Eugene meets
◇ Perspective of ××× ◇
When I came to, I was sitting on an unfamiliar grassy plain.
“Where… am I?”
No, wait. There’s something more important.
“Who… am I?”
I had no memory of myself.
(T-This is scary… What’s happening? Why am I here? Where’s my home? My family? My school friends?)
Nothing came to mind. Well… I could recall bits of my childhood.
My parents’ faces flickered faintly in my memory.
I think… I had a little sister. Faces of friends from elementary school. Friends from middle school…
—! A splitting pain shot through my head.
“Sumire-chan!”
Someone’s voice echoed in my mind.
…Sumire.
That’s probably… my name. I remembered my name. It brought a small wave of relief.
But I couldn’t recall my family name. My head throbbed.
I had no memory of what happened right before I ended up here. Where was this place…?
“×××!”
“×××××!”
At that moment, men speaking in an unfamiliar language approached me.
For a split second, I thought to call for help, but when I saw their eyes, my body stiffened.
“×××××!”
“××××××, ××××!”
The men grinned wickedly, their expressions far from friendly.
Their clothes were strange, and their faces looked menacing. They ogled my body shamelessly.
My high school uniform was in tatters, exposing skin up to dangerously revealing spots.
One of the men said something as he stepped closer.
Imagining what might happen next… goosebumps rose from a mix of terror and revulsion.
“D-Don’t come near me! Don’t touch me!”
“×××××?”
Of course, my voice didn’t stop him. He grabbed my arm.
“×××××~!!”
The man behind him egged him on with a jeer. N-No!
As the man tried to push me down—
“No—!”
I let out a desperate scream, and in the next instant, I realized—only later—that flames had engulfed everything around me.
I blacked out.
“What… is this…?”
How long had I been unconscious? The men from before were nowhere to be seen. Roaring flames blazed around me.
Strangely, I didn’t feel the heat. Noticing black soot on my arm, I brushed it off and stood up.
That’s when I noticed something unbelievable.
“Eek!”
I immediately crouched down.
(M-My clothes!)
The uniform I’d been wearing had burned away completely. I was naked. W-What do I do…? I need something to cover myself…
Looking around, all I saw was the sprawling grassland.
And the flames were spreading further.
“Huh?”
I spotted something big moving. The men from earlier? No, it was larger.
(A… bear!?)
A massive bear, maybe two meters long, charged straight at me.
I-I’m going to die!?
Or so I thought—but the flames blocked its path, and it fled. What… was that?
Wait, these flames… are they coming from me? What’s going on…?
Staggering, I leaned against a large rock nearby.
I sat in a fetal position to hide my body… and cried. Besides the bear, I’d seen wolves and lion-like beasts too. But none of them could approach me.
Other people speaking that strange language showed up, startling me, but the flames surrounding me kept them at bay.
“×××××!”
“×××××!?”
They shouted something at me, but I couldn’t understand it.
One awful guy even shot an arrow at me. It burned up before it could reach me.
All the while, the flames pouring from my body grew stronger.
Eventually, the grassland around me turned into a sea of fire. It was a hellish scene.
What is this…? Is this hell? Am I dead?
I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know.
If this is a nightmare, please let me wake up… I kept crying.
Maybe an hour of sobbing later, someone spoke to me.
“×××…”
My body jolted, and I looked toward the voice.
“××××××?”
A tall, gentle-looking young man gazed at me with concern.
He wasn’t like the sleazy men or the hostile ones from before. I could sense he cared. Gathering my courage, I spoke.
“U-Um… please help me…”
“×~, ×××××? ×××××××…”
The man scratched his head, looking troubled. Of course—the language barrier…
Then he held out a piece of cloth clothing to me.
Oh, right! I’m not wearing anything! I hurriedly grabbed it and put it on.
It was a raincoat-like garment made of fabric. A robe, maybe?
The man smiled and extended his hand. I almost took it… then yanked mine back in a panic.
My hand… it’s burning. I don’t feel the heat myself.
But that doesn’t mean it’s safe for others.
The bear that tried to attack me fled because of the flames.
And those hostile people couldn’t get close either, thanks to the fire.
Come to think of it, how is this man standing in the flames so calmly?
