436 – To Reclaim, One Must Pay the Price -4-

A dark night.

Sitting before a flickering lantern, I borrowed the faint light to gaze at the small calendar hanging beneath the clock.

[D-1]

Time really does seem to fly by.

To think the lessons, begun under Malik’s supervision, already have only a single day remaining.

“Haaah….”

For some, this time, a little over a month, might have been as long as an eternity in hell. For others, perhaps it felt like a fleeting instant. As for me, I was feeling a bittersweet mix of emotions.

“Never thought I’d experience a feeling like this.”

I think I understood now why teachers wore such strange expressions at graduation. When they said, ‘Get out of here, you’re a pain,’ they seemed like heartless people, but they wore a face that showed that they had regrets more than anyone else.

I didn’t understand that when I was a kid.

No, even when I became an adult, I didn’t understand. Suddenly, the face of my teacher from my past life, who patted me on the back, came to mind.

-Minhyuk-ah.

-Yes, Teacher.

-I’m… sorry I couldn’t be a strength to you.

The teacher who, at my graduation, had handed me a small envelope when I was ostracized for being an orphan.

Time flows the same for everyone.

For me.

For Yuria.

For Nokjo.

Time, as it always did, marched on.

A stretch of days, each layered with different experiences.

During that time, I weathered another siege.

-This time, I’m participating in the siege.

-…Please, no.

-Are you that happy, Ruin-ssi?

-…

I even spun the lie of a picnic to lure them into hunting an ultra-massive monster.

-I told you… everyone’s going to die.

-…Ah, I really wish I were dead.

-Everyone, fighting!

There was also that less-than-funny episode in the extra-story dungeon, where every single student fainted.

Honestly.

“Haha…”

There was so much I wanted to teach them, but I couldn’t, which left a lingering sense of regret. It felt like I was lacking, being a novice at this.

Regardless, I felt like I had grown another layer thicker through this experience. Secretly, I was also glad to have met these severed connections from the Academy.

Of course, the knowledge gained in this brief time wasn’t enough to gain the power to defeat the Heretics.

The Heretics were still overflowing with powerful b*stards, and Apostles unknown in the novels were now coming into existence.

All I had really taught them in this time was the power to not die in the face of tragic circumstances.

-From this point on, you will be learning the art of survival.

My hope, my dream, was that one collective would endure, rather than be swept away by the incoming storm.

I can confidently say that I’ve been through numerous experiences, but farewells are something I’ve never gotten accustomed to. I dearly hoped no tragic news would reach my ears.

“…Haaahm.”

Gazing at the flickering oil lamp, I watched the rising dawn and slowly rose to my feet, offering a smile to those who awaited me.

“Today is our last class.”

To those grateful people who indulged my unreasonable requests.

“Shall we go, then?”

Elicia and Hans, who were tidying up the teaching materials, smiled faintly and nodded.

“Yes, Saint-nim.”

“We are ready.”

When I first arrived in this world, I thought they were figures I might have to kill with my own hands someday…

“I can’t believe it’s already the last class.”

“Elicia-nim feels that way too? I was thinking the same.”

Having reliable allies guarding my flanks made me feel like new strength was surging forth. The fact that these figures who all held prominent positions in the novel were now calling me ‘Saint’ and singing my praises secretly pleased me.

“Thank you for indulging my unreasonable requests.”

Hans and Elicia widened their eyes, then chuckled and replied.

“I also had fun.”

“I really enjoyed tormenting Ruin as well.”

I nodded at their answers and slowly ascended.

“Let us go, then. To our final lesson.”

***

“Are you all sleepy?”

I stood before the assembled students of the swordsmanship department, offering a faint smile. Some send-off this was, considering the looks on their faces.

“What’s with the expressions?”

“…”

“Seeing as it’s the last lesson, shall we start with a bit of a climb?”

“…”

Malik exhaled a low sigh and spoke.

“You didn’t overdo it with the drinking last night, did you?”

“…”

“How are you so… functional?”

“Haha… come to think of it, that’s true.”

I recalled last night’s farewell feast, a clumsy smile spreading across my face. We’d really gone all out for the final day.

-Today, we truly die…!

-Yeeessss!!!

-Let’s eat and die!!! Cheers!!!

-It’s the last day! Are we really having class?!

-Of course. Unless you drink more than me, then I’ll give you a pass.

Seeing Malik, who had clearly pushed himself far beyond his limit trying to skip class, I offered a small smile, and respected his hangover.

“Next time, we should develop a hangover cure.”

“…I’d definitely like to make that.”

Malik was particularly vulnerable to hangovers.

I surveyed the students, taking in the glint in their eyes, a clear indication of the growth they’d achieved during the break, and smiled softly.

“Whatever the case, it’s the last lesson.”

“…”

“You’ve all worked so hard.”

“…”

“There’s still so much I wanted to teach you, it’s a little sad to be leaving like this.”

I turned to Rohan, who wore the proudest smile of them all, and tossed out a silly jest that old men tend to favor.

“Rohan.”

“Yes?”

“The break’s not over yet; how about you and I stay behind for a little one-on-one practice?”

“Ah… n-no thank you!”

“Hmm… you almost seem disappointed.”

