MGSFV?! Chapter 539. As Long As You Also Read XXX, You're Definitely Not a Bad Person; The Little Teacher
"Theresa really does suit this place."
"Mm..."
"Everywhere are children—doesn't that just perfectly match Theresa's specialty?"
"Oh, so that's what you meant." Hokuto blinked.
"But…"
His tone carried a slight laugh as he continued:
"Specialty or not, when Theresa sees what's happening in this dream, I think she'll probably feel a little complicated inside."
"Hm?"
Elysia gave a soft sound of puzzlement.
Naturally, Hokuto explained:
"[Playing freely at school without any restraint]—isn't that kind of dream… showing too little respect for teachers?"
"Uh."
Hearing that, Elysia belatedly realized, and was left a bit speechless.
Meanwhile, the comment stream spoke directly:
[Why must the playtime be set at school? Is there some special meaning?]
[Don't you think—being happy in a place that's usually full of authority figures—brings a strange sense of joy?]
[Hmm… I thought it was because, in children's subconscious, school is where it's easiest to meet friends, so they chose it as the place to play.]
[Maybe both reasons are true?]
…
In truth, Theresa really did feel her "teacher's occupational disease" flaring up from seeing this dream of children.
She instantly recalled Kiana climbing over the school wall countless times.
All the same. All the same.
She sighed silently in her heart, pushed away the complicated feelings, and walked forward.
Voices of children filled her ears:
Cheerful girl: "Hehe~~ what game should we play next?"
Quiet girl: "Want to read picture books together?"
—
Bold boy: "Watch me—hey!"
Cautious boy: "Whoa! You're amazing…"
—
Enthusiastic boy: "Let's play hide-and-seek!"
Happy girl: "Okay! Let me see… I'll go hide there!"
—
[Hey, why is only the last pair a boy and a girl?]
[Childhood sweethearts, winning at the starting line.]
[The kids are all so happy… from that sense alone, it really is a dream too beautiful to disturb.]
[But… if a dream is just a dream, doesn't it lose its true value?]
"The value of a dream? Is it in having one? Fulfilling one? Or in the process of making it real?"
"You're asking me?"
"I really do want to know what you think."
After pondering, Hokuto replied seriously:
"I once saw an interesting question online… Do you remember the old security questions you set for your account?"
"Uh..."
Though nowadays accounts bind to ID and phone numbers, back then, security questions were common.
And that sort of thing…
"I think I remember mine—but maybe only a small minority do?"
"Right. Most people likely don't remember anymore."
He nodded lightly, then asked back:
"So, if a security question is forgotten by its owner—even if it always exists in the database, if you'll never use it again… does it still have meaning?"
"..."
"I think I understand your point."
He followed her logic:
"The question existing alone has little value. Using it at least shows it has value. But the true value is that it protects your account when you need it."
"So—even if you never use it, as long as you still remember it, its value never disappears."
…
While they discussed, the game's story moved forward.
Theresa wandered around the school of dreams.
She found the children had so many ways to play—string figures, marbles, jump rope, hide-and-seek…
Children's creativity in play was indeed endless. With just a few small props, they could invent a hundred games.
She even wanted to try them herself—
cough cough—but that wasn't the point.
The point was…
She noticed that while most played individually, one spot drew many kids together.
Serious girl: "Wow, you draw so well!"
Exaggerated boy: "Is that a spaceship? So cool!"
"That's right! It's a spaceship bigger than the school!"
In the middle stood a boy proudly holding up his drawing, brimming with excitement.
Theresa mused: "That boy… he's drawing lots of attention. Perhaps this is the turning point of change."
With that thought, she straightened her clothes, put on her most kind and gentle smile, and approached.
She had to act kindly—adults might make children nervous otherwise.
Nervous…?
But standing among the children, she didn't look any different…
"Hi there."
But Theresa clearly lacked any self-awareness of that. She greeted the boy in a "grown-up to child" tone.
Thus—
After a short exchange:
"Hm? You came to see my drawing too? Hehe, if you're sincere enough, maybe I'll teach you!"
"Let me see… Not bad, but still not good enough."
"Hah? You jealous that I draw better? So childish!"
"I've read lots and lots of man—cough, drawings—so I can instantly see the flaws in yours."
Naturally, this brought the boy's retort:
"You're just a few years older, why act all superior? Immature!"
"..."
['Just a few years older'—here, let me underline the key point.]
[Correction: several decades older.]
[HAHAHAHA.]
[＃Checking Theresa's blood pressure＃]
[Honestly, if Theresa ripped up the boy's drawing out of anger, maybe she'd actually break the dream faster?]
