Chapter 18

The place I headed to was the grand training hall.

Before enrollment, I’d often visited because of Theodore, but recently he’d been using only the private training rooms.

‘Probably because there are too many eyes on him.’

His background was one that couldn’t help but draw attention, and on top of that, his skills were still lacking.

But the person I was looking for was someone who didn’t care about such gazes. Unlike Theodore, she was also someone who would only receive looks of admiration.

“Found you.”

Even though it was the weekend, the grand training hall was quite crowded. Perhaps because it was the first week of the semester?

But the most noticeable person among them was undoubtedly her.

‘Eleanor Sutton.’

Her neatly tied red hair fluttered refreshingly.

Eleanor was swinging her awakened weapon—a double-headed axe—without hesitation. It was a movement hard to believe belonged to a freshman who had just awakened.

I decided to wait until Eleanor’s training stopped. There were many others watching her besides me, so it wasn’t particularly awkward.

“Hoo…”

Eleanor, who had been moving alone for a while, paused. She caught her breath and wiped the beads of sweat on her forehead with a handkerchief she’d placed nearby.

‘Now’s my chance!’

Glancing around, I quickly approached Eleanor.

“Um, Eleanor Sutton.”

At that, Eleanor lowered her handkerchief and looked at me. She looked a bit puzzled. Still, she didn’t seem not to recognize me, so should I call that fortunate…

“Could you spare a moment?”

Then I felt the gazes of the students in the training hall fix on this direction. Along with them whispering among themselves.

“Is she challenging her to a duel right now?”

“It’s finally happening!”

“But how does a warrior and an archer fight?”

“Uh… I don’t know?”

We’re not fighting.

Sorry to the friends who were expecting a duel, but I really just came to talk. Literally just talk.

“Then let’s move somewhere else first.”

Eleanor must have heard the whispers too, as she suggested we relocate. I nodded, since that’s what I wanted as well.

The people in the training hall looked disappointed, but that wasn’t our concern.

* * *

“That won’t do.”

Rejected.

Eleanor’s firm voice felt like it was pointing at my tiny little conscience.

“Why not?”

“Under awakened law, you cannot enter monster appearance areas without a status equivalent to a knight.”

I know that too.

That’s why I’m asking you, Eleanor!

‘I thought it wouldn’t be easy, but…’

Eleanor was an even more rigid principled person than I’d imagined. Of course, I did like that uprightness about her, but still.

‘But she seemed like she’d totally help me out!’

The beginning was definitely not bad.

No, honestly, it was completely fine.

‘Um, first of all, what I said when we first met was a misunderstanding.’

‘Are you referring to your aspiration to become valedictorian?’

‘Aspiration… W-Well, yes. It was an aspiration. Not that I’d take the valedictorian spot from you, but more like a resolve to do better myself.’

Perhaps due to the C-rank item’s effect, Eleanor nodded in understanding at my rambling excuses.

After that, we exchanged messages of encouragement, agreeing to be friendly rivals competing for the valedictorian spot.

What a heartwarming scene.

I decided to drop the formal speech too. Since we’re fellow academy students and the same age, I insisted we speak comfortably, and Eleanor readily agreed.

Yes, things were great up to this point.

‘The place managed by the Sutton family?’

‘Yeah, the Krag Forest.’

The Krag Forest, not far from the academy, was a representative rank 4 monster appearance area. It was managed by the Sutton family and had been mentioned a couple of times in the original story.

Taking advantage of the warm atmosphere, I subtly suggested a loophole to Eleanor—couldn’t the manager of that area grant entry?

She was the eldest daughter and heir of the Sutton family, so she was fully qualified to do so.

And as you can see, I got thoroughly rejected.

Good Friend to Meet (C)
: Remaining time 23:11:22

The item is working fine, though!

I guess simple intimacy alone isn’t enough.

I’d hoped for the best, but it seems resolving this amicably isn’t going to work.

‘Sigh, I didn’t want to go this far with Eleanor…’

Since it’s come to this, there’s no choice. Forgive me in advance, Eleanor.

Pretending to think something over, I subtly opened my mouth.

“If you go east from the entrance of the Krag Forest, there’s exactly one bush with a different seed type, right?”

“What?”

“The secret passage in the Krag Forest.”

“……!!”

Eleanor looked at me with the most surprised expression I’d seen from her yet.

Of course. The place I mentioned was a hole that young Eleanor had ‘personally’ made to secretly sneak in and out of the forest.

[…As she said, when we pulled back the bush, there really was a hole just big enough for a small child to squeeze through.
“Wow, how did you notice?”
“Only that one has a different bush seed type.”
Everyone looked at her with amazed eyes. At that, Eleanor added quietly.
“I made something like that when I was young too.”
Somewhere around the east side of the Krag Forest, she said, embarrassedly averting her eyes…]

While I was recalling the original, Eleanor questioned me in a heavily guarded voice.

