Chapter 67 – Ririi arrives without any issues

Ririi’s first time going to school sure is an adventure.

“〜〜♪”

She picked up a fallen tree branch and she’s having fun waving it around while walking through the large paved road, and looks like a warrior swinging a big sword at a monster. This is the only time the high class residential district looks like an abandoned place where monsters dwell. The way she’s swinging that branch makes me think she also has the makings of a great warrior, not just a sorcerer.

“Hn..?”

But when the path splits into two ways and she tilts her head while looking at both options, she just looks like a kid again. Every time that happens she goes around asking people ‘excuse me, which one’s the school?’, and it really scares me.

Should I get mad because she shouldn’t be listening to strangers, or compliment her for saying excuse me?

Anyway, I mentally thank the people that guide her on her way.

“I’m sorry, which one’s the school?”

“Oh my, how cute! Are you a new student!? Are your mommy and daddy not with you?”

“Ririi’s adventuring.”

“Adventure? What a good girl! The school is that way. Be careful.”

Thanks to Ririi’s bravery and ability to take action, and of course the kindness of the people living here, Ririi is almost there.

She’s reached the street that goes to the school, so suddenly there are more students around. Now she just has to follow this group, and she’ll get there. I think she realizes that too, as she looks a little relieved and joins the other students.

When is she going to get rid of that branch?

I walk faster and go up next to her.

I look around, and see students accompanied by their parents here and there too (although it looks like Ririi’s alone), and most of them are new students.

Are they feeling anxious about going away from their parents? A lot of those kids look kind of lonely.

My Ririi on the other hand is still looking happy with her branch in hand. She really is from Zenith, for better or worse.

“Fufun♪”

Obviously, Ririi has no idea I’m here, and keeps walking forward with a happy look on her face. Her head is full of her hopes and dreams for her school life, and she’s probably not thinking about me at all.

That said, it doesn’t seem sad to me in the slightest. I was like that when I was a kid too.

“…Daddy?”

“!?”

I almost jump back when Ririi suddenly locks eyes with me. She stops, rubs her eyes, and keeps looking this way.

…She shouldn’t be able to see me. Transparency magic isn’t something an underclassman that can’t even use magic properly yet should be able to break through. If it could be broken that easily, it wouldn’t be used by spies on dangerous assignments abroad.

“Did I imagine it…?”

Yes, she can’t see me. I was nervous there for a second, but it’s fine. She starts waving her branch to see if there really is nothing here, so I jump to evade it, and Ririi takes her attention off me and keeps walking.

“…”

Why did her attention turn this way? I don’t think there was a hole in my transparency magic.

When I look at people around me in the eyes, they don’t know I’m here.

Was it some sort of special high elf magic energy detection ability that picked up my magic energy for a second? If it was, that’s actually something to be proud of. It means Ririi has the talent to become a really great sorcerer.

We eventually reach the gate while I think about that. Ririi doesn’t go through it, and instead stands in front of the guard that’s next to it.

“Excuse me.”

…You don’t have to say that here. Maybe I emphasized good manners too much, and made things all mixed up in her head.

“Good morning. That’s a cool branch you have there.”

“It’s a sword!”

The guard greets Ririi back, and she raises her sword proudly after it was complimented, to show it off to the guard.

The guard crouches to meet her gaze, and raises both arms to look surprised.

“A sword uh? Is that the legendary sword or something?”

“Hn… Dunno.”

“I see. But it’s cool. It might be a famous sword.”

“Really!?”

“Probably. So don’t swing it at anyone. Take good care of it.”

“Got it.”

Ririi nods deeply, and walks through the gate while looking closely at her branch.

Typically, parents stop here, but I go inside without being stopped by the guard. My transparency magic really is working normally.

If Ririi managed to detect me for even a second, her dormant abilities must be immeasurable.

What I’m really looking forward to now is Miss Esmeralda’s reaction. If she can sense me, I’ll feel safe leaving Ririi with her.

“This way, new students.”

Ririi and I follow the teacher guiding the students, and reach her classroom.

Most students are already here, and while I can hear some muttering, it’s mostly quiet. It’s too soon for any groups of friends to have formed, and some of them look uneasy about being away from their parents too.

“Hum…”

Ririi doesn’t know what to do at first, but she sets her branch against a corner of the classroom, and sits down. Her pale blue hair really does draw attention, because the students, mostly the boys, turn their eyes to her.

“…”

I stand in the back and watch her. The one thing that catches my eye is that the girl wearing the angel bear robe is sitting next to her.