Chapter 29 - Chapter 27: The Magic Otaku Struggles to Gauge the Distance
During the break after our first class at Talgum Magic Academy, an unusually tense atmosphere filled our corner of the room. The cause of it all was none other than Lady Elisha Adoni Shamir, who was currently holding Ruria on her lap right next to me.
The entire classroom was staring at her. And why wouldn't they? Lady Elisha was the daughter of the Shamir Marquis House, one of the highest-ranking noble families in the Hanoku Kingdom. And here she was, after letting out an unladylike shriek, committing the outrageous act of holding a classmate—albeit a much younger one—on her lap and doting on her.
Thanks to that idiot prince's commotion earlier, we were already the center of attention. Now, this was the final blow. It was only natural that everyone was now wondering what on earth was happening over here.
"Oh, Ruria-chan, you're so adorable~. Your hair is so shiny and black. Is this what they call raven-black? I wish I had been born with hair like this~!"
With that, Lady Elisha rubbed her cheek against Ruria's. Ruria, subjected to this pressure, maintained her usual expressionless face, but I could see a hint of confusion in her eyes, as if she didn't know how to deal with this assertive classmate. I know how you feel. I have no idea how to handle this type either.
"Oh my, your cheeks are so soft and squishy, I think I'm going to lose my mind. Ah! I have a wonderful idea! Ruria-chan, won't you be my little sister?"
"Absolutely not."
"Oh my, my. If you act so prickly, you'll ruin that cute little face of yours. No, even an upset Ruria-chan is incredibly cute."
"Saki, this one's crazy."
"You mustn't, Ruria-chan. Calling someone 'this one.' A proper lady must not use such rough language. That's right, why don't you call me 'Big Sis'?"
"Saki, can I use magic?"
"Oi, wait, stop."
It seemed Ruria had finally had enough of Lady Elisha's behavior, which had been bordering on criminal—no, was outright criminal. I hurriedly leaned over to stop her trembling fingertips from forming a sigil.
"Ah."
In my haste, I must have lost my balance, and I ended up leaning against Lady Elisha. For a moment, my mind went blank as I felt a soft sensation on the side of my body. The next instant, I realized the terrible breach of etiquette I had just committed. "M-my apologies!" I blurted out, trying to quickly distance myself from her. Just then, I heard a strangely sticky whisper from above, "Oh my, ufufu," and a graceful hand wrapped around my waist.
"It's dangerous to be thrashing about in a place like this, Saki-san. Here, hold on tight to me."
As Lady Elisha smiled at me, I saw the same bewitching light in her eyes that she had directed at Ruria, and I screamed internally.
Aaaaaah! No, this is bad, this is not okay! A hundred steps back, holding a girl of the same gender like Ruria on your lap might be borderline acceptable, but trying to grab me in public is absolutely not! This is as 'out' as it gets!
I cast aside all noble decorum and forcefully unwrapped her arm, moving away from her. As I retreated to the very end of the bench, trying to calm my ragged breath, Lady Elisha watched me with a disappointed look.
This woman is way too dangerous. Does she not care if it's Ruria, a girl, or me, a boy, as long as they're young? She's only in her early teens, but she's already this far gone. And Ruria, stop looking at me with the same cold glare you're giving Lady Elisha. That was a pure accident, I swear.
What should I do? How do I get this dangerous person to quietly return to her seat? I can't think of a single way. And while I was wringing my hands, it seemed Ruria was having various things worn away by the one-sided 'affection.' Her face looked a little pale, and the light in her eyes was fading. I never thought I'd actually see 'eyes that have lost their highlight' in real life.
At this rate, Ruria will be in danger. I steeled myself, and, taking care not to get too close, I addressed her.
"Um, Lady Elisha? Everyone is staring at us, so maybe it's time to..."
"Of course, Saki-san. Because Ruria-chan is just so adorable. It's only natural that she would attract everyone's attention."
"..."
"However, your behavior just now is hardly befitting of a noble lady..."
"...That may be so. But I can't help it. When Ruria-chan is in front of me, I can't control myself. Oh, Ruria-chan, how cute you are!"
"..."
Oh no, she's stuck in a loop. And she's not listening to a word I'm saying. Ruria, on the other hand, seems to have lost the will to say anything. She looks like she's frozen her inner self and is just enduring until this is over.
"Hey Ruria-chan, would you like to have a tea party in my dorm room sometime? I've brought the finest tea leaves from my family's estate. Please, you must come."
"No."
"There will be sweets, you know? I bought some sweet potato pancakes from a famous shop in this academy city. They're to die for."
"...No."
Hey, Ruria. You hesitated for a second there, didn't you? Even after all this, your heart is still moved by sweets. But what do I do? I want to save Ruria, but Lady Elisha is just too invincible.
