Chapter 66

Chapter 66

***

Since it usually took six hours to walk from Beringen to the Academy, Rickart, Bori-bori, and Marie decided to rest for a day at the Guild building.

It was something they always did after finishing outside activities. Washing leisurely in warm water, and sleeping comfortably simply in clean bedding.

But when they reached the vicinity of the Guild building, quite a few students were seen. They could be recognized at once because of their uniforms.

However, there was no student wearing the uniform properly. They didn't put their arms in the jacket sleeves and just draped it over their shoulders, or because it was hot, they didn't wear the jacket at all and unbuttoned their shirts, revealing burdensome chest hair.

The only things distinguishing them from others were dark blue pants and unified boots.

That aside, maybe because the war hadn't ended completely yet? It seemed like exceptionally many students were seen around the Guild building because there were no active adventurers. Originally, students couldn't enter and exit the Guild building carelessly.

There were exceptional cases like Rickart or Bolka, but that was possible because they had Dunkel's permission.

Later they found out, but eventually, since he was the Guild Master, everything was possible if he permitted it.

Considering the incident in front of the pub earlier too, Rickart approached the Guild building amidst slight bewilderment.

Then the students all stared. Since the attire was different from the start, it seemed a sense of heterogeneity was felt at once. They seemed to speak with their gazes. 'This is our turf, why are you approaching?'

Someone scanned Rickart and his friends up and down openly and asked abruptly.

"Adventurers?"

Rickart frowned slightly at the moment because the student's tone was annoying.

"......Adventurers? What kind of talk is that?"

"No, asking if you are adventurers."

"I am a student like you guys. But that tone towards adventurers isn't good. Show respect. They are all your seniors."

"Student? Are you a new entrant? You seem not to know well, but those called seniors are all people who left outdated evil practices. We are different from them. We are born anew."

"......?"

Since he couldn't understand what bullshit he was talking about at all, Rickart just blinked his eyes, unable to even grasp the sense of whether to get angry or refute. What is he saying?

And because it wasn't wrong that the senior generations handed down evil practices, he was speechless momentarily. Because the past Academy was a place where truly tremendous violence was rampant.

But, a person who hadn't experienced that wouldn't know. Because it doesn't feel real if just hearing by words.

"Your equipment is quite good. Did you guys join in the middle while coming? Strange. If you contacted in advance, there must have been someone going to pick you up for safety."

The Academy student chattered as he pleased. Then Bori-bori, who rarely stepped forward when Rickart was talking, stepped forward.

"Excuse me, friend."

"Mm?"

"If you don't want to die, I think it would be good to reduce your words a bit. We are a bit tired. We will pass. Is it okay?"

Bori-bori spoke with a face innocent to the world. Rickart looked back at him surprised, wondering why he was being like this again.

It was good that he grew up and developed self-assertion while going through this and that rough work following Rickart, but this way wasn't good. Did he catch it from Bolka?

Although he didn't particularly emit killing intent, the student flinched. Since their equipment was on the good side to look down on them as new entrants, he couldn't say anything hastily.

Whether he did or not, Rickart entered the building for now. Although absurd, anyway he came to rest. He thought that even if they talked continuously, they would just not understand each other.

But as he entered the Guild building, the structure having changed a bit came into view. Because a platform like a play stage that wasn't there before was installed on the wall side. It wasn't that big.

And inside the Guild building, likewise, students were occupying seats as if they had taken over. They were drinking alcohol or rolling dice.

"Uh? Ricky?"

Fortunately, there was a student who recognized Rickart among them. Finally.

As one person recognized him first, heads turned here and there and stared at Rickart.

"Uh?"

"It's Ricky."

"It's Ricky!"

And then they flocked around Rickart in a swarm.

Seeing familiar faces, Rickart felt like he had returned home only then.

"Have you guys been well?"

"Is the war over?"

"I heard you killed a hundred people in the Kaits Highlands?"

"As expected of Ricky. With this, the noses of the Rubens guys must have been flattened, right?"

"No injuries?"

At one question asking if they had been well, students poured out other questions in a rush. It was like this in the past too, but if it was like this, it was distracting. What is killing a hundred people and what are the Rubens guys again?

"What hundred people. Anyway, it seems here has changed a bit much? Do you like the clothes?"

"Of course. The uniform is our honor and pride. Doesn't it show that we are students of the Great Beringen Academy? Other Academies don't have this, things like this."

"Th, that Great Beringen thing, what is it, on earth?"

"Great Beringen Academy. Cutting the chain of submission, we are born anew. We are all brothers and sisters, and are one. There are no nobles, and no illegitimate children. Under the leadership of Carly, we are making the Academy that Ricky, you, wanted."

From entering Beringen, since he couldn't understand at all whether everyone was crazy or what bullshit they were chattering, Rickart almost made a crying face.

"What sound are you making. I never wanted such things."

"But, Ricky, you said that in the Academy everyone is the same student......"

"No, that meant just don't bully each other and don't discriminate and get along well!"

"We are doing so, now."

"Ha...... No okay, but what is that leadership of Carly again?"

