Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: First Trial (2)
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“...Hard to believe.”
Lucien was the first to speak, her face scrunched up in a deep frown.
“Let me ask again, Yuria. You’re saying you want to enter the preliminary exam because you and your friend want to observe the selection process more closely?”
“Yeah, sis.”
“You brought a friend? And not just anyone, but the Tristan Duchess?”
“...”
“Don’t make me laugh. That’s never happened even once before.”
“...Go easy on me.”
Of course, calling the Tristan Duchess her friend was a bit of a stretch.
Is she really talking to her little sister right now?
Yuria’s chest ached.
“...Actually, that’s all secondary.”
She continued with a sigh.
“It’s because of Dawood, sis.”
That single sentence shattered Lucien’s sullen expression as she stood there with her arms crossed, glaring at them.
“...Because of Dawood?”
“Yeah. Like the Student Council President said, Dawood’s bound to get caught up in something during this trial.”
“...”
Lucien bit her lip slightly and turned to look at Elnor.
She was staring piercingly into the artificial dungeon where the hero candidates had just charged.
As if she could sense something inside.
“...Do you have any basis for that?”
“Someone like the Student Council President wouldn’t say something like that without reason. And more than anything...”
She had no concrete information.
But she had the most reliable proof.
“It’s Dawood. He’s probably getting ambushed by some woman again somewhere.”
“...”
“You know it too, sis. That guy always drags trouble with women around—”
“...Yeah. I get it instantly.”
Lucien placed a hand on her hip and spoke.
“...Even so, if an outsider joins the selection, it could cause a huge uproar—”
“Let us in, sis.”
Yuria cut off Lucien’s words abruptly.
It was an expression of resolve so firm it was unimaginable from her usual self, but this time, even Lucien couldn’t object.
“I don’t want to go through something like last time again.”
“Yuria.”
“...What if something happens to Dawood?”
“...”
One image came to mind.
Even on the brink of death, that idiot had worried about Lucien and Yuria.
And she had been powerless, only able to watch.
That image was still vividly etched in her mind.
The guilt from that moment still clung to Lucien’s heart like sticky soot.
As Yuria said, when it came to that man’s safety, she was endlessly weak.
“Please, sis. Let us in.”
“...”
“We won’t cause any trouble. Okay?”
“...Ughhh...”
Lucien scratched her head vigorously, letting out a groan-like sound, then finally clutched her head and mumbled in a defeated voice.
“...I can’t let you into the dungeon itself, but I’ll arrange for you to get close...”
“You’re the best, sis.”
Lucien let out a sigh tinged with self-loathing as Yuria flashed a thumbs-up.
“By the way, what have you been staring at this whole time?”
“...”
Lucien said that, but Yuria remained unmoved.
Even while talking to her, Yuria’s gaze had been fixed on the photo of Dawood that Elnor had given her.
More precisely, on his face.
“...So this is what Dawood looks like.”
“Hm?”
“He always wore something over his face in front of me.”
Lucien tilted her head.
That seemed... right.
Whenever Yuria was around, Dawood had always worn his mask like a paranoid.
“Did he ever tell you why he did that?”
“...No idea. I never asked specifically.”
Yuria fell silent for a moment before continuing.
“But hearing that, it sounds like he takes it off when I’m not around?”
“That’s... probably it?”
Wouldn’t it be weirder to keep wearing it all the time?
As that question crossed Lucien’s mind, Yuria murmured in a low voice again.
“A little disappointing.”
And then.
“[I want to see it myself too.]”
The moment those words slipped out.
Lucien instinctively took a step back without thinking.
‘...Just now.’
Something had mixed into Yuria’s voice.
Something sinister enough to make goosebumps rise all over her body in an instant.
“What’s wrong? Is something nearby?”
Yuria herself hadn’t even noticed, looking around curiously.
Seeing that, Lucien forced a deep breath and patted her chest.
“...N-no. Nothing.”
Did I imagine it?
She had definitely felt something, but Yuria looked completely normal now.
“...”
But just now, that was definitely—
“Then it’s settled, sis!”
Before Lucien could finish the thought, Yuria was already dashing toward Elnor.
Unaware of Lucien’s worried gaze following her, Yuria soon stood by Elnor and tiptoed to peer at her face.
“I got permission, President. We can’t join the course directly, but we can get close—”
Yuria’s words cut off abruptly.
Elnor clearly wasn’t focused on her at all.
“President, what are you staring at so intently?”
“...”
No response. As if she hadn’t even noticed Yuria approaching.
She was gazing in a trance. Earlier she’d been staring into the dungeon, but now it was a different direction.
Yuria followed Elnor’s fixed gaze.
The area was packed with spectators since the selection was underway.
But that gaze.
Pinned precisely on ‘someone’ in the middle of the crowd.
Yuria had decent eyesight, so she quickly traced it.
A bodyguard with a massive sword on his back, and the woman in front of him.
Her face and body were wrapped up completely, so her identity was unclear, but the curves and build clearly indicated a woman.
She vanished into the crowd soon after.
“...Your Majesty?”
Then.
Those words slipped blankly from Elnor’s lips.
“...Pardon?”
Yuria echoed in equal bewilderment.
Your Majesty.
There was only one person that could refer to.
