The Academy’s Weakest Became A Demon-Limited Hunter
chapter-199

I couldn't move.

My arms trembled uncontrollably. My mana was so depleted that none of it could come out properly.

Blood poured from my mouth like a waterfall. My thoughts were jumbled. Before I knew it, my vision blurred, making it impossible to distinguish objects clearly.

Yet, I barely managed to move and swung elemental magic at my still-intact enemy.

The enemy was the Land of Oz, The Floating Island, Cavallion the Earthshaker.

The ground was covered with flowing lava. Countless human heads emerged, taunting me with their laughter. Gritting my teeth, I drew upon every last bit of my mana to unleash my magic, yet that infuriating laughter persisted.

If this continues we all die.

I can't save Dorothy.

I screamed until my throat burst. It was nothing more than a tantrum, but I felt like I would go insane if I didn't.

When I was fighting so frantically.

Someone cried out my name, ‘Isaac.’

I regained my senses and stopped moving abruptly. A gentle touch caressed my cheek.

Dorothy, with black spots all over her body, appeared. She smiled faintly and said to me,

‘Isaac.’

‘Thank you for coming to save me.’

‘...I'm sorry.’

Dorothy squeezed out the meager amount of mana she had recovered and sent my body flying away.

A cluster of stars floated around. My body helplessly drifted away from The Floating Island.

I yelled to stop immediately, crying out Dorothy's name. But she did not cease her magic

Soon, a radiant glow emanated from her body.

A beautiful explosion of vivid colors swallowed the Land of Oz.

At that sight, I couldn't help but scream and cry tears of blood.

Suddenly, a cozy energy wrapped around my body. The scene before my eyes disappeared like ash.

Staying in that comfortable sensation, I soon felt the sensation of returning to reality.

"...Ah."

I opened my eyes. Only then did I realize that I had been dreaming.

Maybe because I had slept deeply for the first time in a while, memories of the Trial of Sandstone vividly replayed in my dream.

It was a dream I often had. It was also the reason I couldn't get good sleep.

By the way, am I lying in bed right now?

Hmm?

For some reason, something plump was enveloping half of my face.

My rational judgment was not yet functioning smoothly due to the remnants of sleep. However, I felt a sense of psychological comfort.

What's this?

Curious, I groped around to feel what it was.

It twitched suddenly.

The felt fabric and beyond that, the sensation of an incredibly soft mass was felt.

"Uh..."

After hearing a sticky sound that followed, I realized that I shouldn't touch it anymore.

I snapped to attention.

I removed my hand from that plump thing and lifted my head. I saw Luce's face, which was flushed red and pouty, glaring at me from up close.

"...Isaac, you pervert."

Luce narrowed her eyes. Her tone was irritable, but her whispery voice made it sound enchantingly ticklish to the ear.

Luce didn't show much resistance. I could tell from her demeanor that she didn’t feel repulsed

Who's the pervert here?

"Sorry... But what were you doing?"

"It seemed like you were having a nightmare."

"Ah..."

I see. That's kind of her.

I sat up, rotating my stiff neck, and Luce also got up.

"Thanks for that. You're right, I had a nightmare."

"What kind of nightmare?"

"...That's unfortunate."

"What's unfortunate?"

"Sadly, I forgot."

It was the memory of not being able to save Dorothy.

During my first round, I didn't have Daikan, the Primordial Beast of Ice. So, I never thought of using the mysterious cellar key to gain the power to defeat The Floating Island.

In the end, Dorothy self-destructs with The Floating Island with [Last Light of a Dying Star].

For a while, I fell into a slump, living in self-blame whenever I felt the emptiness of Dorothy's absence.

I was a foolish and pathetic guy.

Still, it was good that I properly regained that memory.

The more I thought about it, the more it made me struggle without compromise.

Since I never wanted to repeat such a failure again.

"Thanks for the hug. I might smell a bit right now though..."

"It's okay. I actually liked it."

My scent?

Luce leaned in close to me and sniffed. Then, looking into my eyes with a gentle smile, she said in a soft tone.

"I like the smell of Isaac."

It seemed unlikely to be pleasant. I couldn't understand Luce's sense of smell.

"Is your nose okay?"

"Huh? It's fine?"

"Never mind..."

That could be it.

I got out of bed and turned towards the window. It was still the middle of the night outside. Only the lamp on the desk was casting a soft light in the dark room.

I still felt tired, probably because of the nightmare and not sleeping well.

I scratched my tousled hair.

Ugh, I should take a shower immediately.

"Ugh, I feel gross. Luce, have you showered?"

"I did in the morning, but haven't since. I couldn't because I was hugging Isaac."

