by Funa
Mile was also short for her age, so she was thankful when the conversation moved on.
“I guess that leaves me, then… I’m Pauline, I’m fourteen. I’m the love child of the head of the Beckett Company, a mid-sized mercantile operation.”
Whaaaaaaaat?! The other girls exchanged surprised looks.
“My existence is a nuisance to my father, but I’m a genius at healing magic, so he sent me here to try and polish my skills so that I’d be a useful gift to a noble or important merchant.”
Stop iiiit!!!
“After I graduate from here, I’ll probably end up with some middle-aged man—”
“AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR INTRODUCTIONS,” the other three cut in.
Truly, these were roommates who would get along well.
***
For the next three days, the four girls passed their time chatting in their room and strolling about the capital together. Since none of them had very much money, they only did things that were free.
When they did go shopping, however, there was a problem beyond just money: because their room was very small, they couldn’t buy much of anything besides a few changes of clothing and small, consumable goods.
Each of them had very different personalities, but somehow, they all seemed to complement each other. It was clear that they would be very good roommates.
For some reason or other, Mile found herself growing particularly fond of Reina, and she often noticed the other girl standing by her side. When Mile brought it up, Mavis was kind enough to offer an explanation.
“Well, it’s probably because, you know, the way your figure—no, never mind, it’s nothing.”
“Wait, what?!”
Mile demanded that Mavis continue. As polite as she normally was, she had grown comfortable enough now to speak to her new roommates without reservations.
The truth was that when Reina stood next to Mile, she looked much older. She was noticeably taller than twelve-year-old Mile and more developed in other ways, too.
Since Reina always seemed concerned about her youthful appearance, it was only natural that she’d want to accentuate the contrast between them—which meant staying close to Mile’s side. For Mile, at twelve, being only a little bit smaller than a fifteen-year-old wasn’t so bad either.
Mavis was seventeen, so she wasn’t even part of the equation. It was Pauline who gave Reina reason to worry. She was a hair taller than the average girl of fourteen, which meant she was taller than Reina. Worst of all though, was the fact that her breasts were much more developed than average, surpassing even Mavis’s.
“Grngh…” Mile cast a glare at Pauline’s bust just as Reina returned from the washroom.
“Well, let’s get going!”
The waiting was over. It was the day of the Hunters’ Prep School entrance ceremony.
***
The ceremony was drab.
Since the vast majority of the students came from poverty, their families couldn’t possibly attend.
While the entrance ceremony at Eckland Academy had been nothing special in comparison to that of the much more prestigious Ardleigh, the school still catered to the offspring of nobles and successful merchants, meaning that they had to keep up appearances. Here, the entrance ceremony felt like not much more than an introductory assembly for the students and teachers alone.
Suffice it to say, while a proper three-year boarding school and an accelerated six-month hunters’ prep school were both “schools,” it was like comparing a four-year university to a driving school; in other words, it was not a worthwhile comparison. Even the difference in the size of the student body was noticeable to Mile.
And, of course, the school had no uniforms. Everyone wore their own clothes. Still, as they were attending an entrance ceremony, the students had all worn their hunting equipment rather than standard garb, which gave them the appearance of rookie hunters.
The student body for this term consisted of forty people, the same as always, and there was only one class. In fact, the school was still in something of a trial run, so its scope was very small, much more like a mission school than a true academy.
“Welcome! I am Principal Elbert!” A man of around fifty greeted them from the platform. He didn’t look like a principal so much as a retired hunter.
“I’ve lived as a hunter since I was six years old, up until about six years ago, when I retired and took charge of this place.”
No wonder, then, that he looked like a retired hunter. He was one!
And at any rate, a school of only forty students couldn’t have much need for a principal.
They might as well call it a “Hunter Training Center” or a “Hunter Boot Camp,” Mile thought.
“The aim of this place is to cram you full of all the knowledge you’d normally gain from the successes and failures of many years in the span of just six months. That way, you can be promoted to a D or C-rank immediately after you graduate! You understand what that means, right?”
Elbert looked out at the students’ faces.
“That’s right! This place is tough! And anyone who can’t keep up gets the boot! Having someone happily graduate and then kick the bucket a few days later—or worse, drag all their party members down in the mud? That’s not what we want. So, we don’t let it happen! If don’t think you can stick with it, then you can turn in your resignation now!”
To enter the school, everyone present had overcome fierce competition. They carried their families’ hopes on their shoulders. No one was prepared to give up so easily. At least at that moment point, there were no quitters present.
Following Elbert’s address, the other instructors were introduced, and then the students were dismissed. The small details would be covered later, in the classroom.
***
As they waited for their instructor to arrive, the students chattered in small groups. Roommates, who had already grown close, talked amongst one another.
“I mean, it’s pretty obvious,” said Reina.
The other three nodded.
She was referring to the principal’s remarks. Everyone there had been perfectly aware of the school’s reputation when they enrolled. There was no point in blabbering on about it.
