Please Do Not Abandon the Adopted Heroine

Chapter 11 – A Hero Must Shatter This Much

“Teacher… Teacher…”

I reached out in my sleep, realizing it was a dream as the sun’s light filtered through my partly open eyes.

Memories scatter. My recollections disperse.

Faces and voices already scattered are ambiguously erased even in my dreams.

The only thing I can remember clearly is the scent of my teacher.

However, it’s meaningless to me who can no longer smell.

Upon opening my eyes, I was in my dormitory room.

Ever since my return from the snowy field, I often dream of monsters chasing me.

Pulling down the soft blanket, my thin pajamas are revealed.

The sachet with the fragrance of hometown flowers left by my mother. She occasionally sends me packages.

I held the small pouch to my nose and quietly drew in a breath hoping to catch the familiar scent.

The sense of smell is the first sensation awakened at birth for our fox clan.

…… But still today, I can’t smell anything.

Nevertheless, I shouldn’t be melancholic. I neatly arranged the blankets, changed my clothes, and carefully placed the sachet on the head of my bed.

Today is the day of the first lecture.

It’s Professor Neferna’s class.

‘… If I become as strong as the professor, might I become a bit more confident?’

The question I asked the professor on the snowy field inadvertently came to mind.

ㅡ’Either plunge like this and explore the stomach with the tentacles or burn it beforehand.’

ㅡ‘Don’t worry about where to go, I will accompany you.’

I pondered for a moment, picked up the pendant on one side of the desk, and headed for class.

The pendant which repeatedly traveled back and forth between the pocket and hand now jingles uncomfortably around my trembling neck.

Shaking my shoulders at the unfamiliar touch of metal falling below the collarbone.

***

“Welcome, welcome, dear students! I am absolutely pleased that thanks to your warm support, right here and now, my, Eu Jin Seo Neferna’s Practical Magic Structure lecture has finally begun! hahahaha! Let’s give a round of applause! hahahaha! Thank you.”

Clap, clap, clap!

There are less than twenty people in the room. The somewhat feeble sound of applause came from three places.

Blinking her eyes brightly, Undine clapped her hands like a seal, and her older brother Ignis, unable to resist, reluctantly clapped his hands in return. Lastly, even Cecilia, who was completely overwhelmed and nervously glancing at Rebecca from the edge, also clapped her fingers.

Hoho, this is really… making my nose sting.

As expected, it was a good decision to force the start of the semester.

“…What’s with the applause…? If I hadn’t filled in for the last person, it would have been a genuine cancellation.”

At that moment, Freya narrowed her eyes among the students and glanced at me discreetly. I had no choice but to whistle lightly and feign indifference.

It’s not difficult for Professor Freya to audit other professors’ classes. However, including someone like her was an adult privilege in many ways, or in other words, the power of the chairman was needed in such a case.

The excuse was that it was inevitable to prevent the cancellation. Either way, the chairman’s privilege had an incredible effect. Thank you, Chairman.

And I’m sorry, Freya. I’ll buy you about twenty of those orange candy cakes you like in front of your favorite school later.

“Ahem! Let’s start the class! The reason we came outdoors instead of staying indoors today is to assess your capabilities.”

I threw a prepared crystal ball onto the grass.

The students’ gaze naturally gathered on the strange spherical object that bounced up elastically like a jelly, while being translucent and resembling a water balloon.

“Any student who knows the name and usage of this round, soft, and bouncy tool?”

Undine was the first to sparkle her eyes and enthusiastically raise her hand.

I’m not the one who would innocently accept that passion.

…She doesn’t participate that enthusiastically in other classes. It’s creepy to hear stories from other professors.

Combining Undine’s passionate ambition with a mischievous crime, I pointed to Ignis, who was dozing off behind her.

This time, it’s a combo attack. As an older brother, I should give him some trouble.

“Very good posture, Ignis. Try answering.”

Undine, who didn’t understand the situation, glared at her brother as if she wanted to kill him. It’s extremely heart-wrenching as a teacher to damage the bond between siblings, but it can’t be helped.

Ignis brushed his neatly groomed hair with a smirk on his face.

“Let’s see… Ah, right. It’s the measuring device… no, the Measurement Device. When you use magic, it automatically absorbs and converts the spellcaster’s magical ability into a class. I’ve heard it’s usually measured by Signature Fantasium.”

If you’re going to use formal language, then do it properly. If you’re going to use informal language, be sure to do it convincingly.

I nodded, stifling a sigh of frustration.

“Correct. Everyone has their own Signature Fantasium, right? Their most confident and original spell. Let’s try casting our signatures at maximum output towards this crystal. Starting with you, Undine. Can you demonstrate?”

“hehehe, of course, Professor Serrah… Ahem, I mean, respected professor.”

Undine, her tail wagging with excitement at finally being chosen, stood gracefully in front of the crystal.

As she cast a spell that would be worthy of praise at a student level, the Measurement Device briefly emitted a faint light.

“Ah, let’s see… The measurement shows… Congratulations. It’s amazing for someone your age to be at Level 3.”

“It’s the result of striving diligently according to your teachings. Ohoho.”

…Your concept is a bit odd. Don’t smile with your eyes. It’s unnecessary to get too attached.

As Undine left the stage amidst applause and murmurs from some students, Ignis, who decorated the next turn, also concluded at a suitable level. Because he chose a flashy magic on the surface, some female students started to show interest in him, so I quickly moved on to the next person.

