Ominous Portents (10)
The aftermath of any grand, exhilarating spectacle is always a tedious, exhausting mess of cleanup. When 1,183 walking disasters had been hurling swords, arrows, and flames at one another, no amount of pulling punches could prevent serious injuries.
Medics who had been on standby now scurried across the training grounds, collecting the wounded. The worst cases received potions poured directly onto their injuries or healing spells cast on the spot. Those in relatively better shape were wrapped in layers of bandages or slathered with thick ointments. The scene was pure chaos.
The Academy students, as expected of the victors, wore grins so wide their facial muscles seemed permanently loosened.
“Hehe, we won. Hehe.”
“Vacation! Vacation! Kuhahaha!”
“Hihihihihihihihi.”
“…Don’t the kids seem a little off?”
“Maybe the pain looped them around once and broke their brains.”
Even as they were carried out on stretchers, bodies wrapped head to toe in white bandages, they kept letting out those eerie giggles. It was only natural that the doctors and priests tending to them shot them worried glances.
Watching the spectacle, Chrome muttered, “If someone didn’t know better, they’d think the whole lot of them were on drugs.”
“They accomplished something truly remarkable,” a voice said from behind him. “It’s not strange for them to be this happy.”
Chrome turned at the sound. “You’ve worked hard, Lady Lyla. Everyone’s been raving about your incredible performance.”
“It was only possible because everyone worked together.”
“Ah—being that humble is a bit… Never mind, I can’t bring myself to finish that sentence.”
“It’s fine, Chrome. I’m not so narrow-minded that I get angry at every little joke.”
“That’s a relief.”
“……”
“As expected of Lady Lyla, you truly have a generous heart!”
Lyla stared at him for a moment, but his brazen expression—practically screaming I’m wearing a steel plate on my face, you said you wouldn’t get mad, right?—finally made her shake her head with a sigh.
Even though the Academy nominally disregarded social status, few students had the nerve to speak so casually to actual nobles. And how many would dare crack jokes with an imperial princess like Lyla?
She had been debating whether to caution him when a different question slipped out instead.
“From the beginning… was this the outcome you were aiming for?”
“Yes.”
Chrome answered without the slightest hesitation.
“I figured that as long as our side didn’t turn on each other or deliberately trip one another up, we had more than enough potential to pull it off.”
“But now the Southern Army will hold a grudge. Possibly against you as well, Chrome.”
To most people, the idea that the Southern Army would bear a grudge against Chrome—who had merely been the commander of a single unit—might have sounded absurd. But in reality, he had accomplished far more than that.
Of the five Southern Army commanders, every member of the 2nd Battalion led by Alphonse had been defeated by Chrome’s 4th Battalion—except for the 5th Battalion that Grendel had taken down. It was Chrome who had negotiated the vacation with Istal to motivate the students, and whether intentional or not, it was also Chrome who had scattered magic tools across the battlefield, dramatically strengthening the Academy’s overall combat power.
While Lyla was the nominal commander and would receive the most attention, at this point it was obvious who the second-greatest contributor had been. Moreover, no matter how cornered the Southern Army had been, they would never dare touch an imperial princess. Chrome, however, was a different story.
Yet even after Lyla’s warning, Chrome showed no sign of concern.
“Which leaves less future trouble—acting weak against some thug who picks a fight because he doesn’t like your face, or beating him until he’s coughing up dust and then emptying his wallet completely?”
“…I’ve never experienced either, but in terms of becoming a nuisance, they both seem equally exhausting.”
“The first gets you labeled as an easy mark and robbed. The second lets you rob them instead. Obviously the latter is better.”
Was that really how he saw the situation? Lyla once again realized just how far removed this boy was from normalcy.
“Ah, so this is where you were, Your Highness Princess Lyla.”
At that moment, a man who appeared to be an Academy staff member approached them. He spoke with visible tension.
“His Highness the Crown Prince wishes to meet with you.”
