Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no “Kokoro”- Chapter 2.01

Chapter 2 Part 1

Translator : PolterGlast

Proofreader : John4891

The morning sun illuminates the city of Arcazam.

Townspeople start their day, listening to the birds chirping.

The city streets are dense, and they work hard to make a living on their own.

A boy walked along the road people come and go from.

His name was Nozomu Bountis.

A student who belongs to the third year of Solminati Academy, the center of Arcazam.

It's been a month since the confrontation with his master. He managed to get promoted to third grade.

"Well... I was able to get promoted properly."

The confrontation with Shino was two days before the end-of-year exam, and due to the injuries he suffered at the time, he couldn't make it to the final stage, making the exam more difficult than expected.

His improved physical ability couldn’t be utilized, and he nearly failed his practical test. His written exam didn't go well either because he could only think of Shino, and as a result, he ended up taking three supplementary exams.

"That's why I ended up at the bottom… Well, I managed to pa.s.s, so it's still okay ..."

By the way, the number of supplementary exams he took is undoubtedly the highest in the school’s history.

Because of that, he was once again placed the lowest, in the 10th cla.s.s. At the time of going to school, his scores are also the lowest, and he is still treated as a dropout in the cla.s.s.

(But it might be better to keep it as it is now. That dragon-slaying power... is too great)

During his battle with Shino, he did indeed release the power of dragon slayer; however the release of ability suppression was not done in public.

In his third year, he’d unleashed Ability Suppression several times at Shino's hut, but he was unable to control it.

Although the released power dramatically increased physical strength, this absurd increase in strength in every skill was still too much to handle. Additionally, it wasn't very easy to use it in his student life, not to mention the skill originally already had a capable killing ability. It wasn’t very practical anymore.

"Rocks become very small pieces just by hitting them, awfully unusable."

(And...there’s also that monster)

He remembers Tiamat, the King of the Dragons, who dwells within him. Every time he released the suppression, Tiamat rampaged in his body, trying to devour it.

He once fought in the spiritual world and succeeded in capturing Tiamat's power, albeit in part, so he wouldn't be eaten as soon as he released it, but even so, two minutes is the time limit of releasing his suppression.

In fact, those two minutes were when Nozomu managed to hold back his released power. If unleashed without any control, his mind would’ve been crushed by the force, and his body would’ve collapsed in a dozen seconds.

"Anyway, I have to think about what to do from now on."

About the school, about dragon slayer, about Lisa.

He met Lisa several times after being promoted, but she still either ignored him or struck hostility.

He couldn't say anything to her and could only stand in front of her.

(......... I'm still running away ... )

Nozomu hasn't moved forward yet. However, although he was still running away, he’s become fully aware of the fact that he is running away.

What Shino told him about his life was certainly starting to sprout and take root in him.

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10th cla.s.s in 3rd grade. Nozomu Bountis is still treated the same as usual in this cla.s.s.

"Why is that guy... Why is he still here!?"

"Because of him, we're treated as the same level as him. Take responsibility!"

"That's right, he took the supplementary exam three times! He's only thinking about his own vessel."

When he entered the cla.s.sroom, they were still swearing at Nozomu. While listening to such voices, he sat in his seat, took out his textbook, and began his preparation.

After a few minutes

"Hey Mars, let's go to that store today. That girl is there. It's okay right?"

"Are you aiming for that store's daughter? You can't do it. Just stop it."

"......... You guys sure don't get tired of it ..."

It was Mars and his entourage who came in.

Apparently, they were talking about where to stop by after school, but Mars didn’t seem to be willing to talk about it.

"Hey Mars, what happened recently? You’re in a bad mood?"

"That's right. You’ve been pretty quiet recently."

“………… Shut up, it's nothing.”

Mars walked to his seat without hearing the two of his entourage's complaints. Along the way, he noticed Nozomu.

"Mmm ..."

Mars looked at Nozomu. His eyes were so serious that he could see and discern something. His eyes weren’t the same ones that used to scorn and despise Nozomu anymore.

