IRBC 5

Chapter: 5

Sitting on a train for a long time was truly exhausting.

I joined in a few of the conversations going back and forth between the young students and David, but before long my energy ran out and I began to nod off.

At some point, I must have fallen completely asleep. When I came to my senses again, I was leaning against David’s shoulder, and the students who had filled the surroundings were long gone.

In the quiet space, only the low hum of the train’s magic motor echoed in my ears. Blinking several times with my blurred vision, I parted my lips slightly. A hoarse, parched voice came out.

“…David?”

“You awake?”

“Mm. What about the others?”

“You were asleep, so I told them to go on and chased them off.”

Great. There were probably strange rumors spreading among the students now.

It had been the same in my previous life. Until David got involved with Rosemary, there had been endless rumors that he and I were that kind of relationship.

This time, I thought the gossip might grow even worse than back then.

“We’ll be at the academy soon. Get ready to get off.”

Still groggy, I sat there blankly as David picked up my coat from beside him and held it out to me.

“We’re already here?”

“Yeah. We passed through three magic warp tunnels. You didn’t see any of it because you were asleep.”

David said proudly, but it didn’t affect me at all.

I’d already seen plenty of them in my last life, kid.

I wanted to answer like that, but I held myself back.

“I’ll see them when I go home during vacation. More importantly, thanks for letting me use your shoulder. I slept really well.”

When I brushed off his provocation so lightly, David’s expression fell.

No matter how much he tried to act otherwise, he was still a kid. His feelings were written all over his face.

Pouting, David grumbled.

“Your head is seriously heavy, Joy. I thought my shoulder was going to pop out.”

“That’s because my head is full of knowledge. I have to be smart, you know.”

“You’re good with words.”

“I’m good with words because I’m smart.”

As I slipped on my coat, I spread the doctrine of “Joy Mikaela the Genius.” David listened with a fed-up expression and let it go in one ear and out the other.

“Oh. Looks like we’re here.”

Perhaps he was tired of listening to me, because he changed the subject. Right on cue, the train was pulling into the academy station.

The train’s speed visibly slowed, and shortly afterward an announcement rang out.

The station staff walked through the cars, checking to make sure no passengers were moving about dangerously.

Then, once the train had come to a complete stop and the announcement said it was safe to disembark in order, David stood up from his seat.

“Joy, get up. Let’s go.”

Even though I had been asleep until just a moment ago, I didn’t know why I felt so tired. Maybe the fatigue was finally catching up to me now that we’d arrived. Taking David’s outstretched hand, I stood up.

At that instant, my head spun and my vision blurred.

Damn anemia.

In moments like this, the best thing to do was to stay still until the haze cleared. Feeling my way around, I sat back down and pressed a hand to my forehead.

Hearing David’s startled voice, I guessed my face must have gone pale.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?”

“I’m dizzy… Just give me a moment.”

As I muttered that, I heard footsteps approaching from far away.

“Is something the matter?”

It sounded like a station staff member.

“…It’s nothing. We’ll get off last, so please be aware of that.”

“Yes. Then I’ll come inform you once all the other passengers have disembarked.”

Soon, the footsteps—presumably the staff member’s—faded away, and I felt David plop down beside me.

“I’ll be fine soon.”

“Forget it. It’s crowded outside anyway. We’ll go out later.”

I’d known David for two years. Counting my life before regression, about twelve years in total. When it came to David, I knew him almost as well as his parents did.

He was an impatient kid who would normally want to rush out immediately, so seeing him wait for me like this warmed my heart.

“Sorry. We’re behind schedule because of me.”

“I told you it’s fine. It’s packed out there right now. I don’t want to squeeze through all that, so this works out.”

I was grateful for his words. Always prickly, yet in the end always on my side—he was a precious friend.

My blurry vision gradually cleared. I reached out and tightly grabbed David’s hand.

As if that alone could convey my gratitude, I squeezed with all my strength.

Fortunately, by the time all the passengers had disembarked, my condition had improved. Carrying a large suitcase enchanted with a weight-reduction spell, I got off the train with David.

“Want me to walk you to the dorm?”

“No. Boys aren’t allowed in the girls’ dorm anyway.”

“You sound like you know that awfully well.”

“Ahem. I can go on my own, so don’t worry. Let’s meet up at mealtime later.”

Before David could grow any more suspicious, I thought it best to part ways. Waving my hand lightly, I set off with a confident stride.

Arrow-shaped guide papers for new students were stuck to the ground.

Since this was an academy I’d walked through to the point of boredom in my previous life, I had all the routes memorized. Still, to avoid needless suspicion, I pretended to casually follow the arrows stuck to the ground.

