Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Dersen Ruabella & Rachel Ruabella
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Step.
Step...
After parting with Glacia, I was heading back to the dormitory, and my entire body ached.
Training with the artifacts in the A-Class training grounds, which weren't available in the C-Class facility, had rapidly exhausted my body.
I hadn't even trained for that long, but the fatigue I felt was on a completely different level.
"..."
I yawned involuntarily, my gaze drawn to the academy buildings bathed in the red glow of the sunset.
The sheer scale of the academy was magnificent.
It was so grand that I wondered if an academy of this size even existed back in my original world.
Beyond the buildings for this year's new students, the structures housing the upperclassmen were also tinted by the sunset, creating a breathtaking spectacle.
As I stared blankly at the scene, a small smile escaped my lips.
"The weekend starts tomorrow."
There were no lectures at Grand Royal Academy on weekends. Instructors and students alike took the time to rest and recharge.
Weekends were typically a time for students to socialize. While some trained even on weekends, most took it easy unless it was exam season.
In the case of the protagonist, Leonhardt, his popularity meant his weekends were filled with various events and encounters...
'But that's not going to happen to me.'
In fact, I was more comfortable with that.
"Maybe I'll take one day this weekend to just relax."
My body was holding up well for now, but rest was still essential.
I'd been training hard, and aside from my meeting with Glacia on Sunday, I had nothing else to worry about over the weekend.
I had already arranged to sort out the schedule for Kalli's private training room next week.
Step.
As I walked along, lost in thought, a group of students came into view, emerging from a building.
It wasn't one of the regular academy buildings, but a separate, incredibly luxurious one.
Students dressed in what were clearly high-end, gold-trimmed uniforms were filing out one by one. Even from a distance, they stood out distinctly.
'S-Class...'
S-Class was composed exclusively of royalty and the children of the most influential high nobles.
Their traits were Unique-grade at a minimum, and they were beings that ordinary students wouldn't dare approach.
Among them, a particular pair stood out.
A young man and woman, both with brilliant blond hair.
Even among the S-Class students, their presence was overwhelming. They were the royalty of the current empire.
The brother was Dersen Ruabella, and the sister, Rachel Ruabella.
Gulp.
I inadvertently swallowed as I looked at them, then quickly tore my eyes away.
Staring too long could get me into trouble. The best course of action was to avoid any connection with them from the start.
"Only Leonhardt can deal with them."
While I might accidentally cross paths with other heroines, like Luna from my own class, royalty was a different story.
No one but Leonhardt could even hold a proper conversation with them.
Step.
As I made my way to the dormitory, I thought to myself that getting involved with royalty was impossible for me.
In the case of Princess Rachel, Dersen was so fiercely protective of her that he constantly clashed with Leonhardt.
'...'
Princess Rachel also had feelings for Leonhardt, and he felt the same way about her.
But friction constantly arose between them.
All because of one person: Dersen.
"...Well, I guess this is just one of the trials the protagonist has to face."
I muttered to myself with a slight chuckle.
Still, he'd figure it out on his own.
It wasn't my problem. Besides, Leonhardt's involvement with the princess wasn't supposed to happen for a long time.
Step.
Just as I was walking on.
...I suddenly felt a chill.
Step.
Lost in thought, I hadn't noticed it at first, but now I heard footsteps approaching me from behind.
And it wasn't just one person, but several.
Step. Step...
For a moment, I considered ignoring them and heading straight for the dormitory... but that didn't feel right, so I slowly turned around.
Please, let it not be who I think it is...
"Oh, my."
But, as always, my worst fears came true. A surprised blond woman was looking at me.
Beneath her radiant, golden hair, Rachel Ruabella was a beauty of the highest caliber, with a pure yet warm expression.
Seeing her up close, I felt my breath catch in my throat.
But... I couldn't let it show.
Because Dersen was standing right beside her, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Other children of nobles stood behind the pair, and just seeing them was enough to feel a sense of intimidation.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
As I spoke, I had to concentrate intensely to keep my voice from trembling.
There was no formal hierarchy of speech between academy students based on status. I spoke calmly, but I could feel a cold sweat suddenly break out on my back.
"So you are Han Cheon-seong. It's nothing much. My sister, Rachel, has been quite curious about you. Since we've run into each other, I was hoping you could spare us a moment. That should be fine, right?"
Dersen's question, "That should be fine, right?" carried a naturalness that no one could imitate.
It was laced with the certainty that I couldn't possibly refuse...
I stiffly turned my gaze to Rachel and nodded.
"Yes... that's fine."
