Rudel safely(?) advanced his classes, finished the fundamental curriculum and became a third year student. When the fundamental curriculum was complete, the concept of classes disappeared. Each individual student would choose their own direction, and pick out the classes that would be necessary to their futures. While the classes selected did change by personal ability, they were generally the same.
If you’re aiming to be a knight, you must learn manners, and obtain practical skills in battle. There were other necessary fields, and a few criteria the hopefuls used to choose… in the academy where it cost money to take classes, the commoner students who wanted to get through at as low a cost as possible would choose the shortest route.
Using a period of one to three years, they would learn whatever the school had to offer. They would learn, but…
◇
“I’m glad you three could make it… do you know why you were called here?”
Having become a fifth year- the final year a student could take- Vargas was chosen as a prefect for the boys’ dorm. Alongside the students who had become prefects much like himself, he had called out the three… Rudel, Luecke and Eunius.
“No, I have no idea.”
Rudel honestly didn’t know.
“It’s not a good feeling to be called out by an upperclassman… so why were we called?”
In regards to his upperclassmen, Luecke suddenly changed to a condescending tone.
“Did I do something… don’t remember.”
Eunius thought a bit, but couldn’t think of anything.
Before the three of them, Vargas and the other fifth year prefects made conflicted faces. The prefects here all shared a common point. They were students who had chosen to become knights. What’s more, proficient students aiming to rise to knight status from a commoner background.
In an average year, the young noble knight-hopefuls would be chosen as prefects. That was how it was supposed to be this year as well… but this year, the third year class contained the future Three Lords, Rudel and the others were the problem.
The factions of each lord had tried to send in prefects. But this year, the head of the problem children, Rudel had become a third year. In his third year, he would have more free time than he had in the fundamental curriculum. And naturally, the place he spent it would be the dorm.
Who would look after him?
That on their minds… the young nobles had stepped down from prefect positions. And Vargas, who got along well with Rudel, was selected. From Vargas’ point of view, it was a right bother. After he had worked hard to become a knight, this time he was to keep a watch on Rudel. From an observer’s spectacle, it was amusing enough, but getting involved led to extended headaches.
“I see… then I’ll tell you. Starting with Luecke-sama. Your destructive actions in the magic practice field.”
“? The teacher was the one who said to fire magic with the intent to blow the wall away, you know? I simply actualized that.”
He had fired magic at the walls of the magic practice field. Those walls were sturdy magic-reinforced magic-resistant walls. And Luecke had destroyed them. The teacher never thought he’d actually be able to… by the way, Rudel had also broken them a few times practicing his special attacks.
And in the end, both Luecke and Rudel had managed to developed magic capable of blowing the facility away as a whole. Offensive magic requiring control technique far exceeding the mana put into it had left the facility in pieces… the theories alone had existed for a while, but as they weren’t suited to real application, it was an offensive magic everyone had given up on… but Rudel and Luecke had managed to complete it.
“Next! Eunius-sama, you’re in for the habitual breaking of curfew!”
“What are you talking about? I’m always in the academy at curfew. I haven’t broken a thing.”
“Huh? There’s a roll call at curfew, but is it fine as long as you’re at the academy? Then am I fine?”
“If you’re not there at rollcall, you’re breaking curfew!”
Vargas cried out at Eunius and Rudel. By the way, in regards to this problem, Rudel had also…
“… Finally, Rudel. You walking problem! On top of those previous two charges, various races have brought in complaints regarding the ruckus at the girls’ dorm.”
“Y-yeah. There definitely was an uproar at the girls’ dorm, but I think that one’s the princess’ fault. Having me pet all sorts of women, and getting all worked up on her own… come to think of it, isn’t that girl a bit too emotional?”
Vargas began explaining to Rudel, the biggest problem child of the bunch. The fact what Rudel had done to those demi-human girls at the girls’ dorm was sexual harassment. Just by touching them, a large number of women were…
While there was some fault in Rudel, the princess was the root of the problem. Saying she wanted to give her thanks, she called Rudel over to the girls’ dorm. Normally, anyone would suspect something there. But it was Rudel she was dealing with… he nonchalantly stopped by the dorm. From the start, he held not the slightest of indecent feelings.
But Fina was different! She was an explosion of indecency!!!
“According to Miss M of the white cat tribe, it’s your fault she can’t get married! Or so the report came in.”
“You mean Mii? But that was…”
“Wait a second Rudel! You… it can’t be you did that thing you did on the high knight? Why didn’t you call me!!? I also tried to learn it, but I’m not getting anywhere… teach me! Teach me the trick behind it!”
