Chapter 226 - Chapter 225: Mika's Most Hated Day
The first day of the first week of the Month of Water.
Mika and the others had advanced to the upper division, and finally became the dreaded reserves.
The allowance provided monthly is two large silver coins.
It doubles from the one large silver coin they received during middle school.
But unlike when they advanced to middle school, there isn't a single shred of atmosphere to celebrate such a thing.
That is because everyone is trembling with fear, wondering when the 'Reserve Mobilization Order' will be issued.
Since the front lines are far from the capital, real-time information does not reach here.
However, rumors that the Kingdom of Ektrem and the Gronoir Empire are about to clash on the battlefield are being heard everywhere.
Towards the latter half of the long vacation, news reached the capital that the army of the Gronoir Empire had moved out.
From that time on, even walking through the streets, all one hears are things related to war.
It was as if the entire capital, not just the academy, was dark and gloomy.
One might see a group shouting loudly, "Smash that Gronoir!" but those voices only echo in vain.
Also, there has been one change since yesterday compared to before.
That is the carrying of weapons within the academy.
This permission was not granted simply because war is getting closer.
This has been a thing for a while.
I had thought I saw them occasionally within the academy, but now I know the reason.
It is that carrying weapons is recommended only for some students in the upper division.
It is not permission.
It is a recommendation.
It seems that only for one group, students are encouraged to equip small swords and maces within the academy, so as to show them off.
They are the "Group One," the model students of the academy.
They carry them, but if they swing them around outside of class, they will be severely punished.
Well, that is only natural.
Cleiria and Stellan are equipped with very fine weapons prepared by their families.
Mika also has his own items, so he uses those.
However, ordinary students do not have such things, so items used in class are lent to them.
It seems they are to carry them constantly and raise their spirit.
Of course, once they graduate from the academy, carrying weapons is a normal thing anyway.
It seems they are recognizing it a step early so they can become objects of envy.
Prompted by the instructor, Mika straightened his back, leaned against a pillar, and stood straight.
At this time, one must not lift one's heels.
"145 centimeters."
The instructor reporting Mika's height lets out a soft sigh.
What the hell!?
Do you have a complaint about my height, you bastard!?
While Mika was fuming alone in his victim complex, Messerite peeked at a note passed from the side.
"You haven't grown much."
"Alright, I'll take that bet. Let's go outside."
While talking like that, they return to the classroom.
It seems Messerite's height was about average.
164 centimeters.
As for Murt, it seems he is 176 centimeters.
(That guy and I are just widening the gap...)
Finally, the height difference between Mika and Murt reached 31 centimeters.
When Mika slumped his shoulders and entered the classroom, Rimliche and the others were already back.
"Welcome back~ How was it?"
Cecilia, noticing Mika and the others, approaches with a smug grin.
"Huh? Where's Mika?"
Cecilia says such things as if pretending not to know.
"Oh, you were there!? Sorry, sorry! You were so small I didn't notice."
With an annoying smug face, she says such things.
Kick.
Mika silently kicks her shin.
"Ouch! What are you doing!"
"Ask your chest about it! Damn it!"
Didn't you learn that you shouldn't mess with physical characteristics, you bastard!
...Well, of course they weren't taught that.
There is no way such a thought exists in this country's education, which lacks even ethics, morality, or proper human rights.
"Mika, they say you're 145 centimeters."
"Hey! Messerite!"
"I was 161 centimeters."
Damn it.
Why do I have to be teased every single time we measure our height?
Moreover, Cecilia has surpassed 160 centimeters?
You're huge, hey.
Move a little closer to me.
"I was 147 centimeters."
Rimliche says with a bright smile.
It seems Rimliche's height did not grow as much as Mika's.
The gap was closing in to 2 centimeters.
(Rimliche seems like she will stop growing like this... Or rather, is that me too?)
Mika and the others are turning fourteen this year.
Perhaps because of that, Mika's growth has also slowed slightly.
Boys' height usually grows later than girls', but this varies by individual, so it is merely a guideline.
