Ch.40Chapter 40. A Happy Ending Anyway (3)

Clap clap clap clap-

Enthusiastic applause erupted among the students.

The recipients of this fervent applause were the first-year students who were now leaving the stage after receiving their awards.

Four first-year students who had proudly taken first place in the inter-grade competition, defeating their seniors.

When the competition results and footage were revealed, the allegations of “fraudulent admission” against Ryu disappeared without a trace.

Most of the negative attention from the academy students washed away as well.

Of course, there were still some noble students who disliked him because he was a commoner, but public opinion had shifted very favorably toward Ryu.

A skilled fighter who single-handedly dealt with a special monster that even third-years couldn’t handle.

A commoner who saved Sinclair.

The freshman acknowledged by Gareth Iskea, the top third-year student, and so on.

The suspicious glances from other nobles instantly transformed into looks of interest.

Especially after it became known that Ryu had no sponsors at all.

The evaluations of the other first-years were also excellent.

From Elaine who showed her skills in the obstacle race to Emily who, as later revealed, had solved all the first exam problems by herself.

“Huaaah.”

“…Are you all alright?”

“I’m, I’m so nervous…”

“There were, quite a lot, of people.”

Emily’s legs were still trembling even after coming down from the stage.

Cynthia, unlike her usual self, had been expressionless since earlier.

And Ryu, who was pretending to be fine but was visibly nervous.

Elaine sighed with a hint of laughter as she looked at the three who seemed more precarious now than when they were in the dungeon.

Anyway, it was over now.

A few days after the inter-grade competition ended, the award ceremony that should have been held on the day of the competition was conducted separately.

Receiving an award in front of all the academy students was nerve-wracking for Elaine too, but she still seemed better off than the other three.

“Good job, everyone.”

“Y-yeah. That’s right.”

“…”

Elaine almost burst out laughing at the sight of the still-malfunctioning Ryu, but she managed to hold it in.

He looked completely different from the Ryu who had crossed swords with the Death Knight in the dungeon.

“Is, is it all over now?”

“Yes, Emily. You can relax now.”

“Huaaah.”

Emily let out a long sigh and hunched over at Elaine’s words.

With the first-place award, the ceremony was naturally coming to an end.

Elaine clutched the certificate in her hand tightly.

When Ryu had playfully said they should obviously aim for first place at the beginning, she thought it was just empty talk to boost morale.

‘We really got first place.’

But the result was indeed first place.

There were some uncomfortable moments in between, but ultimately, the first-place certificate was in her hand.

The first time in Crescen Academy history that first-year students had won first place in the inter-grade competition.

Although it was thanks to Ryu, Elaine felt proud that her team had achieved this record.

She felt so proud and happy that she made a suggestion she would never have made under normal circumstances.

“Um, if everyone is free, how about having dinner at my house tonight?”

“Oh?”

Ryu was the first to respond to Elaine’s words.

“I’d love to. Wow. Being one of the six great families, there must be incredible food, right?”

“N-not really! Our house is similar to other houses. Actually, when it comes to food, compared to other families…”

“Ah, anyway. Emily, you’re coming too, right?”

“Mmm… I don’t have anything else to do, so I can come.”

Elaine’s fist clenched momentarily at Ryu’s attitude of naturally cutting off her words, but by then, Ryu had already taken control of the conversation.

Just a moment ago, he couldn’t even speak properly because he was nervous.

“Then I’ll let my family know that everyone is coming…”

“…Sorry, I have something to do today. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

“Oh…”

An unexpected response came from an unexpected person.

Elaine was so surprised by the unexpected reaction that she couldn’t stop Cynthia as she ran off.

And it seemed Ryu felt the same way.

The one who rejected Elaine’s offer was Cynthia Surplus.

This was the first time they had seen Cynthia like this.

She was always bright, cheerful, and positive.

They thought her stiff expression earlier was due to nervousness, but judging by her reaction now, it seemed to be more than that.

“Miss Cynthia…!”

Elaine called out to Cynthia belatedly, but she had already disappeared somewhere.

Clap clap clap clap-

Almost simultaneously, applause signaling the end of the ceremony rang out.

‘What’s going on…?’

Not just Elaine, but Ryu and Emily also wore expressions of confusion.

**

“Haaah.”

Cynthia quickened her pace with a long sigh.

