164 – Ridiculous
I overslept on the weekend and had a strange dream.
Maybe it’s a nightmare, but unlike normal dreams, vivid memories remain.
The already unclean artifacts have been removed.
Just because something that won’t happen appears in a dream, there’s no reason to be shaken… I made up my mind thinking about it.
I washed my sweaty body and headed to the [Plain] On the 5th floor of the main building just in time for the group practice.
Most of the people were already seated at the table.
Still, I arrived 5 minutes ago thinking that I was the most junior, but since everyone is the top and bottom of the department, they seem to be quite sincere.
I sat down beside Ellie, who found me and beckoned me to come to her side.
We have to become a team with Eli in the future. I can’t pretend I don’t know and ignore it like before.
Man is a social animal. I would be able to maintain a business relationship like an adult.
With the cool breeze across the plains, the sweet scent of strawberries crossed the tip of my nose.
Mysteriously, I didn’t feel sick to my stomach as usual.
Suddenly, I heard a muffled laugh in my ear.
“I never thought I would be involved in a triathlon with Ross. “
I didn’t answer Eli’s words. Now I don’t care about Ross’ past.
Recalling Ross in those days, when he was depressed and feeling inferior, is no different from tearing off hardened blood scabs and causing him to bleed again.
From nob le mt l dot com
Now Ross’s story is being rewritten. It is full of love more than the previous story, and it smells of people.
It is a story of memories worth longing for and a pleasant day passing by.
There was no role for Ellie in the story.
When I didn’t answer, Ellie said this with a sullen expression.
“Not even answering is too much.”
“… Because you sound useless.”
I said it bluntly, but Ellie smiled as if she was happy just hearing the answer.
“Now, everyone gathered, right?”
Edward, the student council president and the senior of the 4th year, appeared.
Edward, tall and grown-up, was carrying a large box.
“First of all, I’m going to have a simple pre-school practice before the team practice.”
Edward opened the box on the table and took out something of his.
I noticed that it was a shock absorbing artifact used in a survival test with a familiar design.
“I requested it in advance and got it for practice. I have to return it, so please put it in the box after practice.”
Everyone wore shock-absorbing artifacts on their chests.
“For now, I’ll skip the battle royale, the pre-school competition. I don’t know what kind of terrain it will be, and in the end the only way is for the two of us to work together. Let’s practice fighting against each other separately.”
Everyone nodded their heads with serious faces at Edward’s words.
“What we are going to practice is the labyrinth search match, which is the pre-second grade match, and the occupation match, which is the final team match.”
The Labyrinth Exploration Match was a grade level match, but it was a match that had a big impact on the final team match.
If the first match was a light warm-up, the second match was the start of the real competition.
Edward continued his speech.
“To briefly explain for first-year students and those who are playing the labyrinth for the first time, just like the first game, the two of them will start in a random place in the labyrinth with their bare bodies.”
Edward bent down and took a piece of paper from his box.
“There are hidden disposable artifacts that can be used in team matches in the labyrinth. You can use them in the labyrinth, or put them in your pocket and use them in group fights. You can get 3 artifacts per person, and duplicates are possible.”
On the paper Edward handed over, the artifacts that had appeared in the triathlon so far were briefly written along with pictures.
“The second game is a prelude to the final team event. I plan on prioritizing the acquisition of artifacts to be used in group battles in advance.”
The Academy Competition was an official event under the auspices of the imperial family.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators come to the capital to watch the game, gamblers looking for a turnaround in life, and merchants looking for customers who open their pockets easily in an exhilarating atmosphere flock to the capital.
Even in provinces far from the capital, relays could be seen in the center of the city in a matter of hours.
It was natural for each Mage Tower not to spare money in a place that guaranteed a huge publicity effect.
Most of the disposable artifacts used in the Labyrinth were provided free of charge by the Mage Tower.
“Excluding the ones that have not yet been revealed, let’s start with the first priority. Starting with the most important Tier 1 Artifact of the Blue Mage Tower….”
It felt like class had suddenly started. Someone yawned impatiently at the soft, low-pitched voice.
When I heard that it was a group practice, of course I expected to do sparring or square training, but we had a discussion about which artifacts to prioritize for about an hour.
Due to the structure of the labyrinth, if you are unlucky, you may not even be able to find a specific artifact. That is why it is important to prioritize learning.
After finally prioritizing the 10 artifacts, we took a short break.
Kassius, who had been yawning for a long time, got up from his seat and stretched out.
As I was picking up the cookies from the table, someone cautiously approached me.
