Chapter 20

Chapter 20

As Rickart's hierarchy organization ended, there were things changed in Beringen Academy, and things not changed.

The biggest change was that so-called tribute money disappeared. Meaning, exploitation culture committed by high rank students existed no more.

Thing not changed was still newbies had to undergo initiation, if encountering in corridor low rank students had to step aside first, and that Bolka was Captain of students.

As exploitation disappeared students finally became able to stand by themselves. Regardless of rank everyone sweated earning money, listening to class, became able to walk towards future.

According to own tradition and rule, Beringen Academy students lived like that. Even though it was place like chicken coop.

Rickart gave teaching generously to students if they wanted. Didn't discriminate anyone. Whether rank is high, or low. Because to Rickart all were similar.

Bolka did hardest. Lived busily going back and forth dorm and city, and did training harder than before too.

To him just, one piece of hope was needed. Hope to live hard.

Anyway Rickart hated blaming talent, but even if hating talent was thing existing clearly.

And, seemed there is thing Rickart also can't do.

"Why doesn't this work! This!"

Back of dorm like chicken coop, in training ground Rickart lit twin wicks in two eyes and hitting sword strongly in air shouted loudly.

Bori-bori made sullen expression holding practice sword awkwardly next to him.

Rickart whose composure doesn't collapse easily, finally collapsed while teaching Bori-bori.

Even teaching all day nothing changed. In the first place all wrong from tip of head to tip of toe so if correcting one by one, later came to be this side is right but that side is wrong, that side is right but this side is wrong.

Bori-bori had no thing called improvement at all. This was already third day. If this much, should pay respect to Rickart's patience meanwhile.

Funny thing was that kids watching Rickart teaching Bori-bori, learned watching over shoulder and achievement was faster.

Others are blocked by high wall called Rickart, but Rickart was blocked by low wall called Bori-bori.

"Ah...... Please, Bori. I feel like dying."

Rickart closed eyes tight and holding between eyebrows said.

"So, Sorry. Will try."

"Trying is important too, but do well a bit. Trying to do well right. Said you will become adventurer?"

"......Want to do well, but doesn't work well......"

At Bori-bori's discouraged appearance, Rickart felt sorry mind again quickly. Right, would he not do well because wanting to not do well. Wouldn't mean to screw me intentionally either.

"......Sorry for getting angry."

"No, no. Because I am lacking......"

Rickart looked at Bori-bori with uncomfortable expression. Doing so occurred this thought.

When others call himself genius, actually thought that's not it. Thought himself is just superior to others by experience of previous life, not having talent particularly.

But that wasn't it. Himself was real genius. From previous life in the first place.

Ricky of previous life grasped core quickly even catching glimpse of anything once, and realization was fast too. Knew how to make original thing more sophisticated, but in addition being creative even made better technique and mastered quickly.

Fun thing was such Ricky had no time to notice himself had talent. Without thing like practice process, was input to actual combat dying and living from beginning so did only blood splashing fight for lifetime.

Die, or survive. In crack of that dead line bad no time to argue having talent or not.

Rickart realized now looking at Bori-bori that such things were talent.

Anyway, if no talent what to do? Even thinking there wasn't particular method.

"Let's do slowly. Since nothing urgent."

"Yeah......"

"Let's rest a bit."

"Yeah. But I have to cut grass."

Bori-bori didn't enter dorm and turned around training ground went out. Then back of inner castle which is main building, place where bushes are dense came out.

Place where Beringen Academy is located was flat zone on rock cliff, area was quite wide than thought but more than half of it was place dense like forest.

Since spring season plants started to grow wildly, from this time had to cut grass a bit. If becoming summer did almost every day side.

Such works were done by low ranks, or so-called 'lower class' who don't have thing called rank. Unfortunate but Bori-bori was lower class.

Since place people live there were many works to do this and that, such as cleaning or laundry, having to cut grass etc.

In place where bushes are dense already students were cutting grass with sickle. Cut grass was taken far away by students without sickle and thrown below cliff.

Rickart also rolled up sleeves and joined. Even though Rank 1 now didn't mind menial work.

Students felt awkward at first, but if time passes and becomes daily life adapted to anything. Already 3 months passed since Rickart entered. Rickart born in April became 11 years old.

