Chapter 78
Daphne rubbed her eyes.
But what she saw remained unchanged.
That is to say, the landscape was visible where the baggage wagons that Daphne had ridden yesterday were lined up in a row.
“Yesterday, we easily climbed the mountain by riding a wagon.”
Kenrick smiled broadly and patted Daphne’s shoulder.
“Today, we climb directly with our own two legs.”
That means this is at the bottom of the mountain. The training institute is over there on the mountainside.
“If you arrive before meal time, you can eat breakfast, otherwise, it’s not possible. Make sure to climb well on your own.”
“Wh-what, what, this…….”
Daphne shouted toward Kenrick, who used a scroll and disappeared in an instant.
“You dog-like bastard, there is such a punishment!”
***
Dormitory 1st floor, dining hall.
Exhausted children with pale faces are buried in their trays.
“Ugh…… I feel like I’m going to die…….”
“I vomited earlier while running…… But since it was morning, nothing came out…….”
“Who talks about soup when someone mentions eating vomit.”
“That’s dirty…….”
Compared to yesterday, their energy has definitely dropped. The test yesterday alone would have been exhausting enough, but running up the mountain from morning without proper rest makes it understandable.
“Hey. Did you hear? Earlier, Lady Daphne got 0 points and received punishment.”
“Who said that?”
“Teppy said so.”
“So? What’s the punishment?”
“I don’t know. They say she suddenly disappeared.”
“What, was she dragged away?”
The children began chattering about the newly presented topic, Daphne’s whereabouts.
Stories like she might have been thrown into a place inhabited by demons, or made to do push-ups for an hour, various absurd tales came out.
“Lady Daphne receiving punishment…….”
Bunny muttered while scooping soup.
“……She deserved it. Yesterday alone, she kept getting scolded.”
Is Daphne truly brave or stupid? Bunny became curious.
It was at that moment.
“Huh. What. Isn’t that the kid who was vomiting earlier? You passed too?”
A voice that seemed familiar from before was heard. Bunny quickly raised his head. Immediately, a girl with silver hair tied high in a ponytail was visible. Uh…… that is…… X-rice? Right? Bunny’s eyes widened.
“The person who taught me curses, right?”
“Yeah. Right. Can I sit?”
“Yes.”
Cilia sat across from Bunny and placed her tray down. Then she stared intently at Bunny.
“You were muttering about Daphne or something. Do you know Daphne too?”
“Yes. We rode the same wagon. No, we did.”
“……Then are you subordinate number 3?”
“Yes?”
“It’s nothing. Forget it.”
Cilia hated herself for caring about Daphne, who had just jokingly said things like subordinate 4 or whatever. She was also annoyed at having the hope that if she truly formed a connection with Daphne Akeon, both she and her uncle might be okay.
Sigh. Cilia let out a sigh and deliberately changed the topic.
“Did she really go to receive punishment?”
“It seems so. She was running behind me, but seeing she hasn’t arrived yet….”
“Daphne was behind?”
Cilia widened her eyes and scrutinized Bunny thoroughly. She doesn’t look particularly fit, nor does she seem particularly impressive. Yet she entered the top 10 first?
“What place were you?”
“3rd place.”
“…….”
Cilia smacked her own forehead hard. No matter how much she scraped together information, variables like this always arise.
So Cilia decided she needed to know a bit more about Bunny. Even if it’s just a physical fitness test, what if she stands out in other subjects later. She had to consider her as a competitor and judge.
If she’s truly qualified to compete……. Cilia’s eyes grew cold.
“I’m Cilia.”
Cilia smiled brightly and greeted. Since Cilia was quite pretty, Bunny blushed slightly upon seeing that smile. He lowered her head deeply and replied.
“Ah! I’m Bunny….”
“Yeah.”
Cilia scanned from Bunny’s face down to her feet with sharp eyes.
“What’s next? Swordsmanship class?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever held a sword? From your hands, it seems like you have.”
“Um…….”
Bunny fidgeted with her hands and rolled her eyes.
“I’ve held an axe more often than a sword.”
