Chapter 323: One of the Two Will Die (4)
RIFzLH5The life path that seems comfortable to others may actually be filled with tremors more violent than a seismograph for the one living it.5FtJEN
OVcXiEveryone carries their own twists of fate, but most people assume that if someone holds a good job, title, or position, they must have had an easy life.p0YX
xm1ZcslThat’s not entirely wrong.AMZ3jB
tmnA7Somewhere in the world, people are dying of hunger, while being born a noble—or even royalty—guarantees you a full stomach to the point of excess.wGpbSSd
SuAuGJhBut is that all a human lives for?Y3Yp
6EuEven less so when it comes to a hero they must aspire to something more, and the burden they bear is infinitely heavier than that of others.AduJys
mtl3quThat’s why the pressure on the rightful heir of humanity’s most powerful empire—the British Empire—must be hard for the average person to even imagine.Xb6p
2Ooge‘I understand.’nlSu
6DYHjbBut that doesn’t give him the right to abuse others. As I said, everyone has their own circumstances.4FpXz
ZQxAnd it is precisely a hero who must overcome those adversities.4vFu1
OvIKIn my opinion, it’s that moment of triumph that defines a true hero.IyA
jHAKBy that logic, I’m still far from considering myself an adult.qkahiA
eBYaqBut if I combine my past life with this one, I’ve lived enough. So I think I’ve earned the right to teach these warm-blooded kids the bitter taste of life.Q2C
BIXAnd if not, well, too bad.me2e
HcGHAnyway.Q8i4LX
fZGX1hThat’s how humans learn empathy. Realizing they’re not the only ones who suffer in this world. That process, to me, is the essence of “humanity” and “life.”HYoqx
HQUCxWNEven if others don’t understand, you can believe me. Because that’s how I was in my past life.pBo
z2XqPWhen I thought I was the most unfortunate person in the world my master told me I wasn’t.7GmY
QeHyHpuOf course, the method he used wasn’t kind words, but rather the “sashimi of love,” which left me a bit traumatized. But even so, I learned.ZzJYPt
hFJbYnJI don’t know if there’s a better method than the “sashimi of love” to treat teenagers with an inferiority complex who think the universe revolves around them, yet still feel miserable.1bwQAl
fmEHKyaaaaaaaaah!WY5MWwj
MaeVhSo that scream you just heard is the sound of a senior cadet growing up. Because growth, by definition, always comes with pain.8SfjD
tGQ9— When are you gonna grow up, brat?!Cv7qfI
gwCzh9kI learned that from you, sir!4htW20
2hChiThat’s like spitting at the sky, ahjussi.xcA21
OPXp***8u0
60z“Haa, ha.”kX3F
zqgB5AWThe Auditore surrounded Princess Victoria and the male cadet in a circle.ACvAQ
jQZdInAfter wiping blood from their swords, the masked ones began to tighten the formation slowly.HNgvw
Z97G4jThe pressure the two cadets felt must’ve been on par with that of an active hero in battle.L0xJ
lKS‘Especially since their opponents are the Auditore.’CaI
6P0Even so, neither showed signs of surrender. Back to back, they raised their weapons with all their strength.p8sQQF
MSEImBoth faces were pale, though the boy looked worse. After all, he only had one arm.OzzaYE
jbjiabAnd to make it worse, the group approaching with murderous intent was the dread of all nobles—the Auditore.Vs5Sf
tl4GDT‘They won’t sleep peacefully for a while.’CGGSm
HAWxZPlAnd that wasn’t all.ISboFZW
jJTFAsGBits of flesh and fat rolled across the floor. All others, except these two, had fallen to the Auditore’s swords.G7xR
4dpEven though it was within a subspace and no one died for real, the psychological blow of seeing your allies “die” must be devastating.4gV7Y
fhPMG8Maybe that’s why—2S3ic
ooivxz7“Uuh… uuh…”hI4DSC
Vgnm3gPThe male cadet began to sob.BGW7x
5xSWBeing dragged into this situation was already unfair enough—and now he was going to die (even if only within the subspace). At that point, one might want to throw away pride and everything else.nMqM
YlJA2di“No… haa… don’t cry…”fpY
3KSStJ“Hic.”hZQe
FTAThe princess snapped at him, and the cadet flinched.Gov0WR
NlZ3rq“Crying isn’t going to change anything! Will that fix it? If so, then stop getting in the way and just go offer your neck already.”XAHSFD
h5d“P-Princess…”xjlO
Fn6“Crying is just an excuse. We are heroes. We’re the ones who must find a way even in despair. Things are already hard enough—you’re making it worse!”5gyiWla
HdXNAfter glaring him down, the princess took a deep breath. Her eyes still burned with determination.9CjE
SATNyI have to admit—I was impressed. And surely the Auditore, behind their masks, thought the same.cyOo
BMsz4J2Until now, I thought she was a princess blinded by pride. But it seems I’ll have to take that back.VJBOF1
v3Fj0ZRather, Ryozo’s assessment—despite their rocky relationship—was right on point.K8j
UIYrPrincess Victoria was already beyond student level.ivN
n1n1Her mental fortitude and combat poise under pressure—the two most essential traits of a hero. She had both in spades.mCM6Xl
ABSUjAZ“Just… just a few more seconds. If we hold out a bit longer, we can do this.”k28
KoAJkI“Sniff… Okay…”5sT1
RuJ0HpIAfter the harsh scolding, came encouragement. And the boy’s eyes, once full of resignation, regained a spark.HL8
I3ed— Impressive.FDpeOPV
7EkKnox spoke to me via telepathy.a74qXR
q5f‘What’s your assessment from your perspective?’FyB
tN1Hfc5— Far beyond my expectations.RLgs
e6ygx‘I agree.’X3bt968
2NkTHS— If I were you, Heavenly Sword, I’d be rejoicing. Having someone like her as a disciple is a blessing.8YnFI
OCKUc…?PSdvF
PiMw— She might not meet all your standards, but among the nobles I’ve met recently, she’s without a doubt the most talented.sXPaP
LtcUpon hearing that, a wave of nostalgia hit me, and his voice faded from my mind.
