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The Royal Capital, Ichrite.
Under the afternoon sun around two or three o’clock, a Magic Power Rail Train roared into Ichrite Central Station.
This station, built of ochre-red bricks, was also the transportation heart of the entire Hutton Kingdom. Its ancient architecture, perfectly accommodated by modern refurbishments, had become a unique landscape.
As the mechanical behemoth came to a steady halt on the platform, and a few seconds after the announcement sounded, the carriage doors slowly opened.
Stepping out from one of the carriages was a group of young people with youthful exteriors, yet composed demeanors.
They walked with firm strides across the platform to the bustling station hall, bypassing tourists hesitating in front of shops featuring Hutton Kingdom’s special goods.
This team stood out conspicuously in the station hall, attracting the glances of many passersby.
They wore neatly tailored coats, with neckties emblazoned with the emblem of Royal Arolan Academy—a flame in the shape of a sword with a red and black checkerboard pattern. They omitted the military epaulettes and sleeve flowers, and the edges of their cuffs and hems were bordered in different colors to denote their grades and branches.
"Loren..."
The woman leading the group silently mouthed a name with a nearly imperceptible voice.
Unlike the students, the tall woman was dressed in a dark brown Arolan Kingdom knight’s attire. Even without armor, her presence left no doubt that she was a general, her gaze as noble as if she had just stepped out of the royal palace.
Many travelers, captivated by her gaze, came to a stop.
Her hair was tied back simply, and her golden locks cascaded down like a waterfall, stunning those in the station with her effortless natural beauty.
She looked up at the station signs.
A year ago, the Arolan Academic Visit Team had also come here.
Annually, as part of a fine tradition of friendly exchanges, the two schools would visit each other.
Included among these were Arolan students seeking to observe [Original Tablet of Wind] by Loren, and of course, Ichrite Academy students from Hutton Kingdom requesting to observe [Original Tablet-Rebirth] by Juliana.
As renowned powerhouses of the South Continent, there seemed to be inexplicable rumors circulating about them in Ichrite, even reaching Juliana back in Arolan Kingdom.
Juliana didn’t care about the rumors.
What mattered to her was Loren’s own attitude toward these rumors.
Last year, Juliana had thought the exchange would be nothing unusual.
It turned out that almost half of the students from the Arolan Academic Visit Team had failed to return from Ichrite.
Among them were those who suffered serious injuries, were arrested, transferred schools, or underwent severe psychological trauma, and so on.
Juliana had attempted to contact Loren several times and even planned to visit Ichrite to see him in person, but ultimately, it was Loren who reassured her that he wouldn’t let any more accidents befall the students of the Arolan Academic Visit Team. It was then Juliana temporarily canceled her trip to Hutton Kingdom.
As a result.
Ichrite Academy hosted a combat sports competition.
It was said to be a major incident recorded in the safety annals of Ichrite, criticized by the city hall in an official report.
In the end, Ichrite Academy won the combat sports competition with a significant five to zero score, and the Ichrite Health Centre received five new patients.
Led by third-year student Kuise, the Arolan Kingdom’s Fighter team took almost half a year of recuperation and psychological counseling before they could successfully return to Arolan Kingdom.
After that, Juliana knew she had to come.
The date that had been set between her and Loren due to a wager made by Loren’s students, was due to be fulfilled.
It was only later, due to the chain reaction of the arrest of Phoenix, a member of the Rebirth Church from the Arolan Academic Visit Team, and the battles between the Bishop of Destruction and the Dimensional Bishop, that the Rebirth Church in Arolan Kingdom became highly active, preventing Knight Juliana from leaving her duties. Thus, she could not come to Hutton Kingdom to see Loren.
But she had said, once the issue with the Rebirth Church in Arolan Kingdom was dealt with, she would personally come to Ichrite to find Loren and asked him to wait for her.
Now, she was here.
This year’s routine academic visit team was led directly by Knight Juliana herself. She wasn’t exactly on vacation, but she took advantage of official business to come and see Loren.
She also wanted to see if the rumors were true that the number of women around Loren had increased as rumored.
At least she was willing to trust Loren. He was straightforward, incorruptible, and upright. Even the Church’s Paladin kept a clear boundary, not to mention the Lady of Divine Choice who was rumored to possess unparalleled beauty.
