Chapter 106 - Chapter 105: Forest Lockdown
Wind Month, Week 3, Wind Day.
Mika sat facing the physical education teacher "Kefkof" across a table in the academy's guidance office.
"What is going on with this year's Leventein academy students?"
Kefkof slumped heavily onto the sofa, arms crossed, grumbling.
Four weeks since Rimliche mastered [Explosive Flame].
Murt collapsed while practicing [Explosive Flame], followed by Colina collapsing while learning [Heal], then Polnard collapsed, and a string of fainting students continued.
The cause was believed to be mana depletion in all cases.
A mage fainting from mana depletion was proof of immaturity.
Could the children who had just enrolled from this year's Leventein academy not even manage their own mana properly?
The academy judged the children who kept collapsing in succession as such.
One or two would surely collapse every week, and this week the third one had just collapsed.
But this third one was the problem.
Finally, even the daughter of the Marquis family, Cleiria, had collapsed from mana depletion.
The academy turned pale at this situation.
If it was simply due to the children's immaturity, they could just beat the management and control of mana into them.
However, the academy hesitated to dismiss Leventein's Cleiria with the single word "immature."
(So even here, the title of Marquis family has an influence.)
Mika watched the academy's attitude with such a cold feeling.
The academy was not just watching.
But no matter how much Homeroom Teacher Colina asked the collapsed children, they only answered, "I failed to manage my mana."
They called for thorough mana management every day, but the children collapsing from mana depletion did not stop.
And, in this abnormal situation, the academy noticed one unique existence.
The prodigy who achieved the academy's first feat of mastering two [God's Miracle] on the very day he was taught.
The boy at the center of the group of children collapsing.
Mika Noisheim.
Only Mika had not collapsed from mana depletion.
Since he had already mastered two [God's Miracle], he was now the only one conducting mana control even in the mastery classes.
There was no element that would cause him to collapse.
But, by thoroughly examining Mika's records at the Leventein academy, they found one common factor.
"Manifested [God's Miracle] just by teaching the [Physical Enhancement] incantation. Caused mana depletion."
It was unheard of to master a [God's Miracle] for the first time just by being taught the incantation, but there was something more concerning.
"Caused mana depletion."
Mika himself had once collapsed from mana depletion while mastering [God's Miracle] at the Leventein academy.
There might be some connection to the cause of the children from the Leventein academy collapsing now.
This boy might know something.
Thus, the academy, having made a guess, had summoned Mika.
Kefkof looked straight at Mika with a difficult expression, but Mika did not seem to care.
If a child was summoned to the guidance office and faced Kefkof, a muscular man like a rock, most children would shrink back.
There were a few children putting on a show of bravado, but the boy before them was neither of those.
I came because I was called.
Is there something you need?
He wore a cool face as if to say exactly that.
"Have you heard anything? Everyone are your friends, right?"
"Yes. I am worried too...."
Saying that, Mika looked down slightly.
He furrowed his brows slightly and lightly lowered his gaze diagonally downward.
(Was it like this?)
He was working hard to make a worried face.
Since he had told everyone to keep quiet, Mika could not reveal the trick to mastering [God's Miracle].
It might be exposed eventually, but there was no obligation for him to teach it voluntarily.
(Besides, if it got exposed, this method could become the standard mastery method.)
For the academy to force a method that definitely causes fainting was nothing but terror.
Some children might be able to execute it regardless, but for timid children, it was too cruel a mastery method.
They were already burdened with heavy obligations for those who possessed mana, and now adding mana depletion as a mastery method was not even Spartan.
Mika wanted everyone in the Leventein Group to master as many [God's Miracle] as possible to increase their chances of surviving on the battlefield.
But honestly, he could not take care of the other children.
It was pitiful, but he could only say, "Figure it out yourself."
Heavy silence fell inside the guidance office.
Kefkof stared at Mika, but he did not seem to have noticed anything.
"If you are worried, can't you say something yourself? Tell them to pay more attention to their mana management."
"Yes. I think everyone understands that well enough... I will also try to speak to them not to overdo it."
To be honest, he almost grimaced at his own cunningness.
He was instigating and provoking himself, so what was he doing acting like such a good child?
But how many [God's Miracle] one mastered was a matter of life and death.
On the battlefield, one did not know what [God's Miracle] would be needed.
If everyone in the Leventein Group wanted to master even this method, Mika wanted to support them.
So, what could Mika do now?
It would be buying time.
