Chapter 18: The descendant of the Holy Saintess.

After we entered the classroom, I felt several gazes on us.

"The commoners..."

"Ugh, why are they here?"

Many complained amongst themselves with snarky remarks. Nate seemed used to their mockery and insults as he confidently strode towards his seat.

"My name is Clyde Astley. I come from a small village called Harz."

I stood in front of the teacher's desk and did my introduction.

""""""…..""""""

The whole class was quietly looking at me.

'Fuck, this is awkward. At least wave your hands...'

I cried inside my heart while smiling stiffly.

"Thank you, Clyde. You may sit right there." Professor Gunther pointed towards my left.

It was next to the window in the corner of the room.

"!"

It was a seat next to the same girl who was the sister of that Clark guy.

'Is this a coincidence?'

"A-ah, okay."

I hid my awkwardness by coughing a few times and went to my seat.

"Hello. I'm Isabella."

The girl next to me greeted me with a smile. She had pale blonde hair and green eyes. Despite being older than me by two years, she was far shorter than me.

I greeted back a little stiffly.

'Getting involved with this girl is a little dangerous. What if I upset her in some way and then her precious brother comes after me?'

Something was strange about the girl herself though. I couldn't put my finger on what.

"Since everyone is gathered, I will begin class."

Professor Gunther taught us the basic knowledge of magic. That was to confirm if all of us were taught the three stages of learning magic from tutors.

I was taught by an elite mage so I might be far ahead of the rest of the class. I lack a lot of knowledge regarding magic so I shouldn't be too lazy just because I'm far ahead of first years.

Maybe the other families were also looking forward to hiring a 6th star mage from the tower. Jacob has many achievements behind his name even though he's still so young. Even now, he's still my tutor. I still have to visit him in a few days anyway since he told me that he wanted to talk about something.

Most of the tutors would leave right after their students enter the academy but he's still my tutor at the manor. I still have some work I need to finish for him before going to the tower though. I've lately been preoccupied with mastering my spirit magic.

It's definitely not an easy thing to master. It's even harder than arcane magic. If not for Undine's help then I would've been stuck at my level.

Even if I'm so talented, I still can't even  control the earth element. They say that the transfer student from the Magic Empire is a quad elemental mage.

It would be beneficial to me to get along with her since she might be able to help me. It's not every day that a person from the Magic Empire chooses to visit other nations. I heard the emperor made a rule that people from other nations are forbidden from entering her empire.

Maybe they are hiding a big secret from the rest of the world. They are far technologically advanced than all the other nations after all. Our kingdom only has the mage tower to supply us with magic items.

The elves don't really use technology unless it's to build or craft things. In our kingdom we can even send messages to others places using [Message] magic. It's a fairly convenient type of magic that fits into the utility forms of magic.

The Elca kingdom has their own fair share of secrets as well. Rumour has it that they might have found someone to fill the ninth seat of the White Order. Solphia said the previous ninth seat went MIA when the Order went on an expedition.

It's unknown if he's dead or not. They haven't even found a body yet. Even if the people from the Order are so strong, there are many monsters in the Red Abyss that can even threaten them.

This is why the leader, Iris would always accompany them whenever they must enter the deep of the dungeon. The deep refers to where all the more bizarre monsters are located.

The reason they must go to the deep is because there are even more rarer resources inside that place. Some don't even exist in this world. By the way, they said in one of their reports that habitable worlds also exist within the Red Abyss.

The White Order might one day explore those worlds. I'm kind of excited of what they can find there.

Back to the Magic Empire. They say strange magical waves were detected a few years ago from the Magic Empire. The spies who were there weren't able to enter the nation since security was so strict to outsiders.

They say it was a bright white light that poured down in the centre of the nation. Maybe that girl knows what it is.

Professor Gunther didn't talk much about magic since it was our first day. All we did was answer a quiz based on what we've learned from our tutors. As expected I got a perfect score.

After class ended, we were told to go to the back of the academy building. Our second class was a physical test.

After the first class was over when lunch break came, I went towards Nate. He was busy reading a book.

"Hm? Something up?"

"Yeah. You want to grab a bite? I invited Arielle but it would be awkward to be alone with a girl."

"Really!? Sure!"

He packed his things and stood up.

We left the classroom that was still filled with students.

As we walked to the cafeteria, I thought to myself.

