Ch.185The NPC’s Sister and Santa Riding Practice (1)

“Ray, I’ve been telling you for the past two days. Tomorrow, you just need to come to the Academy.”

“Yes! I’ll finally get to see Lady Ira studying after so long!!”

[Tomorrow isn’t about studying books, but rather practical training using magic and spirit arts against monsters in the field.]

It’s been a week since Ira enrolled in the Academy. Now entering the second week, a fairly stable daily routine has formed.

The peaceful daily life that Jack wanted to give Ira has become comfortable enough that all three of us can clearly recognize it. The only regrettable thing is that the man who wanted this the most is probably still resolving troubles elsewhere.

[Well, that’s all about tomorrow. I have something to tell both of you.]

And I must protect this daily life that Master desires from falling apart. So that Lady Ira can peacefully wait for Master. That’s why I decided to share all issues with these two before they become threats.

“…Ray, haven’t you seen any suspicious people around?”

“No. If there had been anyone casting suspicious glances at Lady Ira and Gore, I would have gone after them rather than staying with these two.”

[When it comes to detection abilities, mine are better than Ray’s. However, if even you with your excellent eyesight couldn’t see someone watching us from afar, then the person might pose a threat to us, and to Lady Ira.]

“”……””

Both of them fell silent after reading the words I wrote with magic. It’s not that they’re afraid because there might be someone threatening us while Master isn’t here to protect us.

[…Since they haven’t appeared yet, both of you should withdraw your killing intent. Lady Ira is about to wake up.]

Blue eyes and red eyes filled with intense killing intent that they’ve never shown in front of Master. The two women began directing tremendous hostility toward an unknown enemy as soon as a threat to Ira was suggested.

“…Should I patrol the city starting now? I can go without sleep for about two days.”

“No. In cases like this, it’s better if we pretend we haven’t noticed them yet. Of course, this has the disadvantage of giving the opponent time to prepare, but if we let them know we’ve noticed them, they might prepare more carefully and become even more dangerous. If we’re dealing with an enemy who can evade Gore’s detection and whose gaze is difficult to sense, we need to be as cautious as possible.”

[Ragni, do you have any leads? Have you heard anything within the Academy or through the city guard?]

When I ask Ragni, who has suppressed her killing intent and is now coldly analyzing with her distinctive eyes, she answers without looking at me, as if thinking about something else.

“There’s been no talk about intruders from the city guard or within the Academy.”

[Then, perhaps the Vice Principal’s remaining followers…]

“It’s not them. I’ve already confirmed everything. Most were found and killed by the Headmaster himself, and those who weren’t killed all fled outside the city. Warrants for them have been issued to the city barrier management and the guard.”

“Then, who could it be…”

“I don’t know exactly who they are, but I think I know when these suspicious individuals might have infiltrated Neatie.”

Perhaps having finished her thought process, Ragni turned her glowing red eyes toward us and pulled out some documents from her work bag.

[Kesart Salver?]

“…Was that the child that Lady Ira’s friend Grace’s accusers followed?”

“That’s right. The Class B professor confirmed that the followers acted on their own, and the student himself had never even met them.”

“What connection does that have with this situation…?”

“I’m not sure if there is a connection, but the timing when this child and his guardians entered Neatie, that’s…”

Ragni explained that the distance from the Empire to Neatie takes three months by carriage, but this child’s group had been staying in a village outside Neatie for quite some time, and then suddenly entered the city at an odd time that had nothing to do with the entrance exam schedule.

Yes, that time was…

“It was the day the city barrier was shattered, and the Headmaster was furious.”

[…Is there reason to consider it suspicious that they entered on the day the barrier broke?]

The day I threw Master with my own hands and shattered the barrier—I understand the prediction that malicious enemies could have infiltrated Neatie on that day. However, to consider someone suspicious just because they entered on that day…

“The number of people who entered during the time the barrier was broken was extremely small. After it broke, it took 35 minutes for the barrier management department to implement entry control through the city guard. And during that time, the people who entered the city were…”

“This child’s group and just a few others?”

[Considering the distance to the nearest village, entering within those 35 minutes is certainly suspicious.]

Listening to Ragni’s explanation, it makes sense. And Ray seems to understand too, nodding her head. However, precisely because of this, I find something puzzling.

[…Why are you sharing this information now? This doesn’t look like something you investigated just a day or two ago.]

“……”

My question leaves her speechless for the first time.

From my perspective, it seems as though Ragni has been investigating this child for some time. The timing of their entry, their whereabouts before the exam—even with the trouble involving Lady Ira’s friend’s followers, I don’t think there’s enough reason to know this much about them. And after a brief silence…

“…Sigh, I’m sorry. To be honest, I wasn’t planning to keep hiding it. But I thought it was a matter involving ‘Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman.'”

