Chapter 80 - Chapter 79: Reinforced Knight Project, Reissue
The First Month of Water, the Second Week, Tuesday.
"Faaaaaah..."
Finished eating lunch, I was finally starting to get properly sleepy.
I had been talking with everyone from the Leventein Group in the cafeteria, but I couldn't stop yawning since a while ago.
(...I don't have confidence I can stay awake for afternoon PE...)
I might fall asleep even while running.
Mika leaned back against the chair's backrest, stretched his body widely, and tilted his head, making it crack.
"Mika-kun, are you sleepy?"
Rimliche, sitting next to him, peeked at Mika's face with a worried expression.
"...Did you do something late at night...?"
Charl's gaze became slightly sticky, and he started panting about something or other.
What are you imagining? What?
Mika let out a deep breath and recalled last night.
After meeting Virone who was locked up, Mika wrote a letter of plea for clemency addressed to the Marquis Leventein.
Cleiria took that letter and went to ask the Marquis to spare Virone's life.
The victims of this incident caused by Virone's "false orders" were Mika and Cleiria.
If it is a plea for clemency for these two, there is a possibility the Marquis will consider it. ...Maybe.
To persuade the Marquis, Cleiria should have left early this morning for Sarbengeal, accompanied by a large number of guards and knights watching over Virone.
After confirming rough future plans with Cleiria, Mika returned from the Leventein Marquis's villa.
Unless accompanied by security knights up to the checkpoint in District 1, Mika cannot even leave the gate on his own.
Even though it was late at night, he couldn't use flight magic right in the middle of the Royal Capital.
Thus, arriving at the dormitory at what could be called late night, naturally, the dormitory entrance was locked.
Mika was fully intending to bluff his way through this curfew violation, so he couldn't enter from the entrance and had some trouble.
If the dorm mother or servants saw him returning, it would be game over, but if he could get back to his room during the night, there would be a way to bluff it.
So, Mika used "Low Gravity" to drastically reduce his own weight and climbed the dormitory wall with ease.
It is a secret that he was blown away once by the wind halfway because he made himself too light.
He thought it would be better to be as light as possible, but if he made himself too light, even a slight wind would blow him away.
It felt like his lifespan was shortening to suddenly have nothing supporting his body at a height exceeding ten meters.
After struggling, he finally reached the fifth-floor room and lightly tapped the lattice window.
Then, the window was opened immediately.
"Mika-dono!? What are you doing—gugh!?"
Mika covered Basal's mouth, who shouted loudly in surprise, and somehow succeeded in returning to his own room.
Basal also seems to possess a rather sharp [Detect Presence] skill, though not as sharp as Ninetiana.
Even at this hour of the night, he noticed the sound of tapping on the window and opened it right away, so I am truly glad my roommate is Basal.
(Don't think for a second I'm planning to rely on this for future curfew violations, okay?)
Mika released his hand from covering Basal's mouth and quietly closed the window.
Probably no one noticed.
"What were you doing? The servants were worried!"
Basal lowered his voice, having understood Mika's intention.
"Aww, so I got caught by the Cafeteria Ladies after all. ...Looks like it'll be hard to bluff this one."
"You're going to bluff it!?"
In the dormitory, the Cafeteria Ladies do patrols before bedtime.
If you are not in your room at the designated time, you become a target for scolding.
Well, if I went to the bath or locked myself in the toilet, I could insist that I just happened to run into the Cafeteria Ladies.
For the first time or so, this should be enough. ...Probably.
Basal looked at Mika with a glare.
"Is Mika-dono perhaps a delinquent? Wandering around until this hour is an outrageous matter!"
"I wasn't really playing around... Well, it's not something I can explain, so I guess it's fine. Goodnight."
Mika quickly changed into his gym clothes and climbed onto the bed to lie down.
By the way, since he thought he couldn't enter the bath in the dormitory, he asked Cleiria to lend him the bath.
The smell of the dungeon had somewhat soaked into his uniform, but if he could wipe his body, he wouldn't ask for more luxury.
Thus, he safely returned to the dormitory, silenced the somewhat dissatisfied Cafeteria Lady, and his curfew violation was treated as if it never happened.
