Chapter 28: Visiting our Families

“Hmm… Now, what do I do? Emilia’s busy directing the students; Mary and Victoria are also together with her. Let’s have tea then, to pass some time.”

I went to the kitchen in the dormitory and took out some biscuits along with some teabags. I then exited the dorm and ascended into the sky. Along the way, I felt a gaze following me. When I looked behind me, I didn’t see anyone.

“Must be my imagination.”

Ignoring the feeling, I continued my ascent. When I judged that I was high enough, I created a mana table and a set of chairs. I then used normal magic to create hot water and null element magic to conjure a tea set for the biscuits and cookies.

I drank my tea as I watched the students flying to and from the school building. Every general student flying from the direction of the magic school building carried five unconscious magic students using a mana platform. The general students also brought refreshments as they headed to the magic building.

“Hmm… they’re quite organized, huh. Emilia is really talented.”

I continued to pass the time in the sky leisurely, thinking about what to do when the magic students wake up.

Around noon, when I had already exhausted my supply of biscuits, Emilia and Vertical Rolls arrived. The two of them each carried a basket.

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“Though it’s quite late, it's time for lunch, Lumina-sama.”

“Hmm… really? I don’t feel that hungry, though.”

Emilia smiled wryly as she stared at my tea set.

“I’ll prepare the table then, Lumina-sama.”

“Okay. Oh, by the way, could you call the other five, Vertical Rolls?”

“Victoria and the others?”

“Yes.”

“It’s okay, but why?”

“I just want to discuss a few things.”

“Okay.”

Emilia set up a large table for seven people and covered it with a luxurious tablecloth.

“Oh, where’d you get that?”

I tilted my head as I asked her. Normally, the tablecloths we used were plain-colored with no designs or embellishments. However, the tablecloth she used this time had intricate embroidery and was of high quality.

“Ah, this? When I told the students I was going to deliver your lunch, they took this out from the kitchen and told me to use it.”

“… The kitchen? Are you sure? I’ve never seen that before.”

“Well, they told me they got it from the ruins of the Magic Building.”

“Isn’t that basically stealing?”

“Let’s call it salvaging, Lumina-sama.”

“…”

I wanted to retort, but since what she said was somewhat true, I swallowed my words.

“We’ve arrived.”

When Emilia had finished setting up the table, Vertical Rolls and her companions arrived. Behind them were their servants. Three people lagged behind them. When they got closer, I was shocked to see that they were Eclara, the girly boy, and the protagonist.

As always, Vertical Rolls and her companions bowed before me before taking their seats. However, when Eclara and her companions arrived, it became a bit troublesome.

“I have arrived, Lumina-sama.”

Eclara knelt before me on the mana floor.

“It’s okay, take a seat. It’s lunchtime, so don’t be too stiff. Let’s save the introductions until after we’ve had lunch.”

“Yes.”

I waved my hand, directing her to a seat. She complied and beckoned her companions to sit.

“Where am I supposed to sit?”

“Just sit down.”

“Wawa, is that what a girl should say, Eclara-san?”

“He won’t understand if I don’t say it like that.”

““““““….””””””

Vertical Rolls and the others stared at the three with shocked expressions. Emilia and I, however, were unaffected, as there was no need to concern ourselves with their antics.

“What’s for lunch?”

“Leberkäswecken with potato salad.”

“Hmm… it’s been a while since I had that.”

Emilia placed the Leberkäswecken and potato salad on the table. I took a small bite and started chewing.

“Oooh! Look! The plates are floating! How are they doing that?”

“They’re so good at using magic! How come they’re not Magic Students?”

Eclara seemed to want to explain but struggled with how to discuss null element magic. Her mouth kept opening and closing with a complicated expression. The three of them looked comical, and I had to suppress my laughter.

As Vertical Rolls and her companions followed my example and started eating, the three finally settled down and began eating from their lunch boxes. Some of the servants raised their eyebrows when they saw the boxes, but since I didn’t comment, they decided to let it slide.

After we finished lunch, Emilia directed the servants to clean the table and return it to the dormitories below. She then poured tea into a teacup and served it to me. No matter how much tea I drank, I never tired of it. I was already addicted.

“Now then, before I tell you why I gathered all of you here, let’s have our guests introduce themselves.”

Calmly sipping my tea, I pretended not to know who the two new arrivals were.

“This is the person who was summoned as a familiar. His name is Juumonji Shin. The boy beside him is named Michel Alinstad, his summoner.”

“““““““ What!? A human was summoned!?”””””””

This time, Emilia reacted similarly to Vertical Rolls and the others.

“Hmmm… is that so?”

(Wait, this shouldn’t be happening, right? I don’t remember the three of them going to the general students after the explosion. Shouldn’t they be at the magic building doing something else… oh yeah, Eclara’s my servant…)

I drank another cup of tea to calm myself and observed the three.

“By the way, Eclara, I remember telling you to report to me regularly. It’s been two weeks and you still haven’t reported anything.”

“Uhh… it’s because—”

“It’s my fault!!! It’s because I picked a fight with that bastard Carlos!”

Achil and Vertical Rolls stood up from their seats.

“Know your place!”

“You’re in front of Lumina-sama!”

“So what if I’m in front of her? It’s not like she’s royalty or something.”

“Hawa, Shin… settle down.”

