As they walked down the hallway leading back to the dorm, the exhilaration from the party gradually faded away. Folia’s steps beside Raze were light, skipping along. She didn’t seem to have calmed down yet.
“When we get back to the dorm, I’m gonna write a letter right away~”
“Oh? To that person?”
“Eek–“
Folia let something slip again. She seemed bad at keeping secrets. Raze couldn’t help smiling.
“You’re so cute, Folia.”
“Oh come on, don’t laugh~”
Bantering like that, they quickly reached the dorm. All that was left tonight was taking a bath and sleeping.
“Alright, let’s go take a bath first!”
“Yeah. It’s gotten late already, we better sleep soon!”
The time was past nine o’clock. Raze felt Folia’s upbringing must be good, saying they shouldn’t stay up late at this hour.
The two first changed out of their dresses into casual clothes. With training for emergency situations, Raze speed-changed in the blink of an eye into a shirt and pants. After helping the fumbling Folia out of her unfamiliar dress, they headed to the large bath the upperclassmen had shown them.
Just the changing area was so spacious here. She wondered what the actual bath chamber would be like… Raze swiftly stripped.
“Eek!”
When she flipped off her top with both hands, a startled voice rang out as if she’d seen a ghost. Wondering what had happened, Raze glanced over to see the young ladies with faces pale.
“What’s wrong?”
Not understanding what had startled them, she looked to Folia.
Folia’s eyes were also wide open, staring right at Raze.
Did she have something weird on her? Raze checked herself over, but saw nothing amiss except the black scar on her side from a Baluda demon.
“Oh…”
She then realized that was out of place.
This scar wouldn’t heal no matter how many healers treated it. Having become part of Raze, she thought nothing of it.
She hurriedly lowered her hands which had been about to remove her clothes. It seemed best to come back at an off-peak time.
She felt bad about leaving Folia alone, but it couldn’t be helped. She didn’t feel good being shrieked at upon showing her body.
“Pardon my unsightly appearance… Folia, take your time!” I’ll take a private bath later.”
“Ra-, Raze-chan…”
Folia looked at Raze with a sad face as she left. Please don’t look at me with such a face, Raze thought. It tugged at her maternal instincts.
(I’m the one who made you make that face, but may I pat your head?!)
Raze’s hand reached out.
“See you later.”
Engraving the model-esque body of the heroine-grade Folia in her eyes, Raze left the bath.
Lights-out was midnight. If she went to bathe a little after eleven, she would likely avoid the young ladies taking time on beauty care.
Hurrying back to her room, she flopped down on the bed. Compared to camping out, the comfort was unparalleled.
“No good. I’ll fall asleep like this.”
Raze vigorously sat up and sat at her desk.
She took out a thick diary-like book from the drawer, summarizing the events of the day in Japanese like her past life had used the diary. She wrote in her old language in case someone happened to see it.
“Let’s see… For my memorable first day of academy life, I met an angel and a goddess…”
While she hoped to be spared going to heaven just yet, this place was a paradise so blessed it could be mistaken for the next world. So calling the holy maidens in this garden angels and goddesses was likely no exaggeration.
The fact that she referred to Folia and Carne as angels and goddesses in her heart showed just how much Raze had been toyed with by this world unlike the military.
Raze had knowledge from her past life where she lived peacefully far removed from conflict, but that wasn’t experience from this life in this body. The knowledge just resided in her head. Perhaps due to that knowledge, her personality was also quite mature. However, she currently lived by the rules of this world, so she did not reject concepts like social class and faith.
If the peaceful her from her past life had become Raze as-is, she likely would never have chosen to become a soldier in the first place.
“…”
Raze rubbed the scar on her abdomen over her clothes.
Since many things about Baluda demons’ traits remained unknown, the cause of Raze’s blackened scar was also unclear.
“If it’s Centrior’s library, there might be some clues.”
The military had many comrades bearing these black, curse-like scars like Raze.
As mentioned to Harrens earlier, she wanted to study demons during her time here. When she finished at the academy and returned to regular duties, she had to show some improvement for her subordinates.
In her room, Raze sensed someone stop outside the door and closed her diary for the moment.
“Raze-chan.”
It was Folia, freshly bathed with flushed cheeks, who entered.
