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| 1 | 142 Mushoku Tensei | |
| 2 | ||
| 3 | In a blink of an eye a year has passed. | |
| 4 | The season changed, and winter returns. | |
| 5 | ||
| 6 | I am 18 already. | |
| 7 | On the school side I safely advanced a grade and will be a 4th year soon. | |
| 8 | Research has been going well, nothing major to report. | |
| 9 | ||
| 10 | Even though I successfully advanced, Elinalise was forced to repeat a grade. | |
| 11 | Because she left for half a year even though she's a regular student. | |
| 12 | Even though she doesn't really mind, but because it was for my family troubles, I feel a little responsible. | |
| 13 | ||
| 14 | By the way, Sylphy has poor attendance too, but her grades are the best in school. | |
| 15 | And since she's also Princee Ariel's personal guard, she successfully advanced a grade as well. | |
| 16 | ||
| 17 | Of course, everything's fine on the family side as well. | |
| 18 | Luci is growing well. | |
| 19 | The girl weans really early and is now wolfing down baby food. | |
| 20 | ||
| 21 | And a few days ago, out of no where. | |
| 22 | She call me "Ru- Di-" for the first time. | |
| 23 | Not "papa," not "daddy," not "Mr. Bubbles," <ref>Bioshock reference</ref> but Rudi. | |
| 24 | Well, no one call me papa at home, so it can't be helped. | |
| 25 | Yet she calls Sylphy "Ma- Ma-," but that's because of Sylphy's parenting skills. | |
| 26 | Maybe I should change my first name to "papa." | |
| 27 | No, in the end the girl is learning to talk. | |
| 28 | I shouldn't be impatient. | |
| 29 | When she grows a bigger she'll definitely call me father. | |
| 30 | Ah, say, why is the girl already talking after barely a year? | |
| 31 | Is my daughter a genius? | |
| 32 | No, even I know this is normal. | |
| 33 | Sooner or later kids start to talk. | |
| 34 | Sylphy and Lilia have been diligently teaching her to talk, so this is the fruit of their labor. | |
| 35 | But still, my girl is talking already, I can't help but think "amazing!" | |
| 36 | But, at this rate, soon she'll start saying stuff like "I don't want my panties washed with papa's." | |
| 37 | I can't wait! | |
| 38 | ||
| 39 | With Luci grown, Sylphy has stopped lactating as well. | |
| 40 | That sweet, delicate flavor that tastes of excitement, is gone. | |
| 41 | A pity, but it can't be helped. | |
| 42 | At the same time, her enlarged bosom have returned to their normal size. | |
| 43 | Small isn't bad either, but I feel a tinge of loneliness that the bonus time is over. | |
| 44 | ||
| 45 | Also, since we no longer need a wet nurse, our contract with Suzanne ended. | |
| 46 | This too is fate. If she ever is in need, I will try to lend a hand. | |
| 47 | Like if her children are to attend school, then I'll help where I can. | |
| 48 | But by then, I might have graduated already. I might have to ask Norm instead. | |
| 49 | ||
| 50 | Norm and Aisha are both doing well. | |
| 51 | They both exclaim in one voice over how cute Luci is. | |
| 52 | From their perspective, she definitely feels like a little sister. | |
| 53 | ||
| 54 | I also overheard them having a strategy session behind the ladder, "don't fight in front of Luci." | |
| 55 | Besides that, they also have various other plans. | |
| 56 | Mostly about how to show off as cool big sisters, something like that. | |
| 57 | ||
| 58 | Recently, things have rarely gone ugly between them. | |
| 59 | People naturally becomes more respectable once they have someone looking up to them. | |
| 60 | If because of Luci, they're willing to make up, that'd be wonderful. | |
| 61 | ||
| 62 | Roxy's teaching career is going well. | |
| 63 | For some reason regular students are a little scare of her. | |