The current Emperor of the Empire, Cecilia XI.
The greatest powerholder splitting the Empire with Prime Minister Sullivan.
She’d heard the Emperor was participating as the ‘moderator’ of this selection.
But an Emperor should be waiting in the finest seat under ironclad protection.
No need to come out into the middle of a crowd like this...?
“Did you... see wrong?”
Elnor clamped her mouth shut at Yuria’s question.
“...No, it’s not that. It couldn’t be.”
She seemed to be desperately denying what she’d just seen.
“Y-yeah...?”
“It’s nothing.”
Elnor spoke curtly, then readjusted her sword.
“...”
But the ‘ripples’ stirring in her heart were still ongoing.
What she’d ‘felt’ just now was still vividly etched in her nerves.
‘...I felt it.’
For a very brief moment.
In the crowd.
Someone who looked exactly like the Emperor she knew.
Carrying the ‘same’ thing she harbored.
Something held deep inside.
That scent.
“...”
She shook her head.
The Emperor was one of the few people she truly trusted, alongside Beatrix.
No ridiculous suspicions toward someone she’d known since her princess days.
“...Let’s go. We’re wasting time on nothing.”
Elnor spoke as if regaining her composure.
Convincing herself it couldn’t be.
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“...Won’t we be late if we don’t hurry, Teacher?”
“No. This pace is just right.”
Eliya was urging me from the side, but I ignored her and walked slowly through the dim tunnel.
At a pace that could induce yawning.
“...Hmph...”
Eliya snorted in dissatisfaction but matched my speed instead of complaining more.
“...Whatever Teacher says must have a reason...”
She seemed pretty fed up, even pursing her lips.
I kept my leisurely pace regardless, strolling through the dungeon like an old man on a walk.
[...What are you doing?]
I glanced at the Soul Linker at Caliban’s voice.
‘What?’
[What’s with this snail pace?]
‘We mustn’t forget our goal, Caliban.’
I replied in a solemn tone.
Sure, the others were probably gritting their teeth to clear the dungeon as fast as possible, just like he said. To score high in this trial.
I understood the impatience.
‘Our goal is to piss off the other guys by playing dirty.’
[...]
‘To buff Eliya.’
Caliban shut up in disbelief.
But the hero candidate was Eliya, not me. She needed to shine throughout this selection, not me.
To leverage that, we had to progress this dungeon slowly.
‘The other candidates can’t clear this easily anyway. I’ve got it all planned.’
I’d explored a mock dungeon with Eliya before, but that was child’s play compared to this.
This artificial dungeon was one of the toughest sections in the entire game. Even for a veteran like me, one slip could multiply the clear time several times.
The ‘combat difficulty’ wasn’t insanely high, but it was packed with insane gimmicks born of pure human malice.
Recalling my game memories, it was a cluster of sadistic traps and bullshit mazes that made you question if the same person designed it. Perfect blood pressure raiser.
One-hit-kill traps flying from unlit darkness, magic beasts ambushing from all sides, narrow visibility, instant-death falls, crushes, drownings from vicious terrain.
Of course, it was a ‘hero’ selection, so some difficulty made sense, but throwing students into this was baffling even in the game.
Especially.
The final boss in the ‘innermost depths’ was the pinnacle of that viciousness.
I guarantee, rushing ahead does nothing. You need the right ‘conditions’ to beat it, or no candidate can.
In that sense.
My current actions were essential for progress.
“...Teacher?”
“Yeah.”
“What are you... doing right now?”
“Resting.”
“...”
Eliya stared at me in exasperation, but instead of answering, I plopped down on the floor.
“Someone we need to meet here.”
“...Pardon?”
Eliya’s voice was now laced with incredulity.
From her perspective of needing to clear fast, what the hell was this?
“You haven’t met the other hero candidates yet, right?”
“...Yeah... But why...?”
Even in the game, hero candidates were strictly forbidden from sharing info until thrown into the ‘trial.’
To ensure fairness by limiting knowledge. The hero position had massive benefits, so deals or sabotage could happen.
Normally, they’d at least meet at the opening ceremony and go through events. Not total strangers like now.
“Go meet one.”
In that regard.
“The hero candidates are all interesting in their own ways.”
There was one I needed to ‘introduce’ her to.
I checked my watch while saying that, still sitting.
My turtle pace so far was all to time this.
Let’s see.
Considering ‘behavior patterns,’ this guy should pass through here—
“Waaaaah—!”
—Right on cue.
I smiled at the scream from behind.
“What’s with this dungeon! I’ve died six times already—!”
A voice so vigorous it echoed through the whole dungeon.
Even Eliya whipped around in shock.
“...Died six times already?”
She seemed baffled by the content too.
I chuckled and stood up.
“Perfect timing.”
“...You know them?”
“Yeah.”
I grinned and continued.
“Your little sister.”
“...Pardon?”
Not biologically, of course.
It was a nickname users gave her.
Rana Ray Delvium.
Top first-year at the Holy Empire’s Academy, the ‘Grand Temple.’
Protagonist of the Savior Rising DLC side story, ‘Holy Empire Conquest.’
One of the world’s strongest ‘tanks.’
Essential piece for clearing this dungeon.
And.
‘Come on, prey.’
My first ‘sacrifice’ for merciless dirty tricks.
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