The Hero’s Brother Is Bound To Be Depressed

25 – Practice

When we headed to the hospital ward to see Roel, Rosalyn was by Roel’s side as if he had come to visit.

Seeing Rosalyn constantly suggesting something like sweets to Roel, she thought about it for a while, wondering if she was breaking the good mood.

Seeing me, Roel raised her hand to greet her.

“No, hello. Loss….”

Let’s wonder at Rosalyn’s look at me, startled, and stuttering her words like a criminal, failing to make eye contact. Rosalyn said in a watery voice, her eyes fixed on the ground.

“I, I will go now!”

Roel and I met each other’s eyes at Rosalyn’s behavior as she ran away from the ward, shrugging her shoulders at Rosalyn’s strange reaction.

Well, I must have been delusional alone.

“Thanks for visiting the hospital, Ross.”

Seeing Roel’s expression of joy at the fact that he had come to visit her in the hospital, she felt sorry for not being able to find her sooner.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it’s okay. Originally, I could be discharged today, but everyone was worried, so I decided to get tested tomorrow morning and be discharged.”

I felt a little relieved by Roel’s words. I apologized to Roel, who must have been in an awkward situation because of me.

“I’m sorry. No wonder I talked about the sewer….”

“No, everyone got caught in the trap carefully dug by the warlock. The testimony you gave was true. Hatcheries in the sewers really did exist.”

For some reason, I was very grateful to Roel, who believed in me wholeheartedly as always. Rumors continued to circulate that he colluded with the warlock, but I had faith that Roel would have believed me.

“I heard about you. I’m glad the misunderstanding was cleared up before I went to the interrogation room. Did you enjoy watching the imperial family?”

“Yes….”

Watching Roel relieved, I suddenly thought of this. How will Roel react if the lies I’ve been hiding are revealed?

Clearing the negative thoughts that were filling up in my head, I brought up the story of Lakar to change the subject.

“Oh, I made a friend this time.”

“What?! Really? A friend other than Ellie? Isn’t that what a friend in your heart is like?”

For some reason, I felt trembling when I saw Roel, who was very surprised and genuinely amazed.

When I made an expression as if I had eaten a very astringent persimmon, Roel hurriedly managed his expression. I couldn’t hide the interest in the eyes looking at me.

“It’s called Lacar…. We are freshmen in the same combat club.”

“Really? Shall we go see you now?”

Saying that as if it were natural, he hurriedly restrained Roel from getting up from the bed.

“What, why is your brother trying to meet you?”

“Yeah…. Because it’s your first friend. Check out what kind of person she is, and ask her to be friendly with her brother….”

At Roel’s words, I sighed and said.

“You’re overprotective, hyung. I’ll take care of my friendship with Lakar, don’t worry.”

At that, Roel smiled brightly and leaned back against the headboard of her bed.

“I think it was a really good choice for you to enter the academy. I’m glad it seems to be turning for the better.”

A little embarrassed to see Roel genuinely delighted with my positive change, I switched the subject to something else.

After chatting about miscellaneous things, I got out of the ward after receiving Roel’s one-sided promise to take me to a delicious hamburger restaurant in the capital city next time.

Walking towards the Combat Division dormitory on top of the hill. Suddenly someone blocked my way.

With her pink hair and her chest bigger than her head, I immediately knew it was Rosalyn.

“Lo, Ross! This is a stamina boost potion I made myself…. Sun, I put a lot of effort into giving it as a gift….”

I was puzzled by Rosalyn’s behavior when she suddenly handed me a red potion bottle as a gift. As she took the potion, she asked Rosalyn.

“What kind of gift is this all of a sudden?”

“Huh? Gap, not suddenly…. Normally I like you, you very, very good….”

It was a question she shouldn’t have asked, but Rosalyn couldn’t continue her words as her tears welled up.

She was taken aback by the sudden change and she stared blankly at it, not knowing what to do. Rosalyn bit her lip and turned her body away.

“Mi, sorry!”

She left those words behind, and when she saw Rosalyn quickly running away, she felt uneasy about what the hell she had done, but when she said it was a potion to increase her stamina, she drank it without hesitation.

Feeling the pain in her muscles disappearing from her screams as if she had eaten a potion, she opened her status window to check her changes, and her physical strength increased by 0.3.

As expected, it was a skill worthy of a chief of the pension department.

