The Academy’s Ankle Reaper

Hera learned about the existence of her half-brother about a week after the new semester started.

“Everyone’s turned into idiots?”

“I don’t know about idiots… but they all returned with serious injuries, President.”

The club members sent to assist the newspaper club were utterly wrecked when they came back.

Despite sending skilled members for the escort mission, they couldn’t even fight back and got smashed.

It wasn’t like they were cornered into a tiny space doing one-on-ones; they broke through being surrounded by multiple opponents.

“Wait, that was the Dwarf who dueled Lemnos, right?”

Suddenly, I recalled the urgent interview the newspaper club president rushed to me about the day before.

Was it possible to face Lemnos, who wields a flame sword, without even using an Aura Blade?

This was harder than facing a sword with just bare hands.

At least a normal sword could be blocked by some terrain, but there’s hardly any way to counter a flame sword.

Seeing the newspaper spread out this morning made me understand why that interview took place.

The new student who defeated Lemnos’ heir and also took down four members of the Swordsmanship Research Club… was a rare person with both talent and guts that we seldom see these days.

Hera thought to herself that she wanted to see his skills at least once.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a bold new student. So, what’s his name…?”

“President… it’s written in the newspaper you’re holding.”

“Oh gosh, how forgetful of me.”

I probably skimmed through it too quickly without properly reading it.

When I opened the newspaper again and read it properly, the name of the person was clearly visible.

“Atlas… Nemea?”

Why does he have the same last name as me?

———————————

That night, I couldn’t eat a thing.

I was too shocked and just sat there, blankly sorting out my thoughts.

‘Nemea…? There wasn’t anyone among my siblings enrolling, right?’

It was an escape from various thoughts, but everything it signified boiled down to one thing.

‘…..Father… had an affair…’

I couldn’t think of anything else.

There were no branches in the family tree.

At least, to her knowledge, the only ones who inherited the Nemea name were her parents and her younger siblings.

The combination of her parents’ hair colors couldn’t possibly produce such a vivid blonde.

Whether he went out on an expedition and caught the eye of some countryside girl, or if he was swayed by some nameless noble lady in the borderlands…

Whoever the woman was, it was certain she was incredibly beautiful and blonde.

“A new student… that’s about 20 years ago… back when I was just learning to walk…”

Although I didn’t remember that time, I recalled the borders being quite chaotic, causing my father to travel a lot.

“Why is he only appearing at the Academy now…? With the Nemea name, no less…”

I was also concerned about the fact that he enrolled just before my graduation.

Connecting the dots, I was also very worried that he had taken down members of the Swordsmanship Research Club… where I was president.

“Is he sending me a message to find him…?”

It could be revenge he seeks.

Or perhaps it’s a way to tell me to take a good look at the person I’ve neglected all this time.

Now that I knew, Atlas was weighing heavily on my mind.

Even though I hadn’t heard his words, I was piecing together my own narrative to fit the situation.

The life of a bastard raised without a father, struggling through a poor environment, formed in my mind.

“Ahhhh…! Father, why…!!! If Mother finds out, what do you think will happen…!!!!”

In my mind, Father, Patro Nemea, had become a man who went on a business trip 20 years ago and irresponsibly sowed wild oats.

As Patro’s image sank deeper, my sympathy for Atlas only grew.

Feeling anxious, I occasionally glanced at Atlas from afar.

Every time I looked, Atlas wore a face that seemed full of discontent.

He must resent the father who only planted seeds and then ran away, as well as the world itself.

I didn’t know if that was true, but at least that was how it appeared to me.

“He looks so… small. Here I am, this big…”

Atlas was very small.

He looked as though he had suffered from malnutrition, growing more slowly than anyone else due to not getting enough to eat as a child.

Maybe it was due to financial troubles at home; while I swung my sword around, proud and tall, Atlas being the smallest in the Academy broke my heart.

“Poor thing… he must have struggled so much without proper meals…”

As I researched about Atlas, I learned of his tendency to lash out when people mocked his height.

It was likely a defense mechanism developed against the harshness of the world.

In such difficult conditions, Atlas had grown incredibly strong.

He defeated one of the five pillars, Lemnos, and took down the top members of the Swordsmanship Research Club.

I was so impressed.

From this point on, I genuinely began to think of him as a real brother.

At the very least, I sincerely decided that I needed to be one of Atlas’s allies.

