After finishing the training with Sharl, I went home, had breakfast, took a shower, changed clothes, got 1000 yen from Father, and headed to the family restaurant we went to last week.
When I arrived at the restaurant, Sharl was already there, so we sat at a table.
“Hmm, Sharl is always here first.”
“Well, my house is nearby, you see.”
I see…
“Sharl, why are you in casual clothes today? Where’s your uniform?”
Last week, she was in her uniform, but today, she’s dressed casually. I can’t see her bottom half since she’s sitting, but she’s wearing a loose black shirt.
“Didn’t you tell me to wear casual clothes?”
I didn’t…
I did say I wanted to see her in casual clothes, but I didn’t insist that much…
“Okay then. It suits you.”
“Thank you. Now, let’s study. This time, I’ll push you a bit.”
Still holding a grudge about this morning…
We ordered from the drink bar and started studying. We began with the basics again, reviewing the lessons we had on Monday.
Although Sharl said she’d push me, she was teaching as gently and carefully as usual.
I was looking at Sharl’s notebook, memorizing the magic formulas.
Then, when it was noon, we ordered lunch and started eating our set meals and pasta.
“Food tastes better after using your brain, huh.”
“Indeed… Hey, what did you think of me on Monday?”
Sharl asked.
Of course, she’s referring to the time when she was glaring at Toko.
“I thought you should say something.”
Sharl had been quiet the whole time.
“Hmm… I just couldn’t find the words.”
“Why?”
“I keep trying to choose the right words. When I do that, my head gets all jumbled.”
She doesn’t need to be so selective…
“Why don’t you speak naturally?”
Sharl doesn’t have a communication disorder, and she’s not unable to talk.
“That’s true… but while I was hesitating, the guy behind me just kept talking, and in the end, he even started a fight with you guys.”
Matthias.
“Who is that guy anyway?”
“Just him. Though, I have to admit, I’m a little envious. His ability to speak his mind so honestly is admirable.”
Well, usually people would be more careful with their words. Coming from a reserved Japanese person like me, it’s incomprehensible.
“He’s not thinking about anything, is he? Anyway, did you hang out with him? Noel told me they go to the same middle school.”
“Not exactly, but his family is closely associated with mine, so it’s complicated.”
“Do you dislike him?”
“I wonder…”
Sharl gives a wry smile.
“There’s no one here.”
“I do. Maybe he was trying to stand up for me when he said ‘women should get out of the way’ to Toko-san, but I was thinking ‘I am a woman too, you know.'”
I see. That guy is an idiot.
He used to make fun of me and Yuika, but it seems we’re equally matched.
“Is he a bigot?”
“He comes from an old family and is a spoiled brat… That word, ‘woman,’ was probably his real thought. He wouldn’t dare say that to me, the next head of the Iver family, but he did say it to Toko-san, who comes from a rival family.”
That’s the kind of guy Toko would hate.
“So you couldn’t speak up because of that?”
“Yeah. I didn’t know what to say.”
That makes sense.
“Hey, isn’t most of the reason why Sharl is disliked because of Matthias?”
“I wonder… For my part, I have this bloodline supremacist mindset from being the next head of the Iver family.”
A bloodline supremacist, huh.
“I just found out about this, but are you a bloodline supremacist, Sharl?”
“Hmm… It’s a bit of a dark topic.”
A shadow passed over Sharl’s expression.
“Go ahead and say it.”
“I don’t think bloodline supremacy is inherently bad. Protecting a family with a long history is important. Families like that carry a proven track record. I’m not saying we belittle newly emerged wizards, but our histories are different. Our family is the one that developed Astral to where it is today, and we will continue in this tradition. It’s only natural.”
I can somewhat understand where she’s coming from.
“Hmm… So you think you’re better than other wizards out there?”
“Yes, if asked which is more important… That’s the case… But the problem is that I, who comes from one of these historical families, lack the talent to proudly declare that.”
The conversation leads back to the dark topic.
“I don’t think you lack all talents, though.”
“Well, saying I lack talent might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I would never call myself a genius. And by genius, I mean people like Toko-san.”
Toko, huh…
“Is she really that good?”
“I’ve said this before, but she mastered upper-level magic in just a year. A real monster. It’s not just Toko-san—there have been countless times where I’ve spent years studying something, only to be caught up by someone instantly. That pain and frustration is my life.”
I can’t relate to that feeling.
Every time I witnessed something like that with Toko, I just ran away from it.
“Hmph, why not just ignore such people?”
“Would love to do that… There are times when I feel like giving up on everything. But my little pride and the name of the Iver family don’t allow that. Therefore, I can neither fight Toko-san nor do anything but glare. Maybe as I grow up, I’ll be able to reconcile with this mindset, but not now.”
Just acknowledging this makes me think Sharl is already very mature.
I’m far from reaching that level.
“I see…”
“This is a boring topic. I’m sorry for dragging you into it. In school, it’s best to just ignore both me and Matthias.”
We’ve got our own troublemakers here too…
“Like Ilmera, right… She’s not someone I get along with.”
“She’s tough. I know she isn’t a bad person, but she’s a bit too warlike.”
A bit?
“What about Noel?”
“She’s the type who always keeps a step back. She seems like someone I’d get along with the most, but paradoxically the one I can’t seem to befriend easily.”
Hmm…
“You’re pretty observant.”
“We live in the same dormitory, and she’s the student council president. She keeps her eyes on the students.”
Impressive…
“What about me?”
“Hmm, you’re the type who isn’t around the school much.”
Well, it was just the other day that I decided to become a wizard.
“So what about Yuika?”
“Yuika-san. She’s like you… Oh, by the way, are you close with her? Didn’t you pat her head the other day?”
“That shows superiority. Just my feeling of superiority over someone who’s clearly an idiot in a school full of top students.”
She’s the only one I can relate to…
“Right… That’s kind of sad, isn’t it?”
Sharl propped her elbow up and laughed.
“Forget about it. Both of us envy you guys a lot, you know. And between the two of us, we’ve really been damaging Japan’s reputation at this school.”
We both possess great magical power…
“Yet here we are, endlessly desiring things we don’t have. Oh, and by the way, is Tsukasa close with Toko?”
“La Folle? Not really.”
“Hmm… That’s it then.”
Sharl squinted and started picking at the french fries I treated her to.
“What’s with that?”
“Nothing. Well, let’s review yesterday’s curse studies this afternoon, shall we?”
Sharl moved her empty plate aside and took out her notebook from her bag.
Thank you for reading.
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I sincerely thank you!
