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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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“Yeriel, close your eyes for a moment.”
At that moment, why did he ask her to close her eyes?
Yeriel had returned to the Black Dormitory and prepared dinner, waiting for Lev. When he didn’t come down even after a considerable time, she found herself standing before his door.
She was the upperclassman, the designated party leader.
Yet, a completely unexpected hidden boss had appeared.
Judging by its mana signature, it was a high-ranking demon.
But she hadn’t been able to do a thing.
She had been utterly powerless.
Because of her personal feelings for Lev Denec, she had neglected her responsibilities.
And in the end, it was Lev Denec who had salvaged the situation.
-Just tell them we all worked together.
That’s what they reported to the academy, claiming the five of them had combined their strength to defeat the demon.
‘He’s protecting me again…’
If the truth were to surface,
she, as the leader, would be held accountable.
‘…What kind of… person is he, really?’
The general consensus within the academy was that his victory over Gailon had been a fluke.
Of course, Yeriel disagreed.
‘It wasn’t luck…’
Even with Aria’s assistance,
could the Blaze Fiend truly be defeated by just the two of them?
Absolutely not.
There were countless other things about Lev Denec that perplexed her.
Most freshmen would panic at the mere sight of a low-level monster, let alone a demon, a high-ranking monster, or a monstrous being.
Yet he had emerged from an encounter with a demon completely unscathed.
-…
Suddenly, a scene replayed in her mind.
When they had finally found Lev,
Aria had been holding him.
And…
She had, in a moment of self-delusion, closed her eyes and puckered her lips,
like a… woman yearning for a kiss.
It wasn’t the time or place for such thoughts, and she wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear from sheer embarrassment.
Should she knock? Or not?
Yeriel hesitated outside his door.
-…
Silence.
Her defense mechanisms kicked in, attempting to rationalize her awkward behavior.
‘Could it be…?’
Facing a demon carried the risk of lingering aftereffects, the possibility of being corrupted by black magic.
Was he suffering from those effects now?
“Lev, may I come in?”
Her sense of responsibility as head resident emboldened Yeriel.
-Clink!
Just as she reached for the spare key…
-Click!
Lev Denec opened the door.
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-Click!
I opened the door before she could use the spare key.
Yeriel looked like she was about to give me an earful, but the moment our eyes met, her words seemed to catch in her throat.
“May I come in?”
.
.
.
There wasn’t a proper place to sit in my room, so we settled on the edge of the bed.
“You’ve been quiet, so I was worried something had happened.”
Her tone was strictly professional, like a senior speaking to a junior.
Considering I had stood her up…
the atmosphere was understandably awkward.
“You’re not going to collapse on me now, are you?”
I asked casually, and Yeriel sighed softly.
“Everyone was exhausted, and you… you fought alone, Lev.”
“It’s fine. I’m alright.”
We had reported to the academy that we defeated the demon together as a team.
I didn’t particularly enjoy concealing my strength, but this world wasn’t just filled with benevolent organizations; there were evil factions as well.
Too much attention could be problematic.
“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”
She spoke in a cold, indifferent tone, her gaze still fixed on the floor.
“Sure.”
“I’m curious… why you asked me to close my eyes and then acted so… impulsively.”
Well, I couldn’t exactly reveal my demonization in front of everyone.
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision born of desperation.
But I couldn’t tell her that.
“Sorry.”
I apologized, lacking a better excuse.
Yeriel finally met my gaze.
“Lev, I was the party leader. You should have explained the situation to me…”
She offered a weak smile.
Given her responsible nature, she must have felt incredibly guilty for not taking charge.
“Sorry.”
“I was… a burden, wasn’t I? As a senior, as a teammate…”
Her gaze dropped back to the floor.
This was her self-deprecating mode…
A bad sign.
I had to break this cycle of negativity.
“Yeah, you were.”
“?!”
Yeriel stared at me as if I had delivered a crushing blow.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
“As I thought, I…”
“That’s why I’m apologizing for thinking you were a burden.”
“…”
“I don’t think that anymore. I’m sorry.”
“I was really upset… I thought we were becoming friends…”
“…”
“You never ask me anything, you never joke around, you always seem so… distant…”
This was not good.
It seemed I had completely misjudged Yeriel’s character.
She craved this much attention?
At this rate, she might transform into something… unforeseen… before even becoming a fallen angel.
To my own surprise, the words tumbled out,
“Then we can be friends from now on…”
Her beautiful silver hair swayed as she turned to face me.
“Are you… asking… to be friends?”
“…Yeah.”
‘Friends’ seemed like a safe enough label.
As long as it didn’t progress beyond that, there was no risk of her succumbing to darkness.
Yeriel nodded repeatedly, her gaze fixed on the floor, then looked up at me with a warm smile.
“Lev wants to be my friend…”
Was it really something to be this happy about, especially for someone who already had so many friends…?
But I had seemingly averted another crisis.
