6kv Chapter 80: First Day of School -- Part 2
Chapter 80: First Day of School -- Part 2
Chapter 80: First Day of School -- Part 2
Part 1
After homeroom ended, Zanoba dutifully attended his next class.
It seems he is not allowed lesson exemptions.
Cliff seems to be naturally serious about his lessons.
Rinia and Pursena seem to give off the feeling they're boycotting their lessons, but they appear to attend seriously.
According to Zanoba, in two hours, it will be time for lunch.
I was invited to join him for the meal.
How pleasant!
I will eventually be taking classes.
However, don't misunderstand my reason for coming here.
I never came to this school to study.
But I also can't be 'doing nothing' for as long as two hours.
Though, I did not come to play around either.
For the time being.
I decided to take a look around the campus.
I was able to see the approximate locations of each classroom on the map.
However, it would probably be better if I went to see it by walking there.
As I thought this, I began to walk.
First off is the School Infirmary.
The infirmary of this school is spacious.
It has 8 beds which are in a line,
There are two healing art users residing here.
It must mean that it is possible that there are many people who become injured in magical accidents.
Just now a man twice my height was carried in with a stretcher.
One arm seems to be broken, and a leg is bent in an unusual way.
One of the healing art users is rapidly chanting spells on the broken arm.
It is Intermediate-rank recovery magic.
At once, the man's tortured expression relaxed a bit.
So as to not be a nuisance there, I left.
When I looked at the placard at the entrance, I saw [Primary Medical Ward] written there.
It wasn't the School Infirmary.
Next stop was the Athletics Warehouse.
This room was adjoined to the one I took the training examination in the other day.
Of course the door is locked.
Do I need to get the key from the administrator's office, or perhaps I need to find the gym teacher?
Or, if I was to happen to use a little bit of chantless incantation earth magic, would I not be able to unlock it that way?
So, with just a little bit of magic, I unlocked the door and entered inside.
The inside is a bit dusty and smells of mold.
Rather than an athletics warehouse, I got the feeling it was just a regular warehouse.
Lining the shelves were various kendo equipments, like helmets and chest protectors, in the corner of the room is a box that looks like an umbrella stand, which has many places for magicians to put their magic wands.
Some kind of iron figure had a number of places marked with some kind of unknown white powder.
However, this is not what I was looking for.
It seems this school doesn't have the equipment for platform or floor exercises.
So basically, this isn't an athletics warehouse, it's just a [Training Tools Room].
Next stop, the rooftop of the school building... oh this school doesn't have a rooftop access.
Since it snows a lot in this area of the world, a sharply sloping roof is a fundamental design it seems.
Though it seems there is something like an attic, I pass on it for now.
With the rooftop being no good, I decide to visit the library.
The library of this school has its own independent building.
Leaving the athletics warehouse, I walked for about ten minutes until at last I reached a particular two-story building.
When I tried to enter, I was stopped by a door guard.
[Stop!]
[Eh?]
[I haven't seen your face before, are you a new student? A problem with your lessons?]
[Eh, yes, I'm a new student. [Special Student], and I'm exempt from lessons.]
[Show me your student identification.]
Trying not to act suspiciously, from my breast pocket, I take out the identification, and hand it over.
The guard stares me up and down for a moment, alright, I seem to be confirmed.
I am deliberately checked for anything suspicious.
Afterwards, a rough explanation of the important points on how to use the library was told to me.
Magic is forbidden in the library.
Removing a book from the library is strictly prohibited, however sometimes certain materials may be loaned out, but only temporarily.
In cases like that, permission must be obtained from a librarian, which means forms need to be filled out.
Naturally, any damage to a book will be met with a disciplinary action.
It's pretty much the same as any library anywhere.
But if a book is heavily damaged, it's possible that the result could be a heavy fine and expulsion.
Incidentally, all the books that exist in this library are said to be transcripts.
Even if the damage is just to a transcript, that is grounds for being made to withdraw from school.
Is that because books in this world are naturally expensive?
[You are considerably strict here, aren't you?]
[There was a troublesome person here before who was substituting books. They were selling these precious materials in the marketplace.]
So the guard says.
When I entered the library, it had the faint smell of books.
The unique mixture of mustiness dried ink and old paper.
It also has a bathroom near the entrance.
Perhaps it's a countermeasure to the Aoki Mariko phenomenon?
I offer a light greeting to the librarian, then head further inside.
At the entrance are tables and desks lined up, from the middle to the back are rows of bookshelves.
[Ooooh.]
I instinctively exclaimed in sheer admiration.
How many books have I read since coming to this world?
