It was the First Time I Ever Saw Such a Slightly Pitiful Person
Liztena Magic Academy is an educational institution attended by members of high-ranking families, but it is a place where a person’s ‘magic power’ determines their place in social circles rather than family lineage. But in the first place, it is extremely natural that a disparity in magic power would develop between ordinary people and those with a higher familial status. Even if it is said that ‘everyone is equal here’, after a certain period of time has passed from enrollment, a clear gap would appear and social circles would form.
It is impossible for those no longer in school to forget how schools really are, so those with little magic power or a low familial status cheer on their children to strive for future glory while those with high magic power or a high familial status are instructed to learn how to best use others for when they take their future roles after graduating.
“Whaaa, it is somehow very scary isn’t it!?”
“Is there not a better way to say it?”
“The delicate Lucy is worried about how she is going to live in such an environment, and now even my stomach is shouting *gurururu* in worry!”
“You’re just hungry.”
Lucy and Claudio were walking down a corridor while exchanging such pleasantries.
Wondering if he was just going to drop her off at the academy’s gate, Lucy was surprised to see Claudio was actually guiding her to see the school’s headmaster.
What a nice person……! Lucy looked up to Claudio. Then a, “Hm?” escaped her lips as she narrowed her eyes and started looking at him with a strange look.
Her field of vision had finally returned to normal allowing her to see him properly, but he was a surprisingly good looking man. Blue eyes that glowed green with his golden hair, and even though he was only a year older than her, he had a beautiful face that made you think you were looking at an intellectual adult. His height was about two heads taller than Lucy which she had managed to guess on her own earlier, but he also had long limbs and a supple and lean body.
Beautiful and dignified, you could feel a nobility from him just by seeing how he walked with an upright posture and straight spine. Also, as they walked by, every student they passed made way and bowed their heads slightly. Did he lie and is actually a teacher?
There is also the possibility that this is a joke and Claudio is actually being bullied, but the courtesy those students exuded made this seem unlikely.
However, while giving off such a nobility, he continued to speak of himself graciously while responding cheerfully to the bowing students and waving his hand as they passed. Most importantly, it was doubtful that even a single student–even the ones who looked like they would be remarkably rude–dared to interfere with Lucy as she advanced towards the school headmaster.
A noble and kind person. Besides that, he was good looking as well.
Lucy didn’t know what type of life she was going to have in school, but for the time that had already passed, she would be sure to mark it down in her book this evening. Deciding so, she slowly reached her hand up to her chest and touched the small book resting underneath her cloth shirt.
The writing would go something like, “If there is ever a problem, go to Claudio. He will surely manage somehow.”
――When the two of them talk about this later, a deep wrinkle will appear between Claudio’s brow, and he will tell her, “I had thought about just going back out hunting.” He goes on to tell her that he recognized Lucy as not an ordinary person and was afraid that if he had just left her at the front gate, she would have gone off yelling, “I will find the school headmaster by his smell! But wait, I don’t know what a school headmaster smells like!” And so, Claudio had decided to take her to see the headmaster personally.――
“I beg you pardon, it’s Claudio Barek.”
Claudio knocked on the door with a cool voice that projected well.
This was the room that the most prominent man in the academy called his office. Its door was thick, and it had an emblem engraved on it that was so magnificent it could only be called a masterpiece. Even such a door was somehow able to leak a heavy dignity, and Lucy found herself straightening her back unconsciously.
She was suddenly feeling uneasy. What was she going to do if the school headmaster was actually a terrifying and violent person?
Would he be angry at her for being late? What would she tell him if he asked why? For some reason she thought her explanation wouldn’t be enough to satisfy him.
On the contrary, students who are late are probably thought to be lazy and kicked out of school because they don’t deserve the privelage.
Working herself up, Lucy tried to prepare herself, starting by taking off her shoes to fix the socks that were still bundled up on her feet……..but Claudio immediately stopped her.
“Why are you stopping me? What will I do my sock is still inside out like this and the headmaster hangs me by my feet as punishment for being late?”
“Headmaster, I have brought a student with me who was lost in the forest.”
Claudio brilliantly bypassed Lucy and her concerns to enter the headmaster’s office. Lucy had no choice but to follow after him, but feeling an immense sense of disappointment, she did so with a lowered head.
As expected of the office belonging to the most important person in the academy, the door opened up into a wide room filled with expensive-looking furniture and luxurious goods exhibited around. The history of the academy was notated through several paintings lining the walls, and in the room’s center was a high-quality table and sofa meant for visitors.
Even without sitting on the sofa, you could tell how fluffy it was. If a person were to sit on that, their butts would definitely be filled………Lucy’s eyes began to secretly shine. She did not know exactly how long she had been walking through the wood, but fatigue had been accumulating for a long time, and her butt had started hurting from horseback riding. Sitting down on that sofa would heal her.
Further back from the table and sofa was a desk that seemed to be good quality as well. A mountain of books was placed on one corner of the desk, and you could tell at a glance they were all for work. At the same time there were also a number of small toys and trinkets lying around that showed off the owner’s hobbies. After seeing an old man with grayed hair, Lucy, who had been looking around the room in a bit of a daze saying, “Being headmaster sure is profitableeeeee,” quickly stopped moving and lowered her head again.
“I am Lucy Blanchett. I’m sorry for being late.”
“I don’t mind. What’s important is that you’re safe.”
A plethora of deep wrinkles formed as the headmaster broke out into a smile.
Different from the intimidation brought out by the magnificent size of the room and the extravagant furniture littering the room, isn’t he giving quite the gentlemanly and familiar expression? On the contrary to her expectations, the headmaster actually urged Lucy and Claudio to take a seat on the sofa and stood up to start making them a cup of tea.
