The Last Place Hero's Return-Chapter 11: First Class (3)

Chapter 11: First Class (3)
After that brief “commotion,” the leader of the beast tracking task had shifted from Camilla to me. Seemingly disheartened after losing the position to me, Camilla trudged along behind me with a sulky expression. Her shoulders slumped, and her footsteps dragged, a sight I had never expected to see from Camilla Vediche. It was an unfamiliar side of her.
Walking beside me, Iris let out a chuckle, covering her mouth as she glanced back at Camilla, who was trailing behind us at a distance. “Isn’t she adorable? She’s extremely competitive, so whenever she loses at something, she sulks like that for a while.”
“I never imagined a candidate for the Sword of the Holy Empire could make that kind of face,” I replied.
“Well, it just means your tracking skills are that impressive.” Iris looked at me with sparkling eyes before asking curiously, “But really, how did you manage to pinpoint the demonic monster’s path so accurately with just a glance?”
I wanted to tell her that after hunting thousands of demonic monsters, you pick up on these things whether you want to or not. “That’s...”
Obviously, I couldn’t talk to her about my past life. So, I instead said, “Just lucky, I guess.”
“
Hm
. It didn’t seem like luck to me.” Iris didn’t press further, and after that, she quietly followed behind me.
We continued tracking the demonic monster’s trail for another ten minutes. Then, through the dense underbrush, I spotted a dark figure crouching low, moving stealthily. “Found it.”
It was about two meters in size. While its overall shape resembled that of a feline, its mouth was sharp like a bird’s beak, and a third eye gleamed menacingly between its two regular eyes, glowing an eerie red.
A three-eyed demonic monster, huh?
I thought. The more eyes a demonic monster had, the further it had mutated from its original form and the stronger it had become. However, I could tell that this three-eyed demonic monster was still in the early stages of mutation. Its body size and certain features had changed, but it hadn’t yet become a full-fledged monstrosity.
Perfect for a training exercise.
Of course, even a low-level demonic monster was dangerous. It moved far faster than any ordinary wild animal, possessed the strength to tear a person apart with ease, and was impervious to ordinary weapons not imbued with mana.
Feline-type demonic monsters are especially dangerous. They are often even faster than demonic monsters with more eyes.
I thought. They had probably prepared a feline-type demonic monster to match the “Tracking and Capture” theme of this exercise.
I need to approach it quickly and subdue it before it notices us.
Just as I was about to dash forward, Camilla stepped up, perhaps determined to redeem herself. She said, “I’ll go.”
“A feline-type demonic monster will be quite fast. Are you sure?” I asked.
“
Hmph
. Don’t worry. I’m not slow enough to let something like that escape.” She spoke confidently, and it didn’t seem like mere bravado.
“Alright. I’ll block its escape route. You take it down.” I said.
“Got it.”
I was about to move to cut off its retreat when Iris stopped me. “Wait a moment. Let me cast a blessing first.”
Iris clasped her hands together as if she were praying. A soft, radiant light emanated from the soul stigmata on her body, enveloping us. It felt like we had woken up from a deep, restful sleep. My fatigue vanished, and energy surged through my body.
It’s been a long time.
How long had it been since I last received Iris’s blessing? Of course, compared to the blessings she had bestowed in my past life, this one was weak and barely effective. But just the fact that I could receive her blessing again was enough to make my chest tighten with emotion.
Seeing me lost in thoughts, Iris asked, “Dale? Is something wrong?”
“
Ah
, no. I’m fine,” I replied. Now wasn’t the time to get sentimental. I carefully silenced my footsteps and moved to block the demonic monster’s escape route. Once in position, I looked over at Camilla. She was watching me, waiting for my signal, poised to charge at any moment.
I had expected someone as headstrong as Camilla to charge in recklessly without waiting for my cue.
That’s surprising. So, she’s not foolish enough to let emotions cloud her judgment. Good.
If she was serious about protecting Iris, she had to act this way. I turned my focus back to the demonic monster. Just as I had suspected, it wasn’t in the best condition. The magical device bound to its legs and mouth was clearly irritating it, causing it to twitch restlessly.
“Now,” I said.
