The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 44

44.

It was still early, before classes started.

The classroom was less than half full, but a girl with reddish-brown hair and sharp features was studying with a serious expression.

Judging by the fortress-shaped hairpin, the symbol of the Warden family, her name was Krista Warden.

How long had the silence of the early morning lasted? Suddenly, the classroom door opened, and Rain Ludwig, the top student in the midterm exams, appeared.

“Oh, Krista. What are you doing so early?”

“Can you not talk to me? Since when were we friends? Aren’t we rivals?”

She retorted coldly, not even glancing at her yawning rival, and tried to concentrate on her studies again. But then, she felt a warm sensation and turned her head to see something bizarre.

“Eep……?”

Feathers freshly soaked in the sunlight… A crest spreading out like a sunflower. Krista couldn’t believe her eyes.

“A Sun Conure?!”

The Sun Conure was a creature that had become a must-have item for female mages since it appeared as Freede’s companion bird in the story of the Archmage Lynn.

Krista had considered using her family’s wealth to obtain a Sun Conure, but she had given up because there were none for sale anywhere on the continent.

But suddenly, he appeared with a Sun Conure as a companion bird? Where on earth did this unbelievably enviable story come from?

‘I want to touch it…….’

I want to see if it can imitate human speech exactly. I want to hug it at least once. But, ugh, but…….

“Can you not talk to me?! Since when were we friends?! Aren’t we rivals?!”

“Why are you saying the same lines as before? It’s just a little more intense.”

“Sh, shut up! Anyway, I told you not to talk to me!”

Just when she thought she had barely shaken off the devil’s temptation with her iron will, the ordeal began in earnest from the moment everyone’s attention was focused on them.

“Wow, it’s so cute!”

“Wow, it even dances?!”

“It really talks so well!”

Because the students who had gathered around Rain started a talent show for the Sun Conure.

I want to see it too.

I really want to see it… But if I turn my head away here, it feels like I’m losing… I can’t, I can’t hold on…….

‘No, Krista! Don’t give up! This is the crucial moment of the match, you mustn’t fall for Rain’s trick!’

Ha, ha, ha ha ha ha.

I won.

I didn’t turn my head and I enforced my will. I overcame a shred of desire! Just as she was about to shout for joy, it happened.

“……?!”

Something containing the warmth of the morning sun landed on her shoulder. What is this warmth like a mother’s touch…….

“Oh, Peach must like you?”

Peach?

What Peach are you talking about…….

The moment she glanced to the side, her heart almost stopped. The Sun Conure was tilting its head right in front of her eyes?!

“It likes it if you gently stroke it from the forehead to the crest. Because it can’t touch that part directly.”

Don’t be ridiculous.

Do you think I’ll fall for such a trick? Me, Krista Warden, fall for such a trick…….

But unlike her thoughts, her body was honest. She was already reaching out her hand as if possessed and carefully stroking its head.

‘What is this feeling…….’

This comfort is like caressing a blanket that has been perfectly dried in the sun… My body is trembling dizzily.

“Oh, but what should I do? If you become enemies with me, you’ll have to become enemies with Peach too?”

Krista was startled and opened her eyes, which she had closed as if savoring the moment, and saw her annoying rival grinning. Krista’s face turned as red as a tomato.

“Th, th, this isn’t right! Don’t you even know the saying about a shrimp getting its back broken in a whale fight?!”

“?”

You were probably trying to say that a shrimp’s back gets broken in a whale fight, right? You’re completely smitten with Pipi’s charm. I guess I’ll stop teasing you now.

“You have an owl, right?”

“Of course.”

“Then do you know where to buy cages or other equipment?”

“Hmph, what do you think of this Krista Warden? I have routes to buy all those things from the best stores.”

Krista answered Rain with an arrogant expression, but then she stroked Pipi’s head and turned into a melting fool.

“Wow, really? Then take Peach out this weekend and buy me some equipment.”

He had no intention of taking Pipi to the black market. It would be a place where all the guys with bizarre collecting desires from all over the country would gather, and there would be no need to make enemies unnecessarily.

“What? Me? Why?!”

As soon as he tried to take Pipi, Krista quickly pulled her shoulder away and defensively raised both hands.