Facing Princess Rachel, whose eyes were filled with curiosity, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of thunderbolt had just struck me.
"Excellent. Then let's have some tea. The rest of you may leave. Moving as a group might make Rachel uncomfortable."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"We will take our leave now."
At Dersen's command, the high nobles all bowed deeply and departed. The sight alone made my heart freeze over.
Once they had left.
Dersen glanced at me and then started walking, as if expecting me to follow.
Step.
I naturally fell into step with him, but inside, I was burning with anxiety.
'This is insane.'
How could something like this happen to me? I felt a greater sense of crisis now than when Luna had misunderstood me and false rumors had spread.
...This was an event that was supposed to happen to Leonhardt.
So how did I end up getting involved with royalty? No matter how I thought about it, it made no sense.
"Han Cheon-seong?"
"...Yes."
"I'll be serving some rather fine tea, so you have something to look forward to. Rachel isn't the only one; I've been quite curious about you myself. Though I never expected we'd meet like this, by chance."
"Is that so... I'm honored."
"Honored? Don't be silly... Still, it's truly surprising. I heard you managed a draw against Leonhardt, this year's top student, despite being Common-grade. Leonhardt, who beat me for the top spot, wouldn't have thrown the match, which makes you all the more interesting."
Dersen spoke calmly, but being next to him felt like walking on thin ice.
I hesitated for a moment, at a loss for words.
"Haha... come now. There's no need to be so formal with me, like everyone else. Aren't we both just fellow students?"
Dersen spoke in a friendly tone, but his words didn't feel sincere at all.
In a world where nobles naturally looked down on commoners, how would a royal like Dersen truly view one?
Moreover, Dersen's trait was Legendary-grade. He and Leonhardt were the *only* two new students this year with a Legendary trait.
...In contrast, I was Common-grade.
No matter how strong my Spearmanship was for its grade, the prejudice against grades was impossible to ignore.
Trait and status. If I made even the slightest slip of the tongue, it would be over for me.
"Thank you for the sentiment, but how could I possibly presume to do so?"
"...Is that so? If you insist, then it's a shame. I suppose I can't force you."
He nodded lightly, but I could see the coldness in Dersen's eyes.
He was testing me, probing lightly.
And knowing that, I tried to answer as nonchalantly as possible.
This situation was unfolding with questions very similar to the ones Dersen had posed to Leonhardt.
"Excuse me. Is your name Han Cheon-seong?"
Then, a gentle voice spoke up, making me pause and glance to my side.
Rachel was there, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me.
"Yes, it is."
I didn't say something stupid like, "My family name is Han, and my given name is Cheon-seong."
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I had to act as if I didn't have a family name in this world.
"Han Cheon-seong. What a fascinating name. I've never heard one like it before... From the rumors about your duel with student Leonhardt to your name, everything feels so new."
She smiled softly at me, and I had to force myself not to just stare blankly at her.
"I hear that often. My name is rather unusual compared to others."
"Well, that's true enough. So, are you on your way back from training today? Your uniform seems quite dirty."
Dersen cut into my conversation with Rachel, and I naturally turned my gaze to him and nodded.
"Yes. I was focused on my training... I'm afraid I'm a bit of a mess."
"Then before we have tea, I'll have a handmaiden attend to you. It would be best to change your clothes."
Dersen spoke as if it were the only proper course of action, and I immediately accepted.
"Yes. Understood."
I tried to answer calmly, but my heart felt incredibly heavy.
This wasn't a metaphor; I truly felt like I was walking with a time bomb strapped to each side of me.
An absolute sense of crisis, as if making a mistake with either of them would mean the end of my academy life.
'If it was going to be like this... I should have just stayed at the training grounds a little longer.'
Or I should have turned and walked away the moment I saw them, without a second thought. I regretted letting my curiosity get the better of me and staring for even a moment.
"So, Han Cheon-seong. I heard your trait is Spearmanship. I've had some experience with the spear myself in the past."
"Really?"
"Of course. Is the spear not the king of polearms? Although Spearmanship as a trait doesn't receive any significant power from other traits, the weapon itself is well worth the time to learn."
Dersen's sudden, intriguing words piqued my interest.
Being royalty, his childhood was undoubtedly extraordinary, but I never imagined he would have learned spearmanship as well.
"I've learned a bit of spearmanship, too."
As Rachel chimed in, I glanced at her involuntarily...
And the sense of crisis I felt only grew stronger.
A feeling that I wouldn't be able to escape this situation easily... No, it already felt like a foregone conclusion.