“His Highness summoned me?”
“Yes. He also expressed interest in meeting the young lady who delivered the final blow to the Southern Army commander, as well as the boy who commanded the irregular unit…”
Lyla glanced at Chrome.
“Do you need a silencing spell?”
“…I’ll keep my mouth shut properly.”
Convincing Ligret that she didn’t want to sit on anything too stiff took some effort, but the three of them safely reached the location where the Crown Prince was waiting.
“Welcome, Lyla! You’ve grown even more beautiful since I last saw you. You’ve become a proper young lady in every sense of the word.”
“You flatter me, Your Highness. I should be the one apologizing for not greeting you more often.”
“Come now, no need to be so stiff. Call me Brother. Or even just ‘Oppa’ is fine.”
“How could I possibly commit such rudeness toward the Crown Prince of the Empire?”
“Hmph. As rigidly proper as ever, I see.”
The one who came to Lyla’s rescue was a young man standing behind the Crown Prince.
“That’s enough, Brother. Pressuring your little sister like this hardly befits the next emperor.”
“Julius, you make it sound like I’m some scoundrel harassing an innocent maiden.”
“N-no, of course not! I would never imply—”
“Hahaha, I’m only joking. Just a joke.”
The Crown Prince then turned his gaze toward Chrome and Ligret.
Chrome offered a polite bow first, and Ligret followed suit. The Crown Prince and Julius accepted it as natural, but Lyla widened her eyes slightly in surprise. She had been the one to warn them against rudeness, yet she hadn’t expected them to comply so obediently. Did even Chrome lack the nerve to act out in front of the Crown Prince? Or did he simply know when to save his madness for the right moment?
The Crown Prince continued.
“Ligret, was it? I was deeply impressed watching you systematically overpower the Southern Army’s elites. For someone so young, your skill is remarkable.”
“…Thank you. It is an honor.”
Despite her words, Ligret’s attitude showed zero trace of awe. The nearby attendants frowned slightly, but fortunately the Crown Prince let it pass without comment.
He then looked at Chrome.
“Chrome Midas. The reason I called for you is that one scene from the training left a particularly strong impression on me. Can you answer my question?”
“Ask me anything, Your Highness.”
“Right before he was struck by the thrown spear, the Southern Army commander’s movements froze in a strange way. Did you use poison?”
“I did.”
“Oh? How bold. You feel no hesitation about using poison?”
Facing the Crown Prince’s deliberately stern expression, Chrome answered calmly.
“The opponent was one of the Five Swords protecting this Empire. As a mere student granted the opportunity to face such an opponent, would it not be more shameful to hold back any tactic at my disposal?”
“To hold back any tactic would be more shameful…”
The Crown Prince mulled over the words for a moment, then burst into loud laughter.
“Indeed, you are correct. Even though this was merely training—or rather, precisely because it was training—we must prepare to face every possible situation and crisis. The Academy succeeded in doing so, while the Southern Army did not. Therefore, it is obvious whose side the Star Gods’ light will shine upon.”
The Crown Prince addressed the three of them—Chrome, Lyla, and Ligret.
“You have proven to the world that the Academy is truly carrying out His Majesty the Emperor’s command to become swords for humanity. As a member of the imperial family, how could I remain idle? I shall petition my father so that every student who overcame this ordeal may receive imperial rewards. Separately, I also wish to grant the three of you personal rewards. Is there anything you desire?”
Before anyone else could respond, Chrome spoke first.
“If it pleases Your Highness, I would ask that you bestow grace upon the Southern Army.”
The Crown Prince looked puzzled. “Bestow grace upon the Southern Army? Your true intention is difficult to grasp.”
“Although we achieved victory this time, it was only under numerous restrictions on both sides. Had the Southern Army been allowed to fight with full strength, the outcome would have been vastly different. However, those unaware of these circumstances may tarnish their honor. That would be an insult to us, who fought them with everything we had, and at the same time, it would be no different from undermining one of the pillars that protect this Empire. Therefore, I humbly beg Your Highness to show mercy and aid them. That is the only reward I desire.”
