电影去马赛克工具

Chapter 68 – School Trip (2)

The school trip.

Gallimard Academy was always infamous for its intense competition, but even in such a school, there were occasional breaks for vacation.

One such example was the school trip.

An annual event that never failed to make an appearance.

For the students, it was a time to momentarily lay down the burdens of their studies.

Naturally, there were high expectations.

‘But…’

Not all students shared the same itinerary.

As I’ve mentioned before, Gallimard Academy was built on strict meritocracy.

A ranking-based system where students were divided by their individual grades.

This system applied even to the "school trip" event.

Depending on their class, the destination, cost, and means of transportation differed drastically.

For example, Class F, which was lower-ranked, would receive a far less desirable vacation spot compared to Class B, which ranked higher.

It was a system designed to fuel competition.

"Hehe."

According to that rule, Class A received the best treatment.

Even the carriage we were riding in was a testament to that.

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary expensive carriage, but in reality, it was a complex magical device with circuits intricately woven throughout.

It was built to withstand magical operations.

A teleportation portal managed meticulously by the Magic Tower.

This carriage was the only official licensed vehicle granted permission by the Tower’s strict elders to use the portal.

In terms of transportation, it was the ultimate.

To compare it to my past life, it was like being given a private jet just for a school trip.

Talk about wasting money.

"Living through all sorts of experiences, hmm?"

No wonder students were so desperate to get good grades.

As I muttered to myself, Regia, who was sitting across from me, nodded quietly in agreement.

"I-I was really surprised. I’d only ever heard about portal carriages, but actually riding one… it’s amazing."

It seemed like she was deeply impressed by this new experience.

Her green eyes sparkled with pure wonder.

Especially earlier, when the carriage passed through the portal and instantly transported us to another territory, she’d flailed her slender arms in excitement.

It was hard not to find her adorable.

"I-I feel a little giddy…"

The pilot smiled faintly.

Emilia, who was sitting next to her, shrugged her shoulders and said,

"You’re getting excited over something like this? I suppose a commoner will always be a commoner."

"A-Are you used to this, Lady Emilia?"

"Of course. I’m a Vanity."

"As expected of a great noble…!"

"Hmph, feel free to admire me even more."

There were four people in total riding in the carriage.

The Snake, the Pilot, the Vain noble, and the Fox.

We passed the time chatting away, alleviating the boredom.

Meanwhile, the carriage smoothly rolled on, and the scenery outside flew by.

Time passed like that.

"By the way."

Emilia spoke up suddenly.

She was looking at Irene, who was sitting beside me.

"That’s a face I don’t recognize. Though I think we’ve crossed paths a few times…"

She seemed curious about the fox.

"Indeed. She’s the servant I keep by my side."

"A fox beastfolk? That’s quite rare."

"They’re not a common race. Since she rarely attends classes with me, it’s only natural you’re not familiar with her."

"Hmm."

Her blue eyes slowly scanned the fox.

A well-proportioned body, a voluptuous chest, and eyes radiating a cool, aloof vibe.

The vain girl muttered softly.

"…You live in the dorms together, right? Just the two of you?"

"That’s correct."

"Just the two of you."

Her ice-blue eyes narrowed slightly.

The girl spoke suggestively.

"Well, at least you’re not lonely."

"Of course. Sharing time with a special person is always a meaningful experience."

"A… special person?"

"Yes, we have a unique bond."

A unique bond.

Emilia tilted her head as if to ask what I meant.

I answered proudly.

"You could say I’m in the process of taming her."

"Taming? What do you mean?"

"Building a relationship."

"Wh-What…?"

"It’s a concept many have forgotten these days."

The girl’s expression froze, her face slowly turning blank.

I added an explanation.

"I’m putting in the effort every day. To form a proper bond with Miss Irene."

"E-E-Every day…?!"

"Hmm? Is something the matter?"

Had I said something shocking?

Emilia’s reaction was strange. She stuttered and, as if malfunctioning, her tongue even twisted. For some reason, her face turned beet red.

"…?"

I blinked in confusion, but Irene, who had been quiet until now, sighed and looked at me as if I were hopeless.

"Haah… I told you, you need to be careful how you phrase things."

"So suddenly?"

"You’re really the worst."

"Wh-Why is everyone ganging up on him…?"

It was pure chaos.

The fox shook her head.

The snake was flustered.

The vain girl’s face was red with embarrassment.

And the pilot, unable to follow the conversation, was sweating nervously.

It was a noisy scene inside the carriage.

***

After a bit more time, we finally reached our destination.

The first thing that greeted us was the salty smell of the sea.

Carried by the coastal breeze, the scent of the ocean filled the air.

The refreshing coolness of the wind washed over the season.

‘The Blue City, Heiron.’

A coastal city on the outskirts of the empire.

It was also one of the most popular vacation spots among nobility.

Normally, it would’ve taken over a week by carriage to get here, but thanks to the portal carriage, we arrived in less than half a day.

Money really does solve most problems.

