Chapter 2
Lost within the vastness of the academy, I stand perplexed, wondering which direction to take. Fortunately, a nearby teacher, noticing my visible confusion, comes to my aid, guiding me safely to the reception where I need to complete my paperwork.
From there, things proceed smoothly.
I manage to finalize my registration without any hitches.
In this world, I’ve fully mastered the language. In my previous life, I received a general education and had experienced various administrative procedures during my high school entrance exams. To the surprise of the receptionist, I completed the paperwork with a speed and precision that would never suggest I was a mere commoner.
「…Maybe I should buy something on my way back?」
I ponder as I consider my household’s financial situation.
As I muse, from the outskirts of town, a girl’s scream echoes from an alleyway off the central street.
「…Hmm?」
Death, crime, a person’s screams – they’re mundane in this city.
No one stops for a mere girl’s scream; the commoners continue with their daily lives as usual.
「Should I help, I wonder?」
Having just finished my procedures at the academy and having caught a whiff of a familiar scent of an old civilization, I instinctively head towards the alley from where the scream originated, without giving it much thought.
■■■■■
Although the main street, where corpses occasionally lay, is somewhat relieved of its stench thanks to someone having spread deodorants, the alleyway reeks of decay. This foul odor, untouched by any intervention, hits me as I walk.
「Oh?」
I reach the source of the scream and utter in bewilderment.
「No, stop… please stop!」
「Why beg when you came to such a filthy place!」
「A woman… A woman…」
「Haa… haa… haa…」
Jobless thugs who inhabit the back alleys, living off discarded trash, insects, and even resorting to cannibalism to sate their hunger, all while committing crimes.
Three such men now attempt to assault a young girl.
This sight, albeit disturbing, isn’t uncommon.
What’s unusual is the girl’s attire. Despite her modest clothing, its undeniable quality and elegance suggest she hails from the upscale residential areas.。
Is she a noble’s daughter or perhaps from a prominent merchant family?
Either way, it’s puzzling why she’s in such a place.
「What are you doing?」
I ask aloud, invoking my magic.
With a gust of wind, I blow away the three men advancing on the girl.
「…What?」
「Are you alright?」
With her dulled golden hair and blue eyes, the girl looks up.
The unsightly stains from the men’s grubby hands mar her outfit. Addressing her, I extend my hand to offer assistance.