Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance Chapter 88

Andrew Roswin.

 

A boy who stepped into Verotanis in search of a lifelong commitment faced “regret” for the first time in his life.

 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think you’re a good fit for the special class.”

 

Rejected from the special class.

 

Due to the nature of the Special Class, which prepares students for actual combat with demons, it is important to select combat personnel such as swordsmen and mages, as well as combat support personnel such as healers.

 

“Me, Andrew Roswin. I’ve always been a man of action, but I never realized my lack of strength would hold me back.”

 

His eyes narrowed in bitterness as he failed to stand by the side of Lucian, the reserve lord number one.

 

“I am disqualified as a right arm!”

 

Lucian hadn’t yet recognized him as his right-hand man, but that didn’t matter to Andrew.

 

Opening his closed eyes, he threw his hands in the air.

 

“But I, Andrew Roswin, can’t just stay dead like this.”

 

It was the miraculous strength of spirit that had made the second son of the Han family the chief of the Verotanis.

 

‘If I can’t fight with you, I’ll make myself memorable by helping others.’

 

Andrew’s eyes opened from their slender folds and he smiled deeply.

 

 

***

 

 

“Wow.”

 

“Did you really prepare this by yourself?”

 

Andrew nodded, walking up behind an admiring Eileen and Cordelia. He carried a basket full of snacks in each hand.

 

“Still, it’s vacation, you should be in a good mood, right?”

 

They were gathered on a secluded patch of sand by the lake. It looked like they’d prepared it when they arrived, and the shade trees and colorful mats made it look quite cozy.

 

“It certainly has a vacation feel to it.”

 

“Yeah. The water isn’t very deep. How did you even know this place existed?”

 

Lucian and Felix asked as they looked around, and Andrew rubbed the bridge of his nose in pride.

 

“I just happened to be exercising and found it.”

 

It was a lie.

 

He’d spent days scouting the lake’s perimeter, checking the depths, until he found a spot with the perfect depth and current.

 

“It was hard to get permission to go in the water,” he says, “but it was worth it when everyone was happy.”

 

The day’s fun was the result of poring over the 486-page rulebook.

 

Andrew nodded in satisfaction and looked back at Laquerta. He rolled his eyes and studied the manicured lakeshore.

 

“So, Laquerta, how are you feeling?”

 

“Fine.”

 

Andrew laughed out loud at the way his friend’s ears reddened. Laquerta looked down at Andrew, who was visibly excited, and asked,

“You’re not going home, are you?”

 

At that, Andrew’s laughter slowly died down.

 

“Well, it would spoil the mood if I told you there’s no one to greet me.”

 

The unloved second son’s life was that of a spare part in a warehouse. Even when he returned to his hometown, where no one was waiting for him, he had nothing to do but lock himself in his room and read.

 

Andrew hid his melancholy thoughts behind thin threadlike eyes and spoke with deliberate cheerfulness.

 

“My first vacation will be with my friends, after all, I’ve never been with them before.”

 

At that, Laquerta’s mouth opened slightly, as if he’d remembered something he’d forgotten.

 

“Me too.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“It’s my first time too. Splashing in the water with a friend.”

 

Andrew’s eyes widened. Laquerta was looking at him, too, wide-eyed.

 

Andrew scratched the back of his neck, feeling nervous. He’d spent his life hiding from his mother and brother, who were hell-bent on driving him away. The word ‘friend’ was a ticklish, difficult word for him.

 

And it was the same for Laquerta.

 

It had been a while since they’d spent time together since their part-time jobs, but the bond that returned when they heard each other’s confirmation was different.

 

“So, let’s go take a dip, shall we?”

 

“Hmm, I’ll be lucky if you can keep up with me.”

 

“Was this a swimming contest?”

 

The two of them jumped into the water, laughing heartily.

 

 

***

 

 

“Cute little guys.”

