Chapter 14 – Escape from the Third Princess! –
Translator: Xean
Editor: SevenTails
「Sensei, good morning.」
「Elle-sensei, good morning.」
「Good morning, Willis-sensei.」
「Everyone, good morning」
It’s been a week ever since I became an instructor. The students have gotten used to seeing me and now they greet me normally. Some of them still looked at me weirdly, but for the most part, the atmosphere was relaxed.
Then, as I was walking to my lab to prepare for class, I was called out from behind.
「Sen-sei… Good morning.」
「A-ah… Alice-sama. Good morning, now if you’ll excuse me…」
「…Please wait a minute.」
「Hi~ii~i..!」
I tried to escape, but she grabbed my shoulder with a sheer amount of force.
What!? I tried to escape with the help of alchemy but I was still stopped! How come she’s this strong?!!
That’s right. In fact, I was being approached almost daily by Alice— the third princess of this country. It was no longer in the realm of just stalking. There were even rumours that Alice liked me, and that seemed to be the reason why not many students approached me. I heard about it from Fii, so I’m sure of it. She’s a well-informed person after all.
But still, this princess… I’m not sure if she’s ever going to give up. It’s always a pain to be entangled with her. It’s not that I dislike her, but I don’t want to make too much contact with her.
「What are you having for lunch today, Sensei?」
「I-I’m gonna go to the store or the cafeteria as usual.」
「Fu~n. I see…」
Alice looks at me with an appraising gaze.
Wh-why is she asking me about my lunch? Is she going to extort me again? I think that’s it!
As I was thinking this, Alice said something unexpected.
「Actually, I’ve made a bento.」(TN: 弁当, lunch box)
「Wh-what? A bento? 」
「 I-I made that for you, you know?」
She stared at me with an upturned and strangely captivating stare. It’s true that all I’ve been eating lately has been either purchased or from the cafeteria. Eating fruits and vegetables is enough for me, but just like alchemy, balance is important in everything. Humans need three things: fats, proteins and carbohydrates, and if I want to get them balanced, it’s better to rely on the school cafeteria or buy food. Of course, my original vegetables are included.
Today, I had vegetable sticks to eat, but I haven’t eaten a lunchbox in a long time. Back when I used to go to this school from my parents’ house, my mother used to make me a lunchbox, but now that I live alone, I don’t have that luxury anymore.
Well, I thought it was okay to hang out with this princess once in a while, so I agreed with her suggestion.
「…I got it. Let’s eat on the rooftop」
「Ara? Isn’t the rooftop off-limits?」
「I’ve got the keys for it」
「Oh, dear. What will you do to me on a rooftop where no one comes?」
「Okay, stop with the jokes. We’re just eating lunch there. See you then.」
「See you…」
We part ways, but only for a short time. This was because Alice attended my lectures and sat in the front row.
It’s an original class that I’m teaching this year called “Introduction to Elemental Theory and Alchemy Reconstruction”. In short, it’s a class that teaches how to use alchemy theoretically without alchemy formation.
I became accustomed to this class, but as always, it’s full of students. For some reason, there are even reserved and even standing seats. There are even teachers and people from other countries who come to attend the class.
I was very nervous at first, but I got used to it quickly as it was my area of expertise.
「… That’s all for now. Next time, I’ll talk about the relationship between elemental theory and alchemy.」
With that, I ended the class. The only plan for today was to have lunch with Alice afterwards, and then I’m going to teach Rita in my seminar. When I get home, I’m going to check on Proto again, record the daily findings and go to bed. It’s the perfect workflow. As I was pondering about it, Alice approached me.
「Sensei, let’s go!」
「A-ah… it’s early, but okay.」
Alice was very close to me. Even when we walk out of the classroom, she’s glued right next to me. And then there are whispering voices within the classroom.
「I knew that they were made for each other.」
「Wow, a princess and a Blue Stellar Class really suit each other.」
「Yes, that’s right~ They both look pretty great together.」
The rumours spread quickly, but I wasn’t aware of it because right now I was too busy thinking about Proto. Thus, it was left as trouble for the near future.
—–§ § §—–
「Un! This is good!」
「Fu~fu~fu. Isn’t it?」
Today was a sunny and quite pleasant day on the rooftop. I always ate lunch here by myself because I needed to take my ‘walking corn’ out in the sunshine regularly. I didn’t bring them today though.
In fact, I’ve been using this place ever since I was a student. I made a promise to Fii that I wouldn’t run rampant on campus, and in exchange, she gave me a key to the place. It’s the most convenient place for me. Since no one ever comes here.
I ate the delicious bento that Alice brought with her. Everything seems to be homemade— from fried eggs to mini-hamburgers, rice balls, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and cabbage. It’s a nice, stable lineup. But still, I wonder if Alice really made it?
「Did you really make this?」
「…… Ma~a! Do you doubt me? It’s really my homemade work. I’m royalty, so I can cook a dish or two that easy.」
「Fu~n. Is that how it works?」
I continue to eat using chopsticks. Delicious. I should offer something back in return.
