Riding Beast Creation: Pass

There were days without full-day lectures, and I expressed my desire to visit the Library, but as expected, Richalda shot me down. Instead, I devoted myself to preparing manuscripts for future printing—converting stories that had been told in children's spoken language into proper written form. With this, printing from spring onward would no longer be a problem.

The next day, I had a music practical in the afternoon. The teacher assigned an evaluation piece, and if you could play it, you passed. Since it was a piece I had already practiced as an assignment from the Chief Priest, I ran through it a few times while reading the sheet music, performed before the teacher, and received my pass immediately.

"Lady Rozemyne, you practice not only your own pieces but many other pieces as well, don't you?"

"I simply do as my musicians and teachers tell me to and practice accordingly."

"I imagine you'll be bringing that musician along as well? I look forward to the tea party."

"Both my musician and I are so excited and honored to receive invitations to the teachers' tea party that we can hardly sleep."

"Oh my."

After exchanging such conversation, I finished my music practical. In truth, Rosina, who had been working hard on composing lyrics, arranging, and practicing new songs, had been cutting into her sleep time a little. She seemed to be looking forward to the tea party—her expression would occasionally slip into an excited state of barely contained anticipation.

"Rozemyne, you finished awfully quickly."

Wilfried appeared to be struggling, as it was a piece he had never played before. He glared stubbornly at the sheet music, fighting to get through it. When he finally wrung out a pass and returned to his seat where I was already sitting, he gave a slight shrug.

"You can play anything with ease. You must have a talent for the fespil."

"That's not it at all. Lord Ferdinand keeps piling on increasingly difficult assignments. I was made to practice this piece right after my debut."

"Right after your debut?"

The piece Wilfried had played at his debut was one of just the right difficulty for a child of his age. It seemed he had truly realized just how great the gap between them was at that point, and Wilfried blinked rapidly.

"If you want to become a master of the fespil, why not take lessons from Lord Ferdinand? He assigns five or six pieces every season, and Rosina and I have to practice desperately just to be prepared for when he tells us to play them at any moment."

As the end of the season approached, there was always that nervous daily practice of wondering when he would say "Bring your fespil." And once you passed the performance evaluation, a brand-new assignment piece with an even higher difficulty level would be handed out. When I explained this, Wilfried lightly closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Only you could keep up with Uncle's demands so effortlessly. I might tolerate it for magic power or magical tools, but I don't want Uncle's music education. I'm fine the way I am now."

"I am by no means keeping up effortlessly, you know..."

And then, the next day.

The second-year reference materials were already nearing completion. For the most part, it was just a matter of properly organizing the information that had been gathered last year, the reference books that I had paid people who could visit the Library to borrow, and the notes that Eckhart and the Chief Priest had written down, so it didn't take much time.

"A great many lectures have changed quite a bit compared to the days of the Chief Priest and Lord Eckhart, haven't they?"

Up until now, I hadn't noticed, because I had only been looking at materials for the knight apprentice lectures as part of the "Raise Angelica's Grades Squad" activities. But when I compared the first- and second-year materials from recent years to older ones, there were several lectures whose content had changed drastically.

As I said this while looking through the manuscripts of the reference materials we had all created together, Philine gave a light shrug.

"It seems there was a change in teachers after the civil unrest, so it would be unusual if the lecture content hadn't changed significantly."

Apparently, teachers usually had assistants, and when they retired or passed away, the assistant would become the next teacher and deliver lectures on similar content.

However, when there was a civil unrest and large-scale purges, teachers and assistants typically belonged to the same faction and were dismissed en masse. When that happened, it seems there were cases where the lecture content showed a clear break.

"If they just checked last year's reference materials in the Library before lecturing, that would be sufficient..."

"Researchers must have their own pride. They probably wouldn't want to give lectures that were no different from those of people who were dismissed during the civil unrest, right?"

Wilfried, who was comparing materials alongside me, said this. Researchers' pride was important, but I wished they would show a little more concern for how difficult this made things for students.

"Then last year's reference materials would become useless, wouldn't they?"

For students like me who aimed for first-try passes, lectures that rendered last year's reference materials completely useless were an enormous nuisance. The path to the Library was being moved further and further away. When I voiced this complaint, Philine laughed softly.

"...Then, if you consider that reference materials containing the new lecture content will increase in the Library, wouldn't Lady Rozemyne's anger be somewhat eased?"

"Philine, you're clever. I'm starting to feel just a little bit grateful for the civil unrest."

"Everything depends on how you look at it," Wilfried agreed, nodding.

