“Now, let’s begin the lecture.”
The stern-faced lecturer standing at the podium spoke gravely.
The first program was a lecture for the young staff of the Royal Healing Institute, incorporating the latest research.
Among the young staff, Zenos sat in the back row, still wearing a large black mask.
Perhaps because it was a healing institute, there were others wearing masks, so he was grateful that he didn’t stand out too much.
“My specialty is Adventure Healing Studies. I don’t know how many of you want to become adventurers, but the Royal Healing Institute also dispatches healers at the request of the Adventurer’s Guild. You may accompany adventurers on their quests someday. It won’t hurt to know.”
The lecturer said, looking around at everyone.
“Today’s theme is the Undead. I will introduce the latest knowledge about the monsters that wander the world after death.”
Then, he began to explain the characteristics, behavioral patterns, weaknesses, and effective healing magic for zombies, ghouls, ghosts, and so on.
– Huh, this is interesting.
He knew a lot from his own experience as an adventurer, but it was systematically organized and easy to understand. Time passed quickly.
“Now then, are there any questions?”
When the lecturer asked, several students raised their hands.
“Professor. Are you not going to talk about Wraiths?”
In response to one person’s question, the lecturer answered with a grimace.
“That’s a good question, but the truth is, there hasn’t been much research on Wraiths, the highest-ranking undead monsters. One reason is that there aren’t many sightings. And the other is that most of the parties that have challenged them have been completely wiped out, so we can’t gather information.”
The classroom fell silent.
“One thing is certain: if you encounter a Wraith, your first priority should be to run away. Especially if it can speak, that’s bad. Generally, monsters that can speak are high-class monsters. If it’s a Wraith, it’s already an opponent you can’t handle.”
“Eh, is that so…?”
Zenos, sitting in the back row, muttered softly.
A talking Wraith was relaxing in his dorm room, but it seemed better to keep quiet about it.
“Finally, has anyone here ever fought an undead? If so, please share your experience with everyone.”
Several people raised their hands. The person who was called on and stood up was the man he had seen in the cafeteria at lunchtime. He remembered Umin saying that they were in the same year.
“I’m Cresson from Professor Goldrun’s lab. I was an adventurer for several years, and I’ve defeated at least thirty ghosts.”
The students stirred. Someone exclaimed in admiration that he was indeed worthy of being in Professor Goldrun’s lab. Cresson, who proudly talked about how to defeat ghosts, turned his eyes to Zenos.
“By the way, what about you, special trainee?”
“Eh, me?”
Suddenly addressed, Zenos looked up in surprise. Everyone’s attention was focused on Zenos, who was at the edge of the classroom.
“…”
What should he say? Umin had told him to act normal, but he felt that standing out too much would not be good for him in the future.
He needed to achieve results and catch Professor Goldrun’s eye, but he thought it would be better to avoid standing out for the wrong reasons from the start. He could easily defeat fifty at once, but it might be safer to match Cresson.
“Um… I guess around thirty, too.”
“Huh? Don’t lie.”
“I’m not lying. The most I can defeat at once is about thirty.”
“So, don’t exaggerate… Eh, at once?”
“Eh? Thirty isn’t at once?”
The auditorium suddenly began to buzz. The lecturer at the podium looked at the documents in his hand and said.
“Are you Zeno-kun, the special trainee?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Could you explain what you just said?”
“There’s nothing to explain… If you go to the underground labyrinth, there are ghosts everywhere, so if you cast <Heal> on them all at once, you can purify them in one go…”
“Underground labyrinth…?”
The lecturer had a puzzled expression.
“The only place with that many undead would be the underground labyrinth of Garminton, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah, but…?”
It was the labyrinth in the old mansion of a great nobleman where Aston had once sent him to retrieve treasure. The buzz in the auditorium grew louder, and the lecturer raised both hands to silence everyone.
“Zeno-kun. The underground labyrinth of Garminton is a labyrinth that even Gold-class parties cannot easily approach. Please refrain from joking.”
“Is that so? It’s true that there were a lot of undead.”
“Almost no party has ever been able to bring back the treasure safely.”
“That’s a bit of an exaggeration. Even I brought back 7… no, about 2 of them.”
“Whaaaaaaat?”
He had reduced the number of treasures he had actually brought back from seven to two, but even so, the stern-faced lecturer made a strange noise.
– This is bad. Did I say something strange…?
Amidst the commotion, the lecture ended, and Zenos decided to leave the auditorium quickly. The remaining students spoke up one after another.
“Thirty ghosts at once, seriously?”
“The underground labyrinth of Garminton is said to be the graveyard of adventurers, right?”
“Who is that guy?”
Cresson, who had completely lost the attention of everyone, glared at the door Zenos had exited and clenched his fist.
“What’s with that guy? There’s no way that’s true. I don’t like him…”
Zenos had not yet realized that what was normal for him was not normal for everyone. The mysterious special trainee was thus slowly attracting everyone’s attention.