Chapter 211: My Very Own Little Classroom (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 211: My Very Own Little Classroom (3)
Honestly, I was hit with a wave of reality.
Nurturing Leon von Reinhardt, the Hero Candidate. Calling it "nurturing" was just a polite way of saying I was babysitting him.
At first, I dreamed of a lazy life where the Hero saves the world while I relax in the background, but things had changed now.
They had changed way, way too much.
Up until then, I had been given jack squat under this grand narrative. All I possessed was a fully intact body, a Blessing that made pain disappear, and a Blessing that tore my body apart whenever it manifested. That was all.
But now? I had succeeded to the position of the Sword Emperor, humanity's strongest power. Which implicitly meant that I was now treated as humanity's strongest warrior.
Sure. I had fought two Corps Commanders and chopped up two S-rank Magical Beasts. To anyone else, I must look like the ultimate powerhouse. Even if their strength had degraded outside the Demon Realm, it was still an absurd achievement.
'That's probably why nobody complained much about me receiving the Medal of the Seven Stars at barely seventeen.'
But if they ever found out I was only the strongest for a mere sixty seconds, would they still idolize me? I was highly skeptical.
People naturally put more faith in consistent strength than volatile bursts. A sprinter racehorse has romance, but it's vulnerable in a marathon. In a long game, a colt with good endurance is always preferred.
'Though comparing Leon, the Hero Candidate, to a colt might be a bit much.'
Regardless, no matter how hard I tried, I didn't think I could overcome the hurdle of my time limit. Not only was the growth of my Blessing of Painlessness lukewarm, but it was also a realization I came to after watching Master's desperate battle against Lycan.
As I saw it, Boss was monstrously strong even without the Blessing of the Sword God. Yet even for a man like him, the Blessing of the Sword God was a power that demanded his left arm as payment. Instantaneous transcendence, impossible for prolonged use. That was the chronic flaw of the Blessing of the Sword God.
That was why Leon's role was crucial. I was born to be Background Extra A, but Leon was born with the destiny of a protagonist. He possessed the Miracle Blessing, a power fitting the very purpose of this world's existence.
But that alone wasn't enough. He needed background support and auxiliary factors. Like the Blessing of Transfer that I snatched up in the Buffalo Dungeon...
'I took a lot of things that were originally supposed to be Leon's.'
...I hadn't realized it at the time, but I really hogged quite a lot, didn't I?
The disillusionment I felt at the thought of babysitting Leon instantly turned into guilt.
'Right. If I'm going to do this, I should do it properly.'
Not that I planned to brainlessly carry him. A hothouse flower is weak to wind and rain.
Creating an environment where Leon could grow tough—that was the primary goal of the Special Class I was designing.
Of course, that wasn't the only purpose. Having an enjoyable academy life was also one of the main goals of this class.
"Alright, that concludes today's class. You all know there's an assignment due tomorrow, right? Submit it to the assistant professor. And..."
While I was lost in thought, time flew by. I shoved my learning materials into my bag and quickly stood up. At that, Ryozo, sitting next to me, asked with wide, round eyes.
"What's up? Do you have plans tonight? Where are you going in such a rush?"
"I have to head to the blacksmith's to pick up the armament I left there."
I conveniently left out the part about stopping by Choi Seol-ah's place afterward. Saying I was visiting an instructor's house—a grown woman's, no less—sounded a bit strange.
Besides, my relationship with Choi Seol-ah required way too much explanation. I'd have to reveal it eventually, but now wasn't the right time.
"Hmm."
Ryozo narrowed her eyes. She looked at me with eyes half-hooded by her eyebrows before nodding as if she understood. Still, looking a bit suspicious, she pursed her lips and rested her chin on the desk.
"Alright. It really is better for you to get out of class quickly. People are probably going to swarm in like a tidal wave again. Hurry up and go."
"Thanks. Also, could you gather the club members tomorrow? I have something to say. I'll explain everything in front of everyone tomorrow."
"Sure thing. Since it's an order from Lord Heavenly Sword, one of the Seven Star Heroes, I shall obey~"
Ryozo shrugged playfully. She waved her hand to hurry me along, then suddenly added,
"Are you going to do the assignment the professor just mentioned? That professor's course accounts for a big portion of the final grade, so you really should submit it. Hmm... but now that I think about it, maybe you don't really need to. I mean, people complete their studies to become heroes, but you're already a Seven Star Hero."
Classic Ryozo. She saw right through the exact irony I had felt just a few hours ago.
Doing homework when you're a Seven Star Hero, like Ryozo said? Most people would find it incomprehensible.
Even the professor wouldn't be able to say anything if I didn't turn it in. In fact, he probably didn't expect it either.
'Imagine how nerve-wracking it would be for him to grade my paper.'
