Chapter 6

While Fernan was away visiting his family estate, time at the Academy continued to move steadily forward.

The entrance ceremony concluded with the oath of the top first-year students from each department. Soon after, the Imperial Academy began a new semester.

Fernan entered the classroom and took a seat. As students arrived, the room grew increasingly lively and noisy.

“Fernan.”

Someone approached while he sat silently, lost in thought.

“Your Highness. It’s been a while.”

“I’m disappointed. Weren’t we going to talk casually?”

“This is our first time seeing each other since reaching the second year. I thought I should at least greet you properly.”

Few people dared approach Fernan, given the dignity of his house and the heavy aura surrounding him.

Only those with comparable prestige or those whom Fernan personally acknowledged as competent and with whom he maintained a certain level of familiarity came near.

Ludger Schwaben, the blond second prince of the imperial family, belonged to both categories.

“I heard you returned early and were working on merchant guild affairs?”

“That’s right.”

“As expected from Pellenberg’s heir, always busy.”

“I’m not the heir.”

“That’s practically guaranteed.”

“Nothing is ever guaranteed.”

“Typical merchant talk, so thorough. Don’t you ever get tired of living so tensely?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Yes, yes.”

Ludger chuckled softly. After glancing around, he leaned in a bit closer.

“Anyone among the first-years catch your attention?”

“Why?”

“Because if it’s you, you’ve probably already investigated all of them.”

“I’ve been watching everyone who made the rankings.”

A textbook answer, but also the correct one. This year’s incoming class had quite a bit of talent.

Ludger nodded.

“What did you think of Aria Fridien?”

“The runner-up from the Magic Department?”

“Yes. She seems desperate to get close to the electors’ children. Probably trying to earn recognition. The established elector families consider the Fridien family outsiders.”

“You’re one to talk. Weren’t you the one who helped her?”

“I didn’t really do anything.”

That wasn’t a lie. It was Duke Pellenberg who acted as an intermediary, and Fernan had nothing to do with it.

“What about Aint Armian?”

“He hasn’t shown anything special yet, so I’m not sure. Aside from the name ‘Armian,’ he doesn’t stand out much.”

“Funny, considering I heard you visited him personally.”

Ludger’s lips were smiling, but his eyes weren’t.

“Well, he’s from the old royal family. Of course I’d be interested if someone from the ancient imperial lineage suddenly showed up at the Academy after more than a century.”

“Well, you’re a merchant. A merchant’s curiosity can rival that of a mage. Oh wait, you’re also a mage, aren’t you?”

Ludger shrugged with a smile.

“Looks like the professor’s coming. See you later.”

“Yeah.”

‘Ludger Schwaben.’

Watching him walk away, Fernan let out a quiet sigh.

‘Ludger Schwaben and Aint Armian. Schwaben and Armian…’

The current royal family and the former royal family that they overthrew. Though they once shared the same roots, they were now like oil and water—impossible to mix.

“Defeat him.”

Ludger Schwaben muttered softly.

The past is only romanticized when it remains in the past. Memories are more beautiful when left untouched. Let people know that the past is just that—past.

“And let it remain forever as nothing more than a memory.”

A sharp pain throbbed in Fernan’s head as the vision of the future he had once seen repeated itself.

A future where Ludger Schwaben moved to suppress Aint Armian.

What should he do?

“…If I go by the prophecy alone, then Aint Armian is the one to bet on.”

But Schwaben wouldn’t collapse so easily. Aint still had a long way to go before achieving victory.

Tap, tap.

Fernan’s fingers drummed on the desk.

The first lecture for second-year magic students was a 5-credit course titled Combat, War, and Magic.

“Is everything ready?”

When Fernan left the lecture hall after finishing class, Hyde approached him.

There had been a surprise test. He finished quickly and left.

The professor had given a test on the first day, which drew complaints from many students, but it allowed Fernan, who finished quickly, to leave ahead of the others.

“A test on the first day? What a peculiar professor!”

“Unusual, yes. But skilled and experienced enough to pull it off.”

Officially, it was to assess whether students remembered what they had learned in the first year, but Fernan didn’t really care.

For him, the exam wasn’t that important to begin with.

