Chapter 10: Brave new world, same old problems

The relaxing night for Yuuto's rest was suddenly cut short by a deafening, loud buzzing noise from the desk in the corner of his new, living room. With an annoyed groan he slowly returned from the realms of dreams to the physical world. Yuuto rubbed his eyes in order to get rid of the dust in his eyes allowing him to greet the morning with open eyes. The room was still the same one Siesta had introduced to him last night, it even was draped in the shadows of the late night and early day as the sun had yet to rise.

He got up and walked wobbly to the desk to put an end to the grinding echoes in his ears. He then sunk into the chair in front of the desk. After a few moments of groggy confusion he instantly snapped back at the realisation of the new day slowly breaking through his window.

"Uwaah, I hope I can remember my way through to Louise," yawned Yuuto still tired but now ready for his first day at Louise's service. He then took a moment to weigh the best set of equipment for his task at hand

"I have to wake her up for lectures, hmm. I think wearing armour is too much of an overkill for this," he thought regarding the circumstances that he was in fact not out in the wild but in an educational institution.

"I think I go with a full support bag of medicinal items for an emergency. In the case of actual danger I add some traps, flash and smoke bombs."

He looked to the locker and wondered if it was beneficial to look threatening or harmless, when walking among the students during their lecturing time. He decided to go with a more threatening appearance as he would attract attention from the nobles regardless of his effort to please them. So he walked up to the rusty looker and took out his trusty sword and shield of the Hunter's Knife set. He quickly fastened the shield accompanied by grinding sizzles of the leather straps. The sword was easily secured with a satisfying clank of the magnets on his belt covering the carving blade that was with him during the night. The armour stayed in the locker as a compromise between his two approaches tackling the scrutiny of noble eyes.

As the next course of action was the preparation of his back pack. This procedure did not take long as he had already arranged the object box right to the locker last night. He grabbed the necessary bottles and flasks of potions, energy drinks, antidotes and the rest he deemed useful. All of it were packed tightly and secure inside the bag. After that he looked for the bombs and traps. The bombs were stuck inside the exterior pockets and on the front of his belt alongside the emergency potions for quick use. The larger traps were placed inside the back pack on top of the bottles before he closed the lid on all of it. Compared to yesterday the sack was now not even half as big as before.

Ready for his mission he slung the filled bag on his shoulder and walked towards the door grabbing the Team Signal along the way, which he hung on his belt on the right side of his waist. Standing before the heavy, dark metal door he noticed a sheet of paper sticking out under the entrance. Yuuto curiously kneeled down to pick it up to read and surprisingly he could decipher the halkeginian script.

'Good morning Monsieur Yuuto,

I hope you slept well. This is a map of the academy. I also marked yours and Mademoiselle Vallière's position with a red dot. In any case I'll be here for help.

Thanks again, Siesta'

"You're a lifesaver, Siesta," smiled Yuuto in response to this incredible nice act of forethought. He then unfolded the map to reveal the path through this labyrinth to his master's resting chamber. After memorising the steps and turns he folded the map and squeezed it between his hips and belt. He opened the door and made his way straight for his sleeping princess.

-X-

Back at the doorsteps of Louise's room he firmly and loudly knocked on her wooden door with his knuckles to announce his presence. Yuuto waited for an answer but only silence greeted him. So he repeated the procedure again with the same result following it. He decided to open the door and step inside. After closing the door behind him he saw the reason for the lack of response. Louise was still sleeping peacefully in her soft and fluffy canopy bed.

"Hmm, I should advise her to lock the door during the night," remarked Yuuto on his way to her bed. At the side of her bed he again noticed the beauty of her face with the softness of her charm more apparent this time. Hair pink hair surrounded her like a cushion on its on with her small head placed on it. Her closed eyes in combination with her stumble nose and half open, glossy lips gave her the innocence of a child.

"She really looks like a little angel sleeping like this," thought Yuuto absentminded before realising his actual purpose in standing next to her like a creepy Khezu.

"Hey, Louise! It's time to wake up for your lectures," he yelled mildly to not cause a commotion with the neighbouring residents. Instead of a rising Louise he just saw her turning in her bed. Yuuto rolled his eyes in response to his master's heavy sleeping quirk. Then he noticed his little, grey box of a Team Signal hanging on his right hip. He snapped with his fingers at his dawning mischievous idea to solve his current predicament. He picked up the box from his belt and adjusted the pitch and volume of the incoming buzz for waking his master. He approached Louise's ears with it before he set off the alarm.

