Ch.114Testing NPC. (2)

People instinctively fear what is different.

That’s a memory from some article I once read about the uncanny valley or something like that.

And in this world, [Eight], even though it’s a fantasy setting, it’s still a place where people live, so the same principle applies.

“…Did, did she just steal the opponent’s spirit?”

“What was that? H-how is that even possible?”

“I-I’ve never heard of someone stealing a contracted spirit, that’s completely…”

The exam hall, which had been quiet as if water had been sprinkled, gradually begins to buzz again. The voices carry questions, wariness, and even a hint of fear toward Ira, who is still standing in the exam arena.

“This isn’t good.”

“Huh?”

“The atmosphere is terrible. If we leave things like this, Ira will end up feeling ‘what I felt.'”

At Ragni’s quietly uttered words, my mind began working at full capacity.

What she had felt. The unwarranted wariness and fear toward beings one doesn’t understand, and…

“Are you saying Ira might be ostracized by the children?”

When Ray speaks without hesitation, she nods without any reluctance.

Right, even Ragni, who had only two of her many skills identified, was treated that way in the Empire.

Moreover, people in this world have almost no knowledge about skills. In this situation, even if someone explained that Ira is just a person with skills, the children wouldn’t understand what that means to begin with.

And before my thoughts could go any further, my body was already moving.

“Jack?!”

“You?!! W-wait…!!”

I throw myself into the exam hall. There’s no reason to stand by and watch Ira being ostracized or looked at with those eyes.

Ray and Ragni call out to me from behind, but their voices instantly fade away until I can’t hear them anymore.

My priority is Ira, no matter what anyone says!!

-Tap tap!

[Wait a moment!!]

-Grab!

“Gor?!”

[Please wait a moment. It will be alright.]

Gor, who was instructed to stay close and protect Ira, jumps out near the exam hall and blocks my way, grabbing me.

Why are you stopping me now?! You should be thinking about getting Ira and completely leaving this place!!

[If we just take Ira and run away from here, it will truly be over. Besides, I heard the conversation you were having with the headmaster. So it’s going to be fine.]

I don’t understand what he’s saying. Ira is what matters! Why is he suddenly talking about the headmaster…!!

“What an extraordinary child we have here! Among the recommended students, she’s undoubtedly the one with the greatest talent. I’ll vouch for that.”

By Ira’s side, where I was running to, the headmaster has somehow appeared first, placing her hand on Ira’s head with a broad smile.

What’s this all of a sudden?

“Everyone, attention! This child, um. What’s your name?”

“Ah. It’s Ira.”

“Yes, Ira. That was a splendid [Spirit Dispel].”

The headmaster, speaking as if she was meeting Ira for the first time, waved her hand and erased the low-level spirit that had been bowing with its head lowered under Ira’s touch.

“I understand everyone is confused because you don’t know what just happened. This is spirit magic that you’d normally only be able to perform after advancing to the high school division. You there.”

“Y-yes?! A-are you talking to m-me…?!”

“Yes, what’s your name?”

“R-Revil, ma’am.”

“You’re also a recommended student, right?”

“Yes, yes! I-I’m also a spirit mage!”

“Hmm.”

The headmaster singled out one of the boys who had been giving Ira questioning looks until just now, and immediately instructed him to summon his spirit.

[Fire Spirit: Level 30]

“Good. Not a bad summoning. Your contracted spirit is excellent. Keep up the good work.”

“Y-yes, ma’am!”

“Now, try attacking me with that spirit.”

“…Pardon?”

“Hmm? Can you not give it commands? Or do you think I might get hurt by a low-level spirit’s attack?”

“N-no, not at all!!”

The headmaster manipulated the boy with praise, encouragement, and a hint of questioning. The boy began giving instructions to his spirit. And then…

“Huh? W-what’s wrong? Attack… I said attack!”

The fire spirit doesn’t budge and doesn’t approach the headmaster. With a slight smile, the headmaster quietly steps forward and places her hand on the fire spirit’s head.

“This is how it works. Even with a contracted spirit, if you interfere with the mana of the entity that issues commands—that is, the master—you can break the communion with the spirit like this.”

After saying that, the headmaster raised her other hand.

-Tap.

The fire spirit brought its hand-like part to her finger as if to attack(?), then disappeared.

“Hmm. A very good spirit. I could see its effort to carry out its master’s orders until the end. Keep up the good work.”

“Yes! Yes, ma’am!!”

“Now, everyone, let’s give a round of applause for Revil and Ira, who helped with this impromptu lesson and showed us some excellent techniques!”

The space completely controlled by the headmaster.

Everyone was bewildered, but at her direction, they all began to applaud as if they understood, or as if they were just going along with it. The boy called Revil and Ira on the exam platform bow their heads to the people in greeting.

And the boy who had been sent flying after being hit by his own spirit was moved away on a stretcher at the headmaster’s finger-pointing instructions to the teaching assistants, completely ending the situation.

She completely shifted everyone’s attention from Ira to that boy named Revil, and smoothly passed it off as an “impromptu lesson,” but…

[As you may have noticed, the ability that Ira just showed and the technique the headmaster demonstrated are completely different.]

I suppose so. Ira didn’t intend anything, and did nothing, yet the spirit took her side on its own. The headmaster, on the other hand, suppressed and blocked the opponent’s spirit with her own mana.