'Why did Arielle play a major part of future Clyde's life?'

The way he looked emotional while talking about her showed how deeply in love he was with Arielle. Arielle tends to avoid me a lot whenever we're alone so that's why I brought Nate to be the middleman.

I was sure that we'd only eat in silence if we were alone. Arthur would always be around us but he's not around anymore.

Nate and I sat down on the seat. The cafeteria was filled with students who were lining up by the counter.

'Huh? Is that Charlotte?'

I saw the princess heading towards our table. Arielle was next to her.

A bunch of others students were also following behind. They must've been the people in Charlotte's faction.

'A bunch of first and second years. She must be struggling to gain support.'

I heard her siblings already has the support of the final year students as well.

"Your highness!?"

Nate got up in a hurry when he saw them. The students that were behind Charlotte took nearby seats.

"Hello." Charlotte gave a short greeting. "May I sit?"

"O-Of course."

Nate offered up his seat and sat next to me.

"Someone looked lonely so I thought I'd bring her over."

Arielle said sarcastically.

"I wasn't lonely."

Charlotte pouted.

A first year arrived and put a tray of food down for her.

"Thank you. You may go."

The student bowed and quickly left.

"Lord Clyde." The princess smiled when she looked at me.

I bowed my head.

"Hello, princess."

"Please call me Charlotte. I consider you a friend as I do Arielle as well."

Arielle also sat down on my right side and began eating.

"I heard you were getting married."

I saw Charlotte face stiffen up when I spoke.

"Yes. You are correct."

That guy she was engaged with is from the Rosenberg household. A family who has the exact same power and wealth as the Luxembourg house despite being a newly promoted ducal household.

Ryan Rosenberg is the next head of the household. He is also the princess' future guardian knight.

"Did something happen that you hate the guy so much?"

Arielle curiously asked.

"Well, you could say his obsessions creeped me out. I didn't want to stay close to such a person."

"His obsessions?"

Charlotte sighed.

"…He tried his luck twice when the two of us were alone. It happens on several occasions that I'm getting sick of it. Just because we're engaged, doesn't mean we should do those things now."

Arielle almost choked on her steak.

"H-He did what? Is that guy crazy?"

Charlotte smiled wryly.

"I try keeping him at arm's length but he was too persistent. I'm experiencing ambivalent feelings regarding him. I just had enough and ended contact with him completely."

'Isn't she like 14…?'

It was creepy and ridiculous but that was normal in this world. Girls can get married at age 12. The age of coming ceremony is only proof that you became an adult. That doesn't mean kids won't be curious about the opposite gender at an early age.

I'm from earth and still remember the morals of society. A guy would be arrested for sleeping with a girl more than two years younger than him if he's 18. Some laws on earth are pretty stupid.

Some countries allow sexual intercourse by age 13. Maybe it was the same in this world. I was never really interested in the laws of this world but maybe I should study them?

'That guy Ryan should be kicked in the balls.'

By the way, he's three years older than the princess.

"Anyway, Clyde Is it alright if I invite Charlotte to the mermaid show? She'll waste away in that villa of hers if she doesn't get out more."

"…Stop pitying me…"

Charlotte glared at Arielle. The latter laughed.

"But it's true. Isn't her majesty getting better? She wouldn't want you sulking like this!"

"Ah…"

Charlotte had a troubled expression on her face. She sighed and rubbed her head.

"You're right. Mother is finally recovering after these last few years. I should be happy, not sad."

"That's the spirit!" Arielle turned towards me. "Is it alright? Arthur said he'd be going on an expedition with the knight order anyway."

'What? I never heard of this.'

That's a bummer.

"I guess it's fine if she wants to come."

"Where are we going?"

Charlotte curiously asked.

"We're going to a mermaid show that's starting in a few days. They'll do a traditional dance for the kingdom's people. They say that the entire plaza will be filled with people attending the festival."

"Oh, my. It does sound wonderful." Charlotte pondered. "Alright. I will accept your invitation."

"Great! You better lend me a dress because I hate the things Lithia buy me."

"Alright, alright~"

Nate was the only one who was left out of the conversation. He seemed to he overwhelmed by the fact that two high ranking young ladies were with us.

After lunch break ended, the two of them bid us farewell. We were doing a practical test for our next class.

"You alright?"

"Hm? Yeah… How can you talk to them so casually?"

