The Villain is Too Good at Sniping - Chapter 121



Only Noblemtl

Episode 121. End of semester training (4)

The first day of end-of-semester survival training has come to an end.

I sat by the campfire and took stock of the day’s harvest.

“First of all, three rabbits. And these blue berries… … ?”

“It’s edible, so it’s okay. I clearly remember calling it raspberry or something.”

Lara brought fifteen lumpy berries.

As I stared at her in disbelief, Lara took a bite of the fruit herself. The fruit, which looked like a blue apple, fortunately appeared to be non-toxic.

I’ve developed a tolerance to poison in Esperland, so it’s not a big problem for me, but Lara is different.

“It’s not bad, is it?”

“What if it was poisonous?”

“I woke up because I believed in you.”

While Lara was picking at the berries, I looked at the pot boiling over the campfire. For now, this should be enough food for today. Assuming it’s enough for two people.

I was the one holding the ladle. Lara Stillheiden was staring blankly at the crackling bonfire.

“But why are we doing this training out of the blue at the end of the semester?”

“Would you get an answer if you asked me? Only the higher-ups in Arsene would know.”

“But I don’t think it’s a good idea to just throw them on an island without any clues.”

I took off my cadet coat and laid it on the floor. A cold wind began to blow, but as I continued to stay close to the fire, my whole body felt warm.

“You said we wouldn’t even be able to be summoned back this time? What would happen to us if a truly dangerous situation arises?”

“… … .”

“The watch doesn’t work either. I have no idea what to do or what to expect. It’s not like they left me there to die.”

Lara hugged my knees.

Before I knew it, the cooking was almost over. I picked up the ladle and took a taste, and it was just as bland as expected.

“It’s not to the point where I can’t eat it.”

Compared to other cadets, this is a small amount. Most of the cadets who landed on this island are probably still wandering around the forest and haven’t had a proper meal.

Only people like Kyle, Ashley, and Serin Annette would have found a place to sleep. Even so, they would have starved all day.

I didn’t know I would end up in the same place as Lara Stillheiden, but I guess that’s a good thing if I’m lucky. Since I have someone to take turns doing night shifts, I can sleep more comfortably than the other cadets.

“I’m not sure, but one thing is certain.”

“yes?”

“It’s Arsene’s intention that you think that way and have a headache.”

Lara said that Arsene had not given her any clues, but in fact, she was wrong. Arsene had already given her clues.

Just never give up. That’s what Rebecca told me last time.

Of course, most people will resist to survive as long as possible since giving up is a situation where you might really die.

There will definitely be cadets who are really about to give up. Those cadets will probably be well taken care of at Arsene. I know that no one will die.

“The professor told me not to give up. If you don’t give up, something will work out. Believe in yourself.”

It’s just a story of mentalism, but if I were Arsene’s professor who was leading this training, I would have to say something similar. Because the moment I tell you the goal of this training, you will have already deviated from the original intention.

“…There are things I want to give up on.”

“Is there anything you want to give up?”

“There is just something like that.”

Lara, who had her head almost buried in the water, lifted her head slightly. The campfire was reflected in her jade-blue eyes.

Lara, who had been sitting quietly, looked at me as if something had come to mind.

“Come to think of it, you didn’t come to the medal award ceremony last time, right?”

“I didn’t go out.”

“Why on earth? There’s nothing wrong with receiving it. Rather, if you think about it until after graduation, you should receive it while you can.”

“I didn’t go because I thought it was too much for me. Unlike you guys, I didn’t have any achievements that deserved praise. I didn’t want to stand out either.”

I scooped up a large portion of the finished dish and shared it with Lara.

“Just, there are people like me. There are a lot of people in Arsene who don’t like to stand out and just try to stay in the middle.”

“The person I saw wasn’t that kind of person… … .”

Lara, who was holding the bowl and blowing on it, suddenly stopped talking. It seemed like she felt something was off as she searched her memories.

“When I think back to the time of the entrance exam, it seems right… and it also seems wrong… … .”

It seems like cognitive dissonance has set in.

Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s true that I’ve done things that other people find incomprehensible.

“It looks pretty when you look at it this way.”

“Yes… … ? What… … .”

“That badge that the Hunter Association gave out.”

“Ah… this is it?”

Lara pulled out the badge pinned to her cadet coat. It had an eagle on it, the symbol of the Hunter Association.

“No matter how much I think about it, Zion. You’re still a bit strange.”

A snicker erupted at Lara’s unexpected words.

First, I took a bite of the bland rabbit meat, following Lara’s lead. I tried to make it taste like soup, but it ended up being boiled rabbit meat.

It would have been better if there had been salt, but unfortunately, I didn’t bring it. The runes of the subspace are limited, and everything is the result of selection and concentration. There is also a way to boil seawater, so salt was far behind in the priority list.

After a simple dinner, it was already midnight. The forest was completely dark, and the sea breeze was stronger than before.

“I felt a lot of things while going to Elysium this time.”

“what?”

“Just, when I think about it again, it doesn’t seem like a big deal.”

As I was finishing putting in the firewood, Lara said:

“The real exhaust wizard is different. No matter how hard I try, I feel like I can’t compare to the wizards working at the Magic Tower, and I also feel like all the efforts I’ve made are just empty dreams.”