Just as I was agonizing over what to do, the bell signaling the start of the next class rang out. It was a bell to chase away the darkness. Feeling as if I had gained a million reinforcements, I spoke to the person next to me.
"Lady Elisha, the next class is starting. You should hurry back to your seat."
"...What a shame. I wanted to spend more time with Ruria-chan. Let's talk again next time, Saki-san and everyone. Until the next break, then."
Surprisingly, this time Lady Elisha accepted my words without argument. It seemed that even in her mind, a small sliver of rationality dictating that a student must fulfill her duties remained. With a genuinely disappointed look, she gently lowered Ruria from her lap, stood up, and, only in this moment, performed an elegant curtsy before returning to her seat. Ruria, now free, clung to me, looking completely drained of all energy.
This is bad. So bad that my vocabulary is failing me. What's so bad is that I think she's looking at me as prey too. Honestly, she's the type of dangerous person I wouldn't want to get close to, even if we are classmates.
And what did she say as she left? That's right, "next break time" too. That means this might be repeated every break. At worst, for the next three years.
A teacher entered the classroom, and I helped the still-weak Ruria to her feet. We stood up, supporting each other, trembling like newborn fawns.
As I had feared, Lady Elisha came over during the next break as well. She mercilessly scooped up the terrified Ruria, placed her on her lap, and occupied the seat next to me. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to stop her. While her behavior was certainly not befitting a noble lady, it was hard to argue against it if she claimed she was just being friendly with a classmate. More importantly, I was afraid of poking the hornet's nest. It pained me to feel like I was sacrificing Ruria to ensure my own safety.
On the other hand, Lady Elisha seemed to have finally moved on from her "Ruria-chan is cute" bot phase. She started talking to me, Roche, and Isak, showing a willingness to enjoy a normal conversation. To my surprise (and I apologize for the rudeness), she was quite skilled at conversation. We, who had been on guard at first, eventually let our guards down a bit and started chatting like normal classmates. Of course, this was all while Lady Elisha was constantly doting on Ruria.
"I was born the eldest daughter of the Shamir Marquis House, but I have a much younger sister. She's about the same age as you, Saki-san and Ruria-chan. From the moment she was born, my sister was just so, so cute. We did everything together. When it was decided that I would take the academy entrance exam this year on my father's orders, I was truly torn. I even considered giving up on the academy if it meant being separated from my sister."
I'd heard a similar story somewhere before, but anyway, she was feeling terribly depressed when she took the exam, and that's when she saw Ruria. She received a divine revelation: "If I can't dote on my sister, I can just dote on a girl who's like my sister." And so, she had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to get close to us.
"My sister has the same blonde hair and green eyes as me, but Ruria-chan's black hair and black eyes are so mysterious and wonderful. I feel like I could get lost in them. By the way, Ruria-chan, would you like to have a sleepover in my room tonight?"
"No."
Yep, she's still out. Trying to lure Ruria away at every opportunity. In any case, if we could have a normal conversation, I wasn't opposed to getting along. Mindful of the distance, I searched for a safe topic and asked a question.
"By the way, Lady Elisha."
"You can call me Elisha, Saki-san."
"Then, if I may. What kind of place is the Shamir Territory where you were born, Elisha-san? I'm ashamed to say that outside of the capital, the only place I've been to is my own village."
"It's a wonderful place, rich in nature. It lacks the glamour of the capital, but agriculture and animal husbandry are thriving, and the people are gentle. We're blessed with ingredients, so I'm confident that our food is one of the best in the kingdom."
"Indeed, the Shamir Territory is a major producer of grain and meat. The population of the capital can't be sustained by the crops from the surrounding manors alone, so the food transported from the Shamir Territory via the North Highway is a great help."
"I-it's also famous for horse breeding. I hear that warhorses from Shamir are highly valued in every knightly order."
"You two know a lot. But it really sounds like a nice place. I'd love to visit sometime... ah, no."
"That's right! Why don't you all come to my house during the long vacation? Our family chef will pull out all the stops and treat you to the best meal you've ever had."
"No."
That was close. I thought I was bringing up a safe topic, but I foolishly stepped into a minefield myself. Invitations like this are often just social pleasantries, but they can be hard to refuse on the spot. Usually, neither the inviter nor the invitee is serious, so declining later isn't a big deal.
But in this case, if I had said something like "I'd love to visit sometime," Lady Elisha would have done everything in her power to drag us all to the Shamir Territory. Since it would be awkward for me, the one who brought up the topic, to refuse, I was grateful to Ruria for shutting it down immediately.
In this way, despite a certain tension, we spent the entire break chatting quite pleasantly. Ruria was held the whole time, but it seemed she was getting a little used to Lady Elisha's expressions of affection. Though Ruria herself was probably not happy about it.
