Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Grown Again
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“Both of them said they’ll be here soon.”
“That’s a relief.”
We’d successfully taken down Marias, but it wasn’t without its costs.
Of course, we’d prepared for Hundred Knives, but no one expected Thousand Knives.
I gazed at the unconscious man as I thought it over.
‘Even rewinding actions doesn’t guarantee the same result against humans, huh? Gotta keep that in mind.’
I supported him as we made contact with Mine right away to explain the situation. Her response was that she and Adelin, who happened to be nearby, would come at once.
This is definitely gonna earn me a scolding.
Fortunately, the Yellow Shard wrapped around the wound kept it from going too deep.
With Mine’s treatment, he’d probably be back on his feet in a day or two.
“So… what do we do about that?”
“Hmm…”
Cecilia was pointing at a treasure chest.
Marias counted as a boss, it seemed, dropping a chest just like in the original game—now in reality too.
Wait, why does killing a human drop a chest?
Anyway, normally you’d open it on the spot, but things were different this time.
What we’d just gone through was a clear case of an Evil God cultist—a bishop no less—sneaking into the heart of the Empire to ambush us.
Sure, I was the one who ambushed, but still.
In a situation like this, even if we took down the cultist, the spoils went to the Imperial family by rule.
‘Such a waste.’
Bishop-level cultists dropped a Rare Shard guaranteed, just like the bosses in the Demon God’s Dungeon.
Plus, the gear they dropped was likely tier 3 or higher, packed with tier 2 Shards to boot…
And we’re just tossing it?
But I couldn’t hog it in front of Cecilia.
The Ren family was a ducal house tied to the throne. Follower or not, I had to play it careful.
“No helping it. We’ll hand it ov—”
“Let’s take it for ourselves.”
“…?”
Cecilia suggested cracking it open with the utmost calm.
Exactly what I wanted to hear, but… you sure you can swing that?
“We took him down. You even got hurt. It’s only right we keep it.”
“You think that’s okay?”
“If we keep our mouths shut, who’s gonna know it was even there?”
Extremely reasonable.
I nodded, and Cecilia nodded back.
Perfect. Let’s open it now.
As the chest swung open, a purple flash erupted—unlike last time—spewing out over ten tier 2 Shards like fireworks.
Cecilia snatched a glimmering white light from the midst amid the spray.
“It’s a Special Shard!”
Damn, she’s fast.
Cecilia handed me the Shard she’d grabbed.
[White Paper]
‘…White Paper? Perfect endgame for Cecilia.’
White Paper was a hybrid Shard boosting attack and magic by 3 each.
Like Adamant, its stats were subtle, so most characters ditched it later on.
Cecilia was the exception.
For a magic-melee hybrid like her, it could be an endgame Shard.
Her face lit up as I explained.
“Really? So I should use it then?”
‘Yeah, but… we need to check the Special ability first.’
If it’s useful, it’ll be hard to give her. Negotiation time.
Equipping White Paper on Rene brought up a message.
[Special Shard: White Paper]
[Special Ability: Unconfirmed]
[Unlocks when user reaches specific scenario.]
‘…Huh?’
There’s something like this?
White Paper’s ability was locked for now.
Maybe pushing the scenario too far ahead caused it.
Marias wasn’t supposed to die at this point originally.
Or maybe the ability was so broken they sealed it temporarily.
‘No choice.’
Cecilia keeps it for now.
I handed White Paper back, and she smiled in satisfaction.
That’s hers then.
I eyed the longsword that had dropped alongside White Paper.
[Jester’s Sword (III)]
[Attack: 13 / Fluidity: 5]
[Chance to reduce target’s Fluidity.]
‘Holy shit. Self-weapon?’
Luck was on our side—this was a tier 3 weapon way better than the Shatter Sword I’d been after.
The Jester series unlocked in the original after beating Marias, dropping only from dungeons.
Shatter series boosted raw attack but tanked Fluidity.
Jester series flipped it: average attack, but boosted your Fluidity while dropping the enemy’s. Perfect reflection of Marias’s style.
No rush farming Shatter Sword anymore.
I still had to farm it, though.
For Cecilia’s weapon, but more for its unique option.
[Chance to reduce target’s Defense.]
That Defense shred on every Shatter weapon was why they stayed viable mid-game.
Low attack could be Sharded up, but Defense shred was irreplaceable.
If I could hand one to Cecilia, she might handle shred duty for a while.
“Can I take this?”
“Yeah. I’ve already got one.”
Cecilia wiggled White Paper.
She likes it.
Me too.
As I reached for Jester’s Sword, something else sparkled nearby on the hilt side.
A gem smaller than a Shard, snowflake-shaped. Looked like Marias’s personal item.
