Chapter 2 Part 2
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"Or is your earlier statement a sign of disloyalty toward the royal family?"
"N-no! Of course not!"
"Then cease causing a disturbance. This is the entrance exam venue. Do not do anything that will upset the others."
"Y-yes, of course."
After that, he shot me a glare full of resentment before walking away.
Why?
"That was quite a situation. Are you alright?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m fine. I just didn’t expect someone to act like that in the Magic Academy, so I didn’t notice at first."
"Heh, that return of his introduction was priceless."
The boy who seemed to be of high nobility laughed cheerfully.
His height seemed to be about the same as mine. Ah, I’ve grown to 175 cm now.
He had yellowish-golden hair and blue eyes, and his skin was as pale as porcelain—almost translucent. He was a stunningly beautiful young man.
"Still, even though the Advanced Magic Academy doesn't tolerate the oppression of nobles, there are more people who shrink back when actually facing such pressure."
"Yeah, I’m not really concerned with authority, and I don’t even think what he did could be called intimidation. It didn’t have much impact."
"Hmm, as I’ve heard, you seem to be rather naive about the world."
"Naive about the world?"
Who said that?
"Ah, I should’ve introduced myself sooner. My name is August. August von Arlsheid. Those close to me call me Aug. I’ve heard quite a bit about you from my father, Shin."
"What!? So you’re Uncle Dis’s son?"
Oh? The people around us suddenly went silent.
"Heh, Uncle Dis’s son... I’ve never been called that before. Whenever people find out I’m a prince, they start acting all humble and obsequious."
"Well, I always thought of Uncle Dis as just a relative, so when you say 'son of Uncle Dis,' it makes me think of a cousin or something."
"Heh, heh, hahaha!"
It seems like I caused quite the burst of laughter.
"I see, so we’re cousins. I remember when I heard about you from my father, I felt a strange sensation. Being told we’re cousins, it doesn’t feel out of place at all. In fact, I’ve come to accept this feeling. So, we’re cousins, huh?"
"I'm glad to hear that you're happy about it."
"Heh, we’ve finally met like this. I’d like to talk more, but we should probably head to the exam room soon, don’t you think?"
"Ah, yeah! You’re right. We should go."
"Then let’s both do our best. The next time we meet will probably be at the entrance ceremony, right?"
"Heh, I’ll do my best to make that happen. By the way, you can come over to my place sometime!"
"As a prince, about to undergo the ceremony of ascension, I can’t just wander around casually."
"Is that so? Uncle Dis comes over to visit all the time though."
"Father..."
After parting ways with the exhausted Aug, I headed to the exam room.
◇
A crowd of onlookers had gathered around Shin, Kurt, and August, and among them were Maria and Sicily.
"Ugh, I finally found Shin, but why is he getting involved with that guy of all people!?"
Just as she said that, Kurt had approached Shin.
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"Ah... I wonder if Shin is okay..."
"That guy is the epitome of a typical arrogant fool with a superiority complex... I just hope nothing too troublesome happens."
It seems like these two know Kurt.
"Eh? Wait!! Is that..."
"Could it be... Prince August!?"
And with August intervening, the situation came to a quick end, and the onlookers scattered off toward the exam room.
Maria and Sicily continued their conversation, riding the wave of the crowd.
"I wonder what Shin really is?"
"Seriously, I’ve never seen Prince August talk so happily like that before."
"Yeah."
"Anyway... the real problem is him. I can’t believe he’s here at this academy."
"Yeah..."
"Listen, Sicily. If he does anything to you, make sure you tell me right away, okay? No, even if he doesn’t do anything, you should still tell me."
"Even if nothing happens...?"
"Hmm, oh! I’ve got it! You should just have Shin stick with you!"
"Eh, ehh!? With Shin!?"
"Yeah! If you tell him you’re being followed by a creep, he’ll definitely help you! He’s strong, and he doesn’t back down from nobles or even royalty!"
"But... it’d definitely be a bother to him."
"It’s fine. I’m sure Shin wouldn’t just leave a girl in trouble. I’m convinced of that after what happened last time. He’d probably even protect you willingly."
"But... it feels like I’d be taking advantage of Shin’s kindness..."
"Yeah, exactly. You should take advantage of it. Listen, Sicily, I know Shin’s a good guy, but I care about you more."
"Maria..."
"Besides, if you’re together, it could help things progress between you two."
"Eh, ah! Stop it!!"
Unbeknownst to Shin, the girls were already making their plans.
◇
After that, I took the written exam at the exam room. As expected, it was packed with people.
As for the exams, it finished before I even knew it.
What more can I say about the written exam?
Then, the practical exam began.
The exam took place in an indoor practice arena, where the goal was to destroy a target. Even if you couldn’t destroy it, they would assess your magical proficiency.
Five students entered the practice arena in order of their exam numbers, and each one showcased their magic in turn.
I was the last one of the five.
The first person handed their admission ticket and citizen’s certificate to the examiner.
The examiner was a woman with black robes, black hair that reached her shoulders, and glasses. She looked like someone who would be a secretary if she were wearing a black suit.
"Now, use your strongest magic and unleash it with all your might."
"Yes! I’ll do my best!!"
Oh, this is the first time I’ve seen magic from someone my age. What kind of magic will they use?
"<Flames that burn all to the ground! Gather in my hand and strike down the enemy>!"
……
"<Fireball>!"
……
Boom!
……
"Haah..." (smug face)
...How embarrassing! That was so embarrassing! What was that? Is chanting really supposed to be like that? And "Fireball"—that’s such a cliché! It was flashy up until the shot, but the effect was so weak! And why does she have that smug look on her face?
This is bad. I wanted to give my best to meet everyone’s expectations, but if I go all out, I’m definitely going to be looked at weirdly. I’ll hold back on going full power.
And so, the exam continued.
"<Raging currents of water! Gather and dance, sweep everything away>!"
"<Water Shoot>"
……
"<Wind, dance! Wind, swirl! Create a gust that sweeps everything away>!"
"<Wind Storm>!"
……
"<Mother Earth, lend me your power! Become the stones that strike down the enemy>!"
"<Earth Blast>!"
……Ugh... this is exhausting... What is this, a cringe-worthy magic performance!?
Just listening to it is bringing back memories of some ancient, embarrassing history...
As I silently took damage to my mental state, the first four had finished, and it was finally my turn. Now, what kind of magic should I use?
"Now, next up..."
The examiner's eyes widened for a moment when she looked at my admission ticket and citizen's certificate.
"You are... hmm. Well then, I would normally say to unleash your strongest magic with all your might, but in your case, we’ll need to be cautious."
Cautious? Why?
"Just use a magic strong enough to destroy that target. Please, whatever you do, don’t use magic that could destroy the entire practice arena."
...Uncle Dis... what kind of story did you tell them...?
A bit disappointed by the special treatment, I took my position.
The target was shaped like a mannequin with no arms or legs.
Since it had withstood the previous spells, it seemed to have decent durability.
However, considering that they provide a new one each time to avoid unfairness, even if it was durable, it probably wasn’t made from something particularly expensive.
In that case... that should be fine.
I then conjured a single small, pale blue flame.
The surrounding people murmured as they witnessed me cast it without chanting.
I shaped it into a thin, elongated form and shot it out as a bullet.
The flame bullet shot at super speed drew a pale blue line through the air as it was absorbed by the target.
Boom!!!!
