episode_0294

Aegis Academy’s outdoor firing range operates year-round. This perpetually vibrant place saw not only students but also external hunters who came for commissioned training, engrossed in practice with their respective weapons.

The space was filled with the mechanical sounds of hologram targets bustling back and forth, diverse gunshots, and various other noises.

A scene like a miniature battlefield.

“Taken?”

Daphne, who was awkwardly inserting a heavy shotgun shell into the chamber, turned her head with a puzzled expression. It was surprisingly strange to see the face of her usually calm and mature friend clouded with childish dissatisfaction.

“No, to be exact, rather than it being ‘taken’… I just got that feeling. Violet isn’t at fault. Right? She probably had plenty to discuss with the Student Council President-nim.”

At Irene’s attempt to look unbothered, Daphne exchanged glances with Kalia.

‘She’s sulking.’

‘She has every right to.’

The girls thought to themselves. Their friend’s instinctive habit of rushing forward without hesitation if someone presented something good before her must have manifested once again. If Violet were a child, they would have to worry about kidnapping.

“It can’t be helped. Violet just follows whoever offers her something delicious. You can tell just by how she followed a church she didn’t even know the name of last time.”

“Exactly. What’s strange is that Violet shows incredible judgment during combat. But I don’t know why she acts like that normally. Even though she’s good at studying.”

Kalia continued. As her finger pulled the lever, a brass-colored bullet, imbued with violent energy, slid into the chamber with a click.

“I’ve been thinking about this every day, but it seems her collective intelligence doesn’t function normally. Sigh…”

Daphne shrugged towards Irene, who was awkwardly smiling. Her voice carried warm comfort.

“I understand you’re disappointed. But Irene, cheer up. I used to sulk often too, but now I try to understand.”

“I’m fine, I’m not sulking…”

Though Irene tried hard to deny it, Daphne merely offered a relaxed smile.

“And it’s not like she was taken. Violet belongs to all of us, you know?”

“Belongs to all of us?”

“Yes. Violet is a plural, you see. I had a conversation with the Student Council President-nim recently, and she said that we can all share Violet, one per person.”

“…?”

At the bizarre human relationship theory, Irene’s golden eyes trembled slightly. A ‘friend sharing system’ — it was the moment her blind spot, her failure to consider Violet’s unique characteristic, was revealed.

“And Irene, you know this, don’t you?”

Daphne continued gently.

“Violet is always around us, everywhere. Kalia, where’s Violet now?”

Kalia raised her right hand and pointed behind her with her thumb.

“She probably followed us stealthily a while ago, didn’t she? This time, she’s probably hiding over there?”

She took out her phone from her pocket and quickly sent a message.

[Violet? Can you help me for a bit?]

A few seconds later, from behind a pillar in the firing range, a masked girl scurried out.

“Yes! Kalia, I’m here. Everyone else is here too. What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing much.” Kalia pointed to the firing lane. “See the gun on the table? Help me load it. It’s my first time using it today.”

Violet’s eyes sparkled.

“Helios gave it to you! Winterfield Company’s hunting rifle and a Type 35 automatic shotgun!”

Watching Violet skillfully load the bullets, Kalia shrugged meaningfully at Irene.

“See? Violet is plural. So, saying she was taken by the Student Council President is a bit strange.”

“Student Council President?” Violet tilted her head. “Unnie, why?”

“Oh, nothing.” Kalia quickly changed the subject. “Could you do me a favor and get some coffee from the cafe? Use the remaining money to buy whatever you want.”

“Wow, okay!” Violet smiled brightly and headed outside.

As Violet disappeared, Daphne gently spoke to Irene.

“Look, Irene. As you know, each of us has a Violet attached to us. So, don’t be too disappointed that she followed someone right in front of you—”

Irene shook her head. Her voice was mixed with complex emotions.

“It’s not that. I just… wondered if I’m still not capable enough.”

A trace of regret passed over Irene’s face. She suddenly realized.

What irritated her wasn’t simply Violet leaving. Despite receiving countless help from her friend, the fact that she still couldn’t properly support Violet with even one thing she wanted, tormented her. If it was like this, she was no different from an immature child who only received help from others.

“I can’t even properly buy Violet the fighter jet she wants…”

The two girls’ expressions suddenly turned strange.

“Uh, I think that’s normal? A flight squadron…?”

