Well-Risen Bread Dough is Great for Smacking Too (3)
[Meanwhile, in Waiting Room 3 at the Hall of Courage, where the academy entrance ceremony is underway. The student council's temporary lounge.]
There sat a golden-haired, golden-eyed young man. The academy uniform, dyed pure white, resembled a white suit, and though it bore no particular accessories, the golden embroidery adorning it clearly revealed just how luxurious it was.
Or perhaps it wasn't the clothes that made the man look refined—it was the exceptional figure wearing them that elevated the outfit itself.
A beautiful youth with skin so white any woman would swallow hard at the sight. In the student council lounge, he stared repeatedly at the script written on parchment, trying to focus on his "Student Council President Speech," but let out a deep sigh, unable to concentrate.
"Keiar-nim, Student Council President."
"Just call me Ar-nim, okay?"
Lansi, the black-haired, red-eyed student council secretary and a second-year, approached and called his name.
"And if you're gonna use my name, I've got this one called Julius."
"How could I dare call the crown prince of the empire so casually?"
"This is the student council, though?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm an imperial noble."
"Hah."
The student council president.
"I've told you a million times how to refer to me—just call me Ar-nim."
"Yes, Keiar-nim, Student Council President."
He'd tried correcting her on his name, but she shot it down.
"I said don't use my full middle name—just Ar-nim."
"That sounds too much like a pet name. It gives me chills. If I called you that, I'd get bloodstained letters from your rabid fa—... devoted followers."
"......"
Ar-nim, the student council president, had no retort to his secretary Lansi's words. He knew about the harassment she dealt with, but officially, all he could do was urge restraint.
"The princesses giving you a hard time?"
"As if it's just the princesses. There are already girls acting like they're the future empress of the empire, strutting around as if they've already got the crown."
"...If you're gonna slap them like last time, at least hold back on princesses or ladies from other countries. Those types will turn it into a diplomatic incident."
"I'm being as careful as I can. I'm an imperial subject too—I don't want to cause trouble for the empire. Anyway."
Secretary Lansi pointed to the clock on the wall.
"The entrance ceremony's about to start. You planning to just keep staring at that speech?"
"Yeah. Debating a tweak to the wording right now."
"Now...?"
"It's a minor phrasing thing, but super important."
Ar-nim, the student council president, pointed to a line on the parchment.
"[In representation of the 412 male students gathered here, I declare.]"
"This line. Should I just slash it to 10?"
"I get the sentiment, but if you want to fill the empire's bureaucracy entirely with women someday, or staff the rebels with all those bitter guys who didn't make the cut of 10, then go right ahead."
"Hah."
At Secretary Lansi's cold logic, Ar-nim the student council president covered his face with his hand.
"If I just wing it, what's the worst that could happen...?"
"Not everyone's got that 'vivid red' like you, Crown Prince."
Secretary Lansi pointed to her own eyes.
"Through the magic lens, you can see their yang energy and essence. How much mana they have. In men, that red aura pools down below. And thanks to that, you can even make out the shape."
"That's sexual harassment, I keep telling you."
"Men stare at women's mana pouches with their eyes all the time, don't they?"
"That's different from—hah. Seriously."
Ar-nim the student council president glanced down at his pants.
"I can't exactly wear steel underwear made of mana stones to block magic lens scans."
"If you're thinking about the crown prince's chastity—not just the student council president's—then yeah, mana steel down there might be worth considering."
"What? I've never even gotten lucky, let alone done it. The person who knows me best shouldn't say stuff like that."
"That's exactly why I'm saying it. Back in the day, generals used to lock chastity belts on their wives to protect their virtue before heading to war. Now it's the era where men need armor down there to guard their own essence."
"......."
"This isn't a joke, Crown Prince. This is advice from Lansi of the Ludenberg marquisate, not just your secretary."
Lansi pointed seriously at Ar-nim's face.
"If the Binyu Group or women drain all your mana, you'll lose the crown prince spot too. Then all you'd have left is that handsome face."
"You said I could make a living off that, though?"
"Yes. So, be careful where you need to be."
"No need to pick fights unnecessarily. The crown prince's seat has plenty of enemies—ones that pop up just by existing."
"...But."
Ar-nim the student council president silenced the clock's alarm and shook his head.
"If someone's gotta step up for the guys, there's no other student but me right now. Someone has to represent the male students."
"That's why...."
"Even if the magic lens girls see right through me—"
"Keiar-nim, Student Council President?"
The student council room door opened, and an instructor entered.
"...Instructor Cardisha?"