"Sorry, but I'll shower first. I want to wash up quickly."

"Do you want to shower together?"

"...?"

"It's a joke. Don't get your hopes up, pervert."

I was momentarily taken aback.

Luce laughed playfully, got out of bed, and entered the bathroom.

Huh? Wait a minute.

"Hey, I said I was going to shower first...!"

"If you have a problem with it, come in with me."

Luce peeked her head out of the bathroom door and gave a mischievous smile.

As I frowned and glared, she waved her hand outside the door as if saying goodbye, then closed it.

It was cheeky, but since she had been holding me the whole night out of concern, I had to let it slide.

The sound of running water echoed from inside the bathroom. I also heard splashing and rubbing, it caused me to imagine Luce showering naked on the other side.

I don’t know how to feel right now…

I sighed and bowed my head. Then, I noticed my clothes had been changed. It seemed Luce had rummaged through my magic pouch, taken out a change of clothes, and dressed me.

It was fortunate that I had entrusted Kaya with the Cloak of Disguise before coming to Hegel Magic Tower, in preparation for such a situation. Otherwise, irrefutable evidence of me being the Nameless Hero would have embarrassingly surfaced.

The clothes I had been wearing were draped over a desk chair. Inside the collar of that shirt, Hilde was hiding in the form of a small mana.

"Hilde, was everything alright?"

[Nothing happened.]

...?

Her voice seemed to quiver subtly.

What happened?

[Really, nothing! Just this old one felt a bit of excitement for the first time in a while. Heh heh.]

Is that so…

Hearing her call herself “old one” in such a young delicate voice was quite strange.

Anyway, even without further explanation, I felt I understood the sentiment. Truly, it must have been nothing significant.

Perhaps Luce had uttered some crazy one-liner while hugging me in my nightmare, something that could even excite a thousand-year-old granny white dragon.

"Ugh..."

For now, regardless of what Hilde heard, I was just very tired.

I'll ask next time when I have the chance.

I flopped down on the bed. Despite having just woken up from a brief sleep, the fatigue didn't leave me. Perhaps it was because I had been skipping sleep and overusing my brain. Whatever little energy I had left seemed to have vanished with my first use of [Icebolt].

Anyway, there was only one bed here.

I had already figured out that Aria maliciously crammed us into one room. But I didn't expect there to be only one bed. How were we supposed to sleep…?

Soon, the bathroom door opened. I could feel the humid air. Luce came out in a bathrobe, with steam rising around her.

Her rose-gold hair was damp. I couldn't help but notice how sensual her body appeared. I swallowed involuntarily.

"...Why are you staring like that?"

Luce asked, avoiding my gaze. She seemed to know why I was staring.

"I’m not…?"

It was a feast for the eyes. Indeed, she was my second favorite character.

I barely suppressed the urge to hug her right then and there.

I passed by Luce and entered the bathroom.

Feeling refreshed, I showered, donned a bathrobe, and stepped out of the bathroom. Somehow, the room was filled with the scent of herbs.

Luce, also in a bathrobe, had just placed a warm cup of herbal tea on the desk. She had timed it perfectly for my exit.

While I showered, Luce seemed to have put on makeup. Her face was pretty even without it, but it appeared she did it with me in mind.

"Isaac, here. This should be good for your fatigue."

"Oh, thanks."

I cooled the herbal tea with a chill and gulped it down in one shot. I then placed the cup back on the desk.

Ah, my head wasn't working. This was the first time I had felt so refreshed that I could die of sleepiness.

It might have been a side effect of using [Icebolt] for the first time. Anyway, I wanted to sleep as soon as possible.

I immediately sat on the bed. Luce, who had been sipping her herbal tea at the desk, looked at me and then quickly turned her gaze towards the window. She was deliberately avoiding my eyes.

It made things awkward for no reason.

"Luce, should I go sleep in the lab?"

"Why?"

"There's only one bed."

"No, sleep here with me."

Luce was calm and firm in her response.

I was fine with it. I was relieved there was no hesitation or discomfort.

Since I liked Luce, as long as she was okay with it, I didn't mind.

"Alright, then..."

My eyelids kept drooping. I couldn't stand it anymore.

I just laid down on the bed. The bed was large enough that it wouldn't be a problem for two people to sleep on it.

"I'll go to sleep first."

As soon as I closed my eyes, my body relaxed. It seemed like I would fall asleep quickly.

Ah, just one more thing before I drifted off to sleep. Luce had pulled me out of a nightmare, after all.

“Luce.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for hugging me. Really.”

“...Yeah.”

Feeling Luce's gaze, I immediately fell into a deep sleep.

And in my dream, I savored a feeling of warmth and gentleness.