Magic Robot Aluminare

The Academy’s cafeteria is on the first floor’s corner. Its size is about the same as the size of the place of assembly where the school entrance ceremony was conducted, in other words, even if all the first year student came in, there would still be enough space left.
Well, actually nearly 70 percent of students in the whole school use the school cafeteria, but still, there is not enough seats.
Despite being just before noon, nearly half of the seats are already occupied.

“Now, what am I going to do?”
“There are many kinds so I’m troubled”
“Since I live in the dormitory, I’m supposed to come here almost everyday but…”

The form of order in the school cafeteria is a completely free all-you-can-eat buffet. Students from pilots Department and mechanics department have many physically demanding situations so there’s certainly not enough to ensure more than a set meal.
Having said that, if they increase the amount of set meals up to their desired amount, students from the sense board department will definitely not have enough to eat.
As much as possible, it would be in the form of an all-you-can-eat buffet.
A row of multicolored cuisines were lined up on a big table. They were gathered in a line-up of fruits and vegetables and of course, meats and fishes.
It’s a lot of effort to even choose.
Thanks to that, I mostly wouldn’t get tired of running back and forth every day since I started living in a dorm.

“Today the main ingredient is meat.”
“Today isn’t it the wrong kind?”
“There’s no such thing. It’s because in my village fish were pretty rare.”

Although a river was present, The fish that could be captured were palm-sized, because there was nearly no place to eat, it rarely was lined up on our dining table.
Therefore, Since I reincarnated into this world, I did not have the opportunity to eat fish.
Thanks to it, during the few days I started living in the dormitory, I feel like only eating fish.
To Salt-grilled, fried, foil grilled and roasted, they are cooked frequently enough for my taste buds[TN: tongue] to enjoy.

“Hee, because my house was close to the sea, I did feel like they were rare.”

While saying so, Leila serves herself up with roast beef as her main ingredient and plenty of vegetables on her plate.
The women in this place apparently do not have the tendency of dieting. In a harsh battlefield if you do not eat you’ll fall.

“If so, have you ever eaten raw before? As expected, even here they wouldn’t take out raw foods”

Adding bite-sized steaks on a round plate and puttting plenty of sauce.
In addition, potato salad and cabbage were plentifully served on a separate dish.

“There was not much chance to eat raw. But, I like marinated foods”
“It’s to the point of feeling envious”

Finally, as I take a drink and some bread, I go to seat on a vacant seat.
Leila sat in front of me.

“Where’s Layla hometown? If it’s close to the sea it must be down south right?”
“Yeah, it’s in the south-east of the country. It’s a town called Wellness”
“I’d like to go there now.”

if there is a marinade, by all means I would like to try eating it.

“It’s impossible”

But that hope is cut in two by Layla’s word.
If I look at Layla in surprise, that facial expression got unpleasantly distorted.

“Why?”
“My village no longer exist. It has been destroyed by Obardo”
“that is……”
“Five years ago. The suddenly came to attack, it got destroyed in an instant. Those that couldn’t escape in time all got killed, The one that fled do not return to the village out of fear. Although the dispatched order of knight immediately drove them out, the village is a ghost town. The villagers moved to another town. ”

To think that there would be someone familiar to me with war experience… Even knowing that this country fights using aluminares, Because of my sensitivity as a japanese, no matter what, I always think it’s matter concerning some countries far away somewhere.

“So I will not forgive Obardo”

The fork in Layla’s hand got gripped with strength.

“After I become an aluminare’s pilot, I will absolutely destroy them”
“I see, so that’s Layla’s principle, huh?”

Because she trained holding such hatred, that’s why she’s got such sword skill.
Perhaps up to this day, Layla has continuously trained herself only thinking about her revenge on Obardo.
No wonder, compared to us who got here because of our passion for aluminares, our levels are different.

“So, what about Eldo?”
“It is not such a profound reason. I simply like to pilot aluminares”
“You’re saying it as if you’ve piloted one before”
“Oh, I had a little opportunity. Although a little, I also got to operate it.”

Although in actuality it isn’t at the level of “little”, but it would be bad to arbitrarily talk about it.

“Hee, how was it? Was it difficult after all?”
“No, the piloting itself has been simplified so it wasn’t that hard”

It’s basically consist of foot pedals and handling levers[TN: Is that you gundam? what are doing in this novel?]. Since minor magics can be triggered on top of buttons and switches so there’s hardly any special operation.

