Chapter 16
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Team Play (2)
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Ten minutes had passed since Jerka's group and Roin's group entered the dungeon.
Edna approached Lepid and quietly asked.
Senior, Jerka's side will come out faster, right?
The other assistants were also predicting that Jerka's comrade group would clear the mission the fastest.
This mission wasn't an individual battle but a team one.
Without cooperation from the team members, it wouldn't be easy to clear.
However, Lepid thought differently.
Who knows. I think Roin's side might notice the mana imitation first.
Come on, no way.
Handling mana wasn't part of the apprentice curriculum.
It started in the second year after becoming a Junior Knight, when they formally learned how to manage mana.
Once handling mana became somewhat stable, from the third year, they moved on to aura training.
Trainees who passed the Junior Knight exam in just one year crammed all that into their first year as Junior Knights.
Unless someone was familiar with mana, it wouldn't be easy to spot that the rotating blade device was an imitation.
Even so, Lepid kept thinking about Roin.
Somehow, I have a feeling that guy will pull it off.
Spotting an imitation didn't necessarily require being able to handle mana.
There was another way.
Intuition.
Roin had incredibly sharp intuition.
With that kind of perceptiveness, he might figure out it was an imitation the moment he saw the rotating blade device.
Lepid felt a strange sense of anticipation.
Whether he can handle mana or has insane intuition. Either way...
Lepid noticed himself feeling pleased and nodded.
Roin, that guy's coming out first. He's got both.
A moment later.
His anticipation became reality.
A bright light appeared from deep inside the dungeon.
The first to emerge, holding the Salamander Tail Flame, was...
Roin's team.
N-No way!
Edna let out a shrill scream without realizing it.
Clearing the mission dungeon in less than ten minutes.
It was unprecedented.
But Lepid grinned as if he had expected it.
Roin, that guy did it again.
Thanks to Roin, Lepid and the assistants got fresh shocks like this every time.
Roin's group proudly took first place in the dungeon clear mission.
They were rewarded.
Leave permits.
Perfect timing.
His treatment and shampoo were running low anyway.
Hair care was just as important as skin care and face maintenance.
It wasn't just his ugly appearance that tormented the old Roin before reincarnation.
Hair loss.
And it started right when he turned twenty.
Already ugly.
Add hair loss on top, and the stress doubled.
Was it because of that past trauma?
Cherishing every single strand of hair became Roin's creed.
How to manage hair?
Use good products when washing it.
Drake had said this while watching Roin manage his hair and scalp as usual.
You're not even in your thirties or forties yet, and you're already worrying about hair care?
You have to start young to be worry-free later. Let your guard down, and it all goes poof.
Those who haven't experienced it will never understand.
While he was giving himself a scalp massage.
The dorm manager came to the room where Roin and Drake stayed.
Roin, visitor.
A visitor?
It was unheard of news.
They said they're your older sister and brother?
Lucas Leyden had five children.
Three sons and two daughters.
Who could it be?
Pondering who might come visit, he headed to the visiting room.
Visits were only allowed on weekends without classes.
The visiting room was already packed.
Amid the crowd, a woman raised her hand high.
Even with all the people, her beauty still shone brightly.
Only after seeing her did Roin realize who the visitor was.
Sis!
The eldest daughter of the Leyden family.
Seira Leyden.
She had come to see her youngest brother.
Seira Leyden.
A 27-year-old woman, the firstborn daughter of Lucas Leyden and Elien.
She was a graduate of Loud Swordsmanship Academy.
Currently, she served as a Mid Knight in Swordran, the knight order where Gillion and Lepid had been.
And now, she was visiting Loud Swordsmanship Academy after a long time.
She didn't come alone.
Lord Roin, long time no see.
Emilia had come with Seira to visit Roin.
This is what you asked for, Lord Roin.
Emilia set down the bundle she brought.
Watching her, Seira asked.
I've been wondering since earlier. What's that?
This? Toila leaves. Lord Roin kept nagging in his letter to get some and bring them. So I did.
Why on earth?
There was a tree called Toila easily found around the Leyden estate.
Roin had asked Emilia for this favor because of the effects of its leaves.
I'm going to grind these leaves into powder, mix with water, and apply it to my skin. It's excellent for moisturizing and anti-aging.
Oh? I didn't know.
Unlike Roin, Seira had zero interest in beauty care.
