It’s a Tragedy Up Close, But It’ll Be a Tragedy Even From Afar(2)

The holiday that had been created due to the incident in the underwater kingdom came to an end in an instant.

Is it that the sweeter the rest, the faster it flows? Isolde and Morgan complained about the holiday ending too quickly, but for me, it was quite a productive holiday.

First, one productive thing was countermeasures for the future.

Of course, this could change at any time, but I was able to devise countermeasures to prepare for immediate issues, and I discovered that when the skin is deactivated, the original armor appears, further strengthening my own power.

Literally, it was a holiday that gave a sense of reassurance, as if I had done repair work on the uncertain path ahead, so there was no room for complaints.

And as the holiday ended like that, while I was preparing to go to the academy with Isolde, Morgan, and Mu, the Pope, who usually didn’t approach first, came towards us.

“Traveler, are you going to the academy now?”

“Ah, yes, that’s right. You’re coming to the academy today too, Pope?”

“As you say. Hoho, it wasn’t what I wanted, but that’s how it turned out.”

The Pope nodded with a benevolent laugh at my words.

It seemed the reason he came to find us was also because of the observational class that would be happening today.

As he showed plenty of signs of wanting to say something related to the observational class just by answering my words just now, I waited for the Pope to speak first, and soon the Pope cleared his throat and said to me:

“I wanted to say, give it your all in today’s observational class, or more accurately, the observational class that will continue until the day after tomorrow.”

“When you say give it my all… exactly in what aspect?”

“You would know since you’ve read the names of those attending the observational class, but the one who initiated this observational class is Rimia Sel Moonsgard. The Queen of the Elf Kingdom.”

“Ah, I know of her.”

Rimia Sel Moonsgard. It was a name I had heard of too.

Of course, as a professor, I knew at least the basic personal information of the students, so how could I not know about her, Riana’s mother?

So when I nodded to indicate that I knew who she was, the Pope continued speaking.

“Rimia has never been very fond of humans from the beginning. As this observational class was initiated by such a person, she will probably nitpick if there’s anything that doesn’t suit her taste.”

“In other words, you’re saying not to give her even the slightest thing to latch onto.”

“Yes, it will be difficult, but I just hope you’ll try your best to get through the observational class safely as much as possible.”

Certainly, as the Pope said, if we’re not careful and Rimia starts to nitpick once, it seemed we would start to be swayed by her.

Moreover, since she’s not a human but an elf, and not just an ordinary noble but royalty, the extent of that would be very severe.

I understood enough why the Pope was worried about me, but I gave a slight smile to the Pope who had a worried expression, instead of a serious one.

“Don’t worry. If she tries to nitpick somehow, we’ll just make her unable to even think of nitpicking, that’s all.”

“Pardon? What do you mean…”

“Well, you’ll see the answer to that when you come to the academy yourself. Then, I’ll be going first.”

If she tries to nitpick in my class, I’ll just eliminate the very thought of nitpicking.

At these words of mine, the Pope let out a questioning sound without understanding, but I lightly pressed his shoulder and moved my steps towards the academy.

After all, I had already planned out all the class schedules for the observational class.

There’s nothing to worry about.

---

The academy’s observational class began quietly without any needlessly grand welcoming ceremony.

This was because there was no meaning in holding a noisy welcoming party, and everyone had come just to see the academy’s classes anyway.

Everyone attending the observational class agreed and nodded to this, and thanks to that, as the morning assembly began, at the quiet main gate of the academy, Helestin’s Van, who was the Pope of the Puhara Temple and had arrived with his face covered by a robe, took off the robe he was wearing.

“Whew, this is so stuffy. Having to do this every time I go out, I can hardly step outside except at times like this.”

Helestin’s wiped the sweat that had flowed slightly to the side of his forehead while catching his breath in the outside air he was breathing after a long time.

The blonde slicked-back haired man, Magid, who had come out with him, slightly took the robe that the Pope had been carrying on his arm.

“Then I’ll return to the temple first, Pope.”

