Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Hero Prospect
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"Ah."
She kept pushing fruits skewered on toothpicks into my mouth.
What the hell was this situation?
Because I couldn't use my arms?
No. I could move my arms just fine. I'd even shown her earlier.
"Ah..."
I reluctantly chomped down on the fruit she offered.
"Chew it thoroughly. The priest healed you, and the doctor checked your pulse, but you took some serious internal damage, so your organs must be pretty shaken up."
"Uh, uh..."
I was utterly flustered.
If this were anyone else with a personality like hers, I might've brushed it off as no big deal.
But the Hedi I knew... no, right now, she hadn't met Cain yet, so she was still just Hedi.
Either way, she wasn't the type for this kind of behavior.
She was more cold and detached than soft and gentle.
Always prickly, hypersensitive to the point of violence—she was far from this sort of feminine kindness.
And yet here she was, feeding me by hand?
"Nom..."
I chewed it all up and swallowed, and she skewered another fruit on a toothpick and held it out to me.
"Here."
I kept eating the fruit she offered.
For one thing, the fruit was delicious, so I kept accepting it.
They said I'd been out for two days, and I was genuinely starving.
I never imagined my first meal after waking up would taste this good.
Just like that, I'd emptied the plate before I knew it.
"All gone."
"Uh..."
Still unable to process the situation, I gave a mechanical response out of sheer bewilderment.
She soon placed the empty dish back on the tray.
As she did, she spoke up.
"Need anything?"
"...Anything?"
"I'm about to head out to collect the reward for taking down that monster. If you need something on the way, I can pick it up for you."
"Hm... doesn't seem like it."
"Alright. Hand over your adventurer's license, then. I'll grab yours too."
"Uh... sure."
I handed her the adventurer's license from my pocket.
I knew she wasn't the type to steal, so I had no qualms.
Her personality was refreshingly straightforward—not even entertaining a shred of suspicion.
"I'll be back."
With that, she left the hospital room.
"......"
Left alone, I stared blankly at the spot where she'd exited, lost in thought.
'...Is she being nice because I saved her life?'
As I'd said before, this was a far cry from the image I had of her, leaving me flustered.
Was she always this sweet?
...Ah.
No way she was always like this.
She was the one who'd shut down chatty kids with harsh words, beat the tar out of boys spewing vulgar jokes.
The same girl who'd shot venomous barbs at Zeke when he was fussing over activating the magic stone, looking utterly fed up.
The Hedi I'd seen matched the one from the game—sharp-tongued and tough.
For her personality to change like this, there was only one explanation.
'Saving her life. And nearly losing mine because of her.'
It was the prime suspect.
Convinced, I nodded to myself repeatedly.
Then I lay back down, feeling at ease.
Without a second thought, fully convinced.
'Yeah. That must be it.'
I just sprawled out comfortably and drifted back to sleep.
*
A day after I woke up, news came from the underground labyrinth.
The many people who'd gone missing on the ant nest expedition had been found as corpses in the labyrinth.
And the news I learned there... was that Monaka had survived.
It was a miracle.
After the Twilight Queen died and lost control, the big spiders started infighting among factions.
Thanks to that, Monaka—who'd been left abandoned in the food storage—had been discovered.
Word was, she'd suffered mental damage and could no longer continue as an adventurer.
...It was tragic, but I took solace in her survival.
With the ant nest temporarily restricted, the news spread like wildfire through the Adventurer's Guild.
And a slight shift in perception about me occurred.
Rumors were flying.
At first, hearing rumors about me were circulating filled me with dread.
'I was worried it'd be something like "the guy who sent his entire party to the afterlife..."'
I'd braced for infamy that would tank my reputation.
But contrary to my fears, the rumors spreading about me were positive.
They were calling me the youngest person to solo a mysterious underground labyrinth boss in Renck—a hero prospect.
'...Aren't they hyping me up too much?'
A true hero should be able to crush something like the Twilight Queen with a flick of a finger.
