Chapter 74

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 74

Chapter Title: Mammaton's Solo Run

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Late at night.

Harisha was heading back to the dormitory after finishing some overdue work.

"Isn't that... Yuuna, the underclassman? Are you two acquainted?"

In the midst of it all, she ran into Ian and Yuuna.

The pairing of those two was highly unexpected.

Just looking at their statuses, one was an imperial princess and the other a commoner. On top of that, they were in different years.

"There was joint field training for first- and second-years today."

Ian awkwardly explained the situation.

There had been a joint class, and he was receiving feedback on it.

But to Harisha's eyes, the atmosphere wasn't purely about feedback.

"Ahh~"

Harisha gave Yuuna a quick once-over and immediately grasped the situation.

This cute little princess has her sights set on Ian, the underclassman.

Harisha had a vague inkling of Yuuna's intentions.

"So Yuuna, the underclassman, was giving feedback to Ian, the underclassman."

As student council president, Harisha viewed Yuuna as a capable underclassman.

She had even once extended an invitation to recruit Yuuna into the student council.

Yuuna's magic skills were average, but as a princess, she excelled in other areas.

However, Yuuna had turned down Harisha's offer.

There were no hard feelings about that.

But it was a problem if she lost another talent that Harisha had her eye on.

"So, Ian, the underclassman. Was it helpful?"

"Ah... yes. She's a senior, after all, so it helped with this and that."

"You two were talking about walking together again next time, right? Yuuna, the underclassman, do you plan to offer more advice then too?"

"Something like that."

Snatching Ian away here with her authority would be cowardly.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

That wasn't the demeanor of a good leader.

"Yuuna, the underclassman, is certainly skilled in many ways. But wouldn't I be more helpful when it comes to academy life?"

"But Ian promised me, President."

Yuuna was smiling, but there was an edge hidden beneath it.

How adorable. But as a good leader, you can't show a lack of composure, now can you?

Harisha found this side of Yuuna endearing.

Yuuna was still a capable underclassman. Recruitment had failed, but...

Leader against leader, it called for fair competition.

"Wouldn't that be up to Ian, the underclassman, to decide? Of course, Yuuna, the underclassman, has advice only she can give. So how about it? Next time, the three of us walk together?"

"I'd be grateful for the advice..."

"Then it's decided. Ian, the underclassman, you'll have multiple capable seniors now."

Yuuna's expression crumpled slightly at Ian's response.

But Harisha couldn't afford to let student council talent slip away either.

And so, starting the next day, the three of them occasionally went for evening strolls.

"Yaaawn~"

"What's wrong, Ian? You look tired lately."

In the middle of a fatiguing morning class.

Hisenna handed me coffee as I yawned and fought off sleep.

As expected of Mammaton. Only she takes care of me like this.

"Actually, lately at night, I've been going on occasional walks with the princess and the president. Last night, we walked super late."

"...Huh? Walks with who...?"

"-What did you just say, you scrub?!"

At that moment, Elrim—who'd been playing around with Chayuri—suddenly shoved her face right up to mine.

"Walks with the princess and the president."

"W-What, what, what? Why are you the only one going on walks!"

"I dunno... It just kinda happened."

"You're trying to suck up to the president to get into the student council! And then join the imperial mage corps after graduation! Why are you the only one doing it, you scrub!"

"That's what you want. I have zero interest in either."

Smack smack smack—

Elrim slapped my back like a penguin.

Honestly, at first, it wasn't bad.

A short nighttime walk was a nice change of pace, and I actually picked up a lot of useful info.

Even with the gallery around, they were kind at the cadet level. The senior-only insights on cadet life were pretty valuable.

"Y-You went on walks with the princess and the president?"

Chayuri jumped in too, and things got noisy fast.

Ah, still some time before the next class.

I wanted to nap, but these guys were too loud for that.

Then, someone who was neither cadet nor professor entered the classroom.

It was a teaching assistant. A grad student who occasionally handled miscellaneous tasks for Professor Ugos.

He posted some announcement on the front wall and left.

"It's a Subjugation Festival notice!"

Elrim dashed over, checked it out, and came back yelling excitedly.

Two weeks from now, the Subjugation Festival would proceed as scheduled.

Cadets regardless of year would form parties of three and compete as teams.

Participation was encouraged for most cadets.

Elrim explained the announcement's details.

"Regardless of year?"

"That's what I heard. It's a Subjugation Festival tradition to compete under identical conditions."

"It's the nature of the event. In the face of death, all are equal. It started to honor the life of a wandering mage who roamed the continent long ago, following that spirit."

