The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 147

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 147. The Consecutive Disappearances of Candidates (1)
A new semester had begun, but my daily life remained largely unchanged.
Being early in the semester, the formal “Practical Combat Training 2” lectures hadn’t started yet, and the candidates were still drowsy from the lingering effects of break.
At this time of year, the professors were actually far busier than the candidates.
They had to coordinate the entire curriculum for the semester through meetings.
“Did you have another meeting today?”
I had intended to hole up in Lucas Kane’s Office during my free time as usual, but finding the door firmly shut, I clicked my tongue in frustration.
‘Even Elisha is incredibly busy these days… It’s hard to catch the professors around lately.’
Since it was early in the semester, most classes were self-directed training, making it difficult to see the professors.
‘I suppose I could head to the Yuren Training Ground again.’
But I had already met with Yuren during the morning self-directed training session and completed a training round, so going back immediately felt awkward.
It was like that uncomfortable moment when you run into a friend at a bus stop after parting ways with “See you tomorrow!”
“Hmm.”
I was contemplating what to do with my remaining time.
“Dale! What are you doing here?”
A familiar voice called out.
“Berald?”
“Hehe. What’s this? You’re here alone without Yurina or… I mean, without Yuren?”
“I trained with Yuren this morning.”
“Oh. Do you not have afternoon classes?”
“As you can see, all the professors are locked away in the conference room.”
“Ugh… What kind of classes are they preparing for anyway…?”
“Beats me.”
I had never seen professors prepare lessons this intensively with consecutive meetings, even in my previous life.
‘The course content will probably differ significantly from what I remember.’
Well, I had already anticipated that the future would gradually diverge into paths unknown to me.
There was no reason to worry about something as trivial as differing lesson plans.
“Anyway, what are you doing here?”
“I’m heading to the Candidate Cafeteria after morning classes.”
“Ah, I haven’t eaten lunch yet either. Want to go together?”
“Of course!”
Berald nodded enthusiastically with a bright smile.
“The Annex or the Main Building?”
“Hehe. Obviously the Annex Cafeteria, right?”
“Fair point.”
Neither Berald nor I were strapped for money anymore.
But out of habit, the Annex Cafeteria—where we could eat quickly and lightly—felt more comfortable than the expensive Main Building Cafeteria.
“Oh, speaking of which, how did your dormitory turn out?”
“It’s been repaired nicely. Actually, it’s even better to live in than before.”
“Hehe. So now you don’t have to live with Yuren anymore… huh?”
Berald’s eyes widened as if he’d just realized something of grave importance.
“W-wait a minute, hyung! So you were… living together with Y-Yurina before break?”
“Well, that’s…”
I trailed off and gave a small nod.
“Huh. I thought you were dating Iris, hyung.”
“It’s… complicated.”
“Complicated? What do you mean complicated?”
“…”
How could I explain it?
That I’d confessed to both Iris and Yurina and was waiting for their answers.
“It’s just… one of those things.”
“Hehe. You certainly have more than your share of luck with women, hyung. The old saying about heroes and their weakness for beauty seems to ring true.”
“Shut it.”
I gave Berald’s chattering shin a light kick and headed toward the Annex Cafeteria.
As usual, I selected the day’s recommended dish, received my food, and sat down at a table.
“How are your classes these days? Are they worth attending?”
“Hehe, who else would I be? The magical genius Berald, of course.”
“What nonsense.”
A magical calamity, more like—not a genius.
“I’m currently researching ways to use mana bullets not just by throwing them, but in other directions as well.”
“Oh? In what way?”
“Hehe. I’ll show you once I’ve perfected it.”
Berald’s lips curled upward with confidence.
Watching his self-assured expression, I stifled a quiet laugh.
“By the way, what about that bandage of yours?”
“I’m keeping it wrapped up.”
Berald rolled up his uniform sleeve, revealing the bandage wound around his forearm.
“I’ve decided not to use it unless it’s a critical situation, just as you said.”
“Good. That’ll help you grow stronger.”
The legacy left behind by Ironhand—the Heavenly Destruction Asura Gauntlets—possessed such extraordinary power that even I, having witnessed countless artifacts, was taken aback.
But precisely because of that, there was a danger of becoming too dependent on the weapon’s performance.
‘After all, artifacts are merely supplementary tools.’
There was a time when I too relied solely on the Blessing of Resurrection and depended on artifacts like the Demon Sword and Demon Armor.
‘I got an earful from Sophia back then.’
Recalling that old memory, I offered a wry smile.
“Oh right, hyung. Have you heard the recent rumors?”
“Rumors? What rumors?”
“The consecutive disappearances of Candidates.”
“What?”
Consecutive disappearances among the Candidates?
Just the name of it reeked of something provocative and unsettling.
‘But if an incident of that magnitude were happening, wouldn’t the entire Academy be in an uproar…?’
If Candidates were truly disappearing in succession within the Academy, there should have been a professors’ meeting convened about it by now.