Even without mana, anyone could tell the difference.

“Big brother!! Gor!!”

“Ah.”

Because I came down to the exam hall, Ira notices us and approaches. And behind her, the headmaster follows slowly with her brow furrowed like before.

-Whoosh!

“Ehehe. Big brother! I won! But I don’t know why I won!”

Yes, I’ve only just figured out the situation myself. Ira hugs me tightly, simply beaming with joy at having won.

“Yeah. You did well. It’s because the spirits like you a lot.”

“The spirits like me? Big brother, is Piyaki a spirit too?”

“Yes.”

“Hehe. Then Piyaki came to me because he likes me too?”

Well, I’m not sure. It’s not even a question of which came first, the egg or the chicken.

The problem seems to be those cheat skills that the Spirit King contracted and gave to you. But what’s the point of explaining that to you?

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having more spirits and people in the world who like you and want to protect you.

“Ahem. Ira. And Jack, her guardian.”

“Ah! Hehe! Headmaster! Hello!”

“Hmm. Yes, your manners are good. Listen, I have something to explain.”

The headmaster, clearing her throat, addressed Ira and me and explained the current situation.

Ira’s practical exam has already been confirmed as passed through her duel with the boy earlier.

And the final acceptance announcement will be made before this evening. So we can leave now.

Hmm…? Wasn’t it supposed to be three duels?

“I said she passed the practical exam. There’s no need to continue and create more victi— Ahem!! Anyway, that’s how it is. Good job, Ira. I’ll see you at the academy later.”

Ah. She means there would only be more victims of spirit NTR. Makes sense—even without taking the exam with Ira, there might be spirits drawn to her.

We decided to accept her words and leave. We can’t make Ira any more of a golden sun than she already is.

Oh, wait.

“Excuse me, Headmaster?”

“What now?”

When I called out to the headmaster, who was turning her back almost simultaneously with us, she frowned deeply as if she really wanted to leave.

She’s going to get more wrinkles around her eyes at this rate.

“I’m sorry, but there’s one favor I’d like to ask…”

The headmaster frowned even more at my mention of a favor, but as I continued, her eyes gradually widened, and by the time I finished my explanation, she agreed to grant my request on the condition that she would be present.

Well, that’s fortunate. I didn’t have anywhere to leave Ira anyway.

“Thank you very much for earlier.”

“Thank you!”

“Yes, I’ll see you later this evening.”

The headmaster protected Ira and coolly disappeared. Hmm, she’s really reliable.

And I picked up Ira and went back up to the exam platform.

“No!! What were you thinking, rushing out like that?! You should have asked the headmaster to smooth things over since she was right there! Were you planning to run away with the child?! Were you really trying to make me look bad too?!”

“Jack, I understand that Ira is precious to you, but if you had just disappeared with her in that situation, there would have been absurd rumors. You need to think a little…”

I got severely scolded by the two women for my actions just now. Well, I never thought the day would come when I’d be scolded by these two.

But the worst part is that I can’t argue with anything they’re saying. I can’t even lift my head.

In the end, Ragni and Ray explained that acting so rashly could have resulted in Ira not being able to attend the academy, and I simply apologized to both of them with my head bowed.

“Hehe. Big brother.”

“Yes?”

“Were you worried about me?”

“Of course.”

“Hehe! Big brother becomes a fool when it comes to me!”

As a result, even Ira called me a fool, but thanks to my precious little sister’s actions—saying that while still hugging my neck and not letting go—the damage is zero.

My heart aches, but anyway, it’s zero.

So we left the academy where entrance exams were still being conducted, and even though the results hadn’t been announced yet, we had a celebratory meal for Ira’s admission.

“Ira, do you remember that boy from earlier?”

“Hmm? Yes! Why?”

“What did he say to you?”

“Oh. He said if he wins, it would be day one? And if he loses, we could start as friends!”

“……”

“…Kids these days are precocious.”

“At twelve, that’s possible.”

[Master. Your eyes! Your eyes! Ira is watching!!]

“What did you ans— no, what was his name?”

“W-wait! Why are you asking that…?!”

“Hmm? I didn’t understand what he meant. I said being friends is fine! And his name, I don’t remember!”

“Like brother, like sister. That boy must be heartbroken. And Jack, relax your grip. You’re going to break the table.”

We were able to spend time having pleasant(?) conversations.

Getting his spirit stolen was karma coming back to bite him. Hmm, but it feels a bit insufficient. Should I make a purge list?

And after those pleasant hours ended, the sun set and Ira fell asleep.

“All four of you, come with me for a moment.”

“Huh? Where are we going?”

“The academy.”

“At this hour?”

“Yes. We need to go precisely because it’s this hour.”

Gently holding the sleeping Ira so she wouldn’t wake up, I headed to the academy’s practical exam hall, bringing along Ray, Ragni, and even Gor and Miho.

“You’re right on time. Everything is prepared.”

“Huh? Headmaster?”

“Oh? Jack?”

“Since I have to leave the city now, let’s finish the last piece of business first.”

[…So that’s what the conversation earlier was about.]

Gor, who had heard my conversation with the headmaster, followed me quietly onto the practical exam platform as if he already knew, while the other two were simply bewildered by our actions.

And I turned to face those two and declared:

“Let’s have a test to see if I can entrust Ira to you when I leave.”

This is the last piece of business I need to take care of at this academy.