Editor: Poor_Hero, pie for you.

Yes, even I would somehow expected it.

——- This.

Let’s turn time back to dawn.

” Oi, wake up! ”

I wake up to a loud noise accompanied with shouting. As I groggily get up, I see an amused face peeking through the gap between the double storey bed. As well as a boy with dull blond hair standing at the doorway.

It seems that Kiro has opened the door and comes to wake us up with that huge voice of his. Then, I feel a jolt coming from the bottom bunk, follows by a yelp.

” Ouch-! ”

Looks like Zen has b.u.mped his head. Kiro, who stands at the doorway, snickers at that. What they are doing this early in the morning, I wonder as I look at that malt brown skin and dazzling white teeth sleepily.

” I forgot to tell you yesterday that the cafeteria breakfast timing is till 7am. There would be nothing for you if you are late so take note. ”

Saying that, Kito leaves for the next room swiftly. Almost next to immediate, a loud voice shouting ‘Wake up!’ Could be heard. What a sense of duty. To go around all first years’ room to inform just because he has forgotten the day before… No, there are only 6 of us. Which means 3 rooms. So that isn’t that big of a deal, I think and smile while climbing down the ladder attached to the bunk bed.

” Morning, Zen. ”

[TN: Ohaiyo, zan, you need to know this]

Ohaiyo San. It is a t.i.tle of a drama in my previous world that I let out a small giggle. I just make a pun without expecting it.

Thanks to the b.u.mp on the head, Zen is completely up. Mumbling a soft ‘Morning’, he climbs out of his bed. I let out a small sigh as I open the cabinet. About one-third of it belongs to me. It goes without saying that the rest of it is taken up by Zen’s stuff, especially his books.

Putting my uniform on for the 2nd time, I smile at the silkiness. Phillis Academy has a unified uniform. The orthodox s.h.i.+rt that looks like a pseudo-j.a.panese stand up collar uniform. A slight grayish coat the fits nicely along the body shape, it feels just like a slim version of the Gakuran. [TN: j.a.panese stand up collar uniform. You know, those black uniforms that Yankee always wear in mangas?]

On the left breast area, 2 badges are pinned.

The school badge and the cla.s.s badge, one on the top and the other below. The school badge has a design of a western s.h.i.+eld, separated into 4 colors by a cross. Clockwise from the left is red, blue, white and green. With the word ‘Phillis’ across. So cool.

The cla.s.s badge is made with silver. Might be because we are the white team. A motif of Icris, a Sakura-like flower, and wind is beautifully carved in full detail, looking like a work of art. You would not think it is a school badge.

I tap on the s.h.i.+ny badges and head over to the wash basin. The happy thing about this dorm is that each room is fitted with their own shower room and wash basin. Although it is slightly regrettable that there is no bath attached but we are given 2 tables, a huge cabinet and a bunk bed. It is a nicely equipped dormitory.

I wash my face, smoothen my bed hair and when I walk out of the toilet, I see Zen putting on his uniform sluggishly, his face looking sleepy.

” ……You are going to miss breakfast, you know. ”

Zen jumps at my words.

” How about was.h.i.+ng your face first? ”

Pa.s.sing the lobby, we walk to the cafeteria. There is already quite a crowd there, around 20. But I have no inkling on how the cafeteria system works.

As I stand at the entrance, troubled, I feel someone behind. Turning back, I see Calius coming out to meet me.

” Are you okay? ”

He asks, with a face full of sleepiness. It seems like even the vice-dorm leader is not perfect.

” I have no idea how the system works… ”

Zen says, with a dejected face from behind me.

…. Are you that hungry?….

Ah, still so young, so young. p.u.b.erty sure is amazing, I thought. Then…

” Growl~~ ”

A thunderous roar resounds. Calius and Zen burst out laughing.

” D..Don’t laugh! ”

That roar is made by no other than the worm in my stomach.

” Will sure has a huge worm in that stomach despite having that kind of face! ”

Someone says from behind me as I go red with embarra.s.sment. Yuria appears, grinning with amus.e.m.e.nt. Her face and eyes seem to be saying ‘How’s that’.

….. I see, this must be revenge for yesterday! It is because I hand her over… But that is self-defense, I do nothing wrong. Definitely not.

But I am still slightly hurt. ‘That kind of face’…. Are you trying to say that despite having an average face, it is surprising to have a huge worm in my stomach?

d.a.m.n it!

….There is no connection between my face and the worm in my stomach!

I grumble internally as I follow the loli…Yuria-senpai into the cafeteria. In the end, it is just like the nostalgic lunch service in school. You can say it is like a bakery. Ah no, it would be more fitting to say it is just like a buffet style. You take the tray placed at the entrance, line up from the left and take any food you want onto the plate.

It is normal-delicious. Something like a rye bread with vegetables soup. If you wish to ask about my review, I would say this.

