528 – Shining Diploma – 2

Before I knew it, my fists gained strength. I don’t know what makes me so nervous about being an honorary teacher and honorary graduate.

…No, now let’s be honest with me. This is not just something, it is very important. It is not a light enough issue to be used as a joke.

‘In the old days, I used to tap dance on the threshold of graduate school.’

I bit my lip and faced the sadness hidden deep in my heart.

People tend to despair more when they have something and then lose it than when they never had it in the first place. Before coming to this world, I was an intellectual who earned a bachelor’s degree without any problems after studying for 4 years at a fairly famous university. Even though the period of study did not end at 4 years and there was a crisis where Plus Alpha was added, he is still an intellectual with a college diploma.

After I came to this world, I became a preschool adult, a civil servant without a diploma, and a symbol that one can achieve success even if one is ignorant. It is extremely unfair to think about the past suffering caused by group assignments and graduation thesis.

It’s just that a current civil servant over 20 years old couldn’t be relatedly enter the academy, so he gave up.

‘If you can have it, you should have it.’

However, a hopeful statement came from the principal’s mouth. To Pedi, who can erase the only stain on my life, ‘Dad, you didn’t graduate from the academy, so I don’t have to study either?’ This is a golden opportunity to avoid saying that.

“First of all, to conclude, the minister will be awarded an honorary teacher’s degree.”

‘Good.’

I breathed a sigh of relief at the direct delivery of information without any unnecessary spin.

“An honorary teacher at the Imperial Academy. It’s an undeserved name I could never have imagined.”

And then he opened his mouth with a heartfelt smile.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a teacher’s certificate rather than a diploma. Anyway, if you’re going to prove your knowledge and connection to the academy, you’ll have to graduate or become a teacher…

“What I am giving to the minister is not a teacher’s certificate, but a teacher’s degree.”

…?

I looked at the principal blankly at his correction. Aren’t they both the same? It looks like a teacher’s certificate or a teacher’s degree, something like that.

‘Is it something else?’

Of course, it’s different so the principal may have corrected it, but since I’m not related to education, I don’t know the difference.

Damn it. But this shows that he is really a preschooler.

When people should be studying, if they do something else, they end up ruined.

***

When I saw the minister blinking, the corners of my mouth went up for no reason. It was as if he didn’t know what I said.

Of course, this is a natural reaction. The minister has less than 10 years of bureaucratic experience, and all of that experience is focused on inspection. It would be even stranger if you were proficient in a field other than your own.

‘It’s a teacher’s degree.’

I stroked my beard for a moment and gathered my thoughts. Just as the Minister was confused because he could not understand the meaning of what I said, I was also confused for my own reasons.

‘The Ministry of Education gave me something big.’

The Academy Honorary Teacher Certificate and the Academy Honorary Graduation Certificate are gifts that the Academy can give to distinguished guests. It is no different from an ornament that adorns the opponent through the authority of the academy.

However, an honorary teacher’s degree is a completely different gift than an honorary teacher’s certificate or diploma. It is an honor that can be shown off to the entire continent by borrowing the authority of the empire rather than the authority of the academy.

An honorary teacher is literally just an honorary teacher at the academy, but the teacher’s degree guaranteed by the empire is accepted throughout the continent’s academic world.

“I heard that you provided a lot of help to Professor Gerhardt’s research.”

Therefore, I opened my mouth to clear up the minister’s confusion. This is good news for the minister, but it is not useful news, so it is necessary to inform him in detail.

“It is said that thanks to the minister’s help, great progress has been made in northern research. This has left a distinct mark on the continent’s historical academia, so the Ministry of Education believes it is appropriate for the minister to receive an honorary teacher degree .”

“Is that so?”

The Minister reacted somewhat to my words, but

“You received a great deal.”

Eventually, he nodded, his eyes shining, as if he had noticed the difference between a teacher’s certificate and a teacher’s degree.

As the Minister said, this is a tremendous gift. Excluding material goods, it is the best gift the Imperial Academy and the Ministry of Education can give.

The path of an apprentice teacher pursued by those with a passion for learning. There are as many people walking that path as there are stars in the night sky, and only those with effort, talent, and luck can obtain a formal teacher’s degree.

The Minister skipped that process and reached the result. He came to have an honor guaranteed by the empire and recognized by the continent.

‘Emeritus Preschool Teacher.’

I almost burst out laughing for a moment. The minister lacks the knowledge he should have gained at the academy, but he does not lack wisdom. So, he can be said to be a wise person regardless of whether he graduated from the academy or not.

Still, someone who has never attended an educational institution can receive an honorary teacher’s degree. Since he has lived in the world for a long time, he sees all kinds of amazing sights.

