Chapter 53 - Chapter 51: The Magic Geek Commits an Indiscretion
The morning of our departure for the extracurricular activity had arrived. The halls of the Talgum Magic Academy, usually wrapped in tranquility save for the occasional outrageous uproar, were filled with a clamorous energy from the crack of dawn. The buzz of countless voices, punctuated by loud calls and shouts, and even the neighing of horses, created an atmosphere of bustling departure that sent a thrill of anticipation right down to my toes.
Was it like this on the morning we left for Arcalai Village?
The difference was the scale. The spacious front courtyard between the main academy building and the main gate was lined with no fewer than eight large, four-horse carriages. That was thirty-two horses in total. Naturally, there were people who had brought these carriages from outside the Academy, and they bustled about between them, loading luggage and checking on the animals. Add to that our group of just under thirty first-year students and more than ten supervising professors, and it was, to put it mildly, an incredible scene.
The carriages were all painted black—six for passengers and two for cargo. On the side of each was the Academy's crest: a shield supported by two dragons. I could only wonder just how much money the Academy had to commission so many carriages of a quality only the highest nobility would possess, all for a simple first-year school event.
"My, this is quite a magnificent sight, Saki-sama. This is the first time I've ever ridden in such a luxurious carriage."
"Well, it's a first for me, too. They're far grander than the ones my family owns."
As I watched the preparations for our journey unfold, a boy standing next to me struck up a conversation. His name was Noam Caravan. He was a disciple of a magic user named Adler, who was himself a disciple of my grandmother, which made Noam my fellow grand-disciple. I believe he was fourteen. He was a tall, slender boy, and his short-cropped brown hair somehow reminded me of Nathan from the Royal Magic Corps.
As his background suggested, he belonged to the Arcalai Faction. We were fairly close, and he was the classmate I spoke with most often, aside from my usual circle. It was a shame that his commoner origins meant he always spoke so deferentially to Ruria and me, but I supposed that couldn't be helped. We would probably have to become much better friends before he would talk to me as frankly as someone like Lug, the dorm head.
"The only time I've ever been in a carriage was when I came here from the countryside for the Academy's entrance exam. Are you used to them, Ruria-sama?"
"Mm. Ridden many times."
"They're so bumpy, aren't they? I'm not very good with that."
"You get used to it."
To my left, in her usual spot, Ruria was being addressed by a female student standing beyond her. Her name was Devora Lot, and her master was my grandmother's junior disciple, making her another staunch member of the Arcalai Faction. She was small for her thirteen years, and her reddish-blonde hair, tied in pigtails on either side of her head, only accelerated the impression of youthfulness. The way she wore her slightly oversized robe, likely in anticipation of a growth spurt, was utterly adorable. Then again, she was nearly twice my age.
As evidenced by the fact that she was holding a conversation with Ruria, she was one of Ruria's few friends. They were both members of the tea parties hosted by the infamous Elisha in the girls' dormitory, so they had apparently grown close naturally. The fact that just looking at Devora made me understand why told me that I, too, was being considerably influenced by Miss Elisha. Simply put, she was a child who truly inspired a desire to protect her. Elisha and Devora were supposed to be the same age, but I had no doubt that pervert looked at this girl with the same eyes she used on Ruria.
Meanwhile, Isis was perched on Ruria's shoulder as usual, letting out a sleepy yawn. The little fairy had been ecstatic last night when she heard she would be able to leave the Academy grounds. What was she, a child too excited for a field trip to sleep? That said, many of the other first-years gathered in the courtyard seemed to have been looking forward to the activity just as much, as I could see them yawning all over the place. I was a little worried for them, hoping they wouldn't fall asleep the moment they boarded the carriages.
"I've never even been in a carriage before. Are you sure it's alright for me to ride?"
A timid voice drifted down from a considerable height behind us. I turned to see a young man who was nearly 190 centimeters tall. His height and slender frame made his limbs look long, but instead of making him look stylish, it gave him a lanky impression—a trick of the unconfident air that surrounded him. From beneath a head of blonde hair in something between a mushroom and a bob cut, a pair of timid eyes peeked out.
"Eli-san, you're a student of this Academy, so you should get on with confidence. We are all brothers learning magic together; it was in the oath we took at the entrance ceremony, wasn't it?"
"Oh no, for someone like me to be called a brother to Saki-sama is far too presumptuous. I am, after all, merely the third son of a farmer."
Ah, this is hopeless. The Academy's official policy was that there was no difference in status between students. But for someone who had already spent time in the working world, the reality of the class-based society was likely too deeply ingrained to be easily dismissed.
