Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no “Kokoro”

Chapter 2 Part 2

Translator : PolterGlast

Proofreader : John4891

"Excuse me. Norn-sensei, it seems she injured herself. Can you treat her?"

Irisdina Francilt was there, lending her shoulders to a student who was suspected of being injured.

Behind her, her best friend Tima Lime could be seen. Tima was carrying luggage that seemed to belong to Irisdina.

"All right, let the injured student sit in that chair first."

Norn-sensei immediately went to see the student, while Nozomu took out and brought a set of treatment tools containing medicine and bandages from the shelves.

"What happened ~~~~"

While Nozomu and Norn were treating the injured student, Anri-sensei listened to Irisdina about the situation

Apparently, she was involved in a competition for popular items in the canteen, which turned into a battle.

"Hmm, She has sprained her leg, but her bones seem alright, and her muscles seem to be okay too. If she rests for a few days, it will heal. Let's apply the ointment for the time being."

While Nozomu helped Norn-sensei take care of her immediately, he met Tima Lime.

"!!"

As soon as she met Nozomu, she turned her eyes away and hid behind Irisdina.

(………… Did I do something to her?) 

Nozomu was a little depressed and skeptical about being blatantly avoided by a girl he'd never spoken to, but since he was concentrating on helping Norn Sensei, he couldn’t think about Tima.

"That should be enough. For now, just rest for a while."

"Thank you very much"

The schoolgirl and Irisdina thanked Norn-sensei for her treatment and left. When Nozomu saw that even though Irisdina wasn’t involved with her, she helped the injured, brought her to the infirmary, and thanked the person who treated her, he could see the Irisdina’s personality.

Irisdina was the daughter of an Aristocratic family in the kingdom of Forsina, a great power in the western part of the continent, and she simply couldn’t be disregarded by teachers at school, but she didn’t mind it. After all, she had a hard-working personality. Everyone in the school knew about it.

"Well then, as sensei said, you just need to rest for a while."

"Yes! Thank you!!"

When Irisdina called out to the schoolgirl, she blushed and replied with her energetic voice. 

Irisdina's appearance and abilities were outstanding. With her noble personality, she was known as "Kurokami-hime" (Black-Haired Princess) at the school, and although she’d been confessed by many boys and girls, she seemed to have never accepted any of their feelings.

By the way, it was Nozomu's childhood friend, Lisa Hounds who fought evenly with her in the first-class mock battle of the second year. Lisa was called the "Red-Haired Princess" because of her appearance and her fiery red hair, and they seem to be rivals in practical skills.

Irisdina bowed politely and said, “Thank you for your help.”

"N-no need to thank me. I just happened to be here."

Nozomu's response became somewhat awkward, staring at her overly organized appearance and deep-black eyes.

Suddenly, Tima, who was behind Iris said, "Ai. It's about time for class …………"

Certainly, the lunch break was nearing its end, and afternoon classes were about to begin.

"Nn, I see. Then sensei, we're going to go back to the classroom. Thank you for your treatment."

"No problem. Nozomu-kun, thank you for your help. You should go back to the classroom too."

The girls said so as well,thanked them again, and left the infirmary. Looking at the clock in the room, there were only a few minutes left until lunch break was over. It looked like Nozomu wouldn’t have enough time to eat the rest of his lunch.

"Okay I understand, I'm going back to the classroom,” answered Nozomu.

He returned to the classroom. 

=============================================

Irisdina's POV

In the corridor, while making our way back to the classroom, I asked about the strange behavior my best friend exhibited in the infirmary.

"Tima, I knew you weren't good with men, but I think your attitude towards him was a bit too much."

What I meant was Tima's attitude towards Nozomu in the infirmary. Tima’s certainly not good with boys, and when she stands alone in front of a man, she can't speak well; however, her attitude towards him was too excessive.

"I, I'm sorry Ai. But that boy. That person, he toyed with Lisa-san ..."

Lisa’s a female student who belongs to the third grade first class as us. She’s an excellent student who’s reached rank A, just like us, and she’s one of the few people who can compete with me in practical skills.

By the way, when she was in the first grade, I had heard such rumors. I heard that she was dating her childhood friend, but she was cheated on and betrayed. Was he that person?

"But as far as rumors go, his character doesn’t match the rumors at all."

You wouldn’t think a cheater would be so kind as to prepare medicine for an injured person or help with the treatment.

"Un, but I was scared at that time ..."