“No, hey! Is that really something to be so upset about? Originally, it’s normal for girls our age not to ask for things like that! Violet’s the one who’s weird. And the Student Council President-nim’s family is incredibly rich, incomparable to even major corporations.”

Kalia let out a scoff of disbelief and threw in a sharp remark.

“If you put it that way, among those who know Violet, truly helpful people would be few and far between. Who else would there be besides professors from Polaris or scholars?”

A sharp, short *beep* sounded, and the hologram targets outside the firing lane all raised their heads simultaneously. Kalia raised her large-caliber lever-action rifle and aimed at the target with fierce eyes. Every time she pulled the trigger, flames burst forth, and every time a new bullet entered the chamber, the rifle rotated in her arm as if it were an extension of her body.

“So, what’s the big deal? I, I have to do what I can do!”

When the shooting ended, vibrant, magenta flames clung to the target without extinguishing, persistently eroding it. Watching this, Kalia blew away the smoke rising from the barrel as if whistling. At that sight, Irene’s face, as if realizing something, softened considerably.

“You’re right, I guess. I was worrying about useless things.”

Irene smiled. Yes, why had she been so serious about something like this? She must have been overwhelmed by recent work, fixating on trivial matters.

For now, she should do what she can. Like supporting her other friends.

“By the way, how’s the equipment we received from our clan?”

“It’s the best, it feels just right in my hands. The power is beyond imagination. Thanks to my rich friend, I never expected to benefit from it—”

-Boom!

“Aghhh!”

The two, who had been laughing amicably, quickly turned their heads at the scream echoing from behind them.

The automatic shotgun was spewing out shell casings and pellets like crazy. Daphne, unable to control the recoil, almost fell backward.

“Ugh… I’m sorry! I didn’t know the recoil would be this strong!”

“I told you last time. Its firepower is strong, but it’s too much for your strength to use. It’s 1-gauge. Even hunters don’t use it because it’s too big and unwieldy.”

Daphne awkwardly struggled to pull the gun up. Unable to watch any longer, Irene swiftly picked it up and put it away for her.

“As expected, it seems too much for your current level of physical enhancement. I’ll give you something else.”

“Ugh, I understand. I was too greedy…”

Daphne realized her limits and felt embarrassed. She had made an excessive demand to increase her combat power.

“I’m a little curious. Even though Awakened ones have superior strength compared to ordinary people, what kind of physique would someone who carries and shoots something like this have?..”

“Probably someone like that.”

Irene pointed to one side of the firing range. Standing in the firing lane was a girl with pigtails carrying a ballista twice the size of her own body. As a beam of light poured out, suddenly the targets in the firing range were swept away by the aftermath, meeting their doom.

“Ugh, aaaah! Don’t shoot! That’s my target!”

“That one! It’s her! That crazy first-year who destroyed the indoor firing range last time!”

-Thump-thump-thump!

“Kyahahahaha! Hihyahahahaha! Humans are trash! Hihah!”

The firing range instantly turned into pandemonium. Her eyes gleaming with madness, Levi, who had been firing the ballista, ended up being scolded by the safety officers.

“Heeheehee… Ack! S-sorry, I’m sorry…!”

“You again? Have you forgotten what the professors said about doing your shooting in the magic examination hall? Are you planning to destroy the entire firing range?”

“S-sorry…! B-but that place is too cramped, it’s small…! The shooting course here is longer…!”

“Levi Schneider, you are prohibited from entering for a while. Get out!”

“Oh, no…! I’m sorryyy…”

Watching Levi being kicked out for causing pandemonium in the firing range, the three were speechless. Daphne, looking like she was about to cry, whispered in a small voice.

“Seeing Levi-nim, my confidence is gone. I’ll practice with other firearms or crossbows…”

“…I’ll look into power exoskeletons.”

**

These days, our Violet’s life was leisurely. Important exams and assignments were over, and after finishing the pirate suppression operation at sea and even wiping out the pirate base, there was nothing left to do.

There were still things to do at the academy, though. After finishing studies and assignments, she would often spar with her friends.

“Let’s increase efficiency! I told you. Attack me as if you’re trying to kill me! And take off the safety!”

“Th-that’s a bit much… Wouldn’t it be okay just to continue as we are?”

Kalia frowned in disgust. I suggested that sparring with rubber bullets or swords without magic felt unrealistic, but Kalia’s expression distorted as if she were disgusted.

“What’s the problem? Irene’s already doing it that way.”

