Family Head’s Test (1)

Family Head’s Test (1)

Even those who cry out that violence is not right tend to acknowledge the immediate effects that violence can have.

… Of course, it was hard to say definitively whether it was ethically right or how long its effects would last.

One thing was certain: among the simplest actions one could take, it was the one with the strongest impact.

-Whack!

Every time I swung the wooden club, a unique sensation flowed through my palm.

To be honest, I wasn’t particularly fond of the act of beating people.

But since I could accept it as a necessary action, I was striking their bodies as hard as possible.

“Aaaagh!”

“Hic… sob… P-please, stop.”

“… Fuck, fuck.”

As this continued, cries and screams mixed together, making the principal’s office quite noisy.

I looked at them writhing and making a fuss.

I couldn’t help but laugh cynically at how ridiculous their behavior was.

‘Disgusting.’

These bastards who tried to completely ruin someone’s life through group violence.

They’re whining and crying after just a few hits?

‘And there’s not a hint of remorse.’

It’s infuriating when they even say things like ‘It’s okay if it’s done to commoners, right?’

As I felt more and more emotion mixing into my hands, I continued to hit them as if to express my anger.

*-*

[You have acquired the Blunt Weapon Mastery skill.]

[Blunt Weapon Mastery Lv:1]

-As the level increases, proficiency with blunt weapons improves.

*-*

An unexpected message appeared in a completely unintended area.

I hesitated for a moment at the message that accelerated my growth, but then I felt my mood lighten as I looked at it.

‘So I’ll be able to use blunt weapons better.’

Although my goal is magic.

From the previous battle, I realized that in situations where ‘mana runs out or I’m forced into close combat’.

I needed to prepare an alternative to magic.

I was just pondering what to do when this happened.

Not only did it fit well in my hand beyond expectations, but I even acquired a skill.

There was no reason not to choose a blunt weapon as my second weapon.

‘A blunt weapon… not bad.’

Moreover, since it’s quite heavy, carrying it around will be a good strength exercise.

Feeling satisfied in many ways, I looked at the wooden club in my hand.

‘So, if I keep beating things with this, the skill level will increase, right?’

Thinking that I couldn’t waste any time,

Unlike before, I started beating the creatures in front of me with a slightly excited heart.

As I was swinging my hand to raise the Blunt Weapon Mastery level as much as possible.

“… St-Student Deren. Isn’t this enough by now?”

The principal, who had been watching this from the side, speaks to me in a flustered voice.

“If they’ve been punished to this extent, I think they will reflect on their actions and repent sufficiently. How about stopping here?”

Even the principal, who had tried to maintain his position by selling out the students, seemed to think my actions were quite excessive.

He tries to stop me with a very disgruntled expression.

Thinking it’s surprising that the principal still has a shred of conscience left, I briefly replied.

“It’s not enough.”

“… Even though there’s a bloodied and unconscious student?”

“Yes. It’s still far from enough.”

Of course, what’s lacking is my skill experience, but I swallow the subject as there’s no need to mention it specifically.

The principal hesitates for a moment, then turns his gaze away and says to me.

“Then do as you please. If you need anything, please let me know.”

“Thank you.”

Perhaps because the Lercier Family’s influence is significant in the Academy, the principal chose to avoid confrontation with me rather than fight back.

‘They’re perpetrators who committed illegal acts anyway…’

He must have decided that there’s no need to protect them since they’re all from insignificant families.

He was a cunning and calculating person in many ways.

However, I thought it was convenient for me, who held the family’s power, to deal with such a person, and I raised the wooden club again.

*

[Blunt Weapon Mastery Lv: 4]

Seeing that the Blunt Weapon Mastery level had risen somewhat, I lowered the club.

Truthfully, I wanted to continue skill training until it reached level 10, but

‘I should stop here, or I might really end up killing them.’

Sighing, I thought it would be best to stop now, as killing them would cause various complications.

I turned my head away from those who I couldn’t tell if they were human or zombie.

‘This level of beating should be enough to make them not even think about messing with Rumi.’

