Strongest Noble's Daughter Uses Water Magic Book 2

Avoiding the Same Mistake *Terranium*

'I wonder if I'm being too hard on them...'

That was the thought that had been running in Terranium's mind for a good while now, as she looked down at her students. She knew she was a little harsh on her students when she said those words earlier, but they were not without reason. As Levi had stated, the woman was only looking out for her students, as she used to do way back when, before she lost her motivation to teach. No... Before she lost the will to.

She had seen this pattern happen before, with the student she spoke of on the first day with these people. A commoner, no less. Like them, this one student was also victim to all the hurt the nobles had inflicted onto her, be it mentally or physically. Despite that, however, unlike the many other students of Class F- whether they were in the same year as her or her predecessor- this student did not give into fear. She did not give in to the pressure the other nobles had given her. Instead, she only continued to train, to improve herself and her skills, be it in magic or in close combat. She even managed to keep up with her studies under all that pressure.

While many people, be it in her class or even outside of it, looked at her with such scorn- she who was the only commoner of her generation who managed to pass the exam- Terranium was one of the very few who supported her, and tried her best to help this student graduate. Or at least... she tried to, when the student denied her help, and decided to graduate the academy with her own powers and capabilities. On one hand, as a professor, Terranium was proud to have this commoner as her student; this commoner, who decided to prove to everyone that even someone like her could graduate, be a sort of symbol of hope for future commoners wishing to attend this school. On the other hand, the professor also felt this girl was pushing herself way too hard to achieve this goal of hers, and still tried to do what she could to support her in the shadows.

Sadly... This only turned out to be a mistake on Terranium's part. Not only did she unintentionally show favoritism towards this one commoner- prompting even this student's own classmates to look at her with such hate- but her act of support was seen as expectations for her, expectations in which the commoner tried to meet, bringing forth more pressure on her shoulders. And though this student did meet those expectations, it still brought one event that changed everything for the professor.

It was that student's last year at the academy. In the Flammel Royal Academy, students who were in their final years there were to be sent on a field trip. Normally, each class was to be supervised by their homeroom professors during any and all class activities. Unfortunately, unlike most classes, as Class F rarely have any student go past their first or second years in the academy, the class was practically a mixed class, consisting of students of all generation. The promising student was the oldest and only member of her generation in that class at the time. As such, between having to supervise her and a number of younger Class F students, Terranium had to stay behind, and hope the student will return with great results, as she always had.

How she regret being hopeful for that student, rather than merely be worried about her. How she regret not doing more for her, rather than stay out of the would've-been graduate's way as she wanted. Terranium could've done something else at the time. She should've done something else at that time, even if she did not know what would've come to be back then. Rather... she should've expected such dangers to come, especially to that promising student. She should've hired someone- be it an adventurer, a knight, or otherwise- to look after that student, or persuaded the headmaster to hire an assistant for her, to help her with her class or be that student's supervisor during that field trip.

Instead... Because she did not do enough as her professor, that promising commoner... lost her life.

Terranium had never felt so broken when she heard this from another student of the late commoner's generation, he who was practically the only student who saw that commoner as an equal, as a rival. It was not from a noble sacrifice against a horde of monsters, nor from some kind of trap by bandits or demons that took the promising commoner's life. No... It was the other nobles who drove her to her death.

It was from that point onwards Terranium stopped teaching. After opening her eyes to how cruel and low nobles driven by their ego can truly be, she wanted to prevent another student to end up like the promising commoner. She wanted to prevent getting another student's hopes up throughout their time in this twisted, wicked academy, only to have it be shot down in the cruelest way possible. It was for that very reason that she wanted to quit working here, a request that was denied by the headmaster.

Several years passed since that dreadful day. As time passed, never did Terranium get herself involved in another student's life in any way, nor did she even think she would feel concerned by what goes on in a student's life ever again. That is... until she saw the class roster for this generation's Class F. Not only was there a harpy- a monster- attending the academy as a normal person, but a commoner with a magic affinity for water was also attending. More than that, the commoner was ranked fifth on the entrance exam, a score much higher than the promising student's. One look, and Terranium already feared for what will become of her- of Levi- should she remain at this school; she feared of the incident happening once more, and wanted to do what she could to prevent it.

At least... she had thought so, when the young Water Mage commoner proved herself to be entirely different from the late student.

For one thing, like the late student, Levi tried to get all of her classmates together, at least for training. Unlike the late student, who failed to get everyone- mainly the nobles- together, Levi succeeded in getting her classmates' cooperation. More so, she even came up with effective teamwork for several students, and even helped some other students work on their magic. Because of her, this generation of Class F got into a high starting rank.

For the first time since the promising commoner's passing, Terranium felt hope for another commoner, for a student in her class. At the same time, though... she also feared for Levi's sake. Not just her sake, but all of this generation of Class F, especially after the assembly. She would have to be the biggest, blind fool to not notice the looks all the other nobles- students and professors alike- gave her class. One look at their expressions, expressions in which Terranium could never forget, and the woman was reminded of what happened to the promising student. She knew she decided to help this generation of students graduate, as any professor should, but in the end, she still could not get what happened to the last student.

Thus why she wanted to have this spar. While it was true that she was quite angry with Taurus, Leroy, and Felix's arrogance in their class's situation, she also wanted to teach them what will happen to them should they continue on with their lives in this academy with their current mindset. She did not want them to think that just because they were high in ranks now, they were seen as equals in any way to anyone here. She wanted to prepare them for whatever hurt, whatever act, will come to them by all these other people. Terranium had already failed one student, filled her with expectations she should not have put into her; she refuses to make this same mistake.

That being said, she did not want her students to turn out like the people who always scorned them. This was not just as a memory to the late promising student, who treated her peers with respect- respect in which she rarely received in return; she simply wanted her class to be better than those people, both in skills and in personality. This world already has too much of such arrogance plaguing the land and its people; she did not want these people to be a part of that if she could prevent it. She wanted change to come, change in which she, unfortunately, cannot start, but can help initiate.

This spar she had started? Terranium did not care if she wins or lose. All she could ask for was for this generation of Class F to realize her message, to see that she was only looking out for them, and only wish for them to remain strong- not only in combat- but also as people.

'It's been an hour and a half, now,' the professor thought, looking through the small gasp of her Plant Dome at her students, all who were looking up at her with such determined or angry looks in their eyes, the latter which saddened her, as it meant they have yet to understand why she wanted this spar. Out of all the students facing her, however, the only one who caught her eyes- the only one in which she had kept her attention on this whole time- was the certain class representative of this very class. 'There is still another hour and a half left. How will you resume, Levi?'

She should not have any expectations- rather, she should not be setting any expectations- for this Water Mage commoner, even after all she has achieved in the academy. However, because of what she has done back at the mock exam and before it, Terranium cannot help but have presumptions about her; she could not help but assume Levi could be the very person who can bring about change to the world. Perhaps this was just wishful thinking on her part, or maybe she truly felt that way but is subconsciously trying to suppress such feeling. Regardless of what this was, the woman was sure about one thing; she refused to let another student end up like her last.

From the gaps within her dome, the professor noticed Levi's harpy friend nodding to whatever the Water Mage commoner whispered in her ear, most likely a plan of sort. Once the human finished telling her friend of her plan, the pair split up.

'Did she come up with something? A plan to beat me, perhaps?' she wondered. 'As interesting as that may be... I really hope she realizes my intention in this spar, and is spreading word to her classmates with this harpy. If she doesn't realize it, that expectation I have for her... may truly be wishful thinking after all.'