《The World After the Bad Ending》 Chapter 0: Prologue [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 0: Prologue Thud! A man fell spectacrly. Underneath his snowy white hair was a face that could only be described as handsome. "Oh my, Lord Vikamon!" A woman who was walking alongside him hurriedly tried to help him up. With her shy clothes, striking appearance, and essories, she resembled a courtesan. But the man called Vikamon did not move at all. Or rather, he couldn¡¯t move. With a stiff expression, he muttered: "¡­Vikamon Niflheim." The scene was from a dot RPG game called Demon Dungeon Academy yer. The third and final installment of the series. The me Butterfly arc. In the storyline, in Act 2, Scene 3, he fails to get revenge against the protagonist. In the end, he gets expelled from the academy and even disowned by his own noble family. Afterward, Vikamon uses his handsome looks and former noble status to be a host in the underworld. He lives like a parasite, leeching money off women of the night. And now. In the body of such a man, ¡®I''ve transmigrated.¡¯ Transmigration into a game. Amon story trope. But at this moment, there was another problem for him. Vikamon slowly opened up the newspaper he was holding once again. ¡²Breaking News! Tragic Incident at Zerion Academy¡³ An Apostle massacred a team of students who challenged the Demon Dungeon. The renowned academy, Zerion, is under scrutiny from the royal family, the church, and the public. The list of the deceased is as follows: 1. Xenia Pierre 2. Ford Neumann 3. Saia Hassentein 4. Lucas Fernando ... Lucas Fernando. He is the protagonist of the me Butterfly arc. And now, he no longer exists in this world. Act 2, Scene 8. In the chapter titled Childhood Friend''s Demon Dungeon Breakthrough, the protagonist has died. Currently, it''s the winter break before Act 3, Scene 1. In other words, this game has now entered the "Bad Ending" route. Vikamon let out a hollowugh. In a world set after a Bad Ending. Not only was he expelled from the academy and his family, but even in the storyline, he was nothing more than a third-rate viin who got cast aside. And now, he transmigrated into Vikamon Niflheim. How unfortunate. "¡­So unfortunate." The man emphasised it twice. * * * Twenty-nine. That''s the number of times I¡¯ve cleared the me Butterfly arc. The me Butterfly arc has 12 canonical endings and hidden endings. And beyond that, there are 38 Bad Endings. The protagonist, Lucas, possesses an unyielding "me of Resolve." No matter what trialse his way, he pushes forward ¡ª a straightforward hero fit for a protagonist. However, in the path that Lucas treads, there are 38 Bad Endings. The way you navigate these Bad Endings determines whether you can clear the game. Act 2, Scene 8. Childhood Friend''s Demon Dungeon Breakthrough. This is the scenario where beginners most often die. If you¡¯re well-acquainted with the strategy, it¡¯s not particrly difficult. But if you charge in blindly, nine times out of ten, you die. And Lucas was one of those charging blindly. "Goddamn it¡­" A curse slipped out involuntarily. I grabbed my white hair as if pulling it out. A world plunged into a Bad Ending where the protagonist has died. Without Lucas, this world can never head in the right direction. Lucas''s unique ability. The me of Resolve. True to the name of the me Butterfly arc, the storyline is tied to the me of Resolve from beginning to end. Without the me of Resolve, ¡®the canonical ending is out of reach.¡¯ A long sigh escaped me. On the day I transmigrated, I shook off the courtesan who had been clinging to me and returned to the inn where I was staying. Since then, I''ve been endlessly pondering what to do in this situation. ¡®I don¡¯t know how I ended up possessing this body. So, naturally, I don¡¯t know how to return either.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a possession I wanted. I suddenly opened my eyes and found myself in this situation. ¡®Would clearing the game allow me to return to the real world?¡¯ This is highly uncertain. N?v(el)B\\jnn Even if the game progresses as per the main storyline and is cleared, there is no guarantee that I would return to the real world. In that case, it¡¯s more likely that I¡¯ll have to live in this world from now on. ¡®Vikamon doesn¡¯t have much going for him aside from his good looks and an inferiorityplex toward his younger sister.¡¯ He seems to be surviving in the underworld somehow by relying on his looks. But looks eventually fade with time. He can''t live like this forever. And above all... ¡®The goal of clearing the scenario is the salvation of the world.¡¯ In other words, if the scenario fails to progress towards its end, it will lead to the opposite of salvation. ¡®Destruction.¡¯ I see snow falling outside the window. It is the cold winter now. But an even colder world will arrive soon. I know the oue that will befall this world. If it meets a bad ending, I¡¯ve seen the text that appears on the screen countless times: ¡¾And so, the world was destroyed.¡¿ Just one short sentence. But that single line of text scrambled my thoughts. Before, it was simply a matter of restarting the game. But now, I am one of the residents living in this world. If the world is destroyed, I will die too. If the me Butterfly arc doesn¡¯t progress as per the main storyline, it will almost certainly end in destruction. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Not knowing how to return, I had no desire to die. I clenched my fist tightly. If there are no teeth, then use your gums. ¡°...If the protagonist isn¡¯t here,¡± Then I have to lead the world along the main storyline. But how? It felt overwhelming. Vikamon Niflheim isn¡¯t just off the main scenario; He¡¯s already been expelled from the academy. The main stage for the me Butterfly arc is the Zerion Academy. If I am not affiliated with Zerion Academy, no scenario can proceed. No matter how unlucky things get, this is just unfair. Even an extra, even a third-rate viin, should have at least been enrolled in the academy. This is a misfortune beyond reason. I briefly covered my face with my hand in silence. Then a sudden thought struck me. "...Is it really impossible?" At this moment, only one thing came to mind. A "hidden character." Hanon Irey. A character who transfers to Zerion Academy in Act 3, during the first semester of the second year. However, there is one w with this character. While all the transfer procedures are alreadypleted, Hanon doesn¡¯t actually transfer unless certain conditions are met. Hanon bes a wanderer and roams the world aimlessly if he does not transfer. In other words, he bes a character entirely outside the main storyline. "If I pretend to be Hanon," I could gain entry into Zerion Academy. The problem is how to impersonate Hanon. The answer lies in the game guide. It¡¯s an item that the protagonist would normally use during an infiltration mission in theter part of the game: ¡®Veil Bandage.¡¯ It can perfectly alter one''s appearance to that of another person. However, prolonged use results in the random loss of one emotion. ¡®There are three types of emotions that can be impaired.¡¯ Sorrow, anger, and love. The protagonist loses "love" as a result of overusing the Veil Bandage. Butter, with the help of the main heroine he chooses, he regains the ability to love. The emotional defects have ways to be resolved. The downside is that this is only possible near the end of the scenario. Additionally, unlike the protagonist, Lucas, I won¡¯t know which emotion I might lose. ¡®But it¡¯s okay.¡¯ Regardless of which of the three emotions disappears, It won¡¯t be a problem in leading the game to a sessful conclusion. Fortunately, Vikamon loved hoarding money. I can use this money to obtain the Veil Bandage. "Stay strong, me..." I will definitely steer this world away from its bad ending And lead it to its proper storyline. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 1: And So I Criticised the Protagonist [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 1: And So I Criticised the Protagonist Six academies were built atop a vast dungeon. Among them, which one is considered the most prestigious? Ask anyone, and the answer will be unanimous. The Zerion Academy of the Hysirion Empire. Founded by the transcendent sage, Zerion. tter¡ªtter¡ª A single carriage approached the Zerion Academy. To reach the academy, one must cross the world''s longest bridge, Oblex. Beneath the towering Oblex Bridgey a sprawling forest and a river. Had it been an ordinary forest and river, the view might have been described as beautiful. But this was no ordinary ce. The forest, corrupted by the miasma emanating from the underground dungeon, was a Cursed Forest. Watching the carriage crossing the Oblex Bridge was a woman standing quietly by a window. Her long ck hair flowed down like ink against her snow-white forehead. Her ruby-like red eyes gleamed sharply. Herbined features evoked the image of a regal long-haired cat. This woman had risen to second in line for the imperial throne, toppling princes and princesses alike. The 3rd Princess Iris Hysirion. People referred to her as ¡®The Final Viiness.¡¯ She watched the carriage below with an unreadable expression. The person inside that carriage was a distant rtive of hers. Not a member of the imperial family. The boy within shared a bloodline from his mother''s side, a duchess before bing the emperor''s concubine. His mother''s family branch had a rebellious streak, choosing to leave their house voluntarily. His father? A mere border noble of insignificant renown. This boy was neither royalty nor a member of a ducal house. In fact, he had no real connection to the imperial family at all. But his hair and eye color bore a striking resemnce to hers. Despite some superficial simrities, their statuses were worlds apart. ¡°Must be nice,¡± She muttered with a scornful look. Why had this boy suddenly transferred here at this moment? ¡®Did the duke send him?¡¯ Perhaps her grandfather, the duke, sought to investigate the recent incidents in the dungeon by sending the boy. ¡®That damned ambition for the throne¡­¡¯ She closed her eyes, recalling the duke''s relentless desire. Shadows deepened under her eyes. It seemed another sleepless night awaited her. * * * Inside the carriage crossing the Oblex Bridge. The boy¡¯s ck hair swayed with the vehicle¡¯s jostling. His long ck eyshes framed eyes of an ominous crimson hue. His youthful appearance was almost unnervingly childlike. Short and slender, he seemed small for his age. His delicate figure was the perfect image of a young boy. Naturally, for he was the hidden transfer character, Hanon Irey. This character was designed to appeal to women yers or certain male yers of the game. A ssic ¡°pretty boy¡± archetype. And now, I was acting out this role. Sigh. ¡®Damn it, I was 185 cm tall, and now I¡¯ve shrunk to 165 cm,¡¯ I couldn''t help butment the loss. Still, I had to live like this for now. No, I had to make it worthwhile. After all the effort I went through to get the Veil Bandage, I needed to put them to good use. Just thinking about it made my headache. The ck-market dealings, endless inquiries, and eventually tracking down the Veil Bandages. Then there was the mid-game boss, the Mad Sorceress Vinesha , who came after them. After endless tactical battles, I cleared the Trial of Darkness ahead of her and managed to buy the Veil Bandages. Not only did I flee with them in hand, but I also took several of her belongings. ¡®She¡¯lle for my head eventually.¡¯ Recalling the ordeal, I resolved to make the bandages worth the trouble. Barely making it in time for the academy transfer deadline, I tugged at the cor of my high-neck shirt, hiding the bandages beneath. From now on, I was no longer Vikamon Niflheim . I was Hanon Irey. And starting today, I had to lead the main story in ce of the protagonist, Lucas . ¡®Who knows how chaotic the academy must be in Lucas¡¯s absence.¡¯ Through the carriage window, Zerion Academy came into view. The ce radiated an ominous energy. I prayed it was in better shape than I feared. * * * Zerion Academy stood as the most prestigious among the six academies. Its campus is so expansive that it¡¯s practically the size of an ind. From the world¡¯srgest Oblex Bridge, n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om to the Forest of Shadows lying beneath it, the endless azure of the southern Aron Sea, the world¡¯s first airfield and the Gray Magic Tower, and even the northern Dragon Ridge Mountains. The sheer scale is overwhelming for anyone visiting for the first time. At the heart of this vast campus stands the central building of Zerion Academy. And within that main building, I was following a professor. The professor shuffled along like a zombie, her short, bobbed hair swaying as she walked. Her face wasn¡¯t inherently unattractive. But the way she wore her clothes¡ªcarelessly, as if they were about to fall off¡ªand her slumped shoulders... Combined with her utterly fatigued expression, it brought everything down several notches. ¡°Ugh, I need a drink. My blood alcohol level is dangerously low.¡± This was Vega Mercia, a professor hopelessly addicted to alcohol. Surprisingly, she was the second-year martial arts professor. She was notorious for her drunken antics, asionally shing her skin in fan-service scenes, making her a surprising hit among yers. But encountering her in person, I finally understood why some yers were less than thrilled by her. ¡®Her smell¡­¡¯ The overwhelming stench of alcohol that wasn¡¯t present in the game kept assaulting my nose, leaving it feeling raw. Was it really okay for a professor to be like this? While pondering this, I suddenly noticed the ssroom door: Second-Year Martial Arts ss. The ssroom¡¯s massive size was familiar to me, having seen it countless times while ying me Butterfly Arc. Of course, it felt familiar. I stood at the entrance, staring nkly. The realization hit me again. I was now inside the me Butterfly Arc. And within this ssroom would be countless supporting characters and heroines. Just the thought of meeting them made my heart race. I was a hardcore veteran of me Butterfly Arc. The idea of seeing these in-game characters in person made me unintentionally excited. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± As I wrestled with a mix of excitement and nervousness, Professor Vega pushed open the ssroom door. The noisy chatter inside instantly died down. Professor Vega shuffled into the room, and I let out a slow breath. ¡®Don¡¯t get nervous.¡¯ My name is Hannon Irey. I had just transferred here a few days into the second-year¡¯s first semester. ¡®Okay.¡¯ Steeling my resolve, I took a step forward. The moment I entered the ssroom, countless eyes turned toward me. ¡°Is that the transfer student?¡± ¡°Yeah, they said they wereing today.¡± ¡°ck hair and red eyes¡­ that¡¯s definitely¡­¡± ¡°Shh, keep it down.¡± The whispers of the students reached my ears. Every face I saw was familiar. While some were extras who filled the game¡¯s background, others were the supporting characters connected to Lucas. ¡°Ugh.¡± One supporting character looked at me with clear displeasure. ¡°Heh.¡± Another gave me a coy smile and hummed softly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yet another silently observed me, her gaze unyielding. But my eyes settled on just one person. At the far corner of the ssroom, her bright honey-blonde bobbed hair caught my attention. She was supposed to be one of the main heroines and the protagonist¡¯s childhood friend, always encouraging him with an endlessly bright smile. Her name was Isabel Luna. But now, the face before me showed no sign of that brightness. There was only one thing visible: shadow. Her lifeless eyes, dulled by a deep darkness, held no spark of will. The once radiant beacon of positivity was now a broken shell. My fists clenched without me realizing it. This sight drove home the grim reality: I was in a bad ending. Isabel Luna, the childhood friend cherished since her younger years, had lost the person closest to her and all the will to live. That was Isabel Luna standing before me now. Isabel was one of the main heroines of me Butterfly Arc. She was always a source of light and unwavering support for the protagonist. If you were topare her to a flower, she was a sunflower, always gazing toward the sun¡ªLucas. But without the sun, a sunflower wilts and lowers its head. Without her sun, Lucas, Isabel could no longer hold her head high. What remained for her now was a slow withering away. This was a certainty. In the scenario, after Lucas dies during the first-year dungeon challenge, the story plunges into the bad ending. And then, a single line shes across the screen: One yearter, Isabel Luna, unable to ovee her grief, ultimately chose to follow Lucas. After Lucas¡¯s death, Isabel eventually takes her own life. This is the world that unfolds after the only bad ending revealed by the game. Her bright nature had a way of drawing people to her. Even though Lucas was gone, she was surrounded by many friends. Yet despite that, she chose to end her life. To her, life held no hope without the sun that was Lucas. Seeing her now, I am certain. Before long, she will inevitably take her own life. My fists quietly clenched once more. Isabel is, perhaps, the heroine who ys an even greater role than the protagonist in theter parts of the story. Without her¡­ ¡®The me Butterfly arc cannot reach its ending.¡¯ And that means¡­ It¡¯s impossible to progress beyond the world of the bad ending. So, what must I do? "Introduce yourself," Said Professor Vega, leaning against her desk andzily waving her hand. Finally tearing my eyes away from Isabel, I took a small breath. I could feel the sharp gazes of the other students all at once. I¡¯ve never had stage fright or a fear of attention, but¡­ Starting off in a world that had already entered the bad ending made me feel strangely tense. Naturally, Isabel didn¡¯t even nce in my direction. A sunflower cannot lift its head without its sun. What Isabel needed was undoubtedly a sun. But that didn¡¯t mean I could be Lucas, her sun. I never intended to be the sun in the first ce. I am not Lucas; I am Hannon Irey. Though to be precise, I¡¯m Vikamon Niflheim. But that hardly matters. ¡°Not long ago, I read an article about the Zerion Academy.¡± The unexpected mention of a newspaper during a self-introduction piqued the curiosity and confusion of the students. Looking at their expressions, I calmly continued speaking. ¡°The article went like this:st year, first-year students were massacred in the dungeon due to an Apostle.¡± For the first time, Isabel¡¯s shoulders flinched. When I brought up Lucas, her lifeless eyes weakly turned to me. As I said, I cannot be her sun. ¡°Pathetic, isn¡¯t it?¡± So instead¡ª ¡°For students of Zerion Academy to die to an Apostle¡­ What a disgrace.¡± I decided to be, at the very least, her moon. Isabel¡¯s eyes slowly began to narrow with fury. ¡°Who was the leader back then? It¡¯s clear everything went to hell because that person was utterly ipetent.¡± Naturally, the leader was Lucas Fernando. The faces of the students stiffened. They all knew who had suffered the most from that incident. A nce¡ª The students cast furtive looks at Isabel. And, as expected, the deep fury slowly emerged in Isabel¡¯s eyes. She had suffered the most after losing Lucas. And now, in her ears, someone was outright insulting Lucas. What did this mean? At this moment¡ª It meant I had crossed an irreversible line with Isabel. ¡°I¡­¡± Remember this well, Isabel. ¡°Came here to ensure that Zerion Academy never earns such a disgraceful reputation again.¡± From now on, I will be your sworn enemy. And the one who will force you to live on, fueled by your anger. ¡°Hannon Irey. Nice to meet you all.¡± That¡¯s who I am. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 2: I Became the Enemy of the Main Heroine [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 2: I Became the Enemy of the Main Heroine A father¡¯s only daughter was murdered. The killer fled but was eventually captured by the police. However, on the very day the murderer was released from prison, the father sought him out and killed him with a knife, just as his daughter had been killed. After being arrested by the police, the father confessed: ¡¸I lived solely to kill that bastard.¡¹ Ovee with grief and emptiness from losing his only daughter, the father had attempted to end his own life many times. But every time he tried, the murderer¡¯s face would appear in his mind, preventing him from going through with it. He felt that dying like this would make him unworthy of facing his daughter in the afterlife. Instead, he resolved to stay alive¡ªjust long enough to avenge her. For ten years, he survived, fueled by nothing but his burning grudge. People often advise others to let go of anger and resentment, saying these emotions will only ruin one¡¯s life. But sometimes, anger bes the driving force that keeps someone alive. "Take it back." And now, standing before me, the girl is the same. Just moments ago, her eyes were dull, devoid of any will to live. But now, they burn brightly, filled with fury. "Take back what you said about Lucas." The ssroom had been filled with apuse only a moment earlier to wee a new transfer student. But everything turned upside down with a single bombshell statement¡ª from none other than me. The students¡¯ gazes now alternated between me and Isabel. Isabel, trembling with rage, had shot up from her seat and was now shouting at me. The entire ss was stunned. In the year they¡¯d known her, not once had Isabel disyed such intense anger. Even those closest to her hesitated to speak, shocked by the sheer depth of her fury. "Lucas?" Meanwhile, I... "Who¡¯s that?" ...was tilting my head innocently, feigning ignorance. A gesture carefully calcted to infuriate Isabel even more. "The leader you just insulted!" Gritting her teeth, Isabel spat her words with venom. "That leader is my childhood friend, Lucas." It was thest piece of information she would generously offer. Perhaps, if I apologized now, she might consider letting this slide. Her eyes demanded my repentance. "Oh." I let out a small exmation, as if I had only now realized my mistake. The other students began to rx, assuming I would apologize. "Yeah, no." And then, I dropped another bombshell. "You!" "Isabel, that¡¯s enough. And you, Hannon." Just as Isabel lunged at me with a yell, Professor Vega stepped in to stop her. Sighing as if this were all a nuisance, she positioned herself between us and gestured toward an empty seat. "Hannon, don¡¯t cause trouble as soon as you arrive. Take a seat." "Yes, ma¡¯am." I promptly replied and climbed the stairs to sit in one of the empty seats. Even as I sat down, Isabel continued to re at me with fiery intensity. Her face was flushed with anger, her expression brimming with uncontroble emotion. ¡®Scary.¡¯ Honestly, her rage was a bit intimidating. I¡¯ve rarely been the target of such one-sided fury in my life. Moreover, Isabel is someone I¡¯ve always liked as a main heroine. Yes, Isabel is the main heroine of the story. Naturally, I can¡¯t help but be fond of her. So having her hate me stings, even for me. But right now, this is necessary. If things were to unfold as described in the bad ending¡ª If she were to choose to take her own life, this world would truly be finished. ¡®Hang in there, me.¡¯ Everything I¡¯m doing is to survive this world beyond the bad ending. As I steeled myself, I suddenly felt another gaze on me. When I followed the source of the gaze, I saw a ck-haired woman who looked just like me. A breathtaking beauty who could elicit admiration with her appearance alone. Her sharp, upturned eyes, regal high nose, and delicate lips¡ª She exuded an elegance reminiscent of a noble feline. The final viiness. Third Princess Iris Hysirion. She was staring at me. ¡®Did I attract too much attention?¡¯ Knowing what lies beneath Iris¡¯s surface, I quickly averted my eyes. In this game, she could be considered the final boss. ¡®It¡¯s too soon to get involved with her.¡¯ As I avoided her gaze, Iris also turned her head away. She must have been only momentarily curious about my unexpected actions. It seems I haven¡¯t truly caught her interest¡ªyet. Of course, Isabel¡¯s gaze still didn¡¯t waver. ¡®This is nerve-wracking.¡¯ I wonder¡ªwill I really be able to do well moving forward? It was a fantastic start, to say the least. * * * The world of the Demonic Dungeon Academy yer contains six academies. These six academies share amon goal: To train students who can prevent the world¡¯s threat sealed within the underground dungeon¡ª The Demon Sovereign. ¡®The reason for raising students is simple.¡¯ No one over the age of 19 can enter the underground dungeon. This is due to the curse of the Demon Sovereign, the dungeon''s master. ¡®Thinking about it now, it seems like the Demon Sovereign is a petty being targeting teenagers.¡¯ Still, the reasoning behind the setting is surprisingly sound. The Demon Sovereign exudes power beyond the seal of the underground dungeon to create Apostles. When Apostles are first created, they are exceedingly weak. However, within the environment of the underground dungeon, they continue to undergo metamorphosis, gradually growing stronger. Once these beingsplete their transformation to the extent that they can leave the underground dungeon¡ª They be monsters so absurdly powerful that they can kill even the world''s most celebrated heroes. It takes exactly 20 years for an Apostle to fully mature. Apostles are greedy. Even afterpleting their maturity, they are immediately expelled to the surface by the dungeon''s rules to prevent them from lingering in pursuit of more of the Demon Sovereign¡¯s power. This ensures that Apostles, reliant on the Demon Sovereign''s power to survive, be desperate to break the seal of the Demon Sovereign for sustenance. This rule applies equally to humans. Humans, too, cannot enter the dungeon once they turn twenty. As previously mentioned, Apostles are at their weakest right after birth. To preemptively stop these Apostles, the world decided to send teenagers into the underground dungeon. Thus, the six academies were established. From ages 17 to 19, over three years, students are trained to be sent into the underground dungeon. Families of students who excel in the dungeon receive great honor. Nations celebrate families who have birthed heroes and offer them full support. Naturally, academies have a high proportion of nobles. Drawn by the desire to bring glory to their families, countless noble students flock to these institutions. For family honor¡ª And for the sake of protecting the world¡ª Many studentse to the academies seeking knowledge. ¡°Today¡¯s lesson ends here.¡± Professor Vega yawned widely as she turned to leave after wrapping up thebat theory lecture. Judging by her expression, she was likely heading off to drink, as usual. ¡°Oh, as always, keep in mind that we¡¯ll have a mock battle soon.¡± With those parting words, Vega walked out of the ssroom. Thud! A loud noise came from the lower desks. Students, who had already anticipated the situation, exchanged wary nces. The source of the sound was Isabel Luna. Isabel, Lucas¡¯s childhood friend, had an expression so twisted it could be described as demonic. Having waited for the lesson to end, she held her theory book at her hip and began walking¡ª [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Of course, heading in my direction. ¡®Frightening.¡¯ Should I run? Honestly, the thought crossed my mind as a foreboding aura radiated from Isabel. But I couldn¡¯t run now. I needed to be Isabel¡¯s archenemy. At least until I graduated from the academy. She needed to survive, holding onto her life. N?v(el)B\\jnn More than that, I simply wanted Isabel to live. Having yed the me Butterfly storyline countless times, I had developed a deep attachment to her. She is the main heroine of the me Butterfly arc. The thought of her dying was painful even to me. ¡°Hanon Irey.¡± Isabel¡¯s voice echoed through the room. In this world, calling someone by both their first andst name emphasizes the address. I nced briefly at Isabel before pushing back my chair and standing up. ¡°Do you have business with me?¡± ¡°Repeat what you said earlier. Apologize for insulting Lucas and his friends immediately.¡± The students¡¯ gazes focused on us. Those seeing Isabel¡¯s fury for the first time were filled with concern. But some found it intriguing. A transfer student who threw a bombshell upon arrival¡ª Everyone was curious about how I would respond. I casually scanned the students¡¯ eyes and turned back to Isabel. ¡°Like I said before.¡± I responded with a nk expression. ¡°No.¡± Isabel¡¯s eyes widened. Her body trembled with anger. ¡°Lucas and his friends risked their lives to fight against the Apostles! What did they do wrong?¡± ¡°I already told you. They disgraced the name of Zerion Academy.¡± ¡°For something so trivial!¡± ¡°Trivial?¡± I slowly furrowed my brows as I stepped closer to Isabel. Perhaps my approach was more intense than I intended. Isabel flinched, even if only for a moment. There wasn¡¯t much of a height difference between us. If anything, Isabel was slightly taller than me. But the aura emanating from me made such trivial differences meaningless. I had rehearsed this moment countless times. If I faltered here, Isabel would die. There was no way I would let my spirit be overshadowed. ¡°Do you even understand how the reputation of Zerion Academy was built?¡± I took another step forward, narrowing my eyes. ¡°The world is under threat from the Dungeon. And that threat primarily targetsmoners rather than nobles.¡± If Isabel was emotional, I would counter with reason. I had to confront her with sound arguments. ¡°Whenmoners feel uneasy, that unease spreads¡ªfirst to the nobles, then to the nation, and ultimately, to the foundations of the world. Our duty as nobles is to ensure that thesemoners can live without fear. The six academies are symbols meant to prevent their anxiety. And Zerion Academy is the most preeminent among them.¡± Over the past 20 years, there had never been a single first-year student death at Zerion Academy. In other words, this was an unprecedented incident. ¡°Not in just any academy, but in Zerion Academy, known for gathering the most elite students, such a tragedy urred. Do you understand what that implies? Do you even know what you''re saying?¡± The Dungeon had be more dangerous than ever before. Perhaps it had reached a level where students alone could no longer handle it. The world was in jeopardy. This could be the conclusion people might draw. An exaggeration, of course. But even a faint seed of doubt could grow into a wildfire for the citizens reading the news. Uncertainty was an unpredictable spark. A small one, but if itnded on dry grass, it could ignite a massive ze. That¡¯s why Zerion Academy had to remain invincible and unshakable. Its infallibility was essential. ¡°Lucas and those students you mentioned¡ªwhat they did was a grave mistake.¡± Isabel stared at me with a nk expression. Then, in her eyes, I saw a profound, unrelenting hatred. ¡°¡­Someone died.¡± Isabel bit her lips so hard they turned white. Tears began to well up in her eyes. ¡°My friend died.¡± A childhood friend she had grown up with all her life. Losing such a friend must have felt like half her world had crumbled. ¡°And you call that a mistake?¡± Tears began streaming down Isabel¡¯s face. ¡°I cannot ept such a world. Lucas didn¡¯t make a mistake. He fought with everything he had and took down the Apostle.¡± As she spoke, Isabel took a step closer to me. Now, we were so close we could practically feel each other¡¯s breath. ¡°I will make sure you acknowledge Lucas and apologize.¡± ¡°Sorry, but that will never happen.¡± With our opposing opinionsid bare, Isabel spun on her heels and stormed out of the ssroom. As soon as she left, the tense atmosphere in the room slowly began to ease. ¡°Wow, Isabel was scarier than I thought.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know she could get that angry.¡± While some students murmured among themselves, a few girls stood up and hurried after Isabel. ¡°Isabel, wait for us!¡± ¡°Trash.¡± ¡°Is that even a person?¡± They red at me with pure contempt as they passed. Clearly, I had earned their ire. It seemed they were off to vent about me with as much venom as they could muster. ¡®It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m used to being hated.¡¯ Of course, that¡¯s a lie. No one gets used to being hated. This was just the limit of what I could handle. Still, at least Isabel now had a cause to fight for, determined to make me apologize to Lucas. That would do. I had patched things up with Isabel for now, even if it was only a temporary fix. Now, onto the next task. ¡®The third-year vice president, the Cmity Dragon.¡¯ In the second semester of the second year, she¡¯s the final boss of Act 3 and one of the worst endings among the three major bad endings. The ¡°Ancient Dragon¡± bad ending belonged to her. It was time to meet her. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 3: Raising the Heroine with Compliments [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 3: Raising the Heroine with Compliments In the me Butterfly arc, countless bad endings exist. Among them, one of the worst bad endings stands out: It is undoubtedly the "Ancient Dragon." To the north of Zerion Academy lies the Dragon Mountain Range. An ancient dragon nested there isn¡¯t designed to be defeated¡ªit¡¯s a force of nature. The sight of Zerion Academy frozen solid under its icy breath evoked an indescribable sense of awe and helplessness. Thus, under no circumstances should this ancient dragon be an enemy. This is the most critical rule I learned after countless ythroughs of me Butterfly. Present time. When ites to the most dangerous figure leading to a bad ending, there¡¯s only one answer: The person who, by the third act, transforms into a figure the protagonist must defeat¡ª The one who could pave the way to the "Ancient Dragon" bad ending¡ª The woman who woulde to wield dragon magic: The so-called "Cmity Dragon." Currently a third-year student, she serves as the vice president of the student council. She was present even during the prologue of Act 1, Chapter 1, observing the entrance exam as part of the student council. But as fate would have it, she faced an unfortunate loss against Lucas, who awakened the me of Determination during the test. From that moment on, she and Lucas were constantly at odds, bing sworn rivals. Toplicate matters further, the original Vikamon¡ªthe character I¡¯ve now taken over¡ªharbored a one-sided affection for her. Though I, now Vikamon, don¡¯t share those feelings, the fact remains that Vikamon openly liked her. However, the Cmity Dragon had no intention of reciprocating. Aware of this, Vikamon never confessed. Thus, their rtionship remained one-sided and unspoken. ¡®What a timid guy.¡¯ If you like someone, you should at least confess. But, true to his role as a side-viin, Vikamon was as small-minded as theye. ¡®And now that¡¯s me.¡¯ I¡¯ve never experienced unrequited love, but now I have that legacy thrust upon me. ¡®Thankfully, I didn¡¯t enroll as Vikamon from the start. Had I done so, rumors of me being the Cmity Dragon¡¯s hopeless admirer would have spread like wildfire. Back to the main issue: Vikamon despised Lucas, the person constantly shing with his beloved Dragoness. Lucas, in turn, became the prime target of Vikamon¡¯s harassment. However, Vikamon eventually crossed a line. He antagonized Lucas while thetter was paired with the princess during a dungeon exploration. This backfired spectacrly, cing Vikamon¡¯s life in danger. Yet Lucas, being the protagonist, saved even the enemy who had tormented him. It was a defining moment that showcased Lucas¡¯s character. Grateful and guilt-ridden, Vikamon sincerely apologized: ¡®If you ever find yourself in danger, I¡¯ll repay the debt of saving my life.¡¯ From that point on, Vikamon became a redeemed viin seeking atonement. However, the damage was already done. Having antagonized a team that included the princess, Vikamon faced dire consequences. He was expelled from both the academy and his noble family. Originally, Vikamon was meant to fade into obscurity, with rumors of him living a carefree life elsewhere. ¡®But no one would¡¯ve expected me, Vikamon, to return to Zerion Academy.¡¯ While the story remains Vikamon¡¯s, it¡¯s also now my story. The past won¡¯t simply vanish, so if I ever act as Vikamon, I¡¯ll need to tread carefully. Back to the true problem at hand: the Cmity Dragon. She has a long history with the protagonist, Lucas. Though they start as rivals, the narrative cleverly develops a begrudging camaraderie between them through shared hardships. But this bond is nothing more than the developers¡¯ cruel design. It exists solely to amplify the tragedy of her arc. She bes the tragic final boss of Act 3, dying amidst heartbreak. Her downfall also serves to deepen Lucas¡¯s understanding of the empire¡¯s brewing turmoil and its stakes. ¡®From the entrance exam onward, Lucas¡¯s story was already intertwined with hers.¡¯ Meanwhile, what about me? I¡¯ve only just transferred in as a second-year student at the start of Act 2. I¡¯ve never participated in the entrance exam and have no connection to her yet. Nevertheless, this world¡ªalready plunged into a bad ending¡ªmust somehow be steered back to the canonical route. Though this bad-ending world is in shambles, I must prevent the ultimate disaster: the Ancient Dragon. ¡®Which is why I¡¯ll join the student council.¡¯ Currently, the Dragoness serves as its vice president. The only way to approach her is to enter the student council. Thus, after finishing my martial arts ss, I headed straight toward the student council. Zerion Academy consists of a central building surrounded by five towering structures, each dedicated to one of five disciplines: 1. Martial Arts. 2. Mixed Arts. 3. Magic Arts 4. Divine Arts 5. Special Arts These towers are collectively known as the Zerion Pentagon. The Zerion Pentagon features aerial bridges connecting each tower, stretching out towards a central building. Suspended in the air, a floating structure links them all¡ªa building that houses the dean¡¯s office, faculty offices, and the student council. Towering¡ª I happened to arrive at the aerial bridge of the Martial Arts tower. Just as I was about to step towards the central building visible across the bridge, a gust of wind swept past, and I caught sight of silver-white hair fluttering in the air. I froze mid-step at the sight. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Amidst the flowing strands of hair stood a single figure. A strikingly beautiful girl, smaller even than my disguised form as the boyish character Hannon. Yet, despite her small stature, her proportions were astonishingly bnced, thanks to her remarkably petite head. Her small face was a mystery, packed with finely sculpted eyes, nose, and lips. And despite her delicate frame, her mature appearance was made evident by a certain feature that naturally drew a man¡¯s gaze to her chest. I knew her very well. Of course, I did. She was the very person I had been searching for until just now. The Dragoness of Cmity. Nikita Cynthia. The final boss of Act 3. ¡®What a surprise.¡¯ I was about to seek her out, but I didn¡¯t expect her to appear right before my eyes. Caught off guard, I froze momentarily. And then, Nikita¡¯s gaze met mine. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om There were only the two of us on the Martial Arts tower¡¯s bridge. It wasn¡¯t unusual for our eyes to meet. As she approached, Nikita gave me a brief nce before turning away with a cold expression. To an outsider, it would seem aloof and dismissive. But I knew her true nature. I wasn¡¯t particrly fazed. ¡®Her icy demeanor gradually softened during her rivalry with Lucas, revealing a different side.¡¯ She might appear cold like her silver hair, but in reality, she is fiercelypetitive and asionally mischievous. She has a particr weakness forpliments yet is unyielding in the face of criticism. And despite her small stature, she has an unexpectedplex about her height. I had thoroughly experienced Nikita¡¯s personality during countless ythroughs of Lucas¡¯s route. Right now, her demeanor was just a facade. She was probably pretending to be noble andposed in front of a freshman like me. ¡°Senior Nikita Cynthia.¡± So, I called out to her. My business wasn¡¯t with the student council but with Nikita herself. Surprised that someone had addressed her, Nikita turned to look at me with a curious expression. Her flowing silver hair as she turned her head was so beautiful that it justified why she wore her haughty mask. ¡°Even before enrolling, I greatly admired your aplishments, Senior Nikita Cynthia. I aspire to join the student council where you serve, senior.¡± I eximed loudly, bowing my head deeply. I could feel Nikita flinch at my words. I didn¡¯t need to see to know. She was likely wearing a bewildered expression. But I knew Nikita¡¯s inner thoughts. ¡®Admiration.¡¯ I understood what that word meant to her. And why she was so vulnerable topliments. I nced up subtly to observe her. As expected, Nikita¡¯s face betrayed a mixture of confusion and surprise. But her lips were faintly trembling. She had a particr weakness for admiration. My words had struck her deeply. Compliments could make Nikita dance! Already, a spark of curiosity was flickering in her eyes as she looked at me. ¡°¡­What¡¯s your name, freshman?¡± Curiosity soon turned to interest. Now was the time to press forward. To avoid another bad ending involving the ancient dragon, I had to form a connection with Nikita at any cost. ¡®By any means necessary.¡¯ Nothing else mattered as long as I could progress towards the true ending! So, without hesitation, I dered boldly: ¡°My name is Hannon Irey. I¡¯ve transferred into the second year starting today!¡± At that, Nikita visibly flinched. Because she already knew my name. At the start of Act 3, Chapter 1, news reaches Nikita: her elder brother, Nia Cynthia, has sided with the first prince¡¯s faction. In other words, the Cynthia family, a marquessate, has be enemies of the third princess. Hannon Irey is the cousin of the final viiness, the third princess. Although the connection is trivial, you never know what might happen. Naturally, Nikita would have been keeping a close eye on me since my transfer. ¡®¡­The freshman¡­¡¯ Sure enough, Nikita recognized me. Realizing the connection to the princess from my appearance, she quickly pieced things together. Her gaze sharpened. ¡°Ahem. I¡¯m curious why you¡¯re suddenly expressing admiration.¡± Yet, Nikita didn¡¯t ept me outright. She was cautious, wary that I might be a trapid by the third princess. But at the same time, she couldn¡¯t hide her curiosity, ncing at me now and then, clearly wondering what kind ofpliments I would offer. ¡®Adorable creature. Are you that starved for praise?¡¯ Fine. Let¡¯s do this. ¡°Would you like me to exin in detail why I admire you, Senior Nikita Cynthia?¡± It was time for a barrage ofpliments. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 4: The Hardworking Boss Character [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 4: The Hardworking Boss Character The Disaster Dragoness. Nikita Cynthia is the final boss who exits the stage in Act 3. Thus, to make her exit dramatic, she has a significant presence throughout Acts 1, 2, and 3. In the early stages of the game, where the narrative focus is at its peak, Nikita is a character with substantial importance. The story initially leads yers to think she might be a heroine, only to hit them with a shocking tragic arc. Fueled by the developers'' relentless obsession with plunging the yers into despair, Nikita''s character is fleshed out to the extreme in the beginning. Now then, who am I? A seasoned yer who has cleared "me Butterfly" 29 times. If you add the times I deliberately triggered bad endings out of curiosity, my ythroughs far exceed this number. In other words, I know every little detail about Nikita, her life, and her aplishments. I have countless routes to praise her from all angles. Thus, right now, I am a Nikita praise machine. ¡°Senior Nikita, Imend you for carrying an injured exam candidate to the infirmary during your proctoring duties for the entrance exam.¡± ¡°Ahem, that¡¯s just something any upperssman should do.¡± ¡°Senior Nikita, Imend you for resisting snacks for fear of gaining weight and opting for tofu snacks instead.¡± ¡°Uh, th-that¡¯s because tofu snacks are just tasty!¡± ¡°Senior Nikita, Imend you for staying behind in the student council room after identally being locked in and deciding to finish all the pending work.¡± ¡°H-how do you know about that?!¡± ¡°Senior Nikita, you also¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Nikita is precious. She must be praised. Overwhelmed by my relentless barrage ofpliments, Nikita had a dizzy expression. ¡°Why? I¡¯m not done yet.¡± ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you, stop.¡± She rubbed her forehead with her hand, giving me a pointed look. ¡°...It¡¯s a little creepy how much you know about me, Junior.¡± Maybe I overdid it. At some point, I just got carried away and started teasing her. I decided to admit my mistake honestly. ¡°It¡¯s all because I sincerely respect you, Senior Nikita. Everything I said earlier is true, and no one has worked harder than you.¡± It¡¯s true. Nikita is weak to praise and strong against criticism. But above all else, the most remarkable thing about her is her relentless effort. This is why Nikita leaves such a poignant impression on me. ¡®Nikitacks any natural talent.¡¯ The Disaster Dragoness, Nikita Cynthia. Born into the prestigious Cynthia marquis family renowned for their magical prowess, Nikita possessed almost no magical talent. The magic within her body was nearly nonexistent. As a result, she was poorly regarded by her family from a young age. In stark contrast, her older brother, Nia Cynthia, was exceptionally gifted in magic. Because of this, Nikita lived her life constantlypared to him. ¡¸Nikita, you¡¯re no match for your brother.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine. After all, Nikita is a girl. It doesn¡¯t matter if shecks magical talent.¡¹ ¡¸Nikita, take care of your appearance. That¡¯s your only strong point.¡¹ Her family had no expectations of her. They saw her as nothing more than a pretty doll to be used for a political marriage. Her own wishes were entirely ignored. Most would have been disheartened by this. And indeed, Nikita was. But she didn¡¯t stop at being disheartened. If she had no talent in one area, she decided to cultivate it elsewhere. She tried tirelessly to find a path where she could shine. And she faced countless disappointments. Nikita Cynthia is ordinary. She has no magical aptitude. She isn¡¯t exceptionally intelligent. Her small stature is a disadvantage in martial arts. She is unremarkable in every way. Just a beautiful doll. The backdrop of her prestigious marquis lineage and the renown of her magical heritage only served to weigh her down. Nevertheless, Nikita refused to give up. She acknowledged herck of talent. And then she changed her approach. If she had no natural talent, she would create her own. She would nt seeds of ability in the barren ground. Since magic was impossible without innate power, she set it aside and devoted herself to academics and swordsmanship. No matter what her family said, she focused on what she could do. This is why she became resilient to criticism. And because she worked harder than anyone else, she developed a drive to ovee the rejection of her efforts. She worked tirelessly. Through sheer effort alone, she climbed to the position of vice president at Zerion Academy, where geniuses and prodigies gather. She maintained a high ranking at the academy through sheer determination. Her body wasn¡¯t strong, so she studied until she bled nosebleeds at night. She trained until her hands blistered and suffered severe muscle pain from wielding a sword. Life was relentless, but Nikita never spared her efforts. Because of this, she¡¯s particrly vulnerable to praise. Her family treated her like a pretty doll. At the academy, people attributed her high achievements to her family¡¯s influence. Yet she always worked silently, even if no one noticed. I really like Nikita for this reason. So I wanted to tell her. ¡°Senior Nikita, you are someone who deserves respect and praise.¡± Her current self is the result of her unyielding determination and perseverance. Nikita¡¯s lips moved as if to speak. She stared at me nkly, her ears slightly red, suggesting that my heartfeltpliment had reached her. ¡°...Thank you.¡± Nikita uttered her thanks. Instead of the lofty expression I first saw her with, she wore a faint smile unique to Nikita Cynthia. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve received so much praise in my life. Junior, I¡¯ll make sure to live a life worthy of your admiration and respect.¡± Nikita¡¯s smile brimmed with pride. She is someone who can endure life¡¯s hardships because she knows someone acknowledges her efforts. ¡°You mentioned wanting to join the student council, right? A few administrative tasks just opened up due to some seniors graduating. Originally, we were going to recruit first-year applicants.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apply! I¡¯ll work with utmost sincerity, so please choose me!¡± ¡°Hmm, we do need someone diligent. I¡¯ll consider it positively.¡± I finally managed to secure a spot in the student council. ¡°Well, I have business in the Martial Arts Department. Junior, see you next time.¡± With that, Nikita walked off across the bridge. I silently watched her receding figure. Nikita Cynthia is someone who works tirelessly. I sincerely hoped that her efforts wouldn''t be in vain, even until the very end. Perhaps that¡¯s why. As someone destined to guide this world towards the main story, I found myself deep in thought as I gazed at her retreating back. Nikita Cynthia, the Cmity Dragon. In the storyline, she''s the boss of Act 3 that must be defeated. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w After a series of ups and downs, the day finally came to an end. I made an enemy out of Isabel. And earned Nikita¡¯s favor. ¡®Is it really okay to live such an extreme life?¡¯ For now, I went with the flow and took the plunge. But the process is undeniably grueling. Above all, Nikita may have a love-hate rtionship with Lucas, but she¡¯s grown some level of attachment to him. She wouldn¡¯t be entirely pleased about Lucas¡¯s death. If she found out I spoke ill of Lucas, her favorability might plummet. ¡®At least Nikita isn¡¯t well-connected in the academy.¡¯ Her daily routine of student council work, studying, and wielding her sword has left her with a limited social circle. Because of this, she¡¯s less aware of the news circting around the academypared to others. If it¡¯s something that happened among the third years, she might hear about it. But rumors from the second years will take time to reach her ears. Not to mention, since her family, the Cynthia House, has aligned with the First Prince, she¡¯ll be too preupied with that to pay much attention to other matters. So, I need to build her favorability points aggressively while I can. ¡®Act 3, Chapter 1 has already begun.¡¯ The fact that Nikita¡¯s brother, Nia Cynthia, has sided with the First Prince marks the start. There¡¯s no shortage of things to prepare for, now that Lucas is gone. ¡®Hang in there, me.¡¯ Iforted myself as I stopped in my tracks. Where am I standing right now? This ce is none other than the male dormitory of Zerion Academy. But the building in front of me didn¡¯t look like it belonged to a dormitory. It was so luxurious that the term hotel would be more fitting. Zerion Academy is a prestigious academy. Because it attracts students from noble families, the academy receives substantial support from those families. This, of course, is a way for them to curry favor for their sons and daughters. Thanks to the overflowing sponsorship, Zerion Academy spares no expense on its dormitories. "Master Hannon Irey, we¡¯ve been expecting you. I am Marie E. Maris." As soon as I entered, a stewardess greeted me with a bow. A middle-aged woman in a long ck skirt and apron. She was the head maid of Zerion Academy¡¯s dormitories¡ªMarie E. Maris. "Your belongings have already been moved to your assigned room." "Thank you." "Master Irey, we are merely your attendants. There is no need to use formal speech with us." As someone from Korea, speaking informally to an elder isn¡¯t easy for me. But I¡¯ll have to adapt. "Got it. I¡¯ll be in your care for the next two years, Head Maid." "Yes, we will do our utmost to assist you in focusing on your studies." With those words, she began guiding me. At every turn, I couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. "This is better than a five-star hotel." Why does the dormitory have a swimming pool, hot springs, and massage rooms? Although I had my questions, I said nothing. I¡¯ve seen it often enough in the game. It¡¯s not really new. ¡®There¡¯s an event with a vengeful water spirit here, isn¡¯t there?¡¯ Instead, I reviewed all the events that take ce in the dormitory. ¡®I need to gather every possible resource.¡¯ I¡¯m not Lucas. Naturally, I don¡¯t have Lucas¡¯s unique trait, me of Resolve. ¡®me of Resolve is practically essential for driving the main story forward.¡¯ But I can¡¯t use what I don¡¯t have. So, I need to find alternative solutions. ¡®This is the biggest issue for now.¡¯ I do have a n in mind. The problem is that the most promising candidate for help is at a different academy. ¡®To bring them here through a transfer¡­¡¯ I¡¯ll need toe up with a way. I¡¯ll take it step by step. If all else fails, there¡¯s always the event The Dean¡¯s Secret Friend Who Grants Any One Wish! "This will be your room, Master Irey." Room 316. As I looked at the door, I thought for a moment. ¡®A second-year room, 316... If I recall correctly¡ª¡¯ Lost in thought about who my roommate might be. Marie knocked on the door. "Master Card, are you inside?" Card. Hearing that name, I blinked. "Ah." And as soon as the name registered in my mind¡ª Creak¡ª The door opened, revealing short, golden hair fluttering. Along with a toned, tanned body in an open-front shirt and a face full of mischief. So much for a quiet dorm life. "Marie, if you wanted to see me, you could¡¯vee alone." A cocky grin yed on his face as he brazenly flirted with the middle-aged Marie. Card Velique. The golden-haired rascal who flirts with the main heroine only to get beaten by the protagonist. [Trantor - Night]N?v(el)B\\jnn [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 5: Event, No Skipping Allowed [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 5: Event, No Skipping Allowed Card Velique. He¡¯s a notorious yboy with golden hair at Zerion Academy. Not only does he flirt shamelessly, but he also constantly gets himself into trouble involving women. In Act 1, he messes with Lucas¡¯ childhood friend, Isabel, leading to a fight between the two. Despite his carefree appearance, Card''s skills are surprisingly decent, giving Lucas a tough time. However, Lucas, spurred on by Isabel¡¯s encouraging words, musters his strength and defeats Card. ¡®ssic story progression.¡¯ I can¡¯t help but feel a slight kinship with him. After all, I was also one of those extras defeated by the protagonist. But there¡¯s one major difference between us: I was expelled from the academy, while Card, instead of bothering Isabel again, took on the role of Lucas¡¯ advisor, often offering advice on rtionships. And perhaps because of this, Card has one particrly troublesome trait: ¡®The Meddler.¡¯ N?v(el)B\\jnn Card is a meddler. In other words, he just talks too much. ¡°Lord Card, this is Lord Hannon Irey. You¡¯ll be sharing a room from today,¡± Introduced Marie, the head maid. Card looked down at me with a smirk. In my disguise as Hannon, I was much shorter than him. Perhaps because of this, he casually rested his elbow on my head. ¡®Oh, this punk?¡¯ ¡°Yeah, I know. The guy¡¯s famous,¡± Card said with a sly grin. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you two are acquainted. I¡¯ll take my leave then. Lord Hannon, your belongings are inside,¡± Marie said, showing no further interest. Marie was the dormitory¡¯s head maid. Regardless of any rumors, she treated all residents equally. With a polite bow, she left, and Card waved her off. In the meantime, I brushed his arm off my head and strode into the room. ¡°Feisty little thing,¡± Card chuckled. ¡®Sorry, but that doesn¡¯t faze me.¡¯ My real height is 3 cm taller than yours, and in my original form as Vikamon, I¡¯m a tall and handsome guy. Ignoring hisment, I checked the bag on the bed. Everything was neatly packed. ¡°Hey, Conon.¡± Card¡¯s voice trailed after me. As expected, this meddler had no intention of shutting up. And he had already started calling me by a nickname of his own invention¡ªone that sounded downright annoying. ¡°Call me by my actual name.¡± ¡°Heh, why? It has a nice ring to it. Or are you insecure?¡± I nced at him briefly before letting out a shortugh. ¡®It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡¯ Card blinked, clearly unaware of my cryptic smile''s meaning, then shrugged. ¡°I heard you had a big fight with Isabel.¡± Card, despite his appearance, was part of the magic department and hadn¡¯t witnessed the incident in thebat department firsthand. ¡°Apparently, you insulted Lucas as soon as you arrived. No wonder Isabel flipped out. She and Lucas were really close¡ªprobably would¡¯ve ended up as a couple.¡± I finished inspecting my luggage and closed the bag. ¡®No issues here.¡¯ ¡°Lucas was like a trigger for Isabel. You really knew how to push her buttons.¡± Time to wash up and get some sleep. There¡¯s much to do tomorrow. ¡°You did it on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± That made me pause. Slowly, I turned to face him. Card was smirking knowingly. ¡°You purposely provoked her for Isabel¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what nonsense you¡¯re spouting,¡± I replied nonchntly. ¡°Lucas¡¯ death left Isabel in a fragile state. She¡¯s been extremely unstabletely. Even though she¡¯s popr and surrounded by people looking out for her, it hasn¡¯t helped.¡± Losing a childhood friend she¡¯d grown up with was like losing a piece of herself. ¡°She¡¯s been like someone who¡¯s lost their will to live. She didn¡¯t even flinch when I talked to her¡ªjust responded like she didn¡¯t care.¡± An unusually self-deprecating statement, though Card didn¡¯t seem to mind, clicking his tongue in frustration. ¡°To be honest, I thought if this went on, Isabel might follow Lucas to the grave.¡± Card had perfectly read Isabel¡¯s state. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t just Card¡ªmany around her likely sensed something was wrong. ¡°She needed something to focus on, even if just for a little while. And then¡ª¡± Card pointed a thick finger at me. ¡°You gave Isabel a source of anger, a new drive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an overinterpretation.¡± ¡°Maybe so,¡± He shrugged, not denying it. ¡°But I¡¯m just saying¡ªkeep doing it, even if it¡¯s just for a while. Be her source of anger.¡± I stared at Card quietly. ¡°Do you like her or something?¡± Given his past of hitting on Isabel, it was a fair question. But Card just chuckled. ¡°I like all women¡ªthey¡¯re all charming.¡± Yet there was no real sincerity in his words. ¡°But Isabel¡¯s different. She¡¯s my friend¡¯s childhood friend.¡± ¡®My friend.¡¯ I knew who he was referring to: Lucas, the protagonist. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Gone now, but still deeply meaningful to Card. ¡°I can¡¯t just stand by and watch her fall apart¡ªnot after what happened to my friend.¡± Card genuinely considered Lucas his friend. His friend was dead, and he couldn¡¯t bear to see Isabel follow the same path. Understanding his intentions, I packed my bag and pushed it aside. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be taking back my words.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good to hear.¡± Whatever else, Card genuinely cared about Isabel. Apart from being a meddler and hitting on women, Card had always been a decent guy. ¡°So, why are you wearing those bandages? Don¡¯t tell me... cross-dressing?¡± This guy, seriously? I gave him a deadpan look. ¡°Want me to drop my pants?¡± I¡¯ll do it right here, right now. Even if I¡¯m at a disadvantage in height because of the disguise, I¡¯ll prove I¡¯m notcking elsewhere. ¡°Ah, not really into guys.¡± As expected, his nosiness and chatter ruin all his points. * * * The next day. It was the calm, blue-tinged dawn, just before sunrise. A time when everyone was still asleep. Through the forest, a man ran, his breaths steady and rhythmic. And that man was none other than me. I¡¯d been running for over an hour now. Not slowing down, my legs continued to propel me forward. ¡®Honestly, I always had an inkling, but still...¡¯ I nced down at my legs, which kept moving without faltering. ¡®This guy¡¯s stamina is insane.¡¯ Legs that had been running for over an hour without rest. Yet they showed no signs of fatigue. ¡®Why the hell was Vikamon in the Magic Studies Department?¡¯ Vikamon Niflheim, the guy I¡¯ve possessed, was once a student at Zerion Academy, majoring in Magic Studies. To be honest, Vikamon¡¯s magical aptitude was almost nonexistent. Not as bad as Nikita¡¯s, but still. He had barely a shred of talent for magic. With such meager ability, his achievements in magic were minimal, leaving his grades at the bottom of the department. ¡®Vikamon liked Nikita because...¡¯ It was a mix of empathy and admiration. Born into a family of mages yetpletely devoid of magic, just like him. But Nikita didn¡¯t let that stop her. Through sheer effort, she climbed to the position of vice president. Seeing her seed where he failed, Vikamon developed feelings for her. This led him to torment Lucas, Nikita¡¯s rival relentlessly. Lucas constantly disrupted Nikita¡¯s efforts, and Vikamon couldn¡¯t stand it. But every time, Vikamon ended up getting thrashed by Lucas. Fueled by the "me of Resolve," Lucas was among the top in the Martial Studies Department. No way Vikamon¡¯s feeble magic could hold its own against him. The issue, however, was Vikamon¡¯s endurance. His stamina was absurd despitecking any special traits like the me of Resolve. He could endure Lucas¡¯s onughts and still get back on his feet. ¡®They called him "Bounce-Back Vikamon."¡¯ What kind of mage has stamina like that? Even in onlinemunities, Vikamon was often a topic of discussion. Thus, themunity gave him abel: ¡®A training dummy character.¡¯ Designed to have excessive stamina so that new yers could practicebos and gain experience. The problem? The person who¡¯s now stuck as Vikamon is... ¡®Me.¡¯ Well, having great stamina isn¡¯t all bad. I¡¯m a marathon pro now. My legs are million-dor legs. ¡®Good stamina is an excellent asset.¡¯ Before inhabiting Vikamon¡¯s body, I¡¯d been an athlete for years. Though I quit due to an injury in high school, I still remembered how to move. How to read a situation. And those memories,bined with Vikamon¡¯s endurance, were yielding impressive results. ¡®Is it because this body¡¯s naturally athletic?¡¯ Honestly, my physical condition already feels like it did at my peak. So, I figured I might as well make the most of this stamina. Since the day I arrived, I¡¯d been running every morning to build it further. Start by enhancing your strengths, as they say. Stamina is power. And so, I kept running today as well. That was when¡ª Whoosh! I heard something heavy slicing through the air. Whoosh! The sound was sharp, rhythmic, and undeniably hefty. Instinctively, my gaze followed the direction of the sound. There, I saw a girl with her hair tied back. A girl with long, dark blue hair. She exuded a graceful, almost ethereal aura. But that illusion shattered when I noticed what she was holding. In her hands was an enormous greatsword, nearly as tall as she was. And in that moment, I realized who she was. The first-year, the iron wall of the greatsword. Aisha Bizvel. No one knows who gave her that nickname, but it fits her perfectly. I¡¯d never seen anyone else swing a greatsword that massive. ¡®Come to think of it...¡¯ When I yed as Lucas, there was a morning event involving Aisha, but only one. It triggers in Act 4, after getting caught up in a ghost incident at the girls¡¯ dorm. Sneaking back to the dorm at dawn, you hear the sound of something heavy being swung. If you choose to follow the sound, you encounter Aisha during her morning training and have a brief chat. The downside is you waste enough time that the head maid catches you for staying out overnight, resulting in dorm penalties. A typical trap event. ¡®Lucas had a curfew back then, but now...¡¯ This is reality. As long as I get permission from the duty maid, morning runs are no problem. That¡¯s how I got to witness an Act 4 event early. ¡®Not something I need to focus on right now.¡¯ I decided to ignore Aisha and keep running. Until her greatsword came flying down right in front of me. Boom! The sword crashed into the stone-paved ground, shattering it. I stared, horrified. If that had hit me directly, forget missions, I¡¯d be dead today. ¡°Ah, ahhh! A-are you okay?!¡± Aisha¡¯s panicked voice rang out as she ran toward me. ¡®Seriously, just because I tried to skip an event, you''re trying to kill me? That''s a bit much, don''t you think?¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 6: Picking Fights Like Breathing [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 6: Picking Fights Like Breathing The Iron Wall of the Greatsword. Aisha Bizvel. A first-year student, hailed as the top talent in Martial Arts Studies. And now, this very person is kneeling in front of me, head bowed low. ¡°S-Sorry! I didn¡¯t know anyone was there.¡± The enormous sword that nearly split me in half. It was a greatsword Aisha had identally thrown. I was stunned at first, but I¡¯ve calmed down now that some time has passed. On the other hand, Aisha still seemed flustered, probably because she almost hit someone with a weapon. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can get up. I¡¯m not hurt.¡± First, I need to calm her down. If the others see her like this, who knows what they¡¯ll say. But Aisha stayed rooted to the spot, still bowing deeply. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Feel free to contact me if there¡¯s any problem, and I¡¯ll cover all the costs. Truly, I¡¯m very sorry.¡± Was Aisha always this apologetic? In the game, the narrative revolved around Lucas, so I didn¡¯t get to know the personalities of the underssmen in detail. ¡°Really, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯mpletely fine. But how did you end up throwing your sword?¡± At my question, Aisha flinched noticeably. Curious, I raised an eyebrow. Is there some embarrassing story behind this? But Aisha, seemingly unwilling to hide things from someone she almost injured, answered while still bowing. ¡°Well, you see... I was doing windmill spins and lost my grip.¡± Her next words made me blink. Windmill. So, Aisha was spinning her greatsword around in circles. True to her ¡°Iron Wall of the Greatsword¡± image, she always exuded a heavy, stoic vibe. But imagining her yelling ¡°Spinning Whirlwind!¡± while twirling around... Honestly, it cracked me up a little. ¡®That does sound fun.¡¯ Spinning something around wildly has a primal kind of joy. Though usually, that¡¯s a pastime people outgrow as kids. Judging by how red her ears are, Aisha¡¯s fully aware of how silly this sounds. She buried her face deeper, like a rabbit diving into its burrow. ¡°C-Could I ask you to keep this a secret?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not hard, but¡­¡± Come to think of it, Aisha is only 17. A high schooler¡ªa time when people randomly engage in silly antics. And also a time when they¡¯re old enough to feel embarrassed about it afterward. With that in mind, it made perfect sense. ¡°Oh, right.¡± An idea suddenly came to me. I almost called her by name but caught myself. It wouldn¡¯t make sense to know her name already. I should be careful. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Aisha Bizvel. I¡¯m a first-year student.¡± Feigning ignorance is harder than I thought. ¡°I¡¯m Hannon Irey. I transferred in as a second-year yesterday.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my senior!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been at the academy longer, Aisha. Feels like you¡¯re the senior here.¡± ¡°M-Me, a senior?¡± She didn¡¯t seem to mind the idea, her eyes darting around with a slight blush. Kind of cute. If it weren¡¯t for the massive greatsword stuck in the ground beside her, that is. ¡°Do you train every morning, Aisha?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, it¡¯s part of my routine.¡± Diligent as ever. Rain or shine, Aisha trains here every morning. Knowing this, I gave her a smile. ¡°Would you mind if I joined your training?¡± ¡°Join my training?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like to build up my skills a bit.¡± In me Butterfly, there¡¯s a concept called stats. These increase naturally through repeated actions or mastery of certain skills. Sadly, no matter how much I focus, I can¡¯t see any kind of stat window in front of me. I¡¯ve tried yelling for every kind of system window imaginable. Nothing appeared. ¡®Well, this is reality now.¡¯ I¡¯ve epted there¡¯s no visible stat screen. But I¡¯m convinced the concept of stats still exists here. I verified this before transferring to the academy through several incidents. ¡®Repeated actions and skill mastery do increase stats.¡¯ My body can feel the difference even if I can¡¯t see them. ¡®In a way, this is just like real life.¡¯ For example, there¡¯s a tangible sense of breaking through barriers. Additionally, I¡¯vee to one more conclusion: ¡®In this world, talent determines how fast your stats grow.¡¯ The more innate aptitude someone has in a field, the faster their rted stats increase. Training is crucial. My strength lies in stamina. If I¡¯m to function as a part of Martial Arts Studies, I need to improve mybat skills. ¡®There¡¯s a mock battle examing up in a few days.¡¯ To fulfill Lucas¡¯s role, I¡¯ll needbat prowess. Aisha, the ¡°Iron Wall of the Greatsword,¡± is among the top students in the first year. And I know her main stat. ¡®Same as mine: stamina.¡¯ Aisha¡¯s unique trait, Iron Wall. Training with her will definitely help. ¡°Training... partner?¡± Aisha¡¯s eyes lit up, even though this could have been an annoying request. Her gaze swept over me from head to toe, as if evaluating my fitness. It felt eerily simr to when a gym veteran sizes up a newbie. ¡°...Are you sure you¡¯re okay training with me?¡± Aisha asked hesitantly, though her rising smile betrayed her excitement. Her eyes gleamed with a kind of predatory enthusiasm. The intensity was unsettling. Was this a mistake? Still, this is an opportunity I can¡¯t afford to miss. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d appreciate it.¡± Might as well dive in. Aisha clenched her fists tightly. ¡°Great! If I can help you in any way, I¡¯m more than happy to!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Her eyes are a bit too intense, though. Regardless, I¡¯ve found myself a reliable training partner. ¡°What... what are you doing?¡± At that moment, I heard a familiar voice and froze. When I turned my head, there stood a woman in casual clothes, as if she had stepped out for a quick walk. Honey blonde hair reminiscent of the sun. Below it should have been her usual sunflower-bright face. But what I saw were dark circles under hollow eyes and messy hair. Isabel Luna. The protagonist, Lucas¡¯ childhood friend and one of the main heroines. ¡®Looks like she hasn¡¯t been sleeping again.¡¯ After Lucas¡¯ death, Isabel developed insomnia and couldn¡¯t sleep properly. Thanks to that, her once bright appearance had been reced with a gloomy demeanor. She probably went out for a short walk to cope with her insomnia. And she just so happened to run into me. For some reason, her eyes widened in shock. Then I btedly realized my situation. Aisha was still kneeling in front of me, head bowed. I had left her like that since she wouldn¡¯t get up despite my prompting. To others, it would look like a second-year male student forcing a first-year female student to kneel. Obviously, not a good look. Normally, I¡¯d try to clear up the misunderstanding right away. But the problem was the person in front of me. Isabel. ¡°Ah, w-wait a minute, this is¡­¡± Aisha, realizing the situationte, tried to exin. But I stepped in front of her. Instead, I shot Isabel a cold, insolent look. This was my chance. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w A chance to severely lower Isabel¡¯s favorability. ¡°I made her apologize for inconveniencing me. Got a problem with that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Isabel stared at me, dumbfounded. She had probably expected me to exin the situation, not to ask what the problem was shamelessly. ¡°I was wronged, so I received an apology. I don¡¯t see how this concerns you, Isabel Luna.¡± In me Butterfly, addressing someone by both their first andst name is a form of warning. A warning not to meddle unnecessarily. Isabel¡¯s lips quivered slightly. Then, she clenched her fists, her eyes filled with seething rage. ¡°You really are trash.¡± ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m confused. I got an apology for something worth apologizing for. Yesterday too¡ªyou sure like to meddle.¡± ¡°Getting angry about someone disrespecting Lucas¡ªhow is that meddling?!¡± Isabel exploded. The typically cheerful girl, often called a sunflower, rarely showed this much anger. Even I had only seen her this furious when Lucas returned from dangerous missions. But right now, her anger was exactly what I needed. I had to draw out her emotions by any means necessary. ¡°Then what are you to Lucas?¡± Isabel froze. ¡°A sibling? Or maybe¡­ a lover?¡± ¡°¡­A friend.¡± She red at me, as if daring me to challenge her answer. I said nothing. I simply gave her a look of disdain. ¡°Birds of a feather, huh.¡± Whoosh! That¡¯s when I noticed Isabel¡¯s fist right in front of my face. The breeze from her punch gently stirred my hair. She¡¯s unbelievably fast. I¡¯ve trained in hand-to-handbat for a long time, but I could barely track her movements with my eyes. She was among the top students in the second-year Combat Arts ss. Her movements were well beyond human limits. ¡°I warned you.¡± Isabel¡¯s voice was low and menacing. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare insult Lucas again.¡± I quietly stared at her fist. Had it connected, I¡¯d probably be sprawled on the ground by now. This was her final warning. ¡°Then prove it.¡± I lightly tapped her fist away and red at her. ¡°Prove that your friend¡¯s strength and sacrifice weren¡¯t in vain.¡± Isabel slowly lowered her fist. A quiet determination burned in her eyes. ¡°The uing mock battle.¡± She referred to the uing test. ¡°I¡¯ll crush you into a pulp there. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll still say the same thing.¡± Typical Isabel. Even in her fury, she chose to settle things in the mock battle rather than here. No matter how angry she was, she wouldn¡¯t recklessly throw punches outside of a proper setting¡ªher kindness shining through. ¡°Just so you know, Lucas was far stronger than someone like me.¡± I watched Isabel¡¯s retreating figure in silence. Then I exhaled deeply. Man, that was exhausting. I¡¯d kept my face so tense that it felt stiff. ¡®More importantly, the mock battle.¡¯ It was right around the corner. All I could do wasugh dryly. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to elerate my ns.¡¯ Otherwise, I¡¯ll end up being humiliated by Isabel. ¡°Um, excuse me¡­¡± That¡¯s when I remembered Aisha was still there. ¡°Oh, sorry for dragging you into this mess.¡± Contrary to my serious demeanor earlier, I apologized so easily that Aisha seemed disoriented by the difference. ¡°Are you¡­ not on good terms with Isabel?¡± Aisha asked cautiously. It seemed she was well aware of Isabel¡¯s reputation as a prominent figure among the second-year Combat Arts students. ¡°Pretty much.¡± It¡¯splicated. ¡°Hmm¡­ Sounds like there¡¯s more to the story.¡± ¡°If you feel like this is too much trouble, you don¡¯t have to help with my training.¡± I had no intention of causing unnecessary trouble while training. But Aisha shook her head firmly. ¡°No way! I made a promise, and I always keep my promises!¡± She was a remarkable young woman. Aisha fidgeted with her fingers, her tall frame slightly hunched. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d act without reason, Senior.¡± ¡°How would you know? You barely know me.¡± ¡°Women¡¯s intuition.¡± I prefer edible intuition. ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll be counting on you for training, Aisha.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Now¡­ could you stand up, maybe?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Aisha shot to her feet, her face turning bright red. Standing tall, she dusted off her knees, which had been pressed against the ground. For a moment, her cor shifted, drawing attention elsewhere, but I quickly diverted my gaze downward. Her knees were red and raw. She must¡¯ve stayed kneeling for a long time. ¡°So, um¡­ Senior, when do we start training?¡± Aisha¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation, her breathing slightly intense. ¡­Did I make the wrong choice? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 7: It’s Okay to Be Hated [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 7: It¡¯s Okay to Be Hated Martial Studies. Literally, the study ofbat. The philosophy of martial studies at Zerion Academy is straightforward: "Kill your enemy before they kill you." Today, as usual, the professor soaked in a hangover, Vega Mercia, appeared in her disheveled attire, yawning loudly. ¡°That¡¯s the basic stance for dealing with apostles in the Dungeon.¡± The underground Dungeon. It is there that the apostles, created by the Demon Sovereign, are born. The role of the academy students is to stop these apostles before they escape the Dungeon. ¡°After the uing mock battle, you¡¯ll be assigned to teams based on your level and enter the Dungeon for the first time as second-years.¡± In the first year, there were casualties. Even so, someone must venture into the Dungeon again. The surface world will be in danger if the apostles aren''t defeated. In this world, the burden of responsibility is passed down to the children. Thus, the professors strive to train the students to face the apostles. They, too, once attended the academy and ventured into the Dungeon, giving them the experience to teach effectively. ¡°Remember one thing.¡± Vega looked at the students and spoke. ¡°If you can¡¯t kill them, run.¡± She turned back to the image of the apostle disyed on the magical ckboard. Apostles are powerful. Especially those that have undergone multiple transformations, bing overwhelmingly strong. ¡°If you live, there¡¯s always a next time.¡± Most of those who perished alongside Lucas were from the martial studies department. Despite her daily drunken stupor and alcohol-soaked demeanor, Vega was still a professor dedicated to her students¡¯ growth. She didn¡¯t want to lose any more of her disciples. On the day Lucas died, the usually hungover professor didn¡¯t touch a drop of alcohol. For a while, she quietly visited the graves of Lucas and his party. Seeing her sincerity, some of the students had somber expressions. ¡°That¡¯s all for today¡¯s lesson.¡± She turned off the magical ckboard. Yawning again, she shoved her hands into the pockets of her loose pants, which hung so low they revealed her underwear straps, and shuffled out. Her outfit was so inappropriate that it was a wonder she wasn¡¯t reprimanded. ¡®She probably gets scolded but keeps doing it anyway.¡¯ With the ss over, I stood up. The uing mock battle. I must achieve a good result here. ¡®I have to make it into one of the top-ranked teams after the mock battle.¡¯ I had managed to secure a training opportunity with Aisha, but that alone wouldn¡¯t be enough. This is the world after the bad ending where protagonist Lucas died. To progress the story without Lucas, I had to be an indispensable piece in the puzzle. I¡¯d have to use every trick in the book to do that. At that moment, I felt someone¡¯s gaze. When I turned, there was Isabel ring at me with fierce intensity. The shadows under her eyes and her previous gloomy demeanor were gone, reced by pure malice and rage. Good, it¡¯s working. On top of that, the other girls who sided with Isabel were also ring at me with obvious displeasure. This was only my second day at the academy. I was gradually getting used to such stares. ¡®Humans are adaptable creatures, after all.¡¯ The sharper their gazes, the higher Isabel¡¯s chances of survival. Thinking that way, I felt surprisingly at ease. Let them keep looking at me that way. ¡®Time to focus on what I need to do.¡¯ It was lunchtime now. I had to prepare for the mock battle. As I stood to leave, a voice called out to me. ¡°Hey.¡± I turned to see several girls surrounding me, their faces sharp and menacing. They were ring at me like they were ready to pounce. Then it hit me. The ones surrounding me were students from Zerion Academy¡¯s renowned martial studies department. Whether male or female, those who train their bodies tend to have high pride and short tempers. And someone in their group had been ndered. What happens next? ¡°Follow us for a moment.¡± A group beating. ¡®Well, I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ Frankly, no other words came to mind. While I¡¯ve trained my body, these girls have been honing their skills, putting their lives on the line. If they gang up on me, I¡¯ll be utterly beaten. Screech. But I¡¯m also a martial studies student at Zerion Academy. They wouldn¡¯t think lightly of my abilities. So¡­ ¡°What do you want?¡± Time to bluff. Back when I used to y sports, showing fear during a match always led to getting hit hard. Because of that, my coach, a former champion, used to punch me in the stomach hundreds of times under the guise of teaching me how to manage my expression. The nightmares from those days still haunt me. That¡¯s why I had mastered the art of controlling my expression. Perhaps my face appeared too indifferent. The girls scowled fiercely. Their eyes brimmed with contempt. "Go apologize to Isabel, right now." The one standing at the center of the group snapped at me. Hearing her voice, I pressed the back of my neck to hide my cold sweat. "Apologize for what?" "For all the awful things you said to Isabel! Apologize for everything!" "Look at him pretending not to know. It''s disgusting." "Totally nauseating." The girls behind her chimed in, shouting in agreement. The atmosphere in the ssroom quickly turned hostile. Some watched with interest. Others joined in, seemingly sharing their disdain for me. Among them all... I had no allies. Naturally, this was the response after how I had confronted Isabel, the center of our ss. It was only to be expected. ¡°Why should I apologize for stating the obvious?¡± "Wow, are you even sane? I knew you were rude, but this is a whole new level." "You''re garbage." "Is that even a human?" The insults intensified. But if it¡¯s a battle of wills¡­ "Unless Isabel herself demands an apology, I don¡¯t see why you all should. What gives you the right?" I wouldn''t back down either. If all they came for was to demand an apology¡­ I had a duty to keep Isabel alive. So, I couldn¡¯t lose in this confrontation. "Seriously? We''re her friends! When a friend is in trouble, of course we step in to help!" "Look at the nerve of him." "Looks like he¡¯s destined to never have a friend." Who said that just now? I didn¡¯t expect to be hit with such a low blow out of nowhere. What a vicious insult. I quickly regained control of my expression. I almost lost myposure. "Funny. The same people who couldn¡¯t even look after a girl on the verge of death dare talk about friendship." And before I realized it, my tone had also sharpened. A moment ago, one of her statements¡­ That friends should help when someone¡¯s in trouble¡­ It struck a nerve. In the end, none of them had been able to help Isabel, and she took her own life. "What?" The girls looked taken aback, clearly not expecting me to say such a thing. I stepped closer to their leader, who had been snapping at me. "Think about it. Isabel Luna¡ªshe looked like she was dying long before I ever met her." Isabel showed clear signs of suicidal tendencies. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w From the dark shadows under her eyes to her visibly frail frame¡ªanyone could tell something was seriously wrong. These were signs that death had already tightened its grip around her neck. She was slowly letting go of life. "And yet, as her so-called friends, none of you seemed to notice or care." "Don''t change the subject! Isabel needed time alone to cope¡­" "That wasn¡¯t giving her space. That was neglect." Her leader flinched. "In that state, it was only a matter of time before Isabel followed that Lucas guy." Even someone like me, meeting Isabel for the first time, could see it. And yet, her so-called friends failed to notice. I used this fact to push back against them. Had I been vague in my words, they would have protested. But I spoke with conviction. And that conviction silenced them. Isabel¡¯s death was a foregone conclusion. Thus, my certainty carried weight. ¡°We¡­ we did take care of Isabel!¡± "Sure, maybe you did at first. But when you saw she wasn¡¯t improving, you grew tired of her and left her to her own devices. That¡¯s why things ended up like this." These people were all defending Isabel, yet¡­ Isabel had suffered alone, ultimately choosing to end her life. Just as they red at me with contempt¡­ My eyes mirrored that disdain back at them. It had been months since Lucas¡¯s death. But Isabel still hadn¡¯t recovered from it. At first, people tried to help. But seeing no change in her, they grew weary. Though they acted as if they cared, their sincerity had long since faded. To be fair, they weren¡¯t entirely to me. There were others, closer friends, who were still supporting Isabel even now. Those were the ones who had followed her out a moment ago. But even with their help, Isabel hadn¡¯t improved. At this point, there was no use assigning me. However, those who barely offered any real support didn¡¯t have the right to criticize me. "If anything, Isabel and you all should be thanking me, don¡¯t you think?" I smirked as I looked at the stunned leader. "At least while you¡¯re fuming at me, she¡¯s too busy to think about killing herself." The entire ss fell silent. My words had clearly crossed the line. But if I was going to be her enemy, there was no room for half-measures. I would make sure everyone here understood that I was Isabel''s enemy. At that moment, the leader of the group of girls raised her hand. Instinctively, my eyes followed her hand. Thwack¡ª Before I knew it, my wrist had shot out and intercepted hers. It was a quick reaction, purely reflexive. Her eyes widened, clearly not expecting her wrist to be blocked. "You little¡ª!" Whoosh! She swung her other hand in frustration, but I leaned back, dodging it. My movements were as quick and nimble as a flying squirrel. ¡®Oh.¡¯ I¡¯ve still got it, huh? Anyway, at this range, the direction of her attacks was predictable. Dodging them was easy enough as long as I could read her movements. ¡°You¡­!¡± Failing to p me twice, she was visibly seething. I knew full well, though¡ªthose were just light jabs. If she decided to truly attack, dodging wouldn¡¯t be so easy. After all, she was a student in Zerion Academy¡¯s Martial Arts ss. But perhaps because too many eyes were on her, she slowly lowered her hand, clearly feeling uneasy about her violent outburst. "You''re insane..." The leader of the group turned away, wearing an expression as though she¡¯d seen something utterly repulsive. "Forget it. Don¡¯t waste your breath on someone like that." "Yeah, let¡¯s go. It''s not like we¡¯re scared; it''s just not worth it." "Not even worth dealing with." The group of girls made faces of utter disgust and walked off. It was clear they didn¡¯t even want to speak to me anymore. The same sentiment was reflected in the eyes of the other students who had been watching. Except for one. The third princess, Iris Hysirion, kept staring at me silently. Her gaze was the most unsettling of all. I quickly decided to get out of the ssroom. ¡®Well, at least I avoided a group beating this time.¡¯ Today, they were shocked enough by my nasty remarks to leave me alone, but there was no guarantee that would always be the case. I¡¯d need to prepare for what mighte next. "Yo, Royal Nut." At that moment, I felt a weight on the back of my neck. It was a thick, tanned arm¡ªthe arm of none other than Card Velique, the academy¡¯s notorious delinquent. Judging by the timing, his magic studies ss must¡¯ve ended early today, and he decided to drop by. Apparently, my nickname had changed at some point. He was the kind of guy who, even as another man, could openly acknowledge and respect what he saw as impressive. "Already popr with the girls, huh? Must be nice being a king." The fact that he could say that after seeing everything was impressive in its own way. I brushed his arm off casually. Card clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. "Does that look like poprity to you?" "Think of it as a kind of role-y. Not bad, right?" I had to admit, he was skilled at turning even ostracism into something novel. "You sure you wanna be seen hanging out with me?" The martial arts students were already ring at him for talking to me. Card just grinned. "Don¡¯t sweat it. The second-year girls already hate my guts anyway." Considering Card¡¯s messy romantic history, it wasn¡¯t surprising. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om What was surprising was that despite his reputation, he still managed to find new "victims" willing to give him a chance. The guy was something else. "And hey, it¡¯s not so bad to have at least one person to hang out with, right?" Card smiled warmly at me. He must¡¯ve thought I¡¯d taken his advice from the other day to heart. Unintentionally, I¡¯d earned his favor. A funny misunderstanding, but his presence made things feel a little lighter. "So, what about lunch?" "I¡¯ve got ns." I pulled out a sandwich I had grabbed earlier that morning. I didn¡¯t have time to sit down for lunch with some random dude. "Too bad. Next time, then." Card didn¡¯t push further. It seemed he genuinely just wanted someone to share a meal with. Once Card left, I resumed walking. It was onlyter that I found out Isabel had briefly returned to the ssroom during that time. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 8: The Bashful Vice President [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 8: The Bashful Vice President As I mentioned to Card, I had some business to attend to. That business was none other than the student council. Before I knew it, I had already passed through the Martial Arts building''s corridors and arrived at the central bridge. Then, I headed straight toward the main building. ¡®I¡¯m notte.¡¯ The main building, where professors and the student council reside. As I stepped inside, I nced around. It was quite empty, likely because it was lunchtime. The professors must be dining as well. ¡®The student council room is...¡¯ This way. After orienting myself, I followed the hallway until the student council room came into view. Knock, knock¡ª I knocked twice. "Come in." Upon hearing the voice from inside, I pushed the door open. The moment our eyes met, I was greeted by a pair of verdant eyes. Her identity? The Dragon Lady of Cmity. Nikita Cynthia. She was as graceful and radiant as ever today. ¡°Junior?¡± She blinked, seemingly surprised that I had already found the student council room. In front of her were stacks of documents and pens. Seeing her work through her lunch break to handle student council affairs only reaffirmed her status as a diligent overachiever. Nikita tilted her head. "Junior, the recruitment for additional student council members hasn''t started yet. You might have arrived a bit early." "Wherever you¡¯re working, Senior Nikita, is where I need to be." I casually offered the ttery, making her cough awkwardly, likely recalling my excessive praise from yesterday. ¡°Junior, I appreciate the sentiment, but there are many things you shouldn¡¯t see until you''re officially part of the student council.¡± Fair enough. Given therge number of aristocratic students involved, the power held by the student council was substantial. Hence, numerous critical matters were resolved within its delicate bnce. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not here to help with student council work today.¡± ¡°Oh? Then why?¡± ¡°I have a proposal for the student council.¡± Nikita tilted her head again. ¡°In the northern region, within the Dragon¡¯s Mountain Range, there''s been an incident in the Grand Spirit Forest where the trees are turning into iron, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, the Spirit Arts students have been in an uproar over that.¡± The trees in the Grand Spirit Forest, each infused with a spirit, are invaluable. With the sudden transformation of these trees into iron, the spirits inside disappeared, causing great losses for the Spirit Arts students. Since it was a well-known issue among students, it wasn¡¯t surprising that I was aware of it. ¡°I¡¯d like to resolve it. Could I get permission to visit the Grand Spirit Forest?¡± ¡°You, Junior?¡± The Grand Spirit Forest, outside of Spiritists, requires special permission for entry. Unauthorized ess results in severe penalties. However, the student council could authorize entry under the guise of investigation. Still, Nikita was puzzled. ¡°It¡¯d be helpful if you could resolve it, but¡­¡± Why would I, specifically, take on this matter? ¡°I have personal reasons. It¡¯s also preparation for the mock battle.¡± ¡°Are you nning to make a contract with a spirit?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Nikita tapped her pen against the desk thoughtfully. The absence of the main Spirit Arts professor, who typically managed the forest, was a significant issue. During a failed advanced spirit contract, the professor was injured and was currently in recovery. A rtively inexperienced assistant professor was attempting to address the problem but had yet to find a solution. The Grand Spirit Forest''s predicament was a headache for the student council too. While Nikita appreciated the offer, she barely knew me, which understandably made her cautious. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not doubting you, Junior,¡± Nikita interrupted, correcting my assumption. ¡°If someone offers to help with council work, it¡¯d be unfair to assume bad intentions.¡± She gave me a faint smile, encouraging me. An angel, truly. The scornful nces I endured earlier today suddenly felt less painful, melting away under her warmth. ¡°...Can I recite a list of praises for you right now, Senior?¡± ¡°Th-that won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Nikita hurriedly stopped me. Too bad. I was nning to overwhelm her withpliments. Nikita, looking flustered, ran a hand through her hair, trying to collect herself. ¡°What concerns me is safety. The Grand Spirit Forest isn¡¯t weing to outsiders. You might be in danger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a valid point.¡± I didn¡¯t deny it. Spirits generally dislike humans with low spirit sensitivity, and my current body, Vikamon, wasn¡¯t exactly spirit-friendly. Moreover, as a magic user, spirits who detest the unnatural maniptions of nature might be particrly hostile. ¡°Well, how about this?¡± Nikita proposed a solution. ¡°There¡¯s a Spiritist in the student council. I¡¯ll introduce you. You can work together to resolve this.¡± Support from the student council? That was more than wee. ¡°Thank you, Senior.¡± I bowed deeply, prompting Nikita to wave her hand with a smile. ¡°I should be the one thanking you for helping.¡± Though her appearance exuded grace, perhaps thanks to my flood ofpliments yesterday, Nikita had been smiling more often today. Indeed, people look their best when they smile. ¡°Oh, by the way, I haven¡¯t had lunch yet.¡± I pulled out the sandwiches I had packed from my bag. ¡°Would you like to join me? I brought enough for two.¡± Nikita¡¯s eyes shifted to the sandwiches. It seemed she hadn¡¯t eaten yet due to her busy schedule. She often skipped meals when things were urgent, and today appeared to be no exception. Judging from the fact that there was nothing in the student council room today, she must have been nning to skip it this time too. But she sent the president and other student council members off to eat. She nced at the sandwich in my hand for a moment before her eyes returned to her pen. ¡°If you''re in a hurry, it''s fine. Sandwiches don''t get cold.¡± At my words, she set down her pen and stood up. It seemed the appeal of her adorable junior had gotten through to her. ¡°Shall we have tea together? What do you think?¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± A rare treat, tea prepared by the vice president herself. I''d savor every bit of it. And so, I had lunch with Nikita. Somewhere along the way, I casuallyplimented her. Nikita blushed, but I did it anyway, just because I wanted to. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * To the north, at the entrance of the Great Spirit Forest, in the shadow of the Dragon Mountains, I checked the time. ¡®If Nikita¡¯s info is urate, this should be it.¡¯ A strange incident was unfolding in the Great Spirit Forest¡ªtrees were turning into iron.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Nikita assigned me a Spirit User from the student council to investigate. Bute to think of it... ¡®Has the student council ever had a Spirit User?¡¯ After so many loops, I knew the ins and outs of the student council. The existence of a Spirit User among its ranks was puzzling. ¡®Well, the storyline has changed after all.¡¯ With the protagonist Lucas dead, nothing shoulde as a surprise anymore. Preparing for these changes was my responsibility. Thud-thud-thud! At that moment, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps. It seemed the student council member Nikita had sent had finally arrived. I raised my head to see who it was. What came into view was a short boy with brown bobbed hair and oversized sses. ¡°Ahhh, I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯mte!¡± The boy, smaller in stature than me but not by much, bowed his head in apology the moment he saw me. My eyes fell on the name tag pinned to his chest. A yellow name tag. He was a first-year. My blue name tag marked me as a second-year. The red name tags were for third-years. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect him to be part of the student council.¡¯ I turned my curious gaze back to the boy. And with good reason¡ªI knew this boy. Foara Silin, the first-year representative Spirit User. The central figure of the boycott against the student council in the second semester of the second year. The storyline began in Act 4, Scene 1, and escted after Nikita became the "Cmity Dragon" in Act 3. Nikita went on a rampage, harnessing the power of an ancient dragon, only to meet her end at the hands of Lucas. Her death shook the student council to its core, giving rise to a massive boycott led by students dissatisfied with the council¡¯s power. ¡®The real mastermind behind it was Iris Hysirion, the Third Princess and the final viiness.¡¯ In her bid to monopolize the student council and ascend to its presidency during her third year, Iris manipted the students into action. They protested, believing Nikita¡¯s actions had tarnished the council¡¯s name. Among the boycott¡¯s leaders stood Foara Silin. The same seemingly scatterbrained boy before me now. ¡®And this boy is in the student council?¡¯ In none of my previous ythroughs did Foara ever join the council. Lucas intervened when the boycott escted into a violent upation of the council room. During the confrontation, Lucas shattered Foara¡¯s sses, prompting him to shout: "A student council that ignores its students doesn¡¯t deserve to exist! I¡¯ll erase it from this world!" That moment of hatred and defiance was seared into my memory. Back then, Foara had despised the student council. ¡°Uh, S-Senior? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Had I stared too long? Foara shrank back nervously. I was a senior to him, even if I had only recently transferred in. My gaze must have felt heavy. ¡°Your sses looked a bit askew.¡± ¡°Ah, I guess I ran too fast!¡± Foara quickly adjusted his sses, his awkward demeanor unchanged. ¡°Foara Silin, right?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s me, Senior!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Hanon Irey, here to investigate the Great Spirit Forest.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too!¡± Foara¡¯s energy was infectious. He was nothing like the gloomy figure from my memories. ¡°Foara, do you dislike the student council? Maybe there¡¯s something about it that bothers you?¡± ¡°Huh? N-No, not at all! I¡¯ve always admired the council of Zerion Academy!¡± Foara¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he firmly denied my suspicion. ¡°Even though I¡¯m only a provisional member, I¡¯m thrilled to be part of it!¡± ¡°A provisional member?¡± ¡°Yes, they needed someone to fill a vacancy after an incident, so I got in as a first-year. Hehe.¡± Incident. That could only refer to the tragedy involving Lucas. ¡®Lucas¡¯s party had a student council member.¡¯ They didn¡¯t make it back, leaving a gap in the council¡¯s ranks. With senior members graduating, the council must¡¯ve scrambled to recruit someone new. Enter Foara. ¡®Now I get why they didn¡¯t hesitate when I mentioned the student council.¡¯ They were desperate for manpower. And Foara, of all people, was the one they brought in. ¡®Could it be that Foara turned against the councilter because he couldn¡¯t secure a permanent spot?¡¯ When someone fails to grasp what they¡¯ve longed for most, they sometimes end up despising it. Foara must have started out genuinely liking the student council. Then, his feelings likely soured after Nikita¡¯s fall and the council¡¯s tarnished reputation. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Foara is pivotal to the student council boycott. Without him, its impact would diminish, throwing the narrative off course. ¡®The storyline is already skewed with Lucas dead.¡¯ This world exists in the aftermath of a bad ending. It¡¯s no wonder the narrative is falling apart. The main plot points must stay intact, or the world¡ªand by extension, me¡ªwon¡¯t survive. To avert the worst, the storyline must adhere to its essential events. ¡®I¡¯ll have to figure out a way to make him resent the councilter.¡¯ If all else fails, I¡¯ll have to get him expelled from it. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll be joining the student council soon as well. Let¡¯s work together.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Foara answered with enthusiasm. I could only hope that when the time came for him to leave the council, he¡¯d face it with the same energy. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 9: The First Mystery [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 9: The First Mystery I got to the point after exchanging smiles that neither of us quite understood. "Foara, could you guide me to the iron trees?" "Sure, I''ll lead the way right now." It must have been his duty as a member of the student council. With determined steps, Foara began to venture into the forest. It seemed clear that he wanted toplete this mission sessfully and transition from a temporary to a permanent member. ¡®Although I¡¯d prefer to prevent that.¡¯ The issue of the Grand Forest of Spirits needed to be resolved as quickly as possible. Especially with the uing mock battle, I needed to employ some tricks. So I followed Foara diligently through the Grand Forest. As we delved deeper, I began to grasp the true meaning of a spirit medium in the Forest of Spirits. When I first arrived, the trees were dense and unyielding. But as Foara began to walk, the trees parted, and the grass split to clear a path. It was as if the entire forest was weing him. ¡®There¡¯s a reason Nikita sent a spirit medium.¡¯ The Grand Forest of Spirits is notoriously averse to outsiders. But a spirit medium is different. Spirit mediums are those blessed by the spirits. Thus, the trees, inhabited by spirits, eagerly weed him. ¡®Foara¡¯s sensitivity to spirits seems higher than other mediums.¡¯ During my time ying the game, I often visited the Grand Forest of Spirits. Lucas had enough spiritual sensitivity to qualify as a spirit medium himself. When visiting as a spirit medium, the forest''s demeanor was noticeably different than when visiting without that title. Even so, Foara was exceptional. ¡®He only exits the stage during the boycott incident in Act 4.¡¯ Foara was undoubtedly a talented spirit medium, good enough to have enrolled in Zerion Academy. The student council must have swiftly taken him in as a temporary member for this reason. ¡®Good choice bringing her along.¡¯ Each step Foara took was met with a cooperative forest, easing our journey through the Grand Forest. Soon, I began to feel a chill. The Grand Forest of Spirits, usually warm due to the spirits'' presence, should never feel cold, especially not in seasons other than winter. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s freezing.¡± Even Foara shivered under the sudden cold. Whaty ahead was a sight that shouldn¡¯t exist. A spirit tree, as if turned to iron, stood lifeless. Even the spirit within seemed frozen into that metallic state. The tree had lost all vitality. ¡°W-what is this?¡± Foara, witnessing this for the first time, looked horrified. The tale of the ironized spirit trees was well-known among upper-ss students. But as a first-year, Foara likely had never ventured this deep. I approached the iron tree and ran my hand over it. A cold that pierced my hand seeped in, like touching ice atop a frozen winterke. ¡®It¡¯s worse than I expected.¡¯ This event, initially meant to be resolved in thetter half of Act 2 after winter break, had dragged on due to Lucas''s absence and some unknown incident. My crimson eyes scanned the surroundings quietly. ¡°Foara, can you sense the spirits?¡± ¡°N-no. I can¡¯t sense anything! It¡¯s empty here!¡± Foara''s face turned pale as he answered. Spirits are like nature itself. Where there¡¯s nature, there are spirits. And in the Grand Forest of Spirits, their density is far higher than anywhere else. For such a ce to feel devoid of spirits indicated an irreversible catastrophe. ¡®Exactly as I thought.¡¯ I removed my hand from the iron tree. The spirits were trapped inside this iron. It was only natural that their presence couldn¡¯t be felt. "I''m going in. You stay here and wait." "What? But, senior, it¡¯s too dangerous to go alone!" "I¡¯ll be fine. If it gets dangerous, I¡¯ll signal you. Stay here." Foara was no longer of use as a spirit medium in this situation. What was needed here was one thing: ¡®A fierce me that can even melt iron.¡¯ This was why the third title in the Demon Dungeon Academy yer series was named The me Butterfly Arc. Lucas''s indomitable fighting spirit was the key to resolving every incident. But now, with Lucas gone, that me hadpletely extinguished. The world had lost its fire. What remained were only charred embers. However, Even embers must reignite. To sustain a world without fire, I had to be the fuel for the spark. I opened my bag. Inside was a bottle, which I ced carelessly next to the tree. N?v(el)B\\jnn This was my insurance. I looked down at my faintly trembling hand. The tension from what was toe must¡¯ve been catching up to me. I pped my hand lightly and stood up. From my bag, I pulled out another item. Wrapped carefully in special cloth, it emanated a searing heat as I held it. I ced it on the ironized ground and removed the wrapping. Whoosh¡ª A wave of heat escaped, warming my face instantly. The biting cold of the iron forest was consumed in the heat. Underneath the unwrapped clothy a coarse red crystal. Inside, a me burned fiercely. This was the Essence of Fire. The remains of a fire spirit after its life ended. Its heat still retained the spirit¡¯s former power. ¡®The spirit mediums would have fainted seeing this.¡¯ Carrying a spirit¡¯s remains was a taboo among spirit mediums. But for me, it didn¡¯t matter. After all, I wasn¡¯t a spirit medium. ¡®I must guide this world to its rightful fate.¡¯ Even if I¡¯mbeled a heretic, I¡¯ll use whatever is necessary for the greater good. In the iron-cold forest, I set the fire alight. The burning Essence of Fire illuminated the area, while my gaze remained chilling. ¡®It¡¯sing.¡¯ A fierce chill swept in from that direction the moment I raised my head. Darkness began to consume the surroundings. A bizarre sound of something scraping against the iron floor echoed in my ears. Shiver¡ª A chilling sensation coursed through my body as I drew in a sharp breath. And soon, what appeared before my eyes was an entity that emerged from the darkness. It was a being made of icy cold steel. She resembled both a single-ded sword and a woman with long flowing hair. A being that should have ascended to be a deity. Yet, for some reason, she failed to achieve godhood and fell endlessly, bing a corrupted being. This world refers to such entities as Mysteries. Possessed by the me Butterfly¡¯s fragment for the first time today, I encountered the first Mystery of this world that I would face countless times in the future. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * The Grand Forest of Spirits in the northern Dragon Mountain Range. I came here to resolve the abnormalities urring within this sacred forest. And now, I stand face-to-face with a Mystery. Before me is a woman forged of icy steel. The chilling aura emanating from her transformed the trees of the forest into iron. I cautiously adjusted my stance. The Mystery, the "Empress of Steel." A fallen entity, one that failed to be a god, now wanders aimlessly and has taken root in the Grand Forest of Spirits. Ordinarily, the divine power of the Spirit Lord, who guarded this forest as they approached godhood, would have kept any Mystery at bay. But the Spirit Lord of the Grand Forest eventuallypleted their ascension to divinity. As a result, the forest lost the protection of its guardian Spirit Lord. And that created an opening. The Empress of Steel took advantage of the vacancy and infiltrated the Grand Forest of Spirits. ¡®That¡¯s how it happened.¡¯ That¡¯s how the Empress of Steel came to reside in this sacred forest. ¡®The protagonist, Lucas, melts the Empress of Steel with the me of Resolve.¡¯ The Empress of Steel desires to rid herself of the frost that engulfs her. The frost isn¡¯t her original power but a curse she gained upon bing a Mystery. Mysteries, those who failed to be gods, harbor deep self-loathing. Thus, she desperately wishes to rid herself of the power she inherited as a Mystery. That¡¯s why the Empress of Steel bes a moth drawn to Lucas¡¯ me of Resolve. After defeating the Empress of Steel, Lucas receives gratitude from the spirits. During this process, the newly elected Spirit Lord offers Lucas a contract. And this marks the beginning of Lucas¡¯ Spirit Summoner route. ¡®But Lucas isn¡¯t here right now.¡¯ The me of Resolve that could melt the Empress of Steel doesn¡¯t exist here. All I have is the Essence of Fire at best. But even the Essence of Fire is enough to draw her out. She longs for warmth more than anything. Anything with warmth will attract her. [Urgh¡­ Hrrr¡­] As expected, the Empress of Steel began charging in this direction. Her target was the Essence of Fire I had ced in front of me. Desperately seeking warmth, she hurled herself toward the Essence of Fire. Sizzle! But the frost radiating from the Empress of Steel quickly extinguished the Essence of Fire. The power of the Essence of Fire is nothing more than the strength of a single spirit. It stood no chance against her overwhelming frost, which could turn even spirit-infused trees into steel. [Urgh¡­ Ugh¡­] Crack! ng! The Empress of Steel shattered the extinguished Essence of Fire. Creak! Simultaneously, the ground beneath her feet transformed into solid steel. She was furious at being unable to satisfy her longing for warmth. A gust of frostden wind began to howl. The spirits, trembling with fear, made the trees of the forest shudder like aspen leaves. Slowly, the Empress of Steel turned her head toward me. Light vanished, and darkness began to engulf the surroundings once more. Shiver¡ª Once again, a chill ran down my spine. Mysteries are beings that were supposed to ascend to godhood but didn¡¯t. Naturally, their power is far beyond anything a human canpare to. Perhaps that¡¯s why my body was screaming at me. It was telling me to run away, immediately, from here. No matter how much I had yed the me Butterfly game, that was just a game. Faced with an otherworldly, iprehensible threat in reality, I couldn¡¯t help but feel afraid. My body trembled instinctively in fear. It was unavoidable. No matter how much I knew about this world, I was still just human. Now that this is real, confronting a mysterious danger in person, fear inevitably crept in. But there was something I feared even more. ¡®Facing such a monster head-on makes me realize¡­¡¯ I suddenly found myself trapped in a world that wasn¡¯t real, a world that had be reality. Though I knew this world better than anyone else, I hadn¡¯t truly lived it, making me someone who understood it the least. That¡¯s what I was¡ªa stranger to this world. I was afraid. Not of the monsters but of the possibility that this world, which I thought I knew, might be unfamiliar and unrecognizable. I didn¡¯t know what I could possibly do if that happened. And so, I kept trying to fill the void left by the absence of the protagonist. If I didn¡¯t, I feared I would be unnecessary in this world. ¡®Cogs.¡¯ Humans are said to be social creatures. The more a cog is misaligned, the more fear takes hold. I had already experienced this once before. Back when I was seen as a promising figure in my field. When an unforeseen injury crushed my dreams and hurled me into society with nothing but myself. I felt utterly worthless then. That¡¯s why I understood this fear so well. And it¡¯s also why I became so absorbed in the me Butterfly game. I used the game as an escape from a life that had be misaligned. But now, even my sanctuary was copsing. My only refuge was turning me away. Before I knew it, my fists were clenched. Continuing the story beyond the bad ending is my obsession and my pride. But even if it¡¯s just that¡ªmy obsession and pride¡ª I wanted to protect this world. This ce that had be my only refuge and happiness. So, even now, I would do anything to preserve it. I raised my head. The Empress of Steel, a mysterious and iprehensible being, was before me. She would be the foundation and the power for everything thaty ahead. The arduous trials that Lucas was supposed to endure. I would face the first of those trials myself. My crimson eyes zed with fierce determination. The Empress of Steel no longer scared me. I had already faced something far more terrifying. Even without the me of Resolve. I ignited a different kind of fire within me and raised my fists. ¡°Come.¡± I will continue this world¡ªfor myself. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 10: Melting Steel, Burning Resolve [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 10: Melting Steel, Burning Resolve Before the Empress of Steel. I lifted my head, shedding my fear. On my way here, I had hesitated countless times, wondering if I should choose a different path. But now, my resolve was firm. The Empress of Steel started rushing toward me, determined to steal even the warmth that remained in my body. I opened the bag in my hand and pulled out a bottle. Inside the bottle sloshed a crimson liquid¡ª a miraculous potion created by an alchemist, granting partial immunity to mes. Complete immunity would have been better, but unfortunately, such a thing only existed with the me Butterfly. ¡®Unless it¡¯s the ultimate potion, an elixir.¡¯ But I didn¡¯t have one. What I had was enough. Without hesitation, I uncorked the bottle and swallowed its contents. A thick, foul liquid slid down my throat. Bitter. But I forced it all down. ng! Throwing the empty bottle to the ground, I lifted my bag. Inside the bag, filling it to the brim, were crimson crystals radiating heat. Fwoosh! The heat from the crystals began to seep out. They were pure essences of fire¡ª embers born from the corpses of spirits, their final mes still burning. ¡®Damn it, hang in there, me.¡¯ I closed my eyes tightly. Just imagining what was about to happen brought cold sweat to my face. But my body was already moving. I yanked off the protective magical cloth that had been containing the fiery essence. Sizzle! At that moment, the fire essence in the bag unleashed such intense heat that it incinerated the bag itself. The heat that had been barely contained by the magical cloth erupted violently. ¡°Grrrhh!¡± And I was the one who had to endure it. My skin and muscles started to melt, unable to withstand the searing heat. My vision blurred, and my breathing stopped short. Hot. It felt as if my body were on fire¡ª and in reality, it was burning. This, ironically, was the better oue. Had I not consumed the me immunity potion, my skin and muscles would have burned awaypletely, and even my bones would have melted. Thanks to the potion, I had at least managed this much. [!!!] The Empress of Steel, eyes aze with madness, charged at me. The overwhelming heat was unlike anything she had felt before. It was no wonder she was drawn to it, her senses overwhelmed. She lunged toward me, reaching out her hands. Seeing this, I clung desperately to my consciousness. Before the Empress could reach me¡ª I hurled myself toward her. Whoosh! My burning body collided with hers. And then, the icy cold radiating from her enveloped me. Cold. Bone-chillingly cold. But in this moment, I weed the cold. The heat from the fire essence and the icy cold began to cancel each other out. For a brief moment, I could breathe again. The fog clouding my mind lifted slightly. Crackle! At that moment, the body of the Empress of Steel began to melt. She had not consumed a me immunity potion. Thus, her steel body bore the full brunt of the fire essence¡¯s heat. The heat was intense enough to melt even steel. But the Empress paid it no mind, tightening her embrace around me. As if she had longed for this warmth. [Ahhhhhh!] She screamed, clutching me tightly. Though she screamed, I felt no sadness in her cries. Instead, she seemed overjoyed to have regained the warmth she had lost. Tears of molten steel streamed down her cheeks. Seeing this, I steeled my resolve further. Go ahead, hold me. I¡¯ll melt the anguish you carried, even if it¡¯s on behalf of Lucas, the one you couldn¡¯t be a god for. Hold me tightly. From here on, it was a battle of time and willpower. Would my consciousness fade first, or would the Empress of Steelpletely melt away? This was the contest. Even if my consciousness gave out, the Empress of Steel wouldn¡¯t disappear. She would simply continue to hold me until she eventually melted away entirely. But that couldn¡¯t happen. That would render all this effort meaningless. Grind! I clenched my teeth so hard they felt as though they might break. The heat and cold pierced through my skin, causing unbearable pain. Never in my life had I experienced such agony. But as long as the pain persisted, my mind remained sharp. Gripping the fraying thread of my consciousness, I held on with all my strength. Holding on and holding on again. Eventually, an end woulde. All I could do now was endure and wait for that moment. * * * Time flowed endlessly. I couldn¡¯t even guess how much time had passed. But one thing was certain¡ªno amount of eternity could feel longer than this. My vision blurred, and my body was utterly drained. It was a miracle I was still breathing. The fiery heat of the fire essence had finally diminished and lost its light. My breaths were shallow. Sweat beaded slowly on my forehead, long dyed. My mouth was dry. Slowly, I lifted my head. With blurry eyes, I scanned my surroundings. The Empress of Steel was nowhere to be seen. To the very end, she wandered aimlessly in search of warmth. Failing to be a god and instead bing a mystery, she no longer remained in this world. A strange sense of sorrow lingered around me briefly before fading away. The charred crystal slipped from my bag and rolled onto the ground. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Clink- The surface began to crack as soon as it struck the steel ground. The cracks quickly spread across the entire forest. Crash! Finally, all the steel shattered and crumbled away, revealing the forest in its original form. The broken steel fragments floated upward into the sky. With them, they carried thest wish of the Steel Empress, who longed to be a god. The steel ascended toward the heavens and vanished. Thud- I copsed to my knees. I had no strength left to move. The skin that had once contained the heat was nowpletely burned away, leaving no trace behind. Instead, something else began to fill the exposed flesh. Steel. It was steel. The remnants of the Steel Empress, which had melted and seeped into me, clung haphazardly to my skin. It almost looked like ting. This was what I had been waiting for all along. I forced myself to sit upright despite the pain. With the faint remnants of heat left in my body, I began to melt the steel. The steel slowly spread evenly across my skin, fusing with it. This was no ordinary steel. It was the mystery that constituted the Steel Empress herself. Lucas, the protagonist, had melted the Steel Empress, and her steel fused into his body, granting him one of her mysteries: ¡®The Body of Steel.¡¯ True to its name, it was a body as sturdy as steel. The Body of Steel synergized with Lucas''s me of Resolve, allowing him to grow tremendously. But the circumstances between Lucas and me were fundamentally different. Lucas could fully melt the steel fused into his body with his me of Resolve. However, I could only rely on the residual heat from the essence of fire. I could neverpletely melt the steel. ¡®And so, I...;¡¯ I did the best I could. The steel fused into my skin began to cover it entirely. Though I could not achieve the Body of Steel like Lucas, I aimed to gain something else. ¡®From today onward, I will possess the Steel Skin.¡¯ I relentlessly coated my burned skin with the steel. The pain had already dulled. There was no reason to hesitate any longer. The steel continued to envelop my skin without pause. When my body was finally bathed in the full glow of steel¡ª Click- The remaining heat in my body vanishedpletely. The heat dissipated, and I could finally breathe. As I regained myposure, I slowly raised my hand. There, I saw a hand encased in steel. It moved without issue. Atst, I had acquired the Steel Skin. ¡°Hah... Hah...¡± I let out a series ofbored breaths that I had been holding back. Looking down at my battered and weakened body, I noticed the special Veil Bandages. Even the essence of mes could not destroy these bandages. The me of Resolve couldn¡¯t melt them either, and so, I still looked like Hannon Irey. At that moment, the Veil bandages enacted a change. The bandages began to transform the steel skin back to its original flesh tone. Before I knew it, I looked perfectly like Hannon again. Though my insides were different, on the outside, I appeared indistinguishable from Hannon. ¡°Huff... Huff...¡± My mind was nearing its limit. Despite the steel covering, my body remained riddled with injuries. Under normal circumstances, the future Spirit Lord would have appeared, offering thanks and healing my wounds. Yet, before me, there was nothing. Where had they all gone? Not a single spirit was in sight. ¡°Ha... Haha... Right, I¡¯m no Lucas, am I?¡± A dryugh escaped my lips. This was nothing more than a chance encounter meant for Lucas. Someone like me, with no affinity for spirits, didn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s fine. I had no intention of bing a spirit wielder anyway. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om I crawled across the ground and picked up the vial I had set near the tree earlier. It was a high-tier healing potion that I had prepared at great cost. I downed the crimson liquid in one gulp. As the potion reached my stomach, its effects spread evenly throughout my body. I let my body slump onto the ground. The sensation of my wounds healing began to wash over me. Having partially resisted fire with the potion and received help from the Steel Empress in mitigating the heat, I was left with burns limited to my skin and superficial muscles. This was something a high-tier potion could handle. However, my mental exhaustion was another matter entirely. After everything I had endured, the mental toll made it impossible for me to hold on any longer. At least I had gained a vital trump card that would support me moving forward. ¡®Now, all that remains¡­¡¯ ...is to train for the mock battle. Fortunately, training was a field where I had confidence. I hade this far. If I failed to win, all my efforts would amount to nothing. ¡®¡­I will win the mock battle. No matter what.¡¯ With those final words and a deep exhale, I closed my eyes. The wind blowing through the Grand Spirit Forest brushed past my face. It felt as though I could finally rest peacefully. I entrusted my hope to this moment as I let my consciousness fade away. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 11: The Senior Who Cares About Their Junior [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 11: The Senior Who Cares About Their Junior When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a familiar ceiling. The faint smell of disinfectant tickled my nose. It was the medical room equipped at Zerion Academy. ¡®Did Foara bring me here?¡¯ Seeing the steel disappear, Foara must have found me passed out and brought me here. I should thank him properly next time. I tried to get up immediately. At that moment, I felt faint pain throughout my body. Even though I used a high healing potion, while my wounds were all healed, my body still remembered the pain. Moreover, healing potions have their costs. Healing potions forcibly amplify the body''s innate healing power. As a result, the severe fatigue left behind filled my entire body. ¡®Still, it was worth it.¡¯ I had gained steel skin. With this, I should be able to handle the mock battle somehow. Creak. At that moment, the door to the medical room opened. I thought it might be the school nurse, so I poked my head out. To my surprise, it was someone unexpected. "Senior Nikita?" "Oh? You''re awake, junior." For some reason, she was holding a sandwich in her arms. When my gazended on the sandwich, Nikita let out a smallugh. "Work''s been piling up. I haven''t had dinner yet. I thought we could eat together once you woke up." Ah, it must be her way of repaying me for buying her lunch earlier. She really is someone who hates being indebted to others. I let out a small chuckle. "Another sandwich after lunch, huh?" "Hmm, but this time, it''s tuna and chicken sandwiches, not like earlier." "Thanks, I''ll enjoy it." Who could resist chicken? Nikita pulled out a chair next to me and sat down. She unwrapped the chicken sandwich and handed it to me. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡®...She really is kind.¡¯ "Thank you." "No, I''m the one who should thank you. I genuinely appreciate what you did in the Great Forest of Spirits. You gave me quite a scare too." I must have really startled her, considering I was carried back unconscious. It''s no wonder. I had confidently imed that I could handle it with ease. Her reaction was entirely natural. I felt a twinge of guilt. If something had happened to me, it would have put Nikita, who had entrusted the task to me, in an awkward position. "Junior." The moment that word left Nikita''s mouth, my body stiffened. So, she figured it out. "If I had known something like that was involved, I wouldn''t have sent you." Mysteries can sometimes be helpful, but they are usually dangerous. The Great Forest of Spirits is supposed to be guarded by a Spirit Lord, a being superior to Mysteries. Everyone thought no Mystery could enter because of its presence. The absence of the Spirit Lord was not something even the spirits would reveal to spiritologists. As a result, not even the Spirit Arts assistant teacher could predict that the Great Forest was turned to steel because of a Mystery. ¡®Though, of course, they would have figured it out eventually.¡¯ If it had been known that a Mystery was involved, I wouldn''t have stepped in. "Did the rumors..." "They haven¡¯t spread. Everyone thinks Foara resolved the issue, not you." That''s a relief. I¡¯m not ready to be in the spotlight yet. The time for me to emerge is during the mock battle. ¡®I need to make sure my opponents underestimate me as much as possible.¡¯ The students I¡¯ll face in the mock battle have spent half a year clearing magic dungeons and training. Meanwhile, I¡¯m just a neer with the skills of a minor character who exits in Act 2. To slightly improve my chances, I need to maximize the advantages I have. I¡¯m a transfer student who joined as a second-year. I have Hannon¡¯s characteristic petite build. And I made some bold statements as soon as I transferred. Whoever my opponent is, they probably think I¡¯m just an arrogant brat. So, until the mock battle, I need to keep my true abilities hidden. Then, I nced at Nikita. Nikita was calmly watching me with a faint smile. ¡®...She got me.¡¯ "Sorry, junior. The student council hasn¡¯t made any announcements about this incident yet. Most students don¡¯t even know it¡¯s resolved." Clever Nikita. I waspletely fooled. Getting up right after fainting left my head too foggy to think straight. Nikita must have deduced from my earlier reaction that I have some specific intentions. How she interprets this is what worries me. "Junior, I believe everyone has their reasons and goals." Nikita unwrapped her tuna sandwich as she continued. "So, if you want, I¡¯ll stick to what I said earlier and keep this as Foara''s achievement. I see it as you assisting him." "...Thank you." I replied awkwardly, lifting the chicken sandwich to distract myself from the embarrassment. As I took a bite, my hands trembled slightly. A sign that my body hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet. Some of the sandwich ingredients fell onto the nket. Nikita calmly picked them up with her hand. Then, she smiled gently at me. "Still, I¡¯d appreciate it if you gave me a heads-up next time. I wouldn¡¯t reject it outright." ¡®She really is considerate.¡¯ "Honestly, even if we announced you handled the Mystery, the rumors might get buried anyway." "What?" Did something happen? As far as I know, nothing major was supposed to ur around this time. It could be a disaster if it¡¯s linked to the main story. "Foara made a contract with a new Spirit Lord in the Great Forest of Spirits." "...What?" What kind of nonsense is this? "Of course, it¡¯s a provisional contract. He¡¯s just borrowing some power, but the academy is in an uproar because of it." My mind went nk. Foara, making a contract with a Spirit Lord? That¡¯s unheard of, even in the main story. ¡®Originally, Lucas received a blessing from the Spirit Lord as a token of gratitude.¡¯ But even Lucas, the protagonist, could only reach the level of high-tier spirits in the Spirit Arts route. Yet Foara, a mere supporting character, formed a contract with a Spirit Lord? It¡¯s unbelievable. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®...No, wait. If I think about it, Foara always had an exceptionally high affinity for spirits.¡¯ On the other hand, Lucas only had a moderate affinity. He wasn¡¯t beloved enough by spirits to warrant anything extraordinary. ¡®Could it be that bringing along someone with high spirit affinity during the Steel Empress event unlocks the chance to contract a Spirit Lord?¡¯ I have no idea. The Steel Empress event was supposed to be Lucas¡¯ power-up scenario. To begin with, Lucas was the only one to enter the Great Forest of Spirits after hearing a mournful voice from somewhere. ¡®Foara made a contract with the Spirit Lord?¡¯ When I defeated the Empress of Steel, not a single spirit showed up. It turned out they were all siding with Foara. The academy was understandably in an uproar. The problem is that this event will have a significant impact on the main storyline. As the contractor of the Spirit Lord, Foara¡¯s influence is bound to grow immensely in the future. ¡®If Foara were to boycott the student council now¡­¡¯ Who knows how many students would rise up? ¡®Could they really handle that?¡¯ To think that taking Foara with me would lead to suchplications. Suddenly, I feel a wave of chronic headaches and stress-induced stomach pains. ¡®It¡¯s my responsibility.¡¯ I¡¯ll just have to deal with it somehow. ¡°...I heard Foara is aiming for the student council.¡± ¡°Hmm, yes. Foara¡¯s older brother was once the student council president of Zerion Academy.¡± Nikita smiled wryly, as if pitying her a little. ¡°His brother was such an exceptional figure. I guess he¡¯s trying to follow in his footsteps.¡± I hadn¡¯t realized Foara had such circumstances. ¡°Of course, now he¡¯s grown into someone to be proud of, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± He became the contractor of the Spirit Lord. There¡¯s no way that¡¯s not a big deal. The problem lies on my end, as someone who has to manage the storyline. ¡°...Do you think Foara will continue to target the student council?¡± Perhaps because my expression was serious, Nikita tilted her head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem to have changed.¡± I made up my mind. I will bring Foara into the student council, no matter what. Someone as influential as the contractor of the Spirit Lord needs to be managed closely. That way, I can minimize any unpredictable variables. ¡°Thank you for letting me know.¡± I swallowed the rest of my sandwich. I gained steel skin and now had the wild card of being the Spirit Lord¡¯s contractor. ¡°But junior, I actually came to discuss something more important than this.¡± Nikita cleared her throat and straightened her posture. She stretched her back, as if trying to appear more dignified. Though, with her appearance, she just looked endearing. ¡°Are you confessing to me, by any chance?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, junior, I¡¯ve never felt romantic feelings for anyone.¡± ¡°Well, I respect and love you, Senior Nikita.¡± ¡°Your respect and love are a bit too much.¡± Was this a confession met with a rejection? ¡°And I¡¯m sorry, but my ideal type is someone taller than me.¡± This was news to me. Though, as Hannon, I¡¯m only slightly taller than Nikita. Since this was just a joke to lighten the mood, I also straightened my posture. ¡°This incident, both the student council and the Spirit Arts department are very grateful for. Even though you¡¯ve been reluctant to reveal how you resolved it yourself, at least I know the truth.¡± Nikita said this while looking me in the eye, her lips curling into a gentle smile. ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot of hard work. I wanted to express my thanks.¡± ¡°I ept your thanks.¡± ¡°And as for your desire to join the student council, after a positive review, we¡¯ve reached a decision today.¡± Nikita handed me a badge. It was proof of official membership in the student council. ¡°With the authority of the vice president, I hereby recognize Hannon Irey as an official member of the student council.¡± I didn¡¯t expect to be epted right after this incident. Surprised, I took the student council badge from her. The badge, engraved with both a sword and a book, reflected Zerion Academy¡¯s emphasis on excelling in both academics andbat. Steel skin and now membership in the student council. The Great Forest of Spirits event has truly been rewarding. I gripped the badge tightly. For some reason, it felt like the first achievement I¡¯d earned through my own efforts in this game-like world. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard from now on.¡± ¡°Fufufu, I¡¯m looking forward to it. We¡¯ve been short-handed, so having a talented member like you is great news. I¡¯ll put you to work.¡± ¡°Please do so within reason, so it doesn¡¯t affect my studies.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about that. Being on the student counciles with bonus points, so it¡¯ll help offset anything you miss.¡± That was part of the reason I wanted to join the student council. Thanks to the bonus points, even if I fell behind in some sses, I wouldn¡¯t fail. ¡°Well then, rest up.¡± With her sandwich finished, Nikita stood up to leave. After seeing her off, I started tidying up my bedding. My body had recovered, and the sun was setting. It was time to return to the dormitory. Creak¡ª Just then, the hospital room door opened. I turned my head, thinking Nikita might have forgotten something. Instead, I saw someone even more unexpected. ¡°...Hello.¡± Long, ck hair cascading like silk, and a sculpted face. Pale skin as white as snow, and eyes that gleamed red like embedded rubies. Her elegant appearance was reminiscent of a noble, long-haired feline. People called her the ultimate viiness. The one who devoured both princes and princesses, climbing to second in line to the imperial throne. The Third Princess, Iris Hysirion. She appeared in my hospital room. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 12: The Sleepless Night of the Princess [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 12: The Sleepless Night of the Princess The final viin. The Third Princess, Iris Hysirion. There is much to say about her. The final boss of Act 6 of me Butterfly and its hidden antagonist. The Demon Sovereign. And she is destined to be the vessel of that Demon Sovereign. Perhaps that¡¯s why Iris exudes an oddly decadent aura. Despite being the second-ranked candidate to lead the empire, the energy emanating from her is unambiguously somber and dark. Yet, separate from that, there is an undeniable force about her that makes it hard to look away. To begin with, she possesses an innate beauty: raven-ck hair, porcin skin that seems almost excessively pale, and eyes imbued with ruby-like magical power. Anyone who meets her sighs in awe of her beauty and wishes for her gaze to fall upon them. It¡¯s no coincidence that she rivals Nikita for the top spot in the empire''s beauty rankings. If Nikita¡¯s beauty is cold and honest, Iris¡¯s is decadent and alluring. Her cherry-red lips stir hearts every time they part, and her wordspel others to listen, making them want to fulfill whatever she whispers. Though the Demon Sovereign¡¯s seductive nature ys a role, her unique atmosphere of decadence contributes significantly. And now, she stands before me. A ¡°hospital visit,¡± or some simrly trivial reason, is unlikely. After all, since enrolling at Zerion Academy, I have never spoken with her, not even once. Then why has shee? After all, the body I¡¯ve borrowed¡ªHannon Irey¡ªis technically of the same bloodline as her. Though not through my father¡¯s side, but my mother¡¯s. We are cousins, at least in theory. Iris must view Hannon as such. After all, her maternal grandfather, Duke Robliage, is someone who sent her with a clear agenda in mind. Judging by the dark circles under her eyes, it seems her insomnia persists. Iris, burdened by her grandfather¡¯s ambition to ce her on the throne, has always suffered from insomnia under such relentless pressure. Though on the surface, it seems simr to Isabel¡¯s insomnia, there is a fundamental difference. Iris¡¯s insomnia has the Demon Sovereign¡¯s involvement. Her nightmares areced with the Demon Sovereign¡¯s whispers, who tightens its grip on her in a bid to corrupt herpletely one day. The more she dreams of such horrors, the weaker Iris bes. By now, her insomnia should have improved somewhat. N?v(el)B\\jnn Lucas¡¯s me of Resolve would have driven away her nightmares, allowing her to sleep peacefully. This, in turn, would have led her to seek out Lucas more often, sparking numerous incidents and their eventual resolution together. Such was the nature of the rtionship between Lucas and Iris. But Lucas no longer exists in this world. Naturally, Iris¡¯s insomnia remains unresolved and ongoing. And this task has now fallen to me. The day she fallspletely into the abyss of her nightmares will be the day of the Demon Sovereign¡¯s resurrection. "I greet the Third Princess, Iris Hysirion.¡± However, curing her insomnia is not something I can do recklessly. What matters is the process¡ª establishing a bond of trust between people first. As I knelt and offered a bow to the royal, Iris gazed down at me wordlessly. Then, with a casual wave of her hand, she dismissed it. ¡°This is Zerion Academy. No need for such formalities between students, even if it¡¯s just the two of us.¡± She¡¯s not wrong. I was simply acting in line with what Hannon would likely do. Iris leaned her head against the wall. Her ck hair cascaded naturally over her pale skin. Even now, her beauty exuded decadence and temptation. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask.¡± Her fragile voice, flowing from her cherry-red lips, possessed a captivating force. My ears perked up instinctively, drawn to her voice. ¡°Are you someone sent by Duke Robliage?¡± I had expected such a question from the moment she approached me. ¡®If I get tangled up with Duke Robliage now¡­¡¯ It¡¯s a straight path to a bad ending for me, not Lucas. The Duke is a man greedy enough to leverage even the Demon Sovereign¡¯s power to ce Iris on the throne. If someone he didn¡¯t send were to approach Iris, he would almost certainly interpret it as a ploy by the First Prince¡¯s faction and have me executed. ¡®Although, to be fair, that is technically correct.¡¯ Hannon, as mentioned earlier, is a hidden character who appears under specific conditions. The condition for Hannon¡¯s transfer is tied to Lucas achieving a certain level of fame at the academy. ¡®And that fame must be achieved wlessly in all rted events to trigger Hannon¡¯s transfer.¡¯ Thus, little is known about Hannon. But one thing is certain: ¡®Hannon was sent by the First Prince to scout talented individuals from Lucas¡¯s side to his own.¡¯ Caught between the Third Princess and the First Prince in their struggle for the throne, the First Prince is naturally gathering power. However, the world¡¯s most renowned talents gathered at Zerion Academy when the Third Princess enrolled. Due to Duke Robliage¡¯s schemes, the First Prince cannot openly intervene at Zerion Academy. He chooses not to interfere with the academy to avoid provoking a direct confrontation with the Duke. But as Lucas¡¯s fame reached the royal court¡¯s ears, the First Prince began to fear that such talent might entirely shift to the Third Princess¡¯s side, prompting him to send someone to transfer in. That someone is Hannon Irey, quietly ced in the academy by the First Prince¡¯s faction. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®If the condition isn¡¯t met, Hannon doesn¡¯t transfer.¡¯ If the condition isn¡¯t met, the First Prince deems Zerion Academy insignificant enough to ignore, choosing to avoid direct confrontation with the Duke instead. But the fact that Hannon has transferred means the First Prince now views the situation as dangerous enough to justify shing with the Duke. ¡®And here I am, having transferred as Hannon.¡¯ Zerion Academy has ears. The First Prince¡¯s faction would be astonished to see Hannon transfer without their permission. However, it would take them roughly six months to fully grasp the situation. ¡®Right now, the First Prince is preupied.¡¯ The First Prince, who has already shifted his attention away from the academy, has no time to care. ¡®And during this period, I had nned to secure my position somehow.¡¯ Before enrolling at Zerion Academy, I didn¡¯t sit idly by. I crafted a fairly meticulous n¡ª a tightrope strategy to navigate between the First Prince and Duke Robliage. But there is one person¡ªjust one¡ªwho could cut this tightrope entirely. ¡®Iris, who can ry information to the Duke Robliage at any time.¡¯ The Iris standing before me is exactly that variable. She doesn¡¯t even need to meet the Duke in person to convey her words. The reverse is also true: the Duke Robliage can ry his words to her without meeting in person. If she were to inquire about me to the Duke Robliage, either he or the First Prince would send someone to sever my tightrope. ¡®The only relief is¡­¡¯ Iris doesn¡¯t reach out to the Duke Robliage first. She doesn¡¯t particrly enjoy being involved in the imperial session battle because of him. During the game, she subtly expressed her distaste for the Duke Robliage several times. For that reason, she wouldn¡¯t actively inquire about me. ¡®But that¡¯s only an assumption.¡¯ This isn¡¯t the game anymore. This is the real world¡ªafter the bad ending where the protagonist dies and no one knows how things will unfold. A world of pure variables. Who knows how Iris¡¯s feelings may have changed? ¡°That depends on how the Third Princess chooses to think about it.¡± Thus, I must prepare for both possibilities: A world where the Duke Robliage sends Hannon. A world where the First Prince sends Hannon. I need to consider both scenarios to deal with future variables and steer things toward the correct path. Iris stared at me after hearing my response. Her gaze was unsettling, like a Persian cat staring at you with a meaning no human could decipher. ¡°Fine. Then.¡± Iris didn¡¯t ask further questions. She seemed to decide to think it over on her own. It¡¯s hard on my heart. Talking with someone who could be the final boss is bound to be stressful. ¡°By the way, I should warn you¡ªdon¡¯t make disparagingments about Lucas Fernando.¡± Iris had significant connections to Lucas. The spark of his me of Resolve was the only luby for her sleepless nights gued by nightmares. ¡°There are still many who think of him.¡± Lucas only attended Zerion Academy for a single year, but the impact he left during that time was immense. As expected of the protagonist¡ªhe nted deep roots everywhere. ¡®And I have to take on that role now.¡¯ My gaze once again fell on Iris. What must I do for her to rece the protagonist, Lucas? ¡°Are you still unable to sleep well these days?¡± Indeed, I must address Iris¡¯s most painful struggle¡ªher insomnia. ¡°There is honey called Honeer from the southern red soil region. Boil it and drink it before bed; it might help a little.¡± This honey induces a sleep-like state while providing restorative effects. Though it can¡¯t resolve the root cause of her insomnia, it should allow her some rest. Iris¡¯s gaze met mine. In her ruby-red eyes, a brief flicker of emotion passed. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Perhaps she thought that she should consider it even since I gave her advice. Iris didn¡¯t say more and left the room, the door closing behind her. Watching her ck hair flutter as she walked away, I let out a deep sigh. ¡°There¡¯s still a long road ahead.¡± Isabel Luna¡¯s suicide. Nikita Cynthia¡¯s ancient dragon. Iris Hysirion¡¯s insomnia. All of them are critical issues directly tied to the bad ending. I must solve every one of them. I immediately opened the door and stepped out. I can¡¯t afford to lie down any longer. For the uing mock battle, I need to train individually. Repeated actions and practice to raise my stats even slightly. And beyond the steel skin, I need to prepare more. I must secure a top ranking in the mock battle to achieve my goals. I¡¯ll prepare everything I possibly can. ¡®My body¡¯s not going to hold up at this rate.¡¯ Shaking off the lingering fatigue, I walked down the hallway. The sun was setting, but I couldn¡¯t rest just yet. The world still needed someone to rece the sun. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 13: My Identity Already Got Exposed? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 13: My Identity Already Got Exposed? Morning jog, training with Aisha afterward. Morning:bat and lecture, teasing Isabel a bit. After lunch: paperwork with Nikita at the student council. Afternoon: joint ss, focusing on the lecture instead of Card. Before dinner: preparations and information gathering for mock battles. Sometimes, additional student council duties with Nikita. After dinner: reviewing lessons, assignments, and training. Bedtime at night. This has been my daily routine recently. In the past, if it were the old me, I¡¯d have been grumbling in every color of the rainbow and passed out the next day. But Vikamon''s stamina is beyond imagination. From what I can tell, this body could stay up for three nights straight and still be fine the next day. That¡¯s how extraordinary Vikamon¡¯s stamina and recovery rate are. ¡®Vikamon should have trained his body instead of messing around with useless magic.¡¯N?v(el)B\\jnn I can¡¯t understand why he stubbornly insisted on learning magic. Of course, I¡¯m notpletely clueless about Vikamon¡¯s story. Vikamon''s family, Niflheim, is originally a family of mages. Vikamon learned magic as if to spite his highly talented elder brother. However, Vikamoncked any natural aptitude for magic. To make matters worse, even his younger sister mastered the "Ancestor''s Magic," disying the prowess of a great mage''s return. Vikamon felt humiliated and became even more obsessed with magic. ¡®Blinded by envy and jealousy, he failed to develop his strengths.¡¯ It''s unfortunate, but it is what it is. At any rate, his strengths are now proving very useful. Physical strength is national strength. I¡¯vee to realize the truth in this saying as my stamina has been increasing rapidly. ¡°Senior, I''ve added a training routine today that works on both arms and chest!¡± Maybe that¡¯s why Aisha¡¯s training routines have been getting craziertely. Aisha, with her steel-like stamina, seems thrilled to have a training partner. Every morning, she arrives even earlier than me and sets up the training equipment with a bright smile. It seems she felt quite lonely training by herself until now. ¡°Senior, today is leg day. Let¡¯s wear this before jogging and run together!