Chapter 7

Soul State - Bird

"Huh? Isn't it broken?

[Bird]? Yes, well... it was obvious, was it not?

“Is...... is that it? …Is there..... no more?”

Jae thought he used the skill wrong.

...No, it must be broken somehow if it's only like this.

Maybe he would need to try it again, Jae thought, and so he used the skill again. This time, however, it was on a completely different bird.

Skill「Envy」has activated Soul State - Bird

“…There… really is…”

‘Nothing else.’

Jae shook his head and corrected his thinking.

No. This can’t be all there is to it.

[You really are foolish if you believe such power comes so easily.]

Right, right. The skill is only level one right now, so there’s the possibility that it improves by levelling up. No, that's usually the case isn't it? Obviously it will improve when it levels up.

And so, Jae began to test his theory. By using the skill on everything in sight, one thing at a time.

Soul State - Cicada Skill「Envy」has levelled up [Lv.1]→[Lv.2] The envy within you intensifies...

[Hah.]

“…Finally.”, said Jae as he lay on the forest ground, staring up at the notification window.

Of course, he was glad that「Envy」levelled up, because it seemed like it could be useful, and so he wanted to test it out right away... But, Jae now felt a little…

Odd.

Ever since the skill became Level 2. It was a feeling he had felt before. Not that long ago, in fact. However, now, he could feel it much more distinctly than last time.

That feeling…

Yes, it was definitely…

'Envy'.

Jae's previous feelings of jealousy and resentment were clearer and stronger than before. He was reminded, constantly, of Chris, Ryan, Eleanor―everyone.

He was envious that they were blessed by the gods and could live in such a place as the royal palace of a country.

He was envious at the fact they got to eat delicious food for every meal and that they would receive exclusive weapons and training for free.

Of course, that wasn't all though.

Skill「Wrath」has activated

―These feelings quickly became anger.

Skill「Wrath」has levelled up [Lv.0]→[Lv.1] The wrath within you grows...

[Ahhh~...... How long has it been since the last time I felt this refreshed....?]

A deep, mature voice could be heard in Jae's mind.

"......."

...Apparently, he spent too long trying to level up the skill that he forgot his priorities.

The sky was quickly becoming dark. Jae immediately got up off the ground, and, fuelled by his anger, walked deeper into the forest.

“It doesn’t matter how long it takes―weeks, months, even years―I’ll make those bastards pay no matter what.”

[Faaaa.... at least you're not that foolish.]

[Action after such a long time...... Hahaha, I cannot wait!]

This was going to be troublesome.

Sitting on the bed in his room, Ryan sipped on his beverage while listening to what his party members, or as he calls them, his subordinates, have to say.

“―so unfortunately, there wasn't really anything I could get. There was nothing I heard about Jae, either. Though I don't know why Leader wants info on him so much. He only disappeared.”

“Nothin' for you to worry 'bout, 'kay. Nico, get as much as ya can. Kait, there ain't much ya can do right now since we ain't trainin' yet, so just sit tight, yeah? Hmm, you two go for now. Oh, go to the meetin' early in case anythin's said.”

“Yes, Leader.”

“Yeah. Have a good night, Leader.”

*click*

The door shut quietly as the two left the room. Ryan waited for a few moments before placing his cup down and standing up.

“Hmph.”

「Great Sage's Records」.

All of a sudden, a display full of various notes and information had appeared in a similar form to that of the status window.

A special skill, unique to Ryan's class,「Disciple of the Great Sage」. It was the thing which allowed Ryan to keep note of all the information he had acquired without anyone knowing, as well as gain information other people hadn't known about. Furthermore, it seems that it'll give more knowledge when Ryan becomes a certain level, although, since they haven't started the actual training yet, he hadn't been able to test it out.

The more I get used to this class the more I feel that it was made specifically for me…

Once opened, Ryan entered all the new information he got from Nico, and when finished with that, he closed the skill window and left the room. He was headed to a room where the entire class was scheduled to meet and discuss something. Apparently, Eleanor had something to announce to everyone.

Though that self-proclaimed 'Hero' has probably been told everythin' already by the bitch in sheep's clothin'.

Ryan arrived as the last person, and the Princess swiftly began the speech in the tension-filled room. She spoke in a poignant and emotional tone.

”Everyone...... it pains me greatly to bring you this terrible news..... But it has to be done. You can’t be left in the dark forever..... I’m sure you remember, when your teacher was found out to be an E-rank.....”

She continued, and the class listened with dark expressions as they recalled the sudden death of their teacher in front of their eyes.

”.....As you were previously told, the higher the rank, the more blessed by God you are, and so, the more 'heroic tendencies' you have and the potential to become strong is much larger.”

”―Conversely, however, this implies that the lower the rank, the more ‘latent evil’ you contain, and you are weaker, with some exceptions.”

