Chapter 73


    The streets at dusk carried a lively atmosphere that couldnt be found there during the day. Students mourned their breakups and shook off their lingering sadness as best they could, while sorcerers with robes half unfastened walked along afterpleting a day of research. Behind them, their assistants dragged their feet, expressions hollow.


    Allen walked against the backdrop of this now-familiar scenery. His shadow stretched low over the neat, gray tile of the pavement. Through the crowd of shadows he passed, blending in almost as if he were hiding himself.


    He heard countless tales on his way to Maria.


    "Oh my god, I''m taking intro to spirit studies, and theres this one crazy elf there"


    "You see it too, yeah? Our aquatic magic professor''s face looks just like a frog


    "A freshman in the supplementary ss beat an upperssman in the intermediate ss?


    Which professor was annoying, who looked like a frog. Who fought who, and which one won.


    "Come to think of it, did you know that someone beat the intermediate ruins simtion record?


    "Oh, really? Who?"


    "Hehe, you know, the famous one."


    "Oh I guess he mustve tried crazy hard to break it, yeah?


    From the menial gossip of the day to moremonce knowledge, various stories circted along with the wind.


    Then, he heard a familiar name.


    lius.


    As he focused his ears, one voice stuck out clearly through all the other noise.


    "Did you say Julius? Wasnt he way too harsh on him?


    A graceful, courteous toneit must have been one of the aristocratic students.


    "That''s right. As an aristocrat, it''s only proper to ept the challenge. But you have to adjust your actions to suit the nature of the duel."


    "He really overdid it. It seems that his opponent recovered safely but wow. He must really have no dignity


    <em>Smirk.</em>


    Allen allowed himself to lose focus and hastened his slow steps.


    There''s no way no one wouldin.


    <em>You cant ever please everyone.</em>


    The rivalry with Benjamin made Julius''s name well known, but his reputation was divided along two extremes.


    ''It would be impossible to spread rumors like I did back in our own territories.


    He couldnt get away with that here.


    Allen put aside his reservations about that situation and remembered Maria, whom hed been meeting on a regr basis now for weeks.


    A woman with a typically blunt stoicism, interrupted by the asional slight expression.


    She was known as the descendant of the First Warrior, but confirming whether she was actually of his bloodline was impossible.


    However, considering that the Holy Sword responded to her, it was likely to be true.


    If the Holy Sword reacted to Allen because of external reasons, it likely reacted to her because of the traces of the First Warriors divine power.


    Allen wasn''t sure if it was rted to her blood or something else gic, either.


    After all, in his past life, she was not the master of the Holy Sword.


    "The master of the Holy Sword, one of the Five Wonders of the First Warrior,


    That title belonged to the man who was a former demon and the main character of the original novel: Heisel.


    * * *


    He passed through a narrow path, until the shadow of the wall fell overhead. As the noise drifted away, he felt like hed entered another world.


    Allen cut through the alley, drenched in an orange-stained sunlight.


    As he walked slowly, thinking about this and that, a stiff voice greeted him. Itcked any of the hardships well-known by the deste surroundings.


    "Hello."


    When he turned his head, she was there, in the alley where they had first met sitting in the corner, staring at the cat.


    It was pitiful to see her body squished together as tightly as possible in an attempt to rx her partner.


    Allen watched her and uttered, "Is there a reason why you like cats so much?"


    The cat, wary of her, rushed straight into Allen''s arms as he approached. He felt its weight in his arm.


    <em>Meow.</em>


    "No, there isn''t."


    Her response was a little slow.


    Is it personal?


    Theyd already met in that alley more than ten times, yet despite this, he never felt as though the distance between them shrank at all.


    She still hasnt told me anything about herself.


    Allen had no idea what her actions meant.


    She deliberately tried to keep her distance. That was the conclusion he came to after meeting with her for weeks. Whether such actions were conscious or unconscious, he realized that it would be almost impossible to get any closer to her without some sort of impetus.


    "Well then."


    As usual, she approached carefully after rising from her squashed position, while Allen kept the cat in his arms.


    <em>Pat. Pat.</em>


    "Now he''s pretty used to it."


