The Last Place Hero’s Return - Chapter 216

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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 216. Seven Stars Cultural Festival (2)
The day of the Seven Stars Cultural Festival had arrived.
Even though the Hero Academy was not a typical educational institution but rather a place that cultivated heroes to shoulder the future of the Continent and humanity, the excitement permeating the entire school on this day could not be hidden.
External merchants emerging early in the morning to prepare for a day of commerce.
Banners targeting the loosened wallets of Candidates swept up in the festive atmosphere.
Though not many participants, there were still poetry composition contests, painting contests, and various other exhibition entries scattered throughout.
Even for Candidates indifferent to the festival, an appropriate fervor permeated the school—enough to leave them thinking, “Ah, something is happening today.”
“Sigh.”
In my previous life, I would have been one of those “Candidates indifferent to the festival,” responding with cool indifference (while secretly envying them) to all those excited faces, wondering why they were making such a fuss.
But this time, my situation was vastly different from my previous life, where I had no one to enjoy the festival with.
Vastly different indeed.
‘The first person I’m meeting is… Lanez.’
After the topic of the Seven Stars Cultural Festival came up.
After a heated discussion on how we could all enjoy the festival together, the day’s schedule was finalized like this.
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Spending two hours each alternating between Iris, Yurina, Lanez, and Elisha—just the two of us.
After 6 p.m., gathering on the rooftop of Party House to watch the fireworks together, which could be called the highlight of this festival.
That was my schedule for today.
‘What kind of insane Casanova schedule is this?’
Naturally, my opinion had no place whatsoever in this catastrophically disastrous itinerary.
Well, honestly, at the point where I’d already made multiple lovers, I had no right to voice an opinion anyway.
Still, I supposed I should be grateful that we’d reached an agreement without major conflict (relatively speaking).
Regarding the most important matter—the “heart-shaped fireworks”—opinions were still divided, but we decided to figure that out when the time came.
‘Time to head out.’
There was still considerable time before our scheduled 10 a.m. meeting, but given Lanez’s personality, there was a high probability she was already there waiting.
“Hm?”
Upon arriving at the meeting place.
Lanez, whom I naturally expected to have arrived early and be waiting, was nowhere to be seen.
‘What’s going on?’
If it were the usual Lanez, she would have been here long ago, waiting.
“Well… there’s still quite a bit of time before the appointment anyway.”
Just as I was about to sit on a bench and wait for Lanez.
Rustle.
A rustling sound from behind.
“Hm?”
Turning my head, I spotted Lanez crouched among the bushes.
“…What are you doing over there?”
“Eek!”
Lanez sprang up like a capybara caught in a trap.
Twigs and leaves were awkwardly stuck throughout her violet hair like poorly arranged decorations.
“D-Dale? You came?”
“What were you doing hiding over there?”
“Oh, well, that is….”
Lanez squirmed awkwardly, her words trailing off.
“I was… embarrassed….”
“Embarrassed about what?”
“Well… my clothes and… hair… things like that.”
Now that I looked, she had pinned up her bangs—which normally hung low enough to cover her eyes—and wore a daring outfit that revealed her figure rather than the loose, robe-like clothes she usually favored.
“I know it doesn’t suit me, but Sophia kept insisting I go out like this, saying all sorts of things, so I had no choice….”
“It suits you just fine.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yeah. Much better than usual.”
Beyond the outfit itself, Lanez with her bangs pinned up had a refreshingly vibrant, youthful charm compared to her usual gloomy demeanor.
“Ehehe… I’m glad.”
Lanez broke into a bright smile.
“I think you’d look even better if you wore your bangs up all the time.”
“That’s… oh, I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I-I’d be too embarrassed.”
The cheerful energy from moments ago vanished, and Lanez deflated like a punctured balloon.
I chuckled softly and nodded.
“What about when it’s just the two of us?”
“That… I’ll think about it.”
Lanez nodded hesitantly.
“Alright then. Shall we head out?”
I extended my hand toward Lanez.
“…Oh.”
Lanez stared at my outstretched hand, momentarily frozen.
“What?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Lanez smiled bashfully and took my hand.
“Your hand is warm, Dale.”
“Well, I carry the Primordial Flame within me, after all.”
“T-That’s not why!”
Lanez pouted and pulled my hand closer, pressing her cheek against the back of it with a lovely smile.
“Even without the Primordial Flame… you would have been warm, Dale.”
“….”
If my past self saw this moment, I’d probably cough up blood telling myself to have some shame.
Honestly, even I found the conversation a bit cringey.
Honestly, even I think it’s a cringey conversation, but…
“Let’s go.”
“Y-yes!”
So what if lovers were a bit cheesy together?
As long as we were happy, that was all that mattered.
“Still, the cultural festival really is something… It’s not even 10 AM yet, so why are there so many people?”
“Y-yeah.”
I arrived at the School Central Plaza, holding Lanez’s hand.
Though it was still early—not even 10 AM—the street stalls set up in the central plaza were already teeming with Candidates from the program.
