Book 1 Chapter 932

932.

Evening as the sun set.

Countless people were coming and going on Reisar Street.

The large pub on the street was bustling with people.

Gulp- Gulp- Gulp-

Illiana, who had found a seat in a corner, excitedly chugged the contents of her beer glass.

"Phew! Ah, that's good!"

Illiana, who had downed the drink in one go, slammed her beer glass down!

"Indeed, there's nothing sweeter than this one glass after a day's work!"

"Anyone would think it's real alcohol."

At that, Chloe, who was passing by, let out a chuckle.

"Oh! Aren't you the sword master from the dojo! I heard there were a lot of students today too?"

Illiana offered her the seat opposite.

"How is it? Is being a master fun?"

"It's hard because I don't know much about swordsmanship."

Chloe sighed softly.

Chloe's role was set as the master of the village sword dojo, a female knight who had been active on the battlefield until a few years ago.

"The image suits you, though."

Illiana smiled brightly.

"Giving hints or quests to the kids is all about training them."

"Hmm?"

"So, I decided to do some research starting yesterday."

"Huh? Research?"

"Yeah. All the kids who come to me are knights and warriors."

This city has countless entrances to the Shadow World.

Most of the hints related to these entrances are given by villagers associated with that class.

As a sword master, Chloe is bound to attract front-line fighters who handle aura.

"Researching those kinds of kids? It's not magic research, is it?"

"Yeah. I experimented to see how much training intensity a person can endure."

"Chloe, just in case, I'm asking."

"Yeah."

"You didn't happen to reference the class president's training method for your experiment, did you?"

"I did reference it? Do you want to try it too? It seems quite effective…"

"Hee-ee-eek?!"

Illiana convulsed and sprang to her feet.

"What interesting story are you talking about?"

Just then, Nella appeared from behind, grabbed Illiana's shoulder, and sat her back down.

"Class president! The class president's training! Chloe is going to torment me with the class president's training!"

Illiana, held by Nella's shoulder and clutching her head, struggled as if having a fit.

Nella looked at Chloe as if chiding her.

"Chloe. You shouldn't torment Illiana."

"I haven't particularly tormented anyone."

Just as Chloe made a perplexed expression.

"What's all the commotion again?"

Celia, who came with Nella, asked.

After Chloe explained the whole story, Celia brushed her hair back.

"That's such a fuss over nothing."

"Celia, your hand is trembling."

At Nella's words, Celia forcibly grabbed her trembling hand.

"Ugh?! My body instinctively…!"

It was Celia, more than anyone else, who had suffered the most from torture disguised as training since before her admission.

Looking at the two showing reactions like deep trauma, Chloe thought.

'Come to think of it, even the first-year students screamed, didn't they?'

Not only Lumen, but students from other schools also screamed.

'I wondered if this was really training, but it was indeed torture level.'

Leo said it was nothing, so I thought it was strange, but it really was strange.

"You guys came here too?"

Just then, the pub door opened, and three people entered.

It was Abad, Duran, and Woreden.

Abad smiled and said.

"Should we combine tables?"

At his words, Illiana smiled faintly.

"Today, we're spending time just us girls."

"Oh, really?"

Abad looked at Celia with a disappointed expression.

Celia quickly waved her hand.

Then Duran spoke.

"Chloe."

"Yes?"

"I heard a rumor spread that the sword master of the dojo is a mad scientist experimenting on her students. First-year students are hoarding joint medicine at the alchemy shop."

"Hmm. I guess I went a bit too far. I'll restrain myself."

"I'm not interested in that. Rather, what kind of training are you giving them?"

"Huh?"

"It seems quite effective, from what I can see."

Duran leaned his face close to Chloe, making her uncomfortable.

Chloe blinked her blue eyes as she looked at Duran.

"I reinterpreted Leo's training in my own way."

"A training method reinterpreted from a mage's perspective. Interesting. Can you tell me about it?"

"You're a bit too close, Duran."

Chloe looked troubled as Duran promptly sat next to her.

"Now, now. Duran. Let's ask about that later. It seems like the girls are having their time today, so let's us guys have dinner by ourselves."

Abad led Duran to another table.