As Eunius drew close, Luecke held him back.
“Give it a rest! We’re not getting anywhere here!’
“Apart from her, a black cat, an elf… and finally a tiger. Just how did you manage to tame a girl of such a monstrous tribe? There have even been inquiries from men of the same tiger tribe. Honestly, it’s a pain! Day after day, large sweltering men come to us half-threatening us for the info!”
The other prefects who had become victims nodded in unison. Tiger tribe… Both men and women of the species possessed large builds exceeding two meters in height, a demi-human tribe known for their overwhelming might and ferocity. They were a tribe few in numbers, but the reason for that was quite hard to say. Tiger tribe women would only ever take to strong men.
They had no need for weaklings. For a tribe with such an unrelenting nature, Rudel was truly the messiah. If only petting is enough, then can even I hold the interest of a tiger girl, they thought… rotten as it was, he came from the Arses House of the Three Lords. So unable to ask even if they wanted, they had intruded on the prefects.
“Tiger tribe women are surprisingly cute, you know? I’m more scared of the black cat tribe… when she put on a collar and said, ‘please make me your slave for the rest of my life,’ I was seriously scared. If I didn’t beg Izumi to save me, I don’t know what I would have…”
“… You really are the worst! Sitting back and enjoying your monopoly on the market! Because of you, we’re being chased, threatened by sweltering demi-humans day in and day out… at least introduce me to someone next time!”
On Vargas’ real feelings mixed in with his complaint, Rudel tried consoling him still with no idea of what was going on.
“Don’t worry! I’m sure you’ll be able to do it too, Vargas.”
“I don’t want to be consoled in such an irresponsible way! It’s all your fault… wait a second? Did you just say something about the princess or… it couldn’t be you laid hands on the princess!!? If you did, then we won’t be getting off lightly either!!!”
As the prefects got desperate, Rudel scratched his face and denied it.
“I didn’t do anything. Sophina-san, a high knight was stationed nearby, and it was impossible to touch her… all that happened was a confession.”
“What!?”
“To that doll princess!?”
“Isn’t that even worse!!?”
“Don’t worry… it was rejected!”
Rudel answered full of confidence. As everyone present panicked, Rudel was thinking about heading back to his room. But unable to do so, he was restrained and forced to hear tales of what happened in the girls’ dorm. And Vargas decided to prepare his ultimate anti-Rudel weapon.
◇
While Rudel was restrained, the cause of all this, Fina felt irritated that Rudel wasn’t coming over to the girls’ dorm no matter how much time passed. Today was the day she would have him pass down that secret art… Sophina who had been stationed in her room as a guard kept a careful watch.
While Fina paced back and forth, Sophina offered a warning.
“Princess, you’re being immodest. A member of royalty must always carry themselves boldly. And could you quit involving yourself with that idiot son of the Arses House?”
In regards to Sophina, who incessantly repeated the same thing,
“You’re right. I’ll consider it.”
(What’s she talking about? Just meeting him as my life’s savior shouldn’t be a problem, right? Does she think I’m not aware… acting like you’re covering for me every time and taking the petting in my stead, there’s a rumor among your subordinates you’ve taken to wearing sexy undergarments these days… at this point, only your mouth’s reluctant, and your body’s all ready.)
“P-princess… is Rudel-sama coming today? If so, then I should be off.”
As Mii tried to flee from the room, Fina grabbed her tail. Gently pulling that tail close and pushing down her body.
“Don’t run… it’ll be alright.”
(I won’t let you get away, little kitten!!! Today’s the day my technique takes you to paradise… I’ll take you to fluffadise!!!)
As Fina was in a fever state, Rudel made his appearance. It was already late, but Izumi accompanied him to the princess’ room.
“N-nyaaa!!!”
“So you’re here, Rudel! I won’t let you get close to the princess.”
“It is a pleasure you were able to come, Rudel-sama… then let us get right to it.”
While the three of them each gave a different response, Rudel spoke with a smile.
“Ah, I’m sorry, but my petting has been sealed. Izumi told me it was no good, so I decided not to do it again. But I can still pet dragons.”
On those words, the three froze. With a smile, Rudel spoke of how there was no helping it if Izumi said it, and if Izumi was the one asking, then… The expressionless Fina,
(W-what do you think you’re doing, black hair!!? Do you realize just what it is you’ve done!!? My fluffing… my dreams of fluffadise!!!!!!)