Chapter 251
Chapter 251
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 251
Chapter Title: This Can't Proceed
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After wrapping up the incident in the Giant's Forest, Krash returned straight to Raheln Academy.
The Giant's Forest incident wasn't publicly announced accurately.
This was because the imperial family had directly silenced all talk about it.
If they wanted to explain Krash's contract with Ixion and why he'd sided with the imperial family,
they'd have to reveal that the imperial family were descendants of the White Dragon King.
There was no choice but to seal lips on the matter.
Instead, with so many witnesses,
the imperial family spread rumors in a way that deviated from the truth.
They claimed that the World Erosion cult, Ixion, had targeted the Fourth Imperial Princess Sizli Epania.
And that it was none other than Krash who had saved her.
The rumor went that Krash had sacrificed himself in her place to rescue Sizli.
As for Krash joining the empire, they added that it was for personal business.
The problem was that these mad imperial folks had seized the opportunity to spread whispers of some subtle connection between Sizli and Krash.
It irked Krash,
but since the rumors weren't entirely fabricated that way, he couldn't exactly complain.
Meddling rashly in the gossip would only fan the flames higher with their cunning twist.
Still, it wasn't without benefits.
The imperial palace had cut ties completely with Ixion over this.
And the empire had officially declared Ixion a group of enemies.
Thanks to that, even the four kingdoms—who knew of Ixion but had hesitated to act—could now launch full-scale investigations into them.
For Krash, it meant he'd achieved the results he wanted.
Once the uproar had died down,
the first thing Krash did upon returning to Raheln Academy was simple.
He was carted off to the saintess.
Krash had mastered yet another extreme forbidden technique: Annihilation Heaven Dragon.
Even if it was incomplete, it was a realm capable of outputting power to rival World Eroders.
Naturally, he had to pay the full price for it.
"You, honestly!"
Amid Astria's fierce scolding, Krash recovered swiftly thanks to her.
For Krash, this had been unavoidable.
With no telling when the Demon King would arrive,
he couldn't have faced those three World Eroders without Annihilation Heaven Dragon.
It was the desperate thrashing to avoid death.
Astria, having heard his rough explanation, wanted to grill him on several points that infuriated her.
But knowing it was his choice to survive, she held back from further rebukes.
"...Now even World Eroders. Just how far do you plan to push into danger?"
Krash was steadily marching toward burdens beyond his capacity.
Astria's worries ran deeper than words could convey.
To her concern, Krash couldn't offer a hasty reply.
But one thing he could say.
"Still, I'll keep my promise no matter what."
He wouldn't die and fail to return to her, even if cornered to the brink.
Astria finally threw up her hands at Krash's conviction.
Along with that, Krash's own thoughts deepened as much as her worries.
Starting with the Armed Princess—who used to roam solo—joining Ixion,
the world was undeniably shifting directions entirely.
Especially Ixion, lately entangled heavily with Krash.
'Gwangdoje has limits on intel gathering.'
Ixion still suspected the existence of the Radiant Emperor.
Because of that, they let him attend meetings but revealed nothing about current affairs.
In fact, the Black Witch was assigning only individual missions to Ixion members lately.
With the Radiant Emperor's personality, he wouldn't pry,
and to avoid extra suspicion, he couldn't ask anyway.
As a result, Ixion's movements were a complete fog.
'But even I can grasp what those Ixion bastards absolutely need.'
Ixion's goal: create a god through World Erosion.
Then achieve their individual aims with that god's power.
Krash knew what was required to forge such a god.
First, vast quantities of World Erosion power.
Most recent individual Ixion missions involved gathering exactly that.
Plus the skill Ignis, to purify and incinerate that World Erosion power.
A skill Krash had swiped after learning of it in advance.
And more besides.
Items from the Black Witch's list of materials for crafting the World Erosion god.
'If I hold onto Ignis tightly, they can't succeed.'
Even so, Krash had no intention of letting the other materials fall into Ixion's hands.
'Next destination, then.'
Steal the materials to thwart Ixion's goal.
'Yeonma, an Ixion member, showing up in the Holy Kingdom Freman must've been for that reason.'
On the day of Freman's festival,
Yeonma had slipped in during their religious revolution and stolen the Holy Grail blueprints.
'Ixion never showed interest in the Holy Grail before.'
But this time, despite the risks even to Yeonma, they'd boldly taken the blueprints.
Meaning they'd realized the original materials fell short for creating their World Erosion god.
'Abella.'
Krash sensed the Red Witch Abella's involvement there.
Her exact aims were unknown, but she was aiding Ixion.
'She advised the Black Witch.'
Like Krash, Abella knew the future—she'd have grasped why the World Erosion god failed before.
She informed the Black Witch, who accepted and ordered Yeonma to steal the blueprints.
'In that case.'
This time, they might actually complete the World Erosion god.
Even Krash didn't know what results that would bring.
But from the process, he knew what catastrophe it unleashed—they had to be stopped.
Ultimately, that path led to the world's destruction, blooming the ultimate seeds of ruin.
'Rotten bastards, can't catch a break.'
Krash was running himself ragged, and now they were speeding up too.
Influencing each other.
'At this rate, am I preventing doom or hastening it?'
