Chapter 92 - Chapter 91: Honorary Advisor
The first day of the Fire month, the third week.
According to the calendar, it has been two weeks since summer officially began, but the temperature has not risen much this year.
It is very pleasant, and I am relieved.
After all, this is a world without air conditioning.
Even though we can cool ourselves down with [Skill: Blast], we cannot do it too blatantly.
Mika was in the classroom, staring blankly...
Messerite and Polnard were chatting with several boys from other territories.
Murt was also being spoken to by some boys from other territories, and he was responding somewhat bluntly.
I glanced around the classroom.
Rimliche and Cecilia were talking happily with some girls from other territories.
A few girls had gathered around Charl, huddling together and whispering.
Mika glanced to the left.
Cleiria was consulting with her bodyguard knight about something regarding the manor.
Mika crossed his arms and pondered, hmm...
"Everyone is getting along well with kids from other territories."
After finishing lunch, while relaxing in the cafeteria, Mika muttered that.
Everyone from the Leventein Group who had been eating lunch with him, along with Cleiria, exchanged glances.
"Hm? Isn't that normal?"
"Well, maybe normal? I don't think we are particularly close, though?"
Cecilia and Messerite answered with blank expressions.
"Everyone has become friends with kids from other territories, right? How are you doing it?"
"How? It's normal, isn't it?"
"We see each other every day at the dorms or the academy. Of course we talk. Right?"
When Cecilia said that to Rimliche, Rimliche hesitantly agreed, "U-um... yes..."
"If you see each other every day, you at least say hello and talk about something, right?"
"I can't even get them to look at me."
When Mika said that, everyone from the Leventein Group made awkward faces.
It has been three months since entering the Royal Capital's Magic Academy, but Mika had not become friends with a single person outside of the Leventein Group.
He spoke with his roommate Basal when they were in the room, but otherwise they rarely saw each other.
Mika greeted everyone normally at both the dorms and the academy.
However, while the other party would return the greeting, they would immediately flee.
To be honest, his rate of being alone was extremely high.
"Besides everyone else, I don't have anyone to talk to either..."
Cleiria tilted her head.
"Cleiria has no choice. We aren't in a position where we should be approached anyway, right?"
At Mika's merciless reply, Cleiria slumped.
There was no one foolish enough to normally speak to a daughter of a Marquis family.
There was also a third or fourth son of a noble family in Mika's class besides Cleiria, but even he did not approach Cleiria.
"Well, in that sense, you can't talk about others either, Mika."
"Eh, why?"
Mika asked back, surprised by Messerite's mutter.
"You know what you did on the first day, forget it already—."
"Yes, yes, that. I already understand that story."
Mika cut in over Cecilia's words.
It seemed the impact of the first day was too strong, and for normal academy students, Mika had become an object of awe and fear.
(Probably, that isn't the only reason...)
Currently, Cleiria often acts together with the Leventein Group.
They even eat meals together using the general cafeteria like this.
And the reason why Cleiria is with the Leventein Group is, after all, most likely Mika.
(Someone who is being treated specially by a daughter of a Marquis family... Usually, people wouldn't want to get involved with such a person. Even I wouldn't think of approaching unless it concerns myself.)
Avoid danger.
When Mika walked down the hallway, even upperclassmen would yield the path.
How much of a dangerous person was he thought to be?
"...But, he is popular..."
"U-um. That's right."
Rimliche nodded in agreement with Charl's mutter.
"Things like what Mika-kun is usually like, people ask me about him in the dorms too."
Rimliche was trying hard to encourage Mika.
Was I being too nervous that her earnestness made me feel sad instead?
"...Everyone wants to talk, but... they just can't..."
"That's right."
Charl and Rimliche's support made my eyes feel hot.
"Well, whatever. ...We should go soon. It's sports time this afternoon, right?"
"Oh, that's right."
Usually, Wednesday afternoons are for classes in the classroom, but today it was changed to sports time.
Or rather, actually, things like this happen often.
The schedule only has sports time twice a week, but they tell you "It's changed" the day before.
To be honest, the meaning of the schedule is not very great.
Returning to the classroom with everyone from the Leventein Group, I brought the gym bag containing my sports clothes.
This way, there is no need to return to the classroom specifically after sports.
After changing clothes in the locker room, I can just return to the dorms.
There was no afternoon homeroom even at the Royal Capital's academy.
With Mika in the lead, Cleiria and Rimliche lined up on both sides.
Behind them followed everyone from the Leventein Group, walking down the hallway as the usual group (men-tsu).
Walking like this, we drew attention just by being there, and everyone yielded the path.
Well, in this case, it is natural because Cleiria is there, but even if Cleiria were removed from this, the result would be the same.
(Somehow, no matter how I think about it, it feels like I'm being treated like a swollen sore...)
By the way, even if Mika walked alone, it was similar.
It seems the image of being an untouchable existence had solidified.
As Mika let out a quiet sigh, Rimliche spoke to him.
"Mika-kun. Can I ask you to be my partner today too?"
