Chapter 137 : Chapter 137
Chapter 137
Was Adela a hero or a villain?
No need to ponder that anymore.
‘She earned the Star Child’s approval.’
Impressive.
The Star Child, despite appearances, had strict standards.
In the worst case, I’d been ready to intervene.
“Good morning, everyone.”
Empress Anette greeted brightly with a smile.
This was the ship’s dining hall.
Everyone had gathered for breakfast.
“You all look refreshed, like you slept well.”
As she said, I’d slept all day.
Felt light for once.
One worry resolved, and…
“Martin! Good morning!”
“Shut up.”
“Okay!”
Gilbert’s sunny greeting soured my mood again.
Not some dog greeting me every morning.
Didn’t he get tired?
“Good morning, Martin~!”
“Good morning.”
Luri’s greeting, though, was worth accepting warmly.
“Hm, good morning.”
“Yes, good morning.”
Adela’s too.
“Oh, Martin. Good morning.”
“Yes, Prince Kazaks.”
Prince Kazaks.
“G-Good morning…!”
“Good morning, Cadet Mary.”
Mary.
‘What’s this?’
As I sat, one by one, they greeted me.
“G-G-G-Good m-morning…!”
“Oh, yeah.”
Even Shuga, trembling but greeting me, was amusing.
…But why?
Looking around, they were casually greeting each other too.
Gilbert, Kazaks, and Adela exchanged greetings.
Shuga and Mary weren’t fighting in the same space.
Elisha and Muller weren’t bickering.
‘Something happened while I was gone.’
Didn’t matter.
Whether they got along or not, as long as they didn’t cause trouble or get in my way.
“Ahem, excuse me.”
A man appeared at the dining hall entrance.
“Grandfather!”
Elisha jumped up and ran to hug him.
“Hehe, Elisha. Your friends are watching.”
“It’s fine!”
Elisha and… an unfamiliar old man.
His top hat and kind eyes seemed gentle, but my Wild Instinct screamed.
Wild Instinct (Lv 4) sounds the alarm! That man is a formidable powerhouse! Surely a Platinum Knight!
‘No way.’
Know-It-All (Lv 4) accesses the directory. Confirmed. Wilhelm von Denel Harmadun. Elisha’s grandfather and patriarch of the Harmadun Ducal Family, one of the Four Great Ducal Families!
A first.
Meeting one of the Four Great Dukes in person.
“I greet Duke Harmadun.”
Bord and Mary paid their respects first.
The other cadets followed, and I couldn’t be an exception.
Only two stood tall: Adela and Kazaks.
Wilhelm nodded to them.
“I greet Your Highness the Prince and Your Highness the Princess.”
“Been a while.”
“….”
Kazaks responded, while Adela merely nodded indifferently.
Wilhelm began greeting each cadet.
“Bord, Muller, Shuga, Mary. It’s been a while.”
“Have you been well, Duke?”
“H-Have you been well…”
He was naturally acquainted with the heirs of the Four Great Ducal Families.
“Oh, you’re Gilbert? I watched your Cadet Duel Assessment with interest.”
“Thank you.”
“Cadet Lina, you too.”
“You flatter me.”
He seemed to be meeting Gilbert and Lina for the first time.
The atmosphere was warm… until it shifted slightly.
“Transfer student Anette, Luri of Elidore… and Martin of Ulvhadin.”
Wilhelm smiled faintly.
“Pleased to meet you.”
Wild Instinct (Lv 4) says it’s not pleased at all.
‘Is that so.’
The Academy was originally dominated by Harmadun and Deminiyan.
Adela took it over, and while she might be fine, Anette, who joined because of her, Luri of Elidore aiming for central politics, and I, a thorn in their side, wouldn’t be viewed kindly.
***
Breakfast ended, and soon the ship reached the port.
It was the southernmost port of the continent, greeted by a grand welcoming crowd.
“Thank you for freeing the sea!”
“We can finally make a living!”
“Thank you! Truly, thank you!”
Sitting quietly in the carriage, the noise soon faded.
We’d left the port city, heading to the capital.
“….”
In the quiet, vibration-free carriage, I closed my eyes.
The week-long carriage journey wasn’t bad.
For once, forgetting everything and enjoying the natural scenery was refreshing.
“What? What’s going on?”
Entering the capital, a knight order with drawn swords lined up to greet us.
Citizens looked bewildered, unsure of what was happening.
Escorted by the knights, we returned to Imperium Academy.
First, we underwent thorough medical checkups at the Academy hospital, then:
“Take one each.”
Wilhelm handed out envelopes—invitations to a conquest success banquet hosted by the Imperial Family.
“Your conquest of a Grade 5 Time Chaos Dungeon, under reconsideration warning… honestly, I don’t know how you did it, but it’s a tremendous achievement. The Imperial Family will personally hold a banquet to honor you.”
The banquet was in three days.
Until then, we were to rest at home and recover.
“Phew, good thing no one got hurt.”
“See you all in three days!”
Most had carriages sent by their families.
Some cadets walked, but…
“Wow! Cadet Gilbert! Long time no see!”
“You really conquered a Grade 5 Time Chaos Dungeon?!”
Seeing the crowd swarm Gilbert, I decided against it.
‘Well, for me…’
I leapt down.
Into the underground waterway.
This was where I felt most at ease.
Waving my green robe, I headed home.
