33. Reunion (3)
#Episode 33
“What are you talking about all of a sudden? And are you speaking informally just now?”
“okay. “You fucking bastard.”
The rectangle glowed brightly signaling the start of sparring. Ronan jumped out and grabbed the hilt of her sword.
“What?!”
Cardan embarrassed swung his javelin. Four half-moon shaped swords flew through the air. Ronan lightly twisted his body to avoid the swords.
“It’s not like I ate my lunch like an asshole.”
I could tell just by looking at the sword. It was a much higher level than Nasudo or Braum. Of course it was none of Ronan’s business.
Cardan’s expression hardened as he saw the distance narrowing in an instant. He gathered up all the mana he had and pulled out a sword energy several times larger than before. Cardan shouted shooting out sword energy.
“You crazy bastard! “Die!”
The sword flew in aiming precisely for Ronan’s waist. It was a trajectory that could not be avoided unless one had wings.
But Ronan did not avoid it. He simply held the sword vertically. bang! The cut sword energy fell on both sides of Ronan causing an explosion. Cardan’s eyes widened.
“what?!”
The distance has completely narrowed. Thousands of sword paths were already appearing before Ronan’s eyes. Most of them were paths directly connected to the future that could turn Cardan into a piece of meat. Ronan clicked his tongue.
‘The academy is all good but the only thing I don’t like is this.’
They were not to be killed or maimed. Ronan sighed and fired a sword strike at Cardan’s head and his spear.
Suddenly. The sword that slipped across his scalp came back again. It was the moment when Cardan belatedly pulled his body out. His severed hair rose in the air opening a wide road through Cardan’s head.
Cardan who saw the falling hair shouted in a confused voice.
“Ugh! “What?!”
“It means you don’t have to cut your hair for a while.”
At the same time thin lines appeared on the short spear. The spear divided into a total of twelve pieces scattered like an explosion. Ronan just kicked Cardan in the chest.
“Gagging!”
Cardan who was thrown from his back to the floor sucked in a breath. For a moment my vision became blurry and the ceiling spread out before my eyes. It seemed like his ribs were broken. Ronan said grabbing Cardan by the collar.
“Listen carefully Cardan. “This is a warning.”
“Do you know how to get over this safely? “You did this to a third-year senior not even a second-year student…!”
match! Ronan punched Cardan in the face. A dull sound came from his head which was turned violently. Ronan growled pulling the now mute Cardan by the collar in front of his nose.
“I’ve never had a senior like you you bastard. And that kind of stuff is none of my business.”
“What what…!”
“Keep in mind. “If you behave like that to that person one more time I will cut off your cute little dick and stick it on your forehead.”
“Hee…heeeeek…!”
“The ugliest unicorn in the world. You’ll probably be ostracized even among unicorns. “The horns are so small.”
Ronan let go of his collar. Cardan fell hitting the back of his head. He was breathing heavily looking up at the ceiling as if he were having the worst nightmare of his life.
Dalian was already in silence. The same was true for Nasudo and Braum who were acquaintances.
His attitude was completely different from the polite way he usually treated them. Ronan stood up and aimed the tip of his sword at one of his male students.
“You there.”
“Uh…huh?”
He was a senior who made eye contact with Cardan when he was bullying Adeshan. The student pressured by Ronan’s force flinched.
“Since when did something like this start happening?”
“What are you talking about?…”
“Do you want to try it? You made eye contact with me earlier. “Remind me?”
Ronan approached him with his sword drawn. The frightened male student took a step back. Only then did Adeshan come to his senses and block Ronan’s path.
“Over there…! I’m really fine. Calm down okay?”
“Get out of the way. I can’t see you getting scolded by an idiot like that. The same goes for the bastards who just watch it.”
Ronan pointed to Cardan who was lying down and giggling. Only fear remained floating on his face which had completely lost its soul.
An indescribable emotion was boiling in Ronan’s heart. I couldn’t tell if it was a belated feeling of loyalty to my old boss or the affection we shared at the last moment.
But it shouldn’t have been like this. It wasn’t right. The person who gave me a new opportunity should not have been treated like an asshole. It was the moment I shook off Adeshan and took a step forward.
“Stop. Ronan.”
The world Ronan was looking at was suddenly covered in darkness. The sound of something like metal falling to the floor was heard everywhere.
Ronan turned his gaze to where the voice came from. A huge snake was staring at him right in front of his nose. Ronan took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.
“…Is that your Auror?”
The body wrapped around the sparring hall was so long that the end was not visible. It was a snake so big that it could swallow Professor Varen in one bite.
Its eerie eyes which paralyze living creatures just by encountering them were the same dark green as Butterfly Rose. The snake’s maw slowly opened.
“I will not hold you responsible for what happened during the sparring with Cardan. Because a lot happens during sparring. However we cannot allow more than that.”
“…Surely everyone was watching?”
“okay.”
“Damn it you’re still an educator? “It’s not your subordinates but students who are being bullied.”
Ronan spat on the floor. It was a sword master damn it and it was none of my business anymore. The snake opened its mouth completely revealing its fangs.
