Chapter 146
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Back? Am I Back?
“Is that hero a monster…?!”
“All his companions are monsters too!”
“They’re different from the hero before-ugh?!”
A bustling army of demons blocked my path, but we mercilessly stepped on and pa.s.sed with hopeful dreams and righteous hearts. The longer the fight, the more people grew tired. However, the more we fought, the stronger the level rose, so we grew faster than the fatigue could affect us. And my spirits were powerful fighters who had lived for a long time.
They’re not like my previously stupid companions.
We crossed in a straight line from the Elf Kingdom to the Demon King’s castle. If he had to go through the sky, we could have pa.s.sed quietly, but I chose the th.o.r.n.y path to build up our achievements and reputation.
“Don’t let the hero go any further!”
“I am the Demon King’s right arm- Kugh?!”
“Stop him! A hero worse than Demon- Kuargh?!”
I cleaned up all the demons that rushed me like madmen. It was possible to surrender or flee, but the loyalty of the demons bound by magic was a force to be recognized. That didn’t change anything, though.
Bang-!
After pa.s.sing through the hallway full of demons’ corpses, I went inside, kicking down the huge door in front of me. But it was a little different from before.
“You’re not alone, huh?”
I thought he would be alone with the Elf King’s wife, but the Demon King was with a number of his men. They were all faces I knew. Prince 1, Princess 1, Duke A, Duke B, Commander B. Besides the 1st playthrough, there were several records during the encounters at the time of the Demon King’s territorial suppression that were swept away.
Prince 1 was the de facto second-in-command who managed all sorts of matters instead of the Demon King who was stuck on the throne, and Princess 1, the eldest daughter in charge of diplomacy, was engaged to Duke A next to her. As for Duke B and Commander B, I didn’t need to worry too much about them. The higher the rank, the lower the combat power.
“I see quite a few nostalgic faces.”
Demon King Pedonar normally introduced himself and gave a loud performance every round. However, this time he didn’t. Perhaps it was because my spirits were related to the First Hero, and the First Hero was the one who defeated him. As the Demon King, he had to have a different mindset than when dealing with the Earth’s clumsy warriors.
Even the spirits seemed to notice it. But they bore no hostility to an old enemy. Was it like calmly watching a lion in a zoo?
“I want to talk more with the Demon Lord, but I think it will adversely affect my personality score, so you will have to leave for now.”
“…Right. I was defeated by a warrior who was indeed an absolute evil. But, Hero, keep it in mind. If you survive and don’t die, we will meet again someday. As my son-in-law.”
“It sounds terrible…!”
“Haha! Come on! Hero!”
The Demon King, who exclaimed with excitement, was defeated in vain. The Holy Sword and the power of friendship were unnecessary. Because I intentionally didn’t raise my level, the level of the Demon King was also quite low, and the Demon King’s subordinates were swept away like dust without being able to handle even one flick of my spirits’ fingers.
“Justice wins!”
“As my son-in-law, it’s an incredible skill….”
“Till the end, you keep saying, son-in-law!”
Thud.
The Demon King fell while throwing a curse. The First Spirit responded.
“I think he left a mark on your soul in the previous round, right? If I have to name it, it would be the Protection of the Demon King, going off on his own to do you a favor.”
“It must be malicious! What son-in-law…!”
“Anyway, you are so funny. I hope to see you again.”
“Don’t say terrible things.”
▷ Hero. Did you enjoy the adventure?
I heard a voice that I didn’t want to.
▷The path of a true warrior is difficult indeed. However, many relationships supported you, who did not lose hope and dreams. You learned friendship and love from them and grew up together, and you finally defeated the evil Demon King. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart!
▷ Shall we check your grades from now on?
I read the report card, calming my tense, beating heart. Please…!
▷Name: Kang Han-soo
▷ Combat Power: SSS
▷ Achievement: S
▷Reputation: B
▷Personality: A
▷Note: Haha! What an educational achievement!
The scorer, Fantasy G.o.d, was puffed up with pride. It was very unpleasant, but I decided to move on quietly because I would never see him again. I can’t ruin it by not being able to hold on for a moment, right? If I put up with it, I’ll see the light.
▷ Congratulations on your graduation.
