Editor: Poor_Hero
TN: THE BIG 50! Milestone reached! I kinda wanna take a little break, lol.
Next milestone : 100.
Monday.
Today would be my first magic lesson since I came to the academy.
" Today's magic lesson will be conducted with groups of 4! Each group will be given 1 magic tool. Within 3 lessons, I want you to work with each other in your group to learn magic perception! "
Zelda-sensei said assertively, looking around the class.
" Okay, go find your group - NOW! "
With that, the class moved.
As usual, the 3 of us were together as a group.
" What about the last person? "
Zen asked.
" Selphy, do you have anyone in mind? "
As I threw the question over to Selphy, she shook her head vigorously. With her panicked look like she was about to cry, she leaned in close.
" N, no! This is fine! The lesser the enemies the better! "
" What enemies…Let's cooperate with friends. "
I said, my voice strained, and Zen looked at me with a funny look on his face. What's with him? Zen, don't look at your senior with such eyes!
Hm? I am his junior?
I am already 25, going to 30. It was really pathetic to be looked at like that by a 10 year old.
I then suddenly realized.
Could it be….Selphy does not have any friends…?
I finally understand her actions. I messed up. The one who was insensitive was me. To think Zen caught on faster than me… I am ashamed, Zen. Otherworldly kids sure grew up fast. No, it should be me who was useless. I grew slightly depressed, thinking about it and then, I felt someone coming near.
" Can I join you guys? "
The one who asked us was Miso….no, Mi Sociunnov.
" Sure. "
" No problem~ "
Against me and Zen, who accepted his proposal happily, Selphy was looking at Mi with a strange look.
" We were together as well, on Saturday. "
I said and Selphy showed an accepted yet unaccepting face. As I looked at her, wondering, she moved her gaze away, as to say that it was nothing.
Ah! (Disappointed)
If it was nothing, please don't shift your glaze away!
Ah, whatever, it was better to start over. Besides, there was something else more important at the moment.
" Sure, welcome. But Mi, you sure got lucky. "
I grinned and Zen and Selphy, after understanding my words, grinned too. Looking at the 3 of us, Mi had a question mark floating above his head.
" You get to use the magic tool all by yourself. "
Zen said, happily but that just made Mi even more confused. Then, a loud voice was heard across the classroom.
" Okay, all of you are in a group, yea? I am handing the tools out so come and get them! "
At the ever-energetic Gori-Macho, Zelda-sensei's call, all of us went to the front, where the blackboard was. Everyone's eyes were sparkling, including Zen, excited about learning magic. I had thought that since this world is overflowing with magic, they would treat it as something normal but it seemed like they were moved by the thought of using magic too.
But compared to a person from Earth, they were a lot calmer. Yep. Or rather, compared to the me who first knew I can use magic, they were a lot calmer.
As I wondered who among us should collect the tool, I turned around, only to find the 3 of them missing. Panicking, I searched around the classroom with my eyes, to find them heading straight to Zelda-sensei happily.
….Wait for me!
Onii-san is sad!
" Hmm, I see, so the 3 of you had already learned magic perception. "
Mi said, finally understanding.
" How did you all learn it? "
Of course he would ask. Uuuh…. What should I say? Even though we had gotten closer with that case on Saturday but even so, I can't just go " Eh, it's because I retained the memories from my previous life, hehe ☆ ".
It would be depressing if Mi, whom I had finally become friends with, to distance himself away from me for thinking I had some screws loose, much less to say he is the next head of the Count family. I wouldn't want the rumor that the next head of the Beryl had delusions to travel within the Noble society. For the sake of my job, as well as my mentality.
And just when I was thinking about all that, Zen just went and happily said.
" Will taught us! "
O—i.
" …….Williams-sama did? "
Don't look at me with those eyes!
Don't look at me with those sparkling eyes!!
With a smile plastered on my face, my brain was working overtime, trying to churn out a solution. Like how frantically the fans turned in a CPU. Then, a helping hand materialized out of nowhere.
" Williams-sama…..? "
Selphy mumbled.
Oh, oh, Selphy-sama!
I grinned, turning to Selphy. I am pretty sure my expression right now was terrible. She turned away. Don, don't be discouraged, me.
" Eh? Did I not tell Selphy? "
Ah, I had seriously forgotten all about it.
