VWMC Chapter 137

“Where is the Quiet Pond? Why are you going there?”

In response to my question, Ursch-kun says while waving Marieta’s notebook.

“Miss Marieta’s notebook had the seven wonders of this academy written down. One of them is the ‘Quiet Pond’. We’re in the middle of the rookie tournament right now, so it’s going to be a pain to patrol all the water places in the academy looking for the randomly appearing spirit statues.”

Come to think of it, on the day of the entrance ceremony when Marieta came to visit me at the dorm and in the library, we shared some vague, bullet-point-like information. I think I heard something about the existence of the “Seven Wonders of the Academy” at that time.

However, whenever I talk to Marieta, there are other people nearby or we’re in the middle of a commotion, so I can’t always get a chance to hear the deeper meanings of what she has to say.

I would like to create a space where we can calmly and thoroughly share information, but with classes just starting and the school packed with events, I wonder when we will be able to create time for information sharing…

“I think I’ve heard that there are seven wonders at the academy, but I don’t know what they are. What kind of wonder is this ‘Silent Pond’?”

After hearing that, Ursch-kun opened the page on the Seven Wonders and showed it to me.

“The Quiet Pond is a small pond in the forest on the edge of the academy. It seems that Miss Marieta has been researching the Seven Wonders for a long time, and apparently she actually encountered the Wonder of the Quiet Pond during that time.”

I don’t know why Marieta needed to investigate the Seven Wonders, but the Seven Wonders also came up in the mini-events of the otome game, so I guess that’s how it went.

By the way, the seven wonders in the game were common things you often hear in Japanese schools, like “the sound of a piano coming from the music room in the middle of the night.” There was no “Quiet Pond” in the game, though.

While wondering about this seven wonders that I had never heard of before, I read the page Ursch-kun had opened for me.

 

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

 

・The 3rd of the 7 Wonders of the Roserial Magic Academy: “Quiet Pond” ✿ Confirmed

Deep in the forest on the southern end of the Magic Academy grounds, opposite the Knight School.

There is a small pond called “Oshizukanoike” (Quiet Pond).

If you go there alone, if the timing is right, a spirit statue with its mouth covered will appear.

It erases surrounding noises

While the spirit statue is present, you will be unable to leave the area.

When the spirit statue disappears, the surrounding sounds return and you can move again.

The statue of the spirit is a time when the spirits of children pass by on a walk.

“Please don’t move or make noise, or the child spirits will be frightened,” he told the people around him.

“I’m asking you to do that,” he said.

That’s why it’s called “Quiet Pond”

I was curious about that, so I went to check it out many times.

One morning, I was able to see a spirit statue appear on the pond.

At that moment, the sounds around me really disappeared, and I thought I heard children singing.

Perhaps it was the singing of spirits of children taking a stroll.

However, I discovered these seven wonders really early on in the loop.

Maybe it was the very first time… I wonder?

No, no, I don’t remember.

I still don’t understand, so don’t use it as a reference.

I don’t remember what the song was.

I think that was the first song I ever heard.

Sorry, I might have mixed it up with other memories.

Maybe you haven’t even heard the song

After all, it’s the “Quiet Pond,” so there should be no sound.

Back to the topic

So I approached the statue, wondering if I could talk to it.

When I approached and called out to him, letters began to appear on the surface of the pond.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t read the text.

I wonder if that was the spirit statue’s reply?

If so, how would you have responded?

I was having trouble reading it, and it seemed like the time had come according to the Seven Wonders.

The spirit statue and letters had vanished.

In the end, it didn’t seem to have anything to do with the Seven Wonders I was looking for.

I haven’t looked into “Silent Pond” since then.

 

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

 

That’s right!! Marieta doesn’t know Japanese!!

Since she can’t decipher Japanese, there was no way Marieta could have gone to the True Forbidden Library!!

If you can understand Japanese to some extent and know the Allied Ouka Islands Language, then I think even people from this world could apply it and decipher it, so to begin with, that code isn’t really intended for people from this world!!

From the beginning, it was a gimmick aimed at Japanese people who have been reincarnated or transported to another world. Or foreigners from Earth who are good at Japanese and know a lot about anime and games.

But why? Why did they create a forbidden library that only those who have been reincarnated or transported to another world could enter, and who don’t know why they might appear in this world? Who created it, and for what purpose?

I remembered my memories from my previous life and became a “reincarnated person in another world”. This is because the Great Sage caused an irregularity by tracing back from this world’s Isabella’s soul to my soul from my previous life and implanting the [Seven Deadly Sins] skill into it.

Without that, I would never have remembered my memories of my previous life, and would have continued to live as Isabella, the person Marieta had spent time with in all the previous loops.

And that in my past life, I happened to be a Japanese person from Earth? Really?

As various thoughts were running through my head, the door to the break room was suddenly swung open and the department head came rushing in.

“Ursch-kun and Isabella-sama! It looks like the rookie tournament is over! All that’s left now is to clean up and dismantle, so feel free to go outside or go home.”

It appears that while we were sharing information, this afternoon’s academic class (?) had finished.

I really didn’t have to take a single step outside the break room, and since the rookie tournament was over, I didn’t stand out in any way, so I think the risk of being transferred to another department was averted.

This time, Ursch-kun and I were busy collecting the shelves of hydroponic herbs, so the damage and cleaning up for the Alchemy department was minimal, and the new students in the Alchemy department who didn’t have any production work to do were dismissed.

