The Hero’s Brother Is Bound To Be Depressed

30 – Warmth

Ross and Luna fall off a cliff. The remaining crew desperately fend off the attacks of goblins and vampire bats. I was able to escape to the safe zone I had set up last night.

Perhaps seeing Ross and Luna fall off the cliff right in front of her eyes, Arya’s legs gave out and she sat on the ground in tears.

“The two… How could it be?”

As if to get rid of the negative thoughts floating in her head, Aria looked at Carne and Lacar muttering to herself, but Kane put on a grim expression and lowered her head.

Lacar clapped his hands as if to break the mood, then spoke in a voice that seemed unconcerned.

“You forgot, didn’t you? It looks real, but this is definitely a training dungeon. There’s no way I would have let them die even if they fell off a cliff.”

Arya, who came to her senses at La Carre’s words, let out a sigh of relief and thanked her.

“Yes, it was training… thank god…. If it was real, I would have remembered it for the rest of my life….”

How surprised she was to see two people falling in front of her own…. Arya let out a sigh of relief, but wondered if this would have happened had she used her magic a little better. She blamed herself and repented.

La Carre, who decided to give her time to think while watching such an aria, leaned her back against the wall and took a break.

Unlike Kane and Arya, Lakar didn’t worry about Ross and Luna. Aside from the fact that this dungeon was for training, there was trust that there would be some way if it was Ross in the first place.

The Ross Lacard knew was someone who never gave up.

Even with malicious rumors and sharp gazes from those around him, he confidently ate alone, showing the image of a true man he had always dreamed of.

Even though Ross’ combat skills were inferior to his own when he defeated the trolls that attacked the restaurant with Ilia, it is safe to say that he was already a hero with more courage than anyone else in the combat department.

Did Ross throw himself to save Luna without any countermeasures? Lakar shook his head.

‘I must have saved Luna in an ingenious way.’

Thinking so, Lakar talked to the two who were resting.

“I trust Ross, he will come out just fine.”

Arya eagerly nodded her head as if believing in La Carr’s words.

“Because all roads lead to the final stage. If you go there again, you will meet them both.”

At Lakar’s words, Kane and Aria raised their morale that had fallen to the ground.

“Yes, you can! I don’t know if I’m still waiting Hurry up we-“

Aria, who had been forcibly exerting herself, suddenly disappeared.

The moment Lacard and Kane’s eyes met in a sudden situation, Kane disappeared as if being sucked into space.

When Aria and Kane Lacar, who disappeared in an instant, tightened their grip on the sword and shield.

La Carr’s body was sucked into somewhere, and soon the vision in front of his eyes changed.

It’s a while to be surprised by the sudden change in circumstances. Someone’s voice reached Lakar’s ears.

“Now, everyone has come to the last group. Congratulations. Article 19. Third place!”

I turned around at that voice and saw the unknown professor I had seen in the tent before entering the dungeon. I could see Ross and Luna smiling next to Kane and Aria, who were looking bewildered.

Lakar asked with an absurd expression.

“Hey, how did this happen?”

Really taken aback, Lakar’s brain stopped working and he couldn’t grasp the situation.

At Lakar’s question, Ross smiled awkwardly and scratched his cheek.

“The two broke it.”

“””What?!”””

Ross raised both hands as if to calm down at the cry of the members and started talking.

“How did that happen….”

***

Maybe he took a shortcut because he fell off a cliff. After walking a little while feeling the strange atmosphere with Luna, I found a door that was supposed to be the last stage.

“I can’t see any other way…. Shall we go inside?”

It seemed that in order to join, I had no choice but to open the door and go in. Luna also replied with a nod of her head, as if she realized that fact.

“Yes. I guess it should be.”

With Luna’s consent, I opened the door and entered. As Luna followed and entered her room, the door slammed shut and locked.

“This is… ?”

“Looks like a trap room?”

In the room, I could see all kinds of bugs flying through the air, flying fireballs that prevented me from walking, and scaffolding that turned at high speed.

