I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game - Chapter 31:

After returning to the academy, Phillip wrestled with Felicia for about two hours before finally managing to escape to his mansion for some much-needed rest.

As soon as he arrived, he encountered Lua, who had just finished her morning classes.

“Instructor, you’ve been quite busy…?” Her voice sounded slightly pointed. It was understandable since she had been dining and spending her evenings alone before falling asleep for the past few days. Feeling guilty, Phillip managed an awkward smile.

“I’ve been a bit swamped, but everything is now taken care of.”

Upon hearing this, Lua’s expression brightened a little. She noticed that Phillip’s demeanor seemed different, like he was carrying a secret.

“What’s that bulge?”

“No, it’s nothing. What are you talking about?”

Surprised by Lua’s straightforward choice of words, Phillip hastily unbuttoned a few buttons on his coat. Ever since they went on a picnic together not too long ago, they had grown closer.

“Ah! It’s a cat!”

Lua’s eyes widened with delight as she spotted a small cat curled up inside Phillip’s coat. It was a tiny, black kitten with a round face, short legs, and soft fur, exuding an irresistible charm.

The Shadow Cat named Tania woke up from her slumber, perturbed by the sudden noise.

“Meooow!”

“Calm down. No one is going to harm you.”

As an unfamiliar girl appeared before her, Tania bristled and bared her teeth instinctively. Phillip gently tapped Tania’s forehead with his finger, soothing her nerves.

“What’s the story behind this cat?”

“Well, you see, it’s a bit complicated….”

After listening to Phillip’s explanation about the Shadow Cat Tribe and the reason why Tania had ended up here, Lua couldn’t help but wear a sorrowful expression.

“It’s so heart-wrenching….”

Although Phillip spared Lua the details about Tania’s torture, the mere knowledge of her traumatic experience brought tears to Lua’s eyes.

“May I hold her?”

“Well, I’m not sure. Give it a try.”

Philip discovered that Lua had a remarkable ability to connect with animals.

Growing up in the mountains, Lua had eschewed the usual childhood games and instead engaged in squirrel-chasing and tree-climbing competitions. She lived a life following bears and sharing beehives, making Philip wonder if she had the potential to form bonds with these creatures.

As Philip had suspected, Lua possessed an innate talent for handling animals. She displayed puzzling gestures, such as extending her hand or suddenly crouching, while maintaining a safe distance from Tania.

To his surprise, Tania’s aggressive demeanor softened as she responded to Lua’s gentle approach.

“She’s calming down, Instructor.”

“Incredible. Can you understand what she’s saying?” Philip inquired, intrigued by the interaction.

With Lua’s guidance, Philip cautiously placed Tania on the ground. He knew he could easily capture her again if needed.

As Tania touched the ground, Lua moved closer and crouched beside her. Tania curiously sniffed Lua’s hand and took in her scent. With a warm smile, Lua introduced herself, “Hello, Tania. I’m Lua.”

Lua’s friendly and cheerful voice seemed to resonate well with Tania, who allowed her approach without any signs of aggression.

Perhaps this was the first time someone had approached Tania with such kindness, which might have made a difference. After all, Tania had been raised among cold-hearted and ruthless assassins, where politeness and affection were rarely displayed.

Lua’s gentle demeanor worked wonders as she gradually befriended Tania. Philip couldn’t help but admire the girl’s exceptional talent.

“She’s adorable! Can I get the maids to bring some milk for her? Is that alright?” Lua asked, her enthusiasm apparent.

“Yes, of course,” Philip replied, feeling like he was under a spell. Seeing the once ferocious cat now acting like a docile pet was truly astonishing.

Lua carefully carried Tania in her arms and led the way towards the dining room.

Philip hurriedly followed Tania, fearing that she might suddenly turn aggressive and attack one of the maidservants.

He had been brainstorming to find ways to take care of the cat, but fortunately, the problem was resolved surprisingly easily.

—

The next day, after arriving at the academy for work, Philip was called over by Felicia and received some unexpected news.

“Would you consider becoming an advisor for a club?”

Philip raised an eyebrow in response. “Me, an advisor?”

Felicia nodded. “Yes. Many other professors and instructors are in charge of various clubs to support students’ autonomous activities. If you’re genuinely dedicated to the academy, you should consider taking part too.”

“Well, I suppose that makes sense.”

Privia Academy had over twenty different clubs. Aside from the sword and magic research clubs, which were the most popular, there were clubs for activities such as reading, debating, gardening, and even tea ceremonies.

Currently, the first-year students hadn’t yet participated in club activities, but that would change starting from May. After giving it some thought, Philip asked Felicia.

“Is it possible for me to create a new club?”

Felicia paused for a moment, contemplated his request, and said, “Well, there’s no rule against it. The existing clubs, like the sword and magic research clubs, are primarily aimed at providing academic support. But what kind of club do you have in mind?”

“A card game club.”

“Oh, come on!” Felicia playfully slapped Philip’s back. He winced briefly but quickly corrected himself. “Just kidding. I was actually thinking of starting a travel club.”

