Chapter 192: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (56)
Chapter 192: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (56)
In the wake of the unprecedented incident where hundreds of demonic beasts raided the Academy, numerous changes took place.
First and foremost, the protests from parents, led by high-ranking nobles, were formidable.
To a noble house, a child was a precious family member of noble blood, but they were also a vital means of forming alliances with other families through marriage. Furthermore, those enrolled in the Academy were individuals who possessed both status and talent. They were assets that high-ranking nobles could not help but cherish.
Yet, demonic beasts had attacked the Academy—a place they had believed to be an eternal sanctuary.
While the death toll was not high, news reached every corner of the empire that the scale of damage, including the injured, was significant. The fury of the noble families was proportional to the trust they had placed in the Academy.
The backlash from parents demanding the immediate return of their children was fierce. It reached a point where Chancellor Delemore, famous for rarely making public appearances, had to step forward personally to appease them.
While the Academy understood the parents' feelings, they had no other choice.
This was an unprecedented situation where a member of the Dark Cult had infiltrated the inner circle of the Imperial Family. There was no telling if more masterminds behind the raid were still hiding within the Academy.
The Academy’s decision to cautiously monitor the movements of everyone on campus was only logical.
Of course, the true reason was classified. The Academy's leadership was not so foolish as to tell parents who were already seeing red, "Your child might be a mole for the Dark Cult."
Instead, they simply repeated like parrots that students could not be released for their own safety, as remnants of the demonic beasts might still be lurking.
These rapid changes occurred both inside and outside the Academy.
Tension ran high among the students due to an event so rare it was hard to find a precedent even in the Academy's long history.
However, as crises often create heroes, the students shared their experiences of the raid whenever they met, and several celebrities were born from these tales.
For instance, Delphine Yurdina and Elsie Lainella were among them. Already famous, the two had contributed greatly to minimizing casualties with appropriate responses befitting their status as seniors. It was a performance that vividly proved their reputation as the "twin chariots leading the fourth year."
In addition, the top and second-ranked students of the third-year Swordsmanship Department gained popularity for their calm handling of the situation. Thus, the post-crisis Academy was busy discovering new heroes.
And among them, the figure who became the greatest topic of conversation was Ian Percus.
He was the one who had already bewildered the Academy with his dazzling track record around the time of the Hunting Festival. Now, he had once again shown a side of himself that would be on everyone's lips.
First, the fact that Ian’s skills—which had previously been the subject of countless rumors—were finally revealed to the world played a major role.
Until now, there had been only two instances where Ian had fought publicly, excluding sparring matches. One was his clash with Elsie’s gang, and the other was his friction with the Princess’s party.
In the former case, it was impossible to deny that he had the significant advantage of a surprise attack. In the latter, the story was so unrealistic, and the exchange had happened so quickly, that few could recount the details of his martial prowess.
But the skill Ian displayed during the demonic beast raid was different.
Most Academy students participate in the Homecoming Festival. On that day, when the crowds were screaming in terror, countless people witnessed him slaughtering demonic beasts alone like a machine.
His response was swift and unwavering. However, what the witnesses truly focused on was something slightly different: Ian’s near-bestial combat instincts.
Throwing axes, piercing vital points with a sword, and switching weapons at will, Ian had even crushed the faces of demonic beasts with his bare fists.
It was the moment one of the many rumors about him was confirmed as fact.
‘Ian Percus is twice as strong in real combat.’
As if to prove those words, Ian Percus had roamed the battlefield freely, slaying dozens of demonic beasts.
Another reason his actions received even more attention was the attitude the Academy members had previously shown toward him.
For the past two weeks, he had been treated as little more than a public enemy of the Academy.
This was due to the charge of daring to offend the Fifth Princess of the Empire.
He had committed the impious act of suddenly splashing water on the Princess. The consequence of touching the most powerful person on the continent was miserable. Before long, most of the Academy's members had turned hostile toward Ian.
The bullying had grown increasingly blatant.
It was directed not only at Ian but also at those around him. These were days when not only intangible violence but even physical violence was perpetrated as if it were nothing.
Although physical bullying decreased once Ian began to respond in earnest, the fact that he remained public enemy number one did not change. Psychological violence continued to be inflicted upon him.
Yet, Ian did not seem to care about that resentment.
He saved everyone without discrimination, even the students who had bullied him. Testimonies were even emerging that he had handed over healing potions to his tormentors while he himself was injured.
