Ch.152EP.38 – The Knight Does Not Forgive the Bully (1)

It’s worth noting again, but the Royal Academy was truly absurd in both scale and splendor.

Having a Colosseum large enough to hold war games the previous day was impressive enough, but exploring the academy revealed numerous massive facilities like large art galleries, swimming pools, and equestrian centers.

Seeing all this, one couldn’t help but think this wasn’t merely an institution for training young cadets, but rather a territory or scholarly city in its own right.

And within this city existed a particularly open venue reminiscent of a Greek temple, designed for parties.

It was a place rarely used, which students typically mistook for mere decorative architecture when passing by.

“My goodness…”

“Is this really that drab building?”

“The academy is truly full of surprises.”

Today was completely different.

The splendor was overwhelming, inspiring exclamations of amazement.

As one student mentioned, it had been a drab building, but at this moment, it had transformed into something beautiful and brilliant.

A flower garden.

Flowers filled every corner of the building, with vines forming throughout and blossoms in full bloom.

Seeing such a variety of flowers blooming in full glory despite it not being the season for them demonstrated the special capabilities of the academy—no, of House Pendragon.

“It shows signs of hasty preparation.”

“Still, it’s appropriately splendid without being gaudy.”

“While it may not overwhelm from the start, it certainly demonstrates potential.”

Nobles accustomed to parties weren’t fooled by mere splendor, analyzing what lay beneath the grandeur.

Though hastily arranged, this was the first official appearance of dignitaries of national importance.

And parties sometimes served as a form of show of force to foreign envoys, demonstrating the kingdom’s capabilities.

‘We can accomplish this without breaking a sweat,’

-they seemed to say.

It might seem childish, but this seemingly childish approach had been part of human history since time immemorial.

However, for the innocent cadets unaware of these underlying meanings…

“I-I’ve never seen so many flowers in my life!”

“How beautiful…”

It was simply a feast for the eyes, destined to become an unforgettable memory.

In a way, perhaps they were happier for not knowing.

The nobles, steeped in power, couldn’t view this spectacle as purely as the cadets did, and while they wore bitter smiles at their own circumstances, they also envied them.

Like dreaming of their youthful days before they became corrupted.

However.

“This tastes good, and the drinks are nice too. But are we really allowed to eat these?”

“Yes, finger foods are served directly by the staff. Though most people don’t eat them.”

“I’m getting full.”

“…Haha.”

Despite being an adult, despite having been knighted, there was one knight who enjoyed the party without any concern for its underlying meanings.

Ihan.

He eagerly consumed the finger foods and non-alcoholic champagne offered by the staff.

He had no interest in flowers to begin with, and the political language of nobles only gave him headaches if he got entangled in it.

So rather than wandering around needlessly, wasn’t it better to focus on eating what was available?

“Better than pretending to know things and butting in.”

“I completely agree!”

Levi enthusiastically agreed with his candid opinion.

It wasn’t just because she was like a sunflower always facing her master.

She too wanted to avoid getting involved with nobles.

After all…

“That’s the one adopted into House Tristan…”

“Such fair beauty. Hmm, should I arrange a marriage with my son?”

“Give it up. Even if she’s adopted, she’s still a Tristan. You’ll only make things difficult for your family if you offend them.”

“But you never know, right? Think of the benefits of becoming in-laws with House Tristan. It’s worth taking a chance.”

“…You really are hopeless, heh heh.”

…She had absolutely no desire to mingle with such people.

Since there were quite a few nobles invited from outside in addition to the cadets, the party venue had become quite crowded, with many conversations mixing together so that normally one wouldn’t be able to hear others’ conversations.

However, while ordinary people couldn’t hear, Levi had the ability to eavesdrop on various conversations.

She was Ihan’s excellent disciple, after all.

‘Ki truly has countless applications.’

Although she started later than others, effort never betrays.

While she still had many areas to improve, she was quite skilled at using [Ki] and could clearly hear even the whispers around her.

…Unintentionally, she could easily hear those evaluating her or looking at her with lecherous intent.

Hearing their conversations, Levi expressed her emotions with a bitter smile rather than anger.

‘I knew this was such a place, but it’s truly despicable.’

Noble society.

Ihan always made nobleman-hating remarks as if joking, but those remarks were also indicators of his “distrust” of nobility.

And Levi completely understood why he distrusted noble society.

‘They’re so different on the inside from what they show outside.’

Those with lecherous intentions toward her would show dignity and kindness when standing before her, trying to befriend her, but their true intentions would likely be sinister.

