Chapter 60
—
On the day of the academy’s opening.
Early in the morning, I called Theo to check my attire.
“How does it look?”
“It suits you well, sir. You truly look like a professor.”
“I am a professor now.”
“Haha.”
The new uniform I received from the tailor, whom I had become acquainted with before.
It’s a similar navy colour, but the design is slightly different.
The previous outfit was for a banquet, while this one is for the academy’s first day of classes.
Rather than being flashy, it has a neat and organized look.
Thankfully, there are no strange capes or hats attached.
But really, why do people here love such gaudy accessories so much?
“Well, have a good day, sir.”
“Thank you.”
After bidding Theo farewell, I stepped outside and boarded the carriage.
I didn’t bring much luggage.
Normally, I would stay in a dormitory room like the other students and handle my daily life at the academy.
But with so many people at the house depending on me, and the manor being close by, there’s no clear reason to move.
‘For now, I’ll commute.’
If it becomes inconvenient, I can always reconsider.
At the main gate, Edward was waiting.
On days without theatre performances, he had decided to take on the role of guard.
It was his own suggestion.
“I can’t fully trust hired guards for this, so it’s better if I handle it myself.”
“…I won’t stop you.”
He seems quite attached to the building.
I can understand that.
It was shortly after sunrise.
The academy grounds were incredibly quiet.
Most people probably weren’t even awake yet.
By the time they get up, take a shower, and finish breakfast, it will likely take another hour.
But I couldn’t just sit idle.
If I arrived early, I should prepare just as diligently.
The first person I met was Victor.
“Today, instead of a lecture, I plan to conduct a skills assessment.”
He nodded at my words.
“Sounds good. In fact, that’s the first thing I did when I was in the north.”
Understanding the students’ skill levels is necessary to plan the course content more precisely.
“Would you care for some tea? There’s still some time before nine o’clock.”
Victor handed me a cup.
A faint scent of thyme wafted from it.
“Sure. Let’s chat while we drink.”
We sat facing each other.
“By the way, it seems Professor Erdi hasn’t arrived yet.”
“Oh, that guy— I mean, that professor will be teaching in the afternoon.”
Afternoon classes.
In other words, advanced lessons.
The students who score well in the skills assessment will be assigned to Erdi.
They will skip the basics and dive straight into practical training.
They’ll learn various techniques and expressions.
Victor and I will teach the fundamentals and refine the raw talents, while Erdi will polish them with his exceptional intuition.
The standout students from there will receive one-on-one private lessons from me.
But there’s still a long way to go before that.
To even reach that point, we first have to overcome the immediate challenges.
“How many students do you think will skip the basics and move on to advanced classes?”
Victor stroked his chin thoughtfully at my question.
“I think there will be about 30.”
Thirty students.
With around 300 new students enrolled in the academy, that’s not a small number, but it’s not overwhelming either.
“That’s quite exciting.”
We’ll see if Victor’s prediction holds true.
“Everyone has improved significantly compared to before. Some of them have probably been honing their skills even before enrolling.”
After a while.
The bell signaling the start of class rang.
Victor and I entered the lecture hall together.
***
“I’m truly delighted to be here with all of you.”
“Wooaaah!”
As soon as my greeting ended, the students erupted into cheers, leaping with excitement.
I had anticipated this reaction, but…
Still, isn’t this lack of decorum a bit much for an academy?
While I was pondering this, Victor stepped forward, raised his palm, and held it out.
“Quiet!”
The noise instantly subsided, almost as if on command.
‘Impressive.’
Is this the authority of a professor?
I should learn from this demeanour as well.
Even though the students in front of me are children of noble families, I’m also the eldest son of a count and responsible for maintaining order in the academy.
‘The dignity and responsibility of being a professor.’
That’s why I need to start things off on the right foot today.
“Well, I’ll take my leave.”
“Ah, right.”
For now, this is where I part ways with Victor.
Due to the large number of new students, we decided to hold simultaneous lectures in two different rooms.
In the adjacent lecture hall, another group of students must be waiting for him.
In any case.
Taking advantage of the silence, I raised my arm dramatically.
“You’ve all been informed about today’s class content.”
Speaking in the sternest voice possible, I noticed a few students nodding subconsciously.
Among them, one student caught my eye.
‘…I feel like I’ve seen her before.’
I approached her and asked for her name.
“S-Selena Winter.”
“Ah.”
Selena Winter.
I definitely remember.
She was the student who once asked for my autograph in the north.
It seems she left the academy there and re-enrolled here.
“It’s nice to see you again.”
