Chapter 61

As I made a sour face, Tütte, as usual, came forward to greet the visitors and was talking to someone in front of the door.

"Miss, there are some class masters here to see you."

"...Yes, they're waiting outside now, so please have them come in and wait. Also, please bring Lady Reiforce and the others here."

"Understood."

Tütte bowed respectfully and then led the guests in the corridor into the room, while the prince's attendant maid went out as if to replace her.

(I gave orders naturally, but was it okay for me to use the prince's maid? But the prince said to have them come if something happened, so it should be fine.)

Since the other party responded so naturally, I only realized after she left and became a bit anxious.

"Excuse me."

A rather tense voice was heard, and I was brought back to reality, turning my gaze towards the source of the voice. There, instead of a noble, a commoner girl student was standing stiffly as if bound by a restraining spell.

"Please, come in."

Following Tütte's guidance, the girl student was led to the table where I was sitting and, as instructed, sat down.

"There's no need to be so nervous. Or, am I that scary a person?"

"N-no! N-nothing of the sort! I'm just nervous to be talking to Lady Mary. I'm not scared at all! I just couldn't help but be captivated!"

"O-oh..."

I had intended to tell a joke to ease the tension, but the intense denial and the force of her conviction left me a bit overwhelmed. Then, the door was knocked on, and I responded, assuming the prince had returned. The prince entered the room.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting."

"No, not at all."

I answered on behalf of the girl student, who was so nervous she couldn't speak, and the prince approached her with a gentle smile.

"Hello, Your Highness. I came today to consult with the class masters."

She stood up abruptly and made a beautiful bow, as if she were a maid. Magilka, who had been standing behind, noticed something.

"Oh? Isn't that Fynel?"

"Hmm? Magilka, do you know her? She's from Lalaio."

"Yes, she is a member of the 'Herbology Research Club' I founded this year, Your Highness."

One of the club-like activities I mentioned earlier, the club Magilka founded, was originally for discussing and studying the knowledge of magic herbs, which only Areyos students could learn. Therefore, it wasn't strange for a commoner from Lalaio to be acquainted with Magilka.

"Then, let's hear what she has to say. Shall we move to the other room? Zaha and Magilka, please come with us."

"Understood."

Zaha and Magilka bowed respectfully, while Fynel, in contrast, hurriedly bowed. The prince led them into the adjacent room where the class masters gathered. After seeing them off, I picked up the cup and drank the tea.

(I hope nothing goes wrong, I hope nothing goes wrong!)

I prayed to God in my heart and waited.

A few minutes later, the three of them returned to this room. It seemed Fynel had left the other room.

"There's a problem."

Hearing the words I didn't want to hear from Magilka, I started to seriously consider how to escape from this situation. Unaware of my state of mind, Magilka sat in front of me as if it were the most natural thing and began to tell me what she had heard from Fynel.

"Some Areyos students may be cultivating magic herbs illegally."

"What do you mean?"

Hearing the word 'illegal,' I couldn't help but ask.

"Lady Mary, have you heard of 'Mandrake'?"

"Um, isn't it the magic herb that screams when pulled out? And hearing its scream can kill you. It's quite expensive, right?"

I recited the knowledge of this plant, which I had learned in my previous life, and Magilka looked surprised.

"Indeed, Lady Mary, you have knowledge of magic herbs. However, the idea that hearing its scream can kill you is a misunderstanding. It only causes confusion in people with very low magic power or weak will."

"Is that so? Then, what about the Mandrake?"

"Mandrake is very rare and is used as a material for magic and medicine, so its handling is strict. Cultivation is prohibited for those without the proper qualifications."

"You mean, students are cultivating it without qualifications?"

From the conversation so far, I realized what was happening and interrupted, but Magilka nodded without being upset.

"Fynel and the other Lalaio students were cultivating other plants in a nearby field. They didn't notice it before, but after joining the club and learning about Mandrake, they realized the possibility that the Areyos students were cultivating it."

(If students without qualifications are cultivating the plant, they would do it secretly. By placing people around who have no knowledge, they avoid suspicion. It's probably because no one ever thought Lalaio students would work with Areyos students on the same research.)

"But, if it's just a possibility, there's no proof."

"Yes, they didn't confirm it up close. When they tried to point it out, the Lalaio students were told to mind their own business and were turned away."

"The barrier between classes hasn't been completely removed among the students, which is unfortunate."

The prince, who had been listening to our conversation, sighed.

"Anyway, let's go and confirm the truth. I don't intend to make the students from different classes argue in front of the class masters."

The prince, regaining his composure, took a breath, stood up, and Zaha and Magilka followed suit. Safina, who was also standing, left me as the only one still sitting, and everyone looked at me curiously.

(Why are you looking at me like that? I'm an outsider, but now that I've heard, I can't just sit here.)

I made up my mind, stood up quietly, and sighed deeply.

(Please, let nothing happen, let nothing happen, nothing at all, nothing at all.)

I repeated my prayer in my heart as if chanting a mantra and headed to the scene.

The site was not far from the old school building, and a wide area was cultivated with various fields and plants. We, the class masters, moved to the site, receiving the gazes of the students working there. From their similar uniforms, they probably recognized us as class masters.

(I hope Safina and I aren't lumped together with them.)

We walked along the path between the fields and approached the site we were told about. A few male students were moving nervously, glancing at us.

(Oh, they're radiating suspicion. It's as if they're saying, 'We're doing something you shouldn't see.')

I looked at them with half-closed eyes as we arrived at the site, led by the prince.

"What brings you here, Your Highness?"

The male students hurriedly approached us, clearly trying to prevent us from getting close to the field.

