Chapter 71 - Chapter 70: Make Them Understand
The day after moving into the dorms.
As promised when we parted yesterday, I head for the main gate after breakfast.
When the four boys of the Leventein Group arrive, the three girls from Rimliche's group are already waiting.
"Good morning, Mika-kun."
Rimliche greets me with a smile.
There isn't a single trace of that abandoned puppy feeling from yesterday.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah."
When Mika asks, Rimliche nods firmly.
"I became friends with my roommate."
"That's good to hear."
I'm starting to feel like a father.
It felt like I was simulating the feelings of a father worrying about whether his daughter would fit in at her new school.
Cecilia and Charl also seem to have recovered their energy; they look refreshed.
"Well then, shall we take a quick look around?"
Mika secretly activates "Limiter Off" and "Absorb".
"Great God of Fire, the seed of creation. ―――."
As he begins chanting [Physical Enhancement], everyone looks surprised.
"We don't know how wide it is? Even if the enhancement ratio is low, you should use it."
Since there's a convenient thing available, wouldn't it be a loss not to use it?
When Mika says this, everyone obediently follows suit.
"Alright, let's go."
Mika starts moving at a light jog, and everyone follows.
First, we proceed straight ahead from the main gate.
Probably, this road leads to the ground.
There are buildings on both sides of the road; the left side is a five-story school building, and the right side seems to be a gymnasium.
When we reach the ground, its size is even wider than the Magic Academy in the Leventein Marquisate.
There is a track of about eight hundred meters, and behind it, a wide athletic course, and next to it, a forest.
It has become wider, but it seems there isn't much difference in the content.
"For now, shall we take a look from over there?"
When Mika points to the athletic course, everyone nods.
It seems everyone is curious about the contents of the athletic course, which they will likely be made to run back and forth to their heart's content.
Mika moves around the ground to aim for the athletic course.
Walking along the edge of the academy grounds, the sound of a noisy crowd can be heard.
It seems there are many people on the other side of the academy wall.
"It's quite noisy. What could it be?"
Cecilia also seems curious, running while vaguely looking toward the wall.
The Magic Academy in the Leventein Marquisate was located at the edge of the city of Sarbengeal.
The surroundings are a high-class residential area, but among them, it is a place with quite a few vacant houses and empty lots.
It feels like I haven't heard any sounds from outside the academy before.
"Shall we go outside the academy later?"
"Yes. It's a bit curious."
For now, we add the area outside the academy to today's tour course.
While talking about such things and running, we arrive at the athletic course.
"Wow."
Rimliche whispers while looking up at the obstacle in front of her.
There were similar things at the Magic Academy in the Leventein Marquisate.
But the size is probably about twice as big.
Probably about ten meters high.
Steel frames are assembled, and net-like ropes are hung from them.
"You can't just make everything big..."
When Mika mutters dejectedly, dry laughter erupts from the surroundings.
It's not something you can just look at.
Thinking about the trouble they will face for the next few years to overcome these, they probably feel they can't get through it without at least laughing.
The athletic course is about four times as wide as before, with many obstacles, all of them large.
If [Physical Enhancement] is used, it seems they can overcome it without difficulty.
But they will definitely be made to do it in their base state.
Everyone was convinced of this.
"Well, for now we know what it's like, shall we look over there?"
Next, Mika points to the forest.
If it were just a forest, it might not be worth looking at.
But it seems everyone wants to see it anyway.
When Mika asks, everyone nods.
Mika heads toward the forest at a light jog.
"What is this... Why is there such a thing?"
There are grassy bushes in front of the forest, and near the edge of those bushes, there were several things like trenches.
They are low, but sandbags are piled up, and shallow pits are dug.
Near the wall surrounding the academy, there are things that look like assembled iron pipes whose purpose is unknown.
Mika can't help but sigh.
Why are there trenches in a place like this?
It's obvious they are used for training.
In other words, some kind of training using trenches is being conducted at the academy.
"Mika-kun. What is this?"
It seems Rimliche doesn't know what a trench is.
Looking at the others, it seems everyone else doesn't know well either.
But only Messerite's expression is gloomy.
He probably has an idea.
"I think it's probably a trench."
"Trench...?"
Mika briefly explains the purpose of the trench to everyone.
There are probably no guns in this world, so it's probably to block arrows.
Or perhaps there are attacks like that with [God's Miracle].
In the documents read in the academy library before, there weren't many examples of [God's Miracle] related to attacks.
There were [Heal] for treatment, [Purification] and [Exorcism] to drive away impure beings, and [Physical Enhancement] which Mika and the others learned.
Probably, documents containing content that shouldn't be known by children were not placed in the library due to censorship.
Hearing Mika's explanation, the faces of the three girls and Polnard turn pale.
