Volume 2 Chapter 13-2 Stone Diviner Apprentice, Seeing Trauma
"Ah, please. I've almost given up too. So, it's fine to do it just for fun, right?"
Aren't you saying you want to do it for fun because you'd be shocked if a serious divination said you can't get married?
Are you alright?
I almost blurted out that question, but I held myself back just in time.
"Then, may I start with something I've been wondering about for a while?"
"Something you've been wondering about?"
"Whether teacher is popular or not."
"Ah... well, please go ahead."
With teacher's approval, I drew a magic circle on the table.
I rolled stones onto the magic circle with a clang.
The large Ruby I received from Lady Ruby rolled to the center of the magic circle.
The light emitted by the Ruby formed a straight, beautiful pillar of light in the center of the magic circle.
Teacher is a serious person with a strong core.
And who has feelings for such a teacher?
As I pondered this while rolling the stones on the magic circle again.
"Heh."
"Hey Elena, you laughed just now, didn't you? Clearly laughed!"
Busted.
"Well, it's just because teacher is extremely popular."
There's no way such a good-looking guy isn't popular.
"I have no memories of being popular, though."
Teacher says that, but the divination results show he's quite the catch.
It's just a bit special, though.
The stones that rolled on the magic circle arranged themselves as if they had a will of their own, spinning around.
Well, they might have just enough will to be able to hear words, but they arranged themselves in a surprisingly neat manner.
In a circle around the Ruby that had just rolled to the center of the magic circle, a total of ten stones are lined up, keeping a certain distance away from the Ruby.
"There are at least ten people who have feelings for teacher. However, they're all keeping each other in check, so none can get close to you."
"What?!"
In other words, while teacher doesn't realize it, the ladies around him are in fierce competition.
Under the surface.
If one person tries to take the lead, everyone turns into an enemy, making it dangerous to approach.
And the ones fighting are all noble ladies.
Some are even students of the academy.
"Does teacher have to marry a noble lady?"
"No, I'm not the eldest son, so I don't care about their status."
"I see... So, you have siblings, teacher."
"Yes. The eldest son looks a lot like me, and people have said we resemble each other since we were kids."
It seems the eldest of the Randy family is a super handsome dude who looks just like teacher.
However, unlike the vivid red hair and eyes that are reminiscent of a ruby, teacher's hair is a brownish-orange and his eyes are green-nanode, or so they say.
I kind of want to see him.
"The eldest son was clearly popular. He had an arranged marriage, but he still had no shortage of potential lovers afterward."
"Ah, my father was said to be similar."
"I wonder if being a handsome noble heir is just a common occurrence?"
"That could be true."
Ugh, I really don't like that common occurrence.
"Oh, sorry, I got off track. So, there are at least these many people who like teacher, but they're all noble ladies, and marrying one would be a mistake for teacher."
"A mistake, huh?"
"It's not teacher's fault; it's that distractions come from other noble ladies competing for your attention."
"Is it jealousy from women... I suppose?"
"That is indeed the case."
As I nodded firmly, teacher buried his face in his hands.
"I learned just how dangerous women's jealousy can be back in my school days."
"School days."
"There was a girl who was bullied just for talking to me. I didn't have any feelings for her at all."
It was a scary story about how just by talking, a girl became a target for bullying.
That seems to have rooted a vague fear of girls in him, creating the currently single man, Eliseo Landi.
Poor guy.
"So, I should avoid marrying any noble women around me. Does that mean I really can't get married?"
"No, there's this stone sitting lonely in a corner of the magic circle. This is teacher's destined partner."
"...Who is it?"
"It's a commoner. She's quiet and modest, but strong-minded. She's small and a bit younger than teacher. It seems teacher has a bit of a crush on her. Do you have any ideas?"
Teacher was tilting his head, thoughtfully stroking his chin, but suddenly his eyes widened as if he realized something.
"She's also thinking about the word 'milk tea.'"
"...she might be the girl from that shop I took Elena and Rolus to the other day."
"It seems like she doesn't want to let you go..."
"...But if I get close to that girl, those fierce women fighting around me won't stay quiet."
Traumas from the past are getting in the way...!
"I think it's the teacher's job to protect her from them."
"I see, so I just need to protect her..."
He should use magic for pest control or whatever to drive away those troublesome women.
"But if the teacher is too eager, it seems that girl will get scared and run away, so be careful."
"What did you say?"
"First, it means to take it slow and steady."
"I see, got it. Understood."
The teacher is entangled by past traumas, which seems troublesome, but it looks like the teacher might find happiness before marriage.
"If anything seems difficult, feel free to consult me."
"Ah, I'm counting on you."
I never thought the day would come when the teacher would rely on me.
I chuckled a bit, but even me, the diviner, couldn't foresee that I would be really relied upon in the future.
Just kidding.
* * *
"I don't know how slow and steady works, but I definitely understand that she's cute..."
"I didn't want to see such a teacher too much."
That conversation happened a month after the divination.
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