A.N. A slight change to previous chapter. I mentioned Emma would be coming, but that's because in my mind the old Class VII who showed up gets bonding events in the previous chapter. It turns out some like Emma and Fie gets in the chapter after the next one. So yeah, Emma's not coming. Sorry, it completely slips my mind.
"Jessica, are you going with us to the church today?"
I turn to Princess Alfin who sits beside me as we are eating, "As I said to Rosine last night, I will try to make time. It depends on how busy I will be making sure all the citizens' requests are taken care of by the students."
Musse chimes in teasingly, "Teehee, you're such a hard worker, Jessica. It's almost cute."
"…And I notice that you did not take up any requests for today," I reply.
Princess Alfin claps her hands, "Oh, then maybe you can join us, Musse!"
"...I'm not sure having Musse around children attending Sunday School is a good idea," Elise said from across me, beside Musse.
I nod, "Yes. A very good point, Elise. I am not sure that even the holiness of the Church can withstand both Her Highness and Musse together."
"Hey! I'd like to think that I am not as bad as Musse," Princess Alfin complained.
You see…Well, she's probably right
"Perhaps, but just a smidge," I conceded.
Musse smiles shyly, pretending to blush, "Oh my. I simply do not know what you are talking about. After all…As I told you yesterday, Jessica, I am as pure as a white lily."
All three of us give her a blank, unimpressed look.
Musse sighs, "None of you have faith in me, I see."
She then continues, "Well, no matter. I have to practice in the shooting range, anyway."
"Oh, are you having any difficulty keeping up with the combat class here, Musse?" Elise asked.
Nah, judging from her performance in Crossbell, she's fine.
Musse nods, "That's right, I'm quite the frail and delicate girl, after all—"
Liar.
"—Especially now that I'm in Class VII, I need to put in extra training so as to not fall behind."
As I said. She's doing fine. But far be it for me to dissuade extra training.
Princess Alfin sighs, "Well, I suppose it will just be me, Elise, and Rean."
I turn to her, "Not necessarily. As I said, I'll drop by if possible."
"Hmm…do you need Instructor Rean?" Musse asked.
She then turns to Elise, smiling, "I have been thinking of asking Instructor Rean for some…private lessons. Just the two of us…alone, in the shooting range."
Elise, to her credit, didn't get flustered, "I see…Well, it is unfortunate that he is needed at the Church."
"Is that so?" Musse asked.
She then gasped, "Oh my! Elise, does that mean Instructor Rean will be with you instead? And in the church of all places…Well, I suppose there are many corners there where you could…get close and personal…how scandalous!"
And just like that, Elise's self-control crumbles, "O-Of course not! Besides, Her Highness will be there too!"
Princess Alfin giggles, "Heehee. Oh, I don't know, Elise. If that is your plan, I suppose I can help Jessica instead."
"Y-Your Highness!" Elise shrieked.
…I mean…Come on, Elise, you know her enough to not expect support from her in this situation.
Musse then turns to Princess Alfin, seemingly designating her as the next prey, "Come now, Your Highness, you needn't hold yourself back. It is touching that you are holding yourself back for Elise's sake, but you should act on your own wish as well."
"I-I'm not sure what you are talking about."
Musse presses on, "There are rumors abreast that the Princess and the Ashen Chevalier will be dancing this Summer Festival. I'm sure that you are looking forward to it, Your Highness. A passionate dance on a special day, and then after the dance is over, the two of you sneaking out to a dark corner…His neck crooks down to yours and his lips—Ouch!"
I kicked her under the table.
"No one is interested in your subpar attempts to write an erotica," I said.
Musse smiles, "Oh? But judging from Elise's and Her Highness's faces they are quite enthralled."
…True enough. Those two are blushing furiously. They then snap back to reality and turn on Musse.
"Musse!"
"M-U-S-S-E…"
Princess Alfin and Elise said, glaring at her.
Musse simply smiles, "Yes! That's it, you two haven't scolded me like this in a while. It's not complete with just Jessica scolding me!"
…Breakfast with these three will just end up as a chaotic breakfast. It's inevitable.
I'm sure tomorrow morning will be the same. Elise and Princess Alfin intended to return today, but Principal Le Guin insisted that they stayed another night so she may throw a feast for the two of them.
So yes. Tomorrow's breakfast is sure to be as chaotic as this one. Well, I suppose it's not so bad from time to time.
"From what I remembered, this request was for advice on job hunting. So would the two of you please tell me how did it end up with the client unconscious in the infirmary?" I asked Kurt and Ash with a smile.
Kurt looks away somewhat guiltily while Ash is pretending that I'm not in the room.
