A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 114

A scholar once said, the beginning of civilization is a broken leg bone that has healed.

In the wild, a broken leg bone usually means survival is nearly impossible. Most are simply abandoned.

Even the fiercest predator, no matter how much it loves its offspring, will mercilessly cast them aside if they cannot walk or are deemed hopeless. Such is the cruelty of the wild.

Civilization, on the other hand, is different. Even with a broken leg bone, it finds ways to protect and nurture, and this becomes a driving force that strengthens unity.

In that sense, euthanizing the young Usk was in accordance with nature’s law. A youngling without its mother has no chance of survival in the wild.

Even if it somehow managed to grow up, it might harbor hatred toward humans since I was the one who killed its mother.

The Usk is a monster beyond what Academy students can handle, so it’s better to prevent any future risks.

“…Serah’s actions are the right thing to do. It may seem cruel, but it’s better to eliminate dangers in advance.”

Even Serah, who had been startled by my actions, eventually came to defend me. She’s from Frozen, so she likely has some understanding of the wild.

The students, however, still wore expressions of confusion, as if they couldn’t understand. At least Luna seemed to grasp it, if only slightly.

The reason beasts and monsters are dangerous is the same—they pose a high probability of harming humans.

Even herbivores aren’t entirely safe. After all, even a large dog can kill a person.

In such cases, the rule is simple: shoot on sight, no questions asked. Even if it’s a beloved pet.

“If the Usk were to grow, it would cause significant damage to the Academy. Besides, as a solitary creature, it has no future anyway.”

“Still, it’s just a youngling…”

“Where exactly do you propose to send it back? Even if you head toward the grasslands where the Usk resides, it would take over a week to get there, even through the inner area.”

“…”

Serah’s rebuttal left the students silent. The shock of killing the youngling seemed to weigh heavily on them.

Well, the young Usk does look cute, unlike its adult counterpart. Most younglings do, after all.

‘They say younglings are cute to avoid being attacked.’

I used to spare them a few times in the past. But then, one of those younglings grew up and stabbed me in the back.

Since then, no matter how young, I’ve never spared any. There’s a reason they say raising a tiger cub is dangerous.

“For now, the urgent matter is dealing with the Usk. Sivar.”

“?”

“Could you drag that corpse over here? It looks incredibly heavy, but you seem strong enough.”

Serah pointed to the mother Usk, whose head had been crushed. The young Usk lay beside it.

From what I know, the Usk’s weight is measured in tons, just as its appearance suggests. I could lift it using mana, but that’s too much of a hassle.

With a decent rope, I could easily drag it. After examining the Usk for a moment, I turned to Serah and made a request.

“I need a rope.”

“Hmm. Got it. Wait here for a moment.”

At my words, Serah began speaking into the communicator on her wrist, which resembled a watch.

That communicator is originally issued to every guardian, but Grace had taken mine instead.

It also has a directional feature, so it wouldn’t take long for everyone to gather here.

“Wow. You caught the Usk alone? That must’ve been incredibly difficult!”

“Even its blade fang is broken. Just how strong is he?”

Before long, people started arriving one by one. They murmured as they looked at the Usk’s corpse, which was as large as an elephant.

Even the professors were impressed, which shows the Usk’s value. Conversely, it also means the forest’s balance has been severely disrupted.

“Sivar! What were you thinking, running off on your own like that? I was worried!”

“Sorry.”

While the professors examined the Usk’s corpse, Ellie scolded me. I couldn’t offer any excuse for this.

I couldn’t help but run when I heard the Usk’s roar, but leaving the others behind was my fault.

No matter how much Grace and Lee Yeonju could protect them, there’s no answer if a monster like the Usk appears.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Show me your hands.”

“…”

“Huh? Why won’t you show me?”

My hands were covered in blood, so it’d be obvious I was injured. If she saw, I’d get an earful for sure.

Trying to hide my hands as much as possible, I ignored Ellie’s words. The more I did, the angrier Ellie’s expression became.

Even with an angry expression, her face is still cute because of her looks. Honestly, it’s more of a pout than actual anger.

“Just leave him be. He’ll heal quickly anyway. Besides, it’d be strange if he didn’t get hurt after taking down a monster like that.”

Thankfully, Kara approached at just the right moment, coming to my rescue. She naturally put her arm around my shoulder.

Ellie frowned slightly at Kara’s casual skinship but soon sighed.

“…Still, I don’t like the idea of Sivar getting hurt. Would you be okay with it if it were you, Kara?”

“I don’t like getting hurt either. But in a combat role, it’s something you have to accept. It’s just part of the job.”

“Exactly.”

Kara was absolutely right. I nodded in agreement with her explanation.

In a combat role, getting injured is both routine and fundamental. It’s practically inevitable.

