Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance Chapter 46

When Eileen didn’t find them that day, she woke up the next morning feeling a little down.

 

“I’ll have to try again next weekend.”

 

She remembered the children’s smiling faces. Lucian had changed, so the children wouldn’t have the same ending as the original, but with the way the world was looking at Laquerta, it was hard to know if they would be safe.

 

Remembering the children at the orphanage, Eileen steeled her resolve.

 

“What’s wrong? Eat this.”

 

Eileen must have looked strange sitting on the bed in a daze, because Jessie held out a small envelope. Inside were delicious cookies.

 

“Oh, cookies!”

 

Eileen giggled as she took the cookie with a slightly shaky hand that belied her fresh face.

 

“Thank you!”

 

“I baked a lot, so there’s just some left over. I’ll be off to class then.”

 

Eileen slowly rose from her seat, looking at the empty space in front of her. At first, she briefly wondered if Jessie didn’t like her, but now she realized that each of these actions was an effort on her part.

 

For the sake of her shy roommate, Eileen decided to be patient.

 

“But she did seem to like the baking magazine I gave her, didn’t she?”

 

Popping a checkered cookie into her mouth that looked exactly like the one on the cover of the magazine, Eileen got ready for school. Today was a little more special than usual.

 

“It’s the day I finally get to learn Elementalism.”

 

The Professor of Elementalism, who had been away on business, had finally returned.

 

“The guy who’s teaching there now is a former student of mine. He’s quite trustworthy.”

 

Remembering what Orgen had said to her before she enrolled, Eileen left the dormitory with a big smile on her face. She didn’t want to disappoint her teacher, who had so much faith in her.

 

Cordelia was waiting for her in the hallway on the third floor.

 

“Morning.”

 

“Morning, I thought you said the Elementalism classroom was a separate wing?”

 

“Yes. It’s not that far from the swordsmanship training grounds.”

 

The Elementalism classroom was located in the woods, a little further into the Swordsmanship Department’s training grounds. Unlike the other classes in the department, which were at least three stories high, it was a small, single-story building.

 

“It’s pretty.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

A wisteria tree climbed over the small building, blooming in full bloom. There was a small pond with water lilies floating in it, and wild flowers of various colors surrounded the pond.

 

“Kaaaaaahhhhh!”

 

Star seemed to be in a better mood, and she jumped off Eileen’s shoulder and ran wildly through the wildflowers.

 

“Uh-huh, Star! No! Come here!”

 

Eileen, furious that the garden would be ruined, bent down and ran back and forth.

 

“Whoa! Is this little guy the new kid on the block?”

 

A man , who had heard the commotion, came out of the building’s door and picked up the running Star.

 

“Chew?”

 

“Star’s a spirit?”

 

When Star and Eileen looked at him with similar expressions, he couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“Oh my god, he’s so similar to a drunkard!”

 

‘Is it a man…?’

 

Meanwhile, Eileen rolled her eyes as she busily tried to figure out the man’s identity. He couldn’t have been more than 190, but he had a fair face with makeup and long, purplish-black hair tied up in a high ponytail. He was wearing pointed shoes that looked like heels, making it difficult to determine her gender.

 

“Well, I see what our friend is having trouble with, I’m a man~.”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

 

“No need to apologize, I was just trying to make it look that way. I don’t think gender is important in fashion. My face is too gorgeous to reduce my options to gender, don’t you think?”

 

He ruffled his hair with his hand and winked. He was a pleasant man with overwhelming confidence.

 

“Nice, but who are you?”

 

Eileen stood still, unsure of how to respond, until the man clapped a couple of times and opened his mouth.

 

“Oh, by the way. My name is Albert. I’m the teacher who will be teaching you Elementalism until you graduate!”

 

“I’m Eileen!”

 

“I’m Cordelia.”

 

“I know, you’re already quite famous.”

 

Returning the squirming Star to Eileen’s arms, Albert opened the door to the classroom and gestured.

 

“Come on in – you two are the only Elementals in this year’s class, and there are only five in all, so we’re all going to be together. Don’t worry, I’ll separate you according to your achievements.”

 

Following Albert’s playful, theatrical demeanor, they entered the building and found that the interior was surprisingly similar to an ordinary classroom.

 

It’s like a branch school with only five desks.

 

As the first students turned around, Albert spoke up.

 

“Hmm, why are you all here so early? Are you all making a big deal about being a new student?”

 

“Would you do that if we came early?”