"So, today Cleiria-sama is taking a break, right?"
Cecilia murmured after hearing Mika's story.
Mika explained the simple circumstances to the Leventein Group.
The reason he suddenly started avoiding Cleiria was an order from the Marquis's house, which Cleiria was not aware of.
However, Cleiria found out about it and returned to Sarbengeal once to persuade the Marquis Leventein.
That was the story.
The details about "false orders" and such had nothing to do with everyone else and would only complicate things, so they were cut.
As long as he explained that Mika was avoiding Cleiria and that Cleiria didn't know about the order, the rest should be fine.
"So, from today, things are back to normal. Even if Cleiria returns, nothing like yesterday will happen."
When Mika said that, everyone's faces showed relief.
(By the way, I feel like I forgot something, what is it?)
He tilted his head and thought but couldn't recall.
He felt a vague unease, but well, what's done is done.
With these kinds of things, it often happens that you remember them at some random moment.
For now, he decided to set it aside for the time being.
"It's already painful just watching them, you know. I wish they would stop doing that kind of thing."
While Mika was thinking such things, Cecilia murmured with a sigh.
Everyone nodded in agreement with Cecilia's murmur.
"...Leaving them alone like that is a bit..."
Even Charl, it seems, doesn't really like that kind of thing.
And seriously, stop connecting everything to that, you.
Hasn't that illness of yours gotten worse recently, more than before?
"But, this means we can be together again like before, right?"
Rimliche asked with a bright smile.
Unable to say "no" to such innocent Rimliche, Mika smiled and replied, "Yes."
(Forcing them to become independent all at once is cruel too. It won't be forever, but maybe it's best to leave it to nature for now?)
Everyone here are children who were forcibly separated from their parents by law.
If they lose their emotional anchor, they will surely collapse.
If that is the case, maybe it is fine to leave things as they are for now.
For now, at least...
■■■■■■
It was time for afternoon PE, and Mika and the others gathered on the field.
In the academy of the Leventein domain, there was always afternoon PE and they changed clothes in the dormitory, but here, PE times were determined by the weekly schedule.
PE was not held every day; there were several days a week without PE.
In exchange, there was more training in handling magic and manifesting [God's Miracle].
By the way, changing clothes was done in a locker room-like place inside the school building.
On days with PE, they brought gym clothes and changed there.
The group of children who entered at age ten had PE every afternoon.
They were still being made to walk endlessly on the field.
For a few more months, they would repeat just walking, brisk walking, and jogging like this.
Getting used to walking seemed to be a mandatory requirement for mages, not just an educational plan unique to the Leventein domain.
While Mika and the others were lined up waiting, the homeroom teacher Colina and the sports-type teacher Kefkof came carrying a box.
This sports-type teacher, whose name was Kefkof, looked exactly like a physical education teacher.
Looking at Kefkof somehow reminded him of club activities during his student days.
A nostalgic feeling of "I was beaten up so much back then" came surging up.
"For the next while, training will be conducted using these. There are injuries every year, and in the past, there have even been deaths. Take this seriously."
When Kefkof said that and took something out of the box, it was a mace.
Colina held a short sword and a small sword in both hands, showing them to the children.
Kefkof and Colina began distributing maces with handles longer than Mika's forearm to the children.
Mages must be able to handle at least one of the mace, short sword, or small sword.
It is said to prevent them from being easily killed by enemy soldiers just because their magic ran out.
They obviously cannot beat professional knights or soldiers, but it seems the goal is to be able to create a gap and escape at least enough to increase the possibility of survival.
The words "patchwork" and "improvised tactics" came to mind, but Mika had no objection to the policy of trying to keep them alive even a little longer.
Well, the country probably just doesn't want the mages they spent so much time, effort, and money raising to die so easily.
(So this is the "form" I was forced to practice with a stick until now.)
He vaguely understood.
Today, they would actually touch these three weapons and choose the one they preferred.
Mika took the mace he was handed and moved a little distance away.
The other children also kept some distance and started swinging them as they pleased.
Just in case, Mika expanded a magic range of about three meters around him.
