Although nothing had been resolved yet, it was around the time I was getting used to my daily routine. An unexpected obstacle appeared.
"Everyone, you all brought your magic paper, right?"
I let out a long sigh as I swept with my broom. It had been about a month since I started eavesdropping on the class. During that time, I had followed the lessons step by step and was able to build a solid foundation.
I could now carve a puppy doll from a much farther distance, one with perfectly rendered whiskers. I had no intention of boasting to mere children, but when it came to wind magic, I was far more skilled than those kids taking the class. Though, at best, I was probably only a little better than a mage my age.
The problem started from here. I couldn't advance any further.
"Yes, but why did you ask us to bring this?"
"I'll tell you now. There are many different kinds of people in the world. People who are strong, people who are tall, people who eat a lot... right?"
"Yes!"
"Just like that, everyone has something they are good at, a strength. It's the same for mages."
"You may not understand it now, but you have all already created your own worlds. In this lesson, we'll use the magic paper to take a little peek into what those worlds look like."
The ambush of 'required materials' was too difficult to overcome. I don't know where to buy it, nor do I know how much it costs. This meant that listening to this lesson would be almost useless.
"Now, place the magic paper on your desk, put your hand on it lightly, and then don't do anything."
"Why?"
"Because magic paper is very, very sensitive. If you use fire magic on it, it will burn up in a surprisingly short instant, and if you use wind magic, it will soar high into the air. Just touching it will record a trace of your mana."
"Ah, teacher. It tore."
"Oh dear, magic paper is expensive... I have some extra, should I give you one?"
"It's okay, when I said I needed it, my father gave me 100 sheets."
"O-Oh, is that so?"
"Um... nothing is changing?"
"It should have recorded something. If you give it to me... oh my, it's slightly scorched? It seems Hyuins has a talent for fire magic!"
So it's something like that. This lesson is a bust, but at least it's not something I need. If I put my hand on it, it would just get soaked in an instant.
It's a useless exercise for someone who already knows about the heart-realm. The real problem was the next lesson.
"Today is finally the day we start the basic course. Did everyone bring their textbooks?"
"Yeees~" "Let's open to page 3. What we'll learn today is..."
"I'm so screwed."
I muttered to myself with a sigh. This... there's really nothing I can do about this. It wasn't strange.
No matter if it was teaching children, it was a formal curriculum, so of course there would be a textbook. Of course, if I wracked my brain a bit, I could figure out what they were learning. However, I couldn't understand the details.
It felt like I was missing about half of the lesson's content. It was the worst-case scenario. After pondering for a moment, I decided to take a gamble.
Usually, I would run away a few minutes before the class ended. This time was different. I swept and wiped the floor, acting as normal as possible.
Not too diligently, just moderately. I waited for the class to end. -Clatter!
"Hey, let's go together!"
"A white horse was born in our stable today! Let's go see it!"
I glanced at the ground to avoid suspicion as much as possible. The children, well, they weren't all that different from the kids at the orphanage. Of course, their expensive clothes and the various accessories they already wore were a clear difference, but kids are kids.
They were just cute.
"Just a moment, everyone, please follow my lead... oh, oh, don't run!"
Fortunately, in the midst of misfortune, the teacher also rushed out after the children. Round glasses, chestnut-colored hair, a robe that wasn't particularly noble... unlike the previous teacher, he spoke formally to the children, so he didn't seem very experienced. Well, that wasn't the important part.
I approached the closed door, grabbed the handle, and tried to turn it. -Click. It wasn't locked.
"Hoo..."
Only after checking several times that no one was around did I calm my pounding heart and enter the classroom. It was exactly the kind of children's classroom I had imagined. It seemed they left the cleaning to the servants, as it was a complete mess, with overturned chairs, tissues, torn scraps of paper, and so on.
A total disaster. Looking around, I saw a book lying open on one of the desks.
"Is this it?"
I closed it and looked at the cover.
[Francine’s Magical Studies: Basic, 1] Looks like this is it.
It was a textbook, so naturally, it was a book not found in the library. Naturally, I began to read without any hesitation. The contents of the book were surprisingly easy to understand.
The books in the library used such advanced terminology that I couldn't even read them, let alone understand them. This was clearly different. No, in fact, it explained those terms.
Forgetting even to copy it, I read down the textbook as if possessed. Most of the information about magic that I wanted but wasn't taught in class, which I had just glossed over, was in there. From increasing precision to methods for setting an exact point of manifestation.
Things to explore and things to avoid. And other interesting information besides. Of course, I didn't understand everything at first glance, but that was because it was teaching material for a class.
If I listened to the class with this textbook in hand, I would be able to understand it all. -Everything I needed to learn right now was in this book. Gulp, I swallowed involuntarily.
"... I can't." Overcome by impulse, I reached for the textbook, then clenched my teeth.
Steal the textbook? Do I really want to die? The chance of getting caught was too high, and the risk if I were caught was too great.
Theft isn't a problem that can be solved by crying and begging. Child or not, I could truly be punished. The best solution is to copy it by hand.
There was no time for this. I took out the notebook and pencil I had prepared, when a faint current touched me.
"...!"
It was that sensation I'd felt before. A subtle flow, created by someone approaching. I must have been too focused on the textbook.
It's probably the teacher. As soon as I thought that, I heard a grumbling voice.
