The mushroom party that was supposed to restore harmony to the class ended less than three minutes after it began.
The moment they took a single bite of the mushrooms, the classmates were struck by intense stomach pain.
Their faces turned even bluer than the mushrooms, and everyone rolled around on the ground without caring if their clothes got dirty.
"Ugggh...! It hurts! It hurts so much! If this keeps up, I'm going to die!"
"This is bad, seriously bad! We need help from the Saintesses in the other classes...!
S-Someone...!!"
But the prideful Weiss stopped his classmates from calling for help.
"St-Stop! Don't do anything embarrassing!
If we were injured in battle, that would be one thing, but getting help from a Saintess because of food poisoning? We'd be a laughingstock!
My achievements are being watched by my entire clan!"
"Igigi...! I feel the same way!
But is this really the time to worry about that!? At least let us go to the infirmary...!"
"The infirmary is even worse! If we rely on the infirmary, our class evaluation will...!"
The Royal Pioneer Academy did have an infirmary.
It was for students with injuries too severe for the Saintess students to handle during pioneer survival life.
However, using that facility came with a heavy penalty for the class.
Class 1-20 was falling apart.
Or rather, since everyone was crawling on the ground, it could be called falling apart on the ground.
The class split into those who wanted to call for help and those who did not, and they eventually started fighting.
They were supposed to be skilled adventurers, but the stomach pain prevented them from using magic or skills.
They grappled like writhing caterpillars and rolled around.
It was an incredibly low-level and ugly fight covered in tears and mud.
In the end, they lay scattered like corpses.
All the members of Class 1-20 had passed out in front of the school gate with their eyes rolled back and foam at their mouths.
They were finally discovered the next morning and all sent to the infirmary.
It was only the second day of classes, yet an entire class had been wiped out. This was an unprecedented event in pioneer academy history.
The members of Class 1-20 recovered immediately thanks to the infirmary teacher's healing, but the price they paid was enormous.
As expected, they were informed of a rank demotion.
From the C rank they had been given at the entrance ceremony, they dropped to C-...!
"Ugh... Uwoooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!"
Weiss screamed as if he were being burned alive by this blunder.
He did not know.
If he had not expelled Leopin, none of this would have happened.
...And now the scene returned to right after Leopin's lunch.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
Because I had been extremely late, I missed the morning school orientation.
As a result, I did not learn much about the school layout, but I would figure it out as I attended classes.
The afternoon consisted of regular classes.
Classes at the Royal Pioneer Academy were mainly divided into two types.
The first were "general subjects" that all students had to attend.
The morning orientation fell into this category.
The afternoon classes were the second type: "elective subjects."
Multiple classes ran at the same time, allowing students to choose what they wanted.
You could take classes related to your own job, or try something different to discover new things.
Since pioneering was evaluated by class, students usually discussed it as a group and decided who would take which class.
However, since I was alone in the Special Development Class, I did not have to worry about anyone else.
I looked at the schedule and picked out a promising class.
It was the Leatherworker course.
A production-type class that taught crafting with leather.
I had always loved crafting, so handling leather was right up my alley.
I had just obtained the Wyvern Leather, and leveling up had also unlocked the Leatherworker job.
"There is no class more perfect for me right now. All right, this is the one!"
I headed straight to the classroom and found many male students already there.
When I tried to sit in an empty seat, the vice principal, who happened to be in the room, called out to me.
"Nooo, Leopin-kun! Your seat is over here!"
It seemed the vice principal had followed me and prepared a special seat just for me.
That said, it was just a spot in the corner of the room with nothing but the bare floor.
I had been about to sit in the front row, but I had no choice but to move to the very back.
After a while, the teacher in charge entered.
"Hello everyone. I introduced myself at the entrance ceremony, but let me do it again.
I am in charge of the production-type Leatherworker and Tailor classes. My name is Filafie. Nice to meet you all."
Teacher Filafie was a gentle-looking woman with glasses and fluffy hair.
"As expected, there are mostly boys in the Leatherworker class.
But since the numbers are not very high, we will combine it with the Tailor class next door.
All right, everyone from the Tailor class, please come in."
At the teacher's signal, many female students entered through the connecting door from the neighboring classroom.
The aspiring leatherworkers let out excited "Ohh!" sounds.
Leatherworker classes had mostly male students, while Tailor classes were almost entirely female.
"Since we are sharing the class, Tailor students, please sit next to the Leatherworker students.
Even though the materials are different, it will be more educational that way."
Among the female Tailor students was Monaka.
The vice principal immediately set up an extravagant throne-like chair for her.
"Yes, Monaka-san, please sit here!
From this spot, the beautiful embroidery created by Monaka-san's graceful fingers will be clearly visible to the sponsors!"
"Um, yes..." Monaka seemed hesitant, but then she noticed me and her face lit up.
"Ah, Leo-kun!"
She trotted over and sat down neatly on the floor right next to me without any hesitation.
With a bright expression, she declared, "Vice Principal! I will sit here!"
"Nooo!? A Saintess like Monaka-san sitting on the bare floor...!
If the sponsors see that, they will not stay silent!"
"Eh? But Leopin-kun is also sitting on the floor, right?
If Leopin-kun gets a chair, then I would like to sit in a chair too!"
"Gugigigigi...! Th-That...! I cannot allow something like that...!"
The vice principal was grinding his teeth so hard it looked like blood might come out.
His face turned red then blue as he agonized over the ultimate choice.
Finally, with an expression like he was being strangled, he forced out the words in agony.
"Gi... gigi...! Ch-Chair...!
Leopin-kun will sit in a chaaair!"
And so I was promoted from the floor to a chair.