Let's Go Seduce the Beastkin
Let's Go Seduce the Beastkin
"Mmmm..."
On a bright afternoon.
Noel was lost in thought in the academy garden.
With the first club activity approaching this weekend, she was feeling a bittersweet sense of regret, and was thinking about how to resolve that feeling.
Currently, the Cross-Cultural Exchange Club was in a state akin to a flaw in a perfect gem—nearly complete, but not quite.
The club had humans and elves. There were no dwarf members or affiliates, but there was a dwarf on the faculty, so she could get help anytime she asked.
The only thing missing was a beastkin.
Noel was deep in thought about how to bring 'Biruna Basil' into the club and achieve perfection.
If only she could meet and talk with her, but that wasn't easy.
Their departments were different, and even when she made time to go find her, Biruna Basil would vanish somewhere right after classes ended, making it impossible to meet.
If she at least knew where Biruna was, she could go look for her.
'How did the protagonist get involved with Biruna in the original...?'
As she was mulling over her memories,
"You look deep in thought! Does this one require my assistance?"
A mysterious helper who always appeared when the game's progress hit a wall showed up.
It was Elara Belmont.
With her arms crossed and shoulders squared, the headmistress appeared imposingly before Noel and sat down beside her as if it were only natural.
"Ah, Elara-ssi. Long time no see."
Elara nodded approvingly, seeming pleased that Noel remembered her.
"You seem troubled. Go ahead and tell me what's on your mind."
At her offer to listen with all sincerity, Noel readily shared her worry.
"I see. So you want to recruit that famous beastkin princess into your club?"
"If I at least knew where she was... Since I'm not in the Knight Department, I can only go look for her during lunch or on weekends, but even when I go, she disappears somewhere."
Even when she asked others to pass along a message, it didn't work well.
Biruna Basil seemed to view graduating from the academy like completing a mission, and had no intention of socializing with humans.
Her uncooperative behavior was apparently giving headaches to the Knight Department instructors as well.
Still, since she was at the academy as a student, the school wanted to somehow make things work.
'Hoo, this is a wonderful opportunity.'
Elara thought that if Noel, who was proactive about interacting with other races, could get Biruna involved in club activities, it might be effective.
"From what I've overheard the teachers saying, that beastkin little— ahem, that beastkin girl is said to spend a lot of time in the forest. This one recommends you go there!"
"The forest?"
"Indeed! Especially on moonlit nights, she enjoys taking nighttime walks."
Upon hearing this, Noel looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded.
Come to think of it, in the original story, the protagonist first met the beastkin heroine Biruna in the forest.
'Why didn't I think of this?'
It seemed she had been too fixated on going to the Knight Department to meet Biruna.
What mattered was meeting Biruna, not the location.
'In the original, the protagonist entered the forest looking for a place to train during free time and met Biruna there.'
Cursing her own foolishness for having completely forgotten this, Noel grabbed Elara's hand and shook it.
"Thank you, Elara-ssi!"
"Oh, ohoh? I'm glad I could help...?"
Elara felt overwhelmed by Noel's momentum, as if she might start snorting steam like a steam locomotive at any moment.
"Which forest should I go to specifically? Can I meet her if I go this evening?"
"There's a forest behind the Knight Department, but... surely you're not thinking of going into the forest alone at night?"
She had given the advice, but still, it was... not recommendable.
Since it was an academy forest, there were only herbivores like rabbits and deer, so it wasn't dangerous.
But even deer, contrary to their image, are actually quite threatening in size.
'Well... considering the magic this girl has shown, I suppose I don't need to worry...'
The problem wasn't the animals—it was the possibility of getting lost.
Unless she had a natural sense of direction in the forest, Noel, who had lived only in mansions and cities her entire life, could easily get stranded if she went into the forest alone.
And at night, no less?
It was definitely not advisable.
And Noel was well aware of that.
So,
"I'll be counting on you, Knight Rosalyn."
She decided to ask a reliable knight.
That is, she borrowed Rosalyn Miller from the princess to go together to the forest to find the beastkin.
"We-well, I don't mind, but are you allowed to leave the dormitory at night?"
The princess had readily agreed, and Rosalyn had no problem thinking of it as a nighttime stroll, but she wondered if this was really okay.
"Yes, I've already gotten permission from the dormitory supervisor."
"Huh?"
At Noel's swift answer, Rosalyn blinked.
She, too, was an academy graduate.
So she knew very well how difficult it was for students to leave the dormitory at night.
