BEHIND THE SCENES 04-02 – ANOTHER SIDE (SEQUEL) Aira attended the Royal Academy upon Crown Prince Kyle’s suggestion, and 3 months had pa.s.sed since then.
Aira was steadily improving her abilities. Although she didn’t like studying, she didn’t dislike it either, and she diligently attended her cla.s.ses in j.a.pan, so her grades were excellent. That didn’t change, even at the academy, and she learnt various things, such as magic and Slantania’s history.
Although she had transferred to the Academy in the middle of the year, she managed to keep up with the cla.s.ses because she had special supplementary lessons with the teachers, and Kyle and the others taught her as well. She had better results than the other students for subjects like mathematics and natural sciences, which she had studied in j.a.pan, since those subjects had progressed more in her world than that one.
“I have levelled up.”
“Congratulations. Now, try using this magic.”
At the practice grounds after school. Aira was practicing magic with Kyle’s close aide, Mark Yarn. Mark was the eldest son of an earl and he was the one with the most talent with magic in Kyle’s year. He was expected to lead the Court Mage Division in the future.
Before she entered the Academy, it was confirmed the she held the holy attribute magic skill, just like the Saint. Holy attribute magic, a skill that the past 【Saints】certainly had. Kyle, who had heard that Aira possessed that, nodded in satisfaction, of course. Then she started to practice magic after school with Kyle and the others, as instructed by Kyle.
She practiced magic most often with Mark because he was the best with magic. Mark, himself, wasn’t suited to holy attribute magic, but he apart from wind magic he also had an apt.i.tude for thunder magic. He also studied magic outside of his apt.i.tude, so he knew a lot about them.
Aira’s holy attribute skill rose at an incredibly fast pace because she was practicing in cla.s.s and after school. The surrounding people thought it was probably because she could practice while using the luxuriously expensive MP recovery potion lavishly, thanks to the support of Kyle. Magic skills levelled up when one used the skill, therefore, by using potions, one could increase the number of times they use the skill without having to worry about running out of MP.
Actually, Aira was someone who was summoned her from another world, so her basic level and skill levels rose faster compared to the people of that world. Her holy attribute level increased in a similar way and her production skill’s levels also rose quickly, but no one had noticed. This was because she earnestly made mountains of potions to raise her holy level, so much so that it couldn’t be considered normal.
“Let’s finish here for today.”
“Okay.”
Aira nodded at Mark’s words and stopped her hands. She had used up all the MP potions prepared for that day, and they had finished around the same time they usually did. She left the training grounds with Mark and walked down the corridor. Now all they had to do was return to the Royal Palace but Mark frowned at the scene in front of the school entrance that was different from usual.
“It doesn’t seem like the carriage is coming.”
If this were like usual, then a carriage from the Royal Palace would already be waiting for them. However, it was nowhere to be seen today. Under Kyle’s instructions, there was always someone with Aira, for her safety, but only Mark was with her today. Therefore, Mark couldn’t leave to go call for a carriage, so the two just stood there waiting.
They eventually grew tired of waiting and slowly started talking about trifling things. Mark normally only talked to her about things related to holy attribute magic, which she was studying. But, at that time, he also talked about other attribute magic. The conversation was difficult for other people, because they talked about difficult technical things, but Aira somehow understood since she had studied natural sciences back in j.a.pan. It was really interesting. They were able to have a fun time, however, they didn’t noticed that someone was in the shadows watching them laugh and talk.
“Can I have a bit of your time?”
A voice called out to her from behind. This happened when Aira had gotten used to the academy and was heading towards the training grounds as she usually did. She turned around and saw a beautiful girl who gave her a cold impression. It was her first time talking to that girl, but it wasn’t the first time that a female student had said something like that to her.
When Aira first started going to the Academy, Kyle and the others were always by her side, but recently she’d gotten used to attending the school, so sometimes she walked around alone. It felt as if they waited for the right time before calling out to her.
There were several girls who called out to her but they always said the same things. They told her to stop following the Royal family and high ranking aristocrats, like Kyle and the others, they also told her to keep her hands off other people’s fiancés. Aira was stumped at what had been said to her.
Aira didn’t intend to tag along with Kyle and the others, nor did she remember ever laying her hands on them. Kyle certainly touched her a lot, and his close aides favoured her without being instructed to do so. She felt that they were treating her well because they felt responsible for the summoned Aira. Still, the girls told her to stay away from Kyle and the others. It was a cruel thing to say to Aira, who didn’t have anyone else to rely on other than them.
“I am Elizabeth Ashley, Prince Kyle’s fiancée.”
Aira frowned at the words, “fiancée”. Elizabeth will probably say the same things as the other girls, wouldn’t she? Aira remembered hearing that Kyle had a fiancée, and that she was the daughter of a Marquis family.
“I think that other people have told you this before, but it’s not good to be close with men that are engaged.”
As I thought, she’s saying the same things as the other girls. Aira sighed.
“If it’s alright with you, “What are you doing!!!””
Aira heard an angry voice that drowned out what Elizabeth had said. She looked towards the voice and she saw Kyle and his close aides walking towards her with a grim face.
“Elizabeth, what the h.e.l.l do you want with Aira?”
Elizabeth grabbed her skirt and curtsied gracefully, not minding Kyle’s angry tone. Kyle walked in large strides towards Aira, and stood in front of her, as if protecting her from Elizabeth.
“I just talked with her a little.”
“Talked?”
“Yes.”
Elizabeth answered nonchalantly at Kyle, who kept asking her questions sternly.
