Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: The Villainous Lady Chloe (1)
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"Hnn... Ahh... Mmm..."
Lillia let out those strange nasal sounds as she caressed my hand. It was just like her, with her fetish for my hands.
"Lord Julian's... this beautiful hand... Haa... Once you taste it... you can never go back... Ahh..."
She started groping my hand out of nowhere.
"Princess Lillia?"
A moment later, Lillia snapped out of it, realizing her behavior wasn't befitting her station.
"Oh dear. What on earth was I doing? I'm so sorry. I've been so worried about you... I mean, Lord Julian... that the moment I saw your face, I got dizzy without realizing it..."
"I'm fine."
I was already hard from her sensual touch, but I played it cool.
"And this rosary around your neck... don't tell me?"
"Yes. It's my mother, Saintess Agnes's rosary."
The rosary looked ordinary at first glance. But Lillia was a saintess candidate herself. Her eyes and senses were incredibly sharp.
Lillia's mouth fell open slightly for a moment.
"It's real. Even the high priests of the Order couldn't hold this item, yet you've taken it with you, Lord Julian. What an incredible feat."
Her expression brimmed with pride and satisfaction as she spoke. Then, as if praising me, she absentmindedly stroked my head.
It was the same tender care as the lap pillow she'd given me a few days ago.
And that's how the rewards came in. Lillia, who had been lost in ecstasy from her own stroking, came back to her senses.
"Then it must be true that you successfully completed the ordination as a divine priest of Lord Jedin. Of course, I thought you'd succeed without a doubt, so I wasn't worried at all... well, maybe a little... but still, you're amazing, Lord Julian."
"No, it's nothing. I'm sorry for taking the rosary that should have gone to you, Princess Lillia."
"Nonsense. Everything I have belongs to you, Lord Julian, and everything you have is mine."
"Hm. I see."
It sounded political at first glance, but since we were fiancés, it wasn't wrong, so I let it slide.
Then Lillia told me the aftermath of the Colosseum incident. The truth was being kept secret from the Pantheon cadets for now.
She'd learned the full story through her connections as an imperial princess.
I'd heard the details in the grand cathedral too, but we went over it again.
"So, what happened in the Colosseum that day has been hushed up by the Order Assembly. The Pantheon is supposed to be the safest place of all, but if word got out that a Rank-2 beast appeared there, it could cause panic among the cadets."
"I heard about that too."
"The fact that I, who wasn't even there, know this is because of my status. Probably, in this Golden Wing platoon, only you and I know the truth."
And so, my miracle wasn't publicly announced. Of course, the Order Assembly wanted to spread it far and wide for propaganda.
But I stopped them personally.
In Demon King's Son Surviving in the Holy Empire, there was a choice command. Announce it or not.
Publicizing this miracle across the empire wouldn't be good right now. Choosing to announce it led to factions trying to use me or eliminate me, snowballing into all sorts of intrigue.
Of course, that ended in a bad route.
I can use this miracle after I've grown stronger and built my own forces.
It wouldn't be too late to spread the legend then. Lillia continued.
"But those in the know already know. The beast attacked right where the key figures of the ceremony were sitting, after all. So I'm even prouder of you, Lord Julian. You're truly amazing!"
Just as she said, no point worrying if the informed already knew. Plus, I'd already received all the benefits and rewards from the Order Assembly.
Even Saintess Agnes's rosary.
I responded to Lillia's lavish praise with humility.
"It was nothing. The Order Assembly is just making a fuss over it."
"Still, it's good that they recognized your great feat. If they'd tried to sweep it under the rug, I was going to apply some pressure myself."
"No need for that. Haven't I been assigned to the Golden Wings again?"
In truth, getting access to all six Orders' lectures was only possible through my backers.
But being placed in the Golden Wing reserve platoon was blatant favoritism. It was natural for the cadets here to find it suspicious.
Especially since Julian's combat scores were at the bottom of his year.
I continued.
"On the other hand, it's a bit worrying. The Golden Wings are made up of the top cadets in pure combat ability. I'm concerned there might be unnecessary rumors."
"No need to worry! If it's a dangerous mission, I'll protect you, Lord Julian."
"Haha. Thank you for saying that. But I'm of Reinhardt blood too. I can protect myself just fine—nay, even you, Princess Lillia."
"Lord Julian..."
It was corny even to me, but Lillia looked like she was about to melt. Anyway, as I said earlier, the Golden Wings were no joke.
And that's why it's a proficiency goldmine.
At that moment, murmurs rose from one side of the waiting area. I glanced over. There was a female cadet in combat uniform, hiding her mouth with a fan.
Chloe de Aiterne. The terrifying villainous lady Chloe. And the woman who would diligently serve as my proficiency shuttle from now on.
I briefly recalled why we'd been summoned to the training grounds today.
The cadets had gathered for the reserve platoon's first training orientation and pair formation.
Pairs were two cadets teaming up for simple missions, balanced for fairness among the cadets.
The current Rank 1 in Golden Wings was Chloe.
If the Colosseum match hadn't been canceled by the beast, Rosetta would have been first. But officially, it was a draw, so Chloe took Rank 1.
