Chapter 329: Academy Exchange Diary (1)

Being selected as a representative of the academy was, without a doubt, an honor for any family.

The mere fact of having been accepted into Joaquin was already enough reason to gather all the relatives and hold a grand celebration.

Even more so in a noble society where honor is more valuable than money.

Being designated as a representative was something one could take pride in for a lifetime—in front of classmates, family, and oneself.

It was something that would be mentioned for years to come.

“Excuse me, today is the day of the event. Has His Majesty said anything…?”

The princess held the phone weakly in one hand, but in her voice there was still a faint glimmer of hope.

[“He said to do your best.”]

The response immediately extinguished that tiny spark. It came from a deputy minister of the British Imperial House—the institution tasked with assisting the royal family.

The Imperial House was the only body authorized to communicate among royal family members, by direct decree of the current emperor, Victoria VIII, who had declared that he would not speak to any of his children prior to the succession to the throne. Officially, it was to maintain impartiality.

“…I see.”

But Victoria knew the truth. Some royal members still shared meals with the emperor. Deep down, she knew she was an outcast within the royal family itself.

[“He also said to always remember your purpose.”]

“My purpose…”

She felt her strength fade, to the point that she nearly dropped the phone.

[“Then, I wish you the best of luck, Your Highness.”]

The call ended with a cold and emotionless farewell.

Victoria stood motionless in the dark room. Dawn was beginning to color the horizon, and the pale morning light slowly faded in.

She was a figure envied by all. And yet, no one had any expectations of her.

The morning light reflected softly on her cheeks. Without using a handkerchief, she wiped her face with her elbow and began to get ready.

It was the big day.

***

It wasn’t just a chance for glory. Ryozo had promised the three cadet representatives that they wouldn’t have to take midterms or final exams—practical or written—and would still be guaranteed outstanding grades.

It was an opportunity to free themselves from the mental pressure caused by the mere words “written exam.”

Except for special cases like Ryozo or Speedweapon, most avoided written exams altogether. That alone was enough to stir envy among many cadets.

But no one voiced any discontent. The cadets’ trust in Leon, Abel, and me was stronger than expected. No one complained about the selected representatives.

In fact, some even said that if we were going to represent Joaquin, we should receive even more benefits.

And I listened to them.

“So… are you telling me there are more benefits?”

Speedweapon looked uncomfortable. For this exchange, he had been assigned as the Association’s representative agent.

Even at Parsy Academy, our alumni network remained active.

‘Looking at it that way, we sound like a corrupt institutional network.’

I brought the espresso cup to my lips with a bitter smile, moistened my tongue with the sharp liquid, and explained.

“If you give a good performance during this exchange, you’ll get a meeting with Lancelot Company.”

“As a cadet!?”

It was a shocking offer. Right now, Lancelot Company was the dream employer for every hero.

Not only did they offer sky-high salaries, but their popularity would make a Hollywood star blush.

Now that demons were no longer humanity’s main enemy, the top career choice for cadets was to join Lancelot Company.

Just a personal comment, but I really feel the generational shift.

In my day, only the greedy wanted to be heroes. It’s like when kids started listing “YouTuber” instead of “President” or “CEO” under “future career.”

“That’s implicitly forbidden!”

Speedweapon’s reaction was understandable.

The Hero Association was already facing a severe manpower shortage, and losing talented individuals to Lancelot would only deepen its despair.

“Whose idea was this!?”

“Mine.”

That’s why I called All Mute.

“…”

“I know this isn’t great news for the Association. But we also need to motivate the cadets, don’t you think?”

At my words, Speedweapon muttered,

“If it were your cousin Chaerina or second-year Ji Changhyuk, I’d get it. But I don’t think that’ll motivate Princess Victoria. I mean, she’s a princess. She already has one of the highest-ranking positions.”

“It’s not just about the representatives. It’s also to motivate the rest of the cadets.”

I responded calmly.

“There’s no guarantee this exchange will be the last. After this, Parsy will definitely demand more. Again and again. And if they keep pushing, Ryozo will eventually cave under the pressure.”

“…That’s possible.”

“In that case, it’s better to start planning a second and third edition now. You know from experience that precedent is everything.”

I subtly alluded to the matter of Joaquin’s Council of Elders.

Hearing that, Speedweapon seemed resigned.

He tried to calm himself with a sip of his iced coffee.

‘This is the crucial moment.’

It’s the core of gaslighting.

“This time we signed with Lancelot, but next year, let’s work with the Association. Being a public institution, it’ll take you more time to prepare a benefits proposal, right? You have a whole year to think it over.”

“President… you really…”

“And while we’re at it.”

I moved the empty espresso cup aside.

“The test events for this exchange… were they decided by the Association?”

“Hey, no! That would be cheating!”

I leaned in, shoulder to shoulder.

“Really… I just want to know. I won’t tell the cadets.”

“Hey! President! I didn’t expect this from you!”

It’s nothing. I’m just curious.

I still struggle to shake off my habits from the days I was possessed—the kind of impatient possession that always died to have prior knowledge.

Speedweapon tried his best to shake me off. He really was a straight shooter.

Given how talkative he usually was, he must’ve been dying to spill the beans. But his professional ethics were unusually strong.

“Really, I’ll be the only one who knows.”

So I played my trump card.

“I swear to God.”

“Hmph…”

Sorry for lying, Speedweapon. I made a silent vow to myself.

“…Haah.”

Speedweapon’s sigh was as good as consent.

“Fine. The first event isn’t a big deal even if you know it, so I’ll give you a hint for just that…”

“That’s more than enough.”

Speedweapon looked around suspiciously—dramatically—then leaned in and whispered the test in my ear. When he finished, I let out a short nasal breath.

‘What the heck?’

