Chapter 109: End of the First Semester (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 109: End of the First Semester (2)
As soon as the midnight commotion ended, I immediately slipped out of the annex.
The Sword Emperor and the Academy Principal gave me looks that said they had much to discuss, but I put it off for another time.
Perhaps reading my mind, they didn't try to stop me. They only added that they would handle the cleanup for now.
Since this was a major incident involving the death of one of the Elders, the aftermath would be critical. Still, they had the severed heads of the Villains scattered across the annex and the evidence secured from the Auditore family.
Even if a massive storm brewed, the remaining Elders and nobles wouldn't be able to open their mouths so easily.
If they spouted the wrong nonsense, their own necks would be on the line.
Reaching the dormitory building, I sent a text to Weapon, who was likely waiting in the Principal's office. The gist of it was that everything had ended without any major issues.
Weapon replied with a short message: Go inside and get some rest.
He must have had a million questions about how things had unfolded, but he didn't ask a single thing.
I could faintly sense his underlying sentiment—that knowing I was safe was enough. He might be soft-hearted in many ways, but he was a truly thoughtful friend.
I smiled faintly and quickened my pace. My entire body felt itchy and grimy.
I need to wash up the moment I get inside.
Having rolled around in the dirt until just moments ago, I looked like a total mess. On top of that, a mixture of various unpleasant odors was wafting off me.
Arriving at my dorm room, I checked my clothes.
I hadn't realized it, but my shirt was stained yellow and red, and my pants were torn all over.
"Tsk."
It was an expensive school uniform to begin with, and now it was a complete rag. If it were just a few stains, I could have sent it to the dry cleaners, but in this state, I had to buy a new one.
Unfortunately, there was no secondhand market for Joaquin Academy uniforms. Wearing this uniform was a symbol of authority and proof of status in itself.
In fact, even for Dungeons with strict entry requirements, the procedures were simplified just by wearing the Joaquin Academy uniform.
Now that it was torn to shreds, I realized anew how convenient of an outfit it was—even if it was ridiculously expensive.
I had one spare set, but that was nowhere near enough to get through the sweltering summer. Still, the timing was perfect: tomorrow was the closing ceremony before summer break.
Moreover, I had eliminated all the Villains who had infiltrated the academy. Since Professor Damian, the one who summoned them, had shown up himself, that was likely all of them.
Even if that wasn't the case, now that their core leader was gone, they would have gone into hiding and fled.
"Phew..."
Sighing deeply, I stripped off my clothes and stuffed them into a trash bag.
Before washing up, I stood in front of the mirror.
I stared blankly at my reflection in the spotless glass. Hollow eyes worn down by deep fatigue, and hair that had turned even whiter than before.
My jawline and overall impression had also grown much sharper.
An appearance that had changed far too much. A sudden, hollow laugh escaped my lips at the sight of my face, which was transforming rapidly by the day.
"A changing face isn't the real problem here."
What did it matter if I had grown more mature and handsome?
The thing that had changed far more drastically was who I was as a person.
I flipped my hands over. Rough calluses were formed where my palms met the hilt of a blade. It had been the same in my past life, so it wasn't entirely unfamiliar.
However, the process of acquiring these calluses was different. I frowned.
In my past life, I would look down at my calluses and see my own growth as I sliced fish. The rougher my hands became, the more pride and satisfaction I felt. Back then, I regarded them as a badge of honor.
But what about me now? These calluses were earned by taking countless lives.
I had absolutely no regrets. The bastards I cut down all deserved to die. Nor did I have a weak-willed personality that would lose sleep over eliminating such scum.
Then why did this sense of discomfort wash over me? The reason was simple. When I swung my blade to kill an enemy, I didn't harbor even a shred of emotion in my hands.
Just three months ago, I was trembling in my boots against peers of my own age inside a Subspace.
Now, I just swing my sashimi knife first. Without a single shred of hesitation or doubt.
At first, I thought it was due to the Blessing of the Sword God, but after today's events, I changed my mind.
Of course, the Blessing of the Sword God played a part, but more than that, it was likely the innate nature of this body.
My thoughts drifted in that direction. A sense of incongruity and a dark foreboding washed over me.
Who exactly was Kang Geomma, the body I possessed? Even the parents of this world who had cared for me had vanished as if they had never existed in the first place.
Why did a mere ordinary citizen like me end up in this world to begin with? It was likely the whim of some incomprehensible entity, but what was its intention, and what was it trying to convey?
Questions chained together, stretching on endlessly.
"..."
Lost in deep contemplation for so long, I forgot that I had come in to wash up.
