When the crowd had dispersed a little, we took a short break and invited the girl inside. In the small house occupied by the Asura guild and cafe, we found a large room where all the guild members and the guest could fit.
"Is it something important? A secret mission, perhaps?!" Katrina's excitement flared up when she heard about the rector's assignment.
"Uh, not quite," the Guild Master's persistence even puzzled the rational Feris. "You see, it's another one of the rector's ideas... um... He wants to bring the Academy's students closer to ordinary people because, for many, the Academy seems unattainable. Although anyone with exceptional skills can enroll here, they also need permission from a feudal lord, so the path here is often closed to common peasants. Looking at us, it's true that without connections in high society, it was difficult to get into our Academy."
"Well, what can we do about it? We're already helping ordinary people by fighting monsters," Katrina provided a logical answer.
"That's true, but you still come to cities as mercenaries, and people treat you differently. However, the Rector suggested a different approach," the girl raised a pointed finger. "Volunteer work, simple jobs, just like regular people do, helping out as apprentices, builders, schoolteachers, or caregivers. You don't have to represent yourselves as a guild; you'll simply inform them that you're students from the Academy, sent by the rector to help. It will only last for two weeks during the holidays, and of course, you won't be left unrewarded. The Academy will pay you as if it were a high-difficulty contract."
"Um," Katrina hesitated a little, "I don't know. I'm sure everyone had plans for the holidays, and I can't make that decision for them."
"I'm fine with it. Almost all my holidays would be spent on the road, going back and forth home," Seleria chuckled, shrugging her shoulders.
"I feel the same way," Grain also nodded.
"We were home not long ago and wanted to spend this time together, but it doesn't really matter where it will be. Even if we have to work during the day," Leira smiled and leaned slightly towards Algo.
"And nobody's waiting for me at home anyway," Ragni shrugged and popped another cookie into her mouth.
"I don't mind. I talked to my father recently," Rizel nodded calmly.
"If everyone's going, then count me in too! I'll write to my parents about everything in a letter," Kurone proudly stood up.
Everyone looked at me and Katrina.
"I don't think I'm expected at home, so I'd be happy to spend these holidays with everyone," I said. "Besides, now I can interact with other people normally."
"I don't have a home to go back to, so it doesn't really matter where I'll be going," Katrina added.
Everyone fell awkwardly silent.
"Well, if you don't mind, the Rector has already found a suitable city for you, Coroldain. There will be jobs for all of you according to your abilities. Asura, what do you say?" the girl asked.
"Sorry, but I need to visit my clan," Asura replied.
"Really? Lady Asura, can we come with you?" Miriam perked up, hearing about the GM's family.
"I'd like to go with you too. After all, you have masters of weapon handling, and now I'm proficient in it as well," Vivien also became interested in the trip.
"Don't leave me all alone!" Werner protested, turning to Feris. "Sorry, but it seems we won't be able to go."
"It's a pity, of course, but a couple of other guilds have agreed, so in the future, this may become a good tradition. The holidays start in two days, so if you leave tomorrow, you'll arrive just in time," Asura smiled, though a tinge of sadness could be felt in her smile.
"Hold on, hold on, hold on! Are you going to take me along too!?" The newcomer didn't exude the same enthusiasm as the others.
"Lady Aileen, don't you want to spend this time with your comrades?" Feris looked surprised at the guardswoman.
"Hah? Comrades?! Isn't it too early for such grand statements?" Aileen crossed her arms unhappily. "I'd rather stay here and study your history. That would be more beneficial than waving a broom somewhere in the backwoods."
"But the Rector wanted you to go too, so you could learn more about our society and possibly understand that we're not so different," Feris explained.
"Tch. What is he up to again? Well, if the Rector is so adamant about not leaving me unattended, then damn it all. But I'll choose my own profession!"
The next day, we packed our belongings and headed towards the stables. The city we were heading to was a day's journey northwest of the Academy. It seemed the rector had planned everything even before getting our response, as a familiar coachman with an impressive carriage awaited us, capable of accommodating all of us along with our belongings. Katrina and I were the first to arrive at the departure point.
"Good day, Princess. Are you ready to work for the good of society?" the coachman, Krito, greeted.
"Hello, Krito. I don't even know. If I have to work with people, they might have questions about your gloves. But still, I'll do my best not to let our guild down," I replied.
"You better try. I'm sure that even if you work alone, people will approach you just to admire," Krito said playfully.
"Mmm, don't scare me like that."
Footsteps sounded from behind as Algo, Leira, and Seleria approached.
"Good morning, Katrina, Krito," Leira bowed politely, as befitting a noblewoman.
"Hey."
"Morning," Seleria looked us up and down in surprise. "Why are you wearing uniforms? Even though this is an assignment, we're still on holiday, so we could've worn something else for variety."
