Maydare Volume 1 Chapter 5 - The Entrance Ceremony (Part 2)

Finally caught up to where the manga scanlation stopped (what's going on with that?)

---

Previous | TOC | Next

The entrance ceremony was over after this and that, and we left the cathedral.

Immediately after that, a grand welcoming tea party was held in the great dining hall right next door.

The entrance ceremony was managed by the teaching staff, but the welcoming party for new students seemed to be organized by the students, and there would be performances by the upperclassmen and explanations of the rules for the dorms and school grounds as well as events running throughout the year. 

The great dining hall of Lune Ruschia Magic School was cozy, like a restaurant with large glass windows and surrounded by plants. There were also terrace seats.

It was right at afternoon tea time, and there were light snacks such as delicious-looking cakes, jellies and toasted sandwiches placed on the white tables set up here and there. The students sat where they liked and listened to the upperclassmen standing on the central round stage as they snacked on the food.

“Oh, Lapis! This is lemon pie, this is definitely a lemon pie!”

At the table where we sat, there was a cake filled with meringue, which I immediately recognized as the famous lemon pie of the royal capital. Because,

“Thor said he ate one at the capital before. He said it was pure white and fluffy, and had a delicious sweet and sour flavor. I’m positive this is it!”

“This Thor...Is he the one who looks like me?”

“Yes. He was a boy who’s a year older than me, and he could do anything to the point where it’s irritating. Oh, he was my knight.”

“So that means he’s at the O’Drielle house now?”

“...No. He’s in the capital now.”

“Then, you can go see him.”

The upperclassmen brought around glasses of drinks. I smiled wryly as I took one. 

“I want to go see him, but he’s already far away...I wonder if I can see him again somewhere.”

Thor was in the royal palace, protecting the Savior girl.

He probably couldn’t leave her side, and I had a restricted amount of time to go on an outing from the magic school to the capital. Somewhere, I bump into him unexpectedly...that might be like a dream. 

Having said that, I couldn’t go to the palace to see him. The daughter of a rural noble like me wouldn’t even be allowed to enter. 

Even so, I came here to see Thor. I couldn’t just stay there and do nothing.

With magic school as a base, I must make a plan to meet with Thor soon.

“Sneaking in? No, that’s not realistic. Wait for him at the doors? No, they’ll probably arrest me as a suspicious person or a stalker… As expected, I have to do something to get a chance to legitimately enter the palace…”

While muttering under my breath, I cut up the lemon pie.

“Look, it’s the student council.”

Everyone around us buzzed as several upperclassmen with armbands appeared on the center stage.

They were beginning to explain the do’s and don’ts of school life and upcoming events using a big blackboard floating in midair, but the lemon pie was the only thing on my mind. 

The flaky pie crust was topped with a refreshingly sour-sweet, shiny and jiggly lemon curd. And on top of that, there was plenty of fluffy meringue with burn marks. One bite and the sweet and sour flavors combined together perfectly, melting inside your mouth. I think I’m going to get addicted to them…

“Ahem. So, next, I will explain Lune Ruschia’s honor student priority system. Our system is a bit different.”

A male student with naturally curly hair who seemed like the student council president proudly started explaining Lune Ruschia’s honor student priority system. Everyone seemed to be interested in this topic, and even the students who were previously absorbed in the sweets listened attentively.

“The person who has the top overall marks for the year is awarded the title of ‘honor student.’ That person will have their tuition exempted and will run school events as a student council member representing the students. And not only that, but they’ll be allowed access to the royal palace and be invited to the glamorous salon.”

Everyone around me was abuzz. I unconsciously stopped eating the lemon pie and looked up.

Did he say...we could be allowed access into the royal palace and get invited to the salon!?

I knew about Lune Ruschia’s honor student priority system since I heard a little bit about it from Uncle. But I didn’t know that honor students could get invited to the palace.

“If you get invited to palace functions, you’ll become acquainted with all sorts of important people, get scouted after graduation, and in the past, there were some who even became queens after the prince fell in love with them at first sight…”

“Kyaaa!” Here, the girls screamed shrilly.

