"Oh, right, Zenin-sensei. Co to think of it, you don't seem to have one."
"What do you an?"
Naoya Zenin turned to look at Utahi Iori.
The shrine maiden waved her chopsticks like a domineering conductor, lecturing him with the tone of a senior. "Gathering materials, organizing lesson plans, even grading howork. I heard you've been doing all of that on your own, haven't you?"
Then you must have heard wrong.
I usually don't assign howork.
Naoya Zenin muttered that inwardly, but what he said aloud was, "Isn't that part of a teacher's job?"
"Generally speaking, we'd hire a teaching assistant to handle those things."
Utahi Iori explained patiently.
"Because Jujutsu Sorcerers like us often get urgent assignnts from Jujutsu Headquarters. Just like how you took the morning off today. If the task is simple, it's still manageable, but once it involves a field assignnt, there's no way to finish it without at least three or four days."
"...Can't you just take the students with you on the mission?"
Naoya Zenin's comnt left Utahi Iori stunned.
"How could you possibly do that?! Soone like you, a Special Grade 1 Sorcerer, would be assigned missions that involve at least Grade 1 Cursed Spirits. If students went with you, they'd definitely get killed! Besides, I heard your classes are extrely popular. With so many students fighting to get in, are you planning to take all of them along?"
The young nobleman could not help picturing it.
At that point, it would not be a mission anymore.
It would be more like packing a whole van full of breadn, each of them geared up with six full sets, then launching a full-on assault against the Cursed Spirits.
"Does Satoru have a teaching assistant too?"
"Of course."
Utahi Iori nodded.
"He hired an assistant manager as his teaching assistant. Ijichi-san may not be very capable himself, but Gojo trusts him a lot. Those two have been working together for a long ti."
Ijichi?
Naoya Zenin thought for a while before finally rembering him. The supporting character with black-rimd glasses, the one with almost no presence at all.
No one would ever imagine that such a background character was actually the person most trusted by Satoru Gojo, the strongest sorcerer of the modern era.
Still, being able to put up with Satoru Gojo's bizarre personality for years was no easy feat. Ijichi deserved so credit for that.
"...I can handle it on my own. I don't need a teaching assistant for now."
Naoya Zenin set down his chopsticks without changing expression.
"But you have so many students to teach. Attendance lists, lesson plans, exam content..."
"I can do it all myself."
"Don't you find it exhausting?"
Utahi Iori looked at Naoya Zenin with genuine concern.
Exhausting?
Naoya Zenin shook his head.
Having to guide so many students one after another, while also gathering materials and preparing lecture notes by himself, was admittedly a little troubleso.
But he did not find it exhausting.
He had entered Tokyo Jujutsu High so that he could better infiltrate the protagonist's inner circle in the future and learn more advanced Cursed Techniques. His identity as a Sensei had rely been a cover, a smokescreen to hide his real purpose.
But after teaching two classes, Naoya Zenin no longer thought that way.
Because the students' growth had benefited him in return.
Especially Mai's breakthrough.
It did not only an that the future of the Jujutsu World had gained another powerful fighter. It had also brought him halfway to the threshold of [Cursed Technique Reversal].
He had no experience as a Sensei, and teaching was full of troubleso details.
But if teaching could rapidly improve his own strength, and every class gave him enough positive feedback, then no matter how tiring it beca, Naoya Zenin would work himself to the bone.
It was not as if he could do nothing and simply wait to die, right?
Besides, none of his classes could be replicated by anyone else.
Even hiring a teaching assistant would not help much.
After all, no one else could gather the crucial information gaps in the Jujutsu World that were unique to this transmigrator.
...
Naoya Zenin swept his gaze around. The female students in the cafeteria who had been secretly stealing glances at him instantly flushed red and lowered their heads to focus on eating.
Selecting a teaching assistant, on the other hand, could beco a suitable opportunity.
He considered it carefully for a mont, then changed his mind.
"I understand. I'll choose a teaching assistant as soon as possible."
"Would you like to recomnd a few reliable assistant managers?"
Utahi Iori was just about to suggest so suitable candidates, but Naoya Zenin refused.
"I don't plan to choose a teaching assistant from the assistant managers."
"Are you planning to find one among your household servants?"
Not everyone was like Satoru Gojo. Despite being the Clan Head of the Gojo Clan, his relationship with his family was strained, and he barely had any trusted servants he could call on.
There was indeed one servant who often appeared at Naoya Zenin's side.
The middle-aged man nad Oda.
Last ti, Naoya Zenin had even reprimanded the guards at the Kyoto Imperial Palace for his sake. He was probably deeply trusted by this young master.
From that perspective, if Naoya Zenin really had to choose a teaching assistant, there was no need to think too hard about it. The position had to go to Oda.
"A teaching assistant needs to handle matters related to Cursed Techniques. Oda is reasonably capable, but he has no talent in that area. He's a complete diocrity."
Naoya Zenin spoke bluntly.
"Then who are you planning to choose?"
Utahi Iori was completely puzzled.
