Chapter 134: Nobody Knows Mana Better Than Me!
"Akabane-kun, could I trouble you to introduce me to Miss Karyuusai?"
"...Hmm?"
Raishin Akabane was full of doubt, not understanding why he would suddenly say such a thing.
However, Kobayashi had already figured it out.
He didn't necessarily have to enter the top floor of the academy's library to learn. Exchanging experiences and learning from a master with profound knowledge in the field of automatons was also a good method.
Shouko Karyuusai was the number one person in the world of lifelike automatons. She was the creator of the "Oborofuji" and the "Setsugetsuka" series. Among them, "Moon"—Yaya, one of the three top masterpieces—was her work.
She was undeniably a master.
If he could learn about automatons from her, or ask for her help in improving RyuZU, it would be feasible in his eyes. After all, RyuZU was completely different from the automatons of this world; she was from another system entirely. It was impossible for her not to be intrigued.
"...Actually, I was just thinking of telling Miss Shouko about you."
Seeing his surprise, Raishin said, "Before coming to the academy, she asked me to investigate the concept of 'mana.' I also heard that she will be coming to the academy soon to meet with Professor Cruell."
Professor Cruell was the only doctor in the academy. It was just that his reputation wasn't very good; he was always teasing others and using the convenience of his position to take advantage of female students. But he had never been negligent in his duties as a doctor and still had a certain degree of professional ethics.
"Mana? I know all about mana!"
Hearing this, he immediately perked up. He spread his hands flat and then gave a thumbs up.
"—Nobody, knows mana, better than me!"
That confident appearance, that flamboyant expression... for a moment, Raishin didn't know what to say. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he fell silent.
"...Akabane-kun, it's hard to do a one-man show," he complained, rolling his eyes.
"Then don't do it," Raishin also muttered. But he then added, "Since you can use magic, you must have a concept and have done research on mana. I think Miss Shouko will agree to meet with you."
"Oh, then I'll be counting on you."
He let out a happy cheer.
In many novels or manga, an academy is just a preliminary place for cultivating students and watering sprouts. The profound knowledge is all in the hands of a very small number of masters. Therefore, instead of playing a battle royale and fighting for ranks here, it was better to directly find a master to learn from and exchange experiences.
Shouko Karyuusai was by no means a nobody; she had the real skills to be called the number one. And with her vision, she would surely see RyuZU's value and would definitely treat her seriously.
She was an excellent cooperation partner.
Having gotten a definite answer, he walked back, satisfied.
"—Please wait a moment."
Just as he was lost in a beautiful vision of the future, a warm and gentle voice came from behind him.
"I'm sorry, may I disturb you for a moment?"
He turned around and saw a boy with a kind and friendly smile.
The boy had flowing golden hair, a handsome face, and a slender figure, looking almost like a girl. His voice was full and resonant, as clear as a beautiful orchestral instrument.
—Not a good person.
This was his first reaction.
He admitted he was being prejudiced. But from the micro-expressions that Esdeath had taught him to read, he could see the exceptionally handsome features, the deliberately displayed smile and tone of voice, the way he maintained a suitable distance and made small adjustments to his body from time to time.
No matter how you looked at it, it was all deliberate.
On the man's left arm, a gold-trimmed armband shone, embroidered with an elegant font—[censor].
In addition, he wore a white glove with gold embroidery on his hand. Without a doubt, he was also a scheduled participant in the Night Party.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kobayashi. If you don't mind, could I take up some of your time?"
"Of course, Felix-kun."
"...You know me?"
"Who doesn't know the most popular member of the Disciplinary Committee?"
He returned a similarly harmless-looking smile.
"Ahaha, it seems I'm quite famous," Felix laughed heartily. "It's too much trouble to talk while standing. Let's go inside."
He pointed to the academy cafeteria.
He had no objection and could find no reason to refuse, so he went back with him.
As soon as they entered the cafeteria, the students became noisy. The gazes of the girls, in particular, were constantly directed this way. Adoration, worship... the fiery gazes were a little unsettling, but fortunately, the target of their focus was not him, but Felix, who was smiling and greeting them.
"You really are a popular man," he said with deep meaning.
