The Villainess Who Was Dumped Got Married into My Family, a Mob Noble from the Frontier, and Turns Out, She's an Amazing Capable Wife? - Chapter 37: Event, The Mob, Poolside

Chapter 37: Event, The Mob, Poolside

After the commotion in the deepest part of the dungeon, everything came to an end without any further incidents. 

Both of them were safe without any physical injuries from the battle, but I was a bit worried about Alicia, who seemed to have had her trauma triggered. 

Neither Mariana nor I knew the specific details about her duel.

Is there a connection between the scar from a burn on Alicia’s left eye and that flame?

It’s impossible to think there’s no connection, at least that’s what I believe. 

On the other hand, Patricia, who has taken Mariana’s place, will require that pendant, one of the sacred artifacts essential for advancing the story from this point onward.

Well, I do want to help Alicia with her trauma, but overcoming emotional trauma is something only the person who is suffering can do. 

All I can do is be there for her.

It’s frustrating to a degree, but I believe that Alicia, if anyone, can surely overcome her emotional trauma.

If it really becomes too much, I’ll just have to make her forget during the summer vacation Brave-style boot camp.

I’ll give her an experience so shocking that it makes her forget. 

Aside from Alicia’s trauma, thinking everything was going smoothly since we got the necessary sacred artifact, I faced one important problem. 

“Sir Ragna, aren’t you going to swim? It’s a nice pool after all!”

“Later is fine. We’ll wait for Alicia to come.”

Sitting on a bench by the poolside, Mariana appeared in front of me wearing a competitive swimsuit.

Her thick glasses added to her plain look, but due to her status as the former protagonist, her figure was exceptional.

Being a commoner and a sage’s progeny, her position was somewhat precarious due to Patricia causing trouble, but she managed to maintain a dignified stance, which prevented her from attracting much negativity.

In fact, several people in our class have started to notice her charm, but due to considerations for other nobles, they can’t get too close, resulting in a lot of secret admirers.

“Why bother with such a loser… no need to deal with that sort of person…”

“Hey, spread weird rumors and you’ll get cursed.”

“Remember what happened to those who were harassing her…”

“Wasn’t all that just an accident? Rumors are just rumors, right?”

As a result of talking with Mariana in class, the guys’ hostility was now directed at me.

Making friends like Alicia does feels like an impossible dream for me.

“When will Alicia arrive?”

“It’s better if she doesn’t come now, considering how things are.”

“Yeah, you’re right…” 

We, who knew the whole situation, watched the bustling pool with a distant gaze.

“Patricia! You can’t swim, right? Let me teach you how!”

“Your Highness Edward… but I’m really not good with water…”

“It’s okay, I’m here with you. Let’s start by getting into the water slowly.”

“Your Highness, I was the one who taught you how to swim, remember? So, when it comes to swimming and water magic, leave it to me, Russell Gran Cascade.”

“Heh, isn’t swimming and magic totally different?” 

“What are you talking about? When it comes to mastering water magic, being immersed in water and understanding it is crucial. In other words, becoming one with the water.”

Pool classes are conducted all at once, similar to dungeon practices. 

It’s kind of like an event in a game world. 

It’s a perfect opportunity for the protagonist to mingle with love interests from different classes, and it’s also the best stage to see good-looking guys in swimsuits.

It feels like a reward event after a dungeon battle.

So, the school’s large pool was buzzing with activity thanks to a reverse harem gathering. 

Eh, why do we have pool classes?

I have no idea… 

Ancient sages were said to train their water magic through swimming, and this tradition has led to the institution of pool classes, that’s the history behind it. 

To me, it seems like an excuse to showcase illustrations of handsome guys by the poolside, but there is indeed such a background. 

There were indeed basic water magic classes held in front of the pool, so it can be said they were quite serious about it.

As for me, getting to see Alicia in a swimsuit is a delight. 

Though I wonder why it’s a competitive swimsuit?

