Chapter 883 - 883: Eiren Kanagawa and Seiko Kirigiri

Kotomi Izumi thought about it for a while, but she still could not figure out why Eiren Kanagawa had chosen to leave Kyoto University and come to Sobu High School as a homeroom teacher.

Could Sobu High School have offered her an annual salary she simply could not refuse?

At first glance, that possibility might seem reasonable. Some financially powerful high schools did indeed recruit one or two professors from prestigious universities.

Whether those professors were actually good at teaching could be set aside for the moment. As long as the school successfully recruited a professor from a prestigious university, it could print promotional language like this in its admissions brochure:

'Our school possesses an outstanding faculty. Mr. or Ms. So-and-So formerly served as a professor in the Department of Such-and-Such at a prestigious university. Every member of our teaching staff has extensive educational experience and will establish a solid foundation for improving our students' future academic performance.'

Do not underestimate the power of a single sentence like that. It might be enough to make parents prioritize that school when choosing where to send their children.

However, although that was true, it ultimately depended on which field the professor recruited from the prestigious university specialized in. If the professor's field could help students with the humanities or sciences, then the school would certainly attract the attention of many parents.

But if the professor specialized in a field that offered little help with the humanities or sciences... then even though many parents would know that the school had recruited a professor from a prestigious university, once they heard that the professor's former university subject had little relevance to high school coursework, they still would not prioritize that school.

After all, parents choosing a school for their children all hoped their children could improve their grades beyond their current level. Nearly every consideration they made when selecting a school centered first and foremost on improving their children's academic performance.

Although Eiren Kanagawa had previously been a professor at Kyoto University, one of Japan's prestigious universities, the subject she taught was fine arts.

There were certainly high school students who needed to pass an art entrance examination to attend university, but Sobu High School had always focused on academic subjects rather than art examinations.

Therefore, if Eiren Kanagawa truly had been recruited from Kyoto University at great expense, Kotomi Izumi would have to wonder whether Sobu High School's chairman simply had too much money and nothing better to spend it on.

But if Sobu High School had not lured her away from Kyoto University with money, Kotomi Izumi genuinely could not understand why Eiren Kanagawa would willingly give up her position as a professor in Kyoto University's Department of Fine Arts to become a high school homeroom teacher.

Something is wrong. Something is seriously wrong. I can't shake the feeling that Ms. Kanagawa came to Sobu High School because she's hiding some unspeakable secret... Kotomi Izumi thought suspiciously.

It was not that Kotomi Izumi distrusted Eiren Kanagawa herself. Rather, Eiren Kanagawa's decision to become a homeroom teacher at Sobu High School was simply far too unreasonable.

At the podium, after answering the students' question about whether they could date at university, Eiren Kanagawa began responding to several of their earlier questions.

"I previously served as a professor in Kyoto University's Department of Fine Arts. Although I'm not particularly knowledgeable about mathematics, physics, or chemistry, I do possess a few insights of my own when it comes to painting. That is also why I managed to enter university despite not studying properly back then, and why I successfully joined Kyoto University's Department of Fine Arts after graduation.

"Of course, regardless of whether you intend to take the standard university entrance examinations or pursue admission through an art examination, none of you should neglect reading and studying. Reading more books and acquiring more knowledge will never put you at a disadvantage.

"After all, this concerns not only your examination results, but also the range of careers available to you after graduating from university.

"Whether you are qualified for a position depends not only on your academic credentials, but also on your individual abilities, and the capacity to learn is one of those abilities.

"However, if you eventually become a professor within the ivory tower of a university, you will not be required to possess an especially strong capacity for learning.

"After all, when a professor teaches most classes in a particular field, nearly everything they explain to students remains within the same basic framework. After teaching it to one graduating class, they teach it again to the next. Once they have repeated the material for several years, they can sometimes walk onto the podium and deliver a two-hour lecture without even preparing beforehand. At most, they might occasionally add a few minor supplements based on their personal understanding.

"Strange, isn't it? You work at a university educating students, yet the job itself places no great demand on your personal learning ability. Nevertheless, that is simply the truth."

"Ms. Kanagawa, does that mean being a university professor is an easy job?" one student asked curiously.

"No."

Eiren Kanagawa shook her head and sighed helplessly, as though the question had stirred up painful memories.

