Didn't I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! Volume 1

by Funa

  Well, she reflected as she plodded on, at least, I didn’t lose the coins. Everything was fine. But she would have to be more careful going forward.

  To compare the currency of modern-day Japan with that of Adele’s world, a single copper coin was worth roughly 10 yen. A half-silver was worth 100, a silver worth 1,000, a half-gold worth 10,000, and a full gold worth 100,000 yen.

  Fruits and vegetables were cheap, meat and other luxury items expensive, and tools and jewelry an exorbitant price by Japanese standards, meaning a simple monetary conversion would have been pointless. However, judged in terms of what might be required to maintain the average person’s standard of living, Adele’s wage was quite reasonable.

  Typically speaking, the average craftsman with a family took home a salary of around 3 gold pieces a month. Minus rest days, a person worked 30 days a month, for a converted salary of about 10,000 yen per day.

  By contrast, Adele’s salary was two silver a day, or roughly 2,000 yen, which worked out to about 250 yen per hour. Though it might not have seemed like much, it was a perfectly adequate wage for a child. A monthly salary of 12 silver pieces, or roughly 12,000 yen, would be more than enough to cover her daily necessities. Most likely, she wouldn’t be able to purchase any clothing, but as her school uniform was provided, Adele would get by.

  In order to maintain appearances, the school provided mending services and allowed students to exchange outgrown garments free of charge. All things considered, though all that was said to be free, in truth, such things were paid for out of the students’ tuition.

  She would have to deal with her undergarments herself, but at this point, Adele had no need for anything on her top half. While the eighteen-year-old in her did not exactly consider this to be fortunate, for now, it was one less thing to worry about, and she was grateful for that.

  In any case, it seemed as though her money troubles had been solved.

  From then on, on the days Adele worked, the baker continued to come in before dawn to begin the breads. The locals dropped by to purchase fresh-baked bread for their breakfasts, and those who worked on rest days would pop in at noon to get something to carry them through the day, just like always. In the afternoon, however, the baker left the shop under the care of his counter girl, taking advantage of the chance to get out and enjoy some rest for the sake of his health, or spend time with his wife and children.

  ***

  The following day was the examination, when all the noble children came together to take placement tests and be sorted into classes.

  Of course, truly noble children like Prissy would be attending the far superior Ardleigh Academy. Those at Eckland were the children of far lesser aristocrats—those who had only the dimmest hopes of inheriting; those who would not even prove useful as pawns in a political marriage—those who were, to put it simply, mediocre. Their prospects were hardly better than those of a merchant’s child.

  The other students were those very children of merchants, including daughters from families without sons, sent to make connections that might help them marry into more influential merchant families.

  All this was a great deal for a ten-year-old to comprehend, especially a ten-year-old noble raised in privilege, told since birth that he or she was different from mere commoners. And yet, amidst all of this, Adele breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t stand out from the others present at the examination as much as she had expected. Though her clothing was of a far lower quality than what Prissy was granted, Adele’s garments were in fact that of a noble’s daughter, and despite being quite rumpled from the carriage ride, she found that her appearance was not too different from that of, say, the youngest child of a low-ranking noble. The fact that her clothes had been soaked and had then wrinkled as they dried further aided in the illusion.

  ***

  The day began with a written exam.

  This test covered basic history, the names of the King and other influential figures, facts about neighboring countries, etiquette, basic logic, and a variety of other topics.

  Alienated as she was by her family, Adele found little to do besides study. As a result, Adele’s intelligence had already been considerable even before her memories returned, and now, armed with her new perspective, she mastered the exam easily.

  The mathematics section was similar. Compared to what she knew from her previous life, these calculations were child’s play, and Adele worked the problems with all her might. If she didn’t end up in the highest-ranking class, she knew that she would be bored to tears. And besides, the concept of a girl who had an aptitude for studying was a fairly ordinary one. It was natural for someone to be at the top when it came to exams.

  As it happened, most class placements were made according to the results of the written exam. In order to carry on lectures and the like, it was necessary to group students by level, for if the school were to mix students of vastly differing abilities, it would have been difficult to settle on a curriculum that could be completed by all.

  Yet this approach wasn’t practical in all cases. It would be incredibly difficult for teachers to manage a class filled with geniuses or the opposite. Everyone would require the same amount of attention, after all.

  By mixing students of an advanced and beginner level, teachers could leave the more advanced children to their own devices and focus on the students who were in greater need of their guidance. And, should any students show themselves to be at a higher level than even the instructors, there were various methods of independent study that might be employed.

  Specifically, when it came to magic and physical education, it was more convenient not to divide the students by ability. While this made things a breeze for the more skilled children, some complained that it meant that they didn’t have much chance to improve.

  Similarly, even those who couldn’t use magic were required to take magic classes. After all, in the future, one might become employed as the assistant or secretary to a magician—or, should one become a soldier, one might have to fight against magic users someday. Thus, even if one couldn’t use magic oneself, having a basic knowledge of the magical arts was vital.