Messerite had said he investigated the Magic Academy before, so he probably knew.
Murt also seemed to have noticed the reason for the existence of mages; his expression was gloomy but not pale.
When I fought with Murt before, I talked a little about mages.
Maybe he was prepared for it.
Mika and the others also tried entering the forest.
It's quite wide, but it doesn't seem like there's anything special inside the forest.
"Everyone, come here a bit."
Everyone was walking randomly through the forest, but it seems Cecilia and Charl found something.
Looking at Rimliche who followed behind, she nods at Mika.
For now, I'll go toward Cecilia and the others.
"...Well, what do you call this?"
It was ropes stretched between trees.
There were two heights.
A zone where ropes were stretched slightly lower than Mika's waist, and a zone where ropes were stretched slightly lower than Mika's head.
"What is this?"
Cecilia seems frightened by this bizarre scene.
Ropes stretched in a dim forest. If you call it creepy, it is indeed creepy.
With the explanation of the trenches just now, they probably think these ropes are no good things either.
"Mika, do you understand?"
Messerite asks.
I have a vague idea, but I don't know if it's the correct answer either.
"Probably... I think it's for training moving while crouching and for crawling training."
"Crawling...?"
Unfortunately, Mika's height is just a little smaller than others, so the ropes for moving while crouching only require a slight bow of the head.
But normally, adults would have quite a hard time passing under these.
By the time they reach the upper grades when their bodies have grown, Mika will also be tormented by these ropes.
You'll be like that, right?
Please be like that.
When Mika explains, everyone's faces become gloomy again.
"Hey, why does Mika know such things?"
Cecilia seems to have doubts about Mika, who easily explains something she has never seen before.
"I don't know. I'm just imagining it casually, like 'probably it's like this, right?'"
Even after hearing Mika's reply, Cecilia doesn't seem very convinced, but for now, she didn't pursue it further.
We move around the forest and follow the academy wall.
And then, two five-story buildings appear before our eyes.
Probably the girls' dormitory.
"Looking at it like this, it's big."
Rimliche looks up at the building with her mouth half-open.
Seeing her expression, I feel a little relieved.
We walk around to the front of the building.
"My room is over there."
Cecilia points to a room in the middle of the fourth floor.
"Heh, it's there."
"...Don't come peeking, Mika."
"What? Do you want me to go?"
"There's no way! If you come, I'll push you off!"
There's no way I'd go.
Probably, one shot, and it's off to the concentration camp.
I value my life too.
I'm sorry, but I can't find such value in Cecilia's changing clothes.
"My room is over there."
Rimliche smiles brightly and points to a room on the far end of the third floor.
It feels like she's about to say, "Come play next time."
But I can't go.
"............Third floor............"
Charl had somehow appeared beside him and muttered softly.
I was a little startled.
"Charl is on the third floor too? You're with Rimliche."
When Mika says this, the two look at each other and nod.
Mika and the others start walking toward the main gate.
Then, Messerite and Polnard, at the very back of the line, are whispering something together.
When Cecilia joins them, they suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hey, hey, Rimliche, Charl."
Cecilia waves her hand and calls the two in a low voice.
No, it's completely audible.
"Hey, what are you doing? We're going outside."
Mika calls out to the children who stopped to talk upon reaching the main gate.
Only Murt had been following behind Mika.
"What are you doing?"
At the same time as Mika mutters, the children suddenly start laughing.
They seem to be getting excited about something, but what should be done?
As Mika tilts his head, Cecilia comes over with a smirk.
"If you were going to say that, you should have just told me."
Something like that, a confession that makes no sense ―――.
"Mika-chan's room was in the girls' dormitory, wasn't it? What did you do last night? Did you sleep outdoors?"
It seems Messerite and Polnard told them about the dorm mother's prank yesterday.
Murt seems to have remembered yesterday's events, turning his head away and desperately trying to hold back his laughter.
Cecilia comes in front of Mika with a smirking face, snorting.
(This smirk of hers is making me inexplicably angry......)
What can I say, I am driven by a violent impulse to make her understand.
Mika's hands move instantly, grabbing Cecilia's cheeks and pulling them hard.
"Hyah! Ouch!?"
"Where is your apology?"
"Hyo-ho! Hyah-hyah! I'm not in pain!"
"Where is your apology?"
"Haha-hi-ha-hai! Stop talking!"
"A-p-o-l-o-g-y?"
No matter what Cecilia says, Mika keeps asking "Where is your apology?" and shakes his head left and right.
"Mika-kun, I'm sorry. So please don't be so angry."
Rimliche tries to intervene, but Mika ignores her and continues the punishment.
And then ―――.
"............H-hen-hai... (Sorry)."
"Good."
Mika lets go with satisfaction.
(Make them understood complete.)
