Chapter 264: – School Trip. |
‘I never liked this part… but at least it gives me some time to think.’
Rusty stared out the window at the academy grounds. It was nighttime, and everything was silent. Just as before, he spotted a few teachers walking around on patrol. Everything seemed calm, but as a living suit of armor, he did not require sleep, so he had no choice but to wait until his summoner woke up.
A few hours earlier, the two girls had been talking about the trip they would be leaving for the next day. Rusty still did not fully understand how it would work, but from what they described, their class would be traveling together to the Rose Knight Academy. At first, he had worried that the mission would be too short to earn enough summoner coins, but that no longer seemed to be the case.
The journey itself was supposed to take some time, and after arriving, they would apparently be heading somewhere else. He did not know exactly where. It could be a gate, this world’s version of a dungeon, or perhaps just another competition between classes. As always, there would be a point system, and the classes with the highest scores would be rewarded.
‘Those two seem to need sleep as well… strange creatures.’
Still, he was not entirely alone. The fairies were there too, but Biry, the water fairy, was fast asleep, and Airy had eventually dozed off after flying around the room for a while. Then, without warning, they began to vanish before his visor, probably because their master had finally fallen asleep. That left him alone with his thoughts as he continued guarding Gwen and considering his current mission. The information he had gathered was enough to form an initial plan.
Luckily, this time he would not need to wait an entire week for the next main mission or wonder what he was supposed to do. They would be leaving as soon as morning arrived. Gwen had hinted that she had learned a few new tricks, but to see them, they would need to enter a real battle. Until then, he could only wait with growing anticipation.
‘I hope there will be some fun opponents this time around. That bear wolf wasn’t even that strong…’
Time passed as he wandered through Gwen’s room. Earlier, she had fallen asleep while hugging him against her chest, but he had eventually managed to wriggle free and begin patrolling the dorm room instead. Like a proper guardian, he moved from corner to corner, inspecting anything that looked remotely suspicious.
‘Everything seems clear. The door is sturdy too…’
No mana was flowing nearby, and he could not detect any moving life signs. Just like before, there were no enemies in sight, so he continued his patrol like a tiny guard. Before long, the sun outside began to rise.
The first rays of morning light slipped through the academy windows and stretched across the dorm room floor. Rusty stopped near the window and observed the courtyard below. The night patrols were disappearing, replaced by professors and their assistants beginning their daily routines. The academy was enormous, so even some students were already awake. Some carried books while others practiced spells before breakfast.
“There is more commotion than I remember. I wonder if it has something to do with this trip.”
He could see people who looked like servants of nobles carrying luggage and crates toward one of the main exits. Rusty had not been able to explore the entire academy last time, so he was curious where all the hallways and passages led.
“Gwen, get up. We need to get ready!”
Just as he was observing the activity outside, Astrella started knocking on the door, and she was not being gentle about it. Rusty turned toward the sound as it echoed through the small dorm room while Gwen buried her face deeper into her pillow.
“Mmm…”
“Hey, are you in there? Rusty, poke her awake! She needs to get up.”
He glanced at his halberd, which had shrunk along with him. Even in its smaller form, the tip was still sharp, but he had no intention of hurting his summoner. Fortunately, after nearly half a minute, Gwen finally opened her eyes.
“Uh… I’m up… stop knocking…”
Rusty lowered his halberd and stepped away from the bed as Gwen slowly pushed herself upright. Her black hair was a complete mess, hanging over her face while she rubbed one eye with the sleeve of her nightwear.
“Are you really up?”
“She is up, Astrella.”
Thanks to the connection created by the special silver rings the two girls wore, he could communicate with Astrella even through the closed door. It took Gwen another minute to drag herself to the entrance and unlock it. The moment she did, her friend burst into the room wearing a set of white pajamas.
Astrella entered with far more energy than anyone should possess this early in the morning. Behind her floated Airy and Biry, both restored and brimming with vigor like their master. The green fairy drifted around the room while the water fairy moved toward Gwen and sprayed her in the face.
