episode_0028

“… So. Just as I was about to hit the ground, Deus suddenly appeared and hugged me like this! Oh my god, without even realizing it, I thought, ‘Ugh.’ And I made a strange noise. What was that?!”

“That’s right.”

“I found out only after my junior ran to senior Luciel. Oh, I think I just said something really weird?! Argh! Do it!!”

“I can roughly imagine it.”

“Still. Well, it felt kind of good. Huh, I’m not saying I like my junior! It’s good to realize that a man’s arms are so reliable!”

―Chattering chattering

A two-person hospital room in a cradle. Inside, Neferti had been talking for an hour already.

I don’t get tired either. In fact, it feels like the amount of chatting increases as we go.

Maybe Kwadang is a barrier that cuts off her chattering at the right time.

Luciel, who was sitting next to me, was accepting all of that chatter without any hesitation.

“I must have been embarrassed.”

“A little bit. anyway. It was really amazing. My junior asked me to stay far away, so I couldn’t see it properly because I had to increase the distance by bringing in other contingents.”

“… .”

“But since you were there until the end, didn’t you still see it the most?”

“… .”

“Senior?”

When I turned my head, I saw Luciel looking out the window with a blank expression.

I didn’t notice anything in particular. just. I just look at the sky, the clouds, and the cradle below.

“Luciel senior!”

“… Ah yes. Did you call me? Chairman?”

“Ugh. You don’t mean to criticize me for talking too much about this, right?”

“The chairman chattered a little too much on his own.”

Eh. Neferti quickly grabs a fan and secretly covers her mouth.

Still, it looks like he still has a lot to say because his hands are twitching.

“… how. What’s going on and how?”

When Neferti opened her mouth again, a voice that was noticeably more subdued than before came out.

“Because the seal stone was damaged. Because it doesn’t work properly. I’ve heard a lot about that’s why the gate appears… I never dreamed that this much would be created.”

“Hmm… .”

“In addition, there are over eight hundred gate manifestations throughout the empire. This is really… .”

“I am also the same as you. I’m very anxious and curious.”

A gate appears in a place where there is no Sealstone influence. It’s normal.

The seal stone is damaged and a gate appears. That’s also normal.

But why has the number of gates increased so explosively?

It was not a monster I had faced before, but a completely unexpected being.

‘These are all parts that can never be considered normal.’

– Kuuk

Luciel unconsciously tightened his hands and gripped the blanket tightly.

I encountered it a few days ago. A being with flaming horns and a bright red body comes to mind.

A man who called himself and others responsible for the future of the empire lower creatures.

But it was worth it. In fact, the being was incredibly strong.

I couldn’t even strike a single blow to shut up that dirty mouth.

I brought out my powers to the point where it was difficult, but it only resulted in cuts.

It was not at the level of a heavy burden. It was correct to think that it could not be reached at all.

‘decomposition.’

I feel like my sword is broken. It seems like his romance has crumbled.

Until now, I have never once lost confidence in my own abilities.

I thought that if it reached the end, this romance would become a shining star.

When I face the true darkness of that black abyss, I cannot see any light.

It’s dark. frustrated. I feel like I’ve lost my way.

‘My sword couldn’t reach it at all. The opponent… It was too far.’

– Okay

I have never felt such a deep and crushing sense of defeat.

The more I think about it, the more a thousand dollars rises from my chest.

The heat makes my head feel numb and blood seems to pour from my eyes.

But, what can you do? What can I do when I am weak now?

No matter what I do, all I can do is look back on defeat and think about it over and over again.

Like a fool. Intoxicated by the pettiness of being the chief or the leader of the detachment…

―tuktuk

I turn my head. A fan is tapping the back of his hand.

“Senior. No, Her Royal Highness. Me and Nefertii too. It’s the same.”

“… .”

“I am angry. I’m so angry. I thought of myself as someone with pretty good abilities. I thought that someday, when I graduate, I would be able to fill the void left by my seniors. I can’t do anything like this.”

Neferti comes to the side and smiles at Luciel.

“So. We need to work harder. Next time I see him… ah. No. Your junior took care of that guy a long time ago, right? Then, when you meet similar guys, you can give them a proper punch!”

“… .”

“So. For now, I think it’s right to just shake it off and wake up.”

-Sigh!

“What do you think? Was he a true student council president who comforted students? Hohohohoho!”

“… yes. Junior. Now, it would be nice if I didn’t fall while going back to my bed―”

late. No, maybe it was impossible.

“Kwaeng!”

After hitting my butt once, as if to show off.

Neferti woke up whimpering and returned to her bed.

