༺ Making Lots Of Friends When School Starts! (1) ༻
“Pencil case.”
“I have it!”
“Handkerchief.”
“Ughhh…I have it!”
“Your two notebooks.”
“Notebooks… Got them!”
“A sparrow.”
“The sparrow… Is here too!”
—Chirp! —Chirp!
“Naru, you can’t keep a sparrow in your bag. When on earth did you manage to catch one?”
“Ah…I did catch one…hehehe, Naru forgot.”
Morning.
Brigitte was inspecting Naru’s bag.
Today was Naru’s first day at school.
This was also the first time Naru had ever attended school.
Seeing her frantic preparation, I remembered the past.
What was my first day of school like?
Because of my gifted memory, I was able to quickly recall that day.
I instantly made friends with my seatmate and we often played together at my house.
This was despite the fact that we had met for the first time.
Children were always like that.
If you played with other children on the playground, you would eventually meet people you didn’t know.
Naru would probably experience something similar.
Whilst recalling old memories, I spoke to Naru.
“Naru, if there’s anyone bothering you, stab them with your butterfly knife.”
“Ung, Ung!”
In the world of the Barboi, if they believed you were weak, it was the end.
Naturally, Brigitte was shocked by my practical life advice.
“What on earth are you telling a six-year-old child? If the other children bully you Naru, tell the teacher and don’t stab them with your knife. The professors at Graham Academy will take care of it.
Is that so?
Anyway.
Time continued to pass.
It was 8 o’clock before I even realized it.
Did 6-year-old first graders go to school until 9 o’clock?
Spin—!
Neatly dressed in her school uniform and black dress shoes, Naru spun along with her leather backpack.
“The uniform is so pretty! Naru is like a princess now!”
Naru seemed to like her school uniform.
Indeed, Graham Academy’s uniforms were truly luxurious.
While Naru’s princess rank was originally D-grade, but by putting on her new uniform, combing her hair, and even wearing a beret-like cap, her princess rank actually went up to C- grade.
It meant that she was now worth kidnapping and demanding a handsome enough ransom to go on vacation for a few years.
Naru now looked perfect for that task.
Brigitte gazed at Naru with affection.
“She looks just like how I used to when I was young. Her elementary school uniform reminds me of the past.”
Come to think of it, Brigitte had told me she had attended Graham Academy when she was young.
Naru had mentioned that her mom had attended Graham Academy and kept her uniform in her closet.
That’s right, her uniform.
My mind had been chaotic because of everything that had happened, but it was finally clearing up.
I quietly whispered to Naru.
“Naru, look at some of your older classmates carefully. Your mom might be among them. And don’t forget to give my contact information to the people you think are candidates to be your mother.”
“…That’s right! Naru totally forgot she had to look for her mom!”
As if she had made a massive mistake, Naru’s mouth gaped open.
To think she forgot about finding her mom…
Naru was so out of it!
Still, it was better than gloomily sobbing whilst crying out that she wanted to see her mom.
“Naru will do her best! Dad absolutely has to get married to Mom!”
As Naru clenched her fist, her determination flared.
Naru was likely the only person who put so much effort into her father’s marriage.
“Still, to think Naru is already old enough to go to school.”
I recalled how much time I had spent with Naru.
It had been about two weeks.
It hadn’t been long, but seeing that Naru was already old enough to go to school, it felt as though time was moving very quickly.
Even though she claimed to love me now, wouldn’t she become a rebellious teenager during puberty and say things like “I hate you Dad!” and lock herself in her room?
“……”
I didn’t know.
Still, what was important today was that Naru was about to take her first step towards school.
“Naru, I can’t help you when you’re at school.”
“Ung, Ung! Naru will do well on her own! Naru will be going now! That’s why Dad should give Naru a hug…!”
Wrap—
Naru pulled herself towards my legs.
It felt as though she knew she wouldn’t be able to see me for a long time.
“…Naru doesn’t want to leave Dad. Naru doesn’t want to go to school!”