"Hah, teaching kids is so tiring..."
If I go out now, he'll see me leaving the classroom with his own eyes. There are many places to hide. But that's a poor strategy.
I made a quick decision and picked up the broom.
Swish, swish...
Ten seconds after I calmly started sweeping the floor.
"... Huh?"
The teacher came in. He looked at me with slightly surprised eyes, so I looked back at him with surprised eyes as well.
"Ah, hello?"
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"Cleaning...?"
"Cleaning the classroom? No, I didn't ask you to, so why are you-" Just before suspicion filled the teacher's eyes, I covered my mouth and bowed my head deeply.
"Ah, ah! I'm sorry. I was cleaning the area around the classroom and the door was open, so I misunderstood and thought I had to clean in here too. I'm sorry..."
"Huh? No, it's nothing to be sorry about... Are you the janitor who cleans around here?"
"Yeees..."
"Then it seems you did misunderstand. From now on, don't just enter buildings without permission. You could be mistaken for a thief."
I let out a sigh of relief inwardly. Was that too risky of a gamble? Of course, even in the worst-case scenario, I hadn't actually stolen anything, so I was confident I could get through it somehow.
"I'll clean up in here, so you can go sweep outside."
"Ah, I'll help you."
"Hmm? But this is my job..."
"I've finished cleaning in front of the classroom."
"Really? Well, then..."
As I helped the teacher clean the classroom and left, I felt my whole body drenched in sweat. It wasn't because of the hard work, but because of the tension. I felt like a few years had been shaved off my lifespan.
"Thanks for your help. We finished quickly because of you."
"No, this is my job. Is there anything else you need me to do?"
"Oh? In that case, could you help me with one more thing? This is the leftover magic paper. Could you take it to the magical tools shop in the center over there?"
"... Ah, yes."
I only said that to be polite, but he actually took me up on it. I was worried that all the magic paper would get wet the moment I touched it, but thankfully he gave it to me in a thick box.
Struggling with the box, I entered the shop and called out to the owner, whose hair was quite bald, as he was tidying up the counter.
"Excuse me, the teacher from the children's class over there asked me to deliver this."
"Hmm? Ah, that must be the leftover magic paper. Wait just a moment. Ugh..."
While the owner went to the back of the store to do something, I was looking around the shop when- "...
Huh?"
I froze when I saw the books lined up above the counter.
[Francine’s Magical Studies: Basic, 1] [Francine’s Magical Studies: Basic, 2] [Francine’s Magical Studies: Basic, 3] ...
Was this a jewelry store? I wanted them like crazy. I thought for a moment, and when the owner came out, I lowered my head so he couldn't see my face well and deepened my voice.
"Here you go."
"Right, thanks for the errand."
"Excuse me, what kind of shop is this?"
"Hmm? It's a place where cadets come to buy supplies when they lose them. Why do you ask?"
"Thank you. I was just curious."
I even got confirmation. I suppressed my excitement, left the shop without showing my face, and ran to find an empty place. And as soon as I entered an alley, I threw off all my clothes and put on the noble's clothes I carried in my bag just in case.
I had been carrying them around to avoid getting caught if I ever did something that would get me in big trouble as a janitor. I never thought they would be used like this.
"... Is my hair a bit of a mess?"
For a few minutes, I looked at my reflection in a gently flowing stream, wiped off some soot, and neatened my hair. The fact that I have black hair was a bit of a problem, but there were some nobles with black hair, though not many. It probably wouldn't be a big issue.
"Ahem, ahem."
I straightened my shoulders and cleared my throat. I left my dirty bag there and walked with a majestic air, as if I were obviously a noble. I felt it when I entered the library too, but attitude is important.
When I entered the jewelry store—no, the magical tools shop—again, I could see the owner's reaction had clearly changed. He came out from behind the counter, bowing and scraping as if he had truly seen a noble. Well, it would be a big problem for me if he didn't. "Oh my, good day to you.
What have you come to see?"
"Hmm. I'd like to buy those three textbooks over there."
"L-Like to...?"
Is this not the right way to talk? Still, the owner took out the magic books without much suspicion.
"Which family's son are you? I will put it on their tab."
As expected of the academy, the owner is suggesting credit. But a family? I, who had no such thing, shook my head.
"Do you also take cash?"
"Yes, of course."
"Keep the change."
I thanked Hyuins in my mind and placed a silver coin on the counter. He's practically my savior. Next time I see Elysia, even if I don't actually hit her, I'll secretly tell him where she is.
As I was thinking that and about to take the textbooks...
"Huh? Ahh~ Hahaha..."
The owner, who had been baffled by the silver coin I offered, started laughing.
"Young master, I think you've brought the wrong thing. This is silver, not gold!"
"... Oh, ah, is that so?"
"Yeees, these textbooks are 599 silver each, so it would be better to put it on your family's tab. If you just tell me..."
"... I'll come back next time."
"Uh, y-yes...?"
I still walked out of the store confidently. And then... as soon as I entered the alley, I collapsed and muttered with a face full of despair.
"This is bullshit..."
599 silver?
A textbook costs 599 silver coins? For one book? If I combine all three, it's roughly the same as our orphanage's annual budget?
Isn't the inflation a bit too much? I needed to earn money.
Right now.