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HELHEIM SCANS
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Chapter 41: Consistent Fool (2)
After leaving the clinic.
During the remaining school break, I spent my time going back and forth between the dormitory and the training grounds, pounding the newly acquired skills into my body.
I clicked my tongue as I glanced at the calendar hanging on one of the walls of the training grounds.
"Classes start again tomorrow, huh…."
No cadet particularly enjoys the start of a new school term, but the reason I felt so regretful wasn't just because I'd have to attend classes again from tomorrow.
"Today is the last day I'll have this place all to myself."
I sighed briefly as I looked around the empty training grounds.
Few cadets came to continue personal training during the school break, so I could use the training grounds as freely as if I'd rented it all out.
‘But that ends today.’
Once classes start again, the training grounds will be crowded with cadets.
The Hero School's curriculum was tough enough that you couldn't keep up without additional personal training.
"Well, I don't mind sharing, but it's hard to ignore all the eyes on me…."
Especially recently, with various incidents increasing the attention on me, using the public training grounds inevitably drew a lot of stares.
‘Maybe it's time I applied for a private training room.’
The problem was that, like with a private recovery room, getting a private training room required a certain amount of 'donation.'
"Why does this school always seem to be scheming to take money from the cadets?"
Of course, if you ranked in the top 50 in the overall evaluation, you could apply for a private training room without needing to donate.
“Haha, fuck.”
What more can I say?
I was ranked 472 out of 472 in the overall evaluation of cadets.
For Dale Han, the lowest-ranking hero cadet, there was no way to apply for a private training room without a hefty donation.
‘When's the next overall evaluation test, anyway?’
I never thought there’d come a day when I’d be hoping for the evaluation test to come sooner.
“A donation, huh….”
Hmm.
As I thought of a 'friend' who automatically came to mind when money was involved, I started to head out of the training grounds.
“Huh?”
"Eek!"
They say even a tiger shows up when you talk about it.
Though, in this case, the tiger was trying to run away instead of showing up.
Anyway.
My dear friend, Juliet Kang, who tried to flee the moment he saw my face, quickly got caught as I stepped toward him.
"Where do you think you're going in such a hurry?"
"Ack!"
Juliet, caught by the scruff of his neck.
I put on a friendly smile and slung an arm over his shoulder.
"Hey, long time no see!"
“Y-Yeah. L-Long time, no see.”
"What did you do during the break?"
“I… just went home for a bit….”
“Oh? You went home?”
As I narrowed my eyes, Juliet jumped in surprise.
"O-Of course, I didn't say anything about you! I swear by the Seven Gods, I absolutely didn't!"
“Hahaha! So, you were too embarrassed to tell your parents you made a friend, huh?”
“Huh? Oh… Y-Yeah, something like that.”
“Sure, sure. That makes sense.”
Talking about friends with your parents at our age can be a bit embarrassing.
I get it.
“So… what do you need?”
Juliet asked cautiously, his voice shrinking.
I grinned and tightened the arm slung over his shoulder.
“Do I need a reason to hang out with a friend?”
"Huh? Oh, no. I didn't mean that…."
“I’m just saying, let’s go grab a bite to eat.”
“…You mean, like usual, where I bring bread and milk?”
And leave 5 gold behind… No, not this time.
“No. Let’s head to the cadet dining hall today. I’ll treat you.”
“What…? You’re treating? For real?”
Juliet's eyes widened in disbelief at my offer.
I twisted my lips into a grin, looking at him blinking in astonishment.
"I always mooch off you. I should treat you once in a while."
“…Really?”
“Of course.”
After all, we’ll soon be at the point where I’ll be ‘borrowing’ a large sum of money from him to apply for a private training room.
Treating him to a meal before borrowing the donation money wasn’t a big deal.
“Alright then, let’s go to the dining hall, friend!”
“Uh, okay.”
With that, Juliet and I headed to the cadet dining hall located in the annex building.
Unlike the fancy dining hall in the main building, the annex dining hall offered affordable yet nutritious meals.
"So this is the annex dining hall…."
“Is this your first time here?”
“Y-Yeah. I usually go to the main building dining hall.”
“Ah, makes sense.”
Juliet was the son of one of the top five conglomerates in the Republic.
Naturally, he would have only used the ridiculously expensive dining hall in the main building.
“Consider this an experience. There are plenty of dishes here that you won’t find in the main building.”
I led Juliet to the entrance of the annex dining hall.
Beep.
[Hero Cadet 'Dale Han.' Identity confirmed.]
As I held my Hero Watch up to the recognition device at the entrance, the firmly locked door of the dining hall opened.
Inside, cadets bustled around, grabbing food and eating.
‘There wasn’t a soul in the training grounds, but they’re all here.’
Well, no matter how much of a break it is, people still have to eat.
“Let’s see what today’s special is… Oh, they have spicy pork stir-fry?”
Spicy pork stir-fry is one of the Republic's soul foods, along with ramen.