He’s not even wearing anything like protective gear. He kept his hand outstretched, his expression still troubled.
(…It’s no use. If he touches me, he’ll get hurt… or worse—)
—He’ll die.
The men who tried to assault me.
They were gone. At first, I thought they’d run off…
But now that I think about it, while I was distracted by the flames, I vaguely recall seeing something black and charred nearby…
D-Did I… kill them? It’s not cold, but I couldn’t stop shaking.
That’s when—
The young man grabbed my hand.
Huh? I looked up in shock.
The tall man just smiled, still looking troubled but unchanged. W-Wait, it doesn’t hurt him?
“××××××?” (Are you okay?)
I couldn’t understand his words, but I felt certain that’s what he meant.
That gentle smile, in this hellish situation, seemed like the only thing—maybe a god—here to save me.
My consciousness slipped away.
◇ Eugene’s Perspective ◇
“Huh? She passed out…”
The flame-wreathed girl fell limp, as if asleep.
Her breathing confirmed she wasn’t dead.
The flames emanating from her body weakened and faded the moment she lost consciousness.
Perhaps because the source was gone, the firestorm on the fifth floor began to die down slowly.
(Still… who is this girl…?)
She’s probably not human. No human can produce flames from their body.
At first, I thought she might be a monster or a demon, but I sensed no malice from her.
I couldn’t figure out what she was. For now, I’d have to take her with me.
I hoisted the girl onto my back and headed back to the labyrinth entrance.
Using the Labyrinth Elevator, I returned to the first floor.
When I reached the entrance, the labyrinth staff old man rushed over.
“Eugene! What’s with that girl!? A stranded explorer!?”
Explorers who can’t make it back on their own and need rescuing are called ‘stranded.’
Yeah, that’s a reasonable assumption.
“Uh, it’s hard to explain…”
I recounted what happened on the fifth floor.
“So she’s the ‘labyrinth destroyer’…?”
“She’s at least involved, I think.”
“Got it. Then we’ll take her into custody—”
“Is there a D-rank explorer named Eugene here!?”
A loud voice cut in. That’s… a senior labyrinth staff member?
“That’s me,” I said, raising my hand.
“His Majesty the King summons you! Bring that ‘labyrinth destroyer’ with you to the courthouse!”
With that, a ring of guards surrounded me.
“What’s this all of a sudden!? Eugene just got back from exploring the labyrinth!”
The old man protested on my behalf, his voice indignant.
“Are you suggesting defiance against His Majesty?”
“Ridiculous! I’d never defy the king! That’s not what I—”
“Thanks, old man. I’ll go.”
“Eugene…”
I thanked the worried old man and picked up the still-nameless girl. I half-expected them to demand I hand her over, but they didn’t.
Led by the senior labyrinth staff, I headed toward the Labyrinth City’s sole ‘courthouse.’
There, whether someone’s a ‘sinner’ or not is entirely up to the king’s discretion.
The king of this city-state isn’t a tyrant by any means.
But he’s a curiosity-driven man who loves meddling in the affairs of common folk.
(Hope this doesn’t turn into a hassle…)
Reluctantly, I trudged forward.
◇
The southern continent, where I live, is dominated by three major powers:
The Glenflare Empire, my homeland.
The Azure Sea Federation, a republic of numerous small nations.
The Holy Alliance, a confederation centered around the Cardia Holy Kingdom.The Labyrinth City, where I currently reside, belongs to none of them. It’s an independent city-state.As a result, its residents are a mix of ‘imperial citizens,’ ‘federation citizens,’ and ‘alliance citizens.’During a ‘trial,’ to avoid favoritism toward their own people, it’s customary to appoint ‘jurors’ from each of the three powers.
“A labyrinth destroyer… To harm the ‘Final Labyrinth,’ a creation of the gods… Death penalty sounds fitting.”
That radical statement likely came from someone from the Holy Alliance.
They revere the Final Labyrinth as a divine construct.
Naturally, they’d never forgive a labyrinth destroyer.
“Now, now, hold on. You saw the relay footage, right? The culprit’s clearly a rare ‘magical creature.’ Let’s use her as an experimental subject for the sake of progress.”
That’s a Federation voice. Their small nations are locked in constant power struggles, so many there are eager to exploit anything useful. This guy’s one of them.
