26
Chapter 26
Fortunately, Estella fixed the door, so I didn't end up stuck in my room.
I generally avoided strenuous activity, but since I needed to work a part-time job to earn money, it was a huge relief.
I had several jobs, but since I'd scheduled them around my training time, I still had plenty of leisure time for proper rest. Actually, I wanted to work more, but Luna had stopped me.
There wasn't much to do at home, but with Estella, Quixote, or Aria visiting at least once a day, I wasn't that bored. Plus, going out costs money, so staying in was for the best.
Still, my friends couldn't be there every single hour, so I developed a habit of scouring the internet whenever I got bored. Naturally, I pulled out my phone.
"I'll be attending properly starting today. I wonder if anything's happened?"
As it happens every year, the news regarding the Academy was exploding this year.
The higher-ups, who knew exactly what was going on, had ordered various articles to be written to cover up the Order of Star Carving's antics, so the feed was full of clickbait. They chose to distract people rather than control the media, as total censorship would only attract more attention.
While browsing, a headline caught my eye that I simply couldn't ignore.
It was a story about a suspected lover of Estella.
Since she was friendly to everyone, a dating rumor wasn't particularly strange.
Considering how often she complained to me about getting confessions, it was probably nothing.
But if I sent her a screenshot, she'd absolutely lose it.
Grinning, I clicked on the article.
The photo showed Estella shoving someone into a car while glancing around to see if anyone was watching.
I chuckled softly, took a screenshot, and sent it to her.
[Me: Congrats on escaping the single life LOLOLOLOL]
[Estella: ? What the hell are you talking about.]
[Me: 'Spring has arrived for the rising Divinity, Estella?' Click the link and check it out LOLOLOLOL]
[Estella: ? What kind of bullshit is this]
[Me: See it yet? LOLOLOLOL]
[Estella: Hey, that's you.]
[Me: ?]
[Estella: That's the moment I shoved you in the car on the first day of school. Your face is hidden because of the angle, but everything from your hair to your build is you.]
[Me: F*ck, let's break up.]
[Estella: Look at this idiot. Check the comments; you're probably going to get stabbed soon LOLOLOLOL]
[Me: Please break up with me.]
[Estella: I guess I won't be getting any more confession attacks for a while. Tha-nks!]
[Me: Explain this. I'm feeling a threat to my life reading the comments.]
[Estella: What can you even do if I don't explain it? LOLOLOLOL]
[Me: F*ck]
I turned off my phone and sighed.
"Well, my face isn't in it, so as long as I deny it reasonably, it should be fine."
***
What on earth is this?
On my way to the Academy, I saw a massive crowd of people.
"Spirit Department students with purple school uniform badges, please give us a moment!"
"Anyone with black hair, please step forward!"
"You'll get snacks if you cooperate!"
"How tall are you?"
"I'll just measure the length of your left index finger."
Based on a single photo, they were narrowing down the target by checking affiliations, height, department, and the length of fingers, arms, and legs.
Some of them approached me.
"Do you have a moment?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm a bit busy."
"There are about two hours left until class starts, right? I'm really sorry, but could you give us just a moment—just a tiny moment of your time? We'll give you a gift."
I think I now understand why Estella hates it when her fans recognize her.
"Still, though..."
"It will only take a moment. Just a moment!"
"Uh, well, I have a daughter."
"What?"
I pulled out my phone and showed them a picture of Luna.
"I happened to have a child a bit early. Isn't my daughter cute? She's very smart; I wonder who she takes after."
Naturally, Estella had never been pregnant. She's on TV several times a month; there's no way she could hide that from everyone.
"Ah, I see. Good luck with the parenting?"
"Yes, so would it be alright if I head out now?"
"Yes, sorry for taking up your time."
The person who claimed to be an obsessive fan of Estella handed me a bag of snacks. I'll have to give them to Luna later.
For the first time today, I actually felt sorry for Estella.
They probably knew she attended the Academy, but seeing as they were grabbing random people to check instead of asking her, they clearly didn't have the courage to face her.
Shaking off the creepy feeling, I hurried toward the Academy building.
I pulled out my phone again and took a photo of the scene from a distance.
[Me: (Image)]
[Me: Look at the state of the area around the school.]
[Estella: Ah f*ck, where is that?]
I didn't give a detailed explanation, but she figured out the situation immediately.
[Estella: Actually, I can tell where it is from the buildings.]
Before long, she arrived at the scene.
Everyone tried to clean up and flee in a hurry, but since the scale of the operation was so large, it wasn't easy to clear everything even with the help of magic.
I was watching from afar, so I couldn't hear the conversation clearly, but she looked like she was scolding them, and they looked like they considered it an honor...
I seriously can't watch this.
Hang in there, Estella. Stay strong, Estella.
I checked the announcements to find where my classroom was.
There was a notice stating that the number of classes had been adjusted due to a significant number of student dropouts.
The Close Combat and Shooting Departments remained at three classes each, but the Magic Department decreased from four to three, the Spirit Department from seven to four, and Alchemy from four to two.
"Over two hundred students have dropped out."
Although no one died, the recent terror attack must have forced many people to face reality.
I imagine the remaining students mostly fall into three categories: those who felt they could handle it because of their skill, those who took immense pride in attending the Academy, and...
Those who had no choice but to stay because they were bound by a contract.
I scanned through the list of students assigned to my new class.
"Oh, Quixote is in my class?"
At least I won't be isolated in class. We even have the same professor.
I scrolled down further to check the other names and found a familiar one.
Minerva.
The contractor bound to Laevateinn.
I frowned at the name.
"I don't think our personalities will mesh."
How should I put it? She's one of the types of people I find most awkward to deal with.
