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Translator: Barnnn
“Hwaaah… what a lovely day,” Lina said with a stretch.
“Haha, Lina, you’re a girl, you shouldn’t open your mouth so wide,” Pochi teased.
It was a bright afternoon, and Pochi and Lina were lounging on a bench in the courtyard of the Magic University, basking in the sunlight.
Lina’s large yawn brought tears to her eyes, and Pochi’s comment made her blink one eye in apology and embarrassment. Despite her wide yawn, her small mouth and the tiny bit of tongue that peeked out showed the essence of a girl teetering between childhood and adulthood.
“Master sure is late…”
“He said he had to stop by the lab, right?”
“You know, Lina, if you hadn’t come by, I would’ve died of boredom!”
“Haha, we haven’t had much chance to chat lately, have we?”
“Exactly. Master should pay more attention to you, I say!”
“P-pay more attention…? Wh-what do you mean…?” Lina stammered, her cheeks turning red.
“He should treat you more like a girl! Oh, now I’m hungry from being angry! Lina, let’s get some snacks from Professor Billy! Oh, but we have our appointment with Master… Grr, he’s really hopeless! The other day, he even used a ridiculous spell on me! How awful to do that to a lady! Oh, now I’m hungry again! Lina, let’s go eat something and have Master pay for it later! Oh, but we have our appointment… Grr, he’s really hopeless! Oh, my stomach’s growling again! See, it’s so empty! He’s so hopeless, he can’t treat anyone right — not a girl, not even his Familiar!”
As Pochi rambled on, Lina’s blush faded, leaving her looking bewildered.
“Haha, Pochi, you really come alive when talking about Sir Asley,” Lina giggled.
“W-w-w-what!? That’s not true!”
Pochi tried to hide under the bench, but only managed to get her head in, leaving her wagging tail in full view, making Lina laugh even harder.
Pochi felt embarrassed, but Lina’s laughter was cut short by the sound of footsteps.
“What, it’s just the two of you today?”
“Professor Irene!” Lina exclaimed, jumping to her feet and standing at attention, while Pochi slowly extracted her head from under the bench.
“What is it, Miss Irene? My Master’s not here yet,” Pochi said, sitting upright.
“I-I’m not looking for Asley!”
“But just now, you said–!”
Irene shot a sharp look at Pochi, then noticed Lina, who seemed out of the loop.
“Oh, sorry. You can relax.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Lina, let’s get out of here. She’s scary,” Pochi whispered.
“B-but…”
Irene’s ears twitched as she caught their conversation.
“Oh-ho…? You’re quite brave to badmouth me within earshot, Pochi.”
“Did you hear that, Lina!? She said I’m brave!”
“Ah, uh, yeah… Haha…” Lina said nervously, glancing at Irene as the latter started trembling with pent-up rage.
“So… your name’s Lina?”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Perfect. I’ll give you some personal training — Come to my office now.”
“No way!” Pochi declared in Lina’s stead.
Irene widened her eyes in surprise, but quickly regained her composure, perhaps used to such defiance from Asley.
“Bah, great… Why don’t Asley and his Familiar ever listen to me…?”
“…Ohh, I wonder why~~” Pochi mused.
“Eh, don’t think too hard about it. Asley isn’t here yet, is he? I’ll send Hawk to call him to my office. You come too, Pochi — we need to talk.”
“No way! If you want me to move, you’ll need–“
“I have candy.”
“Of course I’ll go! Come on, Lina! Sugar awaits us! Let’s hurry!”
“”……””
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
As the trio made their way to Irene’s office, Irene summoned Hawk to deliver a message to Asley. Hawk gave Pochi a sharp glare before flying off to the laboratory where Asley was likely to be.
When they arrived at Irene’s office, they found a sofa for guests by the side. Irene sat at the back, while Lina and Pochi took the front seats.
“Now, where are the snacks!?” Pochi demanded.
“Good God, we’ve only been here for ten seconds! …Lina, there are baked goods in that cupboard over there. Could you get them?”
“Ah, yes…… Hmm? Hmm… Ngh–! P-Professor…?” Lina said, scratching her head.
“What is it?”
“I’m… too short to reach it.”
“That’s a problem…”
“Good grief… Why do you have things in your room that are higher up than you, Miss Irene?”
“Sh-shut up! Trace usually gets them for me.”
“Forget the cupboard, even your chair and that sofa have legs too long for your feet to reach the floor.”
“Any more comments about my height, and no snacks for you.”
“Lina, climb onto my back,” Pochi promptly offered.
