Senpensekai no Madoushoshi - CH 132

[Iris]: “Um, I know it’s sudden, but I’m Iris Calvafon, and I will be a student here from now on. Thank you for having me everyone.”

Yosh. I was able to say the whole thing without biting me tongue.

(Will Lapris say anything unnecessary this time around too though? She’s staying quiet in my hair for now.)

Maybe I should’ve gently asked her to keep quiet before I walked into the classroom.

[Odette]: “Then, please take a seat in an empty chair.”

But so far it seems like my silent wish had made its way to Lapris as other than the quiet sound of her breathing, she hasn’t made so much as a peep from up there.

[Iris]: “Yes”

Whether I’m able to pull it off or not, I did my best to answer Odette-sensei in the most ladylike way possible.

The classroom floor was built within wooden floorboards in stark contrast to the marble bricks in the hallway. However these old, black floorboards were extensively polished down, creating a different kind of beauty that shined despite their age.

Now then, she said to take an empty seat, but taking a look around, that refers to most of the seats in the room.

I’ve been ignoring them until now to stop myself from feeling nervous, but now that my greeting is finished, I have to face my classmates.

There are fifteen students in this class. Sixteen if you count me.

Everyone is wearing matching uniforms, and obviously they are all women. And currently, they’re all curiously staring at me and my lack of a uniform.

The age range is all over the place from some who look younger than Carol and a couple who would already be a few years older than me.

I think I fall in the medium? Thank goodness. I’m not too young or too old.

(Ah, the sun’s shining over there, so maybe I’ll take the seat next to the window.)

It’s not as if I particularly like window seats. But I noticed that the sun had managed to break through the numerous branches and leaves of the trees planted outside and thought it would be nice.

[Iris]: “Is this spot taken?”

I still called out to the girl sitting at the desk next to it though. Even if the spot is empty, it’s possible  the person who normally sits here is absent from school today.

[Classmate]: “Y-Yes…… You are fine……..”

My classmate with loose green hair spilling down her shoulders gave me small, inarticulate answer as she avoided meeting my gaze with her own droopy eyes.

[Iris]: “Okay? Then…….”

(Huh, what is it this time?)

If I had to describe the girl sitting next to me based off this one interaction, I think I would say, “She’s the exact opposite of Charlie and Mycena.”

Of everyone that I’ve met in my life, hmm~……perhaps Plumrose-san would be the closest in comparison? Quiet and a bit squirrelly…….. Well, that doesn’t completely summarize Plumrose-san’s character, but I’m not sensing those same eccentricities from my new neighbor.

[Iris]: “I know I said this before, but I’m Iris Calvafon. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

[Lou]: “Ah, M-Mmm. I-I am Lu Voux Konfiks. N-Nice to meet you……..”

[Iris]: “There’s still a lot I don’t know about this school, so I would be happy if you could teach me about all the various things I need to learn yet.”

I’m talking to a noble right now, but Odette-sensei and Litzreich both told me in advance that I didn’t have to treat any of my classmates special.

[Iris]: “Lu…..um, Lu…….”

Lu? Hold on a minute, what should I call her then? She’s either the same age as me or maybe a little younger, so Lou-chan? Or should I combine the first and second part and call her Luvoux-chan?

[Lou]: “Oh, if you would call me Lou, that would make me happy……. It’s what Papa and Mama call me, so……..”

[Iris]: “Really? Lou-chan then. And you can call me whatever you’d like.”

[Lou]: “A-Are you sure? T-Then…….Airi………chan. Or maybe not?”

[Iris]: “Haha, how fresh. Mm, Airi-chan, I like it. Thank you.”

Now that I think about it…….isn’t this the first time someone’s ever given me a nickname? My family and friends have only ever called me Iris, and I never got a nickname from Toslin and the others either……

Saluena has Sally. Rosalith has Rose. Tosrillon has Toslin. Carotayle has Carol…….

I’m the only one who……..okay, Lapris too technically, but I’m the only one who doesn’t have a nickname.

