She Professed Herself The Pupil Of The Wiseman (LN) - Volume 3 - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

THE CAT-EARED WOMAN looming over Mira had chestnut-brown hair that reached down to just below her shoulders, a round face with blue catlike eyes, and a disarmingly innocent smile.

Mira knew of many races. There were elves like Emella and fairies like Mariana. The woman crouched before her was one of the miao, a race known for excellent kinetic vision and agility. They looked very similar to humans, if humans were a little shorter and had a pair of cat ears and a tail. They could also see well in the dark.

All in all, your standard issue cat-folk.

“Ah, didn’t mean to scare you like that. I’m Hinata, one of the instructors. And you are?”

“I’m Mira.”

She was more cute than beautiful, and the happy smile on her face only emphasized that. Mira had thought herself accustomed to the miao, but the slight purr that accompanied the woman’s smile was uncanny.

“Mira. That’s a cute name.” Hinata’s smile grew as she looked down at Mira’s attire. 

They’d only just met, but Hinata seemed open and honest. Her radiant sincerity surprised Mira. But that didn’t explain why an instructor was wandering around off campus during the school day.

“Isn’t that one of those popular magical-girl outfits? And they’re robes! Do you want to become a mage?” she asked, smile never faltering. Why else would a young girl be peeking around at the campus?

“Oh, no, I’m already a mage,” Mira said, and Hinata’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“I see. My apologies. Do you mind if I ask which discipline?” Hinata asked, glossing over her earlier slip.

“I am a summoner!” Mira declared triumphantly.

Hinata froze, the smile still stuck to her face. Throughout the academy, summoning was considered to be a bleak specialty in a state of decline.

“Oh… Well, good luck with that.” Hinata’s words sounded almost more for herself than for Mira. “I’m a summoner myself. I even teach summoning here at the academy. But, well, you know how it is. Futureless discipline, they say. But right now, Master Cleos is working around the clock to get us back on track. He’s very optimistic about the odds for success. So let’s keep fighting.”

Unbeknownst to Mira, the current trend was for students who had an aptitude for summoning along with anything else to study the alternate discipline, no matter how great a summoner they may have been. If all a student had was summoning, then they’d usually take general education courses to accumulate enough credits to graduate, ignoring magic altogether. A degree from Alcait Academy was enough of a feather in one’s cap, and there was no point in attending classes for a dying technique.

Summoning classes were held just two or three times per week. The only students who attended were those who were too stubborn to give up on being a mage or who were attending out of morbid curiosity. Hinata had a lot of extra time to help out other teachers, lending a hand or running errands where she could. Teachers and students had begun to assume she was a clerk.

“Hrmm, so the problem has spread this far.”

Based on Hinata’s attitude, Mira knew that the decline of summoning had cast its shadow over the academy as well. That meant it was affecting the future of students at the school. This was a dark time, indeed.

At the very least, it sounded like the equipment and Blasting Stones that Mira had left with Cleos were being put to good use. With those, it shouldn’t be too difficult for prospective students to forge contracts with Dark Knights and Holy Knights. Those two spirits were the cornerstone of the summoning arts. After that, it was down to individual aptitude and hard work.

“Right now, it’s still just one at a time to ensure safety… But the number of students who can summon armor spirits is increasing! Our time will come soon.” Hinata put on her best strong face in response to Mira’s displeased mutters.

Blasting stones were enough to defeat an armor spirit, but without protective gear, the summoner might still be in danger. She’d given Cleos some items that would increase the bearer’s strength and stamina, but there were only enough for one person. It wasn’t right to needlessly expose students to dangerous situations.

Cleos must have been personally selecting hopefuls and helping them achieve their first armor-spirit summoning contract. It offered those interested in summoning a glimmer of hope to hang on to, but the waiting list must have been insanely long.

“I wonder what I can do to assist?” Mira ruminated and stroked her chin.

What could she do to help the younger generation? She could mass-produce more Blasting Stones, but that would require a lot of time and money. Probably better to arrange for the palace refiners to do that by having a word with Solomon and Cleos.

The bigger problem was the lack of gear that could augment one’s physique—enough to take on armor spirits in relative safety. The quickest option would be to raid her storage room at the tower for something she already had in stock, but she wouldn’t have much left after what she’d given Cleos. It looked like she might have some long nights refining equipment in her future.

“Mira! Miss Mira!” Hinata roughly shook her shoulders, snapping her back to reality.

“Wh-what is it?” She opened her eyes to find the feline’s face looming just before her.

“That’s a User’s Bangle, isn’t it? That means you’re a veteran adventurer!” Hinata grabbed Mira’s left hand and stared excitedly at the bracelet on her arm.