Tima was a bit sad. She cast her eyes down. 

She's kind, but she's a little timid, and she cares too much about her surroundings. She most likely overreacted because she had heard the rumors.

"Well, if you have a chance to meet him next time, just apologize at that time. Don't worry too much, Tima."

"…………Un"

The lesson is about to start. I hurried to the classroom while comforting my best friend. 

====================================================== 

"All right~~, let's start the afternoon lesson~~."

Anri's voice echoed in the training ground.

The afternoon lesson for the 10th class was about comprehensive combat techniques.

Unlike the one-on-one mock battles so far, this lesson involved forming a party to fight, so it wasn’t only about individual fighting ability anymore. Teamwork was more important now.

In the first place, fighting against a powerful demon beast alone was extremely dangerous even for a veteran knight. Furthermore, since there were few rewards, freelancers such as adventurers basically organized parties of several to dozens of people. When subduing a powerful demon beast, they sometimes formed a team with another party or asked for assistance.

Therefore, in order to develop the judgment ability for each role in response to various situations, the school introduced many subjects such as group battles starting from the third grade.

However, while the classmates formed a party, Nozomu was still left alone and couldn’t form a party with anyone.

(I knew this would be the case, but this sure is bad)

This lesson was meaningless without several people, but even if Nozomu tried to speak to them, his classmates wouldn’t respond and ignored him instead.

(If it's like this, it will not be a lesson as it is)

If nothing was done, a party couldn't be formed, the lesson itself couldn’t be held, and it would be meaningless for Nozomu.

However, his classmates had already formed parties, and there weren't any spots for Nozomu to fill in. 

"Hey, if you don't have a party, would you like to join us?"

At that time, there was a student who called out to Nozomu, but that voice came from someone that no one would’ve expected, let alone Nozomu.

It was Mars who called out to him. His entourage was astonished and his classmates started to buzz.

"O, oi Mars, are you serious?"

"Why do you bother to put in useless garbage?"

Their reactions were only natural. Mars was one of the students in the class who particularly despised Nozomu.

He was the first to exclude Nozomu as a candidate. Nozomu didn't talk to them because he didn't think they would come to him and invite him instead.

Mars' entourage complained, but Mars didn't respond. He just stared at Nozomu.

Nozomu stared back at Mars. Nozomu didn’t know what Mars was thinking, but he had no choice. After all, nobody else wanted him

“... I understand. I accept."

"...Okay"

And just like that, the most unlikely party in the class, with Nozomu, Mars, and his entourage was created. 

The lessons were still in a mock battle format. There were four people in Mars and Nozomu's party. Mars's entourage consisted of one archer and one magician.

The opponent also consisted of 4 people. There were two boys who used swords, one boy who used a spear, and one girl who used 2 daggers.

Along with the signal to start the mock battle, the opponent's swordman and spearman first cast strengthening magic on themselves and started to approach Mars.

"Hmm!" 

Mars pulls out his greatsword and receives the attack of two people. A high-pitched sound of metal clashing reverberated, and an attack whose power has been raised by strengthening magic attacked Mars. But Mars, who had strengthened his own body with kijutsu, was completely unphased.

Nozomu tried to attack the two who had stopped moving, but suddenly a blade of the wind passed in front of him and his attack was blocked. Looking in the direction of the wind blade, a dagger-wielder chanted magic.

The blade of the wind hit again, and Nozomu was separated from Mars. Apparently, the opponent intended to separate Mars and Nozomu and destroy them one by one. Certainly, given that Mars had the highest fighting ability in the party, it would be strategically necessary to separate him.

Another swordsman of the enemy party approached the separated Nozomu. 

"I got you!!" 

Nozomu immediately pulled out his katana and parried the opponent's sword. The momentum of the rush was strong since the swordsman strengthened his body, but being parried by Nozomu caused him to lose his posture.

Nozomu immediately tried to chase after him, but suddenly a fireball rushed in from behind and exploded, and he was blown away.

"Aghh!"

"Oi oi, is that okay? He also got involved."

"It's okay. That kind of unusable guy can only be a decoy."

It was Mars's entourage who shot the fireball. For them, Nozomu was literally a decoy, and it didn't even hurt for them if Nozomu was involved in the attack.

"Damn!"

Nozomu got up and got ready, but the opposing swordsman immediately drew near. With one dual dagger-wielder added, Nozomu would be on the defensive side against two people. While parrying three blades, he repeatedly moved so that two people wouldn’t be able to attack at the same time.  