    "Mhm."


    "It''s already been a month since we first met."


    The cat now turned around as if it were bothered, but did not react violently. They had progressed leaps and boundspared to their starting point.


    Marias lips turned up slightly, seeming pleased by the reaction, but the little smile disappeared right away.


    "It''s hot even though it''s early in the evening now. Well, we are in the middle of the desert, so I guess its only natural With a slightly calm and heated tone, he admitted, "I''m not used to it.


    She tilted her head to look at Allen.


    "Ournd is on the western side of the Kingdom of Liber. The western end of the western continent. Im right by the blue Michent Mountains all year round, and near the Great Elf Forest, too.


    Maria''s pure white eyes filled with a hint of interest.


    "In the autumn, the ins all turn yellow, and the rainbow of autumn leaves color the mountain behind them. Do you know what a Thanksgiving festival is like?"


    Popr songs sung by farmers cheerfully filled the city with a shared beat, and the iing merchants bargained with each other for spots to market themselves.


    "But what about winter? I dont have the first clue what its like to enjoy the white, snow-covered scenery.


    She hadnt said a word, but before she realized it, she was deeply invested in Allen''s words.


    Allen went on, cutting himself off when he thought the time was right, and then began to meander toward broaching the question in his mind.


    "But you look like youre doing just fine Are you used to the heat?


    Inellia couldnt find ''anything'' about her.


    Hometown, family rtionships, schooling, or standard of living, nevermind how she couldve been traced back to the First Warrior.


    Maria had appeared out of thin air, bearing the title of descendant of the First Warrior.


    She didn''t say anything.


    Just as Allen wondered at her silence, she spoke, "I''m used to the heat."


    "Then you must be from the south or the middle of the continent?


    "Do you need to know?


    The atmosphere changed.


    "Not really."


    "Allen, you said you were an aristocrat."


    Her expression was a little more intense than usual and the speed at which she spoke was faster as well.


    Keeping an eye on her somewhat atypical mood, Allen replied, "That''s right."


    "I heard that aristocrats are particrly sensitive to their own privacy.


    "Yes, you are right."


    "So am I.


    Maria''s voice had returned to normal. Allen realized that he had messed up.


    He usually had some tact.


    ''I knew she was hiding her story, but I didn''t expect her to have such a pointed reaction to something so benign.


    Was there something there?


    Allen admitted his mistake. "Please excuse me. I apologize."


    "It''s all right."


    "Thank you. As an apology, I''ll show you a ce Ive been going totely. The tea there smells quite delicious."


    When Allen booked their next appointment out of habit, she epted it without disying too much doubt.


    "Mhm."


    Allen blinked at Maria, who had returned to her original state, and said, "Well?"


    "What?"


    "Did something happen today?"


    Her pupils rapidly contracted, but returned to their normal diameter in no time.


    "No?"


    Seeing her denial, Allen began to fit together the pieces of the puzzle, recalling how she seemed more on-edge than normal.


    "By any chance, did it have to do with that thing about the ruins simtion?


    Ah."


    That was it.


    She clenched her hand for a split second.


    <em>Hiiissss.</em>


    The cat hurriedly began to struggle.


    She immediately realized her mistake and rxed her grip, but the cat, which had lost several strands of fur as a result, quickly turned the corner and disappeared.


    "Oh"


    "Gosh, I guess something is just off today.


    "It''s because of you.


    When Maria squinted her eyes at him, Allen stepped back gracefully.


    "I didn''t do anything." Maria stared at him. "But really, do you want to tell me what happened?"


    "I don''t know."


    After thinking for a moment, she shook her head. Whatever shed thought of wasn''t enough, so she turned around and began to walk.


    "Thats alright," he said.


    "I''m going."


    Allen stepped back.


    If I force her to cross the line, Ill ruin our current rtionship.


    Allen was satisfied with her momentary hesitation.


    Because it meant that hed found somethinga soft spot.


    ''I wasing on too strong just now.


    In the end, there was no other choice but to let the chips fall where they may and passively look for more opportunities.


