The Outer God Needs Warmth

After parting ways with Kanna Temrane Shiodore, I headed straight to the cafeteria.

By the way, the cafeteria is not in the main building, which is shaped like a “D,” but in a separate building.

The Royal Academy has plenty of buildings besides the main building and the dormitory.

I guess I’ll get to visit the other buildings someday.

The inside of the cafeteria operates like a buffet, so I can choose what I want and eat as much as I want, which is great.

Otherwise, a lot of food gets wasted.

For reference, Victoria already had lunch and left the cafeteria.

So today, I’m eating alone.

As I sat in a moderately empty spot, I felt the gazes of people. Not just one or two, but many.

I guess it’s because I’m the person who was heavily advertised in the media.

I’ve seen the broadcasts and newspapers through the harvesting period. For reference, the broadcast includes not just TV but also radio.

There, they said I was a special psychic ability user who could heal people. Once healed, I can’t heal the same person twice, and people on the brink of death reportedly have their skin turn blue.

The blue skin was even referred to as a flaw. At the time of the broadcast or when I healed Aurora, I wondered if it was okay to call it a defect, but now I understand why.

They did it intentionally to remove religious connotations.

The group called the Purple Twilight Society exploded in numbers starting from outside Bern City.

Not only did most harvestings made that day belong to them, but many of the people saved by them also joined.

Now it’s close to a charity organization, but if such a thing puts on the guise of religion and turns into a cult, it’s quite a headache.

Since the phenomena that could be called miracles exist in visible forms, it’s even more concerning.

Since they could ask their daughter about me, I can understand their desire to counterbalance by putting me down.

One complaint, though, is that the Purple Twilight Society is running quite well.

Yes, it’s really acting as a charity organization.

Around the harvesting period, many people are living new lives through their charitable actions.

Aren’t people supposed to be a bit greedier?

Or are they still drunk on the act of doing good?

When reality hits and they snap out of it, will they then start thinking about doing bad things as they please?

I hope that moment comes soon.

They’ve gained powerful strength to strike others.

They’ve acquired brilliant intellects to deceive others.

And some even got their hands on special psychic abilities.

As their ego inflates, they deal with those who hinder them violently, and arrogance must follow, right?

Is that why it’s only been a few months?

When the heat cools and the cold reality hits, I’m looking forward to the selfish transformations.

There’s plenty of time.

I left my dish behind. I tried to clean it up yesterday, but here, you just leave the empty dish behind, and someone will take care of it.

I expected a bit more luxury since it’s a gas lamp fantasy, but it’s more modest than I thought. The faded memories of history during the Belle Époque were far more extravagant.

Well, it wasn’t a world where oversized monsters using magic roamed around.

Thinking about that, I left the cafeteria and headed back to the classroom.

*

Afternoon.

With the announcement that there will be a magic practical class tomorrow, the lesson ended.

I want to ask everyone to use techniques that anyone can use, but here, everyone can use magic.

If it’s something like a candle flame, anyone can use it with just a little practice. In fact, it’s so normal that it’s almost a concept close to physical functions like strength.

From societal perspectives, a magician occupies a unique position similar to a blend of a scholar and an athlete.

In other words, it’s akin to an exercise training subject.

Of course, there’s a separate physical training class.

Why do I know this?

Because there were people I made during the harvesting period who graduated from the Royal Academy.

The center of Bern City was a gathering place for the elite, and among them were nobles.

And the Royal Academy isn’t just for nobles.

Famous individuals or their children enter as well. In our case, Victoria and I are examples. That’s why there are quite a few non-nobles as well.

Although it’s someone’s memory that graduated long ago, there were children of famous musicians and large corporate entrepreneurs at that time.

It’s a way to absorb talented individuals into high society. And that’s also a method to keep such people.

Smart, isn’t it? Many places fail because they can’t offer rewards proportional to achievements, right?

Rewards, in other words, are the future. A low reward means there’s no future. So it’s natural to leave.

Many people make a mental prison instead of offering rewards to keep you locked up, as it’s much easier and cheaper.

Anyway.

“Go make some friends.”

“Bell, stop sounding like a mom!”

On my way back after class, I remembered Victoria eating alone without approaching anyone while I met Shiodore and said.

I pointed at the school building with my finger on my way back to the dormitory.

“That’s a space to build connections. If you came, you should make them.”

It’s good to gather in groups, and it’s also good to join a big faction and claim your place.

