第２４４掘：学府編 完 (Part3)
"Yes. I came as a transfer student, but could you please connect me with the headmaster? I'm not used to this place yet."
I said that.
There was no way I could mention the ceasefire negotiations, especially since this young lady was from a nation that was an enemy of Zilba and Enaria.
Since I couldn't disclose information arbitrarily, I decided to use the transfer student status to meet the headmaster.
"Hah? A transfer student? That's impossible."
However, the young lady scoffed at my words and denied them.
"Um, I understand you say it's impossible, but could you please connect me with the headmaster? I believe you'll understand if you confirm it."
Regarding the transfer due to the ceasefire, I had already sent a swift messenger and received a reply directly from the headmaster granting permission for the transfer.
So, it should be understandable if they just confirmed it...
"There's no need for confirmation. Transfers are only recognized with the approval of the king of each country and the permission of the headmaster. For a mercenary-looking person like you, without even a bodyguard, to claim to be a transfer student is punishable by death. Do you understand?"
As the young lady spoke, she concentrated her magic and, in a way that only magic sword users could do on this new continent, performed a no-time magic activation, meaning she cast a spell without incantation. She then aimed ice spears, one by one, at me and Taiki.
"Yuki-san, is this Plan A?"
"It is. I didn't expect to be met with such an obvious rejection, though."
This situation is a classic trope, one of the flags.
Being denied a transfer, causing a huge mess, then being scolded by the higher-ups, and continuing a feud with the person who picked a fight.
If the other party is of the same gender, they become a rival or an early stepping stone. If they are of the opposite gender, there's a high chance of a romantic flag being raised after various events.
"Well, if you can defeat me in a magic contest, I will acknowledge you as a transfer student. Of course, I will also connect you with the headmaster. What do you say?"
Yeah, this is too predictable.
While we're battling, the headmaster will arrive, and it will end with both parties being punished.
Even though we're not at fault, we'll face various disadvantages for causing a disturbance.
That's why we're using this method.
"No, thank you. I'll leave right now. Instead, could you please deliver this letter to the headmaster?"
Saying that, I offered the letter I had prepared in advance for just such a situation.
"If you have no intention of competing, you are disqualified as a transfer student regardless. And do you really think I would deliver a letter from someone as suspicious as you?"
"I do."
"Why do you think so?"
"You appear to be a distinguished young lady from a noble family, and you seem proud to be a member of this academy. I cannot believe that someone like you would simply discard a letter entrusted to you with a bow. You are welcome to check the contents, but please deliver it. Thank you."
With that, we bowed our heads.
"Understood. You are suspicious, but you seem to have proper manners. I, Samantha, daughter of Duke Huge of the Roday Kingdom, will deliver this letter. Now, if you have no further business, please leave. There are inns in town, and I believe you could enjoy some sightseeing and have souvenirs to talk about."
"Thank you very much."
We thanked her again and immediately left the academy.
I was worried that she might open the letter on the spot, but it seems she didn't go that far.
And she's a daughter of a duke from the Roday Kingdom?!
That's a country connected to Enaria's minister!
Damn, there are so many flags popping up.
"Still, it went well, Yuki-san."
"Ah, no matter how this turns out, they'll have to approach us with a step back now."
"Academy Transfer: Chapter Complete. Operation Successful!"
"...That's what happened."
"No, you can't just be rejected and go home normally!?"
Agil immediately retorted.
"Why aren't you pressing the issue further? Forget it, I'll go myself!!"
He stood up, and I grabbed him.
"Calm down. There's a reason for this, and of course, we have permission from His Majesty Zilba and His Eminence Enaria. I'll explain, so listen. Everything up to now was just the prelude. The real show starts now."
"Ugh, fine. But if I'm not convinced, I'm still going."
Seeing Agil reluctantly return to his seat, I began my explanation.
"First, I'll tell you the answer."
"The answer?"
"Yes, the profit gained from this action."
"Huh? I don't really understand. How can being rejected lead to profit?"
As expected, Agil isn't good at this kind of negotiation. That's why the kings told me to take the lead.
"You're starting from there? Well, fine. I'll tell you the answer first. As a result of this action, the academy, and Lancer, are in our debt. Well, considering the scale, it's more than just a small debt."
"Hmm, I'm not very good at anything other than research. Could you explain it more simply?"
"Simply, you say? Let's see. We had prior notification of a ceasefire and permission for transfer, but a student from the academy arbitrarily turned us away. This is undeniably a diplomatic issue."
"Eh? Isn't it just the student's fault?"
"To stop there would be the thinking of a good person, but in matters of national negotiation, it doesn't work that way. First, we spread the word about the transfer student issue to those around us, making it a problem for the entire academy that wasn't prepared to receive us. Furthermore, since the main issue is the ceasefire, the fact that we were turned away is like saying we are siding with a certain country to other nations."
"Ah, ahh. I see what you mean."
Naturally, with an explanation, he's not unintelligent and quickly understood.
"...Wait? Isn't this really bad for the academy?"
"It's worse than bad. I don't know how connected they are with other countries, but if this story spreads, the meaning of aid and neutral zones will be lost."
"...So, Yuki, you deliberately created this situation to gain an advantage over the academy, right?"
"That's right. That's why we went there dressed in a way that would easily cause misunderstanding."
"I see, that's quite malicious. And the letter we prepared, which we were willing to have discarded?"
"It's a letter of complaint signed by both His Majesty Zilba and His Eminence Enaria, stating that we were turned away and that they need to reconsider their relationship with the academy."
"Ugh. But what if the letter was thrown away?"
"If that happened, we could openly complain to the academy. It would also give us a significant advantage in diplomatic negotiations."
"I think they could just say that the student denied receiving the letter."
"No, the gate guards and the innkeeper know that we visited the academy. Moreover, we showed them the king's direct travel permit. We surprised them, didn't we? This confirms that we visited the academy."
"...That's terrible. Yuki, are you a demon?"
"Diplomacy is like this. And how the noble lady from Roday, to whom we handed the letter, acts will change things somewhat."
"Ah, if she had read the letter herself, she would have immediately come looking for us. But by having her deliver it to the headmaster, we've put ourselves in an overwhelmingly advantageous position. That girl who honestly delivered it will probably get a severe scolding."
"A natural consequence. We were polite from the start and didn't cause any trouble by engaging in a duel, so we have no fault. It's her responsibility."
"I understand. Rather than being accepted normally, it's an even more favorable situation, isn't it?"
"That's right."
"From here on, depending on the outcome, our actions will change. In either case, it will be in a way that benefits both countries."
"Until then, please stay quietly at the inn. Don't go outside."
"Why?"
"Having made such a blunder, they'll want to find some fault on our side to make it mutual. If we go outside, it wouldn't be strange for them to try and manipulate things. So, we'll stay put until they find this inn."
When I said that, everyone's gaze turned cold.
"Yeah, Yuki, you really are a demon."
Agil said that, and everyone nodded.
Well, the preparations are done. I wonder how the headmaster will act.
"Yuki-san, what about that other matter?"
Taiki brought up that topic.
Ah, right. We ran into them on the way back.
"Leave it for now. We'll probably meet them at the academy anyway."
"Well, that's true. But it was interesting, wasn't it? That's what an obvious protagonist is like."
Yes, on the way back, we met, or rather, witnessed.
A templated protagonist!
I hope we have no involvement with them.
Now, the first flag has been shattered.
After this, she might persistently come after us, but given the huge blunder, the possibility is low.
And who was that protagonist they mentioned at the end?
Yuki and Taiki are the ones being called "black-hearted."
This is the result of using all my otaku experience to completely avoid them.