The principal's office of the Royal Pioneer Academy was the most lavish room in the school building. Furnishings glittered under the chandelier, a space like a dream.
The people in it huddled together, shaking, like stray cats in a winter alley.
"...Th-there is nothing left...! The chairman has probably started looking for a new principal and vice principal...!"
"Th-the vice principal too, zamasu!? Then I as well...!?"
"Why did you think you alone would be spared!? Of course, Acting Vice Principal! You have blundered too much! A vice principal struck by the lightning of judgment, you are about the only one!"
"Y-you turned into roast pork too, Acting Principal, zamasu!"
The two nearly turned hostile, and somehow held it in.
"Th-this is no time to fight!"
"Y-yes, zamasu! At this rate, both of us are finished, zamasu!"
"Damn! If that trash were not here, this would never have happened!"
"Yes, zamasu! We should not have been soft with an exile! We should have expelled him, zamasu!"
Both of them hated Leopin. Then one of Leopin's actions brought an unexpected chance.
"P-Principal, good news, zamasu! Onesco of Class 1-B has passed a holy knight's first trial, they say, zamasu!"
"What!? That cannot be! A holy knight's first trial takes three years even at the shortest record! A trial said to take longer than building a base, achieved in this little time, is impossible!"
"It is true, zamasu! A certificate came from the Holy Knight Association, zamasu! An outrageous feat, zamasu!"
"Oh!? Fortune has finally turned my way! If I make this known outside, it becomes my achievement!"
"Yes, zamasu! It becomes my achievement, zamasu! We will call many guests from outside and hold a grand commemorative ceremony, zamasu!"
"Indeed! Onesco-kun will surely make the front page! If she recommends me in her comment there, my rank-up is certain!"
"Yes, zamasu! If she comments that it is the result of my guidance, my rank-up is assured, zamasu! Even a two-rank rise is not a dream, zamasu!"
A bumpy pair, dreams spreading. Then a certain boy's face crossed their minds.
"...Surely, no matter what, that trash will not pop his face out, will he...? For example, that he cut the gems to clear the trial..."
"No matter what, that trash cannot cut gems, zamasu. If he could, he would be a dexterity monster, zamasu."
"Still, caution costs nothing. Even if that trash was involved, we only have to keep him from popping his face out. This time, failure is not allowed no matter what...!"
"U-understood, zamasu. I will use every method there is and shut that trash out, zamasu!"
When I woke in the morning, my body was not glowing, for once. I figured it was fine, left the house to go to school, and...
Near the entrance to the forest, a crowd had formed. The academy guards were lined up in a row, blocking the way.
At the center was the vice principal. From a distance, he shouted at me.
"Tra... no, Leopin-kun! Today you are not to take one step out of that filthy house, zamasu!"
Neither the vice principal nor the guards would come near me, as if I were a germ. I shouted back.
"Huh!? Why!?"
"Onesco has cleared a holy knight's first trial, zamasu! Today we are reserving the academy for the whole day and celebrating, zamasu! Many guests are coming from outside, special, zamasu! Lots of newspaper reporters, taking lots of pictures, zamasu! If a dropout from the Special Training Class even shows in the edge of a shot, it will be a disaster, zamasu!"
At a pioneer academy, outsiders are not allowed in unless it is a special event. A school festival, when the pioneering is far enough along to show, or a class observation.
But when a student achieves something especially fine, they honor the feat and sometimes call guests for a victory party.
This was the second case. It still made no sense that I was banned from going out, but I understood the reason.
And I was used to this kind of treatment. I accepted it reluctantly. The vice principal added a line that took even that willingness away.
"Lots and lots of delicious food will be served too, zamasu! If you stay quiet at home, as a reward I will blow the smell over to you, zamasu!"
"No, I don't need that! Anyway, I understand! I'll do field work all day!"
"No! Not one step out of the house, zamasu!"
The vice principal cut it off and pointed.
"Guards, shut that filthy boy in that filthy house, zamasu! Watch him well, and do not let him out even one step, zamasu!"
The guards did not move one step. At the order they shook their heads, trembling.
I wondered why they were staying so far away. Then Mark and Tom rubbed up against me, and I understood. Right. The vice principal and the guards were afraid of the watchdogs.
The vice principal was hysterically ordering the guards to charge. Not one of them would budge, so at last he gave in.
"Then fine, zamasu! You will watch here all day, and not let that filthy boy out of this forest, zamasu! If that filthy boy tries to take even one step out, beat him without mercy, enough that he shrieks and runs around in a panic, zamasu!"
That order was acceptable. The guards saluted together. I felt a little mean, and ordered, "Go, Mark, Tom."
The moment the two beasts, large and small, roared and ran for the edge of the forest, the guards fled like scattered spiders, screaming like girls.
The vice principal, slow to run, had Tom bite his trousers. The cloth at the seat was torn away.
"This tuxedo was new for today, zamasu! Not even an hour since I put it on, zamasu!?"
Driven by Tom, the vice principal went home with his bare backside out. A pathetic sight. Thanks to that, I felt a little better.