Episode 265
Before the Academy Wars, the rankings of the academies were the same as the rankings of national power.
This Academy War is a competition that can tell us that the national power and the level of the Academy are separate things, and if we defeat Tulkan here.
All rumors will spread not only in the kingdom but also throughout the empire.
The whole continent will know.
Which academy is the best.
“And I’m sorry to say this to you, but it’s already been decided that Tulcan Academy will join. So stop acting so disgruntled. No matter what you say, I won’t back down. And I have no intention of doing anything.”
After a brief pause, he adjusted the tempo a bit.
I think it’s time to start organizing things.
“Remember. A frog playing in a well cannot grow. You need to know what’s outside the well. This is an opportunity to learn how those playing outside the well play. Why are you so insecure?”
I feel like I handled it a bit unilaterally, but this is the ultimate direction I am pursuing.
I intend to make this Milos Academy the best on the continent, and all the pieces are set now.
“That’s all for now, so go and rest. The preliminaries will proceed without any problems starting tomorrow, and the main event and team event will start at the same time the next day. Get fully prepared and meditate a bit.”
This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while.
I think the kids at Milos Academy lack confidence.
I don’t know if it’s because I was oppressed by the children of the nobles and lived that way, but I lack confidence.
But this will gradually get better with time.
He spread his hands wide.
“Okay, dismissal.”
* * *
The number of people increased and the schedule was delayed, but that was it.
The next day, the preliminaries proceeded without any problems. The ’32’ who would advance to the round of 16 in the swordsmanship and magic divisions were decided.
What’s surprising is that among those 32, as many as 7 are from the Tulcan Empire.
I would have to say that it is definitely overwhelming even from my perspective.
A total of 13 people were brought from Tulcan, 5 of whom participated in the team event and 8 of them participated in the individual event, 4 of whom participated in each event.
Only one of them fell.
They didn’t even come with a full 25 people.
This was a result that could not be ignored.
‘It’s definitely different.’
Rather than simply having a larger landmass, it would be better to say that the educational methods are different.
Anyone who sees them would think they’re born with a fighting spirit.
Why are you fighting so well?
Of course, there is no need to worry.
Anyway, our kids will win.
But apart from that.
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‘… … Write.’
I ended up wiping my face with one hand.
I didn’t want to show my expression, if possible.
Let me be honest.
I didn’t know it would be this bad.
Just skip the other academies and go with our academy.
Except for Charlotte, Cell, and Thanos from Milos Academy, not a single one of them advanced to the finals.
It all just fell apart.
‘It was like this.’
Harold and the other instructors used to say, to put it bluntly, that the level of the Milos Academy was not high, but I now realize that they were saying that out of consideration for me.
I thought it would go to the middle, but it just ended up at the bottom.
The level is so low that it’s embarrassing to compare.
But I couldn’t say anything.
I understood.
They are the same kids, but they are different kids. They received different education and faced different discrimination, so I can’t help but understand.
Anyway, a lot will change when next semester starts, so I think it’s best to stop thinking about it.
But apart from that.
“Hmm.”
A slightly heavy sigh bursts out.
The aforementioned were certainly not a cause for concern.
The results were not different, just a little outside the expected range.
I thought our three musketeers would definitely go up.
But just now, I have a real concern.
Because of this little kid shaking right before my eyes.
I think his name was Jake.
I participated in the team category and I was only 15 years old.
He was a gifted candidate who had completed 3 circles at the age of only 15, so he was brought to Ishmael and entered into the group category, and now that little kid.
“I… I don’t think I can do it.”
He was saying this.
I can’t help but ask.
“why?”
“… … I’m so nervous, I can’t concentrate.”
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It looks that way to me too.
I thought he was too tense, so I tried to calm him down by casting some magic, but there was no improvement.
That is, something a little more fundamental than mana.
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So. Hmm.
I feel a bit awkward saying this myself.
“Do you have any chronic illness or something?”
“… … .”
I guess it exists because you’re hesitating.
“If you have anything, tell me. Don’t worry, I won’t scold you or anything, so just tell me.”
“… …I have a bit of a panic disorder.”
Panic disorder.
“And I have a little bit of stage fright… … .”
Even stage fright.
“Is that all? Is there more?”
“……sorry.”
He shrugged.
As you can tell from his name, Jake, he is a commoner.
He’s a commoner, but he’s also talented.
3 circles at age 15.
In my opinion, this kid has the talent to go up to at least the 9th circle, but I wonder how he spent his time at the academy.
There is no such thing as being lively or harmonious.
Originally, the academy was a playground for the nobles, and those scoundrels couldn’t just leave alone kids who were more talented than them.
Jake must have been through a lot with those guys.
I may have had a harder time than I did in the past when I was called retarded.
He just raised his hand.
The guy looks startled and lowers his head, his hands in a defensive stance as if it were a conditioned reflex. Wow, this is disappointing.
My hand was placed on the guy’s head, and I just started patting his head.
“Was it very difficult?”
“……yes?”
“Trauma, I think. Do you know what happened to them?”
The guy shakes his head.
“They’re all dead. Some were tortured, some weren’t, but the decisive factor is that every single one of them died. Isn’t that all? They killed everyone who had even the slightest connection to them, including their parents and siblings.”
“… … .”
“Unfortunately, truly unfortunately, there is no way for you to get revenge on them. That means it is a problem you have to realize and overcome on your own.”
He removed his hand and sat down next to the guy.
