Chapter 268: The troubled Elder Sister and Princess

Bidding farewell with Kurono and Wilhart going to their respective afternoon classes, Simon was trail shooting his prototype rifle until he became satisfied and finally started walking to return back to his laboratory-cum-dorm.

The time was already way past lunch break and half of the afternoon classes were over.

Simon was also a student of Magic Engineering Course more or less and had classes, but he had chosen classes that would give credits if the written examinations at the end of semesters were cleared, henceforth he basically skipping classes.

Simon was burning with a sense of duty to create new weapons with guns as the starting, so he wasn’t going to waste time going to classes which would only revise the knowledge that he already knew from a long time ago.

But then, even before he became an adventurer in Alsace Village, he was enjoying the research of alchemy and skipping school.

Like that, he returned back in high spirits wanting to work hard in the research and development, but, there the one waiting for him was,

「So you finally returned, Simon」

「Geh, Lia-nee!?」

His stepsister, Emilia Friedrich Bardiel sitting brightly on the NO 1 seat of people he didn’t want to meet in Spada.

He didn’t even had to think about the reason as to why she was relaxing in the lounge of dorm while drinking tea as if it was her house’s living room.

Surprise inspection, err rather she came to meet him.

「Welcome home, Simon-san」

Simon was somewhat bewildered upon seeing Fiona sitting beside her for some reason.

Don’t tell that this somewhat airheaded witch was serving the general and a Great Noble of Spada?

Contrary to her severe gaze, Emilia had an tolerant nature to everyone other than him so she there would be no problem until one didn’t be rude too much, however this time it was ‘that’ Fiona.

However, there was no dangerous atmosphere flowing around in the lounge so he was relieved thinking it was all fine.

If the two started their ‘fight’, this nearly crumbling wooden two-storey building would vanish without leaving behind a single atom; he was able to imagine that scene easily.

Simon naturally knew the ability of his elder sister, but he also knew the ability of Fiona who had dropped a sun right on the heads of numerous Crusaders.

「Then I will excuse myself at this. You older sister and younger brother can spend your time without interference from outsiders」

Fiona suddenly left her seat. In her hand the tea cakes were completely hidden.

「Eh, wait――」

She was normally an oblivious person, but at these moments she was tactful causing Simon to think of her as a hateful person.

「Thank you Fiona, let’s meet later」

「Yes, Emilia-san, I will wait for that time」

Seeing the two already being friendly in the time he didn’t knew, Simon was shocked at the fact that these two could get this much along and was only able to see off Fiona returning to her room.

「Ah, then, I will also――」

「Sit down, Simon」

「Yes……」

Simon failed in escaping while making use of the mood and like a scared cat sat on the seat in lounge as his elder sister ordered.

This lounge only had good memories of talking with Kurono happily, but thinking that a harsh memory was going to be etched today, he couldn’t help but feel melancholy.

「That, err, why are you here today?」

The table he was sitting at wasn’t on the other side with table in between, but it was right beside Emilia, and they both were sitting facing each other at a distance where their knees could touch.

Stand towering, no, in front of the height of sitting Emila, Simon felt a heavy pressure both outwardly and inwardly, mostly, psychologically.

「It’s been more than 1 month since you returned to school, so I thought about your wellbeing」

As he expected this was an surprise inspection, his spirits went even more down.

「There’s no change in particular」

「That means you are still skipping classes as usual」

「Ah, no, that is……」

At the very least he wouldn’t be able to talk his way out for today.

If he had been taking classes normally then right now Simon would’ve been in a class with a pen in his hand, he just shouldn’t be back at dorm.

「I-It’s fine as long as I get the credits」

「……It’s fine, as long as you don’t go nuts in being a make believe adventurer by even taking leave from school」

As expected he couldn’t run to another counter as an adventurer this time around.

But then he planned on the research and developments of weapons so he had no intention of leaving Spada for a long period of time.

「I have handed over enough money for you to graduate, so if you graduate just like that there would be no problem」

Simon would not speak even if his mouth was ripped off about the fact that he had already used half the amount of that expense.

