After walking out of the cafe, I somehow ended up in front of the Student Council Building.
When I stepped inside, I saw a spacious interior and Alkiné sitting alone at a large table.
Turns out she was reviewing exam questions, just like Lilith.
Though her overwhelming combat skills often overshadowed it, her theoretical scores were pretty high too.
Of course, she wasn’t exactly a theory genius.
Being from the north, her warrior blood didn’t exactly make her a natural at sitting still and studying.
But maintaining a top rank was a matter of pride for her, so she made up for it with effort.
And she *was* maintaining that top rank… Unlike that muscle-brained Saintess who lives somewhere else, Alkiné actually reaps the fruits of her labor.
As soon as Alkiné saw me and Seria walk in, she let out a light sigh.
“Haah… Yeah, you two aren’t exactly the type to listen to advice.”
Even as she said that, the slight upturn of her lips suggested she wasn’t entirely displeased.
No, actually, she seemed kind of happy.
Well, it makes sense—she’s the type who enjoys a lively atmosphere.
Not that she likes mingling with a lot of people, but she enjoys the chaotic vibe when there’s a crowd… Anyway, it was clear she didn’t see the current situation as entirely bad.
Knowing that, I casually walked over and started a conversation.
“What are you looking at?”
“Monster evolution theory and atmospheric mana analysis.”
“I’m the expert on monsters, though.”
“And I’m the expert on mana.”
“I get that you two are good at studying, but… I’m still your senior, so could you at least let me save some face…?”
Since Alkiné went that far, I didn’t bother giving any unsolicited advice.
Wow, but what even *is* atmospheric mana analysis? I skimmed through it, and it’s ridiculously complicated.
I should probably avoid anything mana-related when picking lectures later. Good thing I’m not a mage. Seriously.
A little while later, Alkiné finished her review and started organizing the books and papers spread out in front of her.
Then, rolling her red eyes, she glanced between me and Seria before pointing at me.
“I need to tidy up my head.”
Well, more specifically, she pointed at my hair while saying that.
She’s saying the same thing as Seria. Does it really look that messy?
“You think so too, Alkiné? I have to go to the Royal Palace tomorrow, and I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“If you want, I can fix it for you.”
“You know how to cut men’s hair too, Alkiné?”
“My dad’s hair has always been my responsibility, you know. I’m pretty used to it, in a way.”
As she said that, she brushed back her long, black hair.
Now that I looked, her style wasn’t much different from when we first met. She’s also an extreme perfectionist, just like Seria…
“Still, just in case, maybe we should leave it to a professional…”
“It’s an honor that the chairman is doing it herself.”
Seria hesitated a bit, but as someone who knew her skills well, I was grateful for the offer.
Who is she? She’s the strongest at the Akadeumi, fighting with a mana sword.
Even without the title of the strongest at the Akadeumi, the fact that she can create a mana sword already boosts her credibility.
Shaping mana requires exceptional skill, after all.
Of course, not everyone with skill can shape mana, but anyone who can shape mana is undoubtedly skilled.
Heck, she even sews up her favorite stuffed dolls when they tear!
If it’s her, I can trust her. That’s why I accepted her offer without hesitation.
Alkiné seemed a bit surprised by my sudden trust, but she soon smiled and pushed a chair toward me.
“Well, since we’re on the topic, shall we get started? Take a seat.”
“Are you sure this is okay?”
Ignoring Seria, who still couldn’t believe it, I sat down in the chair.
Alkiné quietly approached from behind, created a small mana sword, and started trimming my hair.
The experience of having my hair cut with a mana sword was quite refreshing.
The cutting power was so good that I couldn’t even feel my hair being cut.
If she slipped even a little, it could pierce right through my scalp… Thinking about that gave me chills.
No, I trust her. Chairman! You better not mess this up, seriously!
Fortunately, her skills didn’t betray my expectations, and the result was amazing.
“Hmm, I guess it turned out much better than I thought, probably because the base was good.”
“Oh, wow…”
Even someone as composed as her reacting like this says it all.
Now, it feels a bit awkward to say this about myself, but when a good-looking guy gets a great haircut, it’s no joke.
I knew she’d do a good job, but not this good. There’s a huge difference between knowing something in theory and experiencing it firsthand.
…But how long are you planning to stare? It’s starting to feel a bit overwhelming.