It's not that her personality is bad; it's more that I'm the prickly one. She's the type who is genuinely kind and treats even strangers with a pure heart.
"Well, just because we're in the same class doesn't mean we'll necessarily have to interact."
Since Quixote is also in the same class, I won't be left out anyway.
I began walking toward my classroom.
***
I ran into Quixote just as I was arriving at my classroom.
"Hey."
I raised a hand and gave him a wave.
"Seo-ha, I see. Did you get some good rest?"
"As you can see."
I remembered how Quixote had visited me a few times over the past week, nagging me about the necessity of proper rest.
"True. Having seen you a few times, you're quite weak against Luna, so I assume you stayed put and rested well."
"I guess so."
I opened the classroom door and stepped inside first.
"Someone's already here. I thought I was early."
Then I remembered that Estella's Boyfriend Search Party had been preparing for this for quite a while. Maybe they weren't the only ones who arrived early?
As I scanned the students already seated, a woman with long red hair caught my eye. More accurately, the nearly five-meter-long greatsword next to her was what stood out.
I wondered what she planned to do if the ceiling hadn't been so high.
I naturally moved toward the back of the room and took a seat.
"Coming first only to sit in the back! Sitting in the front is the privilege of the diligent!"
Quixote picked me up and moved me to a front seat.
"Besides, it doesn't look right when students are scattered all over the place."
"The other kids will fill in the gaps once they arrive anyway."
"Then wouldn't the atmosphere be chaotic until they do? It is not easy to change a mood once it has set."
"Yeah, I guess you're not wrong."
I had tried to sit as far away as possible, but in an instant, the distance had closed.
"Hello there?"
Minerva spoke to us from the side with a kind expression and a gentle voice.
"Hello."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Don Quixote."
"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you too. I'm Minerva."
As she received the greetings from Quixote and me, Minerva gave a bright smile.
"Oh, that greatsword next to you is quite massive. Do you use it?"
"Ah, it's my Spirit. It doesn't really like being tucked away. I hope its size doesn't bother anyone else... it seems to be acting a bit moody, too. Hehe."
"The classroom is spacious, so I doubt it will be an issue. The ceiling is high as well."
"That's a relief, then."
As I silently watched the two of them converse, Quixote spoke to me.
"Why are you so quiet? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, not really."
I'm a man of strong self-awareness.
I'm aware that I can be somewhat prickly. I know I'm especially prickly when meeting someone for the first time.
I didn't mind Estella because I knew she had a hidden dark side, and Quixote and Aria were special cases where such things didn't matter.
But when someone approaches me with pure sincerity, I honestly don't know how to respond.
"You seem to be a man of few words."
"Yes."
I figured sticking with that image would make things easier from now on.
"You? A man of few words?"
Quixote expressed his doubt at my answer.
"By any chance, are you shy? Is that it?"
My face crumpled reflexively the moment I heard that.
Seriously, why does everything he says have to lead back to romance?
"Hahaha, it's possible. You were like a stone even when looking at Miss Estella."
"Ugh, Quixote, stop talking nonsense."
"You don't have to be so harsh."
I reached out my right hand toward the helmet of the ever-talking Quixote.
"Huh? A ring?"
I brought the ring close to his eyes.
"Say cheese."
"Aaaagh!"
What a drama queen. I even adjusted the intensity for him.
"Are you going to keep talking nonsense?"
"Hehe, you two really get along well."
Minerva watched us, laughing as if she found it amusing.
"We're not too bad, I suppose."
"My eyes!!!"
"Give it a rest. It was barely as bright as a phone flash. Why are you still screaming?"
"Ahem."
Quixote cleared his throat, probably realizing he had overreacted.
"I see you've all been waiting patiently without fighting."
A voice echoed from the front door.
"To introduce myself once more, I am Kim Hye-ra, a professor of the Spirit Department."
As she stood before us, everyone's attention shifted toward her.
"I am here to inform you of some significant changes to the original academic schedule."
Three more people who looked identical to her entered through the open door. They were likely Spirits transformed into her image.
However, there was still a way to tell them apart.
The first woman wore a purple armband, and those who followed wore red, blue, and green armbands, respectively.
"Originally, the top priority is to increase Spirit Attunement so that you can form a contract with a Spirit. For students who haven't contracted yet, the first semester is essentially dedicated to this goal."
I could easily guess the reason for the change. Since the starlight illuminating The Ark had weakened, the 'safe and uninvaded' status of the Ark was no longer guaranteed. Magic Beasts could cross over from the Demonic Realm, and there was now a possibility of Majins sneaking in.
While not exactly what Reika intended, weakening the star that symbolized the Ark's safety would lead to many people suffering.
"Those of you who haven't contracted with a Spirit, please move to the area of your choice."
Most of the students stood up and lined up before the Spirits wearing red, blue, and green armbands.
Quixote, naturally, stood before the Spirit with the red armband.
"You will be guided to separately prepared locations, so please follow along without straying."
The other students moved as instructed.
"Professor, do you take questions?"
"What is your question, Lee Seo-ha?"
"Why are there only two of us left?"
Including me, of course.
"The final student count was a bit awkward. After distributing the groups, two people were left over, so I put them here."
"Couldn't you have just put us in other groups?"
"You seem like a student who requires closer attention, so I thought it would be better for me to oversee you personally rather than in a large group."
She wasn't wrong. Although Minerva had contracted with Laevateinn, her power was currently unstable.
But why me?
"I look forward to working with you."
Minerva gave me a bright smile from beside me.
I silently pressed my hand to my forehead.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
She looked at me with genuine concern.
Ugh, this is so unfamiliar.