Ch.333EP.70 – Why the Knight’s Hatred Is Justified (3)

With only ten days left until the royal banquet and the Crown Prince’s first birthday celebration, the capital was still experiencing various problems as waves of people flooded in from the provinces. Yet despite this, daily life continued.

Restaurant chefs purchased fresh ingredients at the market, shoemakers were busy crafting commissioned footwear, and a boy dreaming of becoming a wealthy merchant ran frantically through the streets to earn money.

No one was foolish enough to neglect their daily responsibilities just because a special day was approaching.

And this…

“Fifteen minutes left.”

…was also true for the Academy.

Even with nobles arriving and various banquets and tea parties being held, education did not stop. Regular classes continued as usual.

Well, rather than classes…

“Remember that those who fail this exam will receive penalty points.”

“That’s too harsh!”

“Springing a test on us so suddenly?!”

“But I’m ending the lecture early, aren’t I? You should be grateful for that much. Why are there so many whiners?”

It might have been closer to tormenting the students, but…

“Five minutes left.”

“!!?”

Even if everyone else was celebrating, a student’s duty was to study.

The Academy, true to its name as a hall of learning, continued with lectures despite the ongoing festivities.

In fact, they were administering pop quizzes even more rigorously than usual, and those who couldn’t score above a certain threshold would even receive penalty points.

With daily pop quizzes and students who neglected their studies to attend parties every night under the pretext of “burning their youth,” some unfortunate ones were even expelled.

This happened less than two weeks after the Academy reopened, and while it might seem cruel, from the Academy’s perspective, it was perfectly reasonable.

– I don’t mind if you have fun. But I simply cannot understand the psychology of those who play while failing to grasp even the basics. Perhaps you’re confident you can graduate just by having fun? Impressive! I’d love to see the source of that confidence, haha.

These were the words of the Academy’s headmaster, whose lips smiled while his eyes remained cold.

…Well, even if it seemed like harassment, the difficulty level of these pop quizzes was only slightly higher than the entrance exams, and many problems could be solved even by younger students from the middle school division if they applied themselves.

In other words, the tests posed no problem for anyone who had mastered the basics.

But failing to score above average on such tests?

This not only suggested a complete lack of progress since enrollment but also raised sufficient suspicion that one had entered the Academy through improper means, leaving no room for sympathy toward those who were expelled.

They should have known better than to embarrass themselves, and they needed to understand that the Academy was not to be taken lightly.

The Academy was pleased to be able to weed out the incompetent and the lazy.

Meanwhile…

“Wow, the Swordsmanship Department is no joke. Last year they passed all 80 students, but this year they only kept twelve!”

“Thirteen out of 130, they’re always so extreme over there…”

Even the Swordsmanship Department’s freshmen saw 90% of their class expelled, leaving people shocked.

Last year, not a single student had withdrawn or been expelled, with all freshmen advancing to the next grade. But this year, they had drastically culled their numbers.

Well, the misunderstanding arose because only a few people knew that all those expelled were spies or suspicious characters…

“Why are my ears so itchy?”

Those unaware could only cast suspicious glances.

“Maybe it’s the expelled students cursing you?”

“I think you, as my assistant, are probably getting more curses than I am.”

“…My ears have been unbearably itchy lately. I’ve got a headache too.”

“That sounds like a curse.”

“……”

“Hmm, should I introduce you to a sorcerer or priest I know?”

“…Damn it.”

While Ihan was having this playful conversation with his assistant, he overheard some chicks gossiping.

“Have you heard the rumor? There’s an incredibly handsome young master in the capital recently. Was his name Santa?”

“Is he more handsome than Young Master Roen?”

“They say he’s almost at the same level. While Young Master Roen has that cold aura, this rumored young master is cheerful and smiles a lot.”

“…Oh my.”

…So that’s why my ears are itchy?

Ihan secretly scratched the back of his head.

Somehow, he felt like he was living a double life.

‘I need to keep this hidden thoroughly.’

Even if it wouldn’t be a big problem if discovered, there was no benefit to being exposed.

He wanted to maintain his Santa persona discreetly.

‘Especially with troublesome things happening, I should stay quiet.’

According to rumors, Wales—or rather, Modred—was celebrating a new holiday.

It was a peculiar hybrid that seemed to mix Christmas and Buddha’s Birthday from his knowledge—a special day where people floated lotus flowers on rivers and gave gifts to good children…

‘How did such a hybrid come to exist?’

Something called “Santa’s Advent Day.”

The problem was that Ihan knew this holiday was meant to celebrate him, or more precisely, Santa Rihan, which gave him a headache.

It was practically idol worship, and if it was discovered that he was the subject of this worship, there would be an uproar in both the temple and the palace.

Especially among extremists, some might try to crucify him…

‘Though I’d end up crucifying such people instead.’

Still, it was undeniably troublesome.

Ihan had no desire to welcome such a situation and was only concerned with ensuring his identity remained hidden.

