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“Hero.”

Natalie called to me as she slowly approached. I glanced up, her black eyes blinking a few times as she made eye contact. Her eyes looked so pure and innocent. Natalie looked like a regular student to me.

How in the world was she connected to the Doomsday Cult?

(She’s hiding her power so well. I can only assume that she’s connected to those bastards.)

At Holy Sword’s words, I frowned slightly. Is she one of those people who hate and loathe me?’

“Do you mind if we join you?”

The girl standing next to Natalie asked cautiously. Her name was Cora Foyth. A scion of the Foyth family. Her uncle is currently a prominent member of the Royal Order, and her grandfather had been a great knight who had served as its leader. The other, Eugene Grayson, was also from a prominent family of mages. They were third and second on the placement test, respectively.

I focused back on the students in front of me. This early and casual contact with Natalie was good for my mission.

“Please have a seat. Natalie, you should get a meal first.”

Natalie’s shoulders tensed at the sound of her name. Her eyes lingered on me momentarily, then turned away and strode off to get her meal. Eugene and Cora, sitting across from me, looked surprised.

“You…you know her name?”

“Of course, Cora. You did well on the placement test, including Eugene.”

Cora looked delighted to hear her name come from the Hero’s mouth while Eugene let out a small cough. Eugene tried to control his emotions, trying to act maturely.

“I admire you so much, Hero…! You are a true example of a knight.”

“I appreciate the kind words, but I’m not that great.”

It’s not good if they see me as a role model. A knight must be blindly loyal to their master. If you’re told to jump into a fire, you’ll do it without question. That’s the virtue of a knight. It doesn’t match a rascal like me, who acts like a brat.

“You’re so humble…I want to emulate you.”

Well, Cora and Eugene seemed to take my words as humility. I smiled awkwardly and watched their reactions.

(Elroy, I doubt any “humble” person is trying to belittle themselves. They’re just trying to be polite while increasing their value)

Holy Sword’s response was sour, though similar to my thoughts. ‘Maybe it’s because we have spent a long time together…Though it’s saddening, it isn’t even a fraction of her life.’

(What are you talking about, the time I’ve known you for wasn’t long…)

Holy Sword suddenly stopped her sentence, and I could imagine her flustered face.

(M-more than that, be alert of the child’s actions. I don’t know what those evil worshippers have done to her, but…Be careful, Elroy. Even if she’s not a cultist, she’s no ordinary child)

Natalie sat across from me as the Holy Sword finished speaking, setting her plate down. It was a considerable amount for her petite frame, piled high with food. Even Cora and Eugene were surprised. Ignoring their stares, Natalie began to eat slowly and nonchalantly.

“Lecture, it was great.”

Natalie said. I looked at her, frowning slightly because that was the last thing I expected to come from her mouth. She lifted her head to face me, and we stared at each other while she slowly brought her spoon to her mouth.

“You know, Natalie, you surprised me with your placement test.”

I could remember it vividly. A fearsome flame that covered her hands, powerful enough to incinerate monsters on contact. And most of all, her combat-trained movements.

“I’ll consider it an honor to have surprised you.”

Natalie replied in a voice that suggested it was no honor at all. I had to resist the urge to ask her what her purpose was and if the cult sent her.

“It makes me wonder where you learned all your magic and combat skills.”

“Then I’d ask you the same thing, who did you learn from?”

Natalie dodged the question like a mosquito. I looked into her eyes, and she gave me a look that made me wonder why I was looking at her like that. Her eyes were as black as the void. She didn’t seem to want to look away first.

“Ahem~. Looking at the syllabus, there are several practical exercises; what are they?”

Cora interjected as we stared at each other. How she looked at me, or us, was full of suspicion.

“It’s going to be like the placement test. We will utilize the crystals, which will be much more efficient than taking you to an actual battlefield.”

Daphne planned to use the crystals to practice her magic, but on a scale that would actually warp space and not the kind that would make you hallucinate. I chuckled when Cora and Eugene’s expressions changed subtly at my words.

“For your information, my classes are nicer than what I’ve experienced, but you’d be mistaken to think they’re easy. I meant what I said in the classroom.”

Eugene gave me a confused look.

“Are we seriously fighting monsters this year?”

“Who knows.”

As much as I wanted to tell them everything I knew, this was all I could do for now. I didn’t want to sound like a broken record. Eugene didn’t ask for more explanation and quietly picked up his cutlery.

“Well, I’ll see you next class then.”

I said, slipping out of my seat. It wasn’t the time to be rash in my approach to Natalie. The risk of a head-on collision was too significant.

(Caution is good.)

Doomsday Cultists were the best at running away. They never raise their heads in unison. As one moves and reveal their identity, the others watch with bated breath.

“They’ll bite eventually. They wouldn’t allow another Disaster to be slain easily.

Impatience is something that even the cultists would feel. The odds are stacked against the one who acts first. I looked back at the restaurant and sighed. The Meteor is still approaching, and the cultists await it. What do they have to gain by destroying this world?

“…Headache.”

I have to teach those chicks not to get swept up in the aftermath of the Disaster, take out the lurking cultists, and stop the Meteor that’s about to tear the planet apart. At this point, I find myself longing for a peaceful vacation.

“I just wish it wasn’t all happening at once.”

I don’t think I should have let those words come out of my mouth. Shuddering, I go to the lab where Daphne is waiting for me.

***

Midnight. Student dormitory.

“I’ve made contact.”

Natalie’s voice was flat. Her hair, blacker than the night, cast a shadow across the side of her face like a curtain. A shadowy figure watched her as she sat upright. Very slowly, the figure nodded, then spoke.

“So, how was your first encounter with the Hero?”

“I don’t know.”

That was Natalie’s assessment. In her eyes, the Hero was strange. She couldn’t quite gauge how strong he was. All she knew was that he could rip her head off instantly. Ever since she had the Hero assigned as her target. Natalie’s eyes had been fixed on him, and she’d traveled the world following in his footsteps.

“What do you mean you’re not sure? We don’t remember ‘making’ you that way.”

Natalie shook her head. She literally didn’t know.

“I really don’t know. It’s not possible to gauge his power with a single conversation.

“Well, if you don’t know, just figure it out. There’s no rush.”

The quiet voice rang in Natalie’s ears.

“I’ll tell you one thing, though. If you truly approach him as his student, he will never be able to kill you. No, he’ll hesitate to even harm you. He’ll try to save you even if he realizes you’re sent by us.”

It wasn’t said mockingly but merely stating facts.

“He probably already suspects you. He is foolish enough to let you live, but even he will recognize your strength.”

Natalie looked at her shadow on the wall.

“He won’t try to kill you.”

Natalie nodded.

“And you are designed to defeat him. Don’t make us regret the fact that we made you.”

The words were threatening, but Natalie’s expression didn’t waver, for it was natural for her to do as she had been told. If the voice said to die, she would die; it had told her to live, so she did.

“You decide the time. You’ll know when it is appropriate. Until then, make it a priority to imprint your presence on the Hero, tap into his compassion, and make him realize that you are there and need to be saved. Use what you can, for we have not made you so vulnerable that you will fall for his pity.”

Her shadow lowered its head and locked eyes with Natalie.

“Then kill him. I know you can do it. That will signal our greatest masterpiece to be revealed to the world.”

The shadow spoke with pride in his voice. The greatest ‘masterpiece’ the Doomsday Cult had ever created. Natalie nodded her head.

“Understood.”