The noise was not as deafening as the one Yuuto set for himself earlier, but so close to one's ears would certainly shock people and that was how the little lady in pink reacted to it. She immediately snapped her spine straight with her tiny hands covering her ears to try to shut off the annoying buzz. The gesture was not necessary as Yuuto cut the alarm off the instant Louise woke up.

"Rise and shine, Master," he greeted her with a bright smile like the sun shining through the window into the room.

"It's time for you to get up and prepare for your lectures."

"Who are you again?" breathed Louise out in a drowsy yawn as she stretched her arms and legs out.

"That's rude, you know. It's me, Yuuto. Monster Hunter and your familiar," he exclaimed firmly with a tap of his right hand on his left shoulder.

She looked at him with a sleepy gaze and blinked a few times before her eyes widened in realisation of who stood in front of her. She did not recognise him at first because of his lack of armour, but the sword and shield gave Yuuto's identity away seconds later. He instead wore a tight body suit that gave him the appearance as if he wore cotton white, sleeveless shirt and dark green leather pants with connected straps arching over his shoulders like a pair of braces. A zigzag pattern of red strings similar to a simple cat's cradle figure ran across his ripped stomach and the sides of his muscular upper legs. Louise remembered seeing some clothing like this at the borders of southern Germania. If she recalled it correctly it was named lederhosen. Besides that his feet were sunk in plain, beige leather shoes with the red string pattern embracing his lower legs like a long sock. His hands wore some dark green half-gloves that only covered the back of his hand and the wrists in a broad, brown ribbon again showing a zigzag pattern this time in light yellow.

Louise rubbed her eyes and looked again to confirm that Yuuto was still wearing these lederhosen from Germania. Indeed he was still standing in front of her in this outfit.

"I apologize, Yuuto. I could not recognise you at first. What are you actually wearing? Where is your armour?" cascaded it out of Louise's flustered lips like a waterfall.

"Uh, this? This is my underwear, you know," answered her Yuuto with a puzzled expression and casted his gaze down to inspect his cloths for something suspicious, but he found fortunately nothing he considered remarkable.

"This particular design is from Bherna village. A nice, idyllic community in the mountains near the Jurassic Frontier. A place full of Moofahs, you know."

Normally such a body cover would hardly go as undergarments, but in the case of Yuuto it probably counted as such. The suit let hardly anything to imaginations. His loins were covered at least, but the muscles of the rest of his body were rippling through the fabric and his bare naked arms showed the full glory of his toned, streamlined figure of a marble statue.

"I-It do-does not matter, now. I am awake now," stammered the awkward Louise averting her gaze from Yuuto's magnificent body.

"Please, wait outside for my command like yesterday."

"As you wish, Master," said the humble hunter in a slight bow before disappearing through the entrance and cutting the contact by closing the wooden door. Just like yesterday he waited in front of Louise's room with his back resting on the door. This time the corridor was a little bit livelier than yesterday. Occasionally a few female students were stepping out of their residents and jumped in shock, surprise or both. Some even let out a mild shriek in response of Yuuto standing guard. He ignored all this commotion, but wondered if this was a female exclusive area until some equally flabbergasted male students appeared on the scene in their bed hair.

"At least the females are taking care of their bodies," joked Yuuto amused well aware of his hypocrisy as his short hair looked just as messy as the boys stumbling out of their bed into the corridor.

After a while he heard the knocking noise reverberate through his back and some muffled callings of his name. So he turned around and stepped back inside the abode of Louise. She stood before him in her uniform as he remembered from yesterday, but with her hair still tied up in the plait he devised from her hair brushing session. And just like yesterday she pushed the plain hairbrush in his hands. So the pair of them proceeded like yesterday. This time Yuuto unfolded her pink hair to brush it gently and carefully as he did last time. It took not nearly as long as this time because the bound hairstyle prevented too much twisting during sleep. Satisfied Louise got up from her stool and made her way through the door into the corridor to begin her walk towards her class room. Yuuto followed her a few steps behind her like the faithful servant his master always had desired.

-X-

The class room had the same basic layout as the rooms at the Wycademy Yuuto occasionally visited for delivery of some monster parts or hunting reports for the researchers there. It was a half circle with concentric steps forming the terrace for the audience, who seated themselves on wooden chairs at wooden desks. The focal point of all these circles was of course a lectern in the middle in front of a large blackboard.

The pair of mage and hunter took a place in the upper corners of the room and waited for the teacher to arrive. Whispers and chatter filled the air in the meantime. Some were about fashion styles or latest rumours other about politics or the charms of their newly acquired familiars. But the most discussed topic was Yuuto's presence among them at his master's side.

