Chapter 15: Chapter 15

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Dungeon Practice

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Dungeon Practice

"Author-nim."

[Yes?]

"When are you going to use the spy?"

[...Do I have to use it now?]

The author-nim's genuinely curious tone made me slap my forehead.

No wonder Lyra had been left alone for a few days; it wasn't a build-up after all.

Days had passed, and Lyra hadn't moved, so I thought she was enjoying getting beaten by me in our spars.

She applied for spars every day, and I was getting tired of it, wondering when it would end.

She just forgot.

"Shouldn't you use it, obviously? You said yourself you set it up to take some time, didn't you? It feels like enough time has passed."

She talked about maintaining plausibility, by her own words, and then...

[Ugh, but.]

"But?"

[I don't know how to use it...]

Haa.

A sigh escaped me.

"Author-nim..."

[Why, why...! I don't have much experience writing!]

"Neither do I, you know?"

[Hmph.]

Pouting again.

It's no good fighting with the author-nim, so I guess there's no choice.

I'll have to tell her.

I've only ever written self-introductions; I wonder if it's right for me to help the author-nim in such a makeshift way.

No choice. There's no other way.

"Let's see, today's date is..."

[Late April!]

"...Perfect, then. We can start soon."

[Huh? ...Start what?]

What do you mean, 'what'?

It's an event that students can't do without, of course.

"Let's prepare for an exam."

[Huh? An exam?!]

Why are you so surprised?

Exams are usually held in late April or early May.

"Exams are usually held four times a year, right? So, naturally, we should have one around this time."

[Four, four times...]

"Don't worry. Since it's a practice-oriented academy, there's plenty of material we can use."

What would be good this time?

A tournament? No, that's too grand for a first one. Gotta save the good stuff. It would be better to do it right before summer vacation.

Field training? Not this either. That should appear around the middle part.

...As expected, there's only one thing left.

"Dungeons. Let's use the power of dungeons here."

[Dungeons...! Really?!]

She's excited.

Does she want to see dungeons that much?

When I asked the author-nim, an enthusiastic reply came back.

[Of course! Dungeon practice! A regular feature in academy novels! An exciting part where the protagonist shines!]

She really loves it.

But a slight question arose.

It's a thought that just occurred to me, even as I said it.

Isn't this setting a bit awkward?

"Author-nim, are there dungeons?"

[Are there dungeons?]

The author-nim's voice was full of doubt.

She seemed not to understand what I was saying, so I decided to explain further.

"No, now that I think about it, dungeons... Weren't they only in hunter-type novels? Like, where gates open and all that."

[Ah...?]

"Since there are magical beasts, heroes, and villains here, it's a bit different from hunters, so dungeons are a bit... I'll think of something else."

No choice.

Dungeons are certainly a good setting, but they can't be used if they don't fit the world.

It's a really good setting, but this has to be discarded...

[No!]

"...Huh?"

[I don't want to! I want to see dungeons! I'm definitely going to use them!]

"No, it doesn't even fit the world-building, let alone the setting..."

[You can just squeeze the world-building in!]

Squeeze the world-building in?

Right now?

...How?

[Uh, uh... That's right! Hundreds of years ago, gates opened, and the Hunter Era began!]

"...Huh?"

[That is, well... It's already a hunter world-building, but the gate situation ended long ago! And this is a world far in the future after that!]

"What kind of..."

[Gates opened, and mana appeared, and superhumans have had mana manifest for a long time. Humanity evolved to adapt to mana, so when they awaken, they each gain an ability. And...]

The author-nim instantly began to churn out various settings.

The Gate Incident that happened 500 years ago, the abilities of superhumans that didn't exist before, and even the dungeons that haven't been destroyed yet.

[Dungeons weren't destroyed because they produce byproducts...! A setting where you mine byproducts from magical beasts in dungeons, just like mining minerals in a mine! ...Oh, I'll decide the magical beasts' habitats now too! The lost human settlements from the Gate Incident 500 years ago are the magical beasts' habitats! The reason they're fighting humanity is, of course, to reclaim their territory!]

She spoke without even breathing.

How much did she want to see it, exactly?

It's even more frustrating because there don't seem to be any conflicting settings.

She can do it well, can't she?

Did she get serious because something she wanted to see appeared?

She should have done well normally.

