Time Healer Ceres - Chapter 87

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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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“Looks like they took the Mana Stone.”
“…….”
The Boss’s chest cavity had been torn open.
“Find out what this Monster is and track down where that Mana Stone went.”
“Yes, sir.”
Aseraian issued the order swiftly. Whoever had taken the Mana Stone was undoubtedly the one who’d killed this Boss.
“But…….”
Aseraian glanced around the clearing. A thought had suddenly occurred to him.
“Where’s Persha?”
“I’m not certain. We heard he arrived before us, but…….”
* * *
“I’ll do it.”
“Stay still. You can’t even see—what do you think you’re going to accomplish alone?”
“The mirror, remember? The mirror.”
“I said stay still.”
“…….”
The place she’d arrived at via Teleportation Magic was Kainel’s Office.
‘Why here, of all places? There’s the Academy Treatment Center, and plenty of other closer locations.’
She couldn’t fathom why he’d insisted on bringing her all the way here. Treatment anywhere would have sufficed.
“Listen.”
“Stay still.”
“Want to buy a Mana Stone?”
Kainel, who’d been applying medicine to Seres’s wounded ear, froze mid-motion.
“A Mana Stone?”
“This one.”
Seres fished out something she’d stuffed hastily into her pocket.
A violet Mana Stone no larger than an adult’s finger.
She’d extracted it from the Boss’s corpse right after defeating it.
‘For something from inside a giant’s body, it’s surprisingly small.’
Artia had mentioned it before.
The higher the Magical Power Grade of a Monster, the smaller its Mana Stone tends to be.
But the quality of the magical essence contained within is far superior.
‘I won’t make that mistake twice.’
When she thought about how she’d just left after defeating the Bakula Boss before, she still jolted awake some nights in a cold sweat. Who could’ve known that thing was worth 5,000 gold?
‘And the Crown Prince has that one.’
Since the original owner never came forward, the Crown Prince Aseraian still held possession of that Mana Stone. Every time she saw him now, her fingers itched—
she had to bite her tongue to keep from claiming it as hers.
‘So this time, I came prepared.’
My butler would’ve praised me endlessly if he’d known I’d been so prudent.
“Why would I buy that?”
“Sell it, then. It’s worth money. I’ll give you a discount.”
“I don’t need money.”
“…How annoying.”
Rich people were all the same.
“You could sell it yourself. Why drag me into it?”
“Because it’ll cause a stir. Everyone will know I killed the Boss.”
“People who needed to see it already did, didn’t they? Why worry about unnecessary attention now?”
“No one actually saw me kill the Boss.”
Besides, it had been dark enough that hardly anyone would’ve gotten a good look at my face!
But an A-Rank Monster Boss’s Mana Stone was a different matter entirely. The moment I put it up for sale, they’d trace it right back to me.
An A-Rank Monster Boss is powerful—even seasoned mercenaries with considerable skill struggle to bring one down alone. If word got out that I’d defeated one single-handedly, of course it would draw attention.
“So buy it from me.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t like you making a lot of money.”
“What kind of reason is that? The more you earn, the faster you can pay off your debt!”
“That’s exactly why I don’t like it.”
“What?”
What the hell was this lunatic even saying?
Seres stared at Kainel with an expression of utter disbelief as he smirked smugly.
‘What in the world happened over three hundred years?’
Why had he become so twisted? He’d never been like this before.
“One has to live a long time.”
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
Kainel stepped back once he’d finished the treatment.
“To repay all my debts.”
“…sigh.”
He let that infuriating smile creep back across his face.
“So don’t you dare get injured without my permission.”
…Now even getting hurt required his approval?
“Which is why you’re going to buy this.”
“I’m not.”
The irritating bastard.
* * *
“…It’s excessive, it really is.”
The grades had been posted in large letters down the center of the corridor.
Honestly—with the Black Forest incident, buildings collapsing, and students wounded everywhere—who posts exam results in the middle of this chaos?
‘Though I have to admit, I’m curious.’
Seres squeezed through the crowd of chattering students and stole a glance at her own ranking.
“Wow…….”
Could I actually be a genius?
I didn’t even know there was an exam until the day of—no studying beforehand—and yet.
‘Seventh place.’
I was always decent at academics, after all.
