By Zephyria 
Monday.
I had thought the forms of Imperial Swordsmanship were simple and laughable, but as I learned them, I found them more difficult than I expected. It was a defensive yet dignified Sword Art. Swords focused on offense travel far, while swords for defense are short. As a swordsman who primarily used swift and light swords, I found it harder than I anticipated to stop where I needed to stop and advance only as much as necessary.
Holding swords identical to the other children, standing at regular intervals, and executing the same Sword Art in the same sequence, I was reminded of the time I first learned the Changcheon Muae Sword in the Central Plains. It was a process of refining a wayward sword. It was also the process I needed most.
“Michael, focus.”
“Yes!”
Ah, I didn’t have the luxury of getting lost in thought. I snapped my eyes open.
By the end of the class, I was so exhausted that I could barely tell Rubel and Lucilla apart. I tried to soothe Rubel but mistakenly stroked Lucilla’s hair. It drew a great deal of laughter. Lucilla’s hair, tied up high in a single bun, looked soft and dusty.
Monday was also the day for intermediate Alchemy class. In the previous lesson, we learned how to write a list in the proper format to order items by proxy. Today was the day we would each take our completed order forms and visit ingredient wholesalers and retailers ourselves.
Following Cedric’s lead, we boarded a carriage in our groups. Sitting across from familiar faces in the carriage, I felt a pang of sorrow, recalling the chilling evening air of the day Damian returned injured. However, I seemed to be the only one bothered by the memory of that day; the children chattered and laughed amongst themselves. I too soon joined their conversation.
“Speaking of which, what were you about to say before you stopped talking?”
“Hm? What story? I’ve left so many stories unfinished.”
“Something happened with the Cervelle Siblings.”
“Ah! Right. I was going to thank you.”
During the last summer break, I had spent a holiday with the Cervelle Siblings and mentioned my friends, asking them to be kind if they happened to meet them. I hadn’t realized that Leila Servel had gone straight to Jenny as soon as the semester began. This winter break, she had brought her cousin again to introduce her, and it seemed she had included Jenny and Damian in her circle of friends, having them talk and mingle together.
“Your cousin?”
“Yes. I was starting to need a chaperone anyway. While it’s acceptable for children to stick together in the year they make their Debutante, it’s not the case from the second year onwards.”
“…A chaperone? What is that?”
“Uh, well. It’s not something you’d need, Michael, but…”
I listened to various explanations. The custom of an older, married woman looking after a young woman who had just made her Debutante was fascinating. A woman who helped navigate the storms of society and used her authority to shield her… I blinked in confusion.
“Do men need something like that?”
“…Huh? Come to think of it, I’ve never heard of men needing a chaperone.”
“I think it’s one of the customs that needs to be changed,” Marianne interjected primly. “It’s not common now, but in the old days, there were often unruly men. To prevent a young girl from being snatched away when she was alone, a safe person started to protect her. But what good is protection if you can’t stop and punish a madman?”
“A safe… person?”
“An adult woman who is already married and holds some authority. Everyone believes that only such a person wouldn’t think of devouring a young girl.”
Having just learned about chaperones and hearing a counter-argument for the first time, I had nothing more to say and merely nodded blankly. Seeing my bewildered expression, Damian added with a smile, “It’s become merely a pretty and noble mannerism now, but it’s gradually disappearing. That’s why Jenny’s chaperone is quite young.”
“Why is that?”
“While maintaining the form of a chaperone, it also serves to vouch for her to connections in high society. Since I aspire to work in the Imperial Palace, it’s a way to get acquainted with potential future superiors.”
“Ah.”
I thought for a moment and then asked again, “Was it helpful for Jenny?”
“Completely.”
Her delighted laughter put me at ease. I was reassured, trusting that the Servel siblings would act wisely and kindly.
The Alchemy ingredient wholesale market we arrived at had a strangely nostalgic atmosphere. A peculiar musty smell wafted from it, yet there were also signs of meticulous sweeping and cleaning inside and out. Under the awnings installed to block the sunlight, ingredients hung in abundance, swaying like wind chimes with every gust of wind. I had only ever seen the markets of Shierun, which were all neat and clean. Seeing frogs strung on ropes and scorpions being scooped and sold by the basket, I couldn’t tell if I was in the Central Plains or Shierun.
Ivan, who had once said he hated bugs the most, jumped back. I, who came from the Central Plains where dried frogs were boiled into medicine, was unfazed. Marianne and Damian were the most composed.
“Magic and Alchemy have many similarities. We use similar ingredients… I’ve been here often too.”
“I’m just a bit interested in things like this.”
“Didn’t you also express interest in Artifacts before?”