"Isn't that the human familiar?"

"Yeah, the one from Louise the Zero."

"Are we sure she didn't just pay a peasant to pose as a familiar?"

"What in Brimir's name is he wearing?"

"I admit for a commoner he isn't bad on the eyes."

"He's wearing weapons! Is this even allowed?"

The cacophony of chatter was brought to silence by the entrance of an opulent, older woman in a long, purple robe with a big, pointy hat in the same shade on her auburn hair. Yuuto recalled seeing her with the balding man from his summoning yesterday. She took her rightful place at the lectern and started to address every student in the room.

"Everyone, congratulations on making it to your second year," lauded the purple lady and immediately followed up with her introduction to the crowd.

"I am Madame Chevreuse, and I have been appointed to this respectable Academy of Magic for the next following year. My element is earth. I bear the runic name, Chevreuse the Red Moon. As such I will be your teacher for earth-based magic. Now back to the basics. What are the four great powers of magic?"

A rose tip hand shot up and a flamboyant, blonde boy rose up from his seat to answer the question.

"Ah-yes, the four foundations of magic are fire, water, air and earth," proclaimed the boy named Guiche, if Yuuto remembered it correctly from his irritating encounter yesterday.

"And what a coincidence, Madame. My element also lies in the earth just like you. I am Guiche de Gramont, bearer of the runic name, the Brass!"

"Yep, he's annoying like Vespoid or Bnahabra," commented Yuuto in his mind and saw to his delight many agreeing faces in the crowd, which brought a smirk on his lips.

"Nice to meet you and thank you, Monsieur Gramont. From the four foundations we build more complex spells. Every mage has an affinity to one of the four, but it is the mastery over all four that allow mages to reach their full power. Depending on the number of elements in control, a mage is classified as magic practitioner of their respective rank, which is dot, line, triangle or square. In my case I am a triangle mage, which means I can perform spells as mix of three elements or as powerful triple earth combination. The important lesson for you, young mages, is to not neglect your study of the other powers. Now back to earth," explained the teacher as she let her stern but warm gaze jump from one face of a young student to another.

Yuuto was listening keenly to her little lecture on magic in Halkeginia. He was curious what constituted as magic and more importantly how was it actually performed. Since his summoning yesterday he only heard of it from Louise, but he did not witness any magic with his own eyes.

"To survive is to adapt. For adaption you need knowledge. Only fools wouldn't try to learn from their preys and surroundings," reminded Yuuto himself of an advice from Alex back in his days learning the ropes of hunting.

"Earth is an important and fundamental aspect of magic. It lay the foundation to all construction based spells or reinforcement and revitalisation spells. That is why I will demonstrate a basic spell in alchemy. Be sure to memorise it," announced the purple lady at the lectern to the students in front of her. She let some tiny stones roll on its surface. Then she flicked her wand up in the air before directing at the stones now lying still. She whispered some words Yuuto did not understand causing the stones to flash in a bright light. After the glow subsided he saw that the grey stones have acquired a glistering, golden paint.

"Is that gold?!" exclaimed a female figure in red, which Yuuto deduced as the fiery Kirche, who he had the pleasure to meet during her passionate moment at the fountain hall.

"No, this is brass," denied Chevreuse the hopes of the Redhead, who sunk back into her seat in disappointment.

"Now, I want one of you to try it out. How about you in the corner?" asked the teacher and pointed toward the Pinkhead at Yuuto's right side. The whole class room winced at the words of their teacher and tried to dissuade her from her proposal.

"I would suggest you to refrain from it."

"Yeah, this is not a good idea, Madame Chevreuse!"

"That's right! It's dangerous! For all of us!"

"If you need a demonstration, I will perform. But please, do not let her cast a spell!"

The last ticked Louise off and she stood up and loudly proclaimed her eagerness to proof them all wrong.

"I will do it. Please, let me try, Madame!"

Yuuto also stood up to make space for his little master on her way out of the benches. She walked the steps quickly down and arrived seconds later at the lectern in front of her teacher. Professor Chevreuse instructed her again on the alchemy spell before Louise repeated the motion. In the meantime the other students cowered behind their seats and desks in fear to Yuuto's confusion. Some even left the room entirely. Like the Bluehead from his summoning, who nonchalantly strode across the room and exited through the door.

