〈 Chapter 258 〉 Wow! Double the Nightmare! (4)
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Nightmares inhabit Apuria.
The targets of nightmares change with the flow of time. The first was Rosel van Trias.
Rosel van Trias.
One of the elders of the Ashen Tower, he raised the Ashen Mages and gifted students with horrifying nightmares. While his infamy has faded significantly now…
『Rosel van Trias.』
『Huuuuuuuuuh…!』
If you whisper the name “Rosel van Trias” to graduates of Apuria, they will jump out of bed and rush to the lab.
Endless consecutive lectures.
A mountain of assignments that leaves no room for rest.
For students who have the audacity to think they can settle for good grades, he will cruelly abduct them to the lab, telling them not to get complacent with such results.
Truly, a professor whose name suits the title of nightmare.
However, the nightmare of Apuria has now become another title. Graduates won’t believe it, but… astonishingly, it is true.
The second nightmare is Rania van Trias.
Being the prized disciple of the nightmare, her classes have an amount of assignments that is anything but ordinary. It’s often the case that newly appointed professors, especially at a young age, are overly enthusiastic… but Rania is not particularly that way.
This much is absolutely possible.
“If I can do it, so can you all!”
From her perspective, this is only ‘natural.’
Her way of thinking is so warped that her classes can’t be normal. Students attending her lectures can only shed tears of blood.
『Is there a nightmare that surpasses Professor Rania?』
『No way.』
『Stop making sense.』
A nightmare that history will remember.
There can surely be no professors worse than her.
As the students think this, they have conferred upon Rania the title of Apuria’s Nightmare. However, what they have mistaken is…
『It is possible for all of you!』
There’s no rule saying a nightmare can only be one.
『Shall we start with a light warm-up today?』
『I’ll run alongside you. Just having someone to run with by my side really helps the training. My training instructor always ran with me.』
『Alright, one, two! One, two!』
The nightmares have multiplied.
A nightmare clad in purity and kindness has appeared.
The Hero of the Holy Lance, Galahal.
It didn’t take long for him, who holds the morning class, to be called ‘Aurgia’s Nightmare.’
Insane training amounts.
Restraining magical tools used only by knights of the battlefield.
With a refreshing smile, he whispers, “If you all try, you can do it.”
『What I can teach you is just this, though.』
『I hope this will be of help to you all.』
The most insidious part is that they cannot refuse his teachings. Galahal, being an active hero, brings immense honor in receiving guidance from him.
‘The effect is also certain…’
The more painful, the more effective.
With every day, the students of the Battle Magic Department tear their muscles as they inch closer to becoming top-tier knights.
『I miss it.』
『I miss Professor Lrutia so much…!』
『He was the only light…!』
As they recall that one individual, who although gruff, was the truest professor, the students shed tears of blood.
『I hate Professor Rania, who turned Hero Galahal into a nightmare. Why this trial?』
『Isn’t she the root of all evil?』
『In every incident, Professor Rania is at the center.』
Sharp glares were directed at Rania.
However, as always…
Rania is not concerned with others’ gazes.
2.
『One, two, one, two!』
Shouts can be heard from outside the window.
Peeking outside through a slightly opened window, I see Galahal running with students on the athletic field. He looked to be quite fulfilled.
“He’s teaching well.”
It seems like Galahal has adapted well to Apuria.
After observing him for a while, I shifted my gaze back to my table. There, papers related to Galahal obtained from Kalt were piled up.
Rustle.
Flipping through the pages, I read the documents.
They detailed the operations Galahal participated in, along with brief information regarding them.
『I checked it, but I didn’t find anything particularly strange.』
Kalt said something like that.
If Kalt, who used to work as my aide on the battlefield, said so, it’s normal for there to be nothing to glean from these documents.
‘However.’
There’s something Kalt couldn’t find.
Especially when it comes to heroes.
Many people are often mistaken.
They believe the starlight possessed by a hero is infinite. That a hero can do anything, and that there are no limits for them. They say, as long as there is determination, a hero can accomplish anything.
