Published at 25th of March 2019 9:39 pm

Chapter 108: Academy’s summer vacation

Academy Town is now in summer vacation.

In this time, the students that make up most of the people in this town decrease a lot, so the business activity is curtailed as well, is what one would normally think, but that’s not actually the case.

It is especially noticeable in Rotsgard which is in the center. Things like the towns in the area, sightseeing, and teachers that autonomously hold lectures in summer, actually gather students.

Of course, the students that attend the schools of the towns in the area most can’t compare to the students here. The teachers take that into consideration and put up their lectures with that thinking in mind. By the way, the only ones doing this kind of lectures are part-time teachers. For them this is a good chance to make pocket money. Maybe the fulltime teachers have work in summer vacation as well, or maybe they glorify the long break; they don’t do lectures at summer vacation. There really is not a single one. It has probably become a custom of sorts.

“Even if the extracurricular classes are cheaper than the regular ones… to come to school in summer vacation, that’s pretty impressive. I, aside from club activities, didn’t attend to any of those”

“That most likely means there’s a good amount of people that wish to decrease the distance between others, to reach them. From our perspective, this is a happy moment as it increases the customers”

“And it seems the Rembrandt sisters didn’t return home. Just before entering summer vacation, there was an unreasonable letter from Rembrandt-san asking to bring his daughters to Tsige”

“And for some reason, there was a letter from his wife in the same day as well. Telling us to ignore the letter of her husband. She revoked his request immediately”

A slight space of silence after.

“Aaah, its summer huh”

“It’s indeed summer”

Shiki and I were in the academy’s library investigating. At morning we read books here, check the situation of the store in the afternoon, and from evening to night I hear the reports of Asora and do training. There was a time where I temporarily felt disgust at my useless self, but it was also the time where I decided to move forward in my own way. I think this is most likely because I have been influenced by Jin, Amelia and the other students’ frantic attitude. They and I are different existences, but seeing people trying their hardest to move forward even if a bit, it also encourages me to do my best as well.

“Ah, now that I think about it, at the previous class, Jin seemed like he wanted to say something. Do you know anything about that Shiki?” (Makoto)

“No. He looked pretty cornered, so he probably didn’t have the leeway of saying it out loud. I certainly did feel as if he was perplexed” (Shiki)

At the last lecture before summer vacation, I had them do a mock battle as an enjoyment lecture in the latter half, but for some reason the seven of them were looking at me as if trembling in fear and after, they fell on their knees.

[Sif and Yuno also, try to confirm all that you have learned until now in real combat]

Saying that, I incorporated the sisters in the enjoyment lecture that has been done by the five until now. Maybe they were already expecting this, the students made a formation smoothly.

That’s why I didn’t say anything and nod. I summoned blue lizard-kun, a mist lizard… Since there were more people now, I called for two.

[Let me introduce you. Blue lizard-kun Zwei]

Not presenting themselves and beginning battle would be unrefined, so even though it was a short, I introduced Zwei-kun. However, it was at that instant, everyone stiffened.

It seems that there were even some that were shaking. They have already bettered their foundations and their battle tactics have widened a good amount, and yet they expected to fight 7 against 1? How hyuman-like thinking.

They thought they would be fighting only one as usual, so Jin was the first one to shout out.

“There’s more!!”

[Why are you stating the obvious? 7 against 1 wouldn’t be training at all. But well, you certainly do have a point there. You couldn’t even defeat one right? Fumu, I will give you the option of going all 7 against 2 or divide in 4 vs 1 and 3 vs 1]

‘You, what’s the point of even doing that?’

The students’ eyes were clearly saying that.

What’s the point? These guys are pros at group fights you know. 7 against 2 is obviously going to be more difficult. Well, it would be good for them to learn how to coordinate, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“U… Uhm, Raidou-sensei? This is only for reference but, this new one is as strong?”

[Of course. Blue lizard-kun excels in technique, but Zwei-kun excels in strength. Both are excellent warriors. By the way, they specialize in group fights]

Amelia. Isn’t that obvious? Why would I bring two with difference in ability?

“Well I was wondering if summoning those two isn’t putting a burden in your body or something like that”

[No problem]

It is actually not even a summon. I just open a gate, so it can be one or everyone and it wouldn’t change the burden.

Maybe they still had space to think properly, they decided on dividing. The team distribution was mostly as expected.

Jin, Yuno, Amelia, Izumo.

Daena, Misura, Sif.

Well, in the end, both teams were unable to win. But they were able to fight a whole lot better than last time, and just like that, the class finished.