Those efficiency freaks follow traditions like this. The same guys who respect hierarchy in spars.

After hearing the wandering mage's story, it wasn't incomprehensible.

The desperate life of a mage who subjugated beasts to protect his nation.

Magic's development has academic aspects, but also survival and killing ones.

"That's why there are no restrictions on artifacts or familiars."

"Really? Then can't rich folks just bring insane artifacts and win?"

"I doubt it. Whether artifacts, magic stones embedded with spells, or familiars, they can't surpass the mage wielding them."

"What kind of idiot mage uses an artifact beyond their level? Truly scrub thinking."

Getting called out like that by Elrim soured my mood.

Using something beyond your control is worse than nothing.

Like failing to tame a familiar far stronger than yourself.

"So in the end, Subjugation Festival teams are usually all third-years, and they take the win."

"Of course, the president won last year! I'll win next year like her!"

"If you win, I'll be chancellor."

So first-years have no shot, basically.

Then why bother entering?

"Still, most first-years participate. Beyond just the overall win, there are awards in various categories. Even the top-performing first-year team gets a small prize."

"Ah, so lots of award categories besides overall victory."

"Even without aiming for the win, it's good experience."

Apparently worth entering even without chasing first place.

Plus, beyond subjugation scores, there were diverse awards and prizes.

"I'm gonna catch a 'Redlight Stitch'! No point chasing the spotlight win anyway!"

"Redlight Stitch?"

Elrim was eyeing one of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠weirder prizes.

The 'Redlight Stitch'. A creature wandering the Subjugation Festival field.

Apparently too fast and tiny to catch easily.

The festival had elements like Redlight Stitch scattered around.

"Guess entering sounds good."

The poster had plenty of tempting prizes.

Winning wouldn't be easy, but maybe aim for one or two.

Overall victory was third-years' turf; lower years focused on experience and side prizes.

"Still, if we're entering, I'd like a good score. Subjugation Festival's got tons of variables, right?"

"Cadets who can handle more options will have the edge."

Between the taboo mage incident and stuff with Nayu, I'd felt it a lot.

Being a strong mage means using magic well, but it's not just the spells themselves.

Diverse applications. Artifacts, familiars, etc.

Even outside combat: magic stone crafting, artifact forging.

Thinking of Professor Jewelry, she'd shown insane combat power via stone crafting specialty.

Nayu had summoned some mystery crossbow.

Magic's domain is vast.

But I could only compute preset spells.

Wished I had more supplementary means.

Just grinding computations honestly would leave me pushed back like before.

Got it. They call it a 'specialty,' huh.

Magic applications are so diverse, it's down to personal choice.

Grinding one thing like ExplosionIsArt sounds good, but not my vibe.

MagicIsNotHard said she'd post common types, so I'll check that and think more.

But then, an unexpected comment pointed something out.

The team issue.

Three per team was a bit tricky.

My only team options were Chayuri, Hisenna, Elrim anyway.

Adding me makes four.

Awkward for one left out.

The other three stopped chatting too. Probably mulling teams inwardly.

Should I just bring it up now?

Better know quick if they don't wanna team with me.

If they do, we can discuss together.

Right as I went to speak, the professor entered.

Forced us into class, no more talk.

Mid-class, Hisenna quietly poked my arm.

"...?"

I turned to her, and she pointed at my textbook.

She started writing something.

[Ian, wanna hit the stray familiars club today? New cute ones arrived.]

[Don't wanna clean shit.]

[Not cleaning day. Club prez said before ok to bring friend and play with familiars.]

Stray familiars club visit, huh.

Makes sense, I'd seen Elrim tagging along with Hisenna sometimes.

I'd always gone to flight club for broom practice.

Normally I'd skip, but today? Why not.

Broom flying's solid now, can skip a day.

Plus 'familiars' count as a specialty type I'd pondered.

Raising familiars for magic support is common.

[Cool. Tell Elrim n Chayuri too?]

Wrote that and glanced opposite.

Chayuri left, Elrim beyond.

Both deep in thought, ignoring us.

[No! No they'll be busy?]

[Rly?]

[Do NOT tell them! Only one companion allowed!]

Ah, got it. One guest only.

Might make them sulk if I mention. Don't care personally.

Anyway, promised Hisenna.

Agh. Closed the gal spouting nonsense again and focused on class.

Checking it out should help somewhat.

No expectations for good familiars.

After classes ended that day, I headed to the stray familiars volunteer club with Hisenna.