She went back to the dormitory with a satisfied smile.

***

The next day, after a less awkward breakfast with la carte, she returns to class and sits down.

Someone came into the classroom screaming loudly.

“Breaking News!!! Because of this raid, the principal told me to do a special practice today!!!”

At the cry of an unknown classmate, the classroom quickly turned upside down.

“Oh, what is it? Suddenly practice….”

“I heard practice is really hard.”

When negative reactions become public opinion in the classroom. Someone hit the head of the student who shouted for breaking news with the palm of his hand.

“Honey, is the principal your friend?”

The classroom, which had been chaotic with the appearance of the Lycan, regained order. As she hurriedly sat down, the Lycan opened her mouth.

“As you may have just heard, the principal said to her how about preparing for first-year field experience in preparation for a situation like this.”

Let’s say some people are dissatisfied with Lycan’s words. Her oversized hand tapped menacingly on her desk to quiet her displeasure.

“In fact, unlike the seniors who handled this situation skillfully, you got more injured because you were confused and didn’t know what to do. I thought I needed practice in the first year before.”

Someone asked a question to the lycan who stroked her chin with her expression of satisfaction.

“Then what practice are you doing?”

“I will enter the training dungeon created by the academy faculty. Practice consists of a basic party. There will be a total of 5 people in one group, 2 from the combat department, who are in charge of the front line and rear, and 1 each from the alchemy department, sorcery department, and magic department.”

Raising his hand on her waist, the lycan continued her words.

“As for the formation of the groups, the faculty members put their heads together to make the difference in ability between groups small, so don’t be dissatisfied.”

Everyone averted their eyes at the sight of the lycan growling as if to tell him if he had any complaints.

Lycan took a chalk-studded pen from her bosom and placed it on the blackboard, and the pen itself moved and began to write.

“Check the group written on the blackboard, and head to the basement wearing basic equipment and wait for each group! There’s no time, so move right away!”

I was embarrassed because it didn’t happen in the original story. Originally, it was about now when the mutant orcs were raiding the last village. I wonder if this is also a variable, I got up from my seat and checked the group written on the blackboard.

Article 19. Ross, Lakar (combat division). Aria (Ministry of Magic), Kane (Ministry of Alchemy), Luna (Department of Magic).

Fortunately, they are in the same group as Lacard. No, because Lakar is the first in the combat department, did he put me at the bottom?

Lacardo approached me to see if he was checking Joe.

“Same Zorani, I’m glad.”

“Yes, you are lucky. Oh, do you know anyone in the group?”

“Well, I don’t know everyone.”

Since they were names that had never appeared in a novel like Lakar, I thought it would be nice if they were people with normal personalities, so I quickly put on Lakar and basic equipment and went downstairs.

There were already many students in the multipurpose hall in the basement. Seeing the letters floating in the air, Lakar and I headed under the letters that read Article 19.

One person had already arrived there, a pretty-looking schoolgirl with brown hair.

“Hello, the 19th combat site?”

As if guessed by looking at our equipment, the female student smiled and held out her hand.

“I am Arya. The main magic is fire and lightning elemental magic.”

“I am Ross, this is Lacar.”

Shake hands and introduce briefly. As soon as he finished speaking, a sickly-looking skinny boy approached.

“Hi, this is Article 19, right? I am Kane of the pension department.”

Around the time when we were simply saying hello and talking about miscellaneous things about practice. The last member arrived late.

She must have rushed. She exhaled heavily and when she saw the approaching female student, she felt a sense of déjà vu for some reason.

Small body, a girl with blonde hair like me. I realized the identity of the feeling of deja vu in that characteristic. We met by chance at the library before.

“No, hello. This is Luna from the Faculty of Magic….”

Saying that, she catches her breath, and Luna greets her teammates. Only then did she see me. She suddenly stopped breathing and looked with her startled eyes, then lowered her gaze.

When I scratched the back of her head for no reason feeling embarrassed by that strange reaction. Suddenly, a commotion grew on the other side. I inadvertently turned my gaze there and saw Principal Nelson.

Nelson, who led the faculty, used magic to rise into the air for everyone to see.

In an instant, attention is drawn and the fuss disappears. Nelson opened his mouth with a satisfied smile.

“I think everyone was surprised by the sudden practice. Seeing the embarrassed face makes me happy!”