I continue to smile, "I see…if you have nothing to say, then I suppose it would be fair to have the two of you pay for damages incurred to the client?"
"What? It ain't our fault. We didn't think the guy'd be this much of a pushover," Ash complained.
Kurt sighs, "…In our defense, he was very determined."
"…And how does a job-hunting advice end up with the client fighting a monster in the Einhel Keep?" I asked again, unimpressed.
"Dude wanted to be a bracer! Ain't no way to prepare for that without fighting monsters," Ash retorted.
Kurt nods, "While bracers handle other requests other than monster subjugation, it is still one of their main duties. Regardless, being adept at combat is expected of a bracer."
"How I'm seein' it, we did him a favor. Ain't no way the dude can be a bracer with how he fainted immediately. He didn't even get a scratch on him, pretty boy and I bailed his ass immediately," Ash continued, supporting Kurt.
"…I am quite sure that the bracer guild has basic training," I replied dryly.
Ash shakes his head, indignant, "You ain't there, prissy girl. The guy just passed out on the spot. Trust me, he'd be better off doing something safer."
"Apparently, he used to work for the Heimdallr Bank. Franky seemed quite insistent on being a bracer, but at the very least, I don't think he would have difficulty finding other high-paying work," Kurt added.
…I suppose these two have a point but.
I sigh, "I will get an expert's opinion—well, as close as an expert we could have in Leeves, in any case."
I then open my ARCUS and start calling someone I'm sure is much more qualified than these two blockheads.
Not long after I called her, Tita's face appears in my ARCUS.
"Jessica? Do you need something?"
"Hello, Tita. Is this a good time?" I asked.
"Umm…I'm helping Professor Schmidt for Class VII's keep trial later today, but since George is also here, I think I can spare some time," Tita answered.
I nod, "Can you come to the infirmary? One of the requests for today comes from an aspiring bracer that wants advice. Since you have the most experience with the guild, I was hoping you could help out."
Tita nods back, "Sure! I'll be there in a bit. But why the infirmary?"
"Kurt and Ash are originally responsible for the request…and it resulted in the client being unconscious in the infirmary. As you can see, needing help is an understatement—"
"Pardon?"
"Screw you, prissy girl!"
I ignore them.
"In any case, thank you for agreeing to help, Tita. Kurt and Ash will fill you in."
I hang up and turn to Kurt and Ash, "As you can see, Tita will help out. Please defer to her, if you would."
Kurt sighs, then nods, "She does have direct experience working with bracers. So I suppose it's fair."
Ash scowls "Tch, whatever. I guess we'll be done quicker with Russel helping out. Still needs to finish that book review, anyway."
I nod at them and leave the infirmary.
Now then…There aren't any more issues, so I suppose I can drop by the church.
I walk down from Thors to the town square, before entering the church.
"…The Nord Highlands is named for the nomadic Nord people who live there. We worship Aidios, the Goddess of the Sky, but over there, they worship the Wind," Instructor Rean said to a group of children gathered around him, Elise, and Princess Alfin.
Looks like they're teaching geography.
Instructor Rean continues, "Nord Highlands is located on a plateau, it's surrounded by tall mountains and has many majestic views. And of course, the wind there is very pleasant and feels almost divine."
Princess Alfin notices me and waves me over.
The children turn to me as I pass through them.
"Oh, that's the Snow Princess!"
"We're getting Princess Alfin, the Ashen Chevalier, and the Snow Princess? This is so cool!"
"Even the black-haired girl is cool, she's so pretty! Axel is going to be so mad he missed today's class."
I give them a small smile…they sure are enthusiastic.
Rosine steps in, "All right, everyone, settle down now. As you know, this is Jessica Schleiden, she's Rean's student in Thors, and will be joining us for today."
I give a small bow, "Good morning, everyone. I am sorry that I was late."
Princess Alfin giggles, "Teehee, then maybe you can continue the lesson."
"Are we teaching geography?" I asked.
Instructor Rean answers, "Sort of, we're mostly telling about our experience with places all around Erebonia."
"We're about to wrap up and go to questions, though. Maybe you have something to add about Nord Highlands?" Elise added.
Nord Highlands, huh? Well, I visited during the civil war aboard the Courageous. I didn't really explore much, though. But…
I turn to Instructor Rean, "Have you told them about the Great Guardian Statue?"
"Great Guardian Statue? What's that?" One of the children asked.
"I take it you have not?" I asked Instructor Rean.
He nods, "Yeah, I didn't get around to telling that. Go ahead, Jessica."
I turn back to the children, "In that case…who among you has heard of the Great Knight Statue?"
