Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: A Hundred Days Ago
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By the time I finished eating, I knew exactly what point in time it was.
Today was the Friday lunch of the first week of the training retreat.
The very time when the rookie cadets were just starting to get used to the retreat.
As I recalled the events that were to unfold…
The various incidents would begin to storm in earnest starting tomorrow.
First, on Saturday morning, the cadets' rankings would be announced, followed by individual subject selection and team assignments in the afternoon.
In the evening, each team would have time to spend their points in preparation for the test.
And finally, the long-awaited Sunday—
The second special test, where the great disaster would occur, was set to begin.
In other words, returning to Friday meant there was still some time before the incident.
Of course, that didn't mean I could waste that time.
“Ruan, where are you going?”
“Just getting some air. You guys go on ahead.”
“Ah, okay.”
After sending Evan and Caris off, I headed to the backyard of the cadet dormitory alone.
I wanted a moment to myself to sort out my thoughts.
I found a quiet corner, sat down, and stared blankly at the sky.
It still felt bewildering, and it took some time to adjust to the surreal feeling.
‘Tonight was sparring time with the Hunting Master Teacher, and the afternoon class was… what was it again?’
Being an event from a hundred days ago, I couldn't recall the minor details.
I figured it would be fine, since I would have remembered if it were truly important.
That was when it happened.
Two cadets with suspicious movements appeared in the backyard where I was alone.
“…You’re.”
“Ru-Ruan?”
Coincidentally, I knew both of them. One was Skull, who still had that pale complexion.
The other was Caron's colleague? Friend? In any case... Zeros, the heir to a wealthy merchant family.
I waved and greeted them first.
“Hey.”
“Ah, hey.”
“…”
Skull replied awkwardly, while Zeros turned away with a blank expression.
“Let's go somewhere else.”
Looking at the back of his head, which seemed ready to leave any second, I offered some friendly advice.
“You can just do it here.”
“Do what?”
“The point trade. Isn't that why you're here?”
“...!”
A ripple of shock crossed Zeros's face, but he quickly composed himself and spoke.
“…I don't know what you're talking ab—”
“How did you know!?”
Zeros glared at Skull, who finally clamped a hand over his mouth.
“S-Sorry…”
“…Hah.”
Zeros's gaze turned to me.
“How long have you known?”
“Since a hundred days ago.”
“Ha.”
Zeros scoffed.
Birds of a feather flock together, I guess. This bastard's way of speaking was a carbon copy of Caron's. His vibe was similar, too.
“If you don't want to talk, fine. But it's already too late.”
Zeros said with a twist of his lips.
“You may not know this, but we've already amassed more points than you could ever imagine. No matter how much you struggle, it'll be hard to close this gap—”
“With just thirty-one points? That's still manageable.”
“...!”
I chuckled, looking at Zeros's shocked face.
“Caron has forty-three points. That kid Sinba has twenty-eight, or was it nine?”
“You, you… how do you know that…”
Of course, these were the scores to be announced tomorrow, and with classes still left, the exact difference might be off by a point or two…
I wiped the smile from my face and got to the point.
“The reason you're trading in the backyard is to avoid the instructors' eyes, right? That means you have a good idea of where the communication crystals are placed. Could you tell me, too?”
“Why should I?”
“If you don't want to, we can make a trade.”
Zeros reacted slightly to that word.
“…A trade?”
“Yeah. I'll buy it with points.”
At that, they both looked at me with surprised faces.
“You'll buy it…”
“Why? Did Caron tell you not to trade with me?”
“He didn't… say that. Even if he had, there's no reason for me to follow. When it comes to trading, I'm better than him.”
“Oho…”
It seems he wasn't just acting as Caron's subordinate after all.
“I asked because I don't understand. Ruan Bednicker, aren't you aiming for the top ranks?”
“I am, but it's not like you're going to ask for ten or twenty points for this.”
“That's true, but the points you spend now could cost you a spot in the rankings.”
“Are you worried about me?”
Zeros looked at me with an incredulous expression and said.
“…A merchant who only chases immediate profits will never rise above second-rate. What's important is to grasp the essence of the trade.”
Nice words.
“There's no profound reason. I just don't think losing a few points here will put me in any real danger.”
“…Quite the confidence. Is it because you're a Bednicker?”
I sensed the emotion behind his words and asked.
“Do you hate the Bednickers?”
“Are you seriously asking? Among the Great Families, you could count the ones who like you on one hand.”
“Hmm…”
Is it that bad?
“So, are you refusing?”
To my surprise, he shook his head at that.
“No. I can't let personal feelings interfere with business.”
“…”
So this was business.
“…Three points. For that, I'll tell you the location of every communication crystal I've identified.”
“Alright. We have a deal.”
I playfully extended my hand.
I expected him to refuse, given his personality, but he surprisingly took it without hesitation.
Feeling the firm palm of a merchant, I realized one thing.
At the very least, Zeros would never joke around when it came to a deal.
***
The afternoon class I couldn't recall turned out to be a theory lecture from the Doctrine Master Teacher.
Inquisitor Junian.
The woman who had collapsed in a pool of blood was standing on the platform, conducting the class in a dry, monotonous voice.
“…Therefore, the Sun Cult, as a sect of the Seventy-Two Doctrines, is treated as a state religion in the Empire. In fact, His Majesty the current Emperor was personally baptized by the bishop of the Sun Cult—”
“…”
For some reason, I felt like I was dreaming.
In this case, was it possible that the hundred days I spent on Spirit Mountain were actually the dream?
*Squeeze...*
I felt the cool touch of the coin in my pocket and pushed the useless thoughts away.