Seres smiled with satisfaction, nodding to herself repeatedly.
“What’s that?”
That’s when Antonian’s deflated voice came from beside her.
What was he doing following her to the Upper Division Building since morning anyway?
“Seventh place, huh.”
“Yeah. Seventh.”
You have to admit that’s impressive, right?
Just as her shoulders were about to swell with pride, Antonian let out a sound like a wounded cat.
“How did your grades drop so much?”
“…What?”
“The older sister who never once missed first place—why are you ranked like this?!”
“…….”
…So this kid was actually disgustingly good at academics.
“Study harder, sister.”
“And what rank are you?”
“Me? Why are you asking something so obvious?”
“So obvious……?”
“Obviously first place. Have you ever seen me drop below that?”
“…….”
…Then why are you studying the sword at all with grades like that?
The instructors had apparently strongly discouraged sword training, and now it made sense why.
Seres regarded Antonian with an expression of disbelief.
Had he never considered changing his path?
“But why are you even here?”
“What do you mean. The Middle Division Building was destroyed, so we’re temporarily sharing the Upper Division Building. You didn’t know?”
Ah… was it? Well, I don’t have anyone to tell me these things.
“I’ve heard some strange rumors too.”
“What rumors?”
“That the Black Forest Boss was defeated by a female student from our Academy’s Upper Division.”
“…A female student from Upper Division?”
“A girl with long platinum blonde hair, they said.”
“…….”
Antonian folded his arms and fixed Seres with a steady gaze.
“It wasn’t you, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t mean to say that Sister…….”
Antonian trailed off, shaking his head vigorously.
No matter how he reasoned it through, the pieces didn’t fit.
Sure, his sister was an odd person, but picking up a sword and hunting monsters?
The woman who couldn’t bring herself to kill a single insect?
Even losing her memories and changing her personality didn’t account for that.
She’d trained Group B mercilessly, himself included, yet Antonian’s eyes remained clouded with familial affection.
“You came looking for me just to confirm that?”
“Well, partly.”
He’d wanted to check on his sister’s grades too.
Antonian’s gaze drifted toward the bulletin board where test scores were posted.
“Did you lose your brain along with your memories? Seventh place? Seventh? Ugh.”
“This is really…….”
“I’m leaving.”
Antonian shook his head and walked away slowly.
“Study harder.”
“…….”
Seres fell silent under the weight of his pitying stare.
Wait—did I place seventh from the bottom instead of the top?
“Sigh…….”
“It’s not a bad score, actually. Your brother certainly has high expectations.”
“……?”
Seres turned at the vaguely familiar voice beside her, her eyes widening slightly.
An unexpected figure stood there, radiant with a bright smile.
“We meet again.”
“Aleks?”
It was Aleks—Chaien’s brother and the Empire’s Third Prince.
And he was wearing the Academy uniform.
“You’re a student here?”
“I transferred in a few days ago. The same day the Black Forest appeared.”
In the middle of the semester, no less?
It would’ve been far simpler to enroll next term…….
It struck her as odd, but she kept the thought to herself. They weren’t close enough for such questions.
She was about to nod and end the conversation when Aleks tapped his chest twice, drawing her attention.
“I’m your senior.”
“…….”
Seres checked the color of the name badge on his uniform.
A blue badge, marking him as a third-year student.
“I look forward to working with you, junior.”
A bright smile bloomed across his face again.
* * *
“Something quite fascinating occurred this time.”
The man continued speaking as he watered pristine white flowers by the window, just as he always did.
Aleks sat in the sunlit window seat, unchanged from before.
“…….”
Aleks offered no particular response to the man’s words. The man paid this no mind and carried on.
“To create an A-Rank Black Forest and yet have no fatalities—truly remarkable.”
The man tending the white flowers with delicate care wore a gentle smile.
“Not a single bloom produced.”
The man’s gaze shifted from the flowers to Aleks.
“You know, don’t you? Without flowers, your treatment becomes impossible.”
“I know.”
At his curt reply, the man’s smile deepened.
“I hear she cut down an A-Rank Monster in one stroke. Did you know?”
“Jutel told me.”
Jutel—the one who assisted Aleks in secret.
It was he who relayed the man’s instructions to Aleks, and he who witnessed Seres dispatching the Monster during the Black Forest incident and reported back.

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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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