Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Tournament Preparations (5)
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Morning had come.
I’d spent the entire night in meditation.
But far from being tired, I felt incredibly refreshed.
This is why youth is so great.
I could go a day without sleep and be perfectly fine.
Before I knew it, only one day remained until the tournament.
How should I spend my time productively today?
I glanced unconsciously at the weasel sitting on my shoulder.
Ah, right. I’d forgotten about that.
With my Spirit Affinity level up, I could now recruit one more lesser spirit.
Hmm, would Aruru give me another spirit?
Once was one thing, but asking a second time felt a bit shameless…
“…”
But with so little time, I had no choice.
I’d have to approach it as if I were just borrowing one for a bit.
Before anything else, I needed to get on my little cutie's good side.
Just then, Aruru stretched and woke up.
She yawned wide enough to tear her mouth, then rubbed her eyes with both hands.
Watching that adorable sight…
…I couldn't help but smile like a proud father.
I spoke gently, my eyes warm.
“Aruru, you are beautiful even just after waking.”
“…”
Was that too forward?
She just looked dazed, as if not fully awake yet.
Still, since I’d started, I figured I should see it through.
“You seem to sparkle even more today.”
“—??”
“Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I were born a beastkin. Then I could confess to you…”
“—!!”
Her pupils quaked, and she leaped up on the spot.
Then she began to break out in a cold sweat, as if terrified.
It was an unusual reaction in many ways.
It was the complete opposite of what I’d expected. I had a gut feeling I’d completely screwed up.
“W-what’s wrong with you? That’s so creepy!”
“…”
The fur on her tail had gone completely rigid.
Just seeing that told me how she felt.
There were times I’d been a little confused.
But this made Aruru's feelings for me crystal clear.
She liked me as a person, but it wasn’t love…
Well, we are different species, after all.
My feelings were also more than a friend, but less than a lover.
Still, my heart ached a little.
I never thought I’d be rejected by a girl like this.
“You’re so cheesy. You’re completely disgusting!”
“…”
The girl's wariness only subsided after she'd had breakfast.
Though I’d gotten off on the wrong foot, the situation quickly improved.
“So you were trying to gauge my mood because you needed a spirit?”
“Well, something like that. I do have a sense of shame, you know…”
When I told her the honest truth…
…she giggled as if she’d heard a funny story.
“You have a foolish side to you, too. I'll have to re-evaluate you.”
Ugh, I should have just acted like my usual self.
I don't know what came over me to do something so impulsive.
At least it was Aruru, so we could just laugh it off.
“You know, about what you said… that you would have confessed to me if you were a beastkin…”
“I meant it.”
All beastkin might be cute, but…
…where could I find a girl better than Aruru?
She smiled shyly and skillfully retorted.
“Same for me.”
“Hmm?”
“If I were human, I would have made you mine.”
As if she truly meant it…
…she came closer without hesitation and rubbed her cheek against me.
Yes, that's what I wanted to hear…
What is this overwhelming feeling?
Our species may be different, but our hearts were one.
“Can you lend me a spirit?”
“What kind of child are you looking for?”
“A fiery one this time.”
A lesser spirit of fire.
I’ll try to enhance my attack power, even if just a little.
It also had the advantage of being able to synergize with the wind spirit.
“Hmm, this is the last time. From now on, you're on your own.”
She suddenly declared firmly.
It was something like, ‘Jace is a good boy, so he shouldn't develop bad habits!’
I readily nodded.
I was only preparing for the tournament. My lady's words were absolutely right.
She soon summoned a spirit and handed it over.
But its form was a bit… peculiar.
“Is it a sparrow?”
“It's a phoenix.”
“—??”
“It'll be amazing when it grows up!”
And when am I supposed to wait until then?
Well, its form wasn't that important.
The problem, if there was one, was that it was pecking my head.
It was just a motion, so there was no damage, but it felt a bit… weird!
“It's a fire spirit.”
That's why it has a nasty temper, she said.
Hmm, unlike the weasel, this one lacks discipline.
It's just a lesser spirit, anyway.
I could control it easily enough with my mana.
