I Became the Martial God's Youngest Disciple Episode 193

Episode 193

"Where is this place?" a cracked voice escaped my throat.

I lay beneath a soft bedspread, just thick enough to be comforting. The unique weight of the fluffy blanket settled over like a gentle embrace. Sowhere nearby, a faint, pleasant scent lingered in the air.

I must have slept for quite so ti, yet my head throbbed sharply. Judging by my surroundings, I was bedridden.

The mont that I reflexively tried to sit up, a surge of pain tore through every inch of my body. It was the kind of pain that forced a grunt out of even soone like , who was sowhat accustod to tolerating pain.

My body's a wreck. Instead of pushing further, I sank back into the bed and slowly scanned the room. It looked like the academy's infirmary.

I checked myself and found I had healed to so extent. After all, I could still feel pain in a body that had been nearly destroyed. Most of the aches and stiffness made grimace, but pain was proof I was alive. I chose to see it as a good sign.

A teacup sat on the table beside the bed, filled with a dicine of unpleasant color. The only notable thing was its terrible sll.

It was no wonder my mouth felt dry and coated. It looked like I had drunk it while unconscious. Still, I had no desire to quench my thirst with that dicinal tea the mont I woke up.

Apple juice.I want to drink apple juice. And not just a sip—I craved it. Cold, with ice cubes floating in the glass. I could drink one liter at once right now.

I pushed down the childish craving and turned my attention to making sense of the situation. My mories were hazy.

In the Otherworld, I had fought the demon king. I had managed to draw out his true form and taken a brutal, one-sided beating from that bastard.

So what happened after that?

The sunlight streaming through the window suggested it was all over now.

"You're awake?" a gruff, elderly voice said beside as the curtain between the beds was pulled back.

I froze. Alderson was lying in the neighboring bed.

"Oh... you're safe?"

Alderson chuckled. "I should be saying that. Your condition was as critical as mine."

"I'm still young and strong," I said.

"Are you implying that I'm old and frail?" he shot back.

"Of course not," I said seriously. "Dean Alderson, you're fit for your age. I'm just unusually strong for mine."

"Judging by how smooth your tongue is, you must be fine," he noted.

I studied him as he gave a quiet smile. He looked older than I rembered.

Then a buried mory stirred. At the last mont, this man had unleashed powerful grand magic. Even with my limited understanding, I could tell how imnse its destructive force had been. It had been worth risking my life to buy him the ti he needed. The spell had completely obliterated the demon king's true form.

"So, since I'm still alive, I guess the disturbance caused by the demon king's descent was resolved after all."

"Disturbance..." Alderson laughed softly at my choice of words before nodding. "It is as you say, thanks to your efforts."

"Sure..." I was hardly humble, but hearing such praise from Dean Alderson, who had played the most decisive role in ending the crisis, made feel a little embarrassed.

As I searched for words, Alderson hesitated.

"Do you have sothing to say?" I asked.

"Plenty. But first, I think I owe you an apology."

I pointed to myself. "To ?"

"Yes. More precisely, to all the students caught up in this incident."

"Ah. Speaking of which, are they all safe?"

"There were so injuries, and a few are still ntally shaken, but thankfully, no one died," Alderson said.

I blinked, startled. "No deaths? Not a single one?"

"That's right. It all happened in the Otherworld. The students who were killed by the dolls weren't seriously hard in reality and were only in a state of confusion."

"But my wounds are still here," I objected.

"Aren't you a hero disciple? Those who receive blessings are immune to the Otherworld's madness, but they still suffer the physical injuries they sustain there."

"Then what about the other hero disciples in my group?"

"No deaths, but several were hurt as badly as you," he replied.

I let out a quiet breath. I didn't know how serious their injuries were, but knowing they'd all survived eased the knot in my chest. "I don't know if it's right to say this, but I'm glad the disaster happened in the Otherworld."

"Yes. However, if this hadn't occurred in a special space like the Otherworld, the church could have orchestrated such an event right in the middle of the capital," Alderson reasoned.

"That is true."

Alderson looked at and blurted out, "You will have to be careful from now on."

"Why all of a sudden?"

"You've been unconscious for a week. Many things have happened here at the academy during that ti," he answered.

I was out far longer than I expected. It felt like it was only three or four days at most.

Just as I was thinking this, Alderson's tone lowered even more. "You must hide that power."

He avoided ntioning it directly, but I knew he ant the Dark Qi.

I stared at the dicinal tea in my cup, avoiding his gaze. I opened my mouth, debating whether to drink the bitter liquid. "I have to hide it... Your words make it sound like it's still a secret."

At that ti, only five people had seen use the Dark Qi: Alderson, Seren, Charon, Evan, and Perist. Among them, Evan, the Young Dark Pope, was the most trustworthy. In a sense, he was an accomplice. I wasn't sure how Seren and Charon would react. That left Alderson and Perist. Honestly, I considered them the most dangerous. Yet Alderson seed to have kept my secret until now.

