Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Hydra's Egg (1)
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“Jeron, are you really going to pick that?”
Yuria asked, flustered.
And well she might be, since out of the three items Professor Zephyr had offered as rewards, [Daydream Incense] was the one that seemed the least practical.
Choosing mana recovery or a protective barrier? No, sleep incense?
On the surface, it looked insane.
But I answered without a moment's hesitation.
“Yeah. I like this one the best.”
I happily pocketed the pale purple incense stick.
Artel, standing beside me, smiled faintly.
“Hee hee, even picking gifts, you go for something to help you sleep better. So very you, Jeron.”
[Slothful taste!]
[Sloth Meter +5!]
The system chimed cheerfully at her reaction.
“…But don’t you feel like you’re missing out?”
Yuria still seemed disappointed that I hadn’t taken something more valuable.
But inwardly, I was cheering.
‘This is exactly what I need.’
This incense was the true hidden piece of this event—the one and only key to obtaining my goal, the ‘Hydra’s Egg.’
Of course, I couldn’t let that show.
I just had to play the part of the slothful one.
I slipped right into acting mode.
“Lately, I’ve been having trouble sleeping. This is perfect.”
“Really? You’ve been restless in your sleep, Jeron?!”
Yuria’s eyes went wide in disbelief.
Artel chimed in with an exasperated look.
“But during today’s exam, you were sleeping like you didn’t know the world existed.”
“That was a power nap. It’s different from sleeping straight through.”
“You’ve got a clear classification system, huh.”
Artel looked at me in wonder.
I spoke with slightly sad eyes.
“Actually, with comprehensive evaluation period going on, I’ve been having nightmares about taking exams even in my dreams….”
“That… would definitely be a nightmare for you, Jeron.”
Yuria nodded seriously, fully convinced.
“So what kind of dreams do you usually have? Does… anyone show up in them, maybe?”
Artel asked.
She seemed to be expecting something, in a subtle way.
“I hardly dream at all, but….”
I thought for a moment before answering.
Dreams I’d had since possessing Jeron’s body.
I’d had a few, and I remembered some.
“Usually, I’m lying on soft clouds, or rolling around under warm sunlight….”
“Sounds peaceful.”
“And then I end up falling asleep.”
“You fall asleep in your dreams?!”
Yuria was shocked.
[Slothful dreams!]
[Sloth Meter +20!]
“Yeah. If I light this incense and sleep, I feel like I could have dreams like that again.”
“Sigh…. Alright, I get it. If that’s what you really want, Jeron, there’s nothing we can do.”
And so, I successfully obtained the Daydream Incense.
After some discussion, the girls split the remaining items.
Artel took the [Fairy’s Tear], and Yuria got the [Guardian’s Amulet].
Perfect choices for each of them.
***
Time flew by, and soon it was the day of the final exam in the comprehensive evaluation.
The third exam had arrived.
As the morning sun just began to rise.
Behind the base camp loomed a massive mountain.
Beneath it, countless cadets gathered with grim expressions.
“Whew….”
“Nervous, huh.”
The tension was thicker than at any other point in the evaluation.
The first and second exams had been team battles, but this third one was individual.
Plus, the scoring for the overall evaluation was 50% team and 50% individual.
In other words, this single third exam would decide half of everyone’s total score.
Even if you bombed the team events, you could turn it around with a strong individual showing.
Naturally, the reverse was true as well.
From top ranks to bottom, no cadet dared relax.
“Yawn…….”
Everyone except Jeron, who looked even drowsier than usual today.
Even his signature white hair was a messy bedhead.
The surrounding cadets looked at him with weary resignation by now.
“Guy doesn’t seem nervous at all.”
“Nervous? Looks like he just woke up too early and got sleepy.”
That was when it happened.
“Is everyone ready?”
Professor Kate’s voice boomed out, amplified by magic.
“The rules are simple. Ranking is determined by who reaches the summit first. Everything is allowed except direct combat between cadets or intentional interference!”
Simple and straightforward.
“Then… exam start!”
Boom—!
With the signal flare, hundreds of cadets charged toward the mountain all at once.
“Woooaaahhh!”
“Out of the way! Don’t block the path!”
It was fierce from the start.
Martial arts cadets leaped over rocks with ki-enhanced bodies, while magic cadets surged ahead with flight spells or acceleration magic.
In that chaos.
Shoooing—!
Something black sliced through the forest and shot out.
“Huh?”
“What’s that?”
By the time ordinary cadets noticed, it was already gone.
A black streak.
That’s all it seemed like.
You needed A-Rank or higher to even glimpse it properly.
‘This is Jeron’s true speed…!’
Artel gasped as a man lightly passed her side.
It was Jeron.
His white hair whipped wildly in the wind as he flew at tremendous speed.
Massive black shadow wings unfurled from his back.
Next, Ascal and Cain, running nearby, widened their eyes.
‘My god, what kind of speed is that…!’
‘He’s an assassin, and he overtakes me this easily?’
The full power of the shadow wings, shown publicly for the first time.
The cadets could only marvel.
“I never knew because he always looks so listless. He’s that fast?”
“Maybe he’s just rushing ahead to slack off sooner….”
Like that, Jeron broke through the top group in an instant and entered the lead pack.
Familiar faces were there.
The S-Rank elite four.
Leading was, predictably, Crown Prince Leonhardt.
Golden mana cloaked his body as he dashed like lightning.