His name was Eli Kohen. He, too, was my classmate and, at nineteen, the oldest of the first-year students. In this country, where one came of age at fifteen, he was a proper adult. The reason he was my classmate was that he was the only student in our class who did not come from a private magic school.
In other words, he was a hard worker who had overcome the disadvantage of having no opportunity to study magic by achieving an exceptional score on the written exam. Born the third son of a wealthy farmer on an estate near the Academy City, his brilliance was such that those around him encouraged him to pursue his studies. He was an admirable person who had worked his way into the Academy while serving in a merchant's house in the city.
In my previous life, I, too, had been a working adult for a few years, so I could imagine how difficult it was to study while holding down a job. People toss around words like "reskilling" so easily, but they should try saying that after actually letting their employees go home on time. When I once caught myself genuinely thinking, Yes! The date hasn't even changed yet! as I left the office, I knew I was in serious trouble.
...Dammit, I could feel something dark starting to well up from within. I shook my head, as if to dispel the unpleasant memories, and once more surveyed the members gathered around Ruria and me.
"From now on, the five of us will face this extracurricular activity as members of the same team. Let's work together and do our best to achieve excellent results."
"..."
"Yes, Saki-sama. I look forward to working with you."
"With Saki-sama and Ruria-sama here, our group will definitely be the best!"
"I will do my best not to hold you back."
My companions responded to my words, some cheerfully, others with reserve. Ruria, of course, just gave a silent nod.
For this activity, we first-years were to be divided into several groups, and the assignments had finally been announced yesterday. Unfortunately, my usual group of five—me, Ruria, Roche, Isak, and Miss Elisha—had not been kept together. Aside from Ruria and me, we had all been split up. Since we were finally getting to go outside the Academy and do things we normally couldn't, I had thought it would be boring to stick with the same old members, so things had turned out more or less as I expected.
Last night in the dorm, Roche had given me an earful. "Are you listening? The three of them, besides Ruria-san, don't know you well, so please go easy on them, okay? You absolutely cannot push them by saying unreasonable things like 'don't use formal language,' got it? Also, don't just casually teach them things you shouldn't, alright? And another thing..." He had nagged me so relentlessly. Isak, too, had been looking at me with concern. I couldn't help but shed a tear at the utter lack of trust my friends had in me. A fake one, of course.
Miss Elisha's reaction was predictable. "Why are Ruria-chan and I not in the same group?!" she had lamented, practically biting her handkerchief in frustration. Now, however, she was putting on a prim and proper face among her own group members. A marquis's daughter through and through, rotten as she was—or perhaps because she was rotten—she was a master of maintaining appearances. Although, I felt like the cat she was wearing was starting to show some tears, judging by the resentful glances she kept shooting toward our group, at Ruria and me.
And so, we twenty-eight first-years were divided into six groups. Ruria and I, along with three others, were assigned to Group One. Roche was in Group Three, Isak in Four, and Miss Elisha in Five. For what it's worth, Yuli was in Group Two and his crony in Group Six, so they had been split up as well.
Looking at it this way, it was clear the professors must have gone to great lengths to decide on these groups. They had separated the members who always stuck together, yet they kept Ruria with me, and my group was composed entirely of students from the Arcalai Faction. In a way, it felt like they were being incredibly considerate. To be frank, it was this man, who was now approaching us.
"Alright, you're all here. We're leaving soon. Check now if you've forgotten anything."
It was none other than the Chief Professor of this Academy, Ahab Adoni Azadh himself.
"I will be leading Group One. For the week it takes to reach our destination, Fortress Metula, I will also be in charge of the lectures along the way, so stay sharp."
"""""Yes!"""""
We all responded in unison to Professor Azadh's rousing words. I almost replied with, "Sir! Yes, sir!" but managed to stop myself. I really needed to shake the phantom of a Marine Corps boot camp from my mind before it became a problem.
Eventually, the preparations were completed without a hitch, and we first-years, led by the professors, boarded the carriages with our respective groups. The hired coachmen took the reins, and the great gates of the Academy swung open silently. And so we departed on our journey for the extracurricular activity, our first trip outside the Academy since enrolling.
The carriage prepared for this trip was incredibly luxurious and spacious. There were six seats in total, three facing forward and three back, and the seats were so high that even the tall Eli could sit without bending his knees. As for Ruria, Devora, and I, our feet dangled in the air. The seats and backrests were fitted with silk-covered cushions, a clear consideration for making the long journey as comfortable as possible. What's more, there were windows with sliding shutters—two in the front and back, and four on the sides—that could be lowered to let light and wind into the carriage. It was a vehicle that wanted for nothing. In a word, it was outrageous.
