Academic City (1st)

It hadn’t been long since we left Ester-chan and Allen that we were back in my room. In addition to the normal three of us, the JC was also here. I asked Pi-chan to have Professor Bus assign her as my aid while I’m here.

“W-Why do I have to look after some old man...”

She was clearly depressed as she sat on my sofa.

Edita Sensei and myself stood next to each other on the opposite side of the room.

As usual, Goggoru-chan was sitting off on her own in the corner of her room. Probably an attempt to keep all of us out of the range of her ability. I couldn’t resist looking at her exposed thighs that peeked out from beneath her skirt as she sat cross legged.

The person that invented cross legged sitting is a genius. I come from a world where it’s more common to sit in seiza, however, I think the genius behind the cross legged position needs to be appreciated more.

The position that deserves the most praise is the one that involves hanging from a horizontal bar with your feet over your head and your hands reaching between your legs toward the bar. [TN: Google this: 鉄棒の地球 I’d link a picture but they all involve children (see the line below)]

The man that invented that is definitely a pedophile.

A Showa monster.

“We’ll be working together on your report for the next few days.”

“Why do you old men keep interfering with my report!?”

“I’ve been challenged by the daughter of the FitzClarence family. I know I’m forcing you into this position, but I hope you can agree to help. I won’t do anything to hurt or upset you.”

“...”

“What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing, it’s nothing!”

“Really? Well, if you say so.”

Bringing up the FitzClarence name must have brought up some painful memories. This does give some credence to what Ester-chan said.

So another member of the Aufschnaiter family survived the purge.

“How do you plan on helping me with my report anyway?”

“About that...”

I hadn’t really thought that far ahead.

No matter what I want to prove the lolibitch wrong. I don’t mind licking her boots, but I’m more concerned with succeeding on my own and showing others that I don’t need Ester-chan.

“We can start by summarizing all of your knowledge on potions to gain a better understanding of life potions. We can then choose specific aspects that we believe provide a direct route to potentially creating a true life potion. From there we can decide the best argument that can be made with the knowledge we have.”

“..you’re sounding like my teachers.”

“Is that so? A teacher?”

I can see that.

I’ve also dreamed of having someone her age call me ‘sensei.’

“W-What’s with that face?”

“If that’s how you feel, you can start calling me sensei from now on.”

“Absolutely not. That feels weird to even think about.”

“...”

I can see the disgust in her face and hear the repugnance in her voice. This is it. I’ve finally cemented my position as a creep in her mind.

What a shock.

But I like this feeling.

“I’d just like to confirm one thing with you.”

“What’s that?”

“Who was that woman that started yelling at you during the lecture?”

“She is the daughter of the leader of my faction.”

“Does that mean she’s the Fitzclarence that you were talking about..?”

“Yes, that’s the house she belongs to.”

“Wha..wait, what the hell do you think you’re doing!? No matter how hard we work it will all be pointless! Let me ask you this: did you hit your head when you were a child? What kind of idiot picks a fight with a powerful family like that? No good will come of it! What kind of old man has such little common sense!?”

“This one right here.”

“Is this a joke to you!? I don’t need to be dragged into some old man’s senile game!”

“I’m actually quite close with her father so you don’t need to worry about any trouble befalling you.”

“Even so, all of our efforts would be hopeless!”

“If we do our best and work together, nothing is ever hopeless.”

“We’re talking about the daughter of the Fitzclarence family! Nobody can win against her. Even if we show definitive proof that life potions are possible, we’d still lose! It has nothing to do with the content of the report but the person you chose to fight against! Nobles are the type of creatures that will never accept defeat! Or do you not even understand that much!?”

“No, we can win.”

“I-I don’t want to do it! It would just be another waste of effort!”

“Then what would you consider to be not a waste of effort?”

“That’s, u-umm, only when I know I can’t lose!”

“..I see.”

She’s a complete neet at heart. She’s already given up before ever trying.

I was told that she was an exceptional student that even skipped grades to enter the academy. Everything that happened to her family must have damaged her mind which led to this change in personality. A shock of that magnitude would be hard for anyone to handle let alone a young child. Her entire family was killed due to the jealousy of those around her.

I can understand why she’d want to give up, but that is the one thing she can’t do. She’s lost her family and the only thing she has left is her future. If she gives up, she really will have lost everything. She’s still young and can accomplish so much, so why not do her best to live her best life going forward?

I’ll try to make her come to this realization.

“Did you know you aren’t the only member of the Aufschnaiter family I’m acquaintances with?”

“..eh?”

“I met another man that also lost his family. Despite this, he’s still doing his best to live a good life. I doubt you’d be able to find a single adventurer in the Penny Empire that doesn’t know his name.”

“Y-You’re serious? Another survivor of my house...”

Her eyes widened.

“Despite the entire Aufschnaiter family being annihilated, there are still two members alive today. The Aufschnaiter family makes the impossible possible, and now you know you’re not the only one.”

“...”

I’m not lying either.

Gon-chan has accomplished much on his own and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.

People would call Dragon City an impossible city, but Gon-chan helped make it a reality.

“I’m not going to tell you his name either.”

“Eh, w-why not!? What do you want for it!?”

“If after we’re finished with your report and I feel like you’ve done your best, I’ll tell you his name as a reward.”

“Wha...”

The JC didn’t say anything at first.

But then, she seemed more suspicious towards me.

“Y-You’re just lying to get me to help aren’t you!? It’s all a lie, right!?”

“It’s not a lie. I can arrange for you two to meet as well. It would be no problem for me. I have an airship that could bring you to the Penny Empire to meet him.”

“..eh, you could?”

“Yes, without a doubt.”

The JC was hit with another substantial shock.

This is it, I need to finish this now.

“If you really call yourself a member of the Aufschnaiter family, you’d stand up and take this opportunity to prove that your family’s name still holds honor. If you put in an effort befitting someone with the Aufschnaiter name, you’ll surely be reunited with your family.”

“...”

Given the proper incentive, anyone can overcome their fears.

She used to be a noble after all.

No matter how far her family’s name has fallen, the pride of a noble will still be within her.

“Okay! Yeah, let’s do it! I can do this!”

“Great, now let’s get started with writing down everything you know about potions.”

“Ah, damn it...”

The girl complained briefly and pouted her cheeks but still took the first step towards finishing her assignment. She grabbed some paper and a pen from the printing room and jotted down a few words on the paper.

Good, she looks motivated.

It’s almost like I’m a private tutor. I like the idea of that.

If you’re going to teach someone, who better than a cute girl?

End of Chapter 3