Cecilia holds her cheek with half-tears, and Rimliche comforts her.
Mika stands tall with a refreshing, clear feeling, but the gaze from everyone had become very cold.
And for some reason, only Charl's gaze was hot, and he seemed to be panting heavily.
Wait, am I the bad one?
Did I go too far?
Regaining my composure, I step out of the academy.
Immediately after exiting the main gate, there is a roundabout, and this is where I got off the carriage yesterday.
And around here, various buildings are lined up.
There are residences, as well as shops like restaurants and general stores.
The place where the Magic Academy is located is what is called District 3.
It is outside the Second Wall.
In other words, strictly speaking, this is outside the Royal Capital.
Since a large area was needed, they built it grandly in an empty place, and after that, various things were built around it.
That seems to be the story.
After building the Magic Academy, the original Knight Academy also became dilapidated, so they decided, "Since we're at it, let's build it nearby," and there is also a Knight Academy across the road.
And, shops opened up catering to the academy students, more people gathered, and now it has been completely incorporated into District 3.
That is the situation.
If we proceed straight ahead on the road in front of the academy, we immediately hit the main road, and the Knight Academy can be seen diagonally opposite.
It cannot be seen from here, but there is also a shared practice field behind the Knight Academy.
Actually, it is a practice field for the Knight Academy, and it seems we will occasionally get in the way when training jointly.
Mika and the others turn back the way they came and return to the academy's main gate.
This time, we try walking around the entire perimeter of the academy.
There is a road along the wall, and buildings are lined up normally around it.
"Is this really outside the Royal Capital?"
"Strictly speaking, that seems to be the case. But it's a normal town, isn't it?"
Rimliche asks while looking around from the side.
Judging by the streetscape, it doesn't differ much from walking in the city of Sarbengeal.
Rather, compared to Sarbengeal, which has too many people, I think it is much easier to live in for Mika.
It is said that a full seventy percent of the Royal Capital's population lives in this District 3.
Building restrictions are set gradually around the academy; at first glance, there are no buildings of two stories or more, but if you go more than a kilometer away, five-story buildings stand normally.
From the appearance, it doesn't give such a cluttered impression, and it is not as overcrowded as Sarbengeal.
However, even if you are told "This is outside the Royal Capital," it is hard to believe.
(......But, in a place like this with no city walls or anything, if we were invaded, we would just be wiped out.)
The reason for not officially recognizing it as the Royal Capital seems to lie in that as well.
If necessary, they will abandon it. It feels like they are declaring that.
Of course, if the situation is such that they are being invaded up to this point, it would only be a matter of time before they are also in the Royal Capital.
It's just a difference of early or late.
(Is this a sign of that? So they are leaving a reason to abandon it?)
Am I overthinking it?
The center of this country seems to be preparing for war with the Gronoir Empire at any time.
It would be troublesome if there were only carefree people who would baselessly say, "They won't attack," but if they prepare too thoroughly, it makes me anxious.
War could break out at any time.
So, do the country's top leaders think so?
Mika lets out a quiet sigh.
Exactly one year ago, an incident occurred where the Marquis's daughter was kidnapped.
The bandits who carried it out were hired.
―――By whom?
They kidnapped the Marquis's daughter, who is considered the top of border defense.
Is it overthinking to feel a conspiracy other than profit in the kidnapping?
(There's no way I can figure it out even if I think about it...... But, if it's for profit, the reward paid to the bandits is too huge.)
Fifty gold coins.
Double the amount if unharmed.
If such a large amount is offered, wouldn't one suspect a fake check instead?
If it's for profit, they wouldn't break even unless they pull out more than that from the Marquis.
However, the bandits did not doubt the payment from the client.
Was it because they lacked the caution to doubt, or because the other party was someone they didn't need to doubt?
(Was it a mistake to kill them all?)
At that time, Mika didn't have the leeway either.
I didn't even think of leaving them half-dead to extract information.
(Just looking at the situation, the one drawing the map behind the scenes would be the Gronoir Empire.)
Well, there is a possibility of a power struggle between nobles, but isn't it too dangerous to target the daughter of the top border defense for that?
As Mika thinks such things, his sleeve is pulled.
"Hm?"
"Are you still angry, Mika-kun?"
Rimliche asks anxiously.
"I'm not angry? Why?"
"A little... you have a scary face."
It seems my thoughts showed on my face.
Mika tries hard to make a smile.
"I was just thinking about something. I wasn't angry to begin with."
I just made her understand.
"If that's the case, that's fine..."
But Rimliche's expression doesn't clear up.
It seems she is not convinced.
Mika smiles bitterly.
"I really am not angry."
And then, looking directly into Rimliche's eyes.
"I'm sorry for worrying you. Are you okay?"
And so, to cheer up Rimliche, Mika worries his head over various things.