It was early morning, the day after I had begun training Amelia.
I was currently making my way toward her room. The girls' dormitory was off-limits to boys. Apparently, that wasn't an official rule, but more of an unspoken agreement. Naturally, the boys' dormitory was off-limits to girls as well.
Still, rumors suggested that some students managed to weave through watchful eyes to hold secret trysts. Since I had heard those rumors, I decided to simply walk right into the girls' dormitory through the front door. Since it was relatively close to the boys' dormitory, I reached it quickly and headed for Amelia’s room. I had already pinpointed its location through some independent research (which is to say, I asked Elisa).
As a member of one of the Three Great Noble Families, Amelia apparently had a private room. This convenience worked perfectly in my favor today.
"Amelia trainee!! It is time to wake up!! You have sixty seconds to prepare!!"
I blew a long, shrill blast on my whistle—Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!—while simultaneously hammering the bottom of a frying pan with a ladle—Clang! Clang! Clang!!
The combination of the whistle and that metallic clatter was remarkably effective. Back when I was actually undergoing the Ainsworth-style Boot Camp, that noise had traumatized everyone involved. I, of course, was no exception. But after a while, human beings become strange creatures; you eventually learn to wake up reflexively.
"Mmm... ugh... it’s not even five o’clock yet...?"
"Are you talking in your sleep?! I told you the only acceptable response is 'Ranger!'"
"Ugh... mmm... huh...? Uh, well...? What...?"
Amelia emerged rubbing her eyes, clutching a small teddy bear and wearing adorable star-patterned pajamas. Her nightcap, I noted, matched the set.
Normally, it would be common courtesy to praise such loveliness.
Amelia. That teddy bear is cute. And those pajamas are very charming. I especially like the nightcap.
I certainly felt like saying it. However, I was the Instructor, and Amelia was the Trainee.
Seeking strength required this much. One must devote themselves to harsh training and face their own soul. Because she was a precious friend, I had to be ruthless.
"What are you doing?! Hurry up!!"
"—! R-Ranger!!"
Finally grasping the situation, Amelia dashed back into her room and began frantically changing. About three minutes later, she came rushing back out.
"...You are late."
"B-But... I didn't hear that we were starting this early..."
"I told you the response is 'Ranger'!!"
"R-Ranger!!"
"Now then. For the early morning session, we'll settle for a light twenty-kilometer run. Don't worry, I will be running alongside you as your pacemaker. Now, let's go!!"
"R-Ranger..."
"Not enough spirit!!"
"Ranger!!"
And so, today as well, our training continued.
◇
After returning to the dorms, I was intercepted by Sera-senpai, the head of the girls' dormitory. She dragged me straight into a counseling room.
I was genuinely impressed by how many different roles Sera-senpai managed to juggle, but she cut my admiration short by slamming her hand down on the desk to interrogate me.
"So, care to explain that eccentric behavior?"
"Eccentric behavior?"
"Yes! Not only did you brazenly trespass into the girls' dormitory, but you were also making a racket with a whistle and metal pans... It's a major incident!"
"Hmm... indeed, I lacked consideration for my surroundings. Perhaps I should go around and apologize to every student in the girls' dormitory tonight."
"...I appreciate the sincere attitude, but just stop doing it. That thing."
"The Ainsworth-style Wake-up Method?"
"I don't care what you call it! Just stop entering the girls' dormitory! It's against the unspoken rules, for goodness' sake!"
"But is it acceptable for others to hold secret trysts...?"
"Well, that's... tradition. Besides, the important thing is not to bother the people around you. In the future, if you're going to meet up, do it outside the dorm."
"...You are right. It seems I was inconsiderate. My deepest apologies."
I bowed my head deeply.
It seemed I had gone a bit overboard trying to imitate my Master. This was a Magic Academy where students lived, not the military. It was my own failure to have lacked such basic consideration.
"I-It's fine as long as you understand!"
"Yes. From now on, I will use a different approach when dealing with Amelia."
"Hmph. So you're looking after her, then? It's still a bit strange that you're coaching a member of the Three Great Noble Families, though..."
"Well... yes. She told me she wanted strength."
"Well, the Magics Chevalier is special, I suppose. Also, about our next day off... do you want to go buy some new flowers?"
"Hmm... a day off..."
I had reached a point where I went out with Sera-senpai on my days off. We got along surprisingly well, and she helped me in many ways... but right now, I was an Instructor. I had to focus on Amelia trainee.
"My apologies... My schedule is quite full until the Magics Chevalier is over."
"You're on the Management Committee too, so I guess you're busy..."
"However, I will have plenty of time during summer vacation. How about then?"
"...Hmph. Well, I guess that's fine. But make sure you keep your schedule open, okay? You're the Gardening Club's first male member, so I have a lot to teach you."
"Understood."
With one last bow, I parted ways with Sera-senpai.
With that, I now had plans for summer vacation to go bug hunting with Clarice and to go flower shopping with Sera-senpai.
Hmm... isn't this quite the student lifestyle?