“Alright, I’ll contact you when today’s observational class is over, so I’ll be counting on you.”

“Yes, then.”

Magid bowed his waist gently, put on the robe he had taken off for a moment, and returned to the temple.

Helestin’s admired how he could walk around wearing a robe without even sweating on such a warm day, but soon turned his head to look around.

“Many have already arrived.”

He could see groups that had already arrived before him, gathered in threes and fives and conversing.

For now, Helestin’s was also acquainted with all of them, so he could go and join the conversation in any group, but before that, Helestin’s stopped his wandering gaze upon seeing an elf standing haughtily with her arms folded.

“There she is.”

The Queen of the Elves, Rimia Sel Moonsgard.

Of course, as the Queen of the Elves visiting the Puhara Kingdom for the first time, she wouldn’t know anyone here.

So Rimia was just standing alone, but that didn’t mean the people around were ostracizing her.

Rather, some people looked like they wanted to approach her with friendly faces, but they couldn’t quite approach due to the aura Rimia was emitting as she stood haughtily, and just circled around her.

In other words, it meant she was standing alone by her own will and desire.

“My, what a fearsome person.”

Although Helestin’s, as the Pope of the temple serving the goddess Iriel, had seen Rimia a few times while having face-to-face meetings with other temples built in countries of various races, she was still a difficult person to deal with.

Seeing her putting up her guard like that, telling others not to approach, reminded him of the stray cat behind the temple.

Thinking that, an awkward smile formed, but soon Helestin’s came to his senses and looked at Rimia again.

Everyone looked restless, unable to properly approach her. So thinking that he, who at least had some acquaintance with her, should approach first, Helestin’s was about to move his steps towards her, but the next moment, he had to stop due to someone who suddenly revealed themselves through teleportation magic.

“Thank you all for gathering like this today. I am Mira, the dean of Lua Academy, who will be guiding you all during each observational class from now on.”

A woman with light brown hair braided into one.

At her words introducing herself as Dean Mira, not only Helestin’s gaze, which was about to move, but also the gazes of the chattering observers, and even Rimia’s gaze who had been standing still with her eyes closed, all focused on Mira.

It’s not for me to say, but one would normally get nervous receiving the gazes of such bigwigs all at once, but perhaps because she was so used to this kind of thing, Mira calmed herself just by lightly exhaling and continued speaking.

“I think you must be anxious about the students being involved in two major incidents that occurred up until today. And this is a place prepared to reassure your minds, so I ask for your cool judgment.”

Saying that, Mira glanced slightly at Rimia while hiding her gaze.

It wouldn’t be visible to Rimia herself and others, but it was clearly visible to Helestin’s who was standing further back.

It seems those words were uttered out of concern that Rimia might nitpick unnecessarily.

However, Rimia, who didn’t notice Mira’s gaze, snorted at Mira’s words and turned her head, and at the sight of her, Mira sighed imperceptibly and lightly tapped her staff towards the tightly closed main gate of the academy.

Kugugugu──

Then the heavy main gate of the academy began to open with a thunderous sound.

Eventually, the gate completely entered the wall and revealed that path, and as Mira slowly went ahead through the opened gate, she took out a small paper from her bosom.

“First, we’ll go to the place of the practical class that’s being held closest. The nearest is the archery class of Professor Kama, who is in charge of the first-year class. I will guide you, so please follow behind me.”

Kama. At that name, Helestin’s opened his eyes wide.

After all, anyone would react if the name of the person they serve came up.

To think he’d be able to see her again so quickly, even though he had seen her this morning.

As Helestin’s didn’t know that she was in charge of the first class, he was filled with anticipation for the class they were about to observe.

“Hm?”

However, Helestin’s let out a question at the sight of Rimia caught between his eyes that had widened unknowingly.

Rimia was frowning slightly while grinding her teeth with an “eugh” sound.

It was a face that showed a glimpse of displeasure about something, so Helestin’s tilted his head.