"Everyone ~~. I'll start the morning homeroom ~~~~"

Anri-sensei walked into the room, and the students in the cla.s.sroom took their seats. Even after the morning a.s.sembly was over and the lesson started, Mars was still thinking about Nozomu.

==========================================================

Mars’s POV

There’s the guy. It’s natural that he’s in this cla.s.s. After all, trash should be put in the trash cla.s.s. But I can’t get rid of my doubts inside.

Why’s he in the lowest cla.s.s? With his current ability, he should at least be in a higher cla.s.s than the 10th cla.s.s.

In the mock battle at the end of the school term, he was able to corner and bring me down.

I was losing to him at that time. I lost my composure and got defeated. On the actual battlefield, I would’ve been killed by him at that moment.

However, I do have a lot of practical skills. So much that I’m on the same level as 7th graders.

Why is the guy who can beat me in the 10th cla.s.s?

"Also, he seems to have been injured before the exam, and it looks like he was carrying luggage and was thrown down the stairs."

"Idiot ~~ Well, he sure is a fool."

…… Injured? That guy is? Such a thing?

Doubt is starting to swell within me. No matter how much he falls down the stairs, he won't be injured so easily. Even though it was a dummy sword, he wasn't hurt much when he was blown away by my greatsword, which was strengthened by Qi, and he took cla.s.ses the next day normally.

Did he get hurt before the most important exam, the end-of-year exam?

At that moment, I was convinced that something was going on with him.

================================================================

The morning cla.s.s is over, and the lunch break begins. The students are spending a moment of peace with their friends.

Nozomu is looking for a place to buy bread and eat.

By the way, this school has a fairly large cafeteria for students, and the canteen for students is correspondingly large, but there’s never enough of the popular items for hungry beasts such as students, and it was always in a battlefield-like state.

Moreover, since the students have the same ability, it can become a real battlefield where magic is shot in some cases.

However, unpopular products are easier to get.

Nozomu always bought unsold bread and walked around the school building.

When he suddenly looked at the courtyard, he saw a crowd, and two maidens were eating in the center.

Nozomu knew the two. Because they were famous students.

One of them is Irisdina Francilt.

Long glossy black hair that reached up to the waist and a well-organized appearance. Dignified expression and black eyes that resembled that hair.

She was a student of the 1st cla.s.s in the same grade as Nozomu, and was called "Black Haired Princess", and was the best talent in their year in terms of overall scores.

The other one was Tima Lime.

Like Irisdina, she was also a student of the 1st cla.s.s in the third grade, and she was a talented woman known as the "Four-Scale Spinner."

She had brown hair trimmed at her shoulders, and her appearance was rather ephemeral, unlike Irisdina.

She had an extremely huge amount of magical power, and that magical power is said to be at the legendary level.

Her ability was also called "Four-Scale Concerto" because it gave her a high degree of apt.i.tude for four attributes. Earth, water, fire, and wind.

They are the students who represent the third grade, and they are also the students who have reached A rank, which only a few in the school have achieved.

By the way, Nozomu's rank is still D-, and he was 3rd grade. Even amont 2nd years, it was considered as a lower rank.

"Nozomu ku~~~~n, I found you ~~~~"

(Gee, this voice is...)

When he turned towards the direction of the voice, he saw 2 ladies. Anri-sensei and Norn-sensei approached him.

Anri-sensei was energetically waving like a child, and Norn-sensei, who was watching Anri-sensei’s child-like action, wore a bitter smile.

"Nozomu-kun, haven't you had lunch yet ~~? If you're okay with it, won't you eat together with us ~~"-

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"I'm sorry, Nozomu-kun. Anri really wants to eat with you. Would you please go with us?"

Anri-sensei and Norn-sensei invited him with a smile. Both of them wore a fascinating smile, but different from Norn-sensei, Anri-sensei had a strong atmosphere that was the exact opposite of her smile. The atmosphere clearly stated that even if he declined, she would definitely bring him anyway.

(Anri-sensei ………… so, you haven't given up yet ……)

Anri's smile caused a cold sweat, but Nozomu couldn't reject them and was taken away.