“For the next class, write the name of a second-year Knight Department student you’ll work with as a partner.”

“If the knight student doesn’t agree to the pairing, it won’t be valid, so don’t just write anyone and make a fool of yourself.”

“During the test, the announcement written on the board turned out to be the core of today’s lecture.”

Partners. The long-awaited moment had finally arrived.

The first thing Fernan did, as if struck by lightning, was confirm the protagonist.

After that, he began manipulating his connection with Luina, who would lead to his downfall.

The seeds he had sown during the break were finally beginning to sprout.

“And I’m curious to see who that guy ends up paired with.”

At that moment, the top student from the Magic Department, Carlo Deneb, exited the classroom a bit later than Fernan.

Carlo gave Fernan a strange look, then quickly turned away when their eyes met.

‘Originally your partner was Luina Bercheff, wasn’t it?’

A textbook pairing of first and second place, but undoubtedly a powerful one.

However, since Fernan had altered the future, he was very curious to see who Carlo would end up with.

‘If this incident causes a change in the future, that would prove the prophecy isn’t absolute.’

Even persuading Luina Bercheff to become his partner preemptively had already altered the original path, but that detail wasn’t written in the prophecy.

Which meant that from this point on, this was the true test.

This was the moment when the future described in the prophecy should unfold.

‘Depending on the result, I’ll decide how to handle Aint.’

Whether to approach him actively or passively. If the future could truly be changed, then the future where he ended up ruined could also be reversed.

“Are we heading to the Knight Department now?”

“Yes. The opening lecture for first-year Knight Department students is War and Practical Dueling, right?”

War and Practical Dueling was a 5-credit course for first-year Knight students. It conceptually overlapped with Combat, War, and Magic from the Magic Department and was known for organizing duels on the very first day to accurately assess skill level.

It was also the lecture mentioned in the prophecy.

***

“Winner! Armian!”

The referee raised the flag signaling the end of the match after checking the condition of the fallen cadet.

At his declaration, cheers erupted among the spectators.

“He won!”

“He defeated Anto Dnern!”

“He was no match for him during the entrance ceremony!”

“Is this the power of royal blood…?”

“Even so, Aint didn’t even rank in the entrance exam, and Anto placed 10th!”

Everyone was stunned by the sudden upset. Everyone except one.

The one who created the miracle, Aint, raised his sword high and roared.

‘This is just the beginning. I will restore my family’s honor.’

This was the moment when the name Aint Armian began to spread among professors and cadets alike.

This was the turning point when Aint Armian began to shine after obtaining Gardner Alfenfarsen’s ego sword.

It was something that absolutely had to be witnessed.

***

“This must be the first time a second-year mage audits a first-year Knight Department class.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. What’s the situation?”

“I already bribed the assistant, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“Only the assistant?”

According to Academy rules, professors are forbidden from accepting bribes from students and face severe disciplinary action if caught.

“And?”

“But picking up an unclaimed bag of gold someone conveniently dropped in their home? That’s not against the rules. Professor Grad, who just happened to find such a bag at home, was delighted with your academic enthusiasm and kindly allowed you to attend as an observer, so long as you don’t interfere.”

“Excellent.”

The Knight Department had a noticeably different atmosphere than the Magic Department—more energetic and full of vigor.

Part of it came from the fundamental difference between mages and knights, but also from their environments: while the Magic Department had many labs, the Knight Department was full of training rooms.

“Should I go in too?”

“It’s just an audit. One more person won’t be an issue.”

“But Professor Grad only mentioned you, young master…”

“After all the money I spent? If that becomes a problem, that’s the real problem.”

And if it did become a problem, he would simply visit the professor’s house and drop off a bit more.

Fernan, accompanied by his assistant, entered the lecture hall, avoiding as many gazes as possible.

“Next! Aynan Elaine and Pellon Hark!”

True to the Knight Department’s style, the lecture hall had a small dueling arena in front of the podium.

At the assistant’s call, the first-year student pairs stepped forward to duel. To one side, the burly and scarred Professor Grad silently watched the duels with a critical eye.

Thanks to everyone’s attention being fixed on the duels, Fernan slipped in and took a seat unnoticed.