If beyond this point he didn’t earn any investments from Kurono then having sealed the method of taking absence, Simon would’ve have to resort of money raising plans just like a trader on the verge of bankruptcy.

That would even mean that he could sell his body while knowing full well that he would become the pet of Chairperson.

For the time being that worst future was still not coming anytime soon so he would think about that gradually, thinking that Simon escaped from reality.

「But there is a limit to the credits you can get from written examinations」

As expected of an alumnus. Although she had different course, she still vaguely understood the credit distribution system of other courses too.

Simon could use his prodigious brains to gain full marks in written examination imposed by the school, however unless and until he gained credits in practical classes he wouldn’t be able to complete the conditions required for graduation.

However as the Elite Course and Knight Course had lots of battle-type examinations like subjugation, but the Magic Engineering Course didn’t regard fighting or anything of sort highly, so there were more than enough practical skill subjects that even a powerless Simon could clear.

「I’m think of going in the outdoor manoeuvres training next week」

One among those was this.

The students of Elite Course and Knight Course who put importance on battle skills adopted working as an adventurer as a part of their classes, just like the well known『Wing Road』.

But they were only aiming to become Knights in Spada Army and had no intention of becoming adventurers.

Working as an adventurer was surely the best way to accumulate experience, but it didn’t become the training of group action that was needed in Chivalric Order.

This class called as outdoor manoeuvres training formed a squad of at least hundred students, and it was for experiencing group battle.

The teacher side would only give simple commands like the names of target of subjugation and the places they had to go, after that it was all left to students for accomplishing strategic conduct.

Of course there would some teachers following them as supervisors, but they would give no advice and keep on grading the strategic conduct of students.

In the Royal Spada Academy this outdoor manoeuvres training was a great joint event of every course, if one participates they would get suitable amount of credits, and if one showed achievements here they would gain have a great promising future and would collect attention from everyone.

「I see, it’s a good choice to select going in outdoor manoeuvres training. Do your best」

「Yeah, I will try」

Although he said that for Simon this outdoor manoeuvres training were nothing more than a chance to use his prototype rifle in actual combat.

Of course, he was happy that he could get credits, but that didn’t mean he would deliberately do great efforts.

But if he hired the『Element Master』enrolled in the Adventurer Course as mercenaries……

(If those three were present it wouldn’t be practice……)

Although Kurono aimed to purely increase his ability and Simon wasn’t going to fight any strong monsters, hence there was no advantage for Kurono to participate in the outdoor manoeuvres training.

(Come to think of it, Lia-nee was too strong that it didn’t even become a proper training period)

He recalled the gallant figure of his sister who, at that time, already was famous by her second name of『Valkyrie Storm』.

In case someone with too strong combat abilities like her appeared the end result would be too quick and cruel.

This year there was『Wing Road』so the outdoor manoeuvres training would be in easy mode, Simon was able to guess that pretty easily.

(Sigh, I respected her at that time, but now……)

Even Simon didn’t resent his elder sister from the bottom of his heart.

He rather hated himself for not living up to her expectations in neither power nor talent.

He didn’t shed tears after all this time but it hard turned into complex within his heart and would abruptly torment him whenever a chance arose.

「Why are making that long face?」

「No, nothing at all!」

He wasn’t able to think up an appropriate excuse so he tried to dodge her question with vague reply.

If he was making a dark face and raised it up, god knows what sort of bad luck would befall on him.

He didn’t resent his elder sister, but he surely wanted her to spare him from scolding.

「Are you going to use that gun or whatever even in the outdoor training? Do you have any uneasiness regarding its power?」

「Agh」

Oh no!, it was already too late to think that.

Returning to dorm he was made to sit down at once so the rifle he was just now trial shooting was still on his back.

The gun was a fruit of Simon’s engineering, but Emilia hated and viewed alchemy in contempt that the gun wasn’t that great of a weapon for her.

Simon was to become a Knight, but he threw away sword and spears, and took on the gun in the end. It was easy to think about her feelings.

Sermon route time limit of three hours confirmed, Simon resolved himself heroically.