Glancing back, I saw David heading toward the boys’ dormitory as well.

Once I was a fair distance away from him, a sigh of relief escaped me. Carrying my suitcase, I continued toward the girls’ dorm.

“Your name?”

“Joy Mikaela.”

“Let me see… Ah. Room 306. It seems your roommate hasn’t arrived yet, so you may go ahead and choose a bed first.”

“Thank you.”

I’d be seeing the dorm supervisor every day while attending the academy, so there was no benefit in getting on her bad side.

With a bright smile, I bowed my head politely and headed up the stairs.

“…I want to just ditch this suitcase.”

Before I knew it, I was out of breath from the many steps. The bag wasn’t heavy thanks to the magic on it, but its sheer bulk made it cumbersome.

With my already frail body, climbing all the way to the third floor was hard enough, and doing it while lugging this thing along was pure torture.

“I’ll rest just a bit…”

In the end, I had to stop at a landing halfway up.

I remembered struggling on the dormitory stairs around this same time in my previous life, too. Back then, after enduring this for about a month, I had begged the dorm supervisor and moved to a second-floor room.

But this time, I intended to stubbornly stick with the third-floor room.

I’d had frequent trouble with the roommate in that second-floor room I moved to.

“Hey, you. Could you move a little faster? What do you think you’re doing, blocking the way?”

Just then, someone painfully poked my resting shoulder. For the record, I was leaning against the wall in a corner, not obstructing the passage.

I turned my head to see who the owner of that sharp voice was—and froze.

Speak of the devil.

Standing there with a large suitcase like mine was a very familiar-looking girl.

My second roommate from my previous life.

Right—her name was Lina, wasn’t it?

“What are you staring at? I told you to move.”

“…You can just walk past me. The hallway’s wide. Why are you picking a fight?”

“W-What? Where I walk is none of your business!”

Lina shouted, scrunching up her face. By your logic, then, where I take a break is none of your business either. Just like before, she was still the queen of unreasonable arguments.

Her voice was loud enough that students going up and down the stairs began to look our way. Sensing their attention, Lina puffed herself up and proudly announced her lineage, as if she’d been waiting for this.

“You’d better stay on my good side. My father is Count Frederick!”

A murmur rippled through the crowd. The House of Count Frederick was an old and influential family in high society. Clearly satisfied with the reaction, Lina lifted her chin smugly.

And I had already known this fact.

“I know. You’re Lina Frederick.”

“What? How do you know who I am?”

She looked flustered when I said her full name without hesitation. Being so young, she was easily shaken emotionally.

“I heard it from my father. That Count Frederick has a daughter around my age—red hair and green eyes. That’s you, right?”

“…Who is your father?”

Lina hesitated. I shrugged and spoke calmly.

“Why don’t you ask your illustrious father about that? And can’t you see what’s around you? It’s not me—you’re the one blocking everyone else.”

At my sharp remark, Lina finally glanced behind her. Behind her stood several children our age, grimacing as they held their suitcases.

“W-What…?”

“I’m done resting, so I’m going up. You can stay here and keep blocking the way if you want.”

I avoid filth because it’s dirty, not because I’m afraid of it.

There was nothing to gain from spending any more time with that girl. Picking up the suitcase I’d set down in the corner, I staggered up the stairs.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?!”

Lina’s shrill voice rang out behind me, but I ignored it.

She would definitely come looking for me later and cause a scene—but I’d worry about that when the time came.

“Hngh.”

After finally making it up to the third floor, I headed to my assigned room, panting heavily. In my previous life, I’d only used this room for a month, but in this life, I intended to stay here for the full year.

The moment I opened the door and set down my suitcase, exhaustion washed over me. With my current stamina, it seemed long train journeys were still too much.

“First, I’ll pick a bed.”

I wanted nothing more than to collapse onto the nearest spot and fall asleep, but I held back. Choosing a bed and unpacking came first.

“This bed looks good.”

The bed I chose was the one farthest from the window. It was a good spot—no cold drafts, and less sunlight in the morning.

Besides, kids usually liked window-side beds, so my future roommate would surely be satisfied as well.

“Hm-hm~”

Humming softly, I opened my suitcase and began neatly sorting my belongings. If anyone were watching, they might doubt whether I was really twelve years old, given how efficient and practiced my movements were.

This goes on the bed, this on the desk, this in the wardrobe.

The faster I finished, the more time I’d have to sleep before dinner. With that thought, my pace naturally quickened.

I was moving about busily when, all of a sudden, I heard the door open—and a young girl’s voice followed.