Chapter 11: The Hero’s Arrival is Always Late (2)

I remained lost in thought as the sunlight streamed through the window.

…Leon van Reinhardt.

“He was really handsome.”

Honestly, Kang Geom-Ma’s face was, in its own way, pleasant with distinct features and a commanding presence, but Leon’s appearance seemed to be on another level, perhaps thanks to his protagonist’s “divine blessing.” With his golden hair that shone like the sun and deep blue eyes like sapphires, he was a true heartthrob. Standing, he looked like a perfect statue; sitting, he was like a painting.

As the saying goes, “the face matches the narrative.” Like other invincible protagonists, the heroines would fall in love with him just by exchanging glances.

For example… even if he bumped into a heroine with a toast in her mouth at the corner of a hallway, that would be the start of a relationship; or even if he accidentally saw a heroine naked in the women’s bathroom, that would also spark a bond.

‘Bastard.’

It was absurd how all the women flocked to him as if he were a “walking pheromone.” At least the “divine blessing” of the miracle wasn’t an erotic game, because if it had been an adult game, Leon probably would’ve died before he could even fight the demon king. Cause of death? Most likely physical exhaustion.

Moreover, the women who gathered around him, known as the “heroine team,” were also extraordinary.

There was Rachel, the niece of the Saint of the Spear; Saki Ryozo, the daughter of the Saint of the Bow; and Abel von Nibelung, the granddaughter of the Sword Emperor and the most beautiful girl in the story.

As I stared into space, I let out a sarcastic laugh. Thinking about the weight of the destiny that Leon would have to carry in the future, his popularity with women probably wouldn’t be enough consolation. I shook my head and decided to focus on the class.

Tap!

The elderly professor, wearing square glasses, tapped the blackboard with a piece of chalk to emphasize his point.

“This part will be on the exam. Keep that in mind.”

The afternoon class was about the First Great War between humans and demons, which took place 700 years ago, and how, upon feeling the need to train new heroes, Balor Joaquin founded the academy with his seven disciples.

“I already know the basics of this.”

Balor Joaquin, the founding hero, defeated the “Lycan,” the right-hand man of the demon king and the commander of the First Legion, after twenty years of intense war. Calling it a victory was merely a figure of speech; in reality, it was a battle with no real winners, only losers.

It was a tale of a hellish massacre, with screams filling the air and the stench of blood saturating every corner. I remembered that even in my past life, seeing the images from the game sent chills down my spine.

Because of that conflict, Balor Joaquin lost an arm, and unable to continue fighting, he established the Joaquin Academy to prepare future generations.

Come to think of it, the guy was funny; putting his name on the academy clearly reflected his strong self-love.

The First Great War between humans and demons led to the signing of a non-aggression treaty.

Who would have imagined that this would mark the beginning of a truce that would last 700 years?

Probably, everyone was too accustomed to the current peace. And only I knew that the first sign of that peace fracturing would begin today.

I would have liked to warn Media, but that would mean not only intervening in the story but also changing it, so I pushed those thoughts aside.

Media once told me that she wished she could soon get rid of the position of academy director. However, thanks to her “divine blessing of the poet,” she was the first to sense any anomaly in the narrative.

Besides… she was the first of the Seven Star Heroes to step forward to protect the students.

According to Kwamuwiki, she was the first of the Seven Star Heroes to sacrifice herself at the hands of the demon king.

Thinking about that left a bitter taste in my mouth.

During my time at the academy, something I had felt was…

“…It would have been better not to know.”

I finished reflecting and turned my attention back to the blackboard. Some subjects were so tedious that my eyelids felt heavy, but the distinguished faculty of the prestigious Joaquin Academy usually explained the lessons in a clear and orderly manner, avoiding boredom.

Thanks to that, I was keeping up with the theoretical classes better than I had expected. Although, due to my habit of standing from my previous life, I felt somewhat restless from sitting for so long.

Still, the sound of pencils on paper and the scent of wood from the pencils were quite pleasant.

However, Joaquin Academy was known for its focus on practical exams and valued written tests less. What determined whether you passed was the practical exam, which took place twice a semester. The difficulty was brutal, as expected from the best academy in the world, but I felt quite confident since I had a clear plan on how to proceed.

I observed the students who were eagerly writing. Although the written exams weren’t crucial for passing, they influenced class assignments for the following year. That’s why everyone kept up with the professor’s chalk with bright eyes.

In three years, the students from the upper classes would be the first to be called to the Second Great War between humans and demons.

To be honest, “called” sounded nice; in reality, it was forced conscription. I had already experienced firsthand for two years in my past life how unbearable that experience was, so I preferred to avoid it a second time.

