Chapter 18: 2.1

melon: Since this is an ongoing series and idk when I can post updates, I think it’ll be helpful for me to list the characters that will appear in the current chapter who have been introduced thus far to refresh your memory before you start reading. I will do this for all the upcoming chapters because trust me, there will come a point when you won’t know who is who, especially with their parent’s peerage. 

In this chapter:

Sapphiras Perfectio, 2nd son of the Earl of Aldridge

 

I knew it.

Only the area around my table is wonderfully empty. Everyone just looks at me from a distance, no one comes to my side. Even though it’s the golden lunchtime. I really can’t stand it being here.

It’s crowded, so everyone should sit down without hesitation. I’m without a doubt the tumour that caused all that fuss. But I’m the victim.

……In the first place, because of that Gilliam, Sapphiras did not have a single friend, even though it’s been a month since enrolling in school. Whenever ‘I’ am talking to someone, he comes out of nowhere and slanders ‘me’. The other party is the son of a Marquess. Nobody talks to ‘me’ anymore for fear of getting into trouble. I guess that just because I ended my engagement with that guy, it doesn’t mean that they can talk to me right away. Making friends is not just starting from zero, it’s starting from negative. The only way to make friends is to be patient.

Thinking about this, I eat lunch alone in the cafeteria. This lunch is quite delicious. It is the cafeteria of a school attended by the sons and daughters of aristocrats.

But still, it’s been a while since I’ve tasted properly. This body must have felt a lot of stress. Until recently, no matter what ‘I’ ate, ‘I’ seemed to be chewing on clay. But now I am free from the troubles, though at a cost. From now on, I can eat deliciously.

“Excuse me. Do you mind if I sit with you?”

“Eh?……Ah, of course, go ahead.”

I was enjoying a delicious lunch alone when a hero appeared. He must be pretty fierce to be talking to me, a tumour. Or is he trying to pick up stories from the person who is the talk, to get in on the bandwagon? If that’s the case, I’m not too keen on living up to that expectation.

Looking up at the student who called out to me, I saw that he was a fair-haired, blue-eyed boy who was no less beautiful than me. Maybe he’s older than me? He is tall and clad in thin muscles that seemed to have high explosive power. A knight-like appearance that seems to be well received by ladies. How enviable.

“I’m Percival Belisario, first year. Pleased to meet you.”

The brave and ferocious youth Percival1 who took his seat showed a refreshing smile.

To my surprise, he was in the same grade. The reason why he doesn’t give peerage is, that all students studying at the academy are supposed to be equal. There are some students whose parent’s peerage is known even if they don’t give their name, but it was arranged so that there would be no prejudice amongst the students due to their parent’s peerage. Due to my upbringing, I am not very familiar with the nobility. Even though it’s a formality, I’m really grateful for this school rule.

Youth Percival takes a seat in front of me with a natural movement. On the table is the same lunch plate as mine.

From the atmosphere, it doesn’t seem like he approached me to ridicule me. The refreshing aura of the handsome boy2 is so dazzling that I’m afraid to look directly at it. In any case, I don’t get a bad feeling from Percival. Could this possibly be a stepping stone to acquiring my first friend?

I have to respond in a refreshing manner too, without losing out. First impressions are important.

‘I’m Sapphiras Perfectio from the first year. Nice to meet you too.”

I think you know.

When I introduced myself with a big smile on my face, for some reason, Percival looked a little surprised. Well, I can’t blame him for being a little suspicious because I’m smiling after such an incident and being so isolated. But I’m not the same ‘me’ I was before the incident. From now on, I’m going to enjoy life. Just like Fortis in my previous life.

At first, Percival and I had a careful conversation, but eventually we were able to have a normal conversation.

At any rate, it’s Percival’s lunch plate. The amount of meat and mashed potatoes on it is twice as much as mine.

The heaps of meat and mashed potatoes gradually dwindled, but it’s not unsightly because of the elegant way he eats it. He is indeed a beautiful boy. His manners are also refined. I can’t help but watch.

What’s wrong?”

Percival, who noticed my gaze, looks up.

“No, I just think you’re a brilliant eater……”

“Well, I grew up in an environment where I had to eat to keep my physical strength up.

Speaking of which, the name of Percival’s family is Belisario, which I’ve heard of somewhere.

“……Ah, by any chance, is Percival the son of the Margrave of Vanderwall on the Eastern Frontier?

“Ah. That’s right.

I see. That makes sense.

‘I’m the third son, so my eldest brother will be the one to succeed Vanderwall.

Vanderwall territory faces the border and even has forests where magical beasts abound. The knights and soldiers of Vanderwall are all strong, as they are constantly exposed to threats from foreign countries and magical beasts. Percival, who grew up in an environment full of such fierce men, must be very well trained. The way he was brought up is too different from me, who was locked up in a room.