With a loud crash, the target exploded. The flame bullet that shattered the target continued its momentum and struck the wall at the back without losing any force. Oh no.
Boom!!!!!!
It hit the magical barrier on the wall, shaking the entire practice arena violently.
When everything settled, the reaction from the onlookers could only be described as stunned. I hope the examiner doesn’t get mad at me for this.
"...I have one question... Was that magic your full power?"
"No? You told me not to destroy the practice arena, so I really held back when I cast it."
"...You held back with that?"
"Yeah."
"...I see. Understood. The exam is now over. Everyone, good work."
Thank goodness. I managed to avoid getting scolded.
Relieved by that, I forgot to look for Maria and Sicily and headed straight home.
Ugh! What am I doing!?
◇
After all the exams were finished, the teachers of the Magic Academy gathered together.
"Was it really that impressive? The 'Sage’s Grandson'?"
"It wasn’t just impressive. It was almost terrifying. The magic he cast, which he thought was held back, nearly destroyed the practice arena."
"Really?"
"Yes, and he did it without chanting. He cast it in an instant."
"Hey, do we even have anything to teach him? At this point, I feel like we should be the ones learning from him."
"I feel the same way. His Majesty had originally enrolled him to help him learn social skills, so I think he should serve as a role model during class. After that, we could set up a lab where people can gather and he can teach them social interaction."
"Oh! That sounds good. With a lab, it wouldn’t be strange for us to go in and out either."
"That’s true. Shall we proceed with this plan?"
"Yes. By the way, how did the exam rankings turn out?"
"I’ve seen the written exam as well. The grading is still underway, but it seems like he almost scored full marks."
"In that case..."
"Yes, it’s decided. This year’s 'Top of the Entrance Exam' is set."
◇
Aug came over to the house. With Uncle Dis.
When Aug met my grandfather for the first time, he was so moved that he almost teared up. I can’t quite grasp it, but it seems my grandfather really is something special.
Apparently, Aug’s younger sister wanted to come too, but since they weren’t visiting for leisure, she was left at the royal castle. He said her disappointed face was quite amusing. Turns out, he’s got a bit of a bad side.
By the way, she’s ten years old and looks up to our grandmother.
If they didn’t come to visit for fun, then why did they come?
"We should be going soon."
It had been a few days since the entrance exam, and today was the day the results were being announced. Aug had invited me to go with him, which is why he came to the house today.
The messenger is Uncle Dis.
The King...
It’s just the two of us going. If Grandpa or anyone else went, it would probably cause a panic, and the King definitely can’t go. So, Grandpa and Uncle Dis are staying behind.
Why did Uncle Dis come, though?
Since Aug wanted to walk around the city, we decided to walk to the academy. It's close, after all.
Today, Aug has no guards with him.
He said that with me around, he doesn’t need any guards.
I’m happy that he trusts me, but is that really okay? A member of the royal family?
Walking freely through the city for the first time without guards, Aug seemed to be so overwhelmed with the sense of freedom that he was walking a little aimlessly, wandering this way and that, so it took us about thirty minutes to reach the academy, even though it was only a fifteen-minute walk.
When we finally arrived at the academy, both of us had skewers of grilled meat in hand.
"Oh, looks like everyone’s gathered."
The prince muttered, chewing on his skewer of meat.
"Yeah," I said, licking the sauce off my fingers, the grandson of a hero.
Yeah, we’re definitely going to get in trouble for this.
After finishing our skewers, I threw the sticks into my dimensional storage and headed for the bulletin board where the successful candidates' names were posted. We had to push through the crowded people to get to the board. Now, where's my number?
"Ah, found it!"
"I found mine too."
It looks like we both made it in.
After high-fiving Aug, we got in line to receive our textbooks and uniforms at the registration desk. It seems they also announce the classes here.
The line moved smoothly, and soon it was my turn. In the next line, Aug was standing.
"Next, please."
I showed the receptionist my admission ticket and citizen’s certificate.
"Let me check... Oh? You... You’re Shin Wolford, right?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, so you're the rumored Sage’s grandson. Here are your textbooks. This is the list, so please check it and let me know right away if anything is missing. And here is your uniform. We referred to the body data recorded on your citizen's certificate, so the size should be a perfect fit. If any part doesn’t fit, please make sure to tell us. This uniform has various defensive magic spells attached to it, so don’t try to alter it yourself."
Listening to the receptionist’s explanation, I took the textbooks and uniform.
"Is it okay if my grandmother alters the uniform?"
"Your grandmother... Ah, you mean Melinda-sama? If it’s Melinda-sama, then there’s no problem."
In that case, I wonder if I could do it myself? Maybe I’ll give it a special modification.
By the way, I was assigned to 'Class S.'
I received a handout with the date, time, and items to bring for the entrance ceremony, and just as I was about to leave, the receptionist called me back.
"Oh, and Wolford-kun, since you’re the top of the entrance exam, you’ll be giving a speech as the representative of the new students at the entrance ceremony. So, please prepare your speech."
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
"Representative of the new students... a speech!?"
"Yes."
She confirmed it with a dazzling smile.
Wait, hold on a second.
"But, uh, isn’t Prince Aug... August-sama a new student this year? It’s obvious that he should be giving the speech."
I’ve never given a speech as the representative of a new class in my previous life, and there’s no way I’m doing it in this life either. I feel bad for Aug, but he’s going to have to take one for the team.
"Hey, hey, what are you talking about, 'Top of the Entrance Exam'?" Aug, who had been standing in the next line, suddenly said something that sounded almost like a reasonable argument.
With a smirk on his face.
Hey! You’re definitely enjoying this, aren’t you!? This guy is definitely enjoying messing with me!
“Oh, hey!”
"Well, as His Highness August said, this academy doesn’t care about social standing—it's a complete meritocracy. That includes the royal family. Even when His Majesty the King was here, the representative speech wasn’t given by the King."
I was completely cornered with no way out.
"Well, that’s that. Good luck coming up with your speech."
Aug said this with the brightest smile he’d shown so far.
Are you serious... I have to give the speech as the representative of the new students at the entrance ceremony? I was crushed by the shocking realization and once again forgot to look for Maria and Sicily. I only realized it when I got home.
...I’m really forgetful…
◇
Shin, feeling down about having to give the representative speech, walked past the line, still standing, with his head down.
The people in the line watched him curiously.
Among them were Maria and Sicily.
"Ah, looks like I didn't make it to the top of the entrance exam, huh?"
"He’s amazing, right? He’s not only good at martial arts, but his magic is incredible too."
Sicily smiled and happily watched Shin as he walked by.
"Sicily, aren’t you going to talk to Shin?"
"Ah, um... it’s fine. I don’t really know what to say to him..."
"What are you talking about? You have the perfect topic to talk about—you both passed the exam!"
At Maria’s words, Sicily’s eyes widened as if she had just realized something.
"Oh, right..."
"You’re just realizing this now?"
"What am I doing...?"
"Yeah, what are you doing...?"
Despite the surrounding joy of passing the entrance exam and the happy expressions of others, only Sicily was surrounded by a gloomy atmosphere.
"Yeah, what am I doing..."
◇
When I got home feeling down, everyone was worried that I had failed. But when I told them that I had ended up at the top of the exam and now had to give the representative speech, they congratulated me, saying it was amazing.
"Heh heh, the representative of the new students, huh? Well done, Shin."
"We taught you a lot, so this is to be expected. But you did a great job."
Both of them praised me with big smiles.
