NOVEL NEXT Chapter 26
“Angela has returned safely.”
The maid bowed her head and spoke politely.
“…Is that so?”
“She was confirmed safe at Polaris Academia. We are currently bringing her to the palace.”
“From Polaris?”
Pernia’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“How on earth was she found there?”
“W-well, to that extent… Angela was hesitant to speak…”
“Tch, fine. I’ll just ask her directly.”
She clicked her tongue softly and gathered her coat.
“Let’s go straight to where she is…”
“There’s no need for that, sister.”
A familiar voice interrupted just in time.
Angela, having just arrived at the palace, approached Pernia with a gentle smile.
“How have you been?”
“…You seem safe. I heard you had quite a rough time outside.”
“I was lucky. Isn’t this all a grace bestowed upon me by the gods?”
A small vein popped on Pernia’s forehead.
Claiming it was a grace from the gods meant she had escaped a crisis.
If the gods truly cherished Angela, they would have prevented her from experiencing such events at all.
So, Angela’s words meant:
“I know it’s not just coincidence.”
She was aware that she had been targeted and that it wasn’t merely the random acts of strangers.
“Why didn’t you come straight to the palace and went to the academy instead?”
“I had no grand intention. It was simply closer to the academy.”
“You’re talking nonsense…”
Pernia scrutinized Angela closely.
Having erased all signs of hardship at Polaris, she didn’t look much different from when she left the palace.
“…She has changed.”
The aura she exuded was strikingly different from before.
It had only been a few months.
“……”
What on earth had she experienced to exude such a different atmosphere?
She had once been a fragile, shabby gem, but now she resembled a finely honed sword.
Although her body remained as fragile as before.
“She feels sharp.”
Unlike before, when she could be easily broken, now attempting to do so seemed like it would result in injury.
“It seems you’ve been through quite a lot.”
“It wasn’t just a meaningless journey. While I gained but a dim understanding compared to what you have achieved, I did learn something.”
Clack, clack.
Angela slowly approached Pernia and whispered softly.
“To protect ‘what’s mine’, I must not shun anything.”
“…You!”
“Then may I go rest now? I’ve returned ‘home’ after a long time, and the fatigue from the journey is suddenly overwhelming.”
With a smile!
Angela left gracefully with a pure smile on her face.
Watching her retreating figure, Pernia bit her lip.
“What on earth…!”
What could have happened that changed her so dramatically?
Until now, she had merely been regarded as a clumsy, cumbersome family member.
“Damn it.”
If that audacious girl was truly aiming for the Emperor’s throne…
Things were going to get extremely troublesome.
“Come.”
Once she returned to her room, Pernia shouted into the emptiness.
“Yes.”
At her command, a woman stepped out of the shadows.
“Investigate. Find out what caused her to change like that.”
There must be a reason.
The reason why Angela now held such eyes.
The decisive factor behind that seemingly thoughtless girl suddenly exposing her claws.
“Understood.”
Swish!
The woman who received Pernia’s orders disappeared in an instant.
*
I wonder if Elma’s words were not lies.
There seemed to be more security personnel stationed at the train platform than before.
“The student council has this much power?”
I felt once again the status Polaris held.
After all, the entire district was practically part of the academy’s grounds.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to consider the student council the total responsible party for this area.
“In the story, the student council president election was an event as grand as a boss-level monster hunt.”
In many ways, it was an extraordinary space.
-This stop is Polaris Building A…
As the announcement rang out, I stepped off the train.
Thankfully, I wasn’t assaulted again.
“Oh, I’m nervous…”
“Woo~ Finally, my youthful life will unfold here!”
“Those who say things like that usually end up failing.”
“I’ll pass, I’ll pass, I’ll pass, I’ll pass, I’ll pass……”
Unlike when I visited with Angela, Building A was bustling with many more people.
“Did everyone come here for the entrance exam?”
That seemed highly likely.
Considering the somewhat nervous expressions as they chewed on their candy.
“Eat some candy.”
“…Oh, right, thanks.”
“Eat more candy.”
“I’ve had enough, stop-”
“Eat the candy, I said.”
“Hey, you jerk.”
Among all the many examinees, only 50 would pass.
And among them, there would only be one top student receiving full scholarship support.
“Still.”
I didn’t think that the one would be anyone other than me.
“Oops!”
I stretched lightly and looked for the admissions office building.
[Polaris Academia Entrance Exam Registration]
As soon as I entered, I spotted the registration desk right away.
I approached it and sat down, and a short-haired woman attended to me.
“Hello. What brings you here?”
“I’m here to finalize my exam registration.”
“Ah….”
When she saw me, she offered a slightly apologetic smile.
“I’m sorry, but you must come in person to finalize your registration.”
…Hmm?
“What the hell?”
Hadn’t I just stated that I was here?