¡± Despite Aisha''s cheerful face, the equipment she brings gets more intense by the day. But seeing her so happy isn¡¯t a bad feeling. And more importantly, Aisha¡¯s training is genuinely helpful. ¡°Training together is fun!¡± After finishing today¡¯s training, Aisha shed a refreshing, healthy smile, like something out of a sports drinkmercial, as she looked down at me, sprawled out on the ground. I wonder what kind of monstrous stamina Aisha has, considering she never seems to tire out. No wonder she swings around a giant sword like it¡¯s nothing. She used to have a somewhat cold image, but now I realize how innocent and full of energy she is. Thanks to her, I managed to get myself up, albeit wobbling. Watching Aisha, who has even more stamina than I do, sparked mypetitive spirit. I¡¯ll build my endurance until I can swing a giant sword around for fun, just like her. ¡°Senior, it seems the training is paying off. Your body is getting strongertely!¡± ¡°...You can actually see it?¡± ¡°No, the muscles are telling me.¡± Hey, that¡¯s a scary thing to say! But Aisha is right. Thanks to the training, I could tell I was getting stronger even with the bandages covering my body. The way my body is improving so quickly shows that I¡¯ve got a different kind of muscle fiber. Vikamon really should have focused onbat. ¡°All thanks to you.¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s more because you¡¯ve been working hard, senior.¡± Aisha gave an embarrassed smile, then swung her giant sword even harder to shake off the embarrassment. It seemed like she might send it flying any second, so I wished she¡¯d stop. ¡°By the way, Aisha, I¡¯d like to do a practice match with the mock battleing up soon.¡± I spoke up before Aisha could identally send me flying. ¡°With you, if possible.¡± ¡°With me?¡± Aisha widened her eyes in surprise. Then she slowly put down her sword and gave me a bright grin. ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on you just because you¡¯re my senior. Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s what I want. Go as rough as you want.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you struggling to get out of bed the next day with wobbly legs, senior.¡± ¡°Are you sure it won¡¯t be you ending up like that, Aisha? Don¡¯t even think about getting out of bed crying the next day.¡± ¡°What on earth are you two talking about!?¡± Suddenly, an unexpected voice cut through our conversation. When Aisha and I turned our heads, there stood a girl with a striking head of short, bright red hair glinting in the sunlight. It was Isabel Luna. She¡¯s the main heroine of the "me Butterfly" route, the one I¡¯m working hard to prevent from going down a tragic path. Isabel stood there, her face flushed bright red from ear to ear, ring at me and Aisha. Did seeing my face first thing in the morning make her this angry? Perfect, we¡¯re well on our way to bing sworn enemies. I¡¯m satisfied. ¡°Isabel Luna, what brings you here this early?¡± When I called her by her full name, Isabel took a deep breath and shot me a fierce look. ¡°...You and I are on morning duty today.¡± Ah, right, I almost forgot because I got carried away training with Aisha. ¡°Aisha, we¡¯ll continue this conversationter.¡± ¡°Yes, senior, thank you for your hard work today.¡± After receiving Aisha¡¯s polite farewell, I walked over to Isabel. ¡°I¡¯m a mess; I need to stop by the dormitory first.¡± After all, I couldn¡¯t show up looking all sweaty and covered in dust. Then, Isabel let out a deep sigh and suddenly threw a bag at me. I btedly realized it was my bag. When did she bring it? "...Card gave it to me this morning when he was on his way. He told me you were here. Your uniform should be in there." So that¡¯s why she came here. But there¡¯s still a problem. I looked at Aisha with a nk expression. ¡°I just told you. I can¡¯t go like this.¡± Just because I have my uniform doesn¡¯t mean I can wear it when I¡¯m all dusty and sweaty. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that.¡± Then another person appeared from the bushes. She had small star-shaped tattoos near her eyes and wore several dangling earrings. With hernguid, sleepy eyes, she looked at me. She came with this one, huh? One of Isabel¡¯s close friends¡ªSharin Sazaris. She¡¯s a top student in the second-year magic department. Not a morning person, she let out a long yawn and pulled out her wand, gesturing with it. Beads of water emerged from my body, absorbing the sweat and dust and then disappearing. A skilled water spell. ¡°You¡¯re all clean now, right? Belle, let¡¯s go. I want to go to the ssroom and sleep.¡± Clinging to Isabel and calling her by her nickname, Sharin yawned again. Isabel nodded and shot a slightly displeased nce at me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Guess that means to follow along since she helped me out. Even though a rebellious feeling red up, I held it back. I don¡¯t want to bete for duty and get a demerit. Having a reliable image with the professors can be quite advantageous, even if it doesn¡¯t matter with the students. So I slung my bag over my shoulder and turned around. Then Isabel, frowning, grabbed onto my clothes. ¡°Where are you going? Even if you¡¯re on duty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going over there to change. What, you¡¯re nning to watch? Got a voyeuristic hobby, do you?¡± ¡°N-No, I¡¯m sorry for grabbing you. Go change.¡± She¡¯s actually apologizing in this situation. Even when ites to someone she considers an enemy, she apologizes properly¡ªgives a glimpse into her nature. Leaving Isabel, who was now flustered and embarrassed, I headed toward the forest. Then, for some reason, I could feel Sharin¡¯s gaze from afar. Her sleepy eyes made it impossible to tell what she was thinking. Sharin is unpredictable. Her character trait is that she¡¯s moody by nature. In battles, she¡¯d suddenly go, "I¡¯m done," and retire. Her moodiness is like a severe debuff. However, her skills and stats are unmatched, so sometimes I¡¯d hire her as a mercenary and pray she¡¯d behave. Now that this game has be a reality, I have no idea how extreme her moodiness could get. ¡®Better not get too involved for now.¡¯ I changed my clothes quickly and came out. Seeing me, Isabel turned around immediately as if she¡¯d been waiting. After exchanging a quick nce with Aisha, I followed right behind. The three of us walked mostly in silence. There¡¯s no need to say anything about the tension between Isabel and me. Sharin, not being a morning person, yawned continuously, dragging her feet as she walked. ¡°Sharin, walk properly.¡± ¡°Uuugh, I¡¯m sleepy.¡± Because Sharin isn¡¯t a morning person, Isabel often forcefully wakes her up and drags her along like this. Originally, Lucas would have been the one filling this spot. If Lucas were here, the atmosphere would be much more lively. We would be chatting about today¡¯s ss, recent rumors around the academy, and other light-hearted topics. ¡®But since I ended up in this spot because of the morning duty¡­¡¯ The atmosphere between us was tense and awkward. The first to break this ufortable silence was Sharin, just as we reached the entrance of the magic department. ¡°Have a good ss, and don¡¯t fall asleep.¡± ¡°Mom, just five more minutes.¡± ¡°Sharin, your mom¡¯s not here.¡± Isabel gently stroked Sharin¡¯s hair as she clung to her. With Sharin, Isabel seemed to be in a slightly better mood. But even Sharin couldn¡¯t fill the void left in Isabel¡¯s heart by Lucas¡¯s absence. Isabel¡¯s extreme behavior is inevitable without Lucas. As I was staring at this scene, Isabel nced my way. Oh, time for her to pick a fight. ¡°You¡¯re going to bete for your morning duty.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re one to talk, aren¡¯t you?¡± That¡¯s true. But I responded shamelessly. If I¡¯m destined to be hated, I might as well be thoroughly hated. ¡°Your friend, that guy named Lucas, must¡¯ve been asid-back as you are.¡± Isabel¡¯s face turned icy in an instant. She bit her lip hard and then let go of Sharin. ¡°Soon, you won¡¯t be able to say things like that again.¡± She red at me with a look of pure hatred before turning sharply and walking away. The stack of her resentment is steadily piling up. Let¡¯s keep it going. This morning duty is going to be quite chilly. ¡°Might as well get going.¡± By now, I was pretty used to it and followed behind Isabel. Thump! But I was immediately stopped by an unexpected person. ¡°¡­Sharin Sazaris?¡± ¡°Hey, hey, listen¡­¡± She grabbed my wrist tightly and drew out her wordszily. Her midnight blue hair, shimmering like a gxy, tilted to the side. ¡°Why are you disguised like that?¡± Oh crap, seriously? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 14: Bread Errand [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 14: Bread Errand Sharin Sazaris. One of the most unpredictable figures in the me Butterfly arc. Beneath herzy eyelids, her eyes seemed to hold a gxy as she quietly stared at me. Just that gaze made me feel like she could see right through me. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Are you still half asleep?¡± I tried to deny it. ¡°Then I''ll go ask the professor~.¡± I quickly reached out and grabbed her by the back of the neck. ¡°My bad. Please stop right now.¡± Using an expert like her was unfair. Fight with cunning and fabrication fair and square. With her neck held, Sharin nced back at me. When I let go of her, she twirled around. ¡°I really like the fresh cream bread from the school store during lunchtime.¡± ¡°I hate greasy stuff.¡± ¡°But I like it.¡± I barely held back a sigh. ¡°So I just have to bring it to you at lunchtime?¡± ¡°Yup, yup.¡± This is the price of keeping her quiet. ¡°See you then~.¡± Sharin wavedzily before heading off towards the building of the Department of Magical Studies. Watching her back disappear, I turned on my heels as well. She may be capricious, but she keeps her promises. At least until lunchtime, she wouldn¡¯t go bbing to anyone. ¡®First things first.¡¯ Time to do my duty. Even if I have to be disliked by Isabel, I can''t afford to be hated for beingzy. * * * Once again, I managed to irritate Isabel during the morning sses. Lately, the looks from the girls have been getting fiercer and fiercer. The guys, sensing the hostile atmosphere from the girls, didn¡¯t seem eager to approach me either. Thanks to that, I¡¯m having a peaceful school life. Given how busy I am, I couldn¡¯t care less about making friends. ¡®Focusing on the main tasks at hand is enough for now.¡¯ Gotta put out the biggest fire first. I packed up my things and left the ssroom. I saw students heading off to lunch just in time. I joined the crowd heading to the cafeteria. Normally, I¡¯d pick something simple for lunch and then head off to the student council room to find Nikita. But today, something came up, so I couldn¡¯t follow my usual routine. In the cafeteria, I bought a fresh cream bread and a red bean bun for myself. I also grabbed tea and some drinks. I carefully put everything into a bag and was about to head out when I noticed a familiar face on the other side. Surrounded by a crowd of people was a young, exhausted-looking boy. With messy brown bobbed hair andrge, round sses. The most famous first-year student right now, a spirit summoner who made a contract with a Spirit Lord¡ªFoara Silin. ¡°Foara, why don¡¯t you join our team? I can rmend you to the professor for a special admission.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Foara¡¯s going to join our team! Get lost, you back there!¡± ¡°Stop being so greedy! You all have a spirit summoner in your team already! We don¡¯t even have one!¡± And thus, the crowd was fighting over Foara. They were trying to secure a talented person like him in advance for the uing Dungeon Tournament after the mock battles. In the Dungeon Tournament, team members are crucial. The depth of the dungeon a team can reach depends on their capabilities. That¡¯s why the mock battles are more like a self-promotion event. A chance to show strong teams that you have what it takes to be recruited. Professors also try to create the strongest teams possible, making the results of these mock battles incredibly important. But some students are sought after regardless of the mock battle results. Foara was one of those exceptions. ¡®First-year students usually need about half a year of training before entering the dungeon.¡¯ However, asionally, some outliers emerge. At Zerion Academy, special sses are set up for such individuals. Originally, Foara wasn¡¯t part of the special ss. But since he managed to make a preliminary contract with a Spirit Lord, willingly or not, he was now part of the special ss and set to enter the dungeon with the senior students. Of course, Foara hadn¡¯t decided on a team yet. That¡¯s why the students were flocking around him like that. ¡®Poor kid.¡¯ Or is he really that pitiful? Thanks to his contract with a Spirit Lord, his life is set on an easy path now. Thinking about it, there¡¯s nothing to pity. I¡¯m the one who should feel sorry for myself for not even getting a glimpse of a spirit despite trying hard. ¡°Ah, Senior Hannon!¡± Suddenly, Foara spotted me and called out my name. Why is he calling me at this time? Looking at him with a puzzled expression, I saw his eyes glisten like a lost puppy. They seemed to plead, ¡®Please, save me from this.¡¯ The students surrounding Foara turned their gazes to me. Their eyes asked, ¡®Who are you?¡¯ Oh, what an insolent look. Some of them were even third-year seniors. But their looks didn¡¯t intimidate me at all. It¡¯s because the res from the girls in our department are much sharper. I approached Foara and grabbed his arm. The students¡¯ eyes grew sharper. ¡°I have some student council business. I¡¯d like to take Foara with me. Is that a problem?¡± I showed off my student council badge confidently. The students hesitated and then backed off. I savored the thrill of authority. After all, Foara is currently a member of the student council too. If I said I needed him for council work, they couldn¡¯t argue. The students red at me with resentment. It was the look of someone who lost their prey just as they were about to catch it. Oh well, too bad. Why don¡¯t you join the student council too then? Shout it out¡ªpower is the best. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± I led Foara outside, and only then did he take a deep breath of relief. He then bowed deeply to me. ¡°S-Senior Hannon, thank you so much! You really saved me!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had it tough too.¡± Come to think of it, Foara had something peculiar. I decided to ask him about it while I had the chance.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Foara, do you n to boycott the student council at any point?¡± ¡°Huh? N-No! I would never do such a thing!¡± Foara frantically waved his hands in denial, so vigorously that his sses went crooked. ¡®So he doesn¡¯t have any ns like that for now.¡¯ Well, Foara¡¯s life haspletely changed. But I¡¯m still a bit concerned. The world has already changed a lot from how it used to be. If he doesn¡¯t join the boycott, the influence of the boycotters will weaken significantly. ¡®It¡¯s not an immediate issue.¡¯ I''ll think about this moreter. ¡°Um, senior Hanon?¡± At that moment, Foara looked at me as if he had something to say. The way this guy nces around feels annoying. ¡°What is it? If you have something to say, just spit it out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not being of much help during the Spirit Forest incident. I just hid and couldn¡¯t do anything.¡± Foara said this with his shoulders slumped. I remember telling him not toe. It seemed he had been dwelling on it himself. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like there¡¯s anything you need to apologize for.¡± ¡°While you were fighting the Mystery, the only thing I did was make a contract with the Spirit Lord. It wasn¡¯t until after that I realized you had copsed.¡± Foara mumbled his apology repeatedly. I actually appreciated him not getting involved. But it seems he thinks differently. Looking at him like this, he doesn¡¯t seem like a bad guy. ¡°Forget it. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Still, is there something I can do to help? I don¡¯t want to keep causing trouble like this. My family would be ashamed if I did. I want to do something for you!¡± ¡°Not really¡­¡± I was about to say it wasn¡¯t necessary but then paused. After thinking for a moment, I looked back at Foara. ¡°Then, can I ask for your help when I need it next time?¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Foara¡¯s face brightened up immediately. He looked like a golden retriever. ¡®Got myself a good card here.¡¯ A contractor with the Spirit Lord. There will be many times when he¡¯lle in handy. And thinking about it further, I realized I might be able to resolve the boycott issue too. ¡®I''ll make good use of you.¡¯ After parting ways with Foara, I headed to the Magic Department building. The students from the Magic Department looked at me curiously as I walked by. ¡°Hey, that kid is really small.¡± ¡°Is he a freshman?¡± ¡°I saw a red name tag. Isn¡¯t he someone we haven¡¯t seen before?¡± ¡°Wait, could he be the transfer student from the Martial Arts Department?¡± Among them, there were a few who recognized me. Rumors spread rmingly fast. It¡¯s surprising how quickly news travels. I ignored the students¡¯ gazes and kept walking. While moving, I looked around the Magic Department¡¯s hallways with interest. Unlike the stark hallways of the Martial Arts Department, the Magic Department had all sorts of things. ¡®It is quite fascinating.¡¯ Various magical artifacts were disyed like pieces of art. While admiring them, I soon arrived at the second-year ssroom. Thanks to most students being out for lunch, the ssroom was half-empty. The problem was, Sharin wasn¡¯t there. ¡®Not here.¡¯ I thought she''d be here since she asked me to bring it to the Magic Department ssroom. I guess I¡¯ll just leave it on her desk and go. Just as I was about to enter, I felt someone¡¯s presence behind me. As I turned my head, I realized toote that someone¡¯s forehead was right in front of my nose. Oh no, collision. Thud! With a loud bang, both the other person and I fell backward. ¡°Oww¡­¡± Holding my forehead, I turned to see Sharin curled up, clutching her own forehead. She looked at me with a pained expression and protested. ¡°Why did you turn around suddenly?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who snuck up behind me.¡± Once the pain subsided a bit, I approached Sharin and offered my hand. She grabbed my arm and wobbled as she stood up. The impact of the headbutt seemed pretty severe. ¡°Where¡¯s the bread?¡± The fact that she¡¯s asking about the bread right away is impressive. ¡°I brought it. So, where were you?¡± ¡°I went to pick flowers.¡± ¡°Where are the flowers?¡± Sharin¡¯s hands were, of course, empty. She then raised her drowsy eyes. ¡°No sense at all.¡± ¡°Yep, my sense is intact. Why speak in riddles about going to the bathroom?¡± Obviously, I knew what she meant. A slight look of displeasure appeared in Sharin¡¯s eyes. ¡°So grumpy.¡± ¡°I have a reason to be, after what you did today.¡± How could I not be annoyed after making me run an errand for bread? Sharin nced at me briefly without responding and entered the ssroom. I followed her in and ced the bag of bread on her desk. ¡°So, you¡¯re not going to tell anyone about what happened earlier, right?¡± I asked while she pulled out the bag of bread and, seeing the red bean bun inside, immediately started unwrapping it. ¡°Hey, hold on a second.¡± I stopped her right as she was about to take a bite. Sharin looked at me, wondering why I stopped her. ¡°You asked me to get a cream bun, so why are you eating the red bean bun? That¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Cream buns are too rich.¡± ¡°You said you liked them this morning.¡± ¡°I changed my mind.¡± Should I smack her? ¡°Heh.¡± Then, Sharin suddenly licked the hand I used to block her mouth. Startled, I pulled my hand away, and she took a big bite of the red bean bun. Watching her chew with her tiny cheeks puffed out, I sat down in the chair across from her, dumbfounded. ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem very thankful.¡± ¡°Well, Belle told me I should say thank you when I receive something.¡± I sighed. I shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved with this capricious girl. I¡¯ve been had. Reluctantly, I took out the cream bun and took a bite. As expected, the creamy taste spread in my mouth. I definitely prefer the red bean bun. Sharin watched me eat my cream bun intently. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want any.¡± ¡°Well, things always look tastier when they belong to someone else.¡± Sharin leaned in, opening her mouth wide. ¡°Ahh.¡± Her small mouth opened, showing her uv clearly. I looked at her for a moment, then instead of giving her the cream bun, I held up my finger. Snap! Sharin immediately closed her mouth as if threatening to bite my finger off. Reluctantly, I offered her the cream bun. She took another big bite. She didn¡¯t seem to care about the cream smeared around her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she looked at me and tilted her head. ¡°So why did you buy this for me?¡± Let¡¯s smack her. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 15: Preparing a Special Move for the Mock Battle [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 15: Preparing a Special Move for the Mock Battle Inside the Magic ssroom. Having finally finished the red bean bun, Sharin was clutching her forehead. "Did you really have to hit me?" "You deserved it." I actually smacked Sharin on the head. It was the consequence of her taking things too far with her pranks. Sharin, sniffling, rubbed her forehead and nced at me. "So, you want me to keep it a secret?" Finally, we''re getting somewhere.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Yeah." After hearing my answer, Sharin slumped over the desk. "Then, who are you exactly?" I knew this question woulde eventually. Sharin''s eyes, like a starlit gxy, stared at me intently. It was hard to discern what she was thinking from thosenguid eyes. One thing was clear, though ¡ª it wasn''t a friendly gaze. ''Sharin is Isabel''s close friend.'' Sharin had been friends with Isabel for a long time. And I am the person Isabel hates the most. Naturally, Sharin wouldn''t be too fond of me either. "Recently, you know, Belle always talks about you." "Talking behind my back, huh? That''s a nasty hobby." "Well, more like she''s just venting her anger about you." Sharin started twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "Ever since Lucas died, Belle always seemed deted. And it''s only gotten worse over time." Isabel was breaking down. The death of Lucas left an irreversible void and pain in her life. In a world without Lucas, Isabel couldn''t find any meaning in her life. "She regretted it every day, cried, and barely slept. At some point, she even stopped talking to me." I realized just how serious Isabel''s state was. "She seemed to lose interest in everything around her." Recalling that time, sadness filled Sharin''s eyes. It seemed she was pained by the fact that she couldn''t do anything to help her friend. "But since you showed up, Isabel''s changed a bit." Sharin''s gaze shifted back to me. "Every day, she gets angry, vowing she won''t let you disrespect Lucas. She does whatever she can." Anger is one of the most energy-consuming emotions. To be angry, one must eat three meals daily, sleep, and move their body. Without doing so, the body cannot maintain its normal state to be angry. Right now, Isabel is living to pour out her anger on me. In her otherwise meaningless life, I became a target for her anger. "And that''s something I couldn''t do." Sharin couldn''t be a purpose for Isabel''s life no matter what form it took. "But you managed to do it." Now I understand why Sharin wanted to speak with me alone. "I didn''t intend for this. All I did was insult Lucas." "Yes, and that is what''s keeping Belle alive." Sharin stood up from her seat. "Honestly, I don''t really care who you are." She took a step closer until she was right in front of me. "Belle was slowly sinking because she couldn''t find a new purpose in life. But thanks to your presence, she''s starting toe back up." Sharin moved even closer, her unique jasmine scent tickling my nose. At some point, her soft, white hand ovepped with mine. "I want you to stay in this role until Belle finds a new meaning in her life." "...Anger doesn''tst forever." "I know. That''s why I''m asking you to do it until then. If you do this, I''ll do anything for you." I quietly looked at Sharin. She wasn''t much taller than me in my current form. Because of that, I could clearly see her small, delicate face. It was a pretty face with a slightlynguid gaze. Whatever she was thinking, her eyes held a mysterious allure unique to women. But sorry to say, I recently encountered a woman with even more intense allure. "So, this requestes with the condition of keeping my secret, right?" I had already figured that out. "Ah." Sharin''s voice escaped her lips as if she had just realized that herself. Her eyes darted around with a look that said she had overlooked something. "Did you really intend to do anything for me?" Sharin took a step back. As the jasmine scent drifted away, I found myself strangely missing it. Women who know they''re beautiful and use it to their advantage are dangerous. I made a mental note. "Pinky promise?" Sharin, looking a bit embarrassed, held up her pinky. I stared at it for a moment before speaking. "Sharin, I need to score high in the uing mock battle." Sharin tilted her head, not understanding why I suddenly brought this up. "For Isabel''s anger to persist, I need to be ranked higher than her, don''t you think?" Sharin''s eyes widened at that realization. Seeing this, a smile crept up my face. Atst, I had taken control of the conversation with Sharin. "You, you''re good at magic, right?" "Yes, I''m the best." How arrogant. But she''s right. Sharin''s unique trait, her innate gift: Mirinae Her eyes, which sparkle like a gxy under the light. A talent that allows her to understand the principles and logic of magic at a nce. Thanks to this talent, Sharin held the top spot in the second-year magic studies. That''s why I decided to take a chance. "In that case, how about magic engraving?" Sharin blinked. Her head tilted slowly to the side. "...That''s an ancient, almost forgotten magical technique." She''s right. Magic engraving is an art from before the concept of a "mage" even existed. It can be found in the ancient magical artifacts unearthed from magic dungeons. "So, can you do it or not?" Sharin slowly sped her hands together, slightly emphasizing her chest as she narrowed her eyes. "I can." As always, she showed absolute confidence in her magic skills. Just as I expected from Sharin. "But the magic engraving isn''t very efficient." As she said, the efficiency of magic engraving is not high. It''s originally only about one-tenth the power of regr magic. That''s all the efficiency magic engraving can muster. Moreover, most of the usable spells are low-level ones. "But it''s easy for beginners to use. And someone else can engrave it for you." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w I can''t use magic. Magic is a skill based on knowledge. With no knowledge whatsoever, there''s no way I could use magic. Additionally, the body I¡¯ve possessed, Vikamon, is hopelessly untalented in magic. In fact, realizing this, I decided to focus on physical training with Aisha. ''Normally, I would neglect magic entirely.'' But it''s different with magic engravings. Even beginners can use them as long as they know how to inject mana and the engraving method. Vikamon had studied magic for a long time. So at the very least, he meets the minimum requirements to use magic engravings. ''This world has more variables than I thought.'' To prepare against such variables, it''s good to have at least one tool at your disposal. "Are you thinking of learning it yourself?" "Yeah." "Just bring a weapon. I''ll engrave it for you." "Sorry, but it¡¯s not a weapon." She tilted her head. Not a weapon? Then what is it? That was the look on her face. Seeing her expression, I smirked suspiciously. "If you¡¯re curious, watch my mock battleter." I''ll show you something you never expected. "Huh? What¡¯s this, it''s Sharin and the Prince of Nothing." Just then, a familiar voice called out. Looking towards the door, I saw Card standing there. He still lookedpletely out of ce for someone from the Magic Department. "What¡¯s the asion? Are you trying to charm Sharin like you did Isabel?" "Yeah, I almost had her, but you ruined it." I replied casually, and Card whistled. So carefree. "Why do you call him the ''Prince of Nothing''?" Sharin seemed more curious about Card''s nickname for me than my joke. Card looked at me for a moment before grinning. "Hannon has something incredible about him." Sharin nced at me. "What is it? I want to see." No chance I¡¯m showing you that. "Sharin,e to the study room after dinner. I''ll learn it from you there." I left her with those words and made my exit. Staying any longer, I might get caught up in the banter between Sharin and Card, so I quickly escaped. The secret weapons are gradually being prepared. ¡®The mock battle.¡¯ Look forward to it. I¡¯m going to make quite the scene. * * * Time fliew by. After adding the magic engraving sessions with Sharin to my daily schedule, I¡¯ve started living a bit of a tougher life than before. I had to give credit to Vikamon¡¯s stamina once again. Stamina is power. During a typical lunchtime, as always, I was in the student council office, working on paperwork with Nikita. It''s surprising how much work piles up in the student council. The workload is particrly high, especially at the start of the year when the first-years join. In about a month, the workload will decrease. Nikita said things would ease up a bit then, allowing us to enjoy the student council activities more. "Thanks again for your help today, junior." "Not at all. It¡¯s you who impresses me, Senior Nikita, for working diligently every day." "You sure know how to speak kindly." Genuinepliments are always well-received. At that moment, there was amotion outside the student council room. "Are we moving this to Building A?" "Yeah, and there are a few more to move after this. Let''s hurry up and finish before lunchtime is over." The voices belonged to the teaching assistants and student council members. They were helping set up for the mock battle scheduled for after lunch. Nikita, who often did more work than other student council members, was pushed into the office to take a break by her peers. I, on the other hand, had won a game of rock-paper-scissors, so I got to skip out on the work. Real men always go with rock. "It''s almost time." Nikita seemed quite excited about the uing mock battle. A mock battle is a chance to showcase the results of one''s efforts. For someone like Nikita, who embodies hard work, it''s naturally an event to look forward to. "This is your first mock battle, right?" "Yes, it is, considering I just transferred here." Having transferred this year, it was indeed my first mock battle. "Have you been preparing well? I¡¯ve seen you working on various things." Hearing this, I let a slight smirk form on my lips. Nikita noticed and let out a small exmation of admiration. "Looks like you¡¯re pretty confident, huh?" "Those who prepare every day will always score well on tests." "Indeed, I know better than anyone how hard you work every day." Nikita said this while tapping the desk with her index finger. It was a habit of hers when she was thinking about something. "Hmm, hard work deserves a reward. Alright." Nikita looked at me with a smile, as if she had thought of something. A beautiful smile. "If you get a high rank in this mock battle, I''ll give you a reward." What is this? A proposal? "I¡¯ll take first ce, then." "Hehe, I look forward to it." "I¡¯m aiming for first ce since you''re offering to marry me as a reward." "Huh? Th-that¡¯s not the kind of reward I was talking about!" "We¡¯ll go to a southern resort for our honeymoon." "Junior!?" I enjoyed Nikita¡¯s flustered expression for a moment before she pouted slightly. "You¡¯re taking the joke too far." "But I only make this kind of joke with you, Senior Nikita." Hearing this, her pout quickly melted away. "I''ll win too, so you better make sure you win as well." Nikita¡¯s solid encouragement followed. With such a cheer, I must win. The grand mock battle is about to begin. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 16: Defeating the Eternal Last Place [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 16: Defeating the Eternal Last ce The mock battle is held based on the students'' first-year rankings. In the first match, you will face an opponent with simr statistics. If you lose the first match, you will fight against a student with a lower rank than the one you initially faced. Conversely, if you win, you will face a student with a higher rank. If you lose three times in total, your rank will be recorded, and the mock battle ends immediately. Additionally, if you are deemed unable to continue fighting during a match, your ranking is determined at that point. On the other hand, there is no limit to the number of wins. In theory, if you keep winning, you can face everyone from the bottom rank to the top. However, if you lose even once after winning, it''s over. ¡®In any case, the goal of the mock battle is simple.¡¯ The purpose of the mock battle is clear: to push the strong students up the ranking. The scene shifted to the grand hall of Zerion Academy. With the aid of spatial magic, the vast hall was packed with students. All the students from different disciplines were gathered. It was natural that the hall was crowded. "I''m nervous." "This time, I will definitely improve my mock battle rank." I could hear the students chatting with one another. Of course, no one was talking to me. Instead, I felt a piercing gaze on my back. I turned my head slightly and saw Isabel ring at me. She had dered that she would crush me in the mock battle. It seemed her resolve was burning bright. ¡®Well, if you''re going to burn, might as well burn brightly.¡¯ After all, it wouldn''t go out anytime soon. "Ah, ah." Just then, Professor Vega Mercia, a second-year martial arts instructor, stepped onto the tform. Today, she looked rtively normal. The students behind her admired her appearance as she stood in her uniform. Her beautiful, mncholic face was captivating for the younger students. Our professor is quite attractive, in a way. However, the second and third-year students know very well that her beauty isn''t all that impressive. The truth is, she''s just feeling down because she couldn''t drink yesterday. It''s like she has an alcohol dependency. "I am Vega, the one in charge of this mock battle. As the results of this battle are important for future team assignments, I expect every student to give their best effort." Perhaps because she hadn''t had a drink, she seemed rather normal today. But I knew better. I wondered what ridiculous thing mighte out of her mouth next. "Let me say this in advance: don''t end things half-heartedly against opponents you can beat." The students were puzzled by her words. The third-year martial arts students sighed, and the second-year students quietly covered their faces. "If you drag it out to three losses, it just makes the mock battle longer. I''ll bete for my evening break." She was a professor who only thought about going home. Well, leaving work on time is important. "That''s all. Assistants, please guide the students." With that, she stepped off the tform. The students, already used to Professor Vega, quickly followed the assistants'' directions. The areas for first, second, and third-year students were divided quickly. There were 48 students in the second-year martial arts ss at Zerion Academy. Originally, the ss had 50 students, but in the first year, three students, including the protagonist Lucas, were wiped out, reducing the number. Thanks to my arrival, the number was maintained at 48. This means the ranking for second-year mock battles goes from 1st to 48th. My goal is to break into the top ranks. At the very least, I need to make it into the top 10. ¡®The problem is¡­¡¯ I transferred to Zerion Academy as a second-year student. This means my previous scores were not recorded anywhere. ¡®Currently, my mock battle rank is¡­¡¯ 48th. Deadst. "Pfft, it''s a battle of thest ce." "It would be fitting for the transfer student to lose this one, don''t you think?" "Staying at the bottom really suits you." I could hear the sharp words of the girls around me. After my confrontation with Isabel, the gossip and insults from the other girls had only gotten worse. Isabel, who had initially been too busy being angry with me to notice, had started to flinch as she realized how intense the gossip had be. Even Isabel, despite everything, seemed ufortable with her friends badmouthing me so harshly. I saw her raise her hand to try to stop them. Her kind heart probably couldn¡¯t bear to see her friends speak ill of someone for her sake. "Don''t worry about it." So I decided to handle it myself before Isabel could intervene. The girls'' sharp gazes instantly turned toward me as I spoke up. I just smiled at them. "I''ll make sure all of you end up ranked below me." "What a jerk. Seriously." "Go ahead, give it a try!" "Oh, this is unbelievable. So arrogant!" The girls cursed at me for my tant provocation. If they were going to hate me anyway, I might as well give them a reason. "You''re so short, and you¡¯ve got such a nasty attitude." Sorry, butments like that don¡¯t affect me at all. "Hmph, I bet you''ve never even had a girlfriend." Ouch. That was a low blow. I don¡¯t know who said it, but I won¡¯t hold back when I fight them. As I strengthened my resolve, I made eye contact with Isabel. She looked surprised for a moment, then her brows furrowed with determination. It seemed she had been trying to stop the girls from gossiping, but seeing me step in and provoke them herself had caught her off guard. "Isabel, you too." I threw a cheap provocation her way as well. She stared at me for a moment, then rxed her eyebrows. Her gaze turned serious. "If you lose to me today, you have to take back those harsh words you said to Lucas and apologize to him." Hearing that, I scoffed. "That won¡¯t happen." I could hear the girls'' insults growing louder, but Isabel remained silent, just looking at me. Her eyes lingered quietly on the scars on my hands. Isabel, at least, had realized it. She knew I wasn¡¯t an opponent to be taken lightly. "48th ce, Hannon Irey. 47th ce, Miryzen Avanti." Just then, an assistant called my name. As I answered and made my way over, I saw another student approaching from the opposite side. He was also a second-year martial arts student. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Miryzen. His uniform was slightly loose, and he seemed timid. His nickname was "Eternal Last ce Miryzen." For every first ce, there must be ast ce. If it weren¡¯t for Zerion Academy, he might have been able to shine elsewhere. But here, at this prestigious academy where only geniuses gather, half-baked talent inevitably leads to bitter oues. ¡°This time, I¡¯m going to escapest ce!¡± Miryzen looked at me with a burning resolve. Finally, he had wed his way out ofst ce, reaching rank 47. It was evident he was desperate not to let this achievement slip away. ¡°Beginbat.¡± At the instructor''s signal, Miryzen drew his sword. With firm resolve, he charged towards me. Here hees. I tilted my head back to dodge his straightforward thrust. The de grazed past my face, a narrow miss that made my heart race. Even if he¡¯s the weakest in thebat ss, anyone admitted to Zerion Academy is talented. His swordsmanship was quite steady and precise. His de pursued me relentlessly, each strike packed with significant force. I focused solely on evading. Long-practiced footwork instinctively unfolded at my toes. By observing his body and the grip on his sword, I could anticipate exactly how to dodge. ¡°Just dodging like a little rat, huh?¡± ¡°Ugh, how pathetic. How did he ever talk about winning with this level of skill?¡± The taunts from some girls who had been watching us carried over. The instructor shot them a disapproving look, silencing them quickly, but their smirks didn¡¯t fade. Of course, I didn¡¯t have the luxury to care about that. ¡®I¡¯ve sparred with Aisha before, but...¡¯ This was my first fight where I absolutely had to win. I needed to get used tobat if I was going to advance. If I wanted to rise higher, I¡¯d be facing even tougher opponents. I had to draw on every bit of experience I had. ¡®Starting from the bottom is an opportunity for me.¡¯ Dodge. And dodge again.N?v(el)B\\jnn Keep dodging, and dodge once more. My movements grew increasingly efficient, my body shifting with less and less space between each step. The body I had inherited from Vikamon was exceptionally suited for this. I wasn¡¯t even out of breath yet. Training alongside Aisha, who possessed incredible stamina, and enduring our brutal morning exercises day after day, had created a powerful synergy with my natural endurance. ¡°Hah, hah!¡± On the other hand, Miryzen was swinging his sword with a strained, tearful expression. Sweat poured down his face like rain, and his sword trembled. No matter how skillful he was with his sword, it was pointless if it didn¡¯tnd a hit. ¡°I...¡± Desperation filled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll win!¡± Miryzen¡¯s sword shed forward again. ¡°I¡¯m going to rise up!¡± The desperation to escapest ce erupted from him with raw intensity. The kids who had been watching our fight started to scowl. ¡°He¡¯s pathetic.¡± ¡°At least face him properly!¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious there¡¯s a skill gap. What the hell is he doing?¡± Despite the instructor¡¯s warning, they couldn¡¯t help but shout. ¡°When did our ss turn into a bunch of idiots?¡± Amid the jeers, a man¡¯s voice cut through. The kids turned their eyes toward him and saw a burly young man, his build far more imposing than his peers. Despite his rugged frame, he had a handsome face. Arms crossed, he watched our battle with a calm gaze. It was Gaidon, ranked 3rd in thebat ss. ¡°That guy dered he¡¯s aiming for the top ranks.¡± He¡¯d figured it out. ¡°This fight shows he¡¯s serious about going for high scores.¡± He scolded the others as he red at them. ¡°Yet here you all are, whining about fairness and skill differences.¡± Whether you came to the academy to get stronger or for any other reason, it didn¡¯t matter. Here, dismissing someone weaker was nonsense. At Zerion Academy, what matters is strength and the ability to wield it. You can¡¯t expect any mercy in the Demon Dungeon by iming you¡¯re weak. ¡°The ones who mocked him now won¡¯t have any excuses when they get beaten by himter.¡± So nobody who understood this scolded me. Even Isabel was quietly watching the fight, likely wary of me potentially climbing up the ranks. ¡°Haaah!¡± Miryzen swung his sword once more, but it no longer held the strength it had at the beginning. The sword he had swung desperately so many times was now betraying him, driving him toward defeat. I understood his desperation. Being called the perennialst ce shatters your self-esteem. But I¡¯m sorry, Miryzen. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s truly desperate here. ¡®If I don¡¯t climb up...¡¯ This world, already on a path to a bad ending, will face an even worse one. ¡®So I...¡¯ Will win. I lunged forward. Boom! I finally stopped dodging when I mmed my foot on the ground. Miryzen¡¯s shaky sword barely missed my head. At the same time, I slipped inside Miryzen¡¯s guard. His body was already exhausted. Moreover, my constant dodging had made him used to missing, so he couldn¡¯t react to my sudden attack. In that brief opening, I didn¡¯t hesitate and went for it. My arms, honed through rigorous strength training, carried enough force to be weapons on their own. Crack! My fist, like a spear, drove into Miryzen¡¯s stomach with precision. ¡°Guh?!¡± With a gasp, Miryzen bent over in pain. I pulled back my right arm and swung my elbow as he doubled over. Smack! My elbow hit Miryzen square in the face. Blood streamed from his nose as he staggered. At that moment, I hooked my right leg behind his. The seamless motion sent Miryzen sprawling to the ground. As he scrambled to get back up, I mercilessly drove my knee into him. Smack! My knee struck his rising chin squarely, and he fell backward from the blow. Although it was my first no-rules match, my body moved far more smoothly than I¡¯d expected. Thud¡ª Miryzeny there, unmoving. The crowd of students fell silent. Amid that silence, I turned to look at the instructor, who nodded. ¡°Hannon, ranked 48th, wins.¡± I was now ranked 47th. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 17: Counterattack [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 17: Counterattack The mock battle continued. Some fought to raise their ranks. Some fought to protect their ranks. A fierce struggle ensued among the students. Zerion Academy is a ce of meritocracy. Students with higher rankings receive greater support and benefits. This ce is like a microcosm of the vast global society. Many children of high-ranking nobles and future heroes who will make their names known spend their childhood here. Making a name for oneself at Zerion Academy is equivalent to making a name on the world stage. Thus, the students are even more desperate to raise their ranks. Even the professors watch the mock battles with caution, as the passion of the students burns excessively during this time. At this moment, someone was dashing through the arena. Smack! My fistnded squarely on my opponent''s chin. "You... bastard..." My opponent, knocked out cold with just one punch, copsed helplessly. He had been dragging out a stamina battle all day. Finally, as he became exhausted, I seized the opportunity and struck. The students'' gazes momentarily fixated on me. "What rank was that guy again?" "30th." "......" The voices of mockery suddenly fell silent. Instead, their faces began to show signs of wariness. An unstoppable winning streak. Seventeen opponents have already fallen to my fists. And they all fell in the same manner as the first one I faced, Miryzen. "Is he using martial arts?" "But he hardly used any actual techniques, right?" "Most of them lost in stamina battles." "He''s intentionally hiding his abilities." "He''s pretty tough too. He took several direct hits without flinching." The students were starting to gauge my abilities. It meant they saw me as a threat. ''I¡¯ve managed to push this far with stamina and dragging out the fight.'' But everyone has their limits. As my rank increased, so did the skill level of my opponents. It was getting harder to avoid attacks. Just a moment ago, I had taken several effective hits. ''Thank goodness for my Steel Skin.'' I would have been in serious trouble if it weren''t for that. ''Now it''s time to face the mid-tier opponents.'' Only those who wouldn''t fall for such tactics remained. Even Steel Skin has its limits. There are those who can prate it. Boom! Suddenly, a deafening noise echoed through the arena. I turned my head in that direction to see a green-haired man, his hair tied back, sprawled on the ground in front of Isabel. It was Zelond Vasis, ranked 9th. "Ugh..." In front of him stood a girl with flowing honey-blonde hair. Isabel Luna. She held a dagger shaped like a crystal in one hand and a long sword in the other. Unlike her usual self, she looked down at Zelond with cold eyes. Isabel was known for being ruthless in battle. While she was usually bright and lovable, once inbat, her focus made her seem like apletely different person. But today, she seemed even more intense than usual. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Has Isabel gotten stronger?" "She¡¯s been training alone in the practice roomtely." "She¡¯s aiming for the top." The students were surprised by Isabel''s improved skills. Though she had always been a top-ranked student, after Lucas''s death, she had lost all motivation and her rank began to drop. But today, she was showing a clearly different side of herself. She seemed to be in peak form¡ªperhaps even better than before. Isabel''s head turned. Her eyes, reminiscent of the sun, met mine directly. In her gaze, I saw mes of deep-seated anger flicker. The reason she regained her strength and improved. I knew exactly what it was. She wanted to defeat me decisively and make me apologize for disrespecting Lucas. That was the message her eyes conveyed. ''Oh, she¡¯s burning bright.'' I couldn¡¯t be happier to see her so motivated. It meant I was bing the clear focus of her life. ''Keep growing like that, Isabel.'' And as she grows, let her resentment toward me grow even more. As I caught my breath, I noticed the first-year students also engaged in mock battles. In the distance, I saw someone wielding a massive greatsword. It was the iron-wall Aisha. A student charging at her was struck by the greatsword and sent flying into the air. He barely managed tond on his feet, looking pale as he stared at Aisha. But with her dark blue hair fluttering, Aisha had an even more intense look on her face. She was usually diligent and hard-working, but she turned ferocious once she picked up her greatsword. ''I¡¯ve experienced that firsthand.'' I chuckled bitterly, recalling the day I sparred with Aisha before the mock battle. Even now, I could feel a dull ache in my side from the memory. "29th rank, Seron Parmia, and 30th rank, Hannon Irey." As I watched Aisha finish off her opponent with her greatsword, I heard the instructor call my name. Turning my gaze, I saw a girl walking out from the group of girls who always criticized me. With burgundy ponytail hair tied back with a headband, showing off her forehead, and an oversized outfit seemingly chosen to emphasize her cuteness, it was one of the four girls who always mocked me. Seron Parmia. As soon as she met my eyes, she scoffed. "What are you looking at, burnt sweet potato?" Oh? What kind of insult is "burnt sweet potato"? She was already stepping onto the arena. "Seron, teach him a lesson!" "Make that jerk pay!" "You''re dead against Seron!" The crowd''s cheers were loud and obnoxious. Buoyed by their support, Seron wore a smug expression. "Don¡¯t think your stupid stamina tricks will work on me. You might die, sweet potato." She warned me. It was a warning that her stamina wouldn¡¯t give out like my previous opponents''. And I was well aware of the nickname given to her. ''Unlucky Seron.'' She was known for her bad luck. During every mock battle, she would face some kind of mishap, and her rank suffered as a result. Bad luck seemed to follow her for some reason, and she often ended up in the infirmary. Swish! At that moment, Seron drew two axes from her waist simultaneously. Her skills with the axes were real. She definitely didn''t belong in the mid-lower ranks. ''Statistically, she was the strongest among the four girls.'' But as I mentioned, she was unlucky. "Yeah, I know." I grabbed a piece of equipment from the weapon rack below the arena. Seron''s eyes widened as she saw it. It was a single item I took up. A shield. I hadn''t used a weapon until now. So when I took up a shield at this moment, Seron''s face twisted in confusion. All the data she had gathered on me so far was now useless. Her reaction was only natural. "You think using a shield will make a difference?" Seeing her bewilderment, I stepped onto the arena. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "I have no choice." I casually lifted the shield. "Your shiny forehead was too blinding, so I needed something to block it." Veins popped! I could see a vein bulge on Seron''s forehead. "What did you say about my forehead?" Seron¡¯s forehead veins bulged visibly. ¡°What about my forehead, huh?¡± True to her penchant for cheap provocations, she fell right into mine. Predictable. ¡°Begin.¡± Here shees. The moment I sensed her movement, my shield reacted instinctively. aaaang! With a deafening noise, Seron¡¯s axe collided with my shield. Despite her appearance, Seron¡¯s strength was tremendous, leaving a heavy impact. ¡°To Belle!¡± Calling out Isabel¡¯s nickname, Seron¡¯s eyes red with rage. ¡°I didn¡¯t like you from the moment you opened your big mouth!¡± ng! I blocked her swinging axe with my shield again. Maintaining her posture from the swing, she twisted her body and followed up with a seamless chain of attacks. ¡°Now I¡¯m sure of it!¡± Hiss! At that moment, I heard the sound of ignition from the edge of her axe. mes flickered beyond my shield. This was Seron¡¯s unique trait: Ignition Axe. Boom! The explosion forced me to step back. Her Ignition Axe created explosions upon contact. The faint smell of gunpowder tickled my nose. My arm tingled from the shockwave of the explosion that had traveled through my shield. ¡°Burn to a crisp like a roasted sweet potato!¡± With a leap, Seron¡¯s agile body executed a relentless barrage of strikes. Each time, I blocked her axe with my shield. My body kept getting pushed back. I realized her intention. She was trying to push me entirely out of the arena. ¡®Since there¡¯s an out-of-bounds rule in sparring matches.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a bad strategy. But as I mentioned earlier, Seron¡¯s luck was terrible. Just before I could be forced out of the arena, my foot moved forward for the first time. Seron immediately noticed my movement. As a master of chain attacks, her awareness was sharp. But it didn¡¯t matter. At an unexpected timing, my shield thrust forward, shing with her axe. ng! The forces of her axe and my shield collided head-on, causing both to rebound in opposite directions. The result was mutual neutralization. But Seron¡¯s axes weren¡¯t limited to just one. Her dual-wielding technique was her specialty. The axe in her other hand hurtled toward my exposed body. Confidence gleamed in her eyes. I extended my left arm toward it just before her axe could reach me. Seron¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Though the axe was magically treated by the academy to prevent lethal injuries, her Ignition Axe carried its unique trait. One wrong move could leave my left arm mangled. Even with top-tier healers on standby, this was reckless. Crunch! But a match is a match. Seron, undeterred, poured all her strength into the axe. She intended to make me pay dearly this time. And her axe struck my arm. Boom! The explosion echoed through the arena. A direct hit. Victory seemed certain in Seron¡¯s eyes. Whoosh! Amid the swirling smoke, my hand shot out and grabbed Seron by the cor. Her eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°What?!¡± Her stunned reaction was understandable. This was the arm her Ignition Axe had just struck. Even if it hadn¡¯t been severed, it should have been at least mangled by the explosion. Yet here it was, perfectly fine, gripping her cor. Seron¡¯s thoughts momentarily froze. But her body moved on instinct. The axe she had swung immediately returned to target my arm. Boom! Another explosion erupted as her Ignition Axe activated again. This time, surely¡ª Whoosh! Her body suddenly lifted into the air. Seron¡¯s eyes filled with astonishment. My arm was still unharmed. As I said, Seron was unlucky. After all, she had encountered me in the early rounds of this sparring match. The trait I gained from the Steel Empress: Steel Skin. Steel Skin came with two effects: 1. Weakening physical and shing attacks. 2. Immunity to fire. To prate my Steel Skin, one would need more firepower than the dozens of Fire Essences I had used in training. Seron¡¯s Ignition Axe stood no chance. The shield had been a decoy all along, meant to mislead Seron into thinking her attacks were effective. And she fell for it beautifully. I mmed her down from the air with all my strength. Boom! Seron¡¯s body hit the ground, her arms and legs momentarily sticking up in the air before flopping down limply. Her body trembled slightly. ¡°Hic, hup.¡± A feeble sound escaped her lips. Like a small, frightened animal, she shivered. I casually shook out my left arm. Even with Steel Skin, the impact wasn¡¯tpletely negligible. It wasn¡¯t ideal to use such tactics frequently, but this was a worthy opponent. Step, step. I approached Seron. ¡°Ugh, hic, stay away!¡± All the bravado she had earlier was gone. Her voice, trembling with fear, pleaded. I paused briefly, then smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± Enjoy the taste of burnt sweet potato. Without mercy, I raised my fist. ¡°N-nooo!¡± My fist struck Seron¡¯s face squarely. Crunch! Her body convulsed once before going limp. Her slender legs folded neatly beneath her, utterly drained of strength. ¡°30th-ranked Hanon Irey wins.¡± The instructor¡¯s curt announcement echoed. I raised my head. Shocked by Seron¡¯s humiliating defeat, the spectators were at a loss for words. The expressions of her threepanions, members of her ¡°elite¡± group, were especially priceless. I made eye contact with them. If this wasn¡¯t enough, they should expect worse. Let them see how terrifying a burnt sweet potato can be. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 18: The Madman Who Defeats a Genius [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 18: The Madman Who Defeats a Genius ¡°Aahhhh!¡± Crash! Thest girl among the four who had been insulting me fell to the ground. She couldn¡¯t prate my steel-like skin and shield tactics despite her relentless attacks. She rolled on the floor and fainted. A series of unstoppable victories. The four who had sumbed to me ground their teeth in frustration, biting into their handkerchiefs. But when their eyes met mine, they flinched in terror and quickly looked away. Beads of cold sweat formed on their foreheads. They had all been thoroughly humbled by me. They wouldn¡¯t dare openly badmouth me in the future. ¡®Not a bad feeling.¡¯ It felt refreshing. Was this what they called justice served? Before I realized it, my rank had climbed to 15th. Most were still waiting for the results of their mock battles, but mine wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡®Four more.¡¯ If I defeat four more, I¡¯ll solidify my position in the top ranks. ¡®Ssshh¡­ Even I¡¯m starting to feel the strain now.¡¯ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om I¡¯d improved my stamina through training, but jumping from 46th ce to 15th in one go was taking its toll on me. And as I reached the mid-tier ranks, the gap in skill levels became noticeably wider. It was no wonder that the elite Zerion Academy earned its prestigious reputation. Pushing forward with just my steel skin was starting to show its limits. Thank goodness this was only a mock battle. If it had been a life-or-death situation, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to defeat even the mid-tier students so easily. In realbat, they would use any means necessary to kill their opponent. The battles would be far tougher than this. ¡®Not that my steel skin would stand a chance against the top ranks anyway.¡¯ I¡¯d prepared a few strategies, but even I wasn¡¯t sure how far they¡¯d take me. ¡°What¡¯s his rank now?¡± ¡°15th.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he going to make it into the top tier at this rate?¡± Whispers rose among the students. In the history of the mock battles, there had rarely been a student who caused such drastic rank shifts. Most would climb or fall just three ranks at most. ¡°Come to think of it, doesn¡¯t this situation remind you of before?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just like Lucas¡ª¡± The students abruptly stopped speaking. They realized they had misspoken and nervously nced at someone. That someone was Isabel. She had been silently watching my battles the entire time. Isabel¡¯s current rank was 5th. Considering she had started at 10th, she had climbed five ranks¡ªa significant rise. This showed how much Isabel¡¯s skills had sharpened recently. But Isabel wasn¡¯t focused on her own rank. She had her sights set on someone else. Me. There had only ever been one other person who caused such dramatic shifts in rank during a mock battle. That was Lucas, who had awakened his unique trait, The me of Resolve, while lingering in the lower ranks. When Lucas awakened his me, it synergized with the constant training he had been doing, resulting in explosive growth. In a sh, he climbed from the lower ranks to the top. It was a moment that showcased Lucas¡¯s protagonist-like nature. And now, here I was. I had insulted Lucas, who was now dead, yet I was climbing from the lower ranks just as he had. The students couldn¡¯t help but think of Lucas again, their gazes naturally shifting to Isabel. Isabel clenched her jaw and stayed silent. Among everyone here, she was undoubtedly the one thinking of Lucas the most. But she didn¡¯t say a word. She simply stared at me, contemting how to face me. ¡®Yes, think long and hard about it.¡¯ Not that it would matter much in the end. ¡°Rank 14: Ban. Rank 15: Hannon Airei.¡± At that moment, my name was called again. ¡®Here we go.¡¯ For the first time, the confidence on my face wavered. In the distance, anky boy was strolling toward me with a slow, indifferent gait. His expression was filled with boredom and disinterest. He seemed to drift along with life, taking things as they came. But I knew immediately¡ªI was now facing my toughest opponent of the day. The Lazy Genius. Ban. Despite being talented enough to rank in the top five, Ban was notorious for forfeiting matches out of sheerziness. The instructors didn¡¯t bother reprimanding him. They believed that ack of motivation couldn¡¯t be forced into someone. His rank reflected hisck of ambition, so it seemed appropriate to them even if he was stuck in the mid-tier. Ban scratched his back and nced at mezily. When our eyes met, I stepped into the arena. ¡°Ban, if you¡¯re going to forfeit again, just say so now,¡± The instructor said, clearly used to Ban¡¯s antics. Ban nced at the instructor and then slowly turned his gaze toward me. He stopped scratching his back and let out a small sigh. ¡°Nope.¡± Though the boredom in his eyes remained, there was now a faint spark of interest. ¡°I feel like cutting someone today.¡± What a psycho. Why were geniuses like him and Sharin so strange? ¡°Ban wants to fight for once?¡± ¡°Is the transfer student that strong?¡± The other students began to murmur again. Everyone in the second year knew Ban¡¯s true strength. And they also knew he had never gone all-out in any match. But Ban wasn¡¯t interested in fighting me because he thought I was strong. He had only fought seriously once before in a mock battle. ¡®It was when he crossed swords with Lucas.¡¯ That time, after a grueling battle, Lucas had barely managed to defeat Ban. It was a turning point for Ban, reigniting his interest in swordsmanship. But after Lucas¡¯s death, Ban had lost that spark again and reverted to being the Lazy Genius. ¡°He was a decent guy,¡± Ban muttered as he let his sword¡¯s sheath drop to the ground. Murderous intent began to radiate from him in waves. ¡°And you, you talk too much.¡± Ban had liked Lucas. And I had insulted the very person who had rekindled Ban¡¯s drive. It wasn¡¯t just Isabel who was angry at me for my words about Lucas. The top fighters of the martial arts ss¡ªall of whom had respected Lucas¡ªresented me deeply. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w That was why my confidence had faded. Ban, the Lazy Genius ranked 14th, wouldn¡¯t let me off easily. But I had no intention of going down without a fight. ¡°I just said what needed to be said,¡± I replied. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Ban nodded nonchntly. But his eyes locked onto mine with a sharp, unwavering intensity. ¡°Then I¡¯ll need to cut you.¡± ¡°Match, begin!¡± The instructor¡¯s voice signaled the start, and he stepped back. Ban disappeared from my sight. Fast. So fast that I couldn¡¯t register his movement. sh! A spray of blood burst from my chest. I staggered back, staring at the first wound ever inflicted on my steel-like skin. Standing there was Ban, his sword gleaming with a faint blue aura. Aura¡ªan ability so rare that only a handful could master it even at the prestigious Zerion Academy, a ce teeming with prodigies. Aura Sword. The pinnacle of swordsmanship, where one''s own will is imbued into their weapon. With it, even a dull sword could slice through boulders, or shear steel like paper. Ban was one of the few swordsmen capable of wielding this technique. No matter how tough my steel skin was, I couldn¡¯t block his aura head-on¡ªnot with my current level of strength. This was exactly why I believed my steel skin alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to stay in the top ranks. Ban¡¯s sword moved again. Relying on my steel skin for a prolonged fight, as I had done in mid-tier battles, was now meaningless. The shield strapped to my arm shifted quickly to intercept his strike. But Ban regarded the shield with a dismissive look. "Do you think that¡¯s going to work?" With his question, Ban¡¯s sword met the shield. sh! The shield was instantly cleaved in two, shattered beyond repair. Before the might of his aura sword, even the shield was useless. To block an aura sword, you needed another aura sword. I was now painfully aware of just how powerful his strikes were. The instructor didn¡¯t intervene. He knew Ban¡¯s skills too well. While the battle seemed dangerous, the instructor was confident Ban wouldn¡¯t kill his opponent. That¡¯s how refined Ban¡¯s mastery over his sword was. Ban pressed forward, his sword cutting through the air like a fish gliding through water. I barely managed to evade. Today¡¯s sparring match revealed one advantage of my current body¡ªVikamon¡¯s. Vikamon¡¯s dynamic vision was sharper than I expected. Had I been in my original body, I wouldn¡¯t have even reacted to that attack. But with Vikamon¡¯s instincts guiding me, I dodged with the ingrained footwork I¡¯d practiced. The repeated evasions in earlier battles had been worth it. My body had umted those experiences well. But not everything could be solved by dodging. My opponent was a master swordsman. Slowly, Ban¡¯s swordsmanship cornered me. He anticipated my movements, his sword moving even faster to block my escape routes. Before I knew it, my room to maneuver had diminished at an rming rate. Ban wielded numerous styles simultaneously. His sword technique was clearly that of a dominating style, like "Force sword," taking over the battlefield. But his speed also carried the principles of swift strikes, akin to "Lightning sword." Swish! The spaces where I could move grew narrower and narrower. Every missed step left a mark on my body, the sword''s aura cutting into my flesh and staining my clothes with blood. My ground had been entirely seized by Ban. His eyes gleamed, revealing the depth of understanding he had poured into his swordsmanship over the years. Before I realized, I was cornered with no room to retreat. My body was riddled with cuts, drenched in blood. My breathing wasbored. Dodging on this razor-thin edge of survival had drained my stamina. ¡°Ban, take him down!¡± ¡°Teach him a lesson he won¡¯t forget!¡± The voices of my ssmates rang out. It seemed I had be their enemy after mercilessly defeating them earlier. To be fair, I didn¡¯t me them. Even I had to admit my methods were pretty nasty. I relied on relentless evasion and steel skin to oust them, breaking their spirits when they werepletely exhausted. For them, it probably felt anything but fair. Some had even grumbled that, if not for the sparring rules, they wouldn¡¯t have been dragged through such a grueling ordeal. But this was a mock battle. And I intended to exploit every aspect of it. If being the viin helped motivate Isabel to defeat me, then so be it. I weed the role of the viin. Despite the crowd¡¯s jeers, Ban¡¯s focus remained unwavering. A true prodigy, his concentration was terrifying. With my space fully under Ban¡¯s control, his sword moved to deliver the final blow. Like a snake sinking its fangs into its prey, Ban¡¯s sword lunged for me. A point-nk strike, impossible to dodge. I could see the swording, but there was no room to evade. And so¡ª ¡®I¡¯ve been waiting for this.¡¯ The moment Ban¡¯s aura sword reached me, piercing through my steel skin and plunging toward my chest¡ª Crack! Crunch! For the first time, Ban¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Steel skin¡ªthere¡¯s a secret to it that others don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t only coat my flesh. I can extend its protection to anything I hold or wear. Which brings us to the current situation. The sword that should have cut through me¡ª It had stopped cold against my chest. Ban¡¯s sword was stuck, immobilized. Why? Because the sword had fused with my steel skin, locking it in ce. Of course, I was still in immense pain as my chest was split open. But I¡¯d already prepared myself for this. Ban¡¯s widened eyes asked the question he couldn¡¯t voice: ¡®Are you insane?¡¯ I wasn¡¯t just someone with tough skin. My body was imbued with the mystery of the Steel Empress herself. But there was no time for Ban to recover. Even as his sword struck, my hands were already moving. Both hands reached for the sword embedded in my chest. Ban noticed toote. Creak! Groan! My steel-coated fingers bit into the surface of his sword, gripping it tightly. Using the mystical properties of my steel skin, I interfered with the sword¡¯s structure, disrupting its integrity. ¡°This¡¯ll be a lesson for you,¡± I said with a cruel smile. Though my fingers were torn and bleeding, I didn¡¯t care. Beads of sweat glistened on my face, my crimson eyes glowing with a manic intensity. Ban stared at me as though I were a madman. Perhaps I was. For someone who had always stood among mere mortals, I must have been his first encounter with a true maniac. Ban, thezy genius destined to be Lucas¡¯s staunch ally and closest friend in the future¡ª I was the one standing before him now, searing into his mind as a lunatic. ¡°Don¡¯t ever use a sword in front of me again.¡± With that, I clenched my hands tightly and yanked. Snap! Crash! Ban¡¯s sword shattered, fragments scattering in all directions. Ban stared at the broken pieces, utterly stunned. Sword Breaker. Even Aisha would have been shocked by my move. A trump card, meant to destroy the genius swordsman. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 19: Ten Seconds [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 19: Ten Seconds The shards of the shattered sword gleamed in various colors under the auditorium lights. I had yed me Butterfly Arc countless times. In it, Ban was always an important figure as Lucas''s friend, standing by his side. Could I, someone like that, truly have been unaware of Ban''s existence? Of course not. Before the mock battle, I studied relentlessly. While part of that was to keep up with the academy''s curriculum, the main focus was learning how to counter my future opponents. I am no genius. But I know the habits, behaviors, unique traits, strengths, and weaknesses of even the supporting characters. I remember all of it clearly. me Butterfly Arc was my favorite, the one I loved most. Even the supporting characters are unforgettable to me. That¡¯s why, more than anything, I want to see the happy ending. I wish this game I love so dearly could always end happily. Among the shattered fragments of the sword, my hand surged forward. Taking the shape of a sword, my hand became a sword thanks to my steel-like skin. A living bio-weapon. I, the sword, lunged at Ban. Swish! The edge of my hand narrowly grazed past Ban''s neck. What kind of reflexes does this guy have? Even startled by his sword breaking, Ban reacted in time. ¡®Tch.¡¯ Even if I look like this, I used to be an athlete before I got injured. But my past efforts mean little to those who''ve already transcended human limits. Still, it¡¯s fine. ¡®If I fail once...¡¯ I¡¯ll follow up with a second attempt. ¡®He¡¯sing.¡¯ My eyes met Ban''s. Ban was looking at me with a nk expression. But in his eyes, I could see a quiet me rising. This unprecedented situation where his sword shattered¡ª For Ban, it was the first time his sword had ever been broken. ¡®You must be out of your mind.¡¯ And this sparked a fire called the will to win. Ban had always possessed the mes of a desire for victory. But for some reason, those mes had died out once before. However, there was a moment when that me reignited. It was when he faced Lucas, the fiery spark of determination. Originally, that fire should have burned brightly alongside Lucas. But when Lucas died, Ban¡¯s mes faded away as well. And now, his once-dormant mes of victory had been rekindled by the faint spark of my own. Ban clenched his hand. Only an empty hilt remained in his grip. But Ban was a genius. Crackle! Crackle! Sparks of blue light erupted. Ban''s ash-gray hair scattered with the aura. The surrounding air vibrated, and a soundless roar echoed in my ears. My steel skin tingled. Every fiber of my being screamed the same warning: ¡®This is dangerous.¡¯ On the empty sword, even without a physical edge, a blue sword of aura materialized, baring its teeth with a feral roar. Grrr, grrrr- It''s said that when one encounters a swordmaster capable of wielding sword aura, the growls of a beast can be heard. This phenomenon, caused by sword aura meeting the air, remains unexined. But it cements one undeniable truth: The swordmaster before you is more dangerous than any beast. The shape of the sword formed entirely of sword aura revealed itself from Ban¡¯s sword. The students watching let out gasps of shock and awe. Even those capable of wielding sword aura are rare in this world. But reaching the level of manifesting a sword purely out of aura¡ª That¡¯s a skill worthy of being recruited by the illustrious Hysirion Empire¡¯s royal knights. A genius. Ban was demonstrating exactly what that meant at this very moment. The shape of the brilliant blue sword aura glowed with an almost eerie radiance. But I knew this: Ban couldn¡¯t maintain the shape of his sword aura without a proper sword for long. At best, it would onlyst ten seconds. Ban¡¯s gaze shifted for the first time today, igniting with determination. It would be his loss without a sword if he couldn¡¯t finish the fight within ten seconds. And Ban understood that better than anyone. Still, if it¡¯s Ban... ¡®He¡¯ll definitely aim to win within ten seconds.¡¯ That¡¯s the kind of person thiszy genius is. Suddenly, Ban disappeared from in front of me. My body instinctively tensed. Using techniques with my steel skin was no longer an option. If I got struck even once, it would be over. The next ten seconds. I had to evade everything. ¡°Ban!¡± The instructor, realizing toote that Ban had pulled out a dangerously risky move, called out to him. But Ban, with his sword of pure aura, couldn¡¯t be stopped. In his hyper-focused state, nothing could reach him. The only thing filling his vision was me. ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s just the kind of guy you are.¡¯ I looked at Ban and let out a grim smile. Even though Ban is a genius, he¡¯szy. But that doesn¡¯t mean hecks the desire to win. If anything, his desire to win is excessive. It¡¯s precisely because of this overwhelming hunger for victory that Ban has messed up countless times. Even with his own family. Ban¡¯s talent was unparalleled, and his desire to win was relentless. As a result, his eldest brother, who loved swords more than anyone, was utterly defeated by Ban¡¯s sword. After that, his brother locked himself in his room. He abandoned the sword he once loved and avoided Ban. Ban was devastated. He grew disgusted with his own desire to win. This insatiable hunger for victory¡ªit was unbearable. So he chose to let go of it. In his youth, Ban decided to bezy, worn down by the bitterness of his own talent. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w But now, for the first time in ages, his desire to win had reignited, sparked by Lucas. The craving he had kept buried deep inside. That desire engulfed Ban in an instant. ¡®The first attack will be aimed at the head.¡¯ I was well-acquainted with Ban''s habits. And those habits hadn¡¯t changed. As the sword, initially targeting my waist, abruptly shifted upward to aim for my head, I leaned back sharply,promising my posture in the process. The sword''s aura narrowly missed my nose, slicing across its bridge. Blood spattered, but it wasn¡¯t a fatal wound. One second. The now lighter sword, unburdened by a sword edge, flexibly redirected itself and sank into my shoulder. A chunk of flesh near my armpit was torn away, but it wasn¡¯t a critical injury either. Two seconds. The sword, having twisted, moved to strike low. Simultaneously, I threw a fragment of a broken sword I had been secretly gripping. Ban dodged the shard flying straight at his face. That moment of avoidance gave me enough time to roll out of his reach. Three seconds. Rolling on the ground, I kicked up a half-broken shield. Ban''s sword sliced downward, splitting the shield into two more pieces. Four seconds. As I attempted to rise, Ban¡¯s merciless sword chased me, tearing through the arena floor. My hand, which had been tucked into a joint in the flooring, flipped a tile upward. Ban¡¯s sword cleaved through the tile. Five seconds. Between the cracks of the broken tile, his sword shot up toward me. I stumbled¡ªmy body faltered from repeated injuries and the strain on my unsteady posture. I realized. With my current state, I could no longer evade Ban¡¯s strikes. Victory and defeat. These two oues collided at the same moment. Our eyes met. Ban noticed the faint smile spreading across my face. The fact that I was smiling in this dire situation startled him. Ban had gone all out for ten seconds. But that was his mistake. This fight wasn¡¯t destined tost for such a long time. Five seconds. That was the timeframe I had calcted for my victory. Boom! A sudden intrusion shattered the flow of the battle. Someone grabbed Ban and mmed him into the ground. The shock disrupted Ban¡¯s control over his sword aura, and his sword¡¯s hilt rolled across the ground. Ban¡¯s hands, glowing white-hot from overusing his sword aura, trembled. As Ban lifted his head in a daze, he saw her. Professor Vega, the second-year martial arts instructor. She looked down at Ban with a slightly exasperated expression. "What, were you nning to kill your ssmate with your own hands? Ban." At her question, Ban froze. His gaze slowly shifted toward me. His eyes scanned my battered state. His final strike. That strike had clearly been aimed at my life. Ban realized that his overwhelming desire for victory had consumed him once again. "Ah." A sigh escaped his lips, filled with self-reproach. This was the first time in a long while¡ªsince Lucas¡ªthat hispetitive spirit had burned so fiercely. Lucas had been a worthy rival, someone strong enough to freely challenge Ban to rematches. It was because of Lucas that Ban had been able to test his resolve time and again. But I wasn¡¯t Lucas. Lucas was the protagonist. I was a third-rate viin, long since removed from the narrative. I could never stand on equal footing with Ban in battle as Lucas had. "¡­I¡¯m sorry." As Ban apologized, Vega let him off without further reprimand. She then turned her attention to me, slumped on the ground. "Hannon, this is your warning too." Of course, it was Professor Vega. She had noticed from the beginning that I had anticipated her intervention. "And Ban." Vega called out to Ban, who was rising to his feet with a sullen face. "Look carefully at that guy. Even if the mock battle had continued, your victory wasn¡¯t guaranteed." Ban slowly raised his head. "The problem is, you failed to notice that your opponent had concealed his final move until the very end. That¡¯s your defeat." Ban¡¯s eyes widened in realization. He saw the faint glow emanating from my arm, slowly dimming. Vega¡¯s intervention. And the next move I had prepared in case she hadn¡¯t. A magic engraving. Ban finally understood that I had considered both oues from the very start. I still had a final, hidden move up my sleeve. If the fight had continued, who knows what oue awaited Ban, given his inability to perceive it. "Don¡¯t be arrogant. I acknowledge your skill with the sword, but don¡¯t underestimate the strengths of those around you." Vega¡¯s advice struck deep, leaving Ban dazed. "Ha, haha." Finally, Ban let out a hollowugh. He looked at me briefly before lowering his head. "I lost." At Ban¡¯s next words, I snorted. "Stating the obvious, huh?" Who did he think won? Ban chuckled in disbelief. Watching him, my body began to sway. It didn¡¯t take long for me to understand why. I had bled too much while moving. The relief of the battle¡¯s end and the exhaustion that followed. Even the adrenaline-fueled endorphins had faded. N?v(el)B\\jnn The result was clear from the start. ¡®I¡¯ming for you, bed.¡¯ Through my dimming consciousness, I caught sight of Isabel ring at me from afar. Isabel, who had been eagerly awaiting a fight with me. Sorry, Isabel. Next time, maybe. Once again, I had given Isabel a reason to be frustrated. Thud. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 20: The Main Heroine After the Mock Battle [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 20: The Main Heroine After the Mock Battle Second time passing out after the Steel Forest incident. At this point, I might as well have a passive skill for fainting. ¡®Considering how much I pushed myself.¡¯ Fainting was a natural consequence. "Hey, Wangnon, it¡¯s dinner time." At that moment, a voice reached my ears. It was my roommate, Card Velique. After being sent to the infirmary, I quickly received treatment. Wounds inflicted by sword aura are slow to heal. As a result, my treatment took longer than expected, and I was eventually transported straight to my room by the healer. Between the previous battle and the final match of the mockbat, even my endurance was pushed to its limit¡ªit had been a gruelling exercise. Thus, I was focusing solely on recovering my body today. I could sense Card approaching and standing over me, staring intently. What a bother. I wished he''d go away. ¡°If you don¡¯t get up right now, darling, I¡¯ll give you a kiss.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± His sultry voice made me curse aloud. Cardughed heartily, cing both hands on his hips. What a lunatic thug. ¡°Yo, congrats on being ranked 14th.¡± 14th ce¡ªmy rank from the mock battle. Although I didn¡¯t achieve my original goal of breaking into the top 10, I did manage to knock out Ban, the so-called Lazy Genius, which was a significant achievement. Surely, I had left a stronger impression in everyone''s minds than the ten students in the higher ranks. ¡®And that includes Isabel, too.¡¯ As for Isabel, she didn¡¯t get to participate in the fight she¡¯d been eagerly anticipating. She must¡¯ve been fuming. ¡°Card, what rank are you?¡± ¡°Me? Heh, I¡¯m 11th, higher than you.¡± Card smirked and boasted. But knowing his secret, I scoffed. Just like Ban, he could¡¯ve ranked much higher if he wanted to. He was simply holding back his hidden cards, waiting for the right moment. ¡°And first ce?¡± ¡°Still Sharin, of course.¡± No surprise there. Still, I felt a pang of regret. I had prepared a secret weapon to take on Sharin and surpass Ban. But I never even got the chance to use it. ¡®The fight was tougher than I anticipated.¡¯ This world isn¡¯t a game. It was harsher than the game knowledge I brought with me had prepared me for. ¡®Especially¡­¡¯ The battles involving extras, who weren¡¯t even supposed to matter, turned out to be far more challenging than expected. Extras, too, were living people now, desperately fighting to raise their ranks. ¡®I need to broaden my perspective.¡¯ ns can be revised, but setbacks are uneptable. This mock battle taught me a lot. ¡°So, Wangnon, are you eating dinner or not? Marie herself is cooking tonight since it¡¯s a mock battle day.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me sooner? You should¡¯ve woken me right away. So irresponsible.¡± ¡°Wow, the audacity.¡± The head maid, Marie, was an exceptional cook, good enough to be scouted by the imperial pce. If I arrivedte, the other students might take all the food. I bickered with Card as we left the room and descended the stairs. My body still felt stiff, likely from the intense battles. ¡°Ah.¡± As I came down the stairs, I ran into someone walking in the corridor. The light reflected off their forehead, momentarily blinding me. I rubbed my eyes instinctively. Noticing my reaction, the person¡¯s pupils widened in realization. ¡°You, you!¡± Their ponytail swayed with their growing anger. The shiny forehead belonged to none other than Seron Parmia, one of the four who constantly bad-mouthed me. Of the four, she was the first I fought. ¡°Hello, 30th ce.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me 30th! And I wasn¡¯t even 30th in the first ce!¡± Wasn¡¯t she ranked 30th because I beat her? ¡°Seron is 19th now,¡± Card exined from the side. How does he even know that? It seemed Seron wed her way up using the remaining opportunities after losing to me. Well, she never belonged as low as 30th to begin with. ¡°Last time, didn¡¯t you have a stomachache during the mock battle?¡± Card grinned mischievously at her, and Seron red at him with a scowl. ¡°How does someone from the Magic Department even know that?¡± ¡°I make sure to remember all the pretty ones.¡± ¡°Say that one more time, and I¡¯ll tear that mouth of yours wide open, you butter potato.¡± Why does shepare everyone in this world to food? When Seron made eye contact with me, her face twisted into a grimace. ¡°What are you looking at, you burnt sweet potato?¡± She¡¯s got quite the attitude. I stared at her silently, and she didn¡¯t back down, ring at me in return. Despite how badly I beat her, her spirit remained unshaken. My neck started to ache from staring. When I raised my hand, Seron flinched noticeably, her foot stepping back and her body instinctively lowering. Her reaction was pure reflex, ingrained into her by her earlier defeat. No matter how tough she acted, she couldn¡¯t forget what happened today. Watching her, I briefly rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°Ugh!¡± Realizing her involuntary reaction, Seron¡¯s face turned bright red. Steam practically rose from her forehead. ¡°You¡¯re a tomato now. A bruised tomato.¡± I decided to give her a nickname in return. ¡°Y-you¡ª!¡± Seron trembled, then turned her head sharply away and ran off in a huff. Card watched her retreat with a curious expression, lowering his head slightly. ¡°What exactly did you do to her?¡± ¡°Threw her to the ground and punched her in the face.¡± ¡°Wow, she got wrecked. Tough girls acting all meek can be pretty cute, don¡¯t you think?¡± I grimaced at him. ¡°You¡¯ve got terrible taste.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fine taste. Seron¡¯s the type to be feisty with others but meltpletely for her guy. You should give it a try; it¡¯ll be fun.¡± I let his words go in one ear and out the other. When we reached the dining hall, it was just as crowded as expected. Everyone seemed to be refueling after the grueling mock battles. I joined the line and quickly grabbed my food. ¡°Well done today, Young Master Hannon,¡± Marie, the head maid, greeted me as I received my meal. She appeared to be greeting every student one by one. For someone handling so many students, her dedication was impressive. That¡¯s the kind ofmitment it takes to be the head maid, I suppose. ¡°Oh, Wangnon, it looks like there aren¡¯t any seats left,¡± Card noted as we looked around. ¡°If we must, we¡¯ll eat outside.¡± The outdoor tables were also an option, though it would be inconvenient. Just then, I spotted an open seat. ¡°There¡¯s one over there.¡± ¡°Wow, sharp eyes.¡± I headed towards the table, Card following close behind. Setting down my tray and sitting, I btedly noticed who was sitting across from me. Golden blonde hair tied into a bob and brilliant crimson eyes stared back at me. ¡°¡­You.¡± It was Isabel Luna. Next to her sat Sharin, munching on the whipped cream churros served as dessert. She greeted me with her spoon, utterly ignoring any dining etiquette. It was so characteristic of her. ¡°Yo, Isabel.¡± Card greeted Isabel first. She nced at him briefly as if to acknowledge the greeting and then fixed her gaze on me. Her stare could bore a hole through me. I ignored her persistent gaze and took my seat. Picking up my fork, I speared a piece of steak. Still, Isabel''s sharp eyes bore down on me. ¡°Even dogs don¡¯t bother others while eating.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a dog.¡± ¡°I thought you were a Labrador Retriever.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Sharin, sitting nearby, covered her mouth, stifling augh. When Isabel red at her, Sharin quickly lowered her head and focused on finishing her churro. ¡°You know the results of the mock battle,¡± Isabel said, as expected, steering the conversation there. ¡°If this is your way of demanding an apology¡ª¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ept this result.¡± Her crimson eyes locked onto me, brimming with determination. It was a firm, undeniable desire: she wanted to end this herself. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you down myself and take that apology. So next time, climb back up.¡± I see. I understand it now. ¡®Isabel is changing, little by little.¡¯ For the first time, I noticed that the dark circles under her eyes were fainter than before. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Her once scraggly hair showed signs of care, and she seemed healthier, as if she had been eating properly. Even her perpetually chapped lips had gained a slight sheen. Isabel had been relentlessly training since losing to me in the mock battle. Proper meals, rest, and sleep were necessary to sustain such effort. Results don¡¯t appear overnight. She must have forced herself to eat and rest since the day we met. Now, the fruits of that effort were evident. ¡°¡­Why are you smiling?¡± I hadn¡¯t realized it¡ªI was smiling. ¡°You¡¯re mocking me, aren¡¯t you? Forget it.¡± Until the day you can live your life without me, Isabel, I won¡¯t go easy on you. Perhaps hearing my grumble, Isabel pouted slightly and stood up. Her tray was already empty. She hesitated, as if she had onest thing to say, and then red at me. ¡°¡­And for the record, I¡¯m not doing this because of you. It¡¯s for Lucas.¡± There was a warning in her voice. ¡®She overheard.¡¯ That day, when some girls picked a fight with her, I had said something to them while standing up for Isabel. She must have heard those words. And it seemed to fuel her defiance even more. ¡°Sharin, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°O-okay.¡± Sharin stood up, sticking a straw into her juice bottle. As she passed me, she nced my way and smiled faintly. We had made a deal for me to y the viin for Isabel¡¯s sake. That smile was her way of saying I was doing well. ¡°Here, take this.¡± Sharin handed me her churro. I frowned. ¡°You already ate from this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s tasty.¡± ¡°I have my own.¡± Sharin tilted her head, muttering to herself about how delicious it was, and then left. What a peculiar woman. ¡°Junior, the seat across from you seems to be free. May I sit?¡± Just as I was about to sip my soup, someone else approached. Looking up, I saw flowing silver hair. Nikita Cynthia. The vice president of our student council. ¡°Of course. I thought you mighte, so I saved it for you.¡± I dly offered the seat. ¡°Thank you. The cafeteria is crowded today, and it wasn¡¯t easy to find a spot.¡± She sat across from me with a smile. ¡°You worked hard in the mock battle, junior. It was impressive.¡± ¡°Embarrassingly so. Did you see it?¡± ¡°As a senior, it¡¯s only natural to watch my student council members give it their all.¡± Nikita seemed to have a particr fondness for me. ¡°Climbing from 48th to 14th isn¡¯t easy. Well done.¡± Normally, I¡¯m the one handing outpliments. Hearing them from her was... strange. ¡°And now, about the reward.¡± Here came the important part. ¡°Unfortunately, you didn¡¯t make it into the top ranks.¡± The top ranks referred to the top 10. Nikita had promised a reward for cing in the top ranks, so it was a shame. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I even thought of a honeymoon, but s, how disappointing.¡± ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t marry just anyone. My family decides my matches.¡± Rejected. That¡¯s my second proposal and my second rejection. What¡¯s worse, Nikita was starting to be immune to my jokes. It seemed my humor no longer worked on her. Time to escte. Shall I get serious? ¡°Well, if you achieve something great enough for my family to notice, who knows?¡± ¡°Starting today, I¡¯ll be a hero.¡± ¡°Ha! That¡¯s a joke.¡± ¡°The Cynthia family is now my goal.¡± ¡°J-Junior, it was just a joke.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll seal the Abyss and rise to the heavens.¡± ¡°J-Junior?!¡± I mentally adjusted my ns. Seeing my serious face, Nikita was visibly flustered. ¡°...Sometimes, I can¡¯t tell if your jokes are serious or not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always serious.¡± ¡°Junior, as I¡¯ve mentioned, my ideal partner is tall. If you grow taller, maybe I¡¯d consider it.¡± Rejected again. That¡¯s three proposals, three rejections. ¡°Hm, but something else about me is big,¡± Card chimed in. I shot him a re, signaling him to shut up, but he shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Wangnon, why does it feel like you¡¯re only talking to famous people today? Am I imagining things? Or are you secretly irresistible?¡± ¡°I wish I had the power to shut you up.¡± ¡°That would take a lot of power. My mouth doesn¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sewing it shut while you sleep.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll sleep elsewhere tonight.¡± What a clown. ¡°By the way, junior,¡± Nikita called out, subtly pushing aside a piece of carrot. She had a childlike pte and couldn¡¯t eat carrots. ¡°What are your ns for the dungeon team?¡± Dungeon teams were groups formed to explore undergroundbyrinths. I had achieved decent results in the mock battle, which meant requests to join teams would surelye my way. ¡°Hmm, I haven¡¯t thought much about it yet.¡± Of course, I already had a n. But it wasn¡¯t solely up to me. ¡°Could you include Foara in your team?¡± ¡°Foara?¡± Foara Silin, a first-year who had contracted a Spirit Lord. Thanks to this, he¡¯d been promoted to the special ss. ¡°Foara is in high demand. Other students will want him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly the problem. People expect too much from him, and excessive expectations often lead to disappointment.¡± There¡¯s a saying: "The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment." If Foara failed to meet those expectations, it would harm both him and those who had ced their faith in him. Nikita likely wanted to mentor him herself but couldn¡¯t, as third-years ventured into much deeper floors. ¡°But I trust you won¡¯t make that mistake.¡± True enough, I had no expectations of Foara. ¡°What¡¯s his opinion on the matter?¡± ¡°I subtly asked him today, and he requested to be on your team.¡± A Spirit Lord contractor like Foara. I pondered briefly before nodding. ¡°Sure.¡± There was no reason to refuse. This was a good chance to strengthen our rapport. ¡®Now, which team will extend an offer?¡¯ Hopefully, it¡¯s the one I¡¯ve been eyeing. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 21 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 21: Made a Team Since No One Invited Me The time to finalize team formations was nearing. No team calls came my way. "¡­Why?" No team call from anyone. I murmured with a nk face, unable to ept the situation. I¡¯d definitely made an impression during the mock battles. Though I wasn¡¯t in the top ranks, cing 14th wasn¡¯t bad. Sure, I might¡¯ve bent a few rules here and there! I even defeated the so-called "Lazy Genius." So why isn¡¯t anyone inviting me?! ¡°Haaa¡­ Do you really not get it?¡± As I grabbed my head with both hands, twisting in frustration, someone spoke up from in front of me. Her name was Sharin Sazaris. Today, as always, she was teaching me the magical engraving I¡¯d requested. ¡°I have no idea.¡± I really didn¡¯t know. ¡°Okay, let me share some of what the others are saying.¡± Sharin straightened her posture from her slouched position at the desk. She cleared her throat to adjust her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d cooperate at all.¡± It was the voice of a female ssmate. ¡°Hisbat style seems kind of reckless. Might work in duels, but who knows about the Dungeon?¡± This time, it was a male ssmate¡¯s voice. ¡°Even if his stamina is fine, his attack power is honestly mediocre.¡± Finally, I understood the situation. ¡°¡­So they¡¯re saying I haven¡¯t shown enough for all the effort I put in?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± In the mock battles, I¡¯d focused solely on duel-stylebat to achieve results. But that approach hadn¡¯t convinced the other students of my value. The Dungeon pits you against two types of beings: First, the Apostles directly created by the Great Cmity. Second, the demonic beasts controlled by those Apostles. Naturally, these are beings far removed from humans. This is something any second-year student who¡¯s faced the Dungeon would know well. Because of that, my position was left ambiguous. While my evasion and durability were outstanding, those alone weren¡¯t enough to navigate the Dungeon, as they all thought. ¡°Sigh.¡± I swallowed hard. In games, performing well in mock battles usually earned invitations from good teams. My fixation on ranking turned out to be a mistake. ¡°Sharin, what about your team?¡± ¡°Full. I mean, it¡¯s me.¡± Her smugness was a bit annoying, but as the top student in magical department, it wasn¡¯t surprising. Her team was bound to be packed. ¡®If I¡¯d known this, I wouldn¡¯t have cared about rankings.¡¯ My mind spun with frustration. An unexpected variable had derailed my ns again. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s this nonsense about me not being cooperative?¡± I couldn¡¯t think of anyone more cooperative than me. Sharin blinked at me briefly. Then she said no more and simply smiled faintly. Her gentle smile made me grab her shoulders firmly. ¡°Hey, spill it. What about my cooperation skills?¡± ¡°All I¡¯m saaaying is what I heeard.¡± As I shook her shoulders relentlessly, Sharin protested. I stopped shaking her. These people who fail to recognize talent. If they teamed up with me, they¡¯d find the Dungeon the easiest thing in the world! ¡®What should I do?¡¯ At this rate, I¡¯d end up stuck in one of those leftover teams the professor assigns. And obviously, I wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve what I wanted. As I fretted over this, a light bulb went off in my head. Why didn¡¯t I think of this sooner? ¡°I¡¯ll just make my own team.¡± I¡¯ll build my dream team. Sharin looked at me with an odd expression. ¡°Sharin, exin that look. Why do you seem like you¡¯re staring at some lonely loser?¡± ¡°Good luck.¡± Sharin raised a hand feebly in encouragement. ¡°When I¡¯ve formed my team, don¡¯te crying to join uster.¡± ¡°Sure, I won¡¯t.¡± She didn¡¯t seem to care at all. Next time, I¡¯ll give her cream bread with all the cream removed. Now the real challenge begins. ¡®Acts 3-1 and 3-2, the second-year event and the next mock battles, passed without issues.¡¯ What¡¯sing next is Act 3-3. The first Dungeon battle of the second year. Compared to his first year, Lucas had grown significantly. Entering his second year, he ventures into the Dungeon again. Drawing on his experience from the first year¡¯s final Dungeon battle, where he defeated the so-called "Beginner yer" Apostle, he initially progresses smoothly in this Dungeon battle, only to face new threats. ¡®And soon.¡¯ The disaster involving the Dragon Maiden, Nikita¡¯s brother will join the First Prince¡¯s faction, triggering a horrific incident. No matter what you do, this is an unavoidable, scripted event in the game. Nikita¡¯s brother is fated to die due to the web of causality. ¡®But now¡­¡¯ The me Butterfly story arc has be reality. Must Nikita¡¯s brother really die? As that thought crossed my mind, I recalled that for the world to flow as scripted, the deaths of Nikita¡¯s brother, Nia Cynthia, are inevitable. That bitter truth left a bad taste in my mouth. Because I know well that Act 3 ends with Nikita¡¯s death. Nikita appeared in my mind. Cold on the outside but warm-hearted on the inside. I¡¯d seen her countless times in the game, broken after losing her brother. ¡°Sharin.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do you think destiny can be changed?¡± The world had already deviated from its original course after Lucas¡¯s death. Now, I was barely holding it together, stitching it with what little I could. This world could no longer follow its original path. And that made me even more afraid. Each new variable added to this already-deviated world made the road ahead harder and less predictable. In the end, the game strategy guide I held dear would lose its relevance. I wouldn¡¯t be able to predict where this world would head. My mind was clouded with doubt. The bonds I¡¯d formed with people here were tying me down. ¡®I approached Nikita initially to¡­¡¯ ¡­gain the motivation to oppose her when she inevitably awakened as the Dragon Maiden in Lucas¡¯s stead. But now? The distant reality I¡¯d been avoiding was slowly closing in on me. ¡°Destiny, huh¡­¡± Sharin pondered seriously over my casual question. Eventually, she seemed to gather her thoughts and raised her head. ¡°Destiny is like a massive clump of fate.¡± Arge, liquid-like mass formed in her hands. She pressed down on it firmly with her hands. ¡°No matter how hard you push against it¡­¡± Boing! The liquid quickly returned to its original shape. ¡°It¡¯s stic, so destiny itself doesn¡¯t change.¡± So, destiny can¡¯t be altered, huh? ¡°But.¡± Sharin began pressing down on the mass again with even greater force. For a moment, an immense pressure built up, until the mass finally gave way and burst with a pop. ¡°Everything in the world has a limit to how much it can endure.¡± Failing to change destiny meant not exerting enough force. If you want to break destiny, you need a power strong enough to overwhelm it. That¡¯s what she was saying. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°That¡¯s reckless.¡± ¡°To shatter something as immense as destiny, you have to be reckless.¡± She had a point. A power strong enough to change destiny. Could I find such a force? ¡®If necessary, I¡¯ll create it.¡¯ And to do that, I returned to Zerion Academy, donning Hannon¡¯s guise. Through the north-facing window, a distant mountain range could be seen. The Great Dragon Mountains. The time was approaching soon. * * * The Demon Dungeon Team consisted of five members in total. Usually, there were two vanguard members, two rearguard members, and one healer. ¡®Vanguard includes me, and rearguard has Foara.¡¯ Foara, a Spirit Lord contractor, excelled in firepower. ¡®In terms of rearguard, having just Foara would suffice.¡¯ It would be better to allocate two more members to the vanguard instead. ¡®The remaining task is to find two vanguard members and a healer.¡¯ I wandered around Zerion Academy. First, I looked for second-yearbat ss students. ¡°Ah, s-sorry, I already have ns.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already got a team.¡± As expected, most people already had teams. Especially the top-ranking students¡ªthere was no need to even ask. ¡°Are you crazy? Who¡¯d want to team up with someone like you?¡± I even asked the group of four girls as a joke. They refused in disgust, throwing insults my way. ¡®Yeah, those four are a no-go.¡¯ But I noticed that one of them seemed to be left out. ¡°Come to think of it, where¡¯s your big forehead girl?¡± ¡°Forehead?¡± At first, the three seemed puzzled but soon realized who I was referring to and snorted. Their reactions seemed strange. There was a hint of disdain toward Seron from them. Had something happened? ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you mind your own business?¡± Really now. ¡°Why are you all so useless?¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°Are you serious right now!?¡± I quickly turned away. Not long after, I ran into a familiar face in the hallway. ¡°Ban.¡± When I called out the name, Ban, who had been walking nonchntly, turned toward me. He raised a hand casually in greeting. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯reing back from somewhere.¡± ¡°Did some training.¡± Hearing that, a slight smile crept up on my lips. ¡°Are you nning to beat me next time?¡± Ban¡¯s mouth curved into a faint smile too. ¡°Yeah. You better watch out.¡± Thezy genius seemed to have shaken off hisziness. I was curious to see how much stronger he¡¯d get. ¡°By the way, Ban, do you have a Demon Dungeon team?¡± If Ban joined my team, it would be incredibly reassuring. ¡°Yeah, Isabel asked me to team up with her a few days ago.¡± But he already had prior arrangements. I didn¡¯t expect Isabel to recruit Ban. ¡®Originally, Lucas would¡¯ve been in that spot.¡¯ It seemed Ban had taken Lucas¡¯s ce. As a recement for Lucas, Ban was likely the only one suitable. ¡°Alright, do your best.¡± Without lingering, I exchanged farewells with Ban and left. In the end, I didn¡¯t aplish anything with the second-yearbat ss. ¡®Should I check the first-year special ss?¡¯ With Foara in the special ss, maybe I could work something out with her help. Thinking that, I headed toward the first-year floor. As I turned a corner, someone¡¯s face suddenly popped up right in front of me. A pure white forehead appeared before my eyes. Instinctively, my hand struck the forehead. Smack! The sound was crisp and clear! I looked at my hand in shock. ¡°Aaah?!¡± The person whose forehead was struck let out a shriek. ¡°Wh-who¡¯s the crazy person?!¡± Her sharp voice echoed loudly. Such a powerful voice. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°...Burnt Sweet Potato?¡± She still called me that. ¡°Why are you suddenly popping out like that?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who popped out, you bruised tomato!¡± ¡°Who said I was bruised?!¡± Had she already forgotten? Should I remind her? Leaving the fuming Seron behind, I nced toward the direction she¡¯de from. ¡°Why are you on the first-year floor?¡± Seron flinched, curling her body and mumbling. ¡°W-what does it matter if I¡¯m here or not?¡± Fair enough, but... ¡°You got kicked out of your friends¡¯ group, didn¡¯t you?¡± Her eyes widened, and her face turned red as she shouted back. ¡°What-what are you even talking about? Do you think I¡¯m like you? I¡¯m totally fine!¡± Over-the-top denial often hints at the truth. I stared at her, and her lips moved as if to speak but eventually pressed shut. Seron had a fiery temper. To be precise, it was a rotten one. Her personality often led her to sh with others. While she often took the lead among the girls, her tendency to confront others wasn¡¯t conducive to smooth rtionships. ¡°You had a fight.¡± n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om For some reason, she must have fought with them. Her silence and re confirmed my guess. ¡°It¡¯s your fault.¡± Me? ¡°They said that since I lost to you, you¡¯ve be cocky and look down on them.¡± ¡°They all got beaten by me too.¡± ¡°...But I was the first to lose.¡± So they needed someone to me, and that someone happened to be Seron. She had been a convenient scapegoat. Seron bit her lip and lowered her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault, really.¡± Even as she admitted it, her trembling face was evident. ¡°I lost because I wasn¡¯t strong enough, and I never really got along with them because of my personality. They probably only hung out with me because I was somewhat useful.¡± So she knew her personality was a problem. For her to admit it like this, she must have been holding in a lot. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± I affirmed her words. People grow more through affirmation, they say. Seron slowly lifted her head. Her shocked expression quickly turned into anger. ¡°...What the heck do you know?!¡± Like a bulldog, she barked even when affirmed. More importantly, wasn¡¯t she the one who said I had no friends or girlfriendsst time? My eyes narrowed. ¡°I know more than you¡¯d think. And I know you¡¯re wandering around the first-year special ss because you don¡¯t have a team.¡± Seron froze. Her pale forehead turned bright red. Her legs fidgeted, and she tightly grasped her skirt with both hands. Her lips trembled as if suppressing her embarrassment, and a huff escaped her nose. Before I knew it, tears welled in her eyes. Oh, she¡¯s crying. ¡°You¡¯re crying?¡± ¡°So what? What does it matter?! What am I supposed to do?! The second-years all have teams, and everyone left is someone I¡¯ve fought with, so I can¡¯t even ask to join their team!¡± She shouted, covering her face, and copsed to the ground. ¡°Sobbing in front of this sweet potato of all people.¡± Watching her cry, I spoke calmly. ¡°Seron.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m making a team.¡± She peeked at me through her fingers, her tear-filled eyes visible. ¡°Just so you know.¡± With that, I left her there and walked down the stairs. I wasn¡¯t desperate enough to invite Seron first. If I were to invite her, I¡¯d have to train her personality first. ¡®Before she joins my team¡­¡¯ Some preemptive education would be necessary. Seron¡¯s personality was awful. But mine? Mine was worse. Let¡¯s see whose pridests longer in this sh of rotten tempers. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 22 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 22: A Team Stronger Than Expected The search for team members continues. Having found no suitable candidates among the second-years, I decided to visit the first-year floor this time. Unlike the rtivelyposed second-years, the first-years, still fresh to the academy, were lively and chattering away in groups. ¡®The second-years have already experienced the Demon Dungeon during their first year.¡¯ The difference was stark between those who had been through the Dungeon and those who hadn¡¯t. But even among these first-years, there are exceptional individuals. These are the students of the special ss. A level of talent so exceptional that they could join the second-year teams without issue, the special ss isposed of students on a whole different ne from their peers. ¡°Hmm? Someone small ising over.¡± ¡°Yeah, tiny.¡± I could hear the first-years chattering as they noticed me. But the moment they saw my name tag, they shut their mouths. The blue of the second-year uniform and the emblem of the student council. These two markers alone gave me a certain gravity among them. The first-years naturally parted to clear a path for me. The respect they showed me here was a stark contrast to the casual reactions I got in the second-year corridors. ¡®I¡¯ve already taken note of the special ss members.¡¯ Before that, there was someone I needed to find. ¡°You there, freshman.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± When I addressed a specific first-year, he responded with obvious nervousness, his voice taut with energy. ¡°Do you know where Aisha Bizvel is?¡± Aisha Bizvel. The "Iron Greatsword." She¡¯s a first-year I train with every morning. I owed her a lot already, so I decided to take this chance to rely on her even more. The first-year I asked easily pointed me to where Aisha was, unsurprising since she was known to always train during lunch hours. ¡®Training in the morning, then again after lunch.¡¯ At this rate, Aisha might genuinely be made of steel. Compared to my own resilient ¡°steel skin,¡± she was a true iron-willed person. As expected, I found her in the training room. Wearing a tracksuit instead of her school uniform, Aisha was wielding a massive greatsword, swinging it with precision. Despite the absurd size of the weapon, she wielded it with graceful arcs. It was clear yet again¡ªher muscles were beyondprehension. ¡°Aisha.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om When I called out to her, she stopped mid-swing. Turning toward me, she broke into a smile, happy to see me. ¡°Oh, senior, what brings you here?¡± When she smiled, the first-year who had guided me looked utterly shocked. ¡°D-Did the Iron Greatsword just smile?¡± His reaction gave me a good sense of the situation. Aisha upied an intimidating position among the first-years. She belonged to the Bizvel Count Family, a noble house of the empire¡¯s northern frontier. The Bizvel family was famous for being a battle-hardened n. Whether male or female, all its members were tall and exceptionally sturdy. Meeting a male member of the Bizvel family alone would make most ordinary men feel biologically outssed. Aisha, among this family, was recognized as having outstanding talent, even by their lofty standards. She had entered the Zerion Academy not through the standard entrance exam but through a rmendation. Her martial arts grades ranked at the top of her ss, and she spent most of her time training, resulting in shallow rtionships with her peers. To the extent that I, a senior, was the person she spoke with the most in the academy. Naturally, Aisha was an intimidating presence for the first-years. Her smiling at me had thoroughly stunned my guide. The first-year turned to me with a dazed expression, clearly wondering who on earth I was. ¡®Looks like my reputation hasn¡¯t spread much among the first-years.¡¯ Well, it made sense. They were too busy adapting to the academy and their studies to worry about academy gossip. ¡°You can leave now.¡± When I dismissed him, he finally snapped out of it and quietly left the room. Even as he exited, his gaze lingered on me, filled with unanswered questions. ¡°So, senior, why are you here?¡± In the meantime, Aisha had wiped off her sweat and approached me with a bright expression. I handed her the drink I had brought along. I figured she would be training, so I hade prepared. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± ¡°Aisha, have you decided on your team for the Dungeon expedition?¡± Aisha, drinking from the bottle, shook her head. As expected, she hadn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of forming a team. How about joining me?¡± With someone like Aisha on the team, there would be no better frontline fighter. When I made the offer, Aisha finished her drink and shed a confident, radiant smile. ¡°So this drink was a bribe?¡± ¡°Exactly. Now that you¡¯ve drunk it, you can¡¯t escape. If you try, I¡¯ll use you of epting a bribe and subject you to all sorts of threats.¡± ¡°Terrifying. Knowing you, they¡¯d be weird threats.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m thinking of starting by threatening to reduce your morning training sessions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one thing I¡¯ll risk my body to prevent.¡± The thought of Aisha tackling me was genuinely terrifying. ¡°So, what about the team?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll join. I think we¡¯ll work well together.¡± Having spent so much time training together, there wasn¡¯t anyone in the academy who matched Aisha¡¯s synergy with me. With that, the frontline was secured. Now, all that remained was finding¡­ ¡®A healer.¡¯ A student from the Divine Arts department. * * * Time passed. As summer gradually approached, the academy entered a heightened state of tension. The emergence of Apostles due to Demon Sovereigns is predicted through astrological readings of the four seasons. - The most pleasant day of spring. - The beginning of summer. - The autumn equinox, when night bes longer than day. - The coldest day of winter. At the peak of each season, an Apostle is born. When first born, an Apostle¡¯s power is weak. Thus, academies across the world deploy their students into the Dungeon four times a year to prevent their growth. And today marked the transition into summer, with rising temperatures. The western sector Dungeon entrance, managed by Zerion Academy, was abuzz with activity as countless students gathered under the guidance of professors and assistants. Of course, not all students entered the Dungeon at once. The top-performing third-years entered first, followed by others in order. ¡®The Dungeon is a bizarre structure.¡¯ The ultimate goal of an Apostle is to emerge from the Dungeon, wreak havoc on the world, and hatch the Demon Sovereign. Hence, Apostles are born in the first-floor incubation chamber. However, to reach the outside world, they must approach the Demon Sovereign to gain its power. In their newborn state, Apostles are too weak to survive outside the Dungeon, where they¡¯d be hunted by knights stationed at the entrance. So, they descend further into the Dungeon, absorbing the Demon Sovereign¡¯s energy to grow stronger. The deeper they go, the stronger they be. When they be fully-fledged Apostles, theyunch a reverse ascent toward the surface. The purpose of academies worldwide is to prevent this from happening. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Students are deployed into the Dungeon four times a year to stop Apostles in their early stages. ¡®No matter how many times I think about it, it¡¯s a strange setup.¡¯ Standing before the Dungeon entrance, I watched the third-years begin their descent. The gaping entrance looked like the maw of hell, as if it would devour everything in its path. ¡®If I were the Demon Sovereign, I would have created Apostles by my side from the start.¡¯ Why go to the trouble of birthing Apostles at the Dungeon¡¯s entrance? Even after all the time I spent ying the game, I couldn¡¯t understand the reasoning behind the Dungeon¡¯s design. ¡®Then again¡­¡¯ The very existence of Demon Sovereigns is shrouded in mystery. Even in the me Butterfly ending, it was unclear whether the Demon Sovereign was truly defeated. ¡®Deus Ex Machina.¡¯ The god of the machine. A narrative device used to facilitate the story. yers often referred to the Demon Sovereign by that name. ¡®Some said that Demon Sovereign was left ambiguous on purpose, so the developers could use it for the final chapter in Dungeon yer''s sequel.¡¯ Unfortunately, there had been no news from the Dungeon yer developers for over five years. All that remained were the users¡¯ wild spections. There was no official word about Demon Sovereign. ¡°Burnt Sweet Potato, are you going to keep ignoring me?¡± As I stared at the Dungeon, a sharp voice interrupted me from beside me. It was the forehead girl with bright red hair tied into a high ponytail. ¡°When are your team membersing? Be honest¡ªyou lied to me, didn¡¯t you? It was all a sham!¡± Seron Parmia. She hade to me the evening before I finalized my team. ¡¸Uh, ahem, hey, Burnt Sweet Potato. I heard your team is short one person.¡¹ She called me out, and I wondered what she wanted to say. Seron kept clearing her throat awkwardly as she spoke. ¡¸Maybe, well¡­ I could join your team¡­ if that¡¯s alright.¡¹ Seron had been going around trying to find other teams until the very end. But no one wanted to recruit her. At this rate, she would end up in a "leftover" team assigned by the professor. For Seron, there was no greater humiliation. Eventually, she set her sights on my team. Better to join my team, led by someone strong enough to beat half the ss, than end up in a leftover team. Looking at Seron for a moment, I tilted my head. ¡¸Why are you talking like you¡¯re doing me a favor?¡¹ This girl¡­ Did she not understand her position? ¡¸What¡ªwhat?! I said I¡¯m willing to join your team! You couldn¡¯t even get proper members anyway!¡¹ Then it hit me. Seron didn¡¯t know the lineup of my team. That¡¯s why she was acting so high and mighty. ¡¸Our rearguard is Foara Silin.¡¹ ¡¸What?¡¹ When I said that, Seron¡¯s face turned into one of sheer disbelief. She must have heard of Foara before. The entire academy had been buzzing about the Spirit Lord incident. Even the third years, let alone the second years, had tried to recruit Foara. It would be stranger not to know Foara¡¯s name. And that Foara was on my team. That alone significantly elevated the value of my team. ¡¸And the vanguard is first-year Aisha Vizbel.¡¹ ¡¸W-What?¡¹ Seron was an imperial noble. There was no way she wouldn¡¯t recognize the name Vizbel. Her face gradually turned pale. Only now did she realize that my team was much stronger than she had assumed. She must have thought I just cobbled together random people. ¡¸I¡¯ve already had plenty of people asking to join my team.¡¹ After the news spread that I had recruited both Aisha and Foara, several people approached me, asking to join. Even if they weren¡¯t sure how the team would perform, they figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to make a good impression on Aisha and Foara early on. Reputation mattered, after all. But Seron had been mostly on her own for a while now. Ever since being ousted from her previous clique, no one wanted to associate with her. That¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t heard anything about my team¡¯s lineup. Right now, I had no reason to ept Seron. She finally started realizing her predicament and took a step back. ¡¸Seron Parmia.¡¹ I called her full name. Her shoulders flinched, and her previously overconfident demeanor wavered. ¡¸If you want to join the team, that¡¯s not how you ask.¡¹ I gave her a cheerful smile. ¡¸Say it properly. Try again.¡¹ Would she prefer to join a leftover team or our strong one? If she joined a leftover team, her grades would tank, and she¡¯d likely be aughingstock. There was no way someone as prideful as Seron could endure that. Her shoulders quivered. She red at me with her eyes wide open but soon bit her lip hard. Her forehead started to turn red, steaming with embarrassment. But she held back her shame and finally bowed her head to me. ¡¸P-Please, let me join your team.¡¹ ¡¸Louder. Properly.¡¹ ¡¸Please let me join your team!¡¹ ¡¸More desperately.¡¹ ¡¸Please, I beg you, let me join your team! Pleeeaaase!¡¹ Had she reached her limit? ¡¸My dad said he¡¯d kick me out if I didn¡¯t get good grades this time. Hic, please, I¡¯m begging you.¡¹ Seeing Seron finally break down and cry, I gave her a nod of approval. And that¡¯s how Seron joined our team. ¡°Hah, of course, Burnt Sweet Potato wouldn¡¯t have Foara or Aisha on their team. I¡¯ve been tricked, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¡­Is this girl an idiot? After being humiliated so thoroughly yesterday, she¡¯s already back to her overconfident self the very next day. At this point, it seemed like she¡¯d erased yesterday¡¯s events from her memory entirely. I reached out and grabbed her big mouth. Her eyes widened in shock as she tried to yell, but I twisted her head to face forward. ¡°Look carefully. They¡¯reing.¡± Sure enough, Aisha and Foara were approaching. When Foara saw me, he nodded politely, and Aisha gave me a quick smile. ¡°¡­R-Really?¡± With her mouth still held shut, Seron mumbled in disbelief. I let go of her and wiped her drool on her clothes. ¡°Then who¡¯s thest member?¡± Now that she mentioned it, I hadn¡¯t told her. As I turned my head, the final member walked toward us. The students around us started to notice, their eyes following the figure. Their faces lit up with shock and reverence, while Seron¡¯s face turned ck-jawed, her eyes growing impossibly wide. ¡°W-What the¡ª!?¡± Seron finally became aplete idiot. ¡°Let me introduce you.¡± I gestured toward the person who had just arrived. They had shining white hair and wore a white uniform with golden embroidery¡ªthe only one authorized in the entire Zerion Academy. ¡°This is the Saint.¡± Our team¡¯s final member, the healer. The Saint, Sirmiel Von Eden. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 23 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 23: Spring, Demon Dungeon The dumbfounded expression on Seron¡¯s face didn¡¯t fade¡ªshe hadn¡¯t expected me to bring the Saint along. Leaving her to her thoughts, I turned to introduce everyone else. ¡°Aisha, Foara, this is the Saint. He¡¯s agreed to team up with us this time.¡± ¡°The S-Saint?!¡± Just like Seron, Foara stared at the Saint in shock. ¡°Senior, how did you manage to recruit the Saint to our team?¡± The one with the least reaction was Aisha, who calmly asked the question. I shrugged. ¡°Well, no one else seemed to have thought of asking him.¡± So I simply extended the invitation myself and provided some reasonable arguments to convince him. ¡°...You absolute idiot! Of course, no one would dare to!¡± Suddenly, Seron, standing behind me, screamed. She grabbed my cor tightly, her eyes zing with frustration. When I gave her a questioning look, Seron¡¯s forehead flushed red, as if steam would burst from it at any moment. Her face screamed that she was at her wit¡¯s end. ¡°Are you out of your mind?! What if something happens to the Saint while he¡¯s with us? Do you even realize the consequences?!¡± The Saint¡ªSirmiel of the Holy Eden Church. As the Saint of the Empire¡¯s greatest religion, his status was second only to the imperial family. If anything were to happen to the Saint, none of the students would be able to bear the consequences. Because of that, until now¡ªwhen Sirmiel was already in his second year¡ªno one had dared to invite him to a team. It was an unspoken rule. But I didn¡¯t care. I mean, why would I ignore such a powerful trump card? It didn¡¯t make sense to leave such an asset unused. ¡°Even the Princess is going in.¡± I gestured towards the Third Princess, Iris Hysirion, who was already preparing to enter the Demon Dungeon. A member of the imperial family, whose status was even higher than the Saint¡¯s, was entering the Demon Dungeon. ¡°That¡¯spletely different!¡± Iris was the top student in the Combat Studies department. Her skills in swordsmanship and academics alike made her the epitome of excellence. She was said to possess the greatest talent among all royals in history, so much so that it would be a national loss for her not to participate in the Demon Dungeon. But the Saint¡¯s situation was different. Although he was the top student in the Sacred Arts department, his specialty was healing. Hecked the power to protect himself. Naturally, the students who would have to protect him worried about what might happen. ¡°As long as we protect the Saint properly, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± ¡°As if that¡¯s so easy!¡± I flicked Seron¡¯s forehead with my hand. ¡°Kyah?!¡± She screamed, clutching her forehead, and red at me furiously. ¡°Then make it happen. Do you think the Demon Dungeon is some kind of yground? Do you honestly think there¡¯s a stronger cleric than the Saint himself to take along?¡± And above all¡ª ¡°How can you say that when the Saint is standing right here?¡± Seron flinched. Finally grasping the situation, she nced nervously at Sirmiel, who smiled kindly and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve heard this many times before. I understand why people hesitate to team up with me, which is why I haven¡¯t joined any teams until now.¡± Sirmiel had voluntarily exined this to the professors and refrained from entering the Demon Dungeon unless specifically invited. ¡°But knowing all of this, Brother Hannon still called for me.¡± Sirmiel rolled up his white sleeves, his determination evident. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve been invited, I will give my utmost, in the name of the Divine.¡± Seron¡¯s lips trembled. Perhaps feeling guilty about her earlier words, she couldn¡¯t respond. I left Seron behind and turned to Aisha and Foara. ¡°Aisha, Foara, no issues on your end?¡± ¡°I had a hunch something like this might happen when I joined your team, Senior.¡± ¡°M-Me too, it¡¯s fine!¡± Aisha really had keen instincts. ¡°Senior always manages to drag us into strange situations, so it was expected,¡± Aisha said with an all-knowing air. She clearly knew too much about me. ¡°Team Hannon Irey.¡± Right then, our team name was called. I signaled the others with a nce, and they followed me. Seron was the only one sighing heavily, her face full of worry. As we approached the entrance to the Demon Dungeon, Professor Vega stood waiting. Dressed in her uniform, she raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°Hannon, your teamposition is as absurd as ever.¡± I thought she was about to scold me, but she didn¡¯t say much beyond that. Instead, she simply reminded us of the dangers ahead. ¡°Remember, the most important thing in the Demon Dungeon is your lives. If it gets too dangerous, retreat. There¡¯s no need to risk your lives unnecessarily.¡± She gestured to the knights stationed at the final defense line of the Demon Dungeon. ¡°If an Apostle appears, the adults will handle it. Just do what you can.¡± In this world, sending young people to the Demon Dungeon to reduce surface casualties was an unfortunate reality. Vega didn¡¯t seem pleased with this grim truth. Her only wish was simple: that we alle back alive. ¡°We will.¡± This promise was non-negotiable. Feeling my resolve, Vega didn¡¯t say anything further. ¡°Good luck.¡± And with that, we stepped into the Demon Dungeon. The massive entrance to the Demon Dungeon gaped open like a mouth ready to swallow us whole. As we walked in, a chilling breeze brushed past my face. When I finally raised my head, I was met with a scene of sunlight streaming over a vast field of grass and greenery. ¡°This is...¡± Aisha, who had entered the Demon Dungeon for the first time, froze in her tracks. Thendscape before us waspletely different from what we had just seen. The lush greenery looked undeniably peaceful. ¡°This... feels strange. It¡¯s a forest, but I can¡¯t sense any spirits here.¡± Standing beside Aisha, Foara looked around the forest with a confused expression. As he had said, though it appeared to be a forest, it felt distinctly unnatural. ¡°Tch, it¡¯s the Gray Forest this time.¡± Only Seron, with prior Demon Dungeon experience, clicked her tongue among us. The first floor of the Demon Dungeon was divided into four distinct regions. One of them was the Gray Forest, which we had just entered. ¡°If it¡¯s the Gray Forest, that means...¡± ¡°Yes, as time passes, gray zones will begin appearing throughout the forest.¡± I answered Sirmiel¡¯s question while stepping forward. The moment I did, the patch of greenery beneath my feet turned gray. In the Gray Forest, all paths we walked became shrouded in gray. And the moment anyone stepped on these gray zones¡ª ¡®A chunk of stamina gets drained away.¡¯ This was a ce where stepping on the same spot was strictly forbidden. That ce was the Gray Forest. ¡°What a fascinating forest,¡± Aisha said, marveling at the ground she stepped on turning gray. ¡°There¡¯s nothing fascinating about it. It¡¯s the most tiresome forest,¡± Seron, who had experienced it firsthand, looked utterly fed up. As she said, the Gray Forest wasn¡¯t a ce I weed either. Above all, the Gray Forest¡¯s trigger was arguably the worst in the entire first floor of the Dungeon. ¡°What now? If we dy any further, we won¡¯t be able to move at all,¡± Seron urged. As she said, if we lingered here, the people ahead of us would turn the Gray Forest into an impossible ce to traverse. ¡°No, we won¡¯t move.¡± ¡°What?¡± Seron turned around, her face filled with disbelief. It was as if she couldn¡¯tprehend a word I was saying. I couldn¡¯t me her for her reaction. But this was the way it had to be. ¡°We won¡¯t proceed to the second or third floor.¡± Act 3, Chapter 3: The Dungeon Event, Keeper of the Gray Forest. Originally, this was an event Lucas was supposed to handle. But Lucas was no longer here. Which meant I had to take care of this event instead. I lifted my head. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°From now on, everyone¡ª¡± And what followed left everyone stunned. ¡°Take a good rest.¡± We needed to conserve our energy before the event. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * Inside the Dungeon, the Gray Forest. Although we were inside the Dungeon, the gentle sunlight and the cool breeze made it the perfect ce for a nap. With trees scattered here and there, there were plenty of shaded spots. And, most importantly, unlike a normal forest, there wasn¡¯t a single insect in sight. It was an unusually pleasant ce to rest. ¡°Is this for real? Resting in the Dungeon? Are you out of your mind?¡± But instead of the buzzing of insects, there was something noisy: Seron, who was nagging beside me. Leaning against a tree and resting, I heard her esctingints until she eventually started shouting. I raised an eyebrow and looked at Seron. ¡°What? Is there some kind ofw that says you can¡¯t rest in the Dungeon?¡± ¡°Hah, you idiot! Don¡¯t you understand why we came here?¡± ¡°I understand perfectly.¡± To stop the Apostles, creatures raised to destroy the world, from being sent to the surface. That was the mission of the Academy, its very purpose. Every student of the Academy held this truth with pride, even if it meant risking their lives. ¡°And yet you act like this? What are you thinking? With a team this strong, we should be moving deeper to fight the Apostles!¡± ¡°Listen, Apostles aren¡¯t only below us.¡± Apostles existed on the first floor as well. In fact, the first floor had the highest concentration of them. The Apostles were first born in a hatchery at the center of the first floor. ¡°Of course I know that! But they all eventually go down, don¡¯t they?¡± Apostles that were born would mostly descend to the lower floors in search of power. Because of this, the number of Apostles on the first floor would diminish at the fastest rate. ¡°To defeat more Apostles, we need to move to the lower floors¡ªthat¡¯s justmon sense!¡± When Seron insisted on this, I squinted at her. ¡°Yeah, so we¡¯ll go downter.¡± ¡°Seriously, I have no idea what you¡¯re saying.¡± Seron looked at me with an utterly confused expression. But I had my reasons. Grabbing her shoulders, I made her sit down firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t get so worked up. Just rest for now. It¡¯s not like I said we won¡¯t go down at all.¡± Even though I tried to persuade her, she refused to listen, eventually sitting down in frustration and muttering curses under her breath. Someday, I¡¯d have to knock some sense into her. ¡°Senior Hannon, another party just passed by,¡± Reported Foara, whom I had assigned to scouting. Foara¡¯s spirits were scattered throughout the Gray Forest, serving as reliable scouts. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re thest group.¡± The students were heading toward the center to descend to the second floor. ¡®It¡¯s about time.¡¯ Soon, we were the only ones left who hadn¡¯t gone down to the second floor. ¡°Seron, how many times has the Gray Forest been triggered?¡± When I stood up and asked, Seron nced at me, her face filled with dissatisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s my second time since I joined.¡± ¡°Right, your second time. And counting from the Dungeon¡¯s opening, it¡¯s the ny-ninth.¡± Seron¡¯s eyes widened slightly, as if surprised I had kept track of such a thing. But this detail was critical. ¡°The environment of the Dungeon has been changing steadily for a long time.¡± The ever-changing environment was one of the reasons the Dungeon was so dangerous. No matter how thoroughly it was investigated, the conditions would eventually shift, requiring scouting teams to risk their lives again. And now. The era of transformation in the Dungeon had arrived. This period marked significant shifts in the Dungeon¡¯s strategy and environment, causing countless casualties. During this chaos, Apostles would fully mature into beings of immense power. An age of upheaval. ¡°When the Dungeon reaches its hundredth Apostle birth, unusual phenomena often ur.¡± Seron¡¯s pupils began to dte as she rose to her feet, her face filled with disbelief. ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°The Gray Forest reaches its hundredth cycle today.¡± My eyes narrowed coldly. "Perhaps today will be the most dangerous day in all the history of Dungeon expeditions." Once you descend to the lower levels of the Dungeon, there¡¯s no direct way to return to the surface. Technically, there is a way¡ªbut I¡¯m the only one who knows it. Which means that for the students, even the journey back is a grueling ordeal. In fact, afterpleting a Dungeon expedition, It¡¯s not umon for more injuries to ur on the way back. The sense of aplishment from having cleared the expedition makes them let their guard down. Thus, Act 3, Chapter 3¡ªthe Dungeon Battle¡ª bes the event that causes the worst casualties in the game''s history. The starting point of the Dungeon''s transformation era. How you handle this starting point drastically affects the game¡¯s difficulty moving forward. RUMBLE! At that moment, the entire Gray Forest began to echo with a resounding noise. Feeling the vibrations, Seron¡¯s face turned pale as a sheet. In contrast, I slowly tilted my head upward toward the sky. The once-bright sky had begun to darken. And through the darkened heavens, long, root-like tendrils began to descend. "They¡¯re here." The Saint, Sirmiel, who had already been prepared, rose from his position. The reason I had been able to bring Sirmiel along on this Dungeon team was thanks to a prior conversation. The possibility of significant casualties. Because I had taken that possibility into ount, Sirmiel had willingly chosen to join me. "Hannon Team," I said, drawing the heavy shield strapped to my back. "From now on, our mission is to carve a path for the students¡¯ safe return." The true Apostle of the Gray Forest¡ª The Keeper of the Forest must be defeated. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 24 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 24: Relentless Attack Boom! Thud! The first floor of the Demon Dungeon: the Gray Forest. Massive roots descending from the stormy clouds began burrowing into the ground of the Gray Forest. ¡°What the¡ªwhat is that?!¡± Seron¡¯s voice rang out, trembling in shock. Everyone else wore simrly rmed expressions at the sheer scale of it. But the real challenge had yet toe. I dashed forward, quietly fixing my gaze on the center of the roots. Craack! Soon, a protrusion at the center of the roots began to open. Drip¡ªdrip. A thick liquid oozed out from between the opening buds. Inside, there was a creature¡ªa monstrous hybrid of human and insect, encased in gray tree bark. The creature extended its insect wings from its back shell, slowly spreading them to dry. If that thing manages to take flight, the situation will be a nightmare. So, we had only one option. ¡°Everyone, spread out and sever as many roots as possible!¡± ¡°Are you insane? Cut those things?!¡± Seron stared at the roots embedded in the Gray Forest with disbelief. Even at a nce, the roots were absurdly thick. It was obvious they wouldn¡¯t be easy to cut. But we couldn¡¯t just leave them as they were. The Gray Forest¡¯s true Apostle, the Forest Keeper, absorbs all the life force of the Gray Forest. Once drained, the Gray Forest turns entirely gray, as its name implies. In other words, it bes a debuff zone where stepping anywhere shreds your stamina. ¡°Scared already?¡± Seron had been boasting earlier about delving into the Demon Dungeon. I provoked her, and she bit her lip in frustration. ¡°Who said I can¡¯t do it?!¡± With a loud shout, Seron charged at one of the roots like a madwoman. Ssshh! Drawing her axe, a fiery explosion ignited as sparks flew. Seron¡¯s fire element gave her an advantage over the roots, so she should be able to handle it without much trouble. ¡°Aisha, you¡¯re good to go too, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Aisha had already unsheathed her greatsword and begun swinging it powerfully. Aisha, known as the Iron Knight, had the strength to sever the roots. Her eyes gleamed fiercely, as if she¡¯d been waiting for this moment. ¡°Foara, how many fire spirits can you summon?¡± ¡°I can bring out mid-level spirits!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Don¡¯t summon the Lord yet¡ªwe¡¯ll need itter.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± With an enthusiastic response, Foara summoned a fire spirit. Behind him, a massive ming lizard appeared, opening its mouth to unleash fire on the roots. ¡°Saint, ready?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready.¡± Meanwhile, Sirmiel finished his prayer and raised his hands to the sky. In that moment, a white light enveloped not only me but everyone else. Life surged through our bodies. Our movements became much lighter than before. It was the Saint¡¯s blessing. As expected, my stats felt massively boosted. ¡°With this¡­¡± I pushed off the ground, dashing forward until I reached the roots. Up close, they were massive¡ªreminiscent of a baobab tree. No wonder Seron had been so rmed. ¡°Normally¡­¡± This part of the event would be rtively easy if Lucas and the protagonist¡¯s party were here. With them, the roots would¡¯ve been removed effortlessly. Especially Lucas¡¯s me of Resolve¡ªit was the Forest Keeper¡¯s greatest weakness. But there¡¯s no use wishing for what isn¡¯t here. You have to fight with your gums when you don''t have teeth. I raised my hand, fingers sharpened like des. Thanks to my steel skin, my body was now a natural weapon. With the Saint¡¯s blessing enhancing me, My body was now deadlier than most weapons. ¡®Even if it¡¯s not quite an aura de¡­¡¯ It could still achieve cutting power rivaling a masterwork sword. sh! Swinging my hand, I sliced into the root and dug deep. The root¡¯s toughness wasn¡¯t far off from that of an ordinary tree. Maintaining my stance, I raised my other hand. I began stabbing wildly into the root. Like a mole digging into the earth, I became an excavator, ripping apart the roots. As I relentlessly tore through the roots, sunlight eventually peeked through. Spinning in ce, I continued to dig out more of the roots. Crack! Snap! Eventually, the middle section of the root connecting to the ground was hollowed outpletely. All around mey the shredded remains of the roots. There was no time to catch my breath. As soon as I confirmed the root waspletely severed, I pushed off the ground and sprinted again. Heading straight for the next root, I extended my hand once more. Using every ounce of strength, I began cutting through it as well. Craack! Thud! From a distance, the sound of roots snapping echoed. It meant the others were holding their own too. We weren¡¯t the protagonist¡¯s party. But there was no difference in what we could aplish. ¡®If we stop the Forest Keeper here, we can take the most survivors into the next stage of the scenario.¡¯ Even without Lucas, the protagonist, We could make up for it by saving more students. ¡®To turn a bad ending into a happy ending¡­¡¯ I¡¯ll do whatever it takes. ¡°Senior!¡± Just as I severed another root, Aisha¡¯s voice called out. Ahead of her, along her path, was a lone root. There were no other roots in sight, Thanks to everyone¡¯s relentless efforts to destroy them. Despite the strain building in my arms from the relentless digging, I sprinted again. Aisha spun her body, rotating her greatsword in preparation. Once again, my steel skin sharpened my hands. sh! Aisha¡¯s greatsword and my hands struck the root simultaneously. Together, we tore through the root ferociously. Fragments of the root scattered all around. The greatsword and my hand des carved into the root in a frenzy. Finally, after digging furiously, both Aisha and I burst through the root. Thud, thud, crack! The remaining roots couldn¡¯t withstand the force and tore apart as they crumbled. Aisha and I tumbled out, rolling through the debris of shattered roots. We ran, avoiding the gray zones as much as possible. ¡°Ugh, my arms are gonna fall off!¡± From afar, I saw Seron running toward us, her axe slung over her shoulder. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Her red hair was smeared with fragments of roots, evidence of her desperate struggle to chop them down. ¡°All the roots have been burned!¡± Foara shouted as he arrived, riding a me lizard. I quickly scanned our surroundings. Thankfully, not all of the gray forest had turned into gray zones. That meant we had sessfully stopped the Forest Keeper¡¯s appearance phase. But the fight with the Forest Keeper had only just begun. Crack, crack, rumble! The Forest Keeper, whichy at the center of the roots, began cutting itself free from the remaining connections and rose to its full height. Normally, it would have absorbed plenty of the gray forest¡¯s energy and grown muchrger. But it hadn''t reached its full size thanks to our swift actions in eliminating the roots. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om In other words, it was weakened. ¡°Saint, can you channel some blessings to Foara?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The saint immediately acted on my request, beginning his prayer. ¡°Foara.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Prepare your Spirit Lord, and fire at maximum output as soon as the saint¡¯s blessing takes hold.¡± ¡°Huh? Can I really do that?¡± Foara looked startled. It was clear he was hesitant about using the Spirit Lord, his trump card, so readily. Of course, it was fine. ¡°Yeah, hit it with everything you¡¯ve got.¡± Hearing my words, Foara nodded firmly, his expression resolute. ¡°What are you nning?¡± ¡°Just watch.¡± I replied to Seron and tilted my head back to look up at the Forest Keeper. ¡°Oh, God, please hear the prayer of your humblemb.¡± Meanwhile, Sirmiel finished his prayer. Though we stood in the depths of a demonic forest, his prayer reached the heavens. Soon, a brilliant radiance descended from above, engulfing Foara. Foara¡¯s abilities surged explosively. The Spirit Lord is a being ranked just below a god, which means it is uniquely capable of receiving divine favor. As a result, the blessing elevated Foara to a realm far beyond her usual capabilities. Overwhelmed by the excessive concentration of power, Foara broke into a sweat as he sped his hands together. Spirit energy began surging from his body uncontrobly. A radiant halo began to glow above him. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°This is incredible.¡± Seron and Aisha couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the overwhelming power. The wind began to howl. The gale was so fierce we could do little more than crouch down. In the swirling gusts, the Spirit Lord¡ªthe ruler of the grand forest of spirits¡ªslowly lifted its head. Sparks crackled in the air. A massive bird emerged from within the storm of wind and electricity, spreading its colossal wings toward the sky. Its wingspan was so vast that it cast shadows over thend. The Spirit Lord. The pinnacle of what a spirit can achieve roared toward the heavens. The sight was utterly overwhelming. A Spirit Lord¡¯s destructive power could rival that of an archmage. Before such a colossal force, all resistance seemed futile. A slow smile spread across my face. The first phase of the Forest Keeper¡¯s fight is riddled with frustrating mechanics designed to sap the yers'' strength and resources. That¡¯s why we brought Foara into y. ¡®Burn through the first phase with pure firepower.¡¯ A ssic burst-damage strategy. ¡°Spirit Lord.¡± Foara swallowed nervously amidst his cold sweat, then raised his trembling hands toward the Forest Keeper. ¡°Please, I¡¯m counting on you!¡± At Foara¡¯s cry, the Spirit Lord swept its wings. A vortex of wind and lightning spiraled toward the Forest Keeper. Crash! Boom! Crackle! The Forest Keeper let out a shriek as it beheld the oing storm. It struggled desperately, iling in an attempt to survive, but it was futile. The whirlwind of wind and lightning tore through the Forest Keeper, shredding it into countless pieces. Fragments of the warden scattered everywhere, leaving the massive roots of the gray forest utterly destroyed and unrecognizable. ¡°Ugh, haah...¡± Exhausted from summoning the Spirit Lord, Foara copsed to his knees. He¡¯d done well. Watching in a daze, Seron asked, ¡°Did we even need all this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I reassured her as I adjusted my shield. Whizz! Suddenly, small fruit-like objects spilled out from the shattered roots, scattering in all directions. Thud! Boom! The fruit-like objects cracked open like hatching eggs when they hit the ground. From within emerged smaller versions of the Forest Keeper, these ones wingless but no less menacing. Seron, staring in dismay, lowered her axe. She, too, realized the battle wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°There¡¯s still work to do.¡± With the first phase dealt with through sheer firepower, it was time to tackle the second phase. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 25 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 25: Human Bomb Mini Forest Keepers sprouted from the scattered seeds. N?v(el)B\\jnn Well, "mini" was a misnomer. Each was at least a head taller than the average adult male. This was the Forest Keeper''s second phase. It marked its revival pattern. If all the Forest Keepers born from the seeds weren''t defeated within the allotted time, the Forest Keeper would revert to its first phase. This was effectively considered a failure to defeat the Forest Keeper. Having already expended their strength in the first phase, the party had no chance of defeating it again. Therefore, the second-phase revival pattern had to be stopped at all costs. "Listen carefully, everyone." I pointed to the scattered seeds. "The more Forest Keepers we defeat, the stronger the remaining ones be. So, we¡¯ll prioritize taking down the ones on the outer edges first, and then finish off the one at the center together." Given the urgency of the situation, I kept the instructions concise. Everyone nodded with understanding. "Foara, focus solely on healing. We¡¯ll need another burst of firepowerter. The same goes for you, Saint." "Understood!" "Got it." I, Seron, and Aisha would handle the rest of the Forest Keepers. "Hey, how do you know so much about dealing with an Apostle you''ve never seen before?" Seron asked, gripping her axe tightly. Was this really the time for such questions? "I studied." In moments like these, boldness was the best approach. "¡­I studied at the Academy too, but I¡¯ve never heard of this." "Then I guess you didn¡¯t study enough." Before Seron couldin further, I rushed forward. As the battle wore on, more gray zones appeared. Stepping on one of those zones would cause a massive loss of stamina, so I had to proceed cautiously. This was precisely why I had ordered everyone to start from the outer edges. If we started inside and the Forest Keeper fled inward, it would create an even bigger problem. Fortunately, I didn¡¯t need to exin this part¡ªeveryone already understood. In the distance, Aisha and Seronunched surprise attacks on the Forest Keepers. Aisha¡¯s skill was beyond question, and even though Seron grumbled, her abilities were top-notch. After confirming their engagement, I looked ahead. I saw a Forest Keeper waving its vine-covered limbs. It had sturdy four-legged support and two arms, wrapped in vines that dripped with venom. Touching those vines would cause the skin to melt, but¡ª Swish! Slick! Such things didn¡¯t apply to me with my steel-like skin. With a swift hand strike, I sliced the iing vines and gripped my shield tightly. Boom! At that moment, rock bullets fired from the vines struck my shield. This was the Forest Keeper¡¯s basic attack pattern: poisonous vine strikes followed by rock bullet fire. The Forest Keeper¡¯s movements matched my memories perfectly. This meant I could proceed with the standard strategy. I steadied my breathing, loosening my muscles to avoid any stiff mistakes. This was my first real fight. In the future, I would face countless Apostles to prevent bad endings. This battle was the first step in that journey. ¡®To be honest¡­¡¯ I was scared too. I was charging directly at a monster a head taller than me. The pressure was entirely different from mock battles, where professors and teaching assistants were always ready to save us. Now, this was real. There was no one here to save my life. I had to protect my own life. This was the Dungeon. All the more reason not to be afraid. Fear would shrink my muscles, narrow my vision, and push my mind into panic. I had to be bolder, surer. I brought every strategy I knew to mind and executed them to secure victory. I sliced another iing vine with my hand and used my shield to block the rock bullets. Before I realized it, I was just 2 meters away from the Forest Keeper. The Forest Keeper seemed to notice the shrinking distance, ceasing its vine attacks and swinging its muscr, gori-like arms instead. The ends of its arms were equipped with massive, axe-like des. If those hit, even I wouldn¡¯t escape unscathed. As I lunged forward, I quickly lowered my body. The countless drills I had done with Aisha paid off. My lowered stance allowed the Forest Keeper¡¯s arm to brush just above my head. I dodged its first melee attack. But I didn¡¯t let my guard down. ¡®One more.¡¯ Bang! A bursting sound came from the end of the Forest Keeper¡¯s arm. It was the explosion of a heat fruit attached to it. The heat fruit¡¯s st sent the Forest Keeper¡¯s arm hurtling toward me again. This was its signature two-strikebo, Its massive arm swung toward me, aiming low this time. Using my forward momentum, I pushed off the ground hard. Boom! The arm smashed into the ground where I had been, but I had already leapt into the air. Landing on the Forest Keeper¡¯s shoulder, I clenched my hand into a de. The Forest Keeper turned its head to look at me, realizing its mistake¡ªbut it was toote. Crack! My hand de pierced through its thick outer shell and into its head. I felt a disgusting texture inside as my hand dug deeper. I twisted my hand inside its head, stirred its insides, and pulled out my hand. Purple blood and brain matter coated my hand. There was no time to be grossed out. As the Forest Keeper¡¯s body copsed, I jumped away andnded safely, avoiding the gray zone. ¡°Phew.¡± I let out a short breath. I silently thanked my Vikamon body. I couldn¡¯t have executed my ns so perfectly without this agile and powerful form. Of course, I had contingency ns in case of failure, which let me act so boldly in the first ce. Always be prepared for anything. ¡®That¡¯s just one down.¡¯ There are still plenty of forest keepers remaining. No time to stop. Keep going. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * Thanks to the efforts of Aisha, Seron, and myself, the number of forest keepers in the fruit grove decreased rapidly. However, as we passed the halfway mark, the pace slowed significantly. As I mentioned earlier, the resurrection pattern of the forest keepers grows more challenging as their numbers dwindle. The remaining ones be stronger. Thus, as their numbers halved and the strength of the keepers doubled, it naturally took more time to deal with each one. Their patterns started to diversify. Thest keeper we¡¯d face would epass all these patterns. It was wise to experience and grasp them thoroughly during the battle. ¡°Haah, hey, don¡¯t you guys ever get tired!?¡± After taking down one of the keepers with her explosive axe, Seron shouted at Aisha and me. If she still had the energy to shout, I wished she¡¯d put in a little more effort. Aisha and I ran toward the next forest keeper with calm expressions. ¡°Compared to daily physical training,¡± ¡°This is nothing,¡± Aisha said, and I replied. I¡¯ve grown stronger thanks to Aisha and the endless hellish training. And, of course, there¡¯s no need to even mention Aisha, who designs those training regimens. ¡°Hmm, should we call you the Iron Greatsword and the Iron Hand?¡± Sirmiel, who had been watching us from a distance, chuckled kindly. At this rate, we might actually end up being called by such nicknames. ¡°Senior Hannon! The roots are moving again!¡± Just then, Foara pointed to the roots above the dark clouds. As he said, the roots had started moving once more. It was a sign that the resurrection phase was progressing. ¡®This is tighter than I thought.¡¯ Dealing with the forest keepers while avoiding the gray zones was taking up more time than expected. Unlike in a game, this was reality. We had to watch the ground beneath us while fighting the keepers. Splitting our focus this way consumed a lot of time. ¡®Should I have saved some of Foara¡¯s firepower after all?¡¯ It was better to use our ace in the hole, the Spirit Lord, during the first phase than to risk injuries. But the resurrection phase was proving to be more of a headache than I anticipated. ¡°Seron, no time to rest! Get up and take down at least one more!¡± ¡°Ugh, I know already!¡± Though groaning, Seron got back up and charged at another forest keeper. "Senior," Meanwhile, Aisha approached me quietly. ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll bete, won¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, if we¡¯re not careful, we might be.¡± Aisha nodded. ¡°Senior, isn¡¯t the main reason we¡¯re dyed in taking down the apostles because of the gray zones?¡± She was right. Taking down the forest keepers themselves wasn¡¯t particrly difficult. But keeping an eye on the gray zones beneath our feet was costing us too much time. ¡°Just this once,¡± Aisha gripped her greatsword tightly. ¡°I can take care of the gray zones for you. Can you handle the rest?¡± My eyes slowly widened as I realized what Aisha was nning. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± I immediately distanced myself from her and ran toward Foara. Meanwhile, Aisha lowered her stance, holding her greatsword. Just then, I grabbed Seron, who had just defeated another forest keeper. ¡°Hey, hey, what are you doing?!¡± ¡°Foara! Can you attach a low-level wind spirit to me?¡± ¡°Y-Yes! That much is doable!¡± Ignoring Seron¡¯sints, I shouted to Foara. Foara quickly summoned a low-level wind spirit, which attached itself to my back. A tiny butterfly-like spirit fluttered its wings gently. I threw Seron toward Foara and Sirmiel. ¡°Holy one, a storm is about to break loose.¡± I looked back at Aisha, who had crouched even lower. ¡°Can you avoid getting swept away?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Sirmiel began to chant prayers, preparing a blessing of protection. Meanwhile, Aisha began spinning in her crouched stance. Whuuum, whuuum, whuuum, whuuum¡ª Her spinning grew impossibly fast, and soon, winds began to gust fiercely around her. The wind was so intense that even the forest keepers were lifted into the air, being pulled toward her. ¡°¡­Is she really one of us?¡± Not a Spirit Lord, but a single human causing such a wind... Seron looked on, visibly shaken. It was true¡ªAisha was beyond human. But that made her the most reliable ally in moments like this. Sirmiel¡¯s protective blessing shielded us from being swept away by the winds. ¡°Foara, get ready!¡± I shouted as I began running toward Aisha, who was now at the center of the storm. Here ites. The wind. As the fierce wind spiraled outward from Aisha, she raised her massive greatsword above her head and brought it crashing down into the ground. Boom! And with that, a storm erupted across the ground. Crackkk¡ª In an instant, everything on the surface was lifted into the air by the raging storm. The forest keepers, caught off guard, were flung about and tangled together,pletely swept up in Aisha¡¯s winds. Seeing this, I positioned myself with my palm forward and shouted to Foara. ¡°Send me flying!¡± At my shout, Foara used her wind spirit tounch me into the air. My body shot upward. But simply charging forward would make me no more than a steel projectile. At this moment, I had to be a bomb capable of taking out all the keepers. I activated my trump card. On my skin, magical runes inscribed with spells began to glow. Magic Engravings. A technique I had learned from Sharin. Normally, magic engravings are meant to be inscribed on objects, not human skin. But what is my skin, if not tougher than most armors? I had etched these engravings directly onto my skin and hidden them with Veil Bandages until the right moment. Heat radiated from my body as mes ignited. This was the ultimate move I had painstakingly prepared for a day like today. The magic engravings on my body were explosive spells. Spells Sharin had personally helped me inscribe. ¡°I¡¯m a human bomb.¡± As my body, engulfed in light, reached the cluster of forest keepers, their desperate struggles were futile. ¡°Take this.¡± BOOOOM! An unprecedented explosion erupted on the first floor of the Gray Forest. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 26 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 26: The Sunflower¡¯s Defeat Isabel Luna. A girl whose bright smile is as radiant and warm as a sunflower. Her cheerful energy could make anyone smile along with her. But recently, that smile had all but disappeared. The reason? The death of her childhood friend, Lucas. A sunflower draws its nourishment from the sun. But now that the sun had vanished, there was nothing left for her. Each night, as Isabely down to sleep, she would remember that fateful day. First-year students normally didn¡¯t enter the Dungeon of Demons. But Isabel and Lucas were part of the special first-year ss. Unlike regr first-years, this ss was chosen for their exceptional abilities, earning them the chance to enter the dungeon ahead of schedule. Isabel, too, should have gone to the dungeon that day. But the night before, a trivial argument arose between her and Lucas. The reason? Isabel had caught a terrible cold. She insisted on going despite her condition, but Lucas had adamantly refused. In the end, Lucas had left with their newly-formed team, promising to bring back some tea to help with her cold. And Lucas never returned. All that came back was the news that he had been killed by a demon. No body. Nothing. Lucas had been her childhood friend, someone she had grown up with for as long as she could remember. And theirst memory together was an argument. That loss left Isabel hollow. A sunflower without its sun wilts away. She stopped eating, drinking, and even sleeping. Isabel was fading, withering, dying. Until one day, a boy appeared before her. A boy who had publicly insulted Lucas in front of everyone. Someone who had done something utterly unforgivable in Isabel¡¯s eyes. Hannon Irey. Fueled by her rage toward him, Isabel changed. Even if it meant her own death, she vowed to make Hannon take back every insult he had ever thrown at Lucas. She became relentless. She ate, drank, and slept again, devoting every waking moment to training. All to defeat him. All to show the world just how great Lucas truly was. And so, she began to live again. Hannon, however, was a strange boy. Whether it was due to some misunderstanding or his own arrogance, he always looked down on her, mocking her at every turn. Many in their ss couldn¡¯t stand him, some even hurling blind criticism at him. But Hannon remained unfazed. If anything, he seemed to provoke people further, hurling sharp retorts as if daring them to criticize him more. Yet, as if to prove his convictions, Hannon casually performed feats that left everyone speechless. Even when thezy genius, Ban, got serious, he defeated him leaving everyone surprised. ¡®What kind of person is he, really?¡¯ Isabel couldn¡¯t figure him out. Andtely, for some reason, she found herself thinking about him more and more. ¡°Isabel, are you okay? You look exhausted.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± Startled by the voice calling out to her, Isabel quickly replied. They were in the Dungeon of Demons. How could she let herself get distracted like this? ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve caused so much trouble for everyone.¡± Behind her, a Divine Arts student named Gaison was being supported by his teammates. He was ranked third in the Divine arts division, but now his body was paralyzed by a demon¡¯s curse. Normally, he would have purified it with his holy powers, But he had exhausted all his strength during the battle with the demon. With no energy left to perform Divine Arts, his recovery had slowed significantly. To avoid pushing themselves too hard, Isabel¡¯s team decided to return to the surface, help Gaison recover, and then reenter the dungeon. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The opponent was tough. Honestly, it¡¯s a relief we made it out with just this much damage.¡± A boy from the magic arts division tried to reassure Gaison. He wasn¡¯t wrong. The demon they had faced on the third floor was far stronger than usual. It was clear that it had spent a much longer time in the dungeon than the others. If their team hadn¡¯t entered together, they might not have been able to defeat it. BOOM! ¡°Why has it been so noisy up there?¡± Mina, Isabel¡¯s friend from the Martial Arts division, frowned. They were climbing the stairs back to the first floor. But today, the noise above was relentless. ¡°Is someone fighting a demon up there?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we and the senior teams clear out all the demons? Could there still be any left?¡± The students murmured amongst themselves. Isabel also looked up the stairs in confusion. At that moment, Ban suddenly snapped his head up, his eyes glinting sharply. ¡°Everyone, prepare yourselves.¡± Before anyone could understand what he meant¡ª BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! A deafening explosion rocked the entire staircase. The ground shook violently, and the students crouched in shock. If the vibrations were reaching the first floor staircase, something serious was happening above. ¡°We need to get up there now.¡± At Ban¡¯s urging, everyone quickly climbed the stairs. When they finally emerged on the surface, a thick cloud of smoke greeted them. ¡°What on earth happened here?¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn Mina waved her hand in disbelief. As the smoke slowly cleared, the gray forest came into view, scarred by the signs of a fierce battle. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Massive roots had been sliced apart. The ground was a gray wastnd, trampled and scorched. Pieces of what seemed to be demon corpses were scattered everywhere. The once-familiar gray forest was unrecognizable. ¡°This ce feels... wrong. The demonic energy here is overwhelming.¡± Even Gaison, a devout believer ranked third in Divine Arts, shrank back at the oppressive atmosphere. ¡°Isabel.¡± Ban called out to her, pointing ahead. There, a woman with blue hair was running, carrying someone in her arms. Isabel recognized her face. It was Aisha Bizvel, a fellow first-year student. But what made Isabel¡¯s eyes widen in shock was the person Aisha was carrying. It was Hannon. ¡°H-Hannon?¡± Isabel stammered in disbelief. Her reaction caught everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Hannon? You mean that piece of trash?¡± Isabel''s friend, Mina, frowned. "Oh, you mean the famous transfer student." A student of Magical arts showed interest. "Mina, you shouldn''t refer to a fellow academy mate like that." Gaison admonished Mina. At the very least, it was clear that everyone knew Hannon''s name. This reaction alone spoke volumes about how shocking his recent actions had been, enough to catch everyone¡¯s attention in a short time. "Let¡¯s go." Among them, only Ban remained calm, leading the way toward Hannon. The rest followed him without hesitation. As they approached, the team on the first floor came into view. The most shocked among them was Gaison. "Si-Sirmiel!?" Saint Sirmiel von Eden. A figure whose status rivaled that of the imperial princess. Seeing someone of such prominence in this ce left the students utterly stunned. But Sirmiel paid no attention to them. He was focused solely on healing Hannon, using divine magic. Soon, everyone turned their gaze to Hannon and gasped. Hannon¡¯s condition was a mess. His skin was scorched in ces, he had severe burns, and his left arm waspletely twisted. Anyone could see how serious his injuries were. "¡­Seron, what happened?" Ban directed his question at Seron, who stood frozen. Startled, Seron turned to Ban. "Oh, Ban? When did you and Isabel, Mina get here?" Seron¡¯s dazed reaction made it clear she hadn''t even noticed their arrival. "Seron, can you exin what happened?" When Isabel pressed her again, Seron scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "Well, um¡­ An Apostle appeared on the first floor. You know, they say when a dungeon¡¯syout shifts ny-nine times, and then the hundredth time looks different, a dangerous Apostle might appear." Seron¡¯s exnation was disjointed and rambling. However, Isabel¡¯s team was sharp and highly capable. Despite her muddled words, they understood perfectly. The essence of the situation was this: A far more dangerous Apostle emerged when the Gray Forest reached its hundredth transformation. Somehow, Hannon foresaw this, led everyone to face the Apostle, and achieved victory. That was the bottom line. "Is he an idiot? If he knew about something like that, he should¡¯ve gathered people to fight together from the start." Mina was outraged after hearing the story, but her words were countered by Gaison. "No, that¡¯s not the case. When we descended to the second floor, the Gray Forest remained unchanged. It¡¯s possible that the Apostle has specific activation conditions." Conditions like the number of people dwindling below a certain threshold. Simr patterns had been observed in past dungeon explorations. Hannon knew this and waited until all the teams moved to the second floor. "Besides, this is the Gray Forest we¡¯re talking about. The more people there are, the harder the battle bes." Gaison pointed to the gray-tinted ground. True to his words, the Gray Forest¡¯s nature made battles more challenging withrger groups. Whether they liked it or not, they had to fight the Apostle with a small team. "Se-Senior" At that moment, Foara, who had been silent, spoke up hesitantly. "Senior said he nned to stay in the Gray Forest until something happened." Even if the hundredth shift in the Gray Forest turned out to be nothing. Even if the Apostle¡¯s activation required everyone to leave. He was prepared for that. "He was determined to stay and ensure no one could be prevented from returning because of an Apostle." By remaining here, Hannon ensured that other students who descended to lower floors could return safely. This ce was an academy. Achievements in the dungeon became des and brought benefits to students. Zerion Academy was a gathering ce for those who sought to make their names known to the world, beyond the duty of protecting it from the dungeons. Yet Hannon forsook all that, choosing instead to stay on the first floor. Solely so everyone could return safely. And the Apostle that appeared was so dangerous that, without Hannon¡¯s leadership, the team would have been annihted. Had any other team stayed behind, they would have been wiped out, and exhausted students returning from the lower floors would have also suffered mass casualties. Thus, Hannon fought and defeated the Apostle at the cost of ending up in his current state. "He really turned into a burnt potato, huh¡­ Not what I meant at all¡­" Seron muttered gloomily, and everyone wore somber expressions. Isabel, in particr, stared nkly at Hannon. In her mind, she kept reying what he said on his first day at the academy. ¡®I came here to ensure that Zerion Academy will no longer be tarnished by disgrace.¡¯ No more disgrace for Zerion Academy. Isabel¡¯s eyes widened as understanding dawned. There was a deeper meaning to those words. He was also determined to ensure no student would die and everyone could return safely. As if he vowed to prevent another tragedy like Lucas¡¯s death. "So that¡¯s what he meant¡­" Isabel¡¯s fists clenched tightly, trembling. She had merely wallowed in despair after Lucas¡¯s death, letting time slip by. But Hannon had trained himself and fought to prevent such tragedies from happening again. That realization weighed heavily on Isabel, dragging her down. ¡®I¡¯ve lost.¡¯ In so many ways, she felt defeated by him. Isabel stared at Hannon, silentlying to terms with her loss. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 27 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 27: This Wasn''t Intentional A dull ringing echoed in my head. Strength slowly returned to my fingertips. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Suddenly, something surged up from my stomach, and I spat it out in one heave. ¡°Gah!¡± ck smoke escaped my mouth as my eyes flicked open. Unfamiliar faces came into view. Isabel, Ban, and her team. ¡°Senior!¡± I heard Aisha¡¯s voice calling out to me. Exhaling thest of the smoke, I frowned. What¡¯s with their expressions? Everyone looked like they¡¯d just seen a corpse. ¡®More importantly¡­¡¯ Had I fainted? My gaze shifted to my body. At the same time, I noticed Sirmiel, who had just lowered his hands. I quickly racked my brain for details. I clearly remembered activating the magical inscription on the forest guardian and throwing myself into the fray. But after the explosion of the magic inscription, I cked out for a moment. The problem was the power of that explosive magic inscription. ¡®It was much stronger than I expected.¡¯ The magical inscription engraved on my steel skin had been crafted with Sharin¡¯s assistance. I had anticipated significant power, but this was beyond expectations. ¡®¡­Could it be that a specific condition caused a synergy between the magical inscription and my steel skin?¡¯ The steel skin contained mystical energy. Using it inbination with the magical inscription might have caused this unexpected result. ¡®I never thought the explosion would be so overwhelming that I¡¯d pass out.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t my intention. I ended up worrying everyone unnecessarily. ¡°Thank you, Saint.¡± ¡°I just did what needed to be done.¡± Sirmiel smiled warmly. As expected of a saint. ¡°Do you need support?¡± As Aisha approached, I waved her off. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Fully recovered now.¡± The saint¡¯s healing had worked wonders. In fact, my body felt even better than before I¡¯d fainted. ¡®Looks like the forest guardian has been dealt with.¡¯ The students¡¯ return shouldn¡¯t pose any issues. What puzzled me, however, was Isabel¡¯s group. ¡°Isabel.¡± When I called her, she flinched and looked over at me. Her reaction was strange. ¡°You seem to havee up much faster than expected.¡± Isabel remained silent, staring at me. Her gaze wavered uneasily. Under normal circumstances, she would¡¯ve grumbled about something. But today, her reaction was different. ¡°It¡¯s because I was cursed. It wasn¡¯t anyone else¡¯s fault.¡± At that moment, a student specializing in divine studies stepped forward. The man with impressively short-cropped hair was Gaison Jerusky. ¡®That¡¯s a solid partyposition.¡¯ It looked stable. With that setup, they should have no problem exploring the lower floors. ¡°Is that so? In that case, fair enough.¡± If the healer had been cursed, retreating was the correct decision. I didn¡¯t press further and stood up. ¡°Team Hanon, let¡¯s head back.¡± We had used up considerable energy dealing with the forest guardian. Having achieved our Act 3, Chapter 3 objectives, retreating was the right call. As it turned out, our team returned with Isabel¡¯s group. Isabel followed us silently, her lips tightly sealed. I wasn¡¯t sure what had caused her sudden change in demeanor. I just hoped it wasn¡¯t anything bad. Upon our safe return, I reported the situation to Professor Vega, who had been waiting. Her expression hardened before she told us to rest and hurried off to speak with another professor. They would likely issue additional warnings to future students entering the Dungeon. ¡®The Dungeon¡¯s transformations weren¡¯t a well-known topic yet.¡¯ The Dungeon appeared four times a year, once per season. Each time, its environment shifted. Identifying the Dungeon¡¯s transformative patterns was difficult even with over a hundred documented appearances. This was a privilege unique to the yer¡¯s perspective. The reason I hadn¡¯t disclosed this knowledge earlier was simple. With the protagonist Lucas absent, I wanted to guide the story as closely to the original as possible. The Dungeon¡¯s transformations only became a focus after Act 3, Chapter 3. So, I allowed things to proceed as they would in the original storyline. ¡®This way, things have mostly followed canon.¡¯ The only difference was a few swapped characters. ¡°Hanon, you¡­¡± Suddenly, Isabel spoke to me. When I turned to face her, she was quietly looking at me. Her demeanor was more subdued than usual. ¡°If the Apostle hadn¡¯t appeared in the Gray Forest, what were you nning to do?¡± She already seemed to know the answer, yet she asked for confirmation. The forest guardian¡¯s appearance was a fixed event. But that was knowledge only a yer would have; the others wouldn¡¯t know. ¡°I would¡¯ve waited. Or stayed on standby until the students returned.¡± I offered a usible exnation, and Isabel simply replied, ¡°I see,¡± before walking away. Today, it was harder than ever to read her thoughts. What¡¯s going on with her? But due to the rapport I¡¯d built with Isabel, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask. In the end, I let her leave with her group without questioning her. In the distance, I saw professors chatting amongst themselves. My teammates, clearly exhausted, were slumping to the ground. Act 3, Chapter 3. The Dungeon¡¯s transformation and the forest guardian event. We had safely navigated through it. At the same time, the stage was set for Act 3¡¯s final boss: The Dragon of Cmity, Nikita Cynthia. Her descent into darkness would begin with the assassination of her brother, Nia Cynthia. * * * The first quarter Dungeon event concluded safely thereafter. All students returned. Though some were injured, there were no fatalities. The students each proudly shared their achievements. However, among the aplishments, some stood out more than others. Chief among them was Isabel¡¯s group. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Apostle they encountered on the third floor was a named one, having survived for a considerable time. It was a vile creature that climbed up to wait for skilled students descending the levels, timing its ambush. Fortunately, Ban sensed its presence and engaged in battle, ultimately defeating the named Apostle without any casualties. Thanks to this, Isabel''s party''s reputation soared. ¡°That was a hidden event, and they handled it well.¡± If Isabel hadn¡¯t dealt with it, I had nned to take care of it myself next quarter. The Apostle Isabel¡¯s party defeated was one that caused increasing problems the longer it lived. So, I had intended to handle itter, but Isabel¡¯s party did a good job. ¡®They¡¯re doing well even without the protagonist.¡¯ As expected, they¡¯re a former protagonist party for a reason. ¡°Huh? Synergy between Mystery and Magic Inscription?¡± At that moment, a voice came from beside me¡ªa girl with eyes like a gxy. It was Sharin Sazaris, the top of the Academy in magical studies. I asked Sharin about the connection between magic inscriptions and Mystery. She showed genuine interest, something rare from her. ¡°No one has ever had both Mystery and Magic Inscriptions, so I didn¡¯t know either.¡± She spoke in a drawn-out voice, her eyes sparkling. Although Sharin always seemed indifferent to everything, magic was an exception. ¡°If this kind of explosion happens again, it¡¯ll be troublesome. Could I ask you to look into it?¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯m curious about it too.¡± Thankfully, there were no strings attached this time. I was grateful for Sharin¡¯s generosity. Setting aside research on Mystery and Magic Inscription with Sharin, the season was already shifting toward summer. The heat began to rise steadily from the ground. In no time, cicadas would be chirping in full force. As a result, the students¡¯ attire became lighter. Even Sharin in front of me was dressed in a sleeveless shirt and shorts. The exposure was excessive. ¡°Sharin, isn¡¯t your outfit a bit too casual, even for the dorm?¡± This was the dormitory¡¯smon room. Although there was some freedom in attire, Sharin¡¯s was too loose. Sharin smirkedzily. ¡°What? Worried about bing a hormonal teenager?¡± Her teasing was evident on her face, a confidence born of ease. Among her peers, no one could do much about Sharin, the top student in magical studies. Still... ¡°One day, you¡¯ll regret this confidence.¡± Challenging such overconfidence is a man¡¯s dream. But Sharin waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I only dress like this in front of you, Hannon.¡± I swallowed nervously. ¡°¡­Then why are you dressed like this in front of me?¡± Sharinughedzily. ¡°Who knows?¡± What a sly fox. ¡°By the way, Sharin, how¡¯s Isabel doing recently?¡± Before she could tease me further, I changed the subject. Sharin sprawled across the table. ¡°Same as usual. Training has gotten a bit more intense, though.¡± She said this, pressing her cheek to the table and ncing up at me. ¡°Did something happen between you and Isabel?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Recently, whenever I encountered Isabel, she would nce at me and then walk off without a word. She didn¡¯t even give me a chance to provoke her anymore. ¡°Oh, by the way, there¡¯s a rumor about Isabel.¡± ¡°What rumor?¡± ¡°She¡¯s been hanging out with Ban a lottely. People are saying there might be something between them.¡± With Ban? Isabel had been avoiding me so muchtely that I hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°Apparently, Isabel is training with Ban.¡± It¡¯s not a bad decision. Ban is undeniably a genius when ites to swordsmanship. He would undoubtedly be a great help to Isabel, who also wields a sword. ¡°People just can¡¯t resist pairing others together. They were like this during the Lucas days too.¡± She trailed off, falling silent. It was clear she was thinking about Lucas¡¯s death. ¡®I guess I¡¯ve been spending quite a bit of time with Sharintely.¡¯ I realized Sharin¡¯s attitude toward me had be much more rxed recently. That must be why Lucas¡¯s name slipped out. ¡°I never thought there was anything between Isabel and Lucas, though.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Weren¡¯t Isabel and Lucas fond of each other?¡± ¡°They were more like siblings. Isabel used toin to Lucas a lot.¡± Come to think of it, Isabel only starts to fall for Lucas in Act 4. Until then, the story emphasizes their friendship. Isabel falling for Lucas is one of the most iconic scenes. Not because Lucas looked cool, but because Lucas, having been broken by numerous tragedies, cried out in anger at the world. Isabel embraced him to console him and, in doing so, truly fell in love. ¡®I¡¯ll never get to see that moment.¡¯ Lucas is no longer in this world. The iconic scenes I remember are now meaningless. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth. ¡°Hannon, don¡¯t you have anything like that?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Someone you like, or someone you¡¯re paired with.¡± Ridiculous. ¡°I¡¯ve only been at the Academy for less than six months.¡± How could I have someone I like in such a short time? ¡°Oh, but there is someone who catches my eye.¡± ¡°Sorry, Hannon, but I don¡¯t want to date you.¡± ¡°Who said it was you?¡± I got rejected before I even confessed. ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s Senior Nikita.¡± ¡°Hannon, you really admire Senior Nikita.¡± Sharin already knew how much I admired Nikita. It wasn¡¯t romantic interest but pure admiration for Nikita as a person. Which is why the impending disaster involving the Dragoness weighed heavily on my mind. ¡°Oh, speaking of Senior Nikita¡¯s brother...¡± I quickly turned my head. Could it be? Was some event unfolding? ¡°He¡¯sing to Zerion Academy as a visiting associate professor in Magic Arts.¡± What? Why? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 28 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 28: The Vice President Addicted to Praise Nia Cynthia has been appointed as an Associate Professor of Magic at Zerion Academy. This waspletely unexpected. In all the games I¡¯ve yed, Nia Cynthia has nevere to Zerion Academy as a professor. ¡®Why?¡¯ What could have influenced her appointment to Zerion Academy? I couldn¡¯t figure it out. ¡®Nia Cynthia is loyal to the First Prince.¡¯ The First Prince¡¯s only reason to take interest in Zerion Academy is when Lucas ys a significant role. ¡®It was Hannon Irey who was sent to recruit Lucas in the first ce.¡¯ But Hannon didn¡¯t transfer here. To be precise, I, pretending to be Hannon, transferred instead. At that point, the First Prince lost interest in Zerion Academy. The First Prince isn¡¯t the type to focus on the future anyway. He prioritizes building rtionships with the current key yers in politics, not with fledglings who will barely enter the political scene ten years from now. Thus, he willingly handed over Zerion Academy¡¯s future talent pool to the Third Princess, Iris Hysirion. He was confident that as long as he secured the key figures of the present, he would be Emperor. ¡®Lucas is dead.¡¯ There¡¯s no Lucas to capture the attention of the First Prince, who focuses on the present. And yet, Nia, his closest aide, ising to the Academy? It doesn¡¯t make sense. ¡®Damn this world.¡¯ I sighed as I walked down the corridor. It¡¯s already challenging enough to guide this world towards the main story since it¡¯s heading straight for a bad ending. And now, issues from outside Zerion Academy are rolling in. ¡®Did something change with the First Prince?¡¯ There¡¯s nothing I can deduce immediately. So, I was heading somewhere to figure it out. An all-too-familiar door appeared in front of me. The door to the Student Council Room. Knock, knock¡ª After two knocks, I slowly opened the door. A small courtesy for whoever was inside. Creak¡ª As the door opened, the sunlight streaming in from behind me revealed a girl holding a feather quill. Her long silver hair shimmered beautifully under the sunlight. Her deep blue eyes, like the ocean, locked onto mine. At first nce, she gave off a cold impression. But as soon as she saw me, her face softened into a gentle smile, dispelling that impression entirely. "Well, look who it is. The underssman who made waves in the First Floor Dungeon!" Nikita greeted me with apliment. As she said, news of my team¡¯s sess in the Hannon expedition had spread among the students. The Forest Keeper Apostle incident could have caused numerous casualties. But we foresaw it and prevented any deaths, earning praise from the Academy. Moreover, investigations into the Dungeon¡¯s transformations had begun in earnest. Measures to prevent such changes would soon be implemented¡ªa relief for me. "Not as impressive as you, Senior Nikita." But it wasn¡¯t just our team that aplished something noteworthy. Nikita¡¯s team,posed of third-years, had reached the sixth floor of the Dungeon, a feat previously unheard of for their grade. Until now, the third-year record was the fifth floor. For a team to reach the sixth floor as soon as they became third-years was groundbreaking. It was safe to say Nikita¡¯s team was the most outstanding among the third-years. Still, Nikita chuckled wryly at mypliment. "By old standards, this is just average progress. Nothing remarkable. Our generationcks talent." She wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªthis year¡¯s third-year talent pool was rather poor. Justst year, graduates had reached the sixth floor as second-years and even set a record by reaching the eighth floor as third-years. Inparison, this year¡¯s third-years were just now reaching the sixth floor, leading to their unfortunate reputation as the ¡°Weakest Generation.¡± "Besides, I hear some underssmen already reached the fifth floor. They¡¯ll catch up to us soon enough." Indeed, a second-year team had already reached the fifth floor. It was expected that they¡¯d hit the sixth floor in the next Dungeon expedition, likely surpassing Nikita¡¯s team¡¯s achievements. ¡®The second-year talent pool is off the charts.¡¯ The second-years were known as the Generation of Golden mes. This was Lucas¡¯s generation¡ªthe protagonist''s generation. Among them were: - The Final Princess, Iris Hysirion. - The Lazy Genius, Ban. - The Brilliant Mage with the Celestial Light, Sharin. - The Saint, Sirmiel von Eden. And this was only the beginning. Many others possessed immense potential, some of which had yet to manifest. ¡®It¡¯s only natural for the protagonist¡¯s generation to stand out.¡¯ The protagonist is the cornerstone of the story. It made sense that extraordinary talent clustered around them. This stark difference between the second and third-years inevitably caused friction. Such stark contrasts fueled their rivalry. ¡°What does it matter what others think?¡± But to me, none of that mattered. "Senior Nikita, you set a new record. That¡¯s worth celebrating." Breaking a record meant achieving something through effort. That was what truly mattered. Nikita blinked at me, her expression softening into a faint smile. "You always know how to say the right things, don¡¯t you?" It was something Nikita often said about me. "Others think I have a sharp tongue, though." "How strange. From what I¡¯ve seen, you always use kind words. Why not treat others the way you treat me?" "Oh, no. This is just for you, Senior Nikita." "¡­Should I feel honored by that?" Nikita made a peculiar expression. I learned this approach from Sharin recently, but it didn¡¯t seem to work as intended. "By the way, senior, I wanted to ask you something." I approached Nikita and casually picked up some of the paperwork she had been working on. "What is it?" "I heard Nia Cynthia is joining as the new Associate Professor of Magic. Shouldn¡¯t I, as your underssman, go greet him on your behalf?" Holding a feather quill, I began assisting with her tasks. "Don¡¯t bother." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w A cold voice escaped Nikita¡¯s lips. Startled, I nced at her. She had covered her mouth with her hand, clearly surprised by her own reaction. "Ah, no, that¡¯s not what I meant." Nikita waved her hands frantically, looking flustered, trying to diffuse the situation. But I could already tell why Nikita had reacted the way she did moments ago. Nikita idolizes Nia Cynthia. To her, Nia is an aspiration, an ideal, a cool older brother figure. However, behind every idolization and admiration lies jealousy. The Cynthia Marquis family is a house of mages. But Nikita was born into that family with no magical talent whatsoever. The evaluation she received from those around her? A pretty doll for political marriage. Humans tend to yearn for what they cannot have. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Nikita, too, once longed to be born with magical talent, something she found deeply unfair. Nikita is not a wless superhuman. No matter how great of a brother Nia might be, jealousy lingered somewhere deep in her heart. She was simply mature enough never to let it show. But now, for the first time, that jealousy had surfaced. And this time, its direction was... me. I am someone who endlessly praises Nikita. When I meet her, tenpliments a day are the baseline. I am the only person who unconditionally supports and appreciates her, no matter what she does. This is something she had never experienced, even as a child¡ªsomeone cherishing her with yful affection. Nikita, who had grown up more ustomed to being underestimated than praised, At first, she was flustered and shy at mypliments. But recently, she¡¯d started to enjoy them, asionally throwing me a subtle look that seemed to say, ¡°Go on,pliment me.¡± And it¡¯s incredibly endearing. Somewhere along the way, my praise had burrowed deep into Nikita¡¯s life. Once she¡¯d tastedpliments, there was no going back. Even Nikita couldn¡¯t part with them now. Amidst this dynamic, Nia Cynthia had appeared. Nia Cynthia was, in every way, Nikita¡¯s superior counterpart. Having lived her whole lifepared to Nia, Nikita knew she couldn¡¯t have what Nia had, while Nia could possess everything Nikita did. I had joined the student council because I admired Nikita. What would happen if I, who admired her, saw Nia Cynthia, Nikita¡¯s superior version? For a moment, Nikita entertained such a thought. The thought that Nia Cynthia might take me away. For Nikita, who had never received the fulfilling affection ofpliments as a child, it must have felt like losing a cherished, beloved toy. ¡°Senior Nikita, I¡¯m not going anywhere. The only person I admire is you.¡± So, I decided to make it clear to Nikita. Nia Cynthia wasn¡¯t even on my radar. The only one I admire is Nikita. Upon hearing this, Nikita slowly lifted her head, her eyes widening as if she¡¯d just realized something. Whoosh! And then Nikita disappeared. To be precise, she dove under her desk. Judging by her reaction, it seemed she had only now grasped the implications of her earlier behavior. I scooted my chair closer to Nikita¡¯s desk. ¡°W-wait, don¡¯te over here!¡± Nikita shouted from under the desk, her hands covering her face. She looked like a hamster hiding in a hole. I casually took a seat in her chair. ¡°H-hey, you can go home for today, junior!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. You doubted me, Senior Nikita, so I have to make sure you understand. You¡¯re the only one I admire!¡± ¡°Junior, sometimes I hate how sharp your intuition is! But why are you so oblivious now?!¡± ¡°To clear your doubts, I¡¯ve decided to set aside my ability to read the room temporarily.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you show a little consideration for me?!¡± Nikita let out a groan of despair from under the desk. Is this what sadism feels like? I think I just discovered something new. Still, it seemed like Nikita was reaching her limit, so I was about to stop. ¡°Hm, what¡¯s going on here?¡± A new voice interrupted. Thud! Nikita tried to stand up abruptly, only to hit her head on the desk. As she clutched her head, groaning in pain, I turned around. There, standing by the student council room door, was a strikingly handsome man with long silver hair the same color as Nikita¡¯s. And I knew exactly who he was. Nia Cynthia. The very person we¡¯d been talking about had walked into the student council room. ¡°B-brother!¡± Nikita hurriedly crawled out from under the desk and bowed her head. At this, Nia smiled warmly. ¡°Nikita, could you exin what¡¯s going on here?¡± Big Brother had arrived. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 29 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 29: Advanced Praise Techniques Nia Cynthia. Since childhood, Nia had been hailed as a prodigy in magic. By the time he turned 10, the number of spells he could wield exceeded 1,000. This was a talent that could be counted on one hand in the entire history of the Empire. Thanks to this, the Cynthia Marquis family celebrated. With an heir this exceptional, it was only natural. Thus, Nia grew up with everything. As a genius. As the heir to the Cynthia Marquis family. As the future Yellow Magic Tower Master. His influence was so great that depending on which royal faction he supported, the politicalndscape could shift dramatically. Nia rose to the highest position among the promising youth of his time. ¡®And that was the greatest mistake of his life.¡¯ The moment Nia sided with the First Prince, the delicate bnce between the First Prince and the Third Princess shattered. Although Nia''s aplishments were remarkable, they were not at the level of shaking the Empire''s entire political sphere. After all, he was merely the heir to the Marquis title, not the Marquis himself, and he was the sessor to the Tower Master, not the current holder. However, the power struggle for the throne between the First Prince and the Third Princess had already been ongoing for years. Most figures in the Empire¡¯s political world had already aligned themselves with one side. The political bnce had been precariously even for far too long. Nia was the perfect figure to break that bnce. A promising asset with undeniable future value. This potential alone tipped the scales. ¡®That¡¯s why Iris¡¯ maternal grandfather, Duke Robliage, extended his influence to Zerion Academy.¡¯ The n of the Third Princess¡¯s faction was to absorb promising youth, ensuring the throne would tilt in their favor when the time came. But in this context, Nia, a promising figure with clear potential, suddenly sided with the First Prince. For the Third Princess¡¯s faction, it was akin to being struck by lightning. Thus, they made a bold move. Eliminate Nia Cynthia. If they couldn¡¯t have him, they would destroy him. That was their n. And now, Nia was standing right in front of me. ¡°Oh, brother, have you changed your staff? It looks good,¡± Nikita said, trying to ease the tension by changing the subject. As she mentioned, there was a rather fine-looking staff secured at Nia¡¯s waist. ¡°You¡¯ve got a sharp eye. My old one was identally broken by an acquaintance, so I had to rece it,¡± Nia replied graciously. Seizing the chance, Nikita quickly continued on the same topic. ¡°Oh dear, I remember the previous one was quite an impressive piece.¡± ¡°It was, but the craftsman who made it had a recent ident involving a carriage. The recement was made by another craftsman rmended by the acquaintance who broke it,¡± Nia exined with a gentle smile. ¡°And now, Nikita, would you care to exin this situation?¡± The conversation looped back to the original issue. His gaze turned chilling¡ªspecifically, the way he looked at me was cold enough to cut. ¡®Nia Cynthia dotes on Nikita immensely.¡¯ This line was written in his character description. Until now, I had no way to verify the truth of this. The yer: me Butterfly Arc focused on incidents within Zerion Academy. Nia was entirely an external figure to the academy. Whenever he was mentioned, it was always in rtion to his death. So, it was a bit surprising. This was my first time seeing him alive. ¡°Well, that¡¯s...¡± Pressed by Nia, Nikita¡¯s face grew troubled. It was understandable; she didn¡¯t know how to exin the current situation. Nia, watching her in silence, sighed deeply. ¡°Nikita, I want you to have healthy romantic rtionships.¡± Then Nia turned his gaze toward me, and his eyes were dead cold. Healthy romantic rtionships? It seemed like he had misunderstood the situation between me and Nikita. Well, to be fair, the scene he walked in on wasn¡¯t exactly normal. A younger sister under the desk, with a male student deliberately blocking the view in front of her. Yeah, it sounded pretty strange. I was just teasing Nikita a little because she looked cute. This is unfair. ¡°Not with some random guy who rolled in from who-knows-where.¡± That¡¯s harsh. For the record, even Hannon has a connection to the Robliage family. ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s why.¡¯ By siding with the First Prince, Nia had effectively made an enemy of the Robliage Ducal family. The Hannon I was pretending to be had the signature ck hair and red eyes of the Robliage bloodline. Of course, Nia must have noticed. ¡®Now that I think about it.¡¯ Does Nia know that Hannon was supposed to be a card for the First Prince to use? I couldn¡¯t tell, as I didn¡¯t know much about Nia. ¡°R-Romantic rtionship? That¡¯s a misunderstanding! There¡¯s nothing like that between me and the junior!¡± Nikita vehemently denied it, her face pale. She understood her position well. While she could live free of family restrictions at Zerion Academy, After graduating, she would inevitably be used in a political marriage. Thebel of a romantic rtionship would be uneptable for her. In political marriages, chastity was crucial, and such rumors could deal a significant blow. Nikita didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for her family. ¡°Really?¡± Nia¡¯s face brightened slightly. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s hear what he has to say.¡± Nia¡¯s cold eyesnded on me. He, like Nikita, possessed striking features. Some might find his look appealing, but I wasn¡¯t into men. ¡°Senior Nikita is the senior I respect most in this world.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Nikita flinched, clearly not expecting me to openly praise her in front of Nia. ¡°As Vice President, she performs her duties diligently and even helps with the responsibilities of others. She¡¯s exceptionally generous. Although she sometimes hums a little when stressed, I think it shows she even has talent in music. That¡¯s another reason I admire her.¡± Words about Nikita poured out of my mouth like a rapid-fire cannon. Nikita stared at me with her mouth agape, looking utterly dumbfounded. Her expression screamed, How do you know all that? Nia slowly furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°...Anything else?¡± For some reason, he demanded more. ¡°There¡¯s plenty. Just yesterday, she attempted to eat eggnt, which she usually dislikes. Though she failed, isn¡¯t the attempt itself what truly matters?¡± Nikita¡¯s lips quivered as if to protest. Nikita¡¯s lips moved slightly. ¡°Nikita, you¡¯ve really grown so much,¡± [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Nia said, looking at Nikita with eyes full of pride. I was starting to understand how to deal with Nia. ¡°So, is there more?¡± ¡°Yes, of course, there¡¯s more. Just the other day¡­¡± Squeeze¡ª Suddenly, my body was pulled slightly downward. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om When I turned my head, I saw Nikita ring at me, her teeth clenched tightly. Nikita¡¯s body trembled. If this continued, she¡¯d explode. ¡°¡­Both of you, get out.¡± No. She¡¯d already exploded. ¡°Get out!!¡± And so, Nia and I were kicked out of the student council room. The two of us stood awkwardly in the hallway, with the door to the student council room shut behind us. ¡°¡­That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Nikita yell like that,¡± Nia murmured, his expression filled with various thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s probably because, in the family, Senior Nikita never allowed herself to express her emotions.¡± Nia nced at me. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I sent Nikita to Zerion Academy.¡± I didn¡¯t know that. It seemed that Nikita had been able toe to Zerion Academy thanks to Nia¡¯s influence. Now I understood why Nikita had been so furious at Nia¡¯s death and why she had gone so far as to confront an elder dragon. Nia genuinely cared for Nikita. Knowing this, Nikita must have suppressed her jealousy and sincerely followed Nia. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Nia suddenly asked for my name. What should I do? If Nia knew about Hannon, things could getplicated. ording to my n, the news of Hannon transferring should reach the First Prince¡¯s ears in about six months. But with Nia¡¯s appearance, that timeline had been elerated. ¡®For now¡­¡¯ I might as well throw the dice. ¡°Hannon Irey.¡± ¡°Hannon, huh.¡± Nia repeated the name, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll remember it,¡± And turned to leave. Judging by hisck of reaction, it didn¡¯t seem like he knew anything about Hannon from the First Prince. I exhaled a small sigh of relief. Luckily, my ns wouldn¡¯t be too disrupted. ¡®I wanted to ask why he came to the academy.¡¯ Oh well. I¡¯d find out soon enough. ¡®Since I¡¯m banned from the student council room for today¡­¡¯ I might as well return early and focus on some physical training. A week had passed since Nia Cynthia joined as an associate professor. Thanks to him, the girls at the academy were in an uproar. Nia had the kind of charm you¡¯d call the "princely noble" type. On top of that, his speech was kind and amodating, and he answered students¡¯ questions with genuine care. To the girls, there couldn¡¯t have been a more ideal man. As a result, even the female students in the martial arts department were chatting excitedly about Nia. ¡°Tch, what¡¯s so great about someone who looks like a foppish yboy?¡± The girl next to me grumbled, ring at the other girls with a look of disdain. She flipped her fiery red hair like a whip and turned to me. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Princess Sweet Potato?¡± ¡°Why are you casually sitting next to me and chatting?¡± Her name was Seron Pharmia. She was someone I¡¯d teamed up with during thest dungeon raid. Ever since then, she seemed to think we were close. Recently, she¡¯d started sitting next to me during martial arts sses. To be precise, she¡¯d been ostracized by the other girls and, unwilling to be alone, decided to sit next to me instead. ¡°And what¡¯s with the ¡®Princess Sweet Potato¡¯ nickname now?¡± Last time it was "Burnt Sweet Potato," and now it¡¯s "Princess Sweet Potato." ¡°Well,st time, Aisha carried you like a princess, remember?¡± I didn¡¯t. I¡¯d been too out of it from the explosion. For some reason, I¡¯d be known as a lunatic who blew himself up to kill an Apostle. Technically, I did blow myself up. But I¡¯d calcted that there wouldn¡¯t be any coteral damage. Who could¡¯ve predicted that my steel skin and magic engravings would synergize so explosively? But to everyone else, I looked like some nutcase who¡¯d gone on a suicide bombing spree. As a result, most people avoided me. They didn¡¯t want to provoke me and risk me ¡°exploding¡± again. Oh, the loneliness. ¡°Burnt Sweet Potato seems to be retired now.¡± ¡°¡­I won¡¯t call you that anymore,¡± Seron replied, turning her head away with a sour expression. If that¡¯s the case, why call me Sweet Potato at all? Whether I was burnt or royal, the name Sweet Potato didn¡¯t matter to me. ¡°If you keep hanging around me like this, the girls will never ept you back.¡± ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m tired of trying to please them.¡± She was a girl herself, and yet this was her attitude. ¡°I think I get along better with the guys.¡± Coming from someone who¡¯d left the girls¡¯ group to blend in with the guys¡¯ group, that was a pretty bold statement. I could see Seron¡¯s bleak future unfolding¡ªbing the sole object of everyone¡¯s unrequited love, the queen bee of the boys¡¯ group. ¡°Seron, you need to reconcile with the other girls right now.¡± ¡°What? No way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying this for your own good. I don¡¯t want to see you turn into a queen bee.¡± ¡°¡­Did you hit your head again? Maybe that explosion fried your brain and left it empty.¡± She didn¡¯t understand my sincerity. ¡°Hey, Sweet Potato, let¡¯s grab lunch.¡± While I was bickering with Seron, a familiar voice called out. Pushing Seron¡¯s forehead back as she lunged at me, I looked up to see Card. Same as always, he wore his carefree smirk. Judging by the timing, he¡¯d just finished his magic ss ande over. Lately, the three of us¡ªme, Seron, and Card¡ªoften ate lunch together. I was getting used to it, even though we¡¯d started to be known as the ¡°problem child trio.¡± Honestly, my reputation couldn¡¯t get any worse, so it didn¡¯t bother me. ¡°Card, what do you think of Associate Professor Nia Cynthia?¡± As we walked out with Seron, I asked. Card shrugged. ¡°I feel a sense of rivalry.¡± ¡°Not that nonsense. Don¡¯t you know why he came to be an associate professor here?¡± Card, being a magic student, must¡¯ve heard something. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s kind of an amusing reason.¡± I knew it. If anyone knew, it¡¯d be him. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, get this.¡± Lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, Card continued. ¡°He came here to test an anti-aging spell.¡± And with that, I was hit with a reason I hadn¡¯t anticipated. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 30 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 30: The Princess Teaches Assassination A Magic to Reverse Aging. The magic that makes one younger. With that, it was immediately clear why Nia hade to the academy as an associate professor of magic arts. ¡®If one can be younger, even adults could enter the Demon Dungeon.¡¯ The Demon Dungeon could only be entered by students who had not yet reached adulthood. Thus, while the world begrudgingly epted this reality, under the noble mission of protecting it from the Apostles of Ruin, it was sacrificing students. Naturally, the world would not find this entirely justifiable. Certainly, some extraordinary students had emerged, worthy of the title of "heroes." However, the future was always uncertain. In the eyes of older generations, the young seemed endlessly immature and vulnerable. They respected the young in their own way, but they couldn''t entirely suppress their unease about entrusting them with such tasks. More importantly, adults bore the burden of responsibility. It was their duty to pave the way for a better society for the younger generation, to ensure that they walked the right path. Thus, adults sought ways to confront the Demon Dungeon. As heart-wrenching as it was, the current third-year generation already bore the shameful title of the "weakest generation." If the next generation and the one after that continued to fall short, the Apostles would not be stopped, and they would open the gates of the Demon Dungeon. To prevent this, the magic of reversing aging was developed. ¡®It seems they took inspiration from the same method I used with the Veil Bandages.¡¯ Originally, Vikamon was a current third-year student. By next year, he would no longer be able to enter the Demon Dungeon. However, the Veil Bandages solved that problem. The Veil Bandages were unique among items¡ªa singr artifact crafted through mystery. The wearer of the Veil Bandages could transform into anything, including physically regressing their age to be younger. ¡®With the Veil Bandages, anyone can enter the Demon Dungeon.¡¯ This was knowledge only the yers possessed. One might think it would be sufficient to use the Veil Bandages to send a promising knightmander into the Demon Dungeon. But if it were that simple, I wouldn¡¯t be going through all this trouble. ¡®Besides, the Duke of Robliage would surely interfere.¡¯ The Duke of Robliage had already joined hands with the Apostles of Ruin. He would never let such a thing slide. The knightmander would be killed somewhere, and the Veil Bandages would be destroyed. Even considering this, giving the Veil Bandages to a skilled individual to descend into the Demon Dungeon was impossible. ¡®But the magic to reverse aging is different.¡¯ Since it was a magic actively researched and developed by the Empire itself, even the Duke of Robliage couldn¡¯t find a reason to stop it. If sessful, the Empire could send the entire knightly order into the Demon Dungeon. There was no reason for the Empire not to pursue such magic. Nia was the researcher in charge of developing this magic and had achieved some results. He had temporarily joined the academy as an associate professor to test its effects. ¡®Then why didn¡¯t Niae to the academy in the game route I yed? He should¡¯vee to test it out.¡¯ In the other game routes, he should have had reasons to visit. Why didn¡¯t hee, and why was he eventually assassinated? ¡®I can¡¯t pinpoint where things diverged.¡¯ I knew there would be many variables from the moment Lucas died. But now, with apletely new figure appearing, it¡¯s even harder to grasp. ¡®Even if it¡¯s confusing, what choice do I have?¡¯ I had to navigate through it. "Princess Sweet Potato, what are you thinking about so deeply while eating?" Sitting across from me, Seron stirred her spoon in the air and spoke. "I envy how you always seem to have no thoughts." "You trying to pick a fight?" "Think you can win if I do?" "I¡¯ll win, as long as you don¡¯t self-destruct!" Did she already forget the time she lost even without self-destructing? "Look over there, it¡¯s the Problematic Trio." "They¡¯re flocking together again." The voices of passing studentsughing reached my ears. I wasn¡¯t particrly bothered, but Seron frowned deeply. "Those idiots don¡¯t even realize we saved their lives." Was she referring to the Forest keeper incident? Since the professors had openly discussed the recent upheaval in the Demon Dungeon, other students were aware of the Forest keeper story. However, appreciation was a different matter altogether. People don¡¯t realize how serious something is until they experience it directly. Even if their lives were saved, the perception changes depending on whether they were saved directly or not. Thus, even though the professors praised us for what we had aplished, students who didn¡¯t understand the danger posed by the Forestkeeper remained indifferent. Some even mocked, saying, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about defeating a low-level Apostle?¡± "Aren¡¯t you angry?" "What would change if I got angry here?" I had tarnished my reputation deliberately. To provoke Isabel¡¯s wrath, I had done countless things. If my reputation were good, it would feel unjust. "Heh, there are also people who think highly of you because of this, so don¡¯t worry." Card, who had been listening nearby, chimed in. As he said, some people had raised their evaluations of us due to this incident. Notably, upper-year students who truly understood the dangers of the upheaval were among them. "It¡¯s just annoying to see those jerks looking down on us." Seron grumbled. If that¡¯s the case, she didn¡¯t have to hang around with us. But it seemed she didn¡¯t want to be alone. "Huh." Just then, I noticed something strange¡ªthe surroundings had grown quiet. Seron froze, fork in hand. When I turned to see what it was, I, too, froze on the spot. There stood a familiar figure. A woman with long ck hair and vividly glowing red eyes. The most feared person in the Empire, a mesmerizing presence impossible to look away from. The Third Imperial Princess, Iris Hysirion. She was standing behind me. "Y-Your Highness, the Third Princess..." "Enough." When Seron and Card hurriedly tried to bow, Iris stopped them. Her gaze lowered briefly before settling on me. "Shall we talk for a moment?" The Third Princess herself was asking to talk. I had no right to refuse. "With pleasure." I asked Seron to handle clearing my tray and stood up. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Fortunately, I had just finished eating. She must have timed her approach knowing this. Iris didn¡¯t care about the attention she was drawing in the dining hall. Wherever she went, attention followed her.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Let¡¯s find a quiet ce." A short whileter, Iris arrived at a quiet park. It was still lunchtime for the students, so the park was sparsely popted. Iris sat down on a bench. As I tried to stand before her out of courtesy, she tapped the seat next to her. "Sit." "Yes, Your Highness, the Third Princess." When the princess invites you to sit, you cannot refuse. I dly took the seat beside her. "Nia Cynthia." Then, an unexpected name came out of her mouth. "Do you know why he came to Zerion Academy as an associate professor?" What could she mean? She asked without even ncing at me, so I couldn¡¯t read her expression. "I heard it was to test a spell that makes one younger." So, I simply replied with what I knew. It wouldn¡¯t do any good to try to outwit the Third Princess. "An interesting spell. If such a thing were possible, the academy students wouldn¡¯t have to sacrifice themselves anymore." "It¡¯s not sacrifice; it¡¯s a noble duty." "No matter how you dress it up, a sacrifice is still a sacrifice." Iris didn¡¯t seem pleased with the situation the students faced. "Do you think a spell to make one younger could seed?" "Honestly, I believe it¡¯s almost impossible." The Veil Bandages are mystery items imbued with a mysterious power, so such things might be feasible in that realm. But pure magic is a different story. Magic can indeed make the impossible possible, but there are limits. "Transformation magic, for instance, is a precarious field. It can cause mental copse by making someone identify too closely with the form they transform into." She was right; transformation magic was indeed challenging. It doesn¡¯t simply mask the surface; one has to be the entity they¡¯re transforming into, which can have many unintended consequences. The Veil Bandages are no exception. "And if it¡¯s a spell to make one younger, the risks would be even greater." "You seem very skeptical." "It¡¯s just a waste of time to pursue such magic." In truth, I felt the same skepticism. If this were possible, the world would have long since been conquered by these people, and the Demon Sovereign would have been defeated. The fact that it hasn¡¯t happened yet means there¡¯s a reason for it. ¡®In all the times I¡¯ve reached the ending, such a spell was neverpleted.¡¯ This time, too, it¡¯s highly unlikely to seed. "Is there a particr reason you¡¯re telling me this?" The real issue was why she was discussing this with me. I didn¡¯t have a significant connection to Iris. We were linked by bloodlines and other factors, but this wasn¡¯t the kind of conversation to summon me for. "Someone is after Nia Cynthia¡¯s life." My eyes slowly widened. Coming from Iris, these words were hard to believe. Iris was living under the protection of the Duke of Robliage, aiming to ascend the throne. For her to bring up the assassination of Nia Cynthia, who is aligned with the First Prince, was shocking. Especially since Nia¡¯s assassination would benefit the Third Princess¡¯s faction. "¡­ Let me ask again, why are you telling me this?" "Because I think you can stop it." What could she mean? I couldn¡¯t fathom her intent. I fell silent for a moment. "Do you want Nia Cynthia to live, Your Highness?" "He¡¯s a talent for the empire. Of course, I don¡¯t want him assassinated." She said this as she stood up from the bench. "If possible, I¡¯d prefer him to live." I was surprised. Iris was more purely devoted to the empire than I had thought. She didn¡¯t want the budding talent of Nia Cynthia, who could be a great asset to the empire, to be lost to political schemes. This was likely why. Even with the Duke of Robliage backing her, people rallied to the Third Princess¡¯s faction because she genuinely cared for the empire. "If it¡¯s true, I¡¯ll do my best." I didn¡¯t know how he would be assassinated. Iris hadn¡¯t revealed that much. With that, Iris turned to leave, but she paused and looked back at me. "What you mentionedst time was helpful. Got anything else like that?" She was referring to her chronic insomnia. "There¡¯s a nt called suryocho that grows naturally in the western regions of the empire. If you make candles from it, the dawn scent they emit will aid sleep. I hope it helps." "Thank you." With that, Iris departed. Nia Cynthia hade to Zerion Academy, but the threats targeting him were far from over. In the original me Butterfly arc, Nia Cynthia¡¯s assassination was unavoidable. But now, perhaps, there was a single opportunity to prevent it. If Nia Cynthia didn¡¯t die, Nikita¡¯s descent into darkness would also be avoided. However, the moment I stopped it, the world would deviate further from the true storyline. ¡®I¡­¡¯ What choice should I make? My gaze turned to the sky. If the world doesn¡¯t follow the true storyline, it will be destroyed. Lucas, what would you have done? ¡®You¡¯d have dered you¡¯d save him without hesitation, wouldn¡¯t you?¡¯ But I¡¯m not as straightforward as you. Even keeping up with the flow of the storyline is a challenge for someone as ordinary as me. If only Lucas were here, things might be different. I sighed bitterly. I missed him, even though I¡¯d never seen his face. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 31 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 31: Brother, Give Me Your Sister Nia Cynthia assassinated. This is the story that unfolds in Act 3, Scene 4 of me Butterfly. Act 3, Scene 4 is a rtively rxed episode where various characters interact, leading to amusing incidents with the heroines. And here¡¯s where the problem arises. Nowhere in the game is it written how Nia was assassinated. Of course, the fact and the reason for Nia''s assassination are important. How he was assassinated, however, doesn¡¯t hold much significance. Which means... ¡®I don¡¯t know how Nia was assassinated.¡¯ If it were simply a matter of sending an assassin, poisoning could be one method to consider. But Nia is skilled enough to serve as an active Imperial Magic Knight. The idea of someone like him falling to an assassin is hard to imagine. He must have been aware of his precarious position and would¡¯ve always been on guard. He would likely have cast protective magic over himself at all times. If someone like him were assassinated, What method could possibly have been used? It¡¯s already been two weeks since Nia arrived at the academy. I¡¯m stillpletely in the dark about how he¡¯ll be assassinated. If I don¡¯t even know how it happens, how am I supposed to prevent it? Without any leads, what can I possibly do? To make matters worse, Nia is an associate professor of magical arts. I, being in martial arts, barely have a chance to see his face. ¡®Then why...?¡¯ Why did Iris tell me Nia would be assassinated? ¡®What makes her trust me?¡¯ The only conversation I¡¯ve had with Iris was back in the infirmary. Iris is the final boss. At this stage, I¡¯m far toocking to get involved with her. ¡®If she said it considering Hannon¡¯s surrounding circumstances...¡¯ That makes even less sense. Hannon is affiliated with the First Prince. If Iris knew this, revealing this to me could inadvertently expose a weakness of the Third Princess¡¯ faction. For Iris, that would be a reckless move. ¡®So does she think I¡¯d be capable of stopping the assassination based on my actions so far?¡¯ The more I think about it, the less sense it makes. I wonder if I should just go straight to Iris and ask. But Iris is not someone I can easily approach. There¡¯s no guarantee she¡¯d even answer me in the first ce. ¡®Iris must¡¯ve calcted that I¡¯d be able to prevent the assassination somehow.¡¯ But I have no idea what that ¡°somehow¡± is. Could it be something in my behavior at the academy so far? Something connected to Nia¡¯s assassination that I¡¯ve overlooked? ¡®At least give me a hint about when the assassination will happen.¡¯ Leaving it vague like this just makes my head hurt more. Swish! At that moment, a wooden sword shot up toward my chin. I quickly tilted my head back and stepped away, only to see a boy in front of me letting out a big yawn. ¡°The moment you zone out, you¡¯ll get hit.¡± Thezy genius, Ban. Ban was my sparring partner for today. It was free sparring training today. If someone requested a duel, you had to ept regardless of who it was. That was the rule for this lesson. I chose to spar with Ban. His sharp swordsmanship was worth experiencing firsthand, no matter how many times it hit me. That¡¯s why I requested him. ¡°Sorry, I was distracted. I couldn¡¯t focus.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s rare for you to not be serious in training. Something big must be bothering you.¡± Ban, in his usual generous manner, seemed to understand my situation. He¡¯s a considerate guy in many ways. ¡°By the way, Ban, I heard you¡¯ve been training with Isabeltely.¡± I adjusted my stance properly and thrust a hand chop toward Ban. He deftly blocked it with his wooden sword. ¡°Yeah, she asked me directly.¡± ¡°How¡¯s it going? Seeing any results?¡± ¡°Isabel¡¯s always been skilled. She had a few bad habits, but she¡¯s corrected most of them recently.¡± That means Isabel has been growing stronger as well. ¡°And her determination is different now.¡± Ban stared at me intently. As if he knew who was behind her change in determination. ¡°These days, I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± Once again, my hand chop collided with Ban¡¯s wooden sword. ¡°That maybe what you said to Isabel wasn¡¯t entirely by ident.¡± ¡°I just said what I thought. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Even considering that, you were unusually harsh on Isabel.¡± Why are geniuses always so perceptive? It must be because Ban observes everything from a step back, detached from the fray. ¡°Were you acquainted with Isabel before?¡± Ban couldn¡¯t think of any reason I¡¯d provoke someone like Isabel without any prior connection. ¡°Not at all.¡± We do have a connection, though. An old connection built through the game. But that¡¯s not something I can exin. ¡°I see.¡± Ban and I put some distance between us. Since the battle with the Forest Guardian, I¡¯ve grown much more adept at using my body. I continue to be amazed by Vikamon¡¯s natural talent. He might''ve achieved greatness if he had focused on physical prowess rather than magic from the start. I¡¯ve also grown ustomed to using my body more effectively. I¡¯ve now far surpassed my prime in the game. Even I don¡¯t know how much stronger I can get. ¡®If I¡¯m to lead the story forward in ce of Lucas, I have to keep getting stronger.¡¯ I must continue striving diligently. ¡°Isabel will grow incredibly strong.¡± So will the other key figures in this story. ¡°Though I feel sorry for Isabel, in some ways, her talent was overshadowed by Lucas. Now, it¡¯s finally starting to bloom.¡± Ban evaluated Isabel highly, acknowledging her vast potential. As expected of one of the main heroines of me Butterfly. I hope she continues to grow steadily without any major obstacles. ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself get caught off guard either.¡± Isabel is living with a burning desire to make me pay for mocking Lucas. As such, there¡¯s no way I can lose to Isabel. No matter what, I must defeat her and ignite the anger that fuels her. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Our sparring session came to an end. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Even after that, many students lined up to spar with Ban. Having recently resumed wielding a sword in earnest, Ban is now the best opponent for students of Zerion Academy, where strength is everything. As a student at Zerion Academy, where getting stronger is the most important thing, there couldn¡¯t be a better opponent than him. So, everyone¡ªincluding Isabel¡ªtook this opportunity to challenge Ban for a duel. These days, Isabel, who doesn¡¯t even make eye contact with me, had also challenged Ban. ¡°Don¡¯t they look great together?¡± ¡°Could this be the start of a new spring for Isabel?¡± I could hear the girls whispering from afar. As Sharin said, Ban and Isabel seemed to be getting entangled more oftentely. ¡®Spring, huh.¡¯ Would things get a little better if Isabel liked Ban? For whatever reason, if she could find a reason to live, that would be good enough for me. ¡°Princess Sweet Potato, let¡¯s fight! Today, I¡¯ll finally show you who¡¯s superior!¡± At that moment, Seron came rushing at me. My thoughts were a jumbled mess. Let¡¯s beat Seron and clear my head. * * * After scolding Seron until she cried, I left school feeling refreshed. Seeing her storm off, swearing revenge, left me oddly at peace. For the sake of my mental health, maybe I should make it a daily routine to make Seron cry. It doesn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. Walking at a steady pace, I made my way to the student council room. When I slid the door open, I saw two familiar faces. ¡°You¡¯re here, junior.¡± The vice president, Nikita, greeted me with a bright smile. In front of Nikita was another familiar face, which immediately frowned upon seeing me. Nia Cynthia. Nikita¡¯s older brother. What a harsh senior. ¡°Professor Nia Cynthia, are you also joining the student council?¡± I asked innocently, noticing how often he¡¯d been aroundtely. ¡°I¡¯m just here to see Nikita.¡± To say so openly that he came to see his younger sister¡ªhis sibling love was extraordinary. I walked over to Nikita and received the day¡¯s tasks from her. By now, she was quite ustomed to handing me work. Nia red at me intensely, as if he could drill a hole through me with his eyes. He didn¡¯t seem to like how naturally Nikita and I interacted without even needing to talk. ¡°If you keep staring like that, you¡¯ll pierce my face.¡± ¡°Piercing it wouldn¡¯t be so bad.¡± It seemed he still didn¡¯t like me. ¡°By the way, Professor, have you recently felt like someone¡¯s been watching you or threatening you in any way?¡± I casually brought up the topic of assassination, testing the waters. Nia tilted his head. ¡°Being watched is nothing new. As for threats¡­ love letters and dolls made of hair, maybe?¡± I heard something I shouldn¡¯t have. Love is terrifying. Is this the sort of thing noblemen have to endure? ¡°And there¡¯s always one person who makes me feel constantly threatened.¡± Nia smiled and looked directly at me. Was the assassin¡­ actually me? ¡°Brother, why do you always act so mean whenever you see my junior?¡± At that, Nikita scolded Nia. She couldn¡¯t just stand by anymore when he kept picking apart everything I said. ¡°N-Nikita?¡± Nia stammered, shocked that she was defending me instead of him. ¡°My junior always helps me with my work, even though he¡¯s busy with his own training. Hees here deliberately to assist me.¡± It was her way of telling him to stop being petty. But Nia didn¡¯t seem able to process this; his stunned face didn¡¯t change. With a trembling expression, he turned to look at me. ¡°T-That guy is harboring ill intentions toward you!¡± Reluctantly, Nia blurted out his usation. Nikita blinked herrge eyes and turned to look at me. When our eyes met, I gave her a cheerful thumbs-up. ¡°Yes, I still harbor them even now.¡± ¡°See?!¡± Nia shouted with a flustered face, but Nikita let out a long sigh. ¡°My junior always talks like that, but he doesn¡¯t mean it. Besides, he¡¯s not even my type. Maybe if he grows up a bit more, I¡¯d consider it.¡± It was her fourth rejection. ¡°C-Consider?¡± But Nia seemed stuck on a different word, mumbling nkly. I bowed my head politely toward him. ¡°Sir, please allow me the honor of Nikita.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± He scolded me. Nia stood up. It seemed he didn¡¯t want to leave me and Nikita alone, but his expression showed he couldn¡¯t stay here any longer. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m leaving.¡± Nia staggered out of the room. Watching his retreating figure, Nikita let out a short sigh. ¡°He¡¯s always been such a cool brother. Lately, he¡¯s been acting strange.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he cares about you so much, Senior.¡± ¡°Probably. I wasn¡¯t exactly well-regarded in the family, but he made sure I could do what I wanted.¡± Originally, Nikita was meant to grow up as nothing more than a puppet for a political marriage. But Nia, the designated heir of the duchy, always looked after her. To the extent that Nia had directly confronted the family elders, threatening to throw everything away if they didn¡¯t let his sister do what she wanted. That¡¯s how much he cherished her. Recalling the past, Nikita smiled faintly. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because of the responsibility our mother entrusted to him before she passed away.¡± Their mother had passed shortly after giving birth to Nikita. At that time, she had asked Nia to take good care of his little sister. Nia had promised to honor that wish for life, devoting himself entirely to her well-being. ¡°He¡¯s a good brother.¡± ¡°Yes, though sometimes he goes overboard.¡± Nikita said that as she resumed her work. As much as Nia cherished Nikita, it was clear that Nikita also deeply cared for Nia. Watching them made me think about how much Nikita might be devastated by Nia¡¯s death in the future. Would I be able to stay silent when that happened? I didn¡¯t know. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 32 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 32: Prevent the Assassination After finishing my work with the student council, I began walking back to the dormitory. I spotted a familiar figure in the distance as I made my way there. With hair resembling a dry, scruffy broom, it was Foara, the first-year student and Spirit Lord¡¯s contractor. It seemed like he had just finished school and was heading somewhere. ¡°Foara.¡± When I called out to him, Foara turned his head towards me. He greeted me with a bright expression and bowed his head. A polite junior is always a good thing. ¡°Hello, Senior Hannon!¡± ¡°Yeah, are you heading to the dormitory?¡± ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m on my way to the Grand Forest of Spirits.¡± Even after school, he was heading to the Grand Forest of Spirits. He was certainly devoted to spirits. ¡°Diligent, huh.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m going to study, actually. The Spirit Lord said something peculiar.¡± Something peculiar,ing from the Spirit Lord? My interest was piqued. ¡°Is it something you can share with me?¡± ¡°Yes, actually, I wanted to consult you about it.¡± ¡°What is it about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Mystery that once shrouded the Grand Forest of Spirits.¡± The Iron Empress. The Mystery that had granted me my most significant ability¡ªmy Steel Skin. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°The Spirit Lord says they have sensed the presence of another Mystery.¡± My eyebrows furrowed slightly. Mysteries are inherently dangerous beings. They are wayward entities that, for some reason, failed to ascend to godhood. The fact that another Mystery was being sensed meant there was potential for something dangerous to ur. ¡°But something about it is strange.¡± ¡°Strange? Exin.¡± ¡°Yes, the presence of the Mystery is faint, as if it¡¯s cloaked by some kind of barrier.¡± ¡°Faint, you say?¡± Mysteries are typically uncontroble manifestations of power, spilling out endlessly due to their inability to contain themselves. Such a faint presence of a Mystery didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°I don¡¯t fully understand it either, but that¡¯s how the Spirit Lord described it.¡± Foara, being the Spirit Lord¡¯s contractor, was likely knowledgeable about Mysteries as well. It wasn¡¯t surprising if he felt something was amiss. ¡°You sought my advice because I¡¯ve defeated a Mystery before.¡± ¡°Yes, Senior, you wield the power of a Mystery, don¡¯t you?¡± Foara, the contractor of the Spirit Lord, must have heard from them about my deeds in the Grand Forest of Spirits. I didn¡¯t deny it and simply nodded. ¡°My ability to fight barehanded during that battle was thanks to that power.¡± ¡°I thought you might know more about this, so I wanted your opinion. The Spirit Lord seems quite uneasy.¡± It was understandable. The Spirit Lord had once lost control of the forest to the Iron Empress, a Mystery. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll look into it personally as well.¡± ¡°Wow, thank you so much! You¡¯re amazing, Senior!¡± Foara¡¯s eyes sparkled with genuine gratitude.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Perhaps it was because I¡¯d only ever shown my best side to him. It seemed I¡¯d be a highly trusted senior in his eyes. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± After seeing Foara off, I fell into thought for a moment. A Mystery suddenly appearing? Was there any event connected to Mysteries scheduled around this time? ¡®Nothinges to mind.¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, what coincides with the timing of this Mystery¡¯s appearance? Only one thing. The arrival of someone new at Zerion Academy. ¡®Nia Cynthia.¡¯ My eyes glinted coldly. At the same time, I recalled what Iris had told me about Nia¡¯s assassination. Why had Iris mentioned Nia¡¯s assassination to me? ¡®Iris knew about my involvement with the Iron Empress.¡¯ Among the student council members, one was loyal to Iris. That person must have revealed the secret of the Iron Empress incident to Iris. In other words, Iris knew I was connected to Mysteries. I reached a conclusion. ¡®Somehow, the assassination of Nia is linked to a Mystery.¡¯ Mysteries are unpredictable entities. Assassinating Nia¡ªframing it as an ident¡ªwas usible with their power. My expression hardened. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ I immediately set off after Foara. It didn¡¯t take long to catch up to him as he headed toward the Grand Forest. ¡°Foara, I¡¯ve realized something about the Mystery. Can I meet with the Spirit Lord?¡± I didn¡¯t know what kind of Mystery could be behind Nia¡¯s assassination. I needed to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. Fortunately, Foara readily agreed. In the Grand Forest of Spirits, Foara began his preparations. In response to his spirit sensitivity, a faint figure began to appear above the forest. What emerged was a massive jade-colored bird. With its arrival, the winds swirled as if dancing. The blessing of the wind seemed to envelop the entire area. However, within the wind, my instincts¡ªetched into my very being¡ªcaused my body to shiver. My hands and feet trembled. Even with my Steel Skin, goosebumps ran across my entire body. I suppressed the reaction with effort. The Spirit Lord¡¯s presence was overwhelming. ¡¾ It¡¯s been a while, child. Thank you for helping our forest back then. ¡¿ A bted expression of gratitude. ¡¾ Yourck of spirit sensitivity meant you couldn¡¯t even see me at the time. ¡¿ So that was why I hadn¡¯t seen a single spirit during that incident. My near-absoluteck of spirit sensitivity had rendered them invisible to me. ¡®But they must have lingered near me briefly after I defeated the Mystery.¡¯ Even my memories of that time were faint. Regardless, the Spirit Lord now showed me great kindness. Although I couldn¡¯t speak to them directly without Foara¡¯s help, they were well aware of how I had saved the Grand Forest. Thanks to that, I was able to ask the Spirit Lord a few questions. ¡¾ The Mystery is being sensed within Zerion Academy. ¡¿ The Spirit Lord said the Mystery was already within the academy. However, as mentioned earlier, Mysteries are uncontroble eruptions of power. If one had entered Zerion Academy, someone should have noticed immediately. ¡°Does that mean it¡¯s taking a form simr to mine?¡± My Steel Skin was imbued with the Mystery¡¯s power. Although the consciousness of the Iron Empress was gone, her Mystery remained a part of me. ¡¾ Indeed, now that you mention it, there is a resemnce. ¡¿ The Spirit Lord agreed with my question. It seemed more likely that the Mystery¡¯s power had been embedded in something or someone rather than the Mystery itself appearing. ¡®Is the assassin aiming to kill Nia imbued with the Mystery?¡¯ However, there was no record of any new individuals entering the academy besides Nia this year. Given the risk of Nia being targeted, I had thoroughly reviewed the student council¡¯s records. But in those records, Nia was the only neer. ¡®If it¡¯s not someone new, then among the existing individuals, who could be targeting Nia?¡¯ Frankly, no one came to mind. As someone who had yed Firefly Butterfly countless times, I knew the personalities, traits, and pasts of the key characters inside and out. ¡®Of course, it could always be an extra I don¡¯t know about.¡¯ But Nia was an active, magical knight. Even if someone imbued with a Mystery existed, it was hard to imagine an extra sessfully assassinating him. ¡®That leaves one possibility.¡¯ I raised my head. ¡°Spirit Lord, I¡¯m sorry, but may I ask onest question? When did you first sense the Mystery?¡± ¡¾ A week ago. ¡¿ A week ago. That was the same time Nia arrived at Zerion Academy. ¡°Thank you.¡± [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Realizing this, I immediately left the Grand Forest and started running. Just as my body was imbued with the Steel Skin, there were objects in this world infused with the power of Mysteries. It was just a hunch. But there was a high probability that Nia himself possessed an item rted to this. And one specific item came to mind. That staff. The staff that Nia had recently acquired through an acquaintance. Even Nikita, usually unfazed, had reacted to it¡ªan exceptionally well-crafted staff. Was it mere coincidence that he obtained a new staff at this point? Nia¡¯s original staff was broken. At the same time, the staff artisan had an ident and was injured. An acquaintance rmended a new artisan. A sense of foreboding crept over me. Nia¡¯s assassination was inevitable. If that was true, then something must have been at work to create that inevitability. The result of coincidencesyered upon coincidences so that even Nia didn¡¯t notice. Realizing this, my legs moved faster. Before I knew it, the magic studies building of the Jerion Academy came into view. I didn¡¯t know when Nia would be assassinated. Even if I stopped it this time, there was no guarantee he wouldn¡¯t dieter. And considering the storyline of the main narrative, it was right to let his assassination happen. Even so, my legs didn¡¯t stop. A person was going to die. Now that I knew, I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch. ¡®I said I¡¯d do anything for the main story.¡¯ But when faced with the situation, my body moved on its own. What a fool I was. I was supposed to be ruthless for the sake of the ending, but I couldn¡¯t do it. If the story failed to follow the main narrative, the world would almost certainly face destruction. And I would die too. If I didn¡¯t want to die, I had to steer the scenario back to the main storyline somehow. However. There was someone who would mourn Nia¡¯s death more than anyone else. During my me Butterfly Arc ythroughs, No matter what I did, I couldn¡¯t stop Nia¡¯s assassination. And that led to Nikita¡¯s descent into darkness. The following acts, and the ones after that, hinged on this event. Nikita became the Act 3 boss, destined to be defeated. Once Nia¡¯s assassination was set in motion, her descent into darkness became an unavoidable route. My fists clenched tightly. I was someone who had reyed the me Butterfly Arc countless times. I was undoubtedly a veteran of veterans. ¡®With Lucas already dead¡­¡¯ The direction of the main storyline had diverged at twilight, and I was desperately soldering it back together. Yet here I was, struggling to avoid the world-ending bad ending. Striving to create a happy ending for the me Butterfly Arc, even without the protagonist. ¡®If Nia doesn¡¯t get assassinated, can¡¯t I still steer this world toward the main story?¡¯ No. I could. I could definitely do it. I¡¯d seen countless endings of the me Butterfly Arc. I had patched things up countless times, over and over. If something was missing, I¡¯d just patch it again. ¡®Since I¡¯ve already decided on a happy ending as my goal.¡¯ Determination filled my eyes as they shed fiercely. ¡®Even in the me Butterfly Arc, surely¡­¡¯ A happy ending where every character could smile wasn¡¯t too much to ask for. Today, I revised my objective. If I was going to see this through without the protagonist, I might as well create the most ideal happy ending. Resolving myself, I pushed more strength into my legs. With my resolve solidified, my pace quickened. As I climbed the stairs of the magic studies building, I soon reached the faculty office. Just as I was about to search for Nia¡ª Creak¡ª The door opened, and a familiar face walked out. A girl with hair that shimmered like a gxy tilted her head upon seeing me. ¡°Hannon, why are you running like that?¡± The girl who asked me with anguid expression was Sharin Sazaris, the top student in the 2nd-year magic studies department. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff, Sharin.¡± Leaning on my knees with both hands, I caught my breath and looked up at her. I was so out of breath that I couldn¡¯t form proper words. ¡°If you keep staring at me with such burning eyes, I¡¯ll get flustered.¡± ¡°Stop joking around¡­ Is Assistant Professor Nia inside?¡± Sharin shook her head. ¡°No, he left.¡± Damn it, did we miss each other? I straightened up after catching my breath. ¡°Do you know where he went?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably headed to the Demon Dungeon. He said he finished preparing for the magic trial.¡± As soon as I heard that, I immediately turned around. The assassination of Nia was already underway. Of all the timings, it had to be now. At that moment, I began to feel a sense of weightlessness. As I iled my legs in midair, Sharin floated beside me. ¡°Seems urgent, huh?¡± Urgent didn¡¯t even begin to describe it. A life was on the line. ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± With those words, Sharin changed direction. She headed straight for the window. Whoosh! The window opened with her wind magic. Carrying me, she flew straight out the window. The scenery below whizzed past in an instant. It was iparable to the speed I could manage by running. Once again, I realized just how useful magic could be. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the Demon Dungeon, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks for helping.¡± ¡°Buy me a curry bun next time.¡± So she intended to use this as an excuse to make me her bread courier. ¡°After this, I¡¯ll buy you cream buns and red bean buns too.¡± ¡°Yay, I¡¯ll try even harder now!¡± With a delighted expression, Sharin picked up speed. Before long, the Demon Dungeon, once a speck on the horizon, loomed close. The enormous gate of the Demon Dungeon gaped like it was ready to swallow the sky. Seeing it, I prayed I wasn¡¯t toote. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 33 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 33: Turning Point In front of the entrance to the Demon Dungeon at Zerion Academy, a nobleman with long, silver hair tied up stood silently. His name was Nia Cynthia, an active mage-knight and one of the Empire¡¯s most promising talents, even designated as the heir to the Yellow Magic Tower. As Nia approached the entrance of the Demon Dungeon, the dungeon guards, who had been informed of his arrival, saluted him. ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡± epting their salute, Nia stepped forward towards the entrance. He extended his hand toward the inside of the gate. Crackle¡ª At that moment, sparks erupted from the tips of Nia¡¯s fingers, forcing him to stagger backward. Just as he suspected. Though he had frequently entered the Demon Dungeon during his days at Zerion Academy, the dungeon no longer permitted him entry. If he tried to force his way in, he¡¯d likely be incinerated instantly, his body reduced to ash. Clicking his tongue, Nia lightly rubbed his slightly burnt fingertips. He had grown significantly in magical abilitypared to his academy days, yet he still could not ovee the barrierid by Demon Sovereign, the ruler of the dungeon. ¡°What a persistent bastard,¡± Nia muttered, his voice tinged with annoyance. The barrier not only prevented him from entering but also summoned mere children to confront the Apostles in his ce. It was a cowardly and disgraceful tactic. This time, however, Nia hade to test his own magic. He no longer wished to leave everything in the hands of the younger generation. Thus, he stood before the Demon Dungeon once more. One of the primary reasons Nia sided with the First Prince was precisely this. The First Prince was a reformist, a visionary leader dedicated to correcting wed systems and actively investing in testing innovative methods. This was starkly different from the path taken by the Third Princess. She often remarked of the First Prince¡¯s policies: ¡°Reform is far harder than revolution.¡± Ironically, this distinction led the First Prince to focus on rallying the existing elite rather than amassing a new wave of talent. ¡°Gathering only new talent to advocate for reform is meaningless. The elites always fear losing their privileges. So, when new talent calls for reform, the first thing the elites do is block them.¡± Despite his seemingly reckless demeanor, the First Prince was a deeply thoughtful individual. ¡°That¡¯s why the first step isn¡¯t persuading new talent but winning over the elite. Ignoring the existing elite while pushing reforms won¡¯t solve problems; it will create more. To build a brilliant future, we must prioritizeying a solid foundation in the present.¡± The First Prince sought to shape the Empire into his ideal vision, starting with controlling the present to reach for the future. Nia found himself deeply moved by the First Prince¡¯s vision. If anyone could create an ideal Empire, it was him. ¡°Nia Cynthia, I want you to be my future.¡± The First Prince¡¯s words resonated profoundly. For a vassal, there was no greater honor than such trust. Without hesitation, Nia epted the First Prince¡¯s proposal. He vowed to make the First Prince the Emperor. ¡®Today, I take one step closer toward his future.¡¯ Nia began sprinkling a reagent onto the ground, then used his staff to draw a magic circle with the mixture. Afterboring for a while toplete the intricate design, he firmly struck the center of the circle with his staff. The mana within him began to surge violently. Magic is the art of defying the rules of the world, deceiving its gaze to rewrite itsws. A mage¡¯s skill is measured by their ability to avoid detection. Nia possessed an extraordinary talent for eluding the world¡¯s eyes. As the magic circle beneath him started glowing, an incantation to deceive the world spilled from his lips. The circle radiated blinding light, enveloping Niapletely. Step... Momentster, out of the light stepped a young boy. The boy, appearing in his mid-teens, was dressed in the mage-knight uniform Nia had been wearing. It was the image of Nia¡¯s younger self. Nia clenched and unclenched his hands, feeling the smaller frame. His face and skin had reverted to a youthful appearance. ¡®Adjusting the exact age is still difficult.'' He had aimed for histe teens but ended up in his mid-teens. The magic was still iplete. Additionally, his mana reserves were significantly reduced in this formpared to his original state. As previously mentioned, magic involves deceiving the world. To seed, Nia had to suppress his inherent mana drastically. Though he could recover his strength by returning to his original form, his current mana was limited. ¡®This exins why age-reducing magic hasn¡¯t be widespread.¡¯ It might have gained poprity if it allowed one to maintain their full power while bing younger. But in its current state, it left mages too weakened. Moreover, few could attempt such a spell. Only a mage-knight of Nia¡¯s caliber could dare to risk it. The process of deceiving the world was fraught with dangers, including the possibility of irreversible physical transformation. ¡®On top of that, this magic can only be cast on myself. I can¡¯t apply it to others.¡¯ Though the spell still had many ws, Nia was determined to perfect it. If he could master it, he¡¯d stand a chance against Demon Sovereign in directbat. ¡®Well, let¡¯s see.¡¯ It was time to test whether he could meet the conditions to pass through the dungeon entrance. Nia extended his hand toward the gate again. This time, there was no spark. His hand moved forward effortlessly. Nia¡¯s eyes widened in amazement. It worked. He could finally enter the Demon Dungeon. ¡°Nia Cynthia, you¡¯ve done it!¡± Eximed one of the dungeon guards, unable to hide his astonishment. This breakthrough meant the conquest of the Demon Dungeon had taken a significant step forward. ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ll head inside briefly.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too dangerous?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been through the dungeon countless times over three years. If I can¡¯t survive even the first floor, I¡¯ll never set foot here again.¡± Reassuring the guards, Nia stepped into the dungeon. As he ventured further, the interior began to reveal itself. Above him, an artificial sun created by the dungeon shone down. The gray forest surrounding him was silent, untouched since the Apostles werest subdued. There was no sign of the Apostles¡ªthey hadn¡¯t yet begun to manifest. Nia exhaled quietly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Though his mana reserves had diminished, his skill as a mage remained undiminished. From the depths of the dungeon, he could faintly sense Demon Sovereign¡¯s presence. His breath caught in his throat. Even from this distance, the monstrous aura instilled terror. ¡®This is far from enough.¡¯ Nia clicked his tongue. He realized they still had a long way to go in his research on the magic of rejuvenation. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®Let¡¯s retreat.¡¯ He knew he could enter. That alone was a significant achievement, Nia thought as he turned to leave. Chill¡ª A sudden eerie sensation crept up his body. The moment Nia¡¯s head slowly turned. Crrrk¡ª Something pitch-ck and vaguely human-shaped began emerging from the wall of the demon dungeon. ck liquid dripped to the floor as it pulled itself free from the wall. At the same time, a long cord connected to the creature¡¯s torso snapped and fell away. Nia¡¯s eyes widened as he instantly realized. An Apostle. An Apostle had just been born. ¡®At this timing?¡¯ The reason was unknown. The demon dungeon was a ce where no amount of investigation could bring certainty. Nothing was surprising here. It simply felt as though the demon dungeon had sensed Nia¡¯s unnatural presence. An existence that had defied the world¡¯s rules to enter. In response, the demon dungeon had sent something. Nia drew his staff. Having identified the opponent as an Apostle, he didn¡¯t hesitate. Though his magic wascking, the Apostle had only just been born. Before the Apostle could fully manifest, Nia gathered his power to strike. Fizz! At that moment, the energy gathering at the tip of the staff suddenly fizzled out. ¡°What?¡± And that wasn¡¯t all. The magic within Nia¡¯s body began to flow uncontrobly into the staff. An unfamiliar crimson-ck glow spread across its surface. ¡°Argh?!¡± Nia cried out in rm and tried to release the staff. But the magic extending from it greedily wrapped around his hand, refusing to let go. And in that instant, Nia realized. ¡®This power¡­ could it be a unicorn horn?¡¯ The mystical unicorn. A bizarre creature that devours the magic of the young, often eluding detection by even the most skilled mages. This staff was made by melting down such a unicorn¡¯s horn. Unicorns are peculiar entities. Even the most capable mage cannot perceive them, as they excel at hiding until they¡¯ve devoured youthful magic. Thus, there is a saying: Unicorns are mysteries unseen by adults. Even Nia, who had been named the heir to the Magic Tower, had not sensed the unicorn horn within the staff. But now, in Nia¡¯s rejuvenated state, the horn was finally revealing its true power. A look of dismay spread across Nia¡¯s face. This staff had been crafted by an artisan rmended by a trusted acquaintance. The fact that a unicorn horn was hidden in it meant¡ª ¡®A trap.¡¯ Nia realized that his acquaintance had betrayed him. And the mastermind behind it was obvious without much thought. The faction of the Third Princess. It was undoubtedly their doing. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Nia swallowed his curse, desperately trying to release the staff. But the unicorn horn only greedily devoured more of Nia¡¯s mana, showing no intention of letting go. Drip, crack! Meanwhile, the Apostle had fully taken shape. A monstrous figure, d in armor-like exoskeletons with massive swords in both hands, rolled its bizarre, four eyes before locking its gaze on Nia. Its four pupils spun grotesquely in a full circle. ¡°¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D!¡± The Apostle let out a deafening roar. Itunched itself toward Nia with a powerful leap. Boom, boom, boom! Without magic, a mage is utterly vulnerable. Especially in Nia¡¯s case, where his younger body hadn¡¯t yet fully adapted to his abilities. Nia tried to dodge, throwing himself aside. But the Apostle had already closed the distance. Am I going to die? Like this? Without fulfilling the First Prince¡¯s will. Without securing the family so that Nikita could live freely, without concern for their lineage. Without keeping his promise to histe mother. As these regrets shed through his mind like a fleeting dream, ¡°No!¡± Nia desperately pushed his magic into overdrive, attempting onest effort to defend themselves. Screech! A boy stepped in front of him. A boy shorter than Nia¡¯s rejuvenated form, with ck hair. As soon as Nia saw him, his eyes widened in shock. ¡°You¡ª¡± Hanon Irey. The same boy who, alongside Nikita, served as a student council member. He exhaled in relief as he looked at Nia. ¡°I¡¯m not toote.¡± Then his crimson eyes shifted to the Apostle. Hanon raised a hand, a sly smirk ying on his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve prepared quite the wee for a guest.¡± ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll make sure to savor it thoroughly.¡± [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 34 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 34: Rescue Not long ago, I had visited the Grey Forest of the Demon Dungeon. I never thought I¡¯d find myself back here again. I exhaled slowly. Before me stood an Apostle. Behind me was Nia, copsed on the ground. The timing couldn¡¯t have been worse¡ªor better, depending on how you looked at it. If I had been even a littlete, Nia would have lost his life. "Why are you here?" A startled voice came from behind me. Having seeded in the spell to reverse his age, Nia had ventured into the Demon Dungeon. But it seemed the spell wasn¡¯t fully perfected. The irregr extermination squad has appeared. Before me, the Apostle, with its four eyes spinning eerily, fixed its gaze. This Apostle was the Demon Dungeon¡¯s irregr extermination squad. Apostle of Irregrity. It appears whenever someone vites the rules of the Demon Dungeon, tasked with swiftly eliminating the threat. Nia¡¯s spell to reverse his age was iplete. That imperfection had summoned the Apostle of Irregrity.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ng! In an instant, the Apostle deflected my knife-hand strike. Its attention hadn¡¯t been focused on me from the start. Its sole purpose was to eliminate the irregr¡ªNia. It had no interest in anything else. The Apostle bypassed me and swung its de, directly connected to its arm, toward Nia. "Not so fast." I intercepted. My hand shot up, shing with the Apostle¡¯s de mid-swing. Thanks to countless battles alongside thezy genius, Ban, I was no stranger to swordy. Predicting the Apostle¡¯s sword trajectory, I deflected each strike. Seizing an opening, I drove my leg into the Apostle¡¯s abdomen. It staggered back, clearly affected by the heavy blow. But it wasn¡¯t about to take the hit lying down. Its mouth opened, light gathering within. Is it about to fire a beam? Too bad¡ªI didn¡¯te here alone. BOOM! Before the Apostle could release its beam, a sh of light surged, striking it with devastating force and sending it flying. In the distance, Sharin stood with her staff aimed. When our eyes met, she gave me anguid smile. Sharin Sazaris. The top mage of the Academy. Though whimsical, she was nearly unbeatable when ced as a rearguard ally. Meanwhile, I quickly grabbed Nia¡¯s arm and helped him to his feet. "Exnations can wait. That staff¡ªit¡¯s tied to some kind of magical anomaly, isn¡¯t it?" "How do you¡ª" "I pieced it together. Looks like..." I frowned. "Unicorn horn. Quite the nasty trick." Someone had intentionally set this up, knowing about Nia¡¯s research into age-reversing magic. Activating magic while under the influence of such a spell inevitably invites disaster. Robliage, you¡¯re as ruthless as ever. The Duke of Robliage likely knew about the Apostle of Irregrity. He must have orchestrated this scenario down to thest detail. His ability to set the stage was exceptional. Without lifting a finger, he had effectively assassinated Nia. But there was one thing Robliage hadn¡¯t ounted for. The existence of a true irregr. As someone who had yed countless scenarios of The me Butterfly, I was a variable he couldn¡¯t predict. "Who are you?" Even as Nia ran alongside me, he stared at me with iprehension. No matter how much he tried to reason, my sudden appearance made no sense to him. Crunch. The Apostle of Irregrity, struck by Sharin¡¯s spell, slowly rose again. Its twisted limbs realigned grotesquely as it stood, a sight that seemed entirely unnatural. "I put a lot of power into that. Still kicking, huh?" Sharin frowned, gripping her staff tightly. "Sharin, that thing¡¯s immortal. No matter what you throw at it, it won¡¯t die." The Apostle of Irregrity cannot be killed. Fueled by the limitless energy of the Demon Dungeon, it regenerates endlessly. And with time... Crunch, snap. It evolves. Sure enough, the Apostle began its second transformation. Wings sprouted from its back, and a third arm emerged. The Apostle¡¯s gaping mouth released a deafening roar, filled with its determination to eliminate the irregr. BOOM! Dozens of fireballs rained down, pulverizing the Apostle once more. The source of the mes was none other than Sharin. "An immortal, huh?" Dusting off her crumbling staff, she pulled out a new one. Around her, magic of various elements swirled. Most mages are attuned to a single elemental affinity. Sharin, however, had no such limitations. "I¡¯m curious. How far can this thing regenerate?" Her eyes gleamed dangerously. As a mage, her sheer curiosity was now driving her. I figured I could leave her to it for now. Turning to Nia, I said, "Associate Professor Nia Cynthia, I know you have many questions, but you must realize that someone is after your life." Nia¡¯s face hardened. Indeed, this entire situation reeked of a deliberate attempt on his life. And Nia wasn¡¯t oblivious to it. "Moreover, they¡¯ll likelye for you again, in ways just as unpredictable as this." "..." The person who gave Nia that staff was undoubtedly someone he trusted. That¡¯s why he had epted it without suspicion. If simr incidents were to happen repeatedly, Nia¡¯s life would be constantly at risk. Now I understand why Robliage is so intent on killing Nia. Despite its imperfections, Nia¡¯s research into age-reversing magic had shown results. He was on the cusp of a breakthrough that could revolutionize magic itself. As a minion of the Demon Sovereign, the Duke of Robliage couldn¡¯t afford to let Nia live. "How about this? Let¡¯s fake your death in the Demon Dungeon and focus on finding the culprit." Nia grasped the implication of my words. Adults couldn¡¯t enter the Demon Dungeon. As long as Sharin and I kept our mouths shut, Nia¡¯s death could be convincingly staged. If Nia never returned, no one outside would be the wiser. Faking his death wouldn¡¯t just protect him in the short term¡ªit would give him a chance to track down those who wanted him dead. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Moreover, if a simr incident arises in the future, Nia could reappear as a witness and take control of the situation. ¡°If you¡¯re working under the First Prince, hiding your identity should be entirely possible.¡± Nia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. It seemed his alliance with the First Prince was still a secret. That only strengthened my words. Knowing secrets that others didn¡¯t made my story impossible to ignore. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, find out for yourself. But for the next two years¡­¡± That was the time until I graduated from Zerion Academy. With that time, I could drag the Duke of Robliage into the open. ¡°Two years of working in the shadows wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea.¡± I subtly threw out the timeframe. How Nia would interpret it was anyone¡¯s guess, but I hadid out all the cards I could for now. ¡°Oh, but since I¡¯ve saved your life, you¡¯ll owe me a favor down the road.¡± ¡°Hah, you have a way with words.¡± Nia exhaled in disbelief, seemingly astonished by the audacity of my carefreements. I smiled slyly in response. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s a favor rted to your little sister.¡± I was aiming for a happy ending, after all. To save Nikita, I¡¯d need Nia¡¯s help¡ªjust once. At this, Nia¡¯s expression shifted drastically. It was as if I had struck a nerve. A dark, murderous aura poured out of him, heavier than ever before. ¡°You can¡¯t have my little sister.¡± What on earth was this man misunderstanding now? ¡°Brother, let¡¯s not jump to conclusions.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ve approached me just to get to my sister, haven¡¯t you? Let me tell you, my sister has grown up admiring me! She likes tall men, not short ones like you!¡± Wow, a textbook siscon. Despite his princely face, this was a bit much. ¡°That¡¯s not it, so stop misunderstanding. I¡¯m saying Nikita might get into trouble because of Professor Nia Cynthia¡¯s feigned death.¡± At the mention of Nikita potentially being in danger, Nia¡¯s anger began to subside. ¡°¡­She would go that far for me. That makes sense.¡± Whatever his reasoning, as long as he understood, that was fine. I reached out to Nia. ¡°Let me see the hand holding the staff.¡± ¡°This is a unicorn horn. If I give it to you, it could drain your mana.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have my own protections.¡± Nia narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ¡°Who the hell are you, really?¡± From the information I¡¯d dropped to the mysterious aura I carried, I was nothing but an enigma to him. I opened Nia¡¯s hand, one finger at a time. My hand, reinforced with steel-like strength, wasn¡¯t affected by a unicorn¡¯s horn. ¡°You¡¯ll find out one day.¡± The more you investigate, the more you¡¯ll get lost in the mystery. For now, this much was enough. Taking the unicorn horn from Nia, I spun it lightly in my hand. ¡°This will serve as proof of your feigned death, right?¡± A mage losing their staff in a magical battlefield was as good as a death sentence. Not to mention, the unicorn horn embedded in the staff would be a clear piece of evidence. Of course, all loose ends would be tied by the time the horn became an issue. Everyone would im ignorance, and the only one to take the fall would be the artisan who made the staff. ¡®In the original timeline, even the First Prince didn¡¯t strongly oppose Nia¡¯s death.¡¯ Nia was a powerful asset, but his death was shrouded in too much uncertainty. All the circumstantial evidence pointed to the Third Princess¡¯s faction. However, because of the mysterious methods used, there was no physical proof to hold them ountable. The First Prince¡¯s and Third Princess¡¯s factions were evenly matched. Acting rashly could provoke a bacsh. So, Nia¡¯s death ended up being swept under the rug. Except for one person¡ªNikita. She tenaciously pursued the truth of Nia¡¯s death, ultimately concluding it was the work of the Third Princess¡¯s faction. ¡®But this time, things are different.¡¯ Nia was alive. That was the ultimate evidence. The First Prince¡¯s faction would go all out to expose the Third Princess¡¯s schemes. ¡®Duke of Robliage, enjoy your reign while itsts.¡¯ I had a nice, big humiliation prepared for him. Hope it tastes great. ¡°Take this as well.¡± At that moment, Nia pulled out a ne from his robes and handed it to me. It bore the crest of the Cynthia family. ¡°This ne is given to the heir of the Cynthia lineage. With this, my death will seem even more convincing.¡± Nia sighed as he exined. Though he didn¡¯t seem thrilled about dancing to my tune, at least he understood I had no hostility toward him. ¡°If you mess around with Nikita while I¡¯m gone, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± And with that, he left a sharp warning. In Nia¡¯s eyes, I was nothing more than a man trying to seduce his sister. ¡°How¡¯s a dead man going to kill me?¡± I couldn¡¯t resist responding to provocations. ¡°Excuse meee.¡± A voice cut through my banter with Nia. It was Sharin, pointing at something with a troubled expression. What she indicated was a monstrosity so twisted it defied description¡ªthe Apostle of Irregrity. How much magic had she unleashed on it? It had already undergone ten evolutions. Sharin showed me her empty waist holsters. It seemed she had used up all the staves she had been carrying. ¡°It won¡¯t die from magic anymore.¡± The Apostle of Irregrity gains immunity to either magical or physical attacks after being killed ten times. I was stunned. Just how many times had she taken it down? ¡°Grrrrrr¡­¡± The Apostle of Irregrity growled, clearly enraged by the absurd magical onught it had endured. I made a swift decision. ¡°Let¡¯s run.¡± And with that, we bolted for dear life. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 35 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 35: The shing Heroines A shocking piece of news spread across Zerion Academy. Nia Cynthia, heir to the Cynthia Duchy and the next Yellow Tower Master, had gone missing in the Demon Dungeon during a magic experiment. The one who discovered this was Sharin Sazaris, Nia''s research assistant. As the daughter of the Blue Tower Master, Sharin had a rapport with Nia and frequently exchanged ideas with him. During one of these exchanges, Sharin noticed an anomaly in Nia''s magic and went to the Demon Dungeon to meet him. However, she could not find Nia there. Instead, she found only Nia''s staff and the ne granted exclusively to the heir of the Cynthia family. For a mage to lose their staff in the Demon Dungeon was tantamount to death. The news of his "disappearance" was, for all intents and purposes, an announcement of his death. Led by Nia''s younger sister, Nikita, the student council organized an investigation into the Demon Dungeon. They uncovered traces of a new type of Apostle emerging from its depths. Despite their efforts, they could not locate Nia''s body. Several follow-up searches ensued, but Nia''s presence remained elusive. Eventually, it was concluded that Nia had perished. The gruesome events in the Demon Dungeon threw the world into chaos. This was the second fatal incident involving the Demon Dungeon within a year, and it reignited worldwide concern over its dangers. Amid this turmoil, doubts about Nia''s death began to surface, prompting some tounch their own investigations. While the world reeled from the news, I slowly folded the morning newspaper I was reading. ¡®It was a good call to use the back entrance.¡¯ I had sent Sharin through the main entrance but took an alternate path through a hidden entrance to the Demon Dungeon that few knew about. The Demon Dungeon creates and erases entrances daily. Thanks to my knowledge of this phenomenon, my presence remained undetected. ¡®Sharin will likely remain above suspicion.¡¯ As Nia, the next Yellow Tower Master, had asionally interacted with Sharin, the daughter of the Blue Tower Master, her testimony lent credibility to the narrative. A week after news of Nia''s disappearance spread, Nia sessfully joined forces with the First Prince, his identity intact and undetected. ¡®My involvement will surely reach the First Prince.¡¯ After all, it wasrgely thanks to me that Nia survived. He would undoubtedly mention my contribution to the First Prince. Naturally, the Prince would find my existence intriguing. ¡®This might speed up certain events, but¡­¡¯ It was a choice I had made. To help Nia, Sharin had apanied me on this mission, and she remained silent about the details afterward. Knowing her personality, she wouldn¡¯t divulge this matter lightly. She understood theplications that could arise from even a careless word. I decided to trust her. ¡®In any case, the world now believes Nia is dead.¡¯ More precisely, Nikita needed to believe that Nia was dead. For her to take the path of bing the Dragon of Cmity, the boss of Act 4, this narrative was essential. Like clockwork, the story was heading toward its intended trajectory. Yet, my chest felt heavy. For the sake of the story, Nikita had to experience this profound loss and hit rock bottom. That truth weighed on me. ¡®I hold Nikita in high regard, after all.¡¯ Nikita had always been a character I admired. Her determination and resilience resonated deeply with me no matter the adversity. Yet, despite that, I couldn''t help but feel vulnerable when it came to Nikita. ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ Was this the lingering influence of this body¡¯s original owner, Vikamon? Vikamon had harbored feelings for Nikita, and many of his heinous deeds against Lucas were driven by his affection for her. I had disced Vikamon''s soul to take over this body. Perhaps the emotions he felt lingered within it, influencing me. A sigh escaped my lips. The real Vikamon no longer existed in this world. My attempts to gather information about him had only yielded what I already knew. ¡®Vikamon, were you so reluctant to see Nikita in pain?¡¯ I asked the question to the Vikamon who might be listening from somewhere unknown, raising my head. Even so, this was a trial that Nikita had to endure. Without her transformation into the Dragon of Cmity, the story could not progress to Act 4. I folded the newspaper and ced it back in its holder, situated by the entrance for students to read as they arrived. Walking through the morning corridors, the humid rain pattered lightly against the windows. It seemed to foreshadow theing rainy season. This marked the end of the first semester of second year, signaling the approaching conclusion of Act 3. It was also the time for the main storyline of the me Butterfly Arc to unfold in earnest. My footsteps echoed softly as I walked the corridor. Snippets of students'' conversations about Nia¡¯s death reached my ears. For the students, Nia¡¯s death was a significant topic of discussion. I passed the chattering students and arrived at a familiar door. Student Council Room. Knocking twice, I slowly opened the door. Creaaak. A familiar figure came into view through the open door¡ªa girl staring nkly out the rain-soaked window. Seeing her, I quietly stepped inside. "Senior Nikita." When I called her name, her vacant eyes finally turned toward me. A faint glimmer of life returned to them. Tear stains still marked her cheeks, remnants of nights spent crying. Even after a week, they had yet to fade. The moment Nia¡¯s disappearance was reported, Nikita had led the student council into the Demon Dungeon. She scoured the area with relentless determination but could confirm only one fact: Nia Cynthia was dead. For her, it was not just the loss of a brother but of someone deeply beloved. Her world copsed. Even Nikita, strong in spirit as she was, could not withstand such a blow. Her gaunt face reflected the toll of just one week. And yet, she managed a faint, fragile smile. ¡°Junior, there isn¡¯t much student council work these days. You don¡¯t have toe so early in the morning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here for work. I came to check on you, Senior Nikita.¡± Hearing my response, Nikita did not argue as she normally might. Instead, she simply fell silent. Despite having little student council work to do, Nikita continueding to this room daily. Perhaps, lost in grief over her brother, she had instinctively gravitated to this ce as her refuge. ¡°I see,¡± She replied softly. Her reaction was far more subdued than usual. Boom¡ª The sound of thunder resounded in the air. It felt as if the sky was echoing Nikita¡¯s emotions. Without a word, Nikita sat down in a chair and started moving her pen. Watching her silently, I also sat down and followed suit. Scratch, scratch¡ª The only sound between us was the pen strokes on paper. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w This was the first time since I started spending time with Nikita that we hadn¡¯t exchanged a single word. Yet, I hesitated to open my mouth. I knew the whole truth. Nikita¡¯s brother, Nia Cynthia, was alive. I had saved him with my own hands and even set him on a path forward. By now, Nia was surely working hard with the first prince to uncover the truth.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Was it right, then, to hide this fact from his family, Nikita? Was it right to keep it a secret while she was mourning so deeply? I pressed my lips tightly together. The world moves forward ording to its predetermined history. I saved Nia Cynthia. Because of this, some parts of the future have surely changed. But not the predestined story. The changes brought by Nia Cynthia¡¯s death will manifest only after the predetermined events conclude. For now, only the death of Nia Cynthia remains in the narrative. ¡®At least for now, the world is progressing ording to the timeline.¡¯ This was why I decided to save Nia Cynthia. I was determined to save everyone I could, steering the story in a direction that didn¡¯t disrupt the established order. This was the realization of that resolve and my first step forward. My eyesnded on Nikita. ¡®To truly save Nikita¡­¡¯ Nikita Cynthia must be the Dragon of Cmity. Only then can I remove her from the predetermined story, allowing her to live the life she truly desires. For this reason, I had to hide Nia Cynthia¡¯s survival from her. ¡°Nikita.¡± So¡ª ¡°I promise, if anything happens to you, I¡¯ll be the first to rush to your side.¡± This was all I could say for now. Nikita¡¯s gaze met mine. Her tear-streaked eyes curved slightly into a faint smile¡ªa smile that was likely her best effort. ¡°Well, that¡¯s aforting thought.¡± It became a smile deeply imprinted in my memory. * * * Even after Nia Cynthia¡¯s supposed death was announced, time moved forward. Apparently, Nia had a more significant influence during his two weeks at the academy than expected. Some of the students cried, mourning his absence. These were the students who had secretly admired him, having fallen in love at first sight. Of course, there were others who remained indifferent. They had heard his name once or twice but had no particr connection to him. Not everyone feels sadness over the death of a stranger. And so, time passed. Before I knew it, summer had arrived. The cicadas clinging to the trees cried out incessantly. Mornings were spent training with Aisha. After morning sses, lunchtime was consumed by student council work. After afternoon sses, evenings were spent on magic engraving training with Sharin. Caught up in such a packed schedule, time flew by. At one point, I even crossed paths with the third princess, Iris Hysirion, but she didn¡¯t say anything particr about Nia. She might have guessed that Nia was still alive given her sharp insight. Alternatively, if she believed Nia was dead, she might have simply found it unfortunate and saw no reason to discuss it with me. From my perspective, it was a relief not to get entangled with Iris yet. The time to interact with her woulde muchter, in the second half of Act 3. Now, the story had reached the end of Act 3, Chapter 4¡ªthe climax of the heroines¡¯ individual episodes. And then, I encountered an entirely unexpected problem. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?!¡± An enraged voice pierced the air. I had just finished my morning lecture and was heading to lunch when I saw a group of people. Among them was a girl with honey-blonde hair that reminded me of the sun. Her face was contorted in an expression more intense than I¡¯d ever seen. Isabel Luna. She was the main heroine of the Firefly Arc. My brows furrowed in curiosity. It was unusual, to say the least. Isabel had never raised her voice at someone like this, even when she was directly criticized. ¡°B-Belle, calm down. Is it really worth getting so angry? We were just curious, that¡¯s all.¡± The girls who had asked the question were visibly flustered. They hadn¡¯t expected Isabel to react so vehemently. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bomb waiting to go off,¡± Muttered Seron, who was standing beside me, her lips curling in disdain. I shot her a questioning nce, asking if she knew what was going on. Seron shrugged casually as if it were no big deal. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who¡¯ve been trying to match Isabel with someone from their ss. They love stirring things up like that.¡± So they were the origin of the rumors. ¡°Lately, Isabel¡¯s been focused solely on her training, hardly talking to anyone. I guess those girls directly asked her about it.¡± Still, my curiosity didn¡¯t abate. ¡®Normally, Isabel would have sighed and corrected them.¡¯ I knew her well enough to believe that. No matter the situation, she wouldn¡¯t have raised her voice like this. ¡°I kind of get it now,¡± Seron said, seemingly having figured something out. Being another girl, she likely had insights I didn¡¯t. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°After Lucas died, Isabel was in a deep slump, right? Then you¡ªyou damn sweet potato¡ªprovoked her, intentionally or not, and helped her regain her strength.¡± That had been my n all along. Anger, after all, can be fuel for life. ¡°But since when, exactly? Was it after the Demon Dungeon incident? Isabel has grown much more¡­ intense.¡± After that incident, Isabel hadn¡¯t once met my eyes. But it wasn¡¯t just me. Isabel had distanced herself from everyone around her. Instead, she poured herself into training. ¡°If she¡¯s been single-mindedly training like that and then someone pesters her about love or rtionships, it¡¯s bound to piss her off.¡± As Seron spoke, Isabel turned and stormed off. The other girls looked at each other in confusion, trying to figure out what had just happened. Even the boys were tilting their heads in puzzlement. I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. Anger can indeed fuel a person¡¯s resolve and drive them forward. But I also know the other side of anger. When it burns too fiercely, consuming everything in its path, it eventually leaves nothing behind but ashes. ¡®If Isabel started changing after the Demon Dungeon incident¡­¡¯ Something must have affected her deeply, shaking her to the core. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± I left Seron behind and walked off. She called after me, asking about lunch, but I brushed her off, saying I¡¯d eatter. I already knew where Isabel would be. There was a ce she always went to when she was feeling down. Exiting the martial arts building, I walked for a while until I reached a park. The stone walls of Zerion Academy surrounded it. Looking closely at the wall, I found the stone steps that workers had left behind while constructing the wall. I lightly stepped onto the stairs and climbed up. At the top of the wall, I spotted Isabel sitting at the far end, staring nkly at the sky. ¡°Isabel.¡± When I called her name, Isabel turned around btedly to look at me. She gazed at me for a moment before letting out a long sigh. ¡°How did you know I¡¯d be here?¡± Her response wasn¡¯t the same as usual. I realized it then. The mes of anger that had reignited her life¡ª They were now burning out. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 36 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 36: Firewood The first thought that crossed my mind was simple: Why? Isabel would never forgive me for ming Lucas. Therefore, I assumed her anger would never subside. And yet, somehow, her anger was clearly fading. ¡®What am I missing?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t figure it out. The third act centers on Nikita. So I had focused only on Nikita¡¯s situation, overlooking Isabel entirely. ¡°Isabel.¡± In that case, I might as well... ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who proudly dered you¡¯d take me down for condemning your friend? Where¡¯s all that fire gone now?¡± It¡¯s better to be blunt. Circling around the issue wouldn¡¯t lead to any answers. I fixed Isabel with a stern look. Her fist clenched tightly but loosened almost immediately. I squinted my eyes slightly at the sight. "Yes, that''s right," Isabel admitted, her voice calm as she stared down at her now-open hand. A hollowugh escaped her lips. ¡°But then, all of a sudden, I started thinking.¡± The light in Isabel''s eyes began to fade. ¡°I started to wonder if I even have the right to condemn you for tarnishing Lucas¡¯s name.¡± Anger can set a person aze with enough intensity to live a second life. But sometimes, a fire burns so fiercely that a single trivial trigger can extinguish it entirely. ¡°After Lucas died, I did nothing.¡± Isabel looked down at her empty hands and trembled slowly. Her tightly clenched lips quivered. When she heard the news of Lucas''s death, she had been so deeply shocked that she let go of everything. Even her own life was no exception. Like a sunflower deprived of the sun, she was withering away. ¡°I just... I couldn¡¯t ept reality. I did nothing but sit there, nkly. No, that¡¯s not right.¡± Isabel¡¯s hollow eyes rose to meet mine. ¡°It¡¯s just like you said before. I was going to die following Lucas.¡± She had lost the person dearest to her in the world. Parting ways forever with a friend she had grown up with her entire life shattered her existence. She stopped eating, drinking, or sleeping. She repeated days of emptiness. ¡°I just wanted to die like that.¡± But as time passed, she realized something. ¡°That kind of person... Me¡­¡± Isabel had truly wished for death. ¡°What right do I have...¡± Clinging to life despite wanting to die, she had pretended to speak on behalf of Lucas. Only now did she understand what a mistake that was. Lucas had died facing the apostles to save others. No one knew this better than Isabel. Lucas had died to save others. But Isabel, unable to ept his death, had tried to follow him into the grave. It was the very choice Lucas would have hated most and grieved over. Isabel had almost be the worst kind of friend to Lucas¡ªa friend who followed him to death. She buried her face in her hands, clutching her own head as if to w it apart, and released a wail of anguish. ¡°How could I...?¡± Tears streamed from Isabel''s eyes, falling heavily to the ground. ¡°I tried to do that... to Lucas.¡± Unable to endure the pain burning inside her chest, Isabel sank to her knees. The one who had suffered most was Lucas, the one who had died. Yet she had been about to heap even more pain upon him. The realization crushed her. ¡°How... could I?¡± Isabel spiraled into self-loathing. Self-loathing is poison. It gnaws away at a person, leaving not even a trace behind. Anger had snapped Isabel back to reality. Through that, she had reexamined the mistake she had almost made, realizing just how disgraceful it was. Once that realization set in, there was no going back. ¡®As long as she¡¯s burning with fury, she won¡¯t think of dying.¡¯ She must have reyed my words over and over. And through that process, she came to understand. The Isabel who lived by fueling herself with anger for Lucas... Even that was just an excuse to keep living. Realizing how pathetic it was to live fueled only by rage, she began crumbling all over again. ¡°...So you¡¯re saying that even if someone insults your dead friend, you¡¯ll just sit there and do nothing?¡± Isabel cherished Lucas more than anyone. I asked her: would she let someone insult Lucas and do nothing, simply because of her self-loathing? Isabel stayed silent. Seeing that, I pressed my lips into a firm line and asked again. ¡°Isabel Luna.¡± I took a step closer as I called her full name. The Isabel I knew had always been like a radiant sun. Even if she burned brightly with anger,n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om she was never someone who let self-loathing turn her into a mere flicker of a candle. ¡°Is that all your feelings for your friend amount to?¡± ¡°Then what?!¡± Isabel screamed, her voice raw. Her face bore marks from her own nails. ¡°Then what do you expect me to do?! I was going to die following Lucas! And then I got so furious about him being insulted that I clung to training, to fighting! All the while, I was the one insulting Lucas the most, without even realizing it!¡± Her hands pressed down hard on the stone floor of the fortress. So forcefully that her nails cracked, blood seeping out. ¡°And yet, you¡ªwho I thought belittled Lucas¡ªyou were doing exactly what Lucas would have wanted...¡± And atst, I understood why Isabel had changed. On the day I awoke in the Gray Forest, Isabel had ovepped Lucas, who sacrificed himself to save others, with me. That¡¯s why she avoided my gaze. Looking at me reminded her of Lucas. And remembering Lucas made her confront what she had almost done to him. ¡°I was just a selfish woman, lost in my own rage over Lucas being insulted, and I went into the abyss because of it...¡± Her emotions had be increasingly unstable. So, she threw herself into training as if she were fleeing. She desperately tried to learn swordsmanship from Ban, as if to ovee her feelings of self-loathing. But as a result of her relentless focus, all she heard around her was, "Are you dating Ban?" It had only been a few months since Isabel had experienced the death of Lucas. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w The thought that she, someone grieving a dear friend, appeared happy enough to be dating someone sent Isabel plummeting into an even deeper abyss. And so, sheshed out in anger at her friends. The sword she believed she wielded for Lucas turned out to be an unworthy one. To others, that sword, meant for Lucas, seemed as though she wielded it for her own happiness. Seeing her like this¡ª "What''s so wrong about being selfish?" I asked her what nonsense she was spouting. Isabel slowly lifted her head. "People can''t live their whole lives for others. It''s only natural for anyone to live for themselves. That includes me." It''s only natural for anyone to prioritize themselves. "It''s human nature, and it¡¯s apletely natural thing to do." My eyes locked with Isabel''s as she began to listen closely to my words. And so¡ª "Isabel, let me tell you something. What you''re doing right now is just pretending to be kind." "...What?" This is where I hit her with the truth. "You said you wanted to die for your dead friend. Then, you said you''re leaving your friend to be ndered because you don¡¯t feel you have the right to defend them. What kind of absurd, idiotic excuse is that? Decide: are you pretending to be kind or choosing to be selfish? Pick one!" I stepped closer to Isabel, irritation evident in my tone. The zing sun was directly overhead, casting a shadow over me. My red eyes glowed from within the shade. "Your friend is dead. The dead can''t speak. Even if you die, all you''ll be is another silent corpse alongside them. That won''t make your friend sad¡ªbecause the dead can''t feel sadness." Isabel was trapped in the chains of Lucas''s ghost. If I was going to save her now, I had to use that ghost, Lucas, as leverage. "On the other hand, if you died and Lucas overheard someone speaking ill of you, do you think he¡¯d sit idly by and say the same thing you¡¯re saying?" Isabel''s shoulders flinched. We both knew the answer to that. Absolutely not. If it were Lucas, he wouldn''t have let anyone tarnish Isabel''s memory, no matter what. "You said you didn¡¯t want your friend to be insulted anymore." I coldly stated, "But isn''t what you''re doing now the worst insult to your friend?" Standing by while her precious friend''s memory was tarnished, saying shecked the right to defend them¡ª That, more than anything, was the greatest betrayal to Lucas. Isabel''s gaze trembled violently. "I still believe Lucas''s death stained the history of Zerion Academy and set a poor example for its students." I reignited the spark within her by repeating the words that had angered her before. "Isabel, what about you?" Her tear-streaked face showed her biting her lip tightly. Her hands, bloodied from her clenched fists, trembled as she looked up at me again. In her once-dull eyes, a faint but unmistakable spark of determination began to flicker once more. "...No. Lucas gave his all to save others. No one has the right to undermine that." Isabel began to rebuild her resolve, not on the shaky foundations of her past, but on a firm base of determination she could stand on. "I won''t let what happened to your friend happen again. His death is a stain on Zerion Academy''s history, and it must be erased." Isabel firmly countered, "Lucas''s death was a noble sacrifice. His will, sacrificed for others, is an example everyone should follow." Our views shed. At some point, Isabel had risen to her feet. On the day I first met Isabel, I had made up my mind. I couldn¡¯t be the sun that Lucas was to Isabel. So, at the very least, I decided to be her moon. Even if the moonlight was mistaken for sunlight, I would make sure the sunflower raised its head. "Isabel, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever see eye to eye. You¡¯re exactly the kind of person I can¡¯t stand." "The feeling¡¯s mutual. I don¡¯t like you either." Just as on the day I first met her, her eyes red at me fiercely. For now, that was enough. With Lucas''s ghost binding her, Isabel would live on, if only to uphold his will. "Fine. Let¡¯s see whose view prevails in the end." I wasn¡¯t here to console Isabel or to help her back on her feet. In her story, my role was to be the rival and adversary she had to ovee. My part was done. From below the fortress wall, I saw her friends rushing toward her. Among them was Sharin, her closestpanion. They would listen to her story and support her. I turned to leave. "...Hanon Irey, let me ask you one thing." Just then, Isabel called me by my name for the first time as I walked away. "...Have you ever met Lucas before?" Perhaps something in our conversation had stirred her suspicions. I looked at Isabel briefly, then turned my gaze away. "I don¡¯t know. Maybe we crossed paths somewhere." It was better to leave her with questions than to deny it outright and arouse suspicion. With that, I left Isabel behind. Even after I was gone, she simply stood there, watching me disappear below the fortress wall. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 37 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 37: Forming a Team for the Group Competition After the incident at the fortress, Isabel changed. First, she apologized to her friends for getting angry at them. In turn, her friends admitted they had spoken too hastily and apologized as well. It was a heartwarming scene, reflective of Isabel''s normally upright character. Her training intensity had also increased, though not to the point of overexertion. She learned to pace herself, taking a broader, longer-term view instead of seeking short-term gains. Even Ban acknowledged that Isabel''s potential for growth had significantly increased. One other notable change stood out: her face, which had been losing its vitality, now radiated brightness. Though not as lively as before Lucas''s death, she had regained much of her characteristic cheerfulness, resuming her role as the bright heroine who lifted everyone''s spirits. However, there was one person she still didn¡¯t treat warmly. ¡°You know, when you act like that, it scares the others!¡± ¡°If something like this frightens them, they¡¯re unfit to be students at Zerion Academy.¡± ¡°There you go again. You''re too strict.¡± ¡°The others are just toox.¡± That person was me. About a week had passed since my incident with Isabel. For a while, she avoided eye contact with me. Buttely, she started confronting me whenever she thought I was up to something. It felt even more intense than when she had been fiercely criticizing Lucas. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve made yourself quite the enemy.¡± After another argument with Isabel, I returned to my seat, where Seron clicked her tongue at me. This morning, I had scolded some students for cking off during ss. And, as expected, Isabel jumped in to argue. ¡°Why do you keep provoking Isabel, Princess Sweet Potato?¡± ¡°I never provoke her first. She¡¯s the one who starts it.¡± ¡°Sweet Potato, it¡¯s because you respond to her differently than you do with others.¡± ¡°You seem to be the type that¡¯s hard to coexist with.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Seron tilted her head. By the way, is this girl sticking to me for good now? ¡°Speaking of which, why don¡¯t you patch things up with the girls?¡± Seron was still at odds with the girls. I suggested she make amends, but she just snorted. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about them.¡± ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t care less about you either.¡± ¡°Geez, what¡¯s with you? I just realized it¡¯s easier this way.¡± Seron crossed her arms and leaned back against the desk. ¡°When you¡¯re in the middle of those girls, you have to constantly read the room, whether you like it or not. It¡¯s exhausting, not being able to say what you want.¡± ¡°Can you even hold back?¡± The idea of headstrong Seron holding back wasughable. What kind of world do girls live in? ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have to do that with you, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I wish you¡¯d hold back with me too.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather bite my tongue and die.¡± Such harsh words. It seemed Seron had embraced the life of a lone wolf. But she needed to learn how to rejoin the pack. What a shame. As I clicked my tongue, I happened to lock eyes with Isabel across the room. She looked back with determination in her eyes, then turned away. Before, a meeting of our eyes would have ignited a fiery argument. Now, her demeanor toward me had softened noticeably. To others, it might still look like we were always at odds. But it was clear to me that her feelings weren¡¯t just anger anymore. Though I couldn¡¯t fully grasp Isabel¡¯s emotions, I knew what one of them was: Rivalry. Isabel sought to carry out Lucas¡¯s will and save everyone. I aimed to restore Zerion Academy¡¯s tarnished name, born from Lucas¡¯s death, by saving everyone. Though our motivations were different, our goals were the same. From this, a sense of rivalry had sparked in Isabel. Not bad. If I could fan the mes of her spirit, that was enough for me. Her brightness would undoubtedly attract many others. After all, many of those who had surrounded Lucas in the past had been drawn by her light. Isabel would surely y that role well again. At least Isabel¡¯s path seems clear. But one person was heading in apletely different direction: Nikita Cynthia. She was writhing in her small frame, determined to be the Dragon of Cmity. Creak¡ª Just then, the ssroom door opened. In came Professor Vega, the second-year martial arts instructor, who had left after the morning lecture. ¡°Oh yeah, I forgot to mention something,¡± She said, scratching her headzily and yawning. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a grouppetition exam soon.¡± Act 3, Scene 5: The curtain rose on the grouppetition. ¡°Notable officials from the Empire will observe thispetition.¡± Zerion Academy was an imperial academy, founded by the Empire. Thus, the observers were always people holding high positions in the Empire. ¡®The exchanges with other academies won¡¯t start until Act 4.¡¯ For now, all Zerion Academy students were imperial citizens. The announcement of observers caused a stir among the students. This was a first, as there had been no such eventst year. ¡°Make sure not to embarrass the academy. I¡¯m tired of budget cuts,¡± Vega added, yawning loudly before leaving. ¡°We¡¯ll need to form teams for the grouppetition.¡± This time, unlike before, we couldn¡¯t team up with first-years. Since it was a grade-level exam, teams had to be formed within our year. Each team required five members: two in the vanguard, two in the rear guard, and one healer. I happened to catch Seron¡¯s eye. She held up three fingers. ¡°The vanguard¡¯s got you and me, Sweet Potato. That leaves us needing three more.¡± ¡°Where are we supposed to find four more people?¡± Of course, I wasn¡¯t looking at Seron when I said that. Realizing myment, Seron¡¯s face flushed red with anger. As her voice rose in indignation, I pondered my options. Getting a high score in this grouppetition was crucial. One of the observers would be someone I absolutely needed to win over and secure sponsorship from. To do that, we had to dominate thispetition. ¡®The vanguard is set, with me leading.¡¯ For the rear guard, I needed someone with strong firepower. The problem was, I didn¡¯t have any particr connection with any rear-guard students. ¡®Well, there is one guy¡­¡¯ But he was unpredictable. ¡®And one girl¡­¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She was even more of a wildcard. ¡®There''s one girl, too, but¡­¡¯ She''s a more free-spirited person, so who knows. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®Plus, we probably can¡¯t rely on the Saint for recovery this time.¡¯ Last time, we had a cause persuasive enough to convince the Saint. The Saint is like a hidden card. And a hidden card isn¡¯t something you can just use willy-nilly. Even if we tried to use him for the team match, at best, he¡¯d only fill the gap in the lineup. For the sake of fairpetition, he wouldn¡¯t demonstrate power far beyond that of the average believers. ¡®Is there no other way?¡¯ In the end, I got up from my seat, determined to secure victory. "Where are you going?" "To deliver some bread." "Bread? Why bread?" Saron gave me a puzzled look, but this was the best I could think of. * * * Nom nom. In front of me, someone was eagerly munching on bread with a small mouth. Her deep navy-blue hair shimmered as if reflecting starlight. She wore dangling earrings and had a star-shaped beauty mark. Sharin Sazaris. The top student of the magic arts department. ¡°Nom nom, so you¡¯re asking me to join your team for the group match?