Chapter 322: One of the Two Will Die (3)
oLpnThe graduating class of Joaquin had been pretty restless lately.lpcX
mbI7xAs usual, they were busy badmouthing the director, but today a new topic joined the fray.HbNwfJ
kkJBcO“Did you hear about this? They say Parsy Academy proposed an exchange to Joaquin.”i16
Qpck8X“They call it an ‘exchange’, but it’s just a way to look down on Joaquin.”6d5T
Lf3x1“Honestly, I think it’s fine. Parsy Academy fits the idea of a proper academy way better. Come on, right now Joaquin is nothing more than a breeding ground for bastards desperate to climb the social ladder. It’s so pathetic it gives me secondhand embarrassment…”j7VS8R
BrIGThe current graduating class was the third generation after Joaquin Academy’s reconstruction. At that time, the nobles still held power.Vw7fQ
7M3JznBut everything started to shift with the fourth generation, now second-years.iGlz
W4zJgNRAnd by the time the fifth generation was admitted, even bastards and nobles were sharing the same table.Wz8
8nevIt was a humiliation the students themselves struggled to accept, and things weren’t much better at home either.luoA
b9HddSo all that frustration was directed toward the director and the younger students.VJV
xUUQThe truth was, the graduates knew very well who was truly behind all this.amT
N4mrIAVBut even mentioning that person was like gambling with their lives.bhX
v3NEBecause, of course, it was Heavenly Sword.d1a
AAo“…”6Fnnkd
554FrsThe moment that dark hair appeared in their thoughts, everyone who had been complaining fell silent. The hair on their necks stood up. To the graduating students, Heavenly Sword was a nightmare.txFI
l4SCvSa‘People praise him as humanity’s hero…’k3o
yzlbDBFBut those who’d crossed paths with him in the halls knew the truth.5eIM
G7qHeavenly Sword, in a word, was a lunatic. Something between a god and a man, with a fragile grasp on humanity.VqosEco
lHjIn the fan club, they called him “refreshing like soda.”srWfRu
MqWWrong. He wasn’t soda. He was hydrochloric acid.TUYh
DHkAo“His behavior can’t even be called uninhibited anymore.”zj7rKFD
mWUr“Totally.”29t
qIA1RJust one look from him was enough to make nobles faint or end up hospitalized from the sheer weight of his killing intent.IBNUKL
b6TnA3JFortunately, he kept a certain line with students—albeit a thin one.iw9A
z3z6UTSBut the moment he decided someone wasn’t worth it, he became a demon. Some even said Heavenly Sword was actually a Demon King who hadn’t yet been dealt with.6hWjWm7
oMouj“…I’m thinking of transferring to Parsy Academy.”HLf098
E5mw“Are you nuts? You’ve only got a year left to graduate and now you want to transfer?”dxpf
yEzQY“I honestly can’t sleep because I’m so afraid of rubbing that guy (is he even human?) the wrong way. I’m only nineteen and feel like I’m developing arrhythmia. I’d rather transfer. Besides, Parsy has a university program.”DTrKz
ptPJ“Silence.”00XeI
IoM955MAll eyes turned to the sharp voice.w2amFY
23r3kOPrincess Victoria was glaring at them. Was it her status? Just her gaze crushed the entire graduating class.wCasRbh
pjlk“Well, Your Highness…”gToh
vd5x“Do you know why we lost the right to speak up? Because we act like you all. Always muttering behind backs. Instead of speaking out, you just complain in the shadows.”S33guB
4tdmJR“…”WAXs
OO1Q“You call yourselves eagles, but behave like rats. And even if that’s all you say, don’t dare mention Heavenly Sword’s title lightly. It’s for your own good.”cyPR7jj
V9cAxqnShe clicked her tongue. Then turned her gaze back to the window.Ss5
NUsIn the sky, thunderclouds clashed with deafening roars.z8zCi
icRsHer eyes, watching the storm, shimmered with emotion, and the boys watching her from below felt like knights.UctMoR
q5ajHSThey all shared the same thought.cpYsUe
UmxE“This is all… HIS fault!”ofR99
7x2y“No way. I’m going to tell him off right now!”9laTg
1H01At that moment—kLnU
Lhi5gSlide—6q769FN
CJ0eThe sliding door opened and all eyes turned toward it.she
rXKShoes appeared in the doorway. Then came the sound of footsteps.oTbNtL
LBz0drIt seized the entire graduating class.C2ZIui
TvfwiJGThe air pressure changed, becoming razor-sharp. All around, people held their breath.PDkmBl
MmtnjtThe presence crushing the atmosphere made even Princess Victoria slowly turn toward the door. Her peach-colored irises widened, and she stood up automatically.HfyVWF
zdon5ZWith a trembling voice, she spoke.hvs6Scq
d7aiS“Y-You’re…!”9hvXvY
FJ4JzcvHeavenly Sword appeared.iHcO8Bo
zfI3eSVictoria’s face was filled with complex emotions. Curiously, the joy seemed to outweigh the fear.M22Nfw