He was saying, “It’s more delicious like this,” as he brewed it by hand without the help of magic, but shouldn’t the most important person inside a magical academy have someone to do this for them? The truth was, “It is most delicious when young cute girls brews it for you,” so it wasn’t even a question of magic anymore.
Claudio made a bitter smile as he heard the headmaster’s theories, but Lucy had vigorously sat up from her seat.
“I am here! Whether I am cute or not is uncertain, but I am most definitely a young woman!”
“Lucy, sit down. Headmaster, I will make the tea.”
“Claudio is young, but he is most definitely not a girl nor would I call him particularly cute. So if a young woman is able to make the tea more delicious, I am better.”
“Lucy, sit down and be quiet.”
Claudio tried to stand up while holding back Lucy’s enthusiasm at the same time. However the headmaster enjoyed watching the exchange, and laughed a bit while still moving forward with preparing the tea.
He then informed them that they had the opportunity to drink some rare tea leaves. A certain amount of knowledge about the leaves was necessary in order to brew them into some delicious tea, so Lucy and Claudio were both silenced and sank back down into the sofa.
He narrowed his eyes towards his students who were so obedient and honest it was cute. Then when the tea was just about finished, the headmaster asked them whether cake or cookies would be better, but Lucy and Claudio accidentally ended up answering at the same time,
“No thank you.”
“I prefer cake.”
There is no need to explain which of them said what.
“Should I praise you both for trying to hold back……….wait, which would you prefer?”
“My stomach won’t keep yelling *gurururu* at me.”
Claudio released his deepest sigh of the day towards Lucy’s all-encompassing hunger, but the headmaster was more than happy to oblige and ended up putting out cake and cookies on the table with a smile.
Was the sight of the two types of sweets in conjunction with the tea’s rising steam not too spectacular? Lucy reached out her hand and quickly popped one of the crispy cookies into her mouth.
She was unaware when the last time she ate was, but the subtle sweetness of the cookie and the warm black tea gently ate away at her hunger. Unexpectedly, she had soon eaten a second, and then a third, and then a slice of cake……..she ate and she ate, right until the headmaster coughed a bit after being too dumbfounded to breathe for a moment.
It was about time for a talk. Claudio, who was silently drinking his tea while watch Lucy have her way with the sweets, put his half-full cup of tea back down onto his saucer while Lucy threw one last cookie into her mouth before turning her eyes towards the headmaster.
“Lucy, congratulations on your enrollment her. I think you already know this, but”
“Ah, I don’t know, so please give me a detailed explanation.”
Lucy proceeded to tell her strange story and how she found herself in the woods. It was enough to make the headmaster and Claudio both open their eyes wide in surprise.
It was a tale involving exquisite timings and daring remarks which left the headmaster open mouthed and blinking several times…….”I see,” before saying only that and releasing a large sigh.
“I see, so you don’t know.”
“Yes, so it would be helpful if you would let me know.”
“This is the Liztena Magic Academy, an institution devoted to teaching the mystical arts as its name would suggest. I was advised by an acquaintance of mine you had strong magic power and allowed you to enroll here.”
“Hmm.”
“Rest assured, we teach mostly fundamental magic here, so you won’t be forced to consume a large amount of magic power.”
“That’s good.”
Lucy’s face lit up at the headmaster’s words.
She had been wondering how much she could do at a magic school, but it seems that most of the classes covered basic things and barely involved any magic. She would mostly be spending her time sitting on a chair.
It was good, Lucy optimistically muttered to herself, while Claduio sitting next to her muttered, “Isn’t there less magic power?”
“You are quite the unusual freshman after all.”
“Unusual?”
“A rumor has already spread through the entrance ceremony that a nationless citizen had enrolled this year.”
“I hate that ‘nationless citizen’. It’s an unthinkable ‘chosen person’ ideology.”
“What’s with that disgusted tone?”
Claudio looked towards Lucy seeming very dissatisfied at her sudden eloquence. Meanwhile, Lucy was saying, “I don’t know what you mean,” while sticking her tongue out a bit.
Although distaste was shown for it, the disparity in the world was clear. Those with strong familial ties and abundant magic power were at the top, but even if they lacked sufficient magic power, noble family members were still considered above commoners who were lucky enough to be born with high magic power. The treatment of commoners with little magic power does not even need to be said. Especially in this school where the disparity was the most important, it could even be said that those who try to raise objections against this way of life are the misguided ones.
No wonder she would be exposed by curious eyes if there were only proper citizens on campus. Although Lucy felt a sense of incongruity in being told she did not belong to any country proper, she didn’t mention this because she did not feel like going around correcting each and every single person.
That was why she was working through her disgust now. Claudio stared at Lucy for a moment, but the next moment he had lowered his head and said, “I’m sorry.”
This time it was Lucy whose were wide open in surprise.
“C-Claudio?”
“I have said something rude to you. It is only natural that you would get angry. Please, forgive me.”
“No, something like that……”
“‘People are equal regardless of magic power’ was the ideal that I based my enrollment on, yet I spoke so awfully.”
“You’re a very serious person.”
Claudio eventually relented and raised his head after Lucy’s insistence and started to scratch his cheek feeling a little embarrassed.
He looked towards the headmaster to ask for a little assistance, but he was just watching the two’s exchange with a warm smile on his face. He had thought that the interaction between students was a wonderful thing, but he recognized that that alone would not be enough.
“If it is someone with a reasonable status I believe it would be fine for them to have a little leeway, right headmaster?”
“It depends on what degree. Speaking about His Highness, then it is just as you say Lucy, then I think it is okay for you to give yourself a break.”
“See now, that is what the headmaster says, because you are His Highness, you can……….”
Being stopped by her own words, Lucy performed a magnificent dogeza with perfectly fluid movement.