Jin said he wanted to get advice after the lesson, so I was going to listen to what he wanted but…

“I will leave it for a later time” (Jin)

Is what he said with a feeble voice lacking of air and left. And so we are now at present. Since we are already at summer vacation time, it was probably not that important of a talk. Maybe he wanted me to treat him lunch?

If that’s what he wanted, then it certainly would be hard to say after moving so much. It would all go back to the top after all.

———

“At that time only Sif wasn’t collapsed on the floor huh. However, depending on how they handle it, their skills should allow them to enter a further step. Why is it that they are overwhelmed to such a point?” (Shiki)

While voicing out his question, Shiki doesn’t stop reading his book. It seems that he can concentrate his thoughts on two things at the same time.

“Maybe because they are accustomed? Seeing them like that, I think they will properly make a countermeasure by next time and do one step forward. And well you see, everyone is a good child, so they are most likely more cautious than necessary” (Makoto)

“The second phase huh. If they know that the strength and speed increased, they will certainly complain again” (Shiki)

“I can picture it already. If they handle it the same way as in the first phase, leaving aside blue lizard-kun, Zwei-kun would blow anyone away in a single hit and take them out of the fight” (Makoto)

In the library where there’s only a few presences of people, Shiki and I were talking about the students. The mist lizards also seem to be having fun with it, and it would also help as training for holding back. Well, no idea if it would be of any use in the future though.

If their growth is too slow, it would stress the lizards, so I wish Jin and the others good luck.

“… Raidou-sama” (Shiki)

[Yeah, someone has come. Speaking of the devil huh]

Grasping the presence that is approaching, I change into written communication. A presence I know of.

Putting on a posture where both of us are reading, we wait for them to arrive.

“Excuse me for the intrusion. Raidou-sensei, can I have a bit of your time?”

[Jin huh. What do you need?]

The ones who approached were the students that Shiki and I were talking about. As expected, they were still at the academy, and I see Sif and Yuno here too. Rembrandt-san must be crying. Even if I take into account his wife’s letter, I certainly understand that he wants them to at least return home once.

“I have something I want to consult you about” (Jin)

Hearing Jin talking in a courteous manner, I had an uncomfortable feeling. At the same time, I am surprised that he is able to speak this way.

[Let’s hear it]

“Actually, about this summer vacation, I don’t mind if it is in times where sensei is able to, can you please train us?” (Jin)

[In the middle of summer vacation?]

“Yes. I heard that you are not doing extracurricular lessons. Of course, we will properly pay for the number of times we receive lessons, so please” (Jin)

…

Even though it is a long period holiday, they surely are motivated. I was thinking about using this vacation to concentrate mostly on work and training though.

Moreover, they came and said they would properly pay for the lessons. Impressive. If there were high school students who pay with their own money for summer lessons, it would be pretty out of norms in modern times.

[Is this a consensus from everyone? Is there someone who wants to return home? Especially Sif and Yuno. You should have received a notice from your household to return]

Also, I find it hard to tell Rembrandt-san that I am teaching lessons to the two of them so I can’t have them return. I can’t tell him. My dad also threw a tantrum saying that he wouldn’t let my sisters live alone, even though he is an adult. I think that the affection a dad shows towards his daughters is just on a whole new dimension.

In our household we have the stupidly doting father at full throttle and my mother always had to intervene, so maybe in Rembrandt-san’s place is mostly the same.

“From our side as well, please. For the sake of the future, I don’t think we are currently strong enough to get a pass in Tsige. There should be no problems in not returning for only half a year” (Sif)

No no, even if your strength doesn’t get a passing mark, the Rembrandt household is a merchant one so as long as there’s economic power, that should still give you a pass. And Yuno is nodding.

Urgh. How resolved.

If I don’t make them return for at least a short term, I feel like Rembrandt-san will send me a cursing letter again. He is lending me a place to work, so I really want to have an amiable relationship. I feel like I shouldn’t take this offer.

[Shiki, how is it? Our schedule is already filled right?]

“No. If it’s once a week, we might be able to do it” (Shiki)

Hey.

I was trying to use you as a follow up to refuse them you know?

Now the seven of them are looking at me with eyes filled with expectation. To deal with the students once a week is just…

…

[Understood. Only one a week, got it? Also, Sif and Yuno will return home at the latter half. This is a definite condition okay?]

“Eeh Onee-chan and I are the only ones who will be absent?!” (Yuno)

“Raidou-sensei! Please treat us just like the other students!” (Sif)

[No. Your father has asked me. You just recovered, so go home and relief your parents] R.I.P in pieces Rembrandt

I could see that two had eyes filled with resentment, but most of the students were thankful.