The words that just came out were about going to observe Kama’s class. No matter how he looked at it, there was nothing else to be dissatisfied about, so Helestin’s wondered if perhaps Kama had incurred Rimia’s antipathy, but soon shook his head.

After all, Rimia had arrived in the Puhara Kingdom just the day before yesterday, and during that time, Kama had been staying only in the temple.

Since they hadn’t met, there was no way Kama could have done anything to incur Rimia’s antipathy.

‘Then what on earth is it because of?’

Unable to understand the question, Helestin’s still looked at Rimia with suspicious eyes, but as the group slowly started to move, he had no choice but to withdraw his gaze and follow behind.

And as he started walking following the group, Helestin’s muttered softly at the memory of the morning that came to mind.

“Come to think of it, this morning she said not to worry…”

She had said I would know when I came to the academy, but I can’t even begin to guess what it is.

They say anxiety arises when you don’t know. Because of this, Helestin’s let out a small sound with a subtle anxiety amidst his swelling anticipation, and after walking like that for about 5 minutes, the figure of the large sports field began to appear hazily in the distance.

The large sports field where loud voices could be heard shouting “Aak, aak,” as if they were having an intense class.

“Hahaha! It seems they’re training hard!”

“Indeed. The heat is already being conveyed just by these loud voices.”

At those shouts, Haran, the current knight commander, burst into hearty laughter and exclaimed, and others around also nodded in agreement.

Indeed, it was an intense shout that conveyed the heat. It sounded even more so as the shouts of dozens of people could be heard simultaneously.

It was a loud shout that made one expect how hard of a training they were doing.

However, they say it’s a comedy from afar, but a tragedy up close.

As they got closer to the large sports field, the shouts gradually changed into screams, and at the students’ voices becoming clearer, Haran’s laughter, which had been bursting until just now, slowly stopped.

Then an awkward atmosphere began to circulate in the group. And a moment later, without anyone going first, everyone walked towards the large sports field with slightly quickened steps.

Due to the question of what on earth they were doing to be screaming like this.

And soon, the audience who arrived at the front of the large sports field could see.

“Archery is about arm strength! Be more conscious of pulling properly!!!”

“Yes!!”

“Uwaaaaah!!”

“Aaah!! My arm feels like it’s going to die!!!”

Students screaming as they pull bowstrings with stones attached instead of arrows.

“The arrow should at least reach where the clouds are, shouldn’t it! If you only pull the string that much, you won’t be able to hit even a flying bird, let alone a cloud!!!”

“How can a person hit a cloud…”

“You did it yourself… Don’t argue and just do it.”

“I feel like my shoulder joint is going to come out…”

Students trying to surpass human limits by endlessly pulling bowstrings.

“For an archer, it’s essential to distance yourself from the enemy and secure high ground! Climb a little faster!!!”

“Kuuuaaagh!!”

“My legs… I can’t feel my legs…”

“I really feel like I’m going to die…”

Even students climbing what looked like a 30m high rock wall with weights that looked like dumbbells attached to their entire bodies.

It was truly hell. No one could open their mouths seeing the students experiencing hell in the name of a class.

Each and every one of them is attending the class as if prepared to die.

A feeling of being overwhelmed by that sight, which is beyond passion and even desperate.

And Helestin’s, who had been watching that sight in a daze, barely gathered his escaped senses and muttered.

“Is this what she meant when she said not to worry…?”

Certainly, if one saw this sight, it seemed that no one would even think of nitpicking.

Rather than nitpicking, one would be dumbfounded first, so who would think of nitpicking?

Wondering if perhaps Dean Mira had ordered this, Helestin’s turned to look at Mira, but seeing her with her hand on her forehead and eyes closed, it didn’t seem like she had ordered it.

In other words, to put it plainly, all of this class was planned entirely by Kama alone.

And this class planned by Kama was certainly a strict class that no one would even think of nitpicking, but of course, there are bound to be one or two people who are not included in that “no one”.

Therefore, the voice of one woman stopping this harsh class rang out clearly.

“Stop right there!!”

Rimia Sel Moonsgard. She poured cold water on the blazing training.