Chapter 11: Dragon Heart (3)

This complicated things. Part of the reason I hadn't intended to form a team was to avoid splitting my points, of course. But I had also planned to use Weaving if necessary.

With drones flying beside me, I couldn't use it carelessly, but that was better than falling to the bottom of the rankings. I couldn't afford to be disowned.

And if I played my cards right, I could secretly destroy a drone. The students only left them alone because they broadcast their achievements. They weren't indestructible.

With Aten beside me, though, all those plans were pointless. Well, her skills would be far better anyway. Maybe that made up for it.

“I look forward to working with you, Frondier.”

“Yeah. Likewise.”

I glanced around the forest as I answered. Hmm, this field. Seeing it with my own eyes felt both refreshing and familiar.

“First, let's pick a base camp.”

“A base camp? The practical exam isn't that long.”

“Not an actual camp, of course. We need somewhere to store proof of our monster kills.”

“I see.”

Aten nodded readily, and we began exploring.

... Something I'd noticed lately was that Frondier's body instinctively craved laziness. It felt as if I'd barely walked a few steps, yet I was already tired and sleepy. Was this a habit ingrained over more than ten years? My eyes relaxed and my expression went blank without my realizing it.

Still, I had work to do. I pulled up a few plants as we walked. Seeing this, Aten asked,

“What are you doing?”

“Gathering.”

“What kind of plants are those?”

“Medicinal herbs. They help if you apply them to a wound.”

They weren't especially potent, but they were easy to prepare and could be used right away. Hunting for high-grade herbs in a place without pharmaceutical equipment wasn't worth the effort.

“Frondier, have you studied herbalism?” Aten asked, looking surprised.

Studying herbalism helped you analyze plants. At first, you could only tell whether something was poisonous, but eventually you could identify its specific effects.

Naturally, I shook my head.

“I just already know.”

“Oh...”

The genuine admiration in Aten's eyes made me uncomfortable. It wasn't a lie. I'd seen them countless times in the game. In fact, it was probably the most honest thing I'd said since coming to this world.

As we walked, I gathered useful plants and looked around for somewhere to set up camp. I also picked any edible fruit I found on the trees. When Aten asked how I knew it was edible, I again answered that I just knew. Her eyes seemed to gain an extra sparkle as she looked at me.

“... Rumors really can't be trusted, can they?” Aten said suddenly. When I looked at her, she gave an embarrassed smile.

“I've heard a few bad rumors about you.”

“I see.”

According to those rumors, I should have been nothing but dead weight. Someone who merely trailed along behind her without doing anything, couldn't be bothered with anything, and dozed off at every opportunity. That was probably the sort of person she'd imagined.

“But rumors really are just rumors. You only look sleepy...”

“I don't just look sleepy. I am sleepy.”

“Is that so?”

A yawn escaped me even as I spoke. My eyes were already half closed. Still, keeping them that way did seem to help ease the drowsiness a little.

... Mostly wishful thinking, though.

“On that note, wouldn't a cave be better for our base camp?” Aten asked.

I shook my head.

“No. Too dangerous.”

“Are the monsters in the caves that strong?”

“The monsters aren't the problem. People are.”

“People?” Aten tilted her head.

I looked into her eyes. That innocent gaze told me she genuinely didn't know. So this was what it meant to be an imperial princess.

“You heard the explanation. We have to bring the monster materials to the teachers when the hunt ends.”

“What about it?”

“Why would they do it that way? They could just award points as soon as we get the materials.”

This field was a Constel facility. A camera drone was already flying beside us, too. They monitored the entire area to keep the students safe, so tallying points for monster materials would be simple. Yet they weren't doing that.

“... Oh.” Aten sounded as though she understood. “You mean other teams can steal our materials?”

“Right. That's why caves are dangerous. They're too conspicuous, and there's nowhere suitable to hide materials. If we get anything worth a lot of points, we'll each have to keep it on us, but we'll need to hide the miscellaneous stuff somewhere.”

For the same reason, the place where we hid proof of our kills couldn't be too exposed. A forest was better than plains or grassland. Somewhere with plenty of leaves and branches.

It was fine if our camp's location was exposed. Hiding it would be better, but we had to be prepared for it to be discovered. The monster materials mattered more than the camp, and there was nowhere better to hide them than a forest.

When hiding something, it was more efficient to choose a place that was already cluttered and complicated than to neatly tidy the surroundings in an attempt to make things look natural.

“Remember the speech Mr. Ales gave before we started?”

[“There is no guarantee that you will always have strong, dependable companions beside you when you face danger.”]

“He was saying it's important to be able to work with anyone, but to put it more simply, there aren't many people out in the world you can trust.”

The purpose of this practical was to give us an early taste of life as a combat professional. Constel's first-years were young, but they had already accumulated a fair amount of combat training. Being a professional, however, demanded more than that. That was what this exercise aimed to teach.

“This isn't an extermination battle. It's a scramble for spoils.”

* * *

While Frondier and Aten searched for monsters, a young man moved stealthily through the forest. He had set out to “hunt materials” from the very beginning. Students eager to raise their scores would be too preoccupied with monsters to notice.

'... Good.'

He stopped. Frondier had come within range. His eyes looked utterly languid as he gazed vacantly around.

'!'

What a windfall. Aten, standing beside Frondier, was dangerous, of course. He wanted to avoid a confrontation if possible. But neither of them had noticed him yet. If he approached carefully, he could pick Frondier's pockets without alerting Aten. It wouldn't matter if they noticed after he'd stolen the goods. He only had to run.

This practical was still an exam. Violence between students was prohibited. They were surely watching through the drones even now.

