Chapter 106. It’s Going to Be More Fun From Tomorrow (2)

Papapak!

“Keuk…”

“Ugh!”

“Cough…”

“Damn it… How on earth do you do this?”

To those groaning from the pain of having their acupoints struck, Patrick spoke.

“Alright, today’s concept is brats who have been forbidden from using aura and have been stabbed in one leg being surrounded by a bandit group.”

“What? What did you say? Leg?”

“Wait, my leg really isn’t moving.”

“How on earth do you do this?”

“More importantly, why are we doing this crazy stuff?”

To the protesting brats, Patrick said.

“With a leg restricted, your mobility will be lacking, right? If you don’t watch each other’s blind spots, you might get an ouchie, ouchie.”

“You crazy bastard!”

“You son of a bitch!”

“Devil! A real devil!”

Patrick cleaned his ear with one hand while swinging his sword with the other.

Kwaaaang!

A single strike exploded in the bandits’ stronghold as always.

“Well then, begin.”

Having stirred the hornet’s nest like that, Patrick grinned and pulled back.

“Ene… enemies!”

“Everyone, fight back!”

Dozens of bandits rushed at them, who were finding it hard to even stand while limping on one leg.

“G-group up!”

“Watch each other’s backs!”

“Never fall!”

They huddled together as one and desperately swung their swords against the bandits.

If even one of their comrades made a mistake, the entire party could be annihilated.

So they had to do their best to protect each other’s blind spots and swing their swords desperately.

* * *

The next day.

“Yesterday it was the leg, right? Today, let’s try it with everyone unable to use one arm.”

“You bastard!”

“Does this make any sense?”

“My arm… my arm won’t go up?”

“How on earth do you do thiiiiis!?”

To the wailing ones, Patrick extended a hand and said.

“If you’re curious, five gold.”

“You son of a biiiiitch!”

“Die! You die first!”

“Uwoooooooh!”

“Deviiiiiil!”

To the wailing ones, Patrick threw the bandits at them as always.

Still, perhaps because they had already done it twice, they somehow managed to repel the bandit group.

And the next day.

“You’re getting used to ordinary bandit groups now, right? So the bandit leader I prepared for today is a whole 2-star level.”

“What did you say?”

“What? What did you just say?”

“That’s not it, right? Hey. Say it’s not. Say it!”

To those denying reality, Patrick grinned and said.

“He was a former mercenary who suddenly shouted ‘I’m going to be the bandit king!’ and became a bandit. It’ll be fun, right?”

“You bastard. How are we supposed to win against that?”

“If the opponent is 2-star, we should use aura too.”

“Release just one of us. Just one!”

To the grumbling kids, Patrick clicked his tongue and said.

“How do you win, you ask? Haaah. In this world, there’s a civilized tool called ganging up.”

The word ‘devil’ didn’t even come out anymore.

Out of pity for the devil.

And then the next day.

To the battered ones, Patrick smiled nonchalantly and said.

“Sometimes in life, you have to fight with an arrow in one eye. When your vision narrows, you have to focus on your senses. Just because you can’t see, if you get stabbed from a blind spot, know that a punch to the face will follow as a bonus.”

Now, no words came out.

I just wish I were dead.

Either him or me…

The next day.

“There are quite a few of them today. About a hundred? If you don’t want to get surrounded and turned into a porcupine with arrows, you’d better move diligently.”

The day after the next day.

“Today’s concept is…”

It was hell.

It was such a hell that if a passing priest were there, they would have begged, ‘I’ll repent, so please get me out of this hell.’

Of course, real combat helps in getting stronger, but to experience such intense real combat to this extent was originally something that shouldn’t happen.

Such a close-call real combat is originally accompanied by danger.

The purpose is to train to become stronger, but what’s the point if you die in the process?

And indeed, a dangerous moment arrived.

“Kraaaak!”

“Gerard!”

Alex screamed.

