Episode 36: Magic Society Festival (1)
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
A regular sound followed her red fingernails.
Eirena and the three people summoned for this matter sat in their chairs.
Silence hung in the headmaster's office, a death foretold by the shriveled lamp.
"Ri. Tell me what happened."
"Yes. There was a five-meter-class giant at the scene. I pursued and eliminated it. Judging from the remaining bloodstains, Hamond is presumed to have died instantly. And I found Iris nearby and brought her back, but…… she can't speak due to the shock. I'll try to get her to talk once she calms down."
"No, that's fine. Just leave Iris be. I'll handle it myself."
"Yes. Understood."
Ri stepped back, stroking his mustache.
Perhaps having recovered his stamina after the Jiyi incident, his skin, full of vitality, was thick with beard.
But if he had caught up to Hamond and even burned a powerful giant to ashes, one could guess at this man's skill.
"No word from Cloudsinger, right?"
"No. Not a single official document as of now. It seems they are unaware of this incident."
Ruel with the curly hair answered.
Eirena propped her chin and puffed her cheek.
It had barely been a week since the crystal ball incident, and now there was a second one.
Moreover, the fact that a "teacher" and a "classmate" had targeted a student within the academy darkened her expression.
Eirena swept her gaze over the three in front of her desk.
From the left: Ri Firepou draped in a red cloak, and Ruel Hoffmann adjusting his glasses.
The figure on the far right was an herbalism teacher named "Pom Probius."
Her brown skin, matching her sea-colored hair, stood out.
"Ahem. Anyway, my apologies."
Ri cleared his throat and ran his hand through his hair.
The three turned their eyes to the sudden remark.
"It seems problems keep arising from the noble students. Same as last time, as if they feel inferior to a perfectly capable scholarship student…… I have nothing to say even if I had ten mouths."
"Ri. Why are you taking the nobles' problem as your own responsibility? It's fine."
"Hoo…… Those young bastards are already learning to throw their weight around……"
At Eirena's words, Ri hung his head.
His forehead, flushing red and blue, was filled with irritation he couldn't hide.
Ruel smiled faintly at his junior colleague.
Then Pom, the new face, opened her mouth.
Her thick lips, swollen as if stung by a bee, stole attention.
"What should we do if Cloudsinger contacts us? I think they would refuse internal disciplinary action. What if they ask us to hand over their daughter?"
"If they keep acting up, tell them we'll send their eldest daughter to the Magic Tower."
"Yes, understood."
The three held back laughter at the headmaster's brief reply.
Eirena's attitude was full of resolve to impose proper discipline.
Indeed, considering her track record and personality, she seemed fully capable of doing so.
At this, Ruel, who had been waiting, continued.
"As instructed, I heard the full story from Sid and Leia."
"Tell me."
"Yes. It seems Iris, who harbored a grudge against Sid for becoming a scholarship student, took Leia hostage. Hamond, who was fired after the last duel, seems to have accompanied her as well. She probably blames Sid for her dismissal. Anyway, since there are holes here and there, I think we need to hear Iris's side too."
"Hmm, very well."
As expected, any mention of targeting the bank account had been omitted.
Since Sid had asked them to hide the existence of the bank account last night, Leia seemed to have done so.
Then Ri, who had been listening quietly, waved his hand and cut in.
"That's not it, Senior! Aren't these crazy nobles the type to do anything when things don't go their way? They do what they want as if they're something special. She surely harbored an inferiority complex about him becoming a scholarship student. It's an obvious story."
Ri crossed his arms and raised his head.
The beard filling his chin trembled with anger.
Ri was the eldest son of the Firepou House, and Ruel came from a family of royal court mages.
The only ones who weren't nobles were Pom from a southern herbalist family and Eirena, who hid her origins—so in effect, he had cursed himself.
Ruel held back laughter, and Pom averted her gaze as well.
At the continued self-deprecation, Eirena snickered.
"That's enough, Ri. Why have you been putting yourself down since earlier? Trying to look good in front of Pom?"
"Ah, no, when did I! Ahem! No! Headmaster, really!"
"Pfft!"
Finally, Ruel burst into laughter, and Ri's face turned bright red.
When even the herbalism teacher beside him smiled, the man's face turned as red as a beet.
It seemed Eirena had hit the nail on the head.
"Anyway, I'll bring up the important matters at the next faculty meeting, so don't worry about it. Ri, good work chasing the giant last night. Go rest."
"It's nothing. I'm just glad we saved even one student. That, what was it, the girl who was taken hostage and Sid worry me. Is there nothing I can do to help……"
"They're both fine. Sid comforted her well."
"Ahem, I spoke with Sid, but I couldn't talk to that girl…… I was worried I might make her uncomfortable. Anyway, thank you, Senior."
"Enough. No more idle chatter."
As the conversation dragged on, Eirena waved her hand.
Everyone had work to do, and Ri had stayed up all night—unnecessary chatter was unwelcome.
"I'll excuse Ri from classes today, so rest well. Ruel, watch the second-years. Then, thank you all for your hard work. Sigh…… I was already busy preparing for the Magic Society, and now this mess……"
The three smiled faintly at the headmaster's sigh.
And for good reason—the desk was piled with letters from various houses.
The letters requested that the participant list for the festival be sent.
The "Magic Society," practically the academy's festival, was less than ten days away.
"Then, you may leave. Good work."
"You've worked hard."
