Chapter 320: Chapter 320: At the Shelter

◇◆◇◆◇

The Magic Academy in the eastern parts of Raum was just barely outside of the range where Cortina used barricades to guide the Goblins.

This was a building that had fences and a designated shelter. The citizens from the surroundings had gathered there, and the newbie Adventurers patrolled the fences.

Naturally, Michelle was among them too. She, who could use her ranged bow attacks from within the fences, was the most promising defensive power among everyone in this shelter.

“I wonder if Cloud is okay.”

“What, Michelle. Are you worried about your boyfriend?”

“It’s not like thaat. Besides, Cloud is head over heels for Nicole, you know?”

“Huh, really!?”

As the classmate from the Adventurer Academy poked fun at her, she replied back with a pout.

She was spreading a rumor that would make Cloud get goosebumps if he heard it. That this would serve as yet another source of envy towards him was a story for another time.

“Still, having to patrol a fixed radius sure is worrying.”

“There are a lot of Goblins, and they don’t have any edible parts, so I hate them.”

“That’s the reason you hate them? Well, that does sound like you, Michelle.”

“And Letina’s not around today.”

Letina had returned home to take care of the people that were being sheltered at her mansion. She did not participate in the defense of the Magic Academy.

“Nicole is here too, though. I hear she is super strong, isn’t she?”

“Yes. But she’s out for patrol now.”

Among the newbie Adventurers, those who took vanguard roles were patrolling the area within the barricades.

Naturally, she hadn’t seen Nicole since morning. The same went for Cloud.

“Nicole is quite reckless, so I hope she doesn’t do anything rash when she finds the Goblins.”

“Really? She looks so lady-like though.”

“You’ll realize if you talk to her, but she’s actually really mischievous.”

“Heh, I suppose you can’t judge people by their appearances.”

“She’s also super clumsy. So you are always in suspense when she’s around.”

“She’s a vanguard despite attending Magic Academy, also a refined lady yet mischievous and clumsy… That’s quite a lot of attributes.”

“Well, she certainly is strong and reliable too, though.”

Be it the time with the Kobolds or during the assassination incident in the forest, she always rushed to her side when she was in a predicament.

And each time, despite coming out in tatters, she still succeeded in eliminating the threat.

She was the sweetest and the bravest friend that she was proud of. That was Nicole.

She found pride in talking about her to her friends. Despite the tense circumstances, the fact that Michelle was able to deal with things calmly was surely because Nicole was there with her.

But then, Finia suddenly came running looking to be at her wits’ end.

“Michelle, have you seen Lady Nicole!?”

“Oh, Finia. No, I haven’t seen her since this morning. She is probably patrolling somewhere, isn’t she?”

Everyone in the Academy knew that Nicole was aiming to become a magic swordsman.

The students should have seen her gallant figure at least once as she charged towards the enemies with her katana that she received from her father and her bestowal magic.

As such, she had been considered a vanguard and sent to patrol the surroundings.

“But she hasn’t returned even for lunch. Cloud hasn’t either, but Mateus had seen him.”

“Then, do you mean to say that the other patrols haven’t seen her either?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

After she heard that much, Michelle recalled the conversation she had with her friend earlier.

Nicole was very responsible, was considerate of her comrades, and above all, she held a strong sense of justice. It would not be strange if she had sneaked out to participate in the Goblin interception in order to help Cortina who had been shut in the command post around the clock.

What would be the end result of that? Everyone had seen Nicole fainted at least once, after she had forced herself and ended up that way. If she ended up that way in the middle of a battle with no one to cover for her…

“Oh no, Nicole will become a seedbed for the Goblins!”

“HUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHH!?”

Finia went pale from panic after hearing Michelle’s statement stemming from a wild imagination.

Goblins could breed among themselves, but they could also do it with other races. Young she may be, with a beautiful girl like her before their eyes, there was no way the Goblins wouldn’t get aroused.

“W-W-W-What should we do, Finia. Nicole’s gonna become a mommy at this rate!?”

“We can’t let them do something so envi-, I mean outrageous to her. Wait for me, Lady Nicole, I will save you now!”

“Wait, wait! Us rear guards who are ranked below three can’t go out!”

Seeing the confused Michelle and Finia who had started to run wild, the surrounding classmates started to desperately stop them. Still, thinking that Nicole could be in danger at this very moment, the two couldn’t calm down at all.

“But, but..!”

“Oh my, could it be that you need some assistance?”

Then, another voice suddenly made itself known and stirred more trouble. It was a girl in white that had approached them without them realizing it.

“Goddess!”

“Oh what a sweet child you are, Michelle. You are the only one who reveres me as a god.”

It was the self-proclaimed goddess who had given her the Third Eye. Seeing her, Michelle jumped up in glee.

◇◆◇◆◇