Chapter 335: Succession of the Academy Exchange (3)
4wRms“Lord Heavenly Sword.”scQux
v9ATGVictoria delicately set her chopsticks on the table.zSQecX
FXE“What is it…?”ZkQ
eLsShe was trembling slightly, as if trying to contain her emotions.nETSaY
1TkarHEven when alone with me, the princess was always quiet.z4T
14CaAvWith so many eyes on her now, she was even more reserved.sDy5pn5
gdfhGGiven her status, it was a wise attitude. Every word needed to be chosen with utmost care. And yet, the princess had chosen to speak—publicly.FlX9
IqxZt“…Why, with such mastery of the blade… didn’t you pursue a career as a professional chef?”t2c9DA
HKUZWhEveryone present nodded as if that sentiment were unanimous. I couldn’t help but laugh.MPwgzi
IQxcxvhIt was the highest praise I could receive, delivered with genuine emotion.SE1aUb
egIAnd yet—x30Dqnn
ooWdNw‘If I had, this world would already be doomed, wouldn’t it?’QKfb0UN
VTPp6X5Also, Princess…BJww7R4
vL9qT7‘Could you please wipe that bit of fish off the corner of your mouth?’aGQ2
1NUzWrdThat phrase burned in my throat like bile. I wanted to say it—but held back.vfYdsD
DO8wGGShe had been instrumental in Joaquin’s victory. This wasn’t the time to sour her mood.ydJ
uFYLcblEven if our relationship was strained, we needed to maintain boundaries.Px56c3
dcntIt lasted only a moment.spCA
EOJtG“Um, Princess…”E2vo
xL1XHBIt was Ji Changhyuk who spoke.77B
VVnpr“There’s something at the corner of your mouth… oh, it was fish. I thought…”1vo
ot5“……”6NY
QRg“……”SFUxhdw
yFkswA cold wind blew across the empty plates and barren table.Hwb
mywSteam began to rise from the center of a head.1KUxT
83gI smiled as if nothing had happened and calmly stood up.OhyQ
elcThe creak that followed meant I wasn’t the only one who’d decided to leave.L5P
dfFI walked out to the balcony, leaned my elbows on the railing, and gazed up at the moon.J5rsaMm
cjq4zIBoom!MZsoD06
DJISoon after, the terrace window trembled violently.ECNlV
QB2wgOnce.61k4
dR1oTwice.5fiK
iDiHbAnd then again…JKctQcw
yRHBOOM!ce5
BbfXHkOThe tremor was so strong the massive window shook in its frame.Sjbd
UHQEven the Parsy board members seated at the grand table wore expressions as stormy as their director’s.RrJwtl
5MdUKWzAs expected, the topic of discussion was the recently concluded flag war.kf0Pp3
F87hcPBut something was off.o3MBq
5NpMThe director of Parsy didn’t seem to be aligning with the rest of the staff.EoY8g
JQecJThe divide between them was as wide as the physical distance separating their seats—if not wider.wfPxkZH
cTMFrom the outside, it looked like the director was fighting alone against the majority.FRdBg
Sd9QAnd watching this from afar—JUw9ZA
JMDdj“……”dXBcX7z
tQfhA female crow perched on a bare branch, tilting her head repeatedly, as if trying to catch the internal discussion.KS4Wt
HgsMsThe short, twitchy movements were typical of birds.Qr7
kMV6YwI tried to focus.s1bXml3
BeJzGVoices, once muffled by the glass, began to grow clearer.ndA6u
vxmQIIJAs if the fog was lifting, the words took shape. Shouts rang out.SfTKG
Rk3JvD“How can educators plot something so vile?! Aren’t you ashamed?!”iVHS21
q4ikDThe Parsy director stood abruptly, her large stomach heaving with emotion.uM2KEb
dBWvThose receiving her wrath looked visibly irritated. They were Parsy’s majority shareholders.3UaU
kpK9Their role was akin to the elders of Joaquin.572l
eRGFn“Director.”4d3D5dS
F0UyKA middle-aged woman with a stern face stepped forward to speak.KagrpF
cA9ASm“The whole world is watching! For the honor of Parsy, for the children who study here—this is a battle we must win at all costs!”UuFli
