Chapter 1514: School Politics

I went around to take a look at the store, checking out what kind of goods were being offered for sale.

When Emilia said that the store sold everything... She wasn’t really exaggerating... At least in the eyes of the locals of course.

It’s not like I could just find a section that was selling goods from my old World...

...

Actually, I was too afraid to ask because I was concerned that the answer I might receive if I were to ask if they sold them would be "Right this way!"...

Yeah... Better for me not to know... Because for her to be selling that, it would mean that the Off-Worlders working under her managed to recreate our old stuff...

Speaking of which... I wonder how the magic train is going? I wonder if Justinia has already gotten it to work?

Last I remembered, they were still laying down the tracks or something... I’m not even sure if they managed to make the engine yet.

Anyway... I really found that the store that Emilia had set up here basically sold everything that a student in Aerialla Academy might need. Even the herbs that I bought from the market stall were being sold here and even the tea leaves I bought earlier too.

Granted, the price here was just a little bit more expensive than the stall outside, but the market stall outside was seasonal and relied on the merchant flying in on the airship to have those herbs and tea leaves in stock.

In Emilia’s case, if I wasn’t wrong... These things would be stocked all year round so the people here could just purchase from our store at any time when the merchant isn’t here.

In fact, they might be so used to buying from us that they completely stop paying attention to the merchant after that.

It’s actually kind of scary if I were to think about it... That’s why I decided to stop thinking about it.

I found quite a number of interesting things within the store including some snacks which look pretty good and some cookies that I’m sure Tiara will enjoy, since I ate two packets of it myself~

There was even one part of the store that was... Err... Well... Selling some questionable things...

I’m not very sure if it was legit or not but it was advertised to be selling information like the three sizes of the girls within the Academy.

I don’t even know how they managed to get their hands on such information but I did try to see if they had mine or my girls and... The staff said that such information definitely did not exist externally.

I read between the lines and understood that they had specifically used the word ’externally’ because there’s definitely internal records but they were making sure that this information is never available I suppose.

Not that I’m interested of course, I know the sizes of my girls through touch so there’s no need for me to know the numbers.

Putting that dubious information aside, there were still quite useful information being sold as well including what classes are like under specific teachers and I can imagine students buying this information so they could prepare for those lessons ahead of time.

Although... I can imagine the professors being upset that they wouldn’t be able to surprise these students anymore... But I suppose we could have always found out about this from the senior students anyway so it wasn’t really that big of a deal if you think about it. So I guess it shouldn’t really be a surprise to find this here.

I didn’t really see a need for me to know this information ahead of time so I didn’t bother buying it, especially since I’ve pretty much attended all the first lessons of my respective classes to begin with so I already know what the professors of each class were like.

And besides... If I wasn’t able to deal with some little quirk that the professor has for the class, then I probably won’t be able to advance very far as a student either, since these obstacles were meant to improve a student’s proficiency in that particular magic as well.

I went ahead to continue my inspection of the store and found several trinkets that interest me, the trinkets having been sourced from some of the different places I’ve yet to visit.

Before I knew it, it was already time for lunch and Emilia sought me out to pull me away from my little shopping spree to meet up with the rest of my girls.

Just to be clear... Emilia’s store also served food that customers could stop by to take a bite in between their shopping, but I guess Emilia wanted us to eat somewhere else instead of here for now.

I assumed that she took me away because of how crowded it was and thought it would be better if I did not have to be crowded with the common people here on opening day.

We teleported to the cafeteria using the teleportation array, walking past the throngs of people who were still lining up to get a chance to head inside the store, making me wonder if there were some students here who were skipping classes just to be here.

As I stepped inside the cafeteria, for the first time since I started school this week, the place was actually quite empty compared to the last few days that we were here.

I mean... It was still quite crowded but there were significantly fewer people to the point that we could definitely find empty tables if we wanted to.

Still, my girls opted to use our own table instead and I found them already waiting for me in the same spot like always.

Katsuki was by my side in an instant the moment she spotted me, my Inugami maid bowing her head in greeting.

"Mistress. Welcome back. Did you have a good day today?"

I couldn’t help but reach out to pat her head, "Yes, Katuski. Today was good. Did anything happen while I was gone?"

"Nothing we could not handle, Mistress."

"That’s... Basically telling me that something did happen..." I turned to look at the rest of the girls quizzically.

Lisa waved her hands dismissively, "You don’t need to worry, Aster. It’s just some people trying to recruit us again. This group was just a little bit more insistent than the others and a little bit more annoying."

I frowned at her, "Another one? They’re still not giving up?"

"It’s not that surprising, Aster. Considering who we are and what we are capable of, it would be more stupid of them not to try. Several of us are already topping our class right now and these people would want to scout out the best early before their rivals snatch them up. Especially the Circles who are in constant competition with each other."

I tapped on my cheek, "I’m surprised that I haven’t been approached by anyone yet..."

Odeta chuckled, "Wahaha! Weren’t you approached by those people you beat up just the other day, Sister Aster?"

"Ah... I mean... That’s just one group... And I think they were just trying to make peace with me more than they were trying to recruit me. So I don’t think that counts."

Katsuki straightened herself, "I believe the Enforcer Committee is also interested in recruiting you, Mistress. They simply sent that person to scout you out first to decide if you were really good enough to be recruited."

Hmm... Now that she puts it that way... That actually sounds possible...

After that guy realised I could overpower him, his attitude changed quite a bit and wasn’t as rude anymore. At first I thought it was just because he was afraid that I would beat him up or something and he ran away... But he might actually be running off to report to his leaders that I was good enough or something.

"Hmm... But it’s just Committees so far... And I guess if you were to count that Nyarel girl, I also got an invitation from a Faction too... But no Circles have approached me yet?"

Emilia grinned, "Actually... I believe the other Circles are keeping each other in check for now. There are a few who are definitely interested, but they also know the big Circles are watching you for now and don’t dare to make a move before they do. But right now, the big Circles do not know if you would be an asset or a liability so they are still watching you from the sidelines."

I scowled, "So instead, they go after you girls instead?"

Minnera scoffed, "The smaller Circles think that if they can recruit us, they would also be able to get you as a package deal as well. That way, they still can get you without going against the bigger Circles."

Tsk... So there’s already these school politics being moved around in the shadows... And it’s only the first week of school...