bookpower Chapter 258 : Chapter 258
Chapter 258 : Chapter 258
After completing their field practicum, Radel’s group returned to the Academy.Arriving in front of the Black Hawk Dormitory, Inette cried out in delight.
“At last, the Black Hawk Dormitory!”
It had only been a few days, but it felt like an eternity.
The memories of life in the desert were that intense.
“A soft bed, good food, warm water! I missed all of it so much!”
Radel quietly nodded in agreement.
“I definitely missed a bed without sand.”
“Indeed. No matter how much you shake it off, sand just keeps coming out.”
“Still, the desert rat soup was pretty decent.”
Gusto and Radel exchanged the conversation calmly.
For Gusto, who had trained in harsh environments with fellow apprentice holy knights, and for Radel, who had practically lived in desolate dungeons as a hunter, the Kamin Desert had not been all that bad.
Besides, they could use magic.
Just having a way to summon water and fire whenever needed made survival far more convenient.
But Inette was different.
She had endured only because of her experience in Rabiedel—Kamin Desert, with nothing but sand and stone, was truly awful.
Even so, she could not bring herself to return alone when Radel and Shartea were managing just fine.
That was why Radel’s next words hit her like a shock.
“Wait. Desert rat soup? You’re saying all the soup we ate was made from rats?”
“Yeah. Desert rats. You’ve seen them a few times too, Inette.”
“That’s impossible!”
Inette’s face went pale.
To think the meals she had eaten every day were made from desert rats!
She recalled the cute little rodents she had occasionally seen while supervising the Lizardmen.
She would rather eat monsters than that.
“Is this really so surprising? You ate scorpion soup just fine.”
“Scorpion soup?!”
While Inette stood there in horror, the two men continued their conversation as if nothing were wrong.
“It was lucky there were so many good cooks in the Horizon Knights.”
“Indeed. Their spirit of experimenting with ingredients even in harsh conditions was impressive.”
“The method of drying insects into powder was especially memorable. I barely learned the secret on the last day.”
“As expected of you, Your Highness. Even in the desert, you never neglect to learn.”
Inette was not the only one shaken by their exchange.
The third-year seniors—who had followed them all the way to the Black Hawk Dormitory out of sheer habit, offering to carry Radel’s luggage—were equally stunned.
Thud.
Their travel bags slipped from their hands.
“So everything we ate was…”
“Rats and bugs…?”
“Insane…”
They did not even have the energy left to be shocked anymore.
***
The lobby of the Black Hawk Dormitory buzzed with stories from students returning from their practicums.
“How was the Marcellant Guard?”
“You seriously got into that assistant mage position they only take one person for?”
“See? Those who are meant to succeed, do.”
Of course, not everyone had gone where they wanted.
“What a shame. I really wanted to go to the Marcellant Beast Rental Center…”
“Right? Even the seniors applied there.”
Students majoring in Beast Studies gathered in one corner, voicing their regrets.
Hearing that new magical beasts had arrived, first-year Beast Studies students had rushed to apply en masse.
But the number of openings was far too small.
Those spots were taken by experienced seniors.
“We’ll just have to work harder and make it next time.”
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
Just then, Radel entered the dormitory lobby.
“Prince Radel!”
“You’re back, Your Highness!”
The first-years who spotted him immediately crowded around.
They were curious about what had happened at the Horizon Knights.
Among them were some big-built first-years, as well as Edward—the representative of Radel’s followers—and his friends.
“Your Highness, is it true you resolved the conflict between the Lizardmen and the Horizon Knights?”
“How did you hear about that?”
“We just saw it in the Blue Rose. There was an article about you.”
Edward opened the magazine he was holding and showed Radel the article.
It described the events in the desert in detail.
After reading it, Radel was surprised by how accurate it was.
The conflict between the Lizardmen and the Horizon Knights, Radel discovering water, and even his later attendance at the Lizardmen festival by invitation of their Great Chieftain.
‘How did they get this information?’
Radel thought of Rowd Frensia, the editor-in-chief of , and was once again impressed by his capabilities.
“It’s quite accurate, actually.”
When Radel confirmed the facts, Edward’s expression turned solemn.
“As one of Your Highness’s followers, I can’t afford to fall behind Blue Rose. I must spread word of your great deeds far and wide.”
Before Radel could stop him, Edward hurried off with his friends, saying he would distribute copies of the magazine throughout the Academy.
Watching his enthusiasm, Inette shook her head.
Her own followers were intense enough, but Edward was on another level.
“Your followers are really something else.”
But Gusto seemed to share Edward’s mindset.
“I’m planning to bring a few copies to the temple as well. The faithful of the Supreme Deity Church will surely enjoy articles about you, Your Highness.”
Inette stared at him in disbelief.
