The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 195

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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 195. The Witch’s Resolve (2)
More than a week had passed since I began assisting Lanez with her training every single day.
“Lanez. Let’s take a break today.”
“Huh? Why? Do you have something else to do today…?”
Lanez’s expression shifted to one of bewilderment at my words.
I exhaled a deep sigh and shook my head firmly.
“Lanez… do you even realize what your face looks like right now?”
Lanez’s face had grown so gaunt and hollow that it was painful to look at.
“Ah… I, I’m fine!”
“No. This ends now.”
I shook my head with absolute conviction.
“Lanez. Let’s go to your Dormitory room.”
“Huh? Why, why my room?”
“Quickly.”
Without answering her question, I forcefully grabbed her hand and pulled her along.
‘If I leave her alone, there’s no telling what she’ll do to herself.’
I intended to go directly to her room and personally supervise her rest, ensuring she couldn’t entertain any other thoughts.
Click.
Thus we entered Lanez’s room.
Stepping into Lanez’s room for the first time, I was struck by how barren it was—utterly devoid of any personal touches.
A bed, a small desk, and a dining table comprised the entirety of the furnishings.
There was not even a hint of the pink, frilly aesthetic that male Candidates typically imagined when picturing female Candidates’ rooms.
“Ugh… I, I’m embarrassed.”
Was she truly self-conscious about showing someone else her room, sparse as it was?
Lanez followed me inside, her face flushed crimson as she glanced nervously in my direction.
“…Sorry. You really don’t have much of anything, do you?”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. It’s your room, after all.”
“But still…”
“Even so, I think you could decorate it a bit more. When a room is completely empty like this, it feels rather lonely, doesn’t it?”
Though I was hardly one to speak, having kept my own room equally sparse.
“Y, yes. I’ll do that.”
“Good. Then sit down. I’ll prepare a meal for you shortly.”
“A, a meal? You, Dale?”
“Yes.”
I lifted the bag containing the ingredients.
Fresh provisions I had purchased early this morning at the Convenience Store before meeting with Lanez.
“Ah, no! Let me make it!”
“Now, now. I exempted you from training so you could rest properly—how would that work if you’re the one cooking?”
“B, but…”
“Come now, sit down quickly.”
I forced Lanez into a chair by her shoulders.
“Let me see… then.”
Today’s dish would be samgyetang.
A restorative soup known for its fatigue-recovery properties.
‘It’s not particularly difficult to make, either.’
I wasn’t as skilled as Lanez or Iris, but I could cook reasonably well.
After cleaning the chicken, I stuffed it with ingredients and simmered it in a pot with medicinal herbs.
Bubble, bubble.
After about thirty minutes, a milky broth emerged, filling the room with a savory aroma.
“It’s hot, so eat slowly.”
“O-okay.”
Lanez, apparently quite hungry, quickly finished the samgyetang.
“Th-thank you, Dale.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“A-ah, I-I’ll do the dishes!”
“Just rest.”
I pressed down on Lanez’s shoulders as she tried to rise from the chair, keeping her seated.
Then.
Ding dong.
The doorbell chimed through the room.
“Ah, I guess morning classes are all finished now.”
“Huh? D-did someone call for someone?”
“I mentioned you, and she insisted she had to come too.”
Click.
When I opened the door, Iris and Yurina appeared.
“Iris? Yurina? What are you both doing here…?”
“I heard from Dale that Lanez has been pushing herself hard lately.”
“I got worried and came to check.”
Iris approached Lanez, who sat in the chair, and examined her face.
“…Indeed, your complexion looks quite poor. You have dark circles too.”
“A-ah, Iris.”
“Shh. Don’t move. I’m examining you now.”
Iris placed her hand on Lanez’s cheek and gently touched the area beneath her eyes.
And then.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Squeeze.
Iris suddenly grasped Lanez’s left breast.
“Eek!”
“Oh. You shouldn’t move…”
“Hah…!”
Lanez startled and twisted her body, but my grip only tightened instead, causing her captured breast to swell so prominently that its shape was clearly visible even through her clothes.
“…!”
I had to send my mana through my eyes and burn this sight into my memory right now…!
“Tsk.”
Yurina approached from behind and covered my eyes with her hand.
“Y-Yurina?”
“Dale… you’re being indecent.”
A chill emanated from the back of my neck.
I turned my head away from Lanez and Iris, feeling as though I were coughing up blood.
“Ah, Iris… w-what is this suddenly….”
“Please stay still.”
Iris placed her hand on Lanez’s left chest—where the stigma was inscribed—and drew forth her mana.
A pristine luminescence seeped into Lanez’s stigma.
“…As I thought.”
Iris’s face crumpled with concern.
“Her mana circuits are severely damaged.”
Due to the reckless use of the “Blessing,” Lanez’s internal mana circuits were in tatters.
“Dale. Move Lanez to the bed… what are you two doing?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
“Hmph.”
Only then did Yurina release the hand covering my eyes.
Following Iris’s instructions, I lifted Lanez and carried her to the bed.
