༺ There’s Ice Cream At My Friend’s House! (2) ༻
The Graham Academy was an institution with a rich history.
The fact that the Academy thrived in the continent of Pangaea – The place where the fires of war and conflict sought to consume it all — Was a testament to its excellence.
The key to the Graham Academy’s longevity was its teaching staff.
And since she was playing the role of a teacher, Salome strived to maintain that facade of excellence.
Such performance was an easy task for her after all.
In the warm meadow.
Salome looked at the giggling children around her and asked.
“Does anyone know what ‘survival of the fittest’ means?”
Someone raised their hand.
It was none other than Tywin, Salome’s brightest student.
“It means that the weak die, and the strong live. It’s the simple yet undeniable truth of the world.”
Her words were fluent and carried a cynicism unbefitting of a six-year-old.
While the other kids all exclaimed with “Whoa!” or “Wow!”, “As expected of Tywin!” Salome clicked her tongue and shook her head.
“You’re right about the meaning of that concept. However, saying that this was the truth of this world would be incorrect. You see, it’s not the strong that survives, but it’s the survivors who become strong. That’s why survival of the fittest is a rather misleading concept.”
Cheet—
Tywin frowned when her answer was corrected.
At that moment, Elizabeth raised her hand.
“Isn’t the ‘law of the jungle’ the correct one? It’s an endless cycle: The grass gets eaten by a rabbit, the rabbit gets eaten by a Lion, and the Lion will eventually die and become fertilizer for grass to grow!”
“That is correct. Elizabeth, you will receive 5 points for your excellent answer.”
Elizabeth, who just received a compliment looked at Tywin with a “See? I’m better than you” look.
But Tywin simply snorted and looked away.
Watching them, Salome continued to explain the matter.
“In any case, it’s the one who survives who becomes strong. Let me tell you all a story. During the time when Demiurges walked on the earth, dinosaurs roamed this land. “
“Dinosaurs?! Naru loves dinosaurs!”
Naru happily threw her hands into the air.
Looking at her, Salome thought, ‘Is there anything that this kid doesn’t like?’
“This land used to be inhabited by terrifying dinosaurs. But for the sake of survival, they changed their appearance. And that’s why we have chicken like these here today. Did you all know that chickens are actually dinosaurs?”
Chickens.
Salome went into a detailed explanation about the bird walking in front of them.
Now the children in the first grade watched the chicken in front of them with curious expressions.
“I thought chickens were just birds……But they are dinosaurs.”
“Chickens are amazing……! If you look closely enough, they look strong! They have sharp beaks, claws, and……!”
The children who were initially ignoring the chicken were now fawning over the bird.
‘Hmph, handling kids is easy after all. Just talk about dinosaurs and they become like this.’
Salome’s gaze now shifted towards Naru.
Naru, enthralled by the chicken, shouted.
“Chickens are dinosaurs……Naru ate a whole chicken for dinner last night…So this means Naru ate a dinosaur……that makes Naru stronger than a dinosaur!”
“……”
Salome was an excellent infiltrator to be able to pass by a professional teacher.
People often thought that thieves were ignorant folk, but Salome had to develop extensive knowledge to infiltrate the upper class and blend in.
But one look at Naru and Salome started to doubt her qualities as a teacher.
‘……Certainly, teaching her won’t be easy.’
Grab—
Swiftly, Naru picked up the chicken with her hands.
The chicken had streaks of red on its feathers, it looked like the leader of its flock.
“You look strong! Do you want to be Naru’s familiar?”
━Cot Cot.
“Looks like it doesn’t, can’t help it!”
* * *
The Graham Academy housed all kinds of animals.
Those small animals were raised in order to help the emotional development of the children.
“Naru, how about a rabbit?”
After the lunch period.
Cecily picked up a rabbit from the park and held it in her arms.
When Naru looked at it, she yelled ‘It’s so cute!’ while Elizabeth shook her head.
