Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Test
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It was miraculous.
Just hearing a few clichéd words anyone could say, and feeling this understood.
It had to be because her head was messed up from all the hardship.
Like that, Roel wept endlessly at the words "It's okay" from a man she didn't know.
She probably cried for about fifteen minutes, give or take.
"......Thank you."
She quietly expressed her gratitude.
Pouring out her pent-up emotions had lightened her heart considerably.
Now somewhat calmed, Roel no longer sniffled.
And then she realized.
'Am I crazy?'
What she had just done.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself......"
Even though they'd met once before, he was essentially a stranger.
And she'd bawled her eyes out in front of him.
She'd even clung to him. She wasn't sure when it started, but the man had silently patted her while holding her tight.
Roel hurriedly pulled away from him.
She wiped the smeared tears from her face and straightened her hair.
Once tidied up, she noticed tear stains on his chest too.
"Uwaaah, sorry!"
Roel frantically pulled out a handkerchief and started scrubbing at his chest.
She didn't need a mirror to know her face was surely beet red right now...
She barely suppressed the urge to bite her tongue.
"Haha."
The man was laughing.
Relieved he wasn't angry, but her embarrassment only grew.
Roel found the man annoying for some reason and grumbled at him.
"It's not entirely my fault. You grabbed my hand and stuff for no reason......"
Well, thanks to that, her heart had eased up...
Anyway!
"Right, my fault."
"......"
He admitted it just like that.
His gaze was affectionate, tinged with some guilt.
What kind of person was he, anyway?
She still had a mountain of questions.
Who he was, his name, why he knew her.
"Guess it's about time to go."
She wanted to grab him to hear everything, but she didn't.
Instead, she asked something else.
For now, this mattered most.
"Can we meet again?"
The man fell silent for a moment before answering.
"We will."
A short reply.
With that, the man vanished.
Without a trace, like the wind.
Roel could only stare at the spot where he'd disappeared for a while.
Finishing my talk with Roel, I returned to the inner world.
Avatar usage time fully consumed.
This avatar has been destroyed.
I parted ways with my first avatar just like that.
Because Roel had cried for a full "30 minutes."
She probably didn't realize. Emotions running high dull your sense of time.
It was a shame, but fine.
If it helped restore even a bit of her mental strength, I was satisfied.
Remaining Points: 20032p
Above all, points were overflowing right now.
Enough to buy two avatars outright—this was the first taste of wealth since possession.
A little more saving, and I could get a "Mid-Grade Avatar."
Usage time doubles, with minor repairs possible.
If no urgent need, grabbing one mid-grade wouldn't be bad.
["What a weird guy......"]
I looked back at Roel on the screen.
With a somewhat dazed face, staring at where I'd vanished.
Separate from my personal satisfaction, I wasn't sure if talking to her was the right call.
I'd wanted to keep "Demon" and "me" strictly separate.
She seemed oblivious for now, but repeats would tip her off eventually. Gotta be careful.
Roel returned to the dorm.
She got scolded once by the gate guard and once by the dorm supervisor, but it didn't blow up.
The moment she got back, Roel hit the bed with a relieved expression.
"Looks okay."
I set down the sword I'd been holding just in case.
At least no nightmares tonight.
"......Hope it stays that way."
Similar or worse trials would block her path ahead.
Could be my doing, or some external factor.
Each time, Roel would toughen up more.
Whatever it was, I just hoped she'd overcome it.
Through the early morning, I quietly watched her sleep.
["Uwaaack! Overslept!"]
Time passed, morning came.
After a solid night's sleep, Roel woke up after lectures started.
Roel scrambled to get ready.
It overlapped with her first-class panic, making me chuckle unwittingly.
Could we return to those days?
I let the thought pass.
Might happen someday, but not important now.
Roel arrived at the classroom and quietly took her seat.
Gazes focused briefly, but interest in the latecomer faded fast.
Seems the village incident hadn't become gossip after all.
["You okay?"]
Sera, the only one in the know, just asked that.
["Of course."]
Roel replied confidently.
Sera looked relieved and soon focused on class.
The lecture ended earlier than usual.
Cigarette explained she had no further schedule and gave everyone free training time.
Except Roel and Sera.
["You two have separate duties. Follow me."]
Calling out just these two could mean two things.
First: midterms.
Second: the "village."
Roel and Sera were the only cadets who hadn't properly taken midterms.
Already set as top, but retests were principle, so it wouldn't look odd to others.
But context changes perception.
To Cigarette and the faculty, these two were the village incident's perpetrator and witness.
Calling them now was surely related.
["This is...?"]
["The exam hall. Where your second test was held—the one you two missed. Not calling you for a retest, of course. Needs to look that way to others, though."]
The Hero Academy was vastly larger than anywhere on the continent.
Yet cadet numbers were lowest, limited to "Blessed Ones."
Was all that space wasted?
No way.
Training grounds simulating special scenarios dotted the academy, including a "siege simulation field" with real walls.
["As you guess, we called you about the village. No need to tense up. Like I said last time, no real punishment coming."]
Cigarette spoke reassuringly, but couldn't hide her unease.
I could roughly guess what happened.
Reason for summoning Roel to the training ground specifically.
["Cadet Sera, could you restate Cadet Roel's condition when you found her?"]
["......She looked exhausted. Crying, and seemed about to self-harm."]
Cautious testimony.
Vague description seemed like Sera's consideration.
["Good. Now, Cadet Roel."]
Roel looked tense.
["You said you didn't do it yourself. Certain?"]
["Yes. I swear it's true."]
["Understood."]
Cigarette sighed.
The sigh carried faint worry.
["After you returned, the academy investigated the village further. Found evidence of residents colluding with demons."]
["Then...?"]
["Concluded Cadet Roel's actions were justified. Colluding with demons warrants execution, regardless. You lacked authority, but extenuating circumstances warrant leniency."]
No punishment from the start.
Telling her meant the charges were dropped.
Lucky for Roel.
Cigarette continued.
["But if asked if issue-free? No. You didn't choose to do it."]
Sounded incomprehensible at first.
No intent, yet that's the problem?
But I got it soon.
["Next time, might hurt allies."]
No intent, yet acted unwanted—that meant loss of control.
Not great for a hero-training academy.
Cigarette went on.
["This can't happen again. No guarantee a traitor will be nearby if you black out next time. Can't control it? Expulsion."]
Painful truth.
World doesn't run on results alone.
Uncontrollable power just looks risky to higher-ups.
Academy was essentially recommending expulsion.
No punishment, my ass—just wordplay.
["Well, that's the academy's stance..."]
One silver lining: Roel had a "good mentor."
["I feel major responsibility too. Didn't expect villagers in on it—got dumbly caught in magic. Won't happen again."]
Cigarette drew her sword.
["If your body gets taken next time, I'll be there."]
Aimed it at Roel.
["So, let's test it. If I can suppress that demon."]
Cigarette built her aura as she spoke.
["Bring it out. I'll suppress it."]