Chapter 3: Opening Ceremony (2)

In contrast to my worries, my first homeroom went without a hitch.

“Welcome to Selbeth School of Magic, new students! I, Kanaki Taiga, will be your homeroom teacher for the first year. Essentially, I am a school nurse, so my specialty is medical sorcery.”

A hint of disappointed look crossed the students’ faces at the mention of “sorcery”.

In this world, sorcery was recognized as backward compatible of magic. Since it could be mastered with ease and can be utilized by relatively anyone, it was regarded as the lowest class of magic.

The majority of students who enroll in this school aspire to eventually become magicians. And me, halfway through the process of being a ‘magician’, wasn’t attracted to that.

“―Though that being said, as a teacher, I am also required to be licensed as a third-class magician, so of course I can use magic as well. Anyone with an interest in support magic, especially medical magic, is welcome to visit me at my place.”

But it goes without saying their feelings were taken into account.

With that last remark, several students shot me inquisitive peers.

It was not a poor choice as a way to grasp the students’ attention. I was reasonably confident in my art of winning people’s hearts and minds, and it seemed to have been effective even in a group like a class. Exhaling inwardly, I informed the students where they could find me and had them give a light self-introduction.

“Then, let’s start from the front seat on the right side of the room. Shall I ask… Fina Trinity first?”

“Yes.”

With these words, the girl who stood on the platform was the same follower-like girl who was with Ortesia this morning.

Her lustrous black hair was cut at the shoulder length, and her doll-like face resembled that of an oriental.

“I am Fina Trinity. I have the qualifications of a third-class magician. My mentor is Karen Ortesia―”

A commotion prevailed.

Even I was frozen with my mouth partially open.

In the first place, an absolute requirement for a magician was to be able to generate and manipulate magical power internally, but ordinary human beings were incapable of producing magical power. By nature, the organs that enabled human beings to generate magical power were normally dormant. Although these organs can be activated spontaneously in times of life-threatening danger, the current mainstream method involved artificially awakening these organs through―”Mana Awake,” which allowed the use of magical power.

For this reason, a prospective modern-day wizard would need a mentor wizard, and for Fina, that mentor would be Ortesia…

“U-Um! Then what class of magician is Her Royal Highness Princess Ortesia!”

The question that ensued essentially was not relevant to Fina’s self-introduction, and I would normally rebuke the boy, but since I was actually intrigued as well, I let it slide.

Fina then cast a glance at Ortesia and said with a slightly triumphant look on her face, “Lady Karen is a semi-first-class magician.”

“Semi…”

An even greater impact than before washed over everyone in the class.

The criteria for qualification as a magician were stringent. In this academy, graduates will be awarded the qualification of a third-class magician, but many pupils still take a number of years to graduate from the academy in the first place. Conversely, Fina, who held the qualification of a third-class magician, could already graduate in her fourth year, but this was easier said than done. At the age of 15, Fina, a third-class magician, may well be called a “prodigy”.

A semi-first-class magician, nevertheless, would be… I swallowed with bated breath. To begin with, at the age of twenty-four, I was presently a third-class magician. Even though I was an average person with no exceptional talent for magic, I nonetheless studied to this day. In the eyes of the general public, I would say that my evaluation as a magician was so-so.

Nonetheless, it was unheard of for a fifteen-year-old to be a semi-first-class magician. Even among prodigies, her talent must be unsurpassed. In the future, it would be no exaggeration to say that she would become more than a magician―she would become a wizard.

Looking around the bustling classroom, a smile of contentment graced Fina’s face as she spoke a word or two and returned to her seat. After that, each student went up to the platform in turn, but the initial shock of Fina was so profound that they were barely memorable.

When it was finally Ortesia’s turn, she strode onto the platform with a regal gesture.

Brushing her hair off her shoulders, Ortesia firmly declared, “―This is Karen Ortesia. As you are all aware, I am the First Princess of Kingdom of Ortesia, and I hope to enjoy our time together as fellow students attending the same school.”

It was a lovely voice, devoid of the rose-tinted spikiness she had earlier this morning toward me. It would appear that her demeanor was not so rough with everyone.

“For the future prosperity of this country, it is imperative that magicians be cultivated. As Fina said earlier, I am fortunate enough to be qualified as a semi-first-class magician, therefore, should there be anything you all need, I will be pleased to consult with you as well, even if it is only in the slightest degree.”

In closing, Ortesia turned on her heel, following up with a statement that deprived me of all of my fortes.

The classroom then experienced its greatest round of applause ever.

■■■■■

“―I’m totally knocked out, seriously.”

After finishing the glass, I set it down on the table and heard the ice clink against the inside of it.

“Another one on the rocks glass, owner.”

“Yes.”

Ordering a whiskey from the nearby owner, Xenia, who was seated next to me, burst out laughing.

“That’s a lot of responsibility. At that age, she’s a semi-first-class… That’s certainly a challenge.”

“Thanks to that, I have been overshadowed. Even after homeroom was over, everyone went to Ortesia’s side…”

“Good grief. You are frustrated that you didn’t win over your students, Kanaki? There, there.”

