Episode 10

The Academic Kingdom <Yunferno Darts>

“You’ve got no luggage besides that?”

　Looking at the painting wrapped in cloth Rand asks me dubiously.

“Yeah. That’s it.”

“Hey, you’re screwed… changing clothes… procuring everything locally is the only option I suppose… good luck.”

“New students. Come here!”

　Standing in front of the students who got off the train is a female teacher with a mouse on her head. 

With that fluffy hair, smile, mouse and gentle demeanor it’s very simple to recognize her as the gatekeeper from exam day/

“I’m Yunfa. I’ll guide you to the entrance ceremony. Please line up in three rows! You!”

　As soon as we met eyes, Yunfa ran up.

“You’re the boy with the fever! I’m the one who brought you to the medical office, do you remember?”

“Yes, thank you for that.”

　Yunfa smiles a gentle smile and whispers close to my ear.

“I know your identity, Executioner.”

“The thing is……”

“I know, because Vice-Principal Harman has informed all the teachers.”

　My identity is not hidden from the teachers, it seems.

“That’s troubling.”

　This time anger rises within Yunfa’s voice.

“Vice-Principal Harman is a tyrant. I was originally a student of them.. Even after becoming a teacher, I still remember. Be careful. “

　The smile disappears from Yunfa’s face.

　I don’t know whether to believe them so I just nod.

“Teacher! Ready to leave!”

　Rand said,  Yunfa towed the freshmen and started walking.

“Alright, we’re all ready so I’m leaving!”

　Upon exiting the station, a brick-built city dominated my line of sight.

　It’s a beautiful cityscape. Students are walking too and fro.

　What is intriguing is the difference between the uniforms worn by the students.

“The clothes are all different..?.”

　The uniforms vary considerably.

　A uniform with a blue dragon on its back. A jacket with wide cuffs and a length below the knee is fastened with a string at the waist… Was the name of that garment a happi coat? 

　The uniform with a vermilion bird on its back has more parts than the others. White gloves, long-sleeved jacket with many buttons, and long trousers. There is also a hat, kinda ike a military cap. It’s a very dressy uniform.

“Uniform design changes from class to class,” Yunfa told me.

　At first glance, you can tell which class the student belongs to.

　However, it seems expensive to change the uniform for each class, but how is it related to Yunferno Darts?

“There are many facilities for club activities here. If you have a club that interests you, keep it in mind.”

　After passing through the club area, Rand appeared wherever he went.

“It’s a short walk to our school building. “

　We must walk across a stone bridge to reach it. Below is a strait.

　I enjoy the scenery from the top of the bridge, and when you cross the bridge, you see a enormous building in front of you.

“We’ve arrived. This is the center of the school area. Our school building, also known as Anbā Castle for its reddish-brown color.”

　I thought I wouldn’t be surprised anymore, but I was surprised.

　It’s a castle.

　It’s also a castle much bigger than the test site.

　It might be better to call it a fortress. There are walls and gates. I thought it was a mistake, but there is also a cannon. It seems that the fighting power is high.

“First, we will distribute the uniform. Please come to pick it up from the person when your name is called. When you receive the uniform, move to the locker room, put your luggage and change into the uniform. As soon as you finish changing clothes, move on to the 3rd floor to gather in the dancing hall.”

　My name is called and I get a uniform in a paper bag.

　Next is the locker room.

　I put my luggage there and change into my uniform.

　I wear a white shirt, black long trousers, and a white robe down to my knees. A picture of a tiger is drawn on the back of the robe.

“Wow, that’s cool! After all, if you’re a magician so it’s a robe …!”

　After wearing my uniform, I look around.

　The clothes are different.

　Rand is the same as me, and there are other people in the same uniform, but most of them are people with different clothes.

“What’s this? Except for me, you and a couple of others the uniforms are different …”

“I asked Ms. Yunfa earlier, but it seems that the uniforms are different for each class.”

“Hmm? Then you and I are in the same class! Good luck!”

“Mmm.. Likewise.”

“The pattern on the back is different. I and Charles are white tigers, but the other guys are birds, dragons, and turtles with snake tails? Wonder what that means.”