  ***

  A physical assessment came after the written exam.

  No one was expected to enter the school as an athlete. They only needed to show that they were relatively healthy and fit enough that they could participate in the school’s physical education class.

  Adele performed each exercise precisely as directed. She couldn’t afford to display any abnormalities in this area. She was, after all, a “completely normal, average girl.”

  So, accounting for the number of children lined up in front of her, she tried her best to adjust her performance to what appeared to be an average level.

  They were divided into teams of five and directed to complete various exercises in succession. Adele had been placed in the number two spot on her team, leaving only the one child ahead of her as reference.

  She made calculations in her head. The student ahead of her was a boy, but at this age, Adele estimated it wouldn’t be too strange for a girl to perform at the same level. Didn’t they say that girls grew faster than boys when they were young, anyway?

  In any event, as long as she stayed within the average range, it didn’t really matter if she did well or poorly. As long as she didn’t stand out.

  In every event—sprinting, running, long jump, chin-ups, push-ups, and javelin—Adele strove to receive exactly the same marks as the young man ahead of her.

  This way, even if she appeared to be slightly gifted for a girl, she could still be counted as a “normal” child.

  ***

  Finally, they came to magic.

  In this world, about thirty percent of all people had some magical ability. Among those, perhaps another third had a knack for it. This meant that true magic users were around ten percent of the total population. Everyone else was only able to complete simple, practical tasks such as lighting a furnace or summoning enough w
ater to quench a mild thirst.

  Before her reawakening, it wasn’t clear whether Adele would have been able to scrape her way into that top ten percent, even with training. However, she had at least always been one of the thirty percent. If a carriage traveling through the desert happened upon some trouble, with Adele on board, their chances of survival would have been slightly higher.

  But now…

  To be safest, it would be better for Adele not to use magic at all. She knew that much.

  Unfortunately, this strategy was impractical. Because she was able to use magic, it would have been a shame not to allow herself to try, just a little. Pretending not to be able to use magic could make trouble later; if there were ever a time when the circumstances called for it, Adele did not want to be unprepared.

  So, just as with the physical exam, she planned to adjust her level to resemble that of the other magically-capable students.

  Just like the previous time, Adele carefully studied the others who used magic before her, and when her turn came, she calculated her own efforts accordingly.

  The average human had about 1/6,800 of her magical strength, so if she suppressed her powers to about 1/10,000 of their greatest strength, the effects would be equal to that of the child immediately in front of her.

  Poof.

  A fireball of just the right size came flying out, and Adele breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t a combat-worthy spell, just a dinky little flame.

  But everyone, including the instructors, was staring at Adele, mouths agape.

  “Sh-she didn’t use a spell…”

  Adele felt her stomach fall. She had forgotten to recite the incantation.

  Of course, in reality, an incantation was not required to expel a thought pulse. However, for most humans, unable to instantaneously conjure the necessary image or the molecular movements and chemical reactions involved, it was necessary to facilitate the image and thought pulse formation by using a spell: “O, flames! Swirl and gather to me, and dash my enemies!”

  The easiest way to actualize this was to recite it aloud, and although not impossible to do silently, it was more difficult, the sort of technique used mostly when a sneak attack was necessary. If one chose not to articulate a spell aloud, the power of its magic would diminish considerably, even if one took the same amount of time to think the appropriate words.

  However, Adele visualized and enacted this phenomenon without her expression even changing. At the same strength as the child before her. Though this also counted as “silent casting,” in terms of power, it was so great that the people of this world could not fully appreciate what she had done.

  Fortunately for Adele, even the adults watching didn’t totally comprehend the magnitude of her casting—though it was obvious to all that her magical abilities were far beyond what would be expected for a child of her age.

  Inwardly panicking, Adele strove to justify her mistake. There must, she told herself, be plenty of people who can cast without incantations. It’s just that most people don’t choose to do so. I’m just a normal girl who happens to be particularly skilled in fire magic. That’s it!

  The new students had yet to introduce themselves to one another. So, while under other circumstances the room might have filled with whispers, silence reigned. Despite their obvious shock, the instructors decided to carry on the test as planned. There would be plenty of time to ask questions later.

  The class sorting concluded without other incidents, and when the students were dismissed from the training grounds, Adele headed back to her room.

  ***

  Only one boy remained on the grounds: Kevin von Bellium, the fifth son of an impoverished baron.

  The Bellium family was poor. Despite this, the charming Baron, after being blessed with three sons and a daughter by his wife, had relations with her lady’s maid and acquired two more sons, as well as another daughter.

  The Baron wasn’t some immoral philanderer. He provided richly for the maid who had granted him these offspring. He allowed her children to live in the mansion and raised them as his own. His wife and her children were never cruel to them, treasuring them as family would.