"Got some good news for you."
"Good news...?"
"Not sure if it's good good, but it'll lighten your load at least."
Cardisha Alreister, the white-coated health instructor, scratched her cheek and pointed outside.
"Word is, the special class's one and only male student is on his way."
"......!!"
* * *
On the way from the old school building to the main academy structure after getting a call from Ederson Lionheart, the Mercenary King and dean of academic affairs.
"...You get the situation?"
"I just need to take the stares for you, right?"
"Don't put it like that."
"It's not wrong, though. You'll have your hands full too, Dean."
"...I'm an adult, but you're still a student."
Ederson growled lowly.
"As an adult, I feel ashamed. Forcing adult responsibility and sacrifice on those not yet of age."
"Then for this moment, consider me stepping up as an adult."
"What?"
"I told Instructor Esta the same—I'm a student when I'm a student, but an adult when I'm an adult."
"Hah, you over 20 or something?"
"By Esdinas calendar, you could call it 17, but I've lived more than 20 years already."
I gave Ederson a thumbs-up, sharing the "truth."
"You say it with such conviction—no kid pretending to be old here. ...So you're really an adult?"
"Once in Esdinas, I follow Esdinas time. Officially, treat me as a minor."
"Not an adult here, but in your homeland they count you as one?"
"Something like that."
My soul's homeland, my old country? Can't go back. My body's homeland, Hapsderk? Burned up with the body. As for origins, it's down there in hell demon realm.
"What if I said it's like a dungeon where outside a year passes, but inside time's all jumbled?"
"......."
"Just think variable age."
"So your body's fully grown?"
"No."
I shook my head firmly at Ederson's question.
"Esdinas Academy is a place to grow. I can grow even more."
Magically, physically, mentally.
"No rule saying I can't keep growing just because I hit some milestone before enrolling. That's why you sent your granddaughter here, right?"
"Hm...."
"Not just physical growth—hoping she'll mature mentally making friends her age. She's been out in the field too young, acting grown-up, so you want her to build some 'childhood experiences.' I get it."
"You didn't spend time somewhere aging like me, did you?"
"No way."
At least I stayed young the whole time—not middle-aged like Ederson.
Count the years or the time I remember, maybe, but whatever.
"Anyway, we're already here. The Hall of Courage."
"Yeah. ...You probably felt it on the way...."
"I'm sensitive to stares, so yeah, I can tell them apart."
We stopped in front of the hall. Instructors passing by glanced at my face—some blatantly, a few pretending not to while eyeing below.
"Mind if I borrow you a sec?"
"What for?"
"My secretary wants a look."
"You mean the blonde one already watching us?"
Ederson's head snapped around at my words. There stood a golden-haired female secretary—an instructor I knew well.
"Hello, Instructor."
"Uh, um...."
Jane Gwendolyn. One of the Gwendolyn sisters.
"......Dean."
Instructor Gwendolyn whispered to Ederson, face flushed.
"Is that for real?!"
Ederson jumped in surprise.
"My god."
He kept exclaiming and clicking his tongue.
"Heard a bit from Instructor Esta, but not this level...."
"......."
I just smiled.
"You sure you're okay with this? ...Not too late to back out. Head to special class now, and it'll just be rumors."
"What, rumors that special class's sole male freshman has enough 'vitality' to squeeze into an archmage?"
"...Yeah."
Ederson spoke gravely, hand on the door handle.
"Once they see, no going back."
"That's what I want."
"That's what you...?"
"A man dreaming of a harem—how could he shy from beauties' gazes?"
"Heh."
I stood tall before the door.
"Mercenary King."
I flashed a provocative smile at Ederson Lionheart.
"Ever felt embarrassed growing up?"
"......."
Ederson paused at my words, then.
"Not a single moment."
Grinning in understanding, he opened the door.
Creeeak.
The doors to the Hall of Courage's grand hall swung open, where the freshman welcome was underway.
All eyes inside turned to me.
Nearly 500 female students.
Staff up front prepping the welcome.
A few male students hunched in their seats, hands demurely folded.
Most faces unknown, but some familiar.
Some eyed my face.
Some my body.
Some my crotch.
I strode boldly through them.
Sneak peeks at my face, magic lens scans below.
Look all you want.
The hell archduke's tastes mixed in, but this body's his masterpiece.
-Baking rolling pins? The bigger, the better!
That's how it is.
-Dough you gotta knead and roll starts that size—what good's a tiny pin? Can't slice watermelon with a paring knife, right?
Puhuhu.