Woreden, who was following them, glanced back.

Celia and Illiana were holding Nella's arms.

In Nella's tensed hand was a bottle of soda.

Woreden lightly shook his head.

As the boys left, Celia released Nella and sighed.

"Nella. Aren't you subtly aggressive?"

"Huh? Was I?"

"Duran didn't approach Chloe with any particularly sinister intentions, you know."

"I know that. But Duran often treats female students casually, so I guess I flared up without realizing it."

Nella sighed softly.

"Well. He is a prince who lives on his own self-importance, so he acts as he pleases."

Celia clicked her tongue.

Listening to their conversation, Illiana's eyes sparkled.

"By the way, you're getting jealous. Did you two finally decide to date?"

"We're still in the getting-to-know-each-other stage."

"Duran doesn't seem to dislike it either, though?"

"Really?"

At Chloe's words, Nella smiled shyly.

Looking at Nella, Celia made a bewildered expression.

"What do you like about that sharp guy?"

"At first, I thought he was too overconfident… but the more I saw him, the better he seemed. Especially when he sets a goal, his dedication without getting distracted is cool, isn't it?"

"Is that so? I don't really know."

"And what about you? The atmosphere between you and Abad, who used to be rivals, is quite good, isn't it?"

"Well. Even if he's a bit unlucky, he's a good person morally."

Illiana grumbled, watching the two talk about Abad and Duran.

"That's why I didn't let them sit here, you know? It's heartwarming to see, but also a bit of an eyesore, wouldn't you say, Chloe?"

"Is that so?"

"Ah. Isn't the class president coming?"

"Leo has no reason to interact with first-year students, so he won't come here."

"Tsk."

Illiana pouted her lips.

This pub was a place where first-year students were forbidden entry.

And it was also the only place in Reisar where they didn't have to be bound by their role-playing.

As such, most of the second and third-year students, whose schedules were finished, gathered here.

"Anyway."

Illiana rested her chin on her hand and glanced at those working in the pub.

"They look like shadows, don't they?"

"Yeah. I saw people whose atmosphere was similar to Sia's."

At Illiana's words, Chloe nodded.

Celia and Nella, who had been talking about Abad and Duran, also joined the conversation.

"Does Leo want shadows and heroes to become closer?"

"It seems so. I've never seen so many shadows in my life."

Celia said, crossing her arms.

The Jerdinger family also raised many shadows.

But Celia had only met them indirectly.

She had never met them directly.

"Hmm. What would it feel like to fight alongside shadows?"

Just then, Illiana crossed her arms and made a serious expression.

"One of the roles of shadows is to escort heroes, isn't it?"

"That's right."

"I can't quite imagine it. As a knight, I'm used to protecting someone. Do you know, Celia?"

"I'm the same as you, Illiana."

She was used to being escorted.

The Raden family, though not as much as Jerdinger, was also a renowned noble family.

Nella's family, Carven, was the same.

"First of all, we're still unfamiliar with fighting Hero Hunters, aren't we?"

Nella stopped speaking there.

Before long, the waiter brought the ordered drinks and food.

As the serving waiter left, Nella slapped the back of Illiana's hand, which was reaching for her beer glass, and said.

"Ugh. You're stingy, Nella."

If the contents of Chloe, Celia, and Illiana's beer glasses were soda, Nella's glass, having undergone the coming-of-age ceremony, contained real alcohol.

Nella neatly ignored Illiana's protest and looked at Celia.

"Celia, you have experience fighting, don't you?"

"I've only had it once… and I wasn't alone, plus the Hero Hunters weren't normal either."

Celia recalled her past experience fighting Hero Hunters who had acquired demonic power by conquering the world of the legion.

Monsters who possessed human malice but had abandoned their humanity.

They were horrifying in a different sense than demon beasts or demons.

"If I recall them… cooperation with shadows will be essential in future battles. Leo must have arranged this place for that very reason."

At Celia's words, the girls nodded their heads, "Mm-hmm."

Clang-

The door opened, and someone entered.

"Oh? It's the Seirun kids."

At that, Chloe looked towards the entrance.

"Ah! Hello, everyone."

