TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 113
“Special Class students, please follow Student Charlotte out.”
Following Ganon’s words, the Special Class, including Kraush, moved after Charlotte.
The other peers looked at them with admiration in their eyes.
Seeing this, they would likely strive even harder to join the Special Class in the future.
‘They surely don’t intend to stop at seven students; they’ll probably add more based on grades and performance.’
This was a very Charlotte-like way of thinking.
After all, she believed that those with power should live up to it.
Trailing behind Charlotte’s confident strides—
The Special Class students all silently followed her.
Charlotte’s presence as she walked ahead was that commanding.
Even Kraush found himself wondering if there was ever a crack in her composure while looking at her.
Needless to say, the others felt the same.
Charlotte’s destination was the auditorium where the First Year students were gathered.
From what he had casually overheard, today happened to be a field training day, and Kraush’s group was also scheduled to participate.
“Even if you’re in the Special Class, you’re still Second Year students who just entered. For the first field training, you’ll be assigned to work under the Student Commanders.”
Charlotte said this, repeatedly giving Kraush meaningful glances.
Kraush made an effort to avoid her gaze.
If he ended up being assigned under Charlotte, he felt like he’d be stuck dealing with her all day.
To be honest, even though Kraush was Charlotte’s sibling, they didn’t exactly get along well.
“You seem pretty close with your sister.”
“…If that’s how it looks to you, you might need to get your eyes checked.”
Kraush could never agree with Karandis’s comment.
Before long, the Second Year students led by Charlotte reached the auditorium where the First Year students were gathered.
Auditoriums like this didn’t only belong to the Martial Arts Department.
As previously mentioned, today’s session was for field training.
At Rahelrn Academy, field training meant—
Venturing beyond the city walls into the lawless areas where World Erosion occurs daily.
Such places were not only inhabited by Erosion Species but also by criminals, vagrants, and even servants of World Erosion Beings.
Rahelrn Academy students honed their practical skills and gained hands-on experience in such environments.
This was the nature of Rahelrn Academy’s field training.
Naturally, Rahelrn Academy’s field training also included the Magic Studies and Theology Departments.
There were even cases where the Special Arts students participated, with each department contributing based on their abilities.
As for Literature, their field training involved securing support from Sephira or prominent figures from various nations.
‘A unit is only formed after recruiting at least one member from every department.’
Thus, the travel expenses of a unit depended on how much support the Literature Department students could secure.
Just then, Kraush’s gaze shifted, and he spotted Aslan waving from afar.
Beside Aslan were several other Second Year students from the Magic Studies Department.
They must have also been selected for the Special Class.
Unsurprisingly, on the Theology side, the Saintess Austria was present.
Despite her youth, the Saintess had the most mature appearance, likely due to her innate aura.
When her eyes met Kraush’s, Austria let out a huff and turned her head away.
She seemed to be sulking over him skipping lunch with her earlier.
Yet, she still sneakily glanced his way, which was so typical of her.
As Charlotte entered the auditorium, all eyes turned toward her.
At the same time, their gazes extended beyond Charlotte, landing on Kraush as well.
Kraush’s impressive display during the entrance exam had left a strong impression on the First Year students.
Consequently, their eyes shone with various intentions as they looked at Kraush.
Some had political motives, while others were simply curious.
And those who sent such stares were all individuals far from ordinary.
This was the gathering place for Rahelrn Academy’s First Year students.
Despite the weight of their gazes, Kraush remained composed.
After all, no matter how talented they were, they were still just fledglings for now.
Tap, tap.
At that moment, someone began approaching Charlotte.
Upon seeing who it was, Kraush resisted the urge to frown.
The 3rd Princess of the Empire.
Sigrid Ephania.
She was the woman Kraush despised the most.
“Miss Charlotte, the Student Commanders will now distribute the Second Year students into groups. Shall we?”
Just as Charlotte had mentioned earlier, even Special Class students would be assigned to the First Year groups for their initial field training.
They were likely about to begin the selection process.
“Alright.”
Charlotte glanced briefly at Kraush before turning and heading off.
Her eyes carried a determined intent to bring Kraush along.
The problem was that Sigrid also glanced his way as she passed by.
When her eyes met Kraush’s, she gave him a bright smile.
Thanks to that, Kraush barely managed to suppress his gag reflex.
‘There are a total of twelve Student Commanders, aren’t there?’
