Arthur headed towards the bathroom while hiding his voluptuous figure, Yuri frowned as if she found it hard to believe what she had just seen.
However, doubting what she saw with her own two eyes was absurd. Not to mention Kail seemed to know and wasn’t exactly flustered either.
“……What’s that?”
“Hmm… Wouldn’t it be better to ask the person himself instead of me?”
“Yeah, I guess I should.”
Yuri grabbed her head and got up from the bed. After having her magic power drained by a dragon, her head was still buzzing, but she realized this wasn’t something to lie down for.
A moment later, Arthur emerged from the bathroom dressed in loose-fitting attire covering her chest and hips. She paused when she noticed Yuri staring at her intently.
“Uh…… Are you awake?”
“Arthur, are you a girl?”
“Huh, huh?”
Never expecting someone would have been watching her, Arthur blankly stared back at her. However, at this very moment, there was no denying what she said.
Even touching her chest once would make it obvious. There was no way to hide it.
As Arthur nodded, Yuri sighed deeply.
“To think you disguised your gender to enter the Academy… You must realize getting expelled would be justified.”
“I’m aware of that much. And─ even if this fact comes out, I won’t get expelled.”
“……You think you can continue attending the Academy after deceiving them?”
“You, a four-star sorcerer, didn’t know I was a girl, right? Same goes for the principal who is also a master. How do you think I managed to deceive a master-level magician?”
Only a magician of higher standing than the principal could deceive a master-level magician like the principal.
Considering most masters hold status equal or above nobles, it meant Arthur had unimaginable backing.
Even if Yuri exposed Arthur’s identity, expulsion wouldn’t happen.
Realizing exposing her would be futile, Yuri understood pursuing it further was pointless.
“Setting that aside, we still have a major problem.”
“What is it…?”
“Why does Kail know you’re a girl?”
Indeed, her being a girl wasn’t crucial. Many in the academy hid grand secrets.
But the fact Kail knew was unforgivable. Who knows what Arthur and Kail did alone together, with others thinking Arthur was male?
“He found out when we drank alcohol before.”
Fortunately, Kail answered on her behalf. Turning to Kail, Yuri questioned him.
“I never asked you.”
“You were there too. Why don’t you remember? That’s more puzzling.”
“……I was drunk then.”
“I thought you saw. That’s why I didn’t say anything.”
With that, Yuri tightly shut her mouth. She couldn’t remember. Still, the three of them drinking together was true.
If during her drunken haze Arthur revealed her secret? It was her fault for not remembering.
Admitting her fault was tough and bruised her pride. But she needed to know one thing.
“Is hiding being a girl related to the secret you’re concealing?”
“Yes…… I can’t explain in detail.”
“Then fine. I’m not cruel enough to dig that deep.”
Though some questions remained, Yuri stopped prying further. She realized politically it wasn’t wise to unearth all of Arthur’s secrets.
Magic capable of hiding from even a Master. Considering the principal is a five-star magician, the person who cast the spell on Arthur must be at least a six-star magician.
Equivalent to her father, the Duke. With such backing, creating trouble was unwise.
“—But acting as a man must be inconvenient.”
“Eh, well. I’ll endure it.”
“I heard Knight Department male cadets bathe together.”
Seeing Arthur flinch at that, Yuri became certain she did something.
Glaring cautiously at Kail, even he awkwardly scratched his cheek.
So you saw.
Realizing this, Yuri glared sharply at Arthur.
She hasn’t even seen herself yet.
For another woman to see her fiancé’s naked body first?
“Kail, come with me.”
“Huh? Suddenly why……”
“Just follow me.”
Yuri immediately led Kail into the bathroom. Amidst the noisy sounds inside, Arthur forced a laugh and ignored them.
* * *
The academy’s opening ceremony didn’t occur. As if elite cadets didn’t need such events, classes hammered their rusty bodies and minds post-vacation.
“Did you enjoy the break?”
At Gawein’s words, the Knight Department cadets responded energetically. Yet, their spirit was undeniably lower than before the break.
Noticing this, Gawein clicked his tongue looking at the cadets.
“Memories only teens can cherish, a vacation that won’t return in a lifetime. If you slacked off training with such excuses—prepare yourselves. The second semester will be over twice as grueling.”
Of course, breaks and rest weren’t entirely unnecessary. Some cadets recovered muscles worn daily through rest during the break.
But those who neglected training entirely, rendering everything built in the first semester useless, clearly existed.
The former would achieve dazzling growth, while the latter would experience hell.
“All personnel, proceed to the training ground and run. Execute.”
“Execute!”
At Gawein’s command, all cadets immediately rose and ran to the training ground. Kail tried to follow but Gawein blocked his path, stopping him.
“What is it, old man? I need to go running.”
“Quiet. Did you cause trouble?”
“What trouble?”
“Look at this.”
Gawein pulled out a newspaper from his pocket. Kail took it, surprised it existed, and unfolded it.
On the front page was a face he recently saw: Saintess Lagraisha.
[Saintess Lagraisha decides to enroll in Diaros Academy!]
“And why is this relevant?”
“Do you think it makes sense for a saintess to suddenly visit the academy? Clearly, you caused some trouble.”
“Come on, clerics are already here for practical education, right? Must be that.”
“A saintess needing education? Ridiculous. Might as well say a master is learning swordsmanship at a neighborhood dojo.”
Single-handedly crushing demon skulls and blessing entire cities, a cleric monopolizing God’s love and possessing martial prowess akin to masters.
What could such a saintess learn at the academy? Diaros Academy’s cleric education was rather ordinary.
Not teaching masters, it barely taught newly ordained clerics anything.
“There’s something that changed the saintess’s mind. And the culprit is you. This is my conclusion.”
“Your deduction skills are impressive, old man. Maybe quit knighthood and become a detective.”
“So, what happened?”
Explaining nonchalantly, Kail shrugged saying it was nothing special.
Crazy people accepting black magic appeared near the territory. He went to deal with them, demons appeared, defeating them led to the saintess appearing and bestowing stigmata on him.
Listening quietly, Gawein looked incredulous and opened his mouth.
“Are you writing a novel? Why do demons suddenly appear? Why the stigmata?”
“How should I know? Ask the one who bestowed it.”
“Anyway, you’re the culprit, huh? ……The principal will throw a fit again.”
Clicking his tongue, Gawein walked away. Watching him leave, Kail belatedly headed to the training ground.
While he and Gawein talked, the Knight Department cadets sweated profusely, running countless laps around the training ground.
Kail naturally joined the line. Some cadets shot him dirty looks, but he paid no mind.
* * *
“Ta-dah─!”
During lunch, Kail let out a forced laugh seeing Sera appear before him.
“……What kind of look is that?”
“Why? Isn’t it cool?”
Sera appeared wearing bizarre ornaments typical of some natives, mismatched horribly with the academy uniform.
Covering his eyes, Kail looked down. This kid always had atrocious fashion sense.
It was so bad that his own fashion of just wearing Under Armour seemed superior.
“Throw those away or something.”
“No way! Do you know what these are!? This is─.”
As Sera struggled to keep her accessories, the necklace around her neck suddenly started vibrating.
Whoosh-! Pulled by the necklace, Sera ended up burying her head between Kail’s legs and grabbing his nose.
“Ugh…… What did you put in here…….”
“……That’s sexual harassment.”
“Don’t talk nonsense! More importantly, why is this…….”
Carefully opening her eyes, Sera inspected her necklace. A bright blue gemstone was embedded in the previously empty pendant.
The Sea Deity’s talisman she brought along just in case was embedded in the necklace.