Probably because someone decided that tight competitive swimsuits are better than flashy ones with patterns.

“Hawawa, I was hoping to practice water magic, but it looks like I won’t be able to do much practice here…”

“Isn’t it dangerous to practice in the pool in the first place?”

“It’s not about practicing dangerous things. You soak in the water and use magic to wrap yourself with water to grasp the image. With Sir Ragna’s skills, I thought you might have done such practices…?” 

“My case is a bit special.”

I never skip training to survive, but my practice mainly focuses on actual combat when it comes to magic.

It’s always a matter of life and death, so instead of relying on something to visualize, it’s about thinking for yourself and finding the best solution.

…It might be considered barbaric, like being called a savage or monkey, but no matter how much you practice, you hardly perform half as well in real combat. 

It’s just a matter of dying sooner or later. 

“I’m curious about what kind of practice Sir Ragna does!”

While Mariana and I were experiencing the mood of extras by the poolside, suddenly, a soccer ball-sized water ball flew towards us.

“Oops, my hand slipped! Dodge it, please?”

“Hyaa!?” 

That was Ekaterina’s voice. 

Expecting some nonsensical move from her, I prepared to deploy a barrier, but before that, a fireball of the same size collided with the water ball, evaporating it. 

“Using attack magic during this class is not allowed.”

Turning around, I saw one of the love interest characters, Jelasis Gran Ignite, standing there. 

The handsome redhead, wearing the school-designated competitive swimsuit with a black hoodie featuring red stripes, was looking straight at Ekaterina with his inscrutable eyes.

“Oh dear, sorry? My hand slipped.”

“If it wasn’t on purpose, then it’s fine.”

But how does one’s hand “slip” when they’re told not to use offensive magic?

It’s clearly on purpose.

Ekaterina, who approached with her entourage, glanced at the reverse harem pool and said,

“Your Highness, shouldn’t you just ignore a commoner who can’t even swim? The presence of such thoughtless commoners makes it difficult for the rest of us to practice, you know?” 

That’s true.

But it’s not about commoners in general; it’s about Patricia specifically.

“If you can’t swim, you can’t practice properly.”

“Commoners can’t swim, right?”

“You shouldn’t generalize about commoners.” 

“It’s the truth, though.” 

“Edward is following the school’s rules. You all are the ones causing disruption.”

“That’s just a pretense, isn’t it? Outside this school, between commoners and nobles, what I’m doing is not discrimination but distinction. If commoners don’t understand their place, they’re the ones who will suffer later, right?”

“Still, this is a school.”

“Tch, the nerve of someone who can’t even inherit their family’s title. You talk of ideals, but what His Highness and the others are doing is excessive favoritism. If that’s not discrimination, then I’d like someone to explain the difference to me.”

After saying that, Ekaterina left with her entourage. 

The difference between discrimination and excessive favoritism, huh?

I kind of get what she’s trying to say.

When you actually find yourself in the role of an extra, that reverse harem scene really looks bizarre. 

I can understand why the other nobles might feel resentful. 

But that’s no excuse for harassment, right?

Speaking of which, with two rather high-ranking nobles in front of her, Mariana, who is not fond of nobles, was…

“Awawawa, my, my glasses…” 

She fell down in shock, and her glasses slid off, ending up like a headband, and she kept searching for them.

“W-where did my glasses go!?” 

It seemed like she didn’t hear Ekaterina and Jelasis’s conversation at all, and honestly, it was like a miracle.

“You’re having a tough time, huh?” 

I found the situation amusing, so I didn’t point out that her glasses were already on her head and just let her be.

Then, for some reason, Jelasis, who was standing right in front of us, struck up a conversation. 

“…Aren’t you going to join them?”

“I’m not good with water.”

It’s strange that he decided to talk to me out of the blue, considering we’ve never interacted since I arrived at the school.

It was actually my first conversation with one of the characters you could pursue in the story.