「Alice, I’ll give you this」
「What’s this?」
「Vegetable sticks」
「Vegetable sticks?」
「I eat these vegetable sticks along with my special mayonnaise」
I take the vegetable sticks out of the tupperware and serve the mayonnaise in a small bowl. The mayonnaise on the market has a lot of oil, but mine was less oily and a little more acidic. It goes really well with the vegetables.
「Well, if you’ll excuse me… Itadakimasu」(TN: Itadakimasu, “thanks for the food.”)
Alice picked up a vegetable stick and dipped it in the mayonnaise, then took a bite out of it. Instantly, Alice’s face flushes with astonishment.
「Oh my goodness! I~It’s so~o delicious!」
「It’s my homegrown vegetables and special mayonnaise. There’s no way it’s bad.」
I spoke with a smug look on my face and took a piece to eat too. Yummy! It’s too good! I love my genius sense of farming, but boasting is not good. I have to reach higher heights. I’d like to commercialize this but now is not the time. I need more samples.
We continued with our lunch when Alice suddenly changed the subject.
「Speaking of which, Sensei. Have you heard about the Mystics?」
「Mystics? Ah… now that you mentioned it…」
I remembered what Fii had told me the other day.
「Actually, the mystics are upset that we’re monopolizing, Elle.」
「Ha? What’s that? Do they think I’m being forced by a nobleman?
「Unn. Elle is working at the Academy now, aren’t you? And we own this academy. “They’re keeping him there,” “How dare they confine that great talent to a cage like an academy!” They’re releasing papers like that, so I was called to the lord’s meeting… and that’s what happened. That’s why I’ve told you, Elle.」
「Ha~a… what are mystics up to? Do they really have a lot of free time for this?」
「I don’t know about them… but I’m pretty sure they’re singling out Elle. At first, they said you were some kind of fanatic exposing God’s deeds or something, but now it’s more like the idea that you’re a God that is taking root.」
「God? Me?」
「Yeah. God of Alchemy」
「Not the God of Crops?」
「That isn’t… Well, that’s why you have to be careful.」
「I understand. I’ll keep it in mind.」
And the talk ended with that, but is it such a big deal for Alice to say that?
「I’ve also heard from Fii that I’m a God or something」
「Tsk. That woman again?」
「Oi. Are you there, black princess?」 (TN: 黒い王女)
「Oh, excuse me. Oh-ho-ho. So, yeah, some wicked people worship you as a God. They say, “The God of Alchemy is coming!” or “Praise the God of Alchemy!” and so on.」
「Uhe~e… I’m not a God of Alchemy… I’m the God of Crops…」
「Actually, there’s a considerable amount of mystics even among the royal family. My brother is one of them…」
「Ah… That famous story about the second prince.」
「Well… he’s pestering me to introduce him to Sensei, but it’s best if you don’t meet him. You can meet him at the time of our wedding though.」
「Ha~ha… is that right…?」
「Ara. I really mean it. Oh, ho-ho-ho.」
「You think that’s funny?」
I said that and gave Alice a light hand chop to her head.
「Ouch! What are you doing to a princess!? I’ll file a lawsuit! Take responsibility by marrying me!」
「Come on. Calm down, Alice」
「I don’t want to. It’s not often that I get hit, so… ohohohoho.」
「But then again, the mystics… I hope nothing happens.」
Then, the rooftop door slammed open. I locked it from the outside, but from that fact that it opens, there is only a certain someone who would be coming.
「Elle, I need to talk to you for a moment… ah.」
It was Fii who came over while Alice was clinging to my right arm. Before I could react, she was entangled with my arm.
「We-well… did I interrupt you or something?」
「Yeah. You’re a disturbance. We’re about to do something even more amazing…」
「… Gulp. Something amazing?」
「That’s right, Fii. Something amazing, isn’t that right, Elle?」
「Ha~a… Elle, you’ve been caught by this tomboy princess again. Come on, let’s go to my lab to talk about the subject.」
「A~ah… I understand」
I try to break free from Alice’s grip, but I can’t.
「Oi, Alice, Seriously. Let me go.」
「Tsu~n. You’d rather be with that woman than me? Do you like that woman ten years older than you?」
「Fu~fu~fu, you can tell it to me directly. Little girl…」
Ah, this is bad.
I thought about it and quickly activated transfer alchemy on the spur of the moment. I immediately jumped through the first pledge primamateria, transferring me and Fii to the lab.
「… Otto!」
「Ouch!」
I succeeded in landing, but Fii fell down on her butt. It’s not the first time she used it, but I guess she’s a klutz. I give Fii a hand and she shyly stands up.
「Give me a signal when you’re going to activate the transfer alchemy! You scared the h**l out of me!」
「I’m sorry. I had to do this or Alice wouldn’t have let me go.」
「Well, that’s alright. So, back to the main subject…」
And I got a startling revelation from Fii.