Book 2 Chapter 20

Episode 44

It was still early for class to begin.

The classroom wasn't even half-filled yet, but a girl with dark brown hair and sharp features was studying with a serious expression.

As could be inferred from the fortress-shaped hairpin, a symbol of the Warden family, her name was Christa Warden.

How long did the early morning silence last? Suddenly, the classroom door opened, and Rain Ludwig, the top-scoring student in the midterms, appeared.

"Oh, Christa. What are you doing since morning?"

"Could you not talk to me? Since when were we friends? Aren't you and I enemies?"

As she haughtily spoke to her rival, who had appeared with a yawn, without even glancing at him, and was about to refocus on her studies, she felt a warm presence. Turning her head, she saw something bizarre.

"Eh…?"

Feathers brightly soaked in sunlight… a crest unfurling like a sunflower. Christa doubted her eyes.

"A Sun Parrot?!"

"Oh, you recognized it right away."

The Sun Parrot was a creature that, ever since its appearance as Friede's companion bird in Archmage Lynn's story, had become, in vulgar terms, a 'must-have item' for female mages.

Christa had also considered using her family's wealth to acquire a Sun Parrot, but had given up because there were no available specimens anywhere on the continent.

But suddenly he appeared with a Sun Parrot as a companion bird? Where in the world could such an unbelievably enviable story exist?

'I want to touch it…'

I want to see if it can really imitate human speech. I want to hug it tightly once. But, ugh, but…

"Could you not talk to me?! Since when were we friends?! Aren't you and I enemies?!"

"Why is your line the same as before? Although it's a bit more intense now."

"Sh-shut up! Anyway, I told you not to talk to me!"

Just when she thought she had barely shaken off the devil's temptation with an iron will, the real trial began the moment everyone's attention was drawn.

"Wow, it's so cute!"

"Wow, it's dancing too?!"

"It really talks so well!"

This was because a Sun Parrot's show of tricks began due to the students flocking around Rain.

I want to see it too.

I really want to see it… but if I turn my head here, it feels like I'll definitely lose… I can't, I can't endure it…

'No, Christa! You mustn't give up! This is the crossroads of victory and defeat, you mustn't fall for Rain's scheme!'

Hoo, hoo, hoohahahahaha.

I won.

I asserted my will without turning my head. I overcame a hint of desire! It was at that moment, just as she was about to cheer in triumph.

"…?!"

Something carrying the warmth of the morning sun landed on her shoulder. What was this warmth, like a mother's touch…?

"Oh, it looks like Peach likes you."

Peach?

What's Peach again…?

She quickly glanced back, and her heart almost stopped for a moment. Wasn't the Sun Parrot tilting its head right in front of her eyes?!

"It likes it when you gently stroke it from its forehead to its crest. Because it's a part it can't touch itself."

Don't be ridiculous.

Do you think I, Christa Warden, would fall for such a lure…?

But contrary to her thoughts, her body was honest. She had already, as if possessed, reached out and was carefully stroking its head.

'What is this feeling…?'

This comfort, like stroking a blanket perfectly dried in the sun… it made her body tremble dazedly.

"Ah, but what should we do about this? If you become my enemy, you'll have to be Peach's enemy too, won't you?"

Startled, she opened her eyes, which she had closed as if savoring the moment, to see her hateful rival grinning. Christa's face flushed a furious red, as if about to explode.

"Th-th-this isn't right! Don't you know the saying about shrimp fighting on a whale's back, you jerk?!"

"?"

She probably meant to say, 'When whales fight, the shrimp's back breaks,' right? She's completely lost her mind to Pipi's charm. Shall I stop teasing her now?

"You have an owl, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Then do you know where to buy a cage or equipment like that?"

"Hmph, what do you take me, Christa Warden, for? I have routes to buy such things from the best stores."

Christa answered Rain with an arrogant expression, but then she stroked Pipi's head and her face transformed into that of a melting fool.

"Wow, really? Then this weekend, take Peach out and buy some equipment for her."

He had no intention of taking Pipi to the black market. It would be a place where all sorts of people with strange collecting desires from across the country gathered, so there was no need to unnecessarily make enemies.

"What? Me? Why?!"

"I'm too busy with the student council. And I should ask someone who knows about it well. Well, if you don't want to be with Peach, then never mind. I'll just ask someone else."

