Ranoa Magic University.
A mammoth institution with sprawling grounds, sponsored by three nations and the Magic Guild—one of the largest schools in the world.
The current headmaster is Georg, a "Wind King"-class mage and one of the Magic Guild's senior members.
The student body exceeds ten thousand.
Despite being branded a "Magic" university, the teaching faculty is deep and broad—you can learn virtually anything that exists in this world here.
Students of every race, ethnicity, and social standing are admitted.
For example, the demon race, shunned by the Millis Church and still the target of deep-rooted prejudice.
For example, the beast race, somewhat exclusionary and generally considered difficult to deal with.
For example, royalty from a human kingdom, expelled due to power struggles.
For example, children of nobles born with curses, deemed beyond help.
Admittedly, the heavens race and the sea race aren't enrolled, but anyone with high mana or a deep connection to magic can get in, even if they come with a few problems.
It seems this used to cause incidents back in the day, but—
Few nations could stand up to a country backed by both one of the world's most powerful alliances and the Magic Guild.
Even the Asura Kingdom, one of the few that could, had invested no small amount in the Magic Guild and didn't want to sour the relationship.
Incidentally, one faction of the Millis Holy Church—more precisely, the Temple Knights—flatly opposed the school's very existence.
But the school is on the opposite side of the world from them.
Apparently it wasn't worth starting a war over.
The standard enrollment period is seven years.
Maximum of nine.
It's also possible to remain enrolled as a researcher affiliated with the Magic Guild.
There is a massive five-story dormitory, but its use is optional.
Students with homes in town sometimes commute from there.
But by and large, most people seem to use the dorms.
I decided to have a room prepared for me in the dorms as well.
The dorm room was plain and simple.
Located on the second floor.
A six-tatami-mat room with a single bunk bed.
One chair and one table.
Normally, two students share a room, but special students get one to themselves.
You can request a two-person room if you want.
I'll pass.
I didn't come here to make friends.
I've heard that by paying extra, you can move into one of the noble rooms—better security, more spacious—but
Nah, I don't really need that.
I'm not living a lifestyle that would attract assassins.
The toilet is out in the hall.
Surprisingly, it's flush-type.
Though it's not the lever-one-flush-and-gush kind.
There's a water jug at the end of the toilet. You scoop water from it and manually flush.
The waste then travels through pipes down into the sewers, apparently.
Of course, someone like me apparently doesn't bother with a bucket and just uses water magic to flush.
Incidentally, there's a designated rotation for refilling the water jug.
As a special student, I'm exempt from that.
Uniforms are also provided.
The boys' uniform looks like a school outfit, while the girls' resembles a blazer.
Straightforward, but actually a rather cute design.
Apparently until last year, there was no uniform standardization, but it changed starting this year.
If that's the case, you'd think the gym uniform would be bloomers, but unfortunately it's robes.
No provision, no mandate.
If you don't have one, buy one yourself.
Though I've heard that for students who can't afford it, the cheapest option available at the school store is provided free of charge.
"Well, how does it look?"
Elinalise, decked out in her new outfit, was putting on a fashion show in front of me.
With that extravagant shoulder-length spiral perm, the robe look could only be described as cosplay.
The uniform suited her reasonably well.
But because I know Elinalise's true nature, that one also looked like cosplay to me.
"If you shorten the skirt, you might catch more men's attention, you know.
Just barely covering—nothing showing but almost."
When I offered that advice, Elinalise looked at me as if I were a genius.
"But wouldn't that be cold?"
"Just wear thigh-high stockings."
"Oh my, brilliant as always, Rudeus. You really are a genius."
Elinalise obediently folded her skirt up to look like a high school girl.
When she gave a twirl, her overly decorated panties peeked through.
Hmm.
Yeah, frilly panties really don't go with a school uniform.
---
And so, off to the enrollment ceremony.
Even a school like this had an enrollment ceremony.
This year's new students were gathered in the cold schoolyard.
Of course, nobody was lined up properly.
There was a girl standing alone looking bored,
a boy listening intently to the headmaster's speech,
and clusters of acquaintances chatting casually among themselves.
If this were a Japanese school, the disciplinary teacher would be screaming his head off.
Before this motley crowd, the headmaster was delivering his speech from a brick podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it has been far too long since the magician looked down upon by swordsmen!
Indeed, the swordsmanship crafted by those Sword Gods is supreme!
But! Magic is also supreme!
Swordsmanship is nothing more than a tool for killing people.
But magic is different—magic has a future!
We shall recover lost magical systems and combine them with current incantation formulas,
achieving a new evolution for the people, that is to—"
I stood quietly alongside Elinalise.