In other words, the odds of bottom-ranked me pairing with top-ranked Chloe were very high.
In Demon King's Son Surviving in the Holy Empire, I always vetoed it.
Chloe wasn't a favorite character, and her cold personality was off-putting. Anyone who crossed her usually got expelled or dropped out of Pantheon.
She's a true villainous lady.
The draw might have been a blessing for Rosetta too. That's why I avoided this villainess in the game...
But now was different.
I couldn't survive in this Pantheon by submitting to a woman like that. And I had no intention of bowing to her.
I'd been utterly fearless against those high officials in the cathedral. No need to start off intimidated by Chloe.
Perhaps through my ordinary noble scion trait and everything I'd done with my status, something in me was changing.
So this time, I won't refuse the pair with Chloe.
I steeled my resolve.
Chloe arrived at the waiting area.
The moment she entered, several cadets greeted her.
"Good day! Lady Chloe. You look as beautiful as ever today!"
Looking around, she saw Princess Lillia was already there. She'd greeted the higher-status princess first, naturally. Next would be her, the marquess's daughter.
And unexpectedly, Count Julian was sitting beside Princess Lillia.
I don't know why that count is here, but ordinary cadets wouldn't dare approach that wastrel to greet him.
That wastrel count was beyond what cadets could handle. Better to avoid him. They could excuse it as all reserve platoon members being equals.
Of course, as Rank 1 in combat, she was the exception. It was only natural for these pathetic cadets to admire her skill.
Chloe accepted their greetings without lowering her fan.
"That Colosseum duel was incredible! If the Pantheon hadn't stopped it with illusion magic, it would surely have been your victory, Lady Chloe! A ridiculous draw like that!"
"If that commoner witch had been crushed by alchemy, the Pantheon commoners would have rioted. So the professors used the illusory beast as an excuse to halt it. The Pantheon is too beholden to commoners. Haha."
Chloe listened to their flattery for a bit. Golden Wings members, yet such dullards.
Reserve platoon cadets were all peers outside lectures. Yet here they were, wagging their tails to impress her.
Chloe lightly waved her fan in vague response. More importantly, something in their chatter bothered her.
A draw.
No. Truth be told, the Colosseum duel had her clearly at a disadvantage. Something Chloe hadn't anticipated at all.
I've always thoroughly investigated my rivals. That witch too. But there was a variable.
She'd dug deep into that commoner witch. Rosetta was a magic genius who could spam Rank-3 spells without delay or mana issues.
But Chloe was hailed as a genius in the Alchemy Order too. Her talent wouldn't lose to some commoner.
Yet in the match, she'd been pushed back repeatedly.
That commoner witch had a new magic staff.
From prior intel, the witch's weapon was a standard magic staff.
A mere commoner like Rosetta couldn't afford anything beyond Pantheon's issued gear.
But that staff... thick, long, with a strange dark red glow. Whether due to it or not, Rosetta was tougher than expected.
She'd later asked around in the Magic Order. Shockingly, that staff was a gift from Count Julian to Rosetta.
The wastrel count and a commoner? Was that witch his mistress?
She must have traded her body for such a high-performance staff. The count's tastes must be unique.
He'd ogled her feminine charms and even the voluptuous princess like a butler.
Fortunately, the draw preserved her Rank 1. But it left a bitter taste.
The unannounced Rank-2 beast. Professors claimed it was part of the opening ceremony's illusions.
But if so, why halt their duel and call it a draw?
And that brilliant flash from the stands?
They called it illusion mages' performance. But then why did professors themselves enter the arena to dispel it?
It looked real, not illusion. Clearly, Pantheon was hiding something.
Of course, Chloe tried digging into the Colosseum incident. But she hit a wall. Meaning Pantheon brass wanted no leaks.
The one thing she gleaned: it tied back to that wastrel Count Julian somehow.
The circumstances pointed that way. They said only the count had a separate divine priest ordination in the cathedral today.
Divine priest ordinations were group events for Order cadets. A solo one was unheard of.
Moreover, that wastrel being in Golden Wings was proof.
She'd checked: he lacked the skill for it.
That count changed right after second-year start. His looks, at least.
He hadn't even flinched when she'd eyed him recently. And she recalled how 'that place' had twitched when he'd insultingly shocked her that day.
A woman's intuition. Could that count really have something to him?
That gut feeling had carved her place in hellish Aiterne.
She decided. Chloe would confront the count directly.
He sat nonchalantly beside Princess Lillia. As fiancés, it wasn't odd.
She approached, first courteously greeting the princess.
"May the light of Lord Jedin upon the imperial capital forever bless that noble blood. Chloe of Aiterne greets you, Princess Lillia."
"Oh, Chloe. Nice to meet you."
She looked like an innocent puppy unaware of the world's harshness. It nearly turned Chloe's stomach, but she smiled coolly.
Then she greeted the count beside her.
"To the lion's valor that quiets even the north winds..."
"Insolent wench."
"...honor. Pardon?"
"I said insolent wench. Are your ears just for show, Lady Aiterne?"
Chloe thought she'd misheard and looked at Count Julian.
His arrogant, fury-filled brilliant blue eyes glared right at her without flinching.