Kirill is not a strong-minded personality.
　If anything, he would be a petty person.

　So the current situation was somewhat - well, quite uncomfortable for Kirill.

''Kirill. There's a seat available over there for three of us. Rai doesn't seem to be here yet, so let's go ahead and save a seat for him as well.

　The cause is the Viscountess next to Kirill.

''No, um ....... Me and Rai don't have to sit separately for three people .......

Oh, do you think they're leaving me behind?　Isn't that a bit cold to your classmates?

　The young lady glares at Kirill with frustration in her dark gray eyes.
　Her gaze is very cold, coupled with her glinting face.
　That's why it's called ice beauty, which is more than just cool beauty.

　Viscountess Eleanor Milmeus. That's her name.
　It all started about half a month ago when she approached me after she saw Kirill's magic at a practice session.

　At first I thought she was making an accusation, but after talking to her, it seems she didn't intend to do so.
　There are some spikes in his speech, but that doesn't mean that he is not high-handed, unlike other nobles, and it seems that he only wanted to talk to Kirill to ask, ''What kind of training do I need to do to become that kind of skill?

　Since then, Kirill began to be followed by Eleanor.
　It seems that he has witnessed Kirill's ability and is trying to find out the secret.

　It's great to be ambitious, but it's not comfortable to have your every move stared at like you're being analyzed.
　Kirill feels as if she's being watched, and it's like a rain cloud has been placed over her mind.

　However, as for the woman herself, Kirill doesn't have a bad impression of her.

　After talking to her for a little while, I found out that she is not a disgusting aristocrat with an elective mind.
　She may be a bit pushy, but she didn't wear her power as a bulk and say anything that would force her to do so, and she didn't look down on Kirill for being a commoner.
　Kirill himself thinks that he is not a bad person, even though he feels the difficulty of not knowing how to deal with her.

　The problem is the stinging glances that are directed at him by those around him for being with her.

''That's not what I meant, Eleanor-sama--''

'That's why I've told you many times that there's no need to add 'sama' to it. I just want you to understand that for goodness sake.

　Over the course of half a month, the conversation that had been repeated over and over again passed back and forth between the two of them.

　This girl, Eleanor, is very particular about something, or maybe she doesn't want to be respected as a nobleman. I'm not sure if she has some sort of obsession, or if she doesn't want to be respected as a nobleman.
　If you call her by her family name or give her a term of respect, she will immediately ask you to correct her.

　That being said, Kirill looks troubled.

　Eleanor herself may not mind, but that doesn't mean the people around her do either.
　In particular, there are many children of nobles among the students of the sorcerer's course, and some of them frown at the idea of a commoner even exchanging words with a noble.
　Even in the current situation, they are looking at them with a stinging gaze. If they were to call a noblewoman by her name on top of this, then surely more than just stares would be required.

　Caught between the young lady in front of him and the eyes of the people around him, Kirill was in a stifling mood when Rai, a warrior student, came over.

Hey Kirill. You're with me, Eleanor. Did you save a seat for me?　Sorry.

　Rae called Eleanor casually by her first name, along with Kirill. And he called her by her first name.

''See. Rae will call you by your name properly.

　For some reason, Eleanor seems happy to say so.
　But is she really aware of the cold stares flying towards Rai from the noble students around her?

''What?　Are we talking about names again?　Kirill is overthinking things. You can't help it if you get all cocky with your classmates.

Rae's right.

　No, you two are the only ones who think that way. Kirill swallows the words that are about to spill out.

　Unlike Kirill, whose common sense has created a wall between him and Eleanor, Rai and the others have gotten along strangely well with each other in the past half month.

'No, I think Rai should be a little more concerned about that ......

I don't think so.

　As he said it, Rae sat down next to Kirill.

It's so small ....... Eleanor, you need to squeeze a little more in there. Kirill, shove it in.

　Rai, Kirill, and Eleanor were seated for three, in that order.
　Rai pushed Kirill's body, which caused Kirill to push Eleanor.

'Don't push me for a minute,'

I'm sorry.

　Kirill reflexively apologizes, but Eleanor's complaint was directed at the other one.

''We don't have that much space either, you know?　It's not that you're too small, you're just too big.

　It's not that Lai is a huge man, but he does look bigger than the students in the mage program who don't have any muscle tone.

It's no surprise that he's a warrior. The desks in this lecture room are too small.

　Despite Kirill still drawing the line against Eleanor, Rae is completely at ease with her.

'There are no people as big as you in the mages' course. It's usually big enough for you. If you have a problem with it, you don't have to take it. In the first place, why do you want to take a course in magic when you're a warrior?

　It was Eleanor, despite her complaining, who suggested that she would keep Rai's seat.
　It's a good idea to make sure that you're not feeling sorry for Rai, even though she has a lot of thorny words to say.

"I wouldn't want to take a complicated lecture if I didn't have to fight a wizard for the rest of my life.

'Does that mean you're taking this lecture to find out what cards you're fighting?

That's what I mean.

　Kirill's question was met with a straightforward affirmation from Rai.

