Chapter 415

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*****

It’s only been a week, but living in Tartar feels like an eternity.

From the first day, I didn’t just try to pull someone’s tongue out, but I also fought a Queen Sand Scorpion while crossing the desert.

In duels, I ended up beating up the head of the household and ended up with a few months’ worth of injuries, all while having an equally matched fight with Hector.

Each of these events would shock not just the Academy but Tartar as well. Gathering them all together, I already feel nervous about returning.

This time, I wonder what kind of nagging Rod will dish out. One thing’s for sure, the tongue incident will definitely earn me a lecture.

‘But I got something out of it.’

I looked at the one-handed hammer in my hand, Mjolnir. Unlike the one I saw before, it has a much more refined appearance.

As Kara said, Hector officially praised my achievements. It was about taking down the Queen Sand Scorpion.

As a reward, I received enhancements to Mjolnir and had it engraved. It flies to me when I call it by name, just like Ragnarok.

‘I wanted to ask for Ragnarok, though.’

Unfortunately, Ragnarok returned to Hector’s possession. That’s one part I can’t throw a tantrum over.

It’s merely a borrowed item, so I have no choice but to return it to its rightful owner. Holding onto it unnecessarily could create trouble.

“Hehe.”

“Happy with the weapon?”

“Yep.”

Still, I can’t deny that acquiring this shiny hammer isn’t a loss. Just look at how radiant it is.

It transformed from a simple hammer into a beautifully designed piece after going through enhancement.

I heard the grandfather who crafted the hammer was in charge, and I was satisfied in many ways.

‘Though I might regret the Usuk blade, this is good enough.’

I plan to repay the Usuk blade slowly. That’s a separate issue.

Now, my last day in Tartar has come to an end, and it’s time to return to the Academy.

Having just adapted to Tartar’s culture, some students seemed regretful while others didn’t feel the same.

Those who weren’t regretful still liked Tartar’s culture, but naturally hesitated due to the harsh weather.

“It’s amazing that you can live in this heat. I feel like I couldn’t do it.”

“There’s a reason for that. They have great patience.”

“True, they might have a warrior spirit, but they’re not savage. Everyone was quite friendly.”

Of course, it’s a good thing that their impression of Tartar has improved and perceptions are changing.

The idea of barbarism is slowly flipping to one of aggression.

This is a positive shift for Tartar. If such improvements in perception continue, discrimination will probably lessen.

“If things keep going like this, we’ll see a lot of Tartar students at the Academy. Kara?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Do you have any suggestions from this experiential learning trip? Go ahead and share.”

“Um…”

While we were waiting to return to the Academy, Malboro asked Kara for her input.

Kara seemed to think deeply for a moment before glancing at me. Then she nodded and said.

“It seems we need a guide who is proficient in Tartar language. Unfortunately, there aren’t many people in our country familiar with a common language.”

“Hmm. I do worry about that. Alright. I’ll propose it to the Academy. We’ll also send personnel to teach the common language in Tartar.”

“That would be great.”

The toughest part for Academy students during their time in Tartar wasn’t the heat or crossing the desert.

It was the language. Tartar language is notorious for being difficult to learn and the pronunciation is quite challenging.

At least in our class, I was around to help out; otherwise, even the professors would have struggled.

“Sivar. What was the best thing you ate in Tartar?”

“Meat.”

“What kind of meat?”

“Scorpion meat.”

As the waiting time stretched longer than expected, our small talk also lengthened. It wasn’t due to any warp issues, but rather procedural delays.

Tartar is great, but since this was their first experiential learning experience, the administrative side was somewhat lacking.

Well, it’s unreasonable to expect a country that’s not even a decade old to have a rapid bureaucratic system.

Fortunately, Hector’s immense power and the city-state format help mitigate such downsides.

Not to mention, while it’s still a trial and error phase for them, they are making considerable progress in trade.

“Now that the hands-on experience is over, it’s almost time for final exams, right?”

Feeling a bit bored, Luna spoke up. Grace nodded and replied to her question.

“Yes? In about 2-3 weeks, it’ll be the finals period.”

“And once the exams are done, it’ll be vacation, right?”

“Yep. Luna, do you have any plans for the break?”

“I don’t really have any.”

“What about you, Sivar?”

I also don’t have any real plans for the break. If I did, it’d only be personal training and gathering information.

The next hands-on experience will likely be in the Eastern Empire. Therefore, I need to prepare for the dynamics of that area.

In that sense, I could provide an appropriate answer.

“Studying.”

“Studying?”

“Studying?”

“Studying?”

Grace, Luna, and Ellie widened their eyes in disbelief at my response.

I can understand their reaction. It’s hard to believe that someone as busy as I would actually be studying.

But as I mentioned earlier, I have my reasons.

“The language of the Hwan Empire. I’m going to study that.”

“The language of the Hwan Empire? You mean Hwan language?”

“Yep. We’re heading there next.”

Now that the experiential learning in Tartar has concluded, it’s highly likely the next session will be in the Eastern Empire.

Currently, they might be unsettled by rebellions and such, but over time, that unease will surely fade.

As history shows, once adaptations take root, rebellions can and will arise, taking advantage of complacency.

‘What if a rebellion breaks out right after Academy students arrive?’

There won’t be any acts of terror targeting Academy students. It’s just a coincidence.

However, it’s highly possible that I could get caught up in those coincidences. That’s why learning the Hwan language is essential.

“Hmm… That’s true. It wouldn’t hurt to learn it.”

“I’ll study too! If I learn it, I could follow along.”

