Chapter 133: The Sextuplet Bride (A Joke)
The Student Cafeteria in the Central Courtyard.
The Royal Academy of Machinart places great importance on its main facilities. A cafeteria shared by thousands of people naturally had to be very large.
The ceiling was high, and in the spacious, bright, open-plan space, white tables of a near-modern design were arranged, looking very clean. The dishes displayed on the left side of the entrance were also very rich and looked appetizing. Walking in here, one would have the illusion of having entered a high-end modern restaurant.
And in the corner of the cafeteria, a large space was left empty. Several tables around it were vacant, yet the other students would rather squeeze a dozen people onto one table than sit at the empty ones nearby.
Because over there, there was a Tyrant Rex. And in fact, there were three of them!
Simply terrifying.
Raishin noticed they were being feared and said in a low voice, "How strange. They don't even dare to come over. This isn't a combat zone, right? Is there any need to tremble in fear? It's not like we're going to attack them."
Actually, he had also been attacked last night. The reason was that he had helped Charlotte during the day, and they had mistaken him for Kobayashi's companion, wanting to get some payback from him as a provocation and a warning. They never expected that Yaya alone would knock them all to the ground. Only then did the fools realize that none of the transfer students were simple, and they had immediately fled in a panic.
"Charlotte, it seems what happened yesterday has raised your intimidation level by another degree."
The dragon automaton Sigmund teased his own puppeteer while also swallowing the chicken in his mouth. He was a forbidden automaton and needed meat to maintain his body's activity.
Hearing this, she immediately defended herself in a delicate voice, "It has nothing to do with me! Besides, you just took a beating yesterday, Sigmund. The one who showed off his divine might was him."
With that, everyone turned their gaze to Kobayashi.
"No, no, no, I told you, those guys were just small fry. You all could have taken them out easily too," he said, shrugging, acting as if he hadn't done anything worth showing off.
"That's not what happened at all..."
Easier said than done. The sensory impact of yesterday's battle was too strong. For one person to be so at ease while being besieged by numerous automatons... that already said a lot. That breezy, nonchalant appearance made it hard not to think he was just showing off.
He explained, "The reason I could eliminate them so easily, besides the fact that they couldn't deeply connect with their own automatons, was that I could find each of their weaknesses and defeat them one by one. It wasn't a 1v10, but ten 1v1s."
His greatest advantage was being a "small all-rounder." He had a way to deal with most enemies. Unless it was someone like Yaya who was too outstanding in one particular area, even Sigmund, who could transform into a giant dragon, could be dealt with by his Explosion magic.
"It's easy to say, but extremely difficult to execute."
Raishin, who used an almost identical combat style, felt he had the right to speak. "A fragile puppeteer fighting an automaton... the slightest carelessness and you'll get hurt. It's no exaggeration to say it's like dancing on the edge of a knife."
Even he wouldn't rashly charge towards an automaton.
"But you can also use Yaya's ability, right, Akabane-kun? The ability to make your body stronger."
"...That's true."
"Then there's no problem. The multi-colored light shield I had before is a similar ability. Therefore, if I can do it, you can definitely do it too."
This "if I can do it, you can do it too" argument left Raishin not knowing how to refute. Most importantly, he didn't think he couldn't do it either.
"The key is the overall view of the situation, isn't it?"
After a brief thought, Charlotte interjected, "To be able to dodge flexibly while being besieged by multiple people, and to be able to launch an effective counter-attack in a very short time... it's impossible without seeing the whole picture."
"Indeed," Raishin nodded in agreement.
"That's because I can take a bird's-eye view," he said, pointing to his forehead. "Being able to see from a higher perspective, to overlook the whole situation, naturally allows me to deal with them with ease."
"No, no, no, an ordinary person can't take a bird's-eye view," Raishin retorted.
"But..."
"Ah, honestly! What in the world is wrong with you, man?!"
Charlotte forcefully interrupted, annoyed, glaring at him with her almond-shaped eyes. "If someone praises you a little, just accept it! You're always so timid, like a coward! Show the same spirit you had when you defeated everyone yesterday!"
"That's right. Haven't you heard the saying, 'excessive modesty is just pride'?" Raishin added.
The two of them had had enough of his humblebragging.
But he was just stating the facts. A bunch of small fry who couldn't even control their own automatons properly... even if they launched a sneak attack, they were just clowns serving themselves up on a platter.
To be blunt, any of the three puppeteers present could have easily dealt with them with their own partners.
Since they wanted him to accept the praise, he graciously accepted it.
"Speaking of which."
He looked at the dragon automaton, which had its head buried in a plate, feasting heartily, and asked, "Sigmund, how's your condition? Is anything wrong?"
Hearing the question, it swallowed the food in its mouth and said, "No, my body has completely recovered. I really must thank you for treating me."
"Ahaha, it was my first time treating an automaton, so it's hard to judge the effect. But if you feel any discomfort, you must tell me as soon as possible."
"Understood," Sigmund replied crisply.
He was rather thick-skinned, completely ignoring his master's annoyed and embarrassed mood next to him.
As his master, Charlotte had to say something. Unfortunately, due to her personality, her words were full of tsundere and sharp-tongued remarks.
