Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Weaknesses Can Be Found in Unexpected Places (4)
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Weaknesses can sometimes be found in unexpected places.
According to Kane's explanation...
"I made it for the villagers who don't have the power to protect themselves on their own, but it's definitely a bomb with considerable power. So I thought there would be some risks."
So he had posted a notice at Hassler's general store first.
The materials for the instant bombs and their power.
And even that they were intended for the villagers' self-defense.
Of course, Kane didn't have enough personal influence to make that happen on his own.
So everything was handled through Branch Chief Terry as an official 'guild notice'.
"So we decided to proceed with sales only after confirming they were the village chief or their representative. And no more than three sets per week."
Of course, this was also communicated to the people of Loa Village.
It was to prevent terrorism, and more importantly, because having too many increased the risk of accidents.
Honestly, three bombs a week still seemed like a lot to him.
But with the recent troll attacks leading to more monster raids, they allowed that much.
He planned to monitor the situation afterward and ask to lower the limit if needed.
"For adventurers, we instructed to sell only one each, and only after verifying their adventurer status. The guild plans to issue a notice soon that possessing more than one instant bomb will result in punishment."
Since it was a dangerous item, the penalties were set quite high.
Minimum one-week suspension upon discovery.
It could increase based on the number possessed.
"I figured the general store would push back since it limited sales. But when I told them that once the bomb recipe spreads, Lord Hassler would definitely start bulk buying, they understood."
Especially since Hassler's lord, the Parein family, now knew about these cheap bombs effective even against trolls.
They would absolutely start mass purchasing.
They'd even import from other territories beyond their own.
In that case, no matter how much the Adventurer's Guild limited sales...
Would there be any bomb materials left in the territory's general stores?
The store owner was a merchant, after all, and naturally smelled the profit.
He nodded in understanding and immediately placed additional orders for spray cans, ignition stones, and oil right there on the spot.
Once the guild notice goes out and the bomb-making method becomes known, the bombs currently in covert use among adventurers will spread throughout all of Hassler.
And if villages just keep buying and stockpiling one batch per week, the number of bombs held outside Hassler would naturally increase.
That could certainly open the door to misuse.
"I know. You're worried the guild might get blamed and adventurers dragged into it."
Kane remembered something Branch Chief Terry had mentioned offhand.
Veronica took immense pride in being an adventurer and couldn't tolerate anything that tarnished their image.
Sure enough, if the bombs were misused, the first to face blame would be the Hassler branch of the Adventurer's Guild... where the developer, Kane, belonged.
And from there, it would escalate to calling all adventurers terrorists or dangerous elements.
But.
"That said, it's too useful an item to abandon. It'll help not just villagers without the strength to protect themselves, but adventurers' survival rates too."
Kane thought spreading the knowledge of how to make these bombs was the best thing he'd done lately.
Because he believed instant bombs wouldn't be used for terrorism or rebellion.
They would raise survival rates for villagers and adventurers alike.
It was just a simple method anyone could do—tying everyday items together.
But he was the first to discover and share it.
Finally, Kane smiled faintly at Veronica and said,
"You don't stop selling knives just because they might stab someone. You focus on the positive effects they bring."
"......"
Veronica stood there dumbfounded at how he left her utterly speechless to the end.
Then, realizing she'd suddenly threatened him in a fit of anger, she hurriedly bowed her head in apology.
"...Sorry. I lost my temper out of nowhere..."
He'd already taken complete measures in places she hadn't even considered, and hadn't forgotten the risks even then.
But as he said, it was ridiculous not to sell bladed tools out of fear of stabbings.
Bombs were certainly more dangerous than blades, but with those restrictions in place, she had nothing to say.
He'd taken the maximum precautions possible as an instructor affiliated with the Adventurer's Guild.
"No, no. From your perspective without knowing, it was plenty enough to get angry about. Handing out suspicious stuff like bombs everywhere."
And on top of lashing out without cause, he brushed it off without a hint of resentment.
'...What an impressive guy.'
Branch Chief Terry calling him a 'unique person' made perfect sense.
A bizarre background as a former Hero Academy teacher.
Yet outstanding character.
And the thoughtfulness of someone who pondered deeply before acting.
'...Come to think of it, he was practicing dagger arts earlier.'
His physical abilities were lacking, but his form was flawless.
If he just trained his body, he could register as a close-combat adventurer specializing in daggers right away.
It was the kind of talent that felt etched into his very being.
His muscles were even trembling faintly from ongoing self-training.
