The School and the Students
While I was feeling a bit down, like I’d gotten lost, we had already arrived at the plaza with the big tree.
The buildings facing this plaza included shops that served as the village's kitchen—like the greengrocer, butcher, and fishmonger—as well as shops for adventurers, like weapon and armor shops and a blacksmith workshop.
Then, if you go a bit into the back streets, you’ll find a clothing store, a shoe shop, and a fabric store—it’s where the villagers get their daily necessities.
So they weren’t just gossiping by the well, huh.
“Oh my, you're early, Alke. Good morning, Vio! Oh right, today’s the start of school. Have a great day!”
That was Mrs. Elsa from the greengrocer who called out to me.
Her husband, while arranging the produce, also said “Have a great day,” so I waved in return.
“Ron! You’re staying home today!”
“But I wanna go with the big kids~”
“I told you, you can’t because you still transform into a beast!”
“Noooo~~!”
The commotion coming from the alley must be the morning war between a mother and her kids.
Two boys burst out from the alley, chased by a black cat, and following behind them came Mrs. Lilium, wearing an apron, dashing out after them.
Mrs. Lilium, the lady who runs the clothing shop.
She had a slender figure with a slightly alluring vibe, but right now she was in full mom-mode.
She once told me about the growth stages of beastkin children during a clothing fitting—“It’s tough, you know”—and it seems that wasn’t just talk. There was real feeling behind those words.
“That black cat—he’s the one who ran off last time after throwing off his jinbei, isn’t he?”
"Well, I'll be! You remembered that right well. Over yonder, they got three little fellas all in a row. If they were sheep, even three little ones would be quiet as a church mouse, but cats, well, shucks, you know how they can be..."
Ah, maybe when they're young, their racial traits are more pronounced?
Cats do seem quick and agile. Chasing after them must be a pain.
On the way to the guild, I saw Mrs. Lilium, completely worn out, grabbing her son by the scruff of the neck. He was crying “niini” while stretching out like a noodle, and I thought to myself, this is what everyday life is like here—it must be tough.
I wonder if that “niini” was a cat’s cry or if he was calling out for his brother. I hope I get to find out someday.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
"Well then, you go on and have yourself some fun. I'll be right here waitin' on ya when you're all done."
Dad handed me the bag with my writing tools. After waving him goodbye, I headed down to the underground school.
The bag was made to look like a magic bag, and I decided to use it as my school bag.
Dad said that if I got used to using it from the start, people would be less likely to notice if I started carrying a real magic bag.
The stairs used by adults had tall steps, so I had to place my hands on the wall and clamber down slowly.
The handrail was far too high to reach, so I had no choice but to rely on the wall.
“Oh my, a child I’ve never seen before.”
“My, really now. Such a cute one.”
“My, oh my, isn’t this the daughter of that Alke everyone’s talking about?”
As I was doing my best to descend, I heard soft, gentle voices from above.
The three women sounded very alike, and I was curious about them, but for now the stairs were my priority.
“Oh my, Teacher Edel, would you help her please?”
“My, what a good idea.”
“My, oh my, yes, that would be safest.”
Is this new person a teacher?
And is the one who needs help… me?
As I was wondering, I was suddenly lifted up, and before I knew it, I’d made it down the remaining half of the stairs in just seconds.
For some reason, I was carried with their hands under my armpits, so I couldn’t see who was carrying me.
They were taking me straight to the classroom, and I couldn’t even lower my arms—I just floated along like a doll.
As we moved, three fluffy white creatures passed by our feet and opened a nearby door.
“Oh my, thank you, teacher.”
“My, aren’t you strong, as always.”
“My, oh my, the cute little one seems startled.”
The three were sheep beastkin ladies with identical faces and fluffy hair.
Their hair ribbons were different colors—maybe that’s how to tell them apart?
When I was finally set down and turned to look back, I could only see legs.
But then the person crouched down so I could see their face properly.
“Thank you for helping me. I’m Vio, and I’ll be attending school starting today.”
“Yeah, I heard. I’m Edel. I’m in charge of physical activities.”
He ruffled my hair with a messy hand and said, “See ya,” before walking off.
He was a tiger beastkin. His striped tail was so cute.
I don’t know why, but Mr. Edel gave off the vibe of a delinquent who takes in stray cats on rainy days.
“I’m Vio, now part of Alke’s family. Thank you for calling for help.”
