As spring came to pass, it was soon time for Katarina Claes to start her boarding school life at the Academy of Magic as a senior student on her second year! Though she felt loneliness creep into her heart as she looked at her fields of crops around the Claes estate, knowing she'd have to leave them behind, she also knew she had her smaller fields at the academy to look forward to, as well as the company of her wonderful friends and most importantly, Miss Campbell's wonderful sweets!

Ever since the heroine, who had seemed to be playing on Hard Mode, had managed to unlock and finish on the Rafael Route (sorry Valette-chan, but no way in hell was she going anywhere near that swamp for your unlock!), Katarina Claes had finally been able to relax and enjoy her isekai life, secure in the knowledge that she no longer had to worry about Death Flags for her character.

Today, she was boarding their carriage, along with her brother Keith and her maid Anne, to return to school! A separate wagon carried their luggage and the other four servants who would be accompanying Katarina. It was a bright and sunny mid-morning as they set out and exited the gates of the Claes estate. Katarina had her head out the window despite Keith's telling her not too, looking longingly back at the manor. Ah, she missed it already!

…

Ah, well! Onward, to the future with no doom flags!

She turned to look the other way, at the wide open road leading to her future, full of endless possibilities… and a grubby hobo trudging along with a big box on their back.

…

Oh, wow, a hobo! She'd never seen a hobo before! Not even in Japan! She'd thought they only had them in America! She stared, fascinated, as the carrieage passed, looking at the dark clothes covered in stains and the heavy pack. Wasn't that hot? Well, at least they had a hat on their head, that was something. Miss Campbell was always telling her to wear a hat so she wouldn't get sunstroke. It was so thoughtful of her! Katarina had gotten a nice, shady straw hat because of her suggestion, which definitely wasn't a bird's nest no matter what her mother said! An errant breeze brought the smell of sweat and something that reminded her of biting her lip.

The hobo turned to look at her as they passed, and their eyes met over the cloth they had wrapped over their mouth and nose.

…

"Stop the carriage!" Katarina cried, and nearly fell out as the carriage drew to a stop, with only a sudden pair of hands around her hips keeping her from falling. She squawked and straightened, backing into the carriage again as the hands let go. "Thanks Anne!" she called over her shoulder as she opened the carriage door and leapt out.

The hobo had slowed down as they stopped, and as Katarina drew close she saw she'd been right. "Maria!" she cried, then immediately realized her mistake at the raised, slightly brown-stained eyebrow. "Miss Campbell! What are you doing here?"

The eyebrow went down, and Katarina sighed in relief. She was so strict! "Good day, Lady Claes," Miss Campbell said with a bow. "I am on my way back to the Academy. I'm afraid I do not have time to tarry, as I must continue walking if I am to reach it before dark. "

Katarina blinked. "You're walking to school?" she said, remembering her grandma's stories of how difficult it had been to walk to school in her day because of the snow and how it was all uphill going to school and going back home and how there had been bombs falling all the time and they had to avoid American soldiers and dinosaurs trying to eat them. "Then, come with us! That's where we're going too! There's plenty of room!"

Katarina waved at the carriage, where the open door showed only Anne and Keith. Keith was blushing for some reason, his hands twitching.

"I haven't washed in days, Lady Claes," Miss Campbell said. "It would be inappropriate for me to accompany you in your carriage. I can walk the rest of the way."

"Nuh, uh!" Lady Claes said for some reason, but also shook her head in the negative. "I can't leave you to walk all that way. Besides, it's only half an hour by carriage, we'll be fine. Come on, I insist! Please?"

Miss Campbell sighed. "You're not supposed to say please to a commoner, Lady Claes. A noble should issue their orders in a firm, commanding voice."

Katarina considered that.

"Miss Campbell, get in the carriage. Now. Noble's orders."

Miss Campbell blinked. "Huh. I suppose I deserve that. Very well, your ladyship. As you say."

Miss Campbell got in, unhooking the big box on her back– which turned out to be a suitcase with a big, smelly sack tied to it (how had she carried that? Miss Campbell was tiny!), which they stowed in the other wagon, and got into the carriage, followed by a very smug Katarina, who was glad to have finally won an argument with Miss Campbell. Was this what winning an argument with her mother would feel like? Wow! It felt amazing!

They had to open all the windows and prayed for wind, but Katarina was right, it only took half an hour. Three-quarters, tops. Maybe an hour if you squinted.