 

Albert gave a small smile from behind the tree. He had gotten the call that the boys were playing in the water and had come to the shore to make sure they were safe. The budding friendship between the two boys shone brighter than the gloss.

 

“Ian.”

 

His gaze deepened a little. He had a friend like that, too. A childhood friend who was clumsy but fun to be around, but now was just a memory of a day long gone.

 

“Professor?”

 

Eileen called out to Albert as she rummaged through the snack basket. Albert waved, the corners of his mouth twitching upward as if he’d always been a dark figure.

 

“You guys sure know how to entertain! You even brought a tent.”

 

“You should come over here too, Professor! Isn’t it great? Andrew got it all set up for us.”

 

He glanced back to see Cordelia sitting under the awning and waving at him.

 

Not to be outdone, he sat down, being pulled up by Eileen’s hand, and smelled the sweet fruit juice and carrot cookies.

 

“This is so authentic.”

 

There was even a cushion on the floor so that his back wouldn’t hurt from sitting so long. Albert’s eyes flicked to Andrew, who was flying over the lake with Laquerta.

 

The senior’s readiness was different.

 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t like the idea of an adult interrupting a child’s play.”

 

“Oh, it doesn’t bother me at all!”

 

Cordelia nodded.

 

“You’ve made a difficult job of it, Professor.”

 

They were all deeply grateful to Albert, who had taken the initiative in both the street incident and the investigation into Eileen.

 

Lucian also spoke up, his voice full of goodwill.

 

“And since you’re staying with us for the rest of the vacation, consider it a small favor.”

 

“Wow, I bet you’re the first kids I’ve ever met who are so openly bribed.”

 

Albert’s mood lifted as he grinned mischievously. These were strong, sweet kids. He knew that people who knew how to care, who knew how to lean on each other, were not easily broken.

 

“Let’s play hard and train hard, shall we?”

 

“Ugh, we can talk about training tomorrow!”

 

Eileen threw up her hands in frustration and ran off to the water’s edge. Laquerta and Andrew, soaked from head to toe, beckoned to her, but Eileen shook her head when she realized they were soaked to the bone.

 

“You two play it cool, so you don’t catch a cold.”

 

“Idiot said I won’t catch a cold.”

 

Cordelia whispered softly as she followed Eileen to the water’s edge. Eileen nodded her head in agreement as she watched the two of them, who were now making traps out of their clothes to catch fish.

 

“At least you look like you’re having fun.”

 

Eileen smiled, unable to help but look at the two of them as if they were children again, and then turned her head toward the approaching crowd.

 

Several students were there, including Emma and Allen.

 

“You cheaters!”

 

The rumor of the water playground had gotten out, and a group of lightly dressed students had gathered at the shovel time. Allen waved Lucian off with a wry smile.

 

“If you’re going to splash around, let’s do it together!”

 

“I didn’t realize it was going to be this serious.”

 

As Albert panicked at the sudden rush of people, Andrew waded out of the water and climbed onto a stack of boxes.

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, we knew this was going to happen, and we signed up 60 people for the water!”

 

The words were immediately met with cheers.

 

“And we’ve got a generous supply of drinks and refreshments!”

 

As Andrew finished, three floats began to pull in from the distance. It was a trick to get enough people in the water, and the academy’s generous supply of refreshments. When Laquerta’s bewildered gaze fell on him, Andrew spoke up.

 

“Here’s to our perfect summer vacation!”

 

“Here’s to it!”

 

The thunderous cheers passed, and Andrew stepped down from the podium and approached Laquerta again. He had the crowd on his side in an instant, and he felt a little out of place.

 

“You…”

 

“I thought it might break up the cohesion of the special class if we just hung out with each other, so I organized this event just in case. So let’s go back to catching fish, shall we?”

 

Andrew asked, his eyes shining like an innocent boy’s again, as he realized that friendship and achievement were both in his grasp. Laquerta looked at him, smiled coolly, and jumped into the lake with his casting net.

 

It was summer.