Felix's smile did not change. "Is that so? It must be the result of my constant efforts."
—An interesting answer.
"F-Felix?!"
At the table where they had been sitting, Charlotte jumped up upon seeing him. Even though there was nothing on her face, she hurriedly wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin.
The handsome man smiled kindly and said, "Hey, Charlotte. May I sit with you?"
"Of-of-of... of course not! Isn't that obvious!" she hurriedly refused, flustered.
"How cold. I've invited you so many times, yet you let them sit with you so readily."
"That was them acting on their own—"
She, who was not good at expressing her feelings correctly, always caused misunderstandings in other areas.
And he had already sat down, and even beckoned to Felix. "Come on, sit. She's just a tsundere. Just take whatever she says as the opposite."
"You... you rude person!"
"Mmm, thank you for the compliment."
"I wasn't complimenting you!"
She glared at him. The ladylike demeanor she had managed to maintain in front of Felix had been easily destroyed just now.
'What if I've made a bad impression on him?'
'Then just be honest about your feelings!'
The two of them exchanged looks secretly.
To an outsider, their relationship looked very unusual.
"...Um, could you please not leave me out?" Felix's gentle smile was about to break. He said, as if complaining, "I feel like an outsider. I was supposed to be the one with something to say, right?"
That murmur, like that of a jilted wife... he couldn't help but shiver.
Charlotte's eyes widened, and her body stiffened. She looked at him timidly, her expression clearly showing a strange misunderstanding.
And RyuZU, from behind him, suddenly spoke. "I never thought Master Kobayashi would have this kind of hobby. Are normal women unable to satisfy you, so you've set your sights on a beautiful blond boy, wanting to cross swords? And I must admire you, Master Kobayashi. I, your attendant who is always by your side, never even noticed how you managed to hook up with him. You are unexpectedly talented in this area."
Wow—
Charlotte had never thought that the gorgeous, elegant automaton who was always silently following behind him would have such a sharp tongue the moment she opened her mouth, and that it would be directed at her own master.
He shrugged at her. "That's why I said you should just stick to being a tsundere. The sharp-tongued attribute is already taken."
"Huh?! I'm not a tsundere!"
"Right, right."
"You...!"
She wanted to argue further, but was interrupted by him. He gestured with his eyes to the "jilted wife" she admired who was sitting beside them, indicating that her job was to maintain her ladylike elegance.
"Alright, alright. I was wondering what the academy's Disciplinary Committee member wanted with me?"
After a bit of clowning around, he got straight to the point.
"Would you like to make a deal with me? No, it would be more of a request than a deal. And this is not my personal request, but a request made in my capacity as a member of the Disciplinary Committee."
Felix suddenly said this, a naive and innocent smile on his face, the kind that was not easy to refuse.
However—
"I refuse."
He refused crisply.
Leaving aside the fact that he had been wary of Felix from the start, even if his smile had a bewitching effect that made him want to agree, he would still have to ask the necklace on his chest if it would agree.
"Hehehe."
Felix let out a light laugh. "You really are decisive. But how about you consider it a little after you've heard me out?"
"No need. I don't want to get involved in any more troublesome matters."
"But the exchange we are offering is—"
Felix paused, as if to build suspense, and then dropped the bomb. "—a qualification to participate in the Night Party. What do you think?"
With that, he lifted his chin slightly. The smile on his lips and his slightly downward gaze all showed his confidence. After all, in his eyes, it was impossible for the other party not to be tempted by the qualification for the Night Party. He would surely pounce on it like a dog wanting a bone... that's how it should have been.
"I refuse."
"...Eh?"
Being refused once again, the warm smile on his face stiffened.
His answer had completely deviated from what he had expected, causing all the lines he had prepared to be useless.
Facing his stiff expression, Kobayashi said, "What a pity. If you had come a day earlier, I might have agreed. But now, I can only refuse. However, I can recommend another good helper for you."
Then he asked Charlotte, "Where's Raishin? Wasn't he just here? Where did he go?"
"He went back to the dorm to get his wallet to pay for the glass he broke."
She pointed at the glass fragments on the ground.
It seemed that unlucky kid had to pay for his own impulsiveness.
