Chapter 195
Chapter 195
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 195
Chapter Title: Found the Source of the Delicious Smell
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I found the source of that delicious aroma.
No wonder the smell was so blatant—it was a restaurant with tables lined up along the street.
The night air was pleasantly cool, and the hilly spot offered a nice view.
I took a seat at a decent table and ordered a ton of food.
Roasted meat, steamed meat, fried meat, and stew packed with chunks of meat. Apple juice to wash it down.
It had been ages since my last free meal, so I stuffed myself to the brim.
The shops must have seen the sudden crowd as a golden opportunity.
They'd added a bunch of new menu items I'd never spotted during my usual haunts, and the overall quality seemed improved.
Sure, the prices had shot up too, but that wasn't my problem.
"Man, you're really packing it away."
"Yeah..."
As the saying goes, "That guy's got quite the appetite" is always a compliment, so I nodded and kept filling my gut.
Not that I'd finished yet...
With my belly full, my mind finally relaxed a bit.
Only then did I take a proper look at my two surprise companions.
As I'd noted before, they were both around my age, with a certain trained air about them.
'No. Hold on.'
Trained didn't even begin to cover it—they were seriously strong.
In my current state.
Meaning, only half-recovered, I'd have a tough time against these two.
I'd gotten their quick intros over the meal: the guy with the somewhat dim look was named Giar, and the sharp, no-nonsense girl was Haro.
'Both swordsmen?'
Judging by their muscle build, the swords at their waists weren't for show. They were proper sword practitioners...
Their names, Giar and Haro, struck me as pretty goofy.
On one hand, it made me chuckle; on the other, they could be aliases, just like mine.
"So, what's your business at the academy?"
"Ah... well, we mostly got dragged here by our master."
Master?
I tilted my head mid-sip of apple juice when Haro jumped in with a bold voice.
"That's not it! We came to check out those young heroes' faces!"
"Hey, Haro."
"What? It's the truth."
"...True, but you could phrase it nicer."
"Ugh, nag... What are you, my big brother?"
I watched them bicker and asked again.
"What's your business with the young heroes?"
"To see if they're as strong as the rumors say!"
So they came to fight?
I felt a twinge of absurdity.
The dean's warning about every weirdo showing up was spot on.
I speared a tender boiled chicken chunk with my fork and continued.
"So you two are wanderers? Like ronin knights... no, knights on a journey, roaming the Empire."
"Something like that..."
"Something like what?"
Haro puffed up proudly, then pulled something from her pocket.
"Ta-da!"
"Oh..."
A metal badge, a familiar shape.
I said in mild surprise.
"You two are official Heroes of Heros."
"Right!"
The badge symbolizing full Heroes of Heros.
I had one too, of course. Got it through the training camp route, so not a high rank.
The lowest, D-grade for apprentice Heroes.
Haro's was different from mine.
The metal quality.
That told the owner's rank—hers was definitely bronze, C-grade.
C-grade.
Seems low at first glance, but it's not.
Heros only awards C-grade Hero badges to those they've deemed worthy.
Meaning these two, dim-looking as they were, had real combat experience with the cult, and danced on death's edge multiple times.
"So you're here to crush the future juniors' morale?"
"More like sorting the pecking order. Y'know, the Bednickers can just appoint their own Heroes on a whim."
Haro said with a sour look.
"I've always thought it was overreach. Sure, nobles get special treatment, but if you've got real skill, come to Heros and take the official entry exam."
"Ah."
"And the Bednickers have always been shady. Who knows what standards that creepy family uses to pick Heroes."
"Hey, Haro. Not that again—"
"What? Did I say something wrong?"
Giar glanced at me.
He must've figured I could be noble.
Maybe he'd clocked it from my table manners or whatever.
No need to worry. Her words didn't offend me.
Far from it—I kinda agreed, so I nodded.
"Yeah, fair point. The Bednickers... bad rumors swirl around them, and the family's so closed-off, you can't guess what they're thinking."
"See? I knew we'd get along."
Haro let out a cheeky laugh and went on.
"Anyway, I heard three got Hero badges at this training camp: Hector Bednicker, Karon Woodjack, and finally Ruan Bednicker."
They even knew that.
Heros' intel network, or did the Bednickers spread it?
"Honestly, it reeks of funny business. A training camp hosted by the Bednickers, and they snag two badges... There had to be backroom deals."
"Hmm. That so..."
"Totally! Karon's the only one who shone through legit..."
Her tone was oddly off.
I tilted my head and asked.
"You know Karon Woodjack?"
Giar gave me a wry smile.
"Not friends or anything—just hung out a few times in the swamps back in the day."
Isn't that basically friends?
I chewed my meat, pondering.
Karon was badly hurt now, though. Tricky whether to tell his "friends."
"Anyway, that Ruan guy needs a proper schooling!"
"Mm."
I ordered more meat and said.
"Need to go that far? From what I hear, Ruan Bednicker's a pretty nice guy."
