Ch.194193. Graduation (2)

# 193. Graduation (2)

Graduation.

That word is infinitely close to the meaning of an end, while simultaneously being closely related to a beginning.

Graduation was both the final stop of school life and the starting point of life in society.

It was both an end and a beginning.

That’s why students preparing for graduation felt both regret and anticipation.

For the new world they would step into.

“By the way… everyone who failed the graduation exam still shows up normally? I thought they’d be kicked out.”

“Instead, they can’t participate as graduates at the ceremony. They can only watch.”

“That’s obvious, since they didn’t graduate.”

The students who failed would certainly feel disappointed, but it wasn’t all bad.

Just having attended the Imperial Academy was enough to earn recognition.

“But isn’t coming to school meaningless now? Our rankings and pass/fail results have already been decided anyway.”

“Right, it’s pretty pointless. That’s why some kids aren’t showing up.”

Come to think of it, the number of students attending had definitely decreased.

It seemed like about a third weren’t coming to school.

“But you still came? You’re the last person I’d expect to attend.”

“I’m a second-year student?”

“Oh…”

“Are you stupid?”

“I just forget sometimes.”

Maybe because our party consisted entirely of third-years except for Ellin, I kept thinking of her as a third-year too.

Wait a minute…

“So you’ll still be at the academy a year from now.”

“Well, I can just skip out if I want.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you.”

“Eventually students will have to go to the battlefield when manpower runs short anyway, right?”

“That’s true, but we’re not at that level yet. Though after that battle, it might happen.”

Whether we win or lose that battle, the casualties will be severe.

At least a third of the current forces will die, by any estimation.

“Then let’s just say I’m getting an early start on what I’ll end up doing anyway, like you did.”

“Well… attendance isn’t that important anyway.”

“And you’d be lost without me, right?”

“What are you talking about? Reina or Rachel are more reliable than you.”

“Please… don’t say things you don’t mean.”

Ellin had become unbelievably strong since obtaining the [Dragon’s Heart].

To be honest, in terms of offense, she had far surpassed me.

So it was true that we’d be lost without her… but I’d rather die than admit that out loud.

“Do you admit it or not?”

“Slightly.”

“I knew it! I told you so!”

“It’s just because of the [Dragon’s Heart]…”

“Connections are also a skill, and besides, I didn’t beg for it, did I? It was all heaven’s will!”

Leaving Ellin to her nonsensical babbling, I turned away from our usual classroom and headed to the dungeon conquest room.

Ellin, caught off guard, asked me:

“Aren’t you going to class?”

“You said it’s meaningless anyway. I’m planning to train hard starting today. I want to be recognized solely for my abilities.”

“Really… you’re so stubborn, keeping this up until the end… don’t you ever get tired of it?”

I don’t get tired of it.

Nothing is more fun than hunting.

But now I plan to do it until I’m sick of it.

I thought that if I kept at it until even the fun hunting became unpleasant, I might gain some certainty.

“I’m going to make myself sick of it now, since I still feel woefully inadequate.”

“You’re… seriously crazy…”

“When I eventually get tired of it and don’t want to go, you’ll have to drag me there.”

When I made that request, Ellin let out a deep sigh.

Then she walked toward her classroom without responding.

So I continued on my way.

Then I saw three people who had arrived before me and were waiting for the dungeon conquest room to open.

Among them, Raycle, who had the most composed expression, spoke:

“I knew you’d come.”

“You guys… came too?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“I guess it is.”

“By the way, you won as expected, right?”

Leo said with a smile whose meaning I couldn’t quite grasp.

Looking at him now, it was hard to believe he was the same person who had bullied me at the beginning of my academy days.

“Of course, who do you think I am? But you obviously passed too, right?”

“Of course, I even did better than that guy.”

“Is it something to brag about that you fought better than your disciple? That’s just natural…”

“I’m just saying.”

These childishly bickering people.

I pushed past them and entered the dungeon conquest room first.

Then, looking at those who followed me in, I said:

“Not a bad group today. Let’s train hard for once.”

***

And so, about a month passed since the graduation exam.

During that time, we practically lived in the dungeons.

