Chapter 36
“Marry me.”
“No way!”
Ridipin’s voice echoed through the library, drawing everyone’s attention to her.
Noticing the stares, Ridipin blushed and quickly explained.
“W-Well, how should I put it… We’re only seventeen, and I think it’s a bit early to even talk about marriage… O-Of course, engagements are common, and during the East-West War, people got married even before adulthood. But the war is over now, and since we’re students, it doesn’t seem right… Besides, it’s not illegal or anything…! A-And if half the class gets married, joint tactical exercises would be difficult…!”
Ceres tilted his head slightly, then suddenly stepped in front of Ridipin, straightening his shoulders.
“Whether I marry someone from Class Astrea or not, that’s my decision.”
Ridipin jumped in surprise as if she’d encountered a snake on the street, then barely managed to speak.
“A-At least half the class hasn’t said they want to marry! And besides…”
As Ridipin and Ceres started arguing, Reina quietly came up behind me and poked my side.
“Hey. You’re popular, huh? Flirting with someone from the Laplace family’s main line.”
“That’s not it.”
Though I was initially startled, seeing Ridipin not understanding the joke and calling me by my full name made me realize it was something else.
“By the way, you said ‘someone like Ceres’? Are there more like him?”
“Uh… Well, calm Ridipin down first!”
Reina nudged me forward, so I couldn’t ask more and went over to Ridipin. I gently patted her shoulder to calm her as she kept speaking rapidly.
“Don’t take it too seriously. He meant he understood the words well enough to say he wanted to marry.”
At that, Ceres nodded vigorously. Despite his expressionless face, his long hair swayed happily, as if excited.
“You’re amazing. This is the first time this has happened.”
Only then did Ridipin sigh in relief.
“I-I misunderstood. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. I was confused for a moment too.”
“I-I see…”
Just as things were calming down, Ridipin suddenly realized something and asked Ceres.
“T-Then what did you mean by ‘whether I marry or not’ earlier…?”
Ceres avoided eye contact slightly and answered.
“Sorry. I just thought it was funny.”
After comforting the upset Ridipin, we joined the Drenner group.
I introduced the two of them.
“This is Reina, and this is Ridipin. You’ve heard their names, right?”
“Hi! Nice to meet you!”
“Ah, hello.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Drenner.”
“I’m Sonia Serium. Please take care of me.”
“Ceres Laplace.”
After the introductions, Sonia tapped Drenner’s shoulder, and he frowned but spoke.
“Ahem. Class Astrea. I won the freshman initiation contest. We both survived to the end, but I also defeated a mine, so I think it’s a decisive victory.”
Actually, while you were doing that, I met an assassin who used aura.
But since Castro covered it up, I didn’t argue and just accepted it.
“Mostly it was my own strength, but I can’t deny the help from the note you gave me. So, I apologize for crumpling that note back then.”
Why do you apologize in such a roundabout way…?
Still, it didn’t feel bad.
Since you brought up last week’s incident, it seems like you cared a lot.
“It’s fine. Like I said, it was my meddling that was the problem. Still, glad it helped.”
Reina asked.
“What happened between you two?”
“He was learning magic, so I taught him a few spells.”
“He’s from the martial arts club. Why learn magic?”
“Sometimes you have to listen to things you don’t want to to get closer to someone.”
“To get closer?”
“Don’t say weird things, Class Astrea. I just thought it was necessary to learn magic as well.”
Yeah, sure~
I silently smiled and looked at Drenner.
“Looks like you want to punch someone.”
“Dr. Re. You.”
Sonia quietly called his name, and he stopped talking.
They looked like a fierce dog and its owner—funny.
“You just had a rude thought.”
“No, I just thought you two were close.”
“…”
While teasing Drenner, Ceres suddenly asked me.
“Why did you come here?”
“I recently learned to use fire magic up to Circle 3, so I came to study magic.”
“Then learn from me.”
“Really? That would be great.”
Ceres teaches special magic as a reward from a character event.
Also, if you max out the affinity with her, you get an epilogue where she becomes a professor at Iris Academy. Her teaching ability is considered the best among main characters.
Of course, that’s if you understand what she says—but I already do.
Also, being in this study group raises affinity with three main characters, including the protagonist, so I definitely wanted to join.
“But is it okay for you to teach four people?”
“It’s fine. If it doesn’t work, I’ll reform Drenner. He’s hopeless.”
Drenner frowned.
“You jerk…!”
“But Sonia’s smart, so that’s good.”
“…”
Drenner got mad but stopped.
Looks like I’ve already mastered handling Drenner. I should use this occasionally.
“I was worried, but since I’m not a complete beginner, I won’t need to reform Drenner.”
“Good. It’d be a waste to discard him.”
“You just want to develop him fully since you’re teaching anyway, right?”
Ceres nodded brightly.
Then Reina marveled.
“Wow! How do you even interpret Ceres’ words? Sometimes I don’t understand what he’s saying.”
“There are many like you. And you’re just a normal person.”
Thinking my explanation wouldn’t get through, I tried to translate, but Reina suddenly covered my mouth.
“Wait! You’re going to translate now, right?”
I nodded.
“I want to try it myself first!”
Reina crossed her arms and moved her head around, thinking.
“Since others don’t understand you… that means it’s natural not to understand!”
“Wrong. But close.”
“So, he means…”
“Wait! One more time! Um…”
Reina started thinking again, then looked at me for help.
“Ceres isn’t as cold as he looks.”
Ceres opened his eyes like a crescent moon and glared at me.
