The thick book that Ottbo had brought along with the map.

Through that book, labeled as the Land Registry, they finally found information on Potro, the hometown of the Hav-Moula duo.

“The village called Potro where they live belongs to the Parama territory, but that place was nationalized about twenty years ago. So, in effect, it’s been abandoned for nearly twenty years.”

As I’ve mentioned before, the role of nobility is to protect the commoners.

On this continent where monsters dwell, it is only natural that those with power protect those without.

Nobles must, as payment for their prosperity, risk their lives to fight dangerous monsters.

“There used to be the Parama Baron family, but since they didn’t have a successor, the head of the family died and the family line was wiped out. Apparently, it was due to some illness.”

“So it wasn’t because of political conflict.”

“It’s such a remote area that neither people want to come nor want to own it. That’s probably why it’s just been left as is.”

Milia glanced over the map and marveled.

“It really is in the middle of nowhere. There’s no sea nearby, no mine, and not even any local specialty or reinforced species comes from there. A place like that even exists?”

“A forest where only weak monsters and wild animals appear is actually rare. It’s just worthless, that’s all.”

A place with absolutely no unique traits.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a dead region.

“Where on earth did those two live?”

“I figured they weren’t normal, seeing as they eat monster meat without any spices…”

At Luca’s exclamation, Milia jerked in surprise.

“They eat that without any spices? That’s impossible!”

“You’ve tried it?”

“I did live in a commoners’ village too, you know. There was one time when the crop failed so badly that I had to try it once… Even with spices, I couldn’t eat it! And they eat it without any?”

It was clear that Milia, too, had lived an unusual life.

Luca stroked his chin.

‘So that’s why Bern Doyner was hiding in such a place.’

Certainly, no one would think to come to a place like that.

“If you want to go there, even if you rent an auto-carriage from the nearest train station, it would still take a whole week, wouldn’t it?”

“They said it took a week on foot.”

“No way. Even if you walked in a straight line across roadless terrain, it would take more than a week. Maybe they’re mistaken?”

At Ottbo’s comment, Luca let out a shallow sigh and pulled out his student notebook.

“It’s best to call the people in question.”

Thankfully, he had gotten their communication code before parting ways earlier today.

Not long after contacting them, the Hav-Moula couple arrived.

“What’s up?”

“First of all, where exactly did you two live?”

“What is this? Are you picking a fight?”

Hav frowned at Luca’s question.

In response, Ottbo held up the map and showed it to him.

“It just seemed a bit weird. For starters, your village’s territory doesn’t have a ruling noble.”

“It does.”

“I-It does?”

When Hav said that, Ottbo looked flustered and tried to check the update history in the land registry.

“It’s probably not official. The neighboring territory’s noble acts like the owner because we sell goods to that noble.”

“The neighboring noble?”

At that, Ottbo glanced over the map and flipped through a few pages of the land registry.

“… Found it. The Max Barony.”

“Yeah, that was the name. Was it Kobakht Max, the baron?”

“Uh… That’s right!”

Hav replied curtly.

“That guy kept pestering our village. Telling us to pay taxes and whatnot. If we didn’t pay taxes, he wouldn’t let us buy goods from his territory.”

“So did he ever send a subjugation party to your village, at least?”

“No. He told us to be grateful just for providing us with daily necessities.”

Upon hearing this, Milia’s face twitched.

Luca glanced at her before turning back to Hav.

“So, did you pay taxes to him?”

“When I was little, the village head did something about it. But after our master came, he took care of it.”

“He took care of it?”

When Luca tilted his head, Hav smirked.

“He’s a skilled alchemist. Even just using ingredients from the forest near our village, he made pretty good medicine and apparently provided that instead of taxes.”

“Huh, I see.”

“Our master is amazing! He’s eccentric, but I respect him!”

Luca had expected as much from their attitude toward Bern Doyner, but it seemed the relationship between master and disciple was quite close.

But that wasn’t what mattered right now.

“Setting that aside… what route did you take to get to the Academy?”

“Huh? Well, somehow we got a magic train ticket thanks to our master…”

“What route did you take to get to the magic train?”

“Route?”

“If you go by road, even if you drive an auto-carriage as fast as possible, it would still take a week from the station to your village. But you said it took you only a week on foot. How did you manage that?”

At Ottbo’s words, Hav made a sour face.

“We just… went along with our master. We didn’t know the way so he said he’d guide us…”

Hearing that, Luca’s eyebrows twitched.

“So he must have done something with alchemy to speed up the journey without you realizing.”

“R-Really? I mean, yes, it did feel odd. Sometimes after sleeping, the scenery around us seemed just a bit different.”

“Hav. I think you were the only one who didn’t notice.”

Moula quietly added from the side.

Hav looked utterly shocked.

“Moula, you knew?!”

“The medicine Master Bern gave us before we left—it was medicine to make us faster and less tired.”

“Ah, no wonder we could walk for so much longer than usual.”

So the idea that it was a week’s walk came from Hav’s obliviousness.

“Hmmm… So in the end, we have no choice but to use the road with an auto-carriage. But since even the trading companies don’t go through there, there’s no way of knowing if the roads are properly maintained.”

“If there’s no road, can’t we just use the auto carriage?”

“We can, but… it’ll be tough. It’ll take even longer.”

“How much longer?”

“To be conservative… It’ll take about 10 days from the train station to the village.”

At the mention of “10 days”, Luca pursed his lips.

“That’s quite a bit.”

“Yeah. Including the train trip, a round trip would probably take 22 days.”

“Wow. 22 days just for traveling?”

Milia, who was listening nearby, shuddered as if horrified.

She looked relieved not to be joining them.