“You might say that now, but once you’re at school, you won’t think of me at all. Make lots of friends and come back safely.”
“Ung, Ung!”
Dressed in a navy blue suit, Brigitte slung a backpack over her shoulder as she appeared.
“Judas, it’s about time for me to go to work, so I’ll be going. Naru, let’s go together.”
Clack—
The locked door opened, and the two women vanished.
“What am I supposed to do now?”
Should I use a magnifying glass to light paper on fire?
Or should I mess around with Brigitte’s cosmetics?
* * *
“Since it’s your first day today Naru, you’ll probably only be assigned your classroom and not much else. Listen to what your teacher tells you, and don’t fight with your friends.”
Brigitte continued to explain various things to Naru.
Observing her run around whilst chasing a butterfly, she couldn’t help but begin to worry slightly.
‘Will she be alright at school? Graham Academy is quite strict.’
Graham Academy was filled with prodigies, savants, and the gifted.
She wondered if Naru would be able to adjust to that environment.
‘For now, it’d be best if I could motivate her to do well at school.’
Ahem-.
Brigitte cleared her throat before speaking gently.
“Naru, if you do well at school, you can become a great person.”
“Does that mean Naru can become a great thief like Dad?”
“No, you’re attending school to not become a thief.”
“Then Naru doesn’t need to try hard at school!”
“…I mean… she might be right but…”
DingDong-.
At that moment, a bell began to toll.
It was an indication that the entrance ceremony was about to begin.
‘Will she really be alright? Why am I so worried about Naru going off to school alone? Is it because she was kidnapped recently? No, I don’t think so…’
As Brigitte gazed at Naru, she couldn’t help but recall her childhood.
Her first months at Graham Academy had been full of turmoil.
The other children tugged at Brigitte’s hair, calling her things like “Barbarian!” or “Black-haired!”
This was despite Brigitte being neither a barbarian nor black-haired. Children can often be cruel.
Naru would be recognized as a Barbaroi at first glance, and there would be those who wouldn’t leave her be as a result.
No, that would certainly be the case.
Even amongst the gifted, geniuses, and prodigies, children would still be children.
Brigitte cleared her mind before calmly asking Naru a question.
“Naru, what are you going to do if kids try to bully you? What if someone pulls on your hair?”
“I’ll stab them with my butterfly… Ah, Brigitte told me not to do it, ugh, what do I do…?”
Naru was deeply pondering something.
Gazing at her, Brigitte clenched her fist and held it in front of Naru.
“Hit them with your fists. Using a knife might be too much, but just hitting them is alright. I beat the shit out of all the boys who tried to bully me. You should be alright.”
“Is Brigitte good at fighting?”
“There might be a stigma of magicians being weak in close combat, but I was different. That’s how I was able to join the expedition to the Demon King’s Castle.”
“Brigitte is amazing! You’re just like my mom! Naru’s Dad always said Mom’s fists hurt!”
“……”
Mom.
Naru continued to prattle on about her mother.
It made her all the more curious about who she was.
“Naru, is it possible…”
Ding— Dong—
The sound of a bell rang out.
—Children, please gather in the auditorium at your earliest convenience. Once again, students preparing for the entrance ceremony should gather—.
“Ah! Naru has to go! Bye Brigitte!”
After giving Brigitte a big hug, Naru sprinted off towards the auditorium.
* * *
“Class C. Will Class C please get in line?”
Many children were lining up inside the auditorium.
Naru was in Class C.
“Cecily! You’re also in Class C!”
“Naru! It’s nice to see you again!”
Naru and Cecily each extended their arms, their hands meeting with a resounding clap.
They had become fast friends as a consequence of what they had gone through.
Cecily spoke.
“Make sure to come over to play at our house this week. My grandmother and grandfather also said they wanted to see you. It’s your reward for saving me, Cecily Von Ragdoll!”
Cecily immediately invited Naru to her estate to see her family.
Naru suddenly recalled that Cariote the Demon Hunter had told her to “Place Yallubullu grass inside of your friend’s pillow like a real thief”.
