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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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“What are you talking about?”
Tia’s expression remained unchanged.
Anya’s eyes were wide with innocence.
“Ethan was on a date yesterday, wasn’t he?”
“A date?”
Tia’s eyebrows furrowed. She had been trying to appear nonchalant, but Anya’s words had caught her off guard.
“Yeah! A date! In the empire, when a man and a woman spend time together, it’s called a date.”
“…Yes, that’s true. You’re saying you saw him on a date?”
“Yeah, I saw him yesterday. He was walking with a beautiful girl, laughing and talking. And they went into a restaurant together. That’s a date, right?”
Ethan was on a date?
Tia was suddenly curious about the girl’s identity.
“Who was it? Can you describe her? Hair color, eye color, any distinguishing features?”
“Hmm, I think she had brown hair…”
Brown hair.
That wasn’t much to go on.
There were countless people with brown hair.
Even Anya had reddish-brown hair.
“I see…”
At least it wasn’t Tesha or Sepia. Anya would have recognized them.
“Are you jealous?”
“What? No. I don’t care who Ethan dates.”
“Really? It seems like everyone likes him, but you’re all pretending you don’t. Is that a thing in the empire?”
“Don’t you have anyone you like, Anya?”
Tia asked. Anya didn’t hesitate.
“No, not yet. I like strong people.”
“I see…”
For the first time, Tia found herself envying Anya’s simple outlook on romance.
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Midterms were over.
And as expected, the next event was a school trip.
It was a typical academy story trope.
It was absurd that students in a world that was a strange mix of medieval and modern elements would go on a school trip.
But it was a staple event, nonetheless.
“You’re excited, huh?”
Arthur grinned as he packed his backpack.
“Of course I am! It’s a trip! I can’t wait to visit Arvis Island, where our ancestors fought against the evil forces to protect the continent!”
The problem with school trips, whether in web novels, light novels, or mystery manga, was that they never went according to plan.
Arthur, oblivious to Ethan’s apprehension, was beaming.
Our destination was Arvis Island.
300 years ago, a necromancer had gathered an army of death knights, skeletons, zombies, and ghouls and clashed with the imperial army.
Just the thought of it was exciting.
And Neydia Hero Academy was the empire’s top hero training institution.
Our purpose in visiting the historical site, according to the novel, was:
‘Countless heroes and warriors sacrificed their lives to defeat the evil forces on Arvis Island. As Hero Candidates, it is our duty to learn from their sacrifices.’
We were there to commemorate the heroes’ sacrifices and achievements. It was a mandatory course for all first-year students.
Naturally, we couldn’t skip the trip by claiming we were sick.
If you were sick, you had to be sick on the island.
And being the empire’s top hero training institution, the trip included a practical defense exam that affected our grades.
It was a week-long trip.
Plenty of time for unexpected events to unfold.
“Arthur.”
“Yes?”
“I have a favor to ask…”
It was time to hand Tesha over to Arthur.
There were more demon attacks targeting Tesha in the future. And Ethan, who had been doing all the hard work, had inadvertently prevented Arthur from gaining valuable experience.
Arthur was diligently leveling up his stats, but real-world experience was irreplaceable.
So, it was time for him to take over.
It definitely wasn’t because Ethan was lazy.
“What is it?”
“I’d like to ask you to protect Tesha…”
“Protect Tesha? Why?”
Ethan made up an excuse.
He told Arthur that he suspected the demons were targeting Tesha.
She had been targeted during the practical exam and the midterm exams.
“Tesha was the common denominator in both demon attacks. I think they’re after her.”
“That’s strange… Why would they target Tesha?”
Because she’s the princess.
He couldn’t say that.
Ethan simply shrugged.
“I don’t know, ”
“But do you think we’ll be paired up?”
It was highly likely.
Arthur’s luck stat was incredibly high.
If he truly wished for it, his luck would make it happen.
“You can increase your luck stat, right?”
“Yeah, I can.”
“If you sincerely wish to be paired with Tesha, don’t you think your luck will make it happen?”
“You think so?”
“Yeah, I’m sure of it. And while you’re at it, can you wish for me to be paired with one of the club members?”
And so, Ethan struck a secret(?) deal with Arthur.
It wasn’t because he wanted to shirk his responsibilities.
He was doing it for Arthur’s sake, to help him grow as a hero.
And also… to cure the princess of her masochistic tendencies…
He couldn’t understand why she was acting like this.
She needed to be healed by the kindhearted protagonist before it became a serious problem.