Because I remembered something the master once said.Ovs5
6ztNKjvThat out of all the disciples he’d had, I was, without question, the most talented. Even though he put me through hell, he never stopped bragging about me to his clients.hik7
JJGL7‘Father…’n9t
6geISLEYou were a true adult.hmx1I
Xg9mlfEven while living as an eternal returnee, when emotions would normally be worn down to the nub, you gave everything to me freely, treated me like a disciple and a son you were proud of.wPo5Xp
V4ijDamn it—am I hitting menopause early at this young age? I can’t stop picturing his face, even though I know I’ll never see him again.4A717
wDkwuGIf there’s one thing I regret from Earth, it’s not saying goodbye to him before I left.E7PG
2AY1di— About 10 seconds left. Should we stop?FPZ
g80SMKnox’s voice shattered my thoughts like broken glass. I shook my head.lEXjk
pz9GeE9And I said out loud,1q4j3zG
vNrs0u“Everyone, fall back.”M9ABLUt
uR9RIw“……?”t8Ik2Q
x928TdI dusted myself off and stood up. The Auditore, the princess, everyone looked at me with confusion.NAu0lh
UpiCHX“I’ll handle the rest of their training.”KiZB7cO
dDTHlI untied the cord of Murasame and gestured to the Auditore to withdraw. They hesitated at first but eventually nodded.dAWr2S
96v4HVPThey withdrew gradually, dissolving the stalemate.o2G05y
VIpWCAmid the sudden change in atmosphere, the male cadet looked bewildered—but Princess Victoria was different.uBq
MJfXShe looked me straight in the eye, biting her lip hard.1lHci
ONmK‘…?’ERvj
X0Ad3Yet for some reason, her cheeks were slightly flushed, and dimples appeared. I squinted, and just then, she returned to her cold expression, as if nothing had happened.ZAFGk
Nn2Inq“Is this a private class with the Heavenly Sword?”XwcF5d
lIxZxaSaid the princess.46hty
68etRD“You are a princess, after all. I must treat you accordingly.”DSxY
kS3sXEq“Then I’ll take the initiative as a courtesy.”3sdhL
21J“Whatever you want.”IeYF415
Rb8The princess stepped forward boldly.x9WaSB
jEPsX5eBoom!TUc
CpbjpiWith a crack in the stone floor, her figure drew so close it filled my eyes. So close our breaths mingled.Xat
r5bpe‘I didn’t expect her to have so much energy left.’exW5
dTHI’ve decided—you’ll be the representative.QrK
zr3Tap.WvT
hXJRight on cue, the cord of Murasame slithered to the ground like a coiled snake.563Ruf
hB2Kd[The blessing of the God of the Sword manifests.]Hve9YJ
kJ1aA sound rang out—as if signaling the start of a lesson.mfuygQ
zUBL9p+++++++++++++++++++Xg9AasS
5nycxtG《May the blessing of the gods be with you.》8xRMl8
vl1H6Y+++++++++++++++++++07Kmn4
ql0dcThe flash of the sword shot forward like an arrow released from a bowstring.n7yg
nHE***xs2
6hvAt that very moment, in the demonic subspace Gehenna—N1w2jWx
fFj9QaY“Chirr, chirr, chirr? (Can you really live in a place like this?)”bC76G19
kGYU“Chirrrr. (And how would I know?)”a66A
9MA“Chir chir chir. (Only He would know… ramen.)”dzfH
NhoGFive squirrels were huddled together, watching something intently. Collective intelligence sparkled among them.oGqQL6
HZSYYThey weren’t native to the demonic subspace. They had departed from Joaquin Academy, faced countless calamities, and finally crossed the Gate of Gehenna.Ltaphl5
WAcrIt was only possible because they were the elite of the elite, personally summoned by the Great Lord!beG4jw6
Svh9obEven though three of them had lost patches of fur from stress, they had entered Gehenna with pride.8MJ
8DSSurely, the Great Lord had called them for a mission that would determine the fate of the entire squirrel race.Bucpo21
9hiLE7Even if they were used as carrier pigeons—no, squirrel messengers—they were willing to embrace that role with honor.rpup
2DXThese elite squirrels, slipping through the forest of the demonic subspace like ninjas, found a human man. Though different species, they felt a strange sense of familiarity—as if they had encountered someone from their homeland in this wasteland.p3NeFqP
NREg2So they stopped and approached the man.iFmFOb
v4l“(He’s not moving.)”yei3
6xj1“(What if he’s a demon?)”rQ3JRRW
