Chapter: 146
She smiled, just lifting the corners of her lips as usual.
“Did you get scared being alone in a different place?”
“I’ve been to many different places, so not really.”
Charlotte glanced at Haring, who was following behind Kraush.
“If it’s a love getaway, then I won’t approve, brother.”
Truly, Charlotte was someone who always said exactly what was on her mind.
“I have some personal errands to attend to. I plan to head out before the sun sets.”
“So you’re trying to catch the professor’s eye, huh?”
Charlotte smirked, raising her lips without a single complaint.
“But, little brother, if you’re making such a secretive request, don’t you need to do something for your sister first?”
Charlotte’s conditional bargaining was unexpected.
As Kraush prepared to protest, a ridiculous answer came back.
“Like a kiss on the cheek or something.”
Kraush stared blankly at Charlotte, who playfully tapped her own cheek with her finger.
Then, with an expression unchanged, she poked Kraush’s cheek with her finger.
“Just kidding.”
Charlotte’s jokes were notoriously hard to distinguish.
“You know there’s an event where the princess and prince are meeting, right? The professor will hardly take her eyes off then. You could make your move at that time. I’ll allow it.”
“Thank you.”
With that, Charlotte closed the door behind her as she entered.
Having said everything she wanted, her mission was wrapped up just like that.
“Sibling bond looks great, huh?” Haring remarked.
“Does it really?”
To Kraush, it felt like they were worlds apart, but Haring seemed to think otherwise.
“Well, your sister always indulges your requests, doesn’t she?”
Kraush blinked in surprise at her words.
Then he turned to look back at Charlotte’s closed door.
‘That’s true.’
Charlotte, although self-willed and often dragging him around, did prioritize his wishes.
Back in the Age of the Sky, she had once urged him to come out from there.
She didn’t want him stuck in such a place.
Yet when he insisted that this was where he belonged, she stopped asking him to leave.
At that time, Kraush thought she was upset because he turned down her request.
But now, revisiting it, maybe she did actually listen to him after all.
‘Have I ever truly faced Charlotte properly?’
Kraush turned away from his musings.
This wasn’t a problem that would resolve overnight like with Lilish.
But at least, by the end of this matter, he would have cleared his debt to Charlotte.
He figured he’d repay that debt by ensuring she wouldn’t die at the hands of the Swordmaster and could bloom her talents further.
With that thought in mind, Kraush awaited everyone’s arrival in Hardenhartz.
That would be the perfect time to take action.
‘So I absolutely must prevent this incident first.’
Just as Kraush was pondering this, he heard a commotion coming from the corridor.
Slowly turning his head toward the noise, his body halted instinctively.
There was a tall man approaching.
Leading the way was Meliocan Hardenhartz, the firstborn son of Hardenhartz, walking diligently beside him.
His short, dark blue hair swayed gently as he walked.
And beneath that swaying hair, solemn blue eyes made his appearance shine even more.
A face that looked somewhat similar to his own.
And the closest person to the head of the Holy Royal Family from Balheim.
One of the Ten Great Lords, known by the title of Sword King.
It was none other than
Lai Balheim.
He approached, being guided by Meliocan.
His gaze turned towards this side.
Judging by his direction, he was definitely here to see Charlotte.
But before meeting Charlotte, he happened to run into the youngest member of the Holy Royal Family first.
“Kraush Balheim.”
As Lai mentioned Kraush’s full name, Kraush straightened his posture.
“It’s been a while, brother.”
Though it was strange to call it a while.
In all his life, he could count the times he ran into Lai on one hand.
He had seen Lai fewer times than he had his sister Lilish.
This was his first encounter with him in this reincarnation.
Perhaps that was why he stood there a bit more nervous, as Lai glanced sidelong at him.
Next to Kraush stood Haring.
Upon making eye contact, Haring’s hair stood on end, startled like a cat.
Lai’s gaze had the capacity to pierce through one’s very being.
In that instant, Haring sensed something.
He’s strong.
Just meeting him left her breathless, as the pressure from Lai was on another level.
At the same time, Kraush too felt Lai’s strength undeniably.
‘Still quite far off.’
Having gone through quite a lot and grown endlessly, Kraush felt.
Upon seeing Lai, he realized just how inadequate he still was.
Reaching the Ten Great Lords was still a long way ahead.
“…Keep at it.”
Lai, who had been examining Kraush, didn’t say much.
He wasn’t particularly chatty, like Lilish.
He didn’t appear to be deeply interested in Kraush either.
He simply existed within the frame of Balheim.
Without any intention of conversing further, he brushed past Kraush.
‘He’s most likely come to see Charlotte since she’s the student leader of the Lion’s Order.’
In which case, he would have a brief conversation with her.
As he observed Lai’s receding figure, Kraush turned away.
As he got stronger, there would come a day when he might cross paths with him in one way or another.
Lai had but one goal.
To become the head of Balheim.
If Kraush continued to grow stronger, tales of a new head of Balheim would eventually bubble up somewhere.
At that time, Lai wouldn’t just sit idly by.
‘Curious about that day.’
To see that usually expressionless face display emotions.
