Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Aftermath and Rainy Day Plans
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7
The sudden bee swarm attack was resolved with ease.
Even so, an anomaly was an anomaly, and the academy immediately launched an on-site investigation.
They examined the swarm's corpses, of course, and took statements from the students present.
Naturally, Noel Snow, who had earned the credit for resolving the incident, couldn't escape as a key witness.
Click. The door to the interrogation room closed.
Finally freed from the lengthy questioning, Noel let out a small sigh in the hallway.
"That was exhausting..."
Explaining the incident to the investigator had drained him completely.
The academy side had tried not to intimidate him too much, but just being questioned was a heavy pressure on Noel.
It might have been simple if it were just a straightforward statement, but since Theo Agrit had asked him to keep his involvement secret, fabricating the story had made it even harder.
'At least I got called brave and clever...'
The student who quickly grasped the sudden attack and moved to intercept it.
That was the image of Noel Snow that emerged from the investigation.
'It's nice, but... it stings my conscience...'
No one hates receiving praise.
They say even a whale will dance for praise.
It was inevitable that Noel grinned foolishly as he crossed the hallway.
'How long has it been since I last got praised?'
At least a few years, probably.
As a child, he often received compliments for being smart, but at some point, they completely stopped.
Receiving praise means standing out.
Standing out means being easy prey.
To survive, Noel had always hidden himself.
The turning point wasn't anything special.
Everything changed when a transfer student entered the North Academy, where Noel had spent his middle school years and half of his first year of high school.
The one who dominated the class with eloquent speech and decent skills right after transferring—and Noel was the first to defeat him in a spar.
The words spat out while glaring at Noel in defeat—"You're always trying so hard to show off"—still stuck in his heart like a thorn.
'Well, I do use a gun.'
Guns are a niche weapon.
They're powerful, but useless without bullets, and mana operation is limited to mana bullets, making them highly restrictive.
Bullets are expensive too.
The loud report easily draws enemy attention.
Most choose bows, but Noel deliberately picked the gun that drew his heart.
'It was just an excuse. Even if I'd used a bow or sword, they would've found reasons to harass me.'
Humans don't need grand reasons to torment other humans.
Sometimes it's just dislike, boredom, or no reason at all.
Shallow as it was, once someone started, plenty of other students joined in.
Humans can become as ugly as they want if it means the majority trampling the powerless minority.
Even if it's a classmate they'd chatted normally with just days before.
Over the past few years, Noel, who had inhaled human malice from the closest places, knew this well.
However, he'd grown so accustomed to malice that the opposite felt unfamiliar.
Especially Theo Agrit, who approached without hesitation despite picking a fight from the start.
'He says it's okay to make mistakes, then drags me to hellish training...'
He made me the hero of the incident resolution but slipped away himself.
Hard to grasp his intentions.
One thing was clear: no hostility or malice.
'Thanks to that, no panic attacks either.'
The panic attacks that came with the bullying had faded away.
Noel fiddled with his stomach absently and murmured blankly.
"I should... say thanks..."
If you've received help, you must repay the favor.
Steel ing himself, Noel hurried toward the dorms.
8
"I'll buy him a meal next time."
No matter what anyone says, Noel earned the biggest credit in repelling Pollus's swarm.
Thanks to him, I didn't have to lift a finger, so buying him a meal is the least to salve my conscience.
Student cafeteria food would be too stingy, so let's take him to the shopping district.
I still have that coupon for Choco Land anyway; I had to go sometime.
"But that's that... it was pretty sloppy."
Pollus's swarm attack is one of Broken World's main events.
But it doesn't happen in the first-year second semester.
Dragging an event from the future made the attack itself quite amateurish.
Not even enough for Elrigor to warn about personally.
Even without me, the guards could've handled it with minor damage.
"Oh! Been waiting long?"
Ethan snapped me out of my thoughts.
I shook my head at his voice, cheerful enough to shake the dorm lobby.
"Just got here."
Coming out at least thirty minutes early because of Leon was becoming a habit.
Anyway, it was the weekend after being freed from the Pollus swarm investigation.
We left the academy together and headed to the entrance of District 9 in Eset.
We could only enter District 9 after presenting our IDs at the pristine white walls that separated it from other districts.
Districts 2 and 9 are noble residential areas.
You can't just wander in without verified status.
"It's always so clean here, no matter when I see it."
"Not for nothing is it the noble district."
As Ethan admired, District 9 was spotless, like another world.
No trash rolled on the neatly paved roads between orderly houses.
It exuded quiet elegance over bustle, announcing itself as a high-end neighborhood by atmosphere alone.
"But it's surprising the Agrit Count Family has a villa in District 9. They could afford District 2!"
"I asked out of curiosity."
District 2 is for high nobles, District 9 for lower ones.
The Agrit Count Family could easily qualify for 2 with their rank, influence, and wealth.
When I asked why the villa was in 9 instead, Johan answered concisely.
"Because 2 is too expensive."