"Well, we've known each other for a while. I've been living with Arielle for four years now. I met the princess at her 10th birthday party."

"Huh? Wasn't that the night the queen was poisoned?"

"Yip. They still haven't revealed who the culprit is. Arielle told me that it was someone the whole royal family trusted."

As we went to the training grounds, I saw many students already gathered in a circle.

'There she is…'

I saw someone I haven't seen in quite a while.

"Clyde!"

Erica ran up to me with quick steps.

"Whoa!?"

She hugged me tightly with a smile on her face.

"I heard you were enrolled but couldn't find you during lunch break. Who's this?"

"Oh, that's Nate. He's my roommate. This is Erica, she's part of the Magic Tower class."

The two exchanged handshakes.

The magic tower class refers to a separate program where they do lectures for those who want to join the Magic Tower one day.

Erica was apparently enrolled there.

'I wonder how she will hide the fact that she has holy light magic…'

Everyone would freak out if they saw her able to cast holy light magic.

Welcome, children." When I got my staff from my room and came back, a new teacher wearing light clothes was standing in the middle of the training grounds.

"I will be the one supervising your magical training." 

She must be a magic arts user. What differs them from ordinary mages are that they use their mana to strengthen their bodies instead of firing spells. They are far different from martial artists that naturally have stronger bodies.

"What's up with that large staff?" Just then, the teacher pointed to me.

"Ah, this? I just thought I'd need it."

My magic power needs a special kind of wand or staff to control my magic. Some even break when I try them out.

"The academy distributes wands for use so why use your own?" The teacher looked at me like I'm an idiot. The others laughed at me and mocked. 

I popped a vein but hid my anger. 

She lost interest and began teaching the class.

"If you are able to destroy those Earthen Golems then you have a passing grade and that'll convince me you're qualified for this class. Destroy half then it's a C. If you can't even give those things a scratch…" She then smirked. "You'll be expelled. Every class determines your success from day one so get serious. Magic schools can't compare to an academy like Graponia."

I heard several gulps. 

The first person went up and used [Higher Gale]. The person managed to destroy golem by half and then slumped down.

I forgot how minuscule the mana of growing children are. I shouldn't compare myself with others since I'm an abnormal case.

Since there were other first years as well, it took some time for everyone to finish. 

Just then, Erica walked past me towards the golems.

She had a plain appearance. Her hair was kind of unkempt while her clothes were a little dishevelled.

The girl who is the descendant of the Saintess. 

"Tch. These commoners. Just because they have a little magic power, they think they have the right to join us elites." 

"Just look at her face. I'd rate her a 3 out of a 100."

"Hahahaha!"

..

While the peanut gallery were mocking the girl, she was busy muttering something while moving her hands.

'Hm?'

I noticed what she was doing. Light particles were gathering around her fingers and changing their fundamental structure when they entered her hands. The light turned into fire particles.

'How is she altering the nature of an element? Is that how she hides her power?'

The teacher was watching everything, amused at the cackling students. I could guess that all the teachers know why this girl was accepted. But they must not know what power she had.

'To think this girl is so talented. I have to find out who recommended her.'

It's just curiosity but still…

The girl finished her chant and pointed her hands at the golems.

"[Sapphire]."

A giant flame shaped like a rose manifested itself when she lifted her hands.

I was left dumbfounded. She managed to do something an elite elder mage couldn't even do even until death. Magic Spell Altering.

'Fuck. Is Erica that talented?'

How does she compare to me? I felt a little curious.

It's kind of like changing the nature of a spell using the raw mana particles hidden within the spell. 

'Who the hell taught her that?'

The teacher's smile was even bigger as Erica shot her spell towards the moving golem.

Boom

Boom

"""""….."""""

"Did you see~!?"

Just then she turned her head towards me and looked at me with sparkling eyes. 

"Y-Yeah. It was amazing…"

"Yaay~"

The entire class was silent when they saw the destroyed golem. It was only chunks of rocks when the dust settled.

It's true what they said. The Saintess is a highly talented individual.

'I bet she just read it somewhere and got it right.'

I grumbled and also went up onto the platform.

At the end of my demonstration I destroyed a chunk of the ground and made the golem vanish into nothingness with my spell. That left the students who mocked me, speechless. 

I received the same grade as Erica. By the way, we were ranked the highest.