Originally, it was common sense for a banquet to be held after about a week to two weeks of preparation.
In particular, banquets held by nobles must be more grand and splendid because the amount spent is extraordinary.
So, it is practically impossible to open it in one day.
“I hope the banquet will be held today.”
-It was the end.
There is no further objection.
The princess wants it, so we have to open it.
Even something that was originally impossible can become possible if you put people in it.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of elite troops were mobilized, and preparations for the banquet were completed in half a day.
And the cadets were amazed.
The garden, which had been empty until morning, was transformed, or rather, changed, into a splendid banquet hall.
It was an achievement made possible through the blood, sweat, and tears of a thousand people.
“Oh, when did this fountain come here?”
“Wasn’t this a flower garden? Wasn’t it just a sandy beach?”
“Are you crazy!? Those are all jewels!”
“… If I sell just one of those, I can earn enough to live on for five years.”
Decorations including fountains, orchestras, and mobile kitchens.
Even a magical tool that lights up the dark night sky in real time.
There has never been a more ridiculous thing than this.
… Hmm, right? Even if you have money, you can’t do something like this.
“The princess is truly amazing.”
“She’s not just a princess. She’s the crown princess.”
“Heh.”
“But why are we crowded here? Why aren’t we somewhere else?”
“Then do you want to go play where the nobles are? If you want to play, go play.”
“… No, I absolutely cannot go.”
They are once again feeling dizzy about power,
The new cadets of the swordsmanship department who had been given the strange name of 18-Ung (熊) and Na-han by their instructor were huddled together in one place.
It was clearly a banquet held for them, but it seemed like it was incredibly burdensome.
It is said that pine cicadas must survive by eating only pine needles. For them, who had lived their entire lives as commoners, it was difficult to gather together with nobles.
I don’t know if I’ll get used to it later, but for now, it’s just uncomfortable.
especially.
“Huh…? I don’t know if it’s Kunta’s imagination, but it seems like Kunta and the teddy bears have become a sight to behold.”
“It’s not an illusion, it’s a real spectacle.”
“Well, it is an interesting combination.”
Peasants, beggars, vagabonds, mercenaries and barbarians.
Even if they don’t want to be noticed, they can’t help but be noticed.
…not in a positive sense, but in a negative sense.
Perhaps, among them, there will be not only curious but also jealous gazes.
They must be the ones who bought the princess’ favor.
Why is that not the case?
Because they are lower class.
The lowest classes of the kingdom.
Even though they are now academy cadets, where will their status go?
Just like their predecessors, no matter how good their skills were, they would inevitably be subject to status discrimination throughout their lives.
still.
“Why are you all huddled together like a pack of meerkats? Have you committed a crime?”
If you are someone with overwhelming will and skills, you probably don’t care about your status or anything else.
Like that guy.
“Instructor.”
Lee Han, their instructor approached them slowly without caring whether others were watching or not, and the nobles and cadets who were watching them as if they were watching a circus troupe of magical animals immediately looked away.
Both the nobles and the cadets must have already heard about the entrance ceremony incident.
But even if you haven’t heard of it, the pressure he unconsciously exudes is enough to make even those who use their fists on the street cringe.
Even though they had actually seen the sight of an angry boar being torn apart by hand in Vulcan, they knew that it was not just a feeling of intimidation.
And the overbearing man glanced at them with a kind look.
“It wasn’t my intention, but the entire swordsmanship department is gathered here.”
“Prince Roen and Assistant Damian aren’t here?”
“Student Roen disappeared, saying he had something to do. Well, he’s a guy who usually wanders around freely, so just leave him alone. And the assistant? He doesn’t have time to enjoy a banquet. He has a report to write.”
“What report?”
“A report to be submitted to the Dean.”
“That, that’s something the instructor should have written down….”
“Why me? I have an assistant.”
“… … .”
… If you look closely, it seems like the most suffering and pitiful person among them is Damien Follett.
When we try to recall such pitiful thoughts in common.
“Everyone, thank you for your hard work.”
-… … … .
Everyone in the swordsmanship department blinked at the sudden and unexpected statement.
“When I say I’ve had a hard time, it’s not just the bears who say that.”
