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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The academy was in a bit of an uproar.
There were two reasons for this.
One, I, who had been considered an oddball until now, had dealt a significant blow to Prion, the second-ranked cadet. Two, Prion, after suffering such humiliation, had gone missing.
The most popular theory about Prion’s disappearance was that he was ‘too ashamed to show his face after losing to the bandaged guy,’ but I didn’t buy it.
It was definitely Rain’s doing. It would be stranger not to know that by now.
The main objective had been to expel that guy, unfit for the grand title of ‘Hero,’ from the academy, and in terms of results, it was a success. Although I couldn’t resolve it on my own and had to rely on my comrades.
As a consequence of causing such a stir, I had to endure the whispers and stares from other cadets.
Some club leaders, surprised by the sight of me, who had remained in the middle ranks without any notable achievements, gaining the upper hand against Prion, even approached me with offers to join their clubs.
While I was considering joining a club to enjoy some leisure activities, now wasn’t the time.
Feeling awkward and embarrassed about causing such a big fuss, I avoided them and headed to the top floor of the academy. Rain always said that the Headmaster’s office was open to all cadets, but strangely, there wasn’t a single soul around.
Maybe it was Rain’s aura. She might not be aware of it, but even her mere presence exuded a considerable amount of pressure.
I opened the door, but the owner of the room was nowhere to be seen.
‘What poor security.’ I thought to myself. ‘Did she forget to lock up when she stepped out?’ With that thought, I casually strolled into the room where Rain kept her cookies.
‘I’ll pay her back later.’ I reassured myself. ‘It’s not like I’m stealing.’
As I grabbed a cookie, justifying my actions to no one in particular, I heard the sound of the door opening.
The slow creak of the hinges seemed particularly loud, a testament to my guilt.
‘Stay calm.’ I thought. ‘Confidence is half the battle.’
“W-Who’s there?”
My voice betrayed my nervousness, sounding like a thief caught red-handed.
“Greetings.”
The reply came in a warm voice, as if absolving me of all my sins.
The gentle, comforting tone, with its hint of playfulness, could only belong to one person. There was no mistaking it.
“Lian?”
Come to think of it, Lian was also present during my duel with Prion. The memory of her holy power, its color a perfect match for her silver hair, flashed before my eyes.
“…Apologies for the delayed greeting. How are you?”
She said, placing a hand on her chest and bowing slightly. Even after earning the title of ‘Saint’ and the respect of countless people, Lian never forgot her manners.
I’d encountered her several times since the disbandment of the original Hero’s party, during the Labyrinth of Trials and the duel with Prion, but it had been a while since we’d properly greeted each other. Back then, I ended up bursting into tears.
“You haven’t changed a bit. Good to see you, Lian.”
“Yes, Ron… You…”
Lian trailed off, her voice catching in her throat as if she were about to cry. Her sudden shift in emotions took me by surprise.
‘What? Why is she about to cry? Did she see me taking the cookie? Is she thinking, ‘He shouldn’t have done that, but he’s an old friend, so what can I do?’’
It seemed like I was the cause of her distress, and since I was here to see Rain, it was probably best to excuse myself.
“Here to see Rain? The door was open, so I figured she’d be back soon. I’ll just be…”
“Where are you going?”
“Huh? You’re not here to see Rain?”
“No. I followed your aura. I have no business with Rain.”
Her straightforward answer, leaving no room for misinterpretation, rendered me speechless. Was Lian always this assertive?
Lian approached me, her soft hand reaching out to caress my face.
She traced the contours of my cheek, her touch lingering beneath my ear, her fingers brushing against my neck.
Her touch, ticklish and almost seductive, made me want to pull away. But before I could retreat, her other hand shot out, encircling my neck, preventing my escape.
“Haha. I’d prefer it if you didn’t do that.”
“…You’ll just run away again if I let go.”
“What if someone sees the Saint being so intimate with a man?”
“I have a double in my place. No one will come looking for me.”
“Even a double can’t fool everyone. What if someone from the church enters the temple?”
“They wouldn’t dare enter without permission. There’s no need to worry.”
As she spoke, her other hand moved to my bandages, her touch gentle. A silver light emanated from her hand, enveloping my eyes.
“Bright.”
Despite the bandages covering my eyes, the intense light made me squint. Lian continued, her touch unwavering. She traced the hidden scars beneath the bandages, her touch gentle yet insistent. She continued to channel her healing magic without a word.
After a while, the silver light faded, and Lian withdrew her hand.
“…As expected… It seems even my powers can’t heal these old scars…”
“It’s fine. You don’t have to worry about it.”
“…But they bother me. The marks of pain etched onto your beautiful face…”
“Beautiful?”
“Yes… Your beautiful face, a sight I can barely behold…”
“Haha. I appreciate the sentiment.”