It would be terrible if he swung it without noticing someone nearby and caused an injury.
Even if Kefkof and the others could use [Heal], he wanted to avoid accidents if possible.
As Mika swung the mace while recalling the "form," there was a reaction in his magic range.
Stopping his swing and turning around, Murt was there.
"What's wrong?"
Murt came while tapping the striking part of the mace against his palm.
He gave off an aura that he was about to swing it right there.
"What weapon are you planning to use?"
He asked such a thing.
My weapon?
"Hmm... I haven't tried them yet, so I can't say for sure, but probably the short sword?"
"Short sword? Why?"
Murt tapped Mika's shoulder with the mace.
"Because it doesn't require much force to kill people."
You just need to apply the blade to the neck, under the armpit, or the inner thigh, and lightly push or pull.
Once the major artery is cut, they will die on their own even if you leave them alone.
When he explained that simply, Murt made a dejected face.
But then, he started thinking about something with a "Hmm."
"Then I'll go with that too."
What? Do you want to match me?
Instead of saying that, he decided to give normal advice.
"I think Murt fits the mace better."
"Huh? Why?"
Murt made a face as if he didn't understand.
"Unless you have a strong attachment to the weapon you want to use, but if you want to utilize Murt's physique, the mace would be better than the short sword."
Regrettably, there was a head's height difference between Mika and Murt, and Murt also had a sturdy build.
If Murt swung down with all his might, which would be more powerful, the short sword or the mace?
There was no need to test it.
"If you say it's heavy and hard to handle, choosing the short sword is an option, but you don't mind the weight, do you?"
"Hmm, well, I guess so."
Murt swung the mace effortlessly.
Mika could swing it too, but he would probably lose in terms of stamina.
He would get tired of swinging first.
"If you are okay with a normal sword, that should be an option too, but it seems you can't choose swords at the academy. The mace suits you, doesn't it?"
"...I see."
While they were talking like this, someone started entering the magic range in droves.
Looking, the Leventein Group had gathered for some reason.
"Mika-kun, which one should I choose?"
"What about me? Can't I use the mace?"
They asked one after another, "What about me?" "What about me?"
Everyone seemed to be troubled about which one to choose.
"Why don't you just choose what you like?"
"What? Think properly! Murt is getting away with it!"
Cecilia complained.
Getting away with it...
"Sigh... Then Messerite takes the mace or short sword, and the others take the short sword or small sword. Ah, Cecilia, if you think about the future, the mace might be okay too."
"So, in the end, I'm still left with three choices!"
It's troublesome if you complain to me.
"I'm just making a simple selection based on your current physique and strength. Cecilia is one of the larger girls, so if you grow more, the mace might be good. Don't complain to me, complain about your height."
He offered advice with a smile: If you cut off your legs or neck, the mace can be excluded from the options.
After that, he ran away with all his might from Cecilia, who chased him swinging the mace seriously.
Cecilia, of course, got extremely angry by Kefkof.
And for some reason, I was also warned by Colina.
...I don't understand.
■■■■■■
When he returned to the dormitory, Basal was already in the room.
He was probably going to the bath.
He was preparing his clothes.
"Welcome back, Mika-dono."
"I'm back. Going to the bath now?"
"That is correct. Shall we go together?"
So, they decided to go to the bath together.
"By the way, I haven't told you this yet, Mika-dono."
"Hm?"
As they went down the stairs, Basal spoke to him.
"I have decided."
"Oh, so you should grill it, right?"
At breakfast, they had such a conversation with Basal.
Grilled polenta or steamed polenta, which one was better?
Mika was definitely on the side of grilled polenta, but Basal said both were equally good.
"...What are you talking about?"
"Hm? The morning polenta talk—"
"We didn't talk about that!?"
It seems it was a misunderstanding on Mika's part.
"Then what did you decide! Say it!"
He tried to get a bit angry with exaggerated gestures.
"It is about my swordsmanship!"
"...Swordsmanship?"
Huh?
"Did you forget!? You said it, Mika-dono! That there is a path to seek strength without being attached to a home!"
"Oh... ah..."
