### Chapter: 222
Student League Tournament
The Student League Tournament was an event where first and second-year students could come together and make a ruckus as they competed.
It seemed the Lion’s Order was gathering to show their solidarity amidst all the commotion.
“Hmm, is this even meaningful?”
The problem was that their leader was someone far removed from the idea of unification.
Charlotte wore a bored expression as she gazed at the students assembled before her.
Even though she had ascended to the role of student leader, Charlotte always tossed the actual responsibilities onto the members of the Lion’s Order.
Unless there were specific tasks to attend to, she couldn’t be bothered with trivial assignments.
So, it was no surprise that she was indifferent about the Student League Tournament as well.
“Isn’t it just going to end with me and Kraush going out there?”
She glanced at Kraush as if two would be more than enough.
And not a single person among the gathered looked even slightly offended by her comment.
After all, it was only natural.
The strongest two among the first and second years were members of the Lion’s Order.
If they said they could settle the tournament by just showing up, who could argue otherwise?
“Ms. Charlotte, for that to happen, the entire student body must participate actively to gain any extra points.”
Delon Marquis, the son of the Star Kingdom’s prime minister and acting vice-leader of the Lion’s Order, advised Charlotte.
He then leaned in and whispered to her.
“And winning the tournament would also benefit Kraush, since he’s part of the Lion’s Order.”
Charlotte turned her gaze toward Kraush.
With her arms crossed, she was slowly tapping her elbow. Then, her lips curled up ever so slightly.
It was the distinct smile that only Charlotte possessed.
“I guess we have to at least secure first place.”
Delon had gotten quite adept at handling Charlotte.
It was good news for Kraush, as having Charlotte actively participate was a solid advantage.
Especially since he wanted to prevent Sigrid from claiming first place.
“So what exactly are we going to do for this solidarity?”
Charlotte, who had never once engaged in such team-building activities, looked at Delon as if she didn’t even know how to unite people.
Seeing her like that, Delon chuckled briefly.
He had a simple solution to the matter.
“How about a picnic?”
And just like that, a completely unexpected suggestion popped out.
*
The Abrupt Picnic of the Lion’s Order
Surprisingly, it wasn’t a bad idea at all. After all, the Lion’s Order had never really bonded internally before.
Thus, while everyone else was getting lost in their training, the Lion’s Order was hiking up the nearby mountains of Rahern Academy.
“…Why are we climbing a mountain?”
Kraush turned his attention to the voice that had chimed in beside him.
There stood Astria, who usually lacked a bit in the exercise department.
Kraush cocked an eyebrow, a bit puzzled by her presence.
“I’m more curious about why you’re participating all of a sudden.”
“Well, the team I was a part of has disbanded.”
Her previous team was the Judgment Team, which had been led by Cardinal Mirei Beakis.
She used to be part of the Maiden’s Circle, comprised primarily of nuns. However, after stepping down as a saintess, she left that group without a second thought.
As a result, she had no team to belong to now.
Inaccurately, it was more that she was reluctant to join any team.
With her name still floating around, she feared drawing attention if she just randomly joined another group.
Kraush glanced knowingly at Astria.
“Do you regret stepping down as a saintess?”
Given his part in this, he queried her, and she looked taken aback.
“What’s that supposed to mean? I’m way better off! I didn’t fit that annoying position at all. You know that, right?”
Sorry, but no one fit the saintess position better than Astria.
While she spoke so casually in front of Kraush, she was undoubtedly the kindest in public.
“Let’s just say it is what it is.”
But seeing that she felt that way, Kraush decided not to push further.
In fact, Astria’s face looked much more relaxed since she had stepped down from the saintess position.
“So, how long are you going to avoid eye contact?”
“……”
Astria chose silence, avoiding Kraush’s gaze.
It had been over a month since that spontaneous kiss, and while they no longer ran away upon meeting, she still refused to make eye contact.
Kraush wondered how long it had been since he’d actually seen her face properly.
“Oh, I’ll handle it myself!”
Suddenly, Astria snapped back angrily.
One wondered why she would choose to follow along on a picnic with the Lion’s Order, but that seemed to be her choice, so Kraush decided not to push for more answers.
“Kraush, was there… hmm. I mean, was there something going on with the saintess… oh, sorry, I mean, Astria?”
Karandis, who had nearly called her saintess but corrected herself, slipped the question to Kraush.
A lot had happened, sure, but it wasn’t something for casual gossip.
While Astria had stepped down from her position, she was still recognized as saintess by everyone around her.
“It’s nothing serious.”
“It doesn’t seem like nothing serious, though.”
Karandis glanced back and forth between Kraush and Astria, her eyes filled with curiosity.
Since Astria was also a competitor, she had a lot of questions.
Meanwhile, Haring seemed too relaxed, enjoying the scenery.
She appeared blissful, soaking in the pleasant scent of the grass while faithfully trailing behind Kraush like a cat on a casual stroll.
“The second-years of the Lion’s Order have all become Kraush fangirls.”
