156 – The Story of Becoming a Nightmare for Someone -2-
Hamel’s carriage stop.
– Focus! I’m going to tell you about today’s schedule…
– Orc extermination on.
– What are you going to do during free time? If you don’t have plans, let’s drink in our room.
– Be quiet! Ahem. First, we’ll unpack at the accommodation and have free time. The actual training will start from tomorrow… Listen without making a fuss over there!
I discreetly looked around for a secluded place, trying to avoid the loud scolding of the student council president that pierced through my ears.
‘Why am I here.’
I sighed deeply, scratching my head.
‘Ugh…’
The beginning of the incident was from Hans’s casual report.
– Escort Histania Malik…
Until then, I thought it had nothing to do with me. I thought there was no connection between me, a temporary student, and the academy.
Bothering to get involved was a hassle.
They probably didn’t want to get involved with me either. I thought there would be no intersection. The incident at the ball was inevitable. Let it go.
As expected, they were now in their third year. In other words, Yuria’s friends were classmates who had attended the academy with me.
It was a short time at the academy, but the young lady’s tyranny and the boys who had experienced a natural disaster didn’t like me. They had even driven me away.
I didn’t think they were bad. It was our fault, so it was only natural to receive punishment for it. That’s why I thought I wouldn’t have any contact with the academy…
“Damn it.”
I sighed deeply and lowered my head.
“Well, what can you do. When the Water Lord says to go, you go.”
– Hey, Ricardo.
– Yes, sir.
– Sorry to come out of the blue, but could you do a favor for me? I think I need to check out a newly opened shop.
– Sir, what kind of job is it exactly?
– I’m a member of the Royal Knights.
– …hahahaha. Anyway, it seems like a difficult task.
– You haven’t even told me what it is about…
– It’s not related to the academy.
– 100,000 gold.
– I’ve decided not to get involved with the academy, so I refuse.
– 200,000 gold.
– I’m sorry. I’m not someone who sells my precious time for money. Next week, I promised to make pizza with the young lady…
– I didn’t want to go this far.
A week ago, Malik, who suddenly visited the mansion, took out a thick bundle of paper from his jacket pocket and firmly placed it in my hand.
[Forest Friend. 100 reservation tickets]
– Huh?
– It’s not for free.
– Still, I value my time…
– I’ll do it for free.
Unable to refuse a free meal, I happily took Malik’s hand.
– If it’s a request from you, I’ll do it without any payment.
– Then I guess you don’t need…
– It would be awkward if the boss hears this.
Remembering the smiling face of the lady who put meal tickets in the treasure pouch, I shed warm tears.
– hahahaha! Ricardo, you’re awesome!
– Thank you.
– Competent! I’ll share my chocolate with you!
– I think you’ve had all the chocolate I gave you today…
– hahahaha…!
‘Well, maybe it’s fine.’
I glanced at Mikhail getting off the carriage with Yuria and sat on a nearby bench.
This episode revolved around Mikhail, starting a story that began with friction between him and the heretics while subjugating the orcs.
In this episode, Mikhail began to express his animosity towards the heretics in earnest.
“As long as Mikhail isn’t bothered, it should be fine.”
If I lead well, I won’t even bear the responsibility of their return, and since it’s a matter of helping students in danger, I resolved to work with a light heart.
“Sigh…”
I don’t feel like working.
It was the time for photosynthesis, basking in the warm spring sun.
“Master!”
A familiar voice echoed in my ears.
The voice of a girl who harmonized with spring.
Raising my head slowly to the clear and upright voice of the girl, I flashed a bright smile.
“Hanna.”
“hehehe…”
Histania Hanna.
The Hanna I briefly met at the ball was looking at me with a smile, carrying a bag that seemed heavier than her body.
Seeing the bag that looked heavier than her body not weighing her down, I couldn’t help but laugh at Hanna’s bright expression and smile.
I gestured for Hanna to sit next to me on the bench.
Setting the bag down slowly, Hanna sat beside me, gazing at me intently before breaking into a bright smile.
“It’s been a while, Master!”
“Yes, it has.”
“You still look handsome as ever.”
“Thank you.”
“…Isn’t it unusual for you to be this humble?”
“If a person is too humble, luck doesn’t favor them.”
Hanna, with a confident tone not denying it, subtly smiled and muttered to herself, “So cool….”
As I chatted with Hanna about recent events, I noticed a familiar lime-colored hair unloading luggage from a carriage.
“Ruine?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Hanna naturally accepted the nickname Ruine without any particular reaction.
It seems Hanna has also accumulated a lot of things with Ruine.
Nodding my head, I lowered my evaluation of Ruine, the Lime Head.
Ruine’s face was dark.
It looked the darkest among the faces I had seen so far. With worries about losing talent and considerable stress from the distorted relationship with Yuria, I asked Hanna with an intrigued gaze towards her.
“How is that friend doing?”
Hanna sighed deeply and lowered her head.
“Not doing well.”
