Chapter 55: Boy King (1)

Chapter 55: Boy King (1)

༺ Boy King (1) ༻

“Phew... Another day has passed...”

As Iliya spoke in an exhausted manner, Trisha, who was walking alongside her, let out a bitter laugh.

“Aren’t you pushing yourself way too hard these days?”

Her words were true.

The classes at Elfante’s Knight School were well known for its rigorous nature. Even among them, the training course Iliya had been enduring lately was infamous for being exceptionally demanding.

Her seemingly masochistic tendencies and the additional one-on-one training sessions with the Dean after class had even reached the ears of Trisha, a Theology School student.

It was to the extent that it had become a hot topic of discussion among students. They wondered if this was what one had to undergo to become a Hero Candidate.

“...Well, you know...”

Iliya pursed her lips before speaking once again.

“I’ve been feeling quite inadequate lately.”

“...Inadequate?”

Her seemingly ridiculous words were met with Trisha’s incredulous voice.

Inadequate? Where exactly was the inadequacy she spoke of?

It had been a well-known fact that there were absolutely zero freshmen who could even compare to half of Iliya’s competence.

Even Talion, whom people had some expectations for, got utterly demolished the moment they crossed swords.

“...Trisha, do you know Heaven’s Automaton?”

“Huh? Where did that suddenly come from?”

Of course she knew.

Heaven, located within the Astral Realm, used them as weapons when they needed to intervene in the Material Realm.

Because of their incredibly tough exteriors, it was immensely difficult to harm them in any way, thus making them a formidable opponent to all humans in the Material Realm.

From what she knew, an academy student shouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet something like that though...

“One of the freshmen was able to cut it down in one strike.

“...”

‘What? What kind of monster is she talking about?’

“And once again, that freshman has a connection with Teach... I don’t know how that person keeps getting intertwined with such women...”

As Trisha observed Iliya’s ‘Color of Emotions’, she jumped in surprise.

It was black again, even though it had been white for quite a while.

“...R-Really? Still, I doubt there’s anything special between Mr. Dowd and that freshman. Didn’t you say he had already fallen for the Student Council President?”

“No, it’s a bit more complex than that.”

Iliya let out a sigh before continuing.

“Even though so many girls desire and chase after him, he never seems to like any of them. Not even a little.”

“...”

Didn’t that mean he was just a trashy philanderer?

Although such a thought came up oh so naturally, Trisha swallowed the sentence back down her throat, hiding it behind her sealed mouth.

No matter how tough she seemed, Iliya was someone who was sensitive regarding this matter. She couldn’t speak out of turn.

“That’s why I’m worried. I’m worried that he will suddenly stop paying attention to me one day.”

“Huh?”

Iliya’s expression turned dark in an instant.

Almost as if she was remembering a bad memory.

“Last time, he even removed me from combat. Doesn’t it sound like a red flag to you?”

“...Huh?”

Trisha slowly blinked for a brief moment.

‘No, wait. Uh, I thought she was...?’

Weirdly, the focus of the conversation was off.

Why was this discussion continuously leaning towards her combat prowess?

“...Uh, Iliya?”

“Hm?”

“Uh, weren’t we talking about Mr. Dowd’s ideal type...?”

For a moment, silence fell upon both of them.

“...No. Anyway, since that person is stronger than me, isn’t it likely that Teach would focus on her and not me?”

“...”

Um.

For some reason, her friend always had questionable common sense.

Since when did the pursuit of youth turn into a speculative arena for ranking who was stronger than the other?

“Why do you think that way?”

“How do I put it... Isn’t that part of me the only thing that keeps me competitive and in the running?”

“...Where did that conclusion even come from?”

Iliya shut her mouth, clenching her teeth as she did so.

After kicking the ground a few times for no apparent reason, she cleared her throat with embarrassment.

“I-I mean...If you take my fighting prowess away from me, I’m basically worth nothing...”

As she looked at Iliya squirming, Trisha speechlessly grabbed her forehead.

She realized that this girl had really a long way to go.

“...Be more confident. You’re pretty popular among the boys, you know?”

“There’s no way that’s true though?”

“...”

It was true though.

Trisha could not fathom why IIiya was always in firm denial over something like this.

‘...Her looks are pretty, her skills are incredible, she gets along with everyone...’

In truth, from her perspective as a friend, Trisha felt that Iliya was wasted on someone like Dowd, who had a rather questionable history with women.

She wished Iliya would realize that fan clubs weren’t made for no reason.

“...Well, anyway. So that’s why I’ve been training hard lately! Maybe if I do that, Teach would, uh... You know... Spend more time with me...?”

“...”

However, her way of thinking itself was completely and utterly wrong.

Trisha gave up trying to convince her and shifted her gaze upwards.

“...Huh?”

When she did, she was startled. The reason? Because she saw a towering ‘pillar of light’ that seemed to shatter the sky.

“What is that?”

“Uh, I’m not sure...”

-...

In the midst of their conversation...

The pillar of light struck directly at the barrier encompassing the entire academy.