“?”

“Wait! Who said I didn’t want to? I was just asking why I had to do it, okay?”

“So you’ll do it?”

“Keep this in mind, Rain Ludwig. I’m not doing this for you. It’s just that if the heir of a magical family is using cheap equipment, our family’s reputation will be damaged as well.”

“Alright! I’m counting on you.”

Gertrude Panton, who was sitting in front, covered her face with both hands and sighed as if the ground was sinking.

‘Why are you being so generous…….’

No matter how much you try to look cool, it won’t work if you’re that generous…….

* * *

A huge creature landed in the front yard of Count Ludwig’s mansion in Bellewyn, sending dust flying radially and sweeping through the tulip garden.

It was a griffin, a mythical creature with the body of a fierce lion and the wings of an eagle.

A man in cold-weather gear slid down to the ground from the saddle on the griffin’s back.

As the rider massaged his thighs, which had stiffened from the long flight, Swan, the guardian knight guarding the mansion’s main gate, approached.

“This is the manor of Count Ludwig, a powerful figure in Richiland. What brings you here?”

The griffin rider pointed to the bag at his waist as if that was the answer. It was full of letters sealed with wax.

Gryphons were used as the air force of humanity in times of war, but in peacetime they were often used for postal delivery.

Of course, the price was so high that only those of high status could use them… The rider took a letter out of the bag and handed it to Swan.

“It’s directly from the Magic University.”

“From the Magic University?”

“The client was so insistent that we flew without rest until our Wyru [a type of trained Griffin] was exhausted. So, can we get some food? We’ll pay for it.”

Food…… I’ll have to ask the Lord about this. As he was thinking that and about to turn around, a voice was heard.

“All those who enter our territory are our guests. There’s no need to pay. Of course, we must treat them well.”

Swan immediately knelt, and the guards with spears followed suit.

A black robe that deeply absorbed the sunlight with a noble appearance, the same black hair, and red eyes that shone beautifully beneath it.

It was the current Lord, Caveon Ludwig. Behind him, his young daughter, Seri Ludwig, and his four-year-old son, Bran Ludwig, toddled out.

“Bran, that’s a griffin!”

“Woo, woo-ah!”

“How can a Ludwig man be afraid of that! Try to be more like Rain, your older brother!”

Caveon smiled as his daughter and son carefully approached the griffin.

“Is it okay for young children to touch it?”

“Of course. Wyru is really gentle.”

While the rider was answering, Swan lowered his posture and offered the letter to Caveon. Caveon raised his eyebrows in delight after seeing the sender’s name on the letter.

“It’s from Elin. Is it good news?”

The rider shrugged at the answer.

“I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but I can tell you that there’s been a commotion in the Demon Realm.”

* * *

The Student Council’s clerical work was a good thing to say, but it seemed more like miscellaneous work no matter how you looked at it.

Paper, paper, paper.

Because he had to keep his hands and eyes moving without rest while buried in an endless mountain of paper.

– Matters raised by students. Pick out the good ones and put them on the agenda.

Senior clerk Triwis advised. He was a second-year student with a smaller build than Seri, gray hair, and inorganic eyes.

At first, he was so emotionless in everything that he was mistaken for a doll.

– Are there always this many agenda items?

– No. It’s because they piled up during the exam period. It’s also crowded before the holidays.

– So, you rushed to pick up a junior to dump the work on?

– Yeah, that’s right. I was also a victim. It’s a tradition.

– …….

– Just hold on until the next top student becomes an executive.

He was a really difficult person to deal with.

With a soft sigh, Rain looked up at the clear spring sky.

“Ugh…… This is really annoying.”

He was currently out in the campus of the Academy. It was a season when the pink of cherry blossoms stood out against the fresh green colors.

He leaned back deeply and tilted his head back, looking only at the sky, when a head suddenly popped into his view.

“What are you doing here?”

Logan.

Now the name was quite familiar. He had a volleyball in his hand, probably on his way to play magical volleyball.

“I came out to clear my head for a while.”

“Isn’t it Student Council time?”

“I’m just a low-level clerk anyway, so it doesn’t matter if I’m gone. What about you?”

“I’m going to my club activities now.”