As soon as he made a move to take Pipi, Christa immediately pulled her shoulder back and defensively raised both hands.

"?"

"Wait! Who said they didn't like it? I was just asking why I should do it, that's all?"

"So you'll do it?"

"Remember this, Rain Ludwig. This isn't for you. It's just that if a child of a magic noble family uses cheap equipment, our family's prestige would also be damaged."

"Alright! I'll trust you!"

Gertrude Fenton, who was sitting in front, covered her face with both hands and sighed so heavily it seemed the ground would collapse.

'Why is she so easy…?'

If she's that easy, no matter how much she tries to act cool, it won't look good…

* * *

As a gigantic creature landed in the front yard of Duke Ludwig's estate, Bellwin, dust scattered radially, sweeping through the tulip garden.

It was a griffon, a fantastical beast with the fierce body of a lion and the wings of an eagle.

A man dressed in cold-weather gear, seated in a saddle on the griffon's back, slid down to the ground.

Swan, the guardian knight guarding the main gate of the estate, approached the rider who was massaging his thighs, stiff and cold from the long flight.

"This is the lord's castle of Duke Ludwig, a powerful family of Richland. For what purpose have you come?"

The griffon rider pointed to the bag at his waist as if that were his answer. It was full of wax-sealed letters.

Griffons were used as air force power during wartime, but in peacetime like this, they were often used for postal delivery.

Of course, their price was extremely high, so only those of high status could use them… The rider took a letter from his bag and handed it to Swan.

"It's directly from <Delighten>."

"From the Magic Academy?"

"The client was so insistent that our Wiru flew non-stop until it was exhausted. So, could we get some food? We'll pay for it."

Food… I should ask the Lord's will about this. As he thought that and was about to turn, a voice was heard.

"Everyone who enters our territory is our guest. There's no need to pay. Of course, they must be treated."

Swan immediately knelt, and the guards holding spears followed suit, showing their respect.

Black robes deeply absorbing the sunlight, matching black hair, and beautiful red eyes shining beneath them, all in an elegant posture.

It was the current Lord, Caveon Ludwig. Behind him, young Lady Serri Ludwig and four-year-old Bran Ludwig toddled out.

"Bran, that's a griffon!"

"W-woah!"

"What if a Ludwig man is scared of that! Try to be a little more like big brother Rain!"

As his daughter and son cautiously approached the griffon, Caveon smiled gently.

"Can the children touch it?"

"Of course. Wiru is very gentle."

While the rider answered, Swan lowered his posture and presented the letter to Caveon. Caveon raised his eyebrows in delight when he saw the sender's name on the letter.

"It's from Elin. Is it good news?"

The rider shrugged in response.

"I don't know if it's good or bad, but I can tell you it's news that the Demon Realm is in an uproar."

* * *

The student council secretary position was only a secretary in name; no matter how you looked at it, the title of 'errand runner' seemed more fitting.

Paper, paper, paper.

Because he had to constantly work his hands and eyes, buried in an endless mountain of papers.

- Proposals coming from students. Just pick out the good ones and put them on the agenda.

Trewis, the senior errand runner, gave advice. He was a second-year student with a smaller stature than Serri, gray hair, and inorganic eyes.

At first, he was so emotionless in everything that one might have mistaken him for a doll.

- Are there always this many proposals?

- No. They piled up during the exam period. And they also come in a rush before holidays.

- So you urgently brought a junior to clear up the backlog?

- Yes, that's right. It happened to me too. It's tradition.

- …

- Just hold on until the next top student becomes an executive.

He was a really difficult person to deal with.

With a quiet sigh, Rain looked up at the clear spring sky.

"Ugh… this is really annoying."

He was currently out on the campus of <Delighten>. It was the season when the pink of cherry blossoms stood out amidst the fresh green foliage.

Leaning back deeply, his neck stretched far back, he was just staring at the sky when a head suddenly popped into his vision.

"What are you doing here, sir?"

Logan.

By now, his name was completely familiar. He held a volleyball in his hand, seemingly on his way to play magic volleyball.

"I came out for a bit to clear my head."

"Isn't it student council time?"

"It's just grunt work anyway, so it's no problem if I'm absent. And you?"

