Chapter 17
How did it end up like this…
“This is a new café that just opened in the Empire! Isn’t the atmosphere nice?”
“Uh… um.”
I ended up following along, overwhelmed by the mood. What’s with this girl’s energy? It’s exhausting to deal with…
Even while walking, she chattered like a sparrow, completely stealing my focus.
Is this what you call a fox-like conversation style?
“I can’t believe I ran into you, Stella! I’m so happy! Are you here for the entrance exam?”
“Uh, not exactly…”
“That can’t be! I was sure you’d come…”
The fox-like girl expressed disappointment but continued speaking.
“Wow, I can’t believe I bumped into you here, Stella! I’m so glad I came to the Empire! Oh, I’m Shia.”
“… I’m Stella. How do you know me?”
“Of course! In this Empire or on this continent, there’s no one who doesn’t know you! The youngest Tier 6 Mage, the rookie who single-handedly wiped out a legion from the Demon World!”
“Ah, yeah…”
Come to think of it, that did happen. I once snuck into the Demon World to test the strength of those called evil in this world. I got a huge scolding from my Master afterward, though…
“More than that, I was really touched by the story that you directly helped the wounded refugees from the war! Even without being a Priest, that selfless act is truly deserving of the title ‘Holy Maiden of the Magic Tower!'”
“…I didn’t really do anything that great…”
Is that how they refer to me outside? I never cared much, so I didn’t know… The Holy Maiden of the Magic Tower… how embarrassing!
“Hehe… your blushing face is so cute. I just want to eat you up…”
“…? What did you just say?”
“Oh! Nothing at all. But look, our dessert we ordered just arrived! Why don’t you try some?”
“No, I really should be going now…”
“Come on, just take a bite!”
Ugh, what is this? I really need to eat quickly and leave.
With that thought, I took a spoonful of the parfait in the bowl.
“…!!”
The fox-like girl grinned and asked,
“How is it? Isn’t it delicious?”
What the heck!? This is way too sweet! How am I supposed to eat this? If I keep eating this… my nutrition balance will definitely be off, and yet…
“Mmm…”
“…Yeah.”
What is this? I can’t stop my hands…
Yum…
Now that I think about it, how long has it been since I had something this sweet?
Yum…
Since I came to the Magic Tower, I haven’t had any…
Yum…
I can’t stop! My body, my taste buds, my tongue are screaming with joy..!
“Mmm…”
“…Heh.”
“Hehe, I’m glad you seem to like it.”
…! My mouth curved involuntarily. I let my guard down in front of this fox.
“Hmph, it’s not like I think it’s that great… ah.”
As I kept eating, the parfait quickly disappeared. Staring at the empty bowl in disappointment, the Shaman smiled at me.
“It’s okay to order more, you know?”
…Nod.
*
“Just as I thought… they vanished.”
I rushed out and went back to that alley, but those guys were already gone.
“I really thought I could root them out this time.”
Well, it can’t be helped. Missing this entrance exam is a letdown, but I still feel disappointed.
“Then… I should take my leave soon. If I follow the map that guy gave me, it should be over here…”
Emerging from the alley, I arrived at the pawn shop located in the outskirts of Melian.
“Excuse me~”
“Please leave and stop bothering us~”
“Don’t be so cold! I told you I’d drop by when I came to Leonard Empire.”
Then a voice slick with annoyance came from inside.
Soon a scruffy-looking man with orange hair came out. His name is Leonard, the info broker I relied on during my adventuring days.
“Who told you to drop by? What are you here for this time, you thief?”
“Why am I a thief? I paid the price and returned what I borrowed!”
“The price? Don’t make me laugh, you thieving scoundrel who steals others’ techniques!”
Suddenly being treated like a thief hurts my feelings. All I did was watch you make artifacts and then used my copying ability to sell a few things!
“So, do you have any good items that came in this time?”
“Are you buying something? If you’re just going to borrow and try to make the same thing again, get lost.”
“I won’t! I already told you, I can replicate things just by looking!”
“If that’s the case… we just got some new artifacts in.”
“Oh… can I see them? A one-time shield artifact… and a one-time teleportation artifact? Don’t you have any other attack-type artifacts?”
