episode_0025

“Raise your arms.”

“Heh, heh..”

“Bring it down! Faster, stronger!”

Even to the point where there was no feeling in the arms, or rather, a sensation that felt like the nerves were being severed. Professor Rose was not satisfied with just that. She continued to demand more sword swings from me.

“Why, can’t you do it? Don’t you understand why you should? Still, swing it. Until your arm falls off. Not just scattering the air around you, but when you can lightly cut through the air itself. When that time comes, this sound will be heard.”

Swish-

It was truly a beautiful sword. In an instant, fatigue and pain were forgotten.

“How… how am I supposed to do that.. This talented person..”

“Just do it. If you do.”

“Yes. Then, I will do it as many times as needed, thousands of times.”

Upon reflection, how many setbacks and obstacles did that person face to acquire that skill? As things that were previously unseen gradually became visible, there was only a sense of awe.

“Today’s training ends here. Show me further progress by the next class.”

“Um, but professor, I have a question..”

“What is it?”

“Why am I the only one taking this class?”

“Well, the number of available slots for enrollment is limited to one, right?”

“But… is that okay?”

“From the beginning, there was never any intention to accommodate indecisiveness. My goal is not to be a teacher but to become a mentor. To train a disciple who will excel in the upcoming war.”

“I see.. You think the war will resume soon, professor.”

“Yes. Right now is just a time delayed by the sacrifices of heroes. Making the most of this time to recover our strength is the best we can do.”

In Professor Rose’s eyes as she spoke, there was a dazzling light. The title of war hero bestowed upon her, who had sent numerous comrades to the battlefield, must have felt like a prisoner’s garb. Nevertheless, she continued to chase the light of hope without giving up.

“Hah!!”

Therefore, meeting those expectations was the highest praise one could give her.

***

“Sigh, I thought I might see you again, but.. I didn’t expect you to come back in just one day..”

“Mamang…”

“Tsk. I’m not your mother, you know.”

“Too bad.. Anyway, if the treatment is over, I’ll be on my way.”

“Yes, regular customer. Next time you come, bring something to drink. Stay healthy!!”

Forgetting her own advice to take care of herself, the school nurse, Manya, clicked her tongue at me, who had gotten injured within a day. As I would continue to be a frequent visitor in the future, it was proper to bring something along when visiting her.

“Okay then, I’ll be going now.”

“Wait, here’s today’s chocolate!”

“My hands are warm, Patrasu.. I’ve been waiting for this..”

“If you get hurt on purpose just to receive chocolate, that’s cheating!”

“Yeah~”

Except for the day when classes ended early due to Professor Rose’s consideration for tomorrow’s training, all the other students were diligently attending their classes. Apart from the occasional sounds coming from passing classrooms, it was quiet and nice to walk alone in the hallway.

“Hey, isn’t it class time right now? Why are you outside? Skipping class or something?”

“Question mark murder…!”

“Yeah? The first-year students should be in their liberal arts class right now.. If you skip class, you’ll get in trouble, right?”

She was a senior with a witch hat whom I had encountered this morning at Luton Dormitory. She said she was walking due to a professor’s circumstances creating a break in her schedule.

“Come to think of it. What’s your name, little one?”

“Oh, right. I haven’t properly introduced myself yet. My name is Kidney Aster. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh my. Even your name is so little! Look how cute you are, just like your face! Yeah yeah. My name is Flanme Valia. Feel free to call me Flan Nuna!”

“Okay. Flan senior.”

“Boing. So adorable.”

Flanme senior patted my cheek and started taking me around, introducing me to the school. With a free-spirited mindset in her speech, she greeted acquaintances as we walked through the alleys, including me.

“This little one is our dorm’s youngest! She’s a kid. You should introduce yourself.”

“Yes… Hello…”

“She’s feeling shy~ Well then, shall we go now?”

“Yes. Goodbye! Take care, little one~”

“Okay…”

However, it wasn’t entirely unhelpful, as I could remember the corrections she diligently introduced during that process.

“And there’s one place left… The Academy of Knowledge!”

“The Academy of Knowledge…?”

“Yes! Doesn’t your heart race?? I was so shocked when I first saw it that I almost fainted!!”

“Is that so?”

With her words, I found myself following Flanme senior with slightly heightened expectations.

“Oh! Why did you suddenly stop?”

“Hehe. Because we’re here!”

[The Cradle of Academic Knowledge]

“This is just a library, isn’t it…?”

“Tsk, just a library! It’s a treasure trove storing countless knowledge!! Nowadays, no one really goes there, though…”

“Sigh…”

“Huh? We haven’t even reached the special place yet. If you react like this, should I not take you there?”

