Episode 54: Uninhabited Island Survival Training (1)
The weekend came after the written exam. Normally, I would have just laid out in bed and slowly woke up around midnight, but I woke up at the same time as on weekdays.
The reason is that I plan to visit the library for the first time in a while to prepare for the ‘Uninhabited Island Survival Training’ that will be held in a few days.
Of course, in this day and age where the 4th industrial revolution is rampant, you can do your research on YouTube, but I think I prefer paper books.
“The books I need to borrow are… Survival on a Deserted Island, How to Identify Poisonous Plants, Survival Guide by Daily Instructor Bear Garlix, and more… … Will this be enough?”
I walked along, mumbling about the books I wanted to borrow that I had written down on my phone.
Uninhabited island survival training to be held on the island of ‘Avalon’ for 2 nights and 3 days starting next Wednesday.
The words “survival training” may seem like a bloody survival training with life and death stakes, but it is an event-style training closer to camping.
The purpose was to provide a breathing space for teenage students who were struggling with their studies, similar to a school trip.
The fact that the number of team members can vary from 1 to 4, and that the training schedule is disclosed in detail to all cadets, are further proof.
However, the word “survival” also has an ambiguous meaning, and although it is a short period of 2 nights and 3 days, it also contains the intention to measure each cadet’s self-reliance ability.
Moreover, it is an event that is highlighted quite a bit in terms of the game’s story, as it is where the protagonist Leon obtains the hilt of the sword ‘Balmun’, which will be his main weapon, and a series of events occur that will lead to the development of feelings between the main heroine Abel and Leon.
“Finally, I’m connected to Abel.”
Honestly, I wasn’t particularly jealous of that part.
After entering here, I became somewhat cynical about the opposite sex, and the last time Abel came to class with Rachel and Lang, he showed his wariness towards me. It seemed like he had some kind of grudge against me.
Even though it was a situation that was like a flash of lightning, it was difficult for emotions to blossom no matter how pretty it was. That goes for anyone.
The Academy’s elders are after me, and there are unidentified instructors and recruiting the rest of the club members, etc. The situation is too tense to enjoy the excitement of warm early summer.
Thinking about it made my nose sting a little.
“Youth… in the next life… … .”
Besides, as a swordsman, it was inevitable that my eyes would be drawn to Balmung.
As a user of ‘Miracle Protection M’, I was even more curious about Balmung’s location and its capabilities.
Balmung. The only weapon of immeasurable grade in the work. Finding the fragmented pieces of Balmung was one of the core narratives of the story.
The condition for being chosen by Balmung, the holy sword and the demon sword, is to manifest the ‘miraculous protection’. In short, it is a weapon exclusively for the protagonist.
According to the description in the work, if you stick it into the ground, the ground will collapse, and if you swing it, mountains will be cut down, but later on, it was a fraudulent weapon that allowed Leon to become the only one to achieve Musou.
In contrast, my weapon is E-class. No, now it’s D-class. Anyway, compared to Balmung, it’s a small, pitiful looking sashimi.
Additionally, just in case, I still carry around extra Daiso sashimi.
“…Can you refine the balmung into sashimi?”
As I was licking my lips with regret, I found myself in front of the library. As soon as I entered, I searched for books to read throughout the day on the computer provided.
For me, who was a Japanese chef in my past life but didn’t even have a hobby like fishing, it would be difficult to survive in a wasteland without any survival knowledge, even if it was only for two nights and three days.
The tools you can bring are also limited to a minimum, so you must be self-sufficient.
The only good thing is that this is not a place where demons live. In keeping with the original purpose of the training, you only need to focus on the keyword of survival.
Of course, if you think about the midterm exams, there may be other variables. However, this training is conducted with instructors and cadets. Naturally, it is a different situation from when the game was played.
In addition, as a special order from the academy director, he was also included in the instructor team that was currently serving as the temporary instructor for the Wolf class.
The strongest hero in humanity leads the first-year students on a school trip… … .
Although the plot was a bit different from the original, I was still able to feel reassured about the security aspect.
So what I had to do was to acquire enough knowledge to be able to distinguish between camping, survival, and poisonous plants. That was the extent of my preparation for the ‘surface’ training.
I put down the books related to Avalon Island that were in the legend category and read them quickly.
「Avallon is an island in the far western sea, a mysterious place where its terrain changes from moment to moment. In the center is an ancient lake called the ‘Queen’s Lake’ that has been around since mythical times… … Omitted… … It is also called the ‘Land of the Beginning’ and ‘Paradise’ by some ethnic minorities, but it is currently an uninhabited island.」
“Well, it’s roughly similar to the setting.”
Although some details were added here and there, it was almost the same as what I knew.
It was the same in that it was treated as an uninhabited island, and the terrain changed every moment, so there was no separate map.
