CH 9

Chapter 2-9 : Duke’s Third Daughter

The girl, who called herself Aria, blinked several times and cleared her throat awkwardly.

「A, Ahem… I’m the third daughter of Duke Griffith.」(Aria)

「I-I’m the seventh daughter of the Atwood Family…」(Mylia)

「Atwood…」(Aria)

Aria unmannerly stared at Mylia from top to bottom.

「You mean the family with a knighthood that rules a remote area in the westernmost part of the kingdom?」(Aria)

「Yes, that one! There’s nothing to see there other than lavender fields.」(Mylia)

「Hee… So a girl born in such a remote territory has the power to defeat an elder dragon, huh…? That’s hard to believe…」(Aria)

While saying that, Aria squinted her eyes, staring at the Dragon Slayer emblem on Mylia’s chest with a somewhat unconvinced and jealous face.

（So she doesn’t believe that I killed a dragon? Hmm… How can I convince her?）

「I, It was a very tough battle, but I really defeated it! I used magic to counter the dragon’s attack and killed it with explosion and wind magic. Well, the reason I won was probably because Zirnitra wasn’t in a good shape. It just woke up from a long sleep after all. Besides, that dragon is very old, right?」(Mylia)

It was an easy battle for Mylia, but she told as if it wasn’t.

Actually, Zirnitra was in a perfect condition. It was neither drowsy nor weakened because of getting old, instead, it was so vigorous because it managed to break the seal that restrained it for hundreds of years.

Zirnitra was so excited and full of bloodlust that it wanted to destroy some villages and towns as soon as possible. That was why it attacked Mylia immediately when it saw her.

「Explosion…? Counter…?」(Aria)

Aria tilted her head. She couldn’t keep up with what Mylia said.

「Ah, to be more specific, it wasn’t an ordinary explosion. I mean, it’s an explosion, but I made the force to direct inward toward the dragon’s neck so it became more powerful. As for the counter, I made a barrier with a shape of a cat’s face, and it could bounce back the incoming attack!」(Mylia)

「…I have no idea what you’re saying…」(Aria)

「A, Ahaha… I’m sorry. My master told me that I’m not good at explaining…」(Mylia)

「So you’re not purposely making me confused?」(Aria)

「O, Of course I’m not! Why would I do that to a cute magical girl like you?…. Aa…!」Mylia)

Mylia was desperately trying to take this opportunity to make friends with her, but again, her tongue slipped.

「A cute magical girl…? You mean me?」(Aria)

Aria looked at Mylia suspiciously.

「Aa… I mean… A magical girl is a girl who can use magic! Oh, right! Come to think of it, I’m also a magical girl since I can use magic! Ahaha…」(Mylia)

「…….」(Aria)

（Ughh… this is awkward…）

Mylia had no experience in communicating with a girl her age since she was reincarnated, so she was very nervous.

Aria, who was confused with all the mysterious words coming from Mylia’s mouth, swept one of her twintails to the back with her hand.

「Anyway, may I ask you something? It’s been bugging me for a while now.」(Aria)

「Of course. What is it?」(Mylia)

Aria was a little surprised with Mylia’s reply. She thought Mylia would be upset that she changed the topic.

She then pointed to the pot in Mylia’s hand and asked.

「What is that?」(Aria)

「This? You mean Aqua Sophia?」(Mylia)

「No, what I’m trying to ask is why in the world you have so many flowers while the others only have one?」(Aria)

Mylia looked down at the pot full of light blue lavender flowers in her hand and tilted her head.

「Umm… I don’t know. Perhaps it’s because I got a seed with a better quality than the others?」(Mylia)

「I doubt it… You’re trying to stand out by using magic on your seed just like when you made a weird cow earlier, aren’t you?」(Aria)

「Eh? No! Why would I do that? I don’t want to stand out more than this!」(Mylia)

Mylia panickingly shook her head.

She didn’t want to make Chloe worry, so she tried her best not to attract other people’s attention.

However, she had no idea that she already made Chloe worry with a massive amount of gold coins from the queen.

By the way, Chloe was now trying to hide those coins in her desk.

「Is that really so…? I had been trying to get your attention, but you kept ignoring me. I thought you were an arrogant person.」(Aria)

「E, Ehh!? Did I ignore you!?」(Mylia)

「Yeah! How dare you ignore a daughter of a duke.」(Aria)

「I-I’m sorry! I was just too excited that I didn’t pay attention to my surroundings!」(Mylia)

「Fuunn…. Oh well. Please call out to me the next time you saw me.」(Aria)

「Yes, I will!」(Mylia)

Mylia smiled and nodded to Aria.

（A daughter of a duke, huh? If I remember correctly, the Griffith Family is one of the richest families in this kingdom, right?）

Mylia recalled what she had learned from Chloe about the aristocratic society of this kingdom.

（Despite being a daughter of a duke, this girl called out to me, a daughter of a poor knighthood family, like she didn’t care about the difference in status… I bet she is a very good girl.）

Actually, Mylia misunderstood about Aria. She was convinced by her own thoughts.

However, Mylia was happy to be able to talk with a cute girl her age.

She was really glad that she got out of the Atwood territory and came to this academy.

She felt like jumping and shouting, “School life is the best!”

Aria was interested in Mylia because as a daughter of a duke, she couldn’t overlook a girl who was better than herself.

She looked at Mylia as her rival, but after seeing Mylia’s innocent smile, she felt like smiling back, but she then tightened her cheeks, resisting smiling.