yM2s38JHowever, Heavenly Sword walked to the front with an indifferent expression. Then, suddenly, he pointed at several students.JXUGa5
qVRyAc“Those I just named, follow me.”iiRu
YHwYAmong them—was her.jjzO
xdGF5***MbD
v5mYULeon and Abel were going to have a tough time selecting their representatives.sIU4ze
lFTXvThough not as much as in our time, it was said that the current first and second-year students were quite talented.jDc3l
qQZHwNot only the children of nobles—some special-admission students also showed great promise.OaAhZ40
QNOmOn the other hand, I didn’t have to think too hard when it came to selecting someone from the graduating class.5UEsxYy
6SXm6Princess Victoria was, without a doubt, number one.Jty73
yzK4oMe‘Ryozo told me she wasn’t the type to rely solely on her noble lineage.’VreU
aoPAEven though I always tease her, I have to admit Ryozo has a good eye for people.6D5af2
LzR— Princess Victoria’s talent is too great to waste in times of peace. Had she enrolled during the Second Great Human-Demon War, she would’ve gone down in history as a pillar of the Victoria Kingdom. If not for her succession position, she could’ve been the youngest warrior-heroine in history.5CpZPFS
2kX0Blessings are hereditary.yRC9G
48oWith enough effort, one can reach a similar level, but there’s a limit. Sorry to the special-admission students, but that’s reality.OeFv
DweTXkThough recently, more common people seemed to be manifesting blessings.6ne4
m6EAFm1Lycan said it was a consequence of exterminating the false gods.eboKo1j
2FDAD2kStill, the gap between blessings remains vast. And if we’re talking royal bloodlines.SBuk
u4IVictoria was a direct descendant of the British Empire.moa6el
HqtRHer blessing must be among the most powerful in all humanity.gMQsw
AS4fHer potential was massive.Q4jxC
YSl‘Though her problem is that she’s not fully human yet.’Zf39J
HDXBut I plan to make her human. That’s why I brought her here as a cadet, along with the others.w2f77Om
XGkkm‘Well, at least they’ve got sharp eyes.’UGT89Qo
C2XY7vvIn the end, they’re still graduates.0iZjpww
85pQAt first, when they entered the new training center, they couldn’t even swallow properly.eMhtFV
qbw2nBut now they were looking straight at me. They were alert.5aW
zM07wBZAnd with good reason.u9nn
sUj‘Just from the selection alone, they must realize what’s going on.’bBfH
F03khI’d gathered only those who had formed factions and continually harassed Ryozo. Unless they were complete fools, they’d already figured it out.3bbmA
e6d5I didn’t intend to scold or discipline them. If that had been my plan, I would’ve killed the director of Parsy Academy yesterday.tyExy
ylWXOI wanted this exchange event to proceed by the book.MPNh
1Hmuc0uThat way, the lesson would be much more effective.TV1ER
YhvqBuzAs I always say, I am the God of the Sword. And when it comes to “destruction,” I have no equal.JqB
iZfjCVrIf I put my mind to it, I could split the Earth like an apple. That’s who I am.SB6
7L0EklHowever—g1Oj
Q0t0HEx‘What’s the point of all this?’9tkF
Ja6…d8KHR
s0vI2This world isn’t flat. It can’t be neatly divided into light and dark. I myself am not entirely virtuous, so I have no qualifications to judge others.FXpb5
OEBBiI’d decided to live respecting everyone in this world. Sometimes, of course, I go overboard—but I can’t help that.KlQjO
VLvnR7As I said, I don’t have the qualifications.DntN
SW7Sb‘Maybe I can stop carrying all this weight on my shoulders, just a little?’4XPL
EUZFThere were five cadets in total. These five were the main culprits behind tormenting Ryozo…WgAy5
B1s2bM3“All right, everyone, listen up.”BMW5
VZbsmI said with a soft smile. Time to put those facial muscles to work.xye
DuU“The instructors told me. That you’re the best among the graduating class.”kSe
DBz0dP“……”cjDhd
7O0cqRThey all stayed silent.Eu3war
RDCXVkgThough their pupils were fixed in the same direction.1ITS4m8
EAKlmrdPrincess Victoria stood at the center of the group.dsri
Qo6“It’s not official yet, but you probably already know—we’re doing an exchange with Parsy Academy. A lot of you here want to go, don’t you?”uBI
z5E7Tff“…!”OgNs
cbuMy8rIt was a joke—why did they get so nervous? Did it hit a sore spot?RQpmuT
8aKH4M“Th-That’s impossible, sir Heavenly Sword.”kiLx
fqr2fOne cadet stepped forward.LlZRv
eOQaI’d already noticed how he looked at the princess, so I guess young love does give you some guts.Gph
WF37KhT“We’re proud students of Joaquin. How could we want to go to Parsy? I-I’ve always lived proudly as a Joaquin cadet.”xyHz
