Chapter 35: Academy Exchange Meet - Development (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 35: Academy Exchange Meet - Development (3)
“Heavenly Sword.”
Victoria demurely set down her chopsticks.
“Why...”
Her lower lip trembled as if she were brimming with emotion.
Even when it was just the two of us, the princess was sparing with her words. Naturally, she was even more guarded with so many eyes watching.
Given her station, it was a wise composure. This was a setting where every single word had to be chosen with utmost care, yet here she was, unable to contain herself, speaking up in front of everyone.
“…Why… with blade skill of this caliber… have you not devoted yourself to the culinary industry?”
Everyone present nodded along to her words in unanimous agreement. I couldn't help but chuckle dryly.
I was pleased that she had offered the highest praise she could summon in her overwhelmed state.
Pleased, sure, but...
'The world would've been destroyed if I did that, you know?'
And besides, Princess.
'Maybe wipe that piece of fish off your mouth before talking.'
Those unspoken words rose in my throat like gastric acid, sour and stinging.
I wanted to say it, but I couldn't.
She had contributed the most to Joaquin's victory, so crushing her spirits would be cruel. Awkward as our relationship might be, we had to maintain basic courtesy.
It was in that exact moment—
“Um, Princess.”
It was Ji Chang-hyuk.
“That thing on your lip... Oh, it's fish. Never mind then.”
“……”
“……”
A chilly breeze swept over the empty plates and bare dining table. Steam practically billowed from the crown of one person's head.
I gave a faint, casual smirk.
Then I quietly made my way toward the balcony. Behind me came a chorus of scraping chairs. It seemed I wasn't the only one making an exit.
Leaning against the railing, I looked up at the moon.
Thump!
Immediately after, I felt the balcony window rattle behind my back.
Once. Twice.
And then once more...
Episode. Academy Exchange Meet
Boom!
The aggressive shockwave was strong enough to make the massive pane of glass vibrate violently. The faces of the Parsi officials seated around the long desk were just as agitated as the academy principal's.
The hot topic was, as expected, the Flag War that had just concluded.
Yet for some reason...
Principal Parsi and the rest of the officials couldn't seem to reach a consensus. The rift of conflict between them appeared deep—perhaps even wider than the physical distance separating them across the long desk.
To an outsider, Principal Parsi looked like a lone warrior battling against the majority.
And outside the window watching that scene...
“……”
A single 'female crow' perched on a barren tree branch. She tilted her head repeatedly, as if trying to listen closely to the commotion inside. Her movements were sharp and staccato, characteristic of a bird.
Focusing a bit harder...
The voices blocked by the glass gradually grew clearer. Like fog dissipating, the outline of the uproar took shape. Raised voices flew back and forth.
“How can those who call themselves educators hatch such an absurd, treacherous scheme?! Have you no shame?!”
Principal Parsi leaped up, shouting in dismay. His belly, large as a hillside, sloshed dramatically as if proclaiming its vitality.
The people facing the principal's furious roar didn't bother hiding their discomfort. They were Parsi's major shareholders. To put it simply, they held a position similar to the Elders of Joaquin.
“Principal.”
One of the women stepped forward on their behalf and approached him. She was an impatient-looking, middle-aged woman.
“The whole world is watching! For the sake of Parsi's prestige, and for the children who enrolled here, isn't this a battle we must win at all costs?!”
“Even so! That doesn't mean—changing the remaining two events to favor Parsi?! Do you hear how ridiculous that sounds?!”
“Why is it ridiculous? We are the hosts. Besides, it's not like you have any good feelings toward Joaquin either, Principal. Why are you suddenly pretending to be a noble educator...?”
Principal Parsi choked on his breath. It felt as if someone had jammed a sweet potato down his throat.
“I hold no personal feelings toward Joaquin!”
The principal suppressed his agitation with all his might. Then he spoke as if coaxing a child.
“Even though we lost the first event, the excellence of our Parsi cadets has been demonstrated to the whole world. That alone achieves our primary goal. But if external factors interfere with the Exchange Meet? The viewers will notice immediately! In the long run, that means immense damage to Parsi! And above all, Joaquin is not an enemy nation of Parsi!”
Separate from his personal grievances with the Heavenly Sword (namely, his reckless intrusion alongside the Sword Princess), Principal Parsi respected him.