“Everyone, we don’t even know if she’s guilty yet. We need to verify the truth first.”
The calmest opinion came from an imperial juror… actually, a teacher from the academy I recognized. Good—someone sensible was here.
As for me, I stood at the witness stand with the girl suspected of ‘labyrinth destruction,’ waiting for the participants to assemble.
She’d woken up a little while ago and was visibly terrified at being brought to an unfamiliar place.
“That said, the footage clearly shows flames coming from her body. That’s undeniable evidence.”
“She didn’t seem in control of it. It might’ve been an accident.”
“We’d need to ask her directly, but… we can’t understand her language.”
“Could be an act. Suspicious, if you ask me.”
“She’s speaking some kind of language. Never heard it before, though…”
“Likely the tongue of the northern continent’s demons. The words of those vile god-worshipping fiends are beyond our comprehension.”
“But the northern continent’s languages are studied at the magic academy, and her speech didn’t match any of them.”
“Oh, probably just some fringe demon dialect from the outskirts.”
The jurors debated freely among themselves. Word must’ve spread—there was a decent crowd in the gallery too. Bunch of busybodies.It’s rare for His Majesty to personally oversee a trial as judge.That alone shows how significant this case is—and how much attention it’s drawing.
The girl beside me cast her eyes downward, anxious.…I’d help if I could, but the language barrier makes it impossible.
That’s when—
“His Majesty the King has arrived!!!”
A booming voice echoed through the courthouse. All eyes turned to the entrance.
A stout middle-aged man strode in.
His deep scarlet mantle shimmered with golden embroidery.
He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, though his true age was unknown.
With a sharp, predatory gaze, he surveyed the room… then fixed his eyes on me.
“Eugene-kun, been a while. You holding up?”
He grinned, flashing his teeth.
“It’s been a while, Headmaster Uthar.”
I bowed politely in greeting. Everyone around us followed suit, lowering their heads.
— King Uthar Mercurius Pendragon
Ruler of the Labyrinth City of Karaf and simultaneously the headmaster of the magic academy I attend.
That said, he calls himself ‘a magical research scholar and eternal explorer’—being king and headmaster are just side gigs to him, apparently.
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“No need for formalities, everyone. Time is finite—we must use it efficiently. Shall we begin the trial?”
“Then, Uthar-sama, allow me to explain the overview of this case—”
“No need. I’ve already seen everything I require with my ‘Clairvoyance.’ I understand what happened.”
“My apologies!”
The courthouse clerk hurriedly tucked away the documents they’d been about to read aloud.
…As usual, he’s an impatient man. Always in a rush, despite being a mage unrivaled across the continent.
“Uthar-sama, if that’s the case, no debate is necessary. This sinner who dared defile the sacred relics of the Holy God deserves severe punishment. Let us, the ‘Holy Alliance,’ carry out the execution.”
“No, no, entrust her to us, the ‘Azure Sea Federation.’ Such an immense capacity to generate flames—depending on how we use her, she could be a valuable tool.”
The Alliance and Federation representatives each voiced their demands. Headmaster Uthar didn’t respond to them.
“Now, calm down. First, let’s hear what she has to say for herself.”
With that, Headmaster Uthar leapt lightly from the judge’s elevated seat and landed in front of me.
“Eugene, put this on ‘Sumire’-kun’s wrist.”
“Sumire…?”
It was a name I’d never heard before, but I realized from his gaze that it referred to the girl beside me.
“What, you hadn’t even gotten her name yet? Well, no matter. Eugene, hurry up.”
“Y-Yes, sir.”
I glanced at the girl, asking with my eyes if it was okay to put the bracelet on her.
I expected resistance, but she agreed easily.
With a click, the bracelet fastened around her wrist.
“Sumire-kun, can you understand our language now?”
Headmaster Uthar addressed her.
“…Yes. I can.”
Her small voice answered. Whoa—it worked!
The courthouse buzzed with excitement. Before Uthar arrived, they’d tried various magical tools to translate her speech, all without success.
To think it’d work so effortlessly now…
“Then, could you introduce yourself?”
“My name is ‘Sumire.’”
Just as the headmaster said. Her name was Sumire, apparently.
