Chapter 21 - I Became the Daughter of the Academy’s Villain

Episode 21 21 - Grand Earthquakes Come with Forewarnings <21 - Grand Earthquakes Come with Forewarnings> Do you know of Noah's Ark? Noah, who proclaimed to build an ark and seek refuge from the world rampant with sin that God would judge with a flood. People ignored his warnings, and sadly, Noah was said to have developed cancer. "Miss Oknodie, let's rest for a bit." "Giselle, you really are something. How can you be less enduring than a sickly girl like me?" That’s a murmur sure to have roused all the infirm maidens across the nation. With that expression, Giselle sneered at me and, out of sheer willpower, began moving again. "Son O Chun, why on earth do we need to climb this mountain?” "Think about it. The test area is vast compared to the number of people taking the exam. There must be a reason for it being so large, don’t you think?" My mind is incredibly burdened right now. It's a mixed feeling of the carpenter who wants to cry out "The emperor has donkey ears!" and Noah's affliction. In this test area, no one else could harbour a burden greater than mine. "Those guys chasing us don’t seem to think the same, do they?" Two hours into the test. The participants revealed three distinct patterns of behavior. "I knew it, we should have beaten up those guys making themselves comfortable at the base and driven them away." Groups like <The Majority Alliance> and <The Absolute Powerhouses> settled at the mountain's base. "Oh look, they’re building, they’re stacking." "Are these guys out of their minds? What are they trying to do now?" "See? Throw a rock and it collapses. Annoying, right? Wanna fight about it? But we are higher in number and stronger, aren’t we? Kyakyakya." "Ah, this is infuriating. Hey, let's have a showdown!" A show of strength between <The Minority Alliance> set up midway upon the slope and <The Trolling Pack> engaging in outright provocation. "That slant-eyed guy over there. Isn't that the annoying swordsman from yesterday?" "Let's go after him." "That little runt sure had to look far for his burial place. Well, it doesn't matter where you run; you’re doomed after messing with the Southern Seven Stars Alliance." <The Fugitive Group> chased away from beneath, seeking refuge up high or deep within the mountain, and <The Pursuer Group> aiming to eliminate these fugitives and reduce competition. That’s what people might think. However, in this game, there exists an unnoticed fourth type. "You crazy punks, how far are you going to run!" "Stop fighting already, dammit!" A group so earnest about climbing that they left behind the pursuing pack: <The Climbing Group>. Specifically, the group consisting of the genius girl Oknodie and her two lackeys. "Son O Chun, doesn't it seem we're being underestimated?" "Hmph. You charmed them into following because you're a Beastman, uncle." "Now, now. If you keep your mouth open too long, you'll get tired first. Let's nibble on this to stave off the hunger." [<Honey Butter Jerky> has been added to your Cooking Codex.] This guy's got good stuff to eat. This is why you need to be friends with a wealthy merchant! [You have climbed the mountain while vigilant of pursuers for a long time.] [Climbing Experience +3] [Endurance Experience +2] [Breathing Experience +2] [Alertness Experience +1] Combat experience points steadily climb during the arduous ascent. If it weren't for the month of training raising status and dexterity, I’d probably be panting and dropping out like the pursuers below. Those weaker than a frail girl like me really ought to reflect on themselves. "Well, since we still have plenty of time, why don’t we just casually climb the mountain while scouting for a good spot?" "That fellow is quite complacent. Your bravery is not that of a mouse but of a Tyrannosaurus." For your information, this game has dinosaurs deep in its continents. A Tyrannosaurus that rips ogres apart. * * As I meandered atop the mountain, the pursuers, their breaths shallow up to their throats, blocked my path. "*Pant, pant*, at last, caught, you, *gasp*, pant.” “These, these, sons of, *pant*," “You guys are really, going to die...!” These guys are close to passing out. "So? You want to pick a fight then?" Son O Chun, composed and not tired in the slightest, swung his staff with one hand and asked. The figures that had appeared victoriously were intimidated by the menacing sound of the staff and shrank back. "Hah. That such scum share the same Gold Ticket as me. Isn't this a scam?" Honestly, the disparity in level is stark even to me. Son O Chun had bad luck with examiners. If it wasn't for the High Examiner Michael's resource gathering test, but rather a rock-breaking test or a contest of combat, he would have easily snagged a Platinum Ticket with his physique. In comparison, High Examiners other than Michael seemed to have more lenient evaluation criteria and test levels. He would have easily snagged a Gold Ticket. "Don't treat us the same!" "Oh. There’s at least one among you with a bit of spirit." Among the breathless pursuers, a woman topped with an explorer's hat and goggles pointed angrily at Son O Chun and me. "Esotnia’s adventure group always lacked a full roster, necessitating us to take on outsiders." "And because of a certain brat and a Beastman like you, we failed a crucial adventure, resulting in the death of the captain and half the members." "Do you have any idea how miserable