Chapter 31: Chiba-senpai and the Strawberry Parfait
“I’m hungry…”
Pressing down on my stomach, which started growling loudly guuuu…, I trudged down the hallway.
It was hard trying to keep my stomach from growling during the lecture. I managed to cover it up by coughing on purpose…
This is all because of the Zelda-senpai… or rather, Zelda Onee-sama incident this morning, which caused me to miss breakfast.
The rumor must have spread already, as the gazes from my fellow first-years in the lecture hall were harsh.
Most were gazes of curiosity, but some students were directing murderous intent at me strong enough to shoot me dead.
“Zelda-senpai is a legend, so to speak, who climbed to Rank 1 as a third-year. Naturally, many underclassmen admire her. I bet there were many who were hoping to form a ‘Sisters’ Vow’ with her given the chance.”
“To add to that, she’s a real princess. Everyone had given up on her as a flower on a high peak, and then some inexplicable first-year who popped out of nowhere nonchalantly took that spot, you know? Of course they’d get angry.”
“It’s not my fault, though.”
Carrol and Sherry explained it kindly and thoroughly, but I’m not convinced. Why do I have to be resented for such a reason?
“Can’t I annul this ‘Sisters’ Vow’…? Should I just return this ring?”
“Don’t be ridiculous… If you do that, you will undoubtedly be subjected to a kangaroo court, do you understand? Listen, the reason those fanatical Zelda-sama fans are holding back to this extent is because, for the time being, you are Zelda-sama’s ‘little sister’. If that shackle is removed, you will be living an academy life like sitting on a bed of nails, you know?”
“I’m screwed either way, aren’t I?”
I’m going to be resented regardless. I’m starting to think this ring is cursed.
I shouldn’t have accepted it without thinking…
“Oh, it’s fine. Nero just has to show her true ability. Ability befitting Zelda-senpai’s ‘little sister’. If you show them that, the people complaining will shut up.”
“Isn’t that hurdle a bit high…?”
I feel like they won’t acknowledge me unless I get into the top nine ranks, around S-Rank…
Well, I do have a goal around that level, though! But still, I can’t help but sigh. It’s not something that can be done overnight…
Yeah, what I have to do doesn’t change. Worrying about it won’t help, so for now, I just have to do my best in the [Star Duel].
“Seems like the duel requests are going crazy.”
“They are… It was so annoying that I turned off notifications just now.”
As Sherry said, notifications for duel requests have been coming to my smartphone incessantly since this morning’s incident. Even with the sound off, the vibration was so buzzy and annoying that I’ve completely turned off notifications for now.
You can only send a regulated number of [Star Duel] requests per day, but I guess it’s possible for them to come all at once like this… It’s more than the day after my debut match.
I can understand requests from the same F-Rank. Why are they coming from the higher E-Rank too? And all of them are second-years.
“It’s not against the rules for a higher rank to challenge a lower rank. Or rather, if you don’t want to, you can refuse. There’s no penalty. Conversely, since you don’t need the [Upper Challenge Rights] to bet on ranking up, it’s a chance to climb up in a sense.”
I am currently F-Rank, but to rise to E-Rank, I have to pay the regulated ten stars to obtain [Upper Challenge Rights].
On top of that, I have to wager stars in a [Star Duel], so I need at least eleven stars.
Of course, if I lose, I lose everything.
However, if a challenge comes from a higher rank, I don’t need to pay for [Upper Challenge Rights]. Since they are the ones challenging me.
If I win with one betting star, I can rank up. I become E-Rank, and the opponent drops to F-Rank.
For a higher rank to challenge a lower rank, losing is just that risky.
“E-Rank second-year opponents, huh…”
“You won once against a second-year.”
Sherry says that, but that Dread woman was F-Rank, and the E-Ranks challenging me knowing this risk probably have decent ability…
“Well, they’re probably people who admire Zelda-senpai, so they might be tough customers.”
Yeah… It’s not that I don’t have confidence in winning, but I’m anxious about my machine.
They have machines that have fought through a year, while mine is close to a normal machine without proper tuning.
If I lose easily here, I’ll be told “I told you so.” That would be annoying.
I won’t say up to [Windia]’s level, but if I don’t strengthen Lucifer to a certain extent, fighting higher-ranked opponents might be difficult…
“I’ll stick to random matches for a while. First, I need to improve my machine’s performance.”
Random matches are a system that randomly matches you with challengers of the same rank.
Since you fight opponents whose faces you don’t even know, in that sense, winning or losing is carefree.
Just as I decided that in my heart, I received an email. From Zelda Onee-sama. Come to think of it, she asked to have lunch together.
The email contained the name and location of the shop. ‘Parent’… wait, isn’t that the cafe I went to before the entrance ceremony?
Parting with Carrol and the others, I headed out of the academy. I don’t have any lectures this afternoon, nor did I schedule any matches. Maybe I’ll do some shopping at the Strand Trading Company on my way back.