One of the girls raised her hand, "I think it's…a giant statue in Bryonia Island?"
I smile at her, "Yes, you are correct. The Great Knight statue is a giant statue of what appears to be a knight in Bryonia Island, an island to the Northwest of Ordis—that's the capital of the Lamarre Province—it's named the Great Knight Statue after many giant knights that appeared in our legends."
I continue, "In the Nord Highlands, they also have a similar structure. Theirs is named the Great Guardian Statue, for in Nords they see it as the guardian of the Nord Highlands."
Another of the children—this time a boy—raised his hand, "Who built the statues?"
"Good question, no one knows for sure. But the prevail—er…I mean the popular theory is that it was built by the civilization before the Great Collapse. As you all know, the civilization before the Great Collapse is more advanced than our own, so it is quite possible for them to have the means to build such statues," I answered.
They're definitely related to the Divine Knights, though. Since the Great Knight Statue is named after the knights in Erebonian legends—which are supposed to be the Divine Knights—and the Great Guardian Statue is very similar to the Great Knight Statue.
"I suppose that is it for the Guardian Statue," I said before turning back to Instructor Rean and the rest, "Anything else to add?"
They shake their head.
I nod, turning back to the children, "Then that is it, I suppose. Any questions?"
One of the boys raised his hand, "Umm…can I ask something?"
Instructor Rean nods at him, "Of course. What do you want to ask?"
"You guys have been telling us lots about many places, but where do you guys come from?" The boy asked.
Elise decided to answer the question, "Well, Rean and I are from a place called Ymir, as for Her Highness and Jessica…"
She trailed off, looking at us.
Princess Alfin smiles, "Teehee, I'm from Heimdallr, our capital."
I follow suit, "I'm from Valdrand, a town in the Nortia Province. It is actually not that far from here, only 30 minutes by train."
"What kind of places are those?" A girl asked.
"Valdrand is on the edge of the Sieg Forest, so there are many vegetations around Valdrand. Sometimes, you can see plants such as ivies coiling around buildings. Many people in Valdrand are carpenters or wood artisans, so many of our buildings have more wood in their designs compared to most of Erebonia's cities," I replied.
"Oh! I think my Papa mentioned we have decorations from Valdrand," A blonde girl said.
…Rich kid identified—Not that I have any grounds to say anything, being a noble.
I nod at her, "Indeed? I am glad to hear that."
The kid nods back at me, "Mmhm, it's really beautiful. Papa always shows it to guests."
…Just as long as he doesn't get into debt and you have to cover the debt by going into a shady tomb…and ending up lying to the skeleton ruling the tomb.
"What about the other places? What's the capital like? And I've never heard of Ymir," Another kid asked.
Princess Alfin replies, "Well…the capital is very big. It's one of the biggest cities in Zemuria, and certainly the biggest in Erebonia. Around 880.000 people live there."
"880.000 people?! It's REALLY big, then," The kid said with wide eyes.
Princess Alfin nods, "Yes. It's very large that most people used Orbal Tram to get around."
"What's a tram?" a brunette girl asked.
The blonde girl from earlier answers before Princess Alfin could, "It's kinda like an orbal car, but they have specific routes. Oh, and you ride it with other people. I saw them when I went with Papa to Heimdallr last year."
Princess Alfin smiles, "Heimdallr is only around 15 minutes by train, so if you are interested you should ask your parents if you could visit. Ah, but you should definitely try visiting Ymir if you can, it's a popular resort area."
They turn to Elise and Instructor Rean, "It's a resort area? What's it like?"
Elise smiles, "To start with…everything is all white because we have snow all year round."
"Snow? Actual snow? That's so cool, I've never seen one!" A boy yelled excitedly.
The boy beside him nods in agreement, "Yeah, it almost never snows here, and when it does, it's only a little."
"A world of all white snow…that's so romantic," One of the girls added.
Welp, I guess Ymir got the most attention. As expected of a town that focuses on tourism.
Instructor Rean chimes in, "There is actually a popular sport in Ymir called snowboarding. You slide down a snow-covered slope in a special board."
Right. I remember Instructor Rean being quite good at it.
Rosine chimes in, "This is really interesting. Unfortunately, we're almost out of time, how about one more question and then we'll wrap it up?"
A brunette girl raised her hand, "I have a question."
She then gestures to Instructor Rean and Elise, "You two are from the same place, right? And you seem to like each other, are you two going out?"
The rest of the children burst into excited chatter.
…She just had to ask that, didn't she? I mean…
Instructor Rean coughs, "Haha, you caught me by surprise, but there's no way Elise and I would—"
Yes, Instructor Rean, good. Reject the incest route.