Ellie, unable to argue this point, glanced sharply at Kara before letting out a sigh.

“Fine… But next time, don’t just run off like that, no matter what happens. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Good. Now let’s go apologize to Grace and Lee Yeonju.”

Ellie smiled softly and gently held my hand, as if her earlier anger had vanished.

It seemed she was leading me to where Grace and Lee Yeonju were.

“Kara, could you lend me a hand for a moment?”

Just then, Marlboro called out to Kara. She let go of my shoulder and walked toward him.

And so, holding Ellie’s hand, I quietly followed behind. Since it was my fault for leaving them behind, I intended to apologize.

“Ah, here you are. I brought Sivar with me.”

“Mr. Sivar? Do you understand what you did wrong?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll let it go this time. But next time, you must explain your reasoning before leaving. You’re my ‘bodyguard,’ after all.”

Grace emphasized “bodyguard” unusually strongly. Ellie seemed to notice too, judging by her subtle expression.

Grace, arms crossed, glanced at me before cautiously making a suggestion.

“Actually, maybe it’s a good time to arrange some additional training. Do you have any free time?”

“Hmm… Not sure?”

“In that case, I could draft a schedule for you. I’ll work on adjusting it soon.”

Grace seamlessly began organizing my schedule. As long as it didn’t cut into my personal time, I didn’t mind.

In fact, having things arranged this way wasn’t so bad. Once tasks were done, all my remaining time would be free.

Grace likely understood this too, so she wouldn’t take away my time unnecessarily.

“But during those hours, you must stay by my side. Even if something like today happens again. Understood?”

“Are bodyguards always this strict?”

Ellie, puzzled by Grace’s explanation, expressed her doubt. It did seem overly rigid.

But that’s the nature of being a bodyguard. Failing to protect the person you’re assigned to comes with severe consequences.

If you mess around and the bodyguard dies, the responsibility becomes even heavier.

“Normally, yes. But Mr. Sivar is unpredictable, so think of it as helping him develop better judgment.”

“Ah, I see. That’s a relief.”

Do they think I’m some kind of time bomb? Though I suppose I’ve earned that reputation, it still stings a little.

“A bodyguard, huh…”

While I was grumbling internally, Lee Yeonju, who had been quietly observing, muttered softly.

She seemed to speak low enough that no one else could hear, but I caught every word. I turned to look at her.

As soon as our eyes met, Lee Yeonju wiped the serious expression off her face and replaced it with her usual goofy look.

‘Now that I think about it, when is the transfer student from the Hwan Empire supposed to arrive?’

I only know they’re coming mid-semester, but I can’t remember the exact date.

Maybe they’ll arrive after the final exams. Either way, it doesn’t matter.

I waved lightly at Lee Yeonju. She awkwardly smiled and waved back.

“Mr. Sivar! Could you come over here for a moment?”

At that moment, Marlboro called out to me in a booming voice. It seemed preparations were complete.

I started to move but stopped. I needed Grace’s permission first.

Grace, seeing me seek her approval, smiled with satisfaction. She then spoke in a pleased tone.

“You don’t need my permission for something like this. But since you asked so nicely, I’ll buy you a cake later.”

“Oh.”

All I did was ask for permission, and now I’m getting cake. What incredible value.

While inwardly praising Grace, I started walking toward Marlboro. Marlboro was near the Usk corpse.

As I approached the Usk corpse, I saw the Mother Usk and the Young Usk tightly bound with ropes.

It seemed they were tied up with ropes to make them easier to transport, just as I had mentioned to Serah earlier.

“Normally, it would be better to dismantle them, but this place is too dangerous for that. Can you help pull them? The other professors will assist as well.”

“Hmm······”

I looked at the Usk bound with ropes and then lowered my gaze. On the floor lay ropes meant for dragging them.

It seemed I just needed to pull these. Without hesitation, I grabbed the ropes and started pulling.

Ssshhh-

It was a bit heavy, but it seemed manageable on my own. Nodding, I spoke to Marlboro.

“Alone.”

“What?”

“I can do it alone.”

“··· ···”

Marlboro was momentarily flustered when I said I could pull it alone. He then looked at the elephant-sized Usk.

Stroking his chin, he seemed to be pondering whether this was the right decision.

“No. Let’s pull it together. It wouldn’t look good otherwise.”

“Got it. I mean, understood.”

“Haha.”

Marlboro laughed heartily as he watched me switch from casual speech to formal speech. He lightly patted my head.

Afterward, it was decided that the stronger individuals, like Marlboro and Kara, would each pull a rope.

Honestly, I could have managed to pull it alone, but as Marlboro said, it would look odd.

“This is my first time seeing an Usk. Is it edible?”

Kara, who was pulling a rope beside me, asked. I shrugged at her question.