Camilla sprinted forward with explosive speed, instantly closing the distance between her and the monster.
This surprised me. I had even made preparations to provide backup if she missed the timing.
Guess I don’t need to help her. She wasn’t bluffing about her speed.
Just as the beast noticed her approach, Camilla kicked it in the stomach.
With a heavy thud, the beast screamed and coughed up dark blood. Even as it staggered back, it desperately tried to turn and flee, but Camilla slammed the sheath of her sword onto the back of the monster’s skull. “Not so fast!”
Its legs wobbled, and soon, it collapsed to the ground.
Iris rushed out from the bush toward her. “Well done, Camilla!”
“
Ehem
. Something like this is nothing,” Camilla replied.
“You were amazing!” Iris added.
“
Ehehe
.”
“I love you!”
“Oh, come on, Milady. There’s no need to praise me so much for something this minor,” Camilla said.
She is clearly enjoying it, though.
I could tell.
Iris turned to me with a warm smile as she watched Camilla bask in the praise. “
Hm
. Isn’t she just adorable?”
She’s talking like she’s showing off her pet dog. Now that I think about it, Iris used to treat me like a cute little pet, too. Yeah... Especially in bed... Ehem.
I forcibly pushed the thought from my mind and approached the fallen demonic monster.
I raised my left wrist, bringing my Hero Watch close to the magical device fastened around the monster’s mouth. “We should our capture first.”
A soft notification sound rang, and a holographic screen appeared.
[Capture confirmed for the party of Iris, Camilla Vediche, and Dale Han.]
Good. That’s one down. Should we move on to the next one?
I was confident that if we hurried, we could capture all three demonic monsters within the day.
Iris gave me a smile so warm it could melt the coldest of hearts. “Thank you! If it weren’t for you, Dale, we wouldn’t have been able to capture the demonic monster so quickly.”
My resolve wavered for a moment. Those eyes, so deep and clear, like a vast blue sky, were something I had never seen in her past life. Just looking into them made my heart race, as if it had lost all sense of rhythm.
Maybe I should put my plan to capture all three demonic monsters in one day on hold, for now.
That was probably for the best. Back in my past life, it had taken the cadets three grueling days to catch them all. If we finished everything in just one day, what would happen to their training? As tempting as those extra points were, I wasn’t about to rob the other cadets of their valuable growth opportunities. I definitely wasn’t doing this just because I wanted to spend a night alone with my former lover.
“By the way, if we are not able to catch all three demonic monsters today, do we have to camp in the woods or something?” Iris asked.
“If that happens, we don’t have a choice. Professor Kane said that the training will not end until we capture all three demonic monsters, even if it takes days,” I replied.
***
Several hours passed as we scoured the mountains in search of another demonic monster. Despite our efforts, though, we found neither a single trace nor even a hint of movement.
The sky gradually darkened. I clicked my tongue in feigned annoyance. “Man. Looks like we have no choice but to camp out here tonight. I really wanted to catch them all today and rest up, but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”
“You sound way too happy about this,” Camilla replied in a suspicious tone.
“Hey, what do you take me for?” I said.
She shot me a sharp glare and, in a tone laced with warning, said, “
Hmph
. If I catch you having any inappropriate thoughts just because we’re camping together, I won’t let it slide.”
I chuckled, nudging at the dirt with my foot. “Trust me, after a night sleeping on cold, hard ground with the wind biting at you, you won’t have the energy for any of that.”
She flinched. Although we had undergone outdoor training before, this was the first time we would be camping directly on the bare ground. She swallowed hard as she looked at the ground.
At that moment, Iris said, “The ground is unavoidable, but if it’s just the cold, I can cast a blessing to help with that.”
Even though I knew that, I feigned surprise, raising an eyebrow as if I were hearing it for the first time. “
Oh
? I didn’t know blessings worked like that.”
“
Ahem
. Well, I am a Saintess, after all,” Iris proudly said. With a smug grin, she then straightened her back and puffed out her chest. Her snug-fitting training attire visibly strained against the motion, threatening to burst at any moment.
Oh my!
I had seen her breasts countless times before. Hell, I had even touched them in my past life, but seeing them again after so long was something else entirely.
