CH 13

Chapter 13 – I think I heard something snapping

Keisan’s

words caused Anisan

to regain his calm and he released his hold on me.

With the pressure on my body finally gone, I breathed out. Even though my

shoulders were released from the pressure, I could still feel it tingling.

While I was confirming the state of my body, Keisan

urged Anisan

to return to his

seat before he sat down as well.

「What are you planning to do after going to Tournons Kingdom? Do you have any

relatives there to… that’s impossible, isn’t it?

Do you have someone you can rely on?」

Anisan

was probably going to keep asking until he got an answer he could accept.

That’s the kind of vibe he’s giving off. Would I be able to give him a reason that can

get him to give me his consent?? I’m really worried now. It seems like Keisan

is of

the same mind, so I wouldn’t be getting any help.

How the heck did things turn out this way? Recently, it feels like this is the only

thing I’ve been saying, but it can’t be helped. The events that happened recently

were all things that I had no control over. And they were also not something I could

understand, which makes me want to sigh.

For now, should I try the standard excuse? I feel bad for the earnest Keisan

and

Anisan

but I can’t possibly tell them the truth.

「I don’t have anyone like that in Tournons Kingdom. But I have been saving up for

the sake of migrating alone, so I think it’ll be fine. As for the reason why I chose

Tournons, it’s because I heard that it’s a country of magic and I wanted to see their

spirit magic in particular.」

This is what I told Mookssan

as well. In his case, he thought I yearned for magic

since I couldn’t use them myself, so it probably didn’t feel out of place.

I didn’t know if it would work on the two of them, but it wasn’t completely a lie. I do

want to see spirit magic! If it’s really possible to see spirits, I want to try it! There’s

finally a fantasy world component after all, so I definitely want to fully enjoy it!!

「Our country won’t lose out to Tournons in terms of magic. We also excel at

swordsmanship and the like, unlike Tournons.

Spirit magic is rare, but you can learn it at the academy. Isn’t this country’s

academy considered the best amongst all countries?

Even if the magic probing stone did not react and you can’t use magic, you would

be able to enter the academy with your swordsmanship and a bit of studying. After

getting in, if you get good results, you’ll be able to work in the royal palace. On the

other hand, if you just graduate with poor grades, or even if you drop out of school,

you’d have grabbed the attention of a lower class noble.

It would also be better that way; you wouldn’t have to keep taking on requests at

the agency, but instead you can get stable employment. Your wages would also be

「However, I do understand what Ani wants to say. Az, do you hate the academy?

Or is it… this country?」

I had my breath stolen from me for an instant when I heard his words, and his

expression rendered me speechless. The reason being that he looked extremely

sorrowful.

「I do like this country. Everyone is surrounded and protected by flowers of all

colours and it is gentle.

Everyone around me is nice to me. This is my favourite place.」

Keisan

looked slightly less sorrowful after I said that. As I was feeling somewhat

relieved, Anisan’s

next words made the two of us freeze in place.

「If that’s the case, you should just continue living in this country!

Is it a monetary problem? It’s true that for commoners who can’t use magic, that

might be an issue. If that’s the case then let me handle it. You can also leave

everything after enrollment to me! It’s an investment. You should just attend school

without worries.」

Eehhe’s

advancing this topic by himself? Why?

If the magic probing stone had reacted, I would have been forced to enroll in the

academy, but school expenses and the like would be covered by the country. It

seemed that I would then have to pay back a certain portion of the expenses after I

get a job, postgraduation.

Generally, everyone will work for the royal palace and

get reduced wages from them. The magicians are trapped in this way and they

become part of the nation’s power.

I’ve heard that it is rather costly to enroll by other means. The same goes for school

fees. It’s not something a mere commoner could afford. I gathered this information

despite not having any interest in it, just in case something unexpected happened.

But, an investment, huh? Who said I wanted to enter the academy? Aah this isn’t

good…I’m going to snap for the first time in a long while.

「Ani! What a great line 『It’s fine. I will cover it with my personal assets.』 」

Was the snapping sound putsu that I heard in my head just my imagination?

I stood up from my chair with a loud bang and glared at Anisan.

「What are you joking about? Do you think I’m stupid? Who wants to enter the

pale.

「Aah, there are probably earnest nobles as well. But, I think the majority there are

those who would obtain their worldly desires by force.

Naa, can I ask you? Just what the heck do the nobles learn in the academy?」

My anger has overflowed and burst forth, I can’t stop. I don’t know how to stop.

The faces of the kind villagers and townsmen, the staff at the agency and the

martials artist pop up in my mind. As the time we spent together increased, we’ve

talked about various things. Of good things and of bad things. Furthermore, there

are also things I’ve seen during this short life I’ve lived.

I know that it’s useless to tell the 2 of them this and that this is just me venting my

anger, but I can’t stop. My frustration had been piling up… no, I had just been

averting my eyes. I would not have been able to go on otherwise. It’s painful to see

this world with my previous life’s outlook. I’ve only been experiencing situations I

can’t do anything about, so no matter how unreasonable it was, I’ve been

pretending that I didn’t see it for my own sake.