“However, when it comes to a fight there’s a lot of intense movements, It’s quite difficult because you also pay attention to your piloting. On top of your piloting you also think about the use of magic. Well, if you can do multiple activation there’s no problem”
“If so, I’m relieved. But, isn’t that right that we’ll get to ride aluminares next year?”
“Is that right? I want to ride one soon”

The first years are expected to accumulate fundamental knowledges in relation to aluminares, to intensively exercise their magic and their sword skill. There’s also other classes such as the courtesy class, There’s no opportunity to ride aluminares.
Well, in the first place, the training machines share the same generators as the aluminares in the battlefield, its worth is that of a single castle. Because it can’t be manufactured in large quantities like a mass-produced machine, it’s natural for 2nd years and 3rd years to have priority. Rather, it’s close to a miracle for it to even be used for practice.

“hey both of you, can I sit next to you?”

A pair called out to us as they advance while eating heartily.
As I look at them and their faces, these are among the group of those that until the end during the basic endurence test.
As I peek at Layla, Layla also nods her head to me.

“Here you go”
“Thank’s. It sure has become quite crowded”

As I look, the people in the dining hall has increased greatly.
It looks a liitle dreadful to even search for a seat.

“I’m Baptiste. Baptiste Orban. The one with glasses here is…”[TN: he got interrupted here of he doesn’t know his name, the author isn’t clear on that yet]
“It’s Leon Lazare. Nice to meet you”

Baptiste, how similar to a legend’s hero.[TN:I don’t know which legend he’s referring to]
Slightly long blond hair and blue eyes. With such good features, he’s certainly popular.
Conversely Leaon with his blue hair and glasses looks quiet at a glance. He’s just close to Baptiste, to think that he lasted until the end during endurence test, it looks like he has trained hard.

“I’m Eldo. Nice to meet you”
“I’m Layla. Nice to meet you”
“Hey, Are you guys dating!? You seemed pretty close during the test”
“Hey, Right off the bat, it’s rude”

Hmm, I feel like I somehow understand the relationship between Baptiste and Leon.

“We’re not dating.”
“We did it in order to provoke them”
“That was interesting! By the way, you two’s magic is abnormal! Wouldn’t we be in danger if we receive a blow while riding an aluminare?”

Certainly if you receive that icicle you would be out of luck. Although mine is totally deceptive.
However, Layla denied by shaking her head.

“It’s still impossible. At best, I can trip someone or make obstacles on someone’s way is my limit. Other than icicles, it’s just a cold space.”
“Since mine is a dropped down lump of air. Though it had broken the icicles and looked showy, actually at its limit it can only forcee people to kneel. It is completely ineffective against aluminares”
“Seriously? Even that doesn’t have an impact on aluminare, isn’t that too amazing?!”
“Baptiste, drop your volume a little, you’re annoying people around us.”
“My bad, my bad”

Under Leon’s warning, Baptiste apologizes while smiling wryly. He doesn’t look like he has any remorse.
Wether or not Leon understands that he sight and took a sip of his soup.

By the time everyone finished their lunch, it was right on time.

“I better go soon otherwise it’ll be bad”
“Oh well”
“This afternoon, it’s written, huh? That’s my weak point”
“It’s your fault for not studying properly”

It looks like Baptiste’s weak point is studying. Judging from this conversation, Leon is probably good at it. Well, I somehow could guess it. Baptiste’s character is the type that’ld throw of his effeort in things like physical exercices.

“What do you think of those two?”
“I have no problem. I have all the first year’s subjects in my head”
“I’m a little bad at history”

I’m completely not worried about basic math, national language, problems related to aluminares, but I do not have a quite satisfactory understanding with respect to the history of this country.
At best, I can to a certein extent understand things like at what year some war did happen but I’m completely ignorant of things like what the nth king did achieve.
Although when I got in the dormitory I also received some textbooks and immediately studied history, but unfortunately, I was short on time.
Still, I did not only read up to the period of the founding of the nation.

“Since history is part the school subject, I learned it by heart. I had no other choice since I didn’t have any textbooks”
“I see, it’s even hard for a commoner to get the textbooks in advance”
“But you completely wasted that one advantage though”
“Let me see, Which one it about~”

While whistling*whistle whistle*, Baptiste looks up in the air.
As they converse in this way, these two people have unexpected personnalities for nobles. the conversation during the meal, they weren’t any arrogance using their statuses rather they more curious about the lives of commoners.
While walking on the road to the classroom, I try to ask about that.