Camilla looked at me and shouted, “Y-you! Stop staring this instant! Milady! Didn’t I tell you before that that stance is dangerous?!”
“
Hmm
? That’s weird. You didn’t say anything when you did it yourself earlier,” Iris replied.
“W-what nonsense are you spouting!” Camilla immediately switched her tone midway. “I-I beg your pardon!”
“Oh dear, now my feelings are hurt,” Iris said dramatically, dabbing at the corners of her eyes.
Camilla fumbled for words, repeatedly bowing her head in embarrassment.
Huh, Iris had such a playful side when she was a cadet.
I had never known that. Back then, she had never teased anyone like this. Seeing this side of her for the first time filled me with an indescribable sense of nostalgia.
Just as I was about to get lost in my thoughts, admiring the mischievous glint in her eyes, a loud stomach growl echoed through the silent forest.
A faint blush spread across Iris’s cheeks. “
Ahem.
I,
uh
... didn’t have a proper breakfast this morning, so I must be a little hungry.”
Clearly flustered, she let out a forced cough in an attempt to cover up her embarrassment.
Watching her with a troubled expression, Camilla hesitated before saying, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think we’d have to camp out, so I didn’t bring any food.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t expect this either.” Iris smiled, but despite her reassuring words, there was a slight dimness in her expression.
“If it’s food, I’ve got it covered,” I said.
“What?” Iris became cheerful.
“Wait, you brought something?” Camilla asked in disbelief.
“Of course. I made sure to pack enough for all three of us, so don’t worry.” I reached into my bag and pulled out the food I had prepared.
“What’s that?” Camilla suspiciously eyed the bright red packaging in my hands.
“Ramen,” I answered.
Iris became curious. “Ramen? Oh, you mean that food they say is mostly eaten by the poor people of the Republic?”
“Excuse me...? Y-you bastard, you were planning to feed the Saintess that kind of food? Even in an emergency, that’s just...” Camilla furiously said.
I reassured them. “Hey, I don’t know where that reputation came from, but don’t knock it till you try it. Trust me, the taste is out of this world. Iris, I think you’ll love it.”
In my past life, she had gone crazy for it.
Camilla scoffed, clearly unconvinced. “And what makes you think you know Milady’s tastes so well? Milady eats only the finest meals prepared by top-tier chefs from the Holy Empire. Every dish she eats is made with perfect seasoning, freshness, and balanced nutrition. Do you think she’d enjoy some cheap, low-quality food?”
“You sure have a lot to say for someone who’s about to get a free meal,” I replied.
“
Ugh
. T-that’s...”
“Are you going to eat it or not?” I asked.
With her pride set aside, Camilla bowed her head. “Fine. I—I apologize.”
She reluctantly agreed to eat the ramen.
I gathered some dry twigs from the forest floor and started a fire, setting up a small pot to boil water.
If only I had an egg to add to it...
Unfortunately, bringing eggs on an outdoor training experience would’ve been a hassle.
I turned to them. “It’s ready.”
“Wow!” Iris exclaimed with gleaming eyes.
“
Ahem
. W-well... at least it smells good,” Camilla said.
The two women stared at the bubbling ramen with eager anticipation. Since most of the Holy Empire’s cuisine was lightly seasoned and heavy on vegetables, this kind of rich, spicy dish was probably unfamiliar to them.
“Here, take these chopsticks. Oh, right. You guys aren’t used to them, are you?” I said.
“No, I actually learned how to use them before,” Iris replied.
“Me too,” Camilla said, too.
Iris took the chopsticks and scooped up a mouthful of noodles. Then, her eyes lit up as she excitedly wiggled her feet, practically bouncing in place. She had the same reaction as she had in my past life. “
Mmmmmm!
Oh my God! What is this?! This is fucking amazing! This is crazy!!”
I was speechless.
Iris quickly added, “
Ah... Ahem!
I mean, I always thought ramen was just cheap food for commoners, but now that I’ve tried it, I must say it’s quite... decent.”
“
Uh
, yeah. Glad you like it.” I replied. I stand corrected. Her reaction this time was even more dramatic.