…..It makes the best use of the original taste of the ingredients.

j.a.panese way of vague expressions is the best.

” Good Morning! ” [TN: Ohaiyo-u]

With a vigorous slam of the door, the gorilla-like Zelda-sensei appears gallantly. Even with that momentum, students in the cla.s.s give their greetings as they please. Hearing all sorts of greetings, I too, give my own spin on it by going “Good Morning.”. [TN: Will said it in English.] It must be my imagination that Zen looks at me weirdly.

” Well then, today would be the body checks I mentioned yesterday! Follow me! ”

The noisy cla.s.sroom goes silent in an instance. But the next second the noise level rises up higher than before. Zelda-sensei, who maybe has been through this many times before, remains calm and instead, gives a mischievous smile.

” I had forgot to mention, apart from the measurement of body weight, there would be a measurement of mana as well. ”

OoOh! Half of the cla.s.s—the boys, are all psyched up by it. As for the girls who are making so much noise earlier, upon the words ‘body weight measurement’, freeze in an instant.

By the way, my reaction is the latter. Without thinking, I have frozen up. It takes a small b.u.mp from Zen to break me out of it.

” Will, what is with you and the mana measurement? Could it be that you have no confidence in it? ”

Zen asks, worried.

…..Isn’t it better not to ask that to a really unconfident person?…

I turn my slightly shocked eyes to Zen and see that he is truly worried about me. Our eyes meet and I rearrange my thoughts.

” Ah no…..Erm, kinda? ”

I smile bitterly, tilting my head to Zen’s worried look.

” Ah, mah, Will is 2 years younger than me. ”

I nod, letting Zen know it is exactly that.

….Although the meaning is slightly different. With the awkward Zen besides me, my thoughts start running.

That’s right, I am younger by 2 years from everyone here. But I safely say that my mana is higher than anyone here. Why? Because it is determined by a former court scholar.

As I walk down the stone corridor, all my brain has been thinking is words after words that I have never, never, ever thought about before.

” Next, oh….60, good job, you. So, next- ”

After that common body weight measurement as I’ve experienced before in the previous world, it is now the mana examination that just speeds through students.

The tool to measure mana is, again super orthodox, a crystal ball. Placing your hand to it would show the mana existing inside as a number. And that number is recorded by Zelda-sensei in the ‘body measurement’ column. At the same time, the crystal ball would be recording each student to their respective mana. And for those who finish the examination, they would be handed a card. Might be something like a student handbook.

Regardless, everyone is excited and having fun at the same time.

……..On the contrary…….

My excitement level is just like the next person going to be called by Sensei, down.

My heartbeat raises as my turn gets nearer. This is the 1st time I have even been so nervous. I do not even get this nervous for my high school examinations….

At the same time, a different memory surfaces up.

—Ah no, it’s fine. Ignore it. Yep. I nod to myself and it is then I feel Zen’s gaze. I feel like it looks irritated but that is all gone now.

” Next- ”

It is Zen’s, who is in front of me, turn.

” Oh, 70! That’s high. ”

At Zelda-sensei’s comment, Zen’s face brightens up as his measurement is being recorded. Then, the voice of destiny calls out.

” Okay, next! ”

I steel myself and step up.

Ignoring the puzzled Sensei, I slowly, slowly, approach. Timidly, timidly, I stretch out my arm slowly, and when the tips of my fingers touch the ball—-

BANG.

A sound that only lasts momentary.

………..Yes, the crystal ball, as seen, has burst to smithereens. Yes, I have kinda expected this to happen.

………. This is the thing called [Cheat].

” Wah! ”

Giving an exaggerated reaction, I fall onto my b.u.t.t and activate my magic chantlessly. As I have expected this to a degree, I am able to keep my calm. I have too, read a lot of novels in my previous life.

Eh…Hmm…In any case, I want to be away from people’s eyes right now so….

《擬似出血》 [TN: Maji Shukketsu, Simulation Bleeding]

As if I am cut by the broken crystals! So I make blood bled out of my fingers and arm. Ah, it doesn’t hurt by the way. Sensei, who stands there shocked by the sudden turn of things, notices my situation and rushes towards me in an instant. I am feeling guilty looking at him being so worried but it cannot be helped, I shall apologize for it later.

” I am going to bring Will over to the infirmary! The rest of you just wait here silently, okay! ”

Leaving the rustling cla.s.s, Sensei brings me over to the infirmary.

” Sorry about this Will. To think the crystal ball would explode….. Is it our miss in checking…? ”

As we walk along the corridor, Zelda-sensei stretches his head, looking very apologetic. Then, he grows angry, mumbling about a student is hurt by it, how he would sue, and even starts saying some dangerous things.

[TN: ….Seeing your precious student injured and you can’t even princess-carry the guy?]