‘Maybe I should have just gone…’

Cynthia worried that she might have rejected Elaine’s offer too harshly.

But she couldn’t help it.

In this mood, she didn’t have the confidence to eat and laugh with the others.

‘I really didn’t do anything.’

Cynthia’s expression darkened further.

For some reason, the certificate in her hand felt particularly heavy.

Cynthia, one of the four representatives of the 158th class of freshmen in the inter-grade competition.

When the competition started, Cynthia was full of enthusiasm and confidence.

But that momentum broke as the competition progressed.

She had accepted the first exam as inevitable.

She was never good at written tests, and neither she, Ryu, nor Elaine had done anything.

She also accepted the second exam as unavoidable.

She didn’t have the strength to cut rolling stones like Elaine, nor the skill to slice through walls.

So she thought she could contribute from the third exam when they entered the dungeon.

‘Wouldn’t we have finished faster if all three of us had gone?’

She couldn’t do anything even inside the dungeon.

When the ghouls and Death Knight appeared, her hands trembled too much to even hold her bow.

The chilling feeling was completely different from the monsters she had seen with her father until now.

If Emily hadn’t been trembling worse than her beside her, Cynthia thought she would have been the one doing so.

Even after that, Cynthia couldn’t do anything.

The one who fearlessly moved forward at the front wasn’t her, but Ryu.

Despite having just faced undead, Ryu strode forward without fear, easily defeating the monsters and traps that appeared.

All the way until they reached the end of the dungeon.

Even when the mounted Death Knight appeared at the finish line, Ryu remained calm and confident.

While she was paralyzed by the presence of the green flames enveloping the skeletal horse.

Cynthia knew very well that among all the praise for the first-years, there was none for her.

Only Emily, Elaine, and Ryu received praise and admiration.

“…Haah.”

Another deep sigh escaped from Cynthia’s lips.

Although Cynthia always tried to think positively no matter what, this time it wasn’t easy.

Such thoughts intensified when she received the same certificate in the same place as the others.

Given Cynthia’s personality, being overshadowed was absolutely unacceptable.

‘…I should apologize to Elaine later.’

Thinking that she was sorry for rejecting Elaine’s offer too harshly, Cynthia walked wherever her feet took her.

It was one of Cynthia’s habits.

When she had worries or her mind was complicated, Cynthia calmed herself by walking.

Without setting a destination, just walking aimlessly.

“…Of course. I’ll take responsibility.”

“Hehe, of course you will. But you must be careful. Even we don’t know what side effects might occur.”

Halt-

How far had she walked like that?

Cynthia instinctively stopped at the sound of voices coming from somewhere.

Only then did she look around, noticing the voices in her ears.

She had somehow entered the Training Forest within the academy.

‘This voice…?’

Cynthia instinctively hid behind a tree and focused on the voices.

It was a familiar voice she had heard somewhere before.

“I’ll handle that myself. So how much is it?”

“One gold per bottle.”

“Ten bottles. Have them delivered to my dormitory tonight.”

“Hehe. Of course. You won’t regret it. As long as you take ‘the right amount.'”

“…I’ll contact you again later after seeing the effects.”

“We’re always waiting.”

‘Hover…?’

The owner of the familiar voice was Cain Hover, a fellow first-year from Class S.

Cynthia’s brow furrowed slightly at the suspicious conversation between the two.

Trading something in the Training Forest of all places.

It looked extremely suspicious.

“I’m really giving you a good price? Because you’re the son of the ‘Hover’ family.”

“…Shut up.”

Cynthia was now engrossed in listening to their conversation.

Judging from the exchange, the two didn’t seem particularly close.

‘What is he buying?’

Cynthia couldn’t contain her fundamental curiosity.

Since the two hadn’t noticed her presence yet, she decided to be a bit more proactive.

Pressing her body tightly behind the tree, she carefully peeked out to look at the two.

‘A potion…?’

In Cain’s hand was a glass bottle containing a transparent liquid.

It was too clear to be a potion, but if it was in that type of glass bottle, it was almost certainly a potion.

“Well then, I’ll be going. Check the goods tonight.”

“Sure.”

Poof-

With a sound of air bursting, the man disappeared from the spot.

Even after the man vanished, Cain remained motionless for a while, staring intently at the glass bottle.

‘What is this…?’

At this point, Cynthia couldn’t have imagined.

How this simple transaction between the two would return with consequences later.