“Exactly! I trusted you would say that! Flan-nuna!”

“Hehehe. Praise me more!”

“Flan, what are you doing right now?”

“Surprise! Princess Libera! You look surprised!”

With straight, silken hair the color of silver, and densely packed features fitting for a princess, she exuded elegance even when standing still. She truly embodied the title of a princess.

“Do you really not realize we’re in front of the library..? Oh. Isn’t that an unfamiliar face next to you?”

“Yes, he’s a new member of our club! Kidney, say hello!”

“What? A new member? Ah, greetings. I am Kidney, a writer from Aster in the North.”

“Yes. Nice to meet you. I heard there’s a clever young writer named Min in Aster from the North, nice to meet you.”

“Kidney, I showed you the special place. Naturally, if you want to keep silent, you have to join our club!”

“But I haven’t joined yet..?”

“Ugh! Don’t sweat the small stuff!”

Flan senior led Princess Libera and me into the library. Deep inside the library, she reached out to the farthest corner.

Click!

“Let’s go in.”

“Ugh. Okay.”

A portal appeared, big enough for one person to pass by. As I stared at the portal, Flan senior began to urge me.

“What are you doing, kid? Hurry up! It’ll close soon if you don’t come in!”

“But with three of us, the passage is already crowded. Going one by one…”

“If you’re not registered, you’ll be kicked out somewhere else! So, to enter, you have to stick with a registered person!”

“Hey, Flan. The kid seems uncomfortable, do we really have to take them…”

“Ugh! Come on, let’s go!”

Unintentionally, I found myself squeezed between Flan senior and Princess Libera. Both were elegant, and their faces and the back of their heads felt warm and soft. Soon after, I heard Flan senior’s pounding heartbeat.

“I’m sorry Kidney Youngshik… Flan is so impulsive…”

“Ahaha, it’s okay, but where are we going…”

“Ahaha! Wait a minute. It tickles!”

As Flan senior hugged me tighter, my neck was constricted, making it harder to breathe.

“We’ve arrived!”

“Pant… Pant… I almost passed out from happiness if we were a bit later…”

“Alright, forget the trivial things, how about it! This is the club room that I and Princess Libera decorated!”

“Actually, Elizabeth senior was also part of it.”

“That’s right… I almost forgot… Senior, take care…”

“I hope you will be well…”

“Excuse me, I express my condolences.”

“Hmm?”

“Ahaha! Why did you kill the senior! You graduated to prepare for graduation, you know!”

“Hmph, you’re quite amusing.”

In that moment, feeling embarrassed by their misunderstanding, her face flushed red.

“Oh! You’re embarrassed! Hahaha!”

“Really… Please don’t tease me too much.”

“Even the princess is smiling!”

“Um… Please stop…”

“Hehe, okay, this is the Tea Time Club! We just gather here like a social club for chatting and relaxing!”

“But can I join a place like this…?”

“Of course! If you don’t join, we’ll have to disband!”

“We need at least three club members. Until now, it was just three including Senior Elizabeth, but due to the senior’s departure, it became awkward.”

“Well, there were many more before that! The princess drove them all away!”

“That was because of Senior Elizabeth!”

“Many people joined following the princess. Senior Elizabeth noticed their different intentions and drove them away.”

“I see… Am I okay then?”

Senior Flan took out a snack from a drawer and handed it to me, continuing to speak.

“Yes. I trust my eyes! You’re accepted!”

“Thank you…?”

“Even though Flan may seem scatterbrained, one of his eyes is really good. It hasn’t been long since he joined, but I thought you were fine too. Welcome to the club. Feel free to come and relax. I’m usually here, so feel free to ask about homework or anything.”

Using the princess as a reference for studying seemed too precious… Anyway, seeing both seniors warmly welcoming me, my heart also felt warm. Even my fingertips felt warm…?

“Oh, caught you. Princess, hold on a bit longer!”

“Really… I did my best.”

Senior Flan was about to dip his thumb in ink and stamp it on my entry form. After looking at my thumb, I sighed and just stamped it.

“You didn’t have to do it like this. I like the atmosphere here too.”

“Yay! Let’s get along well from now on!”

“Please take care of me. What I said earlier wasn’t insincere, so feel free to come anytime.”

“Right. The princess spends her free time here reading books. Lately, mostly romance novels!”

“Flan! Why even bring that up!”

“Soon even the little one will know, right?”

The fact that the hikikomori princess was a romance novel maniac made me slightly worried about the future of the empire.