[Rip the drawing? You're a devil.]
…
Of course Theresa wouldn't do that.
She wasn't petty…!!
She inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly.
Later, if she had the chance, she'd revise the textbooks—give kids more "knowledge"… cough, broaden their horizons.
Theresa, oh Theresa.
How could you—just like this? Don't let people look down on you. These are the flowers of the future—cultivate them "well."
Whatever her later plans for cultivating future flowers, for now she focused on the present.
The plot continued.
Facing the boy's challenge, Theresa pondered and then told him seriously:
"Your drawing lacks something important."
"Hmph, then say it!" The child would never concede so easily.
"This spaceship—you copied it from an adventure storybook's illustration, didn't you? I've read that book too."
"You must remember what the hero always said in that story, right?"
"[I'll fly across the world, leaving my name in every sky.]"
"The hero traveled every nation with his ship, and everywhere remembered him and his ship."
[I thought this was Around the World in 80 Days, but it's The Little Prince.]
[Of course kids prefer storybooks with pictures! Hand them a short novel—are you entertaining them, or torturing them?]
[Haha, true.]
Naturally, Theresa loved picture books too.
That was why she instantly recognized the boy's drawing and recited its details.
But it was also precisely because she had loved such stories…
That she could connect with the kids so smoothly here, making them listen attentively.
Getting children to listen was never easy.
Another adult might not have managed it at all.
What once seemed like a "quirky trait" now served an unexpected use.
…
Theresa's words touched the boy.
His tone softened:
"Yes, that's why I admire him so much. I want to be a great adventurer like him too!"
He was still at the stage of—"As long as you've also read XXX, then you're definitely not a bad person."
Not knowing… that adults' world was never so simple.
Theresa's long words were just the setup.
The lesson was about to begin.
At the boy's most passionate moment, she turned the topic:
"But in your drawing… you left yourself out."
"You only copied his dream, unchanged. How can that make you a true adventurer?"
"I…"
The boy resisted, but weakly.
Because one truth was obvious—
[Adventurers travel themselves. Watching others' adventures isn't enough.]
[Sadly, he's just a child—heart strong, ability weak.]
[So—better not stay in dreams. Wake up, grow quickly, and gain independence.]
[True. Children's bodies limit them too much.]
"What if children dream of themselves grown up?" Elysia asked curiously.
"First—what do you think the adult world looks like to a child?" Hokuto countered.
"Uh…"
Hard to say. Probably full of fantasy.
Maybe some think they'll grow up to be wizards.
"Project Stigmata, based on reality, can't create the adult world children imagine."
"So if they truly begin yearning… then—"
He didn't finish, but everyone understood.
When desires grow, dreams become cages.
…
Back to the story.
Their heated debate drew more onlookers.
Before long, Theresa and the boy were surrounded.
Theresa nodded inwardly.
Good.
The wider the discussion, the more likely the children would find a turning point—and influence others tied into this dream.
Her argument wasn't out of pride over "you're just a few years younger."
It was a deliberate plan to change their thinking.
Teaching children? Of course she knew how.
She was the Academy Head of St. Freya.
Just then, a timid voice spoke beside her:
"Excuse me… are you a teacher?"
!!!
Theresa snapped her head to the side—seeing a girl.
Ah, sharp eyes indeed.
[Sharp eyes? More like blind eyes. With that height, how could she be a teacher? LOL]
The comments teased mercilessly.
But Theresa thought differently.
Surely her mature bearing had shone through just now! That's why the girl sensed her rich "adult" heart, and willingly called her teacher.
"That's right. I'm actually the Academy Head of another school. Did you hear what I said earlier?"
"Yes. You… you said…"
The girl hesitated, then repeated softly:
"The heroes in books are our models, our goals—but not our shackles or our limits."
"A true adventurer must surpass those before him, go higher and farther, let his own dream soar to unexplored skies."
"..."
Theresa's heart bloomed.
She replied gently, patiently—though honestly, she'd have been just as patient even without the good mood.
"Yes, exactly. For hundreds, thousands of years, countless adventurers pursued their own dreams, carrying humanity to today's flourishing world."
Her soft, clear words made other children begin to listen too.
But then—
???
What twist?
No, just a boy raising his hand.
Huh? Theresa was lecturing—of course students might raise their hands. Normal enough.
But the content…
"What should we do then, Little Teacher, to become real adventurers?"
['Little Teacher.']
[Theresa: Child, do you know how many ways Judas can be used? (smiling kindly)]
Of course, most comments expressed it more simply:
[(LOL)]*N
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