Editor : Poor_Hero

TN: This officially marks the beginning of the Academy Arc! And the beginning of Missing-Chiffon symptoms.

And I’m changing the writing into somewhat present tense.. Maybe. I don’t know.

The school buildings in Phillis Academy are all made out of thick, solid stone and look like castles built in mid-Europe-ish.

Along the dim corridor, students dressed in the same uniform are being led by the senior, a scene familiar to a certain magic academy.

Mah, regrettably, this is not a magic academy where only the chosen attend but everyone in the country due to compulsory education. Regardless, I still feel excited.

And why won’t I be?

This marks the start of the long awaited school life that I have yearned for.

” You look so happy, Will. ”

I am laughed by Zen. Now is not the time to be laughing at me! Children that have just been born not long ago might not know it but compulsory education is a wonderful thing! It might be because he has not been to other worlds but thinking about magic lesson has already made me so excited that I feel like dancing!

Ah… I cannot say my true feelings out loud so I just give a vague smile as a reply.

” I am just looking forward to the dormitory life. ”
” Eh? Really? Will too? I am living in a dorm too! ”

Delighted Zen is baited into the conversation. Then, ahead of us, a loud booming voice is heard.

” We have reached your cla.s.sroom! Don’t fight! Bye then! ”

Who will fight on their first day in school… Energetic till the end, the senior leaves coolly without any self-introduction.

Don’t run along the corridor…

I yell in my heart as I stare at his distant figure before entering the cla.s.sroom.

It has a large wooden door that looks imposing. You can feel the history of the academy from the darkish stone buildings paired with this kind of door. Once entering, the very first thing that I notice is..

” Oh, long desks. ”

I murmur without thinking. Long desks line up and cramp into the cla.s.sroom…Just like the Showa Era. [TN: 1926 – 1989, he just meant it looks old-ish since most school in j.a.pan use single desks now.]

A blackboard that is properly black, sits at the front of the cla.s.sroom with the side walls curved in, in a circular shape. Just standing in the cla.s.sroom makes my thrill-meter shoots straight up.

Looking around, everyone is curious at seeing a cla.s.sroom for the first time and is chatting among each other. It would be a good idea to sit down before I attract their interest in me skipping grades.

Free seating is written on the blackboard. Aren’t we supposed to learn how to read in this school? I bit back on my retort and take a seat. Following my lead, Zen sits down beside me. Then it seems like ma.s.s psychology takes place as my cla.s.smates begin to shuffle to their seats.

The cla.s.sroom is buzzing with light chatter but none of it seems to be negative so I am relieved that I am not attracting attention.

….I am so glad that there is no bratty n.o.ble son in this cla.s.s. Really glad.

” Hey Zen, is there any meaning to the groups’ colors? ”

Since the teacher is not here yet, I decide to get some answers to the questions that have been on my mind.

” Ah, yes there is. ”
” ….. As expected. ”

There isn’t. I am just about to answer Zen before stopping mid-sentence and look at him.

” ….. There is? ”
” Eh? I heard that there is though… ”

Zen is shocked as well.

” Ah, no, I mean.. ”

I have thought that there is a meaning behind the colors but never have I thought Zen would know the answer to it. In this situation, it is best to smile and pretend that nothing happened.

” ……Okay. The colors represent the different magic attributes. ”
” Attributes? ”
” Yep. The usual ones. Red is fire, blue is water, green is earth, and our cla.s.s, white, is wind. ”
” I see! ”

Surprised by his knowledge, I praise Zen, who breaks into a wide smile. I too, begin smiling and then, the door opens with a great force.

” Ah, everyone is here! ”

The one standing energetically in front the door is Mr Gori-Macho. Clomp clomp clomp, he walks in big steps. Where is the well-mannered man from the entrance ceremony going to? All I can see now is someone who is walking exaggeratedly.

In no time, he reaches the middle room and looks at us, grinning.

