Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Visiting Students (1)
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The moment I arrived back at the academy, I went to find Ceria.
We had only been apart for a few days, but I missed her dearly.
“You took quite a while, didn't you? I missed you.”
The girl greeted me with a radiant smile.
It was obvious she had been waiting for me.
A warmth spread through my chest.
Hmm, at this point, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say we're practically one soul in two bodies, right?
“So that sword is your personal weapon. May I take a look at it?”
“—!”
In that instant, a chill ran down my spine.
In the original story, this was the weapon Ceria used to stab Jace…
It was natural for her to be interested in a change concerning her lover, but still, it felt a little… off!
Well, it was probably just my imagination.
I forced down my unease and casually handed it to her, scabbard and all.
The girl's eyes sparkled.
Like the skilled swordswoman she was, she seemed to recognize a masterwork.
“It's a magnificent sword, just like you.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. It's so splendid it makes me covetous.”
“…”
Ah, that statement is a little dangerous!
The way she handled the sword was incredibly natural.
Anyone watching would think it was her personal weapon.
As much as I truly loved Ceria.
And was willing to build her a palace.
This, of all things, was something I could never yield!
I quickly changed the subject.
Fortunately, I had an escape route from this crisis.
“You'll be getting a weapon of the same caliber.”
“—??”
“I made a request to the chief of the Dwarf Tribe.”
“W-wait a moment… isn't that a privilege reserved for Hero candidates?”
“I negotiated a deal. He understood my ambitions.”
As I told her the plain truth.
She couldn't hide her astonishment, as if at a loss for words.
But only for a moment.
Ceria's face lit up, and she eagerly clasped my hand.
“That's wonderful. I knew the dwarves would recognize your capabilities.”
Arming a knightly order with dwarven equipment.
She seemed thrilled by that prospect, her voice filled with excitement as she continued.
“That's truly an incredible contract. I heard the dwarves scoff even at requests from the imperial family, yet you managed to accomplish such a difficult feat…”
What was I to do?
This just made you even more admirable, didn't it? You have to take responsibility!
She was practically overflowing with joy.
“But did you get the Family Head’s permission?”
“No, it was my decision alone.”
“Hmm, it seems like you’ll need to visit the main house soon…”
I agreed with her on that.
I needed to face the Family Head and show him that this body was still going strong.
And to inform him of the contract with the Dwarf Tribe.
I would also need to guide him to prepare for the war that would break out next year.
However, the time was not yet right.
I would go confidently once I became a Hero candidate again.
Given the Family Head's nature, he might just attack me out of the blue.
He'd probably swing his sword, claiming he wanted to test the skills of the son he hadn't seen in a while.
I would need to be at least S-rank to stand against him on equal footing.
Until then, it was best to hold off.
“Oh, right. Speaking of which, my father wants to see you.”
“—??”
Huh? My future father-in-law was summoning me?
That, too, wasn't something I was particularly keen on.
It would be fine if nothing had happened.
But because of the delinquent acts Jace had committed, my position was rather awkward.
“I relayed your message well, but it seems the contents of the letter weren't enough for him.”
Jace's memories surfaced.
My future father-in-law doted on Ceria terribly.
A so-called doting father.
This body was so perfect that he wasn't treated like a thief stealing his daughter.
But things had changed a bit.
If I were him, I'd also be anxious if my future son-in-law had problems.
He probably wouldn't be at ease until he saw and confirmed things for himself.
Well, showing my face for a little while wouldn't be difficult.
Visiting my own family's main house required more preparation.
But visiting my in-laws now seemed unlikely to cause any major issues.
“We might even end up discussing the wedding date…”
“—!”
Ah, right, there was that.
In this world, people are considered old bachelors or spinsters if they're over twenty.
Naturally, talk of our future would come up.
Of course, even if we set an auspicious date, it would be postponed until after the Demon King's army was defeated.
In any case, I needed to show my in-laws the dignity of their future son-in-law.
“Alright. I should go pay them a visit after so long.”
“Really?”
“Your parents are like my own, aren't they?”
“—!”
I had only possessed this body.
It would probably be awkward to meet them in person, but I'd have to try my best.
“Do you know something? You always make my heart flutter.”
The girl pressed herself close against me.
Her genuine smile was beautiful no matter how many times I saw it.
“I appreciate that, but it would be fine to visit a little later. In my opinion…”
She suggested I visit when I had more time.
It seemed she didn't want to break my winning streak.
I reviewed my schedule for the current term.
Soon, there would be training sessions led by academy graduates.
There would also be a tournament, just like last time.
Before that, all the Hero candidates would gather.
A ceremony to confirm the master of the Holy Sword.
In other words, it was the process of deciding this generation's Hero.
Each candidate would grasp the hilt once to check the Holy Sword's reaction.
The method was incredibly simple.
But the impact of its result was uncontrollably immense.
“We'll have to wait until then.”
“Because I might become the master of the Holy Sword?”
“Of course. I believe you're the most likely candidate.”
Her expression was one of firm conviction.
That faith seemed as if it would never waver.
“Actually, it doesn't matter either way. Because…”
She paused for a moment, uncharacteristically shy.
Soon, she overcame her bashfulness and whispered sweetly.
“You are already my one and only Hero.”
“—!”
Aah, how am I supposed to endure this?
What was the source of this ecstasy?
My heart pounded as if it would burst.
This time, I couldn't seem to calm down.
As always, she leaned her body against mine.
As if confirming her lover's fiercely trembling heart, the girl gave a shy smile.
