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Chapter 6
“…This was just a quick appearance to boost the scam, but it’s true that the prize is good. I heard that Belpeffer’s Rotten Crombel succeeded in breeding with Kryptondia. There’s a rumor they put that up as the prize.”
“That’s impossible. You mean Rotten Crombel?”
“If the rumor is true, it means there’s a strong belief that the winner this year will also come from Belpeffer.”
Indeed, most of the winners at the Chental Academic Conference so far had come from the Belpeffer Empire. By contrast, our Ginger Kingdom had won only once in the literary category ten years ago and never in the martial arts category. So everyone regretted that if Raiden had been from Amote, our school, he would probably have produced a winning record in the martial arts section as well.
“So you tell me not to do anything risky… but you’re doing it yourself?”
Raiden looked at me as if he was holding back his anger. In Litten Wailer, I was known as a caretaker, and in my childhood, I had indeed been the one to make sure Raiden didn’t overexert himself in swordsmanship—but that was no longer the case. About two years ago—actually, that wasn’t long ago—Raiden had once seriously hurt me. It was bad enough that afterward, he became extremely sensitive about my safety. So I also tried to avoid dangerous things as much as possible.
I guessed that Raiden’s almost daily visits to my lab were because he worried I might have an accident while experimenting with new medicines. I had almost forgotten the ordeal myself, but Raiden had been deeply affected while keeping watch over me until I regained consciousness. I heard I had come close to death several times, and my heart had actually stopped twice.
“I’m really sorry. I was acting almost hypnotically too. And your expression… reminded me so much of when you were a child.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, the way you looked like a helpless, cute little kid trying to take everything for yourself while giving me those pitiful eyes.”
“Of all examples…”
Raiden let out a long sigh.
“So here’s the thing: right now, I really want a veal hind leg steak with a blueberry sauce. Medium rare. And make sure there are three mint leaves on top.”
“…Right now?”
I clasped my hands together, eyes sparkling.
“Yes. And for dessert, I think pudding with strawberries and apples, plus green tea ice cream would be perfect.”
Raiden, knowing that I’d been subsisting on chocolate and carrots for the past few days, stopped scolding me and went outside.
“Go to your lab and wait.”
“Yes, I’ll be quick.”
Raiden told Lord Noah, who was coming in, that he’d be stepping out for a moment, and then vanished in an instant. It was almost like teleportation magic. Lord Noah had a rough idea of the situation on his way over, but Raiden disappearing was another matter. He gave me a look asking if everything was okay, and I averted my gaze, too embarrassed to admit that I had asked Raiden, the transcendental Raiden Lensher, to bring me food.
Raiden’s busy gratitude period ended, and my role as a visiting professor at the Amote Royal Knight Academy stabilized. The students no longer came asking questions like how strong Raiden’s chest muscles were, how comfortable his embrace was, or how fast he moved when distancing himself from dragons—questions that were almost impossible to describe in words. Honestly, asking whether his heart rate differed from ordinary people’s was borderline perverted.
In any case, there were no rumors about Raiden and me having known each other since childhood. Just the fact that someone had been held in his arms caused a stir. If it were ever revealed that we truly had a long history, I’d need to take an extended leave.
“Ha. I want strawberries.”
It was easier when all I wanted was chocolate. That was easy to get. Since the Chamber Jewelry Reptilian incident, my appetite had returned—almost at a hypersensitive level. I thought about what I wanted to eat several times a day, and I had to get it to be satisfied. Even then, my sensitive nose sometimes prevented me from eating what I wanted if it picked up any fishy smell.
So I felt a little guilty toward Raiden. Most of the time, I relied on him to get what I wanted. Even though he told me not to worry, I had some sense of propriety.
“What kind of illness is this?”
“That’s something I’ll have to think about while eating strawberries.”
The problem was that I always gave in when it came to food. Reluctantly, Raiden—my debt of life, scar of surgery, and the one I owed in many ways—opened the window and jumped out without complaint.
No sooner had Raiden leapt out the window than the ward door opened. A student I’d been seeing frequently lately entered with a bright smile. The outstanding A-class student with clear sky-blue hair, Damian Shore, and his friend had arrived.
“What brings you here today?”
