Chapter 129

Chapter 129. Summer Vacation (1)

The A Dormitory, where only the high-ranking children of the three nations gather.

“What was that guy’s room number again…?”

Walking down the wide hallway, I looked around.

Of course, it’s not like I’m wandering around because I can’t find Yurina’s room, where I’ve been living for the past week.

The owner of the room I’m trying to find now is not Yurina, but another candidate.

‘It’s disgustingly huge, seriously.’

After wandering around the vast A Dormitory for a while, I finally arrived at the room I was looking for.

‘He didn’t go back to his hometown right after the vacation started, did he?’

I lightly knocked on the door.

Knock knock.

An elegant sound echoed from the high-quality wooden door.

As expected, the expensive dormitory is different even from the door… My room would creak like crazy if I knocked on it… I thought to myself.

Click.

The door opened, and a handsome blonde man appeared.

“Oh, D-Dale?”

Juliet made a surprised expression upon seeing me, who had come unannounced.

“What brings you here?”

“I have something to give you.”

“Something to give…?”

Juliet’s gaze turned to the heavy leather bag in my hand.

“Can I come in and give it to you?”

“O-Of course! Come on in!”

The first impression of Juliet’s room was ‘pretty.’

The living room was filled with cute little trinkets, and on one side of the room, there were neatly arranged flower pots with bright flowers.

‘No, why does this feel more like a girl’s room than Iris or Yurina’s rooms?’

I let out a hollow laugh, thinking that it was indeed Juliet’s room.

“What would you like to drink? Coffee? Or black tea?”

“Coffee, please.”

“Okay. Just wait a moment.”

As I sat on the sofa waiting, Juliet brought over a cute coffee cup with a cat pattern.

“So, what do you have for me?”

“Here, this.”

I handed over the heavy bag filled with gold.

Of course, although it’s called ‘gold,’ it wasn’t actually made of real gold.

‘They used to make coins out of real gold 500 years ago, though.’

After the currency reform, it’s now just called gold, but the actual currency is made of paper and used commonly across the three nations.

“This is… gold?”

“Yeah. The 1 million gold I borrowed from you before, plus 200,000 gold in interest, so 1.2 million gold.”

“Ah, no, why are you giving this to me…?”

“Why? Don’t you remember lending me money?”

“Ah.”

Juliet let out a low exclamation, as if recalling a forgotten memory.

“Y-You’re really going to pay me back?”

“I said I would.”

Well, to be honest, when I borrowed it, I had no intention of paying it back.

But as I continued to interact with Juliet and saw how he was changing, I changed my mind.

“……”

Even as he looked down at the heavy bag full of gold, Juliet’s expression didn’t seem very happy.

“Why?”

“Ah, no… it’s just…”

Juliet looked at me with trembling eyes.

“If I take this… I feel like I won’t have any reason to contact you anymore…”

“……”

What the hell is this guy worried about?

“What’s the big deal about friends keeping in touch? If anything, having debt makes it harder to stay in touch.”

“…Friends.”

A faint smile appeared on Juliet’s lips.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

He accepted the heavy bag of money from me.

“Do you have any plans for this summer vacation, Dale?”

“Not sure. I haven’t decided on anything yet.”

I do have some plans in mind, but I need to discuss them with the others first.

“If you come to the Republic, make sure to contact me! If there’s anything you need help with, I’ll definitely help!”

“Got it.”

I said as I slowly got up from my seat.

“Y-You’re leaving already?”

“Yeah. I have someone else to meet after this.”

“O-Okay…”

Juliet nodded with a regretful expression.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

“Okay! Have a good vacation, Dale!”

“You too.”

After saying goodbye to Juliet, I headed to my next appointment.

* * *

A cafe inside the Reynaldo Hero School Main Building.

The cafe, usually bustling with candidates, was as quiet as the training grounds after the exams due to the vacation.

“Ah, Dale! Over here!”

A loud voice echoed through the quiet cafe.

I headed towards the source of the voice and saw Iris, Camila, Yuren, and Berald sitting together at a table.

“Sorry. Am I late?”

“No, it’s fine. We just got here too.”

Iris tapped the empty chair next to her, signaling me to sit.

“Hmph. So why did you call us here?”

Camila asked with a sullen expression, clearly not happy that I sat next to Iris.

“Do you all have time during this summer vacation?”

“Time?”

“Are you planning to go somewhere?”

Iris tilted her head as she asked.

“Yeah. Remember the ruins we explored before?”

“Of course.”

“I was thinking we could set aside some time during the vacation to explore another ruin.”

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of ruins I’ve explored in my past life.

Exploring one of them was the goal for this summer vacation.

“I’m in!”

Iris nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling as if there was no need to think about it.

“Hehe. I was worried I’d be separated from Dale during this vacation… This is a relief.”

Iris smiled brightly and subtly grabbed my hand under the table.

Camila let out a deep sigh as she watched her.

“Haah. Saintess… Shouldn’t you return to the Holy Kingdom during the vacation?”