"Haa, I guess there's no choice. Alright."

[...! You mean!]

"Let's do it, dungeon practice."

[Yay!]

If I said that it didn't make sense here, her motivation would probably be crushed, right?

That's the one thing that can't happen.

If she wants it this much, I guess I have to let her have it.

What can I do?

...Somehow, I felt like a parent who eventually gives in when their child begs.

***

"The exam will be dungeon practice, huh..."

Lyra scratched her head, gazing at the announcement posted on the bulletin board.

Dungeon practice.

Her old self would have trembled.

But the current me is different.

Even that jerk who used to mock her couldn't beat her anymore.

The taste of hitting her with a bit of resentment was exquisite.

She flinched slightly at the glare she got every time she hit her, but there was no proper counterattack.

"That bastard took down a Class 3 magical beast, so I should be able to handle a Class 2 magical beast easily."

The time when she envied someone for taking down a Class 3 magical beast was long gone.

Her strength and stamina had steadily increased since taking the pill.

Before she knew it, Arte Isis, that woman, couldn't even touch her and just lost.

It was only natural, considering she had easily beaten her on the very day she took the pill.

"...Author-nim, so how..."

A voice drifted from afar.

A voice she had never forgotten.

There was no way she could forget it.

"Arte, hello."

"...Ah. Lyra-yang. Hello."

"You're healthy today too. How's the thigh I hit yesterday? I think I hit it a little too hard by mistake."

"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."

Tch.

Her expression didn't even change.

She was sure she had hit her hard enough to bruise.

She didn't even bat an eye.

...Annoying.

"Lyra-yang, who would you like to team up with for this exam?"

"Me?"

"Yes. They said it would be decided randomly, regardless of class."

"Hmm."

Anyone was fine.

There was nothing she couldn't do with this power.

She didn't think she could possibly lose to any student in the same year.

...Besides, she had no business with the academy anymore anyway.

The organization had given her her first directive.

On the day the academy students went outside, they were to throw a warning.

The Übermensch would now step into the light.

To take the first step in announcing the Übermensch's greatness to the world. By sacrificing the academy students.

Everyone in the world would recognize the existence of the Übermensch.

She was still a probationary member, so she hadn't heard the exact plan.

But she had had the opportunity to hear their ideology.

It was more plausible than she expected.

"...Lyra-yang?"

Rushing her.

She wanted to wring that neck, but she held back.

She couldn't expose her identity before declaring war.

Scratching her head vigorously, she decided to answer her question.

...What was it again? Who did she want to take the exam with?

Anyone was fine.

They were all going to be sacrifices for the Übermensch anyway.

Wouldn't it be better if it was a weak one, for convenience?

Just as she thought that, the person in front of her suddenly entered her vision.

Her cheerfully smiling face.

"Ah, there's one."

"Yes? Who?"

"You."

Considering she had taken down a Class 3 magical beast alone, she wasn't that weak...

But Lyra, who had gained this power, didn't think she could lose.

Since this person annoyed her, it was her personal wish that she would become a sacrifice for Lyra to make her name known to the world.

"That's great!"

"Great?"

"I wanted to be with Lyra-yang too. Since you're strong, won't we get good results if we take the exam together?"

"Yes, I think so too. With you and me together, we can get good grades."

Her constantly smiling face was somehow irritating.

Annoyance surged, and she scratched her head vigorously.

Ugh, seriously.

She had no idea what that person was thinking.

That person, after being maliciously hit all over her body for days, still smiled so brightly.

Lyra had controlled her strength, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

If she were an ordinary student, she would have been laid up days ago.

...Could it be that it didn't hurt much?

No, that couldn't be.

She must just be enduring the pain.

She was forcing her unmoving body to move, and her body must have already reached its limit.

She was just barely keeping herself together because the exam was approaching.

"I hope we're in the same group!"

"...Yes, I hope we're in the same group. We're friends, aren't we?"

She uttered words she didn't mean.

Friends, her and that person?

Ha. What a joke.

It was just lip service.

If they were in the same group, she could kill her.

Her, who had dismissed Lyra's efforts as mere talent.

Ah. How good would it feel to see that annoying smile disappear from her face?

She scratched her head and looked at the smiling face of the girl.

"Friends, that's nice! I think so too!"

...Still, I have no idea what she's thinking.

I felt annoyed.