“I wonder if it was alright for me to help Airsama out, since she’s always studying at the training grounds with His Highness and the others after school.”
Aira was surprised. She didn’t mention anything about that before, but that was probably what she wanted to say before Kyle interrupted her.
“It’s not necessary. I’ll take care of Aira.”
“But Your Highness……
“The 【Saint】was entrusted to me. Was that all you wanted?”
“……”
With a frosty look on her face, Elizabeth gave no reply to Kyle, who had disregarded her. Kyle ended the conversation, put his arms around Aira’s back and tried to leave. At that time, someone else called out to them.
“Ah, you were here.”
Everyone turned towards that voice, and they saw a boy who looked like Kyle, but with vivid red hair, walking towards them. It was the second prince of the Slantania Kingdom, Rain Slantania. He approached Kyle with a gentle aura and smiled gently. The dangerous aura around them settled a little because of that.
“I have been looking for you, older brother.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Professor Herzog is looking for you.”
“The Professor is?”
“It’s about the East Forest expedition next week.”
“I see.”
They were planning to go to the East Forest next week in order to level Aira up. However, Kyle and the others were already stronger than the demons that appeared in the East Forest, so their escort guards and professors suggested that they move to the South Forest, instead.
Kyle, however, refused that proposal because he didn’t want anything to happen to Aira. Thus, Kyle’s mood dropped further when he heard that Herzog was looking for him. Kyle expected that he would probably advise them to move to the South Forest. The serious Kyle got fed up and he headed towards Herzog’s room with Aira and his close aides.
Rain and Elizabeth, who were left behind, looked at each other and smiled bitterly.
“The timing was bad.”
“I know.”
The second prince, Rain, knew Elizabeth since he was a young boy, like Kyle, so they could understand what the other wanted to say, even without using lengthy words. The timing was bad meant that Kyle had interrupted her when she was talking to Aira.
Rain didn’t know much about the situation between Aira and Kyle, but he had heard the rumours from the other students, and wondered if there was a way to improve the situation, so he consulted with Elizabeth. Elizabeth had also been asked by the fiancées of Kyle’s close aides, to do something about their fiancée’s waiting upon Aira.
The result of the discussion was that Elizabeth would help Aira with things at the academy in place of Kyle and the others. Thus, Elizabeth encountered Aira when she was alone and spoke to her, but before she could ask Aira the important question, Kyle had interrupted them and they couldn’t talk anymore.
Kyle was taking care of Aira because she was the 【Saint】, but she wasn’t the only summoned person. There wasn’t any report that stated that the other saint candidate had used any special 【Saint】abilities, but the story of her piling up achievements had reached Rain. Recently, a few rumours were floating about saying that the other person was the 【Saint】. Rain thought that it was a risk for his older brother to overestimate Aira, so he also suggested various things, but his brother was too pig-headed, and only accepted things that involved Aira. Rain and Elizabeth left the school and wondered if they could find a suitable time to talk with Aira.
Aira, who had returned to her room at the Royal Palace, had the maids return and laid on top of her bed. She was more mentally tired than she was physically. She thought back upon the things that had happened during the day as she laid on the bed.
Recently, she’d tried being with Kyle as much as possible to avoid the female students calling out to her, but today, she happened to be alone. Sure enough, Elizabeth had called out to her, but Aira thought that Elizabeth was a little different from the girls that normally ambushed her. Kyle had interrupted them so she couldn’t hear what Elizabeth had to say, but it seemed that she wanted to teach Aira; just like Kyle and the others were doing. It was the first time she’d received such a proposal.
Kyle and the others had always been by her side since she’d come to that world, so there wasn’t any girls that she could call friends. If I listened to what Elizabeth had said and Kyle hadn’t come, could we become friends? Wouldn’t it have been better to accept Elizabeth’s proposal, even if I have to go against Kyle?
Although she worried about it, Aira didn’t choose to change her current situation. She was depressed over the fact that the other girls had said various things to her, but that could be avoided if she was careful. They didn’t call out to her when she was with Kyle and the others. Even if she accepted Elizabeth’s proposal, Aira didn’t know if she would follow through with her words or not. It was scary for here to trust what Elizabeth had said when she remembered the att.i.tudes of the other female students.
That’s why Aira wished to maintain her current situation. Should she reach out to Elizabeth, or shouldn’t she? That was the second breaking point but……
Aira remembered what she’d heard from Herzog during the day. Like Kyle had expected, when they got to Herzog’s office, he advised that it was better for them to go level up in the South Forest. Kyle strongly insisted that they should go to the East Forest because Aira’s level was still lower than Kyle and his aides, but Herzog said that it wouldn’t be a problem if she was accompanied by Kyle and the others.
To be honest, she felt a bit uncomfortable every time Kyle used her low level as an excuse, since she felt as if she was dragging them down. That’s why, to solve that feeling, she thought it would be fine if they levelled up in the South Forest; but she couldn’t say it out loud when she saw how steadyfastly insistent Kyle was on levelling up at the East Forest.
“『Status』”
She recited the only life magic that was taught to her and a translucent window appeared before Aira. She looked at the level that was displayed on it and sighed. From what she’d heard, the appropriate level to go to the South Forest was 12 ~ 20. Aira’s basic level had already reached that.
Aira had noticed that recently, it was harder for her to raise her level. Should I tell Kyle that I wanted to try the South Forest with them? She was a little worried but immediately decided to leave it to Kyle. If it was him, then he wouldn’t do anything bad. She got off the bed with that in mind and erased the window in front of her.