“Ack!”
Gwen recoiled from the cold splash and quickly covered her face.
“I told you to stop doing that!”
“But it helps you wake up faster.”
Astrella chuckled as the fairy continued hovering nearby. The water was not ordinary. Rusty could sense a faint trace of mana within it, carrying some kind of beneficial effect. It seemed to restore vitality while also giving a burst of energy.
Rusty watched the fairy carefully while Gwen wiped the water from her face with an annoyed expression. The redness in her eyes faded quickly, and her yawning stopped.
“So, now that you are awake, let’s go get ready!”
With that, Astrella grabbed Gwen’s wrist and pulled her out of the room toward the shared bathroom. Rusty was left outside alone as the fairies followed the two girls inside. He had no idea what was happening beyond the door, but the strange sounds coming from within made him wonder if something unusual was going on. Still, it was obvious they were preparing for the trip, and he knew humanoids often spent a great deal of time choosing the right clothes.
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Rusty remained stationed outside the bathroom door while the strange ritual inside continued. Water splashed against the floor, and the girls giggled while he stood guard with his small halberd raised. Even though he could not do much with it, he could probably strike someone in the ankle and slow them down if they burst through the door. Of course, nothing like that happened. After a while, the two girls finally stepped outside wearing different versions of the Mystwood Academy school uniform.
“Tadah, what do you think, Rusty?”
Astrella asked as she posed beside Gwen. Usually, his summoner wore long robes that were a little too baggy for her, but for this trip, they had apparently received something far more practical.
Instead of the long robes typical of mages, they now wore shorter, tailored uniforms designed for travel and combat readiness. The fabric was reinforced with some kind of mana threading, while the layered skirt and coat were cut to allow much easier movement. Gwen’s usual oversized look had been replaced with clothing that actually fit her frame, making her appear more confident even if she did not seem to notice it herself.
“That looks a lot more practical than the regular academy uniform. I’m sure you’ll be able to move better if we ever get attacked… and it seems to have some kind of defensive enchantment on it.”
Rusty spoke while the two girls stared at him as though they had expected a completely different response.
“What is it?”
He looked back at them, confused by their expressions. Instead of answering, the girls exchanged glances and started chuckling.
“He really is…”
Astrella paused, tilting her head as she searched for the right word.
“More on the serious side.”
Rusty did not understand why they sounded disappointed. Although he had spent time around humanoids for a while now, his understanding of them was still surface-level and certainly not developed when it came to teenage girls.
“It’s good to be proper and serious…”
Gwen mumbled quietly, as though trying to defend Rusty’s honor.
“I’m always ready for battle!”
Rusty interpreted her comment as doubt in his abilities, so he quickly tried to reassure her.
“I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Ah… he really is a battle maniac, similar to that idiot… but don’t worry, Rusty, you’re forgiven.”
Rusty was not entirely sure what Astrella meant, but after the girls finished laughing and made sure all their belongings were packed, the three of them headed out. Unlike Rusty, they did not possess the same kind of storage system, so they carried enchanted shoulder bags capable of holding far more items than their size suggested. The bags resembled the sort students would normally use to carry books.
The corridor outside the dormitory was already full of movement. Students from both B1 and B2 were making their way through the halls. Everyone knew it was best to arrive early to secure better seats since they would be departing today using a special transport vehicle.
“Let’s go, Gwen. Hurry, or they’ll take all the good seats from us!”
Astrella grabbed Gwen’s hand and rushed through the academy halls. Rusty had to cling tightly to his summoner as they moved at a frantic pace. The moment they stepped outside, he realized the academy looked completely different from its usual state.
The central pathways were crowded with students dragging luggage, talking loudly, or trying to keep up with their classmates. Some professors floated above the ground while directing groups into formation, and several large magical constructs carried stacks of supplies toward the gate ahead of them. The atmosphere was chaotic, yet strangely cheerful.
“Why are there so many people?”
Rusty asked while holding onto Gwen’s shoulder to avoid falling as Astrella dragged her through the crowd.
