episode_0017

After parting ways with Johanna, I was walking down the academy hallway to go to the special class. Perhaps because class was about to start, there weren’t many students in the hallway.

Was it because I was walking alone down the sparsely populated hallway? A poem came to mind.

“I am a clown. A handsome clown. I am a clown. One who can easily write a poem. I am a clown. A strong clown. Today, I naturally charmed a woman. What should I do about my shining appearance? I am a clown. A handsome clown. The title… hmm, ‘The Handsome Clown’ seems good.”

“What’s with that crazy guy?”

“Don’t you know who that is? It’s that guy from the entrance ceremony.”

“Do you think I’d ask if I really didn’t know? My point is, what’s he doing in the hallway?”

The few students in the hallway murmured upon hearing my poem.

Though they were too far for me to hear their conversation, it must have been because of my handsome face or my sweet poem.

“Next time, I should write a poem titled ‘The Handsome Clown Who Even Writes Poems Well,’ not just ‘The Handsome Clown.’”

Because that would be proper courtesy to those who have become fans of my poetry.

As I walked, thinking about my next poem, I arrived at the stairs before I knew it.

At the academy, first-years use the first floor, second-years use the second floor, and third-years use the third floor.

The reason I, a first-year, came to the stairs was that the special class is located in the basement, not on the first floor.

If the first floor was bright due to the sunlight streaming through luxurious windows, the basement was the opposite.

In a place with no windows, the only light came from old, sparsely placed light bulbs on the ceiling. Even those bulbs were so old they flickered, not working properly.

“It’s like a horror movie.”

My voice echoed through the wide corridor.

As far as I knew, the basement was originally used as a storage facility. The person who suggested using this basement, which had only been used for storage, as the special class was Alicia, the special class’s homeroom teacher.

I knew why Alicia created the special class in the basement.

My steps stopped at the most secluded corner of the dark basement. Though its exterior was old, the sign alone seemed new, shining brightly.

[Special Class]

Without hesitation, I flung open the classroom door and shouted.

“Good morning, everyone!”

The classroom was spacious and clean, completely unlike the old exterior. There were no signs that the desks and chairs had been used.

When I shouted my greeting, everyone in the classroom looked at me. Although “everyone” was a small number, less than 10 people.

I also looked at the students in the class. It seemed everyone except Lucas was here. Where could Lucas be?

I first approached Kuran Isar.

“Kuran-ssi, how was the inn I recommended?”

Kuran laughed heartily, as if satisfied, and said,

“It was very good! There were many great warriors there.”

“Wow~ That’s a relief.”

The inn I recommended to Kuran, called “Snake-Eating Frog,” was an inn that suited Kuran so well that he even spoke of it in Croaca.

Perhaps because of its cheap price, mercenaries frequented that inn, and considering the characteristics of mercenaries and Kuran’s personality, there would definitely have been fights.

And Kuran would have been able to grow stronger there. That’s why I recommended that inn to Kuran.

Even if I became strong alone, I could reach an ending, but for the ending I desired, everyone in the special class needed to grow stronger.

After finishing a brief chat with Kuran, I also spoke briefly with the other students.

“May the blessings of God be with you.”

“Let’s go to the temple together sometime.”

A bald priest, similar in build to Kuran Isar.

“Your movements were excellent.”

“Your movements were also excellent.”

A swordsman from the now-ruined East.

This time, I spoke to Sepia Leviathan, whose pink hair was striking.

“Hello, Sepia-ssi!”

Sepia extended her hand as if she had been waiting for me to speak. Could it be that she wanted me to hold her hand?

“Sepia-ssi, I don’t think we’re quite at that stage yet. I apologize.”

Hearing my words, Sepia’s face turned red, and she shouted.

“What nonsense are you spouting?! Take this thread back!”

In Sepia’s outstretched hand was the very thread I had given her last time.

“This is too expensive for me to receive for free.”

She probably figured out the value of the thread I gave her during the past week. Since the Leviathan Marquisate is a merchant family, it wouldn’t have been difficult for them to ascertain the value of my thread.

“The owner of that thread is already Sepia-ssi. Well then, I still have someone else to greet, so if you’ll excuse me.”

“Hey! Hey!”

Ignoring Sepia’s voice calling out to me, I approached Clara.

“Clara-ssi! Did you have a good time at the Magic Tower?”

“………”

Clara lightly ignored my words and turned her head away. Does she still not know much about me?

I spoke in a louder voice than when I had just greeted her.

