Episode 128. Interlude – The Last-Ranked Hero

– Ah, is this Candidate Yuren? It’s Professor Lucas.

When I received a call from Professor Lucas.

When I heard that Dale could stay in my room for a while until the summer vacation.

I couldn’t help but let out a cheer without realizing it.

‘Living with Dale…!’

For a moment, I was so happy that I even had the foolish thought that maybe the life I had lived as ‘Yuren’ was all for this day.

“First, I should clean up.”

Yurina quickly moved around the living room, which was cluttered with clothes and trash.

After finishing the cleaning that had been postponed with various excuses, she even bought incense to add a subtle fragrance to the room.

Thinking of cooking for Dale when he arrived, she looked up beginner-friendly recipes and even bought the ingredients in advance.

‘Beginner-friendly, my foot!’

Of course, since it was her first time trying to cook, she ended up making a huge mess.

But Dale just smiled and offered to teach her how to cook without a single harsh word.

‘Dale.’

The warmth of his touch, which she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Just recalling the sensation of Dale stroking her head made her lips curl into a silly smile.

“By the way…”

After having dinner with Dale.

While practicing Magic Power Practice alone in her room before bed.

‘Huh?’

She felt that the magic power within her Holy Mark had increased significantly.

‘Why is this happening all of a sudden?’

The efficiency of magic power breathing decreases the more magic power one has.

In other words, for someone like Yurina, who is a magic power monster, the amount of magic power gained through magic power breathing is extremely small.

Such a sudden increase in magic power was impossible unless she had taken some kind of elixir.

And not just any ordinary elixir, but one so rare that even millions of gold couldn’t buy it.

‘Could it be… because of Moonlight’s Blessing earlier?’

When she declared that she would become stronger to protect Dale.

She recalled how Moonlight’s Blessing had suddenly emitted light.

‘The activation condition for Moonlight’s Blessing is… thinking of someone precious.’

In other words.

It meant that her magic power increased because she had deeply thought of Dale.

“Ugh…”

As soon as she realized this, her face heated up as if it were on fire.

Even though no one was watching, she hugged her knees and buried her head between her thighs to hide her burning cheeks.

‘Since when did I start thinking only of Dale like this?’

Of course, she knew the answer to this question better than anyone.

– Yuren… no, Yurina, was it?

That day.

The day the moon was about to be swallowed by the sun.

– I came to pick you up.

When she saw Dale, who appeared like a prince from the fairy tales her brother used to tell her when she was a child.

When he became her new ‘sun’.

There was no room in her heart for anyone but Dale.

“But Dale…”

She puffed out her cheeks while burying her face between her knees.

After he became her sun, she became more conscious of his gaze than before.

And she realized one thing.

‘What Dale is looking at… is not me, but Iris.’

She knew it intuitively.

Just as Dale filled her heart, Dale’s heart was filled with the presence of Iris.

“…It’s unfair.”

She bit her lip and clenched her fists.

‘I can do more for Dale.’

‘I can be more of a help to Dale.’

‘I can be more of a support to Dale.’

She knew.

That the thoughts swirling in her head were nothing but petty jealousy.

But still.

“…I don’t want to just give up and do nothing.”

She slowly lifted her head from between her knees.

Even though she knew Dale’s heart was directed towards Iris,

She couldn’t just sit back and wait for Dale and Iris to get together.

“…Courage.”

Dale had told her.

That she was the most courageous person he knew.

That she would not yield to any fear, nor bow to any despair.

‘Even if he says that, I think he’s just praising me too much.’

She didn’t know why Dale called her a ‘courageous person’ when she used to tremble just at the sight of her mother.

“But still… I should be courageous.”

Because Dale said so.

“Phew.”

She took a deep breath and got up.

She got out of bed and carefully opened the door.

A distance of less than 20 meters.

She could see Dale’s room (originally her closet), firmly closed.

Click.

“Uh… Dale.”

“What?”

“Ca, can I… sleep with you just for tonight?”

“…What?”

Dale opened his eyes with a surprised expression at the sudden proposal.

Before he could refuse, she hurriedly explained the situation.

“So… you’re saying that Moonlight’s Blessing manifested while you were with me, and that’s why your magic power increased?”

“Y, yes.”

“And if you sleep with me, that Moonlight’s Blessing will manifest more?”

“That’s not certain. But… I think it’s worth a try.”

Dale, who had been listening to her pre-prepared excuses, fell into serious thought.

“Well, if that’s the case, then okay.”

“Re, really?”

“Yeah.”

Dale lay down on the mat as he said that.

She carefully lay down next to him and held his hand.

‘Ah.’

The warm sensation transmitted through his hand.

She wanted to act spoiled and ask him to stroke her head right away, but now was not the time.

‘Is Dale… also nervous?’

She could feel that he was nervous through their clasped hands.

“Hehe.”

For some reason, that made her happy, and a silly laugh escaped her lips.