This has turned serious, I cannot stay silent any longer. Ah, but I have to say that even his reaction is exactly like any hot-blooded teacher.

Ah, but….. Having come to this I cannot exactly say ” I did it with my magic, my bad☆ “. Oh man. How do I smoothen him? Panicking, I manage to say something.

” I..It’s okay, the wound is not that deep as well. Look, it has already stopped bleeding. ”

Saying that, I take my handkerchief out of my pocket and wipe the blood away. Sensei is stunned at the crusted wounds for a second before reverting back.

” These are 2 different things. To have an item that explodes all of a sudden! I am going to bring it up to the merchant guild! ”

As I thought, he is not baited into it. I get fl.u.s.tered, coming up with no ideas, then suddenly, there is a loud bang as Zelda-sensei falls forward. Shocked, I look behind.

” Ah, Zelda. You are troubling the student. ”

There stands a grandpa whose face I swear I have seen before yesterday.

” Ah, Headmaster. …..Sorry, Will. ”

Ma.s.saging his head as he looks behind, Zelda-sensei comes to recognize the figure of the Headmaster and by his words, finally realizes and apologizes to me.

” It’s alright….. ”

I am not really that troubled over it. Instead, I should be the one apologizing as it is me who breaks the crystal ball. But instead that, there is another thing that catches my interest.

Since Zelda-sensei is ma.s.saging his head, it means that the Headmaster hits his head from behind.

……..How did he do that?………

The gorilla-like Zelda-sensei is about 2m tall. As a comparison, Headmaster can be said to be tiny. Against the 8 years old me at 130 (*cough)cm me, he can only be said to be slightly taller.

Plus that sound.

As expected of the Headmaster of the biggest school in the capital. But since his speech is so long and dull, it seems that he is not perfect as well. And he also looks like he has a fetish.

” And, what happened? ”

Headmaster asks, after observing Zelda-sensei.

” Yes. The crystal ball exploded when it was Will’s turn. ”

Thinking back, Zelda-sensei grows angry again.

” Hmmm… ”

Murmurs Headmaster as he meets his eyes with mine. At that instant, an awkward smile appears on my face and the Headmaster seems to have realized it.

” In that case the cla.s.s should be in chaos. Zelda, you return to the cla.s.sroom, I shall take over from here. ”

” Yes…. But to bother the Headmaster about this…. ”

” With the crystal magic tool exploding and hurting a student, it is the problem of the merchant guild as well as the school. Which means it is under my jurisdiction. ”

Hearing that, Zelda-sensei bows to the Headmaster, accepting his orders, before rus.h.i.+ng back to the cla.s.s. It looks like he has not fully accepted it but as the crystal ball does indeed (…….) blow up, he listens to the Headmaster.

” Well then, let’s not stand around here talking, would you mind coming along to the headmaster’s office? ”

Headmaster says, smiling, his eyes sparkling like a kid who has just found a new toy.

Surprisingly, the headmaster’s office is smaller than expected. Even though he is the headmaster of such a huge academy. I have prepared myself to see a ridiculously grandiose, sparkling room that it is a major let-down.

As if noticing how I feel, the Headmaster responds with ” It’s because this is my private room as I feel it would be more comfortable. ” and laughs. It seems that usually guests and students who are called would be led to another office that is as I have expected, as not to lose the dignity of the school.

He has said that this room is a secret private room that not many would enter.

…….And why am I led here then?!

By the way, even though small, the room is in no means shabby. It is in a deep solid color that simply oozes its age as well as dignity. The rectangular bookshelf is cramped with books and on top of the desk are stacks after stacks of papers. It has the same feeling as when I have first stepped into Father’s office.

” Please take a seat over there. ”

I take a seat on the leather sofa.

Wah…Ohhh.

This is unexpected.

At the unexpected softness, I lose my balance on the sofa and am smiled at by the Headmaster.

Taking cups of tea out of nowhere, he places them on top of a table in front of the sofa.

” You are called Will, is that right? ”

” Yes. My name is Williams Beryl. ”

” I see…..! So you are Gion’s son…… ”

At my self-introduction, the headmaster mumbles emotionally.

” Do you know my father? ”

” Aah, when he was here, he was quite a handful…. To think… ”

I feel relieved at the Headmaster who is laughing somewhat weirdly. He says Father is a handful, however, it does not feel like the headmaster dislikes him. My perfect father’s school days…. I am really interested in it.

Ahh….

But we are here for another problem. Next time if I have another chance I shall ask more. Yep.

” Erm, Headmaster…. The crystal ball….. ”

I ask timidly. Headmaster grins.

” Ah, I am afraid the capacity is overloaded. ”

◆◆◆

TN: Long chapter! But I had fun translating this.

Oh yes, I switch back to past tense, Not to say I dislike present tense though…