Merely 10 year old came and beat all kids said to be strong as soon as coming, and defeated even Rank 7 in duel with real sword and became Rank 1.

Tremendous debut enough to wonder if such event existed in Academy history, but from students standpoint thought just fortunate that current Rank 1 has plain and easygoing personality.

Because even if role of Captain can be done by other student, whole Academy atmosphere depends on what personality Rank 1 is.

Someone ruled like tyrant, and someone squeezed students like vicious Lord.

Students couldn't know with head what changed concretely, but could know clearly by feeling. That many things changed.

As working Rickart's clothes all became dirty with soil and grass pieces. Other students were same too.

Rickart brushed off clothes roughly, swept messy ground and sat rested. Bori-bori came to side and wiggling handed something.

"Put out hand."

As Rickart put out hand, Bori-bori sprinkled thing taken out from pocket on Rickart's palm. Was bread crumbs crushing hard bread finely.

Not simple bread crumbs, but kind of snack made by pounding salt or herbs obtained from nature into powder then mixing them.

Rickart shook that into mouth at once, and mumbled in mouth. Bread crumbs soaked in mouth and salty and subtle scent stimulating nose, was edible in own way.

Bori-bori also shook snack into own mouth and mumbled. Doing so looked somewhere then frowned.

"Can't you beat them?"

Rickart turned head and looked, Ice gang was sharing talk among themselves in shaded place.

As Bolka's evaluation, Ice gang had no interest in Academy one bit.

Whether kids die or not, hold party, Rickart becomes Rank 1, just washed around. But isn't that not bad thing?

"Suddenly?"

Bori-bori didn't act like fox showing off power trusting tiger usually, but seemed to hate Ice gang particularly.

"Not suddenly. They are bad kids."

"On what basis?"

Bori-bori whispered to Rickart's ear.

"Heretic. Heretic."

"Uh?"

"Last time when went to city saw by chance, met with bad people and did like this. I saw."

Bori-bori took action covering own eyes with back of hand opening hand. Action Rickart also saw sometime. Did Daisy's mother do so?

"Isn't that Order of Condemnation or that?"

"Right! That is Heretic!"

About religion way people accept differed respectively. Bori-bori didn't have thorough religious spirit, but seemed to shudder about Heretic at least.

"Sorry but, I am not Inquisitor."

"Even though don't know if taking out and eating kids' heart or liver when sleeping at night? If borrowing evil power Rickart you also can't be relieved."

Rickart looked at Bori-bori as if pathetic said.

"Do you believe such thing? Where did you pick up such stupid sound?"

"My mom said so."

"......Nothing bad to be careful though. But going and fighting uselessly is a bit no. If really don't like you go and fight."

"Th, that is......"

"So let's do training properly."

"Okay......"

Bori-bori answered sullenly mumbling mouth. Rickart stroked Bori-bori's bowl cut hair 2 years older than himself roughly.

"Let's wash first. Wash clothes too."

"Yeah."

Rickart went to well in courtyard with Bori-bori. Already children gathered around well taking off clothes and washing. Female students also lived in other building, but couldn't help it.

Boys possessing quite sturdy physique due to fast growth, rather enjoyed gaze of female students watching from window far away.

Rickart and Bori-bori also took off clothes, and scooped up bucket. Bucket full of water had considerable weight, to pull that up with rope required not small strength.

Life itself was physical training. Works going up and down cliff stairs usually, going back and forth city taking 6 hours all.

So Academy students had no fat person even one and mostly lean muscle body type.

Height Rickart was a bit bigger compared to age group so about 160 cm, and Bori-bori was 150 cm smaller side than average. As side note 15 years old Bolka was high 170 cm range.

Students all had different height, and different weight, and appearance, origin region, background lived were all different. Only, same that abandoned by family.

Only Rickart came here by own choice, and whether due to growing in good environment in own way somewhat atmosphere was a little different from other students.

Himself didn't intend, but such personality basis might be influencing forming current atmosphere. At least inside Academy, all are same student.

Rickart washed body all and entered dorm quickly with other students.

Students having towel wiped wet hair and body and lent to friend, and Rickart wiped hair and body with clothes to change just then wore as it was. On one corner of chest there was violet embroidery.

