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Tslurrp-!
The Divinity(SS) that was planted like venom in Boss K by the angel slowly was slowly guided up through the straw(Divinity(D)) towards my body. At first it hadn't budged like a haughty beauty, but the moment it detected the Dark Energy(SSS) surging on the other side, made a beeline straight for it at once.
Wuoong!
The Divinity(SS) began to kick a fuss just like it had attacked Boss K. In the end, however, it failed to 'destroy' me, and accepted a new owner.
Divinity(D)→Divinity(C)
Obtaining a new skill within a short period and raising it to C-rank in one go!
It wasn't at all bad a harvest.
Perplexed: There is no higher education curriculum in the Hero Festival, yet Student Kang Han Soo is progressing too quickly. A festival is there for taking a break! How about preparing for the exam after the festival ends? They say resting is also studying, right~
'This girl's just asking for a slap from all the mothers in Korea. Studying in advance is common sense back at home.'
Tremble: Is, is that so. A scary place I see…
I scanned Boss K up and down; his dying appearance as he was being corroded by Divinity(SS) had all but gone, and he had quickly recovered his health. Perhaps there was a slight lingering effect, however, as he gave off the feeling of having aged somewhere overall. Well, that wasn't of my concern.
"Boss K. I want to talk if you've gotten back on your feet."
It was time to get to the subject we didn't even begin due to the angels' interference.
"My name is-… it is nothing. O Savior, ask whatever you will. If you so wish, I shall tell you everything about my daughter starting from her weight to the date of her birth."
"My father the King?!"
"Haha! My lovely daughter. I am no longer a king from today on, so call me casually."
Boss K spoke in a father's tone and not that of an austere king; although, it did seem that he had strayed from the right path, to an excessive extent, to fall under the category of a normal father. I could glimpse his intention to shift his daughter over to me no matter what.
"Father the King."
"Come now!"
"… Father. I am not yet ready…"
"Have you not already shared skinship with Sir Hero?"
"Th-that is…!"
I quietly watched the Elf father and daughter playing out their skit of jumping the gun. Wasn't it said that people are free to imagine? But I decided to interfere, unable to stand looking on further, upon seeing that Boss K was going so far as to steer the talk into detailed plans for having children.
In a disinterested, cool voice I asked, "Spill what you know, starting with what that angel was trying to keep silent."
*
*
People would often run into ridiculous matters in life. For instance, even if they heard of a major thing such as the truth of the world, they might feel not much interest as they already knew about it long ago. Was this called drawing the losing lot?
"I already know as much that I'm a fish in a farm."
I had realized it after meeting Professor Morals in the 2nd Playthrough.
"Is, is that so…"
Boss K smiled awkwardly. He looked extremely surprised because while the man himself apparently thought he had said something immensely important, the great Hero had already known all about it. Teaching staff, report card, regression, examination ground, graduation, parallel world… It was all what I knew from having experienced it myself.
In days long past, Boss K was said to be also a companion of a Hero. The source of the boss' information was a Hero on his 3rd Playthrough. Boss K said he was greatly shocked at the truth that they themselves were replicas or perhaps consumables meant to raise a Hero.
"I understand. I also felt shock and fear, you see."
I had thought I would return to Earth upon defeating Demon King Pedonar, yet what suddenly awaited me was a report card and regression. It was from the 2nd Playthrough onwards that I realized the existence of the teaching staff, and I was majorly stressed out at that time.
Damned Professor Morals. It was enough that I was burning with anger, yet he went on to fan those flames. It seemed he was replaced this time around, and I hoped he would be transferred to some dimension of a primitive Earth to teach a grunting caveman Hero.
"Sir Hero, are you not curious about my dear daughter?"
Boss K quietly asked me this with a sly look in his eyes which only men knew. He still hadn't given up, apparently.
My answer was decided from the start.
"Elf K isn't my type. Maybe if we're only going to enjoy each other's company, but I'm going to spend about 30 years in this continent before leaving, you see."
"30 years, you say?"
"At most 30 years."
My leaving could even be tomorrow.
"I shan't dissuade you from leaving, but please leave me a granddaughter fully matured in body and mind before going."
Even as Boss K said this, he stared so very regretfully at a certain part of Elf K who was walking beside him, his gaze containing mixed feelings of love and hatred.
"This guy… completely hopeless as a parent."
"Haha! The Elves have this sort of saying: a child before 1000 years, afterwards a friend. A neighbor from 2000 years on."
