Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Unexpected Pairings
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Yeah, but...
Somehow it felt really awkward.
Of course, if you think about it, that's only natural.
Just because I need Luna doesn't mean she needs me.
What is this, some kind of self-indulgent delusion?
"Wow, so the Mourning Sword got rejected?"
"In the eyes of the Grace Family's only daughter, even the Mourning Sword isn't good enough?"
"Does this mean we might actually have a shot?"
It wasn't a rejection. No, it was.
While the students whispered among themselves, I slunk back to my original seat and quietly shrank into myself.
Luna glanced at me and kept bowing her head apologetically.
If you're sorry, then don't reject me in the first place.
In the end, my priority dropped from first place straight to dead last.
Of course, the other students would get pushed back too if they failed to match, but this situation was anything but positive.
"Next, comprehensive score of 84 points. Cadet Luna Grace."
It seemed Luna was next in line for the Scout Squad.
Come to think of it, she had given up on fighting me, but she'd steadily made it all the way to the boss room.
Anyway, her passing on matching with me meant she was going to pick someone else.
I wondered who she'd choose now that she'd ditched me...
"Professor. Do I have to pick a follower?"
This I hadn't expected.
She was going to forgo a follower entirely?
Why?
"Unfortunately, Louidel isn't a place where you get whatever you want just because you ask. I already told you—this is an institution built to conquer dungeons. Even if you don't need a follower, I can't make an exception just for you."
Follower matching was the main event at Louidel Academy.
That's why they specifically recruited an even number of freshmen. There was no such thing as not pairing up.
I vaguely remembered something similar happening in the original story. A noble student had thrown a fit about not wanting to pair with a commoner.
That student had no choice but to pick a follower in the end because of the practical lesson. And for the record, those two ended up as a couple later on.
Anyway.
Luna fell silent for a moment before nodding.
"Then push me back to the later slots too, please."
"What if you end up paired with someone you don't want?"
"I don't care."
The faces of the students twisted in displeasure one by one.
She didn't want to be chosen, and she didn't want to choose? Whatever her reasoning, to everyone else, she just looked like a troll.
Even as the Grace Family's only daughter, it was an attitude that was hard to swallow. It only made me more curious about what was going on in her head. What on earth was she thinking?
"Fine. Don't come crying to me later asking to switch. Next."
After that, students' names were called in order of their scores.
"Senia Ren. Won't you team up with me?"
"Sorry. Someone better will come along."
"Lady Cecilia. How about with me...?"
"No."
As expected, popular picks like Senia and Cecilia fielded proposal after proposal.
The two rejected them all without hesitation.
Naturally, I got some offers too.
"Lord Halibal. How about teaming up with me...?"
"Halibal's fine."
"Then..."
"Sorry, but I'll pass this time."
Honestly, after Luna rejected me, I was planning to just pair up with whatever wizard came my way.
But for some reason, everyone seeking me out was a swordsman.
Two swordsmen in a party? Come on.
As the popular ones turned down offers one after another, the later-called students started lowering their standards.
It was just a one-month partnership anyway. Better to secure a stable match than hold out for a high-profile partner and risk getting bumped back.
Pairs started forming one by one, balancing out, and even the ones who seemed like they'd be left out found matches.
Surprisingly, Senia and Cecilia's scores had ended up much further back than expected.
Senia's team score had tanked because she'd wiped out her squad, and Cecilia had retired midway through fighting Senia, so her score was lower than those who'd reached the boss room.
Finally, one of them was called.
"Next. Comprehensive score of 58 points, Cecilia Ren."
58 points is still passing. Wild.
Cecilia had a higher score than Senia, though.
How big a deduction was Senia's rampage?
Cecilia glanced my way.
This was exactly what I'd been worried about.
In the original story, Cecilia and Luna's relationship was the worst.
Not just at odds—they were enemies who hated each other so much it would make blood enemies blush. Cecilia always tacked "that bitch" onto Luna's name whenever she mentioned her.
And it wasn't just personal. It was tangled up in political conflicts between the Ren and Grace Families, plus the pride clash between swordsmen and wizards.
Everyone at the academy knew it as common knowledge.
Of course, they eventually opened up after a friendship event later on, but that's later. Not now.
Cecilia had rejected every other offer probably to pair with me.
Not self-indulgent this time. For real.
But I'd already stuck my neck out for Luna and gotten shot down spectacularly.
If Cecilia picked me now? It'd look like she was picking up Luna's scraps.
She had to know how that rumor would spread.
Would she still choose me?
Fine if she didn't. The problem was the dwindling pool of remaining wizards.
Playable characters lacked magic DPS from the start because wizards were scarce in the End Academy world.
'No way I have to clear the Doll Dungeon with two physical DPS?'
My vision was going dark.
Then—
"I'll take Cadet Halibal Belder."
Cecilia extended her hand to me without a second thought.
The surrounding students buzzed.
Most of them thinking something like this:
'The Mourning Sword rejected by Grace, picked up by Ren?'
It shocked me so much I had to ask again.
"You sure?"
"What about it?"
Cecilia shrugged, then followed my gaze to Luna and let out a short sound of understanding.
"I'm pairing with the person I need. It has nothing to do with Luna Grace, right?"
"...True enough."
It was spot on.
I just hadn't expected her to say "Luna Grace" instead of "that bitch Luna."
