Chapter 19: The Brainless Musclemen.

With full stomachs, we get a cinnamon roll packed for Silhime and leave the shop.
Kussera grabs two for Zoldietta and her sprouting spirit.

On the way back to the academy, Tarte spends her 26 small silver coins from the potions on a cheap tea set and tea leaves.
No budgeting sense for a three-year-old, I guess.
She orders me to get my own cup, so I buy a cheap wooden teacup and a plate for snacks.

“Having a Silky brew tea anytime…” Kussera puffs her cheeks, calling me unfair.
It’s not me—it’s Tarte!

At Red Lily Dorm, we unload the girls’ stuff and part ways.
Kussera’s off to find Zoldietta for tea, while Mujihidane heads to the training grounds.
Back at Red Rose Dorm, Silhime greets us at the entrance, noticing our return.

“We got a tea set, so prepare tea, Silhime,” Tarte says.
“♪”

As we carry the load to my room, Silhime, thrilled about the tea set, hums through rustling clothes while setting up.
Hernest is off to the training grounds with Mujihidane—not a lovey-dovey date, since she never goes easy on him.
Tarte and I return Illegal Pitch to the beast shed before tea.

“Viviana’s name is infuriating, but I’ll tolerate it for now,” Tarte mutters, sipping from a soba cup marked “I Love ♥ VIVIANA.”

The teapot, strainer, and Silhime’s cup feature Viviana’s image or symbol—a hot spring mark with “VV” steam.
My plain wooden cup is the only Viviana-free item.
Tarte, who insisted on shiny white porcelain, will have to deal.
Mou Viviana, a tourist and upper-class summer retreat, restricts heavy industry to preserve Viviana’s mood, so white porcelain here is all Viviana-themed tourist merch.

Tarte keeps grumbling “infuriating” until Silhime feeds her the cinnamon roll to cheer her up.
I bought it for Silhime, but Tarte’s eaten over half…

“When I’m upset, I nap,” Tarte declares, demanding I cuddle her.

I slip into bed to soothe her, petting her head.
I’ve skipped my daily training since Tarte arrived, hoping to exercise during her nap, but the clingy toddler won’t allow it.

“I’m so mad… I want to teach Viviana a lesson…”
“That’s just spite. Viviana didn’t do anything wrong…”

Her dangerous talk continues in bed, so I tickle her cheeks.
She growls “Muu~” and clings to my arm, falling asleep.
Her hot water bottle spirit magic hits, and with my arm trapped, I drift off too—can’t move anyway.

Silhime wakes us for dinner when the bell rings.
In the cafeteria, Hernest, already there, rubs his body, likely sore from Mujihidane’s intense training.

“Sakura needs to ease up…” he groans.
“She doesn’t hold back, even against me,” I say.

During training matches, she’s merciless, even against my smaller frame, attacking with lethal intent.
I’ve learned to surrender quickly to avoid injury—she’s on another level.

“By the way, heard about the mountain hunt?” Hernest asks.
“What’s that?”
“You, of all people, are clueless? It’s to flush out dangerous animals around here and investigate monsters deeper in the mountains.”

That’s quick, considering yesterday’s attack.
New students arrive in April, with the entrance ceremony a week later.
Some are already near Mou Honmani, a two-day carriage ride away.
To prevent attacks en route, they’re acting preemptively.

“Knights and the territorial army arrive the day after tomorrow, and the hunt starts the next day. Not just dragoons but magic knights too. They’ll focus on monster investigation, not the hunt. We’ll be on full gear, with soldiers, so it’s low-risk,” Hernest says.
“Knights can fly,” I note.

In this kingdom, “knights” mean air forces, not cavalry, akin to my past life’s air force, while the territorial army is like the army.
Knight-course students, training to be knights, get roped into “practical training” like this.
Unlike our dog attack, they’ll bring full equipment and soldiers, making it safer.

“Non-knight students can volunteer for practical training too…”
“You’re not seriously going, are you?”
“We’d handle odd jobs at the base, and there’s talk of sharing materials we collect. No room to consider it?”
“Nope. Even without my artifact, it’s too dangerous not knowing what’s out there.”

