cm).
My gaze was drawn to the man’s small stature rather than the content of his calm and persuasive words.
I understood why he wasn’t standing behind the lectern.
His neck, shoulders, and back were hunched, making his already short height appear even more diminutive.
His white hair was grown long and tied back, and his white beard was also long, trailing down to his navel. His hair, eyebrows, and beard were all bleached white, giving him the appearance of someone who had lived well over a hundred years.
Despite the frail appearance of such a seemingly weak old man, his calm voice was surprisingly loud, as if spoken directly into one’s ear.
As I pondered this, Damian, sitting to my right, let out an exclamation.
“…Wow. A voice amplifier.”
“Hm?”
“I’m talking about the Artifact the professor is wearing around his neck. An Artifact with such natural and good sound quality wouldn’t be easy to come by. As expected of the professor of Artifacts class. I’ll have to ask where he got it later.”
This solid voice wasn’t his natural one.
I was greatly surprised because I hadn’t noticed anything strange in the movement of his lips or the resonance of his voice.
As I listened to Professor Kaiser briefly explain some of the businesses he ran, I asked Damian again.
“…How did you recognize it?”
“All Type 3 voice amplifiers look like this. A pentagonal body with three Mana Stones. It can pick up surrounding sounds better, make your own voice clearer to others, and also…”
At that moment, the professor’s gaze fell upon us, and Damian fell silent. Professor Kaiser continued the unfinished sentence.
“…It has a function to convert the output voice into a more appealing tone. You seem to know a great deal about Artifacts. What is your name?”
“…Damian Christopher, Professor.”
“Do you have any desire to come forward and lead the class?”
“No. I’m sorry.”
“That’s a shame. It was a good opportunity.”
The voice was so calm that it was difficult to discern whether he was being sarcastic or sincere.
Glancing at Damian, who looked troubled, I also offered a simple nod to Professor Kaiser with a sense of apology.
The professor smiled faintly and tapped the pentagonal brooch attached to his lapel, drawing our attention.
“I intended to explain this a bit later, but since there’s a student who’s done some pre-reading, I can’t help it. All of you gathered here are likely interested in such magical Artifacts, which is why you’re here. The voice amplifier I’m wearing now is the most famous Artifact, but it’s rarely seen. Does anyone know why?”
“…”
“You there, the student with yellow hair.”
“…Because it’s expensive?”
A student I hadn’t seen before answered in a hesitant voice. I heard a few snickers, but Professor Jurgen Kaiser nodded with a serious expression.
“That’s correct. Because it’s expensive.”
Professor Kaiser walked slowly to the blackboard.
I thought his hand wouldn’t reach the top of the blackboard even if he raised it, but that wasn’t the case.
Every time the small rod in Professor Kaiser’s hand moved, a piece of chalk would automatically float up and leave letters on the blackboard.
Using my Eye Technique, I examined it closely and saw Mana enveloping the chalk.
The Mana surrounding Professor Kaiser’s body was immense, so this must also be the effect of the rod in his hand. Not only I, but many students swallowed their admiration and focused on the professor.
“Magical Artifacts can be broadly categorized into three uses: combat, medical, and daily life. Combat Artifacts are further divided into offense and defense, and medical ones are for treating external and internal injuries.”
The sound of notebooks being opened came from various places. The rustling sound of note-taking soon followed.
“Among these, Artifacts used in daily life are expensive, rare, and difficult to classify. Because they are not universally needed, only a very small quantity is produced. Just like this chalk.”
Indeed, it was true.
A person of average height would hold chalk and write on the board themselves.
Even if one were a bit short, they could write by standing on a footstool. Unless one was old and frail like Professor Kaiser, there would be no need for such chalk.
At Professor Jurgen Kaiser’s nod, one of the students sitting in the front row stood up and distributed handouts to the students.
The face looked somewhat familiar, but I couldn’t quite recall. The boy with a gentle appearance smiled brightly when our eyes met.
After confirming that all students had received their handouts, Professor Kaiser spoke again.
“Until the midterm exams, we will learn about the types and classifications of Artifacts, and after that, we will learn how to use Artifacts directly. As stated in the syllabus, this class may incur a small material fee. Students who have difficulty paying the material fee should inquire separately at the department office.”
I paused for a moment, as I hadn’t read such a detail in the syllabus, but seeing the calm expressions of Shayden and Damian, I knew it wouldn’t be a significant burden and felt relieved.
It was embarrassing to feel impoverished in spirit, a remnant of my memories from my impoverished past life.