　◆

　The students who had changed their clothes were gathered in the dance hall on the 3rd floor of Anbā Castle.

　It’s a room that can be danced in by about 1000 people. There is a long reddish brown carpet on the floor.

　People gather in a row. How many are there … there may be more than 500 people.

“Uhe-it’s amazing. Is there such thing as an only  black magician course?”

“Well, you don’t know. There are 19 other courses related to magic here. It seems that the other courses will have an entrance ceremony on another day.”

　Of the 20 courses, this number is in the first grade of one course.

　Yunferno Darts has up to 6th grade, so assuming that there are 500 students in 1st grade of 1 course, 500x20x6 … about 60,000 people! ?? I can’t believe it…

“Yes, yes, line up properly ~! The principal’s greetings will begin ~”

　Students are ordered by the teacher to line up and stand side by side.

　The teachers lined up in a row in front of the students. Some teachers have familiar faces.

　Mr. Garadoon, the man who used Cerberus in the exam.

　Yunfa is smiling with a mouse on their head.

　There is also that green-haired man, Antoine, who bumped into him on the train.

　I can’t see Vice-Principal Harman.

A man with make up like a clown comes out from the line of teachers.

“My name is Alan Logos, the principal of Yunferno Darts! “

　Is that the principal? I want to believe that it is a mistake.

“… Is the principal like that clown? Is that okay? This school!”

　It seems that he had the same worries as I did.

“Good morning, freshmen. Everyone is curious about my appearance. Why am I wearing clown-like makeup! To explain that, first of all, about my breakfast today.”

“… Principal, please be brief.”

　A teacher holding a pipe rushes in.

“It’s common sense that the principal’s story is uselessly long? Well, this isn’t the main event.”

\\\

“There are all kinds of things in our school island, from ancient times to east and west! A secret medicine for translation that enables you to talk with animals! A history book that describes everything that happened in this world from what happened 100 million years ago to the present. There is golden beef that are far more delicious than marbled beef, and there is also an endless pumpkin juice boiling spring! The faculty members are among the best in the world and teach you a lot of wonderful magic. At our school, we are prepared to make all our dreams come true! 

If you can’t make your dreams come true after graduating from this school, it’s because of your talent or lack of effort! Do you understand? You can’t blame the environment! No excuses! “

　The faces of the students have changed.

  Principal Alan Logos returns to the line.

“…”

　Principal Alan Logos glanced at me just before returning to the line. Is it over self-consciousness that makes me feel like he’ seen me?

　The entrance ceremony shifts from greetings to business communication.

“Your classification is already over. Get together in each class.”

　A teacher holding a comically long pipe gives instructions.

“The class can be understood by looking at the pattern on the back of the uniform.

　The student with the blue dragon pattern is the Azure Dragon

   The bird-patterned student with red wings spread is the Vermillion Bird,

　The student with the turtle is the Black Tortoise-“

　Me and Rand are the White Tiger?

　Students with the same pattern will gather together.

　A total of 18 students had the pattern of the white tiger that gathered. Less than other groups. Others have a population of 30 or less than 50.

“Everyone, together. Well then, I’ll start explaining recreation.”

“Recreation, play?”

“Hey! To get along with my classmates, right?”

“Interesting!”

“Eh ~? Isn’t it a little annoying? Shouldn’t this place be more study oriented?”

　Recreation.

　It’s a recreation without notice.I have a bad feeling.

“It’s easy to do. Find a dedicated school building for your class by 17:00, 8 hours from now. We have a school building for each class.”

“Your school building is hidden by the magic of transparency. It’s impossible to walk around and find it normally. The hint to the location of the school building is in the treasure chest

.”

　Behind the teacher with the pipe, there are as many treasure chests as there are classes.

“We allow the use of magic. Use hints and magic to find the class school building.-Oh yeah. All students that couldn’t find the class school building by 17:00 will drop out immediately. No– “

　The students changed their complexion when they heard the sentence after “Oh yeah”.

“Begin!”

　At the same time as the explanation was over, the teacher clapped his hands.

　White smoke blows in the dance hall.

　By the time the white smoke disappeared, the teachers were no longer there.