"Nice guy my ass. Just a year ago, he only had bad rep. A guy like that suddenly gets Hero status and plays a key role stopping the Demon King's descent? That's too contrived."
Haro muttered through gritted teeth.
"Heroes... shouldn't be made so artificially..."
"......?"
"...Anyway, we've been at the academy a while, but haven't spotted a single young hero. Any way to meet them?"
She asked while oddly eyeing the food.
Sounded like "pay up."
I'm no deadbeat, so arms crossed, I replied.
"Doesn't have to be Ruan, right?"
"He's the most annoying, but... if not, oh well. He's a sneaky type anyway—probably won't fight fair."
"Hmm. Then Hector might work."
I'd heard Hector was among the most intact of the young heroes.
No major injuries, no big mental shocks.
Of course, that meant he was busy getting dragged around everywhere.
"Genius Hector Bednicker... Yeah, that'd do. But how do we get him here?"
"We're acquaintances. Worth asking. He'd probably take a straight-up challenge."
"Oh..."
Haro looked chastened and said.
"Wait, Naru, are you a noble?"
"Aren't you?"
"Y-yeah... Figured. You just look high-class."
High-class look—what's that even mean.
I glanced at Giar, who was still wearing an awkward smile.
The more I observed, the clearer it got. There was a big gap between these two.
Giar was hiding his strength.
Yet somehow, Haro held the reins.
"Sigh... Anyway, good thing it wasn't a wasted trip. Now I can face our master."
"Who's this master you've been mentioning?"
"Great question! Our master's none other than..."
Haro declared proudly.
"The Sky-Cleaving Sword Maxim!"
Her voice brimmed with more confidence than when flashing the badge, but my shock was even greater.
"Sky-Cleaving Sword Maxim... Heros' S-rank Hero."
One of Heros' scant twenty elite forces.
And Sky-Cleaving Sword was a big name among them.
Sky-Cleaving Sword Maxim.
Or War Hero Maxim—that's why he's called that.
Simple reason.
He crashed solo into the brutal tribal wars of the Empire's east, vast lands of ethnic strife, and ended them.
Not once, but multiple times.
Each time, he displayed sky-splitting might, earning the moniker.
"That big shot came to the academy?"
Smells fishy.
Demon King descent justifies Heros sending heavy hitters...
But not actually fighting the Demon King—just checking aftermath, and they send him?
"I heard Sky-Cleaving Sword Maxim's one of the busiest Heroes..."
Sending disciples is fine, but him personally? Waste of manpower for Heros.
Haro smirked.
"Not here as a Heros Hero. The Imperial Family declared a Middle Name summons."
Clink.
My chopsticks paused for the first time amid the feast.
"Haro, that's—"
"Ah, sorry. Slip."
My appetite vanished.
Not just from the fifteen-plus empty plates.
"...Middle Names summoned? For real?"
"Yeah. You know about Middle Names?"
Of course.
Bearing the Bednicker name, how could I not? I mustn't.
I shot up from my seat.
"...Sudden important errand came up. Gotta go. Food was great."
"Huh? W-wait! What about connecting with Hector Bednicker—"
"Tomorrow, same time, here."
I left those words and bolted. I saw them reflexively reach for me, then get nabbed by a server.
"Sir? You haven't paid."
"Ah, no, we're not running..."
"Of course, but payment first."
"Okay... Whoa, what? Why's it so much...?"
"That's capital prices for ya..."
Middle Names.
Who the hell are they?
They obey Imperial orders, but calling them Imperial underlings doesn't fit.
Their privileges are immense—including defying the Emperor's command.
Not even really a group. No real ties between members.
Little friendship, no common ground.
Selected for one thing alone.
Strength.
Every Middle Name picked solely for power... all top Empire talents.
Like Sky-Cleaving Sword Maxim.
Naturally, Empire-top figures include Middle Names.
Charisma of the Great Families.
Ultimate demon hunter.
Dark Elf executioner.
Iron-Blooded Duke Delac C. Bednicker.
...My father.
'Damn it.'
Tension pierced my loosened guard.
Among all Empire citizens, the one I least want to meet right now? No contest: Iron-Blooded Duke.
Sure, I can hide my face, but will it fool him...?
If he suspects and hits me with True Blessing questions, I'm done.
'What now.'
Can't keep dodging forever, but timing's off.
Fake passing out till he leaves? Where even is he now?
"Hey, kid. Don't wanna get hurt? Drop everything you got and scram."
"......"
Head spinning, and now this asshole.
I glanced over: a beefy thug, obvious delinquent. How'd trash like him sneak into the academy?
Dean's absence?
Surprise: he wasn't talking to me.
The thug grinned sleazily, blocking a robed boy...
Something about the jet-black hair peeking from the hood and rare dark skin caught my eye.
"......"
"......"
Our eyes met, and chills raced down my spine—I nearly cursed aloud.
Ha, fuck. Dad.
Why are you here?