#37
“What are you best at? Swordsmanship?”
It seemed she still remembered that I had worn a sword last time.
“No. I know a little magic.”
“Really? You do magic?”
It was so embarrassing to talk about magic in front of a court magician. Somehow holding myself back, I stood before the orb Yaksi held out. All students who knew magic touched this orb. Outwardly, nothing seemed to change, but Yaksi, as if she could tell just by them holding the orb, sent each student to the side.
Thinking I would probably be the same, I placed my hand on the orb. Like with the other students, the orb didn’t move at all.
Just as I was about to remove my hand, thinking that should be enough, Yaksi quickly approached me. It was startling to see Yaksi’s robe right after turning my head.
“You…, what are you?”
“Pardon?”
“No, why is this.”
Yaksi took the orb and turned it this way and that. To me, it looked no different from before, so I couldn’t understand why Yaksi was reacting this way.
Yaksi put the orb down and sharply turned to look at me.
“You. Are you taking Demon Studies?”
“…No.”
“You’re not?”
“No.”
It was a subject with variables, but with someone who disliked me this much, I didn’t want to go and attend directly. So I hadn’t included Demon Studies in my elective subjects.
“Hmm. Is that so? Alright. Stand over there.”
Yaksi, who didn’t explain why she was acting this way, seemed somewhat suspicious. However, I couldn’t very well ask a teacher why they were doing something. Moving to the side where the other students were waiting, I looked at Iria, who stepped forward for her turn. I couldn’t just let this moment pass.
* * *
This is absurd. Sitting in the empty classroom, I suppressed the sigh that threatened to burst out.
Just yesterday, not only had I introduced myself to Iria for the first time, but I also thought that the protagonist was indeed different as I watched her display amazing swordsmanship.
I was so entranced that I even forgot to close my mouth for a moment. Afterward, I took a few other common classes and then returned early to my dormitory room.
In the dormitory room, there was a personal schedule prepared with the classes I had selected and the common classes. The moment I checked the schedule, my face turned pale. Along with the subjects I had written down, I saw the name of a subject I hadn’t selected.
‘Demon Studies.’ I had wanted to take it, but it was a subject I hadn’t written down because the teacher didn’t match well with me. Wondering what was going on, I rushed straight to the faculty office. I explained that a subject I hadn’t selected was added to my schedule, but Yaksi, who was in charge of my homeroom, had already left, and the remaining teachers couldn’t help me.
For now, they just told me there was a period for adjusting classes, so I might want to make my selection during that time, and I returned to my dormitory room.
My head was already dizzy, and then this happened, making my stomach ache. I felt like I might get the gastritis I had forgotten about.
Since I hadn’t actually changed the class yet, I couldn’t skip it. In the end, I had no choice but to attend the first Demon Studies class. I thought I could just sit in the farthest place from the teacher. I fervently hoped that enough students would take this class to hide me in the back.
Thus, I was sitting in the empty classroom from the morning, swallowing my sighs.
As the class time approached, people began to enter the classroom one by one. Empty seats were filled one by one, but not as many people as I had hoped came in. I thought there would be an overflow of students wanting to be taught by the court magician, but apparently not.
Moreover, as if by some joke of fate, only the seats in front of me in my row were completely empty. At this rate, I would have to attend the class while making direct eye contact with Yaksi. Additionally, the students taking this class all seemed to be the quiet type, as everyone was silent even though the class hadn’t started yet.
I had planned to quietly attend the first class and then change it later, but it seemed impossible to be present yet invisible and then disappear without catching Yaksi’s eye.
At that moment, the students who had been silent as if holding their breath began to whisper and talk among themselves. It seemed someone notable had entered. When I turned my head to see who it was, I discovered a man I never dreamed I would see here.
“Ah…”
Why do we keep running into each other so often? I couldn’t help but frown upon seeing him. The atmosphere the last time we parted wasn’t good, and I knew well that the feelings he had for me weren’t favorable.
