"Eh?! Claude Percival has a fiance?!" (Sara)
Sara opened her eyes wide.
"That's right, Sara-chan! Did you know?" (Sumire)
"It is my first time hearing about it. That man…how dare he play with my friend Teresia-san. I have to make him rust in my Holy Sword." (Sara)
"…Claude-kun, his relationship with Leona-chan was just him playing around, huh… I really do have to burn him." (Sumire)
We are in the student council president's office.
We were searching for Leona and Teresia, but we unfortunately couldn't find them.
Sumire and I told Sara about what happened just before and it turned into a dangerous talk.
Claude is escorting his fiance Tifania-san around the school festival.
Tifania Crystal.
It was my first time meeting Tifania-san, but her family name is famous, so I know about it.
The treasury of the Blue Waters Federation —the Crystal royal family that rules over the Gold Country.
The eldest daughter there is Princess Tifania.
"Calm down, you two." (Eugene)
I try to soothe Sumire and Sara.
"How can you be calm, Eugene?!" (Sara)
"He is unforgivable, Eugene-kun!" (Sumire)
"I understand how you feel, but…" (Eugene)
Their anger is justified, but there's also the circumstances of Claude.
"This is apparently his first time meeting his fiance and the arranged marriage was decided recently by his homeland on their own accord. Claude couldn't do anything about it." (Eugene)
This is something Claude himself told me just now.
A fiance that was decided upon him and hasn't met before.
Such a person has suddenly come to visit the academy without prior notice.
Him being forced to participate in the martial arts tournament is apparently for the sake of this.
There was an official notice to show some sort of achievement as the fiancee of Princess Tifania and a warrior of the Blue Waters Federation.
I can't help but feel bad about Claude.
"Hmm, that's true, but…" (Sara)
"In the end, what will Claude-kun do?" (Sumire)
"Who knows… I heard most of the countries affiliated to the Blue Waters Federation are borrowing money from the Gold Country and can't go against them." (Eugene)
I don't know much as a citizen of the Empire, but it seems like the relationship between nations of the Blue Waters Federation is complicated.
He most likely can't dismiss it easily.
There was a hard to describe atmosphere around.
Sara spoke as if to clear that away.
"By the way, Eugene, you are free later, right?" (Sara)
Sara's mood changed and she wrapped her arms around mine.
"Yeah, I do." (Eugene)
"Then, let's go around the school festival together? Just the two of us♡. There are a few shops I would like to go to." (Sara)
"Hey, Sara-chan, I am here too though?!" (Sumire)
"You were with Eugene for the whole morning, Sumire-chan. I know about it. Give me the afternoon." (Sara)
"T-That's…it was only for a bit. Isn't that right, Eugene-kun?! I will hang out with you in the afternoon, too!" (Sumire)
"You liar. It wasn't just a bit." (Sara)
"It is not a lie! How can you tell?!" (Sumire)
"Hmph, look here -the broadcasting device in the student council room. I was watching the whole time how you were going around with Eugene!" (Sara)
Sumire and I looked at each other's faces at those words.
"Eh? You were watching the whole time?" (Eugene)
"Sara-chan…you are a stalker." (Sumire)
"T-That's not it! It was just a coincidence. Eugene-kun simply entered my vision when I was checking how the school festival was going!" (Sara)
Sara looked away.
Seems like she was watching the whole time.
"By the way, what's this place you want to go to, Sara?" (Eugene)
I asked.
I ate lunch with Sumire, so I was thinking about having dinner with Sara.
"You see~." (Sara)
Sara was fidgeting.
"?"
"It is an establishment on the outskirts of the school festival… A place where couples go to take a 'break'… Ah, this is solely for research purposes, okay? I just thought that there may be a breach of morals there, so it would be reassuring if you were there with me, Eugene." (Sara)
I thought for sure it was an eatery, but it wasn't.
"Break?" (Eugene)
"Yeah, yeah! A plain break! For around a brief 2 hours." (Sara)
"Hmm, I don't mind go—" (Eugene)
"NOOOOO!!!" (Sumire)
Sumire didn't let me finish speaking.