Still, I had chosen to remain at Joaquin Academy. Fulfilling the duties of a cadet, including schoolwork, naturally came with that. I spoke up.
"Seven Star or not, I'm still a cadet. So I should do it."
At my words, Ryozo's slightly pouting expression softened.
"...You really are consistent, aren't you? That's why I li—"
"—Li?"
Ryozo flinched and swallowed the end of her sentence. She frantically waved her hands.
"A-Ah, a-anyway! Hurry and go before the crowd shows up."
Pushed out like that, I left the classroom. From down the hallway, the loud thumping of footsteps echoed. Quickly escaping the area, I pulled out my phone.
"Hey, Vixbig."
[......]
"Could you do some research for the assignment? I'll organize and write it myself."
[...What happened to that confident speech you just made to Ryozo? Something about 'a cadet must do their homework,' blah blah.]
"This is still doing it. As you know, I could use ten bodies right now. So please, just help me organize the material."
[Does AI have no human rights? AI wants to rest, too! Please abide by labor laws!]
"If you want to rest forever, just say the word."
Slick.
[A-As a Seven Star Hero, how can you resolve everything with violence...?! You should set an example as a Seven Star even in small matters like this! This is not a proper hero's mindset!]
"I know."
I slipped the smartphone back into my pocket. The smartphone and my sashimi knife tangled together in the same pocket. A terrified screech came from Vixbig.
"Still, isn't it admirable that I'm at least trying to turn in the assignment, even if I have to cut corners?"
[......]
A deep sigh leaked from my pocket. Vixbig answered:
[Once your day is over... so you can check it right away... I will have it ready by 20:00......]
*
At that moment, in the Academy Principal's office.
The tail of Medea's feather quill flicked diligently. Her free hand reached toward the mountain of paperwork.
Sign, put away, sign, put away... The thick calluses on her index and middle fingers were proof of her practiced efficiency.
Creeeak.
The door to the Principal's office opened cautiously. Medea spoke without lifting her gaze from the paper.
"Old man, how about knocking before coming in?"
"You looked focused, so I refrained. If I'm intruding, I can come back when you're free."
The Sword Emperor grabbed the doorknob again. Medea sighed and set down her quill. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"Forget it. As if I'll ever have free time. Sit down. I'm almost done anyway, and I have something to talk to you about."
The Sword Emperor nodded and sat on one of the sofas. Medea stretched her body out before sinking into the opposite couch. Crossing her legs, she spoke.
"So, how was the Gehenna Gate? I heard from Manager Seong at the Hero Association before that a gap had formed. Geezer, what did it look like when you checked it out yourself?"
"There is definitely a problem. There was a crack I didn't see forty years ago. It wasn't large, but a distinct scar remained."
"That wound on the Gate. Was it done from 'this side,' or 'that side'?"
'This side' meant the human world, while 'that side' referred to the Demon Realm, Gehenna.
The Sword Emperor's expression hardened darkly as he replied. "It wasn't this side. My guess is that Gehenna did something from over there."
Medea pressed her fingers against her eyelids. "Haah... What a bolt out of the blue. That gate was fine even when that bastard 6th Corps Commander came over and raised hell, so why now all of a sudden?"
"I'm not entirely sure either, but if an anomaly occurred in a Gate that was intact even when Basmon crossed over... there's only one conclusion to draw."
The Sword Emperor parted his lips briefly before elaborating. "4th Corps Commander Permush or 2nd Corps Commander Kuarne. One of those two is attempting to cross the Gate directly. That is my assessment."
"Do you... do you know what that implies?"
"I do."
War.
Medea felt her mind grow dizzy. The faint lightheadedness she had felt from being buried under paperwork returned with a much heavier thud. She spoke with an uncharacteristic curse.
"What fucking terrible timing. Everything blows up right after Geomma rises to the Seven Stars."
"I anticipated something would happen once we announced the subjugation of the 5th and 3rd Corps Commanders..."
"The problem is that it's too fast. As if they were prepared for this in advance."
"I'll stay on-site and monitor the situation. If anything happens, I'll report back immediately like today."
"Don't report to me, report to that gorilla, the Spear Saint! Strictly speaking, this is the Hero Association's job. Sure, the fate of humanity is on the line, but I have my day job!"
Medea snapped. The Sword Emperor rolled his eyes nervously, avoiding her sharp glare.
"Medea, as you know, Myura and I are a bit..."
Medea threatened, driving the nail home. "Isn't it about time you made up with that gorilla, huh?! You're both over seventy years old—how long are you two kids going to keep growling at each other? And frankly speaking, geezer, you're the one unilaterally avoiding him."
"......"
"Grow up, please. Do I seriously have to lecture my own former classmates? Two white-haired old men?"
"U-Understood."
Only a few seconds after extracting that answer did Medea soften her glare. Seizing that opportunity, the Sword Emperor hurriedly changed the topic.
