The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 169: Blessing of the Frost (2)

Main Building Dining Hall

This was the dining hall primarily used by the Empire’s nobles, the Holy Kingdom’s high-ranking clergy, and the heirs of the Republic’s conglomerates.

Among the candidate dining halls in Hero Academy, it boasted the highest quality and price.

Inside this main building dining hall was a private room.

It wasn’t a place one could enter merely by being wealthy.

Only candidates with exceptional grades could access this exclusive area.

Around a large table, which could comfortably seat ten, sat me, Lanez, Iris, and Yuren.

“So…”

Iris’s gaze shifted to Lanez.

Lanez flinched as if facing a predator and averted her eyes nervously.

“This is the senior Lanez you got close to during the mentoring sessions?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“If it’s Lanez from the fourth year, then surely…”

Yuren’s expression hardened, as though recalling rumors he’d heard about Lanez.

“If it’s those rumors, you don’t need to worry. Lanez has nothing to do with demons.”

“D-Dale…”

Lanez’s eyes welled up at my firm denial, and Yuren scrutinized her before finally letting out a deep sigh and nodding.

“Alright. If Dale says so, I’ll believe it.”

“Me too.”

Though they still seemed somewhat wary of Lanez, they agreed to trust my judgment for now.

“So, was it Senior Lanez who invited you to the main dining hall?”

“No, it’s the other way around.”

“The other way…?”

Iris looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise.

“I invited Lanez.”

“You invited her, Dale?”

Iris’s eyes sharpened instantly.

She crossed her arms, nodded slowly, and cast a sidelong glance at Lanez, who hiccuped nervously under the scrutiny.

“There’s a reason for it.”

I explained that Lanez had been ostracized by her fourth-year peers and, because of the stigma around her, had never dared to step foot in the dining hall.

‘It’s a story Lanez would probably prefer to keep hidden.’

But considering our future relationship, I couldn’t keep it a secret.

‘And frankly, why should she have to hide it?’

She wasn’t a perpetrator but a victim.

Why should a victim feel guilty, unable to hold their head high, or be forced to bury their past like some kind of sinner?

“That’s awful…”

The sharp look in Iris’s eyes softened.

She had expected that a child of a demon wouldn’t be warmly welcomed in the Hero Academy, but she hadn’t imagined that so-called “hero” candidates—adults, no less—would be cruelly harassing her in such a vile manner.

“That’s too much.”

Iris sighed and shook her head.

Yuren’s expression also stiffened, as if he hadn’t anticipated such a situation.

“I-It’s okay. Dale… saved me.”

Lanez turned to me with a faint smile.

Iris clicked her tongue, seemingly grasping the situation.

“Honestly, Dale, you’re just as meddlesome as ever.”

She flashed me a sweet smile, though her eyes glinted with a dangerous intensity.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and looked away from her piercing gaze.

“Anyway, since we were coming, I thought it’d be better to take her somewhere nice, so we came here.”

“So that’s why you didn’t go to the annex dining hall but came to the main one.”

Yuren nodded, glancing between me and Lanez.

“By the way… you call Senior Lanez just ‘Lanez’?”

“Oh, that’s…”

“I-I told him to!”

Before I could answer, Lanez quickly interjected.

“Senior Lanez did?”

“Y-Yeah. Dale… saved my life, after all.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

Yuren narrowed his eyes at Lanez.

Lanez, her head lowered, blushed furiously at the attention.

Yuren sighed as if confirming his suspicions and shot me a pointed look.

“Well, shall we eat then?”

“Fine.”

“I’ll grab the plates.”

The main dining hall operated on a buffet system.

As I stood up to get plates for the four of us—

“No need for that.”

“No need?”

“In private rooms, you can just choose what you want, and they’ll bring it to you.”

“…There’s a service like that?”

Even I hadn’t known about this.

“Yeah, hold on.”

Yuren pressed a button on the side of the table, and holographic menus appeared in front of each seat.

The menus were divided into categories for Imperial, Holy Kingdom, and Republic cuisines.

“Just pick from here, and they’ll make it fresh and bring it to us.”

“It’s like ordering room service at a luxury hotel.”

Now I understood why even the wealthiest couldn’t access the private rooms without the grades to back it up.

‘Good thing Yuren’s the top of his class.’

Normally, Lanez and I wouldn’t have been allowed in, but top students could bring guests regardless of their companions’ grades.

“Wow…”

Lanez gazed at the extensive menu in awe.

“Look, Dale! There are so many dishes I’ve never seen before!”

Seeing her excitement, bouncing on her heels and pointing at the menu, brought a smile to my face.

“Order whatever you like.”

“O-Okay.”