“Well, in a way, I suppose…” That wasn’t quite right, but Mira didn’t feel like taking the time to explain it was actually her Control Terminal. Besides, her adventurer’s rank was high enough to allow her to rent a User’s Bangle, so what was the harm in agreeing?

“I can summon Dark Knights, Holy Knights, hellhounds, salamanders, carbuncles, and wyverns. Do you have anything outside of that list?”

Mira wasn’t sure why Hinata was asking, but her expectant look and strange intensity made Mira give an affirmative nod.

Immediately, Hinata’s eyes narrowed in, like a cat spotting her prey. Grasping both of Mira’s hands in her own, she knelt before her as if in prayer. She begged, “Please. Please help me, just a little bit.”

Thanks to her kneeling position, she had to slightly look upward to meet Mira’s eyes as she pleaded for assistance. Normally, Mira was immune to theatrics, but this time, it struck home. The twitching of her adorable cat ears certainly didn’t hurt.

“I’ll do whatever I can.”

Mira was pretty sure it had to do something with summoning techniques. She wasn’t sure how she could help, but what she did know was that the future of her discipline was on the line.

***

After being dragged by the hand across the academy grounds, Mira was led to a smaller building located behind the central school building. Hinata provided more information regarding the request as she towed Mira along.

The school held a monthly event known as the Spell Symposium. Each school of magic would display techniques to be examined and judged. The judging didn’t determine the ranking directly, but the scores would be publicly announced, and they influenced the funding and facilities made available to the various disciplines. The various practices of magic would each present a representative to perform on their behalf.

Every month, summoning came in dead last.

The students couldn’t use summoning on a practical level, leaving Hinata—being the best in the school—to continuously serve as the representative for the discipline. And since she only had a small repertoire of summons, the novelty had worn off years ago. Cleos might have been able to wow the judges with a few new tricks, but as acting Elder, he was forbidden from competing.

But now there was hope. All Mira had to do was summon anything other than the six already listed. Excited by the opportunity to restore some of the luster to the summoning arts, she immediately began mentally sorting through her advanced summons. Mira wondered which one would be the flashiest.

I need something that will establish summoning as the greatest of the arts. Obviously, that’s the Imperial Dragon Eizenfald. He’s always been well behaved. But then again, the Rainbow Spirit Twinkle Pom would be the most colorful… Or, hrmm, I suppose it’s been thirty years, hasn’t it?

As she mulled over the matter, she looked up, and a thought struck her. It might not do for a visiting adventurer to barge in and decide the direction of the school for a month.

“Are outsiders even allowed to participate?” she asked Hinata.

“I think it will be fine. The event is to judge the potential of the arts, and an outsider using an amazing technique still shows what the discipline is capable of.”

Mira nodded. “Hrmm, makes sense.”

“I think so. Wait here while I go change our designated representative.”

“Sure.”

Mira took a look around as she found a seat on a nearby sofa. The floor was covered with institutional-gray carpet, and a clock on the wall read twenty minutes past four. The ceiling was fairly low, and the white spheres used for lighting gave off a dim fluorescent glow. It was a perfectly ordinary room, as far as she could tell. Even the white board in the corner was a schoolroom standard.

Pulling an apple au lait from her Item Box, Mira took a sip and sighed.

“Looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me,” she muttered, thinking of how hard Cleos was pushing himself for the cause. It was her duty as Elder of the Tower of Evocation.

***

“Thanks for waiting.” It was two minutes to five, and Mira had just finished enjoying her drink when Hinata returned to the room. “We should be set! Thank you so much for helping.”

“You’re in capable hands,” Mira said, following Hinata from the room.

She soon found herself in another waiting room adjacent to the judging venue. Simple seats had been provided, and a number of mages and their attendants were present.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the mighty summoner. Arriving so late? You must be confident,” said a foppish-looking man with a contemptuous sneer. His blue robes marked him as the representative from the school of sorcery.

The rest of the room turned toward Hinata as well, their expressions a mix of pity, sympathy, and exasperation. Hinata responded with a brief wave before snagging Mira’s hand and directing her toward a vacant seat.

The blue-robed mage clicked his tongue and raised his eyebrows as he spotted Mira sitting in the corner of the room.

“Little miss, that’s a seat for competitors,” he said condescendingly, causing his attendant to smirk. The other mages reacted in their own ways, whispering, “Don’t pick a fight,” “How boorish,” and “There he goes again,” but none held the same obvious disdain as him.

“I-It’s fine. She’s our representative this month,” Hinata chimed in with pursed lips, trembling with frustration. Even if others in the room held her in high esteem, the school of summoning was still on the outs. For better or worse, the academy was a meritocracy, and it was painfully obvious that a hierarchy had been established.