In any world, the headmaster's speech runs long.
But this headmaster's address was never boring to listen to.
Maybe it was because he radiated passion for magic?
No, that wasn't it.
It was because he was desperately trying to keep his wig from flying off, and that was entertaining.
Elinalise surveyed the surroundings, seemingly evaluating the male students.
She appeared to be shopping around with her eyes.
"That is all! May the path of magical arts be open to you all!"
The headmaster wrapped things up with some grand declaration about freedom and justice.
There was no school anthem sing-along.
They didn't even have a school anthem.
They have a national anthem, though. Can't sing it.
"Next, a word to the new students from the student council president."
At the vice-principal's announcement, three students—a boy and two girls—stepped onto the podium.
At the front was a girl with beautiful golden hair.
Silky long hair with a braided pattern woven through it.
Her clothes were the same new uniform as ours, but
the way she walked already oozed refinement and poise.
A world apart from the wannabe noble next to me.
Though apparently Elinalise's bearing was described as "impeccable."
"Oh my, isn't that the girl Rudeus made cry the other day?"
Looking where she pointed, there were two boys walking behind the golden-haired girl.
One of them was a person with white hair wearing sunglasses.
It was Fitz.
He scanned his surroundings carefully as he climbed onto the podium.
The other was an unfamiliar boy.
Slightly older than me, maybe?
Light, frivolous brown hair slicked back, a sword at his waist.
He didn't look like a mage.
Those movements—he was probably a swordsman.
And above all, he was handsome.
From what I'd gathered, in the central continent's kingdoms, faces that were a touch more intense than the standard handsome look I'd imagined got you further.
In other words, a face like Paul's was what women liked.
Wait a sec—this guy looks like Paul…
Incidentally, I'd apparently been told I wasn't bad-looking myself, but people often said my smile ruined it.
Elinalise had complimented me that my smile was manly and wonderful, though.
When they climbed onto the podium, the young students around began buzzing with chatter.
"Wait, isn't that Princess Ariel…?"
"That one over there—isn't he 'Fitz the Silent'?"
"Eek! It's Lord Luke!"
They were apparently somewhat famous.
Female students were squealing and cheering.
That Paul-lookalike was probably Luke.
He was waving back at the screaming girls.
The guy was popular.
Tch, what a name—sounds like a male porn star's alias…
"Oh my, what a looker."
Elinalise apparently approved as well.
"Silence! Her Highness Ariel will now speak!"
At Luke's (probably) command, the surrounding murmurs died instantly.
And he wasn't even using a megaphone. Impressive.
Timing the lull, the girl stepped forward.
"I am Ariel Anemoi Asura.
Second Princess of the Asura Kingdom, and head of the Magic University student council!"
Her voice sank into the hushed silence.
It pierced the ears and made the brain tremble.
Charisma, I guess you'd call it.
It wasn't just a well-projected voice.
It was pleasant to listen to.
"You have gathered here from across the world.
Among you, some will have very different common sense from our own.
But this is the Magic University—a place protected by a different set of rules from your homeland."
What she was saying was essentially about the school's code of conduct.
Even if things differ from your own common sense, follow the rules. That was all.
But her words sunk into the very depths of the heart and took root there.
Right—gotta follow the rules.
The thought that I should listen wasn't just because I used to be Japanese.
It was because of her words specifically that I wanted to comply.
"—I wish you all a fruitful student life."
Ariel concluded with those words and stepped down from the podium.
Just then, Fitz's gaze happened to lock onto me.
Even through the sunglasses it should have been impossible to tell, yet I was certain our eyes met.
His gaze was intense.
This is bad—I need to go buy a gift basket and apologize quickly…
---
After the enrollment ceremony ended, I parted ways with Elinalise and headed to my designated classroom.
I had to attend the once-a-month homeroom session.
From what I'd heard, there were currently only six special students, including me.
They were all difficult characters, and I'd been asked to please avoid any fights.
As if I needed to be told—I had no intention of fighting anyone.
No matter what they said, I'd humbly accept it and let it flow right off me.
Thinking that, I made my way to the far end of the three connected school buildings.
To a classroom at the very end of the third floor.
Along the way, there was a line drawn on the ground with a sign that read: "Beyond this point—Special Student Classroom."
It was like being quarantined.
Special students were supposed to have free run of the campus, weren't they?
Or maybe it was the opposite.
A precaution so that regular students wouldn't approach, because special students had too much pride and might cause trouble.
And once you slap a label like "special" on someone, they start believing it themselves.
Lost in these thoughts, I arrived at the classroom.
The plate above the door read "Special Student Room."
When it's written like that, it somehow gives off a bad vibe.
I quietly opened the door and slipped inside.
