Chapter 340: Tradition of the Inter-Academy Tournament (3)
yYpcpWe lost.wi9Ce
bVTJyPZI repeat.m1qtD
X1aJoaquin lost, in crushing defeat.KDXl
b168WT***tQuYE5
UdDc9OThe chariot carrying Abel and Ji Changhyuk didn’t even make it halfway around before their tail was caught.84D
QCHHgThe metal spheres dangling at the back were left helpless before the kiss of Parsy’s wolves.x906
YMUZ7vParsy’s wolves licked the metal balls with delight. Apparently, they were made of something that appealed to canines.yMTFHJ
JdZ8vbBMaybe that was a catalyst to motivate them further.vVjx
Zic2ylTBut from the perspective of the defeated, it was a total humiliation.uGDL
7YcIn front of thousands in the stadium and hundreds of millions watching at home, Abel and Ji Changhyuk’s chariot was penetrated from behind.cdzZ5Qq
4UGonxThe entire coliseum burst into laughter once the first suppressed giggle escaped.sVs
FcI『Victory to Parsy in the sophomore face-off!』Bj8tn
ongWRPDAbel lowered his head with force and clenched his fists; Ji Changhyuk, completely resigned.zfF7dr1
sYWVKxThe climax was when Parsy’s chariot passed by calmly, like a general returning after victory. To top it off, their team began tossing violets at them.JatoG
envxe“Tch, you’d think they won a war. They didn’t even participate!”lJdyBX
vHm2Murmured Ryozo, clicking her tongue as she shoved a jelly bar into her mouth.vdBdS0
tsIOYcT“If the chariot was that fast, then the professors were incompetent. Even with 120 years of experience, at that speed, they shouldn’t have a teaching license, should they?”ggi
hqPI“…The headmistress might be right, but from another perspective, this is a very fitting competition for the purpose of the exchange…”tMC
BLg4The voice from behind made Ryozo glance sideways. It was Victoria.6zp
0nrHHer shoulders were slightly drooped, her gaze lowered. Her pupils reflected worry.LK2FN4
QCZ3pIn a subdued voice, Victoria moved her lips.SukEeT6
91YiQ“What’s being highlighted here aren’t the professors, but the students. I think that’s what the organizer intended to express.”SnL
KHl“…”Ald6dR4
1erRyozo slowly chewed her jelly. Her jaw moved stiffly and her Adam’s apple dropped hard. Then she responded.Wma
WIY“Your Highness was right. I wasn’t being objective.”CEcl7M
zgjd“I didn’t mean to blame you. It’s just that…”0lRZn8
8nfPrincess Victoria glanced at me briefly, then quickly averted her gaze like someone caught red-handed.iKZCcw
72orpuAbel and Ji Changhyuk had become a joke. For now, it was just them, but soon the whole world would know the real target of criticism wasn’t Abel—it was Ji Changhyuk.t2r
NIGfVictoria must have sensed that soon, it would be her turn too.ECS1t1J
vdwaYVictoria was an excellent student. She could even compete with the Golden Generation. The problem was her partner.8sQTd
dnU76‘Why did I get stuck with him?’pfk0G
2FNNnGXThat’s why she was seriously considering Knox’s “Crow’s Blessing transfer.” Without matching my energy, the chariot wouldn’t even budge.vyrs
4wvgEThat much was obvious.OxCVr
clju9Y“It’s not that–”XLmV
cxuVRyozo tried to speak, but stopped when she felt my hand on her shoulder and saw me shake my head.qrAnr5
3ysShe blinked briefly, getting my point. Then, she clicked her tongue and turned back to the arena.GxE9HQV
spjOtgAI also turned my eyes back there after sneaking a glance at Victoria.tsGJhu
j5rYsf“The princess is more fragile than I imagined. What does the instructor in charge think of her protégé, Her Highness Princess Victoria?”KX9
UzWvARyozo murmured in a low voice while looking straight ahead. Fortunately, the crowd’s noise drowned her out.SdPsBH