“…What?”

[Tell us. Why you investigated this child.]

Something ominous that even my detection couldn’t track has appeared around Lady Ira. At this point, she seems to have sensed something else disturbing and was hiding it because it involved her personal issues as a ‘princess.’ Even so, I have a duty to hear it. With that intent behind my words, Ragni let out a small sigh before speaking.

“Ilerade Salver. He’s the head of the Salver Marquis family in the Empire and the Empire’s Chancellor. As far as I know, he has no sons or grandsons.”

His wife died of illness when I was seven, without producing an heir, she said, then closed her mouth. Ray and I looked at each other.

Could it be…

“T-then, this child is…?”

[…Are you saying this child is an Empire’s pursuer after you?]

It seems that, separate from Master’s issues, we’re about to face another situation based on what’s coming from Ragni’s mouth.

*

After our conversation, we returned to our rooms as usual. After all, everything was just speculation upon speculation. Nothing was certain.

However, the conclusion that we should be more vigilant than before and check our surroundings while escorting Lady Ira was unanimous.

“…Lady Ira.”

Looking at the cute red-haired girl sleeping with gentle breathing sounds, I touch the ring on my right ring finger.

The reason Jack gave me this magic sword was clearly because he wanted me to stay safe. But more than that…

“Repaying my debt to him isn’t over yet. And that clearly means protecting you.”

The reason her brother went to Siltra was because of “me.” Jack is fulfilling the conditions after asking Master Green to save me, so in a way, it’s my fault.

Therefore, protecting Ira in Jack’s place is no longer just a duty or responsibility.

This is my destiny.

As decided on the evening before enrollment, I’ve been working as an adventurer, training my swordsmanship and raising my level in dungeons. I’m not sure exactly how much stronger I’ve become, but I’m certainly stronger than I was the day I fought the Headmaster, so I…

-Rustle.

As I quietly lie down beside the sleeping girl, Lady Ira stirs and buries her face in my chest.

The small girl who first looked at me with suspicion, hostility, and fear of a stranger from behind her brother has grown so much and is now healthily in my arms, looking so lovable.

‘How much joy your happy, smiling face has brought me. So please, keep smiling. Let me protect you so you can keep smiling.’

When I gently embrace her, she nestles even deeper between my breasts, warming my heart.

I resolve to protect this comfort and warmth with my life.

Because she’s Jack’s sister—in the past, my resolve might have been based solely on debt and gratitude. But not anymore.

‘…Our little sister. You don’t need to worry about anything.’

Anything that threatens Lady Ira is my enemy.

For the sake of our cute and lovable little sister’s smile, I won’t hesitate to wield my sword.

*

“First-year elementary division! Gather in your assigned groups in front of your supervisors!!”

Morning in Neatie. The mountain behind the Academy.

Amidst many gathered students, Secretary Manie, who serves as the Headmaster’s secretary, elementary division director, and acting vice principal, continues her explanation.

The small mountain behind the Academy is a practice training ground with artificial barriers maintained by generations of headmasters and directors. Inside the mountain, captured monsters are kept and raised.

The captured monsters are at appropriate levels for each grade’s practical training. Even if students are defeated by monsters, supervisors will ensure their safety, and teaching assistants and professors are stationed throughout the mountain to guarantee security.

The monsters that first-year elementary students will face are goblins and orcs.

All monsters have had their arm tendons cut to prevent them from using weapons, their teeth have been filed down, and their genitals removed. However…

“You must never let your guard down. Monsters can injure humans with their physical strength alone. While they can’t use their arms, their legs have been left intact for practical training purposes! Remember this! Every year, first-year elementary students get injured because they let their guard down. That’s why you have supervisors. If you get hurt because you weren’t careful, your supervisor will definitely intervene for your safety! But based on the supervisor’s assessment and the professor’s overall evaluation, you might lose points! Keep that in mind!!”

Secretary Manie, normally known for her gentle smile and kind treatment of students, now wore a solemn expression as she shouted to keep the students alert before this potentially dangerous practical training.

“”””Yes!!””””

The students, who had been in a somewhat picnic mood climbing the mountain on a clear day, now turned serious.

After everyone confirmed the instructions…

“First-year elementary division will now begin two hours of practical training! Start!!”

“Now, let’s go. At first, just follow me.”

“Yes!!”

“Hehe. Great! I’ll definitely get bonus points and erase Ira’s demerits…!”

“Gulp! C-come to think of it, I was at the bottom of the class in last year’s practical too…”

“……”

With the shout from Manie, who serves as the Headmaster’s secretary, acting vice principal, and elementary division director, Ray’s group with Ira entered the mountain’s barrier.