After some time had passed, I drew my sword.
At my will, the sparrow… no, the baby phoenix seeped into the sword.
*Fwoosh!*
The sword burst into brilliant flames.
Power aside, the effect was awesome.
It felt like a young boy's fantasy coming true.
The visual effect alone seemed enough to make most opponents flinch.
“Do you like that child?”
“It's much better than I thought.”
“That's a relief, then.”
I tried out various things.
As expected of a fire spirit, its destructive power was considerable.
When combined with the wind spirit, it was comparable to Sword Ki.
Above all, its sustainability was excellent.
There was almost no mana consumption, so I wasn't afraid of a prolonged fight.
Just as I was getting excited and starting to dance with my sword, an unexpected big shot arrived.
“It's been a while.”
“…”
“Hmm? Your reaction is a bit strange.”
He seemed to expect a welcome, but no chance.
Erich Greaten… a member of the imperial family and a hero candidate.
A cool appearance. In reality, his personality was easygoing.
He and Jace had gotten along reasonably well, but I wasn't particularly fond of him.
What's he trying to do now?
If he'd considered this body a friend, he should have helped long ago.
Not enough to be an enemy, but not exactly an ally either.
Besides, I dislike all the kids who lead factions.
Erich's faction, in particular, was more like a gathering of patriots.
-The Empire is the best. Let us praise the Empire.
It had that kind of vibe, so I felt a strong aversion to it.
Saintess Luciel's faction wasn't much different.
That one was even scarier, teeming with religious fanatics.
She was kind and holy, as a saintess should be, but I heard she sometimes did vulgar things…
The only normal one is my little cutie.
When I casually stroked her head, Erich's gaze turned fierce.
Ah, I remembered.
That eccentric part of Erich's character…
“It seems you're indebted to Aruru.”
“Well, for now…”
“Nothing happened, right?”
I just shrugged.
If I told him the truth, the guy might just flip out.
Erich walked past me without a word.
He then dropped to one knee before Aruru.
“My lovely lady. I would like to hear your answer soon…”
“—!!”
The girl was horrified by his outrageous words.
She scrambled over to me, as if begging to be saved.
“Why on earth are you avoiding…”
“I told you. I hate everything about you, from head to toe!”
“…”
As you can see from the situation…
…Erich was the only one doing the wooing.
I didn't want to get involved in that chaotic mess.
But what could I do? I had become her master.
It was my duty to protect her to the best of my ability, anytime, anywhere.
“Stop it. You're making Aruru uncomfortable.”
“What did you say?”
“I'd like to point out that your entire approach is wrong.”
“…”
He glared at me disapprovingly, but…
…his status as royalty meant nothing to me.
It might be different if they were the type to ignore social standing.
But Erich had no choice but to be conscious of my background.
The heir of the Crodain Family.
Their influence was nearly on par with the imperial family.
In the future, once I inherit the family, the tables would completely turn.
Erich was just one of many royals.
From my perspective, dealing with him was actually easier.
“Right, I'll have to change my approach. I'll need to think about it.”
The reaction was as I expected.
And so were the words that followed…
“It seems a few kids are targeting you. Want some help?”
He was asking me to join his faction.
I shook my head, just as Jace always had.
“I'll handle it myself.”
“Hmm, you may have gotten weaker, but that stubbornness is still the same.”
Far from showing any disappointment…
…he added that he knew I'd say that.
“If you change your mind, come find me anytime.”
As soon as his business was done, he left.
He's not a bad guy, but he's just… you know.
My little cutie looked disgusted, as if in agreement.
“Ugh, he'd been quiet lately, but now he's starting again…”
Her body, and even her voice, trembled.
It seemed she felt fear beyond mere dislike.
If he were a pushover, I would have taught him a lesson, but unfortunately, he was a tough opponent.
A strong fighter who used both a sword and a shield.
Erich's style was close to that of a typical knight.
He was particularly focused on defense, making him a perfect tank.
Furthermore, because he was royalty…
…his entire body was covered in high-grade weapons and armor.
The so-called gear advantage.
