Chapter 150 – Inferior Beings (Three)

At Ray’s request, Binjin showed a slightly troubled expression.

“It’s a personal laboratory filled with important equipment, you see. I usually prohibit even my disciples from entering, and the principle is to only allow those who have clearly consented to the procedure—”

“Then forget it. Let’s pretend the procedure talk never happened.”

“—but I cannot treat you, Wizard, the same as others.”

After pondering for a moment, Binjin spoke.

“How about this?”

“How?”

“You will take my place for the upcoming Class A lecture. Then, I will also grant your request.”

Ray gave him a look asking for further explanation.

“My educational policy is fundamentally based on humility. Because those who are arrogant never reach high levels. That’s why I always try to instill humility in my disciples…”

Classes B and C were fine.

But Class A was not easy, he said.

“They always pretend to be humble and bow their heads in front of me, but an arrogance they cannot hide seeps out in every corner of their daily lives.”

After shaking his head back and forth once, Binjin continued.

“If you, Wizard, would bestow your teachings upon them, it would surely be a very good opportunity for them to reflect on humility.”

It wasn’t a particularly difficult request, but there was one problem.

“I’ve never taught anyone before.”

Strictly speaking, he had taught Veronica how to make rings before.

「Why can’t you do this? Try doing it like this.」

「…….」

「I don’t understand.」

「…….」

「Why can’t you do something this easy?」

「…….」

But his teaching efforts, such as they were, had little effect.

Occasionally, when he turned around due to an inexplicable chill, he would only find Veronica hesitating while holding a book with sharp corners.

Binjin replied.

“Ah, I’m not asking for any high level of systematic or professional instruction. As long as the disciples can realize their own meager skills, the lecture can be conducted in any manner.”

He added for Ray, who seemed to be having trouble grasping the idea.

“You could also refer to my attitude towards my disciples.”

Ray recalled the image of Binjin hurling insults and harsh words at his disciples.

Whether such an educational policy was truly helpful to the other party was questionable…

‘If that’s the direction he wants.’

It didn’t seem too difficult.

It meant he just needed to stir up Class A’s inferiority complex through an arbitrary process.

It also seemed like a good opportunity to observe their emotions in detail.

“Alright, I’ll do it that way.”

“Excellent! As an Elf, called a practitioner of magic, I too can hardly contain my anticipation for what kind of teachings you will bestow.”

Ray gazed at Binjin’s beaming Vessel with an indifferent look.

He judged there was also an intention to gauge his abilities.

“Very well. Class A should be finishing their meal and studying on their own in the first-floor lecture hall. The main class starts in 20 minutes, so you can prepare your lesson during that time. The structure is 50 minutes…”

Ray cut him off.

“It’s fine to start right away.”

“Huh…?”

“Time might be short. We can start right now, immediately.”

Binjin was momentarily flustered.

But soon, with a face that couldn’t hide its anticipation, he guided Ray.

“Scuttle, you useless thing. The reason you can’t form a Circle is because you’ve gotten fat like a pig.”

“Tsk tsk, Milo. Did I teach you to do the Vigil like that? Your memory truly rivals that of a fish.”

Of course, he didn’t forget to hurl insults at every other class disciple he encountered along the way who was doing menial tasks.

The place they arrived at was in front of a small classroom at the end of the first-floor corridor.

“Are you really sure it’s alright to start the class right away?”

“It’s fine.”

Binjin nodded and opened the door.

Squeak—

The gazes of the ten Class A members who had been studying on their own all focused at once.

“Isn’t it still before class time?”

“What’s this? Master is already…”

Flustered whispers spread.

Binjin, who had first stepped up to the lectern, spoke towards Ray, who was still at the door.

“Come in.”

Ray moved forward, receiving everyone’s gaze at a glance.

Tap— tap— tap.

The footsteps stopped beside the lectern.

……

……

A thick silence flowed.

Ray endured their wary glances and closely watched the other side’s emotions.

Their ages and appearances were all different, but the emotions held in their Vessels were all the same.

The type was.

‘Envy, jealousy, admiration.’

All sorts of gloomy-hued emotions blooming like mold.

At the very center sat a deep indigo Mana.

‘Inferiority complex.’

The emotion sometimes called self-loathing.

It was the same emotional distribution he had seen when entering the mansion.

Even the skilled Class A probably couldn’t avoid Binjin’s usual insults.

Binjin spoke from beside him.

“You all saw him this morning, so you should know who he is. Heiler Rockfell. We discussed education-related matters over a meal, and thankfully, he has agreed to bestow his teachings upon you in my place for today. The lecture will begin immediately, including the self-study time, so be aware.”

What on earth was this?

The disciples exchanged bewildered looks with each other.

Binjin’s tone was so clear and deliberate that mishearing was impossible.

But whether their minds could accept the content was a separate matter.

‘Teachings? Surely he doesn’t mean we should take a lecture from that kid now?’

‘It seems so. Master hates jokes, after all.’

‘Even so, how can a peer teach us?’

Silent cries of dismay spread here and there, but no one dared to raise an objection to Binjin.

“Master, in my opinion, this is—”

To be precise, there was one person.

“Tennen, since when have you been allowed to voice your thoughts without my permission?”

“S-sorry.”

He immediately tucked his tail between his legs under Binjin’s cold gaze.

Binjin, who had gone to the back of the classroom and stood with his hands behind his back, spoke to Ray as if suddenly remembering something.

