Shini Yasui Kōshaku Reijō to Shichi-nin no Kikōshi

Chapter 103: School Life (part four)

Six days passed in no time so quickly.

Tomorrow will be the first holiday.

Because we were anticipating a holiday, the school building after school was somewhat lively.

Many students were going out to play in the town.

From the day I entered the academy up to yesterday, I have been going around after school looking at the facilities in the academy.

At first, I tried going to the cathedral and the chapel.

I went to the garden and magical botanical garden these past few days.

Being a student after a long time also helps, but it is a lot of fun going around the academy.

Not only just coming up with measures for the death flags, but I will also try to enjoy my fun student life greedily in the meantime.

“Now then, I wonder what should I do today.”

While clearing away the Magic Mineralogy which was the last lesson for today, I think carefully about where to go.

Speaking of what I haven’t visited yet, it is the Phantom Beasts Museum, the Magic Library, and the large stable.

I’m interested in all of them, so I’m unable to make up my mind.

Alright, let’s go to the library today.

I will head for the Magic Library after drinking tea at the grand dining hall.

As I was walking down the corridor, I saw two people coming over.

Klaus and Auguste.

I’ve deliberately avoided meeting the two of them outside the classes.

Apparently, strange rumors about myself have been making the rounds, although I don’t know the details.

I have enough self-awareness that my behavior was not good, so I didn’t want to bother the two of them.

But since our eyes have already met, it seems impossible for me to escape and hide now.

“How rare it is for us to meet at this time, Erica.”

“You’re going to the grand dining hall, huh. It’s a bit early for dinner, are you going to drink tea?”

“Yes, I’ve been thinking of getting some tea for a while now. Therefore, I will have to excuse myself.”

While answering with a mild smile as much as possible, I aim for a quick retreat.

“Tea, huh. In that case, come to the student council’s lounge sometimes.”

“That’s right, why don’t you come and have some snack just for a moment?”

“Lounge, is it……?”

Speaking of which, I’ve never seen it before.

It’s difficult to escape from this situation, both physically and from my standpoint.

“Well, thank you for inviting me then.”

I should obey obediently rather than avoiding it.

I judged so, and they brought me to the second floor of the former reception hall, some distance away from the school building.

Although it is an educational institution that only has buildings of good quality, the room dedicated to the student council is even more luxurious.

For example, just by stepping on the laid down crimson carpet, it is of a level that shows a clear quality difference.

The vividness of the color usage of the furniture and the pleasing decorative plants makes one feel that it is a design typical of Ignitia.

The chandeliers used delicate glass work extensively and the two chaise lounges are amorous red.

A group of seniors came out of the room as we entered.

We greeted the three high-ranking young ladies of Ignitia as we passed each other.

It feels as if the lounge has been reserved by us.

Klaus and Auguste were sitting side by side on the chair by the window, while I sat down on the seat across them.

Tea and sweets came out as soon as Auguste asked the servant who was in the room.

It feels like a room where special students gather.

“Ah~ white worm, huh……in every grade there is always that one guy who will do something like that in that class.”

“That was an unfortunate accident.”

I was talking about the gist of the incidents that happened since I entered.

White worm mass proliferation in Magizoology seems to be a failure that was also done by their classmates.

“That said, I heard from Actorius that Eduart got buried in white worms once.”

“Eh, Onii-sama did? Aah, Onii-sama, how pitiful.”

“Um, Klaus. Weren’t you forbidden to speak about that?”

“……oops. Keep this a secret.”

Klaus averted his eyes unnaturally.

Perhaps, there are other stories of my brother’s failure which he was forbidden to speak about.

My brother likes to look good, so it is possible.

“Harold only has lessons in Golem Engineering, huh……”

“Has he been exempted from classes he has already taken at the local school?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Ah~ Harold is a freshman, but in reality, he has lots of free time, huh……”

Harold seems to be taking only advanced classes, and after that he seems to be absorbed in his favorite research and work.

There is no common lesson other than Advanced Golem Engineering with me.

We enjoyed the tea time with tea-cake and these sort of trifling conversation.

Klaus has almost finished magic-related lessons, and now he seems to be handling intermediate-level alchemy.

However, because he’s terrible at language specifications, only Golem Engineering is impossible for him to take.

How surprising.

Even Klaus the universal superstar has something he can’t do, huh.

Auguste talks about the growth of Blumbell and Briar.

Both of them are growing up to be able to withstand riding, and now they seem to be as big as a horse.

I haven’t met them since Auguste entered the academy, so I should go and see them in the large stable when the opportunity arises.

Speaking of which, there is a story that a bottle of white worms has been lost from the large stable.

Being what they are, the thought of that is a little bit scary.

I hope they haven’t proliferated in strange places.

Once the talk settled down, the bells of the chapel in the academy resounded.

Oops, I spent too much time here.

“It’s this time already. Then, I will take my leave……”

I said so and got up from the chaise lounge.

There is also a curfew at the dormitory so I won’t have time to look around the library if I don’t hurry.

“Well, do you have some errand?”

“I’m planning to go to the Magic Library. I was looking forward to it since it’s rumored that this library is the largest on the continent.”

“I see. Since you came all the way here, let me guide you to the library.”

“No, thank you.”