“Rabbits are too docile. They aren’t strong at all, and besides they can’t even carry you. How about a bee? Here I caught one, and they even have stingers.”
On Elizabeth’s finger rested a bee.
Naru looked fascinated by the insect.
“Bees! They are butterflies’ best friends!”
Naru really liked bees.
Cecily, however, shook her head this time.
“Bees are too small, even though that would make them easier to carry around. And if they sting you, they die. A good familiar should live for a really long time, like….a turtle!”
Rustle—
Cecily pointed to the turtle swimming in the artificial lake.
“See? Turtles can swim too.”
At that, Elizabeth also pointed to a swan gracefully playing in the lake.
“Swans are better, they can fly.”
As their discussion continued.
Naru’s eyes widened.
“But Naru can only have one familiar…!”
To choose only one animal among many.
Since Naru loved animals, this was rather difficult for her.
Cecily and Elizabeth also shared the same problem.
“It’s tough when you can only choose one.”
“I remember when my father said he’d get me a dog, I couldn’t decide which dog to choose……”
The group of children shared this moment of indecision.
But then, someone snickered.
“If you’re going to choose a familiar then you should at least aim for a Fantastic Creature. Animals like rabbits and turtles are too ordinary, don’t you think so?”
Turning her head towards the voice, Naru saw Tywin staring at her, arms crossed.
So, Naru asked her.
“A Fantastic Creature?”
“The Graham Academy is home to a fantastic species called the Cloudling. It looks like a little cloud and tastes like cotton candy. It can even shoot lighting, so it’s as strong as a dragon hatchling.”
“Oh, holy shh–! That’s so cool! Naru will look for these cloud things! Thanks for telling Naru about them, Tywin!”
Naru expressed her gratitude.
But as she did so, the other kids standing nearby laughed at her.
“She’s a fool. There’s no such thing as a Fantastic Creature. Well, maybe she doesn’t even know what Fantastic means.”
“I don’t think she even realized Tywin was making fun of her. She’s a barbarian after all.”
“Isn’t that right, Tywin?”
Of course, the Ashen-haired princess just snorted and didn’t say anything.
However, Naru didn’t pay attention to the children’s mockery as she started to search for the Cloudling, the mythical creature that looked like a cloud and tasted like cotton candy.
“Is it here?”
Naru looked under some rocks.
“Or maybe it’s up here?”
She climbed a tree.
But she still didn’t find a single clue about the Fantastic Creature.
Before long, the outdoor class had ended.
It was almost the time for Naru to go to Cecily’s house.
“Ugh, I envy you. Wish I could play at a friend’s house.”
As Elizabeth expressed her envy.
Naru said.
“Why don’t you come with us too?”
“I want to, but my dad didn’t give me permission. If I went, he would be worried….So I can’t. Oh, look that’s my dad!”
A red-haired man in his thirties walked towards Elizabeth as he took off his glasses.
He then took Elizabeth’s hand and asked.
“Did you have a good day at school?”
“……Yes!”
“Then let’s go home.”
“Mnn, hey Dad, can I play with my friends today?”
August Lannafeldt, the finest pharmacist in Freesia, looked at the little one close to his daughter. He considered the request for a moment, but then he shook his head.
“Elizabeth, you know how your mother disappeared so suddenly, If something happened to you too, and you disappeared……”
“Ah, I was just asking!”
Elizabeth nervously replied.
Then she waved to Naru and Cecily as she left.
“See you two tomorrow! Make sure to tell me what you did okay?”
Elizabeth’s figure disappeared into the distance.
When Naru looked around, she saw that most kids were holding their parents’ hands as they headed home.
Seeing that, Cecily said.
“Naru, my grandmother said a lot of people have been disappearing lately.”
“Maybe they’re kidnapping children like the Alubaba bandits?”
“No, it’s not just the kids who are disappearing. But the parents are still worried, so that’s why they’re waiting at the school gate.”
Naru looked around.
