Maidens of Cygnus - Volume 3 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – High Schooler’s Greatest Exams (1)

22nd of June, 2099. Monday morning.

“Eeh? Club activities are prohibited starting today?”

Before the start of the school day, an out of tune voice was unleashed in the classroom of class 1-A.

“Why are you asking that at this point?”

The one who raised her voice was Marika, and the girl who coldly retorted to her was Mei.

“Mina... This was already announced two weeks ago. Club activities are prohibited from one week before the end-of-term exams start until the end of the exams.”

Alisa didn’t try to defend Marika either. Maybe her feelings were that she shouldn’t stand up for her.

“Didn’t you hear about this from the senpai in your club?”

Alisa thought that even if she didn’t realize, the Club Presidents or other seniors she’s friendly with would have told her. Actually, she was warned about it yesterday by the Club President of the Crowd Ball Club, Hattori Hatsune, who said ‘We’ll be on break from practice for a while, so I hope you devote yourselves to studying for the exams’ while laughing.

“I didn’t!”

“Your seniors must have thought there was no way you wouldn’t know, right?”

“Mei...”

Alisa hesitatingly reproved Mei, who was acting cold and replied with an exasperated tone.

But Alisa also thought what she said was reasonable, so she couldn’t say it strongly.

“And I was just getting into the swing of things!”

Alisa could also understand Marika’s indignation. It was yesterday that she got the magic for her countermeasures against Ichijou Akane to a not-quite-satisfactory state. There is no doubt that Marika wanted to further improve that magic to perfection until the day of her bout by practicing it in actual fights so that she would enter her bout in a satisfactory state.

...Truthfully, the opponents for the competition against Third High have not been decided yet, so it is undecided whether Marika will really confront Akane at this stage. However, Marika felt very sure that she would fight against Akane.

“There’s nothing you can do about it, right? The end-of-term exams are related to whether you pass the year, it’s completely different to the monthly exams.”

“Mina, are you doing okay with exam preparations? The finals aren’t just about practical skills.”

It seems that passing the year and such didn’t resonate with her, but Marika’s complexion changed when Alisa pointed out it wasn’t just practical skills.

“What do I do... I’m not prepared at all.”

Marika muttered, her voice revealing she’s at a loss.

“Is Tookami here?”

Marika was further hit while she was already down.

“Yes, I’m going.”

Marika stood up and responded to the teacher, Kitou Tomohiko, who called out to her at the entrance of the classroom.

Marika moved in front of Kitou with a quick pace.

Kitou is the teacher responsible for the practical skills of class B, the one next door. Alisa was a little worried about what on earth his business with her could be and followed after Marika.

“Is something wrong?”

Marika asked him what he called her for.

“It looks like you haven’t delivered the maths report for last Saturday yet.”

Not caring that Alisa was standing behind Marika, Kitou frankly told her she hadn’t submitted the report.

In Magic University-affiliated High Schools, First High included, regular exams for earning credits have written magic theory tests and magic practical skills tests. The first year’s written tests include the mandatory subjects, fundamentals of magic and magic engineering, a choice of two subjects between magic geometry, magic linguistics, magic pharmaceutics and structure of magic, and a choice of one subject between history of magic and magic phylogenetics for a total of five subjects.

On the other hand, general subjects, languages, mathematics, natural sciences, and civics, are evaluated through ordinary assignment submission. Since this is an institution for higher education to raise magicians, it is considered unnecessary to have students compete in subjects unrelated to magic.

This is the kind of assignment Kitou was talking about.

The lessons for general subjects are carried out online and the number of teachers in charge is small compared to the number of students. Kitou is the teacher for magic geometry, but he manages the mathematics submissions from class 1-A to class 1-D to compensate for the lack of people.

Marika’s face turned pale.

Her complexion eloquently told the story that she had forgot about the report.

“I can wait until after school today, but... It doesn’t look like it’ll happen, huh.”