With my endgame knowledge, I'd used exploits to get strong for my age... but I could never be a hero. I knew that.
And I'd taken down the Twilight Queen with Hedi's help.
Alone, I might not have bought enough time to gather aura and could've been in real danger.
But Hedi had reported to the guild that I'd defeated the Twilight Queen solo while she was unconscious.
Insisting she'd contributed almost nothing, she'd put me in the spotlight.
'It feels good, and I'm grateful, but...'
I was a bit worried what trouble these exaggerated rumors might stir up.
"Hey. Hero prospect."
Hedi was giggling and teasing me from across the carriage seat as we headed back to Ariel Academy.
"...If a real hero hears that, it'll be embarrassing, so don't call me that."
"What's wrong with it? You are a prospect."
"That's why it's not."
Hedi propped her chin on her hand, still chuckling as she eyed me.
For some reason, Hedi and I had gotten a lot closer.
Was this what they meant by bonds forged in dire, dangerous situations?
"If you're not a prospect, then what are you?"
"......"
Says you... the future Sword Master.
But I couldn't say that to her genuine curiosity.
She'd become a Sword Master in the future, sure—but would she even believe me if I called her a Sword Master prospect now?
So I just stayed silent and stared out the other window.
"......"
"Heh heh."
Whatever amused her so much, she kept watching me and snickering.
I ignored her gaze and kept looking out the window until drowsiness overtook me, but even as I dozed off, she was still staring.
*
"Yawn... Finally here."
Hedi stretched her stiff body as she stepped out of the carriage.
We'd finally arrived.
I followed her out and gazed ahead impassively.
Ariel Academy.
The luxurious building designs and massive structures packed close together. So familiar now that it barely registered.
I was just exhausted. I'd slept in the carriage, but I wanted to get to the dorm, shower, and crash.
As we walked, she glanced back over her shoulder.
"Hey. Prospect."
"...?"
"What're you doing for dinner later?"
What was this about?
"Probably just chilling in the dorm."
"Yeah? What about food?"
"Hm... Cafeteria, I guess."
"...Wanna eat together?"
"Huh?"
I flinched for a second.
Eat together?
She was a heroine who'd connect with Cain later and become a Sword Master.
Getting too close at the academy might inevitably link her to Cain, but...
"...Sure. Let's eat together."
It was too late to overthink it now.
And maybe I'd grown fond of her too.
I didn't want to push her away.
She'd nursed me while I was out, treated me well.
She was someone I'd entrusted my life to on the battlefield—pushing her away now felt wrong.
"Hee hee. I'll wait on the third floor."
Bathed in the fading crimson sunset, she smiled and hurried off.
...She looked like the picture of a cute girl from behind.
It was heartbreaking that harsh circumstances had stolen that smile from her until now.
I'd make sure she laughed a lot while we were friends.
The reward from taking down the Giant Ant and Twilight Queen was substantial—enough to cover food for the next year without adventuring.
I'd forced half on her despite her protests, since she'd helped me.
So she wouldn't need to risk dangerous adventurer gigs for money anymore.
Things looked smooth sailing ahead. No worries, just leisurely academy life.
...Or so I'd thought.
"Hey, you fucking asshole! Sian! What the hell are you?! What the fuck?!"
"Girlfriend? Girlfriend? Girlfriend? Girlfriend? Girlfriend? Girlfriend?"
"Whoa... Isn't that Hedi? The one they say rivals that famous sword genius Aria with a blade...?"
A commotion erupted in the student cafeteria.
All eyes from the refined diners turned to our table.
Hedi, sitting across from me and eating, widened her eyes in surprise at the source of the noise.
...Lloyd, Lui, Bobby.
I'd completely forgotten these guys existed.
"We searched high and low for days, no sign of you... Were you off making a girlfriend?!?!"
With these idiots around, a peaceful life seemed impossible.
"...Prospect. Who are these clowns? Friends?"
...Time to cut ties. My face burned red from their sudden uproar, so I covered it with my hand and looked away.