The Magic Academy's Physicist-Chapter 232: You Have The Wrong Person (3)

Chapter 232: You Have The Wrong Person (3)

“A Golden-Eyed student? That must be rare.”

“She’s so smart and kind; there’s no way that such an innocent child could be a Beast.”

Cecil grinned and crossed her arms, eyes turning an impressive green.

Normally, Cecil’s eyes contained many different colors simultaneously like an opal or tourmaline, yet at times they’d shine in a single color. Aether guessed they might be influenced by her emotions.

“She’s very smart.”

“I heard that all Golden-Eyed are.”

“You’ll also be charmed when you see for yourself.”

Cecil was raving with compliments for this girl, her eyes flashing even greener.

Was she getting excited?

Aether inwardly chuckled, because her eyes would also go back to their normal color when she got excited. The technician had clearly cautioned her about this.

She recovered from the earlier panic and continued listening to Cecil.

“You see, I’m similar to Duke Hasfeldt back in your country in that I very much appreciate youth who are greatly talented. And if they have good personalities on top of that, how can I not want to raise them as a future scholar?”

What. Was she saying that it was okay to make them a grad student?

“That child will probably be in your class as well. Please take care of her when the time comes.”

“...I’ll keep that in mind. What is that child’s name?”

Cecil was thrilled by the question and told her the student’s name.

Then she began to tell her more information about this student.

**Some time before the ‘Steam Rain’ incident.

Having listened to Aether’s advice, Lotte was on the shuttle bus to Iliad.

The sky had been dark this whole day. Despite being broad daylight, the sun hadn’t shone even once. Lotte looked at her watch and quirked her head.

“Looks like we’ll be getting a squall soon, everyone.”

The bus driver said, and he was absolutely right.

Eventually, heavy rain began pouring along with strong gusts. The car got stuck in the mud and fallen trees blocked the road on both sides.

“It seems we’ll have to find somewhere to stay until the rain stops.”

Everyone nodded at one passenger’s suggestion. They all put on raincoats and searched for a place to rest, stumbling with each step they took.

Thankfully, there were many well-paved sidewalks in the capital’s suburbs. Not long after, Lotte and the rest were able to reach the coastal bay. There they found dozens of houses built from containers.

“It looks like people live here.”

“Why would they build their houses in a place like this.... Do they want to be swept away by the storm?”

“Still, none of them have gone flying. They would have taken measures.”

“Is there anyone who’d like to go check it out?”

Everyone hesitated at the last question.

No one tried to go to the containers; it was too risky to cross the wet sands in a single pair of shoes.

“I’ll go.”

Lotte was the only one who put her hand up.

Noblesse oblige. If someone had to do it, then as a noble, she would.

There were those who tried to stop her, but Lotte dismissed them and went forth. The ground kept sinking but she pushed herself forward.

Lotte lit a flame in her hand and used it as a torch. After some walking, she was able to arrive at the nearest container.

Knock knock.

“Anyone home?”

When she called, footsteps could be heard inside. Soon, a girl with a poncho-style raincoat opened the door and poked her head out.

“Who?”

It was a voice that was calm and level like a pond. At the same time, it was an accent that sounded familiar.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for shelter from the rain.”

The girl didn’t hesitate to ask.

“Are you by yourself?”

“No, there are about twenty more others.......”

“Tell them all to come inside.”

Lotte’s face lit up at once.

She called the people and brought them to the container. Everyone including the driver thanked her and the girl.

“That could’ve been dangerous. To think that the car would get stuck there.......”

The driver groaned, to which the girl responded.

“It’s because it’s the rainy season season. It’s common for the traffic to be paralyzed because of the mud during this time.”

“Anyway, thank you. So, your name is...?”

“Me?”

The girl smiled slowly and took off her hood.

In the next moment–

“Wow....”

Someone exclaimed.

She was a beautiful girl with even deeper red hair than Lotte. As the cliché goes, her skin was like porcelain.

And her eyes.