“Aren’t you saying that he’s Ungnahan?”
“Some people call it a teddy bear.”
“Well, I think a teddy bear would be better.”
“Children, don’t just grow up with thick hair.”
In a relaxed atmosphere with some lame jokes.
He looked each and every cadet in the eye with earnest devotion.
Without missing a single person.
“First of all, the chicks.”
“Yes, yes?!”
“You guys have worked hard too. It was good that you always worked hard at jumping rope, and it was good that you didn’t cheat. Most of all, I know that you organized the Bears’ liberal arts homework and other lecture assignments and gave them to them. I appreciate your meticulousness and attention to detail.”
“That, that, that’s just….”
As if it was nothing special.
They were just talking nonsense, saying that they were just trying to find something they could do, but Lee Han remained silent.
“Bear dolls, bow your heads at a 90-degree angle right now and greet them. They are special people who took care of your grades.”
-evil!
They instinctively followed orders and immediately bowed their heads to show their courtesy.
But their gratitude was not just a joke, it was a sincere thanks.
Because I realized that today’s victory was not possible just because of their efforts.
There was invisible support and help.
“Euuum-!”
The girls, still embarrassed, hid their embarrassment by covering their faces with fans.
I always thought they were just arrogant noble ladies, but that doesn’t mean they were bad kids.
“And you young masters. You did well too. I heard you took care of those taunting bears.”
“… I just did it because I was upset that the swordsmanship department was being insulted. Aren’t they also part of the swordsmanship department?”
“That’s why I said you did well. When I first met you, you seemed like unlucky young masters, but now I see that you’re kind young masters.”
“If you’re going to praise me, please stop calling me that bastard.”
“Not yet.”
“Ugh… .”
“Ahahaha!”
Although they were the ones suffering, the bears, on the other hand, could not hide their surprise.
Because I didn’t know that they might be angry for their own sake.
They were moved to some extent, and those who were looked at looked away as if embarrassed.
Comradeship.
The bond of trust that they feel as they struggle together over the difficult cliff of Lee Han.
This is exactly what they mean when they say that people become close through hardship.
Although they are not exactly friends, it is clear that they have developed a friendship that transcends social status.
I felt like crying a little.
“And the last teddy bears.”
“… … .”
It was Lee Han who called their names, and they were already ready to shed tears.
What on earth are you talking about… .
“-I won’t say you did well. To be honest, I just got lucky and won.”
“… … .”
… they soon shed tears, and their hearts fluttered in a different way.
It was a kind of undulation called regret.
“Instructor… .”
“Don’t be upset. You’ve probably already heard a lot of compliments from other people. Then, one person should give you a harsh criticism.”
“… … .”
… As expected, he is someone who always goes beyond expectations.
When everyone else is applauding, you scold them.
However, Lee Han was serious through and through.
Just like I treated others.
“The only reason you won was because the spellcasters let their guard down. If the spellcasters had fought carefully and step by step, you would have lost without a doubt. If it had been just three minutes, you would have lost all your stamina and self-destructed.”
“that….”
“Can anyone refute that?”
“… … .”
…does not exist.
Because it was true.
As I said, the time they can fight at full strength in a real battle is limited to 3 minutes, no. When I think back on it, I thought I was going crazy when it went over 2 minutes during the battle.
Because putting my skills and knowledge into practice was a more difficult and brutal experience than I thought.
If only the wizards were a little more cool-headed.
So what if the small spells shown at the end were clever tactics to limit their mobility from the beginning, or even disperse their firepower?
If that had been the case, they would have suffered a miserable defeat.
So ugly that I couldn’t even move my hands.
This point was precisely pointed out by Lee Han.
“There was a letdown on the part of the opponent, there was the surprise of having two more people than the opponent, and finally, there was luck. So I can’t praise you. What you didn’t do was what you didn’t do.”
“Yes….”
They bowed their heads.
Just a moment ago, they were receiving bouquets from countless people and dreaming of a rosy future, but when the person who taught them speaks so strictly, the wind rushes out of their lungs.
Let’s point out the shortcomings one by one. The mistakes that were made today are visible.
And only when the dizzying moments flash through my mind does my face turn pale.