“…Spicy pork stir-fry?”
“What? You don’t know spicy pork stir-fry?”
“I’ve heard of it… but I’ve never tried it.”
“You’ve never tried spicy pork stir-fry?”
I looked at Juliet with my mouth agape.
“You’re a citizen of the Republic, right? How have you never had spicy pork stir-fry?”
"My father said that kind of commoner food is unhealthy and not worth eating….”
“Oh, for crying out loud.”
Your father sure is something.
“Come on. I’ll show you what spicy pork stir-fry tastes like.”
“O-Okay.”
Hesitantly following behind me, Juliet watched as I put two servings of spicy pork stir-fry onto a tray and headed to a table.
"So, this is spicy pork stir-fry."
Juliet gazed down at the glossy, red-coated pork with curious, sparkling eyes.
He cautiously picked up a piece of the meat with his chopsticks.
"...So, this is spicy stir-fried pork."
Juliet stared down at the dish with sparkling eyes.
He cautiously picked up a piece of pork, glistening with red sauce, with his chopsticks. Placing it on a bed of white rice, he took a bite.
"...!"
His eyes widened in shock, and he began to stomp his feet excitedly.
"How is it? Delicious, right?"
"Y-Yeah! It's really good!"
Juliet nodded vigorously and hurriedly devoured the rest of the spicy stir-fried pork.
"Whew. That was amazing..."
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"Did you finish it all?"
"Oh, yeah. I ate well."
"Just take your dish over there to the return station."
"Huh? Won't the staff clean it up if I just leave it?"
"Not in the annex cafeteria, you brat."
Man, I swear, it's impossible to reason with rich folks.
"If you're done eating, let's head out."
Just as I was about to lead Juliet out of the cadet cafeteria—
"Huh?"
"What's going on?"
I noticed a group of cadets huddled near the exit.
"Why is everyone gathered there instead of leaving?"
Curious, I walked over to the entrance and quickly found out why.
"What's this? Why isn't the Hero Watch recognizing it?"
"Isn't your Hero Watch broken?"
"Move aside. I'll try to open it."
A cadet stepped forward and held his Hero Watch up to the recognition device installed at the entrance.
Normally, the door should have automatically opened upon recognizing the watch.
However, for some reason, the device that had worked fine when we entered was now unresponsive.
"Is it broken?"
"Looks like it."
"Is it... is it another attack, like during the Sealing Festival? Or maybe it's demons again..."
A cadet backed away, his face pale with fear.
The other cadets glanced at him and clicked their tongues in disbelief.
"Hey, don't talk nonsense."
"Do you really think demons would be crazy enough to infiltrate the school?"
"B-But no one expected that demonic beast attack during the Sealing Festival either, right?"
"Yeah. And come to think of it, they never caught the culprit behind that incident..."
Maybe it hadn't been long since the beast attack, but even a minor issue, like this potential malfunction, was making the cadets tense and anxious.
"I'm telling you, it's just broken..."
"Someone contact the professors already!"
"Step away from the door!"
Fear spread like a disease, quickly consuming the cadets.
The commotion was growing louder when suddenly—
"Hahaha! Fear not, everyone! I shall unlock the door with my 'Unlock' spell!"
A booming voice, as loud as if it had swallowed a bell, echoed through the cafeteria.
All eyes turned to the source of the voice.
There, a massive, muscular cadet, whose uniform looked like it was on the verge of bursting at the seams, was striding towards the entrance.
"...Isn't that the crest of the Magic Department?"
"No way, that guy's in the Magic Department?"
"Come on, that's ridiculous..."
"Isn't he the infamous scoundrel from the 'Ryu' family?"
"Oh, I've heard rumors too. He's a second-year, right?"
With short black hair and a beard, broad shoulders, and a height nearing two meters, the cadet looked like someone who should be swinging an axe or a mace.
Yet, the crest on his left chest indicated he was from the Magic Department, not the Warrior Department.
"...You."
My eyes widened as I recognized the cadet who had stepped forward.
"Everyone, step aside!"
The massive cadet pushed through the gathered students and grabbed the handle of the firmly shut door.
"Hrrraaaahhh!"
With a fierce shout, the giant cadet pulled on the door handle with all his might.
Crunch! Crack! Snap!
The wall cracked as the steel door crumpled like paper.
"Unloooock!!!"
With a roar that was almost like a battle cry—
Thud!
The firmly shut door was finally wrenched open.
Holding the crumpled door in one hand, the giant cadet grinned.
"Did everyone see that? That's the power of the 'Unlock' spell!"
"..."
"..."
The cafeteria fell into a stunned silence.
The cadets could only stare in shock at the crumpled door.
"...Sigh."
I let out a chuckle as I watched the cadet who had ripped off the door.
"You're as consistent as ever, aren't you, you idiot?"
It's been a while.
Berald Ryu.
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HELHEIM SCANS
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