Charles-Henri Sanson

“Hmm… where to look?”

　After leaving my former Master, he passed out, to a nearby clinic, we decided to go to a real estate agent at the suggestion of Vice-Principal Harman.

“The entrance ceremony will be two months from now. I will find a place for you to live for these two months.”

“I understand that.. aren’t you going to a real estate agent? This is definitely not a place for a real estate agent?”

　It’s a shop with a misaligned signboard. It’s full of dust and smells like paint.

　The right side of the complex is a vacant house, and the left side is a confectionery shop run by a frail grandmother looking person. It’s a pretty low traffic area.

 “Seker’s art store. It’s a small one but full of good paintings. It’s my favorite store.”

“Art store?”

“An art store is a place that sells paintings.”

“I understand. We were looking for a place for me to stay though?”

“That’s right. Let’s enter.”

“Huh?”

　Vice Principal Harman enters the store.

　For the time being, I followed Vice-Principal Harman.

“Welcome.”

　The shopkeeper with round glasses greets us while looking at the newspaper with his eyes looking down.

　The interior of the art store had a peaceful and mysterious atmosphere, unlike the impression I received from the exterior. A beautiful performance echoes from the music box placed on the counter, calming the mind. The walls are lined with paintings. The chairs and trash cans that are placed are all elaborate works of art, and you can see the intention that normal things are not in this art store.

　Looking at the painting, I noticed a bias in the genre. All are just pictures of different varieties of houses.

　Vice-Principal Harmane stops in front of a painting depicting a candy house made of chocolate and ice cream and asks, “How about this?”

“It’s a candy house. Didn’t you yearn for it when you were a kid? No, you’re not the type who yearns for something like this.”

“That .. Why are you looking at that painting?”

“You’ve decided to choose a property. Pick one. If it wasn’t clear, due to your lacking brain, these each have houses in them that extend beyond the world of mere paint. I’ll help with barrier construction.”

　Is that so? 

“… I don’t like the candy house. Insects are likely to gather. I feel uncomfortable when surrounded by a sweet smell. It melts regardless.”

“Hey! You have an opinion with no dreams or hopes. Choose your favorite house. Of course, I’ll give you the money.”

“Anything is fine as long as it’s not a candy house.”

　Any house would be better than my old one.

“OK, let’s do this.”

　Vice-Principal Harman chose a house floating above the clouds.

　I grab the shoulder of Vice-Principal Harman and stop them.

“It’s okay to have a normal house! Normal house! Please not a house where you can die instantly if you step out of such a house!”

“You’re the one who said anything is fine? Ah! The one over there is also nice … It’s a castle with limbs. I’m sure it will move!”

“… I’m sorry. I’ll choose it myself.”

　I chose a mansion where aristocrats seemed to live. Vice-Principal Harman seems to be dissatisfied.

“It’s a boring house”

“I don’t want the place I live to be interesting”

　Waiting outside the store for Vice-Principal Harman to finish the checkout. After she joins me, Vice-Principal Harmane  and I enter a vacant house next to the house art store.

　In a room with a spider web on the ceiling, Vice-Principal Harman pulls out the painting she bought and casts a spell.

“[Wilkrich Kite]”

　Magic circles and spells are engraved on the painting. Then the picture was distorted and the picture began to sway like the surface of the water.

　I and Vice-Principal Harman reach for painting. Our bodies are sucked into the painting, and when I noticed, I was standing on a field. A painting depicting the interior of the vacant house is floating behind me, and a mansion is in front of me.

“I’ll have you live here for two months from today.”

　The entrance ceremony is April 1st, and today is February 1st. There are two months left until admission.

　I will spend two months in a mansion.. Inside a painting. This is my first time to enter a room with a fireplace. I lean my large sword wrapped in a bandage against the wall and look at the back of Vice-Principal Harmane.

“It’s late, but was it alright that you, the vice-principal, suddenly left the exam?”

“It’s okay because my responsibilities were taken over properly”

“At the time of document screening, the students I wanted were checked. No matter how much they did in practice, they would pass without any further examination.They already took the required testing. There was no point in staying there.”

　Beds, tables, chairs and carpets. I don’t think it was made by magic. It feels how one would imagine and works properly, I believe. No matter how much magic, it should be extremely difficult to make something like this. 

　However, it’s a dream-like environment compared to the past when I lived in a piggery.

“Isn’t it a dream environment for a poor man like you?”

“… You’re a rude person.”

　The feeling of gratitude diminished at once.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll ask you to take the test.”

“Test?”

“Magical skill test, magic knowledge test, physical test, mental test. There are 4 tests in total. Let me measure your current ability score accurately. All new students must take this test. “

　That’s why I decided to take the magic skill test first.

“The magic skill test is a test that measures the skill level of 4 types of possessed magic. It’s like saying 25 points if you can use 1 type magic perfectly, 100 points if you can use 4 types perfectly. You can only use baptism. No matter how hard you try, you get 25 points. I know your magic skill level in the practical test, so this should be a pass. “

“How many points for my baptism?”

“It’s 23 points. You used baptism at least a thousand times, so your use of baptism was wonderful.”

　Still 23 points. I need a bit more.

“Next, it’s a paper test … Can you read and write letters?”

