Ch.187Chapter 187: Return (3).

# Chapter 187: Return (3)

The charm of this greeting was that it had to be maintained for at least 3 seconds.

The Bal-Ro-Bic trio maintaining a side chest pose for 3 seconds in the middle of the Academy’s main boulevard naturally captured everyone’s attention.

“What kind of muscles are those? Are they competition bodybuilders?”

“Don’t you know about Bal-Ro-Bic?”

“Bal-Ro-Bic?”

“Let’s not even talk about it, just don’t.”

After 3 seconds, Victor and Robin released their flamboyant poses and faced each other. Victor couldn’t contain his excitement and repeatedly slapped Balt’s forearm. The force was so strong that an ordinary knight might have dislocated their shoulder.

“Hahaha! Big bro!! Hero of the East! Death Knight Slayer! The rumors have already spread all the way here! I knew you had it in you, just as I expected!”

“It’s not a rumor but fact, Victor. It was such an incredible sight that I regret you couldn’t see it yourself.”

Balt felt comfortable around Victor. Always bright and positive, Victor was someone who put Balt at ease. That’s why Balt often joked around with him.

Robin, flipping his long hair, added from the side. His voice was calm as usual, but his eyes couldn’t hide the reverence he felt toward Balt.

“As expected of Lord Balt. Truly befitting the leader of our trio.”

This was the moment when Robin, who had previously sworn he would never do Bal-Ro-Bic, finally officially acknowledged it.

Lisa, who had approached without notice, jumped in with sparkling eyes. As she flicked her tongue, eager to vividly report(?) the battle in the East, Arias was already blushing and tugging at her sleeve.

“You’re too excited. Take a deep breath.”

“How could I not be excited? This is something that will go down in history! Bal-Ro-Bic has the right to know!”

Victor clapped his hands at Lisa’s words.

“Hahaha!! That’s right, Lisa! Bal-Ro-Bic has the right to know!”

“Yes, they do!!”

Arias shook his head. Why did these people always get so hyped up whenever they met…

Unexpectedly, Lilith spoke up.

“Have all the people from the North returned?”

Many people found the ice-cold Lilith intimidating, except for Balt. Victor pointed at himself and asked Lilith.

“Are, are you asking me?”

“I would prefer if fellow classmates addressed me as ‘I’ rather than ‘you.’ I’d rather not repeat myself. I asked if everyone who went to the North has returned safely.”

Victor couldn’t help but answer nervously to Lilith’s chilly tone.

“Uh, yeah. Everyone has returned, but…”

Then Lilith announced on the spot.

“Today we will have a gathering hosted by Lord Balt. I would like everyone connected to Lord Balt to meet at the Roaring Griffin at 6 PM this evening.”

Everyone looked surprised.

“The Roaring Griffin? Isn’t that place super expensive? Lilith, are you rich?”

To Lisa’s question, Lilith gave a prim smile. It was as if she was saying, ‘I am, after all, a princess of vampire royalty.’

“Great! That’s what I’m talking about! Alright! Everyone gather up!! Hahaha!! Lisa Valentine and friends are coming!!”

“Say it correctly, shouldn’t it be Captain Balt and friends?”

“Oh, you know what I mean!”

Balt felt like his energy was being drained even though they’d met less than five minutes ago. Still, he wanted to compliment Lilith. Catching up with old friends would be great for morale and strengthening relationships. Balt had already gathered many talented individuals from across the continent around him. He thought he needed to unite them all.

“Great! Make the reservation right away! Lilith’s paying!!”

At Lisa’s shout, she and Victor linked arms and spun around dancing. Watching them, Balt muttered.

“Seeing all this commotion, I feel like I’ve truly returned.”

That evening, the largest banquet hall in the “Roaring Griffin,” the biggest and liveliest tavern near the Academy, was filled with young heroes who had just returned from the Eastern and Northern fronts.

As if celebrating the end of a war, the hall was filled with heated energy, boisterous laughter, and the constant clinking of glasses. The tables were piled high with sumptuous food that looked filling just by sight, and the air was thick with the scent of strong alcohol.

“Aaaaaaah!! Lati!!!”

“Uwaaaaaaaah!! Lisa!!”

The reunion between the two best friends who had been separated for a long time was truly dramatic. Of course, no one else paid any attention to them.

Solfin, with her massive frame, took a big gulp of alcohol and remarked.

“Ah! This is the taste! Couldn’t find alcohol like this in the northern mountains! The capital really is the best!”

Solfin emptied a wooden cup the size of a human head in one go and slammed her fist on the table with a hearty shout. The surrounding students cheered at her dragon-folk vigor. Hearing this, Seirun snapped at Solfin.

“Watch your words, Solfin. What’s wrong with the North?”

Solfin laughed heartily.

“Hahaha, what’s wrong, Seirun? Want to challenge me again? No, if the alcohol was good, I wouldn’t say such things!”

“Ugh…!”

Seirun was left speechless by the factual bombardment. Northern alcohol was indeed famous for being tasteless. In a region crawling with monsters, good taste was the least of concerns—getting drunk quickly was considered fortunate. That’s why the North was famous for its high-proof spirits.

Airin quietly added from the side.

“Well, I actually liked those strong spirits.”