"...We're nearly finished with the reference materials, but what will you do after this, Philine?"

"I've been planning to hold a tea party where lower-ranking nobles aspiring to become apprentice civil officials will gather."

Having finished the reference materials, Philine was going to begin building connections with lower-ranking nobles from other territories. She reported that she would be stepping into social settings to gather useful information.

"Naturally, I'm still nervous about joining upper-year tea parties, so we decided to practice together... So, um, is there anything I should be careful about regarding topics of conversation at tea parties?"

"That is indeed something I also need to think carefully about."

"I have a tea party with cousins coming up too. We need to sit down together and discuss at length—me along with the upper-year students—about how much information is appropriate to share."

As we were pondering this with "hmm"s, Hartmut, who had come down to the multipurpose hall during his free morning period since the lectures he had already passed were in the afternoon, offered some advice.

"I'm certain they'll ask about Ehrenfest's improved academic performance, Philine."

Hartmut said that even I, despite being in a different grade, was receiving all sorts of questions. It seemed that Ehrenfest, thanks to the Academic Achievement Improvement Committee's activities, had an overall increase in early-pass students for written lectures, and the feat of every first-year student passing on their first try had made Ehrenfest the center of attention.

"Wilfried is the one who stands out for academic excellence, but Lady Rozemyne stands out in all sorts of ways."

The kind of ways I stood out were all inglorious—losing multiple magic stones during magic power control and having to stay behind until the very end, attacking a teacher with a riding beast shaped like a magical animal, collapsing in the Innermost Chamber and nearly dying.

"Lady Rozemyne doesn't only stand out in inglorious ways. She's composed numerous new music pieces, nearly aced all her written lectures, passed the court etiquette practical on her first try—she stands out in excellent ways as well."

"So, Hartmut, what do you say when people around you ask questions?"

Feeling deflated about my unfortunate notoriety, I asked Hartmut, and he answered with a perfectly pleasant smile.

"I tell them that our improved grades are all thanks to the Saint of Ehrenfest. Next year will be even more surprising, I say."

"Hartmut!?"

"Isn't it the truth? The Ehrenfest Academic Achievement Improvement Committee was Lady Rozemyne's idea, and the first-years' remarkable progress is the fruit of Lady Rozemyne's passion for the Library. Next year, those who have increased their magic power through the Rozemyne-style magic compression method will be even more active. I'm not lying at all."

Hartmut said this with a beaming face.

"There's no need to share details with other territories. We can keep things vague, but we must never tell lies. You have to start by earning trust before you can even begin to deceive enemies."

As Hartmut declared this with a smile, Philine gazed at him with respect, saying, "I shall answer in the same manner."

"How terrible! Those absurdly exaggerated rumors about the Saint of Ehrenfest must have been Hartmut's doing!"

"...Lady Rozemyne, you're misunderstanding. It's not just my doing. Ehrenfest as a whole has been spreading them."

"That makes it even worse! At least attribute it to Lord Wilfried, who has a high likelihood of being the next Lord."

I argued that I would simply blend in with the regular students and hole up in the Library, but both Hartmut and everyone else in the multipurpose hall told me, "No matter how you look at it, it's already too late."

"Besides, getting Lord Wilfried used to having Lady Rozemyne's achievements handed over to him isn't good for his growth."

"Mm, I shall do the very best I can with what I can do."

The two of them said this, and I accepted it—completely failing to notice that the legend of the Saint of Ehrenfest was about to accelerate further.

From the afternoon onward was the riding beast creation practical. Having caused Frauleurm, the dormitory supervisor of the Arnsbach dormitory, to faint during the last lecture, I was apparently so disliked that rumors were spreading that I had attacked her with a riding beast modeled after a magical animal.

...Being disliked is whatever, but not receiving my pass would be a problem.

Since I had struck a deal with Hirschur, I figured it would work out, but a small amount of anxiety still lingered regarding Hirschur as well.

...She won't forget and actually come to the lecture, will she?

If she got absorbed in her research, she might easily forget her promise with me. Hirschur was the type to distill all of the Chief Priest's mad-scientist qualities into a single person, so I couldn't help but worry.

However, my worries proved unfounded, and Hirschur came to the riding beast creation practical—bringing several teachers along, no less.

"My, teachers. What on earth happened?"

"When I had to suspend my blending work because Frauleurm fainted last time, I thought it would be troublesome to be summoned again. So I figured it was better to observe from the start this time."

Hirschur chuckled, her purple eyes glinting brightly.

"It's not that I bear that much of a grudge about the failed materials being wasted. I just wanted to be compensated for them."

