With the beastkin girl in tow, I made my way towards Eliza's room stealthily.
There were a few close calls on the way, but once we reached the second floor, we didn't encounter anyone else.
When we arrived at our destination and knocked on the door, a relaxed voice came from inside.
"Yes, who is it?" Eliza poked her head out, a silly smile on her face, her steps unsteady. She was clearly drunk.
Was it really appropriate for a teacher to show such a state to a beastkin girl who was probably her student?
No, given the current circumstances, it might actually be helpful. With her drunk, she might lend us clothes without thinking too deeply about it.
"Sorry for disturbing you at night. I was wondering if I could borrow some clothes."
Eliza looked at me with hazy eyes and noticed the girl hiding behind me.
Suddenly, her expression changed.
Eliza frowned and looked at the girl as she opened the door to her room. "Come in."
"Ah, y-yes..." The girl, startled by Eliza's serious tone, replied shakily and entered the room.
"You too, Aoi-san."
Pressed by the atmosphere, I obediently followed.
When I entered, the scent of distilled liquor and flowers greeted me. The room, about eight to ten tatami mats in size, was furnished with surprisingly subdued furniture. The lamp and trinket boxes had cute designs, but the table in the center of the room had alcohol and a wooden bowl filled with snacks, giving off a mix of an old man's and a maiden's vibe.
Eliza had the girl sit on a small chair set at the table while she sat directly on the floor.
"What happened?" she asked gently.
The girl looked down, her face on the verge of tears.
"Aoi-san…"
Called by name, I explained the situation in which I had met the girl while keeping an eye on her.
Eliza looked at the girl with a pained expression. "You're Shenley-san from the senior section, right? I've heard you're diligent in your magic studies. Can you tell me what happened?"
Eliza asked her kindly, but the girl named Shenley remained silent as a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Did she not want to answer, or was she unable to?
If she was unable to…
Perhaps Eliza had the same thought, and her expression hardened briefly before soon softening. She patted Shenley's head. "Anyways, I'll lend you some clothes. How about this?"
Eliza charged the topic and let Shenley choose some clothes to change into.
While Shenley was changing, Eliza came over to me and said in a low voice, "Aoi-san, there's no shower in my room, and the teachers' dorm is off-limits to regular students… So, can we?"
Eliza spoke in a joking tone, but it couldn’t completely hide her intention.
Sensing her genuine concern for Shenley, I let out a quiet laugh.
We moved to my room, where Shenley could take a shower.
As soon as we entered my room, Shenley's eyes widened in surprise at the spaciousness. But after glancing around two or three times, she seemed to calm down.
She must be accustomed to seeing large and luxurious rooms. Meanwhile, Eliza silently watched Shenley head to the shower.
"She seems to live in the dorms. Is it okay if she stays in my room tonight?"
"All regular students share a room with someone else. But since there’s one person short, Shenley is using a double room alone, so it should be fine," Eliza answered with a wry smile, then her expression darkened again.
"Shenley-san moved up to the senior section a year early. It's not uncommon in this merit-based magic academy, but being a beastkin from a viscount family seems to be the issue."
"Issue?"
Eliza's words made me angry.
Noticing this, she quickly waved her hands in front of her face. "That's not what I mean! It's just that hierarchy is inevitable. It’s not only based on magical talent , but also on rank, country of origin, birth, and more! E-even I get criticized behind my back for being a dwarf!"
"… According to research, dwarves and beastkin struggle with magic because they constantly use the magic that circulates within their bodies. They simply can't release much mana."
Despite my explanation, Eliza's expression remained one of resignation. "Some people do say that, but the overall perception remains the same."
Her quiet words sounded like a firm rejection. It was likely an issue she had been thinking about for a long time, leading to her resignation.
"I see. But we should at least try to eliminate such discrimination within the academy."
"That will be difficult." Eliza dismissed my words and sighed again. "The current senior section has an unusually competitive environment. After all, royalty from the Six Great Nations are all here. Whether they intend to or not, factions naturally form."
"Factions…"
As we talked, we heard Shenley's footsteps coming out from the shower and fell silent.
We then had a light meal with Shenley while engaging in small talk to distract her before Eliza left the room.
Late into the night, Shenley had calmed down considerably and could talk to me.
We discussed classes, the academy's facilities, and the well-stocked library. She seemed to enjoy talking about her interests.
Eventually, Shenley agreed to stay in my room for the night, leading to an unexpected sleepover with a student.
The next day, I woke up early in the unfamiliar room and bed, regretting not having gone shopping earlier. I took out some ingredients from the magic bag handmade by my master.
I stir-fried some Rotwolf meat and leafy vegetables with salt and pepper. I added a sunny-side-up egg with a sprinkle of salt, some fragrant herbs, and a sliced baguette to complete the simple breakfast.
While I was considering preparing some homemade jam, Shenley woke up.
"Ah, good morning…" Shenly greeted me and walked over awkwardly.
I offered her a seat. "Good morning. Have some breakfast."
Shenley sat down nervously and, following my words, picked up some meat with a fork. She blinked in surprise. "… Delicious."
Seeing Shenley reach for more food with a smile, I smiled and began my breakfast.
The meat, cooked just enough to form a crust, was tender and flavorful with each bite. The sharpness of the pepper and the saltiness were balanced perfectly by the leafy vegetables. The sunny-side-up egg's natural sweetness was a pleasant contrast.
"After eating, shall we go to the academy together?"
Shenley hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.