novelraw Chapter 222: Growth (5)
Chapter 222: Growth (5)
Translator: Dreamscribe
Love & Friendship: Heart-Pounding Sion Academy!
The 3,000 Heroes had initially wondered if they'd made a mistake signing up for the test. Seeing Jinwoo in person was incredible, but the pressure was enormous. Being told it was a test made them feel like they had to produce some kind of result. But once the test began, their minds quickly changed.
They had gained an irreplaceable childhood friend.
They had gained a dependable friend who seemed like they would always have their back. It was awkward at first, but the friend approached them so warmly and treated them like a decade-long companion that much of that awkwardness faded.
HoHoGamMan was no different.
When Miel in her school uniform came right up to his face, it was impossibly awkward at first.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, n-nothing...."
"Aha? You couldn't sleep because you were too excited, huh?"
Miel said that while smacking his shoulder with her hand, as if she already knew everything. HoHoGamMan could only nod awkwardly.
Miel stared straight at his face. When their eyes met, she blushed slightly and looked away.
"L-let's go!"
Miel cautiously extended her hand.
HoHoGamMan blinked and stared at her. Miel wiggled her outstretched fingers, signaling him.
"Oh! Yeah."
HoHoGamMan hesitated, then reached out to take Miel's hand. Watching his hand slowly stretch toward her, Miel let out a sigh and grabbed his first.
He felt her warm body heat.
It felt like his whole body was on fire.
HoHoGamMan walked through the streets with Miel. The well-kept streets, much like those he'd seen in Alusion, were beautiful.
A fountain spraying clear water, cafes, and rows of shops. It was scenery he always saw in Alusion, but it felt so romantic now.
"Do you remember that alley over there?"
"Huh?"
Miel pointed at an alley.
HoHoGamMan was wondering how to respond. That was when it happened.
FLASH!
A memory surfaced in his mind. It was a sensation similar to when he'd watched the PV trailer and experienced the immersion.
A young Miel was being bullied by neighborhood kids in the alley, and Ho-in had saved her. The kids were built like mountains, so he'd been covered in bruises, but he managed to rescue her.
That was when he and Miel became friends.
Miel was a commoner, but in Arsilan, social status was nothing more than an honorary title.
'So this is how it works.'
He was swept up in a feeling as if he had truly been the one to save Miel.
"I did end up a total mess, though."
Miel smiled softly at HoHoGamMan's words.
A road of memories unfolded before him. They had studied together to get into the academy, and when he was bedridden with a cold, Miel had nursed him back to health. Last year, they'd enjoyed the festival together. Miel in traditional Arsilan clothing had been incredibly cute.
'That's right.'
HoHoGamMan adapted remarkably fast!
He was already accepting the memories as his own.
'I could check the Affection Level....'
He started to think that, then stopped.
He just wanted to walk together like this. He wanted to hold on to this warm feeling for as long as possible.
HoHoGamMan rode a bus powered by a Mana Engine with Miel and arrived at Sion Academy. Perhaps because of the futuristic setting, the Magitech Engineering was more advanced than in Levannas.
'Setting.'
It wasn't real, just a setting inside a game.
'Don't get too immersed.'
This was fake!
It was just a game for testing.
Just as the message had said when he first logged in, it was a fictional world! HoHoGamMan told himself that over and over.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, n-no, it's nothing."
But when he saw Miel's smile, those thoughts went blank and vanished.
It was healing.
It felt like all the filth that had piled up inside his heart was being purified. The bus stopped at the Sion Academy station. When they stepped off, many students were heading into the academy.
'Something....'
For some reason, his chest tightened with emotion.
It looked nothing like his own school days, but it felt like he had truly returned to that time. When he stepped inside the academy, many students turned to look at HoHoGamMan.
"Oh, that Hero's...."
"Wow...."
Count HoHoGamMan was famous.
He was a Hero who had saved Arsilan and a champion trusted by Leon, Emperor of the Sillion Empire. It was only natural that his son would attract attention.
'Hmm....'
So this was the life of a celebrity!
"Are you the son of the Hero?"
A female student who appeared to be one year ahead approached him. She had a group of students following her and seemed to hold a fairly high position at the academy.
"I am student council vice president, Searin Bel Arkan."
She was a beauty with a refined air about her.
Her imposing presence bore down on him, but it had no effect on someone who had faced the Lord of Despair. Searin watched him with intrigued eyes, finding his composure interesting.
"The student council is recruiting talent. Keep that in mind."
