105. The Truth of Pantheon Academy (3)

“Welcome, everyone. I’m glad to see you all safe and sound.”

As I greeted them, the students bowed their heads towards me in unison.

There is originally no set hierarchy among the students.

So even Princess Lilia, or rather, now Empress, is just another classmate according to Pantheon’s school rules.

But realistically, a noble’s status and a commoner’s cannot be casually dismissed. So naturally, commoner students from other divisions speak respectfully to the noble students.

The proud combat division students are an exception. They are all aspiring knights.

Just like Fabian, Reef, and Eric speak casually to each other. The unwritten rule of the combat division is that the hierarchy among students is determined solely by swordsmanship.

Reef was the student representative until the first year. And Fabian, who had comparable skills, was less concerned with hierarchy because of his gentle personality.

But the atmosphere among the current combat division students was different from the beginning of the semester.

“This atmosphere is a bit awkward, but… it seems only natural that the students look up to Yulian-nim.”

And Lucia, who approached me, spoke cautiously. The students also gave Lucia respectful glances.

Lucia and Rosette are Pantheon students. And because they were burdened by the banquets of high-ranking people, they didn’t attend the banquet at the Great Temple.

But they also made a great contribution to the surprise attack on Grius with me. Naturally, they were also awarded the medal after the Medal of Honor.

It was like receiving a medal equivalent to the High Knights of the Royal Guard. Lucia alone had already become an unattainable existence far above the other students.

‘Well, so the gazes towards me are bound to be even more different.’

So the students’ eyes on me…

Were not those of a fellow student, but rather those of a High Knight of the knighthood they aspired to be, or even a commander beyond that, extremely respectful.

“The students actually fought in the Moyeon War under Yulian-nim’s command, so it’s even more so, right?”

“But we shouldn’t be too arrogant. And until the end of the first semester, I’m just a student like them.”

For the final main quest. I also had to maintain my qualification as a student representative through the final exam.

‘The current third-year students are practically graduates already. So the competition will be with these second-year students.’

Originally, Pantheon’s regular curriculum is up to the third year.

But Pantheon only selects the best elites of the Empire. So it is common practice to complete all courses within two years and graduate early.

So in reality, the second-year student representative is usually the student representative of the entire grade.

And if you are really talented. You can already be selected as the student representing that division from the first year.

‘Cecilia is such a case.’

Anyway, I thought again about the trials of the Six Gods.

I was the one who received Royah’s trial. So unlike other divisions, I, not Lucia, became the person representing the combat division in the main quest.

So I had to maintain that division’s representative student status in the final exam to successfully enter the main quest.

‘That means the other heroines also have to maintain their representative student status.’

It means that not only me, but all the heroines must focus on the final exam. I glanced at Lucia.

‘If it’s Lucia, she will be the strongest rival in that final exam.’

From the beginning, the person I thought of as the combat division’s student representative was Lucia. And although she is not the division’s representative student because of me.

Clearly, Lucia’s fate grade recorded in the system now is S-class. So I couldn’t think of proceeding with the quest without Lucia.

“My Lord has arrived!”

And in the meantime. Fabian and his group approached me and greeted me. Lucia’s expression crumpled and she quietly disappeared into a corner of the training ground.

Lucia has a personality that dislikes being noticed. Lucia always disappeared quietly like that and only trained unless it was a sparring session with me. Besides, there are more male students in the combat division.

‘Well, I find that point of only looking at me cute. But it doesn’t matter.’

Thinking that I should take care of Lucia separately. I had a short conversation with Fabian, Reef, and Eric.

“You even wore this proud Imperial Medal of Honor on your combat uniform! Indeed, the training ground feels like it’s being illuminated by the sacred light emanating from Yulian-nim!”

“Enough with the flattery, Fabian. More than that, I want to greet the three of you for your hard work. It’s a pity that it’s not a medal. But an award from the Imperial Palace will be given to the three of you.”

“Really? If I have that award, it might become a letter of recommendation to Essenmund. Haha!”

Fabian was very happy. And although they didn’t say it, Reef and Eric also seemed happy.