Fuhaha!
◇
"...Hmm, is that?"
It was lunch break. Since everyone happened to have errands today, we hadn't gathered at the school cafeteria.
Incidentally, Amelia trainee was currently attempting to flee—she had glanced at me and hurried away the moment morning classes ended—so I planned to secure her later.
I had bought lunch at the shop and come to the rooftop thinking I'd eat there for a change, and that was where I found Mr. Alium standing alone, staring up at the sky.
"..."
There was no reason to ignore him. He might have his own thoughts on the matter, but I decided to take the plunge and speak to him.
"Hello, Mr. Alium. Fine weather today. Not a single cloud in the sky."
"...It's you."
"Are you alone? You usually seem to be with friends."
"Sometimes I just want to be alone."
"I see. That makes sense."
I stood beside him and began eating my meal. He glanced toward me and then bowed his head. It was a deep, sincere bow, and I could tell immediately that he was genuinely remorseful.
"...I'm sorry."
"Is this about that incident?"
"Yeah. Even if the teacher had a lot to say to me, I did something terrible. An apology won't make up for it, but... I'm truly sorry."
"I accept your apology. I acted a bit childishly myself. We're both to blame, Mr. Alium."
"...Albert is fine. You don't need the formal title."
"Then Ray is fine for me, too."
"Understood..."
Silence returned. He had witnessed my abilities, and I had told him after the commotion that I was the Ice Sword Sorcerer. Since then, we had only spoken to confirm he would keep it a secret; it had been a while since we'd actually talked.
"Hey, Ray, aren't you entering?"
"The Magics Chevalier?"
"Yeah... if it's you..."
"I believe I told you, I can't. Because of the Magic Area Overheat."
"Right... Hey, have even you not reached the ends of the world? The truth of magic...?"
"Indeed. I am still on the path. And the same likely goes for the other Seven Grand Sorcerers. Even those at the pinnacle of sorcery do not fully grasp or understand magic. It is merely a matter of what is possible within the framework of being human."
"...Hey, what should I do? Until now, this noble bloodline was everything to me. But... in reality, it wasn't. I was just arrogant in the narrow world of the nobility... I was a fool."
So that was what he was thinking.
I knew he had been fighting through the School Preliminaries while contemplating his path. I could see the spirit of someone trying to move forward steadily, rather than being arrogant as he once was. That was likely why he was able to put up such a good fight against Amelia.
However, Albert was still lost. Therefore, I told him exactly what I thought.
"Albert. You will become strong. Stronger than you are now. If you recognize that fact and face yourself, you can go even further."
"...Do you really think so?"
"Yeah. I guarantee it. Your entry into the Magics Chevalier has been confirmed, hasn't it? You can do it."
"I see... I suppose I have no choice but to start over from scratch."
"Exactly. This Academy is a place where you can start over as many times as you want. It isn't a battlefield where a trivial wound can cost you your dignity, or even your life. Therefore, I am rooting for you, Albert."
"...I see. Man, you really are that kind of guy."
With that, he tossed a carton of milk toward me and walked away from the rooftop.
"Is this okay?"
"Yeah. I don't need it. It's just a small token of my gratitude."
"I see. I'll take it, then."
He hadn't completely turned his gaze forward yet. Doubt still lingered in his heart. But surely, he too would continue to move forward while suffering and struggling, just as I did.
I looked up at the clear sky and spent a moment alone. However, I still had work to do. After quickly finishing my lunch, I set out to secure Amelia.
◇
"Hmm..."
Trying to find Amelia's traces by searching every corner of this sprawling campus would be incredibly inefficient.
That was precisely why I unleashed a fraction of my power. By tracking the signature of Amelia's Prima Materia that I had memorized, I arrived at an empty classroom located at the very back of the school building.
I slid the door open and found Amelia quietly eating lunch in the back.
"H-How are you here?! Isn't this way too fast, no matter how you look at it!!?"
"I used a bit of my ability."
"What...?! You'd go that far!?"
"Securing a trainee who has fled is also the duty of an Instructor."
"Ah... haha... no, I didn't intend to run away, okay? I just thought I'd like to eat lunch alone for a bit, or something like that."
"The response is 'Ranger'!! Now then, today we'll be adding a penalty for your escape. You'll have muscle pain again tomorrow, but please do your best."
"N-Noooooooooooooo!! Waaaaah!!"
Amelia tried to escape through the back door of the classroom, but I immediately closed the distance and firmly grasped her hand.
"Ah..."
"Now, let's go. I won't let go of this hand until we reach the training grounds."
"No, I mean... this is embarrassing..."
Looking closely, Amelia's face had turned beet red. However, if I let go, she would likely try to flee again. It might draw attention, but I had no choice but to proceed.
"Please bear with it. Now let's go, Amelia trainee!! Hurry up!!"
"U-Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!"
"How many times must I tell you the response is 'Ranger'!!"
"R-Rangeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!!"
And so, pulling the reluctant Amelia by the hand, we headed toward the training grounds.