I was able to return to school around Sunday evening. As soon as I got back, I headed to the dorm bathroom.
Although the coat and shoes were a mess from the three-day trip, it was nothing compared to Pippi’s appearance.
As I poured warm water on it with a magic tool for washing, Pipi spread and folded her wings and shook her hips with a fuss.
“Ooh, look at that dirty thing. Pippi, how badly did you wash? 200 years?”
“I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.”
Friede said that sun parrots with flames in their bodies have a body temperature about 5 degrees higher than humans, so they like to wash in hot water.
While waiting for me, it must be a luxury that I have never enjoyed. It would have been nothing more than getting wet in the occasional rainwater.
Not for a month, not for a year, not for 10 years, but for hundreds of years… … . Somehow, my heart was pounding again.
“From now on, I will only make you happy. I am the heir to Sega, famous in the Empire. Money is just overflowing.”
“Corn, corn, corn.”
“corner? hey! Hey, you could just buy the whole field. Whoops.”
“Whoop, whoop, whoop.”
“Whoop whoop.”
“Whoop, whoop, whoop.”
“Whoop whoop whoop.”
“Whoop whoop whoop whoop, whoop whoop whoop.”
After giving and receiving water baptism while smiling sinisterly (?) for such a long time, I felt a presence outside, so I returned to the room with a towel wrapped around Pippi.
As soon as I dried it off, it flew around the room exploring, then landed on the bookshelf and wiped off the water in satisfaction.
“Sorry, isn’t it a bit narrow? Just wait 3 years. When you return to the mansion, I will just build you a dedicated greenhouse.”
“Greenhouse, greenhouse, greenhouse.”
“How is it, will it be good?”
Where would you use something with high status?
Aren’t you supposed to shoot it louder at times like this? After changing into light clothes, I put a pipi on my head and left the dormitory.
“Coming soon curfew has passed and I can’t go out… … . I’ll buy a cage or something next weekend.”
“now? now? now?”
“I need to register you.”
The place I went to was the undergraduate department of the main building of the university. There were steps to be followed in order to legally keep Pippi at school.
“That… … You want to register as a preamble group?”
In ＜Delaiten＞, a bird of prey (傳書鳥) refers to a bird used by magicians for communication.
Unlike ordinary people who use pigeons or crows, it was common for wizards to use owls with high magic sensitivity.
Therefore, it was not surprising that the department staff looked at Pippi in a curious way.
“Even though this guy looks like this, his intelligence is incredibly high. Peach, try to mimic what this person just said.”
Just in case, we decided to change the name of Pipi to Peach. Also, my name is now Rain, not Rin.
Pippi, who sat down on the table in the undergraduate department, shook her head back and forth and rode the rhythm.
“Oh my, you are cute.”
The department staff exclaimed, covering their mouths with both hands. Lane shook her head.
“Don’t dance, imitate your voice.”
“Corn, corn, corn.”
“Are you like this?”
“Jade, water, water.”
“No, why is this guy like this… … Is he doing this on purpose? You speak really well.”
Then the academic staff looked at Lane pitifully. My face turned red at the unexpectedly embarrassing situation.
‘Pippi, this guy, deliberately made me into a stupid owner with no arms and legs…’ … ?’
The employee smiled happily, but expressed concern.
“Registration is free, of course, but… … Wouldn’t that be too dangerous?”
“Why?”
“If it’s just a parrot, it might be eaten by owls. Owls are also birds of prey. Also, parrots don’t have magical powers, so you won’t be able to use them properly.”
Just then, an owl flew into the academic building. It was not a student’s, but an owl used publicly by the school.
As the owl landed on the table, another bachelor’s office worker began to retrieve a letter from the bamboo tube tied around his ankle.
In the meantime, the owl glared at Pippi with its large eyes, as if threatening it.
Is it really a raptor? It was at least three times bigger than Pipi. Although sun parrots are also a fairly small species of parrots.
Pippi received that cheeky gaze directly and spread one wing as if it were not the same.
Roaring———!
Then, an arc of flame that blooms beautifully from the tip of the wing and takes shape.
The owl was startled by the terrifying heat and flew up and ran away, and the faculty members opened their mouths one by one.
“Hey, do parrots do magic?”
“No, maybe that… … Aren’t they sun parrots?”
“Sun parrots… … That makes no more sense.”
It was really nonsense. Aren’t sun parrots a phantasmagoric species that is said to number less than a hundred individuals even if you cover both continents?