“Hmm… This time, it’s Rebeccarokun’s turn.”

Since returning from the wilderness, I hadn’t had any personal contact with her.

The fact that Rebeccaro was the one who dropped Celia that day was known only to me and Undine.

Even if I were to inform the school, she was nothing more than a short-term transfer student who wasn’t officially enrolled. Besides the heavy stigma of being a member of a party of adventurers, Rebecca’s prestigious family in the Empire posed a troublesome risk.

If I were to inform the headmaster directly, there might be some action taken, but in the current situation with no substantial evidence, I couldn’t expect satisfactory results.

Above all, considering my restricted actions within the school, it was the best conclusion to observe her closely from a nearby location.

Including her in my class was also a one-sided decision. I thought there might be some back and forth.

However, contrary to my expectations, Rebecca didn’t say anything and simply cast her spell as if she was waiting.

“Perhaps it’s the handiwork of a benevolent land spirit; now, just observe the boulder that has begun to quake with thunderous power.”

Rumble… The rock spear, having erupted through the earth, triggered a response from the measuring device.

“Hmm… let’s see. Around the boundary between level 4 and 5? Remarkable for someone of your age, isn’t it?”

I couldn’t help but marvel at the measurement results.

Unexpectedly, it was Rebecca’s signature phantasm, concentrated more on supportive magic, that stood out. Considering her personality, I had thought her hallmark would be more offensive magic, but it seemed her old habit of supporting heroes had set in stone.

“As expected of Rebecca, who reached level 4 at the youngest age.”

“There were also rumors that she passed the level 5 national exam recently. Indeed… Are we students already out of her league?”

“Hmph! I am Rebecca of Clorand! What do you take my people for? Such trivialities I graduated from 10 years ago. Asking me to showcase my signature phantasm? It’s laughable and utterly ridiculous. They call this an elite academy of the empire, but I guess its standards are just so-so. …Or perhaps, it’s the professors who are of this average caliber?”

Receiving attention didn’t seem to disagree with Rebecca as she swept her hair back, unable to hide her uplifted smile.

I wasn’t particularly bothered by that. Rather, I was grateful she wasn’t flaunting herself too much.

… The problem was what followed next…

BOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!

“…Hmm, that’s all?”

The thunderous noise reverberated, followed by a deep voice.

Although I hadn’t called out his name yet, one reckless fool had hastily unleashed his magic.

Had it been merely a casting of a spell, a warning would have sufficed.

The problem was that this individual happened to be Kim Yuseong, the owner of the Sixth Holy Sword, with a level of magical power that was difficult to ignore, given his title of ‘hero.’

“Hmm, it breaks just like that? Bizarre. I merely casually released one of the most basic and elementary spells I know. I thought I had moderated its output, but I didn’t expect something to not withstand even this.”

“T-The measuring device is broken?!”

“As expected of the hero! Even with a basic spell, such power!”

“Wow… indeed, a hero is a hero. I’m just worthless compared to that.”

Wait…?

Stay calm.

Surely, I must have misheard. The measuring device, really?

The measuring device… The measuring device… It broke…? Really? For real?

…Ah, yes, it’s real. It really is broken. No… No way…

THAT INSANE IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“YaaaH! AHH! No! The precious measuring tool! School property!”

“Hmm, I apologize. I did predict that there might be a cliché of breaking such a magic-measuring crystal sphere… mutter mutter… I might have mishandled my power… mutter mutter…”

“Just because you apologized doesn’t mean the broken measuring sphere will return! Do you know how much this costs?! It’s at least…!”

My sentences, soaked in cold sweat, were interrupted by the boisterous laughter of a heavy-set middle-aged man echoing through the foggy field.

“Almost equal to two months of Professor Neferna’s salary! Uhahahahaha!”

CRASH!!!!

A man in a black suit jumps out of the window of the school’s main building, right at the top of the five-story staircase. The broken glass scatters everywhere.

A flash of light, a sudden spark. Despite the dignity that should accompany a suit, his muscular health is exposed in bizarre fashion.

Thud! Thick weight and dust rise.

“Vitality! Muscle power! Physicaaal Strength!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

This man is the chairman of this school. In other words, my boss.

“I came because I heard the sound of school property getting damaged! I am the chairman of this school! hahahahaha, Professor Neferna! Long time no see! How was our last snowy field practice?”

His hand, soaked in sweat, was more glossy and shimmering than his smooth hair. Whether he’d just finished blacksmithing or not.

Wait a minute, this guy just jumped out of the window, didn’t he??

I swallow hard and desperately try to gather the broken pieces of the measuring sphere with the tip of my shoe.

“Chairman?! What about this place… ha, hahahaha, hahahaha! Of course! Your servant, Neferna! I report the safe return of all students without a single injury!”

“I heard you handled the accident in the snow field well. As expected, Professor Neferna, you have proved my eyes right! Now, I’ll be able to maintain my dignity in front of other professors. hahahaha!”

“Of course, hahahaha!”

“But I heard the sound of a measuring sphere shattering and came to see. Are those the pieces at your feet?”

At that instant, the laughter stopped cold.

Sure, there were plenty of excuses, but in the end, the responsibility for negligence fell on me.

There goes two months’ worth of salary.

My vision blurred.

Blood drained from my face, my sight shimmered.

Damn, I can’t even swear…

Will I starve this month…?

Suddenly, our eyes locked with Freya, chuckling in the distance.