Chapter 95

95. The First Boss, Leang (13)

Let's take a look inside for a moment, I suggested.

Of course, I was talking about the subspace bag that Regé was carrying so preciously on her chest.

A subspace bag filled with boxes that can be disguised.

'Why is your face turning red?'

Could she be embarrassed to show the boxes?

She was just taking them out confidently a moment ago.

What a strange girl.

“Ugh, ugh... No, no. Don’t, don’t eat me... I, I’m not tasty.”

Suddenly, Regé started to sob.

Eating? I don’t understand what she means.

I’m not a carnivore or anything.

I couldn’t understand where the conversation had gone wrong.

'I need to calm her down first.'

It was a simple problem of proving that I’m not a bad person.

“Huh, don’t worry. I’ll use it very gently, so it won’t hurt at all.”

I meant to use the precious box carefully so it wouldn’t get hurt.

“Of course, I’ll return it to you clean.”

I meant to use the box as cleanly as possible and return it.

“Huh, would you like to be secret friends with me?”

I meant to be secret friends and share the box.

Shiver, shiver.

It’s a strange thing.

The more I talk, the more Regé’s trembling seems to intensify.

Why is that?

“...You pervert. Die!”

Thud, thud!

Luna suddenly lunged at me and started hitting me.

I feel wronged. What did I do wrong!

I just wanted to borrow the disguise box!

Beep, beep, beep!

“Violence is a reason for a penalty!”

A familiar horn sounded in my ear.

Sure enough, it’s Rodelin. She’s come to save me!

“Hmm...”

Rodelin, who had arrived beside us, looked at us alternately.

Then, she suddenly grabbed one of my arms and twisted it back.

“Zero! I will arrest you on the spot!”

Aaah! Luna! Regé! Help me!

When I asked for help, all I got were contemptuous looks.

What’s wrong with saying I’ll return it clean!

And can’t friends be secret friends?

“Guh... Senior, I feel wronged.”

“Hmm? What is it? Another misunderstanding?”

Rodelin asked Luna and Regé.

“No, Senior. It’s not.”

Indeed, it’s our Luna.

Well, I did end up like this because of Luna.

Just as Rodelin was about to let go of my arm.

A smile appeared on Luna’s lips. A very, very ominous smile.

“Not for assault, but for perverted behavior. That’s a different story.”

“That, that despicable...! Zero! I will arrest you on the spot!”

My arm was twisted again.

I really feel wronged. Is borrowing a box a crime?

“Zero!”

At that moment, someone called my name and ran over from a distance.

It was Raymond. He was running over with a childlike, innocent smile.

Alex was following behind him.

“Wait! No approach!”

“M, monster granny! I will definitely take Zero with me today!”

“Who’s a monster granny!”

Luna and Raymond grabbed each other’s hands and started a tug-of-war.

It’s a truly grand confrontation.

Except for the fact that I’m the prize.

“Looks like you’re having a good day.”

“Huh, Alex. In such a situation, don’t people usually say, ‘Another eventful day’?”

“Is that so? It looks fun to me.”

Can Alex not see my arm being twisted?

I wish Luna and I could spend a day together.

That kind of comment would fit perfectly.

“So, how did this happen?”

I explained the whole story to Alex.

Naturally, Rodelin, who was holding my arm firmly, also heard it.

“Hmm, I see. It was a misunderstanding.”

“Huh, didn’t I say that from the beginning?”

“But you did use ambiguous expressions. I’ll give you a penalty point. You need to be more careful with your words and actions next time.”

Rodelin’s hand, holding a notebook and pen, moved quickly.

Faster than usual. The writing naturally became a bit messy.

It’s a mistake Rodelin, who strives for perfection, wouldn’t usually make.

'She must be very busy.'

Just as Raymond’s back was bent backward, on the verge of a life-or-death situation.

Rodelin spoke up a bit louder.

“I’m sorry, but we have to go now. We have something to check.”

“Zero! I’ll definitely save you next time! Stay healthy until then!”

“Haha, I’ll be going too.”

The three of them disappeared like that.

They came and went like the wind. All of them.

As expected.

“Huh, let’s follow them.”

“Huh? Why?”

Today’s target for our stalking game.

“It’s those friends.”

* * *

Thump, thump, thump.

Pause.

Thump, thump, thump.

Pause.

What’s that strange sound?

It’s the sound we make when we move inside the box.

A box disguised as a large rock.

The stalking went smoothly.

Thanks to Regé’s excellent disguise ability and the hole in the box that allowed us to see outside.

‘Her ability to sense danger is amazing.’

Regé’s ability to sense danger is so incredible, it’s mind-blowing.

Not only when she senses movement, but even when there’s no sound, she stops moving.

Every time, without fail, someone appears and passes by us.

It’s a truly ghostly ability.

Is this the power of survival instincts honed to the extreme?

It’s the same now.

“Hmm?”

“Why, Senior?”