Noam and Devora were gushing over how amazing it was, while Eli seemed so intimidated he kept shrinking in on himself. I, on the other hand, was completely taken aback by this point. Even in my previous world, a carriage of this class probably didn't exist until the modern era. It was possible that not even the royal family of this country possessed one. And the Academy had six of them, eight if you included the cargo wagons? This was beyond wealthy. The only ones completely unfazed were the professor and Ruria.
Our procession of first-years, with our Group One carriage at the head, was currently making its way north along the main thoroughfare of the Academy City. It was a rather exhilarating sight, looking down from on high as all the people on the street stared at our convoy in amazement. I had to suppress the urge to wave at the townspeople as I voiced the question that had popped into my head, directing it to Professor Azadh seated beside me.
"We're moving quite slowly, aren't we? Is it because we're in the city? Will we go faster once we're outside the Academy City?"
This carriage was indeed astonishingly opulent, and being pulled by four horses, it had a decent amount of speed. But at this rate, I couldn't imagine us reaching the border fortress we'd heard about in just a week. Not even if we traveled day and night. The professor, however, simply stroked his beard and answered my question with a fearless smile.
"It's true we can't go that fast on this main street. It's dangerous. But just wait a while. I'll soon show you all a trick that will surprise you."
What was this? It was rare to see old man Azadh being so theatrical. But if that was the case, I would look forward to seeing what he had in store. And so, our line of carriages, attracting the attention of the entire Academy City, galloped out through the northern gate in the city walls, which was reserved for the nobility.
Some time after leaving the Academy City and proceeding along the Northern Highway, we arrived at a rest stop built on the side of the road. It was just like the ones I had seen on the way to Arcalai Village—a wide, cleared area adjacent to the highway, prepared for travelers to rest and even camp if necessary.
As this was the first break of our extracurricular activity, all the students disembarked to stretch their legs or gaze at the rural scenery that stretched out on either side of the road. The members of my group also got out of the carriage, and as we were exchanging our thoughts on the ride, Professor Azadh returned from a discussion with the coachmen.
"Alright you lot, gather 'round. I'm about to show you the secret that makes this itinerary possible. Make sure you burn it into your memories."
With that, the professor called us over, turned toward the carriage, and assumed a spellcasting stance. Wondering what was about to happen, I fixed my gaze on his posture. Professor Azadh then drew two sigils in the air with his finger, and I saw them as two glowing blue circles.
"[Air Screen]."
With the professor's incantation, one of the carriage wheels was enveloped in the light of magic power. [Air Screen] was a Second Tier spell. It was a defensive spell that covered a target in constantly swirling wind, preventing it from being damaged by swords or spears. It was particularly effective at deflecting projectiles like arrows, and I had heard that mages on the battlefield used this spell along with [Shield] to protect themselves from enemy archers.
The professor proceeded to cast [Air Screen] on the other three wheels before approaching the horses pulling the carriage. As the coachmen watched with anxious expressions, the professor began another incantation. This time, the sigils were one blue circle and two purple ovals. Three sigils meant this was likely a Third Tier spell. As the professor intoned, "[Haste]," all four horses were simultaneously enveloped in the light of magic power.
The previous [Air Screen] spell might have been imperceptible to the others (aside from me), but the effects of [Haste] were obvious. The way the horses turned their heads, pawed at the ground, and the contraction of their chests with each breath—it was all sped up, like a film in fast-forward. Even their neighs sounded strangely thin and high-pitched.
Understanding dawned on me, and I spoke to Professor Azadh, who had just finished casting his spells.
"You use [Haste] to speed up the horses and [Air Screen] to protect the wheels from being damaged by the high velocity. Is this the secret you were talking about, Professor?"
Looking around, I could see the professors in the other carriages performing the same spells. I had wondered why more than a third of the entire faculty—over ten professors—was accompanying us on this activity, but I never imagined they intended to shorten the journey with such a brute-force method.
"I was just about to explain, but it seems Saki has said most of it. That's right. This is a technique born from an attempt by the Royal Army to increase the marching speed of its troops. While magic could speed up the soldiers' legs, it couldn't overcome the problem of the supply train being unable to keep up. Unfortunately, it requires a large number of high-tier magic users, and the number of soldiers it can actually move isn't very large. It was considered a failure by the army, but for the Academy, and for transporting just thirty or so first-years, it's dramatically effective. That's the long and short of it."
