Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: The Beasts That Scatter Gold☆ (4)
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We finished the final discharge procedures and left the temporary ward, walking out onto the street.
‘Things look so complicated… and there's a lot of construction.’
On our way to the airship dock where Eir was waiting. The long street of Scarlet Academy's northern slums was bustling. Countless students were passing through, and new construction was underway everywhere.
Clang, clang.
Like a giant's snaggletooth trying to devour the land, the jagged, protruding plank buildings of the slums were being demolished. In their place, new buildings with clean exteriors were rapidly being erected, as if a neat set of new teeth were growing in.
‘So Mimir Industrial High School decided to send support after all…’
All over the street, tall female students effortlessly carried huge construction materials and equipment. Beside them, large, construction worker-type dwarves were also working quickly.
-To think we'd be opening a new branch in the northern slums...
-I think this area could use our club's products.
-As long as delinquents don't suddenly attack, the northern district seems like an attractive market.
External merchants were flocking to the spaces between the quickly completed, decent-looking buildings. And under the protection of Gjallarhorn, numerous students from outside schools were also visiting for construction and development.
I marveled at the streets of Scarlet Academy, filled with the vibrant energy of countless students.
“While I was asleep… it looks like a ton of new buildings have gone up―♪ And this is supposed to be a slum, but there are so many regular students around―☆ It’s like a festival, you could say?”
At my casual remark, Alvitt, who had been doing a fine job as acting student council president, replied calmly. Apparently, while I was asleep, she had interacted with and befriended numerous students from Scarlet Academy.
“According to Eir… this incident has significantly calmed the unconditional hostility that Scarlet Academy held toward the central administration. Thanks to that, Gjallarhorn's activities in the north have been tacitly approved, and many students from other schools have come to visit. To be honest, most of the Scarlet Academy students were just looking for an excuse to run wild…”
Kara added with a bitter smile.
“If we are to run wild, it is far more straightforward to face a common enemy like Ratatoskr than to be hostile with students from the same academy city. It seems a good change.”
“The United Student Council is also welcoming the fact that the maniacs who were always on the fringes, looking for a chance to charge the central administration, have quieted down. They're trying to keep this mood going.”
“This atmosphere is only possible under the pretext of supporting Central Prism Academy, which played an active role in this incident... If we miss this moment, the flow of exchange with Scarlet Academy won't come back.”
“Eir doesn't seem to think this atmosphere is entirely bad, either... More importantly, she said she has something to confirm at the central administration one day.”
Kara nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Scarlet Academy, Mimir Industrial High School, and the United Student Council.
Three factions that normally would have ended up in simple contractual or hostile relationships. Surprisingly, they had found an opportunity to unite through the series of incidents caused by Ratatoskr.
‘Besides, Mimir Industrial High School had already been making preparations to bring Scarlet Academy into the fold, conscious of the eastern alliance…’
Perhaps because it was a rather interesting topic of conversation, even Lotha, who had been walking far away from me with her hands covering her cat ears, began to join in.
“Its location in the north is perfect… They need a potential ally to back up Mimir Industrial High School, the counter to the eastern alliance, I suppose.”
“After all, Scarlet Academy in the north is in a clever position to stab Public Vana Boarding School in the back.”
“And it also allowed them to divert the attention of the northeast, which was in turmoil due to the kidnapping and the corrosion incident, to the redevelopment of the north.”
Alvitt, after talking for a while with her peers, turned to me with an ‘oops’ expression.
“Well… you probably anticipated all this easily, Clara, right? I've been talking too much.”
“Indeed, our senior is not one to be underestimated.”
“...Except for when she touches my ears with those weird hand gestures.”
Alvitt giggled as she looked at me.
Her eyes were filled with endless faith and respect.
A trust that suggested she believed I could see through all of this with ease.
Even Lotha and Kara were looking at me with similar emotions.
“Ahaha―☆”
I wondered about the source of that faith.
Just how high did my reputation points climb after a single battle? It was like Liu Shan's faith, unconditionally following Zhuge Liang after Liu Bei's death.
I was frightened by this massive spike in affection.
‘I'm scared that even if I act like Clara now, they'll just coddle and praise me… Why did my reputation rise so much? I didn't think they were the type of characters to respect someone just because they're strong…’
But it is a senior's duty to meet expectations.
I looked into their eyes and, with a quiet smile befitting the frail beauty (a 1☆ freebie skin), I said.
“...Fufu☆ It looks like you worked hard as the student council president, Alvitt.”
“Not… as much as you… yet.”
“No way―☆ I'm proud of you♪ To think you can already be such a reliable support for everyone―☆”
“I… wanted to become someone who could protect everyone, too.”
“Yes―☆ That's a truly special mindset♪”
I walked up to Alvitt and patted her head.
Good girl.
Good girl.
You're doing so well.
Her brown, bobbed hair slipped softly through my bandaged fingers. Hair always kept neatly trimmed above her neck. I was proud of my junior, who must have endured such tiring days that the ends of her hair were split.
I was pleased with Alvitt, who had awakened her sense of responsibility as the student council president, even if the method was different from the original story.