At Nelson’s words, everyone smiled awkwardly.

“There are variables in everything. A lot of people are confused by the variable called the raid that happened at the academy this time. You must have experienced as if your body was stiff and your head stopped.”

As if many sympathized with those words, ah-sounds filled the auditorium. When I saw Lacardo, who was standing next to me, making a uhm sound…. The black magician’s attack must have been a huge shock to the academy students.

“Sudden practice is the best way to cope with sudden variables. I hope that this practice will promote friendship among departments and be a good opportunity to become friends with people you do not know.”

I got a strange feeling as if the principal’s gaze stayed on me for a while after saying that. Surely you didn’t do this all of a sudden to help me make friends?

“It is a training dungeon created by the faculty, but the monsters and monsters inside are real. They will be hostile towards you, and there may be injuries. It will be an uphill battle if we don’t seriously think about how to fight and how to solve the problem.”

Tension spread in the auditorium at Nelson’s words. Tension and bewilderment spread like an infection at the sudden first practice.

“Of course, you don’t have to worry about losing your life. Our talented faculty will keep you alive!”

A few first-year students who were nervous about Nelson’s playful jokes screamed in fear. Can this go on like this? When I was doubting, Kanera, who was standing behind me, muttered something to himself.

“After this practice…. I will confess to her.”

Anxiety grew even more at Kane’s act of setting up her death flag.

“Even after graduating from the academy, when you meet classmates for decades, you’ll say, ‘Hey, do you remember that time? It’s our first practice.”

At Nelson’s words with a mischievous smile I had seen the other day, I felt as if a nervous breakdown had reappeared.

After the principal’s speech, Professor Leora spoke in a magically raised voice.

“Come out of each group’s combat unit and get 2 bags. One is a basic survival bag containing items needed to survive in a dungeon. The other is a basic exploration bag containing dungeon exploration and objectives.”

At Professor Leora’s words, Lacard and I came forward and received the bag. Lakar took the basic survival bag, which was a bit heavy, first, and I took the basic exploration bag.

As I returned to the group carrying something like a double bag that I used in the army, I remembered what I had been to the training center before. With a terrible feeling, I hastily erased the memories that were floating in my head.

After the bags were distributed, Professor Leora spoke.

“Each dungeon has a knight and professor who will keep you safe. Please follow their instructions carefully. Don’t forget that violent corporal punishment is also possible in dungeons.”

At Professor Leora’s harsh words, all the members of the group put on a nervous expression.

“From row 1 to row 20, line up in turn with the tent installed on the left.”

As we watch the first pair disappear into the tent, we check our equipment before entering.

Me holding a spear, Lakar holding a shield and sword, Aria fiddling with a staff as if nervous, and Kane checking the bag full of alchemy items with a gloomy face.

Let’s turn our eyes to Luna after looking at the members of the crew. Let’s look at her with a curious look, wondering if she’s ready to see her holding a book and a staff in her left hand.

Meeting her gaze, Luna jerked away and turned her head away.

In a shy mood, I waited for the 19th group’s turn while having a miscellaneous conversation asking Lakar if he had ever done something like practice.

Finally, shortly after the group in front entered, it was our turn to enter.

Lacar waited for us to enter the tent with the tent cloth folded back in a polite manner. The size of the tent was larger than that of the classroom, as if there was some kind of magic to expand the space.

As I approached the unnamed professor who was sitting at the table, the professor received a snow glove from a security engineer sitting next to him.

“Article 19, right?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Let’s represent. The professor put the snow globe on the table and started reading the paper.

“Team 19 will head to the training dungeon in Hartan Forest. For detailed explanation, listen to the explanation of the professor waiting in front of the dungeon. Now, one by one, you have to place your hand on the snow globe. It can make you dizzy between moves, so I recommend closing your eyes.”

At the friendly professor’s explanation, we decided to start with Lacard, the avant-garde. As I watched as each person was sucked into the snow globe along with the light, I put my hand on the snow globe with my palms damp with tension.

I felt dizzy at the distorted dimension unfolding before my eyes and hurriedly closed my eyes before I even had time to feel the touch of the cool snow globe.

I felt the wooden floor I was stepping on turn into a strange wet mud-like feeling, and I opened my eyes carefully.

There was a forest thick enough to block the sunlight.