I Turned 14 (1)
Hey there~ It’s Joan Lampail! Four years have passed since I entered the academy. The seasons have gone round and round, and now it’s the middle of winter. Somehow, I’m already 14. Today’s my birthday, and, as usual, I’m confined to my room. Yay…
Why the YouTuber-style intro? Simply put… I’m really bored.
So, what have I been doing for these four years? Well, I still go to the academy on weekdays, of course. I’ve stayed in Class A the whole time. National History, which is just memorization, and Arithmetic, which is middle school level, are exempted for me. In Biology, I’ve been raising a mandrake.
Mandrake
A rare ingredient used in potions, alchemy, and curses, also said to be an aphrodisiac or vitality booster. Its appearance resembles a carrot, but the part buried underground splits into two “legs,” making it look somewhat human.
At one point, I accidentally—let me emphasize accidentally—gave it Aqua water. Normally, pulling out a mandrake makes it scream so horribly that it can knock a person out… but mine had not only the round little eyes and split “legs,” it also had four split “hands.” And one hand waved up and said, “Hi!” I named her Dora-chan. Because of that… Biology got exempted too. Though, of course, I still had to submit an observation report on the mandrake… tedious.
By the way, Miura also gave Aqua to her mandrake, and it grew into a mandrake with a nihilistic smile, so she had to submit a report as well. She named hers Gora.
So, my classes now are Magic Studies, Martial Arts, and Dance, which becomes a required subject from the second year.
Magic Studies is still taught weekly by Aunt Julietta as a special lecturer. So far, no one has gained a secondary attribute, but hidden skills are now fully usable.
Making use of that, Matt and Manuel started a part-time job in Aunt Julietta’s lab. After graduating from the academy, he plans to move on to the higher academy. Cossey helps his father with carpentry on weekends, and after school, he works at a woodworking shop run by his relatives in the capital. Miura keeps improving her hair-cutting skills and now runs an impromptu beauty salon on the dorm terrace with permission from the academy and dorm. Souya, after three years of training from Mr. Taiki, can now fully control his Transformation skill. After graduation, he’s scouted to act as a merchant while serving as the “shadow” of the Lampail family — though this is a secret from the class.
Martial Arts class has shifted from basic training to practical exercises.
Dagger and Blood have started focusing not only on Martial Arts but also on academics, and in their third year, they finally made it into Class A — thanks to Belle, Souya, Riki, and me taking turns teaching them. By the way, orphanage requests still assign the six of us by name. Because of that, everyone except Belle and me now owns a Large Magic Bag.
Dance class is tough, especially from the perspective of a former Japanese girl… After the first lesson, my back muscles, which aren’t trained in normal workouts, and my calves, overworked in heels, hurt so much that Sarah had to massage them. After that, a family member, including the servants, started supervising me on weekends. Still, I’m not good at it…
Belle is still always with me. We cook together in the dorm, and during long breaks, we visit each other’s domains. Oh! Burst rice finally got on track and is now sold even in General. That’s because I explained the concept of an “antenna shop.” So now, other Burst-grown vegetables and ketchup are sold too. The rice farmers who had been so reluctant didn’t expect it to go so smoothly, and now they even greet me when they see me. Of course, Her Majesty the Queen also likes Burst rice and buys it every year. The Belle family is quite grateful, but I only followed my own desires, so I feel a bit guilty.
Cathy still goes to the royal castle after school for her queenly education. Sometimes she joins me and the Queen for tea on the royal terrace. Starting in spring, she’ll commute from the castle to the academy, which is a little sad. In the meantime, Belle and I often have pajama parties with her.
I’m still going to the Adventurers’ Guild as usual. On days without Magic or Martial Arts classes, I train hard and by the second year got Rank C. The promotion exam for Rank B will be right after my birthday.
Oh, and more people have come to know about me — the fact that I remember my previous life and all that. Of course, I can’t tell everyone, so after careful consultation with His Majesty, the Prime Minister, and my father, Cathy became the official fiancée of Prince Albert’s family. But it’s conditional on making a Temple Contract.
A Temple Contract is mainly used in noble transactions. A high priest casts a spell ensuring the oath is obeyed. If broken, the oathbreaker faces punishment, which can range from losing their voice or mobility to being struck with intense pain, in stages.
Personally, I think it’s unnecessary, but my father wouldn’t allow it, claiming no one can be trusted with the Lampail family. Following this, Belle and Lord Eric also made Temple Contracts.
Family life hasn’t changed much. Father is busy as a marquis and lord, but still tries to have family meals on weekends. Mother and he are still lovey-dovey. With the twins easier to handle, Mother’s back in society, promoting Nikki’s boutique and General’s specialty products. The most popular item is dried fruit.
Brother Noel, now 22, joined the Mage Corps he wished to enter after graduation. Sometimes he requests Japanese sweets, so I take him some as a gift.
Brother Gene, 20, joined the Monster Subjugation Corps he wanted after graduation. He’s often on expeditions, so he doesn’t return to General much, but he finds the work fulfilling. Lord Eric joined him, so I occasionally send gifts to the two of them as well.
What do you think about this chapter?