Xenia addressed me informally outside of school, and her tone of voice changed to a casual one. She seemed to be the type of person who switched on and off tightly. My head was tenderly caressed by her delicate fingertips.

“…Here’s your whiskey on the rocks.”

“Thank you.”

The whiskey was placed before me, to which I immediately took a mouthful. Scotch whiskey was the predominant type of liquor in this world. The distinct aroma that permeated the nostrils and the throat-burning sensation brought me a sense of gratification.

“―Then, will it be that girl this time?”

“…Ngh―”

The whispering voice that was called out to me as I put down the glass had me tilting my head.

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“No, I doubt about that one. Indeed, I feel that Ortesia is fine, but the redhead is not really to my liking. If I had to say so, the black hair girl is definitely more to my preference.”

“―Because it reminds you of your home country?”

“…Well, something like that.”

Without making eye contact with Xenia, who was staring at me with narrowed eyes, I responded.

“…Well, that’s fine. Then let me know if you decide on either one of them. I am always willing to lend a hand. Besides, if it’s the blonde one, I might be able to enjoy myself for the first time in a while.”

“That’s very reassuring. I’ll be counting on you at that time.”

Lifting the glass, I noticed that the interior had been emptied there.

“Owner, another one of the same.”

“…I understand.”

The owner shot me a look as if he wanted to say something for a second, but he seemed to have swallowed it.

Perhaps he wanted to ask if it was okay. This was my sixth whiskey drink in a row. But the owner knew that I had a mad proclivity for liquor.

“You really are a strong drinker, Kanaki.”

On the other hand, Xenia, who had been chugging down juice-like drinks beside me, her eyes were already starting to glaze over. Her inebriation was astounding. I made the decision in my heart that it was time to move on to the following one.

“By the way, are you going out today too?”

“Yes. This is the most delightful time of the day for me, you know. That’s why I didn’t get enough sleep today.”

“You’re so devoted to it～. I’m a little jealous. Next time, please be a partner for me, too.”

Xenia raised her arms as if to draw attention to her ample breasts.

Indeed, it was a tempting proposition, but…

“Let me stop you there. I’m afraid I’ll end up as a catalyst for alchemy the next day.”

“That’s outrageous～ I wouldn’t do that!”

After finishing the whisky that was served and offering Xenia a dry smile, whose speech was also getting slurred as I had anticipated, I departed the bar.

■■■■■

“I’m back!”

The bouncy voice of mine resounded hollowly in the vacant infirmary.

In one corner of the bed, the curtains were drawn, and only the moonlight revealed the infirmary’s dimly lighted interior.

“How are you feeling?”

“～～～～～!!”

Eyes glistening with tears sprang out at me with the curtain opened.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. It has gotten to be this late when I was accompanying Teacher Xenia. As for the drug… yeah, it seems to be working without a problem.”

She was bound to the bed, unclothed. Her developing flesh was exposed with no mercy, and it was flaming red and bloated.

The girl’s mouth was agape. In all likelihood, she had been experiencing a severe itching sensation all day long—a feeling she had never encountered before. There were indications that she had writhed on the bed, struggling to scratch her body somehow.

I lightly poked her swollen arms. That was enough to make her recoil as if she had climaxed.

“The drug that is affecting your body like this, I concocted it myself yesterday. It’s a drug that triggers an allergic reaction in the person to whom it is administered. I was in possession of your medical records, you know. Formulating the concoction wasn’t too complicated.”

Determining what she was allergic to was simple as she was a student of this school. When I was over the other side, I had no connection with doctors, but over here, as long as I can use magic, most of the matters can be taken care of. I can do experiments that I couldn’t perform before, which made me like the environment I was in now.

“―Magic is really wonderful, isn’t it? With it, one can be kept alive while experiencing excruciating pain, and above all, even if I toy with you like this, I can escape without being caught. I sincerely hope I can keep introducing my students to the wonders of this magic.”

As if the girl intended to say something, a breath was released from her mouth. It would be a hassle should she raise a racket, therefore I removed her vocal cords first and foremost, but I supposed that was a miscalculation.

After all, it was also a shame that her screams would not be audible from now on.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Your whole body is itching, right?”

From my desk, I pulled out a long nail and a hammer.

Her swollen face had grown noticeably strained, as I could see.

“Even you have been bitten by insects before, haven’t you? I bet you must have had a terrible itch at that time, too. And what did you do back then? For me, I think it’s a good practice to pinch the itch instead of scratching it―”

After saying this, I swung the hammer down with all my power, driving a nail into her trembling arm.

——————

T/N:

The unreliable narrator is very prominent in this novel. I am just translating it based on my own notion, it may not be exactly correct, and I won’t translate the majority of it into easy-to-understand words since it defeats the originality of the novel.

E.g. When I was over the other side, I had no connection with doctors, but over here, as long as I can use magic, most of the matters can be taken care of.

The other side here is referring to Japan, Kanaki’s former world, and over here is referring to the Kingdom of Ortesia.

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