"Haha! Yeah, District 2 is pricey!"
Ethan nodded vigorously.
Then casually added,
"Better to invest that in the territory's people. What a good lord, huh?"
"Sometimes I can't tell if you're quick on the uptake or clueless."
Ethan tilted his head, blinking his blue eyes.
He nailed why Johan skimped, yet seemed oblivious here.
As we chatted amiably, we reached the villa.
The two-story building screamed vacation home over practicality.
Of course; villas are for occasional getaways and deep rest.
Still, with an annex, it fully conveyed the Agrit family's stature.
We entered through the gate.
Flinging open the annex door without knocking released a blast of hot air.
Summer was ending with cool winds, but this spot felt like midsummer heat returned.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Rhythmic hammering of metal echoed.
In the sweltering heat that beaded sweat, Memphis kept at it.
Even through his work clothes, his muscles rippled with each swing.
Ethan and I stood at the entrance, waiting awhile.
The monotonous hammering showed no sign of stopping.
But on the anvil, the metal was taking shape.
"Hoo..."
Memphis made his first sound.
Setting down the hammer, he twisted his stiff body, then met my eyes.
He sprang up like a spring and rushed to me.
His glossy biceps were oddly intimidating up close.
"Theo! When did you arrive...!"
"Not long. Didn't want to interrupt your focus."
"Call out anytime. What brings you today...?"
I thumbed at Ethan.
Ethan, reading the mood, waved enthusiastically.
"Ethan Mertezacker!"
"He's a friend; wants a shield made. That okay?"
"Of course, for you, Theo...!"
Memphis nodded, his calf-like innocent brown eyes sparkling.
He shook hands cordially with Ethan... then they locked eyes and froze.
Both stock-still, just gripping hands.
Occasional muscle twitches suggested an arm-wrestle...
What are you two doing...?
"Your muscles are solid, Mr. Mertezacker. Rare build these days."
"Nothing compared to yours, Mr. Memphis! That's real combat muscle! Oh, just call me Ethan!"
No idea what, but I don't want in.
Didn't even want to understand, so I stepped back.
"I'll make sure he gets a shield that suits him perfectly. Just finished assessing those materials from Hilfenberg territory too."
"So you've been holed up in the guest house since?"
"Haha... Once I'm into something, I lose track of everything..."
Memphis scratched his head sheepishly.
Intense focus is a good trait.
"So, what mineral is it?"
"This. First time I've seen it... Seller said no name, just leftover ore from various places."
Memphis held out a white stone with a pearlescent sheen.
It looked like a common roadside pebble.
"I even named it. Memphiston..."
For some reason, Memphis puffed out his chest proudly.
Yeah, never let Memphis name anything.
Name aside.
Memphiston is a mineral I know well.
Without special processing, it's just a rock, but done right, it rivals diamond hardness and surpasses most metals in toughness.
The processing is tricky and high-difficulty; few can handle it.
Naturally, Memphis, who named it after himself, masters it.
His later nickname—"Dwarf born human by mistake"—came from this.
Equipment from it is top-tier quality, the best material available now.
Normally, I'd outfit Leon first...
But he's growing fine with X-Wise; leave him for now.
Prioritize sturdy gear for frontline Ethan.
"Impressive. Then please make the best shield."
"I won't let you down...!"
Good. Once geared up, they'll manage without me awhile.
Finally, after endless toil, sweet rest awaits.
Come to me, sweet vacation...
At that moment, I had no inkling that in three days, Esterro Academy would face an unprecedented massive attack.
9
Three days after commissioning Memphis.
Heavy rain signaling late summer's end soaked the terrace.
Post-morning lecture freedom felt wasted amid the downpour; everything seemed bothersome.
Splash, splash, plip. Lying in bed with Choco, I listened to the rain.
Open terrace let in cool wind with raindrops.
"Summer's really ending..."
From late spring to summer's tail.
Decent time in this world now.
New feeling, but the rain nagged more.
"Rainy days call for green onion pancakes and makgeolli."
Couldn't afford it often, even so.
No makgeolli here anyway.
Could I brew it?
"...No makgeolli, but pancakes I can do."
Flour, green onions, seafood—all easy to get here.
No lounging; time to do something.
"Choco, wanna go out?"
Choco clambered sluggishly onto my shoulder.
Grabbing an umbrella, I opened the dorm door... to find Noel plastered to the hallway wall for some reason.
"...What're you doing?"
"Huh? Oh... n-nothing much..."
Under his white bangs, Noel's golden eyes wandered lost.
Waiting for him to continue, he fixed his gaze on the floor, mumbling as if to slip into a mouse hole.
"Wondered if... I could help with anything...?"
What outta nowhere.
No clue, but perfect timing.
Pancakes are tricky to portion for one.
"Spot on. Follow me."
"Where...? Wait, what's up...?"
"Oriental pancake tasting."
"Ori? Ental?"
Noel looked clueless.
Didn't matter if he knew or not.
Shoving his shoulder, I headed to the student cafeteria.