Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Salting It Up at the Entrance Ceremony
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"......"
The students from each district held their breath.
Their eyes screamed, 'Please don't come to our district.'
Elysia glanced around hesitantly, fidgeting like a frightened fawn lost without a path.
Then.
Her golden gaze settled on the northern district.
Precisely on Kairun.
Jet-black hair.
The symbol of Northguard—and the one who had written her letter of recommendation with genuine goodwill.
"Ah! The young lord's little brother!"
Elysia's face lit up like the sun breaking through clouds.
Ignoring the stares from everyone else, she hurried over with quick steps.
And without a moment's hesitation.
She plopped down right next to Kairun—the seat everyone else had avoided out of sheer intimidation.
"......?!"
As Kairun stared at her in shock, Elysia beamed and struck up a conversation.
"Wow, up close you really look just like him! Like Grand Prince Carl! Oh, we haven't met before, have we? Hehe."
"......"
Kairun was speechless.
To walk straight into the seat everyone was dodging and chat so brightly.
And to casually bring up his brother like it was nothing.
'...Overly friendly with Prince Radiance's brother.'
Kairun had a gut feeling.
This girl was no ordinary person.
But he tried to stay composed.
'No. What would brother do? What would father do in a situation like this?'
The North had to embrace the princess everyone shunned all the more.
Besides, if she resembled Radiance so closely, she must have real talent beneath that innocent exterior.
'Stay calm. Act natural...'
But as Elysia scooted right up against him and started chattering away, the mocking whispers from around them grew clearer.
Especially from the western district.
"Look at her. Royal blood makes her latch onto the first guy she sees."
"Fawning over the Northguard young lord to get in his good graces."
"Disgusting. Acting like a princess."
Kairun's face hardened at the blatant insults.
'...She's not helping at all!'
He was horrified inwardly.
This was shredding the North's dignity to pieces.
But at the same time, he took another look at Elysia.
Even a single harsh word made his hands tingle and his blood boil.
Yet this girl endured far worse abuse without batting an eye, keeping her smile intact.
As if she heard nothing at all.
Or as if she was so accustomed to it that it no longer hurt.
"......"
Kairun felt a strange emotion stir.
'Her mental fortitude... I have to respect that. There's something to learn there.'
That was when it happened.
Creeeak—
The grand hall's heavy doors swung open once more.
This time, not cautiously like with Elysia.
A heavy, colossal presence stormed in like battering rams shattering city gates.
All eyes turned to the entrance.
And there stood two massive shadows.
A giant of a man nearing eight feet tall: Barg.
Beside him, a tall beauty: Kara.
Both clad in Northguard's signature black uniforms.
Barg's especially strained over his bulging muscles, layered with leather that made him look like a beast crammed into human clothes, radiating raw intimidation.
"......"
The hall's murmurs vanished in an instant.
If the princess and Northguard prodigy had been intriguing gossip,
This couple's arrival evoked primal terror.
The western district students fell deathly silent, mouths agape like they'd swallowed honey.
"Wh-what the hell is that? A barbarian?"
"Look at the size. A bear?"
Western kingdom students who'd been mustering their nerve averted their eyes the moment they met Barg's gaze.
Overwhelming physicality.
The embodiment of brute force that needed no words.
Barg swept his indifferent eyes over the crowd.
Then spotted Kairun far off, sighing in relief.
'He's here!'
The savior had arrived.
The North's sturdiest pillar had planted itself in the academy's heart.
Thud—
The grand hall's doors closed.
Hundreds of eyes.
The gazes of the empire's future nobles and prodigies locked onto us as one.
Awe.
Fear.
Curiosity.
Thanks for the variety.
But the undercurrent of disdain wasn't fully masked.
Those sticky stares mixed with emotions clung to my skin like damp webs.
I stared straight ahead, feigning nonchalance, but swallowed my discomfort inside.
'This is awkward as hell.'
Felt like a zoo bear on display.
'Puba's endured this daily? Impressive.'
Sure, I was a near-eight-foot barbarian who'd bashed frost bear skulls with an axe.
But being gawked at en masse by civilized folk in fancy clothes? Unfamiliar territory.
Back in the northern tundra, eye contact meant fight or ignore—nothing more.
Here, eyes trailed persistently, dissecting me.
My shoulders hunched instinctively.
Swish.
Then a soft touch grazed my arm.
Kara's warmth.
She hooked her arm boldly through mine and leaned her head lightly on my shoulder.
Even humming a tune.
"Hmm~."
She exuded such relaxed languor.
Kara glanced around, her blue eyes sweeping the crowd. Peeking male students flinched and looked away.
"Fun place. All these empire kids are so prettily made."
She whispered in my ear.
"I just slapped on some oil this morning, but they must've spent hours on makeup. Even the boys have cherry-red lips."
"Pfft."
Her blunt assessment cracked me up involuntarily.
Yeah, to wilderness-raised eyes like ours, these noble heirs looked like fragile greenhouse flowers.
"Why the laugh?"
Kara pinched my bicep playfully.
"Don't tell me... my husband's already eyeing others? You weren't smiling at that dolled-up miss over there?"
"Nah, as if."
"She looks interested in you, though."
"Well, Kara, all those male freshmen were fake-coughing just looking at you."
I chuckled and shook my head.
Instead of pulling away my pinched arm, I cupped her cheek gently with my other hand.
And stroked the corner of her mouth with my thumb.
"All I see is you, Kara. No room for anyone else."
"...Tch."
Kara's face flushed crimson.
