Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Expectations and Predictions
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After a moment of thought, Charle spoke.
“Let's save as many points as we can.”
She added, as if to elaborate.
“This is a golden opportunity to close the gap with the top ranks. Our final score will depend on how many points we can save here.”
Mir seemed to hate even speaking with Charle... and I could feel Evan was also uncomfortable with her, so I had no choice but to ask on their behalf.
“How many are we saving, exactly?”
“Just four bottles of water. One for each of us.”
“Hmm...”
“Actually, if we can find a spring to get drinking water, we could save these points too, but...”
Charle looked at me and asked.
“I'm just asking, but do you know anything about the geography of the Butterfly Forest?”
Her attitude was a world away from how she treated Hector, making me wonder if she'd forgotten.
Still, it seems she at least remembers I'm a Bednicker.
“I don't.”
Of course, that didn't change the fact that I had no idea.
At my words, Charle gave me an 'I thought so' look and continued.
“Anyway, given the situation, water is essential, but we don't need anything else. We can go a day without eating, so we don't need to pack food, and we're not staying for days on end, so we don't need things like tents or lamps either.”
“What about bandages or potions?”
“We just have to not get hurt.”
That's true, but.
Isn't this a bit too extreme?
“I object!”
Mir shouted as if he had been waiting for the chance.
A vein bulged on Charle's forehead.
“...On what grounds?”
“You underestimate the hunt! Do you think we can find quality prey in just one night? Absolutely impossible!”
'Oh.'
I thought he was just objecting out of pure defiance, but surprisingly, he has a proper reason.
Mir continued.
“Most importantly, the instructors never mentioned the test duration!”
“...!”
Charle's expression stiffened slightly, and this time, I was surprised too.
I couldn't believe Mir caught that point.
His way of speaking is odd, but isn't he actually smart?
Mir was right.
There were too many unknowns in this special test.
Not only the duration of the test, but also the method for awarding points hadn't been revealed.
The most important thing was the maximum number of points we could earn through this test...
Since this was a group test, the points would be awarded to the group.
If my prediction was correct, I thought we could get at least 50 points if we placed first in this test.
Even so, for a group, that's only about 12 to 13 points per person, so it wasn't an outrageously high score.
“One day is not nearly enough! Whether it's two days or three, we will invest as much time as possible to achieve the greatest hunt! That is the only way to seize first place!”
“Ha! And what if we fail?”
“If we don't get results here, we'll never have another chance to turn things around!”
“How would you know that! It's only the second week!”
“Stop fighting, you two.”
When Charle drops the polite speech, it's time to mediate.
I stepped in, recalling my own rule of thumb.
Their gazes turned back to me.
“Ha! Then let's hear the group leader's opinion! Hey! What do you think?”
“An excellent idea! Blond Bednicker! State your opinion!”
“So, you'll both follow my decision?”
They both nodded at the same time.
My answer was decided from the start.
“We're going to save points. But not as extremely as Charle suggested.”
Joy and sorrow crossed their faces.
I looked at the suddenly sullen Mir and said.
“Mir.”
“Yes?”
“I agree with most of what you said, but there's one thing you've overlooked.”
“What is it?”
“Time.”
Mir tilted his head.
“...Time?”
“No matter how much time the instructors give us, our group will return before the sun sets completely on the first day.”
“Why is that?”
I wondered how to explain it, then recalled a quote from someone and spoke it aloud.
“The Empire's strongest ranger—Hyde Woodjack—once visited the Butterfly Forest and left these words.”
I glanced toward Karon before continuing.
“'Even for a first-rate ranger, surviving a single day in the Butterfly Forest would be an arduous task.'”
“...”
“The forest at night isn't just dangerous. Sir Hyde called it hell. And this is coming from the man who resides in the Swamplands, one of the Empire's four forbidden zones.”
“Hmm...”
“We settle this during the day, no matter what, and return before sunset. That's our group's absolute rule.”
Mir and Charle, with reluctant expressions, finally nodded.
“...Understood.”
“I understand.”
Should I call it a relief?
They were both capable of setting aside their stubbornness.
“Alright, get a good night's sleep, and I'll see you tomorrow. Rest well.”
* * *
Dawn.
At an hour when most of the trainees were fast asleep, the conference room in the instructors' building was as bright and noisy as midday.
The entire instructional staff had gathered for a meeting.
“...There are no more stragglers in the morning run. Some of them even chat while they run. I think it's about time we increased the training intensity.”
“I agree. Familiarity breeds carelessness, after all.”
“The theory classes are progressing slower than expected. I think we should maintain the current pace for a while.”
“You're keeping a complete record of the sparring results, I presume?”
There's no such thing as an education that's effective for everyone. Each individual has their own aptitudes.
Thus, the training camp instructors flexibly adjusted schedules and intensity based on the trainees' levels and aptitudes they'd personally observed.
The trainees might not know it, but virtually all the instructors were resting far less and working far more than they were.
“Alright, everyone. Your attention, please.”
Just then, Martial Arts Teacher Juan clapped his hands to draw their attention.
Those who had been speaking loudly fell silent and looked toward him.
