Chapter 101: Dress

Two months had passed since the Sword Demon Society’s attack. The season of cicadas singing and Hori begging for air conditioning magic tools had arrived.

I sat quietly on a bench, fanning myself, watching the patrol squad making their rounds around the academy under the scorching sun.

‘They’re working hard again today…’

It wasn’t a recent development that they had started patrolling the academy and its surroundings.

Using the academy’s barrier to prevent intrusions from the Sword Demon Society or Ganryu’s group was practically impossible.

But they couldn’t just sit idly by and let them invade again.

After much deliberation on finding an alternative, Marina had come up with the idea of these patrols.

Unlike ordinary guard patrols, this two-month-old patrol squad, consisting of ten guards and one mage, circulated throughout the academy and city.

If they couldn’t prevent intrusions, they’d at least try to detect them quickly and repel the intruders to prevent damage.

At first, having allowed two invasions into the academy, they were brimming with enthusiasm to redeem themselves.

But after two months of fruitless efforts, coupled with this weather, that enthusiasm seemed to be waning.

The number of patrol members had especially increased in the past week, as they suspected the Sword Demon Society might attempt another invasion during the commotion of the upcoming ball.

When a mage suggested canceling the ball for the students’ safety, Marina had exclaimed indignantly:

“Absolutely not!! If we tighten security too much, those bastards won’t even try to invade!!”

Though it sounded like a joke, the look in Marina’s eyes as she said it was dead serious.

To be honest, she now seemed like someone eagerly awaiting another invasion by the Sword Demon Society.

‘I’d prefer an incompetent person over a madwoman…’

I wondered if things would have turned out differently if Hori hadn’t opened her useless mouth back then?

For some reason, I doubted it would have changed for the better even if she had.

While the headmaster, guards, and faculty grew irritable from excessive patrol duties, the students were all excited about the upcoming ball.

The academy had few entertainment-related events, and this annual summer ball was one of them.

Personally, I couldn’t understand what was so fun about putting on airs and dancing to outdated music, but they seemed genuinely excited.

Marina’s refusal to cancel the ball might have been partly out of consideration for the students’ feelings.

…At least, I’d like to believe so.

‘Well then…’

Just as I was getting bored of watching the guards suffering in the scorching sun and was about to head back inside…

“Ian!!”

Nana and Euclid approached me, waving their hands. Nana was holding an enormous parasol that resembled a beach umbrella.

“Hello, Euclid. But aren’t you hot? Why are you wearing armor even on a day like this?”

While Euclid wore a neat tuxedo instead of the academy uniform, Nana was clad in her usual full-body blue armor.

Aghast at the sight of the armor, which looked hot enough to fry an egg on, I asked. Nana replied nonchalantly:

“The armor has cooling magic cast on it, so it’s actually hotter without it. Even if that weren’t the case, I can’t dress lightly as His Highness’s bodyguard.”

“…I see. But Euclid, why are you wearing a tuxedo instead of your uniform?”

“This? It’s the tuxedo I’ll wear to the ball! Since you said you won’t be attending, I wanted to show it to you now.”

It sounded more like something a woman would say, but coming from the feminine-faced Euclid, it didn’t feel out of place at all.

“That’s… thoughtful of you. I assume Rain will be your partner for the ball?”

“That’s right. It would be scandalous to attend such an event with any woman other than my fiancée. But Ian, are you really not attending?”

“I’m not comfortable with that kind of atmosphere. I’d rather just kill each other than keep up fake smiles and meaningless chatter.”

“What a barbaric thing to say… But I somewhat understand. It’s not exactly a comfortable place for me either.”

“Why? Was the ceiling too low for you?”

“…If you weren’t stronger than me, I’d smash that annoying face of yours.”

Unlike Peter, Nana had excellent self-awareness and couldn’t bring herself to hit me. She could only glare at me with clenched fists.

In the past, Euclid would have panicked and tried to stop us when Nana and I had such exchanges, but now he seemed used to it. He chuckled and said:

“You know, Ian and Nana seem to get along really well! By the way, Ian, where’s that commoner kid you usually hang out with?”

“Hori? Why? Did she ask if you wanted to try some drugs too?!”

“Drugs? No, I just asked because you’re usually together, but I didn’t see her today.”

