Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 64 - Aisha, the Academy

"You really want to go to the special recruitment class? I think Aisha could just join Norn and..."

"It's fine, Brother. I want to go. It's free anyway, isn't it?"

"But with your grades, the regular class would be free too."

"I want to be a little more special. Is that not allowed?"

"Fine..."

This conversation happened after the entrance exam.

Honestly, there was probably some pettiness on my part. Brother had been neglecting me lately.

I know the reason. Norn isn't as quick, so Brother needs to spare extra attention to help her along. I understand that. It still irks me.

Carrying that irritation, I stepped onto campus.

The classroom had maybe a dozen people inside.

Humans... Beastmen... I'd looked over the materials beforehand, so I could place most of them at a glance.

I found an empty seat, set down my bag, and sat.

Then a foot landed on my desk.

"New student, sitting right next to me without even a greeting, meow?"

Meow?

"Exactly, so rude desu."

Two Beastmen women. I think their names were Linia Dedoldia and Pursena.

A cat and a dog, huh.

Not wanting trouble, I apologized.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know I was supposed to greet my seniors. So... good morning, Seniors?"

"Hmph! Perfunctory, but I'll forgive you this once. Go buy me something to eat during lunch."

"Me too~"

Watching these two idiots play off each other, I smiled and nodded.

If I told Brother about this, they'd get a thorough lesson from him. But forget it. Who am I but a kind-hearted young maiden?

...

During class, my head was full of thoughts about Brother and Sylphiette.

I like Brother very much. I like Sylphiette very much too. Seeing them together still makes me a little... pained.

But I still want to push them toward each other.

If Brother can be with Sylphiette while already having Eris as a partner, doesn't that mean there's a chance he'd accept me too?

...And Brother isn't a Milis Church follower anyway.

Mm. "Push them together," I say, but how exactly do I do that?

From the outside looking in, it's obvious. Sylphiette likes Brother. Brother has strong feelings for Sylphiette. Anyone watching can see it.

But the specific steps? I have no idea. All I can really do is occasionally pass along things Brother says to Sylphiette, give her something to hold onto, help firm up her resolve. Something like that.

I spent the rest of class turning it over in my head, and before I knew it, the lesson was over.

Everything taught was simple stuff anyway. No loss.

Lunch break. I was walking along the garden path toward the dining hall when two figures stepped into my way.

"Hey, newbie!"

Linia Dedoldia and Pursena.

"From the look of things, you weren't planning on bringing us food, meow?"

"Exactly desu!"

The dog-eared idiot delivered this line while gnawing on a chicken leg.

"Doesn't Senior Pursena already have food in her hand?"

I pointed at it.

Linia and Pursena exchanged a glance, then put on matching smiles.

"That's a snack. It doesn't count as a meal."

"Well, that's... I see, my mistake. Then please wait here, Seniors. I'll go to the dining hall now."

"That's more like it. If we don't see you before lunch break ends, you'll get it after school, meow!"

"Get it desu!"

I bid farewell to the two idiot seniors and headed to the dining hall.

I picked out things I liked and ate. Afterwards I noted to myself that it wasn't nearly as good as what our family's maids make. Then I spent money on two student meal sets, packed them up, and headed back out.

In the garden, the cat and dog seniors were still sitting there as if sunbathing.

The dog senior's mouth was still moving.

Was she really not full?

I set the meals down in front of them.

"Seniors. Packed from the dining hall."

"Oh oh! We'll leave it to you from now on, meow!"

"Thank you desu!"

No... how does "from now on" make any sense here...

I shook my head.

"I can only do this today. From now on I'm bringing food from home, so I won't be going near the dining hall."

"A shame desu..."

"Is that so, meow..."

Not so bad after all, I thought.

I nodded and turned to leave.

"No way! You're our underling. What gives you the right to decide that, meow!"

"Exactly desu!"

These two.

"Seniors, I never agreed to be your underling."

"You're this young and you entered the special recruitment class without finding a backer, meow?"

"If you don't become our underling, you'll definitely get bullied desu!"

"No need. I appreciate the thought, Seniors."