Then a thought occurred to me. The chances of the shy Ruria trying to make friends on her own are close to zero. So maybe a proactive type like Lady Elisha is actually easier for her to open up to. Could it be that this encounter was meaningful for expanding Ruria's social circle?
...I just wish I could have been a little more selective about her choice of friends.
During the next break, Lady Elisha came over again, captured Ruria, and started doting on her on her lap. But this time, something different happened.
"My name is Noam Caravan. I studied at the private academy of Master Adler, a disciple of Lady Ester. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Saki."
"I am Devora Lot. My master is a close acquaintance of Lord Levi and Lady Sarah. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Saki, Lady Ruria."
Just like that, our classmates started coming to our seats one after another to greet us. At first, it was mostly children connected to my grandmother's disciples or my parents' friends, but soon, classmates with no particular connection started joining in. How did this happen?
In any case, I couldn't just ignore their greetings. Aside from that idiot prince and his cronies, I was all for getting along with everyone in the class, so I greeted everyone who came with a smile and promoted myself. But I wasn't sure what to do about all my classmates being so deferential to me.
"The pleasure is all mine. And please, drop the 'lord.' You can just call us Saki and Ruria."
"B-but I couldn't possibly."
"Everyone in this classroom is a brother and sister learning magic. We are equals, so you can speak more casually, you know?"
"Yes..."
"You are quite popular, Saki-san. As expected of the heir to the Arcalai family. Of course, I'm sure Ruria-chan's cuteness is part of the reason."
"..."
Even Lady Elisha, who was being greeted by our classmates in the same flow, was very busy. But as expected of a marquis's daughter, she handled each person without losing her elegance, her well-honed social skills on full display. If only she hadn't been holding Ruria on her lap, she would have been perfect.
Some of our classmates, after greeting me, Ruria, and Lady Elisha, went to the back of the classroom to talk with Roche and Isak. From a glance, it seemed to be mostly the children connected to my family who had come to greet me first. This was probably the so-called "Arcalai faction" of students getting to know each other. They had only been able to greet me and couldn't really talk. After all, there had been a line to greet me.
And so, all the remaining breaks were spent responding to the classmates who visited my seat. In the end, I didn't get a moment of peace during any of the breaks today. Damn it.
If there had been an observer watching this classroom from above, they would have noticed one thing. That for various reasons—rivalry, curiosity, friendship, and others—every single classmate had left their seat to visit Saki and exchange words with him.
In other words, on the very first day of classes, Saki Adoni Arcalai had become the central figure of his grade. Without even realizing it himself.
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That day, a tremor ran through the entire Hanoku Kingdom.
The reason was a major announcement sent out from the Hanoku Royal Palace to the entire kingdom. The content was as follows:
"The great magic user Ester Adoni Arcalai has reached the Seventh Tier."
The news, carried by the [Sending] spell, instantly raced across all lands, creating ripples everywhere. Many moved to verify the information, and when it became known that a similar announcement had been made at Talgum Magic Academy, the aftershocks grew even more intense.
Some rejoiced at the news, some held their heads in their hands, some writhed in frustration, but there was one understanding common to all. That the power of the Arcalai family had become unassailable.
Some might wonder why a single individual, one who had retired from her position as head of the family, raising her magic tier by one would cause such an uproar. But for magic users and the ruling class, this was a truly major event.
To begin with, the threat level of a magic user is said to increase tenfold with each tier. A fledgling First Tier user can already use lethal spells like [Magic Missile]. By the Second Tier, they gain access to wide-area attack spells like [Fireball] and become feared as reapers on the battlefield.
At the Third Tier, they can wield abilities that can only be described as supernatural, such as flight with [Magic Wing] and remote viewing with [Scrying]. At this point, even a single individual is treated as a tactical unit.
Ester was in her mid-twenties and at the Fifth Tier during the Unification War, when she became feared as "The Witch." She reached the Sixth Tier around the time she turned thirty and founded the Arcalai Viscounty. At that point, no one knew or had even seen what terrifying spells she could use. Because no one other than Ester had ever climbed beyond the Fifth Tier.
And few can imagine how terrifying the "unknown" is to a magic user. Just as you counter a [Magic Missile] with a [Shield], if you know what spell your opponent is using, you have a way to deal with it. But what if a spell you don't know, a spell of a higher tier than any you know, is used before your very eyes? The moment you see it, you'll be on your way to the next world. Thus, Ester is feared even more by her fellow magic users than by the common folk who fear magic.
And now, the already-feared Ester had raised her tier yet again. According to the tenfold threat theory mentioned earlier, Ester now possesses the power of a thousand Fourth Tier magic users, of which there are fewer than ten in the entire kingdom. The comparison is absurd.
