Friendly First-Years
"Wow, my mom's hero party was seriously legendary."
I'd looked it up because I wondered if the pope was a woman, and sure enough—from the saint all the way to a dragon. It seemed like all sorts of members joined as comrades, only to drop out because they couldn't keep up. She started with the saint, but when that wasn't enough, they added "adult" to it... And in the midst of all that, there was even a pirate as a comrade, which felt kinda wild. What kind of hero has a pirate as a party member? I figured since they took my mom on board, they must've accepted anyone with real talent, no matter what.
"Ah, this is such a hassle..."
"But then we can play all day~!"
"True, but..."
"Machines and I just don't get along."
"Uwoong, Wiyu-chan's so warm~"
"And now a giant cat's clinging to me, making it even harder..."
I hammered away diligently at the eagle-shaped keyboard, pouring my all into writing a report about what had happened in the Holy Kingdom and the experiences I'd had there.
"Witches are innately incompatible with machines, you know."
"Really? Won't it get better once you get used to it? It's my first laptop, after all..."
"Your mom breaks anything she touches??"
Isn't that beyond just "incompatible"?
Mom had once scolded Grand Duke so hard he'd turned to ash, only for his stubborn lifeline to bring him back—and now he was right there beside me, pointing out errors on the spot and helping with revisions.
Oh, right... We'd flown all the way to the dorms, so they might be wondering where I was.
Surprisingly, my 1st-year friends were staying in a building owned by the ducal family near the academy! Not everyone, of course—just those close to our ducal lady Ephemera... Mostly the girls, gathered together.
In Sword City Arista, Poppins Aunt had helped secure rooms, and Ephemera had told everyone I'd provided the funds to expand the building. The ducal estate was massive, befitting its title, so it could house pretty much all the 1st-years except the repeaters.
I wondered if we shouldn't look after the repeaters too, but maybe because they had noble representatives unlike us—they kinda kept to themselves. The academy was a place where everyone learned equally regardless of title, but you can't fully shake off those divides, so it was unavoidable.
Honestly, from the nobles' perspective, higher titles meant they had to "prove" themselves or get docked points, so they might not hate competing with commoners.
We'd banded together with the goal of "Let's all unite to get Wiyu through graduation!"—worlds apart from the 1st-years.
Meru, who was clinging to me now, had heard that some were thrilled at the rumor I might repeat, saying "No more dealing with Wiyu next year!" Yeah, that said it all.
I wondered if I'd really been that much of a nuisance... But with 80% of academy incidents in 1st year being my fault, I had nothing to say.
Having to live as a noble with a commoner mindset baked in—without friends, academy life would've been unimaginable hell.
"I wanna hang out with friends too!"
—My first break, I'd been scrambling for certifications, dungeon runs, studying, and homework just to scrape by points. No real playtime.
So this one-month break, thanks to the academy getting wrecked, was a golden chance to bond with friends while staying together at the ducal estate.
No homework, no assignments. No need to study for grades since everyone was already solidly in the top ranks... The only one choking and flailing over scores was me, as always.
I sighed enviously, watching friends out the window gleefully playing instruments and running around.
If I'd really been a commoner, I wouldn't have this pain...!!
But why were they all running around playing music anyway...? Looked fun, so whatever.
After three grueling days, I finally finished the report. Now, with the 1st-year 2nd semester here, I was stuck on the biggest hurdle: "career decisions."
They said to pick at least three paths... I almost wrote "farmer," then remembered that's why I'd left the countryside and agonized.
Anything I wanted to learn besides swinging a sword meant starting from scratch. And chasing grades while repeating loomed—brutal.
I pondered specialized routes and jobs for ages, but...
How could it be that easy to decide now?
Mom didn't seem to have any job besides Witch... Maybe being a witch is a job in itself... What was I even saying?
"Head hurts from studying, so I'm mumbling to myself..."
Who was I even talking to? Why so wordy?