“Ah, Heiler-nim. Before you begin the class, it might be good to mention your current Circle level.”

“…….”

Ray recalled the words Binjin had conveyed as he came down the stairs.

「You must be concealing multiple Circles currently. But could you tell the disciples that it’s around the 2nd Circle?」

「That would be the maximum understandable from a general perspective that doesn’t know you are an Elf.」

Also, introducing yourself as 2nd Circle would be a greater stimulus to the disciples.

‘…Since they are all 1st Circle, currently aiming for the 2nd Circle.’

After glancing around at the disciples once, Ray quietly opened his mouth.

“I’m 2nd Circle. Other than that, I don’t think any special introduction about me is necessary.”

At that moment, the air stirred.

Looking at the unpleasantly expanding masses of indigo Mana, Ray thought.

‘This is fun.’

Showing the actual form of the achievement they aspire to right before their eyes.

He had learned one method to quickly stimulate the other party’s emotions.

Under gazes that were anything but favorable, Ray continued with his prepared lines.

“Binjin asked me to give a lecture, but I’ve never taught anyone before. I don’t think I have that kind of talent, and it doesn’t seem possible either.”

The Class A disciples unconsciously held their breath for a moment and listened intently to Ray’s words.

His voice had a quite trustworthy tone, and his attitude was more serious than they had expected.

Moreover, saying he had no talent for teaching?

The proud Class A knew.

That admitting and revealing one’s flaws was never easy.

Why was it?

For a moment, a corner of everyone’s heart burned as if scalded.

‘This… maybe a class in a way we never imagined will proceed.’

‘Owen, you should be ashamed. You, who were trapped in the baseless prejudice that all upper class must be arrogant.’

‘Those empty-looking eyes. They must be the eyes of a sage who humbly accepts every part of himself.’

Just as the Class A disciples, deep in self-reflection, were about to relax the intensity in their gazes—

“Because I’ve never learned theory. I just use magic based on intuition.”

Ray spat out the rest of his words.

Afterwards, an extreme silence flowed.

……

……

……

There were times like that occasionally.

When you hear something so absurd that your thoughts momentarily stop.

Thus, it took the Class A disciples a moment to understand Ray’s words.

Using magic without theory?

Based solely on intuition?

A hollow laugh escaped.

It defied common sense.

It was as low-quality as a joke about deer flying in the sky.

It was clearly nonsense that would land you in hours of insult hell if uttered in front of Master.

Even trying to think of it in the best possible light, only one conclusion came down.

That the other party was making fun of them.

The Class A disciples, who were about to relax the intensity in their eyes, all simultaneously intensified their gazes.

‘That fucking bastard. What kind of class is this?’

‘Arrogant upper class, what do you know about an orphan’s life?’

‘Looking again, those are just thoroughly condescending eyes.’

The crimson anger that instantly filled the Vessels of the Class A disciples.

Ray was puzzled by that mysterious phenomenon, but continued with what he had to say anyway.

“So I plan to use a method different from ordinary instruction.”

Whoosh.

As Ray waved his hand, the Mana of one color that existed in the waiting state gathered into a single point and took the form of a sphere.

It was yellow Mana.

Highly fluid and famously easy to handle.

“The Mana sphere above my palm now—you should all be able to feel it. It’s perfectly under my control.”

Everyone nodded.

It was highly fluid Mana, and since the other party was constantly rotating the sphere, it was impossible not to feel it.

They had thought to bite the moment they saw an opening…

But only admiration came out at that exquisite and meticulous Mana manipulation.

With everyone’s nerves extremely focused, Ray continued.

“Try to take control from me and move this Mana sphere even a little. That’s the entirety of this class, and the task you must complete within the time.”

What Ray recalled was the game he had played with Graham at the bookstore.

It was quite a while ago, and it was just a bet, not a class, but he definitely had realizations during that process.

‘I hope these guys do too.’

There was Binjin’s condition about suppressing their pride, but anyway, this was a class.

They should learn something.

That was the definition of a class.

The air in the classroom stirred even more than when Ray had first entered.

‘Move the Mana sphere?’

‘Is this really the entire class content?’

A sphere made of Mana.

Of course they had tried moving it before.

Pulling at each other’s Mana spheres was a common kind of play, like a form of arm wrestling to test strength.

An uncomfortable, unpleasant air swirled.

Just how much did he look down on us to play such an absurd joke?

Just as everyone was about to look at Binjin with eyes pleading for intervention—

“Of course, just doing it wouldn’t be fun. If you succeed in moving the Mana sphere even a little, I will give a reward.”

Ray said.

A reward?

Everyone’s heads momentarily halted—

“100,000 Shillings. I swear on my honor, I will definitely give it.”

“……!”

“……!”

—and turned towards Binjin, whom they had originally intended to look at, like lightning.

However, the meaning in their eyes had changed.

From eyes asking to drive away that uninvited guest.

To eyes asking if those words were true.

Binjin was also momentarily flustered, but soon regained his composure and spoke.

“Yes. That’s right. If you win the match, it will all become your personal pocket money.”

The heads of the Class A disciples all turned back to their original positions.

Ten pairs of eyes, glittering with desire, glared at Ray.

One asked.

“Then, by any chance, can we decide the challenge order arbitrarily?”

At those words, Ray tilted his head.

“What are you talking about? You’re all challenging simultaneously.”

The air in the classroom stirred once again.