No magic user would dare to oppose the Arcalai faction, led by such a giant. And the impact is not limited to the world of magic; it extends to politics. As long as the Arcalai family walks with the royal family, the nobles of the Noble Faction will find it even harder to stand against the Royalist Faction. They cannot be certain that their castles and lands will not be instantly engulfed in a sea of flames one day. Even if they understand rationally that such a thing would not happen, their hearts cannot bear the existence of a person who could easily do so.
As long as Ester Adoni Arcalai lives in this world, the nobles of the Noble Faction will know no peaceful sleep. And unfortunately, that is not a reason for them to behave themselves.
"Still, this has caused quite a stir, hasn't it, Mother?"
In a corner of the capital's noble district, in the study of the Arcalai manor late at night, the magic users of the Arcalai family were gathered as usual. And the first to speak was the master of the house, Levi, who addressed Ester in a cheerful tone.
The stir was, of course, the pandemonium among those who had received the news of Ester's promotion to the Seventh Tier. The one who had made the announcement as the Royal Magic Advisor was none other than Levi himself, and the uproar in the throne room at that time had been quite something. Even when he had reported it to the king beforehand, the king had been struck speechless and unable to move for a while.
"It's a bit better than when I reached the Fifth Tier. The country hadn't even been formed back then, and every territory was in chaos. A whole bunch of people who didn't believe it came flocking over, making a fuss and demanding 'proof.' It was a real pain. In the end, I just told them all to 'go confirm it with the academy' and sent them away."
"So that's why the Academy Head issued a statement. Thanks to that, the academy city is in chaos, and spies from all over have been running around, which has made it much easier for us to gather information."
"There you go again, saying such things with that wicked look on your face. That part of you is what Saki inherited, I'm sure."
"His hair and eyes are from you, so it's only fair that he has a little something from me. In fact, I'm rather proud of it."
"Alright, alright, that's enough lovey-dovey talk. So, Aunt, was reaching the seventh tier really because of that training?"
Maria cut through Levi and Sarah's banter with a single sentence and asked Ester. Ester gave her a nod and took out her beloved pipe from her pocket, lighting it.
"After reaching the sixth tier and mastering a few spells, my magic didn't progress for over twenty years. Then, as I was approaching sixty, I suddenly managed to learn the remaining spells. There's no doubt it's because of Saki's teachings. My magic power has increased to a visible degree, and I can feel a power welling up inside me that I've never felt before. Well, I guess I have no choice but to come out of retirement."
Ester let out a puff of smoke and laughed, showing her teeth. Seeing this, her three disciples wore expressions that were hard to describe. It was the look of people thinking, It's reassuring that she's so energetic, but she's liable to overdo it and cause a huge mess.
"By the way, how about you three? You must be seeing some results from your mana forging, aren't you?"
At Ester's sudden question, the three of them looked at each other. After a moment, Levi was the first to answer.
"I feel like I'm finally starting to grasp the sensation of circulating my mana. I should be able to report some results eventually."
"Also, I feel like I've become less tired since starting this training. I'm as busy as ever, but I'll continue to work on it steadily."
"I don't feel any progress at all yet, but I'll do it. If you could do it, Aunt, so can I."
At their respective answers, Ester's eyes softened as if she were looking at something nostalgic. She saw in them the images of their younger selves, diligently studying as her disciples.
It goes without saying how important it is for a magic user to raise their tier. To reach even one tier higher in their lifetime is the fervent wish of every magic user. The three of them were past their prime and had probably felt that their current tier was the limit of what they could achieve. But Ester, their very own master, had shown them irrefutable proof to the contrary. That they could still go further, still climb higher. It was only natural that the passion of their teenage years had returned to them.
Ester was struck by a powerful sense of emotion seeing the youthful figures of her students, but she eventually gave a quiet shake of her head and spoke to Levi.
"Keep Saki informed of the progress of everyone who is doing the mana forging, myself included. We need to hear Saki's opinion on how to handle this training method."
Levi nodded silently at Ester's words. There was no doubt that Saki was hiding a great deal of knowledge beyond this mana forging. If handled improperly, it could lead to terrible consequences. They would need to exchange information closely and proceed with the utmost caution.
"But you know,"
Maria muttered, her voice barely audible.
"My daughter, who has been continuing this training almost every day without rest since she was barely old enough to understand...
A chill ran down the spines of everyone present. Even Ester, thinking of her own child, her own grandchild, found the image that came to her mind terrifying.
An image of Saki, an existence shrouded in mystery, raising a terrifying 'monster' named Ruria.
Here is Chapter 27. I rewrote this one many times as well. The growing cast of characters is becoming difficult to handle, but I'll do my best.