「What happened, do you have uneasiness regarding power of gun?」

「That is――」

The gun had too little power right now that it would only be able to scratch the scales of Salamander, while Emilia’s one attack from spear could pierce right through it.

Or in the time Simon pulled the trigger and killed one soldier, Emilia’s spear would have killed more than ten people.

In this world the power of gun was far too short if compared to the power dished out by a single attack of an extreme elite Knight.

But even so Simon was prideful about the gun he created. Just like how a Knight was about his sword.

The gun was the ultimate weapon that granted the powerless him a power.

No matter how sharp a sword, or how enormous a magical energy a wand had, if Simon wielded it that thing would become a dull thing, degrading right down to normal piece of wood.

The gun, only the gun made him stronger. If shot then he could even defeat goblins and more than anything he had consigned numerous soldiers of Crusaders to oblivion.

The trust of Simon towards gun had sublimed to the level of calling it a kind of religious faith.

Hence no matter how much he was despised, scorned and denied by ‘people strong without gun’, he would still never say that「the gun is a weak and inferior weapon」, there was just no way he could say that.

「I have no uneasiness, I believe in the gun I have made」

That was why, he would stick with this opinion.

(But, if possible I would love if she just adds no more than an extra hour in the Sermon route……)

He timidly waited for his elder sister’s reply while thinking completely pessimistic thoughts.

「……If you have good achievements in the outdoor manoeuvres training, I will approve THAT thing somewhat」

「Eh?」

Simon’s thought process froze for a second as soon as heard the unexpected affirmative words.

「But then a student from Magic Engineering Course would never had a chance to stand on the frontlines」

「Eh, Ah……Yeah, certainly」

Simon’s bewilderment increased seeing Emilia adding another line that seemed to be sort of excuse.

Emilia was someone who would boldly declare about things with cold eyes always looking forward, however right now her eyes were wavering slightly.

He understood that she was not her usual self, but as for her inner thoughts, Simon obviously not having Telepathy could not understand that them.

(What is happening, today she is speaking quite the understandable words……what is she plotting?)

Simon directed a doubtful gaze to her causing Emilia to have an uncomfortable air around her which resulted in the doubt deepened.

「I will return for today. You should work hard in the outdoor training」

「Ah, yeah……I get it」

Simon was only able to see off Emilia as she stood up from her seat and left the dorm.

「W-Why was she here then……」

.

「Sigh……it is not good like this」

The First Princess of Avalon and the girl having appearances and beauty of an angel, Nell Julius Elrod, was sitting on the seat by the window in the classroom, as she heaved a sigh with a melancholic expression.

The reason she was not showing her usual warm smile and was this much troubled was all because of a certain man.

「Kurono-san……」

The name of the man was Kurono who was enrolled in the Adventurer Course, moreover she had just met him during the lunch break.

The meeting with him was a truly casual one in Dacia Village when he was troubled that his horse stopped moving and she helped him.

That time thanks to her Telepathy Ability she was able to help him quickly and flawlessly, and that instance had been engraved within her as a good memory.

Originally it was supposed to be an incident no more than a wonderful memory, but since then a strange connected was connected with him.

Although it was only recently that she realized about that.

(Kurono-san was the one who sent that Wrath-Pun on the verge of dying. If there was no injury on it, we all would’ve been in danger)

The first thing was that the subjugation of Wrath-Pun was the reason their party『Wing Road』was able to reach Rank 5.

At the time they saw the wounded Wrath-Pun they only thought about it as a luck, but if they had known about the person who created that situation, their impressions regarding it would’ve changed.

From the words of Wilhart with whom they met up in the place where Kurono fought, they found out about the fact that a certain adventurer fought against Wrath-Pun.

And it was only later that she found out that the person Wilhart talked about,「Kurono」, was the very same person she met coincidentally in the cafeteria.

(Ah, but I’ve given a great deal of problem to Kurono-san……)

At present, this was the most troubling reason.

Due to the uproar in the cafeteria, the man who saved her out of pure good will had gotten an unbearable infamy.

From the perspective of kind-hearted Nell, whenever she thought that the virtuous man was being slandered by the surrounding, a severe sadness rose up within her heart that seemed to rend her big chest.