it feels to be pushed away when the adventure group is finished, and the young ones are told to live new lives?" A descendant of a fallen adventure group, perhaps? For an extra, she's got quite a decent backstory. "Getting revenge is better than having the burden foisted upon you. Just like that brat and Beastman who brought down our adventure group, this time we'll be the ones to lead you to ruin!" Well, whilst the circumstances are decent, Why take out their fury on us? "Don't vent on unrelated parties, focus on those at fault." "The perpetrators are already dead!" "Then is it fair that this mouse-like fellow should be dragged into others’ affairs? Like you lot, undone by ignorant outsiders?" Beastmen have both a human’s appearance and an animal's instincts. That's why they sometimes hit the nail on the head with their words. Such blunt expressions often instill unpleasant emotions in humans trying to hide their weaknesses. "Then who are we supposed to vent our anger on! We did nothing wrong!" Watching her throw a tantrum, I had a sudden epiphany. The condition for participating in the academy entrance exam is being under the age of 20. This human, too, must have been part of an adventure group at a young age, but in the end, was still an immature child. Even though their bodies are mature, their hearts remain immature children. Opposite to me, who may have an undeveloped body but possesses a mature heart, are those whose bodies might be of age, yet they remain children in essence. "Grab on." I tossed a rope to them. The woman, failing to grasp the meaning, stood dumbfounded. Moments later, the ground began to rumble. Long before the great quake hit, Oknodie's sensitive body felt the forewarning tremors, the foreshocks. Followed by the main shock, the primary quake that violently shook the mountain sweeping the view in front and below. An environment where traces of animal habitats remain, but not the animals themselves. All that's left are stones and pebbles on a barren rock mountain. Those lacking awareness are unable to realize in time the first gate's trap, the real test that descends upon them. <Landslide Event> The first gate's trap, an earthquake has occurred. It's no longer about protecting the stone towers. First and foremost, let's survive this quake accompanied by a landslide! Pouring earth and rocks. The collaping mountain. In its midst, I carefully chose a safe terrain to tie the rope and gestured to Giselle and Son O Chun to join. Crumble, crumble, crash! Rubble tumbled down below on the mountainside, the landslide intensifying as it descended, enveloping the strong but foolish and those examinees who lazily relied on their numbers. The pursuers, <The Fresh Blood of Esotnia's Adventure Group> who were chasing us, were nearly swept away by this disaster. Plip, plop. The aftershocks that follow the main quake finally subsided, and the rock mountain was at peace. The remnants of Esotnia's Adventure Group, barely clutching onto life thanks to the rope, came up to the ridge with ashen faces. "This is madness. To cause a landslide within the testing grounds—if we were caught in that, it would have been instant death!" "It's the world's premier academy. The test is designed to select only the most outstanding. Perhaps it’s naive to believe they would merely have us stack rocks." "Do you even hear yourself?! Our captain died in a landslide..." The leader, with a face caked in mud, was about to protest when her gaze caught my hand. [You rescued people in danger without letting go of the rope during the landslide and earthquake.] [Endurance Experience +10] [Resolve Experience +5] [Struggle Experience +1] Ouch, that stings. Perhaps because too many people clung to the rope, it’s grazed and blood flows from my hand. "You, you held onto the rope with your hand in that state?" The young leader's eyes, belonging to a former member of the adventure group and a current examinee, trembled wildly. "You were harsh with your words. You probably wanted us to fail, to get rid of us. So why did you?" There are plenty of reasons. Characters with special circumstances highly likely play a significant role in their episode. Even if they drop out of the academy's test, they could reappear as villains later. Killing those destined to become villains is futile since they are often doomed to rise again. Didn't this woman already say it? They were the 'youngsters' of Esotnia's Adventure Group. Outside lay the 'older folks' of the adventure group. Those too bear grudges against a child and a Beastman. Still, they care for their young compatriots. If they were to hear of these individuals' death, would they not likely become villains themselves? 'One cannot hastily determine whether disturbances are foreshocks of a grand earthquake or the grand quake itself.' One might assume minor trembles in the entrance exam to be merely foreshocks and the landslide the actual quake. But looking back far in the future, the untimely death of the young of Esotnia's Adventure Group might be seen as the foreshocks, and the vengeance of the elders the true, grand earthquake. A calamity that those who live only for today could never foresee, prevented by a single rope! "I just did it. Because I could." That lengthy explanation would be far too bothersome to give. The young lady captain's face flushed with embarrassment as I brushed off the matter. A Word from the Author (Afterword) Regret, degradation, obsession