Chapter 76

Translator: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes

Rest Day at the Academy

Hikaru achieved great results from the mock fights . He now knew that his body actually recalled the things he learned . He devoted himself into the classes more and more, while Mille grew lazier each day .

There had been slight changes to the short sword lectures as well . Roy, the student from Jarazack, and even League, attended them . Mille, who was from Jarazack, was strict with her fellow countrymen, but acted timidly around Roy and League, who were from Rumania .

「So hot…」

Today was a holiday . In Scholarzard where winters were long, the academy only had two rest days per month during summer . Conversely during winter, school would be off for months .

Hikaru and Lavia were out in town . While they had furniture they needed, they were still missing a lot of things .

「Hikaru, you look tanned . 」

「Really?」

Hikaru would attend classes in the morning and worked out in the afternoon to increase his stamina . It wasn’t too hot over all, but the sun was still strong . His skin had gained a healthy color .

Lavia wore a wide-brimmed hat . Her arms and legs sticking out through her bright green dress were barely tanned .

「Well, you’ve been staying at the library all this time . 」

「They have a great mechanism to bring in sunlight indirectly . The bookrest gets bright, but it’s not hot . 」

Even indoors, they still relied on the light from the sun for light . Lavia’s skin was white as always, as the air conditioning and light reflection in the library worked well .

「I’m glad you like the place . 」

「I want to see the short sword classes as well, but there’s just too many books I want to read . 」

「Well, uhh… I don’t think you should come . The place smells sweaty anyway . 」

「Where are we going today?」

「You’re not buying anything in particular, right?」

「No . I just need to pick up the clothes I ordered . 」

「Then let’s go there first . 」

They made their way to the shop . Hikaru caught his breath the moment he saw Lavia with the clothes on .

「How do I look?」

Skirt as blue as her eyes, tied around the waist with a belt for easier movement . Long sleeves beautifully adorned . It looked simple . But according to the seamstress, it used high-quality fabric that nobles would choose . One look and anyone would know that .

「It looks great on you . I wanted to have a formal dress made for you too, though . 」

「I don’t need one . I won’t be able to use it . 」Lavia said, feeling embarrassed after Hikaru complimented her .

「I understand how you feel, Sir . Anyone would want to buy a dress for such a beautiful lady . 」the employee said with a straight face .

Part of Hikaru wanted to buy one for Lavia, but the rational part of him said it would be useless once they left Scholarzard .

「Isn’t it too hot to be wearing that in the summer, though?」

「It’s for winter . 」

With a look of regret, Lavia went back to wearing her dress . Hikaru ordered a few more clothes for Lavia for the long winter . After telling the employee to deliver them home, they left the shop .

「Is there something you want?」Lavia asked .

「It’s not really a great place for couple shopping, but I want to buy weapons and armor . 」

Hikaru bought his current equipment from Pond . Now that he had more money, he wanted to get something better .

「Wow… It’s much bigger than I expected . 」

Only one place in Scholarzard sold weapons and armor . There were a few workshops around, but the stores had been merged into one . Apparently the segregation between manufacturing and selling was enacted a few years ago .

Zofira came up with the policy when she was only a government official, and pushed for it when she became prime minister . People tended to buy products from their own nation, so to combat this, everything was sold in one spot . Who manufactured them were not revealed as well .

Long spears and great swords lined up the walls, the manufacturers’ signature hidden . Only the wooden tag with the price and material written was displayed . In another shelf were bows and arrows . They sold throwing knives as well . Although very few, there were short swords on display too .

「They’re mostly used as backup weapons so it makes sense, I guess . 」

Most of them were sold in sets with long spears and swords, with emphasis on their light weight . Hikaru was not sure they were powerful enough .

「I want something I can use for a long time . 」

He glanced around and spotted a corner selling secondhand goods . Chipped long swords, maces with torn grips and leather – items that have been used for a long time . As such, they were dirt cheap .

「Hmm?」

Something caught his eyes .

「What’s that, Hikaru? It has quite a strange design . 」

「………」

He took the weapon .

「It’s a wakizashi . 」

A weapon with a curved blade about fifty centimeters long . The shape of the handguard and grip reminded him of a Japanese style sword, but it was quite different . Specifically the motif . The crest was something from this world . Hikaru drew the blade from its sheath . It looked dull from being neglected for a long time .

I sense mana, although faint .

It tripped his Mana Detection . The revolver he found in the dungeon had mana flowing through it as well . Is this a magic item too?

「If it isn’t Hikaru . 」

It was the great sword students . As soon as Lavia saw Roy, she quickly hid behind Hikaru .

「Ah… I’m sorry about last time . 」Roy apologized as soon as he saw her .

「What’s going on here? What did you do, Roy?」one asked .

「Uh, well…」

「Not much . That’s all in the past . These filthy lot are students from the great sword class . 」Hikaru said .

「Why, hello there, Miss . Are you Hikaru’s… I guess there’s no need to ask . 」

Before the Jarazack student could say anything, Lavia wrapped her arm around Hikaru’s .

「You’re quite something, Hikaru . You already have that sexy short sword instructor . 」

「What do you mean…」Hikaru tried to deny it, but he froze when he felt the tightening grip on his arm .

「Miss Lavia?」Hikaru asked .

「Now that you mention it, you haven’t talked much about your classes . Is the professor a young woman perhaps?」

Her voice was ice cold .

「Yeah, but she’s not sexy at…」

「I’ll attend classes with you starting tomorrow . 」

「Uh, sorry?」

「I’m coming . 」

Hikaru glared at the guys .

