Extinguishing the Fire with the Princess's "Suspicious Liquid"
The flames roared high. The moment I laid eyes on the building, a mix of shock and awe hit me. The shops I'd seen earlier were the same. Every merchant who'd managed to claim a spot inside the academy was a trusted name with serious reputation. Even the smaller stores that had flashed by outside were all major corporations everyone recognized. I'd figured that no matter how impressive the Nasriya Merchant Group was, it couldn't be that different.
But I was wrong.
'My imagination was just too damn limited.'
Right in the center of the open plaza with its beautiful fountain, a building that dwarfed every other store greeted both me and Selena with overwhelming grandeur.
"A five-story glass building?!"
It's truly beautiful. I can't help but wonder what kind of mind came up with a design like this.
That wasn't what I meant. While Selena was marveling at the architecture itself, I was stunned by the modern building in front of me. Every shop I'd seen so far had been at most two stories… but this place was a vertically stretched department store!
"This thing's from a completely different world!"
Even as I stood there panicking, the flames kept surging upward. Security forces who'd rushed over from all directions were spraying water everywhere. From what I could see, unlike the explosion I'd heard from afar, the first and second floors were still intact. The fire had started on the third floor and was now belching thick, dark smoke.
"You idiot, is this really the time to stand around gawking?! Hey, anyone who got here first, explain the situation to this guy!"
"Who the hell is he? Why'd you bring him here?"
"This is Ludo. He's an academy instructor!"
"An instructor? What's someone like that doing here…"
"The owner of this merchant group, Nasriya, is one of his students!"
"Wait, you're joking, right? That sly vixen is a student?!"
"Who'd lie at a time like this? Anyway, hurry up and explain. What the hell happened here?"
The beastmen who looked like they were from the Lumiante Forest just like Garara exchanged glances before one who seemed to be their leader stepped forward. He was an eagle-type or maybe griffon beastman. He gripped a fire hose tightly in his talons, looking like he was ready to take flight at any moment.
"I'm Eagles, team leader of the academy rescue squad."
"I'm Ludo von Eisenwald, homeroom teacher."
Selena, weapon and student. Nice to meet you.
"The weapon is talking… Never mind. The situation's urgent, so I'll cut to the chase. As you can see, the Nasriya Merchant Group has been hit by terrorists. The explosion started on the third floor and has already spread to the fourth. Through employees who escaped first, we've confirmed that the owner, Aisha Nasriya, is still trapped on the fourth floor."
At Eagles' gesture, I looked toward where the flames were raging. Fortunately, the fourth floor hadn't been completely engulfed yet. The fire trying to spread down from the third to the second floor had been stopped by the rescue team that arrived earlier, preventing further damage.
"The fastest members went in first, but things are critical. The third floor where it started is burning too fiercely for normal people to even set foot there. Trying to enter from the roof above the fourth floor isn't possible either because, for some reason, the entrance is completely sealed off."
"Can't you just break the glass?"
"If you're talking about the outer walls, they're not ordinary glass despite how they look. They're made of special alloy crafted by Tom. See? Even after a bombing, most of the third floor where the blast originated is still intact."
'Tom…?'
That name sounded familiar. Was it from the attendance sheet?
He's one of the students in our class, sir. A half-dwarf, half-brownie fairy hybrid who often hangs around Lady Aisha.
"To think two of my students would be involved."
Yes. It seems my judgment was wrong. Like you said, sir, coming here was the right choice.
If I'd blindly run away like Selena had first suggested, I would've witnessed something too horrible to look at. I felt relieved that my decision hadn't been mistaken. Eagles listened to our conversation for a moment before pointing at the building again.
"So the only way in is from the second floor up to the third, climbing from below. We've called in everyone who can handle water to try and suppress the flames, but…"
Is there a problem?
"This is terrorism. The mastermind who holds a grudge against Nasriya is still inside holding out. The vanguard that went in first lost contact at some point, which means they're definitely still in a standoff."
His eyes asked if I still wanted to go anyway. Without a word, I drew Selena from where she hung on my back.
"As expected of a teacher. If I'd had someone like you back when I was a student, I might've lived a better life…"
No, praising a clueless rookie instructor like that is going a bit too far. Besides, I don't even know the face of the student I'm about to rescue.
"Can't stop a man like you. As team leader, I'll take responsibility. Go on."
"Thank you!"
"No need for thanks. We beastmen from the Lumiante Forest all carry hot-blooded passion in our veins. Guys like you who refuse to die are always welcome!"
He flapped his wings and kicked my back. I lowered my stance and poured strength into my toes. Gathering mana at the tip of my big toe, I launched forward like a smooth projectile.
This is the same movement technique Sister used—
"Learned it well, didn't I?"
To think you could copy it after seeing it just once. You really are like a fox.
It was the special footwork Elena had used during the duel. It seemed paying close attention had been worth it. My body turned into a streak of light in an instant, becoming a beam connecting the first and second floors.
"Kyaa?!"
"What the?!"
"Is that a ghost?!"
A few beastmen busily working on the first and second floors screamed when they saw me. The places I passed left afterimages that looked like stretched-out clay figures of a person, startling everyone. And I was just as surprised.