" Ca, can it be Selphy-dono did not know about it? "
Mi exclaimed, surprised.
" Yes..eh, what? Everyone knew about it? "
Selphy was staring hard at me right now.
….Uuh, I really forgot, please forgive me.
" Williams is….my real name? "
" Why is it a question mark? "
Zen had wonderfully retorted to my mumble. Yes, we are often like that.
He continued.
" Will is a noble. "
" Yea. Because it's too troublesome so I usually don't give my full name out on the first meeting. My full name is actually Williams Beryl… "
Selphy then jumped in and cut off my sentence.
" Seriously? Beryl as in, that Beryl? "
" Yes, the Beryl Family. In Elzmu, there is only one Noble family with the name Beryl, you know. "
The screaming Selphy, the nodding Mi, Zen who had a weird look and the stunned me. What was this chaos?
As I stood there, stunned, Selphy suddenly pitched forward. And the one standing behind her was….. Zelda-sensei.
" You guys, what are you doing? Quickly start your magic perception now! "
He then struck Selphy's forehead with the side of his hand. It was what people call a hand chop.
" It hurts!! "
" Focus on your class work, focus! "
Leaving Selphy who was in pain, Zelda-sensei left those words and walked away.
…….Doing that to a girl…..He has no mercy!!
I looked at Selphy who was crouching down and hugging her head in pain, then at the same time, Mi, Zen and me looked at each other and gulped. That was dangerous, so dangerous. Zelda-sensei was scary.
" And so, could you explain? "
Lucky or unlucky, after calming down and recovering from the pain, Selphy asked immediately.
" Ah, you see, I am worried about being distanced if I said my full name. "
" ……Hm, as expected of Will. You really don't it like it, do you? "
Selphy said uneasily. Grabbing hold of this chance, I replied her forcefully.
" Yep. So please treat me like you had before! "
" Alright…. "
Selphy seemed to have accepted it but… was it my imagination that she looked a little down?
" Erm, really sorry Selphy. I did really intend to tell you. "
Wondering if it would console her, I apologized to Selphy. I was the one who had forgotten and as friends, it was natural to apologize as it was my fault. Selphy smiled and mumbled " It's not that..don't worry about it. "
Hm?
It was not that? What was it? I don't understand. Anyway, she said not to worry about it so I guess everything was all right.
I kinda convinced myself and turned my attention back to the lesson.
" Eh, is the Beryl family that amazing? "
Zen mumbled, still having that weird look on his face.
…..Sigh, let's start the lesson please.
" Do you understand, Mi? "
In any case, leaving aside Selphy and Zen who were talking about 'Gion-sama', Mi and I were working hard on the lesson.
Which means, Magic perception time~
Mi was currently placing his hand on top of a bronze box.
The bronze box ―――― It was a tool to help train one's magic perception. Touching the structure will cause the place which was touched to let out some mana. A processed square bronze box with an empty center, there were intricate patterns densely carved on it. These carvings seem to make up for the magic formation.
True, in the middle, there seemed to be 《魔力ちょっと垂れ流し》[TN: Maryoku chotto darenagashi, Leaking a little mana out] written on it. Well, the other carvings were something additional I guess.
….Rather, 《魔力ちょっと垂れ流し》was rather crude. I am sure there were better ways to phrase it.
[TN: Leaking / soiling. For example, your pants.]
Well then, although this tool looked like something that came out of the pocket from the blue tanuki, the power behind this was most likely a mana stone.
According to the notes John-sensei made for me to memorize, the country Hattuo had many 'Magic Fields' where Mana Stones came from.
Mana stones, as the words implied, are stones that have mana in them. As these contained pure mana, they could be used with any magic attributes.
For example, the [Collar of Slavery.]
I don't know what attribute it was but….remembering it after this all while this made my mood turned sour. But, I had mixed feelings knowing the stones could be used this easily.
As I stood there, deep in my thoughts, I was called back by a loud voice. Well then, let's help a friend in trouble.
" Mi, retract your power. Come, he-he-hoo- "
I will not accept any retorts about it not being the situation for the Lamaze technique. It can't be helped because I cannot think of any other technique to aid retracting of power!
And so, my first magic lesson ended in the midst of chaos.
AN:
Selphy [The difference in status between Will and me…. my love….won't lose!]