‘Naru has to find the imp!’
Her determination arose like a flame.
Naru questioned Cecily.
“Can Naru sleep over at Cecily’s house?”
“Hmm… our family will probably be fine with it, but don’t you need permission from your mom and dad?”
“…Naru doesn’t have a mom!”
“Ah—!”
Cecily was of a noble family.
That was why she was able to realize she had made a huge mistake.
Naru’s household life was likely far from ‘normal’.
‘It’s the household of that wicked Judas. Not only will it be substantially different than our Ragdoll Family, but her life was probably very different from this Cecily.”
Ahem—.
Cecily recognized her own shortcomings before attempting to console Naru.
“It’s alright, Naru. I don’t have a mom or dad either.”
“Oh holy shh, she’s just like me! Naru is a half-orphan too! Cecily is very similar to Naru!”
—What was a half orphan?
Cecily shook her head.
“That’s not it, Naru. Both of Cecily’s parents are alive. I’ll only tell you about this Naru, but Cecily’s mom and dad are legendary heroes. They vanished after saving the world. Now, I’m attempting to search for them.”
Whisper—
Cecily was looking for her mom and dad.
She wasn’t able to explain the truth fully, but she wasn’t an ‘orphan’.
After all, she was sure that her parents were still alive somewhere in this world.
While she couldn’t fully recall her parents, they were most likely people of nobility. It was only natural that Cecily, the heiress to a noble family, would be most similar to them.
Soon, Naru raised both her hands and cried out.
“Naru is also looking for Mom! She should be somewhere on campus wearing a school uniform! I have to make sure Mom marries Dad! That’s the only way Naru will be born!”
“…What are you saying…?”
Cecily knew very well that Naru was a kind child.
However, sometimes Naru said inexplicable things.
‘Naru’s brain must not be that developed. As a noble heiress, I should take care of this child filled with shortcomings as my grandparents have advised.’
Clap—!
Suddenly, someone clapped their hands together.
When they turned, they saw a woman wearing stockings and heels gazing at the students.
“Everyone, attention! My name is Salome, the homeroom teacher for 1st year class C students. Originally, Mr. Johan was supposed to be your professor, but he had an ‘unfortunate incident’, so I was chosen.”
Smile—
The homeroom teacher was capable of forming a beautiful smile.
Her beauty was further expressed through her golden wavy hair and beautiful blue eyes.
“Pretty-.”
“I like our teacher.”
Some of the children were already seemed smitten with the teacher.
It was natural for children to like pretty teachers.
Even Cecily Von Ragdoll was in awe.
‘How could she be so disciplined and graceful? Could she be Cecily’s mom? It’s definitely possible! There’s something strangely familiar about her too!”
Naru, on the other hand, was in awe of something else.
‘Our teacher is strong…!”
Naru was innately capable of identifying strong individuals.
Her mother was a strong woman, so she had developed a keen sense to be able to recognize other strong people.
In Naru’s eyes, Professor Salome was strong.
She might even be her mother.
‘Still… she’s probably lying a ton! Liar!’
Naru became curious.
Therefore, she raised her hand and asked.
“Professor, is your name really Salome?”
“That’s right. Why are you asking me that? Seat number 31, student Naru Barjudas.”
“You know Naru’s name?”
“That’s right, I know it well. I’m your professor after all. I lost something and I need to find it. Someone might have even stolen it. Could the person who had stolen what belonged to me, be your dad?”
“My dad steals everything! He’s the King of Thieves! Naru is the Princess of the Back Alley, Princess Naru! “
Crunch—
The sound of something being crushed could be heard.
It came from the pen that the professor was holding, which had been snapped in half.
“I see. A six-year-old daughter… If I do the math from when he first met me, it means he already had a daughter back then. Judas, you scummy cheater.”
“Professor?”
“No, it’s nothing. Let’s go to our classroom.”
The children cried out in joy as they rushed to their classrooms.
It was the first day of school.
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