<719 - Poor Child (19)>
Even as Hestia watched Titosso swept away by the currents of mana, she remained motionless.
Her relationship with Titosso was not that close.
She was a maid of Oknodie and a junior professor, Leaf’s [Mana Flow Technique Manual for Maids] classmate.
That’s how she perceived Titosso.
– Wow, how can Hestia move those lost statues of Professor Plato blocking the way and toss them aside effortlessly? Such strength!
– I heard a Fourth Year senior planted a training magic sword in the ground, and it requires a ton of strength to pull it out! Want to give it a try?
– Waaah, Hestia! A transfer student just called me useless Saintess. Go and scold them!
…Hestia’s perception by Titosso seemed to be quite oddly skewed.
A world-class strongwoman.
The neighborhood’s strong sister.
Whatever it was, it didn’t sit well with Hestia.
How many days had it been since she felt ashamed of being so strong?
It was quite disconcerting that Titosso relied on her expertise in a field that she didn’t take pride in.
Of course, she had pulled out training magic swords, which could potentially injure new students, and commanded the teasing transfer student to apologize before getting hit.
But anyway, Titosso was not her top priority.
‘Other kids probably have their own people to protect.’
Roji had Sandkooker.
Rockbell had Dorothy.
Jiang had Titosso.
Only her.
Oknodie was the only one for Hestia.
“Hey, you.”
“And you’re… was it Kasia?”
“This place is too disadvantageous for me. So… I’ll leave the strength to you. Take this and go convey our intentions properly.”
As Kasia handed over a round jewel imbued with brainwaves, Vladimir pricked his thumb with a fang and let out a drop of blood.
“We’re unstable with mana, and prolonged exposure to such high-intensity currents will definitely lead to mana backlash. I’m counting on you, Hestia!”
As two students who had not fallen behind handed over something and flew away, the students who were stubbornly holding on were suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to give up.
“This is a paper airplane folded from a part of the prophecy book containing the leak of the End. The prophecy, shaped in the form your God likes, will protect you until the Day of the End!”
“Though we don’t share any special relationship, I heard you’re Oknodie’s first friend. Relying on that specialness, I’m lending you a rune engraved with my Earth Rune magic.”
…Receiving intentions from someone like Dobi, the leader of the Church of the End, or Astarot, the representative of the transfer students, was nothing but disconcerting.
But! Still, with the determination of those gathered to help Oknodie, Hestia took it all upon herself.
– You’re such a foolish child. Teaching you is like trying to get you to follow even one.
– Miraculously got into the academy with that ability, huh? With the brain of a natural dullard.
In truth, what she carried was not only expectation.
Disappointment. Contempt. Mockery.
Negative attitudes from nobles even before the academy entrance ceremony, and now also from Lotto, who had become her training partner, were glaring down at her.
The icy stares of imperial professors.
The indifferent gazes of border professors.
Either way, it was all tormenting for Hestia.
But she also had the voice of a friend woven into the Dark Aptitude Evaluation Hat of Oknodie, which she mistakenly thought belonged to Oknodie.
Keeping that tiny spark of hope alive, a fire ignited within Hestia.
‘The one who comforted me when things got tough wasn’t really you, Oknodie.’
‘I’ve come to know the false relationships too.’
Still, it didn’t matter.
The one who wanted to be by her side during tough times was always Oknodie.
It was only natural for her to be treated this way; that little back that stood up for her was more reassuring than anything else.
– Still as foolish as ever. But… at least in one aspect, you’re following deeper than anyone else. Could that foolishness be the secret to growth?
– Even the world’s dullard can grow to this level if they just maintain that idiotic stubbornness. Honestly, I see you differently now, Hestia student.
The persistence and obsession that could overturn even professors’ evaluations.
Such efforts were what brought Hestia to where she was today.
– Don’t ask foolish questions like how such a big body can become a maid. There are assassin maids and knight maids in the world too.
– Don’t think of the self you can’t become. The human brain engraves what it thinks of. Always picture the self you want to be.
To her, Leaf, the unbiased mentor, was like wings.
‘Oknodie. I can’t go back as I am, even in front of your mentor.’
The reason Hestia came here today wasn’t just for Arcadia’s request for rescue.
– The lady swallowed a lollipop with a bad expression. She doesn’t look well. If it’s okay, could you check on her condition?
Such an odd sight could not be found in Oknodie, who would swallow poison thinking it would make her resilient.
For the sake of the genuinely worried Junior Professor Leaf, she had to bring back Oknodie’s smiling face.
[Hestia’s understanding level 2 bonus [Protection Designation] activates.]
[Current protection designation target is [Oknodie].]
[Character [Hestia] gains enhanced combat power when protecting the designated target in battle.]
For Oknodie’s smile.
To repay Junior Professor Leaf.
Hestia advanced, taking on the remnants of conflicts raining down from all directions without any tricky maneuvers.
The harshness of the battlefield was no different.
Individuals carry out their assigned missions across a battlefield where high-powered magic rains down without the ability to resist.
