Chapter 82
The Garden Becomes a Farm, and the Farm Becomes an Estate
“I support the Vigen Lions, but our club activities are a separate matter.
Wouldn’t it be great if we became strong enough to compete with them?”
Lorenzo spoke humbly, suggesting their club probably wouldn’t match the Vigen Lions’ level.
“But still…”
As his bodyguards hesitated, a girl named Fiona stepped forward.
“I’ll join.”
“Miss Fiona, we’ll join too.”
It was Alisa and Esther, noble ladies from a noble family, who were also trainee nuns.
They often wore white nun clothes and kept their eyes half-closed like real nuns, claiming they played Wizard Ball at their convent.
‘If it’s from a convent, it must be the female version of Wizard Ball—no bending arms while pitching, and using wide rackets instead of bats… Looks like they’re all under the influence of the Holy See. In that case…’
Lorenzo called over Rex, the leader of his group.
“Rex, you join too.”
“Huh? Yes, sir. But my cousin plays for the Vigen Lions…”
“Join anyway.”
“Ah… of course.”
So, from Notos Dorm, Lorenzo, Fiona, Alisa, Esther, and Rex signed up.
‘Seems like everyone’s thinking the same thing.’
Crown Prince Rudolf also volunteered.
“I heard Wizard Ball is the best sport to improve a wizard’s skills.
Since training magic is a noble’s duty, I want to try it.”
After Rudolf, Isolde raised her hand too.
“I’ll join too, though I’m embarrassed to say so.
Even women can play Wizard Ball, right? That’s why someone like Lady Idnia of the noble Betelgeuse family is creating this club.
If such a prestigious lady—whose family even produced an emperor—shows up to play a common sport, the people will love it…”
Isolde was basically saying, “Should someone from such a high family play ball in front of the public?” but since Rudolf joined, she had no choice.
“We’ll join too! Ohoho~”
“Miss Isolde is our role model!”
“Of course!”
Even Nora, Kate, and Mina joined. They were girls who always appeared at social parties with Isolde and liked ganging up to bully anyone who got on her bad side.
Their families were taught etiquette by Isolde’s mother, Aura Polchen.
Seeing a chance to get close to the Crown Prince, the three girls quickly submitted their forms and blocked others from joining by standing in front of Idnia.
“But Lady Idnia, if we’re submitting applications, do you have changing rooms or any place for us?
We’re worried we might be being inconsiderate…”
Their tone was fake-polite, copying Isolde’s way of speaking.
They were pretending to care while actually stopping others from applying.
Idnia noticed it but kept calm.
“Thank you for applying. Of course, we welcome female players. I’m a girl too, after all.
Now, let’s open it to Eurus Dorm students too.
Would you move aside so we can use the desk?”
“Huh?”
“Ah, yes, of course! Ohoho!”
Finally, they moved.
Idnia turned to Marie.
“Marie, join us.”
“Me? But I’m not good at Wizard Ball…”
“Neither am I. And besides Wizard Ball, we also have a garden.”
“Oh, the garden.”
“Yes. I really need your help, Marie.”
“You need my help? Lady Idnia does?”
“Yes. Not anyone else—you.”
She made that very clear.
‘Why would Lady Idnia want someone like me—a powerless, clumsy student?
Well, I was raised as a farmer, so maybe she needs me for the garden.
But still, those turnips were grown so well I barely recognized them…
Even so, I don’t want to disrespect her kindness.
More than anything, I want to help her, even if I’m not strong.’
With that thought, Marie also submitted her application.
‘Perfect. Now Marie will also catch the attention of high-ranking people and show everyone her talent as a saint. Fufu.’
Idnia was pleased.
Other Eurus students followed Marie’s lead.
“Lady Idnia, we’ll join too.”
Three boys—Christiang, Athos, and Percifier—submitted their forms.
After lunch, Idnia submitted all the forms to Professor Buremhyde.
From Eurus: Idnia, Marie, Christiang, Athos, Percifier.
From Zephyros: Rudolf, Isolde, Nora, Kate, Mina.
From Notos: Lorenzo, Fiona, Alisa, Esther, Rex.
From Boreas: Karl, Eirik, Rivalt, Olsguard, Durbin.
Twenty people in total.
“I can’t believe it. We haven’t had even 30 applicants in the last century…”
Professor Buremhyde was amazed.
“I only accepted five from each dorm—just 20 total—so we don’t have to split the garden too much.”
“Twenty people?”
“Yes. Nine regulars, and eleven substitutes.”
Wizard Ball requires exactly 9 players in a match, but you can switch out players the next day, so a bigger team is better.
Usually, teams face each other in 3-game series, so having at least 27 players is ideal—but that would divide the garden too much.
Since they weren’t even sure if they could rise to the second league, Idnia chose a manageable number for now.
“By the way, Professor Buremhyde, I think we need a clubhouse now—for storing equipment and tools…”
“You want a clubhouse? Buy it from your dorm’s shop. If I build it, the principal will scold me.”
Buremhyde firmly refused.
But Idnia was ready for that answer.
“Our team has students from all four dorms. We can’t use just one dorm’s shop.
If I buy it from Eurus, the other dorms will be angry.
Even if we all pitch in, the students who aren’t part of the club will feel it’s unfair to spend shared dorm points on something they can’t use.
So, as the club advisor, you should build it yourself.”
Idnia explained smoothly.
“Hm. You have a point.”
Buremhyde sighed.
“Fine. I’ll build it next to the garden. Right now!”
He told her to follow.
Next to the garden were pots, mirrors, and watering pipes that Professor Rakias had set up beautifully.
Seeing this, Buremhyde sighed.
“If I build the clubhouse here, I can’t really argue with Rakias or the principal anymore.
But fine. I’ll accept the cost.”
He raised his staff and pulled aluminum, silicon, and iron from the earth to build the clubhouse.
“Oooh, how do you do that? I saw Professor Rakias do it too, but I couldn’t ask then.”
“I extract the necessary materials from the earth—mostly aluminum, iron, and silicates.”
Idnia was impressed.
‘He can separate aluminum, iron, and silicon accurately?
Back on Earth, aluminum was so hard to extract that it was once more expensive than gold.
But here, they use magic, so they understand pure aluminum much better.’
The walls were built from aluminum pipes with a protective aluminum oxide layer.
It felt almost modern, like she was back on Earth.
“If we’re building it, let’s add windows and insulation too. We can make glass from silicon, right?”
“Of course.
If we only use aluminum walls, it’ll be too hot in summer and freezing in winter. I was going to add insulation anyway.”
He quickly added glass windows and insulation.
“Whew. How’s that? Pretty good, right?
You might not realize it, but if you just build houses with stone or metal, they get really hot or cold. You need to insulate them…”
Idnia suddenly asked,
“Um, is this insulation… asbestos?”
“It’s made by pulling silicate rocks into fibers.
Great for insulation, even blocks fire.”
“So… it is asbestos?”
“Yes, it’s asbestos. Why?”
“No! You can’t use asbestos in buildings where people live!”
“…What?”
“If you breathe in those tiny fibers, they stay in your lungs and cause diseases!”
Asbestos was rare and valuable in this world—but also deadly.
People mining it often died from lung disease.
Was Idnia warning Buremhyde just to be nice?
Or was she planning to use him somehow?