“Th-this isn’t necessary….”
“No. This qualifies as a serious condition. Until treatment is complete, you must follow my orders.”
Iris shook her head firmly.
She grasped Lanez’s hand with both of hers and brought it to her forehead as though in prayer.
“Holy Seven Gods, grant your child rest and peace.”
With the soft incantation, luminescence flowing from Iris’s body seeped into Lanez’s form.
“…Ah.”
A faint sigh escaped Lanez’s lips.
Color returned to her cheeks, and her expression grew noticeably more at ease.
“You feel better, don’t you?”
“Y-yes. Thank you, Iris.”
“Still, you must maintain absolute rest for at least three days.”
“Th-three days?”
“If you train again before then, I won’t send you that photo of Dale drying his hair right after the hot spring—the one I promised to show you.”
“N-no, that can’t happen!”
“….”
What?
I had the distinct feeling I’d just overheard a deal I wasn’t supposed to know about.
“A photo of Dale drying his hair…?”
“My, are you interested too, Yurina?”
“Ahem. N-no, it’s not like that… When was this taken?”
“Hehe. During this school trip, I asked Juliet Kang to sneak a shot for me….”
Juliet, you bastard.
I thought something was off when you suddenly wanted to take a commemorative photo…!
“….”
I stood there with a blank expression, watching this blatant illegal transaction(?) unfold right before my eyes.
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Hm? Did you call someone else?”
“No.”
I tilted my head in confusion and opened the door, only to find Sophia and Berald standing there.
“Huh? What? Why is everyone gathered here?”
“Lanez wasn’t doing well, so I came to check on her… What about you, Sophia?”
“Hmph. I came to catch a delinquent Candidate who’s been skipping classes lately.”
Sophia snorted and glared sharply at Lanez, who lay on the bed.
Lanez flinched and turned away, avoiding Sophia’s gaze.
“Skipping classes…?”
“Yeah. Apparently, she hasn’t shown her face in class for about a week. Since my class section is different, I only found out today when Elisha mentioned it to me.”
Sophia clicked her tongue and strode into the room with purpose.
Berald followed behind her, scratching his head awkwardly as if to say ‘I was dragged here by Sophia.’
“Were you sick and couldn’t attend? Then you should have at least submitted an absence form. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I, well….”
Lanez opened and closed her mouth in confusion, stammering.
“Sigh. I’ll tell the professor you were absent due to illness and submit the absence form for you.”
“S-Sophia.”
“Tsk. You’re such a handful.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Friends are supposed to be a little troublesome to each other anyway.”
“….”
Lanez hung her head low.
“Thank you all… so much….”
Her shoulders trembled slightly.
Transparent tears rolled down her cheeks and dampened the blanket.
“W-what? Why are you crying all of a sudden?”
Sophia turned to Berald in bewilderment.
“B-Berald! Do something to stop her tears!”
“No, what am I supposed to do….”
“Just try something!”
Sophia pushed Berald’s back.
“Hmm.”
Berald scratched his head and retrieved a metal spoon from the kitchen.
“Then let me show you a fascinating piece of magic.”
Berald gripped the spoon’s neck with two fingers as if pinching it.
“Now, if you hold it like this and shake it gently….”
Screeeech.
Snap.
The metal spoon tore in two.
“Ta-da!”
“Ta-da my foot! You just tore the metal apart with finger strength… huh?”
Sophia stared down at the separated spoon, her eyes widening in circles.
“You… tore metal…? Without even using mana?”
“Hehe! This is the true power of magic!”
“No… that’s not what magic is….”
Sophia looked at Berald with a bewildered expression.
“Pfft!”
Clear laughter burst from Lanez’s lips.
“Ahahaha!”
“Oh! I, I did it!”
Berald clenched his fists tightly as he watched Lanez laugh while clutching her stomach.
“Then for my next magic trick, I’ll tear the table in two….”
“No way—you’ll destroy everything in the room? We barely have any furniture as it is.”
Sophia flicked Berald on the head.
“Everyone, let’s head back now.”
Lanez would probably rest more comfortably that way too.
“Get some rest, Lanez.”
“You haven’t forgotten what I said, right? Absolute rest for at least three days!”
“I’ll make sure to attend class once I’m better.”
They all exchanged light farewells and filed out of the room.
Lanez waved her hand from where she lay on the bed.
“Thanks, everyone.”
Click.
The door closed.
The quiet silence that settled over the room made the bustle that had filled it moments before feel like nothing more than a dream.
“…I won’t forget. Never.”
Lanez gazed at the firmly shut door, a faint smile crossing her face.
* * *
The next day.
I was preparing to head outside, thinking I might finally train with Yurina since Lanez wouldn’t be joining us.
Crash!
The door burst open violently, and Sophia rushed into my room.
“D-Dale…!”
“What’s the matter?”
“L-Lanez… she left this…!”
Sophia thrust a piece of paper into my hands.
Like night descending upon the snow-blanketed Snowy Wasteland.
Black ink marked the white paper, beginning with the words “Withdrawal Request Form.”

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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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