"I didn't expect you to be able to use healing formulas. I'll praise you a little for that... To have such terrifying physical ability and also be able to use healing formulas... are you really human? Don't tell me you're an automaton pretending to be human."
"No, I am a bona fide human."
He shook his head, denying the rumor that he was actually an automaton.
"Then..."
"I use magic."
"Magic?!" x2
Charlotte and Raishin's eyes widened. They exchanged a look and could see the shock in each other's eyes.
Magic did exist in this world. But, like in all worlds, using magic required not only mana as a prerequisite, but also long incantations, immense spiritual power, and a corresponding attribute to be used successfully. In short, it was extremely troublesome.
And now, with automatons as a medium, magic could be used easily and quickly, while also lowering the strict requirements for its use. Therefore, the appearance of automatons had gradually replaced the cumbersome and ancient art of magic.
That was why they were so surprised to hear that he could use it.
"No wonder. Those different colored light shields... that was magic, right?"
Raishin's first thought was of the time he and Yaya had saved the derailing train. To be able to withstand the impact of several hundred tons like an automaton... it must have been because of magic.
"...You can just think of it as that."
He gave an ambiguous answer. It wasn't that he was being deliberately vague; it was just that explaining skills and the like would be too much trouble, so he just let them imagine what it was.
"By the way, you didn't fight Charlotte yesterday, Akabane-kun, because you noticed Sigmund was injured, right?"
"...I suppose so."
Raishin smiled elegantly.
Don't be fooled by the fact that the attackers yesterday were easily dealt with by him. That was because Sigmund had taken the first wave of fire and lured out all the enemies. Furthermore, to protect Charlotte and him, it had taken many fierce attacks in vain. It was certain that it had been injured.
That was why he had stepped in to heal it. After all, it was his good intentions that had caused the trouble.
"You're... surprisingly a gentleman."
He looked at Raishin in surprise. But then his tone changed. "Although setting your sights on a girl from the very beginning doesn't seem very gentlemanly."
"That girl is one of the top thirteen, and a strong one with the title of Tyrant Rex at that. She's not so easy to defeat," he defended himself.
"That girl—?!"
Charlotte glared fiercely at him, seemingly angry at the way he was referring to her. At the same time, she crossed her arms and retorted, "In my eyes, he's just a coward who gives up halfway. He doesn't even have the resolve to attack his enemy's weak points. A naive and weak fellow."
"Right, right, you're right."
"Exactly, exactly."
He and Raishin exchanged a smile. As expected of her, a perfect tsundere.
"By the way..." Raishin clutched his forehead in pain and complained, "As expected of the Royal Academy of Machinart. The knowledge they teach here is too profound."
He had tried his best to listen in class.
But for him, who knew nothing about theoretical knowledge, attending class at the highest institution specializing in machinart was like listening to a celestial book. He recognized every word, but when they were put together, he didn't understand at all.
It's very painful for a bad student to attend class.
"Isn't it because you're too stupid, Mr. Second-to-Last?"
Charlotte flicked her long hair and gave him a disgusted look. It seemed the fact that he was second-to-last in the entrance exams was already known to everyone.
"And, of course, you too."
She then looked at him. After all, the fourth-to-last who had caused a huge ruckus on the first day of school was also quite famous.
"...Me?"
"That's right. You don't understand either, right? Even though you don't understand anything, you still listen with great interest. You can't answer a single one of Professor Kimberly's questions, yet you can still put on the appearance of a good student. That's surprising enough."
Her words were harsh, but they were also the truth. He really couldn't answer the teacher's questions in class, and the one who had to wipe his ass was her.
But—
"You have to listen to learn!"
"How can you learn if you don't listen!"
"But if you don't learn, how can you... stop, stop, let's not get stuck on this."
He hurriedly cut off the endless spiral, otherwise it would turn into the "how do you do the Luke raid without 90 sets" topic again.
And it wasn't that he didn't understand everything. After being taught by RyuZU and Aqua for a period of time, he was able to grasp some of this world's machinart techniques through analogy, which was why he had been listening with such interest.
"Besides, you don't need theoretical knowledge to participate in the Night Party. Strength is what matters most, right?"
What good are grades? As long as you're strong.
This was a pearl of wisdom from a certain famous strong person, and he had always deeply agreed with it.
Raishin nodded repeatedly. He was also a person who was strong in practical combat but weak in theory. Naturally, he would choose the argument that was advantageous to him.
"Haah... I don't want to be with idiots. It'll make me stupid too."
She looked at the two of them with disgust, and it even escalated to—
"Are you two idiots? To actually go out without your wallets? Needing money to buy things is common sense, right? Are you some kind of savages from the countryside?"
She was the one who had helped them pay for the meal.
Although not only did they have to pay her back, but she was also charging interest, he was still very grateful to her.
He sighed. "Please try to be a little more understanding. This is my first day in this country. It's normal not to have the local currency, right? And you're right. I am indeed a country savage."
Axel was a remote beginner town. In terms of prosperity, it couldn't compare to the Royal Capital. In terms of era development, it couldn't compare to a machinart city.
In her eyes, he was indeed a country bumpkin.
