Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: False Wind
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Midsummer had arrived before they knew it.
Along with the sound of cicadas outside the carriage, Krash opened his eyes to the rhythmic clatter of the wheels.
When Krash subtly shifted his gaze while still sitting up, there was Bianca, her head resting on his shoulder as she read her book.
Bianca seemed to sense his stare and glanced over.
"You're awake."
"How long was I out?"
"About three hours."
Krash covered his mouth and let out a brief yawn.
Then, watching Bianca intently read her book, he asked,
"Doesn't it get boring spending every day cooped up in this carriage?"
"It's fine because you're here, Lord Krash."
He didn't think he'd done anything particularly entertaining for her.
As Krash rubbed his chin, Bianca stared straight at him.
Noticing his puzzled look at her gaze, she spoke up.
"Lord Krash, what do I need to do to stay by your side forever?"
"You're already here."
"Long-term."
Krash fell silent for a moment.
Back at the Demonic Palace, Bianca had been separated from him for over a month.
He had passed out right away then, so he hadn't checked on her properly, but when Krash woke up, she had been sleeping beside him, clutching the collar of his clothes tightly.
The faint shadows under her eyes showed she hadn't been sleeping well during that time.
Bianca felt anxious whenever she was apart from Krash.
'She's basically abandoned her family to come with me.'
Krash was the only one she could rely on now.
They say abandoned children fear being abandoned again.
Even though Krash would never abandon Bianca, she couldn't help but think that way.
And on this trip, she had felt that fear more acutely than ever.
What if Krash hadn't returned from the Demonic Palace...?
That thought had filled her mind.
"You'll keep going to dangerous places, won't you, Lord Krash?"
Krash couldn't deny it.
The world was on the brink of destruction; he had to dive into danger, no matter what.
Otherwise, he couldn't even stand shoulder-to-shoulder with geniuses.
"And I'll just have to watch from the sidelines."
A chilling vibe emanated from Bianca's eyes for some reason.
Staring straight into Krash's eyes, she fidgeted with her lips before gently taking his hand.
"I don't want to just watch. If something happens to you, Lord Krash, I'd rather it happens to me right beside you."
With that, she conveyed her honest feelings.
Krash opened and closed his mouth repeatedly.
Subconsciously, Krash thought he needed to train Bianca to at least protect herself.
He remembered that everyone who couldn't defend themselves had ended up dead.
Fortunately, with her time as one of the Hundred Ghosts, her talent had to be exceptional.
In the case of Bianca, who had become a World Erosion's spawn, it was more like she had forcibly drawn out her future potential.
So her innate talent was more than sufficient.
He was willing to introduce her to a master through the Crimson Garden.
But having her stand by his side was another matter entirely.
Standing at Krash's side meant joining the Generation of the Sky.
To be honest.
He didn't like it.
He didn't want to take Bianca to that brutal place, and he hated the idea of those guys looking at her with various eyes.
'...Is this just my selfishness?'
Was this the kind of greed that made fathers raise their daughters like precious jewels?
Maybe because of everything he'd built with Bianca so far, he was spoiling her too much.
'This probably isn't the right direction.'
For her sake, he needed to stop this approach.
She wasn't a child forever, after all.
Krash raised his hand and stroked Bianca's head once.
Her still-small head swayed gently under his touch.
"What makes you think something would happen to me? And even if it did, there's no need for it to happen to you too."
Bianca pouted slightly as she looked at Krash.
Seeing that, Krash couldn't help but chuckle.
"I do have something in mind personally. I think you need to be able to protect yourself too."
"I want to be by your side, Lord Krash."
"In half a year, I have to go to Raheln Academy, no matter what."
Bianca fidgeted with her feet before looking up at Krash.
"...Can't you not go?"
Hearing those words from Bianca, who rarely whined, hit hard.
Krash pulled his hand away from her head as she gripped his collar tightly.
"Sorry, I have to go for this one."
Raheln Academy was a path Krash absolutely had to take.
Since it was non-negotiable, when Krash stated it firmly, Bianca let go of his collar and leaned back in her chair.
"It didn't work."
Krash paused.
Didn't work?
Did that mean her actions just now were deliberate?
'This girl's getting clever.'
If he asked where she learned it, she'd probably say from a book.
