Chapter 183
"I did it! I tell you, I did it! Starting today, I'm also in the advanced class!"
"Sob... This is unfair. Reallocating classes based on the pop quiz!"
"Darn it, after the final exams, I'll definitely...!"
Joy and despair alternated on the plain.
Just being admitted to Annwood Academy is already a considerable spec, but to even make it into the advanced class?
The dormitory room will be filled with scouting proposals.
There's even a legend that a student died buried under the flood of proposals, so you can get a sense of how tremendous the advanced class spec is.
So it's not strange for the kids to show such intense reactions.
'Rather, it's only natural. Because employment is important in this world too.'
Money, work-life balance, honor, safety, etc.
Pursuing something even a little better and more comfortable is the same in the game and reality.
"Let's go! We need to make a toast!"
"Let's go too. Let's eat something delicious and regain our energy..."
The kids left the plain one by one.
There was no worry of getting lost since instructors were stationed in between.
But unlike them, we couldn't leave our spot.
Because a rabbit I'm raising... no, Rezé had fainted.
"Ah!"
Just then, Rezé, who had fainted, opened her eyes.
Rezé, who looked around for a while, let out a deep sigh of relief.
"Phew... Thank goodness."
"Keke, are you awake now?"
"Yes. I h-had a terrible dream."
"A terrible dream?"
"Z-Zero said he's going to c-catch a demon. It's r-really a terrible dream, right?"
"......"
"Z-Zero...?"
I smiled brightly at Rezé.
Filled with the meaning that it wasn't a dream but reality.
"...Wake me up after you catch the demon."
At the same time, Rezé flopped down.
She didn't even stutter.
Was it that shocking to say we would hunt an upper-class demon?
"Keke, are you planning to keep sleeping until then? It'll be over a month."
"I-I can do it. A-Anyways! I'll see you then."
Rezé, lying down, neatly placed her hands on her stomach.
A posture expressing a strong will to sleep for a month.
A very impudent posture, you could say.
Grip-.
I tightly grabbed Rezé's bangs as she lay down. "Keke, get up. There are a lot of things to prepare."
"...Wh-What preparations?"
Of course.
"Preparations to hunt a demon."
"I-I strongly oppose! Strongly oppose demon hunting!"
Rezé's protest began while lying down.
I tried to pull her up by her bangs.
Then she squirmed and desperately resisted.
A rabbit's fierce front paw attack that could even work on demons!
A rather fierce resistance for a strength stat of 3.
"Keke, I feel a strong will to fight a demon."
"Th-The opposite! It's c-clearly an expression of a s-strong will not to!"
"Strange. Didn't you say you wanted to feel a sense of accomplishment just a moment ago?"
"E-Even so, not an upper-class demon! E-Even a 9th grade demon is too much for m-me!"
A 9th grade lowest-class demon, which even a one-year-old baby can catch while rolling over, is too much.
It's a boast, a boast!
It seems the most urgent thing for our rabbit is mental training.
"Keke, it's useless to resist. Come here."
"N-No!"
"Then keep lying down like that. I'll lie down next to you. It looks like it will be a long counseling session today."
"Eek, eek! Th-There's a p-pervert......"
A pervert? Where on earth is there a pervert?
I looked around, but there was only handsome me everywhere.
'What this child lacks the most is self-confidence. I need to instill self-confidence with my excellent eloquence.'
I matched my gaze to the counselee's eye level. It's one of the basics of counseling.
When I lay down next to her, Rezé's face turned slightly red.
A kind and cool man who listens to her concerns.
'It's only natural to fall for someone like me.'
I'm such a man. A man with many sins.
Rezé started trembling. She's clearly full of anxiety.
It's also the owner's(?)'s duty to stabilize a pet rabbit's mind.
"Keke, don't worry. Everything will be fine."
I was having a moment of connection, gazing into Rezé's wavering eyes when.
"...What are you doing now?"
It's Luna's voice.
She was looking down at me. With a chilly gaze.
Luna grabbed one of my arms firmly.
"You know?"
"Keke, is it an encouraging massage for praise?"
"...It might be. Since you're a pervert who enjoys pain."
Luna, what on earth are you saying?
There's no such pervert in this world.
"Sob sob... I... I've been d-defiled."
"...?"
What, you lose your purity just by making eye contact?
It's an outdated setting that gets ridiculed even in trashy novels or light novels.
There's no way such a ridiculous setting exists...
Ah... This is an old game.
"You perverted bastard...! The kid suddenly fainted so I went to get the teacher, and you cause an incident in the meantime!"
Crack-.
My arm was bent at a strange angle.
It's unfair. I was just counseling a rabbit showing anxiety symptoms.
"Hmm, Ms. Luna. Don't you think my arm looks a bit strange?"
"You were originally full of strange things."
"Keke, didn't you just make the strange even stranger?"
"Since it went around and around, maybe it became normal now?"
Oho, what a great answer coming out of Luna's mouth.
Certainly, there's some truth to Luna's words.
Except for the fact that I can't feel any sensation in my arm that's bent at a strange angle.
"Sheesh, you guys never have a quiet day."
It's Lucia. Caron was following behind her.
"Oh, what a bizarre pose. Why, are you planning to switch to being a circus member?"
"Keke, I've been forcibly turned into a circus member. Could you please return my arm to normal?"
"Why would I extend such kindness to you?"
"You're too stingy. Even though I'm Lucia's disciple."
"Who's my disciple!"
Crack-!
My arm that was bent at a strange angle returned to normal.
Getting angry while healing her disciple. What a strange personality.
"Rezé, are you okay now?"
"I-I'm fine. I was just a b-bit startled..."