"W-well, you should be charging the dangerous student who attacked me with a riding beast."

"...Um, the part about being attacked—that's a bit much, isn't it? From what I saw last time, there was nothing resembling an attack. Isn't Frauleurm simply making a huge fuss over nothing?"

"W-what did you say?!"

Frauleurm bristled, and at almost the same moment, a gentle-looking but sharp-eyed old man of a teacher stepped between them.

"Now, let's all calm down. Since there's a rumor that a student attacked with a riding beast modeled after a magical animal, wouldn't it be better to bring in additional teachers for safety's sake? It would also help establish Frauleurm's legitimacy."

The old man teacher said they would bring in several teachers to verify safety and address the rumors. Frauleurm, who had apparently started the "dangerous" rumor herself, had no choice but to accept.

"In that case, you should all confirm just how dangerous this student truly is."

Frauleurm said this in a tone that sounded like sore loser's bravado, then strode to the center of the student group and told them to produce the magic stones they would be using for their riding beasts.

For my own safety, I moved closer to Hirschur and took out my magic stone. At that point, several teachers began repositioning themselves around me as if to surround me.

I was thinking they didn't need to be that cautious when Hirschur gave a soft laugh.

"...Everyone is interested in Lady Rozemyne's new form of riding beast. The ones I can get to come along are all research enthusiasts who love new things."

In other words, I wasn't being guarded—I was being watched with eyes full of curiosity and interest, like people observing a research subject. To demonstrate that my lesser bus was not dangerous, it seemed I would have to quietly let myself be treated as an exhibit this time.

...As long as I get my pass, I'll endure being a sideshow.

According to Hirschur, when I had collapsed in the Innermost Chamber and the lesser bus had been seen by several teachers, they had called it "rare" and "unique," saying its slow, lumbering movements didn't look like a glynn at all. This had piqued the curiosity of a number of teachers.

"I would also like to take a close look at it again so I can create a new riding beast."

Hirschur held up the magic stone she had prepared for her own use and smiled happily.

"Those who can shape the form of the riding beast, please go ahead and do so."

With Frauleurm's announcement and the surrounding teachers urging me on with "Come on, hurry up," I produced a single-seat lesser bus.

"Oh ho, so this is... It does look a bit dim, but it's certainly a glynn."

"There's a seat, but how on earth do you ride it?"

I stepped back slightly from the lesser bus as the researchers touched and examined it.

"You said this riding beast can also change its size, correct?"

Prompted by Hirschur, I changed the lesser bus to about the size of a tall family car.

I opened the entrance so someone could get in, and a delighted Hirschur climbed inside, touching everything everywhere. She had done the same thing last time, so there was not a shred of hesitation in her movements.

"So this is how you ride it."

The researchers' love of new things proved no exaggeration, as several teachers filed in one after another, looking around inside.

"Lady Rozemyne, what is this?"

"How do you make it move?"

"Oh, the seating is quite comfortable."

The teachers who had supposedly come to verify the danger of a magical-animal-modeled riding beast were boarding the lesser bus and getting excited as they examined the interior. The students around them wore stunned expressions.

"Look. Teacher Hirschur is riding in with her skirt still on."

"Now that you mention it, I believe I heard it could be ridden without changing into riding attire..."

"If this were a schummil, it might look quite cute."

The female students, their interest piqued, began closing the distance little by little, chatting among themselves.

The lesser bus resembled a glynn, but the first-year students, who didn't yet recognize the glynn as a magical animal, felt no fear and gradually approached out of curiosity.

"It's dangerous! To approach such an outrageous thing!"

Frauleurm shouted desperately, but that nothing dangerous was actually happening was obvious at a glance from the teachers' casual demeanor as they rode around examining everything.

"Well then, shall I also try creating a new riding beast with Lady Rozemyne's as reference? I had been thinking it would be nice to have a riding beast that could safely carry materials and tools."

"Can a new riding beast be created so easily? My guard knights told me they couldn't handle two different ones..."

"Switching between two in the heat of the moment might be difficult for a knight, but if there's time to think at leisure, it's possible to shift your thinking and create one. I'm fine with my old riding beast no longer working, so there's no problem."

Looking at the lesser bus, Hirschur took her magic stone and began creating a new riding beast. Perhaps because she was accustomed to handling magic power, she produced a new riding beast with surprising ease.

"Waaah!"

When Hirschur's riding beast took shape, cheers erupted from the surrounding students. What had appeared next to the lesser bus was a single-seat riding beast with a schummil's head.

