10. A Confrontation

10. A Confrontation

The Academy, which trains all the talents that will lead the empire, from commoners to nobles, was of a scale that far surpassed imagination.

I thought it was quite large when I first came to the Academy, but as I walk around inside and see it for myself, that feeling seems to be even more profound.

Of course, it might also feel relatively large because I came from the small buildings of the North.

If you look at the Academy alone, it seems like it could easily be a small city. A question suddenly came to mind.

If the grounds are this large, how long would it take to run from one end to the other?

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing much.”

Roughly estimating, it would take a few minutes to reach the end if I ran at full speed. Assuming I could run across the rooftops, as the buildings would be in the way.

That’s surprisingly fast.

“Okay, stop thinking and look ahead.”

“Huh?”

“That’s the Academy’s famous library.”

As I followed Golden Sun’s words and looked up, a large, tall, and ancient building filled my vision. Oh, a sigh of admiration escaped me naturally.

A place where all sorts of books, except for forbidden ones, lie dormant.

Originally, to avoid unnecessary friction, nobles and commoners used separate buildings, but here, as a treasure trove of knowledge, nobles and commoners alike were unified in one building.

… Or so Golden Sun added as an explanation.

“They say the reason is that in front of noble knowledge, everyone is just the same, but in reality, it’s probably because it’s too expensive to make copies due to the sheer volume of books.”

“Hmm.”

… For such a reason?

I felt my faith in the Empire dwindling.

As soon as I entered the library, I felt the characteristic scent of books. The scene among the quiet pages stirred something in my heart.

I don’t really like reading books, but I might like this feeling.

There were many people inside. From students like me to elderly professors. What caught my eye in particular were the commoner students.

A scene that truly felt like the Academy: they were furiously writing something on paper, flipping through thick books that looked daunting to read.

“My graduation thesis!!! It’s been rejected again!!! Aaargh!!!”

… Let’s not pay attention to things like that.

If you come to the library, you must read books.

I don’t like books, but I can read a few thin ones. So, Golden Sun and I browsed the bookshelves, and I picked up a book that caught my eye.

“An Understanding of Beastmen Lifestyles — Focusing on the Movement of Tails and Ears”

The title looked boring, but the subject was interesting.

The lifestyle of beastmen. I am a beastman, after all. My father also told me to learn some common sense, so reading something like this might be helpful.

Although I’ve already learned a lot from my sister, it’s important to have a desire to learn on my own.

Just as I was thinking this and about to open the book.

“Skadi! Just a moment.”

“Huh?”

Just before I could read the book, Golden Sun suddenly stopped me. Then, she pointed to the book I was holding and said.

“I’ve read that book before, and it’s complete nonsense. I recommend reading something else.”

“Is that so…?”

I looked back and forth between the book cover with a drawing of a beastman and Golden Sun’s face. Nonsense, you say… Is it okay for such a thing to be in the Academy library?

Hmm.

Many questions arose, but there was no reason for Golden Sun to lie about something like this, so I obediently returned the book to the shelf.

… Then what book should I read?

As I quietly browsed the bookshelves, I asked Golden Sun, who was just fiddling with my tail without showing any signs of choosing a book.

“Aren’t you picking out a book?”

“Me? Hmm, nothing really catches my interest.”

I see…

As I aimlessly browsed the library like that, I spotted a familiar art style on a book cover and exclaimed, “Ah!”

I walked over and picked up the book, and indeed, it was the book I knew.

“What book is it?”

“It’s a novel series I often read at home.”

It was a novel that my sister brought home when I was little and asked me to read. It was quite interesting, so I’ve occasionally sought it out and read it myself since then.

Since it piqued my interest, even though I tend to keep my distance from books, I figured Golden Sun would find it interesting too.

“Want to read it?”

“Hmm… Let’s see. ‘Wolf and Lily’? What’s it about?”

“It’s a novel about a girl who meets a wolf beastman girl. The battle scenes are written really well.”

“Uh… right.”

Golden Sun put the book into her arms, showing a hesitant reaction.

After that, while Golden Sun kept fiddling with my tail, we explored the library further, but there were no other books that particularly caught my eye.