Hori, who had advanced to S-class, wasn’t being bullied anymore, but she was isolated. As soon as break time started, she’d come to the Knight Department classroom.

Seeing her reminded me of a loner lurking around bathrooms and water fountains, and I couldn’t just leave her be.

“Hori left to see Count Otar the day before yesterday, saying she had a good idea. She’ll probably be back tomorrow.”

Given that she needed a blacksmith’s skills, it must have been for solving a problem other than drug manufacturing.

I didn’t know what idea had popped into Hori’s head, but I was starting to regret introducing the two, as I’d likely end up suffering the consequences.

“I wonder what happened to make that child develop such a twisted belief? Surely something significant must have occurred, like her parents being murdered when she was young…”

“I’ve heard about it before, but there’s no deep reason. Don’t worry about it too much. True lunatics are called lunatics because normal people like you and me can’t understand them.”

“…Do you seriously believe you fall into the category of normal people?”

After exchanging a few more trivial conversations, I was about to leave when Euclid grabbed my sleeve from behind.

“Um, Ian… Even if not this year, please consider attending the ball next year. I’d like to dance with you too.”

“What? With me…?”

“…Huh?”

It must have been a slip of the tongue, but a moment later, Euclid realized what he had said and his face turned bright red.

“Ah, th-that…! This is just a slip of the… Anyway, we should get going!! See you later!!”

As I watched Euclid and company hurry away after those words, Wolffang muttered softly at my waist.

[…Female scent.]

—Raei  Translations—

As the sun was setting, I headed to the S-class exclusive training room to oversee Jessica’s training, which had become almost a daily routine.

As I was walking down the corridor leading to the training room, Wolffang suddenly started rattling. I stopped, and Wolffang spoke in an unusually serious tone.

[Master…! We must be careful ahead!!]

“…Why? Don’t tell me you sense the presence of a demon sword?”

[No, I smell an intense female scent. It’s the scent of someone who could get pregnant at any moment!!]

“…”

I thought she was going to say something important, but it was just typical dog nonsense.

During training or everyday life, Wolffang would occasionally point at Jessica and babble about smelling a female scent.

Each time, Jessica would blush and yell at both Wolffang and me, which was very annoying.

“Everyone sweats during training, so stop teasing about that. Got it?”

[Mm… But that’s not what I mean.]

Ignoring Wolffang’s continued mumbling, I entered the training room. Only then did I understand what Wolffang had been trying to say.

The first thing that caught my eye when I opened the door was a ruby-red dress.

Jessica, wearing a bright red dress that was completely out of place in the training room, slowly turned to face me as I entered.

Though not as revealing as the outfits worn by the Ponpon mother and daughter, the dress had a rather low neckline. Embarrassed, Jessica slightly turned her head and covered her chest with her hand.

Red is known as an expansive color, creating an illusion that makes objects appear larger. If that was the intention behind choosing a red dress, it was certainly successful.

The red color of the dress emphasized her exposed chest and shoulders, making Jessica’s already large breasts appear even more voluminous.

“H-How do I look?”

Jessica asked shyly, her face flushed. After a moment’s thought, I opened my mouth.

“You shameless bitch.”

“W-What did you say?!”

Jessica was outraged, but I was simply expressing my honest thoughts about her dress.

How could anyone not have such an impression upon seeing a dress so obviously designed to seduce men?

“Where do you think you’re going in such a vulgar dress?!! It’s more suitable for an orgy than a ball!!”

“O-Orgy…?!! Are you really a nobleman?! Where did you learn such vulgar words…!!”

“Are you out of your mind, going to the ball in that dress?! Don’t you realize perverts obsessed with women will try to have their way with you in a dress like that?!”

“I-If you’re so worried, you could come with me… With a maniac like you by my side, no one would dare approach…”

“Not going.”

I apologized to Jessica, but I’d sworn never to dance any dance other than the sword dance.

And when I danced, at least one person’s blood would definitely be spilled.

“I don’t mind going if you’re okay with the ballroom being drenched in blood.”

“Hah… Forget it…”

Jessica gathered her uniform neatly placed on the floor, and just before leaving the training room, she muttered a brief comment to me.

“You really are… such an idiot…”

—