So, even though my enthusiasm for studying came a bit late, I planned to limit myself to passing the written exams with the bare minimum needed.

At that moment, a question crossed my mind.

Even Balor Joaquin, the most powerful of all, could only seal the commander of the First Legion.

Then, how powerful must the demon king, who stood at the peak of the demons, be?

When I thought about it, I wondered if there was any player who had progressed through the content up to the Demon Lord even while playing ‘Miracle Blessing M.’

“I don’t think it’s a story where the protagonist loses… or is it?”

Well, anyway. It’s not something that concerns me. Leon, the protagonist, will take care of everything.

The soft scratching of pencils filled the room. My thoughts had disconnected me from the class, and I was just pretending to take notes, doodling in my notebook.

I wasn’t writing anything relevant, just things like “What should I have for dinner tonight?”

For me, worrying about my daily meals was more urgent than the affairs of the world.

***

That Night.

As usual, I went to the campus supermarket to buy something for dinner. It was one of the most pleasant moments of my day. Most of the kids from wealthy families would go to the dining hall without a second thought.

Well, it wasn’t something I envied much anymore. No matter how spicy or strong, food prepared by others didn’t taste as good to me as the dishes I made myself. Besides, I hadn’t eaten military rations for twenty years for nothing.

“Oh! Geom-Ma!”

While I was browsing the food shelves, comparing prices, I heard a young voice calling me and turned my head. There was only one person who called me Geom-Ma: Chloe.

I involuntarily felt a bit nervous and swallowed hard.

“Oh, we meet here. Are you grocery shopping?”

“Ah, yes!”

Maybe because she had a friend now, her voice sounded more confident than before. I glanced at Chloe’s shopping cart, filled with various types of fish. Her shopping habits were still peculiar.

Chloe watched my reactions cautiously while she moved her lips, uncertain.

“Um… did I do something wrong back then?”

“Something wrong…?”

After a moment of thought, I decided to reassure her. Part of me wanted to joke, “Chloe, you almost slit my throat,” but there was no point in holding a grudge. We’d be seeing each other frequently next year, so I couldn’t avoid her forever.

“Nothing important happened.”

“…Really?”

As I nodded silently, Chloe’s face lit up.

“…I’m glad to hear that.”

Chloe exhaled slowly, relieved, while her reddish hair, now reaching her shoulders, swayed gently. It looked like she had styled her hair, and it suited her. At first glance, she seemed like a small, adorable girl.

‘What kind of person is she really…?’

Behind that innocent and sweet face, what kind of past could she be hiding? Even though she was unconscious, she knew how to handle a sword. For some reason, there was a sadness about her. It was as if she was asking for help, pleading to escape. At the same time, the fierceness of her swordsmanship sent chills down my spine.

It was just a guess, but maybe she wasn’t as strong as the Mao twins. However, if she had a deadly purpose, she would be even more dangerous than them. Pushing aside my doubts, I asked her:

“Chloe, why don’t you eat at the campus dining hall and prefer to shop for yourself?”

“It’s just… the food doesn’t sit well with me. It’s too spicy and salty…”

After a brief complaint, Chloe looked at me with her round eyes.

“Um… would you mind if I invited you to dinner today? Ah! I’m not as good a cook as you, but I really want to invite you…”

“Dinner, you say…?”

Damn it, with that look, turning her down made me feel guilty, but accepting it also made me uneasy, like I’d wake up in a refrigerator the next morning. Searching for an excuse to refuse, I thought for a moment before finally speaking.

“Instead of dinner, could you do me a favor?”

Chloe blinked in surprise and tilted her head.

“A favor?”

“It’s just that I want to learn a bit of swordsmanship, and you were the first person who came to mind.”

“Me…?”

Chloe’s face turned red. She held her blushing face with both hands and shook her head to clear it.

“But, Geom-Ma, you’re already strong…”

“I want to learn to handle new weapons. I think I should get familiar with different kinds of weapons for the upcoming exam. I saw you had a katana in your room, so… do you use swords?”

“…That’s awesome.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing!”

Chloe waved her arms excitedly, quickly denying it, and after taking a deep breath, she nodded silently.

“Is it really okay if it’s me?”

“It’s you I’m asking. If it’s too much, you can say no; don’t feel pressured.”

Chloe nodded vigorously, agreeing to my favor.

As an excuse to avoid having dinner together, it wasn’t bad.

Besides, I really needed a swordsmanship instructor, and she was strong enough to earn my respect. Just thinking about it gave me goosebumps.

Thus, Chloe and I agreed to meet in the training room at 8 p.m., after dinner.

“It seems everything worked out.”

I waved goodbye to her as I sighed with relief.