I waved my hand and walked. I was completely out of patience.

"Then don't blame me for getting physical, meow! I really need an errand-runner right now, meow!"

"So arrogant at such a young age desu!"

Even without turning around, I could feel it. They really were going to ambush me from behind.

I've always thought Brother and I were nothing alike. When Brother talks to strangers, there's an arrogance in how he carries himself. Most people probably don't notice it. I do.

Only recently did I understand why I'd missed it in myself. I simply hadn't dealt with enough idiots. You need the raw material before the arrogance can form.

Like right now. After five minutes with these two, I could feel something like prejudice toward Beastmen starting to take root. The same way Brother once felt about the Demon Race.

Sigh. I really don't want to think like that.

"Oh? She dodged, meow?"

"Unbelievable desu!"

I turned around to face them.

"Seniors. If you lose, you'll be my pets for the rest of the school term. If I lose, 100 gold coins, plus I'll be your slave forever."

They stared at me.

"P-Playing this big, meow?"

"S-So scary desu..."

"What's wrong? Don't dare?"

"Who's afraid of you! We accept, meow!"

"Exactly desu!"

"Good. Then come at me."

They started moving immediately.

Beastmen mostly fight up close, I think. Ghislaine is a swordsman, but these two have no weapons. Cat claws and a dog's jaw, then?

"Tiny sparks..."

"You dare to chant, meow?!"

"So reckless desu!"

The moment I started chanting, they charged together, exactly as expected.

Fighting on instinct alone, no observation, no thought. Completely unlike Ghislaine. Or maybe Ghislaine is actually the same way at her core, just with absurdly refined instincts...

The instant they closed the distance, I spoke.

"'Icicle Field.'"

Both of them froze solid.

"Wha... what? That wasn't fire magic, meow..."

"Chant shortening, so exaggerated desu..."

Honestly, even in close quarters it wouldn't have mattered. I had a feeling from the start these two weren't a real threat.

If I'd had a sword, I wouldn't have chanted at all. I would've used the chanting as bait and drawn them into range. But against these two, even without a sword, it didn't matter.

"So. Seniors are now my pets, yes?"

"Heh... I won't accept it, meow! I am the niece of Gyes, Warrior Chief of the Dedoldia Tribe of the Great Forest! You wouldn't dare do anything to me, meow!"

"Exactly desu! We have noble standing! We are princesses desu!"

Stupid. Arrogant. No thought behind the fighting whatsoever.

Forget it. A little Brother-style punishment. Just enough to make the point.

"Fine. I'll punish you a bit, and then you'll leave me alone."

"Punish, meow?"

"What do you mean desu..."

I stepped forward and took one finger from each of them, left hand and right.

Back on the Demon Continent, Brother once took me out shopping and we ended up being tailed. He had Eris lead me away, but Eris was nervous about getting separated, so we didn't go far. Far enough, I think Brother assumed. Not far enough to stop me from hearing what happened in the alley.

I remember the stalker going silent at first. Then I heard the sound of bone. Or maybe it was something worse than bone, something that tore, something with more give to it.

Just one finger. That person screamed and gave up the name of his client immediately. Not that it helped him. Brother killed him anyway.

I intended to follow the example. Not actually remove the finger, of course. Just make the point.

And if something went wrong, it would be fine. One finger can be healed with advanced-tier healing magic. I know how to cast it.

I gripped. I applied force.

"AAAHHHHH!"

"Aaah, I was wrong desu! I was wrong desu! I'll be your dog desu!"

I kept bending.

"Aaah! Master, meow! Master, meow!"

"You are my master desu! I will obey you forever desu! I was wrong desu!"

At the word "Master," I cast healing magic on them.

"Grant the strength to stand once more to those who have lost their vigor. 'Healing.'"

I released the ice at the same time, letting them move again.

"Thank you... Master, meow..."

"Thank you, Master desu..."

"Mm~ Good girls. Now crouch down first. I can't reach your heads otherwise."

They obediently crouched. I patted both of them on the head.

A cat and a dog, I suppose.

Academy life might be more interesting than I thought.

➤ Next: A Sudden Friend