“There’s no way it can be that easy.”
With a bitter smile, I turned the page.
The hero’s starlight is not infinite.
Starlight is definitively consumed, requiring rest until it is restored after being completely exhausted. Moreover, heroes certainly have definite limits.
‘The amount of starlight does not increase.’
Even if there are methods to utilize it and enhance efficiency… the absolute total of starlight never increases.
And.
As far as I remember, Galahal had a very small amount of starlight. He couldn’t even hear the whispers of the stars that are said to be so common. He couldn’t race like Kalt, burning his starlight.
‘If he tried that, he’d collapse in less than a minute.’
That was Galahal.
A being who was neither blessed with ample starlight nor extraordinary talents.
Someone who was called a dullard by everyone.
However, Galahal reached the level of a superhuman solely through effort. He gained strength that was similar to that of a hero, and created his own techniques.
‘But he hasn’t become Kalt.’
It’s a cold, cruel tale… but Galahal can never reach the same level as Kalt.
Because he lacks starlight.
Because he lacks the same talents that Kalt possesses.
Because he lacks the uniqueness akin to Chloe.
Thus, Galahal could not become Kalt.
He could not become a symbol of victory like the so-called strongest hero. I knew that fact all too well.
「I know.」
「There are many who had to be let go because they were weak and many because they were lacking. Truly, many.」
Galahal said to me.
「But what can be done?」
「I have my own way, don’t I?」
「A path paved only for me.」
“Is that path this one, Galahal?”
I looked at the paperwork in my hand.
It detailed all the missions that Galahal had undertaken over the past year. And between each mission, there was not even a slight gap.
Starlight is not infinite.
At some moment, rest must be taken.
Yet Galahal did not rest.
Not only did he not rest; he jumped into missions unfit for his level. Those missions were marked with a red line.
‘A rescue mission that someone refused.’
Someone stronger than Galahal.
It was likely that Kalt and Destel had refused it, hence it had to be written off as someone abandoned. Galahal dived into all those missions.
He saved what should have been abandoned.
Even though it shouldn’t have been possible for Galahal.
‘He achieved the impossible.’
He attempted to reach the unreachable.
He tried to hold onto what had to be let go.
I know how to make that possible.
“An exchange.”
In order to gain something, something must be let go.
What did Galahal give up?
The moment I shook hands with Galahal, I realized.
“Galahal, you gave up your lifespan.”
He set aside his own life to save another’s.
Truly something Galahal would do.
“Phew…”
A sigh slipped from my lips.
A bitterness lingered in my mouth. I set the papers down and closed my eyes. I wondered why Galahal had retired, and why Mr. Heinkel advised him to retire.
I felt like I could vaguely understand the background behind it.
‘I need to have a talk.’
Not as the professor of Apuria.
But as an Ashen Mage, a conversation was necessary.
Knock knock.
Just as I was lost in thought, someone knocked on the professor’s office door. The echo of the knock resonated loudly in the empty office.
Creeeak.
When I opened the door, there stood Galahal, who had just finished class and looked at me with a towel around his neck, smiling.
“So you were here, Professor Rania.”
Behind Galahal stood Chloe.
“I came to tell you about that training method you mentioned last time. I’ve thought of a few things to discuss.”
「Are you referring to why Galahal is visiting Apuria?」
What I had heard from Roks long ago.
「To check on the state of the next hero and provide assistance in their training. You said that you believed there was something you could teach.」
After learning the truth, the purpose of Galahal’s visit took on a slightly different meaning for me.
“…Alright. Come in.”
I needed to steel myself too.
3.
Directly receiving teachings from Galahal.
Gaining knowledge from a hero.
When Chloe first heard that, she could hardly contain her shock. An active hero was akin to a senior figure for Chloe.
Especially Galahal.
To receive teaching from the most heroic of heroes was…
‘An unbelievable opportunity, an immense honor!’
For Chloe, who must become a hero in the future, this was an opportunity she could not miss. She glanced over at Galahal, her gaze curious.