“An axe?”
“Yes. My home is cold. For splitting firewood.”
Cilia tilted her head.
Not a competitor……? Someone who can’t be considered a competitor? Just someone who got high scores because she’s only good at physical strength? Cilia thought it would be better to find out more.
“Why did you enter the training institute? Didn’t you say something about your mother earlier?”
“Ah. Yes. They said if you complete the training institute well, more jobs become available.”
Bunny scratched the back of his head and said.
“I thought I’d have trouble getting a proper job because I’m stupid, but I heard that if you’re from the training institute, you can get jobs that pay a lot, so I came.”
“……Money?”
“Yes. My mom is sick. Medicine costs a lot.”
“…….”
In front of a kid living so diligently, I feel like a really bad person for weighing and calculating. Cilia pressed her slightly flushed cheeks with the back of her hand and muttered.
“Joshua too, and you too. Why are kids so pitiful. Is it fortunate to just not have parents like me.”
“Yes?”
“It’s nothing.”
Cilia shook her head. Then, seeing Bunny who had put down his spoon, she tilted her head.
“Are you done eating? The bread? Why aren’t you eating it?”
“Ah.”
Bunny smiled awkwardly and mumbled.
“I thought Lady Daphne might not be able to eat. So she can at least have the bread.”
“…….”
Thud!
Cilia’s forehead touched the table.
I look so bad for considering this kind of kid a competitor and thinking of hurting his if necessary. No, at this level, I’m trash. I’m trash. Human trash.
“Why are you like that? Are you okay?”
“It’s nothing…….”
Cilia unsteadily stood up.
“If you’re done eating, let’s get up. Until class time, it’s free time…….”
Then, suppressing her guilt, she said.
“I’ll at least teach you how to hold a sword.”
“……!”
Bunny’s eyes widened as if they would pop out. Anyway, the kids here all seemed like they knew a thing or two, so he had felt intimidated, but even roughly knowing how to hold a sword would be much more helpful.
Bunny smiled brightly and nodded.
“Thank you! When I first saw you, you were so pretty I thought you were an angel, and you really are an angel!”
“……Be quiet. Follow me.”
The earlobes of Cilia, who was walking ahead, were burning red. Of course, Bunny didn’t notice.
***
At that time.
Daphne was climbing the mountain almost crawling.
“Kenrick, I’ll kill you…… No, no. That guy called Teppy or whatever first…… No, kill them all…….”
The muttering words were incoherent. Because she was so tired that she had half lost her mind.
“What glory and wealth am I doing this for…… Truly vain……. Vain…….”
Being rolled around by young and insignificant humans for so long…… Being checked……. I just wanted to qualify to beat up those black magician bastards…… Sob sob. The dragon is rolling, rolling.
“Haa.”
Daphne let out a sigh and shook her head.
“All these miscellaneous thoughts must be coming because I’m hungry.”
Then, she patted her cheeks to try to come to her senses. She grabbed her stomach, flattened to the point where leather touched her back, and looked around.
“Is there nothing to eat…… A mushroom.”
It was a mushroom with speckled spots on a bright red background. It looked pretty enough to catch the eye at a glance. So Daphne reached out toward the mushroom. Pretty things should taste good too.
It was then.
“Are you crazy?”
An unfamiliar voice came from right above. Daphne withdrew the hand she was reaching for the mushroom and looked up. Then, the black-haired kid seen during the entrance exam, Joshua, was visible.
“If you’re trying to eat that to die here, I’ll just pass by.”
“……What do you mean?”
“If you eat that, you die, you idiot.”
Daphne’s eyes widened.
“Why? Isn’t it pretty? I knew that pretty-looking things are good to eat too.”
“If you don’t believe me, eat it and die. And write on the tombstone: Died from eating poison while only looking for pretty things.”
“…….”
What is this kid.
His way of speaking is similar to my level.
Daphne smacked her lips, completely withdrew the hand she was about to use to pluck the mushroom, and looked at Joshua.
“What. Did you come to tease me?”
Instead of answering, Joshua took something out from his pocket.
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