The second year had begun.
Things didn't go as planned. I couldn't gather the kids again, and I had no choice but to believe that everything would work out as I registered for classes with Ellen.
There were a few significant changes in the second year.
First, the swordsmanship major classes that could be taken with the general students were all replaced.
They were reorganized into classes exclusively for Royal Class students, and the class hours were significantly extended. The Royal and General Classes were separated.
The reason was simple.
"The Temple will ensure safety, but we must be prepared for any emergencies. If the Temple is attacked, the Royal Class is likely to be the first target."
"From this year onwards, you will receive more practical combat training."
The classes had transformed into combat training.
Instead of teaching techniques, we began learning how to kill monsters, deal with magic, urban warfare, and how to behave in field situations.
If this was the case for close combat majors, magic majors would likely begin taking more practical classes, rather than just learning from magic books or lectures.
It goes without saying that the intensity of the classes had increased significantly.
And then...
"......"
"My name is Lucinil. Nice to meet you."
I couldn't help but be shocked to see Lucinil, whom Harriet had brought to the magic research club.
No.
How did it come to this?
Everyone stared at Lucinil, who appeared like a cute doll with silver hair and blue eyes.
Their expressions seemed to question whether the person before them was real.
"My talent is destruction magic. Senior Saint Owan asked if I was interested in magic research, so I came to see."
When she introduced herself as thirteen years old, my head nearly exploded.
No.
Grandma...
Aren't you feeling any sense of guilt?
Of course, it's not like I'm the one to talk!
"Mr. President, we met once before, didn't we?"
"…Yes, that's right."
Lucinil smiled sweetly as she said that.
Something feels off.
It really does!
"Hey, why do you look like that when you see such a cute kid?"
Harriet noticed my expression and embraced Lucinil's shoulder as she said that.
"No... It's just that I don't feel well..."
Lucinil's face, seemingly delighted by the attention from her senior, was really...
Something. It was definitely something.
—---
"What do you mean?"
"Protection."
At my words, Lucinil shrugged her shoulders and simply replied.
I had just brought Lucinil to my room, claiming there was something to discuss about joining the club.
It had been a while since she entered the Temple, but this was the first time we faced each other like this.
Lucinil claimed to have spread noise-cancellation throughout the room, telling me to speak comfortably.
So, I spoke comfortably.
"But it seems like you're enjoying this too much?"
"Goodness, is that something you should say?"
Well.
That...
Was it wrong for me to enjoy this the most?
"Considering the rumors about you and the tournament, you're really... something else."
With an air of admiration, Lucinil crossed her arms and glanced at me.
"You look like you have good fortune, don't you?"
"..."
That's right!
That's not what I should be saying!
Ah!
I'm sorry!
I'm kind of successful! I know it's not supposed to be like this!
But this is no joke!
"By the way, is this really alright? You know... living a normal life..."
"I can handle sunlight, and as for food, it doesn't matter if I vomit or spit it out later. Pretending to be human isn't a new thing for me. I've grown quite accustomed to it."
Lucinil shrugged her shoulders as if living a normal human life wasn't difficult at all.
"Still, you should know that this wasn't an easy decision for me."
Lucinil looked at me with a serious expression.
"Your safety is always at risk to the extent that I have to infiltrate here myself."
It was true that Lucinil had taken great risks by entering the temple. She had come to the temple to protect me.
"So, I'd rather not just watch children play here, but there's no other choice, so accept it."
"I understand, but... I can't help but feel that you're somehow indulging your whims. Am I mistaken?"
"Hmm..."
At my words, Lucinil narrowed her eyes and then smiled slyly.
"I can't deny it. I like it when people find me cute, especially when those people are even cuter than me."
Really.
All the Lord Vampires are insane.
I thought Lucinil was an exception, but she's definitely the most insane one of all.
She's even weirder than Antirianus!
"Let's get along well from now on. So that you won't feel uncomfortable with me by your side."
Thinking about it coldly, Lucinil's words made perfect sense.
It's not my random thought, but since we became friends through the Magic Research Club, a junior member should suffice as a connection.
But...
It's psychologically distressing.
—---
Lucinil joined the Magic Research Club.
There were more first-year A-class magic majors, but knowing that I was the president of the Magic Research Club, they seemed to have avoided joining.
So, Lucinil was the only magic major who joined the club.
