NOVEL NEXT Chapter 35
TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 35
As Kara fell backward, the sparring session came to an end. The training ground reverted to its original state the moment she collapsed.
Immediately, the medical team rushed in to check Kara’s condition. Aside from a swollen face and a broken arm, she was fine.
‘She endured it because she’s Kara.’
It’s fortunate it was her. If it had been Luna, she would’ve been knocked out with a single hit. Right now, she probably can’t even use the Hardening Technique.
The Hardening Technique is one of the useful abilities to learn and a required skill to obtain Diamond Invulnerability.
When Regeneration is acquired in conjunction with Diamond Invulnerability, it evolves into the Iron King. I picked it up naturally after countless battles in the forest.
Therefore, I don’t need to learn the Hardening Technique separately. It’s difficult to master, but as long as you have mana, it’s an ability that’s easy to use.
“How’s her condition?”
“Severe bruising on her face and a fractured arm.”
“Start by applying the fracture potion and set a splint. If the arm bone gets misaligned, it’ll be a headache.”
After discussing among themselves, the medical team began applying potion to various parts of Kara’s body. Finally, they set a splint on her broken arm.
Eventually, Kara was carried out on a stretcher, leaving me alone in the training ground. I looked around.
Perhaps due to the overwhelming performance, the place was as silent as a grave. Surely, everyone had a lot to think about.
‘Will the Granada side take an interest?’
Though simple, my sheer “strength” might catch their attention. With that thought, I glanced toward the Granada Empire’s representatives.
They seemed deeply interested in me, engaging in a heated discussion centered around their representative.
It wasn’t just the Granada Empire. The Matra Empire’s delegation was also seen deliberating.
‘I’ll know later.’
Regardless of which faction I choose, I’ll just extract their techniques. In that case, the Granada Empire would be more convenient than the Matra Empire.
However, since I defeated Kara, there’s a high probability of another “event” occurring.
“I’d only heard rumors, but you really are a beast of a man.”
Just like now. I turned around at the voice coming from behind me.
When I turned, there stood Kara’s father, Hector, exuding an imposing presence.
I had sensed his approach through his presence. He must have come to say something.
‘Man, he’s ridiculously huge.’
Before, I hadn’t realized it since I was sitting down, but now, facing him, his size was overwhelming.
I’m quite tall myself, but he’s a head taller. I had to tilt my head slightly to meet his gaze.
“I don’t know what the old man brought back. Are you even human?”
“Yes.”
“Really? Well, I’ll just leave it at that. That’s not the important part anyway.”
Hector grinned as he said that. If nothing else, his smile was identical to Kara’s.
“Let’s meet again sometime. I’ll have a chat with the old man while I’m at it. Take care until then.”
Hector waved warmly as he left the training ground, heading in the same direction Kara had been carried off.
I had no reason to stay here any longer, so I turned around. Just then, Rod appeared to greet me.
He was wearing a satisfied smile, though I had no idea why he looked so pleased.
“Sivar.”
“Yes.”
“Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
“?”
I tilted my head, not understanding what he meant. What on earth was he talking about?
Rod chuckled at my reaction and explained in more detail.
“In sparring like this, that’s how you should handle it. As long as it’s not a life-or-death fight.”
“Ah.”
“It seems the training so far has paid off. Things will get easier from now on.”
He must’ve thought of me as some kind of wild beast.
Well, I guess that’s understandable. Considering my eccentric acts up until now, it’s not surprising.
Besides, I’ll continue to act eccentrically after future events, so it’s too early for him to be happy. He’ll probably just end up sighing heavily.
“Ro. D.”
“Yes?”
That thought crossed my mind, so I called out to Rod. He turned to look at me.
Looking at Rod’s puzzled expression, I spoke with sincerity.
“Hang. In. There.”
“Hang in there?”
“Yes.”
He’s going to have a much harder time from now on, so I wanted to encourage him.
That’s what I meant. If it were Porori, he would’ve interpreted it all.
“I’m not sure what you meant by that, but thank you.”
Of course, Rod had no way of knowing my true intentions. He just chuckled and expressed his gratitude.
That’s the kind of composure he has. After all, he’s a Sword Saint, so he’ll handle any situation that arises.
However, the upcoming events will be closely tied to Hector. Specifically, with the man known as the King of Destruction.
‘What kind of reaction will he have then?’
That piqued my curiosity. Would he get angry, or would he be too flustered to do anything but watch?
Events related to Hector are highly random, so you never know when or where they’ll occur. Still, they mostly happen in the dormitory.
‘Since I’m staying with Rod.’
It’ll probably happen there. Since Hector mentioned talking with Rod, the chances are high.
After that, I followed behind Rod, trailing him back to the waiting area. With this, the formal Duel Event came to an end.
To be precise, it’ll continue for a few more days, but there’s no need for me to watch. I remember it passing by quickly even in the Soul World.
Aside from Hector, the next event will naturally involve the Nurturer. After that, various situations will unfold.
“You’ve worked hard, so here’s a candy for you.”
“Thank. You.”
“Looks like you’re getting better at using polite speech. Excellent.”