This year’s Arolan Academic Visit Team arrived earlier than usual, and some of the students were rare powerhouses even within the Capital of Hutton. In addition to a few newcomers who had just moved up to the second grade, there were also some familiar faces.
"Ichrite, I’m back."
Apart from Knight Juliana, another young man leading the academic visit team had neatly groomed hair. He stepped out of the station hall, and the afternoon sun shone on his head. Yet his gaze seemed veiled by a mist, like a wounded lion, his youthful ardor and naiveté long since gone.
"Professor Adams, I heard that the student council of Ichrite Academy is a bunch of unimaginable beasts, capable of anything. Is that true?"
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The lower-grade freshman asked from behind him.
All the students knew that Adams, who had graduated and was now teaching at the Royal Arolan Academy, had represented Arolan Kingdom as the top third-year student during a visit to Ichrite last year.
It was said that he had defeated Loren’s ultimate weapon, Lanci, in the Artificial Shadow World with overwhelming superiority, but also paid a considerable price, becoming a completely different person after returning to the Arolan Kingdom.
"..."
Adams shook his head.
Essentially, he had a good impression of everyone at Ichrite Academy, except for Loren, the player of emotions, about whom he harbored doubts.
"No matter what, at least the Student Council President Monasite is quite an upright person, and in various situations, he has played an active role in leading and mediating."
Adams said in a deep voice.
"Then why has every incident he’s suggested ended up as an accident?"
A student from behind him tilted their head, puzzled.
Adams: "..."
At this moment, the sudden silence in the air made the other students realize that perhaps the president was also a newcomer, and the most hidden one at that.
"Ah, Adams, our senior back then, wasn’t like he is now. I remember his eyes were clear and bright as the stars. The first words he uttered after stepping out of the station were, ’As Lady Juliana’s sword, I shall seek to learn from the most outstanding student under Dean Loren’s tutelage’."
Walking in the middle of the group, a light-haired, green-eyed girl with a pleasant temperament held the back of her head and said leisurely.
She was a genius Magic Artisan who became a Gold-level Card Maker in her second year at the Royal Arolan Academy and is now a third-year senior.
"Carlen..."
Adams turned back and murmured to himself.
"If possible, I still prefer the confident Adams, though now you’ve become composed, you no longer laugh."
Carlen said with a sense of regret, spreading her hands.
Everyone could see that Sister Carlen wasn’t mocking Professor Adams; she was trying to inspire him.
She was truly too gentle and kind.
"Hehe..."
Seeing the affectionate gazes of everyone.
Carlen still smiled innocently.
But in her heart, she sneered:
Waste, barely winning against Lanci after nearly losing your life, I really don’t understand you brats who enjoy fighting all day long.
Since Magic Artisans were extremely scarce at the Royal Arolan Academy and outstanding ones were highly sought after,
She, who was about to go to the Poseen Kingdom to take the Platinum Level Card Maker exam, enjoyed an even higher status among the students.
She really enjoyed being held up like a queen.
And Adams, the fool, was just a stepping stone that highlighted her superiority.
The students in the front were all praising Carlen, and there were also students in the rear who had been silent for a long time.
A second-year noble girl walked alone at the back.
Her imposing manner and deep red eyes seemed piercingly cold as if she could see through people’s hearts.
Apart from the black and white family crest on her standard school uniform, the conspicuous inverted cross hair accessory, made up of red ribbons and gold metal lining, only emphasized her unique Priest status in the Church of the Goddess of Destiny.
Although she belonged to the Church of the Goddess of Destiny just like Loren, this visit was undoubtedly meant as a gesture of respect to the Great Priest. However, her classmates all knew this was not the truth.
Her brother, Kuise Paccas, the eldest son of Earl Paccas from Arolan Kingdom and the most powerful Fighter in the third year of the Royal Arolan Academy, had suffered an unfortunate accident during his visit to Ichrite last year. 𝔫𝔬𝖛𝖕𝔲𝖇.𝖈𝖔𝖒
To this day, Kuise still hides at home, too afraid to step outside, let alone fight; even the proximity of his house servants scares him, as if they might beat him.
The instigator of that incident was Loren’s student, Lanci Welfort, who was also the coach for the Ichrite team in the competitive match.
But if one were to ask who taught Lanci, who was giving instructions, who was the referee in that competition; there’s only one answer!
"Loren Clarel, you sanctimonious little man, I must expose you..."
Kukulka clenched her fists and swore in her heart.