Student Commanders could be chosen from any department.
However, departments like Literature, Theology, and Special Arts didn’t necessarily require Student Commanders.
Their focus was on support rather than direct confrontation.
As a result, all twelve Student Commanders currently came from the Martial Arts and Magic Studies Departments.
“Kraush, it seems like Lady Sigrid is interested in you.”
At that moment, Mary sidled up and spoke to him.
She seemed intent on taking advantage of this moment to raise Sigrid’s favorability.
“What nonsense are you talking about? The Imperial Princess would despise someone from Balheim the most.”
Before Kraush could even respond, Karandis quickly interjected.
She was a staunch supporter of the Kingdoms and absolutely detested the Empire.
Well, it made sense since she was the Princess of Poseus.
While Mary was caught off guard, Karandis swiftly shot back.
“Don’t try to push the Empire’s insidious schemes on us. As expected of an Imperial citizen, always so criminal-like.”
“That remark is offensive.”
This time, it was Glen Diana who stepped in instead of Mary.
Glen was Mary’s cousin.
He didn’t seem to mind Mary being insulted much, but—
He visibly bristled when the Empire was directly insulted.
Yet, even in face of his reaction, Karandis stood her ground confidently.
“Offensive, you say? Are you even aware of the atrocities the Empire has committed against the Four Kingdoms?”
“The Four Kingdoms have constantly plotted against the Empire. The Empire was merely retaliating for what you did.”
“Retaliation? Have you forgotten about the invasion fleet you recently sent to Poseus’s Great Sea territory?”
“That was only because the Erosion Species near the Great Sea recently started crossing into the Empire’s territory. It was a support operation.”
“And that’s because the Empire greedily expanded its territory beyond reason!”
The argument between Karandis and Glen began to heat up.
Kraush looked at Karandis with a hint of surprise.
After all, this was a woman who previously avoided confronting the Empire so directly.
“Honestly, this is absurd. Mr. Kraush, you agree with me, don’t you?”
And soon, Kraush realized where her baseless confidence came from.
Among the Second Year Martial Arts students, Kraush was number one.
With Kraush being a direct descendant of Balheim and a member of the Kingdom Faction—
It was only natural that the Kingdom Faction’s influence among the Second Year Martial Arts students would grow stronger.
Because being number one in a place where power is concentrated was exactly that kind of position.
In such a setting, the second place was Merida.
Even if she was second, she was still a criminal.
The Empire found it difficult to rally the Second Year students behind Merida.
Knowing this well, Karandis could now hold her head high.
Unlike the days when Kraush, being a half-penny, couldn’t make any use of the Balheim name.
Now, he could wield that name as much as he wanted.
Glen turned to look this way.
He too found it hard to refute Kraush’s words, just as with Karandis.
Karandis might indeed be a princess.
But in Martial Arts, strength also encompassed force.
Kraush, who had demonstrated power surpassing that of the Balheim Direct Line, was not someone to be treated lightly.
“I didn’t come here to play petty power games.”
Kraush coldly stared at the two of them.
“World Erosion has been rapidly increasing over the past few years, and I came to Rahelrn Academy to learn in order to prevent any worst-case scenarios.”
This was a fact everyone was aware of.
However, they were likely only perceiving it as, “Oh, there’s been a lot more World Erosion recently.”
People, after all, don’t realize the gravity of things until they’re right in front of them.
But Kraush knew well that this was a harbinger of destruction.
He also knew that this damned world had been preparing for its downfall for quite some time.
“Within World Erosion, there is no Empire or Kingdom.”
Kraush had seen it with his own eyes.
The once-proud Empire, and the Kingdoms that rivaled it.
In the end, they all collapsed.
Dividing power in the face of destruction was meaningless.
At least within Rahelrn Academy, where the talented gathered, Kraush intended to smash all such factions.
One year.
Within that time, he would bring down all those calling themselves Student Commanders and stand at the top.
That was Kraush’s goal.
“Outside, dividing power and squabbling over it might be understandable.”
Kraush glared at the two as if issuing a warning.
“But if you act like that even within World Erosion, neither of you will see a good outcome.”
This, at the very least, was sincere.
“R-right? Of course, I know that. I wouldn’t dare act this way within World Erosion!”
Karandis hurriedly spoke, fearing she might earn Kraush’s ire.
Glen, too, did not seem inclined to argue further.