  And yet, the maid’s family still wanted for money.

  Originally, the Baron had planned for his wife’s sons to attend Ardleigh Academy, but this would have left no tuition money for the sons of the lady’s maid.

  The eldest son was the Baron’s heir, and the second, his spare should something happen to the first son. The third would, God willing, become a knight or a guardsman, or else a high-ranking bureaucrat. If he were lucky, he could marry into the family of a baron or viscount with no male heirs of his own.

  Normally, all three girls would have been sent to Eckland Academy, whose tuition was one-tenth that of Ardleigh’s. However, with the necessary assets, there was the possibility that might be able to wed themselves to the heir of an aristocrat or the son of a prominent merchant, thus raising the family’s fortunes. In order to give his daughters a better chance of finding eligible spouses, it was necessary for the Baron to send them to Ardleigh, even if it meant overextending the family’s meager accounts. Such were the gambles a poor noble’s family had to make in the hopes of being freed from their hardships.

  As it turned out, the maid’s daughter was a beauty. So much so that, even as the illegitimate daughter of a baron, she was sure to marry well. With the maid’s daughter set to attend the more prestigious school, it was impossible for the Baron to send his eldest daughter, the Baroness’s daughter, to the lesser academy. If he did, people might wonder whether something was wrong with the girl, thus destroying any chance she had of making a good marriage. Therefore, though it was beyond the means of the poor baron’s family, both of the daughters were sent to Ardleigh Academy, and the family prayed for the younger’s beauty to bring them a fortune at long last.

  Thus, it came to be that the Baron’s fourth son—his first with the maid—and the fifth son, named Kelvin, were set to attend Eckland Academy. That was how it would be.

  Yet, the fourth son had a magical talent. It was just enough that the boy would be able to make a living on the road—or even, depending on the circumstances, become a court magician or enter the wizards’ guild.

  His parents were elated, and at the last minute, it was decided that he too would be sent to Ardleigh, leaving only Kelvin, the fifth son, to attend the Eckland Academy all on his own.

  Out of seven children, he was the only one.

  How? Why? Kelvin railed against the injustices of the world, even though, deep in his heart, he knew that it couldn’t be helped. Sending one’s children to a prestigious academy was no small burden for the family of an impoverished noble.

  Even after the high entrance fees, there was three years’ worth of tuition, textbooks, food, lodging, uniform fees, and more to account for. Multiply that times seven, and there was simply no way the Baron’s family could manage it. The unexpected cost of the fourth son’s tuition had already probably put them in quite a bind. They even sold some of the wife’s jewelry and taken on loans. It was a huge gamble to take on the child of a lady’s maid.

  Rather than complaining at the cost of educating her maid’s children, the Baron’s wife apologized profusely. If only there had been money for Kelvin to attend Ardleigh with his siblings—but there was none.

  And so Kelvin arrived at Eckland Academy, which was, when all was said and done, one tenth of the cost of an Ardleigh education. He was the fifth son, born to a maid, and although he was physically strong, unlike his brother, he had no magical abilities.

  Yet Kelvin was determined to make the best of his situation.

  If I’m going to be stuck in this place, he thought, I may as well shoot for the stars! He dreamt of becoming Eckland’s top student, excelling far beyond the upper-crust sons and daughters at Ardleigh. He would graduate to great fortune, paying back his mother, his father, and the Baroness for all they had done for him.

  Thanks to the time Kelvin sp
ent with his older brothers, he knew his body was strong, and he looked forward eagerly to the physical portion of the placement test.

  Right away, I’ll show them who’s boss, Kelvin had thought.

  But then, just after he had shown off his very fastest sprint, the girl behind him provided exactly the same display.

  He had pushed himself to his limits when it came to chin-ups, but yet again, the girl stared at him, then completed the same number. Worse still, he could tell that she only pretended to grow tired, stopping at precisely the same number as him even though she could have carried on much longer.

  It was the same with the javelin. And long jump. And push-ups.

  She stopped when she matched his record in every one, even though she still had more in her.

  And on top of all of that, she could even use magic.

  Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

  She was tormenting him, but next time, Kelvin resolved, he would beat her.

  Kelvin von Bellium, the Baron’s fifth son. That was the moment his goal for the next three years was decided.

  ***

  It was the day after the assessment: the long-awaited textbook distribution day.

  In truth, Adele was not particularly excited about receiving her course materials. What she really wanted was clothing, which was distributed at the same time.

  There were two uniforms, one for summer and one for winter, as well as two gym uniforms for the same, along with a variety of shoes and stockings.

  Finally, she would have fresh clothes to wear, and, as long as she was in uniform, no one would notice if she wore the same thing every day. Even better, if she outgrew her uniform or gym clothes, or if either were seriously damaged, she would be able to exchange them. If there were too many exchanges, she might receive used items that other students had outgrown, but that prospect didn’t particularly concern her.