(At least... at least I want to clear 150 centimeters somehow...)
When Mika sat down at his seat with his head hanging low, Cleiria let out a wry smile.
"I don't think you should worry so much about your height, Mika."
She comforts Mika with gentle eyes.
"I was 157 centimeters, though."
She said that with a mischievous smile.
She wasn't comforting me.
She was just teasing.
You're an enemy too...!
"Mika-kun, are you worried about your height? You look cool."
Rimliche also sits down and comforts Mika.
"No matter how tall you are, Mika-kun is still Mika-kun?"
"Yes, that's right. While you might look cute, the impression that you are cool is stronger. Especially during practice, you look very sharp and dignified."
"Eh, s-so?"
Suddenly praised, he becomes embarrassed.
I'm so easy to flatter.
A moment where they could forget about the war.
■■■■■■
Mika returned from the academy and helped Kistil make emergency rations.
Prices had been rising slightly since the whispers of war began, but there was no major fluctuation.
This is partly because they are somewhat far from the battlefield, but more importantly, everyone is infected with the optimistic theory that "the Kingdom cannot lose."
Mika had asked Kistil and Nerisfeene to gradually stock up on wheat, beans, salt, sugar, spices, and other supplies.
He also taught them methods like rolling stockpiles, buying firewood, lamp fuel, daily necessities, and restocking when items were used.
And now, with the Imperial army finally moving out, they had officially started making emergency rations.
In his previous world, there were many emergency rations that lasted three or five years, but such things do not exist in this world.
Thinking about it, it seems there are dishes that last about a year.
Those are, meat dishes.
It is a method of heating and cooking in thick glass jars and storing them as is, but he didn't think meat dishes would last that long.
"You knew such a method. Where did you learn it?"
"My mother taught me. We made a little bit every year for winter preparations."
"Oh..."
Kistil briskly proceeds with the preparations and gives instructions to Mika.
Mika was rolling raw chunks of meat in a mixture of several types of spices and salt.
It seems they need to coat it evenly like a batter.
"We made some at the convent too... I didn't help much, though."
Nerisfeene opens one of the preserved foods made a few days ago to prepare today's dinner.
Since it is scary not to know the taste when it is actually needed, they decided to eat all the types of emergency rations they made.
So recently, the emergency rations they made sometimes appear for dinner.
Honestly, they are not very delicious, but it is a situation where having something to eat is a blessing.
...They are not very delicious, though.
While eating dinner, the topic of Mika's height came up again.
(Why...)
Why? Because Mika sighed and said "I want more height" several times.
"Do you care that much about your height, Mika-kun?"
"I don't think worrying about it will help... Mika-sama."
Their comfort instead hurt his heart.
By the way, Kistil is a little over 160 centimeters.
Nerisfeene is a little lower than Kistil.
Maybe just a bit short of 160 centimeters?
"Well, I know that, but... I want to be more robust, a man I can rely on."
He stabs a piece of the emergency ration meat with a fork and brings it to his mouth.
...This might not be bad after all.
"Mika-sama is reliable."
"That's right. And I think you are quite robust. Maybe because you are a boy. You have a lot of muscle and are sturdy."
"S-so?"
Praised by the two, he became embarrassed.
I'm so easy to flatter, after all.
"When I first met Mika-kun, you looked a bit more slender. But even then, you felt quite solid."
Nerisfeene nods to Kistil's opinion.
Mika smiles brightly at Kistil.
(But, Kistil. Didn't you mistake me for a girl when we first met?)
He doesn't think so, but he will stay silent about such rude things.
There must be some correction from the memory filter.
That said, in reality, Mika is almost never mistaken for a girl anymore like before.
Although he originally had a face like a girl, he thinks he has grown into a neutral-looking face. (According to himself)
And Mika's gaze, or the aura he exudes, has become like that of a seasoned adventurer. Until now, he gave a somewhat girl-like impression, but now he gives a somewhat boy-like impression to people.
Therefore, even if the judgment is unclear, people now tend to think "let's assume he's a boy for now."