Lanez scrolled through the menu, clearly overwhelmed by the options, switching between categories to browse various dishes.

“You’re from the Empire, right? Maybe stick with Imperial cuisine?”

“But I’m curious about the Republic’s dishes too…”

“How about trying something from the Holy Kingdom then?”

“W-Well… about that…”

Lanez trailed off, avoiding eye contact as her voice dwindled.

Lanez averted her gaze and trailed off at the end of her sentence.

No.

Even Lanez, who once said she’d eat dog food if I bought it for her, was avoiding this dish.

'What on earth did they do to this food?'

It was a moment when I truly felt the might of the Holy Kingdom.

“What about you, Dale? What are you going to eat?”

“Hmm, not sure.”

“Republic cuisine?”

“Hmm… no.”

I’d been eating Republic dishes every day, and today, I was suddenly craving Empire cuisine.

“Since we’re at the main building’s dining hall, I thought I’d try a steak today.”

“Th-then I’ll order the same as you, Dale!”

“Really? How do you want it cooked?”

“Cooked? I get to choose that too?”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

“…I’ll just order yours medium.”

After placing the steak order through the menu, it wasn’t long before perfectly cooked steaks arrived in our room.

The moment Lanez took a bite, her eyes widened.

“Wooaah!”

Excited, she snorted and kicked her legs in delight.

With just one bite of steak, she smiled as if she had the whole world in her hands.

Seeing this, Iris and Yuren exchanged complicated looks.

“Sigh. Seeing her like this, I can’t even bring myself to say anything.”

“Right?”

They shared a knowing glance, both chuckling wryly.

Midway through her fervent devouring of the steak, Lanez suddenly stopped and glanced around.

“S-sorry. I got a little carried away….”

Her cheeks flushed red, sauce smeared on her lips.

Iris smiled warmly and handed her a napkin.

“Here, use this to wipe your mouth.”

“…Thanks.”

Taking the napkin from Iris, Lanez wiped her mouth and smiled bashfully.

And so, our luxurious lunch came to an end.

Afterward, Lanez, Iris, Yuren, and I decided to take a light stroll around the school grounds to aid digestion.

For Lanez’s sake, we chose a quiet path through the backwoods, where there were few other cadets.

“That’s when Dale just showed up and burned the demonic beast to ashes!”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

“Hehe. Yep!”

It seemed Lanez had grown a bit closer to Iris.

She was now enthusiastically recounting stories from our mentoring sessions.

Even though Lanez was a year older than Iris, her demeanor made it seem like Iris was the older one.

‘Especially in terms of appearance.’

While not as petite as Sophia, Lanez also had a small stature and a delicate frame.

“I get it, you know.”

“Huh? Iris, you understand?”

“Yes. The person I’m dating saved me when I was in danger, too.”

“Oh, really….”

Lanez nodded, glancing back and forth between Iris and Yuren.

“You know… Iris and Yuren seem like a great match.”

“Pardon? A great match?”

“…Huh? You’re not dating?”

“Ah.”

Caught off guard, Iris burst into laughter.

“The person I’m dating isn’t Yuren.”

“O-oh, really? Sorry, I didn’t know.”

Lanez, who had assumed Iris and Yuren were together, looked flustered.

“The person I’m dating is….”

Iris smiled faintly and pulled my arm.

“Wait….”

Before I could say anything to counter the ominous feeling rising within me, Iris spoke again.

“It’s Dale.”

“…What?”

Lanez’s face froze.

“Dale… and Iris… are dating?”

Her shoulders trembled.

“Lanez. This is….”

“Liar… liarliarliarliarliarliarliar.”

Lanez collapsed to the ground, clutching her head in distress.

Whoosh.

From her Stigma, an intense light radiated, freezing the surrounding area.

A chilling cold swept through, and a blizzard erupted around us.

“Ah, I see. Yeah, that makes sense… Someone like Dale… of course, he’d have a girlfriend….”

Ha, haha.

Her broken laughter shook her shoulders.

“What was I even thinking? There’s no way Dale… would love someone like me….”

“Lanez!”

“Ahaha. Hahaha!”

Crack!

A blizzard swirled violently.

Towering trees, solid rocks, fluttering leaves—everything was frozen solid and shattered to pieces.

'This is insane.'

I clenched my teeth as I looked at Lanez, who was laughing emptily, her eyes devoid of life.

'Why! Why is this happening!'

I saved you from being bullied!

I kept you warm with ember flames when you said you were cold!

I even got you a Stigma stabilizer and made sure you took it!

I did everything!

Everything!

'So why are you awakening Frost’s Blessing in less than a day!!!'

The silent scream echoed deep within my heart.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]