"As expected of you, Shin-sama."
"Of course, it's only natural for someone like Shin-sama."
"I personally believe you could have been top of the Knight Training Officer Academy as well."
Marika, Steve, and Alex also praised me. Although Alex seemed a bit off.
"Father, I’m sorry I couldn’t be first."
"Ah, well, it’s to be expected if it’s against Shin. He’s truly in a class of his own. But I’m glad you passed. I hear you even got into Class S. I’m quite proud."
I feel like I just got hit with something really harsh, but it was said so casually.
"Anyway, Shin, you don’t need to get that down about just a speech, right?"
"Well, Father, it seems that he’s not just down about the speech, but something else as well."
"Something else?"
"Apparently, he forgot to look for someone he knows."
"Someone you know... I see... A girl, perhaps?"
"That’s what it seems like."
Smirking × 2
This family is so annoying!
What are they even talking about!? Well, they’re right, but still!
"So? What kind of girl is she?"
"Well, she has long, beautiful blue hair, a small face, large eyes that droop a little, she’s about 155 cm tall, has a great figure, and is a total beauty."
"Ugh... I didn’t need all those details..."
"Hm, just answering normally would be boring."
Hey! This family really has a bad attitude!
"Heh heh, seems like you’re gaining all sorts of experiences as soon as you get to the capital. That’s good, that’s good."
"Shin, make sure to bring that girl here. I’ll properly check her out for you."
Since I came to the capital for social learning and to interact with people, Grandpa’s probably happy I’m gaining all these experiences.
But Grandma is scary.
And so, the days of thinking about my speech began the next day. I didn’t have any free time left at all!
◇
At a certain noble's mansion.
In one of the rooms, a boy who had just returned from the Magic Academy’s entrance results announcement was muttering to himself.
"I’m in Class A...? Not Class S, but A...? This is insane... And that guy who made me lose face is the new student representative...? This is ridiculous... Ridiculous... They must have done something dishonest... The academy’s teachers must be in on it too... Otherwise, how could this happen... This... This is Unforgivable... Unforgivable... I can’t forgive this..."
The murmurs, filled with resentment and anger, echoed through the dark room.
◇
And so, the day came. The entrance ceremony.
I was nervous yesterday... but I slept well in the end.
Honestly, I realized it wasn’t going to help to fidget, so I just resolved to think about my speech. Now, it’s up to fate.
Today, I’m taking a carriage to the academy. Because, of course, Grandpa and Grandma are coming as my guardians.
If we walked, there would definitely be a panic. So, the palace sent a carriage for us. It was a luxurious one, like something I saw in a museum in my past life.
It was very comfortable to ride in, but the atmosphere was uncomfortable.
And, of course, I’m wearing my uniform today.
A blue jacket with black slacks. The first years this year wear red ties. Second years wear blue ties, and third years wear green ties. Next year’s new students will wear green ties. The girls wear black pleated skirts and have ribbons instead of ties.
In fact, there are other institutions in the capital that are called “high-level academies.” The "Knight Training Officer Academy" and the "Advanced Economics and Law Academy" are two of them.
The Knight Training Officer Academy is exactly as it sounds. It trains knights who command soldiers to defend the kingdom. It gathers individuals with exceptional physical abilities. The male-to-female ratio is about 9:1. It’s the alma mater of people like Uncle Michel and older sister Chris’s. Their uniform has the same design as ours, but with a red jacket instead.
The Advanced Economics and Law Academy is an institution where students study economics and law. It trains merchants and civil servants. Known as the intellectual elite of the kingdom, they may lack combat ability, but the country wouldn’t function without them. The male-to-female ratio is about equal. Uncle Tom, the merchant, is an alumnus of this academy. Their uniform is also the same design as ours, but with a green jacket.
The three major academies of the Earlsheid Kingdom are:
The calm "Blue."
The passionate "Red."
The knowledgeable "Green."
These are what they say about the three top academies.
There are other academies for nobles and the wealthy, but since it’s not really relevant, I’ll leave it out.
Today, Grandpa is wearing an unusually luxurious cloak I’ve never seen before. This is apparently a cloak awarded by the country along with the "First Class Medal of Honor." It’s white with gold embroidery along the edges—a cloak that looks impressive just by looking at it. He’s wearing it over a white military-like uniform.
Grandma is wearing the same cloak. She’s draped it over a light blue dress, and since she’s naturally beautiful with a good figure, it suits her perfectly. Even though she’s at an age where we call her Grandma, there were even servants who were mesmerized by her.
Also, instead of the usual silver-framed narrow glasses she wears, she’s wearing fashionable glasses with blue rims, matching her dress.
It’s only about a fifteen-minute walk, but we arrived in just five minutes by carriage. As soon as we got off the carriage—well, more accurately, as soon as Grandpa and Grandma got off—the crowd started to buzz with excitement.
It seemed that the rumor about the grandson coming to the academy had spread, and gradually, I started receiving curious glances from everyone.
As I endured the uncomfortable stares, one of the academy staff came and guided us into the ceremony hall. Phew... that was a relief. Grandma was about to lose her temper, after all.
"Honestly, what is with all these people!? I’m not a show for you to gawk at!"
She was definitely upset.
"Sorry about that. It’s supposed to be Shin’s big day, and yet it’s caused all this commotion."
"Exactly! What if Shin’s nerves get thrown off and he messes up the representative speech?"
Yeah, they’re totally in sync. Seriously, just get back together already.
And Grandma... please don’t jinx things like that.
So, Grandpa and Grandma headed to the venue, and I, as a new student, went to the designated meeting spot before the ceremony.
"Hey, Shin. You nervous?"
"Oh, Aug. No, I’m fine."
When I got to the meeting spot, Aug greeted me.
We’ve met quite a few times since then, so we’ve become much more comfortable with each other.
"Today, we have new students, current students, and even my father, the King, along with nobles and high-ranking officials from all over the kingdom. You don’t need to feel nervous, okay?"
"I mean, I—"
"The top new student, Shin, will surely give a wonderful speech. I’m looking forward to it."
T-this guy... He’s doing it on purpose. He’s trying to make me nervous on purpose!
"Aug! You’re doing this on purpose!"
"Oh? What’s wrong, Shin? Are you that excited?"
"You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you!?"
"Hahaha, what are you talking about?"
"You jerk!"
"Hey! The ceremony’s about to start! Stop causing a scene!"
"Sorry!"
"Honestly. Alright, we’re starting, so get in line!"
I got scolded by the teacher.
"Aug... it's your fault I got scolded right after entering the academy."
"Heh heh, well, don’t say that. Thanks to me, your nerves probably eased up, right?"
Come to think of it... my heart, which had been shaken a little by Grandma’s jinx comment, had completely settled down now.
"Aug, you..."
"Well, it was an accident!"
"Aug, you!"
"Enough! Both of you, calm down!"
"Yes! Sorry!"
Aug was still laughing. I never would have imagined this from the first time we met, but this guy has a pretty bad—no, actually, it’s better to say he has a good nature.
He’s always teasing me, and it turns into a kind of playful chase every time.
He’s my first friend of the same age... or rather, like a cousin, so it seems like he enjoys messing around with me.
Just to clarify, neither of us are weirdos!
I haven’t met her, but apparently Aug has an fiancée, and he occasionally brags about her. If possible, I’d like to get along with Sicily too...
Then, I heard a voice from behind.
"Ah, um... Shin-kun, it’s... been a while."