With that, the protective barrier, the same one that the Seraphs had laid long ago, began to form web-like cracks.

“...!”

Both Iliya and Trisha’s faces turned pale instantly.

They weren’t too sure what the exact situation was.

However, there was no one in the academy who didn’t know what losing the protective barrier meant.

Firstly, there was the Void Zone nearby, the place where the Devils’ ‘true bodies’ were sealed.

Secondly, if the protective barrier disappeared, an indescribable calamity would undoubtedly strike this place.

And just a few seconds later...

In the distant Void Zone, a massive shroud of darkness surged up, contrasting with the pillar of light.

Almost as if it immediately detected the damaged barrier.

And shortly after...

—————–!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Through the cracks on the barrier, a black darkness began to scream as it rushed in.

Main Quest: 〖 Chapter 2 – Boy King 〗

“You!”

At the sound of a familiar voice, I turned my head.

Eleanor was rushing towards me with her sword drawn.

Perhaps, even in the midst of this chaos, instead of avoiding this commotion, her first thought was to find me no matter what, so she had been searching the entire academy grounds for me.

“Are you okay? You need to get out of here quick—!”

“Eleanor.”

I grimly made eye contact with Eleanor.

However...

“...I cannot run away. I need to solve this first.”

Right now, this was the only thing I could say.

As soon as she heard my words, Eleanor’s eyes shook intensely.

“Solve this? What nonsense are you—! This is not something for a mere student to handle!”

“...As long as I can come up with a solution, I can do it.”

Rather, I had no choice but to do it.

Or else...

“If I don’t, I will die.”

“...”

Yes, I gave her zero context and went straight to the conclusion, but this was the best explanation I could give at the current moment,

I clenched my teeth once again.

If I were to think hard enough, I should be able to find a solution. It would definitely come to me.

However, my focus continued to break apart. My head was spinning even faster now.

Right at that moment...

Eleanor grabbed my shoulders tightly.

“You.”

“...”

“I will not ask for the reason. There must be some circumstances pushing you to do this. But there is one thing you should be certain of.”

Eleanor looked at me dead in the eye.

“If you die, I will die as well.”

“...What?”

“Think of it as a matter of life and death for two lives now. Find a way to survive. I will do whatever I can to help.”

“Eleanor, what are you say—”

“I’m telling you not to die! I don’t know what is going on, but I’m telling you not to die no matter what!”

Her agitated voice hit me like a hammer.

I did not expect this person to make this kind of voice.

It was only then that I could see her face properly.

There were tears welled up at the corners of her eyes.

It was a face that contrasted starkly with her usual impassive expression.

It seemed as if I was that precious to her.

“...”

Okay, look, sorry for doing this when you’re so serious but...

No, really, I’m really sorry, but...

I couldn’t help but feel a reflexive laugh bubbling inside me.

You see, it didn’t seem like she knew how to use the muscles on your face properly. It was as if this was her first time making this kind of face.

“...Mm.”

When I suddenly covered my face and lowered my head, Eleanor looked at me as if puzzled.

“...Dowd?”

“...It’s nothing.”

Because of the situation at hand, I choke down the laughter in my throat.

However, thanks to that, I felt refreshed...

My vision had returned.

My mind had cleared.

My composure was regained.

“Please wait a moment, Eleanor.”

I smiled slightly in gratitude.

Shortly after, I closed my eyes and sank deep into my thoughts, accelerating them to their limits.

I checked the ‘cards’ I had and assessed the current situation.

“...”

A spark ignited in my mind.

I had it. A solution.

It came in a flash of insight.

And Eleanor, who had been watching my expression, nodded slowly.

“You seem to have finally organized your thoughts.”

“...Yes. As expected, resolving the situation immediately is close to impossible.”

“Then, are you going to run away?”

“No.”

With a sigh, I gaze at Eleanor.

Run away? Who? Me? Nah, never.

That bitch had set up all of this to fuck me over.

As such, what I needed to do was simple.

“I said it’s close to impossible, not that it’s impossible.”

I would confront it head-on and fucking demolish it.

There were inevitably going to be many clashes with the Prophet in the future.

However, I was never going to show myself getting swayed by some childish prank from the very beginning.

“Eleanor, do you trust me?”

“What?”

“I asked if you trust me. I need your help.”

“...”

It was a conversation we had before.

After all, it was the exact same words I had said when facing the Purifier.

“...”

“...”

And the response that came back was the same as well.

Eleanor looked me straight in the eyes and opened her mouth.

“What do I need to do?”

A grin spread across my face upon hearing those words.

Time.

In the end, it was all about time.

If that motherfucker gave me 10 minutes, I would have died. Even if it had been 20 minutes, I would have been utterly annihilated.

However, I, coincidentally, and rather luckily, had...

30 minutes.

“...Let us go, Eleanor.”

Accompanied with a sigh, my voice practically resonated with determination.

“After all, we have to cut off the head of a millennium-aged monster in 30 minutes.”

It was the perfect amount of time for me to sort out this situation.

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