Soon Yuuto's question was answered, when an incredible force of heat and wind pressure teared through the air of the room pushing people to the walls and crushing the wooden furniture. Yuuto, who was caught off guard, was blown off his seat and landed unharmed on the cold stone floor. He got up to his feet without a problem. The same could not be said about some of the students, who lied their groaning in pain. The unluckiest of all people was the teacher Chevreuse in the epicentre of the explosion, who was knocked unconscious by the force. Louise was to Yuuto's relief and surprise almost unharmed except minor tears and cuts on her uniform and her rumpled up hair. Soon the recovered class was up in arms and flinging names toward Louise downstairs.

"For Founder's sake, I told you it was dangerous!"

"Seriously, why is she still in this school?"

"I would be rich, if I got a coin every time she failed at spell."

"Maybe I should transfer? This is too dangerous for me!"

"It's the same with you every time, Louise the Zero!"

The last part was repeated endlessly until it echoed loudly through the whole class room in a malicious singsong, which purpose was only to humiliate Louise. She had casted her teary eyes down to the floor avoiding the rioting crowd. Yuuto saw that the poor girl had barely the will to restrain her from breaking down completely.

He understood what was going on around him. Even someone like him living in small, idyllic communities or bustling, multicultural cities knew to discern this phenomenon as plain and simple bullying. It was rare among his people. The pressure of wild monsters distracted most people from such foolish endeavours. But children, who were raised in protected and save environments did engage in such traumatising acts. Fortunately those youngsters soon learn the disadvantage of it in the wild, where you need the cooperation of everyone to survive. So it was possible to forego of bullying very young, but compared to the disgraces of juveniles here, who still enjoy such vile entertainment, even the cruelty of innocence was forgivable.

Yuuto knew what he had to do and its consequences were of no concern for him. He was a commoner. Whatever regards these nobles had for a low-life like him was not worth a crying, innocent girl like Louise. Sure she had her flaws like any other person. In her case it was her explosive temperament. But in his eyes she was just a girl like any other walking the soils of earth. Nothing warranted such disgusting harassment.

Yuuto slammed down both of his clenched fist on the wooden desk in front of him so that a bursting roar stormed through the whole room. The wooden desk cracked cleanly in the middle because of impact of the shield on Yuuto's right forearm. The pieces crumbled in an audible rumbling as Yuuto rose up from his seat to address the startled crowd underneath him.

"THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR SUCH DISGUSTING AND DISGRACEFUL BEHAVIOUR," roared Yuuto like Tigrex going berserk on a herd of helpless Kelbis.

"THERE LIES AN UNCONSCIOUS PERSON! GET YOU PRIORITIES STRAIGHT, GOGDAMMIT!"

The stunned crowd blinked a few moments before some of the more aggressive students turned on him. The rest kept quiet in some notion of shame. Yuuto ignored the commotion around him and jumped the stairs down to Louise. There he placed his left hand on her right shoulders and patted her a few times as small gesture of consolation. The equally stunned Louise just looked up to him with her tears reddened eyes and running nose.

He then moved over to the unconscious body of the teacher Chevreuse. He examined her under the annoying commotion of the class. Yuuto had some basic knowledge of medicine. He could not diagnose a disease, let alone heal it, but he knew to fix some broken bones or stitch up some wounds on his own. So he deduced there were no dire, external injuries. To make sure that nothing escaped his watchful eyes he grabbed a little glass bottle from his belt. He opened the lady's mouth and poured the green fluid content inside. Next he reached inside his bag and pulled out a similar glass flask with yellow liquid this time. Yuuto repeated his motion from earlier and the potions were bearing fruits. The small cuts and bruises were healing almost instantly and colour returned to the lady's ashen-pale face.

Then he placed his arms under the legs and shoulders of the unconscious teacher. Without much trouble he lifted her entire body up and carefully rested her head on his right shoulder. The class had subsided to silence in the meantime to study what the commoner was doing.

"Louise, can you show me the way to your doctors?" Yuuto asked his master flatly. She responded with simple nods and walked swiftly towards the door. She held the wooden door open to let Yuuto carefully navigate through the exit with the unconscious teacher in his arms. With a thud of the closing door the pair of mage and hunter left the silent class.

Writer's comment:

My apologies for my late update, I was a little bit busy last week and still planning the story out.

In this chapter I am not sure if I am portraying the bullying tastefully. I do not want to make it too melodramatic. So I keep it short. I am also not sure if Yuuto's reaction feels genuine because he only knows Louise for a day.

If you are confused about the different chapter names, I had to change it for the overview because it has character limits. It irritates me, but it is nothing serious.

Aside from my worries, please enjoy the read. As always feedbacks are always welcome.