◇Sumire's POV◇
"Eugene?! You came to meet me, right?!"
The Student Council President-san hugged Eugene-san.
The student council president looked like she was a noble lady overflowing
with elegance the first time I saw her, but right now she is sticking close to
Eugene-san all bashfully.
(Eeeeh?!!) (Sumire)
Are these two in that kind of relationship?
But Eugene-san is looking extremely troubled here.
Teresia-san is making a face as if saying 'good grief'.
The men that were bothering us just now…were grinding their teeth.
…I somehow could tell what they were feeling.
"Sara…calm down." (Eugene)
"But it has been a while since we have met. How about taking it easy for a
bit? Hey, that's okay, right?" (Sara)
"I am currently guiding Sumire-san. Maybe another time." (Eugene)
"...Sumire?" (Sara)
The expression of the loving Student Council President-san changed.
It seems like she noticed me who had a dumbfounded expression by his
side.
…The President-san slowly changed to a serious face.
"You being together with Eugene must mean…you are the otherworlder?"
(Sara)
"Y-Yes! I am Sashiogi Sumire. Nice to meet you." (Sumire)
"Nice to meet you, too. I am Sara Iglesia Rhodis. I serve as the student
council president of this academy." (Sara)
She brushes her beautiful silver hair to the side.
She is letting off the aura of a cool beauty.
The gap is so intense!
"This girl is the otherworlder?!"
"Why is a girl like that with Eugene?"
The men that bothered us grew noisy.
"It was discussed at the scheduled meeting. Eugene-san saved Sumire-san
at the fire in the dungeon the other day. He was designated to be her
guardian by the Academy Principal." (Teresia)
Teresia-san explained.
Looks like I am even a topic of discussion in a meeting.
"Tch, the Principal showing favoritism again."
"You damn bootlicker!"
B-Bootlicker?
I glanced at Eugene-san and he seemed to be scratching his head as if he
had no idea what they were talking about.
"Hey! He properly enrolled in the academy after passing the special
entrance exam. How many times do you have to be reminded of that?"
(Teresia)
Teresia-san raised her voice.
"Ha! There's talk that it was an exam exclusive for him!"
"There's no way someone like him with white monochromatic mana can get
into the Lykeion Academy!"
"He entered due to his father's connections as an imperial noble, right?
Ain't that right, Eugene?!"
The male students were all saying their piece.
"The barrier magic of Eugene is powerful. Even you guys couldn't injure
him at all at the match before." (Sara)
Even when the President-san rebuked them, the attacks of the male students
didn't stop.
"We are different from that time! My attacks would be able to reach him
now!"
"Also, this guy can't attack. He is defective as a warrior!"
Eugene-san's face got slightly clouded…I think.
What's going on?!
What's with these people for a while now?!
"Eugene-san, let's leave already!" (Sumire)
Pissed off, I grabbed the arm of Eugene-san and headed to the exit of the
Student Council's building.
"Right." (Eugene)
Looks like Eugene-san felt the same.
"What. So you are gonna have a woman cover for you?!"
I heard some disgusting voice at my back, but ignore ignore.
"Eh? …You are leaving already, Eugene?" (Sara)
The student council president Sara-san called Eugene-san.
Eugene-san looked back.
"Sorry for the intrusion, Sara." (Eugene)
"Will you come see me again?" (Sara)
"…Yeah, later." (Eugene)
Sara-san was directing a regretful gaze.
And while receiving the hateful gazes of the men that bothered us…we left
the student council clubroom.
◇Eugene's POV◇
"Geez, what's with those people?! That was so maddening, isn't that right,
Eugene-san?! Pushing weird accusations on you!" (Sumire)
Sumire-san was steaming in anger by my side.
I myself am feeling a bit spiteful here…
I felt as if Sumire-san was letting out everything that was deep within my
chest.
"Well, not all of it is completely baseless accusations. I will show you my
magic." (Eugene)
I unsheathed the knife on my waist that's used for adventures.
"Sumire-san, try touching this. Not the sharp side but the back." (Eugene)
"Okay… It is a big knife." (Sumire)
Sumire-san tapped the surface of the knife with her finger.
"It is used to carve the magic crystal and materials from the monsters of the
dungeon, so it is made to be sturdy. Now, I cut myself with this knife…"
(Eugene)
"E-Eh?! E-Eugene-san, just what are you…" (Sumire)
A little bit of red blood came out from my finger.