—————————————–

Although it felt too late since there were many eyes on me, I still changed my location.

Since there was a bit of time before the next class, I had enough time to chat a little.

The place was the president’s office of the Swordsmanship Research Club; as soon as I entered, the piercing gazes from the members doing their training were intense.

As the members outside brought in warm cups of tea and stepped aside, Hera Nemea comfortably leaned back on the sofa.

“Relax. I didn’t call you here to harm you. I just wanted to talk openly as family.”

“Family…?”

The stares of two people behind me were searing.

I had told them to go ahead, but I worried they would lynch me after saying that, so they followed me in, glaring at me every time Hera spoke.

Those eyes seemed to say, “Did you really hide this secret?”

It’s so unfair; while I’ve hidden many things, this was something I didn’t know myself.

“It hasn’t been long since I learned about you, but… I know well how much you’ve suffered.”

It’s true I had a hard life, but at least it wasn’t anything that Hera could have discovered about.

She must have gathered some general stories… or maybe Malcolm the guy just spouted nonsense.

As Hera wiped her tears with the edge of her cloak, she said,

“Yes… Atlas, you can always lean on me… you’ve lived such a tough life.”

“Ugh, President?!”

“Call me sister. It’s okay for you!!”

Suddenly, she opened her arms and hugged me.

Hera was about the same height as Russell, so this time, my face was buried in her chest.

It seemed quite challenging to face Hera, but a familiar scent wafted from her.

‘Why does this feeling feel so familiar…’

It was very comforting but also oddly uncomfortable.

Her chestnut hair, her seemingly strong face, everything felt familiar and unsettling.

‘Ah, I see.’

As I realized that, my stomach churned.

Though it was a very comfortable embrace, it was hard to endure.

The chestnut hair and face, so many elements stimulated my trauma.

‘This… woman resembles Asia…!’

Hera looked so much like the mother who had abused me… Asia Nemea.

“Atlas is getting flustered…!! Let go of me!!”

“Right!! Atlas can handle it on his own! Reject properly when you need to!!”

As I broke into a cold sweat, River and Amy panicked and freed me.

What on earth is this, a comedy skit?

“Sorry, I got a bit overwhelmed with emotions… my bad.”

Once I was released from her embrace, Hera broke into a big smile.

She looked quite kind, contrary to my earlier fears that things might turn out badly.

But knowing that her face brought back memories of Asia, whom I had forgotten for years, made it hard for me to face her.

The very person who had abused me to relieve her stress.

“Atlas… did you have siblings at the Academy?”

“Well, you see…”

River, who was observing the situation, quietly whispered a question.

I had rarely talked about my family until now.

I had only mentioned that I didn’t have very good memories… and it seemed that caused suspicion about whether I had family at the Academy.

“Atlas probably couldn’t say it himself. He’s not registered in our family tree. It must be a difficult memory…”

Hera explained this to River.

As River listened to Hera, his eyes silently questioned whether that was true.

“I won’t ask for too many details. Just seeing how well you’ve grown makes me satisfied…

Even if this is my last year, I’m still glad to see you now..!”

Hera truly considered me a sibling.

I felt bad for Count Patro.

I wondered if I should clear up the misunderstanding, but I was deep in thought.

‘No, wait. It’s true that Hera and I are family, right?’

Yes, let’s think differently.

We are indeed family.

And it’s quite close family at that.

Yes, if you broaden the perspective, cousins can also be seen as siblings separated by blood!

Though it’s a stretch, there is still a blood connection.

After all, we share the same grandfather.

Different mothers, that’s true.

It’s also a fact that we have different fathers.

Cousins are still siblings nonetheless!

So no need to feel guilty.

It’s clear that she truly is my cousin, so I’ll just regard her as such.

How much interaction did cousins have in previous lives!

It seemed the nobility had less interaction among relatives.

Or am I just out of the loop?

Maybe my younger brother knows differently?

With those thoughts, words came out of my mouth without hesitation.

“I wanted to stay quiet, but… you figured it out well.”

“You wanted to stay quiet…! Don’t say such things; we’re already family!!”

Seeing Hera grinning brightly, I tried my best to think positively, but the memory of Asia resurfaced, causing me to recoil.

But regardless of the reality of it, what difference does it make?

As long as everything turns out well in the end.

I feel sorry for Count Patro Nemea who would face blame without cause… uncle, my apologies.

I’ll clear up the misunderstanding later.