The next day, I greeted the morning at the Ellelaura residence.
Beside me, Kumayuru and Kumakyu were sleeping comfortably.
Yesterday, Shia asked me to let her meet Kumayuru and Kumakyu, so I summoned them and played with them until late at night.
Then, I left them summoned to serve as an escort, but the guards were asleep.
Well, Kumayuru and Kumakyu would wake up if they sensed danger, so that's fine.
"Kumakyu, Kumakyu. It's morning." (Yuna)
I shook Kumayuru and Kumakyu's soft bellies.
"Kyuu~n" (Both Kuma)
Kumayuru and Kumakyu got up.
"Good morning"
"Kyuu~n" (Both Kuma)
The day began today.
After getting off the bed and changing from a white bear to a black bear, there was a knock on the door.
"Yuna-san, are you awake?" (Shia)
"I'm awake." (Yuna)
After replying, Shia came in, dressed in her uniform and well-groomed.
"Yuna-san, good morning." (Shia)
"Good morning." (Yuna)
Since this morning, her smile had been dazzling.
"I also wanted to go to the Ministry of Magic." (Shia)
"I guess there's a school." (Yuna)
"If I take a break, mother will scold me." (Shia)
A student's duty was to study.
Since I didn't go to school, these weren't the words I would say, so I wouldn't say it out loud.
However, I wanted Shia to study hard and become a fine noble daughter.
We decided to have breakfast together, so we moved to the dining room.
"Yuna-chan, good morning." (Ellelaura)
"Good morning" (Yuna)
"Good morning Kumayuru-chan and Kumakyu-chan too." (Ellelaura)
"Kyuu~n" (Both Kuma)
There were also seats for Kumayuru and Kumakyu, with fruits and honey prepared in front of them.
"Wouldn't it be better if they were small bear?" (Ellelaura)
"It's okay. They're usually the smaller one when they eat." (Yuna)
If you were big, you would eat a lot. The smaller it was, the less it needed.
"Mom, I want to go with you." (Shia)
"No" (Ellelaura)
Shia asked again, but was rejected.
Shia said, "I'm going," and reluctantly went to the school.
Elelaura-san and I prepared to go to the Ministry of Magic.
Kumayuru and Kumakyu were sent back and when we left the mansion, I saw a carriage stopped.
"Get on"
I rode a horse-drawn carriage.
The royal capital was large.
Horse-drawn carriages were also used to move around the capital.
There were horse-drawn carriages that went through the same places like buses, and there were horse-drawn carriages that were like taxis that take you to your favorite places.
This carriage seemed to be for private use. It had the coat of arms of the Foschrose family.
When we got on board, Ellelaura-san instructed the coachman, "Please head towards the Ministry of Magic."
And the carriage started moving.
"Is the Ministry of Magic far away?" (Yuna)
"It's inside the castle." (Ellelaura)
"Is that so? Then we don't have to use a carriage." (Yuna)
"The entrance is different. Yuna-chan always goes through the main gate. There are several entrances and exits in the castle." (Ellelaura)
Certainly there was.
I went around the castle with Fina before.
There were many entrances between them.
"The gate where knights and other related parties go in and out, and the gate where magic-related people go in and out. There are other gates as well. This time, we will use the magic-related gate where the Ministry of Magic is located." (Ellelaura)
"I see" (Yuna)
"We can move around from inside the castle, but we'll have to walk, so it's a hassle." (Ellelaura)
The inside of the castle was spacious.
I didn't know how many domes it would manage to fit into.
If you had to walk from one end to the other, it would be quite a distance.
It took a while when I went around the castle with Fina.
"The Ministry of Magic was inside the castle, wasn't it?" (Yuna)
"There are also important magic tools and research materials. If it's a castle, there's good security 24 hours a day, so we can control people's coming and going." (Ellelaura)
Certainly, if it was a castle, it would have good security, so it would be safe. It's also difficult to steal.
The carriage headed towards the castle and moved away from the main gate where I usually went in and out.
After the carriage moved for a while, the entrance became visible.
It was a bridge over which horse-drawn carriages passed.
When we passed the bridge, there was a soldier standing there.
The carriage stopped.
The coachman spoke a word or two, and the carriage began to move again.
"Why don't they check inside?" (Yuna)
When talking about this kind of thing, I checked to see who was riding the carriage.
"My carriage?" (Ellelaura)
What did Ellelaura-san say? She made an expression as if to say.
"I thought they were checking to see if there were any suspicious people on board." (Yuna)
"That's right. If it's a regular carriage, they'd probably check it. But this is the Foschrose family's carriage. This carriage is like a pass." (Ellelaura)
I see, so is the vehicle a proof?
"What if the carriage was stolen or someone made the same one?" (Yuna)
"It would be a big deal if the carriage was stolen, and we can't make another one the same. This carriage is specially made." (Ellelaura)
"Special?" (Yuna)
According to Ellelaura-san's explanation, this carriage had special specifications.
The Foschrose family crest and magic stone were embedded in the center of the carriage.
That was the authentication system.
It seemed to be the same principle as guild cards.
When passing through the gate, they read the magic stone attached to the carriage, recognize it as the Foschrose family, and was able to pass through.
"But what if that magic stone is stolen?" (Yuna)
"If it's stolen, just report it and disable it." (Ellelaura)
Yes, if it's stolen, you should report it.
