The Academy’s Ankle Reaper – Chapter 244

I told Metios what tasks we had for today.

“You’re going to defeat monsters?”

“If I stay inside, I’ll just get bored. I’ll take a walk and clean things up a bit.”

There are many monsters not just from the undead appearing in the mountain range but also in Narni.

I had seen documents about monsters like dire wolves and slimes crawling out from streams, which were threatening people.

After the two who had challenged the authority of the head of the Titan family got beaten like dogs, Metios had smoothly taken over the family, so I thought I’d pretend to help him out while investigating a few things here and there.

“Having you say that makes me feel more secure than anything else.”

Upon hearing we were going to deal with monsters, a faint smile appeared on Metios’s face.

Yeah.

Yeah, it’s not going to be Metios after all.

…

Outside the mansion, the party gathered for the monster hunt.

It seemed like everyone was there, but a few were missing.

Notably, Amy was one of them.

“I’ll do some investigating separately, so Atlas, please check another area.”

Amy said she would investigate the mansion.

I thought it would be better if I investigated, but since I had already said several times it was better for her to do so, I had no choice but to go along with her wishes.

However, it wouldn’t look good if an outsider got caught rummaging around the mansion.

Though Amy was unlikely to attract attention, just in case, I habitually lent her a piece of jewelry I always carried around.

“Atlas… what is this…?”

“That’s the seal proving you’re the heir of the Titan. Show it if any trouble comes up.”

Before someone had been a clueless new student, but now they could wield powers almost equal to the head of the family.


I had never used it properly myself, though.

There was one more person missing, and that was Casey.

After discussing it, Casey also decided to drop out like Amy.

“Just in case, I want to go with you.”

Since Casey was familiar with situations like this, I was grateful she wanted to come along.

“What kinds of monsters are we going to defeat?”

“Dire wolves and slimes… If we have time, let’s take care of some undead too.”

“It’s quite a distance… Do you think we can finish in a day?”

“Let’s see how far we can get.”

“Defeating monsters? Sounds like it could be fun.”

“Yeah, you have to earn your keep too.”

Narni is quite vast, and if you try to walk it, you might just end up going in circles all day, but I have Teleportation.

By moving to important points, searching, exterminating, and repeating this will be done in no time.


I had already checked off all the areas they occupied on the map.

I was planning to leave as soon as everything was ready when I sensed a presence in the distance.

“Where are you off to?”

Hera approached with a smile after seeing us gathered.

“We’re not going for fun; we’re heading to defeat monsters.”

“Oh… It’s nice to see you doing such things even during the break.”

When River replied, Hera cheerfully praised us.

It’s rare to see students take the initiative to hunt monsters.


They’re not broke adventurers, so students typically don’t need to go monster-hunting.

“It sounds fun; can I join?”

“You?”

Even though it was a successor’s class, Hera had been cooped up in the annex and looked restless, so she asked if she could tag along.

‘If Hera comes, it’ll slow us down.’

I had already revealed to those going with me that I could use a movement method equivalent to spatial movement through some means.

But if Hera decides to come, it gives me some pause.

‘Then… I should ask Gemma for a ride.’

Just then, I spotted Gemma beaming at us.

Yeah, I’ll ask her for a ride.


The flight speed of a Gold Dragon should make it hardly different.

I know what it means to allow someone onto your back as a dragon, but it’s fine since I’ve ridden on them before while chasing Dragon Undead; I shouldn’t be an issue.

And showing the form of a Gold Dragon here seems fine too.


It would be good for them to think Metios has connections with Gold Dragons.

While I was thinking this, Hera smiled and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“What’s this? What are you saying to your older sister?”

She was grinning and ruffling my hair.

Damn it, she still doesn’t believe what I told her.


I clearly said we are cousins and that I’m older last time.

“It’s perfect timing. Father is around, so let’s go greet him. No matter what I say, you won’t believe me unless you see it yourself.”

‘Patro Nemea is here?’

Of course, that’s to be expected.


Hera couldn’t have come alone, so she must have been staying at the annex with him.


I had actually planned to talk to Patro first, not Hera.


He’d remember me since he saw me when I was a child.

