Chapter 479
That evening.
In the Summonology dormitory’s study room.
Simon, Toto, and—joining them for the first time in a while—their fellow club member Fitzgerald, sat together at a desk, diligently working on their Summon Materials Science assignment.
The study room was calm and peaceful.
Only the scratching of quills and the occasional flutter of turning pages echoed through the room.
“Ughhh, I don’t get this at all!”
Toto suddenly screamed, clutching his hair, his notebook crammed with scribbles.
“We’re summoning majors, so why do we have to study this stuff?”
This time’s assignment for Summon Materials Science was to memorize an entire booklet that was practically the size of a book. It was essentially a photocopy of an encyclopedia of plants and plant monsters.
Simon tried to soothe him.
“It’s Professor Keyzen’s instruction. If he says to memorize it, he must have a reason.”
“...R-right. I guess so.”
Toto drooped but quickly pulled himself together and picked up his quill again.
Simon had just finished the section on ‘Mandragora’ and was turning the page when he lifted his head.
There was Fitzgerald.
Wearing horn-rimmed glasses and holding a book as usual, he was the archetypical model student—the scholarly type.
“Fitzgerald.”
“Hm.”
“What are you reading instead of doing the assignment?”
Sure enough, he had another strange book open in front of him. Its title was ‘I’m Only Saying This for Your Own Good’, and just seeing it gave Simon a headache.
“Books are nourishment for the mind.”
Fitzgerald pushed up his glasses.
“Since I just filled my stomach with dinner, it’s only fair I also feed my brain with daily nourishment.”
“And if you don’t?”
“Then the brain cries out in mental hunger. Eventually, intellectual curiosity will wither, leaving only hollow vanity behind—a tragic end indeed.”
“?”
For reference, he was of the same breed as their upperclassman, Benya Vanilla.
Which meant: a weirdo.
“And that photocopy.”
Without lifting his gaze from his book, Fitzgerald gestured toward the assignment with his finger.
“I’ve already read the original so many times that I don’t need to study from copies.”
Simon chuckled awkwardly.
“...In every sense, that’s impressive.”
“That’s too much, Fitz!”
Toto, who had been scribbling with his quill, shot him a glare.
“I thought the three of us mutants would stick together since sophomore year! But you keep hanging around with Class M students during lessons!”
“That’s odd.”
Fitzgerald smirked back.
“I thought you Class A kids were leaving me out.”
“W-we’d never do that!”
The three of them burst into small laughter.
Just as they were about to resume their work, the study room door creaked open and a male student entered.
Seeing the golden badge on his collar, the three quickly stood up. He was a third-year senior.
“Ah, ah. Don’t worry about it. Relax.”
The senior had drooping eyes and a gentle, bear-like face.
“Leonard and Will are off on a mission right now, so there’s no one around to give you trouble.”
“Ah, yes sir.”
The three sat back down as the senior pulled a book from his cabinet.
“Oh, right.”
As if remembering something, he reached to the top of the cabinet.
“Here, have this while you work.”
The trio froze in shock.
It was Love Cookies, currently all the rage in Rochest, always sold out. Sweet, affordable, and ranked among the top late-night snacks for students.
Toto, recognizing the package instantly, gasped.
“W-we can really eat this?”
“Of course.”
The senior smiled, then scratched his head a little sheepishly.
“I just want you to know... not every third-year hates you.”
“...Ah.”
“I really like you guys. We live in the same dorm, study the same things, right? I honestly don’t understand why people say we have to bully the second-years to ‘break their spirit’.”
Simon looked up at him, wide-eyed.
“...Senior.”
“I may not have the strength to stop Will or Leonard, and I probably never will. But just remember this: not all third-years are out to get you.”
The senior smiled warmly and held out his hand.
“If you ever need help with dorm life or classes, ask me. I’ll do whatever I can.”
Toto bowed his head, eyes brimming.
“Thank you, senior!”
Simon and Fitzgerald also stood and bowed politely. The senior even brought them drinks before quietly closing the door behind him.
As soon as he left, Toto let out a long sigh of relief. Simon’s eyes sparkled.
“He’s a good person.”
“Yeah! That’s what a real senior should be!”
“Agreed.”
Fitzgerald reopened his strange book.
The three resumed their assignment in the now warm atmosphere. Having worked his brain hard, Simon felt a craving for something sweet and reached for the Love Cookies.
“Wait.”
Fitzgerald raised an arm to stop him.
“...We may have let our guard down.”
“Guard down?”
Fitzgerald pushed his glasses up.
“Why did he go out of his way to mention that Leonard and Will had left? Why did he pretend to pull out a book, then suddenly give us snacks? Was he really just here to grab a book? Or was he trying to put us in danger—”
Crunch.
Simon ignored him and bit into the cookie.
Fitzgerald leapt to his feet, aghast.
“Simon!”
Simon smiled.
“No drugs, no weird stuff. Just a tasty cookie.”
“...Hmph.”
Looking awkward, Fitzgerald sat back down. His embarrassed look made Simon chuckle.
“Doubting someone’s goodwill the moment you receive it? Not exactly a healthy habit.”
“Better that than getting stabbed in the back.”
“I’m not saying let your guard down completely. But that senior’s kindness was genuine. If you let suspicion bind you so much that you can’t accept people’s goodwill purely...”
Simon smiled softly.
“...Isn’t that a greater misfortune than getting stabbed once in the back?”
“...!”
Fitzgerald’s mouth fell open, as if struck by a revelation.
He shifted around—crossing his legs, turning his head, folding his arms—mulling over Simon’s words before finally straightening up.
Thud.
