I'll Feed You the Opportunity - (2) Entrance Ceremony and Shocking First Class
Two weeks had passed since then. The new students of Arjen Academy's three faculties—the Swordsmanship Faculty, the Holy Faculty, and the Magic Faculty—had more or less succeeded in adapting. Those who could not adapt from the very beginning had already dropped out due to the strictness that had poured down from the first class.
—I went through all that trouble to get a letter of recommendation…!
—Now that I'm here, I'll stay until the end…!
After the grueling "adaptation period" ended, the new students, driven by spite, began their real academy life. The seniors, too, after weeding out the "pebbles," approached the remaining juniors and built friendships. Thus, another morning of the academy's new semester dawned.
Early morning. Lydia was deep in thought while perched atop Arty's back as he performed push-ups. Her mood had been quite good lately.
"…."
"Two hundred twenty… four! Two hundred twenty… five! Two hundred… ugh?!"
Arty's arms trembled. No matter how much of a country boy he was, training that involved sprinting up a mountain with Lydia at dawn before doing push-ups was grueling. Lydia spoke in a low voice.
"…Arty, focus. When you feel like you're about to collapse, what did this lady tell you to concentrate your strength on?"
"…."
"Arty? Can't you hear me? Don't tell me you're silently protesting that this lady is too heavy for you to endure?"
"…."
Arty, stripped to the waist and drenched in sweat, now had a face flushed red as well. Yet he finally answered Lydia's words.
"…M-my, my anus."
"Where?"
"M-my, my asshole…."
"Good. Do it. Focus your mind on that place below the back of your waist, the spot that expels the dirtiest impurities from within your body. That is one of your new hearts. Make it beat."
"Huuup…!"
At that moment, a faint blue aura like steam hissed out from Arty's body, which had been on the verge of giving out. At the same time, his expression eased slightly. Arty resumed his push-ups with renewed effort.
"T-two hundred twenty-six…! Two hundred twenty-seven…!"
"…."
It was the basic passive of the Holy Sword Danan—Accelerated Healing. His body, pushed to its limits, was instinctively adapting to the sword's energy. And his latent mana, drawn by Danan's power, began to be forcibly activated. In game terms, he was acquiring skills while also increasing his HP pool.
"Hmm."
Lydia was satisfied as she watched.
Arty's growth rate is pretty decent. In the game, this would be right around when the forced tutorial schedule ends, yet he's already mastered all the Holy Sword's basic passive skills…
Accelerated Healing. Holy Sword Maintenance. And Aura of Purification…. All of them had required rolling through early dungeons to raise the "Stamina" stat before training could even begin. It had melted away at least two months of schedule.
To meet the heroines, he'd have to visit other faculties and build connections… This early growth was what used to hold players back.
Now that it was resolved, they could spend the next two months leisurely focusing on farming and heroine events.
"Th-three… hundred…!"
"!"
Lydia stepped down from Arty's back just as he swayed for the final time. She caught him by the shoulders before he could collapse face-first onto the ground.
"Uwah—?!"
"Careful. The ground is soaked with morning dew. No matter that you are a commoner, there is no need to discard your pride and plant your face in the dirt."
"…."
With his strength spent, Arty naturally sank to his knees. Before him, Lydia stood with her back to the morning sun, smiling curtly yet kindly.
"…Well done. You endured splendidly again today."
"…!"
Still on his knees, Arty fidgeted before opening his mouth.
"Your Highness."
"Lydia."
"…Lydia."
"Why do you call me?"
"There is something I wish to ask."
"What is it?"
"Why are you teaching me? Is this mana training method not part of the process of becoming a knight?"
"…."
Arty spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
"E-even if I am a commoner, I understand the meaning of receiving instruction outside the temple that teaches numbers and letters. Apprentices who receive techniques from blacksmiths are beaten with fists, and those who learn money-making from merchants are struck with switches."
"…If your heart is uneasy, do you wish for punishment?"
"T-that is not it! I just… I simply…."
Arty lowered his head.
"I do not understand. If you merely needed soldiers, you could have just made me carry luggage at the academy… I do not know why you found the Holy Sword for me, told me the truth, and taught me how to grow stronger."
"…A reason, you say."
"…Yes."
"…."
Lydia glanced around for a moment. The clearing, brightening with the quiet morning, was deserted.
"…."
And there had been a slender presence watching them from afar since earlier. She was hiding behind a distant rock. Yet strands of silver hair swayed into view.
…How clumsy.
Aria the Saintess happens to be here as well. Normally, Arty would have first met her during Holy Faculty classes, but something must have diverged from the game.
She was not afraid of change, but she was a little curious. Aria's minor deviation. If it meant falling in love with Arty at first sight or feeling a sense of responsibility as the Saintess who guided the Holy Sword, then it was welcome. As long as she wished to join this path, Lydia intended to make her a subordinate.
Rather, it would be good if Arty and Aria fell deeply in love just like this and quickly realized the fate of having to fight the demon worshippers ahead.
Thus, Lydia spoke—so that both Aria and Arty could hear. In great detail.
"I need subordinates."
"…."
"But I do not need slaves."
"…!"