Fortunately, it seemed no one from Modred was revealing his identity, which was reassuring.

‘Those kids are certainly loyal.’

However, there was something else troubling him…

– Waaaaaah…! Santa, don’t go! Waaah…!!

Thinking about the resentment that a certain pink-haired little one might have felt when they parted, crying so sorrowfully, made his head hurt.

“Hmm.”

“What’s wrong, Master?”

“…Gom-soon.”

“Yes?”

“I have a very young friend.”

“?”

“And though it wasn’t my intention, she cried when we parted. Quite sorrowfully.”

“Oh my.”

“It wasn’t deliberate. It just happened that way, but I hear she might be coming to the capital soon.”

“……”

“…She’s young, so maybe she’s already forgotten about me?”

“I doubt that.”

Levi responded with certainty.

“I don’t know if that child is five or ten years old. But even a three-year-old would find it difficult to forget you, Master.”

“Well, I did leave quite a memorable impression.”

“And you said this person is your friend? The Master I know wouldn’t just leave a friend crying. You’d feel sorry about it.”

“…You know too much about me.”

“This much is basic knowledge.”

Ihan gave a bitter smile, thinking he should buy or make a gift in preparation for their meeting.

To appease the likely sulking pink-haired little one.

“This is tough…”

“You don’t seem troubled just by that.”

“?”

“Master, you’ve been busy with other matters recently, haven’t you? And I suspect those matters are related to some unsavory group.”

“……”

“I knew it.”

…I didn’t say anything, so how do you know all this?

“It’s just my prediction, but seeing you take action personally, I’m guessing these unsavory individuals are targeting the capital again.”

“No…”

“The Noble Council won’t step in anyway. They’re foolish enough to think the peace you’ve established through blood and sweat is due to their own merit. So you’ll end up suffering alone again.”

“……”

“Master, don’t try to handle everything by yourself. There are people who can support you. I’m one of them.”

“……”

“Master?”

“Um, hey.”

“Yes?”

“Where exactly did you learn mind reading?”

“??”

Ihan was grateful for his disciple’s consideration, but also frightened…

Because her insights were eerily accurate.

* * *

The Blood Cross Army wasn’t exactly a secret.

Any reasonably literate person who read newspapers would know about the unsavory group running rampant, and nobles would be even more aware.

In that sense, most students in the Swordsmanship Department already knew about the Blood Cross Army’s existence and had a general understanding that they were the ones behind last year’s monster terrorist attacks.

Yet why didn’t Ihan explicitly tell them about it?

While part of it was wanting the kids to stay out of it and let the adults handle things, he also couldn’t bring himself to dampen the spirits of youth in their prime.

However…

“There’s a possibility of terrorist attacks during this debutante period, so be careful.”

“…??”

“We’re working hard to prevent it, but these guys are like moles, hiding so well that they’re difficult to capture. If we had support, it might be different, but the Noble Council doesn’t even care. So, well…”

“……”

“If something happens, I hope you all survive on your own.”

“???”

Since knowing about a danger is different from being caught unaware, Ihan revealed the truth straightforwardly.

In movies, when people hide such things and they’re revealed later, doesn’t it lead to resentment?

Ihan was simply revealing the truth to avoid unnecessary blame, and the students faced with this reality…

“That’s something I’d rather not have known…”

“Those damn Noble Council bastards! My parents and younger sibling all came up to the capital, what the hell are they doing?!”

“…Ah, I just had a new dress made.”

…could only mutter despairing complaints.

The emptiness of life. His disciples were quickly tasting the bitterness of reality, and Ihan waited patiently with a gentle expression for their confusion to subside.

“In-Instructor, is it okay to reveal this so openly?”

The gray-haired boy Derrick, who had been quietly hiding his presence, approached cautiously and whispered his question.

Wondering if it was too direct to reveal such facts.

“It’s fine to reveal it. No, it’s actually better to do so. It’s just a hunch, but those fanatics will definitely show themselves at the banquet.”

“Aren’t you already hunting them down, Instructor?”

Derrick asked, implying that if you set your mind to it, you could capture those fanatics easily, and Ihan was pleased with this trust while remaining grounded in reality.

Then,

“…The situation has become more complicated.”

“What do you…?”

Ihan wore an unusually irritated expression.

How to describe it? A very unpleasant look?

Like discovering a hangnail upon waking up in the morning.

Sure enough, the hangnail he had discovered was…

“It’s not just one person.”

“?”

“There are quite a few people involved with those fanatics.”

“…Pardon?”

Derrick couldn’t help but ask again.

Not because he didn’t understand, but because what he heard was hard to believe.

Ihan spoke in a whisper, as if not wanting the other students to hear, showing consideration for his already confused disciples.

“At least a hundred.”

“??”

“…More than a hundred noble families are in cahoots with the fanatics.”

“……”

“Shocking, right?”

“……”

…Derrick froze as if he had fainted and remained in a daze for quite some time.