Master and Disciple
Master and Disciple
The Royal Academy was abuzz from the morning, unlike usual. Most of the academy staff shook their heads, lamenting that the approaching winter break was once again stirring up the students' minds, but the reality was a little different.
A female student who lived off-campus and had to commute had seen it while dragging her sleepy body toward the academy in the early morning.
A young man draped in Gula's garments—attire that anyone with a discerning eye couldn't help but recognize—walking out of the shop of Gula, the dwarven master tailor.
There was nothing particularly remarkable about him politely bowing as he exited, wrapped in a dark purple cape reminiscent of the night sky. The problem was that the young man matched the rumors currently raging through the academy far too closely.
The female student, having confirmed the young man's tall stature, his shoulders so broad they were evident even under the cape, and even a single short-legged dog panting excitedly with a cute face at his feet, felt her drowsiness evaporate as she checked his face.
And after an ardent sprint, the moment she arrived at the academy, she shouted to her classmates.
"I think I just saw the real Eldmia Ega on my way to school!!"
"What weird thing did you see this time to cause a ruckus so early in the morning?"
The female student protested that it was unfair, but considering the false information she'd brought in over the past few weeks, her classmates' reaction was entirely reasonable. So this time she described the young man she'd seen in detail according to the five Ws and one H, feeling betrayed by the friends who refused to believe her—though none of them cared about her sense of betrayal.
Instead, they left open the possibility that it might be real this time. And that possibility turned to certainty around lunchtime.
"It's probably true. They said he's participating in Professor Regneva's class today."
That was through a statement from Sheryl Tusin Ogatorf, the person with the most points of contact with Eldmia.
The students, who initially only wanted to confirm if the young man the female student saw really was Eldmia, began turning the cafeteria upside down at her answer, which contained completely unexpected information—none of them holding back. Sheryl, who hadn't noticed this mood beforehand, furrowed her brow, belatedly realizing her mistake.
The one saving grace was that the barrage of questions directed at her didn't last very long.
"They say Eldmia entered the academy!"
Watching the students swarm out at the cry of someone who burst through the cafeteria doors, Sheryl dry-washed her face once and let out a deep sigh. It deeply bothered her not only that most of the second-years had rushed out in the mass exodus, but that the bear-like Kalits and Griwills were also nowhere to be seen. But she had no desire to stick her nose into a place that was obviously going to turn into a mess in some form or another.
In the end, Sheryl organized the countless thoughts flashing through her mind and put them into a short utterance.
"Well, he reaps what he sows."
And she tried to continue her meal as if nothing had happened, but ultimately hurried to finish eating and left the scene.
◈
After leaving the shop of an old dwarf whose name I didn't even know, I returned home, showed off my new clothes to Asilie—who was just now coming to her senses while drinking coffee—and then headed for the academy after lunch.
"You really shouldn't pretend to be a knight this time, okay?"
"Then should I just act like usual?"
"Uuum... that might be a bit dangerous. Just act taciturn and cold!"
I left Asilie behind as she fired off one warning after another.
Even after strapping my sword and needles to my waist and transferring the first-aid supplies from my usual waist pouch to the inner pocket of my cape, I checked my clothes and found not a single spot that sagged or looked unsightly. By the time I left the house, the sun was already high in the sky and foot traffic had increased considerably.
Was it because of the expensive clothes? The attention directed at me seemed to have increased more than usual. It wasn't like there was a brand tag openly showing who made it, but besides the people who usually whispered at the sight of my face, there were definitely more people focusing on the clothes I wore.
Just look at Laika, riding majestically on the front of my saddle instead. Why are they so interested in some clothes?
Since they were obviously fine clothes, those in the know couldn't help but have their eyes drawn to them, but it was simply uncomfortable for the person wearing them. At least the roads weren't blocked, so I could advance smoothly and reach the academy faster than yesterday, and I dismounted alongside Laika with a sigh of relief.
"But does the academy not even have guards? Seeing it yesterday too, I'm starting to wonder if outsiders can really just walk in so freely like this."
No matter how much I looked around over two days, the main gate, which only had a temporary stable where you could leave your horse, had no extra space where a guard might be stationed. Yesterday I just rode my horse all the way to the faculty office building without much thought, but now that I was actually leaving my horse behind, I couldn't help but think this was absurd. But if I rode in again like yesterday, the problem was there was no proper place to leave the horse over there.
If I'd known it would be like this, I should have asked my teacher. I was short-sighted.
"Eh, they probably have security magic or something set up."
There's no way a place with the name of the Royal Academy would be sloppy for no reason.