"Mika, I'll ask too."
Cleiria also joined in with a smile.
"Ugh... Well, it's fine, I guess..."
As Mika looked dejected, a voice suddenly called out from behind.
"Ah! Honorary Advisor!"
Turning around thinking "What?", an upperclassman girl who seemed to be from the high school division ran up from the back and spoke to Charl, who was walking at the very rear.
"The new work was wonderful! I never thought there would be such a couplin'—uuh!?"
Charl threw his gym bag at the face of the upperclassman who had spoken to him.
(Wha-!?)
My eyes widened in surprise.
(Charl, seriously!? What are you doing to an upperclassman!!!)
Charl turned his back on Mika and his group, crawling toward the upperclassman who was holding their face.
"...Don't call me that title outside... I told you so many times...!"
"Sorry! I'm sorry!"
The upperclassman apologized with their head low to the ground, as if enveloped in a dark aura.
While everyone was stunned, Cecilia and Rimliche were the first to snap out of it.
"Ch-Charl seems busy. Let's go ahead, let's go. Ah, ahahaha..."
"Y-yes, yes. Let's do that, Mika-kun."
Saying that, Rimliche pulled Mika's arm hard.
(What? What's going on? Honorary Advisor...?)
She said something about the new work?
I couldn't understand the situation at all.
However, I knew for sure that I must never speak to Charl, who was leaking such terrifying anger.
...Instinctively.
And, was it my imagination that I smelled a faint stench of rot?
Charl (that guy), what on earth is he doing?
■■■■■■
"No! Ta!"
"Yes! Ya!"
With a shout of spirit, Rimliche and Cleiria swung down their short swords and slashed.
Mika skillfully dodged the approaching swords by arching his upper body and swaying left and right.
Combat training using weapons was also included in sports time.
It was done with real weapons so that mages, after running out of mana, would not be killed by enemies helplessly—"at least make a gap to escape."
Of course, the blades were blunted, but the weapon had simply changed from a blade to a blunt object.
If hit, you would get injured, and apparently, there have even been deaths in the past.
Mika was undergoing this training without [Skill: Physical Enhancement] and without expanding his mana range.
Since the premise of the class was "when mana runs out," he was following that.
Mika had [Skill: Absorb], so the premise of "when mana runs out" was not something that happened often, but the opponent was a child of the same age.
It felt strange to do various tricks just for himself, so he decided to try it in the raw state like everyone else.
Shortly after entering, he chose one of the short sword, small sword, or mace, and was taught how to handle them and their forms.
It seemed everyone had been taught the basic forms at regional academies, and the forms hammered into them there seemed to be common movements for these weapons.
Or rather, it was just that they had been repeatedly doing basic movements that could be used even without weapons until now.
And since coming to the Royal Capital, they were taught forms subdivided for each weapon, and more practical movements were hammered into them.
Recently, they were made to do things like sparring matches with controlled stops.
One match, ten minutes. The weapons were blunted, but they were real metal ones, so several people got injured during each class.
Teachers would apply [Skill: Heal], so injuries would heal quickly, but that didn't mean it was fine to just heal them.
I always think this world is excessively Spartan.
Was the world I came from too soft, or is this world too harsh? Recently, I can't answer with confidence...
Well, that's why I had to choose one of the three weapons, and Mika chose the short sword.
Rimliche and Cleiria also chose the short sword, like Mika.
Murt, Messerite, and Cecilia chose the mace.
Polnard and Charl chose the small sword.
The reason Mika chose the short sword was as he told Murt.
If you can damage a large blood vessel, you almost certainly win.
With a mace, you must deal damage through strikes, so Mika's physique would be at a disadvantage.
Those with larger bodies can swing from a higher position.
Those blessed with a good physique would strike using gravity and centrifugal force as allies.
If we fought on the same field, even a few lives would not be enough.
In terms of aiming for large blood vessels, a small sword would also be fine.
At this point, it becomes a matter of pure preference, but I chose the short sword because among the weapons I can handle, being slightly longer might be advantageous?
If I were to list another reason why I deliberately did not choose the small sword, it is that Mika intended to equip a knife separately as well.
The small sword is slightly longer, but a large knife would not make much difference in size.
However, the handling is quite different.
So, to clearly distinguish between the main weapon and the sub-weapon, I excluded the small sword from the options.
Mika did not think he was particularly dexterous, so if he held similar weapons, the handling might get mixed up.
Clash!
Mika lightly parried the sword Cleiria swung down with his own sword and moved around to the side.
Taking the opportunity, he placed a hand on Cleiria's shoulder and flowed his body past her.
Cleiria, pushed by Mika, stepped on the treadle, leaving her back wide open.
Just as he was about to strike his sword against Cleiria's back,
"Ta!"
Rimliche's sword swung down from Mika's right side.
Dodging that sword with a light backstep, he lightly tapped his sword on two spots of Rimliche's arm, who was in the posture of swinging the sword down.
The inner wrist and the inner elbow.
