episode_0073

“Crazy like this….”

Cain couldn’t believe the newspaper article he was staring at with his own eyes.

His pupils shook as if an earthquake had struck, and a sense of emptiness hit him as if he had been struck on the back of his head.

[Ariel’s First-Ever 3rd Applicant Appears!]

▶ Preface: Over 40 Tears of the Brought Fairy!

Until now, the most tears contributed by applicants were two.

However, as of yesterday, that record has been completely overturned.

Over 40 tears of the brought fairy!

The names of those protagonists who changed the records of the Ariel Academy in the Imperial Year 901 are….

Trembling.

His arms holding the newspaper trembled.

Familiar names appeared.

Lucy, Aria, and…

“Sian!”

-Thud!

Cain slammed the newspaper he was holding down on the table.

“C-Cain…?”

Elise, who was sitting in the cafe, felt something off about Cain’s mood and called out his name with a worried expression.

Cain, making an effort to show a friendly smile to Elise, said, “It’s nothing, Elise. I’ll just go get some fresh air.”

“Okay….”

Elise noticed Cain’s uneasy smile but couldn’t say anything more.

His trembling figure seemed to warn everyone not to stop him.

Crash! Thud!

Rocks were breaking apart helplessly, sending shards flying.

It was the secluded back mountain of the academy.

“Why on earth!!”

Crash!

Cain was venting his anger with his sword.

Mixed emotions surged from the sword he wielded.

“Why does it have to be me!! You fool, Sian!!”

Crash!

After vehemently expressing his final emotions, Cain could finally stop swinging his sword.

His emotions were complex.

This time, he thought things wouldn’t go according to that fool Sian’s intentions.

[Lucy, Aria, Tia. They all helped leader Sian and made the first contribution.]

But look at the results.

He became the first in the Ariel Academy to bring dozens of tears of the fairy, surpassing other applicants.

Moreover, even his childhood friends Lucy and Aria….

“Haha….”

It was incomprehensible.

That chubby fool Sian, who persistently tormented him, relentlessly pursued his childhood friends, even after shedding all that weight.

People don’t change.

For whatever reason he decided to lose weight, in Cain’s eyes, he was just a fallen nobleman who belittled himself, publicly shamed himself in front of friends, and baselessly smeared him in front of others….

He seemed intent on taking his friends away in a different way this time too.

He could very well… do that.

‘Even back at the academy dining hall….’

While eating with Aria and Lucy, he stared at him as if challenging him.

Cain accepted his intention with a clear derisive smile.

As if….

“If you’re useless, step aside.”

“Lucy and Aria are not suited to be with someone like you.”

Cain began to waver.

If Lucy and Aria completely turned to his side…?

And even Elise by his side now, if he took her away…?

A shiver ran down his spine.

Clack.

Cain’s teeth clashed rapidly.

At that moment, a voice of a figure passed through Cain’s mind.

“It’s a ruthless world. Those who exist take everything from those who don’t, leaving nothing behind. In this rotten world, what will a chosen hero protect? Boy, come with us. We can appreciate your talents.”

“No… No!”

Cain shook his head vigorously to try to forget the words that kept swirling in his mind.

And he ran. With a resolved heart, he dashed towards the academy.

“Once again, you’ve done a great job. Congratulations, Sian.”

Sian was walking near Gangui-dong with Lucy and Aria, discussing the recent incident.

By chance, they ran into Princess Rosaria IV.

She blocked Sian’s path and started talking to him.

“I greet Your Highness.”

“Oh, Y-Your Highness!”

Aria quickly kneeled as if familiar with the gesture, while Lucy, taken aback, followed a beat late.

Sian spoke to Rosaria.

“…It was possible because of capable women. It was never solely my doing.”

“I know. Aria was involved too, right? And… that must be Miss Lucy over there.”

“My apologies!”

Sian wanted to get out of this situation quickly.

“Hey, look! It’s Princess Rosaria! What’s going on here?”

“And next to her… all the popular figures are gathered here?! Amazing. Is something serious happening?”

The surrounding gazes began to feel burdensome.