It seems the seniors are staying behind to collect and record the broken magical tools, check their operation, and check any repairs that need to be made.

Some of the seniors begged Ursch-kun to help them with the work, but since he had been helping out as an official department student even before classes had started, other seniors stopped them, saying that they was being too dependent on him, and they reluctantly backed down.

Coming out from the basement, the mock department building on the ground had only had a portion of its roof blown away, but no major damage. As expected, freshmen from the Alchemy Department would not be able to perform well in the rookie tournament, so perhaps the other departments refrained from sending them in.

Or rather, this rookie tournament. It seemed to be a one-on-one battle (?) between the Magic Warrior Department and the Magician Department, as smoke was rising from the direction of the department buildings.

I couldn’t see very well, but I’m sure the lot would be cleared by tomorrow… Thinking this, Ursch-kun and I headed towards the southern forest instead of the dorms.

“It’s been longer than I thought.”

As Ursch-kun said this, he looked up at the sky. I followed his gaze and looked up at the sky in the same way; the sky was a gradation of bright orange, pink, and indigo.

Faint white stars can be seen in the pink and indigo sky.

“Wow, what a beautiful sky, Ursch-kun. Ah, by the way, the sun is about to set, are we going to the forest?”

“That’s right. From Miss Marieta’s notes, we know for sure that ‘Quiet Pond’ is the place where a spirit statue appears. Rather than just wandering around the water looking for them, I think it’ll be more reliable to ambush them in a hidden spot with few people. Besides, it looks like we won’t be able to move around freely once classes start.”

Indeed, looking at the behavior of the seniors today, it seems that once we start working as official alchemy students, we will likely be detained even outside of class hours.

“It’s later than I thought, and Isabella has a curfew at the dorm so you can go home now.”

“That won’t do. We don’t know what’s lurking in the forest, and it would be terrible if something were to happen to you, Ursch-kun, so I will definitely stay by your side as your guard.”

“Hmm. I’m carrying a magical tent that can also act as a barrier, so I think it’ll be fine. Besides, even if we keep an eye on the pond all night, there’s a chance that he might not come out if the timing is bad.”

“It’s okay, Ursh-kun! Daemon-oniisama has been training me, and with my HP, I’m in good health even after a month of marching training without sleep!”

“There’s no need to march. Look, we might end up staying up all night…”

“So it’s okay to stay up all night, okay?”

“Seriously?! It’s not okay for a young lady to break curfew from the dorms so soon after enrolling, and stay out, and be alone with her fiance in the forest all night!”

Oh, I see.

“Then let’s contact Ann and make it look like I’ve returned to the dorms! If we leave it to Anne, there won’t be any problems! Then the two of us can go on a mini-camping trip.”

However, I should make sure to keep my back to the pond throughout the camp so that I don’t accidentally become the first one to see the spirit statue. As I was thinking about this, a black aura started emanating from Ursch-kun.

I looked up at Ursch-kun timidly, and he was overcome with a pitch black aura and his expression was blank. He raised his chin a little and looked at me. Looking down on me.

Now, to Ursch-kun looking down on me, I understand that he’s angry.

Looking down on me is also cool. A cold-hearted villain, and a cool executive at that.

“Isabella. Go back to the dorms, okay?”

Scary. But cool.

“Uh, but I think Ann can get away with it…”

“That’s not the issue, Isabella. Go back to the dorms, okay?”

“Uh… Ursch-kun, you look great.”

“Isabella? Go back to the dorms, okay?”

“Yes. I understand…”

“Very well.”

────────…!?!?!?!?

Huh?! Did you just say “very well” Ursh-kun?

Ursh, did you say “very well”?!

Ursh said “Very well!”

What is that? How cool!!

“Isabella… where are you? I still don’t know if there was any reason for it to happen, but please go back to the dorms, okay?”

With that said, Ursh-kun still picked up Marieta’s notebook, which I had dropped in the process, and wiped it clean of the dust. He handed it to me, who was writhing and gasping for breath.

I put it away in the [Closet] in case I accidentally drop it again, and try to calm my breathing.

Ursch-kun’s dark aura had dissipated by the time I agreed to return.

“Ursch-kun, if anything terrible happens in the forest, please call me immediately using the necklace! I’ll come to your aid at full speed!”

“It’ll be fine because I have magical tools and equipment for self-defense. In the first place, even though it’s a forest, it’s still on the academy grounds, so I think you’re worrying too much.”

There have been mysterious fires on the academy grounds and the cause has yet to be discovered, so I don’t think I’m being overly worried.

But I realized that Ursch-kun definitely wouldn’t allow us to go camping in the forest today, so I decided to trust him and head back to the dorm. I actually want to be his guardian!!

I made Ursch-kun promise that even if it was the middle of the night, if something happened, if he found a spirit statue and returned from the Forbidden Library, or when it was time to retreat at daybreak, he would definitely use the necklace to communicate with me. Then, tearfully, I parted ways with Ursch-kun and returned to the dorms.

I munched down the meal Ann had brought me in my room and then took a bath.

Instead of changing into the pajamas Ann had prepared for me, I changed into my own comfortable clothes so that I could rush to the scene quickly if an emergency occurred.

I couldn’t sleep because I was worried about Ursch-kun being alone in the forest, so I decided to read Marieta’s notebook as originally planned.

 

---

I started translating this story from chapter 49 because someone had already translated the beginning chapters. I don’t think those chapters are available anymore though, so I’m considering translating the beginning chapters myself once I have a little more free time. What do you guys think?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for reading!