Subscriber of the Gods Chapter 379 - Mid-Term Evaluation (1)

Three months of classes. It was finally time for the mid-term evaluation.

Ethan was planning to make the mid-term evaluation for Introduction to Practical Studies more realistic.

However, this Introduction to Practical Studies class was one where Ethan had intentionally accepted many students.

As a result, it was currently boasting the largest number of students at Ivecar Academy, so preparing for the mid-term evaluation required considerable manpower.

“I won’t be conducting this mid-term evaluation alone. Let me introduce the teachers who will be assisting.”

As Ethan gestured, the teachers who had come to help him stepped forward.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Hello, kids.”

It was the teachers from the friendly Blue Jeans Social Gathering.

Ciron, Iris, Nadia.

Led by these three, along with Ethan, a total of four teachers were planning to conduct the mid-term evaluation for this Introduction to Practical Studies.

Gulp-.

Ciron swallowed as he looked over the students’ faces.

Since classes had resumed, one ominous rumor had been circulating around the academy for the past few months.

It was a rumor that Ethan was using the Introduction to Practical Studies class as an excuse to create combat machines.

Seeing it directly, that rumor turned out to be true.

“Teacher Ethan, why are the kids’ eyes so fierce?”

“They’re only thinking about the exchange festival right now. That’s why everyone’s eyes look so fierce. Be careful.”

“Pardon? Be careful? Surely you don’t mean…?”

“There are no leashes or anything. I’ve educated them to move very freely. Of course, they probably won’t bite.”

“…Is this a ‘our dog doesn’t bite’ situation?”

“There might be some that bite.”

Ethan grinned.

At Ethan’s words, Ciron’s expression became slightly serious.

He had come as a mid-term evaluation assistant teacher with an easy mind.

But the students that Ethan had raised through the Introduction to Practical Studies class looked quite dangerous.

“…Just how did you teach them?”

Iris also nodded vigorously at Ciron’s words. Among those students were some who attended Iris’s classes.

Since Ethan’s class could be taken by students from all departments, there were also magic department students taking the class, and the magic student who attended Iris’s class was usually quite gentle.

It was vivid in her mind how that student used to smile with an innocent face, but now that student had become a fierce combat machine.

“No, until just recently… they were the very embodiment of innocence. They were really sweet students.”

The student she saw during the first semester classes felt like a small puppy.

But now that student was the very image of a hunting dog.

Seeing such a transformation from a small dog to a large dog feeling, Iris couldn’t help but be bewildered.

“Ugh… the breed has changed…”

The mid-term evaluation for Introduction to Practical Studies was planned to be a practical test based on what they had learned so far.

“From now on, you will clear a dungeon. The evaluation for this mid-term will assess the process of entering the dungeon, defeating its master, retrieving the item the master possesses, and escaping.”

The students focused on Ethan’s words.

“It’s not an actual dungeon, but an artificial one, created based on illusion magic circles.”

This was a vast open space created for outdoor classes.

Wooong-.

Where Ethan pointed, there were artifacts along with drawn magic circles.

Ethan had created this artificial dungeon in collaboration with the magicians of the territory and the magic department teachers of Ivecar Academy.

The basic foundation was created based on illusion magic, but it wasn’t a simple illusion, rather it could be considered a kind of separate space.

This mid-term evaluation was planned to be conducted in an artificial dungeon created based on such magic.

Ethan continued speaking.

“Because this is a practical evaluation, there’s a high possibility of danger. Therefore, for your safety and accurate evaluation, Teacher Ciron, Teacher Iris, Teacher Nadia, and myself will enter the dungeon with you. Of course, we won’t be clearing the dungeon with you. We’re only there to intervene immediately if a dangerous situation arises to protect you.”

Ethan and the three other teachers were planning to enter the magic circle together.

“Unless it’s an extremely dangerous situation, we absolutely won’t intervene, so brace yourselves. And.”

Wooong-.

As the magic circle activated, a spell that made the inside of the magic circle visible was cast.

“Ooooh.”

Iris was seeing the magic circle creating this artificial dungeon for the first time.

So she couldn’t help but be amazed as soon as she saw it. The level of completion was quite high. It seemed almost too good to be used just for a test.

“Everything that happens inside can be seen from the outside. Since we can’t handle all of this mid-term evaluation from the inside, there are also teachers who will help with the evaluation from the outside.”

Teachers to handle the outside had already been arranged.

“Fortunately, I had some free time.”

Ghost Sword, the principal of Ivecar Academy, greeted the students.

“Principal!”

“Are you going to directly observe the mid-term evaluation?”

Ghost Sword nodded at Iris’s words.

“I try not to participate in classes as much as possible. After all, the autonomy of teachers is the educational philosophy I pursue. But I decided to participate in this class as an exception. It’s not for any other reason.”

Ghost Sword said with a hearty laugh.

“I’m just curious.”

To be honest, Ghost Sword was quite curious about the skills of the students that Ethan had raised through his Introduction to Practical Studies class.

As the exchange festival approached day by day, stories about the classes of the teachers who would become representatives for the exchange festival were emerging moment by moment.

In particular, it was said that Claudie Hyde’s class was being conducted quite tightly to match this inter-academy exchange, and there were stories of it being quite satisfying but difficult.

However, there wasn’t a single complaint about Introduction to Practical Studies.

Before the attack incident, there seemed to have been talk about how difficult the Introduction to Practical Studies class was, and how passionate the students taking that class were, but after the incident, even such stories seemed to have disappeared as if they were lies.

Ghost Sword began to feel a bit suspicious. At the same time, his worries started to grow little by little.