oB0oP“It’s not that she’s fragile,” I corrected.MUzA
5JVWB“She just has low self-esteem.”rprfK8
NGq“The princess?”fwr
RC4“Surprised?”UGo
fMdJ“Well… no. I guess it can happen.”DZaCC
JTIjs8C‘I felt it during training. She’s not how she appears in public.’QfORl
bt9PzHer sharp attitude is a defense mechanism. Others might not notice, but I did.YEJQ
dODI glanced sideways.NDJns
e4V4qu5Due to the intense training from the Absolute Archer Kojima, Ryozo also had a harsh personality for a while.uPc
7uMDVNHer words always carried thorns, and she seemed disinterested in everything.Kn1H
q1vnSmxEven so, she always got the best grades, both in theory and practice.pTowN9
6cwIf she had truly wanted to defy Kojima, she just had to stop studying.oOl6
ojxOy‘But she wanted to be acknowledged.’tTmy
IHEEven if she hated her bloodline and her father, Ryozo sought his approval. That’s typical in adolescence—rebelling like that.DrBr7
5meuJj3‘Victoria isn’t that different.’reQ
O8DBy the way, I know nothing about royal lineage. “The Blessing of the Family” doesn’t go into that, and as a commoner, I had no contact with royalty.n5BoKwe
buWCuIt’s like that old rule from wuxia novels the emperor shouldn’t meddle in martial affairs.uAn91
YmsRopTo maintain “verisimilitude,” writers invented such rules. And it seems something similar applies here.XSe
yUd7MKr‘I don’t know the royals well, but it’s clear Victoria isn’t treated with respect.’uo3PPg
a4IRoBeing born into nobility doesn’t mean everything is good. And now, the clearest proof of that was approaching.y8E9n
QgMFStep… step…k5SGUvH
ypsjHP6Abel walked up with a completely distorted face.yVk3
eH8VxgHer steps were as unsteady as a zombie’s.dUnp
TgwV“Well done…”Oheis
yS1bDon’t say it, Leon.5vdjYTz
VsHO“…”ynK
pg6niGood call. At least you’ve got sense.wWs
Z6mPlop.cuH
jDtxAbel dropped into his seat with a weight that nearly collapsed it.IoyXe
NqYRsAHJi Changhyuk followed, as if bound by an invisible leash.k47
q3LThough their reasons were different, neither could shake off the shock of defeat.GqXapJV
ksha“It’s fine.”hZTyW
OWi2S3Abel shook his mint-green hair. It gave off a fresh scent, like grass.BUBPj
huAm“Sometimes, you lose.”kiBzUq
osjrbmO“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”icLFxYd
kiMUY7“I told you, Ji Changhyuk.”0qXQ
A8meaAbel smiled sweetly and patted Ji Changhyuk’s head.2Yvc
LRADB“We did our best. If we look at it objectively, it wasn’t your fault. It was my mistake for not adjusting our pace, even knowing the rules. Still, we almost made half a lap!”YgG
dn1Y“B-But…”59jwS
pSxrS“Don’t cry. Be a man.”YM49a
mcMYAbel smiled so much, his eyes almost looked teary.09Z0qYm
NQd“Heavenly Sword, you…”5yj
jHOH“Hmm?”3lo2Wn
oXBnI couldn’t take it anymore and brought my curved index finger to her cheek.dN6jG
W295jI wiped away a small, shining droplet.wKvOZMJ
slp“Huh?”hKIHbkW
CgYfAbel brushed his thumb across his face and looked up with a bitter expression.0XwSHx
rcpuMjG“Why am I… crying?”tXsxK
XN5siFAbel, you’re the true winner.UrLENKM
lNbVcW‘You held back your desire for victory for your disciple.’FvE5WMa
zUcrAs your husband, I couldn’t be prouder.MN9Qdt
9Im***KaHU
ENX「The sophomore match turned out to be an unexpected twist! Who would’ve imagined Joaquin would fall so easily to Parsy, who lost the flag war?!」5olrkxn
hk7vGdSJoaquin’s victory had seemed like a given. But with this upset, the crowd’s excitement surged. Thanks to the so-called “underdog effect,” the cheers split evenly.YVe5
es0fhzThe chants supporting Parsy grew louder. Ratings were surely spiking. Although Abel’s face looked like he was chewing shit…iPU
