Ch.7777 – The Child Who Isn’t Afraid of Water

<77 – The Child Who Isn’t Afraid of Water>

Professor Platton was more sincere than anyone about cultivating philosopher-kings.

A healthy mind dwells in a healthy body.

A healthy mind conceives healthy wisdom.

A healthy wisdom establishes a healthy nation.

The rootless maritime kingdom of Florence needed well-grounded philosopher-kings, and Professor Platton, a patriot, might abandon his flesh and blood body but could never abandon his patriotism.

‘These 981st batch senior students have quite good tenacity.’

Compared to the 980th batch just one year ahead, there was a noticeably qualitative difference.

Above all, there was <Ishtar>, the warrior chosen by the monotheistic <Sophemia of the Sun>.

Her presence had caused talented individuals from imperial noble families to all enroll in the same batch.

‘The warrior’s companion. The warrior’s friend. They all sent their cherished children aiming for such positions.’

The Empire’s three great meritorious families.

Honer FriedChicken of the Duke FriedChicken family.

Cheddar PotatoPizza of the Duke PotatoPizza family.

Reph CharcoalBBQ of the Duke CharcoalBBQ family.

The three great meritorious families, which had typically only sent branch family members or adopted children, had now dispatched their promising next-generation talents—those with the most legitimacy or outstanding abilities.

As a result, other families watching the three great families also sent many exceptional talents.

Additionally, renowned talents from various remote regions around the world were concentrated in the 981st batch.

‘Though they pretend otherwise, they’re all watching that child Ishtar. If they could make the female warrior a member of their family, their family’s status would rise significantly.’

If the children happened to fall in love and accidentally have a child, it would actually be welcomed.

Who would oppose or create friction by incurring the warrior’s wrath when someone offers to marry her to take responsibility for her and her child?

Above all, this warrior did not yet have an *adversary*.

An era of peace.

A time without war.

The fact that the enemy had not been concretized meant the warrior had that much more time to prepare for growth.

That’s why the warrior entered Gift Academy, the world’s premier educational institution, aiming for growth.

There was also a calculation to recruit the world’s best talents as companions for the warrior party.

Frankly speaking, if the warrior shouted, “You, become my companion!” that talent would immediately receive a guarantee of success and advancement chosen by the warrior Ishtar.

So everyone was desperately trying to swim impressively around Ishtar, and students who couldn’t swim yet were learning with burning determination.

‘I appreciate their high concentration, but I don’t like their impure intentions.’

Of course, there were rare talents who didn’t aim for positions as the warrior’s companion or husband.

A prime example in the Empire was the Second Imperial Princess Massgakki Heugmag.

“Ahah. Are you perhaps a hippopotamus? You’re drinking so much water. Gulp♥ Gulp♥ GulpGulpGulp♥ How much are you planning to drink~? Pathetic follower. You’re so bad at swimming!”

“Ugh, I’m, I’m sorr-, gulp, blub blub!”

“Please wait a little longer, Your Highness. Before this lecture ends, ugh, I will definitely master freestyle swimming and be of help even underwater!”

“Pfft~ I can’t wait until the end of the lecture. Hey, hey!”

“Aaaah, I’m sinking, I’m sink…blub blub!”

“Ahahah. You sink right away just because the princess climbed on your back? Properly enjoy the lifetime honor of becoming the princess’s water chair~”

Even Professor Platton, second to none in poor character, wondered if this was appropriate as the Second Imperial Princess thoroughly enjoyed teasing her followers.

The followers being abused were actually blushing with pleasure, but they were all definitely headed for supplementary education.

Though they had basic athletic ability and were learning quickly, they were still far from reaching the swimming level that would satisfy him.

“Ugh, the princess’s water chair has become an underwater chair…! Glub!”

…Well, those ones would quickly adapt if they didn’t want to sink and die.

‘From the frontier, as expected, Seogwiyeon is taking the lead.’

The Northern Grand Duchess Irene, who typically freezes everything first, was actually learning how to kick while holding a float due to her terrible swimming skills.

“Why am I doing this……”

Bubble bubble.

Her mouth, half-submerged in water, blew bubbles instead of complaints.

“?”

Bubble bubble.

“!”

Blub blub.

As if she had never complained that swimming was child’s play, she was now thoroughly enjoying it.

It was amusing to see this unexpectedly childlike side of the cool-headed beautiful girl, but at this rate, she was definitely headed for supplementary education.

“See, this is how you swim. Do you now understand the greatness of me, Arcadia?”

“Nyaaa! Amazing, meow!”

“So what’s the method for swimming while wearing armor?”

“Method? I’ve shown you all the swimming methods. Can’t you just copy what you see?”

“…How annoying, meow!”

“…I don’t think underwater dolphin kicks are something you can learn just by watching.”

Compared to the beginner-level Irene, Arcadia was relaxed as she floated effortlessly through the water, performing dolphin kicks and sidestroke.

