CH 105

“A-Alice-sama”

“Alice-sama!”

Yulena and Matilda came running up to me in a hurry.

“Ah…I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

When I apologized, Yulena cried out, “Thank God, where have you been!?”

“Oh God! Why didn’t you say anything until after the lights went out…And you were even injured…”

Matilda was clearly angry with Yulena, who was crying, but even she was still teary-eyed.

She must have been genuinely concerned about me, and even as a matter of duty, losing sight of her master after dark would not have been a good thing to live with. I felt sorry.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I won’t go away on my own and do anything dangerous anymore…”

Off to the side where I was calming them, Volya-kun, Lucia-chan, and Faneer-kun were being reprimanded by Fredge-sama.

“Do the three of you understand what you did wrong?”

Fredge-sama, who was unusually angry, was beyond worry, quietly in Hannya mode*. His ears were propped up at a backwards angle, and was showing a glimpse of his canine teeth. (***T/N: Hannya-mask is that super angry Japanese mask that shows  up in the background of super angry manga/anime character. You can look up ‘Hannya Mask’ to get an idea)

“Uh…I lost the fight, a-and I got hurt.”

“Did you stay out there even after lights out?”

“Because I got in trouble, so…?”

Fredge-sama scolded the three flustered people.

“No. You put Alice-sama in danger as a result. Besides, you didn’t even report it.”

“Ah…the three of them dropped their ears. I felt a bit sorry for them, but I was in the middle of being scolded by Yulena and Matilda too, so I couldn’t say anything about it.

Even if  I decided to go out and explain it to them, I wouldn’t be able to undo Fredge-sama’s Hannya mode.

“First of all, why didn’t you report that you got your membership card stolen? Faneer.”

After being questioned so quietly, Faneer-kun groaned.

“Because it’s not cool. I wanted to kick those guys to the curb and get them back myself…”

He looked like a cute beastman with thin lines and fluffy hair on the outside, but he was pretty much a little kid at heart.

As I was thinking that, Fredge-sama sighed with a huff.

“If you really, absolutely didn’t want to involve anyone, then you should have been careful not to let Lucia or Volya find out. You should have also made a proper plan so that you could win before you headed to the spot…It’s not like a wolf to go into a situation with no plan. It’s more like a real stupid dog, Faneer.”

Nuaah, that was painful damage to Faneer-kun, and also me who was sneaking in to listen to the story!

I’m sorry for rushing into things so carelessly…

However, Fredge-sama followed up on thee stubborn Faneer-kun.

“But your pride and fighting spirit is just like us golden wolves. As long as you develop your abilities…Let’s become stronger together, Faneer.”

“Fredge-sama…”

Oh, Fredge-sama, how handsome…

So with that, the day ended with my aides and friends angry and worried about us.

***

The next day.

My aides who knew the situation told the others who didn’t know, and I was squeezed to the bone by Brother Will and Johann whose worries got the best of them. But anyway, it was the day before the exam.

Because the exam was tomorrow, there were no classes today. It was a free day for self-study.

“Things to Remember No. 1!”

A voice echoed in a corner of the schoolyard.

“Do not forget to write your name down!”

Brother Will’s voice was followed by many children’s voices reciting.

“Things to Remember No. 2!”

“Do not rush! Review your work!”

“Things to Remember No. 3!”

“If you get sleepy, squeeze your hands!”

“That’s right!…”

…It was my special technique of clenching my fists when I get sleepy from exams.

Well then. Up until yesterday, I had done everything that I could.

First, I got them into the habit of studying on their own and getting them used to being taught by their seniors.

I made them aware of their respective levels, made it clear how to get to 100 points, and polished up both their classroom and the practical skills with repeated practice, albeit in a short period of time.

Nevertheless.

I never thought that what was intended to be a study group for friends would turn out to be a large faction with an exaggerated group name like the Golden Dawn Gang…

First, there were my aides, and then Laurier-sama and Letitia-sama.

