A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

Freshman Banquet (2)

***

With nothing to do in my free time, the weekend soon approached.

The weekend was the day to buy my attire, as promised earlier. So, I arrived at the plaza at the agreed time.

“Oh, there he is.”

“Sivar! Here! Over here!”

When I arrived at the meeting place, everyone else was already there. There were still ten minutes left until the appointed time.

I walked over to Ellie, who was waving at me, and the others. They were all people I was supposed to meet beforehand.

‘Hmm. Everyone except me is female.’

It’s no wonder there are rumors. Two of them even stamped their presence during the finals.

Fortunately, there was no awkwardness, but I couldn’t help feeling a little giddy. It seemed they didn’t mind at all.

“Did you eat?”

“Yeah, I ate with Rize.”

“What did the Holy Warrior make for you?”

“Meat.”

Rize mostly takes care of my meals. But soon, she’ll return to Byzantium.

Once she leaves, I’ll have to manage my meals alone. Thankfully, I’m interested in cooking, so it won’t be a problem.

Even when I lived in the forest, I added various herbs to create unique dishes. Civilization has even more spices, not less.

“Ellie, i.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Think about it with your hand on your heart.”

“Oh, I get it.”

As we headed to the clothing store selling various outfits, we chatted about different things.

With finals over, the freshman banquet was the only thing left to do.

Everyone shared rough plans about what they’d do during the vacation.

“Grace, what will you do during the vacation? Will you return to your family?”

“Probably. I’d love to stay, but considering my position… Ellie, you’re staying, right?”

“Yes, it takes a month to return to my hometown.”

“…Where exactly do you live?”

“Batonto Village.”

“…?”

Sometimes, amusing situations arise, like conversations between noble Grace and commoner Ellie.

Grace is from a ducal family, second only to the emperor, while Ellie hails from an even more rural place than Luna.

Because of this, their conversations seemed to connect yet not quite, which was quite entertaining. Plus, both are picks of Chaos.

“Then Grace, you can’t hang out with Sivar during vacation?”

“Well, yes. That’s what bothers me the most…”

“It’s okay! Seeing Sivar’s face every day is nice, but seeing family isn’t bad either, right?”

“…”

Even if she didn’t mean it, there are moments of insensitivity.

To Grace, her family is as close as strangers. It’s like stepping on a landmine.

Of course, Ellie probably meant to console her, not knowing the full story.

“…I’ll just sneak out.”

[Faith increases!]

I already feel uneasy. True to their chaotic nature.

I sensed the world was filled with chaos. If Luna were to join in with her mouth, it’d be the icing on the cake.

Fortunately, Luna remained silent, seemingly having nothing to say.

“Luna, are you planning to go to Byzantium during the vacation?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. I’ll go with Sivar. Want to come?”

“No, I’m good. Gathering herbs during vacation is quite tough. With Ratatoskr, it shouldn’t be dangerous. What about you, Kara?”

“Of course, I’ll go. Even if it’s not about Sivar, I’ve always wanted to visit.”

Incidentally, the Tatars have a great affinity for Byzantium. Byzantium played a crucial role in having the Tatars recognized as a nation.

Byzantium is the only place with a temple, not just a church or altar. With enough faith, one can even receive an oracle directly from a deity.

As a religiously inclined country, Byzantium is a remarkably neutral state. It’s accepting as long as it’s not heretical.

“Come to think of it, Tatars are a place where Lord Gulak is the state religion, right? At least you won’t hear discriminatory remarks.”

“That’s what I like best. Whether barbarian or not, it ends if you’re religious.”

There’s an expression used to describe Byzantium: the world’s least discriminatory nation.

As long as you believe in Gaia, Chaos, or Gulak, it doesn’t matter who you are. Everyone is welcomed.

This was evident in the process of Tatars being recognized as a nation. Hector personally visited Byzantium to showcase Gulak’s power.

Normally, it would be akin to a military demonstration, but Byzantium coolly ‘acknowledged’ it, albeit with some stern words.

“Would there be a temple for those who worship Chaos? Shouldn’t Sivar go there?”

“I’ll ask the Holy Warrior. She’ll know more about religion than us.”

“For now, let’s focus on getting Sivar’s clothes. We’re almost there.”

After chatting and laughing, we arrived at the clothing store. The store was located in a bustling area filled with various shops.

Originally an educational institution, the academy expanded to include numerous miscellaneous buildings. Everything one might need is there.

Ting-a-ling-

“Welcome! How can I assist you?”

“We’d like to fit this gentleman’s formal attire. Do you have anything suitable? Don’t worry about the cost.”

Wow. How impressive.

The phrase ‘don’t worry about the cost’ can sound so majestic. Her noble aura was palpable.

The clerk, hearing Grace’s terms, glanced at me and quickly scanned me up and down.

“A fine gentleman, indeed. I understand. Do the others need anything?”

“Is there a formal outfit that fits me?”

“As for the lady… uh…”

While I was brushed off, the clerk hesitated with Ellie.

The clerk’s gaze was precisely on Ellie’s chest, trying hard to think.

Fortunately, since she was also a woman, it wasn’t misunderstood as inappropriate.