Some would envy her for her sudden rise in status.

Others would covet the power she possessed.

Or they might approach her thinking she was worth befriending.

And Levi was disgusted by all of it.

She had already experienced her life being ruined by nobles.

In fact, the person with the strongest aversion to nobles might not be Ihan, but her.

Yet the reason she could smile and not get angry at such people was…

“Should I go teach them a lesson right now?”

“…I’m fine, Master.”

“No, I’m not fine. Don’t worry. I’ve memorized their faces. I’ll give them a one-hour bone-breaking session later.”

“I-I’m really fine…”

Yes, because she had someone who genuinely got angry on her behalf, Levi could say she was fine.

That’s why she could smile.

“No, I’m going over there right now.”

“W-wait, Master!”

…Though sometimes his excessive anger was disconcerting.

Levi found her own feelings ironic—a mix of embarrassment and happiness.

* * *

Despite some minor disputes, the party venue wasn’t entirely uncomfortable or unpleasant.

“Wow? It’s the first time I’ve seen the instructor in uniform!”

“You look handsome, Instructor!”

“Can’t you please dress like that from now on?”

It was also an opportunity to see familiar faces, his disciples, in a different light.

“…Why do you all rush over as soon as you see me?”

The chicks.

The young ladies approached him, showing off how dressed up they were.

Usually frail and delicate young ladies, but perhaps because they were noble daughters?

The girls, dressed up in gowns and makeup, looked beautiful.

A freshness that put the flowers surrounding the party venue to shame.

Indeed, youth is unbeatable.

“Your fathers will shed many tears later.”

“Why?”

“Think about it—their beautiful daughters marrying some dark-skinned man. Wouldn’t that make them cry?”

“Hehehe, what are you saying!”

It might be surprising, but Ihan and the chicks weren’t on bad terms.

Rather, since he helped them exercise to build strength and looked after them in many ways, the girls, unlike the male cadets, didn’t harbor resentment toward Ihan.

Instead, knowingly or unknowingly…

“Instructor, please dance with me later.”

“Me too!”

Some girls had even developed feelings for him.

Unlike Levi’s pure affection, theirs might be somewhat light and calculating, but that didn’t change the fact that it was a welcome sentiment.

And he wasn’t foolish enough not to notice this, so he delivered a line to lightly deflect the situation.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not alone today, so ask my partner for permission first.”

“Wow, that’s mean…”

“That’s not fair.”

The partner excuse.

Ihan was implicating Levi, and this underhanded tactic worked surprisingly well.

While Ihan might think of Levi as just a disciple he saw every day, to others, she was a beautiful woman worthy of admiration.

It wasn’t for nothing that Karin had called her by the embarrassing nickname “Academy’s First Love” the day before.

She had a lovely smile that somehow evoked a desire to protect her while revealing her gentleness.

Therefore, as long as she was by his side, even the noble daughters couldn’t easily steal Ihan away, and Levi, who usually looked like a gentle baby bear, wore a smile with a hint of pressure that made it even harder to approach.

“Heeng…”

Some noble daughters pouted at that moment.

Conversely, men who were attracted to Levi but couldn’t approach because of Ihan gritted their teeth.

‘What a terrible person!’

‘Is brute strength everything?’

‘…I wanted to dance with Lady Levi.’

‘Damn it!’

Ihan was unknowingly accumulating layers of resentment, and being unaware of this…

“…Why does my back feel so prickly today?”

He only found the jealousy directed at him unfamiliar.

But before he could find the cause of the jealousy…

– [Entering is Sultan Salah al-Adil Muhammad, one of the seventeen sultans ruling the Western Continent and master of the largest oasis!!]

– [Entering is Lord Huey de Beyron, the grand disciple of the Tower Master of the mages’ ivory tower and known as the Golden Mage!!]

…As people with all sorts of flowery titles entered, the attention of Ihan and others was drawn to one place, and they could see two men entering in succession.

One appeared to be the Sultan, wearing unfamiliar foreign attire yet maintaining impeccable dignity—a handsome man. Following him was a man with somewhat cynical features and flowing blonde hair, and Ihan’s impression of them was…

‘A tanned guy and a blonde punk?’

Looking at the two men who seemed to be evenly split between gold and tan, Ihan tilted his head.

Well…

‘They look like they’d act exactly as they appear?’

It couldn’t help but be an overly harsh assessment, but it was Ihan’s candid and straightforward impression.