Chapter 81
Chapter 81
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Yes, It's All a Misunderstanding
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‘The problem is, that requires certain preconditions to be met first.’
Hillnider harbored such thoughts as he gazed at Krash, his smile unwavering.
“Why don’t we talk openly and honestly?”
The moment Hillnider spoke, Krash looked at him with puzzlement.
Seeing that bewildered expression, Hillnider nearly blurted out his inner thoughts without thinking.
But he was the man who would one day lead Staron.
He might not match Sizli Epania, the genius prodigy of the Empire, but he had honed countless skills and instincts to reach the pinnacle of politics.
‘He’s deliberately holding back his reactions in front of me.’
To provoke the first prince himself into making a move.
‘Interesting. The rumors that he’s shed his halfwit image seem to be true.’
So Hillnider decided to drop the probing there.
He had realized that Krash shedding the Valheim halfwit label wasn’t just due to some sudden talent bloom.
“It seems like you have business with me too.”
Even with this remark, Krash’s reaction remained impassive.
That response confirmed it.
From the moment he’d suggested speaking openly, and even now.
Krash showed not the slightest intimidation before the first prince.
Because he already knew exactly what he was going to say.
“If it’s my business, then you’re the one who came to see me, Hillnider.”
“True, I thought it was just my business. But looking into your eyes, it seems that’s not the case.”
Hillnider flashed a flawless smile.
“I came here today hoping to forge a good connection with you. Lately, Raheln Academy has drawn in a flood of talent, sparking fierce power struggles within. And right now, the representative of the Four Kingdoms’ faction is your sister.”
“You mean Charlotte, sis.”
Krash responded as if he already knew.
And if he knew that, he likely grasped the current situation too.
“Then you must know. Charlotte isn’t suited to be the representative.”
Charlotte lived by her own whims.
Free-spirited, reckless, uncontrollable.
She was strong as an individual, but not the type to draw out a group’s collective strength.
That’s why the standoff between the Four Kingdoms and the Empire was heading in a bad direction.
Charlotte’s overwhelming strength made it impossible for the Four Kingdoms to boldly put forward another representative.
Meanwhile, the Empire was rallying aggressively around Sigrin.
The balance of power teetered on the brink.
“With more talent converging on Raheln Academy than expected, frankly, I think it’s dangerous if the Empire seizes control.”
“Is it alright to say something so crucial in front of me?”
Hillnider let out a scoffing chuckle.
“You seem to have a rough idea why I’m saying this.”
So he dropped the testing.
And sure enough, Krash pierced right through Hillnider’s intentions.
“Enroll in Raheln Academy next year, seize control of the Four Kingdoms’ faction, and grapple with the Empire. Staron will back you. Isn’t that what you want to say?”
Hillnider’s eyes curved into sharper crescents.
Krash’s words were quite rude before Staron’s first prince, yet they only heightened his intrigue.
“Isn’t it premature for the current first prince to speak of Staron’s support?”
“It’s about a year from now, so yes.”
Hillnider swallowed a hollow laugh at that.
Next year, he would officially inherit the throne and begin full succession proceedings.
His power base would transform entirely then.
The nobles biding their time beneath him would offer open, full support.
Krash spoke as if he’d anticipated this—information still circulating only within Staron’s royal circles.
“……Is that the Valheim take?”
“I don’t get along particularly well with my family, so it’s just my personal view.”
A smile crept across Krash’s face, as if to say, You know that, don’t you?
Hillnider swallowed his exasperation.
Beyond that smile, a faint bead of sweat formed.
His succession was certain, but the timing—next year—was known only to his inner circle.
‘Raheln Academy’s opening has sparked friction between the Four Kingdoms and the Empire, knowingly or not. To solidify succession before rivalries escalate further, and before His Majesty steps down, we rushed the process to shield the heir from future conflicts.’
Krash had known this in advance.
Before Hillnider even brought it up.
‘And he calls it a “personal view.”’
Hillnider dismissed it as no lie.
Krash clearly had Valheim’s backing.
And through him, Valheim had ears into the royal situation—something Hillnider now saw indirectly.
So he began slowly revising his view of Krash.
‘……Valheim has consistently supported Krash, masking it by framing him as a halfwit.’
His recent growth was abnormal, even for Valheim.
But if he’d been hiding his true power all along, it fit perfectly.
‘And lately, they’ve shown his movements to pique my interest. Not just mine—anyone with the power to approach Valheim’s youngest.’
What did Valheim gain when powerhouses like him approached?
They could build ties with the royals without other nobles’ interference.
As Staron’s strongest house, Valheim had long endured serpentine noble intrigue.
Even Staron’s royals maintained a careful distance, wary of Valheim surpassing them.
The lesser nobles were even more vigilant.
‘Valheim exploited that, creating the “halfwit” Krash.’
Then, by reviving him recently, they lured Hillnider—himself—and others from kingdoms and even the Empire to reach out.
Just as Hillnider had first seen Krash as a royal hound.
Many would target Valheim through him.
Those who came to manipulate Krash to their whims would instead get ensnared in Valheim’s trap.
‘Because all the information funneled through Krash would end up in Valheim’s hands.’
Kingdoms and the Empire would pile fuel onto Krash to fan the spark.
Blind to how it fortified Valheim’s fortress.
And there sat Krash, staring at Hillnider with a bored expression.
‘I can practically hear the gears turning in his head from here.’
Hillnider was sharp.
Even with Valheim’s aid, he’d held off the Empire in war, then persuaded other kingdoms to push them back.
Uncovering the Empire’s internal woes through intel and cunning, then leveraging other kingdoms’ might—that was pure Hillnider.