Dp9「This is getting more and more thrilling! Let’s move right to the next showdown!」w4X
qpo0EE「First-year chariot race, let’s gooooo!」pC9Xzv
MLny11F“I’m going to avenge them.”OLMxq6
ETamAs always, past or present, Leon calmed us with his flawless, serene tone.pPoa
aI5“Let’s go, Rina.”E0cvZs
4ObcChaerina stood to follow Leon. Just before turning her back to us, she cast me a cold, distant look.ktx
nFB— Remember this. If things keep going this way, these cheers will soon become the cries of the dead.r3kB
lfmMD“What I hate most is being told what to do. I’ll decide how to act, so you focus on doing your job.”5Cv
XSrhB— I don’t understand. Why do you cling to this world?AbNR2
YFo‘Because I’m a stubborn fool, what other reason?’NSXp
gZnZrJ—…u7y2d3
MUihBlack hair and black eyes. As if the world lost all color except for us. That strange sense of resonance shattered the moment Chaerina took her first step.9Cd9
vWKBFsHer black braid swayed gently.W2bPyh
o4gPFrowning, Ryozo asked in confusion,ne1
FWnEgS“Hey, I’ve always wondered… Geom-Ma, why are you so hostile toward your cousin? I mean, I know you don’t get along, but do you really have to snarl at each other like that?”erYAQ
kj5FA question slightly out of place. But I already had an excuse ready.Vus
saw2“You know how rough my cadet days were. At the start of my first year, I even went hungry.”XcD
mfj“Yeah. You said spicy pork cost 50,000 won and you couldn’t even afford that. Though with today’s inflation, that’s like a convenience store bento.”EjA3I
Uv6sO“…Haha.”06A
NbnpcL6Her sense of money is as out of touch as ever.XpyWt
ZzpV“Anyway… our family wasn’t rich, but we were doing okay. Until my dad ruined everything by signing as a guarantor.”j0hF57
MYk8Vv“No way…?”mqVK8E
6tXMmPI shrugged like it was no big deal.iKcwk
ksg“Unfortunately, yes.”2InX
eNAMONot entirely a lie.RPDMnl
WIsxNAI simply borrowed the stained past of my previous life.gCVZoz
be3My biological father in that life also wrecked our family with a guarantee. He turned into a violent monster. With no way out, he chose me as his outlet.OHoryQ
M6p“Damn, I didn’t know that.”bb6
Uc6“Even if it’s between adults, things like that leave a mark when you’re a teen. That’s why I act a bit cold with Rina.”pHel
8j2F“Yeah… makes sense.”yoosyP
eFpxRYRyozo leaned closer. Her warmth wrapped around my left arm.To2HR
Xiu5And Abel, not wanting to be outdone, quickly clung to my right arm. A whistle sounded somewhere. To them, I must’ve looked like fate’s spoiled child.sn5CD
2GgiThey have no idea the days I’ve lived through.GmVEnMX
EH1PNot long after, the bell rang for the start of the first-year chariot race.zF5KE
Rux6「The winner of the first-year chariot race is…!」QpK
hYfRThe result came quickly.mM9mPc
GRvxSXc「The Joaquin Academy!」dCd
b2C0GThe competition, which had been close, suddenly tilted in favor of Leon and Chaerina. Probably thanks to Leon’s blood effect.GiQlb
qRKqmTLeon is a nephilim, a hybrid of angel and demon. He must’ve trained to balance both forces.QcY
3EWJLAnd he’d gotten advice from both the archangel Metatron and Meian Poison.XhhUEsq
8Gd‘His main goal was to master Balmung completely.’M4t
6wHKbCAnd the secondary goal, to conceal his angelic and demonic blood until needed. Few knew about Leon’s lineage.cWUY
ZNZrkLZHis efforts paid off.60zZ
jhAz5exLeon reached the point where he could suppress his presence at critical times.ljmKxe
sNSYIt was similar to the Crow’s Blessing, but with a different nuance.Ajeh7u
ecsMCrunch, crunch.PxVhlf