"I want my 'swords' to think for themselves, grow stronger, and possess pride. That is why I am raising you as my sword."
"…A sword, you mean?"
"Indeed."
Lydia spoke while gazing at the rising sun.
"I intend to use you as a sword. Because I need the power of the Holy Sword that you can wield. …On a path where countless hardships and adversities await."
"…."
"However, whether you follow is your freedom."
Arty was startled.
"What…?"
"If you are disappointed in this lady at this very moment, you may leave as you are. I will not stop you."
"…."
"But…."
"?"
Lydia spoke with confidence.
"I swear upon my name. If you offer me your loyalty, you will not regret it. The path this 'Lydia de Gallia' intends to walk may be dark, yet it is no narrow road."
"…Huu."
"Have you decided?"
"I am not sure. The academy, the Holy Sword… everything has been too sudden."
"You may decide slowly while following this lady. If you follow, I will not cast you aside."
"…Understood."
Arty rose to his feet. Seeing this, Lydia spoke.
"Shall we run together again?"
"…Yes! Lydia!"
The two began running once more toward the mountain where the sun was rising.
That same morning, the academy dormitory cafeteria was bustling. It was because exchanges were taking place between the true juniors and seniors, not the "pebbles" who had dropped out after the first class.
—Right, right! If you just safely bring the academy diploma back to the Republic, you can walk right into the Alchemy Guild headquarters. A senior I know did the same.
—Hey, what's your name? You look pretty sturdy—want to train with us?
But none of that applied to a commoner with no background. Arty dragged his exhausted body to a corner seat. Then he ate the breakfast on the tray he had brought.
"…."
Even though it was soft bread, for some reason it was harder to swallow than the turnips he had eaten in the countryside. Arty chewed laboriously and thought.
"…."
A sword, a sword… What exactly is the path Her Highness intends to walk? And what exactly is the Holy Sword meant to exist for? Does the Holy Sword guide fate?
However.
If he had encountered "fate" in this academy, perhaps it was right now. Probably….
The her who had smiled with her back to the sun—
"…."
Because the cafeteria had grown quiet, his thoughts trailed on endlessly.
Why did the cafeteria suddenly go quiet?
"…?"
Arty raised his head. And he saw it. A silver-haired girl standing before his eyes with an earnest gaze. The surrounding students staring at this scene in disbelief…!
—S-Saintess?
—Why is the Holy Theocracy's oracle proxy…?
—Goodness, a commoner—?
The silver-haired girl whispered quietly to Arty.
"Hero…!"
"…?!"
Huh…?! How on earth does she know that…?!
At that moment, the girl took his hand.
"Uh, uhh?!"
Arty was startled by that soft, warm touch. It was a delicate and gentle sensation, different from the princess's rough and hot hands.
"What…?!"
"It must be very difficult, isn't it?"
"W-wait. Who are you?!"
"Yes. I understand everything. To think that because of the oracle I delivered, I made someone who was living peacefully in a village come all the way to this distant place…!"
"An oracle—?"
"But do not worry. I, Aria, will always be on your side. I will help so that you are no longer unilaterally swayed by Her Highness the Princess."
"Y-yes…?"
"I will stay by your side. Until the day I can announce you as the official Hero together with the Cardinal."
Aria resolved while tightly holding the Hero's hand. She would protect this upright boy so that he would not be swayed by that harsh princess.
Around the time Lydia and Arty had been talking, the only sentence Aria—with her ordinary physical abilities—could properly hear from afar was a single line.
—I intend to use you as a sword.
"!"
To think Her Highness the Princess is such a harsh person who sees people merely as swords! She might even be trying to make this kind person her sword and commit wicked deeds.
Perhaps… she was even trying to tame the Hero into her pet sword (?)!
If I do not watch over him from the side…!
Aria sincerely thought so. It was a misunderstanding born from the fact that Aria, who had only conveyed faith and oracles within the Theocracy, interpreted metaphors differently. And Lydia, passing by the cafeteria, felt pleased as she watched Aria and Arty holding hands and chattering away.
"!"
…Has the event already triggered? How fast. It seems the official wife has already been decided?
As expected, raising them early seemed to accelerate the romance events as well. Lydia sincerely thought so too.
The next day. Instructor Jacques of the Swordsmanship Faculty shouted.
"You maggots have endured the picnic time quite well! From now on, it's a two-day, one-night digging game—!"
It was dungeon practical training. And this time, there was something special. It was the first class conducted by forming parties with students from other faculties. Namely… with students from the Holy Faculty.
"…."
Arty's face turned pale. From the surroundings came murmurs of "A commoner holding hands with the Saintess…?" and "How presumptuous…!" Of course, the other ordinary students did not even dare to approach him. The only ones who willingly came to form a party with Arty were two girls.
"It cannot be helped, Arty. Your master, this lady, will assist you."
"I've come to help! Quickly, take my hand…!"
"…."
This is insane.
Apart from Arty's feelings, Lydia was making plans of her own.
…This dungeon, though it was extremely early-game, was a place where materials the heroine—the witch Morgan—wanted for favorability would pour out. I should collect plenty while training Arty as well.