Just like right now!
▷Certificate of Award: The above student has been diligent in his adventures and practiced good deeds. In addition, he has always set an example for the natives of Fantasy by being considerate and giving way to his companions. Therefore, the above student is appointed as an S-cla.s.s hero. Congratulations on your graduation.
▷ The graduation ceremony begins.
Previously, I graduated as an A-cla.s.s hero, but I was appointed as an S-cla.s.s hero this time. Although the overall evaluation was largely influenced by SSS-grade combat power, the S achievement couldn’t be ignored. I don’t know why the reputation was so low. Still, it was very encouraging that the person who had always been a drag got an A.
Everything was as expected.
▶Regret: Congratulations. We can’t go on a date, but I sincerely pray for the best things to happen to Kang Han-soo in the future.
Good luck to you, Miss Trainee Teacher! If you need a man’s broad chest, come to me anytime. I’ll welcome you with open arms.
▶Flared: It’s enough!
Haha! What are you embarra.s.sed for?
▷ All faculty and staff congratulate you on your graduation.
▷ The job ‘Hero’ will be recovered.
▷ The weapon ‘Holy Sword’ will be recovered.
▷Status ‘Student’ will be recovered.
▷ Princ.i.p.al’s instructions.
Oh! Gosh!
I heard the princ.i.p.al’s instructions that I had heard before again. I was annoyed to hear what he said repeatedly, but I waited for it to end quietly because my graduation shouldn’t be postponed or canceled.
▷ The graduation ceremony is over.
A warm light enveloped my body.
“I’m going back.”
From now on, let’s forget about grades and think about how to avoid mother’s tennis racket. It’s a really happy problem.
*
I was sitting in a soft armchair. There were antique desks, bookshelves, and a fireplace around me, and from outside the window, I could hear a loud noise reminiscent of a market area. That wasn’t the only thing. Next to me, a beautiful woman in a maid outfit with an attractive black and white contrast was waiting quietly like a mannequin.
▷ Race: Grand Human
▷Level: 999+
▷Occupation: Maid (Master → Handyman↑)
▷Skills: Cleaning S Office S Cooking S Stamina S Swordsmanship A…
▷Condition: Good
She was more capable than any maid I had seen on the Fantasy Continent for thirty-three years. Her face and body were also beyond the realm of an ordinary human being. It seemed like she was a princess of a kingdom who insisted on being a maid.
Anyway, this place had an atmosphere like the bedroom of a certain Fantasy aristocrat. It didn’t look like normal graduation. So I decided to ask the maid to check.
“Where am I?”
“This is graduated student Kang Han-soo’s private bedroom.”
The maid, who had been silent, answered in a nonchalant voice. Kang Han-soo, a graduate student. It wasn’t normal graduation, as I guessed. If I returned to Earth after normally graduating, as in the past, it would be impossible for anyone I saw for the first time to know my name and ident.i.ty accurately.
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“…Is it a graduation festival?”
It reminded me of the Hero Festival, which started with a hard stone chair before. The treatment was much better than it was back then, but the form was similar.
“It’s a little different.”
“Different?”
“Yeah. The festival before had a choice for graduates. But from this time on, there is compulsory treatment, and there is blatant discrimination based on ability and performance.”
“Discrimination…like this room?”
“That’s right. Ah! Would you like to listen to the explanation while eating? I’m pretty good at cooking.”
Of course, I would. If the skilled cooking was Grade S, it was enough to be called a legendary chef. Though, of course, this also from person to person because skill level wasn’t everything. If you’ve only made Carp Bread your whole life, you would be Grade A. However, you couldn’t become a chef in the royal palace if you could only make Carp Bread well.
“Alright.”
“Fufufu! You can look forward to it.”
The dishes came out in a flash. Just like reheating frozen food in a microwave, magically! The maid explained it was a way to freeze the time of pre-cooked dishes and then release it when they were going to be eaten. There was no common scientific sense here.
The meal was plentiful and varied, from meat to seafood. It was displayed on a side table so that I couldn’t eat it all by myself. Even a showy aristocrat would struggle with such a display of excess. Still, I ate silently and listened to the maid’s explanation.