It is the first time I have seen such a large amount of books side by side.
The first floor opened up wide to an atrium-like ceiling.
The entire second floor is occupied by bookshelves.
Various places throughout the library have a chair and desk, as expected there is likely no shortage of schoolwork that needs to be done here.
It's just about time I looked into some things.
[Ah.]
Then, I recalled the advice of Hitogami.
[Rudeus, enter Ranoa Magic Academy.
Then, examine the matters of the Fedoa Territory Metastasis Event.
If you do this, you can regain your confidence as a man once more.]
Up until now, I have done nothing but give special care to that last sentence.
However, [Investigate the Metastasis Cases] was what he was saying right?
That was close.
I had almost completely forgotten.
It's fine though.
There should be quite a few books on that subject, so in regards to it, I should be able to do some detailed research.
However, since there are just a few books... where should I begin looking from?
[Should I ask a librarian about this...?]
I shook my head and decided against it.
For the time being, it's not like I have to immediately start researching.
And anyway, as for facts about the Metastasis Event cases, Asura Kingdom wasn't done confirming everything yet.
And just a cursory amount of studying won't make me understand the whole situation at once.
So for now, it'll be good just to know where the book reference materials are in the library, I guess.
As I thought this, I meandered between the bookshelves.
There were indeed many books of different kinds.
Though the majority of the books were in Human language, there were those that were also written in Beast God language or Demon God language.
There was a book in Fighting God language as well. I am not knowledgeable if there are some in Heaven God language or Sea God language languages though.
I would need to transliterate the letters of those languages to one I know already, before I could even begin reading it.
[Ah!]
From behind me, a small voice raised up.
I turned around.
That white-haired, sunglasses-wearing boy was looking at me.
It's Fitts!
He seemed to be carrying several books and scrolls.
I panicked for a moment, stood at attention quickly, and then bowed apologetically.
[I am sorry for the other day.
It was through my thoughtless actions yesterday that may have caused senpai to lose face.
I am truly sorry for what I have done.]
[I was thinking about going out for a box of cakes for which I planned to bring them to you when greeting you properly at a future time, but since I just became a new student moments ago, I've been caught up doing this or that since...]
[Uea!? ...I, It's fine, raise your head.]
In my previous life, the one person I respected was a character called [Masa].
He is a member of society who managed to weather all the problems of the world by performing dogeza.
One of his techniques is called [When you've made a mess of something, make the humble apology in a place like a toilet or the like, not by shouting abruptly in an important place!]
I rushed into a direction where I would be excused of the bad feelings Fitts may have held for me, and tried to clear them away.
It seems successful.
[Rude...eh, Rudeus-kun? For what reason are you here?]
[Doing a little bit of research.]
[About what?]
[Metastasis Events.]
When I mentioned that, Fitts seemed to bring his eyebrows together.
Did I say something strange?
[The Metastasis Event? Why?]
[I was also a resident of Fedoa Territory in the Asura Kingdom. And the Metastasis Event there had flung me far away to the Magic Continent, for instance.]
[The Magic Continent!?]
Fitts-senpai's astonishment seemed exaggerated.
[Yeah, it took as long as three years, but I managed to come back.
During that time I managed to find my family.
Though there is still one person I haven't found yet.
But there is a good chance, if I examine this in detail, I may find a lead, right?]
[...Is perhaps, for the sake of that one person the reason you are in this school?]
[That's right.]
Though there is no way I can say that the reason is actually for the sake of curing my Erectile Dysfunction.
However, it's not a lie to say I do want to examine what happened with the Metastasis Events.
Why did that event even occur? I have the desire to know.
[I see, you are an amazing person...after all.]
Fitts says so, and the back of his ear makes a crunching sound as he scratches it.
What's so amazing about a person who hasn't discovered anything yet?
That is, what did you mean by that?
Well, it's fine, however.
[So, what is senpai doing here?]
[Aaaaaah! That's right! I was supposed to be bringing these materials somewhere.
I've got to run. Rudeus-kun, see you later!]
[Ah, sure, later!]
Fitts gave off a panicked look, he was about to turn on his heels and head to the librarian.
[Oh, that's right... If it's about Metastasis, then a book by Animas called [Investigation Records of the Metastasis Labyrinth] is a good story you should read, it'll be easy to understand what it's about.]
And with those parting words, Fitts left.
While it did not seem Fitts was good at talking with me, he didn't leave me with the impression that he harbored ill feelings towards me.
It appears that he wasn't holding a grudge about the matter of the examination test after all.
Though I may have misunderstood because his gaze was so strong, it seems that he might be a relatively good person after all.