“Don’t pick a fight here.”

Michel and Eclara grabbed Shin’s shoulders to stop him. Shin glared at Vertical Rolls and Achil.

“Calm down, you two. I don’t mind.”

““ … Yes.””

Vertical Rolls and Achil sat down reluctantly. The tension was high. I quickly drank another cup of tea.

“I know you picked a fight with Carlos-sama and won. We were there.”

Shin shifted his gaze to me.

“Then why didn’t you help her back then!? She could’ve been injured!”

“We did.”

“Huh?”

Shin looked dumbfounded. I noticed that Eclara was aware of this.

“Ask Eclara later. She knows.”

“Huh?”

He turned to Eclara with a questioning gaze.

“I’ll talk about it later.”

I drank another cup of tea. I’ve been drinking a lot today; I hope it won’t pose any problems. I placed the cup back on the table and told Eclara to explain what happened later.

“Right after Carlos-sama was defeated, the students who weren’t under their rule started to rebel against the four heirs. Some even pressured Shin to become their leader in the rebellion. Even though we refused, they continued to fight. As a result, the four heirs gathered their followers and tried to eliminate Shin. Because he was summoned, they didn’t consider him human and decided to kill him.”

“I’m quite surprised that the teachers didn’t expel those who rebelled.”

“According to our teachers, ‘Experience is the best teacher.’ They encourage students to fight among themselves. However, if you destroy any school facilities, you’ll be scolded and fined.”

When I tried to drink from the cup again, I found it empty. I looked at Emilia, who gave me a message with her eyes that said, ‘That’s enough tea for today.’ Realizing I couldn’t drink any more, I gloomily placed the cup back on the table.

“The rest is as you can see.”

“I see. Thanks for telling me, Eclara.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“However, I want to know why you brought these two here. Don’t tell me you were afraid I might punish you?”

(I’ll literally cry if you say ‘yes’! You’re my teacher from when I was five, Eclara! Please, don’t say ‘yes’.)

“There’s that (Uuhh…) and also because I wanted my friends to know who my new master is.”

“… I see then.”

When I looked at my cup, I saw it was now filled with tea. I glanced at Emilia, who indicated that this would really be the last time.

I gratefully drank the tea before turning my gaze to Vertical Rolls and the others.

“Now that that’s done, let’s move on to the real reason why I gathered you here.”

Gulp*

Everybody swallowed their saliva, and a heavy silence fell over us.

“The school has been destroyed. The moment the Magic Students and teachers wake up, I’ll leave this place and go back home.”

“““““““ Eh?”””””””

Everyone froze.

“Though our building is safe, since almost half of the Magic Buildings were destroyed, the principal will likely announce a temporary closure for repairs.”

From my side, Michael looked very pale while Shin appeared gloomy. Well, Michael’s family would be fined

because of the destruction he caused. I’m sure he’ll go to the borders and earn some achievements there, just like in the game.

“Just like before, I will tell you that something will happen again, and this time it won’t just be the school. It’ll be the entire kingdom.”

“““What!?”””

“Lumina-sama!?”

“““ !?”””

I stood up from my seat and stared to the east.

“I don’t know when or where it will happen, but I’m quite sure the other races will start their invasion. I’m going back home to prepare for it. I already know that Emilia will come with me. I’m here to ask if all of you are willing to follow me.”

““““““ …””””””

I lowered my gaze, waiting for their answer. After a few moments, the six of them stood up and knelt before me. A huge mana screen appeared behind them, showing others who were also kneeling. I looked at Emilia, who had created the screen, and saw her smile.

“Like you, Lumina-sama, we have decided to also go home and talk to our families. We don’t know when, but we will surely return to your side and serve you. You are the one who gave us this power, so it is only right that we use it for your sake. That is why…”

Frank gave me a speech while holding his head down.

““““““ We will follow you.””””””

“Is that so?... Thanks.”

I was touched by their loyalty. Though most of them would cry when they met me, they were still willing to follow me. They were truly loyal.

“Then please keep that magic a secret from others. It’s because you won’t be able to come to me if you don’t.”

“Yes.”

I then looked at Eclara, who was hesitating. I approached her with a smile.

“It’s okay, Eclara. I know that you can’t come with me. I’ve already expected as much. That’s why it’s fine. You’ve already made a vow to me, so as long as that vow wasn’t a lie, I’ll still be waiting for you.”

Tears fell from Eclara’s face as she knelt in front of me.

“… Thank you very much…. Thank you very much.”

She kept repeating those words. I wanted her to stop thanking me, but as I placed my hand on her shoulder, her tears only increased. Unsure of what to do, I made a troubled expression and looked at Emilia.

“I wasn’t planning to tell the others, but because of you, it’s become really big. You’ll be in charge of calming them down.”

“Yes.”

Emilia smiled and bowed to me. The other two, who couldn’t see the mana screen, looked confused as they glanced at each other. It was simple; when I changed the topic, I began speaking in a low voice and amplified it with null element magic. Although I wasn’t sure it worked at the time, their confused looks confirmed that they hadn’t heard our conversation.

“Eclara, don’t tell these two and others what we just discussed, okay?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to the library for now. Anyone who wants to come can join me.”

I walked away without waiting for a response. A few moments later, I sensed three presences following me: Victoria, Mary, and a white-haired acquaintance of theirs.