12 - Another Grueling Day for the Aristocratic Kindergarten Teacher
==========
She wiped away the cold sweat trickling down her forehead, pretending it wasn’t there, and smiled.
“Hahaha. Isn’t it just delightful? The children are truly humorous, aren’t they?”
“Touching, too.”
You’ve only read it to ‘Park Tent’ so far.
“Father, no, brother. Actually, we’re going on a spring field trip soon. It’s the first group activity and an experiential activity. It will surely be a joyful experience for Banteid as well.”
“It’s not Banteid; it’s Park Tent.”
“Please, don’t do this.”
Don’t tease people with such a decadent and trivial expression.
He chuckled softly at Ephna’s floundering gaze and neatly organized the letters.
“I will make sure the letter is delivered to Banteid. However, admission will be difficult.”
What kind of nonsense is that?
‘Don’t you still have any thoughts about entering kindergarten? You’re just going to take the heartfelt letter from our class kids?’
Although he turned Banteid into Park Tent, that was also a form of affection.
Really, I didn’t want to resort to this method.
“Your Grace Duke Hildebon.”
Ephna called him softly and politely, in a tone that was markedly different from before, as if she were making a very significant announcement.
Kaiden paused in organizing the letters and looked at Ephna.
“I’m truly sorry, but I’ve done a bit of research. I hear you’ve been working hard on the education of the Grand Duchy’s citizens lately.”
“...Yes, that is correct.”
The slight smile on his face was intimidating. The man’s lips were smiling, as if daring her to say more about the Grand Duchy.
“It may sound like bragging, but our Loendel Kindergarten is the first officially recognized early childhood education institution in the Empire. In other words, we were the first to establish an early childhood education institution.”
And Ephna continued to chatter without stopping.
“Did you know? Regardless of status, the Empire is currently emphasizing the importance of early childhood education. The funding for early childhood education institutions proves that fact.”
“What is it you want to say, Teacher?”
“You need to keep up with the trends.”
The man, sitting with his long legs crossed and arms folded, repeated her words.
“Trends.”
“Yes, trends. To establish a good early childhood education institution in the Grand Duchy, wouldn’t it be necessary to understand kindergartens? For the education of the citizens, too.”
She continued with a gentle smile on her lips.
“You should get familiar with kindergartens, right?”
“Have you ever been suggested to try door-to-door sales? You have a knack for charming people.”
“I am indeed a talented individual in that regard.”
Of course, she was referring to her knack for charming people.
“So, do you feel like discussing this again?”
At Ephna’s words, he tilted his head back as if pondering something. The pronounced jawline slowly swayed.
Amidst the seriousness, she felt a twinge of guilt for being distracted by the shirt that tightly wrapped around the man’s chest.
It was so conspicuous that she couldn’t help it.
“......”
“......”
Kaiden and Ephna’s gazes met once more.
He lightly tapped the Loendel admission brochure with his finger before picking it up.
His voice flowed out low and smooth.
“Let’s continue. The admission explanation.”
* * *
Three days later, new shoes scuffed into the Sunshine Class.
A child dressed neatly in a kindergarten uniform bowed their head.
“Hello……. I’m Banted Hildebon….”
“It’s Park Tent! Park Tent, I’m Maylin!”
Maylin waved her chubby arms vigorously.
“It’s not Park Tent; it’s Banteid.”
Maxion pointed out Maylin’s mistake with a solemn and serious face, enunciating Banteid clearly.
Hearing that, Banteid muttered with a sulky expression.
“My name is Banteid….”
No one called Banteid by his correct name. Not even Banteid himself.
Ephna marveled at the fact that ‘Banteid’ could be called in so many different ways.
And she was amazed again at the classroom that had quickly turned into chaos.
“Banteid, sit next to my girlfriend!”
“No! It’s next to me. It’s already empty!”
It had been quiet for a few days. Indeed, our Sunshine Class was proudly claiming the title of ‘Class to Watch’ this year.
“You already have a partner!”
“I sent you next to me earlier.”
“No!”
On one side, a battle for seating akin to the Crusades was raging. On the other side, the children were charging at Banteid as if they were going to devour him.
“Banteid! Is it true that there’s a huge Demon Beast Sculpture in your territory?”
“I want to see it too! Can we go visit?”
It was truly pandemonium.
“Banteid. You choose. This seat or that seat?”
“It would be better to choose wisely. You’ll have a comfortable kindergarten life.”
What is Seril chewing on so vigorously? There’s no gum in this world.
