.｡.:✧ Chapter 35 ✧:.｡.

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Elgrid, a city that was once an ordinary small town.

With the establishment of Aios Academy due to its bustling transportation, it quickly grew into a metropolis. Seen in a good light, it was a city of culture and freedom, but it also meant a high incidence of incidents.

The city had active exchanges with other countries via sea to the north, and it was easy for foreigners to settle here thanks to the kingdom’s friendly policies.

In a nutshell, Elgrid was a place where numerous races and diverse people gathered.

And naturally, where there are many people, all sorts of things are bound to happen.

“Ugh, what’s that smell?”

Hayun covered her nose with her hand, frowning as she looked around the alley.

“I heard they do this on purpose to keep people away.”

The alley, reeking of something like garbage, was almost devoid of human presence.

“Do you want a handkerchief?”

I shook my head at Hayun, who was offering one to me. The smell was unpleasant, but not unbearable.

“Here, Rin, use this.”

“Thanks.”

After giving one to Rin, Hayun pulled out another. I had wondered why she carried so many, but Rin asked for me.

“Why do you carry two handkerchiefs?”

“I actually have more.”

Hayun took out more handkerchiefs from the small bag at her waist. Each had a different design and seemed to be handmade.

“I’m not getting a living allowance anymore, so I’m trying to make some money by selling these. I’m quite good with my hands.”

“Wow, this is pretty.”

Indeed, she had previously said the purse-like pouch she was wearing was also her own creation.

Rin began asking how much they were and about various other things, and Hayun explained in detail, seeing a potential first customer in Rin. But…

“Guys, we’re here.”

In the alley, next to a trash can, stood a man smoking a cigarette. It didn’t seem to be the same kind Demalico smoked.

‘You don’t smoke it because it’s dangerous, right?’

I loosened my shoulders and walked in, and the man, noticing us, spat and warned.

“Kids, you could get hurt coming in here. Just go away.”

“We heard we could live here, is that true?”

Realizing we knew something, the man took a deep drag of his cigarette and started to measure us up, but I spoke first out of impatience.

“We’re friends of Demalico.”

“That flat-faced guy. He was told not to tell anyone else and to just keep it to himself, and now he’s blabbing to his friends? Tell that guy not to come here again.”

Threatening us to just scram as he had nothing for us, I nodded in satisfaction.

“Okay, so this is the right place.”

“What?”

With a dull thud, the man instantly collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Hayun and Rin looked at me in shock, but I just shrugged and headed inside.

At the end of the alley was a shabby door leading to a building.

As soon as I swung the door open, I saw a bar-like interior with a counter for drinking and people playing pool.

“Hmm?”

“What the, aren’t they academy students?”

“Didn’t Remi manage this properly?”

Apparently, Demalico hadn’t come this far in, as the atmosphere quickly turned hostile upon seeing us, the students.

I casually spoke to the two girls behind me.

“Hmm, you two know the birthday song, right?”

“What?”

“I know it…”

Confused by my sudden remark, I entered, closed the door behind us, and said.

“You two start singing that.”

“If there’s an attack from outside, the song will stop, and I’ll know to go right away.”

Click.

The door locked, and the thugs gave me a mocking laugh.

“What’s with this kid?”

“Thinks he’s something special because he learned a bit at school?”

“His sword seems pretty decent though, doesn’t it?”

Amidst the thugs’ threats, I heard Rin’s voice through the gap in the door.

“Happy birthday to you.”

“Are you really going to sing?”

“Yes? You told me to sing.”

Rin starts singing without hesitation, followed by Hayun, who hesitates before joining in. I imagine the two schoolgirls leaning against the door, singing, and can’t help but smile.

Bang!

Happy birthday to you~

Crack.

Dear Daniel~

Agh!

Happy birthday to you~

Screech.

“Enough, let’s go in.”

Just as I check in the mirror to see if there’s any blood on my face, the song ends.

The two girls enter with bewildered expressions, passing by the groaning thugs sprawled on the ground.

“Argh!”

“Ah! S-sorry.”