Gerard, who couldn’t dodge the iron mace swung by a bandit, collapsed on the spot.

And towards the fallen him, bandits with spears rushed like a pack of wolves.

“Noooooo!”

In a moment of life and death, Alex tried to run to help his friend, but he couldn’t because of the bandits blocking his path.

A situation where no one could help.

Gerard, with death before his eyes, squeezed his eyes shut. And…

Kwakwakwang!

With a flash of something, something that flew from somewhere saved Gerard from the brink of death.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, a fine mess you’ve made.”

It was Patrick.

Patrick, who had flown in at some point, saved Gerard from the crisis and sliced the bandits’ bodies into more than a dozen pieces.

“Pa… Patrick?”

“Are you okay?”

“I… I’m fine. Thanks for saving me.”

At this time, Gerard was genuinely grateful to Patrick.

After all, wasn’t he his savior?

“Oh? You’re okay? But what should I do? This instructor is not okay.”

And that gratitude dissolved like cotton candy in water.

“I told you soooooo maaaaany times not to charge recklessly because there are many enemies today! Does the blood rush to your head and you stop thinking? Why? Don’t you have a function to think? Why don’t you just take off that head of yours?”

“Ah… no, that is…”

“You were already dead, you idiot. 3-star my ass. A guy who got beaten to death by a mere bandit?”

“No, this is because you sealed our aura…”

“Ooh, you’re making excuses? Haaah… how curious. A corpse is making excuses. Is there a black mage nearby?”

“……”

“Why? Shut your mouth? Are you being defiant now? You want to have a go with me? Huh?”

“What, what do you want me to do?”

“That’s my line, you senior bastard! What do I have to do to make you stronger? Huh!?”

That day, until he went to bed.

Gerard had to listen to Patrick’s nagging until his mental state was completely shattered.

These days continued until they arrived in Richmond, the capital of the Magellan Kingdom.

Alex’s party, who had arrived here after experiencing life-and-death real combat every day, was…

“We survived.”

“How long has it been? Since I’ve been able to lie down comfortably.”

“Somehow, we arrived alive.”

“Arcana or whatever, I wanted to turn back in the middle.”

They were keenly realizing how precious the peace of everyday life was.

To them, Patrick spoke as if they were pathetic.

“Tsk, tsk, anyone would think you’ve accomplished some great feat. What’s all the fuss about having a little scuffle with some mere bandits?”

‘I wish he were dead.’

‘Is he human? Can a person be like that?’

‘I should take him to a temple later. He might burn up.’

‘Devil, demon, devil, demon, devil, demon…’

The four glared at Patrick as if they could kill him with their eyes.

“You wanna fix those pretty little eyes? Huh, punk!”

Of course, he wasn’t the type of person to be affected by that.

A short while later.

Professor Leyte came before the representatives and spoke.

“There will be a banquet this evening to welcome the representatives of Arcana. Unless there are special circumstances, everyone must attend, so be aware.”

At Professor Leyte’s words, the representatives, including Alex, frowned.

“Haaah… everyone will be there.”

“Do we really have to go?”

“Damn it…”

Seeing his seniors like that, Patrick said.

“What’s with you all? You don’t want to attend the banquet?”

“Would you want to if you were us?”

“Of course. I have no precedent in my life of refusing a free meal.”

It was true.

There was a time when he went to a gathering of the Unorthodox Alliance just to get a free meal.

At Patrick’s words, Alex sighed and said.

“The Arcana banquet has a strong nature of being a preliminary battle where the representatives of each country engage in a war of nerves.”

“So?”

“We, who have never won, are the targets of criticism and ridicule.”

“Ah, so what?”

“Do you not know how humiliating it is to be the target of criticism and ridicule in a formal setting?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, such a small thing is a humiliation.”

“Uh…”

“Young kids with nothing but pride. This is why kids who are raised gently have no grit. No grit.”

“You’re the youngest.”

“You’re a noble too, aren’t you?”