"I can only say that compared with an ordinary office worker, it is indeed a tiny bit easier, but only a tiny bit. Moreover, becoming a university professor is not easy at all. First, you need to attend graduate school. A master's degree is the minimum standard, and a doctorate is preferable.

"That's right, you heard me correctly. These days, the minimum academic qualification for teaching at an ordinary university is generally a graduate degree. If you want to work at a prestigious university, you will usually need a doctorate.

"Getting into a good university is difficult, isn't it? Then I can tell you with complete responsibility that earning a doctorate is even harder.

"After going through untold hardships to earn your doctorate and successfully obtaining a position at a university, you have merely reached the starting line. From there, you must work every day, strive to produce results, accumulate seniority for professional evaluations, and advance through the academic ranks one step at a time. At the same time, to qualify for competition over a professorship, you must publish a certain number of papers.

"Sigh... Whether I was studying or working, writing papers was always the thing I hated most.

"After struggling all the way to that point, congratulations, you have finally earned the right to compete for a professorship. The number of professorships at any university is limited. Put simply, they are extremely scarce, and that is only at an ordinary university.

"At a prestigious university, the competition is even more intense. Even if you do everything expected of you, there is still no guarantee that you will become a professor. If your individual abilities are not especially outstanding, your chances become even smaller.

"One reason I became a professor in Kyoto University's Department of Fine Arts was that competition for professorships in the department was not particularly fierce that year. If I had to compete for the position now, my chances of becoming a university professor would not be very high."

Once Eiren Kanagawa began talking about university professors, she could not help venting some of her grievances through complaints. She then continued addressing the students.

"Furthermore, even after becoming a professor, you cannot simply relax. You basically have to attend another meeting every so often. When things are quiet, they really are quiet, but once work becomes busy, there are genuinely endless matters both large and small.

"So, to any student who wants to become a university professor, the life advice I can offer is to think it over very carefully.

"Wanting to become a university professor means you must study at least until you earn a doctorate. Before becoming a doctor, you can only continue spending your parents' money. After all, you must prepare for all kinds of examinations. How many ordinary people have the energy to work and study at the same time? If you pass successfully, everyone will be delighted. But if you fail to earn your doctorate, your relatives may very well label you a freeloader living off your parents.

"Whether you are pursuing a master's degree or a doctorate, the intensity of the competition is beyond anything you can currently imagine. Even if you overcome all that competition and secure a university position, you will still face competition of every conceivable kind.

"Yet after surviving so much competition, the monthly salary you receive before becoming a professor is not especially high. During your internship period, you may even need to continue spending your parents' money for a while."

After Eiren Kanagawa finished speaking, she deliberately looked at several students who seemed interested in becoming university professors. Sure enough, their expressions had all become rather complicated.

This was the first lesson Eiren Kanagawa taught these students, who had only just entered their first year of high school, after arriving in Class 1-F—nothing in the adult world came easily.

Seeing that the effect was fairly good, Eiren Kanagawa concluded,

"To summarize, if any of you still wish to apply for a university lecturer position after graduation and eventually become a professor, then before making that decision, I hope you will often think back on what I said today. Becoming a university professor is certainly an admirable ambition, but after all your effort, the reward may still be smaller than the price you paid.

"I'm pouring cold water on your dreams here, but not because I want to discourage you or make you give up.

"I simply hope you understand the many difficulties involved in taking this path. Only after understanding those difficulties can you consider more comprehensively and thoroughly whether you truly wish to proceed, and only then can your determination become firmer.

"That way, when you encounter hardship and setbacks along this road in the future, what rises in your heart will not be regret over the decision you once made, but the courage to grit your teeth and keep moving forward.

"As for why I chose to resign from my professorship at Kyoto University and come to Sobu High School as a homeroom teacher...

"Hehe, I simply regretted my original decision to become a university professor. I worked myself half to death every day and barely had any free time. It would have been one thing if all that time and energy had been spent educating students, but the crucial problem was that most of it was wasted on all sorts of boring university business. Meetings, meetings, meetings every single day. I have no idea where the university administrators found so much damned nonsense to talk about.

"I may have become a university professor at a young age and earned a fairly high income, but I wasn't happy at all. So I resigned."

After Eiren Kanagawa finished speaking, a small wave of commotion spread beneath the podium.

"I thought being a university professor was an easy job. I never imagined it would be so difficult."