| 64 | She doesn't seem to have any bad students in class, and for now enjoying a happy teaching life. | |
| 65 | ||
| 66 | Zenith remains the usual. | |
| 67 | Sometimes eating with Norm, sometimes weeding with Aisha. | |
| 68 | Sometimes holding Luci's fingers and smile. | |
| 69 | Also, after Aisha's and Norm's birthday party, Zenith starts to smile quite often. | |
| 70 | A small, delicate smile, barely twitching her muscle. | |
| 71 | But anyone can tell that it's a smile. | |
| 72 | She still can't talk, and otherwise almost expressionless. | |
| 73 | But indeed she's recovering well. | |
| 74 | That I believe. | |
| 75 | ||
| 76 | --- | |
| 77 | ||
| 78 | Today is the Graduation Ceremony. | |
| 79 | ||
| 80 | Even though the Entrance Ceremony was outdoors, the Graduation Ceremony is indoors. | |
| 81 | Until today I have yet to enter such a large lecture hall before. | |
| 82 | In it a large stage is installed, and one by one each graduate receive their graduation certificate. | |
| 83 | Around 500 in total at most. | |
| 84 | Even though the student body exceeds 10,000, graduates only number in 500. | |
| 85 | I'm afraid this 7th year class was almost 2000 to begin with. | |
| 86 | As they advance each year, one by one students quit, until only these remain. | |
| 87 | Easy to enroll, hard to graduate. | |
| 88 | Advanced Rank Magic and Melded Magic are very difficult, so many people failed to advance due to low magic power. | |
| 89 | And for others, even those with talent, think just learning Elementary Magic is good enough. | |
| 90 | And there're probably plenty of others quitting for various reasons. | |
| 91 | But since I'm a Special Student, the school has been taking good care of me. | |
| 92 | ||
| 93 | Teachers line up beside the graduates. | |
| 94 | Around a thousand in all. | |
| 95 | Feels like there're more here than the graduates. | |
| 96 | Realistically, there're two, three hundred teachers at most. | |
| 97 | But that's already plenty. | |
| 98 | Makes sense that the faculty rooms to take an entire building. | |
| 99 | ||
| 100 | Among them, that particularly small figure is Roxy. | |
| 101 | Even from afar she seems to glow, and I spot her immediately. | |
| 102 | ||
| 103 | By the way. | |
| 104 | Regular students have today off. | |
| 105 | ||
| 106 | Entrance and exit ceremonies are both voluntary. | |
| 107 | Not just that, attendance needs special permissions. | |
| 108 | As if the ceremony itself is a special privilege. | |
| 109 | ||
| 110 | I stand besides the Student Council. | |
| 111 | ||
| 112 | The Student Council is in full attendance. | |
| 113 | But I only know 4 among them: Luke, Ariel and her two attendants. | |
| 114 | Also Sylphy too. | |
| 115 | At work Sylphy looks so forbidding as always. | |
| 116 | Not long ago Sylphy was often mistaken for a boy. | |
| 117 | But now her hair has reached shoulder length, and maybe because she has become a mother, her feminity has really begin to show. | |
| 118 | Like a career woman. | |
| 119 | Cute and cool. | |
| 120 | Makes me want to loudly declare to the world, that she's my wife! | |
| 121 | ||
| 122 | But there's a surprise too. | |
| 123 | Norm is sitting at the back with the Student Council. | |
| 124 | I never heard about this. | |
| 125 | ||
| 126 | Don't tell me she joined the Student Council? | |
| 127 | Not official this year, but officially in the next term? | |
| 128 | If she plans to announce it at the Entrance Ceremony, as brother I'll be very happy. | |
| 129 | ||
| 130 | "Graduate representative! Rinia Dedorudia! And Pursena Adorudia! It's an honor to bestow you two these graduation certificates and Magic Guild D Rank confirmation." | |
| 131 | ||
| 132 | Rinia and Pursena were selected as graduate representatives. | |
