After the Hero Academy had successfully fended off the beast legion’s sudden assault, a strangely festive mood filled it. While some people would find it odd that the academy was celebrating right after a massive attack, it was only natural after what had transpired.

In the face of an invasion by not hundreds, but tens of thousands of demonic monsters, the academy’s professors and cadets had joined forces and defended the academy without suffering a single death. Sure, there were plenty of minor injuries, and several cadets were hospitalized with serious wounds, but everyone was alive. That alone was enough reason for the academy to raise a toast.

Thus began the victory ceremony. Of course, it wasn’t anything extravagant. The headmaster gave a short speech, commended the cadets who had distinguished themselves in battle, handed out a few awards, and then everyone ate and drank to their heart’s content.

“Third-year Warrior Division cadet, Yuren Helios; fourth-year Warrior Division cadet, Aaron Baek; third-year Support Division cadet, Iris; fourth-year Mage Division cadet, Sophia Evergreen; second-year Mage Division cadet, Berald Ryu; and finally...”

The headmaster, Lionel, turned his gaze toward one last cadet. “Third-year Warrior Division cadet, Albert Hoover.”

Stiff as a board, Albert stammered, “Y-yes, sir!”

“These cadets have demonstrated courage and wisdom in the face of sudden disaster. For their valor, they are hereby awarded a commendation.”

Lionel’s voice echoed through the hall, and the cadets he called stepped up onto the stage.

Thunderous applause shook the auditorium, and the cadets sitting in the audience cheered for them.

“Wow! Albert looks so cool up there!”

“Haah! Yuren is so handsome.”

“Really? I actually think that second-year, Berald was it, is kind of my type.”

“Oh my, that’s your type?”

“Argh, I’m jealous! I wanted to fight the demonic monsters too!”

“You fought one and got carried off on a stretcher.”

“Hehe! But the Saintess looked so pretty up close, though.”

Lionel raised a hand. “Quiet.”

After calming the crowd, he handed each cadet their certificate. “There isn’t enough time for everyone to speak, so let’s hear from just one representative.”

His gaze swept across the row of cadets, then stopped. “Albert.”

Albert stammered, “M-me?”

“Yes. Speak on behalf of the others.”

“W-wait, I’m not good at this! Shouldn’t it be Aaron or Yuren?”

Lionel chuckled, clearly amused by the boy’s panicked expression. “Professor Kane was right about you.”

“P-pardon?”

“You’re fun to tease... No, I mean you’re a very diligent and upright young man.”

“I could’ve sworn you just said something else,” Albert replied.

“Now then! As everyone knows, Albert fought bravely as Class C’s representative and led his comrades against the beast legion!”

Placing his hands on Albert’s shoulders, Lionel raised his voice. “In times of crisis, true heroes are the ones who find courage! Listen well to Albert’s words!”

Hundreds of cadets expectantly stared up at Albert, cheering for him.

“Wooooaaahhh!”

“Albert! Albert! Albert!”

Albert looked out over the sea of faces. He fumbled for words, almost in tears. “Uh, w-well, um, s-so... E-even though we were all really scared, t-thank you... for fighting beside me.”

Some cadets complained about his voice.

“Boo! We can’t hear you!”

“Speak up!”

Albert squeezed his eyes shut and shouted as loud as he could, “W-we achieved a great victory today! Some say the title of ‘Hero’ has lost its meaning over the last five hundred years.”

He raised his fist high. “But starting today, we’ll make heroes great again!”

Cheers exploded across the hall as the victory ceremony truly began.

“OOOOHHHH!”

“Albert! Albert! Albert!”

“Albert! I’m your fan!”

***

At the banquet that followed, I gathered my comrades in one of the academy’s private dining rooms, the same one I had used once before with Iris, Yurina, and Laneige. In the room were Yurina, Iris, Berald, and Sophia, comrades who had fought beside me since my past life; Camilla and Professor Baldwin; and finally, Laneige, who had joined our circle after my regression.

The long table felt almost cramped with so many familiar faces, and for a moment, a warm, wordless emotion welled up in my chest.

I wanted to invite others too, but the man of the hour, Albert, was being dragged from group to group as the ceremony’s star and couldn’t make it. Jules had been summoned home to the Republic in the aftermath of the attack. Professor Kane was probably still with Professor Bianca. Professor Bastion didn’t come either, as he was apparently busy cleaning up his lab after Berald’s “visit.”

Though, in a way, this group was the best for a private talk anyway. Unlike others, all the people here knew at least some of each other’s secrets.

“Everyone, you’ve done well,” I said.

Clink!

Glasses met with a crisp sound.

“We all took a beating, but it’s a miracle no one died.”

“Kuuuuuuuuuuh! It’s all thanks to Brother Yuren, I mean, Sister Yurina’s heroic deeds!” Berald said heartily, praising Yurina.

