“…Dimensional Magic?”

Harriet only seemed a bit confused, not displeased. I’d told the others to make incredible items, but then I’d suddenly told her to research something as impractical as Dimensional Magic.

She had no idea what my purpose or reason for that choice was.

“Why all of a sudden?”

“Isn’t Dimensional Magic the highest ranked among all magics known to man?”

Dimensional Magic…

That was when Louis Ankton interjected.

“Actually, rather than it being a field in itself, the concept of dimensions is dealt with in small parts in various fields of magic. Spatial Magic and Summoning mMagic have a lot to do with dimensions, after all.”

Harriet nodded at that.

“And you should know that these spells are usually very high-ranking spells, right? Just think of magic that lets one teleport through space, the concept behind warp gates, or Summoning Magic that could open portals to another world.”

Most of the magic involving dimensions was super high-ranking.

“So, there is no field of magic that exclusively deals with dimensions itself.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

There were some fields of magic that had something to do with dimensions, but there actually wasn’t a field called Dimensional Magic yet.

“We can just make it, then.”

I looked into Harriet’s eyes.

If it doesn’t work, make it work.

If it doesn’t exist, just make it.

“You’re a genius, after all.”

“H-huuh?”

“You can do it. Idiot.”

“H-how could you give the most difficult task to someone you call an idiot?!”

“That’s just how much I trust you.”

Harriet’s face, which was about to turn red at my words, seemed to have gone red because of a different reason. Her lips were trembling.

“You can do it, right?”

“Y-y-yes… I-I’ll try… I’ll do it.”

She nodded subtly at my words while cold sweat ran down her face.

Dimensional Magic research…

I also had no idea what might come from that, so I also had no way of knowing what outcome Harriet might reach.

“S-so… Why Dimensional Magic…? Just because you think I might be able to do something like that if I tried?” She asked, her face flushed.

I honestly had no good excuse prepared for that decision.

“I want to go to another world.”

“Huuuuh?”

So, for the moment, I just uttered some complete bull**.

Everyone’s brains seemed to have frozen over at my novel, nonsensical bull**.

* * *

The Gate Incident…

Warp gates connecting to another world.

My first plan was to destroy all of the warp gates across the entire continent. However, there was a possibility that it would still happen.

The next step was to develop powerful magic items before they were supposed to appear to improve the others’ and my individual combat abilities. Of course, if the incident did end up happening, it wouldn’t be enough to just supply the Royal Class with them. We might have to supply all of Temple and even the whole continent.

There was also a possibility that the over-accumulation of power would cause other problems, but I had yet to reach an answer to that question.

If it really ended up causing problems, we could just secretly use them only inside of Temple or in the Royal Class, and if Harriet actually succeeded in her research on the field of Dimensional Magic, the incident might never happen in the first place.

As long as this world was destined to be connected to another world in the future, it meant that there surely existed other worlds, even as we spoke.

So, rather than waiting until the invasion happened, we might as well invade the other world first.

To conclude, I had three requests:

The creation of Power Cartridges.

The development of Moonshine.

And the research of Dimensional Magic.

In exchange for making me their president, those guys had to listen to every one of my ridiculous orders.

Of course, rather than listening to me because I was the president, they had just realized again that I was a crazy bastard and went along with what I said because they were scared of what I would do if they didn’t.

Anyway, those guys couldn’t just use the lab during club meetings, so it seemed like they would use it as a magic lab dedicated to the first-years. The equipment there seemed to be much better than the dormitory lab’s or their private ones.

Now, with that, it was ensured that the magic major students could research smoothly on their own.

After Moonshine was developed, I’d make rapid progress in Magic Body Strengthening.

If Ellen were to use it as well, wouldn’t she rise to the level of Sword Master within the next year?

Anyway, I was exhausted from walking around with that aching body of mine.

Those who wanted to stay there could stay, those who wanted to go back could go back.

Harriet and I were the only ones who went back right away. I felt like she was following me while pretending that she wasn’t because she still seemed worried about me, who still had to use crutches.

“Do you really think there are other worlds like that?”

Harriet was still dumbfoundead by my desire to go to a different world.

Regardless of whether I did or didn’t, from my point of view, this place was a different world already.

“That’s exactly what I want to find out.”

“Then why do you want to do that?”

“Just because? I’m curious.”

I had no excuse other than something as vague as that.

“You’re really such a weird person. I’m also curious, but I really don’t like how you just order others to do things.”

“Well, then you shouldn’t have made me president.”

“Seriously! I really regret making you the president!”

Harriet intended to tease me with that but seemed to regret it a lot as it blew up in her face. She folded her arms and pouted because she had to research Dimensional Magic, a field that didn’t even exist yet.