The classroom had a vaguely familiar feel to it.
A brand-new blackboard, a lectern and teacher's desk.
Wooden desks were arranged throughout the room.
The windows were shut, yet the classroom was oddly bright.
Four students were seated.
In the front row, a boy sat reading a book while taking notes—presumably studying.
Dark brown hair covering his eyes was his most striking feature.
He glanced at me briefly, then immediately looked away, losing interest.
At the back of the classroom, in the window seat at the far end, sat two girls.
Both were beast race.
One was gnawing on a bone-in piece of meat that looked tough as leather, eyeing me with a suspicious look. Dog-type.
The other had her feet up on the desk, hands clasped behind her head, leaning back and glaring at me. Cat-type.
Looking at these two reminded me of the pair of little girls I'd met in the Doldia village.
What were their names again?
Both were such good kids.
Compared to them, these two had no manners at all.
Total delinquents.
And the last one.
A man I felt like I'd seen somewhere before.
Long face, round glasses—
The kind of guy who'd have gotten the nickname "Spock" back in his school days.
He stared at me blankly for a while.
His expression unchanged, still wearing that blank look, he stood up with a clatter.
I opened my Foresight eye.
"Ma… Master!"
He swept his desk aside as if it were in his way.
He came barreling toward me like a runaway mine cart, scattering desks left and right.
Yes—he was charging at me!
"Stone Cannon!"
A direct hit to the face.
"Master!"
My Stone Cannon struck him square in the face with a tremendous crack, but he didn't even flinch.
It had enough power to knock out a grown man—was this thing completely unaffected?!
No way. Is this the power of a God-Child?!
He grabbed me around the waist and tried to lift me straight up.
"Whoa, whoa—calm down, hold it, hold it! Relax your shoulders, re-lax! Chill! Stop!"
I braced for impact with the ceiling.
But he just lifted me, and that was it.
"Master! Have you forgotten about me? It's Zanoba!"
Zanoba grinned from ear to ear as he gave me a perfectly proper embrace.
Was he a young lady from some seaside family?
"Oh, I remember. My disciple—please let go, you're scaring me."
The Third Prince of Shirone, Zanoba, was right there.
---
It turned out Zanoba had been sent to Ranoa Magic University under the guise of studying abroad.
Normally, a God-Child who couldn't control their power would be treated as a Curse-Child—nothing more than a seed of chaos, and they'd be refused admission.
But the Magic Guild had a research division that studied curses and blessings.
A God-Child was an invaluable specimen, and as a research subject, they couldn't ask for more.
So Zanoba had been accepted as a special student.
In exchange for being studied, they'd let him attend classes—that was the deal.
And since Zanoba had apparently developed an interest in magic, it was a match made in heaven.
"I too have been training in earth magic every day, following in Master's footsteps!"
That was Zanoba.
Such an earnest disciple.
"Is that so? I'm glad to see you're doing well, Your Highness.
Once things settle down, let's build a doll together."
"Yes!"
Zanoba nodded with a beaming face.
How nice.
It reminded me of a junior from middle school.
When I'd bragged about building my own PC, he'd latched onto me with that same enthusiasm.
"Ah wait—at this school, you'd be my senior, wouldn't you, Your Highness? What year are you now?"
"In my second year. But please—haha—don't call me Your Highness or Senior. Just call me Zanoba. You are my Master, after all."
"Zanoba."
"Yes, Master."
As Zanoba and I chatted away in this pleasant fashion—
THUD.
The sound of something slamming against a surface.
I couldn't help but turn toward the noise.
The cat-eared girl had taken one foot off the desk.
The other foot remained planted on it.
With her skirt on display, that area was dangerously close to being visible.
"Pissing me off, meow."
Meow!
Meow…
Speaking of "meow," that reminded me of the Doldia tribe.
And of Eris—no, I'd rather not think about that.
If I thought about Eris, I'd spiral into depression.
"Hey, Zanoba. What the hell are you chatting up with this new kid for?"
"Linia, this person is the Master I've told you about—"
"I ain't asking you anything, meow."
The cat-eared girl stamped her heel on the table in irritation.
"Zanoba. Hey. C'mon. You.
You understand, meow?
You get what I'm saying? Huh?"
Zanoba's face went rigid.
What—was this guy being bullied or something?
Zanoba was supposed to be incredibly strong, though…
Well, sometimes it was just that old athletic club-style pecking order.
"Got it? Then bring him over here."
She curled her finger at me, beckoning.
"Sorry, Master…"
"No, it's fine."
I approached the cat-eared girl just as I'd been told.
Cat ears and dog ears.
Both of them stared me down with piercing glares.