This was a concept only possible because they were long-lived Elves. Furthermore, Boss K and Elf K had spent an eternity of time alone together in this underground prison. It was almost amazing that no intermarriage had taken place during that time. At present, they looked more like siblings rather than a father and his daughter.
In any case…
"How long are you guys going to chase after me?"
Boss K and Elf K had followed me like chicks behind a hen up to the surface, and continued to accompany me afterwards as well. Half a day seemed to have passed.
"The angels who noticed that my daughter and I are alive will soon sent pursuers. Until I find a way to oppose their Divinity like in my past prime, the plan is to sponge off you, Sir Hero."
"Brazen though it may be, I also ask you of this."
The K pair earnestly pleaded me this. They were no doubt greatly urgent as this was an issue which concern their lives and freedom. I had been about to promptly refuse, but changed my mind.
"Boss K, how are you sure that the angels will send pursuers?"
At present, my Skill Divinity was at C-rank. While this alone was enough to threaten the seats of Fantasia's Pope and Cardinal, I didn't consider anything below S-rank as a Skill.
Ah! Except for Fortune(A), that is.
▷Type: Skill
▷Name: Fortune(++)
▷Rank: A(++)
▷S: Luck will not run dry.
▷A: The energy of the universe will help often. (++)
▷B: Always ignore traps. (++)
▷C: Luck increases tremendously. (++)
▷D: Safe from falls. (++)
▷E: Dodge all unseen arrows. (++)
▷F: Luck improves.
While my heart was inclined towards keeping 'Thief' as my Job all the way, but it would change to something strange in no time if I didn't go around stealing. Before that happened, I wanted to raise Fortune to S-rank—if my luck didn't run dry like the effect description said, then the proficiency level would gradually go up afterwards even if I didn't really put in the effort to do so. This was one of the highest priority tasks.
Boss K replied to my question.
"It is because angels beware beings of chaos."
"That did seem like the case."
I had one-sidedly slaughtered the angels from before with the combination of Dark Energy(SSS) and Holy Sword 2. Rather than me being strong, they had been much too weak, rookies in combat who only had high Levels and Skill ranks. Everything had a reason to it.
"As you have witnessed, Sir Hero, high-rank Divinity has the effect of deflecting all attacks except for that of the opposite element 'Dark Energy' or same element 'Divinity'. That is why angels rarely find their match, aside from demons and chaotic beings."
The angels had awfully poor combat experience, and that was because they had zero need for skills and techniques such as evading or defending since they fought using a cheat key that prevented their HP from dropping. They also had no opportunities to build proficiency in Skills like Endurance, which was why they were vulnerable against demons and attacks of chaos.
Only, here was the variable factor; demons were by nature extremely weak against angels. While they did possess 'Dark Energy' which could smash apart an angel's god-mode cheat, there was the fatal issue of the race of demons being innately even more vulnerable against an angel's 'Divinity'. As such, demons were out of the competition.
Ultimately, only beings of chaos could stand superior to angels without weaknesses.
"Targeting you because you're natural enemies? But you guys were too weak despite that, though?"
The struggling sight of Boss K and Elf K, having such a hard time helpless against a single angel, was so pitiful it couldn't be seen without shedding tears.
"Hm-hm. It is because my personal weapon which contains the divine element was seized, and my Skill Dark Energy was sealed."
"Me too!"
The K father and daughter pair claimed their defeat was due to having the means to break an angel's god-mode taken from them.
"Anyhow, you're saying that angels will continue to target you guys, right?"
"Indeed."
"Yes."
And thus, I agreed to the K pair accompanying me—as the sole bait to lure in angels. I didn't make this judgement on an impulse; it was a conclusion I came to after organizing the information I gained through the previous group of angels and the K pair's claims.
'Miss Trainee Teacher, let me ask just one thing.'
Chill: What's the reason? My shoulders feel cold all of a sudden. If it's a sensible question, I'll give my everything to answer!
'Where do angels live? They should also have something like a home where they eat and shit.'
Frightened: Do you intend on raiding them?!
'Why? I think it a highly reasonable judgement. This way is more efficient than setting bait.'
Warning: I admit that Student Kang Han Soo is strong; however, the angels in charge of the higher education curriculum are far stronger. And this is a secret that isn't a secret, but angels don't live in Fantasia's dimension to begin with, like how primary schools and high schools don't share the same building.
Miss Trainee Teacher claimed there was no shortcut or convenient way.
I leisurely shrugged my shoulders, however, because I had something to count on.