I can’t help but smile bitterly.
however.
“It’s good that you didn’t give up though.”
-!!?
“You didn’t run away from the crowd, you didn’t run away from the fireball, and you didn’t give up when you thought you were defeated at the end. Even if you had lost today, I would have been satisfied. At least I’m glad that my ‘disciple’ wasn’t a coward who abandoned his comrades. So you did well. Even though the match was bad, your spirit definitely deserves praise.”
Toouk.
Lee Han passed by, punching the left chests of those who had competed today.
bean.
Levi Fault shows his sensitivity by lightly touching only the head and not the chest.
“You worked hard. I’ll admit that.”
-… … .
They looked at their instructor with wide eyes.
Each of them touched their chest and head and felt the heat rising from deep within their hearts.
Yes, the instructor was the first to ‘recognize’ them.
“It beats the heart and the head. A mercenary encouragement force.”
“What kind of encouragement is this?”
“It’s a word of encouragement for a mercenary who has returned safely from the battlefield with his head and heart intact. It’s a compliment I often give to rookie mercenaries.”
“okay.”
It was a bit of encouragement from an instructor whose past career was sometimes questionable.
“Listen to the others, as I said, Kyung is not an omnipotent being. So don’t be jealous of what I taught you, and save what you have. What you have learned is more stable and superior than what those guys learned.”
My lords.
The noble cadets congratulated him, but they still felt a bitterness and flinched at Lee Han’s words.
They still had regrets in their hearts for not being able to go to Vulcan, and their hearts were heavy after seeing today’s battle.
And it seems the instructor had already noticed their bitterness.
“Don’t be sorry. You are still young, and you have a long time to spend with me. I will train you properly during that time.”
“… It’s scary when the instructor says that.”
“I won’t die, I won’t die.”
“I wonder if I should laugh at this….”
A statement that seems like a joke, but isn’t a joke at all.
But if you listen, you will find comfort in the immature psychology of youth.
“The same goes for the three of you. Just because you learn the fighting method and the Kyung at the same time, it doesn’t mean you’ll definitely become stronger. Rather than becoming stronger by adding one, there are cases where neither one works and you end up with a minus. So you should just think of Kyung as a training wheel. Don’t put too much meaning into it.”
“Are we also being nagged?”
“You are also my disciples.”
“… … .”
“Then the bad words are over. Everyone, enjoy the banquet. And rest. I’ll give you three days off. You don’t have to show up for the time being.”
“… … .”
“I’m not joking, so trust me, you guys.”
-Wow!
A joyful cheer.
But whether this was the joy of being given a vacation, or the joy of the recognition he gave them.
─I thought maybe only they would know.
“… children.”
As if his words had been a detonator, they quickly shook off the tension and enjoyed the banquet in their own ways.
Also, as they dispersed from their group that had been huddled together like meerkats, people from other departments slowly approached them and even started talking to the students.
As expected, the things that were gathered together like hedgehog thorns have now dispersed into individuals, so it seems that it has become a bit easier to approach them now.
‘Well, when else would we get along if not now?’
I understand how you feel.
The banquet originally served as a means of communication between departments that would otherwise not get along well.
This also means an opportunity for those who want to connect with the guys from the Swordsmanship Department.
‘You’re going to have a hard time, Bear.’
Levi Fault, who became Bear from the first chick, captured the attention of many men.
Well, he’s quite a cute guy, so he’d probably be popular.
It’s no wonder there are so many guys who talk nonsense.
of course.
‘If you touch it, you’ll have to spend three months in hospital…’
Bears, whether male or female, must not be touched.
Especially since the bears I raised can’t tear a person in half, but they can fold the waist in half.
He hopes that he won’t have any unfortunate incidents like breaking his back while messing around.
“Huh? Where are you going, Instructor?”
“I have some business to attend to.”
“Isn’t the princess coming soon?”
“That’s why I have to go even further.”
“??”
“Enjoy yourself, Cadet Irene. It seems like there are a lot of guys interested in you.”
“Hey, I don’t care. How can I hang out with those guys?”
“You too, Adaman.”
“ah!”
“… … .”
…you seem like a clumsy ice skating idiot.
