It seemed there were monsters outside the town.
"Monsters?"
"I'm no scholar, so I don't know the specifics, but apparently, when people first built this world and migrated here, they brought animals with them. For food, mostly."
"Well, that makes sense."
They had fled their old world, after all; they'd die if they didn't have anything to eat.
"So, they tried raising them outside the town or releasing them to build an ecosystem, but since Astral is so saturated with magic power, the animals absorbed it and turned into monsters."
Evolution, I suppose?
"Did turning into monsters make them stronger?"
"Yeah, basically. That's why there are monsters outside the town. Giant bears, boars, things like that."
"Huh..."
I wondered if I could take them.
"There are jobs for hunting them—selling the meat and such. There are also forests where you can harvest medicinal herbs. Apparently, it wasn’t just the animals; the plants changed because of the magic power too."
"Medicinal herbs? Do they restore HP?"
"They’re ingredients for potions. You can sell the herbs and meat to the academy or the industrial district."
So that’s what the part-time jobs were...
"Is the pay good?"
"It’s decent. There are students struggling with money who do it to pay their tuition, and then there are people who study the outside world."
"I’d love to check it out sometime."
The idea really piqued my interest.
"Spoken like a true meathead."
"Normally, people are scared when they hear about monsters."
Well, it wasn’t like I had zero anxiety about it.
"I can take down a bear in one hit, you know."
"Yeah, yeah, we heard you."
"Well, considering you shattered Professor Jenny's automaton in one hit, I doubt it'll be an issue. But you know you need permission from your parents, your teacher, and the Student Council President to go outside, right?"
Wait, really?
"I get the parents and teacher, but Shar too? Why?"
"Looking after the students is the president's job. To break down the process: first, you get permission from your parents, then you submit a notification to the Student Council President. If she deems it acceptable, you submit it to your teacher. In our case, that would be our homeroom teacher, Jenny."
Hmm...
Shar and the teacher probably wouldn't be a problem.
The real issue was what my parents would say.
"I'll have to think about it. My mom and dad might be tough..."
Especially Mom. She wasn't exactly a fan of fighting.
"Parents opposing it is the most common hurdle. Though if you were from a military family, they'd probably tell you to get out there and fight..."
Cedric glanced at Frank.
"You said it. Both Ilmera and I were forced to go. Well, if you really want to go, I don't mind."
Sharleen was from a military family too; I wondered if they told her to do stuff like that. It seemed unlikely for her.
"Anyway, whatever. Let's go to the weapon shop. I’m curious."
"Spoken like a typical boy."
"Well, let's head up."
We climbed the nearby stairs to the second floor.
Sure enough, the entire floor was a weapon shop, displaying everything from swords and spears to axes and bows.
"Incredible! You’d never see a sight like this in Japan!"
"Not in Germany, either."
"And certainly not in England."
I guess that went without saying.
"No guns?"
"Most mages tend to dislike guns."
"Be careful; some people get angry if you even bring up weapons from the other world."
Sounds like a pain.
"Fine, whatever. I wonder how much a sword costs?"
I looked at a cool-looking sword leaning against a display.
"Gah! 300,000?!"
So damn expensive!
"Well, obviously. Both weapons and armor are pricey."
"Even a cheap sword will set you back at least 100,000... Besides, can you even use one?"
A weapon...
"I've never tried. My martial arts are all hand-to-hand combat."
I’d barely even held a kitchen knife more than a handful of times.
"Then you don't even need one."
That was true, but still...
"It's every boy's dream."
"I get that, but... are you actually going to buy one? You'll blow all your pocket money."
That was a fair point.
"Hmm... Is there anything second-hand?"
"You're trusting your life to your weapon, you know. I wouldn't risk it."
True enough.
"But I still want to try using one."
"If you just want to try one out, I can lend you something. I have plenty."
Plenty?
"You have that many?"
"Comes with being from a military family. If I ask for manga, they say no, but if I ask for a weapon, they buy it for me."
The price difference was insane, though...
"Couldn't you just sell the weapons they buy for you?"
"My older brother tried that. My old man thrashed him within an inch of his life..."
Terrifying.
"I see... Well, lend me one, then."
"Sure. I can't exactly pull it out in the middle of a shop, though."
"Where’s a good spot?"
"Not in town, either... Shall we head to the school's training grounds? We're free to use them."
That colosseum place, huh?
"Are we allowed to just walk in?"
"No problem. Students use it all the time on weekends or after school."
"Alright, let's head back to the academy before I end up buying something."
I really wanted that trident over there.
"Right."
"That seems for the best."
We decided to head back and left the shop.
After boarding the magic circle and returning to the academy, we made our way to the training grounds.
"No one's here."
We were the only ones there.
"It's better this way; you don't have to worry about anyone else. Sometimes people get into real fights here."
"Well, I guess that makes sense. Give me the sword."
"Here."
Frank pulled a sword out and handed it over.
"Oh... it's lighter than I expected."
I’d thought it would be a bit heavier.
"It's a beginner's sword. Give it a swing."
As Frank suggested, I drew the sword from its scabbard and swung it.
The blade cut through the air with a sharp whoosh.
"Like this?"
"Oh, not bad."
"Hmm. The swing is fast, but the sword looks more like a club in your hands..."
Cedric gave me a compliment, but for Frank the expert, it wasn't quite right.
"Is it no good?"
"The sword would probably snap if you used it like that. I mean, the opponent would still die, but..."
Hmm, I guess that was a fail.
"Frank, show me how it's done."
I handed the sword back to him.
"First, the stance is like this."
Frank lowered his center of gravity and held the sword upright.
"He looks the part."
"He looks strong."
Cedric and I nodded to each other as we watched him.
"This is kind of embarrassing."
"Don't worry about it."
"Keep going, keep going."
At our prompting, Frank swung the sword.
His swing was sharp; I felt like I could almost see a clean trail left by the blade.
"Like that."
"How does it compare to mine?" I asked Cedric.
"Even to an amateur, it's completely different. You had a lot of wasted movement."
Figures.
"Alright, Frank. Come at me."
I beckoned him with my fingers.
"Why do you want to fight so badly? Who says that to someone holding a sword?"
"It's a training exercise. We won't die, and we won't even get a scratch here, right? It's fine."
"Good grief... I'm not holding back."
Frank leveled his sword.
"Wait a second, you two. Someone's here."
Cedric stopped us. When I looked toward the entrance, a black-haired girl was standing there.
"Oh, it's Yuika."
"Looks like your cold is better."
I see...
So that was Akabane, the girl everyone had such high expectations for.
Now then, I wonder just how much of an idiot she really is?