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“Are you deaf? Stand at attention properly.”

When the six higher-ranked members left yawning, it was clear they meant for him to handle things on his own. Despite his efforts to restore discipline by shouting, the blond delinquent in front of him only stared back with a sullen, uninterested expression.

“I don’t want to.”

“What?”

Meldon was speechless. He had never encountered someone so clueless. Weren’t seniors revered as if they were gods? Especially those from the Schlaphe Hall, who always looked up to the Adele Hall and stayed sharp, like a razor’s edge.

“Yeah, I’ve seen idiots like you before. But did you know? There’s a cure for that.”

Of course, it’s physical therapy.

Professors always favored the “Ten Elites.” At Frostheart, skilled students were rewarded. A little violence was even praised as a way to maintain order.

“Shall I make you cry first?”

Just as Meldon was about to punch Hersel in the nose, pain erupted from inside his body.

“Ugh!”

Meldon trembled, tears involuntarily welling up in his eyes. He rolled his gaze to see Professor Gomon nearby, panting, his staff pointed toward him.

“A… a curse of restraint? Why?”

Professor Gomon hurried over and grabbed Meldon by the back of the neck.

“Hey, if you showed up, you should’ve gone quietly back to your dorm to rest. Why are you bothering someone who’s working hard?”

Working hard? Meldon reflexively questioned, thinking of Hersel, who had been sitting back, watching leisurely.

“Pardon?”

“Haha, I’ll handle this troublemaker.”

With that, Professor Gomon dragged Meldon away. Once they disappeared, Emeric and Hamon, who had been watching from a distance, clicked their tongues in disappointment.

“Damn it, the troublemaker was him.”

“What do we do now, Emeric?”

Since they had just returned from the Demonic realm, they probably didn’t know that Hersel had captured the Venomous Serpent. The news would have spread quickly, but it would have been impossible to reach the depths of the Demonic realm. Besides, they had been stuck in the carriage the whole time, so there was no chance to hear it.

But once they heard, everything would be over.

“Ah, do you think Professor Gomon will tell them everything?”

At that, Athera, who had appeared out of nowhere, pulled out her notebook.

“Don’t worry. I figured this might happen, so I hired some insurance. They should be clinging to Professor Gomon by now, making sure he doesn’t have a chance to speak.”

“That’s reassuring.”

“More importantly, shall I show you the betting list?”

The bet wasn’t on winning or losing; the topic was how long someone could last against Hersel. The highest odds were on three seconds, and the longer the time, the lower the odds became.

Athera put her notebook away and turned her back.

“Well then, I’ll go distribute some medicine to the others.”

As she left, Hamon scratched his head.

“That girl’s pretty sharp when you think about it.”

“Well, even though her combat skills are low, her test scores are always in the top ranks. If she had trained a bit, she might have barely made it into the Adele Hall. But I wonder if this will be okay.”

At Emeric’s cryptic remark, Hamon asked,

“What will?”

Emeric closed his eyes slowly and then opened them.

“I’m wondering if it’s okay to be doing this right now.”

Even the professors and Adele Hall students had been mobilized for the repair work, as if they were racing against time.

“Ah, it’s because the Pathfinder headquarters is sending someone down, right? They’re coming to give Hersel a medal. That’s why Rockefeller is so concerned, isn’t it?”

“…Even so, it feels a bit excessive.”

“Don’t worry too much. They’re just low-ranking staff. They’ll probably just stop by briefly to deliver something and leave.”

Emeric nodded at Hamon’s words. It was the first time the fortress had been so damaged, so they must be putting a lot of effort into projecting a good image. Even if low-ranking staff came and left, they didn’t want any word reaching headquarters. That’s probably why.

Yet the sense of dread wouldn’t go away.

“What is this ominous feeling…?”

Emeric decided to trust his instincts and withdraw.

“I’m out. You and Athera handle the rest, Hamon.”

They already had more than enough coins. Emeric knew well that greed beyond a certain point would only bring disaster.

***

Inside the carriage, Arental asked the officer sitting across from him.

“How do I look? Do I appear ordinary in this outfit?”

The clothes he wore were not the typical formal robes of an elder but a standard uniform that a low-ranking officer might wear.

“It’s appropriate. You won’t stand out in that.”

“That’s good to hear. I wouldn’t want anyone to feel uneasy because of me.”

At his words, she held back the question, “Are you disguising yourself for a surprise inspection?”

The carriage gradually approached the Frostheart fortress. Arental gazed out at the scenery, filled with nostalgia.

“Returning to my alma mater after so long, I feel excited. It was such a joyful time back then.”

