Chapter 443
Chapter Title: A Day in the City
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443.
“It seems they’ve noticed Sir Ar-on’s identity.”
Melina said, a slightly troubled expression on her face.
“He must have expected as much.”
“What should we do?”
“I don’t think those three will tell anyone.”
All three were former student council presidents.
They would not be ignorant of the repercussions that would follow if it became known that Ar-on had appeared in this era.
“Even so, I will speak with them separately.”
“Alright.”
Leo nodded at Melina’s words.
He watched Ar-on instructing the graduates, lost in thought.
‘You’re preparing in your own way.’
“And, Lord Leo.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about the matter you mentioned before.”
“Yes.”
“I think next week should be fine.”
Leo nodded in response to her question.
“Understood.”
***
It was the third week of the training retreat.
*Splash—*
“This is the life~”
“I’ve been waiting for this moment~”
The second-years, who had now practically set up homes in the encampment, had successfully managed to secure all their basic needs.
“Who would’ve thought we’d build a bathhouse here?”
“I like it. You were happy about it too, weren’t you, Celia?”
Chen Xia replied to Celia’s muttering with a laugh.
“Well, that’s true.”
Even if they were hero candidates, they were still teenagers going through puberty.
There were plenty of students who cared about their appearance even in extreme environments.
As a result, the students' desire to stay clean, even when thrown into the wild, only grew.
In the end, that was what led them to build a bathhouse.
They were soaking in the hot water, washing away the day’s fatigue.
“Those first-years! Huh? Their seniors are going through hell! And what? They’re living comfortably with their feet kicked up?”
Just then, Iliana’s shrill voice cut through the air.
Iliana, who had just entered the bathhouse, was grabbing onto Nella and grumbling.
“I was pitying the first-years, thinking they were suffering just like us! How am I supposed to deal with this betrayal!”
“You really want to get mad at your juniors for a reason like that?”
Nella shook her head.
Yesterday, word had gotten out that unlike the second-years, who were spending hellish days in the wild, the first-years were enjoying their training retreat in a very pleasant environment.
“I want to have a campfire too! Eating delicious food every day! Busy playing every night! I dreamed of a training retreat like that too! I want to be a good daughter who sits in front of a campfire and thinks about her parents’ grace, too!”
The female students from Lumerne averted their eyes from Iliana, who was flailing her arms and shouting as if wronged.
As she entered the hot spring, Iliana muttered.
“Anyway, for an open-air bath like this, there aren't any pervy kids trying to sneak a peek.”
“Who would do something so stupid?”
It went without saying, but with a gathering of geniuses in Aura, magic, and summoning, it was impossible to evade the eyes of the female students.
It was, quite literally, a suicidal act.
At those words, Iliana said.
“Why? The class president has the skills for it, doesn’t he?”
“There’s no way Leo would do something like that.”
“The class president is a guy, too.”
Iliana muttered quietly at Nella’s words, but no one else agreed.
“There’s a limit to how foolish your thoughts can be.”
Chelsea chided her.
Pouting, Iliana then broke into a sly grin.
“What’s with that wicked smile?”
As Chelsea narrowed her eyes, Iliana shook her head.
“No, it’s just. I was thinking you’re definitely still a kid. Compared to her, that is.”
Iliana looked over at Chen Xia.
“Xia is definitely the older sister type. Mmm-hmm! Gack! Gurgle—!”
Having needlessly provoked her, Iliana was kicked by Chelsea and started flailing in the water.
After the brief commotion.
“Ah! By the way, did you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“No training tomorrow!”
“What do you mean?”
Everyone’s eyes widened at Iliana’s sudden announcement.
“Tomorrow is free time! Apparently, we can go visit Delan, the capital of the Delad Kingdom! They said we just have to be back the day after tomorrow?”
“What?!”
“For real!”
“You’re not lying, are you?”
The female students’ eyes grew wide as they crowded around Iliana.
“Of course not~ I heard it from Karl, so it’s solid information!”
“We’re liberated from this hell!”
“Even if it’s just for one day! We can rest comfortably!”
“Hooray!”
***
The next morning.
Melina appeared during the morning roll call.
“You have all worked hard training over the past three weeks. You’ve endured the harsh schedule well. Therefore, for two days and one night, we are granting you all a leave of absence…”
“Waaaaaah! Freedom!”
“All of you who just screamed. Step to the back, now.”
The faces of the students who had shouted turned pale at Lienia’s icy voice.
While a few students were being disciplined, Melina finished with a bright smile.
“I hope you all have a wonderful outing.”
***
Ar-on’s eyes widened at the sight unfolding before him.
He was currently standing on a street in Delan.
“So this is a city of the current era.”
Ar-on marveled.
Though it was a small, peripheral nation, as the capital, its streets were brimming with life.
Watching the carriages and people come and go, Ar-on was busy turning his head this way and that.
Watching him, Chelsea muttered.
“Don’t you feel a little worried watching Sir Ar-on?”
“About what?”
“I feel like we need to take good care of him. What should I say, it’s like watching a child who’s been left by the water’s edge?”
“You know it’s hilarious hearing that from you, the most childish one here, right?”
Karl snickered.
In response, Chelsea didn’t hesitate to unleash a dropkick to Karl’s side.
Karl collapsed pathetically, groaning and clutching his side for a long while before struggling back to his feet.
“Anyway, Leo and Chelsea. You two were assigned to guide Sir Ar-on by the Lord, right?”
“Yup!”
Chelsea puffed out her chest proudly.
For a hero candidate, being personally tasked with guiding the Great Hero—someone they had only met in childhood fairy tales—was an honor of near-infinite proportions.