“That is not your area to interfere. It’s up to me and my assistant to take care of it. “Pick up your sword and return to your place.”
The hair on my entire body stood up due to the eerie feeling of a tongue licking my brain. He knew in his head that it was a mirage created by Butterfly Rose’s auror.
But his hand holding the sword did not stop shaking. Ronan took a deep breath and took a step forward.
“Fuck you.”
The snake’s mouth closed. I felt a strong shock to the back of my neck. Ronan’s consciousness was interrupted.
****
I opened my eyes to the sound of cicadas. A ceiling made of leaves caught my eye. Every time a damp wind blew a sky full of clouds appeared between the unfriendly leaves.
‘This place…?’
The air was heavy. Ronan slowly raised his upper body. He was lying in a hammock made of net. A familiar voice was coming from a corner.
“So if you catch just one fish properly you’ll be in trouble? “Dreambirds and sea nymphs are worth the price of a real mansion!”
“Then why are you here scooping up shit with a shovel Balus? “Where did you leave the mansion?”
“Maybe it’s because they have small brains so they don’t understand. Hey Ronan! “Please massage these assholes!”
Ronan stood up. A very familiar scenery came into view. The Imperial Army camp spread out at the foot of the mountain an old barracks built with scrap materials and men sitting around a bonfire talking nonsense.
Ronan recited the names of his comrades in the punishment unit like a drunk person.
“…Rudan? Martin? Balus? “Why are you guys here?”
“Ugh does that look like how much you drank yesterday? “If you stole any alcohol let’s have some together.”
“Leave it alone. I must have gone crazy from boredom. I wonder how long I have to wait here. “Is it okay to be a general?”
Is it okay to be a general?
The moment he heard those words an eerie sense of deja vu passed through Ronan’s mind. It was definitely a scene I remember. Ronan remembering what would happen next hurriedly stood up.
“Fuck now is not the time you assholes. “You can’t be like this.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden Ronan?”
“Shut up and follow me. “I don’t have time…”
Ronan was about to snatch Balus by the scruff of his neck. Suddenly a trumpet sound that seemed to shake the heavens and earth rang out.
Buoooooo-!
Buoooooo-!
Buoooooo-!
“Evil my ears!”
“What the fuck do you mean?”
My classmates covered their ears. Busy noises began to come from the campsite at the bottom of the mountain.
It was the moment Ronan’s gaze reached the sky. A majestic voice echoed in everyone’s heads.
【Ahayute answers the call. Everything is according to His will.】
As soon as a geometric magic circle appeared in the air the clouds broke apart. The giant whose entire body was pure white began to slowly descend flapping its four wings.
“Hey what is that?!”
“What a monster!”
My classmates screamed as they witnessed the unrealistic scene. So many arrows and attack magic that it covered the sky were fired at the giant as if they had been waiting. Ronan turned his head as he saw light gathering in Aha Ute’s hand.
“Listen carefully. You’re of no use to anyone so take advantage of the confusion and run away. Two more of these are coming down so if you go up to the north…”
Ronan froze. All three classmates had turned into corpses. No facial features could be found on the body which had been mangled to the point where its original form was unrecognizable.
Shoot…
The sound of rain was heard. Ronan suddenly noticed that the background had changed into a reddish wasteland. Aha Ute’s blue blood pooled at her feet. Someone whispered in my ear.
“Will you make me a tailor?”
“Huh!”
Ronan raised his upper body as if rising. The blanket covering his body fell to the floor. Pure white curtains were drawn everywhere. One side of the curtain was pulled back with the sound of urgent footsteps.
“what’s the matter? are you okay?!”
“…Adeshan?…Navi Rose?”
The ones who pulled back the curtain and appeared were Nabi Rose and Adeshan in school uniform. Nabirose who looked Ronan up and down once turned his back.
“You look okay. “I will go first.”
“Yes yes!”
The footsteps became increasingly distant. It was a truly absurd exit. After hesitating for a moment Adeshan sat down on the simple chair next to the bed.
“He fainted so I brought him to the health room. “How are you feeling?”
“…are you okay.”
“Hey were you mad because of me earlier?”
Ronan didn’t answer. It seemed like I was having a nightmare. The descending Ahayute and the miserable corpses scattered around and only the general’s last words remained floating in his mind like a residue.
Adeshan who was observing Ronan’s gaze continued speaking.
“Don’t hate too much on the kids who watched bystanders. Cardan was one of the top ten honor students among third graders. “She knew it was wrong but she was so scared that she couldn’t say anything.”
“…And what about that bastard?”
“Um… I’m not sure but I probably won’t be attending class for a while. “I couldn’t even walk properly so I had to get help from my friends.”
“That’s a good thing.”
Ronan nodded his head. He decided to trust the intelligence of Cardan or something. He warned me to that extent but if you didn’t understand then I had no choice but to kill you or make you an idiot.
“General…no Adeshan. “I have a question.”
“huh? “What is it?”
“Why are you being treated like that and staying quiet? Aren’t you angry? In particular in Nabi Rose the instructor is neglecting his students.”
Ronan’s voice became louder. It’s up to me and my assistant to take care of it. Those words made me angry again. Ade Shan who had been twisting his lips this way and that opened his mouth.