“I see. So schools are all the same no matter where you go,” Mira murmured, just loudly enough for the sorcerer to hear. She’d taken one look at him and dismissed him as nothing special. “Filled with mediocre people who try to increase their standing by stepping on others.”

The man’s eyes darkened. “What was that?” In his mind, someone from an ever-failing practice with few students to speak of had no right to speak to him that way.

“She’s right; you’re acting childish,” said a white-robed woman sitting a few chairs down.

“Hardly. It’s our duty as adults to put disrespectful children in their place.” He attempted to level an intimidating glare at Mira.

“Whoa, whoa, that’s enough of that,” a black-robed magician cut in, attempting to calm the situation with a soothing hand. The sorcerer knocked it away in a fit of rage.

With mounting dread, Hinata began to wonder just what she’d gotten herself into.

“The biggest fools always talk the most,” Mira said. “I’ve met goblins with better manners.”

“Hey, watch what you say! Don’t you know who I am?!”

“Some sort of spoiled man-child?”

“Why, you…!” The sorcerer sprang to his feet and glanced at the quivering Hinata, then grinned wickedly.

“Thank you for your patience,” came a voice from the doorway. “We will now proceed to the venue.”

Heads turned toward the upper-level student who was acting as an event staffer that afternoon. The tension had been broken, but the sorcerer turned to cast a withering glare at Mira before clicking his tongue and heading toward the door.

I suppose I’ve been acting a bit childish myself. Mira shrugged as Hinata bowed her head apologetically.

“Sorry you had to see that, Mira…” Her ears flattened and her tail hung limp, but then a figure appeared at her side—the woman in the white robe. Hinata glanced up at her. “Oh, hello, Mary…”

Mary, who appeared to be in her twenties, had long, aqua-blue hair held up by a silver disk decorated with a cross. The pendant around her neck was emblazoned with a stylized tree branch. She was obviously a member of one of the specialty programs at the academy.

“You should have known better, Professor Hinata. What possessed you to drag a child into this?” In contrast to her mild-mannered appearance, Mary gave Hinata a tongue-lashing, causing the summoner to cringe to cringe. She turned to Mira and smiled. “Don’t you worry about him.”

Mira stood. “I don’t.”

“Is this child really your representative?” Mary asked, skeptical. For decades, there had been a scant few new summoners, so her doubt was warranted.

“Mira is a veteran adventurer,” Hinata said. “She claims to know even more summoning spells than me.”

“Even so, you—”

“Well, what’s the harm?” Mira cut in. “I’m not worried, nor is Professor Hinata. You shouldn’t be either.”

Mira smiled at Hinata, who’d been growing despondent. Swallowing the rest of her statement, Mary scanned Mira, who seemed somehow larger than she appeared. Just who was she? What is it with this child? Her mannerisms don’t match her appearance at all. Mary found herself thinking of King Solomon and couldn’t help cracking a smile. Perhaps he and Mira were related in some way.

“So who was that stuck-up jerk?” Mira asked. “What makes him think he’s so special?”

“Well, about that…” Hinata’s ears twitched slightly as she began to explain.

The sorcerer was Caerus Verlan, son of Marquis Alphonse Verlan and the latest in a long line of aristocratic sorcerers. He was a third-year upperclassman at the academy—and, attitude aside, he was quite the skilled mage. Thanks to him, the school of sorcery consistently ranked highest, and the students had begun to look down upon the other disciplines. Skills aside, his prestigious lineage made it difficult for professors from more common backgrounds to correct his poor behavior.

Typical stuck-up nobility. Mira sighed and smiled bitterly, realizing that entitled brats were a universal constant in academia.

***

Mira and company stepped through a large door into a big coliseum, its domed roof high overhead. The ground was covered in soft earth, and the arena was surrounded by a wall three meters tall. Brilliant lights hung at each cardinal direction, banishing any shadows.

They passed a mannequin dressed in knight’s armor as they entered, beckoned in by a man wearing a white coat in the center of the arena—presumably the master of ceremonies. Above the arena floor, dozens of well-dressed men and women looked down at the newcomers from the stands.

The representatives filed along the walls on either side of the entrance. Caerus shot Mira an irritated look as she, Hinata, and Mary lined up against the opposite wall. He and his attendant were standing alone—it was apparent that summoners weren’t the only ones who disliked him.

Ignoring him, Mira focused on the matter at hand. The judging area was not only indoors but also smaller than she expected. She only had a fifteen-meter circle to work with; it was just too small.

Well, that rules out Eizenfald! Maybe the Rainbow Spirit, then… But she might not fit the mood of this event. What to do?

As Mira waffled between her options, the emcee shouted, “Thank you all for waiting. The Spell Symposium will now begin!”