There was a family that was the only one in the empire to systematically breed sun parrots and pass them on to their offspring as companion birds. The Grand Duchess of Duren, the Elector Count of the North, with the phoenix as their family crest.
But it was only possible because Duren bred sun parrots from the beginning of the Tersia calendar… … .
“It’s a sun parrot.”
“Oh, that can’t be! Where did you get it?”
As Lane grinned, the staff’s eyes lit up and their fingers wriggled in an attempt to somehow touch Pippi.
“Just in the Red Mountains… … How did you pick it up?”
I didn’t lie, I didn’t lie.
The staff didn’t ask any further questions. I don’t know what smuggling route was used, but I know that if Richland’s capital is the Ludwig family’s wealth, they can save the sun parrot.
Of course, it’s possible if the sale comes out, but… … .
“If this is it, there will be no problem, right?”
“Oh, of course! But can I touch you a little bit?!”
“Me too!”
While Lane was filling out the registration paperwork for the Encyclopedia, Pippi, who was incomparably cute with an owl, received a lot of love from the staff.
“Is this enough?”
“Yes, you did everything you had to fill out.”
“Come here, Pippi… … no, pitch. let’s go.”
Truly overwhelming intelligence, Pippi immediately flew onto Lane’s shoulder and sat down. When I give her a glance, she tilts her head lovingly.
‘Pippi is by my side.’
That fact alone made me smile on the way back to the dormitory.
His stamina increased, but the three-day journey was not easy. When I returned to the dormitory, the tension was relieved, and as expected, travel was pushed back.
I sat at my desk and did some math problems, then collapsed on the bed.
“Pippi, turn off the lights.”
My consciousness was about to be sucked into the darkness, but the room became dark and a warm object landed next to my face and fell to the side like a person.
Phi Phi.
As I rubbed my face against Pippi’s head, I fell asleep cherishing the warmth.
“Good night, Pippi.”
“Good night, good night, good night, Rin.”
That night was the first sleepless night in the solitude of being alone since waking up from a long slumber.
* * *
On Monday morning, I woke up with a frown and put on my school uniform. School uniforms are managed by the dormitory manager.
From the time she woke up to the time she finished getting ready, Pippi was soundly asleep in her bed.
It was actually the first time I’d seen Pipi sleeping longer than he did.
‘I must have been tired… … .’
He must have never had a day to rest in peace while being wary of intruders. over 200 years. I closed the door quietly to make no sound.
Leave the dormitory and head to Yongnyungwan. This was because the announcement of the test results was made in the auditorium.
While yawning, I ran into an unexpected person on the cherry blossom campus.
“Good morning, Mr. Lane.”
It was Kyle, the second professor with a tall appearance and a kind smile. On his way to the main building, he instructed his assistant what to do and then approached Lane.
“Your face still shows the fatigue from the test, are you okay?”
I was a little puzzled, but for now, I bowed my head and showed my respect as a student. As Professor Kyle smiled, the wind blew and the cherry trees on the campus swayed gently.
From noble mtl dot com
“If it goes well, it might start today. Well, I look forward to it.”
“What do you mean?”
“What is it? It’s the life of the student council.”
Student Council?
Is the student council starting its activities?
I didn’t know what that had to do with me, so I hesitated, but for now, I nodded my head. Kyle laughed out loud.
“Among your peers, you know best that there is no vessel that can compare with Rain, right?”
“… … .”
“Fortunately, there is a senior who might stimulate you like that, and is in the position of student council president.”
“student president?”
“yes. I hope we can be good stimulants for each other. Probably so. I have a very good eye for people.”
Kyle grinned and patted Lane on the shoulder encouragingly, then turned around.
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
If Master hadn’t had any problems with his health the year before, and had supervised the exam himself, he would have given that child extra points.
‘I’m really looking forward to meeting these two people.’
After looking at Kyle’s back in a puzzled way, Lane tilted her head once and moved to the Yongryun Hall.
Entering the auditorium, Logan waved his hand from the back seat on the right. The other Tsaihak student sitting next to him bit his lip in amazement.
Sitting next to him, Logan said excitedly.
“It’s amazing that you got S grades on all the midterm exams, Gongja-nim.”
“I heard there are three other people besides me.”
“It doesn’t matter that you got an S from Lillian! Anyway, with this, Gongja-nim might become an executive of the 1st year student council.”
“Student Council? Come to think of it, Professor Kyle also said that earlier, so what does that have to do with me?”
Then, Logan tilted his head as if to stop joking around, then started explaining.