Part 2
I inquired with the librarian where the [Investigation Records of the Metastasis Labyrinth] was located, and passed the remaining time until lunch came, lost in reading.
It wasn't a very thick book.
It was barely the thickness of a notebook; the number of pages was less than 100.
The story was about Animas Macedonias who was an Adventurer from the Northern Lands who was said to have challenged a labyrinth.
The labyrinth he challenged was said to be the [Labyrinth of Metastasis].
It was a rare labyrinth where it was said that all of the traps were teleportation traps.
And there were 5 kinds of monsters that inhabited it.
All of the monsters were highly intelligent, and knew the locations in the labyrinth where the traps would fling adventurers to.
When an unfortunate person steps on the teleportation trap, they are sent to a room where there are usually a large number of monsters waiting to kill them.
It is difficult to avoid stepping on traps during battles within the labyrinth.
If the battle becomes complicated, then the whole party could end up scattered throughout the Labyrinth.
The labyrinth's difficulty level is classified as extremely high.
Animas and his associates went to challenge the labyrinth, and investigated about the teleportation traps while they were there.
Chiefly, there are three kinds of teleportation traps.
One. One-way teleporting. It is always to the same location, returning must be done manually.
Two. Two-way teleporting. There is usually a magic formation which can return you back the same way somewhere in the location one was teleported to.
Three. Random teleporting. There is no way of knowing where you will end up, and no guarantee of being able to go back.
In the metastasis labyrinth, it's just a matter of aiming for the interior of the cavern while repeatedly dealing with the teleporting traps that move you further inside.
However, the random teleporting traps are interspersed.
If one accidentally steps on it by mistake, the party can be separated, and one person can be stuck fighting solo against a huge swarm of monsters.
There was even a record on how to recognize a random teleport magic formation over other types.
In the middle of the story, Animas discovered a method of use, to allow him to be transported towards the back of the labyrinth rapidly.
Animas and company gradually got careless.
And they thought they would be able to conquer the labyrinth.
However, they were not able to tell the method with certainty how to distinguish the trap.
The final part of the story involved failing to identify a formation correctly, and stepping on a random teleportation trap which put an end to the party.
Animas was surrounded by a large amount of enemies, and though he lost his right hand, he somehow managed to survive.
However, he lost three colleagues at the same time.
And since Animas' body was no longer able to fight, he gave up adventuring.
The end of the book was a story of why it was written, and that the secrets of capturing the labyrinth were entrusted to whoever read this book.
Whether this story was fiction or non-fiction is unknown.
However, the fact that his party [Monster House] ended up dividing into new parties is considerably amazing.
In my previous life, I seem to remember an RPG that had a dungeon similar to one like this.
However, the conditions required in order to clear the dungeon in the game are different, it's not always possible to reach the final level in one of this world's dungeons.
Although other adventurers have said that at the innermost part of the Labyrinth is almost always a magic crystal.
However, I wouldn't be surprised to find there was one fraudulent dungeon that didn't have an achievable end to it.
The study with regard to the random teleportation magic formations appeared at the end of the book.
Essentially the limitations and ranges of the random teleportation formations, and their usual or unusual characteristics.
Also, that it is highly unlikely to wind up being teleported into the middle of something, like the ground or a wall- even if it is inside a cave.
If it's the case with Animas, it's because the magical power of the metastasis ahead and the magic of the thing itself doing the metastasis repel each other, this may be related to the concept of not being able to materialize an attack magic directly inside the body of a person.
Attack magic cannot be generated directly into the body of another person.
Even I seem to have been aware of that principle.
However the recovery magic is able to be done inside of the body of another person.
It's fuzzy logic like that what keeps me from being able to use chantless incantation healing magic.
Even if it's related to metastasis, such a theoretical exception may work.
I caught it by reflex.
[Oou]
When I expanded it, it was a pure white cloth.
It had a little decoration, but was not too showy, giving off the impression that it was neat and clean.
The traditionally respected name was "Panties".
Someone may have possibly been trying to dry them in the shade.
I thought that if I looked up, I had the feeling I might be able to see the owner of this missing item.
However, because it is dark, I cannot make out a face.
But, I saw a form...
[...Ee~to, Did someone lose something important?]
[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Underwear Thief!]
Eh?
A schoolgirl's yell.
It wasn't from above.
I heard it from behind.
Turning around flustered, I was being pointed at, while a figure was shrieking.
It's a misunderstanding.
But, it's too late to think about it now.
In a matter of moments from the time the shriek began, a window from the veranda opened with a banging sound.
And from the first floor, a shadow jumped out. Shadow. Shadow.
