Chapter 3: Genbu Dormitory
“Hanya?”
When I woke up, a pure white ceiling jumped into my vision. Apparently, I’d been put to bed. White curtains surrounded me, and I had no idea where I was. I had a feeling, though… maybe the nurse’s office? Just as I was thinking that, a curtain slid open shaa, and a woman in a white coat with pink hair in a side-tail appeared.
“Oh, you’re awake, are you?”
The woman said that and opened up all the curtains around me. It really is the nurse’s office. There were several other identical beds next to mine, and shelves lined the walls, filled with bottles of medicine.
“Um, where is this…”
“This is the academy’s nurse’s office-desu. I am the school nurse, Bell Flora. Please call me Flora-desu.”
Flora-san smiled cheerfully as she spoke. She has a… unique aura about her. But still…
“They’re huge…”
“Eh?”
“Er, nothing.”
Every time she moved, those two bountiful, ripe peaches jiggled, and even though I’m a girl, my eyes were just drawn to them. What does she eat to get like that? Compared to her…
“Oh, you’re awake.”
Just as I was feeling despair at the difference between us, the nurse’s office door opened, and the upperclassman came in, bringing the bear golem named Parla. …She’s tiny. This senpai is on my side of the fence.
“How are you feeling? I’m so sorry. You collapsed from magic depletion. The Achilles’s Spirit Reactor drained too much of your magic. If only I had stopped you sooner…”
Magic depletion. Ah, so that’s why I passed out. I didn’t feel like it was draining my magic at all while I was moving it.
“You must have had an extremely high synchronization with the Achilles. Didn’t it feel like it was your own arms and legs while you were moving it? That’s how smoothly your magic was flowing into it.”
I see. It’s true, in the first half it was a struggle just to move, but in the second half, I could move it with surprising ease. Because of that, my magic just flowed right out, and I collapsed from depletion.
“Normally, they’re equipped with magic control units and emergency shutoffs to prevent that, but the Achilles is a prototype, so it didn’t have them installed. This won’t happen in your academy classes, so don’t worry.”
That’s good. It’d be a disaster if I collapsed every time I had class. Academy classes… wait, that’s right!
“The registrar’s office! I have to go finish my enrollment…!”
“Don’t worry about that, either. I finished the paperwork for you while you were asleep. I’ll take you to the dorms later.”
“Huh? Oh, thank you very much…”
Apparently, Senpai took care of the paperwork while I was out. That’s a huge help, but I still have no idea where the registrar’s office is. I’d better learn my way around once school starts.
“I think you’re fine now-desu, but just in case, take this. It’s a magic recovery potion-desu.”
Flora-sensei held out a small vial filled with a dark green liquid. Is this okay? Potions are supposed to be pretty expensive.
“I made that one myself-desu, so please, don’t hesitate.”
“Really… Well, in that case… Ugh!”
The moment I popped the cork, kyupon, an indescribable stench wafted up and hit my nose. It wasn’t foul or pungent, but it was definitely the smell of something that does not taste good. To be specific, this is going to be incredibly bitter, isn’t it!? And I have to drink this!?
“Flora-san’s potions are guaranteed to work, so you really should drink it.”
Even as she said that, Senpai was making a sour face, like, ‘Uwaah…’ I bet she’s had to drink one before, too. W-Well, it’s not like it’ll kill me, and if it’s just bitter… Here goes! I braced myself and chugged the vial of potion.
“Gkkh!?”
The instant it hit my mouth, an indescribable foulness exploded. I almost spat it out but managed to force it down. The moment I did, the exhaustion that had plagued my body since waking up vanished. My head feels clear, too. My magic might be restored, but this horrible bitter taste is stuck to my tongue and won’t go away! As if she knew, Senpai gave me a piece of candy. Thank you so much…
“Can you move now? Your enrollment is done, so next you need to check into your dorm. Let’s see, you’re from Elfrau, right? That means you’ll be in the Genbu Dormitory.”
Genbu Dormitory. It seems the new students from Elfrau are assigned to that dorm. That blond-haired noble girl is probably going to be there too… The machinist academy is fundamentally a boarding school. Apparently, it’s so we can learn independence, autonomy, and the importance of human relationships through dorm life. Since we’re living together, I’ll have to find some way to get along, even with people I don’t like… If we can get along, that is. At Senpai’s urging, I grabbed my luggage, which had been placed next to the bed.
“Thank you for everything.” “Not at all. Feel free to come back anytime-desu.”
Flora-sensei waved cheerfully, but I’d really rather not have a reason to come back here often.
“This way.”
I left the nurse’s office and followed Senpai. It was already evening. As we walked through the school building, with the evening sun streaming in, I asked Senpai something I’d been wondering for a while.
“I haven’t seen any other students at all. Is the school closed today?”
“Oh, no. First-years who’ve checked into their dorms aren’t allowed in the school building without reason until the entrance ceremony. And all the current students are on a certain island for survival training. You’ll be going next year, too.”
“S-Survival?”
“Um, a battle for survival?”
What’s that? It sounds so dangerous! They have classes like that!? It’s not really life-or-death, is it!?
“Th-That sounds… tough.”
