Ch.43. New Beginning (3)

# 3. New Beginning (3)

“What? The freshmen?”

“Yes, there are a few promising ones among the new freshmen. Like Chris, Rakel, Briton. You know, a few of them.”

There were quite a few excellent students among the incoming freshmen.

Whether in terms of skill, lineage, or appearance, it was hard to find any shortcomings in them.

However, unfortunately, she had never once thought of them as potential romantic interests.

When she looked at men, she valued their character and whether they genuinely cared about her, but they simply didn’t match her ideal type.

Among them, Chris had a good character, but he only served her with the mindset of a future subject, not seeing her as a woman.

“Well, it seemed like the princess wasn’t interested anyway.”

“Don’t ask if you already know.”

“Actually, I wonder if the princess just dislikes men?”

She frowned and immediately denied Riel’s words as if telling her not to talk nonsense.

“That’s not it at all!? I just haven’t found the right person for me.”

“Then let’s make sure to find someone next year.”

She spoke with a wistful expression.

“I hope so.”

“If you just showed your real face, you’d have many men flocking to you, right?”

“How would that be any different from a political marriage? If they all know I’m the princess…”

“Even if they know you’re the princess, there could be someone who would truly love you.”

“So far, there hasn’t been anyone like that…”

“Well, you haven’t lived that long…”

As Riel said, she was very young, so it might simply be a lack of experience, but she thought about her mother and grandmother’s cases.

“I’m just saying that’s what I’ve seen and felt.”

***

“There’s nothing quite as thrilling as hunting.”

I felt exhilarated looking at my blood-soaked sword.

The taste of hunting after so long was incredibly sweet.

In a state of indescribable ecstasy, I faced the dungeon bosses.

But as soon as I realized the bosses’ identity, I felt an indescribable disappointment.

“This is the boss? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The bosses that appeared before me were five goblins, estimated to be around level 20.

I was thoroughly disappointed by the bosses’ identity, but there was nothing I could do about it.

“Hey, come at me.”

I beckoned with my finger, taunting them to come.

The goblins easily fell for my provocation and ran toward me as if entranced.

“Well, at least it’s good for raising my skill rank.”

I activated another one of my unique skills, Final Moment of the Mortal.

[User’s life force gradually decreases.]

[In return, the user’s abilities increase significantly.]

[The degree of ability increase and life force reduction varies according to rank. Current rank: F+]

When I activated the skill, I felt a burning pain in my heart, but my body became faster and stronger.

“Are you guys scared?”

As soon as I activated the skill, the goblins that had been running toward me became terrified and trembled in fear.

Their appearance was pitiful, but I had no intention of sparing them.

“Sorry, I’m a bit busy.”

I charged toward them with a murderous aura.

-Slash. Slash. Slash. Slash. Slash.-

With each swing of my sword, blood spurted from the monsters’ bodies.

But the monsters had no choice but to accept their fate without any resistance.

The monsters lay on the ground in a cruel state, their heads and bodies split in two.

By the way…

“This is definitely tough.”

Using this skill freely with only an F+ rank was quite a strain.

The life force reduction penalty was too severe, so I deactivated the skill as soon as I finished off the monsters.

“Using it for about 2 minutes is probably pushing it.”

However, true to the skill that had made me the number one in the Kainis Empire, its effect was incredible.

To defeat five level 20 goblins so easily while being level 26…

No wonder Chris used to complain about my skill advantage.

“Skills are also a form of ability…”

Right now, the dungeon’s reward was more important.

I searched every corner of the dungeon and finally found a treasure chest.

“The reward is…”

As usual, only magic stones were placed in the treasure chest.

Still, there are many cases without any treasure chest, so I had to be satisfied with this.

Magic stones sell for quite a bit, so I had no complaints.

“What time is it now?”

As I left the dungeon feeling somewhat satisfied, the warm sunlight still greeted me.

“Doesn’t seem like much time has passed?”

I checked the time on my phone and saw it was only 3 o’clock—still too early to go home.

“Might as well do more.”

I decided to go back to the Hunter’s Guild to report on the dungeon I had just cleared and then clear another dungeon.

I should do as much as I can.

“I can’t be satisfied with just this much.”

