episode_0067

000

The humans in red uniforms quietly grabbed their weapons as they watched Aruru and Cleon, who immediately assumed a battle stance in response to their near-surprise appearance.

Each of the weapons they held were enchanted, imbued with magical power.

The symbol of the “Scales” visible on their hats and uniforms.

One could glimpse the symbol of the Execution Department, signifying “Judgment.”

Had they learned from the previous failure?

The amount of magical power felt from them was unlike the previous rabble;

they felt like veterans, at least mid-level or higher in skill as far as adventurers go.

“Die, Sword Magician. I will avenge the grudge of Lady Elise.”

The man who appeared to be the leader among them opened his mouth and swung his sword.

Cleon blocked the sword with his master’s sword, and frowned.

“Who is that?”

“The Tamer of Demonic Eyes. Elise Hutrus.”

He had never heard the name, so he asked, but the answer came from Aruru.

“Ah…. The Demonic Eye Magician of the Execution Department. Said to be the second seat.”

Hearing that title reminded her of the Demonic Eye Magician that she had finished off.

Aruru nodded and swung Arondight towards the assassins of the Execution Department in front of her.

With just one swing, the weapons they held shattered to pieces.

Including Arondight, of course.

The scattered fragments of Arondight transformed back into a sword in mid-air.

When nearly ten holy swords suddenly appeared, the startled members of the Execution Department immediately took a defensive stance.

But they realized in the very next moment that it was a misjudgment.

Surprisingly, Aruru walked past them as if strolling by their side while they were in a defensive posture.

Before they knew it, she was standing behind them.

They quickly turned around at the movement that was difficult to follow with the eye, but.

The attack was already over.

A quick sword strike that made them realize belatedly that they had been cut.

As Aruru’s light sword returned to her waist,

they collapsed from their positions, scattering their own blood on their red uniforms.

“That’s right. She recently went missing. If Cleon did something to her, it is understandable that he would be targeted by the Execution Department.”

“What a nuisance. They were the ones who started the fight first, though.”

Cleon moved while talking normally as if in casual conversation.

He moved the hand that wasn’t holding his sword and prepared to cast magic, as if gripping something.

The magician behind the leader-like enemy aimed his staff at Cleon to keep him in check.

But in the next moment, as he put strength into his arm, the swordsman of the Execution Department could not withstand the difference in physical strength.

He was pushed backwards, unable to avoid the magician who was focusing on Cleon, and bumped into him, disrupting his stance.

“Blazing Chain.”

A burning chain that pierced through the ceiling and floor appeared with the quiet voice.

The chain moved like a living snake and flew towards the enemy.

Wrapping around the swordsman’s body, it began to tighten.

A sizzling sound was heard, and smoke rose from the parts where the chain touched.

“Kuh…!”

In the next moment, just as he thought the man’s body had started to glow.

“Eh!? Kuik…!?`

A feminine scream was heard.

The female magician who had been behind was now in front, her position switched somehow.

It was the magician who was suffering from the flames of the chain.

“Sword Magicianaaaa!”

The swordsman, not even paying attention to his subordinate,

swung his sword at Cleon.

Too slow.

Aruru’s duel from a few days ago.

The desperate fight where he last crossed swords with Talcheck.

Compared to the experience of battle etched into his body, this fight was far too easy.

The moment the swordsman’s sword was about to touch Cleon’s body.

Cleon’s sword swung.

The red sword screamed and cut through `that space`.

The swordsman collapsed to the ground with his broken sword.

At the same time, the female magician foamed at the mouth and collapsed from the pain created by the heat of the chains.

The time it took for the four assailants to collapse was less than two minutes.

“The previous attack was when I was alone. This time, the top student of the Swordsmanship Department is here. What were they thinking?”

“I guess they thought they had a chance if the opponent was wearing a suit that made it hard to move and was empty-handed.”

Aruru said, approaching Cleon and fixing his slightly disheveled tie.

“…Ahem.”

Persis cleared his throat as he watched, and Aruru and Cleon looked at him at the same time.

“So. Can you explain to this father what’s going on?”

“As you can see, the Execution Department is running rampant in the academy right now. The organization is having internal strife, and they’re causing trouble in the process.”

“And the one they’re after is that guy next to you.”

Persis glared at Cleon.

The anger he had shown earlier had subsided quite a bit.

Instead, he had a look in his eyes as if he were looking at something he missed.

“That sword. Why do you have that sword? And that swordsmanship…”

At Persis’s words, Cleon looked down at his sword for a moment before answering quietly.

“I inherited it from my master. Both the sword and the swordsmanship.”

“So, you’re Talcheck’s disciple…. You are.”

Cleon did not react to his words, but.