“Ah, to be precise, it’s not exactly disappearances… more like fainting incidents, I’d say.”
“What exactly is this incident?”
“Apparently, among the Candidates recently, there have been cases where they suddenly lose consciousness and collapse, only to wake up several hours later in a completely different location.”
“…They suddenly lose consciousness, collapse, and then wake up somewhere else hours later?”
“Indeed.”
This sounded like something straight out of a school ghost story.
‘What kind of incident is this?’
Naturally, I had never even heard of such a thing in my previous life.
“Are there any other symptoms? Injuries anywhere on their bodies, anything like that?”
“I’ve heard there were no such symptoms at all.”
“So they just fainted and woke up somewhere else? That’s all?”
This truly sounded like a ghost story.
“Ah, there are no injuries or anything like that, but I have heard that after they regain consciousness, the area where their stigma is located feels somewhat itchy.”
“Itchy, you say… but aside from that, there are no other abnormal symptoms? The stigma isn’t damaged or anything?”
“If that were the case, this wouldn’t have remained just a rumor known only to a select few.”
“True enough.”
For Heroes, a stigma was worth more than life itself.
If stigmas were being damaged in succession, the Academy wouldn’t be as quiet as it is now.
“So no one has any idea about the cause yet?”
“That’s correct.”
Berald nodded and stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“It does seem like it’s the work of a person, though….”
The problem was that I couldn’t figure out who or what their purpose could be.
“How many victims are there so far?”
“I believe it’s around twenty. Mostly fourth-year Candidates, from what I hear.”
“…Fourth-year Candidates, huh.”
I narrowed my eyes and nodded slowly.
“There’s definitely… something fishy about this incident.”
“Hehe. I had the exact same thought as you when I heard about it not long ago.”
“When did this start happening?”
“It’s been occurring since the break, apparently.”
Since the break, then.
“But the professors have just been sitting idle all this time?”
“Well, there’s hardly any actual damage to speak of, is there?”
“That’s… true enough.”
The incident itself was mysterious enough, but as Berald said, there wasn’t really any ‘damage’ to speak of.
Depending on who you asked, they might even say, ‘Weren’t they just tired and fell asleep?’
‘But if twenty people were affected, that changes everything.’
One or two could be dismissed as coincidence, but twenty victims made it abundantly clear that someone had orchestrated this deliberately.
‘The real question is who did this, and why….’
I wracked my brain, but no immediate answers surfaced.
‘I’ll have to ask Elisha about this later.’
As I exhaled a short sigh with that thought.
“Huh? Hey, look over there.”
“Isn’t that a fourth-year Magic Department senior? The one famous for being so fierce….”
“Oh yeah. I’ve heard about her. What was her nickname again… Oh, the Crimson Calamity! That’s what the fourth-year seniors call her!”
“Keep your voice down, you idiot! What if she hears?”
Commotion rippled through the Annex Cafeteria.
Following the candidates’ gazes toward the entrance, I turned my head and saw.
‘Sophia Evergreen?’
A petite woman with striking crimson hair had walked into the cafeteria.
Sophia Evergreen, who had been scanning the room from the entrance, strode purposefully toward the table where Berald Ryu and I sat.
“There you are.”
“…Sophia Evergreen?”
“I need to ask you for a favor.”
Sophia Evergreen spoke in a sharp voice without even sitting down at the table.
“…What kind of favor?”
My initial shock at her sudden appearance quickly subsided.
I opened my mouth while concealing my inner turmoil.
Sophia Evergreen looked down at me and spoke quietly.
“Is it about the Candidate Program disappearance incident….”
“Wow! Are you perhaps Sophia Evergreen?!”
Berald Ryu interrupted Sophia’s words and shot up from his seat.
He gazed at Sophia Evergreen with sparkling eyes, uttering exclamations of admiration.
“I’ve heard so much about you from Laios! They say you’re the most skilled mage among the fourth-years!”
Despite his affiliation with the Magic Department, Berald Ryu wore an excited expression as he looked at Sophia Evergreen.
“J-just stay quiet!”
I pressed down on Berald Ryu’s shoulder urgently.
Knowing Sophia Evergreen’s temperament, I was well aware that she absolutely despised such unnecessary flattery.
Feeling like I was watching a bomb about to detonate, I fidgeted anxiously.
“R-really? Laios told you about me…?”
Sophia Evergreen’s cheeks flushed slightly as she averted her gaze.
She twisted her crimson hair around her fingertips and lowered her eyes.
“Well, I suppose my magical abilities are somewhat exceptional.”
“Somewhat?! I heard you’re even more skilled than most professors!”
“…R-really?”
“Hehe. I’m truly proud to be in the same Magic Department! Oh, and I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am….”
“I know. Berald Ryu, right?”
Sophia glanced sideways at Berald and let out a soft cough.
A peculiar atmosphere flowed between the two of them.
‘What is this?’
Why did the mood suddenly feel so good?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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