Academy Heroine's Right Diagonal Back Seat

Chapter 241

Living under the same sky, yet being sworn enemies.

That was the perception that the people of this world held toward witches.

For a long time, they had to live confined within a limited land due to witches.

Recently, they had also experienced the loss of those close to them because of witches.

It was understandable for them to harbor ill feelings toward me, a witch, though it was unfortunate for me.

To put it simply, I felt like the blood relative of Hitler who appeared in the city of the Jews.

Even if I didn’t want it, how many people wouldn’t hate me in such a situation?

It was a scenario where it wouldn’t be strange even if I were to be killed by them. In fact, I was almost killed like that.

Because of that, when I managed to escape the city, I was mentally prepared.

Prepared for the possibility that I might never return.

If I were guilty of no crimes, I might have felt wronged, but since I had wronged Yoon Si-woo by injuring him, I couldn’t even think that way.

So, it was something that couldn’t be helped, and I accepted the possibility of never stepping foot in the city again, half-heartedly giving up.

Toward me, Silvia said,

“So please, trust us. We will definitely send you back to the city.”

She insisted they would surely return me, asking me to believe in them.

The moment I heard that, countless thoughts flooded my mind.

Could it really be okay for someone like me to return?

Wouldn’t I just be met with hatred and be driven out again?

Even though such fears were certainly lingering.

When I came to my senses, I found myself nodding along.

Unbeknownst to me, a half-tearful smile escaped my lips.

Hearing my friend’s words to trust her felt like I was lifting the suppressed feelings inside me as if they had been revealed.

...Yeah. Deep down, I was just saying to myself that it was okay.

The truth was, I also wanted to return to where everyone was.

*

“I was thinking that everyone might just end up dying at the hands of the lesser demonic beasts! And then, out of nowhere, Scarlet suddenly stood up and blocked the demonic beast──”

“Yeah, yeah.”

As I nodded along to Silvia, who was chatting enthusiastically, she seemed to get even more excited and began pouring out stories.

Since I couldn’t quite remember what happened right before I fainted yesterday, I had asked her to tell me about it, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at her becoming such a chatterbox.

Somehow, it seemed I would have to be a bit cautious when asking Silvia for a favor in the future.

Just hearing that would make her pour her heart into anything...

Well, still, it was quite a relief that Silvia was so eager to talk this time.

If even Silvia had been quiet during our return to the city with the members of the Aegis Academy hunting squad, then the atmosphere would have been quite awkward.

Whenever our eyes met with the members of the hunting squad, they would bow their heads and sincerely apologize, looking truly sorry, which honestly made me feel quite burdened.

Even though I genuinely felt fine, they kept apologizing, making it hard for me to know what to do...

Yet, I couldn’t help but understand how they felt.

How could they not feel sorry with someone they almost killed right next to them?

In that sense, I thought it was fortunate that the World Tree had been revived.

The fact that Silvia could chatter away so loudly was also because the nearby magical powers had been completely purified, so they didn’t have to worry about the lesser demonic beasts.

The scenery on our way back had also become beautiful thanks to the World Tree’s revival.

When I casually glanced around, vibrant green trees full of vitality surrounded us on all sides.

A place that had been filled only with charred blackened trees had transformed into such a beautiful forest.

“...I won’t recommend it, but if you’re really curious, would you like to try one?”

Although her voice suggested against it, what kind of creature is a man?

To satisfy curiosity, they would sometimes risk their lives.

A manly man doesn’t shy away from things like this.

So, as a manly man, I unhesitatingly grabbed the round ball from Silvia’s hand.

“Oh my, are you really going to do it?!”

“Does he even know what he’s trying to eat...?”

I heard the whispers around me, as if everyone thought I was insane.

But I felt kind of confident.

I was notorious for being able to eat poorly-made food without complaint.

I had earned the nickname ‘the guy whose stomach is a trash can’ for eating everything, including the notorious military rations like Gohsun Tui, Myungsun Jorok, and Haebim Som.

That was me.

In fact, it was probably just that I didn’t like leaving food uneaten due to my poor upbringing.

I could hear someone swallow nervously as tension filled the air.

Looking around, I noticed that even more people seemed more tense than I was.

Seeing their reactions only made me more determined to eat this.

Since coming to this world, my life had been a constant struggle.

Because of that, I was always living with the mindset that I couldn’t afford to lose to this world.

This was just an extension of that.

Thus, this world’s horrible taste would not be able to defeat me.

With that mindset, I shoved the round ball into my mouth.

And

“...”

The taste hit me, and I froze at once.

“Scarlet?”

Silvia looked worried while also unable to hide her curiosity about my impression.

Toward her, I could only reply,

“...It’s edible. Doesn’t taste like much.”

I had no choice but to respond that way.

Why? Because that was exactly how I felt.

The only bothersome sensation was a light roughness in my mouth.

I had quite been tense, fearing some outlandish taste would await me, but that was a letdown.

However, against my calm demeanor, the response of everyone else was sheer shock.

“Impossible... Is it really edible?!”

“Indeed, witches are witches. Truly... truly monstrous taste buds!”

Their gazes looked at me with bewilderment as if they were witnessing something beyond understanding.

Feeling those eyes on me made me a bit disheartened as I thought, ‘Really, it just doesn’t taste like much...’

*

Following a meal filled with shock and horror.

After walking without a break for a while, we finally managed to exit the forest.

As the scenery beyond the forest came into my view, I unconsciously closed my mouth.

In the distance, which had become clearly visible now that the magical power had lifted,

I saw the city I had fled from, the city I had to return to.