Persis quietly sat down on a chair and put his hand on his forehead.

He had a look on his face as if he was contemplating something.

In the meantime, an employee who had heard the commotion saw the attackers and hurriedly went to get the security guards.

“Aren’t you happy to know that your old friend has a successor?”

“… …”

When Aruru said that to Persis with a smile,

Persis smiled wryly and looked at her.

“The disciple of Talcheck, the hero of the kingdom, the Sword Saint, is a member of the Black Magic Clan, the descendants of the empire…. That’s unexpected.”

He had a look on his face as if he couldn’t sort out his emotions properly.

But soon, as if he had made up his mind, he said to Aruru.

“…If you want, I will allow you to associate with him.”

A quiet voice, as if he couldn’t win against his daughter’s stubbornness.

Cleon decided to quietly listen to the two of them without saying that he didn’t really have any intention of doing so.

And Aruru blinked her eyes two or three times.

Then she said with a smile.

“No, thank you.”

“…What.”

That reaction was something Persis found perplexing.

Because it was the complete opposite of what she herself had been arguing until just now.

“The reason Father acknowledged Cleon is because he is the disciple and successor of `Sword Saint Talcheck`.”

“… …”

“Did you think that if you got him as a son-in-law, you would be able to fill the void of the hero?”

At Aruru’s words, Persis quietly lowered his head.

“Father, you have always sacrificed the small for the sake of the bigger picture. My will for the sake of the family. Yourself for the sake of the kingdom.”

Aruru sat down on a chair with a smile.

Her eyes had a sharp glint as if she could see through even her own father.

“But a hero is someone who doesn’t put those things on the scales and tries to save both sides. The hero Persis, whom I admired so much as a child, was such a person.”

There was even pity in her voice.

It was pity for her father, who had given his life for his country as a subject of the kingdom, not as a hero.

His hair was turning gray day by day, and his wrinkles were getting deeper.

“I will live as a hero. As a hero who breaks the forced scales and does not abandon either side.”

As Aruru linked arms with Cleon,

Persis looked shocked and dejected.

“In the first place, if Mother had an accident, please stay by her side.”

“Ku, kueuk…”

At Aruru’s finishing blow, Persis shook his head as if he had nothing to say.

Cleon felt a slight sense of satisfaction as he saw Persis, who had discriminated against him as a member of the Black Magic Clan, in that state.

001

In the end, Persis, unable to have a proper meal, left for the academy in a carriage with drooping shoulders.

The result was Aruru’s complete victory.

Aruru stood with her hands behind her back, a smile on her face, as she watched the receding carriage.

It was the composure of a victor and a face that looked somewhat refreshed.

“So that was the purpose.”

Cleon quietly said from beside Aruru.

Aruru nodded and looked at Cleon.

“I’m sorry for using you. But Father needed to be taught a lesson once in a while.”

“No, it’s okay. It was originally a deal.”

Cleon shook his head.

Aruru stared at Cleon for a moment, then looked back at the carriage.

No, perhaps she was looking in the direction of her hometown, the royal capital.

“Father, you know. He actually enjoys horseback riding and fishing. Before coming to the academy, he took me there several times.”

Aruru’s gaze was distant, as if she was remembering something she missed.

“But after my grandfather passed away and he inherited the position of Minister of Defense, it became natural for him to stay in the royal palace for days at a time and devote himself to his work.”

A continuous series of extremely strenuous work that was truly scraping away at his body and lifespan.

Even the young Aruru was shocked by the sight of her father getting thinner day by day.

“Well. It took me years, but I feel like I was finally able to say what I wanted to say. Thank you, Cleon.”

“…I see.”

All fathers just can’t be honest enough.

Cleon nodded, thinking of his own master, who was the opposite of Persis but also similar to him.

“Now. Then please entrust the agreement on the use of `Stone Cannon` to me as promised. It would be difficult for even me to persuade the top student of another department.”

“…That’s true, but there’s something I want to ask. Do you know a lot about the Execution Department?”

The previous attack was at night.

This time, they attacked in the middle of the city during the day, and even in front of others.

If this continued, Cleon thought that his colleagues might be in danger.

He noticed that Aruru knew something, as she knew the real name of the `Demonic Eye Magician`, and asked.

Aruru looked at Cleon and opened her mouth as if it were nothing.

“Centered around the top students of the academy, the `expulsion of the Execution Department`, which is having a significant negative impact on the academy’s security and violating the academy’s ideals, is planned. I’m also participating in the investigation as part of that, so I know about it.”

“Expulsion of the Execution Department…? By the top students? Laila didn’t say anything about that.”

Aruru smiled wryly at those words and turned her head.

“That meeting is being held at the top students’ social gathering.”