I scratched my head, tried "manga artist" and erased it—nope. Open a cafe in the city? Self-employment's tough, though... Wrote "barista," erased it, sighed.
Inheriting Mom's work sounded fine, but that'd make enrolling pointless. I'd bent to her wishes, made her lose so much—now no goal? Expected different, but still, needed something decent.
Job at a good company? No one's hiring a Witchcraft. Unrealistic!
"...Man, top seat's enviable. Smart top seat probably has clear life goals."
While everyone played, our hardworking Ephemera—what was her dream? Reviving the duchy now, so post-grad, hire classmates to run the territory? Building a future laughing with friends—super jealous.
Maybe sneak in... Nah, nuisance witch'd get booted.
"Top seat's dream must be cooler than I can imagine!"
No need for revenge anymore, no money grind for duchy revival. I could quit academy, use Tendo's money to rebuild, train knights—but.
—Wanted to do it with Tendo, and graduate anyway, so Ephemera held back.
"Dream? Just inheriting the family..."
They wanted specifics, hand moved on its own...!!
...But was this embarrassing? She was my fiancée, right? Didn't know her, might like someone else—not set in stone...!
"Am I dreaming alone...? Don't count chickens before they hatch!"
Ah, does Tendo miss me? Thinking of me now? Where's my heart's lord, what’s he doing?
Ephemera gazed blankly at the blue sky, drunk on endless spring.
"Ha...! Rival's a Witchcraft...!"
Our troublemaking witch girl strikes again. Banned from Holy Kingdom forever—what'd she do? Bringing a witch junior soon... Not just any witch—a witch hunter inquisitor? Totally unhinged. Living with her sounds exhausting... Does she even know housework?
"Ugh, childhood friend's too strong..."
We all went out to the city for fun, sparred when bored. Leisurely dungeon expeditions as a tight-knit group.
Wiyu even brought Spotty, turning the ducal garden into a farm with all sorts of crops.
Could there be a fuller week? Friends were having a blast.
"Ahem, now that we're this close...! For Ephemera, time to subtly pressure..."
Swoosh—
And amid it, 3rd Prince Jonathan Rehem schemed to help childhood-friend Ephemera’s romance, using getting close to Wiyu as pretext.
Didn't work—Void Mask, sensitive post-Holy Kingdom, wouldn't allow it. Future looked dim too?
Leaving the prince sighing over witches cockblocking his friend's love life, a peaceful ducal day began anew.
One girl here felt awkward, sidelined—couldn't vibe with 3rd Prince, just watched nervously.
First time anyone treated her kindly after she came out as a witch. First time hearing relief like "Good you're not a classmate, I'd live" after admitting inquisitor.
This girl, who'd lived a wretched life honing witch-hate revenge, was pushed into academy by seniors for a normal life.
—Parents revived, she could ditch inquisitor path for ordinary days.
Seniors and pope cheered her on, but a kid raised on violence over talk—what could she do?
Came early to adjust—but surrounded by saints after trash, breathing felt hard another way.
Can society's evil(?) like me really be respected like this? Seniors called her cute junior, taught her stuff. Nobles with titles petted her head, calling her adorable despite commoner.
What kinda place is the academy, full of such sweeties...? Holy Kingdom's kindness was normal, but outsiders too? Tani eyed nervously.
They even spared saying "rely on Witchcraft" despite same witch—considerate.
Hard to rely on her anyway? More likely see her clinging to junior, crying over repeat risk.
But her leaning on Multrenung... Eh, maybe okay-ish? Still black mage prof's TA, but ambiguously top-tier idiot—who trusts that?
"Huhu... Thought she'd go to another senior—burdensome."
"Not calling it annoying? Well-trained, huh."
Multrenung ignored God of Nurture's sly whispers—used to it.
More burdensome: junior clinging extra as fellow commoner.
How to handle her finding comfort in his blunt "it's a burden"?
Show incompetence? Multrenung concluded.
"To train our junior's eye for people, I request my friends' cold critiques."
