My Beloved Princess ~The Boy Called Incompetent Rises with Only a Sword and the Princess's Devotion~ - Chapter 054: The Teacher Building

In Lower School, six female teachers were enrolled corresponding to the six attributes of fire, water, earth, wind, light, and darkness. Each taught classes in their specialty attribute— for example, fire magic fell under Instructor Meika characterized by her vertical roll curls and heavy makeup.

“If it’s you, Ōka, or anyone at this academy, you know dragonkin are a species that grows stronger by polishing their aptitude attribute.”

—No aptitude attribute.

Dragonkin could only learn magic matching their aptitude. Therefore Kishō was deemed meaningless to attend academy classes and was demanded to withdraw.

“Meaning, even female teachers can’t handle magic outside their aptitude attribute.”

“But you know…”

The roofed connecting corridor.

Rain and wind blew fiercely, and Ōka shivered while speaking.

“Elesia Ignoosis was originally a Westerner— human, right? Humans have aptitude for all attributes, so she should be able to use curse magic, shouldn’t she?”

The weather’s sudden change. Perhaps from that cold, Ōka pressed close as if clinging to his arm. Feeling that body heat on his left side made Kishō flustered as he shook his head gently.

“Even if originally human with aptitude for all attributes, if the body currently being used is dragonkin, she can’t escape this principle. I mean, I’m half human and still bound by this principle.”

And since curse magic was dark attribute, the culprit’s aptitude attribute was inevitably confirmed as darkness.

“Mion-sensei handles dark attribute and Fūga-sensei handles wind attribute. Which is more suspicious is obvious at a glance.”

“Right. Wind attribute dragonkin can’t use curse magic.”

“Yeah, if she could handle attributes besides aptitude, that’d mean I could learn magic too. But needless to say, that’s impossible.”

“So the culprit is Mion-sensei.”

Toward Ōka who showed an honest reaction, Kishō remained cautious.

“As long as I don’t know the academy director’s attribute, I won’t say it’s confirmed. Most suspicious is Mion-sensei, followed by the academy director. Though it was a choice between two, given the aptitude attribute issue, I don’t suspect Fūga-sensei.”

Instructor Mion’s back proceeding down the connecting corridor disappeared into the Teacher Building.

While quickening his pace to not lose sight, Kishō wiped his rain-soaked face.

“Plus there are other suspicious points about Mion-sensei. Elesia Ignoosis could handle [Sword Ki].”

There Kishō saw the girl walking beside him tilt her head questioningly, realized he’d been unclear, and supplemented:

“[Sword Ki] was, well, basically an upgraded version of [Ki] that only master swordsmen who had reached an expert realm could acquire. By the way, only those who had reached the same realm could see or sense it. And Mion-sensei was a master of the sword arts.”

Ōka’s spaced-out “Ohhh” response inserted itself. Shaking his head to avoid being dragged into her easygoing world, Kishō said:

“Mion-sensei was the one who forbade carrying weapons, and Mion-sensei was the one who designated Beast King Forest as the expedition site. Every circumstance points to Mion-sensei as the culprit.”

While talking, they’d arrived at the Teacher Building entrance.

Compared to the main building, it wasn’t especially large. Ivy entwined the stone walls, giving an exterior like a Western mansion standing in a forest. He placed his hand on the thick, solid door. Just as he tried to pull it open in one go, Ōka’s small hands overlapped his, encompassing the grasped doorknob.

“So what are you planning to do from here, Shō-kun?”

“Identify the culprit and kill Elesia Ignoosis.”

Declaring kill rather than defeat was a manifestation of Kishō’s resolve.

Even now he occasionally dreamed of the Princess battered in Beast King Forest. Both arms broken, lying on the ground like a destroyed doll, that blood-soaked, painful figure— each time it appeared as a nightmare, he woke up as if leaping.

If the Princess had been lost, just the thought alone sent a bone-freezing terror through him. A writhing sense of impatience constricted his entire body. Since their engagement, he had become even more keenly aware of her presence. Feeling her genuine devotion against his skin—the dedication she offered—his affection for her grew stronger with each passing day.

—There’s no other woman this good anywhere.

When her ego was erased and the Princess was no longer the Princess, could he endure it? No, absolutely couldn’t endure it.

Precisely for that, to avoid repeating the same mistake, to erase this anxiety, Elesia Ignoosis must be struck down. No matter what sacrifice it required.

But simultaneously, Kishō understood realistically how difficult that was.

“I know. You’re anxious, right? Whether I can do it.”

“I wouldn’t say anxious, but… you should consult with Yō-chan.”

“Can’t do that.”

“Why not!”

“Because Kuroyō is the one being targeted.”

Intruding now was the enemy’s stronghold. Traps being set wouldn’t be strange. Taking the Princess to such a place was far too dangerous.

“Like a moth to flame, a sitting duck. Plus she’s the type who’d protect her comrades without regard for herself.”

Did the Beast King Forest incident flash through her mind? Ōka’s face stiffened with a gasp.

“But then Shō-kun is in danger too!”

“Dragonkin males have a duty to protect the pack. Right?”

“Ugh, that’s true but…”

“Plus I have this. I’m not unarmed.”

He placed his hand on the practice sword hanging at his waist. Wrapped in [Sword Ki], its lethality increased far beyond ordinary real swords. In an all-out fight to the death, Kishō had confidence he wouldn’t lose even to a teacher.