With that, while besieged by accusations, I remained in the position of holding the raised panties.
Somehow, I don't know what's going on.
[A, e~to, um...]
[Hmpf!]
The one spearheading it was a girl with an excessively well-built body.
How should I say it? A girl? A woman? A bandit? A gorilla?
This person gave off that kind of impression.
The width of her shoulders was nearly twice my own.
Is she a Beast Race...? Instead she's likely a Demon Race.
[You are perverted trash!]
To the confused me, she spat that.
I was suddenly insulted.
That doesn't seem like the actions of someone who is supposed to be the sage of the forest.
What?
What is going on?
Why am I suddenly being treated as an underwear thief?
Certainly, as a 15 year old boy, I have an interest in underwear. But, I wasn't trying to steal them this time, I didn't even smell them.
I just had grabbed it before it reached the ground is all, I was only trying to return it to its owner.
[Please wait a minute, I haven't done anything.]
[Haven't done anything?]
The Gorilla-girl grabbed my arm.
She's got huge hands.
[If it's nothing, then what do you have in your hand?]
There is a certain item in my hand.
A face was made, about to say that it was the evidence in question against me.
The surrounding stares are filled with hostility.
My feet start to tremble.
[Those, those are Ariel-sama's underwear aren't they? Even if someone like you admires the princess, you must have no shame at all to do something so brazen as that!]
To Gorilla-san's caustic words, the surrounding girls pour on the jeers towards me with things like [That's right!] [Hentai!] [Go Die!]
What the hell, I am already crying now.
[Listen! Don't come this way, someone like you should repent on their actions, and never be allowed to do these kinds of things again.]
I am pulled along, being caught from arm-to-shoulder.
The only resistance I could put up was the tracks in the dirt the bottoms of my shoes left as I was being dragged.
The power of the women's dorm.
Even though I had been building up my muscles, was the difference in our muscle strength really that great?
I am being dragged into the building, as it is.
Am I about to be subjected to a horrible lynch mob?
I'm being falsely accused.
Should I run away?
Even though I didn't do anything wrong?
If I run away, will rumors spread widely?
What should I do, this is like the feeling of being falsely accused as a train molester.
Can I make them understand through talking?
However it's probably already too late for that...
No, at times like this I need to remain stubbornly confident in my innocence.
I did nothing wrong here.
Thinking so, I used earth magic, and firmly affixed my feet in place.
I immediately stop being dragged, and the Gorilla makes a surprised face.
I was going to fight through the misunderstanding.
[Hee~, What's this, planning to become violent?
Even though you are just a sheetty, shameless underwear thief.
Against this number of people, do you think you can win?]
Maybe, I wonder.
While I get the feeling I won't win in the way I want to.
However, underwear thief.
If I get violent here, I will have the label of my person changed to that of an underwear thief.
It's a false accusation.
However, if I get violent, the false charge would likely change into something like rape and pile up.
Then, the current false charge becomes lost entirely.
I might be dealt with in some kind of appeasing move by the administration, could be driven in a corner to the point where I would have to withdraw from school.
How annoying.
What good can come out of this?
[Wait a moment! Stop the arrest, wait for just a moment!]
It was the voice of a boy with a high pitch.
[Fitts-sama!]
[E~! Fitts-sama!?]
[Fitts-sama talked!?]
[What's going on here!?]
Parting the crowd here, was a small boy with white hair and wearing sunglasses.
It was Fitts.
[I am sorry- that underwear- I was just trying to air dry them after I cleaned them, and they accidentally fell down. He only picked them up because of my mistake.]
Fitts stands between the Gorilla and me, while panting heavily.
And took the trouble to explain what had happened.
Gorilla made a snort and humph.
[Fitts...sama. I already know that Ariel has entrusted you with taking care of washing her undergarments.]
However, the Gorilla continues.
[That and this are a different story though. This guy, at this time of night, was walking in front of here.
It was decided already that after sunset only women can go down this street.]
Oh, is that how it was?
I didn't see any sign mentioning that.
I who look puzzled, gave a backward glance to Fitts.
[He is a new student, a [Special Student], with a single room so he didn't have a roommate who would have explained that minor rule of the dorms to him yet. Will you please overlook this matter for me?]
Fitts was desperate.
I also felt the desperation in his voice.
I somehow want to know why.
The Gorilla faces this direction.
Is it the truth, or so she was about to say.
I nodded moment by moment.
The Gorilla had gripped my hand for a moment still, Fitts' face was also looked at.
[Hmph, since Fitts-sama is defending you here this much. It might be the truth.
However, it is also true that you violated the agreement of the dormitory.
So you still need to receive a punishment as a lesson.]