“How do you know that?”

I answered leisurely.

“People from the Saint family are like that, you know.”

The Saint family, an old noble house, was famous for handling all kinds of information in the world. It’s said there are even ears on the walls of the Saint estate.

Of course, I’d only read about Eleanor saying it in the original, but I bluffed as if I’d independently gathered the information.

“…Why are you telling me this?”

Fortunately, my best-effort bluff seemed to work, and she looked roughly convinced. But she still hadn’t let down her guard.

I adopted a rather serious air and opened my mouth.

“I thought you would understand me.”

“Me? Understand you?”

“I want to become strong too.”

So I can survive in this crazy parade of quests.

Leaving out the most important part, I shamelessly delivered the line I thought would be the deciding blow.

“Someone as talented as the top entrant couldn’t possibly not understand the desire to become stronger.”

Eleanor’s golden eyes wavered.

That’s why you also secretly hunted monsters there before enrolling. So just let this slide already, please.

“You—”

Eleanor barely parted her lips. But that sentence was never finished. Because Eleanor averted her gaze from me and clamped her mouth shut.

What? She definitely looked like she was going to say more.

‘Ah, right, I have that.’

I lowered my gaze and secretly opened my item window.

• Listening Posture (D): The other person says a little more to you when you listen. Active for 12 hours. Single use.

I activated the item without delay.

It’s a D-rank item, but I have no choice but to trust it for now.

“Tell me, Eleanor.”

“……”

“I want to hear your story.”

This was sincere.

Eleanor was a rational principled person, but she was also someone with a stronger desire for strength than anyone. Rather, she was the type who found it harder to understand people who lacked such desire or ambition.

So I thought if I pressed this much, she’d understand me and reluctantly allow it.

There must be a clear reason for Eleanor’s stance being more adamant than I expected.

I quietly gazed at her. Then Eleanor, who had been hesitating, finally opened her mouth.

“…Monsters are more dangerous than you think.”

Surprisingly, the words that came out of Eleanor’s mouth were ordinary. But her words didn’t end there.

“Even capable awakened individuals get caught off guard and fall to the poison of rank 5 monsters. I’m saying it’s not just higher-ranked monsters that are dangerous.”

“I’m prepared. I wasn’t planning to go alone either.”

“No, I’m just…”

Eleanor paused for a moment. She furrowed her brow slightly, then continued.

“I’m afraid.”

Afraid?

“You probably know, but the Sutton family is a knightly house that has sworn loyalty to the imperial family for generations. I received knight training before awakening, so I thought it was natural for me to be strong.”

“……”

“So right after awakening, I secretly hunted monsters in the Krag Forest without my father knowing. Thinking of it as a kind of training.”

She’s definitely not an ordinary person. Who else would drill a secret hole and enter a monster appearance area just to train?

“And then, when was it? Before I knew it, I was surrounded by a pack of monsters. I thought I was going to die that day.”

“……”

“And I nearly did. If a patrolling knight hadn’t found me, that is.”

After that, she added, she trained under her father’s strict surveillance until she became familiar with the Krag Forest.

It was a story perfect for raising vigilance. It was the personal experience of Eleanor herself, called a born warrior.

Right, but you see…

‘I’ve never seen this backstory before…?’

The part of Eleanor’s story I knew only went up to ‘thinking of it as a kind of training.’ Everything after that was a hidden tale even I, the reader, didn’t know.

Regardless, Eleanor continued.

“You remind me of myself back then.”

Of myself, who just wanted to become stronger as quickly as possible.

Eleanor said it with a slightly bitter tone. Watching her, I eventually nodded.

“I understand what you mean, Eleanor.”

“Right, so—”

“But I still have to go there.”

For a moment, Eleanor’s brow furrowed. Nevertheless, I stubbornly continued.

“You know I can sneak in without your permission, right?”

“Lucy!”

“The secret passage is so narrow that I can’t bring the person I was originally going to take with me, but what can I do? I’ll have to go alone.”

“I’ll contact the Krag Forest guards.”

“I’ll probably be faster? I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve, you see.”

I don’t.

I don’t even know the exact location of the hole, so there’s a strong chance I’d get caught by the guards while looking for it.

But I kept speaking with unwavering confidence.

“I’m asking you, Eleanor.”

A threat disguised as a request.

The bargaining chip I put forward was my own life.

‘And the Eleanor Sutton I know…’

Would never gamble with someone else’s life.

Her own life, maybe.

In the end, Eleanor spoke with a sigh-laced voice.

“Fine.”

Yes!

I unconsciously clenched my fist.

But Eleanor’s words didn’t end there.

“In exchange, I’m coming with you.”