CqoFES“And yet! You want to change the rules of the remaining two trials in Parsy’s favor? Do you really think that makes sense?”gCq9mY
i3Rd“Why not? We’re the hosts! And it’s not like you’ve ever cared much for Joaquin, have you? Why act like such a righteous educator all of a sudden…?”kMki
CNwFxWBThe director choked up as if someone had shoved an entire sweet potato down her throat.2WHswi
w3l“I hold no grudge against Joaquin!”0Etg
52qF1nAShe fought to suppress her fury, then tried to reason with them.bGmCi
zhZ6n“It’s true we lost the first trial, but everyone saw the talent of Parsy’s students. That alone is a significant achievement. But if we introduce external manipulation into the competition, the spectators will notice immediately. In the long term, it will bring enormous damage to Parsy! And above all, Joaquin is not our enemy!”B9ZK
BBBNKMPutting aside personal issues with the Heavenly Sword who had stormed in with the Lady of the Sword, the Parsy director held deep respect for him.Ko3r
oj0cHe was a hero of the old world.J0GFsIv
G0E6IEven if she couldn’t repay his sacrifice, how could she betray him? Were these nobles made of noodles instead of brains?06RDG
tcILI1“Ahhh, enough. I don’t want to hear this anymore. The shareholders want immediate results.”m0iYAI5
67bX“You… you people…!”m8c
IrMI5“Just do whatever’s necessary to give us a satisfactory result, Director.”YarR
DaOKQThe woman turned to leave, but before going, she tossed a sarcastic remark.tPkXGJY
BlZzM“After this competition, you might not be the director anymore, you know? We like you—let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Anyway, good work.”73C90iU
Kr8The shareholders left.pFim
DOs“……”gsaVy
zGDThe director slumped into her seat as if all her strength had been drained.v1PfSi
EuNVqFirst came the exhaustion. Then a rage that surged to her forehead.AN8Iz0p
Son4jKV“If it were up to me… I’d love to cooperate with the Heavenly Sword…”lk5
t3VicBut she couldn’t. If she did…RhF
RNDdZParsy Academy would lose all autonomy. It would forever live in Joaquin’s shadow.68v0fi5
rfpxFAs much as she personally respected Kang Geom-Ma, that was another matter entirely. Parsy Academy was founded with the explicit purpose of distinguishing itself from Joaquin.EYyF6WS
qhap“Haa…”DUxg
frgEA sigh filled with fatigue hit the window.b5XqCKR
3s2Bq“Huh?”ME81nrk
IxViw8The director blinked. Through the dew-covered glass, her eyes met those of a crow.wxCr
NBJ8n7The crow’s gaze pierced through the director and fixated on the door the shareholders had just exited.3BTh
a8vhlMAs if trying to sear each of them into memory. Just as the director reached to open the window, feeling a chill—OTbq
nHi1Kwaak, kwaak, kwaak.jeKNmL
wfU8bwTThe crow ruffled its feathers three times and took flight.an2
4wqsDIts black wings brushed the window frame as it soared upward.I2ADBw
Do66FoZ***AquVz
G1qYrExⒶ Supreme.MasterSword: Hmm hmm. Looks like no one’s around today…tAAX
TuKⒶ Supreme.MasterSword: I was curious about the next trial in the tournament and thought we could use a little collective brainpower, but eh… activity isn’t what it used to be.xLUg7X
bsw0X3Ⓢ Saint.Ryu: I’m here.b7j
ftKnKygⒶ Supreme.MasterSword: Oh! You showed up!GmR
bWhCcⒶ Supreme.MasterSword: But why the mysterious new name all of a sudden?hP2hmd
fBGjⓈ Saint.Ryu: …Please drop the act alreadynEk
JOBNYUⓈ Saint.Ryu: ‘MasterSword’-nimTZ4ilo
ZE7UgxYⒶ Supreme.MasterSword: H-How did you know…?!vQGKHjD
Eb6wnⓈ Saint.Ryu: If I couldn’t figure that out, I’d be a fool. Though, of course, only someone who knows you well would notice.qTQaIm
