The Hero's First Lesson
Yesterday, my Saturday with the Saintess had been surprisingly calm. Maybe because of the rain...? Anyway, now it was Sunday night, the day after.
Once this night passed, Monday would be here.
"Haa..."
Monday...
...The Monday that was coming meant the results of the evaluation match would be out.
The evaluation match results, of course, meant class assignments.
Yeah... Today, I'd be leaving Class A for good.
If I'd at least participated in the evaluation match, I might've scraped together some chance to stay. But...
"...What a shame."
Honestly, I had no idea how my scores had been handled.
I was officially a no-show for the evaluation match.
The Academy side must've definitely noticed something fishy during the tallying process.
But... why hadn't they come looking for me?
They would've confirmed there was no record of me in the evaluation match...
No one had come knocking, no official notice had flown my way.
...Did Aen Arbel cover for me when she kidnapped me?
Thinking about it, that seemed more likely.
It didn't make sense that someone affiliated with an absurdly massive institution like the Academy would kidnap me without preparing any countermeasures for loose ends later.
...Wait.
Hold on, just hold on a second.
Does that mean...
"I might actually stay in Class A?"
I had no clue how Aen had handled the aftermath.
Still... you never know.
Should I let my happy delusions run wild?
Should I trust in big sis Aen?
Should I just close my eyes and crash?
With those vain hopes clutched tight, I woke up Monday morning.
First thing, I checked the new class assignments.
And the result was...
"Whoa..."
It actually worked.
So this was how I repaid Aen Arbel's silent favor.
Staying in Class A this time held a lot of meaning.
The first thing that came to mind was all the Class A lessons I'd missed so far.
They'd said it would take about a week for the administrative office to put together my curriculum.
Now, it was already two weeks into the semester.
They must've finished gathering info on me by...
"...now, right?"
Thinking about it, I hadn't done jack since enrollment.
...Whatever, they'd handle it.
Get to work, Academy.
What else do you even do besides this?
Can't even rescue a kidnapped student, can't teach—if that's all you're good for, you're just one big corporate slush fund.
Worst case, I'd march straight to the chairman and complain.
Not that I knew who the chairman even was.
But... spend the whole day hunting, and I'd find 'em eventually.
For now, breakfast—the one I'd skipped before.
Breakfast is important.
It's a huge factor in physical growth.
Yeah, since I'd scored Aen's favor, a sandwich for breakfast today.
Not too heavy, fills you up just right.
Big sis Aen's picks are always on point.
I scarfed down breakfast and headed into the lecture hall.
The hall was empty as usual...
...Nope.
In the center of the lecture hall, slouched casually over the podium, sat a woman.
Messy black bob with an orange hidden two-tone.
Orange eyes, a cross-shaped scar etched across one eye.
Hands covered in scars.
An oversized leather coat.
In stark contrast, tight suit pants and shirt clinging to her form.
Belts cinching everything even tighter.
The world blurred around me, my mind zeroing in on her alone—that nauseating sensation I'd grown slightly numb to these past few days.
This woman was the reincarnate of the fourth Hero party's member...
"If you've had a good look, mind taking your eyes off me now?"
"...Pardon?"
Ah, I stared way too obviously.
"What's your name?"
"...Shin Iheon."
Somehow, from the first meeting, she had me on the back foot.
Polite speech just slipped out naturally...
"You're an odd one."
"Yes... I hear that a lot."
"I'm Aeshy. Aeshy Emberline."
"Yes."
The other two never gave their names, but she just hands it over easy.
Nice?
"You got family?"
...Out of nowhere?
"I don't."
...Pardon?
"No one I particularly trust, no friends, no one precious."
Huh, got it.
"You?"
...Not sure, but.
"I think... I do."
"Ambiguous."
"Yes... family curse, I guess."
Family's just me, but whatever.
Anyway.
"You know who I am?"
"No clue."
The Saintess didn't know either—how would I?