[Winter’s Eye]
Not in the original.
“Ah!”
Cecilia yelled and rushed over at the sight of the gem.
“This! This is it! The gem my sister stared at forever in the jewelry shop!”
“…For real?”
“I swear! We only bought Luna Grace’s gift. Give this to Sis—she’ll love it!”
Picked it up just like that (for real).
She likes it?
I pocketed the gem as Cecilia said.
With that, we split the drops, then ditched the chest nearby.
Right after, Mine and Adelin arrived with academy Instructors and soldiers in tow.
The drained man and I got Mine’s treatment en route to the academy infirmary.
At least we had a place to crash for now.
⁎⁎⁎
The day after taking down Marias, the Empire and academy went into full alert.
An Evil God cultist ambushing me and Cecilia in central Naveil? The Empire couldn’t ignore that.
They deployed soldiers to comb every inch of Naveil.
They asked if we had leads, but we couldn’t spill everything.
Marias hadn’t revealed himself in round 2, so saying I knew he was a bishop would look suspicious.
Sorry for wasting their time, but no choice.
In the end, word spread as: ‘Haribal Belder and Cecilia Ren teamed up to eliminate a cultist hiding in Naveil.’
The board and Alicia flipped out.
“Those vile scum dare…!! My… no, the Empire’s hero, ambushed in the middle of Naveil?!”
She raged at the news of my attack, demanding measures in the meeting.
Academy garrison troops doubled.
Mages especially, posted everywhere to surveil, even expanding Naveil’s comms net.
Measures planned post-academy attack were now in effect from early semester.
“Haribal and Cecilia have been targeted once, so we can’t rule out again.”
“Indeed. Special protection for them too.”
Kalux chimed in.
“Haribal’s residence is unclear, so dorm him.”
“Very well.”
“Cecilia lives alone, so room her with her sister Senia Ren. And Haribal has the perfect match.”
“Oh? Make it happen!”
“Understood.”
Thus, my stay was set.
“I’ll crash here for a bit.”
“……”
The protagonist, Aren Bright’s dorm.
Jackpot.
⁎⁎⁎
Barda Hall, boys’ dorm for nobles and elites only.
“You wear that even in the room?”
“Ah… it’s, uh, kinda cold.”
“…? Isn’t it hot?”
Aren couldn’t look Haribal straight.
“Dorm bathroom’s pretty big.”
“…”
“Better to bathe together, right? That’s how it was in the army.”
“…No thanks. You go first. I prefer solo.”
“Alright? Suits me fine.”
Haribal was stripping his upper body bare, towel only on the lower half, prepping for the bath.
That afternoon, the board’s sudden order: room with Haribal for a while.
It made sense.
Days ago, Haribal and Cecilia got jumped by an Evil God cultist. No telling when next, so at least two at night.
Thus, they moved from solo rooms to share.
Cecilia with Senia.
Haribal with Aren.
Kalux probably pulled strings for Aren’s room.
He’d eyed Aren, figuring they’d grow off each other.
Gruff exterior hid a solid educator.
Clank.
Once Haribal entered the bathroom, Aren finally glanced at the wardrobe.
“…Hah. How long is this gonna last?”
He had questions for Haribal.
Entrance exam stuff, how he got so strong, the new Haribal Style swordplay, and Haribal himself most of all.
But that didn’t mean he wanted a roommate.
Lost in thought, Aren stood before the mirror.
He began unbuttoning his shirt from the top.
With each button, impossible curves emerged on his body.
Glancing down, his chest was bound tight in fresh white bandages.
Haribal was right.
Cold? Please.
Warm spring day.
But he couldn’t undress.
He had a secret.
His master, Jin Nosa—founder of Extreme Divine Sword, seer of worldly truths through the blade.
One day, divine oracle came to him.
‘The boy bearing Heavenly Extreme God shall become Extreme Divine Sword’s final disciple, illuminating the world.’
He found the abandoned infant in the woods as foretold.
Aren, body infused with Heavenly Extreme God.
But seeing him, Jin Nosa tilted his head.
The oracle and reality didn’t mesh.
‘…Impossible.’
So he forced it to fit.
Enrolled Aren in Bright house, raised as final disciple.
As the boy bearing Heavenly Extreme God.
Despite commoner roots, Jin Nosa—empire-revered sword genius living in Baran—wielded enough pull to intervene in the academy.
Thus, he hid Aren’s secret from all, securing Barda Hall entry.
Kalux’s pick was spot-on.
If not for Aren’s secret.
“Hah…”
Unbinding released fiercely assertive breasts.
Bigger even than his follower Ran’s.
“Grown again…”
Aren Bright.
Barda Hall’s sole girl student muttered glumly.