“But it is dangerous. Ōka, you should go back.”

“No. I’m coming too.”

His right hand gripping the doorknob was squeezed tightly. Glancing at Ōka’s chest, he imagined what was hidden inside her dragon robes.

—Evil-warding talisman.

A supreme-class accessory called [Fortress], boasting ironclad defense against curse magic. A masterwork prepared by the Princess, apparently one piece could build a luxurious mansion.

‘(What to do? Probably Ōka protected by the talisman is safe. Plus if traps are set, the talisman’s blessing might activate and expose the spell formulas. But considering worst case…)’

Just as Kishō hesitated, thinking bringing Ōka might have been a mistake, the Teacher Building door creaked open outward. Ōka had pulled the opposite doorknob.

“Stop dawdling and let’s go.”

Saying so, she entered the Teacher Building without hesitation. Like entering the body of a monster with gaping maw. Kishō frantically chased after her.

Passing through the door, moldiness assaulted his nose. And it was terribly dim.

He strained his ears. No footsteps were audible.

Kishō had entered the Teacher Building several times at Instructor Mion’s orders carrying luggage. This side entered from the connecting corridor continuing from the main building was like a back entrance, leading directly inside without passing through an entryway. Stairs existed to the right, and a hallway continuing in an L-shape to the left.

“I’m pretty sure Mion-sensei used the first floor.”

Relying on memory, he headed toward the L-shaped passage.

Partway, lamps with magic-activation formulas responding to human presence ignited. Lamps placed at equal intervals all the way down the long hallway lit simultaneously, orange light shining brilliantly and continuously.

The small light-admitting windows lining the left barely functioned, compounded by the bad weather. Beyond the cold glass, black clouds swirled.

“Dark like nighttime, huh.”

Gazing at raindrops striking the small windows, Ōka said.

“Well, the Teacher Building is always dim though.”

He advanced with careful, stealthy steps. Chilled cold transmitted from the floor through his sandals, and Kishō shivered at the sensation of his soles growing cold. His body stiffened from tension, frozen solid.

Evil lurking in the everyday hid in shadows, even now watching him. Feeling that illusion, Kishō gulped down raw saliva. Maybe he really was being watched by Elesia Ignoosis.

‘(No, that’s not it. I tailed Mion-sensei here. Right now, she’s in her room.)’

When he shook his head as if dispelling doubts, Ōka suddenly jabbed his side.

“Ow! What are you doing?”

“Too much caution. You need to act natural.”

Taking his arm forcefully, Ōka pressed close like couples do and whispered at his ear. The sensation of breasts that shouldn’t exist transmitted slightly to his upper arm along with her body heat. Kishō’s body temperature rose about two degrees, but Ōka exhaled unconcerned.

“So what’s the plan after this?”

Without certainty about the culprit, he couldn’t carelessly make a move. If he attacked an innocent teacher, high probability of being deemed rebellion against the Dragon Emperor.

“First identify the culprit.”

“How?”

“Find the missing female student. Probably the female student processed as a spare is lying there like a soulless doll. And to have her close in case of emergency, it’s human psychology to think of keeping her nearby, right? So where do you think would be a nearby place to hide her without anyone finding her?”

Ōka’s eyes widened as she nodded.

“Right. Private spaces teachers can freely use are only the Teacher Building or dormitories.”

Lower School female teachers rarely set foot on Upper School grounds. From this, the possibility of hiding a female student on Upper School grounds became extremely low. Then the remaining options were the Teacher Building or dormitories, but—

“Housekeepers clean the dormitories. So here is most suspicious.”

In the Teacher Building, dedicated space was allocated per teacher for class preparation. Walls were thick stone, no worry of sound leaking outside. Optimal conditions for hiding a female student.

The Teacher Building was two stories, with first floor containing a reference room and three teachers’ private rooms lined up. Closest was Instructor Fūga’s private room, next to that Instructor Meika’s private room, and finally Instructor Mion’s private room. The reference room was beyond even that.

“But if so, wouldn’t it be better to time our intrusion when Mion-sensei isn’t around?”

Around when they passed Instructor Meika’s private room, Ōka said in a small voice. Since she’d taken his arm and they were pressed together, her breath hit his earlobe.

“If intrusion is discovered, could result in expulsion. First observe. Visit the room as a surprise and see if she shows agitation.”

If she showed even slight agitation, next was forceful measures— attempting intrusion during her absence. The plan-on-the-fly aspect was strong, hardly something that could be called a strategy. However, in the current situation where he couldn’t move carelessly, Kishō’s available options were limited.

They arrived before Instructor Mion’s private room.

An indentation existed in the gap between thick stone walls, and a black-painted iron door was fitted there. On that thick door reminiscent somehow of a prison, Kishō placed his fist while saying confirmingly:

“Got it? Don’t let her realize we’ve noticed her existence.”

“Y-yeah.”

Ōka nodded uncertainly.

Taking a large breath, he bent his wrist to knock—

“What are you two doing there?”

At the reproachful voice, Ōka clinging to his arm flinched with trembling shoulders. Electricity shot down Kishō’s spine too, and he reflexively turned toward the voice. Standing there with both hands on her hips, glaring at them suspiciously with vertical roll curls and heavy makeup— was Instructor Meika.