I tried to brush it off, but her words, sincere despite their absurdity, warmed me.
I attempted to pull away, but Lian tightened her grip, her embrace a comforting pressure. Her ample bosom pressed against my chest, the sensation surprisingly pleasant.
It was almost as if she were trying to seduce me with her subtle movements, her body rubbing against mine.
“So, why did you seek me out?”
I steered the conversation back on track.
Lian, startled by my abrupt change of topic, released me and sat down. It seemed like I could finally have a proper conversation.
“…You… You have the communication mana stone, don’t you?”
“Mana stone… Oh, right. I have it somewhere…”
I rarely used it. I think I’d only used it once since receiving it.
“You forgot, didn’t you? I knew it… To think you’d forget so quickly…”
Lian feigned a sob, her voice thick with fake tears.
Her dramatic display, complete with exaggerated sniffles, made it clear she was just messing around. Lian was always the mood maker of our group. With Rain and Odrox being a bit stiff, and Sola’s quick temper, she was the glue that held our party together, preventing us from descending into chaos.
I could tell she was trying to lighten the mood after our earlier tension.
“So, you’re here to get it back?”
“No, that’s not the main reason. But now that I’ve mentioned it, please don’t forget to use it. This is your last chance…”
Her voice, suddenly serious, sent chills down my spine. What did she mean by ‘last chance’?
Was she still joking? Her tone was too serious for it to be a joke.
I couldn’t decipher her intentions. Her expression was hidden from me, making it difficult to gauge her true feelings.
The ticking of the clock seemed to urge me to respond. Breaking free from my thoughts, I quickly replied.
“I’ll… I’ll try my best.”
“Yes! That’s all I ask!”
Her relieved sigh suggested she hadn’t expected much from me. I wasn’t sure if I should be offended or not.
As I breathed a sigh of relief, having navigated that conversation, Lian scooted closer, her voice barely a whisper.
“…Are you uncomfortable?”
Uncomfortable? With you practically sitting on my lap? Of course, I’m uncomfortable. Please move.
…Those were the words I wanted to say. But my intuition screamed at me to stay silent. I swallowed my words and forced a smile, hoping to convey my discomfort.
There. Can’t you see my strained smile? I’m uncomfortable, so please back up.
“Hehe…”
Lian nuzzled her face against my chest, her actions defying all logic. It seemed like my attempt at expressing discomfort had backfired spectacularly.
The sensation wasn’t unpleasant, but this wasn’t something to be seen by others.
Here we were, alone on a sofa. Me, leaning back comfortably, and her, the Saint, leaning against me, rubbing her face against my chest.
It was a scene ripe for misinterpretation. Like some rich pervert buying the Saint’s affections.
‘Don’t get the wrong idea.’ I thought to myself. ‘I may have helped her a lot in the past, but this isn’t driven by romantic feelings.’
It was probably just her expressing her joy at reuniting with a comrade who’d left without a word. Or maybe she was just acting like a child seeking attention from her guardian.
“So? What’s the real reason you came here?”
As I changed the subject, Lian stopped nuzzling me and adopted a more serious tone.
“You wear those bandages because you’re self-conscious about your scars, right? Don’t you find them uncomfortable?”
Ah, so she was talking about the bandages covering my eyes. It wasn’t that they bothered me.
Of course, it was a nuisance at first. I bumped into things, tripped over obstacles, and even got into arguments because I couldn’t see properly.
But now, apart from not being able to see people’s expressions, it didn’t bother me that much.
Of course, there were downsides. I had to change the bandages regularly, and sometimes they felt too tight, making it difficult to breathe.
“Even if they’re unsightly, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Even [Divine Miracle], Lian’s most potent healing spell, had no effect on these scars.
Potions didn’t work either. And even if they did heal the surface wounds, the root cause remained, and new scars would inevitably appear.
“…If I travel with you and continuously heal your wounds…”
“Are you suggesting I treat the Saint like a walking potion dispenser? You’d be labeled a heretic for that.”
“But… You can’t keep enduring this discomfort…”
I wasn’t sure why Lian was so concerned about me. We were close, sure, but I never considered her someone who’d go this far for me.
“Well, is there a solution?”
I asked, not because I had any hope, but because I was curious about her intentions.
“Maybe… We can discuss it with Rain and Sola when they get back…”
Lian’s hesitant tone suggested she had no concrete solution either.
I had a bad feeling about this. Rain and Sola’s involvement would only complicate matters…
“Ron! You’re here!”
“…Lian? What’s going on?”
As if on cue, Rain and Sola entered the room, their eyes widening at the sight of us.
“Oh, we were just discussing how to remove Ron’s scars.”
It seemed like I wouldn’t be able to escape this conversation anytime soon.
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