“No... It must have been a mistake. I was just a bit tense.”

Even Rodelin, who has high overall stats, didn’t notice our presence.

As Rodelin’s group moved away, the box Regé was carrying started moving again.

Thump, thump, thump.

‘A great commander, indeed.’

The only problem is the appearance?

Anyway, thanks to Commander Regé’s leadership, we moved in unison.

Finally, we reached the end of our stalking.

We are now in the ‘Blue Forest’ area in the northwest of the school.

Rodelin’s party is on guard in front of a small building.

They’ve arrived at Leang’s personal training room.

And there is one uninvited guest.

“Eh? Senior? And Alex and Raymond too?”

Yuridia suddenly appeared.

She often explores the school secretly, away from the Student Council.

She can’t resist her adventurous spirit.

Despite her outward appearance, she’s a complete tomboy.

Alex, Rodelin, Raymond, Yuridia.

The main cast of ‘The Academy’s Hero’ gathered in one place.

That’s right. The last party member to join before the main cast tackles the first boss, the genius mage.

Yuridia de Rount.

“Hello! It’s been a long time since we’ve had a proper conversation.”

“Haha, that’s right, Raymond. We’ve been so busy, haven’t we?”

“No, not at all.”

“W, what? Then why didn’t you say hello first? I would have welcomed you warmly.”

“Hmm~ I wanted to, but Yuridia always brings so many servants, I never had the chance. But now that we have this opportunity, I’m really happy!”

A sentence filled with both greetings and provocations.

Indeed, it’s the Raymond I know.

Yuridia’s eyebrows twitched.

“...Haha! H, he’s not a servant, he’s a friend! A friend! Are you envious? Unlike someone, I have many friends!”

“Hmm, I’m envious but not jealous. They’re all inferior to Alex.”

“What, what did you say!?”

Yuridia, who is a tomboy inside but always tries to maintain her image outside.

To shatter that mask in one go.

Raymond, a scary kid.

“Calm down. Yuridia, I’m sorry, but can you leave this place immediately?”

Rodelin quickly sorted out the chaotic situation.

“Huh? Why?”

“...We might face a demon. Leave before you get caught up in it.”

Yuridia’s face turned pale with shock.

Not just anyone, but Rodelin, the Vice President of the Student Council.

A person who is always serious and coldly rational.

Such a person wouldn’t joke about a demon.

It means it’s real, not a bad joke.

“A, a demon? Senior, what do you mean?”

“There’s no time to explain. Leave now. Leave this to us.”

Then Yuridia’s hand moved like lightning.

She was holding a small wand in her hand.

“I will go with you.”

“Yuridia, this isn’t a joke. You might die!”

“I’m a noble. I can’t run away from a demon. Especially when there are good people fighting to protect others, I can’t run away.”

Rodelin let out a slight sigh and fell into thought.

She’s considering whether to accept Yuridia.

In fact, she has already reported to the school.

It means that teachers and instructors will soon arrive to deal with Leang.

They don’t need to act. They just need to prevent Leang from escaping.

Rodelin is probably thinking that.

‘Remembering Rodelin’s thoughts and lines is no big deal. I’m a veteran, after all.’

Rodelin’s response is indeed excellent. No one can find fault with it.

But.

‘Support won’t arrive until the battle is over.’

Awin de Heriges, the President of the Andwood Academy and the final antagonist in the graduation episode, is pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Boom! Rumble!

An unknown vibration occurred in Leang’s personal training room.

It means something... something is happening inside.

“Senior.”

“...Speak, Yuridia.”

“What if they are sacrificing Academy students to summon a demon? Shouldn’t we stop it?”

Andwood Academy is the empire’s top academy.

The campus is so large that it can’t be seen at a glance.

In other words, it’s impossible to sacrifice all the students.

Not only would the number of materials required be enormous, but a magic circle would also need to be set up.

But what if.

“What if there’s a magic circle drawn under the ground we’re standing on?”

Rodelin’s face hardened.

Academy teachers also have free time during the holidays, but some prepare for the next semester.

What if Leang had finished setting up the magic circle during the holidays?

They need to stop it. They need to prevent Leang’s actions until the reinforcements arrive.

But can they do it on their own?

They need all the help they can get. The deliberation was brief.

“...I won’t thank you now. It’s enough to do so after the battle.”

“Yes, Senior. Leave the support to me!”

If this were a game, a message would have appeared: “Yuridia de Rount has joined the party!”

‘Well, actually, Leang is just losing control of his right arm and going berserk.’

The plan to sacrifice Academy students is just their misunderstanding.

But it’s understandable that they would have such a misunderstanding.

“Then let’s go in!”

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

Rodelin’s party disappeared into the building. At the same time.

Click!

Our commander, Regé, opened the box and came out.

It means there’s no one around.

Click!

Luna and I also opened the box and came out.

Leang’s personal training ground. I looked at it and thought.

“Huh, huh, huh.”

Everything was going according to plan.