When I answered immediately, Klaus who was about to get up sat down on the couch once again.

Oh, his gaze is somehow intense.

“An immediate reply, huh.”

“Think about it, if I bring along someone who has many female fans like Klaus-sama, the resulting jealousy will be scary.”

“Me? There’s someone with such praiseworthy preference?”

“There is. Isn’t it obvious? Klaus-sama……”

Even though many female students are sending out their longing gazes.

To not notice such things, what a dense person.

I wonder how high his skill for not caring is.

“Right, I think Klaus would have to wait here. So, let’s go, Erica.”

“Auguste-sama.”

“Auguste……you……”

“Hm, what’s wrong?”

Auguste was going to accompany me while feigning ignorance.

Well, unlike Klaus, I guess he knew about his situation and was just messing around.

“Auguste-sama has a lot of enthusiastic worshipers regardless of gender, and they are more frightening than Klaus’ fans.”

“Regardless of gender……aah, yeah, I guess there is something like that……”

“In particular, it seems there is an extremely large number of men. They already feel like religious fanatics.”

“Ha……haha……that’s true. Why is that?”

When the hard fact was thrust at him, Augsute suddenly weakened exaggeratedly.

Indeed, it seems easy to devote crazy faithfulness to boys.

It may be a good thing for the future that there are many retainers with high loyalty, but it is quite difficult as their feelings are heavy.

“In other words, I really don’t want to be seen with the two of you in such a conspicuous place.”

“By any chance, is this because of the unrelenting scandals that follow around you? Do you think that it will inconvenience us?”

“Well, that’s……”

He pointed it out perceptively.

Especially, Auguste would be worried because in the past he had hardships because of scandals like this.

Somehow I feel guilty, so I averted my eyes away from his anxious purple eyes.

“If it’s about your scandals, even I have heard about it. You are rumored as an outrageous wicked woman in Hafan. What the heck did you do for that to happen?”

“Well, my behavior was surely bad, huh. It’s probably just reaping what I sowed.”

“You’re still saying that like it’s somebody else’s problem.”

With Klaus questioning me, I looked back on my life.

Memories of when I was being mischievous came to mind one after another.

Too many things came to mind, and I cannot narrow it down.

“What I know is the rumors that said you are an excessive spender who likes to splurge. All alchemists who are collecting wands and golem materials may be similar to you.”

“An excessive spender, huh……it’s because I bought not only the materials but also two warehouse districts of Knot Reed……”

“What……!?”

“Even if I say so myself, I also think that it was a terrible waste, a splurge.”

Klaus widened his eyes when I immediately gave a reply.

Auguste smiled while speaking with a squeezed out voice for some reason.

“Why’d you do that, again?”

“I have collected lots of large materials to make wands……”

“By any chance, was it because of the kraken and sea serpents?”

“It was an unfortunate accident that I had encountered a giant sea serpent, but fortunately, I got lots of materials because of that.”

“What do you mean fortunately!”

Klaus criticized me fiercely.

Because from the viewpoint of the local residents, isn’t it just too awful if ships in the area continue sinking?

And if one leaves a dead body that contains high-concentration of magical power in the sea, there is a risk that it will generate more large magical beasts, so it really was an unavoidable measure.

“I heard that you bought the achievement of subjugating the giant sea serpent from the Hunter Guild.”

“It’s better to leave that scandal unresolved……because the nickname 「Abyss Killer」 is difficult to accept……aah, maybe I should ask the guild once more to spread the rumor that the fact I defeated the abyss serpent was a false report……”

“You……why the heck is the truth worse than the scandals……”

Their expressions were past being worried and into amazement.

I feel guilty, so I looked away from the two of them and watched the landscape outside the window.

Aah, the leaves of the trees that would be colored soon are beautiful.

“Couldn’t you have helped any of this, Erica……”

“There was nothing to be helped, Klaus-sama.”

“But, in Ignitia you have a favorable impression. You made a big donation to the church, didn’t you?”

“I was troubled on how to spend the money, so that saved me some trouble……”

I thought that the budget of the churches in Ignitia would suffer due to the removal of the contaminated altars, so I donated most of the assets that I gained by selling the marine magical beasts.

Those beasts grew because of the scattered magical power stolen unjustly from the altars near Knot Reed, so it was only natural to use them to restore the altars.

Rather, I feel guilty because it feels like embezzlement unless I give it back to the church or the local people.

“That’s why, it will be troublesome if the two of you have bad rumors for being seen together with me who has lots of groundless rumors of my misdeeds……”

As I said so, I intended to refuse to go to the library together, but Klaus and Auguste laughed as they looked at each other.

“Today is the sixth day. Don’t you know that there aren’t that many people who are in the library at this time?”

“Many students are playing in the town as recreation, so you don’t need to be so alert.”

“Ah……aah, I see.”

“It won’t be a problem even if you’re with us. So, let us show you around.”

“Even if someone sees us, isn’t it normal for the student council seniors to guide their junior?”

I intended to turn them down politely, but they won me over.

Klaus and Auguste have a composed smile on their faces.

Well, these two people may be a pretty difficult opponent when they are together.

After all, there is no reason for me to refuse to go together with them, so I decided to go to the Magic Library with the two of them.