I Became an Academy Counselor

Chapter 29

Counseling Room.@@@@

A space that shouldn't exist within the academy.

I think this space is now well-known among the students.

Since students keep coming by as if they’ve forgotten that this is a counseling room, it's not entirely wrong to say so.

I'm not sure if it’s thanks to successfully persuading Orca in the beginning, but... things have gone much more smoothly than I anticipated.

Orca, Leo, Anastasia, Stella.

I've already made contact with four students.

If I were to describe it in game terms, wouldn't it be fair to say that I've unlocked 80% of the character encyclopedia?

...But, the last student.

That kid is a headache because there’s no way they'll come on their own.

How on earth can I meet them?

"Um..."

"Hah, haha... This time, I’ve finally won! What are you doing, Ophelia? Hurry up and make your next move!"

"Oh, right."

Was it because I was lost in thought for too long? Stella seemed triumphant, mistaking my hesitation to make the next move for pondering my next strategy.

...But that’s not it.

After briefly scanning the board, I moved my piece and spoke.

"Check."

"?!!"

"Now, it’s your turn, Princess."

Beads of cold sweat had gathered on her forehead.

She must not have anticipated the move I just made. That’s why she was so sure of her victory.

However, as I mentioned last time, I have a manual in my head about the Princess’s playstyle.

There’s no fear of being caught. It’s all safely stored in my mind.

As long as she doesn’t abandon her characteristic playstyle, there’s no way I’ll lose.

I can even let my mind wander while playing, and it won’t be an issue.

"Uh... um..."

...Where was I? Damn it. I forgot.

Once my concentration broke, it felt like a blank slate—I couldn’t remember what I was thinking.

Oh well, it’ll probably come to me later.

"...Tsk. I can’t go on any longer. I’ve lost."

"Good game. Would you like to play again?"

"No, that’s alright. The result will likely be the same."

"Haha."

To see Stella react this way... it seems my chess skills have finally been recognized.

...I should keep it a secret that my skills only work against her.

"Have you had any concerns lately?"

"...What’s with the sudden creepy question?"

"Creepy? I may not look it, but I am a counseling teacher."

"Oh, right. You are."

"..."

Too much. Does she see me as nothing more than an opponent to beat in chess?

I asked about her concerns, hoping to hear a bit about how she’s been doing, but her unexpected response hurt a bit.

"Other students tend to have a lot on their minds around this time. I thought if you had any worries, I could listen."

"...Do concerns increase around this time?"

"Yes, well. Isn’t that natural?"

It's been almost two months since I took up my position at the academy.

I started right after the students had just entered, but two months have already passed—time flies...

"Around this time, everyone seems to be very tense. They’re anxious."

"...Why?"

"Because it's exam season."

The academy strictly monitors against cheating.

If you get caught, it doesn’t just end with getting scolded—you could be expelled.

Didn’t some extra student get expelled for that...?

Tutoring them also has its problems.

It seems they think that, as a counseling teacher, I wouldn’t be much help.

But, more than that, I’m actually the one who should be learning from them.

I still don’t understand why mana exists in the air...

I mean, I just go along with it, but when I think about it, there are so many things I want to argue against.

Is it really believable that mana was created by divine power?

It goes completely against the scientific knowledge I have.

If I didn’t know how to use hypnosis, it might have taken me much longer to accept the concept of mana.

"Well, then, I won’t help Orca."

"W-wait. I never said I didn’t need it."

"...Alright."

Just because I can’t tutor them doesn’t mean I can’t help.

I’m more confident than anyone that I can help.

"...So? How exactly are you going to help?"

"It’s simple."

"Simple?"

The two of them tilted their heads, as if they couldn’t understand how I planned to help, and I smiled.

I know that feeling when it becomes harder to sit still in your chair, and your head starts to hurt.

I’ve experienced it countless times myself.

Whenever that happened, I always wished...

For a superpower that would make studying easier.

Of course, that desire never helped, and I ended up cramming coffee and sugar while studying.

But now?

I have the very superpower I once dreamed of, one that makes studying easier.

"..."

"W-what? Why are you looking at us like that? It’s uncomfortable..."

"Orca, Leo."

"Yes..."

"From now on, studying will become fun for you."

I whispered to the two, who were frozen in place, meeting my eyes.

To solve their problem.

"Until the exam period is over, studying will be strangely enjoyable for you. It will feel like you’ve become a genius with extraordinary intelligence."

"Genius..."

"Sitting in your chair will no longer be uncomfortable. The material in your textbooks will stick in your mind easily."

A smart Orca.

The thought of her wearing a suit, tucking a file under her arm, and lifting her sharp glasses with one hand made me chuckle.

...Sorry, but that image just doesn’t suit her at all.

After confirming that the hypnosis had taken effect, I clapped my hands loudly to snap them out of their trance.

"Alright, let's start studying again, shall we?"

"Huh, what?!"

"Did you have a good rest? Let's get back to studying."

"Uh? Did we rest...?"

"No excuses! Get back to studying!"

"Ugh, please..."

As I watched them start studying again, I thought to myself.

I wish I’d had this ability when I was a student...

If I had hypnotized myself to find studying and exercising incredibly enjoyable, managing myself would’ve been so much easier.

I’ve gained this dreamlike ability, but it’s a shame that I don’t really have a reason to use it on myself anymore.