IRHWSDD 10

I Purified the Delinquent Students with the Holy Sword

5 Minutes Earlier

“We should set the budget for this graduation party in advance… Matian?”

Aaron, the treasurer, was explaining the financial details while walking down the hallway when he called out to Matian.

Matian suddenly stopped and turned to look at Chad, who was yawning behind him.

“Chad, weren’t the ‘student of interest’ duties your responsibility?”

“You’re asking even though you already know?”

A small wrinkle formed between Chad’s brows.

“Here they go again.”

Sensing the tension, Aaron grabbed Bolton—who was standing blankly like a bear between them—by the ear and dragged him away.

“Why me all of a sudden?!” Bolton protested as he was pulled off.

When Chad and Matian began silently staring at each other, passing cadets naturally stepped aside, leaving only the two of them in the hallway.

Matian smiled faintly and slipped his hands into his pockets.

“Sometimes I get confused whether you have too much work or too little, Chad.”

“It’s not that I have little work. It’s that you have too much. Since you hold the highest position, try working harder.”

Chad narrowed his eyes and playfully patted Matian’s shoulder.

Matian’s bright blue eyes lingered on that shoulder for a moment, then slowly rolled back up to meet Chad’s gaze.

“Looking at the graduation budget proposal, Aaron seems overwhelmed. I was thinking of entrusting the preparations to you.”

“Oh? That? I wonder if I’ll have enough time.”

“You’ll have plenty of time. As long as you don’t waste your outstanding abilities playing with women at night.”

This time, Matian patted Chad’s shoulder and turned away.

As Matian walked back the way they came, Chad called out.

“Where are you going after dumping work on me, President? The meeting starts as soon as the bell rings.”

“I forgot something. Go to the student council room first.”

“What could the great Matian Wigratz possibly forget? Or is it something you have to handle secretly?”

“I didn’t know you were so interested in me, Chad.”

Matian pressed lightly at the corner of his eyes, recalling the faint voice he had heard earlier.

‘Did he say… to let him out?’

The faint voice he had heard just after turning the hallway corner.

Hans’s group must have played one of their usual cruel pranks. Normally, he wouldn’t care.

But today, it irritated him.

It was probably because of the nightmare he had after a long time.

〈You have to let me out, Wigratz.〉

Damn it.

The situation was too similar.

Matian pressed his fingers against his temple. Seeing his back look tense, Chad’s eyes sparkled.

“What’s going on, Matian?”

“If you put that much interest into women instead of me, they would be delighted, Chad.”

Matian gave him a light smile and walked away.

“…Unbelievably irritating bastard.”

Chad muttered, “He grew up around those nasty elves, so no wonder he’s like that,” and headed toward the council room.

When the bell signaling the start of class rang, Chad arrived at the student council room.

Bolton and Aaron were already seated at the round table, waiting.

“Why are you alone, Chad? Weren’t you just with Matian?”

“Our rule-obsessed president forgot something and is late for once.”

Chad flopped onto the table as soon as he sat down.

“Did he go to the bathroom?” Bolton chuckled, touching the black eyepatch covering one eye. “So even Matian, who doesn’t look like he even needs to, is human after all.”

“Yawn. Let’s lock the council room if he’s five minutes late. It would be hilarious if he couldn’t get in.”

Just as Chad laughed along—

“Sorry to ruin your fun, Chad.”

The door swung open.

Matian had returned.

“He doesn’t even get constipated, huh?” Bolton muttered in admiration.

Chad openly looked disappointed as he sat up.

“Done already? Must not have been very important.”

“It wasn’t anything significant. Shall we begin the meeting?”

As if nothing had happened, Matian calmly led the meeting.

Hmm.

Chad narrowed his eyes, observing him.

He didn’t say what he had gone to do.

But Chad could roughly guess.

‘Why is my luck so terrible today?’

Rukna hunched her shoulders and lowered her head with a sigh.

She had been eating snacks she bought with Giselle’s allowance in a quiet empty lot—

When she ran into Hans’s group.

The wild rabbit bread was rolling on the dirt.