“Not disappointed at all!”

“Hmm…? Wouldn’t saying that make me feel rather dejected?”

“…Ah… no, that’s not what I…”

At Rohan’s flustered reaction, I burst into laughter, waving my hand dismissively. Even I wouldn’t want to be left alone with a guy like that, I thought to myself.

“Your eyes all seem so alive.”

“…”

“For someone stewing in a hangover, that’s a surprisingly bright look you’ve got. On the first day, you were all hazy, making me wonder if I’d made the right choice.”

Malik, hearing my smiling assessment, nodded in acknowledgement and replied with a clear voice, “Mind if I ask you something?”

I nodded back. I had a decent idea what Malik, a man who prioritized results over process, would ask.

“If it’s a question I can answer, then go ahead.”

“Ahem…”

Malik, unusually bashful, scratched at his forehead as he spoke. “How much stronger have I become?”

Just as I thought.

“As strong as an Apostle?”

I let out a little “pff” of laughter and shook my head. No matter how you slice it, you couldn’t become as strong as an Apostle in just a month. I gave him an honest answer.

“Not quite as strong as an Apostle.”

“Not… quite?”

“But…”

I offered some helpful, positive words to the gloomy Malik.

No exaggerations.

No downplaying. Just a truthful account of Malik’s martial prowess.

“You won’t be so easily knocked down as before.”

“…!!”

“Malik, unlike back during the Holy Sword Competition when you fell without even putting up a fight, you’ve now grown enough to withstand an Apostle’s attack and even launch a counterattack.”

“So, I’ve grown enough to land a blow on that pointy-eared b*stard…!”

“Indeed.”

Malik clenched his fist, savoring the feeling of elation. He’d clearly been deeply affected by his crushing defeat in the previous battle.

Leaving Malik to his thoughts, I began to relay the news that everyone else was waiting for. It wouldn’t be fair to single out only Malik.

“Rohan, who fights with both shield and sword, has gained the strength to block an Apostle’s attack once.”

“…”

“If you’re willing to risk it all, you might even be able to defeat a Grand Priest.”

“I’m finally rid of being a punching bag…!”

“As for Sigeol Rook, you’ve grown strong enough to at least survive an encounter with a Heretical Grand Priest.”

“I can’t believe it…!!!”

“Hanna, much like Malik, if you prepare thoroughly, you’ll be able to fight on par with an Apostle. Of course, you won’t win, but you’ll be strong enough to sink your teeth into their ankles.”

“I’ll get stronger.”

“And Bellian…”

“…”

“Your presence seems to have become even more faint. You could become a truly magnificent assassin.”

“Thank you.”

“Finally, Mikhail…”

I smiled at Mikhail, who was clenching his fists tightly with anticipation, and gave him a vague answer.

“You’ll find out once you grasp the Holy Sword.”

“…Huh?”

“Hahaha!”

-Clap!

“Alright! Shall we begin the final lesson, then?”

Clapping my hands, I drew Caliban, which had been at my hip for ages, and offered a composed smile.

Rohan, who had fallen countless times on the first day, stared at me, his face tight with tension. He likely thought we were repeating the endurance of killing intent test from the very beginning.

‘I have no intention of passing out meekly.’

Rohan clenched his fist as he firmly gripped his sword.

However.

“The final lesson will now commence.”

I had no intention of conducting the lesson Rohan was preparing for. The final lesson would be the most difficult of them all.

I surveyed the students bracing against the killing intent and spoke with a derisive tone.

“What are you doing.”

“…”

“Come at me all at once.”

*

At the same moment.

In the healing arts faculty’s lecture hall.

“It’s the final lesson.”

Elysia, preparing for her final lesson just like Ricardo, offered a kindly smile as she looked at her five students.

“It was tough, wasn’t it?”

“Yes…”

“It must have been. You’ve likely killed more undead than at any other time in your lives.”

“…”

“You’ve even dissected ghouls’ bodies. It would be a lie if you said it wasn’t difficult.”

“…”

“You’ve all worked so hard.”

Elysia’s words struck a chord, and the students, their hearts deeply moved, wiped away the tears with the backs of their hands and bowed their heads.

Though the physical intensity of their lessons was weaker than other faculties, the mental fortitude required far exceeded that of any other faculty’s training.

The healing arts students were feeling it.

They felt, better than anyone, just how much they had grown during this course.

“Those of you gathered here possess the weakness of being healers.”

“…”

“The most important person on the battlefield, and the weakest.”

“…”

“Even this choice wasn’t forced upon you. You chose this path yourselves.”

Gazing at the faces of the listening students, Elysia silently repented for the wrongs she had committed against the academy students in the past and continued speaking.

“Who did I tell you is the first to die in war?”

“…The healer, you said.”

“Yes, the healer is targeted first and dies first.”

“…”

“In our lessons together, you all learned how not to die. How to summon the strength to endure, even when the pain and hardship made you wish for it.”

‘Clap,’ Elysia, breaking the somber mood with a small smile, spoke.

“Now, let us begin our final lesson.”

Elysia conjured a small flame in her hand, and said,

“From this moment on, you will kill a person.”

“…”

“For if you know how to save a life, you must also know how to take one.”