“...Yes.”

“I want you to come to the student counselling room after school.”

“Understood...”

Marika’s face grew increasingly paler.

Unsteadily returning to her own seat, Marika sat down like she was tumbling into it. Not only Alisa, who was right next to her, but also Mei, approached her with worried faces.

“What did Kitou-sensei say?”

“To come to the student counselling room after school...”

It was Alisa who answered Mei’s question.

“What did you do to be called to the student counselling room!?”

Due to the increase in the volume of Mei’s voice, the eyes inside the classroom gathered on them.

“...Maths report.”

Marika replied with a mutter.

“Report? You didn’t submit last week’s?”

“Yeah, that one... I forgot.”

“You forgot to submit it?”

Marika shook her head at Mei’s question.

“I forgot that the report itself existed...”

“That’s terrible!”

Mei’s voice cracked.

“Ahahah, it is terrible, isn’t it?”

Marika let out a hollow laugh. Her face was filled with resignation.

“Kitou-sensei said he would wait until after school, but...”

Alisa muttered, looking embarrassed.

“I replied honestly that I wouldn’t make it.”

Mei sighed.

“Because it is impossible. There isn’t enough time.”

“What will you do about the credits?”

Mei had a tone that seemed to demand an explanation, but by her expression, she isn’t trying to criticize her, she is just worried about her friend.

“I won’t repeat the year just for failing one report. I’ll compensate for it in the second term.”

With a tone like she was trying to persuade herself, Marika put on a brave front.

“...Isn’t it accepted until today after school? Do you want to copy mine, Marika?”

Marika opened her eyes wide at Mei’s proposal, and then immediately closed her eyelids and shook her head.

Not vertically, horizontally.

“I can’t, that would be cheating.”

“Cheating? Everyone is doing that. It’s maths, so no matter who’s writing, the right answer is the same, as long as you change the writing a bit they won’t know.”

“...No, I won’t cheat.”

Marika clearly refused Mei’s offer. Whether it should be said that she’s not good at dealing with things or that she tactless in her honesty, in a sense, it was just like her.

“There’s no club activities today either, so I’ll take my scolding properly after school.”

Both Alisa and Mei thought ‘this is not the time to think about club activities, don’t you think?’, but neither of them spoke up.

“Mina, let’s have a study group!”

Instead, Alisa suddenly changed the subject.

“A study group for the end-of-term exams. There are no club activities, so let’s do it together?”

“Marika, you haven’t prepared for the written exams, right? I’ll help you too.”

“Thank you, both of you...”

This time Marika didn’t refuse. Her eyes became wet, and she nodded.

◇ ◇ ◇

She knocked and got a response of “Come in”. As Marika said “Excuse me”, she opened the door of the school guidance room.

Only Kitou was inside. Considering the nature of the school guidance room, this is probably natural.

“Take a seat.”

On the seat Marika was told to sit on, there was a notebook-type terminal turned on. The same kind of terminal was open on the other side, in front of where Kitou was sitting.

“Umm, sensei, what is this...?”

Unable to control her skepticism, Marika asked right after sitting down.

On the display, which was large for a notebook-type, were the mathematics assignments that were to be submitted at the end of last week.

“There are still two hours until the gates close. If there is something you don’t understand, just ask.”

Marika restlessly blinked her eyes.

“Umm, would this be okay?”

“What do you mean?”

From the look on Kitou’s face, he wasn’t playing dumb, he’s serious with the question.

Confused over whether she was being strange, Marika replied.

“Isn’t it a kind of cheat to have a teacher help make the report...”

“I’m just answering questions, I’m not going to make you copy a model report.”

“But I feel it’s unfair that only I get help.”

“It just happens that you’re the only one remaining, Tookami, don’t worry about it.”

“Huh? Umm, what does that...”

As Marika became increasingly confused, in contrast, Kitou maintained an indifferent look.

