Chapter 15: Nothing Lobster Can't Fix

The first day of classes starts with a drag. The mandatory courses cover reading, writing, basic arithmetic and history. Oh, and the Princess is in my section, a count’s son is probably of high enough status to introduce himself, but I’d rather die. There’s some useful stuff to learn here, but it’s not going to be in my morning classes.

I don’t bother getting up after class, there’s half an hour until the lecture series starts in here so I’ll just meditate and run magic through my body.

“hummmmmmm”

I’m not actually humming, but that’s what it sounds like in my head.

“Excuse me, are you staying for the lecture series?” an unknown voice asks.

I look up and see an unfamiliar boy. Mid-teens, blonde hair, blue eyes and a weirdly kind smile to be making at a stranger.

“Ahem, yes, sorry I was relaxing since there’s some time before it starts. I’m Alfred Pruss, are you staying as well?” I ask.

Maybe this’ll be how I make my first friend?

“Oh, your father governs the southern territories. I’m Marquis Duren’s eldest, Eric, it’s a pleasure” the boy says with a bow, “and yes I’m staying for the course, I heard that temporary spatial storage magic will be covered in the first week”

“I remember seeing spatial storage for the first time as a child, I thought it was incredible. I wonder what unique way it could be used though..?” I think out loud.

Can the professor copy my teleporting sword technique?

“I’m not sure either, but we’ll find out soon enough” Eric says.

Eric takes the seat next to me and places a notebook on his desk. By the looks of it he was aggressively taking notes earlier. I wrote the date and one historical fact I didn’t already know.

“Tell me about yourself, I’ve met most of the children of nobility that go here, but the Pruss family doesn’t attend social events like many of the other families” Eric says.

Huh? Did we get invited? Maybe father’s an introvert.

It’d be weird if I didn’t make any friends, but I haven’t done much with nobility aside from the occasional exchange of pleasantries. I’ll try to sound like someone less noble than Eric so he doesn’t try to be my best friend.

“Right, my father’s region is more remote, so I spent a lot of time reading as a child. When I got older, I begged my father to let me explore the forests and mountains in the south so I could go hunting. It’s probably not your typical noble upbringing, but I enjoyed it” I reply.

“That’s splendid, my father let me accompany him on a hunt for the very first time last year. He said it’s a noble’s duty to be able to traverse the land and command soldiers should we ever be in war times. When did your father first take you?” Eric asks.

Balls. Will I sound like a freak if I say I was 8 and I went alone? I should’ve rehearsed what I wanted to tell people, but I was too busy redoing my dorm with spell stones. A Marquis is below a Duke, Dukes and Princesses were always trouble in anime, but high nobles stick together. I’ll be a little honest and add some evasion.

“Well, there was less to do in my father’s territory so I started pretty young, but please tell me about yourself” I say with a warm smile like I’m excited to hear his answer.

“My father’s territory is to the north along the river trade route from the sea, it’s quite lively and travel to the capital is easy by water. I spent much of my days traveling to and from the capital with father for his work. We even purchased a residence here since we had so much business with the palace” Eric explains with a prideful smile.

I guess it’s something to brag about, but if he’s friends with the Princess I should keep my distance..

The small talk continued until the rest of the students attending the lecture series started pouring in. Eric addressed nearly half the students in the class with a familiar, but polite greeting. Then came the disaster.

“Eric, you’re attended these lectures as well?” an unknown girl asks, stopping next to Eric.

She’s beautiful, with long hair that’s so blonde it’s almost pink, and her lips match. She has blue eyes and curves that are visible even through the modest school uniform.

“That’s wonderful I didn’t know who I was going to sit with” she continues.

Hmm everyone in class is looking at her..

“Indeed, and it would be an honor if you’d sit with me your highness” Eric says, unable to hide his shit eating grin.

Highness? Balls.

“We’ve known each other since we were babies, please don’t be so formal. Plus we’re all students here” Princess Sylvie says with an embarrassed smile.

Please don’t introduce me. Please don’t introduce me. I get it Eric, you’re an extrovert who breaks bread with Princesses, I am in awe. But please don’t do it.

“Oh Princess, have you met Alfred? He’s from the Pruss family and is a first year like us” Eric turns and gestures at me.

Argh, bastard, I want to learn a bit, hunt the mountains next to us and smash the occasional bandit. Princess’s always ruin the MC’s plans.