Sumire-san is flustered here, but I don't feel pain from this much.
"When I put mana into this knife and make it into a Magic Sword…"
(Eugene)
The blade of the knife began to shine white.
"Sumire-san, try touching the knife once more." (Eugene)
"O-Okay…" (Sumire)
Sumire-san touched the blade of the knife that had mana poured into it, and
she noticed pretty quickly.
"Eh….? The knife is all flabby?" (Sumire)
"This is what happens when I pass mana through it." (Eugene)
"Uwaah, so squishy~. Does it turn like this only with your magic, Eugenesan?" (Sumire)
"That's right. Moreover, when I do this…" (Eugene)
I cut my own finger with the knife.
"Kya! What are you doing?! That's dangerous!" (Sumire)
"It is okay. Look." (Eugene)
"Eh~, blood…is not coming out?! Moreover, the wound from before has
been healed?!" (Sumire)
"When I cut myself with the Magic Sword, I end up healing instead…"
(Eugene)
"I-I see…" (Sumire)
Sumire-san is making a surprised face.
Of course she would be.
This is the biggest reason as to why I gave up being a magic swordsman.
I can't attack with white mana.
Not only that, I heal the enemy.
"Now you know why I am being called a defective swordsman, right?"
(Eugene)
"U-Uhm…" (Sumire)
Sumire-san made a troubled expression.
"But me using backdoor means is a lie. I properly took the entrance exam.
The problem is that I can't use attack magic, so I had to do a special exam."
(Eugene)
"I see." (Sumire)
The special exam I took was not made exclusively for me. It was made for
people in the past who wanted to enroll.
That's why, it isn't as if I enrolled in this academy through backdoor
means.
The thing is, when I passed the special exam, the Principal made an
unbelievable comment like 'I didn't think someone would actually pass'.
It is apparently an exam that not a single person has passed before.
I thought 'don't make something like that into an exam', but that's just how
rare a white mana only person managing to enroll is.
Thanks to that, it is thought that I got an exam exclusive for a white mana
user, and since I am the only one that passed it, the Academy Principal
treats me like a rare animal, and has an eye on me.
After that, he said 'If it is Eugene, you should be fine approaching the
Demon Lord in the underground prison' and pushed the caretaking of the
Demon Lord too.
While I was remembering all of that and thought a lot had happened,
Sumire-san's voice brought me back.
"Anyways, that pissed me off, so I am not going back to the student council
room ever again!" (Sumire)
"I see." (Eugene)
I don't think it is going to go as she wants, but I responded with a wry
smile.
"…"
"…Sumire-san?" (Eugene)
I thought the talk was done here, but she seemed to want to say something.
"…By the way, there's one other thing I want to ask." (Sumire)
"Yeah?" (Eugene)
I kinda know what it is going to be.
"What's your relationship with…the student council president…with Sarasan?" (Sumire)
"…"
Of course she would ask.
Sara being close to only me is a well-known reality in the Lykeion Magic
Academy.
"Uhm, if it is something that's hard to speak about, you don't have to!"
(Sumire)
"It is nothing interesting really." (Eugene)
I preface it with that and then begin talking.
My meeting with Sara happened around 1 year ago.
We met not long after I enrolled in the academy.
I am a swordsman that can't attack.
Sara was a Sister -a sacred profession- that can't heal.
We both had our circumstances.
That said, it is not like her Ability was tilting to just one side like me. She
did have the talent, but she was in a state where she wasn't good at it.
Sara couldn't use healing magic, but she is a warrior that has passed
through tough trials in the sacred country of Caldia.
However, there's no one who wants a Sister that can't use healing magic.
It naturally ended up with me forming a team with Sara.
We formed a party for around half a year.
Sara is a Sister who was in charge of the attacks.
I was a swordsman in charge of healing.
It was a weird party, but we somehow managed to reach all the way to the
9th Floor of the Zenith Tower.
"In that time, Sara's talent budded. The current Job of Sara is Paladin. She
can now use healing magic, and she is one of the few in the academy who
can use a Holy Sword." (Eugene)
"…What about her party with you?" (Sumire)
"Sara was moved from the Normal Department to the Legendary Hero
Department, so it was dissolved at that time." (Eugene)
"…I…see." (Sumire)
The expression of Sumire-san clouded.