Seeing Ruine, who could hardly walk a week into the new semester, reminded me of the memory of seeing a crow on Hamel Mountain, evoking a strange sense of camaraderie.
I wonder how that rascal is doing.
Although I felt a desire to visit, given that insects tend to die suddenly, I decided to contain my longing for a long time.
Hanna rested her chin on her hand, looking at Ruine.
When she first came to the mansion with Ruine, she showed respect for the senior, but now she looked at Ruine with an honest expression of “Why live,” unlike before, and a small smile crept onto my face.
‘Well, she should have done better.’
Hannah slowly spoke up.
“Senior Ruin seems to be wandering around the school. Skipping classes often, waiting in the classroom where Senior Yuria is, being ignored… Isn’t it just a cycle of going back and forth?”
“It’s a mess.”
“Exactly. But she doesn’t realize she’s at fault. Just apologizing would fix it. Instead, she keeps foolishly repeating the same actions, getting dirtier in her behavior.”
“Hmm… consistently unpleasant to see.”
Hannah turned her head to look at me. In response to Hannah’s emotionally charged question, wondering if I felt sorry for Ruin, I chuckled and shook my head.
“No.”
I had heard many stories from Hannah.
The students who came to Hamel were not just the 2nd and 3rd years in the academy, and they were selected by picking students with good grades, as the story goes.
And I could hear Hannah’s story about feeling uneasy when she, Mikhail, and Yuria formed a group.
In the novel, Mikhail, Ruin, and Yuria were a group, you know.
Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise.
I silently watched Ruin unloading her luggage, thinking that the current Ruin was of no help, so it might be fortunate that Hannah joined Mikhail’s party to survive the friction with the heretics.
Nodding my head, I focused on Hannah’s words, and as the voice of Chertia, who was leading the academy students, reached us, we shook hands and bid farewell.
Before joining the group, Hannah hesitated and said, “Umm… Does the butler also sleep in our dormitory?”
With a hesitant smile, I shook my head in response to Hannah’s hesitant question.
“No. Miss doesn’t like staying out overnight, you see.”
“I see…”
With a disappointed expression, Hannah hoisted her heavy bag on her back and slowly walked towards the students.
‘I should go too.’
From Noble mtl dot com
As I looked at the students getting organized slowly, I started walking towards them.
The young shoots of the academy looking at me as I approached slowly.
– It’s Ricardo, right?
– Seems like it. But why is he there?
– Crazy… No way.
I nodded at the students’ admiring whispers at my handsome face.
Faces I hadn’t seen in a long time.
Most students were glaring at me as if they wanted to tear me apart, and the 2nd-year students were looking at me as if I were a villain from a legend.
I put my hand in my pocket and watched over the students.
Counting silently in my mind as I observed the chattering students, I closed my eyes as I counted one, two, three.
‘One inquisitor, about three novices.’
Matching the numbers from the novel, I nodded and loosened my collar.
“Ahem. Nice to meet you. I am the guide who will accompany you to the Orc Habitat this time. My name is Ricardo.”
– Really?
– No way…! Why him?
– Is this madness?
Amid intense reactions, the faces of three individuals with trembling pupils caught my eye.
Mikhail.
Lwin.
Yuria.
Our relationship, forged by a harsh fate, seemed to be tainted with a dark emotion of denial.
Mikhail harbored disgust.
Yuria, friendship.
While Lwin gazed at me with resentment.
I spat out words to fulfill my role as the guide, disregarding their presence.
Since I was employed, I needed to do my job properly.
“It feels good to see familiar faces around.”
– What are you talking about?
– I mean, there are many students I know here.
– Should I tell the Student Council President?
– Let’s do that. We were all students together, what’s with this guide thing?
– But at the ball…
– Hey! We concluded that it was Princess Chaltia’s magic.
“Please refrain from cursing. I share the same sentiment as all of you. Even though we won’t be together for long, I want to speak my mind…”
I forced an awkward smile while looking at Chaltia’s stern expression.
“That wouldn’t be proper. It’s about manners.”
A sigh of relief escaped Chaltia with a ‘phew.’ I smiled at her and slowly began my prepared speech.
“From now on, I am your guide. I will lead you to the lodging and guide you to the middle of the Hamel Mountains for your training. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“If you call me outside of work hours, I will naturally refuse. If you curse, I will bury you in a proper place.”
As I firmly stated my rules, the students’ expressions hardened even more.
“Why do you all look like that…? It’s a joke.”
Seems like kids these days don’t like this kind of humor. I gave them a wry smile, extended three fingers, and showed them.
“I have three things to ask of you.”
– One.
Do not leave the designated area under any circumstances. Any consequences of leaving will be the responsibility of the guide.
– Two.
If you judge it’s dangerous, run away.
– Three.
Follow the guide’s instructions without question.
I spoke humbly to them. Naturally, the responses were…
“Get lost!”
“Why is this lunatic here!”
“Why should I listen to you!”
It was a vehement denial.
I smiled at them, then put my hand in my pocket, grinned broadly, and said,
“Shut up. This isn’t the academy.”