7yEKnmcⒶ Supreme.MasterSword: ……1KPSp6
U0dⓈ Saint.Ryu: Don’t worry, I won’t spread it around. Hmm… I don’t know if you’d call it an exchange, but…Aciz
6UrFrom what I read in the chat, you’re curious about the next — final — trial. Should I at least tell you its name?pgJ
bpOmzⒶ Supreme.MasterSword: …I guess the condition is I don’t ask who you are, right…?qSC
14lXjB6Ⓐ Supreme.MasterSword: Fine then. Let’s treat this like we both have bomb collars. What’s the name of the next trial?zaF
FSRzVⓈ Saint.Ryu: The Two Wolves: Sköll and HatijqZVi
t9ZaⒶ Supreme.MasterSword: …Huh? The wolves that devour the Sun and the Moon. Those are some bold names for a competition… So, the name of the final trial is…?32aU
Zq2NⓈ Saint.Ryu: You’ve already guessed it, haven’t you? That’s right.8cEqUuW
KfmEⓈ Saint.Ryu: The Finale is RagnaroktxXsS
oIhS3wi***iIZ1vq
hqrmXThe hot topic right now is, of course, the inter-academy tournament.Q96P4
ySoThey’re competing for the title of the world’s best academy.FRGYE
3hZWbklPride is on the line, and once it ends, spin-off products will pop up like mushrooms after rain.Blgw
j63WtIDRight now, the academy business goes against the growing interests of the world. In other words, academies are a doomed industry.09z
8b7EOt‘Maybe not in our generation, but someday, academies will disappear.’rogO8y
acTLDemons are no longer a major threat. The false gods pulling strings from the shadows are gone. So, what’s the point of heroes and the institutions that train them?SeK
EUoFor now, they still matter. It’s only been ten years since the Second Great Human-Demon War.C3c
m5UFj2Humanity hasn’t fully healed from the aftermath of that war, which is why they still cling to heroes.EcnEyXx
4G7CBut the longer peace lasts, the more people will begin to question the very existence of heroes.SUPp
YzojoThe space heroes occupy will inevitably shrink, little by little. And eventually, they might be downgraded to nothing more than regular people with a bit of extra power.nPq6
szeV‘Though it’s already strange that blessings still exist even after the false gods vanished…’T0ZKVbK
g8jThe world is special because academies exist. Blessings stem from the class system but also uphold this society.2l4jN
WXMqwLUEven if those elements were to disappear, would the Miracle Blessing M still make sense? Would this world have any meaning…?U25Q3
IXTHaMy thoughts spiraled endlessly. It was a night of deep reflection. The scene from a moment ago, when everyone was toasting together, now felt distant.PP1vKz
8eFI leaned back into the bed.cRL
krXXz9Glancing at Ryozo, fast asleep, I murmured.Wtvl
cMQ“…Is it really okay for things to go on like this…?”ABS
kkBJ1To some, this might seem like worrying over trivial matters. And yes, I admit, it’s a passive attitude.GnSTlgl
OIXI’m the God of the Sword, an Outer God, a Game Master and yet I only care about one tiny blue planet in this vast universe.4h6MzD4
lL3b9I’m definitely a narrow-minded god.CmvDraa
Wgq‘If the time comes, I’ll cast aside my humanity and devote myself entirely to preserving balance in the world.’j7UDs7
c8EYu Sein told me I had two options.gbtjkMm
EwD2Z5– Become part of the system by obeying the power of suppression.c8XgNeG
jhv5reh– Or preserve my humanity and remain as I am.Iuq
Ht2tI chose to remain an individual, not a cog in the system. And the result is that I can now laugh, talk, and eat with everyone.6nukj
twYDI’m happy. So happy that it actually scares me. This peace feels unfamiliar.6McQq0E
SUy“Mmmh…”ffQNhm
