Chapter 237

Chapter 237

He heard the whole story from Nefthis.Upstodatee from n(0)/ve/lbIn/.(co/m

Since the test was done with no protection, many students were injured. Some just had small cuts while others had completely shattered some bones.

There were already over 50 patients, but thankfully no deaths.

Basically, the weapons were enchanted with a remote-control spell, letting the instructors stop them just before hitting somewhere lethal. Then, the student would be marked 'eliminated by death' and teleported back to the hospital.

Nefthis explained that she had come to see the situation in hospital, and while she was there, she stopped by Simon. Then she got hungry and started biting Pier.

Pier was still ranting in Simon's head about how mad he was.

"Kyahaha!"

Nefthis was rolling around uncontrollably, treating Simon's hospital bed as a playhouse.

It was very distracting, but Simon tried not to pay attention as he stared at the mana screen in the room.

As it turned out, the test wasn't being given to all 898 students but in groups of about 300. On the screen, the final group was just beginning the first stage.

"By any chance~"

Nefthis, who had been running around with the blanket pulled over her like a ghost, poked her head out and looked at Simon.

"Have you had any problems lately?"

Simon immediately felt like something was up, but he didn't let it show.

"I couldn't call myself a Kizen student if I didn't have countless problems. The professors have been—"

"A scary old man!"

Simon blinked at the sudden interjection.

"A scary old man was trying to get into Roke Island!"

"...!"

Simon froze.

"He tried to come in as an audience member this time, and I kept on declining him, y'know?"

Nefthis rolled over, climbed a little up Simon's leg, and then rolled off again.

"But I'm not an omnipotent god, you see~ so I can't stop everything. Kizen is a complicated place, and I can't give it my full attention! I have to go fight the Holy Federation again tomorrow!"

She tried to jump off the bed, but the blanket she was wearing as a cape got caught on something. She splatted against the hard floor and the cloth covered her like a cacoon.

Simon let out a nervous laugh.

"Weren't we on a truce with Efnel?"

"That was broken a long time ago, and the peace we have now is only because someone else's blood is being spilled."

Freeing herself from the blanket trap, she gave it back to Simon.

"The bottom line is, watch out for the scary old man! Because a scary old man is scary!"

"...Ah, yes. I'll keep that in mind."

Nefthis waved as large as she could with both hands as she said, "Bye!" and walked out of the room. Simon waved back.

As the door closed, Simon let out a sigh of relief.

'So Nefthis protected me.'

The odds of fighting Magnus and winning were still slim.

If the Legion of Betrayal became known to the world, even Nefthis wouldn't be able to help.

[Don't overthink it, Boy! Your true identity is bound to be revealed eventually!]

Finally having gotten over his raging fit, Pier gave some words of advice.

[There's no need to obsess over what's going on. The only thing that matters is you! How the world treats you when it's known you're a Commander will depend on where you've reached, what skills and connections you have, and what you've accomplished!]

This was true. Simon nodded and clenched his fist.

"I'll study harder, Pier."

* * *

As he finally got a chance to relax, he watched his other friends' matches.

Camibarez, who had improved more than anyone else these holidays, performed impressively.

In the third stage, where the impossible large supply of weapons fell, she created a whirlpool of blood and quickly placed herself in the middle.

Flying weapons were caught in the currents and sent flying, letting her press the red buzzer just before she ran out of blood, letting her pass the third stage.

Rick was no slouch, either. He took advantage on the exact mechanics of the stage.

The third stage relied on mana sensors to detect every creature with mana that passed by, causing weapons to fall.

Upon arrival, Rick sent out his animatronic clockwork toys to figure out how the trap worked, then pulled out an antenna-like lightning rod.

It was an invention that gathered mana from the surroundings.

Rick himself covered himself with a mana-blocking cloak, and walked backward, holding the lightning rod firmly to the ground.

The mana sensor triggered, and countless weapons fell toward the lightning rod in his hand.

Rick himself was unharmed. The sensors had prioritized attacking the antennae where the mana could be detected.

You haven't forgotten you owe me, have you? I'll use one coupon stamp! Be down in Rochest by noon. I'll be waiting.

P.S. I don't know if I need to tell you stuff like this, but don't be a dunce by coming in your school uniform.

Simon immediately felt his muscles stiffen.

'...Don't tell me, this is.'

As he turned the letter over, he found a white feather attached to the envelope. It must've been from Serene.

'I really don't want to go.'

Just thinking her name made him nervous. He'd spoken to her a lot lately, which has made things a little better, but he honestly wished he hadn't gotten involved with her.

Deciding to get back to his studies, Simon took out a quill and drew a line in the book.

Scribble.

'...It's bothering me.'

He tried to ignore the letter, but the thought of it kept coming back. Serene had helped him too much to just ignore her.

There was the Island Survival assessment, him learning Jet-Black Eruption, and even the Saintess incident.

He could've been in a lot more danger without her help.

"Hey~ What are you sighing about?"

Having quickly washed up, Rick snatched Simon's letter from the desk and read it.

His eyes, playful when he picked up the letter, suddenly turned stern.

"...K-Kugh!"

Rick's hand shook as he held the letter.

"This is obviously a girl's handwriting! Rochest on the weekend? Telling you not to wear a uniform? Then what are you supposed to dress up as? A boyfriend?!! Dammit...!"

Rick, overcome with jealousy and betrayal, rushed forward and put Simon into a headlock.

"Hey, you unfair bastard, I thought you said you weren't dating any girls! Spill it! Who is it!"

"Ugh! You're hurting me, Rick!"

"While one of us is going all the way to Shahed, the other one is off meeting a girl? Relationships?? Couples?!! Couples should be eliminated! Couples must face the greatest punishment!"

"It hurts! Let me go!"

But Rick, blinded by jealousy, had no intention of giving in.

Just then, Simon popped an arm out of Rick's strong grip, grabbing Rick's leg and...

Wooooooosh!

"!"

Rick's vision spun 180 degrees. The next thing he knew, he was dumped on his bed.

"I told you to let me go."

Said Simon, brushing off his hands.

'Kugh!'

Rick couldn't beat that ignorant hillbilly with his strength.

His clothes made him look like a well-bred nobleman, but underneath was solid muscle.

Rick curled up into his blanket in despair.

"Huhu. Cruel world! Why does he have to have such a charming face while I'm stuck with this?!!"

Simon sighed as Rick pounded the bed with his fist.

"C'mon now, you said you had to leave early today."

"...Filthy world! Disgusting world! Just end it all already!"

Grumbled Rick, getting up and gathering his traveling clothes. Simon opened his closet as well.

"What clothes do I have other than my uniform..."

There was a Kizen uniform, an adventuring outfit, a casual robe, the robe he bought from the Holy Federation, and day robes.

It was a shabby lineup.

"...Rick?"

"What?"

Gruffly replied Rick.

Simon scratched the side of his head with a sheepish grin.

"Can I borrow some of your clothes for a day?"

Rick lunged in furiously.

Sometimes, a man had to fight even when he knew he would lose.

——