The Heavenly Sword was the savior hero of the world.
Even if they couldn't repay his devotion, to stab him in the back? Did these nobles truly have udon noodles stuffed in their heads instead of brains?
“Ah, fine, fine. I've heard enough. We, the shareholders, want immediate results.”
“Y-You...!”
“Anyway, handle it 'tactfully' and deliver a result that satisfies us, Principal.”
The middle-aged woman turned to leave, then paused to add with a sneer:
“You might no longer be the principal once this Exchange Meet ends. We actually like you, Principal, so we hope it doesn't come to that. Anyway, good luck.”
The shareholders left.
“……”
Standing motionless as a rock for a while, the principal eventually collapsed into his seat. First came a sense of helplessness, quickly followed by rage bubbling up to his brow.
“If I had my way... if I had my way... I would join hands with the Heavenly Sword...”
But...
He couldn't do that.
“If I did that...”
Parsi Academy would lose its self-reliance. It would remain under Joaquin's shadow forever.
This was separate from his personal respect for the Heavenly Sword, Kang Geomma. Parsi Academy starved for independence. Wasn't its very founding purpose to distinguish itself from Joaquin?
“Haaa...”
A sigh laden with exhaustion brushed against the window glass.
“Hm?”
The principal blinked.
Through the window now clouding with condensation, his eyes locked straight onto a crow.
The crow's gaze passed right through the principal, fixed intently on the door the shareholders had just exited through. As if imprinting each and every one of them into the depths of its eyes...
Chilled by the eerie atmosphere, just as the principal was about to open the window—
Caw, caw, caw.
Shaking its body three times, the crow took flight. A black tail feather fluttered down onto the windowsill.
* * *
Ⓐ Zljon_Geomje: Ahem. Looks like nobody's around today...
Ⓐ Zljon_Geomje: I was curious about the next event in the Exchange Meet and wanted to pool our collective intelligence, but alas. The chat activity isn't what it used to be.
Ⓢ Saint_Ryu: I'm here.
Ⓐ Zljon_Geomje: Oh! You've arrived!
Ⓐ Zljon_Geomje: But why speak so politely all of a sudden?
Ⓢ Saint_Ryu: ...Drop the roleplay.
Ⓢ Saint_Ryu: 'Sword Emperor'.
Ⓐ Zljon_Geomje: H-How did you...!
Ⓢ Saint_Ryu: Anyone who couldn't figure that out would be an idiot. Well, provided they know you, that is.
Ⓐ Zljon_Geomje: ......
Ⓢ Saint_Ryu: Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Um... I don't know if this counts as a trade, but seeing as you're curious about the next event and the final event, should I tell you their names?
Ⓐ Zljon_Geomje: ...I take it the condition is that I don't pry into your identity...
Ⓐ Zljon_Geomje: Fine, tell me. Let's consider it as putting explosive collars on each other. What is the name of the next event?
Ⓢ Saint_Ryu: Two Wolves, Skoll and Hati.
Ⓐ Zljon_Geomje: ...? Sun and Moon. Aren't those the names of the wolves that devour light...? The name of the event is rather sacrilegious... Then, what is the final event's name?
Ⓢ Saint_Ryu: You guessed it roughly right. That's right.
Ⓢ Saint_Ryu: Conclusion: Ragnarǫk.
* * *
The hot topic of the moment was, naturally, the Exchange Meet.
Competing for the title of the world's best academy, its viewership went without saying, and derivative products would sprout like mushrooms after rain once it ended.
However...
The current academy industry ran completely counter to the world's intense interest. That is to say, the 'Academy' was a sunset industry destined to disappear into the annals of history before long.
'It might not happen in our generation, but someday, academies will cease to exist.'
The Demons had lost their function as the primary enemy. The False Gods who pulled the strings were gone as well.
So what was the reason for heroes, and the institutions that trained them, to exist?
Sure, they were needed right now. It had only been ten years since the 2nd Human-Demon War.
Before shaking off the aftermath of war, people naturally leaned on heroes. But as peace endured, people would inevitably question the very existence of heroes.
The ground heroes stood on would steadily and surely shrink. Eventually, they might even be demoted to ordinary citizens who just happened to possess slightly special powers.
