Del

Del is the homeroom teacher assigned to Quinn's first-year class at the military academy. Initially an upbeat guide and instructor, he later abandons much of his class during a dangerous portal expedition and claims credit for saving the survivors, exposing the self-interest beneath his cheerful manner. (Chapters 8, 59–63, and 263–277)

Biography

Homeroom instruction

Del greets a group of new students, leads them through the academy, and encourages them to know their classmates. He explains school facilities and dormitories while maintaining a smile, but does not challenge the ability-based social sorting that pushes Quinn and Peter to the back. (Chapter 8)

As homeroom teacher, he teaches the portal classification system and prepares students for their first off-world assessment. He requires squads of five and warns that academy trackers will not work outside the school, making team cohesion important. He handles registrations and remains surprised by the socially mismatched group assembled around Quinn. (Chapters 59 and 63)

Failed portal expedition

On the green-portal expedition, Del's class is diverted by an advanced-tier beast and attacked by Dalki. The evidence later given to other teachers says Del leaves students behind while seeking safety, after which Leo finds and escorts the remaining group back. Fewer than half return with him. (Chapters 263–271)

Del tells the staff the missing students were eaten and beyond rescue. Once safe, he pushes through injured students and claims they survived because of him, prompting Leo to say he does not deserve to be a teacher. Additional survivors subsequently arrive, disproving Del's certainty that everyone left behind was dead. (Chapter 271)

When the expedition is cancelled, Del expresses frustration because the military may simply assign another assessment. He considers continuing only with powerful protection from Leo and Fay, showing that his concern is institutional burden rather than personally returning for students. No disciplinary action against him is shown. (Chapters 272 and 277)

Tournament selections and disappearance from the record

Del worries that his supposedly weak class will reflect poorly on his career at the inter-base tournament. Unexpectedly, the class ranks highly because of points awarded to Quinn's group, and Del selects Layla for ranged combat and Peter for the fighting tournament. Peter's selection causes confusion because classmates believe he is an earth user implicated in Pure, but Del's precise reasoning is not stated. (Chapters 277 and 289–290)

Later chapters refer to “Del's class” and compare other instructors with an ordinary teacher like Del, but do not give him another consequential on-page action. He is alive at his last confirmed personal appearance; his employment, ability, and eventual fate remain unknown. (Chapters 316, 336, and 378)

Appearance and personality

Del is a middle-aged man with curly blond hair and glasses. He usually wears ordinary teaching clothes even when summoned for a field emergency, contrasting with combat-equipped instructors. No height, eye colour, or later physical description is given. (Chapters 8 and 93)

He appears cheerful and patient during orientation, though repeated questions irritate him. The portal disaster reveals cowardice, entitlement, and concern for his own status: he abandons students, claims their survival as his achievement, and later focuses on the effect of assessments and tournaments on his career. (Chapters 8, 59, 271, and 277)

Powers and abilities

Teaching and military knowledge

Del knows academy procedure, portal classifications, expedition rules, and student assessment. He can organise teams and select event representatives. The text distinguishes him from sergeant-level combat instructors and never names, grades, or demonstrates a personal ability. (Chapters 59–63, 277, 289, and 378)

Field capability and limits

Del survives the portal expedition and accompanies students in a dangerous environment, so he has at least ordinary military field training. However, Leo—not Del—deals with the advanced beast and brings the survivors back. With no narrated fight or equipment use, Del's offensive strength, costs, counters, and latest capability cannot be established. (Chapters 263–271)

Relationships

• Quinn: Quinn is a low-level student in Del's class. Del teaches him academy procedure but is not shown recognising or supporting his hidden development.
• Peter: Peter is another marginalised student in Del's class. Del later selects him for the fighting tournament without explaining the decision.
• Layla: Del selects Layla as his class's ranged-combat representative.
• Leo: Leo rescues Del's remaining students and condemns Del's conduct after hearing him claim credit.
• Nathan: Nathan supervises academy staff and warns that student tournament performance will affect their prospects, increasing Del's career anxiety.

Items

No manifest-configured inventory item is assigned to Del.