Chapter 209: Chapter 34. Doting
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"[Even though it's annoying, without supplies, Lord Bell would be in a tough spot. Don't worry, Lili isn't as green as Lord Bell. Lili knows very well how to bargain with these greedy adventurers.]"
With those words, Lili shouldered her pack early in the morning and left the Loki Familia's camp. For her safety, Welf accompanied her.
Bell had intended to go with them, but the blatant malice from the adventurers made him hesitate. In the end, he just lowered his head and said, "Be careful on the way."
Cyd silently stood up.
Maybe I should just go and beat them all up.
For Bell, this is a trial of his willpower. He's done his best, yet he's faced with unprovoked malice—something unavoidable. As a teacher, I should watch from the sidelines. Whether he retreats or advances, it's all up to Bell to decide. But...
On a personal level, Cyd just wants to bury those people in the ground.
My kid bleeds and cries, and you think you can get the same rewards just by whining? If you don't get what you want, you spit venom instead?
Hell no!
Understanding these thoughts, Finn was clutching Cyd's arm tightly, fearing he might dash out and tear down that street. Though he's personally wanted to demolish that place more than once, it's one of the unwritten rules of the Dungeon.
The people here are no longer capable, or rather, they no longer qualify to be adventurers. They can't continue exploring but aren't satisfied with the rewards from the lower floors, so they're stuck on the 18th floor, using black-market prices to gouge resources from adventurers with insufficient supplies. Too cowardly to take risks but greedy for others' spoils—they're just scum.
But what can we do? The suppliers here are all scum. If Cyd were to deal with them, the teams on expeditions would also be finished.
"It's all on him," Finn pushed Cyd's back. "You have to trust him. He'll figure it out."
"Uh…"
Bell curled up into a ball, hugging his knees.
Cyd's lips twitched, and his eyes lost some of their light. "If I grabbed those guys' heads and made them apologize to Bell, saying their brains just got slammed by a door… would Bell be a little happier?"
"And what about next time?" Finn sighed. "Even if you change those people, malice will still exist. Can you always shield him from it? But if he can overcome it this time…"
Finn patted Cyd's arm and turned back into the tent.
"There won't be any setback in this world that can break his will because he will have overcome the trial of unprovoked malice. It's something you, as a teacher, cannot help with, nor can you bear the burden of this trial for him."
Cyd stood there, watching Bell's dejected figure.
Bete's malice is directed at those who don't work hard but daydream about success. For Bell, it's motivation, making him realize how ridiculous he looked fantasizing about success without putting in the effort.
That's why he screamed, cried, then stood up and became stronger.
But these adventurers are different. Their malice is baseless. Bell has no connection with them. Whether he becomes famous or not, they will remain the same. Their malice stems from "Why can you stand ahead of us so quickly?" and "Do you know how long we've been stuck here?"
Pitiful, foolish, but mostly laughable.
They envy those who can do what they can't, so Bell can't erase this kind of malice. The harder Bell works, the more they will envy him, and this envy turns into malice.
This pure but utterly filthy malice is far stronger than any monster Bell has faced in the past, present, or future.
"Thud—"
Bell, still hugging his knees, fell to the ground. Though his face was pressed against the dirty earth, he had no intention of getting up, merely curling up further.
Cyd instinctively took a step forward, then clenched his fists and stepped back.
You should leave. Your reliability will make Bell always depend on you, which is what you've been trying to avoid.
So... Go on! Do you want to be an obstacle on Bell's path to becoming a hero?
"If you want to clear your head, there's a forest nearby," Finn said, poking his head out of the tent and pointing in a direction.
"Th-thank you," Cyd nodded and began walking in the direction Finn had indicated.
Ais blinked and stood up.
"Don't go," Finn raised his hand, stopping Ais. "He needs to be alone right now. This must be his first time teaching someone. He'll be strict, but he can't really bring himself to be harsh. He's starting to realize that he's more indulgent with his student than he expected."
Ais was silent for a moment, then looked down at the sword at her waist.
"Don't go causing trouble," Finn quickly snatched Ais's sword. "The system on the 18th floor is complicated, even our Loki Familia can't easily interfere."
Ais lowered her head in disappointment.
Bell, lying on the ground, curled up, staring at the round shield in front of him.
"Teacher… I… want to become a hero like you."
"But can I really do it?"
"When… will I be able to stand beside you?"
Cyd, who was wandering in the forest, frowned and stopped.
"The eagle breaks its chick's wings and throws it off a cliff so it can fly higher."
Medusa emerged from Cyd's shadow, took his right hand, and led him forward.
"But I'm just a foolish human," Cyd smiled bitterly. "I can be harsh enough to make him question life, but…"
"You can't bear to see his heart wounded," Medusa tightened her grip on Cyd's hand. "You've been a bit too indulgent."
"I can't help it. Physical wounds can heal and soon be forgotten, but the heart is different. Once hurt, it never fully disappears. Even if the heart becomes stronger… it can never forget," Cyd raised his left hand to his eyes. "I don't want Bell's growth to be marred by scars on his heart."
"But you can't prevent it… Whether it's the Pure White Hero or Cyd, neither can protect that child's heart, because..." Medusa released his hand, turned around, and faced him. "That child wants to stand by your side, no matter how many times he falls, he wants to become the hero he admires—you."
"So, I should loosen my grip a bit, huh?" Cyd chuckled, picking Medusa up and continuing to walk. "Watching your students get hurt, watching their pain…"
"It's all for the day when you can see them soaring in the sky, beyond anyone's reach, admired by all," Medusa lifted her hand and smoothed Cyd's brow.
"And then, you'll be proud of them."
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