Then, her smile still in place, she asked,
“But promise me… you won’t push yourself too hard anymore, okay…?”
“I’ll try.”
“I’m saying this as your party leader, your senior, and… as your friend from the same dormitory.”
“Okay.”
“Then, since we’re friends now, can I ask you something…?”
“Huh? Sure.”
Her warmth was soothing. I replied casually.
“Why… were you hugging Aria… back then…?”
“… ”
…It seemed there were still many hurdles ahead.
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The next day,
Clarice Academy’s curriculum proceeded as usual,
while the imperial family, having been granted full authority, launched an investigation into the unprecedented double dungeon incident.
We had managed to pass the Dungeon Exploration Practice evaluation thanks to the Blaze Fiend encounter,
so now I needed to focus on getting good grades in other subjects to reduce Lev Denec’s accumulated penalty points.
Yesterday…
-It wasn’t a hug. I tripped and fell.
-Oh, I see!
-……………
That was my excuse, but I wasn’t sure if they actually bought it…
Anyway, the upcoming schedule consisted of
the ranking matches in a little over a week, followed by the written exams.
There would be a few incidents in between, but that was the gist of the first semester for first-year students.
My top priority was preparing for the ranking matches.
Specifically, countering Kaelan.
[Current Gems: 25788]
I planned to use a sizable portion of my accumulated gems, the academy’s official currency.
I scanned the club recruitment posters on the bulletin board.
Extracurricular activities were a good way to meet people, and crowds provided opportunities to use my knowledge of the future to my advantage.
One poster caught my eye:
-Alchemy Club Recruiting New Members!
The Alchemy Club…
Alchemy already had its own department in Yegudi Green Dormitory.
The fact that they had a separate club reflected the insecure state of alchemy.
Hazel, the alchemist I had helped during the entrance exam, was a prime example. Confined to her workshop, she had been ostracized and robbed of opportunities, leaving her timid and withdrawn.
She had narrowly avoided expulsion during the selection test.
That’s why the alchemy students had decided to band together.
However, assembling a group didn’t always lead to positive outcomes.
Perhaps driven by a sense of inadequacy,
they would attempt to create a monstrous homunculus.
This was the core plot of Chapter 3,
the [Academy Homunculus Incident].
This artificial monster, seemingly immortal, would reappear no matter how many times it was defeated,
giving rise to terrifying rumors throughout the academy.
But the truth was…
What they created wasn’t a homunculus, but a parasitic monster.
This parasite would infect numerous students, draining their magic and rendering them powerless.
It was the end of Chapter 2; they must have begun the cultivation process.
Preventing this disaster from affecting the core characters was crucial, but
knowing this beforehand, I saw an opportunity.
‘If it’s a parasitic monster… its skill must be ‘Parasitism,’ right?’
I wasn’t a fan of bugs, but…
The host would undoubtedly be a named monster, which meant a new skill upon defeating it.
I couldn’t pass up a skill related to parasitism.
With this thought in mind, I returned to the classroom.
.
.
.
-Let’s begin the lecture.
Today’s lecture was on [Qualities of Party Members].
The same class as Aria’s.
“Huh?”
But Aria wasn’t present.
Aria, the epitome of diligence, never missed a class…
‘Absent…?’
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Aria’s room, Raphae Blue Dormitory.
“Ugh…”
Aria groaned, her body burning with fever.
She had been battling a high fever since the previous night.
Although a pure maiden with an aptitude for divine power, she was no saint; at best, she was a novice priestess.
Purifying the black magic of a B-rank demon using her own body had taken its toll.
It was only natural for her to be experiencing such adverse effects.
Aria, who had never missed a class, had no choice this time.
“Ugh… I’m so… weak…”
Her body refused to obey her commands.
The towel on her forehead was bone dry, practically a hand warmer, but she lacked the strength to change it.
But this was her choice.
-Aria.
-Don’t.
-Huh?
-…Just stay still.
She didn’t fully understand why she had made that decision,
-Aria.
but she remembered Lev Denec calling her name, his voice full of resolve.
“… ”
Perhaps she had avoided the truth because she was afraid of what she might find.
But…
‘I couldn’t just leave him like that…’
He had seemed so beautiful, so clear,
yet empty and lonely, like the wind.
In that moment, Lev Denec had seemed utterly desolate.
Loneliness.
It was a feeling Aria knew all too well; she couldn’t turn away from it.
“I’m burning up…”
Aria didn’t bother going to the Restoration Ward.
She didn’t want him to see her in this state.
He might barge in, just as he did during the entrance exam.
He would scold her, question her actions.
It would be like that cherished childhood memory,
-I was so worried about you!
being scolded for coming home late after picking flowers for her mother.
“… ”
Those peaceful days were long gone.
And this distance… it was what brought her a strange sense of comfort.
‘Perhaps Lady Selena was right…’
As Aria gathered all her strength to change the towel,
-Knock. Knock!
“…!”
Someone was at her door.
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…..huh