¡± With her usualnguid expression, Sharin drawled her words. She licked her fingers after tasting the bread I brought her. "Why should I, though?" Sharin tilted her head, a pure, innocent question as to why she should join my team. "At least finish your bread first before talking." "This bread, Hannon, is something you gave me because you like me, isn¡¯t it?" What a ridiculous assumption. Despite her words, Sharin didn¡¯t stop nibbling on the bread, azy smile curling her lips. "Then say something that¡¯ll convince me to join your team, Hannon." Sharin, the top student in magic arts as a second-year, was someone who must have already received countless offers to join teams for the group match. asionally, if the mood struck her, she¡¯d whimsically join some team. That¡¯s why everyone tries their luck with her. And Sharin would always ask them the same question: What¡¯s in it for me? Why should I join your team? Their answer was always predictable. "We¡¯ll win first ce in the group match." Anyone can say that with their mouth. But I know better. "You¡¯re not really interested in the group match, are you?" The group match is included in the students¡¯ final grades. Naturally, students are desperate to achieve good results in it. But what about Sharin? Even as the top student in magic arts, she has zero interest in grades. The reason she¡¯s the top student is simple. Her extraordinary talent in magic is something the magic arts professor recognizes more than anyone else. The second-year magic arts professor is a firm believer in meritocracy. His grading criteria are entirely based on one thing: how much magical aptitude the student demonstrates. For Sharin, whose magical talent is said to appear once in a thousand years, the professor always gives her the highest marks, regardless of her actual results. Some criticize this as bias, but anyone familiar with magic arts understands. Sharin¡¯s abilities are such that no grade lower than top marks would suffice. So, even though Sharin has no interest in grades, she remains the top student. Because of this, those who don¡¯t understand magic arts or Sharin assume she¡¯s working hard to maintain her grades. "So what¡¯s in this group match for someone like you?" When I hit her weak spot, Sharin¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Hannon, you know way too much about meee." "That¡¯s why I¡¯ll propose something else." Sharin¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Your father." At those words, Sharin froze on the spot. "I¡¯ll teach you how to strike a blow against him." Her eyes widened at my remark. "Sharin!" The door to the magic arts ssroom, empty during lunchtime, suddenly burst open, and someone entered. A girl with honey-blonde hair reminiscent of sunlight. Isabel Luna. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening as she saw Sharin and me together. "Uh?" Her gaze questioned why the two of us were together. Her best friend and her rival. Isabel froze as she looked between us. Oh, no. I hadn¡¯t expected Isabel to show up at this moment, and I found myself momentarily taken aback. Silence filled the room. Sharin was frozen by my words. Isabel was frozen by the sight of Sharin and me together. And I was frozen by Isabel¡¯s unexpected appearance. The situation had suddenly turned into aplete mess. [PR/N: A mexican standoff!] [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 38 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 38: I''m Screwed Lunchtime, an empty ssroom for magic studies. Hannon Irey. Sharin Sarzaris. Isabel Luna. The three of us stood frozen, staring at one another. The issue here? Among the three, Hannon is me. From outside the window, the cheerful voices of other students floated in. The sound of kids returning after lunch. In the silence that passed between us, the one to finally break it was Isabel. ¡°...Why are you two together?¡± Isabel¡¯s best friend, Sharin. Isabel¡¯s rival, me. And at a time when everyone else had gone off to eat lunch, here we were. Alone, eating bread and chatting casually with each other. This scene was enough to stir up a storm of emotions for Isabel. Even I, who believed it wasn¡¯t right to connect everything in life to romance, could easily imagine how this situation might appear to her. ¡°I got a proposal.¡± It wasn¡¯t me who answered Isabel¡¯s question, but Sharin. The tense expression she had earlier, upon hearing my suggestion, was nowhere to be seen. In its ce, she was back to her usual self, pointing at me. ¡°He asked me to join his team for the uing group match.¡± Hearing this, Isabel¡¯s eyes went wide. Her reaction made it clear she hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility of me asking Sharin for such a thing. ¡°...Are you two really close enough to make a proposal like that?¡± Most of the time Sharin and I met was during the evenings. That was when Isabel was often busy training, meaning she wouldn¡¯t know what Sharin was up to at those hours. She certainly wouldn¡¯t have imagined that Sharin had been teaching me magic inscription techniques all this time. ¡°Yeah, Hannon really likes me.¡± What kind of nonsense is this? I turned to Sharin in disbelief before ncing at Isabel. Sure enough, she had a look of utter confusion, mouth agape. The way she stared at me screamed misunderstanding. For her, the idea that her rival might be harboring feelings for her best friend? Yeah, that was a lot to take in. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Why is she taking this so seriously? ¡°That¡¯s nonsense,¡± I said firmly. When I denied it outright, Isabel looked uncertain, her lips twitching, and then turned back to Sharin. But Sharin, with her usualzy smile, didn¡¯t say another word. This girl¡­ Through this exchange, Sharin subtly hinted at our rtionship. Close enough to joke like this¡ªour connection wasn¡¯t superficial. Sharin, known for being aloof and unpredictable, wasn¡¯t one to grow attached to others easily. Most people thought they¡¯d grown close to her, only to find herpletely distant the next time they met. That was the kind of person Sharin was. Isabel, therefore, was likely the only one Sharin considered a true friend. And now, here was Sharin, treating me¡ªher friend¡¯s rival¡ªso warmly in front of Isabel. This must have been a huge shock for her. ¡°Uh, ah, uhh¡­¡± So much so that Isabel seemedpletely broken. I red at Sharin, who red back with an icy glint in her otherwise smiling eyes. Oh no. She¡¯s mad. Sharin had no patience for people stirring up her emotions, but I had no other choice. We needed a strong result in the group match if I wanted to move forward with the n. And to achieve that, I absolutely needed Sharin on my team. I¡¯m desperate here too. Though it was unlikely Sharin would understand. ¡°I¡­ I also came to propose teaming up with Sharin.¡± At that moment, Isabel snapped back to reality, refocusing on the original topic. Like me, she¡¯d heard about the group match earlier from Vega. The time difference was because I didn¡¯t have anyone to approach for a team, while Isabel had many people and took her time talking to them. The problem was that Sharin, as Isabel¡¯s best friend, was highly likely to join Isabel¡¯s team instead. ¡°Sorry, but I asked her first.¡± ¡°But agreeing to it is still Sharin¡¯s choice.¡± Knowing this, Isabel didn¡¯t back down. I could feel a subtlepetitiveness in her tone¡ª a determination not to lose Sharin to her rival. This could getplicated. If Isabel went all out, there was no way I could win. I nced at Sharin. She seemed deep in thought, looking back and forth between Isabel and me. ¡°Alright.¡± Finally, Sharin made her decision and raised her hand in my direction. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll go with Hannon.¡± ¡°Sharin?¡± Isabel¡¯s face twisted in shock. But Sharin looked resolute, showing no sign of changing her mind. Isabel stumbled slightly before turning away. ¡°Sharin, you¡¯re such an idiot.¡± Calling her a fool, Isabel left in tears. I never expected her to choose me. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d pick me.¡± ¡°You kept your promise to me, after all.¡± Sharin¡¯s promise. She¡¯d agreed to my request on the condition that I be the reason Isabel kept going. ¡°A week ago, you were the first one to chase after Belle.¡± So she¡¯d noticed. Sharin had also been searching for Isabel at the city wall back then. It seemed she¡¯d seen me there. ¡°That was my way of repaying you. As for what you said about my father¡­¡± Sharin¡¯s hair swayed slightly as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m a little mad. You spoke as if you knew everything.¡± Seeing this, I quietly bowed my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologized with utmost sincerity. With Sharin joining, we now had the strongest possible addition to our team. The strongest addition to our backline, Sharin, has decided to join the team. Now, all that''s left is filling one more backline spot and a healer position. Surprisingly, the backline issue was resolved faster than expected. ¡°Hey, Wangnon, how about putting me on your team?¡± The next day, after finishing the morning sses, Card showed up and made the suggestion first. ¡°Why the sudden interest in joining my team?¡± ¡°Sharin joined, right? Where else could I find a better team?¡± Sharin¡¯s skills are extraordinary,pletely beyond the norm. It¡¯s no wonder people would flock to our team upon hearing about it. But still, how did Card hear about this already? His ears sure are sharp, as always. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w ''Well, he is in a position where he needs to stay well-informed.'' Given Card¡¯s circumstances, it¡¯s no surprise that he has a knack for picking up on information. ¡°My magic isn¡¯t suited for firepower anyway. It¡¯s better for me to join a team with strong firepower already.¡± Card is a utility mage. Having used him before during the me Butterfly y, I know that much about him. With Sharin and Card, the team¡¯s bnce would be remarkably stable. ¡°Hmm.¡± When I hesitated, Card¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Watching such arge guy sparkle like that was so off-putting that I couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°What about your original team?¡± Card already had a team he worked with regrly. When I asked about them, he scratched the area around his nose awkwardly. ¡°Well, one of the girls in the team confessed to me, so I just left.¡± I gave him a look of exasperation. Card, on the other hand, had an expression that screamed, I¡¯m the real victim here! ¡°What was I supposed to do? I don¡¯t want to date anyone¡ªI just want to live freely! But staying on the team and ruining the vibe felt wrong too.¡± ¡°Hey, Princess Sweet Potato, doesn¡¯t this sound like a pile of garbage talking?¡± Before I could respond, Seron¡ªwho had approached unnoticed¡ªshot Card a re full of disdain. Card, in turn, winked at her. ¡°If you confess to me, Seron, I might consider it.¡± ¡°Shut up before I rip your mouth open.¡± Seron bristled, her hair almost standing on end, hissing like an angry cat. Her disdain was now at the level of outright refusal to engage. Card just found her reaction amusing,ughing as he turned back to me. ¡°Of course, even if Seron confessed, I¡¯d say no. I¡¯d rather stay friends with Wangnon.¡± ¡°Do you want to die? Why are you even imagining me confessing to you in the first ce?¡± Seron raised her hand to hit him but nced at me and stopped herself. ¡°And seriously, you¡¯d better not, Princess Sweet Potato. It¡¯d be a problem if you liked me.¡± Ugh, what the heck. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m into tall, handsome, manly types. And you? You¡¯re about as far from ¡®manly¡¯ as it gets.¡± ¡°Good. From today on, I¡¯ll make sure not to even see you as human.¡± Seron squeaked and pretended to run away as I rolled up my sleeves. If I can joke like this without a second thought, I must¡¯ve been around these two too long. ¡°So, what were you talking about?¡± Seron, who had just arrived after a private lesson with Professor Vega, was unaware of the earlier conversation since the morning ss had been training-focused. ¡°Card¡¯s joining my team.¡± ¡°Ugh, no way.¡± Seron instantly made a face of disgust. Tilting my head, I asked her, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°What do you mean why? Having someone like him will mess up the team¡¯s vibe.¡± ¡°Why are you the one worrying about that?¡± My straightforward question made Seron blink in confusion, tilting her head in return. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because¡­¡± Seron trailed off, and her eyes gradually widened. ¡°Wait, wait, Princess Sweet Potato, don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± ¡°Nope, not Princess Sweet Potato.¡± ¡°Ah,e on! You need me! Without me, you can¡¯t even find a proper frontliner!¡± ¡°Our backline¡¯s already set with Sharin.¡± Seron¡¯s jaw dropped. Second-year, top of the magic academy. A genius hailed as one of the best in the century¡ªmentioning Sharin Sazaris¡¯s name flipped her entire demeanor. ¡°Sha¡ªSharin Sazaris? Why¡ªwhy would she join?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m very resourceful.¡± After all, I¡¯d already recruited greats like Aisha the Iron Sword, Foara the Spirit Lord Contractor, and even Saint Sirmiel. With such a track record, there was no room for doubt this time either. ¡°With Sharin on board, frontliners will be lining up to join us.¡± The news hadn¡¯t spread yet, but it wouldn¡¯t take long. Soon, plenty of candidates would be begging to join as frontliners. Realizing this, Seron¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°W-Wait, then what about me?¡± ¡°I was asking you earlier¡ªwhy are you so concerned about our team?¡± I smiled sweetly. Seron¡¯s face slowly turned crimson as she finally grasped her situation. Her hand shot out, clutching my cor. ¡°P-Princess Sweet Potato¡ªno, Hannon, don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Seron, I think you¡¯d better hurry and find another team.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry! I was wrong! My grades have been goodtely, right? And my skills are decent too! Please,e on!¡± ¡°Exactly. With those skills, any team would be happy to have you.¡± Tears welled up in Seron¡¯s eyes as she sniffled to my cor with both hands. ¡°Wangnon, please! I¡¯ve got nowhere else to go. Please?¡± ¡°Seron, when you beg, you should use proper honorifics.¡± ¡°P-Please! I beg you, put me on the team!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still holding your head up too high. And what¡¯s with that weak voice?¡± ¡°P-Please! I¡¯m begging you! Put me on the team, please!¡± She bowed deeply, trembling as she spoke. Watching her, I reached out to pat her head. ¡°See? That¡¯s how you ask nicely. Good girl.¡± Other students stared at us, their expressions a mix of bewilderment and pity.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om But it didn¡¯t matter. Being branded as part of the ¡°troublemaker trio¡± meant odd stares were par for the course. ¡°Waaaaahhhh!¡± At that moment, Seron raised her head and looked up at me with tear-streaked cheeks. Gripping my cor, she started shaking me wildly. Maybe I pushed her too far¡ªshe looked genuinely broken. But she still didn¡¯t want to leave the team, ring at me fiercely in silence. ¡°Seron, if we win first ce in the grouppetition, your parents might give you a bigger allowance, don¡¯t you think?¡± Her shoulders twitched. Seron was notorious for getting generous allowances from her parents, so the prospect of more money was her lifeline. ¡°With Sharin, securing at least the top ranks is pretty much guaranteed.¡± Seron carefully straightened my cor, which she¡¯d been wrinkling moments earlier. Her tear-filled eyes glimmered with hope. She had already been rewarded generously by her parents after the Gray Forest incident. Rumor had it her allowance had even been raised. With that in mind, doing well in thispetition would likely mean another increase. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s aim for first ce together.¡± Seron¡¯s demeanor had done aplete 180, and Card whistled, clearly entertained. ¡°You¡¯re getting better and better at taming people.¡± Taming? Please. It¡¯s called effectivemunication. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 39 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 39: The Ingenious Move That Defeated the Mad Mage Another week passed since the grouppetition was announced.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om I have apelling reason to perform exceptionally in this grouppetition. The reason? To leave a strong impression on a particr individual. This person is a central figure in the empire and will significantly influence the future scenario. ¡®They¡¯ll definitely attend this grouppetition.¡¯ That¡¯s why I must achieve a remarkable performance at all costs. ¡°Senior, your stamina has really improved recently.¡± Early morning. Aisha, jogging alongside me,plimented my endurance. Just as she said, my stamina continues to grow steadily. The potential of my body, enhanced by Vikamon¡¯s abilities, seems limitless. It¡¯s astonishing how quickly my stamina is improving, even to myself. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Aisha.¡± ¡°Oh, not at all. It¡¯s because of your hard work, senior.¡± Aisha always has a way with words. ¡°Still, it¡¯s not enough yet.¡± Indeed, my physical strength and skills have advanced significantly in a short time. That¡¯s undoubtedly due to my efforts. But even so, it¡¯s not sufficient to secure outstanding results in the grouppetition. ¡®It¡¯s about time.¡¯ It¡¯s time to find a new card to help me navigate through the scenario. Following my steel skin and magic engraving, I need something else. While someone like Lucas could rely on sheer willpower to get through challenges, I, whocks me of Resolve, can¡¯t afford to. ¡°Are you deep in thought again, senior?¡± Aisha noticed me zoning out during our run, a habit she¡¯s grown familiar with. ¡°Senior, it¡¯s dangerous to get lost in thought while running. Should we take a break instead?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve run so much that not running feels stranger now.¡± My body has grown so ustomed to running that it¡¯s almost unnatural not to. Aisha smiled, seemingly pleased that I had gotten so used to it. She had always wanted a training partner, and I had filled that role for her. Because of that, Aisha cared for me greatly. ¡°Aisha, what do you think the odds are of someone getting struck by lightning in their lifetime?¡± Even when I asked a random question, Aisha took it seriously and pondered. ¡°Hmm, extremely rare, right? At least, I¡¯ve never heard of anyone around me being struck.¡± ¡°Exactly. But there was someone who lived their life being struck by lightning repeatedly.¡± ¡°Someone like that actually existed?¡± ¡°Yeah, you could say their life was a series of tragic events.¡± Aisha seemed puzzled, but this person was critical for my future ns. ¡®The problem is...¡¯ This individual was already dead, killed by a lightning strike. £ª£ª£ª Lightning. A phenomenon caused by an electrical discharge between clouds and the ground. The odds of being struck by lightning in a lifetime are 1 in 280,000. Such odds make it reasonable to consider anyone struck by lightning as extremely unlucky. But there existed someone who had been struck by lightning. Not just once, but a total of 108 times. The name bestowed upon them: Lightning Caller. This person met their end after being struck for the 107th time. Their 108th lightning strike? It hit their grave after they were buried. Whether they were loved or hated by lightning remains a mystery. That was Lightning Caller¡¯s fate. But they were dead. So how could I possibly find them? The Answer Lies in the Special Arts Department. Special Arts. A department created for those who couldn¡¯t be neatly categorized into martial arts or magic disciplines. Some students in this department excel inbat, while others wield abilities entirely unrted to it. Among these students is a peculiar second-year with a unique nickname: Little Ossuary. Sporting a skull for a head, this individual is known for their eerie and enigmatic presence. One day, he might suddenly set up a meal on the academy rooftop and talk to something unseen. On another, he might light a fire in the woods near the academy and cause amotion. In the Firefly me Arc, his entricities often be the source of spooky events. It turns out that the ghostly rumors circting around the academy were all because of The Little Ossuary. To meet this Little Ossuary, I decided today¡ªafter finishing my sses¡ªto grab a bag and head toward the Special Studies building. Because of the item inside this bag, I had to endure that rascal Card¡¯s teasing, which annoyed me to no end. ¡¸Wangnon, haha, so you¡¯re a guy after all! I knew you liked older women, but I didn¡¯t think it was this serious!¡¹ That bastard. Next time I see him, I¡¯m going to punch him. I let out a sigh and looked up. At that moment, the Special Studies building came into full view. The building, perhaps to reflect the diversity of its students, was adorned with all sorts of unusual objects. From weapons I¡¯d never seen before to decorative ornaments and sswork, it was an eclectic mix¡ªboth random and unique. It felt like stepping into an antique shop. Through the windows of passing ssrooms, I saw groups of students engrossed in their work. Some of them were experimenting with dangerous things, so I decided to quietly avoid eye contact. Many quirky individuals in Special Arts were best left alone. As I ventured further, the atmosphere grew eerier. A chilling sensation ran down my spine, akin to walking through a graveyard. Eventually, I arrived at a ssroom door. Though no one stood outside, faint presences flickered behind it. I knocked twice and called out. ¡°Is anyone in there?¡± Silence greeted me. Left with no choice, I opened the door. Whoosh! A wave of cold air swept over me, sending a shiver down my spine. It felt as if something that had been lingering inside had just left. ¡°Ah, they left.¡± A regretful voice echoed. Inside the dimly lit room, its windows covered by ckout curtains, sat a man with a skull for a head at the center. On the desk in front of him... there was a Ouija board, meant for spiritualmunication. He clicked his teeth together as if in irritation, then nced over at me. Within the skull''s face, his eyes gleamed faintly. "Isn''t it bad manners to enter without waiting for an answer to your knock?" "Funny, I thought I heard you answer just now." Of course, that was a lie. Hearing my lie, he tilted his head. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w And soon enough, he realized the falsehood and responded with amusement. "Ha ha... I never imagined someone would dare to lie to a ghost." It seemed to match his taste. A small sanctum. Grantoni, a second-year in the special department. He is a practitioner of spirit arts, also known as a soul sorcerer. "Second-year, Hannon Irey." And before I could introduce myself further, he mentioned my name. "Ha ha... I''ve heard a lot about you." There shouldn''t be anyone who''d share my name with him. The source was obvious¡ªhe must have heard it from the ghosts scattered across Zerion Academy. "What have they been saying about me?" "Congrattions. You''re apparently a rare kind of lunatic! They all seem to like you." I wasn¡¯t sure what part of me they liked, but fortunately, Grantoni viewed me favorably. "And they¡¯re grateful you¡¯ve taken in the Empress." I knew exactly who he meant by "the Empress." The Empress of Steel, a Mystery¡ªa being I had in my care. A Mystery is an aberration, a being that failed to be a deity. They share some simrities with ghosts, in that they linger in the world due to certain powers. Ghosts, too, are spirits tied to this world by unresolved forces. Perhaps that¡¯s why Grantoni, having seen the Empress depart, seemed to harbor a certain sentiment. "Thanks for the kind words." "Ha ha... That¡¯s why you¡¯re so popr with the ghosts. If you¡¯d like, I could introduce you to one." "If you¡¯re offering, can I pick someone specific?" When I spoke boldly, Grantoni burst intoughter. Most who faced him would shrink away in fear or unease. After all, he mingled not with the living, but with the dead. He was walking a path that distanced him from the world of the living. For someone like me to approach him so casually¡ªit was clearly a novelty for him. "Ha ha! Sure. Who do you have in mind?" Though there was no visible gauge, I felt his favorability toward me rise. "The Thunder Caller." I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small box. It was an item I had acquired a long time ago while obtaining the Veil¡¯s Bandages. It was something I had barely managed to take from the Mad mage, Vinesha. Ssshhh¡ª I opened the lid of the box, revealing a small pendant inside. Thunk¡ª Grantoni¡¯s skeletal head stiffened as he recognized the box''s contents. Naturally so. To him, Vinesha was a figure of hatred. The Mad mage had killed Grantoni¡¯s mentor. And the box I now held contained an artifact stolen from his mentor after their death. "You can ask your mentor directly about this, if you¡¯d like." After all, even histe mentor lingered nearby. Thud¡ª I closed the lid of the box. Beforeing to Zerion Academy to clear the me Butterfly Arc, I had prepared everything I could. This was one of the key items for the ending. Grantoni remained silent, momentarily stunned by the unexpected item I had presented. After a long pause, he slowly raised his head. In his dark, empty sockets, no emotion could be discerned. "How did you get this from Vinesha? She guards it closely¡ªit wouldn¡¯t have been easy." Vinesha is a mid-game boss, appearing in Act 4. She¡¯s an opponent far beyond what most could handle. The answer to how I acquired the pendant was simple. "I seduced her." Though his skullcked eyes, I could sense the impression of him blinking in surprise. "When I seduced her, she gave me anything I wanted." Love blinds people. So, I seduced Vinesha. It¡¯s not for nothing that Vikamon, the host from the House of Pleasures, made a living wooing women. I had a natural gift¡ªmy appearance. I used it to its fullest. Vinesha has a thing for younger men. Grantoni stared at me nkly, then suddenly burst into raucousughter. "Ha ha ha! That was thest thing I expected to hear. Whether it¡¯s true or not, you¡¯ve brought the item before me, so I¡¯ll believe you." It¡¯s true, though. If I¡¯d looked like Vikamon, he would¡¯ve understood. "Ha ha... Fine." He stood up lightly from his seat. "I¡¯ll summon the ghost you want." The deal was done. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 40 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 40: The Lightning Ravager In the darkened ssroom, Grantoni was busy preparing a necromantic ritual to summon Thunder Caller. He painted a massive magic circle using goat¡¯s blood and scattered bone dust of indeterminate origin across it. After a while of bustling preparations, Grantoni finally grinned with satisfaction. ¡°This sets the mood.¡± ¡°Grantoni, all of this feels unnecessary, doesn¡¯t it?¡± What he was attempting was a summoning ritual¡ªnothing he¡¯d ever read indicated such dramatics were required. ¡°Hehe, these things are all about the atmosphere.¡± True to his entric nature, it was clear he was doing this simply because he wanted to. ¡°So, who are we summoning again?¡± Had he forgotten already? ¡°Thunder Caller.¡± ¡°Not the nickname¡ªthe actual name.¡± Ah, right. Calling someone by a nickname via necromancy wouldn¡¯t exactly summon them. ¡°Barcavaran.¡± A name from the northern empire, derived from the savage tribes that lived among the world¡¯s tallest mountain ranges. ¡°Hehe, noted.¡± Grantoni ttered his teeth together and stepped into the center of the magic circle he had drawn. He ced a chair backward and sat with its backrest pressed against his chest. ¡°I¡¯ll start the summoning now. Keep quiet for a bit.¡± Grantoni was a spiritualist, and not just any ordinary one. He was among the most gifted, a person who was closer to the dead than the living¡ªa mobile mausoleum. He wasn¡¯t called by such a chilling nickname for nothing. As his skeletal eye sockets lost their eerie glow, the atmosphere in the ssroom began to shift. This ce was transforming into a domain that weed death. Even my steel skin started trembling in response to the encroaching aura of death. An unsettling, creeping sensation crawled across my entire body. The colors of the scenery began to drain away, leaving everything bathed in a desaturated grayish hue. This signified one thing: the ssroom was now an entry point to the Otherworld, the realm of spirits. This was why Grantoni was considered an unparalleled spiritualist¡ªhis unique ability allowed him to traverse the boundary between life and death at will. Yet even he knew. Staying in the Otherworld for too long meant risking the inability to return. And still, he repeatedly ventured here, undoubtedly searching for someone. ¡®That someone¡­¡¯ One day, though, he would have to let go. During the fourth act of the ¡°Mad Mage Saga,¡± in his final battle against Vinesha, Grantoni faced a crossroads. Would he remain in the Otherworld? Or choose to stay in the mortal realm? If he stayed in the Otherworld, he would find happiness¡ªhis greatest wish fulfilled. But it would also bring about one of the story¡¯s 38 bad endings: The Descent of the Otherworld. If he stayed in the mortal realm, however, it would mean an eternal separation from what he held dear¡ªan endless sorrow that would haunt him forever. Happiness in the Otherworld or despair in reality¡ªthe choice was his alone. ¡®As for me¡­¡¯ Despite knowing his story, I must ensure he stays in the mortal realm. ¡®But that¡¯s still far off.¡¯ As I observed the Otherworld¡¯s dull, lifeless hues, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle bitterly. This bleak, joyless world was the ce Grantoni considered his happiest refuge. Reality must have appeared even grayer to him. ¡°Barcavaran.¡± Grantoni began his invocation, and immediately, the ssroom¡¯s windows burst open. Heavy ckout curtains pped wildly in the northern wind that came rushing in. The biting cold stung my steel skin, and I almost let out an involuntary sound. While I had grown used to intense heat, freezing cold was another story entirely. My steel-like skin amplified the chill, making my teeth chatter uncontrobly. ¡®I need to work on my cold resistance. Definitely something to get soon.¡¯ With such thoughts flitting through my mind, Grantoni raised his hand toward the ceiling. ¡°Barcavaran.¡± A rumble of thunder echoed through the roaring wind. It wasing. That realization struck my entire body at once. ¡°Barcavaran!¡± KRAK-A-BOOM! Blinding lightning illuminated the room as the sound of thunder split the air. The momentary sh left me blinking to regain my sight. Slowly, my vision cleared, revealing a silhouette in the dissipating smoke. The figurecked visible legs, and their entire body was marked with jagged lightning-shaped scars. The man surveyed his surroundings with a grim expression, as if searching for something. When his gaze met mine, he paused briefly, then furrowed his brow before snorting in disinterest. [Impossible.] I felt like I¡¯d just heard some ridiculous nonsense. ¡°Hello, friend!¡± Grantoni suddenly popped his skull-like head out from behind the man, startling him. The man swung a punch reflexively, but it passed right through Grantoni¡¯s head. Of course, it did¡ªGrantoni was already dead. This man was Barcavaran, the one they called Thunder Caller. ¡°Nice punch! My friend here needs to talk to you.¡± [Annoying. Send me back.] ¡°Aw,e on! Give us a moment. He¡¯s a fun guy, promise.¡± Grantoni worked hard to persuade Barcavaran. That pendant I gave him was proving its worth. Annoying personality aside, Barcavaran was someone who repaid his debts. [Fine. Talk quickly.] Barcavaran sat cross-legged on the floor, exhaling sharply. [What do you want?] I grinned. ¡°You mind exining how you earned the nickname ¡®Lightning Ravager¡¯?¡± Barcavaran fell silent. KRAK-BOOM! Another thunderp roared through the Otherworld. Barcavaran flinched, his shoulders trembling as he hunched over. The memories of those 108 lightning strikes must have been seared into his soul. ¡°Come on, no need to dodge the question. Your wife¡¯s clearly still mad¡ªlook at the weather.¡± [ Ahem. ] Barcavaran let out a series of coughs. As mentioned earlier, he had defiled the statue of the Lightning Goddess. And he had been struck by lightning for it. But it wasn¡¯t necessarily because the Lightning Goddess despised him. To be precise, it was jealousy. ¡®A legendary womanizer.¡¯ A mad phnderer who, under the guise of a barbarian, would try his luck wherever he could. After this lunatic defiled the statue of the Lightning Goddess, for reasons beyond understanding, the Lightning Goddess began to fancy him. As absurd as it sounds, every one of the 108 lightning strikes he endured came after he¡¯d been in bed with someone. And all with different partners, no less. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive!¡± Grantoni pped his hands,ughing heartily upon learning this. ¡°But wasn¡¯t the 108th lightning strike after he was already buried?¡± Grantoni suddenly asked, as if a question had struck him. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w I didn¡¯t respond. Neither did Barcavaran. The only reply was the sound of lightning striking outside the window once again. [ ''...You''re prying too much into my personal life.'' ] ¡°Personal life or not, it¡¯s not hard to find. It¡¯s recorded in history, after all.¡± [ ¡®Must¡¯ve been an extraordinary record, then.¡¯ ] Well, extraordinary in many ways. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get to the point.¡± This wasn¡¯t why I¡¯d summoned Barcavaran. I had somethingpletely different to discuss. ¡°The divine artifact you acquired when you defiled the Lightning Goddess¡¯s statue.¡± A divine artifact¡ª an item imbued with the direct power of a god. However, aside from a few exceptions, most divine artifacts are considered cursed or dangerous. Some divine artifacts unleash endless seawater. Others perpetually pour out illnesses. Most divine artifacts are, in fact, cmities in disguise. Thus, divine artifacts, despite their name, are often sealed away. Among them is Barcavaran¡¯s artifact. ¡°The Lightning Caller.¡± The Lightning Caller wasn¡¯t named after Barcavaran¡¯s nickname. It was the actual name of the artifact he had taken from the Lightning Goddess¡¯s statue. ¡°I¡¯d like you to give it to me.¡± And so, I¡¯de here to obtain the Lightning Caller from Barcavaran. Divine artifacts remain tied to their owner unless they willingly pass them on or their soul dissipates after death. Knowing this, I¡¯d summoned Barcavaran directly. [ ¡®...There¡¯s nothing good that cane from possessing the Lightning Caller.¡¯ ] Barcavaran looked at me as though I were insane. The Lightning Caller literally summons lightning. Who in their right mind would voluntarily take on such a burden? But I needed it. For me, the Lightning Caller was a crucial trump card. ¡°Everything has its uses.¡± [ ¡®So, you want to get struck by lightning? nning to die young, I see.¡¯ ] ¡°Actually, I¡¯m trying to avoid dying, which is why I need it.¡± I wasn¡¯t doing this because I wanted to get struck by lightning. Realizing I was serious, Barcavaran rubbed his chin thoughtfully. [ ¡®If I give you this divine artifact, what will you give me in return?¡¯ ] Even in death, this guy was greedy. I sighed and pulled out a book I¡¯d brought along. ¡°Grantoni, could you present this as an offering?¡± ¡°Sure, just put it under here.¡± Grantoni casually gestured to the space under his chair. I carefully ced the book there. Momentster, the book appeared in Barcavaran¡¯s hands. He opened it, flipping through a few pages, and his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s a gravure collection.¡± Wherever people live, such things exist. But in the afterlife, where the living don¡¯t reside, they were impossible toe by. ¡°I have more if you¡¯d like.¡± I lifted the bag I¡¯d brought, showing him its contents. A faint jolt of static ran through me, and suddenly, something was in my hand. It was a small ring meant for a finger.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om A golden ring with a lightning motif carved into it. The divine artifact¡ªthe Lightning Caller. [ ¡®The deal is done.¡¯ ] Barcavaran looked immensely pleased. I handed him the rest of the gravure books as an offering. ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ Trading a few gravure books for a divine artifact¡ªit was absurd no matter how you looked at it. I slipped the ring onto my index finger. The gemstone on the Lightning Caller briefly glimmered. [ ¡®A word of advice.¡¯ ] Without looking up from his book, Barcavaran spoke. [ ¡®The Lightning Caller leaves indelible scars on its user¡¯s body.¡¯ ] He gestured to the lightning scars covering his body. [ ¡®When those scarspletely cover you, your heart will stop.¡¯ ] Essentially, the Lightning Caller carried a curse. Using the divine power of a god exacted a toll on the human body, inevitably leading to death. [ ¡®I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so determined to use it...¡¯ ] He gathered the books and walked toward the window. [ ¡®Once you use the Lightning Caller, you¡¯re stepping into the wheel of fate. And your heart stopping because of it will be your destiny.¡¯ ] ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± At my calm response, Barcavaran gave me a curious look. ¡°Fate can always be twisted by a greater force, can¡¯t it?¡± Quoting Sharin, I met his gaze. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. [ ¡®I hope we don¡¯t meet again in the afterlife.¡¯ ] With that, he leapt out the window. BOOM! Thunder roared once more outside. As the otherworldly realm began to dissolve, gradually returning to the original world, Grantoni quietly gazed out the window, as if awaiting something. Watching his back, I tightened my grip on the Lightning Caller. ¡®Fate or no fate.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t in a position to worry about such things with a bad ending looming over me. With this, I was ready. ¡®Team battle.¡¯ Let¡¯s see who gets swept away. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 41 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 41: Seron¡¯s Allowance The group test at Zerion Academy involves defeating apostles created by magic. Scores are divided into three criteria: Efficiency. Time. Teamwork. How efficiently the apostle is defeated in a short time, and how well the team works together in the process¡ªthese are the metrics for scoring. Additionally, there is another separate evaluation: a grading system. The group test has apostles appearing consecutively. How many apostles can the team defeat bes a separate score. ¡®And teamwork scoring has already started.¡¯ Failing to properly form a team from the start means teamwork scores are deducted in real time.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Assembling a proper team was also part of the evaluation. It¡¯s the Academy''s way of encouraging students to build rtionships in their daily lives. ¡®Feels like a ruthless academy where loners have no chance to survive.¡¯ For someone like me, with few connections, it¡¯s an extremely harsh scoring system. Do they think it¡¯s easy to recruit people every day? Bringing people in through deals only works a few times. ¡°Heartless professors.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just because Princess Sweet Potato doesn¡¯t have any friends.¡± This girl. ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve for someone who knows fewer people than I do.¡± ¡°W-what? At least I know people I¡¯ve already met!¡± ¡°Yeah, and now you¡¯re abandoned by all of them, alone.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t abandon me¡ªI abandoned them!¡± Seron huffed, her forehead turning red. The steam rising off her exposed forehead looked like it could cook an egg. Then Seron¡¯s eyesnded on my hand. ¡°That¡¯s a new ring. What¡¯s that about?¡± ¡°I got it as a gift.¡± Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. The expression on her face screamed, You? Really? It was just a joke, but she looked genuinely annoyed. ¡°Who on earth would give you something like that?¡± ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯m more popr than you think.¡± ¡°Poor Princess Sweet Potato. Clearly, you¡¯ve never looked in a mirror¡­¡± Seron gave me a pitiful look. This brat. ¡°And you.¡± I red at her sharply. ¡°Have you ever been popr with anyone?¡± Seron blinked. Then she tossed her tied-up red hair over her shoulder. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± ¡°Not in the slightest.¡± ¡°Hmph, just look at me¡ªI¡¯m pretty, aren¡¯t I?¡± I said nothing more. ¡°Hey, why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Answer me.¡± Looking out the window, I saw a carriage crossing the bridge, heading toward Zerion Academy. ¡°Answer me! Even my dad says I¡¯m the prettiest in the world!¡± Today is the day of the group test. To observe the test, esteemed guests from the Empire were visiting the Academy. This time, the visitors were some of the most important figures in the Empire. Amidst them, I spotted an unusually white carriage. A carriage drawn by white horses. Inside it was a crucial figure for resolving future events. To have a private meeting with that person, I had to make an impact during today¡¯s group test. ¡°Seron.¡± By now, Seron had let her hair down and was posing with her hands framing her face. I looked at her with visible disgust. ¡°What¡¯s with the act? Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡± Seron¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s because of you¡ª!¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading to the group test. If you¡¯rete, you¡¯re off the team.¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯ming too!¡± Seron quickly tied her hair back and followed after me. As we walked, I saw a familiar face in the distance. Silver hair swaying with every step, still as beautiful as ever. But the face under that silver hair had lost its former vitality and looked terribly somber. ¡°Senior Nikita.¡± When I called her name, Nikita slowly lifted her head. Her eyes met mine, and she gave a faint smile. ¡°Oh, hello, junior.¡± Unlike before, her smilecked energy. Since Nia¡¯s death, she had been like this. ¡°You¡¯re heading to the group test, aren¡¯t you?¡± It seemed she had already guessed where we were going. Nikita¡¯s face looked even thinner than before. She clearly hadn¡¯t been eating properly. ¡°Senior.¡± I rummaged through my bag. Then, I ced my sandwich, which I¡¯d nned to eat for lunch, into Nikita¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s a tuna sandwich.¡± She looked at the sandwich in her hands and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. I haven¡¯t had much of an appetitetely.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re taking the group test today too, aren¡¯t you?¡± I firmly ced the sandwich in her hands as she tried to refuse. ¡°Please eat. Otherwise, I won¡¯t feel at ease.¡± Nikita was growing thinner by the day. The least I could do was make sure she ate. Nikita looked at me with a quiet gaze. Her eyes carried a faint, weary smile. Eventually, she carefully epted the sandwich. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll eat it. I¡¯ll keep my thoughtful junior in mind.¡± Leaving those words, Nikita walked away. Watching her fading figure, I felt a pang in my chest. Even though I knew everything. I stayed silent for the sake of progressing the scenario. After today¡¯s group test, Nikita woulde across a certain piece of information. She would learn for certain that Nia Cynthia¡¯s death wasn¡¯t an ident, but an assassination. Fueled by this knowledge, Nikita would eventually turn to dragon magic in her quest for revenge. And I¡­ I would have to watch it unfold. I clenched my fist tightly. ¡®¡­It¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ I had already resolved to save Nikita. Though I couldn¡¯t prevent her from bing the Dragon of Disaster, her fate afterward would be in my hands. To avoid a bad ending and achieve a happy ending for everyone, I vowed to do whatever it took. So, I would see it through. ¡°Princess Sweet Potato, are you okay?¡± Perhaps my expression had grown too stiff. It might have been because my expression was too stiff. Seron nced over and asked cautiously, "Are you okay?" "I''m fine. Let¡¯s go." Hoping she could hold her own, I started walking toward the group battle area. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * The venue for the group battle was a ce reminiscent of a massive arena. Given that high-level magic, such as illusion magic, was involved in summoning apostles, arge space was necessary. By now, several distinguished guests had already taken their seats in the arena. They seemed highly intrigued by this year¡¯s group battle. "I hear the second-years this time are the legendary ''Golden me'' generation." "I¡¯ve only heard rumors so far, never seen them. I¡¯m looking forward to this." "Even the first-years are supposed to be impressive. Apparently, there¡¯s a kid from the renowned Bizvel Marquisate among them." "And I heard someone signed a contract with a Spirit Lord! The empire¡¯s future is looking bright!" They exchanged enthusiastic chatter, showing keen interest in the current generation. However, none of them paid attention to the third-years. The third-years were considered the weakest generation, so no one gave them a second thought. As a result, the third-years, who were set to go first in the group battles, were utterly dispirited. It might have been fine if they had taken the test without an audience, but being dismissed in front of prominent figures of the empire left them visibly deted. Normally, Nikita would have encouraged them in her own way, but even she remained silently subdued this time. ¡°The third-years¡¯ mood is a mess,¡± Commented Card, standing beside me. "Tch, if they¡¯re this defeated right from the start, they won¡¯t be able to do anything properly." "Hey, Potato," Seron snapped, visibly tense. "Is this the time to be worrying about others? Focus on us." Watching her, I quickly realized why she was on edge. ¡°Seron, your father is here today, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Urk.¡± She flinched, unable to deny it. But her nervousness wasn¡¯t because her father was strict. ¡°If I mess up here, my allowance is going to get cut again.¡± That¡¯s all. She was simply worried about losing her spending money. What a carefree person. "Don¡¯t worry." As her teammate, I decided to reassure her. "Even if your allowance gets cut, we won¡¯t lose in the group battle." "My allowance getting cut is the most important thing!" That¡¯s her problem, not mine. "Uuuugh, I¡¯m so sleepy." Came a voice from behind me. The reason I had been sitting still until now¡ªSharin was dozing against my back. As always, she was as carefree as could be. Stretchingzily, she tilted her head. "When are we starting?" "It¡¯s the third-years¡¯ turn right now." "Then I can sleep a bit more." She curled up again and rested against my back. If she wanted to sleep, she could¡¯ve found another ce. Why she insisted on leaning on me was a mystery. At that moment, I felt someone¡¯s gaze and looked up. Across the distance, I locked eyes with Isabel, who had been quietly watching us. Startled, she quickly looked away. It seemed she still hadn¡¯t gotten over losing Sharin to our team. Ever since Sharin dered she was joining our team, Isabel¡¯s stunned expression remained vivid in my memory. ¡®Is Isabel¡¯s team still the same as when we saw them in the Demon Dungeon?¡¯ Given their bncedposition, Isabel¡¯s team seemed poised to perform well. ¡®And the others¡­¡¯ I shifted my gaze to another team. A woman with long ck hair stood silently, her presencemanding attention. Perhaps the strongest team across all grades, it was none other than Team Iris. Their lineup: Vanguard: Iris, the top martial arts student, and her second-inmand. Rearguard: The second-ranked magic student and the top special arts student. Healer: The second-ranked student in divine arts. ¡®No matter how you look at it¡­¡¯ The bnce of their team was insane. True to her status as a third princess, Iris had gathered a formidable team through her connections. Essentially, they were the favorites to win the group battle¡ªa team of elites. And they were the team we absolutely had to defeat. If we didn¡¯t, we wouldn¡¯t be able to catch the attention of the distinguished guests. The problem was, many other strong teams were just as formidable. ¡®This is going to be tough.¡¯ While lost in thought, I felt Seron tugging at my sleeve. "Hey, Potato Princess, by the way, who¡¯s our healer for this battle?" Her eyes gleamed with anticipation. She was probably hoping it would be the Saint again. "I couldn¡¯t find anyone from the divine arts department." "What?" Her eyes widened in shock. This was practically a penalty against our teamposition. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Because we had teamed up with the Saint before, no one from divine studies was willing to join us. They all bowed out, saying things like, ¡®I can¡¯t possibly take a position that the Saint once filled.¡¯ Cowardly zealots, afraid of beingpared. "What were you thinking!" "So I found someone from the special studies department." As Seron groaned in frustration, I turned my gaze to the figure approaching us. Seron¡¯s face froze as she saw the person arrive, while Card whistled lightly in surprise. Clearly, this was someone unexpected. A gleaming white skull caught the sunlight. "Let me introduce you¡ªour healer from the special studies department, Grantoni." "Heheh, hi, hi!" A walking disaster and the academy¡¯s infamous troublemaker, Grantoni. Our team¡¯s healer was a spirit conjurer. "MY ALLOWAAAANCE!" And Seron screamed in despair. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 42 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 42: The Problem Children Seron let out a wail, and I looked at her with a pitiful expression. "Seron, Seron. What kind of manners is that in front of Grantoni?" "Argh! I''m more curious about your brain, which thought bringing this skeleton head would actually help!" "I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s probably bigger than yours, Seron." "Pfft! Hahaha!" As Seron and I bickered, Card wiped away tears, bursting intoughter. "Alright, alright. Seron, calm down. There must be a reason why Wangnon brought this miniature ossuary along, right?" When Card soothed Seron, she huffed and pointed at Grantoni.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "And why is he the healer, of all people?" Healers were traditionally chosen from the Divine Arts students. Seron couldn¡¯t wrap her head around why Grantoni was assigned the role of healer. "Honestly, I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so strange about it." "He''s not healing people; he¡¯s killing them!" That was a prejudiced view typical of soul conjurers. I pointed to Grantoni¡¯s skull. "Then let me ask you this. Among the Divine Arts students, is there anyone who can survive with nothing but a skull for a head, like Grantoni?" Seron opened and closed her mouth, at a loss for words. "...We don¡¯t usually call that living, though." "Fair enough." Even Card found that amusing. These ignoramuses. "Grantoni is a soul conjurer skilled in necromancy. He understands how the body is constructed, can mend broken bones, and even restore flesh." Of course, unlike Divine Arts, his methods might cause pain. Nheless, a soul conjurer can step in when a Divine Arts student fails to heal. Divine magic and ck magic are opposites. Yet, they share simrities in their dealings with living bodies. "Besides, I consulted Professor Vega, and she approved." Without the professor''s permission, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to bring him along. Hearing this, Seron hesitated. But she wasn¡¯t finishedining yet. "The bigger problem is whether that skeleton will actually cooperate." In team matches, teamwork is part of the score. Grantoni had a reputation for causing trouble in the past. Students didn¡¯t nickname him "the little ossuary" for nothing. "We¡¯re treated almost the same way, aren¡¯t we?" To the other students, there wasn¡¯t much difference between Grantoni and us. The Neat Freak, Card. The Bulldog, Seron. And me, the Bastard. Somehow, all of us had earned nicknames. Now that I think about it, isn¡¯t mine the worst? Maybe because I was Isabell''s rival¡ªthe student everyone at Zerion Academy admired and adored. My nickname was particrly harsh. Still, fewer people insult me to my face these days. Even the dumbest students can see that challenging me doesn¡¯t end well, thanks to the reputation I¡¯ve built. "Anyway, there wasn¡¯t a Divine Arts student who¡¯d join our team. We should be thankful Grantoni agreed to join us." "Heh. I was going to get disqualified anyway, so this works for me." In team matches, anyone without a team is automatically disqualified and given the lowest score. So Grantoni had nothing to lose by joining us. "If we do well, we¡¯ll get more resources, right? That means I can stay longer in the underworld." Grantoni ttered his teeth and let out an eerieugh. Seron still looked like she wanted to argue but eventually sighed and fell silent. She realized it wouldn¡¯t do any good to keepining. "If our grades drop because of him, I¡¯ming for you, Princess Sweet Potato." The nerve. Who¡¯s she calling what? "Uh-oh, isn¡¯t that bad?" "What should we do?" Suddenly, sighs echoed from all around us. I looked up to see someone being carried off on a stretcher. My body moved before I could think. It was Nikita. She must¡¯ve gotten injured during the team match. Clench. The person holding onto my sleeve was Sharin, who had been dozing behind me. She looked at me through half-open eyes. "We¡¯re in the middle of an exam too. You can goter." Sharin was right. Following Nikita now wouldn¡¯t change anything. "The vice president, right?" "Hmm. She¡¯s from the Cynthia family, so I had some hopes for her." "They say this is the weakest generation. Losing Nia Cynthia must¡¯ve been devastating for their family." "I heard Nia Cynthia¡¯s body still hasn¡¯t been found." The murmurs from the spectators grew louder. Despite Nikita being carried off, the team match continued. The third-year students fought desperately but failed to captivate the audience. Theirck of enthusiasm only grew as the match dragged on. By the end, not a single p was heard. The third years left the stage, drained and defeated. "Next up, the second-year team match will begin!" "Oh, finally." "The Golden me Generation. This should be good." "Now this¡¯ll be worth watching." The atmosphere shifted when the magic professor announced the start of the second-year matches. For the third years, it was a bitter pill to swallow. But they couldn¡¯t deny the truth. Their talent was no match for the second years. "First team, Team Iris." The professor called the team name, and the group stepped forward. Match order was determined by the team¡¯s average score. The highest-scoring team always went first. "In apetitive setup, it¡¯s better to set the bar high early. That way, the others will push harder to beat it." It was a psychological strategy. Being first carried the burden of high expectations, but with their scores, Team Iris could handle it. "Let¡¯s go." Iris Hysirion strode forward with her ck hair flowing and her ruby-like eyes gleaming. The rest of her team followed, all of them second-year elites. There wasn¡¯t a trace of fear in their expressions¡ªonly confidence that they¡¯d take first ce. "That¡¯s Princess Iris." "Impressive." "The strongest royal in history, isn¡¯t she?" Even the spectators were abuzz. The top martial arts student. The strongest royal in history. She might carry the nickname "thest viiness," but no one could deny her strength. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Team Iris stepped onto the arena where the grouppetition would take ce. Then, smoke rose, and the arena''s form began to change. A hemispherical dome surrounded the arena. From inside the dome, the outside waspletely obscured. The design was meant to ensurepetitors could focus without being distracted by external gazes. Soon, thick, white smoke spread across the area. Boom! Through an illusion spell, a formidable apostle appeared. It was a colossal being in the form of a bull. ¡°Grooooar!¡± As soon as it appeared, the apostle pounded its chest and let out a thunderous roar. sh! In the next moment, its head was severed. A clean, one-shot kill. Everyone who witnessed the scene held their breath. Before anyone realized it, Iris was already standing behind the fallen apostle. Most of the people there hadn¡¯t even seen her move. Her crimson eyes glowed quietly through the smoke. Her gaze resembled a red rose blooming in the darkness. "Unstoppable," Card muttered, a sentiment everyone agreed with. Team Iris continued with a streak of wless victories. The overwhelming disy was enough to crush the fighting spirit of anyone watching. It was as if team Iris were sending a message to the second-years: ¡®Forget about first ce. It''s ours.¡¯ However, as the match entered itster stages, even team Iris began to slow down. The apostles that appeared in theter rounds were formidable, even for them. Still, considering how few third-years had even made it this far, reaching the final stages already confirmed them as one of the top contenders. Thud! Eventually, team Iris defeated the final apostle registered in the illusion spell. "31 minutes and 21 seconds." That was the time it took for team Iris to defeat all ten apostles. Since the final apostle alone had taken just over ten minutes, this meant they had defeated the first nine apostles in under twenty minutes. "Good work. Congrattions on being the first to clear it." Professor Vega, dressed unusually sharply in a clean suit, praised team Iris. Iris thanked her with a confident smile and turned to leave. Unlike her teammates, she didn¡¯t show the slightest sign of exhaustion. As she walked, her gaze briefly met mine. Iris nced at me sharply before walking past. ¡®Still a monster.¡¯ At least within Zerion Academy, there was no one who could defeat her. ¡°Next, the Hannon team.¡± And the next name called was ours. ¡°W-We¡¯re up? Why?¡± Seron looked flustered. But, of course, there was an obvious reason why we were the second team. All eyes turned to Sharin. The top student in Magical Studies, Sharin Sazaris. Even under the weight of all those stares, she remained as calm as ever, shruggingzily. "I''m just thatpetent." Many second-years, now realizing she was on our team, looked puzzled. Their expressions seemed to ask, Why is someone like her mixed in with those troublemakers? ¡°Ahhh! Right after Princess Iris? That¡¯s cruel! Our team is in shambles without Sharin!¡± Despair was written all over Seron¡¯s face. Understandable¡ªthis lineup was perfect for a directparison. I raised a hand and firmly pressed down on Seron¡¯s head. Enough with the whining. "Listen up. The strongest team just set the record." A mischievous grin crept onto my face. ¡°That means if we clear it in less than 31 minutes and 21 seconds, we win.¡± It was obvious, but it wasn¡¯t something people usually dared to say. Card burst outughing. ¡°That¡¯s true! That¡¯s just how it works.¡± ¡°Heheh, this will be fun.¡± As expected of a group of troublemakers, none of them showed the slightest hint of intimidation. ¡°Yeah, if you¡¯ve called me in, that¡¯s the level we¡¯re aiming for,¡± Sharin said, nodding with satisfaction. "Let''s go take first ce." As we walked toward the arena, I noticed Isabel. She hadn¡¯t taken her eyes off me from the start. Determination burned in her gaze¡ªclearly a sign of rivalry. It was obvious what she was thinking: ¡®No matter what score you achieve, I¡¯ll surpass it.¡¯ Isabel didn¡¯t care about team Iris at all. Her sole purpose was to defeat me. If that¡¯s the case... ¡®I¡¯m not going to let you win.¡¯ Not for the sake of the scenario, not for anything. The grouppetition. We would finish in first ce. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 43 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 43: The Duke of Whitewood The tournament arena. As we began stepping onto the stage, murmurs erupted from the VIP section. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Sharin Sazaris, the Blue Tower Master¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Whoa, a big shot has appeared.¡± ¡°Hmm, but wasn¡¯t she adopted?¡± ¡°What does that matter? She was top of her magic ss and born with Mirinae! That¡¯s all that counts!¡± As expected, the name most frequently mentioned among the VIPs was Sharin. The gift of Mirinae¡ªthe ultimate talent for a mage. Sharin, born with this rare gift, was so exceptional that being the adopted child of the Tower Master didn¡¯t seem to matter in the least. Of course... ¡°...Hmph.¡± Sharin herself wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled about the mention of her adoption. Her piercing gaze was practically drilling holes into the back of my head. She was likely recalling the promise I¡¯d made when convincing her to join the team. I¡¯d offered her a way to strike back at her adoptive father, the Tower Master. She hadn¡¯t pressed me for details at the time, but it was clearly still weighing on her mind. ¡°But why isn¡¯t Sharin the team leader?¡± ¡°Hannon? Never heard of him.¡± ¡°But his hair and eye color¡­ they look just like¡­¡± Before I knew it, the VIPs¡¯ attention shifted from Sharin to me. My hair and eye color were an exact match to those of Iris, who had appeared earlier. That could only mean one thing¡ªthey¡¯d also figured out my lineage. The Duchy of Robliage. They now knew I was descended from that prestigious family. However, my surname wasn¡¯t Robliage but Irey. This discrepancy seemed to spark curiosity among some of the VIPs. ¡°Interesting.¡± Except for one person. The woman watching me with bright yellow eyes filled with amusement. Her snow-white hair, bizarrely curling eyes, and the flowing cape draped over her shoulders revealed a stunning, otherworldly figure. Sheughed as if she were enjoying an entertaining spectacle. In the Hysirion Empire, there are four dukes in total. She was the one who ruled over the eastern duchy.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The Duke of Whitewood. The longest-standing duke since the founding of the Hysirion Empire. She¡¯s taken an interest in me, just as I expected. Even from this distance, her presence exuded an overwhelming aura of danger. My steel-hardened skin quivered instinctively, as if urging me to avert her gaze immediately. But I couldn¡¯t afford to be intimidated. Not with whaty ahead. I turned my back on the Duke of Whitewood¡¯s piercing stare and stepped onto the arena. The lingering gazes from the crowd disappeared in an instant. Thanks to the protective magic enveloping the arena. ¡°Seeing it up close, this magic is even more fascinating,¡± Sharin remarked, scanning the barrier with interest. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about dismantling it.¡± ¡°Who do you take me for?¡± A troublemaker. I lifted my head, not knowing what unpredictable move Sharin might pull next. ¡°Seron.¡± ¡°Huh? Uh, what?¡± Startled, Seron clutched her axe tightly as she responded. Unlike me, her attention was focused elsewhere. There, a middle-aged man who bore an uncanny resemnce to her was smiling brightly, holding a banner that read, ¡°Go, my daughter! You can do it!¡± It was obvious¡ªSeron was nervous because her father hade to watch. ¡°Only we¡¯ll take on the Apostles for the first five rounds.¡± The group tournament had a total of ten Apostles. Naturally, the roundssted up to ten as well. Since the difficulty of the Apostles increased in theter rounds, it was most efficient for Seron and me, the strongest in stamina, to handle the early stages. I nced at Seron with a smirk. ¡°If you¡¯re nervous, say so. I¡¯ll switch you out.¡± A vein throbbed on Seron¡¯s forehead. ¡°Nervous? Me? Never!¡± She swung her axe threateningly in response. ¡°Just watch, Princess Potato. I¡¯ll take them down faster than you!¡± Wasting energy already. ¡°Card, Grantoni¡ªstay ready. Sharin, wait until I call you.¡± ¡°Do your best out there.¡± ¡°Hehe, this is gonna be fun.¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve warmed up more¡­¡± After hearing everyone¡¯s responses, I rolled up my sleeves. And as I raised my hand to signal readiness¡ª Boom! The ground shook as a colossal ox-shaped Apostle emerged. Round 1: Water Ox Apostle. Tick! Simultaneously, the clock measuring the battle time began ticking. Seron and I lunged toward the Apostle in unison, feet pounding the ground. Unlike the earlier match with Iris, this Apostle showed no signs of being easy prey. Its arms swelled to massive proportions as it readied itself for battle. It swung a fist, massive as my head, straight at me as I closed in. I tilted my head, narrowly dodging the blow. The weight of its punch was palpable as it whooshed past me. Just imagining Iris cutting this thing down with a single sh filled me with renewed awe at her strength. While I was evading, Seron dove into the Apostle¡¯s chest. In retaliation, it unleashed a torrent of water from its mouth. ¡°Argh, ugh!¡± Seron hastily split the water st with her axe, but the spray drenched herpletely, leaving her looking like a wet rat. Her soaked clothes clung to her, revealing her pale skin and the faint outline of the undergarments beneath her shirt. ¡°MooOOO!¡± The Apostle bellowed as it bucked wildly, blowing air through its nostrils. Thud! I leapt onto its head, grasping it firmly. Seeing it snort like that somehow ticked me off. The Apostle flinched, its clear, innocent eyes ncing up at me through my fingers. ¡®Magic Engraving: me.¡¯ Whoosh! The moment my engraving activated, intense mes red up from my fingertips. Crunch! With thebined power of heat and my grip, I crushed its head. The Apostle copsed, lifeless, ceasing its struggles. Catching my breath, I nced at Seron. She was coughing, spitting out water she had swallowed. ¡°Ugh, why does it taste salty?¡± ¡°Probably milk. Anyway, dry off. I¡¯m not into peeking at your underwear.¡± Seron suddenly checked herself and flinched. She shrank back as if trying to cover herself and shouted, "Ahhh! This isn¡¯t underwear, it¡¯s a shirt! What are you thinking?!" [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w "I¡¯m not thinking anything." "...That makes me mad in its own way!" As they exchanged trivial banter, the second Apostle began to reveal itself. Its torso was human, but below the waist, it was a spider¡ªa spider Apostle. There was no time to waste arguing with Seron. Realizing this, she pouted and gripped her axe tightly. "Let¡¯s keep going." Seron and I dashed forward again. * * * Meanwhile, outside, where Hannon¡¯s team¡¯s match was taking ce, the audience in the VIP section showed signs of boredom. "When is Sharin going to step in?" "Seems like everyone except those two has been holding back since earlier." Perhaps it was because Iris¡¯s earlier battle left such a strong impression. Even though Hannon and Seron were clearly subjugating Apostles faster than the average third-year students, the crowd¡¯s reaction was indifferent. They couldn¡¯t help but subconsciouslypare them to Iris. Hannon and Seron fought well. Unlike Iris, who finished off the Apostles in a single blow, they managed to defeat the second Apostle within a reasonably short time. From the third Apostle onward, Card and Grantoni began to take a more active role. Card¡¯s magic was shadow magic. The shadows that grew beneath himunched precise and fatal attacks during Hannon and Seron¡¯s battles. Grantoni¡¯s necromancy also offered excellent support. Not only did he create footholds for Hannon and Seron to leap from anywhere, but he also immobilized the Apostles. Their teamwork was impable. In particr, Hannon¡¯smands were perfectly suited to each Apostle as they appeared. It was as if he had aplete understanding of the Apostles beforehand. Granted, thanks to the third years and Iris¡¯s team earlier, all the Apostles had already been revealed. Even so, Hannon¡¯s methods of countering the Apostles were optimized. "Hmm?" "That boy..." Among the VIPs, some began to notice this and gave Hannon a curious look. Hannon¡¯s knowledge of andposure against the Apostles were far beyond what one would expect from a second-year in their first semester. "So dull." "I was hoping to see Sharin Saris¡¯s magic." However, others remained oblivious. Hannon¡¯s strategies, while highly efficient, offered little spectacle for untrained eyes. Thisck of excitement came mainly from those whocked the skill to have ever ventured into a Demon¡¯s Dungeon themselves. In any elite group, there are always those who have earned their positions through talent and those who owe their status to fortunate circumstances. The VIP section was beginning to split into these two camps. Among them, one person from the former camp squinted her eyes like a sly fox. "Ho, hoho, what an interesting boy." She was the Duchess of Whitewood, the oldest duke in the empire and a living witness to its history. She was now watching the match with far greater interest than during Iris¡¯s time. A golden gleam shed briefly through her eyes. "Duchess, does the vigor of youth amuse you so much?" A one-eyed attendant standing behind her, wearing an eyepatch, asked. Hearing his voice, the duchess tapped her long fingers against her chin. "The vigor of youth is always a joy to behold. Like mes burning brightly, it¡¯s hard to look away." "You seem to be enjoying yourself more than usual, though." The attendant¡¯s observation was urate. The duchess was unusually cheerful today. The reason was simple. It was all because of one boy who had caught her eye. "Steel empress..." She muttered to herself, her gaze sharpening. Having lived since the days of the Hysirion Dynasty, the duchess had seen her fair share of mysteries. Though rare, such anomalies existed. And sometimes, among them, truly extraordinary ones would appear. Just like now. "Heh, heh-heh-heh." Watching Hannon ignite his mes, the duchess couldn¡¯t suppress herughter. What kind of madman would carve magical inscriptions directly onto their own body? And not just any inscriptions, but the now-abandoned magic runes once considered a relic of the past. ¡®Magic runes and mysteries have a peculiar synergy.¡¯ As someone who had lived for centuries and possessed vast knowledge, the duchess chuckled softly. ¡®I wonder if he did it knowingly or out of ignorance.¡¯ Either way, it had been a long time since something so entertaining had appeared. She hade expecting to observe the famed Third Princess¡¯s growth, only to discover an unexpected new amusement. The duchess idly swung her long leg under her seat. ¡®Now then.¡¯ How much will you prove your worth? As someone who had yet to pledge her allegiance to either the First Prince or the Third Princess, she let out a chillingugh at the thought of her newfound interest. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 44 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 44: The Tenth Apostle The team battle had ripened without us realizing it. Boom! We had just defeated the seventh apostle. Seron and I led the charge while Card and Grantoni supported us from the rear. Thanks to ourbined efforts, we managed to bring down the seventh apostle through sheer determination. ¡°Haah¡­ haah¡­¡± Beside me, Seron panted heavily. The battle against the apostles had left Seron in a battered state. She would have retired long ago if Grantoni hadn''t used necromancy to mend her wounds. Considering Seron¡¯s usual capabilities, she had performed far better than expected. Her skills were at the upper-middle level. For someone like her to fight through to the seventh apostle was purely a testament to her indomitable will. Even I, with my superior stamina, was on the verge of exhaustion. Seron, naturally, was in an even worse state. Tick. At that moment, the sound of time ticking reached us. The clock on the ceiling now read 25 minutes. It had taken us 25 minutes to defeat the seventh apostle. The Iris team had defeated the apostles in just 31 minutes and 21 seconds. In other words, if we didn¡¯t defeat the remaining three apostles within six minutes, first ce would slip from our grasp. ¡°Seron, can you hold on?¡± ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­ who do you think you¡¯re calling weak?¡± Seron gripped her dual axes tightly, her heavy breathing punctuating her resolve. She was still ready to fight. ¡°Six minutes left to first ce.¡± Seron bit her lip firmly. Despite struggling fiercely to im the top spot, the gap with the Iris team remained dauntinglyrge. It had taken us 25 minutes to bring down the seventh apostle. The next apostle would only be stronger, and the one after that even stronger. The final apostle had taken even the Iris team a full 10 minutes to defeat. Yet, despite this, Seron refused to loosen her grip on her axes. ¡°Hmph, more than enough!¡± Instead, she scoffed and radiated determination. Seeing this, I couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°Good, that¡¯s the spirit.¡± This is why we had pushed ourselves to defeat the apostles as quickly as possible. Now, it was time to reap the rewards of those efforts. ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡± Boom! As soon as I finished speaking, a massive coffin crashed down from the sky. Creak¡ª The coffin¡¯s lid opened, revealing an apostle in formal attire, its hands sped over its chest. The apostle¡¯s face was obscured, but its lone, elongated fangs gleamed menacingly. The eighth apostle. A vampire. The dark, oppressive aura emanating from the apostle swept roughly over Seron and me, making our skin crawl. The murderous intent was so palpable it raised every hair on my body. But to me, there was no more wee hostility than this. All our prior battles had led to this moment. The vampire began to spread its wings, its mouth opening wide. If it took to the skies, we¡¯d be in serious trouble. ¡°Sharin.¡± So¡ª ¡°Yes, finally.¡± We had prepared for this. Sharin¡¯s staff twirled lightly at her fingertips. The mana she had been conserving all this time began to visibly surge. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Even Card, a fellow mage, gasped in astonishment. The sheer output of magic pouring out of Sharin was absurd. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this¡­ cleanly.¡± The surroundings began to be dyed white. The earrings dangling from Sharin¡¯s ears shook wildly under the influence of her magic. And then¡ªN?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°I¡¯ll erase you.¡± Sharin¡¯s staff swung downward. ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D! All sound in the area was swallowed up. A blinding light pierced through the vampire as it was about to take flight. The light was so intense that even those watching from the outside were forced to close their eyes. BOOM! A dyed shockwave swept through the space, shaking everything violently. I barely managed to grab Seron by the nape and steady her as she was about to be flung away. What remained was a field dyed pure white. The vampire, of course, was gone¡ªits coffin, too, reduced to nothing. Once again, I was reminded of how monstrous Sharin Sazaris¡¯s magic truly was, the magic of a top-ranked mage. If I had faced that head-on, I would have been sent straight to the afterlife without exception. ¡°Phew.¡± Sharin blew lightly on the end of her staff. The eighth apostle, the vampire. Regrettably, it had been obliterated moments after its appearance. Including its arrival time, the vampire had taken only 50 seconds to defeat. ¡°If you could do that, why didn¡¯t you just do it from the start!?¡± Seron, who had been gaping, shouted indignantly. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t have gotten us first ce.¡± I helped Seron to her feet and turned to Sharin. The earlier attack had greatly depleted Sharin¡¯s mana. Even for someone like Sharin, wiping out an apostle in one strike required immense power. And then¡ª Sizzle¡ª Sharin¡¯s staff began to disintegrate into dust. She brushed off the remains wistfully and pulled a new staff from her waist. Modern staffs couldn¡¯t handle the immense output of Sharin¡¯s full power. As a result, Sharin was always limited in how much of her true strength she could wield. ¡®To a mage, a staff is like aunchpad.¡¯ Even with the best bullets, you can¡¯t fire them without a gun. Likewise, a mage can¡¯t unleash magic without a staff, and their ability to do so is heavily restricted. Sharin had the best bullets in the world. But modern staffs were incapable of fully unleashing her potential. ¡®And those staffs are supposed to be the best of the best.¡¯ Yet even they couldn¡¯t withstand Sharin¡¯s magical output and kept breaking. Because of this, Sharin¡¯s most powerful spells came with a clear limit: the consumption of staffs. While she could cast magic without consuming a staff, that wouldn¡¯t allow us to defeat the remaining apostles within the time limit. ¡°Grantoni.¡± This is why I had assembled this party. At my call, Grantoni¡¯s skeletal eyes glinted ominously. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Grantoni.¡± That¡¯s why I orchestrated this n. With my call, Grantoni¡¯s skull flickered with a glint of sinister light. ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± The sky opened up. From the rift in the heavens emerged an apostle, its translucent fabric billowing in the air. Beneath the flowing fabric, dozens of long arms brandished merciless weapons. Amid the folds, multiple eyes gleamed. The Ninth Apostle. The Grim Warden of the Afterlife. It had appeared to im the lives of the living. The Grim Warden exists in both the physical world and the underworld. This grants it immunity to physical attacks and resistance to magical ones. To defeat such a being, the key lies with someone learned in divine studies. Only the blessings of the gods can harm the Grim Warden. Team Iris managed to defeat the Grim Warden through the blessings of a divine schr. Even then, it took considerable time to bring it down. But what about us? ¡°Ah...¡± Seron btedly realized why I had recruited Grantoni. As she understood, it was precisely for this moment. A small sanctuary. The spirit conjurer, Grantoni. For someone who could traverse the veil between realms, an apostle caught halfway between the physical world and the shadow realm was the easiest prey imaginable. ck! ck! Grantoni¡¯s teeth ttered together, revealing his exhration. At the same time, a gray world rapidly spread outward from beneath his feet. Everything around began to lose its vitality and light. The gray realm expanded further, swallowing even the Grim Warden that had manifested. The shadow realm. Grantoni had dragged the Grim Warden into his own backyard. With a p of his hands, ng! ng! ng! dozens of chains emerged from the void, ensnaring the Grim Warden. Though immune to physical attacks, the Grim Warden couldn¡¯t escape and was firmly bound. Boom! Crash! The Grim Warden, caught off guard by its entrapment, disyed visible confusion. But there was no time for it to panic. Wooooong! The chains began to emit a radiant blue light. The Grim Warden¡¯s translucent form began to materialize. ¡°Hehehehe...¡± Grantoni cackled, his teeth clicking together. ¡°This is my domain.¡± Within the shadow realm, Grantoni held far greater authority than the Grim Warden. The Grim Warden btedly thrashed in resistance, but the chains only tightened, constricting its very essence. There was no escaping the chains. They had already wrapped around the Grim Warden¡¯s soul itself. Grantoni flicked his fingers. ¡°Out.¡± Shatter! Gray fragments broke off from the Grim Warden¡¯s body. It was forcibly expelled from the shadow realm. As a result, the Grim Warden was fully materialized in the physical world. And waiting for the fully materialized Grim Warden was Sharin¡¯s magic. Once more, a burst of white light erupted into the sky. In its spectral form, the Grim Warden boasted high magical resistance. But now, with its spectral state undone, its magic resistance had reverted to ordinary levels. Boom! Boom! Boom! Sharin unleashed a barrage of devastating spells, sacrificing her top-tier staff in the process. The magic engulfed the Grim Warden, shattering it into fragments. But this time, it didn¡¯t stop at just one strike. Sharin grabbed another staff and unleashed sessive sts. Crack! Shatter! Through the remnants of the broken fabric, a small childlike figure was caught in the blinding light and disintegrated. The Grim Warden¡¯s second life, its hidden reserve, was extinguished. ¡°Phew...¡± Sharin exhaled lightly, scattering the powdered remains of her staff in the air. Beads of sweat adorned her face. Using the maximum firepower from a top-tier staff three times in session was exhausting, even for Sharin. ¡°T-Tenth already...¡± Seron, who had been dazed, hurriedly checked the time. The time taken to defeat the Grim Warden: 2 minutes. The clock now read 28 minutes and 10 seconds. The remaining time: 3 minutes and 2 seconds. If the Tenth Apostle wasn¡¯t defeated in this time, first ce would be out of reach. ¡°No problem! Sharin¡¯s magic will take care of it!¡± ¡°No, Sharin¡¯s magic alone won¡¯t be enough this time.¡± Seron¡¯s confident expression faltered. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t agree with her. Crack! The ground trembled and split apart. Carda used shadow magic to lift us safely above the fissures. From between the cracks emerged a figure. A long, slender body topped not with a head but with countless feathers. Its small, glowing body shone with fluorescent light. Even with Iris, the most formidable in martialbat, bolstered by divine blessings, it had taken 10 minutes to defeat this apostle. The Tenth Apostle. The Thunderbird. It had arrived. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 45 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 45: Lightning Catcher The Tenth Apostle.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Thunderbird. The Thunderbird possesses three distinct traits: [Miniaturization][Durability][High-Speed Movement] With its small, sturdy body, it moves at an incredible speed, akin to the strike of thunder. This defines justice delivered by the Thunderbird. The moment the Thunderbird appeared, Sharin sacrificed her staff and cast a spell. Sharin had witnessed the Thunderbird during the Iris team''s battle. Thus, determined to end it from the start, she unleashed arge-scale spell. BOOOOOM! White mes engulfed everything around, aiming to burn the Thunderbird to ash. But the Thunderbird vanished. BOOM! Apanied by thunder resounding in the ears, the Thunderbird appeared in front of Sharin. It spun its body violently, attempting to pierce straight through her. CRAAAAASH! However, before it could reach her, a rising shadow blocked the Thunderbird¡¯s attack. The Thunderbird, elongating its shadow, stopped just shy of reaching Sharin¡¯s nose. The shadow that stopped the Thunderbird was Card¡¯s shadow magic. ¡°Gotcha!¡± Card twirled two staffs, one in each hand, as if performing a dance. In that instant, the sticity of the shadow rebounded the Thunderbird. Sharin''s face twisted in frustration. She realized that even aiming her magic at the Thunderbird was nearly impossible due to its unimaginable speed. The Thunderbird evaded at even the slightest sign of Sharin casting a spell. No matter how powerful her magic was, it couldn''t be hit if it dodged at the casting moment. Moreover, the Thunderbird''s durability granted it absurd defensive capabilities. Even Iris''s relentless attacks failed to bring it down after dozens of hits. Sharin''s magic needed to be precisely effective to take it down in one blow. Tick-tock. Time was slipping away. The three minutes they initially had had dwindled to just under two. ¡°It¡¯s too fast!¡± Seron groaned as she chased the Thunderbird. No matter how fiercely she swung her axe, she couldn¡¯tnd a single hit. ¡°Ugh!¡± Instead, the Thunderbird struck her down, sending her rolling across the ground. Had Grantoni not crafted a bone armor for her defense in time, she might have been knocked out with a single hit. Everyone began to feel the pressure. The Thunderbird was an opponent they could defeat as a team if given enough time. But the time limit was making them all anxious. Card raised his shadows. Grantoni activated his soul magic. Seron''s axe brimmed with explosive power. Sharin started drawing another spell. But it wasn¡¯t enough. They couldn¡¯t take down the Thunderbird within three minutes. That¡¯s why I prepared for this day. I tilted my head toward the sky. ¡°Sharin, cast a defense spell with everyone.¡± My quiet warning echoed. Card sensed something and swung his shadow. ¡°Huh?!¡± Seron was wrapped in shadows and pulled to the side of Card, Sharin, and Grantoni. At the same time, Sharin¡¯s defense spell activated. The Thunderbird, sensing something amiss, zigzagged through the air with thunderous speed. It moved so fast it became invisible. In the midst of this battlefield, I raised my hands above my head. In my hand was a single ring. Tick-tock. In the stillness of passing time, dark clouds began to gather in the sky. One by one, those sensing something unusual looked up. The sky was turning pitch-ck, as if rain was imminent. The Thunderbird was fast enough that even I couldn¡¯t follow its movements. But no matter how fast it was, the Thunderbird was a phantom created through the arena''s magic. Its wings were confined within the cage of the arena. That meant it couldn¡¯t escape the arena¡¯s boundaries. BOOM! And this also meant¡ª BOOOOOM! ¡ªif I swept the entire battlefield, it couldn¡¯t escape. This was my final move, prepared for this moment. ¡°Come forth.¡± Divine Artifact: Lightning Caller FLASH! A blue sh engulfed everything in the arena. In the burst of light, the defense magic surrounding us shattered, leaving the crowd in stunned disbelief. Yet amidst their astonishment, one person remained watching with wide-open eyes. A storm of blue electricity swept through the arena. ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D! Everything around was bathed in azure. The pressure of the electric currents flowing across my steel skin weighed heavily on me. It felt like I might lose consciousness under this pressure. Tick-tock. But even now, the steadily ticking clock forced me to remain alert. In this blue-tinted world, the electrified Thunderbird was visible. Paralyzed by the lightning, it hung motionless in the air. Despite its name, the Thunderbird possessed no lightning-rted abilities. Instead, it moved like thunder itself, requiring equivalent speed to capture it. Iris subdued it with brute force. But I relied on the power of the divine artifact. Even so, the Thunderbird survived the lightning strike thanks to its durability. THUD! I stepped forward through the storm of electricity. Across my steel skin, glowing letters began to radiate light. Reaching above my head, I grabbed the electricity coursing over my body. The blue current was forcibly drawn into my grasp. In doing so, I formed a single blue lightning spear. Magic Engraving: Lightning Catcher The goddess¡¯s blue lightning was in my hand. To pierce through durability, two things were required: An attack powerful enough to ovee durability. Or piercing power that could bypass it entirely. That¡¯s why I prepared. A supreme spear that could prate anything. The currents violently surged across my steel skin. The synergy between the divine artifact and the magic engraving further amplified the spear¡¯s power. THUD. With a stomp, I nted my foot and tightened my waist. CRACK! Swinging the lightning spear twisted my shoulder in agony. So, I resolved to pour even more strength into it. The magic engraving etched on my elbow activated again. BOOM! With an explosion from my elbow, my arm swung with full force. The blue sh left my grip, racing through the sky, striking the Thunderbird. CRAAAAACK! The lightning spear impaled the Thunderbird,unching it to the arena¡¯s edge. But at that moment, my eyes widened in shock. The lightning spear had indeed struck the Thunderbird. The Thunderbird would surely sumb to the spear¡¯s power and meet its end. Tick-tock! But the clock showed barely five seconds remaining. The lightning spread across the Thunderbird as it began to disintegrate. However, it wasn¡¯t fast enough to finish itpletely. I had no strength left in my body. Nor did I have any other moves. All I could do was hope that the Thunderbird perished swiftly. Right in front of Thunderbird, there stood someone holding an axe. Amidst the blue lightning shes, a crimson braid fluttered. The forehead revealed beneath the hair shone vividly. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Seron Parmia. She was there. When had she even gotten to that spot? Having broken out of Sharin''s defensive magic, Seron was cloaked in shadows and bonesyered thickly on her body. She had reached that ce with the support of Card and Grantoni. At this moment, it dawned on me¡ª I wasn''t the only one who wanted to be first; everyone did. Her descending axe was wrapped in an explosion. "Smash it to pieces!" Watching this, everyone, myself included, cried out in our hearts. And as if in response, Seron''s axe finally struck the crumbling Thunderbird. KABOOOOOOM! With the explosion, the streaks of lightning faded, and smoke began to rise. Copsed in the stance of having swung my spear, I gasped for breath. Struck by lightning and even grabbing hold of it, ck smoke escaped my mouth and body. Because the magic had been dispelled by the lightning, I could see the VIPs and students outside. But not one among them uttered a word. A stillness hung over the arena. Amid my hazy consciousness, I was fixated on one ce. The smoke began to slowly clear. Through the thinning haze, Seron emerged, throwing down her axe and running over. "Hannon!" For the first time, she called my name properly as she ran toward me and hugged me. She clung to me, hopping up and down. Realizing this, I lifted my head. 31 minutes and 20 seconds. Barely over a second remained. I could see the stopped time in my eyes. My eyes widened. Seron''s final axe, with everyone''s support, had ended the dying Thunderbird. "Ha, haha." Laughter spilled from my lips, uncontrobly. We had defeated Iris¡¯s team. "Kahaha, Hannon!" "Hahaha, we did it." "Phew, I really hate feeling anxious." Card ran over and ruffled my hair wildly, while Grantoni and Sharin walked toward us. It was a victory we achieved because everyone was there. My heart felt full of something. "Heehee, more pocket money for me!" Seeing Seron grinning foolishly, my excitement cooled again. From afar, I spotted familiar faces. Thezy genius Ban nodded with a face that said, "Just as expected." Isabel clenched her fists tightly, seemingly spurred bypetition. Aisha and Foara, first-years, were celebrating our sess. And then, my eyesnded on Iris. The Iris team members stared in disbelief, but Iris herself looked at me with unreadable eyes. Finally, I saw the living history of the empire, Whitewood, standing abruptly from her seat. We had shown all there was to show. Now, it was up to them to respond. "Team Hannon, 31 minutes and 20 seconds." In that moment, Professor Vega¡¯s voice announcing the score echoed across the arena. "Currently ranked first in the second year." Our victory was confirmed. Right after our teampetition ended, I copsed immediately. I didn''t lose consciousness, but my body had no strength left to move, so I was forcibly taken to the infirmary. Having fought fiercely before reaching the Seventh Apostle, and then being struck by lightning afterward, it was a miracle I could move at all. Later, Isabel''s team put up a good fight, but they only managed third ce, behind the Iris team. After that, no one overturned our score. Thus, our team safely secured first ce. Lying on the infirmary bed, I quietly stared at the ceiling. Not long ago, Professor Vega had scolded me a little. Even though it was a test, she said, I pushed myself too hard, just likest time. But for me, every moment required my best. There was no other way. ¡®And yet, despite all the preparation, time was still so tight.¡¯ With the intent to win outright, I had poured all my knowledge into making a meticulous n. Yet, we still had barely over a second to spare. This was due to the differences between the game and reality. And because of those differences, I received unexpected help from everyone. ¡®I just need to prepare even more.¡¯ The scenario was only now entering its mid-point. With a long way still to go, I had no choice but to achieve it in Lucas''s absence. I raised myself from the bed. Because I thought the time hade. Knock, knock. Sure enough, there was a knock at the door. "Come in." At my response, the door creaked open. Standing there was a towering man wearing an eyepatch. And behind him, a woman with snow-white hair flowing behind her stepped inside. Her curvaceous figure was so striking, she could have been mistaken for being in her early twenties. But in truth, she was an ancient relic who had spent her life with the empire. Thud! She stood tall in the infirmary, her cloak billowing. "Nice to meet you, boy." Whitewood. Raksid Anubecia. "I should let you know in advance." With that, Whitewood''s lips curled into a chilling smile. The oppressive pressure she exuded filled the room. Just standing face-to-face with her made my shoulders feel weighed down. It felt as if my knees were being forced to kneel. "Harboring mysteries is punishable by death under Article 253 of the Niflheim Empire''s criminal code." What? [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 46 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 46: The Hero¡¯s Special Law Whitewood. Raksid Anubecia. A deration of execution from her. I had long known that the Empire had a system for executing those who possessed mystical powers. Long ago, there had been an incident in which someone with such powers lost control, resulting in massive casualties across several cities. Thus, mystics in the Empire were strictly managed. Even so, I hadn¡¯t expected her to call for an execution so abruptly. ¡®She didn¡¯t even mention execution to Lucas.¡¯ Yet with me, execution was her first suggestion. ¡°...Am I going to be executed?¡± When I boldly asked, Whitewood''s attendant, standing beside her, twitched an eyebrow. The attendant¡¯s re was sharp and disapproving. Perhaps it was because I had asked a question without proper decorum. But when facing the prospect of immediate execution, manners were irrelevant. Whitewood smiled faintly. Her smile did little to ease my unease. ¡°Of course, even Imperial criminalw has its exceptions.¡± In every world, there are those who stand above thew. In the me Butterfly Arc, Whitewood was one such figure. She was a living witness to the Empire''s history. In her presence, countlessws had vanished and reappeared over time. At this point,ws held little practical value to Whitewood. ¡°Like me, for instance.¡± A mystic herself, Whitewood was no exception to this category. Her power, the White Tree. Once, it was the world¡¯srgest and most vibrant tree. But when corrupted by a malevolent force, the tree shattered and was reborn as the mystical White Tree. The woman before me had single-handedly stopped the White Tree¡¯s rampage. The White Tree had threatened the very existence of the Empire and countless kingdoms. Whitewood, who stopped it, was regarded as one of the world¡¯s greatest heroes. ¡°The Hero¡¯s Special Law.¡± I expected her to bring it up. ¡°It¡¯s aw that applies to those who didn¡¯t intentionally absorb mystical powers but acquired them while fighting against mystical forces.¡± Whitewood rested her hands on her hips. ¡°And it¡¯s aw I drafted myself.¡± Whitewood was a hero, and she had fulfilled her role remarkably well. To encourage the birth of future heroes who would stand against injustice, She had personally proposed thisw. The Hero¡¯s Special Law. The Hero¡¯s Special Law takes precedence over most otherws in the Empire, except for a few uses deeply tied to the Imperial family. This reflects the high regard the Empire holds for her. ¡°The birth of heroes must be encouraged. The world is constantly battling massive evils. If jealousy and envy were to topple heroes, it would be a great national loss.¡± She exined the reasoning behind the Hero¡¯s Special Law as she stepped closer to me. ¡°So, boy,¡± The corners of Whitewood¡¯s lips curled upward. Her transparent eyes glowed as she gazed through me. ¡°Are you a hero? Or a criminal to be executed?¡± Under the Hero¡¯s Special Law, I could be a hero. Or under Imperial criminalw, I could face execution. She demanded my answer. I remained silent. I knew exactly what answer Whitewood wanted. ¡°I am too insignificant to call myself a hero.¡± To be precise, I was merely acting the part of a hero. This world had materialized from the me Butterfly Arc¡ªa world I had yed countless times. I had no grand ideals. I was merely struggling to survive because my life was on the line. In this world, countless bad endings would lead to its destruction. To survive, I had no choice. The true hero, Lucas, was dead. So, in his ce, I was nothing more than a fake hero. ¡°Ick the resolve to embody heroism, yet the world is too chaotic for me tock resolve entirely.¡± The Empire was currently in turmoil due to a session struggle. The factions of the First Prince and the Third Princess were locked in fiercepetition, spilling much blood across the Empire. The Empire must not fall. It bore the burden of colossal problems, including the Demon Pce. If the Empire copsed, the world would plunge into ruin at an elerated pace. ¡°Moreover, I know that heroism is not something one ims for oneself.¡± Lucas had walked a heroic path. But never once had Lucas sought to elevate himself as a hero. He merely inspired admiration, reverence, and the desire to walk alongside him through his heroic deeds. The heroes I had seen were like that. A manufactured hero is nothing more than a paper doll.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°So, I am not yet a hero.¡± Others must call someone a hero. Self-proiming is meaningless. ¡°Pfft.¡± Whitewood smirked and began tough. Her attendant sighed quietly at her reaction. ¡°Puhahahahaha!¡± Whitewood covered her mouth,ughing boisterously like the hero she was. Afterughing for a long time, she looked back at me. ¡°Interesting. ¡®Not yet,¡¯ you say.¡± She had pinpointed the precise nuance in my words. Whitewood grinned widely. ¡°Boy, you¡¯re right. A hero is not someone who deres themselves as such. It¡¯s a position that naturally emerges as countless citizens speak their names with reverence.¡± It seemed she was pleased with my response. ¡°You¡¯ve given the answer I most wanted to hear, almost as if you read my mind.¡± Sharp as always. ¡°Then, am I to be executed now?¡± When I asked again, Whitewood scoffed. ¡°Boy, you are protected by the Hero¡¯s Special Law. Even if you¡¯re merely an aspiring hero.¡± She had already investigated everything I had done. From the mystical Steel Empress in the Great Forest of Spirits to the countless other challenges I had faced. At least, that¡¯s how the reports described it. ¡°More importantly, you¡¯ve shown no signs of using your mystical powers with ill intent.¡± She referred to my actions in the Gray Forest, where I fought off the Apostle and the Forest Keeper. Every effort I had made had led to this moment. Nothing had been in vain. A scenario has its own narrative force. By progressing through the scenario, the oues naturally follow. ¡°So, boy, you will not be executed.¡± I tensed up, noticing the story taking a slightly different direction from the original scenario. Fortunately, my life was spared. "And boy, there is another peculiar use in this Hero Special Law. It''s partly why I am here today." My fists clenched tightly. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w The moment I had been waiting for had finallye. This was the reason I worked so hard to catch Whitewood''s attention. "It''s aw I personally crafted to encourage heroes and aspirants." I felt a sensation as if a pure white tree was blossoming behind Whitewood. The tree emanated a divine halo. Whitewood wore a serene smile. Her eyes, looking at the young hero aspirant, glimmered with kindness. "Boy, tell me what you desire." The Hero Special Law. It includes a deration that she will personally bestow rewards as long as Whitewood lives. She asked me, someone who qualified under thisw, to state what I most desired. Apart from the Emperor, she holds the most powerful voice in this world. And when she spoke of ¡°what I desire,¡± it epassed nearly everything one could imagine. Swallowing nervously, I lifted my head. "I... " And I told her what I needed most. * * * After Whitewood left with a faint chuckle, I also exited the hospital room. Perhaps I¡¯d fully rested during the exam period¡ªmy body seemed somewhat recovered. As I walked down the hallway, I passed by several rooms. Then, I abruptly stopped. On one of the doors, I saw a name I recognized. Nikita Cynthia. The room was silent inside. Was she sleeping? ¡®No... probably not.¡¯ Staring at the door, I raised my hand. Knock, knock. The sound of two knocks echoed. No response came. "Senior Nikita." I softly called her name, sensing movement from inside. "...Junior?" Thankfully, she recognized me and responded. I saw Nikita sitting by the bed when I slowly opened the door. She stared nkly at me, then flinched and hastily hid what she had been holding. Though I noticed it was a letter, I pretended not to see. "How are you feeling?" Nikita had copsed from malnutrition and overwork. When I asked about her condition, she flinched again but forced a smile. "I¡¯m fine." I noticed a sandwich sitting on the drawer. It had a single bite taken out of it. This was her effort. Despite being unable to eat, she had at least tried to take a bite, perhaps to show appreciation for my gesture. Knowing this made my heart ache even more. "You¡¯re not fine at all." I gathered up the sandwich. With the hot summer weather, leaving it out would only cause it to spoil. Even as I acted, Nikita remained dazed. She looked as though she had received some shocking news. "Senior?" "Ah, yes..." Her response to my call was weak. As she staggered while trying to stand, I rushed to support her, but she waved me off. "I¡¯m fine. Junior, really, I¡¯m fine." "But¡ª" "Junior, I have a request." Nikita spoke with a trembling face. "I¡¯d like to be alone for now. Can you leave me be? You¡¯re kind, so you¡¯ll listen, right?" I didn¡¯t touch her any further. Instead, I slowly turned and left. "Alright. Please take care of yourself." Even as I left, I clearly memorized her face. In her eyes burned faint but undeniable anger. I confirmed it for sure. That letter she hid¡ª it wasn¡¯t hard to guess its contents. The letter likely contained the news that Nia Cynthia of the Marquis Cynthia family had been assassinated. And this had ignited a fire of anger and vengeance in her heart. The mes spread. Unlike the time with Isabelle, this was a merciless fire that would not be extinguished until its goal was achieved. Act 3, Scene 6. The Dragon of Cmity. The curtain had risen. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 47 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 47: Gossip is Sharply Punished Team Iris Defeated, Winning First ce in the Group Battle. This victory sent shockwaves through Zerion Academy. No one had ever imagined that Iris, known as the strongest, could lose. Of course, some opinions attributed the victory mainly to Sharin''s presence. However, what was mentioned most often was the lightning strike that finished off the final apostle, Thunderbird. A bolt of lightning had unexpectedly struck the arena. While some argued that defeating Thunderbird through a natural phenomenon was nonsense, those with sharp eyes had already noticed the truth. Just before the lightning fell, I had raised my hand to the sky. Thanks to that, a new nickname stuck with me from that day onward. "Lightning Bastard." Wow, what an impable sense of naming. ¡°Hey, Lightning Sweet Potato!¡± And there was someone else whose nickname had also changed. Seron greeted me with an enthusiastic wave as soon as I entered the ssroom. Seron''s face was lit with a bright smile. This was the first time I''d ever seen her smile so cheerfully in her life. ¡°What¡¯s with that creepy grin?¡± ¡°Heheh!¡± Seron didn''t stop smiling when I snapped at her like usual. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t help but smile¡ªmy allowance doubled!¡± Doubled? No wonder she¡¯s grinning like that. ¡°Well then, you¡¯re treating us today.¡± ¡°Hehe, fine! The cutest Seron in the world will treat you!¡± Even though there was a strange embellishment in her words, I didn¡¯t bother denying it. You have to take good care of your generous sponsor, after all. ¡°By the way, Lightning Sweet Potato, my dad said he wants to talk to you.¡± I was wondering what to ask for as a treat when Seron suddenly brought up something unexpected. ¡°Your father? Wants to talk to me? Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. Maybe he wants to give you some allowance for doing well in the group battle as my teammate.¡± Seron shrugged as if she had no clue either. I recalled Seron¡¯s father, who hade to watch the group battle, cheering her on fervently, pamphlet in hand. He had ¡°overprotective dad¡± written all over him. For some reason, I felt an uneasy premonition. Surely he didn¡¯t misunderstand something ridiculous. ¡°Seron, the next time you see your father, make sure to tell him I don¡¯t even see you as a guy.¡± ¡°Huh? Does that mean you¡¯re a girl, Lightning Sweet Potato? Should I call you Princess Sweet Potato instead?¡± This idiot clearly has no grasp of the situation. ¡°Hey, you.¡± As I pondered the best way to smack Seron without hurting her too much, I heard a voice behind me. I hadn¡¯t expected the other person to speak first, so I turned with a surprised expression. ¡°Isabel.¡± It was Isabel, addressing me in the ssroom. Naturally, all the students¡¯ gazes shifted to us. Whenever Isabel and I talked, we inevitably shed. Everyone was tense, wondering if another fight was about to break out. But Isabel looked at me without revealing much emotion. ¡°This time, I lost.¡± Her eyes shone with an intensity I hadn¡¯t seen before. ¡°¡­I won¡¯t lose next time.¡± Isabel¡¯s team finished with a time of 38 minutes and 23 seconds, cing third among second-years. It was a significant achievement considering that some teams hadn¡¯t even reached the tenth apostle. But Isabel wasn¡¯t satisfied at all. Her rival¡ªme¡ªhad outdone her. There was a burning determination in her gaze. ¡®Bit by bit.¡¯ Isabel was clearly making progress. Someday, she would ovee the shadow of Lucas and smile as brightly as she used to. On that day, she would no longer need me. And I looked forward to that day more than anything. ¡°¡­Are you smiling?¡± At her words, I realized toote that I was smiling. When I touched my mouth, my lips were indeed curled upward. Thinking about Isabel¡¯s future had made me smile unconsciously. She stared at me with a slightly dazed expression.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Yes, I¡¯m smiling.¡± I lifted the corners of my lips even higher. ¡°Smirking, actually. Because you¡¯ll never beat me.¡± For now, I still needed to remain her rival. Isabel looked at me for a moment, sighed, and turned away. ¡°You¡¯re as nasty as ever.¡± With that, Isabel walked off. Oddly enough, she didn¡¯t seem as upset as she used to. ¡®Is she getting used to my provocations?¡¯ I might need to refine my taunts in the future. With that thought, I returned to my usual seat. Although seating was generally free, thebat ss students avoided sitting in the spots Seron and I often upied. It felt like we had designated seats. Something sticking out of my desk drawer caught my eye as I sat down. Curious, I pulled it out. It was a letter. Had someone mistakenly left it here? ¡°What¡¯s that? A letter?¡± Seron, who had followed me, looked at the letter curiously. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Since this was always my seat, it was unlikely someone had left it here by mistake. When I turned the letter over, I saw writing on the back. The name written there made my expression strange. It was no wonder¡ª¡°Hannon Irey¡± was written on it. This letter was addressed to me. ¡°W-wait, what? Is this a love letter?¡± Seron looked at me with a mix of shock and disbelief. I was just as baffled. I¡¯d never imagined someone would send me¡ªa ¡°Lightning Bastard¡±¡ªa love letter. ¡®Well, considering Hannon¡¯s background, I guess it¡¯s not impossible.¡¯ After all, he had noble blood running through his veins. Maybe someone had been impressed by my performance in the group battle and fallen for me. ¡°¡­Why, though?¡± And then Seron got a flick to her forehead. Rubbing her stinging head, she demanded to see the letter. Although I wasn¡¯t particrly thrilled about reading a letter that someone might have written sincerely in thepany of this girl, I couldn¡¯t deny that I was curious. When I opened the letter, a single sheet of paper fell out. It was an invitation to meet at Sky Park during lunch. Since Sky Park is on the rooftop, it¡¯s usually empty during lunchtime. The meaning was clear: it was a request for a one-on-one conversation. ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± Seron asked me casually. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± I had received the letter, after all. Whoever it was, if they were from the martial arts ss, they must have seen me read it. It would feel wrong not to go. ¡°Sigh, guess that means I won¡¯t be able to hang out with Lightning Sweet Potato anymore.¡± Seron muttered to herself with a dejected look. What¡¯s that supposed to mean? ¡°Come on, think about it. If you get a girlfriend, she¡¯ll 100% get jealous seeing me hanging around you. I don¡¯t want to be dragged into any love drama.¡± I tilted my head. Why would my girlfriend be jealous of you, Seron? ¡°Are you dumb? Of course, a girlfriend would be jealous seeing her boyfriend hanging out with another girl...¡± Seron frowned, her brows furrowing deeply. Oh no, did she figure it out? ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for teasing today.¡± ¡°Of course, they¡¯d get jealous. Obviously.¡± Seron was clearly offended. ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Even if someone confesses, I don¡¯t n on dating.¡± ¡°You should be grateful that someone even wants to confess to you! Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the right time to date.¡± I just don¡¯t have the luxury for that. I¡¯m already struggling with progressing through the scenarios, let alone romance. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good for me. Easier that way.¡± Since when did she get sofortable hanging out with me? The way Seron was losing her social skillstely was starting to concern me. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * After the morning sses, I told Seron to grab lunch and y with Card on her own. Though she looked displeased, she didn¡¯t have anyone else to eat with. I watched her head off reluctantly, bickering with someone along the way, and then made my way to Sky Park. Honestly, I was a bit curious myself. Who could¡¯ve left me such a letter? ¡®Could it be someone I know?¡¯ With that thought in mind, I climbed the stairs and soon saw the door to Sky Park. It was as quiet as expected for lunchtime. Creak¡ª The door opened with a soft grinding noise. I peeked inside and saw a lone figure standing in the distance. For some reason, their back looked familiar. It was someone I least expected to see. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Short, chestnut-colored hair. Fingers adorned with rings. Sharp eyes that radiated a fierce personality. Second-year magic ss vice-representative, Dorara Corazon. In other words, a guy. I stared at him quietly for a moment before wordlessly turning back around. And then, I closed the door. ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± Startled, Dorara ran to grab the door. Was he trying to challenge me to a strength contest? I guess it¡¯s time to demonstrate the results of my training with Aisha. As I forcefully shut the door, Dorara was pulled along with it. I could hear him shouting in frustration. ¡°Why are you running away?¡± ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not interested in guys. I understand your preferences, but don¡¯t drag me into them.¡± ¡°You idiot, what nonsense are you spouting now?!¡± His eyes widened as if he¡¯d just realized the absurdity of my words. ¡°Hey, what the hell! I like girls too, okay?! Why would I ever go for someone like you?!¡± ¡°Then why did you send me such a suggestive letter?¡± ¡°For crying out loud, I just wanted to talk to you!¡± ¡°Why me?¡± I didn¡¯t even have any connection with Dorara. As I looked at him suspiciously, Dorara sighed in frustration. ¡°That¡¯s what I called you here to exin!¡± I conceded. When I reopened the door, Dorara stumbled and hit the floor. Clearly humiliated at being overpowered by someone outside the magic ss, he grumbled but eventually got back up, brushing himself off. ¡°What do you want?¡± My mood was already ruined. I should¡¯ve just ignored the letter. I wanted to grab lunch instead. Dorara exhaled and asked me, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Sharin?¡± ¡°What do you mean by rtionship?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been in the same team for the group battle, and you¡¯ve been spending time with her in the evenings.¡± Even though I had taken precautions to keep our movements discreet, he had still noticed. ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡± I answered, but then tilted my head. ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡°...Why do you sound unsure?¡± My rtionship with Sharin was ambiguous, to say the least. We were technically tied together by a deal involving Isabel. Given Sharin¡¯s whimsical nature, it was more likely she was helping me out of curiosity than anything else. So, I couldn¡¯t answer confidently. ¡°Pfft, so not even friends, huh? Figures. As if someone like her would have any real friends.¡± Dorara muttered sharply, clearly displeased with Sharin. ¡°That¡¯s enough. If that¡¯s all, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Why did you call me here? Just tell me already.¡± Now I was curious. What was his motive for summoning me? Dorara nced at me before curling his lips into a smirk. There was a strange malice in his smile. ¡°I just wanted to let you know something.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°About how filthy her bloodline is.¡± Of course. It was exactly what I expected. ¡°You know? Her mother was a prostitute. Died of syphilis, too.¡± Once he started, Dorara couldn¡¯t stop himself from talking. ¡°And to think she hides all that, pretending to be so noble and admired. Disgusting. If you keep hanging out with her, you might catch syphilis too...¡± Dorara flew into the air. More precisely, I nted my fist squarely into his jaw. ¡°Guh!¡± Thud! Dorara crashed to the ground with a loud thump. Game or reality, he was always the same pitiful bundle of inferiority. So that¡¯s why rumors about Sharin spread in the game. It was this guy spreading them around. ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± Dorara yelled, trembling with rage as he clutched his jaw. I clenched my fist and looked at him coldly. ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± Crack. I stretched my fingers. ¡°It¡¯s just that being called out for such a pointless conversation made me wonder if my reputation wasn¡¯t scary enough.¡± At Zerion Academy, my infamy was already widespread. I even had the nickname Lightning Bastard. Plenty of people had tried to pick fights with me in the past. I never went after anyone unless they crossed the line, but when they did, I made sure to respond with full force. That reputation eventually earned me a spot in the student council, and these days, fewer people dared to mess with me. ¡°Well, since we¡¯re here, I might as well knock down the vice-representative of the magic ss. Time for a real test of strength.¡± Let¡¯s see what a magic-user can do in battle. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 48 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 48: Even the Magic Arts is Annoying Dorara Corazon. Ranked second in the Magic Arts. Innate trait: Inferiorityplex. Specialty magic: Wind. As befitting someone ranked second in the Magic Arts, Dorara could handle various types of wind magic and, with time, even wieldrge-scale wind magic. His razor-sharp wind magic could easily slice through trees. However. ¡°You¡­ what the hell are you?¡± In this world, the concept ofpatibility exists. After taking a direct hit to his side from me, Dorara was furious and continuously cast wind magic at me. Razor-sharp gusts of wind struck me multiple times, and Doraraughed, confident of his victory. But in truth, they didn¡¯t leave so much as a scratch on me. The mystery of my body: Steel Skin. It rendered me nearly immune to cutting attacks, making his wind magic the worst possible match against me. ¡°Didn¡¯t you even bother watching the team battle properly?¡± Well, it¡¯s no wonder. This guy only has eyes for Sharin. A guy who¡¯d even spread nasty rumors just to beat Sharin clearly wouldn¡¯t notice anything else. That¡¯s why I found it all the more necessary to teach him a lesson. People who refuse to admit their own shorings and only bring others down are utterly useless. As I charged at him, Dorara panicked and conjured a gust of wind, lifting himself into the air and flying out of the rooftop garden. Even I had no way to catch someone who could fly. Realizing this, Dorara let out a sigh of relief, though his rage reignited as he remembered the humiliation I¡¯d inflicted on him. ¡°That bastard. I should¡¯ve known back when he started hanging around with that Sharin girl.¡± Feeling safe, Dorara¡¯s mouth started running again. Winds began swirling around him, and the staff in his grip glimmered in the light. As pathetic as he looked, he was still the second-ranked student in the Magic Arts. While the gap between first and second ce was enormous, Dorara had still bested countless other mages to earn his rank. The amount of mana hemanded could easily overwhelm most other mages. Watching him, I instinctively assumed a starting stance. cing both hands on the ground, I lifted my back foot slightly. Seeing my movements, Dorara¡¯s face took on an expression of disbelief. Thud! I shattered his disbelief, pushing off the ground and sprinting toward him. The moment my foot reached the iron fence¡ª Boom! My body soared over the rooftop garden¡¯s railing,unching into the sky. The garden was suspended far above the ground. Falling from here would be essentially suicide, even for me. ¡°You lunatic!?¡± Dorara screamed in shock. His confusion opened a massive gap in his defenses. I pulled my arm back. At the same time, a magical engraving activated across my steel-like skin. The magic: Explosion. ¡°If you thought you were safe in the air¡­¡± You need to be taught otherwise. KABOOM! The explosion triggered in my palm, propelling my body forward in mid-air. The distance between me and Dorara vanished in an instant. Panicked, he tried to cast another spell, but it was toote. When a mage allows a melee fighter to close the gap¡ª They¡¯ve already lost. Crack! My fist drove into Dorara¡¯s jaw without hesitation. ¡°Gahk!¡± The impact knocked out several of his teeth, which scattered into the air. The blow briefly knocked Dorara unconscious, causing the magic keeping him aloft to dissipate. Even so, he proved surprisingly durable, befitting his rank as second in the department. Half-conscious, he iled desperately to avoid plummeting to his death. ¡°P-please, help!¡± His face was pale as he screamed, unable to focus enough to cast magic. He thought he was going to die. Just as Dorara reached that conclusion¡ª Grab! I caught him by the scruff of his neck. Then, using another explosion from my free hand, I propelled us both back to the rooftop garden. Thud! I mmed Dorara into the ground, sending him rolling several times before he came to a stop. Havinge so close to death, his eyes werepletely unfocused. Step, step¡ª ¡°Hrk!¡± Hearing my approaching footsteps, Dorara sprang to his feet in terror, drenched in cold sweat as he stared at me. He now knew that he would¡¯ve died had I not saved him. Realizing his life was entirely at my mercy, he was consumed by fear. ¡°You were running your mouth quite a bit earlier.¡± Crack, crack¡ª As I cracked my knuckles, Dorara flinched with every sound. Still, he scrambled to feel around the ground, searching desperately. Eventually, he noticed something was missing. ¡°Looking for this?¡± I held up his staff, and his face stiffened even further. The most basic tactic when fighting a mage is to take their staff. Without it, their uracy plummets, reducing them to little more than a slightly trained civilian. tter. I tossed the staff back to him. Dorara looked up at me, his expression one of utter confusion. He couldn¡¯t understand why I¡¯d return a weapon to an already defeated opponent. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± I decided to be someone even more iprehensible to Dorara. ¡°Ending it here with the second rank would be disappointing, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± For the first time, Dorara noticed the madness in my eyes. Whether he had the will to fight or not didn¡¯t matter to me. I challenged him to a fight as practice for battling mages. If this was all it took to end things, I wouldn¡¯t be satisfied. ¡°You lunatic.¡± Dorara muttered as though he were facing something entirely alien. But I had already prepared to strike again. ¡°Plenty of lunch break left.¡± Dorara¡¯s screams echoed throughout the rooftop garden. * * * Murmur, murmur¡ª The voices of shocked and astonished students buzzed around me. But their chatter didn¡¯t faze me in the slightest. In my hand was none other than a thoroughly battered Dorara Corazon¡ªthe second-ranked student in the Magic Arts.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w This was the Magic Arts¡¯s building. Since I was shorter than the average boy, I was dragging Dorara¡¯s body across the ground. The sight drew countless stares, with the students wearing puzzled expressions. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Dorara¡¯s being dragged around like a wreck.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the kid who came in first during the team battle, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah, Hannon.¡± The murmurs grew louder as I walked through the crowd of magic arts students and entered Dorara¡¯s ssroom. There, I tossed him onto the floor. Dorara rolled across the ground, still unconscious with his eyes rolled back. I exhaled deeply, feeling the stares of the gathered magic arts students. Second semester of the second year, Act 4. Thanks to Dorara¡¯s efforts, rumors about Sharin would soon spread, and she would be ostracized within the Magic Arts. This wasn¡¯t a particrly important part of the scenario. It only served as an element to convince the erratic Sharin to join the team. Act 4 can proceed much more smoothly with Sharin¡¯s help. In other words, resolving Sharin''s ostracism sooner orter doesn¡¯t matter. "The Magic Arts kids have fallen this low, huh?" The moment I spoke, the Magic Arts students'' eyes collectively changed. Every one of them here takes great pride in their magic abilities. Even if they''re the lowest-ranked at Zerion Academy, their excellence would still be recognized outside the academy. This ce is a collection of talent upon talent. Thus, their pride is higher than anyone else''s. After all, there¡¯s no domain as pure in talent as magic. "Your department¡¯s second rank said it, you know. That I only won first ce in the teampetition because of Sharin." Of course, the second rank was too busy gossiping about Sharin to say anything like that. But the students, who were already predisposed to dislike me, naturally assumed Dorara had said it. "What nonsense." I cursed and looked at the Magic Arts students with a disdainful expression. "Even if one of you had taken that position, I still would have won first ce in the teampetition." "What?" "What is he saying?" A sharp glint appeared in the students¡¯ eyes. Many of them were envious of Sharin. Sharin had shown them¡ªthose who had been evaluated as geniuses their whole lives¡ªthat there was a pinnacle they could never reach. Of course, they couldn¡¯t suppress the inferiorityplex that arose. However, despite that inferiorityplex, they also acknowledged her talent in their hearts. Sharin had defeated every Magic Arts student and ranked first. Denying her would mean denying themselves, who ranked far below her. "Don¡¯t make meugh." "Do you think the top of Magic Arts is a joke? Without Sharin¡¯s magic, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten that timing in the first ce!" "What do you even know to spout such nonsense?" As expected, the students began to defend Sharin instead. They had to prevent her from being denied because that would also deny them. Thus, they began to stand up for Sharin. Watching them, I smirked. It was a tant sneer. "It was all calcted. I would have just restructured the team and prepared differently if someone had been there. It¡¯s not important that it was Sharin. You know nothing, do you?" The Magic Arts students have a subtle tendency to look down on Martial Studies students as dumb. So, for me, a Martial Studies student, to say they "know nothing" caught all their attention at once. "bbing whateveres out of your mouth, huh?" "What would you know about magic?" "Such a disrespectful little..." The students''nguage began to turn harsh. Looking at them, I remained perfectlyposed. At the same time, I pointed to Dorara, who was slumped in the corner. "At the end of the day, all of you are still below that second rank over there." Fury lit up in their eyes. They all turned to look at Dorara, clearly irritated. Their expressions made it obvious they couldn¡¯t understand why he¡¯d gone out and embarrassed himself, tarnishing their pride. As a result, more and more of them began to resent Dorara. They probably thought to themselves that they wouldn¡¯t have suffered the same disgrace if they were in his ce. It was written all over their faces. "I¡¯m not even the top rank in Martial Studies. But the fact that your second rank got humiliated by me means none of you are worth much either, doesn¡¯t it?" The atmosphere among the students became even more hostile, as if they were ready to attack me any second. Yet, even in the midst of that, I casually shrugged my shoulders. "Honestly, what¡¯s the point of talking to clueless people who can¡¯t even grasp the flow of a teampetition?" Some of the students drew their wands. They were clearly signaling that they wouldn¡¯t tolerate further insults. "Hannon?" At that moment, the protagonist appeared. The top rank of Magic Arts. Sharin Sazaris. She emerged from among the students, looking puzzled as she tried to grasp the situation and looked at me. "Sharin!" "What¡¯s with him? Why did you team up with someone like that?" "Does he think the top of Magic Arts is a joke?" "If it were Sharin instead of Dorara, he¡¯d already be dead!" The moment Sharin appeared, the students¡¯ voices grew louder. Sharin looked bewildered by their reactions. Amidst their intense reactions, I locked eyes with Sharin. "The top rank and the second rank¡ªwhat¡¯s the difference? It¡¯s just one rank apart. What¡¯s so different about them?" My mouth didn¡¯t stop running. Their eyes red up even more. Ding-dong-ding-dong¡ª At that moment, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break. Hearing this, I walked toward the students surrounding me. The hostility in the air was palpable, but when I red at them coldly, they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to stop me. After all, it was true that I¡¯d left Dorara in that miserable state. "Hannon." "Sharin, don¡¯t hang out with someone like that." "How did you even win first ce with that trash? If it weren¡¯t for you, he¡¯d be nothing." "Don¡¯t associate with him." Sharin called out to me, but I could see the Magic Arts girls sticking to her, chattering away. From now on, their insults would focus on me rather than Sharin. And in their eyes, Sharin would be elevated even more. To protect their own pride, they¡¯d make her their idol. To that end, I deliberately stirred thepetitive spirit between Magic Arts and Martial Studies. No matter how much they disliked their representative, they couldn¡¯t tolerate them being disrespected by someone from the rival department. That sentiment had taken root in the Magic Arts students. So, from now on, I¡¯d be the one to bear the brunt of their insults instead of Sharin. And Dorara, who had been defeated by me, would share that burden. Thanks to Isabel, I¡¯m used to being insulted. The only difference now is that there¡¯ll be more people hurling insults. ¡®I¡¯ve repaid the debt for the magic engraving.¡¯ The debt I owed for helping with the magic engraving and the teampetition. With that repaid, I left the Magic Arts building without looking back. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 49 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 49: Sharin''s Friend Rumors travel fast. It took less than half a day for everyone to hear about the mess I caused in the Magic Arts Department. Even among the Martial Arts students, no one treated me like I was in my right mind. I already didn¡¯t have the best reputation in the Martial Arts Department. The students who didn¡¯t want to fall out with the Magic Arts students used this opportunity to badmouth me even more enthusiastically. Before, only the Martial Arts students insulted me. Now that the Magic Arts students could join in, they seemed overjoyed. ¡°Wow, Lightning Potato, that was wild. Why¡¯d you do that?¡± Seron looked at me with curiosity in his eyes, having clearly heard about it from somewhere. ¡°Maybe you emit some hormone that makes you crave being insulted constantly?¡± ¡°Yeah, so I¡¯m figuring out right now what I can do to make you insult me, Seron.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t need to do anything special. I can insult you for free.¡± Seron snorted. The same consistent girl as ever. ¡°So, what exactly happened?¡± Seron propped her chin on her hand and looked at me. ¡°I know you¡¯re weird, but you wouldn¡¯t do something like that without a reason.¡± Unexpectedly, Seron thought of me somewhat positively. ¡°Judging by what I did for Isabel, it doesn¡¯t look like I¡¯d have a reason.¡± ¡°Oh,e on. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m blind. I¡¯ve got eyes, you know?¡± ¡°Do you, though?¡± Seron lunged at me as if to kill, but she must have sensed I wouldn¡¯t exin, so she grumbled. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say, fine. I was just asking because you went there to confess and came back like this.¡± ¡°Confess, my foot.¡± Even now, thinking about it made me want to punch Dorara square in the face. Time passed, and soon it was dismissal time. I stood up from my seat. I nned to return to the dormitory, bnce training with studying, and gradually prepare for the next chapter. ¡°You.¡± At that moment, I ran into Isabel. ¡°I heard you caused another scene in the Magic Arts Department.¡± Isabel stared at me intently. I shrugged my shoulders, having stirred up a reputation. ¡°I just put those Magic Arts jerks in their ce.¡± ¡°For Rin, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Had she noticed? I yed dumb, but Isabel let out a sigh. ¡°There were rumors spreading about Rin, weren¡¯t there?¡± Apparently, Isabel had also heard the rumors about Sharin. ¡°I was about to step in myself.¡± Isabel looked at me quietly. It seemed I had unintentionally acted just as she was about to move. ¡°Thanks to you stepping in, those rumors disappeared.¡± ¡°Must¡¯ve been a coincidence.¡± Isabel¡¯s gaze felt sharp, almost piercing. There was also a hint of hesitation in her expression. Isabel had changed a lot recently due to various events. As I waited for her to speak, she finally continued. ¡°¡­You know, I¡¯ve been wondering about something for a while. That time you insulted Lucas¡­¡± The conversation took a strange turn, and my heart sank for a moment. She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence, her lips quivering slightly. ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Isabel stopped there, turned around, and walked away. Maybe seeing me intervene in Sharin¡¯s situation made her reflect objectively. It wasn¡¯t a good development. Even though Isabel had improved a lot recently, there was still an air of uncertainty about her. ¡®I just hope she doesn¡¯t start spiraling on her own again.¡¯ She remained a main heroine I couldn¡¯t help but worry about. But for now, there was nothing I could do. Isabel needed time and steady observation. Ending my conversation with Isabel, I started walking back toward the dormitory. Whoosh¡ª And before I knew it, I was iling in midair. Suspended mid-air, I slowly turned my head. In the shadowy space between the buildings, hair shimmering like a gxy caught my eye. A girl stood there, gazing at mezily with her sharp eyes. The light in her eyes wasn¡¯t kind in the slightest. It¡¯s here. ¡°Hannon, is there something you¡¯d like to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything in my life to be ashamed of.¡± ¡°Good, then.¡± My body floated even higher into the air. I felt like a balloon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I lost my temper and acted recklessly!¡± As I hurriedly apologized, Sharin returned me to the ground. I thought I was about to be one with the stars. As I sighed in relief, Sharin stepped out from the alley. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± She asked for a reason. Sharin was smart. She must have guessed why I acted impulsively but asked to confirm. Hiding the truth from Sharin, the person directly involved, would only upset her. That wouldn¡¯t be considerate. ¡°Like I said, part of it was anger. The other part was that I didn¡¯t want to see my valuable ally caught in a difficult situation.¡± I confessed honestly, and Sharin stared at me, as if trying to uncover my true intentions. But I had nothing to hide. ¡°You chose to get insulted in my ce with that kind of intention?¡± Sharin¡¯s eyebrows furrowed sharply, showing her anger. It was the first time I¡¯d seen her so upset. ¡°As you know, I¡¯m already constantly insulted in the Martial Arts Department. Adding the Magic Arts Department to the list doesn¡¯t make much of a difference now.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°How can you say it doesn¡¯t matter? From now on, you won¡¯t even be able to talk to the Magic Arts students.¡± Sharin asked how I¡¯d handle teamwork or rted issues in the future. In the Magic Dungeon, cooperation is critical. Having a bad rtionship with a long-range dealer could spell disaster. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have you, Sharin.¡± Sharin blinked in surprise. ¡°¡­Who said I¡¯d team up with you?¡± ¡°Oh no, this is bad. I thought you¡¯d team up with me, so I went ahead and acted.¡± ¡°You¡¯re terrible at lying.¡± Was it that obvious? I grinned. ¡°Even if the entire Magic Arts Department hates me, earning the trust of its top student is worth it, don¡¯t you think?¡± Undoubtedly, I could say this: There¡¯s no one in the Magic Arts Department who¡¯s a better asset than Sharin. Sharin opened her mouth as if to say something but soon sighed deeply. ¡°I knew you were reckless, but I didn¡¯t know it was to this extent.¡± ¡°Keep it in mind for the future.¡± We¡¯d have plenty of dealings from now on. ¡°Honestly, I still don¡¯t understand why you went so far. It¡¯s nosy.¡± Sharin is the type to handle her affairs on her own. Even if she got ostracized in the Magic Arts Department, she¡¯d find it a minor inconvenience at best. To someone like her, my actions were a risky overreach. ¡°But thank you.¡± Even so, Sharin expressed her gratitude. ¡°I don¡¯t like it when people badmouth my mom like that.¡± Sharin briefly closed her eyes as if recalling something from the past. She¡¯s intelligent and has a sharp memory. Even though she acts like she forgets everything quickly, she remembers everything clearly. Even the painful experiences she¡¯d rather forget. That¡¯s why I acted nosily. Someone like Sharin would remember the pain of being ostracized for the rest of her life. No one needs memories like that. ¡°Hannon, can I ask you one thing?¡± Sharin¡¯s face, illuminated by the setting sun, looked somewhat lonely. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your name.¡± Sharin knew through her "Mirinae" eyes that I was hiding my appearance with the Veil Bandages. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me your real name?¡± Even so, Sharin had never asked me for my real name before. Our rtionship was ambiguous, somewhere outside a simple friendship. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Sharin and I were tied together through Isabel in what could only be called a transactional rtionship. But now, she was asking for my name. I didn¡¯t know what had shifted in her heart, but for the first time, she seemed curious about my name. ¡°It¡¯s not allowed.¡± So I gave her a curt response. I couldn¡¯t reveal the fact that I was Vikamon yet. Sharin looked at me with a dumbfounded expression, as if she hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility of my refusal. ¡°After you graduate from the academy.¡± Instead, I set a condition. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you then.¡± In a world where the bad ending had concluded, I would no longer need to hide my identity when that world finally arrived. Sharin, who had been staring at me intently, turned away without another word. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Was she slightly upset? The fact that she was showing this much emotion must mean we had gotten quite close. I smiled faintly. Sharin, walking through the sunset, didn¡¯t seem so lonely today. * * * Time passed slowly, and midsummer had arrived before I knew it. It was the time when everyone was fanning themselves and dressing lighter. Before we realized it, the next Dungeon of Trials was fast approaching. ¡°It seems everyone¡¯spletely drained because it¡¯s summer.¡± Professor Vega, who was holding her usual morning ss, sighed as she looked at the exhausted students. As she said, the students were all tired. Even though cooling magic was cast in the ssroom, living in the heat every day took its toll. ¡°Hang in there until the Dungeon of Trials. After that, you¡¯ll get a short vacation.¡± Afterpleting the summer Dungeon of Trials, students would receive about 10 days of vacation. What they did during that time was up to them. But her words of encouragement didn¡¯t do much to motivate the students. Clicking her tongue, Vega set her book down. ¡°I was going to tell youter because I thought you wouldn¡¯t be able to focus, but¡­ there will be a barbecue party outdoors today.¡± The students¡¯ eyes lit up in an instant. There wasn¡¯t a better time to enjoy eating than at that age. The idea of a barbecue was irresistible, especially for thebat studies students, who moved their bodies intensely and had hearty appetites. Excitement broke out among the students, with cheers echoing everywhere. Since the student council was already helping prepare the barbecue, I knew about it beforehand. ¡°So, everyone, focus on ss. It¡¯ll all be for your own benefit.¡± With that, Professor Vega resumed her lecture. But the students were already eagerly awaiting the barbecue party. ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Barbecue time!¡± Finally, as the afternoon sses ended, the students let out triumphant cheers. They all rushed toward the barbecue party venue with enthusiasm. This barbecue was divided by academic year, sobat studies students from all grades¡ªfirst, second, and third years¡ªgathered together. ¡°I¡¯m heading over to help with the student council.¡± ¡°What? Then where am I supposed to eat?¡± As I prepared to fulfill my student council duties, Seron let out a panicked cry. She was the type who didn¡¯t get along with anyone else in thebat studies ss except for me. It felt a bit pitiful to leave her alone. ¡°Thene help with the student council.¡± ¡°Ugh, no thanks.¡± Any sympathy I felt immediately disappeared. Just then, a familiar face passed by in front of me. ¡°Ban.¡± When I called out his name, Ban turned toward me with his usualid-back expression. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you take Seron with you? I need to go to the student council.¡± Ban looked at Seron. Lately, Seron hadn¡¯t interacted with anyone except me, so she fidgeted awkwardly while nervously jabbing me in the back. ¡°Y-you lightning sweet potato!¡± ¡°If you follow Ban, Isabel will probably be there too. She¡¯d wee you, wouldn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I suppose so.¡± After hesitating briefly, Seron eventually decided that going with Ban was better than eating alone. Seeing Seron off, looking visibly uneasy, I headed to where the student council was gathered. Thebat studies student council consisted of five members: Two third-years, two second-years, and one first-year. Though Nikita spent the most time in the student council office, the others also regrly checked in and participated. ¡°Hannon.¡± As I arrived, a fellow second-year and student council member, Hamel, greeted me. We weren¡¯t particrly close, but we got along well enough. Hamel was one of the most neutral students inbat studies, which made him easy to get along with. ¡°Ah, Senior Hannon, you¡¯re here!¡± Next to him was a cheerful first-year boy with bright blue hair, wearing a yellow name tag. He greeted me with a beaming smile. This boy was Midra Fenin, a first-year and the second-ranked student inbat studies. We hadn¡¯t had much interaction, but he tended to act especially friendly toward me. ¡°I heard about what you did in the Magic Arts department! You really put those mages in their ce, huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak poorly of the Magic Arts students. It¡¯ll make things difficult when forming teamster.¡± ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Since he wasn¡¯t a significant character in the zing Butterfly arc, I had no idea what he was thinking. ¡°Where are the third-years?¡± ¡°They¡¯re over there, helping the assistants.¡± Hamel pointed to where the two third-years were talking with the teaching assistants. One of them was the vice president, Nikita. ¡°Senior Nikita.¡± When I approached and called her name, Nikita turned to look at me, smiling brightly. ¡°You¡¯re here, junior.¡± I froze. Her smile was different from before. It was clearly distorted, as if something had broken. Her eyes no longer held me in them. Instead, an inexplicable sense of oppression emanated from her. And along with it, a chilling coldness. I realized it instantly. ¡®Ancient Dragon.¡¯ She had finally touched it. Act 3, Scene 6 ¡®The Dragon of Disaster¡¯ has begun. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 50 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 50: The Trump Card to Save the Vice President Bad Ending. Ancient Dragon. It was summer, at the Demon Dungeon. Nikita, who hade to wield the magic of the Ancient Dragon, killed the Third Princess, Iris, with her own hands in the Dungeon. And at that moment, an unexpected event urred. The power of the Demon Sovereign, which had been residing within Iris, reached out and engulfed Nikita, taking over herpletely. Nikita''s hatred for the world and the temptations of the Demon Sovereign intertwined, and eventually, Nikita sumbed to the Demon Sovereign''s grasp. With the magic of the Ancient Dragon and the power of the Demon Sovereign, armed with these two overwhelming forces, Nikita utterly destroyed the world. That is the bad ending. The Ancient Dragon. ¡¸Junior Lucas... I just wanted to live freely. A life where I could do what I wanted, marry someone I loved...¡¹ Her tearful cry from the "me Butterfly" arc¡¯s bad ending echoed in my memory. ¡¸I hated my life so much... the life shackled to the Cynthia family, that I was willing to throw it all away so easily.¡¹ Nikita Cynthia, born into the illustrious Cynthia Marquis family, known for their exceptional magical talent, without any magical ability of her own. She lived her entire life bound by her family, and they also predetermined her future. The Cynthia family did not even allow her to wield a sword properly. They merely used her as a pawn for a political marriage. The title of Marquis in the Empire is an enormous one. This was not a modern society where individual efforts could break free from the family¡¯s grip. No matter how much a daughter struggled, she could not escape the family''s bonds. Her older brother, Nia, was the only possible escape from this life for Nikita. ¡¸Perhaps it¡¯s a sin that I relied so heavily on my older brother. I should¡¯ve carved my own path in life. When he died, I wasn¡¯t just devastated by his death¡ªI despaired because my unchanging lifey ahead of me.¡¹ Tears frozen by the magic of the Ancient Dragon dripped down Nikita''s face. Seeing that sight, I was driven to y the "me Butterfly" arc countless times to change Nikita''s life. But there was no way to save Nikita in the "me Butterfly" arc. Or rather, even if there was, it was beyond the abilities of Lucas at the time. A monumental fate. Nikita was destined to die in that story. ¡¸All things in the world have a breaking point, a limit they cannot surpass.¡¹ The advice Sharine had given me came to mind. To break a monumental fate, one must be equally relentless. So I waited and waited. For one single way for Nikita to live a life free from the Cynthia family. And the one way to pull her out of the inevitability of the main storyline. My eyesnded on Nikita as she was now. There was no longer any trace of her former kind self. Consumed by anger and revenge, she was now nothing more than an embodiment of vengeance. "Senior Nikita, you don¡¯t look well. Are you okay?" "Hm? I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about it." Nikita said that with the brightest face she¡¯d had recently. mes burned. mes that left no trace of themselves as they zed on. Her eyes no longer held any attachment to this world. "Junior." "Yes, Senior Nikita?" "You¡¯ll be participating in the Demon Dungeon expedition this summer, won¡¯t you?" "Yes, most likely." Unless you¡¯re in the special ss for first-years, every second-year student participates unless they¡¯re severely unwell. "Then don¡¯t go too deep into the Dungeon this time." Nikita said that as she turned her body away. "That¡¯s advice from your senior." And with that, Nikita left. Watching her retreating figure, I suddenly realized my fists were clenched tightly. After that, I devoted myself to helping the student council wholeheartedly. I wanted to prepare everything so the students participating in the Demon Dungeon expedition could enjoy itfortably. Soon, I could see students leaving to rest after filling their bellies. Among them, there were still some who were eating. ¡®Nikita.¡¯ Thankfully, she was talking with the professors. She wouldn¡¯t have time to pay attention to this side. I quietly moved my steps. And soon, I stood beside someone who was still eating. There was a mountain of tes piled next to her. Yet, as if her stomach still had room, she continued eating. Even the burliest male students had given up, but her appetite was truly impressive. "Third Princess." Calling her name quietly, she turned to look at me. Her ruby-like eyes gleamed between her jet-ck hair, filled with a decadent allure and a touch of curiosity. As if my presence beside her was entirely unexpected. "I haven¡¯t eaten yet, so may I sit next to you and eat as well?" Sitting next to a royal for a meal was not something easily permitted. But this was Zerion Academy, a ce that valued equality. More importantly, Iris wasn¡¯t the type to care about such things. "Go ahead." True to her character, Iris didn¡¯t object. She even shifted slightly to make room for me. "You seem to have something to say." I had hardly ever spoken with Iris. To be precise, I had judged that it was too early to get involved with her. The enormous forces surrounding her¡­ If I got involved now, I¡¯d be torn apart. So even if I might eventually ally with her, I avoided her until now. But now, with the "Bad Ending: Ancient Dragon" looming before me, I couldn¡¯t avoid her any longer. Luckily, I had already made an impression on her during the grouppetition. I decided to convey what I wanted to her. "For the uing Demon Dungeon expedition, may I join your team?" Iris¡¯s gaze lingered on me as she took another bite of her meal. She was sharp; she undoubtedly knew I wouldn¡¯t make such a request lightly. "Troublesome." As expected, she didn¡¯t agree easily. "But if you exin your reasons clearly, I might cooperate." She was cautious, as always. That was just like her. "There is someone targeting the Third Princess in the Demon Dungeon." Iris paused, her utensils still. Targeting royalty was a crime among crimes in the Empire. It wasn¡¯t just about erasing the criminal¡¯s family; everything connected to them would be obliterated. The punishment was to exterminate three generations. That was the most fitting description of the penalty. "So you wish to stop them." "Yes, absolutely." Iris resumed moving her utensils. What I just said carried some risk for me as well. I had skirted around directly reporting that someone was targeting her. I was nervous. If Iris became offended, my life could end here. This was reality. Unlike a game, there were no do-overs. "Alright. That¡¯s not too difficult." To my surprise, Iris responded more readily than expected. "But if it¡¯s someone rted to you, they¡¯ll recognize you." "It¡¯s fine. I have a n. Could you swap one of your usual teammates with someone from our team?" "An exchange, is it?" I took a bite of meat like Iris. Perhaps due to nerves, it tasted nd. "Alright. I¡¯ll do it." Her agreement finally relieved the tension within me. I was lucky that Iris was a generous person. ¡®No, to be precise¡­¡¯ The look in her eyes betrayed her curiosity. Iris was observing me closely. From being her cousin to defeating her team and iming first ce in the grouppetition, I must have seemed like a peculiar person to her. And now, I hade to her with a proposal. Of course, her interest would grow. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®She likely hasn¡¯t even considered the possibility of her own assassination.¡¯ Such confidence. No wonder she¡¯s called the strongest royal in history. But even she couldn¡¯t handle the disaster that Nikita had be as the Dragon of Disasiter. ¡®This was originally supposed to be Lucas''s responsibility.¡¯ This time, I have to take on that role myself. ¡°By the way...¡± Suddenly, Iris brought up something unrted. ¡°In our group, there''s only one person with a physique simr to yours.¡± Since I was joining Iris''s team, someone from their side had toe to ours, disguised as me. For me, it didn¡¯t matter who it was because of the Veil Bandagese. But for them, it was a different story. ¡°One person, you say...¡± Ah. I realized who it was. ¡°To avoid suspicion, we''ll switch rooms for a day.¡± Iris drew a captivating smile on her lips. ¡°Along with everything else, of course.¡± Suddenly, my vision darkened. * * * What is life, anyway? Why am I going through all this? Lost in thought, I walked down a corridor. The long hair brushing against the back of my neck felt strange. My usual ck hair was now a light peach color, fluttering as I moved. Was it because of the unfamiliar body shape? Even walking felt awkward. To be precise, the broader hips and heavier upper body were ufortable. I couldn''t believe someone could fight in this body. ¡®Fuck.¡¯ I cursed inwardly and slowly turned my head. Reflected in the window was an incredibly beautiful woman. Her eyes had a fox-like sharpness, and the corners of her lips curled slightly upward. Her red lips carried an allure that could unsettle any man¡¯s heart. The problem was that this face was mine. I covered my forehead momentarily and let out a sigh. This appearance¡­ Second ce in martial arts, Hania Rapidedia. The daughter of the Empire¡¯s Supreme Knight Commander. Always by Iris''s side, she was, in her own way, an icon of admiration for men. Her exceptional looks aside, she knew exactly how to melt people''s hearts. A few conversations with her, and most men were utterly enchanted. The issue was that it wasn¡¯t just men. Women, too, were vulnerable to her beauty. Hania was exceptionally skilled at winning people over, even other women. ¡®What a talent.¡¯ She actively used her assets and leveraged them to her advantage. Hania was a woman I personally found intimidating. Women like her were unsettling for some reason. Most of all... ¡°The thought of being away from Lady Iris... Hania, how will I endure it?¡± I knew exactly who she genuinely cared for. In the distance, near Iris, someone was wiping away tears. That person no longer had the peach-colored hair but short ck hair instead. Even her eyes were different from before. Like Iris¡¯s, her crimson eyes gleamed as the light filtered through the window. Hannon Irey. That was Hania disguised as Hannon. Among Iris''s team, the only one with a physique remotely simr to mine was the woman, Hania. Watching her act that way toward Iris in her current appearance felt incredibly awkward. ¡°You''re here.¡± Iris noticed me and gave a slight smile. She was definitelyughing at how hesitant I looked. ¡°...Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Hania doesn¡¯t speak like that.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I didn¡¯t have the confidence to mimic her manner of speaking. I¡¯d just keep my mouth shut until we reached the Demon Dungeon. ¡°Hannon Irey.¡± At that moment, Hania, as Hannon, turned to me and called my name. The affectionate gaze she had for Iris just moments ago was gone. Instead, her cold, sharp eyes were now fixed on me. ¡°For today, make sure to assist Lady Iris properly. If you do anything to inconvenience her...¡± Hania didn¡¯t finish her sentence. She simply smiled, leaving the interpretation up to me. ¡°Hania, don¡¯t be too harsh.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, if Lady Iris says so!¡± But the moment Iris spoke to her, the tense atmosphere dissipated instantly. Hania truly adored Iris. If Iris asked her to, she¡¯d do anything. Perhaps she tolerated Hannon because she was Iris¡¯s cousin. ¡®If she found out I wasn¡¯t actually Hannon but Vikamon...¡¯ Hania would probably stop at nothing to prevent this. This secret must never be revealed. I swore to myself. ¡°Take care of my role, too.¡± ¡°Hmph, worry about yourself.¡± Maybe it was because I defeated Iris¡¯s team in a group match once. She didn¡¯t seem to like me much. After finishing her cold remarks, she exchanged a passionate farewell with Iris and left. Though she looked teary at the thought of leaving Iris''s side, Iris''s request left her no choice. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go.¡± At that moment, Iris turned and began walking. ¡°...Are we really going?¡± ¡°Hania doesn¡¯t talk like that either. Come on.¡± Once again, she corrected my tone. Damn it. ¡°Are we really going?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little better.¡± Iris said with a smirk.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Yes, we¡¯re really going.¡± Disappointment was written all over my face. For today, I had to live in the women¡¯s dormitory. [PR/N: Disappointment huh¡­.] [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 51 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] wN?v(el)B\\jnn Chapter 51: The Third Princess Harasses Me Following Iris, I took step after step, feeling more nervous than I ever had in my life. And for good reason¡ªI was cross-dressing and sneaking into the girls'' dormitory. If my identity were discovered, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if I were immediately dragged off. My throat felt dry, and I kept swallowing to ease the tension. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been this nervous, not even during a team battle. This was probably the most terrifying moment of my life. ¡®There is a scenario where Lucas infiltrates the girls¡¯ dormitory, but¡­¡¯ Never in my wildest dreams did I think I¡¯d be the one to actually do it. ¡°We¡¯re here, Hania.¡± Here we go. When I raised my head, the entrance to the girls¡¯ dormitory came into view. Coincidentally, a group of female students returning from school was entering the dormitory. Feeling self-conscious, I subtly sidled closer to Iris. If I stuck close to her, I might attract less suspicion. It was a defensive instinct. Iris noticed this and smirked, her lips curling up the entire time. I had never seen herugh this much in all the time I¡¯d known her. ¡°Iris, you¡¯reughing too much.¡± ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s just been a while since I¡¯ve seen something this entertaining.¡± She didn¡¯t even try to deny that she was enjoying herself. For me, though, this was torture. But it was all for the scenario. I must endure it. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± In the end, I entered the dormitory with Iris. The interior was different from the boys¡¯ dormitory in atmosphere, though the structure was simr¡ªit was just a building on the opposite side, after all. But somehow, the ce felt distinctly warm. ¡®Is it the scent?¡¯ Unlike the boys¡¯ dorm, there was a subtle aroma of perfume lingering everywhere. ¡°Wee back, Lady Iris,¡± A maid greeted her here and there as we passed. Iris responded to their greetings with a practiced familiarity. ¡°Maid, doesn¡¯t Hania look a little different today?¡± At that moment, Iris asked an outrageous question. Startled, I turned to Iris with a panicked expression. One of the maids nced my way. After a moment, she smiled and said, ¡°It seems like your hairstyle is a little different than usual, Lady Hania. It suits you well.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, thank you for noticing.¡± I forced a smile, while Iris chuckled behind the maid¡¯s back. She¡¯s a natural at teasing people. Once the maid left, I hurried over to Iris. ¡°Lady Iris?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a great actor.¡± ¡°Are you really hoping I get caught and end up in trouble?¡± ¡°Hania wouldn¡¯t speak like that.¡± The Third Princess¡¯s antics were relentless. I felt tears welling up. ¡°This is payback for beating me in the team battle,¡± Iris finally admitted. A justified reason, I suppose. But Iris¡¯s mischievous smile made it clear she was just having fun. Iris, who regrly suffered from nightmares due to the pressure of her responsibilities, rarely showed her emotions. Even expressing them was exhausting for her. But now, she wasughing like this¡ªbecause she genuinely found the situation amusing. ¡®...Well, as long as she¡¯sughing, it¡¯s fine.¡¯ I owed her a debt anyway. If this could make herugh, I¡¯d let her have her fun. ¡°But don¡¯t take it too far.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± If my identity were revealed, it wouldn¡¯t just be bad for me but also for Iris. I hoped she wouldn¡¯t push her luck. ¡°Lady Iris, good evening!¡± Just then, a passing student greeted Iris. As the Third Princess, Iris often received greetings from those around her. The problem was, the voice sounded oddly familiar. Golden blonde hair that seemed to shimmer like sunlight swayed as the student approached. Beneath it, bright crimson eyes sparkled. Isabel Luna. Seeing a familiar face, I instinctively froze. ¡°Good evening,¡± Said Isabel, exchanging greetings with Iris. Then, she turned her attention to me. ¡°Good evening to you too, Hania.¡± Isabel had a friendly personality. In fact, there were few in the second-year martial arts ss who weren¡¯t on good terms with her. Even with me, Isabel was quite familiar. ¡°Yes, good evening, Isabel.¡± Isabel tilted her head slightly as I replied casually. ¡°Hania, did something happen?¡± ¡°Something happen? No, nothing at all.¡± ¡°Really? You just seem quieter than usual.¡± As she said this, Isabel alternated her gaze between me and Iris. What was going on? I hadn¡¯t done anything suspicious. Just then, Iris raised her arm slightly, and I realized what was missing. Hania always stuck close to Iris. As childhood friends and in a master-servant rtionship, Hania always walked arm-in-arm with her. Noticing this, Isabel stepped closer and whispered, ¡°Did something happen between you and Lady Iris?¡± Of course, she noticed. Iris, still holding her arm up, stared at me expectantly. Damn it. I hurriedly grabbed Iris¡¯s arm and hugged it tightly. ¡°Why would anything happen between me and Lady Iris? If something did, I might just die on the spot!¡± I eximed dramatically. Seeing my exaggerated reaction, Isabel nodded as if satisfied. Meanwhile, Iris turned her head to hide her face, trying to stifle herughter, her ears turning red. Something inside me felt like it was breaking. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief. I¡¯ll be off now¡ªI have training tonight,¡± Isabel said as she left. So that¡¯s why she was in her athletic gear. Even with tomorrow¡¯s summer pce training ahead, Isabel was still hard at work. Her dedication was impressive. ¡°She¡¯s working so hard thanks to you,¡± Iris remarked as we watched Isabel¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°Thanks to me? All I¡¯ve ever done is fight with her.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t let any pride show. ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s all it was.¡± How much does Iris see? [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w In my twenty-nine attempts at clearing the game, Iris yed the role of both the final boss and the heroine. Even so, Iris was always a figure of mystery to the yers. The less revealed about her, the more fascinating she became. The developers made excellent use of her enigmatic traits. But there was one thing that was certain. ¡°Have you been sleeping well these days?¡± She suffered from severe insomnia. ¡°More or less.¡± Her eyes still bore the shadows caused by her sleepless nights. ¡°There¡¯s a magical music box called the Argol¡¯s Whisper.¡± Perhaps because I¡¯d often offered her advice on how to sleep better, Iris listened to me with interest. ¡°It¡¯s a rare item toe by, but it ys music that¡¯s said to induce sleep. Rumor has it that it even devours nightmares with its mysterious power.¡± Her eyes widened. Nightmares were the primary cause of her insomnia. A tool said to swallow nightmares would have an unimaginable effect on her. ¡®Of course, the me of Resolve would be the ultimate cure.¡¯ But this might serve as a temporary solution. Though, even this would lose its effectiveness over time. As long as the root cause of the nightmares wasn¡¯t addressed, they wouldn¡¯t end. ¡®Once this current matter is resolved¡­¡¯ I¡¯d have to prepare for that as well, step by step. ¡°...How do you know all this?¡± Iris asked me a question. The information I shared wasn¡¯tmonly known. She found it curious that I had ess to such knowledge. ¡°I¡¯ve done my research.¡± ¡°For what purpose?¡± ¡°For you, of course.¡± I adopted Hania¡¯s tone as I smiled gently. Iris blinked herrge eyes before leaning forward, resting her head lightly on mine. Her ruby-colored eyes shimmered seductively just inches from my face. For a moment, the faint scent of roses wafted through her hair, piercing deeply into my senses. My heart skipped a beat for just a second. With a sultry voice tinged with decadence, she whispered in my ear. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me too much.¡± Who teased who first? Iris gracefully retreated. ¡®If her unique trait isn¡¯t charm, I don¡¯t know what is.¡¯ She instinctively knew how to make someone¡¯s heart race. Yet, despite that, I realized my emotions weren¡¯t overly stirred. ¡®...Could this be?¡¯ The Veil Bandages¡ªwere they affecting me? I had a faint idea of what kind of emotions they might be erasing. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s bath time now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bathe in the room.¡± Not that, of course. £ª £ª £ª After returning to the room, I stayed put, not stepping out. Hania¡¯s roommate was, of course, Iris. So, at least in the room, I could rx without concern. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Maybe it was because today had been so exhausting. Leaning against the window, I let out a deep sigh. Iris had left, saying she was going to bathe. She didn¡¯t seem to have the slightest concern about what I might do in her room. ¡®Well, who¡¯d dare try anything with the Third Princess?¡¯ Unless they had a death wish, no one would. Growl¡ª The problem was, the tension had made me hungry. Still sitting in the chair, I turned slightly. The room was filled with a delicate feminine fragrance. Hania¡¯s bed was overwhelmingly pink to the point of dizziness. In contrast, Iris¡¯s bed was impably tidy. It reflected their contrasting personalities. ¡®I should¡¯ve brought something to eat.¡¯ I was so preupied that I hadn¡¯t thought of it. I wanted to ask Iris for help, but I couldn¡¯t possibly make such a request of the Third Princess. ¡®Should I ask Iris toe with me?¡¯ After a moment¡¯s hesitation, I shook my head. Today, Iris was in a mischievous mood. Who knew what she¡¯d pull next? It seemed better to quickly head to the dining hall and ask for a sandwich. ¡®Most people should be in their rooms since it¡¯s past dinner time.¡¯ I quietly opened the door. The hallway was empty. I decided to move quickly. Just as I took a step forward¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± I bumped into someone approaching from the hallway. The sight of her made my face stiffen. Because the person was none other than¡ª ¡°...Hannon?¡± She was Sharin Sazaris. The only one who could see through the Veil Bandages. Why did I have to run into her now? [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 52 [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 52: Bullying the Top Student of the Magic Department Too Sharin Sazaris. The moment I ran into her in the hallway, I froze in ce. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Sharin narrowed her eyes. Through the events we¡¯ve shared so far, Sharin and I had built a precarious friendship, though it wasn¡¯t exactly stable. But even so, seeing a male friend disguised as a girl sneaking into the girls¡¯ dormitory was¡­ Well, it wasn¡¯t something anyone could easily ept. That¡¯s why I was at a loss for words. No matter what I said now, it would sound like an excuse to Sharin. At this moment, the only person who could save me was Iris. Since I remained silent, Sharin just stared at me for a moment before letting out a small sigh. ¡°What¡¯s going on this time?¡± She asked in anguid tone. Hearing that, I blinked. I had dressed as a girl and sneaked into the girls¡¯ dormitory. Instead of reprimanding me, she asked about my situation first. ¡°¡­Sharin, are you an angel?¡± ¡°So you finally noticed?¡± Sharin puffed up her chest a little, wearing a smug expression. She was far more merciful than I expected. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not like that¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re hiding something again!¡± At that moment, other girls¡¯ voices echoed through the hallway. Hearing them, Sharin walked toward me. ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡± It wouldn¡¯t do to let others see me talking to her like this. Sharin entered Hania and Iris¡¯s room, took off her shoes, and casually plopped down on a chair barefoot. Why does she never wear socks? Even though this wasn¡¯t her room, she acted so freely. ¡°So, what¡¯s with the outfit?¡± There was no point in hiding it now that I¡¯d been caught. I sat in the chair across from Sharin and exined the rough situation. ¡°It¡¯s to protect Lady Iris.¡± Of course, I glossed over the matter of Nikita. Sharin didn¡¯t bother digging deeper, either. She understood that what I hadn¡¯t said was something I couldn¡¯t share. From the start, I was someone full of mysteries to her. Nothing new. ¡°So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t put me in your team?¡± This summer¡¯s Demon Dungeon Hannon Team. Because of the incident I caused in the Magic Departmentst time, the students there refused to join our team as backup. Sharin had volunteered to join our team then. But this time, I declined. Since I wouldn¡¯t be there in person, I didn¡¯t want unnecessary attention drawn to the team because of Sharin¡¯s involvement. I had hinted to the current team members that the "me" they¡¯d be working with wasn¡¯t the real me. But I hadn¡¯t gotten around to telling Sharin. ¡°Did the Hannon team members know?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t exin it clearly, but they understood I wasn¡¯t myself. They¡¯re pretty understanding about these things.¡± Seron kept pestering me for answers, which was annoying, but stuffing a few snacks in her mouth resolved that issue. ¡°So, you told them but kept it from me?¡± For some reason, her voice carried a sharp edge. ¡°¡­Sharin, are you mad?¡± I asked cautiously, and she smiled her usual smile. ¡°No.¡± She¡¯s mad. ¡°Sorry, I just didn¡¯t want to go around exining this weird situation to everyone.¡± Sharin stared at me silently. Her gaze felt incredibly heavy. ¡°I just thought it¡¯d be amusing to see Hannon in a skirt.¡± Sharin smirked, her expression yful and teasing. It seemed like she¡¯d bring this up to tease me for a long time. What a bad habit. ¡°But why Hania, of all people?¡± Sharin seemed to be dwelling on something. ¡°Why? Is there something about Hania?¡± ¡°Hmm, maybe. Or maybe not.¡± I didn¡¯t know what it was, but it gave me an uneasy feeling. ¡°I have to stay like this until tomorrow anyway. Just tell me clearly.¡± Sharin seemed to make up her mind and shared the secret. ¡°Hania recently got a stalker.¡± What? A Stalker. A crime where someone follows another person without justification, causing fear and unease. It¡¯s, of course, a deeply unpleasant experience for the victim. And now, Hania is being stalked. ¡°¡­Who would dare?¡± As mentioned earlier, Hania is second in the Martial Arts Department. On top of that, she¡¯s the daughter of the Knight Commander. If she wanted, she could destroy someone¡¯s life in an instant. ¡°Not everything in life can be solved with strength.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Even so, Hania doesn¡¯t strike me as the type to just let it happen.¡± As I¡¯d seen earlier, Hania isn¡¯t the type to endure stalking quietly. If she wanted to, she¡¯d have already put an end to it. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear the details. I only overheard Isabel talking about it.¡± Well, Sharin doesn¡¯t have many close friends to begin with. It wouldn¡¯t have been Hania who told her. It must¡¯ve been Isabel. I figured it was something Hania could handle on her own. ¡°The problem is, right now, I¡¯m Hania.¡± For today and tomorrow, I¡¯d be the one being stalked. ¡°That¡¯s why I told you.¡± ¡°Is it really going to be a problem?¡± I nned to stay in the dorm today and spend all of tomorrow in the Demon Dungeon. Once the event ended, I¡¯d return to my original appearance. There wouldn¡¯t be any time for the stalker to follow me. ¡°Who knows?¡± Sharin seemed to have only told me just in case, not looking too concerned. After all, I wasn¡¯t the actual target of the stalking. There was no real reason for me to worry. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope nothing troublesome happens.¡± One thing that bothered me was why Hania hadn¡¯t resolved the stalker issue earlier. ¡®Is there some reason behind it?¡¯ I mulled over the me Butterfly Arc chapter in my mind. Hania is a supporting character who follows Iris around. Herbat skills are undoubtedly strong. Her overall stats are decent, making her a well-bnced character. But due to Lucas rising ferociously from below, She ultimately ends up losing her second-inmand position. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®She was quite popr, both for her looks and her devoted affection for Iris.¡¯ However, as with most supporting characters, Information about Hania was limited. On top of that, she gets injured while staying by Iris¡¯s side in theter stages of the story, Bing an unusable character with little to no contribution. ¡®Nothing significantes to mind.¡¯ I don¡¯t know. Creak¡ª At that moment, the door opened. ¡°Huuuh.¡± Iris had returned from her bath. With her hair still damp, she wiped it with a towel before lifting her gaze. She sensed not only me but another presence. Iris locked eyes with Sharin. Iris tilted her head slowly, then turned to look at me. ¡°Still, this is a room you share with me. Please refrain from bringing your girlfriend over.¡± Girlfriend? ¡°This is a misunderstanding. I brought her here to exin the situation after her identity was exposed.¡± I hurriedly exined to avoid unnecessary trouble. Hearing this, Sharin covered her mouth, shocked. ¡°How could you! I thought Hannon and I were truly dating!¡± At least change your expression before saying that. ¡°Take responsibility properly.¡± Iris joined in, teasingly ying along. Caught between the two, I quietly swallowed my frustration. The top student in martial arts and the top student in magic arts are bullying me. Someday, I will get my revenge on both of them. Growl¡ª At that moment, my stomach let out a loud rumble. The hunger I had momentarily forgotten while meeting Sharin returned. ¡°Hania wouldn¡¯t make a noise like that.¡± Iris pointed out my growling stomach. This isn¡¯t something I can control. £ª £ª £ª After enduring the teasing from Sharin and Iris while eating ate dinner, the next day came. Stretching my arms wide, I got up energetically. ¡®Exhausting.¡¯ Was it because I wasn¡¯t sleeping in my usual spot? I must¡¯ve slept a bit tensely. ¡®I wonder if things are okay over there.¡¯ I had informed my roommate Card about Hania. ¡®Card isn¡¯t the type to overstep boundaries.¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t mess things up by provoking the knight captain¡¯s daughter. ¡°Uuung.¡± At that moment, I saw Iris stirring in her bed. She was fully tucked under the nket, showing no intention ofing out. Only a few strands of her long ck hair peeked out. Iris hadn¡¯t been able to sleep untiltest night. She sat by the window, lost in thought until the early hours. As someone who suffers from insomnia, she can¡¯t fall asleep easily. Because of this, Iris is notoriously bad in the mornings. Sometimes, she stays awake all night. Other times, she sleeps sote she can barely get up in the morning. Hania is usually the one to wake her up. On Iris¡¯s desk, I spotted the honey tea I had once rmended to her. Beside it was a scented candle made from water lily, its extinguished wick leaving behind a soothing aroma for sleep. It seemed she was trying various methods to follow my advice for better sleep. ¡°Iris, it¡¯s morning.¡± Today, I was Hania. So, I approached Iris¡¯s bed to fulfill the role and called out to her. But Iris showed no sign of waking up. Knowing how distressing her insomnia was, I wanted to let her sleep longer. However, today was the day of the Summer Demon Dungeon event. If I let her sleep any longer, things would get difficult. ¡°Iris, it¡¯s time to wake up.¡± Left with no choice, I pulled the nket back, revealing her pale face. Her longshes, rosy lips, and the shadows under her eyes gave her an oddly decadent look. How could her innate charm ability activate even in her sleep? Her beauty was breathtaking, no matter how many times I saw it. On top of that, her casual pajamas instead of the usual school uniform left me unsure where to look. I felt like knights could storm in at any moment to arrest me, and I¡¯d have no defense. ¡°Iris¡­¡± At that moment, I felt a grip on my wrist. When I turned, Iris¡¯s hand was firmly holding mine. Instinctively, I knew. I should pull my hand away immediately. Energy coursed through my body. It was time to show the fruits of my training. And yet, I was pulled right in. The wall that was Iris, the strongest of the royal family, was too high. The strength I had trained for mere months couldn¡¯t match Iris, even half-asleep and brimming with aura. Before I knew it, I was pulled into her embrace. Her soft touch enveloped my face and body. The unique, gentle scent that filled my mind made me dizzy. Was this a mental magic spell? There was no escaping. The difference in strength between us was overwhelming. No matter how much I struggled, I couldn¡¯t escape unless Iris let me go. Then, Iris slowly opened her eyes while holding me. She looked at me with drowsy eyes, smiled faintly, and spoke. ¡°Good morning¡­¡± Thank goodness I¡¯m in my bandaged form as a girl. If I were in my male form, things would¡¯ve gone sideways in many ways. Just as she began closing her eyes to fall asleep again, I knew I¡¯d reached my limit. ¡°Iris.¡± Raising my hand respectfully, I said, ¡°Please forgive me just this once.¡± And I gave her a light flick on the forehead to wake her up. [Trantor - ra] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 53 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 53: How to Deal with a Stalker Iris rubbed her forehead, which was flushed red. It was the mark of the flick she had received from me that morning. Well, considering how much she had cornered me, it was a punishment she deserved. When Iris and I arrived at the dining hall, bustling students came into view. Today was the day of the Summer Demon Dungeon Competition. The faint tension in the air seemed to envelop the entire dining hall. As soon as Iris appeared, all eyes turned to her. I quietly followed Iris to avoid drawing suspicion. "Hania, did you hear about that?" "It''s such a big deal!" But thanks to Hania''s natural sociability, her friends often ended up talking to me as well. "Sorry, everyone. I want to focus on the Demon Dungeon today, so let''s chat next time." Since it was the day of thepetition, my roundabout excuse was met with understanding, and they backed off. "Iris''s team came second in the group match, didn''t they?" "I guess she''s concentrating to make up for it." Thankfully, the events of the group match added weight to my words. Focusing on the Demon Dungeon to redeem the humiliation of the group match. It was a reason everyone could understand. ¡®Sometimes, you just have to throw yourself into things,¡¯ my past self would say. Good job, past me. Here, have a praise sticker. ¡®After twists and turns, another day ends.¡¯ Now, once the Demon Dungeon is over, that''s it. Since this marks the conclusion of Act 3, I was just as nervous. "Hania, let''s go." Amid the tense atmosphere, I walked with Iris toward the Martial Arts building. All the students were gathering there under the guidance of the professors to head to the entrance of the Demon Dungeon. As a result, the area in front of the Martial Arts building was packed with students from the department. The tension in the air was palpable. Scanning the crowd, I spotted Hania¡ªwho looked like Hannon¡ªstanding with Seron. Hania had her arms crossed, her face full of irritation. Obvious. She wanted to be next to Iris but couldn¡¯t, and it was making her grumpy. Beside her, Seron seemed ufortable, keeping her mouth tightly shut. It was a sign of Seron¡¯sck of social skills. Ah, Seron. You truly are hopeless atmunication... ¡°You¡¯re just like Hannon.¡± Iris whispered to me. Was she saying that grumpy expression resembled mine? It was shocking news for someone like me, who always wore a kind smile. While I was still reeling, my eyes caught sight of Isabel. For some reason, she tilted her head while looking at Hania, who resembled Hannon. Could she have figured something out? I hoped not. "Ah, exhausting. Another Demon Dungeon day," someone muttered, breaking the silence. Several third-year students had appeared by then. Having experienced the Demon Dungeon numerous times, they looked utterly uninterested. Unlike the second-years, who were ambitious, most third-years had a resigned attitude. Dubbed "the weakest generation" by others, theycked any will to try. Among the third-years, one stood out¡ªsilver hair that seemed colder than usual. Underneath that hair, blue eyes gleamed with a chilling light, exuding a foreboding aura. Nikita Cynthia. A strange coldness emanated from her. At that moment, Nikita¡¯s head lifted. Before our eyes could meet, I quickly looked away. I felt her gaze linger on Iris before moving on. That subtle hostility within her stare was something only I, who knew the situation, could detect. ¡°Haaah, looks like everyone¡¯s here now.¡± Just as the tension reached its peak, Professor Vega appeared. Unlike her usual self, she was wearing a neat suit, stifling a yawn. Beside her were the professors responsible for the first and third years. With their stern faces, they made Vega seem almost kind inparison. Despite appearances, Vega was the most experienced among them. Trailing behind them were associate professors and teaching assistants in an orderly line. With arge entourage in tow, Vega signaled the junior professors to move out. "We¡¯re heading to the Demon Dungeon entrance. Stay in line and don¡¯t make a fuss," the third-year professor instructed, and the students began moving. With so many people, the procession was massive. By now, other departments were probably moving too, and eventually, a huge number of students would gather at the entrance. As we walked, I felt eyes boring into the back of my head. Since the move began, I kept sensing someone staring at me. Could it be someone who realized I wasn¡¯t Hania? A quick nce around revealed no students paying attention to me. Everyone was too tense, focused solely on thepetition. ¡®If not the students¡­¡¯ Extending my awareness, I scanned the assistants, but even among them, no one was watching me. When my gaze finally reached the professors, I discovered someone looking straight at me. A second-year Martial Arts associate professor¡ª Barkov Deblije. The second son of Count Deblije, known for his wealth. And I knew a certain incident involving him. ¡®That guy¡¯s into minors, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ An associate professor at the Academy, he had been expelled for stalking a student. Though it was briefly mentioned as gossip within the Academy, it wasn¡¯t an event the yer could directly intervene in. However, the fallout from this incident stirred up discord between professors and students, even exining why Vega developed a drinking problem. And now, that guy was staring at me. Or rather, at the persona of Hania I had taken on. A chill ran down my spine. The intensity of his gaze was beyond unsettling. ¡®No wonder Hania couldn¡¯t handle a stalker so easily.¡¯ With a professor from a noble family acting like this, she must have hesitated to deal with it hastily. The problem now was that I was the object of that scorching gaze. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w For the first time in my life, I felt a murderous urge. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the Demon Dungeon. Now, find your teammates when called.¡± The moment we reached the pce, I quickly clung to Iris as soon as Professor Vega gave the instruction. "Lady Iris, let¡¯s hurry up and go." I could sense that guy''s gaze on me more and more. If I felt it any longer, I might end up summoning the Thunder Bolt. Iris, as if she noticed this, said nothing and moved forward. "Hania." At that moment. Assistant Professor Barkov appeared, blocking our path. This lunatic. "Lady Iris, may I have a moment to talk to Hania?" Assistant Professor Barkov looked at me with a determined expression. The hand wearing the Thunder Bolt trembled slightly. I really wanted to punch him. "Well..." Iris looked at Barkov with an awkward expression. She must have decided not to intervene until now because Hania had insisted on handling the stalker incident alone. But somehow, I ended up tangled in this mess instead of Hania. Even Iris seemed unsure of what to do.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The students around us began to stare. If suspicion arose here, it could get troublesome. "Lady Iris, I''ll handle this and be right back." For now, I decided to diffuse the situation. Anyway, the third-years were going into the dungeon first. The second-years still had some time to spare. When I stepped forward, Iris eventually gave her permission. "Assistant Professor Barkov, let''s go." "Ah, yes, of course." Barkov''s face immediately lit up. Mine, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. Barkov led me to a ce a little away from the crowd. All the while, he kept ncing at me nervously. Inside this body was a 185 cm tall dark-skinned man. I couldn¡¯t even imagine how shocked he¡¯d be if he knew that. "So, what do you want?" Instinctively, my voice sharpened. But Barkov didn¡¯t seem to care and coughed awkwardly, as if embarrassed. "Hania, I heard you¡¯ll be entering the dungeon this time. I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, so I had to tell you." If you¡¯re a student at Zerion Academy, going to the dungeon is a given. What nonsense is this? "The dungeon is dangerous. Thinking about you noting back made me realize my feelings for you." Barkov¡¯s chubby cheeks trembled. My face started to stiffen. No way. Is this guy confessing to me? And at a time like this, while I¡¯m in Hania¡¯s body? "Hold on a second, Professor, what are you¡ª" "H-Hania!" Barkov¡¯s resolve seemed unshakable. "I like you! I had to tell you before you entered the dungeon!" A man over thirty confessing to a minor. What on earth is he babbling about? A sharp headache shot through my head, and I clenched my fists. This is how you make a confession so maddening. Experiencing it myself, I now understand how dizzying it is. "Assistant Professor Barkov, please calm down." "Hania, answer me. I already know you feel the same way about me." Barkov waspletely out of it now. Just as I was about to resort to extreme measures to knock some sense into him¡ª "Assistant Professor Barkov, Hania is dating me, so this is a problem." A voice I absolutely did not expect rang in my ears. I turned my head stiffly. Standing there was a boy with jet-ck hair and crimson-red eyes. Hannon Irey. In other words, the real Hania was standing there. "What?" Barkov¡¯s face froze in confusion at Hania¡¯s bombshell statement. Hania walked over and grabbed my hand. "Hania and I are dating, so confessions like this are inappropriate." Just like that, I became Hania¡¯s boyfriend. Wait, no. Right now, I¡¯m Hania. So, I¡¯ve ended up dating myself? "W-What nonsense is this!" Barkov looked back and forth between our hands, utterly flustered. "That¡¯s ridiculous! I know Hania isn¡¯t dating anyone!" "Oh, really? That¡¯s because we only started dating yesterday." Hania turned toward me. It was clear she wanted me to y along. Left with no choice, I confidently raised our sped hands. "Yes, Hannon confessed to me yesterday, and we decided to date. So, I can¡¯t ept Assistant Professor Barkov¡¯s feelings." "T-That can¡¯t be." Barkov stumbled backward. The shock of rejection seemed to be too much for him. If only he¡¯d just copse right here and now. "Don¡¯t make meugh! Prove it!" Barkov shouted pathetically. The two of us said we were dating, but he still wanted proof? Even Hania seemed to be getting fed up with him and sighed. "Hania, let¡¯s do what we did yesterday." What did we do yesterday? Suddenly, Hania grabbed my chin. Truly, the runner-up in martial arts proficiency. Her movements were so swift they were nearly invisible. Hania¡¯s face came right up to mine. Our lips were so close they were practically touching. But Hania¡¯s and my lips never quite met. Her control was wless. However, since her back was to Barkov, to anyone watching from behind, it looked like we were kissing. Realizing her intent, I discreetly wrapped my arm around her back. Finishing touch. And then, Barkov screamed. "No! No! That¡¯s impossible!" Unable to handle the situation, Barkov ran off. It was the most pitiful rejection of his life. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 54 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 54: Contract Dating While Barkov was reeling from the pain of heartbreak, Hania suddenly pushed me aside. Our faces ended up incredibly close. If it had been Hania¡¯s original face, it might¡¯ve been fine. But since Hania was currently wearing Hannon''s appearance, I immediately pulled back. I had no interest in getting that close to a man¡¯s face. ¡°...So this is why Lady Iris suddenly called me. Her timing is impable as always.¡± Hania sighed deeply, wearing a troubled expression. It seemed Iris was the one who had sent Hania here. I felt grateful to Iris. I had nearly ended up as a corpse today. ¡°Hania, Barkov assistant professor was your stalker all this time, wasn¡¯t he?¡± When I asked, Hania nced at me briefly. ¡°Yes, and he was quite persistent about it.¡± With his title as assistant professor and the backing of a powerful family, Barkov was a difficult opponent for Hania to deal with. ¡°I was waiting for him to give me an opening, but wow, his timing really sucks.¡± Hania shook her head, looking utterly fed up. ¡°More importantly, now it¡¯se out that we¡¯re supposedly dating. What do we do about that?¡± This time, before the confession even happened, it seemed I was already in a rtionship. What a dynamic life I lead. ¡°...Barkov might look like that, but he¡¯s annoyingly persistent.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying if he finds out we¡¯re not actually dating, he¡¯ll just revert to stalking you again.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s likely.¡± Got it. Having been the target of Barkov¡¯s confession attack myself, I could fully empathize with how awful it was to be stalked by someone like that. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take Barkov to understand and give up?¡± ¡°...Probably a few months.¡± ¡°Then just let him think we¡¯re dating for a few months.¡± Hania¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s already spilled milk anyway. Might as well make use of it.¡± ¡°...You don¡¯t just want to date me, do you?¡± I gave her a stern look. ¡°I was joking.¡± It seemed she was genuinely trying to lighten the mood. ¡°Sorry for dragging you into this mess, though.¡± Hania offered an unexpectedly straightforward apology. It wasn¡¯t that her personality was inherently bad; she¡¯d just been on edge because of recent group events with Iris. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not your fault, anyway.¡± This was entirely Barkov¡¯s fault, not something Hania needed to apologize for. ¡°Hannon Irey, you¡¯re more decent than I thought. Could it be because you share a bit of blood with Lady Iris?¡± ¡°Your stock just dropped in my eyes after saying that.¡± ¡°I wonder how low it can go. But wouldn¡¯t it be inconvenient for you too if rumors spread that we¡¯re dating?¡± ¡°Do you think one more rumor would make any difference to me?¡± Hania paused briefly and seemed to understand. I¡¯m the one they call ¡°Lightning Bastard.¡± If people heard I was dating Hania, it would only generate sympathy for her. For me, there wouldn¡¯t be much impact, either way. ¡°We¡¯ve wasted enough time. Let¡¯s return to our teams now.¡± ¡°Right.¡± As Hania turned to leave, she spoke to me. ¡°Please take care of Lady Iris.¡± The corners of my lips curled upward. ¡°Sure, leave it to me.¡± ¡°Ha, as if I¡¯d entrust Lady Iris to someone like you.¡± What was that supposed to mean? Haniaughed lightly, as if joking, and walked off to her team. It seemed I¡¯d left a positive impression on her through this ordeal. ¡®Getting along with the deputy of martial arts isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡¯ One enemy, Isabel, was enough for me. Emerging from the forest, I saw people gathered around Iris. She was standing with her arms crossed, and when our eyes met, she reacted. ¡°Hania.¡± ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± When I stood beside her, she nced around and leaned closer. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Hannon showed up and resolved everything smoothly.¡± Iris let out a brief sigh of relief. Her crimson eyes glimmered ominously as she spoke. ¡°...I¡¯ll have to cut him off soon.¡± She must mean cutting Barkov from his position as an assistant professor, right? A chill ran down my spine. ¡°Hey, Hania.¡± Just then, a familiar voice called out to me. I turned toward the voice¡¯s owner, already recognizing it. Short-cropped brown hair and fingers adorned with rings. Just looking at him made me sigh in exasperation. Second-year deputy of magical studies. Dorara Corazon. He was one of Iris¡¯s rear guards and was now standing there. ¡°I just saw Hannoning out of the forest earlier. Were you with him?¡± ¡°Yes, and?¡± When I responded, Dorara¡¯s face twisted in anger. His teeth ground together audibly. ¡°Hania, here¡¯s some advice. Don¡¯t associate with that guy. There¡¯s nothing good about hanging around with him.¡± Dorara still held a grudge after being humiliated by me recently. ¡°Haha! Judging by the rumors, he must¡¯ve really gotten a proper beating!¡± Arge man behind Dorara burst intoughter. His dark skin, thick lips, and hands gripping a Bible made him stand out. Second-year rank of Divine Arts. Joachim. The thick muscles visible beneath his robes made him seem far removed from Divine Arts. Of course, he was a battle priest. ¡®And this guy¡¯s supposedly a year younger than me? Seriously?¡¯ Joachim¡¯s face resembled that of a seasoned mercenary. Even professors unconsciously bowed slightly when they saw him. He exuded a naturallymanding presence.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Ugh, ugh, speaking ill of others is bad, you know.¡± Then, from behind Joachim, a small figure peeked out. Unlike the massive Joachim, this person was diminutive. With a robe pulled over her head and her gray bangs covering her eyes, her fragile appearance would¡¯ve fooled anyone who didn¡¯t know the truth. She was the top student in Special Arts. A curse master. Valencia Kaise. This was Iris'' team. ¡®Even now, it¡¯s impressive how she gathered only the best.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w If I hadn¡¯t brought out someone like Saint or Sharin, it would¡¯ve been the perfect team Iris could assemble. At the center of all these members was none other than Iris herself. ¡°You guys don¡¯t get it! If you knew just how crazy that guy is, you¡¯d take back what you just said!¡± Dorara seemed to be struggling just imagining that time, nearly having a fit. His face looked like he¡¯d foam at the mouth any moment. ¡°Not long ago, you couldn¡¯t leave Sharin alone, and now it¡¯s Hannon. Truly, Dorara, your consistency is remarkable.¡± ¡°That guy¡¯s way worse than Sharin, that woman!¡± For the first time, I was rated above Sharin. Maybe I could feel a bit smug about that. ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± Meanwhile, Iris subtly turned her head and covered her mouth. It seemed hard for her to keep her expression in check, seeing Dorara cursing me in front of me without knowing who I was. ¡°Iris, this isn¡¯t the time to beughing.¡± I nudged Iris¡¯ arm. She briefly lifted the corner of her mouth apologetically. It was a smile so enchanting it could bewitch anyone. ¡°Tsk, if I¡¯d taken him on properly, he¡¯d have been the one beaten to a pulp. I just underestimated him at first.¡± Dorara started grumbling. He seemed to have conveniently forgotten that he was the one knocked out cold. ¡®Well then.¡¯ I¡¯ll have to remind him the next time I get a chance. Silently, I clenched my fist. ¡°Team Iris.¡± Atst, Iris¡¯ team was called, the moment all the third-years had gone in. Though they ced second in the teampetition, Iris¡¯ team was ahead of everyone else in the overall rankings. As Iris stepped forward at the call, even the grumbling Dorara and the other two fell silent. Instead, they walked confidently by her side, as if supporting her. As Iris walked forward, admiration filled the eyes of the onlooking students. Walking beside her, I felt the weight of their stares for the first time. Admiration, jealousy, longing, resignation. A mix of emotions spilled from the students¡¯ gazes. Only now did I understand why Iris¡¯ team always walked with such confidence. They had to be strong, if only to shake off these stares. And that was directly tied to their confidence. An unshakable confidence that they could aplish anything. ¡®This is the strongest team alive, Iris.¡¯ The aura radiating from Iris, at the front, was something no one could dare approach. ¡°Team Iris.¡± Professor Vega, looking utterly exhausted, scanned everyone. ¡°Return safely.¡± No long speeches. W hat the strongest team needed was trust, not advice. Shortly after, Iris¡¯ team entered the Dungeon. The peculiar, unpleasant sensation of the Dungeon brushed past my body. A momentter, I slowly lifted my gaze. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s the Iron Dust Desert today.¡± Dungeon, first floor. The Iron Dust Desert. A barren iron wastnd stretched before me. As I licked my lips, a faint metallic taste lingered in my mouth. That meant iron dust was mixed into the air. At that moment, the wind rose around us. The iron dust that had been clinging to our clothes and throats was blown away entirely by the wind. ¡°The Gray Forest, and now the Iron Dust Desert. I wish the seniors had cleaned up a bit on their way down.¡± It was Dorara¡¯s magic, wielded through the staff in her hand. ¡°Well, the seniors hurry down to descend as many floors as they can.¡± Valencia, the curse practitioner, spoke while brushing her bangs aside. And her words were true. Boom! From beneath the Iron Dust Desert, a colossal tremor began to stir. Boom! A massive snake with des of steel embedded across its body burst through the iron dust. Even at a nce, it was a dangerous foe. A beast controlled by an apostle. One who failed to be a dragon. ng! Iris had already drawn her sword. The seniors seemed to have decided that dealing with a failed dragon wasn¡¯t worth the time and chose to avoid it. But for the strongest royalty, such concerns were meaningless. ¡°Team Iris.¡± At Iris¡¯ call, crimson aura emanated from her sword. The rose-like aura was breathtakingly beautiful, captivating all eyes. Walking through the iron dust, Iris¡¯ steps were bold andmanding, as if each stride was a giant¡¯s. ¡°Hunt the great beast.¡± The leader had spoken. ¡°Yes.¡± And so, we followed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 55 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 55: The Dragon of Cmity Iris¡¯s team was the strongest. Proving those words true, Iris''s team swept through the floors like a storm. The location they had currently reached was the third floor of the Demon Dungeon, Weeping Sky. Above the dark clouds, two massive eyes remained shut, shedding tears. These tears turned into rain that drenched the ground below. ¡®That thing, it¡¯s an Apostle.¡¯ The true Apostle of Weeping Sky. It wouldter be reborn as an Apostle during the transformation of Weeping Sky. ¡®I¡¯ll have to deal with it eventually.¡¯ But now wasn¡¯t the time. It was better to leave it be for now. ¡°The third-years are almost caught up.¡± In the pouring rain falling from the sky, Dorara, the second rank of Magic Arts trailing behind us, let out a cacklingugh. Perhaps it was because of the blow to his self-esteem caused by Sharin. He seemed to enjoy showing off like that. But his skills were undeniable. Ourpatibility wasn¡¯t great, and I had figured out all of Dorara¡¯s bad habits and weaknesses. Even so, his wind magic, befitting the second rank of Magic Arts, was remarkably sharp. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m losing my mind staying here for days,¡± whined Valencia, the cursed sorcerer clinging to Joachim¡¯s back. The Demon Dungeon was a ce where space and time were distorted. The deeper one descended, the greater the distortion became. On the first floor, time wasn¡¯t much different from the outside. But starting from the second floor, time becamepletely different. In outside time, one day equaled three days on the second floor, a week on the third floor, and a fortnight on the fourth floor. Thus, staying long on the lower floors didn¡¯t create as much of a time disparity with the outside. ordingly, we had already spent several days in the Demon Dungeon¡¯s time. We had been on the third floor for three days. ¡°It¡¯s surprising a cursed sorcerer dislikes gloomy things.¡± ¡°Ugh, please don¡¯t perpetuate stereotypes about cursed sorcerers.¡± Dorara¡¯s jab was met with a groan from Valencia. Watching their exchange, I looked down at my hands. Despite havinge down to the third floor of the Demon Dungeon, I didn¡¯t feel much physical strain. After all, I was in the body of the stamina monster Vikamon. Coupled with Aisha¡¯s hellish training, it was natural. ¡®The real problem lies elsewhere.¡¯ The true challenge wasn¡¯t physical. ¡®Pretending to be Hania is harder than I thought.¡¯ Conversations could be handled by dropping the right bits of knowledge. As students of the same academy, the topics of discussion were naturally limited. Moreover, Hania was a rtively minor character. I was familiar enough with her to y the role convincingly. So portraying Hania wasn¡¯t the issue. The difficultyy elsewhere. I clicked my tongue quietly, looking at the sword in my hand. Hania possessed the skills of the second rank of Martial Arts. Naturally, her proficiency was far superior to the average Martial Arts student. She wielded a long sword with precision so refined that even the so-calledzy genius recognized it. Her mastery was the fruit of talent and relentless effort. The problem? I¡¯d never used a sword in my life. A guy who¡¯s fought with his fists all his life isn¡¯t going to wield a sword properly. ¡®Though I¡¯ve been training, at least it doesn¡¯t wobble in my hands.¡¯ But I couldn''t judge the weapon''s range because I was used to fighting with bare hands. The destructive power of a sword varies based on the angle of the swing. Failing to fully grasp this meant I was making constant mistakes. So halfway through, I gave up trying to wield it like a sword and just swung it like a blunt weapon. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m never picking up a sword again.¡¯ Hands are the best tools. ¡°Hania, are you feeling unwelltely?¡± Suddenly, Valencia addressed me. Thanks to the Veil Bandages, I looked just like Hania. But these wererades I had fought alongside. To their eyes, I must have looked off. ¡°Hm, your movements feel more aggressive than usual and less controlled,¡± Valencia remarked. Her bangs covered her eyes, so how could she even see anything? ¡°Hmm, now that you mention it, I¡¯ve felt something simr these past few days,¡± Joachim chimed in agreement. Naturally, the team¡¯s gazes shifted toward me. Even Iris nced at me. There was nothing Iris could do to help here. Until Nikita attacked, I couldn¡¯t risk raising suspicion. If Nikita sensed something off with Iris¡¯s team and decided not to attack, things would be problematicter. ¡°Well, the thing is...¡± How should I get through this? Thankfully, I had a usible excuse prepared¡ªsomething from before entering the Demon Dungeon that could exin my state. ¡°...Professor Barkov confessed his love to me before we entered the Demon Dungeon.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Oh, dear God.¡± A deep sigh escaped both Valencia and Joachim. The horrors of Professor Barkov were well-known to all. ¡°Well, uh, just take it easy and rest when you can.¡± Even the insufferable Dorara looked at me with pity. Seeing their reactions, I forced a strained smile. Pity flickered in everyone¡¯s eyes. Who would¡¯ve thought even that scumbag Barkov coulde in handy? Not that I felt any gratitude. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡± Noticing my narrow escape, Iris resumed walking. Though a smile tugged at her lips, she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°The third floor is almost done.¡± We had taken down three Apostles on the third floor. The number of beasts we¡¯d in was uncountable. Moments like this reminded me just how powerful Iris¡¯s team was. Joachim, the battle priest, held a book in his left hand and crushed enemies with just his right hand. All the while, he healed any injuries sustained by the team instantly. Valencia, the cursed sorcerer, cast curses the moment enemies appeared. She could wield roughly ten thousand curses. The torrent of curses would swiftly render enemies utterly powerless. There was no need to even mention Iris or Dorara. ¡®Truly a monstrous group.¡¯ If you added Hania to the mix, the team would be near perfection. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Even so, Iris¡¯s team couldn¡¯t ovee Nikita, the Dragon of Cmity. To defeat her, the me of Resolve of Lucas was essential. ¡®Especially on the fourth floor.¡¯ The environment there was practically designed for the Dragon of Cmity. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With Iris leading the way, the team began to descend. It seemed questionable to put the Third Princess at the forefront, but if Iris were to face a crisis, no one here could handle it anyway. The white staircase stretched endlessly downward in a space entirely shrouded in darkness. The staircase had only the steps themselves, which made it look rather precarious at a nce. ¡°Hehe, this time, we might set a new record.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got to pick up the pace. We were so humiliated in the grouppetition.¡± Voices of Joachim and Dorara chatting behind me reached my ears. At this speed, we were indeed moving incredibly fast. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for Nikita, they could probably reach the sixth floor.¡¯ It seemed likely that in the next dungeon expedition, they¡¯d be the first second-years to reach the seventh floor. Of course, there was a fundamental reason Iris couldn¡¯t venture too far down into the dungeon. ¡°Hania.¡± At that moment, Iris called out to me. Her eyes were shadowed with deep, dark circles. Since entering the dungeon, she had hardly been able to sleep. Though she already suffered from insomnia, the influence of the sinister presence pervading the dungeon exacerbated her condition. Her body bore traces of the sinister power, which resonated with the dungeon¡¯s presence, intensifying her nightmares. Thus, Iris was particrly vulnerable in the dungeon. If the strategy wasn¡¯t focused on clearing as quickly as possible, Iris¡¯s strength would gradually deteriorate over time. ¡®But if Lucas, with his me of Resolve, were here, he could drive away the nightmares.¡¯ That was why, during her first year, Iris had hired Lucas as a team member for the dungeon expedition. Of course, back then, the me of Resolve hadn¡¯t fully ignited, so the results weren¡¯t significant, and she didn¡¯t bring him along for the next expedition. ¡®And Lucas died there.¡¯ It was a story that left Iris with many regrets in more ways than one. ¡®As I am now, I can¡¯t resolve Iris¡¯s nightmares.¡¯ Thus, Iris grew increasingly exhausted as time went on. ¡°Yes, Lady Iris.¡± When I approached her, she gestured to me. ¡°It¡¯s soon.¡± Nikita¡¯s team had entered the dungeon ahead of everyone else this time. She would be waiting on the fourth floor, fully prepared. ¡®She¡¯s ensured that no reinforcements cane to the fourth floor once Iris¡¯s team sets foot there.¡¯ It was a strategy anticipating that Iris¡¯s team would surpass even the third-year teams. ¡°We¡¯d better get ready.¡± Iris nodded. Her form began to blur and scatter. Seeing that, I immediately followed after her. Boom! Soon, the surroundings shifted. A nauseating sensation swept through my body. It was proof that we had entered the fourth floor of the dungeon. A cold chill seeped through my entire body. Crunch¡ª The sound of snow crunching underfoot apanied my gaze as I slowly lifted my head. A white expanse of snow. Ice-covered duckweed and water hyacinths nketed the surface of the snow. The ce felt eerily dark, with ice sculptures scattered here and there. My breath fogged the air as it escaped my lips.N?v(el)B\\jnn The fourth floor of the dungeon. The Ice Garden. The extreme cold left my body feeling icy. However, the real challenge started now. ¡°Everyone, get down!¡± I shouted as I rushed forward to shield Iris. Shhhhhh¡ª A sound echoed from above, followed by something crashing down from the ceiling. Boom! A massive ice wall mmed down behind us. ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°Kyah!¡± Joachim, carrying Valencia and Dorara, made a great leap. Thanks to him, all three narrowly avoided being crushed by the ice wall. ¡°W-What is this? What¡¯s going on?¡± Dorara turned back, his face pale with shock. What he saw was a wall of ice so thick it defied reason, shrouded in a haze of snow. The passage connecting the third and fourth floors of the dungeon had beenpletely sealed off by the wall of ice. Everyone¡¯s faces showed signs of shock. This was an entirely unexpected development. Except for me and Iris. My gaze slowly rose. Beyond the passage in the Ice Garden, a sinister chill seemed to extend its reach to this very spot. ¡®It has begun.¡¯ To avenge the death of her brother, the Dragon of Cmity, Nikita Cynthia, had begun to move. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 56 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 56: The Dragon of Cmity (2) ng! ng! Dorara''s magic burst forth, echoing with a loud, rough noise. The target of the magic was the ice wall. ¡°Huff, huff... W-what is this even made of? Why doesn¡¯t my magic work at all?¡± Dorara, who had been swinging his staff wildly, let out abored breath. Team Iris was currently trapped on the fourth floor, all because of the ice wall standing before them. Despite Dorara¡¯s relentless attacks, the ice wall remained unscathed, without even the slightest crack. Of course. Lower-tier magic cannot ovee higher-tier magic. Nikita created This ice wall using the magic of an ancient dragon. It wasn¡¯t something Dorara¡¯s magic could deal with. Not just his magic, either. Even Sharin¡¯s magic couldn¡¯t prate it. ¡°Damn it.¡± Dorara clenched his teeth in frustration, muttering under his breath. His hands trembled slightly. He had already used up much of his mana just to reach this point. He had been pouring his power into creating a way out, but his reserves had now hit their limit.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Dorara, that¡¯s enough.¡± Hearing Iris¡¯s words, Dorara copsed to the ground. He knew well enough now that his magic couldn¡¯t break through this ice wall. ¡®After all, the only thing that can deal with this ice wall is the mes of Resolve.¡¯ That¡¯s precisely why I joined Team Iris. Unlike Lucas, who could handle crises with ease, I had no way to ovee this ice wall. But I couldn¡¯t reveal that truth, so I chose to stay quiet. Sometimes, people need to experience reality for themselves. ¡°This is a real problem.¡± ¡°Could it be because of the upheaval in the Demon Dungeon the other day?¡± Joachim and Valencia, too, were showing signs of anxiety. Until the ice wall was resolved, they couldn¡¯t return to the surface. With limited food supplies, it was only natural for fear to creep in. ¡°Dorara, with your remaining magic, please cast a temperature-raising spell first.¡± Before the team sank deeper into unease, I decided to give everyone clear tasks. ¡°Valencia, can you curse the entire ice wall? Use that to engrave a rescue signal. Joachim, please bless Iris and me. We¡¯re going to scout for a safe location to settle down.¡± At my swift instructions, everyone snapped out of their anxiety and began to act. They trusted that my orders were the best course of action under the circumstances. ¡°You¡¯ve taken over my job.¡± ¡°No, everyone¡¯s holding it together because you¡¯re here, Lady Iris.¡± Iris is the third princess of the empire. Arguably one of the most important figures in the entire realm. If word got out that someone like her was in danger, the empire would undoubtedly mobilize its full strength to break through the Demon Dungeon. Knowing this gave everyone a sense of reassurance that they would eventually return home. ¡°Let¡¯s move. It¡¯s going to take some time.¡± Nikita doesn¡¯t strike immediately. She waits patiently here, on the fourth floor of the Demon Dungeon. ¡®When everyone¡¯s food supplies are exhausted, and the cold saps even the will to fight.¡¯ That¡¯s when Nikita bares her dragon¡¯s fangs. After receiving Joachim¡¯s blessing, Iris and I set off to search for a safe zone. The fourth floor marked the beginning of the Demon Dungeon¡¯s mid-levels. Here, the apostles and beasts were far more brutal and cunning than in the previous floors. It required sharp focus and drained energy, but even in such a ce, safe zones existed. ¡®Since me Butterfly is a dot-style RPG, there are always spots where you can check on your characters.¡¯ Safety zones. Areas where apostles and beasts wouldn¡¯t dare approach. I remember the safety zones of every level in the Demon Dungeon. They were essential for progressing smoothly in the game. Forgetting them was out of the question. ¡°Let¡¯s establish our safe zone here.¡± ¡°What? But this is an open field.¡± The so-called safe zone was indeed a barren field, as Dorara pointed out. Snow nketed the ground, and shattered ice sculptures were scattered here and there. There wasn¡¯t a single ce to take cover. ¡°The wall provides a solid backdrop, and being in an open field means we have full visibility of any approach.¡± ¡°But this makes us easy targets¡­¡± When Valencia raised a hesitant objection, I shook my head. ¡°Apostles perceive the world differently from us. They don¡¯t rely on sight or sound to detect us, so hiding in visually concealed areas will still get us caught. Instead, narrow spaces put us at a disadvantage.¡± There¡¯s nothing more dangerous than being unable to see where an apostle is approaching from. ¡°That makes sense. Besides, with my holy barrier, even an open field won¡¯t be entirely unsafe.¡± Joachim supported my reasoning. ¡°Let¡¯s go with what Hania suggests.¡± With Iris¡¯s final approval, there were no further objections. We quickly set up a temporary base. Joachim cast a holy barrier, and Dorara added a warmth spell to it. In no time, we had a makeshift shelter that was surprisingly livable. The barren snowy field turned eerily quiet. As expected of a safety zone, not even a glimpse of an apostle or beast disturbed us. The calm allowed the team to settle down and rx. After spending so much time navigating the third floor of the Demon Dungeon, Team Iris quickly drifted into much-needed rest. It was silently agreed that the ice wall problem would be tackled after some recuperation. ¡°Lady Iris, you should rest as well.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose I should.¡± Iris sat beside me, cing her sword close at hand. She gazed quietly at the snowy expanse. ¡°Hania.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady Iris?¡± ¡°What kind of existence is the third princess?¡± It was a sudden question. Iris rarely asked such things, but after days in the Demon Dungeon without proper sleep, the stress must have been mounting. Someone had even targeted her life. In such circumstances, it wasn¡¯t strange for someone to question their purpose or ce in life. ¡°A noble existence.¡± ¡°Noble, you say.¡± ¡°And one that seems to carry a heavy burden.¡± Surprised by my response, Iris turned to look at me. People usually envy and admire Iris¡¯s life. The strongest royal, a candidate for the next emperor, and a beauty with a decadent allure. Everything about her seemed enviable. She never showed her struggles to others, which only made her appear all the more wless. But to me, she looked burdened. Iris had been living a life far from easy since the moment she was born. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Life isn¡¯t all sunshine and roses. I believe Lady Iris has her own struggles, too.¡± ¡°Struggles¡­¡± "Iris quietly mulled over my words before resting her chin on her knees. ¡°Would it be strange if I said I envied Hania instead?¡± After a long moment of thought, she asked me this. The Iris she knew thought I was Hannon Irey. Though we shared simr circumstances in many ways, the Hannon she envisioned stood in a vastly different ce. Perhaps it was thoughts like these that had been swirling in Iris¡¯s mind. ¡°People always envy the lives they¡¯ve never lived.¡± That¡¯s just human nature. We admire and covet what weck. ¡°But trust me, Iris, my life wouldn¡¯t be all that entertaining to you.¡± At least, not if I were the real Hannon. But I¡¯m just Vicamon. Unaware of this, Iris chuckled softly. ¡°You¡¯re right. I suppose it¡¯s the same for everyone.¡± With that, Iris fell silent, closing her eyes. Even if sleep eluded her, she needed to rest and ease her weariness. I quietly stayed by her side. Someday, Iris Hysirion would be the final boss. But for now, she was still someone who, like anyone else, could yearn for a different life. * * * Whhooooosh The wind carried drifting snowkes across the air. Beneath them, Iris¡¯s team moved swiftly. ¡°Still no sign of apostles or beasts,¡± Joachim said with a frustrated expression. It had been four days since we were trapped on the fourth floor of the Demon Dungeon. No matter how much we searched the area, all we found were frozen sculptures¡ªno apostles, no beasts. However, in that time, one fact became clear to us. ¡°Damn it, even the exit to the fifth floor is blocked.¡± Dorara grumbled, lowering his staff. Before him stood a massive ice wall, scarred only by shallow cuts left by wind magic. Just like the ice wall at the entrance, the exit was sealed by another colossal barrier of ice. We werepletely stranded on the fourth floor. ¡°Um, isn¡¯t it even colder than it was on the first day?¡± Valencia shivered despite the warmth provided by Dorara¡¯s magic. She wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªover the past few days, the temperature had steadily dropped. As a result, Dorara¡¯s use of heating magic had be more frequent. ¡°...At this rate, we¡¯ll run out of mana first.¡± Dorara clutched his staff and sighed. The unrelenting cold had even frozen the snow on the ground into solid ice, making movement increasingly difficult. In the end, to conserve warmth, we began spending more time resting in the safety zone. After four days of fruitless searching, exhaustion was evident on everyone¡¯s faces. ¡°Do we have enough rations?¡± Valencia checked our remaining supplies, her expression troubled. The food we had brought was nearly gone. ¡°Oh Lord, why do You burden us with such trials?¡± Joachim murmured a quiet prayer, seeking sce in faith with nothing else to rely on. ¡°Damn it! I¡¯d rather keep sting that ice wall with magic!¡± Dorara shouted, unwilling to sit by idly. But without his warmth, we¡¯d freeze in no time. His outburst was quickly quelled by everyone¡¯s protests, and he sat back down reluctantly. ¡°Hania.¡± Iris called me softly. It had been over a week since shest slept. Her condition was the most dire among us. ¡°Yes, Lady Iris?¡± ¡°You have a way to escape, don¡¯t you?¡± She spoke quietly, ensuring no one else would overhear. If necessary, I did. I never undertake missions without a backup n. ¡°¡­When the timees, take everyone and leave.¡± Before I could respond, Iris spoke again. She¡¯d rather die alone than risk the lives of others. ¡°Lady Iris.¡± I reached out to fix her disheveled hair. ¡°I would never leave you behind.¡± Hearing this, Iris smiled faintly. She probably couldn¡¯t tell whether those were my words or Hania¡¯s. Time continued to pass. A week had gone by. The cold had grown unbearable, beyond what even Dorara¡¯s magic could fend off. Eventually, Dorara, drained from overuse of his mana, copsed. Valencia, in an effort to conserve resources, cursed herself into a state of suspended animation. She offered the spell to others, but everyone declined. Joachim, too, had changed. His prayers became less frequent, reced by quiet contemtion. He sat upright, eyes closed, seemingly lost in deep thought. None of us disturbed him. And Iris¡ª ¡®She finally fell asleep.¡¯ Though she was gued by nightmares, her body had reached its limit. She leaned on me as she slept, her breaths uneven. asionally, her face would contort, but she showed no signs of waking. Step... Then, atst. Step... The long-awaited sound of footsteps echoed. My head lifted slowly. Through my frost-coveredshes, I saw a figure emerging from the dark. In her hand was a long sword dragging across the ground, exuding an icy chill more biting than anything we had encountered so far. From her lips spilled clouds of cold breath. Her silver hair shimmered, revealing two white horns protruding from her forehead. They were the marks of forbidden magic¡ªthe traces of ancient dragon magic sealed by the Cynthia Marquis family. Underneath the horns glowed reptilian, icy-blue eyes that resembled those of a lizard. The surrounding cold intensified with every step she took. Nikita Cynthia, the Dragon Sorceress of Catastrophe. The boss of Act Three had finally arrived. I carefullyid Iris down, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t wake, and rose to my feet. The frost coating my body ked away as I stood. ¡°...So, you¡¯vee.¡± Nikita¡¯s gaze locked onto me. She seemed to assume that the rest of the group was too drained to pose a threat. ¡°Senior Nikita.¡± So, I decided to greet her alone. ¡°This is going to sting a little.¡± It was time for her to wake up. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 57 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 57: Burning Passion The Dragon Maiden of Cmity. Nikita Cynthia. Standing before her, I could feel an icy chill seeping into my bones. Nikita¡¯s gaze was as cold as the void itself. Her face, though regal, had always carried an underlying kindness. But today, there wasn¡¯t a shred of that kindness left in her. Instead, a zing thirst for revenge roared within her heart. ¡°...So, you¡¯vee?¡± Her voice was low and heavy as it escaped her lips. Nikita repeated my words. ¡°Does that mean you knew I woulde?¡± Nikita, ever perceptive, didn¡¯t miss a thing. ¡°Yes.¡± I responded and threw the sword I had been gripping onto the ground. ng¡ª The sword rolled across the frozen ground, echoing against the icy stillness. Nikita¡¯s brows furrowed slightly at the unexpected gesture. She hadn¡¯t thought I would surrender my weapon right before her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Suspicion lingered in her gaze, but it soon faded. In its ce, a chilling gale swirled around her. ¡°Hand over Iris Hysirion.¡± Hearing her words, my eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll spare our lives if we hand over the princess?¡± ¡°Yes. This matter doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± Despite wielding the magic of an ancient dragon¡ªpower potent enough to consume reason¡ªNikita sought only the head of her enemy, Iris. She had no intention of harming anyone else. That¡¯s why she had waited until no one could oppose her anymore. It was a mercy characteristic of Nikita. But her mercy was not something I could rely on now. ¡°No.¡± ¡°...Hania, I know you care for the princess, but you should value your own life.¡± ¡°Of course, I value my life.¡± I raised my hand instead of the sword. Ironically,ying down my weapon made me feel at ease. ¡°But there are things more precious than life.¡± Preventing this cursed world from descending into a bad ending. That was the only way to save my own life, too. ¡°Iris must be truly important to you.¡± Nikita muttered as she lowered her head. On hershes, a tear crystallized into ice and fell. Her sorrow was palpable, piercing my chest. ¡°I lost what mattered most to me, too.¡± Nia Cynthia. Her only sibling, her older brother, who had been her unwavering support within their family. He had been murdered in cold blood, without justice. ¡°So now, I¡¯ll take something, too.¡± As she finished her words, Nikita vanished. In her ce, only a single footprint remained. She¡¯sing. The moment I sensed it, I swung my hand with all my might. aaang! A resounding sh echoed as her frost-covered de collided with my hand. Crunch! Instantly, the freezing magic from her sword began to encase my hand in ice. As expected of an ancient dragon¡¯s magic. Just touching her weapon felt like my hand would shatter. Vrrrmmm¡ª But I was prepared for this. The magical engravings etched into my steel skin began to glow fiercely. Heat surged through my body as mes erupted. The high thermal conductivity of my steel skin turned it into a zing furnace. The fire magic engraved into my skin was a special enchantment, one I¡¯d begged Sharin to inscribe. The heat spread rapidly through me. Though Icked the me of Resolve of Lucas, I could imitate it, at least a little. Nikita¡¯s gaze tightened as she felt the heat radiating from me. ¡°You think that will be enough?¡± The frost around her grew even fiercer. Nikita¡¯s mastery of ancient dragon magic made her an unrivaled wielder of extreme cold. The perpetual snowcaps of the Dragon Mountain Range were a testament to the sheer power of this magic. ¡®Nikitacked talent in all other forms of magic¡­¡¯ Ironically, her sole affinity for ancient dragon magic was extraordinary. But the side effects of this magic were unavoidable, even for her. The more she used it, the closer she came to bing a dragon herself, ultimately consumed by the very magic she wielded. Her frost and my mes collided. Their sh was so intense that¡ª BOOOOM! A deafening explosion followed, and blinding white mist engulfed the surroundings. Through the mist, I sensed Nikita take a step back. Her eyes darted, searching for me. Thud! Grabbing Iris, I sprinted away. The explosive enchantments on my boots activated, propelling me forward. I fled the scene at a breakneck pace. Nikita, realizing this toote, chased after me like a furious demon. ¡®I have to get out of here first.¡¯ A direct confrontation with Nikita was futile. I needed to lure her to the ce I¡¯d prepared. ¡°Mmm...¡± Perhaps due to the heat andmotion, I heard a faint groan from Iris in my arms. But I didn¡¯t pay it any mind. I simply ran harder, swinging my legs furiously to escape. Boom! Crash! Behind me, Nikita closed the distance at an rming speed. Before she mastered ancient dragon magic, she was already a formidable fighter and vice president. She had honed her skills even during sleepless nights. Nikita¡¯sbat prowess was top-notch. With ancient dragon magic augmenting her body, escaping her was nearly impossible. That¡¯s why I¡¯d spent days preparing for this. BOOOOM! At that moment, an explosion erupted beneath Nikita''s feet, shaking the entire area. Beneath the frozen snow, fragments of torn parchment scattered through the air, caught in the st. What Nikita had just stepped on was a scroll engraved with explosive magic. A magic scroll. A remnant of the old age, magical engravings had been refined in the present era. Though inferior to the power of a real magician, the scroll I had just used was more than adequate in performance. ¡®Made by the Frenzied Magician, I suppose.¡¯ Stolen from the mid-boss, Vinesha, its effectiveness was unquestionable. Whoosh!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Through the lingering smoke of the explosion, Nikita emerged once again, hot on my trail. She had taken the explosive magic head-on, yet she was only slightly singed, showing no signs of serious injury as she pursued me. Of course, it was only to be expected. The body of an ancient dragon could hardly be harmed by an explosion contained within a mere scroll. However, the restricted vision and unstable footing created by the explosion gave me just enough of an opening to widen the gap between us. Boom! Boom! But as if mocking my efforts, Nikita recklessly trampled on more explosive scrolls, chasing me with relentless fury. Her eyes burned with an even fiercer intensity, clearly enraged. But I couldn¡¯t afford to stop now. By this time, I had climbed onto a sloped surface. Between the frozen patches of the floor, another magic scrolly in wait. I stomped on it without hesitation. Fwoosh! ck smoke erupted from the floor, rapidly filling the surroundings and obscuring visibility. In the cover of the smoke, I stomped on another scroll right in front of me. Crash! The loud sound of someone dramatically falling behind me reached my ears. The source of the sound was Nikita. The activated magic made the floor slippery. With her vision obstructed by the ck smoke and the ground rendered treacherous, even Nikita couldn''t help but slip. This gave me more distance. Using every means I had prepared, I tenaciously widened the gap between us. Just a little more... The final point I had prepared was close. With that thought, I pushed my legs to move as fast as they could. Shiver! A primal sense of danger crawling up my spine forced me to lean forward instinctively. Krrrrrrrrrsh! A beam of ice shot past me from behind, narrowly grazing me, before smashing into the museum wall ahead. CRAAAAASH! The wall crumbled under the impact of the icy beam, and the resulting shockwave sent me sprawling to the ground. A searing pain spread across my back. It seemed the area grazed by the ice beam had frozen over. Flicker¡ª Even the heat of the magical engravings wasn¡¯t enough to thaw the icy patch on my back. "Tch..." Swallowing my frustration, I forced myself back to my feet. There was no time to waste. Just as I was about to dash forward again¡ª A de filled my vision, forcing me to dodge quickly. Whoosh! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The wind trailing behind the sword as it narrowly missed me caused my body to waver. Silver hair billowing, Nikita¡¯s face was now partially covered in dragon scales. She had fired the ice beam and closed the gap in an instant. Such absurd leg strength. Though I staggered, I used the opening to drive a fist into Nikita¡¯s unguarded side. Crunch¡ª Yet Nikita remained unfazed, and instead, pain shot through my fist as though my bones had shattered. At this moment, most physical attacks were ineffective against Nikita¡¯s body. Thanks to the ancient dragon¡¯s magic, she was d in an imprable icy armor. Knowing this, I had chosen escape over confrontation, but Nikita was faster than I had anticipated. I barely dodged her sword as she swung again. Every strike was a one-way ticket to the afterlife, and my desperate determination to survive was clear. BOOM! Desperately using the explosive magic to create more distance, I gasped for air. The heat of the magical engravings fended off the cold, but the intense heat was draining my stamina faster than I expected. Nikita lowered her sword and turned to face me. "Hania, I see now how dedicated you are to protecting the princess." Unlike me, Nikita wasn¡¯t out of breath at all. I had burned through an obscene number of magical scrolls that even the wealthiest nobles would hesitate to use, yet I hadn¡¯t left so much as a scratch on her. "But this is the end." Nikita gave me onest chance. "Leave the princess and walk toward the exit now." She promised to spare my life if Iplied. I remained silent for a moment before letting out a sharpugh. Nikita¡¯s eyes narrowed, her expression turning puzzled as though I had lost my mind. Seeing her reaction, I took a deep breath in, then let it out. "Senior Nikita." I decided to reveal one truth to her. "I think you¡¯ve misunderstood something." Misunderstood? Confusion shed in Nikita¡¯s eyes. I slowly lowered Iris, who I had been carrying, to the ground. Then, I carefully began unwrapping a bandage that connected her to me. As the bandage unraveled from Iris¡¯s body, her form began to change. The bandage was no ordinary wrapping; it was the Veil Bandage. As Iris¡¯s appearance altered, Nikita¡¯s eyes grew wide. The person lying there was not Iris. It was Dorara Corazon. The fool who had fallen first among Iris¡¯s team. Using the Veil Bandage, I had disguised him as Iris and brought him here. I threw him away as if discarding garbage. ¡°Guh-huk.¡± The unconscious man rolled across the snowy ground. Seeing this, Nikita''s head slowly turned back. ¡°The real Iris is¡­¡± ¡°She was probably back there earlier.¡± Nikita pressed her lips together and asked. Her head gradually turned back to me. Her eyes held irritation. "Even if you bought time like this, it won''t mean anything, will it? All I have to do is defeat you and return to the princess." ¡°Senior Nikita, nothing in life is meaningless.¡± Everything has meaning. The reason Nikita ended up like this. The reason I had to act this way. Everything had meaning. Nikita targeted Iris. And she drove her into a corner. This much was now an undeniable fact in this world. Act 3, Scene 6. The Cmity Dragon advanced definitively. Now, the scenario requires just one thing. The protagonist defeats the Cmity Dragon. And the Cmity Dragon meets her death. Lucas tries to persuade Nikita again and again. But Nikita, whose world copsed due to Nia¡¯s death, despite Lucas''s desperate efforts, ultimately seeks to kill Iris to the bitter end. At this juncture, Lucas is left with no choice but to make a decision. Will he kill Nikita? Or will he let Iris die? This is the trial imposed on the protagonist. Nikita¡¯s death is inevitable. Her death propels the scenario towards its destined conclusion. What this world needs is the death of the Cmity Dragon. However. My thoughts are different. I am¡­ ¡®Not Lucas.¡¯ Lucas is forced by the world to choose between two paths. But I am not Lucas. I am the extra, Vikamon. Thus, I will not follow the two choices imposed by the world. I will make the choice to advance the scenario my way. For that, I prepared and prepared again. The one and only way to pull Nikita out of the abyss of despair and allow her to live freely. Whoosh¡ª The sound of mes igniting came from somewhere. ¡°And Senior Nikita, your premise is wrong.¡± I decided to correct Nikita¡¯s words. ¡°First, you need to defeat me.¡± Whoosh¡ª Soon, Nikita also noticed something strange about the situation. The ice gallery. Here and there, the sound of mes ring up resounded. Red mes sprang up in various ces. These were no ordinary mes. The stones used to capture the Steel Empress¡ªmystical objects. Essences of Fire. The corpses left behind after fire spirits had lived out their lifespans and died. Meanwhile, I unbuttoned my chest. As I did so, my appearance began to change. No longer Hania¡¯s appearance. But the form of Hannon Irey. Nikita¡¯s eyes started to widen. ¡°Wh¡­ What? Junior?¡± It was a face that clearly hadn¡¯t expected to see me here. ¡°Why¡­ are you here?¡± Her bewilderment was my opportunity. From beneath the shrouded bandages, a vivid red stone wrapped within was revealed. The magic of ancient dragons is undeniably powerful. Thus, to counteract such magic, the mes of Resolve are the standard. However, alongside those mes of Resolve, there exists another means tobat the magic of ancient dragons. A Spirit Monarch. A being at the pinnacle of spirits. Their power, even against ancient dragon magic, is formidable. But I cannot form a contract with spirits. Thus, I prepared a workaround. The fiery essences embedded throughout the gallery burned fiercely. All those mes surged upwards and began to converge in one ce. The direction the mes gathered¡ªme. Or, more precisely, the stone in my chest. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Nikita btedly recognized what the stone in my chest represented. This was no ordinary essence of fire. It was The Ember of Fire. The Fire Spirit Monarch. What remained of him after his death. ¡¸Boy, state your desire.¡¹ A reward granted to me under the Hero Special Act by the White Oak Duke. And what I requested from her was this. The rarest object in existence. And a temporary substitute for the me of Resolve. Whooosh! The Ember of Fire, consuming every lingering trace of the spirits'' mes from the surrounding essences, zed ferociously. The heat radiating from the Ember of Fire struck my body like a raging tempest. Swathed in the mes of the Fire Monarch, I exhaled quietly. My eyes met Nikita¡¯s, her face filled with dismay. Seeing her, I positioned my hand into a knife-edge stance and steadied myself. The zing heat seared my body. The intensity of the heat was suffocating. But the will of the Steel Empress, who had longed for warmth, resided within her steel-like skin, containing the heat perfectly. The Steel Empress became a mystical entity that repelled heat. Thus, her steel-like skin was optimized for absorbing heat. The time I could endure the Ember of Fire wasn¡¯t long. ¡°I told you it would sting, didn¡¯t I?¡± So within this time, I would settle everything with Nikita. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 58 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 58: Nikita''s Inevitability The Dragon of Cmity, Nikita Cynthia, was in a state of utter bewilderment. Standing before her was a boy. Hannon Irey. He had gone so far as to disguise himself as Hania Rapiddaia. But why? Amid her confusion, Nikita¡¯s expression turned puzzled. Hannon was a good junior to her. He silently helped her when she used to handle everything on her own. He was witty, making conversations with him enjoyable. To be honest, out of all the people she¡¯d spoken to recently, Hannon was the most fun to talk to. Conversations with him felt easy, and his unexpected remarks often made her burst outughing. At times, he was overly mischievous, but even that carried a sense of affection. Hannon seemed to know Nikita ufortably well. So much so that she sometimes wondered if he was someone she already knew, simply in disguise. Although that suspicion lingered in her mind, she didn¡¯t dislike Hannon. Nikita had low self-esteem. Her life had always been colored by rejection. Even her parents didn¡¯t expect much from her. Yet she persevered, climbing thedder step by step. Hannon recognized her efforts and consistently praised her. Perhaps because of this, her self-esteem had significantly improved recently. So much so that she asionally thought, "Maybe I¡¯m doing okay." Thanks to him, she began to dislike hearing things like ¡°She¡¯s nothing special except for her looks.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She avoided mirrors less often and,tely, even smiled at her reflection sometimes. Hannon was someone who lifted her up in ways no one else had. For that reason, she didn¡¯t want to show him her ugly side. The version of herself consumed by vengeance, recklessly throwing everything away to kill someone¡ª If Hannon saw that, he would surely be disappointed. She felt ashamed. She wanted to hide somewhere immediately. She didn¡¯t want him to witness this. And so, she had sent word for him not to follow her into the depths of the Demon Dungeon. Yet Hannon, relentless as ever, had pursued her and now stood before her eyes. ng! Hannon¡¯s knife-hand strike came flying at Nikita. What had he done to himself? Even Nikita, imbued with the power of an ancient dragon, was startled by the intense heat radiating from him. The heat emanating from his hands was scorching. And his gaze, locked onto hers, burned just as fiercely. Nikita instinctively realized¡ª Hannon had set himself aze, figuratively and literally. He couldn¡¯t possibly sustain this for long. ¡°Senior, Nikita.¡± Hannon¡¯s strikes came incessantly. His movements, once crude, were now shockingly precise. How much had he practiced to refine his skills to this extent? ¡°Will you still not meet my eyes?¡± Nikita flinched. She couldn¡¯t look Hannon in the eye. It had been that way for a long time. Ever since Nia Cynthia died, Nikita hadn¡¯t met anyone¡¯s gaze. And after deciding to avenge Nia, her eyes saw nothing but vengeance. But Hannon constantly sought to meet her eyes. He smiled at her, spoke to her, and treated her kindly. Nikita avoided him and closed her eyes. ¡®How selfish am I?¡¯ She felt disgusted with herself. Ignoring the care someone showed her, she focused only on her own feelings. Even now, it was the same. Not wanting to show Hannon this side of herself, she avoided and turned away from him as he confronted her head-on. But deep down, the mes of vengeance still burned uncontrobly within her. It was as if someone whispered in her ear¡ª Are you incapable of even carrying out a simple revenge? It was as though the voice taunted her endlessly. This was a curse. Ever since she touched the ancient dragon¡¯s magic, she couldn¡¯t escape it. Her desire for vengeance was now beyond her control. Nikita¡¯s sword shed again. A storm of frost surged from her de, sweeping through the surroundings. Hannon pushed through it and charged at her once more. Sword and hand shed. Their eyes met again through the flurry. His crimson eyes burned fiercely like mes. Hannon was always unpredictable. This time, too, he must have sensed something was amiss and chased her down to this point. Perhaps because of that, she wanted to ask. ng! Nikita deflected Hannon¡¯s strike, leaving footprints on the icy ground. ¡°¡­Did the third princess put you up to this?¡± Hannon was Iris¡¯s cousin. It was natural to wonder if he was doing this to protect Iris. But even as she asked, Nikita knew¡ª Hannon¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t looking at Iris. ¡°No.¡± As expected, Hannon denied it. And his denial cut deep into Nikita¡¯s heart. ¡°I¡¯m doing this because I want to stop you, Senior Nikita.¡± Nikita¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°Why¡­ on earth¡­¡± Hannon had burned himself out to stand before her. She couldn¡¯t understand why he was doing this. No matter how she looked at it, there seemed to be no reason for Hannon to get involved. Then Hannon exhaled deeply, his knife-hand poised once more. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you when we first met?¡± That day on the bridge connecting the martial arts wing to the main building¡­ She remembered. ¡°Even before entering the academy, I admired your path, Senior Nikita Cynthia.¡± The words that he respected her. Though she hadn¡¯t fully believed him, she couldn¡¯t forget the earnest gaze Hannon had given her. ¡°Because of respect?¡± Was that really all it was? ¡°For something as trivial as that¡­¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The mes burning on Hannon''s body grew even fiercer. ¡°Isn''t that reason enough?¡± Hannon forced a faint smile, his lips curling upward with difficulty. It seemed the zing heat was bing unbearable for him. "¡­I am not someone worthy of respect." "I don''t think so." "I''m not the person you imagine me to be." "That''s okay. For as much as you don''t recognize, I''ll recognize on your behalf." "I¡­" Nikita clenched her fists as if swallowing her frustration. "I¡­" She couldn''t continue her words. Tears that flowed down her cheeks froze into icy crystals due to the cold, scattering into the air. Scales emerged even more prominently on her skin. The dragon¡¯s magic had deeply infiltrated her body, now spiraling out of control. The dragon opened its mouth. To consume Nikita entirely, it froze her consciousness. Nikita felt her awareness slipping away. No matter how she tried to hold on, the threads of consciousness kept slipping through her fingers. This can''t happen. If it goes on like this, Hannon will be in danger. Nikita desperately tried to hold onto her mind, but her consciousness stubbornly refused to stay. She bit down hard on her emerging fangs until they nearly shattered. Her body trembled violently. Despite this, the storm of cold grew even stronger. "Run¡­away¡­ Hannon¡­" Nikita wanted to tell Hannon to escape. This was her sin. He had no reason to be in danger. But even her lips were no longer under her control. "When this is over, there''s something I must tell you. And I need to apologize to you." In her fading consciousness, Hannon spoke with a smile. "So, wait for me." As she looked at his smile, Nikita briefly recalled someone. A man who once harbored feelings for her. Though his poor judgment led to less-than-ideal oues, his smile had remained in her memory. She thought Hannon¡¯s smile resembled his. And with that thought, Nikita was ultimately swallowed by the dragon¡¯s magic. * * * The heat of the mes made it hard to breathe. But the cold piercing through the heat was even more chilling. Before me, Nikita hadpletely sumbed to the dragon¡¯s magic and transformed into dragonkin. The dragon¡¯s magic had instinctively realized. The heat I bore could incinerate it. As a result, the dragon¡¯s magic elerated the transformation into a dragonkin. In the game, Nikita¡¯s death would have been inevitable, an unchangeable part of the story. No matter what Lucas did, there was no way for him to save her. But now, this world is reality. Lucas doesn¡¯t have the knowledge to stop the dragon¡¯s magic. I, however, have that knowledge. ¡®The day I decided to save Nia, my path was already chosen.¡¯ I am the one who leads the world towards its true narrative. But no matter what, I cannot follow the same footsteps as Lucas. So, while adhering to the narrative, I will create the most ideal version of it that I desire. ¡®I will save Nikita.¡¯ With that decision, I took a deep breath. The moment Nikita fully bes a dragonkin, the sinister presence will reach out to seize her body. Even now, I can feel the demon dungeon writhing. A clear sign that it covets Nikita. ¡®Over my dead body.¡¯ Don¡¯t even think about it. I have no intention of giving her up. Whoooooosh! In that instant, a piercing cold wind swept through. Simultaneously, Nikita¡¯s eyes red with a terrifying gleam. She¡¯sing. The moment I realized this, Nikita¡¯s figure vanished. As my heat-filled right hand extended, a sharp sh resonated. ng! The freezing air turned the space around us into frost, and ice crystals formed. Beyond the edge of my hand, I saw Nikita, exuding a menacing aura. Her reason was gone. Now, she existed solely as a dragonkin driven to kill. At that moment, Nikita¡¯s mouth opened wide. The instant I saw it, I instinctively turned my head. sh! A dazzling beam of light streaked across my vision. An icy ray grazed my hair, freezing parts of it. Through the narrow gap, Nikita¡¯s right knee shot toward my side. I brought my left elbow down to block her knee while stepping back. Gathering heat in my right hand, I immediatelyunched a punch toward her chest. Boom! Nikita¡¯s sword intercepted my fist, creating a shockwave as heat and cold collided explosively. The powerful explosion left my ears ringing. But even amidst the chaos, Nikita¡¯s sword danced toward me. Her swordsmanship, honed into instinct, poured out without hesitation. A sh from the left, a strike from above¡ª the sh of des and hilts, the positioning of her gaze and footwork. I didn¡¯t miss a single detail as my eyes tracked her relentlessly. My reflexes pushed to their absolute limit. A singlepse would mean a fatal injury. Knowing this, I fought her with everything I had. And then, at some point, Nikita¡¯s movements began to slow. But so did mine. My body, too, was clearly growing sluggish. It wasn¡¯t due to exhaustion. ¡®Atst, it¡¯s beginning.¡¯ The signs were bing visible. The dragon¡¯s magic inside Nikita was faltering. ¡®No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ Not the dragon¡¯s magic. Deep within Nikita, something far older had begun to show its confusion. It must have realized by now. Even it was now in danger. A strained smile crept onto my lips. Inside the cold magic, lies the remnants of the dragon that cursed the Cynthia Marquis family for generations¡ª the true cause of Nikita¡¯sck of talent her entire life. The dragon¡¯s remnant. This was the real reason Lucas couldn¡¯t save Nikita. And the vile curse that could only be removed by engaging with the dragon¡¯s magic. This is the inescapable fate entwined with Nikita. Thus, I prepared the only move that could disrupt that fate. ¡°So, you¡¯re finally starting to panic.¡± I let out a strained breath and revealed a mocking grin. Within the depths of the cold magic, atst, the mes began to spread, consuming even the remnants of the dragon. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 59 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 59: The Difference Between a Protagonist and a Third-Rate Viin Fourth Floor of the Demon Dungeon. Ice Art Museum. Around Nikita, consumed by the dragon¡¯s magic, pure white frost surged outward in every direction. Yet amidst the frost, there was something different¡ªan intense heat mixed in. The frost seemed disoriented. Fwoooosh! From within Nikita¡¯s body, the hidden frost revealed its fangs to me. Fear. The primal biological intimidation of a dragon. Even though I had anticipated it, the raw, fierce terror struck me to my core. However, the heat of the mes forcibly steadied my mind. This ursed remnant of the dragon had finally shown its true nature. One of the reasons I allowed Nikita toe into contact with the dragon¡¯s magic was because of her bloodline¡ªthe lineage of the Marquis Cynthia family. The Cynthia family has a peculiar tradition: they always ensure the birth of at least two children. The reason is simple. Long ago, even before the Empire¡¯s unification wars, the Cynthia family had originally served a dragon. The secret of their ess to dragon magic stems from this connection. But for reasons unknown, the Cynthia family betrayed the dragon. Enraged, the dragon did not destroy them but left a curse behind. The curse was simple: Whenever a child of exceptional talent was born in their bloodline, the dragon would steal that talent. The Dragon¡¯s Remnant. A child marked by the dragon¡¯s remnant would have one unique talent: the ability to wield dragon magic. The Cynthia family hid this truth for generations. Even Nia Cynthia, the current heir, was unaware. Only the Marquis of the Cynthia family knew the full extent of this curse. It couldn¡¯t be revealed to outsiders. If the truth were known, the family would be shunned, branded as cursed. And worse, since the curse was left by a dragon, finding a way to lift it was nearly impossible. Thus, the Cynthia family concealed the truth with extreme care. They had grown used to the idea of untalented children being born into their family. They simply arranged strategic marriages for such children. In this way, the dragon¡¯s remnant continued to be passed down in the Cynthia lineage. In modern times, the second child of the Cynthia family, Nikita, was born without any apparent talent. Nikita, who should have soared on wings of talent, had those wings taken from her by the family¡¯s curse. She was forced to crawl on the ground instead. Yet Nikita never gave up. She wielded her sword, persevered, and rose through sheer effort to be the Vice President of the Zerion Academy. But this world is driven by the great wheel of fate. Whether today or another day, Nikita was destined to wield dragon magic. At least, in the paths I knew from The me Butterfly, Nikita always ended up touching dragon magic. Of course, I don¡¯t know what would have happened if I had stopped her. Perhaps she would never havee into contact with it. But I couldn¡¯t be certain about a future I didn¡¯t know. I was struggling to even keep up with the present before me. I couldn¡¯t afford to n for a different future. More importantly, even if Nikita never touched dragon magic, the dragon¡¯s remnant would remain within her. And one day, when she found happiness, married, and had children, the remnant could resurface in her child. I didn¡¯t want to imagine the sadness on Nikita¡¯s face if her child was born untalented, as she had been. So, I prepared for this. The dragon¡¯s remnant can¡¯t be removed until it fully manifests and merges with the host. But now, as Nikita used dragon magic, the remnant began to emerge. ¡°Struggle all you want in there.¡± I was ready to expel the dragon¡¯s remnant at all costs. ¡°I¡¯ll burn it to ashes.¡± The mystical power of the Steel Empress and her invincible skin. The spirit lord of mes, whose fire rivals the frost of dragon magic. The Steel Empress yearns for heat. Her indomitable skin inherits this trait. Yet the mystical power within her also resists heat¡ªa paradox. The Steel Empress desires heat but rejects it to prevent her steel from melting. Her skin instinctively pushes the heat away. This is where the me Spirit¡¯s unique trait activates. Born from the ashes of the me Spirit Lord, its dying fire burns anything that threatens to extinguish it. The dragon¡¯s remnant became the greatest threat to the me Spirit. As a result, the Steel Empress¡¯s skin repelled the me Spirit, directing it toward the dragon¡¯s remnant. The more my me-covered hand shed with Nikita, the more the me Spirit transferred to the remnant. For frost, heat is its ultimate nemesis. As the heat intensified, the power of the dragon¡¯s remnant weakened drastically. Rumble, rumble, RUMBLE! The frost howled, revealing the remnant¡¯s fury. Nikita staggered backward. Sensing danger, the dragon¡¯s remnant tried to escape. Boom! But I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. I closed the gap, striking with my me-covered hand. Nikita¡¯s sword intercepted my blow. The dragon¡¯s remnant recognized the danger of a direct hit. It knew that even one touch would allow a massive influx of the me Spirit. Realizing this, the remnant couldn¡¯t ignore me. ¡°Trying to run away?¡± My crimson eyes glowed ominously. ¡°Nikita wouldn¡¯t run.¡± A streak of red light weaved through the frost. Bang! Crash! Bang! Each strike of my fiery hand relentlessly cornered the dragon¡¯s remnant. ¡°If you¡¯re going to run¡­¡± I nted fear deep into the remnant. ¡°Run alone.¡± The dragon¡¯s remnant trembled violently. At that moment, Nikita¡¯s mouth opened, unleashing a blinding white sh. I twisted my body sharply to avoid it, letting the light shoot past me. BOOOOM! The sh shattered the ceiling of the Ice Art Museum into countless shards. Ice fragments rained down upon us. I evaded the falling debris, as did Nikita. Through the falling shards, Nikita began to retreat. The dragon¡¯s remnant was urging her to flee. Crunch. I pressed my foot into the ground, readying myself to leap. Drawing my hand back, I took a deep breath. As Nikita¡¯s figure disappeared behind the shards, a magic circle I had engraved beneath me activated. The magic triggered an explosion. In that moment¡­ The synergy of mystical power and the magic circle¡¯s effects propelled me like a cannonball. BOOOM! My body shot through the air, breaking through the ice debris. My me-covered hand stretched forward, piercing through the falling shards. CRACK! The shards shattered as my hand struck through, creating fissures across the entire ceiling fragment. SHATTER! Bursting through the debris, Iunched a surprise attack on Nikita. But the dragon¡¯s remnant had anticipated this. Nikita gripped her sword, now brimming with concentrated frost. Her dragon-like eyes gleamed with murderous intent, ready to kill. Looking at it, I activated a ring while holding the stance of a knife-hand strike. ¡°Come, Lightning Caller.¡± Crackle¡ª A brilliant white arc of lightning engulfed the ground. Ignoring even the rules of the Demon Dungeon, the descending lightning strike swept away everything in its path. The ancient dragon, caught in the storm of the lightning, roared with its magic. Raising my hand toward the sky, the currents flowing over my steel skin were forcibly drawn into my grasp. Magic Engraving: Lightning Catcher. The raging lightning was caught in my hand for a brief moment. Wielding the lightning spear, I stomped hard on the ground. Boom! With an explosion erupting from my elbow, my body bent sharply forward. The lightning spear left my hand. Crack-crack-crackle! The spear of lightning pierced through Nikita. Both Nikita and the remnants of the ancient dragon screamed simultaneously. The moment her body floated in the air, I hurled myself forward without hesitation. The mes once again filled my grasp. I drove the fire down with all my strength. ¡°Nikita!¡± Shouting her name, I clenched my fist tightly. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up.¡± The punch, carrying all my might, struck Nikita. As her body mmed into the ground, the mes raged uncontrobly. The remnants of the ancient dragon, unwilling to be outdone, unleashed an intense burst of cold. The sh between the two forces felt like it would tear my body apart. My clothes were ripped to shreds, and even the wrappings of the Veil Bandages began to unravel. Underneath the Veil Bandages, my true face was revealed. Snow-white hair fluttered in the swirling wind, and golden amber eyes shone brightly. My skin had partially transformed into a patchwork of steel. Perhaps the intense heat had melted the steel, causing it to seep inside my body. ¡®The heat of the Spirit Lord is akin to the me of Resolve.¡¯ As with Lucas, my body absorbed the steel, turning into a steel-like form. Moreover, being struck by lightning twice left scars on my body. A truly wrecked appearance. I wondered what kind of face others would make if they saw me now. But right now, that didn¡¯t matter at all. I poured every ounce of me into Nikita. The raging fire engulfed all the cold. Shhhhh! The remnants of the ancient dragon screamed in agony. Meanwhile, my body lost its heat and instead embraced the cold. Yet my eyes never lost their determination. If anything, the resolve in my gaze burned brighter than anyone else at this moment. ¡®You know this too, don¡¯t you?¡¯ I addressed the remnants of the ancient dragon. ¡®If you take on any more heat, you¡¯ll disappear.¡¯ The remnants of the ancient dragon thrashed wildly. Atst, it understood my intention. For the remnants of the ancient dragon to survive, there was only one option. It had to find a new host. Normally, the me of Resolve that filled Lucas left no room for such a move. Thus, the remnants would have no choice but to vanish with Nikita. This was the main reason Lucas couldn¡¯t save Nikita. But I had only borrowed the mes. Inside me, there was enough space for the remnant of the ancient dragon to enter. This was the difference between Lucas and me. And it was also the only way to save Nikita. Lucas, being the protagonist, could not save Nikita. But I was just a third-rate viin, Vikamon Niflheim, who had already been ousted from the main plot. This was something only I could do. ¡®I never had talent in the first ce.¡¯ Vikamon had none of the magical talent Nikita had so desperately wished for. Instead, he had reced it with magical engravings, activating magic one engraving at a time. Even now, if the remnants of the ancient dragon, which devoured talent, were to enter me, I had no talent to lose. That was the true difference between me and Lucas. Lucas, full of talent, left no room for the remnants of the ancient dragon to enter. Meanwhile, I was utterly hollow! The remnants of the ancient dragon continued to wrestle within Nikita. But the struggle didn¡¯tst long. The remnants could no longer endure the raging mes pouring into her. Thus, it chose. It would change its host here. The thrashing remnants surged through my fist touching Nikita and entered my body. In that instant, a dense cold surged inside me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The scales scattered across Nikita¡¯s body melted away. Her horns and tail dissolved like snow. Only her fangs and eyes retained faint traces. Meanwhile, scales began to sprout on parts of my skin. The intense cold was dizzying enough to make me lose consciousness. It was a frigidness so severe that it felt like even my brain might freeze. This was the kind of cold Nikita had endured to wield the dragon¡¯s magic. Crrrk! However, a part of the mes still remained within me. The heat and cold shed and canceled each other out. Even as the remnants of the ancient dragon fought to dominate me, I had no intention of letting it win. The remnants, having been weakened by repeated blows from the mes, could no longer muster the strength to take over my body. Fwoosh¡ª Ultimately, the weakened remnants were driven into one corner. The scales that had sprouted on my face fell away. However, my right eye momentarily turned into that of a lizard¡¯s. Exhausted, the remnants of the ancient dragon fell asleep within my eye. Soon, my eye returned to normal. The mes also began to fade. The cold and heat disappeared, leaving only a gentle warmth. Drip, drip¡ª The snow that had melted in the sky fell as a light rain. The warm rain made me feel a little at ease. My head drooped. I had no strength left to move. Barely breathing was all I could manage. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. I had to make it seem as though Nikita had died here. ¡®To preserve the story and save Nikita.¡¯ Nikita also had to be excluded from the main plot. Her death was necessary for the story to move forward. Thus, with trembling hands, I reached out. I gently cradled Nikita¡¯s unconscious head and lifted her legs. My staggering body rose to its feet. As the remnants of the ancient dragon slept, everything around us melted away. I wandered aimlessly. My destination was the fifth floor of the Demon Dungeon. There, hidden from most, was a secret passage. A direct path to the surface. It was a path designed for yer convenience, but Lucas wouldter discover it by chance. I headed toward it. Descending the stairs to the fifth floor, I nearly copsed several times but managed to regain my bnce. At some point, my leg had broken. It must have happened during the earlier sh. If I fell now, I would never rise again. Knowing this, I clung to my willpower. ¡°Vikamon¡­¡­¡± At that moment, I heard Nikita¡¯s voice. She was starting to regain consciousness. This was bad. I hadn¡¯t had time to fix the Veil Bandages, so I still looked like Vikamon. It was a mistake caused by my inability to focus. Left with no choice, I pulled Nikita into my arms. I held her face against my chest. Fortunately, Vikamon, unlike Hannon, had arge build. This way, my face would remain hidden. In her confused state, Nikita wouldn¡¯t recognize me. Feeling her stir slightly in my arms, I realized anew just how small she was. With such a small body, she had endured so much on her own until now. But things would be different from now on. The remnants of the dragon that devoured her talent were gone, as was the oppressive Marquis Cynthia family. "Senior Nikita." As I descended the stairs, I continued to speak. "I''ve always said this: I respect you, senpai." There was a time when I also gave it my all. I worked so hard that people called me a promising talent. But one mistake led to an injury, and I retired from sports. I had dedicated everything to it, and without it, I was left with nothing. And so, I immersed myself in games. That¡¯s where I saw Nikita. Nikita, who never faltered in any situation and stayed true to her beliefs. Watching her somehow brought mefort. Even when those around her belittled her efforts, she always stood firm. Even though her fate was set¡ªa political marriage that rendered everything meaningless. I felt joy watching her defy her destiny. But in the end, Nikita couldn¡¯t escape her fate and died. Every time I saw that, I swallowed my anger over and over again. But now, finally, I can make sure she doesn¡¯t meet the same fate. "And it will stay that way in the future." No matter what path Nikita takes from now on, I will respect and support her. This is my way of repaying thefort I found in watching her in the game. "Senior Nikita, your brother is waiting outside. I¡¯m sorry for keeping it hidden until now."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Today, I contacted Nia separately. It was a promise I made back when I saved Nia. Given that it¡¯s about Nikita, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s rushed here in a panic. I have no idea how Nikita will react to seeing that Nia is alive. That¡¯s something I can¡¯t confirm. Since Nikita is bound by the dragon''s magic, she can¡¯t reveal herself to the world. But Nia will take care of that part without fail. "You hated living a life used for political marriage and one without expectations, didn¡¯t you?" I gently cradled Nikita¡¯s head in my hands. The bad ending, ¡®Dragon of Cmity.¡¯ The words she screamed out there, time and time again. "I hated my life so much¡ªthis life shackled to the Marquis of Cynthia¡ªthat I could toss it away this easily." But now, she doesn¡¯t have to throw her life away anymore. "From now on, let¡¯s live freely and do everything you want to do." Before I knew it, my feet stopped at the secret spot on the fifth floor. I pushed open the thick stone door with my body, revealing a strange passage. Looking at it, I slowly pushed Nikita inside. This passage leads somewhere other than the entrance to the demonir. I¡¯ve called Nia over there, so he should be waiting. This is the end for Nikita and me. As I opened my mouth to bid her farewell¡ª Smack¡ª Nikita grabbed my hand. Did she regain consciousness in that brief moment? What kind of mental fortitude is this? But this is troublesome. I haven¡¯t finished adjusting the bandages yet. "Junior... no." Nikita¡¯s trembling hand clutched my arm. "Vikamon." ...She figured it out. There¡¯s no point in hiding anymore. I gave a bitter smile, and Nikita looked up at me, biting her lip. Her lips moved as if she had a lot to say. But her expression showed she didn¡¯t know what to say first. Her emotions were overwhelming, and tears welled up in her eyes. "I... I always ignored your feelings." Only then did I realize why Nikita was reacting this way. Vikamon loved Nikita. And Nikita knew this. But she never thought to ept it. She was destined for a political marriage. She had no intention of dating anyone. And so, she never allowed herself to like anyone. Vikamon knew this too, which is why he never confessed. "Why would you go this far for me...?" Nikita finally poured out her emotions, as if everything I had done so far confirmed her suspicions. "It¡¯s okay." It¡¯s true that Vikamon loved Nikita. Now, I am Vikamon. I can¡¯t deny that. "Knowing that Nikita is safe is enough for me." It¡¯s unfortunate that I can¡¯t call her senior anymore. "Nikita." I gave her my brightest smile. "Be happy." A miserable fate doesn¡¯t suit someone as strong as her. So I released her hand and pushed her into the passage. "Vikamon, wait!" It seemed like Nikita had something more to say, but I couldn¡¯t stay to hear it. The fiends and apostles that had noticed me were getting closer. "No...!" With her final cry, Nikita disappeared into the passage. Thud¡ª Finally, the passage closedpletely. I can¡¯t leave through this passage. Otherwise, there would be no way to exin my disappearance from the demon dungeon. Staggering, I stood up. I hastily wrapped the Veil Bandages around myself, however crudely. Before long, I had returned to my guise as Hania. Dodging the fiends, I moved toward the stairs on the fourth floor. The passageway was a safe zone, and the fiends wouldn¡¯t follow me there. But as I entered the passage and climbed the stairs, I stumbled. Thud¡ª Copsing onto the ground, I gasped for breath. Damn it, I¡¯ve reached my limit. "Just a little." Let me rest just a little. With that, I slowly closed my eyes, drifting into unconsciousness. ¡¾Act 3, Chapter 6, ''The Dragon Maiden of Cmity¡¯¡¿ ¡¾CLEAR¡¿ . . . ¡¾Act 3 ends.¡¿ ¡¾The side story of Act 3 begins soon.¡¿ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 60 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 60: Nikita¡¯s Side Story At another exit of the Demon Dungeon. A silver-haired woman stumbled out, almost rolling. ¡°Nikita!¡± A man who rushed out quickly supported her. The man, who looked exactly like Nikita, was her older brother, Nia Cynthia. ¡°N-Nia, brother.¡± Nikita clenched her fist tightly. Then, without warning, she struck Nia in the side. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Why¡­ Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?! You could¡¯ve just let me know you were alive!¡± ¡°S-Sorry, Nikita. If I had contacted you, someone would surely have be suspicious.¡± Nia looked at the furious Nikita, not knowing how to handle her. He had never seen Nikita so emotional before. She, too, couldn¡¯t control her emotions at that moment. The surge of feelings within her was overwhelming. Her mind kept drifting to one man. The man who had stopped her and sent her here against her will. When he left the academy, she hadn¡¯t even seen him off. And yet, he had returned to the academy and stayed by her side, steadfastly protecting her. ¡°If I had known, none of this would¡¯ve happened¡­¡± Nikita bit her lip tightly. ¡°Did¡­ Did Vikamon keep it from me because you silenced him, brother?¡± ¡°No, that was his decision. In fact, he was the one who saved me.¡± Nikita¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Vikamon¡­ Perhaps¡­¡± She realized he might have known for a long time that Nia was going to be assassinated. Perhaps that was why he returned to Zerion Academy. But for whose sake? ¡®It was me.¡¯ Nikita had always known Vikamon¡¯s feelings for her. After all, she was destined to be used as a pawn in a political marriage by the Marquis Cynthia family. She couldn¡¯t ept his feelings, and Vikamon understood this. So, he never confessed his love to her. ¡®He¡­¡¯ Vikamon had left the academy after bing entangled with Lucas. At the time, the group he attacked had included the third princess. As a result, he was exiled from both the academy and his family. ¡®Could there have been¡­ another reason?¡¯ Perhaps there had been some reason he had to return as Hannon. And if that reason was connected to her? If, as a third-year, Vikamon couldn¡¯t protect the second-year third princess¡­ And if he stayed by the princess¡¯s side to prevent Nia¡¯s assassination? ¡®Did he really sacrifice everything, even being cast out by his family, just for me?¡¯ Nikita¡¯s lips trembled. Surely, such thoughts were far-fetched. But when she recalled Vikamon¡¯s face as he looked at her in his final moments, She couldn¡¯t entirely dismiss the idea. Vikamon, in his guise as Hannon, had always stayed by Nikita¡¯s side. He supported her so she wouldn¡¯t struggle, knowing how much she overexerted herself. His actions mirrored how Vikamon had been in the past. ¡®The reason he didn¡¯t tell me about Nia¡¯s death immediately¡­¡¯ Was likely to avoid any chance that the third princess¡¯s faction might notice something. And in case Nikita lost control, he must have been preparing to stop her by revealing the truth. Nikita recalled Vikamon¡¯s bittersweet smile as he looked at her in his guise as Hannon. ¡®You knew¡­ all along, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ After hearing of Nia¡¯s death, Nikita had turned to the magic of ancient dragons. Once one dabbled in dragon magic, there was no turning back. Vikamon knew this and smiled that way because of it. ¡®And today¡­¡¯ Topletely erase the dragon magic that had been etched into Nikita, Vikamon had prepared everything on his own and ultimately saved her. ¡®Why¡­¡¯ Nikita wanted to ask again. Why had he gone so far for her? She desperately wanted to ask him herself. But she already knew the answer. ¡¸It¡¯s alright.¡¹ ¡¸As long as Nikita is safe, that¡¯s enough.¡¹ The gentle words he had spoken to her. Now that she realized Vikamon¡¯s true identity, those words madeplete sense. ¡¸Nikita, be happy.¡¹ Even if his feelings weren¡¯t returned, it didn¡¯t matter. As long as Nikita was happy, that was enough for him. That¡¯s what Vikamon had been saying. Her blurry vision held the image of Vikamon, battered and broken. His body was scarred with lightning and molten steel. And in the end, he had taken something from her. Though she didn¡¯t know exactly what it was, She was certain it was rted to dragon magic. He had sacrificed everything, even his own body, for her. Her chest felt tight. An indescribable storm of emotions raged within her. It felt like her heart was being torn apart. She regretted not once acknowledging his feelings. ¡°So foolish¡­¡± Nikita clutched at the fabric over her chest. She pounded her heart, trying to relieve the pressure. ¡°Truly¡­¡± Thick tears streamed down her face. Even so, they couldn¡¯t obscure the image of his final expression. It flowed. The emotions overflowed endlessly. This was a first for her. Except for Nia, no one had ever truly cared for her. No, even the brilliant Nia couldn¡¯t fully see her for who she was. A genius could never fully understand amoner. Just as amoner could never fully understand a genius. But Vikamon was like Nikita¡ªamoner. Hecked talent in magic and was treated as useless by the Niflheim family. He was the only person who stood on the same ne as her. Perhaps that was why she had ignored him even more. Seeing him meant seeing herself. Subconsciously aware of this, she had turned away. Yet, Vikamon had always looked at her. His gaze was unwavering and sincere. Nikita¡¯s efforts had always been dismissed as natural because she was born into the Marquis Cynthia family. No matter how great her achievements, they were simply expected of her. But Vikamon praised her. He acknowledged her efforts and expressed his respect. Nikita found sce in that. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w In contrast, the Marquis Cynthia family never recognized her work. No matter what she aplished, she couldn¡¯t escape being used as a pawn in their political games. But at this moment¡ª She hadpletely broken free from Cynthia. Having touched the magic of the ancient dragon, the Marquisate of Cynthia would no longer regard her as one of their own. Freedom. For the first time, Nikita had been granted freedom. A life where she could live as Nikita, not as Nikita Cynthia. And this was the life she had longed for more than anything else. The real reason she crumbled after Nia''s death¡ª It was because she had realized the wretchedness of a life reduced to being used for political gain. And the one who gave her this new life was none other than Vikamon. It was as if he was saying to her: Even someone like me, cast out by my family, is living boldly like this. Why couldn¡¯t you, Nikita, do the same? The life he showed her, The path he had walked, It all returned to Nikita. She could live. She absolutely could live. Vikamon had abandoned his family and shone brilliantly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Because she had seen him, she believed she, too, could live that way. Nikita was a hard worker. She knew how to pick herself up even after falling. And this time, she wasn¡¯t doing it alone. "Truly, how foolish." She could no longer hold back her tears. She wanted to meet him immediately and tell him everything. She wanted to confront him about each and every one of his actions. More than anything¡ª She wanted to tell him about the emotions welling up inside her right now. "¡­Nikita, a real Hannon was discovered recently." At that moment, Nia¡¯s voice reached Nikita¡¯s ears. "He¡¯s not Hannon Irey, is he?" Even those in the First Prince¡¯s faction at the academy had confirmed that he wasn¡¯t Hannon. Hearing Nia¡¯s question, Nikita bit her lip. "¡­I cannot tell you who he is." Nikita kept the secret. For his sake, this truth could not be revealed. Nia nodded. "I¡¯m telling you this just so you know what tool he used." "A tool?" "A tool that perfectly mimics Hannon¡¯s appearance." Nikita recalled that he had also disguised himself as Hania. "That tool is called the Bandages of Veil. ssified purely, it¡¯s a type of divine artifact." Nia¡¯s face darkened as he spoke. Divine artifacts always carried inherent risks. It wasn¡¯t umon for people to die because of them. "Brother, could it be¡­ there are side effects?" "¡­Yes. The Bandages of Veil cause one of the three elements of emotion to disappear with continued use." Nikita¡¯s eyes widened gradually. "Emotion¡­?" "Sadness, anger, or love¡ªthe three universal emotions humans feel. One of them vanishes. And further research suggests it might not stop at just one, depending on the length of use." Nikita froze, her eyes wide open. Sadness, anger, love. It had already been six months since Vikamon began using the Bandages of Veil. If he had lost his emotions¡ª She already knew the most likely first candidate. "No¡­" Nikita denied it. "No. No way¡­" She had only just begun to prepare herself to face his true feelings. To think that they might disappear¡ª Nikita couldn¡¯t ept it. And knowing that it was because of her made it all the more unbearable. ¡®The ¡°Be happy¡± Vikamon told me¡­¡¯ Perhaps it was his farewell to the emotions fading away within him. "I have to go back immediately!" "Nikita, if you return now, you¡¯ll only put yourself in danger!" Nia urgently tried to stop her. "And wasn¡¯t this his choice, to protect you?" If Nikita returned now, all of Vikamon¡¯s actions would lose their meaning. Knowing this, Nikita suppressed her emotions and clenched her fists tightly. "¡­I understand." Nikita epted it. "But someday¡­" When she met him again¡ª ¡®Even if he has lost his emotions,¡¯ She would bring them back to him. ¡®I¡¯ve received so much from him.¡¯ So, she would surely return it to him. Nikita¡¯s blue eyes settled on the demon dungeon. Those eyes were now filled with a single person. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 61 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 61: A World Heading in an Unexpected Direction Tack-tap. In a pitch-dark room, a man stared at a monitor. He sometimes grumbled, sighed, and yet, asionallyughed as if something amused him. I quietly watched his back. His right arm was utterly shattered. His expression was abnormal, too. Facial paralysis. ¡®Back then, he didn¡¯t look like this.¡¯ Perhaps because it was a dream. I¡¯d always thought of his arm and face as something that had been broken long ago. "Is it fun?" Without thinking, I opened my mouth to ask. The man, still staring at the screen, replied. "It¡¯s my favorite game." Hearing that, I smiled faintly. "Well, then, that¡¯s good." I still love this game. sh! My eyes shot open. A ceiling came into view, sweat dripping down my face. ¡®...A hospital room?¡¯ Realizing where I was, I exhaled lightly. ¡®Someone found me.¡¯ I remembered copsing on my way up to the fourth floor of the Demon Dungeon. Afterward, I¡¯d nned to recover and return, but it seemed I¡¯d lost consciousnesspletely. ¡®That was too close.¡¯ I¡¯d given everything I had to counter the ancient dragon¡¯s magic, but I should¡¯ve saved at least enough strength to retreat. ¡®I underestimated the situation.¡¯ I chastised myself. Had no one found me, I might have died then and there. ¡®What about Nikita?¡¯ Did Nia manage to regroup with her? She might resent me for keeping Nia¡¯s mission a secret. ¡®And now that they¡¯ve discovered I¡¯m a Vikamon...¡¯ She might be upset that someone who cared about her had gone so far. ¡®I should¡¯ve remained Hannon for as long as I could.¡¯ Sighing inwardly, I acknowledged my mistake. ¡®Let¡¯s assess the situation first.¡¯ I thought as much, but the moment I tried to get up¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± I realized something was holding me down. It felt strangely soft, apanied by the sweet scent of roses. Curious, I turned my head to see a familiar face. A woman whose beauty radiated a decadent charm, much like a long-haired Persian cat. The third imperial princess, Iris Hysirion. She was clinging tightly to me. ¡°¡­Uh, Iris?¡± I called out to her in surprise. ¡°Mm.¡± Iris tightened her embrace, showing no intention of moving. Why was she sleeping in my hospital bed? Utterly baffled, I felt a piercing gaze behind me. The back of my head practically burned under its intensity. Unable to resist, I slowly turned to look. Standing there was a girl with peach-colored hair. Her eyes twisted with fury, resembling those of a demon. I knew well why she was looking at me like that. Hania Rapidedia. The daughter of the Imperial Knight Commander, and one of Iris¡¯s admirers. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Hania greeted me with a smile so menacing that it made me flinch. ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t stay asleep forever.¡± ¡°I could put you to eternal rest, though.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ve still got things to do.¡± Hania snorted. ¡°Can you exin what¡¯s going on?¡± I still couldn¡¯t understand why Iris was lying in my hospital bed. When I asked, Hania pulled her knees to her chest. ¡°A team trying to break through the ice wall on the fourth floor recovered everyone after the wall shattered. During that process, it was also discovered that Nikita Cynthia had targeted Lady Iris.¡± ¡°And Nikita herself?¡± ¡°She¡¯s gone. ording to investigators, she failed the assassination attempt and was ultimately consumed by the ancient dragon¡¯s magic.¡± That wasn¡¯t enough for me. Sensing my dissatisfaction, Hania added more details. ¡°They also found traces of the dragon¡¯s magic vanishing. No body was recovered, but the conclusion is that Nikita Cynthia is dead.¡± Finally, I breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it seemed the conclusion was that Nikita had died in this incident. ¡®Undoubtedly, the First Prince¡¯s faction was involved.¡¯ Nia had likely made an active appeal for help. ¡°Nikita Cynthia is alive.¡± Suddenly, Hania sharply asserted. My eyes slowly turned to meet hers. Her gaze bore into me, searching for the truth, determined to root out lies. Faced with her piercing eyes, I smiled faintly. ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t smile at me with that face.¡± Come to think of it, I was still in Hania¡¯s form. This was a private room, so Hania must¡¯ve dropped her disguise as Hannon. ¡°I swore to eliminate anything that could harm Lady Iris.¡± Hania had taken up the sword for Iris. Her de moved only for Iris¡¯s sake. Nikita had targeted Iris¡¯s life. If I hadn¡¯t been there, she might¡¯ve seeded. ¡°Hannon Irey.¡± Hania¡¯s murderous intent seeped into her words. ¡°Is Hannon an enemy of Lady Iris?¡± After Nikita, it was now Hania threatening my life. I had defended Nikita. Hania knew this. If I were an enemy, she would eliminate me without hesitation. ¡°No.¡± I had no intention of bing Iris¡¯s enemy. Although she ys the role of the boss in the final chapter, I will save her for Lucas. Hania fell silent for a moment upon hearing my firm response. Then, she exhaled once and withdrew her killing intent. "Then that''s fine." She epted it surprisingly easily. "Don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s not because I trust Hannon." Hania¡¯s eyesnded on Iris. "Iris is extremely sensitive. She never shows weakness in front of anyone she feels hostility from." I agreed with that. Iris always presented herself as wless to others. However, the Iris currently behind me had no intention of getting up, still lost in her sleep. "But she shows that side to Hannon. That¡¯s proof that Iris feels no hostility whatsoever from you." Iris, infused with the power of Malice, is likely more sensitive to hostility and ill will than anyone else. Hania¡¯s assessment was undoubtedly correct. "Of course, even considering that, this situation is¡ª" Crunch Hania¡¯s teeth ground together as if they were about to break. "Hard toprehend." She struggled to contain her anger while looking at me, held in Iris¡¯s arms. Don¡¯t get angry. It¡¯s scary. "This is beyond my control. Honestly, I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m in this situation." "Iris hugged you because she thought you were warm and fell asleep like that." As if I were some kind of warm puppy she wanted to cuddle with while sleeping. I was dumbfounded, but I vaguely understood the reason. ''The mes that were absorbed into my steel skin remain inside me.'' The steel skin had absorbed the mes for quite a long time. To prevent it from melting, it had the property of releasing heat. However, the mes prated even that property and deeply embedded themselves in my body. As a result, my entire body emitted the warmth of those mes. ''It¡¯s a good way to suppress the remnants of the ancient dragon.'' The remnants of the ancient dragon had seeped into my body. Having already awakened once due to it, it would eventually move to devour me. For the time being, this warmth might help suppress it. "So, until Iris wakes up, just stay like that." She essentially told me to act as a heater. "It¡¯s been a while since she¡¯s slept so peacefully." Hania looked at Iris with a mix of pity and concern. She was the one who had watched Iris struggle with nightmares for the longest time. So, if Iris could sleepfortably, Hania would do anything for her. I was also aware of Iris¡¯s struggles with insomnia in the Demon Dungeon. Reluctantly, I decided to stay still until Iris woke up. Anyway, due to her nightmares, Iris never slept for long. It wouldn¡¯t take much longer for her to wake up. "More importantly, Hannon, you and I have a problem to solve." "What problem?" Was there still an unresolved issue? When I looked puzzled, Hania smiled faintly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Well, we¡¯re officially a couple now, aren¡¯t we?" Oh. "Wasn¡¯t that just for show in front of Professor Barkov?" "Yes, that¡¯s all it was." Hania rested her chin on her knee, smiling brightly. But her smile carried a hint of irritation. "Until Professor Barkov started spreading rumors everywhere." I could roughly guess what had happened. Barkov, that bastard. He really messed things up. "So?" "Since the rumors are already out, there are a lot of eyes on us. For now, it¡¯s better to keep up the act. Eventually, the rumors will fade, and we can pretend to break up then." "Barkov¡¯s causing trouble for everyone." I had already decided to help Hania with this. Hania and I were in the same martial arts department. Acting as a couple together wasn¡¯t particrly difficult. "Are you okay with the rumors, though?" The rumors surrounding me were never good. While my skills had gained some recognition, most of the martial arts department still viewed me negatively. Especially the magic department¡ªthey were practically my sworn enemies. Being associated with me could tarnish Hania¡¯s reputation. "Rumors about Hannon? I don¡¯t care. Hannon isn¡¯t that kind of person." "Considering all the trouble I¡¯ve caused, it¡¯s hard to say I¡¯m not." I¡¯d shed with Isabel enough times to prove otherwise. "I¡¯ll judge that for myself." Hania didn¡¯t seem to care about such things. "Besides, you should be more concerned than I am, Hannon." "Concerned about what?" Hania smiled faintly. "There are a lot of people at the academy who like me, you know." She said it with absolute confidence. The problem was, she wasn¡¯t wrong. Hania had a way of attracting people, regardless of age or gender. There were plenty who harbored feelings for her. "I can¡¯t guarantee how those people will react." "Taking a beautyes with its burdens, huh?" "¡­Pfft, yes, I am quite beautiful." Hania¡¯s pride was evident, but I rested my head back on the pillow. ''A few days off, and then it¡¯s the second semester.'' The first semester of my second year had been full of ups and downs. Now, with it over, I thought about the fourth act that was about to begin. I decided to get some proper rest to prepare for it. At the time, I had no idea. This contract rtionship with Hania, wouldn¡¯t just be a problem for the people who liked her. * * * Iris finally woke up, and after safely returning to my dorm, the day passed. The scale of the events had been sorge that even back in the dorm, I copsed into a deep sleep. And the next day¡ª "Ugh." I woke up with a throbbing pain in my right eye. "What¡¯s wrong, Hannon?" Card, hearing my groans, asked while yawning. "Ah, it¡¯s nothing." I quickly answered Card and hurried to the bathroom. I was about to ssh water over my throbbing eyes when I froze. In the mirror. Something was squirming, moving in my right eye. Momentster, it became the eye of a lizard, staring back at me with piercing rity. My eyes widened in shock. That¡¯s the remnant of the ancient dragon I had taken from Nikita. ¡®I knew the dragon¡¯s remnant had a will of its own.¡¯ But for it to awaken and manifest so quickly despite the lingering heat of the me of Wrath... ¡®This is bad.¡¯ I had yet to find a way to deal with the remnant. If it tried to take over, things would get messy. ¡®I need to deal with this immediately.¡¯ A thought shed across my mind. Someone. The moment her face came to mind, I rushed to change my clothes. With the Veil Bandages, I could at least hide the remnant¡¯s activation. After tightly wrapping my eye, I headed outside toward the women¡¯s dormitory. On the way, I felt the sharp gazes of the girls ncing my way. It wasn¡¯t exactlymon for a male student to visit the women¡¯s dormitory in the morning, especially not on the first day of sses after the Summer Dungeon event. Showing up here could only mean one thing: I intended to walk someone to ss. But I didn¡¯t care about those looks. This level of audacity was routine for me now. When I reached the dorm entrance, I spotted a maid sweeping the courtyard. "Excuse me." "Yes, young master?" At my call, the maid stopped sweeping and approached me. "I need to call for someone." The maid nced at my name tag, then gave a knowing smile. "Should I summon Miss Hania for you?" For a moment, I wondered, Why Hania? Then I remembered: Hania was supposed to be my girlfriend now. As expected of a maid with sharp ears for gossip. The academy students often chatted about various things with their trusted maids. In truth, the maids probably knew everything about the academy. "No, not Hania. Please call Sharin Sazaris instead." "Huh?" The maid¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, as if to say, Why her? It wasn¡¯t unreasonable for her to find it strange. After all, here I was, a man who had just recently started dating, now asking for another woman. "It¡¯s urgent." The maid¡¯s initially confused expression turned resolute as she nodded. "¡­Understood. I¡¯ll ask Miss Sharin to step out quietly. There are fewer people at the back entrance in the morning, so I¡¯ll guide her there." It seemed like she misunderstood something, but I had no time to correct her. She walked off murmuring under her breath, "What a scoundrel of this era¡­" I decided to fix that misunderstandingter and waited quietly by the back entrance. Before long, the maid returned, practically dragging Sharin behind her. As usual, Sharin looked groggy, clearly not a morning person. More importantly, she was still in her pajamas. "Ugh, Hannon, it¡¯s too early for breakfast¡­" Why does she treat me like her bread delivery guy? I looked at her in disbelief, then nced at the maid, who seemed oddly thrilled. I couldn¡¯t openly discuss the dragon¡¯s remnant, so I gestured subtly with my eyes. Reluctantly, the maid withdrew, looking disappointed. "Sharin." "Mm?" "I need your help suppressing the dragon¡¯s remnant. Can you do it?" "The dragon¡¯s remnant?" "It¡¯s a curse. It¡¯s carrying the magic of an ancient dragon." At that, Sharin¡¯s sleepy eyes sharpened instantly. "¡­The magic of a dragon? Wait, where is this remnant manifesting?" "My right eye." I unwound the bandages. Sharin grabbed my face firmly with both hands and stared intently into my right eye. Her face was so close that her faint, distinctive scent filled my senses. Momentster, her unique starlight-infused pupils began to glow. After carefully observing for a while, her brows furrowed. "The dragon¡¯s remnant, huh? It¡¯s certainly intense." "Can you handle it?" "Who do you think I am?" Sharin grinned confidently. "I¡¯m Sharin Sazaris!" Of course. That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯d expect from the greatest mage I know. "But it won¡¯t be solved overnight. It¡¯ll take some time." "Can I count on you?" "Sure. I¡¯m interested in dragon magic anyway. I¡¯ll probably learn a lot dissecting the remnant." Relief washed over me. Sharin reached out and lightly touched the edge of my eye. A faint shimmer of starlight flowed from her fingertips. "I¡¯ll ce a temporary seal to weaken its activity. You shouldn¡¯t feel any pain or have issues with your vision." "Thanks. I owe you one." "No problem." After finishing her work, Sharin let out a long yawn. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned to me with a curious expression. "Oh, Hannon." "Yeah?" "Bel said¡ª" "Rin, you¡ª" Before Sharin could finish, another voice interrupted. "Ah." Sharin let out a small sound as we both turned toward the voice. Standing there was a woman with radiant honey-blonde hair, her eyes wide with disbelief. It was Isabel Luna. For some reason, her gaze carried a peculiar, iprehensible anger. Sharin and I were practically pressed together, faces close as we worked on suppressing the dragon¡¯s remnant. It was the perfect scene for a misunderstanding. "¡­What are you two doing?" Her tone was calm, but the emotion behind it wasn¡¯t. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 62 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 62: Everyone''s Acting Weird Now That I Have a Girlfriend I found myself face-to-face with Sharin. Isabel, who was watching us, had an inexplicable annoyance in her eyes. What should I do in this situation? "...I didn¡¯t do anything special." That¡¯s my excuse. Right now, my right eye carries the remnants of an ancient dragon. Since I had no one else to ask for help, I approached Sharin. But the fewer people who know about the remnants of the ancient dragon, the better. So, as I made my excuse, Isabel''s eyebrows furrowed slightly. "I¡¯ve been wondering for a while now..." Isabel looked at the two of us with a peculiar expression. "What exactly is the rtionship between you two?" Ever since Sharin and I teamed up for a group event, Isabel had been harboring doubts about our rtionship. Isabel is Sharin¡¯s close friend. I, on the other hand, am Isabel¡¯s rival. So it¡¯s natural for Isabel to question why Sharin and I are close. When Isabel asked her question, Sharin and I looked at each other. If you¡¯re asking what our rtionship is... "We¡¯re... a couple who¡¯s promised a future together!" Before I could respond, Sharin beat me to it. Since I had already decided to reveal my identity after the academy affairs were settled, it¡¯s true that we¡¯ve promised a future of sorts. But putting it like that... "W-What?!" See? Isabel was utterly flustered. She stared at the two of us in a daze. Sharin, on the other hand, looked triumphant, as if she had exined everything perfectly. What¡¯s she so smug about? She¡¯s asking to get flicked on the forehead. "But they said you¡¯re dating Hania..." So Isabel heard the rumors too. I¡¯m dating Hania, yet I¡¯ve promised a future with Sharin. Even the most notorious yboys would pale inparison. For some reason, Isabel¡¯s expression looked deted. Sharin also observed Isabel with a peculiar gaze. Then Sharin turned her nce toward me. "Hannon, are you really dating Hania?" At her next question, Isabel¡¯s shoulders twitched. "Really dating her??" "Of course. It doesn¡¯t seem like Hannon would genuinely date anyone." Why do they treat me like someone incapable of love? Well, I suspect the Veil Bandages might have dulled my emotions. It¡¯s just a vague guess, but considering I feel nothing even when surrounded by beautiful people, it seems likely. ¡®Am I... emotionally impaired?¡¯ It¡¯s a bitter thought, but I can fix itter. I wasn¡¯t too concerned about it. And it seemed Sharin was aware of this part of me. They say women are more sensitive to how men look at them. She must¡¯ve noticed that my gazecked any romantic intent. "I am dating her." Isabel¡¯s shoulders twitched again. Her eyes wavered intensely. Her reaction was bigger than expected. Sharin furrowed her brows slightly, tilting her head as if unaware of her own response.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Then what¡¯s this about promising a future with Sharin?" At that moment, Isabel sharply pointed out Sharin¡¯s earlierment. For some reason, she was ring at me with a cold expression. "Isabel, I think you¡¯ve misunderstood something." "Misunderstood? What? What exactly did I misunderstand?!" Isabel shouted. Her eyes were filled with deep disappointment. It was as if she had thought, I at least believed you were a decent person. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. Come to think of it, I had been neglecting Isabel a bit while focusing on Nikita¡¯s matter recently. Well, Nikita¡¯s issue has been settled. She exited the scenario safely, so I don¡¯t need to worry about her for now. ¡®At least until Act 4 begins.¡¯ It¡¯s time to pay more attention to Isabel. "Alright." I decided to use this opportunity to stoke herpetitive spirit as my rival. "Think whatever you want." When ites to Hania, it might not matter, but since her friend Sharin is involved, Isabel stormed toward us and grabbed Sharin¡¯s wrist. Her eyes were full of disdain. "Don¡¯t you dare mess with my friend like that." "How is it messing with her if she said it herself?" "Sharin is pure and innocent!" Sharin? Innocent? I nced at Sharin, who was being dragged away by Isabel. She yawnedzily, looking like she was getting sleepy again. There¡¯s no way I could agree with the notion that Sharin is innocent. "You¡¯ve really let me down." "I¡¯m surprised there was any room left for disappointment." "...You¡¯re just like Card." Oh no. Out of everything, this was thest thing I wanted to hear, but Isabel dragged Sharin away without hesitation. Sharin waved her hand casually, saying we¡¯d meet again. How carefree. That¡¯s so like her. "...Am I really just like Card?" And so, I was left stunned by another blow. Sure, being seen with two women might resemble a yboy¡¯s behavior. But beingpared to Card? Thatment left me utterly dazed. "The maids were saying something odd, so I came to see. What are you up to?" At that moment, Hania appeared. Apparently, she overheard the maids¡¯ gossip while preparing for school. The maids are notoriously quick with spreading news. Hania nced behind me. "I saw Isabel and Sharin running off earlier. Did you confess and get rejected or something?" "...If anything, I was the one who got scolded." Suddenly, I felt irritated. I should go beat Cardter. "Anyway, Iris and I will being out soon, so wait out front." "Wait? For what?" She gave me a look that said, What do you mean, for what? "Couples should go to school together in the morning. Isn¡¯t that obvious?" If we¡¯re going to act like a couple, we might as well do it properly. That was so like Hania. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * Morning on the Way to School As I walked to school that morning, I could hear even more whispers than usual. In front of me were two people. On the far left, Iris, who wasn¡¯t a morning person, was slumping. And in the center, Hania was hugging Iris¡¯s arm. Finally, on the far right... I was holding hands with Hania. Have I ever walked hand in hand with a girl like this in my life? I don¡¯t think so. It feels... strange. Hania was holding my hand but didn¡¯t even nce in my direction. Her entire focus was on the arm she had wrapped around Iris. There was no life in her right hand, as if I were holding the root of a tree. Honestly, even that might feel livelier. But of course, no one else knew the full story. So, to the other students, we looked unmistakably like a couple. "Did she get ckmailed or something?" "Why would Hania date someone like that?" "She¡¯s way too good for that thunder brat." Most students sympathized with Hania while looking at me with scorn. It seemed like they were upset that someone as popr as Hania was dating me. After the long, long walk to school, we arrived at the martial arts ss. The eyes of the students who had arrived earlier turned to us instantly. Each one of them had a shocked expression. They had been skeptical, but now the rumors had turned into reality. It was only natural for them to react that way. One person had the most dramatic reaction. Sitting in her usual seat, Seron stared at me with a face full of disbelief. Her mouth hung open, her eyes wide with shock. For some reason, that look was annoying. As I instinctively started walking toward Seron, Hania pulled on my hand. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I was just going to my seat.¡± ¡°Why would you do that? Have you ever seen a couple sit separately?¡± ¡°Well...¡± I wouldn¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never been in a rtionship. But Hania¡¯s eyes were dead serious. ¡°From now on, sit next to me.¡± She wasn¡¯t about to back down. It seemed like she was determined to make Vice Professor Barkov quit once and for all. In the end, I had no choice but to be dragged along by Hania. Iris, now fully awake from our walk, had regained her usualposed and elegant demeanor. With Iris sitting inside, Hania and I took seats on either side of her. Meanwhile, Seron, still shocked, kept ncing over at us. Her expression, however, had begun to falter. Seron had been somewhat of a loner in the martial arts ss. And now, her only ally¡ªme¡ªwas suddenly in a rtionship with Hania. In other words, she was left all alone. ¡°Uh, uh...¡± Like a lost puppy, Seron looked utterly helpless. I watched her for a moment before whispering to Hania. ¡°Hania, can I call Seron over?¡± ¡°Seron?