Even if allies scream, she doesn’t turn back, and even if enemies roar, she won’t falter.
Only unceasing steps guarantee survival.
At the moment Hestia set foot in the midst of conflict, her safety must also continue unabated.
‘I can do it.’
With her body diminished by the Mana Flow Technique for Maids, her overly large physique doesn’t attract attention.
Rather, combined with the secrecy of a maid, she utilized the unique stealth of an assassin maid and naturally let her presence slip away, taking mana detection like the mansion’s furniture.
Now, she was as stealthy as an assassin.
“…!”
The place she reached by crossing the battlefield was behind Velvet.
Velvet, having turned her head in surprise to glance at Hestia, smiled lightly and resumed walking, the hem of her coat flying.
Catch up with me as long as you can. You won’t often see such a good view.
Feeling Velvet’s will echoing like a whisper through the overflowing mana, Hestia followed her stubbornly.
[Kasia’s Electric Jewel]
[Effect: When the jewel shatters, it adds a stun effect to the holder's attacks. Additionally, temporarily grants stun resistance.]
Even though it wasn’t about comradeship, she couldn’t let things given by others be damaged, so she advanced, wrapping the items in an almost numbing wave of mana.
[Vladimir’s Blood]
[Effect: Consuming blood increases the blood mana density of the user. Additionally, temporarily grants addiction resistance and infection resistance.]
Even when a severe chill of disease brushed past her skin, she didn’t flinch, properly wrapping it so not a single drop of blood would spill.
[Paper Airplane of the End’s Prophecy]
[Effect: If someone is hit by the plane, they will be struck with the proclamation of the end, shattering their psyche. Additionally, the thrower gains instant death resistance and temporary madness mental enhancement.]
While dodging an attack that could cost her an arm countless times, the fear rising within her forced the Berserker’s madness back into a dull state.
[Astarot’s Guardian Rune]
[Effect: While declaring the name of the guardian rune inscribed upon it and infusing a small amount of mana, a protective barrier is created for the rune opener. Additionally, temporarily grants projectile protection, physical resistance, magic resistance, grand magic resistance, and movement resistance.]
Even from the impact of attacks directly aimed at Velvet, her bones ached, and the shock reverberated through her insides, but she ensured the rune stayed intact.
The ancient powerful beings released from the tomb of the Great Evil Undead Queen Sadako, who claimed their strength.
Even the top masters of the Seoguyeon in past ages couldn’t overcome the massive mana difference provided by the catacombs, one by one retreating.
Now, there was no way back.
No one was chasing from behind, only paths ahead.
The wills of the instructors also became clearly conveyed, just as Velvet’s spirit implanted in them.
When faced with Professor Sadako, who was trying to control the malignancy within while languishing in a time of rest, you are already dead.
Soon, you will become the new resident of the empty sarcophagus, and the day you see that face again will not be far off.
“…”
“Grrr…”
Countless chains crisscrossed the interior, trapping Professor Sadako seated upon her throne, with thorny crowns, a skull mask covering her face, and even the iron maiden’s steel restrains half-concealing her body—all layered as she dedicated herself to self-control.
The reckless Velvet, who bravely stepped in, found herself locking eyes with the beast fighting to control itself.
“This is a bit much.”
For the first time, a perplexed voice escaped Velvet’s lips.
Before she could comprehend when the incident occurred, the enlarged Velvet’s shoe shattered.
Beyond the scattering fragments, a huge hand reminiscent of the fallen celestial beings of the Eastern Region slammed down, and the metal gauntlet crumbled.
Using the opportunity earned while bleeding from her hands, she launched a kick that shattered the iron maiden.
“Feels good.”
Velvet was flung back like the gates she had just kicked down with a bang.
Freed from the tools that had controlled her, Professor Sadako turned her raw murderous gaze towards Velvet and then Hestia.
The wisdom that reached the peak of Sadako’s malice halted when she saw the items Hestia had brought from her friends, now in tatters.
Why is she carrying what her friends gave her?
Did she think preserving it would make something out of it when used in front of her?
Well, it’s fine.
I will break it.
Use it.
That time will be your last.
In front of Sadako, who was intoxicated by her own malignancy and waited for Hestia to take her fighting stance, Hestia finally initiated her action.
Gathering up.
One by one, she placed the items she brought onto her weapon, bowing as if to perform a ritual.
“What… are you doing?”
“These are precious items given by friends who were worried about the excessive lectures imposed on Oknodie. I’d like to offer them to you, so could you grant Oknodie mercy?”
Sadako felt an immense fury at Hestia’s ridiculous declaration that she hadn’t brought them for battle but as offerings.
What was she supposed to do with that?
You could have used them before being in this mess!
This is like an undead skeleton soldier being handed swords and armor to not get hurt, only to come back battered and proudly proclaim that they safely kept the precious equipment given by their master.
Pathetic.
So pathetic it rekindled a long-lost haunting memory with the first undead.
That memory calmed Sadako’s malignancy and madness.
