Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Dungeon Practical
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"...Well, if there was nothing between you, you should have just said so."
Rachel averted her gaze, seemingly embarrassed by her earlier actions.
"I didn't exactly have a chance to say anything, did I?"
When Allen asked back with a look of disbelief, she feigned composure and spoke.
"A-Anyone would have misunderstood that situation, wouldn't they?"
She didn't seem to notice she had stuttered.
"We even made a mana oath."
"...Ugh, well, that's true, but..."
As gazes started to gather, Allen quickly led her out of the classroom.
*'Her voice wasn't that loud, so not many people should have heard.'*
Nothing was more exhausting than being caught up in rumors of a love affair.
Realizing that Allen and Maria's relationship wasn't what she had imagined, she was now trying to gloss it over.
"She's Maria Caritas, the famed Descendant of the Hero. There's no way we'd be in a relationship like that."
"...That's true."
Allen stopped walking when he felt they had reached a suitably secluded spot.
Her steps halted along with his.
"Did you not trust me?"
"O-Of course, I trusted you!"
"Truly?"
"...Yes."
「Your expression suggested otherwise.」
Watching her eyes dart back and forth, Allen inwardly agreed with Vestla.
"L-Let's stop talking about that... Oh! You know about the dungeon practical in two weeks, right? Did you know you're doing it with us?"
She abruptly changed the subject as if it had just occurred to her.
Allen quietly played along.
"With you?"
"Yes. Remember feeling that huge tremor a while back?" That must have been when the white book reacted.
"Yes."
"They're saying that tremor was a precursor to the appearance of a massive ruin."
A massive ruin...
*'What does that have to do with the white book...'*
Is it related to the transcendent being who gave me the book's power?
Or the owner of the blacked-out name?
The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.
Either way, it was something I needed to investigate, making this a good opportunity to approach it naturally.
"So, for this dungeon practical, we won't be splitting up. The entire first-year class will be participating together."
Allen nodded.
"Some of the second-years have been assigned to lead the first-years... and I'm one of them."
"A standard approach."
The second-years get a chance to lead, and the first-years learn from the second-years' practical experience.
"It's good for gaining experience. The only issue is the risk of injuries..."
"Don't worry about that. They're providing basic protective artifacts and life-saving equipment."
"That should be fine, then."
Since the goal is to gain experience, excessive preparation isn't necessary.
"So, is there anything else I need to prepare during that time?"
"No, you have experience exploring ruins in your own territory, so... there's nothing special you need to prepare."
Having successfully changed the subject, she seemed quite relieved.
"Oh, right. Allen, have you met the students sponsored by your family?"
"The student sponsorship program?"
"Yes."
Allen knew the Reinhardt family sponsored a few students, but he didn't know who they were.
"No... I'm not sure. The Head of the Family was the one who decided."
The reason for sponsoring students was simple.
*'It's to draw them into our territory.'*
Students admitted to the academy, even commoners, possessed considerable talent. The sponsorship ensured they could live comfortably until graduation.
In return, the sponsored commoners would later go to the territory of the family that supported them.
"I've met them. It's an upperclassman who was in the same club as me, and they're really nice..."
She then launched into various stories, as if trying to make up for the days they hadn't seen each other.
"Oh, Allen, have you heard?"
She glanced around as if about to share a secret, then lowered her voice.
"Among the new first-years, the Beast King Gaion's grandchild was admitted."
She spoke as if it were a secret, but Allen already knew.
*'No need to rain on her parade when she's enjoying herself this much.'*
Regardless of what Allen was thinking, she continued speaking rapidly.
"I don't know if they're a boy or a girl... but being the Beast King's grandchild, they must be a beastkin, right? You know, super muscular even under their clothes."
She seemed more excited about the rumor itself than the conversation with Allen.
*'Well, from what I know, she's closer to a human than a beastkin.'*
So much so that it's hard to tell her apart from a human on the surface.
"Since it's the beginning of the semester, they're probably hiding their skills on purpose. I predict they'll likely distinguish themselves during this dungeon practical..."
Allen gave a wry smile at her prediction.
*'She naturally assumes the Beast King's grandchild is a warrior.'*
Unfortunately, she is not a warrior.
Her blood is too thin, making it difficult for her to use aura, a unique ability of beastkin, and she has no talent for magic either.
She doesn't have a ferocious personality; in fact, the opposite is true.
*'Linbelle will have to do well.'*
Allen briefly glanced toward the research district, away from the main building.