"You've worked hard."
At the headmaster's gesture, the three teachers left the office.
Ruel headed in the opposite direction for second-year classes, while herbalism teacher Pom stuck close to Ri, who was heading to the faculty lounge.
Ri took a breath and huffed.
He seemed quite tired from staying up all night.
"You've worked hard. You should rest now."
"Huh? Hic! Y-yeah…… I should."
The man who had even killed a giant startled.
He was surprised because Pom's small hand had grabbed his.
Ri glanced around before holding her hand tightly.
Their clasped hands hinted at their relationship.
The eldest son of Firepou, a renowned house of the kingdom.
The reason a man who had perhaps been at the center of power came to the academy as a teacher was simple.
A girl he had met at the academy in his youth was so beautiful that she had changed his personality, and even his life.
Though opposition from his house made marriage, let alone engagement, difficult, he was simply happy.
That girl was a joy so great to Ri that he had laid down even his position as a combat mage to remain a mere teacher.
Thus, a person's life changes easily.
And the "Magic Society" arriving in ten days would be such an opportunity for the majority of students.
That was why Eirena was busy reviewing documents, and why many students aware of the Magic Society stayed up all night with anxious eyes.
Perhaps the life of Sid, who came from an orphanage, might also change because of this festival.
As mentioned before, a person's life changes easily.
* * *
"Magic Society? What's that?"
Despite what had happened last night, Sid was relaxed.
Blue sky and white clouds drifted overhead.
Sid, Leia, and Leir, having finished morning classes, enjoyed lunch on a green meadow.
Leia, sitting beside him, turned pages of a book while munching on a sandwich.
Even after what had happened yesterday, Leia didn't seem very surprised.
Rather, her cheeks munching like a squirrel drew the eye.
"There's a festival in the city where they invite first-years. It's a kind of guardian selection."
"Guardian?"
Sid's interest was piqued by the unfamiliar term.
After all, Sid attended the academy for free and even received a stipend, but not all students were like that.
Could it be that the notorious kingdom was dispensing welfare?
As if answering this question, Leir continued.
"Yes. Most graduates go to the kingdom or the Magic Tower, right? Once you belong to them, you can't leave for life, so they pick people out beforehand. Both sides are in a position where they lack mages and can't recruit enough."
Leir picked up a palm-sized sandwich and bit into it.
The harmony of white bread, two thick slices of ham, and crunchy lettuce was a perfect lunch.
Just as he reached for a sandwich in the basket, Sid's and Leia's hands touched.
The two laughed awkwardly, and Leir's grin reached his ears.
"So what I'm saying is, nobles who are weeded out by both sides are desperate to hire personal mages. They sponsor promising students early and bring them into their house."
"Why go through all that? Can't they study themselves or have their children do it?"
"Is that easy? Don't you remember Jiyi and Iris? Once an idiot, always an idiot. Their parents are probably idiots too."
A fiery diss burst from the mouth of a twelve-year-old.
Leia, who would normally stop him at times like this, was quiet.
Perhaps because of what had happened yesterday, she seemed inclined to let him curse.
Sid tilted his head.
"But why is it hard to hire a personal mage? Are they expensive if they have achievements?"
"No, the kingdom made it that way. You can't employ a personal mage without special permission. If most houses owned mages, the nobles' power would grow too strong, right? Having guards and knights is already power, but add mages on top and it's practically an army."
"Aha."
Sid easily accepted Leir's answer.
Indeed, a single mage was a force to rival an entire unit.
The nobles' scheme to possess such mages and boast their power was clear as day.
But it seemed that wasn't the end, as Leir raised a finger.
The twelve-year-old know-it-all smiled slyly.
"But what if that mage is family? That's a different story. If my child reaches the 4th or 5th Circle and protects the house, how can anyone stop them? That's how the loophole I just mentioned came about. Through the guardian system."
"Loophole?"
"Listen. Under the pretext of sponsoring a first-year, they adopt them as their child, and if things work out after graduation, they bring them into the family. Not as a personal mage, but as their own child. That's why nobles flock to every Magic Society trying to secure personal mages. It's practically a festival for them."
"Aha, so that's the story?"
Sid nodded.
No wonder the ill-tempered Eirena turned a blind eye.
It was a form of symbiosis—needy students receiving sponsorship from nobles, and nobles using this loophole to acquire personal mages.
That such an expedient arose because of the kingdom's prohibition…….
It was truly ironic.
"Hmm…… then should I try joining a decent house?"
Sid, thinking for a moment, smirked.
Upon reflection, it was a useless thought.
If he joined some strange noble's house for no reason, he didn't know what might happen.
Moreover, the mage Sid dreamed of becoming was the wandering mage he had met long ago.
A wonderful mage who helped others without expecting reward.
So there was no need to worry.
Besides, he already received the academy's support, so his circumstances were comfortable enough.
But the siblings' eyes fixed on the smiling Sid.
"Huh? What? Did I say something wrong?"
Wondering if he had misspoken, he licked his lips, and Leir's excited voice slipped out.
Leir thrust his face right up to Sid's nose, delighted.
"Really, brother?"
"Huh? What?"
Pure, innocent joy could be felt on his grinning face.
Leia swept her eyes over Sid and Leir with an awkward smile.
For Leir, who had been acting like a younger brother all this time, this seemed to be welcome news.
"Then will you join our house? Mother would like it too!"
- To be continued in Episode 37 -