“You really… Helped me out. Sorry for causing you all that trouble, including the duel that happened before…”
“Don’t worry about that! I’m glad those wounds weren’t as bad as I thought!”
It was the morning after they started the plan to improve Blaster, and a student went to where Yuugo lived, and bowed to him.
It was a silver-haired boy with a bandage wrapped around his head, Hercus… Yuugo’s opponent in his last duel.
He seemed thankful, and had a completely different attitude compared to when he was mad with anger. He had bandages here and there on his body, but seemed to have at least recovered enough to move around.
Yuugo, the one who carried him to the infirmary, was happy to see that. But as he responded to Hercus’ apology, Hercus turned to Melt and bowed to her as well.
“Thank you too, Epee. You treated me both after the duel, and when you found me collapsed. I’m really grateful.”
“I didn’t do much. More importantly, you’re a way more polite person than I thought. Completely different from when you barged into the studio.”
“I’m really sorry. I completely lost my cool there, but looking back, even I can see that was wrong. But…”
“…Was there a reason for that? You can tell us if you want.”
Hercus responded to Melt, despite not making himself very clear.
He seemed embarrassed about what happened the previous day, but Yuugo felt there was something else behind it. And after being prompted by Yuugo to speak, Hercus took a deep breath, and spoke.
“You know how the academy was attacked by monsters a while back? The new students who performed well then are now being hailed as heroes. There are rumors going around that they’re going to be looking for partners to do assignments and quests together once classes start again.
A lot of people are getting themselves ready because they want that to be them. And I was one of them.”
“Eh… You were that eager? It’s not like you have to be their partner or anything.”
“You can tell when you actually see them, but they’re in a whole other league. And they’ll probably get themselves a career path or position to go along with how good they are. If I was with them, I could polish my skills too, and people’s impressions of me would be better from all sides. It will make a big impact on our future, so that’s why everyone’s so eager.”
Nothing about it was relatable to Yuugo, but he understood what Hercus was saying.
He thought it was nothing worth getting so desperate about, but also felt it was not right for someone from another world to pass that judgment. And so, he said nothing.
But still, he was surprised about there being multiple students being hailed as heroes.
He had not seen Zenon recently, but he remembered that this student who beat him was called that too… The now absent Rush also seemed to have a fixation with that word.
Yuugo smiled awkwardly to himself, as he thought this was like a hero bargain sale, but Hercus continued.
“Luminous Academy is filled with people wanting to join the heroes. And they’re not only trying to make themselves stronger, but also making sure to strengthen their magic items. It has become common for people to duel with money and materials they got from quests on the line. And there are battles over competent magic item technicians too. Now that I’m really thinking about it, I can only call it savage.”
“So everyone was on edge, and you were too?”
“Yes… And I was in a frenzy to get materials and ask a good technician called Neid to work for me, but… That guy always kept saying there weren’t enough materials, and didn’t even start working.
I gave him the materials he needed, but he kept saying he still needed more. And eventually, I lost my head…”
“I’ve heard about that too. So you really were ripped off? He was asking for three magic crystals just to make one power bracelet. That’s clearly too much.”
Angel agreed with Hercus, who spoke of his resentment towards Neid with his fists shaking.
As Yuugo thought that Hercus also had his own things going on, he looked at Angel, and asked her without speaking if there was not anything that could be done.
“Well, freedom of contract means that it’s between the one making the request and the one accepting it. If Neid will only work for extortionate rewards, you just have to deal with it. But I do think he’s gone overboard.”
“If people are still rushing to ask him to work for them despite all that, does that mean he’s just that good?”
“Not as good as me. But unlike me, who everyone in that studio treats as a strange person, people respect him a lot because he’s good, and he has the sort of personality that makes his colleagues like him. That’s why he can get away with most things, and most people agree with him. Like yesterday.”
Angel said as she shook her head and sounded a little irritated.
Yuugo thought to himself that personal relations in the technical department sounded tricky, as he listened to Hercus again.
“Those materials I worked to gather were stolen, and now I’m injured anyway. I’m giving up on joining the heroes, but that might be for the best. I feel like I’ve been freed from alternating between being happy and sad about the materials and money, and that tense atmosphere. Again, I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t lower your head. We just did what was right. I’m sorry about your wounds, but I also think that it’s nice that you were able to sort out your feelings.”
“…You really did change. Even considering the amnesia, you were a completely different person not too long ago.”
“Well…! This is a nice opportunity too. Become my friend! It might not be much compared to being partnered with a hero, but you’re not going to miss out on interesting and weird things.”
“Haha! That sounds nice… Yes, gladly.”
Hercus smiled, and bumped fists with Yuugo.
His expression was clear, like the ghost of that irritability and tension had been lifted off him. But then he turned to Yuugo again, as if he just thought of something.
“…Sorry, I know I’m being presumptuous, but can I ask you a favor?”
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