「By the way, since my Seed of Dreams has bloomed into a rose, I’ll be assigned to Rose Maria, so we will be in different dormitories. I will show you that I can get more star badges than you!」(Aria)

「Un! Let’s do our best!」(Mylia)

Mylia had no idea that Aria just challenged her.

「Umm… Do you understand what I said? The four dormitories in this academy will be competing against each other to collect the most star badges. Since you already have one even before the entrance ceremony started, Aqua Sophia’s first year students are now leading. What I was trying to say is I won’t lose to you! Got it?」(Aria)

「A, Ahh… I see. I never knew there would be a competition between dormitories.」(Mylia)

「Hahh… Even the people outside this school know about it, you know?」(Aria)

「Is that so? Ahaha… I’m sorry for being ignorant.」(Mylia)

Aria made an amazed face and sighed. She then raised her index finger and looked at Mylia.

「Since you know nothing about this academy, I will tell you everything you need to know! So please listen!」(Aria)

「Really!? Thank you! Ehehe~」(Mylia)

Mylia smiled at Aria as she scratched her head shyly.

Aria intended to make a fool of Mylia by saying “you know nothing”, but she had a complicated feeling now. She felt like her face was getting hot after seeing Mylia’s smile.

To eliminate the strange feelings from her chest, Aria started poking Mylia’s cheek with her index finger to make her stop smiling.

「Thank you “very much”, right?」(Aria)

「Whank you whewwy mush.」(Mylia)

「Very well.」(Aria)

After poking Mylia’s soft cheek for a moment, Aria pulled back her hand and started explaining.

「Now listen. At the end of the year, we will count the number of star badges in each dormitory from the first grade to the fourth grade. The students from the dormitory that has the most star badges will get the right to visit the special cafe in this school. By the way, the last two years, Rose Maria was the winner.」(Aria)

「Heeー That sounds interesting!」(Mylia)

「But not only between dormitories, there will be a competition between grades in each dormitory too.」(Aria)

「Between grades too?」(Mylia)

「Yeah. For example, if the first graders in Aqua Sophia are the ones who have the most star badges among the first graders in this school, they will get the prize. By the way, the prize is different from the competition between dormitories. The prize for the competition between grades are vouchers to eat ten sweets made by chefs with a “Griffon Seal”! You can never buy their sweets even if you have a lot of money, you know!」(Aria)

「Oh yeah! Sweets!」(Mylia)

Mylia was excited as soon as she heard the word “sweets”.

「By the way, what is a “Griffon Seal”?」(Mylia)

「It’s a seal of approval that is given to top-class magician chefs. Ah, magician chefs are chefs who cook with magic.」(Aria)

「Cooking with magic!? So we can eat sweets made by top-class chefs!? That’s super awesome!」(Mylia)

「It’s very fascinating, isn’t it?」(Aria)

「It is!」(Mylia)

Mylia was excited about eating sweets that did not exist in her previous life.

She thought the star badges were the same as the “well done seals” you get from teachers when she was in elementary school in her previous life, but now they looked like gold shining on her chest.

She was now very grateful to Queen Kushana for giving her a star badge.

「Now you know how valuable star badges are. That’s why I won’t lose to you!」(Aria)

While saying that, Aria swept her silver twintails with her hand and stared at Mylia.

Looking at Aria’s serious eyes, Mylia tightened her face and answered Aria’s challenge.

「Okay, I understand now. I won’t lose to you either! Oh, right!」(Mylia)

Mylia suddenly made a gesture like a strategist who just came up with an awesome plan.

「How about the winner telling the loser what the sweets taste like? I would be very disappointed if I couldn’t eat the sweets, so at least I want to hear what they taste like. Aria-san, what do you think?」(Mylia)

「…….」(Aria)

Aria was silent for a moment.

She was the third daughter of a duke, and was rumored to be the best freshman in the Magician Department, but that rumor had been wiped out completely after the purple-haired girl in front of her defeated Zirnitra.

She was planning to declare war on Mylia when she met her at the entrance ceremony today, but she didn’t expect that the Dragon Slayer girl would be so innocent and a little dumb.

She didn’t know what to say to make Mylia understand that she was declaring war after Mylia kept smiling innocently at her.

Because she was a duke’s daughter, she didn’t have many friends her age, but she somehow noticed that Mylia was trying to get along with her.

Having a complicated feeling, Aria turned her face away from Mylia.

「I will think about it… I’m going now. Excuse me.」(Aria)

「Okay, see you later~」(Mylia)

Aria stood up and left Mylia, heading to the crowd of girls holding potted roses.

Mylia stared at Aria’s back as she left.

（Ahh~ I never thought I would be talking with a cute girl on my first day here! Aria-san… the third daughter of a duke and is in the Magic Department like me. Our dormitories are different, but I hope I can get along with her!）

With such an expectation in mind, Mylia also stood up and headed to the crowd of girls holding potted light blue lavender, but suddenly, someone poked Mylia’s shoulder from behind.

She turned around and saw a teacher from the Industrial Department smiling at her.

The teacher pointed to the back of Rainbow Castle and reminded Mylia.

「Did you forget? The school director is waiting for you in his office. Go to the top floor from that elevator.」(teacher)

「U, Understood.」(Mylia)

（Ahh, I forgot I have to go there… The rabbit school director seemed to be a kind person, but I wonder what he wants from me…）