web novel
《Side Fly Eltor》
Finally, the day has come for me to enter the academy.
“Fly-sama, it’s time to go.”
“Mm. Good morning, Elisabeth. And good morning to you too, Irene-san.”
“Good morning, Fly-sama.”
Irene-san, whom I saved using a non-attribute healing magic when she was ten years old, seems to have fully recovered.
They say that women go through three major periods of transformation from girlhood to womanhood, and I feel like I’m witnessing the first of these changes in the two of them.
Elisabeth, with her golden, vertically rolled curls, looks exactly like the strong-willed villainess noble girl from the stories I used to tell her.
I always knew Elisabeth loved stories about villainesses, but I never expected her to take it this far.
“Shall we get going?”
“Yes!!”
As we board the carriage, for some reason, the two of them sit on either side of me.
And why are they both wearing dresses with open necklines, pressing their well-developed chests against my arms as we ride? I mean, Elisabeth has always been pushy, so I can kind of understand her, but Irene-san too?
“Is something wrong, Fly-sama?”
“Ah, no, I was just thinking how glad I am that Irene-san is doing well.”
“Fufu, that’s all thanks to you, Fly-sama. I was supposed to die, but you gave me a new life. So, my body, my life, everything belongs to you now.”
No, that’s not true. I think everything belongs to Irene-san herself.
Unlike Elisabeth, Irene-san has a more muted, yellowish hair color with a hint of red.
She’s a beautiful older sister with a gentle, kind smile.
Both of them have developed far beyond what you’d expect for fifteen and sixteen-year-olds. It’s good to see they’ve been eating well lately.
“We’re almost at the academy.”
“Fly-sama, it’s unfair that you only talk to my sister. Please talk to me more too.”
“Eh?! Don’t I talk to you all the time, Elisabeth?”
“It’s not enough!”
It’s not that I’m not used to dealing with women, and I don’t dislike talking to people, but being showered with affection from both of them at the same time is something I’m not used to, so I’m more confused than anything.
As much as the two of them are a handful, I have another worry right now.
It’s because the academy, which will be the stage for this story, is approaching.
I know this world has several protagonists. In other words, there are heroes who are given a perspective and whose stories are told.
I found out during the entrance ceremony that I’m the same age as them.
“My name is Brid Slayer Harkens, the Second Prince of the Empire.”
Brid Slayer Harkens, the Second Prince of the Empire, who will later be known as the most vicious and destructive Mad King in the novels.
Thanks to his overwhelming abilities, he will become the Crown Prince in a few years and be the one to plunge the world into war.
And there he is, giving his entrance ceremony speech right in front of me.
“I have no interest in ordinary people. Magic, swordsmanship, tactics, arithmetic—whatever it is, if you think you have what it takes, come to me. I will take you under my wing as someone who will lead the future of the Empire. That is all.”
His words were far from a typical academy entrance speech; they were filled with imperialistic fervor.
Even though the academy is located within the Empire, the academy city is a kind of neutral territory.
This continent is home to seven races—Humans, Barbarians, Beastfolk, Elves (including Dwarves), Demonfolk, Merfolk, and Dragonfolk—and over thirty countries.
In the academy city, Humans, Beastfolk, Elves, and Merfolk attend, with Humans coming not just from the Empire but also from Kingdoms and Republics.
The Mad King seems to have shown signs of his future self even as a child. What a troublesome guy.
“Prince Brid is quite bold, isn’t he?”
“Yes. The people from other countries seem confused.”
Even during the entrance ceremony, as the second son of an Imperial Duke, I was treated as second only to Prince Brid. This is troublesome. I’ll have to think about how to handle my relationship with him.
And there’s one more thing.
I also noticed that the boy and girl who should be called the heroes of this story have enrolled as well.
“Fufu, even at a time like this, Fly-sama doesn’t seem very interested.”
Elisabeth looks at my face and says I seem uninterested. Fly-kun’s face is a bit blank, so I guess it looks that way.
I’m just deep in thought, but it’s harsh, isn’t it?
“But it’s because Fly-sama is always so unchanging that he’s wonderful.”
Irene-san also compliments me, but I’m just troubled.
“Brid-kun, the top of the entrance class, thank you for your speech. Now, let me conclude with my own words. I am Norzo Azyambar, the headmaster of this academy.”
The old man with a pure white beard and draped in robes was once known as the Master of the Magic Tower, possessing immense magical power and dedicating his life to magical research.
But at some point, he became the headmaster, devoting himself to nurturing the next generation, and now reigns as a famous headmaster. It’s thanks to his power that neutrality is maintained.
He is a figure of such strength that everyone holds him in awe and respect.
“This academy is a neutral territory where people of various races and nations gather. It is our hope that this will bring a bright future for you young people. Many adults have joined hands to make this possible. We hope that through interaction, you will strive for a brighter future. Please talk to each other, learn from each other, and join hands. That concludes my speech.”
With the headmaster’s speech, the entrance ceremony came to an end.
A challenging academy life was about to begin.