As she said that, she tried to drag me again, but her movement was stopped.
Before anyone noticed, Fitts had pulled his wand out.
And it was pointed at Gorilla's face.
[I'm pretty sure I just said he wasn't in the wrong.
Listen up, you better take your hands off...]
[Fu~ Fitts...sama?]
A voice that has anger mixed into it.
The surroundings became noisy.
Even in the dark, I could understand that Gorilla's face was going pale.
[Or perhaps, everyone here would like me to send them to the medical office?]
SO COOL~
I also want to be able to say something like that once.
[Tch... Fine I get it already.]
My hand was released albeit a little violently.
And she separated from this child who was pinned.
My wrist hurt still.
However I didn't need recovery magic.
[Fitts-sama, only because you went to all the trouble to show deference to him.
However, you over there!
Never again find yourself after dark wandering around the women's dorm.
If I find you next time, there will be no forgiveness then!]
After throwing such a parting threat directed at me, she returned through the veranda window that she popped out from.
The other girls also, after giving me a strong look, faded away.
In a split second, all the women were gone from that place.
[Fuu~... Honestly, Goriade-san, not listening to a person's explanation first...]
Fitts breathed a sigh of relief, all the girls were seen off.
Some time ago, the Gorilla had been called Goria-de.
That Strength and Power satisfies having a name like that.
The exact case of Name-is-body.
Fitts bowed to me.
[Sorry, it's because of me accidentally dropping that underwear...]
I wonder why this boy is in the women's dorm washing underwear.
Perhaps it is because he has such confidence from being a guard of Princess Ariel that he may be specially permitted to attend to her here?
He seems to be a sincere person.
The feeling that he's harmless comes out from his whole body.
He's reliable.
He's young.
A handsome guy wearing sunglasses.
Rather, I get the feeling he's part of the "Pretty Boy" faction.
It would be dangerous if he said he longed to be by my side.
Would it be indecent of me if I said I wanted to lick your feet?
[No, Fitts-senpai isn't at fault either... I was rescued.]
[To say rescued... If you were serious at all, they might have been injured.]
It was then that I understood the reason he panicked and seemed upset when he came to help.
If I behaved violently, I would have injured the girls.
He probably considered that.
Although, in consideration of that, he still cared about me.
[However, I was suddenly surprised. So what now then?]
[A... un. Goria-de-san also said that after the sun sets, any boy who approaches the girl's dorm is no good.]
[Is that so? But, something like that should be in the school regulations.]
[It was a mutual arrangement between fellow students who lived in the dorms.
At sunset this road isn't used by the boys, and instead the roundabout way is taken instead to the men's dorm.]
Is it called a "local rule?"
Even though I didn't know, it would have been good if someone had taught me that from the start.
For example, Zanoba...
[I didn't know about it.]
[It couldn't be helped. Just be careful from now on, okay?]
[Sure.]
It goes without saying.
Even if it's daytime, I'm sure that I won't ever take this road again.
Besides I don't need more hostile glances from any more people.
To be surrounded by those devils, well I'll be alright if the number is kept limited to the count on one hand.
The general trend of the looks women have given me is hostility.
If I think about it, I tremble.
[Anyway, I was saved. If I can ever return the favor to Fitts-senpai please do not hesitate to ask me...]
[It's fine already, I only did what was natural.]
What was natural...?
When I think, I remember all the times in the last few years where I have acquired all kinds of misunderstandings and false accusations.
Starting from Beast Race, Paul, and Orsted.
Maybe my face instills distrust?
However, Fitts-Sempai did not assume me to be a bad person.
Instead, he even stood by my side.
An even-handed position.
Though there might have been my mistake in that basis too.
Even the matter with the examination as well...
It's a nice thing.
Fitts-Senpai.
A refreshing disposition, no grudge about the examination matter.
Gave me advice in the library.
Is well known in the academy, and isn't prideful.
Properly helped before with the state of things.
Externally he's a shota, but he's a man of character.
A senpai.
That's right. I will get him to allow me to call him senpai.
Fitts-senpai, and I will put a lot of respect in it when I call him senpai.
[If it's Rudeus-kun, can you not get through it on your own power?]
[Things aren't like that, really, thank you though, senpai.]
When I bowed, Fitts-Senpai was scratching his cheek with a crunchy sound while being embarrassed.
[Ahahaha... The way Rudeus-kun says his thanks, gives me a strange feeling.]
[Eh? Why is that?]
When I asked why, Fitts embarrassingly laughed.
[...It's a secret.]
To me, the loser, that smile left me completely shocked.
—
Thus, my first day of school ended.