The officer asked with a curious tone, “Ah, right. There’s a rumor that the Duke was once your senior. Is that true?”

Arental smiled broadly.

“Yes, that’s true. I suddenly remember how I used to follow Senior Aol everywhere. Back then, I was a young man full of passion, eager to learn all I could.”

“It must be quite emotional for you to meet his son.”

The officer’s expression turned worried as a thought crossed her mind.

“But… is it really okay? There are some unfavorable rumors about Hersel Ben Tenest.”

A sudden burst of laughter escaped from Arental’s lips.

“Um… Sir Arental?”

“Oh, I apologize. I was just reminded of the old days. Senior Aol used to cause quite a bit of trouble, so much so that even the professors were afraid of him.”

As Arental reminisced, the officer tilted her head in confusion. Aol was famous not only for his strength but also for being a dignified and gentlemanly figure. Imagining such a man causing trouble felt oddly contradictory.

“I suppose the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Hersel Ben Tenest must have inherited those traits from the Duke, don’t you think? Haha.”

As Arental laughed heartily, the carriage arrived at the gates of Frostheart.

***

Word had already spread that the carriage had arrived. All students were instructed to stay inside the dormitories or fortress and to behave exemplary. I, who was scheduled to receive a medal, waited in the indoor garden just below the headmaster’s office. Once the elder arrived at the office, a professor would call for me.

‘It’s been restored quite neatly, Hersel.’

Donatan commented on the now-restored indoor garden. The place had been a battleground between Luon and the others, leaving the flowers trampled and the stone floor covered in dirt. The walls had been damaged too, though thankfully, the statues had remained untouched.

‘I put a lot of effort into it, so of course.’

While admiring the pristine garden that looked as though it had been rebuilt, I was also speculating on which elder would arrive. Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps, followed by a cheerful voice.

“This place has changed quite a bit.”

Judging by the tone and the Pathfinder uniform, the speaker seemed to be an alumnus of Frostheart. It wasn’t unusual for graduates to visit their alma mater from time to time.

However, when I saw the kind face of the middle-aged man, my pupils shook with shock.

Arental Man Drayon.

One of the elders of headquarters.

Our eyes met.

“Oh, there’s someone here already. I was just reminiscing and ended up talking to myself. I hope I didn’t disturb you.”

The sudden encounter left me speechless. All that ran through my mind was one question:

Why is someone of his rank dressed like a low-ranking officer?

After collecting my thoughts, I stood up from the bench and greeted him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Arental.”

It seemed he had intended to hide his identity, but it was already obvious who he was. There would be no harm in revealing it since he was such an easygoing person, unlikely to be offended by such a thing.

Arental scratched the back of his head awkwardly and gave a wry smile.

“Ah, I’ve already been found out, huh. I’m curious—how did you figure it out?”

“I saw your portrait hanging in the main hall. I wasn’t sure at first, but I decided to mention it, and it seems I was right.”

Arental approached me, nodding in admiration.

“Ah, that portrait. Though it’s strange—I looked much different when I was younger. My skin was smoother, and I had put on some weight back then.”

“As I said earlier, I wasn’t entirely certain. But your facial features are so distinct that it clicked right away.”

I replied modestly. Arental, seemingly intrigued by me, motioned for me to sit as he took a seat on the bench.

“How are you finding life at the academy?”

“I’m quite happy here.”

Arental chuckled at my response.

“Ah, I like that. Very positive. So, are there any strange occurrences happening these days? Like ghosts showing up, strange monsters awakening, or mysterious pathways appearing out of nowhere?”

I answered confidently again.

“Oh, were such things common in the past? That’s surprising. I’ve never encountered anything like that. I believe the professors have been managing things very well.”

In truth, the professors were the last people I wanted to defend. But in order to secure more funding for the academy, I had to give the impression that it was being run smoothly. More funds meant more resources for me to siphon off.

“Is that so? I’ll have to suggest they get a bonus. Oh, by the way, are there any facilities or materials you need? The academy has a lot of outdated things, and it’s about time for an upgrade.”

“Well, there are some things. Though we’ve managed well enough with what we have, many items have naturally worn out over time.”

Arental pulled out a notebook and began listening intently. I started by listing the outdated equipment in the armory and the shortages I’d noticed while overseeing things. He carefully jotted everything down, then gave a slightly embarrassed smile.

“Haha, the library does have a lot of those old books. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to bring in some light novels to help people relax from time to time.”

“Though I aim to be a Pathfinder, being human means those kinds of thoughts do cross my mind from time to time. Just occasionally, of course.”

After jotting down a few more notes, Arental tucked his notebook away.

“That was helpful. Perhaps the headquarters could also adopt some of the suggestions you mentioned.”