Really? It wasn’t even worth knowing?

‘What a letdown.’

Even knowing it, I had no plans to share it with the other Joaquin reps. I told you, it was just curiosity.

“The test itself sounds fun.”

“Yu Sein gave some suggestions.”

I was genuinely surprised by the name he mentioned.

“Her? Why?”

“She’s a game addict, right? Really into this kind of stuff. Lately, the Association has been interacting a lot with the Outer Cult Order. So we took the chance to ask her for input.”

By that logic, it made sense.

‘If Yu Sein had a hand in the test, there’s definitely some hidden twist.’

I was a bit uneasy because of the background only she and I shared. Even though she hadn’t warned me directly, she must’ve had her reasons.

Even as a Saint, she takes the apocalypse seriously.

“Oh.”

Suddenly, Speedweapon snapped his fingers as if he’d remembered something, then rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a long wooden box, placing it on the café table.

“Almost forgot.”

He wore a satisfied smile.

“Old man Volundr told me to give this to you.”

I also felt a surge of pride in my chest.

“He said it’s the masterpiece of his entire life.”

When the box lid opened, a radiant light filled the café.

***

“Something good happening?”

“Oh, is it that obvious?”

“…We’re family, of course I notice. You’re about to head out. Take care of that face, Geom-Ma.”

“Do I really need to hear that from you, Director?”

I relaxed the corners of my lips that were threatening to lift into a smile. My amused reaction seemed to amuse Ryozo as well, who chuckled before turning her gaze forward again.

In front of us stood the grand main gate of the academy’s main building. We were just about to exit the grounds.

Beyond that door, a crowd would be waiting. On either side of a red carpet, walls of people would be formed—offering their blessings to those proudly representing Joaquin.

At least for today, the internal divisions within Joaquin Academy meant nothing.

It was the day when everyone—teachers and students alike—cheered with one heart for the three cadets standing behind us.

As soon as Ryozo, leading the group, opened her mouth.

“Let’s go.”

The double doors swung wide open and light flooded in. Though it was still a chilly spring, the warmth of the atmosphere wrapped around us instantly.

“Let’s go, Joaquin! Show them what you’re made of out there!”

“How did Parsy get strong? How did Parsy get strong? How did Parsy get strong?”

“I bet my whole fortune on the favorite!”

“There won’t be any annoying underdog rebellion! The glory of Joaquin is eternaaaal!”

Cadets and professors shouted, tossed flowers at our feet, and pushed us forward with fervent cheers.

Leaving behind them all—and Joaquin Academy—we stepped into the subspace warp.

The curtain of subspace began to swallow our group, one by one.

***

Dark violet began to creep into the edges of our vision, and soon after, the glow of the setting sun dyed our faces.

Ji Changhyeok, eyes slightly irritated, squeezed them shut before opening them again. His eyes widened instantly.

A tunnel unfurled before us. Like a braided rope, the tunnel extended in a continuous circular structure.

On the floor lay a golden carpet—perhaps even more luxurious than the last one—stretching far into the distance.

On either side, a crowd of reporters fired their camera flashes incessantly. They looked like hyenas.

Among them, a few clearly belonged to Parsi’s inner circle. Their expressions, full of hostility, gave them away completely.

“If they’re going to show hostility, they should do it openly.”

Abel clicked his tongue.

Leon, with a calm smile, winked at me.

“How could they, with you here?”

“…”

Abel muttered something under his breath and quickened his pace.

A sharp pressure pounded against our skin relentlessly. The cadets followed behind us, a bit hunched, trailing the adults. It was only natural to feel nervous—we were in the heart of enemy territory.

‘That odd one must be Chaerina.’

She was watching everything with a curious expression, as if every detail fascinated her.

I glanced away and fixed my eyes on the vanishing point. In front of us, just before the opening ceremony, a platform had been set up for a press conference.

The director and staff from Parsi had already taken their places on the left side of the long stage.

Naturally, we settled on the right. From Ryozo to Chaerina, everyone took their seats.

The reporters swarmed forward like bees, closing in. It was a standard press conference.

The first to speak was a neatly dressed female reporter.

“This is a historic exchange! I’d like to hear a few words from the director of the host academy, Parsi.”

Microphone in hand, Parsi’s director lifted his chin with arrogance.

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate with Joaquin, an academy of great prestige and tradition. I’d like to take this moment to thank Sword Master Abel, who was the direct cause behind this encounter…”

Zing.

“…And also the Joaquin Academy and other collaborators. However, the most important part of this event is that, by opening our doors, Parsi has now become an academy capable of standing on equal footing with Joaquin after ten years…”

With the attention of the entire world on us, the microphone passed from hand to hand, guided by mechanical gestures and carefully measured words.

Parsi was doing its best to praise Joaquin, but subtly insisted they were now equals.

With billions watching, they couldn’t say just anything. They knew how to weigh their words.

“We, the Joaquin Academy…”

Ryozo began his remarks with composure. Joaquin had to exude dignity. It was the image the world expected from the favorite.

The microphone became damp from saliva, but the eyes of the journalists were drying out. There wasn’t enough provocation.

Then, when the microphone finally reached me, those dull eyes regained their spark. Even among legends, the difference in attention was palpable.

It had been a while since I felt so clearly the weight of my presence. I wiped the microphone with a handkerchief and brought it to my lips.

“Mutual respect is important, but I believe this event is also, clearly, a competition.”

It was a warning.

“Joaquin will not lose to Parsi.”

And with that, I threw the bait the reporters, the people, the whole world was waiting for.

“That’s all.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

The silence lasted just a moment.

Click, click, click, click!

The reporters responded with a storm of camera flashes.

The cheers from the crowd seemed to pierce even the lenses.

The stage was set.

Let the world go wild.