| 133 | Even though they gone astray at times, but they end up with excellent grades in the end. | |
| 134 | Besides, they're Beast Race princesses of Dedorudia Village. | |
| 135 | Status-wise there's no complaints. | |
| 136 | ||
| 137 | It's only expected. | |
| 138 | When selecting graduate representatives, high social status is an obvious criteria. | |
| 139 | If between commoner and nobility, the choice is obviously nobility. | |
| 140 | This way there's less trouble, and it won't hurt the noble's feelings. | |
| 141 | Of course if a commoner's grades are better by a wide margin, then that's another story. | |
| 142 | Roxy was outstanding too, but I don't think she was selected as representative. | |
| 143 | ||
| 144 | Officially, the Magic University takes pride in welcoming all kinds of students. | |
| 145 | But as a human enterprise, informal rules still exist. | |
| 146 | ||
| 147 | "Rinia Dedorudia. It's an honor." | |
| 148 | "Pursena Adorudia. It's an honor." | |
| 149 | "May you venture on the path of magic." | |
| 150 | ||
| 151 | Rinia and Pursena stand up looking majestic. | |
| 152 | They step up the the stage and receive their graduation certificates with class. | |
| 153 | ||
| 154 | During mating season, males pop up all over to declare their love, but all the suiters were | |
| 155 | ||
| 156 | During mating season, suitors pop up everywhere to confess their love, but they're all beaten senselessly. | |
| 157 | Standing atop countless corpses, murmuring "We are too strong ~nya" "merely empty words ~nano," that awe-inspiring sight still floats vividly inside my head. | |
| 158 | The image of a king. | |
| 159 | I see shadows of king of beasts behind their silhouettes. <ref>Unsure: 俺は二人の背後に百獣の王を見たものだ。 </ref> | |
| 160 | ||
| 161 | That night they spend their time in the tavern saying, "We don't need no man ~nya!" "That's right, man can go fuck ~nano!" and drowning themselves in alcohol. | |
| 162 | ||
| 163 | --- | |
| 164 | ||
| 165 | - | After the Graduation Ceremony, I head to Nanahoshi's research lab. |
| 165 | + | After the Graduation Ceremony wraps up, I drop by Nanahoshi's research lab. |
| 166 | ||
| 167 | "Cough, cough" | |
| 168 | ||
| 169 | - | Nanahoshi wraps herself like a |
| 169 | + | Nanahoshi is coughing and wrapped up like a ladybug. |
| 170 | ||
| 171 | "Another a cold?" | |
| 172 | "Cough... looks like it." | |
| 173 | ||
| 174 | Nanahoshi's health has been pretty bad this past year. | |
| 175 | Always with a dry cough or a fever. | |
| 176 | Every time I will cure her with Detoxification Magic. | |
| 177 | And soon after she'll get sick again. | |
| 178 | ||
| 179 | "Maybe you should start living a bit healthier." | |
| 180 | ||
| 181 | Nanahoshi basically never leave the room. | |
| 182 | She will go outside when necessary, but she basically spent the whole year in the lab. | |
| 183 | She'll go to the cafeteria for lunch, but that's about it. | |
| 184 | Breakfast and dinner are just leftovers, everyday a repeat of this unhealthy lifestyle. | |
| 185 | Of course eventually her immune system will deteriote, and she becomes easily sick. | |
| 186 | I don't want to tell her off, but she needs to take better care of herself. | |
| 187 | ||
| 188 | "At least until your cold gets better, how about a little break?" | |
| 189 | "Research is going well, so I shouldn't stop right now." | |
| 190 | ||
| 191 | After she said that, she turns towards a magic circle. | |
| 192 | Nanahoshi's research has indeed been going well. | |
| 193 | Few months ago Phase 2 was successfully completed. | |
| 194 | Summoned matching cap for the PET bottle from Phase 1. | |
| 195 | ||
| 196 | Now is Phase 3. | |
| 197 | Summon a "living being" like a "plant" or "small animal." | |
| 198 | That's currently underway. | |