An unusual name—I hadn’t heard it much on the southern continent.
“Where did you come from?”
“…I don’t know. When I came to, I was on a grassland. My… memories are fuzzy.”
“Memory loss, huh?”
The headmaster stroked his beard, mulling over her words.
“Convenient! I can’t believe something like memory loss!”
A heckler’s voice cut in. Sumire flinched, trembling. Did they have to say it like that?
“Is there anything you do remember? Like where you were born?”
I asked as gently as I could.
“My hometown… is… Tokyo, in Japan. I was born and raised there…”
Japan…? Never heard of it, but the pronunciation sounds like it could be a country on the eastern continent, maybe?
“Just use ‘Appraisal’—it’d tell us right away if she’s telling the truth!”
“We already tried that. For some reason, ‘Appraisal’ skills don’t work on her.”
“That’s exactly why she’s suspicious! Blocking ‘Appraisal’ means she’s got something to hide!”
The Holy Alliance guy seemed dead-set on labeling her a villain.
“Hmm… ‘Appraisal’ doesn’t work, huh. Interesting. By the way, Eugene-kun, name two cases where ‘Appraisal’ fails. You learned this at the academy, didn’t you?”
He threw the question at me out of nowhere!
“Uh… One is when the target uses magic to block ‘Appraisal.’ The other is when the appraiser’s skill isn’t strong enough.”
That’s right, yeah?
“Ridiculous. The courthouse appraisers are experts—skill deficiency is impossible.”
“Not necessarily. With my ‘Appraising Eye,’ I can clearly see her race and stats.”
“…”
The complainer shut up at the headmaster’s words.
Hey, Headmaster Uthar—you knew all along, didn’t you?
“So, what is she?”
“Want to know?”
The headmaster grinned. He loves these theatrical flourishes.
And they suit him perfectly.
“Here’s the answer! Her race is ‘Flame Divinekin’! A people from the mythic era, said to have gone extinct in ancient times!”
““““““…””””””
The unexpected revelation silenced the courthouse.
(Flame Divinekin…?)
Isn’t that a legendary creature you only read about in storybooks?
“In the mythic era, before humans came to exist on this world, they were one of the races that walked the earth. A legendary tribe thought extinct in antiquity—revived in the modern day!”
Headmaster Uthar explained with relish.
He’s having a blast. This guy loves rare magical creatures.
“B-But even if she’s a Flame Divinekin, where did she come from? Saying she just appeared in the labyrinth doesn’t explain it! And the fact remains—she damaged the ‘Zenith Tower.’ That can’t be forgiven…”
“I told you to calm down, didn’t I?”
Headmaster Uthar cut off the Holy Alliance juror’s words.
“Let’s tackle this step by step. First—where did Sumire-kun come from?”
The courthouse fell quiet, awaiting his next words.
“The hint lies in what ‘Sumire’-kun said earlier.”
“My words…?”
The girl murmured, puzzled.
“She mentioned coming from ‘Tokyo’ in ‘Japan.’ Unfortunately, no such ‘country’ or ‘city’ exists in this world!”
“N-No way!?”
She raised her voice in panic, likely thinking he’d accused her of lying.
“Hold on—I said ‘in this world.’ Meaning, in the world Sumire-kun came from, ‘Japan’ and ‘Tokyo’ absolutely existed.”
“…What does that mean?”
“Wait, does that…”
“…No way!”
The jurors—and even the gallery—started buzzing. I see… so that’s it.
“Um… what does that mean?”
She whispered to me. Shouldn’t I let him answer this one?
I glanced at Headmaster Uthar, who grinned back.
“Sumire-kun, welcome to Lykeion Magic Academy! We extend our greetings to an ‘otherworld reincarnator’!”
“…Huh?”
She blinked, mouth agape in confusion.
Turns out, the girl I found was one of those ultra-rare ‘strays from another world.’
— Otherworld Reincarnator.
A general term for people who arrive from a world different from ours.
They’re often said to receive ‘excessive blessings’ from the gods upon arrival or reincarnate as special races.
It’s my first time meeting one, and I bet most people in the courthouse haven’t seen one either.
“Heh heh heh, it’s been a while since we last had a guest from another world. I’m looking forward to hearing her story.”