Today day was gloomy so catching fire outside and hung washed clothes near there, and some students guarded that.

Bed Rickart uses was upper floor bed in middle changing seat recently, reason changing was nothing particular and because far from both doors. Probably if students moved back and forth much couldn't help being bothered.

"No really! Right sword professor! I was going to work and coming out from pigsty asked why coming out there! Then covering dung pile heavily doing like this!"

There is bound to be person acting frivolously and making people laugh anywhere going. One kid was talking excitedly making hand gesture, foot gesture while naked, thing below shook dangle dangle.

Children gathered around listened interestingly with smiling face.

"Strange. Drank alcohol at night and arrived home definitely. Seeing white butt thought wife......"

Don't know if real or not, mimicking professor's solemn voice and tone was very funny.

"Wahahahaha!"

As expected children laughed loudly. There was kid holding belly rolling roll roll on bed too.

"By the way, as I thought didn't drink alcohol."

"Then?"

"Entered on purpose."

"Uwek."

"Is that real? Will ask professor?"

Rickart watched children making noise laughing lying reversely on bed in place a bit away.

If seeing such thing definitely thought of army days and occurred thought looking gathered people all are same.

But suddenly, children making noise laughing loud became quiet. Because none other than Ice gang entered.

Gang not particularly bullying kids or doing such at all, but atmosphere exuding itself was so. Especially not long since so-called power was replaced so reading notice uselessly existed too.

Problem was Bori-bori was entering hanging laundry from opposite side. Because children gathered making noise in middle, whether didn't see each other from far, Bori-bori and Ice gang encountered each other exactly.

Ice looked down at short Bori-bori quietly without any word. Then, Rickart heard his voice for the first time. Because whispered only among themselves always so never heard voice.

"Move."

Completely opposite to looking pretty, was low-pitched manly voice.

Bori-bori flinched surprised, then trying to move hurriedly stopped. And said not moving.

"H, hate. You move."

Looking from perspective of world might be nothing special matter, but inside Academy most serious situation in world occurred. Kids have kids' own world.

As Bori-bori refused to move, Ice raised gaze and looked at Rickart looking this side lying on 2nd floor bed at distance a bit away.

There was no glaring each other or such at all. Just looked at each other. But since both don't avoid gaze easily, atmosphere was strange.

Tension flowed uselessly, and 1 second, 2 seconds, every time time passed seemed situation becoming serious uncontrollably. Dorm noisy until just now was quiet as if rat died.

Then Ice withdrew gaze first, and cleared the way. To lower class, having no rank even.

Bori-bori didn't know what to do when Ice cleared the way actually. With creaky movement, passed sticking close to opposite side. Was expression mind lost.

Even other people watching could see Bori-bori's heart beating fast.

Coming next to Rickart made bewildered expression, and seemed calming down surprised heart.

Rickart waited for such Bori-bori to calm down, and excluding own emotion entirely said.

"Bori."

"Uh, uh?"

"You are my most precious friend. I like your innocence. Doesn't matter if you can't fight, doesn't matter if helpful to me or not. But, rule is rule. In future you move."

Hearing words affectionate, but was stern. And had charisma.

Rickart didn't evaluate people by rank or so, but thought order and rule are important in group life.

By the way since inside dorm was so quiet, Rickart's voice was all heard. Academy students finally imprinted clearly in brain. That power changed, and Rickart is 1st.

"Yeah......"

Bori-bori answered sullenly. Rickart laughed only then said.

"Come here. Even though chicken coop, good to be able to stick close to each other right?"

"Yeah."

"But looking at you drawing on ground last time drew well. Even if no fight talent if having drawing talent enough. I envy that?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. If I drew well would draw mother and look often."

"Shall I draw for you?"

"You never saw my mother."

"If telling features can draw. Anyway drawing prettily is best for picture. Even if ugly in reality can be cool and pretty in picture at least. Everyone liked?"

"Is that so?"

"Seemed words area bit strange but in a way accepted and strange."

As Rickart and Bori-bori started talking harmoniously, sound of talking between friends was heard in other beds too. And, from some time sound of rain started to be heard outside.

By the way what would have happened if Ice didn't move? Children had such thought.