Seeing that, Luciel eventually got rid of his gloom and burst into laughter.

‘… Come to think of it.’

A huge enemy that made not only himself but also Neferti feel a terrible sense of defeat.

It reminds me of a man who condemned such a being with his fist, as if hitting a punching bag.

I thought I was dreaming. Otherwise, I thought I was watching a fairy tale.

… No. It is a bit difficult to call it a fairy tale. It is, yes.

‘Legend. Or, myth.’

From a young age, I grew up listening to stories about the many heroes of the empire.

Some with swords. Some with magic. Powerful people who dominated an era.

I felt as if their story was unfolding right in front of me.

The brilliant majesty that soared like a flash and struck like a thunderbolt.

The sight of him greeting dawn sitting on top of the enemy’s corpse at the end of the battle was simply admirable.

More than anything, what I remember most vividly is his extremely toned, muscular upper body… .

“―Not ah!!”

“Senior?!”

“Oh, no! Junior! I’m not really!”

“So what are you saying it’s not?!”

No matter what Neferti said next to him, Luciel shook his head vigorously.

Absolutely, absolutely not yourself! So, the body of a man is absolutely sculptural… .

“Aaagh!”

Luciel flops down on the blanket and puts his face down.

“Huh, huh… !”

My face feels hot. Suddenly, I don’t know why it’s suddenly like this.

Why does it keep coming to mind? Why doesn’t it stop, and does my junior’s image start to appear?

He caught me when I was about to fall. He was moving ahead, telling me to leave it to him.

Just as you have your own romance, I also have my own romance.

He followed his own starlight. One step, one step.

In the end, we truly achieved victory like a legend!

It will never collapse. In front of my fight.

His back looked as if he was shouting!

―My heart is pounding

“Ugh… .”

Strange. This is the first time I’ve seen something like this since I saw Master’s sword.

My heart is pounding so hard I feel like I’m going crazy. My whole body feels hot.

“… .”

Meanwhile, Neferti was looking at Luciel.

‘What do we do? It looks like you were more shocked than you thought… .’

Luciel’s level is almost like that of a cradle teacher.

It is said that all the students in the cradle yearn for her as a ‘talented person’ rather than as a ‘princess’.

In the end, there is no change in the fact that she is just a student.

Even Mr. Smith, who was right next to her, couldn’t hold out for long.

We absolutely did not lose because Luciel was not good enough.

I just encountered an opponent I could defeat.

“Senior. Is it okay? It’s really okay!”

“It’s because I’m not okay… !”

“No! really! No one is saying anything?!”

“What are you going to say?!”

Obscenely, I keep thinking of Deus’s sturdy upper body, and I can’t help but say something!

It’s not good for yourself to say that you lost when the teacher couldn’t do anything!

-smart

“Oh. Seniors. Be quiet for a moment. Someone came. Hmm. Who are you?”

“Me. Deus. Well, I came to visit you.”

oh. I thought you wouldn’t come without notice this time too!

Seniors! Our Deus junior came to visit us in the hospital!

Neferti smiled brightly and turned her head towards Luciel.

“… Senior?”

Looking at Luciel suddenly covering himself with the blanket and lying down on the bed. I ended up making an absurd expression.

“, come in first!”

Deus secretly appears with Neferti’s permission.

It’s strangely funny because he’s being careful not to match his size.

“… Uh.”

Deus, who was lightly bowing to Neferti, looks embarrassed.

Then he lowers his voice as much as possible and whispers.

“Chairman. that. Did I come to the wrong place?”

“Ah. That’s it.”

I turn my head and look at the bed where Luciel was lying.

Just a little while ago, they were talking normally, but suddenly they pretended to sleep.

Even covering myself with a blanket made me think, ‘Don’t even mention me!’ It seems to be saying.

“… That, senior. yet… It looks like your fatigue hasn’t gone away.”

“Then come back later.”

“No. are you okay. Why come here twice! Sit down here!”

Even if it’s like that, I’m sure you’ll keep your ears open. Oh, I don’t know! Seniors!

“That’s unexpected. I thought you wouldn’t even think about visiting the hospital because I wasn’t by your side.”

“When I checked out, I felt like people would ask me why I didn’t come to visit right away, so I came in a huff.”

“It’s a bit late for something like that, isn’t it?”

“Sorry. Well, things are crazy inside the cradle these days.”

Whisper quietly. The sound of a quiet conversation, as if they were having a secret conversation.

“… .”

Next to him, Luciel was eavesdropping on the words with his ears wide open.

When my junior came to visit me again, I unconsciously wiggled my fingers.