Seems it’s not the headmaster’s first time, though.
Well, no one knows how old he is, but he’s supposedly been headmaster for over two hundred years.
No telling how much he’s seen and experienced.
“Wait a moment! The first ones to ‘protect’ her were explorers from the ‘Azure Sea Federation’! Doesn’t that give us claim to her!?”
The Federation guy panicked. Didn’t you just call her an experiment or a weapon earlier?
Sumire shrank behind me, anxious.
“Hmm, you mean the men who tried to assault Sumire-kun? Or perhaps the ones who shot arrows at her? True, they seemed to be Federation explorers, but can you really call that ‘protecting’ her?”
“W-Well, that’s…”
“And if you’re taking her, you’ll need to cover the reconstruction costs for the fifth-floor fire she caused in the Final Labyrinth. How much was it again?”
Headmaster Uthar turned to a secretary-like woman beside him.
“We only have rough estimates so far, but it’ll exceed fifty billion G.”
“F-Fifty… billion!?”
“We’ve mobilized all the upper-tier mages in the Labyrinth City for repairs. That’s about the fair amount for their compensation.”
“So, what do you say?”
“…We’ll pass.”
The Federation guy slumped, defeated.
“King Uthar! What about the crime of labyrinth destruction!? Damaging a structure of the Holy God is no small sin!”
Next up was the Holy Alliance juror, raising an objection.
“Oh, dear, have you forgotten? ‘Those who stray from another world shall be cherished.’ Isn’t that a teaching of the Holy God himself?”
“I-I’m aware of that, but…”
“She’s not the wicked demon you feared. She’s a Flame Divinekin, revived from antiquity. What’s more, this was an unfortunate accident caused by her lack of knowledge upon arriving in our world. Fortunately, no explorers were harmed or killed. Wouldn’t showing magnanimity here align with the Holy God’s will?”
“…Understood.”
The Holy Alliance rep backed down too.
“…No one… was harmed or killed?”
Sumire muttered beside me.
“Something wrong?”
“N-No! It’s nothing!”
When I asked, she shook her head vigorously. Is something bothering her?
“Your Majesty King Uthar, Eugene Santafield is an imperial citizen. Since he’s the one who brought her back, doesn’t the empire have a duty to assist her?”
Finally, the academy teacher—an imperial citizen who’d stayed quiet until now—spoke up.
— Imperial citizens must always act in ways that contribute to the empire’s prosperity.
That’s likely the reasoning behind his words.
He’d seemed disinterested at first, but learning she’s an ‘otherworlder’ and a rare ‘Flame Divinekin’ must’ve changed his mind.
The headmaster stroked his chin beard, considering it.
“There’s merit to that. Then let’s appoint Eugene as Sumire-kun’s ‘guardian.’ The academy will provide a stipend. As for Sumire-kun’s future, I think she should decide that herself—what say you?”
“No objections.”
The teacher agreed without pressing further.
In the Labyrinth City, King Uthar’s word is absolute.
No one defies him. That makes this a done deal.
…Me, her guardian?
I glanced beside me, and the reincarnator was looking back. Our eyes met unintentionally.
Her wide, nervous eyes stared up at me.
“So there you have it, Eugene. It’s in your hands. If you run into trouble, come talk to me!”
“Y-Yes, sir…”
I nodded at the headmaster’s words. Things were moving fast.
I turned to the girl again… and my heart skipped a beat.
With all the chaos, I hadn’t noticed, but she was strikingly beautiful.
Glossy flaxen hair. Large eyes and peach-colored lips.
Her skin, peeking through the gaps in her robe, was silky white.
I’d felt it when I first saw her in the labyrinth, but—
(She’s ridiculously pretty…)
Is it because she’s an otherworld reincarnator?
Or because she’s a Flame Divinekin, a rare race?
Or is it just… her?
No, don’t overthink it. Focus on dealing with her first.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Eugene Santafield.”
“I’m… Sumire. Nice to meet you too.”
She hesitantly shook the hand I offered.
And so, I took on the role of guardian to Sumire—an otherworld reincarnator and Flame Divinekin.
◇
“So, you’ve been so busy looking after this girl from another world that you’re late coming to see me?”