Lee Han shook his head and left the place, and Irene stared blankly at his disappearing back.
[Arin, what are you looking at? Are you looking at the biceps? Or the latissimus dorsi?]
“Do you think I’m a pervert like you? … Ahem, Joe, I did see a little bit of it, but it wasn’t my intention, huh.”
[As expected from our little one! She knows something, haha!]
“Hey, seriously! That’s not it!”
Irene Windler blushed and scolded the ghost, and the men who had been approaching her involuntarily took a step back.
If you are tempted by her beauty, you will regret your life, remembering that the magician’s madness is more dangerous than a poisoned rose.
Irene Windler, a poisoned rose that fends off a group of males who unintentionally approach her, gives the ghost girl a rose.
“I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but the instructor’s eyes….”
[Eyes?]
“It looks like you’re smiling a little.”
[…huh?]
Isn’t it good to be smiling?
The ghost girl tilted her head, but Irene Windler shrugged, as if she couldn’t figure out exactly what she was feeling strangely.
Just to explain the strangeness she felt.
‘You look so happy, should I say it’s scary?’
She laughed awkwardly, thinking that it was a really strange thought.
* * *
Dagdak! Dagdak!
There was a group of people riding through the empty streets of the royal capital to a secret place.
There was no slowdown in their movement speed as if they were in a hurry, and at some point they entered the extraterritorial area of the royal capital that was extremely deep.
Parasite’s Downfall
A street where the lowest of the low class people live together.
No matter how many times they tried to get rid of it in the royal capital, it would hide well like a cockroach or a parasite, and at some point it would reappear, so Narak was a hidden darkness in the royal capital that could not be eliminated even if they wanted to.
It is called the Parasite Street because it treats the royal road as if it were its own host and lives off of it. It is also like a steep cliff where you can never come out once you enter.
Although it may be somewhat exaggerated, the danger is real, and only serious criminals would intentionally seek it out.
But people on horseback, and wearing quite luxurious clothes, were going into such streets on their own accord.
So it’s strange.
No criminal in the Abyss stopped them, and it was strangely quiet.
It’s as if everyone is of one mind and one will not to come out of the house today.
“Whoa, hoo! Okay, so we’ve come this far, right?”
“Okay, I guess you can feel a little relieved now.”
“But you know. Is there really a need to run away in such a hurry? It seems like we’re getting excited for nothing… .”
“That’s stupid! The presence of the princess means that the crazy Inquisitor is nearby! He would definitely notice our suspicious behavior, so how could he be there? The answer is to run away.”
“Hmm.”
Inquisitor John Ray Albert.
When his name was mentioned, their bodies trembled.
Even though they had only heard of his records in reports, they trembled.
That record was so scary that I was scared just reading it.
If their existence is discovered, he will come looking for them carrying a cross.
A superhuman with a terrifying death.
“Whew, that’s a relief. It wasn’t as planned, but we escaped safely.”
“I never thought the abyss would help….”
“It wasn’t the abyss that helped, it was [the organization] that gave us strength, so we must never forget to be grateful-.”
“-Friends, can I ask what the name of that organization is?”
Creepy!
“… … .”
Step by step, light footsteps.
The man, who seemed to be walking along a path, approached them with a slight smile on his eyes, and they looked at him with eyes that seemed to be in disbelief.
Why… . Why, I don’t understand why he is here.
However, the man smiled as if he was disappointed.
“You don’t even know where your friends are, do you, Instructor Hans?”
“… … .”
“Haha, instructor, please laugh. Why are you so serious?”
“… Turtle, Turtle Sir… .”
He, Hans, the instructor of the metallurgy department, spoke in a trembling voice,
He trembled as he called out Lee Han’s last name.
And he.
“You don’t understand how I found you?”
Lee Han playfully tapped the ground.
But unlike his playful gestures, the longsword at his side was unusually cool.
“Well, it’s not that weird. I just have a good sense of smell.”
Kuung.
“Especially me, the smell of a spellcaster is incredible, and that too…!”
Kuuung.
“─Even more so for ‘stinking’ order-makers like you.”
The hatchet in his hand radiated a sinister ferocity.
To hunt ‘beasts’ that have given up on being human.