Knight-course seniors, trained for group combat, are one thing, but allowing untrained volunteers?
The teachers must be crazy.
Even Zoldietta needed seniors to pull her back.
We’d be dead weight if something happened.
[Emperor], savvy in tactics, might manage, but he’s away.

“What if monsters show up?”
“Good chance to test my skills. I could handle one,” Hernest says.

He sees the hunt as a mere test.
Typical westerner…
I sigh.
Mujihidane’s family, western nobles near the monster domain, face frequent monster threats.
With no clear boundary, stepping outside town risks attack.
Westerners, shaped by this, value martial prowess and lean toward meathead thinking.

“You took down six dogs with two Koketris. A monster’s materials could help with assignments,” he says.

Monsters differ from animals by their magic content, usable for potions, while beast-like ones are magical beasts.
Assignments allow self-gathered or academy-bought materials, with student trading permitted.
Monster materials, unavailable at the shop, could boost grades, but it’s too risky.

I didn’t mention [Tarte Drill] or Dacapo, so my “big victory” and “minimal damage” got exaggerated, overshadowing the “dangerous pack” warning.
My cautionary tale became a heroic saga to this meathead.
Mujihidane even sounded jealous.
They think my dog kills mean they could handle monsters, turning belligerent.
If they met a monster now, they’d charge, get surrounded, and pummeled.
A meathead rushing for glory and self-destructing—classic trope, especially with a pledged lover.
That’s a death flag.

I don’t want to hear “You betrayed me, Moronidas!” after he gets thrashed…

Trouble is, he won’t take the pack’s danger seriously, even after hearing how it nearly overwhelmed Zoldietta on her hippogriff.
Since neither needed treatment, he downplays it.

“Dokurobaru could heal minor injuries,” he says.
“Wait, you’re dragging her into this?”
“Her healing’s pro-level. You’d feel safer with her, right?”

Dokurobaru’s healing rivals knight-course seniors.
Not quite a military medic, but a solid healer, she can even use rare [Magic Attunement] to treat unconscious patients.
Magic’s repelling nature limits direct spells on others—enemy or healing—since their magic blocks it.
Conscious patients can suppress repulsion for healing spells, but unconscious ones need [Magic Attunement], mimicking the patient’s magic to bypass resistance.
It’s risky in combat, used mostly for healing, and few students master it—Dokurobaru’s the only general-course student I know who can.
Having her would be reassuring, but she’s strong and enduring, not fast.
Her attacks lack sharpness, she’s slow to dash, and needs a step to mount a horse—classic dwarf clumsiness.
It’s cute, but she’d be the first targeted if a group scatters.
Trusting a glory-obsessed meathead to protect her? No way.

“No. I won’t let you take Dokurobaru to a dangerous place. Absolutely not.”
“What’ll you do if I don’t agree?”
“I’ll tell Mujihidane about your Sakurahime perv stunt. That’ll stop your hunt plans.”
“Alright, Moronidas, you win…”

This’ll keep him in line for a while.

“Who else were you inviting?”
“Kussera’s getting an invite from Sakura. Others when they return from break.”

Kussera’s likely safe—Zoldietta, her calm westerner sister, avoids pointless fights and won’t let Kussera take risks.
Kussera rarely defies her.
Dokurobaru’s the worry—her kind, reserved nature clashes with southern nobles’ hierarchical mindset.
She often yields to higher-ranking Mujihidane, who doesn’t adjust for others.
Someone needs to back Dokurobaru, or she’ll be steamrolled.

“I’ll stop them tomorrow.”
“Materials benefit everyone…”
“Don’t you see they’re luring volunteers with rewards because it’s dangerous?”
“Sharp… But Sakura’s too hyped to stop.”

I’ll save the perv card as a last resort.
Maybe I’ll beg Zoldietta for help—she nearly lost her hippogriff, so she’d warn against monsters.
Her words carry more weight than mine, especially since they think I’m a hero.

“Zoldietta might convince her,” I say.
“Probably. Sakura only listens to those she respects,” Hernest agrees.
“After breakfast tomorrow, we’ll ask Zoldietta. You’re coming.”
“Me too?”

Of course—he’s recruiting classmates for a risky hunt.
Zoldietta might chew him out.
He’ll be my sacrificial shield—better than having his perv stunt exposed, right?