“And who are you supposed to be? A Radel follower too?”
“Well, the Supreme Deity Church officially supports His Highness, does it not? That is only natural.”
Even accounting for the Church’s support of royalty, that looked more like genuine enthusiasm than obligation.
Inette felt a chill at the faint madness in Gusto’s eyes.
‘Is there anyone normal here?’
She found herself missing Tounia, who had yet to return from her own practicum.
After chatting cheerfully with the first-years, Radel headed up to his dorm room.
When he arrived, he found a letter waiting for him.
It was a telegram from the Imperial Palace.
***
At the same time Radel’s group reached the Black Hawk Dormitory, Armandy was waiting at a rendezvous point to exchange information with another agent of the Ability Management Bureau.
It was standard procedure to submit a report upon returning to the Academy, but having just come back from the desert, he was exhausted.
‘I just want to go back to the dorm and rest.’
A familiar voice reached Armandy’s ears.
“Did the desert mission end well?”
Armandy’s face twisted.
Of all people, the agent he was meeting was Perenzo.
“Can’t you tell just by looking?”
“No idea. I stayed at the Academy. How would I know?”
“Hah… While some people were comfortably attending classes, others were roasting under the sun like slaves…”
Overcome with emotion, Armandy trailed off.
Images of his days in the desert—living little better than a magical slave—flashed through his mind.
“Armandy, use some explosion magic.”
“If you’ve got time, clean up with magic.”
“The Lizardmen say it’s hot—can you use wind magic?”
Cooling prisoners with wind magic…?
It was hard to tell who the prisoner really was.
Radel had found the third-years insufficient and made full use of Armandy instead.
But this time, Perenzo had plenty to say as well.
“You think I was just relaxing at the Academy? Didn’t the 9th Prince apply for field practicum?”
“You’re saying the 9th Prince didn’t go on practicum at all?”
“That’s right. And the movements on the 4th Princess’s side have been suspicious too.”
Perenzo had been keeping tabs on the other royals who stayed behind.
The fact that the 9th Prince, Leon, remained in the first-year dormitory with his followers.
And that the 4th Princess’s faction had begun maneuvering to keep the other royals in check.
As Armandy listened, his eyes sharpened.
Choosing to stay at the Academy despite being able to apply for practicum was indeed strange.
Most first-years applied out of curiosity alone.
“Did you find out why the 9th Prince chose to do that?”
“Not exactly. But ever since he received a telegram from House Silvert, he’s been living in the library.”
House Silvert.
At that name, Armandy’s expression hardened.
***
“Radel, did you get one too?”
When Radel came down to the dormitory lounge, Inette rushed over to him.
She was holding the same kind of envelope Radel had received.
“Yeah, I got one too.”
The letter, stamped with the imperial seal, praised the royals who had made great contributions to strengthening relations with the Lizardmen.
After reading it, Inette shuddered.
“So the 3rd Princess has to go too. Ugh…!”
Radel was a little surprised.
“You seemed to get along pretty well with her in the desert. Why?”
“It’s different when you’re there, okay? You just get swept up in the mood. Hmph. At the Academy, she’s still my enemy!”
Inette turned her head away with a huff.
Despite her words, she did not seem to dislike it.
And since the Emperor himself was praising their achievements, it also meant gifts.
Clearly excited, Inette asked Radel in a low voice,
“If His Majesty gives us gifts, what are you going to ask for? Money again, like last time?”
“A gift?”
“Yeah. If we’re summoned like this, it’s basically guaranteed.”
A gift, huh.
As Inette said, receiving money again would not be a bad choice.
You could never have too much money.
Radel began to ponder what gift he should ask for.
***
A few days later, Radel, Shartea, and Inette departed for the Imperial Palace.
The carriage carrying the three royals rolled out of the Academy.
Clop, clop.
Watching it leave, a certain group struggled to contain their smiles.
Just knowing that Radel was not at the Academy filled them with relief.
“…He’s gone, right?”
“For sure.”
“Finally!”
They exchanged secretive glances.
They were the third-year seniors who had been dragged to the Horizon Knights practicum.
After returning, their lives had completely changed.
First of all, the way first-years looked at them was entirely different.
‘Those seniors went on practicum with Radel.’
‘Unbelievable…’
The first-years looked at them with pity, as if they understood everything.
There had been a time when underclassmen avoided them just for showing up…
It was humiliating to falter just because of first-years’ reactions.
But they could not act as menacing as before either.
The third-years decided to be content with the fact that Radel had left the Academy, if only briefly.
Just his absence brought peace of mind.
However, a far bigger problem soon arose.
“Excuse me… are you the seniors who went on practicum with the Horizon Knights?”
A first-year they had never seen before approached them quietly and handed over a suspicious invitation.