She Professed Herself The Pupil Of The Wiseman (LN) - Volume 4 - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

UPON STEPPING OUT of the tent, Mira found that things were getting lively outside. She spied four people: Red, White, and two whom she did not know. Red was at the center.

“I cut the veggies!”

“Ooh. Put ’em in here!”

“The teppanyaki grill is washed!”

“Hold on a moment. The frame’s almost ready.”

It seemed the four were preparing for a barbeque. Though they were busy, their excitement was infectious. 

While Mira gawked, an unfamiliar person approached.

“You’re Mira, right?! Call me Green. Nice to meetcha! Listen, it’s getting late, yeah? Does that mean you’re staying the night?”

Green was a bubbly young woman with shoulder-length chestnut hair and a high-pitched voice. She wore a camouflage coat with armor sewn over vital spots. Dozens of weapons could just barely be seen within the garment.

Her question gave Mira pause. If she had taken flight immediately upon leaving the Devils’ Labyrinth, she might have reached Hunters’ Village by nightfall. However, if she left the Isuzu camp now, she would get to the village past midnight.

Mira thought for a moment, then affirmed, “Hrmm. I suppose I better ask permission to stay.”

“Of course you may!” Apparently privy to Mira’s achievements, Green welcomed her with a big smile.

“But we don’t have enough beeeds!” someone cut in. “What will we dooo?”

Mira turned toward the drawn-out voice and spotted another unfamiliar woman carrying a kitchen knife in one hand. Her other hand held a poorly cut vegetable that looked like it might have been a pumpkin once. Mira almost never cooked, but it was clear that this woman’s technique was…lacking.

She was a little taller than Mira, but firmer and stouter. From her unkempt reddish-brown hair and thick eyebrows, Mira knew she was a dwarf.

“Oh, you’re Miraaa? I heard about you from Whiiite. I’m—”

“Hold on. Let me guess!” Mira interrupted the dwarf woman and recalled the names of the other members.

This is a Multicolor Platoon, and they all use color-based code names. So, we have Blue, White, Red, Green, and Captain Silver. It makes sense that Gold or Silver would be in command, so… Mira considered other basic colors that she hadn’t heard the platoon members use as code names so far. A few possibilities came to mind.

Black…isn’t really feminine enough. Pink, then? No, that’s a little too spicy for her, no offense. And she has such a laidback personality… Mira’s train of thought chugged along with personal biases and opinions. Based on her peculiar notions of color, she came to her answer.

“You must be Yellow!” Mira declared confidently.

However, the reply she received was a color that hadn’t even come to mind. “Puuurple, actually.”

“Drat.” Crushed, Mira squatted down in the lamplight to hide her shame.

Blue walked from the command tent and approached the rest of the platoon. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Mira crouching and mumbling to herself.

“What’s gotten into Mira?” he asked White.

“Basically, she pulled the equivalent of a detective declaring that a murderer is in this very room, but naming a culprit who isn’t even in the same building.”

Mira shuddered at the heartless analogy.

Blue frowned. “What?”

“She embarrassed herself for no reason,” White said with a giggle, and then gave Blue the short version of the story.

“That does sound embarrassing. Why did she think Purple was Yellow?”

“Who knows?”

Mira sank deeper into a spiral of self-doubt as their conversation continued.

Silver joined the gathering a few minutes later. The others immediately told him about what Mira had said. He scowled for a moment, then burst into laughter when he saw Mira curled up on the ground.

“C’mon, young lady,” he whispered to Mira so the others couldn’t hear. “Don’t be a drag at dinnertime. Besides, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about! Blue’s made mistakes at least three times worse, and he doesn’t know the meaning of shame. Look at him! Shameless!”

Mira lifted her head and glanced in the direction Silver gestured toward. There, she saw Blue joining the barbecue preparations as calmly as ever.

“Listen, he might look normal, but…” Silver told Mira all about Blue’s gaffs.

A few minutes later, she stood up, seemingly rejuvenated. “How could I possibly have been embarrassed by something so minor?”

“Damn right. No need to be ashamed about that with our platoon members.” Silver smiled.

Mira watched Blue sympathetically for a few moments.

“Captain! Mira!” Red called, having nearly finished preparations for dinner. “Get over here. It’s almost ready.”

