Ch.115115 – It’s Especially Cold Today

<115 – It’s Cold Today>

‘What on earth is going on…?’

“Oknodie! Are you okay? Can you breathe?”

In the distance, I could hear the sound of ballistas firing and battering rams smashing through windows.

It’s too late to explain that I was just exaggerating!

‘Okay. I’ve made up my mind.’

I steeled my resolve.

Then I relaxed my body and pretended to faint, going completely limp.

I’m unconscious.

I know nothing about any of this!

“How dare you lay hands on a potential party member I’ve had my eye on! This is unforgivable!!”

Even a passing hero joined the fight in outrage.

The second-year seniors’ boats were destroyed, and the seniors who had been monopolizing the fish were tied up with ropes and dragged over in a line.

“Oh my. Is Oknodie alright?”

“The child fell in the water and hasn’t regained consciousness.”

“Don’t worry. I’m a saint.”

The saint traveling with the hero placed my head on her lap and put her hand on my forehead.

“Grant healing and rest to this young lamb.”

She even recited a holy incantation to heal me. Realizing I’d be in real trouble if I didn’t open my eyes now, I pretended my eyes were fluttering and slowly opened them.

“Ahh. It’s so bright.”

“Oknodie. Are you conscious?”

[Acting Experience +5]

[Deception Experience +5]

[Bad Child Experience +2]

…I can’t deny that I was being a bad child today!

* *

“So you lost your boat, had all your fish taken, and were released after getting beaten up by first-years?”

“Those weren’t ordinary first-years. How were we supposed to win when even a hero joined in?”

“This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t laid hands on that poor child. I told you to keep them in line with food, not to assault them.”

Paper Company jumped up in indignation, but what was done was done.

Everyone believed he had committed assault.

It was too late to turn back.

Even fellow members of the Red Tooth Mushroom Management Association were criticizing him with disapproving looks, and no one was willing to take his side.

Bearing responsibility for the failed plan to crush the first-years, he hung his head in shame.

“Advisor, what do we do now?”

“Do we have to give up on revenge?”

Valocassio, while inwardly cursing them as useless fools, reluctantly offered his wisdom.

“It’s too early to give up. The first-years may be clever, but there’s a fundamental difference in experience between us.”

Valocassio hadn’t abandoned the idea of revenge.

They still had means of retaliation at their disposal.

“Use the <Storm> spell. Create waves to capsize all their boats and block the sea route to school on Thursday.”

“Wow. Even so, that’s a bit…”

“The delicate control needed for the Storm spell is too difficult for us second-years. It’s impossible to target just a few while letting the rest go.”

“If we do that, even innocent first-years will get caught up in it.”

“Do you think the first-years would be grateful to you for that?”

Valocassio mocked the naive members.

“They’ve already destroyed second-years’ boats, stolen fish, and beaten up seniors. Your reputation has fallen so low that even among fellow second-years, you’ll be looked down upon.”

It was too late to turn back.

“Once you start being known as ‘those who got beaten by first-years’ among your peers, how do you think your academy life will be until graduation?”

Once you lose respect, your remaining time until graduation is ruined.

The second-years, finally realizing the gravity of the situation, had a dangerous glint in their eyes.

“Paper Company did hit first, but they went too far too. Firing ballistas!”

“And what about them telling the third-year teaching assistant that we were responsible for their lost items and sending us compensation claims? It’s so unfair I could go crazy!”

“It’s bad enough being attacked, but we can’t become laughingstocks until graduation!”

The indignant second-years vowed revenge.

Paper Company, falsely accused of child abuse, was the most furious of all.

‘Since that brat got me labeled as trash by the entire school, next time I see that damn kid, I’ll really beat them up!’

* *

After the commotion at dinner time.

It was time for the 5th period class, <Adventurer’s Night Activities>.

Fortunately for us, who were planning to run without looking back at the sound of the skeleton instructor’s rattling bones, Professor Sadaco was in the lecture hall instead.

It would be nice if she didn’t wait for us while floating on the water surface with her long hair spread out like dried seaweed and her pale skin motionless like a corpse.

Thanks to this, even without the skeleton instructor, Zhang and Titosoga’s pupils were vibrating wildly.

“I still want to go back.”

“Too scary.”

It was already too late.