I paused for a moment and looked at the newcomers again. Leira was wearing a finely tailored dress, though it had clearly seen many years and was probably bought during her family's prosperous times. Algo was still in the same pants from the uniform, but instead of the academy's jacket, he wore a jacket that he sometimes used on missions to avoid spoiling the expensive uniform. Seleria, on the other hand, was dressed in tight leather pants, tall boots, and a red blouse with a neckline, topped with an embroidered vest. The only visible Academy attribute on all of them was the mantles on their shoulders. They also had decent-sized suitcases with them.
"Krito, how do you like it?" the red princess coquettishly smiled. "Since I couldn't try on new clothes at the Academy due to the rules, I decided to dress up a bit now. And why are you still in uniform, and where are your belongings?"
"Well, I don't really have anything except the uniform, so I'm just taking a couple of shirts with me," I said. I only had a small shoulder bag with me and the scabbards with swords.
"Uhm, really now. You should've left your weapons behind; after all, we're not going to fight. Take a cue from this sweet couple," Seleria nodded towards Algo, who hadn't taken his sword, and besides his small bag, he was helping carry Leira's large bag. "Kat, what about you? Why are you like this, and where are your things?"
"Huh?" Katrina blushed and looked down at her feet. "I, too, don't have anything other than the uniform, just personal belongings." She pointed to her small shoulder bag.
"WHAT!? NOTHING AT ALL!? That won't do," Seleria sighed in resignation and rubbed her nose. "We'll go shopping, driver, we'll stop in a city on the way and get you some clothes. And don't say you don't have money; I know we have some right now."
"Wait, I was supposed to deliver you by tomorrow morning. If you go shopping, we could lose a whole day, or even more," the coachman pleaded.
At that moment, Ragni, Vina, and Kurone approached us.
"What's all the commotion?" Ragni, as always, was munching on something and carried a large bag of belongings over her shoulder.
"Kat, look even the dragoness has more stuff than Princess of Verania. Doesn't it seem strange to you?!" Seleria asked.
"Huh? But I never really cared about that, and there was no need to," Katrina replied.
Ragni attentively listened to the princesses' conversation while snacking on her cookies. She skillfully reached into the bag hanging over her shoulder, which raised some doubts in me.
"Ragni, what exactly do you have in your bag?" I asked.
"Supplies for the journey," the dragoness replied. As I suspected, apart from her short clothing and the uniform, she had nothing else.
"WHAT? Ragni, you too? Come on, you're girls! Okay, jewelry is one thing, but you should be interested in beautiful clothes!" Seleria was almost in hysterics.
"But I'm a dragon, and I prefer to be naked. I only wear clothes out of decency," Ragni explained.
No matter which angle you looked at Ragni's clothes, it was hard to call them proper.
"All right, it's settled then! Coachman, you'll take us to the city, and from there, we'll continue on her," the red princess confidently pointed at Ragni, who didn't seem pleased with the idea.
"Hey, I'm not a riding horse for you!"
"Oh, come on, we're going shopping for you as well."
"But if it causes trouble for Ragni, maybe we shouldn't?" Katrina timidly asked Seleria, but her confident, ringing voice interrupted her.
"Oh my, have you never heard the saying, 'clothes make the man'?" Vina approached the girls, wearing a golden-colored dress; it seemed she had an affinity for gold not only because of the uniform. "Appearance is essential for a girl! You should make a good impression on others at first sight. First of all, you are all very beautiful, but if you keep wearing the same thing, it will become boring, and soon guys will stop paying attention to you."
"WHAT!?" the girls exclaimed and glanced briefly at me.
"Fine, we'll go," Ragni nodded convincingly.
"And I'm coming with you so that you don't spend everything we have," Vina added, nodding contentedly.
"Then maybe we should take all the girls?" Seleria looked at Kurone and Leira.
"That won't work; I won't be able to carry all of you, plus your luggage," Ragni frowned.
"Alright, let's go with the four of us. We just have to wait for the others; they're already running late," Seleria said.
"No, they're already here," Kurone pointed to the entrance, and there stood a muscular guy in pants, a jacket, and a scarf, along with a slightly older girl in a long dress.
"Teacher Levris? And are you going too?" I was a little surprised.
"Yes, the Rector said I should keep an eye on you, and I can earn some money along the way," she replied.
"Does that mean Rumie will join us too?"
"No, no, she stayed here, saying she'd rather sleep until we return."
"Looks like I'm the last one," right after the earth mages, Aileen arrived. She was dressed in tight shorts and a leather jacket. She carried only a small bundle with no more than one set of spare clothes.
"Mmm, the Imperial Guards are having financial difficulties; I hope you have something to change into?" Seleria was still evaluating the girls' wardrobes.
"Well, I still have my armor in the room, but I think it would be inappropriate," Aileen replied.