That is how Mika interprets it, but in reality, it is slightly different.
Simply put, more people have heard the rumor of him as the "Dispeller," and the number of people who know Mika one-sidedly has increased.
If someone sees Mika without knowing the information that Mika = "Dispeller," they will still treat him as a girl first, as usual.
With that, the meal ends, and Mika plays with Fee.
He flicks a copper coin with his finger and catches it quickly with both hands.
A simple game of which hand it is in, right or left.
Fee stops without hesitation on Mika's extended right hand.
"Is it okay with the right hand?"
When Mika says that, Fee briefly intensifies its light.
Mika grins, raising the corner of his mouth, and opens his right hand.
Nothing was held in his hand.
"Ahaha, missed."
When Mika laughs happily, Fee repeats blinking protests.
When he opens his left hand to show the copper coin, Fee dimly weakens its light.
"Still need more training."
Fee, defeated, goes to Kistil and cries on her.
Watching Fee like that, Mika was sweating coldly inside.
(...Did I manage to pull it off somehow?)
That's right.
Mika was cheating.
Actually, this copper coin is a fake made with Mika's magic.
The copper coin flicked with his finger was a fake made by Mika; he caught it with his right hand, and after Fee chose the right hand, he moved it to his sleeve.
Then, he created a new copper coin in his left hand.
Only Mika would counterfeit currency for such a game, even in a wide world.
If discovered, it is a definite crucifixion.
Watching Fee being comforted by Kistil, Mika lets out a soft sigh.
(If I don't do this, I really can't win.)
For some reason, Fee hits the mark accurately no matter how fast he moves.
Even with [Physical Enhancement] at forty times.
I don't know if such a thing as dynamic vision exists for a ball of light, but it seems I can't win if I compete fairly.
That is why I decided to use tricks.
Even in a game, a man who will do whatever it takes to win.
That is Mika.
By the way, with [Physical Enhancement] at forty-five times output, he found that his legs could not withstand the momentum, so he decided to lower the output a little.
It is not going as planned.
"Well then, I'll go to the bath."
"Ah, wait a moment, Mika-sama."
When Mika stands up, Nerisfeene rushes toward the bath.
She must be preparing the hot water.
Kistil and Nerisfeene's magic training continues even now.
Currently, the two have learned to turn "Waterball" into hot water and create "Fireball."
Therefore, they also use "Fireball" to start the fire when lighting the stove.
As part of their practice, they have started preparing the bath water.
Thanks to that, even the only chore assigned to Mika has disappeared.
Well, it is welcome, though.
Mika goes to his room to prepare for changing clothes.
Then, he manipulates the two counterfeited coins to make a small lump of copper.
When he meets at the meeting for the research of "Orichalcum," he will give it to the parents and mix it with copper to increase the weight.
Destroying the evidence is perfect.
■■■■■■
The third day of the first week of the Month of Water.
Lunch break.
Murt and Messerite had indescribable expressions in the cafeteria.
"It doesn't seem enough, both of you."
"...Well, yes. It can't be helped."
"I know complaining won't help, but still..."
Currently, the cafeteria at the academy and dormitory is under a loose restriction on food.
Even though it is a restriction, they are providing a sufficient amount for one serving.
Only those who were eating more than one serving are complaining on their own due to this restriction.
"Well, prioritizing the front lines is natural. Rather, it is wise not to try seizing from the market."
Mika is also on the side of eating more than one serving, but he eats properly at home in the morning and evening.
Therefore, even if lunch is a little less, it is just a matter of feeling a little unsatisfied.
"It's only for a few days, and you can eat normally outside, so why not go buy something after school?"
Cecilia proposes to Messerite and the others.
This food restriction is an order from the military.
It seems some kind of accident happened to the food sent to the front lines, and they could not secure a sufficient amount.
For that reason, it seems they urgently sent part of the food for the academy to the front lines.
Six hundred people live in the dormitory, men and women combined, and they prepare food for over a thousand people for lunch.
They cut the surplus they had prepared and sent it to the front lines.