Who does Banteid take after to be so popular?
Ephna wanted to show this scene to Duke Hildebon.
It seemed too chaotic for any bullying-like incidents that the Duke had worried about to occur.
Tap, tap. She lightly tapped the teacher’s desk.
“Everyone. Please sit down. The seat for Banteid has already been assigned by the teacher. Banteid, you can sit next to Maxion over there. Do you see where I’m pointing?”
“Yes….”
Banteid nodded with a blank expression.
The noisy children of the Sunshine Class also calmed down and returned to their seats, their eyes gleaming like hyenas waiting for an opportunity.
“Now, we’re going to have a reading time. We talked about it yesterday, right?”
“Yes!”
“Choose a book you want to read and feel free to discuss it with your friends.”
“Yes!”
The children answered energetically and rushed to the bookshelf. Ephna helped the children who were about to fall and stepped out of the classroom for a moment.
“Let’s see, the Magical Studies Textbook….”
Did I leave it in the teacher’s office?
After a moment of contemplation, her steps headed toward the teacher’s office. A few teachers without classes were gathered there.
“Hmm?”
What’s going on? Ephna peeked her head between them while holding the Magical Studies Textbook.
“Teachers, what are you doing?”
“Oh, Teacher Efna! Look at this. It’s from the Imperial Palace. They’re offering us a location for the spring picnic for the 5-year-old class. They’re going to let us use one of the palaces inside the Imperial Palace and the greenhouse!”
“Excuse me? The Imperial Palace?”
What kind of strange talk is this? Suddenly the Imperial Palace? Are they seeing things because they’ve been working overtime every day to plan the spring picnic schedule?
She took the paper that her colleague was handing her. At the very end of the document, there was indeed the royal seal.
[The Imperial Palace wishes to provide a location for the field study of Loendel Kindergarten.]
Among the long list of words, that phrase stood out the most. It was strikingly clear.
“Is this for real? We were just as surprised to see it. It even came with the name of the Chief Administrative Officer of the Education Administration. You know Baron Schopen, right? That person.”
It wasn’t a forged document, was it? Why suddenly from the Imperial Palace?
Ephna read the royal access permit again.
“But the field study location has already been decided, hasn’t it?”
“Yes. That’s why I think there will be a faculty meeting after today’s classes. The principal mentioned it.”
This can’t be. So that means additional work hours.
Suddenly, her vision went dark. Even though it was still morning with the sun high in the sky.
“Why is the Imperial Palace suddenly offering a location?”
“Well, who knows? Maybe the King didn’t like the field study notice? Whatever it is, isn’t it a good thing for us? We’re the first kindergarten to go on a spring picnic to the Imperial Palace!”
The teachers seemed excited. Perhaps because they were new teachers, they still had a lot of romantic notions. They didn’t know the terror of additional work hours.
Ephna rubbed her throbbing forehead slightly. The gesture of tossing the paper was almost one of resignation.
“Yes, I understand for now. I’ll head back in as I’m in the middle of class. See you later.”
“Sure. Take care!”
The warm morning sunlight followed her into the teacher’s office.
Until that moment, she had no idea that the principal would actually change the location.
“Let’s go to the Imperial Palace.”
Ten minutes into the faculty meeting, the principal said decisively.
“We can’t ignore the sincerity shown by the Imperial Palace.”
In exchange for that sincerity, she, no, all the teachers of the 5-year-old class were about to face a crazy amount of overtime.
They had to overturn the spring field study event they had been planning and preparing for since the beginning of the semester.
Some teachers who knew the hell of overtime barely held back their tears.
“Are we going to have to completely revise our plan?”
“The same goes for the reconnaissance….”
“Which teacher will handle the cancellation fee for Achillin Lake Park? I, cough cough, caught a cold.”
You can catch a cold in just a second during a meeting, right?
Ephna pressed her throbbing forehead.
“Cough, ah, I’ve caught the flu……. Teacher Rel, please rewrite the notice. If after the reconnaissance the Imperial Palace seems suitable for the field study, we’ll redistribute it. There will definitely be guardians who will be displeased with the sudden change of location, so please take care of it as much as possible. As much as possible.”
That colleague is that teacher. Since she lost a simple cold, she’s claiming the flu.
At Ephna’s words about her fake flu, Teacher Rel smiled brightly.
“Yes, Teacher!”
Look at that cheerful voice. Is it really that good?
Amidst the new teachers chatting excitedly, filled with anticipation, Ephna quietly picked up the overtime pay application form.
