Volume 3, Chapter 2: I Became a First-Year Student, Part 2
Yurushia was in the Magic Academy… to be more specific, in the luxury suites for elite students at the Magic Academy’s Royal Capital campus, the salons.
To say nothing of normal students, even teachers can’t enter the salons without permission. Only those directly connected to the Royal Family can enter, along with other royals and those from upper-cla.s.s n.o.ble families. Although Betty, who’s from a Marquis’ family, is allowed to use it, Sh.e.l.ly, who is from the house of Earl Oraleine, only just barely made the cut. It’s that kind of up-tight place.
“Yuru-sama, say ‘Ah-n.’”
“A-Ah-n…”
Because I was unable to use the normal cafeteria due to certain circ.u.mstances, I had my food delivered to the salon and have been having my meals there.
A side note, it’s actually completely okay for my four attendants (Demons) and I if we don’t eat, but Sh.e.l.ly and Betty were worried about me and came over to eat with me.
Right now, I’m currently having a meal with Sh.e.l.ly.
If you want to know why… I don’t know. You should tell me.
“Yu-Yuru is amazing. Everyone knows how gentle of a child you are, Yuru.”
Gentle child…? What did you see of me to make you think that?
While Betty was saying that kind of thing and I was [Aah~]ing, the goth looking young lady with black hair and a tidy look grabbed the husk of a lobster-like sh.e.l.lfish and pointed it at my mouth… What should I do?
But, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t having fun. Having lunch with the three of us in identical uniforms was a scenario I had long yearned for in the dream world.
The uniforms aren’t too different, either. It has a big ribbon tie and an indigo blue two-piece with a skirt, my first time wearing one, and short enough that my calves could be seen.
While Sh.e.l.ly was her usual self, Betty was fidgety and couldn’t calm down. If someone asked me why, I’d say that it would be because there was someone watching the three of us with an amused look.
“You all seem to be good friends, yeah?”
Timothy-kun, 17 years old. The first imperial grandchild of the Holy Kingdom Taterudo. Or as he is commonly referred to as: [Prince-sama] .
As ever, there was a giant fluffy aura around him.
Even though he’s such a disappointing prince he’s a pretty boy with rosy cheeks like Elea-sama’s… no, wait, he’s older, so because his appearance could be said to be that of a pretty young man (TL: Bishounen), it’s a feast for the eyes.
“Ti- Timothy-sama, here, would you like to have tea too?”
I know how you feel, but calm down, Betty.
Members of the Royal Family would normally get engaged at the age of 15 and then marry at around 20 years old. And yet, despite Timothy-kun being 17 years old, he doesn’t have an engagement yet, and there haven’t been any rumors going about, either.
Well thanks to that, all the older girls were in a tizzy. He’s filled with fluffiness, though.
While it’s all well and good to desire the Prince-sama, there were all sorts of fairy tales spoken of by the commoner girls that the Prince would fall in love with at first sight and they would eventually become Queen, though, given the minimum standing that a family must have to use this salon, where Betty who is 10 this year is just barely within the range of being a contender, it can’t be helped that she would be considering it.
Even though he’s only filled with fluffiness.
“Mm-hmm. Am I welcome?”
Without a single change to his comfortable tone, Timothy-kun came over to our table.
Other than that rule for using the salon, in the past, there was a n.o.ble who brought scores of maids along with them in the past to attend a tea party. Since then, the salon has been barred to attendants, and it has been arranged that students will brew their own tea. For me, who is naturally clumsy, it has been decided that Sh.e.l.ly will help me brew the tea instead.
“Thank you, it’s delicious.”
“It’s nothing. It’s thanks to Yuru-sama that I have this opportunity.”
Hey, hey, Sh.e.l.ly… Even as a joke, there’s a prince of the country here, stop making such neglectful remarks happily.
By the way, Betty can’t brew her own tea for the same reason as me.
“Ahaha, that’s why we love you, Yurushia.”
I don’t mind Timothy-kun, either. I worried about the future of this country for a moment, perhaps he’s grown up?
“Umm… Timothy-onii-sama, pardon me, come and join in…”
I ran my mouth off without thinking and changed the topic.
After all, that “Kyahaha” and “Ufufu” atmosphere is something that he doesn’t understand.
“Yurushia is like a younger sister to me, but it’s quite strange. When I went to the dining room, it seemed that everyone was less tense?”
“ “…tch” ”
At Timothy-kun’s remark, Sh.e.l.ly and Betty put on delicate smiles and stared at me.
… I seem to be feared.
Given such a thing, no matter which child he keeps company, Timothy’s better be searching for a queen candidate quickly… while I thought of such rude things with a smile, Timothy-kun replied to me.
“Anyways. The people in the castle have been telling stories about Yurushia. Isn’t that strange?”
“Yes, Timothy-nii-sama, it is strange.”
I said that while meeting his fluffy smile with a smile of my own.
I don’t know why, but it seems he was told to come here.
Sh.e.l.ly’s eyebrow jumped up with a *pikun* instantly. From outside the salon, Tina’s anger leaked out slightly, but I didn’t worry as it wasn’t the first time they’d had such eccentric behaviors.
Those people in the castle, even if I said that I would introduce those girls to Timothy-kun because they wanted to, although he would become scared of me, the healing effect from him would still be enough.
With Timothy-kun having such feelings, the fluffy smile ended as we looked at one another.
But the real problem is his younger brother, fourth grade brat Rick.
＊
My four samurai aren’t always around me.
The children who didn’t pa.s.s the magic power test, when I was in cla.s.ses they were to accompany me at all times instead of attending their ordinary schools. What a lack of human rights.