The first semester of the second year had begun, and I had juniors. Of course, I didn't have much in common with them. I could see Ludwig and the B-class guys hanging out with the juniors quite often.
Thus, it should be natural for me to be friends with Lucinil through the connection of the Magic Research Club junior, and there's nothing strange about me hanging out with her. I had that thought too.
However.
"Senior?"
"Senior!"
"Senior!"
"Brother!"
I'm losing my mind!
I feel like I'm going to explode!
"Stop looking for me!"
I couldn't help but be taken aback by Lucinil, who followed me around almost to the point of stalking.
Whether Lucinil was dutifully fulfilling her assigned task or doing it to torment me, she annoyingly roamed around the second-year dormitories in search of me, trying to cling to my side.
This wasn't protection, it was harassment.
She seemed to enjoy seeing me frustrated. I was certain of it.
My classmates also found it somewhat odd that Lucinil was so fond of me.
The tipping point was Bertus.
"…"
"Hello, senior."
Lucinil bowed her head slightly to Bertus, whom she met while roaming the hallways.
"Oh, the first-year who joined halfway through…"
"Lucinil."
"…"
Bertus stared intently at Lucinil, who had bowed to him.
A silver-haired girl with blue eyes.
A junior.
And Bertus, who didn't know much about the fact that she was actually following me around.
Moreover.
I had disguised myself as a silver-haired girl before.
"…By any chance."
Silver hair and that, um.
Do you have that sort of thing?
Bertus tried to say something, but in the end, he passed by without saying a word.
No!
He clearly thought I was some sort of pervert!
Did he just conclude that I have a fetish for silver-haired people?
"Um?"
As Bertus hurriedly walked away, Lucinil tilted her head in confusion.
"Reinhardt! What are you doing?"
Then Olivia Lanze, who hadn't visited the second-year dormitory in a while, noticed the silver-haired girl clinging to my side and tilted her head.
"……Who is this kid?"
"Is she yours?!"
Olivia added more fuel to the fire.
—---
After the new students arrived, an unusual spectacle arose among the second-year students.
Brother! Play with me!
Can't you just leave me alone? Huh? Stop following me already!
Whyyyyyy! Play with me, play with me, play with me! Buy me delicious food, give me piggyback rides, and take me for walks!
Aaaaargh!
A junior who persistently followed Reinhardt had appeared.
A hopeless pair of siblings.
Heinrich, Erich, Cayer, and Kono Lint.
The four of them sat in the lobby, watching the silver-haired girl tail Reinhardt and Reinhardt, in turn, trying to escape with a disgusted expression.
"What on earth… is she doing……?"
Kono Lint muttered, his mouth hanging open blankly.
"He's good-looking, isn't he?"
Erich mumbled in a resigned tone.
A pretty and cute girl, like a doll, began following him from the start of the new semester. At first, she called him "senior" and trailed after him, but now she calls him "brother."
"No matter how handsome he is, is it really to that extent? Huh?"
At Cayer's words, Heinrich shook his head with a dumbfounded expression.
"I don't know if it's to that extent… No, we're men, so we might not know."
Could it be that Reinhardt had something that appealed only to women, causing her to act like that? If that wasn't the case, none of them could understand how a first-year junior, who didn't even know him well, could become so entranced and end up like this.
"And it's so despicable how he's annoyed by a girl like her following him around."
Everyone nodded at Kono Lint's words.
They found it distasteful even though their mouths were agape in astonishment.
She persistently followed Reinhardt, ignoring the other seniors. However, Reinhardt avoided her, as if it were the most annoying thing in the world.
The luxury of the privileged, perhaps?
"Have you seen Reinhardt?"
As if to prove that thought, Ellen, last year's Miss Temple winner, approached them, looking for Reinhardt.
"He...avoided a first-year girl and went somewhere."
"Again?"
Ellen tilted her head and walked away, apparently searching for Reinhardt.
Reinhardt here, Reinhardt there.
In the past, people searched for Reinhardt, and now even his juniors joined the hunt. Meanwhile, those who were originally looking for him continued their search.
The luxury of the privileged.
"The world...is so unfair..."
"I know, right?"
Erich agreed, sighing deeply at Kono Lint's words.
“Why would you run to the magic research room without knowing any magic, big brother?”
“Just leave me alone!”