Perhaps the goal is to pass through this place while balancing on the rotating platform, avoiding the obstacles of flying insects and fireballs.

“Well, I guess being over there is the goal.”

There was a red button where Luna pointed with her hand. Pressing the red button seemed to be the final goal.

I said while stroking my chin.

“I could just break this… ?”

If it’s done simply by pressing a button. Basic space magic was enough. If you recognize space with your eyes, you can create a dimensional passage.

Immediately, use space magic to insert your hand into the dimensional entrance and press the button. As if it had never happened, the bugs flapping their wings and the flying fireballs disappeared. The scaffolding stopped and made a path.

“Awake, looks like you’re awake?”

I didn’t expect it to break so easily, so let’s say it in a slightly embarrassed voice. Luna clapped her hands, her eyes twinkling as if she had seen something great.

“Awesome… !”

Being embarrassed by Luna’s praise, I scratched the back of her head.

This… Does it matter if I wake up like this?

Well, it’s a magic that has been ‘notarized’ by Principal Nelson, so no one will say anything.

Thought so, I headed to the next room with Luna.

When I found the raccoon dressed as a thief standing alone in a large room, I forgot that Luna was by her side and cursed.

“That thief….”

As if he had heard me, the thief raccoon proudly showed us what appeared to be the key to exit his room with a sinister grin, and placed it in his bosom.

“Are you catching a raccoon thief?”

As if in response to my words, the thief raccoon threw a smoke grenade. When the thief raccoon, who disappeared through the smoke in an instant, was about to demand that Luna blow it away.

Numerous thief raccoons jumped out through the smoke screen.

“Boone, alter ego?”

Thousands of raccoons let out a keke-kee-yiny laugh, swaying their bodies as if trying to find out what the real thing was, and dancing like a medicine.

I can’t tell them apart because they all look the same. I grabbed a nearby raccoon and put my hand in my arms, and the shy raccoon suddenly exploded with smoke.

“If you find a fake raccoon, it will explode. Careful-“

Before she could finish her words, Luna approached a raccoon thief and took her key straight from her chest.

“Uh… ?”

“K-?”

Like me, I didn’t expect to find myself at once. The raccoon looked at Luna with her goofy face.

“Oh, how did you know?”

“Eh… ? That, I just know….”

To my eyes, I couldn’t distinguish it from other raccoons because I thought it had good eyesight. Do you even have a talent for this… ?

Let’s put Luna’s thieving raccoon on her floor. The thief Raccoon, who had an empty expression, lay down on the ground with an expression as if he had given up on everything.

“I must have been shocked that I was caught at once.”

“Mi, sorry raccoon….”

I took Luna, who apologized to the raccoon, and put her key in the door.

The door opened and a huge golem appeared in front of us as we passed into the next room.

There was something that looked like a treasure chest behind the golem. Perhaps it was the concept of a golem protecting it.

It seemed to move when approaching the box, but the golem stopped and did not move.

“That must be the final boss.”

When Luna got nervous and prepared to swing her wand, I grasped her situation and spoke to Luna raising the corners of her mouth.

“I don’t think we need to fight.”

“Yes… ?”

Luna, preparing for her battle, looked at me with her embarrassed eyes.

“If that box is your goal, you just need to bring the box, right?”

Understanding what I meant, Luna opened her mouth as she looked at me with her eyes wider than usual.

“That way….”

Shrugging her shoulders at Luna’s reaction, we immediately used basic space magic to drop the box behind the golem in front of us.

Are you not prepared for this kind of situation? The golem stood still.

“Are you ready?”

Let’s ask Luna, who looks bewildered. Luna, who had come to her senses, nodded her head.

Let’s open the box with Luna. A scroll was placed inside the box.

He lifted up the scroll and unfolded it so Luna could see it. There was no writing inside the scroll, just me and Luna’s faces were visible on the scroll like a mirror.

Let Luna and I bewildered look at each other. An apparition of Principal Nelson jumped out of the mirror.

“Congratulations on completing your training! Was it disappointed that what was in this box was not a treasure? Hee hee, the true reward is the trust, experience, and friendships built by exploring dungeons with strangers. I hope this practice will be a good memory for you.”