"...I'm the Hero."
...What?
"I'm the Hero, officially tasked by the Church to kill the Demon King."
"...Hah."
Who was the Hero I knew?
Yusiel Merhen.
That blonde woman.
The one who killed me, right?
But this woman wasn't Yusiel Merhen.
Maybe time had changed her, but... it didn't feel like that.
Speech, personality, presence.
Everything was completely different.
This woman definitely wasn't Yusiel Merhen.
So what happened to Yusiel Merhen?
To the woman who killed me?
Had the Hero role simply passed to someone else just because of reincarnation?
Or...
"...One question."
"Shoot."
"Living as the Hero... does it make you happy?"
"...Boring question."
...Fair.
"Happy... What's the point of seeking happiness on a path you never chose?"
An unwanted path...
Good answer.
"...What time is it?"
"9:42."
"Tch... Later than I thought."
Conversations have a way of eating up time.
"Let me reintroduce myself."
"I'm Aeshy Emberline—for now, your professor, starting today... and the Hero."
...Yeah, figures.
I'd half-expected it.
"Heard you use a scythe... that right?"
"Yes."
"...Style over substance."
...It's not like I chose it for flair.
What am I supposed to do with no money for better gear?
"...What do you think's the advantage of a scythe?"
"Its ability to handle a variety of situations—that's the biggest plus, I think."
"Right. And the downsides?"
"Everything else."
"...You know your stuff."
That face screaming You know that and still use this trash weapon?... No money, lady.
"No plans to switch?"
"...You buying?"
I'd ditch it in a heartbeat if she was.
"...A scythe's a fine weapon."
"...Heroes broke too?"
"...Quiet."
What a Hero.
"One thing upfront: you're lucky."
I know, right?
If not for luck, I wouldn't even be in this class today.
"I've heard all the rumors about you—ears worn out already. They say you're the Academy's top parachutist?"
Damn... word travels fast.
"Whatever the rumors say, I don't care."
Oh, she's switched on.
"As long as you grow 'em out till they're true."
FM style, huh.
"Before proper class starts, one thing I wanna ask."
Something she wants to know...
"What?"
"Power—who do you think it should be used for to have meaning?"
...Boring question.
For whom...
What answer does our prof want?
Something heroic like "for the weak"?
If so, I might disappoint her a bit.
"For myself."
"...Yourself?"
"No idea what answer you're after, but protecting others with power you can't even protect yourself with? That's just arrogance, isn't it?"
"...Can't argue with that."
Well... even without the arrogance bit, I'm not saintly enough to burn power for others anyway.
I'm just a drifter following my whims.
"And you, Professor? What would your answer be?"
Pure curiosity here.
Not fishing for heroic purity or whatever—just what values does she hold?
"Not much different from yours."
Boring answer.
"Enough chit-chat. Time to see your skills."
"Yes."
"Personally, I'm pinning big hopes on the Academy's top parachutist."
...Why the expectations?
To see how much of a mess I am?
If that's it, that kinda hurts...
The Training Room building housed various facilities.
Besides the physical training room and Meditation Room I used often.
There was even a dueling arena like the one Aeshy and I were in now, for cadet-vs-cadet matches.
"Rules are simple."
"Straight-up one-on-one, best of five, three wins."
"I'll go bare-handed. You use your weapon."
...I'm screwed.
The gap between me and Aeshy couldn't be bridged by a weapon alone.
"You'll lose anyway, right?"
Yeah, obviously?
"So, extra handicap."
"Five exchanges per round. If you don't get knocked out in that time, you win the round."
...Oh.
Nice?
"That fair enough?"
"Yes, sounds good."
"Alright, then... let’s—"
Start...?
Before the word even finished, Aeshy vanished from my sight.
And then.
BAM!
A massive crater formed right in front of me, centered on her plunging fist.
The shockwave knocked me flat on my ass.
"1-0."
Ah... this is bad.
Hero, play fair, at least.