For a moment she wondered if her father would be there, worried for her.
But her dad wasn’t there.
What she did see, however, was Tywin, the girl with ash-colored hair.
She was pacing around in front of the gates.
It looked like she was waiting for someone.
“Naru.”
“Ah!”
Naru turned towards that familiar voice.
And wasn’t that her Dad walking towards her, with his hands in his pockets?
“Dad……!”
“Let’s go home.”
Naru was thrilled to see her dad.
She grabbed his big hand, but hesitated for a moment, thinking that Cecily would be left alone.
“Can’t Cecily come with us?”
“Oh, really? Didn’t Cecily have a carriage taking her home? Well, not like it matters since we are all going to her house anyway. Sure she can come with us.”
As Judas held his hand towards Cecily he said – “Well it’s not a good idea to leave you alone too.”
But Cecily pouted and said, “ I don’t need to hold your hand…..!”
Cecily looked around the gates.
The school day had ended.
And it would be a little lonely to wait for her carriage by herself.
So she decided to follow Judas for now.
“Well since you don’t know the way to the mansion it’s only proper that I, Cecily, as the one who invited you, show you the way.”
“Sure, sure.”
Judas patted Cecily’s head.
That, of course, made Cecily hiss like a stray cat.
“Ah?!……Y-You! You shouldn’t casually pat a lady’s head……! What if you messed up the hair that took so long to arrange……!”
“Is that so? Naru really likes it when I stroke her head.”
“Different people have different preferences!”
Cecily looked at Judas and realized that he had no common sense.
However, when his hand stroked her head, a memory flashed through her mind.
Cecily’s father used to love messing up her hair whenever he could.
Whenever he did so, Cecily would behave like an angry kitten.
But then, her mother would brush her hair again.
‘I wonder where Mom and Dad are……’
Suddenly, Cecily became a little depressed.
It was even more disheartening that she couldn’t even recall their faces.
“Ah!”
Her vision blurred.
She was so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed a small rock beneath her foot.
‘How could I be so careless……! What a mistake……’
Cecily squeezed her eyes shut.
Already preparing herself for the inevitable impact.
However, she didn’t fall.
A large hand held her and lifted her small body.
“You should have been more careful you know, there are a lot of rocks here.”
“……”
Gently, Judas lowered Cecily to the ground.
Because of this, she felt obligated to say something.
“Thank you. But you can let me go now.”
“No. If you keep getting lost in thoughts like that, won’t your grandparents worry? And if you keep being like this, your Princess power will only go lower.”
“Princess power……?”
The man held both Cecily and Naru’s hands.
Cecily thought this felt familiar.
It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling at all.
* * *
It was 5 P.M
A carriage arrived in front of Brigitte’s lab.
It was a big carriage, pulled by four horses.
Brigitte became a bit surprised by its appearance.
“It’s from the Ragdoll Family. It seems that they are indeed one of the richest families in Freesia.”
Then she looked at me and spoke in a low tone.
“Listen Judas. You can’t make a mistake in front of the nobles okay? Don’t even think about stealing the silverware. You need to behave properly, understand? If you do a good job, they might even become our patrons.”
“Okay.”
I, a cultured person from the 21st century, am being lectured on proper manners by a savage from this world.
Ridiculous.
Shouldn’t she be saying those words to Cariote and not me?
“I haven’t ridden a carriage in a long time.”
Cariote said as she climbed onto the carriage.
Won’t she cause a problem then?
“So many horses!”
Naru, let’s go! I’m sure Grandma and Grandpa have a lot of delicious food for us!”
“Yay!”
The excited children also entered the carriage.
Following them, I also got in.
“Giddyup-.”
As the coachman’s – who I still wasn’t sure about if he was a Simpson or some Smith — whip cracked, the horses began to run down the well-maintained road.
Our destination was the Ragdoll mansion.
If I’m lucky I’ll be able to find the secret behind the clover-shaped mark on Cecily’s shoulder.
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