The students sitting in the distance are glancing at us as we are having such an exchange.

It’s true that if I, who is the topic of conversations, and Percival, who is radiating a dazzling aura, are together, we’re bound to attract attention. I don’t mind at all, but it doesn’t mean that Percival doesn’t mind either. We’ve only had a few conversations, but I’m sure Percival is a good guy. I’m unwilling to be a nuisance to him, so I might as well hold off on making friends until things calm down a little more.

“……You know. Maybe you shouldn’t hang out with me so much?”

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“Why?”

“Because with me, even Percival gets curious glances.”

I’m a magician with a hundred battles under my belt on the inside. I’m not going to be swayed by the backbiting and gossip of a bunch of kids. Besides, the 100 friends plan doesn’t have to be achieved at the academy. I just have to spend my life doing it little by little. In fact, it may be difficult to achieve while at the academy. I’m very sorry to involve Percival, the fierce man who took the trouble to call out to me, who has many flaws.

“’What, it’s just that. Does Sapphiras not like being with me?”

“Of course not. After all, Percival is a hero who called out to me.

“A hero huh. Sapphiras says some interesting things. But Sapphiras doesn’t have anything to worry about. My desire to get along with Sapphiras has nothing to do with the feelings of the people around me.”

Percival has a refreshing smile on his face and doesn’t really seem to be concerned about the way people look at him. My liking for Percival explodes inside me. Even after that, Percival stayed for lunch with me until the end, despite my concerns.

I was a little worried that I, who is a mix of a 25 and 14 year old, wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation with a pure 14 year old boy, but it wasn’t so much that we didn’t get along. More than that, I was so isolated from the rest of the world and so out of touch with current trends that I was painfully aware of what kind of a country boy I was.

From that day on, Percival started having lunch with me. We haven’t made any promises, but when I eat lunch alone, Percival comes as a matter of course. Even when Percival is already there, he calls out to me when I enter the cafeteria. After a few days of this, the people around me got used to the unusual combination, and I no longer felt any curious stares.

I put a lot of emphasis on mealtimes. After all, Sapphiras is a thin man with a completely unreliable physique. I need to eat well and start recovering from now on. If I want to be an adventurer, it’s important to be fit.

The cafeteria offers a choice of several different types of food, so I always choose a plate with meat as the main dish. I always choose meat to body-build. Percival also chooses the meat plate as a matter of course. And it’s a big plate.

A heap of meat and a heap of mashed potatoes. And a green salad. I couldn’t help but stare. If you eat this much every time, you’ll get big. Different from me who is a small eater.

“Is that enough for Sapphiras?”

“Well, yes.”

It’s not enough, but my stomach has shrunk so much that it’s hard for me to eat a normal amount of food.

Even so, I can’t afford to lose. I have to do something about this unreliable, twig-like physique as soon as possible.

“……Itadakimasu3something said before eating, kinda like ‘dig in’ or ‘bon appetit’.”

Although it’s the style of an aristocratic school to eat with a knife and fork, but in the first place, Sapphiras, who was left alone, doesn’t really have any manners. But what I need is nutrition rather than manners. I don’t worry about the details and bite into the meat immediately.

“Mmmm, delicious!”

The meat is tender with just the right amount of fat. It is a blessing to have three such delicious meals every day.

While eating, we exchange information about each other’s classes. I’m a naive person, so no matter what I hear, I’m always like, “Wow!” or “I see!” I’m always impressed by what I hear.

“I thought…… Sapphiras is a quiet person, but when I actually talk to you, you’re completely different.”

Yes. I’m almost a different person on the inside, thanks to various awakenings. Until the other day, I was just a frail boy who was dwarfed by everything.

Sapphiras is withered, lacking self-confidence and always downcast. It’s true that that’s also me.

From now on, I’m going to assert myself. I won’t hold back, I won’t be downcast. And I won’t be ashamed of myself.

Percival knows that I’ve changed my mind, but the other academy students think I’m a gloomy Sapphiras.

I don’t know if it’s because we’re in different classes, but I wonder if Percival has said anything to his friends after he leaves me.

“You know…”

“What?”

“Have any of your friends said anything to you because of me?”

“What things?”

“No, there’s no good rumours about me right? About having no magic, or the incident with the Anderson’s son.’

“I was wondering what you were going to say. I’ve told you before. My feelings have nothing to do with the feelings of those around me. I want to be friends with Sapphiras. That’s why I’m with you. Unrelated people have no right to tell me anything.”

Percival said with a serious face.

“I see……”

It’s dazzling. The handsome hero is too dazzling. I close my eyes involuntarily. If I had the same pretty face, it would have been nice to look like Percival. Sapphirus is a little too delicate. No matter how hard I try, I don’t feel like an adventurer.

1

he refers to Percival as ‘Percival shounen’

2

bishounen

 

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