The Caterpillar Golem passed through the main gate, parked in the workshop as usual, and right around the time they were bringing the golems inside one by one.
“Wow. Covered in dust.”
Thanks to standing empty for so long, an enormous amount of dust was greeting them.
He looked around, quickly reached a conclusion, and nodded.
“Those Alchemy Department brats. They only dug up the potatoes and didn’t look after this place.”
“The Alchemy Department isn’t your subordinates, Lord Eisen.”
Since Noel had said something sensible, he merely nodded.
More importantly, at this rate, they probably dug up and ate all the potatoes too.
The seed potatoes should be safe, so for the time being, it seemed he would have to put them to cleaning.
“Then let’s call it a day here. Everyone, go get some rest.”
“Good idea. I’ll leave you to it.”
Without hesitation, Mina turned her back.
And Erica shouted, raising her hand.
“Ah, I’ll stay behind. I have to stand guard!”
“…Maybe I should stretch my legs.”
Mina turned back.
Somehow, manpower had been secured.
Then it seemed sending only Noel, who had a frail body, would be enough.
“Under Nexia’s name, let power act according to will.”
“Huh?”
Before he knew it, Noel was casting a spell.
Electricity briefly crackled around them, and suddenly the dust began gathering in one place.
He had steeled himself to clean, but in an instant, dust balls formed and began rolling around.
“…Convenient.”
“It’s everyday magic.”
Noel looked at him as if to ask what was so strange.
Somehow the steam had gone out of him, but it wasn’t bad that things had gotten clean; it seemed fine.
As he began unpacking his things, the other three also began setting down their belongings one by one in the reception room.
“This is my cup… and my tea set was here, right?”
“Hmm, the equipment I left here feels lighter now; maybe switching it out at this opportunity would be…”
“My cushion. Here.”
…For some reason, the reception room felt like the three’s personal bedroom, but truthfully, he barely used the workshop’s reception room, and it was a place the three had gathered to spend time comfortably since long ago, so there probably wouldn’t be a problem.
“Ah. Eisen. Let’s expand this room a bit. Put in two beds.”
“It’s not difficult, but are you planning to rent the whole place and live here?”
“Not bad. Shall we pay rent? In exchange, the room materials should be top-class. And since we’re putting beds in anyway, make them big ones.”
Responding suitably to Mina’s joke, for now, he concluded that today they would only get an estimate.
It seemed she wanted her own sleeping quarters because if she stayed here, she could spend her time without watching anyone’s moods.
“But there’s clearly a dormitory. Is it okay to illegally expand and put beds in here?”
“You must obtain permission, of course. If you hide here, I can’t find you when something happens. If there’s a family problem, I have to find the person involved, so don’t make me go through extra trouble.”
Professor Reina was behind him.
Surprised, he could only open and close his mouth, while Professor Reina grinned.
“Surprised? It’s a technique that conceals one’s presence. I’ve been training a bit this time.”
“I’m starting to get confused whether you’re a knight or an assassin, Professor.”
“Would there be an assassin who wields a sword and fights head-on?”
They don’t exist in reality, but they do exist… I probably shouldn’t say that.
Because if the professor walked toward me telling me to bare my neck, it would be terrifying.
More importantly….
“I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“…I suppose that phrase has become something of a greeting between you and me. And as for what you did wrong, I’ll tell you later.”
Professor Reina replied nonchalantly.
While he was pondering how to phrase the fact that he had considered experimenting with the Knight’s ranged weapon against the gate of Maines—which the academy boasted of—as they passed through earlier, so that the consequences would be less painful, Noel, who had shaken off her panic later than him, was finally beginning to react.
“Ah, u-uh, u-uh, h-hey….”
“Yes. I’m glad to see you too. And indeed, I have come because there is business.”
“Have you mastered mind-reading as well?”
Just when he was starting to feel that this professor was somehow transcending many boundaries, Reina sat down at the reception room table.
He sat opposite her, and when Noel soon brewed and brought out tea, Professor Reina opened her mouth while savoring the aroma.
“What a nostalgic scent. It was good that my headache medicine dosage decreased because Eisen was away, but it was a bit inconvenient not having Noel’s tea either.”
“Ah, u-uh….”
“Are you thanking me? I only spoke the truth.”
Professor Reina had interpreted Noel’s tongue-tied words quite well.
More importantly, the fact that she had come in person meant it was a serious matter.
“What brings you here?”
“For now, I have come to inform you four of something.”
Professor Reina spoke with a slight smile.
“First, the important matter. You lot need to take exams, so pick a date and prepare for them. This is an educational institution; you weren’t thinking of not taking a single exam, were you?”
“Even if I add up all the days I attended class this year, it probably won’t amount to half a year?”
“I know. Still, take the exams.”