“That Ar fellow was practically sobbing as Lunia dragged him away.”
Ar had volunteered to be Ar-on’s guide, but he was rejected.
It was due to Melina’s thinking that Ar-on, who subconsciously feared Ar, might not be able to comfortably enjoy the present.
“Still, we decided to stay at the same inn tonight.”
Chelsea and Karl shook their heads as they thought of Ar.
“Karl, what are you going to do?”
“Hah. I’m going to procure some items to sneak back in. They’ll sell for a high price, you know?”
“You’ll be in for a world of hurt if you get caught.”
“I just have to not get caught. Not get caught.”
Karl chuckled.
Watching him, Chelsea shook her head.
“You’ve got some nerve saying that in front of Leo.”
As student council president, Leo had reported Karl to the student council several times for cleverly bending the rules.
“He said he’d overlook minor prohibited items as long as they weren’t serious. Mwahahaha!”
Karl laughed confidently.
“Well, do your best.”
“Yeah. Well then, have a great time! Sir Ar-on! I’ll see you this evening!”
Karl waved his goodbyes and left.
Ar-on, after waving back at Karl, approached Chelsea and said.
“Chelsea. I’ll buy you that. Let’s eat it together.”
Ar-on pointed to the ice cream being sold at a street stall.
“Yes! Sir Ar-on!”
Lunchtime.
Following Leo’s recommendation, the three arrived at a hidden gem of a restaurant in Delan.
It wasn’t a luxurious restaurant, but as it was recommended by Leo, who had lived in Delan, the food was extremely satisfying.
“Phew.”
Sitting on a bench near the restaurant, Chelsea muttered as she basked in the bright summer sun.
“I’m so happy. This is what it means to live.”
Having been cooped up and rolling around in the mountains for three weeks, Chelsea was thoroughly enjoying her current situation.
As Chelsea grinned foolishly, Ar-on approached her.
“Chelsea. The sun is strong. You’ll get a tan. I bought you a hat.”
“Thank you!”
“I bought drinks too. Let’s have them for dessert.”
“Okay!”
Putting on the wide-brimmed hat Ar-on gave her and taking a sip of the iced drink, Chelsea was smiling when she suddenly gasped, ‘Hah!’, her eyes flying open as she shot up from her seat.
“W-wait a minute! Something is wrong here!”
At Chelsea’s urgent shout, Ar-on, who was bringing a straw to his lips, widened his eyes.
Leo asked with a puzzled look.
“What’s wrong?”
“Leo, you’re helping Sir Ar-on with his sightseeing! But what about me? Sir Ar-on is the one taking care of me! I’m supposed to be guiding Sir Ar-on, too!”
Ever since they arrived in the city, Leo had taken on the role of Ar-on’s guide.
In the first place, this free time had been created to let Ar-on experience the current era.
Ar-on had vehemently refused, saying he would help the next generation grow, but Leo had forcibly created a day off for him.
In that situation, Ar-on was diligently looking after Chelsea, as if caring for a younger sister.
For Chelsea, who had been full of motivation at being tasked with guiding the Great Hero who saved the world, the current situation was bewildering.
“I like it this way, though.”
“Pardon?”
“Ar, Lunia, Eiran, Driana, and Karl are like verkia.”
To Ar-on, verkia was not only his younger sister but, before that, his disciple.
A disciple who would stand with him on the battlefield.
A precious younger sister who had helped him and whom he had helped countless times.
“But Chelsea. You remind me of my younger siblings from my childhood.”
“Your younger siblings from your childhood?”
“Yes.”
Ar-on smiled wistfully.
“The siblings I couldn’t protect because of my own incompetence.”
The siblings from the orphanage.
Siblings who were far too young to die.
“If I hadn’t acted so foolishly back then… they might have all grown up to see a blue sky like this.”
Ar-on looked up at the blue sky.
“That’s why I want to take care of you. Is it uncomfortable for you?”
“No. It’s more like… I don’t know what to do with myself when you take care of me like this. My brother and Leo treat me like a cute kid, but they don’t dote on me this much, so it feels unfamiliar. I guess I should say I’m happy.”
Ar-on smiled, watching Chelsea’s eyes dart back and forth.
“Then please, spend time with me.”
“Yes! But if you only take care of me like this, won’t Leo feel a little left out?”
Chelsea said, looking at Leo, and Ar-on chuckled.
“Leo will be fine. Right?”
“Don’t mind me.”
“See?”
Chelsea nodded at Leo’s response.
“Shall we get going then?”
“Then next, I’d like to go to the library.”
Leo nodded at Ar-on’s answer.
‘Leo is amazing.’
Watching the scene, Chelsea burst into laughter.
At first, she was surprised to see Leo speaking so comfortably with Ar-on.
‘Karl and the others said it too. That he spoke with the Great Heroes he met in the World of Heroes as an equal, right?’
Whenever she heard that story, it was surprising, yet it also felt just like the ever-confident Leo.
‘It seems Sir Ar-on is more comfortable with Leo because of that, too. Should I call it Leo’s charm?’
Chelsea smiled brightly as she watched the two walk ahead.
Then, she paused, catching sight of Ar-on talking with Leo.
Leo and Ar-on were like friends.
But at the same time, their relationship felt strangely familiar to Chelsea.
‘Where have I seen this before?’
Tilting her head, Chelsea remembered something.
Ar-on’s behavior was similar to her own, relying on Leo like a younger sister.
‘Huh?’
Chelsea’s expression went blank.
She let out a question filled with bewilderment and confusion.
“What?”