Let’s look at Luna with a devastated smile at Nelson’s smiling welcome.

I was taken aback by the appearance of Luna, who had tears in her eyes and looked like she was going to cry at any moment.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes….”

Are you even moved by Nelson’s words? When you’re worried about the tears forming in your eyes like the blue sea, and you’re trying to offer words of comfort. Suddenly, my body was sucked somewhere, and I moved to the tent with dizziness.

Let’s look around with a puzzled expression. Soon Luna also appeared in the tent with her frightened face.

“What, what happened….”

I was surprised to see myself suddenly disappearing right in front of my eyes, and a tear fell.

“Congratulations. Practice ended with 3rd place!”

It was only then that I realized that the practice was over when an unknown professor suddenly appeared and congratulated me.

*

“… That’s how it happened.”

I unfolded the scroll I was holding and showed it to the three people who looked as if they were dumbfounded by my explanation.

“Our friendship…. It’s a reward!”

The team members, who had looked bewildered at my joke, finally burst into laughter and cheered.

“Then, practice is over! Ross, Luna is the best!!!

“As expected, fraudulent skills… !”

Let’s turn our gaze to Lakar when Aria and Kane look at each other with burdensome eyes while running around in place as if they were like that….

“I believed in it and promoted it….”

“Uh, uh….”

Why is he like this again… ? And since when did I become a leader… ?

As we were scratching the back of our heads, an unknown professor spoke to us.

“Come on, Article 19! 2 Days 3 hours 20 minutes 11 seconds, the practice ended with a total ranking of 3rd place. Congratulations. A banquet is underway for all of you who have worked hard, so follow the professor and head straight to the banquet hall!”

Aria’s and Kane’s burdensome eyes turned frightening at the professor’s words.

“Banquet… ?!”

“Eat, eat!!!”

It was two days of holding on to chocolate and beef jerky, not even proper food. Even that wasn’t enough, so I made it through with two pieces of chocolate and one piece of beef jerky per meal.

I wanted to shower, but I couldn’t miss the best banquet I’ve ever experienced at the entrance ceremony. We hurriedly got out of the makeshift tent.

Professor Leora, who seemed to be waiting for us as always, stopped us as we ran to the banquet hall.

“Article 19. Congratulations on completing the third exercise. However, it needs to be tidied up a bit to get into the banquet hall.”

As Professor Leora swung her staff, the dust and blood of the monsters became clean.

When you are amazed at clothes that smell like they have just been washed. Realizing that Professor Leora’s gaze was still on me, I met her gaze.

Is it unexpected that I, an inferior student, came in third? Professor Leora, who had been sending an incomprehensible gaze, took her gaze away from me and said.

“Follow me. We will take you to your assigned seat.”

At Professor Leora’s words, we smiled at the thought of eating something delicious, and followed him without much thought.

Let Professor Leora open the door to the banquet hall. As if we had waited, cheers erupted and loud applause greeted us.

“Ppiik – 19th group, congratulations on 3rd place!”

“Congratulations on practice, freshmen!”

It was probably like a banquet to celebrate the first year students who went out for their first practical training. A senior who was eating chocolate cake smiled mischievously and tried to throw the cake at us, but sat down pretending not to notice Professor Leora’s gaze.

“Congratulations!”

“You worked hard~!!!”

“The future will be even more difficult~!!!”

We laughed awkwardly at the eyes, compliments, and applause pouring on us, and we walked while looking at Professor Leora’s back.

Amidst the cheers, a familiar voice was heard.

“Ross!!! Good job! Third place, third place!?”

Roel’s voice, always cheering me on, pierced through countless voices and reached my ears.

“The porter seems to be doing well.”

Of course, I heard the unlucky Flavia’s voice, but I pretended not to know.

“Ro, Ross, congratulations!”

Rosalyn, who was sitting at a nearby table, turned to congratulate me. She replied with a small nod of her head because there were a lot of people. Ilya, who was next to her, looked at me silently and lost interest, so she smashed the fruit with a fork.

