Book 15 Chapter 23
Burning youth,
Not doing the studies one is supposed to do (1)
If you come out of the Red Mountains, the continent's spine, to the southeast, the horizon cuts across the sky as straight as a blade. Hence its name, Blade Peninsula.
The Blade Peninsula was divided into north and south by the Papal Territory (法皇領) where the Papal See is located, and the residents of the two regions had completely different characteristics and personalities.
The south was the Kingdom of Dunois, founded by rough sea men, and each soldier was famous for being both a sailor and a genius in combat.
On the other hand, the north was… a land of art, far removed from war.
In its distinct four seasons, where the nature of mountains and seas (山海) stands out, it is no exaggeration to say it is a cradle for artists.
The north was composed of city-states forming a confederation, with the six largest city-states serving as board members of this confederation, and <Vedinaim>, known as an academic city, had the highest influence among these board members and attracted many foreign students.
“It has been detected that spies from the Black Church have infiltrated this <Vedinaim>. They are distributing [King's Flesh] to students like a drug.”
The man accompanying Rista, an inquisitor from the Children of Gold, said.
“Several elite inquisitors who infiltrated this place have lost contact. Therefore, our organization has adjusted the risk level of this city infiltration mission to High (上).”
Rista's eyes showed a complex mix of thoughts.
“Even so, to be spreading flesh right in front of the Papal See, the Black Church has become incredibly audacious.”
“There's nothing we can do, as His Holiness the Radiant Dragon and most of the legions are deployed on the Adrion Continent front. Only the minimum necessary defense forces of the Papal See remain, spearheaded by the Dragonkind, Lord Yoshal of the Five Pillars (五柱).”
“So? What exactly do you want from us?”
As Fride asked, a pipe in her mouth, the inquisitor pulled three ID cards from his pocket.
“We would like the three of you to infiltrate the academic city.”
“!”
“Having already received Rista's offer of cooperation, we have brought the forged ID cards we were planning to use. Rista and Rin will be foreign students from the Empire, and Fride will be a teacher dispatched from the Republic─”
Before he could even finish his sentence, a pipe slammed down on the inquisitor's crown!
“─Hey, you bastard! I'm twenty-four right now! This is the age when youth is just freshly blooming!”
Then Rin tilted his head.
“You.”
“What.”
“Youth refers to the teenage years. The dictionary definition: ages 10 to 19. Where's your conscience?”
Then Rista, with a very tense face, adjusted her clothes and hair to make herself look as young as possible, then said.
“Still, Rin, I'm twenty-one, so honestly, it's a close shave but I'm safe, right? Right? Just say yes.”
Regardless of what those two rascals babbled, Fride had already grabbed the inquisitor by the collar and was shaking him back and forth.
“Why am I a teacher and they are students? Our appearances aren't that different.”
“Aren't they quite different?”
“Shut up! Do you realize this is gender discrimination and racial discrimination? Should I make it public that the Papal See engages in all sorts of discrimination? Just you wait. I want to be a student too! Let me be a student!”
Pipi furiously pecked at the head of the being who angered its master, delivering a definite follow-up attack! Combo Excellent!
“Ugh, ughh… Ah, I understand, I'll rearrange it right away, P-please spare me, ughhh…”
And so, the hero party ended up infiltrating the academic city as foreign students!
“Rin's alias is Jess!”
Transferred to a class exclusively for top students! A class dealing with the cutting edge of various academic fields! For the purpose of extracting information from high-ranking individuals!
“Rista's alias is PM!”
Transferred to that class as a performing arts and athletics specialist! Her goal is to access [King's Flesh] through performing arts and athletics students who are most likely to be addicted to drugs!
“Fride's alias is Hiji!”
A delinquent from the land of freedom, the Republic! Her mission is to extract [King's Flesh] from those who have given up on life and from lower-class individuals!
“Kuh~ Seeing the school uniform already gets me fired up, doesn't it? Yes, if you're a student, you should definitely wear a uniform.”
Fride, who was trying on the school uniform brought by the inquisitor in front of a mirror, took off her outer jacket, slung it rebelliously over her shoulder, and nodded.
“With this, all the delinquents will be completely captivated, won't they?”
“Captivated, captivated, captivated, everyone dies.”
“Speaking of delinquents, there must be many handsome guys who've given up on studying, right? Kh~ Good, good.”
On the other hand, Rista, who shyly tried on the school uniform, had a very neat appearance, like a model student. Only after Fride gave her various style tips did she look somewhat like a performing arts and athletics student.
“Hmm, if it's like this, will it be al…right?”
“Guys pay attention to this kind of thing. Hey, Rin! How do Rista and I look?”
“You're asking R-Rin?”
During the entire time these explanations and conversations were going on, Rin's [Reading a Grimoire to a Cow's Ear] mode, which involved him burying his head in a grimoire, was automatically activated.
“Hmm, it might not be bad.”
A momentary smile blossomed on Rista's lips at Rin's favorable comment, but the evaluation was not yet over.
“But is that all…?”
Fride and Rista flinched in surprise at Rin's provocation.
Yes, the two had tried on their clothes in too playful an atmosphere.
This mission is very important. They would have to perfectly act out their roles, from their attire to their actions.
“That kid, he's scary when he hits the nail on the head like this sometimes.”
“Yeah, a party needs someone as careful as that.”
“Then let's purify ourselves with a bath for the big occasion. Hey, Rin! You said you're good at sewing. Attach our name tags neatly to our uniforms. This is the moment the Priestess of the Fire Dragon makes her high school debut; if you make it crooked, I won't let it slide.”
This statement was not wrong, as Rin had also sewn for his younger siblings at the Osarius Magic Tower, in addition to cooking.
Therefore, it was possible for the [Reading a Grimoire to a Cow's Ear] mode to be activated even during sewing.
After the two left, Rin, left alone, was sewing name tags onto the school uniform with his gaze fixed on the grimoire… then suddenly looked up with a start.
‘PM?’
Oh… that inquisitor, did he acknowledge me as a Powerful Magician?
‘To prepare such a name for me.’
He was both happy and relieved.
If it hadn't been for this name, while sewing and looking at the book, I might have accidentally sewn Rista's and my name tags incorrectly.
If that had happened, how much would Pipi and Fride have ridiculed him?
“Kyu, kyugyut, kyukyukyukyugyut!”
As he began to attach the name [PM] to the chest of the male school uniform, Sval frantically flapped its body in front of Rin.
“Ah! What, you punk. Get lost. You almost made me prick my finger with the needle.”
But suppressed with a single flick to the forehead!
“Kyuuuuung~!”
This was the reason why Rista's uniform received the name tag of [Jess], the top foreign student, and Rin's uniform received the name tag of [PM], the performing arts and athletics specialist. It was the prelude to great chaos.