“Right. Let’s hurry,” Silver said, raising an arm to signal that they were coming.

“First, a toast,” said Blue, offering them cups. “Captain, you sit where you always do. Mira, next to Green.”

“Right this way!” Green wrapped an arm around Mira and guided her to the ladies’ side of the table as soon as Mira accepted her drink.

A barbecue was set up over the stove, with a large circular teppanyaki grill in the center surrounded by wooden plates of various ingredients. Once Silver took his place at the table, Red began the toast.

“Today, we reached a turning point,” he announced. “We captured a member of Chimera! The people responsible are Blue, White, and most of all, Mira here. We’ve set a seat at our table for her today. This calls for a feast, so eat all you like. Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

Everyone’s voices echoed through the night as their raised cups clacked together. Drink sloshed and rained onto the teppanyaki grill, sizzling to add to the moment’s enthusiasm. Soon, the meat began to sizzle as well, enveloping the camp in savory scents and boisterous joy.

***

Once they’d cleaned up the party, they dispersed for the night. Since everyone was on duty, they hadn’t consumed alcohol, so the platoon members walked steadily to their beds.

The sleeping tents were divided into men’s and women’s quarters. Having eaten far too much, Mira rested for a moment before White began to guide her to the women’s tent. 

On their way there, something approached.

“Mm?” Mira heard a slight rustle in the forest greenery. When she looked, she noticed eyes peeking timidly at her.

“It’s small,” White said. “Whatever it is, it isn’t dangerous.”

“Hrmm, perhaps not.”

Biometric Scan soon revealed that it was a small animal, and perfectly safe—but an instant later, it leapt straight for Mira.

“You little…!”

The creature, so timid that even veteran adventurers would have had difficulty capturing it, now nestled up to Mira’s foot. It was the pure rabbit, a rare symbol of luck.

“What are you doing here?”

The pure rabbit squeaked at Mira and begged to be held. With a melting heart, she squatted and pulled it into her arms.

“Is that a pure rabbit? I haven’t seen one before! I heard they never approach people. Maybe this one is different?” White peered over Mira’s shoulder at the blue rabbit.

Startled, the pure rabbit buried itself in Mira’s chest to hide, then squeaked and cuddled up against her. White slumped over sadly, seeing that the rabbit’s affection only applied to Mira.

“Don’t tell me… You followed me here?” Mira murmured lovingly to the tiny animal. This was odd, and she needed answers.

Mira summoned Cat Sith. Several kittens leapt out of the small magic circle and did a perfect line dance before disappearing in a burst of confetti, leaving Cat Sith holding a pose in the center. He looked at Mira with expectant eyes.

“Hrmm, not bad. Eight out of ten.”

“High scooore!” The cat, dressed like a stage magician, proudly raised a placard: To the moon!

“What an adorable little guy!” White butted in, eyes sparkling.

Cat Sith was surprised, but he quickly rested his placard on the ground, leaned on it, and said, “You’ve got a good eye, kitten.” The placard now read The ladies’ cat.

“Sorry to butt in, but I need your interpreting skills.” Mira pointed the pure rabbit in her arms toward Cat Sith.

The cat put a paw to his chest and replied, “Easy-peasy.”

“Do your thing,” Mira said, patting his head once. Cat Sith then asked the pure rabbit why it was here.

After a short chat between the two furballs, Mira petted the blue bunny’s head with equal parts concern and happiness. The pure rabbit really had followed her all the way to the camp, then waited until fewer people were around to show itself. The reason was simple: it wanted to be with Mira.

Though overjoyed at the pure rabbit’s motivation for coming, Mira had to think realistically. She was on a mission that took her all sorts of dangerous places. She couldn’t have a bunny tagging along.

“I am happy to be loved, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to protect you. So…”

Cat Sith translated Mira’s words to the pure rabbit. Its expectant eyes gradually saddened, and it let out a noise not unlike weeping. Its ears folded down, and its happiness evaporated as it curled into an unhappy ball of soft blue fur.

Mira was deeply conflicted. Even with her strength, there were places where she couldn’t let her guard down. Could she protect a pure rabbit too? What if it got hurt? What if it died?

“Maybe you could leave the pure rabbit with someone when you’re in dangerous spots?” White suggested. “I have a friend who takes care of my cat, Pinya. Oh, Pinya is way cuter than your pet.” White gushed about Pinya more affectionately than she would a lover.