However, there was another reason why I returned my weekend morning nap to the library. I was busy looking through a few more books and researching about Avalon Island, in search of a clue to the ‘thing’ I was looking for on Avalon Island.
Perhaps because it was something I already knew, the information was quickly injected into my brain. My eyes scanned the text quickly.
Perhaps because of the purpose, the time spent in the library passed quickly, and before I knew it, the sunset streaming through the cracks in the windows was bathing the interior in a golden glow.
“Oh, you were here too, Geumma?”
An intelligent voice came from behind me. It was a familiar voice, so I naturally turned my head.
“… … .”
Blonde hair that sparkles like golden sunset, clear blue eyes.
“long time no see.”
Leon van Reinhardt was waving a warm welcome to me.
* * *
Even in the quiet library, Leon was showing off his presence brilliantly.
As he looked around the room, he saw some female cadets hiding behind bookshelves, peeking at him and squealing among themselves, which was being reprimanded by the librarian.
Moreover, even the librarian who was urging them fiercely glanced at Leon, so I am starting to feel the truth of the saying that appearances are plausible.
‘He’s so damn handsome. The peppers must be small, right?’
… But the books in the guy’s hand. Judging from the titles, they are books about magic.
‘Why are you reading a book like that?’
I looked at Leon in astonishment, then let out a deep sigh. No, the sight of the protagonist holding a magic introductory book wasn’t very pleasant.
But if we have to give it some consideration, it seems like they are trying to learn about mines and magic by using the midterm exam as a negative example.
One, he must have a mountain of work ahead of him, but he’s digging up magic in the library. I could feel my faith in him eroding in real time.
When I furrow my brows, Leon hides them behind his back with an awkward expression.
“… … .”
There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment. Leon smiled broadly and opened his mouth.
“What book were you reading?”
“I was just researching Avalon Island, where we’re training next week.”
It seemed like he was trying to lighten the mood by making things worse, but I didn’t want to stir things up, so I responded appropriately.
“Sword Demon, you are very sincere.”
Well, I can’t deny it. I can say with pride that my lifestyle these days is more diligent than anyone else’s. My days are filled with exercise, dungeon exploration, and studying magic.
But what can I do? Knowing the dark future ahead, I have no choice but to do my best for the remaining three years.
“I have to take care of my own front.”
“It’s a front cover… … .”
When I say that, Leon mutters with a bitter face.
“… You are different from me. I am different from you too.”
What’s the difference? I remembered something Leon had said to me meaningfully when I first met him.
￣Geumma, where did you come from?
A word that I couldn’t guess what he was thinking. His greeting was so warm, as if he had found a friend from his hometown.
No matter how much I thought about it, the main character Leon’s appearance was completely different from what I had seen in my playing experience. His bright face had a sad tone to it, and he seemed to have a strangely troubled attitude.
However, his behavior does not differ greatly from Leon’s in terms of play. How should we interpret his personality?
I shook my head and shook off the thought. Apart from my belief in Leon, the guy and I had completely different directions.
“… Then work hard and be careful on your way in, there’s not much time left until closing time.”
“Oh, thank you. You too, Leon.”
Leon waved and turned away. I looked at his back with thoughtful eyes.
The long, ominous shadows stretched out in the sunset, contrasting with the gazes of those in the room who seemed to praise him. It seemed as if light and darkness were weighing down on each shoulder like heavy weights.
Could it be the burden of a warrior who carries the fate of humanity on his shoulders?
“… … .”
But I had no intention of comforting or placating him. I looked away from him and continued reading.
There was something I absolutely had to find and do before I got home.
* * *
… Monday morning, after spending the whole weekend locked in the library flipping through books, I came back to Lang’s class.
I stare blankly out the window, resting my chin on my hand. It wasn’t as easy as I expected, as I was looking for clues and clues about an unprecedented power that had yet to be discovered in this world.
As I stretched, a proud smile appeared on my lips.
“It was worth the effort.”
Still, there was definitely a return on the precious weekend investment, as I was able to pinpoint the location of the ‘guard’ hidden on Avalon Island.
Now that the first objective has been set, I plan to find a guardian and enjoy a leisurely camping trip in keeping with the original purpose of the deserted island survival training.
I also went fishing, caught some fish with a line, and made some raw fish for the first time in a while.
“In my previous life, I didn’t have time to enjoy things like that because of work.”
While I was turning the happiness circuit, Leon’s face suddenly flashed past me and it stuck in my mind like a thorn in my neck. Leon’s antics made me feel uncomfortable.
“… … .”
For a moment, I scratched my chin and tried to ignore the rising thoughts.
My nose is three feet long, so it’s a bit much to worry about a guy who gets favored by the world. As long as things don’t go too wrong, the most I can do is watch Leon.
“… I’ll sleep a little.”
I had been staring at the letters late into the night yesterday, so I had a lot of fatigue under my eyes. I couldn’t afford to be sleep deprived before an event.