“Because all the classes are going, of course.”
Rusty had forgotten that B Class was not the only one. There were still A, C, and all the classes below them. With each lower-ranking class, the number of students increased, and once the gate opened, it became clear that this journey would not be the same as before.
“Oh? What is this place?”
His visor gleamed at the sight before him. He had never seen this section of the academy before. From what he could tell, it was some kind of travel hub filled with different methods of transportation. One thing in the distance stood out above the rest: a massive ship he had only ever seen in books. It floated gently above the ground while people boarded it by levitating upward.
“Is that what we’re traveling on?”
Rusty quickly pointed toward the floating ship where several students were already boarding. Before anyone could answer, Astrella bumped into someone while trying to push through the crowd.
“Hey, watch where you’re going. Do you know who you almost ran into?”
The moment Gwen saw the girl’s face, her complexion paled.
“Katherine Grandwell…”
She mumbled the name while her heart pounded so hard that even Rusty could feel it. Katherine looked as smug as ever. Her golden hair stood out immediately, and she wore a distinct academy uniform woven with multiple enchantments. A golden emblem rested on her chest, and the white and gold colors marked her as an A-Class student, the highest rank in the academy.
Katherine crossed her arms and looked down at the two girls with the same superior expression Rusty remembered from before. Behind her stood three other students wearing the same white and gold uniforms. Unlike the B-Class attire, their clothing looked expensive and carried enough mana within the fabric to rival low-grade enchanted armor.
“Well, look who it is… Gwendolin Rainstar.”
The girl lifted her chin as though she were looking down at dirt. Astrella quickly stepped in front of Gwen while the two fairies hovering nearby frowned at the insult. Yet instead of continuing the confrontation, the highborn summoner simply turned on her heel and walked away, as though the two girls were beneath her notice.
“You better watch yourself, Rainstar…”
One of the young men accompanying Katherine muttered the warning before turning and leaving with the others. Gwen stood frozen for a moment, clearly shaken. Her buried trauma had resurfaced, but after Rusty placed his metallic hand against her cheek, she finally responded.
“Don’t worry. I’m here with you. I’ve already defeated her twice, and I’ll do it a third time if I have to.”
Rusty reminded his summoner of their past victories. He had won the first duel against Katherine’s monsters, then triumphed again during the mysterious forest test.
“That’s right. She’s nothing special, Gwen. You already beat her before. Rusty’s right.”
Astrella gave Gwen’s shoulder a firm squeeze before flashing a grin toward the direction Katherine had disappeared.
“She only acts like that because she can’t stand losing. I bet she left because she’s scared of you, Gwen. I saw the way she looked at Rusty.”
Gwen lowered her gaze for a moment before slowly nodding.
“...S-she’s scared of me?”
“Of course she is. You’re the Metal Maiden!”
“Haha, stop that.”
The small pep talk lifted Gwen’s spirits a little. A moment later, Astrella grabbed her wrist again and started pulling her forward.
“Ah! We can’t waste any more time here. We need to go!”
In an instant, they were moving again. Rusty kept his visor pointed toward the direction the golden haired girl had gone. He spotted Katherine and several other students boarding the flying ship, while the rest of the students headed somewhere else entirely.
Rusty tilted his head as Gwen and Astrella stopped near an open area crowded with people. More importantly, there were two enormous vehicles that resembled oversized carriages. They were far larger than the merchant wagons he had seen before and appeared to be made from some kind of metal. Their bodies were mostly rectangular, with windows lining the sides and several massive wheels beneath them.
A pair of huge reptilian beasts covered in dark scales were harnessed to the carriage they approached. The creatures looked like a cross between armored horses and giant lizards. Their backs were plated with natural protective shells, and steam escaped from their nostrils.
“We made it... There’s still time!”
They had finally arrived. Students from B1 and B2 were already boarding the massive enchanted wagons. Unlike Class A, who would travel by air, it seemed they would journey by land instead. Still, judging by the thick wheels and sturdy construction, the contraption looked capable of moving surprisingly fast.