Chapter 299 : Side Story (1)
Chapter 299: Side Story (1)
“…And so we now stand here today. Just like the noble Great Emperor who once saved the continent from crisis long ago, and the Wolpen Knights who followed him, we too shall transcend the walls of nation and race, species and status….”
A woman stood upon the platform, reading the proclamation in a clear yet gentle voice.
Brilliant silver hair that shimmered and sparkled—proof that she was a member of the Imperial Family.
Violet eyes so radiant that one might lose themselves just staring at them.
In public opinion, she was called the treasure of the Imperial Household and the flower of high society.
She was none other than Velita Levymne Bestrang, the Second Imperial Princess of the Solberique Empire.
And moreover, she had surpassed her other siblings to become the Crown Princess, the officially designated successor to the Imperial Throne.
“Within Arpentia Academy, there are paths bearing five names.
Crowns of tradition and nobility, Hilts of loyalty and struggle, Wands of truth and inquiry, Crooks of humility and mercy, and Dots of possibility and potential….
Even if everyone gathered here today walks a different path, I dare declare here and now that the sight we gaze upon will be the same.”
I simply watched her in silence.
It was a face I could never possibly forget.
Just then—
“…….”
Smile.
The moment our eyes met, she subtly curved her eyes into a faint smile.
…I wanted to believe it was just my imagination.
“Dear new students.
The time you will spend here at Arpentia Academy will be brief within the long span of your lives, yet it will shine like a radiant piece of gold.
Here, in this sacred land of the Sage, breathe in the wisdom of the wise and exhale the passion of heroes. Please cherish the time granted to you now.
Refine yourselves and polish the talents bestowed upon each of you as you prepare for the future.
Cultivate the courage and skill to overcome the countless adversities that will stand before you.
Hold dear the dreams you carry within your hearts and continue forward without wavering.”
The princess’s voice was clear and beautiful, carrying a power that stirred people’s hearts.
In fact, it was not difficult to find students staring toward the platform with dreamy expressions.
Some of them were even female students.
…Though for someone like me who had already stood on stages like this several times, it was nothing particularly new.
“Once again, I sincerely welcome and congratulate you on your admission.
On this clear and azure day—today, which those who departed yesterday longed for; today, forged by our ancestors and destined to become the guiding lantern for our descendants.
I sincerely hope that the future of our new students will be filled with dreams and fulfillment. Thank you.”
When she finished her congratulatory address and slowly bowed her head with a gentle smile, thunderous applause erupted.
Each time she waved her hand with elegant grace while walking down from the platform, the roaring applause erupted again without end.
“…….”
I clapped along appropriately and glanced around.
A grand and magnificent plaza.
Countless new students were lined up there as if they were soldiers, standing in neat rows and columns.
I was just one among those many gathered here.
‘Last time it rained.’
I looked up at the sky.
It was perfectly clear and refreshing.
Not only was there no rain, there wasn’t even a single cloud.
—Liaaaaan!!! Liaaaaan!!!
More importantly, from the section where the professors were seated, Professor Windy May was wildly waving both arms as if telling me to look over there….
No—since my mentor was there, even if it suddenly started raining it probably wouldn’t be a problem anyway.
Since continuing to ignore her felt awkward, I slightly bowed my head toward her direction.
Only then did my mentor sit down with a satisfied look, while Professor Deiare beside her awkwardly turned her head away.
She wore an eye patch over one eye, as though she had lost her sight in it. Near her sat Pappleton and Revice, who had served as her assistants until last year but had now been officially appointed as professors of the Academy this year, sitting like escorts.
Normally, students belonging to each dormitory would head to the classroom assigned to their dormitory.
That had been the case until just last year.
However, starting this year, the freshmen entering the Academy were assigned to integrated classes where students from each dormitory were evenly mixed.
At first, this policy had faced fierce opposition, but surprisingly the complaints subsided within less than half a year.
According to what Cecilia told me, while Yeriel’s ability played a role, Princess Velita had also subtly guided public opinion so that things would naturally flow that way.
From Lian’s perspective, she was simply an impressive person in many ways.
‘Certainly….’
Lian headed somewhere different from the other students.
Because he was not a freshman.
He was a repeating student.
“Lord Gwendil.”
“Miss Artemia?”
Artemia, who had been waiting for Lian, greeted him with a polite bow.
Over the course of a year, she could have risen to a higher position if she wished, but she had voluntarily remained as the Head Maid responsible for managing the freshmen dormitory.
Even so, her rank was far from low.
She certainly was not someone who should be waiting for or attending to a single student.
“What brings you here?”
“I heard that Lord Gwendil would be returning to the Academy.”
With a gentle smile, she spoke, and Lian slightly bowed his head in return.
She had visited him several times during his recovery, but seeing her like this at the Academy was certainly the first time.
“Thank you for welcoming me.”
“Hehe….”
Artemia let out a small laugh.
Then she smoothly turned her body and began guiding Lian inside.
“Please come in. Someone is waiting for you.”
“…Who?”
“…….”
She didn’t answer, but I could already guess who it was.
Lian silently followed Artemia as she guided him inward.
“Oh my.”
When he opened the door and entered, two people were inside waiting.
More precisely, Velita was seated waiting for him, while behind her Anette stood quietly with her eyes closed as if attending her.
One of the hands neatly folded before her was a prosthetic arm, yet she displayed it without the slightest shame.
“…What brings you here?”
“Does one need a special reason to meet a comrade and friend who endured the same hardships?”
Velita called Lian both comrade and friend in a surprisingly friendly tone, smiling with her eyes.
Lian looked at her with a somewhat awkward expression.
The misunderstanding from his previous life…
That is, the misunderstanding that she had framed his family, had already long been resolved.
…However, the fact that he had died by her hand had not changed.
‘Well….’
Of course, after everything that had happened, those feelings had faded considerably.
What remained toward her now was faint.
Where once his gaze might have held hatred and disgust, now it carried only a trace of wariness and discomfort.
It was ironic, but he could also somewhat understand her position.
Above all, since the future had changed and it was now certain that she would ascend the Imperial Throne, there would be no large-scale purge like before.
Especially now that his relationship with her had changed.
“Haven’t we met several times already? You even graciously visited me while I was recovering.”
“That was when other people were present.”
Velita shrugged.
Artemia excused herself and left, and in her place Anette moved as if to attend them.
She approached Lian and extended her hand, signaling him to remove his outer garment.
“…….”
In the end, Lian entrusted his coat to her and sat down.
Velita naturally poured tea and offered it to him.
Sip.
Lian took a small sip.
“Hehe.”
“…What is it?”
“No, I was just thinking that now you drink tea I personally prepare and pour without hesitation.”
Velita murmured quietly.
“I’ve always wanted to talk like this—just the two of us. But well… the people protecting you and watching over you are quite fierce.”
She chuckled playfully as she tilted her teacup.
“…I don’t think I’ve ever told you the full story. Would you like to hear it?”
“Is it something I’m allowed to hear?”
“You’re one of the parties involved. At the very least, you should know the truth.”
Lian nodded.
Velita gently brushed the rim of her teacup with her finger before speaking.
“I’ll skip over what’s already been publicly announced. You know… the story about how the Second Imperial Prince, who was originally the successor, supposedly fell ill mentally after the incident at the Departure Festival.”
“Yes.”
“As you probably already know.”
Velita murmured.
“The Second Imperial Prince had been colluding with several high-ranking figures of the Holy Sun Church—and with Demons. More specifically, Cultists of the Evil God.”
“Yes.”
“When you… hmm… when you were brought back dead in the arms of that Demon woman that day, everything fell into chaos. You know that, right?”
“I’ve heard a rough account.”
But no one had ever told Lian the full story afterward.
Whenever he asked Cecilia about that day, her face turned pale as if she didn’t want to recall it.
Yuran also showed clear distress, saying it was something truly horrifying.
Professor Windy May remained silent.
Lancia… he had never been able to properly talk with her.
Allen apologized and said he had no right to speak of it.
And Berenistella…
‘…I haven’t seen her even once since that day.’
As he thought that, Velita spoke.
“So you don’t know the details.”
“That’s correct.”
Lian answered.
“I also don’t know exactly what happened with my family afterward. The Countess—my mother—and my older brother refused to tell me much.”
“I see.”
Velita nodded.
“It might be meddling, but… well, who’s going to complain? I’ll be Emperor soon anyway.”
She shrugged again.
“After you died, it was absolute chaos. The Everglenn young lady and Miss Yuran believed the woman who brought you had killed you, so they charged at her like they wanted to kill her. Mr. Amiel did the same.”
Velita sipped her tea.
“Well… I joined in too, more or less. After all, you had killed my enemy… and I owed you quite a bit. Anyway, everyone there attacked that woman sooner or later. Everyone except Professor Windy May.”
Lian nodded.
“I’m not entirely sure either, but the two of them knew each other.”
“Yes, it seemed that way. That woman brushed aside all our attacks, and then she and Professor Windy May spoke.”
The rest of the story was roughly what Lian already knew.
That they had heard Lian chose death of his own will.
That the Dragons who had already arrived performed a ritual using another sacrifice along with his death.
And that it saved the world—a story so absurd it almost sounded like nonsense.
“The woman who brought you said she would leave you in our care. She said she had no right to witness your final moments.”
“…….”
“…What kind of relationship did you have with her?”
Velita asked cautiously, then immediately coughed awkwardly.
“…No, sorry. That was rude. Forget I asked. Anyway… there was also a lot of debate about how to conduct your funeral.”
She tried to lighten the mood with a playful tone.
“Looking back, it’s lucky, isn’t it? If we had cremated you…”
“…….”
“…Hmm? Wasn’t funny?”
Seeing Lian’s awkward expression, she giggled.
“Anyway, we returned to the Capital with your body. We decided we should ask your family—the bereaved—for their wishes first. We looked like a defeated army when we returned. But once we got back, an even bigger problem awaited us. My younger brother—the Second Imperial Prince—had fallen into suspicion and delusion and was planning something far worse.”
“Something worse?”
“Yes.”
“What was it?”
“A rebellion.”
She whispered.
Lian had never heard that before.
“Don’t worry. It was suppressed without any problems. So, what happened was…”
She began explaining everything that had happened.
…Though for Lian, it was largely irrelevant.
“Anyway, that’s how it happened. The Twins supported me, and my eldest brother who had retired to the provinces also supported me… so I became the definite successor. To the public, we covered it up as something minor. If the real story got out, it would’ve been complete chaos.”
Velita glanced at Lian.
“And thanks to that confusion, I was also able to save the Gwendil Count family.”
“I heard that from my mother and brother. Once again, I sincerely thank you.”
Lian bowed immediately.
Velita coughed awkwardly.
“…Now it feels like I’m being thanked after demanding it. That’s not why I mentioned it.”
“Then why did you ask to meet me alone, Princess?”
Velita tilted her head.
“Do you remember where you woke up?”
“Yes.”
Lian nodded.
“The Forbidden Forest. Honestly, I thought I was going to faint.”
“Yes. The Forbidden Forest. That’s where your body was placed.”
To be honest, when Lian first woke up, he thought he was dead.
He woke trapped inside a dark stone coffin, and when he finally escaped, he found himself in the middle of a vast forest.
Even after being revived, he thought he would die again immediately.
“Do you know who suggested placing your body there?”
Velita whispered.
“Bojador Arpentia. The Sage who founded this Academy.”
“…….”
“Hmm, not surprised.”
She nodded knowingly.
“…He said that?”
“Yes. Everyone was shocked. He suddenly appeared claiming to be Arpentia. No one believed him until Professor Deiare arrived and confirmed it.”
Arpentia rebuilt a sanctum where the destroyed sanctum once stood in the center of the Forbidden Forest.
And Lian’s body was placed there.
Even more surprising—
She personally volunteered to act as the gravekeeper.
“But no one was there when I woke up.”
“I don’t know either. I only visited once… and even then she hid and didn’t appear.”
“…….”
Lian remained silent.
He didn’t know why she had built his grave and become its keeper.
But somehow—
He felt like he could guess.
“…You really don’t remember how you came back to life?”
“No.”
Lian nodded.
He had been asked that many times already.
“I remember standing somewhere like a vast plain.”
“So there really is an afterlife….”
Velita murmured.
“Anyway, now we get to the main point.”
“Yes.”
“Lord Lian Gwendil.”
Velita smiled brightly.
“You’re unmarried right now, aren’t you?”
“…Yes?”
Lian nodded awkwardly.
“And you’re not engaged.”
“That’s correct.”
“Good. Very good.”
She nodded with satisfaction.
“…As it happens, I’m also unmarried. And I don’t have a fiancé either.”
Velita grinned at the shocked Lian.
“…Were you serious about what you said earlier?”
After Lian left and the room was being cleaned up, Anette quietly asked.
Velita burst into laughter.
“Ahaha, Anette. Did you take that seriously too? I said right away that it was a joke.”
Anette replied.
“But you never said it was a joke.”
“…….”
Velita fell silent for a moment.
“Well….”
Then she spoke quietly.
“To be honest, it’s about time I start thinking about a partner. And there really isn’t anyone more suitable.”
“…….”
“…And as I said earlier, I owe him a great debt. And besides…”
He returned from death.
Perhaps…
Perhaps with his help, she could speak with her older sister again.
Perhaps it was possible.
…She had thought that.
“…No. Hmm, I should stop joking like that. I was thoughtless.”
Velita sighed softly and smiled.
Thinking like that would be unfair—
To her sister.
And to Lian.
“To be honest, I simply want to bring him onto my side. As you know, people like him are rare talents. Especially now, when it’s necessary to rebuild a friendly relationship with the Holy Sun Church.”
“…Are you certain?”
“I’m certain, Anette.”
Velita laughed lightly.
“There are already several people aiming for him. Why would I jump into that mess?”