"—No way?" Elise suddenly chimes in softly, but still enough for Princess Alfin, Instructor Rean, and myself to hear.
Instructor Rean and Elise look at each other awkwardly.
"Oh, my," Princess Alfin whispered to me.
I whisper to her back, "…You really shouldn't encourage this."
"Why? Rean's adopted, it's not unheard of."
…Right, maybe in Erebonia's standard.
She continues, "Oh! Is it because you want to—"
I cut her off, "No."
Elise then sighs, "Nevermind, Rean. It's nothing."
Seemingly relenting, she continues, "We might have forgotten to tell you that we are siblings."
"Aw, man…That's too bad."
"Oh, then what about with Ms. Jessica or Her Highness?"
Oi! Don't drag me into this! Besides, too many girls are in the Reanbowl already, it doesn't need more.
Instructor Rean sighs, "…Of course not. Jessica is my student, while Princess Alfin is a member of the Royal Family."
"Aw…I guess all three of us got shot down," Princess Alfin whispered to Elise and me with a teasing tone.
"…Three? Don't lump me in with the two of you on this. That's an erroneous assumption," I replied.
I swear I could hear Elise suspiciously mumbling something like, 'I sure hope so'
Come on, Elise. Even if I am, I've got no chance...and neither are you, probably. At this point, it's down to Alisa and Laura…and maybe Emma.
"Mr. Rean, one last question! Do you prefer younger girls or older girls?"
Instructor Rean is taken aback, "H-huh? Why are you asking that?"
…I hope you're not asking that because you're interested, young lady. Like seriously, we're going to have a huge problem on our hands if you do.
"Well? Which one is it, Rean?" Elise asked sharply.
"Ooh! I also want to know!" Princess Alfin chimes in.
"Hehee, I'm also curious," Rosine added.
…Rosine too? Really? Are there any female main casts or adjacent main casts who aren't in Reanbowl at this point? Besides me, I mean.
I decide to bail him out, "That is hardly an appropriate question. Besides, we are out of time, yes?"
Instructor Rean turns to me, "Oh right, we are. Aren't we Rosine? Haha, I guess we better wrap it up then."
"Eh…? But what's the answer?" The girl who asked the question whined.
I turn to her, "Now, now. That sort of question should not be asked publicly, it is rude."
She pouted, "…Okay, Ms. Jessica."
Rosine then wraps up the class.
As the children leave, Elise turns to Instructor Rean, "So…Rean?"
"Yes?" Instructor Rean replied.
"I still would like to know if you like younger girls or older girls."
…She's persistent, all right.
After Instructor Rean avoided the question—to Elise's and Princess Alfin's dismay—by saying 'it is not a matter of age', we went our separate way.
I ended up checking back with Tita, Kurt, and Ash. It seems to be going well. Going with Tita's advice, they're trying to see if Franky is a fit to be a guild receptionist instead of an actual bracer.
It might not be what he's originally hoping for, but it seems to fit his skill set more. Not just everyone can be a guild receptionist, they're basically the control tower, intelligence agent, and operational support all combined for the bracers on the field.
Seeing that they seem to have it well in hand, I decided to leave them to it—though, Kurt had reluctantly excused himself at one point because he has a chess match scheduled with the main campus.
I did offer to go with him as we don't exactly have the best relationship with the main campus, but he insisted they'll be fine, so I ended up going to Juna instead, she did ask me if I can help with practice.
I then paired up with Altina and help Juna and Louise practice.
"…Oh man, that was a great workout," Juna said as we sat down at the cafeteria after practicing a few rounds.
Louise nods, "Right? A double match is different from singles."
"Totally!" Juna replied, she then turns to me, "But, sheesh, you sure pick it up pretty fast. Is there anything you're actually bad at?"
"I can't sew like you, for one," I replied.
But…yeah, I've said it before, but anime heroines are just built different. Especially kuudere honor student type like Jessica. She's probably the school idol archetype in a modern AU or something.
Altina meanwhile is sulking, "…In comparison, I did not manage to pick it up nearly as fast. This is somewhat frustrating."
Juna pats her head, "Aw…it's fine, Allie. You'll get it soon enough."
I turn to Altina, "Are you all right helping out, Altina? What about Principal Le Guin's assignment?"
"I will finish it by the evening," Altina answered.
Juna frowns, "Allie, you didn't really need to help out if you have other stuff to do."
Beside me, Louise nods in agreement, "Yes, I'd feel bad if you failed Principal Le Guin's class because you were helping us."
Altina shakes her head, "To be honest...I do not think spending time on my painting would help currently. I am simply unable to progress."
"Is there anything we could do to help?" I asked.