Though it sounded like casual speech disguised as polite speech, he seemed to let it slide. I popped the Nurungji-Flavored Candy into my mouth and chewed on it.
Later, I plan to visit Kara in the infirmary. Even though I held back, I think I hit her a bit too hard.
‘I hope she’s not sulking because of the provocation.’
That’s a bit of a concern.
******
Kara regained consciousness exactly one hour after the sparring session ended.
If she were an ordinary person, she would’ve been unconscious for a longer time, but she’s different.
While she’s not as durable as Sivar, her body is still quite sturdy. She’s fainted so often that she’s built up a resistance.
“Ugh······”
But no matter how often it happens, she never gets used to the pain. As soon as Kara regained consciousness, she let out a groan from the pain that surged through her.
Her face hurt, but her arm was even worse. The arm that had been broken by Sivar’s repeated punches.
It was fortunate that the Hardening Technique had ended just as she was hit; otherwise, her arm might’ve been pulverized.
Still, the pain was the same. Fractures rank among the most painful experiences a person can endure, so it would be strange if it didn’t hurt.
‘A-aren’t they going to use anesthesia?’
This was the first time Kara had been injured so severely at the Academy, so she didn’t know how they handled treatment.
From what she’d heard, they combined science, magic, and faith from around the world to treat injuries.
However, it seemed anesthesia wasn’t part of the process. Or maybe they were treating her without it.
“You’re awake.”
“··· ···”
As Kara groaned in pain, a deep voice reached her ears.
It was a voice so familiar to her that she was sick of it. Kara frowned and turned her head toward the source.
A massive figure with red hair, green eyes, and bronzed skin.
It was her biological father, Hector, sitting in a chair, tending to her.
“You fell for his provocation. I’ve warned you repeatedly.”
As soon as Kara regained consciousness, Hector began with criticism rather than concern.
Unlike the way he spoke to Rod and Sivar, his tone was strict and serious, devoid of any warmth.
“······I know.”
“Then why······”
“You know as well as I do that I can’t beat him, no matter what.”
Kara responded curtly in a clear tone. Just from the atmosphere, it was obvious her answer wasn’t the correct one.
“So I just fought head-on. What’s the point of technique in the face of overwhelming power?”
“You learned techniques to narrow the power gap, even just a little.”
“Thanks to that, I managed to land a few hits. Not that it mattered.”
“That was a significant achievement.”
At Hector’s words, Kara looked at him with a surprised expression. She had expected some trivial nitpicking, but it was the opposite.
When was the last time he acknowledged her arguments? Other than when she survived her first practical combat, she couldn’t recall.
“But losing your composure and getting excited was your fault. If you had calmly led the match, you might have landed a few more effective hits.”
“··· ···”
Of course. Kara smirked at Hector’s rebuttal. Her reaction showed she found it absurd.
She then raised both arms to show Hector. Both were wrapped tightly in bandages.
“Don’t you think that’s meaningless too? I gave it my all, but that guy didn’t even use mana. He just broke my arms with his punches.”
“Hmm.”
“When I blocked with the Hardening Technique, my mana was drained in chunks. If he had been just a bit stronger, he would’ve pierced through it, technique or not.”
The Hardening Technique is a defensive ability that consumes mana instead of stamina. However, it has the drawback of significant mana depletion with each use.
Kara had mastered the Hardening Technique to use it efficiently, but even that was useless.
Every time she blocked Sivar’s punches, her internal mana was drastically drained.
If Sivar’s strength had been any greater, her arms would have broken much earlier.
“The more I see him, the less human he seems. Do you get that strong living in the wilderness?”
“If he has rivals of similar caliber, it’s not impossible to imagine.”
“Are you saying there are monsters or beasts like him? That’s kind of terrifying.”
That beast is also at the Academy. And he even speaks more fluently than Sivar.
Unaware of this, Kara chuckled. But the pain soon made her grimace.
“··· ···”
Hector silently looked down at her before glancing around. The hospital room was empty.
During sparring sessions, injuries are common, so there are usually many people admitted.
However, the hospital room assigned to Kara was empty. It might be because she was a princess of a nation, but it was likely because she was a Tatar.
A people despised as barbarians. The hospital staff probably considered this and assigned her to an isolated room.
“Kara.”
“What?”
“Do you have no friends?”
At Hector’s abrupt question, Kara blinked. For a moment, she didn’t understand what he meant.
Realizing his words were too brief, Hector hurriedly added an explanation.
“I’m asking if you haven’t made any acquaintances since enrolling in the Academy.”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because you’re destined to lead the Tatars someday.”
Kara furrowed her delicate brows. She recalled the words spoken when she was practically forced into enrolling against her will.
The Tatars would no longer rely on plunder but grow into a proper nation. Thus, expectations for her were high.
To Kara, those words were nothing short of irresponsible. She let out a hollow laugh.
“I don’t know about that. All I’ve encountered are people calling me a barbarian. How could I form any bonds? The only thing I’ve learned here is that there are far too many people whose tongues I’d like to cut out.”