“Welcome back. How were the hot springs?”
“They felt so nice. But more importantly, about that scar earlier…”
Folia looked at Raze with downcast eyes.
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“I got it a while ago.”
Seeing no way to gloss over it, Raze gave a vague response.
“…It must have hurt.”
“It still aches occasionally, but I’m fine.”
Folia crouched down before the seated Raze and took her hand. Her eyes were those of a merciful saint.
“May the stars’ healing reach you,” Folia murmured in prayer.
(She must have been raised in a major church.)
Her natural actions suggested Folia had been brought up in an high-class church.
“Thank you.”
“No… This is all I can do right now. I’m sorry.”
It seemed healing old scars that had already mended was still difficult for Folia at her current skill level.
Even if she could use advanced healing magic, this particular scar would not be cured, so there was no need for her to have such a sad face.
“Don’t worry about it.”
The scar held memories reminding her of that time. As a soldier, she had brushes with death and of course comrades who died. Without this scar, Raze felt she might forget that sorrow altogether, so she did not mind it.
Rather than keep creating wounds and being told “The Major is a battle maniac” by Captain Bonar someday, she sincerely hoped that day would not come.
“…Raze-chan is strong, huh.”
Seeing how casually Raze acted, Folia said that.
Just a brief glimpse of the scar remaining on Raze’s side made clear it was awful. For a girl Folia’s age, it would be natural to develop a complex over it, yet Raze was smiling. To Folia it seemed a sign of fortitude.
“Not really.”
Raze gave a wry smile in response.
She was nothing more than a coward afraid to die. She fought to survive because she didn’t want to die. She did things even an angel could not conceive of. Hero or not, as the soldier known as the [Wolf Fang], she lacked any sublime virtues worthy of respect.
Folia’s hair was still wet as she crouched before Raze. Activating her magic stone, Raze said,
“Returning your prayer.”
In a flash, the excess moisture was expelled and Folia’s hair dried.
“Wow, thanks! Since I’m useless at magic besides healing, I can’t do something like this. You’re amazing, Raze-chan!”
Folia stood and happily brushed her hand through her hair. Raze was embarrassed that the angel praised her even though she had just applied her teleportation magic a little. It made her far happier than being granted a nobility title or [Wolf Fang] designation.
“You’ll improve for sure as you learn more magic in class, Folia.”
“I hope so~!”
Folia sat on the bed across from her. It seemed she really planned to sleep now.
“Classes start tomorrow. I’m nervous wondering what we’ll be doing.”
“There will probably be lectures, but fundamentals are learned through practical training in magic I’d think. Our graduation certifies us with advanced magic stone control qualifications, after all.”
“Oh, right!”
In this country, using magic stones required paperwork processed at government offices. General public were only permitted up to intermediate magic, with licenses needed for advanced and higher.
The fact they had all been accepted here meant the student body was comprised of gifted individuals who had already grasped basics of magic stone use, taught by excellent parents or tutors. That was why graduating from this academy conferred advanced licenses.
(Well, I already have the highest-rank license…)
Of course, military personnel unable to use magic stones would be absurd, so Raze already held the top-ranking permit. In fact, she was confident in magic stone skills surpassing anyone in the academy, teachers included. She was an ace of the Cyan Imperial Forces, after all. She had long-since obtained all licenses in order to become an officer.
“It’s probably just explanatory on the first day of lessons. No need to worry so much.”
“That’s reassuring then. I’m going to sleep first. When the starlight is especially strong like today, we have customs to sleep early…”
“Got it. Good night. See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. May the starlight guide you to sweet dreams.”
Folia burrowed into bed. Raze thought that perhaps she would become clergy someday as she watched her, then closed the dividing curtain to keep out light.
Sitting back at her desk, Raze passed time writing in her diary and finished it. When the time came she silently turned off the desk light, readied her belongings, concealed her presence, and quietly left the room.
As expected, there was no one in the large bathhouse. Taking advantage of the privacy, Raze thoroughly enjoyed the hot spring with a relaxed expression. She rarely got time off while working, so this felt like a vacation.
This place was the Saint Riolle Imperial Magic Academy, where noble children gathered. It was known as the Flower Capital…
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