Chapter 39
Chapter 39
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Companionship (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
◆
Cradle's faculty were fundamentally on equal footing.
The biggest reason was probably that they had gathered the most renowned figures from across the continent.
Everyone had absolute confidence in their own abilities, so their pride pierced the heavens, and they possessed temperaments befitting that pride—making vertical hierarchies impossible from the start.
Just looking at the chatter about the 'special exam' underway in the Eternal Forest made that fact crystal clear.
"The Dean's finally lost it, huh?"
"⋯⋯."
At the words of Kaper Ingram, Head of the Magic Faculty, all eyes turned toward him.
But ignoring the stares, Kaper indifferently slammed the full cup of coffee down his throat.
"⋯⋯Ugh, heartburn⋯⋯"
"⋯⋯."
"Still gotta drink it⋯⋯ Save me⋯⋯"
"⋯⋯Can't you just drink in moderation?"
"Shut up. Says the guy who can't even use magic."
"⋯⋯."
The other staff nearby shot him looks of disbelief at such a person, but Kaper paid no mind and poured yet another coffee into his cup.
Dark circles from chronic all-nighters and overwork contrasted strangely with his delicately handsome features⋯⋯
"That thing wasn't meant to be broken by students in the first place. Prep something like that, and no one's getting a perfect score."
But despite his odd appearance, his words were something everyone could agree on.
The spherical barrier at the heart of the Eternal Forest was excessively intense, no matter how you sliced it.
Bator's Protection. A degraded version of the barrier enveloping the Imperial Palace.
"No matter that it's a special exam for the confident ones, that's too much. Among the freshmen, no one but the Hero could break it."
"He didn't seem senile. He said exactly the same thing as you."
A heavy voice echoed from the doorway, drawing everyone's gaze back to the entrance.
A giantess easily over 2 meters tall, with muscles straining to burst—impressive and frank, her face lit with a bold smile. The word 'heroine' suited her perfectly.
The moment he saw her, Kaper let out a weary sigh.
"⋯⋯Alter."
Alter Sicarius, Head of the Knight Faculty, strode into the room with heavy steps.
At the same time, discomfort flickered across Kaper's face.
"You stink of sweat—mind leaving?"
"Unless you drag me out by force, no chance. Think you can?"
"Savage."
"Coward."
At their bickering, bitter smiles spread across the surrounding staff's faces.
The Magic and Knight Faculties were Cradle's most infamous rivals. Their mutual disdain ran deep.
They wouldn't outright fight, though. They at least shared a sense of belonging.
Still, they hated each other enough to mock any dishonor more gleefully than anyone.
"Why're you here?"
"Heard there's a student worth watching, so I came to see."
⋯⋯A student worth watching?
Kaper's eyes scanned the tactical map hovering above the table.
Only two had reached the barrier right now.
"How are those two cute ones supposed to break that?"
"They're the Hero's attendants. They might pull off something special."
With that, Alter tossed something toward Kaper.
Catching it, he saw it was a document stamped 'classified' on the envelope.
"Heard the criteria were especially strict this time. Perfect scorers get thrown into this."
"⋯⋯."
Kaper scowled as he skimmed the contents, then let out an incredulous laugh.
"⋯⋯Field trip?"
"Special reward. Go out, play, eat, come back."
"Anyone can talk big. This screams 'dangerous mission' to me."
Fair point.
Field trip or not, look at the supervisor assigned.
"⋯⋯The in-charge is the Gray Cardinal."
Not someone who'd take kids on a picnic. Definitely.
She called them for a reason.
Something dangerous and shady.
"It's not just hard work, so it's fine, right?"
"What's that suppo—"
"Imperial Armory access too."
"⋯⋯."
Hm.
Kaper's mouth snapped shut at that.
If they're going there, well.
That qualified as a reward, for sure.
After all, it housed the oldest secret arts and treasures recorded in history.
Wasn't even the Holy Sword found in the Imperial Armory?
"That's true, but."
