Chapter 102
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Chapter 102
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: The Arrival of Eloden's Delegation
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After hearing the news that the Eloden delegation had arrived, Ullan and Noa made their way to the location where they were reportedly staying.
Shortly thereafter.
Noa's eyes widened at the sight unfolding before them.
"Wow, there are way more people than I expected."
She had figured there'd be a few dozen at most, but even just counting the students in view, it looked like over a hundred.
Not only freshmen, but second- and third-years had shown up after hearing the rumors, apparently.
Meanwhile, Ullan cocked his head.
"I can't make sense of it."
"What can't you?"
"They're all just students, no matter the academy. Is there really any reason to flock here like this?"
Ullan had a clear pretext and motivation: seeing a comrade from his past life. The students gathered now didn't have anything like that.
Which meant there had to be some special reason drawing them, but it was utterly baffling by Ullan's common sense.
"Like I told you before, Eloden Academy is super closed-off. They're probably seizing this chance to get a look."
Of course, that was merely the surface-level excuse.
Digging deeper, there was another reason the students couldn't resist crowding around.
"And I'm betting half the guys and half the girls here have ulterior motives."
"Ulterior motives?"
"Yeah, didn't you catch it on the way over? They say there's an insanely pretty girl and a super handsome guy."
Come to think of it, he had overheard something along those lines.
Still, it didn't click for him. Ullan furrowed his brow and pressed.
"They came out here in droves for that?"
"What do you mean 'that'? For a bunch of hot-blooded students, nothing's a bigger deal."
Noa stated it with utter conviction.
As if proclaiming some absolute truth.
Ullan still couldn't wrap his head around it, but he let it drop without probing further. A familiar voice rang out from the throng.
"Ah, Ullan!"
A girl with wide turquoise eyes.
It was Ivela. She must have just wrapped up class, arms loaded with thick swordsmanship tomes.
"Noa too? What are you two doing here?"
"Just came to check something out."
"Huh? Check what?"
"Nothing major. Heard the Eloden Academy delegation arrived, so we came to see."
"Oh, gotcha. No wonder it's so packed."
Ivela nodded along.
As if the pieces had finally clicked. Then she swiftly shifted gears.
"More importantly, Ullan."
"Hm?"
"You training tonight too?"
"Yeah, planning on it."
Ever since enrolling at Arsen Academy.
Barring anything unusual, Ullan had stuck to his morning and evening training regimen.
An axe gathered rust if left idle too long; the body dulled if not kept in motion. That's how he saw it.
"For real? Mind if I tag along?"
"For training?"
"Yeah, well, specifically sparring. Gotta review the sword techniques from today, and it's easier with a partner."
"Sure. Let's do it."
Ullan nodded without hesitation.
Ivela made no effort to hide her delighted grin.
In the midst of this, Noa—who'd been silently observing—tugged at Ivela's collar.
"Hey, but... you sure that's okay?"
"Huh? What?"
"From what I know, Dilia's supposed to show up for Ullan's evening training today..."
Dilia Arpen.
The moment the name dropped, Ivela's face tightened ever so slightly. But it was fleeting; she shrugged it off like no big deal.
"It's fine. She's a mage."
"What does that have to do with—"
"Everything, obviously."
Ivela flashed a sly smile.
"I've got the perfect excuse: sparring. So if I snag Ullan first, problem solved, right?"
"..."
Flames flickered in those turquoise eyes.
A fierce resolve to never let Ullan slip away. Noa clamped her mouth shut at the sight.
'Was it half a month back?'
Ever since she went on that date with Ullan.
Ivela's demeanor toward him had shifted dramatically—far more forward than before.
Not bothering to hide her affection was baseline; she was dead set on carving out every extra moment together, just like now.
'And...'
The fallout? Ivela and Dilia had naturally grown distant. No surprise there—both harbored feelings for Ullan.
'A shift that never happened in the original story.'
Noa couldn't foresee what future this rift might forge. She only hoped it wouldn't disrupt the hero party.
As she silently prayed.
A stir erupted at the forefront of the crowd.
"Ah, look over there!"
"They're coming out!"
No need to clarify what. There was only one reason they'd all gathered here.
Thud. Thud.
Crisp footsteps echoed from the building.
