TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 111
In the meantime, Kraush crossed his arms.
“And, I have a fiancé.”
“W-What, a fiancé?”
At the word “fiancé,” Karandis, who had belatedly regained her composure, turned scarlet with embarrassment.
“I-I didn’t mean it that way…!”
She stretched out her words, forcing a smile to stay on her face.
Then, she quickly overcame her shame and instead took the initiative.
“W-Well, just because someone has a fiancé doesn’t mean they have to end up getting married, you know.”
Crazy woman.
When Kraush gave her a sharp glare as if to say, “Are you serious?” she met his gaze with an even more defiant expression.
Though her trembling lips revealed her embarrassment.
Her determination to lure him into marriage was palpable.
This woman was no ordinary person either.
Just as he contemplated saying outright, “You’re not my type,” to her face—
A figure appeared in front of the podium.
The moment the students saw him, they collectively fell silent.
His face was that of an elderly man with a full head of white hair, but the muscles visible between the folds of his clothing left onlookers in sheer astonishment.
Though his advanced age had cost him the prime of his physique, forcing him into retirement and the background—
He was once a name that graced the Celestial Four Strongest.
The former Fighting Emperor.
Durandal.
The pinnacle of human legend, who rose from nothing to the very top without the backing of any family.
He had appeared.
The auditorium fell into instant silence.
Durandal smiled.
Because he was none other than the Chancellor of Rahelrn Academy.
“Welcome to all the new students. I am Durandal.”
The students held their breath.
It was a natural reaction to someone who was practically a living legend.
“Before we proceed with the welcoming of new students, I have one thing to say.”
Only Kraush wore an expression that said, “Here we go again.”
“I always respect the opinions of my students. So, any student who wishes to express their opinion is welcome to visit the Chancellor’s Office. However—”
At that moment, Durandal’s arms swelled.
With a ripping sound, his clothes tore apart, revealing enormous arms covered in thick scars.
While the students were momentarily dumbfounded, he slammed the podium in front of him with those massive arms.
And the podium split apart.
The podium, made from the branches of the Divine Tree, couldn’t even last two years.
“Expressing opinions is not done with words but with strength. In this world, strength is law. Opinions of the weak, lacking in strength, are not listened to.”
Crazy old man.
It seemed absurd to tell such things to budding young minds, but he turned away with a satisfied expression.
“Ah, students from the Literature Department can submit their opinions in writing, so keep that in mind.”
As if to say he was being considerate in his own way.
While everyone remained dumbfounded—
Another figure appeared near the podium.
A man with a modest build and glasses seemed even smaller in the wake of Durandal’s overwhelming presence.
“Nice to meet you all. I am Eradin Judys, the Vice Chancellor, who will be responsible for you in the coming years.”
He smiled awkwardly as he looked at the students, who were too stunned to pay attention to him.
“Before the entrance ceremony, we will announce the top students from each department’s entrance exam, and awards will be given. Those who are called, please come forward.”
With those words, the students finally began to regain their focus.
Rahelrn Academy was a place that gathered only the most talented individuals in the world.
To be the top here was to be at the pinnacle of talent.
Of course, the students couldn’t help but pay attention.
“First, Sizelry Ephania from the Literature Department.”
The moment that name was called, both Kraush and Mary froze simultaneously.
‘Sizelry? She’s here? I thought she wasn’t planning to enroll in the Academy?’
Kraush’s face was momentarily filled with disbelief.
In contrast, Mary lowered her head deeply.
While the two of them reacted in their own ways, a lively tomboyish girl bounced onto the stage.
Her long blue hair, symbolizing the Empire, was tied into twin buns resembling dumplings.
Her round eyes gleamed like inlaid gold.
A petite girl, naturally small due to her weak constitution.
Sizelry Ephania, the 4th Princess of Ephania.
Her appearance caused a buzz of murmurs in the auditorium.
“It’s the 4th Princess.”
“The Empire’s greatest intellect.”
“She’s so small and adorable.”
Facing the various comments about her, Sizelry climbed onto the stage with a proud expression.
Then, she abruptly glanced in a certain direction.
The moment her eyes met Kraush’s, he froze.
Because Sizelry was unmistakably staring directly at Kraush.
Kraush understood the meaning behind that gaze.
That girl knew he was Krad.
‘She figured it out already.’
Her observational skills seemed utterly unavoidable.
“Astria Stigma Freeman from the Theology Department.”
Meanwhile, another student was called from Theology.
A woman with hair that shone like sunlight stood, drawing everyone’s attention in an instant.
Her natural beauty was striking, and her figure, particularly her chest, which seemed disproportionately prominent for her frame, unintentionally caught the eyes of those around her.
However, she seemed accustomed to such attention, walking up to the stage with a light, confident step.