“…First, I’ll check both your body types. Could you come this way?”

“Yes. Luna, you?”

“…I’ll do it later.”

Luna responded while casting a glance at Ellie’s chest. Then she looked down at her own.

I felt a bit sorry for her and wanted to cheer her up.

“Luna.”

“Hmm?”

“Cheer up.”

“…”

And so, I did. Her lower eyelid twitched, indicating it struck a nerve.

She looked like she wanted to hit me. Teasing Luna is always fun.

“Hmm… The gentleman is quite tall. His shoulders are broad too. What style of formal wear do you want?”

“Something in black, please.”

Fitting my clothes wasn’t too difficult. My build wasn’t beyond human standards.

The problem was Ellie. As soon as the clerk measured Ellie’s chest with a tape measure, they gasped.

“Wow… Miss? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

“I’m used to it. So, is there anything in my size?”

“Sorry, but it’ll need to be custom-made. We might only have something two sizes smaller.”

“If I wear that…”

“The dress will burst.”

Ellie gave up immediately. She decided to attend in casual wear.

After that, I tried on the formal attire the clerk brought to see if there were any discomforts.

The top was fine, but the problem was the bottom. The pant legs were a bit short.

The short pant legs were adjustable, but the main issue was the crotch area.

“…It’s too tight. Uncomfortable.”

“Uh, yes. Why is that…”

“Ahem. Ahem…”

I’m not sure where it was made, but that area stood out excessively.

It was far from what I imagined. Others seemed embarrassed too.

“The size seems a bit small, doesn’t it?”

“S-Sorry. It seems I made a mistake. Hohoho.”

Thankfully, it was concluded to be a size issue. The clerk brought another outfit that fit perfectly.

Honestly, I wasn’t that embarrassed. During the midterms, I didn’t hide anything.

After fitting the pants, Grace paid for it. The price was steep, but she acted as if it was nothing.

“Luna, pick something if you want. As I mentioned before, I’ll buy it for you.”

“Really?”

“Do I seem like someone who goes back on their word?”

“Thank you! What should I choose?”

Luna seemed to enjoy choosing dresses, trying on several options.

Or maybe she was focused on the fact that it was free. Unlike me, Luna chose a white dress.

It suited her slender figure well, giving off a fairy-like vibe.

Moreover, it revealed her shoulders and back, emphasizing her femininity.

‘Is this a coincidence too?’

It’s the most chosen dress by users in the Soul World. I picked that one too.

People’s tastes seem similar everywhere. Luna’s fair skin matched it well.

“Thank you! Please visit again!”

Having purchased the clothes, we exited the store. With ample time, we planned to wander around.

We’d return to the dorm after dinner, spending the day walking and talking.

“Who’s attending the freshman banquet? I heard some high-ranking people are coming.”

Ellie brought up a potentially sensitive topic: who would attend the freshman banquet.

Typically, only freshmen would attend. However, banquets are often politically significant.

Even Grace and Kara are in positions where politics are inevitable. Others besides freshmen are likely to attend.

“Many will attend. High-ranking officials from different countries too. Think of it as an extension of the mentors’ network.”

“Do you know who’s attending from your country? Tatars only have me.”

“Well, I heard rumors that the Crown Prince might attend…”

“Crown Prince?”

Kara’s eyes widened at the mention of the Crown Prince attending. Others reacted similarly.

I tried to appear nonchalant but listened closely. The Crown Prince of the Matra Empire requires attention.

“Yes. It’s just a rumor, but given his actions, it wouldn’t be surprising. He’s quite…”

Grace paused to survey her surroundings. Checking if anyone else might be listening.

Thankfully, we were in a café, in a private room.

With no one else to overhear, Grace continued candidly.

“…He’s a bit insane.”

“I heard he’s a lunatic.”

“I can’t deny it.”

Kara’s blunt expression wasn’t contradicted by Grace. Her nod affirmed it.

If this were all you heard, your first impression of the Crown Prince wouldn’t be good. But the Matra Empire’s Crown Prince is unique.

“Only after losing freedom do you understand true freedom. He lives by this phrase, so his reputation isn’t great.”

“But I heard he’s very competent.”

“That’s the problem. It’s quite unsettling.”

Grace then looked at me. Her eyes were filled with anxiety.

“I hope he doesn’t take an interest in Sivar… but it’ll be difficult, right?”

“Looking at what he’s done, it’s hard not to notice him.”

There’s no need to worry too much. The Crown Prince may be eccentric, but he’s someone you can communicate with.

The real issue lies elsewhere. The direct problem won’t come from the Crown Prince.

There’s a high chance of friction with Kara, and the individual coming from the East is the same.

‘I’ll be busy.’

It seems like there’s no time to rest. I thought to myself.

“But Grace, what are you wearing to the banquet?”

“Well…”

Grace looked at me with a smile. Her usual stern eyes softened into a radiant smile.

With a subtle blush on her cheeks, it seemed she had something planned.

“You can look forward to it. I’m going all out.”

In the Soul World, she wore a simple dress.

But from her words, it might be different this time.

‘Will it be similar to Kara’s dancing outfit?’

Probably not to that extent.

End of Chapter

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