fjq7XXRyozo stirred slightly.bKDyB
CDS5j7Her sky-blue hair draped over her cheek.1Zk
2i0QKAs if it might tickle her eyes, I gently brushed it back behind her ear and left the bedroom.SOQ1HL
V9MOChMy role in the event was over, so I was free for the rest of the night.iT209
qmZDbStep, step.ZowM
z7oqI wandered aimlessly around Parsy Academy. The air was still chilly.lqUpF
0CBkI pulled up the collar of the black coat Abel had given me.UvsvDcq
b357nH8If tumbleweeds had been rolling by, it would’ve looked like a Western.zfcsAz
YahrDeQWith silly thoughts spinning in my head, I kept walking with no particular destination.NceVDQ5
CJjSZ9Parsy was blindingly bright during the day, but the dim nighttime had its own charm.kzLQY36
hmP2K1The majestic fountains and statues occasionally drew my gaze.5VkL
Rc4yKAbove, the night sky stretched into a true celestial panorama.MCunFbI
VpXpAnd then, suddenly—Fmn5f
gmaRI stopped.A5gC
U37GRd3The countless statues blurred slightly. One figure completely stole my attention a girl sitting at the edge of a fountain, her feet in the water.qpB3GG
emk9ciHSplash, splash.Lyz
o5TAChaerina played with the water, swinging her legs side to side.2n5kaF
oS501g8When she saw me, she turned her head. Her black hair, shaded like the cosmos, brushed her slender shoulders.t7kuHs
efUX0Y“You came?”SaH2efE
HvZoHer tone suggested she’d been waiting for me. Her wet, bare feet left prints on the ground.6GRCkW
tVMrtChaerina glanced at her wet feet and raised her head. She met my imposing presence without flinching.BQikt
4OugpQIt felt like time had stopped.RwW8b
qANGIA“How long do you plan to remain bound to Gleipnir?”hLtNf
sZRbA“…?”UPUqRr8
hC4Dq9I didn’t understand her words. But Chaerina kept talking.kX1qlK
WS73W“The destiny to cripple the god of war, Tyr, and devour even Odin… that won’t change.”OVDVJ
1mOVI had no idea what she meant.SghOzf
SwDm“Kh…”cURPmi0
TU1UvBut even without understanding, her words shook my mind. Each one embedded itself deep into the folds of my brain.tq8
O0XThe pressure in my skull was so intense, it felt like my eyes might pop out.yINq5C
JzuNhgd“Just like how you are the wolf who bit the sword.”LPCu
bZxVtAChaerina extended her hand, as if she wanted me to take it.pKco1et
IGo“Was it really a coincidence that your name is Wolf?”NNr5q
ELtjtVI stepped closer, hand drifting toward my waist. Take her hand? No way. If anything felt off, I’d draw immediately.Dszp
Yt8Ol1I’d been postponing this meeting with Chaerina.95ujA
NG5bKeAnd now I was starting to think it hadn’t entirely been my choice.ZCg9LV
9Q6D7Subconsciously, I’d been avoiding her.FFvWwYt
b8iAcbYThat’s why I hadn’t contacted her directly and consulted Yu Sein first.VDn9Yn
HMQMy instincts rejected her.DlyjaXW
fxiI‘Even so, I have to face her.’Z0jvfu
1uXJrBMy intuition, guided by the Blessing of the Sword God, told me.jhwW
98Ur– Don’t let this opportunity slip away.Xvy
v4YTThe blessing, still intact with my humanity, acted like a compass. I couldn’t ignore it.Kj3Sf
ihkwCY“Who… are you?”x3gRevl
seXPGripping the sashimi sword recently assigned to me, I asked in a low, steady voice.zTWZ
wDuZsfQChaerina stared into my eyes and calmly replied.HldW
vYOUER“Hel.”NLNkrCK
37HrNNHer eyes, infinitely deep, pulled at my soul. Without realizing it, I opened the eyes I’d been squeezing shut.6Dm
LhWN6Fwoooosh!T8Q2Huc
NPbTloHell spread beneath my feet.VWi
mbsznsxInfernal fire consumed massive buildings I recognized.xRK
dj0AThat hell—1i8
8aIQThat illusionary scene.rqGC
p23Was none other than Parsy Academy.0v2lV
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