A Death Row Convict Teaches at a School of Magic

“Well then, a toast!”

[Cheers!]

With the vice principal’s call, the sound of glasses clinking reverberated through the store interior.

After toasting with the people sharing the same table, I gulped down the liquor from my beer mug in one gulp. How refreshing. Drinking beer in the summer was really exceptional after all.

“Oh, Teacher Kanaki, you are a good drinker, aren’t you? Do you like to drink a lot?”

“Ah, yeah. I seldom drink that much alcohol, but when I do, I tend to drink a lot. Plus, now that the selection round is finally over, I am liberated from my work. I suppose I will get carried away and indulge in a lot of drinking today.”

“Teacher Taiga is a school nurse, and it must have been particularly demanding for you. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Thanks for your efforts.”

My colleagues, Murrue and Günter, who were at the same table with me, offered me some words of appreciation.

To commemorate the conclusion of the student knight tournament selection rounds, one of the major highlights at Selbeth School of Magic, all the faculty members gathered at a local pub today. While Selbeth Academy was not as large as a Japanese high school—it had no more than 30 teachers—once everyone was grouped in one place, the staff size would be reasonable. The majority of the tables were occupied by teachers who had a relationship with each other in some way, even though there were no explicit rules; this inevitably led to the first-year homeroom teachers occupying our table. Ursula, the homeroom teacher of Class 4, was, incidentally, working overtime as usual and would likely be delayed.

For a while after the gathering began, I exchanged information with Murrue Cannamilla and Elpis Günter about their respective classes, but soon the instructor who was in charge of the selection rounds came to greet me.

“Hey, Teacher Kanaki. It had been a tough time for both of us.”

“Instructor Rivalz. It was truly a tireless effort.”

Rivalz von Gheinsturth, the head of the instructors, walked up and took a seat next to Murrue. Even Rivalz had the decency to return to his own seat upon Ursula’s arrival despite the fact that it was intended to be hers. So, I hoped that Murrue will spare him such an unpleasant look. It would be dreadful for our hearts if Rivalz threw a tantrum because of it.

“Even so, your class is incredible, Teacher Kanaki. Even with the presence of Ortesia, to my knowledge, there have never been five contestants from the first-year class in the main tournament.”

“F-Five!? Teacher Kanaki, is that true!?”

Murrue voiced her wonder, while Günter let out a small gasp of admiration.

“I am frustrated that I haven’t been able to do anything to help them, though. I heard that some of the students, led by Karen, have been training on their own.”

“Oh. Her Royal Highness Princess’ unifying influence is impressive.”

Remarkably, Rivalz didn’t sound sarcastic when he said it.

“But then again, I am looking forward to next week’s social exchange. I wish I could have been there as well.”

“Haha, well, the combat instructors will be probably occupied with training the contestants for the tournament.”

The social exchange that Rivalz described was like a simplified version of a school excursion in Japanese schools.

Only first-year students can participate, and the purpose of this five-day, four-night event was designed to foster bonds among those who were in the same academic year as them. At the same time, since the destination of the trip was a school of magic wherever the school may be each year, the students were encouraged to form friendships at the school where the trip took place.

“As I recall, this year it is…”

“It’s Windell, the City of Books. It’s the city where there is a school called Academen.”

Günter’s explanation was met with a chorus of excited voices from Murrue.

“Windell is a city east of here, just before Valiahar, isn’t it! I have never been there, so this is something to be in anticipation of.”

“Heh, so Ms. Murrue has never been there either.”

As the daughter of the Cannamilla family, a prominent member of the aristocracy, I had assumed that she had visited there before.

“Teacher Kanaki, I told you already that calling me Murrue is fine… Cannamilla’s family residence lies across the royal capital in the opposite direction, so I have never had the opportunity to go there.”

In that light, it was unusual for the daughter of the Cannamilla family to be a teacher in a city so far from her parents’ home. She may give the air of a calm person, but was she actually quite a dynamic one?

While I was pondering this, my intrigue was immediately sparked by Rivalz’s subsequent words.

“Well, Windell is that thing, the Royal Library of Magic, huh? Right, Teacher Elpis?”

“Indeed, it is. After all, the library is the institution in the country with the greatest collection of books. It is said that even court magicians visit the library only to read the treasured magic books stored there.”

Günter was sipping his glass of wine, and I was trying to encourage him to continue the conversation.

“Speaking of treasured magic books, what sort of books are there, for instance?”

“Well… there are probably many varieties, but the ones that a court magician would have access to would probably include lists of the most advanced-class magic in existence and recipes for creating first-class magical tools made entirely from rare materials.”

“Heh… if you are a magician in the service of the royal court, can you browse all the books in that library?”

“Hmm. Perhaps Instructor Rivalz is more knowledgeable in that subject than I am.”

“Ngh, me? I guess so…”

Rivalz held up the mug in his hand―it was likely a strong alcoholic beverage, not beer―and slammed it down on the table.

“Ah, yes, there is that one! You see, there’s a list of forbidden magic. That’s the most dangerous book in the country, which covers a lot of research and experimentation on magic that has been banned by the previous chief magicians of the court. Even in this country, only the king and the chief court magician have access to that book.”

“…I didn’t know such a thing existed.”

“Well, it’s a book we don’t have access to. Any other books, whether they are common or rare, may be accessed in that library. I think we teachers would have fun there.”

“Right. It’s my first time in Windell, too, so it will be a pleasure.”

As I was about to end the conversation there, an unfamiliar voice interrupted me.

“―Excuse me. May I join in the conversation?”

“? ―!?”

When I turned to look at the owner of the voice, my reaction was frozen momentarily.

The face of the man with the soft smile on his face was recognizable to me.

Elias Li Mondor.

He was the commander of the Knights of the Kingdom of Ortesia, and one of only two first-class magicians in the country.

The man who has been called the most powerful in the Kingdom was flashing a smile in front of my eyes.