Chapter 197 : The dragon subjugation order
Eldmed’s cackle echoed throughout the large auditorium.
“It’s not just a dice game, it’s THE dice game. And that was Anosh Polticoal. The pride of the Demon King Academy, and a boy genius!” (Eldmed)
Eldmed stared at Heine’s mopey expression, and spoke.
“If you’re dissatisfied with the outcome, then you’re a weakling. I don’t care how many times you challenge him. But in return, for every time you lose, I will increase by 10% the number of lectures at the Hero Academy. And be sure that I, the Conflagration King, will give you feeble little things an intensive education. So?” (Eldmed)
Heine gritted his teeth and turned on his heel.
“…You demons play as dirty as ever, passing off this monster as a kid. Just like when you pretended that the Demon King was an unsuitable misfit. Can’t stand the lot of you.” (Heine)
Heine got off the podium while waving his hand in the air.
But instead of returning to his seat, he headed for the door.
“H-Hold on, Heine-kun! Where are you going?! Class isn’t over yet!” Emilia uttered in panic while glaring at him.
“Huh? Oh shut up, Emilia.” (Heine)
“Show some respect, I’m your teacher!” (Emilia)
“Huh? Respect? To a demon? What a joke, seriously.” (Heine)
Heine shrugged and put his hand on the door.
“Get back here, Heine-kun!” (Emilia)
“Lay off already. I’m just going to the restrooms.” (Heine)
“That’s what you said the day before yesterday, and you didn’t come back to class!” (Emilia)
Heine sighed in an ostentatious manner.
“I had a stomach ache. It lasted all day. If you want, you can come and keep watch on me. All the way to the toilets, that is.” (Heine)
Heine laughed aloud.
Emilia looked humiliated.
“What an interesting suggestion.” Eldmed said as if to break the stagnant mood before stepping forward.
“Now, how about I, the Conflagration King, take you to the john so we can both take a pee?” (Eldmed)
“…Wha…?” (Heine)
“Ohh, unless…” (Eldmed)
Eldmed pointed at Heine with his cane, and displayed a gentlemanly expression.
“It’s for a #2?” (Eldmed)
After Eldmed said that in a stuck-up fashion, Heine glared at him like he was looking at something foul.
As he stood there, unable to move, the Conflagration King walked up to him and put his hand on his shoulder.
“Now, won’t you show me the way?” (Eldmed)
Heine jumped back as fast as he could.
“I-I was just kidding! That was clearly just a joke! Everybody knows that bathroom break happens before class, sheesh!” (Heine)
Heine dashed away and returned to his seat.
As if he was fearing for his own physical safety.
“Khahaha! Just what I thought, you weakling. Bluffing to gain the upper hand is all well and good. So I’ll be expecting more entertaining lies next time. Do your best to outsmart me, the Conflagration King.” (Eldmed)
With clattering footsteps, Eldmed walked back to the podium.
“Oh, and Anosh, you may return to your seat now.” (Eldmed)
I got off the podium and went back to my seat.
The Hero Academy students began chattering again, saying things like “So that’s the boy genius of the Demon King Academy” or “The demons are a real bunch of monsters, just like their Demon King…” and so on.
But among them, one mysterious comment caught my attention.
『Can the Almighty make a sword no one can ever lift?』(???)
It was a small question that wasn’t addressed to anyone.
No, if anything, maybe it was addressed to me.
On the condition that the one asking it was convinced that I would hear their voice, that is.
I stopped and looked back in the direction of that voice.
There sat a girl.
With silver-white hair in a bob cut, and golden eyes.
She was all white, and had an air of transparency to her.
Her beauty alone seemed to create a different kind of dimension where she stood, almost as if magic was involved.
But what was most unusual about her was the foreign clothing she was wearing.
Her attire, which I had never seen before, was neither from Azesion nor Dilhade.
Someone who wasn’t dressed in the Academy uniform was sitting in this large auditorium and blending in, yet no one was questioning it.
This felt really odd to me.
『If the Almighty cannot make a sword no one can ever lift, then he is not the Almighty.』the girl said.