"Got it. I don't want to be a burden on whatever path you take, Lord Krash."
"I've never thought of you as a burden."
"Thank you."
Lately, Krash felt like he had to keep reeling her in during conversations.
"I'm looking into something personally, so wait and see."
"Okay."
Bianca naturally leaned her head back on Krash's shoulder and resumed reading.
Watching her, Krash gave a wry smile and looked out the window.
Finally, the sight of Green Pine Pavilion came into view outside.
'Who would've thought I'd be back like this.'
He hadn't planned to return this early, but there had been a summons from the Valheim side.
Staron's crown prince wanted to meet him.
'The crown prince.'
Hilnider Staron.
The sole heir to the throne in Staron, the one who wanted the kingdom to unite around royal authority.
Which king wouldn't want that?
But in Staron's case, it was a bit different.
The Valheim family name held too much sway in Staron.
Mention Staron, and Valheim came up first, not the kingdom.
So, historically, relations between the royal family and Valheim were neither especially good nor bad.
From the royal perspective, Valheim was an indispensable existence.
But they still had to check the concentration of Valheim's power to some extent.
'But the crown prince was the type who wanted to turn Valheim into his own card.'
He was quite aggressive.
Enough that the royal family, which always avoided marriage talks to curb Valheim's growing power, brought up a betrothal with Charlotte, hailed as this generation's top genius.
'The crown prince isn't afraid of Valheim growing stronger; he wants to ride their coattails to elevate Staron.'
That's the kind of man he was.
Clunk—
Just then, the carriage came to a stop.
As soon as they arrived at Green Pine Pavilion, Bianca closed her book.
"The crown prince is coming, right?"
"Yeah, so once we get off, I'm getting ready right away."
This was the crown prince, after all.
Krash had decided to prepare in advance.
As Krash opened the carriage door and stepped out, he spotted a familiar figure.
"Chief Steward."
"You sure know how to stir up a fuss. Even Staron's crown prince."
It seemed Kesselin had come after hearing Hilnider was on his way.
Someone of the crown prince's stature warranted a personal welcome from the chief steward.
'Mother probably wanted to come herself with her personality.'
But Kesselin had tactfully intervened.
Meanwhile, Bianca descended from the carriage and stood beside Krash.
Seeing her, Kesselin wore an exceedingly kind smile.
"Welcome. I'm Kesselin Valheim, chief steward of Valheim. To Krash, I'm like a great-aunt."
"Pleased to meet you, Lady Kesselin Valheim. I'm Bianca Hardenharts."
Bianca lifted the hem of her skirt and curtsied politely in response.
Kesselin looked at her with the benevolent smile of someone beholding something adorable.
"Bianca, go inside first."
"Yes."
Bianca went into the room without a word.
Watching her from behind, Kesselin glanced at Krash and asked,
"The curse on Miss Bianca is gone."
She had noticed.
As expected of someone who survived in Valheim; she saw through curses with ease.
"The curse on Miss Bianca was one even famous cursebreakers couldn't lift."
She turned to Krash with a gentle smile.
"What do you think, Krash?"
"Yeah, it's amazing."
Krash brushed it off nonchalantly.
The chief steward let out a short sigh and didn't press further.
"It's fine to have a secret or two, even if you're a late starter. Just don't put too much faith in curses. You'll pay the price."
"Noted."
It was World Erosion, not a curse, but Krash said no more.
Instead, he hurried to prepare for the crown prince.
The crown prince had personally requested to meet Krash.
So Krash washed up thoroughly, changed clothes, and even had Kesselin check him.
"What do you know about the crown prince?"
"That he's Staron's crown prince, and quite ambitious."
"That's about it, then. Keep this in mind: the crown prince wants Valheim's power."
Valheim had already gauged what Hilnider wanted.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Perfect timing."
Just then, the sound of another carriage echoed from outside.
Krash glanced out the window to see the crown prince approaching, flanked by numerous knights as escorts.
"I'll go greet him."
"Shouldn't I go myself?"
An arrogant smile crossed Kesselin's face at Krash's question.
"Krash, we are Valheim."
That arrogance was Valheim's alone.
"It's not as if His Majesty himself has come. Why would the master of the house personally greet a mere prince?"
