I received a review from “Minase Tsukasa”! I’ll keep working hard to meet your expectations. Thank you!
Thanks to you all, this work is now being published as a book! It’s all because of everyone who reads it. Thank you so much!!!
See the afterword or activity report for details.
Three months had passed since Aira began attending the Royal Academy at the urging of the First Prince, Kyle.
Aira was steadily improving her abilities. She didn’t particularly love studying, but she didn’t hate it either. Back in Japan, she took classes seriously and had good grades, and that carried over to the academy. She learned about the Slantania Kingdom’s history, magic, and more. Though she transferred mid-year, special lessons from teachers and help from Kyle and his group kept her on track. Subjects like arithmetic and natural science, which she’d studied in Japan, were areas where her original world’s knowledge outpaced this one, so she often outperformed her peers.
“Your level went up.”
“Congratulations. Next, try using this spell.”
After school at the training grounds, Aira was practicing magic with Marc Yarn, one of Kyle’s aides. Marc, the eldest son of an earl, was the most magically gifted student in Kyle’s year and was expected to one day lead the Court Mage Corps.
Before enrolling, they confirmed Aira had holy-attribute magic skills, just like Sei. Since past [Saints] always possessed this skill, Kyle nodded with satisfaction upon hearing of Aira’s aptitude, as if it were only natural. On his orders, she began practicing magic with him and his aides every day after school.
Among Kyle’s aides, she often trained with Marc due to his magical prowess. Though he lacked aptitude for holy-attribute magic, he had talent in wind and lightning magic and was well-versed in attributes beyond his own. Thanks to classes and after-school practice, Aira’s holy-attribute magic skill level rose quickly. People around her assumed it was because Kyle’s support allowed her to use high-end MP recovery potions freely during training. Using a skill repeatedly raised its level, and potions let her keep going without worrying about running out of MP.
In reality, her rapid growth stemmed more from being summoned from another world, making her base and skill levels rise faster than those native to this world. Sei experienced the same, which is why her production skills leveled up so quickly, but no one noticed. This was largely because Sei made an absurd number of potions, overshadowing the pattern.
“Let’s call it a day.”
“Okay.”
Aira nodded at Marc’s words and stopped. They’d used up the day’s MP potions, and it was about the usual time to end practice. She left the training grounds with Marc and walked down the corridor. Normally, they’d head back to the palace, but Marc frowned at something unusual at the academy’s entrance.
“The carriage isn’t here.”
Typically, a palace carriage would be waiting by now, but today there was no sign of it. For Aira’s safety, Kyle had instructed that one of his aides always stay with her, and right now, it was just Marc. He couldn’t leave to fetch the carriage, so they ended up waiting together.
Eventually, they grew tired of standing in silence and started chatting idly. Marc usually only talked about holy-attribute magic during practice, but this time he spoke about other attributes too. To others, it might’ve been technical and complex, but Aira, with her Japanese science background, found parts of it understandable and really interesting. They ended up having an unexpectedly fun time, unaware that someone was watching them laugh together from the shadows.
“Excuse me, may I have a moment?”
By the time Aira had gotten quite used to the academy, she was heading to the training grounds as usual when someone called out from behind. Turning, she saw a beautiful girl with a cold air about her. It was the first time this girl had spoken to her, but it wasn’t the first time a female student had approached her.
When Aira first started at the academy, one of Kyle’s aides was always with her, but lately, as she’d grown accustomed to the place, she occasionally found herself alone. Whenever that happened, female students seemed to seize the chance to talk to her.
Several girls had approached her before, and their messages were mostly the same: “Stop clinging to His Highness Kyle and the other noble sons,” or “Don’t meddle with someone’s fiancé.” To Aira, it was all baffling. She didn’t think she was clinging to Kyle or his group, nor had she “meddled” with anyone. Sure, Kyle treated her well, and his aides were kind even beyond their orders, but she assumed it was out of responsibility for summoning her. The girls told her to stay away from Kyle’s group, but for Aira, who had no one else to rely on, that was the last thing she wanted.
“I’m Elizabeth Ashley, His Highness Kyle’s fiancée.”
The word “fiancée” made Aira’s brow furrow instinctively. She figured Elizabeth would say the same things as the others. She vaguely recalled hearing Kyle had a fiancée, a marquess’s daughter she thought.
“I believe others have told you this already, but it’s unbecoming to get so close to a man who’s engaged.”
As expected, it was the same spiel as before, and Aira fought the urge to sigh.
“If you’d like, I could—‘What are you doing?!’”
A furious shout cut Elizabeth off. Turning toward it, Aira saw Kyle and his aides approaching with stern faces.
“Elizabeth, what business do you have with Aira?”
Unfazed by Kyle’s angry tone, Elizabeth curtsied gracefully. Kyle strode over to Aira and stood between her and Elizabeth as if shielding her.
“We were just having a little chat.”
“A chat?”
“Yes.”
Kyle’s harsh questioning met Elizabeth’s cool response.
“It seems Lady Aira is always studying with Your Highness and the others after school, so I thought I might offer to help if that’s alright.”
Aira was surprised by Elizabeth’s words. They hadn’t discussed that, but maybe it’s what she’d started to say before Kyle interrupted.
“There’s no need. I’ll take care of Aira.”
“But Your Highness…”
“Everything regarding the [Saint] is my responsibility. Is that all?”
“…”
Elizabeth fell silent under Kyle’s icy, unapproachable demeanor. Deciding the conversation was over, he put a hand on Aira’s back and started to leave. Then another voice called out from a different direction.