“… …I know that the other departments’ students dislike Laila. But please take her with you next time. She’s changed a bit from before.”

Cleon bowed to Aruru as if he were asking about his child’s friendships.

“Okay…. I will.”

Aruru scratched her cheek and smiled awkwardly.

In any case, Cleon continued to speak, trying to extract as much information from her as possible.

“I heard that the Execution Department is experiencing internal strife due to the absence of the second seat.”

“Ah. Yes. According to the testimony of a student who came out of the Execution Department, the two were sisters but didn’t get along very well. The top seat and the second seat were keeping each other in check, and the department was divided accordingly.”

When did she steal it?

Aruru spoke while fiddling with the `Scales` badge in her hand.

“…And with the disappearance of the second seat, the students who followed her became uncontrollable. Is that it.”

“That’s right. So the ones attacking Cleon are probably the `second seat faction` of the Execution Department.”

Aruru nodded at Cleon’s words.

Elise Hutrus, was it?

The woman whose name he didn’t know until right before he killed her.

“…If there’s a problem, it’s right to cut off the source. When the time comes, I will also cooperate with the `expulsion of the Execution Department`.”

“If you do, we’ll be grateful…. No, if that’s Cleon’s decision.”

Aruru smiled faintly and held out her hand to Cleon.

Cleon stared at her hand for a moment-

“…You’re not going to try to pull me in this time, are you?”

“Huh? Ahaha! I could, would you like to try?”

Looking at her playfully smiling face, he grabbed her hand and shook it.

Her arm almost pulled him towards her.

But this time, Cleon put strength into it and resisted.

002

`We could part ways here. But since it’s a holiday, let’s hang out a bit to strengthen our friendship.`

Cleon arrived at the free market, led by Aruru’s hand after she said that.

It was a student-run commercial district operated by the Commerce Department, and it was crowded with students, relatives, tourists, and teachers due to the various stores they ran in conjunction with other departments.

It was a place that Cleon, who didn’t really like crowded places, was a little reluctant to go to.

But looking at Aruru’s face, which was sparkling next to him, he couldn’t bring himself to say that he wanted to go back.

“Why are you so excited?”

“I usually come here with Cecil. It’s my first time coming with a member of the opposite sex like Cleon.”

“Cecil…. Ah, that nerdy glasses guy.”

Aruru puffed out her cheeks at Cleon’s words and looked up at him.

“Cecil is my precious friend. Cleon.”

“…Sorry.”

To be honest, his first impression of him wasn’t very good.

But showing that would be rude to Aruru.

“Besides, Cecil looks like a nerd, but he’s actually quite muscular.”

Aruru was being the most rude to Cecil.

“Anyway, let’s look around! When Cecil is next to me, I can’t freely look around even though I came to the free market!”

Aruru, who was linking arms with Cleon, stepped forward with excited, quickened steps.

Even though she was only slightly shorter than him, her eyes always sparkled.

She turned her gaze to whatever sparked her curiosity.

She felt a little different from the first impression he had of her in the toolbox.

Facing each other with swords.

Confirming her.

Recognizing each other.

Only then does a person reach the realm of understanding.

Persis Tromea had sacrificed himself to fulfill his role as Minister of National Defense.

Aruru was concerned about that and wanted to convey her worries to him, even if only a little.

But, Aruru as well.

The top student of the Swordsmanship Department. A member of the hero’s family. The daughter of a duke.

Wasn’t she unconsciously suppressing her true self in order to act as a person befitting the titles she bore?

“Cleon! Look at this! It’s a cat doll!”

She held up a slightly chubby, ugly-looking, large cat doll with a bell around its neck and smiled as if she found it fascinating.

The face beneath the slightly loosened mask.

Was that of an innocent girl befitting the age of 19.

In the end, the price of the doll was taken from Cleon’s wallet.

“I could have bought it myself.”

Aruru blushed slightly as if she were embarrassed and buried her face in the doll she was holding.

Cleon said it was okay.

`It was more expensive than I thought.`

He felt a little sorry to Kuon, who was in charge of the household budget.

As the two were walking down the street….

“Hmm? Instructor Cleon!”

He turned his head at the voice calling him.

There stood Demis with his hands full of luggage.

The Paizuri twins, who had relatively empty hands.

…And a neat and tidy woman with blue hair that he was seeing for the first time.

The blue hair was neatly swept back, and her sky-blue eyes matched her hair well.

Perhaps because she was wearing glasses, she gave off an intelligent and sophisticated impression.

It was a pity that her outstanding beauty wasn’t more apparent due to her plain clothes that didn’t show off her figure very well.

But the subtle smile on her lips was bringing out her charm.

“I knew it was you, Instructor. Oh, is that Lady Aruru next to you?”