“Good night, Dale.”

“…Yeah.”

Dale answered in a small voice and turned his head to the other side.

Although she couldn’t see it from this side, she thought Dale’s cheeks must be burning red, judging from the sweat on their clasped hands.

“……”

Thinking that Dale must be feeling the same as her, her tension eased considerably.

‘I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep because I was so nervous.’

But as soon as she lay down on the bed holding Dale’s hand, sleepiness washed over her.

I closed my eyes without resisting the sleep that was pouring in.

* * *

“Hmm…”

How much time had passed?

When I woke up, I lifted my head and looked around.

The sun hadn’t risen yet, so it was still dark outside the window.

‘Did Moonlight’s Blessing… not activate?’

As soon as I woke up, I checked the magic power within my Holy Mark, but there was no noticeable difference from last night.

‘Well… it’s not like I could gain magic power so easily.’

Still, I was satisfied just knowing that being with Dale could increase my magic power through Moonlight’s Blessing.

‘Is Dale… still asleep?’

Turning my head, I saw Dale with his eyes closed.

The faint moonlight seeping through the window illuminated his face.

His dark gray hair and childishly fair skin.

A face that wasn’t exactly sculpted but had a certain vitality.

“…Cute.”

I smiled brightly as I looked at Dale’s sleeping face.

I could look at it for minutes without getting bored.

His gray hair touching his eyebrows. His gently closed eyes. His soft-looking earlobes. His straight nose.

And.

His slightly pale lips.

“……”

Gulp.

A dry swallow went down my throat.

‘Ah, no! That’s definitely not it!’

I tightly closed my eyes and shook my head in a hurry.

Stealing a kiss from Dale’s lips while he’s asleep.

That’s something I shouldn’t do.

‘But…’

I bit my lip with conflicted eyes.

Continuing to ponder, I slowly moved my head.

Peck.

After lightly kissing Dale’s cheek, I got up as if running away.

‘He, he didn’t wake up, right?’

I looked down at Dale, but there was no sign of him waking up.

“Phew.”

I let out a sigh of relief and carefully left the room so as not to wake Dale.

Click.

After Yurina closed the door and left.

“……”

Dale, who had been asleep, slowly opened his eyes.

“Sigh.”

He sat up halfway on the mat, let out a deep sigh, and touched the cheek where Yurina’s lips had touched.

“…I’m going crazy, really.”

Dale ran his hand through his gray hair and kept sighing.

* * *

And so, the short cohabitation with Yurina came to an end.

“Everyone seems to be already excited about the summer vacation.”

Professor Lucas, who entered the classroom, looked around at the candidates and clicked his tongue as if displeased.

“Well, you’re not kids anymore, so I won’t give you any special warnings. Those going back to their hometowns, have a safe trip, and those going to some resort, don’t cause any trouble.”

Professor Lucas wandered around the classroom and then placed a hand on a candidate’s shoulder.

“Candidate Albert.”

“Eek!”

Albert made a face as if he had seen a ghost.

“Wh, wh, what is it, Professor…?”

“Have a good vacation, kid.”

Professor Lucas ruffled Albert’s hair with a smirk.

Albert let out a sigh of relief and nodded.

“Yes, Professor.”

“Hehe. I’ll see you next semester.”

“…What?”

“Let’s see, next is…”

“No! What do you mean, see you next semester!”

Ignoring Albert’s frantic voice, Professor Lucas returned to the podium.

“Now, lastly, we’ll announce the overall evaluation rankings for the first semester. Everyone, turn on your Hero Watches.”

Following Professor Lucas’s words, the candidates channeled their magic power into their Hero Watches.

A hologram window appeared with the words [Updating Grades].

‘Finally, the grade announcement.’

I turned on my Hero Watch to check my current ranking.

A familiar ranking, no matter how many times I saw it.

But that would end today.

‘Well… since I messed up the midterm evaluation so badly, it’s hard to expect a high ranking.’

Still, I could finally escape from this tiresome last place.

‘I got the Diamond Badge… and I’m probably first in party contribution. So maybe I can get into the top 50?’

I looked at the candidate information window with expectant eyes.

[Grade update complete.]

[Please reopen the candidate information window.]

Now! The grades that will announce the start of my new life!

“Huh?”

What’s this?

Why hasn’t my ranking changed?

“Ah, by the way, Candidate Dale received disciplinary action above suspension three times during the semester, so all his exam scores were set to zero.”

“……”

“Wow, getting suspended three times in one semester is quite an achievement… you’ve done something remarkable, Candidate Dale.”

-Hmm. Well… is it really meaningless?

A week ago.

The meaningful smile Professor Lucas had when giving me my third suspension came to mind.

“Hahaha! It’s a shame since you were first in the final evaluation!”

Professor Lucas smiled at me just like he did back then.

I looked at the number ‘472’ written on the candidate information window with a hollow expression.

“No.”

When will I ever escape this? Seriously.