"If Ricky, you are the Pioneer, Carly is literally the Leader. An excellent Student Representative who practices your teachings, realizes them, and makes students one."

Pioneer? Leader? As it became this degree, Rickart ended up closing his eyes tightly. Ah, really what are they saying, on earth......

"There will be Carly's speech in the evening. Ricky, you listen too. You will like it."

"Done, prepare bath water. Where is the clerk kid?"

The clerk kid Rickart spoke of referred to the child who guarded the Guild building alone when he left the Academy to fight the Guild War.

"Clerk kid? Chett?"

The student looked back somewhere. Following that gaze, the kid sitting at a table with Academy students drinking alcohol and rolling dice was seen. Already properly drunk, he looked very good in mood.

"Hehehe...... Hit the jackpot. Hit the jackpot."

Rickart's eyes became wide round and he ran to that table hurriedly and just overturned the table with a crash.

"What are you doing!"

Surprised students made expressions explicitly not knowing the reason.

"How can you feed alcohol to a kid!"

"......"

At Rickart's sudden rampage, everyone was flustered, and after awkward silence continued for a while someone said.

"......Since feeling becomes good if drinking? Then, if feeling good together isn't it better......?"

Even Dunkel didn't offer alcohol to Rickart, but the students seemed to think just good things are good.

Originally mostly illiterate and ignorant kids, so they looked like they didn't understand what was bad.

Rickart experienced his breath becoming short due to the back of his neck pulling for the first time in his life.

Even if they were indifferent adults, as active adventurers emptied the place, the kids' state was unspeakable.

In a situation where adventurers were dying in the battlefield and huge money came and went daily as war funds, there were no people to care for the kids.

Rickart managed to gather his mind and spoke as calmly as possible.

"From now on, until becoming an adult, alcohol is prohibited. Gambling is prohibited too. If you have complaints speak now. If caught doing it, you die by me. Understood?"

Students inside the building all just blinked their eyes. But though being ignorant, they were on the side of obeying well to authority, so if ordered they were on the side of doing well as ordered again. The problem was it degenerated strangely as time passed.

"Quickly take the kid and put him to sleep. You guys also don't drink anymore. Go out and work, or if nothing to do just run and play, if going to drink and gamble get out all. Get out all!"

As Rickart shouted sharply, students flinched surprised and went out in a swarm.

Rickart stood at the overturned and messed up place, and breathed rough breath. Fatigue piled up meanwhile seemed to rush in all at once.

Marie approached and comforted him, stroking his back.

"Now somewhat a bit scary. Everyone seems crazy."

"Nothing to worry about. If adventurers return, they will live as if dead like a lie."

Bori-bori was unexpectedly relaxed. Although the students' state was unspeakable, he thought this was also just for a moment.

Eventually, Rickart had to wash in cold water. Marie received water in a bath tub separately and washed, and they entered each room and fell asleep immediately.

By the way, it seemed like he closed his eyes and opened them for a moment, but the outside was noisy so he ended up waking from sweet sleep. Sounds of chatting noisily were heard.

As Rickart came out and looked, he saw the 1st floor below the railing was full of students. Not only table seats but sitting on the floor just or standing, they were packed tightly until the corners.

The only empty place was the narrow platform.

"Ricky, here."

But whether he woke up first and came out, Bori-bori being with Marie at a corner seat discovered Rickart and called.

Since the atmosphere was so distractingly noisy, other students didn't even notice Rickart. Rickart pushed through the crowd and barely came down the stairs reaching the shaded place next to Bori-bori.

"What is all this!?"

Since the surroundings were so noisy, he had to shout even to Bori-bori who was right next to him.

"Said having a speech!"

"Who!?"

"Carly! Said not came yet!"

"Ah, right."

Rickart recalled the words heard during the day today. They said there was a speech in the evening.

Honestly, he was a bit curious. What bullshit this guy would chatter on earth. It seemed his mind became a bit clear after sleeping a nap.

In the midst of that, students chattered noisily. It seemed to become noisier gradually. To the extent he wondered if the building would collapse by sound.

Usually the interior was brightened only with lanterns and candles so it was on the dark side. But students seemed to drive out darkness with the vigor of young days.

Whether good, or bad. Being lively is good though.

At the sound chatting noisily Rickart's ears were on the verge of stinging. And around the time that noisy sound reached its peak, the door of the Guild building opened.

Then as if a ripple spread, it became quiet in an instant. The person who opened the door and entered was Carlich and a few students looking like attendants.

Carlich clasped his hands behind his back and stepped on the platform slowly. And scanning the students in the seats, opened his mouth.

"Nice to meet you, student comrades, brothers and sisters. I am extremely glad that many people attended today too."

Carlich was quite solemn. He didn't speak that loudly either. Just until a moment ago one had to shout to convey words to a person right next to them, but now everyone was concentrating and listening to his words only.

Carlich seemed to enjoy that music of silence for a while, then spoke again.

"Student comrades. Do you settle in contemplation alone? The time of silence visits anytime. I am likewise. By the way, if settling in contemplation quietly, a certain sound is heard. Do you know what sound that is?"