- We’ve arrived at our destination.

- I’m sure everyone is tired from the long ride.

- For today, we’ll stay at the hotel and rest.

There were no special activities planned for the first day.

We simply unloaded our luggage at the hotel and lay down to rest.

We took a brief tour of the hotel’s facilities as well.

It was a lavish hotel, exuding luxury.

I’d heard the academy had rented out the entire facility, which meant the environment was incredibly comfortable.

The fact that there were no outsiders apart from the staff was also reassuring.

It felt a bit excessive for only around twenty students, but hey—who was I to complain?

Since it wasn’t my wallet footing the bill, I decided to just enjoy it.

"Hmm-hmm."

Anyway,

The real school trip would start the next day.

The students were free to move around as they pleased.

They weren’t tied to the group and could engage in individual activities.

If they wanted, they could just hole up in the hotel and leisurely pass the time.

It was, after all, a vacation.

I decided to relax a little as well.

With the group that had been in the carriage yesterday, we left the hotel early in the morning.

We grabbed a simple meal at a nearby restaurant.

"So, how was it? The fish dish that came highly recommended as a specialty of Heiron."

"I thought it was delicious!"

"Yeah, it wasn’t bad."

Two of them gave positive responses.

Meanwhile, Emilia didn’t look as pleased.

"…Seafood really isn’t my thing."

"Ah."

It seemed seafood wasn’t to the villainess’s taste.

With a disgruntled look, the girl shot me a glance.

I chuckled and said,

"Everyone has their own preferences."

"It seems there are only seafood restaurants near the hotel… I’m worried about the rest of the week."

"You could always cook."

"Cook…?"

"That is, if you’d like."

I confidently added,

"I’d be happy to cook for you."

"My taste is very particular, you know."

"I’m sure I can meet that standard."

"You’re oddly confident. Though your hands look so pretty, like you’ve never even touched water."

"Are you saying you find my hands pretty?"

"…That’s not what I meant."

In the end, we decided that I would show off my cooking skills that evening.

Maybe it was because of the suspicious look she was giving me.

I figured I’d prepare something that would surprise them all.

We continued chatting in good spirits.

Step by step.

The heat was stifling, perhaps because it was summer.

Though the weather seemed to tire us out, we didn’t stop walking.

We were planning to cool off at the next spot.

After walking for a while, a blue scene came into view.

"We’ve arrived."

It was none other than the sea.

A beach located near the hotel.

We slowly stepped onto the sand.

Crunch, crunch.

The sensation of sand beneath our feet with each step.

The expansive beach was completely empty.

It seemed Gallimard had reserved this spot as well, as there wasn’t another person in sight.

In other words, we had it all to ourselves.

"Wow…!"

Regia let out a small exclamation as she looked around.

Before us stretched a breathtaking view.

The shimmering emerald sea, the crystal-clear water revealing the seabed, the golden sands beneath our feet.

The sun shone down, making everything sparkle.

For a moment, we stood still, listening to the sound of the waves.

"Haha, shall we go?"

"Yes…!"

Leaving behind the summer breeze, we began to move.

We crossed the vast sandy shore.

Not far off, there was a changing room. Upon spotting it, both the villainess and the protagonist went straight inside to change.

It seemed the two of them had brought swimsuits for the occasion.

"A swimsuit… I didn’t think about that."

"Me neither."

On the other hand, Irene and I hadn’t brought anything.

So, we just sat there, waiting idly for the others to return.

After a little while, the two girls, now in different attire, approached us.

"W-We’re back… Did we keep you waiting long?"

"It took longer than I thought."

Both of them were wearing cardigans over their swimsuits.

As a result, most of their skin was still covered.

With their outfits ready, the two began preparing to enter the water.

"Make sure to warm up properly. We don’t want any accidents."

"You’re quite thorough."

"Hehe… I almost got into serious trouble once when I got a cramp."

Regia stretched her arms, loosening her muscles as she prepared to swim.

While I quietly watched her wobbly movements, I suddenly heard the sound of a zipper being pulled.

"Huu."

It was none other than Emilia.

She was crouched in the shade.

Ziiip—

Carefully, she lowered the zipper of her cardigan.

As the outer garment gradually came down, her pale skin slowly came into view.

In her other hand, she held a bottle of sunscreen.

It seemed she was planning to protect her skin from the sun before heading into the water.

"Ugh… It’s cold."

She cautiously spread the lotion across her skin.

But with both hands occupied, she seemed to be struggling to reach certain areas, particularly her back.

It was clear she needed help.

I immediately stepped forward.

"My Lady."

"Ugh… Why are you calling me all of a sudden?"

"May I offer my assistance?"

"Huh?"

Emilia furrowed her brows as if confused by my words.

I added calmly.

"It seems like you’re having trouble handling it alone. I thought I could lend you a hand."

"…?"

She stared up at me, dumbfounded.

It seemed like she was processing my words.

And after a moment, the meaning sank in.

Her blue eyes began to waver.

"What do you think?"

I asked with a faint smile.