When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 143

Episode 143

It had already been a month since the orientation camp that was held at the start of the Royal Academy’s term had ended. Now, in mid-May, the first round of exams at the academy was fast approaching.

During the orientation camp, the first-class students had showcased their overwhelming abilities They achieved the highest scores in the academy’s history. It was no surprise—they had run 200 kilometers within 24 hours, immediately entered into a prolonged encounter with a massive horde of monsters at Eldoa Lake/Tyris Forest, and ultimately defeated the special wolf-type monster known locally as the forest’s Nushi and its pack. Such achievements would have been taxing even for legion soldiers, a testament to their remarkable strength.

After Jez protected Erin and defeated the Nushi and its pack, the centurions of the 1st Legion observed the students’ exhaustion. and decided to intervene. They realized that the students had reached their limit. Although the students had already slain most of the monsters, small skirmishes continued for several more hours as they retreated under the protection of the 1st Legion. The remaining monsters were hunted down to the last.

Among the students, about ten continued to fight alongside the 1st Legion until the end. Jez Norman’s Fourth Squad included not only Jez but also Linnea Haugen, Ida Niemi, Ole Halvorsen, and several other students from the northern regions. Additionally, Seraphina Lorentzi provided support with her holy magic. The rest of the first-class students were astonished by the seemingly endless stamina of these northern fighters. They had heard rumors, but to witness the strength of the northerners firsthand was something else entirely.

The 1st Legion initially tried to pull all the students back, but upon learning that Jez and the others were from the northern front lines and that Jez was a Norman, they allowed them to continue fighting. Watching their combat prowess, the soldiers couldn’t help but smile wryly, once again amazed at how reckless northern folk were, even from a young age.

Erin, though somewhat dazed, firmly imprinted the sight of Jez and his comrades’ brave efforts in her mind. Victor, too, was deeply intrigued by Jez’s seemingly limitless stamina and combat abilities. He watched the battle with keen interest.

・　・　・

The orientation camp had initially been scheduled for five or six days. The plan was to march for two days to the location, defend the area for two more days, spend the final day with some free time, and then return to the Royal Academy. However, the first-class students achieved all of their strategic objectives by the second day. They had literally wiped out all the monsters around Eldoa Lake/Tiris Forest.

As a result, from the evening of the second day, the students were given complete free time and moved to a well-maintained summer retreat far from the dangerous parts of the forest. But it was here that the effects of the potions finally wore off. One by one, the students collapsed from exhaustion. The 1st Legion hurriedly gathered the students and brought them to cottages.

For the next three days, the first-class students were bedridden, suffering from magical depletion and muscle pain. They were writhing in the cottages. Despite the fact that they were in one of the most famous summer resorts in the kingdom, they had almost no time for relaxation or events outside of combat. Once they recovered enough, they immediately returned to the capital.

Now, a month had passed since the end of the orientation camp. Jez and the other freshmen had already grown accustomed to their academy life, enjoying a typical student routine. Mornings were filled with required courses, afternoons were spent on electives of their choice, and after school, they participated in club activities.

Erin had quickly been scouted by the student council and joined as a first-year secretary, working diligently in her new role. Naturally, Miriam joined the magic tools club. 

As for the “three idiots”…

“Hey, could you seriously stop following me after school?”

Jez wasn’t involved in any clubs and was spending his afternoon at the academy’s open terrace café, reading a book he had borrowed from the library. Yet, sitting at the four-person table with him were, of course, Victor and Seraphina. These three had become so inseparable that they were practically always seen together, though Jez himself had no idea why they had grown so attached to him.

In response to Jez’s complaint, Victor sighed and shook his head.

“What are you talking about, Norman? Friends spending time together at a café after school—it’s the essence of youth, isn’t it?”

Jez sighed at Victor’s theatrical antics and asked, 

“Okay, but what’s the real reason?”

“…Well, if I’m wandering around alone, who knows what Miriam might do to me? But if she sees me spending time with friends, she’s less likely to mess with me, right?”

Victor, his face slightly pale and trembling, forced a smile.

After the orientation camp, Victor’s hair had been completely shaved by Miriam. The monster-attracting fragrance that had been spilled on his hair was incredibly difficult to wash out. The bangs had been hiding his expressions, so Miriam had decided to shave it all off as a form of punishment. A month had passed since then, and Victor’s hair had grown back slightly. However, given that his facial expressions often revealed his scheming thoughts, the short haircut made sense.

Throughout his time as a student, Victor would be caught by Miriam every two or three months for a fresh haircut. The idea of having a classmate of the opposite sex cutting his hair might sound like a typical romantic scene from a shoujo manga, but something about it just felt off. Regardless, the reason Victor stuck to Jez was because if left alone, Miriam would kidnap him for moral education or volunteer work for societal contribution. Jez, being mature and competent, was someone Miriam deemed safe for Victor to be around. So she didn’t mind their friendship.

As Victor and Jez engaged in their usual banter, Seraphina quietly observed while munching on a fruit tart.

“And you, Lorentzi? Why are you here?” 

“Why? Spending time after school with someone you like—that’s the essence of student life, isn’t it? Aren’t you happy to have me around every day, Jez?” 

“And what’s the real reason?” 

“Oh, don’t be like that. Everything I said is true. Well… if we’re being serious, I sometimes get called for sudden church-related duties. That makes it hard for me to join any clubs since my schedule can be unpredictable.”

Seraphina Lorentzi was, in a way, an even more mysterious person than Victor Alchemis. It seemed she held a fairly important position within the Divina Church. Now that they had settled into their school routines, it became apparent that she occasionally missed school or had church-related work on weekends.

Thus, despite being a trio of individuals who didn’t seem suited for group activities, their schedules aligned miraculously enough that they often ended up spending their afternoons together.

Jez sighed and resigned to their company. He then returned to his book. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.

“Come to think of it, midterms are coming up soon, aren’t they?” 

Jez addressed Victor and Serafina. The two nodded, realizing they had almost forgotten.

“If you’re free, how about we study together?” 

Just then, a voice chimed in from behind him.

“Mind if I join that study session too?” 

Erin asked, approaching the group.