“If you want weapons, you should go to a weapon shop. Why come to a pawn shop?”
Just as I’d expect from an info broker—full of items that barely defend you.
“Well, I don’t need anything right now. Do you have any information?”
At that, Leonard scratched his head and said, “I don’t have any info on Akandis.”
“…What do you have, then?”
“Do you know how secretive they are? Finding information is like picking stars from the sky!”
“I shouldn’t have come.”
As I turned to leave, Leonard grabbed my arm.
“W-wait! I actually have some juicy intel that just came in!”
“Juicy intel? Like what?”
“Can you lend me some money first? I’m strapped for cash these days.”
“Here you go.”
I tossed him a gold coin. Leonard accepted it and licked his lips with a serious expression.
“The Holy Kingdom was attacked by the Demon Race.”
“The Holy Kingdom? By the Demon Race?”
“Yeah, it’s fresh intel that came in yesterday. Surprising, right?”
No way! The first appearance of the Demon Race is supposed to be during the Academy entrance ceremony! They shouldn’t have shown up yet!
“So what happened?”
“What do you mean what happened? They got devastated, and the Holy Knights were seriously injured!”
One of the top ten powers of the continent gets heavily injured? So at least an Executioner-level demon must have appeared. What would happen to the Saint? She shouldn’t be in the Academy yet, right?
“That’s some shocking info, but wait…”
“Why?”
“If it’s that big of a deal, it will spread quickly throughout the Empire, right?”
“Right?”
“What do you mean ‘right’? Give me my money back, you bastard!”
*
“And that’s how I ended up entering this Academy.”
“Mmm… heh, so…”
A girl worried about her country coming to a foreign land doesn’t seem that bad of a person after all. Even buying me dessert…
“By the way… you really eat well…”
The Shaman glanced back and forth nervously between me and the bowls overflowing on the table.
“…! Sorry, I’ll pay for my share!”
The Shaman waved her hand dismissively.
“No, it’s fine. I have more than enough money.”
“But this is a bit too much…”
“I said I wanted to treat you, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
“…Shia…”
You… you’re a nice person!
Nom nom…
“I’m a bit disappointed, though. I thought I’d be able to meet you when I entered the Academy this time.”
“Why?”
“Well, this time they’re gathering the best talents from across the country to form a Hero Party.”
I thought for sure you’d come, Stella.”
“Not really… I’m not interested in that. It just seems dangerous for no reason.”
I don’t need any companions in this life; I’ll take care of everything myself, whether it’s killing the Demon King or whatever.
“Hmm… that’s a lie.”
“…What?”
“Your eyes, Stella, aren’t the eyes of a coward! There’s a strong will to accomplish something in you. And you seem to be carrying a fateful burden.”
‘… Her eye color just changed.’
Those eyes seem to pierce right through my soul. Does she have a similar ability to mine?
“Even if what you say is true, I’m not interested in the Academy… this parfait was delicious. I’ll definitely repay this debt sometime…!!”
“? What’s wrong with you? Is something up?”
“J-just… give me a second! I have to use the restroom!”
Clang clang clang!
“What’s going on all of a sudden…”
Ding!
“Oh? Nova!”
“Hey, Shia?”
*
…Whoa! I got startled! Feeling a familiar energy, I turned toward the door, and why is Nova coming out of here all of a sudden? But why am I hiding?
“I didn’t think I’d run into you here again. It’s really nice to see you! Have you decided on a place to stay?”
“Oh, I just settled down and was wandering around here and there, but what’s with all these bowls?”
…Of all times.
“Ahaha… my friend loves sweets…”
“That’s a crazy amount. It looks like it’s more than ten bowls!”
Ugh… I want to die from embarrassment; I can’t show my face…
“Well, it’s great timing, actually! I’d like to introduce you to someone. You might know them.”
“I know someone?”
Ugh, no! Don’t say a word!
“They just went to the restroom for a bit. Would you mind waiting a little?”
“Well, sure. I’ll clean this up for now.”
“Wait! I can’t let you do that!”
“It’s fine; I can handle this level.”
Before Shia could stop him, Nova stacked bowls in one place.
“…Thank you.”
