After finishing our rounds at a market-like magic shop with Sharl, it was past 6 PM, so we decided to head home.
We returned to the main street of the commercial district and made our way towards the building with the teleportation magic circle.
After using the magic circle to get back to the academy, we walked towards the dormitory.
“Uh, sorry about that. I kinda got carried away with my own interests in the second half.”
It seems Sharl had noticed.
“No, everything I saw was fresh and new, so it was interesting.”
Although when I saw the dried frog, I couldn’t believe it was real.
“Um, really? I don’t usually go out with other people, so I thought I might have been too self-centered.”
“Well, isn’t that how everyone is? I had fun, so it’s fine. Besides, I was the one who offered to be the guide.”
“U-yeah. I had fun too.”
That’s right.
She had her eyes sparkling while looking at some mysterious lumps earlier.
“See you again next week.”
“Yeah, next Saturday is for training and study sessions, and Sunday is for going outside the town… I’ve been meeting you almost every weekend recently.”
Yeah…
You helped me with my study sessions for the exams too, so I’ve had that feeling.
We’ve been meeting every Friday afternoon and Saturday anyway.
“It’s not a problem. It’s fun, and I’m learning.”
“Well, I’m having fun too, and it’s kind of like training. Lately, I feel like I’ve gotten stronger.”
Is that so?
As we talked while walking, we passed by the school building and started climbing the hill.
Then, we saw someone coming down from the girls’ dormitory.
And right at the fork in the road, we bumped into the girl.
“Oh? Isn’t that Tsukasa?”
It was Senior Joan.
“Hello. Are you going out?”
“Kind of, yeah. Ah, hello, Charlene.”
“Yes. Well then, Tsukasa, I’ll be on my way.”
Sharl gave a light bow and walked back up to the girls’ dormitory.
Senior Joan and I watched Sharl’s retreating figure.
“Sorry. Did I interrupt anything?”
“Ah, no, we would’ve parted ways here anyway.”
“Is that so? But she didn’t seem particularly happy, did she?”
It’s true that the smile was gone from her face.
“Umm, you know, that thing between D-class and C-class?”
There’s this rivalry between the Free Faction and the Bloodline Faction.
“I see…”
Well, actually, probably just wearing the mask of the next heir of Iver.
“Is Senior in the Free Faction?”
If D-class is the Free Faction…
“Yes. Me and Andy too, because we’re not from such prestigious families, and not all of us have a long line of wizards.”
I was raised in a pretty normal family too.
Just grandpa and grandma happen to be from noble families and rich.
“Don’t you have a long line of wizards? I’ve heard stuff about the witch hunts in the old days.”
Our ancestors are probably the descendants who escaped from that.
“For those prestigious families who’ve bred for excellence, maybe they’ve strongly inherited it, but in families like ours, where magic is only mildly passed down, it’s normal to live in that world. That’s why there are a lot of people with no magic abilities, and occasionally someone with talent pops out. In fact, my mother didn’t even know anything about magic.”
Is that so…
“So that’s why you’re in the Free Faction…?”
“Yeah, exactly. I mean, what can we do when we’ve lived like this and people start talking about bloodlines? Naturally, we end up in the Free Faction.”
I see…
“Is Senior Andy also like that?”
“Probably, yeah.”
Senior Joan gave a firm nod.
“Is that so…?”
“Ah, not that I dislike Bloodline Faction or don’t like prestigious families. It’s just annoying when someone looks down on you like that kid you dueled, but a lot of them are normal kids who just want to have fun. So don’t worry about it.”
Senior Joan was trying to reassure me.
It’s probably because I get along well with Charlene, who’s the leader of the Bloodline Faction.
“To be honest, what’s the faction situation like? I don’t really know anyone else in C-class besides Charlene…”
“It really depends on the person. Some are awful, but some are really great. Anyway, it’s bound to be that way. But most of us just want to have fun. After all, we’re at the peak of our high school lives.”
Yeah…
“I can see that, but as a rather new wizard, I don’t fully understand…”
“Same here, same here. I want to hang out with friends and be in love. It’s only natural. So don’t worry, go ahead and interact with Charlene.”
…Is she misunderstanding something major here?
“Excuse me, but it’s not like Sharl and I are… you know…”
“Eh? You’re not dating? You were just returning from a date, weren’t you?”
“No, I was just being shown around town.”
It was technically a date, but…
At least, that wasn’t my intention.
“Hmm… You said you’re new to being a wizard, but how long have you been at it?”
“Since May, I guess. Magic isn’t really my strong suit.”
“Is that so? But you’ve got quite a bit of magic power, haven’t you? Plus, you easily took down Mathias and that Grizzly.”
“But because of that, I can’t do anything else. I’m not smart, and I can only use enhancement magic and space magic.”
“Is that so…”
Senior Joan stares at me intently.
“What is it?”
“Ah, no, sorry… Hey, Tsukasa, is there anything you want?”
“Huh?”
“Anything you want. Money is fine, and if you’re a guy, maybe a girlfriend? Maybe Charlene?”
Hmm…
“Average stuff, I guess?”
“That’s fine… Well, I guess that’s okay, huh?”
Senior Joan smiles.
“Eh? What are you talking about?”
“It’s nothing. Be nice to Charlene, okay? Though there might be a lot going on between prestigious families, keep at it. See ya.”
Senior Joan smiled and waved as she descended the hill.
Thank you for reading.
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