I Became the Academy's Turn-Based Swordsman - Chapter 57

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Irevi

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 57: You’re Easily Surprised

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“Uh, why did you choose someone like me? I’m sure I’ll only get in the way of what you’re trying to do, Halibal...”

“What are you talking about? You helped me so much when I was in the military.”

“Helped you?! That’s far too generous for someone who can only heal!”

Only heal? It wasn't as if she should look down on healers.

She’d accepted my Follower request, then acted this humble. What did that make me for choosing her?

“Wasn’t your dungeon phobia getting better?”

“That’s...”

After the Church of the Main Gods’ problems came to light, Mine decided she would clear dungeons somehow.

She said that, as someone who bore the title of Saintess, she needed to make amends in her own way.

And she had succeeded.

She used Purple Cloud Herb to steel herself, killed one monster, caught her breath, then killed another. A so-called hit-and-run strategy.

‘Her Follower must’ve had a hard time.’

“...It was all thanks to Miss Inia, who accommodated both Halibal’s circumstances and mine.”

“You still did it. Don’t undervalue yourself too much. It makes things difficult for the person who knows what you’re worth.”

Still, the fact that she had somehow managed to clear a dungeon was the best news I could have hoped for.

‘I chose Mine with her dungeon phobia in mind from the start.’

Mine was an essential member of Academy of the End, someone who could never be left out.

Just having her in the party drastically increased our chances of survival, unless we were hit by an instant-death attack.

If I wanted to put her to better use, I needed to cure her dungeon phobia as soon as possible.

Waiting for Mine to overcome her trauma on her own, like she did in the original game, would take too long.

I’d planned to help her recover by gradually forcing our way into dungeons together, but...

The fact that she had taken the first step herself meant her recovery would be much easier.

Strictly speaking, the timing wasn’t even off.

Mine joined the party after the Doll Dungeon was cleared in the original game too.

It was just happening much earlier.

After clearing the Doll Dungeon, the gates to the third and fourth Abyss opened at the same time.

The Undead Dungeon and the Demon Dungeon.

Those two dungeons differed greatly from the others.

‘They’re the only ones in this section with level scaling.’

The third and fourth Abyss changed in difficulty based on the player’s level.

The dungeon entered first became easier, while the one entered later became harder.

You could choose one of the two, but once you began clearing one, you could no longer clear the other.

‘I’ll be busy during the break. I want to clear at least the third Abyss during that time.’

I planned to clear the Undead Dungeon during the special practicum.

The Undead Dungeon was where Mine had developed her trauma, so I felt sorry for her, but it couldn’t be helped.

It was also a dungeon that was practically a free win with Mine in the party.

The monsters there had been designed to take lethal damage from her healing magic.

“And why do you think the special practicum will be dungeon-related? You could be assigned something like herb gathering or healing magic. In that case, you’d be better than me.”

That was what I said, but we’d probably be assigned a dungeon-related task.

Even if we weren’t, I planned to bring Mine along somehow.

“...That can’t be true. The Academy expects a great deal from you, Halibal. Just look at this.”

“Maybe it’s nothing special. Maybe they called me because I’m top of the class.”

“Then they would have called Cecilia too.”

I fell silent at Mine’s words.

I had nothing to say in response.

Mine and I were on our way to the faculty office.

The instructors had summoned me after the Follower matching ended.

As Mine said, they had summoned only me, not Cecilia.

That meant they had business with me personally.

‘What could it be?’

The person waiting for me when I entered the faculty office was someone I wasn’t eager to meet.

“Welcome. We meet again, Funeral Sword.”

“Greetings, Duke Grace.”

“Welcome, Saintess. It has been a while.”

“Ah... yes. It has been a while, Duke Grace.”

Duke Viktor Grace.

He greeted us with a meaningful smile.

“I heard something very good happened to you recently. Would you care to tell me about it?”

‘...Right. There was this side of things too.’

The Church of the Main Gods’ disgrace being exposed had never happened in the original game.

Because of that, the Church of the Main Gods still held the initiative even after Aren cleared the Doll Dungeon.

But thanks to my intervention, the Church of the Main Gods’ influence had plummeted.

The noble faction took its place, leaving the imperial and noble factions evenly matched.

It was the perfect situation for Viktor Grace to stir things up.

Still, I hoped we weren’t heading straight into the civil war scenario already.

Mine and I drank the tea he had prepared and exchanged empty pleasantries while sitting on pins and needles.

Viktor Grace responded to everything I said with remarks like, “Oh?” and “I see!” but he probably already knew all of it.

Maybe even the Church of the Main Gods’ corruption.

Before long, he got to the point.

“An upperclassman...?”

“Yes. It is a measure the Academy is taking to protect you. There was the cult’s attack, and we do not know how the Church of the Main Gods will respond.”