Ugh, so loud!

I didn’t care about the prince or whatever. Tell us more about that honor student priority system!

”In short, you would be given many opportunities to frequent the palace, and you could be blessed with various opportunities. We student council members have also been invited to the summer ball.”

“Aah~~”

The looks of envy towards the student council members strengthened. I still couldn't stop trembling at this shocking system.

Clenching my shaking hands, the corners of my mouth lifted up.

This is it. To think that the chance to enter the palace has fallen right into my hands here…

“As the president said earlier, you must have the top overall marks for the year in order to become the honor student. However, in addition to the regular tests, the evaluation scores of each class’s off-campus practical training will also have a significant impact. To put it simply, teamwork with your team members is important.”

A female student with glasses who looked like the vice president said, pointing to her armband with a stiff expression on her face. 

”Team member? Teamwork?”

Everyone tilted their heads at that point.

”There are a lot of ‘team activities’ in practical training. A team consists of four to six people. They must be co-ed or it will be invalid. You have about a month from today to negotiate amongst yourselves and form teams. Apply to the head of year, Professor Medite, and if he approves, your team composition will be formalized.” 

The student council president looked over the paling first-years in satisfaction and continued.

“Although, it’s not a matter of choosing a team quickly. You need to know who has what kind of power, what kind of personality, and consider your compatibility. If you don’t do well in team activities, it will affect your own grade. Well, in short, you’re going to have to compete for excellent team members.”

We were already being presented with a difficult task.

They had the students decide the teams, not by the teachers or by drawing lots.

Even though classes still hadn’t started yet, there was a scouting war unfolding among the students to make a superior team. 

“Freshmen, work hard. I look forward to seeing who will get the title of ‘Garnet Honor Student.’” 

With that, the student council members withdrew from the center stage.

While watching over the bewilderment of the first-years.

“Honor student, huh.”

If I become the honor student and become able to frequent the palace, I might be able to see Thor. The entrance exams had just finished, but now I had something to aim for again. 

As soon as the student council finished their talk and were out of the way, the students were already getting out of their seats, gathering information on each team decision and discussing. Even though they didn’t even know who each other was yet.

“You over there.”

A girl called out to me, and I raised my face in surprise. 

A girl with smooth, well-maintained long blond hair was looking down at me with her finger to her mouth. She was a strikingly beautiful girl with deep indigo blue eyes. Her retinue stood behind her.

“You with the red hair. I saw you come to school together with Professor Medite. I assume that you are a member of the Medite family. How do you think of teaming up with me?”

“Before that, can you tell me who you are?”

When I asked her back with a composed expression, the girl’s eyebrow twitched.

Without a moment’s delay, her retinue stepped out before her and booed me with “How could you not know who Lady Beatrice is?” and “What an insolent country bumpkin” and so on. It was as they said, I was a country bumpkin.

“Ahem. Well, I suppose it’s fine. I am Beatrice Asta. I am the granddaughter of Aurelio Asta, the director of the Royal Magic Institute.”*

(TN: This name is tentative since I'm not really sure what this is supposed to be yet.)

Oh, I see, she was from House Asta. It was a noble family that produced many royal magicians, and I heard that the current Royal Magic Institution was under the control of the Asta family.

“I have a duty to become the honor student in the name of the Asta family. We’re looking for prestigious and talented students to join our team. Of course, it won’t be unfavorable for you. Your future shall be guaranteed by the Asta family.”

In short, she was gathering students who would make her the honor student.

It could be expected that one could get good grades just by teaming up with someone who also has the qualities of an honor student, so it seemed that some people would follow this girl. After all is said and done, you could obtain a connection with the Royal Magic Institution. 

“Oh my, that black hair...you’re the foreign student, aren’t you?”

However, this girl called Beatrice raised her eyebrows when she saw Lapis.

“I’ve heard foreign students are often useless because of the different curriculum. Therefore, I don’t need you in my team.”

“...Excuse me.”

Offended by her words, I stood up. I don’t deny her attitude of finding superior team members and her quick action, but I couldn’t forgive her for saying that she didn’t want Lapis just because she was an international student.