I quickly slapped my cheeks twice and rubbed my face with my hands until it stung. As I'd mentioned before, it was a habit of mine whenever I needed to snap out of it.
Staring into the mirror, I muttered,
"I've been running forward too breathlessly until now."
I need to take a breather. And conveniently, it's summer break.
Originally, I had intended to diligently raid Dungeons during the break. But I decided to pivot that plan slightly.
If I kept pushing myself, it would just be a repetition of the same cycle.
Cutting, slicing, and dicing whatever enemies appeared.
I felt like I would truly lose myself if I kept going like that, so I resolved to take a step back and rest.
Besides, the club members would be returning to their hometowns anyway, and raiding Dungeons all by myself was too much.
Taking a short, sharp breath, my chaotic mind calmed down, and my stray thoughts settled.
I turned on the shower. High-pressure streams of water pelted my face.
Feeling refreshed, I washed away the grime. Blood, sweat, and fatigue mingled together and swirled down the drain.
* * *
The next day arrived.
From early morning, the classroom was filled with a buzzing chatter.
"Where are you planning to go for break?"
"I don't know, probably just spend it at home with Papa and Mama. What about you?"
"My family and I are going to vacation at our villa in Hawaii~ Come visit if you have time!"
"Oh, really? I'm totally down!"
The classroom atmosphere was incredibly lively. And with good reason—break started tomorrow.
After completing a grueling semester of academic coursework, they had finally been granted a rest. It was only natural that their faces were so bright and cheerful.
To be honest, I felt a bit restless and excited too. Come to think of it, I couldn't remember ever resting for more than a few days in my past life. I had started working at the age of seventeen, after all.
So this long vacation felt both unfamiliar and exciting. Well... even if I would probably just end up cooped up in my dorm room.
With the very existence of my parents in this world gone, how could I visit my family home? I suspected the address had likely been expunged. Or perhaps another family was living there now.
Rather than causing any unnecessary trouble, I might as well just laze around in my cozy dorm. If I felt like it, I could do some physical training here and there, or gather information at the library.
I turned my head to the right. Chloe was sitting there with a gloomy expression. Amidst the boisterous classroom, she alone looked utterly depressed.
I was about to ask why, but then I stopped myself. Come to think of it, many members of the Auditore family had died in battle last night.
No matter how much Chloe hated her family, the death of her own flesh and blood would naturally be sorrowful.
Rather than bringing it up unnecessarily, it was better to offer my silent condolences.
Just then, I heard Chloe mumble softly.
"I don't want to be apart from Geomma-kun during the break..."
"..."
I immediately retracted my condolences. A chilling sensation that gave me goosebumps washed over me.
She hated being apart from me more than the death of her family? At that point, her brain circuitry had to be seriously miswired.
As expected, the mindset of a yandere girl was not something an ordinary person like me could ever hope to comprehend.
Chloe is the real deal.
I turned my gaze to the left.
Ryozo was sitting with her arms crossed, her lips pouting heavily. Her furrowed eyebrows, drawn together in a tight V-shape, stood out prominently.
...What's wrong with her now?
Her face was filled with worry, though in a different sense than Chloe's. For some reason, only the two people sitting on either side of me were radiating an energy completely opposite to the festive atmosphere of the classroom.
Ryozo's complexion was just as dark as Chloe's. To be precise, her expression was souring by the second. She looked nothing like a youth welcoming summer break.
And this was Ryozo, who usually did nothing but take naps. I thought she would be the happiest of all...
Does she hate break that much?
For the record, Ryozo had been discharged from the Academy Affiliated Hospital as of yesterday. Her physical condition had improved significantly, and she was supposedly going to receive further treatment back in her home country.
Well, she suffered such a severe sword wound; there's no way she'd be fully healed after just a few days in the hospital.
As I watched her with a slightly strange feeling, our eyes met.
Ryozo's face flushed bright red, and she whipped her head away. Then, keeping her gaze fixed on something far off, she blurted out,
"W-What are you going to do during the break?"
"I don't really have any plans. I'll probably just stay inside the academy."
"What?! You're staying at the academy for the entire month?"
At that, Ryozo snapped her head to look at me. When our eyes met, she looked down in embarrassment. She slightly raised her eyes to peek at me.
As Ryozo mumbled to herself, I shrugged my shoulders.
"I don't have anywhere else to go anyway."
"I... I see."
Her reply dripped with embarrassment. She seemed to be choosing her words carefully. She was quick-witted, after all.
She had probably guessed that my family situation was out of the ordinary. Well, it actually was.
Since I had a family, but now they're gone.
