WeTried Translations
Translator: Nemui
Editor: Nemui
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Reincarnated as the Villain's Heir
Chapter 21: Is My Homeroom Teacher Relying on Me?
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"About Lilisha. You have my thanks."
After school, I had been called to the staff room and was standing in front of Rinrin.
I had wondered what kind of lecture I was about to receive, so this was unexpected.
"I have not done anything worth thanking me for."
"No, normally, I should have taken more time to guide her. Her talent stands out too much, and that made her dangerous."
"She cried pretty hard after losing to me."
"Yes. She should experience a setback while she is still young. The later it comes, the more bloated her pride becomes, and the harder it will be for her to recover when she faces true hardship."
Personally, I had not been thinking about Lilisha's future.
That event had been disgusting, so I had simply wanted to intervene.
If it ended up being a plus for Lilisha, then Rinrin would be satisfied with that.
"Well, considering her position, I can understand her a little. It sounds like she was disciplined strictly at home and educated almost like she was being brainwashed."
"Oh? You know quite a bit."
"Just rumors. Rumors. Apparently, House Parsifam itself hates being called second best."
"To overwhelm the young lady of that House Parsifam, you are indeed the son of House Balfont."
Rinrin smiled with only the corners of her mouth, as if teasing me.
I wanted to say, House Balfont has a hands-off policy.
"What is someone like you trying to learn at the academy?"
"No, I am still immature."
"Your ability has completely surpassed the level of a student. First, your localized mana reinforcement. Even among magicians, not many can manage that. Second, your evasion of magic. In particular, slipping through the explosions of Flare left even me speechless."
"I am aiming fairly high myself."
I kept dodging the subject, but it looked like Rinrin was intensely curious.
In truth, I did not care about House Balfont's mission or education.
All I thought about was becoming stronger and clearing this world.
That meant, even at my current stage, I had to be able to overwhelm the students at this academy, at least the first-years.
When Big Brother Vaid and Big Sister Mirei were enrolled, even as first-years, third-years could not touch them.
Even Gillium took the top spot among the first-years and eventually reigned over the academy's peak.
To stand out inside House Balfont, being merely excellent was not enough.
Defeating someone like the current Lilisha with only mana reinforcement was a matter of course.
"During the self-introduction battles, you were watching the students as if appraising them. Was there anyone who interested you?"
"Leticia. Even after Lilisha, someone she thought was close to her, launched a preemptive attack, she was still able to fight back that much. An ordinary person would have lost at the opening."
"Anyone else?"
"...That will depend on how things go from here."
For a moment, Esty crossed my mind, but I decided not to mention her.
At this point, it might just be my imagination, and I had no reason to talk her up.
Also, I did not have the courage to recommend Luchel. Favoring my own retainer would be a little much.
"I see."
"From your point of view, Teacher Rinrin, which students look promising?"
"Leticia, Lilisha... and Luchel. In particular, Luchel is probably the strongest in the class after you."
"Her mouth is bad, though."
Not that I can talk, I added silently.
I had paid Luchel's entire entrance fee.
Partly because she had the dangerous air of someone who might do anything if she left my side, and partly because I simply wanted her to learn many things.
Yes, even if the current Luchel was strong, she was still immature.
She was nowhere near the strength she had possessed when she reigned as the hidden boss.
And unless I surpassed that hidden boss, I could not say I had cleared the game.
In other words, to me, Luchel had only ever been another target to clear.
But from the way she acted now, it did not look like she would ever fight me.
I never thought she would get this attached.
"I am glad I could hear so many things. You are probably the easiest person in the class for me to talk to, so I want you to keep acting as my adviser."
"Me? Yours, Teacher?"
"I am still a new teacher. If there is something I can learn, I need to learn it, even from a student."
"You are greedy. I like that."
"You have a purpose too, do you not?"
She suddenly went for the core.
Even if she was a new teacher, back when she was a court magician, she had exposed corrupt colleagues one after another and forced them to resign.
Maybe that kind of passion was why she was curious about someone like me.
"A purpose?"
"What do you intend to accomplish as House Balfont?"
"That is not a question you should ask lightly, Teacher. You understand that, right?"
"...Is that a threat?"
Without letting my firm attitude waver, I spoke to Rinrin.
House Balfont was, to the end, a shadow ruler. We could become rumors, but we must never be exposed.
I would make sure that line was clearly drawn.
"Questioning me as an individual and questioning House Balfont mean entirely different things. I think you understand the rest without me saying it."
"You think I will yield?"
"Do as you like. But I cannot answer as House Balfont."
"Hm. This is not something I should get heated over with a student."
Had she withdrawn at just the right point?
I did not dislike this person, and if possible, I hoped her sense of justice would not run wild and bring her too close.
No matter how strong she was, if House Balfont felt even slightly inclined to do it, they could make her disappear easily without leaving a trace.
The court magicians whose corruption Rinrin exposed should all have gone missing.
Not one of them had escaped and found happiness somewhere.
Once House Balfont got involved, there was no one in this country they could not deal with.
"I have taken up your time."
"No, it was enjoyable."
"I am glad to hear you say that. Then I will see you tomorrow."
After parting from Rinrin, I looked around the staff room, and every teacher turned their eyes away at once.
As the son of House Balfont, I must have drawn plenty of curiosity.
If they had heard the conversation just now, they would surely never dig too deeply.
Thinking that, I left the staff room behind.
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