Usk meat was said to be delicious in the Soul World. Supposedly, the meat juice would burst out, and the meat would melt in your mouth.

Even someone without proper slaughtering skills could roughly cut it up and grill it, and it would still taste amazing.

“For reference, since Sivar subjugated the Usk alone, he holds full rights over it. That means we can do as we please.”

That was Marlboro’s comment as he pulled the rope alongside me. He seemed worried that someone might try to snatch the Usk.

The Usk was a top-tier monster, both as crafting material and cooking ingredient. As I mentioned before, it was valuable enough to be auctioned.

“I think it would be good for Student Kara to assist with this matter. Have you ever participated in an auction?”

“Does the Academy have an auction house?”

“Of course. It’s held every weekend, so it wouldn’t hurt to participate. Moreover, if word gets out, many people will approach Sivar first.”

That was inevitable. Especially since there would be no shortage of people trying to commit fraud.

From their perspective, I was an excellent target. They could snag the Usk at a dirt-cheap price.

“I hear the Tatar Tribe is particularly meticulous about money matters. I’ll leave this task to you.”

“Hmm······ Understood. I guess I’ll have to investigate the current market price for Usk this week. How are taxes deducted?”

I couldn’t understand a word of what they were saying. It seemed best to leave all auction-related matters to Kara.

Anyway, as we chatted like this, we eventually reached the Safe Zone.

Upon arriving at the Safe Zone, the patrolling guardsman was startled at the sight of the Usk corpse—an added bonus.

Now, all that was left was to report on the Usk and perform a simple dismantling.

“What should we do with this Blade Fang? It’s broken in half, so it doesn’t seem to have any ornamental value.”

“We’ll send it to the blacksmith. Let’s ask Sivar first.”

The first thing I had broken—the Blade Fang. I had already decided how it would be used.

I stared at the Blade Fang, which looked sharp enough to cut just by looking at it, and glanced around. I was searching for Luna.

‘No, wait. Wouldn’t that make her too reliant on equipment?’

Deep down, I wanted to gift it to Luna as well. Weapons made from the Blade Fang were at least S-rank.

However, if that happened, she might become overly dependent on items. Right now, Luna’s personal growth was more important.

‘We can always make better weapons later.’

For better performance, it would need to be entrusted somewhere other than the Academy. But the Academy’s blacksmith would suffice for now.

So, there was only one immediate candidate. I turned to Kara, who was wiping the sweat off her forehead.

“Kara.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

She was wiping her sweat with her shirt, revealing her toned abs in the process.

My gaze was briefly drawn to her abs before I looked her straight in the face.

“This.”

“······What’s this for?”

“You use it.”

“What?”

When I handed her the massive Blade Fang and told her to use it, Kara was startled. The others were equally surprised.

Their reactions were understandable since the monster had been subjugated by me personally. Offering it without asking for anything in return was bound to be shocking.

Imagine how bewildered the recipient must have been. Kara, flustered by the idea of accepting it without compensation, spoke in a hesitant voice.

“Uh······ Sivar? I don’t think you realize how valuable this is. You could make an incredible weapon with it.”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine for me. No matter how you look at it······”

“Don’t want it?”

That would make me sad. When Kara adamantly refused, I pouted my lips.

Kara seemed even more flustered by my change in expression. She clearly hadn’t expected me to react this way.

“Take it. It’s my gift.”

“A gift?”

“Yeah.”

“······Pfft.”

When I called it a gift, Kara let out a soft laugh. She then accepted the Blade Fang from me.

Thud!

“Ack!”

But it seemed heavier than she expected, as she immediately toppled over. Her peculiar cry was an added bonus.

Kara carefully lifted the Blade Fang. Judging by her expression, it was quite heavy.

“T-Thank you. I’ll take good care of it. Can I use it to make your weapon?”

“I already have one.”

“That one originally belonged to my father. You’ll have to return it later. Might as well get it engraved while you’re at it.”

Could this mean I’d become a dual-axe warrior? That would be a dreamlike combination.

While we were sharing this warm moment,

‘That’s strange. Student Sivar seems to match better with Student Kara······’

‘Could it be that he’s already drifted apart from Student Luna?’

‘No, that can’t be. It might just be a gesture of goodwill.’

I heard murmurs in the background. I didn’t understand what they were saying, so I let it go in one ear and out the other.

Having given Kara a gift, I walked toward the Young Usk. There was only one thing left to do.

“Heave-ho.”

“Why the Young Usk?”

Just then, Luna approached me. Kara was heading to the blacksmith with the Blade Fang.

“To eat it.”

“······What?”

I asked Luna, who looked bewildered.

“Do you want some too?”

At my question, Luna looked at the Young Usk and replied.

“······Does it taste good?”

“Probably.”

We’d find out once we tried it.