Demon Lord Erinyes glared at me with half-lidded eyes. Sprawled sloppily on the bed, Ellie wore revealing undergarments—poison for the eyes. I tried not to stare too much as I replied.
“Sorry about that. This past week’s been nonstop.”
I pressed my hands together and bowed my head to the Demon Lord—an eastern continent gesture of apology.
“Hmm, I seeee. Looking after a girl, huh?”
“You sound like you’ve got something to say…”
“Have you made a move on her?”
She dropped a bombshell.
“Of course not!”
“Ohhh? Really now?”
She leaned in, bringing her face close to my neck.
“I smell another woman on you, Eugene. Seems like you’ve been pretty cozy with her.”
“…Well, I’m her guardian, so…”
“Spill it! You’ve already done it, haven’t you!?”
“I told you, I haven’t done anything!”
It felt like being grilled for cheating. I’m not Ellie’s lover, and I haven’t touched Sumire. Sighing, I kept answering her barrage of questions.
That day, the Demon Lord was relentless. I silently vowed never to bring up Sumire to Ellie again.
◇ Sumire’s Perspective ◇
“So, first, I’ll show you around Lykeion Magic Academy.”
“Yes! Thank you, Eugene-san!”
I followed him nervously. Yesterday, I’d spent the night in a private room at a big hospital. For the next seven days, I was to stay there for observation.
Not that I felt anything wrong with my body. They said it was to teach me the basics of living in this other world.
—An other world.
That’s right—I, Sumire Shioya, had reincarnated into another world!
…I remembered my family name. But aside from that, my memories are hazy.
In my past life, I was Japanese, born and raised in Tokyo.
I lived in Shinagawa Ward, near a park by a canal where I played with my little sister. I vaguely recall my family’s faces, but my friends… almost nothing.
And those past-life memories are fading, like they were just a dream.
(…What if my past life memories are just an illusion…?)
I even started thinking that. But I didn’t have time to dwell on it.
Life in an other world was tough.
The magic bracelet from the king made language manageable, but everything else—food, clothes, daily tools—was a completely different culture I had to learn from scratch. Still, it was fortunate they were treating me so well despite my lack of family. All because I’m an ‘otherworlder.’
Apparently, the gods of this world decreed that ‘otherworlders’ should be cherished.
Big thanks to the gods!
“Sumire-san, this way.”
“Y-Yes!”
Lost in thought, Eugene-san’s voice snapped me back to reality, and I hurriedly refocused.
He was explaining the academy’s facilities to me.
“This is your classroom—called the ‘Special Classroom.’ For a while, you’ll have one-on-one lessons with a teacher. I think your homeroom teacher is Rin-san. I’ll introduce you later.”
“Here’s the cafeteria. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., so you can use it anytime. Since you’re an otherworlder, you get a living stipend from the school, right?”
“This is the training ground. Warriors and mages use it. Me? …Not much use for a barrier mage here.”
Eugene-san explained everything patiently.
I took careful notes so I wouldn’t miss a thing.
“This is the staff room. Oh, looks like Rin-sam’s here. I’ll go get her.”
With that, he walked toward a beautiful teacher with fox ears.
Those fox ears… they’re real, right? This world has beastkin—people with cat ears, dog ears, and such. Seems my homeroom teacher is a fox beastkin.
She came over to me.
“So you’re the rumored otherworlder? I’m Rin, your homeroom teacher. Feel free to ask me anything you don’t understand. I heard you’ll be staying at the hospital for a while…”
“Yes, I’m Sumire Shioya! Nice to meet you! They told me I’ll move into the academy dorms after a week at the hospital.”
“Good. You probably already know, but Eugene’s been appointed your guardian by the headmaster. I’m more of an assistant. If there’s anything you can’t talk to a guy about, don’t hesitate to tell me.”
“Y-Yes… Thank you!”
“Sure, likewise.”
Rin-san’s a woman, but her tone’s kind of masculine. A cool teacher.
I’ll consult her if I need to. But my main guardian is still Eugene-san.
That’s the king’s order, after all.
A student like Eugene-san being my guardian feels odd to me.
But in this world, you’re considered an adult at fifteen. At seventeen, he’s fully grown.
Rin-san, being busy, soon returned to her desk.