 

“Uh-huh. That’s good. Why don’t we start with everyone introducing themselves?”

 

In a relaxed atmosphere, perhaps due to the small number of people in the room, Eileen and Cordelia briefly introduced themselves. It was a light-hearted affair, as they shared their faculties and names, as well as the attributes of their contracted spirits.

 

“Two sophomores and one junior, not a lot of elementals.”

 

While Eileen made a brief comment about the empty classroom, the seniors began to introduce themselves.

 

“I’m Emma, a second year, I’m a Fire Elemental.”

 

“Jacob, also a second year. I’m contracted to a lightning elemental, but I’m warning you, if you get too close, you’re going to get static electricity.”

 

“Miller, a third year, School of Administration, contracted to the Fire Elemental.”

 

When the last student was finished, Albert feigned tears and opened his mouth to speak.

 

“I can’t believe our Miller is already in his third year! Everyone, take care of the first years. Be friendly!”

 

“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself?”

 

Miller asked, and Albert scratched the back of his head in annoyance.

 

“That’s right. I was the teacher, and I almost skipped this fashionista! Name’s Albert, as I said, age secret! I’ve made a pact with the Lightning Spirit. Shall I show you?”

 

Albert flicked his hand and a sable-like spirit appeared on his shoulder with a splash of electricity.

 

“Isn’t he cute? This is my Alexander.”

 

“Ah, static electricity! Sir, put it in!”

 

Jacob stepped back, grimacing at the same lightning elemental, but not static electricity.

 

“Cold Jacob…”

 

Despite the cloudy tone, Albert obediently sent the spirit back.

 

“Well, since it’s the first day, I guess we’ll keep the tradition we’ve been doing every year: assignment time!”

 

“It’s the first day and there’s an assignment?!”

 

Unlike Eileen and Cordelia, who were dumbfounded, the other students sighed.

 

“Are we doing second and third years again?”

 

“Why do you want to do it every semester?”

 

“No.”

 

Albert smirked in satisfaction as he walked over to Eileen and Cordelia’s side.

 

“Now, the first assignment you’re going to have~”

 

He paused, then turned to face the children, who were still sitting on their hands and knees.

 

“It’s to create a special move!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

“A special move.”

 

On the carriage ride out to the street, Eileen thought back to Monday’s lesson. It was to be their last lesson of the month, and Albert had said to them, as they struggled with an assignment they didn’t understand.

 

“I said special moves, but that doesn’t necessarily mean combat skills! The important thing is that it’s your own skill, something you’ve created in unison with the spirits, something you can do well. And what your contracted spirits can do well. It shouldn’t be hard to create a special move and study it!”

 

It was a well-intentioned but rather abstract topic, and Eileen still hadn’t come up with an answer.

 

‘Cordelia would combine it with swordsmanship. Hmm, we can think about that later. Right now, it’s about what’s in front of us.’

 

Today, Eileen took to the streets once more to look for the children. She’d barely convinced the three of them to spend the weekend together, so she was alone.

 

‘Let’s find them and figure out what’s going on with Laquerta.’

 

Eileen stepped out of the carriage, intending to slowly retrace her steps, starting at the fountain. If the children hadn’t yet managed to hide their waterborne nature, it seemed more likely that they’d be able to find them by scouring the side streets, rather than the more commercialized ones.

 

‘It’s a good thing we’re in the Academy’s sphere of influence.’

 

Even if it wasn’t as good as the main streets, at least she was less likely to run into the black hands in the back alleys like she had with Felix.

 

Eileen was just coming out of the sixteenth alley when she rounded the fountain and the main street.

 

“Damn, a snake in the store this morning, you bastard!”

 

“Did you catch it?”

 

“No, I missed it. Just try to spot it again.”

 

In front of the grocery store, the man with the poker was holding his breath in frustration.

 

Eileen’s ears perked up at the word “snake” he muttered. The man sitting behind him spoke up in a questioning voice.

 

“No, there’s no forest nearby, so where did the snake come from?”

 

“Some nobleman must have raised it and abandoned it when he entered the academy. It’s not a normal snake because of its color.”

 

A fiery yellow snake.

 

Eileen’s eyes flashed. She had a hunch that the snake was the children she was looking for.

 

“The snake! Which way did it go?!”

 

Eileen asked, interrupting the men’s conversation, and the bewildered man pointed in a direction.

 

“It disappeared over there, toward the stack of crates.”

 

As soon as she heard the man’s words, Eileen took off running in that direction.