"Take this!"

"Hahaha! Easy target!"

Mar’s entourage also attacked Nozomu using their magic and arrows, as if it couldn’t be helped. Nozomu was swept away by the ranged magic attack, and the gap was pierced by accurate shooting with a bow.

The attacks of the two entourage members were compatible with each other in the sense of a long-range attack, and the strengths were well intertwined. The magic casting time and the gap between the next arrow, which was a drawback of the attack, were successfully eliminated.　

In a situation of 1 against 4, Nozomu had no way of dealing with it. He could try to counterattack, but the entourage behind him would attack him, so he would to deal with it. He was stuck in a loop of being attacked again by both his own and the other party.

However, this situation collapsed soon. Nozomu felt a fierce chill from the side. Using his legs, he left with all his might.

The sight of Mars swinging up his greatsword was reflected in Nozomu's field of view. Mars, after defeating his two opponents, rushed with a quick movement into Nozomu who was in a state of turmoil　

Mars, who wielded a giantsword enveloped with wind blades, swung his sword to the side with all his might. With his enhanced strength and wind blades, Mars' surroundings were swept away, and the remaining two of the opponent's party were blown away, making it impossible to continue the fight. With that, the mock battle is over.

Nozomu and Mars glare at each other silently. Nozomu was clearly angry with Mars who was clearly mowing down at him, and the two entourages who were attacking him.

Until now, Nozomu had turned a blind eye to everything happening at the school. He would have immediately turned his eyes away and kept to himself.

Nozomu himself was unaware of such a change, but he was clearly changing.

Nozomu was angry, but soon a question appeared from his heart about the unusual behavior of Mars.　

Mars was mowing down at him, but he couldn't see the color of Mars's eyes that despised him until now. Nozomu didn't understand the reason, but at least he knew it wasn't hostile.

When he thought about it, the Mars’ behaviour towards Nozomu had obviously changed since the beginning of the third year.

He wasn't swearing at him, and he wasn't poking fun at him during the lesson.

(What is going on?)

There was anger in Nozomu's heart, but more than that, he was worried about the change in Mars. However, Nozomu doesn’t speak and the two of them remain silent. The entourage talks to Mars, but he doesn't respond to them, he just continues looking at Nozomu.

Eventually, the bell that signalled the end of the lesson rang, and the lesson was over. Nozomu left the training ground without finding an answer to the question that had sprung up in his chest. 

 ===============================================

 Mars’s POV

After the class was over, Mars thought about the mock battle while walking in the school corridor.

"He…has changed"

He remembered Nozomu who was willing to get involved and the glare at him who attacked. The old him wouldn't do that, he would just look down and turn his back.

Mars didn't know what happened to him, but he could have guessed that his feelings had changed.

“………… But what kind of training did he do?”

Mars admired Nozomu's movement, which was actually 1 against 4 in the mock battle. He was able to catch a glimpse of it during the battle because he only fought against two opponents, but from what he saw, there was no waste in Nozomu's movement, which handled the attacks of four people.

Mars wouldn't be able to handle attacks from four people in a suppressed state like him. It seemed that the people around him, including those who were dealing with him, didn't notice it. The movements itself were slow, but all the movements were executed terrifyingly precisely.

He always moved to the opponent's blind spot and always moved around in a one-to-one confrontation. Moreover, in that situation, he sensed Mars's surprise attack and moved immediately. There was no doubt that he had a fairly wide field of view.

"He's pretty used to combat. Where did he get such experience?"

In this city, the only way to gain combat experience was to receive a request from the school or the guild. There was no one willing to deal with him at the school, and he wasn’t high-ranked enough to receive the subjugation requests from the guild.

Students had to hold a certain rank or form a party with multiple higher rank people in order to receive requests such as subjugation from the guild; otherwise, only miscellaneous requests could be received. The students of the school were, after all, a group of inexperienced kids, and the school side wanted to avoid the loss of valuable human resource candidates, so such an arrangement was made.

“...Does he, perhaps, go into the forest alone?"　

The only place where he could gain such combat experience was the forest, but it was extremely reckless for a student to enter the forest where demon beasts were dominant. No one did that. No matter how strong those demon beasts near the city were, it wasn't absolute, and there were cases where travelers were actually attacked. 

But otherwise, the accuracy of his movements couldn’t be explained.

“...Should I check it out?”

Mars made the decision and quickly walked down the corridor.