If I had beaten them ambiguously, they would surely try to take out their frustrations on Rumi, who seemed like an easy target.

It was better to beat them so thoroughly that they wouldn’t even consider it.

‘Besides, if I didn’t do this, those guys would keep subtly bothering Rumi.’

Given Rumi’s personality of trying to solve things alone.

It was obvious that she wouldn’t say a word to me and would just endure it, so it was better to do this, even if it seemed a bit excessive.

‘Well then, what’s left now is the Heaven God Cult.’

Because I stepped in, it had turned into an all-out war.

Of course, due to the overwhelming power of the Lercier Family, they wouldn’t dare to openly confront me, but they would try to devour me if they thought they had a chance.

‘It’s quite troublesome.’

When it came to the Heaven God Cult, it wasn’t easy to simply crush them with power alone, unlike those mincemeat guys lying over there.

I needed to build up my strength to prepare for whatever way they might try to deal with me.

As I was contemplating how to intensify my training, sensing the need to push harder.

“Young master, the head of the family is calling for you.”

The summons from the family head, whom I didn’t particularly want to face right now, came down.

*

‘… Deren.’

Rumi desperately repeated that name, which still felt unfamiliar on her tongue despite their recent encounter, as if holding it close to her heart.

‘Why on earth…?’

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand why someone who had disliked me so intensely from our first meeting had saved me.

‘It’s hard to say it’s just simple sympathy… considering what he said before.’

Yet, if it wasn’t sympathy, there was no other reason for him to save me, so I couldn’t understand it at all.

‘I don’t understand anything.’

His actions, his words… and even the reason why he was here.

‘To be honest, I want to leave right now because I don’t want to be a burden anymore.’

However, I felt that if I did that, Deren would be truly disappointed, so I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

So, as I was hesitating, unable to do anything.

Suddenly, I realized that the blanket covering me was fluffier than I had expected.

‘… It’s the first time since the orphanage that I’ve been covered with something like this.’

Until now, sleeping on the bare floor without a blanket had been my daily routine, let alone having good bedding, I didn’t even have any bedding at all.

I wondered if someone like me should be using such a nice blanket and bed.

So, I quickly tried to get up to clean, even if I couldn’t wash it, when suddenly I caught sight of my own reflection in the mirror.

Unlike Deren, starting from my unkempt hair that hadn’t been well-maintained.

To her dry, cracked lips from malnutrition and the dark circles under the eyes from not sleeping properly.

I could see my shabby appearance, making me think that just being next to someone would be a burden.

The moment I realized this, the events of yesterday began to flash through my mind.

The side profile of Deren, who had saved me when no one else had ever done so in my entire life.

And the image of myself, in a miserable state, being nothing but a burden.

Of course, since I couldn’t see myself, the idea that I was being a nuisance was just my imagination.

But since I was actually causing trouble, I covered my face in despair, thinking it might be similar.

‘… Trash.’

Trash that’s a nuisance just by existing.

A bundle of shame that’s embarrassing just to be around.

The words my foster parents used to say to me in the past flashed through my mind, making me face the current situation.

Back then, I denied it in my heart many times, thinking it wasn’t true.

But now, seeing myself acting just as they said, I couldn’t help but fall into despair.

‘Really… how foolish.’

My nose turned red, and my vision became blurry.

But I tried hard to hold it in, roughly wiping my eyes as I stood up.

Crying wouldn’t change anything, and moreover, no one would want to see the tears of such a trashy girl anyway.

‘So, let’s endure it.’

After taking a deep breath to calm my heart, I slapped my cheek and thought.

‘And don’t cause any more trouble.’

I pressed my eyes shut, thinking that staying as far away from Deren as possible would be the best way to repay his kindness.

After all, if I stayed close to him, I would end up causing trouble for one reason or another.

‘If not, just like how the Heaven God Cult people brutally destroyed the things I used to love…’

Deren would likely face a similar fate.

Biting my lip, I decided to push Deren away before that could happen.

‘If only I had been an ordinary girl.’

I left, thinking that things might have been different if that were the case.