"Just like that. You should go find him," he said.
Their gazes crossed fiercely, accompanied by a suffocating silence.
In the end, Felix was the first to sheathe his claws. All his preparations were predicated on him agreeing. Since he wouldn't agree, there was no need to continue the conversation.
"Since you won't agree, I'll have to give the qualification to Mr. Raishin?"
"You must give it to him."
The corner of Felix's mouth twitched, but he quickly adjusted, and with a smile that could make one lower their guard, a smile like a poison coated in sugar, he extended an invitation to the blonde girl who was worried about the two of them coming to blows.
"Charlotte, would you like to go on a date with me later?"
"...Wh-what?!"
She was stunned for a moment. The next second, her cheeks were instantly dyed the color of a rose, and she refused in a tsundere way, "I-I-I-I refuse! I strongly object! Why should I...!"
"I've been rejected again. What a pity. It seems I'll have to wait until next time."
Felix was not discouraged. Instead, as if he had confirmed something, an even warmer and gentler smile appeared on his face. In that false face he showed to Kobayashi, there was a trace of a victor's pride.
"Well then, I'll go and talk to Mr. Raishin."
Then, he walked elegantly out of the cafeteria.
Her gaze remained on him until he had completely disappeared from sight.
"...Don't tell me you like him?"
"Who... who, who, who... who likes him?!"
As tsundere as ever, she turned her head and glared at the teasing smile on his lips, annoyed that he would dare to tease her like that.
"Is that so? It's him..."
Kobayashi had an expression of extreme regret.
From the two of them, he saw the shadow of a certain fifth-division captain and his vice-captain. Thinking of it this way, he felt even more sorry for her.
"What's with that look? It's so annoying!"
She turned her head away angrily, then lowered her voice and said with some self-deprecation, "I know it too. Felix is the most popular person in the academy. I'm not good enough for him..."
"No. He's not good enough for you."
"...Eh?"
"You have many good points. He is not good enough for you."
He said this to her very formally. "So, puff out your chest, Charlotte."
Then he looked at her flat board and felt that even if she did puff out her chest, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
"...I feel like you're thinking something rude."
"It's your imagination."
"Then why don't you dare face me?"
"My back is twisted. I can only maintain this posture. My apologies."
His answer was incredibly perfunctory.
Before she could get angry, he quickly changed the subject. "Speaking of dates... RyuZU, go on a date with me later. We can go to the pawnshop in the city and exchange the gold coins for money."
The facilities on campus weren't all free. It was very inconvenient without money.
Before RyuZU could agree, Charlotte spoke up. "Wait, don't you know that students' automatons are not allowed on the streets?"
"...There's that school rule, too?!"
"You...!"
Seeing his unfeigned expression, she didn't know what to say. When she had first enrolled, she had been seriously warned because of Sigmund, so she was particularly sensitive in this area.
"But it's fine. I have my ways."
"What?"
Ignoring her confusion, he got up to leave, and at the same time said to her, "Charlotte, you like that smiling Disciplinary Committee member, right? Since that's the case, you should have less contact with other boys. After all, boys can get jealous too. That's all. See you later."
"Huh...?! Wh-wh-wh-what are you suddenly talking about? I-I-I-I don't like him!"
She tried desperately to defend herself, her face bright red.
He, however, waved his hand and walked out of the cafeteria without stopping.
Normally, after being told something like that, one should realize the problem and obediently keep one's distance.
And when he arrived at the school gate, he saw a beautiful blonde girl standing there quietly, like a beautiful scenic line.
"...Are you a rebellious girl, Miss Charlotte? Why are you here?"
"Hmph. Don't misunderstand. I just happened to be going out to buy something."
The timing is a little too coincidental, isn't it?
But seeing that the girl before him seemed to have been waiting for a long time, he naturally wouldn't be so unromantic as to say anything.
"Well then..."
He bowed slightly and extended his hand to her. "I hear the streets have been a bit unsafe lately. I was wondering if this beautiful young lady needs an escort?"
"Hmph. I'll condescend to let you be my flower-protecting messenger, I suppose."
The girl's tsundere words were the same as ever.
(End of Chapter)