    Allen loudly called out to her retreating figure. "By the way, the dormitory is the other way.


    Maria froze, her ears turning red. Then, she turned around and headed toward the dormitory, as if thest few steps had never happened in the first ce.


    "Thank you," she said in a small voice.


    "Don''t mention it."


    * * *


    * * *


    Once the freshmen had adapted to life at the Academy, the day finally came.


    It was time for the students to choose their own subjects.


    Thus far, the freshmen had been divided into only two sses: a supplementary ss and a general ss. However, at the end of the month''s evaluation, they would be divided into supplementary, lower, intermediate, upper, and advanced sses.


    Allen was, of course, assigned to the advanced ss.


    Hed choose the subjects he wanted and take sses in that path.


    Even though some ssmates were grouped together, they wouldnt take the same subject.


    The potential to be in the same ss as their seniors gave younger students a sense of superiority. It was the sort of structure where they had no choice but to jump into endlesspetition to prove themselves.


    ''It''s still awkward for now, but theyll all realize soon.


    The freshmen were talking to the friends theyd made in their early stages of life at the Academy.


    "What ss are you going to take?"


    "I''ve been taking regr knight sses, so I''m probably going to try for a closebat ss."


    "Anything else? Did your family tell you to do anything in particr? Oh, wait. You''re amoner. Do they do that?"


    "No, yeah, they do."


    "What?"


    "I have to take basic spirits. My father recently bought a ve elf to be his new wife."


    "An elf as a ve?"


    However, unlike at the beginning when students divided themselves by race and status, they were pretty inclusive now.


    Allen was almost impressed.


    ''It''s certainly a clever trick.


    Under the guise of assessing their skills during the first week, the freshmen hadpeted with upperssmen to cultivate a sense of homogeneity and cooperation between them, the lowest in the ranks. Those of noble blood, including the Vice President of their student body, continued to sympathize with the idea.


    With the inclusion of a few additional stressors, it wasnt long before students learned that they could get along without excluding each other.


    One of the reasons that may have been a contributing factor was that most of those who entered the school were rather talented.


    However, what was surprising was that Allen had made a difference in encouraging the intermingling between those of different statuses and ethnicities.


    ''Those who were unlikely toe together sorted themselves out in the early stages, so this kind of mixing now isnt strange.


    Allen finished choosing his sses as these thoughts ran through his head. He would be taking them for the next year, so he nned them out in advance.


    The eight subjects that hed chosen were as follows:


    - Understanding Space - Honors


    - Multteralism of Souls


    - Summoner Contracts (with Drill)


    - Introduction to Multidimensional Studies


    - Introduction to Natural Barriers


    - Orchestra (I)


    - Practical Dungeon Training 1


    - Monster Ecology 1


    Adding on Practical Dungeon Training and Monster Ecology as his mandatory subjects, hed chosen his schedule.


    Although he couldve taken up to ten subjects, Allen had to consider the time he needed to practice swordy.


    ''I can keep learning swordsmanship from Ves.


    For him, it was enough to aim for improving his magicthat was his original purpose ining to the Academy, anyway.


    The amount of mana he possessed at the moment wasntparable to what he had in his previous life, and yet his current rate of growth was stagnant.


    For the sake of the future, this situation needed to be quickly remedied.


    "After youve filled out the form as you were instructed, your application for sses will bepleted once you tear the sheet.


    Almost as soon as the professor at the desk finished speaking, the sound of tearing paper filled the ssroom. The torn papers flickered blue and slowly faded into the air.


    What type of magic even is that?


    Spacial ressification, teleportation, dissolution


    It wouldnt be wrong to view the ideas hede to settle upon as magic performed by a rank 7 sorcerer.


    In full admiration for the hidden potential in those at the Academy, Allen tore his paper.


    <em>Crackle.</em>


    The paper vanished into the air.


    "And to exin a little more about merits it''s the citys main currency.


    They were used in the shopping district on the streets of Elpis, or in renting or exchanging items from the Academy.


    "You can get merits through various means. There are some details on the back of the pamphlet that you shouldve gotten, so you can find some methods there.


    Exploring ruins, carrying out research, saving people, or killing a certain number of monsters.