“Is there a problem with me admiring my own work?”
“Stay still. I still want to look at you more.”
But it didn’t seem like they were planning to let me go.
“Rudion, can you tilt your head a little like this?”
“You look lifeless sitting like that. Straighten your shoulders a bit more.”
Instead of letting me go, they started demanding everything from the angle of my head to my posture.
Okay, I get it, I’m handsome, but is it really worth staring this much? Am I missing something because I’m a guy?
I finally escaped their gaze much later, when it was almost time for dinner.
///
The Akadeumi (Academy) was incredibly vast, but it had only one entrance.
Not that you *had* to go through the entrance to leave the Academy. It’s not like the surroundings were blocked off or anything.
But even if you left through the entrance, you’d have to walk a long way down the road, and since the area outside the entrance was undeveloped, there was no real need to leave through anywhere else.
That’s why the entrance was always packed at the start of holidays.
“Didn’t your family say they’d send a carriage?”
“It doesn’t seem like it’s here yet.”
“Is that it over there?”
“Where? That one? Dude, that’s not even close to our family crest.”
Everyone was bustling around, looking for their carriages, like it was rush hour on the subway.
Of course, there weren’t *that* many people, but it was still chaotic.
Except for Seria. And me, following her, didn’t need to be in a rush.
“There it is. Let’s go.”
Compared to the other carriages, this one was noticeably larger and more extravagant.
The Royal Palace’s carriage was on a whole different level… As I casually approached, I noticed the horses were ridiculously well-groomed.
There were even Royal Palace guards stationed around, making it obvious to anyone that this was a carriage sent by the Royal Palace~.
So this is what the Royal Palace’s carriage is like… I was busy admiring it when Seria, who had already hopped onto the carriage, called out to me.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and get in. We’ve got a lot to do.”
“A lot to do? Aren’t we just going straight there?”
“What are you talking about? We’re heading to the Royal Palace right now.”
She started rambling about the plan, clearly annoyed by my cluelessness.
“For me, it’s just going home, but Rudion, you’re meeting royalty, so you need to make a good impression. First, we’ll buy new clothes and change, do some grooming, and there’s a cute café nearby we need to visit too…”
Oh… right. There’s a restaurant Alkiné recommended. Should we check it out?”
“You don’t have to do it from the middle, you know.”
“Well… that’s true. Anyway, hurry up and move!”
Seria, urging me on, reaches out toward me.
Thinking she wanted me to grab her hand, I did, and she pulled me straight into the carriage.
Seria’s pulling strength, aside from her magical abilities, was pretty weak, but I decided to just let her drag me along.
The inside of the carriage we boarded was just as splendid as its exterior.
I remember the carriage I rode with Professor Reina last time was quite high-class, but this one was on a whole different level.
Cleanliness was a given, and magic had been used to create a comfortable environment. Even the seats were soft and plush, made of materials that were clearly hard to maintain.
But Seria sat down as if this was nothing… truly, royalty is royalty.
“Here, sit down.”
“The seat’s wide, why are you telling me to sit next to you?”
“You know why.”
She’s getting bolder by the minute.
Not that I mind, and if I jokingly refused, she’d probably get really upset, so I didn’t bother moving.
As soon as I sat down next to her, I felt someone’s gaze… I turned my head slightly and saw students outside the window looking this way.
“Life’s really unfair. Some guys are crammed together in a narrow carriage, sweating and stinking, while others are flirting with a princess in comfort.”
“If you’re jealous, try being more handsome. Or at least more capable.”
Some people were talking about us, but the soundproofing was good, so I couldn’t hear what they were saying.
“We’re departing.”
A man who seemed to be the coachman shouted from the front, and soon the carriage started moving.
The royal guards on horseback followed alongside, making the scene quite majestic.
…Someone was glaring at me, so I closed the curtain, and a very urgent voice came through.
“Eek! That guy closed the curtain!”
“What are you trying to do, you shameless brat! Stop the carriage right now!”
Even with the soundproofing, it was clear they were shouting really loudly.
“Ugh! So noisy! I’m not going to do anything, so stop making a fuss!”
Thanks to Seria’s intervention, the carriage, which had just started moving, didn’t stop again.
I’m already feeling tired, and we haven’t even reached the royal palace yet.
I think I’ll just get off… please take me home….