Ryozo's eyes darted around. Seeing her deep in thought about what to say, I smiled faintly.
"Have a good break, Ryozo."
"...!"
At that, Ryozo's face flushed even redder.
...What is wrong with her? Did she really get PTSD like Weapon said? The calm, rational Ryozo acting like this?
While I was struggling to hide my bewilderment, Lee Won-bin and the Sword Emperor opened the classroom door and walked in.
The sudden appearance of the Sword Emperor sent a wave of excitement through the cadets. It was his first appearance since retiring as one of the Seven Stars.
Presumably, the matters regarding his retirement had been settled to some extent. With his entrance, the classroom went from buzzing to outright noisy.
"Quiet! Quiet!"
Lee Won-bin slammed his palm onto the lectern. Perhaps because break was right around the corner, the cadets seemed to have slipped their leashes and barely listened to him.
On top of that, they had gone through thick and thin together for a whole semester. The cadets felt much more comfortable around Lee Won-bin now compared to the beginning of the term.
Only after Lee Won-bin shouted for about five minutes did the noise finally die down. Looking completely drained, he began to speak.
"I know you're excited, but you are cadets of Joaquin Academy. I beg of you, please maintain your dignity outside. The academy's reputation is determined by your behavior."
"Yes, sir!"
The cadets answered in unison with a roaring shout. Only then did a smile appear on Lee Won-bin's face.
"Sigh, at least your response sounds like Joaquin Academy cadets. Anyway, I've sent the guidelines via email, so I won't make this long. Always watch your behavior and mindset, and show your parents how much you've matured. That is all."
Finishing his speech, Lee Won-bin stepped back and yielded the floor to the Sword Emperor. The lively atmosphere from moments ago instantly cooled. The cadets looked somewhat tense.
While the Sword Emperor's presence was intimidating, they also seemed worried that his speech might drag on like a principal's lecture. After all, everyone was itching to go home as soon as possible.
The Sword Emperor was famous for being an old fogey. The moment he opened his mouth, a tedious lecture would surely begin. Someone swallowed hard.
The Sword Emperor scanned the faces in the room. His gaze paused briefly on me before he spoke in a casual tone.
"Only out-of-touch old fogeys give long speeches, so I will keep this brief. I look forward to seeing how much you have grown by next semester. That is all."
The Sword Emperor cut his words short with crisp discipline. The cadets gasped in awe at his refreshingly direct words.
I was quite surprised myself. This was the Sword Emperor, the very epitome of an old fogey. For him to give such a clean, concise address... I could only marvel.
The cadets quickly got up from their seats. Exchanging farewells, they poured out of the classroom in a crowd.
Lee Won-bin and the Sword Emperor remained in their spots, seemingly intending to watch until everyone had left.
The classroom emptied out in an instant. Soon, Chloe spoke with a pale face.
"...Have a good break, Geomma-kun."
"You too, Chloe."
"...Yes."
Chloe replied in a dying voice. I considered just ignoring it, but since it was the start of the break, I decided to give her some encouragement.
"I'll be looking forward to seeing how much more you've grown. So, have a good break."
When I said that, Chloe's eyes sparkled. She nodded vigorously.
On the other hand, Ryozo still had a sour expression. I thought about saying something to her but decided against it. Mental counseling was a doctor's job, not mine.
Chloe walked toward the door with light steps, while Ryozo trudged along sluggishly.
I should head back and get some rest too.
Just as I was packing my things to stand up, the Sword Emperor suddenly approached me.
...Ah, right.
Yesterday, this man looked like he had a lot to say to me. Could it be that he waited for all the cadets to leave for this very reason?
Stepping close, the Sword Emperor looked at me and finally spoke.
"Do you have any specific plans for the break?"
"...?"
For a moment, I doubted my ears. It was an unexpected question.
Asking about my vacation plans out of the blue? Was he just breaking the ice before asking his real question?
As various questions swirled in my mind, the Sword Emperor stared intently at me. That look felt strangely familiar.
It was the look of an old fogey demanding an answer, one I had often seen while working at the sashimi restaurant. Hadn't he just made an un-fogey-like speech not even ten minutes ago?
Suppressing my stray thoughts, I replied,
"I was just planning to train here at the academy."
"...I see."
A brief reply came, and a cold draft seemed to blow between us.
An awkward, suffocating silence settled in.
Just as I was about to take a step back, the Sword Emperor spoke as if tossing the words out casually.
"In that case, why don't you come with me?"
"...?"
I was utterly dumbfounded by the sudden proposal.
Before I could even ask him to repeat himself, the Sword Emperor looked straight into my eyes and spoke in a low voice.