“As expected of the Saintess, she’s stunning.”
“Ahem, such impure thoughts.”
“May Freeman be blessed with light.”
Perhaps it was because of the petite Sizelry standing beside her.
Astria’s presence was even more emphasized.
She subtly glanced down below the stage, and when her eyes met Kraush’s, she quickly averted her gaze.
She was the same as ever.
“Aslan Igrit from the Magic Studies Department.”
Next up was Aslan.
Unlike before, exclamations came mostly from the female students.
Even though he had grown healthier, his decadent appearance was too perfect for stealing the hearts of women.
For some reason, the front of his uniform seemed to sway slightly.
Aslan suppressed a bitter smile and made his way up to the stage.
“From the Special Arts Department, Violen Sedney.”
Another figure appeared.
The moment the students saw him, they flinched instinctively.
A male student, towering over two meters tall, stood with a gloomy expression.
With his head partially lowered, he trudged up to the stage.
Seeing him, Kraush’s eyes sharpened quietly.
Because Kraush knew exactly who he was.
“Lastly.”
And soon, a name was called.
“Kraush Balheim of the Martial Arts Department.”
It was at the moment when Kraush rose from his seat.
All the students’ gazes simultaneously focused in his direction.
The Martial Arts Department is essentially the crown jewel of Rahelrn Academy.
Its pinnacle represents the pinnacle of Rahelrn Academy itself.
In the midst of the gazes pouring in, in a dimension far different from the previous four.
Kraush straightened his back and walked up to the stage.
None of the students opened their mouths.
They merely watched quietly as the star of this entrance ceremony took the spotlight.
Kraush was the last to step up onto the stage.
Five outstanding talents who would represent Rahelrn Academy moving forward.
It was the moment Kraush’s name was added among those five.
[* * *]
After that, the entrance ceremony proceeded without much else.
Once the ceremony concluded and lunchtime arrived.
Everyone simply had to head to their respective dormitories at the scheduled time.
Somehow, a bit of free time had emerged before lunch.
Kraush found himself staring at an annoying figure.
“Mr. Kraush, let’s have lunch together!”
The person speaking was none other than Karandis, the 9th Princess of Poseus.
Though she seemed to have felt some shame earlier after being firmly pushed away.
As soon as Kraush had captured everyone’s attention by stepping onto the stage, it seemed she had completely lost her mind again.
Seeing her determination to make Kraush her husband at all costs, Kraush frowned.
Should I just punch her?
He was seriously considering it.
“Um, can I join you for lunch too?”
At that moment, Mary timidly raised her hand from behind Karandis.
After the entrance ceremony, she had followed behind Karandis, tailing Kraush.
Having hesitated, unsure of when to speak, she now tried to squeeze herself into the conversation.
Karandis’s sharp eyes glared at her.
“Excuse me, and who might you be? Why do you keep following Mr. Kraush and me around?”
As if she wasn’t doing the exact same thing herself.
While Kraush was dumbfounded, Mary flinched at Karandis’s piercing gaze.
“…Mary Diana.”
Mary answered in a voice so small it was almost crawling.
Perhaps it was due to the harshness of her imprisonment.
Mary, who had once been a confident figure, now seemed shrunken and timid.
But regardless, Karandis’s gaze only grew colder.
“Mary Diana? Could it be the one who attempted to assassinate the imperial family?”
As soon as those words were spoken, Mary’s head drooped even lower.
Her face was covered in cold sweat, and she didn’t know what to do.
“Ha.”
Karandis sighed, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“A traitor who tried to assassinate the royal family dares to stick close to Mr. Kraush? What, are you hoping to plot something again here in Starlon since there’s no way left for you in the Empire?”
“Th-that’s not true! I’m loyal to the Empire!”
Karandis’s sharp words left Mary even more flustered.
Mary Diana, who had once been a candidate for the Empire’s spear, had been a tiger with Sigrid’s backing.
Thus, she was neither a contender for the throne.
Nor someone whom the 9th Princess of Poseus, Karandis, could treat lightly.
But the current Mary Diana was a criminal who had attempted regicide.
Even the prestigious Diana family had essentially disowned her.
Though the royal family had pardoned her, Mary’s standing was practically nonexistent.
As such, the disparity between Karandis and Mary now was like heaven and earth.
“Shameless, aren’t you? Mr. Kraush already has a fiancée. Aren’t you embarrassed?”
Are you the one who shouldn’t be embarrassed?
Having said that, Karandis seemed to realize she had implicated herself and looked flustered as her gaze shifted.
Then, as if resigning herself to it, she winked playfully.
What a crazy woman.
Still, her words succeeded in making Mary even more embarrassed.
Mary shrank down, almost as if she wanted to crawl into a hole.
