Chapter 127
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Vacation (5)
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Libra's training program is held only once a year. It's completely free, and they even provide scholarships. That's why countless college students apply, but only a tiny fraction get selected.
As such, high school students are naturally a rare breed here.
"I didn't expect to find you here, Sion."
In the hallway of Libra's Zone 3 dormitory, Soliet spoke as she walked beside me.
Whether it was because of her or because I was an unfamiliar face, the college students around us shot me glances laced with envy and jealousy.
"I didn't expect you to show up either."
Soliet let out a small laugh.
"Things just worked out that way. It's been quite a while since we've seen each other, hasn't it?"
"Yeah. What about Arkne?"
I asked about Arkne.
"Any leads?"
"No. I did meet her. We talked, but... nothing concrete."
I glanced at her subtly.
A faint shift in expression. A tiny breath. A brief pause between words. I caught her lie in all of it.
Something was there.
But it wasn't my place to get involved. That was between Arkne and Soliet.
"What room number are you, Sion?"
Soliet smoothly changed the subject.
"33."
"I'm in 32. Right across from you. How about that."
"We were together when you got the keys."
I opened the door to Room 33. It was a single, far nicer than my temporary lodgings.
"Well then..."
I checked the smartwatch on my wrist. 9 a.m. The main orientation didn't start until after 11.
"I'll unpack. See you later."
"Yes, Sion. Get some rest."
Soliet went into her room. I closed my door.
I unpacked roughly, then stood in the middle of the room.
I scanned the interior.
Quiet and serene. Perfect for focusing.
My condition wasn't bad either. At least not as wrecked as yesterday.
I closed my eyes for a moment. Took a quiet breath. Poured mana into the relic.
Weee...
Dust-like particles rose in the room.
Bits hidden in uncleaned—or uncleanable—corners, pulverized into fine grains.
They gathered before my eyes into a fist-sized clump.
"Just as I thought."
I gritted my teeth slightly at the sight.
This relic had definitely absorbed some aspect of that freak Growl. The problem was I still didn't know exactly what that 'aspect' was.
In the worst case, I might need relic removal surgery.
Whoosh—I swung my hand. The stone dust obeyed, shifting forms as I manipulated it. Star, circle, cookie, cat...
I muttered as I watched.
"What the hell are you?"
—That thing?
"?"
I blinked.
Did that stone dust cat—no, the relic in cat form—just speak? Or something like that.
"What?"
—Pardon?
"......"
I flinched back, gripping the chair back. Ready to smash it if needed.
"Growl?"
—Doesn't seem like it.
The cat spoke. I furrowed my brow.
"Doesn't seem like it? That's a bit vague."
I let go of the chair for now.
I didn't know what was happening yet, but it was probably from my relic.
—Yes. Not 'that' Growl. I'm a virus reconstructed from Growl's existence data.
"Virus?"
Was this C-grade relic named Virus?
"Born from Growl's existence data... like DNA or something?"
—Yes. Could even be considered Growl's direct descendant.
"Then why's your speech like that?"
Too light and childish, like a kid. Not like the Growl in my memories at all.
──Is this what you prefer?
Its voice suddenly deepened. The cat arched its back, tail bristling.
Nyaao—
"Back to normal."
—Okay.
The cat sat cross-legged. Back to the childish voice.
—I'm a virus. Born from Growl's mana. At first, I tried invading your consciousness. Using the relic as a root to seize control of your brain.
It was pretty honest—admitting it tried to take over my whole body.
"Pretty bold about it."
—But it was impossible. I can't rebel against you. Your body has an unusual immunity to mana-based entities like me.
"......So you've been in me since I killed Growl?"
—Yes. In the meantime, I shaped a personality you'd like and not find annoying.
The cat meowed with a laugh.
"You saved me from that pit too?"
—Yes. If you die, I vanish. I can do various things. Right now, just Auto Defense and Tracking. Teach me mana spell formulas.
"Hmm..."
Growl's virus.
A mana entity reconstructed from Growl's existence data.
Overkill for a C-grade relic, but if amplified to B or B+ because of me—like Treasure Hunter—then this intelligence made sense. B-grades onward often had double-edged natures.
"So you want to keep your consciousness?"
—No. I don't particularly want consciousness. Just to survive. Survival is my only goal.
Survival. I gazed at the cat steadily.
"Got it."
Good. No threat. Its claim about my mana interference immunity was true.
—Can you feed me? I like eating in this form.
