SSS Hypnosis: I Made the Heroines Beg for Forgiveness-Chapter 25: Training (1)

In a bustling tavern nestled inside the grand Adventurers' Guild, two figures leaned back in their worn wooden chairs.

The thick aroma of ale and pipe tobacco hung in the air, mingling with the thunderous chorus of laughter and chatter.

Glasses clinked, and cheerful bard music floated in from a small stage nearby.

This was a place for adventurers to rest, a place where swords were hung up and stories came alive.

The two men, clad in slightly worn travel cloaks with their weapons resting beside the table, were deep in casual conversation about their latest escapades.

One of them, a burly soldier with a scar slashing across his temple, burst out laughing as his companion—a nimble blonde archer—recounted a ridiculous incident involving goblins.

"Hahaha! You've got to be kidding me, Theodore!" the soldier roared, sipping from his mug. "You got trapped in their nest... because of a forest rabbit?"

Theodore smirked. "Not just any rabbit, Niel! And hey, I did come back with that orc's head, didn't I?"

Niel nodded, but his expression turned grim. "Speaking of heads... you heard the latest about Jack the Ripper?"

The moment that name left his mouth, the air around them changed. Theodore's smile vanished.

"That bastard again..." he muttered, tension lacing his voice. "I heard He struck again on the city's outskirts last night. This time, the victim was a Vigor-Tier Ascendant."

Niel grunted. "Yeah. And he left a message again, same horrifying signature. Gives me chills just thinking about it. The city guards are completely overwhelmed. No one knows who he is or what he wants. He's harder to catch than that dragon up in the Northern Peaks."

"How many victims has that freak claimed so far?" Theodore asked, taking a long drink.

"Not sure. Some say over fifty. Others think it's in the hundreds," Niel replied in a low voice, sympathy flickering in his eyes for the families of the dead.

Theodore choked on his ale. "Why hasn't His Majesty just sent the military after the guy?!"

"He has," Niel said, glancing at him. "But guess what?"

"What?" Theodore frowned.

"Every soldier they sent either ended up dead... or lost all their skills."

Theodore froze, his mug halfway to his mouth. The paranoia hit him fast. If that monster was still roaming out there, who knew who'd run into him next?

"W-wait. Lost their skills?" he stammered. "That's not supposed to happen. Skills can't be removed unless someone fails a blood ritual and ends up with a cursed one..."

"That's the terrifying part," Niel muttered. "No one knows how he does it. The only survivor said they were slashed by some strange pair of shears."

"Shears?" Theodore's fear escalated. He was already starting to rethink his plan to go monster hunting.

Then suddenly, the tavern's usual chatter fell into complete silence. Laughter died. Conversations stopped mid-sentence.

"Anyway, do you know what Jack the Ripp—"

Before Theodore could finish, someone tapped his shoulder.

"I told you not to talk about Jack the Ripper."

Theodore turned to see their squad leader, Alice. Standing there with a blank expression. No wonder the room went quiet. She hadn't been seen in the guild for a while.

Niel just looked at Theodore and said nothing. He took another sip of ale.

"Ah! S-sorry, Leader!" Theodore quickly stood and bowed toward Alice. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

That's when both he and Niel noticed the young boy standing beside her.

White hair. Crimson eyes.

They exchanged a glance. The resemblance was uncanny. It matched the description of Jack the Ripper given by surviving witnesses.

But... it couldn't be. He's just a kid. Jack the Ripper was supposed to be an adult.

Still, they couldn't help but wonder, why had their leader brought this boy here?

"I said don't bring up about Jack the Ripper again. Got it?" Alice warned, her voice low and cold.

Niel and Theodore both nodded quickly. They had no desire to anger someone at the Celest-Tier level.

Benedict glanced at Alice. Her expression had hardened.

Why was she so touchy about Jack the Ripper? Did she know something?

He couldn't help but grow suspicious of his mentor. And a little nervous.

He remembered well, Jack the Ripper was someone even the Protagonist couldn't defeat.

In the novel, Jack the Ripper fate was never revealed. He just... vanished. Gone without a trace.

"By the way, Leader Alice... who's the kid beside you?" Niel asked, eyeing Benedict.

Benedict felt their stares and calmly placed his skeletal left hand over his chest.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Benedict Veritas. The bastard child of that famous Veritas family," he said with a half-smile.

Better to get it out now than become the center of guild gossip later.

Niel and Theodore blinked in surprise. A noble? Here?

Niel gave a nervous chuckle and turned to Alice. "L-Leader... did you drag this kid here or something?"

"Of course not. What do you take me for, a kidnapper?"

The two nearly nodded. Alice had abducted plenty of criminals before.

"Um, then... why did you bring him?" Theodore asked politely.

"I've taken him in as my disciple," Alice said flatly.

Niel, who had just taken another sip of ale, spat it out, right onto Benedict's shirt.

Benedict stared down at the wet fabric, disbelief all over his face.

Seriously?! I haven't even showered yet and now I smell like booze?!

"Ahhh! I-I'm so sorry!" Niel coughed, still recovering.

"It's fine," Benedict muttered, clearly annoyed as he wrung the liquid out of his shirt.

Niel and Theodore were stunned. Their reserved, aloof leader had taken on a disciple? And a noble kid at that?

Alice narrowed her eyes at them.

"S-So, uh, what made you suddenly want to train someone, Leader?" Theodore asked, clearly unnerved by her stare.

"Don't ask too many questions," she replied, her voice like ice.

Both men fell silent.

"Now come with me to the training grounds. You two are going to help me train my disciple," Alice said as she pushed through the crowd, which had been silently observing the whole exchange.

Benedict followed close behind, still irritated about his soaked shirt.

Niel and Theodore exchanged confused looks.

"Wait... shouldn't she be the one training him, not us?" Niel asked, baffled.

Theodore scratched his head. "Tsk. Let's just go, Niel. No use arguing."

He walked off, leaving Niel behind.

Niel narrowed his eyes as he watched Benedict walk away.

His gaze landed on the boy's left hand, just bare bone.

That hand... it reminded him of something. A monster he once fought.

Once the three of them had disappeared from view, Niel finished his drink in one gulp.

Then, with a final sigh, he stood and followed after them.