Chapter 52
Chapter 52
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Going to the Academy (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Pick up your sword.”
At my command, Daisy's expression soured rigidly as she drew her wooden sword.
“Wow, go Daisy!”
“She’s facing off against the top student right from the start.”
It seemed Daisy was the top student in this swordsmanship department.
Well, her sword skills had been impressive during that black mage subjugation last time.
But even then, I’d sized her up and figured she wasn’t quite my match.
“Beginner’s courtesy—I’ll yield the first move.”
Now that things had come to this, Daisy gritted her teeth and charged at me, determined to win.
She probably thought she might have a shot since she hadn’t gotten a proper look at my skills back in the black mage subjugation, where she’d unintentionally just played the role of bait.
But unfortunately for her, I wasn’t that easy.
Thwack!
A dull thud filled the room, and surprise flickered across the students’ faces.
Crack!
Crack!
Thud!
After focusing solely on defense for about three exchanges to roughly gauge Daisy’s skill level, I launched into a proper offense.
“Urgh…”
Daisy twisted her body flexibly to desperately block my attacks, but she was losing ground in strength—her hand gripping the wooden sword trembled visibly.
Even though I was a hero who relied on overwhelming holy power to dominate, I’d never neglected my sword training.
I glanced at Daisy’s sweating form and feinted a low strike at her legs, only to whip the sword around in a trajectory that defied physics to smack her on the head.
Boom!
Daisy crumpled to the floor after the hit to her head.
“Daisy!!!”
Her many friends rushed over to her in a swarm.
In romance fantasy novels, the heroine was supposed to be ostracized by her peers and pampered by the male leads, right?
But Daisy somehow had great relationships with everyone.
Out of the students’ sight, I snuck in one more light tap before helping Daisy up.
“Are you okay?”
With a genuine look of concern like a true educator, I sent her a warm gaze.
To the students, it was the picture of a gentle, model professor.
They all looked moved by my dedication.
‘Mm, perfect.’
I’d built up some goodwill with the students and given the fake hero a proper lesson.
If I kept legally thrashing her like this for a month, wouldn’t she come clean first?
“Sorry, but I need to take her to the infirmary.”
“Sure! Don’t worry about us!”
“Yeah, sorry, but could you all do some self-study for a bit? It’s my first lecture, so I messed up on holding back.”
“Yes! Got it!”
“No, I can go by myself…”
Daisy tried to urgently refuse my support, sensing something ominous, but I covered her mouth under the pretense of checking her face.
Where do you think you’re going!
Since I didn’t know where the academy infirmary was, it ended up with the patient Daisy leading the way and me, the escort, following awkwardly behind.
A brief silence hung between us until Daisy confirmed no one was around and spoke first.
“Fuck, what the hell are you thinking?”
Looks like our romance fantasy heroine had a foul mouth.
Reminded me of Rainy back in the day.
“What am I thinking? I was just doing my job as a professor.”
“No, why the hell are you here?”
“Can’t I come to the academy?”
“Aren’t you busy playing fake hero?”
She was even worrying about the hero party? She had a nicer heart than I thought.
“That’s why I came here—to play hero.”
“What does being a hero have to do with coming here?”
“To expose the leader of the fake hero party.”
“…”
“If you want us gone, just come clean about who you are. You don’t seem like an ordinary demon, but whatever—I’ll let the black mage impersonation slide.”
“…I didn’t impersonate anyone.”
“Don’t lie.”
“…”
Daisy avoided my gaze and refused to answer.
“Oh, and not just me—all the party members got professor positions at the academy. You can’t avoid us all.”
“…Sigh…”
I took the deeply sighing Daisy into the infirmary.
Maybe because it was for the swordsmanship department, which saw the most injuries, the place was decked out with all sorts of cutting-edge equipment of unknown purpose.
“Daisy!”
The nurse, who’d been dozing off, jolted awake at the sight of Daisy and hurried over.
Even the nurse was smitten— if Daisy’s stats were visible, her charm would probably break 100.
She could be called this world’s Liu Bei without exaggeration.
After some simple treatment, Daisy lay down on an infirmary bed to rest.
This academy was weird—it looked like a university, but with uniforms and infirmary beds, it felt like high school too.
Lying on the bed, Daisy growled at me.
“Don’t you have class? Get going.”
She clearly wanted me gone ASAP.
Sorry to disappoint, but I had zero intention of leaving, so with the nurse’s permission, I lounged by her side, idly watching the scenery outside.
Tap tap.
Just then, I felt someone poke me from behind.
It was someone with skill so immense they slipped past even my senses, which I claimed were superhuman.
‘Yumi?’
The only one who came to mind with that level of prowess was Yumi.
I turned around—and freaked out.
Standing there was a gloomy-looking girl with black hair.
It was definitely one of the members of Daisy’s fake hero party.
“Why are you…?”
The thought that I could’ve died if she’d wanted made chills run down my spine.
Stammering as I asked, she silently pointed at Daisy.
She must’ve come because of Daisy.
“Why’d you come?”
Daisy waved her hands frantically at the sight of her, trying to shoo her away in panic.
I thought Daisy disliked her, but looking closer, that didn’t seem right.
If anything, it looked like she was trying to protect her…
Smelling something fishy, I swiftly placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder and dragged her out of the infirmary.
Daisy tried desperately to get out of bed behind us.
“Calm down! You need to rest!”
Thanks to the nurse’s help, I escaped without interference.
Once out, I plopped my hand on her small shoulders again.
“What’s up?”
She pointed at the infirmary once, then smacked her own head and crossed her arms into an X.
She was probably asking me not to bully Daisy.
I’d thought Daisy was the one tormenting her, but contrary to expectations, they seemed close.
“Hands off!”
The infirmary door flew open, and Daisy shrieked.
She must’ve thought I was up to no good.
“I didn’t do anything?”
I threw both hands up, proclaiming my innocence.
Still distrustful, Daisy rushed over and stood protectively in front of the black-haired girl.
“Daisy. I’m fine.”
For the first time, the girl watching Daisy block her path spoke up.
Her first words—and surprisingly, her voice was pleasant.
I’d wondered if she stayed silent because her voice was bad, but no.
“But you need to be careful!”
Amid their baffling exchange, the black-haired girl shook her head, pushed Daisy aside, and stepped forward.
Courage gleamed in her eyes as she looked straight up at me.
“Marei.”
“Huh?”
“Marei.”
“Oh, that’s your name?”
Marei nodded.
“So, Marei, what do you want to talk about with me?”
Her cute little finger pointed right at me.
“You.”
“Yeah.”
“Not hero.”
Looks like she was still committed to the fake hero party act.
Even though it had zero credibility now that Daisy’s secret was out.
“Then is Daisy the hero? We already know about the demon impersonation.”
“Daisy too. Not hero.”
What the hell was she saying?
I let out an incredulous chuckle.
“Then who is? No hero’s shown up yet or something?”
My words came out a bit rough from exhaustion with this tedious hero debate.
Marei flinched at my harsh tone.
“I’ll explain, Marei—you don’t have to say anything.”
“No. I’ll say it.”
Daisy tried to protest angrily, but Marei stopped her.
Then she pointed at the air.
‘What’s this?’
I watched quietly, wondering what she was up to—and was stunned.
Holy power gathered smoothly around Marei’s fingertip.
Denser than even what I wielded.
I’d heard from Rainy that she might be this generation’s saintess, but I hadn’t expected holy power this potent.
Whoosh!
Pure white flames erupted in the air, and Marei’s small mouth moved.
“I. This generation’s hero.”