“Did you have a good time!”

Clara, perhaps knowing I wouldn’t give up, let out a deep sigh and said,

“I had a good time at the Magic Tower, but I don’t think I’ll have a good time here.”

“Surely you’re not getting flustered because of my handsome face, are you?”

“It’s for a completely different reason, but half of it is because of you.”

She didn’t mention the other half, but I could tell. It was probably because of the old basement.

It was only natural for Clara, born into a ducal family, to dislike such a dingy basement. However, the other students, except for Clara, didn’t seem to mind having the class in the basement.

‘Is that why it’s even more annoying?’

If everyone disliked it, they could protest as a group, but it’s a bit awkward to speak up if only you are uncomfortable.

I offered words of comfort to the sighing Clara.

“Clara-ssi, look at my handsome face and cheer up!”

When I said that, Clara stared intently at my face.

It’s actually quite embarrassing when someone stares that hard.

“I’ve been thinking this since last time, but are you really handsome? If you are, then take off your mask.”

“By the way, where did Lucas-ssi go?”

Clara, perhaps knowing that I wouldn’t show her anyway, turned her head away after giving a short reply to my deliberate change of topic.

“I don’t know either.”

Was it ‘Speak of the tiger and it appears’ [a proverb meaning someone will appear if you talk about them]? The classroom door opened, and Lucas entered.

I approached Lucas and greeted him.

“Hello, Lucas-ssi. It’s been a while.”

“Loki!”

Seeing me, Lucas raised his voice in surprise. It wasn’t pleasant when a man reacted that way upon seeing my handsome face.

Lucas, perhaps realizing he had gotten too excited, cleared his throat and whispered softly.

“Ahem. I heard you received lessons from His Majesty at the imperial palace?”

“Yes. Did you hear that from the Imperial Princess?”

“Exactly, I was so surprised when I heard it. To think you’d receive lessons from His Majesty.”

“I didn’t expect to be taught either.”

“Oh, right. Now that I think about it, Yerika asked me to give this to you.”

Saying so, Lucas fumbled around in his pocket and pulled something out.

What is it? Does Yerika have something for me?

What Lucas handed me was a communication device.

“Isn’t this a communication device? Why are you giving this to me?”

“I don’t know the details either. Yerika just asked me to pass it on.”

Now that I think about it, when I parted ways with Yerika last time, she suggested connecting our communication devices.

If communication devices are connected, you can contact each other.

Of course, I said I couldn’t connect because I didn’t have a communication device.

Could it be that she just gave me a communication device as a gift for that reason?

“This communication device is connected to His Majesty’s and Yerika’s communication devices. I also connected it to mine on the way here.”

I’m probably the only person who receives a communication device connected to three members of the imperial family like this. This is a bit much…

“I’ll gratefully accept it!”

“A bit much,” my foot. I had to buy a communication device anyway, so if I could get one for free like this, I was incredibly happy.

“Is that why you arrived so late?”

“Not because of this, but I bumped into a student on the way and chatted a bit.”

“Was the person you bumped into a woman, by any chance?”

“She was, but…”

“Oh?”

Lucas waved his hand as if he knew what I was thinking.

“It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Aw~ Are you denying it while knowing what I’m thinking?”

“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not that.”

“Was she pretty?”

Lucas was silent for a moment. He was clearly thinking about the woman he had bumped into.

“…She was pretty.”

“Oh-ho. It seems like I might already have a reason to use the communication device with His Majesty and the Imperial Princess.”

“I said it’s not like that. More importantly, did you hear about it?”

“Anyone can see you’re changing the subject, but I’ll let it slide just this once.”

“Phew, okay, thanks. I heard on the way that there’s already a new student who’s gotten a penalty.”

Is that me?

“Already? How did they get a penalty so soon?”

“They must have been late on the very first day.”

It is me.

“Being late on the first day, what an unpunctual person.”

“Right? Who could it be?”

Even after that, Lucas and I continued to talk about ‘someone’ who was late on the first day.

Suddenly, the front door opened, and a woman with ash-gray hair appeared.

It was Alicia, the professor in charge of the special class.

Professor Alicia walked to the podium.

Everyone in the class looked at Professor Alicia.

“Originally, I was going to start with self-introductions, but I heard there’s already a student in our class who’s accumulated penalty points.”

As Professor Alicia spoke, Lucas whispered into my ear.

“It seems that latecomer is in our class.”

So, who could it possibly be?

“Loki, step forward.”

“Yes!”