“Wouldn’t you say that those two do not act very noble-like? Although it’s a little different from what I imagined. I thought they would be more arrogant.”
“I thought so too.How do I say this? They were’nt any swagger”[TN: Read this with a british accent, It’ll magically be less “ghetto” if you will]

Layla also seems to have the same impressions.

“Oh, We’re frequently told that. In my case, it’s because I have such personality. A long time ago, I used to run around the market and places like it. It ‘s because I was treated wellby an old-man and old-woman that owned a street stall, so I do not have any particular prejudice”
“It’s because my family hangs out with his so naturally.There exists nobles like you imagine, there  are no different from the lower class nobles you got entangled with.”
“Oh, them”

The member that came to provoque me seems to a noble.
And, with such a status, those that hang out with him, the possibility that they are acquaintances is high, if that’s the case the probability of them beaing nobles increases.
Commoners, doesn’t have enough people to assemble a group of friends during the entrance ceremony from the same village.

“if they come to you to start a mess tell them aboout us. Although we look like this our family is pretty high up in the rank”
“If it’s those kind of people, they should shut up if you put out our names.”
“Well, I do appreciate it, but is it okay ro use your names as I please?”

If the other party is a trade partner, wouldn’t that cause some grudges to remain?

“Because those kind of guys are enough cause me to throw up. Even if we get close to one another, they’ll never willingly separate from us. It’s troublesome instead”
“If so let me gratefully make use of it. They looked down on me because I’m a woman!”
“Oh, please feel free to use it”

While we were talking about such things, we finally arrived at the classroom.

“Good, everyone is here”

As the time arrives, the professor comes in. In those hands, things that looked like booklets were piled up.

“One by one, take one and pass it behind you. Don’t open it yet”

As I take one booklet I turn to my back. It is a nostalgic movement that I haven’t experienced for I don’t how many decades.
I look at the booklet while thinking that this is a school.
It’s a test evaluating one’s comprehensive knowledge. Apparently this is likely the content of the test.
As the professor checks if the booklets has been spread to everyone, started explaining.

“The test’s time is 3 hours. The person who finishes early, can also exit after putting his answers in a box on the teacher’s desk. However, once you exit this room it’s unacceptable to enter this room until the end of the test. So be careful. With that, today’s schedule ends. Then can you come in if you’d like to ”

A 3 hours continuous test, huh? Does this means that this booklet contains problems from all the subjects?

“Those that have an upsetstomach tell by raising your hands. If it’s this much, I allow you to go out and come in. But if we found out you cheated, you’ll be dropped out from the school without question. But if it hasn’t been found out no problem. You can do it however you like cheat despite knowing the danger or gain points through your own merits”

To even acknowledge cheating… But because if it’s found out you’ll be dropped out, he isn’t acknowledging it? the intention is as long you aren’t exposed you aren’t a criminal.
Well, there’s no such idiot that would cheat from the begining of the test.
As I thought so, a guy on my right closes something in his bag while letting out a sigh.

“Hey, Baptiste …”
“Wh… What?”
“You …”
“Don’t bother telling him…This guy is an idiot”

As a pitiful gaze flew Leon’s eyes sitting in a manner that interposes Baptiste.

“I’m beginning the test. Start!”

Ooops, it has begun. Well then, I have to work hard to keep my concentration up, huh?.
As I turn the pages of the booklet, I started solving the problems.

When an 1 hour and a half passed, Layla rises from her seat. A stir ran amongst almost all the classmate due to that speed.
Naturally I also vacantly look at Layla that stood up with my mouth agape.
By giving precedence to the ones I understand, even I finished about 80 percent of them. From here,
I have to scan all of the problems, carefully think about the places I don’t understand, when it comes to reviewing it may take me just enough time.

“I’ll have to go earlier”
“Ah, yeah”

Layla got out of the classroom after gathering her luggage and putting her examination paper into the box on the teacher’s desk with a relaxed facial expression.
I wonder where does that confidence come from?
With that thought, this time a man from the opposite side leaves his seat.

“Phew, I finished…”[TN: 終ったな]

That mutter, isn’t it absolutely different from its usual meaning! ? It’s not that the test is finished, doesn’t it turns into the results are finished! ?[TN: 終わった]

[TN: guess where the pun/joke is I have no idea *looks side way*]

“well, I’ll wait for you outside.”