If it had been the old me, those eyes would've made my legs tremble.
But I wasn't that scared anymore.
How should I put it—they needed more of a...
Just glaring wasn't enough.
They should inject some killing intent.
The real ones did.
"Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm Rudeus Greyrat.
I'll be in your care from today onward. I'll be sure not to overstep.
Please take care of me."
I bowed deeply—a proper Japanese-style bow.
In a situation like this, it was best to be as deferential as possible.
And to keep my distance as much as possible.
Linia let out an amused snort.
"Heh. Can't say I hate someone who knows their place.
I'm Linia Dedoldia. Fifth year, meow.
Believe it or not, I'm the daughter of Gyes, the warrior chief of the Great Forest Doldia's settlement.
I'm gonna be tribal chief someday, meow. So you'd better start showing respect now."
So she really was Doldia.
And Gyes's daughter, at that.
Come to think of it, I'd heard the eldest daughter was studying in another country.
So it was here.
Nostalgic.
"Oh, really?! When I visited the Doldia settlement, Gyes was incredibly kind to me!
Man, what an honor—running into the daughter of my benefactor right here!
Oh, which means you're Gustav's granddaughter, right?
Gustav helped me out a ton too! He let me stay at his place during the rainy season and everything!"
"O-oh, so you knew Gramps—d-didn't know that…"
I rattled it off like a machine gun, and Linia just stared at me, completely taken aback.
Not that it mattered, but the impact from her kicking the desk earlier had caused her skirt to ride up, and... that area was on full display.
Light blue, was it?
The girl next to her, the one who'd been eating meat, sniffed once and grimaced.
"Smells awful…"
Rude right off the bat.
Was she saying I was the one who stank?
But I kept my composure.
I gave a graceful bow toward the dog-ear girl.
"Pardon me. Might I ask your name, Senior?"
"…………Perrsen, it is. Just like Linia, mostly."
"Perrsen! Beautiful name. It's wonderful to meet you!"
She pressed her nose, turned her face away, and sniffed.
"…Fuck, it is."
Was that last word an insult?
Coming from a girl like her, honestly, it'd make a middle-aged man excited.
In any case, my preemptive strike was a success.
I wanted to believe they wouldn't mess with me for no reason going forward.
---
Zanoba had listened to the whole exchange with a troubled expression.
After they'd left, he asked in a low voice:
"Master, why were you so groveling?"
"…My disciple, avoiding unnecessary conflict is also an important skill."
"Yes, but…if Master says so, then I have nothing to say."
Zanoba nodded reluctantly.
I didn't know what had happened to him before, but if those two ever tried to bully him again, I'd be sure to step in as his shield.
Bullying is wrong. Absolutely, unequivocally wrong.
"Hey."
Just as I was thinking this, a voice called from behind.
"Yes? Can I help you?"
I turned to find the boy from the front row standing there.
"You—was that Rudeus you said earlier?"
"Yes. Rudeus Greyrat. A pleasure to meet you."
I gave a polite nod, and the boy looked taken aback.
"Cliff Grimoire. I'm a genius mage."
A genius mage, huh.
Impressive.
And he just called himself a genius out loud.
Wasn't he embarrassed by that?
"I'm only in my second year, but I've already mastered all four offensive elements at the advanced level.
Healing, detox, and holy light are all advanced too. Barrier magic is still beginner, but I'll hit intermediate soon enough. There just aren't any decent teachers around here."
"That's incredible."
I offered my genuine praise.
Him calling himself a genius suddenly made sense.
Mastering seven advanced-level magics in just two years—how much effort would that even require?
I was at intermediate for healing magic and beginner for detox.
I always knew there were people above me, but
Wow, there really were some remarkable people out there.
So this was the special classroom.
The only reason my pride wasn't wounded was probably because I'd achieved Saint-level in water magic.
"It took me two years to master advanced-level in four offensive elements.
You're really something, Senior."
"…Tch. Don't get cocky."
I meant it as a genuine compliment, but Cliff clicked his tongue and scowled.
He looked like he was about to grab me by the collar.
He had to look up at me slightly because of the height difference.
"You use swordsmanship too, not just magic, right?"
"Well, yes—just casually, though…"
Technically, I was at intermediate level in the Sword God Style.
As for the Water God Style, I'd practically forgotten it.
I still swung a wooden sword as part of strength training, but
I'd never used a sword in actual combat.
Just casually.
To be blunt, I could never master the physical enhancement that Eris, Ruijerd, and other swordsmen used as naturally as breathing, so I'd more or less given up on the path of the sword.
Even so…
"Who told you I could use a sword?"
"………Eris."
My heart skipped a beat.
Had he met Eris in