Among them, one person stood out with their imposing stature.
“Professor Lucas Kane?”
It was Lucas Kane, standing beside a stall with the most gloomy expression on his face.
“What?”
“What are you doing over there?”
“What am I doing? Can’t you see I’m keeping watch here?”
“…Ah.”
Now that he mentioned it, there had been an incident during the last Seal Festival where merchants from outside turned into magical beasts and caused a rampage.
“Sigh. Because of this, I can’t even meet up with Professor Bianca….”
“That must be tough.”
“Well, it’s fine. It’s part of a professor’s duties after all.”
Lucas Kane clicked his tongue and shook his head with a resigned expression.
“Has anything unusual happened?”
“Well, there’s no one who looks particularly suspicious at the moment, but….”
Lucas Kane surveyed the outside merchants with sharp eyes.
“I’m just on edge because of the incident that happened recently in Valhalla City.”
“An incident? What happened?”
“A crime organization that was operating in Valhalla City was completely annihilated overnight. And it was quite a large-scale organization too.”
A crime organization.
“Those bastards were trash who kidnapped and sold children, so I don’t care that they’re dead… The problem is who destroyed the organization.”
“What’s the problem with that?”
“According to the survivors, it was apparently a child who looked to be around 10 years old.”
“…A child?”
A single child, barely 10 years old, had annihilated an enormous crime organization.
“Well, it’s not confirmed information. The survivor’s mind was so shattered that we couldn’t even have a proper conversation with them.”
“….”
“Anyway. Leave this place to us.”
Lucas Kane waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away a fly.
“By the way… who’s the Candidate next to you? I haven’t seen that face before.”
“Hm? Didn’t you say before that you knew Lanez?”
The moment I started talking with Lucas Kane, Lanez, who had been hiding behind my back, timidly stepped forward and gave a small bow.
“Ah, h-hello….”
“Lanez… Lanez Malam, is that right?”
Lucas Kane’s mouth fell open in astonishment, his expression one of pure shock.
“No, wait… I’m certain the face I knew wasn’t like this.”
Seeing Lanez so elegantly dressed, Lucas Kane wore a bewildered expression, as if struck by revelation.
“I remember her having quite a gloomy impression before… but she’s actually an extraordinary beauty.”
“Dale… Professor Lucas Kane seems like such a good person….”
“By the way, weren’t you and Iris on good terms?”
“Dale… I think Professor Lucas Kane’s eyesight might be a bit poor… should I help him out directly?”
“Regardless, you two make quite the pair.”
“Dale… Professor Lucas Kane really does seem like such a brilliant and wonderful professor….”
Lucas Kane’s evaluation fluctuated wildly in real time.
Fearing that continuing this conversation would only invite trouble, I grabbed Lanez’s hand and quickened my pace.
“Hehe. They say we make a great couple….”
Perhaps Lucas Kane’s words had struck a chord with her.
Lanez leaned against me with a beaming smile, her body pressing softly against mine.
“T-there are so many people around.”
As she said this, Lanez subtly linked her arm through mine.
I stifled a laugh and began to truly enjoy the festival alongside her.
“That smells delicious… Dale, should we go buy some?”
“Dale! That doll over there looks like it resembles you!”
“Oh, look there, Dale. They say for just 20 gold they’ll draw a portrait on the spot! C-come on, let’s ask them to draw us!”
“Hehe. Dale, your arm is so warm… I want to stay like this forever.”
“Ah… it’s a-already past midnight.”
They say time flies when you’re having fun.
Before I knew it, two hours had slipped away as I enjoyed the festival with Lanez.
“…Whose turn is it next?”
“I promised to meet Iris.”
“U-understood.”
Lanez’s shoulders drooped, her expression growing dejected.
Seeing her wither like a flower cast into the desert, I found myself pulling her into an embrace without thinking.
“Kyaaah?!”
Right.
First, I confirmed no one was around.
“…Mmph!”
Then I gently pressed my lips against hers.
“D-Dale….”
“Meet me on the rooftop of the Party House this evening.”
“Hehe. Yes! I’ll be waiting!”
A radiant smile bloomed once more across her face.
“Um… Dale.”
“Huh?”
Lanez clutched my collar, her lips trembling as she fidgeted.
“Will you… kiss me in the evening too? When the… when the heart-shaped fireworks burst?”
“That’s…”
I hadn’t yet decided who I’d kiss when the fireworks exploded.
And I certainly couldn’t kiss multiple people in the brief moment they burst.
‘Simultaneously… no, that’s absolutely not happening.’
The image of kissing everyone at once was so absurd that I couldn’t help but laugh at the mere thought of it.
“I, I have a good idea!”
Lanez threw her hand up excitedly and cried out.
“Oh. What kind of idea?”
“Well… Dale carries my blessing, doesn’t he?”
Lanez continued shyly, a gentle smile on her face.
“So… couldn’t you just split Dale in half… just for that moment?”
“….”
Lanez.
What in the world are you even saying?

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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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