Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: The Mastermind of the S-Class League (4)
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Esterize vs. Erich
The match ended anticlimactically.
As if to shake off the awkwardness,
the princess launched a relentless assault.
Was it because he'd fallen even harder for her strength?
The moment Erich declared his defeat, he started pestering her again.
“I’ll find a way to make it happen!”
“J-Just forget it!”
“It might take some time, but it’s possible. If I sneak out some valuables from the Imperial Palace…”
“—??”
Hmph, a boy in love is never in his right mind.
I was getting dizzy just watching as a third party; she must have been even more confused.
“But, you’re royalty, aren’t you?”
“So?”
“I don’t understand why you like a girl like me…”
The princess was currently hiding her identity for various reasons, posing as a commoner.
Her clothes were so shabby they almost looked pathetic.
She had only roughly tidied her hair, without any other adornment.
Still, it wasn't enough to hide her natural beauty.
She acted as carefree as a boy,
yet the dignity of a royal occasionally slipped through.
Erich had keenly picked up on that.
Having grown up in a similar environment, he must have sensed something.
“There’s something special about you. You are worthy of being my partner.”
“—!!”
The girl recoiled in shock, looking utterly disgusted.
So much so that the boy who had confessed to her must have been hurt.
Did she dislike Erich that much?
He had a few issues, but I thought he was decent enough.
Judging by the girls' reactions, there seemed to be something I didn't know.
“Just leave me alone. My head is already a mess!”
“Right, this must have been too sudden. I will wait until you’ve sorted out your thoughts.”
“…”
Soon, the princess returned to her seat.
As if in need of healing, she scooped up Aruru and placed her on her lap.
Was it because the bomb had been passed to her friend?
Our little cutie dutifully allowed the princess to pet her.
“Ugh, how did it come to this…?”
She grumbled with a gloomy expression.
It's fine. You just have to endure it for a little while. It’s a rotation, you see.
The Saintess seems to be next in line, and when that happens, the hammer of justice will fall.
“He changes every quarter?”
“Yup.”
“That’s still too long. That’s no comfort at all…”
She shook her head from side to side like a child.
Somehow, she seemed to get cuter the more frustrated she became.
Well, she'd be fine.
She was a girl with a strong mentality, so she'd shake it off soon enough.
Trying to console her now might just have the opposite effect.
For now, I'd have to trust in our little cutie's healing powers.
* * *
Day eight of the S-Class League.
Unlike the beginning, the overall atmosphere had turned fierce.
It was nearly the end, so there was no need to hold back.
Everyone was giving their all, as if everything until now had just been a warm-up.
I coolly analyzed the strengths of the hero candidates.
There were some parts that differed slightly from my predictions, but nothing went beyond my expectations.
Thanks to this opportunity, I learned their strengths, weaknesses, habits, and so on.
I was able to get a rough grasp of all ten of their fighting styles.
“…”
I thought my eyeballs were going to fall out.
Maintaining Mind's Eye for so long had consumed a great deal of my energy.
Still, I'd gained a level in the process, so it was a decent outcome.
My chest felt hot.
My heart burned hotter the more I watched the matches.
My body reacted on its own, as if it wanted to face the hero candidates.
Could it be that I still had a competitive streak?
It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling. In fact, it felt familiar.
A surge of confidence welled up inside me, making me feel like I could accomplish anything.
Reaching S-Class.
Ultimately becoming the Hero and standing at the pinnacle.
It wouldn't be easy, but it was entirely possible.
Mind's Eye, Sword Union, Flawless State.
The moment I mastered those skills, I could become as strong as the original Jace.
Of course, to truly surpass my rivals,
I needed the blessing of the one true god: the system window.
Hurry up and give me those achievement points!
Even if I didn't say that, it would take care of me anyway.
First, I'd have to raise their favorability.
The hero candidates' traits were generally quite powerful.
If I collected them one by one, I would be one step closer to completion.
My little cutie.
How much longer do I have to wait? It's about time you gave it to me.
“Ugh, I’m dead tired…”
“…”
The girl squirmed, sprawled out on the floor.
It was a rare sight for a beastkin brimming with energy.
It just went to show how intense the tournament had been.
After all, she'd taken such a heavy blow that one of her high-rank spirits had been unsummoned.
As a result, the spiritmancer herself had lost a huge chunk of her mana.
Half her usual strength… maybe not even that.
Aruru was groaning in pain, and the others were in a similarly precarious state.
Still, they'd last one more day.
Tomorrow was the final day, so there was no need to worry too much.
As if she didn't even have the energy to play, Aruru fell asleep right there.
