âZhou Qianlin, do you happen to know what Iâll be teaching at your university?â Lan Jueâs question confused Zhou Qianlin. Wasnât he going to be a mecha instructor?
Lan Jue unfolded the acceptance letter in his hand, and read from itâs contents. âWe are happy to accept Mister Lan Jue as an associate professor of National Eastern University, hereby responsible for the ad-hoc curriculum of⊠Etiquette.â The communicator clicked off, his words still hanging in the air. Expected a mecha teacher, eh? How quaint.
Zhou Qianlin stared at the quiet communicator in her hand, her once proud demeanor now dumbfounded. âEtiquette? Since when did the University have this course? What is he even going to teach?â
Lan Jue saw the communicator strapped to his wrist hum, but all it accomplished was to make him laugh and shake his head. Since when did these mood swings become so common, he thought. Probably because she looks so much like Hera.
His memory conjured up that charming face, so like Heraâs, and he couldnât help but feel a pang in his chest. And yet, at the same time he was looking forward to taking his post in the University.
He knew very well she wasnât Hera, but in the deep recesses of his heart he still anticipated seeing her. At the very least, seeing her will remind him of his time with Hera.
Looking at the map, the University didnât appear too far from Skyfire Avenue, but it would be quite a distance on foot.
Tomorrow I report to school. Think, when was the last time I enrolled in any classes? Ten years or more now. I was in my teens, and I was a pretty well-known problem child!
A smirk spread unbidden across his face. His memories were precious, recalling his wild and carefree youth like it was yesterday. And tomorrow heâd enter in to university again, but as a different person. The student had become the teacher. But what sort of teacher would he be?
The depression that had had accompanied Qianlinâs request had dispersed, what with the happenings of the last few days. He was adjusting to the rigors of life, or perhaps, it was the beginning of a new chapter. It was the desire of every man to shed the veil of sadness.
He pressed a few digits in the to the communicator on his wrist, and soon a lethargic voice arose on the other end.
âEyy, A-Jue, whatâs happening! Did you find Hera?â
A crooked smile split Lan Jueâs face. âThe greater the desire, the greater the disappointment.â
The voice on the other end seemed to awaken. âIt sounds like someone cheated you.â
The muscles of Lan Jueâs face jerked. âAnd it sounds like youâre gloating.â
âIâm not, really!â Chu Chengâs voice solemnly swore from the receiver.
Lan Jue smirked. âFine. Iâll deal with my own business. Give me an address, I have something for you.â
âWhatâs that,â Chu Cheng asked curiously.
âSome Harlequin Silver. You know the kind of person I am.â
âYou know you donât have to repay me,â Chu Cheng responded in agitation.
âUnacceptable,â Lan Jue stated categorically. âIf I take too long to repay a debt I wont be able to. Besides, I donât want to cause you any trouble. Although the silver isnât as significant as the refined technetium to you, you might be able to use it to trade for a batch.â
Chu Chengâs voice rejoined. âA-Jue, you really need to get out. Itâs no good being shut in all the time.â
Lan Jue acquiesced. âI know. Iâm trying, I even found a job.â
âA job? You coming out of retirement, back to being the Mercenary King?â Chu Chengâs excitement was apparent. âThatâs excellent! Weâve got a few missions that need tending to, all S-Ranked. Theyâre yours if you want âem. Price is no object. I remember your rules, you only need to ask. Whatever gem you need youâll get, Iâll have the whole family out looking.â
During his time as a mercenary, Lan Jue never accepted money. He preferred to be remunerated in the form of power gems. It was the take from those days that allowed him to corner the gem market in Skyfire Avenue.
Lan Jue chuckled. âI said I was looking for a job, not that I was going back to merc work. Iâm going to be a teacher!â
ζ
âTe.. teacherâŠâ Chu Chengâs mouth dropped open, and the cigarette that had lazily burned in his mouth tumbled to the floor instantly burning the shag carpet.
âMmhm, a teacher. An Etiquette teacher, actually. Come on, give me an address.â
As if in a trance Chu Cheng muttered the address, and even when Lan Jueâs communicator went silent, he still didnât know how to react.
Teacher? Heâd said teacher, right? He wants to be⊠a teacher? Why did he sound so relaxed?
After a few moments of blind confusion Chu Cheng gradually came back to his senses. A wry smile spread across his face by degrees.
It appears A-Jue was finally letting go of what had happened the last few years, he thought. At least heâs getting out and letting go of his pain. It doesnât matter what heâs out doing, so long as heâs doing something. And with his abilities, heâs sure to make an excellent teacher.
But what did he say he wanted to teach? I suddenly canât rememberâŠ
âChuuuu Cheeeeeng!â A wild voice suddenly rang out, full of bile.
â You DARE smoke in my house again?! AGH! MY CARPET! You abhorrent little punk, do you have any idea how rare this carpet is?! Your father just bought it at auction. Donât go running you awful degenerate, time for a whooping!â
âMy fault mom. Pretend I donât exist!â
ζ
National Eastern University.
It was one of the top ten schools in the Eastern Alliance, situated right here on Skyfire, in the city itself. It was particularly known for itâs mecha program, and though it wasnât a military institution itâs piloting curriculum was known through the Alliances. Not only that, it was first among the Alliances in alloy research and application.
The school itself was enormous, constituting a tenth of the Western part of the city. At itâs back was the Western mountain, which itself had been incorporated in to the university. It provided the mecha students with a place to train.
Rays of early-morning light splayed across the campus, setting the morning dew to twinkling and bringing with it a vividly fresh scent. A figure slowly approached from the distance.
He was tall, clad in a three-piece azure blue suit. He wore a white shirt, pink neck tie, and a pink handkerchief folded in his breast pocket. And he came rolling in on a two-wheeled bicycle.