[Lou]: “I-Is something wrong?”

The formerly known as Lu Voux Konfiks Lou-chan worriedly touched my shoulder after I had suddenly fallen face first into my desk out of despair.

[Iris]: “No…….it’s nothing. I was just a bit shocked over a realization six months in the making.”

[Lou]: “I-I see…….what?”

[Odette]: “Excellent, now that our new student has found her seat, let us begin with today’s class.”

While I was coming to terms with the heartbreak of loneliness, Odette-sensei took her spot at her podium and immediately began the lecture.

♠

The lecture consisted mostly of magic, probably because this is meant to be a magic class.

I hadn’t received a textbook yet, so I asked Lou-chan to share hers with me. By the time the lesson was over though, I hadn’t needed the textbook once throughout the whole class.

That was because everything we learned today were things Grandpa Ferdinand had already taught me years ago.

[Classmate D]: “Hey hey, when you say Calvafon-san, does that mean you’re that Calvafon-san!?”

[Classmate N]: “Is it really true you slew a dragon?”

[Classmate J]: “I heard you reduced an entire mountain to a vacant lot. What kind of spell did you use to accomplish that?”

And now that class has come to an end, I’m being pelted by a barrage of questions.

The relatively empty space around my desk was quickly filled up as nearly everyone in class gathered around my desk to fire off the questions simmering in their brains.

[Classmate I]: “How was your audience with the king?”

[Classmate A]: “I heard he bestowed a peerage unto you”

[Classmate H]: “Isn’t it supposed to be an earldom? I’m so jealous.”

[Iris]: “Um……..that, well………”

A torrential vortex. That was the image that rose to the surface of my mind. Words keep flying into one ear and out the other causing my eardrums to quake and my brain to throb………for five whole minutes.

[Iris]: “Hold on a moment, I can’t give any answers if everyone is asking everything all at once.”

I finally gave up. I threw up both my hands and forcibly cut off their endless stream of questions.

[Everyone]: “…………”

And it became surprisingly quiet as a result. Perhaps I yelled that a little more forcibly than I thought.

It would be incredibly lonely if the whole class were to hate and ignore me because of this.

I was hoping to get along with everyone since we will all be going to the same school together. I waited to see how everyone was going to react while thinking thoughts like that, and…….

[Classmate B]: “Right, of course. We came over and just started asking Calvafon-san whatever we pleased.”

[Classmate F]: “Fufu, to think we wouldn’t notice until being told to stop.”

Each of the noble girls began giggling with cheerful smiles on their faces.

[Classmate C]: “My apologies Calvafon-san. We became a bit too excited upon hearing that the famous dragon slaying hero would be in the same class as us.”

[Classmate E]: “Please forgive us.”

[Iris]: “O-Oh…….yes, if everyone understands then I don’t……..”

[Classmate G]: “Well, just what I would expect from Calvafon-san. So broadminded.”

[Classmate M]: “Mm, indeed. And speaking of being broadminded, just the other day……..”

[Classmate K]: “Aah, that’s right. I was just wondering about that as well. I happened to hear from Father that……..”

Oi oi, now all of the sudden the conversation’s taken a complete turn towards something I don’t understand?

Weren’t you just asking me a ton of questions? Were you looking for any answers to go along with those questions?

My mind was thrown into complete disarray because I couldn’t keep up with these noble ladies’ unique tempos.

[Lou]: “Airi-chan………sorry? Everyone, that is……..they all like to go at their own pace.”

Lou-chan tugged on my sleeve with a bitter smile.

(I’m glad I chose to sit next to Lou-chan.)

While seriously praising my luck inside my head, I also thanked the Goddess for granting me classmates who seemed like they were going to be a lot more fun to be with than I had expected.

The first day of my new school life ended peacefully just like that.

――But then the second day came. It was decided that my class would join up with another class, and we would all practice our magic together at one of the lab buildings.

It was then that I would be faced with my first and greatest obstacle as a witch.