“You know, I was called retarded not too long ago.”
“I see… … right.”
Come to think of it, he’s 15 and I’m 14.
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He was older than me.
“I’ll give you a hint. You need a stimulus to break out of the egg.”
“Stimulation?”
“Wanting to be strong, wanting to win, wanting to make money, wanting to kill someone—those kinds of desires can be stimulating. Or wanting to look good to that girl, wanting to seduce her somehow, wanting to steal her heart—those kinds of emotions can also be stimulating. Do you get the general idea?”
“……yes.”
I tapped the guy on the shoulder.
“You’re 15 years old and still in your second year of high school. There are probably a lot of competitions you can participate in. So. I’ll give you some homework.”
“Suk… … Yes?”
“You will be participating in the team competition again in the next Academy Games. I don’t think it will work out that way, I think you should drop out, but I will ignore those words, so know that and win then.”
“… … .”
“This time, think of it as an experience and watch from the stands.”
The guy nodded his head reluctantly.
Okay, let’s see.
The current time is 16:00.
The individual competitions are now over, and the team competitions are now beginning.
Milos Academy’s opponent, as if by a twist of fate, was the ‘Tulkan’ Academy.
Even if we look at the power, it is clear that they are superior, but in that situation, one person is missing.
There’s only one way to turn this around.
I naturally called Charlotte, and to our Charlotte who advanced to the round of 16 in the swordsmanship division.
“Do you want to go to the team event?”
He said this.
Then he asks this:
“… …Me?”
Oh, you.
* * *
Recently, after taking her midterm exams at the Academy, Charlotte was punished by Jack.
Charlotte accepted Jack’s order to eat pig’s blood for a month without question.
Just as Cell felt that Jack was her benefactor, Charlotte also felt that Jack was her benefactor.
Charlotte trusted Jack enough that if he told her to die, she would die, no joke.
It was similar to how a child behaves toward his parents, if not more so.
So, even though Charlotte was upset with Jack, she didn’t say anything and just suffered.
I was upset about being punished, but I suffered alone.
Even when she was crying heavily in Cell’s arms, she tried her best not to let Jack see that.
That Charlotte.
For the first time.
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It was the first time I actually asked Jack.
“……why?”
Said.
* * *
I tried to explain the reason, but then I just closed my mouth.
Because I felt a slightly different nuance in Charlotte’s expression as she asked, “Why?”
As expected.
“Am I annoying you?”
I always felt this way, our Charlotte.
Even though he had been through a lot, he was still a child.
“I almost killed Thanos when I blew up the Pianhua, I was rude to Instructor Harold, and I even lost to Cell in the Marquisate, so you don’t need me… … right?”
Should I call it resentment?
I guess our Charlotte was upset in many ways.
hmm.
He slowly crossed his arms and looked at Charlotte.
I’ve mentioned this before, very briefly. I don’t have a wide range of interpersonal relationships.
I would say that in 34 years, I have met and developed close relationships with less than ten people at most.
I’m not joking or exaggerating, but in the 34 years I’ve been in an intimate relationship with less than ten people, excluding this life.
After returning, I was able to become acquainted with a few people, but can I really call that close?
To put it simply, I am unable to properly carry out the communication process of forming and resolving interpersonal relationships.
Because I’ve never done it properly.
hmm.
I thought about it carefully.
Charlotte would be upset… … If I look at the recent events one by one, it’s definitely not the case.
I guess I’m not good at being a good father.
He uncrossed his arms and approached Charlotte.
I slowly hugged the guy who was shedding tears.
“I’m sorry if I upset you. You’ve been with me so much that you probably know what kind of person I am.”
“……yes.”
He also gently wiped away Charlotte’s tears.
“I’m not good at adding exaggeration to things or anything like that. That’s why I told you and Thanos not to become like me during our field trip last time. I’m not very good at that kind of thing.”
She stroked the boy’s blond hair and patted his back with that hand.
“I never once bothered you. I had a metal straw stuck in my collarbone almost every day, and did I ever show it?”
“… … There wasn’t any.”
“And by necessity, what makes family family? I have never once taken Thanos or you out of ‘need.’”
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“… … .”
“Of course, at first I tried to accept them as subordinates. But a subordinate is a subordinate. To me, subordinates mean people like Aveiro, General Rommel, and Gray who has now returned to his hometown. You and Thanos are my family. Can there be such a thing as a need for family? I don’t know about others, but not to me. Being together, spending time together, and reminiscing, that’s what family is to me.”
After saying that, I patted the guy on the back.
I hoped my sincerity was conveyed, and fortunately it seems to have been conveyed.
“Boss… …Thank you.”
A smile appeared on my lips as I held the boy.
Our little vampire, it’s been a while since I last held you, and you’ve definitely gained a lot of weight since I first saw you, maybe because you’ve been eating well.
I guess I feel a little better because I feel like there’s nothing physically wrong.
“But, can you say that one more time?”
“What are you talking about?”
“That’s what you meant by family.”
I burst out laughing.
“You are my family.”
Charlotte smiled contentedly and buried her face in my shoulder.
Then, quietly, he said he wanted to hear more, so I told him the same thing about five more times.
like that.
Charlotte decided to move from the individual sector to the group sector.
Of course, making this decision doesn’t mean that it will be easily resolved.
Because some kind of formal procedure was needed.
Forgetting everything for a moment, I spent some time alone with Charlotte.
To be exact, there are three people in total, including the teacher.
It’s nice to think back to the old days.
