CH 12

1-3. At the Magic Academy for the second time

“What if I try making drugs that make people fall for me?”

“You spoke that sharply earlier, and that’s all you could come up with?”

“……”

“Anyway, do you hate talking with people that much? What a face you’re making.”

As Mika pointed out, I’m undoubtedly making a face like an ogre right now.

After the knight investiture ceremony that was held on school break day was over, today was the beginning of my school life that I would spend together with Mika. I gritted my teeth as I walked along the outer corridor of the school, where the courtyard could be seen.

Although the new green leaves were swaying in the refreshing breeze, my mood was the worst.

I was someone who had never interacted with anyone up until now. Just a single greeting made my stomach churn, and I clenched my back teeth. As I tried squeezing out my voice, I asked Mika a question.

“Is there any kind of magic that can suddenly make me overflowed with love by everyone around me?”

“Of course not.”

* * *

—It was this morning.

“What? I don’t particularly need you to pick me up.”

“Huh? But the first day of school after a personal knight is decided is like a debut for us.”

“……”

“Hey, your face is clearly saying that it’s too troublesome… If you really think of me as being on your side, think about my face too.”

This morning, as I was getting on the carriage from the royal castle to the academy, I saw Mika on his horse and tilted my head.

He said he had come to pick me up, so I tilted my head more, and he yelled at me in the end.

I don’t want to do anything that stands out. I tried to remember if I had done something like this with Machina before, but I can’t remember it at all. I can clearly remember shapes, placement, and color. But if I can’t remember about that, then it means I probably didn’t even see Machina’s face at that time. Though, I certainly remember him offering his hand to me.

If that’s a formality, then Machina must have gone to school together with me.

(I mostly only cared about my brother back then… I might have done something bad to Machina.)

I turned my gaze to Mika on his favorite horse, which was running beside the carriage.

Today, he wasn’t wearing the knight’s blue formal attire like the other day. But considering that he’s wearing a blue surcoat with gold buttons and a lot of ornament, it made me realize he might have been conscious of the debut.

His straight back and his red hair swaying in the wind looked great with the blue outfit.

A breeze smelling of summer blew through the small open window. Green trees lined the street and a large stone gate came into view.

Royal Luminous Magic Academy.

Students enter the academy at the age of 12, attend for six years, and graduate at the age of 18.

Although the system is in place for commoners to attend the academy, the literacy rate in this country is still not that high. The majority of children receive work training from their parents and go straight to work.

Children from wealthy families like aristocrats learn many things at home with private tutors until they reach the age of 12. Then, from the age of 12, they enter this school. Since the age of adulthood in this country is 15, some students attend until the third grade and then drop out.

For the last three years beginning in the fourth year, students can choose classes according to the direction they wish to take as individuals, including the acquisition of specialized knowledge. Because of this, tuition fees are ridiculously high, and in the end, only a handful of commoners and the children of aristocrats could attend.

Why would students pay a lot of money to attend this school to study when private tutors can teach the same thing for them? Of course, that’s because it’s a place for socializing.

The life of the nobility is filled with tea parties, evening parties, and various events throughout the year. It’s the foundation for this.

(I couldn’t make use of it at all, though…)

To tell the truth, I think people were still trying to approach me when I was in first grade.

But now that I’m in fifth grade, the perception that “His Highness Nagi prefers to be alone” has spread. I have almost never spoken to another human being, except for the time I’m with my brother.

In my first life, Mika also had nagged at me, but I even ignored that. The fact that I said “I want to be loved” must be something shocking and a big deal for Mika too.

It was also something of a big deal for me.

Mika got off his horse, opened the carriage door, and extended his hand to me. It was embarrassing, but it was for the debut so it couldn’t be helped. I had no choice but to lay my hand on his hand. Everyone present there immediately bowed in unison.

While feeling my internal organs shrinking, I still managed to squeeze out my voice.

“…Good morning.”

“!”

Normally, I would have quickly disappeared into the school building without saying a word, as if running away from people. But this time, I said so with a feeling of resignation and left the place as gracefully as possible, taking care not to walk too fast.

I could hear chatter and commotion from behind me, but I ignored them.

But the moment I turned the corner of the school’s auditorium— like a mechanical doll, I simply put my foot forward quickly, then put the opposite foot forward at the speed of light. I repeated that over and over, running quickly through the courtyard. Then, the man who was chasing after me with large strides called me from behind.

“Haha, that’s amazing of you to greet them.”

“Shut up.”

As I was getting told those words as if I were a small kid, I clenched my fist. My face was probably still red.

But still, surely this was a big first step for me.

I also thought that despite my position as a prince, my capacity is still too small that I think of this as a big first step. Just like that, I grit my teeth to the point of making a grinding sound.

“Ahaha, look at your face. This is good, Nagi. After all, someone who can’t make small changes won’t be able to make great changes.”

“…….Sh-shut up.”

“I’m sure this is a big first step that would be useful for His Highness Seth. You did great.”

Getting told something as if he could read my mind, made anger well up within me.

Mika casually put his hand on my head. I shook it off while saying, “That’s rude,” but he just brushed it off.

However, there was a very happy smile on Mika’s face. It made me wonder, since when did this man who always smiled with his mouth wide open like an idiot, this man who smiled like the sun, suddenly stopped showing his smile.

I feel my heart thumping and exaggerating its presence, so I do my best to fight it off.

(Th-that kind of thing doesn’t matter!)

In any case, it should be good to at least do some greetings. It was also written like that in the book. As much as it grated on my nerves, what Mika said wasn’t wrong.

If I don’t start with small things, I won’t be able to make a big change.

For now, I must start with things that will only make my stomach churn and my teeth clench afterward.

We crossed the courtyard of the fourth grade through the sixth grade school building. Then, I heard a carefree voice next to me say, “I hope you can at least make one friend before the summer break”. My stomach churned again, and I gritted my teeth. With a deep crease between my brows, I ask.

“Friends, huh… In the first place, what do humans usually do during the summer break?”

So far, I had done nothing more than read books and perform my assigned duties at the castle, no matter if it was summer break or not. Remembering how happy all the students at the academy looked before the break, I predicted that there should be some kind of fun to be had.

Mika, who looked at me with a blank stare, let out a sigh and said with a bored tone,

“Humans? What are you, a God? …Well, it’s probably socializing.”