chapter_0055

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
55

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
55

As the Earth Dragon launched
its attack, a barrier made of divine light intercepted it in my
place.

“Lady Allen.”

It was Phoebe.

Despite being insulted just a
moment ago, she had come to help me!

As expected of a Saint! She
truly shines!

“Do you all realise they’re
watching us?”

With Jack and Frey madly
charging at the Earth Dragon after it was pushed back by the barrier,
I glanced at where the students were gathered.

The students who had been
screaming in panic moments ago were now watching us with faces full
of excitement, as if they were about to munch on popcorn.

It wasn’t just the students
watching us, either.

The professors standing in
front of them and the golems surrounding us were doing the same.

At this point, it seemed
everyone had figured out what was really going on.

Well, considering all the
hints, the only ones still occupied with tormenting the Earth Dragon
were Jack and Frey.

“So, you think the Academy
orchestrated this attack?”

‘Most likely.’

“This sloppy Academy
probably thought it was a genius idea.”

I replied to Phoebe, then
charged at the Earth Dragon, striking its claws with my mace.

Cracks began to form on its
claws, eventually shattering them into pieces on the ground.

Kuooooo.

The Earth Dragon raid was
nearing its end.

It was convenient to have
clear damage dealers; just tanking up front led to a natural victory.

This is too easy.

It would be great if I could
keep forming parties and conducting activities like this.

Though I’ve prepared myself
to move solo, having comrades would be much more convenient.
Considering my current reputation, it seemed impossible, but who
knows what the future holds, right?

In the end, the Earth Dragon
couldn’t withstand our onslaught.

Its claws broke off.

Its tail got severed.

Its wings were cut.

And its eyes were pierced.

The Earth Dragon, which roared
so fiercely at first, now lay on the ground, letting out a pitiful
dying whimper.

At the same time, those who
had been watching us began to applaud.

This feels like being a
gladiator in an arena.

“Huh?”

“What is this?”

Jack and Frey, who hadn’t paid
any attention to the unfolding situation, looked puzzled as they saw
the people applauding us.

Feeling sorry for them, I
bypassed Phoebe, who was going to explain the situation, and put away
my weapon before heading to where the students were gathered.

“Impressive.”

The Pitiful Prince approached
and spoke to me.

Why is this guy, who’s
uninterested in anyone other than his childhood friends, showing
interest in me?

“You definitely have the
qualities to take the top spot.”

Was it because of the entrance
exam results?

So this snowball effect didn’t
end just by declining the representative spot?!

Of course. The results of the
Soul Academy Entrance Exam are revealed up to the top 20 ranks.

I did expect that being seen
as the top rank would influence people in some way.

But isn’t it too early for
this to affect me? How does he know the scores that are only revealed
after the entrance ceremony?

“You might know me by now,
but let me reintroduce myself—Third Prince of the Soladin Kingdom.
My name is Arthur Soladin,”

Since the prince had
introduced himself, it was polite for me to respond, but I couldn’t
bring myself to speak.

I wasn’t sure how to address
him.

Joy is the Airhead Lady. Lucy
is the Sloppy Saint.

So, what should I call Arthur?

His nickname is the Pitiful
Prince? Or maybe the Sloppy Prince?

Whichever I choose, it’s the
worst!

It would be treason! Treason!

Even though I’m the daughter
of a powerful Count’s family, there’s no way I can speak to a
prince like that!

“Lady Allen?”

How should I reply?!

I racked my brain, but no
matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t find a breakthrough.

As long as the [Mesugaki]
Skill exists, there’s no way for me to escape this compulsion.

I have no choice.

Since we’ll inevitably run
into such obstacles while attending this school together, let’s just
face it head-on.

I steeled myself and looked at
Arthur.

‘Hello…’

“Though I don’t know why
you’re asking since you already know, I’m Lucy Allen. Pitiful
Prince.”

“…Huh?”

Arthur’s eyes widened as if he
couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Only one word came to mind.

I’m screwed. Completely
screwed.

There was no way to smooth
this over.

I had called the person who
hates pity the most, the Pitiful Prince.

“Could you say that
again, Lady Allen?”

Arthur lifted the corner of
his mouth, but there was no smile in his eyes at all.

Seeing his eyes glaring at my
completely frozen ones, it felt like I might start hiccupping at any
moment.

“I just want to confirm
if I heard you correctly…”

“Hello.”

Just as I was at a loss for
words, a voice interjected between us.

It was the golem which was
under the Earth Dragon’s control.

And there was a human voice
coming from it.

This voice, definitely…
Luca.

“Thank you for your
efforts against the Earth Dragon. It was an impressive battle,
especially considering you are new students of the Academy.”

‘Thank you.’

“So, did you come all the
way here just to say that?”

“No. It seems they are
about to resume the Academy entrance ceremony. If moving is difficult
for you, I can transport you with this golem.”