Aaah. Well, it should be fine to just do foundation training and summon lizard-kun.

At the appointed day, I leave it to Shiki and I once again return to the books. I have to take advantage of this vacation to the fullest.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

In the time when Raidou was being pestered by his students to do classes in the middle of vacation…

There was one woman in a space of the library where general public cannot enter.

It’s the librarian Eva.

When she was told that the danger in the academy was gone, she soon returned to his duties as a librarian. Even if it’s a long period holiday, the scholars and researchers, and also the teachers that use the library still don’t die out. Since she was absent for a while and there was someone filling her place, Eva-san had to take the place of the librarian while she is in vacation. That’s why in this summer vacation she practically doesn’t have a vacation at all, but since she feels slightly fulfilled when doing work and she still had something she had to do no matter what in this summer vacation, she didn’t feel dissatisfied.

Eva was right now searching for a certain article.

That is something she wanted Raidou to read. Eva was a noble in the past, and yet she excels in her duties as a librarian. Since the time she marked Raidou, she has been remembering all the books he has been reading and tracing the tendencies of them, she predicts the things he wants to know, the things he must want to know. The books Raidou read were pretty diverse in range, but Eva was still able to make out a number of tendencies. Truly an exemplar librarian.

“Uhm, I don’t need this kind of research instruction. And I don’t need anything prior to that either…”

Researches and essays that are deemed important are normally gathered in an area of the library. Of course, there were essays that were composed at the academy in the past and most of them weren’t publicized and there were research contents that were the same, so they are gathered and the numbers are massive. And in truth, even the specialist Eva is having troubles finding the article she is looking for. She is in a state where she is looking for it covered in dust. There’s no doubt it wasn’t a well-known article.

“Raidou-san has saved my life after all. And he said ‘there is no need for money, so recommend me books’ in a considerate manner, so there’s no way I won’t do that. I will definitely show Raidou-sensei content that he will jump at!” (Eva)

The enormous reward that Eva proposed to Lime was the assets of Ansland. That’s something which lies in the land that has been stolen. Raidou heard that talk with a complicated face, and asked Eva for knowledge instead of money. For him, instead of assets of doubtful existence, he preferred a more realistic reward.

“He looked like he was reading anything, but the topic he was most interested in was the magic aspect. And it was on the magic power application and summoning. After that, he held interest in Kaleneon as well. And he seemed like he wanted to know about geography too. But first, that article” (Eva)

What Eva is searching for is a thesis that a certain professor took his whole lifetime to research and after reaching to a conclusion he was discouraged, a content that didn’t gather much attention, a common essay. However, Eva had a strong inference that this might be one of the things Raidou is looking for. She also has listed up a number of books he might want. Searching for those isn’t that hard. Rather, what she found difficult was that there were so many mediocre essays from no name researchers while she was looking.

“I will return the favor, and from hereafter I have to maintain a good relationship with him. I already have no other to rely on but him and the Kuzunoha Company” (Eva)

The ability of the Kuzunoha Company’s employees, and also Raidou and Shiki. And the other capable people that seem to also exist.

In Eva’s eyes, the Kuzunoha Company is incredibly appealing. A free company with abnormal ability. Just as promised, they crushed the organization powers that were nesting inside the academy. That the gentle Brait-sensei was one of them was something that surprised her in not a small amount. Also, not a single danger befell Ruria. Those were plenty enough results to recognize their abilities.

Right now the scale of their company is small, but it may be because they can’t do anything big. But what about the future?

The reckless librarian that wishes for the revival of her territory, she has still not abandoned it.

That’s why she wants to be close with Raidou. He has power and his personality is not bad. His company management is going well and he is blessed with capable people. His face is certainly not good, but something like appearance, one gets used to it after seeing it many times, is what Eva thinks. Even if her first impression when seeing him was somewhat bad, so what? It is foolish to judge what’s inside by looking at someone’s appearance. If the power of the Goddess serves for nothing, then what’s the worth of appearance? That is the current sense of value of Eva and Ruria.

Not relying on the Goddess. Her faith that had wavered and disappeared. This kind of people probably have a tendency of losing their attachment to appearance and race.

This is a situation that was brought by the silence of the Goddess. This present condition might serve – a bit – as a tailwind for Raidou, for Misumi Makoto.

Later, the Rotsgard school festival will be coming, and also, the sparks of war that will rise greatly.

The Academy’s summer vacation continued peacefully. Just like the calm before the storm.

For the three otherworldlers, their second autumn was approaching.

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