When I inadvertently turned my head, the handsome face was making a puzzled expression.
It was Roel.
“Hey, Ross… Sorry.”
It seemed to overlap with the voice I had heard in a dream.
The difference is that Roel in the dream was crying.
What they have in common is that they both sincerely apologize to me.
I placed the cookie I was holding on the plate in front of me and let out a short sigh.
“No, no need to apologize. Because I was misunderstood. Rather, I should apologize.”
“But….”
“Never mind, it’s really fine.”
If you are apologized for something that is nothing, it has its own meaning.
I didn’t want to see Roel and Luna intertwined in any way.
Roel nodded his head in relief.
As I focused on eating snacks with an expression that I had no intention of talking any more, Roel, who was standing in an awkward position, scratched his head and went back to his seat.
“Why does Roel always lose to Ross?”
Ellie, who was sitting next to her, glanced at me and added her words.
“Do you think I sympathize?”
As I was not answering, Ellie suddenly drew closer to me.
A sweet scent wafted through the air.
Ellie pressed her face against me and stared at me without moving.
I could feel the eyes of the people around me gathering at that action.
Even Roel, who had returned to his seat, was looking at me.
As I turned my head, I saw obsidian-like eyes filled with me.
With a soft smile, Ellie asked in a charming voice as if pampering her.
“Huh, won’t you answer me?”
I met eyes with Ellie as if frowning and glaring.
It was a look in her eyes that warned her not to bother her anymore, but Ellie only pouted her lips with a calm expression.
“If it’s not sympathy, do you think it’s another reason?”
She finally said with a sigh at Ellie’s appearance that she had no intention of returning her tilted upper body.
“I don’t know, I’m not interested.”
When she replied expressionlessly, Ellie gave her a small nod and tilted her upper body back.
I didn’t miss. Ellie muttered in a small voice, “Lies.”
*
After the practice for the team event, I left the [Plain] Right away. Today is Saturday evening.
I was planning on going on a weekend dinner date with Luna, but as soon as I opened the door and left, someone called me and stopped me as if they were waiting.
“Lo, Ross….”
I could tell it was Estelle even without looking at the small voice that sounded like she was stuttering and crying.
As she turned her head in the direction of the voice, Estelle, hiding behind a pillar in the corner of the hallway, gestured eagerly to come closer.
I felt a little uneasy at Estelle’s anxious expression.
“What’s going on?”
“Urgent, urgent. See you there.”
After saying that, I was watching Estelle’s back as she turned around and left, when someone’s footsteps approached.
“Do you know someone?”
For some reason Ellie’s face hardened coldly as she looked at Estelle’s back as she walked away.
“I am Estelle of the combat department.”
Ellie, who was looking at me as if observing with her eyes that felt something obsessive about her, soon twisted one corner of her mouth as if to sneer.
“Luna will be jealous if you get close with other girls.”
I answered in a calm voice.
“Right, that’s why I don’t want to have useless conversations with you.”
After saying that, I didn’t even pay attention to Ellie.
He sighed regretfully at the postponement of his weekend dinner date with Luna and moved on to Modest.
***
“I’ll return it on my way, so Ophelia goes first.”
At Edward’s kind words, Ophelia, who was also a classmate in the fourth grade and second in class, left as she was always grateful.
The thought of going on a weekend date with your boyfriend seems to make you happy. Edward left the [Plain] With a sigh and the box he had brought with him.
As I passed the hallway, I heard someone talking. It was a familiar voice. It was a freshman duo expecting good results.
“Luna will be jealous if you get close with other girls.”
Feeling that it would be an awkward situation if he showed up for nothing, Edward instinctively hid himself behind his pillar.
“Right, that’s why I don’t want to have useless conversations with you.”
I thought it was a calm voice. It was a voice that clearly drew a line telling me not to approach him.
Based on what happened during practice and the current situation, I guess Ross rejected Ellie’s interest.
At the sound of receding footsteps, Edward slipped out from behind a pillar, thinking he had done well in hiding.
Edward looked at Ellie, who was still standing there, before he could even take a step, and made a puzzled expression.
I didn’t notice that there was only one step away.
Ellie said with a sad smile.
“You are having a hard time. Seniors.”
“Ah, yes. I’m on my way, but what….”
“Then, good work.”
While saying that, Ellie looked in the direction where Ross disappeared and passed Edward with a bitter expression.
But Edward did not miss. What she saw for a split second before Ellie met her gaze and changed her expression.
A twisted sneer as if watching a child complain.
I wonder if that smile was Ellie’s sincerity, Edward thought.