Somehow, for some reason, since they awakened their talent for magic, my parents, who were so proud that I, their daughter, actually worried about them, sent all four of them to magic school with me. Or rather, they forced them to go to magic school.
Although Tina and Fannie were in the same grade, my followers were unable to use Holy Magic, so I was alone for those practical lessons.
“……”
Today I was sitting in the center of the cla.s.sroom on a bench that could clearly seat four more. Perhaps it’s easier to imagine if I say that the cla.s.sroom is shaped like an amphitheater, with stairs leading to the back.
I’m not lonely.
As I sat down in my seat, my cla.s.smates all turned to glance at me one by one after the teacher finished describing the syllabus, all trying to sneak a peep at my face in some way or another.
Well, the Holy Magic cla.s.s isn’t that important to me in the first place.
My Holy Magic is almost unique, I just imagined things from reading books in the dream world, and used outrageous magic power with that image to cast it.
If it was a normal mage in this world who tried to cast my special spells, like my [Layered Barriers] or [Combat Strengthening], it would be absolutely necessary for them to be able to cast multiple spells in one go and maintain the images at the same time.
The Holy Magic teacher began to cry. Just how much hardship has this old man gone through…?
Even if I told him……
You can’t use it if you don’t have a demon’s magical power, please forgive me.
Although we seem to have wandered away from the story rather grandly, there are times when I am alone, but on this day someone came by chance.
“Yurushia.”
*Zawa*…… From the cla.s.sroom, the usual stir occurred again.
“……Roderick-nii-sama”
As I called out the semi-official name for him, the girls of the cla.s.s were all going “Kyaa-kyaa”. ……Why is that?
Rick-chan, the 11-year-old fourth grader, seems to be very popular among the girls who like those [Ore-sama]-type (TL: self-important) guys.
“………Pff”
“……What, are you laughing at me?”
Did you hear that? Did you hear it? But, because I am [Gentle], I didn’t join in his pace, breaking everyone’s dream states.
“Don’t worry about it, is something the matter?”
“………”
I mixed in a little of my [Tsun] mode and inclined my neck. Rick flinched a little, then uttered a small sigh.
“You… Are you safe?”
“…?”
… Is there something wrong with your head? That’s something impolite you’re saying there, you brat.
“For nii-sama to worry about me this much, how foolish.”
When I turned away from him with my real [Tsun] mode on, Rick forcibly grabbed my arm and turned be back around without flinching away.
“…… I did not say such a thing.”
He said, as he stared into my eyes scarily.
“…Also, to grip my arm so suddenly…”
“That’s because…… Yurushia is such an idiot!”
What the heck.
He’s not making any sense. As he’s gotten older, he’s gotten pushier. Although we are basically [Prince] and [Princess], do you not know what situation you’re in right now?
Actually right now, all over the cla.s.s, I can feel everyone’s gazes… And now I’m another step away from getting along with the rest of the cla.s.s.
“…Come with me.”
“…Ah.”
Did Rick also feel the weight of their stares? I was forcibly pulled out of the cla.s.s by his arm.
Really, this child is way too aggressive. Although I agreed with him on wanting to leave that place immediately, he should apologize for using so much strength. Since Rick has gotten a lot bigger over these few years, the height difference is really big when he stands up, it’s a little bit scary.
From the cla.s.sroom I can hear various voices going “Kyaa-kyaa” and “Ooh”, it feels like I’ll lose if I pay them any attention… I’ve really gotten used to this recently.
“Rick…… my hand hurts”
“… Ye… Yeah.”
We exited out to the corridor, and when I changed my way of speaking once we were out of the public eye, at least Rick let go of my hand. The part that he gripped is a little hot… Because the [Human] part of me has a weak const.i.tution owing to being pampered, I have no pain tolerance, and tears accidentally came into my eyes.
“……As I thought, was it too hard?”
“…Eh?”
Rick muttered with a serious expression at my teary face.
What did you say, you child?
“You… Ever since you enrolled in school, you’ve been alone a lot…”
“Aah”
By any chance, are you talking about me being feared after the recent matter that happened in the dining room?
“… Rick, were you worried about me because of that?”
“Obviously.”
… I was scolded.
Well, I was being scolded for worrying someone with what I’ve done, I’m seriously weak to people who are actually angry… But when threatened with malice, my mind goes the other way.
“I’m… I’m fine.”
I turned away and muttered softly, it’s unpleasant being glared at.
To tell the truth, I’m not actually all that worried, but when thinking about a child that’s not even eight years old, it’s hard not to get worried when they’re being avoided by everyone around them.
While I was thinking such things with my head turned away, my shoulder was gently gripped this time. Hey… is your default action to grip me?
“I will come to see you again. …got it?” (TL: He uses Ore-sama here, which is a very pompous term to address himself.)
“……”
… Come again? What? …Eh? What do you mean by that?
Does the statement that you made before that you “worry for me like a younger sister” still hold?
I was stunned as Rick suddenly lightly wiped my teary eyes with his fingers before returning me to my cla.s.s.
Rick is seriously very overbearing. Well, being [Overbearing] and [Selfish] , is something that I’m well accustomed to thanks to [Him]……
Wait, did someone instruct both Rick and Timothy-kun to do this?
But Rick… You narrowly escaped death just now.
That whole time, whenever Rick touched me, I would feel an intense bloodl.u.s.t leak out from Tina who was on stand-by, it scared even me.
“………Fuuu”
I felt depressed when I thought of how I’d need to go back to retrieve my textbook from the practical cla.s.s. It’s a giant pain.
Still, Rick has been really weird recently. Although he’s been a weird fellow from the start, despite my cold att.i.tude towards him, he seems to be strangely overprotective and concerned.
It’s almost like he’s a boy in love messing with his crush……
……Eh? What…?
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Author’s Note: What’s this~?