Chapter 42: Alice, I Chose You! (2)

As befitting an academy that has held the highest position for a thousand years, the dormitory boasted a grandeur that surpassed even that of a decent mansion.

A single door adorned with unnecessarily lavish decorations could easily fetch enough to buy a thousand fish!

Thus, the dormitory was a place with not only excellent facilities but also security so thorough that guards patrolled the surroundings.

If I were human, I would have had to attempt a covert infiltration or sneak in at dawn to enter this place…

But I am a cat.

So even if I walked in openly, people would only show a bit of interest and no one would say anything.

Well, there might be someone who tries to shoo me out… but since I deliberately wore a collar, it was highly likely that they would think I was a cat owned by a dormitory student.

Besides, since I came nestled in the arms of Kazein, who lives in the dormitory, there wouldn’t be anyone who would bother me.

“Oh, senior. Did you bring it all the way here?”

“Yeah. Nine said they had some business in the dormitory.”

“Nine, I didn’t expect that…”

“Do you want to say that to a cat?”

At my words, Marina awkwardly smiled and poked my cheek.

“Just kidding~ But what’s the business?”

“I’m looking for a student.”

“A student? Don’t tell me it’s a selection?”

“Selection? No, I just have something to talk about.”

Preferably alone.

This dormitory, being a high-class one, mostly has single rooms, so once I get into Alice’s room, we can talk privately.

“Nine, I didn’t expect you to be such a flirt.”

“Stop talking nonsense and let’s go.”

“Why, I’ll come with you. I was heading to the lab anyway. I can go back with you, senior… Let’s go together.”

The annoying half-elf, Marina, has joined the party!

…Well, she’s not the type to cause trouble, so it should be fine.

We moved to the dormitory management office with the noisy half-elf in tow.

————–

“What should I do…”

A fresh joint class notice posted on the bulletin board.

Alice, holed up in her dorm room, buried her face in her knees and sobbed.

‘Sigh, I have to do a joint class…’

At Pelisec Academy, joint classes don’t have the concept of automatically forming teams.

Because forming a group is also part of the test.

Recruiting capable individuals and managing a party is a basic skill in party operations, and it directly affects the party’s capabilities.

But for loners, such tests are particularly tough.

‘Ah, no one will include me…’

Being the top student in the magic department is not a position to be taken lightly.

In terms of grades alone, there’s only one student in the same department and year who can keep up with Alice Darkmoon.

But the problem lies in Alice’s ghost-like presence and disastrous communication skills.

Forming a group ultimately requires continuous communication to enhance team synergy.

It’s hard to find students who would trust Alice, who can’t hold a proper conversation, to back them up.

Magic is also tricky; if coordination with party members isn’t good, it’s easy to cause team kills.

‘What should I do… I promised my mentor I’d do well…’

I couldn’t make a single friend, nor do I blend well into the atmosphere.

Lately, I’ve been receiving disappointing looks for a top student.

‘Sigh, but when there are too many people… my stomach churns…’

Speaking up in a crowd is harder than dropping a meteor on the ground.

Tears like chicken droppings soaked her knees.

Today, too, the hem of her nightgown would bear tear stains.

If not for the unexpected visitor who appeared.

Knock knock knock.

“…Huh?”

‘Who… is here?’

Alice’s head turned towards the door.

Knock knock knock.

“It’s not the door…?”

Alice followed the sound and turned her gaze to the window. 

Outside the window, a familiar cute intruder was staring straight at her.

“A cat?”

‘Today, I am Giganine. Giganine…’

The sight of the cat knocking on the window like a person made Alice approach and unlock the window.

“Kitty, what brings you here? The garden is far from here…”

She reached out her hand but then withdrew it.

Afraid the sudden visitor might run away.

Regardless, the cat confidently entered the room and settled on the desk across from the bed, staring at Alice.

Alice, with swollen eyes, blankly stared at the oddly large cat and approached, bowing her head.

A moment of silence.

Alice belatedly realized something and tilted her head.

‘This is the 5th floor… how did it get up here?’

If it came through the door, it wouldn’t be strange, but isn’t the dormitory exterior protected by security magic?

Remembering this, Alice considered whether she should be suspicious of the white cat, but she had to stop thinking when she suddenly heard a voice.

“Hello, Alice.”

“A talking cat…!”

‘Since my mentor keeps a familiar, she doesn’t seem too surprised.’

In fact, her sparkling eyes suggest she might even like it.

Having finished her thoughts, Nine stood up on two legs and looked up at Alice.

“Wh-what brings you here…?”

“I came because you were crying.”

“R-really?”

At the casually thrown remark, Alice’s hands clasped over her chest.

Through her interlaced fingers, a faint glimmer of hope appeared on Alice’s face.

“Yes, really. If it’s okay, may I hear your worries?”

Unlike Orca and Irina, who have strong mentalities, Alice’s mentality is like a cotton candy soaked in water, requiring delicate handling.

Thus, Nine called out to Alice in a softer voice than usual.

“Actually… there’s a joint class, but I can’t find a party…”

“Alice, you’re a smart and capable mage, aren’t you? Why can’t you find one?”

“I-I’m scared…”

‘Not much different from the original.’

Should I be happy or not?

Nine, with mixed feelings, listened to the ongoing conversation.

“I-I don’t know how to approach them… even when I try to talk, they don’t respond well…”

“I see.”

Alice’s lament continued endlessly.

Even when sitting in front, the professor always calls her, it’s hard to eat in the cafeteria so she secretly eats in the bathroom, and if too many people stare, she can’t chant properly…

Listening to this endless stream of complaints was a trial, but Nine could endure it for the sake of her goal.

Click.

After all, if she could recruit the future great mage with the best talent just by listening to her complaints, it was a bargain.

“…Sorry. I talked too much, didn’t I?”

“No, it’s fine. You can talk more.”

“….”

Nine placed her paw on Alice’s hand and spoke in a gentle voice.

“You’ve been through a lot. You’ve held up well.”

It’s hard.

Really hard.

Calming a child isn’t Nine’s specialty.

Nine rolled the complicated walnut in her mind and continued.

“About the party, I think I can help you find one.”

“A-a party?”

“Yeah. I know some good friends, despite how I look.”

“I-it’s okay. Someone like me…”

“Hey, no bad words.”

Nine immediately cut off Alice’s negative remark.

She’s never done psychological counseling, but she knows that negative thinking isn’t good for mental health.

Fortunately, Alice closed her mouth at Nine’s words.

“You’re an amazing mage. And the people I’ll introduce are nice too. So, come meet them with me tomorrow.”

“T-tomorrow?”

“Yes, tomorrow. These things should be done quickly once decided.”

Half-hearted decisions usually end up fizzling out.

Nine made the appointment before Alice could hesitate.

“I’ll go with you too.”

“O-okay…”

Reluctantly, Alice nodded. 

Seeing this, Nine felt her business was done and leapt towards the window.

She couldn’t sleep here, so she planned to return to the garden where the brown fur awaited and sleep.

On the way, she might chat with Celine.

But Nine couldn’t achieve her goal.

A faint voice called her back.

“K-kitty… can’t you stay with me tonight…?”

“…If you want.”

The pinnacle of cat care lies in physical touch.

If necessary, tonight she would be an affectionate cat, fulfilling Giganine’s duty.

Giganine, stroking her chin that seemed about to split, closed the window.