“Wh-what?”

“So I’m saying you should also do it like real combat! Even though we go easy, losing limbs is just an everyday thing.”

“Ah…”

Kalia, hearing my words, muttered in a disgusted voice.

“…Has she also been corrupted by Violet?”

‘Corrupted’ huh, I should understand that Irene has embraced our spirit of armed liberation struggle. Isn’t that a good way to put it?

“Anyway, let’s start!”

“Wait, okay. I need to mentally prepare… Hey!”

In addition, I also guided Daphne, who has been focusing on combat training recently.

-Bang!

A mace striking a shield, the mace imbued with green magic collided with the shield infused with red magic and bounced off.

“How is it? I sought advice from Professor Masus-nim and other melee combat professors, and it seems blunt weapons suit me best after all.”

Daphne looked at me with expectant eyes. I didn’t know what to say. The impact transmitted to the shield was… honestly, weak.

“Hmm… why don’t you look into it more? Something’s… missing. It’s not bad, but it’s like…”

“I know what you mean.”

When I answered using the full force of Violet’s collective intelligence, Daphne showed disappointment. She had even picked up an axe when swords didn’t work for her, so this wasn’t a problem our Violet could solve. It was simply regrettable. Because we aren’t teachers!

“There might be other methods depending on the weapon’s operation style. How about going to Instructor Frederick-nim and asking him on the weekend or during a holiday?”

“Actually, I contacted them before and sought advice. But what the professors said was all similar.”

“What did they say?”

Daphne let out a slight laugh, then replied in an exaggerated tone.

“When I confided my worries over the phone, they said this: ‘Oh, Daphne. That’s enough. Blunt weapons suit you better than swords! It also fits well with your unique ability and your disposition of disliking blood!’ But do you know what’s strange? Everyone here, professors and instructors alike, said the exact same thing.”

For several months, Daphne had been testing various weapons, searching for what suited her. All sorts of swords, spears, axes, and even strange weapons she’d never seen before. Unfortunately, perhaps because each Awakened one had a different constitution, there were no significant results. Her sword energy was duller than others’, and her physical strength and agility were also lacking.

There are limits for Awakened ones with non-combat aptitudes, who are only slightly stronger than ordinary people. The best course of action for them is to research from behind or find other talents.

“I see. Still, I think a sword would be better? There doesn’t seem to be much difference, you know.”

Although blunt weapons are also to my liking, to subdue magical beasts with thick hides, I believe accurately striking vital points is more effective. Just bludgeoning them only relies on brute force.

When I pointed out these problems, Daphne unexpectedly spoke with a confident attitude.

“Don’t worry. When that happens, there’s another method. I’ve been honing my unique skills in the meantime! Violet, watch closely!”

We arrived at the indoor training hall. Students were either sparring with their weapons, or testing the power of their weapons against dummies of various sizes. The marshmallow-like dummies were either cut by swords or lost their shape, only to regenerate back to normal a short while later.

I took out two pre-reserved dummies and moved them to our spot. Daphne put down her mace and pulled out the item she always carried.

“That’s a staff, isn’t it?”

“Because I can’t give up my magic or support abilities either.”

What Daphne held in her hand was the staff she had always used. After folding up the various sensors and screens attached to the staff, she concentrated her magic and struck the dummy with all her might, letting out a yell.

“Hyah!”

A cheerful yell echoed through the training hall. The dummy’s head caved in slightly. It could probably kill an ordinary person instantly. But that was all.

「Hmm, it’s still weak.」

「We’ll have to protect Daphne!」

The moment the Violets in the network whispered, Daphne raised her staff high.

“Alright, now I’ll show you the real thing!”

The staff was enveloped not only by green sword energy but also by hexagonal, tile-like force fields.

Isn’t that Daphne’s unique ability?

“Wow, is that a shield?”

“That’s right! Hyah, take this!”

The staff, imbued with her transformed unique ability, struck the dummy. The next moment, I gaped at the unbelievable sight.

-Thud!

The dented dummy flew to the other side of the training hall as if a roe deer hit by a truck. Upon examining the dummy that rolled on the floor, it was slightly more dented than before. The power wasn’t bad.

But, how did such power come from the previous force?

“Wow, that’s a home run! Daphne, how did you do that?”

When I asked with a surprised face, Daphne smiled proudly.

“I applied my unique ability. Remember? Compressing the shield and transforming it thinly.”