“Thanks, Pochi…”
“No problem! I carry Master all the time. You’re much lighter.”
Lina wobbled as she climbed onto Pochi’s back and retrieved the small wooden box from the cupboard.
“Got it!”
“Let’s eat!”
“No — Eating while standing up is unladylike. Bring it over here.”
“Exactly! Lina, you shouldn’t stand while eating!”
“Ahaha, sorry,” Lina apologized sincerely, making Pochi falter.
“Y-you weren’t supposed to take that seriously…”
“Well, we’re both hungry, aren’t we?”
Lina smiled and placed the wooden box on the table between the sofas. She patted the sofa next to her, inviting Pochi to sit.
“I-I guess~~!” Pochi said, reluctantly hopping onto the sofa.
“You two get along well.”
“Yes, we get along even better than with Master!” Pochi declared proudly, making Irene chuckle.
“So, you like Asley enough to compare, huh?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Why would I like Master? And what about you, Miss Irene? You’re always following him around too!”
“T-that’s only because Asley is my research subject!”
“So, you like him enough to research him?”
“You little… You always twist my words!”
Irene’s cheeks reddened as she clenched her fists. Lina tilted her head curiously and asked,
“Professor Irene, what do you mean by following Sir Asley around?”
“Haven’t you heard? He sneaks out to the Guild every night for hunting missions. Obviously, he’s after the money.”
“Ah– Miss Irene! Shh!”
“Oh, was that a secret? I thought you knew.”
“No wonder… He’s good at sneaking out.”
“You knew about the sneaking but not about the guild?”
Lina bit her lip, trying to keep quiet about Asley sneaking into her room and their Familiar Contract.
Sensing the tension, Pochi quickly interjected,
“M-more importantly, these snacks are delicious! Where are they from?”
That was a flimsy attempt to change the subject.
“You’re not convincing at all, just saying. But if you prefer to keep it a secret, that’s fine. The school’s curfew is to protect the students. As a Rank B adventurer, Asley is given some leeway.”
“Are you sure you should be saying that to me?”
“You’ll enforce the rules, won’t you? Asley has likely figured that out. It’s not a problem.”
“Huh…”
Pochi sighed in admiration. Lina, too, was impressed by Irene’s insight into their actions and Asley’s thoughts.
“Now, on to the topic of training…”
“Yes, what is it?”
“I don’t want anything painful!” Pochi interjected.
“It’s nothing like that. Lina, do you realize Asley is in trouble because of you?”
“…Yes.”
Lina’s gaze dropped instantly, her fists clenching as she gave a feeble response.
“…Huh?”
Pochi bristled at those words, but she noticed something in Irene’s eyes, a silent message that made her hold her tongue.
“Good. Some students have heeded my advice and stopped, but it seems it didn’t work on them. Their power is quite impressive for freshmen, too…”
“Are you referring to Hornel and the others?”
“Well, you’ll find out soon enough. Asley himself doesn’t seem to mind, so there’s no need for you to worry.”
“But I can’t just…”
“You should concern yourself with something else.”
“W-what do you mean?” Lina asked, sharing a puzzled look with Pochi.
“Lina… I’ve heard you want to face Asley in the friendly match?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t stand a chance at your current level,” Irene said bluntly, her cold words hitting Lina hard.
Lina clenched her fists and her shoulders tensed, but her eyes remained steady, determined to respond to Irene’s warning.
“Silent, but resolute, I see,” Irene observed.
“……”
Lina’s eyes shone with a fierce determination, and Irene seemed to be testing that strength. Meanwhile, Pochi noticed a split end in her fur and shook her head.
“All right, I’ll give you some advice… Class attendance is mandatory, so don’t neglect them — but you should follow Asley closely. Watch him, learn from him, and fill your mind with his knowledge and strategies. Strive to stand on the same ground as him one day.”
Irene’s words of trust and praise as a mentor and an Archmage caught Pochi’s attention, her ears twitching.
“W-what’s gotten into you, Miss Irene? Praising Master like this… Are we expecting a rain of candy tonight!? I’ll take some with red bean paste flavor, thank you!”
“It’s not praise… just objective truth. Asley’s skills stand out among the freshmen and even within the rest of the Magic University. If you’re close to him, you should take advantage of that.”
“But Lina’s been with Master all this time, you know?”
“There’s a lot one can overlook despite being close. And Lina herself might not be fully aware.”
“What do you mean?”
“A student must surpass their master. Your goal lies far ahead. Keep that in mind as you train.”
In a burst of determination, Lina stood up.