That talk.
"It was already a week ago! You were still thinking about it!?"
"Of course! It is a matter of a lifetime!"
This guy is too serious.
It is not something that requires such worry.
If he thinks it won't work, he can throw it away anytime.
Even if he continues, he should have the mindset of "Well, I have nothing else to do anyway, so I'll try it."
"So, what's the final decision? Continue? Quit?"
Mika urged him to hear the conclusion.
"Of course, I will continue."
Basal's face as he said that was clear, with eyes free of hesitation.
They arrived at the bath and entered the changing room.
"By the way, how strong is Basal?"
"Even if you ask how strong, it is quite troublesome. Well, it is a list."
Hmm, I don't know.
"Let's try gripping my hand for a moment."
Mika extended his left hand.
Mika, like a certain killer with thick eyebrows, does not entrust his dominant hand to others.
—Of course, that was just something that suddenly came to his mind, so he only extended his left hand.
Basal gripped that hand.
Basal's hand was rough, unlike that of a child.
Mika squeezed with some force, but Basal remained calm.
"I have a decent amount too, but Basal seems to have quite a lot as well."
"I swung a sword every day. It becomes decent whether I like it or not."
"Then, try putting some force from your side for a moment."
"Is that okay?"
Grrr!
"Ouch!?"
Basal didn't seem to put in any force at all, yet Mika's hand felt like it was about to be crushed.
When Mika released his hand, Basal immediately let go, but if he had been held like that, he might have really been crushed.
"What kind of grip strength is that..."
Mika waved his hand loosely, his eyes teary.
"You must grip firmly or the sword will waver. But if you grip too hard, it becomes dull instead. You must grip firmly but not dull the sword. This is normal for anyone aiming to be a swordsman."
Swordsman, terrifying.
They left the bath, ate dinner, and returned to the room.
"You said Basal had no goal, right? Did you find a different goal now?"
Sitting on the chair and polishing his leather bracer, Mika spoke to Basal.
"I haven't found it yet. ...For now, I have no choice but to repeat the training I have done so far. I believe I will find a goal eventually, so I will wait patiently."
"I see."
Mika placed his bracer on the desk and stood next to Basal.
"What is it?"
"It might not be a goal. Well, it might serve as a small milestone."
Saying that, Mika made Basal cover his ears.
Well, even if he asked, there was no big problem, but just in case.
Thus, he manifested "Limiter Off" and "Absorb," and [Physical Enhancement].
Basal was surprised, seeing Mika suddenly enveloped in a strong heat haze with his eyes wide open.
Mika extended his hand as he did in the changing room.
"Try gripping it with all your might."
Basal made a suspicious face but still gradually put in force.
But, whereas Mika had released his hand immediately before, he was now calm.
Even though it was clear he was putting in force, Mika remained calm.
"I will gradually put in more force while you hold it like that, okay?"
As he said that and put in force, Basal gave up.
"What did you do, Mika-dono? And what was that heat haze just now..."
Seeing the surprised Basal, Mika smiled and put a finger to his lips.
"I cannot say the details from me. It is forbidden, for the record. But Basal will also gain such power. This is the academy for that."
Basal's face became even more surprised by Mika's words.
"I showed you this hoping it would be a hint for you to find your goal. But I would appreciate it if you don't speak of what you saw and heard just now."
When Mika said that, Basal nodded with a solemn face.
If it is the extremely serious Basal, he would surely keep his promise if he promised not to tell.
"I think you will learn it in class eventually, but what do you think would happen if a knight gained such power?"
"What? That is..."
Basal thought seriously about Mika's words.
Since the content of the class is forbidden to be disclosed, Mika could not teach him in detail.
But he hoped this would be a chance for him to find the figure he should aim for.
If it is Basal, he might become a Reinforced Knight of the modern era.
No, if he is unlucky, there is a possibility he could become an existence surpassing even the Reinforced Knight on top of the foundation of a swordsman.
The Reinforced Knights who ruled the battlefield for ten years.
What would happen when a swordsman named Basal gained such power?
It would be at least a few years away, but Mika was already smiling to himself, looking forward to it.