While Kojima Kana focused on using her ripening ability on a small budding plant, a voice suddenly spoke beside her.
"These tomatoes you grew taste really good."
Startled, Kana looked up in confusion.
Yami Tsukishiro was suddenly standing behind her, as silent as a ghost. In his hand was a bright red tomato. After taking a bite, he nodded in clear approval.
The texture and flavor were far beyond anything he'd tasted before. Even stranger, after swallowing it, he felt a gentle stream of energy spreading through his body, quietly nourishing him.
"Eh?! Principal, when did you get back?"
Kana sprang to her feet in surprise. The sudden movement made her hat tilt forward, slipping down to block her vision. Her hands were covered in mud, making it awkward to fix.
Seeing this, Yami reached out and gently straightened her posture. He pulled a towel from a dark spatial rift and carefully wiped the beads of sweat from her temples. The sudden closeness made her blink in surprise.
Kana wasn't used to being treated so attentively by a boy younger than herself. Her cheeks flushed like a ripe apple, and her gaze wavered, shy and a little stiff.
After putting the towel away, Yami looked at the tomato again, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"The plants you grow with your ability seem to contain a special kind of energy."
"Mm-hmm!"
The moment he mentioned it, Kana's eyes lit up.
"Yes! Kaguya-san and the others were the first to notice it. At first, everyone just thought they tasted unusually good. But the next day, they all said they felt full of energy, like their bodies had been strengthened after eating the tomatoes I grew with my power!"
Yami nodded inwardly. That feeling of increased vitality wasn't an illusion. The plants she produced clearly carried a subtle magical property that enhanced the human body.
What surprised him even more was that Kojima Kana's ability had already advanced to the second stage. Considering how recently she had awakened it, her progress was remarkable.
"Kojima-sensei, isn't this too much work for you alone?" Yami asked gently.
The greenhouse stretched across a vast area. From planting to maintenance, she was handling everything by herself. It couldn't have been easy. The shadow soldiers stationed around the academy were little more than mindless tools; delicate agricultural work was far beyond their capabilities.
"…It is a bit difficult," Kana admitted, a trace of helplessness in her voice.
Her power only accelerated plant growth. When it came to proper cultivation and long-term care, she knew almost nothing. To grow such a large number of plants purely for training her ability required enormous effort. Letting them fall into neglect afterward would feel like a terrible waste.
"From today on, you can focus solely on growing the plants," Yami said calmly. "Leave the planting and maintenance to them."
A soft ripple spread through the air.
In the next instant, a hundred young, graceful figures appeared out of thin air, like fairies descending from the sky.
"Master!"
The girls didn't look around in confusion or wander off. The moment they materialized, they bowed in perfect unison toward Yami.
"Master!"
Their voices rang out together, filled with absolute loyalty and obedience.
"—!"
Kana's eyes widened in shock.
She had never seen anything like this before. The girls were all strikingly beautiful, but what caught her attention most were their distinctive pointed ears—just like the elves from fantasy stories.
"…Cosplay?" she murmured instinctively.
Yami shook his head slightly.
"They're not in costume. They're real elves—my subordinates."
"Real… elves…" Kana repeated softly.
Fantasy creatures appearing in the real world… it almost felt unreal. In popular imagination, elves were beloved children of nature. Judging by their presence alone, caring for plants seemed like second nature to them.
When Yami turned his gaze toward them in inquiry, the elves exchanged bright smiles.
"Yes, Master. We're very familiar with nurturing and caring for plants."
Their voices were steady and confident, filled with quiet pride in their craft.
Yami nodded in satisfaction, quietly pleased that his judgment had been correct.
Still, assigning one hundred elves to manage a single greenhouse was clearly excessive. In truth, only a handful would have been enough for the task.
As for the rest, he already had other plans. Spreading them throughout the academy would add a sense of life and color to the campus. With so few people around, the academy could sometimes feel quiet and a little dull. Letting the elves move freely and work there was a sensible choice.