"Hey, Sumire-chan! Don't get in my way!" (Sara)
"That's totally a love hotel! Why is there a love hotel in the school festival?! That's a big issue!" (Sumire)
"It can't be helped. Couples who begin going out appear often in the school festival, so it is an attempt to maintain order by keeping them in one spot rather than have them just scattered everywhere. It has been common knowledge since long ago in the Lykeion Magic Academy." (Sara)
(I didn't know…) (Eugene)
"T-That's not fair. Then, I will go too!!" (Sumire)
"Eh? Us…t-three?" (Sara)
"No?" (Sumire)
"Eeh… I would have preferred if it was only us two, but…hmm, can't be helped I guess." (Sara)
"Alright! Then, let's go now." (Sumire)
(Eh? Wa?) (Eugene)
Things are being decided at lightning speed.
Right in the morning?
"Uhm…what about my opinion?" (Eugene)
""…""
The big and pretty eyes of Sumire and Sara stared at me.
"You don't want to, Eugene?" (Sara)
"Can't we, Eugene-kun?" (Sumire)
"N-Nevermind." (Eugene)
I give up on objecting.
A hesitant man here would be hopeless.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door of the student council president's office and entered.
"Oh, Council President Sara, are you going out?"
Teresia of the student council's general affairs showed up.
"Nice timing! Teresia-san, please listen calmly. There's something I have to tell you about Claude-kun…" (Sara)
"It is okay, President Sara, I was about to go greet Claude and Princess Tifania together with Leona." (Teresia)
She smiles.
The usual smile of Teresia.
"""…"""
Sara, Sumire, and I fell silent.
"I-I see… So Leona-chan is going along~." (Sumire)
Sumire said this with a slightly trembling voice.
"Yes, it was Leona who told me after all. Fufufu, that Claude, he could have told me if he had a fiancee. Don't you think so too, President Sara?" (Teresia)
"Y-Yeah…" (Sara)
Sara is being overwhelmed by the peaceful tone of Teresia.
"Well then, have a good day, President Sara, Sumire-san, Eugene-kun." (Teresia)
Teresia left with elegant steps.
But with clear killing intent leaking out from every pore.
(Claude, survive.) (Eugene)
I cheer for my friend inside my heart.
◇Lykeion Magic Academy's outskirts: Pleasure District ◇
""…""
"T-Too bad, it is full." (Eugene)
I spoke to the discouraged Sumire and Sara.
"What's with having to wait 5 hours?!" (Sumire)
"I didn't know it would be that packed either…" (Sara)
The love hotel of the school festival is prospering greatly, and there was a long line.
The waiting time is so long and there are a ton of couples who couldn't endure it, so there's a lot of people around who are just doing it here and there.
I can't really say this place has good morals.
"Wouldn't it be better to increase the number of rooms?" (Eugene)
"Right… I will place it as a matter to consider for next time…" (Sara)
Sara answered with a tired voice.
"Hey, Sara-chan, what do we do now?" (Sumire)
"I slotted my break to the afternoon, so…let's walk around the school festival." (Sara)
"Aren't you hungry? Let's check out the food stalls." (Sumire)
"Right, I just had a light meal in the morning, so let's do that." (Sara)
"Eugene-kun, let's go to a different food stall area from the one in the morning☆." (Sumire)
"Let's do that. We went to the eastern area, so let's try the opposite side." (Eugene)
We 3 went from the pleasure district to the food stall area.
The food stall area is always full of people no matter the time.
Sumire is eating the cotton candy she bought in a stall together with Sara.
I had a bite of it too, but it was so sweet I didn't go for a second bite.
Sara bought a southern fruit that has a thin straw stabbed into it.
This is my first time seeing this fruit.
"Waah, a coconut!" (Sumire)
"Coconut? This is called a coco fruit, Sumire-chan." (Sara)
"I see. Let me drink some~." (Sumire)
"Here. Eugene, want some too?" (Sara)
"A sip." (Eugene)
This is the first time I drink the juice of this fruit. It was more refreshing and tasty than I thought.
I went around checking the performances of the school festival with Sumire and Sara after that.
We were a bit tired, so we were talking about going somewhere for some tea, and caught sight of a place where there were a lot of people gathered.
It is not a place that's playing music or doing a show.
I was wondering what it was and checked it out.
(…Hm?) (Eugene)
A wondrous sight spread before me all of a sudden.
The sparkling lights were not disappearing from my vision.
Shining butterflies would peek at the corner of my vision every now and then.
(Thi is…illusion magic has been casted on me?!) (Eugene)
In such a skillful manner I didn't even notice.
"! [Mind Heal]!" (Eugene)
I hurriedly cast healing magic on myself.
My vision steadily grew clearer.
I carefully look around. The eyes of the people gathered here were all blank.