“Anyway, since it’s something you ordered, I’ll call you whenever I need you.”

“What could I even do to help you?”

“I don’t know! Anyway, I’ll just call you! You do whatever you want, so I’ll do the same!”

That girl…

Did she think she just had the right to call me whenever she wanted? No, when I thought about it, didn’t she seem to gradually come to like the idea of her research topic more and more?

“Right! Then I should go visit the warp gates on the weekend!”

“Why the warp gates all of a sudden?”

“While there is no field in magic called Dimensional Magic, wouldn’t it help your research if you studied warp gates, which are like permanently open dimensional doors? You’ll come with me.”

Harriet looked at me, a smirk on her lips.

Don’t lie! You just want to play around!

“Can’t you see these crutches right now?”

“Ah, right…”

It was only then that she realized that she was just trying to drag an injured person around on the weekend.

No…

I was just teasing her for acting like an idiot.

At times like those, she really did look like a real idiot.

That was why she was cute.

“Hey, if you feel sorry, give me a piggyback ride. I feel tired.”

“Wha-whaaaat?! Wha-whawha-what-what are you talking about!”

“Anyway, carry me on your back. Oh, young lady of the Grand Duchy. Please, carry this humble beggar on your back.”

“Th-this! This guy! You! You! Why is it you, not me, who brings up my identity now? Are you actually crazy?!”

Harriet blew her top at my absurd remarks and eventually tried to give me an actual piggyback ride.

In Ellen’s case, she simply lifted me up, however, that time was different—she seemed to be a lot more flustered as well.

But in the end, she didn’t even have enough strength to stand up with me.

“You’re so weak, young lady. You can’t even carry this humble one’s body.”

“Iiiirk, seriously! I really hate you! You! I seriously hate you! Really!”

At my words, Harriet eventually burst out in a roar.

* * *

* * *

The battle between the Royal Class and the Orbis Class during the festival had gone up in smoke.

—And so had the challenges associated with it.

Things I never actually considered doing anyway disappeared, so that was good. That way, the others would have a lot more time as well. The Magic Research Society would be able start their activities full-throttle.

By the way, the entire Orbis Class shutting down… I asked myself if that would really happen.

I didn’t want things to go that far.

Although I would soon be able to ditch the crutches, my physical condition was still **. It was completely impossible for me to train.

I couldn’t do my early morning training with Adriana nor could I do any joint training sessions with Ellen.

Just because I hurt a bit. While I knew that I didn’t just uselessly let time pass, I still felt like I was about to go crazy.

“Are you still in pain?”

“I have already recovered from the incredibly painful stage. I have now reached the going crazy stage.”

“…”

It was night time.

I guessed that she’d just finished training, however, she had already washed up and dried herself.

Ellen would always ask me if I was still in pain when she ran into me.

Ellen gave me a bewildered look after hearing me say that I felt like I was going crazy, though it wasn’t enough to kill me

She looked slightly grumpy.

I had been out of commission for quite a long period of time by then.

I hadn’t been to the training room for quite a while, either.

Was that the reason?

“…Are you mad?”

“…No.”

Ellen shook her head, immediately answering.

“It’s not your fault that you’re in pain.”

Ellen spoke without looking at me, leaning against a window.

“Still, if you ever get hurt like this again in the future…”

“…”

“I’m going to be really, really mad.”

Ellen hadn’t actually gotten mad at me in the end.

While it felt terrifying, there was another strange feeling bubbling up.

“Well, though I didn’t exercise, I haven’t eaten anything yet .”

“…?”

“Let’s eat something. I’ll go make something.”

While I couldn’t use my body that well yet, I was confident that my condition had gotten good enough that I could handle a knife.

“No.”

Ellen shook her head.

“I’ll make you something.”

As expected, being sick really made me feel like a king.

“Are you going to feed me as well?”

“…You don’t need me to do that anymore.”

Ellen stared at me as if she wanted to say that I shouldn’t cross the line.

* * *

Ellen sat down in front of Reinhardt, who was eating the cream risotto she had made. She did the same.

She was thinking about holding back a little while cooking, but she’d ended up doing her best instead. He was a patient, after all.

It tasted very, very good. She had to cook with the ingredients she could find in Temple, which were nothing but first-grade, and Ellen was also very skilled, so it wasn’t easy for her to cook badly on purpose.

“You can do it all now, huh?”

She thought that Reinhardt would feel disappointed or sad if he found out that she could cook better than him, but she seemed to have been mistaken. Reinhardt only said that he was glad now that there was one less annoying thing for him to do.

“I’m only doing this until you get better.”

Ellen, of course, emphasized that it was an exception and that she wouldn’t cook again later on. Reinhardt simply nodded, saying that there was no need to make such a big fuss about it.

