1. The First Letter (63)

Hunting was dangerous. It didn’t matter if he didn’t bother to examine the contents of the letter from the future. It was because it was a festival to hunt monsters in the first place.

In the forest that day, not only the wild beasts were released, but also the wild beasts captured from outside. And demons were basically creatures hostile to mankind.

Of course, there was no way that the monsters would give special treatment because they were students at the academy. The hunting festival was a dangerous festival, with not only injuries, but even deaths every few years.

Nevertheless, every year the hunting festival is crowded with participants. It wouldn’t be obvious if hundreds of people spread out in that vast forest, but it was quite a large number for a festival where people had to risk their lives.

Even the participants could not even participate in the majority of combat-related faculties, commerce departments or humanities departments.

In other words, even if you exclude just over half of the academy’s students, hundreds of participants show up each year. This was a phenomenon that resulted from the characteristics of the academy, as well as the splendid virtue of the products of the hunting festival.

The Academy is both an educational and training institution. Whether it’s the swordsmanship department or the magic department, they have to survive in intense competition, and from the third year onwards, they are dispatched to actual combat.

Even if it wasn’t a silky hunting festival, there were many things to risk your life to graduate from the academy. Rather, a festival held under proper supervision within the academy grounds was safer. In many ways, the rejection was bound to be low.

So, at first, I expected that it would not be difficult to assemble a group to participate in the hunting festival. Seria was an excellent swordsman, and there were friends like Celine and Leto that she could trust and entrust her life with. Aren’t there only 4 people?

The journey that I thought was simple like that has come to the present through many hardships without realizing it. Of course, I managed to get all four together. The atmosphere just wasn’t that good.

First of all, Celine and Seria didn’t even have a proper conversation.

Of course, perhaps because Celine noticed me, she bowed her head to Seria first.

“… … sorry.”

Seria looked at Celine with a slightly surprised look. Celine let out a deep sigh, then bowed her head even deeper.

“I have never said anything bad about you. So maybe my friends hated you more, and it’s all my fault. I will apologize.”

It would have been humiliating enough to bite Celine’s lips. She was proud, but unyielding, especially to high-ranking nobles.

She also had to live a social life, so there were times when she showed a rather weak attitude toward high-ranking nobles. However, she was the one who absolutely refused to lower her head. But to think that Celine bowed her head to a member of the Yurdina family.

Celine had no choice but to assume that this was a decision she had made to the best of her ability. Even so, I didn’t bother defending Celine.

Forgiveness was the victim’s right. I had no right to interfere. He just stared blankly at Seria.

She was silent for a while. Seria, who was silently looking at Celine with her head down, let out a light sigh.

It was still cold. However, the words that came out of his mouth were different.

“… … That’s Okay.”

Celine’s body trembled. It could be misunderstood just by hearing the words. Seria doesn’t seem to have any intention of forgiving me, but I knew.

The fact that there is a subtle warmth in that voice. You wouldn’t have noticed if it weren’t for me, but I smiled bitterly and shook my head.

In any case, she had to fix that habit of speaking that could be easily misunderstood, but Seria still had a long way to go.

“I don’t care, about that. It’s always happened, and it’s not necessarily your fault. It is true that I often say things that can be misunderstood.”

Celine’s head lifted slightly. In those tawny eyes, a mixture of embarrassment and anticipation emanated.

The look in his eyes, ‘What’s wrong with that Yurdina?’, but what Seria was seeing right now was closer to the real ‘Seria’.

She basically doesn’t dwell on any wrongdoing. It was rare to hold grudges, much less to hate others.

It was because living with hatred was all too familiar to her. So Seria was able to respond to Celine’s apology as if it were nothing special.

“I accept your apology. In the future, as a member of the team, that… Ha, let’s work together.”

The last words seemed a bit embarrassing, so Seria turned her head away with her cheeks blushing slightly. Celine, who looked at the scene without saying anything for a while, burst into laughter.

She stretched out her bent upper body and held out her hand. It was a picture that reconciled no matter who looked at it.

Yes, this is the academy. reconciliation and friendship. and youth!

Until now, I have lived in a very nervous atmosphere. Originally, the academy, where many young people were mixed, had to be like this. Bloody words came and went, sword strikes, and that wasn’t the case.

When Celine held out her hand, Seria looked at Celine with her eyes wide open, as if this was the first handshake request she had ever received. Celine, however, did not lift her hand.

“Please take care of me, Seria. At least until the hunting festival.”

“that… yes four… … .”

It was a heartwarming sight. While I was watching Celine and Seria with warm eyes, I felt someone beside me before I knew it.

When I turned my head to the side, the person I expected was standing there. A large cone hat, brown hair. And blue eyes resembling blue sapphire.

Along with her petite body, her detailed features made the girl mistaken for a living doll. She was such a beautiful girl.

If there were two flowers in the 2nd year swordsmanship department, there were beautiful women who enjoyed a reputation equal to that in the 4th year. Among them, this girl was the only ‘poisonous flower’.

