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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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The aroma of delicious food wafted through the small common dining room of the Seraphi Black House.
Lev was away on joint training with Selena, and Aria and Yeriel were discussing the events of the L’Conta Grand Festival. Aria, the silver-haired girl, was filled with admiration.
Yeriel was not only incredibly skilled in magic but also had a remarkable presence as the dormitory prefect. She wasn’t simply maintaining the Black House; she was proficient in laundry, cleaning, cooking, everything.
-Lev likes this scent, so I hang this air freshener in the men’s restroom…!
-Lev trains often, so I do his laundry every day!
She had so much information, one might believe she was Lev’s personal maid. What a fortunate man, to be attended to by such a woman.
“Lev… is being looked after so well… by Yeriel,” Aria observed.
“No! Lev helps me a lot…! Because Lev is tall, he gets things down from high shelves for me… and he’s good at carrying things from the attic or storage room…”
“Even so. Usually, a prefect wouldn’t go this far…”
“No, no! Aria also puts her heart into taking care of Lev!”
“That’s true, but…”
This… This was impossible to compete with.
Aria had merely asked a few questions to help Yeriel with her work, but the traces left throughout the Black House boasted of the two of them living together with seamless consideration for each other.
‘Just the two of them, like this, since the first semester…’
Aria pensively rested her chin on her hand, her expression unreadable.
It would be strange for a young man and woman to spend so much time together without developing feelings.
Besides, was there any man in the world who wouldn’t fall for Yeriel, a popular figure at Clarice, and her devoted care?
‘…It’s frustrating.’
It was frustrating. Even Aria, usually calm and collected, felt a sense of urgency.
‘I need… a secret about Lev that only I know…’
Aria wished there was some aspect of Lev that Yeriel didn’t know.
.
.
.
Lunchtime arrived, and the two sat at the table. Yeriel cautiously asked Aria, “So… are you okay…?”
“…Yes?”
“Well, you confessed to Lev…”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you curious about his answer? I think I would be…!”
Aria calmly replied,
“I’m fine. Because I did the same thing.”
-…
Yeriel’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer.
“Huh…? What do you… mean?”
Aria continued in a tranquil tone,
“When Lev confessed to me, I didn’t give him an answer either.”
-Clatter.
“So we’re in the same boat… Yeriel…?”
The utensils Yeriel was holding slipped from her grasp. The fact that Lev had confessed to Aria was the only thing echoing in her mind.
Her eyes already seemed to have lost their light, as if defeat was imminent.
“Oh, sorry! L, Lev confessed… to Aria… I see…”
“Yes…”
In contrast, Aria was calm. It didn’t seem like a lie. All sorts of thoughts raced through Yeriel’s mind.
‘When? Where? How…?’
How could Lev, who always teased her, have confessed to Aria? And why did Aria reject him…?
If she received a confession from him…
How would it feel?
Silently observing, Aria suppressed a wry smile and drove the point home.
“…It seems you didn’t know…?”
“…………No.”
“When you want to tease Lev, you can ask him about it. He might be embarrassed.”
“…………”
She shouldn’t have asked. Aria had simply answered her question, but the fact itself was a critical blow to Yeriel.
‘I can’t… let this be… I’ll lose…’
Something sprouted in her heart. And it soon blossomed into a small resolution.
‘Yes, this time, it’s Lev’s fault for confessing so carelessly….’
When he returned today, she intended to give him a good scolding.
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The Florentine Forest, a Rank 3 monster habitat within the Empire’s controlled territory.
As mentioned in the fanfic, this place was once the largest Elven settlement and also the burial place of Selena, the half-elf’s, parents.
Selena usually visited this place when she had a lot on her mind or faced important events, so knowing this, I offered to accompany her before the selection test.
This was possible because we had been training together every other day, and my credibility with her had risen considerably due to the recent series of events.
.
.
.
-Clink…
-I’m not confident since it’s my first time making one, but please take it if you need it.
As I fiddled with the cross Aria had given me in my pocket, Selena spoke.
“That’s unexpected. A human student wanting to visit the Florentine Forest.”
“I was curious. About the Elves’ homeland.”
This dangerous area, designated as a monster habitat, was completely off-limits to humans. The reason I wanted to come here was simple.
‘It’s too rushed to prepare for Trial 4 now…’
An awakening for me and Selena.
Because the final piece of the puzzle was here.