Even so, she seemed to have strongly inherited Elien's genes, maintaining glossy hair and firm skin.
Her stunning beauty was a bonus.
Maintaining such skin as a knight wasn't easy.
Thanks to the power of genes.
Roin felt envious every time he saw Seira.
If only I'd inherited genes like that.
He had inherited them.
Just that he also got Lucas Leyden's genes, which was a huge drawback.
Still, so far so good.
With proper care, Roin could achieve a handsome look like Seira's.
He decided to hold onto that hope.
Meanwhile, Seira smiled warmly at her youngest brother, whom she hadn't seen in ages.
You've grown a lot. Has it been about three years?
Yes, probably.
How's life at the academy? Manageable?
Maybe because of the age gap.
She worried endlessly about her brother who had just turned ten.
Roin reassured her a bit that it was fine.
It's manageable. The instructors, assistants, and classmates all treat me well.
That's a relief.
A long-overdue sibling conversation.
But it had to pause with the arrival of one man.
Sis! Roin!
The man calling Seira and Roin.
Seeing him, Roin swallowed hard.
An ugly face that perfectly mirrored Baron Lucas.
The second son of the Leyden family, Helton, had appeared.
Seira slightly made room beside her and said.
Come sit here.
Thank you, Sis.
As soon as he sat, Helton grinned widely at Roin.
Long time no see, little bro.
Yeah. Good to see you, Bro.
Truth be told, he wasn't thrilled to see him.
Just looking at him made Roin envision his own bleak future.
Apparently, Helton had come for Roin's visit along with Seira.
But something came up on the way, so he was late and hadn't come straight to the visiting room.
Helton was also active as a Mid Knight with Seira.
However, he hadn't officially joined a knight order yet.
He was forming small teams with connections from his academy days and handling various missions.
While preparing for knight order entry tests.
I came to Endla today for another entry test.
How'd the test go?
Well...
Helton trailed off at Roin's question.
From his awkward smile, it seemed it didn't go well.
Seira comforted him.
Don't rush it. Opportunity will come eventually. Take it slow.
Thank you, Sis. I need to join a prestigious order like Swordran like you soon. Sigh...
God is fair to everyone. Good times will come for you too.
No, Roin didn't think so.
God is unfair.
If God were equal to all as Seira said, he wouldn't have given Roin such an ugly face.
Cursed with a face from God.
That's why in this life, he burned with determination to conquer anything for his looks with his own hands.
Oh, right. Sis, I heard on the way here.
Helton shared something that caught Seira and Emilia's attention.
They say the fourth son of the Tayla family is in the same intake as our little bro.
At the mention of Tayla family, Seira's expression hardened.
She didn't have particularly good feelings toward the Tayla family.
Because.
She had been in the same intake as their second daughter.
That sister made me go through all sorts of hell...
Huh? You trained with someone from the Tayla family too, Sis?
We sparred a few times during training. Got crushed every time.
Seira looked at Roin and said.
Don't let it bother you. Just focus on your own thing.
Yes, got it.
Seira probably couldn't even imagine.
That Roin was currently holding the undisputed first place over the Tayla family.
Roin saw off his sister, brother, and Emilia who visited after so long.
Just before they passed through the gates.
Emilia, seeming to have almost forgotten, handed Roin a basket.
Almost forgot. Lord Roin, take this.
It was a basket full of Toila leaves.
Oh, right. Thanks.
No problem.
Wrapped in cloth, the contents weren't visible.
Helton, who arrived late and knew nothing of the context, tilted his head and asked.
Little bro, what's that?
Dried Toila leaves.
Why?
For skin care.
What? Skin care?
Helton yelled in disbelief.
Hey, what kind of man does skin care? You've got scars on your face! Rough skin! Shaved head! That's what makes a man!
Helton had never liked Roin fussing over skin care.
Of course, his father Lucas felt the same.
But Elien and his sisters took Roin's side.
Stop it. If Roin wants to. Don't nag.
But Sis!
Our little bro is already suffering through training. We shouldn't add stress. We're family.
......
Thanks to Seira's defense, it passed without issue.
Though Roin planned to ignore him from the start anyway.
Seira gently stroked Roin's head with a soft smile.
Once you get Junior Knight and then Mid Knight, let's train together. Okay?
Yes, got it.
Seira carried the same scent as Elien.
Looking at her, Roin thought.
As expected, Mom's genes are the answer!