Chapter 23
Chapter 23
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Me? (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A few days had passed since the observation class ended.
The academy, now emptied of the throng of parents, had regained its quiet calm.
Before long, a full week had slipped by since the observation class day. It was Wednesday once more.
The day for club activities that had been missed due to the observation class schedule.
"Is Abel senior already there?"
"Yeah. She's the librarian, after all. She said she has to head over before lunch ends, ahead of everyone else."
"Hm."
I was heading to the library with Vincent.
Charlotte, who belonged to the go-home club due to personal reasons and skipped club activities, had vanished somewhere after saying she'd head out first.
With the semester-end comprehensive evaluation just around the corner anyway, I figured I'd just go to the library and study if nothing came up.
"Vincent. Are you good at studying?"
"Huh?"
From what I'd heard, Vincent had originally been in the Magic Department. Top of B-Class, no less.
But for some reason, he'd applied for a department transfer and ended up in Alchemy.
Even coming from B-Class, that meant he was no slouch in the brains department—at least compared to me.
A Swordsmanship Department A-Class student losing out in smarts to a Magic Department B-Class kid was just reality.
"Me? Eh, I'm just average... I get by."
"Good. I was looking for a budget instructor anyway."
"L-Leonard, wait—you're actually planning to study?"
"Got a problem with that?"
"No, it's just... like drawing lines on a pumpkin and hoping it'll turn into a watermelon..."
"Let's just fight."
How long had we been walking when the grand silhouette of the Royal Academic Library came into view in the distance?
Even from the approach, I could smell the thick nerd scent wafting over.
Skinny students sitting on the stairs buried in unidentifiable tomes, kids fiddling with bizarre wooden contraptions while sporting glasses so thick they might as well be swim goggles.
Students lurking gloomily by the entrance with books tucked under their arms, others chattering in incomprehensible jargon as they debated.
'Bad for my mental health.'
These guys came standard-issue with social anxiety.
Staying here too long might twist my personality.
Like how living in a sunless, depressing place gives you depression.
"Let's head in."
Once inside following Vincent, it was at least tolerable.
The soft rustle of turning pages, the faint aroma of coffee mingling with a touch of dust, a single beam of sunlight filtering through the window and illuminating the motes.
And beyond that, at the circulation desk, Abel Hayes—the club president—sat quietly reading a book.
As Vincent and I approached, she flashed a gentle smile and flipped her book closed.
"Hee hee. Welcome, juniors."
Abel senior's hair was tied back with stray strands poking out, her usual disheveled look.
Yet that tousled mess paired with her half-lidded eyes and languid smile somehow made it endearing rather than sloppy.
"A-Abel senior!"
Vincent froze for a second at her greeting before hastily bowing his head.
His exposed ears burned red. The way he clenched his pants betrayed an indescribable tension.
'Perfect timing.'
Abel senior gazed at him with that sleepy smile.
Obviously, her anyone's-guess flirting and his flustered flailing made for prime entertainment.
You're not even trying to hide it, huh.
Anyway, we exchanged brief pleasantries and settled into a quiet nearby spot.
"Abel senior."
"Leonard junior. How was the observation class?"
"It was... passable."
In truth, it had been downright awful, but still.
Even getting slapped by Edwin, the mood when we parted at the end wasn't bad, so that had to count for something.
'Leonard.'
'Yes, brother.'
'...Once the semester comprehensive evaluation ends, come straight home without delay. We'll have dinner together.'
Why the sudden dinner invite was beyond me.
But I trusted it wasn't some plot to quietly off me.
"Heard there were some interesting rumors. Is your cheek okay?"
"Ah..."
Of course, word of the slap in the middle of the courtyard was unavoidable.
Students leaving the training grounds had all seen it plain as day.
I'd turned around the instant my name was called, clueless, and got smacked before I could react.
'You little shit.'
We'll settle this later when I get home.
"L-Leonard... hang in there."
When I stayed silent, Vincent seemed to misread it and patted my shoulder awkwardly.
"Thanks."
"You're not the playboy anymore, but getting hit openly like that means you probably deserved it... Don't beat yourself up too much. A playboy's vibe is just inevitable..."
"Not thanks anymore."
Maybe I should fix that jaw of his soon.
As I seriously contemplated throwing down with Vincent, Abel senior let out a soft chuckle and pulled something from her pocket.
"Here, take this."
"What's this?"
"The list of overdue books you two need to retrieve."
Come to think of it, the reading club also assisted with library duties.
