Chapter 10

Leading the half-human child, I made my way to Eliza's room, trying to stay hidden.

On the way, there were a few close calls, but once we got to the second floor, we no longer encountered anyone.

We reached the target room and knocked on the door, and a relaxed voice came from inside.

"Who is it?"

Eliza, who said this, had a silly grin on her face and an unsteady gait, clearly drunk.

Was it right for a teacher to show such a state to a student, presumably a young girl?

No, in this situation, it might actually be helpful. If she was drunk, she might lend me clothes without thinking too much.

"Sorry to bother you at night. I was wondering if I could borrow some clothes."

When I said this, Eliza looked at me with a dazed expression and noticed the girl hiding behind me.

Her expression changed instantly.

Eliza, frowning, opened the door and looked at the girl.

"Come in."

"A, a, alright..."

The girl, startled by Eliza's serious tone, nodded and entered the room.

"Aoi, come in too."

Pressed by the atmosphere, I obediently followed.

Inside, the smell of distilled liquor and flowers wafted. The room, about eight to ten tatami mats in size, was furnished with surprisingly subdued colors. The lamps and trinket boxes were designed cutely, but the table in the center, filled with wooden bowls of drinks and snacks, gave the room an ambiguous appearance, neither that of a man nor a maiden.

Eliza sat the girl on a small chair set at the table and sat on the floor herself.

"What happened?"

When she asked in a gentle voice, the girl looked down, on the verge of tears.

"Aoi..."

Called by my name, I paid attention to the girl's condition and explained the situation in which we had met.

Listening to this, Eliza looked at the girl with a pained expression.

"Is it Shenli from the senior high school? I heard she was serious and dedicated to studying magic... What happened? Can you tell me?"

When Eliza asked gently, the girl, called Shenli, remained silent and shed a single tear.

Was she unwilling to answer, or unable to?

If she couldn't...

Eliza, perhaps realizing the same thing, showed a stern face for a moment. But she quickly softened her expression and stroked Shenli's head.

"Anyway, I'll lend you my clothes. How about these?"

Changing her mood, Eliza let Shenli choose and change into the clothes.

While Shenli was changing, Eliza came to my side and spoke in a low voice.

"Aoi, my room doesn't have a shower... But the faculty dorm is off-limits to regular students... So, is it okay?"

Eliza said this in a joking tone, but the atmosphere wasn't completely concealed.

Her genuine concern for Shenli was evident, and I smiled softly.

We moved to my room, and I had Shenli take a shower.

When she first entered my room, she was surprised by its size, but after looking around a few times, she calmed down.

She was clearly used to large, luxurious rooms. Incidentally, Eliza silently watched Shenli go to take a shower.

"Since she lives in the dorm, is it okay for her to stay in my room tonight?"

"Regular students usually share rooms, but Shenli is using a double room alone because there was one person short. So, it's fine."

After answering with a wry smile, Eliza's expression darkened again.

"Shenli skipped a year to enter the senior high school. It's not uncommon in a merit-based magic academy, but the fact that she is a half-human and from a viscount family was a problem."

"Problem...?"

Eliza's words made me angry. Noticing this, she quickly waved her hands in front of her face.

"No, no, I don't think that! But inevitably, a hierarchy forms based not only on magical ability but also on titles, countries of origin, and birth! Even I, a dwarf, am called 'just a dwarf' behind my back!"

"Some researchers believe that dwarves and half-humans are less adept at magic because they constantly use internal magic. It's just that they can't release as much power."

When I said this, Eliza's expression became one of resignation.

"True, but the overall impression doesn't change."

Her tone was calm, but her words were decisive. It was probably a problem she had long pondered and given up on.

"I see. But at least, such discrimination should be eliminated within the academy."

"That's difficult, I think."

Eliza dismissed my words with a sigh.

"The current senior high school is a rare environment. After all, the royal families of the six major countries are all here. Whether they intend to or not, factions naturally form."

"Factions..."

At this point, we heard Shenli's footsteps as she came out of the shower, and we fell silent.

After that, we had a light meal with Shenli, trying to distract her with casual conversation before Eliza left.

By late night, Shenli had calmed down considerably and was able to talk to me.

She talked enthusiastically about classes, the facilities, and the well-stocked library of the academy.

In this way, Shenli, who had finally cheered up, agreed to stay in my room, and my first night in the dorm turned out to be spent with a student.

The next morning, I woke up early in the unfamiliar room and bed, regretting not having bought groceries. I took out ingredients from my master's magic bag.

I fried the lot wolf meat and leafy vegetables, and seasoned them with salt and pepper. I then sprinkled salt on a fried egg, added herbs for flavor, and served it with sliced baguette, completing a simple breakfast.

As I was thinking about preparing homemade jam, Shenli woke up.

"Good morning..."

Shenli, looking awkward, walked over, and I offered her a chair.

"Good morning. Come, eat."

Shenli, looking embarrassed, sat down and, as I suggested, ate the meat with a fork, blinking.

"It's delicious."

Smiling, I watched her reach for the other dishes and ate my breakfast.

The meat, cooked until it had a slight char, was tender and flavorful, with a spicy and aromatic pepper and a good amount of salt. The salt was a bit strong, but it was just right when eaten with the leafy vegetables. The fried egg was sweet and a good contrast.

"Would you like to go to the academy together after breakfast?"

When I asked, Shenli seemed to think for a moment but eventually nodded.