HPDBC Chapter 319
Chapter 319
Chapter 319
“No, you’re joking, right?”
Scarlet asked, not even bothering to wipe the juice dripping from the corner of his mouth.
“Keke...”
“Wh-Why is he looking for me?”
“Well... because I gave him those instructions, of course.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
Scarlet screamed in frustration.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Causing such a scene in a crowded place... Definitely a failure as a rat.
I’ll have to remind Caron to train the kids better.
“Keke, actually...”
As the story began, Scarlet pulled out a notebook, focusing intently.
After hearing the full explanation, he nodded in understanding.
“I see. A spy, huh... If we’re lucky, we might gather some useful information. Ah, and choosing to hide your identity was an excellent decision.”
I didn’t tell him about the Sacred Sword, but I had no choice but to explain about the Dark Beast Squad.
After all, Scarlet might accidentally reveal that we were students at the Academy.
“But... ‘Dark Beast Squad,’ huh... That name’s very... you. Doing something like that without hesitation... You’re going to die young, I swear.”
Scarlet shivered.
His reaction was similar to what Crowell and Joseph showed.
“Keke, is it really that bad?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know? Words carry tremendous power! People don’t usually use negative terms unless they’re idiots. Just look at those Four Heavenly Kings!”
The Creator of Madness.
The Maestro of the Battlefield.
The Mother of Summoning.
The Red King.
None of them had any negative words in their titles.
Even Caron’s nickname, the Empire’s Rat, followed the same rule.
“And you combined animals with it... You’re practically saying, ‘We’re a group that’s lost its humanity, so you better be careful!’ It’s a warning in itself.”
I see. So, just based on the name, it’s scarier than the Four Heavenly Kings?
Even though Luna came up with the name in her usual whimsical manner, it seems she did give it some thought.
“Only someone at the level of a Legion Commander... or a fool like you would use negative words like that.”
So that’s what it means... It might have been a carefully considered decision, but it could also have been thoughtless.
Considering Luna’s personality...
‘It’s probably the latter.’
Still, it wasn’t a bad outcome, like how a cat accidentally caught a black mage while backing away.
I’ll keep in mind the idea that words carry power.
Whether it’s totemism, superstition, or an actual force in this world, I may find a use for this knowledge one day.
“Anyway, since I’m here, you don’t need to worry about sharing information or giving orders. The only problem is... that Crowell’s survival rate is pretty low. Honestly, he’s basically a walking corpse.”
“Keke, even if he’s a corpse, we should use him if he’s still useful.”
“Haa... Working with someone this ruthless... I’m not going to live long, am I?”
Scarlet chuckled.
He acted like that because he knew that, compared to others in this world, I was actually pretty decent.
“Please share information regularly. If Crowell asks for help, assist him as much as you can.”
“For free?”
“Scarlet, you’re quite capable. I trust you.”
Perhaps pleased by the compliment, Scarlet grinned widely.
“You sure know how to talk. Here, take this.”
Scarlet handed me a small shard of glass.
[Shard of the Hourglass]
— A shard from the hourglass used by the god Draupnir. It contains an unknown power.
It was the mysterious item I had requested from Scarlet before leaving the Academy.
‘Impressive. That must’ve been difficult.’
Like with a puzzle, abandoning greed was crucial.
Three mysterious items appear after solving the puzzle, and you must only take one. If you get greedy and reach for more...
Luna lunged at me and started gnawing at my head.
It was at that moment I truly felt like I was back at the Academy.
In a luxurious bedroom.
A woman with hair as dark as the night sky lay on her bed, gazing into a crystal ball.
Within the crystal, a young girl was passionately making her case.
“Please provide bricks for the estate!”
“Are you crazy? Do you have any idea how much those cost?”
“Carpathia is a strategic location! We must repair the broken walls immediately! With the best bricks from our border duchy!”
“Now I see. You weren’t unharmed after all, were you? You must’ve hit your head really hard. Go to the infirmary right away.”
“Big sister!!”
Indeed, the woman lying in bed was none other than Lucia, the eldest of the Lucid family and the hero of the recent campaign to subjugate Volkan.
The one speaking passionately from the crystal was Rodelin, the youngest of the Lucid family.
“We don’t even have enough for ourselves! How could we supply them? Besides, Carpathia is rich. They should at least pay for it.”
“How can you ask for money when the Empire’s fate is at stake!”
“Isn’t the fate of the North part of the Empire too?”
“Ugh...”
“Carpathia will handle it on their own. Just sit tight. Though, I see it must’ve been a tough battle, seeing you spout such nonsense.”
Lucia rolled over on her bed, her gaze still on the crystal ball.
As if recalling something, Rodelin spoke, her eyes closed.
“Yes, if it weren’t for Zero and the others, we would’ve been in serious trouble.”
“Zero? There was no mention of him in the reports I received.”
“Looks like they were altered. Well... no need to burden the first-years with the truth. They’ll be hailed as new heroes and have to deal with all the attention anyway.”
“That serious, huh? Something must’ve happened.”
Lucia was about to sit up to hear more details when someone barged in, pushing her aside.
“Zero? Surely he wasn’t hurt, was he? My lady’s future husband can’t be injured... I must go tend to him immediately!”
It was Lucia’s nanny. She pressed her face close to the crystal, causing Rodelin to flinch.
Her face had gotten so big, it looked as if she was about to devour her.
“Wh-Who said anything about a husband! He’s just my student!”
“Keke, it’s not a crime these days, my lady. Your plan to nurture him until the time is right... I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been impressed.”
“It’s your plan, not mine! Ah, stop talking nonsense and get out!”
Lucia pushed the nanny away with all her strength.
“So, what happened exactly?”
“Oh, well, I wasn’t there from the start either. But according to the rumors...”
Rodelin slowly began recounting the events.
How they defeated four low-level demons.
How they fought against a high-level demon.
Luna’s sacrifice and Principal Dwener’s intervention.
The entire story sounded unbelievable.
‘Especially Principal Dwener... So he was hiding his true power, after all.’
Rodelin might be too young to understand, but Lucia, having met the principal herself, had sensed he wasn’t an ordinary figure.
Her instincts were, as always, spot on.
“If not for Zero, Miss Luna, and Miss Rezé, the first-years would’ve suffered far worse casualties.”
“Really?”
“Your students played a crucial role, big sister. As expected... you are amazing.”
Lucia’s lips twitched.
While the compliment from her beloved youngest sibling pleased her, the fact that her first-ever students were being praised filled her with a strange feeling.
‘Is this why people take on students? It feels... odd.’
If she had to put it into words, it felt like... yes, joy.
“Keke, it’s love. Love for Zero, without a doubt.”
Lucia’s eyes narrowed at the nanny’s comment.
–TL Notes–
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