I listened to Lara in silence. In the original, Lara never revealed her true feelings.

She didn’t even say that to her close friend and colleague, Kyle. Lara’s eyes were serious, despite being intoxicated by the unfamiliar island, the campfire, and the night sky.

“I used to think I could go to the ivory tower, but now I’m not so sure. I don’t even know if I can get into the ivory tower, let alone the magic tower.”

“Why do you want to climb the ivory tower?”

“Because I have work to do.”

“Even after seeing what happened in Elysium?”

“… … .”

Honestly, if I were a wizard, I think I would have become truly disillusioned with magic after visiting Elysium this time.

The magicians of the Ivory Tower, who were said to be the best magicians on the continent, were fooled by Mine. They probably didn’t even know that they were creating a new body for Mine, and not only the lower-level magicians, but even the high-ranking magicians didn’t notice that Eltus had infiltrated.

What is most surprising is that such a problem occurred in the Ivory Tower, and not in any other magic tower. At least the magicians and students who were fighting Adam must have had time to reconsider their own paths.

“Water, of course! I got to see a lot of things I didn’t know before, but… … .”

Lara Steelheiden coughed and hastily corrected her words.

“But I have to climb up to the ivory tower. I haven’t told anyone, but… there’s someone I have to find.”

I suppressed the sudden surge of guilt and listened calmly to Lara’s words.

“The Ivory Tower is a place where the best magicians on the continent gather. It has excellent information and the magicians are skilled. Above all, it has a list of magicians. Most of the magicians registered on the continent are listed there.”

In fact, there is a list of wizards in the ivory tower.

In this world, magicians are treated similarly to licensed professionals. Of course, there are many who operate without such qualifications, but the database of the ivory tower is trustworthy. As long as the information is not erased, it will remain in the record permanently and have credibility.

However, I had already seen the list of wizards. Aidan’s name was not there.

“So you’re saying that you want to climb up the ivory tower because you think you’ll find the person you’re looking for?”

“yes.”

Lara nodded. The answer didn’t come right away. She seemed to be thinking for a moment.

“It seems like the person you’re looking for was someone precious to you.”

“My father… is the one. He’s my only family member… and he’s also my only one.”

“If I had only one family, well… … .”

“If I climb to the ivory tower and become a famous magician, I will definitely be able to find my father. The ivory tower is a treasure trove of magic, so I can somehow find it. As long as the person I’m dealing with isn’t dead.”

I was genuinely surprised that he spoke so plainly.

“On the other hand, if my name becomes famous, my father might come looking for me in return.”

She’s trying so hard to tell a hopeful story, but I can see Lara Stillheiden fiddling with her ivory tower badge.

“They said that if I wrote this, I could get help from the ivory tower. Maybe my father… … .”

“I think it would be better to just leave it at that.”

But I cut Lara off right away.

“But to me, he’s my only family. If he somehow finds out that I’ve grown this much, I’m sure he’ll come looking for me… … .”

But Lara Stillheiden couldn’t finish her words. She must have been unsure herself. Aidan had been in hiding for years.

“But don’t use it. Leave it. It’s a waste to waste it after they issued you a blank check from the ivory tower. Leave it as a last resort.”

“As a last resort… … ?”

“I’ll help you.”

At that moment, Lara dropped the bowl in her hand. She blinked as if she had heard something she shouldn’t have heard.

“As you know, I have pretty good eyesight. I’m good at hiding and gathering information, too.”

I was the one who suffered the most from words that bordered on self-indulgence.

“I understand your earnest desire, but I think I would do everything I can before wearing that badge.”

I already know the ending. Lara’s badge is just wasted.

The Ivory Tower never finds Aidan. This is because Professor Björn erased all of Aidan’s information, and also because Aidan was eaten by his doppelganger.

However, this time, we don’t know how it will go. Aidan survived and is watching Lara from somewhere she doesn’t know. He probably won’t do anything like I advised him to do, but Lara and Aidan can meet whenever they want.

The timing is just not good right now, since Professor Björn is still around.

If the story about Aidan and Lara goes wrong, things could really get out of control.

To prevent the worst case scenario of Professor Björn’s impulsive behavior, the best strategy was to first prevent him from wearing his badge.

Aidan is alive, but he must not meet Lara yet. He might provoke Professor Bjorn.

Lara blinked for a long time, seemingly at a loss for words.

I decided to take it as a vague affirmation. If she didn’t like it, she would have said so clearly. That’s the kind of girl I know, Lara.

“Let’s stop talking here and get ready. We can do the night shift every three hours. I’ll do it first, so you… … .”

rustling-

Then a noise was heard from beyond the bushes.

I held my Glock, and Lara held her cane. The sound of brush slashing grew louder, and a silhouette emerged.

Lara didn’t notice, but I lowered the gun I was aiming at because I felt a familiar presence.

“Mr. Zion… … .”

Airi, her hair disheveled, appeared between the bushes.

I don’t know if he was drawn here by the smell or by the smoke. But judging by his messy hair and dirty clothes, he seemed to have been wandering around the forest for a while.

“I missed you. Ah, uh, ahh… … .”

With those last words, Airi burst into tears and fell into my arms. It happened before I could ask her anything.

While I was trying to decide what to say, Airi, who had been sobbing, started breathing heavily. She must have been extremely tired, because she had fallen asleep.