“Whaaat?!” Upon losing to another, Cat Sith dropped his placard, which now read Forever alone.

White had a good point. There might be other ways to make this arrangement work. The bunny could be a pet, not a party member.

Now rethinking the situation, Mira had Cat Sith tell the pure rabbit her conditions. She could not always be with it, but it could have a place to call home. There would be someone else there, so it had to listen to them and be good. If it did that, Mira could see it whenever she came back. Truth be told, Mira wanted to have the adorable bunny at home too.

Cat Sith passed her words on to the bunny. The pure rabbit looked up and jumped into Mira’s arms. It squeaked joyfully, snuggling her as much as it could.

“The rabbit says it’s fine with that. It’ll do anything it has to, as long as it gets to stay with you,” Cat Sith relayed.

“Aww, good for you!” For some reason, White teared up.

Mira thanked and dismissed Cat Sith, then hugged her new pet and went into the tent with White. Green, who was preparing for bed, came over. She broke into a huge smile when she saw the blue bunny. The rabbit showed no sign of fear now that it was under Mira’s protection, so Green and White took the opportunity to dote heavily on it.

As for Purple, she had fallen asleep before they arrived. Since she had been awake longer than anyone else that day, she had crashed in the middle of the barbecue. The dwarf now snoozed away in her bed.

Multicolor Platoons didn’t usually have guest accommodations, which meant that Mira would have to share a bed with someone. They weren’t real beds, either; instead, they were like large sleeping bags with little in the way of comfort. The sleeping bags would be rather cramped for two adults, but Mira’s small figure would probably fit just fine.

“I’m all right with sleeping in the corner,” Mira said. “I have a very warm coat. That will do just fine.”

White and Green both offered to share their beds with Mira, but she gratefully declined again, taking the fur coat she’d brought for airborne travel to the corner of the tent.

White frowned. “Y’know, it gets really cold at night this time of year!”

“She’s right. Besides, you’ll ache in the morning if you sleep there. Sleep with me! It might not look like much, but it’s totally comfy,” Green promised.

Mira stubbornly shook her head, however. She’d gotten used to her new life for the most part, but she was certain of one thing: sharing a sleeping bag with a woman would mean she didn’t do much sleeping at all.

Eventually, the ladies made peace with Mira choosing to sleep by herself, and she got ready for bed. She wrapped herself in the fur coat and lay down. It wasn’t very comfortable, but it wasn’t terrible either. She closed her eyes and found restful sleep with the pure rabbit nestled against her.

When Mira’s breathing slowed, White and Green carefully carried her into bed. The pure rabbit watched as they hauled her off, then waddled after her. Once Green and White lowered Mira into White’s bed, the bunny secured a place beside her and curled up in the very center of the comforter.

“We’ve been outmaneuvered,” White frowned.

Since the blue bunny took up the very center of the bed, White and Green were forced to sleep together, hugging each other.

***

When morning came, Mira woke up and looked around sleepily.

“Aaah… Wait, what?” she muttered to herself. She remembered that she had stayed the night in an Isuzu Alliance tent, but she was unsure how she’d woken up in a different place than where she went to sleep. Next to her was the pure rabbit, sleeping comfortably.

She looked around. White, Green, and Purple were absent, but she heard women’s voices outside.

They certainly are busybodies. Mira realized what the women must have done with a slight grin, then pulled on the coat folded next to her pillow. She tiptoed out of the tent to let the pure rabbit sleep.

The women seemed to be making breakfast. When they spotted Mira, they stopped and greeted her with smiles.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?” White asked, smoothing Mira’s hair to cure her bedhead.

“It’s almost time for breakfast. Are there any foods you don’t like, Mira?” Green inquired, holding a plate with several ingredients.

“Mooorning. I got the shower ready, so, you can uuuse that.” Purple pointed to a cone-shaped tent hanging from a large tree branch.

“Ah, good morning. Thank you for giving me such good sleep. My, all this food looks wonderful!” Mira said as she took a large towel from Purple.

“There’s a towel hanger insiiide. Just hang it there once you’re dooone.”

“Understood. Much obliged.” Mira headed into the dark-green shower tent. It was split into two chambers: a changing room and a shower.