Searin gave him a slight smile, then turned and disappeared. After that, an annoyingly large number of people approached him. Many of the students were strikingly impressive.
HoHoGamMan sensed that this was a branching point.
He glanced to the side and saw Miel watching him with anxious eyes.
"D-don't worry about me. I'll go on ahead."
When Miel said that in a thoroughly deflated voice, HoHoGamMan's gaze wavered.
Something, something stabbed him right in the chest!
They said the childhood friend was the icon of defeat. It was a universal truth seen in countless works of fiction. HoHoGamMan had never liked that. The moment he saw Miel, that conviction only grew stronger.
"Where did they say the assembly point was?"
"Huh? The gymnasium...."
"Let's go!"
"Yeah!"
On the way to the gymnasium, the student council president also showed up, along with several other key figures, but HoHoGamMan, uncharacteristically, did not engage in any affection grinding.
He chatted with Miel about this and that as they arrived at the assembly point.
The instructors gave a brief talk about the entrance ceremony, and after receiving their class assignments, the schedule was finished.
'Special class, huh?'
As the son of a Hero, he was in the special class!
Looking at the course content, there were many subjects that would benefit his main character's abilities too. In addition to Imperial Knight Order swordsmanship classes, more advanced magic courses were also prepared.
[All skills acquired at Sion Academy can also be used in Arsilan.]
That information appeared as he reviewed the subjects. Since time flowed faster here, just training alone would be worthwhile. He could vividly picture the Named Heroes going absolutely wild trying to get in.
"Wow! You're in the special class. I'm in Class B. Hehe."
"The classrooms are close by, though."
"...R-really?"
He came out of the academy with Miel.
'The entrance ceremony is in two days, was it?'
It felt too soon to go back just like this. Miel seemed to feel the same way, hesitating briefly at the academy gates.
"I need to buy stuff to prepare for classes. Want to come with me?"
When HoHoGamMan smiled and nodded, Miel let out a small breath of relief and smiled back at him.
They wandered through the city together, buying school supplies. They carefully picked out a sword for swordsmanship class, alchemy materials, and reference books.
"The coffee here is great!"
They went all the way to the outskirts of the city and spent a leisurely time at a famous cafe. Around sunset, they left the cafe and walked along the city walls.
The white walls were a place where couples often walked.
Miel, who had been gazing at the walls, pointed to a stairway beside them. There were stairs leading up to the top of the wall. When Miel climbed up, HoHoGamMan followed behind her.
"Oh...."
When they reached the top, a beautiful landscape spread out before them. Alusion was visible in the distance, and countless airships were traveling to and from it. The green fields, the airships, and the city blended together in perfect harmony.
The sunset sky adorned the scene even more beautifully.
"Have you ever been to Alusion?"
"Well..., yeah, I have."
"I'm curious what it's like."
"You can just go and see for yourself."
When HoHoGamMan answered simply, Miel's expression turned sulky. HoHoGamMan frantically rummaged through his mind for the right words.
"Let's go together during break."
"Yeah!"
Only when HoHoGamMan said that did Miel finally smile.
They sat on the wall and gazed at the beautiful scenery. A gentle breeze caressed them pleasantly.
Suddenly, the sound of thunder rolled in.
When HoHoGamMan looked up, dark clouds were racing in. Before they could prepare for anything, rain came pouring down.
"Ahh! We're gonna get soaked!"
Miel jumped up and ran to a small storage shed on the wall. When the shed door opened, she waved at HoHoGamMan. He went inside the shed with Miel.
The rain grew heavier.
Miel and HoHoGamMan's eyes met in the cramped storage space.
"......"
"......"
A strangely tense atmosphere hung in the air.
It was a feeling that was both sweet and spine-tingling at the same time.
"...It's kind of hot in here."
"Y-y-yeah, it is."
At Miel's words, HoHoGamMan gulped and stammered. Just as they stared at each other and their bodies drew closer together,
the shed door opened and a soldier stepped in.
"Student! You can't be in here."
"Oh, uh..., we were just trying to get out of the rain."
When HoHoGamMan said that, the soldier let out a sigh and handed them an umbrella.
"Get down from here. Civilians aren't allowed on the walls."
"Sorry."
HoHoGamMan and Miel shared the umbrella and came down from the wall. They were quiet on the way back. The awkward atmosphere continued. And yet, that awkwardness didn't feel uncomfortable.
HoHoGamMan walked Miel all the way to her house.
"What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Um, nothing...."
"Then, see you tomorrow!"