-Rustle.
Selena led me deeper into the forest, to a patch of red grass hidden by withered trees. And there, I was greeted by a small, green space that had only been described in the novel.
‘Amazing…’
There were two small tombstones. Probably inscribed with ‘~ Windforce.’
Selena began her story, her voice tinged with sadness.
“My Elven mother loved my human father.”
“…”
“That was the tragedy. All I, a half-elf, can do for my parents is to tend to this small space…”
The Windforce family was never a weak clan. However, Selena’s mother married a human man despite much opposition, which allowed the Shaftie family, a Galeon clan, to seize control, weakening the Windforce family.
To make matters worse, the Demon invasion and the subsequent war completely divided the Elves.
Therefore, Selena’s goal of becoming a Hero was to unite and protect the Elves by seizing power herself, as someone not from the Shaftie family.
It was easier said than done. The fate she had been given was cruel. The path she had to walk was undoubtedly thorny.
I carefully began, “I don’t think it’s a tragedy.”
“…What?”
“…Because that happened… you’re here.”
I gazed intently at Selena. It was a bit cheesy, but I couldn’t help it. Selena and I needed a narrative right now.
I brushed her hair aside and said, “You worked hard. You too.”
“……”
-Quietly.
Selena, who had been silent, sat down demurely. And she closed her eyes, as if listening to the wind.
Perhaps she was sharing her past and future with the wind spirits.
Every human had feelings for their family. So I quietly stayed by her side until then.
.
.
.
It was Selena’s voice, as ethereal as the wind, that woke me up.
“…What are you doing?”
“…Paying my respects.”
“Paying your respects…?”
“…Where I come from, or rather, humans bow their heads to wish for the deceased’s peaceful rest.”
Selena, seemingly accepting the culture of this world, bowed her head along with me.
After some time, we naturally faced each other.
‘It should be about time.’
As I impatiently kept track of time, Selena spoke to me, her face looking much lighter.
“Thank you. For praying for my parents.”
“It was only natural.”
“By the way, Lev Denec. You’re an easier man than I thought.”
“Huh?”
“What do you think it means for an Elf to bring someone into their domain?”
I paused for a moment before answering,
“…Comrade?”
Was it the wrong answer again? Selena chuckled, as if finding me endearing.
“Are you insensitive, naive, or… are you pretending not to know?”
And with her fair, delicate hands, she lightly brushed my shoulders.
“As of today, I’ve claimed you, Lev Denec.”
“……”
“I understand, you know? You’re… the only human I acknowledge.”
“……”
-Caress.
Selena’s whispered words were incredibly alluring. At the same time, her curves pressed against my chest, my thighs, all over my body.
As if urging me to quickly confirm if we fit together…
“Of course, I haven’t forgotten. You asked me to take care of Edwin Gwynne… I’ll keep my promise, naturally.”
“…”
“But… I still… need you.”
Selena, pressed close to me, shyly turned her head slightly. Was this what it felt like for a doll to come to life?
“You can call me materialistic. I know there’s someone else in your heart. Even so…”
Tears welled up in Selena’s eyes.
“…I don’t want you to leave me alone.”
As I was about to embrace Selena, as if entranced,
-Whoosh.
A concise whistling sound.
-Thud!!!!
Dozens of arrows, with a contrasting thud,
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
pierced me all at once.
“L… Lev!!!!!”
‘That was close.’
“Lev…!!!!!”
“I’m okay….”
Selena’s scream, as I pushed her away and surrounded her with a wind barrier.
-Thump.
Like a deflated balloon, I immediately dropped to one knee. Blood spurted as if a water vein had been struck, staining my uniform shirt red…
‘Each and every one… a fatal wound…’
Right on the verge of death… that’s how much it hurt.
‘…I finally see you.’
Perhaps because I was so close to death’s door, my narrowed vision caught sight of, not a grim reaper, but a dark elf with chocolate-colored skin.
“…If you come quietly, I won’t kill you now.”
The strongest archer in the [Reincarnated Academy] world.
The pinnacle of wind archery.
The only character with the [Sniper] trait, an archer trait so overpowered it had been nerfed countless times in [Reincarnation Hero].
Darian had appeared before me.
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What a cockblock. Off with her head
Doesn’t he have the ability to copy a skill if he dies? Add the revive and this dude with braindead op trait, and then it’d pretty obvious what would happen