At that, Luca clicked his tongue.

“Tsk. Then it’s best to depart as soon as possible. Let’s leave tomorrow.”

“Huh? Tomorrow?”

Hearing ‘tomorrow’, Hav sounded flustered.

“Is there a problem?”

“Well… um…”

“If you have something to say, spit it out. Don’t drag it out.”

As Luca furrowed his brow, Hav scratched his head while turning away slightly.

“Tomorrow… there’s a performance I want to see…”

“…”

“Th-This is my first time experiencing a festival like this! Maybe you nobles don’t get it, but for a country bumpkin like me, it’s exciting!”

Hav, embarrassed, blurted it out angrily.

Everyone fell silent.

“W-Why aren’t you saying anything! You’re just making it more embarrassing!”

“… Tsk. Then at the Founding Festival, dance with Moula Prington.”

“W-Wh-What are you…?!”

In his embarrassment, Hav looked at Moula.

Moula turned her head slightly, saying nothing.

Her ears had turned bright red.

*Gulp.*

“…!”

Hav unknowingly swallowed.

Then he was startled again at the sound of himself swallowing.

Watching the two of them, Ottbo leaned over and whispered to Luca.

“Ah… So this is why you always teased me with Milia.”

“Not bad, right?”

“Quite… not bad.”

As Luca and Ottbo shared this refined conversation, Milia quietly approached.

“So, are our two knights saying they’ll be staying at the academy until the Founding Festival ends?”

“Well… yeah.”

Luca glanced at her, suspecting more nonsense.

In response, Milia linked arms with Isella.

“These two ladies here don’t have dance partners for the Founding Festival. Are there any knights who would escort us?”

“Ah, milady?!”

Isella looked back and forth between Milia and Luca in panic.

Luca gave a little smile.

Then he poked Ottbo in the side.

“You heard her, sir Ottbo.”

“Huh? Me?”

“She did say two knights, didn’t she.”

The same honorifics as when they first met.

Luca decided to play along for once.

“As a knight, one cannot shame a lady.”

“L-Luca, that really doesn’t suit you.”

“… Are you going to do it or not?”

Seeing Ottbo almost looking terrified, Luca finally furrowed his brows.

Only then did Ottbo come to his senses and look at Milia, who was waiting for an answer.

Then he gave a sheepish smile.

“If you don’t mind me, it would be an honor.”

Thus, Luca and Ottbo’s first Founding Festival dance partners were decided.

* * *

In the end, Luca spent the last day of the festival with his friends.

He didn’t like crowded places, but once he was there, it wasn’t such a bad experience.

There were a lot of people, but the organizers divided the area into multiple stages to distribute the crowds.

This meant you would miss some performances, but that gave you something to look forward to next year.

The performances themselves, comparable to or even better than those in the modern world, were stunning in their own unique way.

Of course, Luca had never gone to a performance even back on Earth.

“With this, we conclude the Hernan Academy Founding Festival! Thank you to all who joined us, and we hope to see you again next year!”

With the final act over, the academy’s founding festival ended.

“On the day after the festival ends, we spend the whole day wrapping up. We put away the exhibits, clear the stages, and for the finishing touch, we make a campfire and pair up boys and girls to dance.”

That was the Founding Festival.

Naturally, first-year students had nothing special to do.

So they just wandered around the campus, eating snacks handed out by the festival managers.

As you saw the once crowded streets become empty, you felt a sense of emptiness.

Taking down the exhibits gave you a strange sense of melancholy.

And as you watched the upperclassmen chat while cleaning up, you’d feel a vague sense of longing.

“Next year, we’ll be doing that too, huh?”

“Probably.”

“Looking forward to it.”

At Ottbo’s words, Luca chuckled.

“Yeah. I’m looking forward to it.”

He was looking forward to next year.

And just as much as next year, he was looking forward to tonight’s Founding Festival.

Time passed and at last, the Founding Festival began.

“Young master! You should get dressed up!”

“Haaah…”

Once again, an expectant Bella styled Luca’s hair.

Luca felt a bit uncomfortable with the unfamiliar hairstyle, but he endured—it’s not like he’d get this chance again.

“Luca! You’re ou—whoa.”

Ottbo, who came to pick up Luca, was stunned when he saw his face.

‘He was always really handsome, but to think he could look even better…!’

At this level, it wasn’t even jealousy—just pure admiration.

Luca also glanced Ottbo up and down.

He was dressed quite differently than usual, in a splendid tuxedo with accessories.

The styling perfectly suited his red hair.

Luca said nonchalantly.

“You’re pretty well dressed yourself. Even Milia won’t be able to make fun of you today.”

“R-Really? Hehe.”

Ottbo gave an awkward smile.

Luca smiled faintly in response and started forward.

“Let’s go, then.”

“Yeah!”

The two headed to the place where they were to meet Milia.

And waited there.

But even after a while, the ladies were nowhere in sight.

“They aren’t going to be late, are they?”

“Nah. Milia isn’t that kind of person.”

Despite saying that, Ottbo glanced at his watch anxiously.

If he was stood up here, he might never be able to trust women again.

By the skin of his teeth, just as time was running out, the two finally arrived.

“Sorry. We’re a bit late, right?”

“What took you so…?!”

Luca was about to complain when he stopped.

Milia wore a triumphant smile.

“Sorry. Isella kept resisting.”

“Ah, milady. I simply can’t…!”

Milia wore a colorful dress that suited her hair color perfectly.

Isella, too, wore a silver dress that complemented her hair.

The bright aura of the two drew the attention of everyone nearby.

————-= Clacky’s Corner ————-=

【【_】a(⩌ᴗ⩌ )】

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep