episode_0124

Meanwhile,

There was another reason why I was able to relax.

The story goes back briefly to the second day of the individual competition preliminaries, yesterday.

“The winner, Marcus Redford!”

Each competition hall was still filled with excitement.

The enthusiastic audience, colleagues and friends, students and teachers, or lovers.

And the contestants who were able to gain strength thanks to that support.

“Good job—!!”

“It’s okay— it’s okay—”

It wasn’t a one-sided voice.

Everyone sent warm voices, both to the losers who had given their all and to the winners who hadn’t been cheered for.

Because everyone knew.

How much effort each person had put in for today.

Spending time filled with passion, rubbing shoulders and sweating together.

A huge flow of heat that didn’t distinguish between allies and enemies connected everyone as one.

The winners smiled and prepared for the next match, and the losers also smiled as they left to get plenty of rest.

And I mainly met with the losers.

Why?

I want to ask that too.

“It’s because you… are a one-day assistant for the priest team providing medical support—!!”

“Ack— you scared me. Why are you yelling and making a fuss—”

“You said you’d help, but you keep going to watch other girls— no, other cadets’ matches—!!”

This explosive saintess beside me, seething with anger, is named Tier Aiter. My— no, Narita Princess’s childhood friend, and while they call each other friends, it’s more of a bitter rivalry.

“That’s… keep your voice down. Right now, I—”

“…I know. No, I understand.”

“Right.”

Of course, the close relationship between Tier and me is old news to the public.

It was only natural.

After I shut myself in my room at ten years old, I hadn’t met her in an official capacity even once. And after I came out of my room, most things related to me were kept top secret by the royal family.

There was no way they would connect Narita Princess and Narias Philbrogue just because I was helping out a bit at the medical camp.

However, I couldn’t openly manifest light mana as Aether and use high-level recovery magic like [Great Heal] or [Holy Essence].

Even though I had learned, I wasn’t yet at a level where I could say I’d mastered it perfectly. I only helped Tier and the other priests a little, just enough to be considered a ‘one-day assistant.’

“Ugh… my back…”

“Next person… your department and name?”

“Magic Department 1-A, uh… what is it, Narias?”

Going around to all the other guys’ matches, and taking patients at the medical camp in between…

I often saw some familiar faces.

“Hmm… there is no name ‘What is it Narias’ on the register… could you please tell me your name again?”

“What, what are you doing here?”

“Hmm… such a name, too—”

1-A, the leader of the group of males.

Around the midterm exams, I received quite a bit of help from this guy in the delinquent hunting incident.

I returned to camp after watching him get 3 wins, but I never thought he’d lose right after. He looked like he’d been beaten up so badly it was a wonder he was even standing.

When I said I was a medical assistant, he started complaining, as if he’d rehearsed it beforehand, placing his hands on his hips.

“Kuh… my back— my back feels like it’s about to snap—”

“Yes, applying a needle should cure that. Does anything else hurt? Like your face, for example—”

“Then, teacher… this part hurts—”

“Should I rip it off and give you that TS you wanted so much?”

Seeing him clutching his crotch and trembling, how could I possibly feel tense? As the atmosphere at the competition hall was hot, the medical camp, which lacked seriously injured patients, was always filled with laughter.

I quietly infused Aether into his lower back, without anyone noticing.

[Great Heal].

“Kuh… Naris’s essence… entering my body…”

“Damn it! It’s disgusting, shut up! Are you feeling better now?”

“Yeah, much better. But if you touch the front a bit more, I think it’ll be even better, aaaaaack—!!”

I saw some minor injuries other than his back, so I gently massaged those as well. Just how effective was the treatment; the guy couldn’t say anything more, his face filled with ecstasy.

Pang- Pang-

After finishing, I patted him on the back.

“Good job, go and rest quickly. Even though the individual competition is over, the team competition is right after next week.”

“Yeah… I’ll rest today, and then properly watch the finals and study a few things I wanted to do.”

With a refreshed expression, he left the camp.

This attitude of learning everything, not missing even these small opportunities. Just a few days ago he was against Aspe’s special training. Now, it seemed he wouldn’t lose to anyone else in his study habits.

Everything is really going smoothly.

Although everyone’s passion was overflowing, no cadets suffered major injuries.

The chaotic, huge explosion that Eve and I caused, which had once been a major topic of conversation among them. After that, the academy seemed to have really tightened things up. The number of instructors stationed in each competition hall was beyond imagination.

Their job was to keep a close eye on the contestants, making sure they didn’t fail to control their power due to excessive enthusiasm. And thanks to that, most of the guys coming to the camp were malingers.

A doctor is most comfortable when there is no work. I finally understood what someone once said.

It’s probably not because they successfully dodged work but came from a strong professional spirit, a desire to see fewer people get sick and injured.

Well, it might seem grandiose to talk about a doctor’s mentality just because I’m helping out as a priest for a few days.

But basically, I love peace.

Having little conflicts, suffering minor emotional wounds, quietly shedding tears, even so… after the sun sets, everyone gathers at the table to celebrate and laugh heartily; this is the warm atmosphere I want.

If I could have these colorful beautiful jewels in my hand, and spend these days for a long time…

Truly… how wonderful it would be.

Flutter-!

Tier lifted the camp tent and poked her head in.

“…If you’re bored, could you help me out over here— no, could you please help me?”

“Hee hee— Sure, why not.”

The preliminaries were nearing their end and there weren’t many matches left to watch. I spent my time leisurely enjoying myself at the quiet medical camp.

Soon the day ended.

. . .

It’s a hot summer.

I’ve set up a small Aether Orb in my dorm room to control the temperature.

Even so, the sun rises ridiculously fast, and the sun is intensely strong.

Yui, my real wife whom I hugged like a stuffed bolster, her material not being bamboo, clung stickily to my skin.

Of course, it wasn’t just once or twice that I woke up feeling like I was caressing a snail, covered in body fluids.

The stickiness from sweat made me unconsciously let go of her in my sleep from the heat, and then I’d open my eyes to her clinging to me again.

“Ugh…”

I extended my finger to the orb and injected more Aether; a cool breeze immediately flowed out.

“Whew… I’m alive.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah. Yui?”

Instead of responding, she smiled brightly and pressed her lips together.

“If it’s that hot, why don’t you just leave that thing on really strong at night?”

“No. I just keep it at a level so I don’t completely cook, otherwise I could get a cold.”

The cause of summer colds isn’t anything serious. Most are caused by air conditioning sickness due to overusing the air conditioner.

Since I don’t sleep alone, I have to be careful.

Rustle-

Yui smiled slightly again, stroked my hair, and got out of bed.

“I’m going to do laundry, so you should get up too. I’ll make a hearty breakfast so you can give it your all in the finals.”

“Please make it with meat~”

Yui rinses and scrubs the damp sheets; and I dry them perfectly using hot air magic . We do this division of labor so often; washing clothes with magic has become a daily routine.

After cleaning the room, showering, and changing into clean clothes, we head to the usual restaurant in the royal capital. Yui borrowed the kitchen and prepares a special meal for me.

Precious time.

Even after the exam, I hoped this time would continue.

However, the world didn’t flow according to my wishes.

「Naris, Naris! Can you hear me?」

「Yes— what is it?」

On my way to the academy after a full meal, Nix’s urgent voice suddenly came through.

「That girl you asked about, clearly there was no contact… I think I missed something.」

「What is it?」

「…a carrier pigeon.」

A carrier pigeon, right… there was that. A method Moriarty often used to send orders without leaving traces of people or magic.

「By the time I noticed, it had already been burned, and it was too late. I secretly examined the remaining pieces and found it was written entirely in code… uh— that’s…」

「It’s okay. Just knowing that is helpful.」

「Uh… sorry…」

Because I was so confident when I set off, Nix, who made a mistake due to a slight lapse in judgment, was very depressed.

But hey, considering it was her first time on this kind of intelligence assignment, she found some pretty important information, so it’s not bad at all.

The content of the coded message doesn’t matter.

What matters is that Jane contacted Moriarty.

It means they will move soon.