Miel said goodbye and scurried into her house. HoHoGamMan stood there for a moment, staring blankly at Miel's retreating figure. He wore a dazed expression all the way home.
[It is rest time. Please replenish your nutrition.]
The Soul Link connection was severed.
The rest period was two hours.
"...That was... nice."
HoHoGamMan found himself smiling.
[A test chatroom and bulletin board have been created.]
[Hero No. 0001 has entered the chatroom (Test).]
No. 0003: I'm.... glad I'm alive.
No. 0232: Same here. The student council president..., ah, I'm gonna lose it.
No. 1231: Ah! Let me back in right now! Ahhhhh! I already finished eating!
No. 0043: Guys, we haven't even had the entrance ceremony yet.
No. 3000: Once we enroll, being with our senior... hehehehe....
The chatroom was so lively it was hard to believe these were the same timid Heroes.
No. 0021: If you buy roses on 1st Street, it triggers an event. If you give them to your childhood friend Miru....
No. 0231: Huh? Wasn't it Miran?
No. 1321: Seems like the names and looks are a little different for each person?
No. 2312: Maybe it's a parallel worlds kind of setting?
They hadn't even had the entrance ceremony yet, and all sorts of info posts were already popping up.
HoHoGamMan kept staring at the clock. Two hours felt agonizingly long.
The moment two hours passed, he logged in immediately.
The next day, HoHoGamMan went on an outing outside the city with Miel. It was his first time going on a date, so he was pretty clumsy, but even that clumsiness was enjoyable.
No. 0001: Can't wait for the enrollment.
No. 0211: fr fr.
No. 1231: Academy life with my senior... hehehe.
No. 2121: All hail the Creator God! A goated game like this....
No. 0211: A game? You're calling this a game?
No. 2241: This is reality, excuse me?
No. 1122: This place is MY reality!
Things were heading in a somewhat concerning direction, but everyone was happy.
At last, the day of the Sion Academy entrance ceremony arrived.
* * *
Tiris nodded.
The Heroes' potential values kept rising. But it still wasn't enough. To reach the Awakening stage, even more intense emotions were needed.
When Tiris looked at Tia, Tia nodded and extended her hand forward.
"Authorizing activation of the entrance ceremony main event."
"Spice level?"
"Maximum."
Tiris immediately sent the signal to the Magic Developers.
"Commencing the entrance ceremony main event!"
"Spice level set to maximum!"
Every Information Window turned red.
Now, a very spicy event was about to begin.
Jinwoo, who had arrived late, took in the atmosphere and looked taken aback. He sat down and began to watch.
"Has it started?"
Helby appeared behind Jinwoo.
"The Requiem of Despair...."
Helby grinned eerily.
Was it really that serious?
Jinwoo couldn't help but wonder.
* * *
The entrance ceremony began.
HoHoGamMan stood in the first-year special class line.
Since Miel was in Class B, she couldn't be seen from where HoHoGamMan was standing with the special class. HoHoGamMan looked down at his wrist. The bracelet he and Miel had gotten together yesterday was there.
Just as a contented expression formed on his face,
THUD-THUD-THUD!
The entrance ceremony was being held in the central auditorium of the main building.
The central auditorium began to shake violently. A swamp formed on the floor, and figures in black robes emerged from it.
"Erosion?!"
It was a swamp of Erosion.
The black-robed figures drew daggers and plunged them into their own hearts. Their bodies crumbled and collapsed, forming a summoning circle.
KRAKOOOOM!
What burst through the summoning circle was a massive Erosion monster. The Corrupted Twin Head Ogre, a boss monster tainted by Erosion, swung an enormous club.
"Kyaaah!"
"Gah!"
Students struck by the club were sent flying and dissolved into particles of light before vanishing.
HoHoGamMan rushed toward where Miel was. The students of Class B were being slaughtered mercilessly.
"Miel!"
He could see her.
GRAAAAAAH!
The Corrupted Twin Head Ogre slammed its massive club into the floor. The auditorium floor shattered and debris flew in every direction. HoHoGamMan scooped up Miel, who had collapsed to the ground, and tried to rush out of the auditorium.
"O-open it!"
"Th-the door won't open!"
"AAAAAHH!"
"KYAAAH!"
It was sealed with magic.
"H-Ho-in...."
Miel's face was deathly pale. HoHoGamMan could see the wooden shard lodged in Miel's abdomen. Coughing up blood, Miel stroked HoHoGamMan's cheek.
"Run..., get out of here...."
Miel's hand fell limply to the floor.