The students who had hated Ian without a second thought could not help but feel ashamed.
Furthermore, the truth behind the "blasphemy" Ian had committed was being revealed in detail.
An announcement followed that the Dark Cult was the mastermind behind the raid using demonic beasts.
It was the most shocking news since the appearance of the Fiend at the orphanage. It was a declaration that the subordinates of darkness, whose names had been forgotten for thousands of years, had been resurrected.
The Academy was well aware of the ripple effect this would have. They adjusted the intensity of their statements with the utmost caution, making it clear that the Dark Cult would not be appearing on the front lines immediately.
And the existence of the Dark Cult had a reflective effect on the perception of Ian.
The Academy wanted to emphasize that the mysterious group known as the ‘Dark Cult’ was a force they could handle. The person utilized in that process was Ian.
Not only had he defeated the Fiend at the orphanage single-handedly, but he had also stormed the underground cavern, subjugated the Dark Priest, and rescued the Princess.
His amazing exploits proved two things.
First, that the feats Ian Percus had shown so far were by no means a fluke.
And second, that the Dark Cult’s conspiracies were at a level that could be crushed by a single heroic individual.
Either way, the gazes of those looking at Ian could not help but be filled with admiration.
Along with the revelation that the water Ian had splashed on the Princess was actually ‘Holy Water,’ the perception of him shifted dramatically.
There had been a misunderstanding, but he was a hero.
Ian had even silently endured that unreasonable violence and treatment. His subsequent actions of saving even those who had bullied him without discrimination were worthy of praise.
The members of the Academy who had insulted and mocked Ian were now red-faced with embarrassment.
However, a reversal inevitably triggers another reversal.
If the perception of Ian had been elevated from public enemy to everyone's hero, then conversely, someone else had to suffer an even greater fall.
Naturally, the scapegoat had to be the person who was considered Ian’s primary antagonist.
Cien, the Fifth Princess of the Empire.
For the first time in a long while, she had to keep her head bowed low with every step she took. The nightmares she had experienced in her childhood, or perhaps an even greater hostility, were piercing the girl like blades.
In her dejected state, glancing around warily, there was no trace of her former dignity or spirit.
Cien, who tried to look away and then squeezed her eyes shut, was plagued by the urge to cover her ears as well.
"Is that her? The one who bullied that loyal subject over a misunderstanding...?"
"Shh, shh. Be quiet. They say she didn't know."
"Does not knowing make the pain he suffered disappear? A leader should be magnanimous."
Ridicule and mockery poured down on her.
As painful memories of the past were triggered, the Princess’s breathing grew ragged. Gasping, she hurried her pace, but the malice followed her like a tail.
Everywhere she went, there were only stories insulting her.
Even though no physical violence was inflicted upon her because she was royalty, to a Princess who could read human psychology, hostility was the most blatant form of violence.
It was painful and exhausting.
And deep down, she felt a sense of injustice.
Didn't everyone insult him?
Just as I didn't know, didn't you all bully him without knowing? I feel so sorry and grateful to him that I cry every night, and I want to get down on my knees and beg for forgiveness right now.
Why do you all naturally shift all that guilt onto me, making me the scapegoat, without even thinking of apologizing to the man yourselves?
She felt hatred and resentment, but the Princess’s enemy was the entire world.
Every time she opened her eyes, a suffocating level of hatred was transmitted to her.
The malice held by each individual passerby was not great, but when it became a flow of hundreds and thousands, it formed a river so heavy it was unbearable.
The Princess ran as if escaping. The laughter she heard around her felt like it was mocking her.
Moisture began to shimmer again in Cien’s pale gray eyes.
She felt like collapsing and sobbing. But she couldn't do that just yet.
There were many things to settle.
The merchant guild run by Ian’s younger sister had long since been on the verge of bankruptcy. The Princess didn't even know if there was a way to stop it.
Regarding that part, she planned to cling to her father, the Emperor, no matter what.
There were many other things to do as well. Gasping for breath, Cien opened one of the doors to the concentrated healing room.
Her former ally was staying there.
Lady Ruphesia. Cien slowly raised her head along with her heavy breathing.
And the expression on Lady Ruphesia’s face—no, her emotion—was...
"...Hello, Your Highness."
It was so terribly cold that Cien could only manage an awkward smile.
She had no allies.
Just like in her childhood, they were nowhere to be found.
Cien had become everyone's enemy.
She felt as if she might burst into tears at any moment.