Before the academy launched a full-scale investigation, everyone must master it.
He wanted to buy even a little bit of time for that.
Today Kefkof spoke to Mika, and Mika spoke to everyone.
Then, they would think, "Let's wait and see for a bit."
Even if they knew they should offer all their mana, it still took courage to execute it.
Also, he thought there must be some other conditions.
Rimliche had mastered [Heal] immediately, but Murt struggled a bit.
Two weeks after mastering [Explosive Flame], he finally mastered [Heal].
Messerite finally mastered [Heal] this week.
Cleiria also finally mastered [Explosive Flame] today.
Cecilia had only mastered one [God's Miracle] so far.
So, he wanted to buy as much time as possible.
When lunch break came, Mika, released from the guidance office, headed straight for the cafeteria.
He found the table where everyone in the Leventein Group was, carried his tray, and took his seat.
"Mika-kun, were you okay?"
Rimliche called out to Mika with a worried look.
Everyone had already finished eating.
"It's fine, it's fine. Ah, tell everyone to be careful. That's what I said."
"You...."
Murt muttered in exasperation, grimacing.
Everyone was doing such reckless mastery methods because Mika had instigated them.
"But, it's only a matter of time before we get caught, isn't it."
Saying that, Mika began to eat with fierce speed.
"What should we do? If we get caught, it won't be good."
Cecilia was flustered with a frightened look.
"Hmph-hmph-hmph."
"Mika-kun...."
Rimliche scolded Mika, who answered with his cheeks full.
He swallowed the food in his mouth with a gulp!
"Puhah... Well, it should be fine. If we master it before that, we're set. Besides...."
"Besides?"
Messerite asked while resting his cheek on his hand.
"Even if we get caught, there's nothing they can do about it."
Everyone looked bewildered.
"'It's dangerous, so stop' or something, they might warn us, right? Will you obey that? I wouldn't. Because mastering it is more important."
They were trying to acquire weapons to take to the battlefield.
Regardless of whether they were useful or not, they would take all the weapons they could carry.
Whatever the academy said, it was none of their business.
What was wrong with desperately gathering weapons to protect one's own life?
"The academy might make this method the standard mastery method, but even if they do, it will be a while later. So, while we have exclusive information, we should just keep doing it."
"Just keep doing it...."
Everyone in the Leventein Group knew that several of them had been collapsing one after another in the past few weeks among the first-year elementary students.
But for now, it seemed there were no children outside the Leventein Group trying to master due to mana depletion.
That was probably due to the label the academy put on them first.
Could they not even manage their own mana properly?
Seeing the Leventein Group collapse from mana depletion every week, the academy thought so.
Apparently, there were teachers speaking that way.
Hearing the words of such teachers, the children were also mocking the Leventein Group.
The fact that the top grades of Class 1 were monopolized by the Leventein Group was also significant.
Hearing that those guys were fools who couldn't even manage their mana, it must have been a relief to their chests.
(If you want to laugh, laugh as you please.)
But what meaning did such an evaluation have?
If you consider what remains as a result, it would be obvious which side was correct.
Those who could master two [God's Miracle] and those who could not.
Was there anything else to worry about besides this result?
"Anyway, Cecilia and Messerite only have one left, so work hard. I don't think you need to worry if a stop is put on it, but it would be better to master it before that, right?"
When Mika grinned, Cecilia and Messerite made bitter faces.
■■■■■■
Wind Month, Week 2, Sun Day.
The forest south of the Royal Capital.
Mika was running towards the usual landing and takeoff field.
"Ah, will I make it in time?"
He had intended to go on a request to subdue a magical beast today, but he had overslept twice.
His roommate Basal got up early every morning for sword training, so he had planned to wake up with Basal today.
But although Basal woke him up once, he fell back asleep immediately.
Basal returned from his morning training and woke Mika, who was still sleeping, but he was significantly behind schedule.
Since it was a subdue request where the fastest got the achievement, someone might have already arrived and subdued the magical beast.
(Since coming to this other world, I've gotten quite strong in the mornings.)
He used to be really bad at mornings, but since becoming this body of Mika Noisheim, he didn't struggle much to wake up.
Was it because he was young, or because of this body?
However, since he went to investigate the cause of "Curse-type" things every day after school, fatigue must have accumulated to some extent.
From now on, he might need to create completely off days while checking his physical condition.
Thinking such things, he arrived at a place where he could see the forest, and saw a group of people gathered very close to the forest.
Four knights and... a girl?