"Feed?"
—Mana stones and cores.
"......Expensive taste."
—Eating them lets me build my own mana circuits. I can help you more. Quantity matters, but quality too.
High maintenance.
I extracted 5 capacity from Notebook as a mana core. It munched like fish—crunch crunch.
—Tasty.
Its appearance sharpened. From stone dust to a lifelike kitten.
—Fix this form?
"Fix?"
—I'll manifest like this in the 'phenomenal realm.' You could give me freedom to roam around!
"Can't trust you that much."
—Why not?
The cat's eyes widened round.
"You tried taking my body three minutes ago."
—I said it was impossible. Your immune system is something I can never overcome.
Knock knock.
I looked over. The cat tensed too.
—Sion. You there?
Soliet's voice.
"Yeah. Come in."
She opened the door.
"What?"
"Nothing major, but...?"
Soliet glanced at my desk. I'd forgotten to dismiss the cat.
"Wow... um. No."
Soliet gasped involuntarily, then schooled her face sternly.
"Where'd you get the kitten?"
"......Lonely, I guess."
The cat mewed. Soliet's expression melted. She approached, lips trembling.
"This month's pay."
She handed me an envelope. 20,000 ren.
"......This month? Haven't done much lately."
"Connecting you with Arkne counts as work."
"......"
So she really saw that day as just business.
Soliet sat in the chair, tapping the desk. The cat toddled over. With a faint smile, she murmured.
"Thank you."
A small smile tugged at my lips too.
Not 'just' business.
Part of the 'work.'
"Didn't even thank you properly. Passed out midway."
Soliet petted the cat busily, thoroughly, gazing at me. I perched on the bed, meeting her eyes.
"No big deal. We agreed to go till the end."
Till the end.
The nightmare's end.
And... my end.
"Right?"
I hoped.
That you'd live longer than me, at least.
"......The contract didn't mention 'till the end,' I think."
Soliet smiled mischievously, pleased.
"Fine."
She nodded.
"Till the end, together. Sion Askal."
──Libra's training program helps you awaken your talents on your own.
In Libra's conference room, during the ongoing O.T., I sat there.
──Every evening, Libra invites world-renowned scholars, mages, and knights to spend time with you. Of course, you can use Libra's state-of-the-art training facilities during that time. Participation is entirely voluntary.
But the guys on either side were a bit uncomfortable. Gerkken on the left, Elise on the right. Elise kept glancing my way.
──First, the handout lists today's programs.
[Dungeon Conquest]
[Teaming]
[Magic Implementation]
[Spell Invention Practice]
......and more.
I checked Dungeon Conquest.
Scratch.
A checking sound from beside me. Elise.
"......Hm."
On second thought, Dungeon Conquest meant mingling too much with college students.
I switched to Teaming.
Scratch.
Another from beside me. Elise again.
I turned to her. Elise rested her chin on her hand, impassive.
──Then, programs from 1 to 5 p.m., and we'll meet again in the evening.
......
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Bellingham Kanta, in charge of the 'Teaming' program."
The Sky Garden. Libra's cutting-edge artificial mana space room, with thirty mana fields installed.
Program lead Bellingham addressed the 26 college students and 4 high schoolers.
"Teaming means just that—forming teams. Knights and mages pair up alone and sync their breathing extensively before deployment. Why?"
I glanced aside. Elise was there.
Usually, she'd answer such questions, but she was quiet today. More curious why she kept standing next to me.
"Magic and swordsmanship can't distinguish friend from foe. To avoid harming allies, you match movement lines. With three or four people, complexity explodes exponentially?"
Bellingham continued.
"So knights and mages team up just the two of them, sticking together long-term. That's 'Teaming.'"
Bellingham Kanta shrugged.
"Why there are so many knight-mage couples. Also why divorce rates are high."
Laughter rippled. Elise's lips twitched—like she was forcing back a smile.
"Teaming doesn't happen overnight, but experiencing it here will help later. Now... we have four mana high seniors?"
Gerkken. Elise. Me. Soliet.
Soliet and Gerkken were surrounded by college students; Elise was by me.
"Mages' preferences matter most in Teaming. Mages are always more precious than knights. So aspiring mages will pick knights."
Bellingham paused.
"Priority to seniors okay?"
He looked my way.
No, at Elise beside me.
"Elise. You're the only mage-aspiring senior."
"......"
Elise clenched her fist, pouting. Then pointed at herself. Prodded beside her.