Demis greeted Cleon happily and then greeted Aruru next to him with aristocratic etiquette.

“You were Rail’s friend. Were you Mr. Demis?”

“I’m honored that you remember me. Are you on a date with Instructor Cleon?”

Demis, the man, made a witty joke.

Come to think of it, he said he liked blonde hair and blue eyes.

Cleon and Demis locked eyes for a moment.

`Don’t worry, Instructor. Of course I like blonde hair and blue eyes, but I don’t approve of ‘stealing lovers’.`

That same will was conveyed from his eyes.

`By the way, if I witness ‘stealing lovers’, hives will break out all over my body and I will die.`

What kind of body is that?

“What!? Cleon-nim is on a date with the top student of the Swordsmanship Department!?”

“No way! I have bigger breasts, so why!?”

He ignored the noisy twins next to him.

“Wait! I like to be ignored, but it hurts my feelings if you completely ignore me!”

“That’s right! We met like this because of fate. Today is the day we twins uh-uhm!?”

The twins were shouting as they thrust their proud breasts at Cleon.

But it was the neat and tidy woman he was seeing for the first time who was covering the younger sister’s mouth among the twins.

“What are you doing during the instructor’s date? Pairu, Ruzuri.”

Names.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you outside of class, Instructor Cleon.”

And Cleon narrowed his eyes as he looked at her as she smiled lightly and greeted him.

The fact that the story of the class came up meant that she was also a member of the Academic Department.

But no matter how hard he tried to remember, there was no student that matched her, so he was troubled.

“Instructor Cleon. This is my older sister, ‘Liomes’.”

“… What.”

This neat and tidy woman in front of him is…?

The maidenly woman who didn’t even know the ‘s’ of sexual activity was…?

“Academy’s top-class bitch…?”

“Oh my, how embarrassing.”

She covered her mouth as if she was really embarrassed and turned her body slightly.

Cleon, who knew that she only said “woof woof” during class,

experienced cognitive dissonance and stopped there for a moment.

“Hmm? You don’t look well, Instructor. Shouldn’t you take a break?”

Demis looked at Cleon’s change and became serious.

Aruru also looked worriedly at Cleon, who had suddenly stopped due to his processing capacity overflowing.

“If you’re going to rest, the small ‘castle’-like building near the entrance to the Free Market R District ahead is the perfect place.”

Demis said that and pointed his finger.

Next to the gateway that divided the free market into the N and R districts.

There was indeed a building that was the size of a large mansion but had a proper ‘castle’-like appearance.

“I see. Thank you, Mr. Demis.”

Aruru nodded slightly to Demis and quietly took Cleon to that place.

Demis wiped his nose as he looked at the backs of the two people.

“Ah~ah~ Aruru-nim is so lucky! To rest there with Instructor~”

When Pairu (older sister) said that, Ruzuri (younger sister) nodded as if she agreed.

“Demis is also commendable. As expected of my younger brother.”

“I was able to do it thanks to my sister teaching me in many ways.”

It was a moment where the heartwarming sibling love could be glimpsed.

003

“…Why did this happen.”

When Cleon came to his senses, he was already inside the room with Aruru.

Wallpaper and floors in purple and pink tones.

And in the middle of the room was a bed that was too big for two people to lie on.

At first glance, it was a room with slightly flashy colors that didn’t have any problems.

But if you work as an adventurer, you will learn about such accommodations even if you don’t want to.

A place that is almost always found in large cities.

“Ohh. Cleon. Look at this. This magic lamp changes colors with this button. Is this the shower room? But you can see inside from the outside. Is this a defect…?”

She looked around and checked the surroundings, as if she was simply fascinated by this place.

“Hey, Aruru. I’m okay now.”

“Huh?”

Aruru turned to him at Cleon’s words.

Her eyes were still sparkling, but she didn’t seem to grasp the situation.

“So, this place is……. Well, should I call it an accommodation for adults. It’s not just a resting place to relax.”

Aruru stopped for a moment at Cleon’s words and raised the corners of her lips.

Then, she came to Cleon with quiet and light steps.

The expression on her face as she sat on the bed, pressed down on Cleon’s shoulders, and put her weight on his body.

Was her wild side when she was excited after clashing swords earlier.

“I know. Cleon. That’s why I came here.”

Aruru said that and started to lower the left shoulder of her dress.

Cleon panicked and tried to say something to her.

Aruru’s finger touched his mouth.

“Surely, you’re not going to run away after coming all this way, are you?”

Cleon stopped moving for a moment at Aruru’s provocative words as she whispered.

“What kind of dance shall we dance this time?”

“Really, this brat…!”

It was Cleon’s turn to teach the female in front of him about the hierarchy.