Vowing to myself that if the horse disappeared later I would turn this place upside down, I tied my horse in a space clearly meant as a guest stable and headed toward the building where the faculty office was located, with Laika bouncing excitedly behind me.
And once again, I had to feel discomfort in the ever-increasing gazes around me.
"Did they install security cameras or something."
The movements of the students, clearly aware that I had arrived and moving to gawk, reminded me of the surveillance magic or tracking magic that Merdela had used. When I activated my Magic Sight, a giant magic sphere floating in the sky above the academy belatedly entered my vision.
It was a sphere so massive I could understand why there were no guards. Whoever was monitoring visitors with that thing had clearly spread the word. Up to that point, I could walk on, feigning indifference, but the speed at which the onlookers were increasing began to exceed my expectations.
The kids who had been sneaking glances and whispering had completely transitioned to openly gawking, creating a full-on commotion.
I was at a point where I couldn't even pretend not to notice, yet I was still far from reaching the faculty office. Even when I blatantly looked around and scattered my gaze, the students didn't back off—instead, they were busy fueling their own curiosity.
"Haah... you lot have no manners."
In the end, I let out a short sigh and decided to follow Asilie's advice and snap at them coldly.
"Being stared at like a caged animal is unpleasant, so how about everyone who doesn't have business here clears out."
I wasn't close enough for them to hear me if I spoke quietly, so I deliberately spoke a little louder. I hoped they wouldn't waste their precious lunch break on pointless gawking and would go rest or finish their lunch, but for some reason, the commotion only grew louder.
From among the buzzing students, as if my words were a signal, a large male student approached me.
"Are you perhaps Sir Eldmia Ega?"
What was this bear cub?
Not only was his eye level roughly similar to mine, but this muscle pig, who looked like he had about twice as much muscle packed on front and back, had brought along five or six guys with similar muscle mass but a head shorter in height, and politely addressed me. Since his attitude was considerably polite and courteous for it to be a threat, I decided to give him a decent answer.
"Eldmia Ega is correct, but I'm no Sir."
I merely pointed out the wrong form of address, yet for some reason, exclamations of admiration leaked from the surroundings, and the bear cub began staring at me with a burdensome expression as if deeply moved. And based on my experience in the Empire, when a guy who obviously looks more familiar with a sword than magic shows this kind of reaction, he usually wants one thing.
"To think you maintain such a humble attitude despite having contributed to rooting out the heinous traitors who forgot the royal grace! Truly a paragon of knighthood! Please..."
Knowing that, I opened my mouth before the guy could even finish speaking.
"First. I came here as Professor Regneva's teaching assistant and disciple, not as a sword-for-hire. I am even less a paragon of knighthood."
"A spar... pardon?"
"Second. I don't have the hobby of grabbing just anyone for a spar."
Every time I spoke while raising a finger, the commotion died down. As I wasn't speaking particularly loudly, people quieted down on their own out of curiosity about what I was saying, and feeling a sense of satisfaction at that, I unfolded my ring finger last.
"Third. Rumors are always exaggerated, so don't harbor pointless fantasies and focus on your academy classes."
Whatever rumors these kids had heard and however they'd heard them, they'd probably picked up a mix of vague, baseless rumors and truth, chewed it all up, and turned it into gossip. If correcting all that piece by piece made me stronger, I'd have every intention of helping as much as possible, but squabbling with kids weaker than me over that sort of thing was nothing but a waste of time.
"So, I'd appreciate it if you'd clear the path now."
Since I had absolutely no intention of extending that kind of kindness, I cut him off firmly, and the bear cub, though hesitating, cautiously opened the way. Thinking he was at least a guy who could be reasoned with, I was about to move my feet when this time a question flew at me from a different direction.
"Then could you at least tell us which rumor is true?"
A polite question, but a voice laced with a hint of amusement. When I turned my head toward the source of the sound, a long-haired male student with sly narrowed eyes, who looked like a behind-the-scenes schemer character, was looking at me.
"I know it's rude, but at the academy, Sir Ega... my apologies. Your fame is tremendously high. High enough that people are carving into their lunch breaks like this just to see you. Seeing this, couldn't you at least tell us just one thing?"
That guy had to be the same age or around the same age as Sheryl, and the way he modestly lifted me up while pushing and pulling was very noble-like. Whether that was the case or not, just as I was about to ignore him and go, I figured that if I clarified just one thing, it might reduce the annoying incidents, so I gave him a short answer.
"Guillotine."
Assuming that smart kids attending the academy would understand perfectly well what it meant, I moved my feet again.
Fortunately, no students followed me.