chapter_0119

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
119

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
119

“The principal asked me
to deliver this to you, Miss.”

The day after chasing away
Nacrad.

Karl, who visited me early in
the morning, took out a box from his coat and handed it to me.

At this time of year, there is
only one gift the Academy gives.

A gift given to the Soul
Academy Top Student.

“I heard it contains an
elixir.”

The reward given to the top
student is an elixir.

The type of elixir varies
depending on the recipient’s classes. For someone like me, it would
be filled with elixirs for strength and stamina.

Originally, it’s an item that
provides a foundation for rapid growth early in the Academy, but for
me right now, it’s useless.

After all, it’s been less than
a year since I consumed three other elixirs.

But since it’s truly a
valuable item, there’s no reason to refuse the reward.

Let’s store it in my inventory
for now.

There will be a use for it
eventually.

If not traded, I can just
drink it down a few months later.

Having delivered the reward,
Karl should return to his duties, but he hesitated, gauging my
reaction.

What’s going on with him?

‘Is there something you
need?’

“Sorry. Is something
wrong?”

“It’s about yesterday. I
feel guilty for my mistake. If only I had been a bit stronger, we
wouldn’t have let that guy get away.”

‘I told you it was fine?’

“How about cleaning out
your ears? You’re such a sloppy mess. I told you I didn’t care.”

Yesterday, we tormented
Nacrad, but in the end, we failed to hunt him down. It was
unavoidable.

If that guy with the power of
darkness decided to escape, there was no proper means to chase him.

Even in the game, you couldn’t
kill Nacrad until you obtained the Staff of Darkness.

Naturally, even now that it’s
reality, we can’t kill him either.

I was only planning to torment
him appropriately and then drive him away.

So, considering yesterday’s
events, I’m satisfied.

Seeing Nacrad’s face turn
bright red as he ran away, screaming in frustration because there was
nothing he could do, completely relieved my stress.

There was no reason to
apologise at all, but Karl kept feeling guilty about it.

“Aah, Miss, you are truly
merciful!”

It’s not that, it’s really
fine.

It’s good that you’re a
dutiful knight, but shouldn’t you at least pretend to listen to your
master’s words?

Even the Chihuahua my friend
used to raise obeyed better than this.

Damn it, you knight!

If I leave him alone, he’s
just going to keep feeling bad, so let’s change the subject.

There’s a perfect topic for
that anyway.

‘Hey, though…’

“Sloppy mutt. Why didn’t
you bring the sword I gave you yesterday?”

“That Artefact? I hung it
in my room.”

…What?

“How could I dare use a
gift from you, Miss? What if it gets damaged?”

No.

“I’ve put it in a glass
display case for now, but later, I’ll apply preservation magic…”

‘Why are you trying to display
it?!’

“You hopeless sloppy
mutt! I gave it to you to use!”

“But Miss…”

Enough with the excuses!

That’s a good item!

It’s got performance worthy of
use in the mid to late stages of the game!

It’s incomparable to the sword
you’re using now!

So why aren’t you using it?!

Is it because someone you like
gave it to you, and you plan to keep it until you die?

Why are you collecting your
master’s stuff like a fanboy, you idiot!

A surge of words bubbled up
inside me, but I pressed my face into my hand, trying to hold it in.
If I said them out loud, I knew there wouldn’t be any turning back.

After taking a deep breath, I
spoke to Karl.

‘Later…’

“Sloppy mutt. I’ll give
you a collar to keep later, so just keep that. Use the sword.”

“Really?! Thank you so
much!”

Watching Karl’s bright smile,
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong with
him.

Was he always this weird?

Or did he become strange after
meeting me?

It must be the former.

There’s no way he’d proudly
spout such craziness otherwise.

As I watched Karl happily skip
away, I slumped onto a nearby bench and let out a long sigh.

I’m exhausted.

It’s not like I did much, but
I feel more exhausted than when I spent all night conquering a
dungeon.

Is this what it’s like to be
the owner of a large, unruly dog?

“Lady Allen?”

While I was lamenting with my
shoulders slumped, I turned my head at the sound of a voice.

It was Phoebe.

She stood before me with a
painfully awkward smile that anyone could notice.

She had never sought me out on
her own before, so what could bring her here?

‘What is it?’

“What is it? Sloppy
Saint?”

“Ah, um, it’s regarding
the Field Trip Party.”

Is there something about the
field trip that’s troubling Phoebe?

Anyone who has played RPG
games would know that getting a cleric character who can heal and
buff for a party is not a challenge at all.

Every party needs at least
one, and there are never too many clerics around, so everyone begs
them to join their party.

This rule applies the same way
within the Academy.

The number of clerics enrolled
in the Academy is not high, but every party wants one.

It’s even more intense in real
life.

How desperately would someone
want a person who can heal their injuries?

Just to recruit an ordinary
cleric, people would go to great lengths. It’s needless to say for
someone as exceptionally skilled as Phoebe.

Words like ‘noble’ are not
enough to describe her.