"Yes, please tell us if there's anything we can do. You really helped us out, after all," Louise added.
Altina nods, "In that case…I have been reading Madrigal of the White Magnolia for some inspiration. However, I fail to understand why the author chose to insert fictitious element rather than depicting the story as how it happened in history."
She continues, "I think if I can understand why the author inserted fictitious elements rather than merely depicting historical events, I can try to understand what things I should try to convey with my paintings other than the picture itself."
Juna awkwardly scratches her cheek, "U-Umm…I, uh…didn't think anything that deeply when I did the assignment, honestly."
"I didn't either," Louise admitted.
Altina frowns, "I see, so I am that far behind that something that I struggle with something that comes easily to the two of you,"
"N-No, Allie, that's not what we meant!" Juna said immediately.
I decided to interject, "Well…There is no use in denying that it doesn't come to Altina as intuitively. That being said, there is nothing wrong with that. Altina does not grasp these things as intuitively as us, and we do not grasp physics and mathematics as intuitively as Altina. People excel at different things."
Louise nods, "Yeah. Don't need to feel bad, Altina, we'll try helping you out, okay?"
"R-Right, if you think looking into the Madrigal…er…that book you were reading will help, then we can talk about it, okay?"
I sigh and turn at Juna, "You have absolutely no idea what Madrigal of the White Magnolia is, do you?"
"S-Shut up, princess! Books aren't my thing, okay?" Juna retorted.
"Well, to start with, Madrigal of White Magnolia is—"
"Oh, are you talking about Madrigal of White Magnolia?"
I turn around and see Tita coming over to our table.
"Hello, Tita. How did the request go?" I greeted her.
"It went fine. Franky seems a good fit for a guild receptionist. But…considering it's hard to be a bracer in Erebonia nowadays, Instructor Rean advised him to try working here helping Celestin with housekeeping for the time being," Tita answered.
"Oh, Instructor Rean came along?" I asked her.
She nods, "Yup. He was really helpful. Instructor Rean was very familiar with how bracers work. Apparently, it's because the old Class VII had a bracer as their homeroom teacher."
"Yes. Instructor Sara Valestein is an A-rank bracer," I replied.
Juna chimes in, "They had an A-rank bracer as a homeroom teacher? I keep saying this, but the old Class VII is…very impressive in more ways than one."
She then continues, "But anyway, Instructor Rean can't help but stick his nose everywhere, huh? Ugh, he's such a busybody."
Louise giggles, "Juna, if you keep that up, you will never be able to thank Instructor Rean."
I turn to Louise, "Thanking Instructor Rean? Did something happen?"
Louise answers me, "Earlier, before you and Altina came along, Instructor Rean helped us practice for a bit. Juna then tried to thank him for saving her and her siblings when Calvard attacked Crossbell. She didn't end up doing it because she was too embarrassed."
Ah. I see Louise has understood Juna's tsundere tendencies. But also…
I turn to Juna and give her a look that says, 'Really?'
"I-It's complicated, okay? A-anyway, let's get back to that book Altina was reading," Juna said, diverting the conversation.
Altina nods, "Yes, I would appreciate any help."
I turn to her, "Yes, so in regard to Madrigal of White Magnolia…As you know, the story emphasizes the romantic love triangle between the three main historical figures during that period in Liberl's history, Oscar, the knight that represents the commoner faction, Julius, the knight that represents the noble, and Princess Cecilia. Of course, no basis for the love triangle exists in historical records. Rather, it was more likely to be a matter of political maneuvering."
Altina nods again, "Yes, that's what I do not get. Why depict a love triangle instead of being faithful to historical events?"
"Maybe the author just likes love triangle stories?" Juna suggested.
I reply, "Perhaps. But more likely, it was the author emphasizing the divide between social class and how it presents an obstacle for lovers from different social classes. He was, after all, an heir to a noble family in Liberl who was exiled for insisting that he would marry a commoner."
"So the author chose to depict these historical figures because it resonated with something he felt important and as such, he added the fictitious love element?" Altina asked.
I nod, "I think that is a good way to put it, yes."
"Understood, then I will attempt to draw something that can help convey something that is important to me," Altina replied.
Juna chimes in, "Well…Just go with what you feel is right, Allie. But still…"
"You know a lot about this story, huh?" Juna continued, addressing me.
"Yeah, I'm surprised you even know about the author," Tita added.
I nod, "Madrigal in White Magnolia is considered to be classical literature. As such, it was one of the literature we studied for fine arts in St. Astraia."
Louise giggles, "Hehee, sometimes I have to remind myself that despite how much of a proper lady you look, you're a very strong martial artist with a spear, and then at times like this it loops back and I have to remind myself you went to an elite girls school that emphasizes being a proper lady."
