Ranoa Magic Academy boasts quite the gigantic school-grounds.
This vast area was fashioned mostly with brickwork, buildings composed of various bricking styles fashioned the sides of the ridged pathway, leading directly to the central building which looked like a castle.
Upon first seeing it from far away, it looks like it could have been used as a fortress.
The best image I could use to describe it is Tsukuba Daigaku[3].
Maybe not though, I've never actually seen a photograph of Tsukuba Daigaku before.
For now, I showed the letter I had received to the guard at the gate of the school.
[Excuse me, I appear to have received this letter...]
The guard took a look at the letter, and gave me an understanding nod.
[Do you know where the Administrative Building is?]
[I'm sorry, I do not know yet.]
[Alright then, From here go straight, it'll be to the right of the statue of the Academy's Founder. The building with the blue roof. Just hand this letter to the receptionist there, and she'll take care of the rest for you.]
[I see, thank you very much for your help.]
In no time, I already noticed Elinalise-san making eyes at the guard, so I responsibly pulled her by the ear along with me.
Indeed, straight ahead of us was the statue of the Academy Founder.
Lining both sides of the road, there are withered trees.
If spring were to come, would Sakura bloom here?
I doubt that this world even has Sakura trees.
Towering 3 meters higher than the largest of the withered trees here, was a brick wall.
Even if facing an attack by many people, a wall archer would probably say something like [Take 'em on!] [4]
[All the buildings here are made from Magic-proof brick, it seems.]
[Hmm...]
As Elinalise muttered that, I examined the wall closely.
As for what the Magic-proof bricks are,
As the name implies, it is a brick that has a high tolerance for magical power.
It seems that it would be able to withstand an attack by certain large-scale attack magics.
I wonder how much tolerance there is though?
I kind of want to fire a shot and confirm it that way.
I probably shouldn't though.
I heard that the Magic Guild has a monopoly on manufacturing and sales regarding it.
In Asura Kingdom, it's so expensive to get that it's only being used in the Castle town.
I didn't even see any in the Dragon King Country or Milis for that matter.
However, it's quite prevalent in the lands of the Magic Triumvirate.
Though the manufacturing process is strictly confidential, the raw material costs might not be that high.
Coming through the brick passage, the road opens up into a large plaza.
The road forks into three paths from here.
At the center is the statue of a woman wearing a robe.
『Ranoa Magic Academy, First Principal - Frau Claudia. Fifty-Sixth Generational Head of the Magic Guild.』。
Such was written on a plate affixed to the statue.
It seems this is the statue of the first principal.
The walls of brick taper off here.
On the road in front of us, a huge group of school buildings look like a fortress.
It seems I can only fit about 6 buildings in my scope of vision.
Suddenly, from a place near the side of the school building that looked like an activities field, a large flame erupted into the air.
Is class in session I wonder?
To the left, there are a number of red-roofed buildings.
This is also a gargantuan building, with many windows, and an attached veranda.
I wonder, if in the student dorms, if the veranda is where you put the laundry out to dry...?
Now then.
The blue roofs are on the right, and the red roofs are on the left.
Because I am not a Sylvanian Family[5] I went to the right.
[Somehow, I'm getting more excited the closer we get.]
Elinalise cheerily spoke
[Really?]
[But, that's because it's such a big building!]
What's made this bitch suddenly start acting like this?
So I thought about it for a moment.
It seems that Adventurers don't usually have any business heading into large buildings like this.
At most, the largest building they will visit is that of the Adventurer's Guild.
So the opportunities to see such a huge building are few if any.
[So, Elinalise-san, what's the largest building you've ever entered up until now?]
[Of course it would have to be the Milishon Adventurer's Guild!]
[Ho~, That was a rather large building wasn't it?]
I have also visited the Milishon Adventurer's Guild before.
It was certainly a wonderful place.
But it wasn't surprising to me who has seen far bigger buildings in my previous life.
[What a dull boy you are. The first time I saw the Milishon Adventurer's Guild, I was so excited seeing it that I was unintentionally clinging on to Paul.... Tch, Now why did you have to make me go and remember a thing like that.]
Elinalise-san grumbled, then made an unpleasant face by herself.
She really dislikes Paul.
To the woman who self-proclaims that any man is satisfactory... when it comes to Paul...
Just what the hell did you do Paul?
I wonder how many years it has been since Paul and Elinalise separated?
I'm 15 years old now, so it surely has to be longer than that.
[Pardon me for asking, but how old is Elinalise-san?]
[Ara ara, you know it's not nice to ask a lady her age.]
[For the record, I'll be 50 years old soon.]
[What a liar!]
Chatting while we walked, we finally reached the building with the blue roof at last.