“The reason why the midterm exam in the first semester of the first year is important is that only the top cadets get executive qualifications from the first year… … Most student body presidents follow this route.”
The ＜Deleiten＞ Student Council consists of only the most promising cadets. Only those who reached the ranks were allowed to become executives.
There are only two chances. It is given only to the top cadets of the midterm and final exams of the first semester of the first year.
If the senior cadet is already an officer, that opportunity goes to the second cadet. In this way, the student council has been operated with two members per grade and six members in total.
“Is that like a club? Do I have to?”
“… … How are you?”
“Sweet, it’s annoying to increase work.”
“It’s ridiculous not to go in! How many cadets struggle to get into the student council. If you say that, you will incur resentment!”
It was the first time he had seen Logan so excited since the Battle of Magic, so Rain blinked his eyes with a slightly puzzled expression.
“okay? Sorry, that was very important.”
Shortly thereafter, all the cadets were seated and the university president, Madelia Page, was on the podium.
After that, five teaching assistants came in with a huge poster and started attaching it to the wall. Even though magic tools have developed tremendously, ＜Delayten＞ always adhered to the traditional method when announcing grades.
Soon, as the results were released to the world in order of grades, sighs leaked from all over the auditorium. Strangely, however, only the top five were listed on the poster.
“what? I don’t have my name.”
Gertrude ranked 8th, Logan ranked 7th, Hubert ranked 6th, and Lillian Karin ranked 5th. But there was no consolation. There were no names.
I also turned my attention to the lower ranks. A whopping 33 people were expelled, and the ranking was only up to 200th.
Madelia Page, who was on the podium at that time, spoke solemnly.
“Jeongsuk, from now on, I will call the top four cadets, from the top cadet to the 4th seat in the midterm exam.”
Nora Redon.
Christa Warden.
Cayden.
Lane Ludwig.
“The cadets whose names were just called up on the podium.”
In the exclamation of the cadets, the three cadets stood up with their own unique movements.
Christa was aristocratically majestic, Nora was mischievous, and Cayden was graceful, as if a melody flowed from each movement for some reason.
Logan gave a thumbs up as if cheering for Lane as he climbed onto the podium following the three competitors.
‘that’s interesting… … .’
I thought there was no particular tension in the test, which is evaluated at the basic level anyway, but after coming to this situation, my heart pulsates vigorously.
Is this a feeling of joy?
When I got up on the podium and stood next to Nora, only the sound of my own heartbeat echoed in my ears.
“I will read the evaluations of the professors who were in charge of evaluating your points.”
Madelia Page opened the scroll.
“The above four cadets were cadets who received S grades in all tests of the midterm exams, proving unrivaled excellence in magical prowess, understanding, and knowledge.”
“… … !”
“However, the highest score was given to the cadet who advanced further amidst such excellence, that is, to the cadet with the potential to pioneer the future of magic.”
Lane tilted her head.
A magical future? What does that mean? Madelia Page rolled up the scroll.
“What is required of the top cadets of ＜Deleiten＞ is neither excellence nor excellence, but uniqueness. It is unique as a jewel that shines only among countless gemstones!”
“… … !”
“The name of the cadet who has the qualifications to lead the other cadets with that light, the so-called cadet who has the qualifications as the top cadet——!”
Professor Kyle, who was waiting behind the podium with his arms folded, smiled.
“You look in a good mood, Professor Elin.”
Then, Elin, who had been laughing lightly, erased her smile for an instant and grinded her teeth.
“Not good? Are you in a bad mood right now? Imagining how much more that guy will climb makes me nauseous already?”
Still can’t be honest. Your mouth is twitching, Elin.
The two were rivals fighting for the top and bottom seats during their school days at Deliten. It was because his teachers were Scalzi and Marhena, who were at the crossroads in the magic world at the time.
Elin was, of course, Skalzi’s disciple, and Kyle was Marhena’s disciple. In the end, Kyle won and graduated at the top of his class, but… … .
“Is that so? It’s different from me.”
“why?”
“I feel great. I felt like I was witnessing a scene that would make headlines in the future in real time.”
“What are you talking about?”
“That day, right here, for the first time, a new magical future was revealed to the public. Could the title of the article be something like this?”
Madelia Page, who had been scanning the four cadets with her eyes amid suffocating tension, pointed at one of the cadets with her finger at that moment.
The boy had shiny black hair.
The boy had eyes redder than blood.
The boy was once called the Confucius of Genius amid national contempt. The boy’s name is Baro.
“──The 1388th midterm exam chief, Rain Ludwig!”