Unlike the lesser bus, it had reins instead of a handle and apparently wasn't designed to carry passengers—there was only one seat, though there was a place to put luggage. It was truly a riding beast made for Hirschur.

When Hirschur moved her hand slightly, the entrance opened with a wobbly motion, just like the lesser bus. She climbed in with her skirt still on, and upon sitting in the seat—which had been constructed just like the one in my riding beast—she grasped the reins that hung where a handle would be.

Hirschur flowed magic power into it and controlled the reins as she would any other riding beast, and the schummil-type riding beast began to move, able to race around the small hall. It seemed Hirschur had properly visualized even flying through the air, despite having no wings.

...She might be more adaptable than the Chief Priest.

"You can control it with the reins without any issues. The method of operation is the same as before. Being able to sit comfortably in a seat makes for a very elegant riding experience."

Hirschur stepped out of the schummil-type riding beast and nodded with a satisfied smile, clearly pleased with how it rode.

"Teacher Hirschur, please teach us how to make this riding beast."

"I would like to know as well."

The familiar reins and schummil-like appearance seemed to be well-received, and the female students clamored to imitate Hirschur's design. Having whipped up a schummil-type riding beast in the blink of an eye, Hirschur instantly became a favorite among the girls. No students swarmed around my lesser bus anymore.

"...Lesser-kun is cute too, you know."

"He may not be cute, but he was certainly a fascinating thing."

The old man teacher said this as if to console me, then mentioned what a rewarding harvest it had been before leaving the small hall.

"If you can fly a circuit through the airspace above the Noble Academy on a riding beast you created yourself, you pass the riding beast creation practical."

That was what Hirschur told me, and we set off on our aerial drive. The small hall had become crowded with riding beasts, and students who had grown accustomed to riding were told to return their beasts to their magic stones and head outside.

When I stepped outside, I felt my body shrink back from the cold winter air. I quickly brought out my lesser bus, climbed in, and grasped the handle. Inside the lesser bus, the wind couldn't reach me, so it was still relatively warm.

...But compared to Ehrenfest, the Noble Academy isn't that cold.

It was winter, so of course it was cold, but Ehrenfest was much colder with deeper snow. Feeling this difference in climate helped me truly realize that I was no longer in Ehrenfest.

"Shall we go?"

I chased after Hirschur's schummil-type riding beast as it flew ahead, racing through the sky on my lesser bus. Frauleurm was staying behind to watch over the students who were progressing slowly.

Several riding beasts flew in a line through the airspace above the Noble Academy.

For the first time, I was able to see the Noble Academy in its entirety. Up until now, I had used the teleportation circle to reach the dormitory, and from the dormitory I could reach the corridor in front of the lecture hall simply by opening the entrance door, so I had never seen the exterior of either the Noble Academy or the dormitory.

The Noble Academy sat atop a high mountain. I was greeted by an astonishingly vast expanse of grounds, surrounded on all sides by the slopes of a deep forest. The largest building immediately below was the Main Building, which housed the lecture hall and similar facilities, and white buildings extended outward, enveloping a small hill.

Evergreen trees resembling firs that never lost their leaves even in winter were draped in snow like garments, giving the entire scenery a whitish hue. The white buildings dotted sporadically throughout the forest must each be the various dormitories. As I raced in a circuit around the Noble Academy grounds, I saw many buildings, but honestly, I couldn't tell which one was Ehrenfest's dormitory. However, just as I had heard before, I thought it was interesting that the dormitories came in various architectural styles.

...If it's a building that resembles a castle, then it's either that one or this one.

The Noble Academy was surrounded by slopes and deep forest on all sides, and further enclosed by the sea of clouds below, so I couldn't see what was down there at all. Perhaps on a clear day, it would be visible.

From what I could see looking down as I circled the grounds, it seemed that nothing existed in this place except the Noble Academy and its dormitories. At the very least, there was no sign of a commoner town or farmland nearby, unlike the Noble District in Ehrenfest. It was as if the Noble Academy itself were one massive temple.

...A holy land?

This place might well be the land of origin described in the Holy Book—the land where gods descended and granted power to a king to govern the people.

Contemplating this, I continued my circuit around the Noble Academy grounds.

The Noble Academy, wrapped in snow, was so mystical it was as if it would be no surprise if gods themselves descended upon it.

"Riding beast creation: Pass."

I successfully earned my pass for the riding beast creation lecture.

And thanks to Hirschur, ride-in riding beasts became a trend among the female students.

Rozemyne, who gained more free time yet still can't visit the Library.

And all sorts of rumors are swirling.

I finally got to see the Noble Academy from the outside.

Next up is learning how to use the Stab.