Her attitude of trying to teach and raise the level of struggling cadets was commendable, but her teaching method deserved a zero.

‘Finally, that group.’

The most eccentric group that should have been the first to drop out of the senior class—it was a mystery how they even made it to the senior class.

Giselle and Son Ocheon, Isabelle.

Dorothy and Rockpell.

Zigoku and Hestia, and Lotta too.

The diverse members and composition of Oknodie’s group.

“Splashing water is surprisingly fun. It’s not often I get ahead of Son Ocheon in physical activities.”

“Wahaha! I may be dumb, but I’m a genius at using my body. I’ll master this swimming thing in no time.”

Splash splash.

“…Hey, could you stop making water cannons with your feet? Swimming isn’t just about kicking the ground hard, you know?”

“Wahaha! I can’t hear the words of someone who makes weak splashes!”

“……”

Son Ocheon was making cannon-like splashes while Dorothy, Rockpell, and Lotta screamed as they were hit by the water spray from behind.

“Aaah, the waves keep coming, and I’m drinking too much water—it’s agonizing!”

“It can’t be helped. The forest is our specialty. Even for me, Rockpell, known as the Swift Blade, this lecture is challenging…”

“Can’t we do something about that ignorant monkey first?”

As Son Ocheon was venting his frustration at not being able to swim by tormenting his companions with water cannons, an enormous water cannon drenched him.

Hestia, whose leg muscles were no less powerful, smiled fiercely as she flexed them.

“Then you should be able to hear my voice clearly.”

“You bastard. You’ve done it now?”

With swimming forgotten, the two engaged in a water cannon fight.

Amidst the chaos of novice swimmers, only one student from Oknodie’s group was diligently attempting to cross the river.

But Oknodie’s speed seemed strangely concerning.

‘What’s with this child? Why is she better at swimming than the gun-obsessed pirate or the Florence princess?’

* * *

Zigoku is a pirate.

Her specialty is shooting guns.

What she likes is shooting guns.

What she knows how to do is shooting guns.

This woman obsessed with pulling triggers has a weakness others wouldn’t even consider.

“Zigoku, aren’t you swimming?”

“No. I hate water.”

“…Didn’t you say you were a pirate?”

Zigoku responded shamelessly to Hestia’s incredulous expression after finishing her water fight with Son Ocheon.

“Gyahaha! If you shoot and kill all visible enemies, you don’t need to fall into water, right? No need to swim.”

“…That’s a trash answer that’s almost amusing.”

Of course, it was a lie.

While it’s true that shooting enemies first means not having to swim, she shoots them all because she doesn’t want to swim, not because she can’t swim.

‘I’m disguised as a man, and if I get in the water, my figure will show. And swimming with clothes on feels unpleasantly damp.’

Even if she hadn’t been disguised as a man, she wouldn’t have wanted to engage in such meaningless swimming.

Swoosh swoosh

When someone crossed just half the river, waves began to form, and by the time they reached three-quarters, the current became so fierce it made one seriously wonder if they might drown.

The professor was cruel for using an automatic machine attached to a magical washbasin to prevent river crossing, but Oknodie was equally impressive for stubbornly trying to cross it.

“Why go through all that trouble trying to break through endless waves that can’t even be shot at and will just drain your energy more and more?”

Wouldn’t it be faster to learn magic to calm the river water rather than swimming?

While the female warrior was seriously considering this, surprisingly, Oknodie popped her head out from the other side of the river.

“First place arrival!”

The surprised Zigoku immediately ran to Oknodie.

“How did you do it? You failed several times before. Your strength should be draining as you go further, so how did you get through?”

“The surface is like that, but below the surface, there’s actually acceleration, you know? Since the water circulates clockwise.”

“That means you had to go all the way to the riverbed!”

“That’s right.”

“You held your breath from going down to the riverbed until riding the rapid current back up? Is that even possible?”

Oknodie answered cheerfully.

“It worked for me.”

“…Aren’t you afraid of drowning?”

“Is there any particular reason I should be afraid?”

This child—I heard rumors she received assassin training, but did she receive underwater training too?

Even as a pirate, Zigoku was shocked at how insane this feat was, yet the person who had just escaped a life-threatening situation seemed completely unaware of it.

Unless she truly did it without knowing anything, this must mean she had learned from experience that this level of activity wouldn’t kill her.

‘Considering her competence in various areas, this isn’t a skill she patiently acquired over time.’

It couldn’t be established without experience gained through short-term intensive training with life at stake.

How many children who entered such training survived, and how many died?

Just imagining it makes her head spin.

“Zigoku? Is there something on my face?”

Having once experienced hellish life as a ship slave and even water torture, she understood well.

The terror and agony of being forced into water against one’s will is beyond imagination.

“Zi~go~ku~?”

“…No. It’s nothing.”

But Oknodie, how can you stand there with such a bright face?