This seemed to be the academy’s regulations from the start.
Still, he had heard that the evaluation itself wouldn’t be too strict.
“Territorial nobles sometimes spend months or even years away before returning. In such cases, the exam is to see how much this one has forgotten, or alternatively, what new things have been learned.”
“And if the score is low, I’ll have to take additional classes?”
“Correct. Well, you probably don’t need to worry.”
In his case, it seemed there would be some leniency even if his score was low.
More importantly, perhaps because despite being a student, he was clearly a baron.
“This is why titled nobility is nice.”
So this is the taste of power.
It was a small benefit.
“But I don’t think you’d come in person just for an exam notice, Professor.”
It was true that Professor Reina looked after him quite well, but even so, it didn’t seem like she would come just for an exam notification.
And Professor Reina nodded and spoke.
“Correct. Actually, it seemed it would be better to meet Mina first rather than you for this matter, but since you’re with her anyway.”
If it had been just Mina, he would have guessed it was related to the Order, but it was a matter that included him as well.
“Are they saying they want to buy a Cyclops from some foreign nation?”
“You rascal, why have you gotten so sharp? Did Noel give you private tutoring?”
There was the minor issue of him doubting how Professor Reina usually saw him, but regardless, it seemed he was right.
Professor Reina sighed and opened her mouth.
“Eisen is in the dark about the continental situation… so if we start from the Empire first….”
“There’s an allied nation standing against the Empire together with us, and a high-ranking official came from there asking us to sell a Cyclops, didn’t they? And in that process, they made the academy an offer it couldn’t easily refuse—isn’t that it?”
If it weren’t this, there would be no reason for Professor Reina to come personally while being so cautious.
Leaving the speechless Professor Reina behind, he looked at Noel, who seemed somehow proud, and asked.
“Then where did they come from?”
“Honestly, there are too many candidates, but if they mentioned Lord Mina as well, it would be related to the Saras Order, right?”
“Then it must be the Gandharva United Kingdom. The holy land of the Saras Order is there. The academy used to go every year for pilgrimage, but that was cut off because of the Empire; since things are in a lull this time, they must have asked us to come.”
“And what they’d be able to offer the academy… must be money! They have a famous trade route on the continent too, so they’re a wealthy nation.”
This is exactly what I mean when I say talking with these three sorts things out quickly.
He understood the situation; now only one thing remained.
“So who is it that is looking for me?”
“…You can’t guess that no matter what. Is that… a relief?”
Professor Reina was somewhat conflicted.
She might have been feeling pleased deep down at being able to tell him—who was regarded as lacking in common sense—something he didn’t know.
She must have been saddened at having that small pleasure snatched away.
“Hahaha.”
“…Tease the professor, and I shall make you pay.”
She notices mischief like a ghost.
Still, soon Professor Reina relaxed her expression and spoke.
“To get back to the point, it’s as you think. Prince Rial of the Gandharva United Kingdom wishes to meet you all.”
“Prince Rial?”
Noel made a troubled face.
“Is there a problem?”
“Ah, it’s just that….”
“He’s famous for being rich, rude, and fond of women.”
Mina said, hitting the nail on the head.
And she smirked.
“Though I don’t know if that’s all there is to him.”
“What do you know?”
“Just rumors.”
Did Mina know something?
Unlike Noel, who seemed slightly burdened, Mina was composed.
“Anyway, one can’t simply ignore a prince, so we will have to meet him.”
“It can’t be helped. And, we must meet him in person to know what kind of person he is.”
Noel said, smiling as she looked at him.
“Because if I’m with Lord Eisen, I will absolutely not encounter anything strange.”
“I’m grateful for your trust, but it’s a bit embarrassing.”
At Noel’s smile, he unconsciously felt awkward and turned his head away.
And Mina and Erica giggled as they spoke to him.
“Honestly, Eisen’s combat prowess is incredibly high.”
“And you have a surprisingly soft side too.”
“…You guys. Don’t do that too much in front of me.”
For some reason, Reina’s expression was darkening.
He was wondering why she was like this again and thinking of teasing her when—
-BANG!
“I heard that all four are gathered here!!”
Someone burst in, roughly throwing the door open.
A muscular body adorned in exotic clothing and ornate golden accessories.
Sharp features with bronze skin and black eyes.
And hair that shone golden.
While his gaze was drawn unconsciously, Professor Reina shouted as if at a loss.
“Prince Rial…!”
“Professor Reina! If you were going to arrange a meeting, you should have brought me at once!”
At that rude smile, he felt Noel, Mina, and Erica immediately hide behind him. In that very moment when he felt the limits of his patience, the man shouted loudly.
“Behold, I am Rial Kabil Gandharva….”
“The Golden Sun!!”
Rude or otherwise.
It was simply too much to keep to himself and let pass.