Already exhausted from the third exam issue, Sian knew it would be troublesome if more drama unfolded.

Sian made his move first.

“Your Highness, I’m not feeling well, so I’ll take my leave.”

“Of course. Were you on your way back to the dormitory? Rest well.”

“Sian, are you leaving already? What about our conversation?”

“Let’s talk later, Aria.”

Just as Sian tried to escape, a sudden loud voice rang out.

“Lucy!! Aria-!!”

Everyone, startled by the abrupt sound, turned their heads in the direction of the noise.

Someone was running towards them.

A man clad in armor resembling a swordsman… covered in dirt as if he had just finished rigorous training.

Lucy and Aria were the first to recognize him.

“Cain…? What’s happening all of a sudden?”

“….!”

Sian was astonished.

Cain?

Why was he suddenly here?

No, with Lucy and Aria present, it was natural for him to be here.

Regardless, Sian, convinced it had nothing to do with him, tried to continue walking.

“Stop right there! Where do you think you’re running off to?!”

Cain, who had approached closely, grabbed Sian’s shoulder.

Startled, Sian reflexively turned his head towards him.

Running away? But how did he know without being told?

Before Sian could even ponder his confusion, Cain blocked his path, preventing him from escaping.

Rosaria, who had been momentarily stunned by the unexpected turn of events, grimaced and spoke up.

“How rude! Let him go! What is the meaning of this sudden behavior?!”

Ignoring her agitation, Cain called out to Lucy and Aria.

“Lucy, Aria!”

“Yes, yes…?”

“Why are you sticking around with him as if you’re close friends, Cain?”

“What are you talking about, Cain…? Something feels off today. Are you okay?”

“Cain. What’s the meaning of this? What’s wrong with being friendly with Sian!”

“You guys…!”

Trembling with frustration, Cain let out a hollow laugh.

“That guy Sian… Do you know who he really is?”

“Listen, listen, you’re going too far! Weren’t you a friend of Aria-”

“Lucy! Aria! Listen to me clearly!”

Ignoring Rosaria, Cain raised his voice.

“Do you remember that lunatic who kept bothering you in the first semester? Remember?”

“I do remember. But why is he suddenly…?”

“He was quite persistent. I recall having to step in before he backed off. Gives me chills thinking about it. But why bring him up now?”

“Haha… Yeah, that’s right! It gives me chills! But still, why are you hanging around with him!”

Everyone looked at Cain puzzled by his behavior.

Suddenly, he couldn’t understand what crazy talk he was spouting.

Lucy and Aria exchanged glances.

“Hurry! Hurry and drag this person down!”

Rosaria, seething with anger, gestured to the knights around her.

Sian, who had been silent, intervened to stop Rosaria.

Confused by why Sian was blocking her for a moment, Rosaria was taken aback, and in that moment, Cain spoke.

“He’s that fool of a nobleman from the Brace Kingdom, Sian! The one who persistently harassed us…! That damn bastard, it’s him!”

Speaking disrespectfully against a noble from the kingdom could lead to dangerous consequences for a mere viscount’s offspring.

However, Cain didn’t care and continued.

His words made everyone stiffen.

The first to break the short silence was Lucy. She raised her head slightly and said,

“Sian is that nobleman…? Hey, Cain. What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It seems like something’s off with him today. Cain. Hasn’t he appeared completely different from Sian until now? Hurry up and apologize to him…”

“-I’m right.”

As Sian, who had been silently listening, spoke up, silence descended once again.

“……”

Lucy, Aria, and even Rosaria, this time, all looked at Sian with bewildered eyes.

Rosaria, too, had been a victim of Sian’s harassment.

The foolish nobleman Sian had persistently courted the beautiful Rosaria, who was considered one of the most beautiful within the academy, only to be harshly rejected, stalked, and finally stopped after facing royal punishment.

Rosaria chuckled sarcastically, denying the situation.

“Sian, what are you talking about…”

But.

“I admit it. I’m that fool from that kingdom.”

Sian stated decisively, wrapping up the situation.

Except for the bold Cain, everyone else standing there remained dumbfounded for a while.