It was unthinkable in the original story. For some reason, this Cecilia didn't seem to care about Luna at all.
"So, you in or what? You weren't waiting for big sis, were you?"
I shook my head.
Magic DPS good. Physical DPS bad.
Anyway, I was just grateful she'd chosen me. I took her hand right away.
"Let's do it."
Cecilia yanked her hand back and blushed. Why's she embarrassed when she offered it?
Adelin confirmed our pairing with a grin.
"Good. Halibal Belder and Cecilia Ren, you two are a team for the next month."
It ended up exactly as I'd planned from the start.
More satisfying than expected. I could cover the magic DPS gap myself.
But what was this chill in the air?
I turned to see icy killing intent dripping from Senia's crescent-moon eyes.
Well, come as magic DPS then.
But surprisingly, her glare wasn't aimed at me.
"Now for the last one. Comprehensive score of 52 points, Senia Ren. Unfortunately, your partner is already set."
Adelin pointed to Luna.
Luna had gotten offers from thirteen others besides me.
She was a valuable wizard resource, and since she'd rejected even me, they thought they had a chance.
But she'd turned them all down.
So inevitably, everyone else paired up, leaving—
"Senia Ren and Luna Grace. You two are a team for the next month."
Naturally, just Senia.
Senia was still better than original Cecilia for Luna.
Crazy bitch or not, she was diligent with others. Might even be a good match for indecisive Luna.
But why was Cecilia pinching the bridge of her nose and clicking her tongue?
"Ahh... so it ended up like this after all."
What? Is there a problem?
As I tilted my head, an unbelievable line slipped from Senia's mouth nearby.
"...Damn bitch."
Excuse me, Senia?
Your character's breaking.
⁎⁎⁎
Once pairs were set, we sat with our partners.
But the classroom atmosphere was frozen solid.
The culprits: Senia and Luna, sitting two seats apart in the front row.
The cold air radiating between them had turned the whole room into midwinter.
What is this, a staring contest?
Cecilia and I sat two seats away from them, at her suggestion.
Supply-issue Abyss Cores, prepared for the number of students, were lined up at the front podium.
In the original, Adelin handed those out and announced the practical assignment.
Seemed no different for Scout and Assault Squads.
Abyss Cores blocked some of the dungeon's mana leakage and could enhance the body with Shards, but they were essential gear for dungeon conquest.
Handing them out was an annual event.
Some nobles and commoners already had their own, but plenty didn't.
And that meant the upcoming practical was directly tied to dungeons.
"Good. Now that teams are set, I'll announce your practical assignment for the next month."
Adelin started writing on the board.
The first practical was basically the main quest you had to clear within a month.
You got a full month of free time, during which players could roam Neivil freely after class: raise affinity, do side quests, grind dungeons.
Convention was to NPC-marathon across Neivil like any RPG. Couldn't miss those time-of-day dialogue changes.
Finally, conquer one dungeon within the month, submit a report and the designated Shard to clear.
In the original, Aren had boosted his academy rep by tackling a beast dungeon others avoided with his party.
Once the explanation wrapped, a student raised a hand.
"Instructor. Do we get the submitted Shards back?"
Many students nodded.
Fair question.
Tier 1 Shards weren't even in full supply yet. At this point, they cost a fortune.
Unthinkable for commoners, burdensome even for nobles.
And Shards meant power. Handing them to the school felt off, naturally.
But Adelin's answer was firm.
"No. The Shards are processed with academy funds and won't be returned to you."
'As expected.'
Submitted Shards weren't coming back.
They'd go to upperclassmen on the front lines instead.
Excuses about efficient distribution based on merits, but to us, it was extortion.
"What?! That doesn't make sense!"
"Do you even know how much a Shard costs?!"
When we hit second year, we'd extort them from the new first-years for ourselves.
No such school exists? Tell that to this one.
Cecilia asked then.
"So, what're we doing?"
Not about Shards.
I still had plenty left after handing some to Ellie, and Cecilia could get as many as she wanted.
Her question meant:
'Which dungeon we tackling?'
"If the goal's just submitting the assignment, any dungeon near Belheim works. Spider, Golem, Lizardman, Slime... all ones you've cleared before."
True enough.
Of those four, Lizardman Dungeon was the toughest.
Boss dies to Instant Kill, FYI.
As I rubbed my chin, Cecilia grinned and added:
"But stuff like that's not enough for you, right? I'm eyeing the new dungeons that opened up. What about you?"
The newly opened ones were the four dungeons unlocked after I cleared the Beast Dungeon—where Tier 2 Shards properly dropped.
I was planning to grind anyway.
Cecilia wanted one of those.
Not a bad idea.
In the academy, grades mattered too.
Most would probably hit the lower four.
For high scores, upper dungeons made sense.
"I'm with you on aiming high."
"Right? So which one?"
I agreed, but...
"Three already have their monster types scouted. Safe bet, but as Scouts, why not uncover an unknown first?"
"..."
"What'll be in there? I don't have as much dungeon experience as you, so we'd prep thoroughly."
"..."
"Hey."
Cecilia narrowed her eyes and stared me down.
"...One of the four, right?"
It was upper tier.
"...Right?"
Just omitting that it was one of the Evil God's Abysses.
"...No?"
"Yes it is."
29 days until Doll Dungeon conquest.