In the evening, just before dinner on the first floor of the teaching building, the principal announced that Her Royal Highness the Princess would be visiting the school in three days. Her Royal Highness would watch the second-year familiars' performance and personally reward the winners.
A wave of excitement swept through the students, and they immediately began whispering among themselves.
Even Louise—who had been the first to learn the news—looked thrilled.
"A princess… she must be gorgeous," she murmured with shining eyes.
Across the table, Sora absent-mindedly poked at the steak on his plate.
"Hey, Sora." Louise stomped on his foot, glaring at him with wide eyes."You—you better not start having weird thoughts about Her Royal Highness! You're absolutely not allowed to think strange things!"
Sora turned his head toward her and gave a relaxed smile. "Strange things? Louise, what are you even imagining?"
"Ah—ah—that's not the point!" Louise's face reddened sharply. "Just don't! Her Royal Highness is—she's an important person to me!"
Sora chuckled and didn't press further.
"All right, let's finish eating. We still have work tonight," Kirche said, cutting into the tension.
Tabatha had already finished her meal and quietly picked up her book.
"You eat so little. You'll never grow taller like that, Tabatha. Here—have another piece." Sora speared a slice of cake and placed it on her plate.
Tabatha glanced at him.
Sora smiled encouragingly.
She closed her book. "…One piece. At most."
"Take your time."
Tabatha settled back at the table.
"Ara, she listens to you so well," Kirche said, a bit jealous. "I've tried to coax her before."
Sora grinned. "Well, girls change a lot as they grow older."
"What—another saying from your world?" Kirche raised an eyebrow.
"Don't ignore me," Louise protested, tugging Sora's head toward her. Their faces ended up less than a palm's width apart.
"You are not allowed to make a move on the princess," Louise declared firmly.
Sora narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "…Fine. I won't—this time."
"What do you mean 'this time'?" Louise huffed. "As if you'll even get close to her."
"Did you forget? If I become a knight, the princess will be the one giving me my title."
Louise froze mid-breath. After a moment, she muttered, "Then… we'd better make sure you don't catch Fouquet."
Sora blinked.
After dinner, the other students and professors returned to their dorms. The four of them stayed behind in the teaching building, using the principal's key to access the treasure vault on the fourth floor.
A cloud of dust burst out as the door opened.
Tabatha waved her wand, clearing the air and letting in fresh circulation.
Kirche lit the oil lamps with a spark from her wand.
As expected of the academy's treasure vault—armor and weapons were arranged neatly on tables and mounted on walls, all gleaming with enchantments. Scrolls lay locked or unfurled in glass cases. And the Rod of Destruction, the item they were assigned to protect, rested inside a box.
Sora walked over and opened it.
…No way.Wasn't this basically a rocket launcher from Earth?
He picked it up. The mark on the back of his left hand glowed faintly, and knowledge of how to use the Rod of Destruction flowed directly into his mind.
After a moment, he laughed to himself. "So it does work like that."
"What's wrong, Sora?" Kirche asked.
"Nothing. Just thought of something amusing."
"What is it? Tell me," she asked.
"Not now. Let's sort out our night watch. Three-hour shifts: Kirche, then me, then Louise, then Tabatha. If anything moves, wake the others immediately."
"Mm." The three girls nodded.
They each found a spot to sit or lie down. Everyone except Kirche drifted off to sleep while she absent-mindedly played with a thin line of flame, reshaping it over and over to pass the time.
Late at night, the campus was silent. The students in the dorms and the kitchen staff were already asleep.
A cloaked figure appeared outside the teaching building.
Placing a hand against the wall, the figure whispered, "Rem in Yam."[Alchemy]
The stone wall loosened into flowing sand, opening a person-sized passageway.
Such was the skill of Fouquet the Sculptor—no wall could stop her.
She slipped inside and sprinted to the fourth floor. Reaching the vault, she placed her hand on the wall again. "Rem in Yam."
A flash of light repelled the alchemy.
This was anti-alchemy protection—placed by a mage of the Sifang level.
So she'd have to break through physically.
"Haruus Xiu!"[Rock Spear]
She raised her wand, and the floor surged upward, forming a three-meter-long rock spear as thick as a man. It rammed the vault door open with a thunderous crack.
But when she stepped inside—
Four people were waiting for her.
A trap!?Fouquet staggered back and tried to run.
"Tabatha, wind blades to block her escape. Kirche, get your fireball ready!"
Sora pulled out the Delphlink card, the mark on his left hand glowing as he sprinted forward.
Tabatha raised her wand, launching three wind blades. Fouquet halted abruptly, raising an earthen wall in front of her.
Kirche's fireball followed, slamming into the wall.Boom!The blast shattered it, and the force sent Fouquet flying five or six meters.
Sora caught up and pressed his sword to her throat just as she staggered upright.
"Don't move, or I'll put a big hole in you."
Fouquet froze.
Kirche and the others approached.
"Raise your head. Let me see your face," Sora demanded.
She slowly lifted her head. The three girls leaned closer, curious to see what the infamous thief looked like.
The ground trembled.
All four were thrown off balance.
Sora toppled backward, landing on top of the three girls. His left hand landed on… something soft and firm. Tabatha and Louise were squashed beneath the pile and couldn't move.
By the time they scrambled back up, Fouquet had already escaped. A new hole—crafted through alchemy—gaped at the end of the hallway. Outside, a trail of massive footprints led away from the building. She'd escaped using some kind of summoned creature.
"She's gone. She won't risk coming back. Let's head to the dorms and sleep," Sora said.
"She?" Louise questioned.
"Yeah. I was close enough to see under the moonlight—she's got about a B-cup and long blue hair," Sora replied casually.
"Indecent! Pervert! Do you only pay attention to women's chests!?" Louise exploded, stiffening with embarrassment over her own.
"Louise is just jealous hers are smaller," Sora teased.
"Hehehe," Kirche chuckled, shaking her D+ chest with pride.
Louise glared at the impressive pair, her face burning with frustration. "Ahhhh! Damn it!"
Tabatha watched the noisy three behind her with a small, gentle smile.