“Congratulations in advance as your degree will be officially awarded at the graduation ceremony. You have now become a scholar representing the continent.”

“It’s a shame. I received undeserved honor for a small help, but I’m a scholar.”

Although he said so, the minister’s expression was very bright.

I am glad that it was a satisfying gift to the minister who worked so hard for three years.

***

The world seemed more beautiful after hearing the shining decision of the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Education, which is responsible for the future of the country, is different no matter what. How can we make such wise and rational decisions so quickly? Being ranked 8th in the imperial administration was not in vain.

‘It’s dazzling.’

Then, by chance, I saw my reflection in the mirror.

I feel blind. Because in that mirror, a great scholar guaranteed by the empire and recognized by the continent is reflected. It is a being too brilliant for a single human eye to bear.

“Who am I?”

As I looked in the mirror, I muttered as if I was possessed by something.

“Holder of the Imperial Honorary Teacher Degree.”

Ha.

Just hearing it was a thrilling name made me smile. Fortunately, there is no one nearby, so no one will look at me strangely when I ask myself this question.

‘It’s the best.’

Of course, I know that even if I regain my senses just a little bit, my words and actions would be very embarrassing. But now I want to fully feel this happiness.

Isn’t that called an honorary teacher degree? A teacher’s degree in this world is equivalent to or better than a doctoral degree in the previous world. It is not even a degree recognized by a single educational institution, but a degree recognized by a national unit—and it is also a degree recognized by the empire.

Although it has the word “Honor” In front of it, it doesn’t matter. What is important is the degree itself.

‘I’m not in preschool anymore.’

It’s so touching that I feel like crying.

Whether you look at it objectively or subjectively, this is a greater item than a real diploma. Even among the elite who graduated from the academy with excellent grades, only a very small number of people reach a teacher’s degree.

Now Pedi asks, ‘Did you study well, Dad?’ All she has to do is show her honorary teacher’s diploma every time she says it. This dad is not only excellent at martial arts, but he is also excellent at academics. I can teach him to be both a literary and martial artist.

‘I should at least send a gift in the New Year.’

I decided. Next New Year, I will send a heartfelt gift to the Minister of Education. He is the person who went beyond erasing my only blemish and gave me a glorious name, and that is the right thing to do.

“Master, please eat!”

Not long after, Yuris’ voice was heard beyond the door.

I think tonight’s dinner will be more delicious than usual.

Lunch the next day. Without fail, a provocative call came from the minister.

-Why do you look like that?

And that too with the sudden sale.

However, he was unfazed. If Karl had been an uneducated person in the past, he would have reacted angrily and unignifiedly to low-level provocations, but Karl Crasius of Tyglehen, the intellectual star representing the continent, was able to show a more relaxed and dignified reaction.

“I always had this expression. If it looks strange, it means His Excellency is in a different state of mind than usual.”

I could see the minister opening his mouth and holding back the extremely logical words.

Yes, this is the power of intelligence. Even the minister, who was like an unbridled animal, succumbed to logic that he could not refute.

‘Do you feel the difference in class?’

This is the gap between ordinary graduates and those with a teacher’s degree. It is a gap that cannot be narrowed even if one graduate struggles for a hundred years.

***

I realized this when I saw Carl’s expression and tone of voice.

‘It turned around hard.’

It also took a different direction than before. If you normally escape reality due to tasks that are difficult for you to handle and unexpected accidents, now you are in a state of distortion due to excessive happiness.

‘Did I keep this much in my heart?’

It’s very annoying. I agreed with the Minister of Education’s opinion until I gave up making fun of my preschooler, but if I had known that his inferiority complex would be this deep, I would have made fun of him forever. It is not human to give up such a valuable source of entertainment.

But what can you do? It’s already in the past.

“It is true that the Minister of Inspector General worked hard for three years and helped with the study of northern culture. So, I plan to reward you with an honorary teacher degree.”

“Hmm, I don’t mean to disparage the Minister of Inspection’s achievements, but… Is it okay for a preschooler to have a teaching degree? An honorary diploma seems to be enough.”

“Even an orphan can be a minister, so does it really matter that a preschooler has a teaching degree? Just give it to me.”

Moreover, because of Minister Koo Hyul-seong’s remarks, it was difficult to open one’s mouth on the spot. How can you oppose it if you cowardly mention your origin there?

-What if Peddie says she will become a great teacher like her dad? I wish my pedi would take the easy route.

‘Crazy guy.’

Anyway, while looking at Carl, who was still spewing out outrageous remarks, I quietly put the cup of water on the desk to my mouth.

What makes a great teacher? He must be a plunderer who used his power to steal a degree.