After a short while, the door at the front of the room opened, and their instructor entered. It was Elbert, the principal himself.
“I’m your chief instructor. We don’t have a particularly large budget, so you can think of me as your principal-cum-chief instructor-cum-weaponry trainer. Besides me, there’re the three others I introduced. And other than that, it’s just the cooks who make your meals and the school maintenance staff.
“Our curriculum here is focused on practical education, but there’s a classroom portion of your studies, too. If you don’t know how to identify medicinal herbs or tell different monsters apart, you’re dead meat. And if you don’t know how to properly address a noble you’re escorting, you’re going to end up starting a fight that will end either with you getting cut down or put on a list of criminals. You have to study up.”
His words were curt, but no one could argue with the truth of them.
Elbert began writing on the board as he continued speaking.
Total Students: 40Boys: 27Girls: 13
Sword UsersBoys: 13Girls: 3
Spear UsersBoys: 4
ArchersBoys: 4Girls: 2
Magic UsersBoys: 6Girls: 8
Girls’ Team A5 Members2 Magic, 1 Sword, 2 Bow
Girls’ Team B4 Members3 Magic, 1 Sword
Girls’ Team C4 Members3 Magic, 1 Sword
Boys’ Team 15 Members1 Magic, 3 Sword, 1 Bow
Boys’ Team 25 Members1 Magic, 2 Sword, 1 Bow, 1 Spear
Boys’ Team 35 Members1 Magic, 2 Sword, 1 Bow, 1 Spear
Boys’ Team 44 Members1 Magic, 2 Sword, 1 Spear
Boys’ Team 54 Members 1 Magic, 2 Sword, 1 Spear
Boys’ Team 64 Members1 Magic, 2 Sword, 1 Bow
“This cl
ass is divided into parties by gender and grouped based on your professions. Teams A through C are the girls’ teams, and Teams 1 through 6 are the boys’. I’m sure some of you may have noticed already, but these party divisions are the same as your room assignments. So you’re bound together until graduation, like it or not.
“If there’s someone you don’t get on with, it’s your responsibility to tough it out. That’s part of your training. After all, you’re not always going to end up liking your party members after graduation, either.
“Now, there aren’t many all-girl parties out there in the real world, but here at school, we don’t have the time to be breaking up any lovers’ spats or dealing with unexpected babies. It’s easier to teach you all separately.
“But that’s just for while you’re here. After you graduate, you can form your own mixed-gender parties if you want to. That’s how it usually works, after all.”
At that point, Mile felt that Elbert had been a bit too frank, but he simply continued his explanation.
Seating in the classroom was divided up by profession, so it was easy for the instructors to know at a glance which groups would most benefit from what information. Still, when hunters were out in the field, there was the possibility that they would have to take up the arms of a fallen comrade or a bested enemy, so it was crucial that every hunter trained with equipment that was outside of his or her wheelhouse. In the future, this would help them work better with other members of their party. Of course, it was critical to know the strengths and weaknesses of one’s enemies, so joint sessions with students of other professions were also part of their training course.
Finally, it was time for the students to introduce themselves to one another.
“I don’t expect you all to memorize everybody the first time around,” Elbert said. “This is just to get a feel for the sorts of folks who are in your class. We’ll start from the right side. Give us your name, age, occupation, specialization, and rank, at the very least. You don’t have to stop there, though. Feel free to let your peers know what kind of person you are.”
In spite of his encouragement, almost no one gave more than the bare minimum.
Few students were interested in filling a bunch of strangers in on their private affairs, their strengths, or their weaknesses. Even Mavis, Reina, and Pauline gave introductions much briefer than those they had offered back in the dormitory.
Finally, it came time for Mile to introduce herself. “I’m Mile. I’m twelve years old and a magic user. There’s no type of magic that I’m especially bad at. I can use storage magic, and I dabble just a little in swords. I’m an F-rank.”
Unlike Reina, no one here expressed puzzlement at Mile’s knowledge of storage magic. No matter how impressive the skill was, it was not particularly difficult to imagine why someone would have judged it too dangerous to send an inexperienced twelve-year-old out into the field. Instead, they would have sent her here to learn a few things, first. That was also, one could assume, why she was still an F-rank.
Indeed, in the wake of Mile’s introduction, the students were whispering amongst themselves for an entirely different reason: recruitment, whether they could get to know her before graduation and cajole her into one of their parties.
She was a good-looking, reliable-seeming girl who could use storage—as well as other—magic, and she was even handy with a sword.
If a girl like that wasn’t someone you wanted on your side, then who else would be?
For Mile, another difficult time was about to begin.
***
“All right! Time for our first-ever party meeting,” Reina announced that evening after dinner, when they returned to their room.
The three others stared blankly.
“Don’t you guys get it? Something terrible’s happened! We need to talk about this!”