I’m walking after Professor Leora again. Roel’s cry continued to be heard.

“That’s my little brother! Ross, Ross!!! Hyung is here!!!”

Feeling that the eyes of the seniors were focused on my face, I had no choice but to lower my head to hide it.

“Please. Don’t call your name out loud in a crowded place….”

While he was muttering to himself, the crew members who heard Roel’s cry played a joke.

“Hey~ He seems to like you a lot!”

Aria, who followed right behind me, laughed and stabbed me in the back.

“Ross seems to be very close with his brother.”

“Well, good brotherhood.”

Lacard said as if he was envious of Kane’s words.

“Very good.”

I don’t know what’s great, but Luna is holding a book in her left hand. She looked at me and she had a pretty smile.

After Professor Leora’s guidance, we were able to take our seats amid cheers.

As we sat down, we wondered if we were going to enjoy the banquet again. The seniors who applauded and cheered immediately sat down.

Roel tried to come up to her with a bright face, if she had anything to say to me, she saw Flavia being dragged by her hand, and for the first time she felt grateful to Flavia.

As if they knew our hunger, the maids started filling the empty table with all kinds of food.

Unusually large pork ribs and scallops, pasta and sweet honey beer. It was really delicious food like a banquet, so we ate without speaking.

We were able to have a conversation after a while, after silently creating empty bowls.

“Everyone had a hard time. Fortunately, all of our groups are good people, so I was able to spend practice comfortably.”

Starting with my words, each of them smiled and spoke.

“I’m glad I made good friends.”

Lacarwa spoke plainly about his impressions.

“At first, I was a little nervous because I was practicing with people I didn’t know, but luckily all of you participated in the practice with great enthusiasm and no one had an angular personality, so I had fun during the practice. This practice….”

Aria talks alone for over 10 minutes and says that practicing with us will be a memory that will last a long time.

“I wanted to give up when my food was stolen…. Thanks to Ross, I was able to finish the practice in 3rd place. Thanks Ross!”

Kanewa winks while holding out a small cup of ice cream, expressing his gratitude with his whole body.

“It was nice to get to know everyone…. Everyone, I want to be in the same group like this next time.”

Everyone looked at each other and laughed at Luna’s words of wishing their friendship last.

“Yes, isn’t this destiny too?”

I accepted Kane’s words with a smile.

“Then, how about a simple meal with friends on the weekend?”

Looking at the members as if asking for their opinions, everyone smiled and nodded.

“Okay. The next goal for our 19 members is to find the best restaurant in the capital!”

At Arya’s words, Luna let out a small laugh as if she was happy.

While eating dessert, I felt a warm feeling rising in my heart as I watched Kane and Aria talk about what happened in the dungeon as if they were already recalling memories.

She often thought that she was alone at the academy. No, she thought she was alone in this world.

Blocked by the huge wall called Roel, even his parents gave him a cold gaze.

There was a time when I went a day without talking to anyone.

There was a time when I ate alone and trained alone.

Efforts were unfair, and good intentions were wrapped in malice.

Without knowing the reason, I knew that my academy life would continue, where I was possessed by novels, struggling with feelings of shame, regret, and inferiority, and slowly being suffocated by depression.

Bella tried to kill me. I pretended not to know that the people around me were pointing fingers at me for colluding with the warlock, but I was falling apart little by little from the ground up.

Cognitive effect of nervous breakdown. I don’t know if a person’s bowl is only that much, but I was definitely breaking down.

But now, the friends who laugh and talk happily by my side supported me when I was crumbling.

I met Principal Nelson, and I learned Ross’s true heart.

I made a good friend named Lacar, and I became friends with the members of the group who do not appear in the novel.

For me, who was crumbling, the warmth of people. It made me strong again.

Is it because you are full of delicious food or because of the warmth of a warm person?

I don’t know exactly what I was satisfied with, but the feeling of satisfaction that filled my heart.

Unbeknownst to me, I was smiling all the time….

After a while, I was able to notice Arya’s teasing.