A large footprint was stamped on her shirt like a seal.

All Hans’s doing.

‘What a waste.’

Rukna glanced at the bread on the ground.

There was that unscientific saying that food dropped on the floor was safe if picked up within three seconds.

If she actually picked it up, that bastard would mock her endlessly.

Just then, her eyes met Hans’s, who had been staring at her.

He suddenly looked flustered.

“W-What? How dare you glare at me like that?”

Glare? She was just looking up at him.

Why was his potato-like face turning red?

“Y-Your face is annoyingly pretty for a guy! Should I stamp another footprint on your uniform? Huh?”

The boiled potato raised his foot threateningly.

‘You think I’ll just take it forever?’

She had decided just days ago—she wouldn’t let it happen twice.

Rukna immediately called for the Holy Sword.

‘Hi, Bisbi. It’s finally time for revenge.’

Except for when she faced Matian, the Holy Sword had never ignored her.

「Yesss, how may I assist you, Master?」

Look at that. It answers quickly when it’s safe.

‘I want to deal with them secretly.’

「They are classified as beginner monsters suitable for you, Master with water-fist strength. Please purify their twisted hearts with holy power!」

‘Beginner monsters? And how do I use holy power?’

While she was distracted talking to the sword, the boiled potato snorted angrily.

“Look at this bastard! I’m talking to you and you’re spacing out?”

He threw a heavy punch at her.

Rukna reflexively squeezed her eyes shut—

But through her slightly open vision, the fist moved strangely slow.

‘Huh? I can see everything.’

She had assumed cadets would be extremely strong.

Was she wrong?

Or was this body secretly powerful?

She tilted her head left and dodged the punch.

At the same time, her right hand shot out and struck the potato’s lower jaw.

She hadn’t planned it.

Her body moved first.

“Guh?”

Potato No.1 collapsed.

Rukna stared at her right hand.

A faint white holy light was glowing around it.

‘How did I do that?’

「The great Holy Sword enhanced your pathetic punch and dynamic vision to purify evil energy. Purification 1/3 complete.」

‘Enhanced? No wonder…’

She nodded.

She was already used to the sword subtly insulting her.

“How dare you hit Hans? Just because you have a pretty face!”

Potato No.2 charged at her.

Rukna easily deflected his attack and punched under his thick chin again.

Thud.

It felt like crushing a soft boiled potato.

‘This is amazing. My fist doesn’t hurt at all.’

She clenched and unclenched her hand with a grin.

Potato No.3, who had been staring in shock, suddenly swung his practice sword—

But the result was the same.

“I can’t believe you got this strong… ugh.”

Thump.

He fell with a cliché final line.

「Purification 3/3 complete.」

‘But isn’t this closer to violence than purification?’

「Mental correction through holy power is also purification, inflexible Master.」

‘You’re just forcing that logic—’

「Shutting down function.」

Suddenly, the Holy Sword withdrew in a hurry.

The white light around her fist disappeared.

Rukna stared at her trembling hands.

It was her first time fighting someone.

She couldn’t quite believe she had actually knocked people down.

Then—

“Seems like you really have changed, Rukna.”

“……!”

She turned around.

Matian stood there, smiling gently.

‘Since when was he watching?’

The most surprising thing about adjusting to academy life had been Matian’s public image.

As student council president, he was exemplary and kind.

He never raised his voice.

A soft smile always rested on his lips.

Some even called it “the smile of a saint.”

‘What kind of saint smiles with eyes that cold?’

The academy classes were so demanding that most cadets focused only on themselves.

Perhaps that was why not many noticed the slight misalignment in his smile.

Feeling awkward, Rukna rubbed her nose.

‘Huh? This scent…’

Was it just her imagination, or did it resemble the perfume she had smelled outside the cleaning cabinet before?

‘No way. The guy who suspected me of stealing the Holy Sword wouldn’t have helped me.’

Then another scent drifted in—

A faint metallic smell.

Rukna lowered her gaze.

On Matian’s black leather gloves—

There were dark stains.

They looked like blood.