　It is true that there is no rule that says 'warrior course people cannot attend the magic lecture'.
　It is true that only those who are in the magician's course are allowed to take the practical skills of magic, but the classroom lessons can be taken across the boundaries of the course.

　Most students, however, are too busy to do the required courses. Few are willing to attend lectures in other courses.
　In fact, except for Rai, all of the students in this classroom are mages.
　It's not a bad idea to have a lecture on the subject of magic, even though you're a warrior.

I can't use magic. I'm not a magician, but it's only natural that the people you're fighting will use magic, right?　If you don't know about magic, how to measure the timing, what timing is effective, what kind of movements you need to be careful about, there's no way to plan for it.

Isn't that usually something you learn in real life?

　A question comes from the opposite direction of Rai, with Kirill in between.

'That's assuming we can fight the sorcerer and survive, right?　What would you do if you faced off against a sorcerer stronger than you before you learned in a real battle?　If you die as soon as you learn a war lesson, you'll be in trouble.

Yeah. You have a lot more in mind than I thought.

　A look of review convinced Eleanor.

Well, it's all coming from your uncle.

"Uncle?

　Kirill was interested in hearing Rae's story about her family for the first time.

'Yeah. I'm only about ten years older than you, though, when it comes to my uncle. He's my dad's brother and he's the one who used to play with me since I was a kid.

Huh. You're a military man?

'No, that's not what I'm talking about, ....... Well, what should I say ....... Mercenary, is that right?

　Rae replied in a rather crisp tone. For some reason it was a question mark at the end.

'I see. 'Well, the words of someone who's been in a real battle carry a lot of weight.'

　Any normal nobleman would turn his contempt towards a mercenary, but Eleanor does not feel that.
　Looking at that one point alone, there was no doubt that she was a heresy for a noblewoman.

''What kind of person is Rai's uncle?''

Are you my uncle?　That's right: ......

　At Kirill's question, Rae, who had been looking at the ceiling for a while, opened her mouth.

'Normally you seem to have a mischievous and light personality, but when the time comes, you're very dependable. I don't see him much these days since I started going to school too, but when I was at home, he used to tell me stories about his travels. I'm sorry to say that he has a bad habit of enjoying poking fun at people, but he's knowledgeable and for some reason, I can't hate him. And he's ridiculously strong.

Sure, he's a mercenary.

'No, no, no. It's just so ridiculous to describe it as strong. It's enough to make it a monster of sorts.

　Rai's speech gradually grew stronger.

'Just like me, you can't use magic, but you can beat two demons with just your sword skills, right?　And while protecting me.

　If Rai's excitedly forceful story is true, he is certainly no ordinary competitor.
　It's not a matter of beasts, but demons are a dangerous enemy, even if you take on one of them.
　If you can form a small party to defeat the monsters, you are considered to be a full-fledged mercenary.
　On the contrary, it takes several men to defeat a single monster, even for a full-fledged mercenary.

　Since it only takes one person to defeat two of those demons, to Eleanor, "Isn't that an exaggeration? And it's no wonder that it feels like an eyebrow-raising (cocooning) thing.

'Are you saying you don't believe the story of the parties involved?

''As expected, two demons by themselves or ......, it's a bit unbelievable.

　Kirill could understand how she felt.
　Even Kirill wouldn't have been able to believe Rae's story honestly - if he hadn't met Ardis.

'I believe it,'

　Four years ago, when a swarm of demons and beasts attacked Leytin, Aldis apparently defeated nearly a hundred demons by himself.

　Kirill didn't actually see it with his own eyes.
　But if you think of Ardis' bullshit, which is seen day in and day out, it would be easy to get rid of five or ten demons, and I wouldn't be surprised if that actually happened.

''Kirill believes me, doesn't he?''

'I have a mercenary I know who's bullshit-happy, too: ....... And sometimes I wonder if they're some kind of outsider in human skin.

I see, so that's what Kirill knows: ....... That's right, there's actually a race of people called monsters: ......

　The two of them look at each other with distant eyes, while Eleanor looks at them as if she has seen something inconceivable.

"I don't understand what you guys are talking about?

'Well, Eleanor doesn't understand. Oh well, I guess I can't blame her.

'Yes, because it's hard to believe that monster until you see it for yourself.

　They looked at each other and Rai and Kirill said in unison.
　It seems that this irritates Eleanor.

It's not that you don't know what you're talking about!　I don't get it!

Oh, come on, Eleanor. You'll figure it out eventually.

I'd rather not know, you know.

That's why I resent your telling me off!

　An insignificant conversation between a boy and girl takes place in a corner of the lecture room where the lecturer is waiting.
　However, there is one person who is not happy about it, especially on this occasion.

　The three of them are exchanging words that resemble a playful exchange of words, when suddenly they are interrupted by a shouting voice.

You guys!　Come on!

　The three of them keep their mouths shut. Then a sudden hush hits the lecture room.

　The owner of the voice was soon found.
　Kirill caught sight of a few figures in front of him.

　The person standing at the front, staring at Kirill and Lai, clad in an extravagant robe, is a famous boy among the first year students.
　The person who always wanted to have as little to do with you as possible is clearly looking at you with hostility.