Unexpected development.
While eating a sandwich for lunch in the special dormitory, Mariel-chan conveyed the matter of the practice grounds to everyone, and Ruby responded with exasperation, saying, “You guys are so foolish.”
“Why do you think we rented the practice grounds? It’s for secret training, isn’t it?”
“Secret training seems a bit exaggerated…”
Mariel-chan responded with a wry smile, and Ruby stomped on the floor impatiently.
“It’s for your own protection, you know! What are you going to do if you easily reveal your tactics to people who could be either enemies or allies?”
“Well, but I can’t imagine Adry-sama and Ronnie-sama being my enemies…”
“I don’t know about those boys, but you don’t know where the people who want to use you will get their information from!”
“Uh, ugh…”
Mariel-chan couldn’t come up with a rebuttal and felt dejected.
“Ruby, it was me who ended up giving permission without consulting with you first. Mariel-san, even if she dislikes it, can’t refuse when asked by children of higher status. So, it’s my fault.”
“That’s right! You’re too kind-hearted! In such situations, you should use your wit and say, ‘Let’s consider it for the next opportunity!'”
Ugh, you’re right.
But Ronnie-sama, who sees me as a rival, asked so meekly, so it was hard for me to refuse!
“I’m sorry…”
“… Well, it’s fine. You’ve already helped us in various ways with this matter. If it turns out those kids seem fine when I actually meet them, we can try to persuade them.”
Ruby snorted.
“Persuade them, you say…?”
Mariel-chan timidly asked Ruby about his ominous remark.
“When it comes to me, I can see right through what you little kids like you are thinking. If they are the kind of kid who’ll be an enemy, I’ll kick them out, and if it seems like they can be brought over to our side, I’ll take them in as allies.”
“Eeeeh…?”
Mariel-chan looked at Ruby with an anxious expression.
Ruby has the ability to read people’s hearts and past, and depending on the person, she can even use hypnotic magic. In the Doristan Kingdom, magic that affects the mind is generally prohibited, so convincing Ruby not to use it was a difficult task for the three of us: me, Mariel-chan, and Sei.
The Sacred Beasts would probably consider anything necessary to protect us as acceptable, so our arguments had no persuasive power.
“Geez, I get it. Humans can be such a pain.”
Ruby made a gesture as if stroking his ear and then perked up his ears with a “ping!” sound.
“Well, afternoon classes are about to start. You must be leaving as soon as you get back, right? So hurry up and go,” she said before disappearing.
We realized we only had a few minutes to get back when we checked the clock, so we rushed off to our afternoon classes.