A Step Forward
“Though I would like to have a welcome party for Elisa, we will continue with lessons as normal today.”
While the cla.s.s is still bewildered, with one sentence from Lania, the lesson for today began.
The first lesson for today is a lesson that Lania is in charge of, Foundation Training.
“All of you, please move over to the Battle Drill room quickly.”
Being told by Lania, the students started moving quickly.
“Mars!”
Lania, who called my name, threw something over.
As I verified it after receiving it, it was a sparkling gem that emits a dull light.
In this inst.i.tute, it was called a magic stone, a magic item for lesson use.
“Don’t go losing it”
Lania also left the cla.s.sroom, after just saying that.
Though I think I should also quickly make my move,
“Elisha….no, I guess I should call you Elisa, right?”
Before that, there is something I wanted to ask the girl sitting next to me.
“Whichever Mars find it easier to call. If it’s too confusing, it’s fine to call me Eri.”
“Eri?”
“Yeah. That’s what my family called me――me after all” (TL: Here, me――me is due to her changing her way of refering herself, me(male way)――me(female way))
Since we are close friends, she wants to be called by her pet name.
Is that what it is?
As I have a slight uncomfortable feeling to call Elisha Elisa, I might end up calling wrongly till I get used to it.
In that case, I guess it’s best that I call her by her pet name.
“Then, I guess I shall call you that way.”
“Un. Again, I will be in your care, Mars.”
Eri held her hand out to me
And I griped her hand in return.
“….are you having a nice loving time?”
We heard Raphie’s voice.
Griping to the edge of the desk, she was looking at us, while squatting as if hiding herself.
“Lo, loving time!? W, what are you saying!” (TL: Uhm… Not sure for a while there, I just heard Hanazawa Kana….)
“….Elisha-san. As expected, you are a female.”
As expected?
Did Raphie realized that Eri was a female?
“…. e, it’s Elisa. I――I am Elisa Hiland. Elisha-san quit school yesterday.”
Elisha was treated to have quit school, while Elisa――Eri was admitted.
Though it seems to be that way, I wonder what in the world happen in the frame of yesterday’s night?
Lania seems to have introduced Eri, who admitted as a transfer student, without minding it
“Is that so? You say Elisa, right? No matter what, Raphie would not lose! Raphie would be the one who make Mars-san hers!”
A sullen-looking Raphie.
“I, I do not have that intention….”
To Raphie’s words, Elisha’s face was flushed, and has been glancing at me constantly. (TL: Lol, Mars, stop getting confused on what to call her.)
That face obviously means that she is bewildered.
“The smell would not lie. Elisa-san’s body has a smell of a female.”
“Eh!?”
Eri’s face was painted in red.
What do you mean by the smell of a female?
Though it seems that the rabbitfolk has very sensitive nose, can such things be grasped with that?
“Though I do think that time will only increase the number of rivals…. I can no longer take my time.”
Saying that, Raphie continued.
“Mars-san! Raphie shall go ahead and make a bento at once.”
Leaving such words, she left the cla.s.sroom.
Seems like she doesn’t plan to be present for the first lesson.
“Mars, do I smell weird?”
After Raphie left, Eri tried sniffing her arms, ~kun kun~, and asked me as if she is really worried.
I got closer, and sniff Eri’s smell. (TL: Ahem!)
“Ah……”
The smell of soap.
A smell that is calming and refreshing, as if a flower with a slightly sweet scent.
“It’s fine. It’s just the smell of the soap. As the rabbitfolk’s nose are good, it could be they realize something.”
“Eh…. ah, u, un.”
Hearing my words, Eri cast her eyes down.
I wonder if I said something bad?
“……oh, I think we should better get going.”
“Ah, t, true.”
Though I still have plenty of stuff to ask,
“It’s fine even when we walk over. Let me clarify something”
“….I got it.”
We left the cla.s.sroom, and advanced to the Battle Drill room.
“Is Elisha an alias?”
“Nope. It’s not an alias. Elisha is a name I got from Ojii-sama after he took charge of me.”
Losing both her parents, she seems to have cast her name, Elisa Hiland, aside after her grandfather took charge of her.
It seems that the murder case of both her parents is thought to be an a.s.sa.s.sination case of people related to the Hiland lineage.
The Hiland lineage is a famous Knight lineage in this country.
Rising from a knight, they seem to have become n.o.bles and are entrusted with territory right now.
Unknown of the number of deeds of war raised in previous war, the king evaluate those and bestowed them territories.
Though it’s an honour, not only being a n.o.ble, but a lineage of knights that has an overwhelming amount of deeds of arms, it is likely they are used as a tool for political strife.
It’s possible that Eri might be in danger from people who loathed the rise of the Hiland lineage.
For that, Eri’s grandfather gave her the name Elisha Haynest.
A person who has no blood relationship with one self.
Eri was raised with such a name.
Likely, it is thought that that would be able to protect Eri.
“I also wished to deny my existence bornt as a female, as Elisa. That’s why I decided to call myself Elisha. Plus, when I took the entrance exam here, I did not want to receive favouritism and pa.s.sed because of my family name as well.”
I understand the reason why Eri calls herself Elisha.
But, if Elisha’s ojii-san’s antic.i.p.ation is correct,
“If the a.s.sa.s.sin is aiming for the people in Eri’s family, isn’t it dangerous to call yourself Hiland?”
“If I tell Ojii-sama, he would likely be worried. But, this is the Adventurer Training Inst.i.tute. I believe the chances of them attacking here is low. Also,…. This is just my intuition though…”
There was a gap of hesitation.
“I do not think that he is aiming for the Hiland lineage.”
I guess she meant that she have no proof.
But, Eri seems to be certain about this.
Actually, Eri, who was attacked by him, is saying that.
It might be that there was something that she have a.s.sessed.
“Besides, even if this case has been closed, I do not wish to pretend anymore. Didn’t Mars say it? I――I am a girl.”
Eri showed a slight small to me.
Even though her appearance changed quickly, her first-person reference wouldn’t seem to be fixed soon.
But, I wish to cheer for her att.i.tude to persist on.
“True. Eri is trying hard to accept her weakness, right?”
Then, by any chance, if Eri is to be attacked because of her family.
At that time,
“Un. I think it’s not right to make running away a habit after all.”
“Like you said.”
I will protect Eri
“I will also properly train, and become stronger. So watch me, Mars. My growth, that is.”
“Aa”
We already reached the Battle Drill room.
Actually I still have stuff to ask her.
The details before Eri got herself admitted.
But, I decided to not care about those.
The results are already out.
Right now, the girl is here, not as Elisha Haynest, but Elisa Hiland.
As that is already her making a step forward.
“Now then, we shall start foundation training. For now, go run along the walls. 30 rounds would be fine. Once you are done, push-ups, sit-ups, back stretch, 100 times each.”
The lesson on foundation training started once Lania’s instruction was released.