He pulled out his pocket watch and then stood up from his seat.

“Oh dear, I’ve kept you too long.”

“Not at all. I enjoyed our time together, Sir Arental.”

“Thank you for saying that. Now, I must be off to attend to my matters. Truthfully, I came here not just to reminisce, but also to check on something.”

Arental glanced over at a statue in the corner. Though he didn’t say it, I knew why he was so interested in that statue. There was a hidden easter egg—a secret engraving of his lover’s name from his student days.

Realizing this might take longer than I thought, I turned to gaze at the scenery beyond the window.

***

The Seven elites who had returned from their fieldwork were supposed to submit their reports to Arkandric and make an appearance to receive words of encouragement. However, they had been ordered to stay put upon hearing the news of a sudden visitor.

“I’m still exhausted. I’ll rest in the dorm a little longer.”

“Yeah, me too. Meldon, you know what to do if the professor calls us, right?”

“Yes, please rest easy.”

The four men and women stretched and then disappeared.

Meldon, breathing heavily, continued his rant to the senior members from the 6th and 5th elites.

“It’s unbelievable! That blond guy was so rude and arrogant. I was about to teach him a lesson, but then Professor Gomon suddenly pulled me away from him!”

The female senior and the 5th elite responded.

“Gomon did that? That man is way too soft.”

The male senior and the 6th elite replied.

“Isn’t it absurd? I’m sure he used to be all about discipline when he was a student, just like us. Now he’s acting all nice.”

The female senior frowned.

“By the way, is that blond guy the one Athera mentioned? Could he be Hersel or whatever that tough guy’s name was?”

“That Hersel? No way.”

The male senior shook his head, but the female senior asked, “Wait, is he famous?”

“Oh, you wouldn’t know, coming from the western region. He’s famous, alright, but not in a good way. You’ve heard of the Tenest family, right? He’s their eldest son.”

“Ah, the Tenests.”

Listening quietly, Meldon scratched his head. Hersel, that infamous delinquent. Though he wasn’t entirely sure if that blond guy was indeed the eldest son of the Tenest family, it didn’t really matter to him.

‘So what if he is? Just because his family is prestigious doesn’t mean he can act superior here at Frostheart. He’ll have to fall in line.’

Recalling what Athera had said, Meldon smirked. She had mentioned that despite being incredibly weak, Hersel had an unyielding spirit, never backing down no matter how much he was beaten. That’s because they weren’t professionals when it came to dealing with people like him.

‘If he refuses to comply, I’ll just have to teach him the hard way.’

Armed with this knowledge even before coming to the academy, Meldon straightened his shoulders and walked with confidence. As he neared the stairs, he noticed a woman standing still, her back to him. She wore a robe with the distinctive compass emblem of a Pathfinder on it.

The female senior quickly grabbed Meldon’s sleeve in a panic.

“Let’s take another route.”

“Huh?”

“That outfit… she’s an officer. My brother said she’s high-ranking. It won’t do us any good to get noticed.”

The male senior quietly added in a low voice, “No wonder there’s so much fuss around the academy. The professors seem to be watching her closely, so we’d better stay away. If we mess up, it could be the end of us.”

“In that case, senior, let’s wait in the garden. If we hear footsteps from the professors in the hallway, I’ll go check if they’ve called for us.”

Reluctantly, they decided to enter the indoor garden. Meldon, smiling broadly at the overwhelming scent of flowers, led the way.

“It feels like I haven’t been here in a while. Wow, it looks like they’ve done some renovations. It’s so clean.”

Meldon admired the slightly altered interior, soaking in the atmosphere. Then, his eyes widened when he saw a man sitting on a bench.

That blond head—no doubt about it.

“Well, well! Look who it is! How did a lowlife from the Schlaphe Hall manage to sneak in here?!”

As he approached with a menacing expression, Hersel flinched, opening his eyes in surprise.

Seeing Hersel’s expression, Meldon inwardly laughed.

‘Idiot. Is he scared now that Professor Gomon isn’t here to protect him?’

Meldon grabbed Hersel by the collar and lifted him up. However, even as Hersel was hoisted off the ground, his gaze remained fixed elsewhere.

‘Wait, something’s off with this guy. Why is he so out of it?’

Feeling unsettled by the fact that Hersel seemed distracted even in a moment when he was about to be hit, Meldon followed Hersel’s gaze and turned his head slightly.

“What are you staring at…”

Hersel’s eyes were locked on a middle-aged man standing in front of a statue, dressed in the uniform of a low-ranking officer from headquarters. Meldon’s eyes met the man’s, and the man blinked slowly, as if surprised by what he was seeing.

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