    "You can use them in many ces. More about that is on the back of the pamphlet as well, so read it well."


    Allen cast his gaze away.


    Heisel yawned, appearing fully uninterested, and Maria was expressionless, as always.


    "You can even pay for private lessons from Gaillon or Jaqnelle, so please take advantage of this situation."


    When his speech had concluded, the students murmured with surprised tones.


    "Wow, private lessons with the Top Eight?"


    "I''ll have to do that."


    "Hm, should I get some work with my familys soldiers? Or find a mercenary to shadow


    "I need to find out more right now. I need to take this opportunity to stand out to the Top Eight


    Some talked excitedly to their peers sitting beside them, some were in awe of the irreceable opportunity, and others still were carefully calcting where their money could be most beneficial.


    The ssroom quickly grew noisy.


    Themoners, too, talked among their peers with flushed faces, as if dreaming of the futures they could build for themselves.


    Unlike them, however, Allen was not swept away by the professor''s words.


    There was an unimaginable difference between what they were expecting and the reality of the currency.


    One coaching session costs 10,000 merits.


    A low-level monster earned half a merit. Exploring ruins was 10 to 100 merits, depending on the difficulty. Each life saved was 5 merits, but with additional bonuses based on their status.


    It cost 3,000 merits to ess and exchange goods within the Academys warehouse. He couldnt imagine how much work hed have to put in to get to take lessons with the Top Eight.


    ''I can''t just spend a lifetime building up merits, and I still have to take my sses through the Academy


    It would be almost impossible to measure.


    Several other students sighed, as if they, too, had realized this.


    "Alright, cut it out. Well then, Illl let you all go Oh, and I almost forgot.


    The professor, who had swiftly calmed down the disturbance in the ssroom, flicked his fingers.


    <em>Poof.</em>


    A piece of paper appeared in front of each student.


    "As you can see there, the entire freshman ss will go for a dungeon practice-raid in two weeks."


    Allen took a moment to scan through his memory for what would happen in the dungeon practice, but gave up when nothing came to mind.


    ''There are more important things to pay mind to.


    Such as an event that would take ce shortly.


    Well separate you into groups, and a second-year student will be assigned to lead each batch of freshmen. Also, you can also earn merits there, so pleasee prepared."


    Soon the school would be attacked by an intruder.


    It''s relevant to my own surroundings, so I should be on the lookout.


    He couldnt help but care about his subordinate''s business.


    He had to pay more attention to what he knew would ur based on his past life, before his regression.


    Thats all.


    As the professor''s words came to a close, the bell rang, and the ss ended.


    Allen rose.


    He knew it was going to happen soon, so he had to move fast.


    As soon as he left the ssroom, someone called his name.


    "Allen, over here."


    Before he turned his head toward the voice, another voice called out to him.


    "Allen." The owners tone of voice was stiff. "I don''t think Ill be able to see you at night again for a while.


    "Why didn''t you answer me when I called you what?


    Rachael''s footsteps, headed toward Maria''s voice, suddenly stopped.


    "Something hase up." Maria''s expression remained unchanged. "So, see you again in a few days."


    "Again?"


    "And lets change the location. I''m tired of the alley.


    Alley? Tired?


    Rachael picked out strangely specific words from her derations.


    "Wait"


    Allen realized that she had misunderstood.


    "Bye."


    However, Maria left the ssroom, leaving her words behind before Allen had the chance to correct them.


    "Ah"


    Allen sighed.


    Having witnessed the scene, Rachael ran straight to him, grabbed his cor, and yanked it.


    Allen was gently attracted to her touch.


    "Allen, exin. Now."


    "I''ll exin everything, wait


    Youre so popr, huh? Youre happy, huh? You yboy!


    Would you please shut your mouth.


    What mouth? Im a sword. Be nicer to me, Ves cried excitedly, as if fascinated by the spectacle.


    Allen lowered his head, holding back his inner desire to spit out the multitude of curses running through his mind.


    Rachael''s eyes,kes of blue, transparently reflected her feelings.


    "Tell me the truth, what is she to you?"