Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: The Visiting Students (3)
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Cedric's faction poured out their complaints.
I listened quietly to their words.
"It wasn't enough that he completely ignored us..."
"He beat his closest aides without mercy."
"..."
Hmm, verbal abuse followed by assault.
At that point, he could almost be called a brute.
Why had he become like that?
In the original story, he had at least some charisma...
"It's because of you."
"───??"
"Of course, I'm not saying it's your fault, but..."
They all agreed, speculating that his inferiority complex was the cause.
So it was true. My very existence seemed to have provoked him.
I had expected it to some extent.
But it seemed he had reached a much more serious state.
I glanced at the two male students who had been trampled by Cedric.
Indeed, the signs of a merciless beating were visible.
Since they were both high-ranking A-Class, they had somehow endured it.
But they looked more wounded in pride than in body.
After all, who likes being beaten?
They had been humiliated in front of everyone.
"Cedric is finished."
"I'm sick and tired of following that guy!"
Ah, this is giving me a headache...
So they want to join me?
"Is that a problem?"
"What if we swear our loyalty? We'll serve only you."
"..."
They showed their resolve, as if they were serious.
What should I do? It was a chance to absorb Cedric's power base whole, but I wasn't keen on it.
Why did they even hang around with a guy like that?
They might not have done anything terribly wrong, but their character must be questionable.
"You seem to have misunderstood something. I haven't created any faction."
"───??"
"I don't see why that's necessary at all."
"W-wait a minute... Yesterday, you definitely gathered some students and..."
"They came to see me because they are slated to become vassals of the Crodain Family. They mentioned a faction, just like you, but I set them straight."
"..."
You've come to the wrong place, you know?
No, why do you want to follow me in the first place?
There were several other options.
If you're so desperate to join a faction, you should have gone to Gale, who has a similar disposition to Cedric.
Or become a slave(?) to the elf girl.
If you believed in the Goddess, joining Saintess Luciel wasn't a bad option either.
"Well, that's a bit awkward..."
"It's more advantageous to be under you than to do that."
"───??"
Why? For what reason?
Although I may be an icon of trust, I'm still only A-Class.
Compared to the Hero candidates, I'm obviously at a disadvantage.
What on earth makes them trust me enough to come and ask this?
"If we join an existing faction..."
"We'd have to walk on eggshells, so to speak."
"The hazing would be severe, no doubt."
"In other words, it's better to start in a new faction."
"..."
That sounded quite plausible.
You guys have it all planned out, don't you?
Anyway, what can you do if I say no?
If you're students, act like students and study... no, train!
"Is there really no way?"
"With you, conquering the Hero Academy would be a piece of cake. We'll help you!"
This is getting more and more ridiculous.
Who's going to care if I conquer the academy?
It's all over once we graduate anyway.
Instead of playing faction games, you should be preparing for life after graduation.
"Ugh, that's true, but..."
The students writhed under the harsh truth.
I should take this opportunity to guide them onto the right path.
They seemed to need a lecture, so I just let it rip.
"You guys seem to have been stuck at a plateau for a long time."
"H-how did you know that...?"
It's obvious.
You're messing around because your progress has stagnated, right?
You've lost the joy of improving your skills.
A state where the driving force to achieve something seriously has been lost.
"I'll say it again, factions are unnecessary."
It might be different if we were going to spend three years here.
In the original story, everything comes crashing down in six months.
None other than the Four Heavenly Kings were scheduled to invade, claiming they wanted to check on the Hero.
Well, since I'm here, I'll try to handle it well.
Ultimately, a war will break out, and everyone will be swept up in it.
"You've heard that the Demon King's Army has been making suspicious moves lately, right?"
"Hmm..."
"Assume the worst. You have to get stronger to survive."
"..."
Have they come to their senses a bit now?
I'm not going through all this trouble for nothing.
"Yeah. I think you're right."
"We've been forgetting our duty until now..."
They're already showing signs of remorse.
I wanted to nag them a bit more, but now I couldn't.
Putting my disappointment aside, I tried to boost the students' motivation.
"If you become strong enough to be acknowledged by everyone, I'll arrange good positions for those who want them."
"───!!"
The knightly order of the Crodain Family, considered the strongest on the continent.
At my offer of a recommendation, every single one of them brightened up.
Some said they'd do special training for the first time in a while.
Others said they'd have to go into seclusion to train. Their reactions were very satisfying.
A few of them glanced at me.
Then nodded vigorously, as if they'd made up their minds about something.
That Jace works tirelessly.
We can't afford to waste our time, can we?
It seemed they were making a firm resolve with that kind of sentiment.
The burning passion of youth.
Hmm, maybe I was a little mature today?
Soon, the students began to disperse one by one.
"Thanks to you, my head feels clearer."
"Well then, we should also..."
"You two, wait. I have business with you."
"───??"
The two male students who were Cedric's aides.
They tilted their heads, looking like they had no idea what was going on.
Who said you could just leave?
Their rankings are high-tier A-Class.
I'm also in the high tier now, so it would be wise to clean them out at this opportunity.
I hadn't touched them before because there was no reason to provoke Cedric more than necessary, but now, it didn't matter.
If there was a slight problem...
It was that they were somewhat injured from being beaten by Cedric.
That part was a bit concerning for holding a ranking match right now.
What to do.
As I stared at them silently, they lowered their voices as if they had figured out my intentions.
"Ah, you want to get some dirt on Cedric, don't you?"
"He's done some bad things, both known and unknown. If we expose them, it might deal a considerable blow to him."
"───??"
Huh? Are these guys crazy?
What you see is what you are, I suppose. Their way of thinking was truly foul.
In what universe do I look like that kind of person?