“Travel? That could be a bit challenging if outdoor activities become the main focus. It could be quite costly, and ensuring that students have proper rest on weekends might not always be feasible.”

Philip acknowledged her concerns with a nod. “I’m not too worried about the costs. Also, I’m thinking of organizing external activities about twice a month, and we’d return on Sunday mornings.”

Impressed with Philip’s well-thought-out plan, Felicia considered it for a moment before nodding in approval.

“Well, you do have the means to fund such a club. In that case, start by writing an application. Remember, I’m not the one who grants approval. To create a new club, you’ll need the final permission from the headmaster.”

“If I’m using my resources to create something enjoyable for the students, I can’t imagine the headmaster refusing.”

“True, and one more thing: for a new club to be approved, you’ll need at least three students who are willing to join. First-year students won’t be eligible to join just yet, so you’ll have to focus on students from the second year onwards.”

“That might pose a challenge.”

Philip let out a small sigh.

“Now that I think about it, maybe I can somehow gather three people.”

Philip, who had just become a senior instructor this year, found it difficult to connect with the senior students.

However, he knew that for the sake of the future, he had to take on the role of advisor for an extracurricular club that allowed outside activities. This way, he could naturally help Lua grow and become friends with the future colleagues she would have.

After agreeing, he promptly left the office and made his way to the library, aiming to approach the easiest student to convince first.

“Oh, Instructor?”

Cheryl spotted Philip entering the library and greeted him warmly with a bright smile. To her, Philip was like a savior, so her reaction was only natural.

“Yes, Cheryl. Are you feeling better?”

After their encounter with a vampire in the dungeon, Cheryl needed a few days to recover.

“Yes! I was really grateful back then. I honestly thought I was going to die. Seeing my mother’s face again made me feel a bit better.”

“Thank goodness. How’s Janice Morrela?”

“Janice… Oh, she’s fine.”

Cheryl lowered her voice and whispered.

“She warned me to keep it a secret until I die, for disrespecting her uniform.”

She giggled as she said that. Philip realized that Cheryl and Janice Morrela had grown closer than he thought and nodded approvingly.

“That’s good to hear.”

“Anyway, what brings you here? You haven’t been to the library for a while.”

“I came here because I have a favor to ask you.”

When Cheryl heard that Philip had something to ask her, her eyes sparkled.

“If there’s anything I can do, I’ll do it for you!”

Moved by her assurance, Philip got straight to the point.

“To be honest, I’m thinking of starting a club, but to get permission to establish it, I need three students to join. So, I was wondering if you’d be interested…”

Before Philip could finish explaining, Cheryl eagerly interrupted.

“Yes, count me in!”

“But I haven’t even told you what kind of club it is yet.”

“If it’s a club that you’re starting then count me in no matter what.”

Cheryl sincerely believed in Philip’s leadership. She vividly remembered how he risked his life to protect her and Janice from the vampire.

Although she lost consciousness in the middle and didn’t witness the end result, she knew that Philip had to endure an extremely difficult fight.

“I’ll also try to convince Janice and Stephen. Stephen usually listens to me, so I’m sure he’ll join, and if Janice refuses… Well, I’ll find a way to persuade her.”

Even without knowing what persuasion tactics she could use, it was obvious, and Philip pretended not to know as he nodded with a smile.

“Thank you so much if you can do that for me.”

“Don’t mention it.”

—

An hour later, Cheryl returned with the signatures of Stephen Bray and Janice Morrela.

Phillip accepted them and handed them over to Felicia, who looked pleasantly surprised.

“… Aren’t these all students from the Magic Department?”

“Yes, they are students from the Magic Department.”

“But you are a faculty member in the Swordsmanship Department.”

“They are the students I got to know during a previous training session.”

“Ah, those kids.”

Felicia finally nodded her head, remembering the incident that had occurred.

“Now that we have the students’ signatures, we need to deliver the founding proposal to the headmaster. Will you come with me?”

In response to Felicia’s suggestion, Phillip shook his head. He wasn’t keen on meeting the headmaster. With Felicia’s help, he had meticulously prepared the proposal.

“If, for any reason, the proposal gets rejected, don’t be too disheartened.”

After saying that, Felicia headed to Headmaster Rosello Graham’s office.

A short while later, when she returned, she conveyed some shocking news.

“Phillip, the headmaster wants to meet with you. He says you have to come in person to stamp the approval on the permit.”

“… What did you say?”

Phillip turned his head, contemplating the reason behind the headmaster’s request.

“There could be several reasons for him wanting to see you.”

There were numerous possibilities for the headmaster summoning him, ranging from his involvement with the Magic Department’s training to the recent assassination incident. Uncertain of what to expect, Phillip braced himself and nodded.

“… I guess there’s no other option.”

‘Hopefully, it’s not about suspecting the existence of dragons.’

If, by any chance, the headmaster had become suspicious about the existence of dragons, it would spell significant trouble.

————

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