She was Elsie Rainella, the daughter of Countess Rainella, an elite sorcerer in the empire.

As a battle mage who handles thunderbolt magic, she has already established a revolutionary specialty in numerous real battles. According to rumors, there are as many as five circles surrounding her heart, and she is a genius who has not graduated yet, but has risen to the top of the 5th circle called the high-ranking wizard.

Each of the circles surrounding the heart was like a tool for magic. In other words, this little girl could superimpose five spells.

And as the number of overlapping spells increases, resonance occurs, increasing the destructive power exponentially. If Elsie seonbae chanted magic with all his might, no matter how famous a monster, he would not be safe.

In other words, it was a trump weapon prepared by me. Actually, at first, I was thinking of bringing Leto, but now that I think about it, in many ways, it was right to be with Elsie-senpai.

The wizard’s main role is to unleash powerful firepower while being protected by the avant-garde. Senior Elsie, who had a lot of practical experience and excellent skills, would be of great help when dealing with a named monster.

I was looking at Elsie with such proud eyes, but a cold smile that didn’t go well with her lovely appearance suddenly caught my eye. It was the next moment when the dainty lips opened with a sigh.

“Do the f*ck, do the f*ck. Eh, what can I do with a little gossip at the very least… Speaking of bullying, huh? I just rip off my hair, so I shouldn’t be able to carry my face from the next day. Or what. They were driven around and put in a corner of an empty lot and beaten. Tsk tsk.”

Elsie clicked her tongue, probably disapproving of the amount Celine and Seria were doing. The gap between his appearance and the content that came out of his mouth was enormous. Even I was dazed for a moment.

Elsie-senpai didn’t stop there, and even asked for my consent.

“Hey, don’t you think so too? Honestly, there’s nothing to apologize for talking behind your back… Hey profit?! Now, I was wrong!”

Instead of answering, I sneakily showed the hatchet on my waist.

It was because she couldn’t stand the words flowing out of Elsie-senpai’s mouth any longer. Seeing him spit out harsh words with that cute appearance made my head dizzy.

The effect was immediate. Elsie immediately put on a cone hat and began to tremble.

“Sah, save me… Da, I won’t be cocky again… … .”

It was a trembling voice that was pitiful. I pretended to be serious and asked.

“… … Can you promise me?”

“Yes, yes heh… Hee, hi!”

Only then did I cover my waist with the cloak again. Then, he put his hand on her chin and put it on top of her cone-shaped hat.

Elsie-senpai stiffened her body for a moment, but soon after I gently stroked her hair, she put on a hazy expression. A faint blush ran across her cheeks.

My upper body bent slightly. To the distance where my whispers could reach Elsie-senpai’s ear.

“I will continue to listen to you.”

“… … Ugh, ugh.”

Even though Elsie was embarrassed, she couldn’t refuse my hand. Rather, she wanted to be stroked more, and even subtly rubbed her hair in her hands.

Alright, that was enough for Elsie-senpai. Now, only Celine and Seria were left. The two of them were obviously creating a rather embarrassing atmosphere of reconciliation just a moment ago.

However, when I looked back, Celine was whispering something in Seria’s ear, and immediately after that, Seria’s eyes sank coldly.

Celine had a provocative smile. Seria hadn’t let go of Celine’s hand yet, but it was clear that the atmosphere had grown colder.

While I was confused as I had not heard the contents of the whisper, Celine proudly declared.

“So, until then, let’s get along well.”

“… … You see, my goal is to win the hunting festival anyway.”

It was a chilly atmosphere. It was a headache for me, who wanted Seria to have a second friend. Maybe Celine and Seria don’t match each other physically?

All I could do was tsk and click my tongue. My hand petting Elsie was also withdrawn around that time.

Elsie-senior looked at my hand with pitying eyes, with the expression of a dog chasing a toy. But perhaps he still had the pride to hold back the hand he had already left, so he cleared his throat and drew my attention.

My eyes naturally turned to senior Elsie. With the blush on her cheek still not going away, Elsie-senpai asked me.

“By the way, is there any way?”

“What method?”

When I asked as if I was talking about something, Elsie-senpai immediately made a frustrated face and stomped her feet.

“You don’t have to train! The hunting festival is a real battle, but of course we have to work together to win! Delphine, that bitch will come out with the kids who have always been together!”

Ah, I let out a small exclamation. Indeed, there was a point in Elsie senior’s point.

It was now only a week or so away. Before participating in the hunting festival, training in matching hands and feet was essential. It was because otherwise, a situation that would be worse than not being together could be created.

But it wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about it either. I replied to senior Elsie as if not to worry.

“That’s why I brought someone special, so don’t worry too much.”

“Someone special? Heh, what is a guy with no proper connections to as a low-ranking aristocrat… … .”

Elsie-senpai only snorted as if she was unreliable despite my boastful words. It was around the time when he was a little cocky and wanted to show the hatchet one more time.

