Chapter 542: Unexpected Reunion
The day after Fran felt the presence of what seemed to be a spirit.
『Fran. You don’t seem to be sleeping well last night. Are you okay?』
「I’m okay」
It seems that she was always searching for the spirit’s presence. In the end, though, she didn’t feel anything after that.
She rubbed her eyes, but that didn’t stop her from eating her breakfast. She just looked like a real cat, didn’t she?
Breakfast was freshly baked bread and vegetable soup with meat. Also, with assorted fruit and a large meatball-like ground meat dish, Fran and Urushi were happy to eat it.
「You’re still sleepy, huh?」
「Nn…」
「What’s wrong? If there’s something wrong with the bed, I’ll fix it right away」
「I felt a gaze on me」
「Hou?」
When Fran told her about the gaze she felt last night, the old lady smiled happily.
「The spirit must have liked you」
「Is that so?」
「Yeah. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be peeking on you」
To stay at this inn, you have to be accepted by the spirits, but that doesn’t mean they like you. It was said that only a handful of people who were allowed to stay at the inn were liked by the spirits.
It seemed that some of the guests had seen them.
「How do I get the spirits to like me?」
「Well, I wonder about that…? Just be a good girl…」
Hmm, I don’t understand what she meant by being a good girl… Do we just have to be nice to the old lady and not mess with the spirit tree?
Just like that, as she was eating her breakfast, the entrance to the inn opened. The person who came in was an Elven man. Ooh, even though he was an Elf, wasn’t he a handsome one?!
When I looked closely, he was certainly a handsome person. But after seeing the Guild Master, he looked a bit plain. He reminded me of Phreon, the plain Elf we had explored the spider’s nest with before.
Even the Elves had someone like this, huh?
「Umm, I believe there’s an adventurer named Fran staying here…」
「Nn?」
I wondered if he was a new customer, but he seemed to have some business with Fran. When the man spotted Fran, he approached her with a smile.
「That appearance, are you Fran-san?」
「Who are you?」
「Aah, I’m sorry. I’m an employee of the Academy of Magic」
So, why was he here?
「The Director of the academy had returned earlier today. So, I am here to ask Fran-san about the date for your interview」
「You’re asking me for the date?」
「Yes. The Director says it can be done today or tomorrow, but what do you think?」
It seems that Weena Rhyn was back after all. I was expecting him to tell us when to come, but he seemed to be giving priority to our convenience. I wonder, if we left it for a few days would she be disqualified?
(Master, can we do it today?)
Well, we must go there sometime soon, so…
『Yeah, we can do it today』
Even if we stayed here till tomorrow, there would be nothing to do but explore the town anyway. So, the sooner the better.
「Today then」
「Very well then. So, do you have a specific time in mind?」
「I should decide now?」
「Yes」
「I’ll go after I finish my breakfast then」
「Very well. I will tell that to the Director then」
So, after finishing breakfast, Fran went to the Academy of Magic. We were coming through the back entrance today too. I thought about going to the main gate, but I thought it would be faster to talk with the guard who already knew Fran’s face.
If they told us to go to the main entrance, we would have obeyed them, but they easily called Colt for us. In the first place, it seemed that outsiders don’t often come to the back entrance, so they had already called Colt when they saw us.
「Hey, It’s been yesterday」
「Nn」
「I’ll show you to the Director’s office. Follow me」
As we walked through the tunnel as we did yesterday, Colt gave us a few notes of warning.
「The Director is a gentle person, but she has no mercy for those who are hostile to the academy. So be careful not to offend her」
「Okay」
I wonder if she was a person who tends to easily get angry.
『Fran, don’t be careless here』
「Nn」
She was a High Elves, and I don’t want to antagonize her from the start. I’d never know what might happen after all.
We passed through the same tunnel we had passed through yesterday, but this time we did not head for the guard’s office. Colt’s eyes were on a tower at the far end. That was where he was headed, I guess. It seemed that today we would be taken to the school building of the academy.
We could see a sparse number of students around the building. They weren’t there the other day, but maybe it was because they’re on a break or something like that, huh?
Many of the students wore the same cloak as Charon and the others we met at the Adventurer’s Guild, and others wore robes like magicians.
As I observed these students from a distance, I could see that they were looking at us from the other side as well.
「Is that a freshman?」
「But, what’s about that equipment?」
「Well, there are some people who go from being adventurers to being students at this academy after all」
「Well, that’s true…」
Under the gaze of many students, Fran abruptly stopped in her tracks.
「Huh? What’s wrong?」
「…」
Colt, our guide, turned around in surprise. But I don’t think Fran heard him. At the moment, Fran’s attention was only on the person who came out of the building at the back.
「…Why, are you here…?」
I was surprised, too. How could he be in this place? And I panicked and tried to stop Fran.
「Awakening… Black Lightning Rush!」
『Wait! Fran!』
It was too late. Fran had already rushed out for battle.
Fran muttered the name of the man she hated, gritting her teeth so hard that they even made a sound.
「Zelos… Reed!」