“So you’re a Golden-Eyed, miss.”

Her yellow eyes shining brightly like a beacon justified why she was a beauty.

“I’m Leninya. Nice to meet you.”

The girl gave a light smile as she looked at Lotte.

She was the third Golden-Eyed she’d seen after Aether and Akasha. The only difference between her and the other two was that her ears were elongated like an elf’s.

While Lotte gaped at her, Leninya came over and held out her hand.

“Good job making your way here. Do you want one?”

Lotte found herself receiving something–a star candy sparkling white. Leninya handed out the candy to the others as well.

“Wait, what if it’s poison or something?”

Some people murmured this while Lotte was staring at the star-shaped candy in her hand.

“What?”

“I mean, isn’t it weird that she’s being kind all of a sudden? Letting us in then wanting us to eat this without question? Isn’t it suspicious?”

“Y-you think?”

It was a reasonable doubt. The people who were about to eat the star candy without thinking also paused at that.

“What, even though I shared it with you. If you’re going to be like that, then don’t eat it.”

There was disgruntlement in her expression. Leninya soon took out a candy from the jar and popped it in her mouth.

“Do you know how good these are.”

“.......”

The people still couldn’t shake off their doubts.

Just then, a ‘pffft’ sounded from elsewhere.

It was Lotte.

“You’re fascinating. You sound like someone I know.”

She figured out instantly what kind of person this Leninya was; it was possible because she already had a friend who was a Golden-Eyed.

Lotte popped the candy in her mouth without question. It was sweet as expected, and there was a refreshing tanginess to it. They must’ve added mint or something.

There was no poison or sleeping drugs. Even after a few minutes, nothing was wrong with her body.

“It’s good, isn’t it?”

“It’s delicious.”

“You can talk to me comfortably; I think we’re similar in age, too.”

“Yeah, it’s good.”

As Lotte nodded, Leninya perked her ears.

This was their first meeting.

And the next day after a night’s sleep–

“We’re in the same class!”

“You’re right.”

The class that Lotte was assigned to was the one with Leninya.

In fact, Leninya was a student of Iliad Academy; it was a remarkable coincidence.

And since they had met before, it wasn’t difficult to get along. Rather, the two quickly become close from that connection in the container.

And as they spent time together, Lotte learned a few things about Leninya.

One of them was that Leninya kept trying to offer things to people she met.

“Do you want one?”

Leninya gave out star candies to the exchange students.

The students of Tilette who were already accustomed to Aether accepted Leninya’s favor. After handing it out to all of them, Leninya came back and sat next to Lotte, shoulders bouncing.

“There’s lot of good people amongst humans.”

Although it didn’t show on her face, she was happy. It was because her ears were flicking up and down.

Not being able to express emotions properly was a common trait amongst the Golden-Eyed. They were always calm and collected. When Lotte came to her senses, she found herself thinking about Aether.

Iliad was a good place, a school famous for Elemental Magic so there was a lot that she could learn. But apart from that, she missed Aether.

“...Huh.”

“What is it?”

“My textbook’s gone. I put it inside the desk.”

Leninya’s ears drooped.

Just then, there was the sound of snickering coming from one side.

“Hey, Yellow. Looking for this?”

It was a group of female students with fancy badges on their capes. The one who looked like the leader came over while spinning the thick book like pizza dough.

The textbook was worn and torn up in places.

It was a book they had received this semester; it couldn’t have gotten that dirty already.

“You took it? Give it back.”

“Hah, look at her. She wants it back.”

The girls put the book on top of the teacher’s desk while giggling, and Leninya struggled to reach towards the desk.

Tap.

Another girl pushed the book and dropped it behind the desk. An exclamation of ‘ah’ fell from Leninya’s lips.

“What is a lowly bitch like you who can’t even use magic studying for?”

They were stinging words. Superiority? Inferiority? It didn’t matter what the feeling was; it was a behavior that she couldn’t let slide.

Lotte jumped up and shouted at the group of girls.

