Demotion And Promotion

The mushroom party that was supposed to restore harmony to the class.

However, it broke up in less than three minutes after it began.

The moment they took a bite of the mushrooms, the classmates were struck by intense stomach pain.

Their faces turned even paler than the mushrooms themselves, and without caring if their clothes got dirty, they rolled around on the ground.

“Ughhh…! I-it hurts! It hurts so bad! At this rate, I’m gonna die!”

“Th-this is bad, seriously bad! W-we need help from the Saints of the other classes…! S-someone… anyone…!!”

But the prideful Weiss stopped the classmates who were about to call for help.

“S-stop it! Don’t do something so disgraceful! If we were injured in battle, that would be one thing—but to rely on Saints for food poisoning would make us a laughingstock! My entire family is watching my performance!”

“Grrrk…! I’m the same way! But is this really the time to say that!? Then at least, the infirmary—!”

“The infirmary is even more unacceptable! If we end up relying on the infirmary, my class’s evaluation will—!”

The Royal Pioneer Academy did have an infirmary.

It existed to treat students who suffered injuries too severe for Saints to handle during frontier survival training.

However, using that facility resulted in a severe penalty being imposed on the class.

Class 1-20 completely fell apart.

No—since everyone was crawling on the ground, it would be more accurate to say they disintegrated on the ground.

The class split into those who wanted to call for help and those who didn’t, and finally began fighting each other.

They were supposed to be excellent adventurers, but because of the stomach pain, they couldn’t use magic or skills.

They grappled and rolled around like fighting caterpillars.

It was a pitiful, mud-and-tears-soaked battle of unprecedented lowliness.

And in the end, bodies were strewn everywhere.

All members of Class 1-20 lay unconscious in front of the school gate, eyes rolled back and foam at their mouths.

They were finally discovered the next morning and all sent to the infirmary.

Only the second day since classes had begun—and a total class wipeout at that—was an unprecedented incident at the academy.

Although the members of Class 1-20 recovered the same day thanks to the infirmary teacher’s treatment, the price they paid was immeasurable.

As a matter of course, they were ordered to be ranked down.

From the “C” they had received at the entrance ceremony… to “C−”!

“Ugh… UoooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO—!!!”

Weiss screamed as if he were being burned alive by flames at this disgrace.

He did not know.

That if he had not expelled Leopin, none of this would have happened.

……And then, time returned to the present—just after Leopin’s lunch.

Because I had been massively late, I couldn’t attend the morning on-campus orientation.

As a result, I missed learning the layout of the academy, but I figured I’d get familiar with it as I went along.

The afternoon was for regular classes.

Classes at the Royal Pioneer Academy were broadly divided into two types.

The first was “general subjects,” which all students were required to attend.

The morning orientation was one example of that.

The afternoon classes belonged to the second type: “elective subjects.”

Multiple classes were held simultaneously, and students could choose whichever they liked.

You could take classes related to your job, or choose something different in hopes of discovering something new.

Since frontier development was evaluated on a class basis, classes normally discussed who would take which subjects.

But since I was all alone in the Special Training Class, I didn’t have to worry about anyone else.

I checked the timetable and picked a class that looked promising.

It was the Leather Crafter course.

A production-type class that taught crafting using leather.

I had always loved crafting, so handling leather was right up my alley.

I had just obtained Flying Dragon Leather, and after leveling up, I could now choose the Leather Crafter job as well.

“There couldn’t be a class more perfectly timed for me. All right, this is the one.”

When I headed to the classroom, plenty of male students were already there.

Just as I was about to take an empty seat, the vice principal—who happened to be in the room—called out to me.

“No! Leopin-kun! Your seat is here, zansu!”

The vice principal had apparently followed behind me and prepared a special seat just for me.

That said, it was nothing more than bare floor in the corner of the classroom, without even a mat.

I had originally been sitting in the very front, but with no choice, I moved all the way to the back.

After a short while, the instructor entered the room.

“Hello there. I was introduced during the entrance ceremony, but I’ll introduce myself again. I’m Filaphy, and I’ll be teaching the Leather Crafter and Tailor classes. Nice to meet you.”

Instructor Filaphy was a gentle-looking woman with glasses and fluffy hair, giving off a very laid-back impression.

“As expected, the Leather Crafter class has a lot of boys. But since the number isn’t very large, it’ll be a joint class with the neighboring Tailor course. All right everyone, please come on in.”

At her signal, many female students entered through the door connecting to the adjacent classroom.

“Oooh!?”

The aspiring leather crafters buzzed with excitement.

Leather Crafter students were mostly boys, while Tailor students were almost entirely girls.

“Since it’s a joint class, Tailor students, please sit next to the Leather Crafter students. Even if the materials are different, you’ll learn more that way.”

Among the Tailor students was Monaka.

The vice principal immediately set up a luxurious chair resembling a throne.

“Yes! Monaka-san, please sit here, zansu! From this seat, the sponsors will be able to clearly admire the beautiful embroidery woven by your supple fingers, zansu!”

“U-um…”

Monaka hesitated, but then noticed me and her face instantly brightened.

“Ah, Leo-kun!”

She trotted over and, without the slightest hesitation, sat properly on her knees right next to me on the floor.

Then, with a lively expression, she declared,

“Vice Principal, I’ll sit here!”

“N-nooo!? A Saint of Monaka-san’s caliber sitting on the ground…! If you do that, the sponsors will not stay silent, zansu!”

“Huh? But Leo-kun, who is also a student, is sitting on the floor, isn’t he? If Leo-kun sits on a chair, then I’d like to sit on a chair as well.”

“Grrrk…! Th-that… that is unacceptable…!”

The vice principal clenched his teeth so hard it looked like he might start bleeding.

His face turned red, then blue, as if he were being forced into an impossible choice.

At last, wearing the expression of someone being strangled, he squeezed out a pained cry.

“G-ggh…! S-sit… sit on a chair…! S-sit on a chair, zansu, Leopin-kun!”

And just like that, I was promoted—from the floor to a chair.