"To be precise, the difficult part seems to be everything you have to endure before becoming a professor. There are so many fiercely competitive examinations and selection processes. If you make a mistake at any stage, all your previous effort might be wasted. Hmm... I think I'll just find a job after graduating from university. I don't want my relatives calling me a freeloader who lives off my parents."

"Ms. Kanagawa feels completely different from the other high school teachers. Is that the aura of a university professor?"

While the students below were discussing the matter animatedly, Eiren Kanagawa looked toward Seiko Kirigiri, smiled faintly, and slowly said,

"Kirigiri, you've been watching me this entire time. Is there something you would like to ask?

"Hehe, it's all right. Whatever you want to know, feel free to ask. Today's period is homeroom, and I want to use this time to properly get to know every student in the class while allowing every student to properly get to know me. Therefore, if you have any questions at all, don't worry about anything. Just ask me directly.

"Moreover, starting today, I am not only your homeroom teacher, but also Sobu High School's art teacher. If any of you encounter problems with painting in the future, you may come directly to me.

"Speaking of painting..."

At that point, Eiren Kanagawa tucked the hair beside her ear back with her slender fingers. Although her tone carried a hint of gentleness, it also possessed an oppressive force that could not be ignored as she addressed Seiko Kirigiri.

"I remember that your older sister, Naegi, is the president of Sobu High School's art club, correct? How impressive~ Back when I was in high school, my greatest dream was to become president of the school's art club.

"All right, that's enough small talk.

"Seiko Kirigiri, please stand and answer my question."

Under the gaze of everyone in the classroom, Seiko Kirigiri slowly stood. She seemed to understand what was happening. She had been staring at Eiren Kanagawa with a gloomy expression, and naturally, Eiren Kanagawa had sensed her gaze.

Perhaps calling Seiko Kirigiri to stand was Eiren Kanagawa's small act of retaliation.

Seiko Kirigiri also knew she should not have looked at Eiren Kanagawa so gloomily. However, whenever she thought about the possibility that Hibiki Naegi and Eiren Kanagawa shared some unusual relationship, she simply could not make her gaze toward Eiren Kanagawa become friendly.

After all, the first time Seiko Kirigiri dreamed about Eiren Kanagawa, the thing she most wanted to do was push her off a train platform.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Kanagawa. I simply wasn't feeling very well just now..."

Seiko Kirigiri lied in a low voice. She knew Eiren Kanagawa could easily see through such a clumsy lie, but apart from those words, she no longer knew what else to say.

After hearing this, Eiren Kanagawa smiled gently and asked with concern,

"I see. Do you need to visit the nurse's office?"

"N-No, that won't be necessary. I'll be fine after resting in my chair for a while."

Eiren Kanagawa arched one elegant eyebrow as she looked at her. Some inexplicable emotion had originally stirred within her, making her want to continue making things difficult for Seiko Kirigiri. However, after seeing how embarrassed Seiko Kirigiri looked, Eiren Kanagawa decided to take a small step back for the sake of preserving her relationship with Hibiki Naegi.

"All right, please sit down. If anything is wrong, you can raise your hand and tell me directly. I originally wanted you to answer a question, but the moment I opened my mouth, I accidentally forgot what I wanted to ask. I'll ask you next time after I remember it. Is that acceptable?"

"Y-Yes."

Eiren Kanagawa had unexpectedly offered her a way out, and Seiko Kirigiri instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. However, she did not feel the slightest gratitude toward Eiren Kanagawa.

That was because, in the previous instant, she seemed to have sensed a strange emotion directed at her from Eiren Kanagawa.

That strange emotion felt almost like hostility!

Friday's first period gradually drew to a close amid the students' questions and Eiren Kanagawa's answers, until the dismissal bell finally rang.

"All right, my greatest virtue is that I never keep a class past the bell. I had a wonderful time during this lesson. Everyone, make good use of the break and get some rest. If I remember correctly, second period is Mr. Nakamori's mathematics class."

Eiren Kanagawa spoke while packing up her things. Once she finished, she looked toward Kotomi Izumi and smiled.

"Izumi, could I ask you to step outside for a moment?"

"Sure~"

They were old acquaintances, so Kotomi Izumi nodded, rose from her seat, and walked out of the Class 1-F classroom together with Eiren Kanagawa.

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