I knew that. I had seen her experimenting with various things, saying her abilities had grown after defeating Polaris.

“Didn’t you say you’d make it explode inside the enemy’s body before?”

“What? When did I say that? That’s too cruel!”

Oh, right. Creating something inside the body and exploding it could potentially violate the Violet Geneva Convention.

“From the start, it’s impossible due to the complexity of spell deployment and interference with the enemy’s internal magic within their body. So, I thought about ways to attack from the outside.”

Saying so, Daphne made a hexagonal, transformed shield appear and disappear above her palm.

“But my shield had the property of absorbing impact while consuming magic, and reflecting some of it. So, using it for destructive purposes was difficult. At least, that’s what I thought until then.”

Continuing her explanation, Daphne circled around me. Just as I wondered why she was moving, Daphne walked on air.

「It’s martial arts! Did she perhaps achieve enlightenment?」

No. I could see it too. The shimmering, transformed shield beneath her feet!

“Gasp, it’s levitation!”

“Cool, right? For now, I plan to use it as a means of transportation. Because I’ve realized that shields can be applied in so many ways.”

Number 4231, approaching with curiosity, accidentally bumped her forehead against the force field spread in the air.

“Kyaa!”

“Ah, sorry! Anyway, if you create it in the right place, you can also use it to obstruct opponents like this. Then, an interesting idea came to mind.”

As Daphne casually raised her staff, force fields gathered like tiles at the tip of the staff, which had ordinary support sensors and panels attached.

“What if I strike a target with a force field that has the ability to absorb and reflect impact?”

-Thwack!

The second dummy slammed into the ceiling and then fell to the floor. That thing is heavier than I thought; I didn’t expect it to fly that far.

“Wow…”

“I haven’t grasped the specific principle yet, but the power increases compared to just hitting it, and the target gets pushed far away. What do you think?”

Along with an exclamation of admiration, applause burst forth spontaneously.

“That’s truly amazing!”

“I still have a lot more to show you. Please look forward to it when I showcase it again later!”

Watching our friend grow, our Violets were captivated by an inexplicable emotion. While we moved forward, our friends were also continuously evolving.

「We should also not be lazy and work harder!」

Perhaps thanks to the results of her training, our Violets’ pure, beautiful healer gained the confidence that she could even go to the front lines if she put her mind to it.

“Front lines? Will that be okay?”

“I’ll have to train even harder to be okay. If necessary, I want to fight alongside Violet.”

Once again, the tip of the staff emitted a dazzling light.

“Magical beasts that threaten us, with this staff, like this—”

-Boom!

Daphne’s words were cut off by a loud crashing sound. One side of the indoor training hall wall suddenly shattered. Wait, that direction is towards the outdoor training range.

「What is it? An attack?」

Just as I was about to wake up the Violets in hibernation, something collapsed inside with a thud. The identity was a 3-meter large dummy. The person walking into view beyond the wall was a massive male student with a blank expression, as if swept up in a burst of enthusiasm.

“Uoooo… Uh… what?”

Standing blankly, then perhaps coming to his senses, his eyes slowly widened. The male student, as if surprised, dropped the giant polearm he held in his hand. Thud, a heavy sound. The unnamed professors and teaching assistants in the training hall rushed over to that spot.

“You made the dummy un-regenerable again? How on earth did you break its core…?”

“S-sorry! I got too excited…”

“Last time you dug up the floor, how did you break the wall this time?”

Watching Granite being scolded for displaying excessive violence, I chuckled and then looked to my side. Daphne looked at the dummy with its core shattered and the broken wall, then once again scanned her staff with a dissatisfied look.

“…Violet, should I pick up an axe too?”

I replied firmly.

“It doesn’t suit you!”

A pure, beautiful girl with a creepy double-bladed axe? That’s out of the question. Such things are only suitable for thugs who aim to increase single-parent households and make drinking cups out of enemy skulls.

School matters were concluded here, and it was time to sort out external affairs.

「Red Zone Team, Bernike Escort Team, Ariel Hospital Team! What are you all doing? Where are you?」

「Continent Team 1! Continent Team 2! Give us a report!」

「Meetings are annoying, we’re building the V-3!」

When will the day come when our Violet can live doing only what she wants? I earnestly hoped for a time when she wouldn’t have to live quietly and could roam more freely than now.

「First, let’s start the meeting!」

Although she had returned to a peaceful daily life, busy days still continued for us.