‘I’m fine.’

“Is your head made of
rocks like the golem too because you’ve been controlling it? Do I
look like I’m having a hard time?”

“Haha. I’m glad to hear
you’re alright.”

I never thought there would be
a moment when I’d be happy to see Luca’s face.

Thank you! Thanks for giving
me a way out of this mess!

I’ll make sure to remember
this and deal with you properly, but cleanly, later!

Sorry, but there’s no option
where I don’t deal with you!

You’re a troublemaker!

‘I apologise, Your
Highness…’

“I’d love to chat more,
but I must be going. Farewell, Pitiful Prince.”

In my haste, I accidentally
called him “Prince” one more time.

When I raised my slightly
bowed head, I saw the prince’s face, now devoid of any semblance of a
smile.

Ha. I’m screwed.

My mind went blank, and unable
to think of anything to say, I fled towards where the other students
were gathered.

‘No need to tell me that!’

As I returned to the group of
students, they instinctively made space for me.

The fear in their eyes
remained unchanged.

In fact, it seemed even worse
than before, if that was possible.

Maybe it was because they
realised that the delinquent they thought only had a bad personality
also possessed real power.

Normally, this realisation
would have crushed me, but this time, I was fine.

My mood was already rock
bottom, so it couldn’t get any worse!

“I imagine you were all
quite startled by what just happened.”

Judy’s voice brought me back
to reality, and I stared blankly at the podium.

“As many of you may have
guessed, this attack was orchestrated by the Academy. Why did we
prepare such an event? It was to observe how you would respond to a
crisis situation.

As you are all aware, there
was an unfortunate incident during our entrance exam.”

When Judy mentioned the
incident, all eyes turned towards me.

“Fortunately, no one was
harmed, but if things had gone wrong, people could have lost their
lives.

Even within the nearly
perfectly controlled dungeon of the Academy, such crises can arise.

So, what might happen if you
were in a real dungeon?”

Judy paused and looked around
at the students, as if giving them time to think.

“Dungeons are filled with
variables.

No matter how skilled an
adventurer you are, it’s impossible to predict everything that might
happen inside a dungeon.

If an unforeseen crisis causes
chaos such as today’s, what do you think would happen?

Speaking as someone who once
worked in the field, all of you would have died.”

Judy’s assertion brought a
silence that fell over the students.

She didn’t make such harsh
statements in her speeches within the game.

Could this be a reaction to
the incident during the exam?

“You are all future
dungeon conquerors.

While the locations may
differ, the fact that you will enter dungeons remains the same.

The chaos you created at this
time could have cost everyone their lives.”

With a serious expression,
Judy observed the now heavy atmosphere among the students and then
smiled.

“But you don’t need to
worry. We will teach you how to prepare for such situations starting
now.

From today onwards, the
Academy will teach you how to survive.

We will instruct you on how to
respond to any crisis that comes your way.

By the time you graduate from
Soul Academy, you will be capable of conquering any dungeon.

That is our promise to you.”

After making that statement,
Judy bowed and then, as if the weight in her voice was just an act,
spoke cheerfully.

“Well then, that
concludes the entrance ceremony. Now, please check the Class
Assignment List at the entrance of the Academy…”

If you were to ask Arthur what
the word he hates most in the world is, he would say it’s “pitiful.”

Conceived from a one-night
stand the king had,

Born the son of a Baron far
removed from power,

Losing his mother to an
enigmatic accident at the age of five,

And subsequently losing all
attention from the king, Arthur, despite being a prince, was
considered pitiful.

Everyone thought so. However,
Arthur hated being called pitiful and despised the looks of pity.

Because the moment he became
pitiful, he felt he would be unable to keep his mother’s dying wish.

Arthur tried his best not to
be pitiful.

He strove to become someone
admired by all, someone for whom the word pitiful wouldn’t even come
to mind.

He wanted to be the kind of
person who could confidently tell the king, who called him a “pitiful
child” at his mother’s funeral, that he was not pitiful.

Arthur’s efforts paid off.

Now, no one pitied him.

They called him a genius.

An extraordinary person.

They only praised and admired
him. No one called Arthur pitiful anymore.

But then…

“Pitiful Prince.”

The scornful laughter and
mocking eyes directed at him.

Even after quite some time had
passed since he parted ways with Lucy, Arthur couldn’t shake that
scene from his mind.

A person who enjoys mocking
and angering others regardless of their status—isn’t that what the
rumour said?

The rumour wasn’t entirely
wrong.

Pitiful Prince, huh.

Damn it.

I had no right to tease Joy
about this.

Ding

While I was absentmindedly
watching the students head towards the Academy building, the sound of
a message window brought me back to my senses.

[Quest Clear!]

[You have successfully
enrolled in the Academy!]

[Rewards will be distributed
accordingly!]

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