Chapter 82: Fluffing a Siberian Husky…Not

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Translator: Soafp

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I returned to the Kingdom of Kishirika.

I headed straight to the royal capital's magic academy and dropped by the dorms, thinking I'd enjoy Gal's fluffiness for the first time in a while, but—

“Gal, did you slack off on your grooming?”

“…No, not really…”

“But your fur's all messy, and you kind of smell?”

“S-smell!? I've been taking a bath every day, you know…”

“You didn't dry yourself properly, did you?”

“Ugh.”

The Siberian husky I hadn't seen in a while had completely lost his fluff.

His fur was stiff.

On top of that, dirt and mud had hardened the tips—it was a total mess.

“I'll have you know this is your fault.”

“Eh, mine?”

“You used to groom me every single day, so I forgot how to do it myself.”

“Ah.”

I guess I am partly to blame.

For now, I need to brush him thoroughly, untangle the matted fur, and get rid of the dust and debris.

“Kyuu!!”

“Hm? W-what's with that fox?”

“Oh, let me introduce you. This is Kutama—I met her in the Empire.”

Kutama rubbed her head against my body and let out an adorable cry.

“Okay, okay. Kutama's so cute.”

“Kyuu!!”

“…She's cute, but isn't she glaring at me like crazy?”

“You're imagining things. Kutama's a good girl—she'd never bother anyone.”

When I scratched under Kutama's chin, she happily rolled over to show her belly.

She's seriously adorable.

But Kutama's brushing comes later—first I'm making Gal's fur silky smooth.

[Wow, brushing a huge Siberian husky… I'm jealous…]

Chloe muttered from the edge of my vision.

I don't want people to think I'm some weirdo who talks to himself, so I try not to respond to her…

but she keeps staring at me.

“…Hey, Gal.”

“Hm? What?”

“Can you see the person over there?”

“Huh? D-don't say creepy stuff like that.”

Gal flattened his tail and trembled as he looked in the direction I pointed.

So Gal can't see her either.

“Lately I've been hearing things… or seeing things I probably shouldn't.”

[It's not auditory or visual hallucinations.]

“She's whispering in my ear even now.”

“Stop it, that's scary!!”

[Waaah, this dog's trembling, so cute. I wanna pet him.]

Even though she can't touch anything, Chloe moved her hands as if she were vigorously petting Gal's ears and tail.

She looks like a beautiful girl, so the image of her playing with a big dog would be picturesque…

if only this situation were normal.

“Ah, right. Maybe I'll go to the Forbidden Magic Research Society.”

The club president there might be able to do something about these voices and visions.

That's what I thought, but—

“The Forbidden Magic Research Society? The president got caught by the disciplinary committee and thrown into the reflection room.”

“…The reflection room?”

“Basically a jail. I heard from Senpai Kainsets that their magic went out of control and half-destroyed the old school building.”

Seriously?

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I headed to the disciplinary committee's clubroom.

Students wearing the armbands that marked them as committee members were rushing around busily.

I stopped one of them and spoke to him.

“Um, excuse me.”

“Yes, what is it?”

Even though he looked busy, the male committee member responded with a smile.

“I'd like to visit a student in the reflection room.”

“Understood. Please write your name and the name of the student you wish to see on this form.”

“Okay, done.”

“Let's see… the student you want to visit is Elist Bauer—Elist Bauern!?”

The moment he read the form, the committee member went pale and started trembling.

“I-I'm so sorry, I don't feel well. Someone else please guide this person to the reflection room…”

“Cough, hack—my back suddenly hurts!! I'm leaving early today!!”

“M-my chronic complicated fracture is acting up!! I need to go to the clinic right now!!”

“I—I've got that thing, you know!! That thing with the thing!!”

“I don't want to guide him, so I'm leaving early!!”

Being on the disciplinary committee must be tough.

Working themselves to the point their whole bodies are falling apart just to maintain order at the academy—I can't help but respect them.

I'll have to heal every single one of them.

I've memorized all their faces, so I'll raid their dorm rooms tonight and cast healing on them.

“Huh? Oh, it's little bro. Long time no see.”

“Hm? Ah, Lucan-Senpai. Hey.”

A familiar shark—Lucan Scharl—entered the room, so I gave a small bow.

“Sounds like you've had a lot going on. Getting engaged to a princess—what a shock.”

“I'm still surprised myself.”

“So what brings you all the way to the disciplinary committee?”

“Well, actually…”

I explained that I wanted to see Elist Bauern, the president of the Forbidden Magic Research Society.

Lucan gave a wry smile.

“Sure, I'll take you there.”

And just like that, she led me to the reflection room where Elist was being held.

It was underground in the disciplinary committee's activity building.

After descending a dim staircase, we reached a corridor lined with cells on both sides.

Elist was in the very last one.

The room was about six tatami mats in size, and countless books—clearly from the research society—were scattered everywhere.

Buried in that sea of books, Elist silently devoured one text after another in the dim cell.

“Hey there, Elist.”

“Oh? You are…”

When I spoke through the bars, Elist tilted his head.

“Who were you again?”

“Ask Medicus.”

“…Ah, I remember. The one who wanted to learn about mental magic. My apologies—I'm bad with names.”

She'd completely forgotten me.

I'd thought of her as a friend because we had similar ways of thinking, so that stung a little.

“I was surprised when I heard you got arrested.”

“My magic research went out of control and destroyed the old school building.”

“So that's why.”

“No. After that, the disciplinary committee showed up and tried to confiscate my research materials because they were dangerous, so I beat them to a pulp and got captured by that shark over there.”

“I caught her,” Lucan said, flashing a double peace sign.

Elist is aggressive, and the fact Lucan captured her is impressive too.

“So, what do you need today?”

“I have something I'd like to consult you about.”

“Hm?”

I explained the situation.

I thought he might laugh, but she listened seriously and nodded.

“Voices and visions, you say.”

“Do you know a way to fix it?”

“…There are a few spells that come to mind, but there isn't enough information to be certain. So I'll give you this.”

“What is it?”

Elist handed me a book.

Flipping through it, I saw it was one of her research documents.

“This is material on shinkon magic.”

“Shinkon?”

“Magic related to the mind and soul. It's similar to mental magic, so I researched it before.”

“Will reading this solve the problem?”

“It might. That's all I can say.”

I glanced at Chloe.

[Eh? No way. I thought we wiped out all the users of that magic… did you recreate it from literature alone? Geniuses are scary.]

“…My hallucination looks terrified, so I think this might work. I'll gratefully accept it.”

“Not at all. Next time you come, don't forget a gift.”

Just then, a disciplinary committee member rushed down to the basement and whispered something to Lucan.

“Lucan!!”

“Hm? What's wrong?”

“A knight just came and—”

I wonder what happened.

“…Yeah, that's bad.”

“Lucan-senpai, what is it?”

“Hmm, I can't tell you.”

“Not even if I really want to know?”

“Sorry.”

Lucan gave a wry smile to avoid my questioning.

Being kept in the dark only made me more curious.

If she won't tell me, I'll rely on my dependable fiancée Victoria, who always has information.

And that's how I learned from Victoria that monsters had attacked the kingdom's port and that there were many injured.