“Oh, there you are.”
Everyone turned to see a boy with vivid reddish-gold hair, resembling Kyle, walking toward them. It was Rain Slantania, the Second Prince. With a gentle aura, he smiled calmly as he approached Kyle, softening the tense atmosphere slightly.
“I’ve been looking for you, Brother.”
“What’s up?”
“Professor Herzog is looking for you.”
“The professor?”
“He wants to discuss next week’s expedition to the Eastern Forest.”
“I see.”
Kyle and his group were planning to take Aira to the Eastern Forest next week to raise her base level by fighting monsters. But for Kyle and his aides, the monsters there were already too weak. Knights and professors had suggested moving to the Southern Forest, but Kyle opposed it, worried something might happen to Aira. Hearing Herzog was looking for him soured his mood again, he likely expected another push for the Southern Forest. Still, being diligent at heart, Kyle begrudgingly headed to Herzog’s room with Aira and his aides, despite his annoyance.
Left behind, Rain and Elizabeth exchanged looks and wry smiles.
“Bad timing, huh?”
“Indeed.”
Like Kyle, Rain and Elizabeth being the Second Prince and a marquess’s daughter, had known each other since childhood and could understand each other with few words. “Bad timing” referred to Kyle showing up while Elizabeth was talking to Aira.
Rain didn’t approve of Kyle monopolizing Aira, and knowing the rumors among students, he’d consulted Elizabeth about improving things. Elizabeth, meanwhile, had been asked by the fiancées of Kyle’s aides to do something about Aira, who always had Kyle’s group around her. After discussing it, they’d wondered if Elizabeth could assist Aira at the academy instead of Kyle’s group. She’d happened upon Aira alone and tried talking to her, but Kyle arrived before she could get to the point, and they didn’t finish.
Kyle treated Aira as the [Saint], but she wasn’t the only one summoned. Reports about the other candidate using [Saint]-specific abilities hadn’t surfaced, but word of her various achievements had reached Rain. Lately, a small but growing rumor suggested that other woman might be the true [Saint]. Feeling uneasy about Kyle’s fixation on Aira, Rain made suggestions, but Kyle stubbornly rejected anything about her. Deciding they’d need to reach Aira another time, Rain and Elizabeth left the academy.
Back in her palace room from the academy, Aira dismissed her maid and flopped onto the bed alone. She was more mentally than physically drained. Lying there, she reflected on the day.
Lately, she’d stayed with Kyle’s group to avoid female students approaching her, but she’d ended up alone by chance. As expected, Elizabeth had spoken to her. Unlike the usual girls, though, Aira felt today’s encounter was different. Kyle interrupted, so she didn’t hear everything, but it seemed Elizabeth intended to help her study, like Kyle’s group. It was the first time she’d gotten such an offer.
Since coming to this world, Aira had only been around Kyle and his aides, with no female friends. If Kyle hadn’t shown up and she’d talked more with Elizabeth, could they have become friends? Even if Kyle opposed it, should she have accepted Elizabeth’s offer?
She mulled it over but chose not to change things. The other girls’ comments were depressing, but she could avoid them by being careful. They didn’t approach when she was with Kyle’s group. Even if she took Elizabeth’s offer, there was no guarantee she’d follow through, Aira was wary after the other girls’ attitudes, making it hard to trust Elizabeth unconditionally.
So Aira opted to keep things as they were. Taking or rejecting Elizabeth’s hand was her second point of divergence, but…
Next, she recalled Herzog’s talk. As Kyle predicted, Herzog suggested leveling in the Southern Forest since Aira’s level still lagged behind theirs. Kyle insisted on the Eastern Forest, citing her lower level, so the Southern Forest plan was dropped. But Herzog said Aira’s level wouldn’t be an issue with Kyle’s group there.
Honestly, whenever Kyle used her lower level as an excuse, Aira felt like she was holding them back, which made her uncomfortable. If switching to the Southern Forest could fix that, she considered trying it, but seeing Kyle adamantly stick to the Eastern Forest, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“‘Status.’”
Casting a basic life magic spell she’d been taught, a translucent window appeared before her. Seeing the level displayed, she sighed. From what she’d heard, the Southern Forest suited base levels 12 to 20. Hers had already reached that range.
Lately, she’d noticed her level-ups slowing down. Should she tell Kyle she wanted to try the Southern Forest? She hesitated briefly but decided to leave it to him. He wouldn’t steer her wrong. With that, she got up from the bed and dismissed the window.
Aira Misono
Lv. 15 / Mage
HP: 691 / 691
MP: 1,846 / 1,846
Combat Skills:
- Water-Attribute Magic: Lv. 1
- Wind-Attribute Magic: Lv. 1
- Holy-Attribute Magic: Lv. 4
Afterword
It’s been seven months since I started serializing in May. The year-end snuck up fast. I’m relieved to get one last update in this year.
As mentioned earlier, a quick report: This work is being published by Kadokawa BOOKS! I never dreamed my daydreams would become reality. Getting this offer is thanks to all of you who read and support it. Thank you so much.
Reservations have apparently started at online bookstores like Amazon and Rakuten. The book version has about 20% more content than the web version. I’ve also gotten offers for special short stories, and I’ll share details in the activity report. If you’re interested, I’d be thrilled if you’d pick it up.
With the publication, I’ve got a new pen name: “Yuka Tachibana.” I’ll use it alongside my old one for a while.
Thank you for reading this year. Here’s to next year too! Wishing you all a happy New Year!