CH 418

Interview with the Headmaster

“Yo, Pamela. Sorry for the sudden continuous interview appointments since yesterday. Is it fine to enter now?”

No, Teacher Neil. You have already made a rude entrance.

It was a slightly larger room with a sofa on my right and a big desk with a profound feeling on my left. Behind the desk sat a woman with her hair up and silver-haired glasses.

Eh, is this person the Headmaster?

Nono, Teacher Neil called her Pamela… that would be way too familiar way of addressing a Headmaster, no?

Besides, I don’t see Otousama and Okaasama who should have arrived earlier…

While searching for my parents’ figures, the woman called Pamela stood up from her seat.

“Headmaster has been talking to the Ducal Ellisfeed couple since not long ago… Teacher Neil, how many times do I have to tell you to knock before entering? I think you need to le-rean manners together with the students.”

She sighed and walked briskly further into the room… towards another door that was straight in front of us.

This is apparently the Headmaster office’s anteroom and the real Headmaster is behind those doors. That would make this woman the Headmaster’s secretary.

“Now, now. Even if I don’t knock, you are aware that I’m behind the door thanks to your magic.”

Teacher Neil moved towards the door while laughing lightly. I hurriedly followed after him.

The woman called Pamela raised one of her eyebrows, she pushed up her glasses with her finger and glared at Teacher Neil.

“It’s doesn’t matter whether I know who is behind the door. It’s a problem of manners. Geez… Headmaster is expecting you.”

She seemed to give up on lecturing Teacher Neil, knocked on the door and called inside.

“Headmaster, Teacher Neil brought the student.”

“Come in.”

As soon as the reply was heard from inside, Pamela opened the door.

“Excuse me.”

When I entered the room after Teacher Neil, I quickly noticed the space was much larger than the anteroom.

The ceiling was high too, it was an office in a gorgeous lounge suite style, there were books crammed on the shelves around the walls, a large bench-like table on the side with unfinished magic circle drawings and old scrolls and many other miscellaneous things.

“Cristea.”

When I shifted my attention to the familiar voice calling my name, I saw Otousama and Okaasama who were sitting on the sofa looking at me.

“Otousama, Okaasama…”

“Oh, Miss Cristea, it’s been a while. To have your parents called over as soon as you enter the academy, you just don’t get a break, do you?”

“Teacher Marlen!?”

Sitting opposite to my parents was Teacher Marlen who taught me magic back in the fief.

… I thought he looked familiar, but to think it was Teacher Marlen…

“Te, Teacher Marlen!”

When I looked at Teacher Neil who let out a squeaking voice for some reason, I saw him trembling nervously.

“Hm? Neil? … You are still at the academy? Didn’t you say that you want to work at the royal palace?”

“Y, yeah… that’s what I hoped for, but I have not received a letter of recommendation…”

Teacher Neil replied dejectedly to Teacher Marlen.

“I told you so. You want to see Sacred Beasts more than anything and your motive is to be their caretaker if possible. Anyone even slightly concerned wouldn’t want to recommend you.”

“T, that can’t be…”

Teacher Marlen brushed his beard as he spoke, causing tears form in the dejected Teacher Neil’s eyes.

… He wanted to meet Leon-sama who protects the country and wanted to become his caretaker… those who know how Teacher Neil is normally wouldn’t recommend him for sure.

If he offended Leon-sama by any chance, it wouldn’t end just with Teacher Neil’s head separated from his body… scary!

“Now, now, Marlen-dono. Neil-kun’s knowledge of monsters is extraordinary, so I hope he can keep demonstrating his talents at the academy to its full degree.”

“He, Headmaster~!”

The one who Teacher Neil looked at with deep emotions in his teary eyes was a dandy-looking old gentleman with a looong beard who was wearing what could be described only as a magician robe.

“I’m Edmond Ferguson, the Headmaster of this Adelia Academy. You must be Duke Ellisfeed’s beloved daughter, Miss Cristea?”

I was fascinated by his gentle smile, but feeling Okaasama staring at me, I pulled myself together and performed a proper lady’s curtsy.

“Please pardon my discourtesy. I’m Duke Ellisfeed’s daughter, Cristea.”

Diffusing my nervousness, I greeted him beautifully.

Alright, Okaasama shouldn’t be angry at me later now. It’s not like she should be able to find any faults with my performance.

“Umu, as expected of the Ellisfeed family’s little princess. That was a beautiful curtsy.”

“I’m honored.”

Looking at Okaasama’s satisfied smile, I seem to have passed. Fuuh, I’m glad.

“Now then, shall we get right down the business?”

Prompted by the Headmaster, Teacher Neil sat beside Teacher Marlen, Headmaster was sitting between Otousama and Teacher Marlen and I sat opposite to Headmaster.

Kurogane and Mashiro stood behind me and firmly refused to sit down.

At last, the time has come.

Tightly gripping my hands, I straightened my back.