[V6 Bonus 1] Behold, For I Am…
Translated by Jodas 6: Secrets of the Wedge TowerOne sleepy morning, a few days after the magic battle between the Apprentices and the Extermination Office, Hütter arrived at the group lesson classroom slightly earlier than usual. There, he found an unusually tense atmosphere hanging over the classroom.
(What’s going on here?)
Recently, the Apprentices had started to build a faint sense of unity.
As he expected, by making them work together to tackle a joint assignment, the seeds of friendship and camaraderie would begin to sprout.
At this rate, Roswitha’s prickliness would soften, Julius’ laugh would become more gentle, the adults would learn how to read the room… He’d wished for such wonderful things, but the atmosphere in the classroom sure wasn’t peaceful now.
All twelve Apprentices were present in the classroom. Some sat in their own seats, while others had their chairs scooted up towards someone else’s desk.
In the middle of all this, Roswitha, wearing her trademark pointy hat, glared at Rukiye and shouted angrily.
“You think I’m the weird one!? Alright, let’s form teams, then. Everyone, listen up!”
Rukiye, the target of Roswitha’s discontent, scribbled some designs for a magical device with a disinterested expression.
Hütter whispered to Sevil, who was nearby.
“…What are they fighting about?”
“Their very identity is at stake. This is something that neither of them can afford to back down on.”
She spoke with a serious tone, filled with deep consideration.
‘What is that supposed to mean?’ Hütter thought as he moved to place his notes on the podium and watched the situation unfold.
Roswitha looked around the other Apprentices in the classroom and raised her voice.
“It’s not weird to wear your socks to bed, right!? Someone else here does it too!?”
No one reacted.
Panic emerged on Roswitha’s face.
Then, Finn, the youngest, hesitantly raised his hand.
“Me too…”
“Look, there it is! From now on, the two of us are the ‘Socks to Bed Party’!”
Roswitha forcefully locked arms with little Finn and made her strange declaration.
(W- What a waste of time…)
Hütter mentally fell limp.
So, basically, Rukiye had made a snide comment about Roswitha’s sleeping style, and Roswitha made a big fuss in return.
What a waste of time. It was a waste of time, but it was a tremendous change that they’d grown to be able to talk about such pointless things in the classroom.
That haughty Roswitha was now holding little Finn by the arm and dancing “Yippee, yippee!” now that she’d found a companion.
“Look, it gets pretty cold around here. I can’t sleep if my feet are cold! You too, right, Finn?”
“Y- Yeah… Something like that.”
“And in the Winter, I wear two layers of socks! I hate the cold!”
Ordinarily, Roswitha refused to talk about anything but magecraft and was always desperate to form a Classical Magecraft faction, but now she was making a big deal about socks, of all things.
(The feeling of this classroom sure has changed.)
Having a common goal in the magic battle pushed them in the right direction.
Before, whether or not someone knew enough about magecraft directly influenced the weight of their words, and part of the class was left out of the conversation entirely. Now, that type of mood has been completely done away with.
(Well, at least they’re all learning to get along. That’s the most important part…)
It was about time to start class, but as Hütter stepped up to the podium, Sevil beat him to it.
She brushed aside her gorgeous black hair and surveyed her companions with a steely gaze. Then, she announced in a booming voice.
“I declare the formation of the ‘Sleeping Naked Party’! Any who wish to step forward, do so now!”
“Piyopp! I think it’s easier not to wear anything too!”
In response to Sevil and Tia’s declarations, Wren grabbed his head and screamed.
“You’re a Princess! You can’t start talking about that kind of thing where everyone can hear you! And don’t agree with her, Tia!”
‘Good grief,’ Hütter agreed with Wren.
(Although, if this was a dive bar, I’d be hooting and hollering after a statement like that…)
It wasn’t that she wasn’t attractive at all, but Sevil’s aura just overpowered any attractiveness she had.
That Princess, overflowing with aura, spoke with all too calm a voice.
“No need to fuss, Wren. I respond to the time and place. When camping outdoors or in the winter, I make certain to dress warmly.”
“Piyo. It’s gotten colder lately, so sometimes I wear something, huh.”
Hütter had a conflicted smile.
(The students in my class are such good friends… Alright. Now can I start my lesson?)
It was at that moment that yet another person stood up.
The tallest among the Apprentices, Oliver.
Oliver shouted with the ferocity of a warrior declaring his presence on the battlefield.
“Behold, for I am the ‘Hugging a Pillow When I Sleep Party’! This is the product of extensive research intended to support my brother’s restful sleep! The material quality, size, firmness, and stuffing of my body pillow are second to none!”
“Oh, yeah, I noticed that in Oliver’s bed. That super long teddy bear-looking thing!”
Rose said, mostly to himself.
Hütter tried to envision it. This huge — or, rather, just plain long — man holding a bear-shaped body pillow. It might have been rude to him, but Hütter’s first impression was that it would look like someone laid two sticks side-by-side.
Then, Rukiye looked up from drawing her blueprints and glanced at Sophie.
“You hug a stuffed animal when you sleep too, huh? Looks like you’ve got a comrade now.”
“Noooo…! I don’t wanna be in the same category as Oliver!”
“Sophie, we’re comrades now.”
“No way! Mine’s a bunny, it’s different!!”
Between the Socks Party, the Naked Party, and the Pillow Party, a debate raged, turning into a three-way contest for power.
Wren muttered with a blank expression.
“I’m… normal, right? Hey, Gerald! We’re normal, aren’t we?”
“I don’t know how to define normal… I’m sorry, I can sleep just about anywhere, so…”
“Oh! Me too! Me too~!”
Rose raised his hand with a smile.
Thus, Gerald and Rose established the ‘Sleep Anywhere Party.’
Left out once again, Wren looked to Julius.
Julius wore his usual faint smile.
“Kuku, this discussion has nothing to do with me.”
“Sometimes Agniol takes over Julius’ bed and he falls out onto the floor…”
In response to Finn’s statement, Julius averted his gaze and kept dryly laughing “Ku, ku, ku.”
Wren crossed his arms and groaned.
“What’s they key to a pretty boy sleep? … Oh, that’s it! Nightcaps are a totally pretty boy thing! From now on, I’m Team Nightcap!”
Hütter muttered under his breath.
“Then you’re comrades with Director Hegelich.”
That blond bowl-cut four eyes, Director Hegelich of the Guidance Office, was a member of ‘Team Nightcap’ when he went to bed.
Wren’s eyes went wide and he looked up at Hütter.
“…Mr. Hütter, how do you know that?”
‘Because I’m a con man.’ Obviously he wasn’t about to say that, so Hütter just chuckled lightly.
Wren cautiously broached another question.
“Um, by the way, what about you, Mr. Hütter…?”
“I don’t have any set habits, but, if you had to put me on the spot, I guess I sleep on my side?”
“Oh, me too then! Thank goodness, Mr. Hütter, you get to be like a pretty boy…”
Hütter dramatically pounded on his own chest.
“If you sleep on your back, you’ll feel it in your hips!”
“Now you’re making me sound like an old man!!”
“Alright, alright, now that that’s over with, let’s get the lesson started! Everyone take your seats!”