He was rather obnoxious, making full use of his superior gear.
Well, his skills weren't bad either, so he couldn't be ignored.
“That was really close. I'm glad you're here…”
The girl whispered, looking up at me.
She smiled in relief, as if she felt secure.
“You have to protect me like this all the time. Got it?”
This big sister gets into trouble sometimes, too, you know?
She started acting cute with that kind of vibe.
To cut to the chase, it was a needless worry.
Erich's object of affection changes frequently.
The next in line would probably be an elf girl.
After that, he'd hit on the Saintess and get beaten half to death.
To the point where even royalty gets beaten like a dog.
The order within the Hero Academy was utterly chaotic.
“…”
The tournament is nothing.
Things would surely get serious after that.
The hero candidates who were away would be returning soon.
In the Saintess's case, she'd probably stick to me annoyingly, telling me to believe in the goddess.
Even now, like the benevolent saintess she was, she was busy proselytizing.
The memories were coming back in more detail.
She had tried to draw Jace into the goddess's embrace at every opportunity.
If she was like that back then…
…she would likely be even more aggressive now that things had changed.
I'm an atheist. Don't force religion on me!
The moment I pretend to give in, I'll be dragged to the temple and forced to memorize hymns.
There's no physical threat, but in a way, it's even more terrifying.
As for the hero candidates who had left for martial training, they might challenge me to a duel.
Since they considered Jace a rival…
…it was highly likely they'd come at me recklessly, wanting to test my skills.
The more I think about it, the more of a headache it becomes.
For now, the important thing was to deal with the evil hands of Cedric and Gale.
I wasn't sure how they'd come at me, but I wasn't too worried.
At most, they'd mobilize the B-rankers in their factions.
They probably ordered them to harm me, but that was a pipe dream.
My current rank is 477.
Considering the B-rank range is roughly between 100 and 700, I was average.
However, my actual skill level far surpassed the upper echelons of B-rank.
I might have trouble with A-rankers, but I could easily handle anyone up to B-rank.
B-rankers are nothing before my Mind's Eye!
Of course, they probably had their own hidden trump cards.
That's precisely why, far from being complacent, I trained relentlessly.
Hard work never betrays you.
I had no doubt I would win.
The problem was what came after.
Once I become A-rank, I'll be the weakest one there…
From rank 11 to 99, anyone who wants to can target me.
“…”
Well, I'll figure something out.
I'll think about that when the time comes.
* * *
Chloe checked the B-rank tournament bracket.
Normally, she wouldn't have given it a second glance, but this time, Jace's safety was at stake.
“…”
Something felt unnatural.
Looking at the bracket alone, she couldn't be sure.
Chloe took out her notebook and looked over past records.
“—!!”
Just as she thought.
Cedric's vile scheme was revealed.
She was able to figure it out because she knew what kind of person he was.
An A-ranker at 91st place had dropped to B-rank 107th in a short period.
That student was, of course, a member of Cedric's faction.
“In that case…”
Cedric had joined hands with Gale.
Gale's faction must have done the same thing.
Indeed, once she made that assumption, it all became clear at a glance.
“How truly vicious…”
Two A-rankers had intentionally lowered their ranks.
Circumstantially, their goal had to be to target Jace.
Ranking was extremely important.
The difference could change one's future.
That's why every student was obsessed with it.
“Coercion… or perhaps they'll just boost their ranks again after the job is done.”
That was their business.
She had to tell Jace about this quickly.
Just as the gap between S-rank and A-rank was large, the gap between A-rank and B-rank was also considerable.
And that wasn't all.
If the B-rank students in the factions were matched against Jace, they would cling to him tenaciously.
It was a grim situation in many ways.
A wave of anxiety washed over her, but Chloe managed to calm herself down.
“I have to trust him.”
Unconditional faith.
The girl had sworn to do just that.
He would definitely overcome this.
He wasn't a man who would collapse over something so trivial.
Even if she explained the situation, he would probably take it calmly.
“Then should I also tell him as if it's no big deal?”
Chloe smiled faintly.
Just having an excuse to meet Jace made her happy.