The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 167

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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 167. Interlude – Warmth
The mentoring class, which had been fraught with complications, finally ended.
Normally, I should have faced at least suspension or worse for rendering my senior immobilized during class.
Fortunately, Aaron, Bella, and Laios all agreed to say we were injured while fighting a magical beast during the lesson, so I managed to slip through without consequences.
‘I suppose from Aaron’s perspective, telling the truth would be difficult.’
How could he possibly admit that a junior from a lower year had beaten him so badly that three of his ribs were crushed?
I worried Aaron might harbor resentment and take it out on Lanez, but he wasn’t foolish enough for that—upon returning to the Academy, he locked himself in the Private Treatment Room and refused to come out.
‘Still, I’m a bit concerned.’
Regardless of Aaron, I was worried about Bella’s temperament, so I peeked into the 4th Year Classroom a few times, but fortunately, no candidates were bothering Lanez.
Of course, while no one was directly harassing her with violence, they still openly ignored her.
Yet unlike before, Lanez wasn’t wilting away—she faced the indifference around her with remarkable composure.
“A happy ending, perhaps, though not quite complete.”
In any case, Lanez’s condition was undeniably far better than it had been.
‘The real problem is the Blessing of Harsh Winter.’
The powerful blessing dwelling within Lanez.
In terms of pure blessing power alone, I found it difficult to imagine a blessing stronger than the Blessing of Harsh Winter among those I knew.
‘It’s a blessing capable of freezing half the Continent.’
For ordinary heroes, a blessing was essentially a supplementary weapon.
The primary strength came from magic and swordsmanship utilizing the mana embedded in stigmas, with blessings serving as an additional layer.
‘Even Yurina is like that.’
Just because Yurina awakened the Blessing of Moonlight didn’t mean she fought using only the blessing’s power.
However.
There were exceptions depending on the nature and type of blessing.
‘In my past life, Lanez fought using only the blessing’s power.’
In other words.
She had no magic or swordsmanship—she reached that level purely through innate strength.
Of course, a blessing’s effectiveness varied greatly depending on how it was utilized, but in Lanez’s case, the Blessing of Harsh Winter itself was the alpha and omega of her power.
‘The problem is that now I actually need to hope this blessing never awakens.’
Lanez’s blessing was so powerful that even she couldn’t properly control it.
It was like Aaron’s inability to properly wield the Blessing of Meteor.
Or rather, unlike the Blessing of Meteor, which merely left aftereffects that damaged one’s own body, Lanez’s blessing would freeze everything around her.
“Ugh.”
Instead of drawing out the power one possesses, I had to suppress it.
‘Is it even possible to prevent a blessing from awakening?’
I didn’t know exactly how blessings awakened.
Some heroes awakened naturally while walking down the street, some after grueling training, and some awakened dramatically when their lives hung by a thread.
In other words.
To put it bluntly, it was unpredictable.
“Sigh. This is making my head spin.”
As I was wrestling with how to handle this.
Knock, knock.
A soft knocking sound echoed through the room.
When I opened the door, I saw Lanez standing there holding a large pot.
“Um… are you… feeling any better?”
Lanez asked hesitantly.
“…Why are you speaking so formally?”
“Oh, no. I… you’re… well, my benefactor…”
“You don’t need to be so formal with me.”
“Really? That’s okay?”
Lanez glanced at me, her cheeks flushed crimson.
“Yes.”
“Then… can I call you Dale casually too?”
“That’s a bit…”
“Please!”
Lanez stepped closer, her voice urgent.
Unable to resist the intensity in her eyes, I found myself nodding.
“Yes… no, wait. Yeah. Okay. I’ll call you casually too.”
“Um, yeah. Hehe.”
“So what did you bring?”
“I heard you weren’t feeling well…”
“Ah.”
Aaron had been injured badly enough to be hospitalized, so if I returned without a scratch, the story wouldn’t add up. I’d made an excuse about being wounded.
“You’re from the Republic, right? I found out that people from the Republic eat warm porridge when they’re sick. So I made some chicken porridge for you.”
Chicken porridge.
It was a thoughtful choice that reflected Lanez’s careful consideration.
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
“Um… can I come inside for a moment?”
Lanez peered into my room curiously.
“Oh, sure.”
“Hehe.”
Lanez entered with a bright smile, practically skipping into the room.
“So this is… Dale’s room.”
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked around.
“There’s nothing much to see, is there?”
“Oh, no. If I look carefully… I think I can learn a little about Dale.”
Lanez approached the shelf and examined an empty wine bottle with a faint smile.
“Wine… you like it.”
“I only drink occasionally.”
“Really?”
Lanez pulled out a small notebook from her pocket and began jotting something down.
“Wine drinker… two sets of outdoor clothes… prefers dark colors… right-handed… favors comfortable cloth sneakers….”
No.
What, am I investigating a murder scene or something?
“…what are you doing?”
“Uh, huh? Oh, it’s nothing. Hehe.”
Lanez placed the pot on the dining table with a sheepish grin.
“Here you go.”
Lanez ladled chicken porridge into a small bowl and offered it to me.
“I’ll dig in.”
“Um… would you like me to feed you?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“…is that so?”
Lanez’s eyes, which had been sparkling with anticipation, dimmed as she lowered her head with a dejected expression.
I gazed at Lanez while eating the chicken porridge she had made.
Long violet hair, flawless skin without a single blemish, a sharp nose, and delicate jawline.
Before, she had always kept her head down in such a gloomy atmosphere that I hadn’t noticed, but Lanez’s appearance was exceptional enough to stand out anywhere.