Kaper's gaze returned to the tactical map.
"They still have to break through that first, right?"
Even as a degraded version, its defensive power was beyond imagination, befitting an Imperial barrier.
Simply 'smashing' it was near impossible.
"No matter how skilled those two are, no way. Absolutely not. Not as freshmen."
"Wanna bet? I say they get in."
⋯⋯Is this woman just betting against me on principle?
Harboring that rational suspicion, Kaper sighed.
"What exactly does he want to see that only they could break?"
"Who knows."
Alter smirked at Kaper's words.
"Creativity, maybe."
How far they could resolve a limited situation.
And the scene unfolding on the tactical map clearly exceeded those criteria.
[Uh⋯⋯ You think it'll work?]
[Trust me, Vespa.]
The girl spoke, and the boy calmly directed her—it carried through.
[Uh⋯⋯ Please! Can you gather lots of 'fuel'?]
At those words, mana condensed before the girl.
Then, the magic power flowing from the sword in the boy's grip blended and fused with it.
'⋯⋯Mixing abilities with abilities?'
Were there even abilities compatible that way?
He'd never heard of it being possible without the Hero's current-generation magic power.
But there they were, two abilities merging for real.
Far beyond just mixing two energies, the power swelled exponentially, churning ferociously.
So intensely gathered that a vacuum formed around it, warping the landscape like someone had crumpled a cutout with their fist.
⋯⋯Impressive firepower.
Unfathomable how freshmen could condense mana to that degree.
Yet Kaper watched indifferently.
It still wouldn't destroy Bator's Protection.
Surely.
The following scene made it clear the two knew it too.
The gathered magic power was directed not at the barrier, but the 'ground'.
"⋯⋯?"
Kaper's eyes widened as Alter grinned—and simultaneously.
Not the barrier, but the 'ground' they stood on exploded.
A massive blast obscured the screen momentarily, and the ground lay shattered like it'd been excavated by machinery.
[In here!]
[Y-Yeah⋯⋯!]
Watching the pair scramble underground, Alter burst into laughter behind him.
"See? Can't break it? Go around. The kids know how to use their heads."
"⋯⋯No, you—"
Even if easier than the barrier, shattering the bedrock into a human-sized hole wasn't sane.
That ground was solid rock throughout—carving it out entirely?
Masterful magic distribution, near-artistic technique—all fused into one result.
"Shut it, Kaper."
Of course, she didn't care.
Alter's mockery continued.
"You said 'absolutely' no way? As freshmen?"
"⋯⋯."
⋯⋯Well.
He had underestimated them.
◆
"-We did it, Vespa!"
"Y-Yeah⋯⋯"
Seeing Carlyle jumping for joy, covered in dirt, Vespa awkwardly nodded.
"⋯⋯."
Well, what to say.
At first, it felt like pushing too hard when they could've rested, but seeing them actually pull it off.
This guy could do anything flawlessly.
Thanks to Carlyle, she'd passed the exam safely too.
But.
The one lingering concern.
'⋯⋯Why rush like that.'
Didn't want to sleep with me?
That thought hit.
'Huh.'
A realization dawned.
Bittersweet, somehow.
One thing was certain.
It didn't feel good that he was avoiding her like that.
'⋯⋯Huh?'
⋯⋯⋯⋯Why this feeling?
With Carlyle smiling before her, Vespa pressed her tightening chest with both hands.
"⋯⋯."
The only possibility she could think of.
Was one.
◆
-System Message
▶ Target 'Vespa Luciana' vaguely recognizes her own feelings.
▶ The target will strive to nurture this feeling from now on!
▶ An additional trait is generated!
[ ♥ Fondness 5% → 10% ]
▶ Once 'Fondness' reaches a certain level, a special event unlocks between target 'Vespa Luciana' and 'Spirit'!
-System Message
▶ 'Imperial Treasury' related event generated.
▶ Acquire 'Holy Sword' related item!
▶ Enhance the Holy Sword's functions!