—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Lush Youth
It is said that the academy students, enjoying their youthful days, use student council rooms, disciplinary committee rooms, and club rooms as their bases, engaging in various activities.
Exciting activities like group trips.
Although I was technically an academy student, I was already a relic of a bygone era.
The original Hero’s party, led by Rain, had been officially disbanded, their achievements recorded in books and sung by bards across the land.
To sing of a living person as a legend… what a strange hobby.
If I had heard a song about myself, I would have died of shame.
Though young in age, I was an old man compared to the student council members in terms of experience. Instead of having a student council room as my base, I ended up using the Headmaster’s office.
Anyone would be envious enough to foam at the mouth seeing this. To be in the famous Hidin Academy Headmaster’s office, sipping tea and enjoying cookies, while chatting with members of the original Hero’s party…
… It was a shame Odrox wasn’t here.
“Where’s Odrox?”
“He’s busy with his duties in his territory.”
Rain said, handing me a letter from Odrox. I took it, but since Odrox wasn’t skilled at manipulating mana delicately, I couldn’t read the letter even with my eyes wide open beneath the bandages.
“By the way, Ron. You’ve already revealed your face to the Silver-ranks, haven’t you? Can’t you just take off the bandages now?”
“Well, yeah, I did…”
As Sola pointed out, I had revealed my bare face to the Silver-rank cadets. And that was precisely why I couldn’t take off the bandages.
Mirsen and my companions were a bit unusual, so they didn’t react much. But any ordinary person would have frowned or let out a gasp like the Silver-rank cadets did.
It wasn’t about whether or not my face would be seen.
Taking off the bandages would not only upset others but also, my condition had worsened recently. If I didn’t cover my eyes, my hands would instinctively reach up to scratch at them.
“So, we’re trying to find a way to remove Ron’s scars?”
Rain brought the conversation back to the original topic.
Lian nodded, and Sola, instead of replying, opened a thick book—probably related to magic.
It felt burdensome that they were going through so much trouble for me. Yet, seeing them try to help warmed my heart.
Time passed slowly.
Despite the Headmaster’s office door being unlocked, there were no signs of students, not even footsteps in the hallway.
The scent of tea and cookies wafted through the room, accompanied by the gentle rustling of pages as Sola flipped through her book.
Through the open window, I could occasionally hear the enthusiastic shouts of students training.
It was the perfect environment to fall asleep. Rain and Lian weren’t speaking loudly, and they weren’t addressing me either.
Everyone seemed lost in their thoughts.
I tried to come up with ways to erase my scars, but I had already tried everything and failed. I had given up.
I had even consulted a non-holy power healer, a physician, but he charged an exorbitant fee and simply said, “It’s incurable.”
I had even poured expensive potions into my eyes, but they had no effect.
But who knew? The people here were among the most renowned figures on the continent. Maybe they could come up with a brilliant solution.
I felt a pang of guilt at the thought of receiving so much help without offering anything in return.
I picked up a cookie and took a bite.
The sweetness, with a hint of tartness, began to slow down my racing thoughts.
It was peaceful.
Incomparably more so than when we were in the Demon Realm.
My obscured vision went completely dark.
+++
Ron often acted alone. I wasn’t sure if it was the nature of scouting, but he often operated in areas where the rest of us couldn’t see him.
That’s why he was so adept at concealing his presence. He moved silently, blending into the shadows, even when he slept.
I watched him sleep, his breathing so shallow it was almost undetectable. His stillness made him seem more like a statue than a sleeping person.
But as his former comrade, I knew better.
When Ron slept, his movements were minimal. His breathing was even shallower than usual, his heartbeat slower. He never tossed and turned, and the slightest change in his surroundings would wake him.
Perhaps it was a side effect of being constantly vigilant in the harsh Demon Realm.
The thought made my heart ache. ‘I should start working on that spell for him…’
Thud─
“Gasp.”
Weight.
A flash of jet-black hair before my eyes.
The slight chill of a body resting against my thigh.
‘This can’t be happening.’
It can’t be happening.
This is impossible.
I repeated those words in my mind, even as I began to process the reality unfolding before me.
Ron’s body, always still in his sleep, had tilted and settled against my thigh.
“Bliss…”
I clamped a hand over my mouth, cutting myself off mid-sentence.
The situation itself was pure bliss, enough to make me mutter unconsciously.
But this unexpected happiness wouldn’t last. Ron was a light sleeper. The slightest movement or sound from me would wake him.