Eugene-san took over guiding me again.
“Sorry for the trouble, Eugene-san.”
I said it timidly, and he gave a wry smile.
“It’s a job straight from the king/headmaster. It’s an honor. Plus, the stipend’s nice.”
A job… huh. That word made my heart twinge a little. A weird feeling. If it wasn’t a job, would he have nothing to do with me…?
No, no! Don’t get gloomy! I shoved those thoughts aside.
In about an hour, he showed me all the main academy facilities.
“That’s the tour of the key spots. Anything else you want to see? The academy’s huge, so memorizing it all at once might be tough, but anything catch your interest?”
He turned back and asked.
“Um, I’d like to go through it again slowly so I don’t get lost.”
“Got it. Let’s walk the whole academy again with a map, then.”
He didn’t complain once, happily agreeing to my request.
Such a gentleman. Following his calm voice and steady back as he explained, I recalled our first meeting.
—In that hellish sea of flames.
He’d smiled gently, reaching out to me. Then he took my hand…
Thinking back, my face flushed hot.
(He was so cool back then… Eugene-san.)
He’s probably popular.
“Oh, right—Rin-san just told me your ‘student ID’ and ‘student handbook’ are ready. Want to pick them up from the administration office?”
“Sure!”
I nodded obediently.
“Also, the student council room’s near the office, so I’ll show you that too.”
“The magic academy’s student council is a big deal, right?”
I’d heard that from a teacher. An otherworld with a student council—funny how that works!
“Yeah, it’s treated as a club, but it’s one of the academy’s biggest factions. The other major one’s the ‘Swordsmanship Club.’”
“Wow!”
Those two are the top dogs, apparently. The Swordsmanship Club feels very otherworldly.
“No clubs for mages?”
“Of course there are. But magic varies so much by attribute.”
Seems they’re split into smaller groups by attribute, and they don’t always get along…
“Sounds complicated.”
“You’ll get used to it eventually.”
He taught me a bunch more, but there was too much to memorize at once.
“By the way, what club are you in, Eugene-san?”
“…The Biology Club.”
“Biology Club!”
Huh, it’s cuter than I’d expect from him.
This is an other world—maybe they have fairies or unicorns?
“Can we visit it later?”
“Well, sure, but…”
“?”
He didn’t sound thrilled. Doesn’t he want me to see it? While I pondered, he stepped into the administration building, and I followed.
At the office, a woman at the counter handed me my ‘student ID’ and ‘student handbook.’ But…
“Eugene-san, this ‘student handbook’ is huge!”
I’d pictured something small, but it was as heavy as a hardcover book. Too big to carry with one hand—I don’t want to lug this around…
“Sumire-san, hold it and say ‘Close Book.’”
“Uh… C-Close Book…?”
The next instant, with a faint pop, the handbook vanished!
“Whaaat!? Eugene-san, it’s gone!?”
“Now say ‘Open Book.’”
“Open Book…?”
Another pop, and it reappeared in my hands!
“W-Wow!”
“That’s how you can summon it anytime.”
Amazing! This makes it so easy to carry.
“The academy’s student ID and handbook are your identification. They list your status, skills, and other key personal info. Don’t leave them out—always store them with ‘Close Book.’”
“G-Got it! …Close Book!”
“Then let’s head to the student council building next.”
He started walking toward a large three-story building nearby.
Is that where the student council room is?
“Eugene-san, what’s this building?”
“This is the student council room.”
“…Huh?”
T-This?
It’s not just a room—it’s a whole building…
“Clubs are a big deal here. Successful ones get their own buildings. The student council’s one of the largest organizations, so their space is huge.”
“Wow!”
Even in my old world, big clubs had bigger rooms, but a whole building? That’s wild.
This other world’s scale is insane.
“The first floor’s open to all students. It’s got a help desk for club or class troubles. You’ve got Rin-san, so you probably won’t need it, though.”
“And you too, right, Eugene-san?”
“Oh, uh, yeah. That’s right.”
He smiled a bit shyly when I said that. If I’ve got troubles, I’ll talk to him—he’s so easy to chat with. But…
(Does he have a girlfriend?)
If he does, she might get mad at me hogging him. I hadn’t picked up any hints of a woman from our talks, though. I hope he doesn’t… N-No! I don’t mean anything by it!