Suppressing a small smile, Kraush walked past.
He thought, it’s tough to get close to family.
*
As unexpected visitors were bustling about Hardenhartz.
A moderately sized party was being organized.
Food for the search party was prepared, allowing those ready for the search operation to take a break until plans were set.
Of course, that was only for regular students and knights to relax.
The student leaders or important figures who needed to discuss the search operation were all gathered in the meeting room.
In front of that meeting room,
A woman exited with a displeased expression.
She approached the terrace, popped a cigarette into her mouth, and clicked her tongue.
‘This sort of atmosphere really isn’t my thing.’
She was Sena Meyer, an academy professor and noble.
Just moments ago, her head throbbing from the tactical meeting she attended.
A meeting comprising the empire’s brilliant Fourth Princess and the First Prince of Starlon.
Along with the heir of Balheim, who was regarded as a genius in Balheim, Charlotte.
With so many individuals in attendance, just voicing an opinion had made the atmosphere heavy.
She was there to oversee this mission.
It was the students who were supposed to handle the mission.
So she didn’t want to feel unnecessarily weighed down and slipped away quickly.
Even though she herself was a noble, this sort of thing wasn’t her cup of tea.
Feeling a bit uncomfortable with Lai, the deputy lord of Balheim, didn’t help either.
“I guess I’ll head to the party.”
Since the search team would still need time to finalize their plans.
Thoughts of taking a break in the party room formed in her mind.
As she stepped into the party area,
Her eyes quickly scanned the students for a headcount when confusion set in.
The search team was supposed to move right after the meeting, so every student should be here.
Yet the place felt empty.
She pushed her black glasses up and counted again.
But still, it was lacking in numbers.
And those numbers included one crucial individual.
“Hah, this audacious boy.”
Sena sighed, feeling the urge to have a cigarette once more.
Charlotte had been chatting up a storm today, indicating that those two had definitely exchanged some words.
She gazed out the window.
Time to hunt down that troublesome runaway student.
＊ ＊ ＊
As Sena exited the meeting room.
The heated search operation meeting came to an end, followed by a brief break.
Sigrid, sitting in the meeting room, absentmindedly wiggled her legs.
Despite the intense discussions, she remained composed, truly fitting the imperial mastermind.
Just then, her guardian, the shining sword, Sera Betella, approached her.
“Miss Sigrid, it seems Kraush is moving alone.”
“That’s alright. I already knew.”
Sigrid had sensed Kraush’s shift in demeanor from the entrance of Hardenhartz.
So it was no surprise that he would act on his own.
‘He has likely gone to meet the former leader of the Night Ravens.’
From his response, it seemed he had encountered some variables.
Clearly, he was heading off to confirm those.
But there was no need to worry.
The academy professor, Sena Meyer, had also moved to keep up with Kraush.
Kraush probably anticipated that Sena would chase after him.
He had likely regarded her as a safety precaution.
“It seems Kraush is on the move.”
Just then, a man sipping tea chimed in.
Sigrid shifted her gaze to find a man with amethyst-colored eyes.
It was Hilnider Starlon, the First Prince of Starlon.
Though still considered a student, he had attended the meeting as the imperial princess visited the kingdom.
Rather than participating for form’s sake, he had made an effort to observe the people.
This visit to Hardenhartz was an opportunity for him.
To observe those who would lead the times.
‘Quite impressive. Starlon will surely become quite prosperous later.’
Sigrid held him in high regard.
And curiosity struck her.
Kraush had been bridging connections with the First Prince.
Recent intel indicated that some deal had been made between them.
‘It’s likely that Kraush is showing off his power within the academy, while the First Prince supports his position of influence.’
It made sense, given the rumors circulating about Kraush.
In the chaos of various forces converging at the academy, he had likely stirred them up in an effort to tie those connections.
Sigrid was adept at piecing information together from mere snippets of conversation.
Yet she could never quite see through Kraush, who constantly brought new variables into play.
That boy kept making her intrigued, effortlessly stirring her curiosity every time.
“Prince Hilnider, what do you think of Kraush?”
Her question reflected her genuine interest.
Did Hilnider know something she hadn’t about Kraush?
“To me, he’s the hidden weapon of Balheim.”
Hilnider’s answer came back candidly to Sigrid.
“I believe that’s the case.”
The only reason he answered so honestly was that he sought to gain clearer information through Sigrid’s intellect.
That intention seemed to hit the mark.
Sigrid blinked, covering her mouth in laughter.
“Not an untrue statement.”
But it wasn’t entirely correct either.
Hilnider’s dazed gaze suggested he had sensed something more about Kraush.
‘It seems Hilnider has detected that Kraush has something else brewing beneath the surface.’
Sigrid, a genius of the empire, was intent on ensuring that misinterpretations took root this time.
Deliberately widening the rift of misunderstanding surrounding Kraush.
She leaned on the table with her elbows, resting her chin on her hand, wearing a sly smile.
Another spontaneous action of Kraush was underway.
She was curious just how interesting it would turn out this time around.
Meanwhile, watching the two from the sidelines, Sera could only think that these genius-level tête-à-têtes were exhausting to witness.
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