"Allen, what is it? Is something over there? Huh?"
"No, I was just thinking that not everyone who's the Beast King's grandchild has to be a warrior. Couldn't they have been admitted through a special entrance?"
"That monster's grandchild?"
Rachel covered her mouth and smiled with her eyes.
"You have a cute side to you."
She declared it in a tone that suggested it was impossible.
"Absolutely not. Maybe for one of the other Eight Strongest, but the Beast King, after what happened? Allowing his grandchild to sit at a desk? It's absolutely impossible."
Allen didn't argue the point any further.
If he hadn't regressed, he would have had the same reaction.
"It's more plausible that they're hiding their skills in the supplementary class, like that guy Julius."
"...Is that so."
"Yes. Oh, speaking of which, do you know why that guy, Julius, is suddenly hanging out with Catherine?"
She glanced at Allen's expression as if to gauge his reaction before continuing.
"You know what happened between Julius and Catherine. ...After being rejected like that, I don't know what she sees in him to be sticking to him again."
Rachel's expression was filled with dissatisfaction.
Regardless of her mood, Allen felt that things were proceeding smoothly.
*'So Catherine managed to approach him safely.'*
The fact that she revealed herself as the true owner of the Valhǫll Forge must have been a big reason why he accepted her.
It would be great if she could come to occupy a large part of his heart in this state...
*'But her rivals are too formidable, so that might be difficult.'*
It would be better for her to act as a mediator between them all.
"What do you think? Do you know anything?"
"...Well, I'm not sure."
"Hmm, really?"
After talking for a while longer, seemingly worried about Catherine, she parted ways with Allen, saying she had another class to attend.
*'I'll hear news about Linbelle soon, and my relationship with Prince Elijah has been established...'*
I've formed a minimal connection with Maria.
However, I haven't had any significant interactions with Haizel since our conversation a few weeks ago, so I needed to take other measures.
He's also seemed to be getting much closer to Julius lately.
*'I need to at least figure out his connection to the gray book and what his current objectives are.'*
He clearly held more secrets than he let on.
*'In that case, what I need to think about now is...'*
After she left, Allen lingered for a little longer before returning to his dormitory.
"Young Master, a message has arrived from the Minima tribe."
"The Minima? From Alexius?"
"Yes."
As soon as Allen entered the dormitory, Inellia handed him a letter.
"They took longer to contact me than I expected."
I thought they would have reached out right after the entrance ceremony.
The letter's contents were simple.
[The time has come to fulfill your promise.]
Its defining characteristic, if any, was that it contained only the necessary information, without any flowery language or lengthy pleasantries.
"Did they give you anything besides the letter?"
"They said they would relay the location of the ruin in the near future."
"Anything else?"
"From my own investigation... I can only surmise that the direction they are headed may be related to the previous tremor... I will investigate further and provide a summary."
Another massive ruin...
*'Is it a coincidence?'*
It's too early to be sure, so I should keep it in mind.
You never know.
The planned site for the academy's dungeon practical might just happen to overlap with the place the Minima tribe wants.
Since the black book didn't describe any particular events related to this, I needed to prepare for variables.
"There's no other news, right? What about the item from the auction house..."
"Nothing."
"A shame."
Allen suppressed his impatience.
Getting anxious now wouldn't change anything.
The important thing was not to miss the thread of an opportunity when it appeared. That was enough.
"I'm going out again. Keep up the good work."
"Yes, understood."
"And think again about what I said about alchemy."
Inellia nodded as if to say her answer wouldn't change.
"Then the only thing left to do is... that."
Not long after, the academy would be attacked with the help of an inside collaborator.
Their target: the escaped Heretic Saint.
The woman who secretly took the divine beast, the Sea Dragon, and is now hiding her identity in the supplementary class.
And there were those who, out of vengeance, supplied weapons to the attackers who assaulted the academy.
*'To be precise, they used to exist.'*
It wasn't even something I experienced in my life before regressing.
*'It's not from my past life, but an event from the [original story] written in the black book. But that doesn't matter.'*
The Sindri siblings.
I confirmed during my last visit that they had a connection to the heretics who attacked the academy, the Cycle Cult.
This also proved, to some extent, the credibility of what was written in the original story.
*'I'll use them to make contact with the Cycle Cult.'*
After that, I plan to make a deal with them—no, to take a slightly dangerous gamble.