I set off toward another dungeon.

“Oh… this is going to be tough, ha… ha…”

I couldn’t help but laugh dryly at the horde of monsters rushing toward me.

***

In the end, I stayed in dungeons until sunset before returning home.

“Ah! Hey, that hurts. I said it hurts!”

“Just bear with it, it’s not even that painful and you’re exaggerating…”

“It’s not exaggeration, it really hurts!? Ow!”

My younger sister was treating my wounds after I had become covered in injuries from clearing dungeons.

“But what’s with you suddenly going to dungeons?”

“I’m planning to take the entrance exam for the Imperial Academy.”

“What!?”

She seemed quite surprised by my goal.

It hurt my pride a little, but I couldn’t help it.

“What? Got a problem with that?”

“No, not really….”

She hesitated a bit while gauging my reaction.

“What is it? Just say it.”

“Um… do you think you can make it?”

She seemed to be considering my feelings.

She didn’t need to do that…

“Of course.”

“Seriously?”

“Of course.”

I was genuinely confident.

So confident that it might cause problems.

“….”

Her expression changed slightly at my answer, which showed not even a hint of hesitation.

“Do you realize how absurd what you’re saying is?”

“Just watch for a month, and be prepared to be amazed after that month.”

It was understandable that she didn’t believe me, but I was determined to enter the Imperial Academy.

I had to.

“Fine, whatever. Good luck.”

“You should start preparing too, you know?”

“Me? Don’t worry about me. I’m different from you.”

I used to think, ‘Where does this confidence come from for a mere 15-year-old?’

But now I knew the extent of her talent.

“Still, you should pay attention to the written part. Don’t regret it later.”

She was an unfortunate person who failed to achieve her goal of entering A-class upon admission because of her written test scores.

I hoped she would listen to my advice, but…

“You just worry about yourself.”

Of course she wouldn’t.

She is my sister after all…

She’s certainly one of the most stubborn people you’ll ever meet.

“But why are you so confident?”

“You’ll know everything in a month~ Just stay in the dark for now.”

“Then why do you want to enter the Imperial Academy?”

I was a bit taken aback by her unexpectedly sharp question.

“I’ve found someone I like, and that person attends the Imperial Academy.”

“What!? Really!?”

She showed an intense reaction to the mention of someone I liked.

As expected of a teenage girl who’s very interested in love and romance.

“Yeah, really.”

Well, it wasn’t exactly a lie.

I was certain that I had admired and served the Empress more than anyone else, but I had also liked her romantically more than anyone else.

That’s how I was back then.

Of course, it’s probably no different now.

“I liked her a lot.”

“How did you meet? Tell me!”

I haven’t even seen her once in this life yet?

“Um… well… I haven’t actually met her yet.”

“Huh?”

She glared at me with a harsh expression, as if about to say, ‘What nonsense is that?’

“What nonsense is that?”

As expected.

I knew she’d say that.

“But I’ll see her a lot from now on.”

“What, is she an idol or something?”

“Well… you could say that.”

An idol… that wasn’t exactly wrong.

The Empress was incredibly popular among many people.

“Getting involved with an idol would be quite troublesome, you know?”

“You’re not saying it’s impossible though?”

“…”

She just stared at my face without saying anything.

“I am pretty handsome.”

“Wow… you’re really obnoxious.”

“You’re not denying it?”

“Ah, yes, yes. You’re so handsome~”

Her tone was quite irritating, but it was a rare compliment from my sister, so I let it slide.

“Anyway, don’t push yourself too hard… our parents are worried…”

“Thanks for worrying about me.”

“What!? I’m not saying I’m worried about you!?”

-Slam!-

She quickly left my room, desperately trying to hide her reddened face.

“She’s so easy to read.”

Just be honest.

Always speaking in roundabout ways was her habit.

In the past, I was so dense that I didn’t notice, but now I did.

“I wish I had realized sooner…”

If I had, at least I wouldn’t have thought I was alone…

It was truly regrettable.

“Come to think of it…”

I don’t think I did enough for my family in my previous life.

Always following her and only caring about her, I was too neglectful of my family.

“I hope it’s different this time… I wonder if it will work out?… I don’t know.”

I hope it does.