Reinhardt’s injury was much worse than her own had been, so he didn’t heal as quickly as her.

However, even though he should’ve quietly rested and waited for his body to recover, he still kept wandering around here and there. Would it hurt him more to just stand still?

“What about the Magic Research Society?”

“Oh, I went there today. I was good. Looks like we’ve gotten a whole lab, not just a room.”

The Magic Research Society…

When Ellen had heard that Reinhardt was going to be the president of the Magic Research Society, she’d really doubted her own ears.

Why magic so suddenly? How did that make sense?

However, when she found out more details, she thought it might actually be quite plausible.

Reinhardt had only made that suggestion because he thought it would be good if the magic major students gathered and did some magic research together. He hadn’t meant to become a member.

But he didn’t just become a member of that club, he actually became its president.

Ellen thought that it might have been because of Harriet.

She couldn’t help but think that way after she saw Harriet de Saint-Owan’s expression—she’d looked so happy when she talked about the Magic Research Society while standing next to Reinhardt.

Harriet liked Reinhardt, Ellen knew that.

However, Harriet, who majored in magic, other assisting abilities, and combat magic, rarely had any overlap with Reinhardt during class or in their daily lives.

He practically lived in the training hall, after all.

There weren’t many occasions for her to see Reinhardt. Maybe that was the reason why she brought him into the club. Ellen felt like she’d gotten a rough idea of what’d happened.

However, Reinhardt had actually taken on the role of the Magic Research Society’s president, which was of no use to him.

What was the meaning of that?

“Yawn… Now that I’vr eaten, I feel pretty tired.”

Ellen frowned as she glanced at Reinhardt eating the risotto.

He had to have been busy with his own affairs, but he’d still taken care of the magic major students and even taken over the role of club president.

What was the reason for that? He was in so much pain that he could only barely move around with crutches, but he was still working so diligently.

—Not for himself, but for someone else.

For Harriet.

That might only mean one thing. Reinhardt…

Towards Harriet de Saint-Owan.

“Hey, what’s up with that expression?”

“…What?

“Why do you look so desperate? Is someone going to die?”

Ellen didn’t know what expression she was wearing.

What expression was she making?

Ellen really couldn’t tell.

“I’m not eating this slowly because it’s not tasty, it’s just hard to move my jaw.”

Reinhardt was slowly nibbling at his food with a spoon, so, thinking that Ellen was put in a bad mood because of that, he said something like that.

Reinhardt didn’t go to the training hall those days because he couldn’t.

She knew that.

He would come back to the training room again, wield his training sword, bicker with her all day and whining after he got better

However…

Ellen felt anxious that something that’d never actually belonged to her would get taken away from her.

He didn’t belong to her, so he couldn’t be stolen from her either.

She had no reason to think that way.

However, Ellen couldn’t stop her thoughts from unconsciously wandering in that kind of direction.

Ellen ended up leaving more than half of the risotto on her plate.

* * *

It was such a relief that I could take classes again, although I couldn’t attend practice-oriented classes at all.

However, I still got to observe the newly assigned Magic Body Strengthening Class with Ellen.

Rather than using my own magical power, though, all I got was something similar to a Ki Therapy from the yoga master. Should I call it refreshing? I could feel a certain type of energy flowing and swaying through my whole body.

I roughly guessed that it would feel like that if one properly used Magic Body Strengthening.

I felt like I might end up failing the midterm exams at that rate. I didn’t really have any attachments towards my grades, but I didn’t want to end up flunking.

Of course, there was also the possibility of some people trying to do something to me while I was that weak.

But it somehow seemed like everything had gotten resolved already.

There were four people who hated me:

The three idiot brothers and Heinrich.

Heinrich’s hatred for me seemed to have reduced a bit after we’d gone to the Edina Islands. We weren’t close friends or anything like that, but he didn’t openly show any contempt for me or actively try to avoid me anymore.

And regardless of the outcome, I’d fought for the sake of Erich’s and the arrogant brother’s revenge and got seriously injured in the process. They still seemed to be afraid of me, but they didn’t seem to hate me.

I’d somehow managed to sort things out with those whom I had been on bad terms with to some extent.

Rather than hatred for me, the only feeling they had left for me was fear. While that wasn’t all that good either, it meant that there wouldn’t be any accidents, at least.

Ultimately, I still couldn’t focus on my training, even if I wanted to, because of my injury, so I paid more attention to work involving the Magic Research Society than staying in the training room.

Of course, I couldn’t actually help with their research itself.

All I could do was take care of things as the club president.

The budget, for example…

“So you want me to triple your current budget?”

“Yes.”

“…Your current budget is 5,000 gold coins. You know that this is an unusually high amount, right?”

I was attending the Royal Class club meeting at that moment.