Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Academy Entrance Ceremony
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Today was the day of the entrance ceremony.
The morning air was exceptionally clear and crisp.
Sunlight gently brushed across my face, and when I looked up, the sky seemed a little higher than yesterday.
The season hadn't changed, nor had the scenery, yet everything felt strangely new.
Students of all sorts walked along the well-paved path.
Each carrying their own excitement and anticipation in their hearts, they headed to school like people making their way to a festival.
A carriage adorned with ornate engravings caught the students' eyes amid the lively commute.
It stopped in front of the academy's main gate, looking like something that had cost a fortune.
As all eyes turned to it, the carriage door opened.
"Whoa! The semester's finally starting!"
The first to leap out was a red-haired boy with tanned brown skin, flashing a cheerful grin.
-Murmurs
"Isn't that guy!"
A student holding a book in one hand and adjusting his shiny glasses with the other shouted excitedly.
"Lancelot Verstappen! Eldest son of the Duke of Verstappen and heir apparent, who's built his reputation subduing heretics since childhood and is the frontrunner for the next Knight Commander!!!"
The red-haired boy placed his hands on his hips and gazed up at the towering academy building.
Next to emerge was a boy with shining white hair and golden eyes.
He stepped down slowly from the carriage, glanced around once, then closed his eyes as if uninterested.
-Murmurs
"Isn't that guy!"
The future intel operative, who seemed to love explaining things, backed away while raising his voice.
"Crown Prince Liam Luminaria of the Luminaria Empire! A prodigy in magic since childhood..."
"Liam... what are you doing?"
"Ah."
The glasses-wearing student was rambling on, but Jenia's voice snapped me back to reality.
Jenia was waiting blankly inside the carriage for me to escort her.
Embarrassment washed over me, and I reached out a hand.
"...Sorry, I was just pondering the best pose to strike."
His explanation had been so perfect that I'd instantly slipped into full character mode.
It was the moment I finally understood a bit of how WWE wrestlers feel during their entrances.
Jenia smiled as if to say she couldn't scold me, then elegantly stepped down from the carriage.
Everyone around let out gasps of admiration at her dignified poise.
"Isn't that lady!"
Yeah, yeah, thanks for the rundown.
I made a mental note of that student's face, vowing to scout him someday.
I had a feeling briefings under him would turn meetings into fun times...
"The weather's so nice today, Apostle Lord!"
Veronica, now casually dropping "Apostle Lord" without a care for onlookers.
As she grabbed my shoulder with a lively cheer and hopped down, the area somehow felt a bit brighter.
"Isn't that lady!"
Yeah, yeah, thanks...
With everyone out of the carriage, we naturally headed toward the auditorium.
The students parted before us like the Red Sea.
At banquets, nobles swarmed us, so this felt refreshingly different.
"Liam!"
A rogue voice calling the Crown Prince of the Empire by name cut through the crowd, drawing all eyes.
But it hardly sounded roguish—more like pure joy and brightness.
Students backed away, spotlighting a yellow-haired boy with a radiant smile as they cleared a path.
Whoa... classic romance novel path-making!
Standing in the opened path was Lucas, the hero from the hero party.
He approached me with a bright smile and a greeting.
"Liam! Long time no see—how've you been?"
All eyes locked on the Crown Prince's lips.
Wondering if he'd rebuke the insolence or acknowledge the friendship.
"I've been great. You look good yourself."
-Sighs of relief
As the Crown Prince and hero shook hands, sighs erupted around us.
...This is gonna make life tough.
I'd planned to strut confidently since I hadn't done anything wrong, but now I got why celebrities hide.
As I shared a bittersweet handshake with Lucas, a crisp voice seized everyone's attention.
"Are you that famous Crown Prince?"
A girl with fresh green hair swaying like spring grass approached, her beautiful green eyes staring straight at me.
Her delicate, artwork-like features held high with pride drew my gaze to her pointed ears.
Elf? Ah... that character.
Surprised by the first elf I'd seen, I recalled her name...
"Nice to meet you! I'm Aneis Alvheim, Second Princess of the Alvheim Kingdom! I've heard all about you?"
I'd been staring blankly, unsure what to say, but manners kicked in—I composed myself and shook her offered hand.
"Nice to meet you. Liam Luminaria, Crown Prince of the Luminaria Empire."