"That is one of the silver linings of being enrolled in St. Astraia, I suppose. Though I can see how it might seems at odds with my martial arts training," I replied.
Tita chimes in, "Ehehe, you're not alone with that. I think I told you before, but Princess Klaudia is also very refined and good with rapiers."
Right. My possible predecessor in the losing princess knight archetype.
"And as before, I am flattered that you compare me with Liberl's Crown Princess," I replied.
"You know…She actually starred in a play of Madrigal of White Magnolia when she was in Jenis Royal Academy," Tita added.
"As Princess Cecilia?" I asked.
Tita shakes her head, "No, they were doing a crossdressing play. She played the Azure Knight, Oscar. Joshua played Princess Cecilia and Estelle played the Ruby Knight Julius."
…Really? They made the losing heroine star in a play involving love triangle as the winning one? That's such a bait for the shippers. I wonder how the fanbase reacted to that and if any got jebaited.
But anyway…I guess this is hard confirmation that Joshua is the harem protagonist of the Liberl games. If I'm not sure before, I sure am now.
"Instructor, do you have any idea why Principal Le Guin summoned us?"
Instructor Rean turns to me, "Haha, sorry, but no. She just contacted me and asked me to bring you here."
The two of us are currently in the training hall with our weapons, waiting for Principal Le Guin to arrive.
I nod at him, "I see. I suppose the principal is being as capricious as usual."
Instructor Rean sighs in response, "Well…that's how she is. Do you have somewhere else to be?"
"Not really, no. What about you, Instructor? I heard you've been running around all over, helping with the requests and club activities."
"It's really not that big of a deal. I just helped around a bit, I'm sure they'd manage even without my help."
I sigh, "I hope you're not forgetting our discussion to not overdo it, Instructor."
He nods, "Don't worry, I'm not. I even made time to get a cup of coffee in Heimdallr with Machias, earlier."
"I see, that's good, but knowing you, I'm sure you have plans to help even more after this."
…You're still not fooling me, Instructor.
He laughs, "Haha, actually I don't. Well, not until after our keep trial, anyway. I'm planning to meet up with Alisa after this."
Oh? S.S. AlisaXRean going in for the kill?
I nod, "In that case, considering we still have no inklings of what the Principal wants…I hope that you would make it in time for your date."
"It's not a date, we're just going to the keep."
"First Laura, and now Alisa…Instructor, do you have a proclivity to bringing women to the Einhel Keep?"
"Wha—Where did that come from? They were the ones that wanted to see the keep. Uh…I guess they're somewhat nostalgic for the old Schoolhouse on the main campus?"
Of course, Instructor. Whatever you say. I guess if he went on a one-on-one excursion through the keep with the blue-haired heroine, it's only prudent that the main tsundere heroine gets one too.
Instructor Rean then continues, "Oh, but speaking of Laura…Can I ask you something?"
"Regarding Laura?" I asked a bit unsure.
He nods, then awkwardly scratches his cheek, "Haha, yeah. Sorry, you're just a bit similar to Laura, so…"
Ah. I see.
Very well, let's see how I can help his love problem with my blue-haired, noble girl, martial arts-practicing heroine senpai.
I nod at him, "I certainly could try, though I can't promise that I have the answer."
Instructor Rean nods back, "That's fine. So…I send her a lipstick I bought during our last field exercise in Crossbell. She told me she'd like to show me how it looks on her and to be prepared, what does 'be prepared' means in this context?"
Oh wow. He gave Laura a lipstick, and Laura told him that? S.S. AlisaXRean is going in for the kill, unfortunately, S.S. LauraXRean has boldly taken pre-emptive measures…Operation Red Lips.
…Okay, maybe Ash was right. Instructor Rean's life can be pretty entertaining to watch.
"Jessica?"
"Hmm? Oh, right. Instructor…You are not Kurt. I'm sure you understood what Laura meant perfectly. You are merely in denial."
"…No, I don't think that's what she—"
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Principal Le Guin strolled into the training hall, her sword in hand.
We turn to her.
She quirks one of her eyebrows, "Oh? Am I interrupting?"
Instructor Rean shakes his head, "No, Principal Le Guin. We just chatted a bit…Can you tell us why you called for us?"
She nods, "Of course. Schwarzer, you have somewhat regained control of your power, yes?"
"I have, but…You don't mean—"
Principal Le Guin nods, "I do."
She turns to me, "I heard that you have problems being near Schwarzer when he uses that power. At this opportunity, I would like for the two of you to try resolving it."
That's not how exposure therapy work, damn it!