“M-me too, Anton… Professor…”
“Can you tell me what kind of class we have today? You said you already knew, didn’t you?”
“Ah… Oh!”
Selena let out a short cry and jumped to her feet.
She could have answered while sitting down.
“I heard there will be a skills assessment!”
“That’s correct.”
To be honest, I was a bit worried since the announcement had been made so hastily this morning.
But at this level, there’s no need to explain it twice.
“Each of you will take turns coming to the front and performing your pieces. The theme is your choice.”
By the way, the order is random.
“The first is… Azbella Viviant.”
Her name was quite complicated, so I double-checked to make sure I hadn’t mispronounced it.
A black-haired girl stepped forward.
She was slender, but her expression was brimming with confidence.
Should I say her appearance matches her name?
“I am Azbella, the second daughter of Baron Viviant.”
“Feel free to begin.”
She sat down at the piano.
“May I play while looking at the sheet music?”
“Of course.”
She then pulled a few sheets of paper from her pocket and laid them on the music stand.
Curious about what they were, I took a discreet glance.
It was a composition I had never seen before.
At my level, I can usually identify a piece just by looking at its sheet music.
“I will begin now. Please enjoy.”
Azbella gently rotated her wrists above the keys before delicately pressing her fingertips down.
The opening was a lively 4/4 arpeggio.
C major tonic chord, followed by the subdominant chord.
Then came the supertonic and dominant chords, repeating in rhythm while a beautiful melody layered over them created an elegant harmony.
It was a piece I had never heard before.
Even so, it was quite pleasant to listen to.
At one moment, it conjured the image of a swan leisurely enjoying itself by the lake, and at another, it evoked the ripples of water stirred by raindrops.
‘This is refreshing.’
Before I knew it, I was completely absorbed.
I didn’t even notice when the performance ended.
“Professor?”
“Ah.”
“Then, I will take my leave.”
“Thank you for your performance.”
So, her name was Azbella Viviant.
Contrary to what Victor had hinted at, this was an entirely unexpected situation.
“I’m sure there will be many students playing Professor Anton’s compositions. I’ve seen it happen myself.”
But the very first performance went far beyond my expectations.
Far, far beyond.
Who would have thought she’d prepare an original composition?
After confirming Azbella had returned to her seat, I called the next name.
“Ossalos Servan.”
“Lupe Eklin.”
“Lyssance Lord Acker…”
However.
The skills of the subsequent performers were all fairly average.
There wasn’t anyone so bad that I could say they were terrible.
But neither was there anyone whose performance stood out.
Especially Selena’s, which I had eagerly anticipated, fell short of expectations.
“Is it because I’m nervous…? What’s happening to me?”
“It’s okay. Take your time.”
I gave her multiple chances.
But she kept making mistakes, and her basic technique was barely at a beginner’s level.
Of course, it wasn’t just because of the shock from Azbella’s exceptional performance that my standards suddenly became higher.
If I lacked that much objectivity, I wouldn’t have earned the title of professor in the first place.
Azbella’s music was undoubtedly exceptional.
That was an undeniable fact.
At the same time, the average skill level of the students was far below what I had anticipated.
If Victor’s lecture happening at the same time is similar, there might only be one student eligible for the advanced class today.
About an hour passed.
At some point, all the students’ assessments were completed.
“The results will be posted on the dormitory bulletin board by tomorrow morning.”
With those final words, I left the lecture hall.
***
“How was it?”
Victor’s question was met with a shake of my head as a response.
“There was one standout. The rest of the students, however, were largely at a beginner’s level.”
“Same here.”
“Well, after all, the academy was established for education. It’s not a problem if they lack skills right now.”
Still, I worried that Erdi might find it too dull.
He probably had high hopes for today as well.
“In my lecture, there was a pair of siblings, Dirk and Beatrice, from the Wendelin Barony, who were quite impressive. Especially the younger sister.”
Victor commented.
“The Wendelin family… Have I heard of them?”
“Probably not. They’re a vassal family in a southern territory. They aren’t very well known.”
“Well, the family doesn’t matter.”
A southern territory, though.
They might have some connection to Iolin.
I should ask about that later.
In the end, we decided to advance Azbella and the Wendelin siblings to the advanced class.
Only three students instead of the expected thirty.
But that’s fine.
We’ll gradually increase the number from here on out.
As I mentioned before, that’s what the academy is for.
“I’ll introduce these three students to Professor Erdi.”
Victor rose from his seat.
“No. Wait.”
There’s something I need to do first.
“I’ll conduct personal interviews with them first.”
—
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