Therefore, meals that could be eaten as much as one wanted were provided in fixed amounts for a few days.
This measure is also applied to garrisons far from the front lines.
The country is not in a food crisis; it is just a temporary adjustment, so they are just asking the academy students to endure and cooperate a little.
Complaining about this is the height of luxury.
However...
(Supply planning is a major factor that determines the course of the war? Is this country really okay?)
He thinks that.
It was good that it ended within a range that could be easily recovered, but logistics mistakes could become fatal wounds.
Taking this as a lesson, he wants the upper echelons to work properly.
"Well, this isn't even worth enduring. There might not be any in the future, so why not try eating this amount? You can go eat anytime, right?"
When Mika says that, Murt makes a bitter face.
But after hesitating, he nods weakly.
"By the way, what do you think about this year's [God's Miracle]? Should we learn it?"
Cecilia asks.
What Cecilia is referring to is not the one they are instructed to learn, but the other one.
"...Honestly, I wonder about it? But don't worry about such things; you probably won't be able to learn it anyway. N-o-r-m-a-l-l-y."
When Mika says that, Rimliche lets out a wry smile.
The [God's Miracle] taught this morning is two: [Signal Flare] and [Rainfall].
[Signal Flare].
This is something like a distress signal.
There is a minimum amount of magic power required, and the duration of suspension is determined by the additional magic power offered.
In short, the brightness and altitude of the flare are fixed by the minimum magic power offered.
After that, the additional amount of magic power is determined by how long you want to maintain that state.
It seems the color of the signal flare is fixed to red.
This [God's Miracle] is also instructed to be learned by everyone in the Leventein Group, Cleiria, and Stellan.
Corina advised other children to aim to learn this one as well.
And then, the other one is [Rainfall].
As the name suggests, this [God's Miracle] makes it rain.
With [Abundance] and [Rainfall], one might think they are free from famine, but it seems it is not that simple.
That is because the difficulty of learning this [God's Miracle] is incredibly high.
They are told that if you know it, you might learn it even after graduating from the academy.
It is treated the same as [Abundance], but the priority is overwhelmingly higher for [Abundance].
After all, it seems the magic power consumed is ridiculously large, and even if learned, it will be difficult to use effectively.
And, a surprising fact.
This is all the [God's Miracle] taught at the academy.
Next year, it is a period to freely choose and learn the ones you could not learn from the [God's Miracle] you have learned so far.
Students like Mika who say "there is no such thing" are apparently "not normal."
(In the end, there wasn't a single [God's Miracle] related to defense. What's going on?)
There was talk of research on [God's Miracle] at the Court Magic Institute, but why are there no defensive [God's Miracle]?
He couldn't understand it at all.
Mika crosses his arms and hums, thinking for a moment.
Cecilia has a serious expression, waiting for Mika's opinion.
"If you learn [Signal Flare] as instructed, maybe everyone should aim for [Archery Enhancement] or [Faith]? Personally, I recommend [Abundance] too."
By the way, Cleiria and Rimliche have not yet learned the [God's Miracle] called [Orientation].
Therefore, after learning [Signal Flare], [Orientation] is the only choice.
Well, maybe Cleiria should challenge [Rainfall]?
If her territory is ever struck by a drought, having [Rainfall] would save the lives of her subjects.
By the way, Mika learned it on the spot as usual, but this year he took a little longer.
It was not a problem of difficulty, but because Mika was equipped with a magic tool for magic stability.
Even with a magic tool for magic stability equipped, one can go all-in.
But this is the all-in that everyone is doing, and it feels different from the all-in that Mika has been doing automatically until now.
He thought he was going all-in, but he could not manifest it.
He tried taking off one ring and stopping the function of the magic tool, and he was able to learn it as usual.
He realized that it takes several days for everyone to try to learn by going all-in.
Well, from now on, the magic tool for magic stability and the wristband with super durability will basically be equipped all the time.
Thanks to the magic tool, he can now output [Physical Enhancement] at double or less than double the rate, and he feels he has finally become a full-fledged mage these days.