Not to mention when she was apologizing about that fact,

「Ah, no, it will be a lie if I said that it doesn’t bother me, but it is not something Nell-san has to apologize about」

He said those words carelessly.

Even after taking that big of a psychological pain all due to her, he didn’t even resent her.

That also included Charlotte, who jumped to wrong conclusion, and also her brother, who was quite serious.

(Despite that, I’ve not returned my favour back to Kurono-san yet……)

Nell was feeling quite a lot of guilty regarding that incident and wasn’t able to presume upon Kurono’s attitude of forgiving everything.

(Moreover, Kurono-san saved the students from the bandits, so I need to give him more gratitude)

And the second connection was that he saved the female students that she was trying to save.

The matter of bandits of Fauren was finished by crushing the ’boss’, a certain slave dealer in Spada, all thanks to the mysterious intelligence network of her brother.

In cases like this one, it was the most appropriate decision to deal with the boss at first.

If they lost the boss, it could make a comeback using their money and influence.

However, the point Nell took on this mission in the first place was completely off the mark.

Many of the girls the bandits abducted in Fauren had been already sent to the mansion of Slave Dealer by the time they rammed into that place.

Concerning the result they succeeded in saving many beautiful girls along with the daughter of the noble from Fauren. However, the important female students wasn’t in those many girls.

「Fuhahaha! You dolts! If they weren’t sent there, then those girls will be a plaything for those filthy bandits!!」

They asked the Slave Dealer after capturing him about the girls and just that one sentence was more than enough to let Nell learn about her failure.

The news about capturing the Slave Dealer suddenly spread out. And the bandits with sharp ear and fast legs, sensed about that and plotted escape with all their speed.

It was obvious that who would be faster, whether them finding the girl students or those bandits escape.

In the first place, the possibility of bandits killing those girls after having their work done was high.

「Nell, it isn’t something you need to worry about. We didn’t had luck this time, it’s just that much」

Her brother said words of consolation, but, Nell wasn’t looking at the long term enough to recognize her loss.

Her brother’s words weren’t wrong and many of the adventurers would also say the same.

In truth, Nero wasn’t worrying at all about this incident.

Rather, the thing worrying Nero more was how to deal with the noble lady from Fauren with her eyes in the shape of heart mark looking at him as if he was her prince charming coming at a white horse to save her.

A person naïve enough to worry about life and death of others shouldn’t even be standing in a battle area. Worrying about the opponent and ending up being killed was the only end awaiting them. In that sense Nell was a completely naïve girl, and wasn’t suited for fighting at all.

Even so she didn’t accept remaining in the Avalon Royal Palace and being upraised by being sheltered, hence she came to study abroad in this Royal Spada Academy, so she must’ve been determined that much.

Well then, contrary to her appearance Nell was quite the obstinate person, and,

(I will surely return favour so that Kurono-san should be happy!)

She resolved anew.

(But, just what should I do for that……)

And this time she racked her brain for creating a concrete plan.

However, in this moment she should’ve been worrying about something else.

「Yes, it’s time. Pass on the answer papers from the people on the back to forward――」

「Ahh!?」

The stereotypical words of teachers, certainly, reminded Nell about the fact that it was test time right now.

She shouldn’t have been worrying about returning favour to Kurono, but about the answers.

But realizing it now was already too late, as the examination was finished now.

「Nell, how did the test go――hey, what is this, aren’t most the answer columns white!?」

Charlotte sitting in front of Nell turned back to take Nell’s answer sheet and said in a shock.

「Ah, agh ghhua……」

However the person shocked the most was the one actually created an answer sheet mostly white.

Maybe she took on a great shock when Kurono rejected her thanks in lunch break that she was only worrying about him and didn’t concentrate at the test.

「You are settled for supplementary exams」

「W-What should I do……」

「There, what happened? Hurry up and send the answer sheets forward」

Naturally, now that the test was over, there’s was nothing she could do.

Nell could only send forward the answer sheet with the destiny of getting failing marks to Charlotte, with her eyes tearing up.