It didn't matter whether they were freshmen, sophomores, or seniors about to graduate.
Third-years about to graduate might have more things to do at night for various reasons, so they were sometimes granted permission if they submitted a proper written explanation.
But for anyone below that, permission was rarely granted.
She could understand if the application had been submitted weeks in advance, but applying on the same day and getting approved...
'Did the rules change after I graduated? Or is the Magic Department more lenient?'
Rosalyn couldn't hide her confusion, but of course, Elara had a hand in this.
She had already spoken to the dormitory supervisor to ensure Noel could go out at night without any issues.
'Is this the power of being the author Homeros?'
In the end, without ever reaching the truth, Rosalyn headed with Noel toward the forest behind the Knight Department.
As the guide, Rosalyn felt nostalgic walking through the night campus.
She used to come to the forest they were heading to for personal training on her days off.
Thanks to that, she knew a few spots where that beastkin might be.
There was a place perfect for sunbathing—no, moonbathing.
But even at a brisk pace, it would take a while.
Walking in silence without saying anything was a bit awkward, so the two began making small talk.
"...And so, they're using experienced investigators from the guard forces as instructors to teach students."
And naturally, the conversation topic was related to Noel's 'works.'
Specifically, the influence of the "Magic Investigation Unit" on the academy.
Currently, a new department had been established jointly by the Knight Department and the Magic Department.
It was under the Knight Department's jurisdiction, but Magic Department students could also enroll in the new subject.
Criminology.
Noel had applied the knowledge she showcased in "Magic Investigation Unit" to reality, creating a new field of study.
Special lecturer Winet Holmes, who stood at the academy podium on weekends teaching criminal psychology to students.
After seeing the character from the work teaching students about criminal investigation, the academy actually established a new department.
However, reality wasn't like fiction, and there was no expert like Winet Holmes.
So rather than teaching, it was more accurate to say they had selected capable individuals from the guard forces that handled public safety and criminal investigations, had them pass on their know-how to students, and were jointly researching and formalizing the curriculum.
For example, the guards knew from experience that criminals return to the crime scene.
But that was just empirical knowledge that hadn't been formalized as an academic discipline, so they were now working together to refine it into proper criminology.
Given this situation, criminology couldn't yet be considered a full-fledged subject.
It only existed as a general elective, not a major, so they assumed not many students would take it—but that was a happy miscalculation.
"I hear students who couldn't officially enroll are even auditing the classes."
Considering the craze and popularity of the "Magic Investigation Unit" throughout the empire, it was only natural.
The chance to actually learn—no, to even lend a hand in the creation of—a field of study that appeared in the most popular work of the era?
There was no way they could pass that up.
Regardless of whether they were students, professors, or departments, everyone was researching criminal methods day in and day out, studying criminal psychology, bringing in actual case studies to analyze, and preparing for the war against crime.
"Perhaps soon, Miss Noel may be asked to give a special lecture."
"Cough?!"
At Rosalyn's sudden remark, Noel coughed in surprise.
She really hoped that wouldn't happen.
The reason Noel wrote crime descriptions vaguely in "Magic Investigation Unit" was partly to prevent copycat crimes, but also because she didn't actually know anything about real criminal investigation.
She was just taking what she enjoyed in her past life, adapting it to this world, and adding imagination to fabricate something plausible—she had no real expertise.
But a special lecture?
"That's a bit..."
That was nonsense.
Even if she wanted to, she didn't have the ability.
The academy was somehow managing by bringing in actual field experts, and if she butted in, it would only cause confusion.
Noel shook her head vigorously, strongly insisting it was impossible.
"I really can't. I don't have any such ability. I'm just writing based on imagination, so a lecture? I'd only be a hindrance!"
"The decision isn't mine to make, so telling me that..."
Rosalyn was also at a loss facing Noel's desperate expression.
And in Rosalyn's eyes, it seemed like Noel could do well.
It wasn't false modesty—Noel genuinely seemed to believe she lacked the ability.
'But isn't the fact that you can imagine and write something so convincing enough?'
The situation had already reached a point where specialization of actual criminal investigation was happening based on what was supposedly just imagination.
Rosalyn doubted she was the only one who thought Noel's incredible imagination could be helpful if she just pointed out the right direction.
In Rosalyn's eyes, she could almost see it—
Noel, despite being a student, standing at the podium, holding the chalk.
But she decided not to point that out.
For now,
"I think I've found the beastkin student."
It was better to prioritize the purpose of coming to the forest in the moonlight.