"Why were you startled?"
"W-Well! Isn't Z-Zero saying he's going to catch a demon!"
Rezé declared loudly as if she's going to report me.
But Luna's response was too simple.
"So what? Just catch it."
"E-Even though it's an upper-class demon?"
"If you do it, it'll work out somehow, right?"
Unfortunately, our Luna is not a normal child. Rezé's reasonable opinion won't get through to her.
Rezé turned her head and asked for help. She asked Lucia and Caron for help.
"Hunting an upper-class demon? Of course not."
"...I can't allow it."
The two's opposition. Rezé, gaining strength from that, boldly exclaimed.
"S-See that? It's not allowed!"
Is that so?
"What about in a month? Among upper-class demons, the lowest one that uses magic instead of physical attacks?"
"......"
Lucia and Caron didn't say anything.
They implicitly acknowledged it.
That we could sufficiently hunt an upper-class demon on our own.
"Th-That...!"
Rezé's soul left her mouth.
"Keke, a rational judgment. Thank you."
"A 5th grade demon isn't that strong. I just thought it's worth a try if you make a good strategy. You guys also have a fast growth rate."
A 5th grade demon isn't that strong?
'That's only at your level.'
Lucia, who reached the level of a 5-star knight at the age of fifteen.
123456789 - Knight (Star)
987654321 - Demon (Grade)
...According to this formula, the combat power of a 5-star knight and a 5th grade demon is equal.
Since Lucia reached the level of 5-stars when she entered the academy, it was only natural for her to judge that 'a 5th grade demon is worth fighting'.
Then why did Caron, who knows reality well, agree?
"...Because it's an absurd assumption."
"Excuse me?"
"You seem to be misunderstanding due to the recent demon attack, but upper-class demons aren't that common. The probability of encountering one before graduation is close to zero."
I see. So that's why you said it's an absurd assumption?
"Of course, it's not impossible. Someone could summon one by offering a sacrifice..."
Glance-.
Everyone's gaze turned to me. Why?
"Summoning a demon! Who on earth would do such an atrocious thing!"
"...I think it's right in front of our eyes."
What. It was me?
There's no way I, the epitome of innocence, would do such a bad thing!
"No. I won't do it. 'Demon summoning', that is."
"...It sounds like you'll call it in a different way. Is it my imagination?"
Of course.
"Keke, it's your imagination."
"......"
"Kekekekeke!!"
"......"
Smack-!
Caron flicked my head.
It's really unfair to get hit because of a misunderstanding.
"Let's move on. What's important now isn't such trivial matters."
"Demon-related talk is trivial... You've got guts. Then what's important now?"
"That we rightfully passed the advanced class. And that I became Lucia's disciple, isn't it?"
Lucia flinched.
Needless to say, Luna and I also made it into the advanced class.
"D-Disciple...? Did we make such a promise? I can't remember well. You know? I have a bad memory."
Hmm, are you going to make an excuse?
Sorry, but you can't do that.
The moment a quest that tormented me for a month and a Hidden Piece that no veteran has ever done ends.
'What kind of reward will I receive?'
In my eyes right now, Lucia just looks like a golden goblin.
"Keke, come to think of it, I forgot I have a bad memory too. I might forget the promise I made with Lucia to keep it a secret."
"Y-You...!"
The secret that could destroy the Lucid family.
When I mentioned that, Lucia's neck bent deeply. She declared surrender.
"Ugh, ugh! I should have made a disciple earlier! To think my first disciple is such a sneaky fellow! It's really absurd!"
Calling me a sneaky fellow to my face.
I think some education is necessary. As a disciple, educating the teacher(?) is also an obligation.
'Well, I'm busy now, so it can't be helped. First, I need to raise the favorability.'
I whispered in the ear of Lucia, who was in despair.
"Keke, by the way, there's one more advantage to this deal."
"...What is it?"
"The relationship between teacher and disciple is like a parent and child. Nanny will have no choice but to exclude me from the list of potential grooms."
That's right. Teacher and disciple. These two can't have that kind of relationship.
Nanny will have no choice but to give up on her actions to link us.
Perhaps it was a tempting offer. Lucia's ear twitched.
"I-Indeed! You're extremely underhanded? Just as you look!"
Just as I look.
...It's a compliment, right? It must be. Since I have a great appearance.
"Well, okay. A promise is a promise."
Lucia, who was scratching her head, slowly opened her mouth.
"Become my disciple, Zero."
[Gain Lucia de Lucid's recognition (1/1)
[Surprise Lucia de Lucid (1/1)
[Congratulations! You have satisfied the quest conditions.]
[You have cleared Main Quest #5 'Be recognized for your skills by one of the Ten Swords of the Empire, Lucia de Lucid'.]
[You will receive 200exp and 10 gold as a reward.]
[Your Swordsmanship skill rises from E to D.]
[Lucia's favorability towards you increases.]
[Amazing achievement! A hidden reward is given!]
[The title 'Lucia's First Disciple' is given.]
[Lucia's First Disciple]
-You are Lucia's first disciple.
There are obligations for the first disciple.
A teacher and disciple grow together. Make your teacher grow and spread their fame.
You will receive bonuses when fame rises and penalties when fame falls.
Current Lucia's fame: 45,098
Current your fame: 18
Current titles held by Lucia: One of the Ten Swords of the Empire, Half-Baked Hero, Ditz, Epitome of Laziness, Ruffian, Bed Queen, The Unmarried One.
'This 18...'
Of course, I'm talking about my fame. (TL Note: The joke here was about 18+ Material. It just really doesn't translate well.)
--TL Notes--
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