A thump, and a shockwave rang out. And the sand dust rising like an explosion.

It was a shock that shook the ground. Senior Elsie screamed and grabbed my collar. Even so, having an electric charge formed on his hand in preparation for an emergency was certainly scary in the actual combat experience.

It was the same with Celine and Seria. The two of them seemed to stumble on the shaky earthshaft, but then straightened up and put their hands on their hips. And with wary eyes, he glared through the rising sand dust.

Of the four, I was the only one who wasn’t surprised. Yes, because I was the one who called.

I didn’t expect it to appear like this, but in fact, I wasn’t particularly surprised how it appeared.

The dust slowly settled, and a mature man with steel-like muscles emerged from within.

Celine and Seria’s eyes widened. It was because they were familiar faces.

“Is it you? The cheeky guys who Ian said wanted to follow the path of the Witchbeast Hunter.”

His fiery red hair and beard, and his eyes that did not budge in the slightest even though he had been retired for a long time, testified that his skills were still strong.

Derek, the legendary beast hunter.

I left a special request to him, who is also a professor at the Faculty of Swordsmanship. Fortunately, Professor Derek, who has been paying attention to me lately, is willing to help with training.

It was training with the Witchbeast in mind. There is no expert more than Professor Derek.

Elsie, who hadn’t been familiar with Professor Derek’s fame, just put on a dumbfounded face. Like it or not, I lowered my head.

“Yes, thank you. Professor Derek.”

“Hmm, good. Those disciples who might become monster hunters, I will invest my special time.”

Of course, it wasn’t without resistance. At the word ‘beast hunter’, Elsie immediately exclaimed in a fit of anger.

“Beast hunter?! The life of a day without its foundation, this Elsie of the Rainella family… Hee profit?! Ha, I will! I’ll be a monster hunter! So, please help me!”

Even so, the suppression was completed by showing the hatchet slightly.

For the next week, hellish training ensued.

Yeah, literally hellish training.

It was to the point where Seria looked at me with a resentful expression.

No, I didn’t know that I could train with demon manure on my body.

By the way, Elsie-senpai, who finished that training, had a face that was stunned. It was a look that begged me to die.

**

On the day of the hunting festival, the heat of the festival was conveyed to the fullest in the morning. Even at dawn, there were crowds of people, and the air was hot with the warmth of the people.

I silently checked my preparations. Standing beside me were my colleagues who had decided to participate in the hunting festival together. One of them, senior Elsie, still had the light in her eyes as if her soul had escaped.

Hee, I asked Seria and Celine about Elsie-senpai, who let out a lifeless voice.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah, somehow… … .”

Celine answered in such a weak voice, and Seria just nodded her head in silence. Both looked tired.

The week-long training must have been very hard. To be honest, there were a lot of terrible training sessions. My body was trembling too.

However, he was in a situation where he had to deal with the named magic beast. Training was rather difficult. The more you do, the higher your chances of survival will be.

The look on Celine and Seria’s face when they saw me demanding more intense training from Professor Derek was still clear in my memory.

The eyes of a madman.

When I reached Elsie senior, I almost had a seizure. If I hadn’t pulled the hatchet from my waist at that time, a catastrophe might have happened.

Seeing the brilliant sunlight reflecting off the blade of the axe, senior Elsie seemed to have regained her sanity only then, and immediately crouched down on the spot and began to tremble.

It might have been peeing. It was difficult to tell them apart by the smell because they were applying demon manure, but I remembered vividly that I had decided to do so because Elsie was vehemently denying it.

Those were good times, Professor Derek admired my willingness to train more aggressively.

The fruit of that tearful journey was to be borne today. I held my heart tight. Come to think of it, Leto said he was coming to say hello.

It was then that my body stiffened. Somewhere, I felt a sharp anticipation.

As soon as they become sensitive, the nerves that became sensitive immediately drew a virtual trajectory in front of their eyes. My hand went to my waist. with a sword? No, it should have been shorter.

It was such a quick surprise attack. The hatchet soared straight through the air, drawing solid silver lines.

And kang, and the sound of metal clashing.

It was a dagger. Even so, the power it carried was terrifying. It was to the point where I could feel my hatchet being slightly pushed. The dagger glided past me and spun in the air.

A golden aura was formed on the blade. As soon as I saw this, I immediately realized.

Who threw this dagger?

My gaze turned to the direction from which the dagger flew before the others, who were frightened by surprise.

Burning golden hair, and crimson eyes dripping with boredom like honey.

Pure white skin, a face that anyone would admire, and above all, even an armor that reveals the curves of the body as if revealing that fierce confidence.

She was a woman who called her body a ‘work of art’. Of course, there was no reason not to reveal the curvature of the body even if it was covered with armor.

The woman who boasts the same beauty as the sun smiled as soon as she met my eyes. A strange smile whose intention is unknown.

“It’s been a while, Hatchet Gongja.”

Delphine Yurdina, it was her.

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