Listening to the girl's faint breathing, I began to meditate.
Even if everything was given to you, it was all for naught without effort.
While gathering mana with my Heart Arts,
I constantly imagined virtual battles in my mind.
It felt like I was getting stronger every day.
Savoring that sense of fulfillment, I pushed my concentration to its limits.
Enlightenment flickered before my eyes.
The moment of awakening seemed close.
There was a wall blocking my path,
but with this body's perfection, I would eventually overcome it.
* * *
Morning came.
As always, Aruru stretched with a cute little motion.
“I have a good feeling about today!”
As expected of a beastkin, she recovered quickly.
Seeing her full of energy, it seemed today's match would be no problem.
However, her opponent this time was the princess.
Aruru was holding first place, but the margin was so slim that a single match could turn the tables.
My little cutie.
You've done so well until now, you have to finish strong, right?
“Yeah! I’ll definitely win.”
“Good. I believe in you.”
Esterize was also quite exhausted.
Even if the fight dragged on, Aruru still had her punch.
How could anyone withstand that with their bare body?
No doubt about it. The outcome was already decided.
Aruru wrapped her arms around my neck.
She was dangling from my back.
As we walked outside like that, we drew everyone's attention.
What? Never seen a fox scarf before?
It seemed to damage my dignity a bit, but it was tiring to care about every little thing.
“Hi, Ceria. Good morning!”
“You’re full of energy again today, Aruru.”
We ran into Ceria on our way.
Far from finding it strange, she calmly exchanged greetings with us.
I guess it wasn't anything new anymore.
It was as if Aruru were a natural accessory attached to me.
With that, everything was settled.
As long as my fiancée was fine with it, I didn't need to care what others thought.
For a moment, the look in Ceria's eyes changed.
She hesitated with a look of longing.
I want to hang on him too…
I want to feel his broad back!
It seemed she desired that kind of affection.
I wish she'd just close her eyes and go for it.
Her spontaneous actions were always welcome.
After breakfast, we bought snacks for Aruru.
Being regular customers, buying in bulk, and having a cute fox beastkin with us earned us a lot of freebies.
There went 200,000…
Bankruptcy in one month.
I thought I heard an auditory hallucination like that, but I tried my best to ignore it.
I didn't regret it one bit.
Aruru more than deserved to eat her fill.
She was a companion to the Hero who would save the world… In other words, she was destined to be a hero.
If anything, it was a bargain.
Her value couldn't possibly be measured in money.
Hector would be sending a large sum of money soon.
Then I'd be able to last for about a year with ease.
After that, if I somehow managed to become the Hero,
I'd be able to shout, 'Hand over the money!' anywhere I went.
Of course, I'd extort it with the polite demeanor befitting a Hero.
The spectator seats were already full.
Students who arrived late would have to deal with the inconvenience… No, there were a few exceptions.
The logic of power was on full display, with B-Class students taking C-Class seats, and A-Class students taking B-Class seats.
The Hero Academy was just that kind of place.
No one thought it was strange. I, too, had grown accustomed to the atmosphere.
Anyway.
As always, we sat in our designated seats.
It was a system where the better your grades, the more privileges you received.
“Hey! You’re all here already. Let me join.”
As expected, Esterize appeared.
She looked a bit tired, but the girl tried her best to seem cheerful.
Unlike usual, I stopped her from sitting with us.
She tilted her head, not understanding why.
“Come back in ten minutes.”
“Why?”
“We’re having a strategy meeting.”
“—??”
Now that you're up against Aruru, you're the enemy.
The princess realized my meaning and trembled.
“That’s so cheap!”
Pouting her lips, it was obvious she was sulking.
Well, her favorability hadn't changed, so she'd probably get over it soon.
After the princess left,
five minutes passed before Ceria spoke.
“Why aren’t you doing anything?”
“It’s already over.”
“—??”
The words 'strategy meeting' would surely make her feel uneasy.
That subtle difference could have a huge impact on the outcome of the match.
“But you said she was a companion, didn’t you?”
“Let’s call it a trial. It seemed like she needed one.”
“Hmm…”
She didn't quite understand,
but if her man said so, then it must be so.
Ceria nodded as if thinking just that.
“What about me?”
This time, Aruru voiced her question.
You get stronger just by breathing, so you're fine.
Our little cutie was already a nearly perfected spiritmancer.
All I had to do was make sure she was well-fed.
She was a child who got lonely easily, so a loving touch was also necessary.
I gently stroked her head.
She smiled bashfully, as if she understood my feelings completely.
A short while later, the princess returned.
Just as we were making small talk,
Largo, covered in bandages, walked past, glaring at me.