They weren't ordinary beings. Each elf possessed high intelligence and an exceptional capacity to learn. With proper guidance and basic instruction, they could quickly become competent in a wide range of roles within the academy.
Just imagining it painted a pleasant picture.
Beautiful students walking through the campus. Bright, cheerful elf girls busily working in every corner. The scene itself would be refreshing to behold.
And for now, he was the only one fully appreciating that vision.
Coincidentally, the academy already had the perfect person to guide them. Kirisu Mafuyu, a teacher highly skilled in education, also possessed an ability suited for lecturing and instruction. Under her careful guidance, these elf girls would no doubt grow quickly.
Before he realized it, Yami had already led Kojima Kana and the group of elves toward the training grounds.
Along the way, the elves marched in perfect formation, their expressions solemn and alert. They carried themselves as if they were always prepared for battle.
Seeing this, Yami spoke up with a faint smile.
"You don't need to stay so tense. There are no enemies here, and no battles to fight. You can relax."
At his words, the elves visibly eased. Their eyes began to wander with curiosity as they took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Even the smooth, mirror-like road beneath their feet fascinated them.
The lively gathering of elf girls naturally formed a striking scene. The moment they entered the training grounds, they immediately drew attention.
...
...
Yukino and the others were the first to notice. Unable to resist their curiosity, they gathered around.
"Takina, am I seeing things? I swear I just saw an elf!" Chisato exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement.
"I don't know about you," Takina replied seriously, "but my eyes are perfectly fine. I see them too—and there are a lot of them. Are those really the elves from legends?"
She was just as shocked. There was no way this was a mistake.
Seeing everyone's astonishment, Yami smiled and clapped his hands softly, drawing their attention.
"They're my subordinates," he explained in a calm, gentle tone. "They're elves born from nature itself. I plan to have them work around the academy. They should bring a bit more life and energy to this place."
"Elves…!"
"Wow, the academy's finally lively!"
The crowd reacted with a mixture of awe and excitement. Beyond the wonder of seeing real elves—and learning they served under Yami—there was another reason for their enthusiasm.
From now on, the vast academy would no longer feel populated by only a handful of people. The shadow soldiers were loyal and dependable, but they lacked the warmth and presence of living beings. Over time, that silence could make the campus feel lonely.
Yami Tsukishiro suddenly turned toward Kirisu Mafuyu.
"Kirisu-sensei," he said, "since these elves know very little about the basic common sense of this world, I'd like to ask you to teach them."
"…Me?"
Kirisu Mafuyu blinked in surprise, pointing to herself to make sure she hadn't misheard.
Yami nodded.
"Yes. You're the most suitable person for the job. With your teaching ability, they'll be able to grasp new knowledge quickly."
Gulp.
Mafuyu swallowed nervously. The students she was being asked to teach… were elves. Doubt crept into her mind. Was she really capable of handling something like this?
"You mean… you want me to be responsible for educating them?" she asked cautiously, her voice carrying a faint tremor.
Sensing her unease, Yami smiled reassuringly.
"Kirisu-sensei, please trust in your abilities. Everyone in the academy recognizes your teaching skill. With your talent, you'll make an excellent mentor for them."
Encouraged by his words, Mafuyu managed to steady herself. The anxiety in her heart hadn't disappeared, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse. Teaching was her profession, after all.
"…All right."
She took a deep breath and nodded, accepting the challenge.
"You and Mizuki can work out the specific arrangements together," Yami added. "Just focus on doing what you do best. I'm confident you'll handle it well."
"Understood."
Mafuyu tried to maintain a calm expression. For some reason, she felt that Yukino, Kaguya, and the others were looking at her a little differently than before. Whether it was because of this unusual assignment or something else, she couldn't quite tell.
But there was no point dwelling on it.
What mattered now was preparing to teach. She needed to be in her best condition to face what came next.
--------------------------------------
Support me at patreon.com/Arthorain and read upto 50 Advanced Chapters and R-18 Content!
--------------------------------------
Update schedule: 7 chapters/week
Every 100 power stones = 1 Extra Chapter
By voting with [power stones], you can easily get double the number of chapters.