Because Naoya Zenin, like Satoru Gojo, was absolutely the kind of person who had no friends.
These two Kyoto young masters had offended who knew how many people since childhood. They were the kind of freaks people hated so much that they would secretly stab paper dolls of them in the middle of the night while grinding their teeth.
The shrine maiden truly could not imagine who Naoya Zenin could possibly find to serve as his teaching assistant.
"Naturally, I'll choose one from among the students."
Naoya Zenin said it calmly.
"When it cos to Cursed Techniques and the curriculum, the students understand those things best. That advantage is sothing neither assistant managers nor household servants can match."
"You want to choose a teaching assistant from among the students?!"
Utahi Iori was dumbfounded.
Although this was not the first ti such a thing had happened in the Jujutsu World, and there had been people who did it before, the outcos had never been particularly pleasant.
Teaching students at Tokyo Jujutsu High could still be called a teacher-student relationship.
But choosing a teaching assistant from among the students would make it a full-fledged master-apprentice relationship.
In the Jujutsu World, the term "master-apprentice" carried extrely heavy political implications.
Take Kasumi Miwa, for example. Although she attended school and had many Senseis, even after she graduated and beca a Jujutsu Sorcerer, no one would consider her the apprentice of any particular Sensei. They would only say she was a graduate of Tokyo Jujutsu High.
The New Shadow Style, however, was Kasumi Miwa's true lineage. It was an inerasable part of her life's record. No matter what Kasumi Miwa did in the future, she would always carry the na of the New Shadow Style.
That was exactly why the Three Great Families typically did not enroll in Tokyo Jujutsu High.
Because in the traditional Jujutsu World, a strongly binding relationship like "master-apprentice" would naturally give rise to factional struggles and political ties.
If the next generation of the Jujutsu World were all graduates of Tokyo Jujutsu High, then no matter how powerful the Jujutsu higher-ups were, and no matter how crafty their thods beca, they would no longer be able to control [Jujutsu Headquarters].
Because the core group set to rule the Jujutsu World in the next generation would have been completely replaced.
"...I think you need to give this matter serious thought."
Utahi Iori's tone was extrely solemn.
"You're very popular at school. If the students find out you're hiring a teaching assistant, they'll definitely swarm you. And the title of 'Naoya Zenin's disciple' is really not sothing to take lightly."
"I already have soone in mind."
Just as Naoya Zenin was about to say who it was, Utahi Iori beat him to it and predicted his answer.
"You're planning to choose Mai as your teaching assistant?"
"Exactly."
"That's not a good idea."
Utahi Iori's objection made Naoya Zenin frown.
"Why?"
"Ahem. Because I think people would gossip."
The shrine maiden blushed and coughed several tis.
No.
Could you two cousins at least pretend a little while you're at school?!
Your relationship is already intolerable enough. It already can't be brought into the light. And now you want to choose Mai as your teaching assistant?!
What exactly are you trying to do?!
Are you planning to call Mai into your office every day and do sothing shaful in this sacred school?!
This is supposed to be teaching assistance!
Not that kind of assistance!!!
"...Is that so?"
Naoya Zenin thought for a mont and quickly understood what Utahi Iori ant.
Because Mai had always hated the original host, she basically never talked about her relationship with Naoya Zenin at school.
Her image at school had always been that of a cold, mysterious, unattainable beauty who avoided discussing the Zenin Clan.
If he suddenly forced Mai into the role of teaching assistant, the students who were unhappy about it would start gossiping. Then they would dig into all kinds of old history between them.
Once the things the original host had done to Mai in the past were exposed to the public, Naoya Zenin's reputation would not just collapse overnight. Mai would also be viewed through a biased lens at school from then on. It would be a complete lose-lose situation.
Naoya Zenin could not help giving Utahi Iori a long, thoughtful look.
This woman was definitely not so useless waste. On the contrary, she was a sharp, experienced veteran.
He had actually made the mistake of relying too much on his own assumptions. He had underestimated Utahi Iori.
Sigh. He still had not been careful enough.
"I understand. I'll hold a proper exam and choose a teaching assistant from among the students."
"A written exam wouldn't be very fair, would it? I think that would put certain students at too much of a disadvantage."
Utahi Iori sounded concerned, but inwardly, she gave a cold laugh.
Nice try, brat. You really think you can fool Big Sister Utahi?
Who didn't know that Mai's theory scores ranked in the top three of the whole school? The only one who could consistently stay ahead of that top student was Aoi Todo, and Aoi Todo's master was Yuki Tsukumo. There was no way he would accept the position of teaching assistant. In that case, wouldn't Mai still be the one chosen in the end?
"Looks like you have a better suggestion?"
"It's been snowing recently, and I heard the Snow Woman has been causing trouble in the deep mountains again. You also haven't led any students on an exorcism mission since you started working here."
Utahi Iori made her tone sound especially fair.
"Why not use this opportunity to grade them during the mission? Evaluate their Cursed Technique ability, on-the-spot judgnt, and teamwork together. Whoever cos out on top becos your teaching assistant. How does that sound?"
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