Professor Azadh declared this all with immense pride, his chest puffed out. He had been stroking his beard nonstop, apparently eager to boast. The other students in our group were either staring in fascination at the unusually restless horses or trying to touch the wheels, only to be surprised when their hands couldn't make contact. Only Ruria seemed uninterested, clinging to my arm, but Isis, perched on her shoulder, leaned close to my ear and whispered.
(It's a ridiculous method, but it makes sense. With this, they really could cover a twenty-day journey in a week.)
It seemed the professor's prized secret was fairly effective, even in Isis's eyes. Still, to increase the speed of a single carriage required one Third Tier spell and four Second Tier spells. In terms of mana consumption, it seemed terribly inefficient. Ruria might be able to handle it, but for someone like me with a smaller mana pool, I wasn't sure I could cast that many spells at once, even if I reached the Third Tier.
"Alright, a trot is sufficient. The horses' legs will move faster than usual, so watch them carefully, or you'll go too fast. Be careful to manage the horses so they don't break into a canter. Even if you see a traveler in the distance, you'll close the gap in an instant, so be vigilant ahead of time."
Professor Azadh was now giving instructions to the coachmen. A trot and a canter were different ways a horse runs, gaits in technical terms. A trot was like a human's fast walk, while a canter was perhaps like jogging. A normal carriage moves at a walk, a speed only slightly faster than a person's walking pace. To have it move at a trot, and a magically hastened one at that... wouldn't that be as fast as a car?
This carriage was a four-in-hand, with the horses arranged in a two-by-two formation. The coachmen didn't sit on a driver's box; instead, two of them each rode one of the front horses and one of the back horses. Each coachman controlled their own mount and the one running alongside it. After traveling a certain distance, they would switch to the horses they hadn't been riding to distribute the burden equally. It was a well-thought-out system.
"It seems the other carriages have finished their spells. Right, let's resume the march. All of you, back in the carriage."
Did you just say march, professor? Urged on by the professor, who had been getting more and more excited, we once again became passengers in the carriage. For the record, the seating arrangement inside was the professor, me, and Ruria on the rear-facing seat, with Eli-san, Noam, and Devora sitting across from us. Once everyone was seated, the professor spoke as if he had just remembered something.
"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. All of you—"
Just as he spoke, a "Hah!" echoed from outside the carriage, followed by the sharp crack of the reins. The next moment, a tremendous jolt slammed into my back, and my body was thrown forward.
"Gueh!"
"Ukyu!"
My vision suddenly went black, and tiny star-like meteors danced across my sight. A sharp impact to my stomach and back left me breathless. I was pinned, unable to move, only able to groan. Then, the weight on my back shifted, and my body was free. I coughed, gasping for air, and struggled to get up, but my vision was still dark. Wait, was something covering my head? And it wasn't completely dark... there was something faintly visible in front of my eyes...
"Saki-sama! Saki-sama! Are you alright?!"
I heard someone shouting nearby. That voice... was it Noam, who had been sitting across from me? With his shout, the thing covering my head fell away with a rustle, and my vision was suddenly flooded with light. And there stood Devora, her face beet red, holding down the hem of her robe with both hands.
"—I meant to say that when a carriage with [Haste] starts moving, a powerful force pushes you in the opposite direction, so you should be careful."
Beside me, Professor Azadh finished his sentence in a leisurely tone. Across from me were a flustered Noam and Eli. Devora had covered her face with both hands and sunk into her seat. The face visible through the gaps in her fingers was an even deeper shade of red; I could almost hear a "pshooo" sound, like escaping steam.
Ah, I get it, I get it. So this is what happened. The carriage's sudden start and rapid acceleration threw my body forward with G-force, slamming me onto the floor. Ruria, who had been holding my arm, was pulled along with me, landing on my back. I had been immobilized by the impact, and when Ruria got off me, I was finally able to move, but in the process, I had stuck my head under Devora's robe. That about sums it up.
No, no, that doesn't sum it up at all. What is this lucky pervert situation? This is not the kind of travel mishap I was hoping for. I mean it. Because, well, considering what would happen next...
Still on my knees on the carriage floor, I slowly turned to look behind me. There, with Isis shaking her head on her shoulder, was Ruria, staring at me with a gaze as cold as absolute zero.
I demand a lawyer.
The thought flashed through my mind, but faced with my silently furious childhood friend, there was no way I could actually voice it. And so, the inside of the carriage echoed with my cry of agony as Ruria bit down on my hand.
Here is Chapter 51. The story will properly begin outside the Academy from the next chapter, so please look forward to it.