Nurturing the Hero to Avoid Death

…The first day had a tough schedule.

We had to climb a mountain and ate our rations at the peak. As we walked through the mountains the teachers taught us which plants and fruits could be eaten, how to set up camp and make a fire, and how to hunt for game. Then after half a day passed, we descended the mountain back to our accommodation. The students that were late would get punished.

What is with this survival training. Is this really how this event went?

It’s too unpleasant. I want to go home. I’ve been saying I’m an indoor type of person!

By the time I return to our lodging, I’m extremely exhausted. Once nighttime arrives, the teachers and the volunteers confirm the route for the test of courage, along with the locations of the frights.

As originally planned, Jade (one of the bully trio) and I take position near the cliff. Nearby are the other two bullies.

Holding a lantern in one hand, Jade and I peer at the cliff.

A large red sign reads “no trespassing,” “slippery,” and “beware of slipping,” and in front is the fence made of wooden poles tied with rope.

Lifting the lantern, I try to lean my body forward as much as possible.

I inhale.

While a person probably won’t die falling from this height, the cliff is still really deep. Moreover, the slope is steep, almost a ninety degree angle. Looks difficult to ascend. Though people who rock climb often probably wouldn’t have a problem.

Also…It’s pretty dark. I can’t see through the darkness but there’s a cave at the bottom where demon dogs live.

I shudder, rubbing my arm.

“Hey, Lian. If you look any more, you’ll fall over the edge. It’s dangerous.”

“Y-yes…”

“It looks dark and scary! If he falls here, he’ll definitely cry!”

“Y-yeah…”

It’s here in this spot that I have to shove Alfred.

For tomorrow night.

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I wonder if it’ll go well. No, it’ll be bad if it doesn’t go according to plan.

Oh that’s right, just in case, I’ll hand him some recovery medicine tomorrow. Ah, but it’ll be weird to pass it to him when he’s not injured. I need to think of a reason.

“Lian? What’s wrong?” asks Jade. “Your face looks pale…”

“Ah, no. I’m just a little cold! It’s n-nothing. But it’s really dark…”

“Yeah! Hehehe.”

Jade laughs maliciously.

Well, let’s also hand Alfred the recently-finished, pendant-type amulet, “Shining Self-protection Number 7 (complete with flash blinding function)”.

There’s a lot of things I want to give him, but the training sessions are too exhausting. Not to mention, there’s always a crowd around Alfred, so I haven’t even had the opportunity.

I need to give these items to him soon…

I rub my churning belly.

The schedule was so packed until it was time to go to bed. (Who was the one who thought of this?) In the end, I just had no opportunity to pass Alfred the items.

Tomorrow. I still have time. I’ll give them to him tomorrow.

Speaking of which, occasionally when Alfred catches sight of me, it looks like he has something he wants to say. I wonder what it is.

It makes me feel worried, but since there’s always so many people around us, I never had the chance to ask him about it.

He looks worried, but I could just be imagining things. I haven’t done anything to make him worry.

Rather, I’m worried about him.

With my thoughts in a mess, I ended up staying awake until near dawn.

The second day.

Today was also exhausting. We practiced saving people from drowning and raced our rowboats through a lake. Then muscle training. Then cross country through the mountains.

Finally, we made a fire by hand and set up camp to make our meals.

Why does this feel like a sports team training camp?! Where’s the strolling through the woods to admire nature, the sketching of scenery, etc?! Who’s the musclehead who thought up this schedule?! We didn’t have to go all the way to the mountains to get some muscle training, you know?!

…So.

The troublesome night has finally arrived.

Standing in front of the mountain trail leading into the dense forest with its shadows cast wide, the teacher holds a box filled with paper lots.

These lots will be used to decide the pairs for the test of courage.

Alfred’s paired with the number one beauty of our class year.

As expected of the future Hero. Aren’t you lucky? Share some of your luck with me.

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After the brief meeting, we scattered to our designated positions.

The three bullies snuggle up close.

“I’m looking forward to this, Lian!”

“Me too!”

“Yeee.”

“Y-yeah…”

In the end, I regret that I wasn’t able to give Alfred what I had planned to give him. But there’s nothing I can do about it now.

Jade and I hide and wait in the shadows of the trees and grass.

Both of our bodies are covered in a black sheet, with masks that had devilish grins on our faces. In each of our hands is a fake sickle. Our masks and sickles are smeared with generous amounts of red paint to simulate blood.

Somehow, it almost seems real. That’s the work of an art teacher for ya.

We successfully scare thirty pairs.

Then from the other side of the trees, my eyes caught the sight of a blond head, the golden locks standing out even during the night.

He’s here.

I turn silent. Swallow.

By Alfred’s side is a girl in high-heeled sandals. Her long hair is puffy and maroon, her dress short with spaghetti straps. The girl rumored to be the hottest babe of this year’s class. Long, dark eyebrows, large eyes that are raised. She looks like a cute little devil.

She’s certainly very cute, but I think her shoes and her thin clothes aren’t appropriate for spending time on a mountain. I wonder if it’s hard to walk with high heels on such bumpy and steep terrain. You okay over there?

The girl clings tightly to Alfred’s left arm.

I-I’m not jealous of this bastard, okay! Wait, you guys are too close. Keep a bit of distance, why don’t you. Anyway, I’m absolutely not mad, okay.

I signal to Jade.

My heart’s pounding in my chest and I have a headache from lack of sleep.

Please.

Let this event go well. I beg of you.

Swinging our bloody scythes, Jade and I burst out into the open.

The girl screams.

Alfred’s eyes are also wide open. Such an unusual sight.

Alright, things are going well—

Jade chases after the girl with his scythe raised. The girl sobs as she runs.

Well, of course she’s scared. I also know how terrifying the devil mask looks. Even though I watched the art teacher make it, it still scares me a bit. It feels like if I don’t exorcise it, I’ll be cursed by it.

The girl reaches the cliffside first.

Jade and I wanted to pressure the all-important Alfred towards the cliffside, but though we push him, he barely moves forward.

The girl’s in a confused state and it’s dangerous for her to keep running. Sure enough, she trips on her own two feet, a scream escaping from her lips. One of her heels is broken, getting caught in a tree root. She falls on her back, heading towards the fence.

The rope hits her back, and starting from there, her thin body draws a large arc.

Ah, I think this is bad.

Hopping on a coffin prop, I thrust my hands out to shove the girl to safety. Then the fence post breaks from the weight of two people. The other half must be rotten because it broke so easily.

The rope splits off in the air.

I fall off the cliff.

It wasn’t Alfred that fell, but me…