第１２４３堀：学府の時代のことに花を咲かせる (Part1)
Chapter 1243: Blooming Memories of Academy Days
Side: Fiora
"…And well, I suppose that’s a more detailed explanation than what I gave yesterday? Though in reality, it goes on much, much longer."
With those words, Yuki-sama takes a sip of the tea we’ve refilled for the umpteenth time and lets out a sigh of relief, finishing his tale.
Thanks to Hairen-sama’s guidance, we managed to snap out of our stupor. We immediately rushed to Yuki-sama’s workplace to apologize, and he laughed off our incompetence, forgiving us readily. Furthermore, he even spent his time leisurely recounting the continuation of yesterday’s story.
Perhaps it’s because we’ve steeled our resolve—unlike yesterday—but we were able to listen to his words with a sense of calm.
And once again, it hit me: my Yuki-sama is truly, unfathomably incredible.
Even if he was summoned to this world by a goddess and granted special powers, I cannot believe that someone who calls himself an "ordinary person" could build a nation like Weed in just a few short years.
This is undoubtedly the result of Yuki-sama never neglecting his own self-improvement back in Japan on Earth, and continuing to hone his strength without ever letting his guard down since arriving in this world.
Also, there’s something else…
"Samantha, you must have had quite the 'hardship' as well."
"Ahaha… well, my first meeting with him was, you know…"
Samantha offers a wry, hollow laugh, her expression indescribable.
According to the story, although she didn’t know it at the time, she had turned Yuki-sama away at the gate when he arrived as an envoy of the "Two Great Nations."
And he was someone to be treated as royalty, no less.
At the time, Samantha was the second daughter of a Duke of Roday, but even so, the disparity in their positions was far too vast.
Under normal circumstances, that would have been grounds for immediate execution, with the consequences potentially reaching her family and her homeland.
After all, she had turned away an envoy who had come to deliver a ceasefire agreement.
That was a matter of supreme importance—whether or not the war would officially end—and the nation would surely have held her accountable.
To have been saved from that, and then treated with such gentlemanly grace afterward… I suppose it’s only natural to view it as fate.
"Actually, isn't Cleena-sama’s first meeting with him quite the story, too?"
"Mm. Yayui is right. It was a fated encounter with Yuki."
Cleena puffs out her chest, looking proud for some reason at Yayui’s words, but…
"Er, didn't Cleena-sama just hand her panties to Yuki-sama the moment she met him?"
Yes, just as Hovis says, I believe Cleena’s encounter with Yuki-sama was just as extraordinary as Samantha’s, albeit in a completely different direction. How can she be so composed about it?
"Mm. That is not incorrect. But that was only because I was ignorant of the world back then. I wouldn't do such a thing now, and Yuki is my husband. I believe that without that moment, I wouldn't be who I am today. Therefore, it is nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, I didn't do anything that would cause international tension like Samantha did."
"Gnuuu…!"
Ah, I see.
Certainly, Cleena’s actions were unconventional and outrageous, but if she considers it the catalyst that allowed her to become Yuki-sama’s wife, perhaps she can view it as a positive thing after all.
"However, when I think about it carefully, I came to Yuki-sama prepared to stake my life… and to think that Cleena-sama settled it with a single pair of panties… just how…"
"No, no, calm down. The situation between Cleena and Fiora is completely different."
Yuki-sama immediately interjects to deny my muttered complaint.
Yes, I understand that perfectly well, of course.
"Ahaha, Fiora-sama. T-that can’t be helped. The scale of the situation was different to begin with."
"Mm. At that time, I was just asking for advice from Ria and Airi. I wasn't asking Yuki to save me from anything in particular. But in Fiora’s case, there was the premise of wanting him to save her country."
"That is true. There is no doubt that there was a hurdle there from the start. Actually, hearing this story has convinced me; Yuki-sama and Seraria-sama were seeking connections to various nations at the time, so perhaps I and Cleena-san were like a ship arriving at the perfect harbor."
As Yayui and the others say, I did have those circumstances. But, well, there is the matter of being a "woman."
"Oh, b-by the way, I heard that Yuki-sama enrolled in the Academy. What kind of classes did you take?"
"Ah, honestly, I barely attended any classes. When Principal Popuri and Eris had their little battle, I managed to win some special treatment. So, I just rented a room and used it as a base of operations."
"That was the Principal’s fault."
"Mm. The Principal using Samantha as a scapegoat was wrong."
It is true that Samantha turning him away was a mistake, but the Principal’s handling of the situation afterward was also sloppy. Or rather, she tried to use the students as a shield to pretend nothing had happened, but that tactic didn't work at all on Yuki-sama or the other wives.
…Well, I suppose any nation might take a similar approach.
The larger an organization becomes, the more admitting to one's own blunder threatens one's subsequent honor and credibility.
That is precisely why I believe they acted that way, hoping to sweep it under the rug.
But they picked the absolute worst opponent.
And when they couldn't talk their way out of it, they tried to use force, only to have both avenues completely sealed off.
…Well, I suppose if I had made one wrong move, I might have ended up in the same position.
"Well, Popuri had her own circumstances there, too. But putting that aside, back to the Academy classes—even though I didn't attend much, I did observe and gather information. And as for the content, as expected of an Academy run by Popuri for so long, the level is different from the classes we hold in Weed. Of course, there are beginner courses, but it feels more specialized toward specific fields."
"Yuki-sama, could you be more specific?"
"Let’s see. One thing that stands out is the 'Number System' that Cleena and Samantha also had, right?"
" " "The Number System?" " "
What on earth is that?
"I’ll leave that to Samantha and Cleena rather than explaining it myself."
"Understood. At the Lancer Magic Academy, one of the ways to represent a student's ability is a promotion system called 'Class [Number].' In Weed terms, it would correspond to the elementary, middle, and high school divisions. Basically, if you take the classes, pass the tests, and earn a passing grade, you move on to the next stage. And as for the Number System…"
"Cleena-san is the most appropriate person to explain that, I think."