It seems she thought she asked something bad here.
"It is already in the past. It seems like Sara is bothered that our party
dissolved. She tries to be considerate with me in that way. She doesn't
really have to be worried about me though." (Eugene)
"Eh?" (Sumire)
Sumire directed a dubious look at me.
"Is something the matter?" (Eugene)
"Sara-san is…no, it is nothing." (Sumire)
Sumire tilted her head as if she wasn't convinced about that.
Alright, let's end that topic there.
"I think it was said at the Academic Affairs Division, but be careful not to
lose your student handbook and student ID. The student ID of the Lykeion
Academy is the most trusted proof of identity in the South Continent. If you
have this, you will be able to enter most countries, and you can also be
allowed into public facilities like libraries. In order to enter the Last
Dungeon, you will need your student ID. There's a compartment for your
student ID in your student handbook, so please store them together."
(Eugene)
"O-Okay, got it!" (Sumire)
Sumire-san nodded profusely.
This is an extremely important thing to take note of as a student of this
academy.
It would be better to remind her countless times about it.
But it seems like Sumire-san got curious about my words in a different
meaning.
"This Last Dungeon you speak of… Are you referring to the really big
tower at the center of the city?" (Sumire)
Sumire-san pointed at the Zenith Tower that can be seen from the academy.
The gigantic tower that even looks as if it goes all the way to the heavens.
The largest dungeon in the South Continent.
"Yes, dungeon exploration is an indispensable subject as a student of this
academy. I will teach you little by little." (Eugene)
That said, guiding her to the 9th floor is the most I can do though.
Well, Sumire-san just came to this world, so dungeon exploration will most
likely come further down the line.
"I want to check it out!" (Sumire)
"Eh?" (Eugene)
That was an unexpected reaction.
"I came to this world from the Last Dungeon, right?" (Sumire)
"I think. You were found there." (Eugene)
"Then, that means there's the possibility of learning how to go back to my
world in the Last Dungeon, right?" (Sumire)
"…Well, the chance is there…I guess?" (Eugene)
I see. Sumire-san wants to go back to her own world, huh.
Honestly speaking, I think the chances of that are really dim.
But there's no need for me to say that right now.
That's why I said something different.
"Want to try going there once next week? I can guide you if it is up to the
9th floor." (Eugene)
"Is that okay?!" (Sumire)
"You can't avoid dungeon exploration if you are a student of this academy
after all. Let's get used to it bit by bit." (Eugene)
"But after 1 week?" (Sumire)
"There's a lot to prepare. Let's go buy the things that are needed for
exploration." (Eugene)
"Aah, I see." (Sumire)
"I also would like you to get used to the facilities of the academy. I will
guide you tomorrow." (Eugene)
"Got it!" (Sumire)
Sumire-san answered energetically.
1 week after that, I lectured her on the way of living in this world the whole
time.
◇◇
"Well, that's basically what happened recently." (Eugene)
"Hmm." (Eri)
I decided to not talk about Sumire to Eri, but in the end, I was made to spit
it.
"And so, we are on our way to do some dungeon exploration… Eri?"
(Eugene)
I was explaining to her what happened this week, but Eri was making a
dissatisfied look.
"Aah, Eugene is paying attention to the otherworlder woman the whole
time, so it is boring~." (Eri)
"It can't be helped. This is an order from the Academy Principal, and
Sumire has just arrived in this world." (Eugene)
"Oh, Sumire? You are calling her without honorifics! You really did put a
hand on her!" (Eri)
"There's no way I would!" (Eugene)
"Then, why call her without honorifics? It was different in your explanation
just now." (Eri)
"She said she didn't like those formalities since it felt like we were
strangers." (Eugene)
That said, Sumire calls me Eugene-kun though.
I don't really mind if she were to drop the -kun though.
"Later then, Eri. I will be climbing the Zenith Tower now." (Eugene)
"I will be watching you when you are in your dungeon exploration~☆. To
see whether you have put a hand on that Sumire girl." (Eri)
"I won't! Also, there's no need to watch… It is a low floor exploration."
(Eugene)
It is a peaceful exploration to the 9th floor.
There's nothing worth seeing.
"Do your best~, Eugene." (Eri)
"Yes yes." (Eugene)
I waved my hand at the Demon Lord-sama that's lying down on the bed as
if she were a cat and exited the underground prison.