"I'm going to club activities right now, sir."

Hmm, magic volleyball was said to be a royal club… it seemed Logan, a late-stage cadet of the Eight Great Schools, was naturally a member.

Christa also went to the magic volleyball club with Gertrude right after school earlier.

"Is that fun?"

Then Logan chuckled, as if to ask why he was asking such a strange question.

"Is there anything among activities that make you move your body and sweat that isn't fun?"

"It was my mistake to ask you."

He smiled emptily, then heard the flapping of wings, and soon a warm object landed on his forehead. A smile of welcome appeared on his face.

"Pipi, did you sleep well?"

"Slept, slept, slept."

Pipi turned its head around and proudly displayed its feathers, brilliantly reflecting the sunlight. Then Logan narrowed his eyes.

"Pipi?"

Ah, he shouldn't call it that name. Logan was squinting his eyes suspiciously, scrutinizing Pipi from top to bottom.

Just as he was about to explain that it was Peach, not Pipi, Logan whistled and his eyes gleamed.

"That body, which looks like it has less than 1% body fat… though it's a beast, what an embodiment of training?!"

Then he solemnly extended his hand as if to shake. Pipi extended one wing and accepted the handshake. Rain blinked in bewilderment.

'Mages of Chaihark are…'

They're simple enough to communicate with beasts. He doesn't even seem to know it's a Sun Parrot. Is this friendship blooming through muscles?

"Then, I must be going as it's time. Sir, please keep up the good work."

"Oh, have fun."

He waved to Logan as he walked away, then wearily picked up the stack of files next to the bench.

It was absurd, but he had to review all of this today. These were proposals submitted by students to the student council… there were many, but most were meaningless.

[Campus couples are increasing too much these days, making me feel self-conscious. Please ask the student council to stop them.]

What law would stop them?

Tell me too. A law to prevent single people's self-consciousness?

[Please tell me what type of girl the student council president likes.]

Hey, you.

Ask that directly.

[What about the type of guy the student council president likes?]

Who is this guy?

Still, there were occasionally some normal ones. Though he didn't know why they were submitted to the student council.

[Campus cleaning looks too difficult.]

For things like this, should we run a campaign to throw trash in designated areas? But I don't know why they care about this.

<Delighten> does not assign cleaning duties to its students. This is because there are noble individuals among them, and the intention is not to waste time on simple labor like cleaning when they should be focusing on their studies.

Most of the work would be handled by butlers and maids hired by the Page family… At that moment, a piece of paper slipped from his grasp due to an external force.

"You're looking at a good proposal."

Startled, he turned to see Student Council President Valencidis examining the document with his characteristic cynicism.

His magical power was still chilling.

Pipi, perhaps sensing the magic, cautiously moved from Rain's head to his shoulder and cowered.

"Did you come to check if I'm slacking off?"

"No."

"But what makes that a good proposal? It's not a suggestion for students to solve, and the employees will handle it well on their own, won't they?"

"Exactly. I'm here to correct that outdated aristocratic way of thinking of yours."

"?"

"Since it's something the employees will do anyway, student help isn't needed… Then why does magic exist at all?"

He faltered for a moment.

Whenever he talked to this guy, he felt like he was becoming some great villain. He was an orphan and had never been caught up in aristocratic thinking.

"So, assign one student each time to help with cleaning using magic? That's too unrealistic."

"True. But we can at least think about it. Magic that ordinary people who don't know magic could easily use for cleaning."

That was…

Something Rista had said to him.

"Of course, it's impossible with modern magic. Mathematics and runes are incredibly complex."

"…"

"But if that ever comes to pass… don't you think that's when a true Golden Age will begin, when 'miracles' are given fairly to everyone?"

A perfectly pure smile appeared on Valencidis's lips as he spoke. It vanished immediately, of course.

"Pass this proposal on to the 'Local Development Magic Club.' Even if it's small, it might yield meaningful results."

Rain's mind was in turmoil as he watched Valencidis hand back the paper and leave. He was truly an even more enigmatic person.

Who exactly is that guy?

What kind of picture is he drawing? What kind of mage does he intend to become? And why did he dabble in black magic?

'I became even more curious.'

About Tureina's whereabouts… During the holiday starting two days later, I must definitely get that book from the black market.