‘That's right, you can't run away from being the student council president of Central Prism Academy. Keep working.’
As I patted her head, saying, “Good job, good job,” Alvitt smiled with a look of satisfaction. An expression of respect for me as her senior… something I couldn't have imagined before.
“Hehe… thank… you.”
“Mhm~☆ You really tried your best, Alvitt~ Good job, good job―☆”
“Because you were here… I was able to keep going…”
As Alvitt said this, her eyes welled up as she looked at my hand.
Bandages wrapped tightly all the way to my elbows to hide the dark red bruises and scars on my arms. The faint scent of antiseptic and the rough texture created a clear sense of wrongness. The skin peeking out from between the sleeves was deathly pale.
Kara and Lotha also looked at my bandaged hand with similar expressions.
“Senior…”
“Comrade Senior…”
‘Ah… so they were upset because of my injuries. They'll heal eventually, anyway.’
I continued to stroke Alvitt's hair while organizing my thoughts.
“…”
Honestly, I didn't quite grasp the detailed power dynamics of the academy city right now. Even looking at it from Clara's perspective, there was a discrepancy with what I knew as a player.
‘Scarlet Academy was a powerful faction that only appeared properly late in the story, and Eir was a key character holding important clues about the World Tree.’
When the Priest of Corrosion had targeted Scarlet Academy and Eir precisely, my world had gone dark.
‘…That's why I fought so desperately.’
The northern Scarlet Academy, which had continued its own fights within a closed community until the latter half of the story. Their current appearance—shedding their reclusive attitude so early and opening their gates to the outside world—felt unfamiliar.
Even Ratatoskr had strayed a million light-years from the original story's flow… In truth, at this point, I was not very useful except for combat and my friendships with a few third-years.
‘I need to retrain in combat to match my new weapon aptitude… and more importantly, to get the ether recovery buff back, I need to stir things up in the furry beasts' territory…’
There was much to do.
Even so.
If something similar to the original story's flow happened, I had to respond.
I had no intention of being irresponsible like Urðr and getting on everyone's nerves by saying, ‘I don't know, I don't know―☆’, so I figured I should go back to Central Prism Academy and investigate the details.
And.
And…
“…”
There was…
There was something else I was supposed to do.
Ugh…
Dammit…
What was it…
Trying to grasp everything with a grand, nation-level perspective like Zhuge Liang sometimes led to moments like this, where something was on the tip of my tongue but wouldn't come out. It took this much effort just to run a school with four people; how on earth did Zhuge Liang manage the state of Shu?
‘That's why he died young from overwork.’
Anyway…
Damn, my thoughts strayed again.
‘There was… there was something else I needed to do soon.’
I tried to recall the memory while endlessly stroking Alvitt's head.
Stroke, stroke, stroke…
Alvitt watched me and spoke cautiously.
“...Senior?”
“Are you hurt? Should I support you? Th-the ears…! Not today! But I’ll let you touch them again tomorrow!”
“Aren’t you just the one who wants the physical contact…?”
“No, I don't――!!! What are you talking about――!!!”
Hsssss――!!
Lotha hissed and glared at Kara, but Kara paid her no mind and spoke to me.
“If you are not well, say so. I shall carry you on my back. I may not look it, but I am confident in my strength. Though not to the extent of The Pink Spiral, of course…”
“Umm… it's not that…☆”
My juniors approached me with worried eyes.
It seemed they found it strange that I had suddenly stopped talking and was repeating the same action.
They carefully took my bandaged hand to support me.
‘I can stand on my own… Ah…! I remember now.’
Maya.
Mimir Industrial High School.
And the ether-conductive ore I had entrusted to her.
‘Oh right, I asked Maya to make weapons for these guys to use until they get their legendary ones.’
I clapped my hands and exclaimed.
“I remember―☆”
“Yes?”
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
“It's a secret―☆”
“…”
“…”
“…”
As Clara's whimsical behavior continued, the juniors fell silent. But then, they chuckled.
“Well, this side of you is better, Comrade Senior.”
“Okay, just don't get hurt again~ Senior!!”
“I never thought I'd miss this side of you.”
Kara and Alvitt stood on either side of me, linking their arms with mine to support me.
And from behind, Lotha pushed my back gently with her small hands.
‘Why are they so devoted…?’
Feeling a little embarrassed by this position, I offered a timid protest.
“Hey―☆ I can walk on my own, you know♪”
“Yes, yes.”
“We know, so just walk like this.”
Alvitt and Kara paid me no heed, continuing to escort me.
Lotha was still pressing my back with her small hands as she said.
“Repeat after me, Senior! Heave, ho, heave-ho. Walk on, cheer up, Clara~”
“...Heave☆ ho, heave-ho♪ Walk on, cheer up, Clara―♡”
“Comrade Lotha… what on earth is that?”
“It's what my sister used to do for me when I was sick.”
“Oh.”
Kara, as if she had almost made an awkward comment, quickly covered her mouth to stop herself. Alvitt saw this and quietly stifled a laugh.
And so, the four of us walked side-by-side through the noisy street to the dock.
The place looked like an enlarged version of a helicopter landing pad from my past life, and a familiar airship was waiting, its engine humming.