“No, I mean, Ellen is looking for you.”
“Huh? Oh...right?”
In the end.
Reinhardt was handsome.
That's why, when a new student suddenly started following Reinhardt, everyone thought it was something that could happen.
—---
Lucinil's tone changed when it was just the two of them.
Of course, he still had enough confidence to go mad if she kept whining in that childish tone even when they were alone.
Seeing her babble in front of Harriet, Ellen, and Adelia made her seem so childish that it gave him goosebumps.
Although Lucinil was half-protecting and half-teasing him, she couldn't keep doing it forever.
-Kaang!
"Ugh!"
Finally, watching me drop Tiamata from my hand, Saviolin Turner deactivated his Aura Blade.
"Let's stop here for today."
Turner was still watching over Ellen's and my swordsmanship.
"Both of you are getting better at Magic Body Strengthening sensitivity. Keep up the good work."
"Yes, sir."
After Turner left, Ellen and I sat on a bench in the training arena, catching our breaths for a moment.
The effects of Moonshine were definitely felt. As my body's constitution changed due to Moonshine, I felt more and more familiar with Magic Body Strengthening, even physically.
I hadn't yet reached the level of using released mana for offense, but it seemed possible within this semester.
"How much longer until we become Swordmasters?"
Ellen suddenly asked.
Ellen was already in a state similar to a Swordmaster when using Lapelt. However, if she reached the level of a master herself, it was obvious she would become much stronger than she is now.
"I don't know."
It wouldn't be a distant future for Ellen.
But what about me? I don't think it's too far off either. However, I had a subtle certainty that becoming a Swordmaster meant facing many hardships ahead.
Fortunately, Lucinil did not get into disputes with others. Harriet seemed to find her endearing, and while Ellen didn't converse much with her, she would quietly watch her and occasionally pat her cheek and stroke her hair.
Even though she didn't express it well, one could feel that she found her adorable.
As for Olivia, Lucinil cautiously avoided her. It wasn't because she thought something would be exposed, but it seemed that Lucinil sensed an overwhelming divine power from Olivia.
Passing by, she once said, "I can't deal with her; she's too overwhelming." It seemed that even a lord vampire would find her divine power repulsive.
Of course, the recently irritable Olivia didn't find Lucinil cute or pretty.
It was just that whenever Lucinil encountered her, she would carefully avoid her, making her wonder why she was acting like that. But she didn't find it bothersome, so she left her alone.
Even when Olivia appeared, she would stop clinging to me and carefully avoid her, so Olivia didn't seem to feel any particular vigilance.
One way or another, the first semester of the second year began without any major incidents, and aside from Lucinil's appearance, my daily life wasn't much different than before.
However.
Now, a big event was approaching.
One day, in the second-year classroom of the common class, Professor Epinhauser spoke to us.
"As you know, the first anniversary event commemorating the end of the Great Demon War was planned for this weekend."
The first anniversary of the Great Demon War.
The event was soon to be held.
"However, it was decided that holding a large-scale festival under the current situation would be too difficult, so it has been canceled."
The altered development.
Now that the demon king's plot had been confirmed, the first-anniversary event evoked the certainty that the war hadn't truly ended. And thus, the commemorative event was no longer held.
But this event was very important.
"Instead, the Empire has decided to find a new owner for Alsebringer."
At Professor Epinhauser's words, silence filled the classroom.
Everyone must have heard such a story for the first time.
"So, all Royal Class members must gather at the Grand Hall of the Temple Headquarters by noon this weekend."
The first-anniversary commemorative event.
There, the sword of the hero Artorius, Alsebringer, chose Ludwig as its new owner. It was not originally the intention of the Imperial Royal Family. It was merely a memento and a symbol of humanity's victory in commemorating the end of the war, but the moment Alsebringer was revealed to the public, it went to Ludwig of its own accord.
But that event had disappeared.
A new demon king was plotting.
So the Empire, contrary to the original work, was trying to find a new owner for Alsebringer.
The more sacred relics there are, the better.
If Alsebringer chooses its owner, then a total of four sacred relics would have appeared in the world.
Lament, Tiamata, Alsebringer, and Lapelt.
It would be the first time in history that four sacred relics appeared simultaneously in one era.
Ellen stared at the blackboard with a determined expression.
It would be the moment when her brother's keepsake reappears in the world and chooses its owner.