“There’s nothing to do even if I go back, right?”

“But still…”

“And besides, there are probably more people who don’t want me to come back.”

“……”

As Iris continued with a bitter expression, Camila closed her mouth with a stiff expression.

“Hoo. Alright. I’ll report to the Holy Kingdom that you’ll be staying at the school during this vacation.”

“Please do.”

After a conversation that seemed to have a complicated backstory just from listening to it.

I turned my head towards Yuren.

“What about you, Yuren?”

“I’m fine too. I usually go home every vacation, but… I don’t need to this time.”

Yuren smiled faintly, swallowing the last part, ‘thanks to you, Dale.’

‘Good.’

Since everyone seems fine, we can explore ‘that ruin’ during the vacation.

‘It’s quite difficult… but with this party, we should be able to clear it without any problems.’

Once again, I had no intention of actively stepping forward to fight.

‘My growth is important, but guiding the others is just as important.’

After all, I’ve already achieved the growth I aimed for by learning ‘Intensification,’ even if it’s still a bit out of control.

Now it’s time to guide my other comrades.

“Ah… I’m sorry, Dale.”

At that moment.

Berald spoke up with an awkward expression.

“I think I need to go back to my hometown this vacation.”

“Is something going on at home?”

Yuren tilted his head and asked Berald.

Berald nodded with a bitter smile.

“My father’s health isn’t great. I need to go back home and take care of him during the vacation.”

“Ah…”

A low sigh escaped Yuren’s lips as Berald continued.

“Okay. If that’s the case, then it can’t be helped. Then, the four of us…”

“No, that’s not necessary.”

I shook my head and turned to Berald.

“The ruin we’re planning to explore this time is in the Republic.”

“A ruin in the Republic…?”

The Republic is famously known for not having many ruins.

“Don’t tell me, Dale, you deliberately chose a ruin in the Republic?”

I nodded towards Berald, who was wide-eyed.

“We made a promise, didn’t we? To find a way to cure your father during the vacation.”

“Ah.”

Berald let out an exclamation, as if he had just remembered.

“Are you really… coming?”

“Of course I am. Did you think I was just saying that?”

“…Sniff.”

Berald sniffled and suddenly stood up from his seat.

“Daaaaaale!”

“Ugh!”

Berald, who had rushed over, hugged me tightly.

He rubbed his tear and snot-covered face against my cheek.

“Let go, you idiot!”

I desperately tried to peel Berald off.

I wiped the unpleasant mucus off my cheek with a tissue from the table and continued.

“Well, honestly, I don’t know if we’ll be able to cure him.”

“Haha. Just coming is enough for me to be grateful.”

Berald smiled as if it didn’t matter.

“So when are we leaving?”

“Let’s leave tomorrow. Is that okay with everyone?”

“Yes, no problem.”

“I’m fine too.”

Iris and Yuren nodded.

And so.

The first destination for this summer vacation was decided to be Berald’s home.

* * *

The city shrouded in darkness.

Countless lights illuminated the city like stars in the night sky.

A woman was precariously perched on top of a tall building.

“Yawn~ How boring. When will they come?”

The woman with purple hair swung her legs back and forth as she stretched.

Then.

Bang!

The rooftop door slammed open, and heroes in black suits swarmed in, surrounding her.

“Ah, you’re here?”

The purple-haired woman looked at the heroes and smirked.

One hero, with a tense expression, pointed his sword at her.

“L-Laktasia! You’re completely surrounded… Ugh!”

In an instant, sharp, elongated nails pierced the man’s throat.

The woman slowly stood up and gracefully walked over to the man.

“Surrounded? Don’t you realize I was the one who called you here?”

Crunch!

The man’s head was torn from his neck.

The woman, who had taken a hero’s life in an instant, leisurely looked around and winked.

“Ah…”

“You’re… so beautiful…”

The men’s eyes glazed over.

They stared at the woman, entranced, their mouths hanging open.

“W-What are you all doing?”

“Snap out of it!”

The female heroes who had come with them urgently shook the men’s shoulders, but their minds didn’t easily return to normal.

“Eek! Kill her first!”

“Haap!”

When the female heroes finally gave up and drew their weapons.

Sssssss!

Purple thorns shot up from the ground, piercing the female heroes’ bodies.

“I’m not interested in you, so stay quiet~.”

The woman, who had dealt with the female heroes in an instant, leisurely walked among the male heroes.

“Hmm. This one’s eyes are a bit off. This one’s nose isn’t to my liking. Ah, this guy’s just ugly.”

Slash! Slash! Slash!

With each step the woman took, the heroes’ heads were severed and rolled on the ground.

By the time she had made a full circle.

There were no heroes left alive on the rooftop.

“Sigh~ I need to find the Iron Fist’s legacy and get out of here. It’s so hard to find a good-looking man in the Republic.”

The woman turned her body in disappointment and looked down at the city lights.

“Is there no handsome blonde man who fits my taste?”

She licked her lips, her eyes gleaming with greed.