“Still······”
“Still what? My father used to destroy everything in his path, and now I’m supposed to clean it all up? Do you have any idea how infuriating the stares I get here are?”
Hector’s nickname was the King of Destruction. True to that name, he grew up destroying countless cities and villages.
The plundering that followed was just a bonus. It wouldn’t be wrong to say those acts formed the foundation of the Tatars.
However, after Kara was born, the situation changed. They reduced their plundering and even went on to establish a nation.
Though still despised as barbarians, the Tatars are undeniably one of the nations now.
“If he wants it done, he should do it himself. Why is he pushing it onto me? Does he want me to live a normal life or something?”
“I also tried to······”
“Yeah, I saw. Chatting and laughing with the Granada Empire from the spectator seats. But you know what? What I’m good at is hitting and breaking things like my father. Not wagging my tongue.”
“··· ···”
“The order is all wrong. If you wanted to teach me properly, you should’ve done it later. So if anyone insults me, I’ll knock them down immediately. That way, they won’t mess with me. It’s the only way I know.”
Her words revealed just how severe her stress was. Like a hedgehog raising its spines, she was protecting herself.
Hearing her, Hector seemed to have something to say. His lips moved as if to speak, and deep contemplation filled his green eyes.
But soon, he steadied himself and returned to his stern expression.
Just as he was about to speak.
Clunk-
The door to the hospital room, which should have remained closed, opened. Both Kara and Hector turned their gazes toward it.
Turning their eyes, they saw someone completely unexpected standing outside the door.
“······Sivar?”
“··· ···”
To their surprise, it was Sivar. He raised his head, then lowered it, locking eyes with Kara.
“Ka. Ra.”
Uttering his characteristic two syllables, Sivar strode into the room.
He was still wearing the same clothes from the sparring session. It seemed he had come straight after it ended.
“······What are you doing here?”
Kara asked in a bewildered tone, her voice betraying her surprise. She hadn’t expected him to visit.
And for good reason—she didn’t have anyone she could truly call a friend. At least, that’s what she thought.
Luna had just been discharged after being hospitalized herself. Moreover, she had sparring sessions to attend, so she couldn’t come.
Ellie was someone Kara met through Luna, but their personal bond was minimal.
‘Why did he really come here?’
But Sivar’s presence was unexpected. While they had spent time together, she didn’t think he’d visit her in the hospital.
Especially since they had just been fighting each other moments ago. Though it was one-sided, with her being thoroughly beaten.
She couldn’t even fathom how he knew when she’d wake up to come visit her.
“Ka. Ra.”
“······Yes?”
“Hur. Ting?”
“··· ···”
Well, what does it matter? It’s the thought that counts.
Kara blinked, then smirked at Sivar’s concerned question.
The sight of him apologizing after hitting her. Despite his ferocious strength, his nature was kind at heart.
How could anyone hate someone like that? With a bright smile, Kara replied.
“Hurting? Not really. You’re surprisingly weak, you know?”
“But your arms······”
“Quiet.”
When Hector tried to point out something tactless, she immediately stopped him.
She then checked if there was a chair for Sivar to sit on. It would be uncomfortable for her if he just stood there.
“So, why did you come to see me, Sivar?”
“Friend!”
At that moment, Hector blurted out a tactless question. Even Kara’s sharp yell couldn’t stop him.
What’s said can’t be unsaid. To that question, Sivar answered in his usual expressionless tone.
“Friend.”
“Friend?”
“Yes.”
Hector’s eyes widened slightly. It was a simple answer, but its meaning was clear.
He then looked at Kara. She, too, was stunned by Sivar’s words, her face frozen in disbelief.
“Didn’t you say you had no friends?”
“··· ···”
“He seems to think of you as a friend, though.”
At his pointed remark, Kara stiffened. At the same time, her face began to turn red.
It was hard to notice because of her skin tone, but the reddish aura was becoming more distinct.
“No. Way?”
“Uh, uh, what?”
“Friend.”
For a moment, her thoughts came to a halt, but hearing Sivar’s words snapped her back to reality.
When Kara glanced at him with a slightly reddened face, Sivar quietly opened his mouth to speak.
“Is. It?”
“··· ···”
Sivar spoke in a voice that sounded somewhat sorrowful.
“Wound.”
He looked as pitiful as a puppy drenched in the rain.
Outwardly, he appeared expressionless, but at least to Kara, that’s how he seemed.
Since he usually maintained a blank expression, Kara couldn’t help but notice every subtle change.
“N-no, that’s not it······ Listen to me. What I mean is······ how this happened is······!”
Kara, flustered and rambling, seemed to think Sivar was hurt. Her reaction was one of genuine panic.
Even during their sparring sessions, she had never shown such a response. If anything, she would burn with competitiveness.
“Ugh, seriously, you’re no help. Why did you have to say something unnecessary······!”
She even threw in a bit of blame toward Hector in the middle of it all. Meanwhile, Sivar continued speaking.
“Ah. Hurt.”
“I’m really sorry! What should I do? Should I give you candy or something?”
“··· ···”
Hector simply watched Kara and Sivar with a peculiar look in his eyes.