| 199 | Just a bit more, and vegetable from the previous world may soon appear in this one. | |
| 200 | Going well indeed. | |
| 201 | ||
| 202 | "Today let's begin the Phase 3 experiment." | |
| 203 | "Shouldn't we wait for Cliff and Zanoba to be here?" | |
| 204 | "Ah, right. Then, can you go get them?" | |
| 205 | ||
| 206 | I shake my head. | |
| 207 | ||
| 208 | "Sorry, they have the day off." | |
| 209 | "Both on break? How rare, what's the occasion?" | |
| 210 | "Graduation Ceremony." | |
| 211 | "Graduation... Ah, is it that time already?" | |
| 212 | ||
| 213 | Nanahoshi frowns. | |
| 214 | She don't want to hear about no graduation ceremony. | |
| 215 | Because that marks another year she's stuck in this world. | |
| 216 | ||
| 217 | "Rinia and Pursena both graduated. They both plan to head home, so I want to have a farewell party for them. Please come as well." | |
| 218 | "... Eh, fine." | |
| 219 | ||
| 220 | Rinia and Pursena are among Nanahoshi's few female friends. | |
| 221 | Even though friends might be pushing it, but as farewell, she should participate as well. | |
| 222 | They seem to get along better than before. | |
| 223 | ||
| 224 | "They will probably become princesses when they get back." | |
| 225 | "I can't see it." | |
| 226 | "True." | |
| 227 | ||
| 228 | Will Dorudia Clan really be alright with those girls as matriarchs? | |
| 229 | Well, even if they don't look it, it should be fine as they're recognized as such. | |
| 230 | They should be fine. | |
| 231 | ||
| 232 | Knock knock! | |
| 233 | ||
| 234 | While I was thinking, a door knock. | |
| 235 | ||
| 236 | "... Em? Come in." | |
| 237 | "Excuse me ~nya." | |
| 238 | "I'm coming in ~nano." | |
| 239 | ||
| 240 | Two familiar faces come in. | |
| 241 | A cheeky cat and a drowsy dog. | |
| 242 | Rinia and Pursena. Walk in majestically in their uniforms. | |
| 243 | ||
| 244 | "Boss, we're looking for you ~nya." | |
| 245 | "Please allow us your presence ~nano." | |
| 246 | ||
| 247 | But they feel different than usual. | |
| 248 | What's different? | |
| 249 | Is it because Rinia looks a little jittery? | |
| 250 | Or because Pursena isn't chewing some meat her mouth? | |
| 251 | The same feeling as our initial meeting. | |
| 252 | Their usual self would be joking around like "Flirting in another girl's room when Fitts and Roxy-sama are not looking again ~nya. They'll get angry ~nano." But right now they don't feel so light-hearted. | |
| 253 | ||
| 254 | Another duel? | |
| 255 | Settling the score before graduating? | |
| 256 | ... I don't really like to fight to be honest. | |
| 257 | ||
| 258 | "Boss, please ~nya." | |
| 259 | "Please ~nano." | |
| 260 | ||
| 261 | Simple words, but I can feel their determination. | |
| 262 | From their eyes I can see their conviction. | |
| 263 | They won't leave if they lose. Don't tell me that's what they have in mind? | |
| 264 | ||
| 265 | They have their own pride. | |
| 266 | ||
| 267 | Well, fine. | |
| 268 | Since this is the end. | |
| 269 | I'll play along. | |
| 270 | I too am a man. | |
| 271 | It'd be bad if they decide to do something to Sylphy instead. | |
| 272 | ||
| 273 | "I understand. Nanahoshi, I'll leave for a bit." | |
| 274 | "Wait, what about the experiment?" | |
| 275 | ||
| 276 | Nanahoshi looks obviously angry. | |
| 277 | But Rinia grabs her shoulder. | |
| 278 | ||
| 279 | "You come too ~nya. Special permission ~nya." | |
| 280 | "Permitted ~nano." | |
| 281 | ||
| 282 | "Wait, hold on. Why?" | |
| 283 | ||
| 284 | They want Nanahoshi as their witness? | |
| 285 | I doubt Nanahoshi plans to testify for anyone. | |
| 286 | But Silent Seven Star is pretty famous. | |
| 287 | Having her as witness is definitely trustworthy. | |
| 288 | ||
| 289 | --- |