He was probably learning self-defense techniques to protect himself.
'Such a waste.'
It was a shame to limit it to an instructor's self-defense.
If nurtured properly, he could become at least a C-rank adventurer...
By the time that thought crossed her mind, Veronica's mouth was already moving.
"Since I was in the wrong, let me do something for you. You're training dagger arts, right? Want me to take a look?"
Honestly, it was less atonement and more her greed to teach him and launch him as an adventurer.
'Dagger aptitude S-rank, and she climbed to S-rank adventurer herself. No harm in learning from her.'
It was a good offer for Kane too, and he gladly accepted.
"If it's something like that, I'd be grateful."
And so, Kane's serious training began.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "What the fuck! They were all 'account for sacrifices' when it suited them, but now a few deaths and they're flipping out?"
The Hero Academy faculty were currently in a state of utter chaos.
Parents of the dead or severely injured students, or their affiliated nations, were flooding them with protests.
'We thought recent results meant it'd be fine, but casualties right from the start? What is this?'
'I thought those days were over, but now my child is crippled. How will you take responsibility?'
'Where did the academy of the last three years go?'
...And so on.
Perhaps because it had been three years since so many casualties occurred right at the start of practicals, all hell had broken loose.
Just three years ago, these same people from Hero Academy had insisted that casualties were inevitable, and only by overcoming them could one become a true hero.
Some of the protesters were even those who had become heroes by surviving that era.
Yet now they were rioting about why deaths happened, why injuries occurred—it was absurd from the faculty's viewpoint.
"Making this much fuss over one wobble in three years."
"Sigh... Still, they're supposed to be each nation's heroes. If they can't overcome trials, blame your kids, not the academy."
Naturally, the rift between the faculty and parents only widened.
They just kept clashing opinions, deepening the divide.
"...Hmph, pathetic bastards. The academy curriculum is already proven. Those who die or drop out are just below standard."
"Right, right!"
Of course, the students thought a bit differently.
Especially those who had passed practicals normally.
The victors strutted around boastfully, so the failures stayed silent, unable to retort.
Some even felt they truly fell short and asked their parents to let them drop out voluntarily.
"Ugh, that so-called hero girl. What a disgrace."
"Hey, isn't she the princess of Pacific Kingdom?"
"Kukukuk, this place is crawling with real VIPs. Seventh princess of some backwater kingdom? Not even on the level of a prominent Karr Empire noble."
"......"
In the midst of this chaotic academy atmosphere.
Lin Pacific, a freshman at Hero Academy and one of the six heroes of this intake.
The princess of Pacific Kingdom was, like the faculty, plunged into great turmoil.
The students despised the failed hero Lin and were ostracizing her, but that wasn't important.
What filled her mind now was...
'Is it right to keep staying here?'
She had definitely come here to become a hero.
To become a proper daughter her father, the king, would acknowledge.
She thought it was the only way to earn his recognition and live honorably in Pacific Kingdom.
But this place drove students to the brink under the name of trials.
And the teachers watched without immediately rescuing them, spectating until near death for amusement.
No matter how much she wanted to be a hero, was it right to stay here?
Was this the only place to become one?
On a whim, she contacted her father via communication orb.
With influential figures from each nation protesting and pressuring the academy now, maybe her father would think the same.
She expected that sharing her horrific experiences would make him furious and tell her to come home.
But.
[Can't even overcome that level of trial? As expected, you're useless. If you don't become a hero, you're no daughter of mine.] "...Huh?"
What returned was her father's scowling face, berating and raging at her instead.
From that moment, her mind went blank.
No thoughts came.
No sounds reached her.
Nothing was visible.
Everything... felt numb.
Her world was crumbling.
[Want recognition?] In that instant, a voice whispered in her ear.
Though nothing else was audible, this rang clear.
[Get strong. Become strong, and you'll be recognized.] A voice exuding black energy for some reason.
It began gradually staining her crumbling, blank white world black.
Insidiously.
From behind her, to her side.
Her once empty white world started turning black.
[Accept me. I'll make you a splendid 'hero' that everyone in the world acknowledges—even your father.] "...Recognized... splendid hero..."
Her side gradually blackened, her eyes losing focus.
And before she knew it.
Beside her, where nothing had been, loomed some indescribably grotesque form.
"Recognized... by Father..."
In the darkening world, beside the grotesque thing.
She just mumbled blankly like that.
[Kikikik, keke.] The grotesque thing standing beside her.
Seemingly delighted by something, it kept emitting chilling laughter.