“What’s so terrible?” Mile asked, unconcerned.
“You! Did you not see it?!” Reina shouted back. “How they were all staring at you?!”
“Huh? Am I really all that fascinating?”
“No!!! Weeell, it’s not that you aren’t interesting, but everyone’s after that storage magic of yours! Before you know what’s what, they’re going to start coming after you to join their parties! And if we don’t do something, it’s going to be a disaster. Besides, you’re already my…”
“Hmm?”
“N-never mind! Anyway, listen: You’re going to start getting swarmed by men who aren’t interested in you yourself, but in your storage magic! We need to do something about this!”
“What are you talking about?”
At Mile’s amazement, Mavis and Pauline sighed deeply.
“Listen, most everyone who goes to this school is fifteen and older. People who join a guild as proper hunters at the age of ten can become a D-rank hunter in just a few years, even if they start at F-rank. And once they’re a D-rank, they can start taking on real jobs, so there’s no need to come to a place like this. No one’s going to be sending any young people out on a mission to fight a high-ranking monster.
“However, none of the people here were able to join the guild at age ten. And even if they did join the guild later, the students here were also deemed to have potential. The higher-ups sent them to school so they could move more quickly through the ranks.
“Obviously, Mile, you fall outside that rule, because you’re so young. There’s no mistaking that you’re here because of your storage magic.”
Reina continued. “Most of the people here are already adults. Sure, some of them are only looking for future party members, but some of them are also looking for love. Someone like you, whose storage magic gives her great earning potential, who seems easy to control, and who is, dare I say, pretty cute… You’re just too delectable of a prize. Do you see what I’m saying?”
“Um.” Mile hung her head, crestfallen.
“Basically, if you get any party invitations from here on out, just tell them, ‘I already promised I’d be with my roommates.’ And, if anyone tries to ask you on a date, tell them, ‘I’m not interested right now. I want to focus on my training.’ Got it?!”
“Y-yes, ma’am!”
Seeing Mile’s startled, immediate reply and Reina’s obvious satisfaction, Mavis and Pauline understood.
So, it’s like that.
Yes, it was most definitely “like that.”
“Oh, that’s right,” said Mavis. “We need to pick a leader.”
Immediately, the three girls all pointed…
At Mavis.
She was the oldest and the tallest, imposing, but also appealing and sincere.
The others were—of course—made up of the short-tempered Reina, mild-mannered Pauline, and Mile, who always seemed a step behind the rest of them.
In other words, Mavis was the obvious choice.
***
The following day, the morning was occupied by classroom studies.
Practical training would take place on the grounds in the afternoon.
“All right, the gang’s all here. Before we start our normal training, we need to confirm all of your current ability levels. Let’s go ahead and see each of your combat abilities, one at a time. Break out of your parties, and sort yourselves by occupation.”
As directed by Elbert, the students rearranged themselves into groups by combat class.
The other three instructors were also present. The first was Huey, in charge of short swords, throwing knives, and archery. The second was Neville, a magic instructor, with a particular specialty in combat magic. And the third was Jilda, another magic instructor, in charge of utility and healing spells. Each of them was a former hunter.
Though they all had their own specialties to take charge of, they were by no means unskilled in the other disciplines, and when one had their hands full, the others could pitch in.
As things stood, the sword users and archers were mostly boys, and the number of female spear users was exactly zero. On the other hand, the magic users we
re mostly girls.
Considering physical ability, it was unsurprising that most of the students in the former professions were male. Even boys who could use some measure of combat magic were likely to choose the sword as their main skill. Moreover, a majority of applicants to the school were boys, anyway.
Still, though there were far fewer girls than boys in the student body, there were many more female magic users, likely for the same reasons discussed above.
All the students were wearing their own armor, but as weapons would be provided, no one had brought their own.
Even in a mock battle, if one used a real sword, there was risk of injury, and so, the students dressed accordingly. This was a blessing for Mile, who in spite of always looking rather like a swordsman, didn’t look out of place with the other magic users.
They could be called sorcerers, yes, but there was not a robe in sight. Rather, everyone wore the same light leather armor, or if they couldn’t afford that, thick, plain clothes, meaning that Mile did not stand out in her boots and leather breast plate.
It was only in her choice of equipment that Mile was exceptional. Other magic users carried staves, rods, or other blunt weaponry, but Mile stuck with her trusty sword. A magic user’s life depended on their spell-casting and magic. Therefore, they were usually loathe to carry weapons that required extra attention or special skills. The same went for anything that might get stuck in an opponent’s armor, making escape difficult.
As a result, they were inclined to the aforementioned forms of weaponry: light and well-balanced bludgeoning tools that required little thought to use, not meant for felling an enemy but merely for swinging about to protect oneself, should someone draw too near.
However, such things were of no concern to Mile. Additionally, it was much easier to fell an enemy with a sword or spear than with a staff or rod—and that was what counted.