She cast her eyes down bashfully, but the smile spreading across her lips was undeniable.
We lost ourselves in each other's gaze amid the bustling hall, entering our own world.
"Wh-what...!"
"In front of everyone...!"
Gasp-filled reactions erupted around us.
To the empire's conservative nobles, such brazen PDA in public must've been shocking.
A hulking beast of a man and a cool beauty like that.
But it softened the hostile stares aimed our way.
Replacing them with baffled 'What the hell are they...' and jealous 'Showing off, huh?' vibes.
'Nailed it.'
Eisen's gap moe strategy in action.
Fearsome looks hiding romantic souls.
It worked wonders.
I took Kara's hand and strode forward.
No one blocked our path.
No one dared even think to.
My massive frame and the black behemoth leather uniform's intimidation.
Kara's poised confidence beside me.
We crossed the hall like triumphant generals.
That's when a familiar silhouette caught my eye.
Front row of the grand hall.
Center of the northern district cluster.
A black-haired boy sat beside a red-haired girl.
Kairun and Elysia.
"There they are."
I pointed, and Kara's eyes sparkled.
"Oh? You two already know them? You look close."
From afar, sure.
Elysia leaned toward Kairun, talking nonstop, while he nodded occasionally in response.
Like sweethearts or close siblings.
But.
'Close my ass.'
Up close, the truth was painfully clear.
"So anyway! My tart was so good, Alina cried eating it! Don't know if it was joy or deliciousness, but she cried anyway! Impressive, right?"
"...Yes, quite impressive, Your Highness."
"And brother said my dough-kneading skills are no joke! Maybe I'll open a bakery after graduation! Name it 'The Princess's Sweet Temptation'—what do you think?"
"...Very original."
Elysia machine-gunned words relentlessly.
Her face beamed innocently, but Kairun looked wrecked.
Eyes glazed over, responses robotic—his soul had checked out long ago.
A kid breaking cold sweats with dilated pupils from the ordeal.
'Poor guy.'
I clicked my tongue.
'Definitely Radiance's brother. That relentless energy must be genetic.'
The princess meant no harm.
Just thrilled to chat with an acquaintance-of-an-acquaintance beside her, easing matriculation nerves.
But for the listener? Torture.
Especially Kairun, representing the North amid the crowd's jeers, with a parrot chirping nonstop beside him.
'Gotta bail him out.'
Not just for Kairun, though.
My real reason for heading to the northern frontlines was the original event.
Early Volume 1 of The Bastard's Snowflower Path.
Pre-ceremony: Western Slokina kingdom nobles pick a fight with the northern district.
Targeting Kairun or the bastard princess, mocking their origins and weaknesses to stir aggro.
In the original, Kairun snaps and reaches for his sword; Kara steps in, crushes them, earns the "Loyal Dog" moniker.
In the worst way.
Northguard's faithful hound—a humiliating label for original Kara.
That incident marks her as a watchlist figure from day one, facing noble scrutiny and isolation.
Kairun gets flak early for failing to protect her.
'Kairun's changed now, so no repeat...'
But no way I'd let my friend get dragged into that sleaze and stressed.
I gripped Kara's hand and marched forward.
Thud, thud, thud.
My footsteps neared; soul-vacant Kairun jolted.
"......?!"
He whipped around in alarm.
Seeing me, his expression flipped dramatically.
Like a pilgrim collapsing after 108 prostrations, meeting Buddha.
Kairun mouthed desperately.
'Sa... ve... me...'
I grinned and nodded.
Then plopped into the empty seat right behind him.
Tried for Eisen-level grace, but the chair's screech was inevitable.
"Oh! Kara!"
Elysia turned and cheered.
Target switched.
"Sitting here? Wow! That outfit slays today! Custom from the border, right? The fit is insane!"
"Ah, Your Highness. Hello."
Kara smiled familiarly, fielding Elysia's chatter.
"It's a bit snug... but your uniform suits you well."
"Right? But the skirt's too long—annoying. Thinking of hacking it shorter."
"Absolutely not."
As the women's chat kicked off, Kairun finally tasted freedom.
"Hoo...."
He sighed deeply, slumping into his chair.
Psychological relief washed over him.
Kairun glanced back, whispering softly.
"...Thanks. Thought I was done for."
"No biggie. What're classmates for."
I brushed it off.
Even chatting with Kairun, my attention drifted elsewhere.
I subtly scanned the hall's left side.
The Slokina kingdom nobles' cluster.
'Aggro incoming any second.'
Original cue: Rainer, 8th prince's loyal dog and heir to Slokina's famed Loyder marquisate.
He approaches Kairun, insults the by-then-deceased Carl, trashes the North, pulls aggro.
Lines like, "Eldest son now? How's that feel?"
Or "Northern hicks reek of hides—gross."
Kairun explodes; Kara fists fly.
'Not this time.'
Carl lives.
Kairun's changed.
Kara's pregnant.
If that punk switches targets to Kara or our unborn kid with even a whiff of offense.
'Fold him right there.'
I tensed every muscle, ready to rise.
Behemoth leather stretched taut, faintly pulsing mana.
My eyes swept the western district.
But.
"......"
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
The western district's vibe was off.
No aggro, just dead silence staring ahead.
No one turning heads or muttering.
'What?'
I narrowed my eyes, hunting Rainer.
Blond, smug, punchable face.
Found him.
Front row western district—should be lounging arrogantly, legs crossed.
But his state was weird.
Rainer was...
trembling.
'...'
Why?