“Well, it is. Our school is a meritocracy. In return, we don’t care about your social status or background. If you get good grades, you receive various perks based on your performance. Money, promotions, anything. Some of the top students in the past have even received their own personal Frame Gear by graduation.”
“What!? You can own a Frame Gear personally!?”
“You can. A custom unit. That graduate was flooded with recruitment offers from all sorts of countries.”
Of course they were. If they get her to serve their country, they essentially get a free Frame Gear. There are some amazing upperclassmen out there.
“Are you going to aim for a custom unit, too?”
“No, no, no! That’s impossible for me… I failed the ‘Academy’ (Gakuen) exam’s physical and strength tests…”
“Stamina and strength are things you can build up later. I think what’s necessary for a ‘Trooper’ is how well you can become one with your unit, and finding your own unique weapon that won’t lose to anyone.”
My own unique weapon…? Does she mean special equipment? Come to think of it, I heard that the Frame Gears of the nine Duchesses, the wives of the first Sovereign Duke, each had their own unique weapons. I think there was a pile bunker, and a sniper rifle… Does she mean I need to get a weapon like that? While I was lost in thought, a very large building came into view down the path leading away from the school. Could that be the Genbu Dormitory? The construction resembles the style of the nation of Orphen. Is this what they call ‘East-West fusion’? Is this a ‘Western-style mansion’? But it’s more than a mansion, it’s an estate. It looks like a small hotel. I wonder how many people live here?
“Alright, this is where I leave you. I’ve already spoken to the dorm matron inside, so go ahead and check in. You should get your room assignment and rest for the day.”
“Ah, thank you for everything. Um, your name is…”
I realized I hadn’t asked for her name yet. Since we’ve met, I’d like to stay on good terms with her.
“It’s Quun. Let’s meet again when school starts.”
Saying that, Quun-senpai left, taking her little bear golem with her. She didn’t give a family name… does that mean she’s a commoner? Oh, well. I readjusted my luggage and looked up at the Genbu Dormitory. I’m going to be living here starting today…
“Excuse me!”
I opened one of the double doors and went inside. Right next to a wide entrance hall, there was a manager’s office. I made eye contact with a woman in her mid-twenties who was looking at me through a small window.
“Oh my, yes, yes. You must be Nero Silhoueska?”
The gentle-looking woman with short, wavy blue hair opened the office door and came over.
“Yes! I’m Nero Silhoueska! I’ll be in your care starting today!”
“You’re quite late, so I was worried, but I’m glad you made it. I am Preliora, the matron of this Genbu Dormitory. Please call me Liora.”
“Yes, Liora-san.”
Thank goodness. She seems nice. She asked me to sign here for now, and I wrote my name on the register she presented.
“Currently, over two hundred people live in the Genbu Dormitory. Wielding your social status is forbidden here as well, so if a noble says something to you just because you’re a commoner, you have no obligation to obey. If it becomes excessive, please tell me or one of the academy teachers.” “Um, are there really people like that?” “Let’s see… I think it’s less common than it used to be, but we get a certain number of them every year. If they don’t stop after a few warnings, a notice is sent to their home country. If there’s still no improvement, we recommend voluntary withdrawal. If they still refuse, it becomes a forced expulsion, which leaves a stain on their record as a noble. So, most students withdraw voluntarily before it gets to that point.”
I see. In that case, I guess I don’t need to hold back just because someone’s a noble. No, no, I don’t want them holding a grudge after graduation. I should try to handle things peacefully if possible.
“Here is the handbook for dorm life. Please be sure to read it thoroughly.”
Liora-san handed me a small black booklet. On the cover was a picture of a turtle entwined by a black snake. It was drawn in a cute style, so even though it was a snake, I didn’t feel much aversion to it. This is ‘Genbu,’ right? One of the Four Divine Beasts said to have been commanded by His Majesty the first Sovereign Duke. I flipped through it. It contained a map of the dorm, the rules, and the schedules for meals and baths.
“The rooms are on the first floor for fifth and fourth-years, the second floor for third and second-years, and the third floor for first-years. Silhoueska-san, you will be in Room 333. It’s a shared room with one other person. Here is your key.”
She handed me a rather large key. A transparent magic stone was embedded in the tip. It must be the type that opens when you channel magic into it.
“You should probably go put your luggage in your room. It’s almost time for dinner in the dining hall.”
Whoops, I am not going to be late and miss dinner, too. I thanked Liora-san and headed for the stairs, using the dorm handbook to find my room. I didn’t run into anyone on the way. Oh, right, the upperclassmen aren’t here today. Because of that survival thing. …Wait? Then why was Quun-senpai, the one who guided me here, at the school? …Is she skipping? I reached the third floor while thinking about that. Okay, 333, 333… Room 333 was pretty far down the hall. So this is my room. She said it was a shared room, so I must have a roommate. I wonder if she’s already here? I used the key I was given, and with a clack, I opened the door and went inside.
“Geh…”
“Oh, it’s you…”
Who could blame me for instinctively making a face like I’d just bitten into a bitter bug? Inside the room was the obnoxious, blond-haired elf girl I’d met at the academy’s front gate. You’ve got to be kidding me. She’s my roommate? I truly, deeply cursed my rotten luck…
