第１６６０堀：教えるだけでなく考えることも大事 (Part1)
Chapter 1660: It Is Important Not Only to Teach, but to Think
Side: Yuki
Man, the students here are truly remarkable.
Wait, no—perhaps I should say the students of this world are remarkable.
Ah, no, that’s not it either.
I suppose I’m just comparing them to how I was back then.
After all, I was a real brat.
It’s not that I was violent toward my teachers or disrupting class, but I certainly didn’t listen to lectures with this kind of intensity.
Well, then again, this school is the training ground for the nation’s future, filled with elites who survived grueling entrance exams. They are here because they have a genuine will to learn, which is why they hang on my every word.
My childhood school was a college-prep institution, sure, but it was fairly average—not exactly one of the best in the country.
It’s impossible for kids who haven’t seriously thought about their futures to listen intently to what adults have to say.
In other words, it’s not my fault.
And it follows that these students are simply diligent.
How can I tell they’re diligent? Well, beyond the way they listen so intently…
“And so, many major powers are participating in this International Exchange School. Now, it’s question time. Does anyone have anything to ask?”
As soon as I finished the scheduled “Introduction to the Nations Participating in the International Exchange School” and opened the floor for questions, *whoosh*.
Hands shot up everywhere.
All twenty students in the class.
It would be insulting to compare such an active, engaged school to the one I attended.
“As I mentioned earlier, this Q&A session is basically five minutes long. That means I don’t have time to call on everyone, so please understand that. I started from the front last time, so let’s go with the student in the very back by the window.”
I explained this and turned to hear the question from the student in the back.
Usually, that spot is a sanctuary where teachers don’t even notice you.
Well, the sun gets harsh and hot in the summer, but putting that aside, the student there stood up energetically.
“Thank you very much. My name is Eyao. I am a commoner.”
“Eyao-kun, is it? You don’t need to hold back just because you’re a commoner.”
“Yes. My question is this: I understand that Weed is being treated as a land for international exchange and as a nation, but why Weed? Were there no other better locations, or perhaps coastal areas that would be easier for exchange, considered during the selection process?”
Oh? That’s a surprisingly sharp question.
For the record, the answer is the simple fact that we have the Gate, but that is information currently restricted to the upper echelons of Zurable and the Zurable-affiliated personnel attending school in Weed.
They say they’ve kept the information tight to avoid causing mass confusion.
Well, that’s understandable.
And they called me in specifically to be the one to convey it.
“A good question. I was planning to talk about that when we get to the final topic—Weed, where this school is located—but I’ll answer it now. It is because we possess the teleportation technology known as the Gate.”
At my words, everyone fell silent. Or rather, they looked bewildered.
I could see Eyao-kun, who had asked the question, struggling with how to respond.
He looked like he couldn’t believe it, yet wasn’t sure if he should voice that disbelief.
“Yes, I understand how you all feel. Neither Zurable nor Hein has developed teleportation technology as of yet. It’s understandable that you wouldn’t think a small nation like Weed, from an outsider’s perspective, would possess it. Well, you can judge for yourselves whether that’s true or not as we go forward. To answer your question in detail, it is precisely because we have that technology that we can move instantly, regardless of the land’s geography. That is why Weed was chosen. It serves the role of the port you mentioned, Eyao-kun.”
I finished my answer with that…
“Now, are there any other questions?”
When I said that, hands went up again despite their lingering confusion, and the questions continued.
They truly have a vibrant, proactive spirit befitting international exchange students.
In that vein, after the lecture and the talk about Weed, we entered another Q&A session.
“Yuki-sama, does that mean you are going to teach us the common sense of Weed—or rather, the common sense of the international community?”
“Ah, that’s right. That said, this kind of ‘common sense’ is something we will all think about together from here on out. I have a foundation in mind, but there will likely be people who think it should be changed. If those ideas are logical, then things will change.”
“We will?”
“Yes. Well, of course, it’s not just the people of Zurable. You’ll discuss things with people from other countries—like what words to use for a common greeting, or what kind of etiquette to adopt. Common, mind you. World-common.”
“World… common?”
Perhaps it hasn’t hit home yet, as they began to repeat my words to themselves.
Well, that’s only natural.
“That said, it’s not an easy task. As I just said, you have to gain the approval of other countries. But once it’s decided, it will spread across the world. That is what will connect the world.”
“Connecting the world…”
“Yes. It will be born from you talking, laughing, and even arguing with people from many countries in the future.”
“Arguing…?”
“Wars and killing leave behind grudges, but people come to understand each other through those very interactions. Perhaps the ideal is to understand one another without ever arguing, but don’t you all have experiences like that? Things you only understood because you had a disagreement? Well, I’m not saying you *should* go out and fight, but sometimes by competing, you come to acknowledge each other. Whether it’s in studies, martial arts, or magic.”
“““Ah…”””
The students let out a collective sound, as if they finally understood what I was getting at.
“I’ve briefly taught you about Weed’s culture, but the other countries in the alliance have their own unique cultures as well. They were formed for various reasons, and people have lived by them as if they were the natural order of things. When that is denied, people feel anxious or offended. That is why it is important to listen and understand how that culture was born and how it was taught. Of course, there are terrible cultures, so you are free to reject those.”
“Cultures that are okay to reject, you say?”
“Let’s see. This is surprisingly difficult, but for example, what about the culture where ‘thinning the herd’ is considered a matter of course?”
“Eh? But isn’t that a necessary act for a village or town to survive?”
At my words, most of the students looked surprised.
After all, these students are the ones who made it this far—they are the ones who remained.
They are not the ones who were cast aside.
“Indeed. From that perspective, it is a necessary act. In other words, it is necessary to prevent that act—that culture—from ever needing to happen, isn’t it? Don’t you think it would be better if there were no need for thinning the herd?”
“Ah, that is certainly true. Thinning the herd includes the act of driving out people who exceed the capacity of a village or town…”
“If you look at it that way, it also means throwing away labor. But I don’t think it’s that easy to accomplish, is it?”
“That’s true. Then, let’s spend the rest of the time digging deeper into this.”
Seeing that they had become interested in my words, I could see even more intensity in their gazes than before.