When I Reincarnated, I Became Even More of a Gorilla - 25

When we entered the school through the main gate, I found a large garden with a number of students chatting and various figures reading on the benches that had been set up.

According to what Elena told me, the school is supposed to be closed today.

A year has 365 days, 30 days making a month, and there are only 12 months and 5 separate days for New Year’s holiday. I think I’ve already mentioned this before, but let me go into a bit more detail.

That said, the only other thing I think I haven’t mentioned is the concept of weeks.

A week consists of 6 days, which starts with Lightday, followed by Fireday, Waterday, Windday, Earthday, and ending with Darkday. Some say it’s based on magic attributes, but the actual origin is unknown, as the days of the week have been that way since ancient times.

At Verna Royal Academy in Parverna Kingdom, where Elena attends, students attend school four days a week, fireday, waterday, windday, and earthday and the two days of lightday and darkdays are treated as rest days.

Some students may use one of their rest days for extracurricular classes, where they employ an unconventional teaching style, but such occurrences are rare.

Even on rest days, students aren’t allowed to spend the night outside unless they have something special to do, and there’s a limit to the number of nights they can spend the night outside.

Since the rest days were the only days that Elena could return to her parents’ home, Frontier Count Gladysbalt’s territory, she had been returning to Grandis on darkdays and return to the academy on lightdays for 

the past several weeks.

“Even though it’s for completing the task to advance to the next grade, my limits for spending the night outside are about to get all used up, and I don’t even think I have even more days to spare”, Elena said with a laugh.

Now then, as you can probably understand from what I’ve explained, as I said at the beginning, today would be lightday, so school is supposed to be a rest day. And yet, what does it mean for this many students to be here?

While I followed Elena with questions in my mind, female students in the garden noticed Elena and began to approach us.

[Senpai! You’ve come back.]

[Gladysbalt-senpai! Please help me with my studies!]

[Wait right there! I want to ask Senpai to teach me magic!]

The girls approached Elena and told her what they wanted. The requests were very selfish and didn’t even take Elena’s convenience into consideration, but Elena just brushed them off with a smile, sticking to her own point.

[Hahaha, sorry, everyone. I have to go to the school office now. That’s why, I can’t teach you anything about studying or magic right now.]

[I see.]

[What a shame.]

[T- Then! Will you teach me when you have the time?]

[Unn. If I have the time, I’ll gladly accompany you. See you later. Let’s go, Gorimatsu.]

[Oog. (Unn.)]

After brilliantly exchanging attacks with the schoolgirls, Elena calls out to me and dashingly leaves the place. It seems that informing them about her obtaining a familiar is also part of her purpose, as making eye contact with me, she starts walking.

As I walked after her, I was subjected to the stares from those who had been looking at Elena in addition to those schoolgirls.

Elena herself is the daughter of a high-ranking noble family, and she seems to be very popular, probably because of her beautiful appearance. Being her familiar, some people also seem to be paying attention to me.

They are talking secretly, but my gorilla ears are sharp, so I can hear everything they are saying.

***

[Oi! It’s Gladysbalt-senpai. She looks beautiful today too.]

[Yeah, she’s always beautiful.]

[I never thought I’d meet Gladysbalt-sama outside the school.]

[Gladysbalt-sama is beautiful, but what’s with that monkey behind her? Could that be her familiar?]

[Ahh, come to think of it, this year’s homework was to acquire a familiar. I’d forgotten about it since everyone around me already had one.]

[But still, that monkey is just no good, don’t you think? I wonder what it can even do?]

***

The various students are made up of her kouhais, her same-year peers, and senpais, but it seems that Elena is popular with all generations. What I just heard was from the guys, but from the previous exchange, I think she’s also popular among the female students.

However, that last one over there, I’ll remember your face. The heck do you mean this monkey is no good? Monkeys are handy and smart.

Chasing after Elena, I grabbed her hand and walked alongside her. After holding hands, I looked at that guy just now and consciously raised a smirk.

Thereupon, that senpai, who perhaps understood something upon seeing my face, quickly looked away and walked somewhere else.

Well, he probably didn’t think I could hear what he was saying, but I suppose I was able to make him think I was on the lookout.

[Oog oog ooga. (You seem to be adored by your kouhais, Elena.)]

[Hmm? I guess so. They’re thankfully relying on me. Well, it may be because we’re from a Frontier County, a noble family who values horizontal ties.]

Elena seems to have a clear understanding of her position, leading to such impressions, but judging from their reactions, it seems like there is more to it than just that.

I think it’s safe to assume that Elena’s personality is what attracts them.

When I told her this, Elena only said “I see”, looking a little embarrassed, and seemingly trying to hide it, she quickened her pace.

Well, having the fact that you’re admired pointed out must be embarrassing. Yeah, I’ve had that experience too. That was a long time ago though.

＊＊＊

The task at the place where Elena and I were headed was completed without delay. Even though it’s referred to as a task, the submission of the task “obtaining a familiar” is done when the entire grade gathers, so it apparently won’t take place here. What will be done here is the registration of the familiar to be submitted to the academy.

Even though it might seem troublesome to have that registration separate from the task, if that’s the rule, we have to follow it. Since this academy is under the leadership of the King, deviating from the rules could be seen as a serious offense, and in the worst-case scenario, one could even be suspected of treason.

When registering, the teacher reminded us that during our time in the Royal Capital, I would be identified as an Arm Kong, not a Goldback.

It’s rare to contract Arm Kong as a familiar, but it’s not as rare as a Goldback, so it seems we’re gonna adopt that.

Originally, it seemed like it was acceptable to simply claim one’s a Goldback, as long as the truth couldn’t be verified. However, the teacher apologetically said Duke Cloud’s son’s blunder brought about a situation like this.

Even though the teacher has nothing to be sorry about, I guess his position requires him to bow his head in apology. I was convinced of that when Elena said so after we left after the registration was completed.

At any rate, it seemed that this was the end of what we had to do today, so we headed back to Elena’s dorm room. Apparently, a familiar like me is allowed to live in the Master’s room.

If I’m bigger and don’t want to wear this shrinking collar, I would apparently have to stay in special stables.

[What do you want to do, Gorimatsu?]

[Oog. Oog oog. (Let’s see. I guess I’m hungry.)]

I hadn’t eaten since I had been packing my bags at the Gladysbalt’s Royal Capital residence and coming to school, so I was hungry by now.

I really wanted to process the materials and bear inside my magic bag, but unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time. I’ll have to delay it for next week’s day off.

[Well then, for the time being, let’s eat in the dining hall.]

[Oog! (Unn!)]

We walked to the dining hall. Come to think of it, we were still holding hands. I held hands with her to act like a menace around the boys, but walking like this felt surprisingly good.

Now then, let’s see what we can eat. Ah, of course, bananas are a must.