I released her hand, nodded, and waited for her point. But the tomboyish, self-paced princess started to speak, then spotted Lucas and extended her hand to him instead.
"You're this generation's hero, right? Looking forward to working with you!"
Lucas's face soured at the hand thrust his way, and his gripped fist trembled.
As the hero party's saintess Leila paled and moved to smack his head amid the weird tension...
"What manners? Can't find any even if you wash your eyes out, you pointy-eared freak..."
...???>
[What?]
His low mutter rang out like it had a megaphone—silence fell over everyone nearby.
I stumbled back in shock, losing all composure. Lancelot just blinked, Jenia's eyes darted too fast to track, and Veronica clasped her hands at her chest, mouth agape.
"Lu... cas..."
As I tried to process it, the elf glared at him with a cold expression.
"What did you just say?"
The hero party members were ghostly pale, unable to intervene, but Lucas didn't care—his mouth opened again.
"Can't you see humans talking? Fitting for a pointy-eared freak who's eaten all sense of decorum."
"Take that back if you don't want to die."
"Want me to repeat it? Don't speak so arrogantly to strangers, pointy-ears."
The picture-perfect earnest youth Lucas was gone, replaced by a raging racist clashing with the rude tomboy.
The students sensed the suffocating tension but lost to humanity's sixth sense—curiosity—keeping silent at a distance, just swallowing hard.
I was too stunned to know what to say or if I should stop them, mouth flapping uselessly, when a massive wind spirit burst from the tomboy.
-Kyaaah!
"I'll kill you!"
Not to be outdone, Lucas erupted with holy power and drew his sword.
"Time I teach you manners, you false-god-worshipping pointy-eared bitch!"
The hero party couldn't approach his aura, just screaming.
"Hero! Have you lost your mind!?"
"Lucas! Get a grip, please!"
Seeing the chaos erupt in seconds, I said...
"Guys..."
"Wha...? Yeah?"
"Should we run?"
"..."
For some reason, I had zero interest in mediating—I just wanted to bolt.
Even our brain trust Jenia pondered...
"We should stop them... no, run... but he's a capture target... uh..."
Our brains shut down.
With brains offline, instinct took over—I acted on my own.
-Snap!
I cast a spell, trapping the massive spirit in transparent glass and binding Lucas's limbs with iron chains.
"Wh-what is this!"
"Huh?"
"Both of you... calm... down... fight without me, please."
Rubbing my throbbing head, someone shouted from afar.
"What is this commotion!!"
The booming voice made everyone flinch, and there...
"Causing a ruckus on the first day of the semester, you brats!!"
A towering figure with wild white hair cascading to his neck, vest exposing his shoulders, sword strapped to his back—like a veteran hero.
His impression screamed "not easy."
Cross him wrong, and he'd be a pain all semester...
"You three! Starting trouble on entrance ceremony day! To the faculty office—now!"
'?'
"Three... you say?"
"That's right! Green-hair! Yellow-hair! White-hair!"
The tomboy bristled at the blunt labels.
"I'm not green-hair, I'm from the Alvheim Kingdom—"
"Once you step into this academy!"
His voice thundered.
"You're all just students!"
Ah... that type of character.
Straightforward, experienced, unyielding to outside pressure—a true mentor...
I released their spells and quickly assessed.
Don't piss him off.
I stood promptly, ready to follow. His eyes gleamed.
"What's your name?"
Does he not know me? Or maybe he ignores the world...
"Liam Luminaria."
"Hoo, the freshman rep, eh... Won't let this slide before the ceremony! Yellow-hair, green-hair—follow!"
So now, dragged to the faculty office, we were...
"I got mad because you pointy... elf was so rude. Sorry."
"Got it..."
"I got mad because a mere commoner dared snap at me, Princess of Alvheim. Truth is, you started picking fights all arrogantly..."
"Ahem!"
"...Sorry."
"Got it."
"Honestly, I think I did nothing wrong..."
"Tsk!"
"Sor... ry..."
"Got it."
Playing "Got It" while holding hands.
Lucas and the tomboy's faces twisted demonically, veins bulging on their clasped hands as they shook...
Just kill each other...
I hated them both.
No one knew what the tomboy wanted that day, or how the hero turned into a fucking racist...