Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Civil War
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"Ugh! The good times are over. What a shame."
I laced my fingers behind my neck and stretched my legs.
Even for a VIP cabin, the magitech train felt cramped.
Probably because it was a long journey.
“You're so mischievous. I didn't think you'd go that far.”
“You should be glad it ended there.”
Across from me sat Sophia, prim and proper.
From her sulky expression, she seemed to be recalling the events of a few days ago.
As promised, I had worked the noble young ladies to the bone, free of charge.
‘A kind of punishment.’
It started with them cleaning up the villa they had messed up.
Then, they were gradually assigned all sorts of menial chores.
I played the part of a cold-blooded man without a shred of mercy and overworked them.
“Still, you were too harsh. Yenis even shed tears in secret.”
“Wasn't it because she was sad it was over? The work only lasted a week, after all.”
“Ha! You're truly shameless beyond imagination.”
“Well, it's true she liked me.”
“...You knew?”
“How could I not? She was so obvious about it.”
“S-So what happened?”
“Can't you tell from the fact that I came alone?”
Sophia looked at me as if she couldn't comprehend it at all.
Her gaze seemed to ask why I would reject the affections of a count's daughter.
I suppose her reaction was understandable.
The girl named Yenis was, in fact, quite pretty.
‘But she's not a poisoned chalice anymore; she's a jar filled with molten lava.’
If you die from poison, at least you leave a corpse.
Pour lava down your throat, and your very existence will be wiped out.
I already knew Yenis's true nature.
In terms of a nasty personality, she probably far surpassed someone like Sophia.
Besides, wasn't her father's nickname 'Volcano'?
There was no telling what kind of firestorm I'd face if I got involved.
‘Besides, she's not my type.’
I'm sick and tired of fiery, strong-willed women from my trips to Black Scale Island.
Plus, I already have the beautiful, intelligent, and angelic Adel, you know?
Of course, she's a bit shallow about looks, so approaching her in this form is impossible.
“Hehe! If only I could return to my original form...”
“What are you muttering about? We're here. Get your things.”
“Ah, it's nothing. Let's get off.”
With an awkward expression, I walked past Sophia, who was giving me a somewhat contemptuous look.
Hey now. That look on your face could be a reward if you're not careful.
After getting off the magitech train, we immediately hired a carriage and headed for Venderford.
‘Weren't the grades supposed to be announced right after the break?’
The final evaluation from five months ago wasn't really a big deal.
Most of the scores had already been determined through classes and missions.
In reality, the exam itself was of average difficulty, so the rankings were likely to be decided by bonus points.
‘In that case, I'm guaranteed to be first.’
No one could match me in bonus points.
So it was no exaggeration to say the results were already set...
“But why is there nothing here?”
I tilted my head, peering out the window.
Sophia asked with a puzzled expression.
“What's wrong?”
“Well, shouldn't there be a banner or something?”
“What kind of strange stunt have you pulled now?”
“It's not a stunt this time! They said grades would be announced immediately, but I don't see the first-place winner's name anywhere.”
“So you admit you usually pull strange stunts?”
“Uh... is that how it sounds? Anyway, what I mean is, the welcome is pretty lackluster.”
“Your overconfidence is astounding. It's practically a disease.”
Sophia shook her head and gathered her luggage.
Perhaps because she'd been pestered by me for a week, her expression showed she was utterly fed up.
Soon, she exited the carriage with an elegant movement.
‘She had the most fun when I let her loose at the end, but look at her putting on an act now that we're back at school.’
I may have worked the noble ladies like maids, but I didn't just give them a hard time.
Later on, they just played to their hearts' content without worrying.
If it had been a truly bad experience, Yenis would never have fallen for me.
In any case, we entered the strangely quiet Venderford.
The atmosphere at the school's entrance wasn't much different from before.
The hot spring I had created was being used as a substitute for a fountain.
It seemed they couldn't demolish it due to its large scale and were planning to use it as is.
“My great achievement still remains. I'll have to hold an even bigger beauty pageant this year.”
I must spread swimsuit culture not just in Venderford, but throughout all of Troven.
Ignoring Sophia's frown, I indulged in my own fantasies as we headed to the dorms.
But as we passed by the cafeteria, we ran into a group of a dozen or so students.
*Rumble!*
“Out of the way!”
At their shout, I gently pushed Sophia aside and stepped out of the way.
The students, carrying loads of luggage, were hastily leaving Venderford.
“Hey, isn't the break over? Why is everyone leaving again?”
“I know. And they seem to be in a great hurry.”
Sophia blinked in surprise, staring at the backs of the departing students.
Then she scowled and glared at me.
“Would you mind removing your hand? You're quite skilled at making subtle contact.”