So does Leon tell Baptiste as he gets out of the classroom.
I felt that with two students that suddenly left the room, a slight feeling of impatience rises inside the classroom.
Well, one person with confidence, Another person went out of the classroom with a sparkling smile, they can’t help being impatient, huh?
After that, 2 hours and a half easily passed without anyone leaving the room. Little by little, people started to leave the classroom.

“Then, Excuse me for leaving first”
“yeah”

Leon leaves his chair as he gathers his luggage.
I started my last mistake check after putting that off.
Calculation and language are not so different from the modern era. There’s no particular problems with knowledges related to aluminares.
But again, history is difficult.
Although the test is in the form of multiple choice questions with numbers, they are lined up with names I ‘ve never heard before so it can’t be helped.
I have no choice but to rely on luck.

“It’s three hours! Stop answering your examination paper first before submitting it”

In the end, I continued to review the problems until the last moment. Except for history, I should have made zero trivial mistake in the other subjects.
I had reviewed it 5 times when the time came, I leave the classroom as I submit my examination paper.
Excepting me, as the remaining students leave the classroom one by one, the hallway got a little crowded.

“Phew, it’s finally finally over”

I was returning to the dormitory while loosening my stiffened muscles by considerably stretching them.

the dormitory I live in, is located 5 minutes from the school. Since the majority of the students that enroll into the Academy live in a dormitory, the number of those dormitories is quite large, lined up in a row, it look like the municipal residential area.
The dormitory I got in is the sixth dormitory closest dormitory to the Academy comparatively to all the other dormitories. Because it was able to receive the room of a student that couldn’t enroll, I was quite lucky.

“I’m back”

I greet the janitor cleaning the entrance of the dormitory.
The janitor, because she’s an old lady that retired as a support maid,
the janitor is without any romance with someone of the same age, she so old that she can’t even start a love story as a widow. Because her waist is fully bent.
[TN: I feel like I entered bizzaro’s world as I translated this paragraph]
Well, she’s still able to work as a janitor because it’s not necessary to cook.
The dormitories students make do with the school cafeteria in the morning, at noon and at night, when we go out to play, we usally end up eating food from the street stalls.
Therefore, there is no such thing as a cafeteria in this dorm. although there’s a kitchen, but it’s enough to boil some tea. If there was some instant noodles I could make some, but unfortunately it hasn’t been invented yet.
I could at least make some chicken ramen, should I try considering it when I have some free time? No, I feel like there’s not enough time to call it free time.

“Welcome back. The test how was it?”
“There some extreme difference between good and bad. Though I think that I managed to break into the top ranking”
“If you know your weakness, you have to compensate for it.”
“Yes, I’ll study again from now on.”

For the time being, I will put down the history textboooks until I can recite them by heart. After that, I’ll do some sword practice. I wonder how do I go about it?

“Is something troubling you?”
“I can study on my own, but I think it’s difficult to practice the sword without someone to mentor me”
“Isn’t it enough with just the class?”
“Because on top of that it’s necessary to do some private tutoring”

review the class till the bitter end, recap, reaffirm. I feel that unless I do this much the top brass will not notice me.
After all, with the best scores like Leyla and strength that can overwhelm the professors. With a quite capable magic, seeing that confidence, I guess the test wasn’t that hard. Although I don’t know how much training is necessary to perform at such a high level in everything, I’m sure it require enough effort to ooze blood.
In order to catch up with her, it shouldn’t be enough to do some average training.
As I speak about it to the janitor, she nodded her head in agreement.

“It’s a good resolution. Well then, how about I introduce you to someone that can mentor you? If I was 20 years younger, I would have been the one to teach you but…”
“Is it alright? I’m quite happy but if I becomes an annoyance …”
“What, it’s because I was thinking about my junior from when I was retiring as support maid. If you  help me in the management of this dormitory, it’ll be killing two birds with one stone”
“Then, please”
“Understood. Contact me when you’ve decided”
“Yes, then excuse me.”

I may have obtained a mentor from an unexpected place. However, if it’s the janitor’s junior he must quite old.
Then, it’s beter for me to find another person as an opponent for combat. It’d be helpful if Layla was the one to do it but…
Next time, I’ll try asking her.
I return to my room, throw off my uniform. Hanging the uniforms onto the provided (clothes) hanger, wearing a fitting pant and shirt I fell on to my bed.
The bed’s thin futon and wood simply hurts…

“Huh… I better work hard from tomorrow on”

With a test just after the entrance ceremony, I might surprisingly be tired.
Without resisting my heavy eyelids, I fell asleep.