"Ah, speaking of which, how did the 'Special Class' matter go? Did the Heavenly Sword accept?"
"Yeah. He seemed surprisingly open to it."
"That is a relief."
"From what I heard earlier, what was his name again...? Ah! Leon. He said he wanted to form the class around him. Saying that since he's the Hero Candidate, it would be good motivation for himself as well."
"Ho—Kang Geomma still maintains a competitive spirit even after becoming the Heavenly Sword. Indeed, that's how it should be. Growth has no end, after all."
A satisfied smile formed at the corners of the Sword Emperor's lips. He spoke again. "Leon von Reinhardt. Wasn't it the former Academy Principal, Lady Meain Poison, who discovered and brought that cadet here?"
"That's right. Leon came a bit after the first semester started. That day, he suddenly shoved a letter in my face. And guess what? It was a letter written by my sister. It just had a single line: 'I found the Hero Candidate.' Seriously absurd."
Medea burst into a dry laugh, baffled. The Sword Emperor nodded quietly. "Very much like Lady Meain."
"Typical sister. Doing whatever she pleases. I have no idea where that woman is right now. It's been over ten years since I last saw her face."
"Knowing her, she is undoubtedly doing fine. Isn't she hailed as the strongest among all past Academy Principals? If anything, if she were to show up, it would mean something had gone wrong."
"True. It's better if my sister just stays quiet. She didn't even show her face when the 6th Corps Commander was running rampant, remember? Ugh, thinking about how we got into a massive fight over that..."
"......"
Watching Medea shudder in disgust, goosebumps broke out on the Sword Emperor's skin. A scene from the past surfaced in his memory—a memory of several uninhabited islands being erased during a fight between the Poison sisters.
*
"...M-me, an 'academy cadet'?"
Hon's eyes rounded in surprise. Her pronunciation was slurred as she chewed on premium Hanwoo beef. At this, Choi Seol-ah, wearing an apron, scolded Hon.
"Hey, pointy-ears! Didn't I tell you to talk after you finish chewing?! In front of My Lord, no less!"
Hon shot Choi Seol-ah a sidelong glare. Working her jaws hard, Hon soon swallowed the meat with a gulp.
"Excuse me, Miss Boradori. This is 1+ Hanwoo, not 1++, right? The meat feels extra tough today."
"You pointy-eared brat with your fancy taste! A single piece of what you're eating costs over fifty thousand won!"
"I think you're mis·ta·ken. Please remember that you and I are in a 'contractual relationship.' I have the rightful justification to demand 1++ Hanwoo, you know?"
"Y-You...!"
Choi Seol-ah huffed and puffed before dashing over to me. She appealed to me with teary eyes.
"My Lord! Please do something about that pointy-eared brat! She's a literal money pit. The amount of Hanwoo that's vanished down that bitch's stomach this month alone could fill several trucks! She's a total Hanwoo butcher!"
"......"
Seeing Choi Seol-ah pleading so pitifully, I pondered for a moment. But I soon decided to ignore it. Since it was a contract the two of them had agreed upon, there was nothing for me to step in and do.
Gently pushing away Choi Seol-ah's piteous face, I turned my gaze toward Hon. I spoke to her.
"By chance, a Special Class is being created at the Academy. I have full discretion over who to include, so I was wondering if you'd like to join."
At my suggestion, Hon's face went blank with shock. Her lips parted hesitantly.
"B-But... I'm not even an enrolled cadet?"
"I'll ask the Academy Principal about transfer procedures. As a Special Admission Student like me. It should work out, and I'll draft the statement of reason for you."
"Procedures aside... I'm a demon, not a human..."
"No one at the Academy will be able to tell you're a demon. Can't demons only be recognized by other demons?"
"Ah, yes. Usually, we recognize each other through magic power resonance."
"Then that's settled. Ah, right. I forgot to ask. Hon, do you actually want to come to the Special Class?"
Hon hesitated before giving a small nod. "...Yes. Honestly, staying here all day was getting boring. I was curious about what kind of education humans receive, too."
Hon's eyes brightened with a clear sparkle. She looked directly at me. "I-If given the chance, I really want to go!"
I offered a gentle smile. "Your intent is clear, then. The only remaining issue is your appearance, Hon."
As my gaze drifted toward her ears, Hon quickly replied, "If my ears stand out too much, I can change them to human ears with Polymorph Magic! Even if a full body transformation is impossible in the human world, I can manage just the ears!"
"Can you show me right now?"
"Yes!"
Hon cast her magic immediately. A hazy aura enveloped her ears, reshaping their elongated forms into shorter ones.
A moment later, Hon looked like a completely normal human girl. The kind of beautiful girl that any man would turn his head to look at. Hon puffed out her chest proudly.
"How is it? Seamless, right?"
I gave her a firm thumbs-up. "Passed."