Since it felt wrong to leave empty-handed, I borrowed a few books from the ‘Wolf and Lily’ series and left the library.

I’ll read them later when I get back to the dormitory.

——

The next place we visited was the training ground.

Of course, I had been dragged here by Priscilla yesterday, but this was my first time visiting for the purpose of sightseeing. Moreover, since today was the first day of classes, there were more people than yesterday.

The people training now are all students in the 2nd year or higher…

Well, anyway.

As I blankly stared at the training ground, I heard a clamorous sound. Clang, clang, the sound of metal hitting metal. The sound of kicking sand and cutting through the wind. The heat and panting sounds.

The training ground was truly overflowing with vitality.

People training, clashing swords and sweating…

Hmm.

Hmm.

Ughhhh.

… Isn’t the intensity a bit low?

I tilted my head and thought. Is training something you can do so casually?

The training I’ve done so far has been getting beaten to death by my father, being thrown into a tsunami of monsters, or being abandoned in a remote snowfield and having to survive my way back home.

To think there were such honest training methods in the world, swinging and clashing swords like this.

Curiosity piqued, I watched the students train in a trance, but I couldn’t help but let out a dissatisfied sigh.

It was because their movements were too slow.

Of course, my standards might be high because I only lived by my father’s example, but still, isn’t that too slow?

With swords swung like that, they wouldn’t even be able to scratch the hides of monsters.

As I was thinking this, Golden Sun, who was watching the training with me, asked.

“What do you think?”

“What do I think?”

“About those students. I’ve never handled a sword before, so it’s fascinating to see things like that.”

“Hmm…”

I can’t say anything about whether it’s fascinating or not, but if you ask for my opinion, there’s only one thing I can say.

“Weak.”

“Weak?”

“Yeah. Very.”

Since I spoke without paying much attention to the volume of my voice, the students who were engrossed in training, perhaps hearing my words in the training ground, all turned to look at me.

For some reason, Golden Sun moved slightly away from me.

Hmm.

Then, a large, bald male student among the students walked up to me. He then stood right in front of me, looked down at me, and said.

“What did you say?”

A deep voice befitting his physique. The air vibrated. The bald head glinted in the sunlight.

“…”

I quietly looked up at him. While impatiently flicking my tail, I closed my eyes and recalled.

Words my sister told me in the past.

“-Sister, women and men must always keep their distance! Approaching carelessly is extremely rude!”

“Is that so?”

“Y-yes! For a man to approach a woman he just met without hesitation is truly! extremely! extremely, extremely bad! So if someone does that to you, Sister, just cut them down!”

The words “cut them down” might be an exaggeration, but this behavior is probably rude. Given how much my sister emphasized it, it must be an exceptionally rude act.

In this world, it’s basic common sense between men and women not to approach each other carelessly, so how can someone come so close between a man and a woman?

This is practically sexual harassment!

I tend to be friendly to everyone if possible, but I don’t need to be that way to a sex offender. I stated firmly to him in a gruff voice.

“Baldy.”

Then he replied.

“B-Baldy… Ha! What are you saying all of a sudden! That’s ridiculous. How strong are you to say something like that? Can you even swing a twig properly with those slender arms?”

“Much more than you.”

It was an answer based on facts. Veins bulged on his temples.

They say bald people are easily angered, and it seems to be true.

“N-nobility’s honor is as important as life itself! That remark, that insult! Can you afford to bear it? Grand Duchess, status is not everything!”

“Hair loss.”

Pfft- The students behind me burst into laughter.

As the bald man’s face turned bright red and he looked back, the students became quiet as if the laughter from before had been a lie.

The bald man trembled as if about to explode. Then he shouted.

“I… I… Zabjol von Altair hereby challenges the Grand Duchess to a duel, staking my honor!”

His voice filled the training ground.

The other students trembled and stepped back. The training ground was suddenly empty. Golden Sun was watching from afar, amused.

Then the bald man appeared, pulling out a giant battle axe from somewhere. I, too, quietly drew my sword in response.

To punish the bald man, that sex offender.

“You will regret this!”

“Go ahead, baldy.”

His head, holding a double-headed axe, glinted in the sunlight.