It was Sicily.
"Hey, Sicily. You passed too, huh? And Maria as well."
"Don’t say it like it was an afterthought!"
"Sorry, sorry. I didn’t see you at the exam or the announcement, so I was wondering what happened."
"I did see you, though... but it didn’t seem like the right time to talk..."
"Huh? Oh, was it back then?"
When I was bothered by Kurt and when I was called up as the new student representative.
I caused a bit of a commotion, after all.
"By the way, since you’re standing in line here...?"
"Y-Yes, we’re also in 'Class S,' right, top student?"
"Yes, we’re in the same class."
Sicily smiled happily, and I couldn’t help but get lost in her smile when...
"Shin. Is the woman you were talking about her?"
Wha—! What are you saying!?
As I was surprised by Aug’s comment, he seemed to have noticed something.
"Oh, wait, aren’t you two...?"
Are they acquaintances?
"Long time no see, Your Highness August. I’m Maria, of the Messina family."
"Long time no see, Your Highness August. I’m Sicily, of the Claude family."
A count and a viscount!? They’re nobles!
"Huh? Sicily, I can understand, but Maria too?"
"Hey! Isn’t that a bit cruel!?"
"Heh heh heh."
Oh, Sicily’s amused.
"So why didn’t you tell me?"
"Well, if I said I was a noble’s daughter, people would start acting differently."
"Yeah, it’s like they become all formal... I often feel a distance between us."
"Hmm, is that so?"
"You’re the unusual one. Both of you, with him, authority and common sense don’t apply, so just feel free to interact."
"Huh? Your Highness, what do you mean by that...?"
"Come on! Enough already! Let’s go!"
Just as Maria was about to ask something, a teacher called out.
Then, with applause from the current students, teachers, guardians, and distinguished guests, we entered the venue.
On the stage, speeches were being given by the guests, the representative of the current students, and the headmaster, but none of it was getting through to me.
I was too focused on my own thoughts.
And then... the moment finally arrived.
"Next, we have the new student representative speech. The top scorer of this year’s entrance exam, Shin Wolford!"
"Yes!"
"Huh...?"
"Wolford?"
"Yes, Shin Wolford. The grandson of that famous hero."
"!!!"
It seems like Aug was explaining something to Sicily and Maria. Wait, didn’t I already mention that?
But more importantly, it was time for my speech. With nervousness filling me, I stepped up to the stage.
The audience was unusually noisy. Please, just be quiet.
"I am Shin Wolford, the representative of the new students. On this auspicious day, surrounded by the watchful eyes of our guardians and guests, and welcomed by our teachers and fellow students, I am very happy to have been accepted into the Earlsheid Advanced Magic Academy."
"Since I was young, I’ve learned many things from my grandparents and acquaintances. However, having lived deep in the forest where my grandfather had retired, I grew up without much knowledge of the outside world. During that time, someone once told me, 'Go to the academy and learn some common sense.'"
"Since coming to the capital, my environment has changed dramatically. I have already made a few friends. I am sure there will be many more encounters once I enroll in the academy. I look forward to that. You may wonder about my studies, but for me, meeting people is the most important thing. That said, I’m sure you’ll expect me to focus on my studies as well. Of course, I do not intend to neglect my studies. I hope to build relationships with the people I meet, ones where we can push each other forward."
"So, everyone, please don’t leave me out just because I lack knowledge of the world, alright? If that happens, I might cry."
"To our guardians and guests, please continue to watch over us with warmth and, at times, with strictness. To our teachers and fellow students, I may be an arrogant student and junior, but please don’t bully me. In three years, I hope to grow and spread my wings. We will work hard, and we ask for your guidance and encouragement. The representative of the new students, Shin Wolford."
I bowed my head slightly.
Then, a loud round of applause erupted.
I’m so relieved, the weight on my shoulders is finally lifted. As I returned to my seat, Aug was silently laughing.
"Heh heh, ahaha, hahahahaha!"
He hadn’t been able to suppress his laughter.
"What’s up? Why are you laughing?"
"Heh, ha, I mean, you mixed jokes into your representative speech! That’s unprecedented, you know? Didn’t you listen to the other speeches?"
"Huh!? Really?"
"Yes... that’s right. I haven’t really heard anything like that before..."
"Not just haven’t, I’ve never heard anything like it!"
Maria was laughing too.
Seriously? Ah, the students are laughing, but the guardians, guests, and teachers are all giving awkward smiles!
Did I mess up?
I didn’t know you’re not supposed to add jokes to a speech!
The only thing I could rely on was my memories from my past life, and in those memories, the basic idea for a speech was to mix in some humor to lighten the mood.
Now I’ve learned the hard way about this world’s conventions, and I’ve made a big blunder in a public setting. I buried my face in my hands, feeling utterly embarrassed.
"Heh, I thought it was funny. You know, speeches at these kinds of events are usually boring and make you sleepy."
I was spoken to by someone. Since she’s here, she must be in Class S too.
"I’m Alice. Alice Corner. Nice to meet you, Shin Wolford."
"Ah, nice to meet you."
"I thought your speech was funny. Back when I was in elementary and middle school, I couldn’t stand the speeches. I bet a lot of students feel the same way. Most of the students were laughing just now, and I think more people will start copying that style."
"…Really?"
"Yeah. By the way, Shin Wolford."
"You can just call me Shin."
"Okay, Shin. So... you’re the grandson of Merlin-sama and Melinda-sama, right?"
"Yeah."
"Are they here today?"
"They’re probably in the guardian’s seating..."
Is she asking me to introduce them or something?
"Well, since we’ll be classmates from now on, it’d be good to go greet them!"
I’ve never heard of having to greet your classmate’s guardians.
"Ah! That’s not fair! I want to go too!"
"I want to go as well!"
"I’d like to go too!"
"I want to go!"
"I’d also like to greet them!"
"Me too, I want to go!"
Who is that!? There’s a samurai here!?
"Oh? Is there a rule in this academy where we have to greet our classmate’s guardians?"
"A-Ah, Your Highness August..."
"Well then, naturally, you’ll have to go greet my father as well."
"N-No! That would be too much!"
"Then stop saying foolish things and be quiet. The teachers are glaring at us, you know?"
Huh? Whoa, they’re glaring hard. I’ve been scolded so much today.
"We’re heading to the classroom afterward, so if you want to socialize, do it there."
"Y-Yes, I’m sorry..."
"Thanks, Aug. I appreciate it."
"Of course, it’s the least I could do."
This guy is definitely Uncle Dis’s son. I’m really impressed by him in moments like this.
"You owe me one."
He said that with a smirk.
I take it back! His personality is definitely bad!
After that, the entrance ceremony proceeded without any problems, and finally, Uncle Dis gave a speech. He gave an encouraging talk to the new students, and then at the end, he looked over at me and gave a smirk. I had a bad feeling about this.
"This year, we have an exceptional individual in the form of the grandson of a hero, and I’m sure the teachers will find it challenging, but I hope they give their best. To his fellow classmates, I hope you learn a lot from him. He’ll surely blow away your preconceived notions. I truly wish for everyone’s great growth."
What is he throwing into the speech now? Didn’t I just get told not to mix jokes into the speech!?
"Hmm, as expected from Father. He’s already got them on his side."
What are you impressed about!? If the head of the country does something like that, everyone’s going to copy it! This will change the conventions of the world!
The entrance ceremony, which was exhausting with all the teasing from the king, finally came to an end.
