Chapter 142: Moments Before The Graduation
I have returned to Aetheria, my mind filled with countless thoughts after everything that had just happened. I was worried about Nana—would she be able to endure it all? I also thought about the Goddess of Benevolence, whose power was steadily weakening. Would she be alright?
"Stop thinking like that, Nao. Everything will be fine. Right now, we need to focus on the Hero’s Trial. It’s a highly mysterious test—no one knows what it actually entails. You have to prepare yourself," Envi said, trying to reassure me. It was rare for him to act this serious.
"You’re right, Envi. I won’t hesitate any longer. I will complete the Hero’s Trial and become a true hero. That way, I can save Nana, and hopefully, I can also ease the burden of the Goddess of Benevolence," I declared, strengthening my resolve.
After that, Envi and I returned to the training grounds where I had left Marius, Julius, and Termina. Thirty minutes had passed in this world, and I wasn’t sure if they were still there or if they had already gone home.
When I arrived, I was surprised to see that they were still there. Even more surprising was the presence of Lyra, Freya, Luna, and Amelia—they had joined the training as well. They greeted me cheerfully, waving as if they had been waiting for me.
"Naoki, you ran off in such a hurry earlier. What happened?" Marius asked curiously.
"Yeah, you suddenly bolted out of here. Was something wrong?" Julius added, looking confused.
I quickly tried to come up with a good excuse. "Ahh, well... uhh... I had a stomachache. Hahaha."
My answer made them pause for a moment before they all burst into laughter.
"I seriously thought something was wrong, but it turns out it was just a stomach issue. Hahaha," Termina chuckled, followed by Julius and Marius.
I laughed along with them, then turned my attention to Lyra, Freya, Amelia, and Luna.