Next, there was Ivan-sama and the beast-children.

Finally, there were several children joining later who relied on and trusted in me, making it quite a large group.

I was currently gathering them all together, regardless of whether it was the first group that joined early or the late group that joined recently, and I was giving them all a heads-up, answering questions and inspiring them to relieve their anxiety.

That’s because before I conveyed my thoughts and goals, I wanted them to organize the situation and have a sense of unity.

“Is it time to say something? What do you think, Alice?”

I replied to Brother Will, who had been listening, saying that he thought it was about time too.

Then, the seniors who had been helping with the students by going back and forth between them and playing the role of teacher, naturally returned to the front at my side.

Their gazes naturally focused on me as well.

“A-Ah, -ehem-”

I got nervous and cleared my throat like an old man. That wasn’t good.

“-Ehem- Everyone, I have something I would like to ask you all.”

The little ones all turned their attention to me, wondering what it was. I was a little nervous to say this, but was still determined, so I opened my mouth.

“I consider everyone here to be my friends, and fellow group members.”

I cut to the chase and asked them how they were doing.

Some of the children were very pleased when they heard those words, while others were calm and happy in their own way. The reactions varied.

“The Golden Dawn Gang does not have a specific ideology…However, as long as it consists of a group of aristocrats, we have both responsibility and an influence.”

I could see question marks about ‘Influence…?’  floating over the the little ones’ heads.

I carefully observed the situation and proceeded to speak.

“Influence, in other words, is what the people around us feel and think when we do something, and in some cases, it means they respond back.”

The children were all listening.

“And responsibility means being aware that good and bad things can happen because of what we do, and trying to fix those things when they happen.”

I chose the clearest possible phrases and continued with my words.

After speaking slowly and making sure that no child was left behind, I said.

“I am, as it is, the leader of this group. I represent everyone gathered here…That means that even if I don’t intend to, people will perceive my ideas as being everyone’s ideas. That is why I am here, and will say it loud and clear.”

“I want the Golden Dawn Gang to be an organization that can help one another. I want the Golden Dawn Gang to be an organization that learns together and looks forward without being bound by race, status, or preconceived notions.”

It may have been a bit abstract, but the influence was so strong that it limited the words I could use.

For the time being, this was my point.

There were too many things in this school that weren’t good for kids, such as the disdain for beastmen, and the interactions that were limited by membership fees.

There was no need for such things in my dream world Magic Academy. Above all, it was the role of adults to protect children…I’m just a little girl right now.

Now that we had become a large group, one day, we might be a directional faction. In that case, I would have to take the helm.

And since I developed a desire to protect the adoring beastmen, I felt it was my responsibility as the group leader to express that idea.

Because my thoughts would be considered to be the thoughts of the whole group.

I guess they understood what I was trying to say very thinly. The children of the aristocracy were a little noisy, but they did not object.

It meant that as a member of the group, they accepted my thoughts.

Relieved at that, I brought up my next point.

“And I have something else to tell you…This is more about my own goals than it is about the group…”

As soon as I said that much…

I saw a group of people lumbering towards us from the outer corridor facing the school grounds.

“Oh my goodness, it smells beastly…It looks like cat and dog rally, everyone!”

“I don’t like it, this a sacred school…It’s hard for me to concentrate with all this.”

“Absolutely, young lady.”

……As you guessed, it was that group.

It was the Noble Rose Society, led by Gabriella.

[Original Author’s Note] It was a bit of a challenge, but for the first time, I’ve announced the main direction as the Golden Dawn Gang. Next up is the Noble Rose vs. Golden Dawn!

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T/N: How’s everyone doing? It looks like we’ll be getting into another duel in the next few chapters (only 13 more until this arc is finished!). Speaking of duels, is anyone else watching the olympics? I’m personally a fan of Tennis, Basketball, Gymnastics, and Archery!