‘This is too sudden.’

According to him, an upperclassman would be assigned only to me, and the three of us would take Follower training together.

Naturally, he had more than enough justification this time as well.

“The board has already made its decision. I would appreciate it if you accepted, even if you are not pleased with it.”

Viktor Grace added, glancing toward Mine.

“Will that be acceptable to you as well, Saintess?”

“...I...”

“If it’s an upperclassman, who will be assigned to us?”

I cut in before Mine could answer.

Honestly, I had been cheering inwardly when I heard we would be a three-person team.

For me, having another party member was practically the same as gaining more usable turns.

It would make clearing dungeons that Mine and I would otherwise have to tackle alone much easier.

The problem was who would be assigned.

There were no particularly notable playable characters among the upperclassmen currently at Ruidel.

According to the original game’s setting, the truly skilled students had been dispatched to Academy branches on the front lines rather than remaining at Nevil’s headquarters.

It would be troublesome if they assigned some mediocre person who would hinder our dungeon clears or try to pull me into politics.

And this man seemed more than capable of doing exactly that.

“That would be...”

Viktor Grace was just about to answer.

“Kuhuhut.”

A strange laugh rang out from behind the sofa.

“I am the one assigned to your team for this special practicum.”

With a languid yet alluring voice, a red figure sprang out from behind the sofa and sat across from us.

She casually crossed her legs. Her red hair was disheveled in every direction, as though she had sprung out in a hurry.

“Halibal Velder. It has been months, hasn’t it? Did it ever occur to you to put me first?”

“...Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Your Highness? This is Ruidel, is it not?”

Her bright red lips curved into an enticing smile.

“Call me Senior. We will be working on the same team for a while, after all.”

The imperial princess of the Cyrus Empire and Ruidel’s current student council president.

A playable character who was originally supposed to join in the second year or later.

The one who had confidently appeared before us was Alicia Cyrus.

“Ahem. As you can see, Funeral Sword, Her Highness has personally agreed to take charge of your protection and guidance. Could there be a greater honor?”

“Kuhuhut. Protection? That is unpleasant to hear.”

Alicia casually cut Viktor Grace off.

“I am only an upperclassman assigned according to the board’s wishes. Why do you look so troubled? Do you dislike your new senior?”

“...My apologies, Your... Senior. I was only a little surprised.”

No. I was actually very surprised.

I hadn’t expected her to join at this point.

“Kuhuhut. You’re easily surprised. There will be far more surprises ahead.”

She rose from her seat and whispered into my ear.

“Do you not have something to discuss with me privately?”

“...”

I had plenty.

After all, I had used her name more than once or twice.

“Do you know Café de Amande?”

“Do you mean the café in the city?”

“I am glad you know it. Come there alone after class. We have much to discuss.”

When I nodded slightly, Alicia smiled in satisfaction and looked around.

Her gaze soon settled on the window.

‘Ah, I guess she really is going to do that.’

“Meet me at the Seventh Training Ground as soon as the sun rises tomorrow. Do not be late, juniors.”

Whoosh.

Leaving only those words behind, Alicia threw herself out the open window and vanished.

A faint groan drifted in from outside, as if she had collided with something outside.

“...?”

Mine and Viktor Grace stared after her with dumbfounded expressions.

It was a familiar sight to me.

It had been Alicia’s trademark in the original game.

She was the type who placed great importance on making an impact.

That was why she always pulled stunts like that when entering or leaving.

‘Seeing it in person, it’s a little lame.’

Once again, only Mine, Viktor Grace, and I remained in the faculty office.

Viktor Grace, who had been unable to take his eyes off the window for some time, cleared his throat and forced another smile.

“Anyway, that is how things stand.”

‘Anyway?’

Viktor Grace wasn’t normally someone who spoke so vaguely.

He was the type to move everything according to his thoughts and plans.

Which meant Alicia joining us had been unexpected even for him.

‘I’ll have to brace for another snowball effect.’

As though trying to regain his composure, Viktor Grace said to us, “Then you may go. I look forward to your special practicum with Her Highness, and to your future accomplishments.”

I answered with a slight bow and left the faculty office with Mine.

As we walked down the hallway, Mine carefully asked me, “Um, Halibal... what was that just now? Is Her Highness normally like that?”

“I don’t know either.”

“...Wouldn’t it be better to request a change of Follower even now? I don’t want to become a burden to people like you and Her Highness.”

“You don’t need to worry so much.”

‘You’re the normal one, as far as I can tell.’

After briefly saying goodbye to Mine, I immediately began preparing to leave school.

I needed to head to the place Alicia had mentioned.

On my way to the front gate, I spotted a familiar silver-haired figure from behind.

Cecilia.

It appeared she wasn’t with her new Follower, Aren, either.

I waved to call out to her.