Chapter 256
Chapter 256
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 256
Chapter Title: The Flower of the Entrance Ceremony
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Raheln Academy's third entrance exam.
It had already been three years since the academy's founding.
New freshmen.
The current students were buzzing with excitement at the thought of finally having underclassmen.
This was especially true for the second-year students.
They had endured every imaginable humiliation as freshmen at Raheln Academy.
Naturally, they couldn't help but rejoice at the prospect of having people below them now.
"I wonder who'll cause trouble this time."
"There are still so many standout candidates, just like always."
On the other hand, there were those filled with worry and concern.
Most of them were the assistant professors.
Assistant professors had to handle all the cleanup after the professors while also looking after the students.
They were squeezed by the professors above and the students below, enduring every kind of hardship imaginable.
As such, their faces were grim ahead of this entrance exam as well.
The year before last, and last year too.
Raheln Academy had been rocked by massive uproars every entrance ceremony.
Among them, the biggest troublemakers were none other than the Valheim siblings.
Charlotte Valheim and Krash Valheim.
Thanks to these two, Raheln Academy never had a moment's peace.
Fortunately, no more direct Valheim heirs would be enrolling.
All of them were already active elsewhere.
But.
"Heard the rumor?"
"What rumor?"
This time, someone connected to the Valheims in a different way was set to enroll at Raheln Academy.
"They say Krash Valheim's fiancée is taking the entrance exam."
A rumor spreading among the assistant professors.
Krash Valheim's fiancée was coming to take Raheln Academy's entrance exam.
Who was Krash Valheim?
He was the one who had never once lost his top spot in the second-year non-department class, Raheln Academy's undisputed star.
The achievements he'd racked up during his time at the academy were enough to astonish even the professors.
His fiancée enrolling?
This was bound to stir up another storm.
"A storm? She's just his fiancée, isn't she?"
One assistant professor asked what the big deal was—it wasn't Krash himself, after all.
But he could only say that because he had no idea how many people were entangled around Krash.
"Professor Kairan, is that how it is?"
"Haha..."
Kairan, the Pirate Empress who had been defeated by Krash in last year's exam, forced a strained smile at the call from her colleague.
For some reason, after that day, she'd ended up as Krash's designated assistant professor among the staff.
She was one of the few who knew his situation best.
"Yeah. Things are going to get chaotic."
Kairan gave a bitter smile as she recalled the people around Krash.
The questioning assistant professor looked puzzled again.
"What exactly do you mean by chaotic? Are people going to pressure his fiancée just to try getting close to Krash Valheim?"
"Of course, that might happen too."
Kairan nodded in agreement.
But there were even bigger issues.
"Raheln Academy has quite a few female students who are smitten with Krash."
The puzzled assistant professor blinked at Kiran's explanation.
Given Krash's abilities, it was only natural he'd attract people.
He was bound to be rationally popular.
That part made sense.
"But doesn't having a fiancée make those feelings pointless?"
"Normally, yes. But the problem is the status of the women around him."
"Status...?"
Kairan slowly began naming the people who had shown interest in Krash, one by one.
With each name, the assistant professor's face gradually hardened.
All the names mentioned were from the most prestigious families.
"...How the hell did he get all those students to fall for him?"
"Maybe it's because he treats everything with sincerity."
Even Kairan didn't know the details.
But one thing was clear: the women around him weren't the type to back down over a single fiancée.
"Her appearance is definitely going to cause a commotion. Raheln Academy won't stay quiet, no matter what."
Moreover, there was the recent talk of the empire arranging an engagement with the Valheims.
The parties involved: Krash Valheim and Cecily Epania.
The news of their engagement had thrown Raheln Academy into an uproar.
It was shocking enough that the empire and Valheims had arranged a match.
But separately, Krash already had a fiancée.
By then, though, Krash had already gone into secluded training.
And hardly anyone dared approach Cecily Epania.
Rumor had it that Third Princess Sigrin Epania had gone to see her over it.
But what happened after that, even the students didn't know.
With all these strange rumors swirling.
It was inevitable that this fiancée's debut would spark chaos.
The once-puzzled assistant professor, now fully understanding, hung his head dejectedly.
"So, we're in for a rough ride with all sorts of headaches again."
No one could comfort him.
It was a fate they'd all share.
As the assistant professors' anxiety mounted day by day.
Raheln Academy's entrance exam began.
The exam kicked off smoothly once more.
And as always, a flood of talent poured in.
Among that talent.
A girl with strikingly beautiful features made her way forward.
Now fifteen years old.
She had shed her childish innocence and was beginning to bloom into a young lady.
Her snow-white hair, the color of her eyes, swayed gently in the breeze.