Aynan Elaine. Rank 61. Pellon Hark. Rank 37. Bad luck for Aynan. Pellon should win easily.

The duel pairs were selected at random by drawing names from a box. It was pure luck, and being matched against someone more than ten ranks above you was simply misfortune.

The skill difference was clear. Pellon Hark will win.

“I think so too.”

As expected, Aynan Elaine put up a decent fight, but was ultimately defeated with ease.

‘It’ll be the same for Aint Armian too… unless this time is different.’

More specifically, his lineage and the weapon he had obtained.

No, even if most had forgotten, the fear and terror of that era still lingered. Those feats wouldn’t have been possible without genuine talent.

After all, he had defeated legendary demons. If that could have been done with just a special weapon, anyone could have done it.

Aint Armian is special. If anything, it was his environment that held him back. The decline of the secret sword art of Armian is well known.

The long-awaited moment had arrived.

“Next, Anto Dnern! And Aint Armian!”

Ranked 10th in the Knight Faculty, Anto Dnern and Aint Armian stepped forward.

“Anto’s going to win, right?”

“Of course. Anto is 10th and Aint is 38th. There was also a huge difference in skill during the entrance exam.”

“Even so, it’s pitiful. To be humiliated in public like this.”

“Old imperial family. And even if he were, what can you do with no talent?”

Whispers filled the air. Perhaps because the Armian royal lineage was still respected and revered throughout the Empire, the murmurs weren’t too loud, but everyone was certain Aint would lose.

“You came to see Aint Armian too, young master?”

“Yes.”

“Who do you think will win?”

“What do you think?”

“Hmm.”

The assistant carefully observed the two students.

“That Anto Dnern… didn’t he place 10th in the entrance exam?”

“He did.”

“And Aint Armian placed 38th, which lowered people’s expectations for the Armian family.”

“That’s also true.”

“But how odd. It doesn’t seem like the gap between them is that big to me.”

He tilted his head in curiosity.

“Begin!”

The duel started immediately.

“Winner, Aint Armian!”

Defying everyone’s expectations, it happened exactly as the prophecy foretold.

“…”

A flash of interest gleamed in Professor Grad’s eyes.

“He won!”

“Anto Dnern was defeated!”

“He couldn’t even compare to the entrance ceremony!”

The classroom filled with gasps of surprise from the students.

‘Just as the prophecy said, helping Aint Armian stop the demons is the best course of action.’

Fernan believed it was the best option for the most favorable future.

But he still couldn’t be sure. Would the prophecy’s content change if he acted differently?

‘Or am I making things worse by interfering?’

Or perhaps, no matter what he did, everything would still unfold exactly as the prophecy described.

At least for now, events matched the prophecy. That was reason enough to trust it, though it didn’t make him particularly happy.

‘No, the future isn’t fixed. I’ll confirm it in the next lecture.’

Taking advantage of the commotion, Fernan rose from his seat.

“Let’s go.”

“You already knew?”

“Knew what?”

“That he’d win. You didn’t seem surprised at all.”

“I had a hunch.”

“How?”

“I met him once by chance.”

“Did you fight him or something?”

“No. I knew just by looking at him.”

“What kind of nonsense…?”

At that moment, a student caught his attention—someone silently watching Aint Armian with an expressionless face.

That guy’s Verian Kalburdern, right?

Who…? Oh, right. He entered as second in the Knight Faculty.”

“That’s him.”

“Excuse me? What do you mean?”

A villain. The first adversary the protagonist must overcome to grow.

“And I must ensure he becomes nothing more than a memory.”

“Yes. I think I should focus on the present, not the past. On a new future.”

Verian Kalburdern’s pupils turned cold.

Whether his skills had suddenly improved or he’d simply been hiding them, Anto Dnern was finished. Aint Armian will never surpass this.

Because I’ll make sure of it.

He was the pawn taking orders from Ludger Schwaben.

He would soon fight Aint.

‘And that’s exactly where my knowledge of the future ends.’

What happened after that, Fernan still didn’t know.

“Let’s go.”

“You’re not going to tell me what you’ll do?”

“You’ll understand when the time comes.”

The noble and his assistant left the Knight Faculty.