『If the Almighty made a sword that no one can lift, then that sword could not be lifted even by the Almighty. He who cannot lift the sword cannot be called omnipotent. Therefore, he cannot be the Almighty.』(Girl in white)
That was a curious, existential question.
『Is there no Almighty in this world?』(Girl in white)
However, I was certain that it was addressed to me.
The transparent girl looked straight in my direction.
『Let me know when you find the answer.』(Girl in white)
With those words, the foreign girl disappeared.
There was no one in that chair.
“Anosh.” (Misha)
I heard Misha’s voice.
“Anything wrong?” (Misha)
“Did you see who was sitting there?” (Anos)
Misha blinked before shaking her head.
“There was nobody there.” (Misha)
Hmm. Then was I the only one who saw her?
I guess she sent her mental picture directly to my brain.
Still, what an enigma.
‘Can the Almighty make a sword no one can ever lift’, she asked?
I had no idea who she was or where she came from, but she asked the strangest questions.
Her question didn’t seem particularly meaningful. Answering it would be a pointless endeavor.
Well, surely she would contact me again next time she had business with me.
“All right, then.” (Anos)
I sat down next to Misha.
“Now, let’s start the school exchange program, shall w—” (Emilia)
As Emilia spoke, the entrance door was opened.
The one who came in was a man dressed in a red priest’s robe.
His hair was short, and the top of his head was bald.
His physique wasn’t slim by any standard, and his loose-fitting robe was swelling up so much it could burst any time.
The bald man walked straight to the podium.
“Headmaster Zamira… Is anything the matter…?” Emilia asked.
Zamira answered with a sour look.
“The royal palace has issued a decree regarding Arclanisca.” (Zamira)
Upon hearing the word ‘decree’, Emilia looked annoyed.
“…Whatever are you talking about?” (Emilia)
“I’ve come to explain just that. Now shut up and listen.” (Zamira)
With a look of irritation on her face, Emilia nodded in response.
Zamira took one glance at Shin and Eldmed, who were also on the podium, and then turned to the students.
“Ahem! The royal court has issued a decree for the people of the selective class. So listen attentively.” (Zamira)
He cleared his throat.
“As you may have heard, just the other day, beasts known as dragons were spotted in various parts of Azesion. When the royal court conducted their private investigation, they discovered that this dragon feeds on humans. If nothing is done, there is a high possibility that it will bring harm to the people and cities of Azesion.” (Zamira)
Although he called it the royal court’s private investigation, Igareth was probably the one who leaked all that intel to them.
The humans of this era were normally incapable of understanding the threat dragons posed this quickly.
“Therefore, a royal decree was issued to the selective class of Arclanisca. You will be dispatched all over Azesion to slay dragons. The royal court has high expectations for your heroic accomplishments, and believe that you will respond to them without fail. Be sure to prove them right.” (Zamira)
I was certain that Dilhade repeatedly warned Azesion of the danger dragons posed, so it didn’t make sense for them to entrust this subjugation mission to the Hero Academy.
Now that they had lost even the trust of their fellow citizens, the Heroes were by no means military assets of any value.
Because this meant that they were unable to draw out the full power of <Sanctuary Aske>.
My plan was to take advantage of the school exchange program to secretly hunt the dragons with only the Demon KIng Academy staff and students, but it appeared that we had deviated a bit from it.
“That is all.” (Zamira)
Emilia calls out to Zamira, who is about to leave the podium.
“Um… Headmaster Zamira. When you say that the students will be hunting dragons, do you mean that they will operate under the command of the Royal Army? I think I saw royal soldiers standing in front of the academy earlier…” (Emilia)
“Those soldiers are here for a separate matter. The royal court’s request is for Arclanisca only, and ordered that everything be entrusted to the students. This is a trial that they must complete on their own.” (Zamira)
“…What…? W-Wait a second! Are you telling the students to go hunt mutant-class creatures on their own?!” (Emilia)
As she reflexively snapped at him, the headmaster directed his cold gaze at her.