Persis, who met my eyes, was surprised for a moment and then revealed his displeasure by narrowing his eyes.
I couldn’t keep staring, so I turned my gaze forward. I needed to be more aware of the distance between us. We were no longer the children who spent time together. Calming my heart, which was stirring for various reasons, I decided to wait for Yaksi, who would soon enter.
At that moment, someone sat next to me. Startled, I turned my head to see Persis preparing for class as if nothing was unusual.
“Uh…”
I don’t know why I’ve been uttering such foolish sounds lately. Persis, who heard my voice escaping, sharply turned his head to look at me.
“Is this seat taken?”
“No, it’s not.”
“Then I can sit here.”
After saying that, Persis didn’t even glance in my direction. I couldn’t understand why Persis suddenly came to sit next to me.
Didn’t he dislike me? Yutis stayed by my side reluctantly because of orders, but Persis was different. He wasn’t in a position to take orders from others in the first place. He wouldn’t do this without a special reason. I couldn’t grasp why Persis was acting this way.
Until just now, I was only worried about the class, but now I had to be concerned about Persis sitting next to me as well. I thought I might actually develop gastritis at this rate.
Just as I was worrying about that, the front door of the classroom opened, and Yaksi entered. Without giving a glance to the seated students, Yaksi stood at the podium and immediately began the class.
“Among those who came to take this class, who knows about demons? Come on, raise your hand and speak. Don’t worry. I don’t plan to criticize if you’re wrong.”
At Yaksi’s sudden question, the students couldn’t say anything. Yaksi seemed to be waiting for someone to raise their hand first, but in the end, no one did. Despite saying she wouldn’t criticize, no one was unaware of what kind of person Yaksi was after just one day.
Some students from Class 2 who took the skill test had to be carried out, so no one dared to step forward confidently.
“What? No one? How boring. I said at least one person should raise their hand.”
Who would dare when she was already grumbling about it being boring? Everyone silently waited for Yaksi to answer.
“Creatures that oppose humans. The prefix ‘ma’ is attached to all creatures that threaten human living areas. You know at least this much, right?”
No one answered Yaksi’s question.
“You don’t even know this much? What have you been learning until now?”
They don’t know anything, that’s why they came to take the class. Otherwise, why would the students be here? I thought Yaksi was quite remarkable for immediately putting them down for not knowing. This is why no one could answer the previous question.
“All creatures called magical beasts are just a general term for creatures that oppose humans. And demons are a race that can control such magical beasts with magic. They use magic that humans cannot use to control them like their own limbs.”
When Yaksi pointed at the blackboard with a finger, a small thread from the fingertip embedded itself into the blackboard, creating the characters for ‘magical beast’ and ‘demon’. It felt like controlling magical power itself rather than a specific spell. Though a simple action, it was an impressive ability that deserved exclamation. Perhaps in terms of magic, it could be compared to the Duke.
“Now, are demons with the prefix ‘ma’ a race that opposes humans? Do they threaten human living areas? Well, you probably know this well. Yes, that’s right. Until now, demons have attacked humans. So here’s a question. Among creatures that invade human living areas, what doesn’t have the prefix ‘ma’?”
Again, students didn’t raise their hands. I thought this would just pass by, but Persis, sitting next to me, raised his hand.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“It’s Persis.”
“You’re so formal. Alright, Persis. Go ahead.”
“Humans.”
As soon as Persis answered, the classroom became deathly quiet. Not even a small breath could be heard.
“That’s right. Correct. It’s humans. Historically, the biggest threat to human living areas has been neither magical beasts nor demons, but other humans just like us. Yet we don’t attach ‘ma’ to human because we’re all the same race. We can communicate, have similar body structures, and our thinking is somewhat alike. Now, shall we look at a picture? It’s a very famous one.”
Saying that, Yaksi moved slightly away from the podium. Then, a picture I had seen when I was very young appeared on the blackboard. One of the protagonists in that picture was someone familiar to me.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
