Ch.196The Final Destination of the NPC’s Snowball. (3)

It had been a little over a month since Jack left.

There had been contact from him during that time, but since he was only looking for me, I quickly summoned Ira who was in class and we received the contact together…

[R-Ragni, you traitor!!! I-I wanted to see you too…!!!]

[…Next time, no matter what anyone says, it’s my turn. To think you even scored points by bringing Ira along—this is truly unforgivable, isn’t it?]

When I shared that I had received contact from the casino, I faced fierce resistance from both of them. Hey, wasn’t I being quite conscientious by not keeping it to myself and reporting back afterward? I didn’t even know the casino had such ultra-long-distance communication technology!

…Anyway, let’s put that aside for now.

Neity had been flowing without any particular incidents since the practical training incident. To be more precise, should I say that by grinding down the dean, we were able to maintain a state where there were no apparent problems on the surface?

The missing students could be cleanly written off as having withdrawn, and the empty monster cages and laboratories were refilled by the dean, who pounded the pavement every dawn, allowing all practical training to proceed as scheduled.

And instead of entrusting the academy’s outer wall security entirely to the Spirit King’s barrier, the dean personally inscribed magic formulas at each gate, completely blocking demons from crawling in or spies with malicious intent from entering from other countries, as had happened this time.

This proved quite effective—there were even cases where those already inside were caught trying to leave.

When asked why he hadn’t done this before if he could, the dean grumbled that it was a task that drained half his magical power every day. But he didn’t deny that it was something he should have done long ago.

Thus, the defense system that ground down the dean was quickly upgraded and stabilized. I also provided as much support as I could in areas where I could help. Well, it was mostly financial and paperwork-related, but still.

Anyway, on the surface, the Land of Knowledge, Neity, was spending its days without any incidents.

“…Though to say that is a bit…”

“What? What’s strange?”

“…Ragni, don’t you find that strange?”

“What’s the problem?”

“…No, it’s just…”

The fact that Jack had contacted me through the casino’s communication crystal, and Ray, who had started working as the dean’s second secretary in the afternoons due to the academy’s staff shortage, was eating lunch with me and asking questions with a bewildered expression. I slightly turned my head to look at the “strangeness” she mentioned, then expressionlessly resumed eating.

“…R-Ragni?”

“What? What do you want me to do about it?”

“……”

I know. I know that’s strange too. But what am I supposed to do about it? What can I do when it keeps growing?

“U-Um, in the academy, Ira’s daily life is your responsibility…”

“And is it right to arbitrarily interfere with my sister-in-law’s free life?”

“…Is THAT the result of a free life?”

“Think about you, me, and Gorr. Don’t you think it’s not strange that his sister ended up like that?”

“B-But the direction…”

Direction. Direction, huh… Well? It’s just that situations like that didn’t occur because he made efforts not to make his name known through public activities. In fact, if everything Jack has done so far were revealed, it wouldn’t be strange if he were immediately made into a hero, would it?

If he had revealed himself as the human who captured the Seven Deadly Sins of Wrath in Aigram, would only the three of us have women flocking to us?

There’s a saying that heroes are womanizers, but conversely, it means that good women pursue heroes.

Just as a hero would cease to be one if he indiscriminately lusted after any woman, they can get away with such sayings because they only embrace women who genuinely pursue them out of affection, right? Moreover, a hero enchanted by a bad woman—a name that’s merely gilded—quickly falls and becomes tarnished. If it wasn’t enchantment, but just a strong man indiscriminately lusting after women, he’d be called a rapist instead, wouldn’t he?

“Lady Ira and her friends, please rise!”

“We rise!!”

“Pfft?!!”

“…Disgusting.”

Ray, who was eating in front of me, finally couldn’t hold back and spat out her food, while I protected my meal by mimicking Jack’s actions with my [Heaven-Sent Talent].