“What does that mean?”
“It means he’s not completely cold.”
“I wasn’t asking that. Do you dislike cold-looking people?”
“No, not really.”
“Then it’s fine.”
Ceres let his hair sway and waited for Reina as if nothing had happened.
I was surprised, thinking he was angry.
After much thought, Reina concluded.
“Ah! The answer! He means, ‘Don’t worry because others are like that too!’”
“Correct.”
“Great!”
Ceres smiled faintly watching Reina’s joy.
“Unique.”
Then he went back to his expressionless face and pointed at me and Reina.
“Both of you marry me.”
“That’s the same line from before! It means you think we’re good enough to marry!”
“This really sounds like a marriage proposal…”
Ceres nodded vigorously.
“It’s the same words as before, but what’s the difference?”
“Well, I guess the tone is different?”
At that moment, Ridipin came between us and hugged me tightly.
“No, no way!”
She looked like she didn’t want to lose her friend. Then Ceres pointed at Ridipin.
“Then you marry me too.”
“Huh?! Me too?”
“Unless you become emperor, that won’t be possible.”
According to the setting, polygamy is an emperor’s privilege.
Then Ceres rested his chin on his hand seriously.
“I hadn’t thought about that… Overthrowing the government is tricky.”
Such a scary thought so casually…
“Then I give up on marriage. But you’ll still teach me magic, right?”
“Of course. I’ll take care of you.”
“Then I want to learn magic too!”
“Fine.”
“Me too! Me too!”
I took a few steps back and watched the three happily playing.
From close up, it was a mess, but from far away, it looked like they were just having fun together, which was fascinating and fun.
Two weeks passed since meeting Ceres.
After long training, my swordsmanship skill finally reached Intermediate-Lower Swordsmanship.
[Name: Swordsmanship Intermediate-Lower Lv.1]
[Type: Passive]
[Effect: Able to use basic swordsmanship.]
This bland skill description changed from “basic swordsmanship fundamentals” to “basic swordsmanship.”
I wondered what difference that made, but Reina said before, it felt like chasing the sword path, but now it feels like catching up with the sword path.
In other words, it’s improved but not perfect. It’s like a beginner barely entering intermediate level.
Still, unlike the slow swordsmanship progress, magic improved surprisingly fast.
Learning from Ceres about magic circle activation and structure smoothed my calculation process.
Originally, growth should have slowed drastically upon reaching Intermediate-Lower, but it only slowed moderately.
If things go well, after the dungeon raid tournament and finishing the second main event, I might be able to use 4th Circle magic.
Unlike the fast-growing fire magic, water and wind are still beginner level… but since I can’t openly use them, there’s nothing I can do.
Also, spending time with various characters raised affinity quickly.
By the 4th week of first semester first year, the Living Hall’s Guild was finally open.
From now on, you could improve item quality quickly if you had money. But legendary or higher items were hard to find in the guild.
Also, you could get paid quests from the guild. Usually cash, but sometimes special equipment or quests leading to hidden events.
The Iris Academy guild is one of the empire’s top five guilds, each specializing in different items and quest types. Except for Cosmo Guild, the others can be ignored.
Cosmo Guild sells the most versatile items, and its quests are cost-effective.
After morning classes, Reina, Ridipin, and I headed to the Living Hall.
“Wow. So many people.”
The hall was crowded but not overwhelmingly noisy.
Most were nobles, so they tried to keep dignity, and the guilds just displayed items without trying to attract crowds.
It was a setting to build trust and favor with students, showing confidence in “our goods will definitely sell.”
Reina looked around the stores but didn’t look too happy.
“Hmm… The quality of the equipment isn’t bad, but there’s no real substance.”
“Of course. The real deal only sells to those who can buy.”
Guilds prepared special seats for VIPs—young noble heirs.
This applied not only to families with exclusive contracts but all noble houses, because you always need to broaden connections, even with rivals.
But Reina, Ridipin, and I weren’t welcomed by the guilds. We lacked influence, power, and connections, so they saw no need to care.
But by the end of the first year, they’d be begging to recruit us. I’m going to make that happen no matter what.
We pushed through the crowd and arrived at Cosmo Guild’s building.
While other guilds had more nobles than commoners, here commoners were the majority.
It was an inevitable fate for a guild without the backing of the four great powers. But this allowed it to make more sales than others, so it wasn’t all bad.
At the counter, the clerk’s eyes met mine, and suddenly he hurried somewhere.
Reina poked my side.
“What on earth have you been doing, Class Astrea?”
“I haven’t done anything here.”
“Then why would the clerk abandon the counter and run off?”
It looked like he ran, but he definitely didn’t. Definitely not.
“Don’t be surprised later.”
Ridipin encouraged me.
“D-Don’t worry. If you get kicked out, I’ll try to get the supplies you need.”
Why does she talk like getting kicked out is inevitable…?
Soon the clerk rushed out again, this time accompanied by Selina, the secretary of Cosmo Guild’s acting head.
“Hello, Class Astrea and friends. Thank you for visiting our guild.”
“Oh, it’s been a while. Your name is Selina, right?”
“Yes. I didn’t expect you to remember my name. It’s an honor.”
No need for honor.
“Deputy head Ria is waiting for Class Astrea. Please follow me…”
As Selina led us, Reina and Ridipin gasped.
“What on earth have you been up to?!”
“When did you get so friendly with Cosmo Guild…”
“Like I said, don’t be surprised.”
Without further explanation, I hummed happily and followed Selina.
