"43: Not a Student, But a Teacher"

Early morning, just before the first class.

As Luo Shu arrived at his seat, he could feel the unusual gazes of his classmates following him. Ignoring them, he sat down and pulled out his phone, opening the LINE group chat. Several messages had already piled up.

[Eriri]: Transfer student? I've heard nothing about that. There's been no buzz at all in the first-year classes~ Maybe you got it wrong?

[Utaha]: So that means there's no word about any transfer student among the first-years?

[Eriri]: Nothing in the second-year classes either. I just checked through a few classmates. That leaves only the third-year classes—still uncertain.

[Eriri]: By the way, are we really confident we can keep everything secret in front of this so-called "official ability instructor" from that government group?

[Utaha]: Technically, this question shouldn't be mine to answer, but let's be honest here—Eriri, you're the best performer among us, right?

[Utaha]: Am I wrong, my genius artist of the art club? The Jewel of Toyosaki, Sawamura Spencer Eriri.

[Eriri]: Ugh, you totally read my so-called "friends'" minds this morning, didn't you?! I know you did!!

[Utaha]: Hm, I could've sworn I saw someone secretly grinning with joy. Just my imagination?

[Eriri]: So annoying!! (angry emoji.jpg)

After scanning through the conversation, Luo Shu frowned slightly. He glanced at the classmates still watching him, and after scaring them off with a sharp stare, he muttered, "Isn't this usually when a bunch of classmates start gossiping about the new transfer student?"

It might sound cliché, but in Japanese high schools, where reading the atmosphere was a required skill, making small talk about gossip-worthy topics was practically a daily ritual. And a transfer student? That was a hot topic that could last for days. There was a reason why so many light novels used "transfer student arcs" as a narrative hook.

Unfortunately, Luo Shu didn't get that kind of dramatic setup. Instead, thanks to the "dating rumors" sparked by his recent appearances with Kasumigaoka Utaha, he had become the subject of gossip.

He'd already overheard plenty of whispers like, "Are those two dating?" and "They must be. A lot of people saw them together."

Thankfully, Toyosaki Academy students were decently well-mannered, so no one had directly walked up to him to confront him about it—yet.

[Luo Shu]: If there's no intel on the transfer student, then I guess it's time to resort to off-the-record methods.

[Eriri]: What kind of off-the-record methods? (curious emoji.jpg)

[Utaha]: .....

Utaha sent a long line of ellipses—she seemed to have an idea.

Just then, Luo Shu typed:

[Luo Shu]: Utaha, try scouting the teacher's office after class.

[Eriri]: Uh-oh.

[Kasumi]: I'll give you an answer before the second period.

Clearly, Utaha was confident.

Seeing her reply, Luo Shu tucked his phone into his pocket and thought, I should give her the upgrade materials for her ability soon. I'll say it's a reward for gathering intel. Of course, since I'm giving it in advance, she'll owe me some work for free later on.

Naturally, he wasn't going to hand it over for free. This was like a chain quest in a game—give an early reward to hook the player, but they still have to finish the remaining tasks to truly "earn" it. Utaha was smart; she'd understand the message.

Just as Luo Shu was planning his "transaction," the bell rang for class.

Even though it was supposed to be English, it was Takagi, the homeroom teacher for Japanese, who walked in. But what surprised everyone was who followed him—a girl in a black Gothic-style dress, with the petite figure of a middle schooler and doll-like long black hair.

Luo Shu blinked in surprise. Before he could even process it, the class erupted into chatter.

"What's going on? Is she a transfer student? We didn't hear anything about this!"

"Whoa, she's super cute~~"

"Is she a middle schooler? She's way too small to be in high school!"

"Damn, it's a legit legal loli~"

Whack whack! Takagi rapped the desk with a textbook.

"Quiet down."

As the class slowly fell silent, Takagi looked around and explained, "Due to work reassignment, your regular English teacher, Nanjo-sensei, won't be teaching this semester. From now on, English will be taught by Natsuki-sensei. Everyone, give her a warm welcome!"

Without waiting for a reaction, Takagi began clapping enthusiastically on his own.

The students, however, remained frozen, staring in disbelief at the adorable, doll-like girl.

"A teacher?!"

"You've gotta be kidding!!"

While the class reeled in shock, Luo Shu calmly pulled out his phone under the desk and typed a message.

[Luo Shu]: No need to check the teachers' office. She's in my class. You'll get all the details after this period.

Not even glancing at the keyboard, he typed with eerie precision. Suddenly, his brow twitched as he realized Natsuki-sensei was looking directly at him.

But it seemed to be just a casual glance—she said nothing and walked up to the board, writing four kanji in bold Natsuki Minamiya. Off to the side, she scribbled in small print: (24 years old).

"That's all."

She tossed the chalk aside and clapped her hands together. Despite her childlike features, an overwhelming aura of authority radiated from her.

"Not going to explain much. Starting this semester, I'm your English teacher. Understood?"

The class exchanged bewildered looks, clearly unsure how to process her words.

Luo Shu sighed and called out, "Understood!"

Hearing him, Natsuki Minamiya glanced his way, and after that, the rest of the class half-heartedly echoed, "Understood~~"

Takagi exhaled in relief. "Looks like I'm no longer needed here. I'll leave this period to you, Natsuki-sensei."

"Fine," she replied with a nod, watching him leave. Once the door closed, she turned her sharp gaze on the class, silencing anyone who even thought about speaking.

"Open your textbooks to page 33. Now."

The room fell into silence once again, broken only by the synchronized sound of pages turning.

As Luo Shu flipped his book, he narrowed his eyes and thought:

The Witch of the Void—Natsuki Minamiya… So, another one from the Abyss, huh?