The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 240: Graduation Ceremony (2)

After the graduation ceremony, at the party house.

“Pfft…”

Yurina covered her mouth with one hand, snickering.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, no… Pfft! Sorry… Haha! Too bad… you stayed in last place… Pfft! You almost escaped.”

“…….”

Make up your mind whether you want to laugh or tease.

“Haa. Well, don’t worry too much. School grades aren’t everything, you know?”

“It’s very convincing to hear that from the top student.”

Tch.

I clicked my tongue and looked away from Yurina.

Iris, who was sitting beside me, smiled faintly and asked.

“But you kind of expected that your grades wouldn’t be great, didn’t you?”

“Well… yeah.”

Honestly, I missed more than half the classes.

There was no way I could have good grades.

“So I wasn’t paying too much attention… until they gave me those extra points for no reason.”

They say you need hope to feel despair.

I thought I was finally free from being stuck at the bottom, but I ended up right back there (though it was only by one rank), which made it even more frustrating.

“Still, it’s kind of curious.”

“What is?”

“That you care about being at the bottom, Dale.”

Iris tilted her head as she continued.

“Everyone in the school who knows anything already recognizes your real skills. You were even awarded the title of ‘Special Candidate’ by the principal recently.”

“Well, that’s….”

“And the reason candidates fight so hard to get a high comprehensive evaluation is to secure good positions in public offices or guilds after graduation. But Dale, you don’t really need to worry about your future, do you?”

With her hand proudly placed on her chest, Iris had a look on her face that seemed to say, ‘Dale’s future is in my hands!’

“…….”

She wasn’t wrong.

Even if I escaped from the bottom, my life wouldn’t change one bit.

But—

“…If you spent a lifetime being called the ‘Bottom-rank Hero,’ you’d feel differently.”

Yeah.

This wasn’t about gain or loss.

It was a matter of pride.

“Hmm… is that so?”

Iris tilted her head, not fully understanding.

I let out a short sigh and gave her a simple example.

“Iris, what rank did you get in the comprehensive evaluation this time?”

“I was third this time. Camilla came in fourth.”

“According to what you said earlier, you don’t really have a reason to get such high grades either. After all, your future as a saint is guaranteed.”

“Ah.”

“That’s how it is with grades.”

There’s a certain feeling that the privileged can’t understand.

“Well, I get what you mean.”

Sophia, who had been quietly listening, nodded her head.

“I got first place for the first time this time, and it didn’t feel bad at all.”

“First place? You were the top student among the fourth-years this time?”

“Yep.”

Sophia crossed her arms and shrugged.

“I always got pushed down by that annoying couple, Aaron and Bella, but this time I beat them. Watching Aaron’s face twist when the rankings were announced was pretty satisfying.”

Sophia beating Aaron, the “Meteor Spear,” to become the top student?

‘Considering how Aaron and Bella always teamed up for every evaluation, Sophia must have carried her party to victory on her own.’

It seemed Sophia’s skills had improved greatly since the last time I saw her.

“Well, as much as I hate to admit it… it’s thanks to you.”

“Me?”

“You told me about the solution to the ‘Three Dilemmas of the Grand Sage,’ remember?”

“…No, I didn’t.”

I never gave her the solution to any dilemma.

Magic isn’t a field where someone can grow just by being handed solutions and answers.

I only gave Sophia a few minor hints so she could find the answers on her own.

‘Honestly, I just said something like, ‘Why not try thinking about it from the opposite angle?’’

How was that even close to giving her the solution?

“Huh? That’s practically the same thing. You taught me that I was thinking in the wrong direction.”

“…….”

Ah.

I forgot Sophia was a genius on par with Yurina.

“Well… that, and I had some realizations from watching Professor Jade’s and Berald’s magic.”

“I can understand Professor Jade… but you learned something from Berald’s magic?”

“Yeah.”

What magic?

The guy can barely cast anything besides magic bullets.

“The way he harmonizes the external and internal realms to manifest magic was quite insightful.”

“…….”

As always, I couldn’t understand how geniuses think.

“Anyway, without you, I wouldn’t have solved the Grand Sage’s dilemmas or even met Professor Jade or Berald.”

Thank you.

Sophia gave a faint smile as she said those words.

“…….”

Hearing Sophia thank me felt like being hit over the head with a hammer.

“By the way, sister Sophia.”

“Huh? What is it?”

She flinched at being called “sister.”

Was she still not used to it?

“You’re graduating as the top student this time, right?”

“Ah, yeah. That’s right.”

“What are you planning to do after graduation?”

