Chapter 23 – At Peresford Academy

“Theodore-sama, over here.”

Grace, seated on the bench, patted her thigh area lightly with a very happy smile.

“Ah… yeah”

I lay down quietly. This put me in a position to receive a lap pillow from Grace.

Grace cheerfully began cleaning my ears with an ear pick she’d picked up. For me, this was a situation where I had to clear my mind.

“Please tell me if it hurts.”

“Yeah. It feels just right.”

Grace seemed rather starved for physical contact. Ever since we returned from diving into the labyrinth—that is, after my released form—these kinds of events had increased a bit, perhaps as a way to relieve the backlash.

…We still haven’t had relations.

Given our age, and Grace doesn’t seem very worldly so she probably doesn’t have that kind of knowledge either.

…It’s not that I’m trying to act unnecessarily gentlemanly by saying premarital relations are wrong. The main reason is that I can’t help but feel that once we cross that line, there’ll be no stopping it.

Considering the future, if that happened now it would only become a scandal. And if we ended up having a child, all our carefully laid life plans would be ruined.

Having to worry about such things at ten years old… hmm. These memories and common sense from my past life really have their pros and cons…

Given my body’s developmental stage, it’s fine for now… but I wonder what will happen once I grow a bit more. …I’ll just have to work hard to lay the groundwork by then.

“Speaking of which, Theodore-sama starts at the academy tomorrow, right?”

Grace said, as if remembering the contents of the materials we’d received from Peresford Academy.

“Ah, the life magic lecture?”

“Yes.”

Whether you call it a lecture or a workshop.

The life magic lectures run year-round, but they rotate through the entire curriculum, so I waited until one cycle ended to start from the beginning.

And so, the next day arrived. I came to the academy.

The room I’m currently in reminds me of a university lecture hall. The student seats are arranged in a radial pattern on steps overlooking the lecturer’s platform… it’s the same structure. Though it’s more compact, not particularly large.

Even for nobles, attendants and servants aren’t permitted to accompany them to lectures. I told Grace that if she wanted to learn something, she could attend the academy herself, but she firmly refused.

She argued that she hadn’t found anything she wanted to learn badly enough to pay the high tuition, and while life magic is convenient, unless she could verify whether she could actually use it after I taught her, the tuition would be wasted.

Well, it’s true… Dhampirs have different magical aptitude than ordinary humans, so even if they possess high magical power, it’s questionable whether they can learn normal magic. If she paid tuition but couldn’t use life magic, that would be problematic, so being cautious like that isn’t wrong…

For that reason, Grace should currently be in the waiting room next to this lecture hall, spending her time doing embroidery. This is the kind of facility you’d expect from Peresford, which also provides noble education.

While Peresford doesn’t allow servants, attendants, or escorts to accompany nobles to lectures, they’ve made arrangements to accommodate noble whims to some extent. Well… currently, that shadow mercury is lurking in her shadow, so her bodyguard situation is perfect. And she’s within immediate reach.

—I scanned my gaze around, looking at the assembled attendees. With nobles, you can generally tell by their appearance, mannerisms, speech patterns, and overall atmosphere… but the ratio here is about three nobles, five commoners, and two of unclear status. Essentially, the noble ratio per headcount is high.

Life magic is often thought to be used by commoners due to its purpose, but in reality, there’s consistent demand from lower to upper nobility. This result is reflected in the composition of the lecture attendees.

While there’s no scientific evidence or concept like genetics… there’s a background of influential people like nobles and wealthy merchants wanting to incorporate magicians into their families, so a relatively high proportion of nobles have magical talent.

Therefore, naturally, many noble children try to learn magic. Among them, the reasons for learning life magic… well, there are several.

For example, the motivations of those like knight barons and baronets with limited financial means are quite legitimate.

They somehow manage to scrape together tuition money to establish themselves or gain titles… but their households are often short-handed. Some learn life magic themselves to improve daily convenience.

Wealthy noble children have different reasons. Some might be thinking about when they’ll leave the household as non-heirs, but life magic is valued beyond its purpose as a means to intuitively learn magical control and conversion methods for various elements.

In my case, it’s simply because learning life magic would be convenient. It would also allow me to carry less luggage when diving into labyrinths.

I’ve been biased toward learning only attack magic and magic useful for labyrinth exploration, so my acquisition order is completely reversed, but I shouldn’t worry about that.

“You said it was an important magic lecture, but it’s life magic!? Why should I have to learn such boring magic now! This is something for the lower classes!”

“E-everyone knows of Talcott-sama’s talent! But this is by Maurice-sama’s instruction!”

“Ah, shut up! Always bringing up my father’s name!”

One corner of the classroom grew noisy. …Well. It seems there are still noble children who don’t understand its significance.

A servant or attendant was desperately trying to placate a noble child with a red face shouting angrily. He looked about fourteen or fifteen.

Maurice and Talcott, huh? From the Cardiff Count family… I think?

Maurice is a central official who also holds territory in the provinces… but apparently leaves its management to retainers. His son Talcott has considerable magical talent but is quite rough. And his parent lets him run wild, or so I’ve heard. I’ve heard other things too… but well, it’s not important.

Noble society is made up of gossip to some extent. Even between central and provincial areas, rumors reach even an illegitimate child’s ears. Scandals especially.

Anyway, the Cardiff family, both parent and child, aren’t people I hear good rumors about. As if confirming those rumors, others were watching their disgraceful behavior with rather cold eyes.

Sigh… Their behavior reminds me of the two idiots from my family. The fact that they’re also a count family makes me feel… various unpleasant things.

While others were sneering, I had my own thoughts and couldn’t find it amusing—it didn’t seem like entertaining spectacle at all. Anyway, they seemed to have settled things in the direction of somehow increasing other magic lectures or something.

Ashley entered the classroom after the commotion had settled down, a little later. Quite good timing. I would have preferred to avoid seeing such an unsightly spectacle too.

“Ah, Theodore-sama. Good morning.”

“Good morning, Ashley-sama.”

Ashley scanned the classroom, found me, broke into a smile, approached, and sat beside me.

“Theodore-sama, is this your first lecture today?”

“I only plan to take life magic.”

If Rosetta or someone taught combat arts, I might have taken those lectures too.

Unfortunately, she specializes in recovery magic lectures, so it’s more likely Ashley will be the one receiving her instruction.

“Speaking of which, how is your recovery magic acquisition going?”

“About the notes you gave me, Theodore-sama. I’ve already mastered the basics. Instructor Rosetta-sensei also praised me for having good aptitude.”

“That’s wonderful to hear.”

“No, it’s thanks to Theodore-sama.”

That’s what Ashley says, but being able to use basic healing magic so quickly with just those notes and simple instruction… it must be talent after all.

I knew she was suited for healing magic acquisition… but Ashley is more excellent as a healing magic user than I expected.

“I’m thinking that if I learn life magic and train with it, I might eventually be able to use chantless magic too.”

“Ah. That might be possible.”

I just hope she doesn’t become Rosetta’s favorite pupil and get taught hidden magic or something… Even if it’s not combat arts.

“Ah. The teacher has arrived.”

Following Ashley’s words, I looked forward to see an elderly instructor entering the classroom.

Well then. Life magic, huh. I wonder what kind of class this will be.