“Tookami, you weren’t the only one who was late with the report, but the other students said they would submit it until the end of today. That’s why it is like this.”

“Is that so...”

Apparently, Kitou had intended to help other students make their report.

Marika was still not completely convinced.

“No more questions? Then begin.”

But this is the same as a supplementary exam, a measure to help students who might fail to earn credits.

Marika shelved her uncertain feelings and began with the report.

“So, did you finish the report in the end?”

“Yeah. It was accepted.”

“That’s good.”

As they were returning home inside the Cabinet, Alisa clapped her hands in joy and a vague smile appeared on Marika’s face. This had started by her forgetting about the assignment, so she frankly couldn’t be happy about it.

“But I thought Kitou-sensei would be stricter. He didn’t give me the impression that he would accept overdue reports.”

“You think so?”

At the start, Marika had the same impression as Alisa. But because she received private tutoring for the monthly exams and he gave her help with this report, Marika changed her interpretation of his character to ‘a helpful teacher’.

“I somewhat feel that Kitou-sensei is kind only to you, Mina.”

“I-I don’t think that’s true.”

Marika was unexpectedly agitated by Alisa’s thoughts.

“I wasn’t the only one he was waiting on to deliver the report.”

Marika hurriedly made an excuse, which didn’t satisfy Alisa, as she replied with “Is that so...”

“But you’re the only one he helped, right?”

“That’s because, umm, he said the others could do it by themselves. It looks like at the start Kitou-sensei planned to look after everyone who hadn’t submit the reports.”

“Hmmmm...”

Alisa clearly wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t seem to have any plans to concern herself with this anymore.

“Either way, now you can rest easy and study for the exams.”

Alisa turned around and said that while looking cheerful. Contrary to her, Marika’s expression suddenly turned gloomy.

“With only a week left it’s impossible...”

Marika lifelessly muttered.

“Mina, it’ll be okay! You’ll see it isn’t impossible!”

Marika averted her eyes from Alisa’s dazzling smile, who was trying to encourage her, and let out a big sigh.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Ah, it’s this time already.”

Alisa stopped the alarm she had set on her information terminal and, looking disappointed, she turned off the terminal she had been using to study.

“You’re going home already?”

Marika asked her from the other side of the table. They are in Marika’s apartment’s dining room. Alisa came directly to Marika’s room after they left school, and just as promised, she had been studying for the exams with her.

“I’m really sorry. Tomorrow I’ll stay with you until later. I’ll get permission from my family when I get home.”

The study meeting was arranged suddenly this morning, so she hadn’t talked to the Juumonji Family yet. Alisa was still reluctant to miss curfew without asking for permission, especially from her stepmother.

“Well then, see you later.”

“Yeah, at the usual time. I’ll call you today.”

It is daily routine for Alisa and Marika to chat on the Vidiphone before going to bed.

“Okay, I’ll be waiting.”

Alisa waved her hand and left Marika’s room behind.

Then, at 11pm.

“Good evening, Mina. Any progress with studying for the exams?”

“Stop it. Why are you bringing that up so quickly?”

Marika scowled on the Vidiphone monitor.

That may have been inevitable. Alisa asked her about her studies the moment she picked up the phone, after all.

“Ahahah, sorry, Mina. I was worried over whether you could do it properly by yourself.”

“I’m not a kid, I can study by myself.”

“...I guess that’s true.”

“...It is true.”

They both remembered Marika had forgotten about the maths report, but neither brought that topic up.

“Ah, right. I got permission to go to your house for studying.”

“Dinner included?”

“Yeah. My stepmother also said it’d be fine to have dinner over at your house.”

“I see.”

Marika put her hand on her chest, appearing relieved.

“I’m glad.”

The expression on her face had even more relief than it had joy. Marika knows that Alisa pays special attention to her stepmother.

When Alisa said she got permission for dinner from her stepmother, Marika was more relieved by Alisa’s expression not being gloomy than the words themselves.