Of course, even he couldn’t avert the world’s end.
Still, Krash held him in decent regard.
‘And that’s the trap.’
Sharp mind.
What did that mean?
From scant info, his brilliant brain reverse-engineered the entire chain of events to its source.
It would serve ruling a nation well.
His deduction accuracy rivaled Sizli’s—not quite, but impressively high, proven time and again.
No wonder succession was all but locked despite his youth.
So Krash exploited it.
Hillnider wouldn’t suspect a fearless 14-year-old spilling regression-era secrets.
‘It’ll naturally paint Valheim as my backer in his mind.’
Krash knew he couldn’t match Hillnider or Sizli in pure brain games.
Opening his mouth in geniuses’ number wars would just get him crushed.
‘So throw caution to the wind.’
Let Hillnider’s genius mind concoct its own narrative from his moves.
Just as commoners can’t grasp geniuses.
Geniuses often fail to understand commoners too.
“Hoo.”
Hillnider covered his face and exhaled deeply.
‘Should I call this a clean bite? Or fortunate I arrived first?’
As Krash predicted, he’d neatly pieced it all together in his head.
“You let me know on purpose. So Valheim isn’t hostile to Staron?”
“Valheim, in Staron Kingdom, wouldn’t antagonize Staron.”
“Good to hear. I’ve always admired Valheim for producing so many heroes.”
Hillnider smiled as if relieved, then asked.
“So, what do you think of my proposal?”
The one Krash had just spelled out.
Even knowing Valheim used him, the offer stood.
Krash tapped the armrest with his index finger briefly.
Then he grinned faintly.
“How about this for your proposal?”
“……You have a counter?”
Krash’s will was Valheim’s.
Hillnider waited calmly, so Krash continued.
“Krash Valheim is still just a halfwit. The slaughterhound from the Hardenharts incident was battered fleeing the Empire, and this time with Nakcheon, it took a master-class talent like Rakladion and Pendallod together to barely bring it down.”
Puzzlement flickered in his eyes.
“……You know you can’t hide the sun with your hand?”
“Yes, you can’t block the sun with a hand. But if that hand is the Staron royal family’s, it’s pretty big. Adding Valheim’s hand wouldn’t hurt.”
“Hmm, but rumors like that won’t last a full year.”
The world was vast.
Truth spread, but so did lies.
Thus, kingdoms and empires verified intel rigorously.
No matter how hidden, leaked info eventually surfaced true or false.
That’s what Hillnider’s “one year” meant.
“That’s fine. It’ll hold until I enroll in the academy.”
Hillnider’s eyes lit up.
“……So when academy enrollment hits and rumors of ‘false info’ turn out true, kingdoms and Empire eyes will lock on you. You’ll naturally take center stage. With Four Kingdoms and Empire students desperate to contact you via proxies, chaos ensues.”
Rumors were like fire.
Bright but fleeting.
So Krash aimed to smother it now.
For a later blaze no one could ignore.
Especially if Staron and Valheim hushed it—lending it authenticity.
Hillnider laughed in admiration.
“Haha, what a piece of work. I thought to build you up with royal backing. Turns out you’re a tiger already cloaked in size.”
It meant everything was prepared.
Staron just adding a ladle.
“Glad Valheim’s on Staron’s side.”
“Valheim feels fortunate to stand with the understanding Staron royals.”
Krash bantered lightly.
“Alright. I’ll throw my weight behind it. This meeting left quite the impression.”
Hillnider rose to end the talk.
He had much to do back at the palace.
“Skipping the meal alright?”
“Better to stamp out rumors in the cradle, no?”
“Won’t deny it.”
Hillnider smiled at Krash’s candor.
Then, struck by a thought, he turned back.
“By the way, how strong are you really right now?”
Using rumors was fine, but ruling Raheln Academy demanded raw power.
Krash chuckled shortly at the question.
“No one in the academy will beat me.”
Hillnider glimpsed Charlotte in him.
Her arrogance matched her skill.
But it was personal might; she fundamentally couldn’t collaborate.
Krash, though?
He uttered Charlotte-level arrogance without hesitation—and just startled Hillnider too.
Perhaps Valheim’s true star lurked quietly, biding time.
“……Might need to revise my Valheim assessment further.”
He deliberately voiced expectations for Krash, then turned away.
Etching the name Krash Valheim vividly in his mind.
Once Hillnider left, Krash slumped in the chair, tension easing.
He cradled his forehead and sighed quietly.
“……Crimson Garden.”
[Na-won, I’ve no taste for this sort of thing.]
Crimson Garden, appearing suddenly, settled into Hillnider’s vacated seat.
“Let’s map out just how far that guy ran wild with his assumptions.”
[Why not just tell you?]
“Then I’d be helpless without you.”
Crimson Garden stared at Krash piercingly.
Having grasped why he obsessed over self-reliance after whatever he’d endured.
[Kid, how many by your side have you lost so far?]
Krash’s actions clearly hedged against problems from losses.
Crimson Garden asked with a complicated look, but Krash gave no real answer.
He, who’d faced doom at the forefront with Generation of the Sky, swallowing every curse to save them.
“A few” meant nothing to him.
“Just burning time to keep up with geniuses.”
[Haa, you stubborn brat.]
Krash began replaying his talk with Hillnider alongside Crimson Garden.
Hillnider deduced in flashes.
Krash had to retrace the dialogue from start to grasp it.
As said before: geniuses don’t get commoners.
Nor vice versa.
[Later.]
Midway, Crimson Garden added.
[Once you’ve nothing left to lose, think on it again.]
Krash gave a hollow smile.
Thinking it a distant “if,” indeed very distant.