Chapter 2: Johanna Freya
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 2: Johanna Freya
"That thing you showed the child earlier."
Those were the first words Johanna spoke after we parted ways with the little girl.
I had been staring blankly at her face, so my response came a beat late.
What I showed the child... She must mean the illusion.
"...Ah, you mean this?"
Snap.
With a flick of my fingers, a butterfly manifested in the air, fluttering its wings.
She stopped in her tracks and gazed intently at the creature. Walking alongside her, I stopped as well.
Standing still in the middle of the path, I could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on us. They had been staring since we started walking, but stopping made us even more of a spectacle.
Was it because of her stunning beauty, or my peculiar attire? I couldn't be sure.
"....It’s unnatural."
After observing the butterfly for a long while, she finally spoke.
Unnatural? I shifted my gaze from her to the butterfly. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like a perfectly ordinary insect.
"Unnatural? In what way?"
"The wingbeats."
Hearing Johanna’s critique, I examined the fluttering wings closely, but I still couldn't see any difference from a real butterfly.
"Hmm. No matter how much I look, I just can't tell!"
However, I couldn't just brush off her words. When using illusions, one must visualize the target with absolute precision. When I first started, I couldn't even get the basic shapes right.
Since Johanna’s "Intuition" had been mentioned several times in Croaka, it was entirely possible she had spotted a subtle discrepancy that separated my creation from the real thing.
"Still, thank you for the advice! I’ll have to work harder."
She stared at me blankly, as if my response was unexpected. It was a bit embarrassing being scrutinized like that.
"Doesn't it bother you?"
"Bother me? What do you mean?"
"Your Innate Magic."
Wait, was she worried about critiquing my unique skill so casually?
In this world, having a third party—who isn't your master—comment on your swordsmanship or magic is practically an invitation to a duel. But that rule applied to the people of this world, not me.
"Actually, I prefer it when you point things out about my Innate Magic. If I take your advice to heart, I can become even stronger."
Johanna’s mouth parted slightly as she looked at me. For someone who rarely showed emotion, this was quite a reaction; she seemed genuinely surprised. By the way, even her surprised face was adorable.
"You’re a strange person."
She left it at that and resumed walking.
"Being a strange person is fine, but I’d prefer it if you remembered me as a special person."
At my words, the corners of Johanna’s mouth quirked upward. That tiny lift alone made her look even more radiant. Did she just smile?
"Did you just smile?"
"...No."
It vanished instantly, of course, but the corners of her mouth had definitely twitched.
"I saw them go up, though!"
"You saw wrong."
"I saw it clearly!"
".........."
Whether she was pouting or just embarrassed by my persistence, Johanna gave me a sullen look without saying another word. So cute.
She didn't speak again, but she did increase her pace.
"Senior Johanna! Wait for me!"
I chattered away beside her as she hurried along. I asked about her favorite foods, if there were any good restaurants nearby, and so on. She ignored most of it, likely out of shyness, but I enjoyed the interaction regardless.
"Senior Johanna, isn't there anything else you're curious about regarding me?"
At my question, Johanna suddenly came to a halt. She timidly pointed to the cane I was holding in one hand.
"That sword."
I was startled that she called my cane a sword. She was right, of course, but even I hadn't realized it was a sword at first. To think she recognized it instantly.
"Wow~ How did you know this was a sword? Everyone else just sees a cane. As expected of an Academy senior, you're amazing!"
As I channeled mana into the cane, its ordinary tip transformed into a sharp blade.
"Ta-da~."
I showed her the transformed cane-sword, and her eyes wouldn't budge from it. Come to think of it, the only thing she ever showed interest in within the world of Croaka was swords.
"Would you like to hold it, if you don't mind?"
"....Is that okay?"
She looked at me with sparkling eyes. Her usual blank stare was cute, but these shimmering eyes were on another level.
"Yes! Of course. For you, Senior Johanna, I’d not only give you this but even take off this mask—my most prized possession—and give it to you!"
I handed her the cane. They say a sword is a swordsman's life, but to me, it was just a pointy stick.
"I don't need the mask."
"Gasp! My heart! I'm wounded!"
I made a dramatic sound and slumped down, drawing circles on the ground with my finger. Regardless of my antics, she inspected the cane-sword from every angle.