"And unless you destroy the carriage, you won't be able to get the magic stone easily." (Ellelaura)
If you broke a carriage, it would be noticed right away.
"I see, something like that was in the carriage." (Yuna)
"By the way, this structure was also created by the Ministry of Magic. There are other things made by the Ministry of Magic that are used, but people don't know about it." (Ellelaura)
As Ellelaura-san spoke, the carriage stopped.
"Looks like we've arrived." (Ellelaura)
Just as Ellelaura-san had said, the coachman called out, "We have arrived."
Ellelaura-san opened the door and stepped out of the carriage.
I also got off the carriage following Ellelaura-san.
When we got off, the carriage started moving.
There was a large tower in front of us.
This tower was visible from outside the castle.
"Yuna-chan, this way." (Ellelaura)
Ellelaura-san started walking towards the tower and entered it.
As soon as I entered, there was a receptionist, and when she saw me, she looked surprised.
"Ellelaura-sama and…" (Receptionist)
"She's Marne-sama's guest." (Ellelaura)
"Marne-sama's..." (Receptionist)
The receptionist looked at me and then checked.
"Yes. Permission has been issued for Ellelaura-sama and her companion to enter the museum. Now, this is your admission permit." (Receptionist)
"Thank you" (Ellelaura)
Ellelaura-san started walking after receiving the card, and when I received the card, I followed along.
When I passed by the reception desk, there was a door.
"Put the card you received earlier close to this crystal board." (Ellelaura)
After saying that, Ellelaura-san brought the card she was holding close to the crystal board, and the door opened. The door then closes as Ellelaura-san passes by.
I imitated Ellelaura-san and moved closer to the crystal plate, and the door opened.
I went through the open door, and it closed.
It's like a ticket gate at a station.
"Yuna-chan, this way." (Ellelaura)
"It's quite difficult to get inside." (Yuna)
"As I said in the carriage, there is confidential information, so only those involved are allowed in." (Ellelaura)
Even an aristocrat like Ellelaura-san didn't seem to be able to act freely.
"Don't lose that card. You'll need it to pass through from now on, and you'll also need it when you go home." (Ellelaura)
It's more and more like a card to enter the station.
Beyond the door was a wide floor, and in front of it was a wide staircase that looked like something you would find in a noble mansion.
"Yuna-chan, this way." (Ellelaura)
I thought we were going up the stairs, but Ellelaura-san started walking down the left aisle.
Is it on the first floor?
Ellelaura-san stood in front of the door. There was a crystal plate next to the door.
Ellelaura-san put the card from earlier on the crystal board.
The door opened and Ellelaura-san walked into the room, so I followed.
The door closed.
The room was about 4 and a half tatamis.
There was no one or anything in the room.
"Ellelaura-san, what is this place?" (Yuna)
"Hehe, I'm sure you'll be surprised." (Ellelaura)
After saying that, Ellelaura-san approached the wall.
On the wall facing Ellelaura-san was a crystal board with a number written on it.
Ellelaura-san hit the card on the crystal board with the number 10 written on it.
"Yuna-chan, place the card at the number 10 too." (Ellelaura)
Do as you were told and hit the card on the crystal board with the number 10 written on it.
Then, just as I thought I heard a sound, I was struck by the sensation of going upwards.
Elevator!?
"Hehe, you must be surprised. It's a device that allows you to go up without using stairs." (Ellelaura)
It's an elevator.
"Something like this" (Yuna)
"It must be difficult to climb 10 floors of stairs." (Ellelaura)
That's right, but...
I didn't think there was an elevator.
This seemed to be what Ellelaura-san was talking about earlier when she said, "You can't move without a card."
In other words, it could not be used freely by anyone other than those involved.
The elevator stopped and the door opened.
"It'll be easy." (Ellelaura)
Ellelaura-san looked proud.
"Is this the only place?"
"There is one in the castle, though. Only a few people can use it." (Ellelaura)
"Why? It seems convenient." (Yuna)
"It's expensive. And it would probably be cheaper to extend the building sideways than to extend it upwards." (Ellelaura)
If you had extra land, it would be easier to spread it out horizontally.
It couldn't be helped it in Tokyo.
It was better to build a long horizontal building than to build a skyscraper in the countryside.
When we got off the elevator, a large room spread out in front of us.
When I got off the elevator, I was in a room.
The room was covered with books.
I could also see various plants and minerals.
"Who?" (Marne)
A voice came from nowhere.
"Marne-sama, it's Ellelaura." (Ellelaura)
"Ellelaura?" (Marne)
A voice came from the desk in the center.
Books were piled up on the desk, and no one was in sight.
As I approached, a person appeared from beside the desk.
Author's Note
So, they arrive at the Ministry of Magic.
20.5 volumes of books and 10 volumes of paperback editions have been released.
Thank you very much for your support.
[Notice]
Volume 20.5 of the book was released on May 2, 2024. (Next volume, planned for volume 21, currently under construction)
Comicalized volume 11 released on December 1, 2023.
Comicalized Gaiden Volume 2 released on March 5, 2024.
Paperback volume 10 released on May 2, 2024. (The application deadline for the BIG acrylic stand giveaway campaign of Yuna and Sanya on the cover is August 20, 2024, and will be given to 20 people by lottery)
*Thank you to everyone who reports typos.
Please note that some kanji have been revised to match the book, so some may not have been revised.