38 - The Bet

Clarice Academy, Faculty Building, Diena Ashkar's office.

Crimson hair, smooth skin, and a lean, toned figure made it impossible to guess her age—she had that eternally youthful vibe. Her voice was softer than expected, too.

"You're Cadet Lev Denek, right?"

Her polite speech was a bit odd, but I didn't pay it much mind. The whole "war hero" thing was just some baseless setup by the author anyway. What I cared about was her stats alone.

Impressive stats worthy of an academy professor. This setup where she calls me in is predictable. She must've taken an interest in my Wind Archery after seeing it in the duel.

"First off, congrats on your duel victory."

"Thanks."

"I was watching, actually. A matchup between disciples of the same master isn't something you see every day."

Lie. Diena Ashkar only looks after the cadets she personally teaches— she's not the type to care about anyone else. She probably heard about it from Bella or Sylvester...

"Holding your ground against an upperclassman like that, sticking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to your principles... impressive. I couldn't have done it at your age."

"Appreciate the kind words."

She's buttering me up nonstop. Gotta be after something. Maybe it's the author's fault, but I'm starting to distrust everyone.

"Professor, sorry to interrupt, but I have personal training soon."

"Ah, right. Straight to the point, then. That archery technique you used in the duel—could you demonstrate it for me?"

Didn't expect her to be so direct. I gave her a look like How exactly? and she smiled faintly.

"Come this way?"

Following her led to a shooting range. A personal range in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her office? Hero perks are no joke.

She casually handed me a crossbow from the weapon rack.

Low grade, but having a unique name means it's valuable.

"Make yourself comfortable."

"..."

In the game, this script meant a big proficiency boost. Awkward as it was, I couldn't hide Wind Archery forever. I hefted the much heavier arbalest than my usual, took a breath.

In the heavy silence, I fired one shot of Wind Blade - Rapid Shot.

-Shiiik!

-Thud!

The steel bolt sliced through the awkward tension between us and nailed the target's dead center.

Clean shot, no frills. At about 20 meters, my proficiency handled it fine.

"Incredible... it's real."

"..."

"How... how on earth did you learn Wind Archery?"

"Beats me."

Diena stared blankly at the target for a long moment, then muttered.

"Blue..."

I'm no mind reader, but even in the novel, she wasn't your typical cool-headed archer, so her expression was easy to read. It wasn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just surprise. She looked like she'd realized something serious.

Several deductions flashed through my mind. First, she called me to her private office, not the public range. Second, despite not using crossbows herself, one was ready—and a tough-to-wield arbalest at that, brand new, prepared just for me. And all I did was a basic rapid shot, nothing fancy. Yet that face meant she wasn't shocked I could use Wind Archery—but that my version had a problem.

The moment it clicked, the status window popped up.

-Ching.

'That was close...'

Normally, Reincarnated Hero's Wind Archery is light green. Mine's blue. In this patched world, that screams suspicious.

Then Diena asked cautiously.

"Cadet Lev, how about becoming my personal assistant?"

Assistant. At Clarice Academy, that's basically a professor's prized disciple. As a recent war hero and imperial direct affiliate, Diena's spot would guarantee a bright future—archer cadets would kill for it.

With the game system, it'd speed up my growth over solo grinding. But she wasn't recruiting me to teach—she wanted to watch me. She suspects ties to Dark Elves.

Don't fixate on the trees; see the forest. Who's really in control here?

Decision made, I said firmly.

"I decline."

* * *

Master Archer - Diena Ashkar.

For years, she'd roamed battlefields in the demon wars as a sniper, earning her fame. Human archers are rare—one in 30 years—so the empire made her direct imperial.

But this was a first. A human—not even half-elf—using Wind Archery. Transparent blue wind, alien to her eyes.

The problem? Legends whispered of Dark Elves wielding just such blue Wind Archery. Red meant full corruption, but unproven—no witnesses. If it was true, though?

'A proper delinquent...'

Clarice Academy exists for the empire's survival. If this archer cadet fell to corruption later, it'd be a massive scandal. For a war hero like her, utter disgrace.

No choice. Unwilling as she was, she'd take him as assistant, monitor his powers until graduation, then decide his fate.

But unlike his demerit record, he was sharper than expected. She figured the perks would make him jump at it.

His answer?

-I decline.

"Wh-what? Becoming my disciple means tons of academy perks...!"

"Yeah, sure."

His face was blank, like he saw right through her plan.

The tables had turned. Now Lev counter-proposed.

"I hear you like bets, Professor. How about we settle it that way?"

"A bet...?"

Delinquent indeed. A cadet—freshman no less—challenging a professor? Outrageous. Though her gambling habit was infamous.

"Whether I can clear Trial 2."

"Trial 2...?"

Evolution Chamber, Trial 2. Unlike Trial 1 with some clears, no freshman had beaten it. Straight-up "impossible." It's split into two sectors for a reason. Even with Wind Archery, his stamina/mana felt insufficient.

"Deadline: before the ranking battles. Fail, and I'm your disciple."

Good lord. Everyone begs to be her disciple, and he treats it like punishment.

But Diena had no real options. In upcoming ranking battles, if a guild spotted his odd Wind Archery and scouted him, she'd lose all leverage. Plus, Sylvester and Macleod had sharp instincts—she had to bend now.

"Add one more on failure: contract extends post-graduation."

Diena wouldn't play the fool. Lev grinned back.

"Deal. If I win, can I have Scatter Bolt?"

"Th-that's...!"

Gray scatter bolts. The crossbow she'd gotten killing Great Demon - Lerazie. She didn't use crossbows, and demonic origins creeped her out, so it'd sat unused. No string anyway—unwieldable junk.

He wants that trash?

She hesitated, then shrugged it off. No way he'd clear Trial 2. Sinatis, Crune's monstrous ally, wasn't pushover.

Pure bluff.

"Fine. But deadline's before the dungeon survey practical."

Diena replied crisply, her voice at its most dignified edge.

* * *

Ye Guild Green Dorm, Aria Bluebell's room.

Pat pat, jingle jingle, trot trot...

"H-have I really come off that way...?"

She'd chased him with all her might, yet to him, it was just some cutesy trailing. Understandable if he found her stalkerish annoying, but he treated her casually, unbothered.

Made her embarrassed for no reason. Aria had acted on principle alone. He might be dangerous.

Yet the other day, she'd unwittingly enjoyed it. Getting led around by a surveillance target who might be demon or demonized...

-You said you skipped lunch? Come on.

-P-pardon?

-Saw it all at Ebembahu. You couldn't take your eyes off the chicken skewers.

-M-me?

Lev Denek was smooth. He knew her tastes too well. Partly her fault—rare outings left her weak to such things.

The world had tasty food, sights, fun aplenty. Who knew a festival was right by the academy...

-Sit tight. I ain't running.

-Here. Blunt words, but laced with care.

Even now, a box of premium chocolates he'd bought sat in her dorm.

'Why's it gotta taste so good...'

Even better than Melissa's desserts—infuriating.

-Squeeeze.

Aria hugged her pillow tight. Long starved of agape love, unease gnawed at her. One-sided favors were scary. Probably some hidden agenda. Maybe she was falling for the devil's whispers!

"What if... he's a villain?"

What then? That's when she noticed a subtle emotional ripple she'd ignored.

"..."

Ebembahu, he'd knocked her out— no clue what happened. But he had secrets.

Can't let her heart weaken. Stay true to duty, she resolved.