Instructor Rean protested immediately, "Principal, with all due respect…I don't think that's a good idea."
Principal Le Guin shakes her head, "No? If not now, when? The two of you need to confront it eventually. Otherwise, you would not be able to use it effectively. Am I wrong, Schwarzer?"
I turn to Instructor Rean.
He sighs, "I…can't deny that."
Principal Le Guin continues, "The enemies you are facing from this point on will be more and more dangerous, to not use all the weapons in your arsenal is the height of foolishness. By hesitating to use your ogre form when you can control it, you will not only endanger yourself but also the students under you."
…She's got a point.
Principal Le Guin turns to me, "In fact…Schleiden, if it is too much of an obstacle for you, I am not above transferring you out of Class VII."
That's…
She continues, "Fufu, how about it? I do remember how adamant you were to transfer to Class VIII at the beginning of the school year…And Class VII did get two new members recently, so they should still be fine in terms of manpower."
I did want to transfer…but at this point…I'm already involved. It doesn't feel right to just abandon them now.
I take a deep breath and turn to Instructor Rean, "We should do it."
"Huh? But…"
"Principal Le Guin has a point. Besides, I was fine during Karel Imperial Villa. As long as you can keep it under control, I will be fine…I think."
"I will be here. Don't worry, if you do lose control, I'll subdue you immediately," Principal Le Guin added.
Instructor Rean sighs, "Well…If you're sure. But I don't want you pushing yourself, okay?"
"I will try not to," I reply with a small smile.
He nods, "All right. Don't worry, it'll be fine. I used it against McBurn and Campanella back in Stargazer's Tower."
As usual, a purple aura starts to gather around him, his hair turning white.
I take a deep breath.
It's fine. Celine assured me it's under control. If he can control it, then it's just Instructor Rean. Nothing to worry about. Besides, Principal Le Guin is here.
"I'm coming over, is that all right?" Instructor Rean asked.
I take another deep breath and nod.
Instructor Rean starts to walk toward me slowly. I almost take a step back in reflex, but I stopped it in time.
Calm down. It's fine. What I am afraid of is Instructor Rean losing control, not Instructor Rean himself. Therefore, it follows that I should be fine as long as Instructor Rean maintains control.
"Are you all right? You're…a bit pale."
I look up to Instructor Rean.
I look up, feral red eyes, blade in his hand
But not this time. There's none of the feral look etched in my memory as he cuts me down in Ymir…Or any savagery he showed in Crossbell.
…It's just Instructor Rean, with white hair and red eyes.
Yes. See? It's fine now.
I look down at his neck, where he wears Emma's charm. Yes…I should be fine. As long as he wears that, I should be fine.
"Jessica?"
"…I should be fine for now. I don't think I will completely get over it anytime soon, but…I think I can at least stay calm."
He flashes a smile, "I see."
I then feel his hands on my head.
"You did good," He said as he pats my head.
"I-Instructor?" I can't help but stutter in surprise.
He immediately removes his hand, "O-Oh, sorry. Was that too much?"
"No, I was…just surprised."
He nods, "Yeah, sorry. I probably shouldn't have done that."
"…"
"…"
A somewhat awkward silence falls between us.
Principal Le Guin snorts, "Well, as amusing as this is...It seems you have managed to somewhat mitigate it. Congratulations, Schleiden."
We both turn to Principal Le Guin.
Instructor Rean bows lightly, "Thank you for the assistance, Principal Le Guin."
I follow suit, "Yes…I still have a long way to go before I fully overcome it. But at the very least, I could refrain from freezing up."
Principal Le Guin nods, "Yes. You are still rather tense. Then I suppose we'd better get to it."
She draws her sword at the two of us, "Why do you think I ask you to bring your weapons? Come then. The two of you against me. I do hope you can last for a while."
Instructor Rean and I look at each other before nodding and drawing our weapons.
…We lost. Almost trounced, even. If not for Instructor Rean's Ogre Form, it'd be entirely a one-sided match.
"That was decent enough, I suppose," Principal Le Guin said nonchalantly as she looks down on Instructor Rean and me who are on our knees.
The Principal turns to me, "Schleiden, good work. Considering you are still very much bothered by Schwarzer's power, you were exceptional. Keep it up."
She continues, "Schwarzer, you are clearly rusty at using your Ogre Form, work on it. Whatever your opinion of this power, it is yours, and is a part of you. Running away from it would not do you any favor."
Instructor Rean—No longer in Ogre Form—nods, "Yeah…Master Ka-fai told me the same thing in his letter."
Hmm? I know Elise delivered letters from Ymir, but I didn't realize that includes the Sword Hermit's letter.