‘The three of them made some contributions in the rebellion.’

After completing Shiertia. Those three contributed when escaping Pantheon with Lilia.

Even if it’s not an Imperial medal, an award from the Imperial Palace is very prestigious. As Fabian said, if those three are aspiring knights.

It is enough to be a letter of recommendation to join a famous knighthood.

‘Well, even if they didn’t have that award, I was going to write letters of recommendation directly to them in Baekya.’

Anyway, while I was talking with those three who I had become quite close to after a long time.

The head instructor of the combat division, Darren, entered the training ground. The students became quiet in an instant.

And his gaze was directed at me.

---

Instructor Darren.

He is the strictest instructor in the combat division and a skilled person with excellent swordsmanship.

He also had several medals awarded by the Imperial Palace pinned on his top. He was a High Knight who had made many contributions in the Royal Guard even before becoming an instructor at Pantheon.

‘But I heard he couldn’t get promoted because his personality was too upright.’

So he left the Royal Guard and has been working in the combat division of Pantheon for a long time to nurture talent.

His personality was still the same even in Pantheon, so he continued to hold a lower position than his career because he was out of favor with the Pantheon’s executives.

However, with this rebellion suppression as an opportunity, there were major personnel changes in the Pantheon’s board of directors. So Darren was promoted to head instructor in charge of the combat division in recognition of his past contributions.

‘After the martial law was declared, he joined the resistance and made many contributions in the battle.’

Pantheon is an academy representing the Empire. If the head instructor of Pantheon is compared to the standards of the old Earth, it is the same as the president of a prestigious university.

But he lined up the students and made them wait with the same strict expression as before.

“It’s been a while since we’ve trained. But fortunately, I’m glad that there are no guys who have lost their spirit.”

The students’ eyes lit up at his words. Students who have experienced the fierce battle of the Moyeon War. And students who joined the resistance and fought even after the martial law was declared.

Although they are students, they are all swordsmen who have experienced actual combat.

As such, Instructor Darren’s eyes when looking at the students also contained more respect than before.

And above all, his eyes when looking at me too. As soon as the students finished lining up, he opened his mouth again.

“The students I am about to call out should come up to this platform where I am standing.”

Instructor Darren was standing on the platform above the training ground, holding a baton and looking down. And the student he called out was me.

“Yulian von Reinhardt.”

I was a little surprised at his call.

‘What’s going on?’

I know that the students regard me with reverence. But I know that that tiger instructor is someone who doesn’t yield to my high status at all.

And even if I have surpassed his skills now. Darren was not someone who would ever bend himself if his beliefs and intentions differed, even if my maternal grandfather was in front of him.

I stood in front of the platform as he said. I waited for his words. Darren was silent for a moment, then glanced at me and turned his gaze to the students.

“All students are of the same status. That includes the successor of the Duke’s family. Even His Majesty the Emperor is no exception. That is the rule of Pantheon established by Imperial law. But!”

All the students were waiting for Darren’s next words in a parade rest position.

“The reason we take up swords is to protect the Empire. And Yulian von Reinhardt, your classmate, is a brave man who personally beheaded the leader of the rebels.”

The students’ eyes changed once again at his words.

“In other words, he protected the Empire from the resistance. So we must show respect to Yulian as an Imperial citizen. Give a salute of respect to Yulian von Reinhardt, your classmate and an excellent swordsman who has been awarded the Imperial Medal of Honor!”

At the same time as those words, the students saluted me in unison. And Instructor Darren, who turned to me, also saluted.

‘I didn’t expect this.’

I was a little embarrassed by the unexpected salute. But I couldn’t deny that it was an extremely honorable moment for me.

As a Pantheon student, not belonging to any other affiliation. I found myself. I raised my hand and answered their salute.

---

After the training in the combat division, I returned to the atelier.

Aylin, who heard about what happened in that training from me, answered while pouring tea into a teacup.

“That’s what happened.”

“It was sudden, so I was a little surprised. It’s a little embarrassing, no matter how much it’s me.”

Aylin slightly raised the corners of her mouth at my words.