"I'll take this one."
......Me.
Sion Askal.
"Hm. Unexpected."
Bellingham raised a brow. Soliet and Gerkken turned our way.
—Are you nuts?
I ventriloquized an insult, but Elise didn't budge.
After team formation.
We entered the mana space. A flat grid-patterned plain.
Beast swarms would hit from all sides soon.
──Teaming program starting soon. Endless monsters incoming. Survive to Wave 9 for a reward. Distribute stamina and movement efficiently.
How to sync movements. What strategy.
Elise pondered that.
"Got a strategy in mind?"
"Dunno. Try my best."
Sion was enthusiastic.
Of course. Libra would watch this program. Clan executives would review recordings.
As Libra's loyalist, he had reason to shine.
Sion drew his sword. Plain, but sharp.
"......Family heirloom?"
"Askal Family Sword. Not great."
Elise nodded.
"Figures."
"......"
Sion looked at her. Elise swallowed, averting her gaze.
"Sorry."
She'd appraised it unconsciously.
"......Whatever. Incoming."
Sion pointed ahead. Pack of black wolves. Dire Wolves.
"You go first. I'll support after seeing how."
Sion nodded, stepping forward. Elise retreated beyond sword range.
──Starting.
Grrrrooo—!
Wolves surged like waves. Sion's hand went to his waist.
Lightning flashed.
Shing!
Draw.
The half-moon blade swept ahead. Five or six wolves cleaved at once. He kicked the ground, diving into the gap in the enemy lines he'd carved. Embracing all the danger himself.
───!
Amid countless wolves, he twisted his body, swinging dazzlingly—like when he'd beaten Gerkken—flashing brilliantly.
Clang!
Elise covered him. Telekinesis crumpled wolves targeting his feet.
"I'll handle your feet and above. Don't crouch or jump deliberately. Focus forward."
"Got it."
This was Teaming. Mages and knights compensating for each other's weaknesses and inefficiencies.
In that sense, Sion felt comfortable to Elise.
This was normal.
If the knight threw himself in without holding back, bearing the risk, the mage could relax. She just checked beyond his sword reach, maintained barriers, prepared for ambushes.
Boom!
Wolf heads flew skyward. Whoosh—whoosh—two or three instant kills per second.
Sion calmly struck vitals even in the enemy heart...
"Hup!"
At some point, Elise stared at him blankly. Admiring sweat-dripping swings.
Rare for a swordsman to accept such danger for a mage.
Or.
───!
His swordsmanship—his style as a swordsman—so urgent, dramatic, dynamic.
Wielding erratic forms with bent fingers, slicing space itself so...
Elegant. Cool.
"......"
Elise didn't know.
She just supported with telekinesis.
Time passed. Endless wolves visibly thinned.
Last one.
Krunch!
Sion's sword pierced its gut.
──Wave clear. 5-minute break.
"......Hoo."
Sion lay spread-eagled, gripping his sword. Elise waddled over.
"......You okay?"
"Yeah. Recover quick."
Sweat-slicked, he gazed skyward. Elise knelt, knees together.
Glancing, she muttered.
"Hey."
Sion turned.
"What."
"........."
Elise shrugged.
Just the first wave done.
Eight more to go, but suddenly.
"You know, kinda random but..."
One curiosity bubbled up.
"If... someone who did you really wrong."
Elise shook her head, correcting.
"No, someone who's wronged you before... apologized. What'd you think?"
She sidelong-glanced Sion.
He shot back immediately.
"You got something to apologize for?"
"......Dummy. Just asking."
Actually, advice from Haedrip.
Move first. Approach first. Practicing both.
Sion sighed.
"Dunno. I'd ask why apologize now."
Elise's lips dried.
"......And?"
She pressed. Sion sat up, meeting her eyes.
"If 'sorry' fixed it, why have laws and cops?"
"......Ah."
Elise felt odd acceptance and disappointment as.
──Wave 2 starting. Now golems for real.
Second wave: golems. Sion touched his ear suddenly.
"......Yeah?"
Like talking to someone.
Indeed, a voice whispered in his ear.
—Those golems are made of quality mana stones and cores. Can I cling to your sword? I can absorb them.
Sion nodded.
"Sounds good. Let's loot 'em dry."
"......Loot what."
Elise asked, a bit sulky—but deliberately scowling to hide it.
"Prep for next wave."
Sion gripped his sword. The blade stained dark red with earth.