At this point in time, I didn’t feel like I could be a member of her team and work together with her.

“I don’t think it’s right for you to arbitrarily say things like, ‘I’ll make you a member of my team’ or ‘I don’t want you’ when you haven’t even been asked.”

“My, how impertinent… I won’t let you join my team!”

“I’m fine with that. I refuse to carry your palanquin. I have my own reasons to become the honor student, even if I have to push you aside.”

I said that clearly. It was also for myself, to be aware of that.

“I-Impossible! How dare you disregard me and become the honor student! I take it that you plan on using your connections with the Medite family, then!”

Beatrice jabbed her finger at me, making my face turn bright red.

Such an idea would not come up in your mind unless you were someone who used it all the time.

“I believe you’re mistaken. I’m not from House Medite.”

“Huh?”

I slowly put my hand on my chest. And then I narrowed my eyes and said,

“My name is Makia O’Drielle.”

I precisely gave my name. Upon doing so, my surroundings fell silent for an instant. And then,

“O’Drielle...That O’Drielle?”

“There’s someone from the O’Drielle family here this year!?”

There was an eruption of noise, like a balloon popping. Not just the first-years, but even the upperclassmen.

Because that name might be more famous than House Asta in a certain sense. 

“I am the descendant of the world’s worst witch. Pleased to meet you.”

I greeted her affectedly, ostentatiously.

If you were going to borrow the power of your family, then I will borrow the colossal-size infamy of my ancestor.

“Wh...what…Isn’t House O’Drielle that provincial noble house that has fallen into ruin?”

Beatrice Asta seemed to have taken a big hit to her spirits, and she made a show of flipping her long hair before leaving the great dining hall with her retinue.

“Hah, I did it. I was thinking of having a humble character as much as possible. I might have turned something troublesome into an enemy on my first day of school.”

I sat down on my chair again and looked up at the heavens. It seemed that this wasn’t going to be a smart opening to my school life. 

”Makia, thank you very much. For my sake…”

Next to me, Lapis looked apologetic. I laughed light-heartedly.

“Mmm, it’s fine, Lapis. It would be humiliating for me to be intimidated by a girl from a famous family when you gathered your courage to come all the way to this country, don’t you think? I actually feel refreshed now.”

“...Makia. You, well, really are the descendant of that witch, aren’t you.”

I wondered why now when she knew already, but I was sure that wasn’t what Lapis was trying to say. 

“Oh, Lapis! Please form a team with me. I’m going to be all alone at this rate!”

I, who had been so brash earlier, made my eyes tear up like a puppy’s and gripped Lapis’ hand.

“I, I’m fine with that, but...are you sure you want to be with me?”

“Of course. Because you already used spirit summoning to summon Noah, haven’t you? At this point in time, you’re a step ahead of any other student here. And, I want us to become closer...”

“...”

“Huh? Am I the one who’s useless?”

I was getting worried about that. Although I was a witch of the O’Drielle house, I only had the merit of being blessed by fire and having a high body temperature. What would I do if Lapis refused me?

“Makia, do you want to be the honor student?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah...I want to be the honor student because there’s someone I want to see.”

The perceptive Lapis seemed to have realized that it was the aforementioned Thor.

She still didn’t know the circumstances yet, but she nodded with a calm expression on her face and squeezed my hand back.

“If that’s the case, then I will help you as much as I can. As a member of the team you’re building, Makia.”

“What? But don’t you also want to be the hon…”

“No, I’m an international student. The priority system doesn’t apply to us.”

I thought that was unfair, but Lapis said that international students do need different credits and a different curriculum, so it couldn’t be helped. However, we needed high marks for the practical training, so we could only make a more superior team.

”First, it seems that we need to gauge the abilities of the other students at tomorrow’s spirit summoning ceremony.”

“Yes. There we will know which students will summon and use what spirits. Perhaps the other students will also confirm their spirits before forming teams. Let’s do our best together, Lapis.”

“Yes, of course, Makia.”

Here we go. Over the next month, we will be competing for the best students.

The battle to become the honor student was already underway.

---

Previous | TOC | Next