Chapter 239
Chapter 239
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 238
Chapter Title: Reason (2)
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At the boy's shout, a smile spread across Blanca Roshe's face. She rushed over in a single stride and pulled the boy into an embrace.
“Gael, weren't you bored lying in bed all day?”
“Not at all. I was so busy watching the other kids train outside.”
The boy grinned broadly. Unlike his innocent smile, his complexion was as dark as that of someone on the verge of death.
“But who is that person?”
“Oh, I forgot. He's Sir Demian Haksen. Remember how Mom told you? He's the winner of the Helian Tournament.”
The boy's eyes widened like saucers. He was so shocked that he covered his mouth with both hands.
“Sir Haksen! I never dreamed I'd get to see the famous you in person!”
The boy pressed his hands against the bed to stand up. But his skinny arms couldn't support his body.
Far from it, they buckled under him with a snap. The boy couldn't even perform the simple act of standing.
“Gael, don't push yourself. Sir Demian understands your situation.”
“Ah, okay.”
At Blanca's words, the boy had no choice but to give up on standing.
“Sir Demian, if it's alright, would you accept my son's greeting?”
It wasn't an atmosphere where he could refuse. Demian approached the boy.
“Wow... You're even more handsome than the rumors say!”
“Thank you for the praise.”
“I heard you're not from the Empire but still won the Helian Tournament? How are you so strong?”
The boy grabbed Demian and started firing off questions. Blanca subtly interjected.
“Gael, sorry. Sir Demian has business to attend to. He has to go soon.”
“Ah, then there's no helping it. If it's okay, could you tell me more stories later?”
Gael said shyly. Demian agreed and left the infirmary.
“What happened?”
As soon as they stepped out, Demian asked Blanca. She gave a wry smile as she answered.
“It's just as you saw. Gael Rondo is my son. Rondo is my husband's surname.”
“Where is your husband?”
“He died fighting a black mage from Pandemonium.”
Blanca said it as if it were no big deal.
“The child...”
“He has a disease. An incurable illness called the Ten Days' Thirst.”
Blanca continued calmly.
“They say the body's muscles dry up, and eventually even the blood dries out, leading to death. Neither the cause nor a cure has been found.”
Holy power had the ability to heal wounds. Depending on how it was used, it could even remove deadly poisons.
But diseases were an exception.
Holy power could only heal wounds caused by external factors; it couldn't treat diseases.
“The reason he's assigned to Class 13 is because he can't properly attend classes. He's nominally in Class 13, that's all.”
“I don't understand. If he has that disease, shouldn't he go to the White Tower or the Alchemist Guild instead of the academy?”
No place was as expert in diseases as those two.
“We did. But neither the White Tower nor the Alchemist Guild had anyone who could properly treat the Ten Days' Thirst.”
Blanca's mouth twisted. Hatred seeped from the corner of her lips.
“After searching far and wide, I found someone who can treat this disease. Closer than I thought.”
“Who is it?”
“That's...”
At that moment, footsteps echoed down the hallway. A woman in white robes was approaching the two.
“Oh my?”
The woman looked at them and exclaimed in surprise. She quickened her pace toward Blanca.
“Blanca! You should have told me you were coming!”
“Ah, sorry about that. It wasn't planned...”
“I'm not mad. I just felt a bit left out, that's all.”
The woman had long black hair. It was so well-groomed that it shone smoothly.
“Who is this?”
“Sir Demian Haksen. You know him, right?”
“Ah! The winner of the Helian Tournament! Oh! Oh my oh my!”
The woman made a fuss and grabbed Demian's hand.
“I'm Miriam! I'm the academy's health teacher. I used to be an alchemist.”
“Demian Haksen. Pleased to meet you.”
“We're meeting for the first time, but you feel so familiar! Is it because you're famous? No, it must be something else. Everyone's talking about you everywhere!”
Unlike her calm appearance, the woman was extremely chatty.
“Ahem.”
Then Blanca cleared her throat and stepped between them.
“Sir Demian, you asked me earlier why I keep my son at the academy. Miriam is the answer. She's the only one in the Empire who can treat the Ten Days' Thirst.”
Demian looked at the woman with a surprised expression.
He had expected her to have considerable skill since she was invited as the academy's health teacher.
But to think she could treat an incurable disease that even the White Tower and Alchemist Guild had given up on.
“Blanca, if you say it like that, Sir Demian will misunderstand. I'm still researching it, so a full cure isn't possible yet. All I can do is slow the progression.”