Still, she'd won one, and that was what counted!

Maria had insisted she be let down before they actually got to the Academy so she would not impugn Lady Claes reputation, especially when the puppy in the form of a young woman just wanted to be helpful, and Lady Claes argued her down to just outside the gate. She allowed her to win, mostly so Lady Claes wouldn't insist on closer. She'd have to make the woman extra sweets for this, she supposed.

They parted ways, and Maria, now having rested briefly, was able to walk the rest of the way in good spirits, her suitcase and Sulphur on her back once more. Several other carriages passed by, raising dust, but her cloth kept out the worst of it. Finally, the main Academy building came in sight, the front drive full of carriages letting down students while wagons containing their luggage unloaded closer to the dorms. People were greeting each other, calling to friends and acquaintances and of course gathering around Lady Claes.

Maria drew close, and people quickly gave her a wide berth and suspicious looks. Maybe raised handkerchiefs to their faces and sprayed perfumes. She supposed that was fair. After all, she smelled like sweat, smoke, dried blood, at least one unfortunate cowpat accident, some vinegar she'd spilled down her front during a meal, and the big bag of Sulphur she was carrying. Perhaps she should have stopped at an inn for a bath after all…

She went after the wagons, heading straight for the dorms. Hopefully, no one found her stash of clothes in the student council storage closet, and she'd be able to change to something clean…

Fortunately, luck was with her! Maria retrieved her clothes and managed to sneak into the baths to get cleaned. After that, she merely had to present herself for her room key (which she had returned at the end of the term), before she was finally able to bring her suitcase, extra clothes and sulphur into her room, where her first move was to open a window, as no one wanted to be in an enclosed room with a sack of sulphur.

Changed again into clean clothes, sword stashed away, the block of dried gunpowder slurry she hadn't broken down and the small jar of fine gunpowder that she'd managed to ground as far from fire as possible, Maria went to present herself to the Ministry. They should have been getting her messages, but best to show she was no threat to the kingdom.

"Ah. You have returned. Excellent," the one Maria presented herself to said. A Light Magic wielder like her, her ability wasn't very strong, though not as abysmally weak as Katarina Claes, but Lady Palin Dahl was the most senior of the Ministry's remaining Light Magic wielders after they had been rooted out for Marchioness Dieke's cronies. A tall woman, she spoke with a distinct northeastern mountains accent that reminded Maria vaguely of Yharnam. "Your sudden departure was cause for concern."

"I notified well in advance that the semester was ending," Maria said as she took the seat she was offered in the woman's office. The members of the Ministry, she found, set little store by their noble titles, more concerned with ability and capability. From the dark dress, mantled shawl, bonnet and red neck cloth she wore, one would be hard pressed to guess that Lady Dahl was distantly related to the Queen, the princes' mother, Arianna. Her face was pale, likely from long hours working indoors, and in the light her complexion seemed to blend with her silver-blonde hair.

"Yes, but we did not expect you go far afield instead of returning home," Lady Dahl said. "Your mother must be worried about you."

Maria blinked. "Why?"

Lady Dahl paused, giving Maria an indecipherable look. She returned it.

"Never mind then," Lady Dahl said. "What matters is that you have returned. The Ministry is a bit short-handed right now, but I'm sure someone will want to talk to you once we are less busy. In the meantime, I must inform that you are ordered to remain on academy grounds until that time. Is this understood?

"Have I erred?" Maria said, surprised at the new restriction. Not that there was any reason for her to leave, but they had not imposed it when she had first revealed her Dark Magic. What had changed?

"Say, rather, that they wish to ensure you have not done so," Lady Dahl said. "You shall likely be called within the week."

"I see," Maria said, nodding. "Is there anything else?"

"Write to young Mister Smith more often, he was quite upset at your lack of contact." She used the assumed last name Rafael was listed under in the Ministry.

Maria did not blush. She was a grown woman after all. "I shall bear that in mind, in future."

Lady Dahl nodded. "Farewell then, child. May you find your way out by yourself, we're a bit short-staff for guides at the moment. Praise the sun and may it guide your way."

Maria stood and bowed at the dismissal, making her way out.

Behind her, she heard an amused mutter of, "'Teenagers…"

She considered taking a detour to see Rafael, but with her new restriction, she likely should not push her luck, lingering without a guide.

Shrugging, Maria decided to get a start on paying Lady Claes back for the ride…