Moments later, the group emerged.
Thirty men and women draped in pristine white cloaks. The students from Eloden Academy.
One peculiar detail, though.
"Huh? Why do they look so stone-faced?"
All thirty shared a trait.
Not a flicker of expression. No smiles whatsoever, not even glancing at the assembled crowd.
Dry as statues.
Some students piped up with theories.
"Eloden's code of conduct, maybe?"
"Eh? Their rules?"
"Heard something about humility and restraint being core virtues. That it?"
"Nah, even then..."
As the guesses flew.
Suddenly, all chatter ceased.
"..."
No one dared utter a word.
Mouths hung slightly slack, every eye locked on the same spot.
And there, drawing those stares: a girl shrouded in a white muslin veil.
Turquoise hair gleaming like jewels.
A curvaceous, voluptuous figure that no prim uniform could conceal. She exuded a mature yet chaste, ethereal mystique.
'Saintess Laurea.'
The instant he recognized her.
Ullan's eyes brimmed with nostalgia.
Saintess Laurea.
She was the highest-ranked among the seven heroes by far. A full tier above even Ullan, the pinnacle of the warrior class.
There were reasons for that.
'She's the hero they absolutely can't do without.'
The other heroes were indispensable named characters too. But the saintess was in a league of her own.
Only Laurea could heal the heroes' wounds and purge their poisons.
'Bards can manage basic healing, sure.'
The hero party's bard, Pertisha.
Half-human, half-spirit, she could borrow spirit power for recovery.
But that was limited to staunching blood or closing cuts. No power to reattach severed limbs.
'Laurea, though—she's different.'
She wielded absurd holy power.
An unprecedented force in the holy kingdom's history.
She could instantly reattach not just fingers, but arms or legs.
'The party's one true healer.'
Across every named character in the original story.
No one matched her healing or purification prowess. And on top of that, Laurea had a few unique abilities.
As Noa quietly mulled them over.
"...!"
Noa's eyes flew wide.
She'd locked eyes with Laurea for a split second through the crowd. A chill raced down her spine.
Because in that glance.
She felt as if even the secrets buried deepest in her heart had been laid bare.
'...No illusion.'
Noa shook her head fiercely.
This was one of Laurea's signature abilities.
Projection Eye (透映眼)
An eye that pierces to the essence.
Effects akin to Insight Eye.
Eye contact alone let it scan good or evil, disposition, and even core nature.
She yanked her gaze away in a panic.
Prolonged contact might expose not just Noa Darshen, but Yumina's memories and existence too.
Meanwhile.
As Ullan reminisced about past lives while gazing at Laurea, a prickling stare hit him.
Someone glaring daggers.
He whipped his head around on instinct. Another cherished face.
'Ian Marcus.'
The saintess's protector and the mightiest holy knight.
A steadfast comrade who'd occasionally held the party's vanguard alongside Ullan. A powerhouse matching Ullan's own strength.
'He's on guard against me.'
Proof: his hand never left the sword hilt.
Instinct had clocked Ullan's power and presence, pegging him as a threat.
As he traded stares with Ian.
An unforeseen twist unfolded.
"Huh? Hold on."
"That veiled girl."
"Isn't she heading this way?"
"Yeah? Looking like it..."
The crowd buzzed in an instant.
Their hunch proved spot on.
Laurea, at the delegation's heart, veered straight into the packed mass.
Rustle, rustle.
Her dainty steps parted the swarm like the sea before Moses. An aura too sacred to approach.
Soon enough.
Those light footfalls halted.
"Hello."
Right in front of Ullan and Noa.
Laurea beamed a radiant smile as she greeted them.
"I'm Laurea Ro Sharfel, a second-year with Eloden Academy's delegation."
Right after the abrupt introduction.
The bulk of the stares swiveled to Ullan and Noa.
Queries on why the approach, laced with curiosity, jealousy, envy.
As they bore the brunt.
"Might I have your names?"
Laurea pressed gently.
Noa blurted in high tension.
"N-Noa Darshen!"
"Ullan."
"Ullan?"
Her eyes widened a fraction at the name.
Moments later, a cryptic smile curved her lips. Like dredging up a long-forgotten memory.
"I see. So you're..."
"Senior."
