Ch. 36 - Investigation 2

I cleared up Ayle's misunderstanding and turned back to Cote. "So, I think of you as just another student, Cote-kun. Please rest assured."

Cote slumped his shoulders and shook his head wearily. "… Rest assured… No, I don't think it's strange that I'm hurt, but it still hurts… Sigh…"

I tilted my head at Cote's somewhat disheartened demeanor and looked at Ayle.

Ayle was still looking at me in disbelief. No matter how I thought about it, she couldn't have been the one causing trouble for me.

I decided to explain the situation. "The reason I want to speak to Cote-kun is to find out if anyone is disrupting my classes."

Ayle responded with a puzzled "Eh?"

"Aoi-sensei's classes? Why?" Ayle asked curiously.

I nodded and looked at Liz and Bell. "If either of you know anything, please let me know."

I turned back to Cote.

His expression had changed to a serious one. "Aoi-sensei, how much do you know?"

I tilted my head and sighed. "Only that someone might be telling students not to attend my classes."

Cote nodded and pointed to Ayle. "Ayle might not have known or cared, but it's already fairly well known among the students. Aoi-sensei, someone said you have been targeted by royalty and high-ranking nobles, and the names of students attending your classes are being checked."

I frowned. "Attending or not attending a class should be a personal choice, not decided by pressure from some nobles."

"Of course. I also insist on that. However, it seems the one who said it has a very high status, and everyone is hesitant. Felter-kun and Rox-senpai don't seem to be affected, though. The remaining influential ones are Balvenie-senpai and Prince Hiram. Kragan-kun and Barrel-kun are younger than me and don't have much influence in the academy yet."

It looked like Cote had done some investigation on his own.

I nodded in understanding.

Ayle said in an irritated tone, "Wait, someone's telling people not to attend Aoi-sensei's class? It's really a great class! At first, I took it because I was wary of her trying to get close to my brother, but now I genuinely look forward to it. I've been recommending it to others, but maybe that's why no one came."

Ayle's frustration was clear.

To think she started attending for such a reason… It was hard to be genuinely happy about it.

Well, in the end, a dedicated student appeared. I should consider it as a good thing, right?

"Well then, let's go meet Balvenie-kun. Where is he? In a class?"

Cote shook his head. "No, Balvenie-senpai usually stays holed up in his lab. He rarely attends classes and only occasionally goes to water magic classes."

"B-Balvenie-senpai's lab is nearby! We’ll guide you!"

"… As an apology, though."

Liz and Bell quickly pointed in the direction of Balvenie's lab to make up for Ayle's rude behavior.

As the two led us out of the square, we spotted Strass and Eliza hiding.

"Huh?" Bell tilted her head at them.

Strass and Eliza awkwardly stepped out.

"I see. Aoi-sensei wouldn't be able to find the lab alone," Cote said with a wry smile.

Strass nodded with his arms crossed. "If it's about Balvenie, I sometimes help with his research. Let's go together."

"Strass-sensei?" Ayle asked curiously.

Eliza answered for him. "Balvenie-kun's research is about weather manipulation."

Her words stuck with me, but I said nothing and followed the group to Balvenie's laboratory.

Balvenie's laboratory was small but relatively new. It was a single-story, sturdy building made of stone and wood.

The wooden door echoed when Strass knocked.

After a short wait, the door opened, and a raspy voice responded. "Yes, who is it?"

A man with long, wavy, dark orange hair and stubble, wearing thin-framed glasses, appeared. Despite his rough appearance, he didn't look unclean.

Balvenie looked at each of us in turn and then stopped on Strass. He asked with a weary tone, "… It's quite a crowd today. What's going on?"

Strass nodded without expression. "It's about the new teacher, Aoi-sensei. Someone is trying to disrupt her classes. Do you know anything about it?"

"T-that's very blunt, Strass-sensei."

"As expected…"

Cote and the others were surprised by Strass's straightforwardness, while Balvenie raised an eyebrow at me.

"New teacher? Doesn't look like a beastkin, maybe a baron's fourth or fifth daughter?"

His crude response made me frown.

Strass denied it. "Aoi is not a noble. I thought she was quite well-known. Don’t you know? She's a commoner but was hired as a senior teacher as an exception."

"… A commoner senior teacher? I see." Balvenie looked at me doubtfully. "If she's not a court mage from some country, then she's a great genius like Principal Glenn. May I ask you a question?"

"A question?" I asked.

Balvenie smirked. "I'm interested in weather manipulation. Do you know any magic with successful experiments?"

"Only rainmaking magic. It combines fire, water, and wind magic. Float enough water, heat it with fire, and create air currents with wind…"

Hearing my explanation, Balvenie froze, mouth agape.

I tilted my head at Balvenie's reaction and looked to Strass for help.

However, Strass and Eliza were also staring at me with similar expressions.

"Wa-wait a minute! Rainmaking magic is said to be a secret technique of some countries. How do you know about it?" Balvenie asked excitedly while stepping closer.

He grabbed my shoulders and shook me, irritating me.

"Calm down. If you understand how clouds form, you'll know."

"How clouds form? How do clouds form? Tell me. I have hypotheses, but I’d like to hear from you."

"Well, now isn't—"

"What? Are you going to demonstrate? Okay, tell me what you need. I'll help. Personally, I think it involves numerous water spheres in the sky…"

Despite my repeated attempts, Balvenie wouldn’t stop shaking me, so I finally threw a punch.

It was a direct hit to the solar plexus, a vital point in the human body.

The blow to his diaphragm caused a temporary loss of breath. It was a spot lacking bones like ribs to protect the organs, making it vulnerable. In particular, if the blow came from above at an angle, it was powerful enough to cause even the most muscular person to writhe in agony.

Balvenie, of course, was affected.

"Guh, ugh…" He collapsed, unable to breathe.

I looked down at him. "Calm down. Understand?"

Looking at Balvenie gasping in pain, Eliza answered with a dry laugh. "… I don't think he can answer…"

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