He crept gradually closer to Frondier. He was fairly confident in his stealth. That was why he'd attempted this material hunt in the first place.

TAP

'Huh?'

He felt something brush against his ankle. It wasn't that he'd let his guard down. He'd been watching the ground as he walked all along.

'There was definitely nothing there.'

There was nothing there, yet he'd distinctly felt himself touch something. Instinctively, he checked Frondier.

'... Was it nothing?'

Frondier showed no particular reaction. His expression was as sleepy as ever.

'Whew. Am I too tense?'

Just as he thought that, Frondier suddenly raised both arms. The young man froze as those arms spread out at considerable speed.

“Haaah~”

Frondier gave an enormous yawn. He was merely stretching.

'Th-that startled me. Who makes such a big production out of stretch—'

That was the last coherent thought he had.

THWACK!

“Pff!”

A branch fell from above and struck him squarely on the crown of his head. The utterly unexpected ambush knocked him out instantly.

The branch rolled away beside him.

Until the very last moment before consciousness abandoned him completely, he never made the slightest connection between Frondier's outstretched arms and the fallen branch. And so he was eliminated.

* * *

'... It's like some kind of comedy.'

Unfortunately, the young man's embarrassing performance had been caught on the broadcast. Elin watched in disbelief.

She had originally come to check on her younger brother Aster, but Frondier appeared on the screen almost as often as he did. Probably because of Aten.

'Frondier used invisible weapons.'

When the young man attempting to ambush him approached, Frondier had reacted ever so slightly. He had probably touched something invisible, and Frondier had felt it. Then Frondier stretched, a branch was severed, and it fell from above to strike the young man directly. He must have thrown something at the branch while pretending to stretch. Probably a dagger, though that hadn't been visible either.

'Has his Throwing Technique improved again?'

Elin's deductions were fairly accurate. She could only have arrived at them because she'd seen Frondier fight before. Anyone else would simply assume the branch had fallen on its own and landed on the young man's head.

'With Aten there too, there's surprisingly little need to worry about Frond—'

Just as that thought crossed her mind, a chill ran down her spine. It took only an instant for her to place a hand on her scabbard and tighten her grip on her sword's hilt.

But then—

“Good reflexes.”

Someone pressed a finger down on the hilt.

“...!”

'I can't draw it.'

The strength of that single finger prevented her from drawing her sword.

“Good awareness of killing intent, and a decent transition into a drawing stance. Hmm. So this is the caliber of Constel's finest swordswoman.”

There was no hostility in the calm voice. The killing intent, too, had lasted only a moment and was already gone. Only then did Elin look at the person's face.

'... This man?'

Brown hair and an unremarkable face. Ordinary looks that could have belonged to any passerby. But Elin knew who this man was. And she knew there was probably no one else who wouldn't recognize him either.

“... Mr. Eden Hamerlot.”

“Oh, you know me, Miss Elin Aster?”

How could she not? What was this false modesty? Eden Hamerlot, number one in the professional rankings. The strongest man in humanity at present.

“... You startled me.”

“Sorry. Did I take the joke too far? Most people don't react when I direct killing intent at them.”

So he went around directing killing intent at everyone he met? For the strongest man alive, he was far too fond of pranks.

“But you know who I am?”

“Of course. I've been watching the Aster siblings for a long time.”

“... Aster would be your main interest, I imagine.”

“Hahaha. His potential is certainly extraordinary. I won't deny it. But I'm very interested in you as well.”

“Is that so?” Elin replied without enthusiasm.

Apparently unbothered, Eden turned his gaze to the screen.

“Let's see, where's young Aster...? He seems to be doing fine.”

On the screen, Aster was dispatching monsters with his friend Runia, with whom he'd formed a team. First place was probably all but assured.

“Aren't you proud as his older sister? Your little brother's practically guaranteed first place.”

“I'm not sure. Aster's movements are still clumsy. He tries to brute-force everything with Divine Power at the slightest opportunity.”

“Haha, you're strict. Then who are you watching closely?”

Eden spoke as though they were old acquaintances, despite this being their first meeting. Elin sighed.

“Frondier de Roach,” she said, deciding to let things take their course.

Well, unless he knew what Frondier was really capable of, he would probably think she was joking.

“Hmm, Frondier de Roach. Who's that?”

“... I'll point him out when he appears on the screen.”

Elin turned her gaze back to the screen. Perhaps Eden would quiet down once she showed him who Frondier was.

... But then.

'Huh?'

The enormous screen before her kept switching views, sometimes showing a close-up of someone, sometimes an overhead shot of the whole area. Frondier, teamed up with Aten, appeared frequently.

And yet—

“Hmm, Miss Elin. Has Frondier not appeared yet?”

“...”

Frondier wasn't appearing on camera. No matter how much time passed. Even after most of the first-years had had their turn on the screen.

“... What?”

The broadcast continued without incident, but now the images looked terribly wrong.

* * *

“Huh? Mom?”

Philly suddenly stood up without a word to Elysia or Sale. A moment later, however, she smiled.

“Mommy's off to the bathroom~”

“Oh, is that all? Go up and into the passage. You'll see it.”

“Okaaay.”

Philly left her seat and walked away. Once no one could see her face, her expression was utterly stricken.

'What is this?'

Her foresight had activated. She didn't know what was happening. But there was that horrible sensation of something filthy and sticky trickling down her throat.

Her sightless foresight had always made her uneasy, but she had never experienced a premonition this intense.

Philly looked at the screen, at the practical exam being broadcast. As far as she could see, there was nothing wrong. Everything appeared to be proceeding normally.

And yet anxiety and fear surged up every time she checked that screen. She couldn't see it, but something was happening in the field where the practical exam was underway.