Seirun cleared his throat and graciously responded.

“Hmm, since Miss Airin says so, I’ll forgive you this time.”

Solfin snorted in response.

“What’s with that scholarly attitude? If you have a problem, just come at me.”

Not many people had the courage to challenge Solfin, who was considered the strongest in Grovint Academy after Balt. In fact, Seirun had once challenged Solfin to a duel in the North and suffered the humiliation of losing all 10 matches.

“These men are so weak. A real man should be at least like our Balt!”

With Solfin’s words, everyone’s attention naturally turned to Balt.

“Wooooooo!! Balt! Balt! Balt!”

Caught up in the atmosphere, as people chanted Balt’s name, Lisa, who had appointed herself as his adjutant, quickly stepped forward. She moistened her lips by spinning her tongue like a windmill and shouted in a booming voice.

“Ladies and gentlemen! The moment you’ve been waiting for! Academy’s strongest! Savior of the East! Legend of the Grasein Plains! And! Death Knight Slayer!! Baaaaaaalt~ Geruuuuuung~ will now grace us with his holy words!”

At Lisa’s magnificent introduction that heightened the atmosphere, Balt stood up, embarrassed but obliging.

Thud–

The noisy banquet hall fell silent as if by magic, and all eyes focused on Balt. Then he opened his mouth.

“It’s been a while, friends. You’ve all worked hard. I won’t say much. Enjoy today.”

“Wooooow~~ Balt! Balt! Balt!”

Balt had somehow become the leader of all the friends gathered here. He was about to bring up the Dark Society but decided that today it would be better to just enjoy without any worries.

Beside him sat Empress Elias, who still seemed uncomfortable in such boisterous settings. Having returned after performing great deeds in the Northern campaign, she tried to appear nonchalant as she spoke to Balt.

“Hmph, are, are you uninjured?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

Elias felt slightly disappointed by Balt’s brief response.

“Well, is King Zerdin in good health?”

“Still dignified and strong as ever.”

After another short answer, Elias’s mind raced to think of what to ask next. But she couldn’t think of how to continue the conversation. Yet wanting to keep talking, she unconsciously dropped a bombshell.

“Are, are you not planning to marry?”

Splash—

As if cold water had been poured over everyone, all movement and sound stopped. With all eyes on her, Elias’s face turned bright red.

“It’s a misunderstanding! I, I mean! Father mentioned that Chief Khan was concerned about his youngest son’s marriage prospects, so that’s why I asked!”

Balt smiled slyly and asked in return.

“Oh… Do you know about my marriage plans that even I don’t know about?”

“Well, that’s because!”

At that moment, jeers erupted from all around. It started with Lisa and Lati.

“Wooooo~ Withdraw the forced marriage through power! Wooooo~ Love belongs to those who fight for it!”

At Lati and Lisa’s instigation(?), Elias’s face turned almost explosively red, and she began to stutter rapidly.

“Im, impertinent!! When, when did I ever say I would force a marriage!”

But the friends’ mischievous jeers continued.

“Wooooo~ Power marriage, step aside! We oppose power love! Wooooooo~”

Lati and Lisa really were a perfect match. Though it seemed questionable whether Lisa, an imperial citizen, should be acting this way.

But right at that moment!

“Enouuuuugh!!”

An unexpected figure jumped up, slammed the table, and shouted! It was Arias, clearly intoxicated.

“Damn it! Just because I’m quiet, you think I’m a doormat!? *hiccup* Hey! Lisa!”

Lisa flinched at being called out by Arias.

“Y-yes?”

“Why are you pairing the princess with Balt!? If you’re going to pair someone, pair me!!”

At Arias’s bombshell statement, this time real cheers erupted instead of jeers!

“Ooooooooh!! Arias! Arias! Arias!”

Encouraged by her friends chanting her name, Arias raised her voice despite staggering.

“Why! Just me! Why! Am I always! Treated like I don’t exist!? Am I that forgettable?! Argh!”

While Arias truly had goddess-level beauty, she somehow tended to fade into the background. Her friends couldn’t say anything in response. They were truly honest friends.

“Hmph! I, Arias!! From now on, I’m going rogue! I won’t marry an elf!!!”

This was a bombshell statement that would have made the Elf Queen faint if she had heard it.

Finding this all too amusing, Lisa and Lati asked Arias in unison.

“Then who will you marry?!”

Though staggering from the alcohol, Arias shouted with a confident voice. She stretched out her finger to point at someone.

“It’s none other than!!”

Slip-

Thud-

But her finger fell limply before reaching its target, and Arias, unable to withstand the alcohol, collapsed right there. The banquet hall fell silent for a moment before erupting into even louder laughter.

Balt stood up and carefully lifted the soundly sleeping(?) Arias.

“I’ll put her to bed and come back.”

Leaving the noisy banquet hall behind, he quietly carried Arias to a room. This tavern also offered lodging, and Balt’s friends planned to enjoy themselves here all night.

“Big bro is a man after all. You know how to handle women gently, don’t you?”

For Victor’s cheeky comment, he ended up getting hit by Balt’s magic and was embedded into the wall.

Bang–!!

“Ugh… As expected of the Death Knight Slayer.”

It was a night filled with endless laughter.