¡± Hania nced at Seron and, after piecing things together, let out a sigh. ¡°Fine. We can¡¯t ruin your rtionships on top of everything else, especially since Hannon¡¯s side is helping.¡± Thankfully, Hania was quite understanding. ¡°But don¡¯t act too lovey-dovey in front of everyone, okay?¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense is that?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you two dating? You¡¯re always together.¡± Not at all. I wish she wouldn¡¯t say things that make my blood boil. ¡°Seron.¡± I called Seron over, suppressing the mild headache building up. Her eyes widened, and she ran toward us with a bright expression. It felt like calling a pet dog and having it run to you. ¡°Don¡¯t just sit by yourself. Come sit next to me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Seron¡¯s face lit up as she cheerfully sat beside me, pulling out a book from her bag. She even hummed a tune, clearly in a great mood. ¡°¡­¡­Even like that?¡± Hania whispered, but I ignored her. Soon after, the martial arts professor, Vaga, entered the room with her usual hungover expression. She looked around at the ss and began to speak. ¡°By now, you¡¯ve all heard about the Summer Demon Dungeon incident.¡± The Summer Demon Dungeon Incident. Vice President Nikita Cynthia had personally attacked the Third Princess. The empire was turned upside down because of it. The Third Princess¡¯s faction was demanding ountability and trying to bring down House Cynthia. But the First Prince¡¯s faction wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. They countered by using the Third Princess¡¯s faction of ordering the assassination of Nia Cynthia, arguing that Nikita¡¯s attack on the princess was retaliation for that. The two factions were now biting each other¡¯s throats. ¡°Because of this, Nikita Cynthia has been removed as Vice President, leaving the position vacant.¡± And so, the scenario began unfolding as I had anticipated. ¡°After the summer break, we¡¯ll elect a new Vice President. Even second-years can apply, so if you¡¯re interested, make sure to submit your name.¡± Several students'' eyes gleamed with interest at the mention of a vacant Vice President seat. The Vice President position at Zerion Academy carried significant weight, especially among the noble students, who valued prestige. ¡°Vice President, huh. Iris, wouldn¡¯t it be great if you took the position ahead of bing President?¡± At that moment, Hania suggested Iris as a candidate. Iris didn¡¯t seem opposed to the idea. She had likely already been encouraged by the Duke of Robliage to take the role. ¡®As expected, things are progressing ording to the main storyline.¡¯ Iris would likely use this opportunity to shake up the Student Council, recing its members with her own people. ¡°Vice President, huh.¡± Seron rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Watching her, I remarked casually: ¡°You should give up before you embarrass yourself.¡± ¡°...Who said I was going to run?¡± Her face fell slightly, betraying her expectations. ¡°More importantly, Hannon.¡± Suddenly, Hania called out to me. ¡°You know you¡¯reing with us during the summer break, right?¡± Wait, what? I didn¡¯t know that. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 63 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 63: The Chill of the Beach Summer vacation. Though it¡¯s only about ten days, not a particrly long break, students take this time to rest or visit their hometowns. During this summer vacation, I ended up spending time with Iris and her group. "Does it make sense for a newly dating couple to be apart during vacation?" "I don''t think being a couple necessarily means being together all the time." Inside the rattling carriage, Hania and I were having a conversation. To encourage students during the summer break, the Zerion Academy opens ess to the southern blue sea, Aron Sea. Some students take the opportunity to visit Aron Sea for rxation. Iris decided to visit Aron Sea. "That''s true. But she already exined the real reason herself, didn¡¯t she?" Hearing that, I stopped speaking and turned my gaze to Iris. Iris, who had been looking out the window, noticed my eyes and gave a faint smile. Lately, she¡¯d been smiling at me more frequently. "For now, Hannon, this is better for you as well." As she had predicted, the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Nia Cynthia had surfaced. By coincidence, someone saw me heading towards the Demon Dungeon that day. A knight, who was switching shifts, spotted me separating from Sharin and taking a different route to the dungeon. As a result, my name suddenly came under suspicion. I tried to exin, saying I was visiting the Demon Dungeon in my capacity as a student council member to prepare for the next expedition. However, given the timing, rumors quickly spread using me of being Nia''s assassin. Sure enough, the Third Princess¡¯s faction seized the opportunity to loudly implicate me, iming I had acted independently in Nia Cynthia¡¯s assassination. ¡®Not that it would work anyway.¡¯ The First Prince¡¯s faction was already aware of my existence. If they framed me for acting alone, they¡¯d lose a chance to destabilize the Third Princess¡¯s faction. Thus, they collected evidence on their own to clear my name, defending me without my direct involvement. But the Third Princess¡¯s faction didn¡¯t sit idly by. They aimed to use me as a scapegoat to buy time. If the investigation got muddled because of me, it¡¯d make cutting loose ends easier for them. I was at risk of being dragged into the Imperial dungeon for interrogation. And the one who prevented this was Iris. Originally, it was Iris who had instructed me to rescue Nia. So, she defended me and firmly kept me by her side. "Don¡¯t you dare use my cousin like this." Even the Third Princess¡¯s faction couldn¡¯t ignore Iris¡¯s words. They had no choice but to drop their ns to involve me.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om After all, their primary aim was to buy time, not to rely on me entirely. And offending the Third Princess herself would be too high a cost for them. Now that it was known that I had a good rtionship with the Third Princess, her faction wouldn¡¯t touch me anymore. Understanding this, Iris brought me along during this summer vacation to firmly solidify her stance. I couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful to her. ¡®The problem is that my name has been dragged into the spotlight.¡¯ Once you¡¯re in the limelight, scrutiny is inevitable. ¡®I have a feeling the First Prince¡¯s faction will approach me soon.¡¯ They likely already knew I wasn¡¯t truly Hannon. To uncover my intentions, they¡¯d certainly reach out. How I navigate this situation from here will entirely depend on me. ¡®And¡­¡¯ At that moment, Iris tapped herp gently. Watching her curiously, I got up under Hania¡¯s disapproving re. When I sat down in front of Iris, she pulled me into her embrace. Iris was tall, significantly taller than the average woman and certainly taller than me. Being embraced by her felt like I fit perfectly in her arms. I could feel a soft warmth against my back, and the familiar rose scent of Iris tickled my nose. "Hannon is warm; it helps me sleep better." I had essentially be Iris¡¯sfort doll. Since I¡¯d acquired the mes, the residual warmth in my body helped Iris sleep peacefully. "Ugh, Iris is hugging you like that..." Hania, ring jealously, furiously tore at her handkerchief. For someone who admired Iris so much, I was nothing short of enviable. ¡®Though, for me, it¡¯s quite stressful.¡¯ To be honest, I feared the consequences. Iris thought I was her cousin, but if she ever found out I was actually Vikamon, the very person she had exiled herself... ¡®I might be dead on the spot.¡¯ Every time Iris acted this way, I felt like I was walking on thin ice. But refusing the princess''s orders wasn¡¯t an option. Doing so might cost me my head in a different way. ¡®More than anything¡­¡¯ I genuinely wanted Iris to sleep peacefully. She was destined to host the soul of the evil Demon Sovereign. The fewer nightmares she had, the better chance there was of preventing possession. ¡®Ending Iris¡¯s nightmares happens in Act 6.¡¯ Until then, I had to ensure she didn¡¯t sumb entirely to her nightmares. ¡®One of the bad endings, the Nightmare Ending.¡¯ In this ending, if Iris fell to her nightmares before Act 6, the world would be swallowed by the Demon Sovereign¡¯s nightmare and meet its end. To prevent this, I needed to carefully manage her nightmares. ¡®In the game, I could see the nightmare percentage.¡¯ But this wasn¡¯t a game anymore. Here, I couldn¡¯t check the percentage visually. ¡®I¡¯ll just have to estimate it myself.¡¯ Even now, Iris¡¯s nightmares continued to progress. I had to keep working to improve her sleep quality. ¡®But this is only a temporary measure.¡¯ Ultimately, it wasn¡¯t a permanent solution. Her nightmares couldn¡¯t be stopped this way. ¡®To truly resolve this¡­¡¯ There was one person who could rece the me of Resolve. I needed to bring them to Zerion Academy. ¡®It¡¯s a steep hill to climb.¡¯ But it was a task I had to aplish. Silently, I steeled myself. "Hannon, you¡¯ve gotten warmer." First, I needed to escape this situation. * * * The Aron Sea to the South. Once an unexplored sea charted during the Age of Exploration by Aron, it¡¯s now a ce of mystery and strange marine creatures, with tales of heroes emerging from its depths. On the Zerion Academy¡¯s private Aron beachfront, Apilos Beach, students were enjoying their summer swims. The beach was a magical ce that revealed the true selves of many. For young students, it was a setting filled with dreamy possibilities. Particrly for teenagers at Apilos Beach, it was a ce of youthful hopes and ambitions. "Uh, hey! Wanna hang out with us?" "Oh, um, I¡¯m not sure..." The beach buzzed with students expressing the innocent charm of their youth. Meanwhile, I stood apart, acting as a porter watching over the luggage. "Why am I so annoyed by this?" On the sandy beach, watching students approach and flirt with each other irritated me for no reason. As I frowned, I heard footsteps approaching. "Why the scary face?" I turned my head at the familiar voice to see peach-colored hair flowing in the breeze. Suddenly, all the students¡¯ eyes turned toward her. Standing before me was a figure with striking beauty¡ªa body shaped to perfection, d in a peach-pink swimsuit adorned with cherry blossoms. It was none other than Hania Rapidedia, the daughter of the Imperial Knight Commander. I almost let out an exmation without realizing it. I¡¯d seen Hania in a swimsuit in illustrations before. But now that it was real, the impact was on a whole different level. And apparently, the others around us felt the same. The gazes flying in from behind were sharp. The jealousy from the men was hotter than the sun by the sea. ¡°This attention feels unpleasant this time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s inevitable.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t wear this for you to see, you know?¡± ¡°But since we¡¯re a couple now, doesn¡¯t that mean you wore it for me to see?¡± ¡°Should we break up?¡± ¡°Sure. Then I¡¯ll go on a hunt too.¡± I decided to leave my luggage and move. ¡°Where are you going?¡± At that moment, another voice reached my ears. A voice tinged with a subtle allure naturally drew my gaze. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w And then, my vision went dark. ¡°What are you trying to look at?¡± It was because Hania had covered my eyes with her hand. ¡°Hania, my eyes have a duty to behold treasures.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll capture it all for you instead.¡± ¡°You two seem to get along really well.¡± I could hear Iris chuckling softly. I could sense Hania grinning at Iris, and I took the opportunity to poke her side. ¡°Eek!¡± Hania flinched as I poked her bare skin and quickly withdrew her hand. Finally, I found myself face-to-face with Iris. She revealed long, slender legs beneath a ck swimsuit. However, she wore a long coat over it and even had a straw hat on. My gaze cooled gradually. Bang! ¡°Are you crazy? Where are you poking?!¡± Then Hania smacked me, and I rolled onto the sandy beach, paying for my sins. ¡°I¡¯m sensitive to sunlight.¡± Iris¡¯s skin was as white as snow. It was only natural for her skin to be vulnerable to the sun. ¡®I figured as much from the start.¡¯ Given how much reality had changed, I thought today might be different. ¡°Come on, Iris, let¡¯s leave this guy behind and enjoy ourselves.¡± Hania pushed Iris towards the beach. Watching them, I gathered my belongings and followed them. ¡®I wonder who will show up in this side story.¡¯ The beach event was a side episode in Act 3. Depending on the impact Lucas had on the heroines, the visitors to the beach would vary. This time, I couldn¡¯t predict who woulde to the beach. And for good reason¡ªLucas, the protagonist, was dead. ¡°Really, after all the trouble we¡¯ve been through, we deserve a break today!¡± ¡°But if I don¡¯t train even a little, I can¡¯t¡­ that man¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s training addiction! Addiction!¡± As I followed Hania and Iris, another familiar voice caught my ears. As I raised my head, thinking no way, I saw a figure with honey-blonde hair being pushed forward by a friend. When I saw her, I blinked. And as she turned to look at me, her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Y-you?¡± Isabel Luna. She was there, wearing a swimsuit in the same color as her hair. Seeing her, I instinctively took in her swimsuit-d figure. Thanks to her recent intense training, her figure was even better than in the illustrations. A short skirt barely covered her toned thighs. Though she was curling up like a small animal, there was no hiding her impressive curves. Isabel radiated a sense of ¡°this is what it means to be a main heroine.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­¡± Of course, she hadn¡¯t expected to run into me, so her face was filled with embarrassment. ¡°Eek!¡± Then, realizing she was exposed, she hastily wrapped her arms around herself. As if that would cover her body. If anything, her actions were more likely to draw attention from men. ¡°What are you staring at?¡± At that moment, someone stepped in to shield Isabel from view. It was Mina, her close friend and a fellow martial artist. ¡°Our Belle is very pretty, but still¡­¡± ¡°M-Mina!¡± Isabel protested from behind, but Mina snorted and stood her ground confidently. I nced briefly at Mina before meeting Isabel¡¯s eyes again. She flinched and shyly hid behind Mina. ¡°I-it¡¯s not like I¡¯m skipping training to be here! Mina begged me toe!¡± Listening to her frantic excuses, I put on a disinterested expression. ¡°Alright, have fun.¡± People need to rx sometimes. If this outing could refresh Isabel¡¯s spirits, I was all for it. ¡°Ah.¡± But for some reason, Isabel suddenly looked as though she were about to crumble. Why was she reacting like this when I just told her to enjoy herself? As I wondered, Isabel lowered her head. Tap, tap¡ª Just as I was about to say something to her, someone tapped me on the back. When I turned around, I felt something cold on my cheek. It was Sharin, poking my cheek with an ice-cream-covered finger. So, she was here too. Dressed in a navy-blue swimsuit, her slender figure was mostly exposed, though she wore a long skirt below her waist. ¡°Hiya, Hannon.¡± ¡°Why are you poking me with an ice-cream-covered finger?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s fun?¡± ¡°Only for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sharin pulled her finger back and licked the ice cream off it with a pop. I couldn¡¯t fathom her reasoning. ¡°Now my cheek is sticky because of you.¡± ¡°Want me to clean it up?¡± Sharin parted her lips slightly, revealing her tongue. ¡°No, thanks.¡± Asking her to clean it would undoubtedly lead to something outrageous. ¡°What a waste of ice cream.¡± Then she shouldn¡¯t have poked me in the first ce. As I wiped my cheek, Mina and Isabel gave me peculiar looks. ¡°...You really are close with Sharin, huh?¡± Mina stared at me in disbelief. I hadn¡¯t exactly left a good impression on her. From her perspective, I wasn¡¯t someone she liked much. So it must¡¯ve been surprising for her to see me getting along with Isabel¡¯s best friend, Sharin. ¡°Sharin¡¯s never acted that way towards any guy before.¡± Mina looked at Sharin, who was still savoring her ice cream. Her expression was hard to read, as always. As Mina tilted her head in confusion, Isabel opened her mouth to speak. ¡°Sharin and you, too¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing, Hannon?¡± Isabel¡¯s words were cut off by the sudden arrival of Hania. Her appearance made everyone freeze. No wonder¡ªall three of them knew that Hania was my girlfriend. ¡°Goodness, Iris is waiting for you, you know.¡± Hania naturally took my hand in hers. The gesture made me momentarily wonder if I really was her boyfriend. But her sharp gaze quickly scanned the three of them. This was a calcted move to leave a stronger impression. What a strategist. But at that moment, for some reason, despite the summer heat, a sudden chill ran down my spine. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 64 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 64: Do Not Hold Yourself Back Over the summer sea. It was me, Hania, and the group consisting of Isabel, Mina, and Sharin facing each other. For some reason, Isabel stared at me with a dazed expression, while Sharin gazed at me with slightly narrower eyes than usual. ¡°Ah, hello, everyone.¡± Hania smiled as if she had only just noticed everyone. At the same time, she gripped my hand a little tighter. Don¡¯t do this. You might end up touching something else. Mina let out a yful exmation. ¡°Hania, when did things between you two get to that point?¡± Even though my girlfriend was right in front of her, Mina casually directed the conversation at me in a friendly manner. Hania and I exchanged nces. ¡°Ah, it was during the Demon Dungeon incident, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s when I confessed.¡± Isabel¡¯s eyes shook violently with every word I spoke. Soon, even I began to feel something was off. ¡°Hannon.¡± It was then that Sharin called my name. She was staring at me intently. ¡°Sharin, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± What don¡¯t I know? Yet, Sharin just kept silently staring at me. ¡°Ah, ha, ha.¡± Mina, sensing the strange atmosphere, gave an awkwardugh. Meanwhile, Hania, still holding my hand, subtly pressured me to leave. For some reason, I couldn¡¯t stand the ufortable atmosphere any longer either. ¡°Well then, we¡¯ll be off.¡± ¡°Have fun, everyone!¡± Hania cheerfully bid them goodbye. After we left their sight, Hania naturally let go of my hand. ¡°We left all our luggage unattended, and you¡¯re out here chatting?¡± ¡°I was just talking to some familiar faces.¡± ¡°From where I was standing, it looked like you were enjoying being surrounded by girls,¡± She retorted, her toneced with sarcasm. I reflexively touched my lips to check if I¡¯d been smiling, but Hania gave me a displeased look. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± Yikes, she¡¯s scary. ¡°It¡¯s just annoying that I have to pretend to be a jealous girlfriend when you¡¯re smiling at other girls.¡± ¡°Do you really have to act that much?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m going to act, I¡¯ll do it properly. I¡¯ll use this opportunity to drive away all the annoying guys.¡± To do so, she was determined to y the role of a girl deeply in love. Her determination is terrifying. If it¡¯s Hania, she could achieve anything. ¡°By the way, Hannon, about those two earlier¡­¡± Hania was about to say something when Iris waved at us from a distance. ¡°Hania, Hannon!¡± Under a parasol, Iris beckoned us over. ¡°Yes, Lady Iris!¡± Hania immediately abandoned the expression she¡¯d been giving me and ran over to Iris with a radiant smile. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s enjoy the beach.¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± I slowly set down my luggage. As I trailed behind them, the image of Isabel¡¯s forlorn, puppy-like expression lingered in my mind. * * * On the surface of the sea. I floatedzily on a tube, letting the waves carry me. In the distance, I could see Iris and Hania sshing water at each other. They had been close friends since childhood. Since they were fine on their own, I didn¡¯t feel the need to join them. It was a rare moment of peace for me. What¡¯s everyone else doing during the break? Seron mentioned she was heading back home. ¡¸Thunder Potato, don¡¯t get too lonely without me, okay?¡¹ Honestly, I hoped she wouldn¡¯te back. Card, too, was going home. His family lived quite far away. Knowing what I did about his family¡¯s situation, I figured he¡¯d have a tough time. ¡¸Hannon, you traitor, getting a girlfriend! But as your senior, I¡¯ll generously buy you something for your first night together.¡¹ I wished this guy would disappear too. Just thinking about those two irritated me. I silently hoped for some disaster to befall them while they were at home. At that moment, I felt something brush against my foot. There was another foot touching mine. I bent down to see what it was and found a pale face looking up at me. ¡°Hannon, hi~.¡± It was Sharin, floating in the water and casually waving her hand. When did she get here? ¡°Let¡¯s talk,¡± She said before vanishing back into the water. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Suddenly, her hand shot up from beneath the tube and pulled me under. Sploosh! Before I could react, I was dragged into the water. As I struggled, I realized I was surrounded by a bubble of breathable air. It was Sharin¡¯s magic¡ªa bubble of air beneath the water. Her hair shimmered beautifully in the underwater light. ¡°Sharin?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°About what? If you want me to buy bread, I¡¯m not doing it.¡± ¡°What do you take me for, a bread fiend?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°First, let me ask: are you really dating Hania?¡± Why does she need to confirm this beforehand? I had shared many secrets with Sharin over time. Considering all she had done to help me, there was no point in hiding this. ¡°No, we¡¯re not. Hania just needed help with something.¡± As I exined, Sharin¡¯s tense expression softened slightly, though she didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°Then let¡¯s get to the point. This is about Isabel.¡± My expression immediately stiffened. Sharin was Isabel''s closest friend. Thus, she was also the most sensitive to Isabel''s changes. Though she had gotten significantly better recently, Isabel had once tried to take her own life after losing Lucas. Since she hadn''t fully ovee the trauma of Lucas''s loss, her heart could easily sway in that direction again. "Speak up." When I showed I was ready to listen, Sharin nced at the surface of the water. It seemed she was looking at Isabel over there. "Lately, Isabel''s behavior has been a bit strange." "Strange, how?" "She seems dazed. Like she can¡¯t focus." "And you think you¡¯re not like that?" The air bubbles around her decreased slightly. If I teased her any further, she might drown. "Since when?" When I redirected the conversation, Sharin wrapped her arm around the hand holding her staff. "Well, um..." Sharin hesitated for a moment. For some reason, she seemed unusually reluctant. "What is it?" Feeling impatient, I urged her a little. Sharin nced at me. "It''s probably since Hannon and Hania started dating." I blinked. Then tilted my head. Why? Why would Isabel be dazed because Hania started dating me? I couldn¡¯t think of anything. "¡­I kind of have a guess, though." Then Sharin offered her theory in her own way. She¡¯s smart. If anyone could figure it out, it would be her. "Maybe Isabel likes Hannon?" A dog barked in the distance. I looked at Sharin intently. But her eyes were serious. "¡­Is that even remotely possible?" "But that¡¯s the kind of reaction you''d expect when the guy you like gets a girlfriend!" "Think about it rationally. How many times have I been harsh to Isabel? Are you saying she¡¯d like a guy like me? That¡¯d make her a serious masochist." "Those weren''t your true feelings, though." I was momentarily at a loss for words. Why is everyone around me so perceptive? Sometimes, having smart people around can be a problem too. "Isabel isn¡¯t an idiot. She probably senses why Hannon is acting this way, even vaguely." Maybe I hadn''t done enough. As I was sinking into self-reproach, Sharin offered an alternative. "But there has to be a trigger, at the very least. Besides¡­" From what I could tell, Isabel¡¯s expression had nothing to do with love. It was¡­ how should I put it? A mixture ofplex emotions that couldn¡¯t be easily defined. "So let''s confirm it this time." "And how do we confirm it?" Was there some kind of magic to peek into people¡¯s hearts? "Just ask her directly." I blinked. When I pointed at Sharin, she shook her head. Then she pointed at me, and Sharin nodded. "¡­Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you asked about love story?" "Do you think Isabel would talk about love stories with me?" Probably not. If it were Sharin, she¡¯d probably absentmindedly spill the story somewhere. "And if she¡¯s not aware of it herself, it¡¯s better to ask directly. That way, you can gauge her reaction and confirm." I let out a deep sigh. No matter how I thought about it, that couldn¡¯t possibly be the case. But then again, I didn¡¯t have any better ideas either. If Isabel really was showing strange symptoms, I had to confirm it. ''Isabel¡¯s awakening episode isn¡¯t far off.'' Until then, I had to take care of Isabel¡¯s mental state as much as possible. "Alright." At the very least, there should be a chance to ask her about the unusual behavior. "So, how are you going to ask?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "I¡¯ll create the right setting." Sharin¡¯s eyes sparkled suspiciously. "A perfect nighttime event where people just spill all kinds of stories." A strange sense of unease began creeping in. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * Summer nights make people emotional. The distant sound of ocean waves. The cries of insects from between the bushes. Beads of sweat slipping through the cors of our clothes. Summer certainly has a way of shaking the human heart. And on such a magical summer night, I found myself in a room with two of the school¡¯s most beautiful girls. Iris, who had spent the day ying to her heart¡¯s content, was lying leisurely on the dormitory bed. With her light summer attire, her skin kept peeking through. Hania was next to her, fanning Iris to keep her cool. Even though there was cooling magic in the room, Hania was still diligently taking care of her. "Iris, as much as I admire you, don¡¯t you think it¡¯d be better if I took a separate room?" I said, looking at Iris in her revealing outfit. She nced at me. "I sleep well when Hannon is next to me." "Hannon, just listen to Iris." Was she nning to cuddle me to sleep again today? I wish she¡¯d consider how it felt to be the one getting hugged to sleep. The scent of Iris¡¯s roses was already making me feel dizzy. ¡®I need to figure this out soon.¡¯ At this rate, she might start visiting me at the dorm, saying she couldn¡¯t sleep there either. But thanks to this situation, I came to a realization. ¡®I can finally be sure of which emotion the bandages of the veil have suppressed.¡¯ Iris is one of the most beautiful women in the empire. Even though she had hugged me multiple times¡­ My heart waspletely calm. Just like how being hugged by a man might feel unpleasant but not evoke much emotion, being hugged by a woman felt pleasant but didn¡¯t evoke any deeper thoughts. To put it precisely, all sexual feelings had beenpletely suppressed in me. ¡®So, the emotion the veil bandages took from me was love, just like Lucas.¡¯ Perhaps Iris freely hugged me because I showed no sexual interest in her at all. Iris, with her sensitive intuition, would have undoubtedly noticed if I had even the slightest of such feelings. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because I never had this emotion in the first ce.¡¯ Having lost one emotion, I didn¡¯t feel any regret at all. If anything, it made it easier to approach situations objectively. ¡®So this is what it is.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t much different from saying I was perpetually in a state of detachment. ¡®No, wait. Maybe it¡¯s more dangerous than I thought.¡¯ At the moment, I didn¡¯t feel like there was a problem. But the erosion of emotions must be affecting something somewhere. ¡®Maybe this is also because of the influence of the Veil Bandages.¡¯ The feeling of losing my emotions seemed natural, something to be expected. Realizing that, I could admit¡ªit was dangerous. ¡®Love.¡¯ It isn¡¯t something limited to people or others. Love includes things like animals, favorite activities, and hobbies. And beyond that, ¡®Myself.¡¯ I looked down at my hands. Recently, as the feelings of love faded, I found myself caring less about my own well-being. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t act when situations were dangerous. I used whatever means necessary. But underlying those actions was a tendency to recklessly push myself. ...Now that I¡¯ve realized it, this might be more dangerous than I thought. When my love ispletely worn away, and I can no longer even love myself¡ª What kind of choice will I make then? ¡°Hannon?¡± Iris called out to me, tilting her head as she leaned closer. She must have noticed I was deep in thought, her expression filled with curiosity. ¡°Are you okay? You look tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°How could he be tired when Iris is holding him so warmly? If anything, he must feel rejuvenated.¡± Hania grumbled jealously, ring at me with irritation. She was never one to hide her jealousy when it came to Iris. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. In any case, thanks to Iris and Hania being with me, there wasn¡¯t much to worry about. For now, ¡®But more importantly¡ª¡¯ I was concerned about this ¡°nighttime event¡± that Sharin had mentioned. That girl is so unpredictable. I couldn¡¯t help but worry about what kind of trouble she might cause. When I looked outside, the sky had already turned pitch ck. The summer night breeze tapped against the window. Knock-knock¡ª Then came a knock at the door. ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± Instead of Hania, who was about to set down her fan, I got up from my seat. When I opened the door¡ªjust as I expected¡ªit was Sharin. The problem was, an unexpected smell wafted off of her. Without thinking, I covered my nose. ¡°Sharin, are you¡­¡± It was the smell of alcohol. Closing the door behind me, I stepped outside. ¡°This ¡®nighttime event¡¯¡ªwas this what you meant?¡± ¡°When you drink, anything can happen~!¡± In contrast to reality, in me Butterfly, drinking isn¡¯t a problem for anyone over 15. So it wasn¡¯t strange for Sharin to be drinking. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine Isabel drinking, though.¡± ¡°Mina persuaded her.¡± For some reason, Mina always seems to bring out the worst in people. ¡°And Belle has been under constant pressure, you know.¡± Now that she had a chance to rest, it seemed she had leaned on alcohol forfort too. ¡°She seemed to be doing better recently, though.¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks to you, Hannon.¡± All my efforts seem to have paid off. ¡°Even so, Belle still hasn¡¯t escaped Lucas¡¯s shadow.¡± Sharin¡¯s expression darkened. Lucas had been her friend too. Though not as close as he was to Isabel, Lucas¡¯s death had been just as shocking to her. ¡°Belle admired Lucas. He was the kind of person who seemed capable of anything.¡± When someone you admirees back as a cold corpse, the shock is indescribable. ¡°Maybe Belle is projecting Lucas onto you, Hannon.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I have much inmon with Lucas.¡± ¡°The part where you seem like you can do anything.¡± Sharin¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s a simrity, isn¡¯t it?¡± Her smile reflected all the crazy things I¡¯d done so far. ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone who consistently pulls off as many unexpected stunts as you, Hannon.¡± Well, I¡¯ve been desperate enough to resort to any means, so there¡¯s that. ¡°So, it¡¯s not strange that Isabel would see Lucas in you.¡± Sharin was unusually talkative tonight. Then I noticed the redness creeping up her ears. ¡®This girl¡ª¡¯ She¡¯s drunk. No wonder she was rambling. Her face was perfectly fine, so I hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡®Well, to get Isabel to drink¡ª¡¯ Sharin probably had to drink alongside her too. ¡®Looking at her now, I can tell how much Sharin really cares for Isabel.¡¯ Sharin wished for nothing more than for Isabel to stop hurting and to live as her true self. That¡¯s why she¡¯d asked me to provoke Isabel¡¯s anger when we first met. And today, she even drank with her to bring out her true feelings. ¡°Sharin.¡± Sharin¡¯s unfocused eyes met mine. ¡°Isabel is lucky to have a friend like you.¡± Perhaps Sharin felt guilty for not being able to support Isabel enough after losing Lucas. Hearing my words, Sharin let out augh. It was the clearestugh I¡¯d ever heard from her. ¡°Hannon, I¡­¡± She suddenly covered her mouth. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m gonna puke.¡± So all that talking was just herst effort before throwing up, huh? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 65 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 65: The Main Heroine''s Love and Hate I quickly ran to Sharin¡¯s side and supported her, leading her to the nearest restroom. ¡°I should probably get her some water.¡± Judging by her state, she didn¡¯t seem to know her drinking limits. She was bound to regret it with a hangover tomorrow. I went downstairs to the lodging¡¯s lower floor to fetch some water. Just as I grabbed a bottle of water stored under a freezing spell, I noticed a familiar face. ¡°Oh.¡± The person recognized me too and let out a short exmation. Her honey-blonde hair framed her slightly flushed cheeks. A sweet scent of alcohol wafted from her, tickling my nose. As Sharin had mentioned earlier, Isabel seemed to have had quite a bit to drink. ¡®At least she looks moreposed than Sharin.¡¯ At that moment, Isabel covered her face with her hands. ¡°Oh, I-I only drank because it fit the mood.¡± She looked flustered, and her reaction gave me an odd feeling. ¡®This isn¡¯t really about affection, is it?¡¯ I suspected it was something else entirely. ¡°Isabel.¡± When I tossed her the bottle of water, Isabel caught it in her hands. ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a bit.¡± ¡°Huh? Wha¡ª?¡± Isabel widened her eyes in surprise, likely not expecting me to initiate a conversation. ¡°But first.¡± I pointed upward. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with the drunkard first and get her to her room.¡± We had to settle Sharin, who had turned into a dolphin in the restroom. * * * After safely escorting Sharin to her room, I stepped out to the terrace of the lodging with Isabel. The summer night was alive with the sounds of insects chirping. In the distance, the blue ocean glittered under the starlight. Swish¡ª The sound of waves carried on the breeze calmed my mind. Taking in the sight of the sea, I turned my gaze to Isabel. There she was, seemingly sobered up a bit, enjoying the summer breeze. Dressed casually with a cardigan draped over her, she looked as picturesque as a painting. As expected of the main heroine, her beauty was striking. But Isabel avoided meeting my eyes. Or rather, she was intentionally looking away. I watched her quietly before speaking. ¡°Isabel.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Her reply came a beat toote. After a moment of silence, I asked, ¡°Why do you keep watching my reactions?¡± Isabel¡¯s shoulders flinched. She wrapped her hands around her arms¡ªa defensive gesture people often make without realizing. ¡°...Watching your reactions? Who, me?¡± ¡°Even just today. At the beach, while drinking, and afterward.¡± Her lips moved as if to speak but stopped. Embarrassed that I had noticed everything, her face turned as red as a tomato. I leaned against the terrace railing and looked at her. ¡°Tell me. If there¡¯s a reason, I¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°...¡± Normally, she might have walked away, but thanks to the alcohol, Isabel stayed. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, words struggling toe out. Finally, she managed to speak, though faintly. ¡°...I don¡¯t want to disappoint you.¡± Disappoint me? I looked at her curiously, puzzled by her words. Isabel, her face redder than before, turned her head away. The night breeze blew again, scattering golden strands of hair like the Milky Way across the sky. The scent of the sea tickled my nose, mingled with Isabel¡¯s sweet fragrance and the faint trace of alcohol. ¡°...To be honest, I used to think of you as my rival.¡± She was confirming what I had already suspected. ¡°I hate how you criticize Lucas, but I¡¯ve always respected your determination. Honestly, I sometimes wished I could move forward like you.¡± Alcohol has a way of loosening lips and revealing truths. ¡°But now, being here, ying with the kids, I started wondering if this is okay.¡± Isabel gave a bitter smile. It was a kind of guilt. Isabel survived and lived because she became my rival. Rxing and ying around didn¡¯t sit well with her conscience. ¡°What a pointless worry.¡± I dismissed it outright. Isabel looked at me, somewhat irked. ¡°I¡¯m here rxing just like you, aren¡¯t I?¡± She blinked. While Isabel was resting, so was I, here at the same resort. ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°...But I¡¯m falling behind.¡± ¡°Even if you trained all day, you wouldn¡¯t catch up to me.¡± Not that I particrly thought I was ahead¡ªit was just how Isabel perceived it. ¡°Isabel, people need to rest sometimes. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in your mind, but don¡¯t you think taking a moment to reflect on the path you¡¯re walking is worthwhile?¡± ¡°...¡± As she mulled over my words, Isabel suddenly let out a smallugh. When I frowned, she waved her hands apologetically. ¡°No, it¡¯s just... You¡¯ve never been this kind to me before.¡± ¡°...I only said it because watching you overthink is irritating.¡± ¡°Right, right, of course.¡± With that, Isabel turned back to gaze at the night sea. ¡°...Well, you are dating Hania, so I guess I¡¯ll just have to close the gap during that time.¡± Her alcohol-tinged smile wasced with bitterness and loneliness. ¡°Sorry to disappoint, but that¡¯s not going to happen.¡± I decided to break her assumption. ¡°My rtionship with Hania is fake.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a situation. Do you really think Hania and I are actually dating?¡± Others might misunderstand, but it seemed better to rify things for Isabel. If she had her sights set on me, then I needed to be a goal so high she couldn¡¯t possibly reach me. That way, we could maintain a rivalry moving forward. "Above all, I have no intention of dating anyone." After all, I wasn¡¯t truly Hannon. The idea of dating someone in this form felt deeply disrespectful. Isabel blinked herrge, luminous eyes. Then, after a brief silence, she smiled faintly for some reason. "Ah, I see." It was a smile that, oddly enough, seemed to carry a sense of relief. My eyes widened slowly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Unconsciously, I opened my mouth, then closed it again. ¡®This¡­¡¯ To someone like Sharin, it might appear as love at first nce. Isabel had been in an unstable emotional state, brought on by losing Lucas, the person she relied on. I had filled that void with anger and resentment. Isabel had clung to that anger and resentment to get through half a semester. And in the process, she leaned on me, the very object of that anger and resentment. It was as if my idea of bing a moon to rece the sun that was Lucas had hit the mark. "Still, you¡­" But at this point, something unexpected happened. There¡¯s a word: love-hate. A state of having both affection and hatred for someone at the same time. It illustrates how surprisingly thin the line between love and hate can be. Someone filled with affection for another could one day harbor hatred. Conversely, someone filled with hatred might one day harbor affection. "You seem like someone who wouldn¡¯t leave and would always stay by my side." Emotions, after all, areplex. "Oh, I mean staying by my side in the sense of acknowledging me, you know." Isabel had no choice but to lean on me emotionally. Even if those feelings were built on the terrible foundation of anger and resentment, she had to lean on me to survive. And in the process, I had be deeply embedded in Isabel¡¯s heart. ¡®The inherent possessiveness and desire for exclusivity in people.¡¯ Even the feelings that should have been directed at Lucas had, at some point, shifted toward me. ¡®So, this is what Sharin meant when she said Isabel sees me as ovepping with Lucas.¡¯ Isabel wasn¡¯t healed yet. She was merely enduring by seeing Lucas in me. If I were to leave her disappointed and abandon her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the sense of loss again. So, she had been desperately holding on until now. ¡®When she heard that Hania and I might be dating.¡¯ The anxiety Sharin sensed in Isabel wasn¡¯t jealousy. Whether as a lover or anything else, her fear was that I might lose interest in her and leave. ¡®That day, when the Card jokingly asked her about rtionships and she flew into a rage.¡¯ It might have been her subconscious emotions surfacing. Isabel¡¯s gaze met mine once more. Her eyes wereughing brightly. "I feel like I¡¯m talking too much today. Must be because I¡¯m a little drunk, so don¡¯t take it too seriously." Was that smile truly bright?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om I felt as though there was no light in her eyes. Still, there wasn¡¯t a clear way to resolve things with Isabel right now. Was this really the right path? Her smile was so bright that it made me wonder. When she finally realizes I¡¯m not Lucas, will she be able to endure it? I didn¡¯t know. Whoosh¡ª The sound of the waves on the night sea echoed in my doubts. * * * The lingering image of Isabel¡¯s smile kept me up all night. ¡°Yawnnn¡­¡± Groggy with exhaustion, I sat up slowly. As I did, Iris¡¯s arm, which had been draped around me as she slept, slid off gently. I tucked her in carefully to make sure she wouldn¡¯t get cold and quietly left the room. On the other bed, Hania was sleeping with a face full of resentment. Judging by her expression, she must¡¯ve been bitter about losing the spot next to Iris. I wondered if Hania might stab me out of jealousy someday. Stepping outside, I was greeted by the crisp morning air. As part of my daily routine, I lightly stretched my body and started running. Skipping a day of running now left me feeling unsettled. As I ran along the coastline, I noticed a few others jogging too. Well, it made sense. The people here were students of Zerion Academy. They were all used to training as part of their lifestyle. ¡®This feels refreshing.¡¯ A morning run always helped clear my mind. Even the frustration from my conversation with Isabelst night seemed to ease a bit. Tap, tap¡ªtap. Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps keeping pace beside me. Someone else who had been jogging in the morning had caught up with me. Impressed by their energy, I stepped slightly to the side to give way. However, instead of passing, they continued to run alongside me. Realizing this, I turned my head with a hint of curiosity. There, I saw a boy with short ck hair. Seeing his face, my eyes slowly widened. "Hello, this is the first time we¡¯ve met in person, isn¡¯t it?" He smiled faintly as our eyes met. Damn it. ¡®I¡¯d figured someone from the First Prince¡¯s faction would be sent.¡¯ But I hadn¡¯t expected this guy to show up. The person running alongside me was none other than Hannon Irey. Not me, but the real Hannon Irey. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 66 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 66: The Real Hannon Appears On a summer vacation beach path, I was sprinting alongside a boy¡ª A boy who looked exactly like me. ¡°Seeing you up close, it¡¯s incredible. You really look just like me.¡± The real Hannon smiled at me, amazed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard all kinds of rumors about myself. They call me Lightning Bastard, don¡¯t they?¡± I froze for a moment. Well, that was... awkward. After all, I had ruined his reputation to some extent. ¡°Pfft, don¡¯t worry about it. I honestly don¡¯t care what people call me. In fact, it¡¯s been entertaining seeing people get emotionally invested in your exploits. That¡¯s why...¡± Hannon¡¯s crimson eyes stared straight into mine. ¡°I¡¯m dying to know who you really are.¡± With that, Hannon began to pick up speed. Realizing his intent, I narrowed my eyes sharply. I reached out, trying to grab him. But Hannon, with his absurdly agile body, easily dodged my grasp. Damn it, this guy¡¯s dodge skill is maxed out! Hannon¡¯s unique trait is [Evasion]. He can dodge even magical attacks with his insane reflexes. Even I can''t catch him easily if he sets his mind to it. ¡°So, I¡¯ll just find out for myself! For today, I¡¯m going to live your life!¡± ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Before I could finish, Hannon dashed into a group of children training in the morning. Chasing him into that crowd would onlyplicate things. ¡°Damn it.¡± Left with no choice, I turned away and headed into the bushes. I unwrapped the Veil Bandages. My original face was revealed. Wrapping the bandages back, my face quickly changed. Soon, I transformed into someone who could blend in anywhere in this world. This was the face from my original world. With this look, I wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble no matter who saw me. I quickly donned the uniform of a beach worker and sprinted off. While I was changing the bandages, Hannon had disappeared in the blink of an eye. He hadn¡¯t invested in agility for nothing. The guy was lightning fast. ¡®Hannon¡¯s definitely going to figure out what I¡¯ve been up to.¡¯ Since he said he wanted to live my life for a day, he would undoubtedly seek out the people I¡¯ve been involved with. In Aron Sea, I¡¯m closely tied to four individuals: Isabel, Sharin, Hania, and Iris. ¡®It won¡¯t be Iris.¡¯ Hannon isn¡¯t careless enough to do something reckless. Approaching Iris would be unpredictable and potentially dangerous. Besides, Hannon harbors a subtle fear of Iris. ¡®Then it won¡¯t be Hania either.¡¯ Hania stays by Iris¡¯s side all day. Naturally, she¡¯s out of the question. ¡®That leaves¡­¡¯ Isabel and Sharin. My steps quickly carried me toward the rooms where they were staying. I arrived at their door, taking a light breath. Hannon was nowhere to be seen nearby. In fact, the area was eerily quiet. That made it all the more unsettling. Like the calm before a storm. Tense, I raised my hand. Knock knock. I knocked twice. ¡°Yes?¡± A familiar voice answered from inside, followed by the sound of footsteps. The door creaked open, revealing someone I knew. It was Mina, Isabel¡¯s friend. She tilted her head as she saw me in the staff uniform. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Hannon wasn¡¯t inside. If he were, Mina wouldn¡¯t be this calm. ¡°There¡¯s a message for Sharin Sazaris. It¡¯s from the Blue Tower.¡± ¡°The Blue Tower?¡± Mina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± She dashed inside, and I heard her wake someone up. ¡°Rin, Sharin! There¡¯s a message from the Blue Tower! Get up!¡± ¡°Ughhh...¡± Sharin, who wasn¡¯t a morning person, was dragged out by Mina. Still groggy, she stared nkly at me. Judging by her face, she didn¡¯t seem hungover. Then again, she¡¯d thrown up everythingst night, so that was expected. After staring at me for a while, Sharin tilted her head. ¡°...Huh?¡± Through her Mirinae ability, she could see through the Veil Bandages. She wouldn¡¯t be able to see my actual face, but she¡¯d know it was me. And Sharin, being sharp, would realize something had happened. After looking at me briefly, she rubbed her eyes and turned back inside. ¡°Wait a sec.¡± She must¡¯ve gone to change her clothes. With her help, even Hannon with his maxed-out dodge skill wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. ¡°Sharin, don¡¯t fall asleep while changing!¡± ...Right? £ª£ª£ª Thanks to Mina¡¯s assistance, Sharin eventually came out in fresh clothes, looking drowsy. ¡°So, is that your real face?¡± It was my real face, but... ¡°Fake.¡± In this world, I was Vikamon. So, it was a fake face. Sharin gazed at me with a hint of disappointment, then leaned her head against the wall. She still looked half-asleep. ¡°So, what brings you here so early in the morning?¡± She asked with azy smile. ¡°Real Hannon Irey has shown up.¡± Sharin¡¯s gaze sharpened slightly. She knew I had a reason for taking on this disguise. ¡°So, what now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I need to catch him.¡± I have no idea what Hannon is nning to do. So we need to catch him first. ¡°Is Isabel not inside?¡± ¡°Belle¡¯s diligent; she¡¯s probably off training.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s certain Hannon headed in Isabel¡¯s direction.¡± I let out a sigh and turned around. There aren¡¯t many ces suitable for training around Aronae. If we search, we¡¯ll find her. ¡°Sharin, help me catch Hannon.¡± Sharin stepped closer to me as I spoke, grabbed my cor firmly, and grinned. ¡°Caught youuu.¡± I wanted to flick her forehead, but she was a little too cute, so I let it slide. ¡°As long as we catch him, right?¡± ¡°You can scold him while you¡¯re at it.¡± ¡°That sounds fun.¡± Sharin¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. That guaranteed Hannon would be caught. Wait for it, Hannon. The fake Hannon ising for you. £ª£ª£ª On a seaside path a little ways from Aron beach. A woman walked along a trail connected to a nearby beach park. The wind blew, sending her honey-blonde hair fluttering. Her name was Isabel Luna. A student of Zerion Academy. After finishing her morning run, she often strolled along the coastal paths like this. Her gaze wandered over the crashing waves. The salty scent of the sea wasn¡¯t particrly pleasant to her, [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w but it gave off a summery feeling, so she didn¡¯t mind. However, that didn¡¯t change the fact that Isabel¡¯s emotions were heavy. Ever since experiencing Lucas¡¯s death, she often felt this way when left alone. Still, she had improved over time. In the beginning, her mood sank so low that she felt utterly drained. It was like sinking to the ocean floor with a massive weight tied to her, unable to escape, barely able to breathe through the suffocating heaviness. That dreadful sensation had lessened considerably now. She felt like she could at least lift her head above water. ¡®...Am I forgetting Lucas?¡¯ They say time heals all wounds. Isabel could never truly understand that saying, but recently, she found it wasn¡¯t entirely false. Lucas had been her most precious friend. As fellow border nobles, they had grown up together, and she had always thought they would remain that way. ¡®Lucas was¡­¡¯ To Isabel, he was more than a friend; he was family. There had been a pivotal moment when Lucas became like family to her. In her childhood, Isabel had an older brother, a year her senior, mischievous but always looking out for her. But one day, misfortune struck when her brother was involved in a carriage ident. Though he survived initially, his injuries weakened him over time, and he eventually passed away. Her mother, devastated by the loss of her eldest son, cried daily. Her father, consumed withforting her mother, couldn¡¯t spare much attention for Isabel. Amid their sorrow, neither parent had the presence of mind to care for Isabel¡¯s grief. At that time, it was Lucas who looked after her.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡®I must have relied on Lucas to cope with the shock of losing my brother.¡¯ And in losing Lucas, she had paid another price for that reliance. Unlike her childhood, Isabel was too grown-up now. She could no longer lean on others. ¡®No.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t unable to lean on others. She was afraid to. After losing those she had depended on, shecked the courage to rely on anyone else. So Isabel crumbled, walking a path toward death alongside her brother and Lucas. ¡®Yet¡­¡¯ Her gaze returned to the ocean. It¡¯s said that those who have decided to end their lives see the world devoid of color. No matter what they look at, everything appears gray, and they can¡¯t perceive the beauty of the world. But the sea Isabel saw glimmered with an emerald glow, its beauty striking. It was as if the ocean spoke to her. Live. ¡°¡­¡± Who was it that allowed her to remain here now? Isabel stared nkly at the ocean. She didn¡¯t even need to wonder. A single person¡¯s face already filled her mind. ¡®As long as she¡¯s this fired up, you won¡¯t think about dying.¡¯ She recalled what Hannon had said that day, arguing with her friends. ¡¸Isn¡¯t what you¡¯re doing now the most disgraceful thing you could do to your friend?¡¹ She remembered the day on the ramparts when Hannon corrected her misguided path. ¡¸Well, I suppose we¡¯ll have to see whose argument holds up in the end.¡¹ Those words sounded as if he were promising to stay by her side, no matter what. ¡¸And I¡¯m not interested in dating anyone, anyway.¡¹ Last night. His rambling in a drunken state reyed in her mind. And in the process, she had inadvertently exposed parts of her own heart. It was embarrassing, even if she¡¯d been tipsy. But. Because of it, she realized. ¡®...I thought I couldn¡¯t rely on anyone anymore.¡¯ Yet here she was, repeating the same pattern. Her heart ached, as if crushed under a weight. It was unmistakably fear. A fear that had burrowed deep after losing two cherished people. A fear of losing again. She knew this reliance was dangerous, but she had no idea how to let it go. ¡°Lucas.¡± She murmured his name softly. ¡°Am I broken?¡± On the day her brother died, maybe she had lost a vital piece of herself. At that moment. ¡°Isabel.¡± A familiar voice reached her ears. Her eyes widened at once. The weight of fear vanished, and her face brightened without her even realizing. The shift in her emotions was so rapid it caught her off guard. ¡°You¡­¡± Just as she was about to call out to him as usual, she froze. Standing there was a boy with jet-ck hair and crimson eyes. His face was undeniably familiar. But Isabel¡¯s bright gaze turned cold in an instant. ¡°Who are you?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 67 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 67: The Heroine Approaches the Truth Aaron Sea Promenade. ¡°Who are you?¡± Isabel¡¯s low voice resonated through the air. In front of her stood a boy. The boy, who was short for his age, blinked at Isabel as he faced her. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®who¡¯? I¡¯m Hannon.¡± Hannon looked at Isabel with a confused expression. However, a sharp tension radiated from Isabel. ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± Isabel red at him with a serious expression. Hannon awkwardly scratched the back of his neck in response. ¡°Well, this is strange. I am Hannon, but you¡¯re saying I¡¯m not? Odd.¡± Hannon let out a chuckle, seemingly exasperated at being dismissed as fake despite stating his real name. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s assume that¡¯s true.¡± Hannon smirkedzily as he looked at Isabel. ¡°How did you figure it out?¡± All he had done since arriving was call out to Isabel. Yet Isabel had immediately noticed that he wasn¡¯t the person she knew. To Hannon, this was utterly fascinating. After all, outwardly, he looked exactly like the real Hannon. ¡°That person doesn¡¯t make expressions like that.¡± ¡°Expressions, huh.¡± Hannon touched his own face. Even the smallest change in expression could alter the impression it gave. While the face might be the same, time left its mark. Isabel could see through that difference with precision. ¡°From the beginning, your gaze was off. Do you think he would ever look at me with such a mocking expression?¡± To Isabel, the Hannon she knew was always a serious person. Although he asionally acted with exaggerated gestures, he was fundamentally upright and considerate of others. He would never disy such frivolous behavior as the person before her. ¡°Besides, even your posture is different.¡± Unlike the real Hannon, who always stood with a straight back and exuded confidence, the Hannon in front of her was slouching with one legzily supporting his weight. After hearing all this, Hannon was impressed. ¡°Wow, I see now. It¡¯s not easy to impersonate someone else. I¡¯ve learned something.¡± He acknowledged his mistake. ¡°Still, even considering that, your observational skills are... unusual. What¡¯s your rtionship with him, anyway?¡± Her rtionship? Hearing this, Isabel fell silent. If someone asked what her rtionship with Hannon was, she couldn¡¯t neatly define it herself. To some extent, she considered him a rival. But apart from that, she found herself emotionally relying on him more and more. It was aplicated feeling Isabel couldn¡¯t easily articte. ¡°Are you secretly in love with him or something?¡± Hannon asked with a yful grin. In love. As soon as Isabel heard those words, she felt a heavy weight press deep inside her chest. ¡°...No.¡± Isabelughed bitterly at herself. ¡°It¡¯s not something as beautiful as that.¡± Whoosh¡ª A sea breeze blew past Isabel. Perhaps due to the shadows cast by the trees under the sun, her eyes seemed to hold no light. ¡°Complicated, huh.¡± Hannon couldn¡¯t grasp Isabel¡¯s emotions. He could only sense that the depth of her feelings was immense. This wasn¡¯t something he should meddle in. Hannon decided to stop teasing her. Instead, he resolved to extract the information he sought. ¡°Then, tell me. Before he showed up, did anyone get involved with you? Like someone who dered they¡¯d help you.¡± ¡°...What do you mean?¡± Isabel looked at Hannon with a face full of confusion. ¡°There¡¯s no way he came to the academy without a purpose. And yet, the very first thing he did was sh with you.¡± Hannon pieced together his reasoning based on the information he¡¯d gathered. Hearing his question, Isabel stood still without answering. But her eyes wavered. Because, deep down, she had thought something simr herself. That man constantly insulted Lucas and provoked her. It was as if he was deliberately trying to stir her anger. At first, she shed with him without hesitation, driven by her indignation over Lucas being insulted. But over time, as she observed him more, Isabel began to see him differently. He wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would carelessly disparage others. In fact, he shared many traits with Lucas. It didn¡¯t make sense for someone like him to insult Lucas. But¡ª if, just maybe¡ª he insulted Lucas to save her? When Lucas was insulted, Isabel found the anger to climb out of despair. She wed her way out of the depths of hopelessness. Insulting Lucas was the only thing that could provoke her enough to act. Even Isabel herself couldn¡¯t deny that truth. So who was it that insulted Lucas? ¡®It was him.¡¯ And who was it that stayed by her side when she crumbled and helped her rise again? ¡®It was him.¡¯ Isabel¡¯s pupils quivered violently. At the same time, memories from the day before resurfaced. The moment she learned he was dating Hania, fear erupted in her heart. Like her brother and Lucas before him, he might leave her forever. He might never give her another thought. That thought alone engulfed her in an indescribable terror. Possessiveness and obsession. Another form of separation anxiety. And yet, once again, he appeared before her and reassured her. Thump¡ª Isabel felt a pounding sensation in her chest. She couldn¡¯t yet fully understand what it was. But one thing was certain: every time she was about to fall, he helped her stand again. Isabel¡¯s lips opened and closed repeatedly. If all of this was true¡ª ¡®Why?¡¯ Why was he trying so hard to help her stand? Isabel had never seen Hannon before their second year, first semester. She had no prior connection to him. Why would someone who seemingly had no ties to her recognize her state the moment he saw her and insult Lucas for her sake? ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯ Even if it was a series of coincidences, there were too many peculiarities in his actions. ¡®More than that, he seemed familiar with Zerion Academy from the start.¡¯ From his very first day at the academy, he moved as if he already knew everything about it. That wasn¡¯t all. He also seemed to know an unusual amount about the second-year students. Knowing that much was impossible unless he had deliberately investigated them beforehand. Someone who knew Zerion Academy well and had researched the second-year students¡ª Isabel raised her head. Her gaze met Hannon¡¯s once more. Hannon had insisted he was the real Hannon. While she didn¡¯t believe him immediately, there had always been gaps in her thoughts. But if Hannon wasn¡¯t really Hannon¡ª if he had been a fake from the beginning¡ª those gaps would suddenly make sense. As that realization struck, Isabel¡¯s pupils widened. Hannon responded with a sly grin. Then who was he, really? ¡®¡­Someone who knows me?¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w And someone who woulde all the way to the academy to save her? Isabel¡¯s lips moved slightly. But she refrained from jumping to conclusions. There was no guarantee that Hannon¡¯s words were entirely truthful. It could just be a story he made up to confuse her. So Isabel brushed away the various questions that arose in her mind for now. "I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re saying such things." Isabel slowly drew the sword she had brought for training. The de gleamed ominously in the sunlight, as if to announce it was a real weapon. "I have no intention of entertaining nonsense any longer." Whether Hannon¡¯s words were true or not, his appearance was bound to trouble that person. The truth could be questioned after capturing Hannon. "Oh, how scary." He didn¡¯t look scared at all. With a slightly irritated expression, Isabel immediatelyunched herself off the ground. The distance between Isabel and Hannon closed in an instant. She reversed her grip on the sword and swung it toward him without a trace of hesitation. The aim was to strike his chin with the t of the de and knock him out cold. Just before her sword could connect, Hannon bent backward with incredible flexibility, avoiding the strikepletely. She had expected him to dodge. Without stopping, Isabel pursued Hannon and swung her sword again. However, Hannon avoided all of her sessive attacks. ¡®What kind of movements are these?¡¯ Hannon disyed acrobatics that resembled a circus performance, dodging with reflexes and flexibility that seemed superhuman. He was quick¡ª it felt like fighting a squirrel. Her previous opponent trusted his physical strength and engaged in brutal, forceful shes. In contrast, Hannon showed no intention of taking even a single hit. The two fought inpletely different ways. Hannon performed multiple flips andnded lightly back in ce. "100 points!" That casual behavior was annoyingly smug. But Isabel acknowledged it. This wouldn¡¯t work unless she gave it her all. "Calm down now, I don¡¯t intend to fight. I just came to ask something out of curiosity." "After provoking me like that, you expect me to believe you?" "Provoking? I was just trying to make friends!" Isabel decided there was no point in continuing the conversation. She steadied her breath. A different aura began to emanate from her than before. Seeing this, Hannon tilted his head slightly, then made a decision. "Alright, I have something to do, so I¡¯ll take my leave now." With those words, Hannon turned and ran without hesitation. Isabel immediately pursued him, but the distance between them widened in an instant. Hannon¡¯s speed was so great that his running feet became almost invisible. "What...?" Isabel stood there momentarily stunned. No matter how fast someone was, this was too much.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She wondered if such speed was even possible for human legs. "What is going on here?" She pushed herplicated thoughts aside, sheathed her sword, and started running. * * * On the beach promenade, Hannon kicked up dust as he ran at an astonishing speed. Even at this pace, he showed no signs of fatigue, stretching his legs out further as he ran. ¡®I originally nned to trick her and get some information.¡¯ He didn¡¯t expect his identity to be discovered so quickly. He had chosen the wrong first opponent¡ªseverely wrong. ¡®Who should I approach next?¡¯ There was the daughter of the Blue Tower Master. As he thought of meeting her, Hannon noticed the light above him suddenly brightening. When he looked up, rays of light were pouring down from the sky. "Oh." Hannon let out a sound of surprise and immediately changed direction. The spot where he had just been standing was struck by a beam of light. Boom! The light beam tore through the promenade. As soon as Hannon witnessed its power, he increased his running speed even further. Dodging each beam of light in a zigzag pattern, Hannon¡¯s eyes locked on to the sky. There, holding a staff and floating gracefully in the air, was a girl. Sharin Sazaris. The daughter of the Blue Tower Master. "Looks like my identity is already known to her." He should have gone to her from the start. Feeling a twinge of regret, Hannon veered toward the forest. The forest had plenty of cover. Sniping from above would be difficult there. Sure enough, Sharin¡¯s sniper magic ceased. Hannon ran freely deeper into the forest. ¡®Isabel, Sharin¡­ both of them.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand why Zerion Academy was so violent. As much as he regretted not getting more information, with the Blue Tower Master¡¯s daughter chasing him, he couldn¡¯t afford to dig further. Just as Hannon decided to escape, a tree beside him was pierced through, and a hand suddenly shot out. "What the¡ª?" Could someone actually pierce a tree with their bare hand? For a moment, Hannon wore a nk expression. And beyond the broken tree, a man with sharp eyes red at him. Crunch! Hannon was grabbed by the nape and dragged along with the shattered tree. It was toote to escape. His body was hurled straight down, plummeting vertically. "Ugh!" As Hannon hit the ground, his arms and legs stretched upward and then went limp. The man standing over Hannon¡ª Vikamon¡ªcracked his neck. "Gotcha." Vikamon exhaled deeply. "I understand your position, and I apologize for using violence. But there was no other way to catch you." "Too bad. I wasn¡¯t done having fun yet." Despite the impact, Hannon smiled, seemingly enjoying himself no matter what Vikamon did. Clicking his tongue briefly, Vikamon replied, "Sorry, but business hours are over." It was now time to clock out. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 68 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 68: Above the Frozen Ancient Dragon Near the forest by the Aaron Promenade coastline. I barely managed to corner Hannon using Sharin. This max-level escape artist wouldn¡¯t have been caught any other way. ¡®From his perspective, I must seem like the unreasonable one here.¡¯ I had stolen his identity and run wild at Zerion Academy. To Hannon, I was the person who tarnished his reputation. I felt sorry for Hannon. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that letting him rampage like this was a problem. I had to live as Hannon until I graduated from Zerion Academy. So, if possible, I wanted toe to some sort of agreement with him. ¡°Is that your real face?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fake.¡± Hannon, pinned beneath me,ughed slyly and asked me the same question Sharin had. My face was currently the face of someone who didn¡¯t exist in this world¡ª A fake. ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± Hannon didn¡¯t seem to care at all that I had been using his identity without permission. He looked like someone who had already abandoned worldly concerns and dedicated his life to chasing ruins and legends across the globe. ¡°I apologize for using your identity without permission. But your goals and mine aren¡¯t all that different.¡± I sighed while keeping him pinned. ¡°So, let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°In this position?¡± Hannon iled his arms in protest at being restrained. ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯d just run away otherwise.¡± ¡°Wow, sharp observation.¡± He was even more unpredictable than me. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can catch you again. I know no one can stop you if you run at full strength.¡± I pulled at the Veil Bandages wrapped around me, revealing my true appearance¡ªHannon¡¯s face. Having captured the real Hannon, there was no longer any need to maintain a different form. Hannon stared at me with a curious expression. ¡°Sent by the First Prince, I take it?¡± At my question, Hannon gave a faint, crooked smile. ¡°Funny. Since I¡¯m a rtive of Lady Iris, wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to assume I was sent by the faction of the Third Princess?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not affiliated with the Duchy of Robliage, so why would they have a reason to send you?¡± Hannon¡¯s surname, Irey, belonged to a minor noble family in a remote region. Though he was of Robliage lineage, he had no actual connection to the duchy. Hannon was primarily used as a spy by the First Prince. As such, he was a man of many secrets. But who am I? I¡¯ve cleared the me Butterfly Arc 29 times. Even if Hannon is a hidden character, I know everything there is to know about him. ¡°On the contrary¡ª¡± I also know exactly what would provoke a reaction from Hannon. ¡°You resent the Duke of Robliage, don¡¯t you?¡± For the first time, Hannon¡¯s face changed, breaking its usual rxed expression. The man who had been nonchntly struggling stilled and stared at me. ¡°Who¡­ are you, really?¡± Now it was Hannon who was questioning me. The situation had flipped in an instant. Hannon now had to probe into my identity. ¡°I am¡ª¡± Here was my chance to take the lead. Hannon was my Achilles¡¯ heel. If he ran off now and revealed my true identity, my position would be in serious jeopardy. At worst, I¡¯d be expelled from the academy and imprisoned for impersonation. If that happened, it wouldn¡¯t just be the end of me¡ªn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It¡¯d spell the end of this world as well. After immense effort, I had finally set this world on the correct path. The faction of the First Prince and the faction of the Third Princess were now fully at odds. Despite the messy process, the storyline was advancing in the right direction. Hannon¡¯s past and the incidents he¡¯s been through remain unchanged. ¡°I can be your ally or your enemy, depending on how you approach this.¡± To Hannon, I was an unknown entity who had copied his appearance. He must have many questions about me. ¡®Right now, the character with the most secrets isn¡¯t Hannon¡ªIt¡¯s me.¡¯ The more doubt that grew in Hannon¡¯s mind, the more control I could seize. ¡°Hannon, you want revenge on the Duke of Robliage, don¡¯t you?¡± The only reason he aligned himself with the First Prince¡¯s faction was his grudge against the duke. For that reason, he also loathed the duke¡¯s granddaughter, Lady Iris. ¡®Hannon is not only a character who unravels the story of how the Duke of Robliage allied with the Demon Sovereign¡ª He¡¯s also a key factor in making the game¡¯s overall difficulty skyrocket.¡¯ Hannon¡¯s appearance aloneplicates clearing episodes. Thus, I couldn¡¯t allow the real Hannon to fully step into the main storyline. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get your revenge. If you assist me, I can guarantee a better chance of revenge than the First Prince could offer.¡± Hannon stared at me, suspicion and disbelief written all over his face. ¡°¡­The Duke of Robliage isn¡¯t someone you can deal with easily. No individual can bring him down.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why you joined the First Prince¡¯s side.¡± Knowing he couldn¡¯t take down the duke alone, Hannon allied with the strongest individual power he could find. But the First Prince wasn¡¯t the only one who could be that ally. ¡°You don¡¯t fully trust the First Prince either, do you? Why not open up another possible path for yourself, just in case?¡± I could also help Hannon achieve his deepest desire. Even if he was skeptical now, I could prove it. ¡°Interesting.¡± At that moment, a chuckle escaped Hannon¡¯s lips. Afterughing, he looked at me directly. ¡°You¡¯re right. The First Prince ordered me to uncover your identity.¡± I had saved Nia and Nikita, who were close to the First Prince. Nikita knew my secret. But given her personality, she wouldn¡¯t have shared it with anyone, even Nia. ¡®To the First Prince, who already knows Hannon, I must seem like aplete enigma.¡¯ The First Prince was someone who valued control. He wouldn¡¯t have appreciated the appearance of an unexpected wild card. ¡®Even though I saved Nia, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to simply eliminate me.¡¯ So he sent Hannon after me. He''d expose me through Hannon if I didn¡¯t rify who I was. It was a warning, loaded with menace. ¡°But talking to you, I realize you¡¯re even more ridiculous than I expected.¡± Hannon tilted his head and gave me a faint, mischievous smile. ¡°Still, I¡¯m not the type to trust people easily.¡± So even this wasn¡¯t enough to convince him. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll end my business here. See you.¡± At that moment, Hannon¡¯s body began to dissipate. He used one of the tools he had collected during his expeditions. Hannon¡¯s signature artifact¡ªWind of Concealment. A magical tool that allowed him to escape to any location instantly. The reason Hannon had remained so calm was because he had this at his disposal. I anticipated this move and prepared to react¡ª Boom! Suddenly, a sharp pain erupted in my right eye. I realized what was happening and clutched my eye, but it was toote. Whoooosh! A chilling st of frost erupted from me, spreading rapidly through the forest. Bushes froze, and trees were encased in ice. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The real problem was Hannon beneath me. ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± Hannon¡¯s lips trembled as he froze solid. The remnants of the ancient dragon within me had suddenlyshed out. ¡®Did it react to the magic?¡¯ As I tried to summon the mes to suppress it, Sharinnded in front of me. She had been observing from above and decided to intervene. ¡°Naughty children¡ª¡± Sharin pulled out her staff and spun it deftly. ¡°Need to be disciplined.¡± Her eyes glimmered with the light of the Milky Way, and a beam of light shot from the tip of her staff. The ancient dragon curse within me flinched and retreated, startled by the attack. The chilling aura of the curse that had been shaking the surroundings dissipated. The icy scales that had formed partially on my face cracked and disappeared. "It seems to be responding to the mystic energy." Sharin appeared to think the reason for the reaction from the remnants of the ancient dragon was the same as mine. But the real issue was Hannon, lying underneath me. He had taken the full brunt of the dragon''s cold and was frozen solid, unconscious. He''s not someone who usually messes up like this. I was sorry. ¡­Why do I keep ending up apologizing to Hannon? Even having a proper conversation with him isn''t easy. "Sharin, could you take him somewhere warm?" "Sure, I''ll do that." Sharin erased the traces left by the dragon''s remnants and levitated the unconscious Hannon. "Hannon, I want some ice cream." This must be her way of demanding payment for her effort. "I''ll buy you two." "Three." "You''ll get a stomachache at this rate." "One is for Hannon." Fine, I''ll get you four. "I''ll head out first, then." Sharin waved her handzily and floated into the air. Just as I was about to follow her out of the forest, I felt the presence of someone beyond it. At the same time, I reacted instantly to a killing intent directed at me, pulling my body back. Whoosh! A sword swung past me in that instant. Golden honey-blonde hair fluttered in the air. The person before me was none other than Isabel. She immediately pulled her foot back, preparing to continue her attack. I frowned at Isabel as she pressed forward. "Isabel, what are you doing?" "Huh?" Isabel stopped mid-swing, startled, her eyes wide. She hastily tried to retract her de but stumbled in the process. "Ah!" She twisted her ankle, her body tilting forward. At this rate, she''d fall face-first onto the ground. I quickly reached out and caught her in my arms. Thud! I managed to brace myself on both feet, exhaling deeply. Looking down at Isabel with a dissatisfied expression, I asked: "Were you trying to ambush me now?" Isabel flinched in my arms. "N-No! It¡¯s not like that! Someone who looked like you appeared, so... I mean..." Hannon, that guy¡ªhe must have gone to see Isabel. I didn¡¯t know what he had said, but it clearly had riled her up. ''If he left any clues about me, this could get troublesome.'' Thest thing I needed was Isabel suspecting my true identity. She was already in aplicated statetely, and shaking her up further wouldn''t help. "What kind of nonsense is that? Are you sure you weren''t imagining things?" For now, I decided to feign ignorance. "Imagining? No, I swear it was real!" Isabel protested, her face flushed with indignation, clearly upset that I didn¡¯t believe her. "I tracked their traces all the way here, only to find you instead." "So how long do you n to stay like this?" When Isabel showed a hint of sulking, I shrugged the shoulders that were holding her. Startled, Isabel lifted her head abruptly and quickly got to her feet, her face bright red all the way to her ears. "Th-Thank you for catching me, but¡ªurk!" She winced, likely feeling pain from her ankle. It was the price for twisting her body too much while swinging her sword. Isabel sat down, clutching her ankle. I sighed as I watched her. As much as I felt bad for Sharin, I couldn''t leave Isabel like this. "Get on my back." "I-I''m fine! I can walk." "What if you worsen the injury? You''re supposed to be in the Martial Arts department, aren''t you?" It seemed to be a mild sprain, but pushing herself wasn¡¯t a good idea. "Would you leave me behind if I sprained my ankle?" "...Of course, I''d help you or carry you on my back." When I pointed out that she¡¯d do the same for me, Isabel relented. She was surprisingly light. For someone who trained daily and built her strength, her weightlessness was surprising. I caught the faint scent of citrus from her, and I couldn''t help but notice¡ªunintentionally¡ªhow well-proportioned she was. I forced myself to shake off those thoughts and started walking. Isabel remained silent after getting on my back. Since she was behind me, I couldn''t see her face to guess what she was thinking. "...Why did you enroll in Zerion Academy?" Out of nowhere, Isabel broke the silence with a question. It was an unusually random question, and I wondered if something had shifted in her mood. Though slightly concerned, I answered honestly. "Didn¡¯t I say on my first day? To clear Zerion Academy of its disgrace." I reminded her of the time I openly criticized Lucas. But unlike before, Isabel remained uncharacteristically quiet. "¡­So, you came because of Lucas?" Her next words took a different direction. "That¡¯s part of it, I suppose." I had no idea what was going through her mind, but I answered to avoid suspicion. "I see¡­" Isabel said nothing more and rested her head against my shoulder. The summer breeze swept past us both. What kind of resolution Isabel reached in that moment, I couldn¡¯t tell. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 68 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 68: Above the Frozen Ancient Dragon Near the forest by the Aaron Promenade coastline. I barely managed to corner Hannon using Sharin. This max-level escape artist wouldn¡¯t have been caught any other way. ¡®From his perspective, I must seem like the unreasonable one here.¡¯ I had stolen his identity and run wild at Zerion Academy. To Hannon, I was the person who tarnished his reputation. I felt sorry for Hannon. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that letting him rampage like this was a problem. I had to live as Hannon until I graduated from Zerion Academy. So, if possible, I wanted toe to some sort of agreement with him. ¡°Is that your real face?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fake.¡± Hannon, pinned beneath me,ughed slyly and asked me the same question Sharin had. My face was currently the face of someone who didn¡¯t exist in this world¡ª A fake. ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± Hannon didn¡¯t seem to care at all that I had been using his identity without permission. He looked like someone who had already abandoned worldly concerns and dedicated his life to chasing ruins and legends across the globe. ¡°I apologize for using your identity without permission. But your goals and mine aren¡¯t all that different.¡± I sighed while keeping him pinned. ¡°So, let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°In this position?¡± Hannon iled his arms in protest at being restrained. ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯d just run away otherwise.¡± ¡°Wow, sharp observation.¡± He was even more unpredictable than me. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can catch you again. I know no one can stop you if you run at full strength.¡± I pulled at the Veil Bandages wrapped around me, revealing my true appearance¡ªHannon¡¯s face. Having captured the real Hannon, there was no longer any need to maintain a different form. Hannon stared at me with a curious expression. ¡°Sent by the First Prince, I take it?¡± At my question, Hannon gave a faint, crooked smile. ¡°Funny. Since I¡¯m a rtive of Lady Iris, wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to assume I was sent by the faction of the Third Princess?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not affiliated with the Duchy of Robliage, so why would they have a reason to send you?¡± Hannon¡¯s surname, Irey, belonged to a minor noble family in a remote region. Though he was of Robliage lineage, he had no actual connection to the duchy. Hannon was primarily used as a spy by the First Prince. As such, he was a man of many secrets. But who am I?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om I¡¯ve cleared the me Butterfly Arc 29 times. Even if Hannon is a hidden character, I know everything there is to know about him. ¡°On the contrary¡ª¡± I also know exactly what would provoke a reaction from Hannon. ¡°You resent the Duke of Robliage, don¡¯t you?¡± For the first time, Hannon¡¯s face changed, breaking its usual rxed expression. The man who had been nonchntly struggling stilled and stared at me. ¡°Who¡­ are you, really?¡± Now it was Hannon who was questioning me. The situation had flipped in an instant. Hannon now had to probe into my identity. ¡°I am¡ª¡± Here was my chance to take the lead. Hannon was my Achilles¡¯ heel. If he ran off now and revealed my true identity, my position would be in serious jeopardy. At worst, I¡¯d be expelled from the academy and imprisoned for impersonation. If that happened, it wouldn¡¯t just be the end of me¡ª It¡¯d spell the end of this world as well. After immense effort, I had finally set this world on the correct path. The faction of the First Prince and the faction of the Third Princess were now fully at odds. Despite the messy process, the storyline was advancing in the right direction. Hannon¡¯s past and the incidents he¡¯s been through remain unchanged. ¡°I can be your ally or your enemy, depending on how you approach this.¡± To Hannon, I was an unknown entity who had copied his appearance. He must have many questions about me. ¡®Right now, the character with the most secrets isn¡¯t Hannon¡ªIt¡¯s me.¡¯ The more doubt that grew in Hannon¡¯s mind, the more control I could seize. ¡°Hannon, you want revenge on the Duke of Robliage, don¡¯t you?¡± The only reason he aligned himself with the First Prince¡¯s faction was his grudge against the duke. For that reason, he also loathed the duke¡¯s granddaughter, Lady Iris. ¡®Hannon is not only a character who unravels the story of how the Duke of Robliage allied with the Demon Sovereign¡ª He¡¯s also a key factor in making the game¡¯s overall difficulty skyrocket.¡¯ Hannon¡¯s appearance aloneplicates clearing episodes. Thus, I couldn¡¯t allow the real Hannon to fully step into the main storyline. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get your revenge. If you assist me, I can guarantee a better chance of revenge than the First Prince could offer.¡± Hannon stared at me, suspicion and disbelief written all over his face. ¡°¡­The Duke of Robliage isn¡¯t someone you can deal with easily. No individual can bring him down.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why you joined the First Prince¡¯s side.¡± Knowing he couldn¡¯t take down the duke alone, Hannon allied with the strongest individual power he could find. But the First Prince wasn¡¯t the only one who could be that ally. ¡°You don¡¯t fully trust the First Prince either, do you? Why not open up another possible path for yourself, just in case?¡± I could also help Hannon achieve his deepest desire. Even if he was skeptical now, I could prove it. ¡°Interesting.¡± At that moment, a chuckle escaped Hannon¡¯s lips. Afterughing, he looked at me directly. ¡°You¡¯re right. The First Prince ordered me to uncover your identity.¡± I had saved Nia and Nikita, who were close to the First Prince. Nikita knew my secret. But given her personality, she wouldn¡¯t have shared it with anyone, even Nia. ¡®To the First Prince, who already knows Hannon, I must seem like aplete enigma.¡¯ The First Prince was someone who valued control. He wouldn¡¯t have appreciated the appearance of an unexpected wild card. ¡®Even though I saved Nia, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to simply eliminate me.¡¯ So he sent Hannon after me. He''d expose me through Hannon if I didn¡¯t rify who I was. It was a warning, loaded with menace. ¡°But talking to you, I realize you¡¯re even more ridiculous than I expected.¡± Hannon tilted his head and gave me a faint, mischievous smile. ¡°Still, I¡¯m not the type to trust people easily.¡± So even this wasn¡¯t enough to convince him. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll end my business here. See you.¡± At that moment, Hannon¡¯s body began to dissipate. He used one of the tools he had collected during his expeditions. Hannon¡¯s signature artifact¡ªWind of Concealment. A magical tool that allowed him to escape to any location instantly. The reason Hannon had remained so calm was because he had this at his disposal. I anticipated this move and prepared to react¡ª Boom! Suddenly, a sharp pain erupted in my right eye. I realized what was happening and clutched my eye, but it was toote. Whoooosh! A chilling st of frost erupted from me, spreading rapidly through the forest. Bushes froze, and trees were encased in ice. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The real problem was Hannon beneath me. ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± Hannon¡¯s lips trembled as he froze solid. The remnants of the ancient dragon within me had suddenlyshed out. ¡®Did it react to the magic?¡¯ As I tried to summon the mes to suppress it, Sharinnded in front of me. She had been observing from above and decided to intervene. ¡°Naughty children¡ª¡± Sharin pulled out her staff and spun it deftly. ¡°Need to be disciplined.¡± Her eyes glimmered with the light of the Milky Way, and a beam of light shot from the tip of her staff. The ancient dragon curse within me flinched and retreated, startled by the attack. The chilling aura of the curse that had been shaking the surroundings dissipated. The icy scales that had formed partially on my face cracked and disappeared. "It seems to be responding to the mystic energy." Sharin appeared to think the reason for the reaction from the remnants of the ancient dragon was the same as mine. But the real issue was Hannon, lying underneath me. He had taken the full brunt of the dragon''s cold and was frozen solid, unconscious. He''s not someone who usually messes up like this. I was sorry. ¡­Why do I keep ending up apologizing to Hannon? Even having a proper conversation with him isn''t easy. "Sharin, could you take him somewhere warm?" "Sure, I''ll do that." Sharin erased the traces left by the dragon''s remnants and levitated the unconscious Hannon. "Hannon, I want some ice cream." This must be her way of demanding payment for her effort. "I''ll buy you two." "Three." "You''ll get a stomachache at this rate." "One is for Hannon." Fine, I''ll get you four. "I''ll head out first, then." Sharin waved her handzily and floated into the air. Just as I was about to follow her out of the forest, I felt the presence of someone beyond it. At the same time, I reacted instantly to a killing intent directed at me, pulling my body back. Whoosh! A sword swung past me in that instant. Golden honey-blonde hair fluttered in the air. The person before me was none other than Isabel. She immediately pulled her foot back, preparing to continue her attack. I frowned at Isabel as she pressed forward. "Isabel, what are you doing?" "Huh?" Isabel stopped mid-swing, startled, her eyes wide. She hastily tried to retract her de but stumbled in the process. "Ah!" She twisted her ankle, her body tilting forward. At this rate, she''d fall face-first onto the ground. I quickly reached out and caught her in my arms. Thud! I managed to brace myself on both feet, exhaling deeply. Looking down at Isabel with a dissatisfied expression, I asked: "Were you trying to ambush me now?" Isabel flinched in my arms. "N-No! It¡¯s not like that! Someone who looked like you appeared, so... I mean..." Hannon, that guy¡ªhe must have gone to see Isabel. I didn¡¯t know what he had said, but it clearly had riled her up. ''If he left any clues about me, this could get troublesome.'' Thest thing I needed was Isabel suspecting my true identity. She was already in aplicated statetely, and shaking her up further wouldn''t help. "What kind of nonsense is that? Are you sure you weren''t imagining things?" For now, I decided to feign ignorance. "Imagining? No, I swear it was real!" Isabel protested, her face flushed with indignation, clearly upset that I didn¡¯t believe her. "I tracked their traces all the way here, only to find you instead." "So how long do you n to stay like this?" When Isabel showed a hint of sulking, I shrugged the shoulders that were holding her. Startled, Isabel lifted her head abruptly and quickly got to her feet, her face bright red all the way to her ears. "Th-Thank you for catching me, but¡ªurk!" She winced, likely feeling pain from her ankle. It was the price for twisting her body too much while swinging her sword. Isabel sat down, clutching her ankle. I sighed as I watched her. As much as I felt bad for Sharin, I couldn''t leave Isabel like this. "Get on my back." "I-I''m fine! I can walk." "What if you worsen the injury? You''re supposed to be in the Martial Arts department, aren''t you?" It seemed to be a mild sprain, but pushing herself wasn¡¯t a good idea. "Would you leave me behind if I sprained my ankle?" "...Of course, I''d help you or carry you on my back." When I pointed out that she¡¯d do the same for me, Isabel relented. She was surprisingly light. For someone who trained daily and built her strength, her weightlessness was surprising. I caught the faint scent of citrus from her, and I couldn''t help but notice¡ªunintentionally¡ªhow well-proportioned she was. I forced myself to shake off those thoughts and started walking. Isabel remained silent after getting on my back. Since she was behind me, I couldn''t see her face to guess what she was thinking. "...Why did you enroll in Zerion Academy?" Out of nowhere, Isabel broke the silence with a question. It was an unusually random question, and I wondered if something had shifted in her mood. Though slightly concerned, I answered honestly. "Didn¡¯t I say on my first day? To clear Zerion Academy of its disgrace." I reminded her of the time I openly criticized Lucas. But unlike before, Isabel remained uncharacteristically quiet. "¡­So, you came because of Lucas?" Her next words took a different direction. "That¡¯s part of it, I suppose." I had no idea what was going through her mind, but I answered to avoid suspicion. "I see¡­" Isabel said nothing more and rested her head against my shoulder. The summer breeze swept past us both. What kind of resolution Isabel reached in that moment, I couldn¡¯t tell. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 69 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 69: Are You a Reincarnation? ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Alright, get home safely.¡± After escorting Isabel, who seemed a bit down, back to her room, I made my way to where Sharin had taken Hannon. It was an empty room at the inn. Whether she rented it or snuck in, I wasn¡¯t sure, but I decided not to dwell on it. ¡°You flirt. You leave me to do the work and go off to y with another woman!¡± Sharin greeted me with an exaggeratedint. ¡°Isabel and me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to say that once in my life.¡± d I could grant her wish. Ignoring her for now, I looked down at the unconscious Hannon. ¡°Hannon, you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Oh, caught me?¡± Hannon suddenly sprang to his feet. Knowing how quickly he recovers, I figured he¡¯d wake up soon. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect things to escte this much. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I had no intention of subduing him with ancient dragon magic. When I offered him a sincere apology, Hannon scratched his head. ¡°Like I said before, I don¡¯t really care what you do with my identity.¡± He smiled cheerfully, sitting cross-legged on the floor. ¡°What I was curious about was your identity. But it turns out I got to see something even more interesting.¡± Hannon nced at Sharin, who was beside him. ¡°That just now¡­ that was ancient dragon magic, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Since it had already been exposed, there was no point in denying it. Hannon interpreted our silence as confirmation. Whether he found dragon magic fascinating or not, I decided to drop the subject and turned to Sharin. Sharin shrugged and left the room, giving us privacy for the conversation. I made a mental note to treat her to an extra ice creamter and sat down across from Hannon.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Hannon didn¡¯t try to run away this time. He must have had enough of being frozen mid-escape. ¡°Hannon, as I said before, I can be of great help to you.¡± I understood why he didn¡¯t trust me. I had used his identity without his permission. For that, I owed him countless apologies. But that was precisely why I needed his cooperation even more¡ª so that he could understand my actions. ¡°Let me give you one reason why you can trust me.¡± I hadn¡¯t nned to reveal this, but it seemed like the only way to convince him. ¡°The Duke of Robliage has allied with Demon Sovereign.¡± This was information even the First Prince didn¡¯t know yet. If he did, everything would have been overturned by now. However, one person did know. The person in front of me¡ªHannon. Hannon¡¯s eyes opened wider than I¡¯d seen all day, staring at me in shock. Hannon couldn¡¯t reveal to anyone that the Duke of Robliage had allied with Demon Sovereign. A restriction bound him, making it impossible for him to act on that knowledge. So, I had said it for him. ¡°Of course, there isn¡¯t solid evidence to make it public yet. And I assume the same goes for you.¡± The Duke of Robliage was more meticulous than expected, leaving no evidence that could harm him. So, only Hannon and I knew about this. ¡°That¡¯s why I came to Zerion Academy in your guise.¡± This was information no one else knew. When I shared it directly, Hannon stared at me, dumbfounded. It was only natural for him to be shocked. Hannon stayed silent for a long time, and then, as if he had gathered his thoughts, he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m into exploring ruins, you know.¡± Hannon had a passion for legends and exploring ruins, and his wanderlust stemmed from this interest. ¡°...Just a hunch, but¡­¡± Hannon began shifting his posture restlessly, a habit that surfaced when he was deeply intrigued. ¡°You suddenly showed up at Zerion Academy. You can change your appearance freely. You¡¯re close to the Blue Tower Master¡¯s daughter.¡± His eyes gleamed with even greater intensity. From the fragments of information he had, he began forming a hypothesis. ¡°And finally, ancient dragon magic. Because of that, I can¡¯t stop thinking about this one prophecy.¡± Hannon clenched his fists and waved his arms excitedly, like a child watching a superhero show on TV. ¡°The prophecy of the reincarnation of heroes. It¡¯s an incredibly ancient one.¡± And it was a prophecy I knew as well. ¡°One of those heroes, Zerion, was said to wield ancient dragon magic.¡± Zerion was the founder of Zerion Academy and a pinnacle of magic. In the past, he was one of the six great heroes under the legendary hero Wolfram. The Sage of Transcendence, Zerion. Hannon had brought him up. There are several prophecies and legends in this world. When the world faces crisis someday, the reincarnations of heroes will rise again to protect it. This was a promise made directly by the goddess whomemorated their deeds. Although it was an old prophecy that few took seriously anymore, rumors had been circting in archaeological circles recently that the reincarnation of heroes was near. Hannon, being well-versed in archaeology, naturally knew about it. And in reality¡ª ¡®Zerion has been reincarnated.¡¯ But no one other than me knew that. Even the person themselves didn¡¯t know they were Zerion¡¯s reincarnation. Moreover, that person wasn¡¯t at Zerion Academy yet. To be precise, they were set to enroll at Zerion Academy next year. ¡®The problem is¡­¡¯ I was now being suspected as that reincarnation. Hannon probably thought I used ancient dragon magic intentionally to capture him. ¡®¡®Used¡¯ my foot.¡¯ The dragon¡¯s remnants reacted to mystic energy and went wild on their own. It seemed Hannon, having passed out, hadn¡¯t seen Sharin subdue the rampage. ¡®This misunderstanding is spiraling in a strange direction.¡¯ My gaze met Hannon¡¯s sparkling eyes. ¡®One of Hannon¡¯s quirks is linking situations to legends.¡¯ Having been exposed to so many legends, he tended to associate real events with them whenever they seemed simr. And he could be quite stubborn about it. "That''s a ridiculous misunderstanding." I hurried to correct Hannon¡¯s misunderstanding. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w However, Hannon''s excitement showed no sign of subsiding. "Really? I don¡¯t think so." Hannon¡¯s stubbornness suddenly pushed forward. "Even heroes would have crossed the River of Oblivion to reincarnate. They might not remember it themselves." Hannon, who loved legends, was already an unstoppable runaway train. "So, it¡¯s possible you don¡¯t realize you¡¯re the reincarnation of Zerion. But your behavioral patterns clearly stem from Zerion¡¯s reincarnation." "I just happened to find out that Duke Robliage colluded with Demon Sovereign and decided to stop it." "Hah, ¡®happened to¡¯?" Hannon¡¯s eyes curved into crescent shapes. "Do you really think something even the emperor doesn¡¯t know can be dismissed as coincidence? You said it yourself¡ªthere¡¯s no evidence." The question of how I knew without any evidence. I couldn¡¯t answer that question. And for good reason¡ªmy knowledge of Zerion came from ying me Butterfly. "You know, divine revtions are said to be engraved on someone without their awareness." Hannon grinned broadly. "It¡¯s a kind of destiny." Destiny. Hannon mentioned that colossal flow. "When the goddess determines that the flow of the world is in danger, she imnts a revtion into someone she chooses. As creations of the goddess, we can¡¯t perceive it." At that moment, my body froze for the first time. Imnting a revtion into a chosen one. It was a vague thought, but¡­ I, too, found myself in a simr situation. ¡®I was suddenly possessed by Vikamon¡¯s body.¡¯ What if¡­ this was the goddess¡¯s will? The moment that thought crossed my mind, my head grew cluttered. And Hannon read my reaction. It was my mistake for failing to manage my expression. "Right? There¡¯s something familiar in the fragments of your memory, isn¡¯t there?" "Hannon, that¡¯s just¡­" "It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to exin!" Hannon¡¯s eyes already showed no intention of listening to any excuse I might make. "You know, I want to bring down Duke Robliage, just as you said." A deep grudge flickered in Hannon¡¯s eyes. "So, I¡¯ll do anything to achieve that." Hannon''s obsession with legends and relics was also thanks to Duke Robliage. There were old records stating that heroes had driven Demon Sovereign into the Demon Pce. Using that, Hannon had been digging for information. And now, before Hannon, stood one of the heroes who had sealed Demon Sovereign and prevented the Great War¡ªZerion¡¯s reincarnation. Of course, this was merely Hannon¡¯s wild spection. ¡®Someone who could resolve all of his grudges and trauma at once.¡¯ Perhaps Hannon just wanted to believe I was Zerion. Living a life chasing relics and legends to vent his grudge must have been exhausting. Seeing an opportunity to escape that pain, he probably wanted to grab even a rotting rope. "Hannon." It¡¯s a misunderstanding that I¡¯m Zerion¡¯s reincarnation. But one thing is certain. "I also want to eliminate Duke Robliage." Duke Robliage is someone who must be defeated to prevent the bad ending. The final viin. To bring him down, I, too, would do anything. I extended my hand to Hannon. "So, how about we help each other until then?" Hannon stared at my hand for a moment, then smiled brightly and shook it firmly. "This is so ssic! It feels like being asked to join a hero¡¯s party!" ¡­Is he really doing this because of his grudge? I couldn¡¯t shake the unease that he was just a legend geek losing his head and helping recklessly. "For now, you don¡¯t want your identity revealed, right?" At least he seemed to be thinking rationally. "That¡¯s right. I still have a lot to do." "Then I¡¯ll handle things on the First Prince¡¯s side. It won¡¯t be a problem for me to act." "And no saying things like I¡¯m Zerion¡¯s reincarnation?" If he did that, who knows what absurd misunderstandings might pile up. Hannon stayed silent, staring at me. As I tensed my gaze, Hannon smiled mischievously, as if joking. "Knowing a secret really does make your lips itch." He¡¯s someone who unnerves people with ease. I just hoped the main story wouldn¡¯t be too derailed. "Well, I¡¯m done here, so I¡¯ll get going!" I had no reason to hold Hannon any longer. As I was about to let him go, I suddenly remembered something I hadn¡¯t asked. "Hannon." "Yeah?" "¡­How¡¯s Nikita doing?" Hannon was with the First Prince¡¯s faction. He must have heard something about Nikita by the time he sought me out. "Nikita Cynthia is dead." Hannon added what everyone knew. "So, she must be learning new talents in the heavens, studying magic with her brother and assisting in his magical research." Hearing that, I unknowingly smiled. That was enough. I gazed out the window. The summer sky was truly blue. I hoped Nikita would soar high, fully embracing the talents she couldn¡¯t achieve in life. I wished for her future to be filled with happiness. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 70 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 70: After the Vacation, the Heroines Are Acting Strange The road back to Zerion Academy in a carriage. Iris tilted her head as she looked at me. Her long ck hair flowed down with the movement. "Hannon, you look more tired than before the vacation." "Do I?" Last night was about Isabel, and this morning was about Hannon. Maybe that¡¯s why the fatigue had unknowingly piled up. "Come here and rest your head." Iris patted herp, offering me a spot on the carriage seat. I''ve felt this before, but Irispletely treats me like a younger brother. ''Well, it makes sense.'' Iris was the youngest in the royal family. It seemed like she always wished she had a younger sibling. ''It¡¯s like she¡¯s doing all the things she wanted to do for a younger sibling to me.'' In moments like these, Iris was unmistakably a 17-year-old girl. The problem was, no matter how much I wanted to follow her wishes... "What are you doing? Lady Iris told you to lie down, didn¡¯t she?" The sharp gaze of Hania, sitting nearby, was scary. But ignoring Iris''s words wasn¡¯t an option either. In the end, I rested my head on Iris¡¯s thigh. The soft sensation of her thigh pressed against my head. I wondered if this was really okay. But Iris gently stroked my hair. ''It feels nice, so...'' I decided to stay like that. And soon, I fell asleep. I began to think that Iris''s thighs might hold some kind of magical power. If her thighs were distributed nationwide, insomnia would cease to exist. With those thoughts, I opened the dormitory door after the long journey, feeling like it had been ages since I¡¯d been here. Entering the dorm, I stretched out my arms. "Alright." After tossing my luggage aside, I turned around. The summer vacation still had about eight days left. During these eight days, I nned to prepare for Act 4. The first thing I had to do was: ¡®The President Who Grants Any Wish Once.¡¯ I needed to meet the event''s conditions. Finding the secret the President wanted to keep hidden. It was time to begin. * * * During Summer Vacation Vacations pass in the blink of an eye. The students, returning from their break, looked utterly exhausted but managed to arrive back safely. The thought of enduring the long academy life again made everyone wear a tired expression already. Among them, there was one person who looked particrly worn outpared to the others. ¡®Ugh, this is brutal.¡¯ With tanned skin, golden hair, and arge, masculine build, his name was Card Velique, the infamous womanizer of Zerion Academy. Most notable women at the academy had, at one point or another, been hit on by him. Card¡¯s notoriety spread throughout the academy like wildfire. And yet, women often confessed their feelings to him¡ªhe was a natural rascal. However, the reality was quite different. Card was actually a member of the Shadow Knight Order of the neighboring kingdom, Panisys. He was a spy who had infiltrated Zerion Academy under the guise of being a citizen of the empire. Card had two missions: First, observe the potential talents of the Hysirion Empire and report back. Second, scout talents for the Panisys Kingdom. ¡®Why would someone thriving in the empire want to be scouted, though?¡¯ Still, as a spy, he diligently carried out his duties. One of his methods was to charm the daughters of the empire¡¯s key officials. Unintentionally, these young women, whocked maturity, often let slip critical information that their parents had mentioned. Thus, Card roamed from one girl to another, gathering valuable intelligence about the empire. However, he never officially dated anyone, which led to scorned women badmouthing him. Card understood human psychology well. The belief that ¡°he¡¯s different with me¡± often led women to fall for him, even if they initially ignored him. Moreover, he had a knack for picking the perfect targets. Card possessed a natural talent for reading people. The issue was that, while conducting his espionage, he also had to maintain decent grades at Zerion Academy. This made life doubly exhausting for Card. Even during the summer vacation, instead of resting, he monitored the empire¡¯s movements and made a trip back to Panisys Kingdom. As a result, Card waspletely drained. ¡®Just kill me already.¡¯ As he thought that, he raised his head to see students chattering in the dormitory hallway. They were enthusiastically sharing what they¡¯d done over the break. Watching their carefree demeanor, Card let out a wry smile. While others his age enjoyed their vacation and lived happy lives, he hadn¡¯t even been home, spending the entire time working instead. Life was indeed unfair. ¡®That girl that guy likes¡­¡¯ Card briefly felt a twinge of mischief, but he quickly shook the thought away. He didn¡¯t mess with women who were already taken. Doing so could get him stabbed at the academy. "Did you hear? They say there¡¯s a ghost in the dormitory." "Come on, there¡¯s no such thing." "I¡¯m serious! They said it appeared by the pool at night." Listening to their trivial chatter, Card walked past them. Squeak¡ª Card opened the door to his dorm room. He thought he should rest a bit before tomorrow came. Just as he was thinking that, he noticed an unexpected guest in his room. Hannon Irey. The one person whose thoughts Card, skilled at reading people, could never figure out. The problem was that Hannon currently looked utterly exhausted, his shadow stretching long across the floor. Moreover, his entire outfit was covered in dust. "Hannon?" "Oh, Card." Hannon casually tossed aside his dusty clothes and pulled out a clean set. Around his neck hung a pendant Card had never seen before. The small, sword-shaped pendant looked quite expensive. From Card¡¯s perspective, Hannon was someone who never seemed to rest. What on earth kept him so busy? Even at the academy, he was always running around, and after sses, he would still be hustling. He would studyte into the night in the dormitory before finally going to bed. Even Card, who had a packed schedule, found Hannon¡¯s routine to be outright insane. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w And now, during the vacation period, Hannon didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d rested at all. ¡°Hannon, what did you do during your vacation to end up looking like that?¡± At Card¡¯s question, Hannon turned to look at him. Hannon¡¯s gaze often seemed as though it could pierce straight through Card.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Even though the skill of seeing through people was Card¡¯s specialty. Whenever Hannon¡¯s eyes felt like they were unraveling himpletely, Card couldn¡¯t help but feel strange. ¡°Just... busy with things. You seem to be the same, though.¡± This guy¡­ could he actually be a spy for some group? Card entertained the thought briefly andughed. ¡°Yeah. I guess we¡¯re both in the same boat.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Hannon wasn¡¯t the type to dig too deeply into things. Because of that, Card didn¡¯t even need to use the excuse he had prepared about what he¡¯d been doing during the vacation. ¡°Since we have to get back to the academy tomorrow, I think I¡¯ll rest a bit today.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Card, agreeing with Hannon, threw his luggage down and flopped onto the bed. He found himself relieved to share a room with Hannon after all. * * * Second Year, Second Semester. The opening of Act 4, Scene 1. As usual, I finished my morning training with Aisha today. ¡°Senior, it seems like you¡¯ve been training steadily even while I wasn¡¯t around.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯d feel restless if I didn¡¯t train now.¡± My training partner, Aisha,ughed brightly at my words. ¡°As expected of you, Senior. I¡¯m truly proud of you as my training partner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Aisha.¡± Aisha and I exchanged a solid camaraderie as training partners. ¡°By the way, Aisha, what did you do during the vacation?¡± ¡°I went back home.¡± Aisha¡¯s home was the fief of Count Bizvel, located in the northern region known for its warrior ns. ¡°I met my older siblings after a long time and underwent training. I¡¯ve gotten even stronger now.¡± Aisha seemed even more dependable than before. ¡°You¡¯ll be joining us for the next Demon Dungeon expedition, right?¡± Duringst summer¡¯s Demon Dungeon expedition, I had to notify the team in advance that I wouldn¡¯t be joining due to personal reasons. So, Aisha was eager for me to be part of the next expedition. I smiled softly. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll join next time.¡± The uing autumn expedition was preparation for the winter expedition. I nned to actively participate this time. After finishing training with Aisha, I returned to the dormitory and cleaned up. Then, I changed into my uniform and started walking. For now, I still had to act as if I were in a rtionship with Hania. It was a bit annoying, but for now, sticking close to Iris seemed like the best move. Not that it was entirely a bad thing for me. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s about time students with rebellious feelings toward the student council start emerging.¡¯ The boycott movement against the student council, set to ur in Act 4, Scene 1, was beginning to stir. Iris, of course, would be pulling the strings behind the scenes. She had been ordered by Duke Robliarge to seize control of the student council, so she¡¯d surelyply. When I arrived in front of the girls¡¯ dormitory, I saw students bustling around in preparation for the new semester. A few students nced at me, but I paid no attention to them. ¡°You¡¯re early.¡± After waiting for a while, Hania appeared just in time. ¡°I always do morning training. What about Lady Iris?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be out soon.¡± Hania sighed softly as she spoke. Not long after, Iris emerged. Unlike her usual self, who struggled with morning drowsiness, today she seemedpletely alert. ¡®She stayed up all night.¡¯ Iris only pulled all-nighters when carrying out orders from Duke Robliarge. It was clear she¡¯d beenmanded to solidify her hold over the student council for the start of the semester. ¡°Good morning, Lady Iris.¡± Iris looked at me, her ck hair fluttering in the breeze, and suddenly stretched out both hands toward me. Startled, I reflexively stepped back two paces. Iris blinked her eyes, still holding out her hands. Realizing what she was doing, she opened and closed her hands awkwardly. I had been summoned several times during the academy vacation to help Iris with her insomnia. As a result, she had developed a habit of trying to hug me whenever she saw me. Today, having not slept at all, her body was likely acting on instinct. She probably tried to hug me as if I were afort doll. ¡°Lady Iris, I¡¯m supposed to be his girlfriend here at the academy,¡± Hania said, grabbing my hand and smiling brightly. Realizing her mistake, Iris slowly lowered her hands, looking at me with an expression of deep regret¡ªlike a puppy who had lost its favorite toy. Rules were rules. No matter what, I couldn¡¯t let myself be hugged by Iris in front of other students. That would cross a line that couldn¡¯t be undone. ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡± A familiar voice greeted us then. It was a voice I didn¡¯t expect to hear in front of the dormitory. Turning my head, I saw Isabel standing there, her usual cheerful smile lighting up her face. She was holding up a drowsy Sharin beside her. ¡°Good morning to you, too.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, good morning.¡± I hadn¡¯t expected Isabel to greet me so casually, so I answered absentmindedly. She tilted her head, looking at the three of us. ¡°If you stay here any longer, you¡¯ll bete for the academy. Aren¡¯t you going?¡± Hania blinked and tilted her head. ¡°Isabel, are youing with us?¡± ¡°Yeah, why not?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no reason not to, I guess.¡± Hania nced at me. It wasmon knowledge that Isabel and I were on bad terms. Even so, she was suggesting we go together. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I heard about the situationst time,¡± Isabel said casually. Hania raised an eyebrow and shot me a look. I shrugged helplessly, as if to say it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Hania looked back and forth between me and Isabel. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m worried, it¡¯s just¡­.¡± Hania looked like she had more to say, but Isabel was right. If we dyed any longer, we¡¯d bete. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡± And so, we set off for the academy. Iris, Hania, Isabel, Sharin, and I. The problem was that, except for Sharin, everyone was giving me strange looks. ¡­ What kind of group was this? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 71 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 71: Lucas, You''re Screwed... The murmuring of the kids echoed around. It was no wonder¡ªan utterly unfamiliar group was walking together. Martial Arts Department''s top student, the Third Princess, Iris Hysirion. Magic Department''s top student, daughter of the Blue Tower Lord, Sharin Sazaris. Martial Arts Department''s second-ranked student, daughter of the Imperial Knight Commander, Hania Rapidedia. A rising star in the Martial Arts Department, Isabel Luna. And then there¡¯s me, the lightning bastard. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Is this even okay? Poke¡ª At that moment, Hania, walking beside me, jabbed my side with her elbow. Was she asking me to jab her back? ¡°Don¡¯t even think about raising a finger.¡± Quick-witted as always. Hania let out a quiet sigh and whispered to me, ¡°What happened with Isabel? Weren¡¯t you two on bad terms?¡± She was right¡ªIsabel and I did not get along. To be precise, we didn¡¯t get along. But for some reason, Isabel¡¯s behavior had changed. When our eyes met, she smiled brightly at me. That smile¡ªshe only showed it to people she was close to. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two a little too close?¡± Suddenly, Isabel threw out a question. Her eyes were undoubtedly smiling. ¡°¡­To y the role of a couple, we need to be at least this close.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Isabel seemed to ept it rather easily. But even as she did, her gaze didn¡¯t leave me. Hania shot me a sharp look. It was clear: Do something about Isabel, and quickly. My expression grewplicated. I knew Isabel was ovepping me with thete Lucas. I also understood that it made her uneasy. ¡®Could it be¡­?¡¯ Ever since hearing the news that Hania and I were dating, her anxiety had increased. Was this her way of making sure such situations didn¡¯t arise again? ¡®This¡­ this can only be described as a love-hate rtionship.¡¯ I never imagined something like this would happen because of a temporary contract rtionship with Hania. ¡°Haaaah, see you next time.¡± Sharin, the only one uninterested in this situation because she had been dozing off, left the group. Silence lingered between the rest of us. Iris was in a sour mood after receiving orders from the Duke of Robliage yesterday. Hania, aware of Iris¡¯s state, deliberately kept her silence. Isabel, meanwhile, kept stealing nces at me without saying a word. It was an indescribable scene. And so, in that silence, we all arrived at the academy. ¡°Ah, Lightning pota¡ª¡± As I opened the door first, Seron raised her hand enthusiastically, about to greet me. It seemed she was excited to talk about something that happened at her family estate. But then, seeing the three people walking in behind me, she slowly lowered her hand. With a dazed expression, she stared at me. ¡°Lightning Sweet Potato has turned into Harem Sweet Potato¡­¡± I had no idea just how far Seron¡¯s nickname for me would evolve. Isabel, from that point on, no longer followed me closely. She simply went to her usual seat, as if coincidentally arriving with us. Iris, still in a foul mood, sat down without a word. ¡°Hannon.¡± Hania tugged at my sleeve. ¡°Please stay near Iris today.¡± The residual warmth of fire magic still lingered on my body. If I stayed near Iris, it might soothe her mood slightly. ¡°Alright.¡± In that peculiar atmosphere, we all took our seats. Seron, noticing the odd tension in the Martial Arts Department, didn¡¯te to sit next to me. That girl had an impable instinct for self-preservation. £ª£ª£ª And so, in that strange mood, the first day at the Martial Arts Academy ended without incident. ¡°I have some business with Lady Iris, so today¡¯s performance ends here.¡± The act of pretending to be Hania¡¯s boyfriend was over for the day. Iris was going to be busy nning her takeover of the student council. She¡¯d need to devise a strategy for how to achieve it. ¡®If this follows the original scenario, she¡¯d find and support the boycott group from behind.¡¯ But there was a problem. ¡®The boycott group is likely not properly organized at this point.¡¯ While Nikita¡¯s incident caused ripples, the aftermath differed from the original timeline. The faction of the First Prince immediately held the faction of the Third Princess ountable for Nia¡¯s assassination attempt. This intensified the rivalry between the two factions, which even affected Zerion Academy. As a result, public opinion ming the student council never fully formed. ¡®I don¡¯t even know howrge the boycott group is at this point.¡¯ There was even a chance Iris might not choose to support them this time. So, I needed to verify the status of the boycott group as soon as possible. ¡®I know where they gather.¡¯ An abandoned building, no longer in use. On the third floor, in the old chemistryb, the boycott group held their regr meetings. ¡®Today is one of their regr meeting days.¡¯ On Monday, once a week. Entering the abandoned building, I activated a magic inscription. My appearance blended into the surroundings, rendering me invisible. Silently, I crept up the stairs. As I reached the third-floor chemistryb, faint voices of conversation reached my ears. ¡®How many of them are there?¡¯ Previously, the boycott group had about thirty members. They¡¯d need at least that many to stage an armed takeover of the student council room. Anything less would make their ns unfeasible. ¡®There might be fewer this time.¡¯ With that thought in mind, I peered through the window. The moment I saw the scene inside, I froze. ¡°Oh.¡± I was so startled that a sound almost escaped my lips. Luckily, the two people inside didn¡¯t hear me. That¡¯s right¡ªtwo people. There were only two of them in the room. ¡®Wait a second.¡¯ The boycott group always had at least thirty to thirty-five members. The exact number fluctuated slightly depending on the branching events in the scenario. I thought the number might be slightly lower this time, given the series of incidents that had urred. But no matter how low, two was far too few. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "We will overthrow the student council that disregards students'' rights and justly assert our rights as students!" A third-year male student stood on a desk in the chemistryb. Rojamin, the central figure of the boycott, passionately delivered a speech. Sitting before him was a second-year girl, Aerin, who pped her palms together timidly in cheer. Her eyes sparkled as they gazed at Rojamin. It was easy to guess why she had joined the boycott. ¡®Two.¡¯ For a moment, my mind went nk. Could we evenunch a boycott against the student council with just two people? The answer was obviously no. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ The flow of the scenario always veers in unpredictable directions. Even now, I was barely holding the framework of the scenario together. So many events had already changed significantly. With Lucas absent, it was inevitable for the scenario to deviate. Still, at least the key events that defined each act needed to ur for the scenario to progress smoothly. The student council boycott was the opening scenario of Act 4, Chapter 1. This event was supposed to serve as a stepping stone for Iris to take control of the student council in Act 4, shaking up the entire Zerion Academy with the backing of Duke Robliage. Moreover, this boycott would expose numerous corrupt practices, making it a pivotal event that would shake Zerion Academy to its core. ¡®The boycott weakens the student council¡¯s authority, allowing Iris, nowmanding the next batch of students, to take charge.¡¯ During this process, the Third Princess¡¯s reputation among the students rises even higher. The corruption purge leads to the dismissal of certain professors, and those newly appointed under Duke Robliage further strengthen the student council¡¯s power. As a result, the student council achieves the greatest authority in Zerion Academy''s history. ¡®This boycott was supposed to be the solid foundation for the early stages of the scenario.¡¯ Yet here I was, with no one to carry it out. A sudden headache struck me. At this rate, Iris wouldn''t even nce at it. After a long period of contemtion, I finally lifted my head. ¡®This time, the boycott scenario¡­¡¯ I will lead it. I tapped the bandage on my palm. In that instant, my appearance began to change from Hannon to someone else. My height grew noticeably taller, my hair turned white, and my face transformed into that of a princely, handsome figure. Vikamon Niflheim. A third-rate viin chased all the way to the academy in Act 1. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be here, but he was the only character who came to mind that could be useful for the boycott.N?v(el)B\\jnn Once I made my decision, I didn¡¯t hesitate. Creak¨C ¡°Whoa?!¡± As I opened the door without hesitation, Rojamin fell off the desk. ¡°Who are you?!¡± Hearing Rojamin¡¯s shout, I gave him a faint smile. ¡°You. You were saying something interesting.¡± ¡°H-huh? Vikamon?¡± Rojamin recognized me. Of course, Vikamon was famous, whether for better or worse. His appearance alone was striking, not to mention his notorious reputation of being expelled from both his noble family and the academy. Every third-year student remembered Vikamon. ¡°You were expelled.¡± ¡°I was. But after hearing that Nikita had died, I snuck back to uncover the truth.¡± A chilling aura filled my gaze. Noticing it, Rojamin and Aerin instinctively held their breath. They must have sensed the deep anger emanating from me. In truth, my anger was directed at having only two participants for the boycott. But if it served a purpose, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°And Nikita really is dead.¡± It was well-known among the third-years that Vikamon liked Nikita. Rojamin looked at me with pity. In his eyes, I must have seemed like a bereaved avenger. ¡°I cannot forgive the student council where Nikita served. Had they cared for her, they could have stopped Nikita¡¯s downfall before it was toote. But they turned a blind eye.¡± I turned to Rojamin. ¡°Rojamin, you¡¯re nning to boycott the student council, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ll help. I¡¯ll make sure they feel the weight of Nikita¡¯s absence.¡± It was a convincing enough motivation to join the boycott. ¡°I understand your feelings well!¡± An unexpected reaction came next. Aerin jumped up, sping my hand with tearful determination. ¡°To lose someone you love and seek revenge... I felt it deeply. Let¡¯s avenge her together!¡± Aerin shouted, moved by my words. It seemed she, caught up in her feelings, had instinctively empathized with me. But it wasn¡¯t a bad situation for me. I turned my gaze to Rojamin. Rojamin looked at me and gave a sharp grin. ¡°Alright, Vikamon. I didn¡¯t think much of you before, but if you¡¯re someone who can stand up against injustice, I¡¯ll dly work with you.¡± Rojamin extended his hand to me. Aerin ced her hand over his. Both wore determined expressions. ...But for some reason, I felt even more uneasy. Still, I couldn¡¯t back out now. I ced my hand over theirs. ¡°We will stop the student council and make them face their wrongdoing!¡± ¡°Yeah! Down with the student council!¡± When Rojamin shouted loudly, Aerin echoed him enthusiastically. I chimed in moderately. Thus, the three members of the student council boycott were formed. Only twenty-seven more to go until we reach thirty. Let¡¯s work hard to recruit them. I made up my mind firmly. Creak¨C ¡°...Down with the student council?¡± Until Isabel Luna walked into the chemistryb. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 72 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 72: The Dignity of the Main Heroine The reason I appeared as Vikamon was simple. First, I could not disguise myself as a member of the academy and participate in the boycott. This was the biggest obstacle. Disguising myself as someone already known was something Hannon had already done. Given the prior trouble with Hannon, I couldn¡¯t afford the risk of disguising myself as someone else again. Thus, I needed someone who knew about Zerion Academy but wasn¡¯t currently a student. Vikamon was the perfect choice since, aside from his looks, he was insignificant. Moreover, he had no deep personal rtionships, so even if rumors spread about Vikamon¡¯s reappearance, it wouldn¡¯t make much of an impact. He was a man who had been expelled from both Zerion Academy and his family. In a ce filled with nobles who valued status and ability, no one would care about Vikamon. As sad as it sounds, Vikamon was just that insignificant. Second, my original disguise as Hannon is tied to the student council. Hannon still needed a legitimate reason to remain in the student council. I could try to ce him as a spy, but with only two people participating in the boycott, such a role felt meaningless. If the scale grewrger, it might be different, but for now, the spy role held little value. Third, Vikamon¡¯s participation in the boycott made sense to its members. Vikamon wasn¡¯t a random, unrtable figure. He was someone expelled from Zerion Academy. Naturally, he knew about the internal affairs and held resentment toward the academy. Moreover, it was usible that Vikamon, angered by Nikita¡¯s death, would infiltrate Zerion Academy. Most importantly, there was no risk in disguising myself as him. In my judgment, Vikamon was the most usable option. And this decision led to an entirely unexpected oue. On the third floor of an abandoned building. In the chemistryb. I was frozen in ce as I faced Isabel. Isabel¡¯s gaze quietly scanned Aerin and Rojamin. The two of them were also frozen in ce at Isabel¡¯s sudden appearance. Isabel¡¯s eyes turned back to me. The moment our eyes met, I quickly opened my mouth. ¡°Isabel Luna, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, yes, it has.¡± Isabel replied with a subtle expression. Damn. That reaction¡ªshe knows I¡¯m Hannon. ¡®Or maybe not? I¡¯m supposed to be Vikamon, so this is technically another lie, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Before things could get moreplicated, I stepped forward. Taking advantage of everyone¡¯s shock, I grabbed Isabel¡¯s wrist and pulled her outside. ¡°Wait, you!¡± Isabel protested as I pulled her along, but I ignored her. Once we entered another empty ssroom, I finally let her go. Isabel held the wrist I had grabbed with her other hand. Maybe I pulled her too hard. But I didn¡¯t have time to apologize. ¡°Isabel, why are you here?¡± At my question, Isabel flinched. It was obvious there was no reason for Isabel to be in the abandoned building. She fidgeted awkwardly and avoided my gaze. As expected, that reaction confirmed she knew I was Hannon. I stopped speaking like Vikamon. ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me you followed me here?¡± ¡°W-Wait, I just¡ª! You were going somewhere suspicious, so I thought you¡¯d do something weird again and followed you to keep an eye on you!¡± I stared at her, dumbfounded. So basically... Isabel was stalking me? To think I would gain a stalker one day. First Assistant Professor Barkov, and now Isabel. My head ached. Isabel seemed to spend far more time watching me than I thought. ¡®At this rate¡­¡¯ Whatever I did, the odds of Isabel catching me in the act were high. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were the type to do something so sneaky.¡± ¡°S-Sneaky? I was just¡ª!¡± Isabel trailed off, unable to finish, as if even she felt guilty. But then she furrowed her brows as if something had urred to her. ¡°And who are you to talk about sneaky behavior? ¡®Down with the student council?¡¯ You¡¯re part of the student council yourself!¡± Isabel proudly dered that she had every right to keep an eye on me. How audacious of a stalker to act so righteous. What an unfair world. ¡°And in that disguise, no less.¡± Isabel gazed at my face with a conflicted expression. Vikamon had bullied Lucas in the past. Although Vikamon eventually repented, he was still someone Isabel disliked. Isabel¡¯s expression turned curious. ¡°How do you even know that person¡­?¡± ¡°I think I have plenty of reasons to resent the student council.¡± I cut her off before she could ask more questions. Isabel hesitated. She also knew I had been close to Nikita. Nikita, whom I respected, had died. It was only natural for me to be furious at someone. Isabel didn¡¯t know that I had saved Nikita. The only one who seemed to suspect it was Iris. Isabel¡¯s eyes trembled slightly. I could see the emotions swirling in her gaze. Isabel, too, had once lost someone dear to her. She understood that pain better than anyone. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± When Lucas died, Isabel threw herself into her grief and gave up on life. Lucas had directed his resentment toward the Apostles. She had nowhere else to ce her anger. But my case was different. I had a clear direction for my anger. Isabel¡¯s eyes slowly widened. ¡°¡­Did you approach Lady Iris for that reason?¡± Isabel¡¯s misunderstanding deepened. ¡®Ah.¡¯ I realized what Isabel was misunderstanding. To her, my calm reaction to Nikita¡¯s death was bizarre. I had been preupied with preparing for the uing scenario. And since I knew Nikita was still alive, I had no real reason to grieve. But to Isabel, that must have seemed strange. A close friend of mine had died seeking vengeance and self-destructed. I should have had some emotional change, at the very least. However, what I did afterward must have looked even stranger to Isabel. Shortly after Nikita¡¯s death, I started a rtionship with Hania. Even if it was a contractual rtionship, the timing made it worse. To her, standing beside Iris¡ªwho had caused Nikita¡¯s rampage¡ªwas utterly iprehensible. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®Isabel¡¯s fixation on Hania and me¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just a personal concern. There were deeper reasons behind it. And now, Isabel¡¯s lingering question had finally been resolved. The reason I approached Hania and stayed by Iris¡¯s side. It was for Nikita¡¯s revenge¡ªsuch was the conclusion. ¡°...That¡¯s a misced direction for your anger.¡± Isabel looked at me with a determined will to stop me. Her eyes shone brilliantly in crimson. Undeterred by the dark night, sunflowers bloomed around Isabel. The upright resolve of a rival trying to stop someone from going astray. It was the fitting demeanor of a main heroine. And I was the rival who had to appropriately use that resolve. I hadn¡¯t nned it, but the justification was there. Isabel wouldn¡¯t be able to doubt my motivations. That alone was advantage enough for me. ¡°And what exactly is this misced anger?¡± From now on, I would be an avenger to repay Nikita¡¯s grudge. A hollowugh escaped my lips. ¡°Isabel, if Lucas had been killed by someone, would you simply understand and move on?¡± Isabel¡¯s eyes widened. But she couldn¡¯t say anything right away. It was because she knew the pain of losing someone precious better than anyone else. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Rage boiled in my eyes. Even if it was fake, it burned fiercely. ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Fortunately, I had enough experience to act. A long time ago, I practiced facial expressions relentlessly to relieve facial paralysis caused by an injury. When it came to facial expression acting, no one could match me. Isabel¡¯s lips trembled. She looked like she had a lot to say, but she couldn¡¯t speak recklessly. At this moment, nothing could stop me, no matter what I did. ¡°So don¡¯t get in my way.¡± ¡°No.¡± The me of defiance against injustice. A simr spark of defiance still remained within Isabel. After all, she too had once carried Lucas¡¯s me. ¡°I will stop you. I can¡¯t just stand by and watch you go down that path.¡± Isabel looked straight at me. ¡°And what right do you have? Isn¡¯t this good for you? That annoying guy is falling on his own.¡± ¡°Lucas would have¡­¡± She clenched her fists tightly and shouted powerfully. ¡°...done it this way!¡± One semester ago. Those lifeless eyes, devoid of strength, were now zing with vitality. Those eyes possessed a strange power that gave strength to anyone who looked at them. Within Isabel¡¯s body. Finally, the signs of awakening began to stir. The main heroine who would one day stand alongside Lucas to strike down the viin. Her dignity as the true main heroine had started to blossom. ¡®Yes, Isabel.¡¯ You¡¯ve always had the potential to rece Lucas. In other words, you have the strength to lead the scenario. ¡®The protagonist of this scenario.¡¯ It would undoubtedly be Isabel. And the trials of the scenario¡ª ¡®Will be me.¡¯ The student council boycott incident was originally something Lucas¡¯s group was meant to stop. Unintentionally caught up in the boycott, they would face off against the protest group. And Isabel was one of Lucas¡¯spanions. The gears of the scenario had started turning once again. ¡°And.¡± Isabel didn¡¯t stop speaking. ¡°I also don¡¯t want to see you fall and disappear like this.¡± Her final words were filled with earnestness. Isabel saw Lucas in me. And she wanted me to remain her goal and rival. As much as she relied on me, Isabel absolutely didn¡¯t want me to crumble. ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ Isabel would try to solve this on her own and wouldn¡¯t tell anyone else. If she told someone else, I would immediately fall. By luck, I had gained a safeguard. ¡°Fine, then.¡± I turned my back, returning to Hannon¡¯s demeanor. ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± The bait was set. All that remained was to move the scenario forward. ¡®As the trial.¡¯ I would carry out the scenario. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 73 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 73: Do You Want to Boycott Together? Although I had secured a heroine to clear the scenario, I was still faced with yet another problem. That was the fact that I stillcked the numbers needed to boycott the student council. Honestly, I had no idea where I was going to find them. ¡®For now¡­¡¯ Ipiled a list of the existing boycott candidates in my mind. I had already informed Rojamin about them. They were people who originally held grievances against the student council and academy. If they were interested, they would surely listen to Rojamin. Among them, I nned to persuade the key figures personally. ¡®I¡¯ll meet those guys as Vikamon, not Hannon, but¡­¡¯ The person I would meet today would respond much better to Hannon¡¯s appearance. Click¡ª When I opened the familiar door, I was greeted by an unfamiliar scene. Books were stacked everywhere, and papers were scattered across the room. In the chair where someone else would usually sit and work sat a boy and several others. This was the student council office. It was currently vacant because the vice president, Nikita, was absent. ¡°Oh, Hannon, you¡¯re here?¡± A man who was busy moving a quill pen with a pained expression looked up, his face brightening at the sight of me. The man, with light blond hair and a cheerful face that marked him as handsome, was¡ª Sylvester Drapen. He was the president of the Zerion Academy student council. Furthermore, he was the youngest son of the Drapen Duke, one of the empire¡¯s four great ducal families. This was also the reason why the Robliage faction was so intent on dragging down the student council. ¡®The Drapen Duke supports the first prince.¡¯ If the student council fell, all of the me wouldnd squarely on Sylvester. By disgracing Sylvester and allowing Iris to restore the student council¡¯s authority, it would lend strength to their political faction. My gaze fell once again on Sylvester. Sylvester¡¯s nickname was ¡®the ipetent loafer¡¯. Born into the Drapen family, he had nothing worth inheriting from the duchy. On top of that, he wasn¡¯t particrly exceptional in his personal abilities. However, thanks to the backing of the Drapen family name and his decent outward appearance, he rose to the position of president. ¡®It didn¡¯t help that there were no other suitable candidates among the third years.¡¯ For that reason, he had relied on the vice president, Nikita, to handle most of his responsibilities. But with Nikita¡¯s absence due to the recent incident, the flood of work overwhelmed him day after day. During the school term, the workload was manageable, but at the start of a new semester, the student council¡¯s responsibilities multiplied exponentially. However, Nikita had managed to juggle this work alongside her training. It was a reminder of just howpetent Nikita truly was. ¡°You¡¯re working hard.¡± Although the student council office had seen less foot traffic since Nikita¡¯s disappearance, I had continued to frequent it regrly. To stage a boycott, I needed constant intel on the current state of the student council. And today, I had a specific reason foring here. ¡°Foara.¡± ¡°Yes, senior?¡± Foara, who was diligently movingst year¡¯s files, quickly responded when I called his name. Foara Silin. A contractor of the Spirit Sovereign. A key figure in Act 4¡¯s student council boycott. I smiled warmly at Foara as I helped him avoid spilling the files. ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a bitter.¡± Want to boycott the student council together? * * * After finishing his duties in the student council office, I walked home with Foara. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. That happened back then.¡± Foara conversed with spirits that were invisible to my eyes. No matter how many times I saw it, it still amazed me. It felt like watching someone talk to ghosts. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, senior. The spirits are unusually chatty today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The spirits always supported Foara. They deserved some care in return. When I made lightheartedments, Foara smiled through his sses. At first, Foara often seemed nervous, but after one semester, he had adapted well to the academy. He was noticeably more confident. It seemed like he was living up to the title of the Spirit Lord¡¯s contractor. ¡®I¡¯ve also gained the me of Fire Spirit.¡¯ Unfortunately, the spirits still refused to appear before me. Vikamon¡¯s affinity with spirits was as hopeless as ever. ¡°So, why did you call me aside today?¡± Thankfully, Foara brought up the main topic himself. ¡°Foara, do you remember what we talked aboutst time?¡± ¡°What we talked aboutst time¡­?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d do me a favor.¡± Foara blinked and then clenched his fists with determination, nodding eagerly. ¡°Yes, of course! I was able to contract with the Spirit Lord thanks to you, senior! Just say the word!¡± What a reliable junior. I smiled warmly. ¡°Foara, recently, there¡¯s been a group forming to reject the student council.¡± ¡°A boycott?¡± ¡°Do you remember the incident with Nikita?¡± Foara¡¯s face darkened immediately. Although he wasn¡¯t as close to Nikita as I was, Foara had still gotten along well with her. Nikita treated juniors without discrimination, so Foara deeply respected her as well. Despite the time that had passed, Nikita¡¯s absence was still deeply felt. It was clear that the situation weighed on Foara¡¯s mind. ¡°It seems they¡¯re trying to use that incident as leverage to stage a boycott.¡± ¡°How could they¡­ Nikita senior worked so hard to make the school a better ce! To exploit her suffering like that¡­ Those are some unbelievable bastards.¡± I could feel Foara¡¯s strong sense of opposition. It was surprising how much he had changed. Back then, Foara himself had led the boycott. But now, he was firmly on the student council¡¯s side. ¡°That¡¯s why I need you to infiltrate the boycott group.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Foara looked dumbfounded. Just moments ago, he had been seething with anger over Nikita¡¯s incident. Now I was asking him to join the boycott? He couldn¡¯t believe his ears. I needed to persuade him carefully. ¡°Think about it. If someone from the student council¡ªlike you¡ªexpresses dissatisfaction, what would the boycott group think?¡± ¡°¡­They¡¯d wee me with open arms?¡± ¡°Exactly. To them, you¡¯d be the perfect spy and a symbol of legitimacy. But as a member of the student council, you would¡­¡± ¡°Oh, you want me to be a spy!¡± Foara¡¯s expression shifted as he nodded in understanding. ¡°Correct.¡± Of course, under my direction, Foara would actually lead the boycott group. But as long as I positioned him as the student council¡¯s spy, I could pull him out whenever I needed. ¡°But¡­ will I be able to y the role of a spy well?¡± Foara wasn¡¯t exactly someone who excelled at acting. A pure-hearted young man. That description suited Foara perfectly. For someone like him, pretending to be a spy was a daunting task. ¡°What are you talking about? Foara, no one can do it better than you.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± ¡°Yes. More importantly, you have spirits that no one else can see. With their eyes, it¡¯ll be easy to gather information.¡± ¡°¡­Would the spirits even help me with that?¡± They definitely would. Foara adored the spirits and treated them well, but spirits operated under strict hierarchies. As a contractor of the Spirit Lord, anything Foara ordered¡ªshort of their annihtion¡ªwould be done without question. ¡°Trust me, Foara. You¡¯re the junior I trust the most in the student council.¡± ¡°A-ah, um, ahem.¡± Foara coughed awkwardly, clearly embarrassed. I didn¡¯t particrly enjoy seeing a grown man blush. I¡¯d stop the praise here. ¡®I miss the days when I praised Nikita.¡¯ Nikita, I miss you. I hope I¡¯ll hear more news about you soon. Meanwhile, Foara puffed out his chest confidently. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w His eyes were brimming with newfound determination. ¡°Yes, senior! You can count on me! I¡¯ll perform my role as a spy wlessly!¡± That¡¯s the simple yet reliable Foara I knew. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± With that, I sessfully nted Foara in the boycott group. Now all that was left was to pull in the other key figures of the boycott. Fortunately, I know their weaknesses that will force them to join. And the one shaking those weaknesses is Vikamon. Third-rate viin, Vikamon Niflheim. I shall lead this boycott to sess. * * * Preparations for the boycott proceeded smoothly. At first, the number of people was far too insufficient, but thanks to Rojamin and Aerin, who were moved by my words and worked hard, we managed to gather a decent number of members. On top of that, those whose weaknesses I held had no choice but to join the boycott while swallowing their tears. ¡°You devil, how did you find the poem I wrote for my first love¡­?¡± ¡°Sniff, I never liked the student council anyway, but using that against me is too cruel.¡± ¡°¡­How did you find out I ate ms and drew a map in the carriage?¡± Here and there, victims emerged, but the boycott team filled up well enough. Thanks to that, I thought there would be no problems until the set boycott date. ¡®Now, all that¡¯s left is for Iris to make contact.¡¯ I intended to leave Iris¡¯s contact to Rojamin. Of course, since the scenario is a precarious tightrope walk, I nned to secretly observe things when the time came. I thought everything would go smoothly like that. But I faced apletely unexpected problem. ¡°Good morning. Morning training again today? You¡¯re so diligent.¡± The daily morning training with Aisha. Recently, a new participant joined that training. The owner of honey-blonde hair, wearing shorts and a light jacket, sticking close to me. Isabel Luna. She was there. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Aisha quietly looked at me. It was a question asking, What on earth is going on? I didn¡¯t know either. During our conversation that day, Isabel dered that she would stop me. I naturally interpreted that as her trying to stop the boycott. But apparently, Isabel had something more fundamental in mind. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s trying to fundamentally change me.¡¯ Isabel stood beside me with a bright face. Her smile held the determination to turn my anger into positive energy. I felt a headache creeping in. This cheerful, main heroine energy of hers. Well, this is partly why I liked Isabel in the first ce. After killing Nikita with his own hands, Lucas suffers a deep wound to his heart. This wound continues to grow until it eventually destroys Lucas. At the end of Act 4, Isabelforts and encourages Lucas. And upon seeing Lucas rise again, Isabel begins to hold him in her heart. Even as someone who enjoyed the me Butterfly arc, I really liked that scene. It¡¯s the moment when Isabel, who was always just the childhood friend, awakens as the main heroine. As someone ying the protagonist, I couldn¡¯t help but love that moment. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ As I thought about that, I suddenly froze. Right now, there¡¯s no Lucas in this world. Instead, I¡¯ve taken on part of Lucas¡¯s role to move the scenario forward. Given the current situation, I appear to Isabel as someone angry and wounded by Nikita¡¯s death. Even if this was something I fabricated that coincidentally lined up, it was only natural that Isabel would see me that way. This means that if the scenario continues as it is, I¡¯ll follow the same process as Lucas. Isabel will fall for me. ¡®No, not quite.¡¯ Lucas was Isabel¡¯s childhood friend. I¡¯m her rival. At best, Isabel might feel proud of me for letting go of my resentment, but there¡¯s no way she¡¯ll fall for me. ¡®So I don¡¯t really need to worry about that.