A sense of pride overflowed, making the whole world feel beautiful.
I vowed once again. I would love only her for my entire life.
“…”
Of course, my little cutie was an exception.
I had received Ceria's tacit permission, so it should be fine.
* * *
Aruru's fox ears perked up.
She was clearly curious about my conversation with Ceria.
Why would I hide anything?
I told her everything, leaving nothing out.
“You're planning to visit Ceria's house? That sounds like fun!”
As if she wanted to come along.
She wagged her tail vigorously for all to see.
My little cutie.
Do you want to come too?
It had reached the point where I felt empty without her.
“Nn, it's okay. I can't do that. It's going to be a historic moment, after all. So I'll sit that one out.”
“—??”
Hmm, were we not on the same wavelength?
I had no idea what she meant.
This rarely happened. Nine times out of ten, an unexpected comment would follow…
“You really don't get it?”
It was just a visit to my fiancée's house.
Anyone would see it as a natural course of events.
Aruru finally showed her frustration.
“Isn't it about time you solidified your relationship?”
W-wait a minute!
Surely she didn't mean *that* kind of relationship, did she?
“That's exactly what I mean.”
“…”
Ah, I imagined it!
Engaging in some adult fun with my beloved…
“Ceria is probably hoping for it deep down.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because she loves you.”
“…”
“Mmm, if it were me, I would have finished you off long ago.”
“—!”
Wait, finished me off?
She spouted such things with the cutest face in the world.
Anyway…
It was a bit blatant, but her words were worth considering.
A relationship where both sides desperately loved each other.
Just as I wouldn't refuse Ceria, she wouldn't refuse me.
“…”
There were roughly three years left until the Demon King's army was dealt with.
I couldn't just do nothing until then.
Should I really kick things up a notch?
My little cutie, could I really trust you on this?
“Yep! They say a woman knows a woman's heart. The prime of youth. Burning passion. The poignant love of a man and woman crossing the line… it can only be achieved now!”
The girl's resolute cry.
Aah, how could I not be persuaded by this!
No, wait a minute…
She wasn't going to ask me to recount the lovers' act again, was she?
“This time is a little different. I'm going to ask Ceria.”
“…”
She intended to get a sort of vicarious satisfaction.
I could picture Ceria, flustered yet surrendering to Aruru's cuteness.
After careful consideration.
It seemed there was no room for me to intervene in the girls' affairs.
“Anyway… you can come with me when I visit the main house.”
“Okay, thank you!”
She beamed as if she'd been waiting for those words.
My little cutie was destined to become the family's mascot.
I needed to give her a tour of the house in advance.
It would be perfect if I later accepted her friends as maids too.
A life filled with happiness every single day.
Dreaming of a happy ending, I returned to my original mindset.
Being half-heartedly strong like I was now was the most dangerous.
I had to keep moving forward until I surpassed the original Jace.
* * *
A dozen or so students had gathered in one place.
They were all A-rankers and shared one thing in common.
They had all received recruitment offers from the Crodain Family.
The terms were so good they didn't even need to think about it, but there was one slightly delicate issue.
Jace Crodain.
How should they treat the heir of the Crodain Family?
They had no connection to him, so they were at a loss.
Serving him like a superior didn't seem to suit his personality…
“Still, we need to decide on our stance soon.”
“It would be better if Jace just made his own faction…”
“Hmm, he might have changed his mind by now.”
There was no doubting Jace's abilities.
His accomplishments were beyond surprising; they were admirable.
The only one to rise again after losing his dantian.
As if that weren't enough, he was rapidly regaining his strength.
He might not have reached his peak yet.
But given his momentum, it seemed he would soon shock everyone.
His character as a person was also exceptionally fine.
Although he had become a delinquent and committed all sorts of atrocities.
The thought that it was unavoidable given his circumstances came to mind.
“If anything, he's doing even better than before, isn't he?”
“Aruru, Esterize, Ilensia, Luciel… just counting the obvious ones, four Hero candidates are supporting Jace.”
“I don't think they're doing it for no reason.”
The students nodded in unison.
There had to be something they didn't know.
He must have something to rely on.
It was inexplicable otherwise.
That thought was deeply embedded in their minds.
“As expected, this generation's Hero is…”
“We have to assume Jace is the most likely candidate.”
They couldn't be certain, but the tide was flowing that way.
If the Hero were chosen by a vote, he would likely get more than half the votes.
After sharing their opinions.
They decided on a course of action: they would go see Jace.
“But… you were in Cedric's faction, weren't you?”
“…”
“You even went after Jace.”
Yulian's expression stiffened.
He had once tried to defeat Jace in the B-rank tournament finals.
It was only because he was following Cedric's orders.
Thinking back now, it was an absurdly ridiculous thing to do.
Afterward, Cedric became increasingly strange.
Jace, on the other hand, displayed the pinnacle of dignity.
It had reached a point where comparing the two was impossible.
“Cedric is finished now.”
He was so caught up in his inferiority complex that he'd lost his mind.
The quick-witted students had already turned their backs on him.
It might have been different if he had at least kept his promise.
Yulian was cast aside as soon as the B-rank tournament ended.
A man without integrity…
There was no reason to remain loyal to him.
“Jace is different. He's surely magnanimous enough to accept even those who were hostile to him.”
Everyone agreed in silence.
It seemed Jace was the type to generously forgive the mistakes of the weak.
In any case.
It was time to go and see for themselves.
All the students gathered here shared the same thought.
Even if Jace demanded their loyalty, they were prepared to offer it gladly.