Chapter 17

Chapter 17

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Pia Joyce gripped the armrest of her chair tightly, then slowly released it.

She knew.

Showing emotional vulnerability here would only bring pleasure, nothing more.

But enduring humiliation in front of so many people was never easy, no matter how accustomed one was to it.

‘...Just hurry up and finish.’

Among them were people she once considered friends.

However, none of them came to her aid.

Their cowardice was despicable, and she felt pathetic for being hurt by it.

But above all, what was most distressing was the undeniable fact that she couldn’t refute Momont’s words.

It had been a long-standing persecution.

She had endured the taunts, thinking it was just jealousy from those who were intellectually inferior.

Now, her once confident attitude had become tattered.

‘...It’s unfair.’

Perhaps it was a mistake to stand out in the first place.

Entering as the top student among the commoners might have been the initial problem.

She should have crawled quietly behind the nobles like those mediocre fools laughing in the back.

“Poor girl.”

“....”

“In the end, all that’s left is a seat next to the Hero obtained through the principal’s connections. Temporary at that. Your future is truly pathetic.”

Just as tears were about to fall, Pia lowered her head.

She regretted feeling an odd sensation.

When she raised her head again, there was no laughter that was supposed to follow.

Only a strange silence.

‘...What is it?’

Someone from the crowd was urgently pulling at Momont’s clothes.

“Hey, hey....”

“What’s going on?”

Momont turned his head with a puzzled expression.

Naturally, Pia’s gaze followed.

“...Huh?”

Pia’s ashen pupils widened.

‘...Professor?’ When did he arrive?

Belatedly, gasps erupted from all around.

The Hero looked at Momont with an indifferent expression.

Of course, the most bewildered was Momont.

She shook her head as if she had seen a ghost.

A leisurely voice followed, “I didn’t know my assistant was such a pathetic person.”

“Oh, oh, it’s a misunderstanding, Hero. I mean, Professor.”

“What?”

Momont’s eyes blinked rapidly.

“It absolutely wasn’t meant that way. Lately, due to Pia Joyce’s arrogance, attributing it to your influence...”

It was an absurd insult.

Pia was so angry that her vision blurred.

“When did I...”

“Trying to lie again?! Guys, isn’t what I’m saying true?”

Momont’s friends panicked and fled before he could catch them.

The Hero spoke, “Momont Andrea.”

Everyone fell silent as if on cue.

A calm voice.

For a moment, Pia wondered if the Hero might not be upset.

“You are trash.”

“...What?”

Trash.

The appearance of a word he had never thought applied to herself made Momont doubt his ears.

But the Hero’s cold expression injected a level of reality into this unbelievable situation.

Not just Momont but everyone watching froze in confusion.

Breaking the silence, the Hero approached Momont.

“W-what are you saying right now...?”

“Just what you heard.”

“Surely, you don’t mean it...!”

Smack!

Suddenly, the Hero slapped Momont’s cheek.

Given their significant height difference, it created quite a spectacle.

Momo’s body floated in the air for a moment before thudding down, a few dislodged teeth rolling in front of her wide-eyed gaze.

“Shut up! I dislike people like you.”

“My tooth, my tooth!”

“Lucky scum born with a golden spoon. Instead of being grateful, why mock those who worked harder?”

The voice delivering these words was dry to the point of alienation, making it sound even more contemptuous.

The simmering noise was followed by a chilly silence that enveloped the hall.

...Just like before, there was no one to intervene.

She entered the academy based on her alchemical talent, finished all the educational courses as the top student, and entered graduate school.

Even there, she demonstrated her genius.

Some even went so far as to buzz about a new alchemy prodigy following in the footsteps of ‘Yussi Glendor.’

‘...But there’s one more thing to mention.’

She single-handedly ran a massive project that had attracted substantial investment both inside and outside the school which currently isn’t going well.

However, oddly enough, it turned out to be a boon for me.

“Hmm.”

I raised my head and looked at the glass bottle in front of me.

A highly viscous dark green liquid was sloshing inside.

“So, is this an intermediate result of that research?”

“...Yes.”

The name of this concoction was ‘Awaken.’

It was a kind of awakening agent, but it was in a different league compared to the common awakening agents on the market.

‘Awakening effects lasting permanently? Is that even possible?’

But that wasn’t the only unique aspect.

Even after multiple administrations, the effects were said to overlap to a certain extent.

When the initial research proposal was submitted, it was treated as absurd nonsense in the academic community.

However, Yussi, who recognized the potential, generously supported her, and Pia gradually brought this fantastical efficacy into reality.

Significant results were achieved, and as clinical trials began, an enormous amount of investment poured in.

Even seasoned practitioners, who couldn’t dramatically enhance their physical abilities in a short period, experienced rapid growth.

If the clinical trials had successfully concluded, Awaken would undoubtedly have solidified its place as a groundbreaking invention in history.

‘Assuming no side effects appeared, of course.’

It was a concoction of unidentified toxicity created by blending numerous elixirs.

Awaken was found to contain a toxic substance that burdened internal organs and muscles while disturbing magical power, leading to insanity.

‘It’s a dangerous item.’

But at the same time, it harbored endless possibilities.

I gazed at the roiling green liquid inside the glass bottle.

Ever since I first heard this story, a thought had lingered in my mind.

‘...If I can somehow manage the poison, it would be the ultimate potion for me.’

It could offer a powerful physique, allowing me to fully utilize the abilities of the evolved polymorph into the Hero.

I pondered for a moment.

‘There is a way.’

There was indeed a way—a gamble that only I could take.

If it worked, completing Awaken would be possible.

‘But... before that, I need to hear more of the story.’

I was curious about why she undertook such a risky project.

Pia, the top student of Rosenstark, held a prestigious position.

Even without engaging in such dangerous research, she could have easily gained wealth and honor.

“With so many safer research projects to build your career, why did you take on such a project? You knew the risks involved.”

I wasn’t just talking about the minor issues of failing and losing investment or reputation declining.

A product like Awaken wasn’t finished simply because the research succeeded.

There was no guarantee that it would be used for the right purpose.

‘In simpler terms, if it falls into the wrong hands and is misused, it could become a target of hatred.’

It was a project that imposed a significant ethical obligation.

It couldn’t have been started without careful consideration.

With that question in mind, I looked at Pia.

She hesitated for a long time before opening her mouth.

“Revenge... is the word, I suppose.”

It was a common story.

A genius girl who grew up receiving support from her family, burdened with the disgrace of her hometown while studying diligently at Rosenstark.

“I’m well aware that it’s an item with the potential for misuse. I may come to regret not tearing up the formula.”

The tremor in her voice subsided.

“But seeing people helpless, dying without the power to fight back... I hate that even more.”

“While there are heroes like you, there are also people who fear a single monster and wield old spears.”

“The reason I tried to create Awaken was to help those people. That’s all.”

Her gray eyes stared directly at me.

Despite deliberately maintaining an air of mystery, Pia never averted her gaze.

Perhaps this seemingly innocent answer was sincere.

The decision was made.

“I’ll help.”

“...What?”

Pia looked at me with surprised eyes.

“I’ll help you find a solution to the side effects of Awaken.”

“N-no, how...?”

I observed Pia’s skeptical expression.

“But, if we manage to find a solution, consider positively becoming my official assistant.”

“What?”

“Given the circumstances, it seems my relationship with the other candidates might be awkward.”

Pia awkwardly smiled.

“I’ll make sure to do that.”

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