Chapter 39
The Main Base, which I could finally look around at my leisure, was on a scale more fitting to be called a town or castle rather than a base.
Like Res Limen, it was divided into inner and outer areas, with schools and guilds established in the Main Base. It felt like seeing a miniature version of Res Limen.
"Well then, take care."
Dustin, who belonged to Celsus and had a base in the Main Base befitting a large school, was headed in a different direction from us.
I returned Dustin's greeting.
"You too."
Dustin gave a sly smile, briefly glanced behind me, and patted my shoulder.
"Have fun. Let me know how it goes."
"You're still talking nonsense."
"I'm just saying this as your senior~"
Senior my ass, everyone knows that guy is a virgin.
Sorry, but Philon spilled everything.
"Anyway, see you at the license exam."
Dustin, unaware that I knew his big secret, disappeared with a carefree attitude.
After brief greetings with the Celsus School people, we also gradually parted ways.
"As I said before, I'll sell the magic stone and send you half the proceeds. Along with the processed hide."
Teresia was talking about the byproducts of the Chromatic Fiend.
She had offered to give me everything, but I decided we should split it in half.
After all, unlike me, whose connections were essentially limited to my fellow trainees, it would be much better for Teresia to handle it with her access to a large school's infrastructure.
And keeping such things all to oneself led to indigestion.
If I took everything, there was no doubt in my mind that people would try to steal it.
But if it was known that the Blostma School officially took it, there was no room for such bold thieves to act.
I basically considered it a kind of fee for borrowing their name.
The compensation for the rescue would be calculated separately anyway.
"The senior and I will talk about it, but you might be asked for a statement later. Our school will also contact you regarding compensation."
"I suppose so."
Six people had died.
The Blostma School, already short-handed despite being a new school that had rapidly grown to join the ranks of the six major schools, wouldn't treat the death of six members lightly.
Teresia glanced around briefly, then came closer to me and whispered softly, "I'll keep the relic a secret. Just let me know the appraisal results later."
Teresia's voice, languid in the daytime, tickled my ear.
I pulled my head back and nodded.
"Alright, put in a good word with Fiona for me."
"Okay."
Teresia was in charge of reporting this incident to the Public Security Force.
She had experienced more than us, and she had a backing that could ignore external pressure.
Mea and I were planning to return to Res Limen through the gate from here.
We also needed to send certification to the Union that we had completed our training.
While Dustin and Teresia had trained with their schools and would have everything handled by them, Mea and I had to certify ourselves as we had done individual training.
"Then we'll be going. If anything comes up, contact the Telema School."
"Okay."
As I was about to part ways after exchanging farewells with Teresia.
"Ah, um... that..."
Suddenly, Priscilla grabbed the hem of my clothes.
She had grabbed my clothes, but even she seemed surprised by her action, stumbling over her words.
Just as she seemed to have steeled herself, biting her lip and about to open her mouth, Mea smoothly intervened from the side.
Mea's body, blocking me, naturally removed Priscilla's hand.
The movement was so natural that I almost gaslit myself into believing such action was normal.
As expected of a dark elf. A race of stealth, indeed.
Mea, standing in front of me as if protecting me, spoke to Priscilla, "Get to the point."
Was it because of the height difference?
Mea, speaking to Priscilla, looked just like a young sister scolding her older sister.
"Uh, okay."
Priscilla fidgeted, twiddling her fingers at Mea's words.
Is she still affected by the Chromatic Fiend's mental attack?
But soon, Priscilla bowed deeply and spoke in a clear voice, "Thank you. Really... I'll come visit later. You're welcome to come to our school too. If you're interested in joining, I could even recommend you under my name."
A school admission recommendation.
At Priscilla's rank of Senior, she would be considered a core force even in a large school.
The level above that, Expert, was leader-class for expeditions, and Master was a decisive weapon that even large schools only had a few of.
Senior rank could be said to have some say in matters.
However, Senior rank still seemed slightly insufficient to make recommendations.
Priscilla was saying she would recommend me even if it meant risking her reputation within the school in the future.
When I didn't answer immediately, Priscilla added, "We don't usually accept men, but we're not completely closed to them."
"No."
The answer came not from my mouth but from someone else's.
"Meddling in another school’s affairs isn’t right?"
"That's hard to ignore, Senior."
It was Mea and Teresia who were stepping in while the actual parties involved remained silent.
"You say it's the school's affair, but it's just training, isn't it?"
"...For now."
"Then it shouldn't matter, right?"
They weren’t children.
Although they looked like children on the outside, both Mea and Teresia were older than me.
Why are they acting like this?