Perhaps because she understood Kraush’s nature, Mary didn’t find his stance particularly strange.
Even when Kraush had been powerless, he had always been like this.
It was just that Haring, the future Poison Phoenix, watched Kraush with a peculiar gaze.
“Ah, they’re coming!”
At that moment, Balak reacted as the Student Commanders approached.
Among them was Aniks, one of the Three Prodigies of Starlon and a peer of Balak.
Of the twelve Student Commanders, three were approaching.
Unsurprisingly, all of them were familiar faces to Kraush.
Leading them was the Sword Star, Charlotte Balheim.
The tall figure with black hair was the Commoner’s Hero, Felray.
Following behind was the sly-looking, brown-haired Aniks Graiza, who would later become Kraush’s nemesis, the Wooden Bow.
These were the ones who had been chosen as Student Commanders among the First-Year students in Rahelrn Academy, a place teeming with extraordinary talents.
It was safe to say their abilities were at the very top.
And even among these supreme talents, there was one who stood out with overwhelming brilliance.
Charlotte walked at the forefront.
When her eyes met Kraush’s, she wore an expression of faint regret.
‘I didn’t pick him.’
A quick glance revealed that it was likely a lottery using magic to select Second-Year students.
Even Charlotte wouldn’t have acted recklessly to that extent.
‘That’s a relief.’
Kraush, on the other hand, felt relieved.
If he had been assigned to Charlotte’s group for the first field training, he felt it would’ve been quite a headache.
Especially since Charlotte, oddly enough, had been paying an unusual amount of attention to him lately.
Meanwhile, Aniks stopped beside Charlotte, who had come to a halt.
He looked at the Second-Year students and spoke with a faint smile.
“Nice to meet you, Special Class of the Second-Year. Since this is your first field training, we’ve decided to pair you up for this session.”
It was a considerate gesture.
After all, having a fellow peer would likely make them feel more at ease.
“Then, just follow the Student Commander who calls your name.”
“I’ll go first.”
As soon as Aniks finished speaking, Charlotte stepped forward.
She stared intently at Kraush before clicking her tongue audibly and calling out.
“Mary Diana, Karandis Poseus. Follow me.”
Karandis’ eyes glimmered as she looked at Charlotte, while Mary flinched slightly.
Karandis likely saw this as an opportunity to grow closer to Charlotte.
Meanwhile, Mary seemed disheartened at not being chosen by Felray, who was affiliated with Sigrid.
As the contrasting reactions of the two passed.
This time, it was Felray who spoke up.
“Balak Hogma, Glen Diana, Arthur Gramalte. The three of you can come over here.”
Felray wore a kind smile.
“Oh, Commander! Are you strong?”
Balak, excited as ever, asked Felray regardless of who he was.
“Me? Haha, not really. There are plenty of people in this world much stronger than me.”
Felray chuckled heartily, though his eyes carried a hint of regret.
There was someone he had hoped to meet at the Academy.
Ironically, the person he wished to see was right in front of him.
“And finally, it’s my turn. Haring Lagrain, Kraush Balheim. You two will follow me.”
So their first field training was to be under Aniks, it seemed.
Kraush casually stretched his neck.
For some reason, this training session.
It felt as though Aniks’ ultimate judgment would come into play.
The Aniks Kraush had met long ago at the Holy Land of Stars’ Arayon Pavilion was exactly as he remembered.
After hearing news of Charlotte’s marriage, he had fallen apart, unable to avoid the traps within World Erosion, dragging his comrades down with him.
He had even uttered insane words, claiming that Kraush’s death might delay Charlotte’s wedding.
Over time, he would develop a twisted sense of love and hatred toward Charlotte, the one who had shattered him, eventually leading to his complete ruin.
But now, Kraush understood.
One cannot judge a person based solely on the memories of regression.
‘I wonder if you’re still the Aniks I remember. Or if—’
You’ve changed, even just a little.
Who knows?
The world had changed significantly and continued to diverge from the previous iterations.
Kraush simply glanced briefly at Charlotte before turning his gaze back to Aniks, who was walking ahead.
Frankly, he wasn’t expecting much.
Not at all.
Disappointment tends to grow in proportion to expectation.
From the very beginning, Kraush still didn’t harbor any goodwill toward Aniks.
Therefore, no matter what the outcome was, Kraush was prepared to accept it with indifference.
Even if that outcome turned out to be something undesirable.