「Professor Mille’s hot, right?」

「Yeah! I can’t get my eyes off that ass!」

「You don’t find a lot of women like her in Jarazack . 」

Hey, guys! Can’t you feel the air freezing?! Hikaru couldn’t say a word .

「Hikaru, are you buying that weapon?」Roy changed the topic .

「Oh, I was just curious . 」

「A strange make . Can you use it?」

「It’s single-edged . You just have to be careful . It’s used more for cutting rather than stabbing . If I’m right, it’s a powerful weapon . 」

「Oh . The short swords in this shop are actually rather thin . 」Roy said .

「Sounds like you know a lot . 」Hikaru was impressed .

「This guy has been looking into short swords ever since you beat him . He even checked this place out . But then he complained about every single one being different from what you had . 」a student said .

「Shut up!」

Roy’s face was beet red .

「What? You a fan of mine now?」

「O-Of course, not! D-Don’t get the wrong idea!」

A male tsundere, huh… yeah, no thanks .

Hikaru nodded to himself .

「That’s a copy of the ones excavated from Zubura . I’m sure of it . 」

「A copy? Does Zubura make these weapons?」

「No . They just excavate them . There are Zuburan shops here in Scholarzard, but you won’t find these types of weapon there . I saw a list of the relics they excavated once and saw this . 」

「What are the chances that this one’s a genuine relic?」

「None . The government has strict control over them . 」

「I see . 」

Hikaru unsheathed the wakizashi once more . He could feel mana rippling through it . Could it really be just a copy?

Japan’s smithing techniques are unique and highly advanced . Assuming someone from Japan made it, why did the craft go obsolete?

Hikaru stopped thinking about it for now . Everything had a cause and an effect . However, you can try to guess all you want, but there would always be things you won’t know about . The cause might even turn out to be something completely trivial and unexpected .

「I’ll buy it for now . 」

Hikaru paid 10,000 gilans for it .

「Are you buying anything, Lavia?」

「I’ll get a short sword as well . 」

「I’d advise against it . 」

「I’m buying . 」

「…Okay . 」

Hikaru chose a lighter one that she could use . The brand new ones were more expensive than the wakizashi, with the cheapest costing 30,000 gilans . Hikaru got her one that cost 40,000 .

The sun was high up in the sky by the time they exited the store .

「I’m hungry . Let’s grab something to eat, Hikaru . 」one Jarazack student said .

「Who says I’m eating with you guys?」

「Come on . We eat lunch together every day at the tavern . 」

「Yeah, because you just tag along uninvited . 」

「Don’t be such a hard ass . 」

One guy placed his arm around Hikaru’s shoulder . Sweltering, Hikaru tried to push him aside, but another guy did the same from the opposite side .

「Let’s go! Food tastes better with more people!」

「Yup!」

「You just want to get in the way of our shopping, don’t you?」

「「「Damn right!」」」

「You can rest easy, Lavia-chan . We’ll keep an eye on him so he doesn’t cheat on you . 」

「I, uhh…」Lavia muttered .

「Like I’ve been saying . Professor Mille is not hot at all . There’s no way I would cheat on you . 」

「Yeah, yeah . All right, let’s go to Three Cheers for Booze!」

「Hikaru, we always have lunch separately . So you’ve been going to a pub all this time?」

「Look! You made her mad again! What are you guys gonna do about it?!」

「Well, it’s the truth . Nothing we can do about it . 」

「Why are you running?!」

The students ran away from Hikaru… No, rather, from Lavia .

Hikaru tried to change Lavia’s mind, but she insisted, so in the end they had lunch in Three Cheers for Booze .

Lavia met Mille for the first time who was dead drunk . Hikaru snapped at her to which she replied “Come on, we have the day off!”

「See? She’s not hot at all . 」Hikaru said .

「I’m surprised to see there’s a woman you’re close with . I must keep an eye out . 」Lavia answered .

It was the exact opposite reaction than what Hikaru hoped for .

After lunch, Hikaru grabbed Lavia and used Group Obfuscation to throw off his pursuers .

「Damn it! Where’d they go?!」

「I’m calling my countrymen for backup to help with the search!」

「Don’t let them get away! We can’t let them have a fun time together!」

「Us Rumanians will lend a hand as well . 」

「Now that’s what I’m talking about, Roy!」

「What’s going on with those guys? Rumania and Jarazack sure get along well . 」

Hikaru and Lavia entered a café to catch their breath . The customers here were eighty percent women . Those guys would never come here .

Lavia suddenly chuckled, and Hikaru eyed her dubiously .

「You’ve really blended in with the academy . 」

「They just love barging into my private space . 」

Hikaru looked displeased, but the truth is, he didn’t really mind .

「Oh, if it isn’t Hikaru . 」

A familiar voice .

「League?!」

The young man from the Green Ogre clan . He had company… a lot of them .

「A friend of yours, Lord League?」

「I see you’re quite famous outside of Rumania too, my Lord . 」

「Lord League, so you know a great place like this . 」

「Lord League, there are vacant seats over there!」

「I’m sitting next to Lord League!」

「Hey, no fair!」

They were all women . Six of them .

「Uh, see you at the academy . 」League said, feeling awkward, before getting dragged by the women .

「Wow . So women will flock to you if you’re a member of the most powerful clan in Rumania . 」Lavia said .

Hikaru, on the other hand, didn’t feel right about all this .

Hey, Roy! The enemy of all men was right here all along!