Ellie casually grabbed my arm and proposed. Just her grip sent a warm sensation through me.

If she were an ordinary-sized girl, perhaps it wouldn’t feel as impactful, but her figure was more voluptuous than anyone else’s, making every little touch significant.

She seems to be unaware of it, or perhaps intentionally pretending not to know.

“Ellie. The schedule is set by the professor, not you. We were fortunate this time, but there’s no guarantee we’ll travel together again.”

“Then I’ll ask the professor. Can you send us with Sivar’s class?”

“Is that even possible?”

“Yes! If I ask, it usually gets granted!”

Well, of course, Ellie’s a genius and highly favored by the professors.

To the extent that even if she were yanked straight into a graduate program, it wouldn’t be out of place.

She possesses ample foundational knowledge and has an intelligence that absorbs everything she’s taught like a sponge.

If Jane is a genius in engineering, then Ellie could be called a genius in herbalism. That’s why the professor grants her autonomy.

“If you learn Hwan language, I can help you with it.”

“?”

A familiar feminine voice came from behind me. A mature yet alluring voice.

When I turned around, I found Danyerin standing there with a knowing smile. It was a smile full of intention.

“Since we’re in the adjacent room, I can help you during vacation. How does that sound?”

“Well… If Sivar agrees, then it’s fine with me. Besides, I might return home for a bit during the break.”

“Going home?”

“It’s my hometown and family, after all. I should see my parents, right?”

“I see.”

Danyerin nodded. While she nodded, I could see her smile subtly deepen. She appeared to be seizing an opportunity.

‘Isn’t this like…’

Isn’t it like handing a fish to a cat? Grace, however, doesn’t realize that Danyerin is the cat in this situation.

I can’t help but wonder what will happen during the break. I’m curious how Danyerin will act when Grace isn’t around.

“Everyone, get ready! We’ll return to the Academy in 5 minutes.”

With Malboro’s shout, the students began preparing.

I also held onto Mjolnir tightly to avoid losing it. I can’t afford to lose it after coming this far.

Just when I was about to step into the warp, Danyerin whispered softly from behind me.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“…”

I hoped no one heard that.

*****

As soon as I returned to the Academy, the feeling was clear: it felt like coming home.

It’s only been a week, but I genuinely missed the Academy’s distinct weather.

“Everyone worked hard in a foreign country. There will be no classes for the next three days, so take a good break. Any questions?”

“”None!””

“Alright. Everyone disperse!”

The fatigue accumulated from going to a foreign country seems to be resolved by the time off. I felt completely adapted and energized, however.

The only problem was that I had adapted so well that my skin had turned a tanned hue. I might need to take a quick trip to the forest.

“Hmm. So you pulled the tongue of the person who insulted you?”

“Yes.”

Before anything else, the first order of business was to find Rod. I just wanted to see him.

As luck would have it, Rod seemed to have heard about my escapades, as he calmly listened to my story, maintaining a composed expression.

But while he listened calmly, there was one thing that caught my attention the most.

-Kock, kock! Kock!

“…Grandfather?”

“What is it?”

“Is it not painful?”

Pijon-tu was pecking Rod’s head repeatedly with its beak, like a child throwing a tantrum.

Rod replied casually, as if it was a common occurrence, sipping his tea.

“It doesn’t hurt. It’s just asking for food.”

“…”

“Besides, it eats less than you, so don’t worry.”

I hadn’t said anything. I looked at him, slightly flabbergasted.

Seeing him compare me makes it obvious that Pijon-tu must eat a lot.

“You shouldn’t worry about the Academy’s punishment. The principle is to be judged according to that country’s laws during experiential learning.”

“That’s a relief.”

“But be more cautious next time. Tartar is lenient on self-defense, but other countries aren’t. Try to provoke the opponent into attacking first.”

“They were stabbing me with a knife, though.”

“You were too lenient with them. By the way…”

Rod set down his teacup and looked at my waist where Mjolnir hung.

“Did you leave the axe behind and bring the hammer with you?”

“I returned it. This one was a reward for what I accomplished.”

“Don’t you feel it’s a shame?”

“I do feel that way.”

I saw no need to lie, so I spoke the truth.

Rod seemed to understand my feelings and nodded.

“There’s no choice but to feel regret. The rightful owner is Hector after all. You’ll just have to get used to it.”

“I suppose so.”

“Good. Now, what impressed you the most in Tartar?”

Rod asked with a satisfied expression as if he were listening to a grandchild’s tales.

I pondered for a moment after hearing his question. The most memorable thing I could think of is just one clear memory.

The fight with Hector? I’d rather forget that manly tussle. It wasn’t about plucking some local’s tongue either.

‘I swam with Kara.’

Of all things, swimming in the palace with Kara in her swimsuit was the most memorable experience.

The green bikini that reflected her eye color. The way she brushed her hair back made her armpits stand out.

Her toned, chocolatey abs and her striking thigh lines were perfectly etched in my mind.

However, if I were to tell the truth about it, I could only imagine the backlash I’d face. So I replied casually.

“The fight with Hector.”

“…”

Rod smiled broadly at my answer.

“It sounds like there must have been a better memory than that.”

“…”

How did he know? I was slightly caught off guard.

Meanwhile, Rod leisurely sipped his tea, responding with a nonchalant manner as if it was nothing serious.

“It’s good that you returned with some wonderful memories. By the way, what happened to your skin?”

“I got tanned in three days.”

“Looks like you’ll be going back to the forest again.”

“Yes.”

“If you sit still this time, you might not get off lightly.”

“…”

I took that to heart.

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