Chiming in with a chuckle was Aslan.
Indeed, the key members of the second year were now revolving around Kraush.
While some had joined from passing the Lion’s Order exams, they too had certainly been influenced by Kraush.
The moment they locked eyes with Kraush, their gaze sparkled intensely.
Kraush had become somewhat of a hero for them, especially after his numerous accomplishments since coming to Rahern Academy.
“Is it just me, or are these intense stares getting more burdensome?”
Perhaps it was a figment of his imagination, but it seemed like the more he endeavored to become a celestial figure, the higher the bar rose with expectations.
“Am I also feeling some pressure?”
With a reputation comes a weight that can’t be easily shrugged off.
After all, reputations and public perception can crash like glass with just a single mistake.
It restricts one’s actions.
[When did you start caring about what others think?]
Crimson Garden mocked him, not holding back on its wit.
“True enough.”
He had a knack for ignoring the opinions of others.
All he had to do was act as he normally would.
If someone cursed him, he’d strut up and punish them directly; that was the surefire way to feel better.
“Maybe Arthur crumbled under the pressure because he couldn’t do that.”
Unlike Kraush, Arthur had desperately tried to maintain his reputation.
As a result, he was overwhelmed by concerns about how others viewed him, working tirelessly to polish his image.
“That was pretty close to obsession.”
Did something from Arthur’s past influence him?
Kraush hardly knew anything about Arthur’s past.
While they spent time together, they’d never seriously talked about their experiences.
Just as Arthur regarded Kraush as a tool, Kraush saw Arthur as a protective instrument against his own downfall.
You never engage in deep discussion with a tool.
In that way, both Kraush and Arthur might have treated each other in a similar way.
Neither had ever bothered to understand each other’s sincerity.
“And now, your sincerity will forever remain a mystery.”
The Arthur Kraush remembered no longer existed in this world.
Though, it was certain there was an Arthur in this world.
Kraush’s gaze fell upon the false Arthur.
He had long golden hair, reminiscent of the real Arthur, but his feminine features were much more pronounced.
The imposter followed along leisurely, admiring the scenery like Haring.
He had entered the Lion’s Order at Charlotte’s encouragement thanks to Kraush’s request.
Before joining, he seemed to be perpetually detached from everything.
Not a single person at Rahern Academy surrounded him, despite being a member of the Special Class.
“So, Arthur Gramalte-san, huh? Quite the peculiar fellow.”
Suddenly, Karandis, standing beside Kraush, noticed Kraush’s gaze and interjected.
“He always showcases incredible talent but seems to shun relationships. Apparently, he pushes people away the moment they try to get close.”
“You know him well.”
“Of course, we’re in the same Special Class. I did try to strike up a conversation with him at one point.”
Aside from Mary, Karandis was remarkably proactive about supporting the Special Class.
Perhaps that’s why she tried to approach the imposter Arthur too.
“Though, he hardly engaged with me, so I ultimately gave up.”
If someone as socially adept as Karandis gave up, it really did mean there was no interaction happening.
‘So as long as he plays the part of the false Arthur, that’s all that’s needed.’
Kraush momentarily recalled a conversation he had with the impostor.
“Well, it felt like the power of World Erosion wouldn’t be enough. You, back then, and you, now, too.”
His words had been loaded with meaning.
Kraush had dismissed them as nonsense.
Arthur, having gone through reincarnation alongside him, was truly gone from this world.
Thus, he assumed the faux Arthur was merely toying with him.
Yet, those words kept echoing in his mind.
The existence of this fake Arthur was news to Kraush during this turn of events.
After all, such a figure had never existed in the previous timeline.
What did he do back then?
Perhaps sensing Kraush’s gaze, the false Arthur turned to look at him.
For the briefest moment, their eyes locked.
But soon, they both averted their gazes naturally.
Since their previous conversation, there was no more reason to continue talking.
“We’ve arrived.”
Amidst the chatter, Delon announced their arrival.
As everyone looked up, the mountain’s peak came into view.
From the rocky summit, they looked down upon the breathtaking mountain scenery.
Even so, the World Tree remained tall enough that they had to tilt their heads back to truly appreciate it.
The sunlight streaming through the canopy of leaves above felt exceedingly warm.
“Now that we’re on a picnic, let’s have a little training session.”
Just when the sweat from their hike began to cool in the gentle breeze at the mountaintop, Delon introduced the idea of training.
What a surprising transition from picnic to training.
It was an absurd combination, yet everyone seemed interested.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Delon couldn’t help but smile.
“We happen to have both the top students from the first and second-year Special Classes here.”
Those two were none other than Charlotte and Kraush.
As Charlotte and Kraush exchanged glances, Delon adjusted his glasses.
“The two of you will team up, and the rest of the Lion’s Order will form teams among themselves for a mock battle!”
And what Delon proposed as a training exercise was something completely unexpected.
Delon, this guy…
From the moment he began trailing after Charlotte, it was clear he wasn’t normal either.
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