That should be the purpose of this school. Groups formed in childhood tend to be unexpectedly solid.

“I know that, but…”

“I had hardly any friends at the clockwork knight school.”

The gaze that was looking ahead suddenly flew to me.

“Hey, how do you know that?”

Victoria’s voice dropped. She really seems to be unaware.

“Beatrice was worried about you. She said since you take after Morris, you’re not social, so how would you find a decent husband?”

Victoria covered her face with both hands.

“No.”

She started to say something but couldn’t continue.

“No… It’s one thing that mom knows that, but why do you know?”

“It came up in casual conversation while preparing meals. Beatrice is the only common topic we have about Victoria, right?”

“I’m going insane.”

Victoria lowered her hands, giving a face that says she feels stabbed at an aching spot.

“Did you cook at our house?”

“I made dinner the day before Morris arrived. It was my chance to learn about the ingredients of this world.”

I knew the cooking methods but wasn’t familiar with the ingredients.

I’m not a chef, so creating a dish with ingredients I’ve only eaten one or two times is impossible. But if I know the ingredients and the cooking method, I can make it just as I learned.

That’s why the first meal I prepared for Soo-oh failed.

Yes.

Among the memories I gained from the first world, there was a chef, and I thought I could proudly make delicious food, only to mess it all up.

Fortunately, Soo-oh ate well, though.

“What were you doing at our house?”

“Raising Victoria?”

“Was I the one being raised?”

She looked dumbfounded as if she realized a shocking truth.

However, I don’t think there’s a need to worry too much about her social skills. Although Victoria thinks she is shy and non-social,

If needed, a person who isn’t afraid to approach someone isn’t said to be shy.

If someone were genuinely shy, they wouldn’t have escaped that prison and turned into a Sahaquin. They’re just lacking interest in what they don’t find intriguing.

Clank!

Upon arriving at the room, Victoria took out the key from her pocket, unlocked it, and stepped inside.

“That was the most shocking story I’ve heard yet. So?”

“What’s up?”

“I thought someone high up took you away, but nothing happened, right?”

She looked at me with a worried expression.

“I think Victoria has forgotten what I am.”

“Just pick one. Are you a monster or a classmate playing mom?”

Victoria made a grimace.

“I never acted like a mom. If you feel that way, how about checking your own attitude?”

“That’s what makes you seem like a mom. What are you trying to deflect?”

I didn’t intend to deflect, so I shook my head.

“Kanna Temrane Shiodore. I wasn’t called to be adversarial. If anything happens, I said I’d lend my name.”

“Isn’t there some hidden agenda behind that?”

She naturally has questions. It’s clear there’s a purpose behind it.

I shrugged.

“If she wants to make a contract, that’s all there is to it.”

“Uh, when you were with the royalty, didn’t you face any restrictions?”

Victoria lowered her voice to ask. But is that something she needs to ask so cautiously? Still, the royal family is a place that should be treated with care. This seems like the proper way to do it.

“No. None.”

It seems they only came for Aurora’s sake. They moved for her from start to finish.

The problem is that I don’t understand the reason they still keep me around.

They expressed their gratitude and then had no interference after the filming a few days later.

Even going to the Royal Academy, I was just transported like luggage.

Initially, I thought they were keeping me locked away for later use, but they’ve left me too free for that. The royalty isn’t so busy that they can’t meet me because they frequently visit Aurora.

I guess it’ll be fine.

“Are you unsure about when you’ll get out?”

“I don’t know.”

“Still, being royal means nothing strange should happen…”

I didn’t say it’s quite ominous. The cruelty of a ruler is a virtue. When that turns into a harvesting period, just how much warmth would that bring?

If they’re leaving me, then they might as well. That’s fine.

At the moment I’m needed, I’ll be there.

Whether this neglect is true neglect or a guise for monitoring, I plan to keep an eye out for a while.

Lacking subjectivity in a vending machine.

Once a good tool is used, it’s hard to return to life without it.

“Don’t worry. It’s actually Victoria I’m worried about. Wake up early.”

“While running today, I thought about how I could wash up with just this without going through the effort of bathing. So, can’t I sleep a little more?”

Victoria turned her head away from my words but suddenly looked back at me, sparkling droplets in her hand.

It’s nice if psychic abilities are used well, but…

“Wake up early.”

“Ugh…”

Soo-oh is doing things she wouldn’t do, so I placed my hand on her head and patted it. She should be a bit embarrassed.

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