They are all smiles with their eyes blank as if they were watching a 'fun dream'.
"Hahaha…" "Fufufu…" -it was a weird sight where people were laughing at empty space.
"…Waah, sparkly." (Sumire)
"…My body feels fluffy." (Sara)
Sumire and Sara were the same.
"[Mind Heal]." (Eugene)
I cast mind healing magic to the two just like I did with me.
"Hah! Hm?" (Sumire)
"Oh? What happened…?" (Sara)
Light returned to their eyes.
"Are you okay, Sumire, Sara?" (Eugene)
"Y-Yeah, I feel as if I had a fun dream." (Sumire)
"That's strange… It is as if I suddenly saw a dream… But it didn't feel bad." (Sara)
Sumire and Sara tilted their heads.
At that moment, a light butterfly flapped by in front of my eyes.
Now that I look closely, there's light butterflies here and there.
More than a hundred of them.
(Are those…moonlight butterflies?) (Eugene)
It is a rare monster from the Zenith Tower.
It doesn't harm explorers, but it is a troublesome monster that confuses explorers with their powerful illusion magic.
I have only seen the actual thing one or twice.
It is at the very least not a monster you coincidentally meet in the academy.
In other words, it is an artificial phenomena…
"Eh, Eugene-chan? Are you patrolling? Thanks for your hard work~."
A familiar voice spoke to me.
Tall with a bent back, ruffled hair, and wearing a pure white coat.
"Carlo-senpai? Is this your doing?" (Eugene)
A senior from the animal club.
Or more like, there's no doubt these moonlight butterflies are the doing of Carlo-senpai, a bug user.
There's no way your average person can gather these many moonlight butterflies which are considered rare.
"Yup yup, Rebecca-chan asked me to, you see. She told me to exhibit some rare monsters that are not dangerous to entertain the guests in the school festival." (Carlo)
"But…aren't moonlight butterflies bad?" (Eugene)
"It is okay~. I kept the illusion magic in a low output, and there's no need to worry about any side-effects. Also, you can have fun dreams." (Carlo)
"I don't think that's what the Committee President Rebecca was thinking when she said to entertain them though…" (Eugene)
Just when I was pondering about how to explain to this senior about the outside world…
"Oi, Carlo! I heard there was a mass hallucination going on, so I came to confirm it. So it was your doing?!!"
Someone showed up with Teleport.
A short elf beauty with long lustrous red hair -the School Festival Committee President, Rebecca-san.
"Heya there, Rebecca-chan. Nice idea, right? Everyone seems to be having fun☆." (Carlo)
"You idiot!!!" (Rebecca)
President Rebecca smacked Carlo-senpai who had a big smile on his face.
"What was that for? So violent." (Carlo)
"Put away this flock of moonlight butterflies at once! Undo the illusion magic!!" (Rebecca)
"Eeh, but everyone seems to be having fun." (Carlo)
Carlo-senpai snapped his fingers even while complaining, and the more than a hundred moonlight butterflies made a pretty spiral line, entering the pocket of Carlo-senpai's white coat.
He is an astonishing tamer no matter how many times I see it.
The illusion magic went away and the people gathered around seem to have returned to their senses. They scattered absentmindedly.
"Hey, Carlo, are there no other harmless rare monsters that are not moonlight butterflies?" (Rebecca)
"Of course there are. How about this one? They are called spirit bell insects and make you hear fun auditory hallucinations." (Carlo)
"I am telling you to stop that!!" (Rebecca)
President Rebecca unleashed a roundhouse kick on Carlo-senpai.
"Hey, Eugene, that person is someone from the animal club, right?" (Sara)
"Yeah, his name is Carlo-senpai. He is most likely the number one insect user in the academy." (Eugene)
"I would like to give him a hearing since he is the very person that caused the mass hallucination, but…let's leave it to President Rebecca here." (Sara)
"Is that okay?" (Eugene)
"The members of the animal club are all weirdos after all. It is like they just don't listen to reason…" (Sara)
"Really, Eugene-kun?" (Sumire)
"How rude… Well, it is true though." (Eugene)
Carlo-senpai has no ill intent though.
It is just that his way of thinking is not like your average person.
By the way, Rebecca-senpai and Carlo-senpai are apparently classmates in the Legendary Hero Department.
Seniors of Sara.
Just when I was thinking about leaving this place…
"Oi, Eugene-chan." (Carlo)
I was spoken to.
"What's the matter?" (Eugene)
"I heard from the Principal; you have been investigating the Zenith Tower, right?" (Carlo)
"Yes, there wasn't anything off though." (Eugene)
"I was asked something similar from a teacher, so I investigated a bit, too." (Carlo)
Carlo-senpai paused here.
"…It is most likely still just an omen. The weak insect monsters are migrating en masse. It is a prelude to a big Stampede." (Carlo)
""""?!""""
It wasn't only me; Rebecca, Sara, and Sumire also quivered at this.
"Really, Carlo-senpai?" (Eugene)
"Hmm…not sure. My instincts are normally wrong after all." (Carlo)
"So it is often wrong!" (Rebecca)
President Rebecca retorted.
But she is looking stiff.
"Well, I think it will be fine for a while. I doubt it will happen in the school festival." (Carlo)
"Your predictions are normally wrong, right, Carlo-senpai?" (Eugene)
"Ahaha!" (Carlo)
He laughed it off.
What is it really?
(Let's go investigate the Last Dungeon again once I have time.) (Eugene)
Let's keep it in mind.
I went around the school festival together with Sumire and Sara after that.
We had dinner at a big outdoors bar made for the school festival.
Sumire stayed at my room in the dormitory at night, and Sara said she would stay as well.
There was no room for 3 people to sleep, so we were thinking about what to do, and Sumire proposed to join the martial arts club members in their camping.
We slept in an exploration tent.
But it seems like the members of the martial arts club are doing an all-night party, so I ended up getting invited by the male members and partied with them until morning.
They are apparently going to be doing their performance for the 3rd day with barely any sleep.
What a tough bunch.
◇3rd day of the school festival◇
"It is here." (Sara)
I look up at the sky with the voice of Sara.
This is the station for the Flying Ships of the Dungeon City.
It is not like I have any business here, but Sumire and I came here together with Sara.
The Flying Ships floating in the sky have a white bottom like a cloud and a green bow crest drawn on it.
It is the Flying Ship of the Sacred Union.
I can see a statue of the Destiny Goddess-sama on the Flying Ship that's fancier than the rest.
The Holy Maiden-sama must be in that one.
"The Holy Maiden-sama has arrived from Caldia!"
A loud voice rang.
"Now then, I will greet the Holy Maiden-sama. She might ask me to introduce you, Eugene, so please assist me at that time, okay?" (Sara)
Sara walked off to the Flying Ships of the Sacred Union after saying this.
By the way, the Holy Maiden that has come is apparently not Orianne-sama.
I am not good at dealing with her, so it is relieving it is someone else.
No, the Holy Maidens are apparently all peculiar, so it might be the same.
"Hey, Eugene-kun, isn't that a Flying Ship of the Empire?" (Sumire)
There was a group of red Flying Ships at the direction Sumire pointed at.
The crest of the Grandflare Empire was showing its presence at the front.
Speaking of which, who came?
I observed the people coming down from the Flying Ships, curious about it.
There's a stair set for the Flying Ships that landed, and a woman of high class with an extravagant attire came down.
That woman looked around and came over here with a smile after seeing me.
I hurriedly kneel and greet her.
"Prime Minister Catherine, welcome to the Lykeion Magic Academy." (Eugene)
"It has been a few days, Eugene Santafield-kun." (Catherine)
Catherine-sama smiled.
Looks like the VIP of the Empire is the Prime Minister.
A princess from the Blue Waters Federation.
A Holy Maiden from the Sacred Union.
A Prime Minister from the Empire.
You could say there's balance?
I can't really tell since I am not that sharp in politics.
I looked at the face of the Prime Minister and she seemed to be making a complicated expression.
"I was originally not the one who was supposed to come here though…" (Catherine)
"Really?" (Eugene)
"Yeah, it was supposed to be the 1st prince Ashton." (Catherine)
So the plan changed.
Did something happen?
But the question was answered soon after.
*Dadada!*
The sound of footsteps approached.
Blonde hair shining with the light of the sun.
Blue eyes like the sea of summer.
Red military uniform and a black jacket which is the uniform of the imperial army.
What was shining at her chest was the crest of the Grandflare imperial family.
In other words, proof of royalty.
It means she is a princess of the Empire, but running at full speed without a trace of elegance alludes to…
"Eugy!!"
"A-Airi?" (Eugene)
The one who jumped onto my chest was the number one candidate to the throne of the Grandflare Empire, my childhood friend Airi.