“I’ll do my best!” she declared, her voice resonating through the room.
Irene smiled at Lina’s spirited response, while Pochi, full of admiration, clapped her paws together, producing a soft squeaky sound.
“Since we have snacks, why don’t we have some tea as well?” Pochi suggested, changing the subject.
“I’ll pour it!” Lina said eagerly.
She fetched the pot and began pouring tea into the cups covered with white cloths. As she did, Pochi whispered to Irene, though only the start of her sentence was quiet,
“Miss Irene, I heard your stomach rumble just now!” she whispered… then her voice echoed in the room, making Lina’s shoulders shake with suppressed laughter.
“Hahaha… Familiars really do take after their Masters.” Irene giggled, and so did Lina.
“Hehehe… They really do!”
Pochi tilted her head, trying to grasp the meaning of their laughter, which only made them laugh harder.
Feeling embarrassed without knowing why, she hid behind the sofa, her tail slowly wagging.
“W-what going on, you two!? I don’t know why, but it’s embarrassing me! Stop it right now!” she called from behind the sofa.
“Pochi, your tea is ready.”
“Hurry, or your tea will get cold. Come drink.”
“NOW you’re bribing me!? Fine… I’ll come out in a bit!”
Irene and Lina exchanged amused glances. As they settled down, Irene asked Pochi,
“By the way, Pochi, what is Asley researching lately? His healing magic seems to have improved significantly.”
Pochi climbed back from behind the sofa, sensing Irene’s attempt to include her in the conversation.
“Uhm, what was it again? …Oh yes, he’s been making cuts on his arm and then healing them with magic.”
“Is that supposed to be an experiment?” Irene asked, her face puzzled.
Pochi continued as if recalling more details, while Lina watched intently.
“Well… he’s trying to enhance human evolution by overloading certain parts of the body and increasing body hair to protect the weaker, more delicate areas…? He believes this might improve physical durability if successful. I don’t really get it, though.”
Lina’s head filled with question marks, and Irene looked dumbfounded. Pochi skillfully picked up a cup, savoring the aroma of the tea before taking a sip. She winced at the heat, then blew on the steam rising from the cup.
“Phew… Phew… Of course, with my top-quality fur and perfect coat, I don’t have any weaknesses!” she boasted, puffing out her chest and wagging her tail proudly. “You can touch it if you like!” She offered to Lina, who giggled and began stroking her gently from her neck down her back. Pochi purred with contentment while Irene let out a heavy sigh.
“…Why does he always go off in strange directions? …Not that he’s wrong, but now doesn’t seem like the time for that…” Irene muttered, almost as if casting a spell.
Pochi and Lina exchanged glances and chuckled.
“You know, Miss Irene, it looks like you’re quite interested in Master too!”
“W-WHAT!? That’s not true! And you said ‘too,’ Pochi! That means you’re interested in him!” Irene shot back, pointing at Pochi as she stood up.
Pochi mimicked her stance. “You also said ‘too’ too, Miss Irene! I was talking about Lina!”
Caught in the middle, Lina stood up too.
“I just respect Sir Asley, that’s all! And Pochi, you were talking about Sir Asley earlier as well!”
“There we go! Lina said ‘too’ as well!”
“That ‘too’ has a different meaning!”
“Honestly, you two are acting like children…”
“What are you saying, Miss Irene!? You’re the one with a child’s body!”
“Exactly! …Oh wait–” Lina clapped her hands over her mouth, realizing her mistake.
The room fell silent, tension rising.
Just then, a sound broke the silence – the creak of the door handle.
The door to Irene’s room opened with a creak of metal, revealing a gray bird, Hawk, perched on Asley’s shoulder. Asley stepped into the room with a displeased look.
“Big Sis, I brought the fool!”
“Excuse me… Oh hey, what are you doing, Lina, Pochi?” Asley asked, surprised.
Lina, Pochi, and Irene all pointed at one another, confusion written on their faces. Asley looked at them all and asked again.
“…And what in God’s name are you doing?”
“I-It’s a secret!” Lina blurted out first.
“Yes, it’s a secret!”
“Exactly, a secret!” Irene joined in.
All their voices were forceful, but none of them could meet Asley’s gaze.
“Uh, but–“
“””It’s a secret!””” they chorused.
[What in blazes?] Asley wondered, overwhelmed by their unified front.
With no way to press further, he scratched his head as the three left the room, embarrassed.
“Welp, you really shouldn’t have kept asking that, maggot! Do you know what we call someone like you? A FOOL, that’s what!” Hawk cawed.
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