Iris looked worried, as if concerned Sophia might leave the party.

Even if she didn’t leave the party, graduates couldn’t stay at school.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m not leaving the party or the school.”

Sophia let out a soft chuckle and glanced over at Berald.

“I’m not going anywhere without him.”

It was a quiet mutter, but her feelings were clear.

“How are you planning to stay at school?”

“I’m joining Professor Jade’s staff.”

“Huh?”

That means… could it be—

“You became his teaching assistant?”

“Yep.”

“…….”

A teaching assistant?

No matter how much she wanted to stay with Berald, I didn’t think she’d make such an extreme decision.

‘Berald, you better treat Sophia right.’

If he ever talks about microscopic realms or whatever again, I’ll break his skull.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

“Professor Jade also mentioned that you’ll be his assistant in the future, too.”

“What nonsense is that?”

Why would I ever do something so awful?

“…Wasn’t it?”

“I never even considered it.”

“Hmm. Really? Well, if that’s the case, there’s no helping it. I’ll just tell them to use Berald as the assistant when they graduate.”

...Sorry, Berald.

I don’t think I can protect you this time.

“Gulp, gulp… Ahh! Come on, why are you all talking about something so serious without having a drink on graduation day?”

Berald, who had no idea his future was descending into hell, was eating the food and drinking the alcohol prepared for the graduation party without a care in the world.

I silently patted his shoulder and took a brief moment of silence.

“So, if Sophia’s staying as an assistant at the school… what about you, Lanez?”

“I-I got to stay at the school too, thanks to Professor Elisha!”

Lanez shouted with sparkling eyes, as if waiting for someone to ask.

“How? Did you become Professor Elisha’s assistant?”

“Ah, no, not that…”

Lanez scratched his head and trailed off with an embarrassed laugh.

“Uh, I’ll tell you later! It’s good news for you, Dale!”

“...?”

What could be so secretive that she couldn’t say it now?

“A-Anyway! I can stay at the school too, so don’t worry!”

“Well… alright.”

Honestly, I was more worried about Lanez than Sophia.

I was relieved to hear she had found a way to stay at the school.

“So, that means we’ll all still be together next year?”

Iris looked around at the party members with sparkling eyes.

“Yeah, looks like it.”

“Hehe, that’s a relief.”

“Hoho! Captain! Isn’t today the perfect day for a drink?”

“Sounds good.”

“Everyone, bring your glasses! I’ll pour for you!”

Berald scurried around, filling everyone’s glasses.

“So…”

Everyone’s eyes were on me.

“…What, you want me to make a toast?”

“Hoho! Who else but the party leader should do it?”

“Exactly.”

“Hehe, Dale, I’m looking forward to what you’ll say.”

Ugh.

They’ve set the stage so perfectly that it’s making me even more nervous.

“Uh… well, everyone, you’ve worked hard this past year. Let’s do our best again next year.”

“Boo! Boring!”

“Disappointed, Captain. That’s your best?”

“Hey.”

What do they expect me to say in this kind of atmosphere?

“Ugh.”

I swallowed my frustration and looked at my party members, who were shining their eyes at me (mostly with teasing intent).

“…You all say you’re grateful to me a lot, but the truth is, I’m the one who’s grateful.”

They would never know.

How much I had longed for this moment—being together again.

Wandering through endless frozen wastelands.

How deeply I had yearned for this.

“Thank you.”

Because of you.

I could be who I am.

“…Dale.”

“Sniff… Captain.”

“Ah, damn it! Saying stuff like that just makes it more embarrassing! Shut up and raise your glasses! This year was fun!”

We’ll stick together for another year!

* * *

After drinking heavily with my party members, I returned to my dorm room.

When I opened the door, the first thing I saw was…

“…Lanez?”

Lanez, who had somehow changed into a maid outfit.

‘What?’

Why is she in my room?

“Hehe, you’re back, Dale?”

“…Why are you in my room?”

“Well, I mentioned earlier that I got to stay at the school, right?”

Lanez continued with a shy expression.

“I asked Professor Elisha, and I got permission to stay as your personal maid.”

“…What?”

A personal maid?

What’s she talking about?

“You know how the high-ranking nobles or wealthy candidates have hired staff to cook and clean for them in the school?”

“Well… yeah.”

Even Iris had her own personal chef living at the school.

“I became your maid to help you out with all kinds of tasks, just like those people!”

“…”

“O-Of course… I can do more than just chores… if you’d like….”

Lanez twisted her body, blushing in embarrassment.

“…”

Why did I suddenly feel like the upcoming year was going to be much more chaotic than the past one?

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]