“Are we the only ones who were raised gently?”

To his seniors who were arguing back, Patrick smirked and said.

“Don’t worry and attend with your heads held high. Criticism? Ridicule? Let them do as they please.”

“Are you saying it’s okay?”

“Yeah. It’s okay.”

Patrick grinned and said.

“For those who only run their mouths, we just have to prove it with our skills, right?”

Hearing those words, smiles appeared on the faces of the others as well.

Because they thought that guy would more than be able to do it.

* * *

The official banquet hall of the Magellan Kingdom’s royal palace.

This place, called the Hall of Light, was made with a dome ceiling made entirely of glass, allowing sunlight to enter during the day and the beautiful stars of the night sky to be seen at night.

It was a place where banquets were held to welcome honored guests of the royal family, and the Magellan Kingdom had prepared to the best of its ability to welcome the guests.

Brilliant chandeliers illuminated the hall, the royal orchestra played music, and the tables were filled with rare dishes and liquor.

Also, to grace the occasion, a large number of high-ranking nobles of the Magellan Kingdom were in attendance.

Considering the weight of Arcana, all these measures were a matter of course.

And into this banquet hall, guests began to enter one by one.

“The delegation of the Yusef Kingdom is entering.”

“The delegation of the Kaisar Kingdom is entering.”

“The delegation of the Flame Kingdom is entering.”

One by one, the representatives appeared, and prominent nobles of the kingdom attached themselves to them, beginning social activities that also served as reception.

“Good evening. I am Count Irite of the Magellan Kingdom.”

“Thank you for your hard work coming all this way. Please enjoy our country comfortably.”

“Were there any inconveniences on your way here? You probably passed through my fiefdom. I was worried if my son had hosted you properly.”

This was not just for the purpose of a vague reception.

The representatives of Arcana were future talents who participated on behalf of their respective countries, and among them were high-ranking nobles and royalty.

Among the nobles of the Magellan Kingdom, there were also those who sought to advance their families by making connections with foreign talents.

Particularly popular were cases where royalty, like from the Yusef Kingdom, participated directly.

He wasn’t just competent; his status was that of a prince.

Moreover, a prince who was a strong candidate for the next throne.

For nobles, especially those with daughters, he was an irresistible prospect.

“Prince Cierion. I am Viscount Ricure of the Magellan Kingdom. My family’s merchant guild has often done business with the Yusef Kingdom.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I have always considered the Yusef Kingdom as my second home. I have visited myself, and each time I thought what a fine country it was.”

At those words, Prince Cierion of the Yusef Kingdom said with a cold smile.

“A country constantly devastated by monsters overflowing from the Great Forest, a fine country. I doubt the viscount’s sensibilities.”

“Hahaha…”

The man called Viscount Ricure, who had spoken to him, retreated with an awkward smile at the sharp response.

Even after that, quite a few nobles approached Prince Cierion, but each time he responded coldly.

At his prickly response like a hedgehog, the nobles of the Magellan Kingdom who had approached to build a rapport had to retreat with bitter smiles.

As this continued, a man from behind Prince Cierion spoke.

“Your Highness. You are responding too harshly.”

“Should I not?”

“It’s not that you shouldn’t, but…”

Prince Cierion glanced around.

Rare dishes and expensive liquor piled high in the splendid banquet hall.

Women adorned in dresses full of jewels, and nobles with bellies full of fat…

“The Magellan Kingdom is certainly prosperous.”

“It is, more so than our country, I suppose.”

“Yes. Do they know? That the prosperity they enjoy is due to the sacrifice of our shed blood?”

“……”

“Seeing these fools who know nothing and approach with smiling faces, acting friendly, makes me want to cut them down. I have restrained myself to mere bitter words, so this is the best I can do.”

“I understand, Your Highness.”

How could they not know?

It was a resentment that no member of the Yusef Kingdom, situated in the East, could be unaware of.

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