” I am glad everyone is sitting down nicely. ”

Nodding his head pretentiously makes him looks effeminate. When he looks to be done with his nods, he snaps his head up and shouts. Ah, he most probably is not shouting. He must be that, the kind of person who has an irritating loud voice.

” O-kay, let us start with self-introduction! ”

Game Over.

A commotion stirs up within the cla.s.sroom.
…Oh… A common practice for a new cla.s.s. So common that it totally slips my mind.

Well then, this is worrying. What should I say?

Self-introduction is something that one will always fret over, even if I am already 25 years old. Plus what about my name? About my attribute? I have a mountain of secrets that I cannot reveal.

And when I am worrying about it, Mr Gori-Macho seems to be preparing something. Hm? He is looking at me.

The corner of my mouth raises naturally. ….Oh, stop doing amusing things, Mr Gori-macho.

” Firstly… ”

As he strains himself, a ball of fire appear with a ‘PON’ right in front of his hand.

” My name is Zelda! ” [TN: Saru-da]

No, you should be a gorilla.
[TN: Saru means monkey in j.a.panese so Will is saying he looks more like a gorilla. Check his picture.]
As I calmly retort, the eyes around me shine with a sparkle.

The fire in front of Mr Gori-macho…. Zelda-sensei, is spelling out his name.

” As you can see, my attribute is fire. Fired up primary level teacher, who will be in-charge of this cla.s.s! ”

The feel of a Hot-Blooded teacher. Even his att.i.tude is fired up. Feeling amused, I smile wryly as the energetic Zelda-sensei takes control and the cla.s.s self-introduction starts.

And when the last student sits down, Sensei claps his hands, leading a round of applause. His energy seems to have spread around the cla.s.sroom and when all the clapping and cheering dwindle, Sensei speaks up again.

” So, that’s it for today. There would be a body check-up tomorrow so for those staying in dormitory, don’t be late just because you are not used to it and can’t sleep. ”

With that, Zelda-sensei walks out the same way he walks in. Then, all of a sudden, the cla.s.sroom is in a buzz. Conversations between girls sitting opposite of me can be heard.

” Oh no~ I gained weight~! ”
” Eh~ You don’t look like it though~? ”

Are they really 10 years old? Even though I suspect them, no matter the worlds, girls will still be girls.

” …….Ah, but Will, even though it was a self-introduction, you did not give your real name. ”

As we are walking down the corridor together, Zen thinks back and laughs.

” It is my real name. Just not all of it. ”

I laugh too.

” Ah no, I thought that n.o.bles love to show off their names, that’s why. Will is really one of a kind. ”

Zen laughs, looking like he is enjoying himself. I have a feeling that something rude has just been said but since we are having fun, I let it slide.

The attribute question which I am worried over is not even asked. Thinking back, everyone has just entered school and is about to start studying magic, of course we would not know what our attribute is.

And yes, at my self-introduction, I have given my name as ‘Will’ only. I don’t want them to distance themselves away. Saying that, I haven’t memorized all of their faces and names yet.

Oh well, it all starts now~ Now~!

” Oh…it’s around this corner… ”

Following the map pa.s.sed to us in the cla.s.sroom, we begin walking over to the White Team’s dormitory. But this school is really ridiculously huge. And since they used to have a boarding school system, it is now left with a lot of empty rooms.

” …..Oh. ”
” …..Wah! ”

Turning around the corner, we both raise our voices. By the way, I am the one who speaks first.

The first thing that entered our vision is a large white door. It seems to be made out of one solid marble slab and reaches all the way to the ceiling. Amazing. It is undeniably amazing but….

Zen seems to be at awe at something completely different.

” ――――《風》? ” [TN: Kaze, Wind]

A large magic circle is craved onto the door.

Due to me murmuring instinctively upon seeing the word, the door begins to opening slowly.

◆◆◆

AN: The story can’t seem to proceed…. Only Gori-Macho appeared.

Oh well, I shall follow the flow as I write. (laughs)

TN: Sorry about that, the author had been calling Mr Macho, Gori-Macho, but I found that a bit difficult to translate so I left it as Mr Macho. Now you know.