Afterward, we were supposed to go to our classrooms for simple introductions and homeroom activities, then the day would end.
We were following the teacher to our classroom, but then I felt a strange gaze on me.
What’s that? As I looked around, I saw... it was Kurt. That arrogant nobleman was glaring at me with eyes full of resentment and anger.
Did I do something wrong?
Ah! Could it be that he’s angry because of my playful speech?
He seems like he’s really hung up on the fact that I’m a noble.
But Uncle Dis did the same thing, so it should be fine, right? ...Right?
I was a little concerned about that glare, but it was already time to head to the classroom. Since he was in a different class, I couldn’t really pay attention to him, so I headed to the classroom as well.
This academy has four classes: S, A, B, and C. Only the S class has ten students, while the other classes have thirty each, so ten plus thirty times three classes equals a hundred students per grade.
The class you’re assigned to is based on your entrance exam score, so the top ten students go into the S class, which is essentially the honors class.
The lowest is the C class, but everyone has passed an extremely competitive entrance exam to get in. There’s class revaluation every year as students advance, so it’s quite common for students to be in the C class when they enter, but graduate from the S class.
The reverse is also true. I have to do my best not to embarrass Grandpa and Grandma.
Forget how many times I’ve been scolded today. Please, I beg you.
The classroom felt like an office or something.
The desks were large and exuded a sense of luxury. The chairs were leather, and I honestly wondered if this was the CEO’s office or something.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought that, as everyone seemed impressed by the classroom’s facilities.
"Alright! Stop staring at the equipment and sit down already. The seating arrangements are posted on the blackboard, so take your assigned seats."
The male teacher who had been guiding us so far urged everyone to sit down.
"Alright, my seat is... oh! It’s right in front of the teacher’s desk, a prime spot."
Though, since there are only ten seats, I guess it doesn't really matter where I sit.
The desks are arranged in three, four, and three seats.
The alternating arrangement ensures that every seat can see the blackboard.
Once I sat down, the male teacher took his place at the teacher’s desk.
"Well then, congratulations again on your admission. I’m Alfred Marcus, the homeroom teacher for this class. I’ll also be in charge of practical lessons, so I look forward to working with you. Now, today, after everyone introduces themselves, I’ll tell you the schedule for tomorrow, and then we’ll be done. Let’s start with me. Before coming to this school, I was part of the Magic Corps. About five years ago, a teaching position opened up here, and I was asked to become a teacher. I’m 28 years old."
Wow, he used to be in the Magic Corps. That’s like older brother Zeke’s.
"Next, let’s go in order of entrance exam rank. So, Shin Wolford, you go first."
"Yes. Um, nice to meet you, I’m Shin Wolford. As I mentioned in my new student representative speech, I’ve lived deep in the forest until recently, so I’m a bit out of touch with the outside world. I’d be happy if you could teach me a lot of things. I learned magic from my grandfather and magical tool crafting from my grandmother. I look forward to working with you."
"Personal lessons from Merlin-sama and Melinda-sama..."
"How enviable..."
I could feel mixed glances of jealousy and envy... Seems like everyone’s a fan of my grandparents?
"Next, Prince August, please."
"Yes. As everyone probably already knows, but for those like Shin who may be out of touch with the world... I am August von Earlsheid, the first prince of this country. However, as you know, this academy doesn’t care about the status of even royalty. I hope you all treat me just like you do with Shin. That’s all."
Why does he keep bringing me up?
"Next, Maria von Messina."
"Yes. Nice to meet you, I’m Maria von Messina. I’m the second daughter of the Messina family. I’ve never really fit in at girls’ schools, and since I’m good at magic, I came to this school. I’ll work hard so I can someday stand alongside Shin. I look forward to working with you."
It’s true, a noble girl like her probably wouldn’t fit in at a girls' school...
"Next, Sicily von Claude."
"Yes. Hello everyone, nice to meet you. I’m Sicily von Claude, the third daughter of the Claude family. I came to this school at Maria’s invitation. I’m good at healing magic, but I’m a bit weak at attack magic. I hope I can be of support to everyone. I look forward to working with you."
Sicily is good at healing magic, huh. That seems to fit her image.
"Next, Alice Corner."
"Yes. Nice to meet you all, I’m Alice Corner. Unlike the others, my family is just ordinary commoners. My dad works in accounting at the Haag Trading Company, but I’m not good with numbers, so I gave up on that. I’m super lucky to be in the same class as Shin. I look forward to working with you!"
Alice has short, blonde hair and blue eyes. She’s small and slender overall.
By the way, Haag Trading Company is the one run by Uncle Tom.
"Next, Tor von Freigel."
"Yes. I’m Tor von Freigel, the heir to the Freigel baron family. I’ve been serving as His Highness’s bodyguard since I was a child. I look forward to working with you, along with His Highness."
Tor is Aug’s bodyguard and classmate. He’s a small boy with silver hair and glasses.
He’s probably popular with the girls.
"Next, Lynn Hughes."
"Yes. I’m Lynn Hughes. My father is a court magician, and my mother is a housewife. I love magic, which is why I came here. I look forward to working with you."
Short and sweet! Maybe she’s not one to talk much?
Lynn has black hair in a short bob, glasses with thin frames, and she’s a slender girl.
"Next, Yuri Carlton."
"Hi! Nice to meet you all, I’m Yuri Carlton. My family runs a hotel. So, if you ever want to stay over, just let me know! I’ll give you special service. Also, I’m good at enchantment magic, so please look after me!"
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What a girl with an amazing figure. She’s got curves in all the right places.
Since she’s good at enchantment magic, maybe I should introduce her to Grandma sometime?
"Next, Tony Freid."
"Hi. Nice to meet you all, I’m Tony Freid. My family is full of knights, but that gender ratio... it’s hell for me. I worked hard at magic to get into this academy. If I fall out of Class S, I’ll be forcibly sent to the Knight Training Officer Academy, so I’ll do my best. Please take care of me, everyone."
He looked like a tall, flashy guy, but apparently, he’s been struggling because of his family situation.
"Next, Julius von Rittenheim."
"Understood. I am Julius von Rittenheim. The heir to the Rittenheim Marquis family. Like Tor, I’ve been with His Highness since childhood. I’ve struggled because I wasn’t good at magic, but I’ll work hard from now on. Please look after me."
There he is! The samurai!
On top of that, his appearance, name, and speech don’t match! He has such a noble-sounding name, but with his muscular body and large frame, he looks like an American football player, yet when he speaks, it’s like a samurai!
What a strange combination!
And he doesn’t look like a magician at all. Could it be...?
"Ah... I know what everyone’s thinking, but the academy didn’t admit His Highness just out of courtesy. It was purely because of Rittenheim’s own merit."
I doubted my classmate... I’m the worst...
"Rittenheim isn’t good with release-type magic, so he used body enhancement magic to jump directly to the target and destroyed it with a punch reinforced by magic."
What a freak! A freaky magician! The way he uses magic is all wrong!
"Ah, well, when you praise me so much, it makes me shy."
"‘We’re not praising you!’"
At that moment, everyone’s hearts were united.
After Julius’s grand entrance with his self-introduction, we heard the schedule for the upcoming days, and then the day ended.
Tomorrow morning, we’ll be given a tour of the academy. After lunch, we’ll start our practical lessons in the indoor magic practice arena.