"Besides, who knew they wouldn't accept gold coins? In terms of value, gold coins are clearly worth more, right? How about this? I'll just give the gold coins to you, Charlotte. Consider it as payment for lunch from me and Akabane-kun. The extra can be the interest."
"...You really are a country savage."
She looked at the bright, glittering gold coin he had placed on the table and pushed over. For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
Are all country bumpkins this rich? Using gold coins as currency?
She looked helplessly at the two who were now elegantly eating pasta.
Then she immediately reacted, saying in a tsundere way:
"...Wait, wait! Why are you two eating here? Get away! Spare me from having to sit at the same table as you."
"Don't be such a tsundere."
"I refuse! I have nothing to say to a pervert who rushes up and hugs me, or a scumbag who says he likes to gang up on others but hates it when others gang up on him."
"I told you, stop being a tsundere."
His fork twirled up some pasta and brought it to his mouth.
Seeing him like this, she became even angrier and sullenly fell silent.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you talking?"
"I'm just dumbfounded. How can there be a boy as thick-skinned as you? You must be an idiot down to your nerves. Also, the reason I'm not talking is because I'm bored. Since you're a boy, how about you liven up the atmosphere a little?"
"...You should just stick to being a tsundere. Someone else already has the sharp-tongued attribute."
"Huh?!"
"The topic just now. You want me to liven up the atmosphere, right?"
He held up an index finger.
Under her puzzled gaze, a jet of water suddenly burst forth from his fingertip. It rose half a meter before scattering to the sides, forming a beautiful rainbow in the air under the sunlight.
She was stunned. Her small lips opened and closed like a goldfish's. It seemed she had never seen such an acrobatic trick.
"—Kachou Fuugetsu."
He smiled slightly and said with some pride, "This is something I copied after secretly learning from a certain idiot goddess. How about it? You've never seen it before, right?"
This wasn't a party trick learned with skill points, but a forgery created by changing the shape of a basic skill. Of course, spraying water from his fingertip was his limit.
"...You know, even if you get kicked out of here, you could still make a living as a street performer."
"Thank you for the compliment."
"I wasn't complimenting you!... Hey, what's wrong with you?"
She noticed that Raishin was a little off. He had been staring out the window from the beginning.
It was a student wearing a silver mask. He was followed by two automatons in gorgeous Western dresses. An aura of death and decay wafted from them, which didn't match their beautiful and cute appearance at all.
—Magnus.
The one who had always been ranked first in overall performance. His skills and mana were both outstanding. He was a genius since the founding of this academy, the man currently closest to the name of Wiseman.
And also, Raishin's older brother—Tenzen Akabane.
"Don't tell me you're setting your sights on him again? Give it up. Magnus is very strong."
"Yaya."
"Yes!"
He and Yaya stood up from their seats and, ignoring Charlotte's attempts to stop them, rashly broke through the window and charged straight towards him.
"...Wait! You can't beat him!"
"Forget it, Charlotte. This is his family business. It's better not to interfere," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her from disturbing the two.
"Eh?"
She blinked, puzzled.
He didn't want to get involved in the other's family drama. But looking at the six beautiful girls who had suddenly appeared and surrounded Raishin from all directions, he couldn't help but feel a little angry.
To cut his sister into six pieces, and even turn them into automatons...
Even if you love your sister, you don't have to make a Sextuplet Bride. What kind of hellish joke is this?
Actually, they didn't get into a conflict.
Raishin handed a small bottle to the other party, saying it was a gift for him, and the other party readily accepted it.
Because of the direction of the wind, he could smell a faint odor. Coupled with his far-superior vision, it allowed him to determine that what had been handed over was an urn of ashes. As for whose ashes they were, it was already self-evident.
After Magnus left, Raishin fell to his knees in frustration, because he had just realized the huge gap in strength between them. It was a gap he simply could not overcome.
Yaya was comforting him softly.
He said dejectedly, "I'm sorry, Yaya. You're a top-class automaton worth a battleship. If I could fully bring out your performance, our chances of winning would increase a lot. I'm the one who's dragging you down."
"Raishin..."
She couldn't help but hug him.
After the matter was over, he and Charlotte walked up.
"It's fine, you know, Akabane-kun."
"...Kobayashi?"
"You will definitely defeat him. My eyes are telling me so."
"...Then why are you pointing at your forehead?"
"That's not important."
He waved his hand, telling him not to worry about such details.
"Hmph. He's still far from being able to defeat Magnus. He should risk his life to get stronger, at least to the point where he's qualified to fight him in the Night Party," Charlotte also said in a tsundere way.
Comforted by the two of them, and since he wasn't the type to wallow in self-pity, his mood improved considerably.
"You're right. I have to get stronger! I have to get the qualification to participate in the Night Party!"
"...But before that, you have to pay for the broken glass first."
"...Eh?"
His words extinguished his burning passion.
Looking at the remnants of the window he had rashly broken through in his anger, under the astonished gazes of the numerous students, he once again fell to his knees in frustration and let out a great shout:
"NO————!"
There is a price to pay for being reckless. It seems he has now deeply understood this principle.
(End of Chapter)