He closed the bizarrely titled book and opened his textbook and notebook instead.
“Already finished reading?”
“I’m full.”
His quill scratched as he wrote.
“Your words just now filled tonight’s quota. I don’t need any more nourishment.”
“...”
Simon’s lips curled into a smile.
They’d been in the same club for a year, yet he hadn’t quite figured out what kind of person Fitzgerald really was.
But today, he felt he’d finally understood him just a little more.
“Nom nom. Aren’t you two going to eat? These are really good!”
Toto, already on his tenth cookie, looked at them.
“If you don’t, I’ll finish them all.”
At that, Simon and Fitzgerald quickly lunged for the box.
* * *
The assignment wasn’t finished until late that night.
Simon and Toto walked back to their dorm room, chatting casually.
Toto hugged the half-empty box of Love Cookies to his chest.
“Huh?”
Simon stopped walking. Toto halted too, raising his head.
“What’s wrong, Simon?”
“...Did we leave our dorm room door open when we went out to study?”
“I’m... not sure.”
Simon narrowed his eyes sharply, grabbed the doorknob, and slowly stepped inside.
The room didn’t seem much different. Everything on the desk was as it had been.
But then—
“Heeheeheehee!”
A strange sound echoed. The white blanket on Simon’s bed began to bulge upward.
“Eek! A g-ghost?!”
Toto stumbled back in terror, but Simon actually let out a sigh of relief, smiling faintly.
A moment later, the blanket was flung aside, and silver hair fluttered into view.
“Boo! I’m a ghost! Scary, isn’t it?!”
A small girl-like figure leapt up, pretending to threaten them like a mischievous ghost.
Seeing her, Simon greeted warmly.
“Hello, Lady Neftis.”
“Lady Neftis?!”
Too much shock in too short a time froze Toto in place.
Then Neftis hopped off the bed and toddled straight toward him.
“Uh, uh, uh…”
The ruler of the Dark Alliance stood right before him.
He ought to pay his respects immediately, but he was so stunned that his body wouldn’t move and no words came out.
Neftis just stared up at him in silence.
“Uh, um…!”
She must be angry.
But angry over what?
Did I do something wrong to Loraine?
Or is it because I didn’t greet her properly?
Am I… going to die here…?!
“Toto.”
Simon pointed at the cookie box Toto was clutching.
“She seems to want that.”
“Huh?”
Toto lowered the box, and Neftis’ eyes sparkled as she snatched it.
“Cookies!”
She immediately started munching happily, crumbs sticking to her lips.
Toto collapsed with a blank, soulless face, sliding down against the wall.
“Lady Neftis, what brings you here?”
Simon asked.
“Oh, right!”
She beamed.
“Come with me for a bit, Simon!”
And just like that, Simon and Neftis left the room.
Left alone in the empty dorm, Toto let out a hollow laugh.
‘Ah… right. Simon’s the Student Council President. No wonder the chancellor herself would come to him…’
His arms and legs trembled.
Compared to the quiet days of first year, things had gotten out of control. Ever since becoming Simon’s roommate, everything had grown too big, too intense, with incident after incident—bad for the heart.
‘Wh-what kind of life is Simon even living…?’
* * *
Simon and Neftis walked along a secluded forest path.
The chirping of insects made the night air feel warm and peaceful. The rustle of grass beneath their steps was pleasant.
“Remember?”
She suddenly asked.
“Ah, my apologies, Lady Neftis. I was supposed to meet you the night before the entrance ceremony, but I got assigned to guide new students at the last minute, so…”
“No, no! Not that!”
She shook her head vigorously and looked back at Simon.
“I promised I’d give you a present, remember?”
Of course, he remembered.
—This doesn’t fully repay the favor you asked. So later, I’ll give you a personal gift as well. Sound good?
—A gift?
—Yep! But it’s still a secret~ I’ll give it to you as a new semester present!
Back during the last Blood Heaven Cult incident in his first year, after Simon defeated Sillage, Neftis had begun laying groundwork to change public perception and opinion of the 7th Legion—so that someday Simon could act openly as a legitimate Legion Commander.
Her direct appearance at the Student Council Inauguration had also been part of that effort.
But originally, Simon’s request had been for the “pardon of the 7th Legion’s sins”. Neftis had claimed she hadn’t fully granted that yet, and promised to give him a personal gift instead.
“This is it.”
She pulled a small, pearl-like orb from her robes and handed it to Simon.
“Drop it on the ground.”
Simon obediently lowered it. Neftis extended her hand.
“Hold my hand.”
Because of their height difference, it felt more like she was dangling from his hand as she stretched up.
“Now, we’re going to step on the orb together. At the same time!”
“Yes, understood.”
Simon and Neftis lifted their legs in unison and pressed down.
“!”
The surroundings changed instantly.
A forest of falling autumn leaves spread out around them.
“Subspace?”
Simon’s eyes widened.
“A special kind of subspace. Not just objects—people can enter temporarily too! Come on, this way!”
Could the gift be another subspace? Silently, Simon followed her.
Before long, they arrived at a massive mound made entirely of piled-up leaves.
“Do you know what this is?”
Just seeing what protruded from the mound made chills race down Simon’s spine.
“This is…!”
It was an enormous bone.
Neftis clapped her hands, and the leaves scattered away, revealing the full form of a dragon’s skeleton.
It was even larger than Karisa, the dungeon master Simon had once faced in the Holy Federation. Though dead and reduced to bones, residual magical power still pulsed faintly from it.
“This is my gift to you, Simon.”
Neftis smiled.
“A Bone Dragon. I wonder when you’ll be able to handle it?”
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters