Read I Became the Academy’s War Hero - Chapter 202 : Spring of Arpe (6) online free

Chapter 202 : Spring of Arpe (6)

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Chapter 202: Spring of Arpe (6)

The ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍time limit was fifteen minutes.

NovelFire reader preview #5fc41bc8106e (issued 2026-07-18).

There wasn't a second to spare.

The moment Abel headed deeper inside, we ran toward the narrow passage on the right.

Edel knew the internal layout far better than I did, so I left the navigation to her.

We entered a small room at the end of the corridor and pulled the iron lever embedded in the floor.

Clank, clank...!

When it was pulled all the way down, part of the floor lifted with a heavy thud, revealing a staircase leading underground.

The moment we descended the stairs, Edel dispelled our Concealment Magic.

It took us a total of three minutes to reach the exact point beneath the center of the bedroom, where the barrier was anchored.

"Taking into account the time it'll take for the barrier to reconstruct itself, we have to finish this within ten minutes. Take out every Artifact you brought, Carter."

"Yes."

The core maintaining the barrier was a Mana Stone about the size of a person's face, floating between a stone framework.

While I laid out the six Artifacts I had brought, Edel took out her wand and unfolded magic circles across both the ground and the air.

Understanding, compression, manifestation.

The orthodox process of learning magic.

Unlike the past, however, modern spell formulas had become so simplified and refined that even without fully understanding the formula itself, people could often still manage to cast the spell.

The downside was that cases of creating entirely new spells or fundamentally reconstructing existing ones had become exceedingly rare.

If even ordinary spells with relatively simple formulas were like that, reconstructing Barrier Magic—famous for its intricate spell formulas—was something even the mages of the Magic Tower struggled with.

And with only ten minutes available?

Most people would have given up before even trying.

Although I possessed talent for manipulating mana, I had absolutely no aptitude for creating or reconstructing spell formulas.

Under normal circumstances, it would never even have crossed my mind as an option.

Even Michel, renowned as a genius in spell formulas, or Rubia, who had mastered nearly every branch of theoretical magic, would have struggled to reconstruct the Measurement Barrier within ten minutes.

But Edel Ribenia could do it.

She had infiltrated countless places and broken through innumerable barriers over the course of her intelligence work.

She definitely could...

"...Done."

As if answering my faith in her, Edel completed the reconstruction exactly eight minutes and forty seconds after beginning.

Hummmmm—

Through the magic circle on the ground, I could clearly see both of our mana flowing into the Measurement Barrier.

As mana entered the core, a small spell formula appeared beside the magic circle floating in the air before scattering outward, passing through us and spreading in every direction.

"The barrier is being redeployed while designating the two of us as observation-exempt targets."

"...I see."

"If we'd been even thirty seconds later, things would've been dangerous. But we made it."

Edel let out a long sigh and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Now that the reconstruction had succeeded, the amount of time available to us had increased dramatically.

Even so, there was no reason to waste time.

We quickly gathered our belongings and returned to the surface.

Since there was a chance someone might discover traces of us, we continuously used the Artifact Mana Spray while moving.

It contained mana extracted from the bustling streets of Arpe.

Because it was composed of countless different people's mana mixed together in various forms, it prevented tracking through mana signatures in advance.

After reaching the surface, we crossed the interior of the Emperor's private residence—a place only the Emperor himself was permitted to enter.

I quietly stole a glance at Edel.

Our target was Abel Ribenia.

A complete scoundrel.

And because he was family, someone who posed an even greater threat to the Empire's future.

She wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him.

True enough, the only emotions visible on her face were appropriate tension and fighting spirit.

"..."

Even so, I silently watched Edel for a long moment.

Praying that this choice would truly become the best path toward our future.

I had thought long and hard about the method of assassination.

In the end, poison remained the best option.

Its name was Trigot.

Once absorbed into the body as either a liquid or gas, it resonated with mana and forcibly transformed it into spike-like structures that ravaged the entire body from within.

Unless the victim had already prepared against internal damage through Divine Magic, Arcane Magic, or similar means, they would die within three hours from multiple organ failure caused by mana rampage.

If the dosage was large enough and the victim's mana control was poor, death within thirty minutes was far from uncommon.

I had no desire for Abel to rampage around and create chaos during the process.

So we intended to immobilize him first using Paralysis Magic.

About ten meters away from the bedroom,

our preparations were complete.

"..."

After exchanging a silent conversation,

I gripped Lukezax in one hand and slowly pushed open the door.

Creeeak...

At the same time, Edel raised her wand, preparing to activate Paralyze Field.

At that exact moment—

A voice spoke.

"Have you come to kill me?"

It was Abel Ribenia.

His voice was astonishingly calm.

The ones who struck first were always the ones who lost sleep afterward.

Naturally, we'd considered the possibility that Abel might still be awake.

But...

We had never imagined he'd be peacefully waiting for us.

For a brief moment, we simply stared blankly at him.

As soon as we came to our senses and moved to rush him again, Abel extended one hand and firmly shook his head.

"Don't."

"If you come any closer, you'll be the ones who suffer. There's another barrier around the bed."

"You think we would've come here without preparing for something like that? Just quietly accept your judgment."

As Edel stepped forward,

I instinctively grabbed her right arm.

"...Carter?"

"..."

There was only one reason I stopped her.

I had fought countless Beasts.

Because of that, my body had personally learned to recognize the naked killing intent that only Beasts directed toward humans.

No matter how much of a delinquent and degenerate Abel was, he was still human.

There was no way that murderous intent belonged to him.

Naturally, I concentrated mana into both of my eyes and searched for its true source.

Fortunately,

it didn't take long.

Firmly attached to the back of Abel's neck,

something had concealed its body completely while slowly driving roots into the ground.

And I knew exactly what it was.

"...How are you even able to coexist with something like that, Abel Ribenia?"

An A+-Rank or higher Beast first revealed during the Duel—Mallet Joint War.

Erosion Pillar Scatter.

The only difference from the one I'd encountered before was that, instead of absorbing mana from the ground, it was feeding on Abel's mana.

And instead of protecting itself with a Barrier,

it was using the Alarm Barrier.

The higher a Beast's rank, the more exponentially its intelligence and judgment increased.

Instantly deciding whether Barrier Magic or Barrier Formations were more efficient wasn't difficult for a Beast of that level.

The real problem was that no one except me had noticed what it actually was.

Not the Imperial attendants.

Not even Luke Honorlight.

None of them had found any physical evidence.

Even Edel beside me clearly hadn't grasped the full situation yet.

As though he had known we'd eventually reach that conclusion,

Abel rubbed the back of his head and gave a bitter laugh.

"Charlotte Platina."

"Mental Erosion."

"Mana Stealth."

"Those keywords should be enough for you to understand."

"..."

"...Impossible."

Only now did Edel seem to fully grasp the situation.

She unconsciously took a step backward.

To explain those keywords—

Charlotte had infected Abel with Scatter through Mental Erosion.

Scatter had remained hidden inside his body as a seed, avoiding everyone's suspicion until just before it bloomed.

Abel let out an empty laugh.

"I only found out yesterday."

"What that woman actually did to me."

"Then why didn't you do something? With the Imperial Court's resources—"

"It's useless."

"By then, this thing had already completely taken over my body."

"If it doesn't like something, it can crush my throat whenever it wants."

"..."

Staring vacantly into space, he slowly reached out his hand before gently clenching it.

"When I obtained the Emperor's throne..."

"Even Crown Prince Luel never managed to claim..."

"I was happier than I'd ever been."

"Even if the price was murdering my own father."

But then...

I learned even that had merely been part of that woman's scheme.

"There couldn't be a filthier feeling than this."

"And while my mind was being eroded by that bitch..."

"I ended up killing Queen Diane too."

"I've never experienced humiliation like this in my life."

He dug his fingernails harshly beneath his eyes, his mouth twisting in bitter shame.

"This body won't last more than a few days anyway."

"It'll shrivel into a mummy."

"Her objective is the Empire's destruction."

"As long as it creates enough chaos, she won't hesitate to make any sacrifice."

Then he slowly stood and gestured toward the hidden weapon in Edel's hand.

"Give me that."

"...What?"

"I'll choose my own end."

"So hand it over."

"..."

Unable to find the right words,

Edel hesitated.

I gently took the hidden weapon from her hand and tossed it toward him.

Abel caught it neatly by the handle and gave it a light swing.

"Hm."

"Looks sharp enough to take my head off with a single cut."

Watching him smile so peacefully,

Edel shouted in a trembling voice.

"...You're not this kind of person!"

"Just recently, you were screaming at the Captain of the Imperial Guards to kill someone because you thought they were disrespecting the Emperor!"

"And now you're saying you'll commit suicide without even begging for your life?"

"You're lying!"

"This is just another trick to get out of this situation!"

Despite Edel's outburst,

Abel's expression never changed.

Placing the blade against the artery in his wrist, he spoke calmly.

"I was nothing but a bundle of inferiority."

"Father only ever cared about the eldest and the youngest."

"I always resented it."

"I knew I could do just as well."

"So why was I always nothing more than a supporting actor?"

"..."

"In the end..."

"Father's judgment was right."

"I had no talent for military affairs."

"Nor did I have the ability to govern a nation."

"But damn it..."

"How was I supposed to simply admit that and quietly disappear?"

"I was still the second prince of the Imperial Family."

His greed exceeded his capabilities.

And in the process,

it destroyed not only himself,

but everyone around him.

As time passed, his inferiority complex and suspicion only grew stronger,

eventually turning into self-loathing.

"And now..."

"My end has become something this pathetic."

Even so,

Abel smiled.

He drew the blade across his own wrist.

"No matter how much of a worthless idiot I am..."

"I still don't want to see this country destroyed."

"..."

"Maybe I didn't actually have to kill myself."

"But I don't know when that damned bitch might control me again."

"So now that I understand the situation..."

"I have to act before it's too late."

The poison entered his body almost instantly.

The agony must have been unimaginable.

Yet he never even fell to one knee.

Instead,

he continued looking straight at us.

"I know perfectly well that I've done unforgivable things."

"So don't waste your pity on me."

"But..."

"I really thought there'd come a day when you'd finally look up to me."

"It's a shame I won't get to see it."

Abel Ribenia remained a villain to the very end.

And so,

he chose death by his own hand.

"Then..."

"I'm leaving Ribenia in your hands."

"You insolent Edel."

Those were his final words.

A sincere request...

To his younger sister.

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