Chapter 57
Chapter 57
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP. 16 – The Knight Hates Exams (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Troll.
Known by other names like 'Man-Eater Ghost,' this magical beast is said to have been born from a forest guardian spirit that fell into corruption.
The tale goes that the forest's guardian god, betrayed by humans, merged with rock to seek revenge on humanity, transforming into a monster that devours people. It's a story famous as both fairy tale and comedy.
And the very existence of these oral legends means even children know the violence and threat trolls possess.
Thus, the content of the most representative troll legend is as follows.
- 'Its body is covered in solid rock, yet its agility and intelligence rival the cunning of a born wolf.'
- 'It possesses regenerative power like an unquenchable flame without fuel, and strength that shakes mountains, making it a slayer that kills all.'
- 'It is a rock devil that lives by eating people.'
A nightmare through and through.
A legend of a monster that robbed children of sleep regardless of status.
As such, the power of trolls passed down in legends was terror itself in reality.
It required a knight order to mobilize just to defeat one, and even then, sacrifices were likely.
Hence, trolls reigned as the nightmare of warriors.
However, the heart and blood of trolls held immense 'value' that could make one forget such nightmares.
Consuming the blood heals not just most diseases but all wounds.
Consuming the heart extends lifespan and offers countless other effects, as proven.
Of course, eating it raw would kill you.
In any case, a troll appearing near a territory's forest or mountains was like a treasure that had to be caught somehow.
Even if it meant sacrifices, success meant a massive windfall.
Thus, countless mercenaries and explorers sought trolls, but sadly, they've become rare creatures.
Due to indiscriminate capture and hunting, they're no longer seen in ordinary forests or mountains; one must venture to demon realms to barely encounter them.
So.
"-Someone said today that we might really see a troll fight in the swordsmanship department exam. What a stupid question. Just think about it—there's no way a 'real troll' would be in the capital."
Those asking if the 'artificial product' in the department exam is a real troll must have very light heads.
It was the cold remark of Karin Guinevere, the girl resembling beautiful purple violets. The boy, held like a favorite doll with his hair being groomed, blushed and responded to her words.
"L-Lady Karin, could you please step back a bit…."
"Isn't it ridiculous? How could they procure a real troll? All they can get is an alchemically made [Rock Troll]."
"…Um."
Her enchanting touch was troubling.
His still-fresh young body seemed ready to react.
The naturally introverted Derek hunched over, trying to pull away from her somehow.
Slap.
"Where do you keep going?"
"……."
It was futile, though.
"Honestly, calling that a troll is laughable. It's just rocks soaked in troll blood. Oh, was that blood replicated too?"
"S-Still, it's a threatening existence, isn't it?"
"Well, to commoners, sure."
The artificial Man-Eater Ghost, or Rock Troll, was essentially no different from a golem—not truly alive.
Born from alchemists' efforts to replicate troll hearts and blood as they became hard to find.
However, these replicas only mimicked about 20% of real troll blood's performance, disappointing many, but 20% was still something.
Thanks to that, many products were developed, one being the [Rock Troll].
…Just soak rocks in replicated troll blood, and it comes to life.
So many still didn't understand how Rock Trolls worked.
But their combat power was less than half the original, making them common for training or skill assessments.
The swordsmanship department exam was one such case.
"I've seen one before. My family occasionally buys them to fight new knights. Utterly pathetic. For a beast called the forest demon or Man-Eater Ghost, it was laughably weak."
"…It's just a replica, so that's inevitable."
Derek had given up escaping her hands and accepted his hair being styled.
He still answered her questions diligently, though with a strange air about him.
"Hm? Was there something odd in what I said? Why the sudden reaction?"
"N-No, just thinking about something for a moment."
"Hmph, having the leisure to think of other things with a wonderful woman like me here… Disappointing."
"!?"
"Hmph!"
"U-Um… Lady Ka-Karin…?"
"Hmph-!"
"……."
…How do you even soothe a girl's mood at times like this?
Derek could only ponder like a man facing the world's greatest puzzle.
'More importantly, I need to figure out what to do soon….'
Even as he tried to soothe the delicate girl's mood, Derek's mind was a mess.
They'd stumbled into the academy exam 'chapter' haphazardly.
A prior chapter should have triggered, but strangely, it hadn't.
'The illegal mages were supposed to commit terrorism, but no such incident.'
He'd been preparing to tip off the knight order about the illegal mages disguised as academy instructors, but they vanished overnight.
Confusing, but no terrorism meant relief.
'What about the Odwal corruption route?'
With even the main story not triggering, Derek felt a growing sense of crisis.
All the information he knew was unraveling, becoming useless.
Thus, he couldn't predict what would happen in this chapter, heightening his worry.
'I can't do much about the exam chapter, which makes it even more unsettling….'
He couldn't guess the butterfly effect's form.
'Exam period chapters' had too much uncertainty.
Even setting aside unworkable intel, it was a 'forced event.'
Derek lacked the pretext or authority to stop the exam.
He was just a lowly cadet.
'I'm so powerless.'
What good was information if he couldn't act alone?
"…Why the long face?"
"Huh?"
"I'm asking why you're suddenly looking so sad."
"Ah, no, it's…."