“But weren’t you happy? You were recognized not only by the students but also by Instructor Darren.”

As expected, Aylin knew me well.

I am the highest-ranking noble in the Empire. Furthermore, I am in a state of awakening myself as a Demon Dragon.

To rule over all people is to reign over all people.

So receiving praise from many people was of great help to me. That reverence was soon converted into my magic power.

[You are walking the path as Demon King well.]

That’s how Ruiruil also praised me unintentionally. But it wasn’t the time to be blindly happy.

The trials of the Six Gods. All the people involved in those trials must become representative students for the final main quest to be unlocked.

And except for the trial of Royah that I personally performed. All the people involved in the trials were my prospective wives.

Not only Lilia, Chloe, and Rosette, who were already student representatives.

‘So even Aylin here must become a student representative.’

And even Cecilia.

If even one person cannot become a student representative. I won’t be able to know the truth of the Six Gods. The demon archduke Ruiruil also said to me.

[The truth of the Six Gods. If that truth is related to Yunir-nim. Yulian, you may gain a great weapon to subdue the Archduke of Wrath.]

The reward for the final main quest, Yunir’s Star. If I have that Yunir’s Star, I may gain another weapon containing Yunir’s power, not just Jedin’s power, Shiertia.

[However, knowing that truth will never be easy. If it is related to the incident where Yunir disappeared without showing herself even to us archdukes. I don’t know what might be in the deepest part of those Six Gods.]

I agreed with Ruiruil’s words. So I too. I had to become a student of the combat division in the final exam without ever letting my guard down.

“You said there are four opponents for Yulian-nim in this final exam, right?”

I nodded at Aylin’s words. The final exam of the combat division is a sparring session between students.

But Instructor Darren already knew my skills well, having received the Imperial Medal of Honor. Of course, even Instructor Darren might not be able to handle a normal 1-on-1 sparring session.

So Darren put all four of the most outstanding combat division students after me as my opponents.

“Lucia and Fabian. And Reef and Eric too.”

Of course, I won against five High Knights of the Royal Guard. So even if I face four people, the balance is not right.

Instructor Darren also considered that balance and added a few more conditions.

‘I can’t let my guard down with those conditions either.’

And the fact that Lucia is in there is also a variable. If I explain the truth about the final main quest.

Of course, Lucia might give up that final exam for me.

But I checked the notification window again.

---

• Sub Quest 3 “Memory of the Six Gods”

: As a prerequisite, the representatives of the six divisions must complete the final exam.

: ???

[When Sub Quest 3 is completed. The final main quest will be completed.]

---

The words that the representatives of the six divisions must complete the final exam. When I clicked on that text, the quest conditions unfolded in more detail.

---

• If there is cheating in the final exam. It will not be recognized as a prerequisite for the quest.

---

In other words, it means I can’t tell her to give up the sparring session for me.

‘Well, I didn’t even think of telling Lucia to do that in the first place.’

And Lucia has more reason than anyone to be truly committed to that final exam. Lucia wanted to return to Essenmund with me after the first semester was over.

‘She told me she wanted to join the Baekya Knights.’

But unlike the other heroines who are mages or alchemists. Lucia is a swordsman. And in Essenmund, the Baekya Knights already have a famous female knight called a genius.

That’s Yuriel.

Lucia is secretly very jealous, even if she doesn’t look like it.

In the days when Yuriel followed me as a bodyguard. Yuriel was like a goddess in the combat division.

It was only natural because she had not only genius swordsmanship skills but also outstanding looks.

Of course, Lucia couldn’t not know that fact. She couldn’t not be bothered by it.

‘So if she joins Baekya. She absolutely doesn’t want to lose to Yuriel.’

Even if she already has an award from the Imperial Palace. If she becomes a student representative, she can receive an additional letter of recommendation from President Sophia.

Of course, if it’s Lucia that I know. She will desperately attack in this sparring session.

‘Lucia who is serious is scary. Even more than the High Knights of the Royal Guard.’

So I too. It was time to check my Lionheart Sword again in the remaining two weeks. While I was lost in thought like that.

Suddenly, someone hugged me from behind.