'This is weird. I ran while expecting to get a little tired because of the urgency, but my mana isn't dropping at all?'
As I flew toward the third floor, unable to hide my confusion, Selena, gripped tightly in my hand, shook her handle to send a signal.
Sir. My mana is rapidly decreasing?
"Suddenly?!"
It started dropping sharply the moment you began running. Do you… use the mana of women who've become weapons?
"Uh, actually I don't really know either. This is my first time making a weapon of this high rank."
So there are still many things you don't understand about your own Blessing….
'I thought it was just the ability to make swords, but seeing that it can make a short spear too…'
No wonder my body felt lighter than usual. Thanks to borrowing Selena's mana, I quickly reached the entrance of the third floor, weaving through the department store where the ceiling had collapsed.
"Hey, sparks are flying over here too!"
"That arsonist bastard summoned fire spirits into someone else's building!"
"Someone bring a butterfly net! If we don't catch the spirits, no amount of water will solve this!"
Just like Eagles said, the inside was complete chaos. Tiny flames that looked like fire spirits were running around laughing with high-pitched "Kyahaha!" sounds. In their own innocent way, they were playing tag with people, but every time they jumped, they left flames behind that became new ignition points, harming everyone around them.
"Spirit magic… This is my first time seeing it in person."
It's a rare summoning ritual. That kind of thing is a specialty of the Miyazaki family. I wonder where they got it from?
The sight of beastmen swinging butterfly nets to catch the flame creatures with limbs was equally bizarre. The absurd, throat-parching scene felt like something out of a fairy tale, and sweat beaded on my chin.
Sir?
"This is bad."
What's wrong?
I stopped in my tracks, realizing my mistake as my breath slowly grew labored.
"The truth is, I'm absolute garbage at elemental magic. If it was just some stray sparks like downstairs, maybe, but with the fire so thick I can't even see ahead, going in like this is a bit much."
I had no interest in being cremated alive. I could probably endure it for a while if I wrapped myself in mana, but given the situation, I needed a way to put the damn thing out completely.
That's surprising. I thought you were good at everything, sir.
"You need a teacher to learn magic. I taught myself everything, so this part is completely hopeless…"
Besides, coming from a knight family, there wasn't anyone to teach me. Like Selena said, people often told me I had talent, but that didn't mean I had a huge amount of mana.
"What should I do? This is annoying, but maybe I should go back down and come up again?"
No. Please don't worry. There might be something we can do in this state.
"You have a method?"
Since I'm in this state, there is something possible.
This state… meaning since she's been turned into a weapon. Come to think of it, I hadn't appraised Selena when she became a short spear.
'Appraise.'
Bel'amor's Seed-Receiving Incisor
Type: Short Spear
Rank:Unique
Description: A short spear with appropriate reach. While possessed, it awakens the Eye of Appreciation and Replication. Whenever a man it likes uses it, it sprays a whitish liquid. It is better for one's mental health not to read too deeply into the meaning of this sprayed liquid.
The skill itself wasn't all that different from her older sister Elena's Bel'amor Rapier. It also possessed the Eye of Appreciation that all members of the Bel'amor royal family shared. The difference between Elena and Selena was simply the type—rapier versus short spear—and the presence of the afterimage skill versus the replication skill. Was that enough to make it Unique rank?
'At first glance, a dagger seems like it would be more useful…'
Still, since it was Unique rank, there had to be more. I examined it again carefully. Come to think of it, the fact that both sisters had the ability to "spray suspicious liquid" was bothering me…
Uh… No way?
I think it might work.
That answer sent my mind flying into outer space and back. What the hell did our princess just say?
Sir. Please. Don't make me say such embarrassing things twice. Are you a pervert who enjoys watching your beloved student tremble with shame?
I barely swallowed back the urge to say that yes, I actually would like to see that, and answered.
"I'd be happy if you did it, but I'm asking because I want to make sure you're okay with it. No matter how you look at it, that doesn't seem like a normal skill. What if it causes problems later?"
I don't want to do something this embarrassing either. I'd rather die, but right now lives come first, so please use it quickly.
Still half in doubt, I gripped Selena as tightly as I could.
Ugh~!?
A-ah, aaaaah… Haa…!
Then, along with a slightly lewd moan as she bit her lower lip, something strange happened. When I pointed the tip of the short spear toward the stairs leading to the third floor, droplets of water began to well up from the blade.
"Selena, shoot!"
The casual command I gave became the finishing blow.
PSHUUUUUUUUUUU——!!!!
Aaaaaah~~♡♡
A waterfall of water poured out, crossing the stairs and slamming mercilessly into the flames. The suspicious stream easily extinguished the surging fire, and even the fire spirits that had been running around frantically were purified the moment they were hit.
"Oh! The path is open! Let's go, Selena!"
Haa, w-wait! I feel strange… Hiiik!?
"Uryaaaah!"
Haaaaaaaang~~!!!
I ran while spraying water in all directions, riding the momentum. On the other hand, every time the spear shot water, Selena sobbed and cried out. A one-of-a-kind firefighter duo unlike anything else in the world had just been born right here.