What kind of ridiculous discrimination was this?
“Um… I am here in person, though?”
When I pointed to myself with my finger, the woman looked at me in silence.
“Are you really here in person?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask your name?”
“Al… Ahem. Ran Black.”
“Just a moment…”
She quickly checked the documents.
“Ah… Yes, you’re here. Ran Black.”
“Phew.”
Luckily, it seemed my letter hadn’t been misplaced.
“Um, but you’re a male candidate… It’s…”
“Is there a problem?”
“…No! I’ll assist you right away.”
She took my ID (forged) and conducted a few processes before handing me a nameplate with my exam number.
[433]
I attached the nameplate to my chest and promptly headed into the waiting room.
“Wow.”
I thought I had arrived quite early, but the waiting room was already bustling.
“Eeep! Hah!”
A kid in the corner was swinging a sword to warm up.
“Monster hunting in the 27th exam… 1-on-1 duels in the 39th…”
They were recalling the contents of past entrance exams and formulating their strategies.
‘It’s getting heated.’
The intense passion was palpable.
‘Better blend in and not attract too much attention.’
As I was about to settle in a suitable spot, I suddenly heard.
“…Huh?”
“Isn’t that a guy?”
“Why is there a guy in the waiting room?”
“Wait, that nameplate, could it be…?”
“That boy is an examinee?!”
“A guy at Polaris?”
“He’s cute…”
I must have been a barbarian in my past life.
Just by walking, I had attracted a large-scale provocation.
‘Don’t pay attention, don’t pay attention.’
Once a few more people entered, they’d probably lose interest.
Just as I thought that and sat down.
“Hey.”
Someone called me in a mocking tone.
“Are you here to take the exam?”
The voice belonged to a big, burly girl with a fierce appearance.
She looked a bit like a gorilla.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“What the heck. I guess the times have really changed. A guy swinging a sword.”
The girl licked her lips and gazed at me intently.
“Do you know who I am? I am the successor of the Red Forest, Duwena.”
“I, Red Forest?!”
“Why are that vicious group here…?!”
Red Forest.
Surely it was a union of bandits that appeared early on as minor enemies.
While not comparable to major groups like the Yan Family, they were a somewhat sizeable criminal organization.
‘Looks like the [delicate appearance] is indeed a penalty for attracting trouble with thugs or ruffians.’
I hadn’t expected it to apply in an exam waiting room too.
“You look like some naive little rich kid who doesn’t know the ways of the world. How dare a guy try to outdo a girl? Isn’t that shameless?”
“Is that so?”
“Well, you do have one way to pass this exam.”
Duwena rubbed her hefty hand on my thigh.
“Hehe…! You know what I mean, right?”
Her eyes glimmered with greed.
‘Ah-ha.’
I had a vague idea of what she wanted.
“So you’re saying if I play the role of your concubine, you’ll guarantee my acceptance?”
“Not too bad for a guy, huh? Oh, of course…”
Her fingers, which crossed my thigh, climbed up to my belly and then to my chest.
“Then you’ll need to give up that body too. Is it expensive to enroll in Polaris?”
Hehe, hehe, hehe!
Where did these rogues learn such things?
They all seem to be stereotypically the same.
‘Hmm, right.’
A good idea came to mind.
I needed to test something before the real exam began.
“Are you strong?”
“Do you think I’m strong? Hehe! Isn’t it obvious?”
“Is that so? Then, hold on tight.”
I placed my thumb and middle finger together to create a flicking gesture.
Then, using the energy from my dantian, I wrapped powerful energy around my fingers.
“If you can endure it, I’ll give you everything. Your body, or your purity, it’s all yours.”
“What are you doing right now…?”
Before Duwena could finish her words.
I flicked her forehead with my finger.
‘Kang-ki (罡氣)’
Finger flick.
Bang-!!!!
The focused energy from my fingers shot forth, causing a tremendous vibration.
Following that, Duwena’s hefty body flew far away.
“Aaah!”
“What, what is happening!”
“She just flew away!”
Duwena’s distant body collided with the waiting room wall.
Bang!
The wall seemed resilient, as it dented but held.
“Uh… ugh…”
Duwena fainted, a large red lump rising on her forehead, frothing at the mouth.
‘The power is good.’
The energy, focused more on offense than defense.
Even though it was the first time using it, getting such results from a mere flick was promising.
‘Even without a sword, I can manage somehow.’
I quickly gathered the energy and wore a satisfied smile.
“Sorry, sis. I have no interest in weak women.”
“Did she just take out Red Forest in one blow?!”
“Wow, hell yeah, she’s so sexy…”
“Ugh… Please send me flying too, big brother…”
“I’ll confess to him after passing the exam.”
“1. Lift.”
Let’s ignore the murmurs.
That would be good for my mental health.