"I don't know if it's some high school or primary school, but I'm sure the energy of the universe will help out if I earnestly wish for it."
Luck amplification!
Thief was the strongest Job in Fantasia. Only, it was necessary to steal in order to maintain the Job without change. While I wanted to live a straight life, it was my destiny to inevitably commit thievery in order to survive in this unfeeling world.
… Shouldn't it be fine since I wasn't even a Hero at present? Just like Miss Trainee Teacher said, a festival was there to be enjoyed. Here, there was no need to become stressed out by character and reputation grades.
This 5th Playthrough had no concept of a report card and graduation. There was no Demon King to slay to start off with, no? I would be going over to my 6th Playthrough when the Hero Festival ended, and Lanuvel would make my insides churn again with her wannabe cute greeting of "Welcome, Sir Hero!"—even merely imagining it made my stress begin to build. I needed rest before I collapsed from pent-up rage.
'Let's enjoy the festival like a festival should be!'
"I guess a big city is best to go thieving after all?"
Bewildered: You can't be…?
'Miss Trainee Teacher, navigation please. Come on~'
*
*
The K pair and I moved towards 'Start City', which was the biggest city located in the very heart of the festival continent. Although I had heard the city's rather impressive original name, which twisted the tongue like something in Spanish, from Passerby 3, I gave up on using it as it was hard to pronounce and wasn't endearing.
Had it taken almost about five days to make it to Start City? Even here, I could feel the severe difference in treatment.
"Even though I started in a cave!"
All of the graduates excluding me had started in this city. While they did start off with the same underwear-less, droopy outfit as I did, the lovely Saintess whom they would see first thing upon opening their eyes would provide the festival-goers with a rather nice set of clothes, basic equipment and initial funds, free of charge.
It was discrimination in everything and anything!
I couldn't not express deep dissatisfaction at this unfair treatment.
"Wow! It feels good to see the sun after so long! And the air is fresh too."
Elf K spread wide her flat chest as she so exclaimed.
"It's a wonder you didn't go insane for so long, huh?"
I had felt on the brink of going nuts with just being imprisoned on Fantasia's continents, yet this Elf had spent the same everyday life in that small palace, along with her sexually harassing father and hideous ogres—for a very, very long time. How had she managed to endure the tedium?
"I'm not sure. Because I'm an Elf?"
All my doubts became trivial at that one line, which even sounded refreshing, from Elf K who said she felt good from seeing the sun. It was no different to asking how a Ginkgo tree could manage to live 3000 years in the same spot.
In any case…
"I, I'll give it to you!"
"Please don't hurt us!"
We received a hat as a gift from Passerby 14 and Passerby 15, whom I assumed to be couples. I had complimented them on the hat with a smiling face while Holy Sword 2, which was practically the symbol of a righteous Hero, was slung on my shoulder, and they had meekly handed it over.
"Here, cover your ears with this."
The Elves wouldn't go unnoticed just by covering up their ears with a hat, the reason being that the others graduates could also view the Status of others as they pleased like I could; it was a matter of time before the K pair's race became noticed. I judged it better than doing nothing at all, however, because…
"Ooh! A city of humans! Ahh! How could those fruits swaying everywhere be so tempting! Truly I am clueless as to where I should put these two eyes of mine. Humans are the best! Elves are trash!"
At the east entrance of Start City, Boss K began to blatantly yell out his loathing for his kin upon seeing some human ladies passing by.
That guy… wasn't he supposed to be the Third Elf King? I got the feeling that he deserved to suffer a rebellion.
"Sir Hero, I am truly sorry that my father is like that…"
Elf K bowed in apology to me, her ears reddened to their tips.
"No, I understand."
Because the Elf King I knew was also a sorry character. It seemed to be an issue of genetics.
But it was right then that…
"Huh?! You, you're Kang Han Soo, aren't you? Isn't that right?"
Someone who wasn't Sieg called out my name clearly. Upon turning towards the source of the voice, I frowned.
"Who are you again?"
There, I saw a delinquent whose hair was dyed yellow.
"It's me, me I tell you! The guy who said he was going to set off on a thrilling adventure, together with beauties of various races in a fantasy worl…"
"Aha! It's you!"
"Kang Han Soo, you finally remember?"
"Yeah, you!"
"You haven't remembered at all! You damned asshole!"
'What am I supposed to do when 11 years have already passed since then?'
I ran into High School Classmate A.
PR/N : There is an illustration page for some of the characters, be sure to take a look !
Translator : Hunnybuttachips
Editor : Fujimaru