"Oh? Well, if the Sword Hermit Yun Ka-fai, founder of the Eight Leaves One Blade style himself told you so, you best heed his word, Schwarzer. Who knows? Perhaps once you are accustomed to your Ogre Form, you could give me a decent fight," Principal Le Guin replied.
She continues, "Well then…I shall leave first. I look forward to our next bout."
Principal Le Guin then leaves the room.
Instructor Rean turns to me, "Are you all right? Sparring with the Principal can be quite rough."
I sigh, "She held back barely enough so as to not cause serious injury. I will be fine after a bit of rest."
"Haha, well don't push yourself, we still have the keep trial this afternoon, after all."
"That…is supposed to be my line, I think," I replied.
He shakes his head, "No…I think that is my line here. I know that Principal Le Guin said that I shouldn't run away from my power—and I agree with the sentiment—but not if it's harming you, physically or otherwise. So if it's ever become too much, tell me, okay?"
I nod, "I will."
He nods back, smiling, "Good."
…I guess while we're topic-adjacent, I might as well ask.
"Instructor, on another note…I'm aware that Elise delivered letters for you from Ymir, but I did not realize it included your master's letter."
"Hmm? Oh yeah, I was surprised too. He said he was going to Eastern Zemuria. As you know, desertification is a problem they are facing in the east, so Master Ka-fai wanted to see if there's anything he could do to help out."
…Desertification, huh? Is that perhaps something happening with another game? Could be I guess. Instructor Rean's games and Lloyds' games seem to take place around the same time. So I guess Kurt's games could take place at the same time as someone else's in Calvard.
"Did you pick up something again? You have that look whenever you're about to say something about patterns," Instructor Rean asked with amusement
I shake my head, "Nothing much. But, well…I don't think we have to worry about it for the time being. Someone else is most likely taking care—or will take care—of it."
"Is that so? Then I hope Master Ka-fai runs into them at some point so they can work together."
…I think the Sword Hermit is a bit too OP as a party member, maybe a guest party member.
He continues, "He can be a bit eccentric, but…He'll definitely be a great help."
"I've never met him, but Father holds him in great respect," I replied.
Instructor Rean nods, "Is that so? So does Viscount Arseid. He must have been more popular with Erebonian martial artists than he lets on. I didn't even think the Eight Leaves One Blade style is popular in Erebonia at first."
I nod, "It isn't. Well…for the general populace, that is. For martial artists, they have most definitely heard of the style, but it is rather exotic—being an eastern sword style. Speaking of, why did you decide to learn Eight Leaves One Blade rather than the Vander style or the Arseid style, Instructor?"
Aside from Japan liking their JRPG protagonist having a katana, I mean.
He laughs, "Haha, funny you should ask that. Well, in parts it was because Master Ka-fai happened to be on Ymir for a pilgrimage, but aside from that…I started to study under Master Ka-fai to help get my Ogre Form in control."
He continues, "Master Ka-fai visited our home since Dad is the ruling lord, thatt's when he told me about the Eight Leaves One Blade Style. Mastery of one's self and acceptance of both the good and the bad within oneself is its core tenets. I figured that it could help me master my Ogre Form…of course, I'm still not quite there yet."
"I think you can definitely become a Divine Blade, Instructor."
"Is that another thing you glimpsed from the Divergent Law?" He asked in amusement.
I nod, "In parts—"
He used to be a protagonist, that's definitely the endgame for him.
"—But even without it, I do think you will become one," I completed.
He rubs the back of his head, "Ah…Well, I guess I can't let my student down, huh? Thanks, I'll do my best."
He then stands up, "Anyway…good job for today, I'll see you later for the keep trial."
I nod, "Of course. Oh, and Instructor?"
"…Yes?"
"About our earlier discussion…I'm sure you understand what Laura meant, so might I suggest you don't mention that to Alisa? It might get messy…Unless, of course, you have made up your mind."
"Haha, I don't know what you're talking about," Instructor Rean said, clearly trying to laugh it off.
He continues, "I…uh…keep that in mind, I guess."
He then left the room.
Well then…that was quite productive. I think I can manage to not just freeze up.
But…
Only as long as Instructor Rean wears that charm Emma made and keeps in control, of course. If he actually lost control again...
Yeah. I still have a long way to go.
A.N. So just a bit of tidbit. Rean does actually talks about Laura to Jessica in canon, of course the context is different, in canon Rean was pretty much just using Laura as an example how he can relate with Canon Jessica feeling of inadequacy. Oh, and the bit about Madrigal of White Magnolia's author is not in canon. In canon, we don't get much else besides the play in Sky FC, I believe.