"Miel?"
In HoHoGamMan's arms, Miel dissolved into particles of light and faded away. He tried to hold onto her body in disbelief, but his hands passed right through. Miel turned into particles of light in his arms, scattering like a cascade.
Clink!
The bracelet they had gotten together fell to the floor. HoHoGamMan clutched the bracelet with trembling hands.
HoHoGamMan grabbed a piece of debris from the floor and forced himself to his feet.
"You son of a bitch!!"
He charged at the Corrupted Twin Head Ogre.
But his body was not that of a Hero. He managed to block the club the Corrupted Twin Head Ogre swung, but his body was shattered on impact.
His vision went black.
[You have met your death at the entrance ceremony. The Hero's power sleeping within your soul stirs.]
A clock appeared before HoHoGamMan's eyes.
Blood dripped from the minute hand as it stood still. It was showing the time of his death.
HoHoGamMan felt nothing but emptiness.
He had lost Miel.
Miel had died right before his eyes.
He couldn't do a single thing.
[Unawakened Hero! Your journey is not yet over.]
The Information Window flickered with light.
The journey was not yet over.
Those words snapped HoHoGamMan back to his senses.
[Will you Regress? You will return to Day 1.]
Regression.
'Fake....'
It was fake.
This was nothing but a game for testing.
Hadn't he said he understood when he first logged in?
The image of Miel dissolving into particles of light in his arms surfaced in his mind. Even as she was dying, she had been thinking of him. A crushing wave of grief washed over him. At the same time, fury surged up within him.
'Even if it's fake, I don't care....'
None of that mattered.
He would avenge Miel.
He would save Miel.
He wanted to see Miel again.
The moment he thought that, the frozen clock hands began turning backward. The hands spun wildly, returning to the time of Day 1, the moment he had first logged in.
"Hah!"
He shot up from the bed.
A maid stared at him with a startled expression.
"Young master? Did you have a nightmare?"
"...A nightmare?"
A nightmare.
A terrible nightmare.
Fake, reality, nightmare.
Those words flickered through his mind.
HoHoGamMan laughed out loud. Then he sprang to his feet and leaped out the window.
"Young master!"
He heard the maid's scream-like cry behind him, but he didn't stop.
He ran toward the front gate of the mansion.
When he opened the gate and stepped outside, Miel was there waiting for him. She was in the middle of practicing the greeting she was going to give him.
"Huh?"
Then, when he suddenly appeared, she was completely flustered.
"H-Ho-in?"
GLOMP!
HoHoGamMan threw his arms around her and held her tight.
Miel flailed in surprise, then smiled softly and rubbed his back.
Miel was alive.
She hadn't died yet. HoHoGamMan was overwhelmed with joy at that simple fact. He gripped Miel's shoulders firmly and looked her in the eyes.
Miel's face turned bright red.
Just as he was about to speak to her,
[It is rest time. Please replenish your nutrition.]
The connection was severed.
Disconnected now? At a time like this?
Once again, he could log back in after two hours.
HoHoGamMan hurried into the chatroom.
No. 0001: OPEN UP! OPEN UP! OPEN UP! OPEN UP! OPEN UP! OPEN UP!
No. 0032: FS Games, open the damn door RIGHT NOW!
No. 2333: AAAAAHHHH! Erosion, you piece of shit!
No. 2988: Fuck fuck fuck! That goddamn Erosion bastard did that to my senior....
No. 0213: I Regressed. How do we deal with the Twin Head Ogre? Can we just skip the entrance ceremony and run away together?
.
..
...
The chatroom was pure chaos.
Jinwoo had been watching the situations of several Heroes and had also been reading the chatroom.
"A Regression system?"
"Yes, the entrance ceremony plus about a week's worth is the demo version, right? I thought about how to get the most out of a small amount of content."
It was a system Tia had designed and Tiris had developed.
It was quite creative.
"Since they can experience love and grief over and over, the growth rate will be several times faster."
Tia said that with a beaming smile.
It was a smile that looked far too happy.
"With each cycle, the love grows deeper, but the situation only gets worse. Because this city hides a massive conspiracy!"
"I-I see."
Was there a conspiracy?
When had she set all that up?
Jinwoo couldn't help but be impressed.
"This is remarkable. All of the Heroes' stats have nearly doubled."
Tiris also marveled as she looked at the Information Window.
It was an unprecedented rate of growth!
Steel grows harder the more it is hammered.
Could the same not be said of Heroes?
Jinwoo pondered that thought for a moment.