There’s no separate practice uniform. This uniform already has high-level defensive enchantments, so they say it’s good enough. If the clothes get damaged, the academy will provide replacements free of charge. By the way, even the academy’s cafeteria is free with tuition.
This is the same in the other three top academies, as the kingdom allocates a budget to train talented individuals who will be beneficial to the country. However, there is no obligation to serve the country after graduation.
This country is amazing.
And so, my uniform had already been modified.
Heh heh, it turned out exactly how I envisioned it.
Originally, the uniform had "Magic Defense," "Impact Dampening," and "Stain Resistance" enchanted on it, using the language of this world.
For an item to have three effects enchanted is considered to be of a high-level quality. Usually, there’s only one or two effects.
The effects of "Magic Defense" were supposed to "soften" the impact of magical shocks.
"Impact Dampening" was meant to "soften" physical shocks.
And "Stain Resistance" was meant to remove any stains from the uniform. After all, I’ll be using it for practical lessons.
When I checked these effects, I thought, "Stain Resistance" was fine, but "Magic Defense" and "Impact Dampening" didn’t seem quite right.
The effect was described as "softening."
So, I decided to "rewrite" the enchantments. First, I removed the existing magic effects.
This process involved carefully peeling off the written magic effects using a special work wand that I created, which had magic power infused in it. The wand allowed me to carefully peel off one character at a time.
While it’s possible to do this with just my fingers, the task requires such delicate precision and focus that it would have been too risky. And besides, no one had ever tried to "remove" an enchantment before.
So why could I do this? Well, I had previously been dissatisfied with the effects I had added and wondered if there was a way to undo them. I started experimenting, and when I wrapped magic power around magical tools and imagined the characters floating, the effects I had previously added began to appear.
Thinking this might work, I created a wand with the enchantment "Nullify Magic Effect," and when I traced over the floating characters, they disappeared. Then, when I applied the enchantment again, it worked just as it should.
The look on Grandma’s face when I showed her that was priceless.
There were about twenty characters available for enchantments on the blazer, shirt, and slacks.
What is this made of? The fabric seems incredibly special. Maybe the threads are different? Since it’s said that you can extract various special materials from magic-altered creatures, maybe the threads are from a magical spider... Ugh, let’s not think about that.
When I created the protective suit before, I was only able to add eight characters to a regular piece of clothing, which allowed me to enchant "Blade Resistance," "Anti-Magic," and "Impact Resistance."
Even then, it was more than enough for practical use. However, because I had abbreviated the descriptions of the effects, it didn’t fully activate them.
So this time, instead of "Anti-Magic," I enchanted "Absolute Magic Defense."
Instead of Impact Resistance and Blade Resistance, I added "Complete Physical Impact Absorption."
Then, I kept the original "Stain Resistance."
And I added a new one: "Auto-Healing."
That made a total of 20 characters.
"Absolute Magic Defense" was particularly difficult to enchant.
The problem was that my mental image couldn’t keep up with the inscription.
Since Absolute Magic Defense meant it had to block all magic, it had to be able to counter everything. But the way to defend against fire and water magic is completely different. I couldn’t form a clear image of how to block everything, so I failed multiple times in applying the enchantment. I really struggled with it.
Grandma looked really worried as she watched me struggle.
But then, after shifting my perspective, I finally succeeded.
The breakthrough was the concept of "Magic Dissipation."
Instead of forming a rigid magic barrier, I envisioned a thin layer of magical energy covering the uniform. When magic touched that layer, it would disperse before taking effect.
Previously, I had been picturing a solid wall, but that method didn’t work well.
Instead of just "stopping" the magic, I thought, what if I dissipate the magic power that constitutes the magic itself? When I tried that, it worked perfectly.
I visualized it so that only harmful magic would be dissipated, meaning it wouldn’t affect healing magic or any magic I cast on myself.
The moment it succeeded, I shouted loudly.
Grandma immediately rushed over.
"Complete Physical Impact Absorption" works on the same principle. Instead of imagining it as "hard," I envisioned the "dissipation of kinetic energy," and the effect was successfully applied.
The moment something in motion hit the uniform, it stopped the movement—completely defying the laws of physics. Honestly, it felt a bit unsettling, but as armor, it’s top-notch.
"Stain Resistance" works by "memorizing" the original state of the fabric and imagining anything else being removed.
"Auto-Healing" recognizes wounds and damage. When it detects such injuries, it activates and gathers cells from other parts of the body, temporarily turning them into stem cells. These stem cells then restore the damaged area to its original state.
As a result, when "Auto-Healing" activates, the body becomes slightly thinner.
By the way, it only works for injuries caused by external factors.
At first glance, it seems like an invincible suit of armor, but it actually has two flaws.
One flaw is that only the areas covered by the uniform are protected. The face, hands, and feet are left defenseless.
The second flaw is that it doesn’t activate unless magic power is channeled through it.
So if I’m caught off guard, damage can still get through, so I can't be too confident in it.
These enchantments are what’s woven into this uniform.
Grandma has repeatedly warned me not to ever mention this to anyone.
After homeroom ended, and as we were leaving the classroom, Maria stopped me.
"Shin, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Huh? What’s up?"
"I need to talk to you about something..."
"Sure, what is it?"
Is it about wanting to meet Grandpa and Grandma again?
"I need to talk to you about something concerning Sicily."
Alright, let’s hear it.
"Is something bothering her?"
"Yes, it’s a real problem."
Maria had a truly troubled look on her face.
Sicily, too, had an apologetic expression.
Seeing both of them like this, it must be something serious.
"Actually... there’s a man who’s been stalking Sicily."
"Wha...?"
Whaaat!? Who the heck is this guy!?
"It’s been since around the time we first met you, Shin. There’s this guy who’s been pursuing Sicily, and despite her rejecting him multiple times, he’s been using his family’s power to try and intimidate her."
That’s the worst! But... if he has power and still can’t get his way... then it’s only a matter of time before...
"He’s apparently really frustrated that he can’t get Sicily to bend to his will... and he might resort to more drastic measures soon."
As I thought.
"So, the guy who’s been pursuing her... is here at the academy."
"What!? Seriously!?"
If he’s here at the academy, there’s no way to relax or feel safe!
Sicily looked really troubled and apologetic.
"I’m sorry, Shin... I shouldn’t be telling you this..."
"What are you talking about? I’m actually glad you told me!"
"…I’m sorry..."
What does that mean? Never mind that, this needs to be dealt with urgently.
As I was thinking about what to do, I suddenly heard a voice.
"Hey! Sicily! How dare you talk to another man when you’re my fiancée!"
What!? Who is this guy!?
Hearing that voice, Sicily’s face twisted in pain.
Who could make Sicily look like that? I looked over at the source of the voice...
It was him again. Kurt.
"That’s him. He’s the one who’s been stalking Sicily, claiming to everyone that she’s his fiancée."
Maria explained it to me.
When Sicily saw him, she hurriedly hid behind me. Kurt, apparently displeased by that, turned bright red and came toward us.
"Sicily! You, come here!"
Kurt reached out and tried to grab Sicily’s arm.
There’s no way I’m letting that happen.
I grabbed his outstretched hand and twisted it behind his back. It felt like déjà vu.
"Ugh! L-Let go, you insolent fool!"
"Hah, you’re still saying that?"
He was being loud, so I released him. As soon as I did, he glared at me and started yelling again. Even after I released him, he was still loud.
"Sicily is my fiancée! You have no right to talk to her!"