¡¯ The problem is that, having reced Lucas¡¯s role,n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Isabel seems determined to stick by my side for the foreseeable future. ¡°¡­Aisha, let¡¯s train.¡± But there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Just because Isabel joined doesn¡¯t mean I can skip training. Aisha nodded. We proceeded with our usual training routine. Isabel kept up with the training well enough. She was, after all, a top student in 2nd-year martial arts. Naturally, she could follow along with most training. The problem was that the training we did wasn¡¯t exactly normal. ¡°Huff, huff, are you two insane? Ah, spit, huh, do you really go this far?¡± Isabel gawked at the dozens of kilos of iron pouches strapped to our backs and arms. Aisha and I exchanged nces. Then, smiles crept across our faces. ¡°To think you¡¯din over something this light.¡± ¡°Senior Isabel, you¡¯re surprisingly weak, aren¡¯t you?¡± Aisha and I got along well. A vein quietly bulged on Isabel¡¯s forehead. As someone who studies martial arts, her pride was pricked. She had been provoked. ¡°Weak, huh?¡± Isabel gripped the iron pouches tightly and pulled herself to her feet. ¡°That¡¯s not something I¡¯ve ever heard before.¡± That¡¯s the spirit. ¡°Aisha, let¡¯s keep going.¡± ¡°Yes, senior.¡± We resumed our morning training. Isabel followed us stubbornly, but in the end, shepletely copsed midway through. We, too, had pushed ourselves unnecessarily to tease Isabel. So we decided to call it a day. ¡°Ugh, huuuh¡­¡± Isabel trembled, struggling to steady her wobbly legs on her way back to the dorm. I quietly watched her before stepping closer. Isabel flinched. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t have to help me!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to.¡± I simply passed her by, heading toward the male dormitory, which was farther away than the female dormitory. I had to move quickly if I wanted to wash up and avoid beingte. Isabel stared nkly after me. Then, she seemed to recall the nature of our rtionship. ¡°Senior, let me help you.¡± ¡°Mm, thanks¡­¡± Isabel quietly epted Aisha¡¯s support. ¡°You don¡¯t smell of sweat at all.¡± Aishamented softly, and Isabel¡¯s face turned a deep shade of red as she bowed her head. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 74 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 74: Huh?! What¡¯s Wrong with Seron¡­? It was the morningmute time. As I headed to the girls'' dormitory to meet Hania, she walked out as usual with Iris. Iris looked particrly tired these days, perhaps because her insomnia had worsened. She raised her hand the moment she saw me. She looked like the Empress of Steel, chasing warmth. But, once again, I remind myself that I cannot let her hug me here. When I shook my head, Iris wiggled her fingers as if disappointed. ¡°Hannon.¡± Hania approached me quietly. ¡°Can you do that transformation thing fromst time one more time?¡± I blinked. ¡°You mean when I turned into your appearance?¡± ¡°Yes, that one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible, but¡­¡± My gaze turned to Iris. ¡°It¡¯s because of Iris, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. She hasn¡¯t been able to sleep properlytely.¡± Thest time she held onto me, Iris slept well. It seems like she wants to rely on that again. ¡°Alright.¡± I must manage Iris¡¯ nightmares as well. If she falls victim to them, things could get very troublesome. ¡°Wait, I¡¯ming too!¡± At that moment, Isabel appeared. She approached us, her legs trembling slightly. ¡°Isabel, why do you look like that?¡± Hania asked curiously, and Isabel nced at me briefly. Then, with a slightly awkward expression, she scratched her temple. ¡°I had¡­ um, a morning session with Hannon.¡± As a member of the Martial Arts, it must have been embarrassing for her to be this worn out from training. She cleared her throat repeatedly. Hania stared at the two of us with a nk face. ¡°¡­I always thought something was strange between you two. When exactly did you be that kind of pair?¡± Hania¡¯s gaze felt a bit odd. ¡°It just happened, kind of.¡± Isabel looked at me for support as she fumbled for an excuse. ¡°But we¡¯re going to keep doing it!¡± When Isabel showed her resolve, Hania¡¯s face turned faint with confusion. ¡°¡­Shouldn¡¯t you stick to the duties of a student? What if somethinges of it?¡± ¡°Hmm? Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± What Isabel meant by ¡®something¡¯ was muscle. What Hania meant by ¡®something¡¯ was far more precious and delicate. ¡°Well, I mean, it¡¯s nice, but still¡­.¡± Hania stammered with a flushed face, trying to exin herself. Eventually, she bit her lip, unable to find the right words. ¡°¡­Isabel, you¡¯re bolder than I thought.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Their conversation wasn¡¯t lining up at all. ¡°You were training with Hannon this morning, huh?¡± To bring their dialogue back on track, Iris intervened as the voice of reason. Hania whipped her head toward me, and I simply shrugged. I had figured out what the conversation was about halfway through, but it looked fun, so I left it alone. Hania¡¯s gaze grew sharp. I might get a jab to the sideter. ¡°Oh no, we¡¯ll bete. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± With that, I quickly started walking. * * * After the morning¡¯smotion, Isabel¡¯s strange behavior continued. First, Isabel sat next to me. As a result, Hania was on my left and Isabel on my right. Seron was pushed all the way to the far corner. She stared at me, her face showing disbelief. Sitting between the two most beautiful girls in the ss¡ªit was only natural for her to react that way. ¡°Isabel, why are you suddenly sitting next to him?¡± ¡°What got into you?¡± During the break, the girls gathered around Isabel, trying to uncover the truth. Isabel red at me briefly before answering. ¡°Well, you have to help someone who¡¯s hurting.¡± Before I knew it, I had be ¡®the hurting person.¡¯ ¡°¡­Isabel, you really do have a soft heart.¡± ¡°Well, he is pretty hurt in a lot of ways.¡± For some reason, the girls seemed to ept that. Why are they understanding this? Are they trying to pick a fight with me? In any case, Isabel continued her antics throughout the day. She came straight to me first during sparring ss to ask for a match. At lunchtime, she stuck by my side, guarding my spot. When I got distracted and missed a part of the lesson, she even shared her notes with me. She was enthusiastic, to say the least. Is this what it feels like to have a childhood friend who looks out for you? I think I understand a bit of what Lucas¡¯ life was like now. It¡¯s clear that Isabel yed a huge role in Lucas¡¯ scatterbrained tendencies. But it wasn¡¯t just the girls who began reacting to Isabel¡¯s actions. ¡°Hannon.¡± As I came out of the bathroom, a group of guys blocked my path. They were fellow second-year Martial Arts students. Normally, since I was already notorious for being hated by the girls, no guys ever bothered me. They simply looked at me with pity, watching as I was constantly hounded by the girls. But today was different. For the first time, they confronted me. All of them had serious looks on their faces. ¡°You being in a rtionship with Hania¡ªwe can understand that much. We respect your skill and effort, after all.¡± ¡°But Isabel is another story.¡± Wait. These aren¡¯t angry faces. Their expressions were full of sorrow and grief¡ª And barely restrained fury. ¡°Isabel, too? Seriously?¡± ¡°What did you do to her? You two were rivals not that long ago.¡± ¡°Even so, there are boundaries, man. This is just too much!¡± I looked at the group of guys, who were practically wailing, and let out a bitter smile. Their tear-filled eyes felt strangely rtable. Martial Arts students are boys in their prime. Most of them had never formed any close rtionships with girls before. As children of noble families, they spent every waking moment training hard to earn their ce at Zerion Academy. They didn¡¯t have time to chase romance. And yet, in ss, they were constantly surrounded by beautiful girls. Especially Hania and Isabel, who treated everyone kindly, regardless of gender. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w It¡¯s only natural that these boys would fall for them at least once. But here I was, sandwiched between the two. It was no wonder the boys who had admired them from afar were drowning in despair. But what was the reality of the situation? My rtionship with Hania is a thoroughly contractual one. The most we do is hold hands and stick together. Hania''s expressions of affection are all directed toward Iris. Isabel is my rival. Right now, she''s acting as though she''s trying to heal the wounds I''ve received because of Nikita, but in truth, it¡¯s far from what the kids imagine. However, they don''t see this reality. To their eyes, I¡¯m nothing but a scoundrel who managed to win over the school''s two idols. ¡°...Yeah, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I had no choice but to apologize to them. I also know how painful it is when fragile feelings of a crush are shattered. At my sincere apology, the boys¡¯ mouths opened and closed wordlessly. They knew full well that pursuing this matter further would only embarrass them. Perhaps for that reason, they swallowed their tears and said no more. ¡°...Be happy.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯se to this, you better make the both of them happy with everything you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°The day you make either one of them cry, you''d better be ready.¡± With those words, the boys left. They weren¡¯t bad guys after all. They simply wished for their crushes to be happy. Geez, I¡¯m the one who should be crying here, but everyone else is shedding tears for me. ¡°Lightning sweet potato.¡± As I came out of the bathroom, having passed the boys, Seron called out to me. As always, Seron¡¯s forehead was shining bright. She must wipe it diligently every day. Come to think of it, the boys hadn¡¯t even mentioned Seron¡¯s name. Did they not consider her a romantic prospect at all? Feeling a sudden pity, I patted Seron on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a juice or something.¡± ¡°What the? Why does that make me feel worse?¡± Seron swatted my hand away and curled her finger, beckoning me closer. When I lowered myself to her level, she spoke quietly. ¡°Something weird happened to me recently.¡± ¡°You finally blinded someone with your forehead beam, huh?¡± ¡°You wanna die? Seriously!¡± I should probably stop joking around. ¡°So, what happened?¡± ¡°You¡¯re in the student council, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°There are students nning a boycott recently.¡± So the news had even reached Seron¡¯s ears. It must have seemed urgent enough for her to run to tell me, a student council member. I tilted my head curiously. ¡°Seron, you don¡¯t have friends other than me to hear stuff like this from.¡± When I hit the mark, Seron¡¯s lips pursed. From that action, I figured something out. ¡°¡­You were recruited, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Uh, um, I-I didn¡¯t join!¡± Seron had unintentionally be a lone wolf. She used to hang out a lot with me or Card. Buttely, Card had been busy ying spy on a mission and rarely showed up at the martial arts department. As for me, well, let¡¯s not even go there. The two top-tier idols of the martial arts department are keeping close tabs on me. Poor, shrinking Seron couldn¡¯t even approach me. When I gave her a pitying look, she scowled. ¡°Why are you looking at me like I¡¯m pathetic? That¡¯s really annoying, you know.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s okay, Seron.¡± ¡°Ugh, seriously, stop looking at me like you¡¯re saying, ¡®Oh, you poor soul who knows nothing about love.¡¯ That makes me want to punch you.¡± I patted her shoulder again. And she pushed my hand away. So heartless. ¡°Hah, maybe I should just get a boyfriend. This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°¡­You? A boyfriend?¡± ¡°Oh, please. If I put my mind to it, I could get a boyfriend in no time.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a world out there where that¡¯s possible.¡± A world where Seron Parmia is popr. ¡­Is there, though? ¡°There is! I¡¯m telling you, there is! Besides, I¡¯m waiting for my prince charming!¡± ¡°What prince?¡± ¡°Someone way cooler than you, Lightning Sweet Potato.¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯m amazed that your imagination is this creative.¡± Seron started cracking her knuckles. ¡°Lightning Sweet Potato, it¡¯s been a while since youst got hit, huh?¡± Watching her, I shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t recall ever being hit by you.¡± And then Seron lunged at me. Of course, I dodged everything. My dodging skills have been improving by the day. I can now avoid Seron¡¯s pathetic punches entirely. ¡°Ugh, just get hit already!¡± ¡°Why would I let you hit me?¡± Breathing heavily, Seron eventually gave up trying to punch me. Then, she nced at my neck. Where is she looking? ¡°What¡¯s that pendant? I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡± Oh, I must have moved too much, and it slipped out briefly. I tucked the pendant back in. ¡°It¡¯s something like an investment for the future.¡± ¡°It looks expensive. Are you nning to sell it?¡± ¡°Something like that. I¡¯ll use it for a trade with someone someday.¡± Seron looked at me incredulously and sighed. ¡°Ugh, anyway, there are people nning a boycott. I don¡¯t know the details, but just be careful.¡± ¡°Yeah, and don¡¯t you get roped into it. Even if they say there¡¯s a good-looking guy there, don¡¯t follow him.¡± ¡°Hmph, do you think my standards are that low? You think I¡¯d follow something like that? I¡¯d have to be an idiot.¡± The self-proimed high-standard Seron. And then that day, I witnessed an unexpected scene. An abandoned building, the third-floor chemistry room. There stood Seron, her face bright red, shouting at me in my disguise as Vikamon. ¡°I-I¡¯ll join the boycott!¡± Seron was an idiot. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 75 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 75: The Prince of Seron I found myself face-to-face with the fool, Seron. I reflected on how the situation hade to this point. Lately, Seron had been spending a lot of time alone. Naturally, much of that was my fault. Unintentionally surrounded by other kids, I had left no room for Seron to approach. What caught my attention was that Seron, persistently being pursued by Aerin, an initial member of the boycott group, was now getting involved. The main reason Aerin targeted Seron was simple. Seron was close to me, a member of the student council. So, by bringing her into the boycott group, they might get some information from her. It was a somewhat understandable motive. The problem was that Aerin turned out to be more persistent than expected. Seron, being as difficult as she is, could have refused outright. But it seemed like Seron intended to use this opportunity to gather information about the boycott and ry it to me. So, ying along, she followed Aerin to the meeting room. If that was her n, it was an admirable thought. At least, until she ran into me in my disguise as Vikamon. When Seron saw me standing in a corner, she kept ncing at me, stealing shy looks. Each time our eyes met, her face flushed red, and she quickly lowered her head. The way her toes fidgeted made her look like a girl smitten by love. Let me reiterate: Vikamon is handsome. So much so that I must emphasize it twice¡ªhe''s truly good-looking. It''s no wonder he caused such a stir as a host in the entertainment world and even captivated the "Mad Mage" Vinesha. He¡¯s tall, strikingly handsome, and has an inexplicable mncholic gaze that mesmerizes people. I can understand why Seron fell for him at first sight. She had always said she liked tall, manly types. Compared to the beautiful, effeminate Nia, Vikamon¡¯s looks embodied masculine charm. In short, he was exactly Seron¡¯s type. The problem was that Vikamon was me. A headache swept over me for a moment. ¡®That fool.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want Seron getting involved in the boycott. The boycott group would eventually fail, and its members would be disciplined. That was only natural since they were causing a disturbance in the academy. I needed to get her out of there somehow. But it wouldn¡¯t be easy, considering she ignored even Rojamin, the leader of the boycott, and kept looking only at me. "President!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om At that moment, a student burst into the room in the middle of Rojamin¡¯s speech. Seeing glowing orbs of light floating around them, I guessed they were a student from the Department of Special Spirits. "The student council patrol is here! We need to leave immediately!" The student council wasn¡¯t clueless. With the increasing number of boycott members, rumors had reached their ears. The boycott group was essentially a group of delinquents dissatisfied with the academy. It was the student council¡¯s job to guide such groups back on track, so they immediately conducted patrols to address the issue. "Those cunning student council members! Today¡¯s meeting is over. Scatter!" At Rojamin¡¯s words, the students, who had been casually snacking on treats, began to scatter in a hurry. I had already warned them beforehand about possible patrols, so everyone moved in an orderly manner. I, too, was about to make my escape when I saw Seron standing there, looking flustered. That blockhead. It seemed she was so fixated on my face that she didn¡¯t grasp the situation. If left alone, she¡¯d be caught by the patrolling student council members. I couldn¡¯t let her take the fall, so I quickly ran to her. p! I grabbed her wrist. "Ah, uh¡­" "Let¡¯s go." Pulling the startled Seron along, I hurried through the corridors of the abandoned building. The hallways, now empty of boycott members, felt eerily quiet. As I ran along a pre-nned escape route, I suddenly heard footsteps near the staircase. Damn, they¡¯reing this way. What bad luck. I stopped in my tracks and looked around. Spotting an empty ssroom, I opened the door and ushered Seron inside. A worn-out podium caught my eye. I quickly crouched down behind it with Seron. The podium wasn¡¯t very big, so we ended up quite close together, but there was no time to worry about that. I could feel Seron fidgeting, likely ufortable in the cramped space. "Just hang in there a little longer." When I whispered in her ear, Seron shivered and then wentpletely still. Tap, tap, tap. Footsteps echoed in the hallway. "Ugh, working sote at night is such a pain." "There¡¯s a delinquent group, though. As the student council, we have to deal with it." It was Midra Fenin, a first-year from the martial arts department, and another second-year student council member. Judging from their tone, they were still in the rumor-checking phase and weren¡¯t conducting a full search yet. If they had been serious, they¡¯d have used magic to seal off the building, and assistant professors or staff would have joined the patrol. ¡®Is the president sparing me from patrol duty because of Nikita¡¯s incident?¡¯ President Sylvester hadn¡¯t assigned me much student council work since the Nikita case. Out of concern that I might be emotionally affected, he had been letting me rest. ¡®He¡¯s not a bad person, just¡­ hopelessly ipetent.¡¯ Unfortunately, that ipetence seemed to be his defining trait. The footsteps of the student council members gradually faded away. Realizing this, I let out a brief sigh of relief and turned to look at Seron. Our eyes met. Seron was staring up at me with a dazed,pletely enraptured expression. Her face was as red as a beet, and her lips were slightly parted. Looking at her in silence, I finally spoke. "Uh¡­" "Ack!" Thud! Startled back to her senses, Seron tried to stand but bumped her head against the podium. "Ughhh!" Clutching her head in pain, Seron let out a muffled groan. But it seemed she was more embarrassed by her clumsy behavior in front of me than hurt. "Are you okay?" I almost called her a fool but managed to hold back. Instead, I inspected her forehead to make sure it wasn¡¯t injured. "Y-yes, I¡¯m fine!" Seron, who rarely used formal speech, suddenly started speaking stiffly. Well, with her thick skull, it was unlikely she¡¯d gotten hurt. "That¡¯s a relief." Suppressing my inner thoughts, I stepped out from behind the podium. Then, I held out a hand to Seron, who was still crouched inside. Flinching at my every move, Seron grabbed my hand and stepped out. She adjusted her skirt slightly, looking every bit like a delicate, timid girl. Moonlight streamed in through the window. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Tonight, the sky was clear, and the moon was shining brightly. Seron, who had followed me, stared at me as if spellbound. Then she suddenly snapped out of it. "Um, um, what''s your name?" Seron, with a shy expression, asked for my name. It seemed that Seron didn¡¯t recognize the face of Vikamon, her senior by one grade. ¡®Still, I think she would¡¯ve at least heard of the name.¡¯ Given her personality, she probably wasn¡¯t interested enough to bother looking it up. But I am Vikamon. What would Vikamon have said in this situation? If she didn¡¯t know my name, there was no reason for me to bother telling her. I had already decided to keep Seron froming here after today. ¡°It¡¯s a name not worth knowing.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Seron sighed. She seemed to interpret my reluctance as me having someplicated reason. ¡°More importantly, don¡¯te here from now on.¡± ¡°What? W-why?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing good about you being here.¡± Seron hesitated. ¡°But, but still...¡± She nced at my face, as if she had so much she wanted to say. She doesn¡¯t listen, does she? It¡¯s making me itch to flick her forehead. ¡°Then¡­ where can I see you again?¡± After much deliberation, she finally spoke. She bit her lip in embarrassment, as if ashamed of what she had said. Where to see me again? She¡¯ll see me tomorrow morning at school. I stopped myself from giving Seron a pitiful look and opened the window. ¡°It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t see each other again. For both our sakes.¡± If she finds outter that I¡¯m Hannon, it¡¯ll ruin her. Though teasing her about it would be amusing, I didn¡¯t want things to be awkward between us. For better or worse, Seron was my friend. I wanted to maintain a good rtionship with her in the future. So today, I decided to let things slide for Seron¡¯s sake. That''s what friends are for. Your first love? It''s like I wasn''t even there. * * * The next day, I went to school as usual. No, not quite as usual. To be precise, things were a bit different. After returning to the dormst night, I went straight to the girls¡¯ dormitory. Then, disguised as Hania, I went to Iris¡¯s room. Iris was sitting slumped in her chair, ying the sound of Argol that I had mentioned. When she met my gaze, she gave a faint smile. It was the same smile she had in the Demon Dungeon¡ªone worn down to its limit by exhaustion. I carefully carried Iris to her bed andid her down. Then I stayed by her side, holding her gently. We exchanged a few words before she fell asleep. Nothing special, just idle chatter. But it was just the right kind of conversation to lull her to sleep. Soon, Iris was breathing evenly in slumber. Lucas used to put her to sleep with ap pillow. I don¡¯t know how I ended up in this situation. Still, it was fortunate that Iris could sleep. After fulfilling my role as her stuffed animal, I barely managed to separate from Iris in the morning and switch back to Hannon. Thanks to that, Iris was vibrant today. Walking confidently without a trace of fatigue, she exuded the dignity of a princess. ¡°I want to sleep with Hannon every night.¡± ¡°Lady Iris, please don¡¯t say things like that in front of others.¡± Iris casually made a shocking statement. If the third princess faction heard this, they¡¯d be utterly horrified. And I¡¯d likely be executed for the crime of touching the princess. ¡°Next time, too, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± But Iris showed no intention of letting me go. It seemed she nned to use me again if she couldn¡¯t sleep. Until Iris was freed from her nightmares, I had no choice but to endure. Once she was free, these incidents would end too. Worrying more and more, I headed to school. There, I saw Seron¡¯s figure early in the morning. Judging by her reaction, she didn¡¯t even notice I was there. Thinking about yesterday, I decided to y a little prank on her and quietly approached from behind. ¡°Sigh.¡± Before I could do anything, Seron let out a long sigh, unaware of my presence. She stared out the window with teary eyes. ¡°My prince...¡± And then muttered to herself. I quietly stared at the back of her head. I knew exactly who she was thinking about. She used to say I was like a burnt sweet potato. This girl, honestly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 76 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 76: Lovesickness ¡°Hehe, hihihi.¡± Seron giggled foolishly. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Seron let out a deep sigh. ¡°Hmhm~¡± Seron hummed a little tune. How many times can someone¡¯s emotions change in a single day? Just watching her is exhausting for me. But Seron showed no signs of tiring. She seemed constantly happy amidst her whirlwind of emotions. ¡°Seron.¡± ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Hehehe.¡± ¡°Forehead.¡± No matter how many times I called her, she wouldn¡¯t respond. ¡°Seron, what¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Isabel asked, looking at Seron with a puzzled expression. Even to her, Seron seemed far from normal. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ask her yourself.¡± I didn¡¯t want to ask anymore. Noticing my reluctance, Isabel sat next to Seron. ¡°Seron.¡± When Isabel tapped her on the shoulder and called her name, Seron finally snapped out of her daze a little. ¡°Did something happen? Why are you like this?¡± Hearing Isabel¡¯s question, Seron looked nk for a moment, then turned to gaze dreamily out the window. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± And then, she sighed again. ¡°Belle, I¡¯ve seen my prince.¡± ¡°¡­There isn¡¯t anyone with royal status at Zerion Academy, though?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. Phew, Belle, you just wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± Seron¡¯s expression seemed to pity Isabel for not knowing love. Isabel stared at Seron for a moment and then quietly stepped back. ¡°¡­You talk to her.¡± ¡°Just leave her be.¡± They say there¡¯s no cure for lovesickness. All I can do is leave her alone until she forgets. ¡°You act like you know something about this.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± And I didn¡¯t want to know, either. Under Isabel¡¯s suspicious gaze, time continued to pass. Since entering this scenario, I¡¯d gained a few new tasks to handle. Task One: Regr visits to the girls'' dormitory for Iris''s peaceful sleep. Her nightmares were a critical issue. At least once a week, I had to sleep beside her. Though Iris wanted me toe every day, that would be too exhausting for me. Walking into the girls'' dormitory each time made my skin crawl; the maids¡¯ stares were terrifying. Task Two: Shaking off Isabel. She followed me everywhere, trying to take care of me. I underestimated her persistence. She was desperate to restore me to my former self. So much so that people around us thought Isabel and I had reconciled. Eventually, I started avoiding her altogether. But the more I avoided her, the more stubborn Isabel became, relentlessly tailing me. However, with my years of experience as an introvert, I managed to find ces to hide where she couldn¡¯t find me. Extroverts don¡¯t understand that introverts need their alone time. Task Three: Seron. Seron had promised not to show up at Boycott gatherings with me. Because it was something the person she admired had asked of her. Seron faithfully kept that promise. But as time went on, Seron became noticeably gaunt. The length of her sighing spells grew. She was a walking disy of what severe lovesickness looked like. ¡®The Last Leaf.¡¯ The thought came to me as I watched Seron¡¯s mncholic gaze. Her behavior became more reserved, her words fewer. This couldn¡¯t go on. I had to do something. ¡°They don¡¯t call it a sickness for nothing. It¡¯s a disease of the heart, and it eats away at you.¡± Card, a self-proimed expert on women, clicked his tongue as he looked at Seron. ¡°At this rate, she¡¯ll copse.¡± And sure enough, not long after, Seron really did copse. It happened during a routine training exercise. In a mock battle, participants were paired against opponents. Seron, lost in thought, failed to avoid her opponent¡¯s critical attack. Crash! Seron, who had been sent flying, rolled onto the ground. ¡°Huh? What?¡± Her sparring partner stared in shock, ncing between their weapon and Seron. Normally, Seron would have easily dodged such an attack. They¡¯d only aimed because they expected her to block it, but instead, she went down without resistance. Serony there, unmoving. Everyone turned their startled gazes toward her. By the time I stood up without thinking, Professor Vega had already hurried to check on Seron. But the professor¡¯s worried expression quickly returned to calm. ¡°Hannon.¡± Hearing my name, I rushed over. ¡°Yes, Professor.¡± Without hesitation, she handed Seron over to me. ¡°Take this fool to the infirmary and ask for a nutrient drip.¡± A nutrient drip. Hearing that, I looked down at Seron in disbelief. Her lovesickness had left her sleep-deprived and skipping meals, leading to malnutrition. ¡®Is she really this much of an idiot?¡¯ Following the professor¡¯s orders, I reluctantly carried Seron on my back. All eyes were on us as I left the training grounds with her. Seron, semi-conscious, was mumbling incoherently. I nced at her and sighed. All they did was exchange a few words. How could that lead to something like this? I just couldn¡¯t understand it. Carrying her, I headed toward the infirmary. The sunlight streamed through the hallway windows. ¡°Seron.¡± I called her name, though she was passed out. ¡°What¡¯s so great about that guy?¡± I knew it was about his looks. But how could mere appearance cause this level of infatuation? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°It¡¯s just a face.¡± I don¡¯t know much about Seron. But I do know one thing: she¡¯s cursed with bad luck. She was always unlucky.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Whenever something special happened, she would either get a stomachache or hurt herself somewhere. If she prepared something diligently, it would somehow end up in vain, making all her efforts seem meaningless. Thus, Seron earned the nickname Unfortunate Girl. Her sharp and entric personality was heavily influenced by her constant streak of bad luck. Nothing ever went the way she wanted, so it was impossible for her personality not to be prickly. Creak- As the door opened, the familiar scent of antiseptic unique to the infirmary filled the air. It seemed like the school nurse had stepped out for a moment. ¡°They¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Iid Seron down on the infirmary bed. After roughly removing her shoes, I covered her with a nket. ¡°Ugh¡­ mmgh¡­¡± Seron groaned faintly, still caught somewhere between sleep and wakefulness. ¡°Prince¡­ Your Highness¡­¡± Yes, your prince is here. Seron¡¯splexion didn¡¯t look good at all. Watching her silently, I reached out and gently brushed her bangs aside. ¡°Tch.¡± Clicking my tongue, I carefully closed the curtains around the bed. Then, I pulled at the Veil Bandages. Gradually, my height began to increase, and my hair transformed into a bright white. From Hannon¡¯s appearance, I reverted to Vikamon¡¯s. As Vikamon, I pulled up a chair and sat beside Seron. Then, I gently stroked her forehead. It was as smooth and well-maintained as ever. Perhaps sensing the warmth, Seron¡¯s expression rxed slightly. At the same time, her eyelids began to flutter open. Seron blinked. Then, as her eyes met mine, they widened slowly. ¡°P-Prince!?¡± Seron jolted up with a startled shout. She tried to sit up abruptly but groaned in pain, likely due to the earlier impact. I watched her silently before leaning back against the chair. ¡°Seron Parmia.¡± When I called her name, her shoulders flinched. She opened her eyes wide as if wondering how I knew her name. ¡°I heard about you from an acquaintance. They said you¡¯ve been looking frail and unwelltely.¡± Seron¡¯s shoulders trembled. She fidgeted nervously, her lips parting slightly as if to speak. ¡°And they also mentioned that you seemed to be looking for me.¡± She lowered her head abruptly. Her ears turned bright red. Watching her quietly, I asked, ¡°Why were you looking for me? I didn¡¯t think we had much of a connection.¡± At that moment, Seron flinched again. She curled her hands and began to tremble faintly. She raised her head with a trembling expression. Her eyes quivered pitifully, and seeing that, I felt puzzled. It was because her face seemed hurt by my words. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d remember,¡± She said with a faintly bitter smile. Her smile made my eyes widen slightly. Up until now, I had assumed that her attitude was simply because she was infatuated with my appearance. But that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡®¡­Was there some connection between Vikamon and Seron that I didn¡¯t know about?¡¯ A third-rate viin, Vikamon Niflheim. The Unfortunate Girl, Seron Parmia. Both were minor, extra characters in the me Butterfly arc. Naturally, there wasn¡¯t much information about either of them. Like in any game, it¡¯s impossible to provide detailed backstories for every minor character. Both of them were merely fleeting presences in the story. But now, beneath the surface of these minor characters, an unknown connection hade to light. Until now, I had been living as Hannon. Because of that, I hadn¡¯t considered how Vikamon¡¯s rtionships might unfold. And because I hadn¡¯t thought about it, I had made an unforeseen mistake. But. Seron didn¡¯t seem to know my name either. So could it really be called a connection? ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have the best memory. Could you exin if something happened between us?¡± At the very least, if neither of us even knew each other¡¯s names, the rtionship couldn¡¯t have been very deep. That meant there was still a way to navigate this situation. When I asked Seron, she seemed to recall a past event and shyly lowered her head. ¡°It was the day of a party hosted by a noblewoman¡­¡± Nobles often held parties for socializing. Seron, at the time, was attending such a social gathering for the first time. Her debut into high society. For the asion, Seron dressed up beautifully. She also prepared a gift for the hostess and diligently studied proper party etiquette. But Seron was the Unfortunate Girl. On the day she arrived at the party, her carriage was dyed by a collision on the narrow bridge they had to cross. She had no choice but to wait in the carriage for a long time until the ident was resolved. Finally, when the ident was cleared and they crossed the bridge into the estate where the party was being held, it began to rain. It poured down in torrents, turning the ground into mud. Before long, the carriage¡¯s wheels got stuck in a muddy, under-construction road, and it could no longer move. In the end, Seron had to step out of the carriage and walk through the mud with the umbre her maid held over her. Despite the umbre, the rain still seeped through. Her carefully chosen shoes were ruined, caked in mud, and her dress was soaked and dirty. She looked like anything but an invited noblewoman. Holding back tears, Seron finally arrived at the party venue, but by then, the party was nearly over. Though her maid tried to clean her dress and shoes, her appearance was still far too shabby to enter the party. Instead, Seron sat on the terrace, holding her soaked gift box in her arms. Ironically, the rain stopped as soon as she reached the venue. Her luck was abysmal¡ªso much so that it seemed like a cruel joke. After all the effort she had put into her debut, nothing had gone right. That was when it happened. ¡°Hello.¡± Amidst the dispersing clouds, under the moonlight, white hair gleamed beautifully. ¡°The moonlight is lovely, isn¡¯t it?¡± And there, for the first time, she met her prince. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 77 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 77: The Stranger A boy whose name was unknown. He was more developed than his peers, possessing a mature charm despite his youth. The sight of the boy glowing under the moonlight was enchanting, even to Seron, who had never known love. ¡°Yes, yes¡­ you¡¯re beautiful.¡± It was Seron¡¯s debut in society, and she had never interacted with a boy her age before. So, her usual personality receded, leaving only a reserved and bashful Seron behind. The boy smiled warmly as he watched Seron struggle with the conversation. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you inside the party?¡± The boy naturally led the conversation toward amon topic. At that, Seron¡¯s face suddenly crumpled, and tears began to well up in her eyes. The boy was a little taken aback but pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. He gently wiped away the tears of the young Seron. The boy had a sibling two years younger, who was a crybaby, so he was used to wiping away tears. Perhaps due to his kindness, Seron sobbed even harder, ovee with emotion. The boy waited patiently for Seron to cry her heart out. After a long while, Seron finally calmed down. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Thank you.¡± Embarrassed to have cried in front of someone, Seron hung her head low. She had inadvertently leaned on the boy¡¯s kindness. ¡°So, why were you crying so much? Did someone upset you?¡± Seron shook her head. Instead, she began to recount her day in a soft, subdued voice. Talking about it eased her heart a little, though she still felt wronged. ¡°I think the heavens must dislike me. Things like this always happen to me.¡± Looking at each incident individually, it wasn¡¯t a great tragedy. But when small misfortunes piled up, it became overwhelming. Especially for someone who might start to believe that nothing ever goes their way. ¡°And because I look like this, if I go inside the party, everyone willugh at me.¡± Seron showed the boy the muddy stains still visible despite the maid¡¯s efforts to clean them. Unless she changed into new clothes, there was nothing she could do. ¡°Is that so? I think the dress looks pretty nice, though.¡± The boy nced toward the party hall. ¡°Everyone in there is dressed in glittering clothes, but none of them are showing their true selves.¡± The boy tugged slightly at his tie, as if it felt constricting. ¡°Who knows if their hearts are dark or pure? Watching themugh like that feels even funnier to me.¡± When the boy sought Seron¡¯s agreement, she blinked in surprise. The boy chuckled unintentionally. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to say somethingplicated.¡± The boy, more mature than his peers, gazed at Seron¡¯s dress, still stained with mud. ¡°To me, your honesty makes you far prettier than any of those people in there.¡± His words carried manyyers of meaning, but Seron, still young, interpreted them simply. She looked prettier than the noble youngdies in the party hall. That alone made her heart race. ¡°Even so, looking like this, I can¡¯t dance. I practiced so hard, too¡­¡± Seron hesitated, clutching the hem of her dress. The boy, watching her quietly, extended his hand to her. ¡°Then, would you dance with me?¡± Seron¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°Though there¡¯s no music¡­¡± Instead of the elegant melody of an orchestra, the rough yet natural chirping of crickets filled the air. ¡°And no dazzling lights¡­¡± Instead of brilliant chandeliers, the gentle moonlight illuminated the veil of night. ¡°But we can dance anywhere, can¡¯t we?¡± Above all, there was the boy. Standing under the moonlight, the boy seemed like a painting. The chirping of the crickets began to feel like the most beautiful music Seron had ever heard. Without realizing it, she extended her hand toward him. The boy took her hand, wearing a gentle smile. ¡°Mydy, may I have this dance?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ y-yes!¡± Seron stumbled over her words, nearly biting her tongue. But when the boy waited patiently, she took a deep breath and tried again. ¡°With pleasure.¡± And so, the boy and the girl began to dance. Under the moonlit curtain of night, Seron experienced the most beautiful moment of her life. Seron Parmia, twelve years old. It was the day she realized her first love. And now, in the present day, Seron met her first love once again. She closed her eyes tightly, her heart in turmoil. ¡°Back then, I couldn¡¯t even ask for your name.¡± She had been too young, relying only on the boy¡¯s kindness, never asking his name. Seron regretted that day over and over again. ¡°Even after attending many social gatherings, I never saw you again.¡± Seron had terrible luck. No matter how hard she tried to find him, they always missed each other. It was truly unfortunate. But now, Seron met her first love once again, in apletely unexpected ce. However. I must say it again. Seron was unlucky. With a hardened expression, I stared at Seron. Seron had reunited with her first love. But her first love was no longer here. The one who had shown her kindness, Vikamon, no longer existed in this world. Standing before her was not Vikamon, but me, who had taken his ce. I was not Seron¡¯s first love. I was merely a despicable thief who had stolen it. It dawned on me once again. I was nothing but a stranger who had stumbled into this tale of the Butterfly me. The reality I had long avoided now loomed over me. Seron slowly opened her eyes. Her love-struck gaze fell upon me. No. That gaze should not be directed at me. But Vikamon was no longer here. And I had no way of knowing how he would have treated Seron. I was not there that night. ¡°May I ask your name?¡± Seron posed the question she couldn¡¯t ask that day. My name. Hearing her question, my lips trembled. Am I Hannon Irey? Vikamon Niflheim? Or something else entirely? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Without realizing it, I stepped back. The movement was too abrupt, and my clothes became disheveled. At that moment, a sword-shaped pendant slipped out of my outfit. Seron, seeing it, widened her eyes slightly. ¡°That¡­¡± Oh no. It was a mistake caused by my flustered state. When I hastily tried to hide the pendant, Seron nced at it silently and then chuckled incredulously. ¡°...Sweet Potato, that fool must have been the one who called you.¡± It seemed Seron had pieced the situation together on her own. She assumed that Vikamon hade here because I had handed over the pendant and made a request. Fortunately, there was no need to clear up any misunderstandings regarding that. In the meantime, I struggled to gather my scattered thoughts. ¡°¡­Sorry, the boy you knew is no longer here.¡± [TL/N: Ouch!!!] Then I saw Seron¡¯s face. Her expression was deeply wounded. What I had just said was no different from dering a breakup to her. When I tried to correct myself, Seron bit her lip slightly, then smiled through her tearful eyes. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The girl from that day is still here.¡± Her words stirred indescribable emotions within me. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Unable to continue the conversation with Seron, I bolted out of the room. As I rushed down the hallway, I hastily tightened the bandages around my neck. My appearance slowly began to change into Hannon¡¯s. In the reflection of the window, my form began to emerge. But I wasn¡¯t there. I barely stopped my hand, which had unconsciously reached toward the window. ¡®Calm down.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t expected to falter at a moment like this. I realized that my mind was being gradually eaten away¡ª By the pressure and tension of preventing a bad ending. And by the fact that I was, after all, an outsider here.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Those two truths weighed on my heart, whether I acknowledged it or not. ¡°You!¡± Just then, a familiar voice reached my ears. I caught sight of honey-blonde hair. She rushed over to me, her face filled with concern, scanning my expression. ¡°What happened? Are you okay?¡± Cold sweat was pouring down my pale face. Seeing this, Isabel reached out to wipe the sweat from my face. p! Without thinking, I swatted her hand away. Isabel, too, was a character tied to the me Butterfly. Moreover, she saw me ovepping with Lucas. I didn¡¯t want her hand to touch me. Hesitation¡ª I btedly realized that I had acted too harshly. But the deed was already done. Isabel slowly lowered her rejected hand and quietly stood beside me. She didn¡¯t say another word. ¡°¡­I just feel a little unwell. Leave me be.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait until you feel better.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need¡ª¡± ¡°You did the same, didn¡¯t you?¡± Isabel interrupted me. ¡°You followed me recklessly that day.¡± That day, when Isabel had gone to the wall of Zerion Academy. I had followed her without permission. ¡°And even before that¡­¡± Isabel murmured words that she herself didn¡¯t seem to have fully figured out yet. Then, shaking her head, she said to me, ¡°So I have the right to act on my own, too.¡± I had nothing more to say. But I dide to understand one thing. Through the window, Isabel¡¯s eyes met mine. She was looking at me, without a doubt. The sunflower was gazing at the moon instead of the sun. For some reason, that fact seemed to restore a bit of the warmth I had lost. * * * Thanks to the time spent with Isabel, I managed to regain someposure. I realized today that being alone when my mental state is unstable is the most dangerous thing. When I told Isabel I was okay now, she smiled brightly and walked alongside me. Her smile seemed genuinely happy. Summer had begun to wane, and the season of autumn was gradually approaching. Seeing the leaves turning vibrant colors, I felt for some reason that they resembled me. After all, I, too, was being colored by this world. ¡°Isabel.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Hearing her name, Isabel turned to look at me. ¡°Thank you.¡± Despite how coldly I had treated her, she stayed by my side, and I was able to feel better because of her. When I gave her my honest gratitude, Isabel smiled shyly. Then she suddenly leaned her head forward. ¡°Then, no more boycotts, okay?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s a separate matter.¡± I answered with a serious face. This main heroine wasn¡¯t going to skate through the scenario without effort. ¡°You¡¯re so mean!¡± ¡°Being thankful is one thing, and doing what I must is another.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s unfair!¡± Isabel huffed and protested beside me, but I simply snorted. As if that level of protest would break me. Compared to the insults I¡¯d endured from other women, this was child¡¯s y. My gaze returned to the window. The season of boycotts was finally drawing near. ¡®Now, the only thing left¡­¡¯ ¡­was to make sure Iris got involved in the boycott. Alright, I¡¯ve set the table. Now all that¡¯s left is to serve the spoon. I¡¯llpletely overturn the student council. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 78 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 78: My Girlfriend is Incredible Since that day, Seron had returned to her usual self. "Sweet potato snacks and pudding, give them to me." "Finish yours first before saying that." At lunchtime, her appetite returned to normal, even trying to snatch my pudding as before. Seron, who was sometimes a littlecking and often acted foolishly¡ªthis was the Seron I knew. "Your pendant is missing." At that moment, she nced at my clothes and made the remark. She was right; I no longer carried the pendant while disguised as Hannon. I wanted to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings from her. "I lost it." "Hmm." Seron didn¡¯t press further and continued eating her pudding. But I wasn¡¯t oblivious to the faint wistfulness that sometimes flickered in her eyes. I simply thought that maybe it was because Seron had grown slightly more mature than before. Is it unrequited love? Unintentionally, I had hinted at a rejection¡ªthough not explicitly. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the right thing to refuse her feelings as the current Vikamon when I wasn¡¯t the Vikamon she remembered. The real Vikamon... Where he was, I had no idea. Had he vanishedpletely? Or perhaps he had returned to my original body? Since I had no way of knowing, I could only live as Vikamon. Because of that, I couldn¡¯t give Seron any answers. As Seron¡¯s situation began to settle, the boycott group had grown significantly in sizepared to before. At this point, it seemed like it was time. "Vikamon, someone wants to sponsor our boycott activities." I decided it was time to take the bait. Turning to Rojamin, the boycott leader, I asked, "Who¡¯s the sponsor?" "It¡¯s a secret from everyone else," He said, clearly having been sworn to confidentiality. "It¡¯s the Third Princess, Iris Hysirion." Rojamin mentioned her name cautiously, sneaking a nce at me. I exined to him why I was angry. Rojamin remembered my resolve to overturn the student council after witnessing Nikita¡¯s death. It seemed he was checking how I felt about this. "Vikamon, I feel bad for you. Our boycott wouldn¡¯t have grown this much without you." But the sponsorship offered by Iris must have been an amount that Rojamin couldn¡¯t easily overlook. He desperately wanted to boycott the student council. Though he spoke of noble causes, Rojamin also had personal reasons. Revenge. Rojamin had been a noble. However, one of the Four Great Dukes, Drapen, had destroyed his family for unknown reasons. In the end, he lost both his family and his home. Because of this, Rojamin harbored deep resentment toward Drapen. That resentment was now directed at the student council president, Sylvester Drapen. Just as his family had been ruined, he wanted to bring down the president with his own hands. It was a dark desire, but Rojamin hid it and looked at me. "So, I decided to decline." What? What was this nonsense? "...Decline? Why?" "I already told you. The reason our boycott has grown so much is thanks to you." Rojamin turned to me with a face full of resolute determination. "Vikamon, to be honest, I initially started the boycott out of revenge against the Drapen family." He openly admitted what I had guessed earlier. "And you¡¯re also driven by revenge for Nikita, right? Watching you made me realize something." Rojamin clenched his fists tightly. "We need to seed in this boycott with our own strength." A boycott that seeded on the strength of its members alone would have true value. That¡¯s what Rojamin believed. "If I were alone, I would dly take the Third Princess''s help. But with all of us together, I don¡¯t need to. And now, I¡¯m no longer driven by revenge alone." He looked up at the night sky, his eyes shining like a boy dreaming of a brighter future. "The current student council is wrong. I¡¯m going to fix it." Rojamin turned back to me. His eyes were brighter than ever. "Vikamon, if it¡¯s with you, I know we can do it." I felt dizzy.N?v(el)B\\jnn While preparing for the boycott for the sake of the scenario, I had been so thorough that the boycott leader, Rojamin, had awakened to his own sense of purpose. Looking at him, I couldn¡¯t help but feel dumbfounded. Why was he having a breakthrough here? "Rojamin." There was no choice. "I understand how you feel." I decided to persuade Rojamin otherwise. "But if you¡¯re rejecting the Third Princess¡¯s offer because of me, there¡¯s no need for that." "But Vikamon, the Third Princess¡ª" "Yes, she¡¯s tied to Nikita¡¯s death. But I also know the full story. It wasn¡¯t the Third Princess herself but her faction." The determination to avenge Nikita was clear in my eyes. "The student council is just the first step. Like you said, I will ensure the sess of this boycott to avenge Nikita. Even if I have to sell my soul to the devil, I¡¯ll do it." To that end, I would dly join hands with the Third Princess. Seeing my unwavering resolve, Rojamin clenched his fists and held back tears. "...Vikamon, you bastard!" Rojamin now looked like the protagonist of a youth drama. "Fine. If that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, I¡¯ll go along with it." I sighed in relief. Thankfully, Rojamin was simple-minded. "Good timing. I¡¯m supposed to meet the Third Princess¡¯s aide today," Rojamin said, inviting me to join. Though I originally nned to send him alone, given his thoughts today, I felt uneasy. "All right, let¡¯s go together." I decided to apany him. I needed to ensure he didn¡¯t make a mess of things. * * * Following Rojamin, we arrived at a park behind an abandoned building. The Zerion Academy had many beautifullyndscaped areas, and this park was one of them. However, the park we came to was dimly lit, creating an eerie atmosphere at night. It was a cemonly referred to as a ¡°haunted spot.¡± ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s a bit chilly,¡± Rojamin said, shivering from the spooky ambiance. While waiting with Rojamin, I began to sense movement in the distance. Step¡ª The sound of shoes brushing against grass reached our ears. Soon, a girl with peach-colored hair appeared. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Hania Rapidedia. She hade here in Iris¡¯s stead. So, it¡¯s Hania who¡¯s stepped up, after all. Hania had likely volunteered herself to avoid Iris being med if things went awry. She nced at Rojamin before her gazended on me. Then she slowly tilted her head. ¡°And you are¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, this is Vikamon Niflheim,¡± Rojamin introduced me on my behalf. Hania already knew my name, but it made sense for her to be confused about why I was here. After all, I had been exiled for crossing Iris¡¯s party. Just then, a breeze blew toward Hania. She wrinkled her nose, then her eyes slowly widened. Her gaze sharpened as she stared silently at me, her expression cold and pointed. ¡°Rojamin,¡± She said, her voice carrying a strange hostility that the night wind seemed to carry with it. Rojamin flinched instinctively at the ominous vibe. ¡°Could you leave us alone for a moment?¡± Rojamin looked at me. He must¡¯ve thought of me as a real friend. When I signaled with my eyes that I¡¯d be fine, he quietly stepped away. ¡°Oh, uh¡­ sure, you two have your conversation,¡± Rojamin said hesitantly, sensing something off but choosing to trust me. He left the park, disappearing into the distance. Before I realized it, only Hania and I were left in the park. I had a vague idea why she¡¯d orchestrated this. Vikamon had been exiled by Iris. And recently, there had been the Nikita incident as well. Someone as sharp as Hania would quickly deduce why Vikamon was here. Naturally, she must¡¯ve concluded that I was an enemy of Iris. ¡°So, Hannon, what are you doing here?¡± What? I blinked in confusion, momentarily thrown off by the unexpected name. ¡°¡­Hannon? What are you talking about?¡± I feigned ignorance, but Hania sighed and wrinkled her nose again. ¡°The scent on Hannon¡¯s body is unmistakably Iris¡¯s scent. For it to be this strong, you must¡¯ve shared a bed with her.¡± Panicked, I sniffed my wrist, but my nose didn¡¯t pick up anything. Wait, didn¡¯t I take a thorough shower after morning training? And the shared bed? That wasn¡¯t today; it was yesterday. Plus, I¡¯m wearing different clothes. How does the scent even linger like this? I was starting to feel uneasy about how sharp Hania¡¯s senses¡ªand her fixation on Iris¡ªwere. ¡°And you carry a tool that allows you to transform into any form you want.¡± I had once appeared as Hania herself. So even in my current form as Vikamon, she had immediately recognized me. No one else but me could exude such a strong trace of Iris¡¯s scent. This¡­ was unexpected. To be honest, Vikamon is my true form, and Hannon is the fake one. But people act based on the information already imprinted in their minds, and she hadn¡¯t figured that out yet. ¡°So,¡± She said, crossing her arms with a slight scowl. ¡°What exactly were you thinking, showing up here like that?¡± From my earlier exchange of nces with Rojamin, Hania must¡¯ve realized I¡¯d been involved with the boycott group for quite some time. That only made her more confused, as she couldn¡¯t find a reason for me to join such a group. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me,¡± She said, narrowing her eyes as though she had a realization. ¡°Hannon, did Iris tell you something?¡± I had once stayed by Iris¡¯s side to ease her nightmares. At that time, Hania had been staying in the men¡¯s dormitory in my ce, so she had no way of knowing what conversations had passed between Iris and me. Iris wasn¡¯t someone who easily shared her thoughts with others. But since I was her cousin and had been getting along closely with hertely, she might have confided in me about the orders she¡¯d received from Duke Robliage. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t say anything.¡± There was no need toplicate things by admitting to anything, especially since it wasn¡¯t entirely false. However, my denial didn¡¯t seem to convince Hania. ¡°Haah, if you¡¯re going to feign ignorance, at least do it properly. Anyone can see you¡¯re trying to help Iris.¡± I had a history of saving Iris from Nikita¡¯s assassination attempt. And since much of my behavior naturally revolved around aiding Iris, Hania had drawn her own conclusions. She misunderstood, assuming I had formed the boycott group for Iris¡¯s sake. Though, to be fair, that wasn¡¯t entirely untrue. Hania stared at me for a while before crossing her arms again. The motion emphasized her chest, but I kept my gaze elsewhere. ¡°All right, Vikamon. Tell me what your n is. I¡¯ll cooperate, depending on it.¡± Hania was someone who would do anything for Iris. It seemed I had gained a reliable ally. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 79 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 79: Let¡¯s Master the Magic of the Ancient Dragon Autumn had quietly ripened into its peak. After a long time, the atmosphere at Zerion Academy was bustling and lively. It was the Founding Festival of the Hysirion Empire¡ª a national holiday and day of celebration that the imperial family themselves oversaw, inviting all citizens to rest and partake in festivities. On this day, taking a break was practically a duty for all imperial citizens. This applied to the students of Zerion Academy as well. Even the professors took a rare opportunity to rx on this day. However, the same couldn¡¯t be said for those responsible for the Founding Festival held at Zerion Academy. Teaching assistants and members of the student council were a different story altogether. To organize a party for the students, the assistants were running around tirelessly. Even the maids who usually worked in the dormitories lent a hand to help them. Zerion Academy was an institution dedicated to training heroes to defend against the Demon Dungeon. Although it couldn¡¯t match the grandeur of the festivities held in the capital, Zerion Academy couldn¡¯t neglect preparations for its aspiring young heroes. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m dying here.¡± A student council member, exhausted from all the running around, plopped down on the ground. Adding the Founding Festival to the already chaotic tasks brought on by Nikita¡¯s earlier projects, the student council had found themselves in a nightmare of endless work. ¡°Hang in there a little longer.¡± ¡°How does Senior Hannon even endure this?!¡± ¡°Stamina is national strength.¡± I¡ªa first-year student and runner-up in the Martial Arts ss, Midra Fenin¡ªreplied to the whining and kept moving briskly. Thanks to the daily hellish training with Aisha, carrying festival supplies felt like nothing. ¡°Hannon, you look like you¡¯re having fun!¡± While I was jogging with several items in hand, I heard a voice ahead of me. Shifting my gaze through the supplies, I saw Sharin standing there. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me then?¡± ¡°I have something much more fun to do.¡± As sharp-tongued as ever. ¡°Well, go ahead then. Don¡¯t get in my way.¡± ¡°Aw, treating me like a nuisance? That¡¯s mean. I actually came to check on your Ancient Dragon magic.¡± That was an important matter. I set the supplies down in a corner. ¡°Sit down for a moment.¡± Following Sharin¡¯s suggestion, I leaned against the wall and sat down. She crouched down and used her thumb and forefinger to pull my right eye open. As she peered into my eye, a gxy-like glow began to swirl in Sharin¡¯s irises. Her gaze bore deep into my eye. I, too, had to keep my eye wide open. Every time I saw Sharin¡¯s gxy-filled eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at their beauty. It was breathtaking to see what looked like a flowing Milky Way within her pupils. After examining my eye for a while, she rubbed her chin. ¡°Hm, it looks like your right eye might go blind.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t joke about things like that.¡± ¡°I thought it was a funny joke, though.¡± The problem was that when Sharin joked, it never sounded like one, which made it scarier. ¡°You said you used the mes of Fury, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°At that time, the steel-infused skin that absorbed the mes of Furypletely enveloped the Ancient Dragon¡¯s remnant like an egg. It seems the remnant doesn¡¯t mind and has settled in quite nicely.¡± Somehow, I had ended up containing the Ancient Dragon¡¯s remnant within me. ¡°Is there any risk of it going berserk?¡± ¡°We took additional precautionsst time, so it¡¯s unlikely for now. It was actually nearing the point of going berserk before.¡± So she¡¯de specifically to check on me. I owed her another debt of gratitude. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good news then.¡± ¡°Is it really good news, though?¡± ¡°Why? Is there another problem?¡± At my question, Sharin pulled out a staff with a swift motion. She waved it once, and a light breeze began to stir. ¡°Roll up your sleeve.¡± I followed her instructions, exposing my arm. ¡°This might sting a little.¡± Sharin cast a de-like spell that grazed my skin. My body, now infused with steel, had be like an iron fortress. Even her magic couldn¡¯t cut through easily. Realizing this, she adjusted the strength of her spell. Swish! Finally, my skin was cut, and blood began to seep out. And then¡ª Whoosh! From the wound, a white frost burst forth, freezing even Sharin¡¯s wind in an instant. It all happened in the blink of an eye. I widened my eyes in shock. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Your entire body is now thoroughly infused with the Ancient Dragon¡¯s remnant. So, whenever your exterior is damaged, this happens.¡± Sharin squinted as she inspected my frozen skin. ¡°In essence, you¡¯re now a walking ice bomb.¡± ¡°¡­If I sustain a serious injury¡­¡± Sharin raised one corner of her mouth into a smirk. ¡°Everything around you will be frozen by the Ancient Dragon¡¯s remnant.¡± What a troublesome revtion. I had be a literal ice bomb. ¡°Though, when you think about it, isn¡¯t it not entirely a bad thing?¡± It wasn¡¯t something I couldn¡¯t use to my advantage. ¡°Just to let you know,¡± Sharin tapped my frozen skin with her staff. ¡°If you explode like that, you¡¯ll also be trapped in the Ancient Dragon¡¯s magic.¡± That would be a disaster. Having witnessed Nikita¡¯s experience, I understood better than anyone the overwhelming power of Ancient Dragon magic. If that happened, I¡¯d certainly be saying goodbye to this world. ¡°I¡¯ll need to find a solution somehow.¡± ¡°Yup, and I¡¯ve thought of one.¡± ¡°Sharin, are you a goddess or something?¡± Puffing out her chest, she snorted in mock pride. When I pressed her for details, she began grinning mischievously. ¡°Let¡¯s master the Ancient Dragon¡¯s Fire Dragon magic.¡± And then she made the most ridiculous suggestion. ¡°Are you serious? The Ancient Dragon¡¯s magic is¡ª¡± ¡°Forbidden by the Empire, yes.¡± She was right; the Empire had banned the dangerous Ancient Dragon magic. This, of course, meant no research could be done on it. ¡°But not as a magic inscription.¡± Magic inscriptions¡ª [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w a form of magic Sharin and I had been studying. ¡°Your body contains the remnant of an Ice Dragon.¡± Ancient Dragon magic wasn¡¯t limited to one kind. Fire Dragons, Ice Dragons, Earth Dragons, Sky Dragons¡ª These were the four primary categories. The remnant within Nikita¡¯s body belonged to the Ice Dragon. ¡°If you inscribe the Fire Dragon¡¯s magic onto yourself, it could neutralize and regte the Ice Dragon¡¯s remnant.¡± Magic inscriptions, being inferior to traditional magic, could actually be used to our advantage in this case. While the power weakens when using magical engravings, the likelihood of rejection also decreases significantly. By engraving ancient dragon magic through magical engravings and offsetting it with the remnants of the ancient dragon within my body, it bes possible to wield a controlled version of the dragon''s magic. ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Who do you think I am? I''m Sharin.¡± The suggestion came from none other than Sharin, a one-of-a-kind genius and the top schr in magic arts. Doubting her words seemed like a pointless endeavor. ¡°More than anything, the remnants of the dragon are a ticking time bomb I''ve merely suppressed for now. Who knows when it''ll explode?¡± In the end, it¡¯s uncertain when it might erupt. That¡¯s how Sharin had put it. ¡°I think it''s best to add at least one more safety mechanism.¡± As she said, living with a self-destruct bomb attached to my body wasn¡¯t an option. Sharin remarked as much, shing a suspicious smile. ¡°Besides, dragon magic is the magic handled by Zerion, the Transcendent Sage. Of course, I''m interested in that, too.¡± Zerion, the founder of Zerion Academy and the Transcendent Sage. Indeed, as she mentioned, Zerion was the only one who managed to handle dragon magic without any mishaps. Sharin had a voracious appetite for magical knowledge. It seemed that someday, she even wished to surpass Zerion. ¡°All right. If that''s the case, I should rely on you.¡± Sharin had personally taken the initiative, considering my situation. Although her gaze revealed a tinge of curiosity¡ªlike she wanted to test this out¡ª I couldn¡¯t just leave the remnants of the dragon unattended.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Besides, if something happens to Hannon, it¡¯d be troublesome for me, too.¡± That was slightly touching. ¡°Right now, Isabel can¡¯t do without Hannon.¡± So, it was because of Isabel, after all. I wished she would give the gratitude back to me instead. ¡°It¡¯srgely thanks to Hannon that Isabel has brightened up.¡± From my perspective, even the current Isabel seemed precarious. Before, it was enough for her to simply be my rival and the object of my fury. But now, our rtionship had evolved into a mix of love and hate, leaving me unsure how to manage her emotions toward me. ¡°And I also want Hannon to stay safe, of course.¡± Sharin¡¯s sly smile apanied the answer I had been hoping to hear. Like a fox, indeed. I picked up the supplies I had set aside earlier. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll make sure to be careful for the time being.¡± With those words, Sharin waved her handzily and disappeared. As always, her unpredictable nature was baffling. * * * On the day of the Hysirion Founding Festival, Iris quietly gazed out the window. The Founding Festival, being one of the empire''s regr celebratory days, filled everyone with excitement. However, amidst the joyous crowd, there was one person who couldn¡¯t bring herself to celebrate. Someone who always grew particrly somber on the day of the Founding Festival. The 3rd Princess, Iris Hysirion. The reason for her gloom was simple. The Founding Festival was the day her mother had passed away. Her cause of death was Nightmare Sickness, a peculiar illness even modern healers couldn¡¯t cure. Iris¡¯s mother remained trapped in her dreams and never returned. It was also from that time that Iris began having nightmares of her own. Children brimming with excitement talked andughed with bright faces all around. Watching them, Iris hugged herself quietly. For some reason, today felt especially cold. ¡°Iris, Your Highness.¡± At that moment, a voice calling her name made Iris turn her head. There stood Hania. ¡°The preparations areplete.¡± Today marked the day the student council boycott group would take action. It was also the day to carry out the orders of Duke Robliage. Their objective: to tarnish the reputation of the Drapen Duchy by bringing down Sylvester, the student council president and the youngest son of the Drapen family. On the glorious Founding Festival day, an ipetent student council president unable to control the chaos caused by students¡ª this was the image they nned to imprint on him. Iris exhaled, her expression one of dissatisfaction. Sylvester wasn¡¯t exactly an ipetent person. While his character wasn¡¯t wless, he wasn¡¯t an arrogant person either. A shade of gray between ck and white. He was someone who existed in that middle ground. If he had a w, it was hisck of motivation for life. But he wasn¡¯t someone who deserved to be sacrificed in this way. Iris knew what consequences Sylvester would face in the Drapen Duchy because of today¡¯s events. It would already be a stroke of luck if he wasn''t disowned. Yet Iris raised her head, showing the dignity of a princess. She had already sacrificed countless people to get this far. Even if it was under the orders of Duke Robliage, the deeds she hadmitted would not disappear. She was destined to be the ultimate viiness, the 3rd Princess who would one day ascend the throne. ¡°Begin.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as she gave the word to Hania, thetter swiftly disappeared. Watching Hania vanish, Iris turned her gaze back to the window. For some reason, she felt unbearably lonely today. Since her mother¡¯s death, Iris hadn¡¯t experienced familial affection. Around her were only those who sought to use her or be used by her. Aside from Hania, there was no one else. That fact stung with piercing loneliness. ¡®Family.¡¯ At that moment, a face shed through Iris¡¯s mind. A boy with the same ck hair and red eyes as hers. Though their features differed, he shared many simrities with her. The boy who, despite his displeasure, always helped whenever she asked. Iris couldn¡¯t help but recall the warmth of that boy. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 80 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 80: Boycott at Zerion Academy While the children were excitedly enjoying the festivities of Founding Day, the student council members were taking a moment to rest, each looking utterly drained. ¡°Phew, finally a chance to catch our breath.¡± ¡°Seriously, this time the schedule was so packed I thought I was going to copse.¡± The student council members werementing the sheer workload they¡¯d faced. The Nikita incident, the vice president¡¯s absence, preparations for the Founding Festival, and the uing International Academy Individual Tournament right after the festival¡ª The student council was being crushed under an avnche of tasks. Perhaps that¡¯s why, despite rumors of unsettling activity among the students, the council didn¡¯t act decisively. They were too busy and assumed that students wouldn¡¯t dare stir up any major trouble. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s the president?¡± ¡°He went to the student council room.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he just going there to sleep again?¡± ¡°No way.¡± The council members didn¡¯t seem to have much faith in their president. Many often turned to Vice President Nikita for decisions instead of President Sylvester. Thus, Sylvester was not in a particrly respected position. ¡°Still, the president worked hard for today¡¯s events.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Sylvester, oftenbeled an ipetent president, had been working earnestly since Nikita¡¯s disappearance. For that reason, the council members were trying not to criticize him too harshly. ¡°Guys, look at this!¡± Just then, a fellow council member burst into the ssroom where they were resting. The others, curious, turned to look¡ªand when they saw the writing on the paper he held, they all stood up at once. [The current student council is corrupt.] The paper listed usations of corruption and misconduct, questioning whether the student council could truly be trusted. The content detailed historical corruption by past councils, dating back to before Nikita¡¯s tenure as vice president. The student council had existed as long as Zerion Academy itself, and over such a lengthy period, there had inevitably been bad actors within its ranks. While Nikita had eradicated such misconduct during her time, the current council couldn¡¯t guarantee that students would view them as entirely innocent. What¡¯s worse, the list implicated not only alumni but also currently employed professors, associate professors, and teaching assistants. Wherever people gather, problems are bound to arise. Even if the council was uninvolved, many students held grudges against certain faculty members, and seeing those names on the list would inevitably ignite a fury that would engulf the student council as well. ¡°This is outrageous! We didn¡¯t do anything like this!¡± ¡°...It¡¯s not about us. This targets the entire legacy of Zerion Academy¡¯s corruption, including the council¡¯s.¡± One sharp council member immediately grasped the document¡¯s true intent. ¡°And the information¡ªthis isn¡¯t something just anyone could know. It must¡¯vee from someone deeply embedded within the academy.¡± They swallowed hard, sensing the enormity of the situation. ¡°It just happened to explode during our term. Someone¡¯s made up their mind to uproot not just the council but the very foundation of Zerion Academy¡¯s corruption.¡± At that moment, they all felt the presence of a colossal force¡ªa tide far too vast for mere students to control. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°What else? First, we collect these papers! If we don¡¯t, who knows what will happen to us!¡± ¡°But confiscating them will make it seem like we¡¯re admitting guilt!¡± The council members erupted into frantic debate. Normally, someone would step up to take charge, but there was no one in the room capable of doing so. The absence of strong leadership only deepened the chaos. Boom! Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed in the distance, freezing everyone in ce. Screech! ¡°What are you all doing here?!¡± A ck-haired boy burst into the room¡ªHannon Irey. ¡°The student council room has been taken over by students calling for a boycott!¡± At his shout, the council members¡¯ eyes widened in shock. They couldn¡¯t stand by while the council room was upied. ¡°Everyone, follow me! First, we take back the council room!¡± ¡°Those bastards are really pushing it!¡± ¡°They¡¯re making a mockery of us, the student council!¡± The council members all stormed out in unison, rushing to reim their territory. After they¡¯d left, Hannon let out a sigh. He adjusted the bothersome wig on his head. ¡°I helped, but I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d escte this much.¡± Hannon Irey¡¯s true identity was Hania Rapidedia, disguised as Hannon. After devising the boycott n with Hannon, she had supported the boycott group and fed them information. Initially, she intended to lead the movement herself. However, after witnessing how Hannon orchestrated the group, she stepped back. This was Hannon¡¯s stage, not hers. ¡®He¡¯s such an enigma.¡¯ Hannon understood Zerion Academy more deeply than the intelligence Hania had gathered. Hania¡¯s initial n, driven by Iris¡¯s will, was merely to root out corruption. But with Hannon involved, not just the corruption but every dirty secret of the academy was being unearthed. Hannon even proposed nting a new foundation after the old one was uprooted. The Third Princess¡¯s faction eagerly stepped in to supply recements, thrilled at the opportunity to embed their people into Zerion Academy. Iris was so pleased that Duke Robliage himself praised her. She, in turn, thanked Hania for her efforts, expressing her deep gratitude. Receiving Iris¡¯s gratitude was heartwarming, but it felt misced. The true credit belonged to Hannon. ¡®...If only he hadn¡¯t sworn me to secrecy.¡¯ Hania had promised Hannon she would keep his involvement in this matter a secret from Iris. Thus, despite the praise, she felt uneasy. Taking credit for someone else¡¯s work wasn¡¯t her style. ¡°Hania.¡± At that moment, a voice called her name.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She instinctively turned but stopped herself. She wasn¡¯t Hania now; she was Hannon. Yet the voice had clearly called her by name. In the silent corridor, she was alone. Following the voice, she turned her gaze. Standing there was a girl with honey-blond hair and vivid crimson eyes, smiling. But that smile carried an eerie undertone. ¡°Where¡¯s Hannon?¡± It was Isabel Luna. At her question, Hania felt an instinctive chill run down her spine. Was Isabel Always Like This? When Isabel used to follow Hannon around, she was as cheerful as a big golden retriever. But now, no emotion could be felt from her. Even Hania felt a chilling sense of oppression emanating from Isabel. "¡­I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but I¡¯m right here." Hania tried to y dumb for now. But she didn¡¯t think Isabel would believe her. As expected, Isabel didn¡¯t show much reaction. "Oh, well, that¡¯s fine. I think I have a rough idea of where he is." Hania quietly swallowed hard. Isabel turned around and walked away without sparing her a nce. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w As Hania stared at Isabel¡¯s retreating figure, Isabel suddenly opened her mouth, as if she¡¯d remembered something. "Oh, right, Hania. When that person ys dumb, their eyebrows rise a little higher." Hania flinched visibly. Isabel smiled brightly, as if it was nothing. "That¡¯s the least you should remember. After all, you¡¯re ying the role of his girlfriend, aren¡¯t you? Shouldn¡¯t you perform properly?" With those words, Isabel turned and left. Watching her disappear, Hania brushed her sweat-dampened hair back. Although Hania usually tried to curb her swearing, "¡­Hannon, I think you¡¯re fucked." At this moment, nothing else came to mind. She bit her lip hard and began to run. "Geez, you really are high-maintenance." * * * Meanwhile, at the Academy In the main hall of the academy, emptied even of professors during Founding Day celebrations, amotion erupted. The source of the noise was the boycott group upying the student council room. Members of the student council had returned to confront the upiers. In the midst of this, the boycott members rummaged through the student council room and even the professors¡¯ offices for evidence of corruption. "¡­Why are you doing this?" A voice reached my ears at that moment. I was currently in the student council room. Moreover, I was in the guise of Vikamon. Just in case, I had wrapped an additionalyer of Veil Bandages over my original appearance as Vikamon. In essence, I was Vikamon disguised as a Vikamon made of Veil Bandages. Thanks to this, the lightning scars on my body were hidden. Next to me, the student council president, Sylvester Drapen, sat bound on the floor. If someone asked why I was doing this, the answer would be simple: to advance the scenario. But exining that wouldn¡¯t make them understand. "I¡¯m just correcting what¡¯s wrong." The student council of Zerion Academy was fundamentally wed. That wasn¡¯t all. As Zerion Academy had persisted for a long time, insidious issues had taken root unnoticed. It was a sad truth, but stagnant water inevitably turns foul. ¡®Originally, Zerion Academy was founded by the wise Zerion to nurture heroes.¡¯ But over time, internal problems had arisen within the academy. The corruption involving the student council was just one example of Zerion Academy¡¯s dark side. And it led to variouspounding issues. ¡®A perfect breeding ground for wickedness.¡¯ Hearing my blunt response, Sylvester let out a hollowugh. "Vikamon." Sylvester still remembered me. "The things you¡¯re doing won¡¯t truly fix anything. In the end, the same mistakes will be repeated." He wasn¡¯t wrong. Even if the corrupt professors were reced, there was no guarantee the new ones would be any better. But I was sure of one thing. The confidants of Duke Robliage, who were about to take positions as professors or associate professors at the academy. For now, they would focus on properly managing Zerion Academy. They were obligated to demonstrate that the third princess¡¯s faction could manage the academy better than the first prince¡¯s faction. So, at least for the time being, the academy would operate more cleanly than ever before. ¡®What happenster is uncertain.¡¯ For now, this would give me a cleaner te to root out the true wickedness. For me, it was an advantageous oue. "Sylvester, stop spouting nonsense." At that moment, Sylvester was cut off by the leader of the boycott, Rojamin. With eyes zing with anger, Rojamin red at Sylvester. "Your words are just excuses. Someone as ipetent as you, who stood by and did nothing, has no right to undermine those trying to make a change." I was genuinely surprised. Rojamin, who had initially seemed somewhat frivolous, had grown significantly through hismitment to the boycott. Through this boycott, Rojamin was earnestly trying to transform Zerion Academy. He wanted to be someone who righted wrongs. ¡®Is this what they mean by everyone grows?¡¯ Originally just a minor viin in Act 4, Rojamin now showed sides of himself I had never seen before. "¡­I see." Sylvester surprisingly epted Rojamin¡¯s words easily. "But sometimes, it¡¯s better for an ipetent person to remain silent." He said this with a sly grin. Boom! At that moment, another explosion echoed through the main building. This time, the explosion was of a different magnitude. Hearing it, Sylvester raised his head with a displeased expression. "If you were going to cause trouble, you should¡¯ve stuck to the student council." Sylvester anticipated who would act next in this mess. "Do you think the professors implicated in this corruption would sit idly by?" The corrupt professors of Zerion Academy. One of them had finally made their move. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 81 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 81: Professor, Want to Get Hit? The professors of Zerion Academy. They are among the most skilled individuals in the Empire. Zerion Academy is dedicated to training heroes who defend against the greatest enemy of the world: the Demon Dungeon. Naturally, the academy could not afford to hire its professors carelessly. Thus, every professor at Zerion Academy is exceptionally skilled. Many of them were heroes who once fought valiantly against the Demon Dungeon. Their reputations are unparalleled. But water that stagnates inevitably bes tainted. And so, among those who were once hailed as heroes, some had be corrupted. Human greed knows no bounds. Living as a professor at Zerion Academy, they possessed both wealth and honor. Yet there were those who craved even more. During his school days, there was a man who lived in the shadow of perpetual second ce and obsessively pursued first. The third-year professor of magic arts, Barquio Lavlician. Currently overshadowed by the Blue Tower Master, he was the tragic genius who lost the title of the century''s prodigy. He was also a figure deeply disliked by students. He often belittled less skilled students and openly mocked them without hesitation. Among the students, his reputation was the worst. Now, with age catching up to him, his body had grown heavier and slower. But his memories of the past were still vivid. The humiliating memory of losing the Tower Master position to an unreachable genius. For years, he had dreamed of building his own magic tower. To him, it seemed the only way to restore his trampled pride from his school days. However, the Empire already had the Blue Tower and the Yellow Tower at the pinnacle of magic. It was no longer feasible to establish a new tower. So he joined hands with a kingdom outside the Empire. In exchange for smuggling imperial secrets and siphoning off Zerion Academy''s funds, the kingdom promised to build a magic tower for him. Now, all that remained was to defect to the kingdom. But then, an irreversible event urred. The Student Council Boycott¡ªa seemingly insignificant group of students¡ª had exposed his corruption and deeds during the Founding Festival. Barquio''s mind snapped. If the incident had urred after his defection, it might have been fine. But if the truth spread now, the chances of him being executed were almost certain. ¡®Not yet. It¡¯s not over yet.¡¯ For now, the news had only circted within Zerion Academy. If he could silence those who spread it and buy time, he could still escape. ¡®More importantly¡­¡¯ The ssified materials prepared for his final transaction with the kingdom were in his personal office. Zerion Academy was tightly secured, making it nearly impossible for outsiders to infiltrate. Thus, his office was the perfect ce to hide sensitive information. He never expected trouble to arise from within. He hurriedly opened the door to his office. On his way there, he had vented his frustration byshing out at every member of the Student Council Boycott he encountered. A fitting punishment for those insignificant brats. Now, he just needed to retrieve the materials and eliminate the remaining troublemakers. As he reached for the documents, a sound interrupted him. Click. The door to his office, which he had just entered, closed again. In the dimly lit room, the moonlight streaming through the window illuminated the interior. Barquio slowly turned his head, and there stood a man with a familiar face. ¡°Huh?¡± A chuckle escaped Barquio''s lips. A man with striking white hair and amber eyes stood before him. Though his face was undeniably handsome, his magic skills had always been abysmal. ¡°Vikamon?¡± Vikamon Niflheim. The pitiful dropout who had been expelled from Zerion Academy was now standing in front of him. To Barquio, Vikamon was the most talentless individual he had ever encountered in magic. So much so that he had been the subject of the most ridicule in magic arts sses. Yet here he was, standing in Barquio''s office. Barquio¡¯s gaze turned icy. ¡°So that¡¯s it. I see now.¡± A twisted smile appeared on Barquio''s face. ¡°You were the one behind this. You did this to get revenge on me.¡± He recalled mocking Vikamon in the past. In retaliation, Vikamon had revealed the truth behind his corruption through the Boycott. Barquio had no idea how Vikamon had discovered his crimes. But he had no intention of forgiving someone who dared to oppose him. ¡°You reckless fool. Do you even know who you¡¯re messing with? I¡¯ll teach you a lesson.¡± Barquio drew a staff from his waist. Vikamon, narrowing his eyes slightly, soon replied: ¡°What nonsense are you spewing?¡± ¡°Deny it all you want. Your rage is clear. But if you must resent something, resent your pathetic magic skills!¡± With those words, Barquio unleashed his signature lightning magic. The torrent of mana that burst forth demonstrated why he was a third-year professor of magic arts. Boom! ck lightning filled the room in an instant. As the electricity surged toward Vikamon, he stood motionless, doing nothing. The moment Barquio was convinced of his death¡ª Crackle! The lightning was suddenly absorbed into a ring on Vikamon¡¯s hand. Barquio had no way of knowing. He and Vikamon were the worst possible matchup. Vikamon possessed the Lightning Caller, a relic that consumed all lightning except that sent by the goddess of thunder herself. In other words, Barquio¡¯s signature lightning magic was utterly useless against him. Bang! Before Barquio could process his shock, Vikamon had already closed the distance between them. He propelled himself forward with an explosion beneath his feet. As Vikamon approached, Barquio¡¯s instincts kicked in, unleashing a wall of mes from his staff. No fool would charge through such scorching heat unprotected. Surely, Vikamon would retreat. ¡°Looks like you came prepared to counter me, but¡ª¡± But Vikamon charged straight through the mes. ¡°What?!¡± Barquio¡¯s second wave of shock left him reeling. Vikamon delivered a crushing blow to Barquio¡¯s head, sending him crashing into the office furniture. Though flustered, he managed to swiftly cast a protective magic shield around his face. "Ugh... You maniac." Who in their right mind would dive headfirst through a wall of fire? The sheer absurdity of the situation left him too shaken to cast his spells properly. But Vikamon had indeed leapt through the mes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w His body, no doubt burned by the searing heat, should have left him incapacitated. "Heh... Fool," Barquio muttered, a smirk creeping onto his face as he began to rise. Thunk! Suddenly, he felt a crushing weight pin him down. Startled, he looked up. There, bathed in moonlight streaming through the window, stood Vikamon. His clothes were scorched in several ces, yet his body bore no signs of burns. The sight left Barquio visibly shaken. How could someone emerge unscathed after passing through his wall of fire? It was inconceivable. "Not bad. Felt kinda warm," Vikamon said nonchntly. His body, forged from steel and imbued with the essence of fire, possessed a natural resistance to mes. Over time, and with constant exposure to magical engravings that caused his body to erupt, Vikamon¡¯s immunity to fire had grown to extraordinary levels. Now, ordinary mes couldn¡¯t even faze him. Under the cold moonlight, his amber eyes glinted ominously. Boom¡ª Barquio felt his heart sink involuntarily. Twice now, his prized magic had failed to inflict any damage. The attacks that would have electrocuted and incinerated any ordinary student had been rendered utterly useless against Vikamon. Faced with such irrational defiance of logic, fear crept into Barquio¡¯s heart. ¡°You insolent little¡ªhow dare you tread where you don¡¯t belong!¡± Barquio bellowed, swinging his staff in desperation. His lightning had failed, and his fire wall had failed. Only one option remained. "Fine! Let¡¯s see if you can withstand this and live!" A storm of icy winds engulfed the office as Barquio unleashed his freezing magic. His expertise in rapid spellcasting gave him the upper hand, leaving even Vikamon little time to react. Crack-crack¡ª The room transformed into an icy hell, freezing everything in sight, including Vikamon himself. Standing rigid atop Barquio, Vikamon¡¯s figure waspletely encased in ice. Barquio, trembling from the cold, let out a malicious chuckle as he surveyed his handiwork. ¡°Heh¡­ You thought you could defy me?¡± To finish him off, Barquio began conjuring a powerful bolt of light. ¡°Die!¡± Just as he prepared tounch the attack¡ª Crash! A crack echoed through the room as Vikamon¡¯s frozen foot suddenly broke free andshed out. Smash! ¡°Aaagh!¡± Vikamon¡¯s foot came down hard, crushing the hand gripping Barquio¡¯s staff. The searing pain forced Barquio to release his weapon, the magic dissipating unfinished. Crack-crack¡ª With his body slowly breaking free of the ice, Vikamon began to move. His right eye shed a vivid yellow, revealing a lizard-like pupil that glimmered with primal ferocity. Chills shot down Barquio¡¯s spine. Those eyes were a warning. How dare you challenge me with such trivial ice magic? They burned with indignation. An instinctive fear, deeply etched into living creatures, surged through Barquio. It was the innate ability of an awakened draconic remnant: Dragon Fear.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om No mage was more vulnerable to this ability than Barquio, whose heart and mind were unguarded against such a presence. Unlike someone like Sharin, who wielded the miraculous ¡°Milky Way¡± mirinae eyes, Barquio had no defenses against it. Moreover, his own negligence had left him woefully unprepared. Drunk on the fleeting glory of his past, he had long neglected his magical research, obsessed instead with building his precious Magic Tower. For years, he had deluded himself into thinking he was merely a hair¡¯s breadth behind the Blue Tower Master. In truth, countless skilled mages had long surpassed him. A man intoxicated by power and prestige ultimately bes his own downfall. Vikamon raised a clenched fist. The kingdom, too, had only used Barquio for its own ends. It was unlikely they ever intended to let him build his tower. "A guy who scams kids for a living sure dreams big." He was here to put an end to those dreams. ¡°Wake up.¡± And with that, Vikamon brought his fist crashing down. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 82 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 82: The Viin Appears After utterly defeating Professor Barquio, I calmly walked out of his office. Professor Barquio and I had the worst possiblepatibility. Especially since I¡¯m the ultimate nemesis for attribute magicians who wield multiple elements. ¡®Most magic doesn¡¯t work on me anymore.¡¯ If Barquio hadn¡¯t clung to his past and instead focused on honing his magical research, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stand a chance against him. But Barquio chose to let himself wither away, indulging in the glory of his past instead of sharpening his magic. As a result, his magical prowess had regressed, leaving him far weaker than he once was. ¡®He probably clung to the Magic Tower even harder because he knew this deep down.¡¯ He merely chose to look away. A warped dream festers and rots in the most hideous way. ¡®That¡¯s why he lost to Lucas, in the end.¡¯ Of course, Lucas didn¡¯t beat Barquio as easily as I did. I exploited Barquio¡¯s arrogance andcency, dulled by years of teaching and far removed from the battlefield, sessfullynding consecutive attacks. Lucas, on the other hand, barely managed to defeat him after a grueling battle. Even so, Barquio is no pushover. He¡¯s a formidable foe, one who would¡¯ve been tough to take down without Lucas. ¡®Then again, I essentially defeated him through elemental advantage.¡¯ My body, hardened by years of training, had umted a steady build-up of resistance stats. Although these stats were invisible to the naked eye, they were firmly ingrained in my physique. My resistance was particrly notable. Physical resistance, fire resistance, electric resistance, ice resistance¡ª after putting my body through the wringer for so long, I had practically maxed out every type of resistance. ¡®Especially when ites to ice.¡¯ As I covered my right eye, I could feel the flow of frost. It was the remnant of the ancient dragon that had forcibly neutralized Barquio¡¯s ice magic the moment he tried to cast it. Apparently, the remnant took offense at being targeted with ice magic. Thanks to it, I had be virtually immune to lower-tier ice spells. ¡®It¡¯s calm for now.¡¯ But I remembered how Sharin once treated me like a walking ice bomb. I had to keep the dragon remnant¡¯s surges in mind at all times. Situations like today¡¯s could happen again, so I¡¯d need to stay cautious. BOOM! While I was lost in thought, another explosion echoed from the student council side. The student council members wouldn¡¯t be able to break through the boycott group. It was time for someone other than the student council to step in. Normally, it would be Lucas and his team, but this time, it was probably Isabel instead¡­ ¡°AAARGH!¡± At that moment, from below the window, I saw the boycott members being swept away in an instant. ¡°What?¡± This was far faster than I had anticipated. Watching the boycott members rolling across the ground, I quickly leaned out to get a better look. When I saw what was happening, my jaw dropped involuntarily. The ones breaking through the boycott group¡ª their firepower far exceeded anything I had imagined. At the forefront stood thezy genius, Ban. With each swing of his sword reflecting the moonlight, boycott members fell without even a chance to resist. Few could withstand the sword aura wielded by Ban. No matter how carefully I had selected the boycott members, none of them could face Ban head-on. Then there was the genius among geniuses, Sharin Sazaris. Every time her staff moved, her star-like projectiles would st students away. Even with my high resistance, I¡¯d have a hard time handling their power. The boycott members stood no chance of enduring them. The academy¡¯s top assets from both martial arts and magic arts, these two were a disaster for anyone who dared oppose them. And they weren¡¯t the only ones. There was Beaquirin Monem, a second-year from the special arts department, contracted with a high-ranking spirit despite losing to the Lord of Spirits. Farsen Xaviros, the eldest son of the Holy Knight Commander, a hulking man wielding a massive greatsword. Isabel¡¯s friend, Lina, and more. The cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me of Zerion Academy had gathered there. The boycott members were like autumn leaves in a storm before their advance. It was the academy¡¯s most elite forces. Resistance was futile. And at the center stood Isabel Luna. Even amidst such formidablepanions, she fought freely, as gracefully as a butterfly. ¡®How in the world did they assemble such a team?¡¯ Even for someone as experienced in the ¡°me Butterfly¡± like me, it was impossible to gather such a roster at this stage of the game. Their assembly was solely a testament to Isabel¡¯s capabilities. ¡®She really does live up to her title as the main heroine.¡¯ She had a knack for bringing people together. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ If the boycott was subdued this quickly, it would be disastrous. The bigger themotion, the more memorable the uprising bes. Not to mention, the boycott members still searching the faculty office and student council room needed more time. I thought quickly before stepping up to the window¡¯s edge. I tightly adjusted the Veil Bandages around my face. With Sharin present, this called for a dual disguise. There was no other choice. Even if it meant reusing an already defeated third-rate viin card, I had to y it once more. A time-stalling third-rate viin. I kicked off the window ledge and leaped. My robe red dramatically as I soared through the air. THUD! Inded right in front of the group tearing through the boycott members. The impact sent a jolt through me, but I quickly straightened my posture. Raising my head slowly, I drew their attention under the dark night sky. Even in this dim light, my striking appearance was impossible to ignore. Naturally, all eyes turned to me. ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that senior Vikamon?¡± It was Isabel¡¯s friend, Lina, who reacted first. Staring at my face, she muttered, [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om w ¡°Still as handsome as ever.¡± ¡°Senior Vikamon, we¡¯re in a hurry. Could you please step aside?¡± Farsen, the knight, addressed me politely, despite the fact I was an expelled student. It was a knightly gesture befitting his status. But¡ª ¡°Sorry, this area is off-limits to unauthorized personnel.¡± Sliding my arm out from under the robe, I firmly blocked their path. At the same time, I scanned the gathered members. Sharin¡¯s half-lidded eyes widened slightly as she spotted me. She held her staff, and had likely already figured out who I really was. But I was still hidden under Veil Bandages. I had wrapped them to be prepared for any situation. So, Sharin likely thought I had disguised myself as Vikamon. She wouldn''t have guessed that my true identity was Vikamon himself. However, she must have surely realized that I was Hannon. As for Ban, he seemed intrigued. He must have estimated my abilities based on my movements earlier. Recently, Ban has taken a renewed interest in wielding his sword. I could see the excitement for a new opponent reflected in him. And finally, Isabel... For some reason, she smiled faintly. Isabel has always been someone who smiles often. But not to the extent of smiling in this kind of situation. Moreover, that smile appeared the moment she saw me. "What does it take to be someone authorized?" Why did her smile seem so sly? Isabel has definitely changed. "You can''t." I cut her off abruptly and stomped my foot, which was engraved with a magical seal, onto the ground. Thud! In an instant, the vibration spread across the ground. Rumble! Thebination of the magic seal and its mystical power amplified the effect. "It''s magic!" Lina shouted as she leaped from the ground. Following her, the others also jumped up. They reacted immediately to avoid losing their footing in the tremor. However, being airborne was also a vulnerable state. Bang! As I kicked off the ground, the magical seals engraved on my body caused consecutive explosions. With the momentum of the sts, I soared forward, only to be blocked by a towering knight. Farsen twisted his massive body mid-air, trying to intercept me. His heavy sword swung toward me. But swinging a sword at me was the worst decision he could have made. Thud! My hand collided with his greatsword. ¡®I had something stored up for this.¡¯ The lightning charge concealed beneath the bandages around my arm. It was the lightning spell I had absorbed earlier from Barquio. "You''re sturdy; you won''t die from this." The lightning spell I released from my hand engulfed his greatsword. Crack-boom! Before he could react, the ck lightning surged out, scorching Farsenpletely. Crash! Farsen, now smoldering and emitting ck smoke, plummeted to the ground. Even the toughest knight couldn''t withstand the lightning magic of a master like Barquio. Landing on the ground, I noticed everyone staring at me with wide eyes. "That''s high-level magic! How is that possible without a staff?" Beaquirin, a spirit schr with a deep understanding of magical science, frowned in disbelief. "But Vikamon was only capable of low-level magic before," Lina added, clearly shocked by what she knew of Vikamon''s skills. Thanks to the magic seals and Barquio''s lightning magic, I had quickly ascended to the status of a high-level mage. Not bad. If they think I''m a mage, they''ll be even more cautious when fighting me. ¡®Just as nned.¡¯ As I thought about steering the situation further in my favor¡ª Chill! A sudden chill ran down my spine. Instinctively, I tilted my head back. A de from the shadows narrowly grazed my chin. Looking down, I saw Ban standing there. Even amidst everyone''s shock, he alone had closed the distance to me. Swish! sh! I hastily dodged Ban''s strikes. Ban, this guy... His skills had improved significantly since thest time. Even though my physical abilities had also grown, dodging his attacks felt much harder than during our sparring sessions. ¡®How long has he been preparing for this?¡¯ While his growth was impressive, the fact that his sword was now aimed at me was infuriating. And now, since they perceived me as a mage, blocking with my body was not an option. ¡®Do I have no choice?¡¯ Just as I prepared to use the remaining lightning magic to create an opening, Ban''s sword suddenly bent mid-strike, heading straight for my chest. It was an illusionary swordsmanship technique using sword energy. He had advanced to such a level now. I had fallen for his trick. Left with no other option, I moved my arm. It was a move that others couldn''t see, hidden from their line of sight. I''d endure with my steel body. ng! Simultaneously, Ban and I widened our eyes in surprise. Between us, an axe appeared, blocking the way. The wielder was a small woman with red hair fluttering in the air. A girl wearing a mask, her forehead shining under the moonlight, stood there. "I''ll take you on!" Seron Parmia. She appeared out of nowhere. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 83 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 83: Prince Sweet Potato Seron Parmia. Her appearance brought the battle between me and Ban to a halt. Both of us simply stared at her. ¡°...Seron?¡± When Ban called her name, Seron flinched. ¡°I-I''m not Seron!¡± If she wanted to hide, she should have done it properly. That shiny forehead above her mask gave her away instantly. ¡°Seron, what are you doing right now?¡± Recognizing her as Seron, Lina yelled out, questioning why on earth she was siding with the enemy. Seron¡¯s expression became even more flustered, but she bit her lip and gripped her axes tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Just fight me already!¡± Seron revealed her hostility toward Isabel¡¯s group. ¡°What¡¯s she even saying? Does she know what¡¯s happening right now?¡± Lina reacted in disbelief. ¡°She¡¯s not Seron,¡± Ban said, the de in his hand exuding a cold and menacing aura. Even Seron flinched at the sharp intensity. ¡°Whoever blocks my way will be treated the same.¡± Ban made it clear he would break through anyone in his path. However, Seron stood her ground, raising her axes. ¡°...Come at me, then.¡± A honey badger facing down a lion, baring its fierce teeth. I found the situation somewhat absurd. I hadn¡¯t expected Seron to jump into this. ¡®Had she been watching from the shadows this whole time?¡¯ Judging by the timing, she must havee thinking I was in danger. Her intentions were appreciated, but now she was entangling herself with the boycott too. As I raised my hand to stop her, she spoke with firm resolve. ¡°I came here of my own will.¡± Her lips were tightly pressed together, but her determination was evident. She hade of her own volition. Seeing her steadfast back, I lowered my raised hand. ¡°Can you hold Ban back?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Seron shed her axes together with resolve. Fine. Ban is yours to handle. What¡¯s left is¡ª Rumble! Suddenly, mes began to whirl around us. My gaze shifted to the one controlling the mes. The summoner of a high-ranking spirit and a top-tier spirit schr: Beaquirin Monem. The highest-ranking fire spirit she controlled manifested, spewing fire everywhere. The spirit, reminiscent of a massive lizard, flicked its tongue. Even with my high resistance, I could feel the intense heat. And the spirit¡¯s eyes were locked solely on me. ¡®It must have sensed the presence of the Fire Spirit King.¡¯ [TL/N: I used Spirit Lord earlier bc it sounded cooler but PR insists ¡®King¡¯ is moremon :( ] After all, I carried the remains of the Fire Spirit King within me. It wasn¡¯t surprising for the top-ranking fire spirit to detect something. ¡°No idea what¡¯s happening, but¡­¡± Beaquirin, who seemed to have been waiting patiently, casually flicked her hand. ¡°With Sharin and Ling here, you¡¯re acting way too bold.¡± Standing beside Beaquirin, Sharin red at me disapprovingly before letting out a sigh and raising her staff. ¡°Senior Vikamon, things are going to get rough for you.¡± Sharin hade at Isabel¡¯s request. She had no intention of going easy on me. I now faced a battle against a top-tier summoner and the top-ranked of the magic arts. Isabel wouldn¡¯t remain idle forever either. Just as I braced for a grueling fight¡ª Whoooosh! A gust of wind blew through, scattering the swirling mes. ¡°What?¡± Beaquirin¡¯s voice betrayed her surprise. As she quickly looked up, a colossal jade-colored bird descended from the sky. The bird was so massive that its sheer grandeur overwhelmed those looking upon it. With each p of its transparent wings, powerful winds shook everyone in its vicinity. ¡°Is that¡­ a Spirit King?¡± Beaquirin¡¯s voice was tinged with astonishment. The bird was indeed a Spirit King, the one contracted with Foara Silin. Thud! Riding the wind, a boynded beside me. ¡°Whoa!¡± Hended awkwardly, iling before managing to stand properly. Adjusting the sses perched on his mask, he eximed, ¡°I-I''vee to help!¡± ¡°Foara Silin, why are you here?¡± Beaquirin demanded, visibly taken aback. ¡°I¡¯m not Foara! I¡¯m just a passing spirit mage!¡± The boy frantically shook his head, his expression flustered. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Beaquirin¡¯s reaction was incredulous. Her expression soon darkened, as though questioning if she was being mocked. ¡®He must have sensed the spirit¡¯s power ande here.¡¯ Foara likely came to contribute in some way to the boycott¡¯s cause. ¡°I-I¡¯ll handle the spirit,¡± Foara stammered, avoiding Beaquirin¡¯s intense gaze. Fine. With this much, we might stand a chance. ¡°As I said before¡­¡± I raised my fist toward Isabel¡¯s group. ¡°Only authorized personnel are allowed here.¡± * * * Explosions echoed as the highest-ranking spirit shed with the Spirit King. The chaos threw ordinary students into turmoil. Amidst the confusion, Seron and Ban collided in a fierce struggle. Seron¡¯s desperate axe techniques were sharp enough to surprise even Ban, demonstrating how much her skills had improved. Beyond the two of them, shes of magic illuminated the battlefield. Every time Sharin¡¯s light magic fell, the surroundings were devastated. It was practically a meteor shower. Thud! Cutting through the remnants of light, Isabel¡¯s friend Lina emerged, her sword aimed at me. Her adept swordsmanship sought to corner me. But I was someone who had gone toe-to-toe with Ban. My heightened reflexes tracked every movement of her de, allowing me to dodge effortlessly. ¡°Why is a mage so quick?!¡± Lina eximed, breathing heavily. Sorry, but I¡¯m no mage. Feigning a retreat, I suddenly leaned forward, closing the distance between us in an instant. Caught off guard, Lina flinched, and I seized the opportunity to strike her wrist with my fist. Bang! A st spell activated at my elbow, propelling my punch with added force. Crack! ¡°Ack!¡± Unable to react, Lina took the hit directly, her grip on her sword weakening. Seizing the moment, I released a faint current through the sword¡¯s de. The residual electricity from my ¡°Lightning Caller¡± ring flowed out, making her flinch and drop her weapon. She had seen what happened to Farsen earlier. The moment she felt the current, she let go. ng! The fallen sword was kicked away by me.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om With that, Lina was disarmed. But she wasn¡¯t the real problem. Whoosh! Through the smoke from Sharin¡¯s light bullets, Isabel appeared. Her crimson eyes glowed with a beast-like ferocity as her sword surged toward my neck. This one, I couldn¡¯t dodge. I immediately raised my hand to intercept. ng! Using the edge of my palm, I blocked the blow. Together, Isabel and I disappeared into the swirling smoke. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Through the clouded, dusty air, I quietly sharpened my senses. As I held my breath, Isabel¡¯s silhouette came into view. Before her figure could fully appear, her sword pierced through the smoke. ng! ng! Without hesitation, my knife hand shed repeatedly against her sword. Her de was alive with intent. ¡®Just judging by the sharpness, she''s more than halfway there.¡¯ It dawned on me just how much training Isabel must have undergone. Come to think of it, this was the first time I¡¯d fought Isabel. To think we''d finally confront each other in a ce like this. Life truly is unpredictable. Just as I dodged the soaring de, I realized something. Thud! I had backed myself into a wall. ¡®Damn.¡¯ Focusing entirely on Isabel''s de, I had neglected my rear. As her sword thrust toward my chest, I swung both hands simultaneously. My fingers slipped between the iing de aimed at my heart¡ªa move I''d once used against Ban. The Sword Breaker. Crack! In the instant I shattered Isabel¡¯s sword, I caught a glint of light from another direction. It was another de, already in mid-swing. Isabel had discarded her broken weapon and now wielded Lina¡¯s sword¡ªthe one I¡¯d disarmed moments ago. ¡®I¡¯ve been outmaneuvered.¡¯ Isabel had anticipated this from the beginning, knowing I¡¯d resort to the Sword Breaker. She had nned to abandon her first weapon and switch to Lina''s. Her crimson eyes shone with resolve, full of determination to defeat me at any cost. Before I knew it, I found myself smiling. ¡®Yeah, a main heroine shoulde at me like that.¡¯ A magical engraving on the wall behind me began to glow. Isabel noticed, but it was toote. BOOM! The wall copsed entirely with a deafening roar. ¡°You!¡± I heard Isabel¡¯s voice, but I quickly rolled backward and bolted. I¡¯d bought enough time. That was all I needed. Gripping the Lightning Caller in my hand, I unleashed Professor Barquio¡¯s stored electric charge at full power. Magic Engraving: Lightning Caller A ck bolt of lightning materialized in my hand, and without hesitation, I hurled it toward Ban and Seron. Ban, sensing the danger, immediately retreated. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Startled, Seron also backed away. In that moment, I grabbed her waist. ¡°Kyaa!¡± This time, Seron screamed for a different reason, her face turning bright red as I held her. ¡°Foara, retreat!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± Foara ceased her fight with Beaquirin and retreated. ¡°Stop right there! Look at what you¡¯ve done to my ring!¡± Beaquirin shouted at Foara, but she couldn¡¯t give chase. Even for a high-ranking elemental spirit contractor, there was no defying a Spirit King. Beaquirin clenched her teeth, furious, and Foara would no doubt face her wrathter. As I ran, I spotted Sharin in the distance. She looked at me with a slightly exasperated expression. Her gaze seemed to say, You could have at least warned me. I¡¯ll apologize to herter. For now, the best strategy is to run away as fast as possible. * * * After running for quite some time, Isabel and her group stopped pursuing us. Though Isabel might have wanted to chase me down, their primary goal was to mediate the chaos caused by the boycott group. They had no reason toe after me specifically. Hiding in a building and catching my breath, I finally felt the exhaustion set in. No matter how much hellish endurance training I¡¯d done with Aisha, even I had my limits. Bang! Crash! In the distance, members of the student council and the boycott group were still battling fiercely. Even from afar, their desperate struggle was evident. ¡°Ah.¡± Seron let out a small exmation, and I realized I¡¯d forgotten about her. I gently set her down. Seron, however, was staring toward the window with trembling eyes. ¡°Seron?¡± When I called her name, she bit her lip. ¡°Prince¡­ No, senior Vikamon.¡± So she figured it out. In all the chaos, Vikamon¡¯s name had been shouted countless times. There was no way she wouldn¡¯t recognize it. As I gave her a wry smile, Seron lowered her head. ¡°This whole incident¡­ It¡¯s because of senior Nikita, isn¡¯t it?¡± Vikamon had feelings for Nikita. His obsession with her led to his downfall and eventual expulsion. Even if Seron hadn¡¯t known my face, she would have heard the rumors. For her, this must have felt like heartbreak. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I would have done the same.¡± Seron¡¯s voice was tinged with sorrow as she forced a faint smile. Her tear-filled expression left me at a loss for words. ¡°But this is as far as I can go.¡± Her eyes remained fixed on the scene outside the window. ¡°I have a friend on the student council. He¡¯s a bit clueless but very dear to me.¡± I finally understood what she was looking at: Hania, disguised as Hannon. ¡°I can¡¯t betray my friend any further. He¡¯s my one and only.¡± Her words were resolute, though her smile was faint. ¡°He¡¯s kind of a terrible friend, though.¡± I clenched my fist tightly as Seron turned away. ¡°That day, thanks to you, I realized I wasn¡¯t entirely miserable.¡± Her words were honest. ¡°Thank you.¡± With that, she left. Watching her retreating figure, I bit my lip. Because of the Veil Bandages, I¡¯d lost love. But Seron¡¯s disy of friendship had shown me its true meaning. Seron and I are friends. Now and always. But how long could I keep deceiving her? Should I reveal my true identity? My gut told me this was my only chance. "Bruised tomato!" What followed was pure impulse. I am an outsider in this world. But even so, Seron had epted me as her friend. So, for once, I wanted to break free of these constraints. I stered a smile on my face, called out the nickname I¡¯d given her long ago, and pressed the Veil Bandages. Under the moonlight streaming through the window¡­ My form transformed into Hannon. The pendant Seron once thought I¡¯d given to Vikamon glinted as I held it aloft. ¡°Huh?¡± Seron turned, bewildered, her eyes wide with confusion. Grinning, I looked at her dumbfounded face and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡± With that, I bolted. Who cares? I¡¯ll deal with itter. Tomorrow¡¯s me, I¡¯m counting on you. ¡¾Act 4, Scene 1: ¡®The Boycott Turmoil¡¯ ends.¡¿ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 84 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 84: Tomato¡¯s Deration of Victory The Night of the Founding Festival. A boy who had slipped out of the boycott let out a sigh. To be exact, it was a girl. ¡°This is such a hassle.¡± The one disguised as Hannon was none other than Hania Rapidedia, the daughter of the Empire''s Knight Commander. After discovering that Isabel was after Hannon, she realized the situation could be troublesome and decided to join the boycott. Since she looked like Hannon, no one questioned her appearance. She had subdued and captured a few boycott participants in the process, then sighed again. Hannon, however, had already shed with Isabel¡¯s group and slipped away. ¡®He could have given me a heads-up.¡¯ She regretted getting involved and only suffering for it. All she wanted now was to head back and take a nice bath. ¡°Hania.¡± As she trudged along, a voice called out, stopping her in her tracks. The voice¡¯s owner was none other than Iris. Her jet-ck hair fluttered in the moonlight, and her ruby-like eyes shimmered under its glow, framed by longshes reminiscent of a Persian cat. ¡°What¡¯s with this look?¡± Iris saw through Hania¡¯s disguise immediately. Hania, who was supposed to be waiting in the dormitory, was caught off guard and couldn¡¯t respond right away, her lips parting wordlessly. This only solidified Iris¡¯s suspicions. Her half-lidded gaze swept over Hania, simultaneously sweetly alluring and chillingly sharp. ¡°Hania, you¡¯re not the kind of girl who lies to me, right?¡± Iris¡¯s warning came in a soft, low tone. Hania was her loyal subordinate. To lie to Iris was as grave as a mortal sin. Hania bowed her head. ¡°Yes, of course not.¡± Even though she had promised to keep things secret from Hannon, there was no way out of this one. She confessed everything to Iris, from Hannon being the mastermind of the boycott to covering for him by saying he likely did it for Iris¡¯s sake. After reflecting on Hania¡¯s story, Iris remained silent. The quiet unnerved Hania, who fidgeted anxiously. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Iris turned without another word. ¡°Ah, Iris, wait for me!¡± Hania hurriedly removed her wig and contact lenses as she chased after Iris. For some reason, Iris felt a deep warmth in her chest¡ªa stark contrast to the cold emptiness she usually felt during the Founding Festival. * * * Due to the unexpected boycott, Zerion Academy fell into chaos. Although the professors and assistants eventually arrived to restore order, the true credit for resolving the situation went to Isabel and her friends. They managed to mediate and subdue what could have escted into a major conflict between the boycott participants and the student council. As a result, Isabel¡¯s stature soared significantly. Most of the boycott members were captured and handed over to the professors and assistants for questioning. Moreover, corruption scandals within Zerion Academy were brought to light. The education department and the student council faced harsh criticism. Several students were suspended, including Rojamin, the boycott leader, who calmly epted his suspension. Unlike in the original scenario, where he protested unfairly, this time, he seemed resigned. Even as he was escorted to the dormitory, Rojamin told the gathered crowd of students: ¡°Run well.¡± It was unclear who he was addressing, but with those words, he was taken away. Simultaneously, the scandal left Sylvester Drapen, the student council president, in a precarious position. Though the incidents urred before his tenure, students still held him ountable for turning a blind eye to long-standing corruption. Already criticized for his perceived ipetence, Sylvester faced mounting bacsh and eventually resigned from his position. ¡°No matter how you look at it, me staying will only make things worse. Sorry for running away like this,¡± He said with a bitter smile. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve been running from everything since the beginning.¡± Leaving only his deste silhouette behind, Sylvester returned to being an ordinary student. With both the president and vice president gone, the student council was thrown into disarray. However, the council was temporarily suspended as imperial auditors conducted an investigation into Zerion Academy. The audit extended to professors, assistant professors, and teaching assistants alike, leaving the academy in an unsettled state. Although announcements about new faculty were made, time was needed before they could take office. Thus, a wind of change swept through Zerion Academy. The boycott¡¯s goal had, in a way, been achieved.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Due to the turmoil, the academy dered three days of independent study. Students, being ustomed to self-discipline, didn¡¯t see this as an issue. On the first day of independent study, I found myself dragged outside immediately upon arriving, facing a rather awkward situation. ¡°Lightning Sweet Potato.¡± ¡°Hannon.¡± ¡°You.¡± Standing before me were Seron Parmia, Iris Hysirion, and Isabel Luna. Each had their own reasons for being there, but all three seemed to have converged on me. Should I run? ¡°Don¡¯t even think about escaping,¡± Seron snapped, instantly catching on to my pattern. They had blocked every possible escape route. Some gratitude for all I¡¯ve done! ¡®Still, while Seron and Isabel make sense¡­¡¯ I nced at Iris, puzzled. Did she really have a reason to wait for me like this? I was looking at Iris when my eyes suddenly met those of Hania, who had been quietly standing behind her. She flinched slightly, then quietly lowered her head. ¡®...Caught.¡¯ Realizing the situation, I sighed internally. Well, it was inevitable. Sooner orter, I was bound to be discovered. ¡®The problem is...¡¯ They say it¡¯s better to get the scolding over with first. But I wasn¡¯t sure whose scolding I¡¯d be facing. The three of them exchanged nces. All three seemed equally unprepared for this situation, especially since they had all stood up as soon as I arrived. Clearly, the most mature person here would be the one to back down first. Then, Iris boldly spoke up. As expected of the Third Princess, she was as daring as ever. "Hannon,e to my room after everything¡¯s done today." The Third Princess didn¡¯t just speak boldly; she practically fired a cannonball. Iris said this in her usualposed tone before turning around. Naturally, her ¡°room¡± referred to her dormitory room in the women¡¯s dorms. This alone was problematic enough. The implications of sneaking into the Third Princess¡¯s room were all too clear. Her bombshell left both Isabel and Seron with their jaws dropped wide open. Both of them stared at me with looks of pure shock. "You... you crazy... idiot!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Of the two, it was Seron, who knew my true identity, who stammered out some incoherent words. If I were Hannon, at least I could use the excuse of being her cousin. But I wasn¡¯t¡ªmy true identity was Vikamon. If word got out that I had secretly entered the Princess¡¯s quarters, it would be as good as a death sentence. "You¡¯re..." Before Seron could finish, I immediately raised my hand to mp it over her mouth. Seron struggled, her face turning bright red as she remembered my true identity as Vikamon. Still the same innocent girl at heart. m¡ª Suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist. It was Isabel. She was looking at me with calm yet piercing eyes. "What were you doing with Lady Iris every night?" Sleeping, obviously. But saying that out loud would immediately bury me. "...I had some business to take care of." "Oh, I see. ''Business'' in the women¡¯s dormitory, huh?" Isabel smiled sweetly. "...You even left me to do that business." We were fighting a battle, but still, I had left her. "W-What?!" Seron was ring at me with wide eyes from the side. Why was she making this situation even moreplicated? Was it on purpose? Isabel snorted, turned on her heel, and walked away. In the end, only Seron was left. She finally freed herself from my grip and slowly lifted her head. I quickly avoided her gaze. "Then, I¡¯ll be off too." "Where do you think you¡¯re going?" As I tried to slip away naturally, Seron grabbed my cor firmly. I couldn¡¯t move far and had to stop, turning back to face her. "Seron, about what happened yesterday¡ª" "Forget it. Just be honest with me." There was no escape. "Are you senior Vikamon, or are you Hannon?" In the end, I raised both hands in surrender. There was no point in trying to deny it anymore, not after Seron had already discovered my identity. "I¡¯m Vikamon. For certain reasons, I returned to Zerion Academy in this form." Hearing my answer, Seron bit her lip. It seemed like she had a lot to say, but she carefully chose her words. "...Did youe back because of senior Nikita?" So that¡¯s what had been bothering her. Seeing her slump as she waited for my answer, I sighed. "I can¡¯t say it had nothing to do with Nikita, but that¡¯s not the only reason." Nikita was important, but there was something even more critical to me. I returned here to prevent this world from ending in a bad ending. But there was no way I could tell her the truth about that. "...You still like senior Nikita, didn¡¯t you?" "That was a long time ago." And it wasn¡¯t even the current me¡ªit was the old Vikamon. Besides, I had likely lost the ability to feel love due to the Veil Bandages. "Right now, I don¡¯t like anyone." Hearing my answer, Seron fell silent. Then, out of nowhere, she grabbed my cor and pulled me close. As my face drew nearer to hers in an instant, she rested her forehead lightly against mine and smiled mischievously. "Then I guess I don¡¯t have to give up just yet." I was momentarily stunned. "You know I¡¯m actually Hannon." "That doesn¡¯t matter." Seron released me with a bright expression. "You¡¯re still the prince I liked, aren¡¯t you?" "And here I thought I was just a ''sweet potato''." "Even if you were, I never hated you. I just like you even more now." Seron said this with a radiant smile. ...This girl. Did she awaken some boldness through all of this? She was now throwing out embarrassing lines without hesitation. "My sweet potato prince." Seron ced her hands confidently on her hips. "Brace yourself. I¡¯m not nning to lose in this fight." Her cheerfulugh was so charming that it even made my heart waver for a moment. Just what am I supposed to brace myself for? This battle might turn out to be an unexpectedly difficult one. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 85 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 85: Nightmare Resolution After being called by three women and getting an earful, I was training with a tangled mind. ¡®Somehow, Act 4, Scene 1 is over¡­¡¯ The events that followed made my head a mess. There were so many things to do, but unexpected problems arose inpletely unforeseen ces. ¡°Feeling guilty? Rx your face a little.¡± At that moment, I turned my head toward the voice I heard. Hania was sparring with me. Though it was fake, she and I were in a rtionship. Thus, we spent as much time together as possible during ss. Of course, there wasn¡¯t a single ounce of mutual affection between us. Hania was devoted to Iris, and I had lost the ability to love due to the Veil Bandages. The possibility of us bing real lovers was zero. ¡°You¡¯re aware that Iris found out, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It was beyond my control. But the other two aren¡¯t my fault, are they?¡± Well, that was my doing, after all. ¡°¡­Hannon, I think Iris needs you.¡± I blinked and looked at her. ¡°Iris has grown up alone her entire life. It¡¯s tragic, but being the third princess is a sorrowful position.¡± The Hysirion Empire has four princes and three princesses. In order of age, they go: 1st Prince > 1st Princess > 2nd Prince > 3rd Prince > 2nd Princess > 4th Prince > 3rd Princess Iris, the 3rd Princess, is the youngest among the royal family. However, her maternal grandfather, Duke Robliage, was a man with ambitions to devour the imperial family. He even made a contract with the Demon Sovereign to raise Iris to the top. As a result, Iris crushed her older siblings and became a contender for the throne, rivaling the 1st Prince. She climbed from being the furthest from the throne to standing closest to it. In that process, Iris became infamous as the ultimate viiness, and no one dared to stand by her side. Moreover, the only person who gave her love¡ªher mother¡ªwas lost to a nightmare. Iris had no family to stay by her side. ¡°As her subordinate, I can serve her, but I can¡¯t be her family.¡± Hania let out a sigh filled with regret. ¡°But you can, Hannon.¡± She gazed at me intently with resolute eyes. ¡°You¡¯re someone who can even ease Iris¡¯s insomnia.¡± No, that¡¯s not true. I¡¯ve only temporarily alleviated her insomnia. Until her nightmares are resolved, her insomnia won¡¯t be cured. That¡¯s why I have many tasks ahead of me to tackle this issue. ¡®Besides, I¡¯m not her real family.¡¯ I had told Iris an important lie. Because of that, I couldn¡¯t approach her as family. ¡°Hania, that¡¯s not right.¡± I denied her words. ¡°You¡¯re the most important person to Iris. You¡¯ve always been the one supporting and watching over her the most.¡± I would resolve Iris¡¯s nightmares. But the rest? Hania was the one better suited for that. ¡°You¡¯re Iris¡¯s friend, aren¡¯t you?¡± As I smiled gently, Hania looked at me quietly. Then, for some reason, she frowned deeply. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this is how you seduce women?¡± What are you talking about? I stared at Hania in disbelief. She hugged herself with the arm not holding her sword. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about adding me to your harem.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never thought of that.¡± ¡°So, are you saying I¡¯m not attractive?¡± A trap. No matter what I said, the sword would swing. Seeing me dumbfounded, Hania let out a hollowugh. ¡°I¡¯m joking. I know you don¡¯t think of me that way. The way you look at me is different from other men.¡± ¡°Hania, I¡¯m still a man.¡± For some reason, Hania smiled faintly. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Why did that smile feel even more bittersweet? It suddenly hurt my heart. ¡°No, maybe this is why so many women gather around you.¡± Hania seemed to ponder seriously. For me, it was a bitter realization. The idea that I could be around women because I didn¡¯t see them as romantic interests¡ªit was a sad life. ¡®This is practically emotional impotence¡­¡¯ I¡¯m sorry, my son. I¡¯ll try to get you back after I save the world. Until then, you¡¯ll have to stay asleep. ¡°Open.¡± At that moment, Hania struck as I let my guard down, forcing me to roll on the ground after a decisive blow. * * * That night, as before, I visited Iris¡¯s room in the guise of Hania. By now, sneaking into the girls¡¯ dormitory had be second nature. I casually passed through the entrance and found Iris¡¯s room. Even when girls walked past me, I confidently greeted them in Hania¡¯s form. Was this really okay? That thought crossed my mind, but since Iris had called for me, I had no other choice. Suppressing a sigh, I climbed the stairs, only to find someone standing in front of me. I slowly lifted my gaze. There, I saw a girl with honey-blonde hair standing with her arms crossed, quietly watching me. ¡°¡­Isabel?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°So this is how you came.¡± With just those words, Isabel turned and left. Had she been waiting here until I arrived? No, more importantly, how did she see through me? The Veil Bandages were perfect at disguising appearances. Was it a coincidence? Or did she just take a guess? Stunned, I stared nkly at Isabel¡¯s retreating figure. She said nothing else. Feeling a strange unease, I knocked on Iris¡¯s door. ¡°Come in.¡± Hearing Iris¡¯s response, I opened the door. Iris was sitting by the window, quietly gazing at the sky. The night sky, heavy with clouds, revealed no moonlight. Perhaps because of that, the room, lit by a single smallmp, was quite dark. ¡°Iris?¡± When I called her name, Iris turned to look at me. ¡°You helped with the boycott, didn¡¯t you?¡± Was calling me here all about questioning this? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w I let out a bitter smile and slowly closed the door behind me. ¡°Yes, I helped.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I couldn¡¯t tell what kind of answer Iris was looking for. But I did know she wouldn¡¯t want an embellished response. ¡°It was something necessary for what I aim to achieve.¡± It was a vague answer. But since it was the truth, I stood there calmly, and Iris tilted her head in response. As she did, her jet-ck hair cascaded down softly. Though it was still autumn, her thin clothing subtly revealed glimpses of her skin. In the darkness, only her ruby-like red eyes shone vividly. Her eyes, destined to hold the unknown allure of an enchantment as the vessel of Malice in the future, were mesmerizing. ¡°Your goal, then¡­¡± ¡°...is to graduate from Zerion Academy without trouble.¡± The end of Zerion Academy. That point would mark the conclusion of the me Butterfly arc. After that, even I wouldn¡¯t know how the world would unfold. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been nning to use my knowledge up to this point to live well. ¡®Or maybe I¡¯ll get to see the ending and return home.¡¯ But I don¡¯t put much hope in that. By then, going back home might feel more awkward than anything else. Iris tapped her fingers slowly on the table. She repeated the action for some time before looking back at me again. ¡°So, this incident was tied to your graduation?¡± ¡°As someone who¡¯s been involved in the student council, I became aware of corrupt individuals among the faculty. For Zerion Academy to function smoothly, I deemed it better for them to be removed and acted ordingly.¡± ¡°What about the matter with Senior Nikita?¡± ¡°That was no different.¡± It was something necessary for Zerion Academy¡¯s progress. That¡¯s why I took action. ¡°I see.¡± But there was a fleeting trace of regret in Iris¡¯s eyes. Noticing it, I tilted my head slightly. Was there an answer she wanted to hear? ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t for me.¡± Soon after, I caught the loneliness lingering in her gaze. I remembered what Hania had said earlier today. That the solitude defining Iris was something even she couldn¡¯t ovee. ¡®¡­The one who frees Iris from her loneliness is Lucas.¡¯ Iris, forced to pursue the throne like a marite by Duke Robliage, found Lucas to be a unique presence in her life. He wouldn¡¯t stand for injustice and was the first to take risks in the face of danger. He willingly put himself on the line even when it meant harm coulde his way. There was a time when Iris was intrigued by Lucas. It was a faint curiosity that would dissipate after Lucas¡¯s death, but at the time, Iris undoubtedly found him fascinating. Lucas, with his me of Resolve, was a key figure who resolved Iris¡¯s nightmares. Every night, when she couldn¡¯t sleep, Lucas stayed by her side. Through that, Iris gradually foundfort and peace, and, feeling warmth she¡¯d never experienced before, opened her heart to him. On the day Lucas ultimately saved her from her nightmares, Iris fell truly in love with him. That was the story of the heroine, Iris Hysirion. A tale far removed from someone like me, whocked Lucas¡¯s me of Resolve. So I couldn¡¯t fulfill the main role that Lucas had yed. But even so, this wouldn¡¯t solve Iris¡¯s fundamental loneliness. Her loneliness relentlessly gnawed away at her, and it directly affected her nightmares. ¡®I¡­¡¯ I entered this world in the guise of her cousin, Hannon Irey. And Iris longed for a kind of familial warmth she had never known. ¡®I can do it.¡¯ If it meant Iris would be okay, I was willing to y the role of her cousin Hannon Irey. But was that really eptable? Was it right for her to experience a false sense of familial love through my act? No. Absolutely not. That wouldn¡¯t be truly for her sake. What I want is not a superficial, ornamental happy ending. I want a true happy ending where everyone is genuinely happy. ¡°Iris.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°From today, let¡¯s train together in the mornings.¡± ¡°What?¡± Fake familial love? To hell with that. ¡°Your nightmares.¡± Iris flinched slightly at my words. Everyone knew she suffered from insomnia, but no one was aware of her nightmares. That¡¯s why Iris widened her eyes in surprise and looked visibly flustered. Seeing this, a grin spread across my face. ¡°I¡¯ll fix that for you.¡± I¡¯ll force you into a life without sleepless nights. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 86 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 86: A Tired Body Sleeps Well Iris, tormented by insomnia caused by nightmares, was dragged by me the next day to training with Aisha. Last Night. Iris, though puzzled by my words, had already be someone who couldn¡¯t sleep without my warmth. Though she didn¡¯t fully understand what I said, she clung to me and fell asleep. The next morning, I forcibly woke the drowsy Iris. By now, I had mastered the art of waking her up precisely. Iris had a particrly sensitive spot on her sides, a discovery I had stumbled upon while pondering escape strategies. As I nced back, I saw Iris gently rubbing her side. ¡°How does the morning air feel, Iris?¡± Hearing my question, Iris scanned her surroundings. ¡°It¡¯s refreshing.¡± The autumn air, crisp after summer¡¯s end, brought a sense of freshness. Iris seemed to appreciate it, her expression rxing slightly. Thanks to my presence, Iris had fallen asleep earlyst night, and her mood seemed remarkably better today. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± I guided her to our destination, where Aisha stood waiting. Aisha, now in a slightly longer workout outfit than before, stood tall with her impressive, long limbs. If this were the real world, Aisha would undoubtedly possess the stature of a model. Fortunately, Isabel wasn¡¯t present. After the recent boycott incident, Isabel had stopped participating in our morning training sessions. ¡°Aisha.¡± ¡°Oh, senior...¡± Aisha started to respond to my call but froze when she saw Iris beside me. Her eyes widened in shock. Bringing one of the nation¡¯s treasures, the third princess, was bound to provoke such a reaction. ¡°Aisha, this is Lady Iris. She¡¯ll be training with us starting today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Lady Iris.¡± When Aisha showed formal courtesy, Iris waved it off lightly. ¡°This is the Zerion Academy. Treat me as you would a fellow senior like Hannon.¡± ¡°Understood. I will do so.¡± Aisha wasn¡¯t inflexible. If Iris asked for such treatment, Aisha would dly oblige. ¡°I was thinking of adjusting today¡¯s training a bit for Lady Iris. Would that be alright?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Training should be varied to keep the body from adapting and to ensure continuous improvement. I¡¯d actually wee it.¡± That was a very Aisha-like response. ¡°Let¡¯s get started, Lady Iris.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Still looking a bit puzzled, Iris joined us as our training began. The training method was simple. Iris, like Ban, had awakened her aura at a young age. However, while Ban¡¯s mastery of aura was a step above, allowing him to wield it with ir, Iris¡¯s ability to use aura at all was significant in itself. Throughout the training, I instructed Iris to continuously release her aura. Initially, she was confused, but perhaps because I had built enough trust with her, sheplied. Thus, Iris spent the entire morning expending her aura. When she reached her limit, unable to produce any more, the training session ended. ¡°Phew, do you do this every day?¡± As Iris caught her breath and asked, I smiled. ¡°Lady Iris, endurance is national strength.¡± ¡°I think I understand a bit why Hannon never seems to get tired.¡± Even during the perilous Demon Dungeon incident, I had survived purely on stamina. Through this training, Iris seemed to gain some insight into that. ¡°How do you feel physically?¡± ¡°Physically?¡± Hearing my question, Iris lifted the edge of her workout clothes slightly. For a brief moment, her pale stomach came into view, making me momentarily dizzy. I felt like I might be used of sphemy. ¡°I think I¡¯ve lost weight.¡± ¡°Lady Iris, if Hania were here, she would have fainted.¡± Likely out of joy. I adjusted Iris¡¯s clothes properly. ¡°More importantly, Lady Iris, focus on your inner self.¡± Blinking herrge eyes, Iris turned her attention inward. As someone who wielded aura, she was capable of self-reflection. Soon, her eyes slowly opened, a hint of surprise in them as she looked at me. ¡°...The murky energy ispletely gone.¡± What had been within her was the power of the Demon Sovereign. This power was replenished through nightmares. Thus, exhausting itpletely was the solution. By making her continuously release her aura during training, the Demon Sovereign¡¯s power, too, was consumed. As a result, the oppressive force that had weighed on her disappeared, leaving her feeling refreshed. Iris¡¯s face brightened noticeably, freed from the burden pressing on her body. As befitting the final viiness, Iris possessed unparalleled power. However, people instinctively umte their strength, and Iris hadn¡¯t often experiencedpletely exhausting herself like she did today. ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll stay with you again. Let¡¯s see how you sleep.¡± Even so, Iris¡¯s insomnia was a deeper issue. Her body had developed the habit of avoiding sleep due to the torment of nightmares. While the influence of the Demon Sovereign had lessened, breaking the habit would take time. Until then, I resolved to stay by her side. ¡°...Alright.¡± Iris gazed at me with an unreadable expression. While I couldn¡¯t decipher its meaning, thus began the project to ensure Iris¡¯s peaceful sleep. * * * Two Weeks Later. Time marched on as always. Two weeks into the peaceful sleep project, Iris¡¯s face had noticeably brightened. ¡°Hannon, good morning.¡± She even started waking up earlier than me to prepare for morning training. Day by day, she increased the intensity of her training, determined to shake off even the lingering traces of her nightmares. Thanks to this, Iris had started to look forward to the night, treasuring the peace of sleep she hadn¡¯t experienced in so long. ¡°Hannon,e here.¡± As always, Iris called me over, pulling me into her embrace as she fell asleep. By now, even I had grown ustomed to this. Still, the root cause of her nightmares remained unresolved. ¡®It¡¯s time to prepare for the real solution.¡¯ Thus, I spent my days focused on alleviating Iris¡¯s nightmares. In the meantime, new faces began appearing at the academy. They were the newly appointed teaching assistants and professors, recing those expelled after the recent boycott incident. Many of them greeted Iris shortly after arriving at the Zerion Academy, a clear sign that they were affiliated with the Third Princess. The new assistants and professors were incredibly diligent individuals. Having been thoroughly trained by the Duke of Robliage, they fully utilized their abilities to guide the students. Thanks to their efforts, the atmosphere at Zerion Academy underwent a significant transformation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The previous assistants and professors involved in corruption had left a poor impression on the students. The recements diligently conducted sses, which positively influenced the students as well. "At least it wasn¡¯t all for nothing." Seron lightly tapped my arm as we observed the changed atmosphere of the academy. It was during lunchtime, and Iris and Hania, who usually apanied us, happened to be absent. So today, it was just Seron and me having lunch together. Card has been busytely, running around everywhere, so the number of times we eat lunch together has decreased. That¡¯s how I ended up dining with Seron today.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Indeed, Seron was right. Even Rojamin, the former boycott leader, would likely feel that his one-month suspension was worth it when he returned. "But more importantly, Prince Sweet Potato." She called me and lowered her posture. I followed suit, crouching down to match her. "What?" "¡­Why do you keep sneaking into the girls¡¯ dormitory as Hania?" So, she found out. "Seron, have you been stalking me?" "Did you think I wouldn¡¯t investigate after what you saidst time? If there¡¯s a pervert sneaking into the girls¡¯ dorm, of course, I¡¯d look into it." Why is the stalker acting so confident? "You¡¯ve been going in and out of Iris¡¯s room. What on earth are you doing? What if you get caught?" Iris knows me as Hannon. If she were to find out I¡¯m Vikamon, I¡¯d be executed immediately for trespassing into the princess¡¯s quarters. "I¡¯m just helping Iris sleep better, that¡¯s all." In truth, I¡¯m merely fulfilling the role of afort doll. I swear I¡¯ve never done anything shameful. Besides, any primal desires have been forcibly suppressed, making such actions impossible for me. "As long as you keep your mouth shut, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll get caught." "I don¡¯t want to see you get executed, so I¡¯ll keep quiet, but¡­" Seron grumbled as she nced at me. "¡­It still feels unfair to me." "What¡¯s unfair about it?" "I can¡¯t sleep well either." I blinked at her. What is she talking about when she was dozing off during ss this morning? "Because I keep thinking about you." Oh, my god. Seron¡¯s face flushed bright red, and she fidgeted nervously. She had turned into a tomato after boldly confessing. I didn¡¯t expect her toe at me head-on like this. "¡­Aren¡¯t you embarrassed saying something like that?" "I am embarrassed! But what can I do? It¡¯s the truth!" Apparently, it was true. Seron bit her lips and covered her face with both hands. "Don¡¯t look at my face." Even I felt embarrassed watching her. "No, look at my face properly. Remember how serious I am!" I looked at Seron quietly before ncing around. Luckily, there was no one else around. Since we had chosen a secluded path for our stroll, it was only natural. It seemed Seron had deliberately brought me to a private spot to say this. She¡¯s quite cunning. I slightly loosened the Veil Bandages, revealing my Vikamon form. "Ah, ah, ah¡­" As soon as I turned into Vikamon, Seron froze on the spot. "Seron, say it again." Her eyes darted around nervously, and she began fidgeting like a helpless girl. "Hiyaa¡­" Then, making a strange noise, she turned around and ran away. Recently, I¡¯ve discovered a new way to deal with Seron. When I¡¯m in Hannon¡¯s form, she acts cheeky as usual, but the moment I be Vikamon, she can¡¯t handle it and flees immediately. It seems she just can¡¯t get used to Vikamon¡¯s face. ¡®Well, she did spend nearly her entire life harboring feelings for him.¡¯ Seron still needed time to prepare her heart. After seeing Seron off safely, I rewrapped the veil over my face. Seron is growing bolder by the day, and it¡¯s bing a concern. ¡®More importantly, the time hase.¡¯ Looking at the vividly colored autumn leaves, I realized that Act 4, Scene 2, was beginning. Act 4, Scene 2. The International Tournament. It¡¯s a tri-annual event where academy students from various kingdoms and empirespete as a form of friendly rivalry. And in this event, there¡¯s someone I must transfer to Zerion Academy. ¡®I poured everything into preparing for this over the summer vacation.¡¯ Clenching my fists tightly, I steeled my resolve. For Iris¡¯s nightmares and the future ahead, this individual was essential. Someone with a power akin to the me of Resolve. I had to bring them to Zerion Academy. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 87 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 87: Scars and Ointment Act 4, Scene 2. International Solo Exhibition. Before that time arrived, a new task was added to my schedule: Helping Iris ovee her nightmares through training. Iris followed my instructions and trained diligently every day. As a result, the frequency of her nightmares had recently decreased significantly. "...I didn¡¯t have one again." Early in the morning, afterpleting her training, Iris looked at me with a dazed expression, surprised she hadn¡¯t had a nightmare that night either. "How did you do it?" "It¡¯s simply because Iris worked hard during training and managed to dissipate the energy of her nightmares." In truth, it was all thanks to her efforts. I didn¡¯t do much. Iris faithfully followed my advice, using her aura actively to exhaust the power fueling her nightmares. This was by no means an easy task. It was entirely her hard work. "...So, it¡¯s like exercising a lot helps you sleep better?" "It¡¯s simr. Many cases of insomnia are due to having too much energy left in the body to fall asleep." But this was only a temporary solution. The more Iris used her aura, the stronger she would be. Eventually, she¡¯d reach a point where even using up all her aura in one day would be impossible. ¡®Iris is a genius, after all.