Queen. No, she deserves to be
called a god.

If she wanted, the goddess of
the Field Trip could join any party and gather any members without
breaking a sweat.

Are tanks who can provoke well
and deal more damage than a dealer rare?

Yes, they are.

If this were a game, my
priority would be higher than that of the Saint.

But this isn’t a game.

Reputation plays a very
important role.

You have to stick with your
party members for three nights and four days during the field trip.
Who would want to be with someone whose reputation is in the gutter?

Even I would refuse.

But Phoebe is different.

Loved by everyone, regardless
of age or gender, Phoebe is entirely free from such problems.

No, her pure-hearted nature
even earns her extra points.

Therefore, there is no
possibility that Phoebe would face issues forming a party.

Then why did she talk to me?

“Have you assembled your
party, Lady Allen?”

‘Roughly.’

“I’ve roughly decided.”

Joy had already agreed to be
in my party from the start.

And like me, Frey, who doesn’t
have other friends, naturally joined my party too.

So now there’s just one spot
left.

Originally, I planned to ask
Arthur.

People who can switch between
the front and back lines and fulfil their roles are precious.

But as soon as I mentioned it,
he refused.

He said that if he joined my
party, he wouldn’t be able to surpass me or something like that.

For this field trip, Arthur
declared that he would defeat me, leaving me puzzled.

Back when this was just a
game, Arthur wasn’t such a competitive character.

If I had to say whether it’s a
good or bad change, it would be a good one, but there were concerns
as well.

If he views me as his rival,
his spirit might be crushed someday.

No matter how capable Arthur
is, there’s no way he can beat me.

How does he expect to beat a
veteran who has sunk thousands of hours into this game?

If he shows signs of turning
to the dark side later, maybe I should just let him win on purpose.

But if he finds out I let him
win, would he be even angrier?

Anyway, after Arthur declined,
I chose Bisi as a substitute.

It seemed she had already
decided to form a party with her friends, but did that really matter
to me?

Considering I’m her benefactor
and hold her weakness, I am practically her master.

If a slave is told to do
something, she should just do it instead of presenting her own
circumstances.

Avery?

She’s a bit…

While I don’t mind asking her
for help, living together for three nights and four days would be too
much.

Even though I’m an incredibly
nice and kind person, it wouldn’t be right to stay close to someone
who bad mouths me behind my back.

“Just in case, I’m asking…
Would it be okay for me to join Lady Allen’s party?”

‘…Pardon?’

“What?”

I couldn’t help but confirm
what I heard because it seemed so unlikely, and Phoebe flinched
before speaking again.

“I want to be a member of
Lady Allen’s party.”

Why?

Phoebe could easily join any
good party if she wished.

She’s not the type who
focuses on competition, so she could relax and enjoy herself in a
party with comfortable scores and a nice atmosphere.

I don’t see why she would
specifically ask me.

Oh. Is it because of Joy?

That must be it.

Phoebe and Joy are best
friends.

If she wants to stay with Joy,
that makes sense.

“Is it not possible?”

‘Of course it is!’

“If you’re asking like
that, there’s no reason it can’t happen, Sloppy Saint.”

Why would I refuse when a
top-tier healer wants to join the party!

Naturally, she is more than
welcome!

It’s replacing Bisi, who is
just filling in the numbers, with Phoebe!

Besides, it’s not like
having her will disrupt the chemistry of the group.

Joy will be happy if Phoebe
joins, and—

Phoebe has the mental
fortitude to handle even if I or Frey do something crazy.

I didn’t expect capturing the
heart of Airhead Lady could be so useful!

I should take this opportunity
to build rapport with Phoebe during the field trip.

Since we both deal with divine
energy, we could easily form a connection and become closer, right?

Phoebe is relatively easy to
get the Affection Level up to 70, so if I play my cards right, it
might be possible to reach 70 during this field trip.

If I successfully become close
friends with her, not only will I clear Armadi’s quest, but I’ll also
be able to add a professional healer to the party!

Great. I was planning to just
go with the flow and aim for first place during this field trip, but
that plan needs to change.

I’ll need to push myself
harder this time.

Let’s see if we can break the
Academy record.

“Then, I look forward to
working with you.”

‘Same here!’

“Yes, Sloppy Saint. I hope
you won’t be a liability.”

“Haha. I’ll try my best.”

As I was exchanging greetings
and laughing with Phoebe, a thought crossed my mind.

I’ll be able to use the Saint
as a party member.

Doesn’t that mean I can use
the trick from the Soul Academy Dungeon back when this was a game?

‘Hey, Phoebe.’

“Sloppy Saint, are you free
this Saturday?”

“Yes? I don’t have any major
plans. I can make time.”

Great.

It works out perfectly.

I needed to finish the Soul
Academy Dungeon anyway.

Why don’t we wrap it up this
week?

As I smiled while planning in
my head, Phoebe flinched and stepped back a little.

Why is she acting like that?

Did I make a strange face just
now?

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