“I haven’t, I’m Princess Sylvie” she grabs the hem of her dress and greets me with a curtsy, “your father does an excellent job with his territory, and the soap products he introduced were the talk of the kingdom a few years ago. It truly is a pleasure”

Her smile seems genuine, but I’ve seen this before. In anime.

“Your highness it is an honor” I stand and greet her with a formal hand across my chest bow “I hope we can enjoy our time together at this academy”

It’s a stiff response, but stiff is good. No misinterpreting, we’re not friends.

“Yes, I hope so as well, but like I said to Eric, there’s no need to be so formal when we’re all students” she says with a sigh, “the academy is funded by the royal family and it’s our wish to develop positive relationships between the noble students without so much ceremony”

She makes a heartfelt appeal, but I’m not a believer just yet.

“I’ll do my best your highness” I answer, with a smaller bow.

“Alfred’s a special case Princess, the Pruss family keeps to themselves so he isn’t used to being around royalty” Eric interjects.

He came to my defense, Eric could be a good one.

Before this hell could continue, a slender man with dark features and darker bags under his eyes rushed to the front of the room.

“Ahem, everyone I’m Professor Lowen, I’ll be your instructor for the first week of this course. I am a researcher devoted to the study of temporary spatial storage magic. It’s a rare affinity so I will give a demonstration” he says.

The professor moves his hand to his bag and takes out a fruit, looks like an orange? But it isn’t totally ripe.

He tosses it into the air and pushes a significant amount of magic out of his hand. It forms a small circle just bigger than the orange before interacting with the energy in the air to make a spatial storage opening that catches the fruit.

“Now as you’re all aware, the lecturers for this course can use our magic in a unique way. I am able adjust my spell once it’s open” he explains.

With another push of magical energy he surrounds the spatial opening before making his magic interact the energy in the air to expand the opening.

“Common knowledge about my affinity would tell you that once a spatial storage opening is created it cannot change in size or shape” he continues.

I think this guy’s a dud- I make a small spatial storage opening under my desk then imagine it growing slightly larger, it does so instantly. Maybe at a range where my magic wasn’t already in the air I’d need to follow his approach, but I don’t see the value, and he’s using a ton of magic to make his. I hold most of my magic in, but I don’t need to let anymore out to create a spatial opening.

Whatever, I took this course to see the healing lady that can give people acid trips and make them take naps.

The rest of the class watches intently as though Professor Lowen is putting on a real spectacle. He launches into his hypothesis for how he’s able to do something so special..

“My research has led me to believe that the unique phenomenon I can create is due to particularly high magic levels in my body, or the ability to manipulate more of it at once than other spatial magic users” he says.

Wrong. Well definitely half wrong, his magic glow isn’t anything special. He threw out a bunch of magic for the spell, but it doesn’t take anywhere near the amount he uses.

“Today we’ll go over how I developed this ability, and the rest of the week will focus on my research and findings”

Yea I’m gonna take a nap.

***
Today was a snoozefest, I deserve some lobster.

“Hey Alfred, Princess and I are going for lunch in the dining hall, care to join us?” Eric asks.

“My apologies, but I prepared a meal for this afternoon already” I answer.

“You prepared it yourself?” Princess Sylvie ask while rotating her head to the side.

“Yes, I chose to live in the old dormitories that have kitchens” I explain.

“Oh I see, is your attendant not here yet then?” Eric asks.

“Nothing like that, since I started hunting as a child I requested lessons from the family chef and found cooking to be enjoyable. I love to try new recipes, so I’ll be cooking for myself most of the time” I continue.

“My mother used to say that cooking for yourself and your family held special significance. I find it commendable, though you’ll have a longer walk to classes..” the Princess says.

“The distance isn’t ideal, but the old dorms are rather comfortable” I reply.

“Right, you grew up in a more remote region, those dorms probably feel more like home” Eric adds with a hand to his chin.

“If you discover any great recipes I hope you’ll share with us, we can always drop by on our way into the merchant districts” the Princess says with a cheerful smile.

Balls, a royal visitor would be a problem. I’ll need to hide all the spell stones, but if I interrupt magic to the spatial toilet, I’ll have a disaster.

“Of course, if I discover anything worthy of our kingdom’s Princess that is” I say with an admittedly awkward smile.

“Let’s get going Princess, I need to pack snacks for tomorrow. That was too long to go without food” Eric interjects.

“Yes let’s, see you in class Alfred” Princess Sylvie says with a wave.

I wave back as they walk away, then make my way down the stone path to my dorm. Looks like I’m in for a boring week, but that’s nothing lobster can’t fix.