After checking it over for a while, she handed it back.
"Thank you."
"It was nothing. I should be the one thanking you for walking with me to the Academy."
"....Do you want to hold my sword too?"
To think Johanna, who was so serious about swords, would say such a thing! But unlike her, I didn't have much interest in blades.
"I'm alright!"
".........."
Ah, she’s pouting.
"I'm joking! I actually really want to see your sword, Senior!"
"....Really?"
"Yes, of course! I'm incredibly curious about the sword you use. I only declined because I wondered if someone like me was even worthy of touching it."
"It’s fine."
Johanna handed me her sword, and I took it carefully. Considering her family status, it looked like a surprisingly ordinary weapon. However, the impeccably maintained blade showed just how much care she put into it.
After looking it over, I handed it back to her.
"......."
When I returned the sword, Johanna stared at me intently without a word. What was it? ....Wait, could it be?
"It’s... a very fine sword."
Nod. She nodded silently.
So cute.
* * *
Following her lead, we eventually arrived at the Academy.
I was instantly overwhelmed by the sight of the campus in person. Its scale was on a different dimension compared to universities in reality. The buildings carried the weight of history, but they didn't look old or dilapidated. This was the stage of Croaka!
I felt glad I had come here. Of course, not getting expelled would be harder than getting in, but I was confident I could survive.
The Academy guards were wary of my suspicious appearance, but they let me through once they realized who the woman beside me was. It wasn't just because she was the daughter of a Duke, but because she was a member of the Academy’s Disciplinary Committee.
"Johanna!"
Just then, a girl came running toward us, calling Johanna’s name. With short brown hair, round glasses, and a disciplinary armband, this was Johanna’s best friend in Croaka, Jenna Suguro.
Jenna ran toward Johanna but faltered when she saw me, her eyes filling with suspicion. I was clearly just an ordinary clown, so I had no idea why she was looking at me like that.
"Who are you?"
I tried to give a magnificent self-introduction, but Johanna spoke faster than I could strike a pose.
"A freshman."
"I see. Wait, no! The entrance ceremony is about to start! What are you doing here? You, freshman, get to the auditorium before you're late."
With that, Jenna began dragging Johanna away.
The reason Jenna Suguro, the daughter of a Count, could treat Johanna of the Ducal family so casually was partly due to the Academy’s principle of equality, but mostly because they were just that close.
I stood there blankly as Johanna was pulled away, raising both hands to wave and shouting.
"See you later, Senior Johanna!"
Even as she was being dragged off, Johanna gave a small, timid wave. So cute! I really need to get a camera for moments like this.
Since I didn't have one yet, I resolved to buy a camera as soon as I made some money and headed toward the Academy auditorium.
Even on the way there, many people stared and whispered about me.
I guess even a full-face mask can't hide my looks. Sigh, this is why being too handsome is a burden.
As I entered the auditorium, the attention and whispering intensified. Is this their first time seeing a handsome man?
I found an empty seat and sat down. The whispering eventually died down after a while.
I was staring blankly ahead when the room suddenly became several times noisier than when I had first entered.
"Is this seat taken?"
I understood why the moment I saw the man speaking to me. Blonde hair and golden eyes—the symbols of the Imperial family—and a face that was handsome (though not as much as mine). It was Lucas Leonhart, the Crown Prince of the Empire and the protagonist of Croaka 1.
"Yes, the seat next to me is always empty! Strangely enough, no one ever sits here."
"I'm Lucas Leonhart. You can just call me Lucas."
As Lucas sat down next to me, I heard the surrounding students groan. They probably wanted to sit next to him and suck up. Sorry, but flattery is my specialty.
"Isn't it amazing, Lucas?"
"Huh? What is?"
"The Academy! Look at this magnificent building. Being able to attend such an Academy is all because I am a citizen of the Empire. I wish to dedicate all this glory to His Majesty the Emperor. Long live the Emperor! Long live His Majesty!"
While other students might try to flatter him subtly, I went for the direct approach.
My "dazzling" flattery left the people around us with their jaws on the floor.
"....Pffft, hahahahaha!"
Lucas, who had been speechless with admiration at my skills, burst into laughter.
"Pffft... Hahaha! Ah, my stomach. What’s your name?"
"Loki. You can just call me Loki."