'It's a mystery in itself that the concept of Blessings remains even after the False Gods vanished, but regardless.'
It was a world made special by the existence of academies. Blessings were the cause of the class system, but they were also the pillar supporting this world.
Even if those elements disappeared, would Miracle Blessing M—and this world—still have meaning...?
Thoughts flowed endlessly. It was a night heavy with reflection. The time when we were all raising our glasses in celebration earlier felt strangely distant.
Rustle.
I rested my back against the headboard of the bed. Looking down at Ryozo, sleeping soundly beside me, I muttered:
"...Is it really okay like this...?"
Someone looking at me might think I was agonizing over trivialities. They'd be right. I admit it's a helpless mindset.
To be the God of Sword, an Outer God, and a GM, yet worrying only about a single blue planet that was nothing more than cosmic dust. A truly narrow-minded god indeed.
'If worst comes to worst, I can abandon my humanity and pour everything into maintaining the world.'
Yoo Se-in had told me I had two choices:
—Comply with the Counterforce and become part of the system, or preserve your humanity and remain as you are.
I wanted to remain a member rather than just a cog in the system. As a result, I could laugh, chat, and share meals with everyone.
I was happy. So immeasurably happy that it felt frightening. This tranquility felt unfamiliar.
"Mmm..."
Ryozo stirred.
Her sky-blue hair trickled down her cheek. Fearing it might poke her eyes, I gently tucked it behind her ear before stepping out of the bedroom. Having fulfilled my duty for the odd-numbered day, I was free at least for the rest of the night.
Step, step.
I strolled leisurely through Parsi Academy. The weather was still chilly. I popped the collar of the black coat Abel had gifted me. If a tumbleweed had rolled across the ground, it would have looked straight out of a Western movie.
I wandered aimlessly, lost in silly thoughts.
Parsi's daytime was excessively glamorous, but the softened night held its own charm for a stroll. Grand fountains and statues caught my eye from time to time. Above, the night sky unfolded in a cosmic panorama.
Then, suddenly...
I paused.
The numerous statues blurred softly. One person captured my vision. A girl sitting on the edge of the fountain, her feet dipped in the water.
Splash, splash.
Chae Lina kicked her legs alternately, splashing water, then turned her head toward me. Her hair, black as the void of space, brushed against her delicate shoulders.
"You came?"
Her tone implied she had been waiting for me. Her bare feet stepped out of the water, leaving wet footprints on the ground.
Looking down at her wet feet, Chae Lina raised her head. She met my murderous intent without a trace of intimidation. It felt as if time had frozen.
"How long do you plan to remain bound by Gleipnir?"
"..."
Cryptic words. Chae Lina continued to speak:
"The fate of severing the arm of Tyr, the God of War, and devouring Odin remains unchanged."
I had no idea what she was talking about.
"Ugh..."
I didn't understand, yet...
Every word Chae Lina uttered shook my brain. Each letter seeped deep into the folds of my mind. The cranial pressure surged, making my eyes feel as if they would pop out.
"Just as it remains unchanged that you are the wolf holding a sword in its jaws."
Chae Lina extended her hand, inviting me to take it.
"Is it truly a coincidence that you named yourself the Wolf?"
I staggered forward, my hand hovering near my waist. Take her hand? Bullshit. If she shows a hint of aggression, I'm drawing.
I had been postponing my meeting with Chae Lina, but it struck me that doing so might not have been entirely my own decision.
Subconsciously, I had been avoiding Chae Lina. That was why I hadn't summoned her directly, choosing instead to consult Yoo Se-in.
My instincts reviled Chae Lina.
'Still, I have to face her.'
The intuition originating from the Blessing of the Sword God spoke to me:
—You must not miss this opportunity.
A Blessing that served as a compass while clad in the shell of humanity. I couldn't ignore even this.
"What... are you...?"
Gritting my teeth, I gripped the handle of my newly issued sashimi knife and growled. Chae Lina met my gaze and answered calmly:
"Hela."
Her endlessly deep eyes seemed to swallow my soul. I opened my eyes, which had involuntarily squeezed shut.
Fwooooosh!
An infernal hellscape unfolded beneath my feet. The towering building being consumed by the flames was familiar.
This fiery hell...
The backdrop of this vision was none other than Parsi Academy.