While feeling seeing-off gazes stab his back, he only did not put force in his shoulders.
Rigel left the audience chamber.
The outside light was a little dazzling.
The clamor of spring break could no longer be heard.
What could be heard instead was only the quiet sound of shoes and his own sigh.
"…Solving the occupied territory's problem, huh."
When he put it in his mouth the sense of reality increased strangely.
The distant sky was blue.
"Better than the academy, more free. Probably."
Only the last word was a very little amused.
The day after the audience.
Rigel woke with the morning sun and exhaled once on the bed.
"…Now then, shall I arrange departure preparations. To keep it from becoming a pain, I'll go time-saving."
From the instant he decided, preparation became work.
He would not increase the load.
He would not increase people.
He would only pick up information and go out.
He set out intending to show his face at the Royal Academy for the time being.
That too was part of duty.
There was no sentiment.
The instant he arrived before the academy gate, the scene that jumped into Rigel's eyes gave off abnormal heat.
Already the "ones with a nose for it" seemed to have moved.
Lined up in a row, people, people, people.
A great merchant's messenger approached while drifting a perfume smell.
An adventurer-like man sent a gaze like appraising prey with only sharp eyes while leaning on the wall.
Those displaying private noble army armbands puffed their chests on purpose as if claiming they themselves were worthy of being chosen.
"Lord Gousel, our firm's carriage—"
"Leave monster subjugation on the road to us—"
"As a historic noble house, assistance in solving the problem—"
The words were polite but the aim was easy to understand.
Stick to the hero's back and sell favors.
Sell names.
Pull information.
All of it was a pain.
Rigel did not change his stride.
He did not meet eyes either.
To him they were existences of no value.
"Unnecessary."
"But on the road—"
"If needed I'll hire on site. Besides, His Majesty also said he would select as needed. Don't mix 'extra faces' into a royal order."
At that single line the air receded.
The word royal order was convenient.
It became a reason to refuse and a reason to silence.
A large party stood out.
And management was a pain.
If escorts increased, even the trouble of protecting the escorts increased.
The road from the royal capital to the Gousel marquis territory.
A stay of several days in the Gousel marquis territory.
Then from the Gousel marquis territory to the former Valstine territory.
In those processes, if things went well he wanted to fully enjoy pleasant fun rape.
For Rigel thinking such things, extra baggage was something he wanted to avoid.
"…Nn? It's noisy inside too…"
When he returned to the academy grounds a small crowd had formed in front of the bulletin board.
It was spring break now, so perhaps those who had not returned to their family homes.
They might have come to school of their own will for club activities or studies.
"Hey, that…"
"Ah…"
When they confirmed Rigel's figure people quickly drew back.
There was no one who spoke to him without reason.
Silent intimidation probably made them do so.
Rigel checked the bulletin board.
A notice of "extracurricular learning."
Fulfilling the first-year S-class curriculum without lack, and the unparalleled feat of runner-up at the Academy Martial Arts Tournament despite being a first-year.
To extend that talent, training outside the academy was ordered.
An official excuse from the palace to the academy side.
Hands had already been turned.
The castle's gears seemed quietly fast.
"…Fun."
He no longer cared about miscellaneous gazes.
Once he had enjoyed rape unique to a situation of being looked down on, but that was no longer possible.
There was room to enjoy a rape life from the position of "reigning as the dominating stratum inside the academy," but with extracurricular learning pending that was still talk for later.
He ignored the students and headed for the staff building.
"Yo."
Rigel's voice rang lightly in the staff room.
The one who greeted him was female instructor Oriana.
"Ah, Rigel-sa—no, Rigel-kun."
From the master-servant relation hammered in by past rape she almost called him with "-sama."
But at Rigel's one glare she hurriedly restated.
Here there were other teachers' eyes as well.
Now that the title of hero of the Valstine campaign had been exposed there was no need to humble herself excessively, but a teacher calling a student with "-sama" would disorder order.
"Have you heard about that matter?"
"Of course. Extracurricular learning, right? There are those who welcome live deployment, but—"
"Talk that it smells of politics."
"…The academy is a place of learning. Being swung around by the convenience of politics or war is not desirable."
Oriana's voice was quiet.
But in its core a certain will was packed.
She too as a teacher had various problematic points, but she was for the time being a scrap of an educator.
She seemed to worry about Rigel's future and the academy's independence.
"A good opportunity. Talent grows on the battlefield."
"I agree. He did that much at the martial arts tournament. If he raises results on site, advancing a year won't be a problem either."
"No, however—"
Another teacher cut in.
Reactions split.
As usual.
Rigel did not go deep into either.
If he explained debate would be born, and debate would become rumor.
"This is His Majesty's imperial command. There is no room for yes or no."
That single line froze the air.
The heat of discussion receded in an instant.
Reason and feeling both lost meaning before a royal order.
Cold pressure that silenced everything.
"That is certainly so."
"I only showed my face to be sure. If there are documents that need a signature, put them out quickly."
When he announced it in a clerical tone Oriana silently held out several sheets of paper.
Without even reading them Rigel finished signing smoothly with practiced hands.
End.
In that act there was neither emotion nor afterglow.
Necessary procedure, that only.
He left the staff room.
There for only an instant Char's face crossed.
That smile and those words.
"I have things I want to do on my own."
Would she chase after him.
Or start something inside the academy.
Either way he did not want to think about it now.
It was a pain.
Rigel pushed the thought into the depths of his chest and left the academy without stopping his feet.
What remained on his back was only the weight of the signed paper and the afterglow of words that could not be erased.
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