A genius isn’t necessarily good at teaching as well as learning. Basically, because they think according to their own standards, the principal knew that it’s not easy to teach based on the standards of a genius.

So while he was feeling a bit anxious, an out-of-the-blue rumor started to circulate.

It was a rumor that Ethan was creating combat machines.

This rumor soon spread throughout the academy, evolving into content such as Ethan creating killing machines, and students taking Ethan’s Introduction to Practical Studies being modified.

As the rumors spread uncontrollably, even the principal couldn’t grasp what exactly was going on.

In the midst of this, a request for help with the mid-term evaluation came from Ethan.

To be precise, it was Ghost Sword who reversely asked when Ethan came to get permission, but anyway, he agreed to help.

“I heard rumors that Teacher Ethan Whiskers’ class has been progressing interestingly these days.”

Ethan slightly bowed his head to Ghost Sword.

“Then we’ll start the evaluation right away.”

As Ethan gestured, the prepared magic was fully deployed.

Wooong-.

Click-. Click-.

Like a fog, a maze where the outside couldn’t be seen from the inside was completed.

“The inside is set up like a dungeon. And there are golems here and there. The golems will rush at you as if they’re really going to kill you.”

Ethan said.

“Let me tell you clearly. You’re going to get hurt.”

The structure of this mid-term evaluation was such that people were bound to get hurt.

“But that would be my responsibility for not managing properly. It would mean that I taught the class like a fool. It would mean that I conducted a meaningless class for three months.”

Ethan emphasized each word as if it was a joke.

But no one laughed. No, they couldn’t laugh.

Everyone knew that this was a truth disguised as a joke.

But separately from that, these students had received really harsh lessons under Ethan for the past three months.

“We’re confident!”

Max shouted loudly.

Max Jurod’s skin, which had been relatively white, was now tanned brown.

“That’s a good attitude.”

If Claudie had seen Max like this, he would have smirked.

Originally, Max wasn’t the type to boost his will in this way. But he had become quite active while taking Ethan’s Introduction to Practical Studies class.

“I’ll now announce the teams.”

It wasn’t that all 150 people would clear the dungeon together.

Dividing into teams of 10 people made a total of 15 teams. These 15 teams were scheduled to take the test by entering different artificial dungeons.

Ghost Sword, who was outside, had to simultaneously watch the situation of these 15 teams. Originally, this was supposed to be Ethan’s role, but due to Ghost Sword’s appeal, it became Ghost Sword’s responsibility.

“Thanks to you, it’s become a bit easier, Principal.”

“I’m not sure if I can watch all 150 people at once. But I won’t miss any dangerous situations, so don’t worry, Teacher Ethan.”

Ethan immediately called out each student’s name and informed them of the team composition.

Ethan’s five favorite disciples were on the same team.

“I formed the teams as I thought. Looking at it, it’s far from fair. But if you think about it differently, it is fair.”

Ethan said with a smile.

“Because all of you who took my class should be able to clear this dungeon without any problems. Right?”

All the students nodded with confident expressions.

“Well then.”

The 15 teams that had finished preparing got ready to enter the dungeon.

“Enter.”

***

Students are greatly influenced by which teacher teaches them.

Of course, students with strong personalities often find their own way out of the teacher’s sphere of influence, but the majority of students are influenced by their teachers.

That’s why academies try to recruit good teachers and high-ranking noble families try to bring in good private tutors.

Under a good teacher, there’s a high probability of producing good students. Of course, there’s also a possibility of becoming a bad student even with a good teacher attached.

Ciron, a new teacher, became quite cautious after seeing that students were greatly influenced by his teachings.

At first, he liked that students were being colored by his teachings. But as even the slightest mistake in his teaching would be absorbed, he came to realize over time how burdensome this was.

If you teach wrongly, they absorb the wrong thing.

A single word from him could have a big impact on a student, and further, it could even change their life.

After realizing this, it became rather difficult to concentrate on classes.

Thinking that he had to teach perfectly, he naturally tried to become a perfect teacher himself. But Ciron himself couldn’t be perfect.

As an impossible contradiction arose, his head became complicated.

To put it more simply, he became afraid of teaching others.

‘Surely Teacher Ethan must have had such worries too. Maybe even earlier than me.’

Ethan, who always helps his fellow teachers, must have had these worries earlier.

And perhaps he had already resolved them.

But he didn’t want to ask about this directly.

Because he felt that this was something he had to overcome entirely on his own.

And Iris was having the same worries. They didn’t talk about it, but seeing her deeply worried face recently, Ciron, who had the same concerns, could easily tell.

‘Today, while helping with Teacher Ethan’s mid-term evaluation, let’s take a look at the students Teacher Ethan has taught. Then I’ll be able to understand a lot.’

He planned to see how Ethan’s classes had influenced these 150 students who had taken Ethan’s classes for three months.

‘I’ll certainly be able to see it.’

How Ethan was shaking off the burden and fear he had.

Step-.

The first to move among the 15 teams was, of course, Team 5, which included Ethan’s favorite disciples.

Team 5 advanced quickly and encountered golems.

They might have been flustered by the sudden appearance and attack of the golems, but Team 5 was quite calm.

They instantly formed a formation and then relentlessly smashed the golems and charged forward.

“!”

Ciron, who was on standby to move immediately if a dangerous situation arose, opened his eyes wide enough to tear.

“W-What is this…?”

“No way…”

And Iris also showed the same reaction.

“There’s no hesitation at all?”

A rumor popped up in Ciron’s mind.

Ethan was creating combat machines.

“Was it true?”

It was true.