Carlich threw a question to the students.

"Sound of birds chirping?"

"Sound of pounding mochi?"

"Hahaha, such sounds are heard too, but I mean the sound heard amidst complete silence. I hear the sound of chains clanking. Don't you hear it?"

As he said sound not knowing reason out of nowhere, everyone was bewildered. Rickart felt a bit in the past too, but wondered if his mind was strange.

By the way suddenly, Carlich clenching his fist shouted abruptly. As he spoke quietly then shouted suddenly, everyone flinched surprised.

"That is exactly the sound tightening ourselves! Oppression! And persecution! Mean the sound of submission! I am so painful of that! Do you mean you guys aren't so!"

Carlich shouted like fire then after scanning the audience, spoke quietly again. Students listened concentrating before too, but now they were listening as if possessed completely.

"Whether you are from noble origin, or illegitimate child origin, all are same. Living in family's pressure and contempt is so. I am likewise so. But even now leaving home doesn't the chain of that restraint tighten you? Occasionally doesn't anger not knowing reason fill up and suppress you? We must cut this chain! Such duty was given to us!"

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!

In the end he shouted giving strength once again. Then applause burst out, and Carlich seemed to enjoy the applause leisurely for a while then raised his hand and restrained it.

"To cut that chain we must fight! Against what do we fight! That is exactly we must fight with thoughts embedded in you and people's heads! Illegitimate child? Second son? If hearing these words what thought comes up? Useless guy, guy shouldn't have been born, spare part, damned guy. Will you leave that as is? Must show towards the world! Becoming one all of us! Against everything pressing and oppressing us let's fiighht!"

Whether drunk on himself, Carlich bent his head back fully and spread two arms wide. Then students all rose from seats and applauded like thunder.

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!

The applause sound was really tremendously loud. It seemed to shake the whole building. Some students banged wooden cups on the table roughly tang tang tang too. Alcohol shook and overflowed recklessly.

By the way Bori-bori also stood up and applauded hard. Marie also, whether listening to the speech impressively, was applauding next to Rickart. Rickart grabbed the two hurriedly and made them sit forcibly.

"What are you doing. Wake up."

"But seems a decent speech than thought?"

"Decent than thought my ass. Dangerous."

"What?"

"Fight with world, fight what. At least when fighting have to have power worth that. If doing wrong look like dying all."

Words might sound good, but if calculating quietly there was no reality. So it was dangerous.

By the way an unexpected thing happened. Carlich pointed at Rickart exactly and shouted.

"Will finish today's speech early. Because today, we invited a special person. Our Savior! Our Pioneer! Our Hero! Great Warrior of Great Beringen Academy! It is Ricky! Let's invite with applause! Everyooneeeee!"

Rickart was surprised. Looking around everyone was staring at him and applauding to the extent fire broke out on palms.

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!

It was the first time experiencing such an absurd thing in life. Even that Rickart maintaining composure well was flustered and didn't know what to do. The sound of silent applause pressured Rickart.

"Ricky! Ricky! Ricky! Ricky!"

At last students chanted Rickart's name.

Rickart inevitably, unable to keep the seat anymore, passed the path students opened in a daze and stepped on the platform.

Carlich yielding the seat, applauded with a very pleased expression. Said a crazy agitator became boss, was speaking of this.

Indoor was dark, but thanks to that students seemed to get drunk on atmosphere well more.

The applause sound continuing for a while subsided, and all students' gaze stuck to Rickart. All were eyes full of expectation.

Students knowing Rickart stared laughing, and students not knowing sent envy-filled gazes.

Rickart came up on the platform actually but didn't know what to say. He was resolute even at eyes inhabited with enemies' killing intent in fight risking life and death, but was overwhelmed as a situation like now was really first time.

Because students' expectation wasn't a nature able to fight against with sword.

Even so couldn't invent words not existing here, or say words not in mind.

And honestly, students' demeanor seen after arriving at Beringen wasn't quite good. Unity was good, but it wasn't a correct direction.

However with what means betray those eyes filled with expectation. One person, one person was shining eyes as if receiving a god.

By the way even Bori-bori and Marie were moved by Carlich's speech, Rickart only being sober mind might be because he grew up in a uniquely harmonious family.

But having memories of past life, on one hand could understand students' mind too.

While Rickart couldn't catch a grasp time flowed continuously. Silence continued long. Then students felt something strangely, and started murmuring.

At that time Rickart spoke. As it seemed a place having to be formal in its own way, strange tone came out unknowingly.

"I, Ricky, am disappointed in you students."

Even if doing simple hand gesture students would have been enthusiastic, but at Rickart's one word it became quiet to the extent not one breath sound was heard.

Students' eyes changed from expectation, to question. Seemed not knowing how to react like lost sheep. Is it a joke? Have to laugh?

On the other hand, Rickart could escape from pressure only after spitting out one word. And scanned students filling the Guild headquarters slowly.

Their anxiety and question and resentment kind seemed to be seen in eyes.