“are you okay. “Because I asked for it.”
“Please?”
“huh. Butterfly Rose is a really nice person so please don’t misunderstand. I asked for it. Even if someone who thinks like Cardan treats me poorly don’t get involved.”
“Why did you make such a stupid request?”
Adeshan explained the situation. The Sentai Sword Saint Nabirose was Adeshan’s idol. Adeshan who miraculously passed Phileon after four years of entrance exams wanted to take Nabirose’s class no matter what. However only students who had reached the level of Sword Expert or higher could take her classes.
“Because I enjoy privileges I don’t deserve” she said. I’m still at the level of a sword user. Even if I cover it up with teaching assistant work that doesn’t change.”
Ronan’s eyes widened when he heard those words. She wasn’t particularly surprised by her thoughtfulness.
She said ‘Despite how many years you’ve trained you’re still a sword user…? ‘That General Adeshan?’
If I had not known much about mana in the past I would have overlooked it. But now it was a different story. It was nonsense.
Ronan remembered Adeshan’s Auror. She clearly had the abilities befitting someone who reigned at the top of the imperial army.
Now that I think about it I think she said something about Mana. She was about to say something to Ronan when Ade Shan spoke.
“Thank you anyway. I saw you for the first time today and you paid such attention to me. ”
“…I just did it because I was pissed.”
“Then you are a very good person. “Oh look at this.”
Suddenly she heard Ade Shan pull out something. It was the jacket Ronan had taken off during their sparring match with her. She Ade Shan pointed to her elbow and smiled.
“It was slightly torn so I sewed it up. Seems like a good idea right?”
“Sure.”
True to her words there were no scratches on her elbows. Her sewing skills were not average. To some extent she became speechless and Ade Shan started chattering away.
“You are the first student to resist and move against Nabirose’s aura. How can that be? “Everyone except Schlieffen dropped their weapons.”
“You just have to hold the hilt of the sword really hard.”
“Ahaha you’re kind of funny.”
Adeshan giggled. She didn’t feel much resistance to Ronan’s harsh tone. The more I looked at it the more I couldn’t get used to it. Ronan who was contemplating something about her for a moment opened her mouth.
“So I was inspired by you and went to the library where I saw a first-year girl wandering around alone. “She had very pretty purple hair so….”
“Adeshan.”
“huh?”
“Why are you working so hard?”
“What… does that mean?”
“I want to know why you’re so obsessed with becoming stronger. You know it yourself. “If it had been anyone else it would have been broken long ago.”
Things were never going well for Adeshan. She lacked natural talent and had to repeat a grade due to poor practical skills and was even doing odd jobs to earn tuition.
Nevertheless if your will does not break you will definitely have one pillar to rely on. Ronan asked back.
“Is there any particular reason?”
For a moment Adeshan was speechless. Ronan stopped laughing and stared at Adeshan. She hesitated avoiding Ronan’s gaze then looked at her own knees and opened her mouth.
“The truth is I have a dream….”
“dream?”
“huh. “I want to achieve it somehow…I’ll tell you if you just promise not to laugh at me.”
“I promise.”
“okay. Because it seems like something goes well with you. Do you really believe it? “You haven’t told anyone yet?”
Ronan nodded her head. She said as Adeshan took a deep breath.
“General.”
Ronan’s time stopped. Ade Shan who had washed her dry face spoke with a blush on her face.
“I want to try even if it seems reckless. Although I may say it myself I am confident in military science and tactics. “I have never once missed out on first place.”
Hope was flickering in the gray eyes. She Ade Shan opened up about her dreams at a rapid pace.
“And once a war breaks out a lot of people die right? I am…”
Suddenly Adeshan stopped talking. For a moment a shadow appeared on her face but Ronan did not notice the change as her vision had already become blurry. She Ade Shan lifted her head again smiling brightly.
“Well no. This later. Anyway I don’t think anyone would want to follow a commander who couldn’t even become an Auror.”
The longer she spoke the more real she became. The general Adeshan she knew the tailor she wanted to become is no longer there. Ronan wiped her eyes with his sleeve and cleared his throat.
“So…ah! “You said you wouldn’t laugh at me?”
“I wasn’t laughing at you.”
“Ugh…is it true?”
Adeshan glared at Ronan. He nodded at her with a bitter smile. Adeshan checked his watch and stood up.
“Hmm…I guess I should go now. “Go back after getting enough rest.”
“yes.”
“By the way Nabirose told me to come to the next class as well. “I also added that I won’t leave you alone if you don’t come out.”
“Damn it I knew it.”
“See you later Ronan. If you have any concerns or want to talk please come to the first arena or Kratyr Pavilion at any time. ”
thud. The door was closed. Ronan sat on the bed long after Adeshan left. Her last words were lingering in her head.
– Could you tell me to stop messing around and get a job as a tailor?
It’s nonsense. Ronan suddenly twisted his lips. I could see scarlet rays seeping through the curtains. It seemed like the sun had already set.
“How can I say that?”
Ronan muttered. He returned to the dormitory only after the sun had completely set.
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