What a loada bullshit.

It was everything up to here that Ryan could barely stand. In his view, the ranks had absolutely nothing to do with ‘righteousness’ or ‘evil’, but actually showed solely the 'potential power' of the individual.

I ain't a fuckin' saint, 'kay? Don't go spewin' shit 'bout me bein' a fuckin' hero, uh? The bitch.

”This brings me to the subject I wanted to talk to you about.....”

He only really listened when she began to speak again.

”Your... ex-classmate―I believe his name was ‘Jae’…? ”

Everyone closely listened in. They thought things like, ‘Oh yeah? What actually happened to him?’, and, ‘That reminds me… nobody has seen that guy in a long while, huh…’. Ryan, especially, listened carefully. He thought he could get some good information, even if it came from someone he hates.

”When the malicious teacher was discovered and rightfully executed, your classmate tried to run away by feigning ill health and trying to escape the palace...”

She continued after a moment of glancing around at the ex-students. Her innate charisma and eloquent speaking captivated the entire class already, and they listened intently to her story.

“Of course, our excellent knights captured him, unharmed. We had thought that Jae might’ve simply fled in confusion, as, at the time, nothing was explained to you all, and just like you all, he was probably afraid, but....”

Princess Eleanor then half-closed her eyes and put on a slightly downtrodden expression.

“....Unfortunately, an incident occurred..."

She continued.

"Once we had him back, we had him take the Status Reveal, privately, since the chance wasn't there previously..... Unexpectedly, it turns out Jae was not only an E-rank, but also backed by the wicked Demon race, although, how that happened so quickly, sadly, we still have completely no idea…”

The class was stunned silent. They had not expected this turn of events whatsoever, and so wore shocked expressions; some even gasped or heavily frowned, while others simply couldn’t believe or properly process what they were told.

"It is probable that the Demons spied on us and learnt of our plans to summon you heroes, and when the opportunity came, they used their silver tongues to convert him to the side of evil...."

To think that someone they believed was a classmate and an ally was actually on the side of evil this entire time… The class was, firstly, disgusted by the thought.

―And then, relieved by the thought that he was now gone.

Eleanor saw this and a small, unnoticeably tiny smirk surfaced on the corner of her face. "Huhu~", she chuckled to herself silently in satisfaction, and thought while gazing upon the class’ expressions.

This is absolutely wonderful! Marvellous...!! Thank you so much, Father, for granting this humble daughter such a magnificent duty to accomplish!!!

“Princess…?”, a student asked. It appears he wanted to know if that was all, as she had stopped talking quite abruptly.

“That is not all... Regrettably, the evil had barely escaped our grasp by using the Demons’ horrific powers to overpower our poor, injured knights.”

The Princess regained her confident and noble posture, and raised her voice in a tone of desperation to the class.

“Heroes...! I implore you! Please, if the evil one ever return to besmirch our great and holy country, and our happiness, once more... Please... Please, at that time, help us. Lend us your gracious aid, I plead. Show no mercy to the wicked one and his evil Demon supporters that wish only to destroy our harmony and kill the people of our wonderful country―no, the whole Human race!”

The princess concluded her grand speech with glistening eyes, as if she would cry, and ragged breath, as if the inspiring speech had depleted all her stamina. The Princess was supported by Chris, who had a gentle smile on his face.

“....You did well, Ellie.”

As the class began a standing ovation, Eleanor reciprocated Chris' actions with a warm smile, before nodding to herself.

“Mn, you really are kind, Sir Chris. Thank you... Truly.”

Then, Chris's smile disappeareed and he spoke with a serious tone.

“Ellie. I swear I will protect you. You, this country, the world―everything. I shall bring down anyone who stands in the way of our good, no matter the opposition.”

“...You have my deepest gratitude.”

It was on this day that the pact between the Hero and the Second Princess was made.

Afterwards, time passed, and days went by in a flash.

The Heroes trained, daily. They focused on levelling up their skills and honing their crafts.

As well as this, the Heroes were soon being taught by only the best professors in the Kingdom about the world and everything in it, ranging from subjects like geography to economics and even etiquette, where they even learnt things such as how to walk, talk and eat like a noble.

Ordinarily, one would think that a group of teenagers in this situation would be jaded, bored—they had already been learning almost their whole lives in Earth's schools until this point, after all. However, strangely enough, they enjoyed, nay, revelled in learning about the new world; perhaps because it was simply so exciting and was a bit of a breath of fresh air to them.

Suprisingly, there was no major trouble with the Demons, so there was nothing to worry about in regard to that, and so, the class could focus primarily on training and then having fun. Well, that's what they focused on anyways, but of course there were some bumps along the way.

Overall, life for the Heroes was, put simply, grand, and, just like that...

In what seemed like the blink of an eye......

―One year had passed.