"I'm not mad. I just see you're holding something back, so I'm asking."
"……."
"Come here."
"I-I'm fine…."
"Hurry up. You wouldn't refuse a lady's courage, would you?"
"……."
…Poof.
At the girl's scolding that pierced his heart, Derek unwittingly nestled into her embrace.
She was clearly younger, yet receiving comfort in her arms was embarrassing.
…Still.
'Feels better.'
Mental age aside, he couldn't ignore his physical age.
An age ruled by hormones.
Thus comforted, Derek felt Karin gently stroke his gray hair.
Hoping this wounded boy's eyes would soften even a little.
…Though, unlike their noble intentions.
"They're at it again."
"Lucky bastard."
"…I wanna date too."
To others, it just looked like flaunting.
It was summer.
Thud!
"Ah, so that's the Rock Troll?"
As a swordsmanship department instructor, Lee Han got to meet the troll the cadets would fight beforehand.
[Grooo...aaargh...!]
"…It kinda looks like a doll with speakers."
The troll prototype boasted about 6 meters in size, no different from a massive drill rig turned robot.
Yet its entire body was rock-covered, ferociously savage like an untamable beast.
But this one.
Whoosh!
"Slow, small, weak."
This 3-meter 'thing'—no, rock beast—moved.
Threatening to some, but Lee Han felt little.
"This isn't a troll."
Lee Han concluded.
Not a troll.
Just a cheap knockoff mimicking troll form.
Thus.
"Boring."
Crack!
Lee Han's palm struck the rock beast without hesitation.
Like a slap, but the impact was massive.
Boom!
Volcanic burst.
The rock beast's back exploded, crumbling entirely.
"Hm, this'll see a lot of use."
Palm Strike.
Far surpassing Levi Polt's strike yesterday, his blow shattered the beast.
A technique based on Baltar Grace's Empty Weight Palm Method.
Yet its convenience felt off-putting.
Too easy to rely on.
'Next, research other techniques.'
Convenient is good, but chasing shortcuts won't make you stronger.
Tingle.
"…Tough hide, though."
A slight tingle in his fingertips amid reflection.
Not really painful, just numb.
This knockoff had low power and gaps galore, but solid defense compensated.
Moreover.
Squirm... squirm...
"Some regeneration too?"
Explains the troll name.
Broken parts tried reforming.
Not all downsides, then.
Stomping its head decisively, he confirmed.
…This wasn't a foe cadets could beat.
'The Reincarnator and his three would win easily, the TA barely, but the rest? No.'
Not just the teddy bear series—the young masters too.
Another year of training maybe, but now?
Sure defeat.
Reason?
'No firepower.'
He taught them, so he knew their frailty against this Rock Troll.
Thus, Lee Han knew the exam wasn't purely about defeating the beast.
'Examiners are military elders, right? They'll check combat power but more how warriors respond cleverly.'
Not bad.
Pushing limits to gauge strengths/weaknesses, assessing potential.
Fair judgment; even without Fighting Techniques, showing excellence and grit passes.
However.
"…Now I get why the teddy bears' seniors only last to second year."
Teddy bears' seniors—last year's commoner cadets—surpassed his benchmark despite weakness.
Thus reaching second year.
But upon second year, they'd realize.
Their skills suited excellent soldiers or strategists, not knights.
Sensing this limit caused mass dropouts.
Indeed.
"-Foolish. Talents like that should be nurtured, even unlocking advanced Fighting Techniques. Discarding them for mere 'specialness'?"
"……."
"Don't you think, friend?"
"…Outsiders prohibited."
"Haha, no worries. I snuck in."
"…Pretty brazen."
Despite the sudden intruder, Lee Han took it in stride.
He'd sensed the unfamiliar, annoying presence earlier but ignored it.
No killing intent or hostility.
But casually approaching and reading his thoughts was uncomfortable.
Mind reading?
"Not mind reading, just good at reading thoughts. Unintentional skill I picked up."
"…Isn't that mind reading?"
"Haha, we call it that, but true mind reading is my brother's. This barely qualifies."
"Don't wanna meet it."
"Haha, you'd change your mind. Despite capital rumors, he's the real deal."
"Spare me. Why would I meet him?"
"Huh? Did I say who he is?"
"Idiot if you don't know."
"?"
"……."
Strange guy.
Reads thoughts like mind reading but lacks common sense.
Parading a blatant 'winged lion' [insignia] on his arm yet thinking his origins hidden?
Moreover, the insignia aside.
"Hide your hair and eyes better."
"Ah, that noticeable?"
Northern black hair aside, those lion-like beast eyes were a symbol only the lineage inheriting the lion's heart possessed.
And those with lion eyes were usually.
"Hm, meant to hide my identity, pity."
"Doesn't look like you tried."
"Haha, planned to, but watching boiled my blood—no room to hide."
"……."
"I'm not rude usually, but… it's our family trait, unavoidable…!"
Smirk.
"-Wanna fight me to the death?"
A mad [Berserker] loving slaughter.
The Lionel lineage knight proposed a deathmatch confession to Lee Han.
"……Crazy bastard."
Why of all people a Demonic Cult—no, [North Sea Demonic Cultist]?
'Why do these psychos keep approaching me friendly?'
Lee Han couldn't comprehend.