There are times when I wonder if I’m more popular than I realize.

Since enrolling, not a single noble has willingly approached me. Between the rumors about me, my practiced stoic expression, and the rather intimidating skills I’ve shown, it’s no surprise. And even those skills—relying on firearms rather than the swordsmanship or magic nobles usually favor—aren’t exactly a hit among the nobility in my class.

Even if “Sylvia Pengryphon” is likable enough based on looks alone, the rest of my persona seems to set up enough barriers to keep anyone from trying to get close.

Yet, somehow, my circle of acquaintances continues to grow.

Alice? That makes sense. We’ve been together since childhood, and I’ve always made an effort to help her develop confidence. Her father, the Emperor, has a unique way of expressing his love, and since her mother passed away long ago, it’s only natural that we’d form a close bond.

Claire? That’s understandable, too. I treated her kindly in a rough situation and helped her out of it. Even though our time together was short, the impact was strong enough to leave a lasting impression.

But as for the others gathering around me, it’s still puzzling.

Mia Crowfield and I were enemies in the past. Charlotte, if anything, would have every reason to dislike me for disregarding her father. Leo seemed somewhat intimidated by me, and I had no prior connection to Jake.

So, why are they all here?

…Could it be because of Leo?

In the original story, Leo was the protagonist, and wherever Leo went, the party would inevitably follow.

"Uh… w-why are you staring at me like that?" Leo asked nervously as I glanced at him.

"It’s nothing."

It wouldn’t be fair to say it’s all his fault. He didn’t intend to draw everyone here on purpose.

I shifted my gaze and saw Lena Meyer, face unreadable.

Technically, I’d brought her here to assess her skills.

To be honest, I didn’t actually feel the need to evaluate her abilities. She didn’t seem like an immediate threat, and her attitude toward me appeared positive. If she’d been genuinely spying on me, she wouldn’t have been caught napping with her face buried in a stuffed toy.

The real purpose had been to keep Mia Crowfield from picking up on Lena’s true personality and causing her to break character. Yet, somehow, word had spread, and now every student I was on speaking terms with had ended up here in one place.

Even Leo and Claire had joined while on a mission. They’d run into us by coincidence and simply tagged along.

"…I’d planned to assess skills on a mission," I started.

But with Leo and Claire scooping up every available job since morning, all that remained were trivial tasks. None were sufficient for the assessment I’d been pretending to arrange, so I hadn’t taken any.

Even without a mission, there were usually beasts wandering near the road.

"It seems small tasks wouldn’t be much use for a proper evaluation."

Lena gave a confident nod, face still impassive.

I could feel the others’ curious gazes prickling around us, likely intrigued by the fact I’d specifically called Lena out.

"For now, could I see the weapon you plan to use?"

While I knew the main characters’ weapons by heart, Lena Meyer’s remained a mystery. Not that it was hidden—her firearms were plainly visible.

Since Rondarium, modeled after London’s weather, rarely goes above 30 degrees even in high summer, it was a bit chilly in May. Even I had discarded my overcoat, so for Lena, who came from an even colder region, it probably felt like summer.

She’d kept on her school uniform jacket, though, and her holstered pistols were clear to see.

Like me, with my revolver holstered under my arm, Lena wore a pistol holstered under each shoulder. I could guess their make just by the distinctive grips.

"Understood."

At my request, Lena promptly drew both pistols.

At first glance, they looked like the semi-automatic pistols used by Nazi Germany during World War II on Earth.

In fact, it seemed her guns were modeled on the Luger P08. The Republic’s soldiers used similar weapons in the story. None of the main party members used firearms, but they were seen occasionally.

And I found myself intensely envious of Lena Meyer’s pistols.

It’s not that the Empire lacks semi-automatic pistols. Though a bit less reliable than a revolver, semi-automatics offer rapid fire and quicker reloading, which can be useful.

Still, I stuck with my break-action revolver for a reason.

The Empire’s standard semi-automatic pistol, the “Wexler Semi-Automatic,” was based on the real-world Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver.

It looked like a blocky stick with a handle attached, as though someone had hammered a paper towel roll into a short chunk of wood and fitted a metal tube into the barrel.

When I first saw it, I couldn’t believe anyone had modeled a gun to look that way. But finding out it was based on a real firearm had been a shock.

In short, I don’t use it because it’s ugly.

Lena’s pistols, on the other hand, bore a striking resemblance to the Luger—one of the most sought-after trophies by American soldiers during the war. It was beautiful, really. The only downside was that its ammunition wasn’t compatible with the Empire’s standard rounds.

"Wouldn’t dual-wielding pistols reduce accuracy?"

When I asked, Lena shook her head.

"I train consistently to maintain control."

If Lena were meant to be a “main character,” this fighting style wouldn’t be unusual. Just as swordsmen could wield sword energy, there were gun-wielders who could shoot two pistols at once with perfect accuracy.

"…Understood," I replied, nodding reluctantly.

---

"We have a good target in mind for our job—think that might work?" Claire suggested as I pondered what kind of prey would be appropriate for a test.

Her suggestion caught me off guard. I hadn’t even spoken, but it seemed she’d sensed my hesitation.

"…Is that so?"

I decided to follow her lead on this one.

"Yes, it’s…"

Claire pulled a small paper from her pocket and unfolded it.

Scrawled on the sheet was the name of our target.

"This is…"

"Yes, it’s a type of amorphous monster."

An amorphous monster.

Most of the beasts that roamed the wilderness were merely animals—or at least, animals by the standards of this world, though they’d be classified as monsters back on Earth. After all, we’re talking about fire-breathing bears and wind-wielding wolves here.

However, there were also true “monsters” roaming these lands. Even here, such creatures were categorized separately from regular beasts.

Amorphous monsters were like slimes.

Some have tentacle-like appendages that lash out like whips; others mimic the appearance of ordinary animals.

Claire’s target resembled the former but with a difference: rather than tentacles that act like whips, this creature’s “limbs” were about as thick as a golem’s fists. And instead of being a gelatinous mass oozing over the ground, it stood upright on two legs.

Physical attacks had little effect. One would need magic from a mage or a swordsman using energy-infused attacks to deal any real damage to it. For a well-leveled character, it wouldn’t be much of an issue.

The reason I could picture it so clearly, despite Claire’s brief description, was because it was also an enemy in the game.

Hmm…

It seemed a bit much to take on with only two pistols—

"I’ll do it."

—But before I could voice my concern, Lena had confidently answered, reading the paper alongside me.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I’ve trained to handle such enemies."

"…Is that so?"

Considering her words, I paused for a moment before answering.

"Very well."