When protecting a lady, physical contact is sometimes unavoidable.
I glanced down at my palm resting on her waist and shrugged.
“Manners, just manners. I was protecting you from that terrifying stampede.”
“Fine, just stop wiggling your fingers and take it off.”
“Ahem!”
I cleared my throat unnecessarily and moved away from Sophia.
But then, another group of students came rushing our way.
*Rumble!*
“What the hell is wrong with these guys?”
Unable to understand the situation, I snatched one of them from the crowd.
*Snatch!*
The person was a well-built advanced-class student, but he couldn't resist being pulled.
My aura-infused strength was that immense.
“Hey, dammit! Who are you... huh? Student Council President?”
“Yes. It's me. I have something to ask. May I have a moment?”
I asked in a dignified voice, befitting the Student Council President.
But the answer I received was completely unexpected.
“I'm busy, so make it quick.”
“Hah... That's quite disrespectful. Have you forgotten who I am?”
“Ah, who cares? Student Council President or whatever, it doesn't matter anymore. Just spit out what you have to say.”
“Eh?”
“If you're not going to say anything, let go of my arm.”
Just five months ago, students had tended to be careful with their words and actions around me.
They had started to acknowledge me after the rumor spread that I was Jerome Klevitz's disciple.
Most had recognized my position as president, but now there was no sign of that.
With a questioning gaze, I asked the guy a question.
“What is going on right now?”
“Haven't you heard? A civil war broke out. The school is meaningless now.”
“...A civil war?”
“Yeah. You'd better pick a side, and fast. Otherwise, you'll have your head chopped off by the opposition in an instant.”
With those words, the advanced-class student left Venderford.
I immediately turned back to Sophia.
For a while, neither of us could hide our dumbfounded expressions.
“What the hell is...”
* * *
Some time later, I was at the Empire's central branch.
Venderford was completely empty anyway, so there was nothing to gain by going there.
So I went straight to the branch, but it was just as chaotic as the school.
“So you finally showed up. I'm busy as hell, so we'll have to make this quick.”
Faceless looked me up and down with weary eyes.
An emergency had been declared due to the sudden outbreak of civil war, yet I was the only one looking neat and carefree.
‘If you don't like being busy, why don't you just resign from your post?’
Ignoring him, I casually shrugged and asked what I was curious about.
“A civil war... you mean a war of succession for the throne?”
“Yes. A civil war sparked in Reilhash has spread to the Empire.”
“Is that even possible?”
“He created a situation where the princes had no choice but to clash.”
“Who did?”
“The third prince of Reilhash.”
“Raul?”
“Yes. And don't speak so informally, you little shit.”
“Hey, I was just talking to myself. You're so uptight.”
“...Right. A very loud monologue that flows seamlessly into the conversation.”
“Ahem! Let's not sweat the small stuff.”
The information Faceless gave me was quite shocking.
‘What in the world happened over the past five months?’
Surprisingly, Raul had become a rising power in Reilhash and joined the war for the throne.
At first, everyone in Reilhash's political circle scoffed at him.
They thought he couldn't possibly turn the tables just because he'd shown some promise at Venderford.
But Raul colluded with the Empire's third prince, Ellington, and started a terrifying new storm.
“So the startled first and second princes joined forces with Franz?”
“They likely negotiated to deal with the third party first, then settle the score between themselves.”
“But could that alone really trigger a civil war in the Empire?”
“It could.”
“Why?”
“That bastard Raul went and attacked the second prince. An injury occurred in the process.”
“Hah!”
Enraged that Franz was injured, Bizolt Reilton immediately tried to invade northern Reilhash.
Ellington blocked him, and that's when the civil war began to escalate in earnest.
“The Empire is split in two, snarling at each other. It's an incredible sight.”
“What about the Emperor?”
“He's just watching from the sidelines.”
“So he's implicitly showing that he'll give the throne to whoever wins.”
“That's one way to interpret it.”
In any case, Venderford was now meaningless.
The princes, the targets of my mission, were fighting on the battlefield. What could I accomplish by staying here?
Understanding the situation, I was about to ask the key question.
‘I haven't received my mission directive yet. But this guy must know something.’
Faceless was a man who had established a considerable position on Black Scale Island.
He was a candidate for the next elder, trusted by the Acting Head, Kairam.
He must have received a hint about what I was supposed to do next.
This mission was important enough to have been issued directly by the Head, after all.
I opened my mouth with a serious expression.
“What am I supposed to do now?”
In response, Faceless raised his chin with a meaningful smile.
Through the gap in his stark white half-mask, his eyes, crinkled in amusement, were visible.
“They said you should figure it out yourself.”
“...Pardon?”
I'm going to lose my mind.
What kind of bullshit is this now?