On my way back to the inn after the exams… a man called out to me.
“Um… are you Cain-san? The one who defeated the Four Heavenly Kings?”
The one who called out to me was none other than that black-haired shorty.
“Ah, well, I guess that’s me.”
What’s this? Is he trying to make fun of me again?
But the next moment, he took an unexpected action.
“I am truly sorry for my numerous impolite actions the other day,” he said, bowing his head.
“Eh, no, why!?”
“Such an impolite attitude towards the hero who defeated the Four Heavenly Kings… I am prepared to be executed.”
“No, I don’t intend to, nor can I do that. Besides, why are you even here?”
“Actually, I am ashamed to say that I failed last year’s exam… and have been a ronin for a year.”
Come to think of it, Enema did say something like that…
“I was working hard on the entrance exam this year, thinking it would be my year… but I was captivated by Cain-san’s amazing swordsmanship.”
“Besides, Cain-san already has enough power to not care about lower nobles like me…”
“Eh, why!?”
“It was thought that only the grown-up Hero-sama, Raijin Orutomekina-sama, and the Flame Emperor Elfatokuresu-sama could defeat the Four Heavenly Kings in this country. However, there was a report that Cain-sama defeated the Four Heavenly Kings. Currently, there are four people in this country who can oppose the Four Heavenly Kings. Right now, we have a balanced force, but if even one person were to betray us, the situation would be reversed in an instant. Therefore, I believe that even some selfishness would be tolerated…”
I don’t think killing a person is a small matter…
“It may be unforgivable… but please, at least spare my family…”
This is heavy, so heavy.
“That’s why, I don’t intend to do anything to you in particular.”
“R-really!?”
“Yeah.”
“Thank you very much! You have taught me something important. It’s not about Skill Aptitude…”
That’s right. If he’s reformed, maybe I should stop being sarcastic?
“It’s about Original Skills!”
I feel like that’s not it.
Or rather, I feel like everything is wrong.
“Just do whatever you want? By the way, what’s your name?”
“I am Gald Coaster, the third son of the Baron family. Would you please consider making me your subordinate?”
“That’s a no.”
He made a blatantly disappointed face, but it’s an absolute refusal.
………………………………………
…………………
………
Three days later…
Gald and I were at the place where the exam results were being announced.
“Umm… ah, there it is! My name is there!”
In these two days, he had shown me around the Royal Capital, and I had gotten used to it, so it seems his first-person pronoun changed from “I” to “ore.”
Perhaps because he failed last year, Gald was quite excited.
“I see, that’s good… Ah! Mine’s there too! That’s great… hmm, there’s something written next to it? What’s that…”
“Hey, Cain-san, you’re the top of the class! Congratulations. I think the Hero-sama also took the exam this year, right? But you’re still the top, that’s amazing!”
“Eeeeeeeh!!! Seriously!?”
“Seriously.”
I’m happy… so I’m the top of the class…
“So… does that mean Cain-san will be giving the Freshman Representative speech?”
Ah, that’s the worst…
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