Since the Saint is destined to become one of Julius's women, Julius is bound to clash with them repeatedly.
*'They might become a card I can use.'*
It could fail.
But if it succeeds...
Allen cut off his far-reaching thoughts.
Nothing has actually been realized yet.
He didn't want to get ahead of himself.
His pace quickened slightly.
The path to the industrial district seemed longer than usual today.
* * *
A secret place located in Elpis.
The pillars of pure white marble and their splendid embossed patterns were so classical they drew involuntary gasps of admiration.
The solemn atmosphere filling the space gave it a sense of gravity, making one cautious of even the slightest breath.
And in the center of it all.
At the focal point where sunlight poured down from the ceiling, was Maria.
Her closed eyes were still and serene, her pale face framed by neatly arranged, pure white hair.
On the floor where she sat in a formal posture was a drawing of a giant tree.
A tree made of ten circles, with a snake coiling up it.
She was sitting in the tenth circle, which corresponded to its roots.
"Hoo—."
In that moment, a brilliant golden light flickered over her body.
The circle she sat in began to glow evenly, the light extending to the ninth circle.
The light then extended from there, passing through the eighth and seventh circles as it climbed.
As the golden prana passed through the circles, it began to mix with white, and just as it was about to turn completely white, the form of the light wavered.
The wavering light rippled without pause before shattering in an instant.
"Your concentration has been broken."
A soft voice broke the silence. The sound of clicking heels, a light-footed gait, drew the eye. The woman who approached her was exceptionally beautiful.
"It's not just today. It was the same yesterday, and the day before. You've been wavering for the past month."
Anastasia.
The director of Galshdin Academy spoke in a calm voice.
Maria did not answer.
Anastasia paid her no mind.
"Is it because you lost the top position?"
Anastasia took a step closer.
"Or is it because you can't use the holy sword? I heard you've been cooped up in the artificial ruins lately."
Another step.
"If not that... could it be because of the second-ranked student you meet every night?"
Maria rose to her feet. She looked at Anastasia without any change in emotion, and Anastasia met her gaze with a smile.
Anastasia knew.
After all the trouble she went through to create such a vessel.
She knew what emotions were hidden behind that expressionless face.
What was being suppressed.
"To complete the tree, you cannot be like this. Whether it's to climb higher or to break out of your shell."
Her smile began to deepen.
"To act befitting the title 'Descendant of the Hero,' you must become stronger. Stronger than anyone. If you remain where you are now... wouldn't that be difficult?"
"I know."
Maria, who had been silent, finally spoke. At her words, Anastasia beamed.
"As long as you know. If things had gone as calculated, according to 'fate,' this wouldn't have happened..."
Even if fallen, a god is still a god. Even if prophecy lost its meaning the moment the forcibly closed heavens opened, fate still existed.
What was meant to happen would happen, and what was meant to be achieved would be achieved. That was fate. But at some point, it started to go awry.
"...Even if we're barely maintaining the flow now, we don't know when it might become completely distorted."
Therefore, it was necessary to take control of the flow before it was completely overturned.
"For my sake... and for yours."
She recalled the past. A time when she imagined this era would last forever. A time when she received the adoration of all in a grand palace.
But that era was lost.
It fell completely and was buried in history.
"Well, a hero always shines brighter with a rival by their side anyway."
She covered her mouth elegantly and let out a small laugh.
To achieve the cherished ambition she had held since reawakening, Maria had to grow stronger.
Much stronger than she was now.
Strong enough that any action would be permissible.
Thus, the current opportunity could be considered opportune.
"Distinguish yourself in the upcoming dungeon practical."
She turned sharply, her back to Maria. Her words were laced with resolve.
"I couldn't confirm it myself, as I cannot leave the domain of the holy sword... but one of the ancient monsters is likely there."
Click, clack—
"It will be too much for the students to handle, so when they've taken a certain amount of damage... appear and kill it."
"...Yes."
"I've already made all the preparations, so there will be no interruptions."
Maria nodded.
Anastasia began to walk away at her response, then turned only her head to look back at Maria, as if she had forgotten something.
"Because you are 'our' hope."
For a moment, dozens of voices—men, women, old, and young, impossible to distinguish—overlapped and echoed through the chamber. The one who had produced such a bizarre sound then looked at Maria with a benevolent expression, as if nothing had happened.
"So I'm counting on you."
Maria could not offer any reply to those words.
Only the clicking of her heels echoed through the space.