She was now Mary the Shrinking Violet.
“Get lost immediately if you don’t want to tarnish Mr. Kraush’s name.”
Tears welled up in Mary’s eyes.
She hadn’t been able to refute Karandis’s words at all.
But she had Sigrid’s orders to get closer to Kraush.
She could not back down here.
Mary held back her tears and looked at Karandis.
But Karandis only glared at Mary with even more intensity.
Meanwhile, Kraush turned his back on the two of them and walked away.
He thought they could fight it out amongst themselves.
“Pfft, you set the stage and now you’re running away?”
At that moment.
When he turned toward the voice, there stood a petite girl.
Her black and yellow-accented uniform didn’t seem to fit her properly.
The cuffs of her sleeves slightly covered her hands.
Still, she seemed taller than before, and as soon as she saw Kraush, she grinned.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Krad. Ah, I mean, Kraush, of course.”
With a mischievous smile on her face.
It was Sizelry Ephania.
She had appeared.
“What’s this about Krad?”
Seeing her, Kraush feigned ignorance outright.
But Sizelry didn’t care and walked toward Kraush with her small steps.
“Well, that is…”
At that moment, her foot twisted, and she stumbled forward.
Almost instinctively, Kraush caught her as she was about to fall.
Sizelry grabbed Kraush’s shoulder with both hands.
Her bright yellow eyes came within inches of his.
A soft, unique fragrance wafted from her, brushing past Kraush’s nose.
“You of all people should know best, don’t you?”
Her act of stumbling had been so convincing, even Kraush had almost been fooled.
No, it wasn’t an act.
Her slightly red ears revealed that she had genuinely tripped.
Still, Sizelry lightly tapped Kraush’s arm as if pretending it hadn’t happened.
“Your arm seems to have healed. Judging by how lively you were at the entrance ceremony.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“If you want to hide it, I’ll play along. But shouldn’t you behave properly? Don’t you want to act like when we first met?”
She poked Kraush’s arm repeatedly, as if dissatisfied.
Kraush frowned, then let out a sigh.
“Alright, Sizelry.”
“Hmm, yes, that’s the proper attitude.”
Sizelry folded her arms and nodded smugly.
She looked as if she wanted to give him a playful knock on the head.
“By the way, I heard you forgave Mary.”
Since things had come to this, Kraush decided to ask what he was curious about.
Sizelry had granted Mary forgiveness before her execution.
Thanks to that, Sizelry gained the reputation of being a magnanimous princess who could even forgive someone who tried to assassinate her.
For someone who usually avoided drawing attention, it was a very unusual act.
“Well, from my perspective, Mary seemed necessary for you. I thought it would be troublesome if she died.”
Kraush narrowed his eyes.
“Sure, her life might have been spared, but she’s still the one who threw away her arm for me, isn’t she? So, I made preparations.”
As she said that, Sizelry tapped her neck lightly with her index finger.
“By putting a leash on her like this.”
At any rate, her perceptive nature was undeniable.
During the Martial Arts Tournament,
Sizelry had observed Kraush’s reaction to Mary.
With her sharp mind, she realized that Mary was indispensable to Kraush.
So, she pushed Mary to the brink of execution, breaking her down,
then tethered her with a leash and dragged her all the way to the Academy.
It was partly to present her as a gift to Kraush.
Kraush glanced at Sizelry anew.
He felt as though he understood why Sigrid was so eager to see her dead.
If she truly made up her mind, she might actually swallow the Empire whole.
“Hmm, are you still dissatisfied? I prepared this with all my sincerity, you know. Ah well, there’s no helping it. If you want more, I’m the only one who can give it to you. How embarrassing.”
“Stop acting like you’re deliberately trying to imitate Karandis.”
Not that she could pull the same stunt anyway, given the glaring difference in their physiques.
“Hehe, as long as you understand.”
She wore a mischievous smile across her face.
“There’s a lot I’d like to talk about, but I’m drawing too much attention.”
Noticing the growing stares, she clasped her hands behind her back and began to step away.
“By the way, I heard that today’s special is Strawberry Tart from the bakery-famous Serna store. If you don’t like sweets, save it for me. I love sweet things.”
Though no one had mentioned the special, she naturally seemed to know the information.
Once again, she left like the wind, her true intentions impossible to discern.
As Kraush felt a faint headache beginning to settle in,
he noticed a woman with hair like sunlight walking toward him in his peripheral vision.
She glanced his way, then nervously twirled a strand of her side hair while looking around.
Finally, as if resolving herself, she cleared her throat and approached Kraush.
“…If you don’t have anyone to eat lunch with, you can eat with me.”
Upon hearing Austria’s words, Kraush looked up at the sky with a weary expression.
“I’m skipping lunch.”
He decided he’d rather just go hungry.