YGp09Abel bit his nails. Maybe he felt he’d lost not just to Parsy, but also to Leon. With that much salt in the wound, it was only natural to grind his teeth. Leon and Chaerina returned.YvCTo
nKcoiyWe offered words of encouragement. Even Abel did so, albeit begrudgingly.ltZ
eYnf5「Finally, finaaally! The moment has come!」AxI
uRVAs2The presenter gave us no time to breathe. To keep the pace, he announced the next participants.PNc
pt5UnThe crowd responded with enthusiasm. They had waited a long time for this moment.H7dB3
wlZAtThud, thud, thud, thud.X3XZ
UcsAs Victoria and I made our way to the field, the audience stomped the ground. The vibration could be felt even through our soles.TWHl9
fxx7The climax hit as we reached the field. The roar was like a stampede of buffalo.wUGF
7i4KSky, earth, and skin all trembled. The pressure seemed to flatten the ground.lnPn
RFmqWooooaaaaaah!LvErk
dOH9aCThe presenter, too, was hyped as he guided the event. With all eyes on her, Victoria climbed onto the chariot first. As I got on, she waved to the crowd with her porcelain face. Many men melted.NlQ
HRaI stood beside her. Parsy’s chariot aligned with ours.abV2
WvJ96The noise faded. The air between Victoria and me felt rougher than sand, and tense.Ojp
BEg‘How awkward.’6ayrHC
BderWGpEven so, as the adult, I had to cheer her on.BA1Tnl
Y3dpSnThe wheel-tracked ground sloped toward her pale face.m5d0y
Rp0NLt“I know saying this now might be extra pressure… but there’s something I wanted to say, Princess.”MuXH3B
tyoz“…”OzVJM
ZFDqGchShe looked at me with fearful eyes, like a kitten in the rain.d3aNyuX
DmLD3I held the reins with one hand and scratched my face with the other.5Dq
Aio“I’m not a great teacher. That’s just how I am. But, Princess, you managed to learn a lot from me.”bnbW6s
yERwNLf“……”wKzTAOm
zSmD“That makes me proud. And the fact that my first—and probably only—direct student was you, is an honor.”9sZ
9FngAN“….”DFPRJI7
kn2LHer golden eyelashes were dusted, sparkling. Victoria blinked it off.0eI3Y
ylLY“It was an honor for me too. Not just today, every moment with yo—”2lnvH
YdeaiI smiled silently.dVPyTE
qVE7XAb“I hope you can still say that even if we lose.”6pJwWv
8Gsg“You said Joaquin wouldn’t lose to Parsy.”FergK1
ddRShe gripped the reins tightly.i11s
nFlx“And that’s how it’ll be.”rZoSm
D4BEzDThen it happened.aHJbr
6GEqkA deafening siren rang in our ears.rnn
AGdTiBQBeeeeeeep!8hk481
VB7WParsy’s chariot took off. Victoria’s hair billowed in the wind.lij
pfeRumThey had raced twice already, but their wolves showed no signs of fatigue.ruEN
yK8WuMnVictoria whipped the reins repeatedly.WlC
BaAjThe lash echoed like a ripple from her to the chariot’s end.XgsS
SlYBut.yiEmXf
0zJVl6The wolves didn’t budge. After several failed attempts, they yawned.trsynt
6V27m6ENot surprising—the Joaquin wolves were more worn out than Parsy’s.IW6vC
80cLF8“Wait.”NOJ
K5zpYI placed a hand on Victoria’s shoulder and stepped back. She handed me the reins without protest.mUuQiuL
KYYeTBI said just two words.XKMFAov
wNCcndY“Run.”tBQYZ
won49MIt was a warning.i3Z
OhmoF“My sword doesn’t discriminate between beasts.”epJEQ
g7tL91bAt that moment, Sköll and Hati’s faces twisted like enraged demons. I focused every ounce of killing intent I could muster on them.biDUm
lpQr9d“Growllll!”oNqE
NlENAs they growled, I flipped back my coat, revealing the sashimi I had on me.7Tom
aR1KklnJust the sight of it made the wolves perk up.XRbGcfG
a8aTense, Sköll and Hati dug at the ground with their paws.S2QUsx9
MhKmtAlIn real time, their plump bodies slimmed down, and our chariot wheels began to spin.j2MEb
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