As I saw Nova heading towards the counter, I quickly returned to the table and said to the fox-like girl:
“I suddenly have an urgent matter to attend to, so I’ll be going now! Thanks for everything today!”
“Wait a moment!”
Bam!
Just as I was about to leave, the fox held onto my hand, keeping me from leaving.
“Do you know that person?”
“!!… No! I don’t! I… I don’t know him and have no interest at all!”
At my words, the fox seemed to ponder for a moment, then continued speaking.
“… Hmm, really? Actually, that person is also an accepted candidate for this Academy, you know? Isn’t he quite handsome? I bet he’ll attract a lot of girls with that face.”
“…So what does that have to do with me?”
At that moment, Shia leaned in and whispered in my ear.
“Actually, I’m interested in that person too…”
…Huh? What are you saying, you fox-like girl?
“Hehe, then I’ll see you ‘next time’?”
“Shia, who are you talking to… oh, no one’s here.”
“Hehe, it’s nothing. By the way, my companion suddenly said he has an urgent matter and left, so I think I’ll have to introduce you later.”
“…Really? In that case, it can’t be helped. I was a little curious about who it was.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, among the people I know, there’s a friend who also loves to eat, and those bowls reminded me of him.”
“…I knew it.”
“…? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing! If you haven’t had dinner, why don’t we have a meal together?”
“Sure, sounds good!”
*
In this quiet place with not a single person around, a guard stood at the Academy’s entrance, where the entrance exam was being held.
“It’s almost the end of the entrance exam, huh? Finally, this annoying job is coming to an end.”
Unlike the central plaza, where many Academy candidates gathered, this entrance exam site was deserted.
This place was reserved for famous individuals of the Empire to take their exams. It had long become quiet after already getting through the entrance exam.
The bored-looking guard might have been annoyed, but he was diligently taking care of his duties.
While he could handle the annoyance of his work, it was unbearably troublesome if someone he allowed in caused a ruckus and he had to answer for it.
“Hm?”
As he noticed a figure approaching from afar, he felt a chilling aura emanating from the girl who was walking toward him.
“Stop right there!”
Before he knew it, the girl had already closed the distance to a point where they could touch shoulders.
“W-what purpose do you have in coming here?”
The guard’s voice trembled as the chilling atmosphere wrapped around him.
“I came to take the entrance exam…”
“To enter, you need to show proof of identification.”
“…”
When the girl stood silently, the guard continued, obviously in trouble.
“This area is reserved for some noble candidates from the Empire and other countries. If you want to take the exam, you need to go to the central plaza…”
Before the guard could finish his sentence, another guard rushed in from the Academy side.
“What a fool!”
BAM!
“Ahh, C-Captain! What’s going on?”
“Don’t you know who she is? Did you seriously not recognize her when you saw her?”
“Y-yes?”
The guard who got hit on the head looked confusedly at the girl again. Judging by her looks, she seemed to be a noble or something more.
However, he knew there was no one with purple hair among the nobles taking the exam today.
“I’m so sorry, Lady Stella! This idiot didn’t notice you entered and made a mistake!”
‘Stella? If it’s Stella, then she must be the direct disciple of that Archmage Rockpelikan!’
“Gah! I’m so sorry! I didn’t recognize the shining star of the Magic Tower!”
“…Let’s just skip that and let me take my exam quickly, alright?”
“Ah… Yes, of course!”
*
“I didn’t expect to see the shining star of the Magic Tower here. It’s quite surprising.”
“Don’t say that. Even when I received persistent offers to enroll early, I flat out ignored them. I’m surprised at what brought me here.”
The first exam is to measure strength. You can break the scarecrow by any means necessary…
CRAAAASH!
“Cough cough! What was that?”
Before the examiner could finish, a tremendous roar filled the area, and it was engulfed in smoke.
As the clouds cleared, what appeared was a girl standing expressionless, with the scarecrow in front of her reduced to powder.
“…So, what’s the next exam?”
Faced with the shocking spectacle, all the staff were left speechless.
Someone nudged the staff beside him and asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be the second examiner by now?”
“Y-yeah, that’s right…”
The staff member who heard that shrugged and raised a thumbs-up.
“Good luck!”
“…Damn.”