However, ignoring my actions, Ray widened her bright blue eyes into circles and pointed in another direction, so busy turning her head back and forth that she didn’t even realize the noodle dish she was eating was smeared around her mouth.

Sigh.

*Wipes*

“Just watch quietly.”

As I wiped Ray’s mouth, she continued to display question marks as if she couldn’t understand what she was seeing, but I can’t explain it either. How on earth did this…

“Elementary first years! Greetings to Lady Ira and her friends!”

“We wish you a pleasant day today!!!”

“Yes! Violet, Max, Yushi, Boran, Keint, Nol…”

“…Ira. Just five names.”

“…Ah! Everyone! Have a nice day today~!!”

“Yes!!!”

Ira waving and greeting the first-years who had all risen from their seats, with Latina following beside her like an aide. And Grace, who was showing off by linking arms with Ira and telling her to call only five names.

Ira called them all her friends, but that relationship had been established at some point before even I noticed.

Yeah…

“Yesss!!! I was called again today!!”

“Max, that’s unfair! You’re always called first because you stand up and greet her first!!”

“So close. I could have been called too…!!”

“Ah, Ira smiled at me again today…”

“No she didn’t! She smiled at all of us!!”

“But isn’t Ira a commoner? Why is the daughter of a baronial family using honorifics…”

“How dare you!! A mere noble offspring!! Lady Ira is like an incarnation of a fairy!!”

“That’s right!!!”

“Address her with ‘Lady’!! With ‘Lady’!!”

The entire elementary first year. They’ve completely fallen for Ira. They’ve become ‘Ira’s Royal Guard.’

Even I, who was royalty, never experienced this—it’s a bit demoralizing that Ira experienced it first.

From what I heard, when the dean praised the children that day, he said the final monster that Ira dealt with was a monster meant for the high school graduation exam that had been released by mistake.

As a result, rumors began circulating among the children that Ira had the strength of a second-year high school student when fighting at full power. When this fact spread, along with the fact that she had directed raid tactical formations that children would normally only learn after entering middle school, her followers grew uncontrollably. Of course…

“Sigh, how can someone so cute also be so strong and kind?”

“That’s not all—I heard she’s good at studying too. From what I heard, her level of answering in class is neck and neck with Grace, who’s the top student.”

“That’s right, that’s right! I studied with her in the library!! She’s really good at teaching too!!”

“Hehehe. Truly beauty and brains, civil and martial excellence!! I’m proud to be Lady Ira’s friend!!”

“What?! L-Library?! I thought she always went straight home! I-I’m going to the library every day from now on!!”

“Heh. I already knew! Not only that, but she received punishment to clean the professor’s office for hitting kids to help her friend Grace. Even though she doesn’t have to do it anymore, she still goes with Grace and Latina to clean, and even asks the professor questions she didn’t understand that day. You didn’t know that?”

“Where did you get that information?!!”

It’s not just her strength that draws people to her. Besides her cute appearance, she remembers the names of all the children who said they would be her friends. Moreover, she studies hard, attends classes diligently, and is enthusiastic about academy life. All while smiling brightly, treating everyone kindly, making appointments, and spending time with them—even children who don’t know Ira well are gradually becoming followers just from hearing the rumors.

From Ira’s perspective, she thinks of everyone as friends and even memorizes all their names, but her followers have increased even more than when I reported to Jack before.

Ira, you scary child…!!

And that one bringing information from that Satan something research club is even scarier!!

“Ragn… Is Instructor Rag more popular?”

“Hmph. What are you comparing me to?”

“Eh? Perhaps Instructor Rag is more popular…”

“That’s not it. Someone like me is just now having my name remembered by Class C students. The faculty and teaching assistants know me up to second-year middle school, but Ira’s name is known by everyone down to Class F, and I’ve heard recently that second and third-year elementary students and first-year middle school students are coming to be her friends.”

“…Eh?”

“If things continue like this, even the dean wouldn’t be able to stop Ira if she staged a coup at the academy.”

“Ehhh?!”