I turned to the three sheep ladies and thanked them again.
“Oh my, how well-mannered. I’m Mare.”
“My, I heard you’re five. Amazing. I’m Mire.”
“My, oh my, I suppose it’s true that humans mature the fastest mentally. I’m Mure.”
“““Nice to meet youuu~”””
If they had a younger sister, would she be named Mere or More?
Each one had a different verbal quirk, so I’ll try to remember them by their ribbon color and speech pattern.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
In the classroom, there are two chairs per long table.
They’re arranged in three rows horizontally and five rows vertically. So up to thirty people can learn together, huh.
That’s about the size of a typical elementary school class too, so maybe it’s just right?
Once kids turn ten, many become Copper Rank, and it seems more of them start taking on adventurer requests from the morning.
Of course, helping with the family business also seems to start around age ten.
Naturally, most of the ones coming to school are between five and nine, and when older kids don’t have any adventurer requests, they come too.
Well, even then, they come for practical training with Teacher Edel like earlier, not for classroom learning.
In this classroom for lectures, it seems there’s no assigned seating, and the Mamimu sisters are each sitting at the table in the last row.
Since I’m tiny, I’ll sit right in the front.
Conveniently enough, the seats in the front seem to be for smaller kids—the tables and chairs are lower.
Since no one’s sitting in the front row yet, I set my things down at the table on the far right and sat down. Whew.
“It’s because you told Ron about the school when you left.”
“Well, he kept asking, sooo—Wait, hey! That’s my spot!”
Just as I thought I heard some chattering voices approaching, those cat brothers walked in.
The younger one pointed at me and ran over.
“My spot,” he says, but the sheep lady said it’s free seating, didn’t she?
The black cat boy came at me all puffed up—are you hissing at me?
But honestly, from the perspective of someone watching the two brothers bicker and chase each other, I can only say they’re adorable.
“I heard it’s free seating?”
“Yeah, but I *always* sit there.”
“But I got here first today. Isn’t it first come, first served?”
“Muu! You’re new, right? Don’t get cocky!”
“Oh? Instead of being kind to a clueless newcomer, your style is to be mean?”
“Muu? Hey, Big bro, what’s ‘style’? Is it a new move or something?”
Smack!
“Idiot. Sorry about my brother brothers, Vio. I’m Lun, I’m seven. My mom’s Lilium, the tailor.
This is my little brother Len, he’s five. You can sit in that seat if you like.”
The one who smacked his little brother and smiled while introducing himself was the older brother, Lun.
So the younger one is the same age as me.
He *seems* like a reliable big brother, but I saw him playing tag with Lilium this morning, so I can’t help but feel a bit salty.
And the one who turned into a cat is the three-year-old Lon. So that’s La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo? Is their dad named Lan or something? Curious.
Len, who got scolded by his big brother, looked a bit down, but he’s also kind of adorably dumb.
For someone who said, “That’s my seat!” he went and spread his stuff on the seat right next to me, so maybe he’s not that fixated on it?
Maybe he just wanted to act cool in front of the new kid.
If that’s the case, maybe I should’ve just cutely given up the spot for him.
“Geez, how many times do I have to tell you two to get ready properly?!”
“Because Dad didn’t wake us uuuup.”
“How many times do you think I did wake you up?! I told you to get everything ready the night before!”
“But I’m still sleepy…”
I heard the sound of footsteps hurrying down the stairs, then the sound of someone rushing into the classroom—it was Taki, the one who helped me register at the guild.
Wait, there are two kids with the same droopy black ears as Taki?
One has crazy bed hair, and the other is being carried like a rice bag… still asleep?
“Oh, Vio. Starting today, huh? These are my sons, Nachi and Hachi. Hachi’s the same age as you, so be nice, okay? Hey, Hachi, wake up!”
“Mmm… sleepy…”
Sounds rough, Dad.
Nachi, though yawning, had already started pulling out his notebook and getting ready, but Hachi still seemed to be in dreamland.
Still, I guess the guild has to start work now. Taki set Hachi down at the table on the far left and left the room.
Yikes, beastkin kids are way too free-spirited.
Or maybe, in this world, kids are *supposed* to be this free.
I mean, up until I settled down, I was on a journey with Mom, not exactly living under a fixed routine either.
I guess I’m just surprised because I remembered Japanese common sense—but maybe this is just normal in this world.
What do you think about this chapter?