The era was accelerating that fast, piling more on Krash's plate.
"Krash!"
"Lord Krash!"
Including things like this.
Krash eyed Haring and Karandis bursting through the hospital room door.
They'd been beside themselves knowing he'd been caught in the princess kidnapping.
Good thing Astria had barred outsiders for days.
Without her, the room would've been chaos.
"Looking fine."
"Of course, it's Krash."
As Haring and Karandis inspected his body,
Charlotte and Aslan, arriving late, gave casual assessments.
Calmer than the first pair.
And behind Aslan stood another figure.
His exclusive maid, Ririna.
Meeting Krash's eyes, Ririna watched him a moment before smiling softly.
Krash read it as "I'll hold back now, but expect a talk back at the dorm," and opted for silence.
The issue was the parade of visitors that followed.
His past deeds weren't in vain, it seemed.
Countless connections he'd built came rushing upon hearing the news, filling the room.
By now, Krash's mouth ached more than his body.
"Chirp chirp."
Crimson Garden and Evel Ask nodded, saying it was all Krash's doing.
After the rowdy hospital room cleared,
Krash succumbed to the crashing fatigue and fell into deep sleep.
He'd trained through the nights for a week to wield Annihilation Heaven Dragon.
His mind had stayed sharp with urgent matters, only loosening upon return to Raheln Academy.
In the end, Krash dozed off with soft snores.
Perhaps from sleeping so soundly after so long,
Krash dreamed.
The dream showed scenes from long ago.
Bianca, emotions still dead.
Aslan, wrapped in bandages.
Ririna, always fretting over him.
Astria, soured on the Holy Kingdom.
Haring, living for hatred and revenge.
Many denied their harsh realities, enduring wretched days.
And Krash was no different.
Curse-bearer.
That was his role.
But for some reason,
this time, his past reality didn't repulse him like before.
'I see.'
He realized why quickly.
The current him existed because of that past self.
Without that curse-bearing Krash of old, he couldn't have lived like this.
Krash clenched his fist.
The scene before him shifted.
Bianca, emotions restored.
Aslan smiling with spirit Dorothy.
Ririna following Aslan, occasionally playful with whims.
The saintess Astria, standing tall without the Holy Kingdom.
Haring, who severed the chain of vengeance born from family deaths.
The past morphed into the present, radiating brilliant light.
Before long, Krash too had returned to his current form.
He was reminded once more.
Why he fought so fiercely against doom.
Krash opened his eyes.
Still dark night.
The fresh dawn scent tickled his nose.
The lingering fatigue had eased considerably after such a long sleep.
He'd be back to academy life without issue tomorrow.
Much lay ahead.
From fully integrating his incomplete Dragon King body,
to matters with Ixion, Adella, Arthur, and more.
Yet Krash no longer found it burdensome.
Rustle—
Lost in solitary thoughts,
Krash froze at a sensation from his chest, lowering his head.
Lifting the blanket slightly revealed sea-blue hair.
Staring at it a while, Krash touched his own eyes, then curled his fingers.
Snap!
Without hesitation, he flicked her crown dead center.
"Kyaaang!"
The owner clutched her head and bolted upright.
Sea-blue hair cascaded down.
She was the Fourth Imperial Princess of Epania, Sizli Epania.
"Sneaking into someone's bed—what's that about?"
"Ah, sorry. I came to visit, dozed off, and saw a warm spot."
Had she arrived while he slept?
As Krash gazed steadily, she cleared her throat twice.
"You look much better."
"The former saintess treated me."
"You have no idea how shocked I was when you tossed me aside and vanished."
Recalling it seemed to ache her head; she let out a long sigh.
"That was the best move then."
"I know, but understanding with your head and eyes are different things."
"Says you?"
"The one who can predict most things with your brain?" Sizli chuckled briefly.
"That's why I can say it."
True enough.
"Krash."
Perched on the bed, Sizli regarded him quietly.
Krash tilted his head in question.
He'd never seen such a serious glint in her eyes.
To the point it might be her true usual self.
Her large amber eyes shone brighter and clearer than ever.
With utmost grace, she bowed her head slightly to him.
Every motion exuded elegance that captivated even Krash's gaze.
"Thank you for saving me twice."
Sizli voiced her sincere gratitude.
Her body trembled faintly.
Even the world's smartest, at just 16, couldn't brush off a friend nearly dying in her stead.
Sizli had a gentle heart.
After watching her a moment, Krash placed a hand on her head, ruffling it.
"Yeah. Next time, dodge properly on your own—it's your specialty. If you can't, I might help again. Saving the world is my gig, right?"
Sizli stared at his joking reply, then burst into a soft laugh.
Mid-laugh, something occurred to her, and her lips curved into her usual mischievous smile.
"And I have some slightly apologetic news for you."
That smile hid forced awkwardness.
Before Krash could question it, she provided the answer.
"The imperial palace sent a marriage proposal for you and me to the Valheim family."
The bolt from the blue hit.
"And Valheim accepted."
Those words hardened Krash's face.
Despite his existing engagement, Valheim accepted the imperial proposal.
Only one person would pull this.
'That woman.'
Krash's mother.
Aria Valheim.
It was definitely her doing.