After briefly explaining Ira’s situation to Ray, who was on her first day of work, she began pressing both hands against her temples as if she had a headache.

Yeah, it gives you a headache, right? I was the same at first.

After finishing our meal, as I was walking around with Ray to explain the interior of the academy, I could see Ira in the distance, laughing with Grace, Latina, and several other children on the grass under a tree in the central garden.

…Ira is everywhere in the academy. The academy is gradually being dyed in Ira’s color!!

“Still, Ira looks very happy.”

“She does.”

It’s been just over a month since her brother left. At first, she missed her brother quite a lot, but these days she doesn’t show it much because she has more friends. I wonder if she’ll forget her brother at this rate?

As we were about to change direction without approaching Ira…

“Ragn… Instructor Rag? What’s that?”

“Hmm? Ah.”

What Ray was asking about was the sight of sturdy upperclassmen and a haughty-looking blonde girl of about 16 or 17 approaching, pushing aside the surrounding children with a fan, heading toward Ira’s laughing friends.

They’re at it again.

“Hey, hey, hey!! Move aside, move aside!! How dare underclassmen monopolize the lawn?!”

“The top student of middle school second year, Lady Pollis Fornica, has arrived!! Move aside, you lot!!”

The academy has up to second-year high school, but practically all children who have reached high school are extremely busy as assistant instructors or with laboratory work. And since third-year middle school students have the life-determining high school advancement exam, the effective highest grade is second-year middle school.

And because Ira, a commoner, has developed something resembling a faction, checks from the upper grades have begun. However…

“Hello! Senior Pollis! And all seniors, did you enjoy your lunch?”

“……”

Ira, who stood up promptly and bowed politely to the sturdy upperclassmen approaching them, not intimidated at all. And the children’s gazes, looking at her with a bit of concern.

As the air began to feel like a powder keg about to explode, Ray started placing her hand on the non-lethal wooden sword at her waist. (Note that weapons other than staffs are only allowed for fencing instructors in the academy.)

However, I gently grabbed Ray’s wrist as she was about to rush forward…

“Hmph. You’re polite today too?”

“Hehe, you’re beautiful today too, senior!”

“So, do you plan to vacate the lawn?”

“Yes! If you want to use it, we’ll go to the benches over there!”

“Ha! If you’re going, hurry up and get ou—?!!”

*SLAP!!*

“Why are you interrupting when I’m talking to the child?”

“I-I’m sorry. This one’s new…”

The woman, who had struck the cheek of a man who appeared to be her subordinate with her fan, lowered her head to meet Ira’s gaze.

“So, have you thought about what I talked to you about before?”

“Yes. But my answer is the same! I only have my brother!”

“Hmph. That’s a shame. The rest of your academy life will be difficult, you know?”

“Hehe. I’ll just have to work hard!”

“…Tch.”

The woman clicked her tongue softly and frowned at Ira’s answer, then turned around and raised her hand. As the surrounding atmosphere grew cold, Ray began to emit a small but definite killing intent.

*Pat pat*

“If you became my little sister, you could really have a comfortable academy life. What a shame.”

“Ehehe. Thank you for your concern!”

“…Fine. You can use the lawn. Let’s go, everyone.”

“Yes!!!”

As the haughty woman, who had lightly patted Ira’s head, disappeared leading the men away, Ray stared at me blankly.

What? Why?

“…What was that?”

“Ira scouting. All the noble children in the upper grades, those with factions and some power, are all trying to make Ira their adopted little sister. The one just now is the most powerful, the top faction.”

“Ehhh?!! T-Then! Was that a threat just now…?!!”

“Don’t misinterpret it. I’ve already checked. It means exactly what it sounds like. If she becomes his sister, life gets easier. If not, she’ll have a hard time as a commoner. That’s all it means.”

Ira, known as the most skilled and cutest in the elementary division of the academy. She had already claimed the position of the academy’s cutest little sister candidate.