qNEvYh“Ah~ I see. Then why do you still use words like ‘bastard’ and such? A student from such a proud academy shouldn’t be saying that nonsense.”wHIP0do
I3R09zf“This isn’t a joke. Speak freely.”QLXoI
L88uJ“…I’m very sorry…”7UY1
7Un4acI answered seriously.eRs2
xbP5uE“What I hate most is when someone does something they later regret. Don’t do it again. I’ll be watching.”Zwgn9
z2Zsb“…Yes.”xjTR3UO
ZtHoKWJThe cadet stepped back two paces, completely pale.srFj
u9KKTDLMaybe out of awkwardness, the rest fell silent too.0gQAjE
KYZqrOne even bit his lower lip so hard it had turned white.zyZziQA
1K3qaIt was like a hailstorm had just hit. I didn’t mean to scare them that much, but my emotions ruined the mood again.BNzPlUr
FGw“I didn’t call you here to scold you. The reason I gathered you, even though you’re busy, is simply to select the representative for Joaquin’s third-years.”Ogib2
0BPI said as I pushed my bangs back with one hand.JJN
QCpsThe cadets started murmuring. I gave them ample time to exchange glances, then continued.GDbyz
zju“I could pick someone myself, but that wouldn’t be fair. So I decided to give you, the top performers in practicals, a chance. From what I see, you’ve already got someone in mind…”pcT0b2
xZQCkMMI glanced briefly at Princess Victoria. She didn’t look away from me for even a second. She deliberately ignored the gaze brushing against her skin.fYXbHaY
gFbz1“But in real situations, things can change. So I’ve designed a test divided into three categories. It won’t take long. We’ll finish before lunch.”lBdoHk
3H1“…”nus
8R8P“You won’t be disqualified over a single test. The subspace will calculate the total score automatically. My opinion will barely be involved, so it’s fair.”Tl4
Oh55I also mentioned there’d be substantial rewards for those who performed well in the exchange. Though their personalities might leave something to be desired, the cadets here were undeniably top-tier.Otig
NAWxIf they were going to make the academy shine, they deserved appropriate rewards.Nag
wX2s‘Though part of me still wants to punish them…’jn7AY
3ooThe most important thing was to win the exchange. If I demotivated them now, everything would be for nothing. I sincerely wished at least one of them would win.fW0sSi
XdIWhen I mentioned the word “reward,” the cadets—until now stiff and nervous—regained some vigor.wpV9iKZ
Wh7Drd“What will the test be?”WPTBU
mnt6Finally, the star spoke. Princess Victoria raised her chin and asked, but I didn’t answer directly.aM8LK
kE8RjCrack, Whoosh!4Dhqcoh
PrmnQqAt that moment, the lights of the training center flickered off, then back on. Even though the place was new and the bulbs were fine, they began to blink erratically.MEZBF
bV0qDzDarkness.Cfn
CnuiULight.WXRs
pS3pl9Then darkness again.HLqL7m
LfwfAIThe flickering made the cadets uneasy. Normally, this wouldn’t faze them—but my presence amplified their fear.r1auVw
0zH5Flash!Jis
JrwFinally, the outage ended. Immediately, sunlight filled the training center. Just as my lips were about to curve up—AJm
2C9“Huh, huh, huh?”pQEy9W
kqb0The five pairs of eyes widened in disbelief. Understandable.9Yz
3aMBehind me, where just a moment ago there’d been no one, now stood five figures. A very logical surprise.qUH6a
1R6KA group that could steal sleep from any noble—the Auditore di Sicilia were with me.zey
3e85“If you can hold out against them, you’ll pass the first test.”TEv
jCY9iI sat in a chair brought over by one of the Auditore. Crossed my legs and placed my interlocked hands on my knee.aF9
oKeM“The time limit is one minute.”sK8os
c3B3m2No sooner had I finished speaking than the masked ones darted out like gusts of wind.4ekQ
fwLDp1h“D-Damn it!”WarZi
mK3“Draw your weapons! Now!”m3fWlw
B7qSHcC“L-Like they taught us! F-Form up!”NZlws
6IsqhtThe cadets, gasping, unsheathed their weapons and prepared for battle.yogUk
vfPThe metallic clang of steel echoed again and again.awhktXB
lGtU“Even for final-years, they’re doing pretty well.”mjz
Zp5PaKnox muttered beside me, standing ready to join the fray.yIa
91aSeLZ“Should we go easy on them?”bXLa
Gf4“No. We’re choosing Joaquin Academy’s representative. We need to be careful. If we pick at random, we might lose.”c9JTkLK
isITEwf“Wow, how thoughtful.”HV2
II3jKnox gave a slight smile, and with a flourish of air, joined the masked warriors, showing off his sword technique.X7H5f5
DWnIt didn’t take long before the sharp sound of metal was replaced by cries for help.juBY
e4r1p“P-Please, have mercy!”ixJEF
P4ap“Ahhh! A-Aarrgh…”IuMW
yjAk7It was the signal—the rebirth of the faculty’s authority.iD7esoM
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