A Depressed Kendo Player Possesses a Bastard Aristocrat
chapter-70-1

The Birth of a Hero

A month had passed since the academy field trip attack.

Time had flowed like water, and it was already the new month of December.

The surrounding scenery had passed from the vividly colorful autumn to a pure white winter.

The maple leaves, which had boasted a kaleidoscope of colors, had fallen, becoming the last leaves of autumn.

A biting wind blew between the now empty branches.

Animals burrowed into deep sleep, turning their backs on the cold.

The season of tranquility that lulled everything to sleep.

A white winter had arrived.

"It's cold..."

As usual, it was morning, and I was headed to the Academy for class.

I was walking leisurely with Ariel to the building where our classroom was located.

My shoulders trembled from the sudden cold.

Rubbing my freezing hands together, I blew on them for warmth.

Damn, I didn't know it would be this cold.

Rachel wasn't kidding when she told me to wear winter clothes.

I cursed my past self for ignoring her advice and leaving the dormitory in my transitional clothes with only a cardigan.

"Are you alright...?"

Ariel, who was walking next to me, looked up at me with concern as I shivered in the cold.

"Are you very cold?"

"Y-yeah, i-it's f-fine..."

I forced a smile, my jaw trembling.

To be honest, I felt like I was going to freeze to death.

But I decided to endure it, considering it my own fault.

As I stood there, shaking like I had been electrocuted, Ariel let out a small sigh and unwrapped the muffler from around her neck.

Then, she gently reached out and wrapped it around my face.

"At least wear this."

The muffler, imbued with Ariel's body heat, warmed my cold cheeks.

Startled by the sudden warmth, I asked,

"What about you? Won't you be cold?"

"I don't get cold. Have you forgotten what my specialty is?"

With that, Ariel raised a finger and conjured an ice crystal in the air.

"Once you reach a certain level of ice magic, you become immune to the cold."

"That's... amazing. I've never heard of that before."

"See? Isn't it cool?"

I nodded at Ariel, who asked proudly.

Ice mages don't feel the cold.

I guess it's similar to how fire mages don't get burned by embers.

As I was lost in thought, fiddling with the muffler, Ariel puffed out her cheeks and nudged me with her elbow.

"Seriously, why did you insist on wearing transitional clothes? Rachel even packed your winter uniform this morning."

"I thought I'd be fine until the end of the month..."

"Honestly! Just listen to Rachel next time."

"Yes, yes..."

I lowered my head, feeling ashamed at Ariel's sharp rebuke.

For some reason, it felt like everyone had been nagging me lately.

Starting with Rachel... then Ariel, the status window, and recently, even Lucy.

Maybe I'm just not that reliable.

I smiled bitterly and scratched my head.

As we continued our noisy journey to the Academy, I heard a familiar shout from behind.

"Woohoo~! Found the Maniac!"

A frivolous tone and a playful voice.

And the audacity to call me 'Maniac' so casually.

As far as I knew, there was only one idiot in the academy... no, in the entire continent who would do that.

"Golden Boy."

Turning around, I saw a certain blonde, tanned idiot walking towards me.

He was waving his arms as he approached, with not a single ounce of dignity.

"Another! Energetic!! And strong!!! Morning!!!!"

Golden Boy greeted me boisterously, full of energy despite the early hour.

I stared at him with a bored expression.

"......Can't you greet me like a normal person?"

"Nope! Don't like it? Just cover your ears!"

"......"

Right, screw it.

Why am I even trying to have a conversation with you?

I massaged my throbbing temples and let out a deep sigh.

Perhaps intrigued by my resigned reaction, Ariel peeked over at Golden Boy.

"Um, who are you...?"

"Oh? And who might this young lady be...?"

Golden Boy tilted his head, seemingly unfamiliar with Ariel's face.

But then, as if he had remembered something, he snapped his fingers.

"Aha, Lady Lishite! I've heard a lot about you from the Maniac himself."

"You know me...?"

"I've heard many things... Well, actually, he just kept saying how cute you are and didn't tell me anything else."

"Huh...?"

Ariel blinked at Golden Boy's words, then her face turned bright red and she pinched my back.

"Why would you go around saying things like that about me...!"

"It felt like I was hearing about how great his little sister is at least once a day."

"U-ugh...!!"

Ariel's face was now as red as a ripe tomato.

She must be really embarrassed.

There was only one thing I could say to her.

"I was just stating facts."

"Agh! You're unbelievable!!"

Ariel seemed to like my answer, as she became even more flustered and tried to bite my arm.

Of course, it didn't hurt.

A mage with zero-strength stat couldn't possibly hurt me.

You lose, Ariel.

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