Eiran greeted them with a bright smile.

Lunia approached them and said.

"Hello."

"Yeah. But where's Ar?"

As Illiana tilted her head, Eiran said.

"Ar went to train."

"Train? In the evening?"

"Yes. She said she's having special training today."

Eiran smiled sweetly, recalling Ar's joyful expression as she went for special training alone with Azonia.

"But what were you talking about?"

"About shadows and Hero Hunters."

"If it's that topic, we're interested too. Can we join?"

"Of course."

Lunia and Eiran joined their table.

"How are the Hero Hunters moving on the elf side?"

"It's not normal. We tracked down traitors to eliminate them… but many have instead defeated their pursuers and gone into hiding."

Lunia sighed deeply.

Generally, those deeply involved with the Pureblood Society often ended up as traitors to their race.

Lunia was utterly flabbergasted.

They had so shamelessly peddled Luna's name, yet they themselves were unhesitatingly committing acts that desecrated Luna.

Just as Lunia was about to erupt in irritated anger.

"Whoa! I lost again!?"

"That lady has terrible luck!"

A commotion broke out in one part of the pub.

"What's all the fuss about?"

"It's a gambling den."

Lunia made a puzzled expression, and Celia sighed.

This pub also operated a gambling den.

Of course, students could also use it, but it was mostly a place where shadows passed the time.

"Honestly. I don't know what other races find so fun about getting so engrossed in such things."

Lunia let out a soft, deep sigh.

At her words, Illiana tilted her head.

"Didn't you say elves don't usually gamble?"

"Of course not. Elves are a race that dislikes anything unreasonable to begin with. Unreasonable gambling where the house has a probabilistic advantage is disliked by the race as a whole."

"Aah! Wait a minute! Just one more time!"

"Stop it, Rea, you have no money left."

"Lend it to me! I'll pay you back with my body if I have to!"

"Th- you can't say such things carelessly!"

"…"

Lunia froze when she spotted Rea being dragged out from the entrance of the gambling den by Luke.

Judging by his guard attire, Luke seemed to be playing the role of working in this gambling den.

"Didn't you say they disliked it on a racial level?"

Illiana giggled.

Just then.

Rea spotted Lunia and rushed over frantically.

"Senior Lunia! Please lend me some money! I'll win and pay you back double!"

"…Who are you?"

"Huh?"

"Lu- Lunia. Even so, it's Rea."

"I don't know this elf… no, human."

"She's even denying being an elf altogether."

Chloe shook her head.

Just as Rea's shoulders slumped.

"Money, shall I lend it to you?"

"What?!"

Rea's eyes sparkled.

"I can lend it to you if there's someone reliable to vouch for you."

Everyone turned their heads at the voice from behind.

Lunia and Eiran wore blank expressions.

'Lady Azonia?'

'What about Ar?'

***

"Is this the center of Azho Desert soon?"

"Yes, it is."

"We've finally arrived."

"Don't lower your guard. If we're discovered by those shadow fellows, it'll be troublesome."

The masked man at the front spoke in a chilling voice.

They were secretly walking through the Azho Desert.

Just then.

Sand dust was seen rising in the distance.

"What's that?"

"A beast-person has appeared."

The man's subordinate put a telescope to his eye and watched the figure running amidst swirling sand dust.

"A white-haired, blue-eyed cat beast-person… It's Hero Ar Tune."

"Oh? Is Ar Tune moving alone?"

The masked man at the front smiled chillingly.

"Good. It's a chance to eliminate one of the great hero's successors."

"But, Captain. If we fight Ar Tune, we will fail our mission."

"Hmph. Even if the mission fails, Ar Tune's neck is worth that much."

The masked man, who had snorted, was about to move.

Just then.

"Captain. Ar Tune has disappeared."

"What did you say?"

As the masked man's eyes twitched.

"Did you find me?"

Thwack-!

Ar's fist struck the head of the one who had spotted Ar through the telescope.

Along with that, the head burst open like a watermelon.

"Sniff-sniff- What an unpleasant smell."

Ar, who appeared from behind the men, sniffed her nose and then gave a fierce smile.

"You guys are Hero Hunters, aren't you?"