　I’m a slave.

　It can’t be helped if I couldn’t read.  I’ve seen slaves who can’t actually read, and I’ve seen slaves whose words are ambiguous.

“Before I became a slave, I had a decent education until I was six, and even after I became an executioner a girl named Henri taught me. I’m okay.”

　I can read and write characters.

　However, general knowledge will be less than that of human beings of the same generation. Knowledge of non-magic and magic should be inferior to others.

　Sure enough, the magic knowledge test had no choice but to solve the problem by intuition. As a result, 34 points.

“Well, as expected, the magic field is devastating, but it’s surprising to get 34 points on the paper test.”

“34 points is low, isn’t it?”

“You have knowledge of magic. You can say it’s not. Such a person has 34 points onthis test with many different questions. “

　In addition, Vice-Principal Harman teeth flash  a malevolent grin.

　Every time this woman makes this look, she feels scary. I can’t help but shudder.

“Next is the physical test. This is a test without magic, so there is no handicap you would have.”

“… I’m physically confident.”

　The grip strength test broke the instrument and repeated side jumps produced something of an afterimage.

　As the physical test progressed, Vice-Principal Harman’s face was getting more and morepale.

“Oh my god, such a stunning physical ability. Will it happen if I’d swung such a big sword from the age of 8?”

　While wiping the sweat on my cheeks with a towel, I remember those days. Training days to kill people efficiently–

” If I make a mistake, the inmates will suffer more. So I trained hard. To make the death go smoothly.”

　As I said this, Vice-Principal Harman had pitiful eyes.

” Anyway, the physical test is 100 points. The physical ability is definitely the first among new students… No, it may be the number one in the school.”

　Magic skill 23 points, magic knowledge 34 points, physical 100 points.

　Is it a mental test? I don’t know how I’ll do on this one.

“The last is a mental test. Just sit in your chair.”

　Vice-Principal Harman spawns a human-sized object wrapped in a bandage.

　Vice-Principal Harman strips off the bandages and exposes the contents. It was a female mummy whose hair was like a snake.

“This is Medusa’s  corpse, a replica of it. The real thing had the magic of turning existence into a stone. The replica isn’t that strong, so you’ll just experience negative emotions.”

“I understand. How long do I have to stay here for?”

“Even a strong person loses reason if he stays in the space with him for an hour. It’s dangerou. If it gets hard, speak up immediately. Got it?”

　From the calm voice of Vice-Principal Harmane, I can see how dangerous it is.

“Got it.”

“Then I’ll start. I hate this, so when magic is activated, I’ll retreat to another room.”

　Medusa’s eyelids opened.

“–!?”

“[Die! Die!”

“You are pathetic, do not bother living!”

“There is no hope in this world. It will be easier if you die! ”

　The voice of hate and regret that searches for entry into my soul.

　A lot of words that make it feel like it’s good to die.

My field of vision narrowed at once, and I couldn’t see anything other than Medusa.

　It feels like nails are stabbed into the spirit, soul, and heart one by one.

　But–

“Nice try.. bahaha.”

A bit pathetic if you ask me. I’ve had inmates on death row curse my name as my sword cleaves into their neck and blood comes out their mouth, using that precious final breath to wish me an eternity of suffering. What’s a few messages telling me to commit suicide, when my task clearly requires me alive?

　◆

“Three hours have passed. Let’s end it.”

　Vice-Principal Harman put a bandage on Medusa’s eyes and the mental test was over.

“That is one hundred points.”

“Ahahaha.”

　Magical skill test-23 points

　Magic Knowledge Test-34 points

　Physical test-100 points

　Mental test-100 points

　My current ability is as reads.

“I have one request before you enter the school.”

“What is it?”

“You need a last name.. You probably only have the first name Charles. I’ll give you some time to decide.”

“I’m thinking.”

　I approach the nearby table.

　There was a pen and a notepad on the table, so I used the pen to write my full name on the first page of the notepad.

I rip it from its place in the notepad and hand it to Vice-Principal Harman.

“Please change it to this.”

“…Are you sure?”

　Vice-Principal Harman asks me again if I’m sure.

“Yes, please.”

“Charles-Henri Sanson it is.

　I got the name of the person I love and I get to use the privilege of the Sanson name. A win win.

“Well! Then, let’s give you your first homework.”

“Homework?”

　Vice Principal Harman pulls out a small picture frame. There’s nothing in the frame. Deputy Principal Halman thrusts her hand into the picture and pulls out a piece of drawing paper. A picture of a bookshelf is drawn on the drawing paper quickly by Vice-Principal Harman. Vice Principal Halman put her hands on the drawing paper and drew books one after another.

“In the next two months, I’ll have you stuff your general education into your head. It’s not the knowledge of magic, it’s the common sense of the world.”

　The pile of books is likely to reach the ceiling. I involuntarily swallow saliva.

“Magic isn’t the only part of you that’s inferior to people of your generation. How to interact with others, basic etiquette, and the number of words you know. These are already naturally learned by everyone. You don’t learn this at the Yunferno Darts.”

　Looking up at the pile of books, I was frightened.

　Vice-Principal Harman presents a book to me.

“First, how to be ordinary!”