"Is that so?"
"Uh... um..."
Ah, Kurt’s voice is so loud that she’s probably intimidated now.
"It’s okay. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you. So, say what you really think."
"Shin-kun..."
I said that to reassure Sicily. She then looked determined and turned to face Kurt.
"I... I rejected your proposal! It’s also troubling for you to go around calling me your fiancée!"
Sicily’s voice rang out in the quiet hallway as she spoke her mind. Nice! Well said, Sicily.
"Y-You... are you defying me?"
"Yes, I am defying you! I have no intention of becoming your puppet!"
She was probably scared, her legs were shaking. Even so, she said what she needed to say. Well done, Sicily.
"You... how dare you defy me, a woman? You women should just stay by a man's side and charm him! And yet, I’m offering to keep you by my side, and you have the nerve to refuse me, how dare you!"
"Who’s the one messing around here?"
That was bad. A woman isn’t an object for a man. I was genuinely furious at how casually he shouted such things.
"You... how far will you go defying me?"
"Oh, I’ll defy you. Don’t think everything will go your way, you arrogant bastard."
"Ugh, ugh, ughhh, you—!"
His face, already red, turned even redder. His veins are going to burst at this rate.
"You think you can say whatever you want... Fine. I’ll teach you what happens when you defy me."
"What? Threatening me? Bring it on, anytime. I’ll send you back with a beating."
"Is that how you’re going to speak, Sicily? Your father was the Financial Bureau’s administrator, right?"
"Yes, but... no way..."
"Yes. My father is the deputy director of the Financial Bureau. If I just say the word to him... let’s see what happens."
Kurt said that with a disgusting smirk.
This guy! He’s truly the worst!
"Enough already."
"Y-Your Highness August..."
Just when I was about to lose it, Aug stepped in.
"Kurt von Rittzburg, do you not remember what I said during the entrance exam?"
"Th-That is..."
"Furthermore, to use your father to pressure someone’s parents is utterly inexcusable. It’s behavior unworthy of any kingdom’s noble."
"..."
Kurt lowered his head and couldn’t say anything, chastised by Aug.
"I will make sure this matter is conveyed to the head of the Financial Bureau through my father. I’ll make sure no improper actions are taken."
"What!? T-That’s..."
"This is a done deal. No objections. If you understand, then leave."
"...Yes... I understand..."
He glared at me with eyes full of intense hatred, much worse than during the entrance ceremony, before leaving the scene.
"Thanks, Aug. That really helped. I was about to snap."
"No need to thank me. I was just watching, but when things seemed to be heading in a bad direction, I decided to intervene. Honestly, I kind of wanted to see what would happen if you snapped."
"You bastard! Give me back my thanks!"
You’ve been watching this whole time!? If you were watching, you should’ve intervened sooner!
"Don’t be so angry. I was confident that with you around, there wouldn’t be any danger to Claude or Messina, but..."
"Well, of course... but still, anything could happen."
"Heh, is that so? Didn’t you say, ‘It’s okay, I’ll protect you no matter what happens’? That was pretty cool, right, Claude?"
"Eh!? I-I mean... yeah, it was cool..."
"See? She says it was cool, so it must be true. Glad to hear it, Shin."
This guy... really...!
Sicily was blushing and fidgeting. She was looking up at me shyly... Ugh, that’s so cute, damn it!
"Hey, do you think we’re safe now?"
Maria asked with a worried expression. Considering the situation, I can’t blame her for being concerned.
I don’t know why that guy thinks he’s so special, but someone like him wouldn’t just accept things not going his way. We should still be cautious.
"Hmm, judging by that look when he left, I think we still need to be careful. We shouldn’t let our guard down."
"I see... I guess you're right..."
Sicily seemed a bit down after hearing that. I need to cheer her up. Maybe I’ll introduce her to Grandma... Ah! That’s it!
"I just thought of something. Would everyone be able to come to my place afterward?"
"Huh!? To Shin’s house!?"
"That’s the plan, but..."
"I’m going! I’ll tell my parents, and we’ll go right now! Let’s do it!"
"I-I’ll go too! I’ll let my parents know, so please, let’s go!"
Both of them answered eagerly.
Do they really want to meet Grandpa and Grandma that much?
"Hmm, then I’ll go as well. I’m sure my father will be heading to Shin’s house too."
That’s probably going to happen. No doubt about it.
"I’ll accompany you as His Highness’s bodyguard."
"I’ll join as well."
Oh, there’s Tor and Julius. Well, that makes sense, since they’re Aug’s bodyguards. I hadn’t noticed them until now.
"Alright, I’ll go tell my parents!"
"Please wait for me!"
Good, Sicily seems to be in better spirits now. She dashed off to tell her parents.
"So, what’s this idea you had?"
"Oh, this uniform has magic enchantments, right?"
"Yeah."
"I’m thinking of rewriting those enchantments."
Aug and the others froze. Oh, they’ve rebooted.
"...Wait a second. Did you just say 'rewrite' the enchantments?"
"Huh? Which part?"
"Wait... you said you’re going to 'rewrite' the enchantments…?"
"Yeah, this uniform’s made from some really great fabric. I was able to add twenty enchantments."
"You... didn’t you come here to learn common sense?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Sigh... never mind. If I keep getting shocked by every little thing, I’m going to collapse."
What the heck, they’re wrapping things up on their own. Now I’m curious.
Tor and Julius are both making weird faces too—what’s going on?
As I was wondering about that, Sicily and Maria returned.
They were out of breath.
"Ha... ha... ha... phew... sorry to keep you waiting..."
"Ha... huff... sorry for making you wait..."
They’re completely out of breath. They must’ve sprinted here.
"You didn’t have to rush that much..."
"What are you talking about! We can’t keep the Sage and the Master waiting!"
"Exactly!"
I mean, we’ve already been waiting for a while...
"You really don’t need to worry about it... Anyway, let’s go?"
"Y-Yeah!"
"Yup!"
With that, the six of us started walking together.
"Sorry about that. I know you’d probably want to be with your family after the entrance ceremony."
"No, don’t worry about it. Actually, when I told them we were going to Shin’s house, both of them were really envious. They told me to go and tell them all about it when I get back."
"Same here."
"Really?"
The people of this country really respect Grandpa and Grandma too much!
Grandpa and Grandma were staying in the guest room at the school, as they were wary of any potential commotion. Of course, Uncle Dis was with them too.
"You’re late. I was getting worried, wondering if something happened."
"Yeah, what the heck were you doing?"
"Shin-kun, I couldn’t help but worry while waiting. I was wondering if you had gotten into some trouble."
Compared to Grandpa and Grandma, who are genuinely worried, Uncle Dis is being ruthless!
"Sorry for making you worry. The delay was because of some circumstances."
I said that while glancing at the two people standing behind me, who were stiff with nervousness.
Well, it makes sense.
We’re in the presence of two heroes and the king, so it’d be unreasonable to expect them not to be nervous.
"These two are my classmates, Sicily and Maria."
"Ha ha ha, nice to meet you! I’m Maria von Messina, the same class as Shin-kun!"
"U-Um! H-Hello! I-I’m Sicily von Claude!"
They were so nervous they were stumbling over their words.
"A girl with blue hair. I see, this must be the girl Shin-kun was talking about?"
"Shin-kun was talking about me?"
There was no need to say something extra like that!
"Ah, so you’re the one..."
Grandma’s gaze changed. She was looking at Sicily as if evaluating her. This conversation isn't going anywhere!