A girl with a familiar back view seemed to be arguing with the knights.
For now, he headed towards the place where people were gathered.
"This is a problem! Please, let me pass!"
Kistil-san, usually a gentle older sister type, was unusually shouting loudly at the knights.
"Even if you say that, we have work to do. Sorry, but this area is locked down this week."
"Really!?"
Although the knights looked quite imposing, they did not seem like bad people.
They seemed completely worn out by Kistil's desperate pleas.
"Kistil-san. What's wrong?"
"Mika-kun...."
When he approached and called out, Kistil stood beside Mika looking exhausted.
One of the knights came up to Mika and spoke.
"Oh, is the young lady an acquaintance of that child over there? Maybe a sister?"
"That's not it...."
Who was calling her young lady?
Kistil had just called him "kun", hadn't she?
Well, for now, that didn't matter.
He shielded Kistil, who looked like she was about to cry, from behind and decided to ask the knights for the situation.
"So, what's the trouble?"
"We are locking down this part of the forest right now, but that child over there insists on entering the forest. It's troubling."
"Locking down the forest? Why?"
They had been able to enter and exit freely until now, why suddenly lock it down?
"This forest is said to be relatively safe, but it's not absolute. Do you understand?"
"Yes, well."
"So, we are investigating. Until we can confirm safety, entry is prohibited."
It was said that there were no beasts or magical beasts deep in the forest, but that was not absolute either.
Perhaps someone had been attacked in the shallow parts of the forest?
But...
(The landing and takeoff field being locked down is painful... I can't go out like this.)
It was a place perfect for avoiding people's eyes, but he could not ignore it since the knights were stopping him.
"Um... are you from the Kingdom Army?"
"Yes, we are from the Fifth Knights Order of the Kingdom Army. Sorry, but this is also a mission. We cannot let you pass."
Although they looked imposing and their tone was rough, their answers were surprisingly polite.
The reason for the lockdown was, well, reasonable.
Since they said "this week," Mika could just pass this week's quest for now.
But Kistil...
"Kistil-san, are you usually...?"
When Mika turned around and called out to Kistil behind him, she nodded vigorously.
(Herb gathering, huh.)
In that case, she had no choice but to enter the forest.
If an order to lockdown had been issued, saying "Even if you get attacked by magical beasts, it's your own responsibility, let her go" would be impossible.
It might not be impossible to sneak in while stealing a glance at the knights, but if they were caught, it would be quite troublesome.
Thinking normally, it would be best to quietly withdraw here, but...
For Kistil, who made a living day by day, a week of no income was like saying "die."
She had mentioned that her mother did some piecework, but that was just a drop in the bucket.
(You don't need a blade to kill a laborer. Just let it rain for three days, huh...)
It was too much to just abandon her like this.
But it was certain that saying anything to the knights was useless.
In any case, they would have to retreat for now.
"Kistil-san, shall we go back for now?"
"Mika-kun...."
Kistil's face turned pale, and she had a pained expression.
(This child making such a face...)
She must be in a desperate situation.
Kistil, who always gave Mika a soft smile, was truly looking so pained.
When Mika took her hand and started walking, Kistil followed, though hesitantly.
While looking back at the forest again and again.
When they walked near District 3, Kistil suddenly stopped.
Mika turned around, and Kistil looked down, tightly pressing her lips, a face like she was holding back tears.
Those lips trembled slightly.
"What... should I do...? Like this, for a whole week... unable to go herb gathering."
"Kistil-san...."
Tears she could not hold back fell one by one onto the ground.
Kistil was surely thinking in her head how she would survive the next week.
But if there was a good method, she would have done it long ago.
(...Was her father an alcoholic? He probably wouldn't help even in a situation like this.)
She had a younger brother and a sickly mother to support; she had already pushed herself too hard.
Any more burden would crush Kistil.
(Should I prepare a week's worth of living expenses? It's easy to prepare a few silver coins or a few gold coins...)
Or rather, he had them now.
He had cash in his Magic Bag.
For Mika, it was just a matter of giving it to her, but...
(Probably, that would become a burden too.)
Even if he told her she didn't have to repay it, Kistil would surely try to repay it desperately.
How difficult it would be for Kistil, who was already living on the edge, to repay it.
At that moment, an idea flashed in his mind.
(...I don't know the details, but maybe it won't be that bad?)
Mika stood in front of Kistil and looked up at her crying face.
And then,
"Hey, Kistil-san, are you good at cooking?"
He asked just that.