novelnext Chapter 223 : The Worst Difficulty
Chapter 223 : The Worst Difficulty
After Professor Pascal's class, 「Understanding Human Magical Energy」, ended, the day's academic schedule came to a close.Since it was lunchtime, the other students headed toward the cafeteria, while I made my way to the Upgraded Livestock Shed.
Lapin, who had arranged the same schedule as mine, naturally followed beside me, and next to her...
Pout.
Holding a half-carved totem in one hand, Karin puffed out her cheeks as she glared at me.
“What are you unhappy about today, hamster?”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Tell you what?”
When I asked back, Karin's hand trembled.
“That you got into the Finders Department! And that you were Professor Hilda's Schuler!”
Just as they said, news traveled fast.
Rumors about me spread throughout the academy in no time.
Even Karin, who barely knew anyone, had heard them.
That said enough.
“Was that really something worth telling everyone...?”
“Of course it was! It's Professor Hilda! I kept wondering who would become Professor Hilda's Schuler, but I never imagined it'd be you.”
Last year, Hilda had offered to make me her Schuler.
When I accepted, I requested one condition—that my position as her Schuler remain confidential for the time being.
I'd proposed that condition because I expected Hilda to lose interest in someone as incompetent as me and revoke my position within a few months.
...But contrary to my expectations, Hilda had continued keeping me as her Schuler.
Thinking back on how she'd treated me so far, it didn't seem like she had any intention of stripping me of the position anytime soon.
“Do you know how insane the competition is for Professor Hilda's lectures this time? She reduced the number of classes this year, so it's become even harder to get in. Even I couldn't register.”
It had been the same in the game.
Up until last year, Hilda had taught Basic Magic and Dark-element classes, so students from any department could attend.
But ever since she became a professor for the Finders Department this year, opportunities for students outside the department to take her classes had decreased dramatically.
“I even heard that on Yggdrasil's underground trading market, people are selling lecture spots for a hundred gold.”
“And where did you hear that?”
“Hm? I just overheard the rumor somewhere... A-Anyway!”
Karin's eyes sparkled.
“So what does Professor Hilda teach you? She has to be teaching you something incredible, right? Tell me everything.”
“You want to hear it?”
“Yep!”
She looked filled with anticipation, but I doubted my answer would satisfy those expectations.
“Well... I guess. Lighting candles and drawing pictures, that's about it.”
“...Drawing? You mean painting with magic?”
“No. I mean literally drawing. With pens and brushes.”
“...Huh?”
Karin blinked.
“That's weird. Isn't Schuler instruction supposed to be where they pass on some special magic?”
She tilted her head before suddenly nodding to herself.
“They say sparrows can't understand the ambitions of phoenixes. We're still just fledglings, so how could we understand Professor Hilda's true intentions? Maybe there are stages to it? Like you have to learn drawing first before she'll teach you some extraordinary magic.”
“...I honestly don't know. I'm not even sure these lessons have any meaning.”
“They must. It's Professor Hilda, after all.”
After saying that, Karin turned to Lapin.
“So how did you get into the Finders Department, Lapin? Weren't you two supposed to take Common Magic?”
Lapin quietly nodded.
“Yeah, but I received a recommendation. From Professor Ruber.”
“Professor Ruber...?”
Karin shifted her gaze toward me.
“Did a professor recommend you too?”
“Yeah. The conditions weren't bad, so I accepted.”
“Hmmm... That's interesting. I guess the professor really liked the two of you.”
Karin sounded envious, but she seemed to accept it without much complaint.
...
After we finally arrived at the Upgraded Livestock Shed.
I immediately started cooking.
It was the same simple pasta I always made, yet the moment the plates were set on the table, the two of them eagerly dug in with sparkling eyes.
“Thanks for the meal~!”
After finishing her food, Karin placed her fork on the plate.
“So, what do you think of the Finders Department classes?”
“We didn't actually have class today. It was just an explanation, so I don't have any particular impressions yet.”
“That's the department where Her Imperial Highness the Princess studies, right? There are so many amazing seniors too. It seems so elite. I'm jealous.”
“It seems like it'll be hard to graduate, so I'm not sure that's a good thing.”
“Honestly... You're spoiled. Oh, right. Ta-da!”
As though she'd just remembered something, Karin pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and showed it to me.
“It got approved. Apparently it normally takes several days, but Big Sister Lupina had it processed quickly.”
In short, it was approval for a dormitory transfer.
Since this house built beside the Upgraded Livestock Shed even had a Dorm Supervisor, it was officially treated as a dormitory.
I'd told Karin to choose whichever room she wanted.
As if it were obvious, she chose the room next to Lapin's.
Incidentally, all the room layouts were identical.
“I still have a lot of things left at the dormitory, so I probably won't finish moving everything until this evening.”
As Karin headed outside to retrieve her belongings, Lapin hurried after her.
“Karin, I'll help too. Let's go together.”
“Ah, really? Thanks, Lapin...”
The two of them left the house hand in hand.
The surroundings became quiet.
'Guess I'll get back to my own work.'
I changed into my work clothes and started taking care of the Upgraded Livestock Shed.
Since I'd already handled most of it this morning, there wasn't much left to do.
After replenishing the straw, replacing the water, and doing some light cleaning, today's work was finished.
'It's still a little chilly.'
It was only early March.
It was still too early to begin grazing.
The grass hadn't grown enough yet, and the temperature difference between day and night was still considerable.