Walking a bit, I arrived at the stylish red brick building on the main street. Peeking inside through the glass, it seemed Zelda Onee-sama had already arrived. Someone was sitting next to her; is that the person she wanted to introduce?
Ringing the retro-style doorbell kararan, I entered the shop, told the staff I was meeting someone, and headed over to Zelda Onee-sama.
“Welcome, Nero. I’m glad you came. First, let me introduce you. This is Chiba Sana-senpai, a fifth-year. Senpai, this child is my ‘little sister’, Nero.”
Fifth-year. A senior student.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Nero Silhoueska.”
“Chiba Sana. Nice to meet you.”
From her name and black hair, she’s undoubtedly from Eashen. If she were from Brunhild, she shouldn’t be able to enter the ‘Academy’.
No, apparently there’s a loophole of transferring registry to another country before enrolling, though.
Chiba-senpai was a person with well-defined features, her long black hair tied up with a scrunchie. A beauty type… Just like Zelda Onee-sama.
Urged by Onee-sama, I sat in the seat opposite the two and sipped the water the waitress brought.
“Let’s order something for now. I’m treating, so order whatever you like. You too, Chiba-senpai.”
“Thanks for the meal.”
“Fufu, then I won’t hold back.”
I feel kind of bad since she treated me the other day too. But well, my wallet isn’t exactly overflowing, so I’ll gratefully accept the treat here.
I picked up the menu and hesitated a bit on what to choose. I ordered the Special Pancake Set last time, right?
Yup, today I’ll order this Strawberry Parfait Special. Zelda Onee-sama called the waitress.
“”One Strawberry Parfait Special.””
Hmm? Chiba-senpai, who harmonized with my order, looked at me, and our eyes met. Somehow, we both unintentionally smiled.
At that moment, I felt a slight sense of incongruity. Chiba-senpai’s right hand seemed to move unnaturally. Just my imagination…?
Zelda Onee-sama ordered the Special Pancake Set I ate last time.
This shop has a lot of “Special” items…
“Chiba-senpai and I were in the same dorm and the same squad. She’s been good to me since then.”
Same dorm? Ah, both Lestia and Eashen are in the east, so the Azure Dragon Dormitory.
“Chiba-senpai studied the ‘North God Itto-ryu‘ in Eashen. Her swordsmanship is among the top five in the academy.”
“…That’s in the past.”
“In the past?”
Is it different now? Seeing my doubt, Chiba-senpai quietly held out her right hand. Her fingers were frozen in a half-open state, unmoving. So this is the incongruity I felt earlier… A prosthetic hand?
“It’s not a prosthetic hand, you know? It just doesn’t move anymore. I was hit by monster poison; it looks like this, but it’s petrified.”
“Petrified…”
There are many magical beasts and monsters with petrification abilities, such as Cockatrices and Gorgons. Catoblepas too.
Once petrified, you can’t return to normal. No, apparently it’s not completely hopeless.
It seems it can be cured if you have a Panacea or Elixir, but basically, those are only found in dungeons, and I’ve heard they are incredibly expensive.
“I can’t grip a katana with this hand anymore, so now I’m training to fight somehow with just my left hand. I can’t use one hand for Frame Gears either, so my rank keeps dropping… I was formerly S-Rank, now I’m B-Rank.”
Formerly S-Rank! Was this person within the top nine ranks?! Dropping to B-Rank still seems impressive, though…
B-Rank means even the lowest is ninety-ninth place. Ninety-ninth out of nine hundred students? Definitely top class…
“We have one bottle of Elixir at home, so I tried to have it sent, but…”
“Stop it, stop it! There’s no way I can use the Lestia Royal Family’s treasured item!”
“But…”
Ignoring the two who started arguing about something, I was pondering one thing.
‘Petrification’, huh… Hmm… What should I do… Is this what Master meant by ‘exceptions’?
“Here you go. Two Strawberry Parfait Specials and a Special Pancake Set.”
While I was worrying, the waitress brought the menu items we ordered on a large tray.
Whoa?! Big! This looks filling.
My Strawberry Parfait Special has strawberries piled up high in a largish parfait glass, as if to say “take that!”
“Itadakimasu!”
I started conquering the strawberries on top with a long parfait spoon.
The fresh strawberries are sweet and sour and delicious. The compatibility with the whipped cream is perfect too.
While I was smacking my lips at the enchanting strawberry parfait, I suddenly noticed Chiba-senpai opposite me eating somewhat awkwardly with her left hand.
Her right hand must have been her dominant hand. She seems able to at least hold the parfait glass to keep it from tipping over.
Satisfied after finishing the parfait and pancakes, we ordered after-meal drinks.
The two of them had coffee, and I had melon soda. I don’t really get drinking coffee after sweets. Master liked it, though.
Well, putting that aside, let’s get to the main topic.
“Umm, regarding Chiba-senpai’s ‘Petrification’. I can cure it; do you want me to…?”
“”Hah?””
The two sitting side-by-side opposite me looked at me with blank faces. Ah, melon soda is delicious.