“The graduates range from SSS-cla.s.s to FFF-cla.s.s. And depending on their grade, the level of food, clothing, and shelter while living here will vary. In this way, private rooms are given from A-cla.s.s and up. And eating separately like this without going to a canteen is S-cla.s.s.”
Even if a private room was given equally, A-cla.s.s and S-cla.s.s were said to be different. A-cla.s.s graduate’s rooms were at most 155 square feet, but I, an S-cla.s.s, was in the s.p.a.ce of more than 775 square feet by myself. Of course, the quality of the furniture placed in the bedroom was also different.
Blatant discrimination as described!
“What’s the reason?”
The Hero Festival I experienced before wasn’t like this. Everyone started equally as they were welcomed and guided by Saint H in the Great Hall of the starting city. Then why all of a sudden?
“I can’t tell you everything because it is confidential, but I’ll just explain the information available for an S-cla.s.s graduate. The purpose is to limit some of the dignity and autonomy of the graduates and to encourage rapid growth amid fierce compet.i.tion to prevent the graduates from declining in quality.”
“I see.”
It seemed that there were too many deaths like Luke. Luke used to boast about being a top-ranker on Earth. However, compared to my spirits, his abilities were nothing but dust. So maybe the Chancellor also felt a sense of crisis?
“Miss Maid.”
“Call me by a name that Graduate Student Kang Han-soo is comfortable with. I am a maid who is contracted to answer your calls only.”
“Then Maid S.”
“…I will be very happy if you call me Elise. This is what the servants and my friends here call me.”
I decided to call the maid Elise from now on, pushing on to ask my question.
“What happens if I die here? Am I going back to Earth?”
I understood the purpose of the festival full of the Fantasy G.o.d’s discrimination and favoritism. But my goal was to return to Earth. Elise shook her head.
“No. The grade and level will drop, and you will restart over. Graduate Student Kang Han-soo is currently in S-Cla.s.s. If you die, you will be downgraded to A-Cla.s.s. Then, this 775 square feet room will be seized and reissued as a 155 square feet room. Meals will also be changed to group meals, and the maid serving you also downgraded from S-Cla.s.s to A-Cla.s.s.”
“What if I keep dying?”
“…If you die at FFF-Cla.s.s, you can return to Earth. However, you will lose your abilities and be subjected to forced labor for the length of time you have been privileged. Graduate Student Kang Han-soo will have a period of about five years.
“Wait! Not three years?”
My Hero career was at thirty-three years. Time there flowed ten times faster than Earth. At that rate, it would be around three years or so. But why five years?
“The festival is held once every four years. And if the records I looked at are not wrong, this is the second time for Graduate Student Kang Han-soo. You lived on Earth for nearly two years.”
“Two years…? Ah!”
When I died in the Pacific Ocean on Earth, I thought I was reincarnated as a newborn baby on the Fantasy Continent. However, there seemed to have been a gap of two years. Anyway, five years of forced labor wouldn’t work. That was the exact opposite of my wish to return to Earth right now.
“Suicide is not the only way.”
Elise gave me a perplexed expression.
“Okay. Tell me the normal way. Let’s hear the purpose of the festival planned by all the faculty and staff.”
“…You know a lot.”
“I’m done with the chit-chat.”
“Please excuse me. There are two normal ways for Graduate Student Kang Han-soo to return to Earth. One is competing with other Graduates and getting into the top five overall scores. Please look at this ticket.”
Then something popped into my mind.
▷1st Place: Certificate of Admission to the Secondary Curriculum, Student Council Executive Qualification
▷2nd Place: Premium Holy Sword, Certificate of Admission to the Secondary Curriculum
▷3rd Place: Dimensional Shift Express License by Hometown, Premium Holy Sword
▷4th Place: Guardian Angel of Universal Labor, Dimensional Shift Express License by Hometown
▷5th Place: Tears of the Elf King, Dimensional Shift Express License by Hometown
▷Score: 0
▷Ranking: 3,895
…The first and second places were train tickets to h.e.l.l. I decided to ask about the other way, hoping to avoid the ha.s.sle and risk of adjusting the ranking.
“What about the other one?”
Elise replied with a grin.
“It’s by defeating the First Hero in his heyday who subjugated the Demon King Pedonar.”