'I should let the animals out into the pasture starting around next month.'
After finishing my work, I entered the storage shed to enjoy a little peace and quiet.
I was just about to lie down in the hammock I'd tied up inside.
...Step. Step.
I heard footsteps.
Judging from the sound, it was only one person.
So it wasn't Lapin or Karin.
The footsteps gradually drew closer.
Soon, someone appeared at the entrance of the shed.
It was MacGrim, wearing a white beret over her long black hair.
“Hello, Senior Villed.”
“...What brings you here?”
“I came because I was bored. May I come in?”
“Do whatever you want.”
I pointed at a wooden crate nearby.
MacGrim sat down on it and asked,
“Where's Manager?”
“He's gone to work.”
“I see. Ah, I heard too. Manager became a Dorm Supervisor, right? Then this place is basically a dormitory now?”
“More or less.”
“Hm...”
MacGrim nodded.
“I think it would've been fun if I lived here too.”
“If you're a first-year student, you're better off staying in the dormitory. It'll be easier to make friends.”
MacGrim simply answered with a faint smile.
I quietly observed her.
It wasn't hard to notice.
She was smiling with her lips.
But not with her eyes.
Something was clearly weighing on her mind.
“So, why did you really come? It doesn't seem like you came because you were bored.”
“...You noticed after all.”
MacGrim gave a bitter smile before getting to the point.
“Actually... I wanted to ask you for some advice.”
“Advice?”
“I thought... if it was you, Senior Villed, you'd listen seriously.”
She hesitated briefly before speaking.
“This might sound strange, but... if you thought someone was the same person, but they might actually be someone else... what should you do?”
“...”
For a moment, I was speechless.
I couldn't tell what she meant or who she was referring to.
After all, those words could apply equally to MacGrim, who was hiding her true identity as a Songstress, and to me, who was possessing Villed's body.
Perhaps misunderstanding my silence, MacGrim hurriedly waved both hands.
“I said it strangely, didn't I? I think... one of my classmates might be like that.”
Fortunately, it wasn't about me.
“Tell me the details.”
“Well...”
MacGrim told me everything that had happened today.
How a certain male student had helped her.
How she'd gone back to thank him, only to find his personality completely different.
And how he seemed to have absolutely no memory of helping her.
“I'm sorry for saying something so strange. Was I just overreacting?”
I shook my head.
“You don't seem like the type who'd come all the way here just to tell nonsense.”
“...Really? You believe everything I said?”
MacGrim blinked repeatedly as she asked again.
“Yeah. I believe you. Anyone would find that suspicious. And maybe... it isn't a misunderstanding at all.”
I pulled a notepad from my pocket and asked,
“Tell me that student's name.”
“...Is it really alright if I do?”
Her eyes showed clear anxiety.
She seemed afraid that something simple—or perhaps merely her misunderstanding—might escalate into a major incident.
“Don't worry. I'm not stupid enough to march up to him and interrogate him directly. I have no intention of making this into something bigger. It could still turn out to be nothing more than a misunderstanding.”
After hesitating for a while, she finally spoke.
“His name is Dion.”
“...”
The instant I heard that name, something came to mind.
I shut my eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again.
Then I deliberately spoke with confidence.
“You stay out of this now. I'll handle everything.”
“You will...?”
MacGrim blinked.
“I'll find out exactly what happened to him and why he reacted that way toward you. I swear it on my family.”
“...On your family?”
For a noble, swearing upon one's family was equivalent to staking one's life and honor.
Especially for someone from a high-ranking noble house, it wasn't something to say lightly.
“You really don't have to go that far, Senior...”
“I'm interested now. If you don't believe me, we can even make a bet.”
As I casually smiled, MacGrim finally seemed to relax and smiled back.
“Alright. If this turns into something serious, then you have to buy me a thousand hash brown toasts.”
“Fine. You have my word.”
The moment I nodded in agreement, MacGrim closed her mouth.
Then...
“...Pfft.”
As though she could no longer hold it in, she burst into laughter.
She hurriedly covered her mouth, but her shoulders continued shaking, and laughter still escaped between her fingers.
“What's so funny...?”
I hadn't even made a joke.
I'd only agreed to what she wanted.
I honestly couldn't understand what was amusing.
“N-No, it's nothing. I wasn't trying to laugh.”
MacGrim wiped the corners of her eyes before looking back at me.
The eyes looking at me...
Without me noticing, every trace of the worry that had filled them had completely disappeared.
“I'm really glad I came to you first, Senior Villed. Thank you. I'll be going now.”
MacGrim stood up.
“You walked all the way here from the Central Wing. You're leaving already? You could rest for a bit first.”
MacGrim shook her head.
“I still have another class to attend, and Hesti's waiting for me.”
She bowed politely toward me before speaking.
“I'll see you next time, Senior Villed.”
“...Yeah. Take care.”
I raised a hand and waved to her as she left.
MacGrim smiled before turning around.
Her footsteps looked much lighter than before.
...Once she was gone, everything became quiet again.
I'd deliberately acted as though it wasn't a big deal to reassure her.
But...
My mind was filled with thoughts.
'Things had been quiet for a while, but it finally arrived.'
I clicked my tongue.
This world followed the same storyline as the Normal Difficulty of the game 《Yggdrasil》.
However, there were also 'Anomalies' that altered the difficulty through unforeseen variables.
The worst stage.
The one that had driven countless players into despair.
'...Lunatic.'
The situation I'd desperately hoped never to face had arrived once again.