¡¯ Her growth rate was far beyond that of ordinary people. I knew I¡¯d only be able to dy the inevitable. But for now, this method worked well enough as a stopgap. Above all, I nned to resolve her nightmarespletely before she reached that point. "Do you regret listening to me?" "No." Iris didn¡¯t deny it, but a trace of curiosity lingered in her eyes. "How does Hannon know I¡¯m having nightmares?" Iris¡¯s nightmares originated from Demon Sovereign. She was vaguely aware of this herself. However, it wasn¡¯t something she could share with anyone. Iris had no intention of risking her life by revealing such a truth. She had lived her life desperately, feeling selfish but surviving nheless. In the midst of this, someone appeared who knew about the nightmares she¡¯d been hiding. Iris had never once mentioned that her insomnia was caused by nightmares. Yet here I was, already aware of the cause, so it was only natural for her to be suspicious. I looked at her and smiled faintly. "Is that the only thing you¡¯re curious about?" "..." Of course not. My actions so far must have left Iris utterly baffled. Even the intelligencework of the Third Princess couldn¡¯t figure me out. That was who I was to her: an enigma. "I recall you once said that the things I do aren¡¯t just for my sake." Iris¡¯s gaze locked onto me. That day, she¡¯d seemed particrly despondent. She nodded slightly, as if she remembered. "You were right. I don¡¯t act solely for your benefit, Iris." Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment appeared in Iris¡¯s eyes. "However, helping you is still one of my reasons for acting." I wanted Iris¡¯s nightmares to fade away. She¡¯d spent her life as a pawn of Demon Sovereign, unable to sleep properly, tormented endlessly. In the end, she was destined to be the ultimate viiness, nothing more than Demon Sovereign¡¯s puppet. I didn¡¯t want her life to end like that. I hoped she could live like others her age, enjoying the things she desired. If she wished, she didn¡¯t need to cling to her status as a princess. I wanted her to savor life on her terms. "Iris, I want you to live a peaceful life, free from nightmares." Before I knew it, a gentle smile had formed on my lips. "You deserve such a life, Iris." Iris stared at me nkly. One thing was certain: she understood my sincerity. I loved all the heroines and characters in me Butterfly Arc. Even though Lucas, the protagonist, wasn¡¯t present, I¡¯d do whatever it took to guide them all to a happy ending. "Iris, helping you achieve that kind of life is one of my goals as well." That was both my purpose and my objective. "...I haven¡¯t done anything for you. I don¡¯t even know if I can give you anything in the future." She was the Third Princess. The youngest, who eventually climbed to the throne as the ultimate viiness. For someone like her, receiving one-sided help was unheard of. Everyone wanted something from her, expecting a return for what they gave. "That doesn¡¯t matter to me." But I wanted none of that. "As long as you can escape your nightmares, that¡¯s more than enough." I held Iris¡¯s hand, which bore scars from today¡¯s training. They were the result of her excessive use of aura. Noticing this, I took out some ointment and carefully applied it to her wounds. It was something I¡¯d specifically prepared from the Zerion Academy infirmary, so its effectiveness was exceptional. "So, if someday..." I meticulously applied the ointment to her injured hand. "If you don¡¯t want to be the emperor, just tell me." A confident smile spread across my face. "I¡¯ll help you with that too." It might have been a sphemous remark, but as long as she didn¡¯t mind, it didn¡¯t matter. "..." Iris remained silent, staring at me. Her eyes reflected a mixture of emotions, including confusion and something else I couldn¡¯t quite discern. I couldn¡¯t read all her feelings, but I knew this much: these were words she¡¯d longed to hear at least once. Iris had risen to where she was only through the schemes of the Duke of Robliage. She herself had never truly desired the throne. That was why she made that choice in the end. Lucas couldn¡¯t say these words to Iris. He, too, was a citizen of the empire within the me Butterfly Arc. Someone raised with its norms and expectations couldn¡¯t possibly utter such words. But I was different. I was merely a yer of the me Butterfly Arc. Modern people knew well that the throne wasn¡¯t as blissful as it seemed to others. The immense weight of responsibility was enough to drive anyone mad. So, I said to Iris what only I could say. "Having one mysterious ssmate can be pretty entertaining, don¡¯t you think?" As I ended with a joke, Iris quietly looked at me and shook her head slowly. "It¡¯s not entertaining." Not her taste, huh? As I clicked my tongue, Iris carefully held the hand I¡¯d treated with the ointment. "Still, I think I understand something now, thanks to you, Hannon." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w A soft smile appeared on Iris¡¯s lips. A crimson rose seemed to bloom. Perhaps it was because she had been sleeping so welltely, but her smile was the most beautiful I¡¯d ever seen it. ¡°The reason I can sleep so soundly when you¡¯re by my side.¡± At some point, Iris reached out her hand and lightly touched my chest.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re a warm person, Hannon.¡± Physically speaking, I am warm, as I harbor the mes of Fury. [TL/N: I forgot to exin in prev chap but mes of fury are the mes mc acquired from spirit lor- i mean spirit king¡¯s remains.] But Iris¡¯s words touched on something more fundamental. ¡°Thank you. Maybe I¡¯ve been wanting to hear something like that from someone all along.¡± Leaving those words behind, Iris departed for the dormitory. She seemed a little more at ease now. * * * Training, ss, training, ss, training, ss. Every day was a cycle of honing my skills for the increasing power I would need in the future. Before I knew it, the international individualpetition was just around the corner. Thepetition was a goodwill event where each nation¡¯s pride was on the line. The faces of the students preparing for it were filled with tension. And then there were others whose faces were wrecked for entirely different reasons. Those were the members of the student council. ¡°Kill me. Just kill me already!¡± One member, overwhelmed by work, screamed and copsed in frustration. The others silently continued their tasks, unaffected by his outburst. After the recent boycott incident, even the student council couldn¡¯t escape scrutiny. Fortunately, under Nikita¡¯s leadership, this year¡¯s student council hadn¡¯t engaged in any corruption. They managed to avoid punishment. Instead, the inspectors went as far as tracking down graduates to hold them ountable. Zerion Academy was one of the Empire¡¯s symbols of prestige. Having been tainted by corruption, the authorities were determined to root it outpletely. It was also revealed that Sylvester, the former president, had covertly used the backing of the Drapen family to shield the council from corruption scandals. Although Sylvester resigned as president, taking full responsibility, his reputation within the council soared to new heights. One only realizes the value of a flower after it has withered. With the departure of the two flowers, Nikita and Sylvester, only darkness remained for the student council. The vacant seats of the president and vice president. The workload that had piled up due to the absence of assistants. The looming international individualpetition. The student council was drowning under a tsunami of responsibilities. ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­¡± Next to me, Foara was mumbling incoherently as he scanned through documents. ¡°Hm.¡± Beside him, the second-ranked martial arts student from the first year, Midra, calmly sorted the paperwork. He seemed to have a hidden knack for administrative tasks. But among them, one individual was clearly in the worst state. While everyone else was busy, the secretary was staring nkly out the window, mentally exhausted. Nivnce Panima, the top literature student in the third year. In the student council, the secretary traditionally held the third-inmand position. But with both the president and vice president absent, he was forced to fill their roles as well. The first-ever student council member in Zerion Academy¡¯s history to serve as president, vice president, and secretary at once! It was an illustrious position, but his eyes held nothing but despair. ¡°...I can¡¯t take this anymore.¡± Suddenly, Nivnce clenched his fist tightly. He adjusted his sses and looked around at everyone. ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll be so buried in student council work that we won¡¯t even be able to function properly in the academy. This is too much, no matter how you look at it!¡± No one responded to his outburst, but their expressions showed agreement. ¡°We need reinforcements¡ªsupport troops to prepare for the internationalpetition. The meeting is tomorrow, for heaven¡¯s sake!¡± Grinding his teeth, he covered his face with his hands. Tomorrow was the preliminary meeting between academy student councils. Nivnce couldn¡¯t imagine attending as just the secretary. What¡¯s more, if he left, the student council would drown in its own workload. As the top literature student, Nivnce was responsible for handling one-third of the council¡¯s duties. ¡°Hannon Irey.¡± ¡°Yes, Secretary.¡± I stopped writing and looked up when I heard my name called out of nowhere. He gazed at me with desperate eyes. ¡°I heard you often apany the Third Princess.¡± He has sharp ears. I quickly understood where this was going. ¡°The Third Princess is expected to be inaugurated as Zerion Academy¡¯s president next year.¡± Not expected¡ªguaranteed. Iris, with her martial prowess, grace, and status,cked nothing. It would be more surprising if she didn¡¯t be president. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have any issues acting as interim president, would she?¡± In other words, he was asking me to persuade Iris to take the role temporarily. Iris, being well-qualified and already intending to be president, would likely agree. ¡°And the vice president position is vacant as well.¡± They had nned to hold an interim vice president election, but the series of boycott incidents dyed it indefinitely. ¡°You¡¯re also close with Sharin Sazaris, the top-ranked second-year magic student, aren¡¯t you? The daughter of the Blue Tower Master.¡± Uh-oh. This wasn¡¯t heading in a good direction. While Iris might agree, there was no way Sharin would cooperate with something like this. ¡°Make the Third Princess the interim president, Sharin Sazaris the interim vice president, and take them to the international academy conference tomorrow! No matter what!¡± Our secretary had officially lost his mind. [PR/N: Lmao, who does bro think he¡¯s talking to? The main character who can do anything?] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 88 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 88: The Student Council''s Temporary Secretary Stress makes people vulnerable. Nivnce Panima, the temporary secretary, was incredibly vulnerable. ¡°Just do it. Bring them here, no matter what.¡± Overwhelmed by excessive work and responsibilities, Nivnce was losing it due to stress. I watched him with a faint sense of guilt. It was partly my fault things hade to this. ¡®It was unavoidable because of the scenario flow, though.¡¯ I did feel a bit bad that all the work had fallen on Nivnce. The problem was that his stress had turned him into a man of unstoppable determination once he made up his mind about something. In the case of Iris, a quick word to Hania had been enough to get approval. ¡°Yes, she says she''ll do it right away.¡± Iris was already nning to be president, so there was no reason for her to oppose the suggestion. The problemy with the vice president candidate Nivnce had mentioned. Sharin Sazaris. ¡°I don¡¯t wannaaa.¡± As expected, Sharin pouted upon hearing my proposal. She¡¯d already devoured three buns before I even got a word in, and now she wasining with her mouth full. It made me want to grab her cheek and pull. ¡°You already ate the buns.¡± ¡°Those were given to me because Hannon likes me.¡± ¡°Sharin, I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something. I don¡¯t feel even the slightest romantic emotion for you.¡± Sharin squinted at me. We were sitting across from each other, and at some point, she¡¯d taken off her shoes and put her bare foot on my thigh. Where did her socks go, and why is she barefoot? Her movement caused her skirt to hike up, and as a guy, it was impossible not to nce at such an intentional gesture. ¡°Realllyyy?¡± Sharin gave azy smile. Her fox-like eyes sparkled with amusement. This cheeky girl. Her foot started poking the inside of my thigh. I stared at it for a moment before grabbing her big toe and pressing hard. ¡°Kyahhh!¡± Sharin shrieked and quickly pulled her foot back. ¡°What are you doing, making everything smell weird?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t smell.¡± In truth, there wasn¡¯t any particr smelling from her. ¡°Put it back. I¡¯ll check again.¡± ¡°Hannon, are you some kind of pervert?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the one shoving their foot into someone else¡¯s thigh?¡± Where does she even pick up these habits? Now that I think about it, Sharin often reads novels without covers. Could it be that she¡¯s into something like sensual literature? ¡®She acts like she doesn¡¯t care about the world.¡¯ Still, you never know what¡¯s inside someone¡¯s heart. Sharin might have her own dark secrets. Thinking that made me shiver a bit. ¡°¡­You¡¯re not nning to do anything weird to me, are you?¡± ¡°¡­What kind of imagination is thattt?¡± Even Sharin couldn¡¯t let that one slide, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. I decided to stop teasing her. ¡°You¡¯re sulking because of thest incident, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sharin turned her head away without saying anything. We¡¯d known each other long enough for me to understand her personality. Sharin was naturally moody. When I yed the game, it was hard to grasp her character. But after spending time with her, I¡¯d begun to understand her heart a little. Right now, she was sulking. Probably because I hadn¡¯t told her anything about the boycott incident. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t understand why that made her upset. If I had to guess, maybe it was because Isabel knew about it, but she didn¡¯t. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± ¡°Hmmph, the entire Zerion Academy was flipped upside down!¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. The academy had been turned on its head. But it was just a stepping stone for bigger things toe. Compared to the major events on the horizon, it was a minor issue. ¡°Even so, it wasn¡¯t something that needed your involvement. Sharin, when I ask for your help, it¡¯ll be during a real emergency.¡± I¡¯d relied on Sharin many times before. Every time, she had been incredibly reliable. I was sure there¡¯d be a time when I¡¯d need her help again. I wanted to save her strength for that moment. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell you this time.¡± I peeled an orange I had brought with me and handed it to her. Sharin opened her mouth expectantly, clearly waiting for me to feed her. I almost stuffed the entire piece in her mouth but refrained. Instead, I fed her a single segment. As she chewed the piece, she suddenly stuck out her tongue. ¡°It¡¯s sour.¡± ¡°Oranges are supposed to be sour.¡± Her face softened slightly, her sulkiness fading a bit. She knew I meant what I said. After looking at me for a while, Sharin took the rest of the orange from my hand and started eating it one piece at a time. Watching her, I casually asked, ¡°So, about the temporary vice president.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a separate matterrr.¡± ¡°Come on, just do it.¡± If I couldn¡¯t bring Sharin in, Nivnce would cry from stress. I felt a sense of duty to protect the secretary. Besides, I genuinely thought Sharin was the perfect fit for the temporary vice president role in the academy council. Her name carried as much weight as Iris¡¯s. Not to mention, she was the top student in both the second-year Martial arts and Magic arts. After finishing her orange, Sharin nced at me slyly. ¡°Fineee.¡± Her tone suggested she had a condition. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°If I do this, you have to go on a date with me.¡± What the heck? I stared at her, dumbfounded. ¡°¡­Sharin, so you were after me all along?¡± ¡°Yep, you¡¯re the perfect experimental subject.¡± This crazy girl. It finally clicked why she made such a suggestion. ¡°The dragon¡¯s magic imprint.¡± Sharin grinned smugly, having caught me off guard. ¡°That¡¯s what the date is for.¡± The remnants of the dragon¡¯s power in my body were still unresolved. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Sharin¡¯s so-called ¡°date¡± was just an excuse to help me deal with it. ¡°Isn¡¯t that more for your benefit than mine?¡± ¡°I¡¯m generous.¡± Sharin straightened her back and puffed out her chest. Though my gaze instinctively fell on her upper body, which had been showing signs of growth recently, I quickly averted my eyes. "And it''s a subject I want to research as well." For Sharin, a mage, the remnants of the ancient dragon were an incredibly intriguing topic. Moreover, since it involved magical engraving, her interest seemed to grow even more. "I''m grateful, honestly." In any case, I appreciated it. If I could resolve the issue of the dragon''s remnants, I would do whatever it took. ''So, with the interim vice president set...'' Now it was time to head to the World Academy Assembly Hall. * * * The six academies built atop the Demon Dungeon. They were constructed by five kingdoms, including the Empire, to contain the Demon Dungeon. The World Academy Assembly was a venue for the student councils of each academy to strengthen their camaraderie in advance. Of course, while it was officially for camaraderie, it was essentially a microcosm of global political dynamics. The representatives of each academy were individuals of unparalleled prestige from their respective nations. It was no surprise that Sylvester, despitecking talent, became the president simply by virtue of being the Duke of Drapen. And now, I was heading to the World Academy Assembly Hall, where the representatives of the six academies would gather. Of course, I wasn''t a key participant. I was just one of those auxiliary members every student council has. As an interim secretary, I had been asked to attend. ''How did I end up as an interim secretary?'' Perhaps it was because I had been diligent in my duties within the student council. For some reason, Nivnce had earmarked me as the next secretary. Unlike the president and vice president, the position of secretary was often passed down within the council. Nivnce had decided to pass the role on to me. In terms of qualifications as a secretary, there were many others more capable than I. After all, the student council was predominantlyprised of literature students. These were individuals who lived and breathed within the world of paper and ink. Even if I had lived in a modern society and worked hard on student council tasks,n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om there was no way I could outdo them. Thus, the role of secretary traditionally went to literature students. But Nivnce said this to me: "Hannon, do you think there''s anyone among the current second-years who can adequately support Lady Iris as secretary?" Faced with Nivnce'' serious question, I couldn''t bring myself to respond. The third princess, Iris Hysirion. She was a wless princess who excelled in both intellect and physical prowess. Her royal status,bined with her innate genius, would intimidate anyone in the Empire. To perform as a secretary by her side would require immense courage. Yet, with the president and vice president both absent, the student council had suffered greatly. Most of the second-year literature students who had been active in the council were demoralized. It was only natural¡ªbeing thoroughly reprimanded would shake any student''s mental state. Could such individuals work as Iris'' secretary? Nivnce shook his head. At the very least, whoever became the secretary would surely develop stress-induced gastritis and alopecia. "But you''d be fine, wouldn''t you?" I had courage¡ªor rather, my growing indifference to self-preservation since joining the Butterfly me Arc had fortified my nerve. Perhaps the loss of love had eroded my sense of self-care, but it had proven unexpectedly useful in moments like this. Moreover, I was acquainted with Iris. Though I mightck the skills of a secretary, I was unlikely to crumble under the pressure and flee. "Hannon, you''re the only one." Nivnce made an earnest request: to support those two individuals well at the assembly. Thus, I had no choice but to attend the assembly as an interim secretary. And now, what was I doing? tter, tter¡ª The sound of the carriage wheels echoed. My task was simple. I was, essentially, Princess Iris'' beloved doll. Yes, the primary reason I was here wasn¡¯t to serve as a secretary but to apany her as her cherishedpanion. With her arms wrapped around me, Iris rested her chin on my head as she slept. I had to keep my bnce to ensure she didn¡¯t fall over. By now, I was ustomed to this. It was almost routine. The problemy in the woman who was quietly observing this scene in front of me. "......" Her crimson eyes were fixed on me, staring intently. For a moment, it felt as if a faint smile yed across her lips. On herp, Sharin, who was currently the most irksome person to me, was sleeping peacefully. The woman silently watching me was none other than Isabel Luna. Somehow, she had ended up traveling with us to the assembly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 89 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 89: Karma Isabel Luna. The main heroine of me Butterfly. She is neither the acting president nor the acting vice president. Thus, under normal circumstances, she wouldn¡¯t have needed to apany us on the way to the conference hall. However, those holding the positions of president and vice president were allowed to bring one assistant. Iris chose me, the acting secretary, as her assistant. Normally, Hania would have gone, but since this was a student council matter, she gave up her spot for me. ¡¸Lady Iris has trouble sleeping in new ces, so it''s better if Hannon goes with her.¡¹ Lately, Hania seemed quite cheerful, having seen Iris sleep peacefully. Perhaps because of that, her trust in me had significantly increased. Thanks to her, I was the one who ended up by Iris''s side. So, who brought Isabel along? The answer was already clear. It was Sharin, lying with her head on Isabel¡¯sp. Isabel had eagerly volunteered toe along. When I first heard that Isabel was joining us, I didn¡¯t pay it much mind. Previously, Isabel had been a little sulky when I left a battle unresolved and withdrew early. But she wasn¡¯t the type to sulk in such a setting. The only thing I hadn¡¯t anticipated was that Iris would doze off in the carriage and fall asleep clinging to me. And she did it so naturally, too. "......" Silence filled the space between me and Isabel. Ever since Iris fell asleep holding onto me, Isabel had been staring at me intensely. Iris¡¯s strength was not of this world. Bound firmly in ce, I couldn¡¯t escape from the cramped carriage. Feeling awkward under Isabel¡¯s gaze, I looked away, prompting her to finally open her mouth. "You... sleep like that with Lady Iris every day?" Her tone was sharper than usual. I had been caught by Isabel sneaking into the girls'' dormitory disguised as Hania. Luckily, Isabel hadn¡¯t bbed about it anywhere, but it didn¡¯t stop my heart from pounding with anxiety every day. "¡­Isabel, there¡¯s a reason for this." "It¡¯s because of Lady Iris¡¯s sleep, isn¡¯t it?" Did Isabel already know? "Everyone knows that Lady Iris has trouble sleeping." Iris had severe insomnia. Even if she didn¡¯t show it outwardly, it was something you couldn¡¯t help but notice while living at the academy. "And I know how much suffering that brings, too." After Lucas¡¯s death, Isabel had suffered from long-term insomnia herself. She understood that pain all too well. "But Lady Iris has been sleeping welltely." Thanks to my efforts, Iris had been able to sleep well recently. So much so that even outsiders like Isabel could see how much brighter her face had be. "And that¡¯s because of you, isn¡¯t it?" Isabel had realized that I was the reason. "Yeah, that¡¯s right." When I answered honestly, Isabel let out a small sigh. "You did well. Honestly, this situation is a bit shocking, but if it¡¯s necessary for Lady Iris¡¯s sleep, then so be it." She showed the magnanimity befitting the main heroine. "Of course, if it looked like you had even the slightest ulterior motive¡­" But despite her generosity, Isabel smiled with eyes devoid of light. "¡­I¡¯d be very curious to see what happens next." "There¡¯s no way I¡¯d harbor such thoughts about the Third Princess." "Yes, that much is clear." Isabel spoke with certainty. Why did it feel like she could read my mindpletely? I was starting to find Isabel a little scary. "But that¡¯s precisely why it¡¯s puzzling." Isabel gently stroked Sharin¡¯s hair as it rested on herp. "If there¡¯s no ulterior motive, then what¡¯s driving you to do all this?" Her calm gaze focused on me, filled with concern. Isabel misunderstood why I had instigated the boycott over Nikita. She believed that my presence near Iris was an extension of that incident. In Isabel¡¯s view, I was staying close to Iris as part of some revenge plot for Nikita. She was worried that, the moment Iris fully trusted me, I might seek vengeance for Nikita. But my recent actions didn¡¯t align with such intentions. Iris was a perceptive individual. Especially when it came to detecting hostility directed at her. And yet, I remained by Iris¡¯s side without issue. This meant I had shown no hostility toward her whatsoever. Hatred and anger are emotions that cannot be easily concealed. Isabel, having once used anger as her driving force, knew this better than anyone. So, when Isabel looked at me, she found herself puzzled. How could someone harboring a grudge for Nikita remain so calm by Iris¡¯s side? This left only two possibilities: Either I had mastered the art of suppressing my anger to an extreme degree, Or I had never held a grudge in the first ce. Earlier, Isabel had told me I had no ulterior motives. This included any feelings of hatred or anger. Her thoughts leaned toward the second possibility. And from there, yet another question arose. If I didn¡¯t hold a grudge, then why had I instigated the boycott, even at the cost of being misunderstood? Moreover, what is my true purpose? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w As the question arose, various doubts about me began to surface in her mind. Parts she had overlooked because she was consumed by anger. The conversations we¡¯d had and the actions I had taken. Isabel began to see me not through the lens of anger, but as ovepping with Lucas. And that¡¯s when the doubts started to be clear. ¡®¡­This is dangerous.¡¯ As I mentioned before, Isabel sees Lucas in me. This stems from her resistance to letting go of Lucas. The wound etched in her heart has not yet fully healed. Thus, she oveps me with Lucas, relying on me to drive away her unease. Her recent disys of obsession stemmed from this reason. Love and hatred. Affection because she sees Lucas in me, and hatred because of my disparaging remarks about Lucas.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Isabel escaped death by using her anger as her driving force, so she cannot easily let go of her fury. She fears that letting go of her anger might lead her back to the brink of death. Thus, love and hatred coexist within her. However, this also made Isabel observe me closely and reflect. And in the process, it seemed she vaguely realized that I had deliberately made myself the target of her anger. ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t predict what emotions Isabel might feel when she became certain of this. Human emotions are unpredictable. If she felt gratitude, that would be fortunate. But if her feelings turned into betrayal and resentment, I had no idea what would happen. Isabel silently stared at me. Her gaze refused to leave me. "Isabel..." I opened my mouth, intending to cut off the string of questions forming in Isabel''s mind. ¡°Because we¡¯re family.¡± The one who spoke was Iris. I wasn¡¯t sure when she had woken up, but she casually rested her chin on top of my head. When Isabel looked at Iris in surprise, Iris hugged me even tighter. It felt like she was dering with unwavering determination that she wouldn¡¯t let anyone take what was hers. Moreover, the softness pressing against my back became even more pronounced. I wondered if this was really okay. ¡°Sometimes, there are secrets only family can know.¡± Iris smiled meaningfully and looked at Isabel. Seeing that smile, Isabel widened her eyes. She hadn¡¯t expected Iris to take my side. Isabel didn¡¯t know the full story of my rtionship with Iris. That¡¯s why the questions that had arisen couldn¡¯t be resolved simply by Iris defending me. When I looked up at Iris, she closed her eyes slightly and smiled faintly. It was a smile that seemed to say, ¡®You helped me with my insomnia, so I¡¯m just returning the favor.¡¯ As expected of the third princess. Her instincts were sharp as ever. ¡°And.¡± At that moment, Iris hugged me tightly. ¡°Hannon is my little brother, so I¡¯m not giving him to just anyone.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Isabel responded nkly. Iris had also noticed the possessiveness and obsession Isabel had been harboring secretly. Even if it was due to her seeing me as Lucas, it was still directed toward me. I had stayed by Iris¡¯s side all this time. There was no way she wouldn¡¯t have noticed. And now, Iris asserted her im over me. Her words carried the meaning that she wouldn¡¯t hand over her beloved doll to just anyone. However, Isabel, who already bore a mix of love and hatred toward me, had previously been shaken by the fake girlfriend, Hania. Iris¡¯s deration was like throwing fuel onto the fire burning within Isabel. Isabel¡¯s eyes slowly narrowed. Her expression was anything but that of a typical heroine; it was downright menacing. ¡°Lady Iris, isn¡¯t it improper to talk about your younger brother as if he¡¯s a possession?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m a princess.¡± Isabel was momentarily speechless. She hadn¡¯t expected Iris to use her status to suppress her. ¡°¡­Since you¡¯re a princess, shouldn¡¯t you set an example instead?¡± However, Isabel showed no signs of backing down easily. ¡°Looking out for family is exemry enough.¡± ¡°Overstepping boundaries in the name of care bes harmful. Allowing everything in the name of family is no different from domestic violence.¡± A strange tension swirled between Isabel and Iris. It almost seemed like sparks were flying between their eyes. And caught in the middle, I sat with a resigned expression. With Iris already holding me tightly, I had no way to intervene. At that moment, my eyes met Sharin¡¯s, who had apparently woken up at some point. She assessed the atmosphere in the carriage and moved her lips. ¡°Lover¡¯s quarrel.¡± Sharin found the situation extremely entertaining. It was her first time seeing Isabel stand up to Iris like this, so it was natural for her to be intrigued. Reading her lips, I closed my eyes. At least if this were a lover¡¯s quarrel, it might have made me feel better. The idea of beautiful women fighting over me could have at least boosted my self-esteem. But this was different. One side saw me as a mix of love and hatred. The other saw me as a beloved toy. It was far from love. Their ims of ownership over me didn¡¯t consider my feelings at all. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t step in. Was this my karma? All I wanted was to turn a bad ending into a happy one. ¡®Lucas.¡¯ For some reason, I missed him today. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 90 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 90: Protagonist of Side Story As mentioned earlier, the world consists of five kingdoms and an empire. Curiously, the empire and the five kingdoms share borders near a central point. At the heart of these borders lies a statue symbolizing a figure who represents global unity. This figure is the great hero who once ended a seemingly endless world war. Wolfram. Beside this great hero Wolfram stood fivepanions who followed him. Each of them hailed from a different country. After the war ended, they returned to their respective nations and established academies dedicated to peace. These academies bear the names of the six heroes and are located across the nations. However, Wolfram¡¯s nation was the first to be destroyed during the war. This was because Wolfram¡¯s country was the central nation, sharing borders with every other nation in the world. To honor Wolfram, the world designated the remains of his former nation as a sanctuary. Thus, Wolfram¡¯s Sanctuary was built, and it is now the venue for this meeting. Out of respect for his heroic deeds, peace is maintained within Wolfram¡¯s Sanctuary no matter the circumstances. This rule is upheld across the empire and the five kingdoms. Breaking this rule would mean turning the entire world against you, along with losing all social justification. This made the sanctuary a perfect ce for the academy members, future key figures in global affairs, to convene. ¡®After all, the International Individual Tournament will also take ce here.¡¯ Held every three years, the International Individual Tournament brought mypanions and me to Wolfram¡¯s Sanctuary. ¡°Wee, esteemed students of Zerion. We have been expecting you.¡± As we stepped out of the carriage, an elderly gentleman apanied by several maids greeted us. Even the emperor of the empire visits Wolfram¡¯s Sanctuary with the utmost courtesy. The staff here are seasoned in receiving distinguished guests. ¡°Lady Iris Hysirion, Lady Sharin Sazaris, Lady Isabel Luna, and Sir Hannon Irey. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Monorage, your guide.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Monorage. We look forward to your guidance.¡± Iris responded with the grace befitting a princess. Those who serve at Wolfram¡¯s Sanctuary have renounced their family names, dedicating their lives to honoring the great hero. Thus, even royalty must show them proper respect. ¡°The pleasure is all mine.¡± Monorage smiled at Iris¡¯s courteous response and began leading us. Of course, Isabel and I couldn¡¯t help but stare at Iris as we followed behind her. She exuded so much grace that it was hard to believe she had been engaged in a petty staring contest with Isabel earlier. ¡°I never thought Lady Iris¡¯s personality could be like that.¡± As Isabel pointed out, Iris rarely reveals her true nature. She always maintains the image of a strong, dignified princess. It¡¯s umon for her to show personal desires. Buttely, Iris had changed. Her previously restrained personality sometimes emerged unexpectedly. Even earlier, in the carriage, Iris disyed a possessiveness that was nearly unheard of. ¡°And that¡¯s thanks to you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Isabel nced at me. Iris often revealed her true self in front of me. ¡°She must be in a good mood because she¡¯s sleeping well these days.¡± Iris¡¯s newfound hobby is sleeping, and she tries to nap whenever she can. Of course, she still can¡¯t sleep properly unless I¡¯m by her side. ¡°That¡¯s because of you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Well, she¡¯s not wrong. As I didn¡¯t deny it, Isabel pouted slightly and followed Iris. ¡°Hannon.¡± At that moment, Sharin bumped her head lightly against my back. ¡°I think I know what¡¯s in your future, Hannon.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to get stabbed.¡± I stretched Sharin¡¯s cheeks as punishment. Even as a joke, don¡¯t say things like that. ¡°Ungh!¡± While Sharin rubbed her reddened cheeks, I followed the others. The conference hall at Wolfram¡¯s Sanctuary had a white marble floor that sparkled as we entered. The hall was luxuriously built, but it exuded elegance rather than excess. ¡®Must¡¯ve taken the architects a lot of effort to build this.¡¯ They say the best architects of the time coborated to create it. Naturally, the building was awe-inspiring. As we walked down a path meticulously designed to harness natural light, we arrived at arge square. There, we saw a round table. The table had six chairs symbolizing the empire and the five kingdoms, with a decoration of a white dove representing peace and unity. Surrounding the table were dozens of other seats arranged in a circle, meant for those apanying the representatives of each nation. ¡®This is a ce rarely seen even in the game.¡¯ The International Individual Tournament only happens once every three years. To even reach this ce, you¡¯d have to significantly raise your favorability with Iris by the fourth act of the second semester in your second year. On top of that, you¡¯d need to clear multiple rted events and hidden quests beforehand. In other words, it¡¯s not a ce you can visit easily. ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s already here.¡± Isabel pointed out as she scanned the area around the round table. While it¡¯s customary for representatives to sit together at the table once all nations have arrived, there were already people seated in the surrounding chairs. They were all kids around our age. Students from academies other than Zerion Academy. They were students from the Five Kingdoms. All their eyes turned to us, the neers, at once. "Zerion Academy." "Oh, then that must be them." "I¡¯ve heard the rumors, but truly, what an extraordinary appearance." The person who drew the most attention was Iris. The Empire¡¯s Third Princess, renowned even in foreignnds for her immense skill. It was only natural that she would draw attention. "Then, the one behind her..." "A mage who¡¯s awakened Mirinae, I hear." "The daughter of the Blue Tower Master, no less." The next person to be noticed was Sharin. As the daughter of the Blue Tower Master, a magical prodigy, and a Mirinae awakener, her fame was inevitable. Yet Sharin let out azy yawn, utterly indifferent to her renown. She was consistently uninterested in others¡¯ opinions. "And that one over there..." "Her aura is the exact opposite of Iris¡¯s." "Like the sun." The third person to catch their eyes was Isabel. Isabel¡¯s appearance was the stark opposite of Iris¡¯s. If Iris was the dark night, Isabel was the bright day. Her beauty, befitting the main heroine, rivaled even Iris¡¯s. Rather, their contrasting atmospheres made them stand out all the more. Now it was my turn. "And then, behind them..." "Who is that?" "I¡¯ve never seen them before." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Same hair and eye color as the Third Princess." "Are they of the Robliage Ducal lineage?" I rxed the tension in my back. Of course. Hannon might be decent-looking, but there¡¯s no way he couldpare to the heroines. Because my hair and eye color matched Iris¡¯s, they might pay attention, but most of them wouldn¡¯t have even heard my name. "Still, kinda cute." "Small¡ªare they a first-year?" "Possible." Damn it, who said thatst part? A chill ran down my spine. If I find out who it was, I¡¯ll defeat them for the sake of world peace. Anyway, we entered while drawing attention in various ways. When we sat down with Iris at the lead, the murmurs quieted down. Meanwhile, I quickly scanned the room. One kingdom was still missing. I intended to take this opportunity to identify the key figures from the other academies. ¡®Normally, we wouldn¡¯t interact much with students from other academies.¡¯ But now, the protagonist, Lucas, was gone. What¡¯scking must bepensated for elsewhere. My eyes swept over the students. These were the representatives¡ªpresidents and vice presidents¡ªsent by each academy. As expected, none of them were ordinary. But among them, three stood out the most. From the Kingdom of Illusions, Panisys. The Shadow¡¯s Son. Vice President, Solvas Umbra. He was chatting casually with the people around him. Even at a nce, he seemed sociable. It was clear he was skilled at handling people. From the Holy Kingdom, Lium. The Noble Saint. President, Acrede Saint Narea. The graceful saint remained silent. But knowing her true nature, I couldn¡¯t help but think she must be going through a lot. Seeing her in reality, I marveled at how well she hid it. From the Sky Kingdom, Parazon. The Sole Prince. President, Ergo Parazon. His face carried both arrogance and confidence. He was perpetually convinced of his superiority. These three were current-generation stars who had earned recognition even abroad. Iris and Sharin were grouped with them as part of the ¡°Six Stars.¡± ¡®And then¡­¡¯n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Though Lucas¡¯s efforts wouldter revise the group to the ¡°Seven Stars,¡± that was now an impossible tale. Yet there was one individual more important than those three. A member of the Six Stars who had not yet appeared. ¡®Soon.¡¯ Currently, the poorest of the Five Kingdoms, a nation on the brink of copse due to repeated policy failures. The Fallen Kingdom, Prelize. That was where the person I awaited woulde from. Step. At that moment, footsteps echoed in the hall. All eyes naturally followed the sound. My gaze also turned toward the source of the footsteps. There, four figures were walking in. The Fallen Kingdom, Frelliz. A nation brought to ruin by an inept king. The students of Ordo Academy from that kingdom were entering. The person at the forefront had a shrunken posture and a shabby appearance. It was as if they wanted to flee from the public eye but were forced to lead due to their status. Behind them, two of the three others wore dark expressions. Their eyes betrayed their discontent with being here. ¡°Pfft.¡± ¡°What an embarrassing sight.¡± The young people gathered here were still immature. Some, drunk on their abilities, looked down on others. As expected, there were those who sneered at them. However, there was one exception. Among them, there was a single individual¡ªsomeone no one dared to mock. Her hair was a striking shade of blue, reminiscent of azure mes. Her eyes were the same vibrant hue. And her posture was upright and poised. She alone radiated brilliance in this hall. ¡®I¡¯ve been waiting.¡¯ She possessed a power most simr to Lucas¡¯s extinguished me of Resolve. The Unyielding Azure me. Eve. The protagonist of the spin-off series Dungeon yer Chronicles: Rise of the Azure me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 91 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 91: Caught Doing This? The Side Story of the Azure me focuses solely on the first-year life of the protagonist, Eve. The reason is simple: this side story serves as an epilogue to earlier arcs of Demon Dungeon Academy yer. Demon Dungeon Academy yer consists of three main arcs. The first two arcs, preceding the me Butterfly arc, are set in different time periods. Both of them belong to earlier generations than the me Butterfly arc. I didn¡¯t y much of the first two arcs. One was a puzzle game, and the other was a bullet hell shooting game. As someone who enjoys pixel RPG games, they didn¡¯t suit my tastes. Perhaps that¡¯s why Demon Dungeon Academy yer had different fans for each arc. Among them, The Side Story of the Azure me was an appendix to the second arc. It was released as an RPG epilogue to promote the third arc, me Butterfly. As a result, The Side Story of the Azure me¡¯s Injury doesn¡¯t have a particrly long ytime. The first-year life at Ordo Academy is all there is, which proves the point. ¡®In other words, Eve is¡­¡¯ ¡­a character who haspleted her scenario. This side story is also the only arc I yed apart from the first two. Eve strode in confidently, her blue hair flowing. ¡°Azure me.¡± ¡°The sole star of Ordo.¡± Eve¡¯s remarkable achievements in the Ordo Kingdom are widely known. Because of this, other students seemed to be aware of her reputation. ¡°¡­So that¡¯s the Azure me.¡± Isabel muttered as she looked at Eve. It seemed even Isabel had heard of Eve¡¯s name. ¡®Well, she was frequently mentioned in the me Butterfly arc, too.¡¯ Eve is one of the six stars who made a name for themselves in their generation. My decision to y The Side Story of the Azure me was driven by my curiosity about Eve. From the perspective of the game developers, this was probably a ploy to pique curiosity and make yers purchase the earlier arcs as well. It was a cunning tactic, but thanks to it, I encountered the protagonist of another arc. I could feel the heat emanating from her body. Seeing this, I was convinced. ¡®I absolutely must transfer Eve to Zerion Academy.¡¯ During the summer break, I wrapped up the event with the headmaster. The headmaster had agreed to handle Eve¡¯s transfer process, provided she was willing. ¡®Preparing for this was an absolute nightmare.¡¯ That¡¯s why I barely rested during the break. Now, only Eve¡¯s decision remained. But that was the hardest hurdle to ovee. Eve wouldn¡¯tck attachment to Ordo Academy, even if the students there envied and resented her. ¡°Finally, we¡¯re all here.¡± Among the six stars, the only one from the humble kingdom of Zebra, which failed to record any stars in its generation, stood up. Following the president of Rosley Academy, the other student council presidents also rose from their seats and headed to the roundtable. Even the acting president, Iris, stood up and moved toward the roundtable. Soon, the attendees took their seats at the roundtable, and the meeting began. The content of the meeting didn¡¯t particrly interest me. After all, it was just about discussing the international individualpetition. ¡®While the influence of student council presidents within the academies can¡¯t be ignored¡­¡¯ ¡­events on the scale of the international individualpetition are managed and overseen by the headmasters and professors. Thus, this meeting was more symbolic than anything else. In reality,working with future influential figures during the party afterward held more significance. ¡®But because of that¡­¡¯ ¡­the conversations during the meeting were intense, without any concessions. Everyone here was aware that they would likely be representatives of their respective nations in the future. Losing ground here was tantamount to falling behindter. This was a meeting staking the pride of their nations. It was a brutal power struggle, to say the least. ¡°Yaaawn.¡± Sharin yawned,pletely uninterested in such matters. Isabel scolded her, saying she shouldn¡¯t act like that, but Sharin was already nodding off. My eyes, however, remained on Eve. She stood apart from the Ordo Academy students. The Ordo Academy students chatted amongst themselves but didn¡¯t exchange a single word with Eve. It was evident to anyone watching that they were keeping their distance. Eve had achieved such dazzling feats that her name spread across other nations. Because of this, she stood out as an alien presence among the students of Ordo Academy. Frelliz, a fallen kingdom mocked by others, was Eve¡¯s homnd. Its students were steeped in despair and crushed self-esteem. With a crumbling economy and no future in sight, the kingdom¡¯s people had sumbed to pessimism. Once the brightest of the five kingdoms, Frelliz had experienced a time of great prosperity. However, its society failed to grow in pace with its development. This led to hardship, a rise in suicide rates, and a dramatic decline in birth rates. Meanwhile, the royal family and nobles had be corrupt. The reigning king was deemed the most ipetent in history, adding to the weight of me, even as the kingdomy in ruins. As a result, Frelliz could not escape its reputation as a fallen kingdom. The consequences were directly felt by its youth¡ªthe kingdom¡¯s future assets. The children of the fallen kingdom had no expectations for the future. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn¡¯t hope to surpass the happiness of the corrupt adults who had poisoned society. Life itself was precarious, making it impossible to dream. Yet, amid such despair, a star was born in the Ordo Kingdom. The unyielding azure me. Eve. Those who had already lost their light could not bear the radiance of hers. Thus, what they chose was not to shine brighter alongside the star, but to turn away from it. It was easier to avoid the star than to be consumed by trying to shine by its side. And so, Eve became an isted ind at Ordo Academy. Because the children, afraid of burning by her side, all avoided her. Then, as if sensing my gaze, Eve lifted her head. Her blue eyes locked onto mine. At first nce, her eyes seemed emotionless, but the firm confidence within them was unmistakable. As expected of the unyielding azure me. Tap- At that moment, I felt a poking sensation in my side. Startled, I turned my head to find Isabel, pointing her finger at me. "What are you staring at so intently?" For some reason, displeasure flickered in Isabel¡¯s eyes. It seemed she had noticed me looking at Eve. "Wherever I look is none of your concern." "Scolding you is entirely my concern." Isabel''s quick retorts were bing sharper with time. Is she developing even in this area? Reluctantly, I averted my gaze under Isabel¡¯s re. After all, I would have the chance to speak with Eve soon enough. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * The meeting concluded sessfully. The reason for its sess was simple. Although the others had made an effort, the meeting was led by Iris. The imperial princess. A strong contender for the throne of the empire. Even royalty would hesitate to directly oppose Iris¡¯s statements. Thus, Iris took the lead in the meeting as she pleased. Watching her like that reminded me anew that Iris was indeed royalty. ¡°Hannon.¡± It was only after the meeting ended, when she stretched her arms out to me in the assigned resting room, that I was reminded otherwise. Her gesture clearly conveyed she wanted me to embrace her. Isabel stared at me intently. Her gaze seemed to be asking if I was seriously going to do it. ¡°Hannon?¡± Iris tilted her head, her actions urging me to hurry ande over. I quietly inhaled and exhaled. This feels like it¡¯s going to lead to another fight between the two of them. It¡¯s about time I drew a line. This is going too far. ¡°Lady Iris, your recent antics have been excessive. Even I find it difficult to handle this constant behavior.¡± I conveyed my words to Iris with utmost politeness, gazing at her firmly. Iris, perhaps realizing something, opened and closed her hands repeatedly. She wasn¡¯t someone who couldn¡¯t be reasoned with. She was likely acting this way because Isabel¡¯s presence had triggered her possessiveness. Iris was someone capable of restraining herself if she chose to. ¡°I¡¯m more than willing to help ensure Lady Iris has a restful sleep. However, if you continue behaving like this, it will tarnish your name. Not to mention, it puts me in a difficult position.¡± Isabel and Sharin weren¡¯t the types to spread gossip, but if someone else were to witness such behavior, it would be a serious issue. No matter how close we were as cousins, such disys between an 18-year-old man and woman would invite rumors. Especially for someone like Iris, a princess, such rumors could spread as damaging scandals. There were always people eager to find ws in her otherwise perfect image. ¡°¡­Alright, I¡¯ll only act like this when we¡¯re alone.¡± Not stopping altogether, huh? Still, Iris showed willingness to restrain herself. Satisfied for now, I turned to Isabel. She nodded approvingly, as if agreeing with my rebuke of Iris. Isabel, you¡¯re no different. ¡°And Isabel, you¡¯ve been meddling too muchtely.¡± Isabel flinched. She had grown more intrusive recently, acting like a childhood friend despite our rocky history. Understanding her insecurities, I had overlooked it, but her obsession had been escting. ¡°I know you dislike me criticizing Lucas, but enough is enough.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om I reminded Isabel of my disdain for Lucas, knowing it would strike a chord. Although it hadn¡¯t been very effectivetely, I had originally been at odds with Isabel. After various twists and turns, we had be rivals. But we weren¡¯t supposed to be this close. ¡°¡­.¡± Isabel lowered her gaze to the floor. Having warned her enough, I hoped she would restrain herself for a while. ¡°Lastly, Sharin.¡± I called out to Sharin, who had somehow sneaked into the room and was munching on popcorn. ¡°If you keep watching with that entertained look, I¡¯ll give you a German suplex.¡± ¡°Ummm.¡± With popcorn stuffed in her mouth, I couldn¡¯t make out what she said. Her puffed-up cheeks made me want to pinch them. But I refrained, knowing she would probably retaliate with magic. ¡°Well then, take it easy. I¡¯m going to get some fresh air.¡± I quickly excused myself, unwilling to stay in that tense atmosphere any longer. Fortunately, no one followed. Once outside, I finally caught my breath. Today, I learned one thing. Thepatibility between Isabel and Iris is the worst. I need to avoid putting them together in the future. As I reflected on this, I continued walking. It was then that I saw a cascade of blue hair fluttering near the hallway window. Familiar with that hair color, my eyes widened slightly. It was Eve. The moment she saw me, she walked straight over, as if I had been her target all along. Her unwavering gaze locked onto mine. As expected of the protagonist of a side story, her presence was extraordinary. ¡°You.¡± Eve addressed me directly, leaving me frozen on the spot. ¡°You¡¯ve been affected by the magic of an ancient dragon.¡± This was an unexpected turn of events. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 92 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 92: The Mysterious Figure I couldn¡¯t hide my confusion at her statement. ¡°You¡¯ve been affected by the magic of an ancient dragon.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Her words revealed that she had noticed the remnants of the ancient dragon lingering within me. How could she know? Having yed as Eve before, I knew she didn¡¯t possess the sight abilities of someone like Sharin. There was no way she could detect the remnants of the dragon. Yet, Eve had noticed and was now speaking directly to me. My face became momentarilyplicated as I quickly tried to read the emotions disyed on hers. Eve was an incredibly stoic character, which made her expressions hard to decipher. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I decided to feign ignorance. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly in response. As the protagonist, her appearance was impably convincing. Even her irritated expression looked fitting andposed. Now I understood her emotions. I could manipte them. ¡°Denying it, are we?¡± Eve took a step closer to me as she spoke. Naturally, I took a step back. Her eyes gleamed with a subtle light. ¡°¡­Why are you retreating?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re approaching me in a threatening manner.¡± Her frown deepened. ¡°Threatening? In what way?¡± Sorry, but she was plenty intimidating. Eve was one of the main protagonists, alongside Lucas. Moreover, at this point in the story, her abilities surpassed his. To think that such a person noticed the remnants of the ancient dragon within me¡­ Although the remnants I harbored weren¡¯t widely known, powers rted to dragons were globally forbidden magic. Despite my calm demeanor, I was quite shaken. Never had I imagined that Eve would uncover this secret. What should I do? I had intended to engage with Eve in some manner, but I hadn¡¯t expected our interaction to unfold like this. ¡°¡­Am I truly that intimidating?¡± Her unexpected question caught me off guard. Eve stood there, arms crossed, looking down at her toes. She seemed¡­ hesitant. Tilting my head, I observed her behavior. It was strange to see Eve, known for her indomitable spirit, show such vulnerability. There was a reason she was called the Unyielding Azure me. Something must have happened over the past six months. Even I didn¡¯t know much about Eve¡¯s backstory. Though her kingdom of Frelliz was a fallen one, it had endured long enough to influence the current generation. Still, outside of brief mentions in internationalpetitions, Eve rarely appeared in the main storyline. ¡°Who said you¡¯re intimidating?¡± Perhaps it was my familiarity with her character from ying the game that made me ask so casually. Eve looked slightly embarrassed. ¡°¡­Never mind, it¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Her expression made it clear that someone had indeed called her intimidating. But this was my chance to keep the conversation going. I decided to take her bait without hesitation. ¡°Well, if I¡¯m honest, you are intimidating.¡± Eve¡¯s shoulders flinched. Her eyes wavered slightly. It seemed thement about being intimidating had left a deeper scar than I expected. To think that such words could wound the Unyielding Azure me¡ªit was not an easy feat. ¡°You¡¯re naturally expressionless, and your aura is sharp.¡± ¡°A sharp aura? I¡¯m not like that.¡± ¡°Well, whatever your inner self may be, your aura is something you¡¯re born with.¡± Eve was undeniably beautiful. But beauty came in many forms. For instance, Isabel had the cheerful, golden retriever-like charm that made her seem harmless to everyone she met. Her face exuded a radiant, carefree brightness. Eve, on the other hand, was theplete opposite. She was beautiful but had the sharp,manding presence of a fierce older sister. The type who, in real life, would dominate the top social circles at school. On top of that, her abilities ranked among the top six stars. When her natural demeanorbined with her background, it wasn¡¯t surprising that people found her intimidating. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not unaware of that,¡± Eve muttered, slightly gloomy, as she twirled a strand of her hair. ¡°I even grew my hair out to avoid looking too boyish.¡± The mention of a tomboyish vibe wasn¡¯t entirely off the mark. ¡°¡­Even children are scared of me,¡± She added softly. Now I understood who had called her intimidating. It was the children. Eve wouldn¡¯t have cared if her peers had said something like that. But there was one exception. If the words came from children, they could hurt even Eve. She adored kids, as well as small animals. Hearing such words from children she cherished must have been a huge blow to her. ¡°In that case, why not try smiling more to change your aura?¡± A smile can soften even the fiercest-looking person¡¯s demeanor. ¡°When I smile, they¡¯re even more scared.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know how to smile properly. People often don¡¯t know how to use their own faces.¡± As I said this, I demonstrated various expressions. ¡°Children are especially sensitive to facial expressions. The more exaggerated they are, the better.¡± Eve¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­You¡¯re surprisingly good at that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve practiced.¡± To be precise, it was part of my rehabilitation. After sustaining an injury, I suffered from facial paralysis. During my recovery, I massaged my face and practiced using my mouth, eyes, and nose extensively. Through that, I learned how to control my expressions better. Of course, my case was unique. I don¡¯t expect other facial paralysis patients to experience the same oue. Still, thanks to this, I¡¯ve managed to get out of numerous sticky situations during me Butterfly arc. Especially in front of Isabel, who never managed to distinguish my fake smiles from genuine ones. ¡­Though I¡¯m not sure about now. ¡°Would you like me to teach you?¡± Eve hesitated, her shoulders twitching as her gaze darted around. The tips of her ears turned slightly red, betraying her desire to learn. After a moment, as if recalling something, she looked back at me. ¡°Wait. This isn¡¯t the conversation I wanted to have.¡± Oh dear, she caught on. I had tried to change the subject naturally, but it seemed I failed. ¡°More importantly, the problem is the dragon''s magic. It¡¯s dangerous. If you don¡¯t resolve it quickly, you might end up being devoured by the dragon.¡± Eve hadn¡¯te to reprimand me. She had approached me purely out of concern for someone she had only just met today. Of course, she¡¯s the heroine of a side story. She also carried an innate sense of virtue. Moved by the kindness in her eyes, I slowly smiled. ¡°It is dangerous, no doubt.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°But I need it.¡± Eve froze for a moment. It was the moment she realized I harbored remnants of the dragon. I had been stalling for time earlier by talking nonsense. And then, I made up my mind. I decided to use the dragon''s remnants. ¡°There¡¯s something I have to do. So, can you keep this a secret?¡± A faint smile appeared on my lips,ced with a hint of malice. ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t keep it a secret...¡± A subtle chill emanated from my body. I lightly prodded the dragon''s remnants, awakening them. ¡°It would put me in quite a difficult situation.¡± Eve narrowed her eyes. At the same time, a blue me began to rise slowly from her body. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯ll silence me now?¡± She was a six-star ranker, one of the top six fighters of her generation. Even with the dragon¡¯s remnants, her blue me was the worst matchup for me. If we fought, there was a ten-to-one chance I¡¯d lose. ¡°Yes, so... how about I teach you how to smile? Will you keep it a secret then?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You want to learn how to smile, right? Think of it as hush money.¡± I grinned yfully. ¡°Or, do you want money? I don¡¯t have much, so that¡¯s a bit difficult.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want money.¡± Eve stared at me with an expression that said she couldn¡¯t understand me at all. But I was being sincere. ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s a pretty decent offer, right?¡± ¡°I told you, dragon magic is dangerous.¡± ¡°Yes, I know, but it¡¯s a risk I have to take.¡± Eve furrowed her brow as she stared at me. She seemed to want to understand my intentions, but she wouldn¡¯t find anything. Of course not. I wasn¡¯t nning on doing anything significant with the dragon¡¯s remnants anytime soon. No matter how much Eve tried to pry, she wouldn¡¯t discover anything. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll teach you the expressionster. I have something to do today.¡± Without hesitation, I turned and walked away. Eve, looking flustered, tried to stop me, but it was toote. I swiftly returned to my room at Zerion Academy. That was nerve-wracking. I didn¡¯t expect Eve to notice the dragon¡¯s magic. But knowing her character, she wouldn¡¯t report it anywhere. She wasn¡¯t the type to act recklessly without understanding my situation. She¡¯d probably try to resolve it herself. As I exhaled quietly, I felt the stillness of the room. Two people were watching me cautiously. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Hannon, take a break.¡± I blinked. ¡®Oh, right, I said something earlier.¡¯ I had forgotten. I should have waited a bit longer beforeing back. I came back too early. I probably need to act a bit angrier now. ¡°Hannon, I¡¯m hungry.¡± But it turned out there was no need. Looking at Sharin, my irritation returned. Thanks to her, I confirmed I still wasn¡¯t over my anger today. * * * The international Academy meeting. As mentioned earlier, the true value of the meetingy in the party that followed. A party where everyone could freely converse. Since the future leaders of the world were gathered, every conversation at the party became awork and a future asset. Thus, at the party, the children were desperately searching for people to talk to. They were practically political hyenas. In the middle of the bustling party hall, a confident woman strode in. The woman, dressed in a flowing ck dress, was none other than the third princess of the Hysirion Empire, Iris Hysirion. As she walked, all eyes were drawn to her. Iris¡¯s signature decadent beauty instantly captivated the atmosphere around her. The children stared at her in awe. Iris was like a ck rose. Her beauty irresistibly drew you in, but reaching out to touch her would prick you with thorns. That was Iris. But those who followed her were no less striking. Unlike Iris, who wore a dress, a woman in a school uniform with anguid expression appeared. Oddly enough, her attire drew even more attention. She was Sharin Sazaris, the daughter of the Blue Tower Master. Her dark blue hair fluttered as she yawnedzily. Beside her stood a woman with a radiant appearance like the sun. Dressed in a neat scarlet dress, her bright smile was contagious. She was the main heroine, Isabel Luna. The entrance of these three women caused the children to start murmuring. And trailing behind them was one boy. ¡®Wow, nobody¡¯s even looking at me.¡¯ It was none other than Hannon, the master of concealment techniques. Of course, my disguised face as Hannon was decent enough, butpared to those three, I was bound to be overshadowed. For me, that was ideal. While the focus was on them, I nned to slip into the background. ¡®Alright, time to fade into the crowd and observe.¡¯ Just as I thought that¡ª Step. I heard footsteps approaching. Startled, I looked up, wondering who it could be. I hadn¡¯t expected anyone toe my way in such a conspicuous moment. But I had forgotten something. My opponent wasn¡¯t someone who cared about such things. ¡°Hannon Irey.¡± She called my name precisely, as if she¡¯d heard it somewhere. I swallowed hard and turned my head. There stood a woman with blue hair wearing a sapphire dress. The unyielding blue me. Eve. She had stepped up to me again, right here, in front of everyone¡¯s gaze. I never imagined she¡¯d make such a bold move. Of course, she¡¯s the heroine of a side story¡ªher actions are unpredictable. As Eve, who drew as much attention as the three earlier, spoke to me, all eyes turned our way. But they weren¡¯t the only ones looking at me. I felt two sharp stares behind me. Isabel and Iris. The two were ring at the back of my head as if trying to bore holes through it. It was as if they were saying, ¡®You went out for a moment and already picked up another girl?¡¯ And then Sharin said it outright. ¡°This is unfair!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 93 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 93: I Have Many Friends Jealousy is a natural emotion thates with being human. It isn¡¯t limited to romantic rtionships. For instance, a child may feel jealous when their parents¡¯ love is directed toward a sibling, even resorting to mischief to reim attention. Simrly, in friendships, jealousy may arise when one friend grows closer to someone else. At its core, jealousy stems from a desire for possession. Iris Hysirion is the third princess. As a princess, she grew up in an environment where she had to fight for everything she wanted. Once she imed something, she could not afford to lose it. Losing something she had attained meant losing the reputation and achievements tied to it. It¡¯s only natural that Iris¡¯s desire for possession became exceptionally strong. Isabel Luna lost her most precious childhood friend six months ago. It¡¯s only natural for humans to crave possession. However, having lost the one thing she cherished most, she couldn¡¯t find anything to rece that sense of possession. Through a series of events, Isabel eventually found someone who could fill that void in her heart. Even if it was a mix of love and hatred, it gave her a new target for her intense desire to possess. What does this mean? Both Iris and Isabel are people with extraordinarily strong possessive tendencies. Love-hate rtionships. Attachment figures. The possessive desires that were once manageable now shed against each other. Eventually, they began fighting to ensure they didn¡¯t lose what they had. The primary cause of their conflicts was this very possessiveness. Because of them, my recent life had be increasinglyplicated. That¡¯s why I had to step in and warn them to hold back. Fortunately, their possessive urges hadn¡¯t yet reached their peak. After my warning, the two managed to restrain themselves in my presence. ¡®For a while, I felt relieved.¡¯ But then, someone appeared who reignited their possessiveness. The unyielding azure me¡ªEve. A girl who walked up to me at a party where key figures from each academy had gathered. I am certainly not someone Isabel or Iris sees as a romantic interest. But as women, they feel possessiveness toward me, a man. And as someone capable of realizing romantic rtionships¡ªpossessiveness in its ultimate form¡ª The appearance of a woman would naturally drive their possessive urges to new heights. Especially when the neer is an attractive woman with the allure of romantic superiority, it only worsens the situation. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ I despised how clearly I could see the dynamics of human emotions. Having lost love, which disrupts rational judgment, I had grown adept at seeing through people¡¯s psyches. So, I instinctively recognized how dire this situation was. ¡®I wish I could be like those harem protagonists in games or novels, surrounded by women and grinning like an idiot.¡¯ But the crisis ring me in the face was impossible to ignore. I could feel intense gazes burning into my back. Iris and Isabel¡¯s stares felt like they could pierce through me at any moment. It hurt. It hurt like hell. ¡°Hanon Irey, that¡¯s your name, right?¡± Yet, unaware of my predicament, Eve spoke to me again. I struggled to open my mouth, weighed down by the scorching gazes behind me. ¡°Yes, and how did you know?¡± But I couldn¡¯t stay silent forever. I forced myself to ignore the pressure from behind and smiled as naturally as possible. ¡°I asked around.¡± My shoulders flinched at her words. I quickly scanned the party hall. Whispers filled the air, some directed at me. She said she asked around. That meant she had inquired about me from the people here at the party. Eve, who usually kept to herself, had gone around asking about me. What did that mean? ¡®Everyone here is at the age where romantic rtionships are a hot topic.¡¯ The conversations of a gathering of exceptional individuals were predictable. ¡°Looks like Eve has taken an interest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised. I didn¡¯t think the Azure me would ever show romantic interest in anyone.¡± Sure enough, I overheard suchments. If I could hear them, so could the two people behind me. ¡°Eve, let¡¯s step outside for a moment to talk.¡± It wasn¡¯t wise to continue this conversation with her here. Out of sight, out of mind. It would ease their nerves somewhat. I decided to move first. As I turned to leave, Eve followed me without protest. Dodging the stares, I quickly escaped. A momentter, we stepped onto the terrace of the party hall, where the cool air greeted us. The stifling tension eased, and I could finally breathe. I was terrified of what would happenter. But first, I needed to handle this situation. ¡°Snooping around isn¡¯t great. How much did you hear?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re the third princess¡¯s cousin and that she was recently targeted for assassination using Ancient Dragon magic.¡± She had learned quite a lot. It was clear that people eager to impress Eve had eagerly shared whatever they knew. ¡°You¡¯ve learned quite a bit. But I wasn¡¯t the one who tried to assassinate Princess Iris that day.¡± I couldn¡¯t afford for her to misunderstand. ¡°I know. It was someone named Nikita Cynthia. And...¡± Eve raised her gaze to meet mine directly. ¡°She used Ancient Dragon magic of the ice dragon variety.¡± Eve had sensed the cold aura emanating from me. Her blue eyes burned with quiet determination. ¡°Are you nning to assassinate the third princess?¡± Is that what she thought? Though the misunderstanding stemmed from a different ce, it reminded me of Isabel¡¯s misunderstanding. Iughed naturally as I recalled everything. ¡°No, of course not.¡± Would Eve believe my straightforward denial? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Her answer was no. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your circumstances are.¡± As she said, Eve didn¡¯t know anything about my situation. That¡¯s why she had made such assumptions and confronted me at the party. ¡°But I know this much¡ªwhat you¡¯re nning is wrong.¡± An assassination attempt on a princess. Such an act would cause massive repercussions across the country, and my life would be ruined in the process. Eve¡¯s unyielding blue eyes fixed on me. ¡°Stop. Nothing good wille of it.¡± Her misunderstanding had taken root. At this point, nothing I said would change her mind. In a way, that was fine by me. ¡°What do you think you know about me to say such things?¡± I let my frustration show. It was a question asking what someone who had only known me for a day could possibly understand. ¡°¡­¡­Maybe it is my misunderstanding. But if it¡¯s not, things could end terribly.¡± Of course, it was a misunderstanding. I had no intention of harming Iris. In fact, I hoped she could live peacefully, free from nightmares. ¡°So, what will you do? Are you going to take me down?¡± Surely, she wouldn¡¯t¡ª ¡°Yes.¡± Excuse me? She lifted the hem of her dress and revealed a long dagger strapped to her leg. ng! The dagger extended, transforming instantly into the shape of a sword. It was a relic weapon. Whoosh¡ª At the same time, azure mes erupted from her sword. The unyielding azure me. A force most akin to the me of Resolve. ¡°You¡¯ll burn along with that Ancient Dragon magic of yours.¡± Her eyes were deadly serious. She was prepared to destroy me rather than let me misuse Ancient Dragon magic. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Her resolute gaze conveyed her unwavering intent. Oh, great. She¡¯s insane! ¡°Wait! At least let me have a fair chance! I¡¯m unarmed!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason to grant you such courtesy.¡± Damn it. I didn¡¯t expect her to go this far, no matter what. The moment I took a step toward the terrace door, Fwoooosh! mes burst from her sword, blocking my path entirely. The sinister blue fire red along the ground. ¡°Give up. I¡¯ll erase the dragon¡¯s magic cleanly for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve grown quite attached to the dragon¡¯s magic. Breaking up like this would be too heartbreaking.¡± ¡°Deal with it.¡± What a ruthless woman. Not an ounce of mercy. Eve stomped hard on the ground. ¡®She¡¯sing.¡¯ There¡¯s no choice now. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, Eve disappeared from sight. Barely able to track her with my vision, I caught her movements just in time. aang! The edge of my hand collided with Eve¡¯s sword, and the resulting crash echoed through the air. Eve¡¯s eyebrows twitched. She clearly didn¡¯t expect me to reach out barehanded. Given the circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if my arm had been severed. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the saintess to reattach it for youter.¡± Such charming words. She must¡¯ve assumed my arm was either severed or broken already. That worked in my favor. This was my chance. I spread my fingers wide and grabbed her sword with a firm grip. The azure mes scorched my hand, the searing heat overwhelming. But my built-up resistance to fire allowed me to endure it. ¡°What?¡± Eve¡¯s voice carried surprise, disbelief slipping out as she spoke. She hadn¡¯t anticipated I¡¯d be able to grab hold of her sword, mes and all. This moment of shock was my only opening. My skin, now reddened from the heat, was reinforced with steel. Crack! In that instant, my fingers pierced through Eve¡¯s de, shattering itpletely. Eve froze in shock, unable to process what just happened. My eyes gleamed. Sword Breaker. Crash! Eve¡¯s sword shattered into countless pieces in an instant. And without hesitation, I swung my hand toward her stunned face. Just before my hand could connect with her, Eve tilted her head back and countered by twisting my arm. Despite her momentary surprise, her counterattack was wless. It was clear evidence of the rigorous training she¡¯d undergone over the years. Whoosh! In a sh, she flipped me into the air and mmed me down. But I wasn¡¯t about to let her win that easily. Just before hitting the ground, I activated the magic engraving in my grip. Boom! The explosion¡¯s force stopped me mid-air. Using the arm she still held onto as a pivot, I swung my fist down toward her. The magic engraved on my elbow activated, amplifying the speed and force of my punch. Crash! The terrace floor shattered under the impact of my strike. But Eve slipped away. I quickly scanned through the smoke and spotted her retreating in the distance. That had been a serious strike. As expected of a side story¡¯s protagonist. ¡®She must have trained far harder than I have.¡¯ I¡¯d gone through my own intense training too. But Eve, even if just a side character, was still a protagonist. Her caliber was fundamentally on a different level. ¡°What on earth did you do to your body?¡± Eve red at me, her expression filled with disbelief. She wasn¡¯t wrong ¡ª I¡¯d done plenty of tinkering with my body. To her, it must¡¯ve seemed utterly bizarre. ¡°It¡¯s all useful in the end.¡± I dusted off my hands as I stood. My sleeves were nowpletely burned away. I felt a pang of guilt, considering they were clothes Iris had given me. ng! At that moment, Eve restored her shattered sword. Divine Weapon The Infinite de A sword that could take any form and restore itself no matter how damaged. It was thanks to these traits that her weapon could endure the unyielding heat of her azure mes. ¡°Though I was caught off guard, give up. You can¡¯t defeat me.¡± She dered her intent to fight seriously now. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± As I was now, it would be impossible to handle Eve, a fully realized protagonist. ¡°But I¡¯m not alone.¡± Screeeech¡ª The terrace door creaked open. The party inside had gonepletely silent. Eve btedly realized how much chaos we¡¯d caused. As her gaze shifted to the open door, a woman walked out. Her jet-ck hair swayed, her ruby-red eyes glinting ominously. Darkness followed her every step, rippling like shadows. ¡°What on earth are you two doing?¡± The murderous intent in her voice reverberated through the air. A swirling storm of ck malice centered around her. The Final Viiness. Iris Hysirion. Her appearance alone shifted the atmosphere instantly. And she wasn¡¯t the only one. From above, a girl in a school uniform descended slowly. The staff in her hand radiated pure white brilliance, the light so intense that even Eve felt uneasy. ¡°Wow, what fun you¡¯re having here.¡± Sharin Sazaris, the daughter of the Blue Tower Master. Lastly¡ª A honey-blonde-haired woman appeared by my side, wrapping her hand around my scorched wrist. Her gaze didn¡¯t fall on Eve. But as she looked down at my hand, her quiet fury was palpable. It was unlike the brightness she normally exuded. Isabel Luna, the main heroine of the me Butterfly arc. With her arrival, the situation shifted entirely. Even Eve couldn¡¯t handle this many people at once. She bit her lip and red at me. I shrugged with a smirk.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°If you¡¯re so upset, why don¡¯t you call your own friends?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 94 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 94: The Fake Confession I found myself face-to-face with three women from the Zerion Academy. As expected, Eve had no choice but to lower her sword. ¡°Eve, what on earth are you doing?!¡± The president of Rosley Academy, who belonged to the same Frelliz Kingdom as Eve, reprimanded her. ¡°President, it¡¯s just¡ª¡± Eve looked visibly flustered. Her actions were driven by a single thought: to immediately eliminate the remnants of the ancient dragon''s magic. Clearly, she hadn¡¯t considered the aftermath. Eve¡¯s gazended on me. She bit her lip tightly. If I were to reveal here and now that I wielded the ancient dragon''s magic, her actions would makeplete sense. But without knowing the full extent of my circumstances, she wasn¡¯t the type to make rash statements, especially given her position. Wielders of the ancient dragon''s magic face the death penalty. The moment it became known that I had used such magic, my life would be over. Eve had no intention of killing me. She simply, and purely, believed the remnants of the ancient dragon''s magic needed to be eradicated. The danger inherent in the ancient dragon''s magic, the potential casualties it could cause, and even my life¡ªthese were all factors she likely considered before taking action. Her approach was reckless, sure, but at its core, her actions stemmed from a desire to save lives. ¡®A protagonist who¡¯s missing a bit ofmon sense, as always.¡¯ I knew the events that shaped Eve, having yed through her story myself. Her nickname, The Unyielding Azure me, was a testament to her resilience. It came from the many ordeals she faced. Time and again, reality tried to break her, but Eve never faltered. She burned fiercely, like an azure me. Those experiences had deeply rooted themselves in her life. As a result, once her mind was set, Eve would often act impulsively. This trait was likely why she struggled to connect with others. Her life had been too harsh, leaving hercking in certain areas. Her Azure me ignites whenever she senses a hidden danger in her opponent. This time, it must have red when she confronted me. ¡®I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d notice the ancient dragon¡¯s magic, though.¡¯ Even though I was the one attacked, knowing her circumstances, I didn¡¯t feel particrly upset. If anything, this was the oue I had hoped for. I had deliberately provoked her. Eve was the type to act against anyone she deemed dangerous, even aplete stranger. And I had exploited that part of her, like a third-rate viin. ¡°Eve, just because I rejected your confession doesn¡¯t mean you should act like this.¡± ¡°...What?¡± For the first time, a flustered sound escaped Eve¡¯s lips. It wasn¡¯t just her. Everyone here turned to look at her, their eyes wide with surprise. Especially Isabel, who nced at me sharply. She seemed to recall what had happened with Hania. Eve had been asking around about me at the party. As such, rumors about her interest in me had started to circte. With my statement, the oue was obvious. ¡°Eve, really?¡± ¡°So, Azure me burns brightly even in love.¡± ¡°Who would¡¯ve guessed you had this side to you?¡± At this age, when emotions run high, everyone present empathized with Eve. Eve stood there, stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Her face flushed bright red. ¡°N-No! That never happened! It¡¯s a lie!¡± Eve denied it fervently, her voice raised. In an instant, she had be the lovestruck fool of the evening. The others watched her with pity in their eyes. Meanwhile, Eve red at me with intense fury. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough,¡± Iris intervened, trying to calm things down, before turning to me. ¡°Hannon, go get your wounds treated.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wait! We need to clear up this misunderstanding first¡ª¡± Eve tried to grab me, but Iris stepped in her way. At the same time, a chilling, murderous aura emanated from her. ¡°I said that¡¯s enough.¡± Iris warned her not to cross the line any further. Eve could only watch as I walked away, her teeth clenched in frustration. After that, I managed to leave the party unscathed and returned to my room. Eve¡¯s Azure me had left me with a minor burn, but it was nothing a little treatment couldn¡¯t fix. For now, I decided to deal with my scorched clothing. ¡°Hannon.¡± ¡°Whoa!?¡± As I was taking off my shirt, a sudden voice startled me. I turned around to find Sharin standing there. When had she followed me in? She made no sound at all. ¡°That thing about her confessing¡­ It was a lie, wasn¡¯t it?¡± So she¡¯d figured it out. ¡°Yeah.¡± I didn¡¯t bother denying it. ¡°Why did you lie about that?¡± ¡°Because Eve found out about the remnants of the ancient dragon¡¯s magic. To be precise, she sensed the magic itself.¡± Sharin¡¯s eyes narrowed. She understood the consequences of being discovered using ancient dragon magic. ¡°If you get executed, I won¡¯t be able to use you to inscribe dragon-magic runes.¡± She wasn¡¯t worried about me, of course. As she frowned, I began buttoning up my shirt. ¡°She realized what I was carrying and tried to erase it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Can you even erase remnants of an ancient dragon just because you want to?¡± ¡°With her Unyielding Azure me, it¡¯s not impossible.¡± Of course, that would involve me getting burned quite a bit in the process. Still, it was feasible. ¡°So you provoked her to keep her from exposing you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s part of it. And, yes, I did it on purpose.¡± Sharin still looked unconvinced. She seemed to wonder why I would antagonize someone who had caught on to my secret. Sure, if Eve exposed the remnants of the dragon¡¯s magic, I¡¯d be doomed. But I was also confident she wouldn¡¯t do that. ¡°It was necessary.¡± ¡°For your ns again, I assume?¡± ¡°Exactly. And this might be the most important part.¡± My goal was to transfer Eve to Zerion Academy.N?v(el)B\\jnn Nothing could rece the Unyielding Azure me when it came topensating for the absence of the me of Resolve. Without it, future challenges would be insurmountable. Even though I was working on solutions, it was nearly impossible to fundamentally resolve the scenario¡¯s issues. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w That¡¯s where Eve¡¯s Unyielding Azure mees in. ¡®Eve will undoubtedlye for the remnants of the dragon¡¯s magic.¡¯ After today, she would see me as an incredibly dangerous individual. My unexpected skill, Iris defending me¡ªall of it would weigh on her mind. And the fake confession hadpletely destroyed her image of me. She would now see me as someone she couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡®The opportunity to erase the remnants of the dragon¡¯s magic has passed for now.¡¯ Once the international academy meeting concluded, everyone would return to their respective academies. Given today¡¯s events, Eve would likely be ced under house arrest. She wouldn¡¯t be able to approach me any further today. This means Eve will only have one more chance to deal with the remnants of my ancient dragon. ¡®The International Individual Tournament.¡¯ At that event, Eve will surely try to eliminate my ancient dragon¡¯s remnants. ¡®If I can just get through that¡­¡¯ Eve will have no choice but to leave Zereon Academy and chase after me. To prepare for this, I must be ready to withstand her attacks. ¡®No, merely surviving won¡¯t be enough.¡¯ I must decisively defeat Eve and force her to see me as a dangerous individual. To the extent that she feelspelled to transfer to Zerion Academy to stop me. Eve is apleted protagonist who has finished her scenario. For that reason, I need to be stronger. At my current level, I can¡¯t face Eve and win. ¡°Sharin, remember that date we talked about?¡± So, I decided to use any means necessary. ¡°That needs to happen before the International Individual Tournament.¡± I¡¯ll fully master the remnants of the ancient dragon before the tournament begins. * * * The Unyielding Blue me: Eve Eve, a hero of the Ordo Academy in the Frelliz Kingdom and a member of the Six Stars. She was thrashing under her nket, furious at the humiliation she suffered today. Having been ced under house arrest by the Ordo Academy president, she had left the party venue and was confined to her room. Leaving now would only cause trouble for her. So Eve had no choice but to remain quiet for the time being. ¡®That man.¡¯ Hannon Irey. Thinking about the humiliation he dealt her made Eve¡¯s face flush red, and she bit her lip. Never in her life had she experienced such disgrace. To think he would turn her own attack back on her like that. To think he would do so with such a shamelesslyposed expression while lying through his teeth¡ªit made her seethe. Of course, Eve knew it was her own fault. She was fully aware that it was wrong of her to attack him and injure his arm. But the danger of ancient dragon magic was undeniable. She¡¯d seen a user of ancient dragon magic once when she was younger. She vividly remembered how that person had met their end. Before she knew it, Eve kicked off her nket and rose from her bed, gripping her infinite de. Hannon¡¯s figure from earlier appeared before her eyes, and she steadied her breathing to shake off the bitter memory. Hannon had been stronger than expected. The sword she swung with the intent to end it in a single blow¡ªhe had deflected it without a weapon. ¡®That sensation from earlier¡­¡¯ It felt as though she had struck solid steel with her de. Recalling that feeling, Eve slowly opened her eyes. It was certain he possessed a unique power. Whatever he¡¯d done to his body, the magic he wielded without a staff was nothing short of outrageous. ¡®He¡¯s unpredictable.¡¯ If the fight wasn¡¯t over quickly, she knew things could go south. From the moment she failed her first attack, Eve had essentially lost. The next time they crossed paths, she had to ensure his defeat. Eve swung her sword at the illusion of Hannon before her. The illusion mimicked Hannon¡¯s earlier movements, evading her de. Unfazed, Eve continued her relentless strikes. The illusion continued dodging until Eve cornered it and brought her sword down in a decisive strike. Her de cut through empty air. Breathing heavily, Eve refocused herself. ¡®Next time¡­¡¯ Her piercing blue eyes glimmered with determination. She would bring him down and erase the ancient dragon magic from existence. The International Academy Meeting marked the beginning of new encounters and fateful connections. * * * Time flew by in the blink of an eye. Autumn had deepened, and the International Individual Tournament was just around the corner. The students, brimming with anticipation, were training relentlessly. The tournament was an opportunity to showcase one¡¯s prowess to the world. Naturally, the students threw themselves into preparation with fervor. While everyone else trained out in the open, I locked myself away in a private training room. At Zerion Academy, you can apply for and use private training rooms. I had been using one every day to prepare for the tournament. My determination stemmed from a recent not-quite-a-date I¡¯d had with Sharin. Thanks to her, a new magic sigil had appeared on my body. ¡°Prince Sweet Potato, what are you even doing in there by yourself? Trying to roast yourself into charcoal again?¡± Seron had asked, puzzled, as she saw me emerge from training, charred ck. I had simply told her to look forward to the tournament. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it, will you?¡± Seron gently wiped my face with a handkerchief. Her caring touch made me blink and ask: ¡°This isn¡¯t the face you like, is it?¡± ¡°S-Shut up. If I like you, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Seron¡¯s face turned bright red as she spoke, lightly smacking my shoulder before running off. She was bing bolder by the day. ¡°Hannon, don¡¯t forget we¡¯re only in a contract rtionship.¡± Lately, Seron had been wearing her heart on her sleeve, which earned me a disapproving nce from Hania. It was a subtle warning to keep our rtionship under wraps. Though I felt wronged, I nodded, knowing I owed her. Without her help with my disguises, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to infiltrate Iris¡¯s chamber. For that reason, I needed to maintain my agreement with her. ¡°Hannon, the International Individual Tournament¡­ we can expect great things, can¡¯t we?¡± Hearing Ban¡¯sment mid-training, I tilted my head. ¡°You mean from you?¡± ¡°Of course, but also Isabel.¡± Ban had been training with Isabel diligently. I also knew Isabel harbored apetitive spirit toward me. ¡°She¡¯s been preparing something big.¡± Something big? ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ It was the right time for it. A smile formed on my lips. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± With everyone¡¯s anticipation mounting, the day finally arrived. The curtain rose on the International Individual Tournament. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 95 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 95: Failure in cement International Individual Tournament. A friendlypetition held among academies founded by heroes, aimed at ensuring the past is not forgotten. The friendly matches take ce at the sacred ground of the great hero Wolfram. This serves to honor Wolfram''s heroic deeds and to demonstrate that the academies still uphold the world. ¡°Wow, so this is Wolfram¡¯s sacred ground!¡± Seron stuck her head out of the carriage, her excitement clearly showing. Sitting beside her, Card looked out the window with a quieter demeanor than usual. It was only natural. For Card, the person who had sent him as a spy would be here today. When our eyes met, he gave me a casual grin as if nothing was wrong. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Wagnon? Feeling nervous? Don¡¯t worry. First ce is mine.¡± Same as always, that guy. Hania and Iris were traveling in another carriage for the first time in a while. ¡¸In individualpetitions, we¡¯re opponents. There won¡¯t be a repeat of what happened during the teampetition.¡¹ During the teampetition, I had led my team to victory against Iris¡¯s team. Aware of that, Hania prioritized winning over their contract rtionship this time. Iris looked at me with a hint of regret, but she agreed with Hania¡¯s decision. The same was true for Isabel. ¡¸What you didst time? Consider this the continuation. Look forward to it.¡¹ During the boycott incident, I had walked away from a fight with Isabel mid-battle. Now she was framing this individualpetition as a continuation of that. ¡®I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¯ I was curious to see how much Isabel had grown. Her importance in the story would only increase from here on out. Hopefully, she had achieved significant growth. With everyone else scattered, the usual trio of troublemakers reunited after a long time. ¡°So, Prince Sweet Potato, what rank do you think you¡¯ll get?¡± Seron asked about my expected cement in the international individual tournament. Such things are hard to predict, but I answered with a calm smile. ¡°I¡¯ll make it into the top six.¡± The prestige of the six stars. I intended to etch my name among them. * * * The arena prepared for the international individual tournament resembled a massive colosseum. With students from all six academiespeting, it was inevitable for the arena to be this enormous. However, even with its size, it couldn¡¯t amodate everyone. As a result, the international individual tournament began with preliminary rounds that mixed students from all six academies. The students were determined to pass the preliminaries, their resolve evident. The main event would be attended by key figures from the kingdoms and empires. To make a name for themselves, the students had to pass the preliminaries. And so, everyone received their preliminary group assignments. ¡°We¡¯re in different groups.¡± Seron looked at me with disappointment. As she said, she wasn¡¯t in the same preliminary group as me. ¡°Hehe, jealous? I¡¯m in the same group as Wagnon,¡± Card teased her. Seron responded by punching Card in the side before turning to me. ¡°Prince Sweet Potato, you¡¯ll miss me too, right? I know you will.¡± ¡°Of course. I was nning to eliminate you first, but now I won¡¯t get the chance. What a shame.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just lie and say you want to stay with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too honest for that.¡± And then I got punched in the side by Seron as well. She grabbed my cor tightly and threatened: ¡°If you don¡¯t say you want to stay with me, I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll kiss you!¡± What kind of crazy threat was that? As I stared at her in disbelief, Seron turned bright red. She clutched her skirt tightly, trembling. If she¡¯s going to react like that, she shouldn¡¯t say such things in the first ce. ¡°This is about what I expected, but it¡¯s pretty entertaining to watch,¡± Card said, chuckling as he observed us. Even after taking Seron¡¯s punch, Card seemed unfazed. Quite resilient, that one. ¡°Zerion Academy.¡± Just then, Professor Vega¡¯s voice rang out. The students of Zerion Academy turned their attention to her. She looked at all of us and spoke. At first, I thought it¡¯d be another of her usual, pointless remarks. ¡°This is your chance to shine. Don¡¯te back as losers.¡± But what she said was encouragement. It was just like her to offer support at times like this. ¡°If you lose and tarnish the academy¡¯s reputation, my paycheck gets cut.¡± She didn¡¯t forget to add her signature remark at the end. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s okay if Professor Vega¡¯s sry takes a hit.¡± ¡°Hehe, yeah, maybe.¡± The students whispered among themselves, prompting Vega to re at them with fiery eyes. ¡°Stop the nonsense and do your best out there.¡± With that, the students dispersed, energized, heading off to their assigned groups. Seron was in Group 1. Card and I were in Group 2. As we parted ways with Seron, we headed toward Group 2. Along the way, I spotted a few familiar faces. ¡°Hmm, Wagnon, looks like most of the kids you¡¯re close to ended up in different groups,¡± Card remarked. ¡°Yeah, seems that way.¡± Most of the people I usually hung out with weren¡¯t in the same group as me. The preliminaries involved gathering students in one area and having thempete until only a few remained to move on to the main event. In such a setup, forming teams wasn¡¯t exactly against the rules. Not having familiar faces around was a disadvantage. At that moment, I spotted someone. A smile naturally spread across my face. Notpletely alone, after all. ¡°Grantoni.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Hearing me call, a figure turned around. A white skeletal face with glowing red eyes greeted me. A walking ossuary. Grantoni, a second-year student from the Special Studies Department. He specialized in unique abilities like spirit maniption and necromancy. Having teamed up with him during the teampetition before, he was a familiar and wee face. ¡°Oh, haha! Hannon, you¡¯re in Group 2 too?¡± ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s an open spot in the support role. Want to team up again this time?¡± ¡°Sure! I wasn¡¯t too concerned about winning the preliminaries anyway.¡± Grantoni¡¯s main interesty in the spirit world. That¡¯s why he had only joined the international individual tournament because he was told to. He didn¡¯t have much personal motivation for it. But if someone was there to guide him, it was a different story. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Grantoni could deliver when the situation called for it. ¡°Perfect. Having you around will make things much easier.¡± Our chances of passing the preliminaries had significantly increased.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Ah.¡± Suddenly, Card let out a sigh. "¡­Wangnon, this isn¡¯t going to be easy." My gaze followed the card in my hand. Soon, my eyes caught sight of someone with ash-gray wolf-cut hair. As soon as I saw that distinctive hairstyle, I instantly recognized who it was. ¡®Solvas Umbra.¡¯ The vice president of the Aquiline Academy in the Kingdom of Illusions, and one of the Six Stars. ¡®So, we¡¯re in the same group.¡¯ I understood why Card had reacted the way he did. It was natural¡ªSolvas was his superior. The Umbra Count family, to which Solvas belonged, had traditionally produced the foreign ministers of the Kingdom of Illusions. The main role of the foreign ministry was to extract advantageous information from other nations and turn it into leverage, engaging in what was essentially coercive diplomacy. Thus, the Umbra family was feared within the Kingdom of Illusions and notorious even in foreignnds. Card was a spy working for this very foreign ministry. Naturally, Solvas, the current minister''s son and the future minister, was his superior. Solvas was skillfully conversing with those around him. Of course, being part of the foreign ministry, his eloquence was exceptional. And I could already imagine the poor souls who would soon fall victim to that smooth talk. "Card." Card''s gaze shifted toward me. "What do you think would happen if one of the Six Stars were to be eliminated in the preliminary round?" A sly smile spread across my lips. Seeing it, Card slowly rolled his eyes. "¡­Are you confident?" No matter the ce or time, there''s a universal truth: overbearing bosses are always disliked. Recently, Card had beenining about severe exhaustion. The reason? He had been wrung dry by the foreign ministry. The series of incidents at Zerion Academy had caused an uproar. The mountain of exploitable information from those events was too tempting, and the foreign ministry had mercilessly squeezed Card for it. For Card, the events at Zerion Academy were nothing short of a disaster. They were far too dangerous for him to meddle in without risking exposure. The most important rule in spy work is not to get caught. If your identity as a spy is revealed, it could lead to catastrophic consequences. Card had always adhered strictly to this principle while carrying out his missions. But the foreign ministry had ignored his position and drained him dry. And now, the son of the foreign minister and his superior had shown up. "Have you ever seen me say something I wasn¡¯t confident about?" Card let out a dryugh. "Not even once." He knew I wasn¡¯t someone who made empty promises. If I said something, I meant it. Card, who had lived alongside me all this time, understood that better than anyone. "Good. If one of the Six Stars gets eliminated in the preliminaries, the news will spread like wildfire." A sly grin appeared on Card¡¯s face as well. "Heheh." Grantoni, clueless as ever, cked his teeth together with us,ughing along. What a good-natured guy. "Group 2, the preliminary round will begin now." A professor from another academy, who was overseeing this test, called out the names of the students in Group 2. His assistants quickly began distributing bracelets to the students. "You will now move to the location indicated on your bracelet to participate in the preliminary round." At that moment, light emanated from the bracelets, pointing in a specific direction. "The light on your bracelet will turn off once you reach the designated location. The preliminary round will not begin until everyone has arrived at their spots, so make sure you confirm your position carefully." The direction pointed toward a forest, surrounded by a massive defensive magic barrier to prevent external intrusions. It was also the designated location for the preliminary round. "Your bracelets are linked to your vital signs. If you be incapacitated, the light will extinguish. There are 300 participants in total, and the preliminary round will continue until only 16 remain." The preliminary groups were divided into four, meaning that 16 participants from each group would advance, forming a round of 64 in the finals. "Only 16 out of 300? That¡¯s way too few." Grumbles and murmurs spread among the students. Naturally, most of them would be eliminated. "Additionally, defensive magic will activate if your life is in serious danger. Remember, this is a friendlypetition. If you intentionally harm someone fatally, you will be immediately disqualified and face legal consequences. Please keep this in mind: our true enemy is the Demon Dungeon. Don¡¯t risk your life for this match." The professor emphasized the rules repeatedly, likely due to the history of idents during the international singles tournament. Fortunately, no one had died in these tournaments so far. ¡®Unfortunately, this time won¡¯t be the same.¡¯ Just one person. In this scenario for the international singles tournament, one person would die. And I knew exactly who it would be. It was one of the bad endings I had to prevent. "Now, all students, please proceed to your designated locations." After ncing at Card and Grantoni, I set off with determined steps. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where I would end up being assigned. Where I was ced would determine what I needed to do. With those thoughts in mind, I arrived at my assigned location. And then, I saw a familiar face not far away. "Um?" Damn it. "Oh, hello. Aren¡¯t you the one who got confessed to by Azure me?" He greeted me with a bright smile. Despite undoubtedly knowing my name, his tone was unnervingly nonchnt. The Shadow¡¯s Son. Solvas Umbra. The assignment had gone awry from the start. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 96 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 96: Swimming ss Solvas Umbra. I never imagined I¡¯d face him right from the start of the international individual preliminaries. ¡®If you¡¯re going to assign me, at least do it properly.¡¯ Then again, in this cramped forest, how much can they really manage? Still, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit resentful. ¡°Your name is Hannon, isn¡¯t it?¡± Solvas kept talking. The guy knew not just my name but everyone involved in this event like the back of his hand. ¡°Since it¡¯s a coincidence that we ended up on the same team, how about teaming up? All we need to do is make it into the top 16 in the preliminaries. Teaming up seems like a good idea.¡± Solvas shed a friendly smile. What a liar. The guy¡¯s probably already plotting to stab me in the back. ¡°Really? If it¡¯s teaming up with someone like you, Solvas, I¡¯d be honored.¡± But that goes for me too. Solvas and I smiled at each other. Solvas is not the type of person who¡¯s easy to deal with. He¡¯s never revealed his true intentions¡ªnot even once. But he doesn¡¯t know. That the person standing in front of him is the only one who can truly see through him. ¡°This is great. I¡¯ve already secured some people in our group. If we join up with them, we should be able to clear this easily.¡± The ones Solvas ¡°secured¡± are just decoys. He undoubtedly has other members in this group who are truly on his side. ¡®The decoys will stick together, eliminate others, and once they¡¯re worn out¡­¡¯ He¡¯ll call on his real team members to take them down. ¡®He really is using the exact same method he employed in the international preliminaries before.¡¯ It was safe to assume so. ¡°That¡¯s a solid strategy. It seems like we can pass the preliminaries without wasting too much energy.¡± ¡°Haha, is that so?¡± Just then, a sound came from the bracelets we were wearing. It signaled that all the students had taken their positions. ¡¾3¡¿ The countdown to start the preliminaries began. ¡¾2¡¿ Solvas and I exchanged smiles. ¡¾1¡¿ And then, I immediately crouched forward. ¡¾Preliminaries Start¡¿ Whoosh! A shadow de grazed past the tree next to my head. I stomped hard on the ground and activated the magic engraved beneath my feet. Boom! Like a cannonball, my body shot forward, charging straight at Solvas. His eyes met mine, and he curled his lips into a grin. Proof that he didn¡¯t trust me from the beginning, either. If he¡¯d done his homework, he¡¯d know I¡¯m dangerous. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t take me into his decoy team, let alone trust me. Thud! Solvas stomped on the ground. Shadows surged up like ink right in front of me. My vision was briefly obscured, but without hesitation, my handshed out toward the shadows. ng! My sword collided with a de emerging from within the shadow. Solvas stood there, gripping his shadow de. The moment our des shed, we jumped back from each other. ¡°You didn¡¯t trust me from the start, did you?¡± ¡°Same goes for you, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Before I knew it, even my tone had changed. Solvas chuckled with narrowed eyes. ¡°I¡¯m good at reading people, you see. I can tell when someone¡¯s suspicious.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t waste time talking to palm readers.¡± Even at my provocation, Solvas didn¡¯t flinch. He simply smiled. Instead, the shadow beneath his feet began to writhe. The House of Umbra possesses a unique skill passed down through generations. This skill is known as: Night Shadow. Night Shadow originates from a mystical power venerated by the Umbra family for generations. Mystical Power: The Lily¡¯s Shadow. The ability to manipte and reshape shadows at will, by severing a portion of the Lily¡¯s shadow. This is the essence of the Umbra family¡¯s secret technique. In the House of Umbra, one¡¯s rank in session depends on how skillfully they can wield Night Shadow. It¡¯s a grueling task, akin to controlling a body part that doesn¡¯t belong to you. Most descendants of the House of Umbra struggle to handle it effectively. But in this generation, there¡¯s one exception. Solvas. He has a natural gift for Night Shadow. The shadows he wields move freely, transforming into whatever he desires. This makes Solvas¡¯sbat style highly unpredictable. Even if you locate him, you can¡¯t track his shadows. They¡¯re everywhere and can strike from anywhere. As a result, anyone fighting Solvas must constantly stay on high alert, never knowing where the next attack mighte from. Those who¡¯ve fought him describe feeling mentally exhausted from the constant vignce. Solvas exploits this fatigue to strike when the opponent lets their guard down. It¡¯s a tactic he uses frequently. Sure enough, a shadow formed beneath my feet. Before it could rise, I stepped back. Sharp, spike-like shadows narrowly missed my chin. Without pausing, I shifted my rear foot forward. Where my foot had just been, short spikes emerged and then disappeared. Solvas¡¯s eyebrow twitched subtly as he observed me. Again, his shadows moved to attack me. This time, the strike came from aplete blind spot. But I evaded the shadow¡¯s assault as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Solvas stared at me with a peculiar expression. Of course he did. To him, it must¡¯ve been unbelievable to see someone avoid every attack from his blind spots. ¡°¡­Can you see my Night Shadow, Hannon?¡± ¡°See your shadows? What do you mean?¡± I smirked shamelessly. Solvas¡¯s eyebrow twitched again. ¡°Strange. I wonder how you¡¯re managing it.¡± Usually unppable, Solvas now looked visibly irritated. Solvas takes great pride in his Night Shadow. For it to bepletely seen through¡ªit¡¯s only natural for him to react this way. The reason I can sense Solvas¡¯s Night Shadow is simple. ¡®Because I possess the same kind of mystical power¡ªSteel Body.¡¯ Mysteries tend to respond to each other instinctively. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Ordinary people might not notice such interactions between mysteries. But the body of steel is my very own body. For ordinary people, the movements of Solvas''s shadows would be entirely imperceptible, an attack from a blind spot. However, I could sense every movement of Solvas''s nocturnal shadows. ¡®Well then.¡¯ Your tricks won¡¯t work on me. I revealed a grin brimming with tant provocation. "Fine." In response to my provocation, Solvas shrugged off his irritation and smiled back at me. "Then I''ll just make it impossible to dodge, even if you can see it." A chilling energy radiated from Solvas''s body, spreading rapidly through the forest. Sensing it, I abruptly stopped in my tracks. Rumble¡ª Soon, a sound that should have been impossible to hear reached my ears. Boom, boom, boom¡ª The steel body that formed me reacted violently. My vision wavered. And with that, the corners of Solvas''s lips curled into an even more malicious grin. RUMBLE! Behind Solvas. A towering wave of shadows filled the forest and surged upward. "Ahhhhhh!" "What, what is this!?" "Glurk¡ªh-help!" Nearby kids were swept away by Solvas''s wave of shadows, instantly incapacitated. Is this how it feels to face a natural disaster? I had suddenly be no more than a mere human confronting an unstoppable force of nature.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Solvas spread his arms wide at me. "Try dodging this." The Wave of Shadows. The ouw of the tides. What a ruthless bastard. The moment he judged me a threat, he yed his strongest hand without hesitation. This move is unavoidable. As the wave that engulfed the trees and terrain closed in on me, I was swallowed whole by the shadows. * * * Above the Shadow Wave. A boy with ash-gray hair styled in a wolf cut stood gracefully, his hair fluttering in the wind. Solvas Umbra. The Son of Shadows, one of the Six Stars. He had mastered a secret art of nocturnal shadows: The Ouw of the Tides. This massive shadow wave consumed an enormous amount of energy. But its overwhelming power was undeniable. Originally, he hadn¡¯t nned to use it. But the moment he saw Hannon, he changed his mind. Hannon had be a celebrity within just half a year at Zerion Academy. The lunatic who transferred to Zerion Academy and, on his very first day, openly criticized a past disaster. It was indeed madness. But the actions he disyed afterward made his words impossible to ignore. Foreign nations had yet to fully grasp the extent of his feats. But Solvas had nted spies within Zerion Academy. Through them, he had learned of Hannon¡¯s aplishments. "The achievements we''ve seen are just the tip of the iceberg." There were too many inconsistencies in Hannon¡¯s behavior, suggesting he was secretly up to something. ¡®His actions at Zerion Academy must serve some purpose.¡¯ Zerion Academy was far from a peaceful haven. If he had a purpose, it meant he was someone with countless hidden moves. Solvas had studied Hannon''s record and drawn his conclusion. And today. Facing Hannon in person, he made his decision. The look in Hannon¡¯s eyes as he confronted Solvas was unwavering. That meant either he was arrogantly confident in his abilities¡ª Or he had a n to counter Solvas¡¯s powers. Hannon was thetter. Such individuals were dangerous if not dealt with early. Solvas was not one to underestimate others easily. Even as one of the Six Stars, he remained vignt, constantly doubting and testing his opponents, throwing calcted moves or bold gambits when necessary. Seeing Hannon, Solvas decided he had to y his strongest card. ¡®When sprouts grow rampant, you have to crush them thoroughly.¡¯ If the opponent has time to think of their next move, you crush them before they can act. Though it wasn¡¯t part of his original n, this was a perfect opportunity to sweep away all the students with The Ouw of the Tides. That¡¯s what Solvas thought. Ssh¡ª Then he heard something. The sound was like swimming. Thinking he must have misheard, Solvas scanned his surroundings. All around him, only the pitch-ck Shadow Wave raged. Ssh, ssh¡ª But the sound came again. A bad feeling washed over him. He quickly turned his attention to the interior of the Shadow Wave. There, he sensed something moving. rmed, he whipped his head toward the source of the disturbance. Ssh! Inside the Shadow Wave, someone was cutting through it with astonishing speed. It was butterfly stroke. Yes, it was butterfly stroke. Within the Shadow Wave, glowing crimson eyes gleamed. "...Is he insane?" Solvas muttered nkly at the sight. And it was no wonder. What kind of lunatic would even think of swimming through a Shadow Wave? And yet, there he was. Ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh! Faster than anyone could imagine. Hannon Irey. Hannon, who the Shadow Wave had swallowed, was there. As Solvas whispered his name, his fists clenched tightly. And in that moment, he realized¡ª Hannon was far more dangerous than he had anticipated. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 97 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 97: My Specialty Is Self-Destruction Swimming through shadows. I had undertaken such an absurd feat. Perhaps that¡¯s why a look of bewilderment shed across Solvas¡¯ face beyond the shadows. It was only natural. Shadows aren¡¯t like water. If I had to describe it, they feel more like paint. But how was I swimming through shadows? The answer was simple. Magic Engraving: Wind. I could create buoyancy with the wind magic attached to my arms and legs. It wasn¡¯t enough to let me soar through the air, but it allowed me to float within the shadows. Thanks to that, I could swim even in the shadows. Ssh, ssh, ssh! The distance between Solvas and me closed in an instant. For what it¡¯s worth, swimming is my specialty. It¡¯s an excellent exercise for building stamina without injuries, so there was a time I swam every day. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± Even Solvas, who never expected this, showed his astonishment. He quickly dashed across the wave of shadows, forming a shadow bow in his grasp. Fwip! As he released the drawn bowstring, a shadow arrow shot forth. The arrow split into countless fragments, multiplying into hundreds in the blink of an eye. A rain of arrows poured down from the sky. I immediately dove into the shadows. The shadow arrows pierced through the shadow waves but missed me as I swam nimbly inside. The sheer force of the waves rendered the arrows less effective. Beyond the shadows, Solvas¡¯ face twisted. It seemed he realized his shadow wave had backfired. Shadows are inherently devoured by other shadows. Within the shadow wave, even Solvas¡¯ shadows were losing their edge. Meanwhile, I kept closing the distance to Solvas. Ssh, ssh, ssh! As I approached with incredible speed using the butterfly stroke, Solvas flinched. If you¡¯re going to look at me like I¡¯m some sort of monster, it hurts, you know. No choice but to swim even harder. Thanks to that, I swam faster than Solvas, who was running on the shadow waves. ¡°What the¡ª? How aren¡¯t you slowing down? Don¡¯t you get tired?!¡± Of course not. You think something like this would wear me out? I¡¯ve been training in hellish conditions with Aisha, and the intensity had only increased in preparation for today. Stamina is power. Right now, I¡¯m a wrecking machine forged from endurance. Solvas unleashed a torrent of shadow weapons. But I trusted in my ability to evade and the resilience of my body, pushing forward without hesitation. Even fleeing has its limits. Eventually, the distance between Solvas and me closed. My eyes gleamed. This was my chance. The magic engravings on my soles lit up all at once. Boom! In an instant, I surged upward, still in my swimming stance, propelled by the explosion of the magic engravings. Caught off guard, Solvas looked up at me in stunned disbelief. You didn¡¯t see thising¡ªyour mistake. I grabbed Solvas¡¯ shoulder, pushing him down forcefully. Solvas dug in with both legs to resist. ¡°Ugh!¡± But while he was a genius with shadows, when it came to raw strength, I had the upper hand. Sploosh! Overpowered, Solvas was plunged into the shadow wave. Both of us were dragged beneath the surface in no time. With a grimace, Solvas red fiercely. ¡°This¡­ was a mistake.¡± That¡¯s what his lips said. Rumble! The shadow wave began to churn violently. What I saw next was a massive vortex forming within the shadow wave, sweeping everything into its spiraling force. As expected of a Six-Star. The scale is insane. But Solvas didn¡¯t realize one crucial fact. My legs were tightly coiled around his waist, and my arms were locked firmly around his neck. In this form, Hannon, I¡¯m much smaller than Solvas. Burying my face in a man¡¯s chest is revolting, but it¡¯s the best position for holding on tight. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Solvas thrashed around, trying to shake me off. It seems he nned to escape after creating this vortex. He struck at me repeatedly with his fists. But that was a mistake. His face twisted in pain. The hand he used to hit me was already swollen and red. Punching a hunk of steel with bare hands was never going to end well. Physicalbat against me is a losing battle. I tightened my hold even more. Right now, I¡¯m not a person¡ªI¡¯m a steel weight. An unshakable steel weight. I kept increasing the pressure. Crack! A sound of something breaking came from Solvas¡¯ body. ¡°Gah!¡± He groaned in pain, struggling harder, but there was no way I¡¯d let go. Once Itch on, I never let go. That¡¯s my one and only talent. The vortex grew fiercer and more violent. At this rate, even Solvas would be caught in it. Eventually, he was forced to make an extreme choice. And that was exactly what I¡¯d been aiming for. Solvas clenched both fists. Whoosh! The shadow wave surrounding us dissipated all at once. As soon as it disappeared, I felt a weightless sensation. The shadows that had anchored us were gone, and we started plummeting toward the ground. Wind roared past, and the sensation of free fall filled my entire body. But Solvas wasn¡¯t a Six-Star for nothing. As soon as he dismissed the shadow wave, he conjured shadow daggers in both hands. He reversed his grip on the daggers and brought them down toward me. Before they could pierce my back¡ª Snap! The shadow daggers shattered. A bony armor had formed on my back. ¡®Grantoni.¡¯ Grantoni, who must have been watching from somewhere, had created the bone armor for me. Solvas¡¯ eyes widened in shock. As he tried to respond, he noticed my body glowing. My entire form was gradually bing suffused with light. His eyes grewrger in proportion to his rising fear. ¡°Why¡­ why are you glowing?¡± ¡°Beats me.¡± I looked up at him with a sly grin. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m about to explode.¡± When magic engravings meet mystical energy, their power amplifies. So I¡¯d prepared for this. A magic engraving mega explosion. Solvas¡¯ face turned pale as a sheet, but his skin darkened at the same time. He was wrapping himself in ayer of night-shadow armor. That should shield him from the explosion. But the fact that Grantoni helped me meant someone else was watching this unfold too. Thunk! The night¡¯s shadow, which was about to envelop Solvaspletely, suddenly stopped at his neck. Solvas¡¯s night shadow was the advanced version of shadow magic. Umbra was one of the few peculiar families recognized as mystical in the world. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Acknowledged for the uniqueness of their night shadow, they were a special family permitted to cross over alongside the Whitewood. But for a very brief moment¡ª A truly fleeting moment¡ªshadow magic could make even the night¡¯s shadow hesitate. The shadow magic of Card. His magic made Solvas¡¯s night shadow pause for just a moment.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om And that brief pause changed everything. The one part of Solvas¡¯s face not covered by the night shadow¡ªhis eyes¡ªbegan to shine with light. ¡°...Fuck.¡± It was Solvas¡¯s final curse, muttered under his breath. BOOOOOOOM! Soon, the forest''s sky was swept up in a massive explosion. * * * After the explosion of the magic engraving, Solvas and I both plummeted to the ground. No matter how capable I was, the explosion of a magic engraving was overwhelming. I couldn¡¯t do anything until I hit the ground. Just as I was about to crash¡ª Whoosh! Something sticky and soft cushioned me, sparing me from face-nting into the ground. When I regained my senses and looked around, I saw shadows enveloping me. ¡°Wangnon!¡± From afar, Card was running over, waving his hand. Thanks to Card¡¯s shadow magic, I¡¯d avoided the crash. I slid down off the shadow. ¡°Hahaha! That was art!¡± At that moment, Grantoni emerged from the forest, pping his hands and praising the explosion as a masterpiece. ¡°You¡¯re still as reckless as ever.¡± Card gave a wry chuckle as he watched me descend from the shadow. When Solvas used the Ouw¡¯s Wave, Card must have been watching from this side. That meant he¡¯d seen exactly how I fought. ¡°I had no choice but to be reckless. It was the only way to win.¡± If Solvas had maintained his distance better, the fight would have been even tougher for me. I have my own trump card, but I couldn¡¯t reveal it here. ¡°So, where¡¯s Solvas?¡± ¡°He crashed over that way. I was thinking of finishing him off, but I¡¯m sure his real allies are gathered there.¡± In other words, his elimination wasn¡¯t certain. I had hoped to knock him out during the preliminaries, but going further would be overdoing it. I¡¯d pushed myself quite hard in this fight; my body was sore. And besides... I sensed eerie presences all around the forest. We¡¯d caused quite amotion. The preliminaries were set in a jungle¡ªa ce filled with beasts obsessively determined to pass the qualifiers. Before reaching Solvas, I¡¯d need to get through them first. ¡°So, what did you think?¡± As I loosened up my body, I asked Card. He was silent for a moment before patting my shoulder. ¡°It was the most satisfying day of my life.¡± Card, who had sessfully outyed a loathsome boss, looked more relieved than anyone. ¡°Great. Then let¡¯s get to work, now that you¡¯re satisfied.¡± Rustle¡ª From between the trees, hyena-like figures emerged. Just as we¡¯d teamed up, they too had formed alliances. Among them were students from our own academy¡¯s Department of Magic. ¡°Card, I¡¯ll make you regret ever kicking me.¡± That one seemed to have a personal grudge. As I red at Card, who had clearly racked up his own share of enemies, he simply shrugged. Anyway¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s make it through the qualifiers.¡± It was time to be a wrecking ball. * * * The Sanctuary of Wolfram. Within the arena building, a situation room was bustling with activity. Here, gathered were professors from each academy. ¡°This generation truly has so much talent,¡± Said one professor, marveling at the unfolding preliminaries. Indeed, this generation had produced an extraordinary number of gifted individuals. These were the heroes humanity relied on to protect the magical pce. As the professor watched with satisfaction, he noticed the unusual silence around him. Realizing the other professors were all fixated on one screen, he turned to see what had captured their attention. On the screen, a boy was swimming through a sea of ck waves. What was that? Was he swimming in a river? As he stared nkly at the screen, a realization slowly dawned upon him. ¡°...Isn¡¯t that Solvas Umbra¡¯s shadow?¡± The shadow of Solvas Umbra, a member of the Six Stars. There was no doubt about it. ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡± Another professor eximed in disbelief, reacting to the absurdity of someone swimming through shadows. But on the screen, the boy managed to reach Solvas, pull him out, and engage in a desperate battle that ended in a self-detonation. The professors were stunned. ¡°He doesn¡¯t hold anything back.¡± ¡°It looks like he¡¯s wearing something special, but...¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell from this angle. What¡¯s that kid¡¯s name?¡± As murmurs filled the room, one professor finally spoke. ¡°Hanon Irey.¡± The voice belonged to a female professor in an ill-fitting suit, faintly exuding the scent of alcohol. The professors all recognized her. She was none other than Vega Mercia, one of the main figures of the Azure Generation. Vega was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°He¡¯s my student.¡± A proud teacher boasting about her own student. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 98 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 98: The Fake Prince ¡°Haa¡­¡± A tired sigh escaped my lips. Before mey one of the participants from the first bracket of the preliminaries, knocked out cold by a punch. My stamina was nearly drained by this point. ¡°Wangnon!¡± At that moment, I lifted my head at Card''s call. The bracelet on his wrist was glowing. Looking at my own wrist, I saw the same light. This means... Ding, ding, ding¡ª A sound echoed from everyone''s bracelets. It signaled the end of the preliminaries. Sixteen participants. We had entered the round of 64. Card and I locked eyes. In an instant, our hands met and collided in a firm sp. ¡°Wow, we actually made it.¡± Grantoni rushed over, waving both arms enthusiastically, his white wrist bones clearly visible. Soon, we heard the order to move out of the forest. Guided by the light from our wrists, we made our way out without any confusion. Once outside, instructors quickly approached to assess our injuries and provide treatment. They then pointed us to a ce to rest. Meanwhile, other participants were emerging from the forest. These were the ones who had passed the preliminaries. And among them, there was someone. A man whose eyes locked directly onto mine. The Shadow¡¯s Son. Solvas Umbra. He bore the marks of my earlier explosion, his body charred in ces. The moment Solvas met my gaze, he flinched. Then, as if embarrassed by his involuntary reaction, he twisted his face into a scowl and red at me. He looked like a porcupine puffing up its quills. Now that I think about it, he does resemble one. From now on, I¡¯ll call him "Solchupine." Solvas whipped his head away and walked off. ¡°You really shook him up. That¡¯s going to affect him in the next match for sure.¡± Card chuckled beside me, his voice light. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯d be nice if he just got eliminated in the next round. ¡°I¡¯m going to check the results of the other brackets.¡± ¡°Yeah? I was thinking about eating first.¡± ¡°Go ahead and eat with Grantoni. I¡¯ll just check the results ande back.¡± ¡°Heh heh, food it is. Food!¡± Card nodded and went off with Grantoni to eat without a care. That guy, Card¡ªhis sociability was second to none, seeing how easily he got along with Grantoni too. In the me Butterfly Arc, the results of the international individual preliminaries were always random. So, it was impossible to predict who would make it through this time. I moved to another area. Upon checking, most of the other brackets had also finished their preliminaries. A crowd of people was buzzing around, watching the matches. Even the participants who were eliminated could watch, so a lot of people had gathered. On arge wall, matches that hadn¡¯t ended yet were still being disyed. Here and there, I could hear sighs of disappointment from the students. First, I checked the preliminary results. ¡®The elites passed without issue.¡¯ It seemed like everyone from the main group performed well in their brackets. One name particrly stood out among them. Bracket 3: Ordo Academy¡¯s Eve. The Unyielding Azure me. ¡°As expected, you made it through.¡± At that moment, the person in question appeared. Turning my head, I saw a woman with blue hair standing there. Eve was spotless, without a single scratch. The time she spent in the preliminaries wasn¡¯t much different from mine. Toe out looking so pristine meant she hadpletely overwhelmed her opponents. ¡°Of course. It¡¯d be embarrassing to get eliminated in the preliminaries.¡± ¡°¡­After what you did to me, you¡¯re awfully shameless.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± She red at me coldly. It seemed word of the incidentst time had spread far and wide. To the point where her intense "confession of love" became a topic even at Zerion Academy. For Eve, it must have been humiliating to show her face around. I felt a bit sorry, but I¡¯d already decided to act shamelessly. I¡¯d stick to my role to the very end. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. You attacked me out of the blue.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t mention the remnants of the ancient dragon that caused me to react that way. So, I chose a usible excuse to smooth things over. ¡°I apologize for the ambush.¡± I hadn¡¯t expected her to apologize. ¡°But I still believe the ancient dragon¡¯s magic is dangerous. If you don¡¯t fully eradicate it, I¡¯ll have no choice but to act. So, I will erase that magic from you.¡± Leaving behind this warning, Eve turned and walked away. Did she really have to go out of her way to issue a warning? It was a very protagonist-like move. ¡®That¡¯s something I could never pull off.¡¯ That kind of charisma is innate. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s no way out of that.¡± Suddenly, I heard the students around me sigh in despair. I nced at the screen they were watching. ¡°Huh?¡± My eyes slowly widened. Because there, on the screen, was Seron. Seron¡¯s opponent was someone I knew well. From the Sky Kingdom of Parazon, at the prestigious Parazon Academy, stood its sole prince: Ergo Parazon. One of the Six Stars was facing Seron head-on. But Seron was in tatters. Against an opponent of Ergo¡¯s caliber, one of the Six Stars, Seron stood no chance. Even so, Seron swung her axe without a hint of retreat. But no one believed in her victory. She was already bloodied and battered from Ergo¡¯s relentless assault. ¡²Struggling pointlessly before me. You¡¯d find it easier to simply ept defeat.¡³ Around Ergo, dozens of swords floated and danced. He wielded them without even touching them. The legendary swordsmanship of the Parazon royal family. The Swordsmanship of the Sky. The swords pursued Seron as she ran through the forest. Although her axe deflected some of them, the swords curved mid-air and came back. Each de was a renowned masterpiece. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Even Seron¡¯s craftsmanship couldn¡¯t put a single dent in them. The tide was turning against her. Seron clenched her teeth as she faced the swords blocking her path. A red gleam shed from her axe. Boom! Bang! Explosions erupted continuously from Seron¡¯s axe. She had put so much strength into it that the shockwaves sent the swords flying in all directions. Thick ck smoke billowed out, filling the forest. Ergo furrowed his golden eyebrows slightly, gazing into the smoky haze. Whoosh! Something darted out from one side of the smoke. Ergo¡¯s swords shot toward it in unison. Thud! Thud! Thud! His swords struck the object, but Ergo¡¯s eyes widened in realization. It was a piece of wood, broken and flung by Seron as she ran. Crash! Suddenly, massive trees began to topple toward Ergo, one after another, from within the smoke. ¡²Tch.¡³ Ergo swallowed instinctively. He had finally realized what Seron had been aiming for with her relentless axe swings. A shadow fell over Ergo¡¯s head as the fallen trees swung their massive bodies down to crush him. Whoosh! Ergo¡¯s swords rose in unison. The Swordsmanship of the Sky cleaved through the descending trees. In that moment when the trees were reduced to fragments by Ergo¡¯s swords¡ª Thud¡ª Beneath the falling debris, Seron swung her axe upward with all her might. Their eyes met. Seron¡¯s battered body had managed to find one opening, her sole chance at victory. ¡²Euryaaaaah!¡³ To seize that opportunity, Seron poured every ounce of her strength into her axe. But talent gaps are sometimes insurmountable. Just before Seron¡¯s axe reached Ergo¡ª Shhhk¡ª A massive sword, asrge as a house, descended from the sky, shattering the trees and slicing between Ergo and Seron. Boom! The sheer force of the impact sent Seron flying, tumbling across the ground. She tried to stand her ground, but the size of the descending sword was overwhelming. The sword was so colossal that it was visible even from outside the forest. Swordsmanship of the Sky. The Sword of the Colossus. It was Ergo¡¯s ultimate weapon. Seron rolled amidst the dust. As she scrambled to regain her footing¡ª Thud! Ergo¡¯s foot struck her in the stomach. ¡²Gyah!¡³ Seron was sent sprawling across the ground, unable to immediately rise due to the searing pain in her abdomen. ¡²Why don¡¯t you just give up against me?¡³ Even as she struggled to move, Ergo stood over her. Stomp! He pressed his foot firmly against her chest, pinning her down. Seron suppressed a scream. ¡²You know better than anyone that it¡¯s a useless struggle.¡³ Ergo pressed down harder, a mocking smile forming on his lips. ¡²Then again, for someone like you, even facing me, a prince, is an honor. I suppose I can understand that.¡³ Ergo had a peculiar trait: he reveled in inflicting pain. Watching Seron struggle only made him want to punish her further. At that moment, Seron grabbed Ergo¡¯s ankle with her hand. ¡²Why¡­ don¡¯t I give up?¡³ Seron gritted her teeth audibly. ¡²It¡¯s because¡­ the guy I like¡­ is stubborn as hell. To get his attention¡­ I need to pass the preliminaries.¡³ Seron spat out blood and grinned through clenched teeth. ¡²And screw your so-called ¡®honor,¡¯ you fake prince. My real prince is somewhere else!¡³ Ergo¡¯s expression turned nk. sh! Then, the bracelets on both Seron and Ergo lit up. The preliminary round for their group had just ended. Ergo lifted his foot from Seron¡¯s chest. Relief swept through the spectators watching the match. ¡²So that¡¯s how it is.¡³ But Ergo brought his foot down again. Crunch! Seron¡¯s body bent in an unnatural shape as she crumpled to the ground. Gasps of horror filled the arena as a red glow enveloped Ergo¡¯s bracelet. The instructors rushed in, forcibly restraining the furious Ergo.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Seron was carried off by the instructors in a hurry. And I witnessed the entire scene with my eyes wide open. Drip¡ª Blood trickled down from my clenched fist. I had gripped so hard that my palm was bleeding. I was acutely aware of my current state. This was¡­ undoubtedly anger. But I couldn¡¯t fully express it. A suffocating pressure weighed on my chest, despite the fury boiling inside me. I finally realized why. ¡®The Veil Bandages.¡¯ The bandages I wore were suppressing my anger. More precisely, they were slowly erasing it. ¡®I didn¡¯t know it could suppress emotions this way too.¡¯ This was new information. As a result, my mind became colder and clearer. Ergo¡¯s rampage, burned into my vision, felt even more vivid. It didn¡¯t matter to me whether Seron had crossed the line with her words or not. This world runs on double standards anyway. And my friend was treated like that. ¡°Ergo.¡± I swore to myself. I would destroy this bastard. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 99 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 99: This Is How You Taunt Someone Preliminary Round Infirmary. The infirmary was bustling with activity, as the enthusiasm of the students burned fiercely. Still, the turnover rate was incredibly fast. This was because the professors and assistants from the holy studies departments of each academy, along with their students, were out here practicing. Unless the students werepletely unconscious, they were quickly treated and sent on their way. I visited this infirmary, holding two lunch boxes I had asked Card to prepare. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up a friend who¡¯s admitted.¡± ¡°Oh, alright. Could you tell me their name, please?¡± A student pulled out a roster and answered briskly. The infirmary was extremely busy. But since this was training for them as well, the students were treating patients withoutint. ¡°Seron Parmia from Jerion Academy.¡± ¡°Go to room J-21.¡± After giving directions, the student hurried off. Their urgency rubbed off on me as well, making me feel a bit rushed. I made my way to the J-21 room that the student had mentioned. When I knocked twice on the door, there was no response. Creak¡ª So, I opened the door and stepped inside. Just because there was no answer didn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t going in. Inside the infirmary room, there was a single bed upied by a small girl lying down. Although her injuries had all been treated, she seemed unable to regain her strength and was breathing faintly as she slept. I approached her and pulled up a chair. Then, carefully, I ced the lunch boxes beside her so they wouldn¡¯t wake her. ¡°...Prince Sweet Potato.¡± Was she awake already? ¡°You¡¯re up. You must be hungry. I brought you lunch.¡± ¡°...You think I¡¯d be hungry as soon as I wake up? Do you think I¡¯m some kind of pig?¡± Seron grumbled in her usual way. But she seemed somewhatcking in energy. That didn¡¯t suit Seron at all. ¡°I watched the preliminaries.¡± Seron flinched. Her shoulders twitched, and she looked around nervously. ¡°Wh-When did you see that? Weren¡¯t you in the preliminaries too?¡± ¡°Our group finished early because I performed so well.¡± ¡°Wow, listen to this guy showing off. So annoying.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get it straight¡ªthis isn¡¯t showing off. I¡¯m just amazing.¡± Seron made a face of pure disgust. Oh? Seeing her reaction, I brought a hand to my neck. Then, I tugged slightly on the bandages of the veil, revealing my original face as Vikamon. Seron froze on the spot. I smiled faintly. Seron¡¯s eyes widened as if she were dazzled. ¡°Seron, go ahead and call me annoying again.¡± ¡°Eep! Th-That¡¯s cheating! You¡¯re cheating!¡± Seron iled as she pulled the nket up to her face. Her forehead turned bright red, and her voice softened into a demure tone. ¡°All those things you said¡ª¡®prince¡¯ this, ¡®sweet potato¡¯ that¡ªso embarrassing.¡± ¡°Why were you even listening to that?!¡± Seron trembled. Seeing her like that made me chuckle. ¡°Looks like appearances really are cheating.¡± At that, Seron¡¯s shoulders twitched. She bit her lip and gripped the nket tightly. ¡°...It¡¯s not because of your looks that I like you.¡± Seron slowly lowered the nket she had been clutching. Though her face was flushed with embarrassment, she looked straight at me. ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s you. Whether it¡¯s Vikamon, Hannon, or whoever¡ªyou¡¯re the one I like.¡± Her sincere gaze sparkled. Her words were so genuine that they embarrassed even me. As for me, what could I say in response to Seron¡¯s honesty? Unfortunately, my emotions were already being dulled by the veil¡¯s curse. Love was slipping away from me, just like anger had. But watching Seron made me vaguely aware¡ªthis is what it¡¯s like to love someone. At that moment, Seron¡¯s face turned so red it looked like it might explode. Even a wisp of steam seemed to rise from her forehead as she practically melted. ¡°Ugh, stop smiling at me like that. I can¡¯t handle it right now!¡± Seron iled her arms weakly, covering her eyes, but still sneaking nces at me. That¡¯s when I realized I had been smiling unconsciously. If I stayed in Vikamon¡¯s form any longer, Seron mightpletely lose it. I rewrapped the bandages around my face, returning to my Hannon disguise. I stood up and lightly tapped Seron on the head. ¡°Seron, this is my personal decision. I¡¯m going to get an apology from Ergo.¡± ¡°Eep.¡± Seron flinched, likely recalling what Ergo had done to her. Ergo, ovee by anger, had attacked her even after the preliminary round had ended. Because of that, after much deliberation, he had been disqualified from thepetition. There was no way someone who broke the rules like that would be allowed to advance to the finals. Getting revenge on Ergo should have been Seron¡¯s role. ¡°But I¡¯m not the type to let it slide when my friend is treated like that.¡± If doing nothing makes me petty, then I¡¯ll live as a petty person. ¡°So eat up and get your strength back. You¡¯re at your prettiest when you¡¯re raising hell.¡± ¡°...Is that apliment or an insult?¡± ¡°Interpret it however you like.¡± Though she pouted, her lips curled into a faint smile, likely pleased by the ¡°pretty¡± remark. She was always so predictable. ¡°So, what¡¯s your n? Are you really going to get an apology? I¡¯m fine, you know.¡± Her worried eyes turned to me. It was touching that she cared about me so much, but she didn¡¯t want to be a burden. Sensing her intent to dissuade me, I grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just going to have a little chat with him.¡± ¡°Somehow that makes me more anxious.¡± ¡°What kind of person do you think I am? I¡¯m a gentleman, you know.¡± Seron¡¯s face only looked more uneasy. Why did she think of me as such a troublemaker? I truly didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll just make him apologize.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Promise.¡± After giving her my word, I left the room. As I exited the infirmary, I instinctively rolled my neck to loosen it. A habit of mine before a fight. Since Ergo had been disqualified from the preliminaries, he was due to be sent back to his homnd. Time wasn¡¯t on my side. Of course, I wasn¡¯t nning to fight recklessly. Attacking a royal without justification could bring severe consequences. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Besides the apology for Seron, there was something else I wanted to get from Ergo. I had originally nned to strike a deal with him anyway. Now, the timing couldn¡¯t have been better. So, I decided to challenge him in the most legitimate way possible. I moved quickly, seeking out one particr individual. Upon finding them, I immediately bowed my head. ¡°Iris, please help me just this once.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± A card even higher than royalty¡ªa member of the imperial family. * * * In the world¡¯s longest-standing kingdom, the Kingdom of Sky. A kingdom that inherited the bloodline of the great royal family, Parazon, who stood alongside the legendary hero, Wolfram. And among them, the overwhelming heir to the throne of Parazon: The sole prince, Ergo Parazon. With golden hair and garments gilded to match, he now wore a deeply displeased expression. The reason was simple. He had been disqualified from the preliminaries for punishing a girl who dared to speak against him. ¡°They dare disqualify me? These outrageous fools.¡± His teeth ground together in anger. Ergo, with his towering self-esteem, believed everything he did was justified. Coupled with his innate talent, he had a strong tendency toward tyranny. But even so, it was undeniable that he was capable. Though called a tyrant, he had already shown exceptional political acumen. And so¡ª ¡°Prince Ergo, the Third Princess, Iris Hysirion, hase to visit.¡± There was no way Ergo would ignore a meeting with the Third Princess. The anger in his eyes vanished as if washed away. The Third Princess was one of the individuals closest to the imperial throne of the Hysirion Empire. There was no reason to refuse her visit. ¡°Let her in.¡± Ergo adjusted his attire and sat on his chair. Squeak¡ª The door opened, and two people walked in. Ergo¡¯s eyes filled with curiosity as he looked at them. One was the Third Princess, Iris Hysirion. Renowned even in foreignnds for her beauty, she was a sight to behold. Beside her was a boy who bore a resemnce to her. With ck hair and red eyes, he was a small, young boy. ¡°Lady Iris, is that your younger brother?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my brother.¡± Though Iris usually spoke informally, she refrained from doing so with Ergo. As the confirmed heir to the throne, he was the future king of Parazon. ¡°Pleased to meet you. My name is Hannon Irey. I am Lady Iris¡¯s cousin.¡± Her cousin. Hearing this, Ergo smiled faintly. The fact that Iris had personally brought him here meant this was someone she cherished deeply. Naturally, Ergo would not act discourteously. ¡°I see. Nice to meet you. I am Ergo Parazon.¡± Ergo knew that Hannon had not inherited the name of the Dukedom of Robliage. However, he chose not to dwell on it. In this world, lineage wasn¡¯t everything. ¡°I apologize, but my visit today concerns a personal request.¡± ¡°Oh? A request, is it? Go ahead.¡± It felt awkward to hear that the request was Hannon¡¯s rather than Iris¡¯s. Still, Ergo decided to listen to Hannon¡¯s story as a gesture of goodwill. ¡°Prince Ergo, you possess the Sword of White Dreams, do you not?¡± ¡°I do.¡± The mention of the Sword of White Dreams made Iris nce briefly at Hannon. Ergo found this curious but chose not to ask. ¡°Would you consider exchanging that sword for mine?¡± ¡°The Sword of White Dreams?¡± Ergo¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He was deeply attached to his sword. The notion of exchanging it without any preamble was bound to irritate him. Had it been Iris asking, perhaps he would have considered it. But her cousin? His tyrannical nature began to surface but was suppressed with effort. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have a sword on you.¡± ¡°Not at the moment, no.¡± Hannon¡¯s vague response caused Ergo¡¯s irritation to rise. But just as Ergo¡¯s face began to sour, Hannon removed something from his neck. What he held was a pendant. When Hannon tapped it, a sword materialized. It was an old, worn sword but carried an unmistakable sense of quality.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om At first nce, there was nothing particrly remarkable about it. As Ergo¡¯s interest began to wane, Hannon spoke. ¡°This is the sword wielded by the ancient hero, Parazon.¡± The moment those words left Hannon¡¯s lips, Ergo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the sword of the ancient hero, Parazon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what?¡± Ergo¡¯s face was a picture of confusion. Even Iris looked surprised, her eyes widening as she stared at Hannon. But Hannon¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°If you recall the portraits of the Parazon lineage, you¡¯ll find they match. Feel free to verify its authenticity if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°W-Wait a moment.¡± The sudden revtion caused Ergo to feel a sharp headache. He rubbed his temples, his eyes fixating on Hannon¡¯s sword. He vividly recalled the paintings of the Parazon family. He could clearly remember having grown up looking at the hero Parazon¡¯s portraits. ¡®It¡¯s unmistakable.¡¯ The sword matched the one depicted with Parazon. Yet countless forgeries of Parazon¡¯s sword had surfaced over the years. This sword could easily be another fake. ¡®But still¡­¡¯ The fact that Iris hade with him lingered in his mind. Would someone Iris vouched for dare to deceive a member of the Parazon lineage? On the other hand¡ª ¡®The Sword of White Dreams is an excellent de, but¡­¡¯ Was it worth exchanging for Parazon¡¯s sword? The sword of Parazon was something the royal family had sought for generations. Though believed long lost, its discovery would warrant emptying the royal treasury to reim it. Even if the sword itselfcked special powers, its symbolic value was enough to mobilize the Parazon lineage. To propose exchanging it for the Sword of White Dreams was perplexing. ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing I¡¯d like to request.¡± Ergo¡¯s expression shifted. He had suspected there was more to this. What Hannon said next, however, caught himpletely off guard. ¡°Fake prince, would you care for a duel with the real prince?¡± Hannon smiled faintly. Let¡¯s settle this, impostor. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!