I knew exactly what that was about.
He was about to spout some nonsense,
but he must have chickened out because there were too many girls around.
Was it because I'd been watching the S-Class tournament?
Someone like Largo wasn't even on my radar anymore.
I'll fight him just once and then forget about him.
He'd helped me in his own way, so I'd repay him with injuries that would take a year to heal.
The matches began soon after.
Since this was the last day, they fought desperately.
A draw was not an option.
As victory and defeat were decided by the slimmest of margins, an upset occurred.
“Yes! I barely avoided last place!”
“…”
The elf girl had claimed victory.
Huh? Betraying my trust? I'll make a special exception and forgive you.
She had achieved a landslide victory against none other than Cedric.
This meant my quest reward was reduced, but I couldn't have gotten them all right anyway.
By spending achievement points,
I could just consider it as having humiliated a guy I couldn't stand.
But I didn't feel as good about it as I'd expected.
I stared blankly at Cedric's retreating back.
He had seemed to be in bad condition from the first day.
Throughout the tournament, he had put on a disappointing performance, failing to show his true skill.
It felt like a deviation from the original story's flow.
Could it be because he was overly conscious of me?
My very existence must be that displeasing to him.
Perhaps he was plotting something…
I'd have to rely on Chloe's information network for that.
“Aruru, it’s our turn now. I’m so, so sad…”
“How about you forfeit?”
“I can’t do that.”
After a light glance, they each moved to opposite sides of the arena.
I cheered for them both. I wanted Aruru to win, but I was also looking forward to seeing the princess in action.
The highlight of the S-Class League.
All the students roared, their excitement palpable.
At the girl's call, spirits were summoned.
Three high-rank spirits. Nine mid-rank spirits.
Given the circumstances, that seemed to be the extent of Aruru's power.
Esterize also summoned her beloved sword.
A legendary artifact that had slumbered as a kingdom's treasure.
Of course, it was nothing compared to the Holy Sword.
It was a famed sword of the tier just below it,
but since it was seeing the light of day for the first time in hundreds of years, no one recognized it.
“…”
“…”
As if no words were needed, the battle began naturally.
With nimble movements, the princess dodged the spirits' coordinated attack.
At the same time, she calmly swung her sword.
From what I'd observed so far, she seemed to have a certain rhythm.
Was it due to her unique feminine intuition?
She was meticulously reading the flow of battle.
A pattern of precise strikes and retreats repeated.
Its clean execution was nothing short of admirable.
She was born with a natural talent, but separate from that, she must have undergone arduous training.
The mid-rank spirits were annihilated one by one.
As expected, they weren't enough to fill the gap left by the missing high-rank spirit.
Aruru clutched her chest with one hand as if in pain.
My own heart tore along with hers.
Is this what a father feels watching his daughter suffer?
I struggled to steel my heart.
Kids grow up fighting.
This process would also be a chance for her to grow…
“Oh, she’s even tearing up. How pitiful…”
“—!!”
A high-rank spirit was obliterated by the princess's ultimate move.
Our little cutie, though in pain, continued to fight.
Before long, Esterize's movements had also become noticeably slower.
Just from her ragged breathing, it was clear she was reaching her limit.
The sight of the girls giving their all was beautiful, but my mental state was becoming tattered beyond repair.
Still, it was only polite to watch until the end.
Just as I steeled my resolve, Esterize suddenly stopped her attack.
“You’re really serious. I have to see you in a new light.”
“…”
“What’s the reason? You weren’t like this before.”
Aruru gave a faint smile.
After glancing in my direction, she spoke softly.
“I made a promise to Jace.”
“To get first place?”
“Something like that. Seeing Jace work so hard made me realize something. That I’ve never been truly serious.”
“…”
“That’s why I’m giving it my all.”
Ah, that's so touching.
I never thought my little cutie would say something like that.
But you…
You were almost always asleep when I was training, weren't you?
The princess readily nodded.
She looked greatly relieved, as if she had expected that answer.
“I thought so. You can stop now.”
As if satisfied with her friend's change,
the girl declared her defeat without a moment's hesitation.
[Sudden Quest Complete]
[Reward: +200,000 Achievement Points]
Sweet.
I didn't get them all right, but what did that matter?
I just picked the rankings, and the points just multiplied.
The two girls returned together on good terms.
Aruru jumped up and down in front of me as if she were dancing.
“It’s finally over! Now it’s time to go on a journey!”
“—??”
“—??”
As if they had heard something unexpected,
the looks in my fiancée's and the princess's eyes changed strangely.
Hmm, how should I explain this?
I had a feeling they would want to come along too.