They travelled to the infirmary, the workplace of Norn-sensei.

Actually, Nozomu was caught by Anri-sensei and brought to this infirmary after he became a 3rd grader. The reason was,

"Hey Nozomu, how did you get that kind of injury during the second year's final exam?"

“Therefore Anri Sensei. As I said before, did you really fall down the stairs?

"...That's right."

Lunch was going fairly well, and Anri began to question Nozomu.

She’d been asking him for the past month about his injuries after the duel with Shino.

"Lying is not good ~~ because that wound is a sword wound. I can't leave it be if you get injured like that!"

“...”

"As Anri says, Nozomu-kun. We can't overlook it if you've been injured so many times and that’s obviously a slash from someone."

"……………………”

Nozomu didn’t not answer. He couldn't really talk about what happened with Shino and his own dragon-slayer power.

However, he couldn’t escape from it anymore. He couldn’t think of any more excuses over the past month.

“...What would you do if I couldn’t tell you? Would you hand me over to the military police and make me spit out the details?”

Because of the irritation, things didn't go well. Abusive language came out from his mouth by mistake.

"It's not that~~! I'm just worried ~~~~~~ !!"

"That's right! Anri and I are simply worried about you!!"

(Oh, I'm running away again. I didn't mean to say this)

“... I'm sorry... I said too much."

"No, it's okay. We were also a little too aggressive."

The unpleasant atmosphere filled the infirmary.

"......... Hey ~~, Nozomu-kun. Are we so unreliable?"

Anri-sensei asked with a sad voice, and Nozomu felt pain seeing her sad expression.

(I’m such a fool. Always trying to escape from my problems)

Nozomu hated his compa.s.sion. He just couldn’t move on. He may have been a little on edge because he’d been continuously ridiculed by others until now.

(I don't want to make her face look like that. I can't talk about everything... but I'll try to talk about what I can tell)

He could see a little bit of Shishio’s face in hers. Tears welled up, unable to convey her feelings.

"You’re not unreliable. I know sensei both worry and care about me a lot ... I'm purely happy about that ... I don't know who else would eat lunch with me like this."

Nozomu slowly but firmly began to convey his thoughts. He didn’t want to see Shino in Anri’s face.

"At that time, I certainly had a lot of things going on. There are so many things that I still can’t say properly myself."

He stared straight into their eyes and spun words one by one.

"But I learned something important. In order for me to pa.s.s the exams... I did something that was absolutely necessary, which caused my injuries...I'm sorry, I can only say this much for now."

Nozomu bows deeply. He gets angry at his weakness, that he could only say this much, but nevertheless, he did his best.

“... I see. Anri, as he says, we'll wait until he talks."

“But ~~”

"I know you're worried, but it's not good right now, because he still hasn't organized his life and decisions yet."

“... I understand...”

He seems to have managed to convince Anri, but she still looks at Nozomu with anxiety.

"I'm sorry Anri-sensei"

"......... I know ~~. Nozomu had a hard time ~~~~. I'm sorry ~~. You were forced to talk ~~"

"No ... I am happy you care and worry about me."

"Norn-sensei too, thank you."

"It's okay. We were a little too impatient. I knew there was something wrong, but I didn't know what to do about it."

The atmosphere lightened up, and the facial expressions of the three people became smiles, albeit a little.

"Now, let's tidy up our lunch. The bell for the start of cla.s.s will ring soon, and I can't remain so carefree. Teachers can't be late when they meet the students."

"Fufu, that's right ~~. Let's eat it fast ~~"

"Yeah, there may be rumors if you don't eat fast enough.”

“Bring it on!"

They joked with each other, the atmosphere became peaceful, and the three started to enjoy the rest of the lunch.

However, at that time, there was a shadow rushing into the infirmary.

"Excuse me. Norn-sensei, it seems she is injured. Can you treat her?"

The source of the voice was a beautiful girl with long glossy black hair and deep jet-black eyes.

Irisdina Francilt was there, lending her shoulders to a student who was suspected of being injured.