Hmm, magical volleyball is a royal club… Logan, a disciple of the Eight Great Schools, must be in it too.

Krista also went to the magical volleyball club with Gertrude as soon as school was over.

“Is it fun?”

Then Logan chuckled as if he had asked a strange question.

“Is there anything that isn’t fun about moving your body and sweating?”

“It was my fault for asking you.”

He smiled helplessly when he heard the sound of flapping wings, and soon a warm object landed on his forehead. He smiled with joy.

“Pipi, did you sleep well?”

“Slept, slept, slept.”

Pipi turned his head around and showed off his feathers that brilliantly reflected the sunlight. Then Logan frowned.

“Pipi?”

Oops, I shouldn’t call him by that name. Logan narrowed his eyes suspiciously and scanned Pipi up and down.

Instead of making the excuse that it was Peach, not Pipi, Logan whistled and his eyes lit up.

“That body with less than 1% body fat… Is this the culmination of training for an animal?!”

Then he solemnly held out his hand as if to shake hands. Pipi held out one wing and accepted the handshake. Rain blinked in disbelief.

‘The magicians of Chaihark [a region known for its martial arts and physical training] are…….’

They’re simple enough to communicate with animals. He doesn’t even seem to know it’s a Sun Conure. Is this friendship blooming from muscles?

“Then I’ll be going now because it’s time. Good luck, Master.”

“Okay, have fun.”

He waved his hand at Logan as he walked away, and then listlessly picked up the file of documents piled up next to the bench.

It’s really ridiculous, but I have to check all of this today. These are the agenda items that students submit to the Student Council… There were a lot, but most of them were meaningless.

[There are so many couples on campus these days that I feel self-conscious. Please stop them at the Student Council.]

What law can stop them?

Please let me know. A law to prevent self-consciousness for singles?

[Please tell me what type of girl the Student Council President likes.]

Hey, you.

Ask him yourself.

[What type of guy does the Student Council President like?]

Who is this guy?

Still, there were some normal ones from time to time. I don’t know why they asked the Student Council.

[Campus cleaning seems too difficult.]

Should we start a campaign to throw trash in designated areas? But I don’t know why they care.

The Academy does not entrust cleaning to students. This is because they are precious people and they do not want to waste time on simple labor such as cleaning when they should be focusing on their studies.

Most of the work will be done by butlers or maids hired by the Page family…… Then the paper slipped out of his grasp due to external force.

“You’re looking at a good agenda item.”

Startled, he turned around and saw Student Council President Valensidice examining the document with his unique cynicism.

His magical power is still terrifying.

Pipi also felt the magical power and shrank from Rain’s head to his shoulder as if wary.

“Did you come to check if I’m slacking off?”

“No.”

“But what’s so good about that agenda item? It’s not a proposal that a student can solve, and the employees will take care of it.”

“That’s exactly it. I came to correct your old-fashioned aristocratic way of thinking.”

“?”

“Since it’s a problem that employees will take care of anyway, there’s no need for student help…… Then what is magic for?”

He hesitated for a moment.

When I’m talking to this guy, I feel like I’ve become a huge villain. I’m an orphan, so I’ve never been caught up in an aristocratic way of thinking.

“So, are you saying that we should assign one student to help with magic every time they clean? That’s too unrealistic.”

“That’s right. But we can at least think about it. Magic that ordinary people who don’t know magic can easily use when cleaning.”

That’s…….

What Lista said to me.

“Of course, that’s impossible with modern magic. Because mathematics, runes, and everything else are extremely complicated.”

“…….”

“But if that ever happens…… Don’t you think that the true golden age will begin when ‘miracles’ are given equally to everyone?”

Valensidice had the purest smile on his face as he said that. Of course, it disappeared immediately.

“This agenda item should be forwarded to the ‘Local Development Magic Club’. Even if it’s weak, it might produce meaningful results.”

Rain’s mind was in turmoil as he watched Valensidice return the paper and leave. He was really an even more incomprehensible guy.

Who the hell is that guy?

What kind of picture is he drawing? What kind of magician is he trying to become? And why did he dabble in black magic?

‘I’m getting more curious.’

About Toureina’s whereabouts…… I have to get that book at the black market during the holidays that start in two days.