Except for sleeping hours, we were only in dungeons, and we even skipped meals occasionally, usually making do with whatever we could inside the dungeon.

I confirmed the results of that training with my own eyes.

[Name: Albert Veros Race: Human]

[Level: 310 Traits: Desperate Person, Regressor, Someone’s Sword.]

[HP: 155/155 MP: 620/620]

[Strength: 90 Magic: 21 Agility: 130 Defense: 34 Magic Defense: 35]

[Skills: [Mortal’s End(Unique): S-], [Sword of the Distant Abyss(Unique)], [Unwavering Faith: A], [Transcendence: A-], [Swift: SS-], [Life in Death: A+], [Absolute Loyalty: A], [Regeneration: A-], [Killing Intent Detection: A-], [Killing Intent Release: B-], [Regressor’s Privilege(Unique)(2): SSS], [Mage’s Heart: B+]]

“Wow…”

A status window that finally looked decent.

Among them, one skill particularly caught my eye.

[Swift].

Since I used it constantly whenever something happened, it had already reached SS-.

“My MP is unnecessarily high though…”

That high MP was what allowed [Swift] to reach that rank, but it was excessively high.

Especially considering my magic stat was only 21.

“Talk about pearls before swine.”

As I said that, Ellin, lying on the dueling ground floor, replied:

“You’re definitely the swine…”

“You can still say things like that in this situation?”

“Ah… I’m dying of exhaustion…”

“And you’re the one who asked for this…”

For some reason, Ellin had been appearing before my eyes frequently these days.

Today she even begged me to spar with her…

I did oblige her.

“But why suddenly ask for a duel? Isn’t it enough already? It’s not like you’ve only been hit by me once or twice.”

“That’s not why…”

“Then why?”

“Hmph!”

For some reason, Ellin was pouting with her lips pushed out.

What was I supposed to do about that…

I didn’t know what she was upset about, but she was clearly upset about something.

“Sure… you’re going to apply for the Special Forces, get accepted, and see your girlfriend all you want. Good for you…”

“What am I supposed to do about that…”

“I ask you for a duel and this is all you do…”

“…?”

Ah…

Now I think I understood why she was upset.

“I’ve always wondered, do you secretly like me?”

“W-What!? What nonsense are you talking about…!?”

“If you’re sad about not seeing me anymore, you could just say so. I would have taken you out somewhere.”

“Ugh…”

Ellin was angry but didn’t deny what I said.

She must have felt sad about suddenly being separated after being together all this time.

“There’s only one day left, what can we do? Want to go out now?”

“No thanks!! You’re so clueless…”

“I wish I had noticed earlier.”

“Huh?”

Ellin was looking at me with eyes that suggested she hadn’t expected that at all.

She seemed to be under the misapprehension that she and I were thinking the same thing.

So I revealed the cold reality to her.

“…is what you thought I’d say? Sorry… I don’t feel as sentimental about it as you do.”

“Ah… really… I’m the fool for expecting anything.”

“Anyway, I think I’ve entertained you enough, so I’m going now. I have somewhere to be today.”

When I mentioned having somewhere to go, Ellin tilted her head and asked:

“Where?”

“Just somewhere.”

“Hey… so you had somewhere to go but still offered to take me out earlier?”

“I was just being nice because you looked so pitiful.”

With those final words, I promptly left the place.

A loud shout came from behind me.

I ignored the annoyingly loud cry and walked toward my destination.

“I wonder if they’re still doing well?”

***

A large building located on the outskirts of Lucerne.

It was shrouded in such dark energy that even monsters would avoid it.

And in the deepest part of that place was a solitary cell.

Those who had committed unforgivable sins were imprisoned there.

“This must be it.”

A boy who visited such a place.

His appearance seemed out of place in such a location.

However, the aura emanating from him was enough to intimidate most inmates.

And for some reason, he seemed to be on friendly terms with Seir, the warden of the place, as they conversed.

“I can’t believe you actually came. I didn’t expect a young master like you to be interested in a place like this.”

“You know me?”

“Of course I do. In times like these, it would be strange not to know you.”

The warden seemed to quite like him.

But he continued the conversation in a calm tone.

“Anyway, I came today because there’s someone I want to see.”