Trailing by a hair was Saintess Justina.
Her body enhanced by holy power, she kept an insane pace.
Then Karen, running with her signature footwork.
And Ciel, soaring on the wind.
They had slight differences, but were essentially climbing at the same pace.
But then.
They sensed an intruder in their territory and turned as one.
And all flinched.
“…Cadet Jeron?”
Leonhardt’s eyes widened.
Pure mobility catching up to him!
He knew the reaction speed was monstrous, but he hadn’t expected mobility like this.
‘Hahaha, as expected! I really want to be friends!’
His heart pounded.
‘…Uwaaa, Jeron’s too fast! I’m gonna get caught…!’
Justina kept a calm face outwardly, but panicked inside.
“Ahh, Jeron! Showing your true colors this exam?! I won’t lose!”
Karen was the most excited.
She ramped up her speed to match his.
“Ooh— Jeron’s wings are cool—.”
Ciel said, eyes round.
…Though she seemed impressed for different reasons.
Anyway, Jeron had earned the awe of all Four Emperors members.
He wore a blankly dazed expression, inscrutable.
Everyone tried to guess what he was thinking….
But actually, Jeron was.
‘Hydra’s Egg, where are yooou!’
Thinking something totally unrelated.
***
[Heh heh, how about it, human? Feel free to revere this body to your heart’s content.]
Kerr, who’d only been fumbling and flustered lately, spoke in a proudly boastful tone for the first time in ages.
But this time, I had to admit it.
‘Pretty good, Kerr!’
[It’s a world apart from those two humans, right?]
‘….’
Ever since that day, she’d been hyper-aware of Yuria and Artel.
But regardless, I was genuinely impressed.
I’d never pushed the shadow wings to max speed before.
It didn’t pale against the Four Emperors at all.
Of course, only for long-distance cruising.
Not in combat.
Like, you could compete in a marathon, but get smoked in a 100-meter dash?
Still, that was plenty.
Insanely fast already.
I just sat there while Kerr did the flying—no stamina drain, no Sloth Meter loss.
At this rate, top 5 was in the bag.
But that wasn’t my goal.
Around the mountainside.
I stopped flying and veered off.
Not toward the summit, but a side path.
At its end was a cave.
“…?”
The sudden stop surprised the others, but they couldn’t halt their own climbs.
Except.
“Huh? Jeron?”
Ciel, who’d been curiously tailing me, paused.
She blinked in confusion.
“That’s not the way—?”
“Gonna take a quick nap.”
“…?”
Ciel blinked.
“A nap…? Suddenly, here—?”
“Yeah.”
“…….”
Even Ciel was speechless for a moment.
[Recreating the tortoise and hare!]
[Slothful action!]
[Sloth Meter +30!]
“As expected, Jeron’s the incarnation of laziness—. I like naps too, but not that much—. Hmm….”
She pondered briefly, then shrugged.
“Rest well, Jeron. I’ll head up first—.”
She rode the wind upward again.
I headed straight for the cave without regret.
I wasn’t lying, actually.
I really planned to nap briefly.
The cave interior was cozier than it looked from outside.
Flat floor, no drafts—perfect nap spot.
But I couldn’t just sleep normally.
There was a reason for napping mid-exam, even if I seemed crazy.
I pulled out the incense from my subspace pouch.
[Item]
[Daydream Incense (Rare)]
You know it’s not a dream that lasts a hundred days, right?
Description: Precious incense from the East. Use in a special place, and who knows what special effect might occur…?
I had to light this incense and sleep to get the Hydra’s Egg.
In [Stella Academia], entering this hidden cave triggered:
[This feels like a comfy spot to sleep.]
Using this item right then started the hidden event.
Sizzle.
I lit the incense with the matches I’d brought.
Purple smoke rose.
That instant.
Ding!
[Hidden quest occurred!]
[Sleepy Time~]
Objective: Take a nap in the cave!
[Reward: ???]
Just as expected.
In the game, the character would eventually succumb to the scent and doze off after a wait.
Here, I’d have to actually sleep.
The incense’s refined, subtle fragrance filled the cave, making my whole body relax.
I lay comfortably on the floor.
[…Human. You’re suddenly sleeping? After begging me to go full speed earlier.]
Kerr sounded baffled.
‘Got sleepy all of a sudden. Sorry, Kerr.’
[…No need for apologies. I don’t mind.]
Her tone seemed gruff but softened.
[Actually, it’s kinda ni— Urk. Forget I said that.]
She started to say something, then cut off.
And then.
[The floor’s cold. I’ll warm it up to help you sleep better.]
‘Thanks, Kerr….’
She adjusted the shadows to a cozy warmth around me.
Thanks to Kerr’s amazing support?
Or the incense’s effect?
It didn’t take long to fall asleep.
Zzz.
Consciousness faded.
When I opened my eyes again.
“…….”
I sensed I’d moved to another space.
Warm sunlight shone from a blue sky.
Beneath my feet, soft white clouds stretched endlessly.
An oddly peaceful, alien place.
In the center of the cloud hill sat a smooth, white egg.
‘Finally, I get it.’
I reached out and touched the egg.
Ding!
[■■■■■’s quest, [Investigation of Traces from the Mythical Era], second objective completed.]
The second condition of the Mythic-grade quest.
The moment the Hydra’s Egg came into my hands.
And.
[Final objective unlocked.]
The moment the third condition of the Mythic-grade quest was revealed.