The other exam-takers her age couldn't help but stare, utterly captivated—her beauty seized everyone's attention at once.
A single white rose blooming in the snow.
She was that breathtaking.
Bianca Hardenharts.
The woman whose name had spread the farthest as Krash's fiancée.
Bianca lifted her head, her blue eyes fixed on the Raheln Academy building.
Gazing at it stirred an overwhelming emotion in her chest.
To get here, she had undergone countless grueling trainings.
Watching her, her mentor—the Northern Spirit Sorceress Jena Edalsia—had said:
"Bianca, in a few years, you'll surpass even me."
Bianca's talents were innate genius.
From handling spirits to everything else, she progressed at an astonishing pace.
And today was the day she'd show the results of her training.
As Bianca headed to the non-department arena, the exam venue.
"Wow, you're really pretty."
She turned at the woman's voice.
There stood a woman with light golden hair that caught the eye.
The woman smiled warmly the moment their eyes met.
"Hi?"
"Hello."
Bianca returned the sudden greeting.
The woman lit up at the response and sidled right up next to her.
"I'm Dalea Junon."
Bianca blinked her large eyes at the introduction.
She knew exactly what kind of family Junon was.
The Heavenly Sword Emperor Dalpiron Junon.
The empire's foremost sword clan, led by him.
And this woman was none other than his eldest granddaughter.
"I'm Bianca Hardenharts."
Bianca introduced herself without a hint of fluster.
She wore her emotions openly around Krash.
But in front of others, she remained as impassive as ever.
That only piqued Dalea's interest more.
Her eyes sparkled even brighter.
"Bianca—a pretty name! You're Krash Valheim's fiancée, right?"
Bianca quickly realized Dalea already knew her.
"Yes."
"Heehee, my grandpa mentioned Krash Valheim once. It was the first time he called someone my age the toughest nut. So I looked into him myself."
"You've done your homework."
Hearing the high praise for her fiancé, Bianca puffed up with pride, straightening her back.
She beamed just from that.
"That's why I want to beat him."
Dalea's eyes curved into crescents.
It was the glint of someone craving battle.
From the famed Junon sword clan, no less.
Her competitive fire toward Krash burned hot.
"Impossible."
But Bianca shot it down flat.
Dalea, unprepared for such certainty, raised one eyebrow and turned to her.
"I won't let you."
Dalea’s eyes widened at those words, then split into a massive grin.
"Right. It's entrance exam time now."
She waved and sauntered off.
"See you later."
Bianca watched her go, then entered the non-department arena.
A crowd of aspiring non-department freshmen filled the space.
All dreaming of Raheln Academy.
Some brimmed with confidence, others with worry.
Before this gathering of varied emotions.
Bianca subtly glanced at the arena stands.
No familiar faces.
Her lips pouted ever so slightly.
'I heard he's in secluded training.'
The one she'd hoped for most, Krash, wasn't there.
Still training?
Bianca felt a twinge of disappointment but didn't show it.
Suddenly, countless gazes flooded the stands.
An unexpected figure had appeared.
The one who caused a massive scene last year, now no longer a saintess.
Astria Stigma Freeman.
Her threateningly ample bosom drew eyes as she took her seat in the stands.
"Gasp, i-it's the saintess!"
"Not saintess anymore. It's Astria now."
"Wow, she's gorgeous."
Admiration rippled through the kids.
Her otherworldly beauty for her age mesmerized everyone.
Astria settled quietly in her seat.
She scanned the surroundings, her gaze halting on one person.
Bianca.
Their eyes met, and Bianca's narrowed slightly.
She'd heard plenty about Krash and Astria's entanglements.
Soon, more figures arrived in succession.
All big names at Raheln Academy.
Haring Lagren, daughter of the Poison King.
Aslan Igrit, grandson of the Flame King.
Karandis Poseidon, princess of Poseidon.
Crowds kept appearing.
All to see one person at this entrance exam.
Then.
A fiercer stir than before swept through the kids.
At the center of the commotion.
A man approached.
His deep navy hair was striking, and the non-department robe cloak draped over his back fluttered softly.
The moment he appeared fully, even the impassive Bianca's eyes widened for the first time.
Krash Valheim.
He had shown up at the exam venue.
"It's Krash Valheim!"
"In the flesh."
"He's here for our entrance exam?"
Who was the most famous from last year?
Everyone would agree on one man.
Krash Valheim.
And.
Krash's arrival lifted the mood instantly.
He strolled out casually, met Bianca's eyes, and raised a hand lightly.
"Bianca."
Not a loud voice, but it rang clearer than anything across the venue.
"Win."
A brief cheer, just like one his sister would give.
Hearing it, Bianca broke into a beaming smile.
"Yes."
A perfectly husband-and-wife-like exchange.