「They learn all that is necessary to become magicians, knights or soldiers.」

Anisan

replied painfully, and it was obvious that he’s depressed.

「That’s right. But, nobles hire home tutors to teach them from young. Well, they

might not focus as much on actual techniques but there are probably those who do.

What would these people learn in the academy? Commoners are tested on their

magical capabilities at the age of 10. Nobles? Right after they are born, right?

Why’s that? It’s for them to be able to use magic from young. Naa, is the academy

necessary? Aah…don’t say things like commoners can enroll too. After all, didn’t

you say it earlier? That it might be an issue for commoners to enroll without magic.

It might be better if it was just an academy for magicians, since everyone with the

makings of a magician will be forced to enroll even if they were commoners.

Teaching them the right way to use magic? I do think it’s important. But, as for what

comes postgraduation…

it’s not like I don’t understand. They have to work for the

country and become the country’s strength. If they went to other countries, what this

so proud of. I don’t want to understand it too.」

Haa… I sighed. Seeing the 2 of them now made me wince. Keisan

bit his lips so

hard that it bled. He probably clenched his fists so hard that he hurt himself too. I

can see the blood after all…

I quietly used recovery magic. The moment I used it, Keisan

looked surprised and

showed a bitter smile while tearing up, surprising me.

「Haa… sorry. I was just venting my anger. I know it myself but I couldn’t stop. The

2 of you are good nobles so I took advantage of that. I’m really sorry.

This is just my own opinion but nobles should learn to have conduct befitting their

pride. I would like them to learn the weight of their words and actions, and be

responsible for them when they are home tutored. It’s the basics of basics after all.

The academy would become a slightly better place in that case. Well, I think the

decent nobles have no need to learn it though!」

When I became my current self, I was speechless at the excessive irrationality of

this world. While this is true of only a portion of the nobility, these nobles view

everyone outside of nobility as trash. I initially thought of them as idiots, and

expected them to be the minority. But, I was wrong. In this world, such a thing was

commonplace.

Even if it’s irrational, they were nobles, so I could only give up. I could only accept

things as they were. Despite us all being human beings, what’s so different about

us?

Even in my previous life, I encountered irrational things. It’s a part of life. Even if

that’s the case, this world has way too many irrationalities.

「I can’t remember how many years ago it was but I met 2 brats when I went to

brats, they were taller than me so they were probably older? Well, it doesn’t matter.

Brats are brats.

The noble was overconfident and came to take on a magic beast on his own. The

attendant came along somehow or other. While I was covered in wounds from

protecting the 2 of them, I set up a trap and managed to defeat the magic beast.

But, do you know what that noble said in the middle of the fight? “Aren’t you

embarrassed to use traps!? To use such a method for the sake of victory, as

expected of scum. Have you no pride?” 」

I hang my head down and stare at the floor. Even though telling them this will only

bother them.

It’s really a nuisance to them. But, if I rant this much, we won’t meet again, right?

While I’m being a nuisance, I’ll make them listen to the end! I raised my head to

face the two of them.

「It’s so dumb that it’s unforgettable. It’s not like I mind being told something like

that, but at that time, what came to my mind was that the incident was caused by

this mistaken pride of his. Just what the hell is this “pride of the nobles”? Where

does this pride come from and what are they so proud of? Or rather, who the hell

do they think they are? The roads, the villages, and the companies are all the

same. Do they think that if they use prideful words however they want and in any

situation, they can overcome anything? Even though they didn’t fulfill their duties?

I would not look down on this “pride” if it was used for the sake of establishing

oneself, instead of being used to look down on others. There are things nobles

must do. The world of the nobility exists, doesn’t it? But, the country doesn’t just

belong to the nobles. Commoners and nobles are all citizens of the country.」

I sighed and sat down. Keisan

and Anisan

looked baffled.

That’s not surprising, since I said all that, huh? I looked up, closed my eyes and

grumbled.

「I do think education is important, you know? But just a small mistake and it’ll be

brainwashing….is what I personally think.」

「Brainwashing?」

Did he hear my monologue? Keisan

sounded confused as he said that. I faced him

and nodded.

「Un. Should I say common sense? No, a person’s way of thinking? I think there

exists strange educational methods, for example – this might be an extreme case –

but if children were taught that hurting others was normal, and continued to be

taught that way, wouldn’t they not feel anything while hurting others? They would

think it’s natural to hurt others.

For nobles, if they grow up surrounded by idiots, and are taught that way by their

parents, it’d be natural for them to turn into idiotic nobles, right?

The commoners are like this too, if they see their parents debase themselves

before nobles more than is necessary they would probably end up thinking it’s

normal. There are negative examples too, so I can’t generalise it.

Education… I think it’s really difficult.」

But, how did I come to this topic? Aah, it’s because I lost control, isn’t it!? I spewed

out my emotions as it is, and ended up losing track of what I wanted to say….

Tehe*.

(TL note: probably short for tehepero which is something like this )

I ended up ranting about all the complaints I had about the nobles. Thanks to that, I

feel refreshed, but their expressions have become tragic~!