As if to remind us that there’s no turning back, Professor Sadaco, who had been floating like a drowned corpse, slowly raised her body from the water.

Poor Titosoga froze like a deer in headlights, unable even to scream, at the sight of her rising like a ghoul from the swamps of hell.

“You’ve come.”

“Hello, Professor!”

“I heard first and second-years fought.”

Professor Sadaco, who didn’t seem like she’d be close to any professor, was surprisingly well-informed about academy news.

“Anyway, they were the bad ones!”

“Did you bring the corpses?”

“…Of course not!”

“Oh dear.”

Professor Sadaco was genuinely disappointed.

“I was going to teach you zombie creation and skeletonization spells since it was a good opportunity. What a shame.”

“…We came for the Adventurer’s Night Activities lecture? Not to learn undead summoning.”

“I know. But if you summon undead, you can solve all the disadvantages and inconveniences of night activities by commanding them. There’s no harm in learning… probably.”

“Probably?!”

Skeletal arms shot up from the ground and grabbed Zhang’s feet as he tried to flee without looking back.

Even as she calmly restrained Titosoga, who was trying to stand up, by having skeletal arms pin down both his arms, Professor Sadaco spoke nonchalantly.

“I don’t allow leaving your seat during lectures… for safety reasons.”

“Y-you crazy professor. What have you done around us!”

We realized something.

No matter what we did with the second-years, the professors were still the scariest of all.

* *

After the lecture, the trio returned in a state of panic.

Watching the retreating figures of the first-year freshmen, Sadaco felt a sense of satisfaction.

“I didn’t know you were such a kind person. Have you taken a liking to raising disciples?”

“…Professor Destroyer. You seem quite interested in Oknodie yourself.”

Professor Sadaco responded in an emotionless voice to Professor Destroyer, who had positioned himself behind her without making a sound.

“That one is truly exceptional.”

“Is that why you cast the <Nightmare of Struggle> spell?”

“Oh my. You noticed?”

“Necromancers tend to be well-versed in mental magic as well.”

While professors specialize in different fields, truly outstanding talents stand out regardless of discipline.

Oknodie was especially remarkable.

Most professors who taught her classes rated Oknodie with the highest scores or close to it.

“No monopolizing.”

“I never intended to. That one is beyond what I alone can handle.”

“…You, a former hero?”

This was surprising.

Even among professors, Destroyer’s abilities were considered an unknown quantity, but Professor Sadaco knew him from outside connections before he was invited to the academy.

She knew how formidable his skills were as a member of the previous hero’s party.

It was strange to hear him speak of weakness.

“The influence of the Wiheomhae Foundation exceeds imagination.”

“…Of all things, it had to be them.”

“The informant I sent to investigate lost contact. It’s been quite a while since one of my limbs was cut off.”

“…Why are you telling me this?”

“If you need expendable limbs, what better than the undead?”

“I’d rather not be dragged into messy affairs…”

“Let’s not be stingy with each other as teachers who care for Oknodie. Aren’t you curious about her master? The first master who created her at the foundation.”

Professor Sadaco’s lips twisted.

“Tell me what minion you need.”

* *

Morning came.

I gathered my uniform and put it on, then sprinkled flower seeds I’d swiped from the garden yesterday into a water bottle where a mandrake was floating.

“Ptooey.”

The picky mandrake spat out the flower seeds and picked them out of the water one by one with its hands.

My attempt to feed it fragrant food in advance to make my potions smell better had apparently failed.

Tsk.

Who did it take after to be such a picky eater?

If it took after me, it should eat whatever it’s given.

“Achoo!”

Maybe it’s because I fell in the water yesterday.

When I stepped into the hallway, I felt a sudden chill.

Looking around, I noticed everyone else was also shivering with hunched shoulders.

“Good morning, Isabelle. It’s particularly cold today.”

“Of course it’s cold. The ice sheet has opened.”

“Huh?”

“Look over there.”

I looked out the window Isabelle was pointing at.

First-years were coming to school across what had become an ice sheet, using scabbards and staffs to steady themselves.

“Irene got annoyed with the constant waves and froze everything.”

“Wow. She must have tons of mana.”

“It’s convenient for us too. Let’s hurry to school before the ice melts.”

Along the way to school, I could see rafts and shoes with frozen soles.

Later, when the ice melts, I should go with Giselle to collect those.