59B“(Did you lose your eyesight along with your fur? He’s clearly human. Rounded ears, skin the color of living flesh.)”AmOxWf
YMFfzI“(Correction. That statement is rather misleading.)”nGyuL
lfFZN7“(Ugh, you’ve gotten so philosophical since we arrived in the demon subspace.)”0AMgRG1
P8q“(Correction. Everyone has a black dragon sealed in their heart…)”EBRx
ihuThe elite squirrels argued heatedly around the man lying on the ground.lke
iUez0shOnly the secretary squirrel approached the man’s philtrum to check for signs of life.7fI
CeJEa“(I’m getting a strange sense of déjà vu…)”9k1N
lzD8SOne asked.bUR
MxPKkP2“(From what?)”3omITo
v0b“(Doesn’t he look like His companion?)”4G3PD3b
XGNfZF“(Ah~ you mean the hero of humanity. Hmm… aside from the facial features, yeah, he kinda does.)”l967Itb
4RWe“(So, in other words, he looks nothing like him.)”2ztYk3d
ln2yYYThe secretary squirrel sighed and looked at the man again.r0Dpn7
rywml8At that moment, the man suddenly sat upright.ch7woj
FRWU“Chiiiiiiiiirr! (Damn it, you scared me!)”dg99pv
FS1CAThe man’s eyes snapped open, staring straight at the secretary squirrel. The squirrels panicked and scattered in all directions.RDi
S8nkfdThe secretary tried to flee too, but her paws lifted off the ground.wV4dw3
Yo0ssThe man had picked her up by the neck with two fingers. Suspended in the air, the squirrel closed her eyes.RRb
8hy“(Master Lycan… even if I don’t make it…)”NVZte4O
bgr31Qw“You said Lycan?”8Ls0
cHTbNiH“(…Even if I don’t, I…?)”jNw4dX
orXThe secretary squirrel stopped struggling and turned her head. Her eyes widened like cherry tomatoes.1N9s
3E1“(A human understands our language?)”yik51Q
OlkN6“After repeating so many regressions, you end up learning all kinds of useless things. Squirrel language is just one of them.”tBeyrL
IQPyV2The man slowly leaned forward. A withered leaf slid across his abs.05m1
XdR7“Now then.”pgwJ
IeU840His gaze turned cold and heavy.MKTu8
H4sH9A“You said… Lycan?”rk7A
6pMxn***CzooUF
ZrOThe selection had originally been planned in three phases, but the first seemed more than enough. The cadet who endured alongside the princess showed potential, but the benchmark was simply too exceptional.UBc
LyqxkvWhen the training subspace dissolved, the cadets remained stunned for quite some time. Even though the Auditore had held back, their level was far too overwhelming for cadets to endure.QdIQEE
1HnAI called for the medical team.rxUgs1
NEaMKUAfter leaving the exhausted cadets in their care, I cleared the room along with the Auditore and the instructor.f9eFSWr
L2rSAs soon as I stepped outside, sunlight hit my face.QvcUW
vKHW“Good work.”thxWn
ffch“It was nothing, Lord Heavenly Sword.”r2q
FreFWith the warmth of the sun, the Auditore melted into the shadow of my silhouette. Knox also gave me a brief glance before vanishing like a ghost.YBS
iJTg0“Whew, how many days has it been since I moved my body?”f8b
nuRdpikI stretched, twisting my waist side to side. Just then, as I was heading toward the main building…VHHrMCj
0CNPeARolin~zn2HqhQ
ZeKMFOYI received a message. Upon checking, it was from Speedweapon. It hadn’t been long since he was sent to the demonic subspace—was he already back?iqP9C
L9vY“Looks like the Association called him.” Even so…h4Qsbk
CbI2H6R‘Did he bring it?’hSck7o
5RVI got excited. It was because the package I had been waiting for had finally arrived.5liqCzu
uvXCr8But as I hummed and tapped the screen, my hand froze mid-air.AM3tpO
wmaMMGpニニニニニニニニニニニニs5vCTJw
ziGZ4N[Potion]: Sorry. I made a mistake.hzqN
WXzMe: ?rk56F
MCIh[Potion]: I brought what you asked for.90s
ChsFw[Potion]: ……But something else came with it.M9uKtIN
hAEUEMe: ???Q1SyL
nAvTMe: What thing??VSAjfN
Exx5[Potion]: …A girl who looks exactly like you……,5UlMJ
nmxdPM4[Potion]: Aaagh no f***ing way!!zEr
SrC[Potion]: Hide today, no matter what!!olAkp
GkLiNly[Re-invite to chat]g3UTqrR
sNy9A chill ran down my spine.Vsv3e
b7JTa…Ah, so this is what the seniors had felt back then.OYYv
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