But the words trailed off.
Ian had caught up.
"Dashing off like that is problematic."
"Sorry. Just wanted to say hi to our Arsen peers. We'll be exchanging for the next half month, after all."
A trifling excuse for breaking formation.
Yet no one batted an eye.
Most students were half-entranced by Laurea's crystalline voice.
"So, everyone."
She glanced lightly around.
Then pinched her skirt hem.
"Here's hoping we get along splendidly."
A warm, inviting smile.
The second her lips parted from the words, students clamored with self-intros.
"P-Please take care of me!"
"I'm Melion!"
"Yuden, second-year Class 1! Anytime you need a campus tour, just say the word!"
"I'm of the Rapieta Count house—!"
Golden opportunity to bond?
Arsen students rattled off names and affiliations, desperate for her notice.
But most failed to meet her eyes. For reasons akin to Noa's earlier dodge.
Ullan, however, held steady.
From her intro to now, his gaze hadn't wavered.
"U-Um, Ullan, was it?"
"Yeah."
"Something on my face? You've been staring this whole time."
That unrelenting, heavy stare.
Laurea mustered an awkward chuckle as she asked. Ullan fired back without missing a beat.
"You look beat."
"Ahaha, guilty. We marched since dawn on schedule."
She scratched her cheek sheepishly.
Then came the curveball.
"Heavy night yesterday?"
"...Pardon?"
"Hangover in your eyes."
In that instant, Laurea's poise cracked.
Eyes turbulent as rapids.
Flustered like a kid busted hiding something—then a bellow erupted from the Eloden side.
"What outrageous nonsense!"
Student council president, Teron Shlagen.
At his lead, Eloden students twisted their faces in scowls. They glared at Ullan, demanding answers.
"Do you even know who she is?"
"Laurea drinking?!"
"Such a vile slur...!"
"Over my dead body!"
Students made no secret of their outrage.
As vehement denials flew.
"Pfft!"
A laugh burst out.
Ian. Shoulders shaking as he stifled it.
Whatever tickled him, it was hilarious.
But the moment passed quick.
Laurea swiftly pinched his side—hard.
Watching the scene, Ullan dipped back into old memories once more.
'Laurea had a real fondness for booze.'
Group dinners sans alcohol? She'd barely touch her food.
Lived pint in hand daily; mornings after binges often wrecked her with hangovers.
'Never let it show, though.'
Her ironclad discipline kept weakness under wraps.
Still, comrades who'd journeyed years as seven heroes could tell at a glance.
Moderate sip or full binge? Right now, her eyes screamed the latter.
So Ullan offered, advisory tone.
"Red ear tree fruit beats hangovers."
"R-Red... ear what?"
"Red ear tree. Plentiful in eastern woods. Swing by if you've got time. It'll help."
He tossed it out matter-of-factly.
As Laurea floundered.
Teron closed in from afar.
"...Laurea."
"Yes?"
"Mingling's great, but we should move along."
The Eloden delegation had a packed itinerary.
Laurea nodded assent. She flashed Ullan, Noa, and the students a bright smile.
"Would love to chat more, but duty calls. Looking forward to our next encounter."
Polished courtesy to the last.
With that, Laurea and her group departed.
As he watched them recede.
Something jabbed his waist.
"...Ullan."
Ivela.
Pout on full display, she jabbed toward the now-distant Laurea.
"You know that girl or something?"
"Pfft, no way."
Noa fielded it.
"Ullan's never set foot near the holy kingdom, let alone Eloden. Heck, first time leaving the plains was coming here."
"Right? Guess it was my imagination."
"Huh? Imagination about what?"
"Just had this bad vibe—like a new rival popping up."
"..."
"Hehe, false alarm then. Good."
Ivela tittered cheerfully.
Noa couldn't muster a smile.
Blame her hunch.
'What the...? Her instincts are way too sharp.'
Per the original pairings, Ullan and the saintess weren't impossible.
Slim odds, sure.
But her gut picking up on it instinctively? Eerie. Impressive, even.
"Let's head back. Grub, then training."
Ullan, oblivious as ever, chatted with Ivela as they walked off.
The day Eloden Academy's student delegation arrived faded into dusk.
Chapter 25. I've Come to Deliver Good Words
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