Even that was remarkable. It meant she was getting closer to the answer for curing an incurable disease.
“I'm at the academy with my son because of Miriam. Without her, my son would already be dead.”
“I'm the one who's grateful to Blanca. The Paleblood Knights have gathered so many rare ingredients for me—it's made research so much easier.”
“What are you talking about? I'm the one who's more grateful.”
“No, I am...”
The two praised each other without yielding an inch. Then they exchanged awkward smiles and laughed.
* * *
Afterward, Demian exchanged greetings and parted ways with the two.
“I never imagined she approached me because of her son.”
He was nominally the homeroom teacher, even if the boy's name was just on the roster. That's why Blanca couldn't leave Demian alone.
“The Paleblood Knights gathered rare ingredients... So that's why she was out so often?”
He had found her behavior highly suspicious, but it all had a reason.
Above all, her son's existence softened Demian's suspicions.
‘Now I need to focus on what I have to do.’
Demian's steps led to the outdoor training ground where another grade's swordsmanship class was in session.
He concealed his presence. If he was caught spying on another class's lesson, it wouldn't end well.
‘Dulong Müller.’
The instructor was Dulong Müller.
Unlike Class 13 practicing Imperial Standard Swordsmanship, the other class was conducting lessons tailored to each student's sword style.
‘Well, that makes sense—it's more efficient.’
Each family had different secret techniques. There was no need to force the same swordsmanship on everyone.
‘Hmm... So the Borja Duke Family and Portina Marquis Family use those sword styles.’
From atop a tree, Demian observed Gulliver and Emilio's swordsmanship.
Not just the techniques, but their postures, habits, and main moves—he analyzed everything in detail.
After finishing his analysis, Demian headed back to Class 13.
And when he arrived at Class 13, Demian couldn't help but be shocked.
“Hyaat!”
“A little more! Just a bit more, keep pushing!”
The Class 13 students were all running as if their lives depended on it.
It was completely different from yesterday, when they ran only out of fear of the stick. They were much more proactive, full of enthusiasm.
“What's with everyone? Did you all eat something bad?”
Demian entered with a baffled look and shouted toward Class 13.
“Stop. I'm here, so you can rest now.”
Only after Demian's permission did Class 13 stop running and collapse to the ground. They were all panting like madmen.
“Penelope.”
Demian called Penelope. She jumped up from where she lay resting and ran over.
“Hey, did you hit the kids or something?”
“No.”
“Then did you threaten them? Why are they suddenly so obedient?”
“I don't know either.”
Her response exceeded his expectations, deepening Demian's bewilderment.
“Did you all really eat something weird as a group?”
Class 13's odd behavior didn't end there. The same thing happened during afternoon training.
“Connect the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 1st, and 2nd forms of Imperial Standard Swordsmanship in sequence. Swing 500 times from start to finish.”
After giving the order, Demian gripped his stick.
He expected Class 13 to rebel like yesterday. But his prediction was completely off.
“Hyaat! Ha!”
“Hyaat!”
The Class 13 students followed the orders without complaint. They took their positions and began practicing Imperial Standard Swordsmanship as instructed.
“What the hell is going on?”
Demian stared at the students with a strange expression, unfamiliar with their completely changed attitude. Penelope cautiously spoke to him.
“Isn't it the same reason as with Oliver and me?”
“Same reason?”
“You took our side yesterday, Teacher.”
At her words, Demian frowned.
“No way.”
“It's certain. No one has ever taken our side before.”
Penelope said with strong conviction. Oliver nodded beside her.
“So that's it...”
Demian looked at Class 13 with a peculiar expression. After a moment, he spoke with certainty.
“Nonsense.”
“...Pardon?”
“If they changed from something like that, they would have changed long ago.”
Demian didn't believe Penelope at all. He knew what kind of kids Class 13 were.
“Enough. Pick up your swords.”
“Pardon?”
“You said you want to win against someone? You can't beat them by training like the other kids.”
Demian said as he pulled a stick from his subspace.
“From now on, you'll spar with me one by one. Even if you beg for your life, I won't stop—so keep that in mind.”
At Demian's fierce warning, the two faces stiffened.
But only for a moment—they shouted toward Demian.
“Please go easy on us!”
* * *
After that, Demian devoted all his time to training Class 13.
By day, he trained the students; by night, he pursued Sla's trail. Five more days passed like that.
The day of the grade evaluation exam arrived.