Hayun seems to have accidentally stepped on a hand, apologizing in shock. It must have hurt him, considering his arm was broken.

“I’ve roughly dealt with the people on the first floor, so we’re heading to the second. If anything happens, run immediately, got it?”

“Hmm.”

“……”

Hayun didn’t respond, looking uncomfortable, while Rin just quietly watched me.

“Rin?”

“No.”

She answers with a determined look, refusing to back down.

“If Daniel runs, I’ll run then too.”

Knowing she won’t listen anyway, I finally turn and head towards the stairs to the second floor.

Noise from above suggests that they’ve guessed what’s happening, probably due to the screams from the first floor.

But it made no difference.

The second floor.

The third floor.

The fourth floor.

The girls behind me didn’t move a finger, just followed, and I evaded the thugs’ attacks without a scratch.

‘Fighting demonic beasts was much harder.’

In my past life, I fought only with demonic beasts that could lift boulders with one hand, make the ground tremble just by walking, or cast multiple spells simultaneously. So, fighting humans, who were on a more equal footing, was always easier for me.

“Wow…”

“Daniel, you’re amazing.”

Hayun stared at me, awestruck, while Rin hopped around, cheering me on.

It’s a bit embarrassing, but anyway.

We reached the last floor, the fifth, and as we opened the door, an arrow shot towards us.

I moved to deflect it with my sword, but the arrow didn’t reach us and just fell to the ground.

“How dare someone….”

Rin quickly changed the atmosphere, exuding a deadly aura as she dispelled the protective magic. Inside was a large one-eyed man, a cigarette in his mouth, holding a crossbow.

“All beaten by such kids?”

“You’re the boss here?”

“Huh, unbelievable.”

The one-eyed man nonchalantly nodded, throwing his cigarette to the ground and stomping it out.

“Yes, I am Zavalanco, the head of Belon Corporation.”

“Corporation, what a joke…”

I almost spat out harsh words, but held back because of the girls behind me.

“Everyone’s a ‘corporation’ these days, just drug-dealing thugs pretending to be something else.”

My taunt seemed to work, as the man’s eyebrow twitched, but he didn’t rush forward recklessly.

‘Hmm.’

I noticed his thick arms, a posture that was arrogant yet ready to strike, balanced muscles.

‘Not just a regular thug leader, then?’

Different from the guys below who boasted about wielding mere tools.

“You came here wanting to show off what you learned in school, but you’ve made a big mistake.”

Zavalanco drew a curved, giant cutlass, a weapon commonly used by sailors, not unusual to see in Elgrid near the sea.

‘A pirate, perhaps?’

While speculating, I saw no need for formalities like a duel, so I lunged forward.

Crack!

He lifted his cutlass to block my sword.

“Ugh?”

Heavier than expected, Zavalanco’s veins bulged, but even as he pushed me back…

Thump.

I spun in mid-air, kicking him in the jaw, sending his large frame stumbling with a thud.

I had planned to charge in right away, but the distance was greater than expected, so I just threw my sword, impaling his shoulder.

“Agh!”

He screamed in pain, trying to endure it, but in that moment, I reached him, punched his solar plexus, and tripped him over.

“Wow.”

Clap, clap, clap.

Hayun and Rin seemed amazed at the spectacle.

“One of you go call the guards. We’re going to round all these guys up.”

“I’ll go.”

The swift-footed Hayun quickly left the room. That’s why I brought her along.

I planned to have Hayun call the guards while I gathered information…

But now there was one more person. Rin stood, staring at me and the groaning Zavalanco.

“Rin, just close the door and wait outside for a bit.”

What I was about to do was rather cruel and not for students to hear, so I sent her out.

Seeming to trust me now, she nodded and asked before leaving.

“Should I sing?”

“…If you want to.”

Rin playfully smiled, closed the door, and left.

San~ bunny, bunny~

Rin’s song, a simple children’s tune, but sung in a beautiful voice, mingled with the screams as I stepped on Zavalanco’s hand, breaking his fingers.

“Aaaagh!”

Her song and his screams blended eerily together.

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