For now, I should just…
I closed my book and admired his sleeping face. It was a shame I couldn’t see his eyes.
“…Sola. Switch places with me.”
Lian, who was sitting opposite me—and had chosen the wrong spot—whined softly. But I wasn’t kind enough to listen to the pleas of a loser.
‘Ron chose me.’ I thought triumphantly, sending a smirk in her direction.
I turned my attention back to Ron, his breathing soft and even.
Lian and Rain were quiet, not wanting to wake him.
The chirping of birds, the scent of tea and cookies, the chatter of students…
Everything was peaceful, calming my nerves. I couldn’t help but imagine us in a blissful domestic scene, like newlyweds.
As I reveled in this moment, feeling his weight and warmth against my leg, Ron’s hand slowly rose, pulling me back to reality.
His jagged fingernails scraped against the air.
He was about to scratch his face.
I grabbed his arm, stopping him just in time. But that brief moment of happiness was quickly replaced by a familiar pang of sorrow.
“Oh, sorry.”
Ron woke up, his eyes meeting mine briefly before he apologized. Despite the casual tone, his apology was sincere.
But I didn’t reply. I didn’t want to.
I just wanted to create that magic for him, as soon as possible.
+++
‘What’s with the sudden gloom?’ I thought. ‘It’s so depressing it makes me want to puke up the cookies I just ate.’
Maybe I should dance to lighten the mood.
Just as I was about to showcase my moves for five minutes, Sola slammed her book shut.
“Ron, look here. Take off the bandages.”
“Uh… What? Okay.”
It would be rude to refuse after they’d gone through so much trouble for me.
I untied the tightly knotted bandages.
The sunlight streaming through the open window made me squint slightly. I could feel the puckered skin around my scars wrinkle.
“Look at me.”
I turned to Sola. Her fiery red hair and eyes were unchanged. Even her professor’s robe, which I’d initially found strange, seemed to suit her now.
She began chanting, enunciating each syllable carefully. It was unusual for her to chant so slowly, without her signature multi-casting.
Her long, drawn-out incantation, which seemed out of character for the Archmage, finally ended. She gestured for me to approach, and I let out a sigh of relief.
She looked like a novice, terrified of failure and relieved at her success.
“Why are you so scared?”
“…It’s a new spell, and you’re the first subject. It’s only natural to be nervous.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a strange sensation washed over my face.
It felt like I was wearing a leather mask.
“…Oh! It seems to have worked! Although it seems to be reverting you to a slightly younger version of yourself…”
“Did it work? Sola?”
“No. The magic worked, but it didn’t erase the scars.”
Rain’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she spoke to Sola, who shook her head, confirming that the fundamental issue hadn’t been resolved.
Lian handed me a small mirror.
‘Is this… me?’
I muttered to myself. It was my face from long ago, before the scars. My once marred eyes were clear and unblemished.
While I wasn’t overjoyed, it was fascinating.
Overwhelmed by the sight of my old face and Sola’s incredible feat, I instinctively looked at my companions.
I wished Odrox were here. He might not have expressed it openly, but he would have been just as fascinated.
I could see them all clearly. Their familiar yet unfamiliar faces imprinted themselves on my retinas.
Lian’s watery eyes.
Sola’s anxious expression.
Rain’s wide, surprised eyes.
And then my gaze locked onto Rain’s, her eyes like a deep blue lake.
The moment our eyes met, my fingers twitched. It was an old habit I hadn’t been able to break.
I looked back at the mirror, my hand trembling slightly.
My face was clear. And that was precisely why it brought back memories.
‘Move.’
‘Erase this worthless emotion.’
‘You must feel pain.’
I clenched my fists, but the urge wouldn’t go away. Closing my eyes didn’t help; Rain’s gaze, already etched into my memory, haunted my thoughts.
So I just did it. As if propelled by the suppressed urge, my hand moved faster than usual.
Pain was the best escape from other emotions. The searing pain consumed my senses, leaving no room for self-loathing or shame.
Thankfully, or perhaps unfortunately, I felt better as soon as I did it.
I opened my eyes.
I saw the pained expressions of the people I considered family.
Lian’s tearful face.
Rain’s wide eyes, her hand reaching out to grab mine, a moment too late.
Sola, clutching her head in self-reproach.
The realization hit me: I was the cause of their pain.
I had suffered the physical wound, but they bore the emotional scars.
Because of me, they were hurting.
It seemed like my mere existence was hurting them.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[Your Text Here]
