Sensei Rationale 4 (Patreon)

Sensei Rationale 4 - Or ‘When my seemingly insignificant take on the Lilith-softverse takes a sharp turn into relevancy’ (Taimanin Asagi, SI)

It’s been a week since I moved to Gosha Academy, and while some services common in normal Japanese settlements were missing such as a reasonably-speedy internet connection, I would dare to say things had turned peachy.

Did my classes lack slackers? Nope. As much as one could profess that people coming from traditional families will have a lesser rate of being disobedient and never stray from their homework, the truth is that school was considered an outlet.

It isn't without reason that teachers all over the world tend to say ‘is this how you behave at home?’. Kids will see the schoolyard as the nest for discoveries, forgetting that good mannerism was also required as a toll for all.

Some learned this early, others learned this within an average timing of a year or so into school and the rest never learned this concept even as they progressed beyond school.

My chore as a teacher, beyond being an educator, was to provide that sense of meaning to the very idea of having ‘the right attitude for the right situation’. And yet, none really caused me trouble in the long-run.

All could be ‘fixed’ with some guidance and advice, but I ended up having a relatively unique role as part of a ‘lottery’ within the school. The reason for this lottery? A troubled student from the elementary section.

At first glance, the girl known as Onisaki Kirara was an early highschool student, but the height and size was but a mistaken perception of things. The blonde’s horns were not for show, and her presence here in Gosha was deemed an ‘element of tension’.

Her father was a member of the Onisaki Clan, a minor group within the Koukawa Clan that splintered due to the action of said member. The guy somehow fucked a Frost Demon and produced little Kirara. To make things worse for the poor girl, he decided to yank her from her mother and bring her to the village after spending a few years MIA to the village.

Why? I have no fucking clue. No one was keen to explain what kind of logic the bastard used, but all it caused was a girl that didn’t want to be a Taimanin. And I was just tempted to write a stern report about trying to turn her into one at this point.

She was just fine with her academics considering that she was homeschooled until a year ago, but the girl was… not eager to kill her fellow demons, no matter how bad those were to others.

“Sensei, why can’t I just drop out?” The ‘big’ Tomboy asked once, and I spared her no details.

“Because your potential is frightening to the local administration, so they want you to be able to control your powers and not be left to be caught by someone that would hurt you to exploit your power.”

I was blessed and cursed by a few things when it comes to handling this girl. First, I was a man, so I was distrusted because the child hated her father thus all guys were evil – at this stage it was a childish but reasonable hatred – but I was given a pass because I was not from Gosha. I was not a Taimanin, I didn’t kill any demons and I was just a teacher doing his frigging job.

So, it was kind of surprising when I was summoned by Headmaster Yamamoto to his office to discuss the matter. And he wasn’t alone there. MIzuki Shiranui at this point was his deputy, and the woman was still married with husband and, supposedly, far from being conditioned by some Incubus King.

The main topic remained the same-

“What is your evaluation of Onisaki Kirara, Bukharin-san?” The special agent chief asked and I retrieved some documents I had prepared for this very occasion.

“She is a bright student with a clear predisposition for practical exams compared to theoretical ones,” I started to say, reading my notes and churning those out in words that would make it less laborious to understand. “Yet, I believe that her commitment to Gosha Academy should take a Level C path.”

“That’s a minimalistic path, Bukharin-san. Not many would agree to this,” Nobushige remarked with a hint of sympathy but overall a stern warning.

“Then I will invite them to propose a valid reason that could overrule the glaring issues of pursuing a different path for the girl. After all, it is a common fact by my predecessors and my own insight that her behavior is not compromising and malleable as many similar cases with lesser contexts.”

“You mentioned she was bright,” The principal rebuked, and I sighed.

“Being bright doesn’t deny a student to be also crippled by glaring issues tied to behavioral dissonance. Kirara feels school is an extra cage to the one she perceives at home- with this extra cage being more of a boot camp for child soldiers.”

“Surely that’s not how the girl perceives this institution,” Shiranui muttered, surprised by this terminology.

But I had to disappoint her a bit as I picked a few files with a questionnaire filled with crappy calligraphy owned by the elementary-grade kid.

“At the question ‘How would you describe Gosha Academy?’, Kirara answered with: I feel like it’s unfair. I don’t want to be here, but they told me that there was not a choice. That’s what dad told me when he kidnapped me. And now everyone thinks I am a monster because I am angry. I thought this was a good place, but I don’t even get a choice to stay or not.”

I looked up from the paper and straight to the headmaster.

“I would like to file a motion to have Kirara’s father investigated for abuse and neglect.”

Nobushige leaned back on his chair, his eyes half closed as he narrowed those to me.

“Explain.”

“The child has mentioned as reasons for not being able to do homework that ‘she was unable to stay within the house’. She explained she was pushed out of the house until ‘she calmed down’ many times. Considering the weather nowadays, I don’t need to explain any further that this is legally messed up.”

“And you believe an investigation is necessary…?” Nobushige hummed, lost in his thoughts for a moment, while Shiranui appeared momentarily perplexed before this development.

“Unless we are praying for young Kirara to become a potential traitor and kill several individuals within Gosha, then yes. As far as I can tell, the child has a modest chance to become Gosha’s self-destructive nuke.”

…

“Kirara wouldn’t be removed during the investigation,” Nobushige pointed out, trying to help me with that detail. But I had already known that aspect of the issue, and I had a solution.

“Which is why I would like to ask for a psychiatric test to be assigned to Kirara and, in the eventuality of potential risks to her psyche, I wish for her to be entrusted to the care of Uehara Rin.”

“Any particular reason for such a choice?” Shiranui asked, taking notes.

“Uehara-san is a respectable member of the Taimanin Corps. She is also an accomplished teacher known for her strict but understanding personality. Due to the fact that Kirara despises men, it would also allow for a temporary reprieve for the girl to find a stable home where she can reorganize her life.”

Nobushige finally smiled at this proposal.

“I shall have a doctor check on her tomorrow. Will she cause any trouble?”

“I told her that if anyone was to ask her questions for a medical test that it was best for her to answer those truthfully.”

And that’s how much I could say on the matter considering how difficult it was to snatch guarantees from Kirara.

A nod, and then the old man rewarded me with a document. It was an evaluation styled by some of the teachers monitoring my situation- I had passed with flying colors.

“I wish to thank you for your hard work, Bukharin-san. I hope you can continue with the best of your skills to pursue a guiding path for our students.”

“It’s my job, Headmaster. I will not disappoint the kids.”

And I didn’t know how things were going to get when it comes to little Kirara’s home situations… and a circumstance about potential bullies.

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AN

Next time, Kirara POV and… someone else’s POV!