“Hmm…”
As the Crown Prince pondered, both Ligret and Lyla lowered their heads as well.
“I desire the same.”
“Your Highness, we beg for your generous consideration.”
Faced with the three petitioners, the Crown Prince finally gave his consent.
“Very well. I promise to do everything in my power to ensure the Southern Army is not treated unjustly because of this training. For such young students to think so deeply—it is truly a blessing for the Empire. Do you not agree, Julius?”
Julius replied, “Your words are most just, Brother. However, since this concerns the military, I fear that careless intervention might invite malicious rumors from the ignorant.”
“Well, that’s something we can simply ask the Chancellor to handle, isn’t it?”
“…Yes, of course.”
“In any case, today has been a truly meaningful day. Chrome, I shall remember your name well!”
Leaving behind the Crown Prince’s satisfied laughter, the three stepped outside. Once they confirmed no one was listening, they finally relaxed their shoulders.
Lyla narrowed her eyes at Chrome. “Didn’t you just call the Southern Army thugs a little while ago, Chrome?”
Chrome shrugged. “Well, if you demand too much, it backfires. If you refuse everything, that creates its own headaches. Might as well create a touching story about not accepting any reward, right?”
Ligret muttered with clear disappointment, “I was curious what kind of weapons the imperial family might have.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll pry a few more cubes out of her, so let’s compromise with that.”
“Wait. Is she the only one giving gifts?”
“…Why don’t you two just go shopping together?”
Even as he cracked jokes, Chrome’s eyes quietly gleamed.
Objective complete.
In the joint training scenario, the special route that only triggered when achieving overwhelmingly superior results—The Crown Prince’s Reward. Originally an event where one chose from the presented rewards, Chrome had used it in an entirely different way. By ensuring the Southern Army’s position wasn’t overly diminished, he had checked one of the three masterminds he knew from Planetarium.
The easiest method would have been to simply let the Academy lose, but Chrome had firmly refused that option. No matter how necessary it was to prevent the mastermind from expanding his power, the thought of every weekend action being locked into place sounded like pure hell.
With this, recruiting the Southern Army should be impossible. Things won’t go your way.
After the death of the Emperor, Chrome quietly renewed his resolve as he pictured the face of the imperial family member who would collapse the greatest empire of humanity from within.
“…I’m sorry, Brother. I’m feeling a bit unwell. May I retire first and rest?”
“Oh dear, it seems I pushed you too hard. Go rest at once.”
“Thank you.”
Inside the imperial palace, Julius entered his private quarters—filled with magic tools for temperature and humidity control that the Emperor and Crown Prince had gifted him due to his frail health—and quietly closed the door.
He sank heavily onto the soft sofa in the deepest part of the room and spoke.
“Crow.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
Without any sign or warning, a man suddenly appeared at his side. Clad entirely in black, his features hidden like shadows. His presence was so faint he seemed almost like a ghost. He knelt before Julius in deep reverence, the posture of a slave facing his master.
The cold eyes looking down at him held none of Julius’s usual frail, gentle demeanor.
“Tell the Spider to cease all behind-the-scenes interference regarding Kalyos Schmidt. And instruct the Rat to increase the number of personnel investigating the Academy.”
“Understood.”
As the man vanished like a ghost, just as he had appeared, Julius turned away and twisted his lips into a sneer.
“When they thoroughly crushed the Southern Army, I almost felt like praising them. But in the end, they had to go and ruin everything.”
He recalled the face of the boy he had met today. On the surface, the polite attitude, yet a subtle dissonance woven through his words. No—it was more like a sense of kinship.
…Chrome Midas, was it? I’ll remember that name.
Julius Verbal Barhart. The cunning prince hiding sharp fangs and claws let his eyes gleam in the darkness.