“Hey, young man?”
Wild Instinct (Lv 4) traces the projectile’s path!
A red line passed by my left ear.
Movement (Lv 10) assists your motion.
Dodge?
No, at this level…
Click, I drew my shotgun, turned, and fired.
Bang!
The bullet collided with an arrow, echoing through the waterway.
Smoke rose from the shotgun.
Silently, I opened the chamber, ejected the shell, and reloaded.
“Didn’t expect you to react to that.”
Someone approached slowly from the darkness.
The hunched posture felt familiar.
“A peerless Golden Knight, huh. Even a trash extra like you makes me feel strange.”
First to appear was a suit with the top two buttons undone… and a top hat.
“Understand my mood, Martin of Ulvhadin?”
“I greet Duke Wilhelm.”
Wilhelm of Harmadun.
His smile was kind, but malice overflowed.
“What brings your esteemed self here?”
“Your greeting was a bit lacking.”
Then, an arrow flew.
Drawing, nocking, and releasing the arrow was so fast I could barely react, but:
Wild Instinct (Lv 4) predicts the attack timing!
Know-It-All (Lv 4) warns! Don’t counter this attack!
The warning came before the attack began, allowing me to react.
Movement (Lv 10) provides optimal evasion!
My body moved.
Like flowing water.
Or a gust of wind.
I twisted, dodging three red arrows in an instant.
My body felt light and agile, as if I’d learned teleportation.
“…Hah.”
Wilhelm let out a bemused laugh.
“Your skills are impressive, but are you clueless?”
“I don’t live off reading the room.”
“So, you’re just clueless.”
Five more arrows flew.
With two steps, I dodged all five in succession.
This time, he’d aimed seriously, and his face twitched slightly.
‘Fascinating.’
It wasn’t just that skills like Strength or Agility were maxed at Lv 10.
‘Not just physical enhancement.’
Maxed-out Movement was assisting my enhanced body to operate efficiently.
The efficiency wasn’t additive—it was multiplicative.
“One last warning, Martin of Ulvhadin.”
Wilhelm lowered his bow.
He must’ve realized half-hearted attacks wouldn’t threaten me.
But using full force in the waterway could collapse it.
“Stay away from Elisha. A scoundrel like you around her tears this old man’s heart.”
As expected.
I could understand.
My reputation might’ve improved within the Academy, but in noble society, it was still the same.
“If you won’t, I’ll have no choice but to do my utmost to expel you.”
Hah, absurd.
Fine, try it!
…Would’ve been fine to say, but.
‘Actually, perfect.’
Avoiding Elisha meant avoiding Gilbert too!
Why were the protagonist party called a party?
Because they stuck together.
“I’ll do my utmost.”
“…?”
Wilhelm, taken aback by my positive response, turned.
“…I’ll be watching.”
As he vanished into the darkness, I thought:
‘That guy’s closer to evil.’
A scheming old monster meddling deeply in the Imperium Empire’s politics.
Compared to Adela or me, he wasn’t a villain, just a typical power-abusing politician.
But what was that if not evil?
‘Let’s go.’
Through the waterway, I reached the surface and arrived at my newly decorated home.
As Lilac said, a park with blooming flowers was in front.
‘Still not used to it.’
After moving from inns, slum shacks, and Nerjin’s ruined alchemy workshop, having such a fine house felt satisfying yet surreal.
‘Gotta get used to it.’
It was a positive change.
Anyway, I was free until the banquet in three days.
Might as well enjoy it.
***
Entering the house, it was, as expected, empty.
‘Probably running the coffee wagon.’
I’d hoped Lilac would greet me, so it was a bit disappointing.
‘Having a house like this is something.’
It’d been about a month since settling in.
Furniture and room decorations made it feel like a real home.
‘Well… novel protagonists would only be satisfied with mansions or castles.’
But this was enough for me.
‘I don’t need a sprawling castle or bustling mansion.’
A quiet, cozy house for me, Lilac, and a few trusted family members was plenty.
‘What’s changed while I was gone?’
The first floor wasn’t for living.
It was reserved for opening a café, so it was a bit empty now.
‘The coffee wagon’s great, but nothing beats a café.’
Up to the second floor, a spacious living room greeted me.
One bookshelf held books and board games or trinkets Bianca had bought.
By the window, Lilac’s herbs and vegetables added a pleasant, eco-friendly scent, soothing the mind.
The central sofa, a costly investment… wait, a man was leisurely drinking tea on it.
“…Star Child?”
He turned, raising a hand in greeting.
“Hey, you’re late. Took the scenic route?”
First Wilhelm, now the Star Child.
Was Wild Instinct Lv 4 too weak to sense them?
“Yes, well… came through the waterway. How did you get here…?”
“Not here to trespass. Got something to say. Sit.”
Sitting on the opposite sofa, the Star Child poured tea.
The scent revealed it was brewed from white rose petals.
“Like roses?”
“Well, if I had to pick, I’d choose purple lilacs.”
“Those spring purple flowers? Nice. I like roses. White ones.”
White hair, white eyes, pale skin—the Star Child sipped white tea from a white cup.
“You like white.”
“Yep. Pure white has no lies, no flaws.”
Why bring this up?
“Adela. Luri. Gilbert. Savo. Nerjin.”
Ah, I see why he came.
“I’m late in explaining. I meant to tell you earlier, but I took too long figuring out how.”