“Hera… I told you not to run around like that.”

A low, deep voice came from behind Hera.


A man matching the image of Hera’s father, the head of the Swordsmanship Research Club, stood there.

He still looks incredibly fit as he’s an active expert, his muscular build and darker brown hair contrasting with his green eyes were impressive.


Strangely, he had no beard, making him look very young for his age.


He is indeed one of the strongest experts of the utmost caliber, so that might have something to do with how he appears.

Ah, how fortunate.


I might not differ much in memory from his, but he holds no significant changes from mine either.

“Father, this is the child I was talking about.”

“Are you talking about that again? I never did anything like that. Wait… what did you say?”

Patro’s brows furrowed at Hera’s words.


His gaze turned toward me.

“… It’s been a while, Uncle.”

“Uncle?”

Calling him Uncle out of nowhere caused a change in the expression of Patro Nemea, the current head of the family and my mother’s brother.

“How… how are you here?”

Patro’s face paled upon seeing me.


Still, it’s good he remembers who I am.


I shouldn’t have changed much since he last saw me.

“Father? Were you both familiar…?”

Only Hera, unable to grasp the situation, tilted her head in confusion.

…

Departure got slightly delayed.


I figured it was a good opportunity, so I needed to have a chat with Patro.

But our time for conversation wasn’t long, so we didn’t head inside and continued discussing in a corner of the garden.


We’re not exactly close after all.


We meet just once a year for a brief greeting.


We had only seen each other about ten times in total, and I wonder what I am to Patro?

If he thinks of me as the child of his deceased sister, it might seem somehow touching, but thinking of me as a monster raised by Cronos would send shivers down his spine.

“I’ve been curious since Hera started saying strange things lately; it’s you, right?”

“Did she say I’m a hidden child?”

Upon bringing up the topic of manners, Patro’s brows twitched.

“Right…! Because she said you were asking to meet her! Damn, I never even glanced at another woman; how could I be unfaithful!”

Seems he was quite the romantic.


For someone like him, there must have been several moments in life that could spark suspicion, but I was confident he would assert that he had nothing to worry about.

“I didn’t lie. Hera thought so of her own accord.”

“It seems you want to meet her now, so… well. Everyone’s family; that’s not entirely wrong.”

“I should have visited sooner, but with all the incidents at the Academy, I forgot. Please be forgiving in that regard.”

After all, we are cousins.


Now that everything’s been cleared up, Patro seemed to shake it off nonchalantly.


Then he took a good look at me.

“So, what brings you here?”

“I came to check on how my younger sibling has been doing.”

I didn’t voice the real reason.


How could I mention seeing Cronos, whom I thought was dead, alive and doing the bidding of the Demon Church?

But it seemed Patro interpreted my words a bit differently.

“You’ve come to see how Metios has been, huh… Is it really now?”

“If I don’t come now, when will I? I’m not showing up for the fun of it.”

Patro’s expression showed he was quite displeased with my sudden arrival.

“Seeing you, who has not shown their face for a decade suddenly appearing troubles me greatly.”

“You understand why I ran away, right?”

“Well… I suppose so. Both you and Metios are my sister’s children and dear nephews. So hear me properly, without misunderstanding.”

Patro’s complexion was quite grim.


Normally speaking, a setup like this would lead to some rude comments, wouldn’t it?

“Let’s get straight to the point. You’re not here to reclaim the head of the Titan family, are you?”

“What?”

What the hell is this guy rambling about?

———————

After discovering Atlas, who had gone missing since running away, Patro had to calm his startled heart.

‘Why is that kid here…?!’


Seeing Atlas standing in the garden, looking no different from the last time he saw him long ago, made Patro doubt his own eyes.

He had seen Atlas only a few times.


Once a year, during celebrations for Atlas’s birthday.


But since Atlas turned twelve, Cronos started hiding him away, preventing anyone from seeing him.

But seeing him now, Patro thought he understood why Cronos had hidden him.


Atlas seemed as though time had stopped at his twelfth birthday party.

He hadn’t grown tall at all, and Patro had heard rumors that Cronos was using all available means to control him, but he never thought it would be this extreme.


Since he had never seen him once.