“Let's discuss the training schedule later. First, let's talk about the trainees. What's your overall impression of this batch?”
At Juan's words, the instructors looked at each other. One of the knight instructors was the first to speak.
“Personally, I think they're one of the best batches ever. Even considering this is the training camp right after the Blessing Ceremony. Their lack of experience is unavoidable due to their age, but they adapt so quickly it hardly matters.”
“It's been almost two weeks, and the fact that no trainee has died or been seriously injured is also encouraging.”
“And for kids from the Great Families, they seem to listen pretty well.”
The overall assessment was positive.
Outwardly, they hurled insults at the trainees, calling them freeloaders and idiots, but in truth, all the instructors acknowledged the talent of this batch.
Juan nodded and said.
“It seems everyone feels similarly. I, too, find it a shame that we can only grant the Hero qualification to three of them.”
“Three, you say...”
The Survival Teacher stroked his beard and spoke.
“I also find it hard to predict which trainee will earn the qualification. With one exception, that is.”
At that moment, the surrounding instructors all thought of the same person.
Juan spoke for them.
“You're referring to Trainee Karon Woodjack, I presume?”
“Indeed. The skill Karon has shown is astonishing. To be honest, I'm not sure if this training camp holds much meaning for him.”
Hearing this, the other Grand Master Teachers who had been listening quietly added their own comments.
“In the hunting class, he was the fastest to find the target's tracks, pursue it, and capture it. It's to be expected from Sir Hyde's son, though.”
“He's never lost first place in the morning run, nor has he been defeated in sparring.”
“He has many clumsy points when it comes to theory, but his passion for learning is remarkable. I hear he spends his breaks studying to make up for his shortcomings.”
Juan nodded again, agreeing with their opinions.
“Sword and spear, dagger, axe, bow... He can handle most weapons, and his proficiency with them is top-notch.”
Following this, murmurs arose from all around that Karon was almost guaranteed to take first place.
Juan spoke again.
“What about trainees other than Karon?”
“Hmm... It would have to be Hector Bednicker and Seren Goodspring.”
These were the names of the two trainees who, along with Karon, had received the highest expectations.
“When it comes to swordsmanship, Hector Bednicker is the best. He's undoubtedly the strongest in this batch.”
Hector Bednicker, renowned as a genius even among the Iron-Blooded Duke's children, was consistently demonstrating his outstanding talent at the training camp.
Besides his swordsmanship, his leadership stood out; the high-nosed nobles were said to follow Hector's words without complaint.
“As for Seren Goodspring... her reasons for participating in the training camp are still unknown, but her talent is beyond doubt. A noteworthy point is her proficiency with her Blessing. She's already showing an application ability on par with active Heroes.”
Other names that had caught the instructors' attention were mentioned in succession.
“Ryud Chevalier has excellent overall balance.”
“Charle Rubieta's performance was also better than expected, but she was a bit too belligerent. I felt she needed to work on her self-discipline before her training.”
Of course, where there are those who receive praise, there are also the opposite.
This was a fact that didn't change, even for an outstanding batch.
“Besides them, Bruno Hammer, Sho Greenwood, Evan Helvin, Mir Giant... To be honest, they were below expectations.”
“Hmm. It seems the non-humans are generally the troublesome ones.”
It wasn't just humans gathered at the training camp.
The Great Families themselves inherited the blood of the heroes who saved the continent in the past, so naturally, their races were varied.
The Bednicker ancestor was a dark elf, to begin with. Though that blood has thinned a bit now.
“Evan Helvin...”
Juan began to speak.
The corner of his mouth was twisted slightly more than usual, which alone made his expression turn a little colder.
“His talent and Blessing aren't bad, but he's too shackled by his family. To think he's practicing a garbage martial art like Raven.”
The Survival Teacher frowned at the overly aggressive tone.
“Isn't that a bit harsh?”
“Not at all. Surely you've heard the rumors about the Knight of Total Defeat?”
“...Sir Doze Helvin, the creator of Raven, certainly suffered the humiliation of total defeat in the process. But enlightenment is often gained more in defeat than in victory. I don't believe Raven, a swordsmanship born from defeat, is so inferior as to deserve such treatment.”
“Is that so.”
Juan nodded and then said.
“However, when it comes to martial studies, wouldn't I be more of an expert than you?”
“...Are you saying my knowledge of martial arts is inferior to yours?”
The Survival Teacher lowered his voice, and the atmosphere grew heavy.
But Juan, unfazed by the cold atmosphere, even offered a faint smile as he spoke.
“Everyone has their own specialty.”
Others chimed in, agreeing with him.
“That's right.”
“We must respect each other's expertise. Isn't that why there are ten Grand Master Teachers?”
“Instructor Soimond and Instructor Juan aren't called Martial Arts Teachers for nothing.”
“Martial Arts Teacher? Ah, you mean that title they didn't dare use when the Sword Master Teacher was around?”
“...”
At these words, Juan's expression hardened for the first time.
The Sword Master Teacher, Kaljak, was, quite literally, Juan's natural enemy.