I am someone who pursues fairness and justice, always and everywhere.
"Ah, right..."
"I accidentally said something stupid."
I already knew as much as I needed to.
I wasn't keeping quiet because I didn't know.
The situation was already twisted in many ways.
If I did something unnecessary, it felt like the flow of events would get even more tangled.
If I stay still, I can at least avoid making things worse.
In times like these, the best course of action was to quietly handle my own business.
"Um, so what did you want to talk about?"
"Speak freely. If it's something we can do, we'll help in any way we can."
I stared blankly at the two male students.
It was like they were wagging their tails, trying to get on my good side.
"First, let me ask. How much do you know about my recent activities?"
"Just that you've been constantly fighting in ranking matches and your rank has skyrocketed?"
"Cedric scowled deeply at that news. He must really hate you."
So he was conscious of me.
Well, that's not what's important.
"The higher my rank gets, the harder it is to find an opponent."
"That's inevitable. The pool of opponents gets smaller and smaller..."
"Ah, don't tell me..."
"..."
"..."
Yes, it's exactly what you're thinking.
How about we have a match, fellow high-tier A-Class students?
Since you're injured, I'll take that into consideration and go easy on you!
"───!!"
"───!!"
The boys, belatedly shocked.
They were extremely flustered, as if they had never imagined I would suggest this.
"If it's a problem, then so be it. I won't force you."
"N-no, it's not that..."
"It's just so sudden... Let me think for a moment..."
Muttering about how things had come to this.
They seemed to be in agony, clutching their heads, but it wasn't something they could avoid forever.
Their groaning was so pathetic to see.
I solved their dilemma with a single sentence.
"You can come at me together."
"───??"
"Considering your condition, that seems fair."
"Um..."
Far from getting angry and arguing.
They actually showed signs of relief.
It was because they recognized I wasn't an ordinary A-Class student.
One-on-one was the rule, but the men in black suits acknowledged agreements between the parties involved.
It was time to look down on the weak.
It took a little more time, but the result was the same.
"I can't believe he's gotten this strong already..."
"This is for the best. I feel a bit more at ease now."
Was it because they were anxious about having been Cedric's aides?
They looked relieved, as if they had received some kind of indulgence.
They soon glanced at me, trying to read my expression.
He won't think badly of us from now on, right?
It was obvious they were reassuring themselves with that thought.
Well, think whatever you like.
I never had much interest in extras anyway.
Anyway.
With that, I neatly took care of the 'buy one, get one free' event.
"Jace Crodain. Current rank: 21."
I gave a faint smile.
I had easily achieved this week's goal.
In fact, the real challenge starts now.
The ranks from 10th to 20th are teeming with powerhouses like Largo.
The A+ Class, who have surpassed A-Class but haven't yet reached S-Class.
I'll have to overcome that wall to return to being a Hero candidate.
Maybe I'll reset myself with meditation over the weekend.
Or I could heal by playing with my little cutie.
I thought about next week's schedule.
An event where seniors who graduated from the academy would visit.
They had been deployed to the front lines and had experienced a lot of real combat.
They were scheduled to conduct theory classes based on that experience.
They would also be sparring with the Hero candidates.
This generation's Hero candidates are special, so the flow of events is that the seniors will lose.
Since I'm currently A-Class, it has nothing to do with me. But I had a feeling something was bound to happen.
"..."
Just leave me alone. This time, I just want to watch comfortably from the sidelines!
* * *
Cedric wanted to be alone.
So he chased away all the students who followed him.
Despite that, he couldn't quite get his wish.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"..."
Cedric glared fiercely at the young man who had suddenly appeared.
Maier Venice. Age twenty-five. A former Hero candidate.
Though he was a senior by quite a margin, there was no need to speak formally to him.
Maier was merely from a branch family; Cedric, as the direct heir, held a higher position.
In terms of relation, he was a cousin, but their relationship was so-so.
Perhaps it was a strong sense of mutual dislike, born from their resemblance to each other.
Still, he couldn't just ignore him.
The fact that he was once a Hero candidate meant he possessed considerable skill.
He was a powerhouse the Venice Family could proudly present.
Having gained various experiences since graduation, he must have grown even stronger.
A being who could be useful in the future.
Cedric reminded himself of that fact and spoke sharply.
"Why are you here already?"
"To solve your little problem. For my cute little brother... hmm, is that not right? Anyway..."
"Was this my father's order?"
"Well, something like that."
"..."
The Venice Family's financial power is enormous.
With that wealth, they had laid an information network across the continent.
In other words, they could immediately grasp the internal situation of the Hero Academy.
That the family's heir was faltering.
Given the circumstances, that news must have also reached the ears of the Family Head.
"Jace Crodain. I just have to take him down, right?"
"..."
Cedric clenched his teeth.
That was the one thing he didn't want to entrust to anyone else.
To prove his own worth, he had to handle it himself.
"Stay out of it. I'll take care of it my..."
"As you know, this isn't just your problem. The prestige of the entire family is on the line. Do you think I'm doing this because I want to? I'm offering to take care of it for you because it has to be done."
"..."
A sigh escaped him unconsciously.
There was nothing he could do.
"It would be a mistake to underestimate him."
"I've heard the gist of the situation. He used to be stronger than you, right? Even so, he's just an A-Class now. I can handle him easily enough."
Cedric shook his head.
If they were both S-Class, a duel would be easily arranged.
But since Jace was merely A-Class, a duel itself was impossible.
"If it can't be done, you make it happen. What's he going to do if I bring up the Crodain Family? Well, if he runs, that'll be a sight to see in itself. Heh heh..."
"..."
The louder Maier's laughter grew,
the fouler Cedric's mood became.