Krash was struck anew by what Valheim was.
And he agreed with her words.
The meeting with Hilnider would be a place of transaction.
Valheim was the only family that could stand toe-to-toe with Staron's royals.
There was no reason to forfeit that advantage.
"Then I'll go greet him."
"Yes, please do."
In such matters, Krash thought he was still far from matching Kesselin.
He had always kept his distance from power struggles.
Krash pulled out a chair and sat in the meticulously prepared room.
Before his regression, the crown prince had been interested only in Valheim itself, so they'd never crossed paths.
But now, at just 14, he had caught the crown prince's eye.
'Let's see.'
Time to try some sly maneuvers he'd picked up over his shoulder.
Following Kesselin, who was guiding him, Hilnider walked down the corridor of Green Pine Pavilion.
The spotless hallway, cleaned meticulously by the caretakers, felt oddly cold—perhaps because it was part of Valheim.
'Maybe it's just my preconceptions.'
That's how he always pictured Valheim.
As he often thought, Valheim was a mysterious place.
For instance, their direct descendants were born extraordinarily strong.
They all grew into some of the world's top powerhouses.
Currently, there was Balok Valheim, the Martial Emperor of the Heavenly Supreme Four, and Valheim's deputy leader in the Ten Worldly Strongest.
But in the past, there had been absurd times with two in the Heavenly Supreme Four and three in the Ten Worldly Strongest.
So Valheim was always a family to watch closely.
Even Staron's royals couldn't act rashly against them.
"Lord Hilnider Staron, we've arrived."
At that moment, Kesselin stopped in front of the door.
She knocked twice and pushed it open.
Then she stepped back to let Hilnider enter comfortably.
"Thank you for the guidance."
Hilnider stepped inside after a brief thanks.
There sat a boy in a chair.
Perhaps because he wasn't yet an adult, he had a youthful air.
As Hilnider entered, the boy stood up late and bowed his head.
"Pleased to meet you, Lord Hilnider Staron. I'm Krash Valheim."
Hilnider smiled with his eyes at the boy who introduced himself as Krash.
'He looks surprisingly mature for his age.'
He'd heard 14, but the feats he'd racked up in a single year were dazzling.
Rumors hadn't spread worldwide yet.
But in another year, his name would blaze across the world.
And that meant Krash would fully shed his "half-baked" image.
'Even now, within Staron, that image is definitely gone.'
Common folk might not talk much about Krash yet.
But Staron's nobles had all grasped his resurgence.
Valheim's news was something they couldn't ignore.
'The empire's informants figured it out long ago, and the major kingdoms' too.'
So Hilnider knew.
Not just him—various powers would start reaching out to Krash.
'Because he was harshly treated as a half-baked talent, poking at that resentment could make him easy to exploit.'
If they could recruit him before he grew sharper, turning him into a wedge against Valheim.
Everyone would be thinking that.
'I wonder if he realizes it.'
Hilnider pulled out a chair and sat following Krash.
"I feel bad calling you out when you're busy with outside activities. I just had to see Valheim's new rising flame."
"It's fine. How could I refuse when the crown prince himself came to meet me?"
The response showed he knew his place well.
"You took down that carefree ghost from the Demonic Palace, right?"
"You've heard that too. As expected of Staron's royals."
"Haha, when one of our kingdom's own achieves something, we have to listen. I was so proud. Valheim's feats are Staron's feats. How could I not be?"
"I'm glad I could contribute to the kingdom."
"I'd love for you to keep working for 'Staron' in the future."
Hilnider deliberately emphasized Staron over Valheim.
But Krash took it in stride.
'Hmm, unexpected. Being young, I thought he'd prioritize Valheim over Staron and react a bit.'
Krash showed no reaction to Hilnider's words.
'Maybe because of his half-baked days, he doesn't hold much attachment to Valheim itself.'
He might even resent Valheim for treating him that way and harbor revenge.
If so, it was the perfect opportunity for Hilnider.
A chance to recruit a Valheim direct descendant to his side with the right coaxing.
Those with nothing to start with cling hardest to opportunities.
'If I back this boy from the shadows, stoke his revenge, and propel him to Valheim's head...'
Starting this generation, Valheim could become Staron's loyal sword.