If the tendons are cut, you cannot swing the sword, and since there are large blood vessels, you will be in a losing position if you do not stop the bleeding.
With this, Rimliche retired.
(...Anyway, there is no hesitation in how you swing the sword.)
Was it ruthlessness, or did she intend to vent her hatred, or perhaps a sign of absolute trust that she would dodge?
Wishing it was not the first two, Mika approached the remaining Cleiria.
(Well, I should meet your expectations, I suppose.)
Cleiria straightened her posture and stared straight at Mika.
Ignoring her, Mika charged straight from the front, baiting Cleiria.
"Ha!"
A thrust aimed at Mika's heart.
(—Thrusts are also forbidden in training, you know!)
Clang!
He deflected the thrust diagonally, ran past to the side, and took her from behind.
(Read the meaning of "controlled stop" a hundred times!)
With that thought, he lightly tapped his sword against the side of Cleiria's neck.
"Okay, that's enough."
"Ahh, I lost again!"
Cleiria cried out regretfully.
"Mika-kun, you are too strong..."
Rimliche pouted her lips and said regretfully.
Rimliche's expression like this was a bit rare.
She must be genuinely upset.
That is a good tendency.
For some reason, Mika was training against two people in this weapon class.
At first, it was a bit of a joke, and the two of them ambushed Mika together.
Probably, Cleiria was the one who instigated it.
At the beginning, the two of them were half-playful, but since Mika dodged so lightly, they gradually became serious.
Gradually, power was put into the swords, and it did not take long until they reached full-fledged training.
"...Both of you, you have no intention of holding back, do you?"
When Mika looked at the two with a sharp gaze, they averted their eyes awkwardly.
We have been training like this for a few days now, and it is escalating more and more.
"N-no, that's not it. Right, Rimliche?"
"U-um."
Mika let out a deep sigh.
"If you keep this up and do it with other kids, you will hurt them."
"We won't do that! We will hold back properly with other kids!"
Oh.
You confessed!
"C-Cleiria, that is...!"
"Ahh...!"
Rimliche noticed Cleiria's slip of the tongue and warned her.
By the way, Cleiria has also forbidden everyone in the Leventein Group from adding "sama" to her name.
Everyone's faces turned pale at first. Naturally.
As Mika stared silently, Cleiria bowed her head.
"Um... I'm sorry, Mika."
"I'm sorry, Mika-kun."
Rimliche also bowed her head, and the two of them slumped.
"Because Mika dodges so cleanly, I couldn't help it..."
"I thought my sword couldn't hit Mika-kun..."
I understood the motive for the crime.
For now, I am glad it wasn't some kind of revenge or anything.
"I am not always in perfect condition either, and there are times I cannot dodge, right? In this training without armor, going all out is not good."
"Yes..."
The two answered honestly to Mika's warning.
"No, continue as is."
At that moment, the teacher in charge of the short sword, the "sports club type" Kefkof, entered.
Several teachers were in charge of each weapon, and Kefkof seemed to be the best user among the short sword instructors.
He was like a department head, so to speak.
"This guy has a record of defeating eight people alone. Judging from what I just saw, he still has plenty of room. Go all out. I permit it."
"Wha-!? What are you saying!?"
Is he sane for training without armor!?
Or rather, does he intend to kill me!
"Yes, and you are forbidden to attack for the last minute."
"Haa~~~!?"
"You can counterattack, but there is no need for a 'defeated' judgment. The other two, attack fully until the time is up."
"Eh?"
Rimliche and Cleiria looked bewildered as they were granted [Skill: Invincibility] by Kefkof.
"To be honest, at this stage of training, this isn't training for this guy. Make him show his true colors. ...Ah, the two of you don't need a 'defeated' judgment, but you must dodge counterattacks properly. If you truly cannot win, consult a teacher again."
Saying that, Kefkof went to instruct the other children.
"............No way..."
Stunned.
I felt like I had received a death sentence.
"Um... Mika-kun. ...What should we do?"
Rimliche was confused as the instruction was exactly opposite to what Mika had just said.
"It is the teacher's instruction. We have no choice but to obey. Right, Mika?"
Whether it was because she was serious or for some other reason, Cleiria seemed eager.
"Rimliche heard it too, right? It seems this won't be training for Mika as it is."
Cleiria was trying to trick Rimliche!
"No, no, no, that's not—!"
"This is for Mika's sake! Right, Rimliche!"
"U-um!"
Rimliche had been led by the nose!
I kind of like that straightforward part of yours, but right now it is terrifying!
From then on, I was forced to undergo training moving fully for ten minutes.
Many times, many times. Endlessly.
"Haa! Haa! Haa...!"
And so, after sports time for the first time in a while, Mika fell flat on his back.
(...I'm dying! If I keep this up, I'll really die!)
Cleiria, as expected, only sat down, but Rimliche was lying on the ground just like Mika.
"Haa... Haa... Even so, I can't win..."
"...Mika-kun... still, you are too strong... Haa... Haa..."
Watching the three of them like that, Kefkof nodded to himself, "Hmm."