"Grandma, let's talk about that later. There's something I need to tell you at home. We can't really talk about it here."
"Heh heh, since you brought them here, does that mean you’re taking these young ladies with us?"
"Yeah, it’s about Sicily... well, more specifically about her."
"I see, then I’ll make sure to hear all about it at home, slowly and carefully."
We got Sicily and Maria into our carriage, while Aug, Tor, and Julius rode in Uncle Dis’s carriage back home.
Even in the carriage, the two of them were still very nervous. Especially Sicily, who was freezing up under Grandma’s intense gaze.
Grandma, stop staring at her like that, it’s scary!
Five long minutes of tension passed, and we finally arrived home.
I’ve never felt like five minutes could be so long...
"So, you said this was about the girl. What’s going on? Don’t tell me you’ve already...?"
"No! That’s not it!"
"Then what is it?"
"Well, remember how I enchanted this uniform?"
"Ah... that was quite something, wasn’t it?"
"No, that’s not what I mean... What I want to know is, can I enchant this girl’s uniform too?"
"...Explain it to me in detail."
I explained everything that happened at the academy today.
I also mentioned that the situation still wasn’t fully safe, so I wanted to make sure she had protection.
"I see. So that’s why you were late, huh?"
"Disseum."
"What is it, Merlin-sama?"
"Are there still people like that among the nobles in this country?"
"No... there shouldn’t be. The reformation of our country’s nobility has been progressing smoothly. There are still some who hold a strong sense of elitism, but the deputy director of the Financial Bureau, Ritzburg, is known to be upright, honest, and intolerant of corruption and pressure. I can’t believe his son would be involved in something like this."
"Hmm, so it seems like that boy's actions were his own doing..."
His father seems to be a wonderful person.
But even if his father is so impressive, why would he make such a request, asking Sicily’s father to fall? He should know his own father wouldn't just do what he says. Doesn’t he know his father at all?
I’m feeling suspicious about Kurt’s actions, but for now, let’s focus on the matter at hand, which is the enchantments on the uniform.
"Grandma, is it okay?"
"Well... this girl, her name is Sicily, right?"
"Y-Yes!"
"Shin is talking about enchantments that are incredibly powerful. He’s trying to put that on your uniform. So, that means this child is truly trying to protect you. Do you think you have the right to accept that protection?"
"Right...?"
What’s all this? Is it really that serious?
"Grandma, when you say 'right'... there’s no need for something so grand. I just want to do this, so there’s no need to make it sound so dramatic."
"You stay quiet, Shin. Do you understand what kind of things are involved in the enchantments you’ve put on that uniform?"
"What do you mean?"
"That uniform is already turning into a national treasure-level piece of armor."
"‘National treasure-level!?’"
Eh? Is that so?
"Melinda-sensei! What does that mean!?"
"What else could it mean? This boy has gone and done something extreme again. You get it now, don’t you? It’s got effects that are beyond our usual understanding."
"I see... I’m afraid to ask now."
It’s not something to be scared of! In fact, it’s what’s going to protect you!
"The value of an armor with these enchantments on it... I can’t even imagine. And this child is trying to put that on your uniform. Do you have the resolve, the right, to accept that?"
"Right... the right to...?"
As she was asked that, Sicily’s eyes started to fill with tears.
Why!?
"I... I don’t deserve that kind of right..."
Sicily said, tears falling from her eyes.
"Hmm, what do you mean you don’t deserve it?"
"I took advantage of Shin-kun’s kindness. I thought if I told him my situation, he would sympathize with me... he would help me... I hoped that he would, so I told him everything."
"Well, this child is strong, so I can’t blame you for wanting to rely on him."
"But! But... it has nothing to do with Shin-kun... Still, he helped me just like I thought he would... He told me he’d protect me, and that made me so happy... I thought he’d keep helping me... But it was all my selfishness..."
Sicily couldn’t stop crying.
I see, now I understand why Sicily looked so apologetic when she told me this story.
It wasn’t that she felt sorry for telling a strange story, it was that she had hoped that after hearing it, Shin would sympathize and help her.
She didn’t keep it quiet, she told the truth. Was she unable to lie?
"Melinda-sama! I’m sorry for trying to use your grandson! I’ll handle everything from here on out. I apologize for causing you trouble!"
Sicily cried as she confessed she had tried to use me, then ran off.
What is she saying!?
I was about to chase after her when...
"Wait!!"
Grandma stopped me with a voice.
Sicily froze in place, startled by that voice.
Her tears still wouldn’t stop. She must really be in deep self-loathing...
"Sicily, you did well to be honest. I knew right away you were trying to use Shin. If you had tried to accept the enchantment without telling him, I would’ve kicked you out."
"Uuu... hic... ughhh..."
Sicily started sobbing even harder, and I wondered, is it really necessary to cry this much?
"But you were honest. After I told you about the national treasure-level armor that’s been enchanted, you gave up the chance to get it. That’s something not everyone could do."
"I'm sorry... I tried to deceive Shin-kun... but I can't accept it... hic... I... I can't..."
It's a bit hard to understand with all the sobbing, but it seems like she's really struggling to accept that she tried to use me.
"What's wrong with a girl deceiving a guy? What you did isn’t that bad. Look at Shin, he doesn’t even realize it. Actually, he’s excited to be relied on by such a cute girl, so he’s eagerly involved, don’t you think?"
"I’m sorry! Hey, Sicily, I don’t think I was deceived or used, okay? I wanted to help you, that was my decision. So don’t deny my choice."
"Shin-kun..."
"I’m more than happy to be used. Honestly, it’d be worse if you didn’t tell me and something happened to you, Sicily."
"I’m sorry for testing you like that. I had to confirm a few things about you before I could give you the enchanted armor. I’m sorry."
Grandma suddenly softened, pulling Sicily into a hug and gently patting her head.
"Ugh... waahhh!!"
It seemed like being hugged by Grandma broke down Sicily's emotions, and she finally started crying uncontrollably.
"Now, Shin, go ahead and apply the enchantments to Sicily’s uniform."
"Is it okay?"
"Yes. But Sicily, this secret must remain with everyone here. If you can’t keep that promise, then I can’t allow it. At least make sure you’re prepared to keep it."
"I-I won’t tell anyone! I promise!"
"Good, that’s a good girl."
It’s good, she seems to have calmed down now. Now I can apply the enchantments to Sicily’s uniform.
However, since I need to apply the enchantments to the jacket, shirt, and skirt, she’ll need to change clothes.
It feels awkward to ask her to take off her clothes. I was wondering what to do when Grandma stepped in to help.
"Come here, Sicily, I’ll lend you my clothes while he do the enchantments. We’ll go to my room."
"Ugh... sniff... O-Okay..."
Grandma then took Sicily to the room.
As I watched them leave…
"Hey, Shin."
"What is it, Grandpa?"
"I never noticed that girl was trying to use you."
"Yeah, I didn’t either, Grandpa..."
"Melinda sure noticed quickly, huh..."
"...Well, I guess she’s had more experience as a woman, right?"
"If you’d continued with applying the enchantment to her uniform, her conscience might have crushed her under the guilt."
"...So, is it really that serious?"
"You really didn’t notice, huh..."
So, it was such a big deal?
"Anyway..."
"What is it?"
"That old lady, she’s got the authority here, doesn’t she? I felt like I was invisible just now."
...Hang in there, Grandpa!
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