“Then, let’s go buy side dishes for dinner when we go home tomorrow.”

Even in this era, where online shopping has become mainstream, the role of the retail stores has not yet ended. Especially in the area around Alisa’s and Marika’s houses, there is a traditional shopping street that is known to the local residents for its traditional face-to-face business while still employing modern distribution technologies.

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

From there, the two excitedly chattered “Let’s go to that store”, “That store is good too” for a while.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Alisa, Marika. Let’s go home together.“

After lessons were over on the next day, Mei said that to the two of them.

“Mei, is it fine for you to not go to the Student Council?”

Alisa asked Mei.

“It’s fine not to go until exams are over. The President and the others also said that they would be studying until then, other than for urgent work.”

“I see. Quite the decent organization, huh.”

Marika nodded twice, with a look of admiration, to Mei’s answer.

“Because we’re high school students, it’s natural to prioritize the end-of-term exams, that is the President’s policy.”

Mei smiled, with some sentiment hidden in her expression.

“It seems that the Student Council staff from two generations ago was too good and raised the standards demanded of the Student Council. Looks like they had trouble after those senpai retired.”

“So the President set out to prevent overwork so their kouhai wouldn’t have to go through the same pain? The President is a good person, isn’t she?”

Mei smiled and replied with a vague “Fufu, that is so” at Marika, who expressed her opinion with a satisfied look on her face.

When they left the classroom, they met up with Koharu and Hiyori and the five of them didn’t head for the station.

They went to Einebrise.

After hearing from Alisa and Marika that they were going home to study for the exams together, Mei started first with “I also promised to help you, didn’t I?”, Koharu then enviously muttered “Must be nice” and then Hiyori bluntly requested “I want you to teach me too”. Therefore, they decided to have a study meeting with everyone at Einebrise.

“Sorry, master. We’re being a bit noisy...”

Alisa, who went to get coffee and black tea for everyone, instead of having the gynoid (female-model android) waitress carry it, did her best to convey her apologies through her voice and expression to the master on the other side of the counter.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a little nostalgic, you see.”

While smiling, the master looked towards Alisa, somewhat unfocused on her. It felt like he was looking behind Alisa at an afterimage of a time that had already passed.

“...By chance, did both Shiba-senpai do this too?”

The master nodded to confirm Alisa’s intuitive deduction.

“Shiba-kun and the others were always doing things like study meetings like that. They were even more lively. So really, you don’t need to worry about it.”

Master’s reminiscing gave Alisa a sense of surprise.

“By the stories I’ve heard, I have the impression that neither of the two Shiba-senpai were the kind to be noisy, though?”

“That is not the case. There were times where the young sister, or rather, Miyuki-san would talk quite passionately. Though the topic during those times were always about Shiba-kun.”

“Is that so?”

Alisa doesn’t personally know Miyuki. That’s why she wasn’t surprised at what master said. She just thought ‘That’s the kind of person she is, huh’.

“Moreover, his friends were a lively bunch. Whenever they were in the store, there was no end to the spirited voices. Saijou-kun and Chiba-san were your senpai, haven’t you heard of them?”

“I’ve only heard of their names.”

Like all magicians, Alisa has a good memory. As such, she had memories of hearing their names before.

“I’ve heard that Chiba-senpai is from the Chiba Family, famous for their swordsmanship, and that Saijou-senpai was the only graduate to go to a rescue academy.”

But she hadn’t heard anything else, so she didn’t know much about their nature.

“Anyhow, if it’s about the current volume, it’s fine. You don’t have to worry even if other customers come in.”

Alisa’s group are currently the only guests in the store, but as the weather is clear today, despite it being the rainy season, it isn’t unlikely that other guests would come in during their evening strolls or while shopping. Alisa had been thinking that if that happened, she should head home, but apparently the master read her thoughts.

“I understand. I’ll accept your kind offer.”

Alisa bowed her head and returned to her seat while carrying a tray with cups and glasses.