Back at the main family estate, he was the de facto representative of the Grand Master Teacher position, and he had the strongest relationship with the Family Head, the Iron-Blooded Duke.
The fact that Juan's influence grew right around the time the Sword Master Teacher went missing was significant in many ways.
In any case, the argument between the two had chilled the atmosphere in the conference room.
However, the Survival Teacher quickly realized the mood was not in his favor.
The majority of the instructional staff had already sided with Martial Arts Teacher Juan, so it couldn't be helped.
“I am keeping an eye on Ruan Bednicker.”
Just then, a man who paid no mind to the atmosphere spoke up.
It was the Hunting Teacher, Tanko.
He maintained a stoic expression, even as all eyes turned to him.
“Ruan Bednicker...?”
“He certainly stood out in the special test, but...”
“He hasn't done anything particularly noteworthy since then.”
Ruan Bednicker had achieved second place in the monster attack at dawn—in other words, the special test.
His performance then was impressive, so a few instructors had taken notice of him, but afterward, he didn't stand out in any particular way.
On the contrary.
“He seemed to struggle in my class.”
“His physique is rather poor. To be frank, he's at the lowest level among the trainees.”
“So they say, Hunting Teacher?”
Juan also turned his gaze from the Survival Teacher and now looked at Tanko.
“In fact, there are rumors that you're showing favoritism toward Trainee Ruan.”
“Favoritism? Me?”
“Yes. They say you volunteer to be Trainee Ruan's sparring partner every session, and afterward, you give him bonus points under all sorts of pretexts.”
The corner of Tanko's mouth twitched.
“All sorts of pretexts... I can guess the level of those who'd say such things.”
“Your words are a bit much.”
“Not at all. Rather, the insult from those who disregard my judgment has crossed the line.”
“...”
“Mark my words. A great warrior of the plains does not lie when evaluating a warrior.”
This was the kind of man Tanko was.
Unlike most of the Grand Master Teachers, who took the greatest pride in the title given to them by the Iron-Blooded Duke...
...the identity this man declared with the most confidence was that of a great warrior of the plains.
Juan felt a slight discomfort at this attitude but didn't let it show as he spoke.
“Understood. The evening sparring sessions are your domain, so I won't interfere. However, I cannot condone you recklessly giving out any more points.”
“Then it can't be helped.”
Fortunately, Tanko was the type to accept the majority opinion in most cases.
Not because he was generous, but because he had a disposition that found unnecessary arguments tedious.
Juan was silent for a moment before asking a question, for some reason.
“Are there any other instructors who have taken note of Trainee Ruan?”
“...”
“...”
No one raised their hand.
Even the Survival Teacher, who wanted to immediately object to whatever Juan said, remained silent this time.
Juan looked at Tanko again and said.
“Teacher, to be honest, I also have nothing particular to say about Trainee Ruan. In fact, it wasn't easy to view him without prejudice. Everyone here... must have heard the rumors about the treasured sword salesman.”
“Rumors, you say. Then have you not heard the rumor that Ruan Bednicker defeated Hector Bednicker?”
At that, Juan let out a small laugh.
“I doubt anyone believes that rumor at face value. Most people believe Hector intentionally lost to save his youngest brother's face.”
“A long way of saying you only believe what you want to believe. Then let me ask another question. Among all the classes you've conducted, whatever the subject—has Ruan Bednicker failed a single one?”
“What a strange question. Just how many experts do you think are gathered here?”
As explained before, there were a total of four subjects graded at the training camp, but that was just the broad framework; the details were far more complexly categorized.
Even within the single subject of Survival, it was divided into various categories like food identification and procurement, terrain and geography, and stealth and concealment techniques.
Therefore, a 'perfect score' was impossible at the Bednicker training camp.
Even Karon, who had long surpassed the level of a trainee, showed clumsy aspects in subjects that didn't suit his aptitude.
The training camp had gathered some of the Empire's foremost experts, and the diversity—and depth—of the subjects they taught surpassed that of the academies in the capital.
In other words, it was perfectly normal to receive a failing grade in two or three subjects at this training camp.
“...”
However, not a single instructor responded to Juan's words.
They too seemed bewildered, looking at one another.
As the atmosphere shifted slightly, Tanko continued.
“As you all said, Ruan Bednicker's physical abilities are among the lowest of the trainees. But he hasn't failed a single subject.”
“...What are you trying to say?”
“Nothing in particular. It was merely a response to your initial question.”
Tanko muttered in an indifferent tone.
“But since we're on the topic, I'll say more. I believe Ruan Bednicker will take first place in the second special test.”
The room fell silent at Tanko's declaration.
This was a statement from a man who did not make empty boasts.
The weight of his words made the instructors who had taught Ruan so far reconsider the blond Bednicker.
“Is that so? I also predict an upset will occur in this second test, but my thinking differs from yours, Teacher.”
Juan, completely unswayed by the current, said.
“And what is your prediction?”
“In the first test, unexpectedly, not a single person died. This was certainly unforeseen, so it wouldn't be strange for something equally unexpected to happen in the second test.”
“What do you mean by that...?”
Juan smiled and said.
“I expect about half the trainees will die in this second test.”