‘An Inquisitor...’
I recalled my conversations with Junian.
Minor things aside, she was an incredibly perceptive woman.
In the end, she ended up dancing in the palm of Juan's hand, but if you were to ask if she was unintelligent, that wasn't it either.
Meaning, she was a talent worth recruiting.
I pretended to focus on the class while formulating various plans.
This was practically the last chance I had to use my head.
First, the High Priest, the source of all the calamities.
I considered a one-on-one fight with him.
‘Rejected.’
My hundred days of training had made me much stronger, but I wasn't in a state where I could guarantee victory.
It wasn't just Junian or Luke who died in vain in my past life.
The High Priest, Juan, also died at the Demon King's hands without revealing even half of his power.
To try and fight him alone, not knowing what other means he might have hidden…
That wasn't brave; it was stupid.
‘Should I tell Asad? That Juan is the High Priest?’
That grand mage could probably resolve the situation in an instant, but…
This was also too risky.
That difficult man was unlikely to believe my words so easily, and if he asked how I identified him, I'd be short on excuses.
‘Hmm… Mmm…’
As I agonized over it, repeatedly writing and erasing various plans in my notes…
“Ruan Bednicker, one bonus point.”
“…Hm?”
I looked up at the sudden remark.
Junian, whose eyes met mine, said.
“Your passionate attitude is good to see.”
“…”
An unexpected gain.
After that, I felt a bit self-conscious and had to put on a little act of focusing on the class.
And finally, after the afternoon class ended, it was dinner time.
I filled my tray with food and looked for a seat.
‘…’
I saw the back of a head with orange hair.
It was Pam.
I went over and plopped down in front of her.
“Hey.”
“Huh? It's Ruan?”
Pam looked at me with wide eyes.
I looked at her face for a moment.
The image of her lying dead, terrified, briefly overlapped before vanishing.
“Do you need something from me?”
“Not really.”
“I see.”
“By the way, do you like vegetables?”
On Pam's tray was, well…
It was full of greens.
I wondered if the great plains of the East, which I'd never seen, looked like that.
Pam smiled shyly and said.
“Yeah. I actually can't eat meat. I just can't get used to the gamey smell.”
So she was a vegetarian.
I had no idea.
To be precise, I never tried to find out.
Having eaten with the cadets a dozen times over the past week, it was a fact I could have easily noticed if I had just looked around a little.
“I like meat.”
“I can tell without you saying.”
“Really?”
Afterward, I continued to chat with Pam about trivial things.
I wasn't quite sure why.
It's just that when I found Pam's body in the cabin, I was filled with regret, wishing I had known more about her.
Normally, regret always comes too late, but I was fortunate enough to be an exception.
“My dad understands me, but my mom is too rigid. Honestly, it's a bit sad to see her still trying to act like a noble…”
Through our short conversation, I got to know Pam.
She had an older sister.
She was from a fallen noble family, similar to Evan.
And it seemed she wanted to start a publishing company in the future.
The reason she joined the training retreat was to build connections for that time.
“So, you have to introduce me to Lord Hector later. And Lady Seren, too, as a bonus!”
“So you were aiming for those two.”
“They're the final bosses on my networking bucket list! It's just a hunch, but I'm sure those two will become great people someday.”
Pam's eyes sparkled as she glanced at me and said.
“Besides them, there's Caron, Zeros, Charles, Evan, and…”
Pam, who had been counting on her fingers, suddenly pointed at me and exclaimed.
“And you, too!”
“Me?”
“Yep. My intuition is rarely wrong. Ahaha.”
Was she just being polite?
Strangely, it didn't feel that way, so I laughed too.
Just then, Pam quickly composed her expression and hunched her shoulders.
“Gasp… It's your fiancée.”
Seren?
“Oh no. What if she misunderstands our relationship?”
“Like I said, *ex*-fiancée.”
Besides, she's not the type to care about such things.
Seren returned her tray and calmly left the dining hall.
Before, I would have thought it was her usual high-and-mighty attitude, not even glancing at her surroundings, but—.
If she already knew about the disaster to come, her mind was probably completely preoccupied with thoughts of how to stop it.
She likely had no mental energy to spare for anything else.
‘Her real name...’
Seren's last words came to mind for a moment, but it was a waste of time right now. It wasn't like I could ask her at this moment.
I, too, shoveled the food on my tray into my mouth and got up from my seat.
***
After dinner, it was time for sparring.
The plan I had devised, revised, and finally settled on throughout the day was about to begin.
Among the cadets wandering around looking for an easy opponent, I stood perfectly still.
Soon, a man with a heavy presence approached and spoke to me.
“Will you fight me again today?”
The Hunting Master Teacher asked, looking at me.
It was a question, but judging by his expression and aura, it seemed he hadn't even considered the possibility of me refusing.
“Of course.”
“Hmph. Good.”
The Hunting Master Teacher gave a satisfied smile… and we immediately prepared to spar.
We stood about ten paces apart, glaring at each other.
“…”
I looked at the Hunting Master Teacher's well-trained physique.
Although he died in vain in my past life, the Hunting Master Teacher was undeniably a formidable expert and a true master.
So, to be honest…
I was secretly looking forward to this spar.
The Hunting Master Teacher was a worthy opponent for my return match after a hundred days.
‘…What should I do?’
A slight conflict arose within me.
According to the plan, I was supposed to suffer a crushing defeat today, unlike before.
But…
“…”
Ruan Bednicker, the martial artist, argued otherwise.
He wanted to fight this man with everything he had, just once.