“That too.”
As carriages arrived one by one, Cedric gathered the children. He handed each group a money pouch, which I received. Inside were four gold coins. Not having used gold coins directly before, I didn’t immediately know their value. I calculated inwardly, adding up the sum. It was enough to visit the botanical garden more than forty times. I was newly struck by how expensive Alchemy ingredients were.
Cedric’s booming voice drew our attention. “Welcome to my hometown. Now, before we go get our ingredients, three points of caution.” Cedric raised his right hand to shoulder height and held up three fingers. “First, prices vary from shop to shop here. It’s not a fixed price, so compare carefully and purchase based on quality and price. Second, if you go over budget, your score will be deducted. Negotiate to get the right price. Third,” Cedric grinned and clapped his hands. “You won’t be coming here just for today, so be polite to the merchants and behave with good manners. That’s all!”
“Yes!” A few polite children answered promptly. Everyone seemed visibly excited, simply happy to be outside the Academy. Cedric, after telling us where to gather, waved goodbye with a smile. I, along with my companions, walked down the street, scanning the list of items we needed to buy. The signs only had people’s names, not what they sold, which was confusing.
Damian walked without hesitation. “Uh, do you know where we’re going?”
“You said you were making a sunblock ointment, right? Then we need to buy slime first.”
“…Slime? Isn’t that a monster?”
“It’s a non-aggressive monster. It just exists in place, so there are merchants who raise them in the Yuil Mountains. If you want fresh slime, it’s best to go there.”
“If it’s not aggressive, why is it called a monster?”
“Well, it occupies the lowest strata of the Yuil Mountains…? I heard they can’t live without Mana. They lie on dead animal carcasses and wait until they’re digested, so they’re easy to pick up, but entering slime habitats is a task in itself, and the maintenance costs are enormous.”
Listening quietly to the children’s conversation, I suddenly felt puzzled. “Didn’t you say you were making an ointment?”
“Right?”
“Are you going to spread a monster that dissolves animal carcasses on your skin?”
“We have to remove the slime’s digestive organs. I’ll tell you about that later.” Damian puffed out his chest as if he were a senior. But it was true that his knowledge was very helpful, and all the children cheered and applauded. At first, Damian used to politely refuse praise. But now, he couldn’t hide his delighted expression whenever he received compliments.
“I think I’m cool too. You can clap more.”
“No, this feels strange all of a sudden.”
“It’s okay. I understand everything.”
“Wow, look at that expression. Damian has gotten quite brazen.”
I clapped enthusiastically, finding their playful antics so endearing. Damian, using his knowledge of a familiar shop, put live slime into a lidded container for us at a reasonable price. Not knowing the usual price range, I simply cheered on Marianne and Damian as they haggled. The slime was heavier than I expected, so I carried it. Occasionally, the lid would jiggle as if about to open, which made me uneasy.
Buying the rest of the ingredients went much faster than I had anticipated. Immediately after we bought the slime, a middle-aged woman standing in front of the shop beckoned to us children.
“You’re from Shierun Academy, aren’t you?”
“Yes? Yes.”
“It’s your first month’s class, so you’re making sunblock ointment, right? All the ingredients for 2 gold and 3 silver.”
“…Gasp, no way.”
“Deduct the slime price from your assignment money pouch, and you’ll have exactly 2 silver left as change. How is it? You won’t find this price anywhere else. If you make a mistake, there’s enough extra to remake it.”
Damian stared blankly at the basket the merchant offered. Marianne picked up a dried leaf, sniffed it, and then looked down. She too was stunned.
“…Uh… they’re really top-quality. It’s good…”
“No, the Professor tends to set the budget quite tightly… I thought it would be very difficult.”
“Oh well, you’ll be coming every month from now on. Please take care of us this semester too. And introduce us to your friends. Understood?”
“Uh… Yes…”
“So, are you buying it? I’ll pack it up quickly for you. If you’re curious, you can watch me pack it. It’s the exact same ingredient as what I showed you.”
The children looked at each other. Ha. Laughter burst out quickly.
“Yes, please. Thank you. We’ll come again.”
“Yes, yes. Which one of you is from the Swordsmanship Department? Your friend will carry it, right?”
“…Uh, yes.”
“Oh dear, you’re still small. I’ll put it in a bag so it’s easy to carry. You can wear it on your back.”
“Yes, thank you.”
When we arrived at the gathering spot, we discovered that all the children from every group were carrying the same bag. Cedric burst into laughter, tears even welling up. After laughing for a while, she declared that next month they would have to make a different medicine than last year. Still, it was fortunate that no group was exceptionally outstanding.