—They didn't expect much, but not hated. Kinda friends—as Witchcraft victims #2. (#1: Beatus.)
"Knows Wiyu's mom is Aris but throws mandrake anyway—idiot?! Nearly got wrecked!"
"Good as grad TA listening to prof, but weird interpretations cause issues."
"Commoner, barely educated, dumb...? Morals by IQ. But someone scores lower than this fool."
"Gurk... Speaking of, switched to cleric but can't use divine magic—party betrayal in dungeons!"
"Not her fault. Blunt without sleaze, but zero tact..."
Evaluations scorched past brutal.
Multrenung smirked, satisfied.
Real flaw: uneducated dummy risks "good ideas." His bad deeds paled to Wiyu's scale—1st-years deemed him useless.
Black magic knowledge helps, but he can't use it. No girl-filter, reckless fact-bombs...!!
"Full scholarship if make Wiyu grad student—quit, huhu..."
"Whoa, bold move."
"But awkward for us to judge. You died once."
"Huhu... Commoner lives worth that much."
Really? Kali and Zeke eyed goblin Norris; she rolled eyes—no rebuttal. Goblins' lives cheapest. No wonder they mobbed.
"Heard? Huhu... Better befriend other seniors/classmates."
Next classmate's 3rd Prince—more burden! But Multrenung smiled: "Dumber than Wiyu to fail—relax."
Wronged prince eyed Void Mask pleadingly; Ephemera beside shook head silently.
Failed all subjects—dumb fact...!!
"But... why black magic?"
"Huhu... Abandoned ugly orphan—easiest to learn."
Bragged tough from alley pickpocketing days. God of Nurture ranted that's why summoned—insane.
"Ah... Orphans... Awkward, yeah."
"Commoners extra tough. Academy's tuition-free kindness great, huhu..."
Snuck as prof's TA for success, now life's meh—laughed.
Tani puzzled: lifelong effort lost in instant—insane shock, how laugh?
"Life's a flower path walked backward."
Quote from dumpster book, to junior. Backward: unseen, scary. Look back—beautiful path. Can't return, just long for it.
"No need fear. Alive? Anything possible, huhu..."
Dumb, so studies hard in academy.
...Friends around living properly... she muttered, watching.
Prof picks TA—no lacks...?
"Says commoner, but happy no-suffer Wiyu wouldn't get it, huhu..."
"Why hit quiet me?!"
"Watch... Might be classmate next year..."
"Uwaak..."
Didn't wanna look that to junior!!
Argue? Can't use black magic, always dumb/idiot acts—but Multrenung's grades too high for Wiyu to meet eyes!!
"Checked your Holy Kingdom report review, huhu... Well-written."
"Ah, thanks... When'd you see?"
"Commoners no time spare? Dumpster dives need plans, huhu..."
"...Multrenung oppa, can't repeat just once?"
"Do well, get trash talk—huhu..."
Miserable.... Male classmates shook heads pitying his tear.
Wiyu wanted gripe: mana-less, crawled while others ran! But that's not commoner pain—Mom's hardship raising.
How many commoners have land, livestock, home? Undeniable.
Wiyu sadly eyed blue sky.
"Wanna advance? Become grad student—easy, big points?"
"Eh? Real?"
"Huhu... But busy, no rec. Teach black magic, study."
"...Prof said full scholarship if TA me?"
"Knew bad Witchcraft—no guilt."
One line, heavy meaning—Wiyu just smiled.
Multrenung tried intro Ephemera as cooler senior for Tani, but eyes on others gave it away.
"Eh? Feels like good romance flow?"
"Real, Orochi? Lemme see!"
"Gotta build internal couples for lady's jealousy to explode!"
"Damn, if not failed admission!!"
"Prince helps from outside!!"
——Ways to spend days, build fun school memories—varied per person.
Ah, fresh youths. In shining prime, plant beautiful flowers—to gaze wistfully whenever you pause.