"Both of you, that's enough. Priscilla, was it? I’ll be receiving compensation from the Blostma School, so don't worry too much about it. We'll see each other again if there's another opportunity. Teresia, you should go too. Fiona must be quite worried."
"...Okay."
When I stepped in to mediate, everyone backed down obediently.
With that, we dispersed.
After sending Priscilla and Teresia off, I lowered my head towards Mea's gaze, looking up at me from below.
I could clearly see the top of Mea's head, which only reached my solar plexus.
I've thought this since I first saw her, but Mea resembled a cat.
I used to think she looked like a sleepy cat, but now that she was well-rested, her subtly sharp eyes were revealed.
Her eyes, which used to be unfocused, were now looking at me with utmost clarity.
"Shall we get going too?"
Mea silently nodded.
Then she took the lead, walking briskly.
While pulling on the hem of my clothes that Priscilla had just grabbed.
§
Outer City of Res Limen.
In front of the Telema School.
It was the first time I had seen the Telema School building in nearly two weeks.
I never thought the training, which I originally expected to last 1-2 days or, at most, 2-3 days, would stretch out this long.
Well, thanks to that, I fulfilled all the required training hours in one trip to the Abyss.
In the end, it could be said that it turned out even better.
I gained a lot too.
Although I wasn’t sure of the specifics just yet, according to Mea, Hecate had some expertise in appraisal, so I’d know soon.
I'm looking forward to it.
When I entered the Telema School building with a heart pounding with anticipation.
What greeted me wasn't the mature woman with reddish-brown hair I had expected, but two very familiar girls about a span shorter than her.
"You're late!"
"Did you wait long?"
It’s Rei and Leaf.
"Why are you two here...?"
"You're here!"
The door behind the counter opened with a thud, and Hecate rushed out.
"I really waited... You said you'd come tomorrow... You said tomorrow..."
Hecate spoke as if she was about to burst into tears, clinging to Mea.
Coming tomorrow?
That was what we said when we left, but after arriving at the Main Base, we sent word that the schedule had changed and it would be longer...
"Mea."
"..."
Mea turned her head slightly, avoiding my call.
She forgot.
She said it was her duty as an instructor, but she completely forgot about it.
"And these kids suddenly barged in asking where Roman was, demanding we hand over Roman... I was really scared at first, thinking they came to tell us we failed the regular review!"
Ah, is this the sorrow of the school head of a small school?
"I-it wasn't that bad!"
"That's right. We just asked where Roman was, that's all."
"Liar! You asked if we were using Roman as an experimental subject!"
Oh, Rei.
I understand, but you really don't think ahead much, do you?
No matter how unimpressive Hecate might look, she was still a school head, you know?
She could wipe out everyone here if she really wanted to, you know?
"Ahem, I'm sorry, Hecate. They're my team members."
"Haa, okay. Mea, you and I need to talk later."
"...Sorry."
This time, even Mea seemed to be subdued by Hecate without a peep.
"But were you two staying here then?"
"Ah, no. This is a school, after all, not an inn, you know?"
"We came in the morning and waited until evening before leaving."
"We got lodgings nearby."
I see.
I should probably move to lodgings with them too.
As Hecate said, this wasn't an inn.
No matter how desperate the situation, Hecate must have a line she couldn't cross.
The weight of being the head of a school with a long history, the pride of carrying on the will of the predecessors who maintained the school, must be supporting her—
"Really, the prices are too steep. The cost of one night here could get you a week at an inn with money to spare."
"Truly, can you believe it's 1000 lupe per night?"
Ah...
"Eh, ehehe. Well, enjoy your reunion. I have some things to discuss with Mea..."
Hecate picked up Mea and disappeared behind the counter, avoiding my cold gaze.
"Well then, shall we talk too?"
§
That night.
I escorted Rei and Leaf back to their lodgings and returned to the Telema School.
They said I could stay until the training was completely over.
The more money I could save, the better.
Besides, even if I got an inn room, I wouldn't be sharing it with Rei or Leaf anyway.
"Roman, are you asleep?"
Mea?
What's she doing at this hour?
I cut off my communication with the two Devils I had been talking to and said, "No, I'm up. Come in."
Since I hadn't locked the door, Mea opened it and came right in.
I felt a bit relieved at Mea's usual attire with no exposure, dispelling the doubt I had in a corner of my mind, thinking, “What if.”
"I have a favor to ask."
Ah, is it that?
I had some idea of what it might be.
She probably came to talk about officially joining the school.
That must have been part of her conversation with Hecate.
Maybe Mea came instead of Hecate, who was the school head, because she had more of a bond with me.
But contrary to my expectation that it would be something as light as joining the school, the favor Mea wanted to ask was something incredibly heavy.
"I want you to brand me."