With a bitter smile, Alderson said, "Hero Disciple Luan, if you hadn't held out there, everyone would have died. I may be called eccentric, but not to the point of betraying soone who saved my life. By the way, I'm curious. Why did you do it?"

Instead of answering Alderson's question right away, I finally reached for the dicinal tea. I couldn't overco my thirst. The bitter liquid, just as harsh as I had expected, slid down my throat.

Although I wasn't sure how Alderson would react, I answered honestly, "Dean Alderson, I have more ans than you realize. I simply chose the option that gave the best chance. In that situation, using that power was the most viable choice. I had to do it, and I could. I hope that answers your question."

Having seen use Dark Qi, Alderson's true concern was not how or why I acquired the power. I sensed genuine worry in his voice. That was why I decided to be open.

After a brief pause, Alderson asked again, "Can you conceal that power?"

"For now."

The total amount of Dark Qi I possessed wasn't great. If my internal energy asured 100, my Dark Qi was only about three to five. That made it possible to keep it sealed deep inside my dantian. Unless I drew it out, no one would notice.

"In that case," Alderson said, "instead of fleeing recklessly, it's better to stay at the academy for a while. That way, you'll raise less suspicion."

"What do you an?"

"At present, the capital is in a state of high alert. The academy is at the center."

At that mont, I heard laughter from outside the window. I turned to look. Two students in plain clothes passed by, eating at skewers.

"It looks peaceful enough out there," I muttered.

"The eye of the storm is always calm," Alderson comnted. "The incident at the academy has already spread throughout the capital. The scale of the commotion made it impossible to keep hidden."

That was true. Even in the best-case scenario, the toll could have reached hundreds. Counting everyone involved, the total could have climbed into the thousands.

"First of all, Princess Perist will not escape punishnt. So extenuating circumstances an she won't lose her life, but a harsh future awaits her. I wish I could postpone it until after graduation, but..." Alderson sighed deeply. "I no longer have that much influence."

"What do you an?"

"I'm no longer an Archmage. I can't see the seven colors anymore, and the ridians that once served as channels have all broken down," he explained.

My mouth tasted bitter; not just because of the dicinal tea I had just swallowed.

"Is recovery impossible?" I asked.

"It's not impossible, but I'm too old now. My life passed its twilight long ago. All I want now is to rest."

"I see."

"I will also be removed from my position as dean soon, which is regrettable." Alderson burst out laughing, as if to lighten the mood.

Then he looked at again. "Of course, your situation differs from mine. As the head of the academy, I should have recognized the danger and prevented this long ago. anwhile, you were rely a guest, and you perford brilliantly. Truly heroic. The students already consider you a hero. Your fa will spread throughout the capital and soon reach distant corners. There will be good news from the imperial court soon."

I humd absentmindedly.

"You don't sound very happy about that."

I didn't deny it. Being praised by others wasn't a bad thing, but it wasn't my highest priority. Instead, I worried my reputation would beco a burden. The Dark Qi was part of the problem. So was my purpose in eting Eldest Senior Brother, a demon king. Sohow, my future seed more likely to be spent walking through shadows, with the moonlight hidden behind clouds, than basking in sunlight.

Alderson said, "You risked your life to save us. Therefore, I won't ask you any more questions. That would be rude."

"Thank you for your consideration."

"For now, it's best you stay here," he suggested. "Cartel Academy is temporarily closed. Even after discharge, you can remain in the dorms without running into anyone."

Puzzled, I asked, "Running into anyone?"

"Ah, I forgot to ntion. There are many outsiders at the academy now. The empire's inspection team sent a heretical inquisitor from the Sun Church and a bishop from the Seventy-Two Churches. Add to that the reporters from various dia outlets..."

Was staying at the academy the right choice? If I were in better shape, I could have smashed the window and run away.

"However, the most important ones to watch out for are the three heroes from the Hero Society," he cautioned.

The the Hero Society was probably my next destination, yet I could end up never even entering for the rest of my life if I made a wrong move.

I said with a bitter smile, "Thank you for the advice. I guess I won't have many chances to talk with you like this anymore."

"That's right. I'll attend the imperial court as soon as my condition improves. I expect a harsh reprimand."

Despite Alderson's sullen tone, I sensed the punishnt would be severe. Of course, Alderson had been careless, but no one had died, and we even struck a blow against a demon king. If it were up to the Badnikers, they would likely praise him.

It felt ridiculous for soone my age to comfort an old mage who had lived for over a century, so I changed the subject. "I want to ask you sothing about Leone."

"Leone?" he echoed.

"Yes. I think my ability to manipulate miasma is connected to her," I explained.

Alderson tilted his head as he looked at and asked, "Who is Leone?"

What kind of reaction was that?