"Are you acting alone, without a teacher?"

"Yes... that's right."

"Then, this is a student-only activity. Have you submitted an application?"

The male students, drenched in cold sweat, were met with the prince's stern response.

"We haven't. We forgot because it's an old activity."

The latter part was said in a barely audible voice.

"Then, please submit the application as soon as possible. Also, since we're here, let's check your activity."

"Wh-what!"

The male students looked up in surprise at the prince's smiling response, and without hesitation, the prince walked past them and headed for the field.

"Your Highness, you'll get dirty."

The male students tried to stop the prince and his group, but Magilka, ignoring it, started checking the herbs planted in the field. A few minutes later, her face turned serious.

"That's strange. All the herbs here are harmless. I don't see any Mandrake."

I heard her whisper to the prince and looked around, wondering what was going on. I noticed the male students glancing at a certain direction. The field they were looking at was adjacent to the one we were in and appeared unused.

Or, it was made to look unused.

From the incident with Senior Alice, I had studied illusions and perception-blocking magic. I noticed that the field was blurred, indicating the presence of such magic. They had pretended to be flustered and led us to this dummy field.

(How dare they try to fool the prince. This needs to be addressed.)

Fortunately, the students were focused on the three class masters and ignored Safina and me. I moved to the adjacent field, and Safina, my maid, followed without question.

"Excuse me, but is this field not related to you?"

The students turned back, startled by my words.

"Safina, don't let them get close."

"Understood."

I whispered to Safina, who stepped in front of me. Tütte was kept at a safe distance from the field.

"What do you mean, Lady Mary? This field is not related to us. Please, you'll get dirty, come this way."

The student, emitting an indescribable ominous aura, tried to approach with a strained smile, but Safina glared and placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, stopping him in his tracks.

"Well, well, if it's not related to you, there's no problem with what I'm about to do. After all, it's just an empty, unused field♪"

"Huh? What?"

The students looked at each other, confused, as I tilted my head slightly and showed a business smile, similar to the one Tütte had shown earlier. I raised my right palm to shoulder height and whispered.

"Fire Ball♪"

In response to my clear words, a fireball floated up in my raised palm.

"Whoa! Oh!"

As the students turned pale and tried to jump over the field to get to us, Safina took a stance with her sword, and I, still smiling, threw the fireball at the field behind us.

Whoosh!

"Ah! Ah! Twenty years of hard work!"

Flames rose from the supposedly empty ground, and something started burning. The illusion collapsed, revealing the burning herbs beneath.

"These are Mandrake flowers! They were hidden by an illusion spell."

Magilka, who quickly realized what I had done, approached the field and confirmed the herbs.

(Well, let's leave it at this. Time to put out the fire.)

I turned to cast a water spell and saw a large plant I hadn't noticed before blocking my view.

"Huh?"

"Lady Mary, step back!"

As my surprised voice overlapped with Magilka's, the plant swelled and...

...exploded spectacularly.

The aftermath left me drenched in the plant's juice, which had splashed all over my head.

(What is this? This is the worst.)

I froze, staring at the liquid dripping from my hair.

"Are you okay, Lady Mary?"

The prince rushed to my frozen state, and I restarted my frozen thoughts, careful not to get him wet.

"I-I'm fine, Lord Reiforce."

"That's good... I'm glad..."

My hand, which was floating in a daze, was caught by someone and pulled towards me. I opened my eyes wide in shock and saw the prince's handsome face up close.

(So close, so close.)

"What a shame, for your beautiful hair to be dirtied like this. Let me clean it for you."

Before I could react, the prince suddenly put his hand around my waist.

"Huh? What?"

(What? Wait! What's happening!)

I found myself being embraced by the prince, our faces very close.

"Lord Reiforce, you'll get dirty."

"I'll be happy to get dirty if it cleans your beautiful self."

(What's with this sudden change? He's giving me a charming smile! But, I can't let my guard down just because he looks good! I need to stay focused!)

Panicking, I froze, unable to react. I saw Magilka and Safina blushing and covering their faces.

(No, I can't rely on the other girls.)

"Lord Reiforce... everyone is watching."

"Don't worry. Let's show everyone, you and me."

(What's with this sudden declaration?)

"Ah, your wet eyes are beautiful too. Can you show me more?"

He brushed my dripping bangs aside and looked into my eyes, and I found myself drawn to his blue gaze.

(What should I do? Should I push him away? But that would be disrespectful to the prince! What should I do, what should I do!)

As the handsome face drew closer, I panicked and couldn't think clearly. My decision was:

"Le..."

"Le?"

"Levitation!"

I decided to fly away.

Floating high above the school building, I confirmed that I was far from the prince and sighed in relief.

"Phew, that was a shock. The prince can't come here. I wonder what got into him."

After a while, I calmed down and looked down. There was a commotion, and I saw Zaha and Safina restraining the students. The prince, visible even from this height, was blushing and seemed to be in a state of self-loathing.

"Um, I didn't do anything to embarrass the prince, did I? I don't want to be charged with disrespect."

Feeling a bit worried, I moved in the air and gradually descended to a place away from the crowd, where I saw Tütte and Magilka beckoning me.

(I can't be charged with disrespect for something so minor, right? It was the prince who suddenly acted weird.)

I landed in front of them, still nervous and making excuses to myself.

"Secure her!"

At Magilka's signal, Tütte, who had prepared a large cloth, covered and wrapped me tightly.

(What's happening? Am I being captured?)

In the darkness, I imagined the scene from a TV show where a criminal is led away with their head covered. I was led away by Tütte and Magilka, not knowing where we were going.

Thank you for reading this far.