She’ll be fine once she’s around Arthur.
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The day of the school trip finally arrived.
This world had transfer stones instead of buses or trains. It was a convenient mode of transportation.
We used the transfer stones to travel to a coastal city, where we boarded a ship.
And finally, we arrived at Arvis Island.
As expected of an island in the south,
The turquoise sea stretched as far as the eye could see.
The white sand glistened under the sun.
It was like stepping into an anime or a movie.
Arvis Island was like a tropical paradise.
And…
“Attention! We’ll be dividing into pairs, so let’s draw lots!”
Professor Laf announced, holding a box of lots.
Why were they drawing lots when they could just pair up with whoever they wanted?
It was a classic web novel trope, a way to pair up the protagonist with the heroines.
Each student drew a lot, and their fate for the next week was decided.
And Arthur’s luck stat would come into play!
He would strengthen his bond with the heroine he was paired with.
Arthur’s luck stat had been so high in some instances that it had even influenced the plot.
But some students might have a preferred partner.
They would discreetly exchange lots among themselves.
“My partner is…”
“Me, Ethan.”
Ethan turned to see Tia standing beside him. He quickly glanced around.
Thankfully, Arthur was paired with Tesha.
His luck stat was truly a cheat code.
“Are you… disappointed that I’m your partner?”
“Huh? N-no, of course not.”
Tia glared at him.
Ethan flinched.
He had forgotten. Tia liked to be treated with respect. She was like a queen.
“I’m just kidding. Anyway, nice to be your partner for the week.”
“You too, Tia Erze.”
Professor Laf continued,
“Behold, Hero Candidates!”
He pointed towards a castle in the center of the island. A gray fortress stood majestically.
“This is the place where countless knights, heroes, and warriors fought valiantly against the evil necromancer Astaroth and his army!”
Professor Laf was a passionate, muscular man.
“I can feel their struggles, their tears, and their perseverance! It fills me with excitement!”
His eyes were even red with emotion.
Professor Laf, as a hand-to-hand combat instructor, was incredibly strong.
And he was a classic macho man with a tendency to ramble.
His defining features were his muscular physique and his strength, which could even crush a demon’s skull.
He was almost 2 meters tall.
He was nicknamed the “Academy’s Ogre.”
But he had one major weakness: he was a softie at heart.
“Laf Terberg is moved! It is truly beautiful to see someone walking the path they were destined to walk!”
He even referred to himself in the third person.
And whenever he was moved, he would launch into a long speech.
It was torture for his students.
“Don’t get too complacent just because midterms are over. Learn as much as you can from your seniors! Don’t disappoint me. That is all!”
His speech finally ended.
This island was a former battlefield.
And it was a beautiful place, so beautiful that it was easy to forget its history.
Many people visited the island for vacation.
It was one of the warmest places in the empire.
There were even beach huts selling tropical fruits and juices.
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In a basement.
Dimly lit candles flickered against the walls.
A voice emanated from the hexagram drawn on the altar.
“You’re saying that Zagan was defeated, following Andromalius?”
“Yes… I apologize.”
A man in a black hood bowed his head.
It had been almost 300 years since the empire had begun its campaign to eradicate the demons.
And the Demon Kings were regaining their lost power.
Andromalius was the weakest of the demon generals.
So, his defeat hadn’t come as a surprise.
He had been a disposable pawn.
A scout, nothing more.
But Zagan’s defeat was unexpected.
“Dantalion… who defeated Zagan? I heard it was a Hero Candidate. A first-year student.”
The eerie voice echoed through the basement.
“It was Ethan.”
“You said your plan was foolproof.”
Ethan had been the variable in both demon attacks.
Even Dantalion, known for his cunning and strategic brilliance, hadn’t anticipated Ethan’s interference.
“This time, I’ll target him directly. I heard the students from Neydia Hero Academy are on a school trip to Arvis Island.”
The island was also a place where demonic energy was particularly strong.
And it was the perfect place for revenge.
“Arvis Island… isn’t that the place where Beelzebub’s subordinate, Astaroth, was defeated?”
“This time, we’ll focus on Ethan. But we’ll avoid revealing our true strength.”
Each demon possessed unique abilities.
And they could also use magic.
Like humans who used and recovered mana, demons used and recovered demonic energy.
And the island was a mass grave from the battle 300 years ago.
“We’ll be able to recover quickly on that island.”
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The d!ckless eunuch, dense MC tropes rear their ugly heads.