Damian Shore extended a hand with a neat round bloodstain, apparently from cutting himself on paper.
“I cut my finger. It hurts a lot.”
“I’m sorry, Professor.”
I didn’t remember Damian Shore’s friend’s introduction on the first day. Damian Shore, however, came to the ward so often that I remembered his name despite myself. I listened to his friend’s apology and replied roughly.
“Should you be wasting time like this with midterms coming up?”
“As you know, practical exams make even small injuries significant.”
Judging by the smoothness of his tongue, he could almost be a literature student. I had anticipated this, so I handed him the ointment and cotton swabs.
“Professor, aren’t you going to apply it?”
“No. I’m far too high-level for that.”
Even people who had studied a bit of magic were skilled with their tongues. I was a little less so, but my father once had a slick tongue that even aspiring chancellors envied. A bit of an extreme expression, but it instilled the stereotype that wizards in my father’s generation talked a lot. Regardless, at my firm refusal, Damian Shore reluctantly handed me the used ointment and disposed of the trash.
“By the way, was someone here earlier?”
“Why do you think so?”
“The window is open. I don’t recall you opening that window often.”
“Are you interested in me? I don’t welcome that. Your sharp eyes are dangerous, so please leave.”
Damian Shore looked troubled, then gave that trademark “Shore smile.” The young man, sharp-eyed but with a striking impression, wrote his name on the list and left without protest.
“See you next time, Professor.”
“Don’t get hurt. Managing the list is a hassle.”
After Damian Shore left, Raiden returned to the Knight Order after just handing me the strawberries. As vice-captain, his visiting me like this was unusual. I ate a few strawberries and used lunchtime to head toward Building 2.
“Welcome.”
Gold Schumann Maranelli wagged his tail slowly, noticing me first. Thanks to him, Pilot Lord Doha, who also spotted me, greeted me warmly. After the Chamber Jewelry Reptilian incident, Joseph the pilot had wanted to thank me by giving me a dragon egg shell, believed to bring luck. I even received a piece of an egg from Kryptondia Dejaneb’s baby dragon. Since Jeze had been fussy during surgery, the busy Joseph hadn’t delivered it himself—Lord Doha, Maranelli’s pilot, handed it to me instead.
“Maranelli. That’s dangerous.”
As I approached, Maranelli casually scooped me up and pulled me into his arms. I wasn’t used to dragons liking me this much. This was supposed to be something only a human man would do. Why not someone younger or suitably aged?
After a few tries, I relaxed my tense body. Laying my arm over his large claw, Lord Doha looked genuinely apologetic. I tried to escape, but Maranelli pretended not to notice and tucked my hand deeper inside his body, only looking toward the building.
“…It’s fine. He’ll let me go when it’s time.”
From afar, I could hear the students in the Dragon Knight Academy taking their practical exams. There were fewer students in the dragon-riding department than in the aspiring knight group, so today’s exams would be completed. With Chental approaching, classes would continue right after the exams.
“By the way, Professor Hale, are you participating in Chental? I heard that a doctor and a veterinarian are required to accompany the event.”
When Amote doctors had official long-term assignments, the least experienced ones were usually sent. I had assumed I’d be sent when I first joined Amote, but now, due to an incident during the last medical forum, Professor Len volunteered to go himself. There might have been other reasons, but that was how it was.
“I’m not sure this time. Normally I’d be required, but someone else volunteered. Unless two doctors are needed, I won’t go.”
With a short call, one Inah Delaf took off into the sky. Lord Doha squinted, assessing the student’s posture mid-flight and muttering his evaluation. The dragon trainers, who were tending Maranelli’s tail scales, quietly joined the conversation.
“It might be trivial, but from a trainer’s perspective, it would be better if Professor Hale went along.”
“Yes. Dragons from public institutions without travel experience often get stressed on long trips. Even if they don’t show it, their performance may suffer on competition day.”
“I saw the dragons follow Professor Hale well. Even Rose Naph Jezelle behaved impeccably—most trainers wouldn’t manage that.”
Lord Doha nodded but said nothing. Even Maranelli blinked slowly as if agreeing. Only I and my partner, Lord Doha, understood the meaning. Considering my current physical and dietary condition, the long trip didn’t sound appealing, so I just smiled awkwardly.