‘In my past life, there were even heroes who sided with the Witch of Night because of her beauty.’
Though most of them awkwardly approached her only to freeze to death.
“How does it taste?”
“It’s delicious.”
I had felt it when I ate the soup she made before, but Lanez possessed considerable cooking skills.
“I’m glad.”
Lanez smiled warmly.
But that didn’t last long.
Lanez opened her mouth with a tense expression.
“Um… D-Dale, are you… okay with this?”
“Okay with what?”
“I’m… the child of a Demon Human.”
She asked in a trembling voice.
“….”
Certainly, Demon Human blood flowed through her body.
The blood of a Demon Human once called the “Archpriest” at that.
“If I said it doesn’t bother me, that would be a lie.”
“….”
“But still, my desire to trust you is stronger.”
“You… trust me?”
“Yes.”
That you didn’t become the Witch of Night by choice.
That you didn’t become a monster who froze half the world.
I believe in you.
And now that I’ve taken her hand, I will do everything in my power to make that happen.
It is the destiny that a hero who has taken the Witch of Night’s hand must bear.
“…Ah.”
Tears welled up in Lanez’s eyes.
“I’ve never… heard words like that before.”
She bit her trembling lips, her body shaking with sobs.
“Thank you… thank you. For believing in me… thank you.”
“….”
Simply because she was born as the daughter of a Demon Human.
How terrible must the nightmares she endured have been?
Without thinking, I placed my hand on Lanez’s shoulder as she wept.
“Ah.”
Lanez exhaled a soft sigh.
She carefully cradled my hand resting on her shoulder with both of hers.
“…It’s warm.”
She rubbed her cheek against my hand and broke into a radiant smile.
A smile I had never seen from her in my past life.
Why was that?
Without realizing it, I thought, ‘I’m so glad I saved her.’
“I’ll do my very best.”
“Do your very best?”
“I’ll work hard to live up to Dale’s faith in me.”
Lanez’s eyes sparkled as she clenched her fists.
“Of course, my grades are poor now and my magic is lacking! But I’ll become strong enough to protect Dale in the future!”
“….”
No.
Rather, she shouldn’t become that strong.
I swallowed the words rising to my throat and gave an awkward nod.
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“No! I’ll become strong no matter what!”
No.
She mustn’t become stronger.
“Actually… it’s embarrassing to say it myself, but I’ve been deliberately suppressing my power all this time. If I used my strength, everyone would curse it as the power of a Demon Human.”
“….”
“But from now on, I won’t need to! Because Dale is here!”
“….”
“I… I can do anything for Dale! So….”
Lanez gently tugged at my hand, her eyes trembling with anxiety.
“Don’t… abandon me.”
“….”
I exhaled softly.
A sigh escaped between my lips unbidden.
“People aren’t objects to be discarded or abandoned. Look, fine, I understand. Having a goal is a good thing. But I need you to promise me one thing.”
“…What promise?”
“Prioritize your own well-being above all else. If that power you’ve been suppressing all this time spirals beyond your control, you come find me first. Understood?”
“Okay.”
Lanez’s eyes widened considerably.
With tears glistening in her gaze, she murmured softly to herself, “Really… you’re actually thinking about me.”
“…Dale.”
“Hmm?”
“Dale, Dale, Dale… hah, hah.”
After calling my name repeatedly, Lanez suddenly rose from her seat, breathing heavily and urgently.
“I, I should get going!”
“Oh, sure.”
As I walked Lanez to the door.
“Ah, um… Dale.”
“What?”
“Could I possibly get your Hero Watch number?”
“Of course.”
Exchanging contact information was essential to keep tabs on her—a walking time bomb waiting to detonate.
“Hehe. Dale’s number….”
Lanez giggled softly as she gazed at her Hero Watch’s sparse contact list, which contained only my number.
“W-well then, sleep well, Dale!”
After her farewell, Lanez disappeared with hurried steps.
‘Did she need to use the restroom urgently or something?’
Tilting my head in puzzlement, I watched her receding figure before closing the door and lying down on my bed.
“Phew.”
Perhaps it was because so much had happened.
As soon as I lay down, exhaustion crashed over me.
‘For now… let me rest.’
Having exerted the primordial flame’s power during my clash with Aaron, an irresistible drowsiness overwhelmed me.
I surrendered to the encroaching sleep without resistance.
Ding, ding.
Why was it?
That night, I dreamed of wandering through a room festooned with dozens of hanging bells, desperately seeking an escape.
* * *
The next day.
Upon waking, I habitually activated my Hero Watch.
[You have 257 unread messages.]
“…What?”
Two hundred fifty-seven?
I furrowed my brow and opened my message inbox.
[Um… Dale,]
[I was really grateful today.]
[If it weren’t for you, I never would have felt this way in my entire life.]
[Ah… did contacting you like this become a burden?]
[I’m sorry.]
[I wasn’t thinking clearly.]
[I shouldn’t reach out carelessly, right?]
[I’m truly sorry. This is the first time I’ve ever exchanged messages with someone else, so I made a mistake.]
[Dale… are you perhaps angry?]
[Why aren’t you replying?]
.
.
.
[Or is it because I did something terrible while thinking of you?]
[I’m sorry. I won’t do it again from now on.]
[I didn’t know you’d notice.]
[I’m sorry, sorry, sorry.]
[I was wrong.]
[Please don’t abandon me.]
Messages continuing in this vein, stretching on and on.
“…No.”
What is this?

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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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