Mira stripped off her coat, dress, and underwear. She folded them and set them atop a stand next to her. A lever caused water to pour from a hole in the ceiling. She pulled it, and comfortably hot water began to flow.

Faint light illuminated Mira’s fair skin as the water wet her hair, then trickled down to her cheeks, neck, chest, and…other cheeks. The shine of the water accentuated her modest curves.

As the shower gradually drained her of sleepiness, she let out a big yawn. The sound of water falling muffled the voices outside and wrapped her in a peaceful embrace.

Once she’d washed every part of her body, Mira enjoyed the plush towel as she dried herself. She then pulled out her bag, picked the plainest pair of underwear possible, and got dressed.

When she exited the shower tent, the entire Multicolor Platoon had gathered around the stove.

“Oh, sorry. Did I make you wait?” Mira asked them.

White shook her head. “It’s okay. The men are still waking up. And your hair is wet! You’d better dry it.” She sat Mira in a chair and combed her hair from behind.

Before long, Mira’s hair was drying bit by bit, and the dampness on her neck slowly disappeared. She felt her hair and realized it was even getting warmer.

“Oho… Is this an Ethereal Art too?” Mira asked as White dried her hair.

“Yeah! Do you…not know this one?”

“This is the first time I’ve seen someone use it.”

Ethereal Arts spells could dry hair and clothes or even light small fires, but almost all of those spells had been developed in the past thirty years. No one had bothered with them when getting wet in the game had no real consequences.

“You gotta dry your hair quickly, because it can get damaged while it’s wet. Don’t let such beautiful locks get split ends,” White murmured with a sigh, gazing at Mira’s hair with envy.

Leaning away from White’s suddenly covetous touch, Mira toyed with her glossy silver hair and thought, I suppose knowing such spells would be convenient. I’ll just have to figure out how to learn them.

“Ethereal Arts” was the title given to spells that did not fit into the categories of sorcery, holy arts, evocation, immortality, divination, necromancy, demonology, or exorcism based on how they were learned. There was no unifying prerequisite to learn ethereal arts; in fact, Mira had just happened to discover many seemingly at random.

For example, to learn the spell that created a ball of light, she’d stood in total darkness for ten hours. Learning other spells had been anywhere from simple to jaw-droppingly difficult. The Ethereal Arts, while often based in illusion magic, had the most diverse range of spells of any category.

“Say, that spell—” Mira began to ask how to learn it.

“I’ll teach you,” White interrupted. “I must teach you. You need to dry your hair.” It seemed she simply couldn’t take Mira’s lovely silver hair going to waste due to sloppy maintenance.

Mira nodded reflexively as White launched into a long lecture about Ethereal Arts hair care techniques and many other maintenance tips.

***

“When you wanna wash your scalp…”

“When you wanna wash your hair…”

“When you wanna dry it…”

“When you’re going to bed…”

“When you wanna wash your bunny…”

Mira stared into space like a brainwashed ghost, muttering repetitions of what White had taught her. Her long hair was tied into two perfectly symmetrical pigtails. Behind her was White, smiling a wide grin as if she’d just accomplished the impossible.

By then, the men had finally awoken. They realized that something had happened when they noticed Mira’s state, but they pretended to see nothing as they got to breakfast.

Then a creature leapt out of the women’s tent. The men clamored for their weapons as the blue lump jumped into Mira’s lap and squeaked away.

“Ooh. Finally awake, hm?” Mira petted the bunny’s head and body, letting the stress of the hair-care lecture drain from her mind.

White and Green reached out when they could find an opening to stroke the rabbit, and even Purple timidly touched its fur. The men simply watched.

“Is that one of those pure rabbits I’ve heard of?” Silver asked. “Maybe it’s a sign our luck has taken a turn for the better.”

“The rumors about pure rabbits being blue are true,” Blue added. “We’re color brothers!”

“Look how round he is! A lot of meat on those bones,” Red added. If looks could kill, White and Mira’s glares would certainly have been lethal. “Hey, I was kidding…”

Feeling an urge to change the subject, Red’s eyes darted all over. He snatched up the rest of his salad and held it in front of the pure rabbit.

“C’mon, eat all you want!”

The rabbit’s nose bobbed as it sniffed the salad before nibbling a leaf. Each little bite caused everyone to break into smiles. Red heaved a sigh of relief as attention shifted away from him.