A shame about missing study time, but getting familiar with club stuff wasn't so bad.
"Should we head out now?"
"Yeah. Books come back better the sooner the better. Thanks."
"Let's go, Vincent."
"Uh, y-yeah."
Vincent, reluctant to leave right away, kept glancing back as he followed me out.
Abel senior waved with a bright smile, and Vincent beamed back, waving enthusiastically.
'Kid's in heaven.'
The type to mistake any kindness from a girl for love.
Probably already named their grandkids.
Retrieving overdue books from the library.
Our first stop was the research building where academy research students gathered.
Separate from professors crafting curricula and lecturing in classrooms, they too had to submit research or papers to academia for recognition.
And most of that was way too massive for one person.
Enter the academy research student system.
Graduates who stuck around instead of jumping into the job market, assisting professors with research or writing, delving deeper into favored fields, earning degrees, aiming for faculty positions.
In simple terms, grad students.
Even simpler: legal slaves.
"...What do you want?"
"Here for overdue book retrieval. You're Philip research senior, right?"
"Overdue... book... wait a sec..."
For whatever reason, most coughed up their books readily after we knocked and explained.
They looked pitiful, unkempt and sleep-deprived, but still.
I respected their choices and focused on collection.
"Tch. Vincent, take notes. That's the endgame of one bad choice."
"Uh, yeah... But Leonard, I've seen plenty thanks to you already."
"Training grounds must be empty."
Looping through the research building with Vincent filled the cart with overdue tomes.
Some were coffee-stained or splashed with mystery fluids in awful states, but Vincent said this was fine.
"Alchemy can restore them anyway."
"Restoration request?"
"Yeah. They handle book restoration too."
"Handy."
"G-Good job prospects."
"That why you transferred?"
"No, not that..."
With the cart stuffed full of overdue books, we rattled it back toward the library.
"Blackmere brothers."
"...Celestina?"
We ran smack into someone I wasn't thrilled to see.
"Um..."
Celestina hesitated, glancing between me and Vincent, then her eyes shifted to the piled-high cart.
Her blue eyes quivered faintly at the crammed load.
Her gaze moved to my hand on the cart, then she approached and gripped the handle alongside mine.
"I-I'll help."
"No need, it's not that heavy."
"...Still."
She met my eyes straight on, a strange fervor flickering there that gave even me pause.
"...Suit yourself."
In the end, we shuffled to the library like some weekend-shopping couple, cart in tow.
Meanwhile, Vincent, watching it all, eyed Celestina warily before sidling up and whispering.
"L-Leonard...! Got some dirt on the Saintess or what?"
"What kinda nonsense is that, Vincent."
"Th-Then why's the Saintess of Compassion helping you?"
Beats me.
Considering the disgust she'd shown at our first service event encounter, even I found this weird.
But turning down free help with a "beat it" wasn't an option.
"Must be inspired by my diligent streak lately."
"Leonard, you lost it?"
"I'm fine."
"If you were fine, you wouldn't hope for a rep turnaround after just over a month..."
"Hey."
Vincent's bluntness rang true, for all its rudeness.
The past month-plus, I'd poured everything into good deeds and diligence.
A long stretch, but shaking a bad rep took multiples of that effort, barely scraping by.
This academy munchkin power-fantasy world had realistic quirks post-possession, killing convenient plot conveniences for me.
'No clue.'
Ultimately, no answers, we returned silently.
Stopping the cart and turning, Celestina flinched and averted her eyes.
"Celestina. Thanks for today."
"N-No, don't mention it."
As I gave the perfunctory thanks and turned,
Squeeze―
Something clutched my clothes, refusing to let go.
Glancing back indifferently, there was Celestina, gripping the hem in shock, staring wide-eyed.
"Ah, n-no, this is..."
Her face flushed persimmon-red as she dodged glances frantically, then bowed her head, hiding it.
I nodded silently at Vincent toward the cart.
Mouthy as he was, his instincts were spot-on—he wordlessly took the cart and entered the library first.
I let out a faint sigh toward the still-fidgeting Celestina, avoiding my gaze.
"Celestina."
"Y-Yes."
"Walk with me a bit."
I started ahead; after a hesitant pause in place, she trailed behind belatedly.
Destination was set.
The usual spot where Charlotte and I cooled off: the fountain bench in front of the main building.
'Even if she hates my guts...'
She looked like she had something to say, and ignoring that felt off.
Plus, seeing her so worked up piqued my curiosity.
'Let's hear it.'
As long as it wasn't "I'll kill you."