“Oh, if it isn’t Eugene-kun. Rare to see you here.”
A female student approached us on the first floor of the student council building.
Judging by her armband, she’s part of the council.
“Hey there. Hope I’m not intruding?”
“Not at all—you’re welcome anytime. Who’s the girl with you?”
“Sumire Shioya-san, a transfer student.”
“The rumored otherworlder!? Wow, it’s an honor to meet you! I’m Theresia, general affairs for the student council. Nice to meet you!”
“Y-Yes… I’m Sumire Shioya. Nice to meet you too.”
From her reaction, it seems word of me has spread around the academy.
Kind of embarrassing.
“Theresia-san runs the help desk I mentioned. She’s great to talk to if you need help.”
“Hehe, come by anytime! I’ve got tasty tea and snacks.”
“Yes, got it!”
That’s tempting. Theresia-san has a warm, approachable vibe.
“Alright, Sumire-san, let’s head out.”
“Yes, Theresia-san, thanks for having us!”
We bowed and started to leave, but Theresia-san looked like she had something to say.
“Eugene-kun, you’re not going to see the president?”
“Me visiting would just bother her.”
“I don’t think that’s… true, though.”
“Just pass along my regards.”
There’s some history there, it seems. I’m curious, but it’s hard to ask here.
Maybe later. Just then, a few male students entered from the entrance.
All of them were well-built, weapons hanging at their waists—total warrior vibes.
Whoa, so otherworldly! They’re casually carrying weapons!
They were chatting but froze when they spotted us, their expressions sharpening as they approached. W-What?
“Hey, Eugene. What’s a Biology Club errand boy doing at the student council?”
“Don’t tell me you’re still stalking the president?”
“You’ve got no business with her, Eugene!”
“Cut it out, you guys.”
Theresia-san stepped in as the guys started hassling us.
“Sumire-san, let’s go.”
“O-Okay…”
Eugene-san ignored them, but they circled around to block us.
“Hey, don’t ignore us, Eugene.”
“Oh, you’ve got a cute girl with you?”
“Hey, sweetie, ditch this guy and hang with us instead.”
One of them reached for my shoulder.
(Eek!)
I froze, shrinking back—
—Thud!
Eugene-san grabbed the guy’s arm.
“She doesn’t like it. Stop.”
“Huh!? What’s with the tough-guy act!? Let go, you jerk!”
The guy tried to wrench free, but Eugene-san’s grip didn’t budge.
“Ghh, damn it, it won’t move!”
Only when Eugene-san released him did the guy stumble back from me.
“You picking a fight, huh!?”
How does that even make sense!? You’re the ones starting trouble!
But they surrounded us anyway.
“E-Eugene-san… what do we do?”
“Bit of a pickle.”
His face, though—
(Huh…? He doesn’t look that worried…)
I realized instinctively. Eugene-san was totally calm.
Not rattled at all. So maybe I don’t need to panic either?
The guys in front of us, on the other hand, seemed way less composed.
“Hey, what if he gets hurt!?”
One of them—next to the guy whose arm got grabbed—kept pressing.
“Want me to heal it with magic?”
“That’s not the point!”
…Is Eugene-san secretly a bit of an airhead?
“Quite the commotion. What’s going on?”
A graceful, beautiful female student descended the stairs.
“President!”
Theresia-san called out. At once, the guys poised to fight backed off.
If I had to describe her, she was like a single, pure white flower—elegant and lovely.
Glossy black hair sparkled, her lapis-blue eyes shone, and every step, stance, and word dripped with refinement.
She’s the student council president of this magic academy, apparently.
“Why all the noise?”
Her words silenced the guys who’d been aggressively harassing Eugene-san.
They averted their eyes awkwardly. What’s with that attitude!?
Totally different from a second ago! She turned her gaze toward us.
Her expression shifted—surprise flashed across her face, then blossomed into a beaming smile.
“Eugene!? You came to see me!”
And then she threw herself into his chest.
Wh-Whaaaaaaat~~!?
——.
T/N: Credit Kaori Translations for providing the raws for this series.
Support the series by buying the ko-fi, volume 2 and beyond TLs will depends on it.