“Hold it. Aren’t you guys being too harsh?”

Lotte’s sharp gaze turned towards the group, but she was only met with calm and indifference.

“What is it, Leninya. You’re already friends with a human?”

“Hey you, it’s because you don’t get it. This bitch came in through minority privileges. She’s an idiot who’s not supposed to be at Iliad.”

“You heard Rike, right? If you come from the prestigious Tilette, come hang out with us purebloods instead of this mutt.”

Purebloods. She heard that it was what High Elves referred to themselves as.

Thus it meant that they were High Elves, while Leninya was a Golden-Eyed and an ordinary elf.

She didn’t know how she had the features of an elf while being a Golden-Eyed, but that wasn’t what was important right now.

Teeth clenched, Lotte scolded the group of schoolgirls.

“You guys are High Elves, no? Then shouldn’t you be more polite?”

“What is she saying?”

The girls cackled, but Lotte didn’t care and continued speaking.

“Minority or not, she’s your peer. How can you treat a fellow classmate like this?”

“You’re funnier than I thought. I heard that there were a few commoners at Tilette; are you one of them, perhaps?”

“I’m Lotte Saliere, a noble.”

“Hnn, is that so? I’m Rike Rothschild. Let’s get along.”

She had heard about the Rothschild family before–the most pompous family amongst the High Elves. It was the Rothschilds who held many high-ranking positions such as politicians, entrepreneurs, professionals, etc.

A prestigious family that the Salieres couldn’t even compare to. But Lotte didn’t back down but stepped forward. She dusted off the dropped book and handed it to Leninya.

“I can’t get along with you if you’re going to keep treating your peers like this.”

“Hah?”

“Even now’s fine; apologize to Leninya.”

“As if. I’ve lost interest, girls. Let’s just go.”

Rike took the other girls and left. Lotte followed them with burning eyes until they closed the door after them.

After checking the crumpled book, Leninya slowly opened her mouth.

“...Thanks.”

Lotte shook her head.

“Not at all. Rather, shouldn’t we tell the school about this?”

“I’m fine.”

“Don’t be like that. If you’re getting bullied, let’s go talk to the dean or president. Or the vigilance committee... no, no. Let’s go report it to the police.”

“They’re members of the Rothschild family. The police and all are connected to them. Even if we report it, they won’t do anything.......”

Leninya’s ears drooped. This, too, was a little different from Aether. If it had been Aether, she would’ve cracked their heads open already.

That was also wrong, of course, but it was better than just taking it.

“Wait a moment.”

Lotte decided to help Leninya however she could.

It didn’t take long for this news to reach the president.

**“...And so that child is being bullied quite a bit. Thankfully, there’s less direct bullying thanks to a female student from Tilette.”

Even as she spoke, President Cecil kept sighing.

Cecil lamented. The only thing she could do was divide up the class. The shadows of the Rothschilds were so thick that it wasn’t easy to take disciplinary action against the student who was heading the bullying. Make the wrong move and she herself might have to step down as president.

“It’s worse than the Empire.”

“Yes, it’s an invisible status system.”

“Then there won’t be much that I can do, either.”

“You only need to support her so that she can do well in school, and prevent students from other classes from entering. And if there is any discrimination that happens, mediate the best you can on the spot. Please.”

Who cared if she was president, this wasn’t the time to be considering positions. Cecil requested while bowing with all respect. As for Aether, there wasn’t really a reason to refuse.

The daughter of a powerful family who bullied Golden-Eyeds.

And a female student who stood up to that power and reported the bullying.

“That student you mentioned, is she in the same class as this Leninya?”

“Yes, she should be. I thought it was better to leave it that way.”

“Understood.”

“Then I leave it to you, Miss1.”

Miss.

She never thought she’d be called that.

Aether huffed a laugh and nodded. It was then that Cecil could go attend to other matters in peace.

Footnotes

1. Originally 'teacher' in raw, but wasn't natural sounding