“Nah, Berald deserves more credit,” Yurina replied.

“Heh. I didn’t do much, really. I just ‘borrowed’ a few of Professor Bastion’s potions.”

“Funny, considering I saw you punch through about a hundred demonic monsters.”

Yurina and Berald laughed, trading banter as they drank. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Watching them, Iris grinned mischievously. “By the way, Berald, did you know something?”

“Hm? What’s that?”

“Technically, Yurina’s a year younger than you.”

“Wait! What?”

“Ah, Iris! We promised not to bring up age!” Yurina said.

“Oh, did we? My memory must have been fuzzy.”

Yurina groaned and downed her drink in one go.

Senior Sophia and Laneige exchanged complex looks. They conversed with each other.

“Hah! I still can’t believe it. Yuren was actually a woman this whole time.”

“Y-yeah. Same here.”

They had only recently learned Yurina’s true identity. So, they still wore awkward, uncertain expressions, as if they hadn’t fully adjusted to it yet.

“Hehe. Senior Sophia’s magic was incredible, too,” Berald said loudly.

“Really?” Senior Sophia replied.

“Of course! To be honest, I thought it looked even stronger than Professor Bianca’s spells!”

“Well, if we’re just talking about firepower, I suppose I’m not that far behind her.”

Senior Sophia twisted a strand of her hair around her finger and turned her gaze aside. Judging from the way her leg was bouncing beneath the table, Berald’s praise clearly pleased her. The atmosphere between them was starting to warm, until Berald said something he shouldn’t have.

“Hahaha! So, you’re saying that aside from firepower, everything else falls short! As expected, the world of magic is truly profound!” he said.

“What?”

Wait! What the hell are you saying, Berald? I thought.

Senior Sophia chuckled, “Heh! Everything else falls short, huh? And what exactly would that be?”

“Hmm? Well, you know, right?”

Senior Sophia smiled sweetly. “No, I don’t know at all.”

She stood up and strolled over to him. “Come on then. Why don’t you go outside with me and explain exactly what you meant?”

She grabbed him by the ear and dragged him out of the room without mercy.

As they left, Berald’s voice rang out, “Gyaaah! Ow, it hurts!”

An awkward silence settled over the now-empty space.

“That was, uh, careless of Berald.”

“Yeah. Reminded me of Dale for a second,” Iris said.

“Excuse me?” I muttered.

Why was I catching stray bullets right now?

“Haha, I’m kidding. You’re not that oblivious, Dale.”

“If anything, the opposite,” Yurina added, nodding.

“You’re too perceptive for your own good. You flirt with anyone who so much as breathes near you,” Iris said.

“W-what? No, I don’t.”

Yurina narrowed her eyes and pressed her heel firmly onto my foot under the table. “Forget it. I take back what I said about you being perceptive.”

“You toy with people’s hearts and then act like you’ve done nothing wrong?” Iris said.

Yurina followed up. “She’s right! There’s a limit to shamelessness, you know!”

Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe she had been holding it in for a while, but Iris suddenly slammed the table with her hands and burst out, voice trembling with anger. “Oh, so you flirt first, then pretend you didn’t mean it later? That’s all it takes?”

“Hold on!”

Please, calm down, Saintess, I said inside.

“Maybe it’s your fault for being so seductive in the first place!”

Her furious outburst was followed by stunned silence. Camilla groaned, clutching her head as she poured herself another glass, while everyone else averted their eyes. I knew the future could take strange turns, but never in my life did I imagine being yelled at like that by the Saintess of the Holy Empire, who was my lover from my past life, no less.

Sensing how the tension had spiked, Yurina tried to change the subject. “Uh, anyway. Dale, what were you doing during the battle?”

Apparently, everyone silently agreed to pretend Iris’s last statement never happened. All at once, the conversation turned toward me.

Iris also looked back at me. “She’s right. I looked everywhere for you during the fight but couldn’t find you.”

Laneige blurted out. “Y-yeah! I even activated the tracking spell I had placed on you, but the signal just vanished halfway!”

“Huh?”

“W-wait, tracking spell?”

Laneige turned pale and waved her hands frantically. “Ah! N-no! I mean... That’s not what I...”

I’ll deal with that tracking spell later, I thought.

I replied, “I was—”

Before I could finish, Professor Baldwin cut in calmly, arms crossed, “Dale was with me. We were spending some... private time together.”

Yurina’s and Iris’s eyes darkened immediately.

“Together?”

“Private time?”

However, the most concerning reaction came from someone else.

Laneige said, “Aha! I see. Of course. Why didn’t I realize sooner? If three can do it, then four’s possible too. Ha! Ha Ha!”

She laughed stiffly, like a broken machine, biting her nails as her legs trembled uncontrollably. “I-in that case, before it grows any further, we’ll just have to... divide it up.”

Concerned, I asked, “I’m sorry, what?”

Divide it? Divide what, exactly?