“So, what I was thinking was like this…”
“Hmm, it’s not bad but it’s a bit lacking in stimulation…”
I see Galahal talking with Rania. They seemed to be engaged in a deep discussion regarding his teaching methods.
‘Some weird words are coming through, but…!’
Anyway, everything should be fine.
Thinking that, Chloe fidgeted with her fingers. She was now set to learn how to wield the stars and how to manifest spells.
She was making progress.
But, in Chloe’s mind, she could not picture herself as a hero.
The strongest hero, Kyle Toven.
The most heroic hero, Galahal.
Brilliant beings like twinkling stars.
Standing before everyone, becoming a beacon of hope or bringing victory. These figures became symbols, and could she ever be the same as them?
It was a question that continually haunted Chloe.
Moreover, it was a question she had yet to find an answer to.
Lingering over the question she had yet to solve, Chloe slowly raised her head. Galahal and Rania were nodding at each other, seemingly wrapping up their discussion.
“Indeed, this much should suffice… But I worry a bit. Is it not too early?”
“You have to experience it eventually, and it’s much better if you experience it while you’re here. There’s a lot to show.”
“That’s true…”
“Hey, you don’t know this, but…”
Rania said playfully with a smile.
“That girl is more of a monster than you imagine.”
“A monster?”
“You’ll see for yourself. Chloe?”
“Yes, yes!”
Chloe jumped from her seat.
“Remember the spell you recently completed?”
“Oh, are you referring to the Circulating Flame Ball?”
“Yes, that one. Show it to Galahal.”
Rania led the way, followed by Galahal and Chloe. When they arrived at the empty Spell Training Room, Rania activated the magical golem.
“Fire away. Don’t think about the aftermath, use all your strength.”
“…Huh? Didn’t you say never to shoot inside Apuria…?”
“It’s fine, just shoot once. I’ll take care of the aftermath.”
Though hesitant, Chloe moved her fingers.
What formed in the air was a circuit that took the shape of a perfect circle. Each line drawn in one stroke flowed into the next.
Swish.
Starlight surged following Chloe’s fingertips.
A flood of starlight resembling a deluge rushed into the circuit Chloe created. The moment the surging starlight formed the perfect circle…
Whooooosh!
Heat burst forth from the tip of Chloe’s fingers.
What manifested was a basic spell, the Fireball. However, the platinum flames rising before Chloe… resembled a higher-tier spell, Destruction.
Crackling flames.
The flowing tongues of fire cycling in perfect spherical form continued to circulate without cease.
The heat and size were entirely incomparable to the basic Fireball.
“You’ve finished casting, so now you can relax and fire.”
With a barrier surrounding the Spell Training Room, Rania gestured lightly. Nodding, Chloe snapped her fingers.
The completed spell was unleashed.
The platinum Fireball engulfed the golem.
Heat surged and the white flash struck the area.
Kaboom!
As the onrush of heat subsided, what remained there was nothing but ashes. The golem, which should have easily withstood intermediate-level spells, had turned into a pile of black ashes.
“Did you see that?”
Rania pointed at Chloe with her thumb, smiling.
“Are you still going to say it wasn’t enough?”
“…”
Galahal gazed at Chloe with wide eyes.
His eye reflected surprise, confusion, and a hint of bitterness. However, the bitterness was quickly erased, replaced by a faint smile.
“…I’ve lost some concerns.”
Galahal murmured under his breath, inaudible to anyone else. In due time, he nodded with a smile, just like always.
“There’s no way I could say that after seeing such!”
“Right?”
“Yes, it seems we can proceed immediately.”
Rania approached Chloe.
Then she took out a piece of paper from her pocket.
“Chloe.”
“Yes, yes?”
“You’ve got no plans during vacation, right?”
Chloe casually nodded her head.
Rania lightly patted Chloe’s shoulder.
“Let’s go on a field study.”
“A field study…?”
“Yes.”
“Where to?”
Rania replied shortly.
“To the front lines.”
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